#i've been struggling with chapter nine for a very long time
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rainbowsandwhumperflies · 3 months ago
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The Winged Servant - 9
content warnings: dehumanization/insulting the whumpee, threatening many characters, discussion of murder, breaking and entering, life threatening situations, yet another sword injury, dissociation
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There were more footsteps. Not loud, not close, but loud enough. Close enough.
“Your, um, Your Highnesses-”
“Stay out of this, you stupid bird,” Prince Cardan growled at me, and I nodded quickly.
“My apologies, Your Highness.” I pressed my back up against the wall as the footsteps got louder.
“See? You can’t even keep your stupid pet quiet,” Prince Cardan snapped at his brother. “Do you really think you two could take care of Kieran as well as I could?”
“He’s not a pet, Cardan. Oh my god, you’re insufferable! I forbid you from trying to kill Kieran in my place.”
“Forbid me? You’re not exactly in any position to stop me.”
“Yeah, because you attacked me! Do you even hear yourself?”
There was a gun pointed at my head before I'd even realized anyone was close enough to point one. “No funny business, or I shoot you.”
 If someone aims a weapon at you, then you do your best not to let that weapon touch you. That had been almost my only order tonight. That, and follow the prince. I wasn't supposed to let the gun rest against my temple the way it did now, but if I moved away-
I took a shaky breath, opening my eyes despite the fact that I hadn't really noticed them close. The princes were in a similar predicament, frozen in place while guards pulled guns off of their waists.
“Your Highnesses,” I whispered, trying desperately to find out what I was supposed to do, but the guard with a gun pointed at me squeezed my shoulder.
“Stay quiet if you know what's good for you.”
Prince Cardan scoffed. “Yeah, right. Kieran isn't consistent enough to run a country, and this is proof! He's got free speech protected in-”
“Yeah, not for you. You are being searched for weapons right now, and I won't have you conferring with each other.”
He opened his mouth, but Prince Ryan interrupted. “Cardan, I implore you not to do anything stupid right now.”
“You know what, Ry? That’s your other problem. You use big words that no one understands and get mad that no one listens.”
“... Implore? That big word that no one understands? Seriously?”
“Please stop talking,” the tallest guard said wearily. He stood watching in the corner, his hand resting on a weapon but not yet pointing it at any of us. “Every day I thank my lucky stars that Kieran took over. Wright, will you handcuff them?”
Prince Ryan glared as his arms were pulled behind his back, but he didn’t resist, didn’t flinch when fingers dug into the gash on his arm.
“What about the angel?” the guard—Wright?—asked.
I hadn’t been searched. It was obvious, probably, that I didn’t have a weapon, that I hadn’t moved an inch. Not since those first footsteps, when Prince Ryan had told me not to move until he said otherwise.
“What about the angel? Handcuff him too. If he somehow is innocent, we’ll find out at his trial.”
Wright tilted her head at me. “Angel. Did you help the twins break into the castle or not?”
I blinked slowly. “Break in?”
She glanced at the other guards. “He might be in shock or something. In which case, he’ll need medical care sooner rather than later.”
“He’s not in shock,” Prince Ryan huffed. “He just doesn’t know what’s going on. Yes, he helped us break in, he just didn’t know we were breaking in.”
“You watched them kill people and didn’t realize they were breaking in?” she asked me, and I frowned.
“The royal family doesn’t need explanations to carry out their will, ma'am. I'm supposed to do as they say without question. It's not really- it's not my business if we're breaking in or not.”
She promptly handcuffed me.
Prince Ryan had let himself be handcuffed, so I held still and went where they put me.
Prince Cardan did not.
He didn’t stand a chance, without weapons and surrounded by so many guards, but that didn’t stop him from trying. That didn't stop him from punching two people in the face and lunging toward me and shoving me in front of him.
I didn't move away when a weapon swung towards me, barely flinching as a blade hit my arm. I was good, I was a good servant, I could be good and hold still when I was punished and-
“Onyx,” someone snapped, and I looked up.
There was blood running down my arm. Prince Cardan had been apprehended and was in handcuffs. I was in handcuffs. Prince Ryan was in handcuffs, and glaring at me.
“Come on, Onyx,” he said. “Don’t start letting your brain drift now. You’ve been doing well tonight; you need to do well for a little while longer.”
“Apologies, Your Highness,” I managed to whisper, bowing my head toward him.
He glanced at the guards around us. “Well. No time like the present to throw us in the dungeon, hm?”
~
We weren’t taken to a dungeon, or a jail, or anywhere else that I would’ve assumed that this Kieran person put people who tried to overthrow him. Maybe he wouldn’t bother putting us anywhere—maybe this was a temporary fix while we awaited execution.
In any case, the guards brought us to what looked like
 a guest bedroom.
The princes both looked upset, but stayed compliant as they were brought to their knees on the carpet. It was- it was nice carpet. Our carpet was not this soft, not this plush. I would kneel on this carpet for years if they'd like me to, I thought. 
Prince Ryan did not look as happy as me with our conditions. “Is your king too much of a pussy to put us in a real prison for grown-ups? Or does he think that he can give us hugs and words of affirmation and we'll realize that we've been bad people all along?”
“He doesn't think we'll be able to shut you up, that's for sure,” Wright muttered. “Here's the thing. The king has never once tried to convince someone to work overtime when they didn't want to. That's not a grace you'd ever extended, but we've gotten real fond of him. If he doesn't want to work overtime, we won't make him.”
“He hasn't stopped searching for us for five years. He won't wake up from his beauty sleep to say hi now?”
“Nope,” Wright agreed cheerfully. “He won't. He can deal with you first thing in the morning, and not a moment earlier.”
“And we'll all just
 hang out here until then?”
“Mhm!”
“And the other people you've caught?” Prince Ryan’s eyes were narrowed, glancing at the obvious exits of the room. “They're in prison?”
“Some of them. Lucia is on her way here to wait with you—you three are a bit more of a priority than everyone else you roped into this.”
Suddenly, the prince’s eyes snapped to me, and I whimpered a bit. What was I supposed to do right now? It was treason to refer to the royal family with their first names, but I hadn't been the one doing that. Should I have been telling the guard not to? It wasn't my place to correct humans on what to do. Was it?
“The angel,” Price Ryan finally said, and I let out a breath of relief as I realized he was still talking to the guard. “Is he
 priority? Like the royal family?”
“The Rao family,” Wright corrected. “You're not what we consider royalty around here. But the angel is
 well, we're not sure about him. So Kieran gets to decide when he gets up.”
“What about-”
“Mr. Rao,” she said slowly. “You're being a little too nosy. To the point that I think I might need to worry a bit about what you're planning. I suggest you shut up until Kieran comes. You might be able to get a few hours of sleep if you start now.”
He swallowed, but leaned back against a wall silently.
Something was wrong. Something had gone very, very wrong. We'd been breaking in, the princes had said, and we'd gotten caught. And this place was under Kieran’s rule, which was ridiculous because everything was supposed to be under Her Majesty's rule.
The guard here had not called her “Her Majesty.” She'd called her by her first name. That was treason, and yet no one had seemed surprised and no one had contradicted her.
The princes were being quiet, like they'd been told to. And the princes never did what they were told to, so something was wrong. Something was wrong and I didn't know what and I needed to stay quiet and I needed someone to tell me what to do.
And all I was allowed to do was wait.
~
Taglist (lmk if you'd like to be added/removed!): @kaleidoscope-of-thoughts @toyybox @rainydaywhump @risk606
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polarisjisung · 3 months ago
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LOVE ON THE COURT | 12 BIRTHDAY PARTY
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SYNOPSIS | every college student has their struggles, but raising her younger brother has Y/N top of the list, struggling her way through college whilst balancing her academics and basketball captaincy is difficult no doubt and with Jaemin, her ex best friend and captain of the guys basketball team, and his growing one sided hatred towards her, it doesn't seem to be getting any easier
WARNINGS | swearing, sexual innuendos, kys/kms jokes, friendship jealousy?, a very brief mention of some guy hitting on y/n + spiking of drinks but I didn't want to go into too much detail so it's not a very in depth description or anything
NOTES | I so badly wanted to write this chapter better but it just hasn't been working for me, I think I've reached my wits end with this chapter and this is the best I could do which honestly I'm really disappointed with it, but I want to get back to regular posting and I don't think I can rewrite this chapter again after going in circles with it for the past week so I'm sorry if it's not v good
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Jaemin's happy, spending his birthday night with the people he cares for most, having a good time. It helps him forget, the struggles the worries, the events of the past week. He forgets it all. And even if just for a moment, jaemin feels free, like nothing could stop him.
It's not a feeling that lasts long, and as the sound of sweet laughter echoes in his ears, despite the blaring music, jaemin reminds himself that he doesn't have the right to feel so happy after what he'd done. Or at least he thinks so.
Y/n's laugh is quiet but he hears every part of it intricately, his head shooting over to the left where she's a few drinks deep into a conversation with Mark and Haechan. His heart thumps in his chest. Jaemin follows Chenle and Renjun's eager eyes, watching the way they navigate through the crowd to join the conversation. His palms are sweaty, clammy even, and the bile almost rises to his throat, resting in that uncomfortable position that made him shift his weight from one foot to the other. The events of the other day seem to play in his head, on loop, on repeat, at every sight of the girl. The bitter feeling causes his hands to shake, almost eating hik alive. How could he have done that?
A lump in his throat, jaemin can't help but remember the days, those days where he knew everything there was to know about the girl across the room. The days where y/n was deeply integrated into the mix of the 6 other rowdy, loud and messy but sweet boys he called his best friends. Those days that were long gone. Relationships that could never be restored taken with it. Those days when nights like these, like today, would be nothing but a distant nightmare.
Y/n was dressed to the nines in a pretty red dress that she'd never have worn before, with features so different, a sign of the time that had passed, Jaemin swore he barely knew the girl he saw in front of him.
But for a flash of a second Jaemin does see someone he recognises. He sees y/n. His y/n.
The y/n with slightly shorter hair, softer features, happier eyes and a brighter smile. The carefree y/n, the y/n who fit to a T the memories he stored in his mind. The y/n who would never have done what she had to him.
He had given his best shot to forgetting those exact memories but they were vivid recollections that would never escape his mind no matter how hard he tried. Today for the first time in 3 years Jaemin had let himself look back fondly on what they had once been. He wondered where it all went wrong, what he had done wrong back then for it to end like this.
Jaemin sighs, pulling his hand back from the open bar and taking just a few steps back to observe. Haechan seems to have cracked a joke. From afar it seems like one of those things that gets funnier as each person adds, and soon he notices the four of his friends doubled over in laughter, grasping each other for support and laughing to their hearts content. Something about that site in front of him makes it feel as though time hadn't changed a thing, their bond still as unbreakable and robust as before, a bond that ran beyond verbal description and light sentiment, it was a deep rooted bonding of their souls.
He felt jealous.
Jaemin, for as long as he let his eyes play the scene in front of him, felt sickeningly jealous.
He wanted nothing more than to have his friendship with her to be untouched, the bond he had with his best friend, that had been stronger than any other, he wanted it back as though nothing had hapenned and nothing had gone wrong in the first place.
His stomach churns with nausea, and jaemin subconsciously steps further away from the makeshift bar, watching Y/n closely.
Her mannerisms had changed, no longer that same rough reflection of his own habits, but a distinct and sharp contrast. There's no scrunch of her nose or reeling back when she tips back a shot, no hesitance to get herself another drink without tugging someone along with her
No sign of the girl he once knew inside out, other than a few vaguely familiar facial features.
Jaemin's too occupied in his thoughts to notice how his friends now begin to pile into the other room, setting up for beer pong, hell jaemin barely notices when Jeno invites him over to play, with a pat on his back and a smile on his face.
His eyes instead find themselves glued to the captain across the room. Where she was stood at least, because once Jaemin shakes himself from his thoughts and his blank stare grows fuller, he realises that y/n isn't anywhere to be seen.
He knows for a fact that she wasn't in the other room, crowding around the table and cheering for whoever she decided she'd be supporting. Instead, his eyes shoot over to the kitchen, and his legs follow. A concerned Isa scurrying out of the kitchen, only giving him reason to trust his gut.
The sound of slurred conversation fills his ears and suddenly he finds himself walking a little quicker. Intuition was always his strong suit and the churning in the pit of his stomach made him gulp.
"I'm really not interested" he hears y/n's voice, slightly muffled as he enters the kitchen, stood in the doorway to see some guy, he's not really sure who, stood towering in front of her
"oh come on, I make the best drinks" he says, holding out a red solo cup in front of her.
Y/n rolls her eyes. Nobody presses for a drink that much unless they're up to something. She knows that despite being a few too many shots into the night. And she certainly knows better than to accept a drink off a stranger.
In moments like this, she assumes violence isn't the answer — she knew she lacked the coordination to even walk in a straight line right now. So she gladly accepts the drink, taking it in her hands and swirling it about in the cup. Although the urge to splash it in his face was strong, Y/n knew getting out of the situation wasn't that simple. But she didn't exactly have many ideas now either.
"So what's in this mystery drink of yours?" she asks with a sickeningly sweet tone, trying to buy herself time. There was no way she was drinking this, especially not considering this guy had been hitting on her for the past 5 minutes
Her eyes dart across the room, searching for any sign of a way out of the situation, her eyes finally landing on the doorway. Y/n had never felt so relieved at the sight of Jaemin, certainly not in recent times.
It took less than a second before he was already taking a stride towards her
"Hey y/n" he smiles, walking over and placing his arm over her shoulder. Jaemin feels her body tense under his hold, his faux smile almost dropping at the realisation.
But he has no time to take offence, grabbing the cup from her hands "I could use a drink." he says despite the fact that right now, even the mention of alcohol had his stomach churning. Paired with the blaring music and the crowd of people, the nausea was overpowering.
But the second his eyes land on her, he feels a sense of ease, just like the old times. And for the second time that night jaemin can't help but think where it had all gone wrong, where they had gone wrong.
He wants to stand and ponder whether this grudge he'd been holding against her for years was really worth the loss of the most treasured relationship he knew. But the amused stare of the creep opposite him gives jaemin no room to think, in fact he barely has the room to breathe with how close he is.
That sick smirk on his face, jaemin wants nothing more than to knock his jaw in and his teeth out. If it weren't for y/n beside him, jaemin probably would.
But the brunette only gets a quick glare from jaemin before he guides Y/n out of the kitchen with him. His arm only falling back down to his side when they were in the hallway.
"Thanks" she mutters out, and it's clear to jaemin that she's far from sober, even clearer when she takes a shaky step forwards.
"Woah" it's instinctive the way he reaches for her arm, steadying her in his hold. "Let me help you"
But she pulls her arm back.
"You really don't need to be nice to me because of what hapenned the other day" she sighs, leaning against the wall behind her. "I'm over it, honestly" she says, her hands held up either side of her head. But her eyes remain latched ontot he floor.
"That's not why I'm‐" his words are cut off again, this time by his own thoughts. His muscles tensed and jaemin had no idea why, but her words didn't seem to sit right with him.
"Look I appreciate it" she pauses, "but it feels awkward, you're not supposed to help me, it's just not what you do" she says, shrugging
The feeling inside him grows as each word passes her lips. His throat tightening.
Jaemin feels a sudden sense of urgency overcome him, the need to defend himself profound.
"Come on peach, I wouldn't let some creep get away with that no matter what, especially not with you"
His voice comes as a soft whisper, rushed, but gentle.
Jaemin for the first time had spoken before he could think, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts, barely able to process his own words. He wants to say more, but he can't, like his tongue is tied as he waits for a response.
He searches for any sign of belief in her face, any sign of trust, anything he could work with, he'd take.
"I'm sorry" he musters up the courage to say, though he's not sure what it is he apologises for. All he hopes is that he'll see something, anything.
But the blank expression that laid across her features was far from what he was looking for.
Her lips lay flat in a straight line, her eyes latched onto the floor, expression stoic. He wanted her to scream, shout, kick, do anything. Jaemin as ever before, just wanted to get a reaction out of the girl, the slip of the once endearing nickname from his lips no mistake.
"Say something" he bends down ever so slightly, now eye level with her slouched figure "please" his speech is breathy, desperate almost. He doesn't care.
For the first time, jaemin knows what he wants. And though he's too scared to say it, jaemin finally admits to himself just how much y/n means to him. It seems a lot easier to do when she's by his side, like all things had when she was around. And the question arises once again, where had everything gone wrong? and perhaps more importantly, why had he let go of everything so easily?
The thoughts cloud his mind again, his eyes trained on the girl opposite him, her lips between her teeth.
Y/n felt silly, that stupid nickname causing tears to well up in her eyes, that nickname that she had never known to mean so much. Peach. She used to love when he called her that, now she wasn't so sure.
She holds his eyes in her own for a moment, not breaking the silence until a shaky breath falls from her lips.
"I should go" and her eyes return to the floor "Happy birthday jaemin."
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heyidkyay · 1 year ago
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And I'm petrified of being alone, now |
Part One
Matty Healy x reader
Summary: She’s just trying to get by, really. What with being a single parent to her four year old son whilst simultaneously trying to kick start a successful career as a radio presenter. She’s got everything she’s ever wanted though, friends close by, a mum who’s merely a phone call away, and of course her baby boy. What else is there to wish for? But then, it’s not long before her relatively normal life gets upended and turned on its head, and she’s suddenly forced to deal with situations she’s never even thought to imagine.
What happens when one mention of a certain controversial singer on her show sends a flood of unexpected challenges her way? 
Warnings: This is gonna deal with a lot of controversial shit surrounding Matty and his past I'm ngl, so if you're not into that then I'd suggest not reading this! But if you are, then hi!! I hope you enjoy?
Authors Note: I'm back...:)) Back with a series too, or it will be if this first part goes down well! Lmao so pls don't hate it! Butttt in all honestly, I do have to quickly thank @procrastinatinglikeapro for all the kind words she gave me on the snippets I annoyed her with recently and for forcing me to actually believe in this fic because I very much was on the fence about posting again. So thank youuuu, it means a whole lot<3 Also, the skeleton of this was taken from a very old fic of mine which I started during the height of covid that I've just been thinking about trying to better for a long while now, so... enjoy?
And I guess let me know if this is something anyone would want to read more of? Yeeeeah, I really don't know what else to write here now, it's been a while, so! Hi, help, bye:)
Masterlist
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Chapter 1: He's got the whole world falling at his feet
“Yeah, yeah! I’m really into their sound at the minute! Honestly fell in love with their recent performance at the VMA’s– didn’t overdo it and kept it true to themselves. Definitely did a great job there, so well done with that one if you’re listening in, lads!”
