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myfriendcallsmeasickwoman19 · 3 years ago

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Blood Loss

@febuwhump

He finished taking his last two orders from some professors or was it doctors he doesn't really know.

He bent down to get some more glasses. Surprising academics drink a lot and working as a barista is hard but he doesn't need it for long.

As he put up the glasses he noticed a lone girl at the bar. She had long black hair and was wearing a beautiful green Hanfu with her hair done up. He recognized her of course as the daughter of Dr Wang Lian who was accepting her own award for her contribution in her respective field of history and archeology.

Most of the adults had gone to their tables since the ceremony was about to start. Maybe the child thought it would be boring and came here.

He left the glasses figuring he would continue after he served this one customer.

He tapped her hand to get her attention. Before he could ask her anything the girl fiddled around looking for something in her tiny bag. Then she pulled out a card. It said she was deaf.

He knew this and he signed it to her.

The girl's eyes widened and she looked shocked to see he knew sign language.

"What do you want to drink?" He signed.

She couldn't believe it for a few seconds but then snapped out of it and began to think. Pulling a super intense thinking look.

He tried not to laugh.

He tapped her hair.

She gave him an angry expression and began fixing her hair.

"Don't touch my hair, it took mommy hours to do this." She angrily signed at him.

He held in a laugh then put his hands up to show he didn't want to fight and then signed an apology.

"Ok how about I get you a cute fruit juice with little stars inside. Is that okay Ming Yue?" He signed with a smile.

She nodded and he turned to start getting her a drink. She was surprised he knew her name. He didn't really read the card maybe he did.

"Wow Wen Jin, I don't think I've seen you smile before let alone laugh even if it's only a little" a voice said walking over to the bar.

He looked over to see a young woman about his age with short brown curly hair, Rose. He's probably in the same class with her; he never really pays attention but she's approached him enough times.

He pulled a straight face.

"What drink would you like?" He asked as his cheerfulness disappeared.

"Back to business. "

Rose sat at the bar. "A beer."

He nodded and turned to get it. He bent down to the fridge to grab her a beer. He handed her the drink. She smiled and held it up in a gesture of thanks and left.

With her gone he turned to Ming Yue to let her know he was going to get her drink now. But then he realized she wasn't there. He rushed over to her spot and realized her little cards were sprayed across the floor. He looked over at where the adults were seated but she wasn't with her mother. Could she maybe have rushed to the bathroom and the cards had fallen while she was in a hurry? He had a bad feeling about this.

He left the bar to go check, no one was probably coming to order anything else since the ceremony started.

He looked around until he saw someone dragging her out. He ran outside after them

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" Wen Jin shouted.

The man stopped and looked at him. He then called out for some other men to help.

Men came out and moved over to Wen Jin. They looked like they wanted to fight.

"Take care of him and let's get out." The man holding Ming Yue ordered.

Wen Jin glared at him. When one of the men came rushing to him he quickly took him down then glared dangerously at the others.

Their anger grew visibly and they came at him. He dodged their attacks and threw his own. After he was done he noticed the man putting her in the van and getting away.

Coward.

There's no use trying to catch him; he already drove away. He quickly dashed to his car and drove after the man himself.

The man had a head start but he knows these roads more than he did. As he entered the car he felt a flash of pain on his side. But he'll deal with that after he stops them.

He saw where the man was probably heading and took a shortcut after a few twists and turns till his car stopped right in front of him. The man pulled his brakes but still hit Wen Jin's car deploying the air bag. It clearly left the man dazed a bit.

Wen Jin got out of the car and put his hands on the man's engine. Letting his time power flow through, rusting the engine.

As the man finished popping the bag he tried to start the car but it wouldn't work. Wen Jin dragged him out of the car. Lifting him up by his collar.

"Bastard." Wen Jin snarled. Violently pushing the man against the car with enough force to cause a dent" Where were you taking her?" He demanded

The man looked terrified.

"I……….. I don't know anything. I'm just supposed to take the girl and get paid."

"Useless." Wen Jin growled. He knocked the man out and went to Ming Yue.

She was in the back huddled at the other side crying.

He tapped her and she looked up. Her face lit up and she hugged him. He grunted as he felt some pain but tried not to pay much mind.

He led her out the van and towards the car.

For some reason he felt lightheaded and dizzy. Sure he's vision blurred a bit while he was driving but it didn't last long enough for him to worry.

He staggered a bit, somehow losing his footing needed to stop and gain his balance.

Breathing became difficult and he felt a little sweat trickle. The pain in his side suddenly got so bad he couldn't stand. He grunted clutching his side as his legs gave and he fell to his knees.

He felt something warm and sticky coming from where his hand was. He pulled it out and though he's vision blurred he could see the blood. He clenched his side as the pain ripped through making his vision go a little white.

Ming Yue signed to him. She kinda looked worried and scared but it's like he just couldn't make out what she meant.

He couldn't take anymore, he grew extremely weak and fell forward.

***********

Ming Yue watched as he became pale. She was starting to feel scared then she got terrified as he fell to his knees. Holding his side.

He looked like he was in pain. Her eyes widened when he fell forward.

It's just as she saw a while ago. She saw herself and a young man on the road and he lay on the ground. She's been seeing this same sight for days. It felt so real but she never knew when it would happen. So she took to keeping her phone with her cause she knew it would happen.

In this situation she knew to alert her mother. Who installed some app to alert her when she was ever in trouble. She opened it now all she could do was wait for her mother.

She knelt down next to him. She felt something wet flowing from him and making her own clothes a little wet. It was blood coming from him. She didn't know what else to do so she just pressed down in an attempt to stop it.

When did he get this hurt? Was it when with those bad guys that tried to get her before?

She felt very scared and couldn't help but sob. He was getting cold. She could feel that and the blood just kept coming out.

Finally she saw flashing lights and sirens. Hopefully that was help coming. She didn't think her mom would believe her when she said she was with a hurt man that was losing blood.

He's eyes were closed now and that scared her. Her mind trailing off to the thought that he could be dead.

She didn't notice when the men came and knelt down to him and kept refusing to leave until her mother touched her shoulder. She looked over at her and wrapped her arms around.

The men pulled out a stretcher and took Wen Jin away.

Dr Lian didn't know what to do as her daughter kept crying in her dress.

When Ming Yue saw them take him away she pointed out signaling that she wanted to go with them. Her mother didn't understand but she followed the ambulance behind.

************

When they got there the young man was led away and Ming Yue was instructed to stay back. Her mother held her and signed to her that the young man would be fine

Ming Yue explained what happened to her mother after finally calming down. Dr Lian felt very grateful for the boy and hoped he would be fine.

After some hours in the waiting room a Dr came out. She went up to him.

"Are you the young man's mother?" The doctor asked.

"Yes." She said without thinking.

"Alright mam. Your son will be fine." he began and she felt a huge weight off her chest.

Then he continued. "He somehow got shot but we got the bullet out though he lost a lot of blood. He hasn't woken up yet but you can wait for him."

"Thank you doctor……"

"Jordan." The doctor introduced himself. "It's that room over there." He pointed at a room where she could see an unconscious young man with blood bags injected in him.

"Thank you." She said again. Then she signed to Ming Yue about what the Doctor said. The girl lit up and ran to the room before her mother.

She apologized to the doctor but he said it was fine. Saying something about a worrying little sister.

************

She stayed with the passed out young man. Even as the nurse changed one blood bag and put in another. Apparently he lost a huge quantity of blood.

Looking at the young man who looked to be in his early twenties. She couldn't help but feel she was connected to him and that she knew him. Even the fear that she was like her own child was laying there.

Maybe it is because he went so far just to keep her daughter safe. But it was too strong.

Later another man came rushing in. He didn't notice her and her daughter as he quickly went to the man on the bed who still hadn't woken up.

He was old, maybe he was the boy's father.

"Hello." She greeted him.

He slowly turned to her looking confused but also scared?

Then he gathered himself.

"Hello?" he replied.

"I am Dr Wang Lian." She introduced herself. "Sir, your son saved my daughter's life and I'm grateful."

"He did?" His eyes found the little girl sleeping on the chair. Then he smiled. "Yes, that's just like him."

"Thank you for bringing him here." He shook her hand.

"I'm Dr Honda." He introduced himself. "This is my son Wen Jin."

"I'm very thankful for your son."

"Yes, he's a brave young man."

Dr Lian left with her daughter after feeling satisfied with not leaving Wen Jin alone.

She carried her sleeping daughter with her.

Then Milo was left alone with a still unconscious Wen Jin. Thank goodness that girl alerted him when she heard about what happened.

He pulled a chair close to the boy and held his pale hand.He glanced up at his apparent son. Who looked pale and exhausted as he slept.

"Your mother and sister are beautiful." He said to the boy. Fate is strange, he thought.

**********

@luna-rein @irathgo @smellofsnoww

I know I'm late but the day isn't over yet.

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shijiujun · 4 years ago

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“you know you’re singing to your headphones out loud, right” au for moshang plz sqh singing modern songs that mbj doesn't know and being hella confused 🥺

Featuring karaoke-loving Shang Qinghua who gets a bit too drunk at a Cang Qiong mountain gathering, and he goes all out.

Or when Mobei Jun wonders why Shang Qinghua is singing about another man called Liang Shan Bo.

---

Sometimes, he thinks about his old life before he ever had the misfortune of landing in a world of his own creation, with an annoying gaming AI system of sorts hounding his every move (in the beginning) or turning up at the most inopportune times just when he thinks it’s finally gone and left him alone (more recently).

Shang Qinghua remembers not having many friends when he was still Shang Qinghua, when ‘向天打飞机 Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky’ was still merely his writing Weibo account moniker and when he had millions of people looking up to him for his crucial contributions in writing this amazing story about his son Luo Binghe and the way he overcame all odds to become a success with a harem of gorgeous women at his feet (damn you, Peerless Cucumber bro!).

Back in those days, he lived off cup noodles and instant coffee. If he didn’t have to leave the house, Shang Qinghua would simply curl up in front of his laptop, either writing for his novel or watching shows (clears his throat) - actual shows! Chinese period dramas were his favourite, where a skilled and intelligent consort in the harem would outwit all the other women to be with her one true love, the Emperor, who falls irrevocably in love with her.

And when he got bored, he switched from the laptop to his television to engage in his second most favourite hobby - Chinese karaoke. Going out to a karaoke bar would require some level of socializing, and also a few friends so he gets more bang out of his buck from what he pays for the room, but at home?

With advanced technology and a tiny ass microphone in either shining gold or silver, Shang Qinghua’s home entertainment system was his very own personal karaoke room, His tiny mic even had that echo-y effect on.

