#let's become a stronger nation by making more fics and art of our ships

[almellow-crk]

This. Please. The amount of people I see on Twitter calling Beast×Ancient problemtic and proship is insane. And I recently Lost more than 30 followers when I updated my BurningCheese fic. Am I sad? Nope, better unfollow and block than spread hate 😤

Aaaand I'm placing BitterSpice in the rooster as well. At least no one hates it so far 🫶

Got really bent out of shape reading someone somewhere griping about Beast x Ancient shipping (which doesn't usually happen to me but I'm in a shit mood today), so I slapped this together. Shout out to all my Beast x Ancient homies, keep on keeping on, haters mind your damn business

[bangtan-madi]

More Than The Sea || Mako x Reader (Aladdin AU)

This was a request from the wonderful @princeasimdiya12. Thank you so much for this request, lovely! I hope it is as good as you described! I honestly had sooo much fun with this one, I could have written an entire fic! (Don’t tempt me, lol.) The art was a fantastic choice on their part, and I tried to make it inspired by Aladdin while still keeping to the original material given to us in the Avatar series. I hope my interpretation ended up being a good blend of the two worlds!!

If anyone has any more art imagine ideas, send them in!

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"Do you trust me?"

You stare down at the outstretched hand in front of you, marveling at the tiny willow-wisps of amber flame that hover around his fingertips, if only just for a second. As you eyes travel up his arm, to his smiling face and wide eyes, you feel a unsteady beat in your chest. Irises like burning coals gaze back at you, waiting with slight impatience and excitement.

"Wow, he has amazing eyes," you think to yourself. 

But behind you, the heavy and insistent trotting of the Republic City Police remind you that you're not out of the woods just yet. If you didn't move soon, you'd have to go back to the place you called hell. The home of your father, the man who never cared what you did as long as you didn't leave. He never cared about you at all. 

That is, at least until you discovered you were one of the new air-benders created by accident. 

All of a sudden, it was then your father took an interest. If it were up to him, you would have stayed his political prisoner, a pawn of his wealth and prestige in this lonesome desert world, forever...or at least until he married you off to some noble or used your new abilities for something nefarious. 

It wasn't until you turned nineteen that you seriously started considering running away, but you had no idea how. At least, not on your own. Mako--the boy you'd fallen in love with over the past couple years through secret rendezvous and clandestine meet-ups under your father's nose--suggested a grand rouse to throw your father off track. If his plan actually worked, the pair of you would be able to slip outside the city on the next ship leaving for the Fire Nation before your father knew you were gone.

It had mostly worked. To be fair, you didn't exactly count on anyone recognizing you, even in your hooded, Fire Nation disguise. It forced you and Mako to make unscheduled changes, choices that brought you through the market sector of the oasis city. Now, you were hiding in the attic of the tallest building you could find. Even if the police don't know of your exact whereabouts, if you don't move quickly, there isn't a doubt in your mind that you'll be discovered.

And then you'll be forced into isolation, this time for good. There's no way your father will continue to permit your relationship with Mako. You'll lose him forever.

The very thought tears you apart.

All you wake is a choice: a choice to be with the one you love, a choice to go where you want to go, a choice to live your own life the way you want to, a choice to learn about your new abilities and what secrets lie beneath.

Mako's hand steadies, the fire dissipating, as he moves it closer. His voice lowers, becoming stronger and more assured. As he speaks again, he locks eyes with you and gives you a small nod.

Everything, including his mouth, says, "Trust me."

And you do.

Your jaw sets, and you take his hand. He pulls you close and walks over to the nearest open window. From your spot at the top of the building, you can see out all across Republic City, from the bustling metropolis, to the wastelands on three of your four sides, to the bright and shining sea straight ahead. A smile spreads across your face as you spot the ship that will take Mako and you far away from this place.

And on the other side of that sea, you'll finally find your freedom.

"You ready for this?" Mako asks, trying to speak softly as to not rouse the police fumbling through the stalls below.

His arm tightens around your waist, and you glance over at him with concern.

"What are we planning on doing again?"

He flashes a boyish grin, and replies, "Improvising!"

Before you can protest, Mako brings you even closer, takes a step up over the windowsill, and throws both of you into the air. You hold your breath and cling to him tightly, using all your might to hold on and not let out an ear-piercing screech. 

But you should know better than to think he'd let you fall, or crash into the rooftop. Mako uses his free hand, as well as his feet, to blast fire. The propulsion keeps you level, just long enough to tumble over onto the next rooftop. Mako pulls you up, grabs your hand, and takes off running with you as the police turn and catch sight.

"Hey! They're on the roof!"

"Run!" Mako shouts, no longer restraining his volume.

You both speed down the rooftops, hurdling over dust-covered buildings and sandy tiles alike. Although nearly losing your balance a few times, you make it to the periphery of the desert city with relative ease. 

The police, however, are hot on your tail. They use their bending to snap metal chains at you in an attempt to restrain you. Mako uses his fire-bending to throw off several rounds, but eventually, he's out of energy and unable to help it as you're slowly surrounded.

You glance over your shoulder. The port isn't a hundred feet away. They've trapped you so close to freedom.

No. You clench your fists in anger. They were not going to stop you from getting to the sea, to your freedom, not when you were this close.

In a burst of intuition, you raise your hands. Breathing deeply, you instinctively push the air out, through your arms and hands, towards the officers. As if by magic, they go flying backward, tumbling from the roof in your gust of wind.

"That was...amazing!" Mako exclaims, still gasping for air.

You turn and grab his hand with a lop-sided grin. "We're not out yet!"

His smile fades, and he nods affirmatively. You continue running until you reach the end of the rooftops, after which Mako pulls you to him and uses his fire-bending as before to easily let you onto the ground. You use your slight air-bending to steady you on landing, knowing that his chi is all but drained. The sand under his feet turns to glass as he lands, and you gape at the accidental creation in amazement.

Giggling like teenagers, you retake his hand and bolt down the port, onto the wooden pier, and up to the edge of the boat. After showing your tickets to the sailor, you're let onto the ship, and the boat starts to set sail.

"We should rest," Mako says with heavy exhaustion, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "We still have a long trip ahead to get to the Fire Nation."

"Just one thing," you beg in a sweet voice. "I want to see the sea, up close!"

Mako laughs. "You've never seen it before? You've lived here all your life!"

"I know, I know," you repeat, feeling your face flush from embarrassment. "I just...never got to see it up close. My family never left our manor, Mako. I never got to see anything the world had to offer, except when I was with you, and we never ventured this far."

Seeing the joyful look freedom has given you, Mako offers a smile and a nod, taking your hand one more time.

"C'mon, let's go see it up close."

You pull him by his hand, forcing him closer to you. Leaning up, you press a kiss to his cheek, and then to his lips.

"I love you," you whisper when you pull away. "More than anything."

Mako sighs and leans his forehead against yours. "More than the sea?"

"Yes," you chuckle. "Much more than the sea."