I was grinning from ear to ear as I spoke into the microphone before me, which was to be expected whenever I was at work. Strange, yeah I know, but only to any typical person with the usual nine to five, because I truly did love my job. It was tough work, strenuous at times, contrary to what most might believe, but it was pretty much everything I’d ever dreamt of.
See, I’d grown up on the outskirts of this tiny village in the Isles, where everybody knew everything about everybody. Secrets were never well kept– you could just ask our local priest about that one, who often used to regale most of the confessions he’d heard in the only pub around for miles whenever he’d been pissed beyond being able to sit on his barstool. 
It was also incredibly tight-knit, as in, all the kids who went to school together, then grew up and married one another, settling down and taking over the jobs that their parents or grandparents would soon retire from. Hardly anyone moved away, if ever.
In reality though, it was actually just a place I’d always felt like a stranger in. Where I’d struggled to fit in and make friends, to form bonds outside of the one I shared with my mum. 
Which sounds sad speaking about it, but still true, I’d had a real tough go of it back in school. ‘Mouse’ was what they’d seemingly dubbed me back then, a nickname which had travelled throughout the masses all too quickly seeing as there had only been about sixteen kids in both my year and the one above. 
The name had mostly started due to me just having been an extremely timid child, hiding behind my mum’s flowing skirts whenever we went into town and much preferring that of my own company whenever other kids were mulling about. But that fact hadn’t gotten any easier for me once I’d been forced out of school for a few years after an accident that had flipped my entire life on its head. Resulting in me being further isolated from the rest of the world and my fuck-face of a father running for the hills.
Still. Shit happened, I supposed, and I’d been forced to deal with it and grow up.
Too quickly, in truth.
So whilst everyone else had been out living, I’d been holed up in our little dove cottage miles away from them all, with only books and music to keep me company. Music which had been a true constant in my life and just about the only thing that had gotten me by.
As well as my mum, who’d forever be my rock. And back when we’d both been growing up– because that was how it’d always felt with us– she had constantly had the tele on full blast throughout the day, cycling through the freeview channels that played the recent top 50 and old school classics.
It was one of my favourite things to look back on now. Sometimes if she was ever in the mood, or when the power would finally flicker and go out completely when a storm hit, she’d spin this old phonograph her own father had gifted her in the days before she’d left home. The two of us would dance around the living room whilst she would clean on Saturday mornings and then hum to it as we settled in for a long downpour, her working on her trusty crossword whilst I would read or draw. The brass  pavilion would croon out old French records she had bought long before she’d moved to the UK, and before she’d ever even met my father.
And I would just lose myself in it all. 
It wasn’t just the basic premise of music that I had enjoyed though, it was everything else that also came along with it. The opinions, the reviews, the personal stories and thoughts, the way it could make a person think and feel. 
So, for years I would just sit down at the kitchen table and write for hours on end about the sound, the rhythms I’d felt and heard, the lyrics that had had me bellowing out or playing on a never-ending loop in my head. And then, as a teen, Twitter had come along and had been just another way for me to express it all.
It was actually Twitter that had eventually led to all of this. 
The radio.
At first, I’d never paid much mind to all of the people who had started to discover the small page I’d created, the few users that had enjoyed reading my inner thoughts. But then one day I had and it had been an insane concept to comprehend, the very idea that people cared enough to stop and read my thoughts, but it was also what had, ultimately, pushed me into continuing with it.
From there, opinions on genres of music and their style throughout different decades quickly turned into thoughts on up and coming artists, then actors and other A-list celebrities. So I had ended up spending an awful lot of time online, simply just tweeting about it all, on subjects followers had wanted to hear about and answering questions on whether I loved a certain album or this new EP. 
The account had grown rapidly shortly after and by the time I’d had the balls to tell my mum I had wanted to leave home and make a start for myself, in London of all places, the account I used had gained well over fifteen thousand followers.
I went to uni down there and met people. People who didn’t shy away from me or shine a light on my odd quirks. I met my best mate there, too. And Finn was unlike any other. The platonic love of my life, or so I’d since dubbed. He was eccentric, witty, and didn’t care about what anyone else thought of him. Forced me to feel that way too, slowly but surely. And it had only taken a few weeks before he'd grown rather suspicious of my constant need to always have my phone near.
He had, pretty early on, decided that I must’ve had some secret boyfriend back at home that I’d yet to tell him about and had annoyed me about it at every twist and turn, basically backed me into a metaphorical corner. So to say I’d relented fairly quickly wouldn’t be a lie, and I’d told him all about the account soon enough.
Finn had actually been the one to suggest that I take it further, somewhere bigger, make it into something that people could actually tune into and not just read about. I had taken the consideration on board way back then, but had only acted on it when shit had hit the fan a year or so later. But we'll soon get into that.
So with it all, I ended up making an actual radio show out of my thoughtless Twitter account, allowing people to listen in and actually get to know the person behind the name.
That was essentially how ‘Mouse On A Mic' had come to life.
Yup, I’d kept the fucking nickname! I couldn’t not in truth, it was familiar, reminded me of the person I once was, and who I currently am now. But the only difference was, I’d given it a new story. I’d reclaimed it. 
The show's audience grew fairly quickly during that first year, I was new on the scene and seemingly refreshing. I had a no-bullshit kind of attitude that my listeners apparently admired. I called celebs out on their crap and went to new extremes to conjure up inventive ways to get followers involved. 
Ultimately ended up doing things that other radio presenters were too afraid to do at the time. Which was fair enough, in hindsight, they had actual endorsers and brands that were backing them up and funding their streams. Me, on the other hand, I had no-one to answer to for my mistakes or any of the backlash the show received. It was just me, sat alone in my bedroom, speaking into a mic.
Only, a few years had since passed and now it was me sitting in a quaint little studio in East London, not too far from my flat and walking distance from any and every coffee chain that the city had to offer. 
Anyway, I forced myself to adjust my headset over my right ear as I wheeled closer to the table, aware of the one too many monitors and power cables I had to constantly avoid, and glanced upwards, locking eyes with my co-producer, Adi.
The girl shot me a hurried gesture, a circular wave of her hand that had me chuckling to myself even as I silently waved her off, knowing I’d already gotten off track one too many times this recording. 
"Alright! It seems as though we've got to move on with the next segment of the show now! Unfortunately, Ads here has informed me that I can't just sit around all day and talk about Inhaler forever. A right shame that, don’t you think?”
I huffed theatrically whilst Adi merely shook her head in return, dark ringlets brushing the length of her shoulders as she mouthed the word 'prick' through the thick sheet of plexiglass that separated us.
Ignoring that loving endearment in favour of continuing on with the commentary, I hoped I hadn’t steered too far off track seeing as there was still an awful lot scheduled for today's show that I had yet to go over.
“So moving on!” I sighed on into the mic and rubbed my palms together, eyes flitting over the few sheets of paper I had perched before me, “It seems like quite a few of you lot, over on Twitter especially, have made it loudly known that you want to hear my thoughts on Manchester’s very own Matthew Healy. God, is there yet another scandal under his belt I don’t yet know about? Makes me wonder where he’s finding the time.”
I shook my head briefly at the bulleted point I’d been given and rolled forward in my seat. The wheels squeaked beneath my weight and I made a silent prayer that the mics hadn’t picked up the sound. 
What a fucking topic, I thought quietly to myself and sent Adi a semi-amused smile before peering down at the recent headline she had handed over to me earlier that morning.
It was the same old thing. Expected really at this point.
“Healy’s at it again! Whatever will we do?” I gasped, playing up the whole thing as I stared down at a few images of the haughty singer that were plastered across the printout I held in front of me. 
There were four of them, a quick succession of pictures that had all seemingly come from a clip at a recent concert. Bit blurry but the title gave away to what was happening.
A laugh bubbled up out of my throat as soon as I read the headline. “Oh God! It appears Matty Healy is– wait for it!– back at it again, only this time it seems he’s gone and traded off a drumstick for
” I paused to drum quite the anticipating beat against the tabletop of my desk and, as stoic as I possibly could, I then added, “A joint!” 
A smug grin slid its way up onto my lips when I heard Adi’s faint cackle echo from just outside the booth.
“Honestly, I swear that everything this man does makes the rags! Reckon I actually saw an article about how he took his tea this one time. And like, do me a favour, yeah?” I rolled my eyes but relented, “A man of the people though, in’t he? He’s got to be! I mean, just look at this headline. Fucking who the hell writes this shit?”
Tossers, I supposed. But even so.
“It’s madness.” I muttered, gently clucking my tongue as I shook my head at the so-called news that had made the front page. “But anyway, I’m guessing that most people claim him to be the epitome of a real time rockstar, and sure, he might just be. 'Sex, drugs, rock & roll', all that shit. But really, how much longer is it going to last until everything goes tits up, hey?
“I mean, Healy can pretty much do whatever he wants at this point in his career, he’s got half the world either falling at his feet or complaining about him- has done since he was what, a kid? Following his parents amongst the shadows of their fame before he eventually stepped out and made an actual name for himself. Saying that, it still is insane to see how much he’s changed!”
And it was. Healy and his band had risen to fame so evidently, their music everywhere, they sold out shows constantly and had the privilege to fly across the globe doing whatever they pleased. But they’d also practically grown up in the limelight, Matty especially. So it was hard not to notice the resounding changes that shone through in all the news and gossip that ran riot.
“But, if I am being truthful.” I went on to say, thumb toying with the page’s sharp edge, “And when am I not? I thought that most of the shit that went around about him at first was a load of crap– publicity of sorts, if you get where I'm going with that. Or maybe just him being an idiot, a young lad who’s had to grow up with all these cameras consistently on him and had to basically learn what he can and can’t say in front of them. Slipping up from time to time, like most do. But, now? I’m honestly not too sure
 It’s just a bit sad. Isn't it? There was so much potential there.”
I shrugged, a hearty sigh falling with my shoulders.
“I actually used to quite like his stuff a couple years ago, he’s got a way with words, with music overall really. Reckon if he’d gotten his shit together that he probably could’ve been ranked higher up on the list of rockstars. Could’ve changed or paved a way for newer musicians entering the scene. But not so much anymore. His songs lack the passion they once had, they’re not what they used to be. He works hard, I’ll give him that. Still, I can’t help but wonder if it’s just his band pulling his dead weight along with them now.”
I took a slow breath, then gazed down at the small amount of sticky notes I had pinned to the monitor beside me: the next segment. I’d have to wrap this one up quickly.
“Maybe that’s a bit harsh.” I said, chewing on my lower lip, “But honestly, I just hope that he takes an actual break sooner rather than later. The band looks spent and he just seems like he could do with some shut eye, some time away from all the cameras and prying eyes. Just so he can sort himself out good and proper, you know? Then again, that’s just my opinion among a sea of many.”
In truth, I really did think that Matty had real talent, that raw kind, and he seemed like a nice enough guy– or at least he had done, a couple of years back, before all the controversy and whatever else. 
Now though, the man just seemed so caught up in it all, in the fame, the tabloids, the drama. Unaware of just how far he’d fallen.
Me, I’d seen it one too many times before, with many of the greats even, and as painful as it was to watch, what more could I say or do? I'm nobody in comparison.
I blew out a short breath.
“Fuck, that got all serious didn’t it?” I tried to laugh it all off and only felt a little more at ease when I finally glanced up and caught Adi’s sincere smile, “Anyway, onto our next segment, reading a couple of your lots tweets! Let's see what everyone's saying about our amazing Adi today, shall we? What was it last week, Ads, those yellow trousers you were wearing?”
--
“Oi, will you two please stop mucking about? We’ve got to get going!” I scolded without any actual heat, shaking my head as I held back a chuckle, forever amused by the infamous pair stood a way away from me. 
I’d not long since left the studio, having walked with Adi to the nearby tube station so that she could hop a train home before I had headed on over to Finn’s. It was a typical route for me and not too long of a walk, but since arriving I’d been roped into packing up the many belongings that had been messily upended from the Spiderman backpack I was so often seen carrying about.
My gaze skittered over to the other side of the room once I’d teethed together the bag’s plastic zipper, over to where my son, Teddy, was currently in the midst of being whirled around by his godfather, tawny coloured curls flying in every-which direction whilst his cheeky grin grew even more prominent.
I felt the corners of my mouth lift upwards as I watched my best mate laugh at whatever it was the toddler had just said to him, tickling the boy’s sides as he did. If I was feeling incredibly sappy, I’d tell Finn then just how thankful I was to have him around, because he truly was incredible. 
From the moment I’d found out that I was pregnant, Finn had been there for me. He loved my son almost as though Teddy was his own, he adored the kid like no other and had placed him on a pedestal high above everyone else since the day he was born. 
Finn was always free to take Teddy whenever I had the show to fret about too, or if I was ever in dire need of another helping hand. He was fiercely protective of the two of us and I knew in the very depths of my heart that there would never be a hair harmed on my son’s head so long as he was around. 
I was pulled from my thoughts just as the toddler in question came bounding over, giggling uncontrollably as Finn chased after him, his arms stretched out wide and crouched down low to mimic the small boy's height. I couldn't help but notice the matching grins they both wore.
“Help!” Teddy squealed as he flung himself into my awaiting arms, allowing me to wrap him up and settle him safely on my hip, using my frame as a shield to block him from Finn’s view.
"You can't hide from me Teds, I’ll always find you!" Finn taunted playfully, laughing merrily whilst he wiggled his fingers at Teddy, who was only just peeking out at him from over my shoulder.
Teddy squirmed in my grasp, giggling and screaming senselessly as he tried to dodge Finn’s oncoming hands that had since managed to softly graze his sides. I could only roll his eyes in fond exasperation, the pair never failing to brighten my day, and couldn't help but feel ever so grateful for whatever being had brought Finn into both mine and Teddy’s lives.
You see, Finn was the closest thing I’d ever had to a brother, let alone a best friend. He’d been the family I’d never known I’d needed, a home away from home. And I knew that I could always count on him for just about anything and he had proved that the day I’d turned up on his doorstep in the pissing rain one Tuesday night, utterly terrified after having just found out that I was expecting. 
“Alright, you lot!” I began, batting away one of Finn’s advancing hands as he made to grab at Teddy's tiny ankle. “We've got to get home in time for your bath and tea, and I think Finn here has to pick up Liv from work.”
I was directing my voice towards the toddler in my arms but also sent a knowing look Finn’s way, one which caused the man’s eyes to widen in immediate realisation. ‘Liv’ was actually the lovely Olivia, Finn’s newest fling– only she had managed to last quite a while longer than the rest, a new record for him really. 
“Shit, yeah.” Finn muttered mostly to himself before he hurried on over to his desk in the far corner. I could only laugh quietly, Teddy joining in too when he noticed, and watched on as Finn hastily started to grab at an array of items, shoving them into his jean pockets. Phone. Wallet. Keys.
When he was finished, and somewhat out of breath, Finn spun back around towards us and shot an accusing brow our way, not too pleased about having been the source of our mirth. Teddy and I couldn't help ourselves then and laughed a little harder at his impervious expression. 
But with that all done and over with, I simply pressed my nose against the side of Teddy's head and smiled contently into his curls whilst Finn merely rolled his eyes at the two of us, chuckling before he made a start for the door. I followed just behind him, Teddy's backpack slung low over my shoulder and a happy little boy nestled in my arms.
***
People lover @/user1 Imagine being a mediocre radio host and thinking you know the ins and outs of the music industry.. #CancelMouse
102 @/user2  Don't mind me, reckon I just found my new favourite radio show:)
Ugh! @/user3 Mouse sounded proper excited today but switched up so quick when that 75 bloke came up://
Soloveme @/user4 Hate to see people supporting toxic behaviour, sit down. 
Milk @/user5 Don’t hate me, I'll forever be a matty girlie!! But @Mouseonamic I kinda agree??
Paris @/user6 Do you think he’s seen it yet? > Too_shy @/user7 Probably, it’s trending rn >> Drummepls @/user8 Hope he’s okay and doesn’t take it as a personal attack.. 
He should’ve known really.
He should’ve fucking known.
Even in his drunken state he should have known not to look at what they were all fucking saying about him. Slumped on the floor of his hotel room, propped up against the bathroom door, too exhausted to think about moving, let alone try.
He’d only heard a small snippet, caught the last of a conversation on it in a cab ride back from the club the band had found themselves in. But he had heard it, and he had listened. 
"He's got the whole world falling at his feet." He fucking wished. "Changed." Too right. "A load of crap- publicity of sorts, if you get where I'm going with that- but now I'm not too sure." Laughable, man. "It's just a bit sad." The story of his fucking life. "Potential." When’s he never not disappointing someone? "Lacks passion." Passion lies in living, mate, and he hasn't felt alive in a very long time. 
"Not what it used to be." Who he used to be.
He lit another cigarette from a crumpled pack he’d pulled from his back pocket and watched on as a curl of smoke unfurled in the air. He only wished he’d gone and brought something upstairs with him, or grabbed one of them little bottles from the minibar before he had decided he’d needed a piss. But if he closed his eyes hard enough he could imagine it all going dark, the world just fading around him, and the cigarette was suddenly enough.
Though, even then he still couldn’t quite muffle the loud, pitying laugh that escaped him as he continued to scroll through the mass of tweets that never faltered on his phone. They were like a freight train, unable to stop.
Matty wiped his nose on his sleeve.
Never had he ever felt so fucking lost. Desperate for everything to just pause for a simple second. To stop and just leave him alone for a bit. To have the world let him wallow in the dark dank pit he's hollowed out for himself.
But what a fucking life, hey?
Carelessly, Matty thumbed across the dimming screen, his intoxicated mind too focused on the task at hand to remember why exactly it was he was even sitting there on the cold bathroom floor. Something to do with Hann, he supposed, or George. Perhaps another heated encounter? Probably.
The sound of his phone's keyboard echoed off the surrounding walls and he breathed out a self-depreciating chuckle when he clicked send on the tweet he’d been attempting to curate, not caring enough for the consequences. Hardly even thinking, in truth. 
He was far too gone to care anymore, already knew firsthand what the repercussions would be tomorrow. But at that moment, he just wanted honesty. To tell the truth, for once. To let them all know that he knew he was a shit excuse for a person.
What more could the world possibly say anyway? 
Everyone around him was the same. He was simply just a puppet on a string. They’d make him sing and dance until the day he finally wrapped those wired strings tightly around his neck, and then all they'd be able to do is sit back and watch the show. And he'd enjoy every unabating second of it.
Matty @/trumanblack 10s ago Radio shows are sick man, gotta love them! And I sort of am sad haha. And I do lie? We all lie, I spose. But just listen to the radio, kids! Open your ears!