Shang Qinghua has a thing for classic Chinese songs - ‘The New Butterfly Dream’, ‘Liang Shan Bo and Juliet’, The Moon Represents My Heart‘ - and contemporary karaoke must-haves, like Wang Fei. For an embarrassing few days, the Chinese version of Baby Shark was a veritable earworm as well.

After transmigrating into his own story set in ancient times, where he lives without technology, Shang Qinghua would be lying if he said he didn’t miss the Internet. Laptops would be incredibly handy, and so would switches for lights, definitely indoor plumbing for toilets, and induction stoves. Phones too, that would be nice, rather than having to ‘send word’ with letters.

Of course, there is no karaoke bar or machine for him.

Not all is bad though. At least he transmigrated to Shang Qinghua in this world as a baby, so it’s not as if he was surviving on Internet and technology one day and left to do everything manually the next day since someone was always taking care of him. Peerless Cucumber bro, of course, wasn’t as lucky, but the man has definitely taken to this world (and his son!!) like a fish to water.

And as for himself, Shang Qinghua does not need to envy Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe either, because somehow, he has gotten the man of his dreams too, even if said man was a little cruel and rude to him in the beginning.

He has the love of his life (coughs coughs) and they’re stuck in this world for the rest of his life. What more is there to want? Not to mention how his cup of instant noodles betrayed him at the last moment, resulting in his death! It is slightly safer, ironically, to be in this world instead.

All is good except... well...

===

Shen Qingqiu marvels at the sight before him, torn between wanting to step in to stop Shang Qinghua, or watch this farce unfold.

He sometimes forgets where he, or where Shang Qinghua, who has been in this world longer than he, came from. They don’t always talk about the past when they meet, and aside from the occasional meetups, Shen Yuan is a part of him that doesn’t surface, not when he is with Luo Binghe.

Shang Qinghua, on the other hand, grew up here, and aside from referring to Shen Qingqiu by his Weibo account name, he seems otherwise well-adjusted, no hint of modern online writer Shang Qinghua in sight. It doesn’t feel as if he misses their original world either.

This evening, however, memories of modern times slap him in the face, quite literally.

“Shizun!” Luo Binghe calls, frantic, tugging him back into his embrace out of Shang Qinghua’s way. Once Shen Qingqiu is safe in his arms, his eyes narrow at the bumbling, drunk idiot causing a scene in the dinner hall, “Shang Qinghua...”

Shang Qinghua stops where he is, and then before any one can stop him, he picks up a pair of chopsticks, brings it to his mouth, and begins bellowing his way through-

-Jay Chou’s Hair Like Snow.

“Shizun, are you alright?” Luo Binghe fusses, his hands coming up to cup Shen Qingqiu’s face when his Shizun doesn’t so much as respond to him. “Were you hurt? Did he hurt you? How’re you feeling? We’ll go back home now-”

“What is he singing?” Qi Qingqi frowns in disgust.

They all wince when Shang Qinghua attempts to hit a high note, but fails miserably.

Fuck me, Shen Qingqiu thinks, his eyes impossibly wide, who knew Airplane bro was such a karaoke fanatic?

“... maybe he is possessed by a malevolent spirit? Or perhaps this is an unidentified curse?” asks Ming Fan.

“Or is this some new form of cultivation?” asks Ning Yingying, curious.

Yue Qingyuan, seated at the front of the dining hall, cannot help but be concerned for him as well. “Shall we call Mu-shidi to take a look at him-”

They’ve gathered for their annual meeting - a condition that Yue Qingyuan has set in place a few years ago after Luo Binghe ‘stole’ (married!) him away from Cang Qiong Peak - and although Shang Qinghua said he didn’t mind that Mobei Jun was unable to accompany him today, he spent most of the dinner drinking alcohol while in a melancholic state instead.

Who knew that Shang Qinghua was a singing drunk?!

Hence their current predicament.

At the Sect Master’s words, Shang Qinghua suddenly turns around and looks at Shen Qingqiu. HIccuping twice, he then beams, “Cucumber-”

Shen Qingqiu has never moved that fast in his life. Within a fraction of a second, he has his hand pressed over Shang Qinghua’s mouth, holding onto him from the back.

“Cucumber?” everyone choruses in confusion.

“I believe your Shang-shishu has had a little too much to drink,” Shen Qingqiu clears his throat, nodding at everyone else. “We should... send him back to Mobei. Isn’t that right, Binghe?”

His disciple, his husband, still has on an affronted, murderous look for how Shang Qinghua almost brained Shen Qingqiu with his flailing arms in his drunken fit. The moment Shen Qingqiu asks, however, his expression morphs into something so soft and full of love that everyone who sees it chokes.

“Of course,” Luo Binghe smiles, devotion apparent in his eyes. “Anything Shizun wants.”

===

The words that are tumbling out of Shang Qinghua’s mouth are entirely incomprehensible, and so are the tunes he’s humming into his ear.

Mobei Jun thought he had gotten used to Shang Qinghua’s eccentric mannerisms, and also thought he knew everything about his husband, so many years later. Shang Qinghua is mumbling Chinese alright, but none of the characters put together make any sense.

Who is Liang Shan Bo? And who the hell is Juliet?!

His mood taking a turn for the worse, Mobei Jun hoists Shang Qinghua up further on his back.

After getting so drunk, the idiot had the gall to demand for a piggy-back from the throne room to their bedroom. Mobei Jun has never once suffered such indignity in his years of living. A bridal carry? Of course, anytime. A piggy-back? As if he was some beast to be tamed?

Well this definitely has to be a first.

While he was stewing in his thoughts, Shang Qinghua switches from that song to another one, and a stream of ‘du du du lu du lu’ emerges from his lips... AND something about... a sha yu? What the hell is that?!

Shang Qinghua lazily lifts his right hand as they approach their room, balls it into a fist and puts it to his mouth, as if he’s holding something, and whatever monstrosity Shang Qinghua is singing, his voice gets even louder.

Mobei Jun tosses Shang Qinghua off his back unceremoniously and onto the soft bed. Interrupted, Shang Qinghua blinks, his vision blurry, and is about to catch his breath and start singing again when his husband climbs in after him. Trapping Shang Qinghua with his entire weight, Mobei Jun seals his lips with a kiss.

“... My king...” Shang Qinghua murmurs in a daze, when Mobei Jun pulls back a few minutes later, his breaths coming out as short, harsh pants. “My king...”

“That’s right,” he says with a glower. “I’m your Da Wang, your husband.”

Mobei Jun doesn’t know who Liang Shan Bo is, but he’s going to make sure no other man’s name ever leaves Shang Qinghua’s lips again when they’re together.

And when his husband finally sobers up, he’s going to have a lot to answer for.

---

Songs Mentioned (YouTube Links in Comments):

The New Butterfly Dream 新鸳鸯蝴蝶梦－ A Chinese classic, sung by Huang An but done beautifully by legendary god of singing Fei Yu Qing and singing partner for the song A Yun Ga

Liang Shan Bo and Juliet 梁山伯与朱丽叶－ A Taiwanese contemporary classic of sorts by Genie Zhuo, most Chinese millennials would definitely have sang this at a karaoke once in their lives - Song is inspired by Liang Shan Bo and Zhu Ying Tai, the Chinese version of Romeo and Juliet to some extent - They both die in the end and become butterflies, so they’re also called the Butterfly Lovers.

The Moon Represents My Heart 月亮代表我的心－ ANOTHER CLASSIC CLASSIC!!!

Baby Shark (Chi. Ver) － ˆThe baby shark hype did move to China, and it’s pretty hilarious LMAO and in Chinese, shark is 鲨鱼 (sha yu) but I’m assuming that in this world, there isn’t a shark kind of animal of sorts? So Mobei Jun and everyone else except SQQ wouldn’t know what a shark is or looks like?!

Hair Like Snow 发如雪－ By Jay Chou, another classic that all Chinese millennials would have sang in a karaoke bar

Wang Fei 王妃－ Jam Hsiao’s version is known best, and it’s pretty epic, not that anyone can reach any of the high notes in the chorus, but does that stop us from trying?!! Hell no!!!

---

Notes: My first Moshang?!! That didn’t really have a lot of Moshang time?! But thanks anon, hope this sort of works?!

#svsss #scumbag villain #穿书自救指南 #渣反派自救系统 #scumbag system #moshang #bingqiu #mobei jun #shang qinghua #shen qingqiu #luo binghe #everyone else is somewhere there except my bb lqg #and anw karaoke sqh!!!!

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tolrais · 4 years ago

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TGCF Ep 11 - Season Finale

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

The wrapping up of the Ban Yue arc, and the end of season 1 - it looks like season 2 has been confirmed though, but no sign of a date yet :’) at least there’s the special in February to come.

I LOVED it. Like the main criticism I have is that is was THE END OF THE SEASON and I’m still not over episode freaking ONE...though now I guess I know why they haven’t released any official Hua Cheng art, if they’re wanting to save that full reveal for season 2 :’). (It’s fine. This is fine.) I was an idiot though, and panicked like 7 minutes in cause I thought the OP was the ED and it was over (I have time blindness ok? don’t @ me 😅😅)

Messy hair dianxia!!! I love him <3

I really enjoyed Xie Lian’s little deductive speech about Xiao Pei/A-Zhao, showing that our boy has brains and beauty, although the fact that Hua Cheng was beating the shit out of Xiao Pei of screen at the same time was a little funny. There was actually a suprising amount of humorous content (for me, anyway), this episode, considering there was also a lot of feels, with such gems as:

Fu Yao: How dare you stay by his side?

Xie Lian: Cuz there’s no snakes here ^-^?

San Lang, internally: Get wrecked Fu Yao 😂😂😂 (Like I know that his official animal mascot is a fox, which also makes sense, but as I’ve said before, San Lang form HC at least, exudes such asshole cat energy, I love it.)

The shade from Pei Su/Xiu to Ke Mo also made me chuckle. (The ‘I’m gonna fight you!!!...Well I killed you last time you tried, but go off I guess’ bit) Like yeah ok it was a really emotionally satisfying season finale, but they still had those little moments of humour, like Nan Feng pretending to get a call on the spiritual array to avoid eating Xie Lian’s food. Fucking dork.

LADY WINDMASTERRRRRRRRR - I literally yelled Shi Qingxuan out loud when I heard her voice (good thing I live alone 😅) I really like the voice they’ve cast for her, it suits really well. And the little nod from Ming Yi to Hua Cheng and back was a really nice touch. FORESHADOWING.

WE GOT THE NAME CONFIRMATION REVEAL!!!!!! Like, obviously I knew it was coming, and for a sec I was really confused as to why they cut it there, but then I remembered that from what I’ve seen, the special is gonna cover the last few bits of wrapping up of the BanYue arc...and the FACE TOUCHING. Wait...does this mean we’re gonna get The Ring in the special??? AHHHHHHH

Overall I was really happy with the ep and I can’t believe I have to wait 6 weeks for the special (: (It’s fine, maybe this way I’ll actually be able to work on my original fiction...orrrr I could just watch legend of fei and catch up on svss and mdzs donghuas, lol)

Future Episodes musings and translation woes under the cut:

I’m gonna have to reread the novel now, cause a lot of the finer details I’ve forgotten, but I finally worked out how to get the e-pub to talk to my phone, yay, so that should make it a lot easier ^-^. Iirc, the next arc is sneaking into Paradise Manor and the GAMBLING scene (how the heck they’ll get THAT past censorship I have no clue) and then the stuff with Qi Rong? If it’s another 11 ep series, I’m hoping we’ll at least get all of book one adapted, since they’ve adapted 30 chapters or so so far, and there’s 57 of book one...which means if we do get a season 3, prepare for PAIN. (That said, a lot of the season 3 stuff is pretty bloody nightmare fuelly, so I’m not sure how they’d get that past censorship, though a lot of it already has been set up as early as like, epsiode 2? ep 3?)

Couple of little translation niggles mainly - is it Pei Su or Pei Xiu? Cause I’m sure an earlier episode (and the translation of the novel I read) had it as Pei Su, but it was definitely Pei Xiu this ep. Also, I know that guanxi doesn’t translate exactly, but leaving it untranslated was really jarring, especially when something like, “She’s very well-connected”, or “she’s got connections” would have got the point across.

#tian guan ci fu donghua #tian guan ci fu #tgcf donghua #tgcf donghua spoilers #tgcf spoilers #heaven official's blessing #tolrais watches TGCF #translator woes

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flameo-hotman · 5 years ago

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ZUKKA PROMPT 🔥💧 Zuko fainting and Sokka catching him (they are already a couple). It can be anything. Maybe sickness (he was feeling weird all day for example), maybe stress (maybe because he is already Fire Lord and he has all those meetings), maybe exhaustion (after training with Aang or not sleeping because of Fire Lord duties).

Fire Lords Need Their Rest

“I really hope Zuko’s doing okay,” Sokka sighed as he laid on Appa’s saddle looking up at the sky. “I mean I’ve been gone for-”

“Yeah, a month!” Katara snapped. “It is all you talked about during the solstice. The whole month. Zuko this and Zuko that! Next time just bring him with! I’m more than a little sick of hearing about it!”

Sokka sat up and shouted back, “HEY! You know how Zuko does with the solstice! Fire benders get sick when they don’t have the sun! And it isn’t like I haven’t had to deal with you gushing about YOUR BOYFRIEND endlessly!”

“I’m sorry…” Katara answered looking embarrassed. “I forgot… I shouldn’t have said that. You’re right. You just really miss him, and I hate when I have to be away from Aang.”

“I hate when I have to be away from you too, Katara!” Aang chirped from where he sat steering.

“Oogie!” Sokka groaned before he went back to staring at the sky and worrying about his husband. Was Zuko eating right? Was he getting enough rest? Was he listening to Guards Kenzo and Ming about taking care of himself, like Sokka had instructed Kenzo and Ming to do before he left? Did he remember to let Zuko know that was why their favorite guards were now on him about that stuff?

He thought for a few moments and suddenly recalled the adorable eye roll Zuko had given him when he’d let him know, and Sokka felt himself calm down.

“Hey Aang, how much longer until we get to the palace?”

“Two hours.”

Two Hours Later

Zuko had been in a meeting with General Fong when Ming came and stood at attention with a smile.

“Speak.”

“Fire Lord Zuko, Fire King Sokka has just arrived with Water Tribeswoman Katara and Avatar Aang. They are in the courtyard if you would like to go-”

“I’m sorry, but I’m not done talking with-” The unpleasant Earth Kingdom General began, but Zuko was already on his feet and walking out the door.

He paused in front of a particularly shiny and reflective gold statue in the entryway to fix his hair and robes, before heading out into the courtyard, ignoring the look Ming gave him and setting his eyes on his husband. He smiled for the first time all week.

Katara smiled at him, before pointing to him, saying, “Sokka go say hi to your husband, you dork.”

Sokka’s face lit up with his radiant smile as he rushed to envelop the Fire Lord in his arms, and Zuko was home for the first time all month.

“I missed you too.” Zuko sighed as he returned the hug, choosing to ignore the way the world swayed for a moment. Sokka did not need to know that he hadn’t slept in… How many days? Zuko wasn’t sure. He stopped sleeping again after his uncle had gone back to Ba Sing Se.

Right then General Fong came storming out into the courtyard shouting, “We weren’t done talking about the import tax of geminate candy!”

“Another word before I’m done saying hello to my husband, and I am banning the import of the stupid rock candy,” Zuko growled, before tightening his hold on his husband and inhaling the comforting scent of seawater and a scent that screamed Sokka.

Aang laughed at that, before jumping down from Appa, right as Sokka’s stomach growled.

“Ming, tell General Fong that we will have to reschedule our meeting for after lunch,” Zuko ordered with a smile, as he leaned back in the embrace and looked up at his husband. In the past few years, Sokka had shot up in height and stood taller than most people. Stupid Water Tribe genes, making Sokka into a total pillar of muscle that towered over Zuko.

Zuko loved it. He loved how when he stood next to Sokka, he felt safe. He loved how Sokka’s body curled around him, creating a warm alcove of home and safety. He loved how every inch of Sokka was filled to the brim with love and loyalty. He loved Sokka.

He rocked up onto his toes and rewrapped his arms around his husband’s neck, before pressing a kiss to the man’s lips. Sokka happily returned it, before pressing another to Zuko’s forehead.

“I missed you, Beautiful.”

“I missed you too, Sokka,” Zuko replied, smiling. “Now let’s go get you some food.”

Then Zuko turned to Aang and Katara saying, “You don’t mind if I have a private lunch with-”

“Please do.” Katara interrupted. “I can go get something in the city with Aang. I really do not want to see what a private lunch entails.”

Zuko flushed, but Katara had been absolutely right about the way he planned for his private lunch with his husband to go.

If he had his way, and Zuko knew he would, then he was going to be finding himself thrown onto the table- And oh no… Everything was rapidly swaying, as Sokka let go of him to give his pack to a servant.

“Sokka!” Came the distant sound of Katara shouting, as the ground rushed up to meet the Fire Lord.

—

Sokka had only stepped away from his husband for a few seconds to hand Shoji his pack, when Katara shouted, “Sokka!”

He whipped around to catch his husband, when he’d realized what she was looking at, just in time. Zuko had fainted or passed out, and Sokka already had a fair idea of why. He had known the moment he caught the earthy scent of makeup on his husband, that the man was likely covering up the shadows of exhaustion on his face. However, in his relief at seeing Zuko for the first time in a month, Sokka had been willing to not bring it up until after their lunch, but now it looked like he was going to have to wait until his husband woke up.

“Ming?” Sokka asked, looking at the guard. “When was the last time the Fire Lord slept?”

He wasn’t going to like the answer. He knew he wasn’t. He had never once asked that question and received an answer that had made him smile. This time was no different.

“Counting the nap he took yesterday, during lunch?”

“Naps don’t count.”

“Five or six days ago.”

Sokka sighed and shifted his husband in his arms, so he was carrying him bridal style. Then he nodded at his sister and headed into the palace. He had known leaving his husband to his own devices for a month hadn’t been a good idea, but he had been so excited to join in the Southern Water Tribe’s celebration of the darkest time of the year when Yue’s light filled their days without interruption. However, if Zuko was going to do this every time he was gone, and he did, then Sokka wasn’t going to be able to do this again.

It looked like he was only going to be able to make it work by bringing Zuko with him and staying for the short period of time that Zuko was able to handle without getting moon sickness.

For now, he had to make sure Zuko got his rest and a proper meal.

He was in love with a complete moron.

—

When Zuko woke up, he was in bed and curled up in Sokka’s arms. It took him longer than he would like to admit to realize what had happened. When he did realize, he groaned and curled further into the embrace.

How many people had seen him pass out? Did that awful General Fong see? Would the man try and use it as a sign of weakness and use it to exploit Zuko during their negotiations? How would that beetle roach react, when Fire Lord Zuko refused to allow it to be a way to manipulate him?

“I can hear your brain thinking way too hard, Babe.” Sokka sighed, as he let go of Zuko and sat up to grab something off of his nightstand. That something turned out to be food.

Zuko sat up as well now, and his stomach gave a growl of hunger. How long had it been since he had a proper meal and not just bites of food between meetings?

Sokka held out a piece of mango to his mouth, and Zuko looked up from the offered food and at his husband.

“You obviously aren’t responsible enough to feed yourself, if the palace staff’s report is anything to go by, so I’ve decided that making sure you eat is now my job.” Sokka joked with a loving smile, and Zuko accepted the food.

He made eye contact with the Water Tribesman, as he wrapped his lips around the fingers that held the mango chunk, and felt a fierce sense of pride at the way that smile fell and became something sinful. If Sokka insisted on feeding him by hand, then Zuko was determined to make it into a game of how many bites of food did it take to break the man’s control.

He was sure this game would leave them both very satisfied.

He licked away the juice that dampened his lips before practically purring, “Of course. Thank you for being equipped to take care of my needs, my love.”

It didn’t take much more than that and meeting Sokka’s wide eyes with his own fiery gaze to break him.

Round one of this game had left them both extremely satisfied.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22462120/chapters/54249058

#flameo-hotman #atla #zukka #zuko #sokka #zukka prompt #prompt #ask #Anonymous #ask the hotman

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hamliet · 5 years ago

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MXTX Ladies’ Week: Girls, Goddesses, and Ghosts

After writing about Scum Villain’s female cast here and MDZS’s here, it’s time to write about Heaven Official’s Blessing’s female cast... which is actually smaller than the other two in quantity but imo, in quality, is far greater. Most of the women do not die, and several have fantastic arcs. They’re allowed to be kickass, to make their own decisions, to be morally flawed, to be extremely feminine, to be emotional, to be ugly, and to even be villains--and the whole while, the story depicts them with empathy.

So let’s start with the mortals. This is again more a ramble than a direct meta.

The Humans:

Me, skipping happily into TGCF, immediately loving one character, and her dying like ten chapters in:

Yes, I’m talking about Xiao Ying. I also realize I said that most of TGCF’s female characters don’t get killed off, so I’m not leading off with a convincing argument (she is the only one who really does).