He laughed silently after, thoroughly amused with himself, and tossed the phone off somewhere off to the side so that he wouldn’t have to look at it again. 
Bullshit. It was all just fucking bullshit.
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euphoniumpets · 2 years ago
Text
THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM | CHAPTER TWO
Prompt: ''As long as I can rememer, I've been protecting Alina, it's always Alina who I will protect,'' You told him, looking at Nikolai. ''But who will protect you?''
Warnings: Violence, blood and gore.
Please don’t plagiarize my work - I spend a lot of my time writing, copying and pasting destroys that. 
Pairing: Nikolai Lantsov x Starkov! Reader
A/N: Nikolai is coming to interact with Y/N in this chapter!!! and in the next chapter we will see how their friendship banter will evolve.
Taglist: @lyria-skyfall @khaleesihavilliard @shine101 @waddlingwanderer @clqudias @ducks118 @xceafh @goldenpoison @ssprayberrythings @parabatai-winchester
prologue - one - two - three - four - five - six - seven - eight - nine - ten - eleven - epilogue
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‘’Alina, come on!’’ 
‘’I’m right behind you,’’ 
You huff, glancing to your right side when you see Alina struggling to keep up. It’s always been like that when you were children, somehow, you were always faster than Mal and Alina, always a step ahead of them. The two of you ran through the village, through the market as you tried not to bump into the crowd. 
The two of you kept running as you both stopped in your tracks. You saw an alleyway and grabbed Alina’s wrist and dragged her along with you through. You panted hard and you stopped in your tracks when you saw a familiar figure running past. 
You and Alina shared a confused expression when you recognized it was Mal and then the first Army running after him. The two of you followed after as you saw Mal fighting against them. You stepped forward and knocked one of the soldiers down on the ground before swinging your foot against one of the soldier’s stomachs. He stumbled down on the ground, and he was about to get up and beat you before Mal threw a punch. 
However, another soldier appeared and knocked Mal down before he turned to you. You widened your eyes with fear when you saw that he was bigger than you. You raised your fists to fight against him. ''I could take you,'' You spoke but before you could charge at him Alina caught up with you. ‘’Hey!’’ Alina shouted and you turned around. You stepped aside as she used her powers to knock the soldier down. You ran toward Mal as you helped him from his feet. 
‘’So much for nobody knowing who I am here,’’ Alina remarked, ‘’Very nice and subtle,’’ You commented as she approached you. ‘’Tell me about it,’’ Mal said as the two of you were about to walk to the gate behind you. Alina tried to open the locker with her powers. ‘’I knew you’d be traveling as a pair, let’s see your hands,’’ 
‘’Especially you, Starkov,’’ He said and pointed towards Alina. Alina raised her hands slightly as he approached closer. ‘’It’s time to turn you in,’’ You prepared yourself to fight again, and before you knew it the people of the village dragged their stuff to block the path in front of them, hiding the three of you. ‘’What is going on?’’ You murmured as you saw the sign they made. 
Of course, you thought, smiling to yourself. 
‘’This way,’’ A woman approached you and put her hood over Alina to cover her. She handed it to you as well before she headed to the gate, and you saw her using one of her Grisha powers. ‘’Adawesi, Sun summoner,’’ She spoke and unlocked the Locke.
‘’Thank you,’’ You responded as she sent you a small smile before the three of you headed out. 
-
‘’Only two ships in a harbor town? Something’s not right,’’ 
Mal stated as the three of you approached the docks and hid behind one of the objects. ‘’Maybe Bohdan ordered them away?’’ You replied with a frown. ‘’But the first Army doesn’t have the jurisdiction here,’’ Mal told you. 
‘’Perhaps the promise of 20 million Kruge is good enough to buy our access to the docks,’’ Alina remarked and showed the newspaper of her and Kirigian to Mal. ‘’I wish he was alive just so I could punch that face again,’’ Mal spoke. ‘’Thanks to him, the whole world sees me as a traitorous villain,’’ Alina replied as you sighed and grabbed the paper before you knuckled it down and tossed it away. 
‘’Yeah, well, they’re wrong,’’ You told her. ‘’Valiant of you, but I’m sure they printed more than one,’’ Alina said to you with a smile. ‘’Eh, whatever, it wasn’t a good use to us anyway,’’ You replied with a shrug. ‘’So, what now?’’ Alina asked and looked at you and Mal. 
You and Mal looked at each other before turning back to Alina. ‘’We find the Sea Whip,’’ You spoke, and you narrowed your eyes. ‘’Hang on,’’ You told them. ‘’That ship’s not flying any flag, it’s private,’’ You replied as Alina looked at you. 
‘’Which means, it can be chartered,’’ Alina said, and you nodded with hope. ‘’Okay, come on,’’ Alina urged and grabbed her bag. You stepped up from the ground and grabbed your bag, since you sat between Alina and Mal, you saw the corner of your eyes as Mal grabbed Alina by the cheek before kissing her lips. 
‘’Come on! Seriously? How many times do I have to deal with the two of you kissing each other’s faces?’’ You exclaimed as a groan left past by your lips. You ignored the looks you received from them and walked to the people on the docks that were preparing for tonight’s journey. 
‘’Hey, stop, we need a charter out of here immediately,’’ You spoke as Alina and Mal trailed behind. You saw one woman and one male standing in front of you with a sword behind your back. ‘’We can pay,’’ You told them as you gestured toward Mal, who handed you a golden pin. ‘’It’s gold,’’ You told her and handed the pin to the woman. 
‘’That’ll do,’’ She shrugged her shoulders and gave the pin to the man next to her. ‘’Come on then, hurry up, I’ll take you to the captain,’’ The man spoke as you nodded, glancing at Alina and Mal before following him to the ship. 
‘’Thank you,’’ You replied. 
‘’You, stop!’’ A voice spoke and the three of you turned around to see Bohdan approaching you. ‘’You want to fight, Ravka? Hey?’’ The woman commented as she brought her ax from behind. ‘’That man and that woman is a deserter of the First Army,’’ He scowled and pointed toward you and Mal. 
‘’They belong to our custody,’’ 
‘’Is that so? All right then,’’ The woman told him before she turned to the ship. ‘’Ravka wants a fight!’’ She shouted as she grabbed the other ax and the people began to show their weapons. You chuckled to yourself when you saw the reaction on Bohdan. ‘’I don’t want to escalate the fight with Shu Han,’’ He responded as he saw the male and you guessed it was the woman’s brother grabs his sword from behind and approached him. ‘’We’re not with Shu, we’re independent,’’ He commented. 
‘’Maybe save your bullets for the war, old man?’’ The woman questioned him. ‘’First Army needs to know its place,’’
-
‘’No point in denying it, Miss Starkov, your sister is the sun summoner,’’ You sighed, rolling your eyes at the blonde male in front of you. Tolya had led you to the captain and you didn’t like him because all he did was flirt with you the moment you arrived in his office. 
‘’You’re right, Alina?’’ You asked and looked at her. Alina raised her hands as she summoned the light. ‘’Impressive,’’ He whistled, shaking his head in approval. ‘’And it’s not that often that I say that,’’ He added. ‘’Well, I guess that not many people do impress you,’’ You remarked as he chuckled. 
‘’Well, love, you’re the only one who impressed me tonight with our beauty when you arrived at my office,’’ He smirked toward you. You glared at him, clenching your jaw as you felt a warmth forming on your cheeks. You saw him forming a smug smile on his face.  
‘’Let us go, or you’ll be out 20 million Kruge and a ship,’’ Alina said. ‘’While I’m well aware you could consign us all to the watery deep, you should consider how far away the docks we are,’’ He said as he walked over to a table and poured himself a glass of Whiskey. ‘’Besides, I’m not handing you over to the Fjerdans,’’ He said and turned around to walk towards his desk and faced you. 
‘’You’re not?’’ You questioned him and arched an eyebrow. ‘’Saints, no, I wouldn’t dream of it,’’ He told you. ‘’Sorry, is it offensive to say that in the presence of a living Saint?’’ He questioned and looked at Alina. 
‘’Okay,’’ You spoke as the three of you sat on the chairs in front of the desk. ‘’What do you want with us then?’’ Mal questioned him. ‘’With you? Nothing, honestly, I’m not even sure who you are,’’ He responded, making you roll your eyes at him. 
‘’You, however, you can keep your presence here with your beauty,’’ He remarked and looked at you with a smirk. ‘’Knock it off,’’ You scowled as he chuckled before he gestured toward your sister, who stood between you and Mal. ‘’But the Sun Summoner, well, you have to know you’re quite valuable,’’ He replied and took a sip of the alcohol. 
‘’You just said you wouldn’t turn her in for a bounty, pirate,’’ Mal replied. 
‘’Privateer,’’ He corrected as you rolled your eyes. ‘’As if there’s a difference,’’ You remarked and glared at him. ‘’There is,’’ He responded and looked at you. ‘’And what I said was I wouldn’t hand her over to the Fjerdans, I said nothing of the Kerch or Shu, I paid a small fortune to empty the dock and make sure you got into my ship, and frankly, I think the Fjerdans are severely undervaluing you,’’ He said and looked at Alina.
‘’You’re right, they are because you’ll be able to ask the King of Ravka for twice as much,’’ You replied and leaned closer to the desk. ‘’You know the king?’’ He asked with a smirk. ‘’My sister is the Sun summoner,’’ You responded. ‘’By all the accounts, the First Army have now turned their sights on Grisha, thanks to what you and your conspirator did in the Fold-’’
‘’The Darkling and I were not partners,’’ Alina cut him off. ‘’You may believe otherwise, but once I tear down the Fold and reunite Ravka, the world will see I am not his ally,’’ Alina told him with a firm voice. ‘’Help us, and you will be rewarded,’’ You spoke as you crossed your arms and leaned into the chair. 
‘’To tear down the Fold?’’
‘’And how do you plan on doing that exactly?’’ He scoffed. ‘’By hunting down Morozova’s Sea Whip,’’ You revealed. ‘’Y/N,’’ Mal warned you, and you held your hand out to stop him. ‘’I suppose if the stag existed, the Sea Whip and the Firebird might as well,’’ He replied and looked at you in disbelief. ‘’You couldn’t do it with one amplifier, but two,’’
‘’Unburdened by General Kirigan under my power,’’ Alina said. ‘’Will you help us or not?’’ You asked him with a frown. He stepped up from his desk with a thoughtful look on his face. ‘’There’s adventure, danger, money,’’ He spoke before he turned around with a grin on his face.
‘’Now you’re speaking my language!’’
-
let me know what you thought! reblogging always helps and the tag list are still open!
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imagines--galore · 7 months ago
Text
||The Thread of Fate|| Part Eighteen
Summary: Soulmate AU. They say the Thread of Fate connects you to your one true love. It may tangle. It may stretch. But it will never break. Wrapped around your little finger it tightens when it feels your soulmate is close and loosens when they are far. And becomes visible with the colors of your soulmate’s Nation when you finally fall in love with them.
Pairing: Zuko x OroraOC (ATLA)
Rating || Genres || Warnings: T+ Romance. Adventure.
Previous Chapters - Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine, Part Ten, Part Eleven, Part Twelve, Part Thirteen, Part Fourteen, Part Fifteen, Part Sixteen, Part Seventeen,
A/N: Prepare yourselves people. Note - Italics is Flashback.
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It was late.
But for some reason, she couldn't sleep.
Sighing to herself as her blue eyes flitted from one waterbender form to the other, Orora could feel her hand start to fall asleep where she was resting it under her chin. Setting the scroll she had been studying to the side, the young waterbender glanced at the night sky through the window. She should probably be sleeping, considering they had an early morning tomorrow.
Picking up her bag, she put the scroll inside and was about to put it away but she paused when she spotted a paper at the very bottom of the bag. Taking it she unfolded it, and was surprised to see a drawing of Appa. Orora didn't remember keeping it.
And honestly, with Zuko being sick and then moving to the Upper Ring, she had actually forgotten that Aang, Katara and Sokka were actually in Ba Sing Se.
She gnawed at her bottom lip as set the paper aside. Had Appa found Aang? And if so, had they already left the city? Maybe if they were still here she could go and meet them.
That would be fun, she mused to herself, her mind wandering to those few days she had spent with all of them aboard the Water Tribe boat while sailing towards land.
The candle flickered low as she sat on her futon with her back against the wall. Her blanket pooled around her legs, where one was stretched out in front of her, while the other she had pulled up towards her chest a little, wrapping her arms around it in a loose embrace. As she continued to stare out the window, her mind began to wander to the first days of her journey.
They seemed like such a long time ago, and yet she remembered every single detail.
After all, she made her first friends during those few days.
                                         ————————–
With her bag slung over her shoulder, and the gentle breeze from the open waters brushing against her face, Orora could hardly dare to bring herself to believe that she was actually about to do this.
She had initially thought even getting on the boat would be a struggle, since she didn't think Master Pakku, the appointed leader of the small expedition, would even allow her to go.
But luckily, she had asked him while Katara had been standing next to him.
And that girl had been able to convince the grouchy old man and invited Orora onto the ship.
"So, are you excited? I mean this is your first time away from home right?" Katara's happy voice had Orora breaking away from her thoughts and turning to look at her. She smiled and shrugged. "I guess I'm a little nervous. I mean, I've never even seen actual land before." She said with a small laugh.
"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll love it. I did when I saw land and trees and plants for the first time. More then what you've seen at the Spirit Oasis." Katara reassured her, smiling she glanced over her shoulder where her brother, Aang were helping Appa settle onto the boat.
"Come on!" The girl reached out to take Orora's hand, an act that took the other girl by surprise. "Sokka? Aang? This is Orora, she's going ashore for the first time."
To say Orora was a little stunned would be an understatement. She'd just been introduced to the Avatar.
The Avatar.
Sliding down from where he sat on top of the giant bison's head, Aang grinned and held out his hand. "Hey! Nice to meet you! You must be pretty excited."
Orora blinked.
Like any other person living in their world, she had heard fantastical tales about the Avatar. She had been told about the power they possessed, had read up on all previous Avatars out of curiosity and been fascinated by it all. She had even witnessed that awesome power during the Fire Nation attack.
And yet, here stood the Avatar.
A young boy.
A kid.
Aang frowned as he waved his hand in front of Orora's face. "Erm....hello? You alright there Orora?" He asked. The girl quickly shook her head, her thoughts returning back to her as she nodded. "Yes, I'm sorry. Its nice to meet you Avatar Aang." She said, taking his hand and shaking it. "Just Aang is fine." He replied, still smiling.
A loud grunt from behind had him continuing. "Oh and this is Appa, my flying bison and this is Momo." He added when a small creature landed on his shoulder. Orora smiled, it was cute.
"So you've never gone ashore your whole life?" The other boy, Sokka, asked as he walked to stand next to them. He looked like the typical boy she had seen play soldier in the streets. Orora shrugged. "My father didn't believe in women leaving the house unless they had to." Beside her Katara frowned. "Well that's just wrong. If we had that rule at the South Pole, Sokka here would never get anything done. He relies on me to do everything for him." She added with a grin.
Sokka frowned. "Not everything." He grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. Katara smiled good-naturedly at her brother before adding. "Why don't you go put your things downstairs, then we can have lunch together."
Orora nodded. "Sounds good to me."
                                        ————————–
It was a little strange being invited to sit with people her own age. Growing up she had always been something of an outcast. Girls were taught of marriage, healing, keeping house and babies the whole time they were growing up. And that was what they talked about as well.
But not Orora.
She was more interested in reading books and learning as much about waterbending as she could. And other topics as well, but waterbending was always her favorite subject. That wasn't to say other girls didn't like to learn, they did, just not at the same obsessive level as Orora.
So there she was, sitting in a small circle with Aang, Sokka, and Katara.
With no idea what to say.
"Now that you've satisfied your curiosity about Soulmates, why don't you tell us why you decided to come on this expedition?" Katara, ever the friendly and kindhearted girl asked.
As was her nature, Orora stuck to the truth.
"My father found out I used waterbending to defend myself by fighting off some Fire Nation soldiers." She shrugged. "So he banished me."
An awkward silence followed her words, where the other three stared at her before glancing at one another. Sensing that whatever she had said was wrong, a feeling she was familiar with, Orora made to leave.
"I'm sorry if that made you uncomfortable. I'll just-"
"Wait, where are you going?" Aang suddenly asked, reaching out to grasp her wrist since he was sitting the closest. "You didn't make any of us uncomfortable. Its just, your news surprised us that's all."
Sokka and Katara nodded along, to which Orora blinked. Sensing that maybe she didn't have the best social skills, Katara decided to intervene. "Hey Sokka? Why don't you take out one of your maps and show Orora all the places she can go visit?"
The girl had barely gotten the word maps out of her mouth before her brother was speeding away to take them out of his bag on Appa's saddle. He'd already started to chatter away, going a mile a minute, prompting Orora to glance at Katara and Aang. "Is he always this excited about maps?" She asked. Both of them laughed, with Sokka pouting slightly at her words, before continuing with his tirade of words.
Still it was fun sitting there, bent over the map and having all three of them point out the locations she could visit, should she choose to. In between their recommendations, they began to tell stories of their own adventures while they had been visiting those locations themselves.
Orora was fascinated, and began to ask questions herself. It didn't take long before all four of them fell into a comfortable and easy rhythm where they were chatting and exchanging thoughts as if they had been doing so for a long time.
And they continued to talk, long after the sun had gone down and only stopped when Pakku said it was time for bed.
                                        ————————–
The next few days would come to be the best days Orora had ever had.
Why?
Because she made her first friends.
Orora had worried that all three of them were simply tolerating her for as long as they were there.
How wrong she was.
It actually surprised her that they wanted her around because they liked her. And truthfully, she liked them back.
Sokka with his jokes and penchant to think of himself as more then he was, always managed to make her smile. And when he got to know that she didn't know much about hand-to-hand combat, he took it upon himself to teach her a few moves. For her own safety.
"I could always use my waterbending on them." She had countered.
"Yeah, but what if you don't have water available to you?" He had asked. "Look, I've taught Katara a few moves too, even though she's good at waterbending. Its better to be prepared. Trust me."
It was strange to have someone else be so sincere with her and actually worry about her. While she went through a punching move Sokka was making her perfect, a random thought occurred to her. She paused, standing just a few feet away from Sokka and frowned at him.
"Is this what its like?" She asked.
"Is what like this?" Sokka asked with a confused frown.
"To have a brother? Is this what its like."
He may have known her for only a few days, but Sokka had learned that Orora tended to speak her mind no matter the thought. She didn't worry about offending anyone and that took guts. It kind of reminded him of Katara and her own beliefs.