Little Ying’s role in the narrative is as a parallel to Xie Lian and a way to introduce the main themes of the story, which her arc encapsulates. A teenage girl who is noted to be physically unattractive, she’s introduced to us praying to Feng Xin for protection. The god who she prays to for protection from whomever is stealing the brides comments cruelly on her appearance, foreshadowing how corrupt heaven is, and Xie Lian quickly realizes that someone has tried to humiliate her already by cutting a hole in the back of her skirt, hinting at the theme of human cruelty and suffering. He is kind to her, and in return, she helps him prepare for his undercover mission to catch the bride thief, showing the the answer to her prayers is through her own work and kindness, and the connections she makes (with Xie Lian in this case).

The reader quickly learns that Little Ying might not be physically beautiful, but she has a beautiful heart, taking care of a scarred ghost who lives in the mountains (Lang Ying). Yet people turn on her and scorn her when she tries to protect Lang Ying, because humanity is often cruel to their own, and an orphan girl who is unattractive is a target. Yet, unlike the rest of the crowd gathered by the house where all the brides have been stolen away to, she wants to help. But her attempts to help, to save everyone, get her killed, and it’s noted that they do not actually help.

Softly, she said, “I feel as though my entire life, there weren’t many days where I lived happy.”

Xie Lian also didn’t know what to say, and gently patted her hand. Little Ying sighed, “Oh well, forget it. I might just be someone……born unlucky.”

This is something that repeats in Xie Lian’s arc as well: he often winds up hurting where he tried to help (as with Jun Wu, too), and sacrificing oneself is looked at, as it is in MDZS, with nuance in TGCF. Little Ying did not need to die. There’s a futility to human suffering in TGCF: it doesn’t bring a purpose, it isn’t glorious, and it doesn’t always make someone a better or worse person. It just is.

Yet it’s also worth noting that the story is asking: when society treats you a certain way because of things you cannot help, such as gender, appearance, and economic status, what power do you have to decide your fate? The answer is what brings comfort to Little Ying in her last minutes: she’s not alone. Xie Lian stays with her as she dies. Little Ying, too, made an effort to make sure others were not alone (Lang Ying). Suffering is unbearable, but if you’re not alone, there is comfort.

The Demons:

Two of the demon ladies are fantastic deconstructions of female character stereotypes: the crazed ex (Xuan Ji) and the evil seductress (Jian Lan).

(remember this meme? it plays into the crazy ex trope too)

Xuan Ji is the scorned woman who murders brides to vent her frustration at the world (and at Pei Ming, the lover who abandoned her). She is Little Ying’s counterpart in the first arc, in that while Little Ying is a Xie Lian parallel, Xuan Ji is a parallel to our main antagonist, Bai WuXiang, in that she’s determined to take out her misfortune on literally everyone around her. But she is in genuine pain, which the novel takes care to note:

Under her long hair, her tears started to fall as she said, “I’ve waited for him for centuries, what important matter does he have? Back then, in order to see me, he would cross half of the border in a single night, so what important matter could he have now? So important that he wouldn’t even be willing to see me once? An important matter? He doesn’t actually have one, right?”

It’s not portraying Pei Ming as a poor sad victim here; on the contrary, his treatment of Xuan Ji is condemned. She betrayed her army for him, and he doesn’t like her because, in many ways, he comes across as a chauvinist (at first. This is later unpacked too, but that’s for another meta).

“General Pei does not like strong-minded women, and Xuan Ji’s natural disposition is strong-willed. This is why they could not stay together for long. General Xuan Ji was unwilling to let go, so she said to General Pei that she was willing make sacrifices and change herself. Thus, she voluntarily abolished her martial arts and broke her own two legs. In this way, she did the equivalent of breaking both her wings and tying herself to General Pei. Despite all this, General Pei didn’t abandon her. He took her in and looked after her, yet, he still wouldn’t take her as his wife. Because General Xuan Ji’s long-cherished wish could not be fulfilled, she killed herself in hate. Not for any other reason, but only to make General Pei feel sad and aggrieved.

Again, harming yourself for the sake of someone else is not presented as a good thing in TGCF. The story does a good job of pointing out that both sides can be at fault; there isn’t a black and white, one is evil and the other good situation in the story. Because Xuan Ji then won’t give up and makes it her mission to torture and humiliate Pei Ming, which she does the former and tries for the latter on numerous occasions. Yet the conclusion to their arc is Pei Ming finally telling her:

...it was Pei Ming who abandoned Xuan Ji first, this female ghost also killed countless after, trying to kill them time and time again... looking like this, she was a little pitiful.

Pei Ming looked back at her, and in the end, he only said, “Xuan Ji, it’s time you wake up.”

“Wake up what.” Xuan Ji was confused.

“That you’ve become this way, I’m part of the reason, but a majority of it is by your own decisions. You’ve done so much but you can only move your own heart, I’m a steel-hearted man. Rather than love me, why don’t you go love yourself.”

He yanked back his robes from Xuan Ji’s hold, and left without looking back.

It’s not that he’s innocent in how he treated her (he isn’t), and it’s not that Xuan Ji’s pain isn’t real, but what we do with our suffering is the pivot on which everyone’s character arc in TGCF swings, and so just as Pei Ming finally decides to take responsibility for his actions, so does Xuan Ji. And after she finally lets go of her resentment, she is able to dissipate and leave the world, entering into a reincarnation cycle.

Jian Lan is originally portrayed to us as Lan Cheng, a vulgar-tongued prostitute who is the mother of a demonic murdering ghost baby, CuoCuo. Yet eventually the reader finds out she was actually a potential concubine for Xie Lian and, after the kingdom of Xian Le fell, she became a prostitute, and CuoCuo is actually the son of Feng Xin, one of Xie Lian’s best friends. Feng Xin promises to take care of them, but Jian Lan tells Xie Lian this in the end:

"having Cuo Cuo is enough for me. Who hasn’t made promises or swore to the mountains and the seas when they were young? Talking of affection, of love, of forevers. But, the longer I hung around in the world, the more I understand, something like ‘forever’ is impossible. It’s never going to be possible. Having it once was already good enough. No one can truly achieve it. I don’t believe in it anymore.”

It’s not that the story wants to imply that forever really isn’t possible (Hua Cheng and Xie Lian’s relationship counters this), but it also doesn’t invalidate Jian Lan’s choice.

“What you’ve said are all things of the past. What was love once doesn’t mean it’ll last. To be a charity case and a nuisance, I’m not interested.”

“Why would he think you both a nuisance?” Xie Lian asked, “Don’t you know the kind of person Feng Xin is?”

“You, His Highness the Crown Prince, you have never lived the common life, so of course you’d think things are that simple. He won’t now, and he won’t on the surface either. But once time gets dragged out, then nothing could be sure.

It’s her choice, and her choice not to risk trying love with Feng Xin again is respected by the narrative. Her choice parallels Xuan Ji’s, but unlike Xuan Ji, Jian Lan’s problem was never that she cared too much about a cast-off lover, but that she did not want to tell said lover the truth. Now that she has, her choices and her freedom to decide her fate remain. She too is not alone: she has her son.

The last demonic ghost character is Ban Yue, another Xie Lian parallel. She is an orphan girl, mistreated, and later a high priestess of Banyue. She states Xie Lian’s words “I, too want to save the world,” and says that she took his teachings to heart.

She’s noted to be very lonely, and after Xie Lian “died” saving her, she finds someone to cling to in Pei Su (Pei Ming’s descendent). Once they find out the kingdom of Banyue plans to destroy the city itself and everyone around it, Ban Yue opens the gates for Pei Su to slaughter everyone in the city--but at least the people outside it will survive. It’s a complex moral decision that doesn’t have an easy answer.

“You also said, ‘Do what you think is right!’” Ban Yue told him.

‘....what… nonsense! … Why did I keep saying those kinds of things… I’m nothing like that at all… am I??’ Xie Lian thought.

“But, I don’t know what’s right anymore.” Ban Yue said.

Xie Lian froze.

Ban Yue’s sulky voice buzzed from the pot, “I thought I was doing the right thing, but in the end it was me who opened the gates that let in the enemy who slaughtered my people... But if I didn’t open the gates, the Banyue people would terrorize the Midlands and hurt more people... I really wanted to do well as the Head Priestess. But, not only did I opened the gates, I killed them, and refused them human flesh. If they didn’t feed on human flesh they’d suffer, and I couldn’t relieve them of that suffering... It’s like no matter what I did, the result was going to be bad... I know I didn’t do things right, but can you tell me, where did I go wrong?”

Hearing her question, Xie Lian rubbed the back of his neck and said slowly, “I’m sorry, Ban Yue. The answer to that question, I’d not known it back then, and now… I don’t think I know the answer now either.”

The thing is, if Xie Lian hadn’t gotten himself “killed” saving her, the gates wouldn’t have been opened. Yet, if he didn’t sacrifice himself, she would be dead. There isn’t a right or a wrong choice; it’s complex morally. It also foreshadows what will happen in Book 2, when a flashback reveals to us that Xie Lian himself learned the hard way that there isn’t always a way to save everyone through the fall of his kingdom Xian Le.

The Goddesses:

My favorite female character in TGCF is YuShi Huang, or the Princess who Slit Her Throat. She’s not dead though; she’s a goddess whose quick thinking saved her family’s kingdom. She’s a Xie Lian parallel in that she is a laughingstock; Pei Ming is noted to have led a siege against her kingdom and have mocked her cruelly in her life. However, YuShi Huang, being the youngest of sixteen children, become the unlikely heir who saves her father and her kingdom, and later will grow to save those who laugh at her.

She has a kind, self-sacrificing personality like Xie Lian, but she does warn Xie Lian when she helps him by lending him her spiritual device to give his kingdom water that rain is a limited resource, and there’s only so much that he can do. She’s in other words a mite wiser than Xie Lian is at this point--if Little Ying can be seen as him in his childlike stage, trying to save everyone, and Ban Yue as his adolescent phase of character development when he’s started to question, then YuShi Huang can be seen as his parallel once he matures--which is why the reveal of just who the Lord Rain Master is comes very late in the story. Her wisdom is used to save and to heal what she can (such as smuggling Hua Cheng to Xie Lian), but she knows she cannot do everything.

She also foils Xuan Ji, in that both are from YuShi and were treated cruelly by Pei Ming in life. However, she ultimately saves Pei Ming several times, and when Xuan Ji passes on, she performs a passing service for the ghost. Pei Ming’s subsequent... embarrassment (schoolboy crush? It’s kinda questionable based on the explicit parallels with Xuan Ji, and Xuan Ji’s outright accusations of him liking her in dialogue with him) over how YuShi Huang saved him is also rather amusing.