Though having her ask him if having a brother meant someone looking out for her, he did feel a small amount of pity for the other girl. She'd told them about her entire family, and he couldn't really wrap his head around the fact that her brothers didn't take care of her like he took care of Katara.
Weren't all brothers supposed to take care of their sisters?
Still Sokka smiled. "Yeah, I guess in a way it is, though it also comes with healthy helping of teasing and arguing." He added with a grin.
"It must be nice." She said, her demeanor turning a little sad. "Neither of my two brothers acted like you are. Its strange. But nice." She added, to which Sokka waved an arm. "Their loss. They're missing out on having a cool sister."
Grinning at his compliment, the young girl dropped into the stance he had just taught once more, committing all that he had to teach to memory.
The best part of chatting with Sokka, was when he showed her his weapons and she created exact replicas of them out of ice. He nearly burst into happy tears when she created one for his boomerang and it had actually worked when she'd thrown it in the air.
Though it took off half of a passenger's beard as it went by.
He had looked around in confusion at the sight of the ice boomerang stuck in the post in front of him, before he began to lament the loss of his facial hair.
Sokka and Orora glanced at each other out of the corner of their eyes, identical expressions of nervousness on their faces and sneaked away as if nothing had happened.
Forming a silent pact, neither of them spoke of that moment again.
                                        ————————–
For someone who held immense power, being friends with Aang was a breeze.
Pun not intended.
On the very second day, he had offered to take her up on Appa. And Orora had very nearly screamed out in joy when he did.
"Sorry." She said, once she had calmed down. "But since I saw Appa I've wanted to go for a ride, but I didn't want to offend you by asking."
Aang shook his head. "No worries. Appa loves giving rides to new people. He thinks its the best way to travel, and I agree with him." The boy grinned, patting Appa on the nose as he did.
"Well I guess its a good thing I was saving something for him then." So saying, she quickly reached into her bag and pulled out a hunk of bread. It was a little stale, but Appa didn't seem to mind. With one swipe of his tongue, he'd swallowed the bread and let out a happy groan.
Before licking one very wet tongue all along her body.
Aang had laughed himself hoarse at her expression. Though with a quick waterbending move the saliva had been thrown into the water. Still, that did not deter her from climbing up beside Aang on Appa's head and waving at Katara and Sokka who watched from nearby.
"Appa! Yip yip!"
Her initial reaction was letting out a yelp of surprise and hanging onto Appa's reins for dear life. But that was the only sign of nervousness she showed. Pretty soon she was enjoying the cool wind in her hair and against her face. Not to mention the view from so far up.
"I agree with Appa." She said, after a few minutes of enjoying the ride in silence. "This is the best way to travel." They didn't go far, the boat they were traveling by stayed in view, but it was still an astounding experience.
"Does it always feel this freeing and amazing? Flying whenever you want to?" She sighed wistfully. Aang nodded.
"Yeah, it is. And its even better when I use my staff." Orora had seen it many times and had asked about it some time ago. "I wish I could go with you so I could fly all the time." The waterbender sighed, holding her hand out to catch a cloud as it floated by.
"Well why don't you?"
His words had her frowning at him. "What do you mean?" She asked, to which he shrugged, his arms held out in front of him where he was holding the reins. "What I mean is, you could always come travel with me, Katara and Sokka. You'll fit right in!" He added with a grin.
Orora pursed her lips, forehead creased as she thought over what he had just said.
Travel with the Avatar and his friends? That would truly be an adventure. They were all so nice and they were her friends. People who actually liked her and didn't mind that she was so forward with her words. Really Katara seemed to get a kick out of it whenever she would knock Sokka down a notch from whatever pedestal he put himself on.
And yet..........
She looked away, staring out at the horizon, the clouds floating around them. So far up here, it felt like she was in a whole other world.
Seeing her hesitate, Aang reached out to pat her on the shoulder. "You don't have to decide now. Just think about it. Its just Katara and I were talking." She stayed silent so he continued. "But I know its also important to go out into the world on your own and find yourself, as I'm sure that's what you're trying to do."
Orora raised an eyebrow at him. "How did you figure that?" Aang grinned.
"Through my mystical powers as the Avatar." He said in a low spooky voice, prompting Orora to roll her eyes and smile at him. Aang chuckled. "And also because, I'm pretty observant, and well, I can see that you feel a little lost now that you don't have a purpose in life."
Still surprised at his ability to observe so eloquently, Orora nodded. "Yeah, I mean, I want to see the world. This is going to be the first time I'm out there and just being myself and not hiding behind a mask. I've been doing it for so long that it feels strange walking around and being just myself." Aang smiled at her in an encouraging manner, prompting her to continue. "And you're right, I want to find my place in it as well. As the Avatar, you know your place in the world, and for Katara and Sokka, their place is beside you."
Silence followed her words for a good few minutes, where the both of them just sat there with Appa lazily moving through the air. Finally, with a clearing of her throat. "Maybe, in the future, when I find out more about myself, I can come with you guys?" She asked, feeling a little uncertain and shy.
Though his response told her she didn't have to feel that way at all. "Well there's a spot reserved just for you then. I'll tell Katara and Sokka too, make sure Sokka doesn't try to fill it by buying a new pet or something."
Orora laughed.
"Hey, did you know you could bend clouds because of the water in them?"
"You can really do that?"
"Yeah! Here, I'll teach you."
                                        ————————–
Katara was a force to be reckoned with.
Orora had heard whispers of the girl who had found a place in Master Pakku's class. The Healing Huts had gossiped non-stop about it. And while she had admired the girl from afar, now Orora actually got to practice and exchange knowledge with her.
The other girls at the Healing Hut had either thought her too snobbish or too intimidating for their likeness. In reality, Orora had just been uncertain when it came to approaching them.
Mostly because she didn't know how to make friends. And no matter how hard she tried, there were no texts in her father's library that could help her with that either.
Talking with Katara was easy. She was so eager and ready with a kind word. It was amazing how she had turned out after all that had happened to her. The other girl had told Orora about their mother being taken by the Fire Nation, and while Orora had never had a strong relationship with her mother, she knew it would devastate her if something were to happen to her. And even though Katara carried that sadness with her in her heart, she didn't show it.
And that was incredibly strong of her.
With her own expertise in the art of Healing, she was able to teach Katara new things. It was fun talking to another waterbender and exchanging information. Katara, for her part, taught waterbending moves Orora didn't know. Her scrolls helped, but they could only help so much. In a span of few a days, Orora learned more then she could ever hope to.
She and Katara would go through waterbending forms together in the evening. Sometimes Aang would join them, having still a long way to go till he mastered waterbending. Between the three of them it was fun and Sokka would often get splashed with water more times then they could count.
One night, after finishing a good session where Orora had taught Katara a few waterbending tricks using ice, the girls settled around the fire to chat. "I heard you guys are leaving tomorrow." Orora's words had Katara sighing and nodding.
"Yeah, we have to start flying now that we're closer to land. We need to find Aang an Earthbending teacher." She added as a way to explain further. Orora nodded, eyes staring into the small fireplace that had been created to keep them warm.
"Did you think about Aang's offer?" The younger girl asked, her voice soft and gentle as she tried to gauge the older girl's reaction. It was strange, how Orora was older then her, and yet Katara had more world experience then she did. But then, maybe it wasn't fair to compare their lives.
"Thats all I've been thinking about the past two days." Orora finally responded. "And I......I don't know." Reaching up to where her long braid rested over her shoulder, she began to play with it by running her fingers through it. The fire crackled in front of them, casting shadows all around, and a warmth to settle in them.
It reminded her of the fire she had seen when her supposed soulmate had saved her.
Allowing the silence to continue, Orora sighed before moving to lay down on her back. Already the constellations had begun to change, the further they traveled from the North Pole. Katara glanced at Orora before grinning and laying down beside her as well, arms tucked behind her head. At last, the older girl spoke.
"Katara?"
She hummed in response to show she was listening. Orora licked her lips, eyes tracing the stars above. "Do you ever wander about your place in the world?"
"Huh." Katara frowned, pausing briefly as she thought over her answer. "Well, I don't really wander about it. I mean I've always known."
Turning her head to the side, she glanced at Katara, a little surprised. "You did?"
Her gaze trained to the heavens Katara shrugged. "Yeah. I mean, when my mom died, my place was at the South Pole taking care of my family. And when we found Aang in that iceberg and decided to travel with him, my purpose shifted to making sure he got to the North Pole safely. I mean, the whole world depends on him."
Orora smiled softly, gaze returning to the sky. "In a way, the world depends on you too. Since you're making sure Aang doesn't get himself eaten while riding a sea serpent or something."
Katara laughed softly before she continued. "True. Lately though, I've found that my place in life is to fight for the innocent alongside Aang and Sokka. To try and end this war and make this world safe."
The older girl was silent for a moment. "That's a pretty big commitment to make isn't it?" She said, her voice soft. "Especially considering you're all just kids, and I don't mean that in an offending way."
Katara pursed her lips before nodding. "No, I get what you're saying. And yeah." She moved to sit up, resuming her previous position. "I suppose it is."
The two of them remained motionless for a little while, each lost in her own thoughts, contemplating on what they had just spoken about. Finally, Katara turned her head to smile at Orora who was still on her back.
"But that's my place in the world." She said with a determined gleam in her eyes. "And, I'll be seeing it through with Aang and Sokka beside me."
Sitting up, Orora smiled at the other girl. "That's very brave and noble of you Katara." Fiddling with the end of her braid, the girl pursed her lips. "I wish I had that kind of strength."
Smiling kindly, Katara reached out to wrap an arm around Orora's shoulders. "Once you find your place in the world I'm sure you'll do the same. You're very brave coming out here and thinking of going off on your own Orora. I don't think I would be able to do it."
Orora grinned at the compliment before playfully nudging Katara with her shoulder. "Yeah, but you've already done so many other things. I mean what fourteen year old can say that she's helped earthbenders bust out of prison."
The other girl grinned proudly and nodded. "True, but, my point is, that no matter what you decide Orora, we'll understand."
Sighing Orora nodded smiling at her. "Thanks Katara." She smiled back.
"Anytime."
                                         ————————–
Someone was shaking her.
"Orora?"
And calling out to her.
"Orora, wake up."
Reluctantly, she forced her eyes to open just a little. The room was bathed in early morning sunshine, and she could hear the birds chirping outside. But what really caught her attention, was Zuko crouching beside her, hand on her shoulder and looking at her with a concerned expression.
"Are you alright?" He asked, reaching up to brush her tousled hair from her face. "I came in to wake you, and you were just sitting up like this." Her back was aching from where she had been sitting up the entire night, and her neck had a slight crick in it. Nodding the girl reached up to rub her eyes. "Yeah, I just fell asleep thinking."
"And you couldn't have fallen asleep thinking while lying down?" Giving him a grumpy yet sleepy look, she raised her hand, only to cover his face with it and push him backwards, making him fall back.
"I'm still too sleepy to deal with you Zuko. At least let me wash my face first." She grumbled, already moving to stand up and stretching to get rid of some of the ache in her body. Zuko laughed as he stood. "Yeah well, you better be quick. Uncle wants us to set out within the hour."
She pushed him towards the door. "I'll be out when I'm ready."
Taking advantage of her still semi-awake state, he couldn't help but tease her more. "And that will take you two hours? Or three?"
He grinned at her as he stood at her door. Orora glared at him. "At least I don't spend half an hour on my hair making sure it falls perfectly over my forehead."
With that she slammed the door in his face.
Zuko stood there for a moment, reaching up to the aforementioned hair and running is fingers through it. "I only spend fifteen minutes on that." He called through the door.
                                         ————————–
A carriage was waiting for them outside. Iroh and Zuko were at the foot of the stairs that led up to their apartment above the tea shop, waiting for Orora to come down.
"Whats taking her so long?" The Prince grumbled, tapping his foot impatiently, his back towards the stairs. Iroh, going through a last minute checking of whatever they would need for the tea serving, glanced up and chuckled.
"You should prepare yourself for such tardiness my nephew. A lady always takes her time." Seeing movement at the top of the stairs, he smiled at the sight of his descending Pupil. "But it is always worth the wait."
Hearing her footsteps behind him, Zuko whirled around. "Finally! I knew you woul....." He trailed off, his eyes widening. Behind him, his Uncle laughed to himself before sneaking away. Orora, looking up from where she had been adjusting the folds of her dress, raised an eyebrow at him.
"It takes time to get ready Zuko." She responded, reaching up to fix her signature blue dragon comb in her hair. Since their arrival in Ba Sing Se, Orora had taken to wearing dark greens and gold. And while those dresses had been pretty on her, the lighter green of the dress she wore currently, fashioned after the latest Earth Kingdom fashion, made her an absolute vision.
Or at least to Zuko's eyes.
The soft green seemed to make her skin glow and her eyes seemed to.....Spirits! When had he begun to take notice of things like that and started writing poetry about it?!
It was all Orora's fault, he mused, as she stared up at him with a questioning look in her eyes. She made him see things in a way that even the ugliest of things looked beautiful.
After all, she had claimed his scar as beautiful, despite the fact that it marred half his face.
Or maybe it was just his lovesick brain that was making her appear much prettier to him then she really was?
Shaking himself out of his thoughts, a blush clear across her pale skin, he cleared his throat. Avoiding her gaze, he reached out to grab her hand and pull her out of the tea shop. "You better hope the Earth King doesn't mind people who are late." He said, helping her into the carriage, and climbing in behind her.
She shrugged. "If we're lucky, maybe he woke up late." Iroh laughed as he sat across from the two teens. Given his more robust figure, he had to take up one side of the carriage, while Zuko and Orora sat next to each other on the other side.
The carriage ride was silent, all three of them looking out of their respective windows and it wasn't long before they were standing in front of the palace where they were to meet the King.
"Many times I imagined myself here, at the threshold of the palace. But I always thought I would be here as a conqueror." Iroh continued, as all three of them walked towards the entrance. "Instead, we are the Earth King's personal guests, here to serve him tea." He chuckled. "Destiny is a funny thing."
Zuko glanced at Orora out of the corner of his eyes, only to catch her doing the same to him. The two smiled at one another. "It sure is, Uncle." The Prince stated.
Once inside they were shown to a spacious and beautifully decorated room. Setting the small basket he had brought down, Iroh started to unpack everything. The three of them settled next to one another, with Iroh putting the ingredients and everything else on the table. Orora helped him make it appear like a proper presentation, as they waited for the Earth King.
They waited.
And they waited some more.
And a little more.
The teapot began to steam away, and Orora yawned hugely, her eyes actually tearing up as she did.
"What's taking so long?" Zuko finally spoke up, clearly at the end of his patience.
Iroh shrugged as he poured some hot tea. "Maybe the Earth King overslept." Orora smirked at Zuko. "Well maybe I was right then."
No sooner had the words come out of her mouth when several Dai Li agents entered the room and began to create a circle around them. The moment they entered the entire atmosphere of the room changed. The hair at the nape of her neck stood up on end, an icy feeling trailed down her back as her eyes darted around.
Zuko seemed to be thinking along the same lines as her, as he leaned forward to whisper. "Something's not right."
And then suddenly, Princess Azula of the Fire Nation, and more importantly Zuko's sister and her Master's niece, was standing in front of them.
"It's tea time!" She stated, a gleam in her eyes that had nothing to do with the joy of seeing her family.
Zuko quickly stood. "Azula!" He shifted so he was standing in front of both Uncle and Orora, the latter of whom was staring at the Princess with a look that could freeze even the brightest of fires.
"Have you met the Dai Li?" Azula continued as if she were talking of the weather and not the multiple deadly earthbenders that surrounded them. "They're earthbenders, but they have a killer instinct that's so firebender. I just love it."
Orora stood to stand just behind Zuko, placing a hand on his elbow. A gesture that did not go unnoticed by the ever observant Princess, who narrowed her eyes at them. Picking up the steaming tea, Iroh smiled at his niece. "Did I ever tell you how I got the nickname 'The Dragon of the West'?" He asked, his voice pleasant.
Azula made a face, checking her nails as she spoke in a condescending tone. "I'm not interested in a lengthy anecdote, Uncle."
Iroh smiled. "It's more of a demonstration, really." He brought the cup to his lips, closing his eyes as he took a deep sip. Zuko looked over at him, smiling briefly. The next moment Orora felt him grab the hand on his elbow and pull her against him, and behind Iroh.
And not a moment too soon.
Iroh opened his mouth wide, letting a huge stream of fire. It was so intense that she could actually feel it, despite Zuko shielding her. Taking the distraction as an advantage, Iroh made an escape route through a wall and out into the corridor. Zuko kept a firm grip on her hand, pulling her along. But she quickly pulled away from his grip, pulling out a stream of water from the hidden water satchel around her thigh and sending several icicles flying through the air. Catching and stopping a few rock projectiles shot by the Agents. Up ahead was a dead end, but that didn't stop her Master, who blasted a hole through the wall, and quickly jumped down and land on some bushes.
"Quick! Jump!" He called out to her and Zuko. Orora did not hesitate, creating a frozen slide and skating down to come to a stop next to him.
She glanced back up to where Zuko stood at the edge.
"Come on! You'll be fine!" Iroh called, just as Orora yelled. "Zuko! Jump now!"
But then he said something that made her heart stop in her chest. "No! I'm tired of running! It's time I faced Azula!"
She froze, a coldness settling in the pit of her stomach. "Zuko! No!" The girl screamed, moving as if she were about to go back to him. But Iroh wasn't having it. Reaching out he quickly and rather roughly grasped her wrist and pulled her away.
"No! Master! We have to go back! We have to help him!" She cried, trying her best to break away from him, stumbling as she did. "So you could be captured like him?" Her Master yelled over his shoulder. "We have a better chance of helping him from out here!"
Despite the panic churning in her stomach, and the fact that she felt as if she were choking on her heart, the girl was quick to see sense and stopped struggling, following after him.
                                           ————————–
"That son of a hog-monkey! What in the world was he thinking?! Was he dropped on his head as a baby?! Facing off against all those Agents and his sister! I cannot believe him!"
Once they were at a safe location, all that fear had melted away to be replaced with an anger that burned in her eyes. She was growling under her breath, while also threatening to maim or seriously harm Zuko for being so stupid.
Iroh glanced at Orora as they hid behind an abandoned living quarter. He neglected to state how she had been about to follow after his nephew in the same amount of danger.
Best not to aggravate her then she already was.
Still, he shushed her, motioning for her to lean forward. "We need to secure an Agent for information. Then we shall both go to the Avatar and ask him for his help."
Orora blinked. "Wait, Aang? Can't we do this on our own? I don't want to involve him, Katara and Sokka. What if they get hurt?" Iroh shook his head. "There is strength in numbers, and it would do us well to have that on our side."
Peaking out from behind their hiding place, her Master turned back to her with a smile. "Now, lets see how good you've gotten with your bending." He motioned for her to step forward and take the lead in capturing a Dai Lee agent.
She could hear footsteps as they approached. The moment they sounded near enough, she threw her arm out, catching the Agent around the waist with a water whip and swinging him in the air. The Agent screamed his head off, his loss of composure costing him the stone gloves he wore as they fell from his hands. Twisting her arm, she slammed the man down on the ground, knocking him out.
"Excellent form my dear." Iroh applauded as he appeared at her side with some rope. "Now lets get to find the Avatar."
                                           ————————–
It really didn't take long.
Once the Agent woke, he was quick to give up any information he had. It helped speed things along that Orora threatened him with an ice dagger. She wouldn't seriously hurt him, but enough to make him see she was not in the mood for any false leads.
Iroh knocked and the door slid open to quickly reveal........the girl they had met while traveling the countryside. Orora blinked over Iroh's shoulder, having not expected her to being there.
"I need your help." Iroh stated in a grave tone, to which the girl simply waved at him. Behind her, Orora could see Sokka and Aang in varying degrees of disbelief.
"Aang! Sokka!" She called out, rushing past Iroh to envelope both boys in a brief hug. "Wait! Orora!" Aang's voice came muffled against her shoulder before she pulled back and grinned at them both.
"You cut your hair?" The girl rolled her eyes. "Really Sokka? That's the first thing you notice about me."
Sokka nodded. "Well in my defense its the first thing I observed. And your white hair." He added head tilting in curiosity. Aang, having recovered from his shock, hugged Orora again. "Its so good to see you! I like your new look." He added with a small smile, referring to her white patch of hair. Orora smiled back before Aang's attention returned to Iroh and Toph.
"You guys know each other?" He asked, surprise coating his voice. The blind girl nodded. "I met them in the woods once and knocked him down." Iroh smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. "Then he gave me some tea and some very good advice."
Iroh took a tentative step forward. "May I come in?" The girl nodded and stepped aside to allow him in. Once she'd shut the door, he turned to look at them. "Princess Azula is here in Ba Sing Se." He said, his voice grave and serious.
Aang frowned. "She must have Katara." Orora's eyes widened in horror. "She was captured too?" Sokka frowned at her words.
"Too?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow. Iroh nodded. "She has captured my nephew as well."
A beat of silence, in which Orroa glanced nervously at Aang, ready to step in. If she had to beg them to save Zuko, she would.
"Then we'll work together to fight Azula, and save Katara and Zuko." Aang finally stated, looking at Iroh and then Orora. She closed her eyes briefly, before shooting him a small smile of gratitude.
Sokka, though, had other thoughts. "Whoa there! You lost me at Zuko."
It was Iroh who stepped forward to make a case for his nephew. Placing his hands on Sokka's shoulders he spoke. "I know how you must feel about my nephew. But believe me when I tell you that there is good inside him." He said, almost sounding like he was begging Sokka to believe him.
Sokka pushed Iroh away "Good inside him isn't enough!" He stated with venom in his voice. "Why don't you come back when it's outside him too, okay?"
Aang stepped forward. "Katara's in trouble." He said, trying to reason with his friend. "All of Ba Sing Se is in trouble. Working together is our best chance."
Sokka pursed his lips, looking just as reluctant as he felt. A moment passed, before Orora stepped forward. "Sokka." She said, her voice soft. He turned to look at her. Orora gulped, pursing her lips. "He saved my life at the North Pole. I would be dead if it weren't for him. I owe him."
A beat of silence.
"Please."
Finally, something shifted in his eyes and Sokka nodded silently. Heaving a sigh of relief Orora moved to hug him briefly, to which he patted her on the back a little awkwardly.
"We brought someone along who might help us." Iroh said, already leading the way outside to the nervous looking Dai Li agent. The blind girl quickly eartbended a couple of pillars around the man, forcing him to stand up. Orora reached out, yanking away the cloth that covered his mouth.
The moment it was off, the Agent started to speak. "Azula and Long Feng are plotting a coup! They're going to overthrow the Earth King!" He confessed, eyes wide with fear at the sight of several angry looking people in front of him.
Sokka stepped forward, waving his weapon in the man's face. "My sister! Where are they keeping Katara?"
The Agent eyes the weapon nervously. "In the Crystal Catacombs of Old Ba Sing Se, deep beneath the palace." That was all the information they needed. Glancing at one another they nodded, and leaving the Agent where he was, set off to find the Catacombs. 
                                           ————————–
There was no way to actually find the Catacombs.
Toph, as Orora learned the blind girl was called, was able to feel them underground. "Well, what do you know? There is an ancient city down there. But it's deep." Taking up a stance, she made a tunnel through the ground, leading downwards. Sokka stood to the side, going over what they were all supposed to do.
"We should split up." He finally said, turning to Aang. "Aang, you go with Iroh and Orora to look for Katara and the angry jerk." Turning to Iroh, he placed a hand on his shoulder. "No offense."
Iroh simply shrugged in response. "None taken." He stated in a tone that told Orora that he actually agreed with Sokka.
Continuing where he left off, he went on. "And I'll go with Toph to warn the Earth King of Azula's coup."
Orora stepped forward. "We can meet back at the Jasmine Dragon. Its the new tea shop that just opened up. Ask anyone about it. They'll know."
Sokka nodded. "Good idea. Its best if we have a meeting spot. Good luck!" With that, he patted Toph on the shoulder and led her away. Orora turned to where Iroh and Aang were standing at the entrance of the tunnel.
Inhaling deeply, she gave a nervous smile. "Well, lets get going then."
With every step they made their way deeper and deeper underground. Aang earthbended their way forward, while Iroh lit a small fire in his hand to give them light as it slowly grew darker.
"Congratulations on learning a new element Aang." Orora said, smiling at her friend. He smiled back. "Thanks Orora. I'm still getting the hang of it, but its been coming to me. Toph is a great teacher."
Orora nodded. "She looks it. Her ability to sense things with her feet is amazing." Though she was speaking normally, Orora was actually really worried about both Zuko and Katara. She just hoped neither of them were hurt.
"Have you really been traveling with Iroh and Zuko all this time?" Aang asked, a little curious about his friend's choice of companions.
"Iroh has been my teacher these past few months, and I've learned a great deal from him." She finally responded. "And.......Zuko........he...well......." She pursed her lips, her gaze flickering towards her finger where the thread was wrapped around the tip.
And that small movement was enough for Aang to stop short and stare at her. "No way!" He breathed, grey eyes wide and disbelieving. "Zuko is your soulmate?!" He asked, or rather demanded to know. They had paused where they were. "No wonder you had all those questions about Soulmates back on the boat."
He raised a hand to his forehead as he blew out a small breath. "I can't imagine what you went through when you realized your soulmate was the Prince of the Fire Nation itself."
She let out a dry chuckle. "Tell me about it. Seems fate has a weird sense of humor." Glancing at Iroh who was looking at them both patiently, she extended a hand to lay on Aang's shoulder.
"Look, I promise I'll tell you everything once we get out of here with both Katara and Zuko safe." She promised. Questions burned at the tip of his tongue, but being reminded of Katara had him nodding and moving the next piece of boulder that was in their way.
"Well at least it'll be easy for us to find Zuko. We can just follow the string." Aang said, before glancing at his own little finger. "Then again, it wouldn't have mattered since we would've found Katara the same way."
It took a moment for Orora to realize what he had just said. Grinning, she quickly threw her arms around Aang from behind in a brief yet fierce hug. "I'm so happy for you Aang. You both deserve each other." She added, to which Aang beamed, though the light in his eyes slightly diminished.
"Whats wrong?" She asked, frowning at him. Moving another section of earth out of the way, he sighed. The young Avatar was silent for a good few moments before he turned to Iroh who had remained quiet, wanting to give the both of them the time they needed to catch up and ease their worries however they could. Even if it meant idle chatter.
"So, Toph thinks you give pretty good advice, and great tea!" He added with a smile.
Iroh chuckled. "The key to both is proper aging. What's on your mind?" He asked just as Aang earthbended again before replying.
"Well, I met with this guru who was supposed to help me master the Avatar State and control this great power, but to do it, I had to let go of someone I love. And I just couldn't." All three of them came to a stop.
"Wait! He wanted you to break your bond with Katara?" Orora demanded, sounding disturbed. She turned to look at her Master.
Iroh gave her a small nod of confirmation. "Perfection and power are overrated." He stated. "I think you were very wise to choose happiness and love."
"Especially since both of them can be very hard to come by." Orora added, to which Aang nodded in agreement.
"But what happens if we can't save anyone and beat Azula?" Aang added, sounding frustrated. "Without the Avatar State, what if I'm not powerful enough?"
Iroh hummed in thought as they walked further underground, his fire the only source of light. "I don't know the answer." He responded honestly. "Sometimes, life is like this dark tunnel. You can't always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving." Aang earthbended the last of the rocks away to reveal the Crystal Catacombs. Iroh's fire went out and the sudden gust of wind and he smiled. "You will come to a better place."
Reaching out to place a comforting hand on Aang's arm, Orora smiled at him. "You have people standing beside you Aang. Ready to fight with you. Avatar State or no, you won't be fighting alone. And that's another kind of power."
Aang smiled in gratitude. "You've changed since I last saw you Orora." He said, to which she shrugged. "We've all changed." Lifting her hand, she observed it closely.
"Come on. Lets find our Soulmates."
                                          ————————–
Never in his wildest dreams had he thought he would be imprisoned alongside the water tribe girl he had hunted alongside the Avatar for so long.
Katara, he remembered Orora saying her name was. After the initial yelling, and his confession about loosing his mother, just as she had lost hers, they had both fallen silent.
He couldn't help but berate himself for trying to face off Azula. But then when it came to his sister, he tended to not think and just do, to try and overtake her. A sigh left him, as his mind conjured the face Orora had made when she had realized he wasn't going to follow them.
She was going to tear him a new one when they were together again. The thought of her yelling at him had a small smile pulling at his lips.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you before." Katara's apologetic voice cut through the silence.
Zuko shrugged, indifferent to her words because really, they hadn't hurt him. He'd been hurt worse by his Father. "It doesn't matter."
There was a brief pause before she continued. "It's just that for so long now, whenever I would imagine the face of the enemy, it was your face."
Raising a hand to his scar, he nodded. "My face? I see."
She shook her head, approaching him. "No, no, that's-that's not what I mean."
Zuko sighed. "It's okay. I used to think this scar marked me. The mark of the banished prince, cursed to chase the Avatar forever." He paused, as once again his mind wandered off to Orora. "But then someone made me realize that it wasn't an ugly thing. Not when there was another reason behind it." He wasn't about to tell Katara the whole story. So he just shrugged and added. "But lately, I've realized I'm free to determine my own destiny, even if I'll never be free of my mark."
Katara pursed her lips. "Maybe you could be free of it."
"What?" There was an element of disbelief in his tone. Katara nodded.
"I have healing abilities." She said, pulling out the vial that contained the water from the Spirit Oasis.
"It's a scar, it can't be healed. Besides, Orora has been traveling with us, and I'm sure she's a much better Healer then you. And if she couldn't heal it, I doubt you could." He hadn't meant to undermine her abilities, but he knew Orora more, knew that she was a strong Healer and would've offered to heal him if she could.
Katara shook her head. "She is a better Healer then I am, but she didn't have this." She held up the small vial. "This is water from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole. It has special properties, so I've been saving it for something important." She moved to stand in front of Zuko. "I don't know if it would work, but," She trailed off, reaching up hesitantly to place her hand on his scar.
Just as Orora had done so many times.
And yet when he closed his eyes, he only envisioned her, with her gentle words and the ability to knock him in his place.
Suddenly he felt a tug on his finger.
A loud rumbling sound followed by a crash had them both jumping where they stood. As the cloud of dust settled, three figures emerged from the opening.
Aang, Iroh and Orora.
"Aang! Orora!" Katara ran to hug the both of them together, while Iroh ran to embrace Zuko. Aang smiled briefly at the hug, before glaring at Zuko. Zuko glared back at Aang, not liking the way Orora was hugging him.
Granted she was also hugging Katara, but still. "I knew you would come." Katara said to Aang before smiling at Orora. "Its so good to see you again Orora." The girl smiled back.
"And you, Spirits, you had us all worried. Both of you." She added, finally moving to give Zuko a brief hug. Brief because Zuko pushed her off a little, prompting her to look a little hurt at his dismissal. But he barely noticed as he rounded on his Uncle.
"Uncle, I don't understand. What are you doing with the Avatar?" He asked, pointing to Aang. 
Aang glared at the Prince. "Saving you, that's what." He said in a slightly sarcastic tone. Zuko growled, fists clenching as he took a step in Aang's direction, but was stopped by Iroh and Orora both.
"Zuko, it's time we talked." He turned to look at Aang and Katara. "Go help your other friends. We'll catch up with you." The both of them move to walk away, but then stop when they realized Orora wasn't following them.
Noticing their hesitance, the older girl quickly smiled at them. "I'll be right there guys. I hope that spot on your team is still open for me." Nodding, the both of disappeared into a cave.
Spot on the team?
Was Orora leaving?
Was she leaving him?
She was leaving him.
Orora was leaving him.
Dread filled his heart and clouded his mind, as he turned his head to the side.
"Why, Uncle?" He voiced, the hurt evident in his tone. Though from the fact that his Uncle had gone to his enemy, the Avatar for help, or that Orora was probably leaving him to go with the Avatar, he did not know.
"You're not the man you used to be, Zuko." He smiled. "You are stronger and wiser and freer than you have ever been. And now you have come to the crossroads of your destiny. It's time for you to choose. It's time for you to choose good."
Good?
He had done good once before.
And that had earned him a scar.
He had done good before.
And had saved his soulmate, who was now leaving him.
Doing good had never worked in his favor.
He felt Orora step forward. "Zuko, you-AH!" Her words were cut off with a scream as the Crystals around them grew and encapsulated her and Iroh. Zuko assumed a fighting stance, and was greeted with the sight of his sister and two Dai Li agent sliding into the chamber.
"I expected this kind of treachery from Uncle." Azula spoke, her voice soft and sweet like honey. "But Zuko, Prince Zuko, you're a lot of things, but you're not a traitor, are you?" She asked, her voice soft at the end.
"Release them immediately!" He ordered, power behind his words as he glared at his sister. Orora grunted slightly as she tried to free herself, but stopped when Iroh shook his head at her. His message was clear.
Don't draw attention to yourself.
Azula shrugged. "It's not too late for you, Zuko. You can still redeem yourself."
Iroh, not wanting Zuko to be influenced by his sister's words tried to intervene. "The kind of redemption she offers is not for you."
Azula sighed in a way a mother would sigh at a naughty child. "Why don't you let him decide, Uncle?" She said, before turning her sweetened attention back to her brother. "I need you, Zuko. I've plotted every move of this day, this glorious day in Fire Nation history, and the only way we win is together. At the end of this day, you will have your honor back. You will have Father's love. You will have everything you want."
She painted a pretty picture. She painted the exact picture he had wanted for so long. The very picture Orora had said he deserved. He deserved honor and love. He deserved everything.
Didn't he?
Hadn't he suffered enough?
For once Orora was silent. She knew if she spoke, Azula would not hold back in shutting her up. Iroh was right, maybe it was best to stay quiet and let Zuko decide on his own. He was changed now.
He would make the right choice.
Still, that didn't stop Iroh from pleading with his nephew. "Zuko I am begging you. Look into your heart and see what it is that you truly want."
Azula shrugs. "You are free to choose." She gestured to the Dai Li agents who promptly left, probably to get reinforcements. With one backward glance at the three of them, she disappeared into the darkness of the cave where Aang and Katara had gone.
The chamber echoed with a silence that pressed against his chest. His mind whirled, his heart burned. He could feel the eyes of his Uncle and his Soulmate at the back of his head.
"Zuko." Her soft comforting voice floated through the air. "Listen to your heart. What does it tell you?" She said the same words as his Uncle.
Finally, he turned. He looked to his Uncle first, who gave him a gentle smile. Then he looked at Orora.
Amber found blue.
He knew the moment she understood what he was about to do. He could see it in her eyes.
So without a backwards glance, he followed after his sister, leaving his Soulmate to call out to him as he raced away.
As far away from those heartbroken cries as possible.
                                          ————————–
As soon as he had disappeared, Orora began to struggle even more fiercely. "We have to get out. We have to help Aang and Katara. Azula will kill them." She was speaking in an almost frenzied tone as she tried to free her wrists where they were encapsulated in Crystal.
Iroh stood where he was, his eyes closed, a look of utter sorrow and disappointment on his face. "I thought I taught him enough." He lamented.
A wave of emotion rose within her, threatened to overtake her. But she stomped it down with a vicious growl.
No!
Her friends were in danger!
Now was not the time!
And maybe, maybe they were wrong. Maybe Zuko had gone to help Aang and Katara.
Maybe he would change his mind.
Suddenly the earth rumbled and a lone Dai Li agent appeared. He quickly looked around and once he was sure no one else was there, he quickly earthbended the Crystals, freeing them both.
"I am honored to help a High Ranking Officer of the White Lotus." He said, bowing respectfully to Iroh. Iroh nodded, before turning to Orora.
"Go help your friends. I need to take care of some business."
But his Pupil was already gone.
                                          ————————–
She arrived to a horrific scene.
Aang flying through the air, crashing into a building. Azula, Zuko and more then a dozen Dai Li agents, surrounding Katara who was on the ground.
Sheer anger coursed through her veins. Taking a running start, she leaped from her heightened location, using a large wave from a nearby canal to create a slide of ice which she quickly skated down, coming to land in front of Katara.
Her arms raised on either side of her body. The water slide split apart, only to create multiple sharp yet deadly daggers of ice.
Pointing straight at her Soulmate, his sister and the Agent.
"Take one more step and I'll send one right through you." She warned, her eyes dancing with a deadly gleam as she glared at them all.
One of the Agents, thinking she was bluffing, did step forward. Only to find two ice daggers embedded in his forearms. He dropped to the floor screaming in pain as blood oozed from his wounds.
Letting out a grunt, she threw her arms out, allowing each ice dagger to fly forward. While several hit their marks to various points of injuries, many of the Agents brought up shields of rock, while Zuko and Azula simply sent forward a burst of fire, melting them.