Aaaand then there’s the other goddess. Ling Wen has the distinction of being the only complex MXTX character I struggle to like. (Jun Wu used to be on this list but. Writing him helped me like him. Not so much with Ling Wen--but I do think she’s a well done character so please note that my dislike is purely my personal opinion and not an accusation of narrative failing nor an implication that anyone should not stan her (by all means, do so!))

She’s a Jun Wu parallel in many ways, which is why she’s the only god who winds up on his side even after all he’s done comes to light. Her role in a corrupt and sexist court is also not unsympathetic: she’s often worshipped in her male form, so she adopts it, she was mistreated by the literature god before her, and she’s angry about it (every woman who’s seen men get promoted ahead of them in an office can feel this on a--hem--spiritual level). Her anger is justified, and it’s hilarious how the Upper Court cannot actually function without her and so her punishment for her crimes essentially amounts to “please just do your job.”

She’s also only character who does not have a close relationship with anyone, and this is almost certainly deliberate in response to the unfairness and the sexism and cruelty of the world and how it treats her, as a woman. She tells Xie Lian:

“Something like a genuine heart is made to be trampled...”

After a long silence, Xie Lian said, “You said ‘similar to him’. So, was General Bai Jing like this too?”

Ling Wen smiled lightly, “Why else would he be deceived by me?”

...

Xie Lian said, “… you wanted to help General Bai Jing in becoming a Supreme, and have him wake to his senses, right?”

Ling Wen gave a small laugh, “Your highness, don’t say it like I would do anything for him. After all, I’m cold-blooded and recognized no loved ones, so why would I do anything like that?”

Her closest relationship is with the Brocade Immortal Bai Jing, someone she transformed into an object. But if, as Xie Lian implies, she wanted to awaken Bai Jing again, it may imply that she might be lonely and long for connection after all, even if she is afraid to take the risks involved in human connection. Hopefully she’ll be able to connect again, now that the gods are incredibly grateful to her for doing the job none of them could do. Like Jun Wu, she has a chance.

#tgcf #heaven official's blessing #hob meta #tgcf meta #tian guan ci fu #mxtx meta #mxtx ladies week #ling wen #yushi huang #ban yue #xiao ying #jian lan #xie lian

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myuheru-archive · 5 years ago

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okay but please tell us about farmer au we want to know -☽

hehe well..😏 basic premise is xie lian is a struggling farmer, same general backstory stuff, wealthy nobility to going bankrupt and essentially homeless, then after his parents died these farmers out in the country hired him as a farm boy when he was a teenager and everntually he takes up the abandoned farmland and plows away for 10 years <3

and hua cheng, same stuff, he was abused and abandoned as a child but when he’s like 12 running the streets alone he gets picked up by this ragtag group of con artists and thieves and other criminals and hey become his new little family yay. ghost city is like the “shady” part of town where hc hangs around the gambling crowd he’s like. the glorified bartender. it’s all underground and illegal you know so one day it gets busted :( and everyone’s on the run, especially hc, bc he’s only the most conspicuous person, lots of rumors flying around that he doesn’t debunk cuz he’s stupid like that and thinks they make him look cool lol

AND THEN. while he’s on the run BAM. sexy farmer. hc’s like well if i just pretend to sleep over here by this tree then....😏 so they meet. on the farm. hc pretends to help out but he nearly overheats while pulling weeds every 15 minutes. fx and mq come by and they r like ur highness ur housing a criminal take this produce we begrudgingly brought here together bc we feel obligated and then kick this man off ur farm. and xl’s like. no :) ANYWAY. eventually some nearby city guards catch on while hc and xl r in town and that’s when the sexy cop chase happens and they spend the rest of the story getting into antics and running from the police and they hang out in ghost city and he xuan is there. hx is like hc’s childhood best friend they were like criminal ghost city preteens together but they don’t say that they’re friends hc is like oh we just do each other favors except we don’t really ask for anything in return and sometimes we go drinking together. and xl’s like oh so friendship? kinda like friendship? and hx and hx are like.....

anyway hualian become wanted fugitives and run from cops and they kiss. also ruoye is a white snake she sleeps in xl’s hat sometimes and xl’s favorite thing to plant is ginger and hua cheng still has his little sword e ming he just carries it around and xl also still has a sword it’s the only one he didn’t sell also they find teen ban yue on the streets and adopt her along the way and jun wu doesn’t exist because i said so thank youuuu ❤️💕💖❤️💕

#this got so long LOL #at one point xl and hc spar and xl fucking kicks hc’s scrawny ass #i still have to figure out where sqx comes in they r too important #and of course..rain master farming friend 😌#they still call her rain master..#oh yeah and theyre all mortals this is mortal au #OH and butterflies just flock to hc for no reason xl is all ‘haha its cuz ur so sweet :)’ and hcs like i have never been so full of love in #in my entire life #THANK U FOR THIS ASK THIS GOT TOO LONG <3 #long post #anon #mailbox

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neoblogcrying · 6 years ago

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“Let’s play a game” pt.2

Yeah… I ended up writing the next part a lot sooner than expected because I had a lot going on today—and I wanted to write to vent my stress out. I didn’t have the mood to write anything else so here we are! Hope you enjoy the read!

The System Temp chose ‘HARD MODE’ and this was met with high praise, from System moderator #1. The other moderators were not as happy.

You win some, and you lose some.

“System Temp, be on standby.” A mechanical voice sounded overhead. A light illuminated down, onto a couch that was situated in front of a big Television screen. The couch was soft and plush to the touch with colorful, fluffy pillows.

Elevator music started playing in the background as distant sounds of people talking could be heard over the music. Perhaps the music was being played to drown out the conversation between the System moderators. It was hard to make out any words, but there were a few words that stood out:

‘Anoying,’ ‘Troublesome,’ ‘Scum,’ ‘So pitiful,’ and ‘So complicated.’

The Television screen was dark as it wasn’t powered on. Most likely, it would turn on the moment they finished…doing whatever it was that they were doing.

KEEEEN!

That was the sound of an intercom system turning on.

“Hey! Watch it! You’re doing that on purpose, #3!”

“Oh, am I? You’ve already messed up the background history this much, does it even matter at this point?”

“You make it sound as if it’s my fault. I’m not the one who chose Hard Mode. I simply suggested it as an option. It doesn’t mean it had to be chosen.”

“Both of you stop it. #3, get your finger off the intercom.”

Beep.

After that, no other words could be heard. The calming elevator music was the only thing that could be heard. It must have been boring for the System Temp to sit there with no one else to keep them company. At least a conversational partner would have been nice to have.

The room the System Temp was in had 4 walls, all pure white in color. There were no plants to decorate the room, no windows to allow in light, and there weren’t any decorative paintings to serve as a relief for the eyes!

It was a wonder how this room was lit up when there weren’t any light fixtures. Maybe the walls themselves glowed?

KEEEEN----

“Hey hey, he’s rioting.”

“Ahhh~ Transmigrators are always so willful! Give him a taste of karma, that’ll shut him up for now. They need to realize if they don’t listen to us, they’ll only suffer.”

Beep.

Whether or not someone had turned on the intercom on purposefully for the System Temp to hear that was anyone’s guess. Maybe it was a pure coincidence, or maybe they wanted to give a warning that any acts of rebellion would be met with ‘karma’.

All one could do was sit on the couch and wait… and wait… and wait. Being left alone allowed for thoughts to run rampant.

For what reason were they chosen? Is this a kidnapping? Is this Hell? Did they die? Can they even return home?

[Answer: Once you lead the game to a successful end, you will be returned home. The System Moderators were bored and enlisted you to help curb their boredom. Do your best, System Temp. Good luck on going home soon.]

A mechanical voice rang inside their head, promptly giving them the answer, but it wasn’t necessarily the answer they wanted to hear.

The elevator music suddenly cut out and the Television screen lit up without warning.

An energetic voice rang out from a mysterious source. It was hard to tell where the voice was coming from.

Welcome to the System Moderated Life Simulation game! You are our first contestant, congratulations! It’s a huge honor being able to play through the trial run, wouldn’t you know?

I know, I know, you must be overwhelmed by how honored you are. We went as far as to choose you who already knows the series: ‘Proud Immortal Demon’s way’ so you don’t need a refresher course on the main characters. Feel free to thank us for our consideration later.

To explain once more, this game will progress by pausing at random points to ask you questions. Your answers will lead characters down different paths. If you choose all the wrong answers, it may result in death! If you choose all the right answers, they will live, maybe even find love!

Will you lead Luo Binghe down the original harem route? Maybe you’ll have Shen Qingqiu fall in love with someone else.

Speaking of Shen Qingqiu, there is a surprise!

For choosing Hard Mode… you get an extra character to control! This character is… the original Shen Qingqiu! That’s right, you heard me right. The ORIGINAL.

The Shen Qingqiu that’s in a relationship with Luo Binghe… is actually a transmigrator! Unlike you, he was migrated into the novel, while you are a System temp! You have the better deal, really.

Look, when we reversed time, we kept him and adjusted the background story. We wiped out his memory, so he won’t remember his previous adventures as he’ll think he just transmigrated into a child’s body.

He must grow along with this story for a second time and you get to watch and control their fate with your decisions!

No pressure though.

Hm? Tell you the background story? That’s no fun (for us) if we tell you right away! You need to unlock that yourself! If you’re lucky, one of the characters may trigger a flashback event for you!

It’s time for our break so I’ll stop the introduction phase here. You seem like a smart cookie, so we’re sure you’ll figure out the rest on your own! Good luck!

It was dead silent as the System Moderators went on their break, leaving the System Temp alone. The Television screen flashed, and the scenery changed.

The opening scene was of Shen Qingqiu laying in bed with Yue Qingyuan sitting next to him patiently. “Ah… you’re awake Xiao-Yuan. How are you feeling? You collapsed suddenly with a high fever. Xiao-Jiu has gone out in your place.” Yue Qingyuan explained solemnly. “Some of the disciples witnessed Xiao-Jiu coming to retrieve you, and by this point, I’m sure the secret is out.”

‘Shen Qingqiu’ was a fake name that the two twin brothers have made for themselves. Shen Jiu was the original scummy goods, while Shen Yuan was the transmigrator who the plot changed to accommodate.

Slowly, Shen Yuan sat up with much difficulty, feeling his burning forehead with his clammy hand. He felt horrible forcing Shen Jiu to take his place. The two of them made up one Shen Qingqiu and they usually alternated who had the pleasure of acting the part of a Peak Master.

Shen Jiu had been playing the part for a long time now as Shen Yuan was busy cultivating to catch up to his elder twin brother. Shen Yuan went into the cultivation world later than Shen Jiu did and so it took time for him to play catch up, even with Shen Jiu taking things slower for his sake.

He’d never admit to it, but he did try to slow down his pace so his brother could catch up to him. Once they both had the same cultivation, Shen Yuan could resume playing the teacher role.

Unfortunately, he was born with a weaker body and he was prone to getting sick. That was the reason why his cultivation speed was much slower than Shen Jiu’s, but he never got mad at his younger twin over this.

In fact, Shen Yuan seemed to be the only one that Shen Jiu could be considered ‘soft’ towards.

Just when he finally caught up, he collapsed. This would’ve been the perfect time for Shen Jiu to study more on the demon kind, but Shen Yuan ruined it.

Just as he was feeling upset over this, the door quickly opened. “What’s wrong? Were you bullied?” The stern voice of his elder brother interrupted his thoughts.

Shen Yuan shook his head, looking miserable. “I’m sorry brother, I fell ill at a bad time. I’m so useless to have caused you trouble again… even though I vowed to help you.”

A sigh.

Not giving Yue Qingyuan the cold shoulder, Shen Jiu did give him some acknowledgement in the form of a head nod. Though he had many misgivings towards him, he was the reason why the two brothers could be together like this. He had to give him some merit for that.

With his fan, he smacked the top of Shen Yuan’s head. “Ridiculous. Who dares call you useless? Tell me and I will send them to hell thrice over.”

The reason why Shen Yuan fell ill was because of how hard he was pushing himself to cultivate. With his knowledge as a transmigrator, he knew that his elder brother was bullying the protagonist! He has a death wish!

Don’t you know you’ll turn into a human stick if you continue down this route!? This needs to be fixed!

Even with him imploring Shen Jiu to be kinder to Luo Binghe, it didn’t amount to much. The elder brother would apply his own flawed logic to Shen Yuan’s words.

For example:

‘Instead of beating him within a half inch of his life, I will beat him within 5 inches of his life.’

‘Instead of beating him, throwing him into the shed with no food or water, I’ll beat him him up and throw him into the shed with food!’

‘I want to kill him right this instant, but I’ll settle for having Ming Fan beat him up while I watch.’

This was his definition of ‘being nicer.’

Can you imagine Shen Yuan’s feeling of exasperation?

“You only need to focus on getting better. This Master will take care of things just fine.”

There’s no way things are going to be ‘just fine’ with the way you bully the protagonist! “…Brother… how is… Luo Binghe?” Shen Yuan asked cautiously, being sure to monitor Shen Jiu’s facial expressions carefully.

The other scowled at the sound of the name. Why his younger brother was so obsessed with that trash, he couldn’t understand. He was just trash, but he always defended him. ANNOYING!

Covering his face with his fan, he turned to look at Yue Qingyuan. It was implicitly understood that he wished to ignore the question.

That was enough for Shen Yuan to know that ‘Shen Qingqiu’ had bullied Luo Binghe once again. Can you please consider the feelings of your younger brother who will need to do damage control in your stead?

“Thank you for taking care of Shen Yuan. Since he’s awake, you should leave now. I can take it from here.” He didn’t want to be with Yue Qingyuan any longer than was necessary.

It didn’t matter what pitiful looks you gave him, he still hadn’t forgiven you for breaking your promise.

Casting a quick side glance at Shen Yuan, Yue Qingyuan smiled gently at Shen Jiu. “It was no problem at all, Shen Qinqiu. Seeing as he’s stabilized, I shall take my leave soon, but not before discussing something with you both.”

The two of them acted as one person. When one person was the public face, the other rested and hit the books, ingesting all the information they could.

Since Shen Jiu acted as ‘Shen Qinqiu’ the most, his personality was what everyone saw, which meant Shen Yuan had to adapt to this personality when he was the public face.

He was very intelligent, and he had the acting prowess of a God. Even though he was easily frightened, tender hearted, and sarcastic, he acted like a proper Peak Master when he was out as ‘Shen Qinqiu’.

He always adjusted his own personality to match his older brother’s, who was the main face of Shen Qingqiu. His skills in acting were so good, even Yue Qingyuan had a hard time telling them apart most times!

Now that the secret is out, they had to discuss on how to move going forward.

“I would suggest that Shen Qingqiu takes the title of Peak Lord while Shen Yuan acts as the second in command. It’s too late to hide the truth from your peak disciples anymore. I’ve prevented them from spreading the truth to other peaks, but you can’t continue on as you have before.”

There was truth in what he said, but they’d acted the part as one entity for so many years, it was hard to break the habit.

Nothing would have to change if they gave the excuse that there was so much work to do that one always had to stay behind. As they were identical twins, no one would be able to tell the two apart.

“Brother, I think we can accept this. No one can tell us apart, so I can take over as Shen Qinqiu, and you can take on my identity and study in solitude. With our secret being revealed, that means periodically, I can walk outside with you.” Shen Yuan displayed a gentle smile (that he knew Shen Jiu was secretly weak to) on his face.

For years, never have the two of them ever appeared under the sun at the same time. The only time they had together was in the private quarters of Shen Qingqiu.

“Hmph. Accepted.”

Yue Qingyuan slowly exhaled the breath he didn’t know he was holding. He honestly expected more resistance than this, but this worked out for the better. He would have to make the announcements soon.

“Do get better Shen Yuan. I’ll visit again at a later date. Look after your brother well, Shen Qingqiu. I’ll be taking my leave now.” He stood with no wasted movements and left the room.

Even though he preferred to refer to them as Xiao-Jiu and Xiao-Yuan, he knew that doing so in Shen Jiu’s presence would make him rave in anger, and that would only hurt the sickly Shen Yuan, so he refrained from doing so in the elder’s presence.

He so wanted to be able to refer to him as Xiao-Jiu again, but he wasn’t allowed to. He could only wait for the day Shen Jiu would allow it. So for now, he could only refer to him as Shen Qingqiu and his younger brother as Shen Yuan.

When it was just him and Shen Yuan, he liked to affectionately refer to him as Xiao-Yuan.

Shen Yuan, who had the milder personality, didn’t mind being referred to that way so he always accepted it. He never questioned why Yue Qingyuan changed the way he addressed him in the presence of his brother, because he had enough sense to realize there was some history between the two.

Not wanting to bring up bad memories, Shen Yuan never asked his brother what relationship he had with Yue Qingyuan and why he seemed so angry with him.

“Hurry up and sleep. I’ll bring you porridge later.”

Shen Yuan chuckled quietly and he laid back down.

He never knew that the original ‘scum’ goods had a kind bone in his body. This had to be information that was never revealed in the original novel, and Shen Yuan felt so bad for all the times he called for Shen Qinqiu to get castrated in the comments.

Forgive him brother, he never knew the truth! He knows his wrongs!

Admittedly, it was stifling to have Shen Jiu be so protective over him, but he could understand because as far as Shen Jiu knew, Shen Yuan was the only family he had left.

Hoping to use familial love to melt his icy heart slowly, Shen Jiu may learn to be less like a scum villain, and more like a respectable Peak Master.

DING!

The screen that was playing out like a drama froze in place.

It’s the first fate changer!

System temp, make your decision, which of the Shen brothers will you ‘Main’? Whoever you choose will be the brother you control most often. Choose wisely as this cannot be changed! Your choice will dictate how the rest of the story goes.

One brother has more death traps than the other.

[Main Shen Jiu or Shen Yuan?]

[Previous Segment] [Table of Contents] [Next Segment]

A/N: So yeah, click on the link to choose between Shen Yuan and Shen Jiu. You will still see both in the story, but one will have more ‘screen time’ so to speak if you main them. Whenever they are both in the same scene I will refer to them as Shen Jiu and Shen Yuan, but when only one is in scene, I will call them Shen Qinqiu because that’s the persona they’re acting as. Since the point of the game is to control other characters and not just Shen Qingqiu, it would give you too much of an advantage if I tell you which brother is acting as Shen Qingqiu at any given moment, so you will have to make an educated guess!

Hopefully this idea flies well with people? If not, I’ll just discard this experimental project. If it is received well, I’ll continue with it! Until next time!

#SVSSS #Scum Villain's Self-saving system #Scum Villain #Neo writes drabbles #SVSSSLifeSimProject #((I'm a lil nervous now because depending on who you choose to main it can get very dangerous))#((Idk I personally thought adding a Twin feature would be fun! Protective SJ in the house. Tis why this is hardmode lol))

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bellatrixobsessed1 · 6 years ago

Text

Wrought Iron Machine (Final Part)

It hasn’t taken long at all for the headlines to announce her vocal struggles and declining health, to have them plastered for everyone to see. Even if she wants to she can’t say anything on her own behalf. She reads another headline; ‘Has the Fire Been Put Out: Fire Of Agni Frontwoman Loses Voice.’

Azula sits in an emergency room back in the Fire Nation, they still don’t have the equipment to correct the worsened cyst. For the time they only monitor her vitals and pain-levels. She doesn’t think much about the pain though. Her head is preoccupied by the image of her father’s complacent look of satisfaction. By the realization that she had made a fool of herself at the world’s most extravagant and esteemed music competition. By the thought that she will never talk, much less, sing again.

She doesn’t know which matter concerns her the most, she supposes that they are all interconnected. Even if she does recover, after unleashing such an Agni-awful, ear-piercing sound on stage she can’t imagine that she’ll be getting another invite to Southern Air Sounds. Her musical career is over. Her only option is to wander back to her father and hope that she can win him over with her firebending talents. She can’t beg him for another chance if she can’t speak.

There is a pressure behind her eyes and she wants to let it out. But crying will only do more damage to her delicate vocal cords. The doctor warns as much. So she tries her best to choke back her embarrassment and grief.

She truly hopes that she won’t hear from her father anytime soon, she can’t take it. Zuko takes a seat next to her and squeezes her hand. She appreciates his company and the gesture, but it is little condolences. Just as little as TyLee’s tight hugs and loving kisses. Mai tries to assure her that the crowd was kind. “They weren’t saying anything bad about you, you know? After the show everyone was just asking if you were okay.”

“They were really worried.” Zuko adds.

“Someone told me to give this to you!” TyLee smiles. She hands her a stuffed fire ferret and a get well soon card. Azula takes them without a sound, she barely looks up. She isn’t sure who is rubbing her back but she thinks that it is either Zuko or TyLee.

“Do you…” she rasps but it is broken and painful so she ceases trying to vocalize her question.