"Out of our way peasant." Azula growled, blue fire burning in her hands. She allowed a huge ball of it to fly towards Orora, who dodged, only to be knocked flying back by a Dai Li agent. She slammed into a pillar wall. Her entire body screamed with pain as she slid to the ground. Pushing herself onto her knees, the girl shot into position once more.
It was fight or die, and her entire sense of being had gone into survival mode.
In front of her, Katara had gathered enough strength to stand up. Waving her arms she created an octopus like creature around her, and not a moment too soon.
More Dai Li agents arrived.
While several surrounded Katara, even more surrounded her. Orora growled, bringing up twin whips of water in her hand. The ends of each tip was topped with a spiked boulder of ice. She panted as her eyes darted from one enemy face to another, looking for a chance to land a shot if any of them tried anything.
But then a light shone in the chamber.
Brighter then a hundred candles.
Every eye turned to Aang as he floated in the air. His eyes and tattoos glowing.
Orora gasped. Was this it? Was he about to go into the Avatar State?
So lost were they all in the sheer power of what Aang was about to unleash, that no one noticed Azula sneaking up behind Aang.
Until it was too late.
Lightning flashed, and the tips of Azula's fingers smoked as her aim found it's target.
Aang dropped to the ground.
"No!" A scream tore from her throat. With a single move of her boulder water whips, she was able to knock down the still surprised Dai Li agents. Seeing the path clear, she ran for Aang, creating a wave to catch his body just before he crashed to the ground.
And she wasn't the only one running towards him.
Both her and Katara reached him at the same time. Katara's hair was undone, her clothes torn. And Orora was sure she was in a similar state. Tears streamed down the other girl's face, as she cradled Aang's body and wept loudly.
Knowing exactly what Katara had just lost, Orora moved to stand protectively in front of the younger children. Waving her arms in a circle around her, she managed to call the water towards her and create several circular trunks of ice in front of her. With a flick of her wrist, a sharp round slate of ice lifted from each trunk. One move and they would fly through the air, cutting off limb or head if she desired.
Her eyes were full of pure hatred when she looked at Azula.
"I will kill you." She growled in a threatening manner. Azula simply smiled in a condescending manner.
But then Orora's gaze found his.
Where she had looked at him with such trust and adoration just this morning, now there was only hurt, anger and disdain.
So powerful were her emotions, that he actually hesitated in attacking her, his stance softened and his arms lowered a little.
A blast of fire stopped Azula from attacking. Iroh, the source of the blast, jumped down from the wall of the cave and stood in front of Orora and her friends.
"You've got to get out of here. I'll hold them off as long as I can." He called over his shoulder as he sent another wall of raging fire at his own family and the agents.
Her heart dropped and fear settled in her bones. "No! Master!"
"Orora!" He roared, stopping her in her tracks. "You swore an oath to do as I asked you. You swore!"
She stopped short.
After a moment a cry of utter frustration fell from her lips, and she threw her arms forward, allowing the trunks of ice to fly through the air and take several Dai Li agents down with them.
Running towards Aang and Katara, she quickly gathered them both close. Katara looked at her with such hopeless eyes that Orora felt her heart break for the young girl.
"Hang on." She said, creating a pillar of water and waterbending all three of them out by way of a waterfall.
                                          ————————–
Once his Pupil had disappeared from view, Iroh took a deep breath and submitted. The Dai Li quickly encased him in crystals. He raised his head to see his niece smiling in a triumphant manner.
His eyes met Zuko's before Iroh looked away, ashamed, disappointed, but most of all, saddened.
                                          ————————–
It was no easy task, taking both Katara and Aang back to the tea shop. The girl was barely walking, so lost she was at the realization that her other half was dead. Luckily, the waterfall had opened up to a canal close to the tea shop, and Orora had managed to get Sokka's attention from where he kept watch on Appa.
The moment they were on, Orora wasted no time. "Appa! Yip yip" She called. They had to get out as fast as they could.
Once they were in the air, she turned her attention to Katara and Aang. The girl was placing Aang's body against Appa. And though her eyes still held that lost and devastated look, she reached around her neck to pull out a vial.
Bending the water from inside, the young girl pressed the now glowing water against the wound on Aang's back.
She was sitting beside Sokka, anxiously peering over the saddle just like the rest of them. In her heart she prayed. She prayed to every Spirit out there. She prayed to Yue.
She prayed and prayed.
A gentle glow suddenly ignited the night sky and Orora watched as Katara suddenly smiled, tears in her eyes and hugged Aang to her chest.
He was alive.
Aang was alive.
He was alive.
But then, why did she still feel like the world had ended.
                                          ————————–
"We've done it, Zuko." Azula stated as she sat on the Earth King's throne. "It's taken a hundred years, but the Fire Nation has conquered Ba Sing Se."
Zuko, still reeling from what had happened, was having a hard time believing everything. "I betrayed Uncle." He said in a low voice.
He betrayed his Soulmate.
Azula stood. "No, he betrayed you." She clarified before continuing. "Zuko, when you return home, Father will welcome you as a war hero."
Zuko shook his head. "But I don't have the Avatar. What if Father doesn't restore my honor?" He asked his sister, feeling those first lick of panic along his skin.
"He doesn't need to, Zuko." She reassured him, placing ah and on his shoulder. "Today, you restored your own honor."
With that she walked away, disappearing into the dark.
His shoulders slumped, as if the weight of the entire world was on them. His hand had been clenched in a fist at his side the entire time, but now with Azula gone, he lifted it up.
Opening his fingers he stared at the object within.
A small blue hair comb set with the carving of a dragon.
                                          ————————–
Tag List - @wavesofchaos​ @violet-potter​ @rennysketch​ @emma-andrea1 @lovesammikinzz @fuzzyfestcat @msrawog @notsaelty @lust-for-pan @aces-tattooartist @jinxxangel13 @lotr-got @bitterspoons @realrintaro @gatorgirl151 @inutheangel @heartfully10 @lucaaahhh @juniper-july19 @anuttellaa @gfksz @bussyvussy @punksnotdeadbutiam @ablofftoneverland-blog-blog @slut-for-menn @vyliie
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caeli0306 · 4 months ago
Text
20 questions for writers tag game!
tagged by @widebrimmedhatsblog and @hockeyspiral23
Total number of AO3 works
Nine!
2. Total AO3 word count
287,489
3. Fandoms I've written for
Empyrean and that's literally it lol
4. Top 5 fics by kudos
Violet Sorrengail's Guide to Spinning a Scandal, castles crumbling, Tales from the Airport Bathroom, Did Someone Say Shots?, and Did Someone Say Vacation?
5. Do I respond to comments?
Yes! Sometimes it takes me longer to get to them, especially if I get a lot within a short period of time, but I always respond to comments.
6. What has the angstiest ending?
definitely the present, the past, and you in between. That was the first one shot I ever wrote and I still get comments of people being iike "bro why did you do that???"
7. What has the happiest ending?
All of my fics (except for the one mentioned above) have happy endings if they're done, more or less! If I had to choose one, I think it would be VSGTSAS.
8. Have I received hate?
Yes, once, but honestly in my line of work I get so much online hate that I just find it funny. I wrote a very sarcastic response and moved on. One of the reasons I love this fandom is because its super positive and accepting, so why dwell on the single outlier I've come across?
9. Do I write smut? And what kind?
Yes, and as of now just Riorgail
10. Do I write crossovers?
Unless you count the Top Gun AU I've been working on a crossover, then no. I think trying to mix worlds and characters would get too confusing for me, so doing an AU based on another world is about the extent for me.
11. Have I ever had a fic stolen?
As far as I know I have not! Hopefully it stays that way.
12. Have I ever had a fic translated?
Nope!
13. Have I ever co written a fic?
I have not! I feel like it would be fun though
14. What is my all time favorite ship?
Riorgail. They are my Roman Empire.
15. A WIP I'll never finish?
So I will always maintain that I will finish everything I start, but if there is any story that I think has a chance of not getting finished, it's Swan Song. I haven't had the inspiration to write it for a while, and my backlog just keeps getting longer. I hope I'll get around to finishing it eventually, but it won't be for a long time.
16. Writing strengths?
I've been told that I write angst well, and that I'm good at writing tension between characters. Personally, I think my ability to research (thank you journalism) and write things as close to realistically as I possibly can is my greatest strength. Not kidding when I say I had a 15 page document of job descriptions for senate office staffers that I got from a friend who works on the Hill back when I was working on VSGTSAS and that bad boy was open the entire time I was writing chapter 4.
17. Writing weaknesses?
I think I struggle to describe movement and action in a way that isn't repetitive, and sometimes my writing sounds a bit robotic (thank you journalism). I also think sometimes my sentences can get a bit convoluted.
18. Do I like foreign language dialogue?
I'm not sure - I don't think I've read any fics with that.
19. First fandom I wrote for?
Empyrean!
20. Favorite fic I've written?
This is like asking me to pick a favorite child. I'm going to include Violet Sorrengail's Guide to Spinning a Scandal and castles crumbling because I love them both and they are both my favorite.
I'm tagging @skyfallscotland, @suebswrites, and @witch-and-her-witcher (unsure if any of you have already been tagged!)
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ifishouldvanish · 11 months ago
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(sorry, one more bc it's been on my mind for a long time)
I worry though, about... the dynamic. Can someone really find and bond with another through their grief and loneliness, without this grim depression they share becoming *worse?*
For me, personally, whenever I think about them... I think there's going to be a level of catharsis. They have something that would be very hard to find in another living being, and a certain love for humanity and the past that would be difficult to find among vampires, and this shapes them into shattered pieces which fit together. But would they still be able to find happiness? It kind of feels like they're two damaged clocks that have coincidentally been stuck on the same minute and hour hand. Would they be able to heal and move time forward?
Okay so like!!!!
I see it less about bonding over the shared grief itself and more about what their responses to that grief have exposed in each of them. Like, in the beginning and on the surface level, yes. It is the grief and loss and loneliness that brings them together. But they are foils!!! I'm telling you!!! They can learn from each other!!!
I've mentioned probably all of this before in scattered pieces across all my posts at some point but!! I think the lowest common denominator, the core of their dynamic, lies in how they seem to have established their senses of self.
Alucard struggles with how not to define himself by his father, and then having to define himself in opposition to his father. "Slave to our families' wishes" etc. And when that chapter of his life closes he's like, "welp, guess I'll just entomb myself here đŸ€·" until Trevor and Sypha are like "what?? Dude no??" And he's like "oh haha I guess you're right, I can uphold the legacy of the best parts of both of my parents!!" And they're like "ya!!" But then a month goes by without anyone coming round to say "hey!!! Share that knowledge with me!! Fulfill the role you've given yourself" and he is just... so fucking bored and unfulfilled?
He needed they-who-shall-not-be-named to come along so he could fill that role, needed Greta to come along so he could fill that role. He tells Greta about how rescuing others sort of fills a void for him/gives him purpose, which is honorable, yes. But like... It's also so sad imo?? This comfort in denying his sense of self? "I don't know what to do with myself, just gimme a shout if the world ever needs saving again"?? Like Alucard, honey, babygirl, sweetheart... you need to learn to live for yourself đŸ„ș
Olrox on the other hand is... not selfish exactly, but he knows what he's about and he refuses compromise himself. You killed the only man I ever loved? Okay, then I'm killing you, and no, I don't care if your nine year old son witnesses it. You want the juicy story of why that boy is terrified of the big bad vampire? Okay, but you will learn about my humanity first so you can sit with your cognitive dissonance about it later. You think I'm just going to throw myself at your feet because you promise us all eternal night? How about you kindly go fuck yourself? You happily stump for Erzsebet because she promised you that she'll create a world that will allow you to relive your glory days? Couldn't be me!
Like obviously we have a much more limited viewpoint for Olrox because we know so much less about him and his past, but this is not a guy who's waiting for someone to give him a purpose. He acts alone, he doesn't play nice with others, he has his own agenda, and is even a little bit of a hedonist: investigating the relationship between the abbot and Erzsebet? Might as well fuck a hot monk while I'm at it. I said eat the rich, but I might as well look good doing it. You hate/fear me cause I killed your mom? Get over it already. You think the opera singing night creature is annoying? Well, I'm familiar enough with opera music to know he's actually reading you all for filth, so I think it's great!
I think at the end of the day, Alucard is a character who defines himself by others, not understanding why he still feels so empty and alone. And Olrox is a character who defines himself by his own terms, but in being caught between both human and vampire worlds has learned to push people away because he thinks he is better off that way. But by the end of the season, his worst fear is realized: I cannot do this alone. I am at the mercy of someone else's help.
But Olrox isn't like anyone else Alucard has rescued before. He's a fellow vampire. He's a fellow immortal. He's going to be around for as long as he is. And maybe, in that time, a little bit of that ego can start to rub off on Alucard. Maybe he can learn to live for himself without apology, without feeling like he has to atone for the sins of his father. Maybe, just maybe, he can learn to exist outside of the role of the mythical savior.
Because Olrox doesn't want one of those—heaven's no. He can take care of himself, thank you very much. But what if he could learn he doesn't always have to? Who better to restore his faith in the world than the guy who has his mother's conviction that all of this mess is worth saving so deeply ingrained in him that it's been the primary source of his identity for centuries?
I'm starting to ramble here so I hope this is coherent, but in conclusion: they would be so restorative for each other and look so hot together and that is why I believe in Alurox supremacy 🙏
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kitkatt0430 · 7 months ago
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Answer the Questions and Tag 5 Fanfic Authors
Thanks for the tag @goldheartedchaoticdisaster :D
1. How did you get into writing fanfiction?
Writing fanfic was something I just started doing because I wanted to have more Voyager stories about Seven of Nine when I was still pretty young. Actually posting up fanfics I'd written? Junior High, I think - so preteens/early teens - when a friend introduced me to the wonderful world of Fanfiction.net; I started reading fic and worked up the courage to actually post my own after a bit.
2. How many fandoms have you written in?
51? I think? It's at least that many, anyway.
3. How many years have you been writing fanfiction?
I joined FFnet in 2002 so let's just go with 22 years. I did write some stuff before that, but none of it was posted and all of it is lost.
4. Do you read or write more fanfiction?
I read more, but I certainly do write a lot. :D
5. What is one way you’ve improved as a writer?
I've gotten a lot better at world building. But also establishing initial characterizations and making character growth make sense.
6. What’s the weirdest topic you researched for a writing project?
Not necessarily weird, but I've looked up information on various degrees and how long they take to complete as well as different types of power of attorney - yes, there is more than one! - and the different ways they apply.
7. What’s your favourite type of comment to receive on your work?
I like the comments that have reactions to different parts of the fic/chapter and maybe favorite quotes as they read along. Those are the types of comments I like to leave most too.
8. What’s the most fringe trope/topic you write about?
Lol, does writing a Fringe/Flash crossover fic count? ;)
I've got some pretty rare pairs that I've written for - Reverb/HR and Savitar/Reverb and Savitar/Eobard are probably the most rare thus far but I find I enjoy the challenge of rare pairs that are of the ships that pass in the night variety so I may wind up with more very rare pairs as time goes on.
There's been a few experimental-ish fics I've written, like Spiral which
 I'm not really sure how to describe the style for that fic.
9. What is the hardest type of story for you to write?
I struggled a lot with the ending to You Must Live (For Me) because it was a bad guys win fic and so I knew from the start I'd be killing off Iris. But it was still difficult to do.
So overall I think fics that kill off main characters in some way? I don't write that often, but even just the aftermath of such a thing can be really difficult to write. Grief is just
 hard to write because it hurts so much.
10. What is the easiest type?
Fluffy, silly fics. Things like Buzz Buzz often just flow easily because they're silly and fun.
But often also fics that address things I feel strongly about. Not always - sometimes I get in my own way with those fics - but sometimes that strong emotion will just carry me through writing something until suddenly I have an entire fic. Seeress was definitely one of those where replaying the ending of Final Fantasy 13-2 where the bad guy has basically pulled a 'heads I win, tails you lose' scenario (which the final game rectifies) had me speculating on how some of the foreshadowing in the game indicated there could have been a different ending to things.
11. Where do you do your writing? What platform? When?
On my computer - though a tablet + keyboard combo will do in a pinch. Rarely on a notebook these days because I can't guarantee I'll find the motivation to transcribe it later, though notebooks are a good place for making story notes instead of fic writing.
I'll typically use LibreOffice because it's easy to use and free. I'll also use Notion, which has a free tier and is good for when I want to be able to work on a fic from my tablet or on a different computer from usual.
For my sins
 sometimes I'll write a fic directly into Ao3's editor.
12. What is something you’ve been too nervous/intimidated to write, but would love to write one day?
I'm trying to get better at making 'one day' become 'today' when it comes to this sort of thing. I feel like my Flash/Fringe crossover series falls into this because what I want to do for the series is ambitious and so while I don't want to bite off more than I can write (as it were), I don't want to keep putting it off because it makes me worry I won't do it justice. I won't do it anything at all if I don't at least try.
13. What made you choose your username?
My sister picked it out when she helped me make my first email account as a kid and I've been partial to it ever sense. Kitkatt0430 is in many ways as much my name now as my real name. I've used it for FFnet, my short lived attempt at Live Journal, Ao3, Tumblr (though I have Starstruckpurpledragon here too), and a few other places.
@sophiainspace @coldflasher @incorrectcoldflashblog @terrie01 @fezwearingjellybananas & anyone who wants to play :D
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ao3serketlurks · 11 months ago
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Blowing His Mind: Chapter 2
by Serket8lues
Tags: Sam Winchester x Reader, female reader, reader-insert, blow jobs, oral sex, vaginal sex, unprotected sex, psychic teasing, alcohol
Explicit | No Archive Warnings Apply
"Finally," Sam says when he slides into the seat next to you. "That took forever."
"I hear that," you say to empathize, but really, you're barely hearing what he's saying. You're barely hearing what he's saying out loud, anyway. In his head, though? Sam stares at your pretty red lips. He leans in for a long kiss, melting into your mouth with a moan. He curls an arm around you, and up to hold the back of your head in his hand as he falls further under your spell.
You lick your lips, closing your eyes for just a moment too long.
"You know," you shift towards the table, jostling your breasts, "I've never asked. What are your liquor preferences, anyway?"
"Available," says Dean immediately, and Sam snorts at that.
"Okay, but like, a straight-up tier list. Good and bad alcohols."
"Aw that's easy," says Dean. He begins to rant, and you half listen, more tuned in to Sam's thoughts. Now, he's zoned into purely his own fantasy, and is imagining running his hands under the hem of your shirt, peppering your face and neck with kisses. You feel your cheeks flush, and you're suddenly very warm. Carefully, you shift in your clothes, making as sure as you can that your cotton top is nice and stuck to the inside of your sweater. You stand and stretch, and you pull your sweater up over your head and take it off. "Oops," you mutter, taking your time to tug your shirt back down.