“Here.” Mai pushes her a pad of papers. She pushes it back, opting to spell her question in the air with fire. If she can’t speak she may as well make it look cool. With her fire she asks if they’ve been barred from attending S.A.S in the future. It is easier to simply use the acronym so that is what she does.

“I don’t think so. We were doing amazing up until…” Mai trails off.

“They said that they admired our creativity and ability to improvise.” Zuko points out.

‘No thanks to me.’ She spells out.

“Creativity!” TyLee points out. “They liked your idea to have an instrumental number. None of the other bands did that.”

It is only a sliver of reassurance. At least she hasn’t completely messed up. She stares at her hands. She just wants her voice back.

The pain finally begins setting in, it rips at her throat bringing tears to her eyes.

Zuko’s back rubs increase.

“Are you alright, Azula?” TyLee asks, her eyes sympathetic.

She only has it in her to spell out, “hurts.” She curls herself up

.oOo.

The temples are stunning, more stunning than Kuvira remembers. They have added some decorative chandeliers. She feels blessed that they have invited her to stay. She and the rest of her band have been invited to a dinner with the three bands that performed after hers. An unexpected but every bit as welcomed victory surprise.

She triple checks her hair and attire. She has her hair in another neat and tight braided bun and has applied a touch of makeup to her face. “How is this, Baatar?”

“I already told you that you look amazing.” He replies, “can we just have dinner?”

“Yeah, I’m getting hungry and I hear that the wine is fantastic.” Ghazan remarks, putting his arm around Ming.

“You’re always hungry.” P’Li remarks.

“Correct.” He winks.

Kuvira adds a comb hair clip to her outfit and checks the mirror for a fourth time. She wants to leave a good impression if she is going to be dining with musical legends. Baatar takes her hand and pulls her away from the mirror. “I think that that’s perfect.”

“You say that about everything I wear.” Kuvira points out.

“Because everything you wear is perfect.”

“Ugg.” P’Li grumbles. “Definitely didn’t miss that.”

Kuvira unfolds a cloth map and leads her band down the hall. Baatar links his arm with hers. They wander for some time, stopping on one occasion to see the Southern Air hall of fame. It is organized by category from jazz to pop and folk to metal. Kuvira scans the category reserved for the musical legends, it is surreal to see an image of their band among them. It is from their performance three days prior.

“Now Ming, don’t touch anything.” Ghazan says.

“Ha. Funny man.” She mutters.

As they chatter, Kuvira wanders further down the hall viewing the metal category and finding a second image of Wrought Iron Machine. Still it is dream-like to see it hanging there in a frame of swirling gold. The rest of her band comes to catch up with her. She comes to the last category, a seemingly new sub category. There is only a single photograph in the section for bands with the most unique concepts.

She wonders if they are even aware being as they were forced to depart so soon.

Baatar nudges her, “we’re going to be late.”

Kuvira picks up her pace and soon she is standing before a set of almost absurdly long double doors. The insignia of the air nomads is carved at the center of both of them. Kuvira takes a breath and smooths a few wrinkles out of her outfit. Baatar rubs her shoulders encouragingly.

She heaves the doors open and makes her way to the empty chairs reserved for she and her band. “Welcome.” Greets Karou. The frontman of Wan Shi Tong’s Waltz sits at the head of the table, their dinner and competition host.

It is somewhat hard to maintain composure, the result of some residual teenage crush that never had a chance to fully extinguish.

“Thank you.” Baatar fills in for her. “We’re honored to be guests here.”

Karou shakes their hands each in turn. “And I’d like to personally congratulate you for joining us in the hall of fame and for the baby. Perhapst the child will share your musical talents.”

Kuvira smiles. “Thank you. I hope the same.” Even if the child has other interests she makes a very special point to let them flourish. “Though she may take up Baatar’s fascination with machines.”

Another woman speaks, Xing-Bora from Tears of Yue. “I think we should also congratulate the two of you for saving your marriage and the band.”

“It’s a wonder you all pulled through so close to the competition.” Remarks Chong. “What was that about anyways?”

His own wife nudges him. “Apologies, he still has is countryside manners.”

P’Li scoffs, “we’ll forgive him if you all forgive Ghazan for being a human disaster.”

“It’s a long story.” Kuvira cuts in before they can start a secondhand embarrassment inducing round of bickering. “To put it simply, even though I let him name the band,” Kuvira sneaks in, “he felt as though he didn’t get enough creative freedom.”

Baatar rubs the back of his head. “A man needs to show his brilliance every now and again.”

Conversation breaks off momentarily as appetizers are passed around. Kuvira resumes the chatter with a simple. “It was a pleasure to see you perform.” An understatement.

“And a pleasure to listen to your band as well.” Karou returns cheerfully. “I was hoping that you would be willing to perform during our next competition.” He pauses. “Of course, you won’t be able to perform as a contestant. Instead you will be performing with us during the esteemed after-competition show.”

“We certainly plan on it.” Kuvira replies. Though she isn’t entirely certain what ten years will bring. How their child will impact their band. She decides to take things as they come and hope for the best.

“It will be hard to top this decade’s contest.” Chong notes.

“It was certainly eventful.” Xing-Bora remarks. “It’s a shame about Fire of Agni…”

“How is the girl?” Chong’s wife asks.

“If the headlines are to be trusted, she’s due for surgery sometime within the month.” Karou replies.

“I hope that it works.” Chong’s wife says softly.

“Yes,” Kuvira adds. “She…” she isn’t sure if she should use past or present tense. She feels optimistic. “She has a very unique talent, I don’t think that I’ve heard a voice like hers.” Again, her heart pangs for the girl.

“I thought that your band didn’t like theirs.”

“It was a phase.” P’Li waves her hand dismissively. “We needed someone to shit talk so we wouldn’t shit talk each other.”

“We did it anyways.” Ghazan shrugged.

“No less, the kids have talent.” Karou speaks. “I would love to see them back next time around. They have it in them to win if Azula makes a full recovery. They have it in them to win even if she only recovers partially.”

Their discussion dies down again as the main course is set before them. Kuvira takes the opportunity to gaze at the other tables; like their own two others are lined with golden tablecloths. They host other past winners of Southern Air Sounds. The ones lined in silver host the second placers and the honorable mentions. And a bunch of others tables a reserved for audience members and bands that had paid to have seating. She sees four empty spots at the silver tables. Karou follows her gaze. “We figured that it would be respectful to have a spot open for them even if they can’t fill them.”

Kuvira nods.

The rest of their dinner is mundane. She inquires some about the bands and styles that have influenced Wan Shi Tong’s Waltz and Ghazan makes a few off-color remarks as the beer gets to him. Ming really only speaks to ask why her ice cream is topped with two cherries while everyone else only has one. It is more laid back than she has anticipated. And it goes by much faster. It seems as though they have barely finished desert when guests start heading for the door.

Karou turns to her and hands her an envelope. “Your prize money and an invite to our next competition.”

Kuvira will have to split the prize money when she gets a chance.

“If you run into Fire of Agni before they receive their letter, do tell them that they have been invited.”

“I can hand them their letter personally.”

.oOo.

The surgery leaves her terribly anxious. They say that it can ruin her voice. All the same she wonders if it even matters, she has already done that herself. She does wish, though, that they hadn’t told her of the possibility of something going wrong enough to kill her. On the other hand, she no longer knows if she is entirely opposed to that.

She faintly thinks that she is being overly dramatic. If nothing else she still has TyLee. She still has Zuko and Mai.

The three have worked so hard to uplift her spirits. To remind her not to bother with her father. To remind her that she still has a spot in the band. They don’t tell her how, they leave her to remind herself that she can still play the guitar. That she can still organize the band and design their sets and write their lyrics.

She repeats the reminders to herself as TyLee pulls her into her arms. She doesn’t particularly want to be held at the moment, she has received enough pity and babying, but she doesn’t resist either. TyLee holds her tightly, it is almost too brief because a nurse comes to beckon her forward.

Azula listens to them explain the procedure to her, cringing inwardly at some of the descriptors. After a certain point she wonders if she even wants to know. She decides that she does, she wants to know exactly what to expect.

Not long after, she finds herself drifting into a drug induced sleep.

She wakes up groggy. She opens her mouth to speak but is immediately scolded. It takes her mind a moment to catch back up with her. The words die on her lips. She sits herself upright, they let her do so but it leaves her feeling dizzy so she goes to lay back down. Zuko holds her up as TyLee props a pillow up for her. She scans the room for Mai and finds the girl leaning against the wall as quietly as ever.

Doctor Fing-Sho reappears, taking a seat next to her bed. “I have a few instructions for you.”

Azula nods.

“Obviously I advise that you talk as little as possible for the first two weeks, perhaps three. When you do speak, be brief. Don’t yell or try to sing.” He pauses and she nods her understanding again. “Your voice will sound very hoarse. This can last up to eight weeks. We can start vocal therapy during week three. I know I said you can begin talking more after two weeks, but I would like to play on the safe side. You are very lucky that we were able to fix the damage you’ve done.”

Azula subtly gnaws the inside of her cheek.

“With that said, I recommend that you find yourself a vocal trainer who specializes in musical techniques.”

Azula nods once more.

“Finally, you have a visitor.” Fing-Sho smiles.

Azula knits her brows and then the panic sets in. Rather quickly she spells with fire, that she doesn’t want to see her father.

“It’s not your father.” The doctor replies.

Using her fire she vocalizes her approval and Fing-Sho beckons her visitor into the room. Azula tries to hide a scowl when she sees the face of the woman who she’d handed her victory over to. Kuvira makes herself as comfortable as she can in a hospital chair. She rests one hand on the arm rest and her other on her belly. “I hope you don’t mind me coming by.”

Azula absolutely does, but she doesn’t use her fire to depict as much.

“I actually came by to give you something.” She holds an envelope out.

Azula reaches for it and her brows knit again at the sight of the seal.

“There was an after party of sorts. I spoke to Karou, he says that he hopes to see you at the next competition.

Azula’s face softens, the woman is doing a good job of breaking the ice whether she wants to admit it or not.

“He believes that you will do well even if you don’t make a full recovery, I don’t know if that makes things any better.”

This time she does let the woman know that it does not.

Kuvira gives a small laugh. “I didn’t think so. Not much made me feel better when Fing-Sho worked with me…”

Azula tilts her head so Kuvira elaborates.

“Awhile back...a long while, Wrought Iron Machine tried to do something like your first album. I don’t have the vocal type you do. I messed my voice up rather quickly trying to force something that I wasn’t good at.” She shrugs.

“Why are you here?” Zuko asks. “Your band hates ours.”