This immediately causes the desired reaction. Sam is trying to hide that he's staring at you, and failing miserably. In his head, he replays it over and over again, that glimpse of your skin, of just where he had been thinking about touching. You hear in his mind how his dick stiffens under the table, half hard already, and he shifts his hips awkwardly, trying to get rid of it. You can't help grinning at the power you've got over him right now, and you lick your lips in spite of yourself.
"You're right, Dean," you slide back into your chair and the conversation, innocently covering the reason for your expressions, "It's hard to beat a classic Dark N' Stormy. I haven't had one in ages. But you've got to admit, Captain's Rum is a billion times a better mixer than Juan Balos."
"Bull shit!" laughs Dean.
Despite the frigid drafts blowing in from the constantly-opening front door, a bead of perspiration dots Sam's brow. He's wearing that earnest expression you love, and crossing and uncrossing his legs. You feel a familiar rush of heat that has nothing to do with the alcohol you're drinking. Serious, reserved Sam, with those big brown puppy eyes, all hot and bothered at the mercy of your slightest move. Maybe, maybe, maybe... A plan begins to form in your mind. Sam struggles to keep his voice even, laughing with Dean over a bad cocktail pun, and you scan the room.
"Oh hey," you say casually, "Dean. Nine o'clock."
Dean turns to follow your gaze. A pretty thirty-something in yoga gear stands at the bar, busty and blonde and definitely Dean's type. Granted, you're pretty sure Dean's preference in women is about the same as his preference in alcohol, but it doesn't hurt that this woman is definitely attractive, and not wearing a ring. Dean looks conflicted. "Ooh, man..." he says, and takes another sip. "Good spot. But we're hanging out... it's a rare night off..."
"Go ahead," you encourage him. "We're here. We talked. We'll catch up more another time."
"You guys are the best," says Dean, and he saunters off towards her.
You see that Sam's glass is empty, and before he can think about whether or not this should also be his cue to call it a night, you also stand up. "I'll get the next round," you say. "What do you want?" "Oh, uh," Sam's thoughts are on your curves again, "Baelor's Brew is good for me." "Got it," you say, and you feel his eyes linger on your swinging hips as you swagger back to the bar.
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cousinkooksbackup · 1 year ago
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EXCHANGED LOVE. || a bellyjere au fic.
chapter nine
chapter one | previous chapter | book summary
bellys pov
I despised dancing. It had never been my forte, and my feet seemed magnetically attracted to each other in the most inconvenient way possible. But tonight, it was a lifeline, a brief escape from the relentless barrage of questions about my thoughts on America. Conrad and Susannah had thrown me a much-needed lifeline, and I clung to it like a drowning sailor.
Dancing with Conrad felt acceptable, albeit a bit awkward due to my lack of dance floor expertise. Still, it beat the uncomfortable conversations at our table. I couldn't shake the feeling that I stood out like a sore thumb at this gala, with everyone's eyes fixed on me as if I were a stain on their pristine fabric.
When the dance with Conrad ended, my plan was to retreat to our table. However, I hadn't anticipated another guy boldly approaching me, making it difficult to refuse. His buddies grinned like Cheshire cats, so I put on a polite smile and accepted his hand.
"Warning, I'm not much of a dancer," I said softly, offering a small grin, hoping to fill the silence with some conversation. Dancing in silence was just too awkward for my liking. His response was a smirk and a dismissive shake of his head.
"What?" I inquired, my eyebrow raised, struggling to maintain focus on not stepping on his toes.
"Nothing," he mused, shaking his head, but then he continued, "You're the new Fisher exchange student, right?" His eyes, a piercing greenish gray, bore into me, far from warm or inviting. Despite his handsomeness, he gave off an unsettling vibe.
"Yes, Isabel," I replied hesitantly, holding back my nickname. I reserved that for friends, and based on the energy I felt from him, he didn't fit the bill. I just wanted this dance to end, and each passing second felt like an eternity.
"Well, Isabel, I've been dying to find out if foreign girls do it better," he whispered into my ear, his breath laden with alcohol, and his touch felt sharp, like daggers in my back. I swallowed down the rising discomfort, praying for the song to end.
As if my prayers were answered, the song faded away, and without thinking, I stepped away from him without a word, turning on my heels. As he vanished from my sight, the room seemed to close in, and my racing heartbeat replaced the music. Panic welled up inside me; this was the worst time and place for it. I was no longer at the safe Fisher summer house but at a gala, surrounded by their friends and colleagues.
Once outside, I had no idea where to go. I had never been here before, and the sun had set long ago, leaving only moonlight and scattered lampposts in the parking lot. I found a garden and slumped onto the nearest bench, my hand gripping the satiny fabric of my dress. I no longer felt beautiful; instead, I felt exploited, exposed, judged, and overwhelmingly uncomfortable.
I didn't hear Jeremiah at first when he said my name. I was too busy trying to calm my racing heart and focus on my breathing, but none of it was working.
"Isabel?" he called again, louder and more concerned. My head snapped up, and I met the gaze of the curly-haired boy. He was the last person I wanted to see me like this, but there was no hiding now. Pretending I was okay was not an option.
"What do you need?" he hurriedly closed the distance between us, clearly worried by my silence. The words I wanted to say were stuck in my throat, just like my ability to breathe. This situation was beyond frustrating; this was the second time, and what if Susannah found out and decided I needed to go back? I didn't want to return; I wasn't ready.
"Just... Can you... I just need you to wrap your arms around me tightly," I managed to say through small sobs. It was much harder than I expected, trying to talk while struggling to breathe. Asking the very guy I'd been avoiding for most of the week to hold me was the opposite of my intentions.
Jeremiah didn't hesitate. "Okay, yeah. Whatever you need. Is this okay?"
His arms enveloped me, pulling me against his chest. My body shook against his, and my face was buried in his chest. I knew I was probably ruining his shirt, but I couldn't stop. I felt so stupid; Max Breeland's comment had triggered all of this. It was just a stupid comment, but it had sent me into a panic attack. Jeremiah's calming presence helped, though. He whispered words of reassurance, and his touch was a lifeline in the storm of my emotions.
Even when I managed to calm down, I made no move to let go. Letting go meant acknowledging what had just happened, and it meant being alone with Jeremiah Fisher, defenseless and vulnerable. I didn't have the energy to keep him at arm's length now, so I allowed myself to sit there in his arms, listening to the comforting rhythm of his heartbeat.
"Sorry about your shirt," I sniffled finally, sitting up and wiping my eyes. I must have smeared my mascara, ruining all the effort Susannah had put into making me look pretty. I looked at him through wet lashes, worrying my bottom lip between my teeth.
"I don't care about the shirt," he assured me, his bright blue eyes searching my brown ones. I felt exposed, as if he could see right through me, and it made me want to scream.
"Still... Sorry."
I wasn't sure if I was apologizing for staining his shirt or for shutting him out since that first night. Maybe it was both, but I'd let him interpret it as he wished.
We sat in silence for a moment, and I wiped the tears that continued to fall onto my cheeks, willing them to stop
"What did Max say to you?" Jeremiah finally asked, his jaw tensing. He seemed upset, maybe at Max, perhaps at me for causing such a scene, or perhaps it had nothing to do with me at all. He couldn't even look at me, and that hurt more than I expected.
"Bells," he urged on, still avoiding my gaze.
"He just made a stupid comment. It was no big deal," I tried to downplay it, resulting in a scoff from Jeremiah.
"Isabel, it's clearly a big deal if it sent you into a panic attack," he said softly, his blue eyes meeting mine once more.
"It wasn't really about what he said; he just reminded me of something I've been working really hard to forget." I'm not sure what made me be so honest with him. Maybe it was because I was too exhausted after hours of conversations and my panic attack, or maybe it was because I felt safe around Jeremiah.
I remembered that day vividly, the day everything had changed at school. Flyers with my face, X-ed out with bright red marker, plastered throughout the hallways. They were everywhere, each one bearing a different, horrible, untrue lie. But it didn't matter; everyone had seen them, and there was no rewind button in real life.
As I walked to class, people stared, and some whispered, but others shouted out hurtful things across the hallway, earning laughs from their friends.
One kid, a stranger to me, shoved a flyer in my face.
"Is it true you're easy? That's my favorite type."
I'd pushed past him, fighting the urge to vomit. Everyone was staring, and his friends were laughing. When I reached my locker, dozens more flyers fell out, and I cried right there. The torment never really stopped; it just took different forms. Forms that wouldn't get people in as much trouble.
Tears welled up again, and Jeremiah was quick to pull me back into his embrace. He whispered soft words, and his fingers drew comforting patterns on my back. It helped more than he knew. I focused on those patterns, wondering if he was writing a secret code there. I didn't dare ask; my energy was depleted.
"Jeremiah? Isabel? What are you two doing out here? I was looking for you both," Susannah's voice interrupted from across the garden.
"Oh, my poor girl," she cooed, joining us in front of the bench. I didn't want to look up from Jeremiah's chest. I felt safe there; I'd been vulnerable enough tonight, and I didn't need the only other Fisher who knew to break down the walls I'd built.
But I couldn't be rude, so I forced myself to lift my head and offered Susannah a weak smile. Jeremiah made no effort to remove his arms from around me. In fact, it felt like he held on tighter when he sensed me moving away, though perhaps I was imagining things.
"Jeremiah, you can take her home? Right, Angel?" Susannah glanced at the Fisher boy who still held me close. I felt his nod, and he reluctantly let go of me for a moment, standing up while keeping a hand on my shoulder. He gave Susannah a quick hug, whispered something in her ear, and kissed her cheek before telling her that we'd see her back at the house.
His attention was back on me quickly, offering his hand to help me up to my feet. I despised these heels; my feet ached, and the thought of walking around the building to reach the valet was daunting. So I kicked off my shoes, holding them by the straps now.
"Bells, you can't walk here barefoot; what if you step on glass?" he said, concern in his eyes.
"Well, then I step on glass, but I'm sure I'll be—"
Before I could finish my sentence, he scooped me up into his arms. He smiled at his mom, who watched us with a smile I hadn't seen until now. I wasn't sure what this smile meant, but I was relieved she wasn't angry with me.
Too tired to protest being carried and too emotionally drained to argue, I surrendered to Jeremiah's arms, letting him carry me to his Jeep. I could muster the strength to rebuild my walls tomorrow.
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satancopilotsmytardis · 1 year ago
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7, 9, and 17!
7. What is your deepest joy about writing?
I like just being able to make something entirely with words! Whole worlds, histories, feelings! Just made out of strings of letters. I have always been a person who like making things, so writing is a wonderful way of doing so for me.
9. Do you believe in ghosts? This isn’t about writing I just wanna know
I believe that the energy of living things must be changed in some fundamental way when it leaves the body and I believe that people may not fully understand that process. (I have no fucking clue but sometimes places do be 'spooky' in strange imperceptible ways and I'm open to the possibility that ghosts are the cause.)
17. Talk to me about the minutiae of your current WIP. Tell me about the lore, the history, the detail, the things that won’t make it in the text.
I have. NINE current WIPS. Thankfully I can group up a good number of them.
I have a bunch of installments in the Mishap series that I'm working on which while looking like nothing more than PWPs, are actually a fun way of exploring emotional intimacy as much as physical intimacy because one of my favorite things to do is discuss the idea of BDSM as a way of exploring vulnerabilities that it might be uncomfortable or frightening to do in other settings.
There's also Bonded, which I am really struggling with. I started writing the series just because I was having fun playing with a lot of silly ideas, but Shattered is much more serious in tone and while I usually love that, and I have a full outline of Shattered as well as outlines for the next two installments as well, I just haven't found the joy in it that I did in the beginning. I really like how chapter 6 wraps up, and it's been torture trying to move on to chapter 7. I don't know when I'll get over that hump, but it's been 3 months and I still haven't managed it yet.
Tumblr prompts, going well enough. Taking this as an opportunity to just write fast(ish) snippets. I often really want to linger and show how relationships develop thoroughly because (and especially with ShigaDabiHawks) I need a believable progression to show how those character could have possibly ended up together when they're at odds with each other's goals. However, for these I'm just going ham and that's a nice little change of pace.
Stalling out on the original piece (shigadabi with the serial numbers filed off because I wanted to use an original fantasy setting I've used for other OC work). Having trouble balancing how to progress the plot without losing the spark between the two characters after a... disagreement.
The Hanahaki piece is my fucking baby right now. Feeling as good about this one as I did about Honeytrap and Grey Area. It's so achingly tender and I love it to absolute bits. I have one area that I'm still trying to make a decision on and thought that the tumblr prompts would be a good way to step back and give it some breathing room after banging out 27k for it in two days. I'm very excited about this one.
And last but not least, the Time Travel fic! I'm enjoying this one too but I'm thinking about it logistically right now and trying to decide if I'm going to make it a multi-chapter or not. I usually don't like to do that because I write very differently for a multi-chap than I do for a one-shot and I much prefer the style of writing for an insanely long one-shot than a multi-chap (yes this may be why Shattered is fucking me up so badly, also why I really hated Playing Favorites by the end), but I'm not sure if it would be too jarring to go from Hawks' POV to Dabi's after minimum of 12K in Hawks' POV, but I need some scenes to be from Dabi's so eeehhhh. I'll figure it out. I like this one, alternate timelines are always fun to play around with and the butterfly effect here is so fucking strong.
I think I'm going to be finishing the Tumblr prompts before going back to the Hanahaki fic, but we'll see! And this is all dependent on me not starting any more pieces in the meantime. Which. Oof.
Thanks for asking!
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rubyperic-09 · 8 months ago
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In Love
a/n: I wrote a whole ass novel about a year ago and I thought I'd release the first chapter to see if anyone likes it! let me know if you want me to release any more of it or if you have any feedback xoxo summary: idk, this is a preview to the whole book I guess but idk how to sum it up, anyone got any ideas? w/c: 1114 TW: vomit, mentions of alcohol usage, mentions of being drunk, mentions of bullying, hospital, mentions of mental breakdowns. let me know if I've missed anything xx
chapter 1
I wake up lying on the floor of my bedroom. I have no idea why I am there. The last thing I remember is throwing up in a plant pot and being brought home by Henry’s boyfriend Michael. I got drunk at a party last night. So drunk that I passed out and had to be dragged home. I only got drunk because I had a crap week and I wanted to forget about it. But obviously that didn’t work. I get up off the floor and put on a jumper. I have a pounding headache, but that does not stop me from struggling up the stairs and into Henry’s room. Michael was still here. I did not expect him to drive all the way home in the dark, but I also didn’t expect him to be sleeping in my brother’s bed while my parents were under the impression he was on the spare mattress on the floor.
I am Ivy Green. I have a brother named Henry, who came out to my parents around three months ago, but still hadn’t come out to me until about a week ago. Henry was my best friend for about three years. We did everything together. If there was another one of Lilly Scott’s stupid Halloween parties, we went together with corresponding costumes. Henry and I went to the same school for the entire of primary school, and majority of high school. But then we moved. I stayed in Brisbane, Queensland, for the rest of my eleventh year and lived with my girlfriend Lilly. While Henry moved with my parents to Melbourne, Victoria, and was home-schooled for the rest of year nine. This was not something my brother enjoyed, but he didn’t have much choice. It was either be home-schooled or be half a semester behind in his schooling. So, he obviously chose to home-school.
I moved back in with my family about a month ago, so it hasn’t really been that long. It was nothing like I had expected. I don’t know what I had expected but it wasn’t this. The city was so “small” compared to Brisbane, and I didn’t know anyone. In fact, I still barely know anyone. I barely even know my brother at this point. I always got the sense that something was different about my brother; Ever since he was little, he didn’t “fit in” with the other kids at school. He was always spending time with me because no-one in his year liked him very much. This did not turn out very well for my brother. For majority of Henry’s first high school year, he was bullied for hanging out with me. He was always getting into fights and picked last in groups at school, but he knew how to defend himself. Or at least I thought he did.
Last year when we were in Brisbane my mum got a call from the school. She unsuspectingly answered the phone with a happy look on her face, but that changed very quickly. Her expression darkened and her voiced changed from, cheerful to serious and worried. In a matter of seconds, she had dragged me out to the car grabbed a whole lot of random things including, my brother’s favorite book, my laptop, her laptop, a bunch of important paperwork, her phone, and a group of other things you might need to keep yourself sane. She was on the phone to my father at the same time as driving. I had no idea what she was saying, but she sounded worried, which doesn’t happen very often, and that made me worried.
My brother had gotten into a fight with some of the year eleven boys in my class. They were teasing him for hanging out with my friend Lilly and saw the perfect opportunity to hurt someone and they took it. My brother fought back until he was hit in the head with a book and passed out. He would have been fine
 If he hadn’t fallen directly into the garden fence. He still has the scars to prove it, but I can’t help thinking that it was all my fault. He is fine now, but he couldn’t breathe properly for months and that’s when my parents decided to move us across the country. We had spent over two hours in the waiting room of that hospital; My brother spent around three weeks in there though, and didn’t go back to school for another couple of months after that. He didn’t go back to school until he was in Melbourne. And even then, he still hadn’t gone back to school. He had just been schooling at home.
Getting back home after nine months was weird. I felt like I’d barely even met the kid I was best friends with. I had felt like a complete outsider in my own home. It didn’t feel like home for about two weeks. But something had changed about my brother’s relationship with my dad. They were always in arguments about stupid unimportant things. Such as whether or not Michael was allowed to sleepover, or if he was allowed to go over to Michael’s, or if he was allowed to go out with his “friend”, things that I had thought were silly because my dad had let me do all the same things with my friends at his age, but something had changed about the way they saw each other, like they didn’t see eye to eye anymore.
My brother had multiple mental breakdowns the week he came out to me. He was at Michael’s a lot and stopped asking my dad if he could go before leaving, he just said, I am going to Michael’s, and you’re not going to stop me, before walking out the door and slamming it shut behind him. I had no idea why my dad got so mad at him for wanting to hang out with a friend. I was completely clueless and had no idea why this was happening, but it all makes sense now. Michael wasn’t just my brother’s best friend; he was his boyfriend. And I had no idea he was gay.
For like 5 years I just thought he was a nerd, but he said he has always known and was simply confused, but that it all made sense to him now. He didn’t want to have to lie to people and pretend he was someone he wasn’t, just because he feared what people would say or do to him. It was only a matter of seconds before I hugged him and told him I will always love him, but he has still been avoiding me since.
a/n: this whole book is based in Australia and uses Australian spelling and grammar because that's where I grew up and currently live, so it's easier for me to base things on environment wise... also, tis was written in my heartstopper era and is probably got somewhat of a similar story line at the beginning of the book, the book does develop later though xoxo -💎
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thompsborn · 1 year ago
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diabetic harley you are so so special to me already (also! i know the focus is on HB and your other one shot right now but do you have any sort of projected schedule for TBAF in mind? what are the next steps there if you don’t mind me asking!)
the focus is on hb and tbaf!! the other one shot is something i've been working on in the background when i have time/motivation for like at least a year and a half, it's not a priority at all, i just happened to reread it earlier today and decided to post about it pjfkjhg, i do want to maybe try and finish it and post it on feb 24 because feb 24 is my nine year diabetic anniversary and i think that'd be cool like. emotionally lmao. but yeah no hb and tbaf are my top priorities!!
the thing with tbaf is i have it WAY more planned out than hb, so whenever i make myself sit and work on tbaf, i can bust out the next one shot in like. a day or two lmao. like i have what is happening in the next ten installments already figured out (some one shots, some multi chapter)
i think what i keep doing is focusing more on homeward bound because 1. the hb series is a lot more complex and like. grittier? and more real and intense and stuff, you know? whereas tbaf, while it does have a lot of serious moments and touch on angsty stuff, overall it's a lot more lighthearted, especially in its approach to the serious stuff. hb is Trauma. tbaf is Funny Trauma Bonding Therapy.
but also 2. i have a lot of ideas for homeward bound that i know i want to do but i don't have it all laid out the way i have it for tbaf, so then i'm like, well i need to focus on hb first to figure it out, and then i get stuck on something and spend literally MONTHS stuck on this something in hb and go over a year without updating tbaf because of it. which is why i'm trying to like. bounce between them?
so after i write chapter 16 of hb, i'm going to at least START the next installment of tbaf, though i might also work on chapter 17 at the same time since i have a time limit goal for finishing hb.
sorry this is a very long winded way of saying: tbaf is definitely still a priority! i have the next ten parts planned out (though i am still struggling to figure out how and when to actually END tbaf) and i know exactly how i want to write them, it's more a matter of finding the time while still trying to reach my goals for hb.
my guess is by the latest i'll probably post the next part in january if i'm not able to do so sooner. MAYBE february if the holiday season gets super crazy or something lmao. but with me trying to have hb 1 finished and posted on christmas eve, tbaf, while still a top priority for sure, is like a tiny step down from hb for the time being
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im-an-anxious-wreck · 1 year ago
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Hold Out Your Hand And I'll Reach For You Too
Chapter Nine ‱ Janus
Word Count: 1,319
HOYHAIRFYT chapter collection
First | Previous | Next
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Old Friends And Battered Pasts
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It was Virgil.
Somehow, after these past several years, he'd found Janus, had he been looking for Janus long? How had he escaped G? How
 why—
Janus just blinked at Virgil, trying to take it all in when he belatedly noticed that Remus' brother was with him. "Ah, um. Good afternoon. I— do please come in." It was a bit hard to get his feet to move from where they'd been practically frozen to the carpet, but he managed, moving out of the way and closing the door behind their unexpected guests.
"Who 'wis it, Mr. man the planet stan?" Remus called from upstairs.
"Your brother," Janus replied, still in a bit of shock as he guided The Prince and Virgil to sit down, although he was starting to pull himself together.
Remus predictably came bounding down the stairs. "Stinky cheese man!"
The Prince rolled his eyes in affection. "If anyone would be stinky, it'd be you, but yes, hello, Duke."
Remus giggled as he vaulted over the back of his armchair and sat down. "Ooh, hello? Who are you! Can I have your name?"
"Hello, and no, you may certainly not. But you can call me
"
"Charcuterie board? shark coochie board! Board da ban?" Remus asked, rapidly firing joke nicknames with no time for Virgil to answer. "Bingo bongo? Shits and—" 
Janus cut him off. "Tsk, tsk, is this any way to treat our guest? Let him answer."
The Prince and Janus may understand that Remus was just being silly, and also trying to vent his 'meeting a new person' anxiety, but Virgil, who also dealt with new person anxiety, might not take it so well.
"Sorry, oh most farty guest." At a look from Janus, he quickly amended it to: "Uh, I mean, most
 party guest
 yeah."
"Well, you can call me
 um—"
"Um! What a great nickname!! I can't believe I've never used that one before! I—"
"Duke—" The Prince began to no doubt tell him that it came off as mocking but stopped as Virgil began to laugh.
"Yes, because I totally meant for 'Um' to be my nickname, not that I still can't think of a good one."
"Well, good. Because I'm calling you 'Um' for the rest of time! So, I knew it! Um is a brilliant nickname. I'm a genius."
"To be fair this has happened before," Roman said.
Janus raised an eyebrow. "Oh, don't tell."
"Well, considering he told me to call him Chrysanthemum and then was like 'no, wait—', and then he said 'twig' so I'd say that this is almost a habit, or at least close to a pattern."
Remus laughed. "Oh man, I sure wouldn't want to be an author who had to keep typing Chrysanthemum over and over again! Like Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum. That'd be so difficult. How many times do you think a dyslexic author would have to struggle through that?"
"I... Well, that was a very specific example
" The Prince just stared at his brother for a moment  before continuing, clearly used to Remus' antics, "Anyway, so," —he glanced from Janus to Virgil a few times— "You two know each other?"
"Yeah," Virgil quietly admitted, and Janus couldn't help but wonder what he must think of him.
How cruel he was, how horrible it'd been of him to just leave like that.
Oh, how he must resent Janus.
"We do. This is, um, this is my friend that I was telling you about, Princey."
The Prince's eyes widened in as much concern as shock. "What! This— but you— your friend was my brother's partner this whole entire time?"
"Whoah," Remus said. "Trippy! Welp, you know what they always say, 'the world's a small dick'."
"I guarantee you they don't."
"Yeah, well
 I do sooo
"
"Yes, but you say a lot of things. Ach, wait, we're getting off topic. So, er, weren't there some things you wanted to ask him?"
Virgil took a small sharp breath in and Janus wouldn't have been able to tell if he hadn't already been watching Virgil closely for any reactions.
"Um, yeah, I—, well, yes, I guess so."
"I'm listening," Janus said, quiet, almost too quiet but he knew Virgil had heard him by the way he tried to hide the extra panic Janus' words had brought.
"Right, well, I
"
The Prince seemed to see something there too because he stood and said, "Come on, Duke. Let's go outside, see your garden, and let them
 catch up." He looked at Virgil before he left, however. "We'll just be right out the back door right here, okay?" At Virgil's hesitant nod, The Prince continued, "Let me know if you need anything."
After the twins had left, Janus leaned forward in his chair slightly and looked at Virgil, trying to mask his concern with curiosity. "You have questions for me?"
"What happened?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well
 it just, kinda seems like you started to resent me
 and you never
" Virgil's eyes cast to his lap as his breath stuttered, he continued though, voice soft, "You never visited me."
Janus paused a moment to collect his thoughts. "There was a clause that I didn't think too much of at the time, but it said that I couldn't come within fifty feet of G's property after my work contract was up
 and since he didn't
 so with you never leaving except to go to these high society events that I certainly wasn't invited to. I'm so sorry, Virgil. I should've, I should've done more somehow. I—"
"But then why did you just leave without telling me? Wh— what did I do wrong?" Virgil sniffed and wiped under an eye. "I just don't understand what I did wrong."
"No! I— you didn't— oh, Virgil." Janus took a steading breath. "You didn't do anything wrong. I was
 young and stupid. I was trying to get you to like me less so it wouldn't hurt as bad when I had to leave. I even tried to get you out in exchange for more work with less benefits
 not that they were great to begin with. But I wasn't able to— I just eventually gave up, and that was so wrong, and I'll never forgive myself for that. I just. I know this'll never be enough but I'm so sorry."
Virgil hesitated, seeming to be carefully picking his words. "I... need time, but
 I think someday I'll be able to forgive you. It's just— a lot."
"Of course! That's more than I could ever hope for." Janus wanted to jump up and sit on the couch next to Virgil, but he also didn't want to startle or scare him, so Janus said, "I'm going to get you a cup of water." 
Virgil was still trying to settle into an even breathing pattern but nodded. "Okay, th— thank you."
While Janus busied himself with getting a glass and filling it at the sink, he considered everything that'd happened. Today had been wild, he'd never expected to get to see Virgil again, let alone talk things out with him —although Janus highly doubted that they were anywhere near done with that—, but nothing about them, how they had met, or their situation they'd found themselves for all those years was normal.
Not being able to help, let alone save Virgil, had weighed guiltily on Janus' mind for far too long, but now that he was free, Janus would make sure that nothing would ever hurt him again. Maybe The Prince had a plan to take down G.
And he knew, even as briefly as he'd seen The Prince and Virgil interact, that by The Prince's loving expressions and the air of soft care that he had around Virgil, that The Prince also wouldn't let G harm Virgil.
He definitely needed to have a chat with The Prince tonight.
It would be dealt with. They would make sure of it.
-
Next
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blackbird-brewster · 2 years ago
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💘Is there any posted fic you want to rework/re-edit/re-write?
🌈is there a fic that you worked *really fucking hard on* that no one would ever know? maybe a scene/theme you struggled with?
🌿how does creating make you feel?
🎉how often do you celebrate completing & posting a work? how often do you give yourself the credit/validation that you seek from others when you post? (if you don't, you should!)
Thanks for the ask!!! <3
💘Is there any posted fic you want to rework/re-edit/re-write?
Probably all of my early works tbrh. But I've decided to leave them be because AO3 is an archive not only for the main purpose of fandom creations, but also it acts as a sort of time capsule for authors who have been writing for a long time -- meaning, when I read my old works I get to see how far I've come as an author and that's really important to preserve. Although I would love to re-write some older stuff, I'm not going to because to me, preserving that writing in it's original form is really important to serve as a reminder of my progress as a writer.
🌈is there a fic that you worked *really fucking hard on* that no one would ever know? maybe a scene/theme you struggled with?
Oh godddddddddddddddd, You KNOW I'm gonna talk about [Between You and Me]. When I wrote the original one-shot, I decided to play around with flashbacks used to progress the narrative and build tension. It worked really well and I truly adored that formatting, but THEN I decided to expand this one-shot into what would become my 3rd longest fic to date. And in doing so, I chose to stick with the flashback format in every chapter. It was INCREIDIBLY TEDIOUS to plan the chapters with multiple timelines and threads that wove the story together. Thank goodness for you and Doom Them for always listening to me scream about how frustrating it was to plan that fic, especially since both JJ and Tara kept having other ideas about where the story was going. This is one of my FAVE things I've ever written and I think it's a damn shame more people aren't shipping JJ/Tara because 1) they're an amazing ship 2) y'all are missing out on this fic which is honestly fucking amazing.
🌿how does creating make you feel?
As an ADHD/Autistic who struggles with self-worth and tons of mental health shit -- creating feels AMAZING. I felt really lost the last couple of years, because it's the first time since I was 15 that I haven't had a job. I was fired from my dream career unexpectedly at the end of 2020 and I felt so aimless/worthless for the following couple of years. Then one day last July, I opened a new document and started writing again. I was terrified to try to do something I'd been completely unable to engage with in nearly seven years, but I wrote anyway. And like I said in the first reply, my first couple of fics after coming back are a bit rough around the edges and now when I read them, I can see how much I've grown even in the nine months since I started posting again. I'm extremely lucky to be able to write full-time now. I wake up, have breakfast, do my morning routine, then sit down at my desk and write all day. It's very much my 'job' now and when my routine gets interrupted, or I'm having a bad chronic pain day, or I can't write for whatever reason -- I get SO restless, cranky and irritable. Writing brings me endless joy, I love what I do for a living and I am just so grateful to be able to focus on my special interest full-time. I love how many amazing friends I've met over the past nine months, you all have brightened my life even further and I am forever in awe of all of you.
🎉how often do you celebrate completing & posting a work? how often do you give yourself the credit/validation that you seek from others when you post? (if you don't, you should!)
Oh goodness, celebrate is not the term I would use. For sure there is usually a bit of a proud moment when I look at a complete fic and get to move it out of my 'WIP' tag in Evernote, but I always end up getting what I call 'completion crash'. For the few days after finishing a long fic, I usually have no motivation to write and I feel really lost and sort of go through a mini-grieving process because I've gotten to know the characters and I've been so wrapped up in their heads for weeks or months at a time, it's difficult to say goodbye to them. In terms of being able to give myself credit and validation for doing incredible things...I'm still working on that bit.
[Send Fic Writer Asks]
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dayseternal-blog · 2 years ago
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do you know any good modern au fanfic? it's better slowburn since i love read something long. thank you
I generally don't often read slow burn... I tried to compile here all of the longest modern aus I've ever read.
Multi-chapter Modern AU NaruHina
“Serenity Prayer” by @katarinahime - Rated E for domestic abuse, substance abuse, and smut, Modern AU, Multi-chapter, Ongoing.  In the midst of picking themselves up from failed marriages, Hinata and Naruto cross paths years after losing touch with each other. 
“Common Side Effects” by @katarinahime  & “Medicated” by @szajnie - Rated E for a lot of things, Crime/Modern AU, Multi-chapter, Incomplete. Naruto and Hinata, in a struggling relationship, must confront the pain inside before they can love each other.
“21 Days” by @bunny-hoodlum - Rated E includes dub-con, Modern AU, Multi-chapter, Incomplete. Anonymous internet friends decide to meet up IRL and give each other their first times.
“Gilded Butterflies” by Kid Crisis - Rated M for depictions of violence and miscarriage tw, Modern AU, Multi-chapter, Incomplete. Tenshi, beautiful prostitute of the Villa, realized from a very young age that people seem to do nothing but empty her, and not even Naruto seems capable of convincing her otherwise.
“put on your warpaint” by @borzbois - Rated M, Tattoo Artist/College AU, Multi-chapter, Incomplete. Hinata meets a stranger with beautiful tattoos. She never could have guessed the turn her life would take when she asked to draw him.
“If You are the Sun I’ll be the Moon” by vinczu - Rated T, Modern Soulmate AU, Multi-chapter, Complete. Hinata is afraid, she really is. Naruto after three years of military service is finally back, and she is happy. She really is. But she can’t touch him, she just can’t what if he isn’t her soulmate. What if he is.
“I want you to cry” and its sequel “I want you” by Devahhole - Rated E for graphic murder, dub-con/non-con, and smut, High School AU, Multi-chapter, Ongoing. A sociopath blinded by revenge runs into his greatest opponent.  
“Fatal Attraction” by aisha12894 - Rated M for character death, Crime AU, Multi-chapter, Complete. Hinata’s life was simple. Yet all of that changed when she witnessed a most heinous crime, which caused her to be the subject of numerous threats on her life. She most now trust her life in the hands of a certain blonde haired blue eyed cop.
“You love like you’ve always been lonely” by @linisen - Rated E for smut and referenced rape in the past, Modern AU, Multi-chapter, Complete.  After a party-gone-wrong, Hinata decides to disappear for good.  A decade later, Naruto finds her.
“Second Chances” by enzhe - Rated T, High School AU, Multi-chapter, Complete. Namikaze Naruto was abducted, then declared dead. Twelve years after he disappeared, his parents find him: now a scrappy, reckless teenager, with good friends, a lot of trauma, and ties to the murderous, anarchist Nine-Tails gang. As the family tries to put itself together, trust breaks, hurts heal, and the power struggles that led to Naruto’s abduction resurface.
“Missed Years” by Rinne-Kami - Rated T, Modern AU, Multi-chapter, Incomplete. The act of one night gave birth to their future. And now, with years past since that one night, they were left with years to return. Seven years of love to find, seven years of trust to rebuild, and seven years of fatherhood to return.
“I Met You at the Sex Shop AU” by @journalsofagoddess - Rated M, Modern AU, Multi-chapter, Incomplete. Prompt #169: “I work at a sex toy shop and you come in frequently so I assume you have a significant other, but you just like coming in to make fun of how weird the toys are” AU. They both never really thought that their encounter would lead to more
fun and happy times.
“Opposites Attract” by KyuubiLover100 - Rated E, Yakuza AU, Multi-chapter, Incomplete. Citizens of Konoha all know that “The Light cannot exist without casting its Shadow.” It’s the unspoken system that the city runs on. Everyone knows their place and their roles. Those in the Shadows do what those in the Light cannot. Uzumaki Naruto knows this and has known this since he was young. Hyuuga Hinata knows this as well and understands her Father’s wished, but still

“The Cinderella Makeover Naruto Style” by CharismaHarmony - Rated M, Modern AU, Multi-chapter, Complete. When Hinata’s best friend, Naruto said that she wasn’t the type of woman men fall in love with, she bet him 1000 she’d have a marriage proposal in 3 months.
“The Lustful Maid” by HoneyWriter78 - Rated E, Modern AU, Multi-chapter, Complete. Hinata Hyuga wakes up in an unknown room on an unknown bed, after one of the most worst days of her life. Her only memory is knocking into a tall blonde handsome guy with her juice spilled over him! Was it a dream? I think not as now she has signed a contract to be his very own personal maid!
“Pink Chiffon” by @scalding-coffee-cup - Rated M, Modern AU, Multi-chapter, Complete. During the day, she wears pink chiffon and nude pumps; her glossed lips curve into an innocent smile. At night, she struts down the alleyway in black stilettos and wears a scowl on her red lips. The pistol is her most expensive accessory.
“The Girl in the Elevator” by TheseFourWords - Rated G, Modern AU, Multi-chapter, Complete. AU in which Naruto and Hinata live in the same building take the same elevator on their way to work each morning but are too shy to speak to each other.
“Serial Killer” by Raven Young - Rated M, Modern AU, Multi-chapter, Incomplete. She’s a Sociopath. She’s a Supermodel. She’s a serial killer. She’s a girl in love. She is Hinata Hyuga. And he is her undoing.
“Hard Love” by HoneyWriter78 - Rated E for smut and non-con (includes Sakura-bashing), Gangs AU, Multi-chapter, Incomplete. Hinata Hyuga was always kept within her father’s estate. Until her father comes home after losing everything. A powerful family comes and she makes her escape only to be caught and handed to the son.
“Echoes of Silence” by @ellaroundpanda - Rated E, BDSM Modern AU, Multi-chapter, Ongoing. Hinata Hyuga was trapped. Her relationship with Toneri was leading to nowhere and she wanted to find a new Dom. Naruto Uzumaki seemed to be the answer to all her prayers, but her fiancĂ© wouldn’t give up that easily

If anyone can think of other long modern aus, please add them!
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