Kuvira shrugs a second time. “We don’t hate your band. We just...got a little competitive.”

How diplomatic, Azula thinks to herself.

“We were falling out of the limelight and you were in it.”

She is the jealous type.

“You’ve created a sound that no one has heard before and...we wanted to do that for ourselves.” She pauses. “A success by the way.”

“Well congratulations.” Mai grumbles, “it’s our turn to be on the bottom.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Kuvira replies. “I meant that your creation was a success. You have a spot in the Southern Air Sounds hall of fame for it.”

“We do?” TyLee smiles.

“Yes, you do.” She turns back to Zuko. “To answer your question; I’m here to make amends.”

Azula frowns. She has very little interest in the woman, she is condescending and self-righteous. She folds her arms over her chest and glowers at Kuvira. The woman looks terribly unfazed. Azula supposes that she isn’t all that intimidating in a hospital gown and without her voice.

“You remind me of myself. You have reckless ambition. A drive to make it to the top.” She pauses again. “I’ve only ever seen that kind of determination when it’s all or nothing.” Again she halts. “Mine comes from spite I suppose. My parents thought that my dreams were foolish so they dumped me on the side of the road for trying to pursue them. I was hoping that my appearance in Southern Air Sounds...” She breaks off. “I just thought that they would show up. For some reason I expected them to. I don’t think that they even know who I am anymore.”

Azula wishes that the woman hadn’t shared because now there is a sort of connection, now she feels inclined to hear the woman out. Zuko speaks first. “I don’t know if you heard about it but Azula and I didn’t leave home willingly either.

Kuvira nods empathetically. “I had a feeling. I know what an abandoned child looks like…”

She remains quiet in thought for a long while. “That’s also why I’m here. I have another offer for you.”

.oOo.

The house is quiet. Quiet and empty. She and Baatar haven’t quite gotten around to moving all of their furniture in. P’Li, Ghazan, and Ming-Hua have taken to exploring their new neighborhood. Kuvira herself decides to stay home and try to tidy the place up a bit, plan out how she’d like to lay out their furniture. She looks over Baatar’s ideas, deciding that they are probably good enough. The man in question is away as well, somewhere between his childhood home and their new one, driving a large satomobile full of their possessions. She would love to help but they are down to the heaviest of their belongings and she has already received a good scolding from her doctor against heavy lifting.

Eventually she resigns to that she is six months along and needs to take it easy. She supposes it isn’t so bad, she hasn’t left him totally alone. He has help from his brothers and from Zuko. Most comfortingly, he has Lin’s assistance. Kuvira is half convinced that the very reason so much progress has been made in their move because of Lin alone.

Azula wanders into the nearly barren room, Kuvira didn’t hear her come in and wonders how long she has been there. She doesn’t talk much and Kuvira, at first, assumed that the girl was still weary of hurting her voice further. But she has come to find that the firebender is simply a quieter person. When she does speak it is typically soft-spoken. The kind of soothing timbre Kuvira had been expecting and not expecting all at once. Looking at her, it makes perfect sense but after hearing only her music for so long it is hard to imagine her speaking so softly.

“How was therapy.”

“It was…” she thinks for a moment, “it went better than last time.” There is still a hoarser undertone to her voice, but the raspiness is becoming less pronounced as the healing process continues.

Kuvira has cup of tea ready. It is still steaming when she pours it for the girl. “Here, drink.”

Azula takes the cup in her hands. “Uncle makes better tea.”

The girl has a bit of a difficult temperament, Kuvira has learned to brush off her more prickly moods. She no longer takes the more off-handed commentary to heart.

“It’s not the taste that matters, it’s the effect.” Raava knows that the girl has fought her on this many a times. Kuvira stands by her opinion; as long as the tea can help soothe the girl’s throat, it is serving its purpose.

Azula routinely argues that Kuvira should learn to make better tea if she is going to make her drink it every other day.

“Have a seat.” Kuvira offers only to have the firebender decline.

“I like standing.” She sips at the tea, just once before holding it over a small fire in her palm.

“I’ve never seen firebending like that.”

“It’s actually quite common for firebenders to heat their tea like this.”

Kuvira rolls her eyes, feeling a faint hint of amusement. “I’ve never seen someone use blue fire.”

Azula gives a prideful smile. “Good. I like to think that it is something only I can do.”

The remark is the loudest Kuvira has heard from the girl since adopting her. She wonders if the firebender’s voice had always been this soft or if it is the product of her injury. She tries to recall one of Fire Of Agni’s interviews. Before she can truly reach a decision her thoughts are cut off by a very loud and very cheerful, “Oh Azula! You’re home!” Kuvira watches the other girl throw her arms around Azula who returns the gesture by awkwardly patting her girlfriend’s head.

“It’s good to see you too, Ty.”

Kuvira finds it hard to resist making an inquiry. “Was her voice always this quiet?”

TyLee thinks for a moment. “Hmmm. Sort of. She used to talk a little louder, but not that much.”

“You need more tea.” Kuvira declares, needing an excuse to be on her feet.

“You need to get out of the house.” Azula shoots back.

The girl isn’t entirely wrong. But her tone of voice comes with a touch of sass. Kuvira supposes that it will do her well to get used to it. Her baby will be a teen eventually. Raising--though she uses the term loosely--the former princess, her brother, and friends has been an interesting feat to say the least. She doesn’t know how Suyin has managed to raise all of her children and Kuvira herself.

“I suppose that I will when Baatar gets home.” Kuvira says at last.

“What are you going to name it?” TyLee changes the subject.

Before she can give her answer Azula grumbles, “you better not name it after Karou.”

“We had two names in mind.” Kuvira replies. “Setsuko and Kotone.”

“Setsuko.” Azula casts her vote and TyLee nods in agreement.

Azula hands Kuvira her cup. “I don’t know what you want me to do with this.”

“Whatever my servants used to do with them.” Azula shrugs.

“I’m not your servant. I’m your mother.” It is still somewhat strange to say.

Frowning, Azula hands the cup to TyLee who flounces over to the sink and washes it. Kuvira rolls her eyes. One of these days she will have to get the girl to do her own dishes.

It would seem as though TyLee doesn’t share any of the awkward feelings. “Are you coming to or show tonight, mom? It’s our first one since S.A.S.”

“I’ll be there.” She replies.

“Good because it’s going to be my first time singing that many songs. And Azula has been really working hard on learning to play the guitar.”

“I thought that you already knew how to play it.”

“I put more focus into singing.” Azula shrugs. “But if I can’t do that, I might as well make myself known for play the guitar better than everyone else.”

So that is why Ghazan has been strumming his bass so intensely. She wonders if it is truly possible that her fiance is in an unspoken competition with a teenager. It begins to dawn on Kuivra that she has created a very bizzare family for herself. She supposes that she likes it this way, it keeps her occupied.

.oOo.

The past few months leave the former princess wondering why she had gone out of her way to create scandals and article material. Headlines seem to be coming left and right these days. The headlines have long since made note of Kuvira adopting four fire children with speculations ranging from simple observations to theories that they are about to form one large band.

The chatter of that had only just died down when Azula’s former rival found herself to be the subject of a new brand of talk with a slew of invasive journalists trying to get the first shot of the woman’s newborn. A seperate news article reported P’Li landing a good punch on one of the particularly eager ones.

For herself, Azula’s voice and the state of it are in constant discussion. The latest article unveils her plans to begin singing again. For the time it will be reserved for the recording studio only and depending on how that goes, she will be singing on stage when they tour alongside Wrought Iron Machine.

She is reluctant to thank Kuvira. Albeit a bit overbearing, the woman has gone out of her way to pass down a few of the vocal technique and warm ups she has learned. With the woman occupied by her baby girl, Azula almost misses having her lingering in the studio with her. But she has TyLee for company. Soon she will have Zuko and Mai as well. They are late again because Zuko refuses to leave without his beanie. Maybe if her brother kept his room more organized, he wouldn’t run into such a struggle. Perhaps she can get Kuvira to nag the boy. Such is another area of common ground; they both wish that one of their bandmates could tidy up a bit.

All in all, she is growing used to and fond of referring to the metalbender as her mother. She is closer to her than she had been with her real mother. And the woman, though prone to being somewhat of a hardass is kinder than her own father ever was. She is nearly at a point where she doesn’t miss her real parents at all. But if Kuvira is anything to go by, the disappointment never truly leaves.

Azula uses the spare time to get her new lyrics in order and her equipment adjusted. Her line of thinking switches. She is somewhat nervous to be back in the studio. Doctor Fing-Sho insists that her vocal cords are mostly healed, that the therapy is doing them very well. Yet there is still a faint tingle at the back of her mind that she can tear them apart again.

Screaming is still off of the table, at least for the time being. She is allowed a line or two of harsh vocals but it is advised that she doesn’t perform a set with them every single night. For now she will leave Zuko with that job and take up the gentler vocals.

No matter how solid her plan is she still feels vaguely insecure. The change is so subtle but she still finds that she can’t speak as loudly as before and there is still a very slight rasp to her voice that is going to take some getting used to.

Perhaps it will make her stand out. It isn’t a vocal quality many others have. TyLee speculates as much anyhow.

Finally the door opens. But it is not Zuko who enters.

Kuvira leans in the doorway Setsuko in one arm and a tea set in the other. Azula admires the woman’s creativity, she uses a metal platter, bending it to keep the porcelain on it from falling.

“I wrote a letter to the Jasmine Dragon a while back.” She says as she sets the tea set down. She brushes her fingers over the baby’s cheek. “You better like it this time.”

“Thank you.” Azula picks up the cup. It is heated to a satisfactory degree, things are off to a good start.

Baatar appears in the doorway. “Suyin says that she can watch Setsuko while we reccord tomorrow.”

“Thank Raava.” Kuvira mutters. She hands the baby over to the man.

Azula notes that the woman definitely looks worn. Her hair is some straggly and she is still wearing pajama bottoms. Baatar slips his free arm around the woman’s waist.

“What are you going to do today?” Azula asks.

“While Baatar watches Setsuko, I was going to take P’Li to visit Zaheer in prison.”

Azula krinkles her brows. “Seriously.”

Kuvira nods.

“Have a grand time.”

Kuvira laughs. “If you need anything just call Baatar.”

Azula nods. As Kuvira and Baatar leave, Mai, TyLee, and Zuko make their appearance. “It’s about time. I was about to start on my solo album.”

Zuko bumps her shoulder. “Good to have you back, Azula.”

It is nice to be in the studio again.

#Avatar #Legend Of Korra #Kuvira #Azula #Baatar Jr #Zuko #P'Li #TyLee #Ming-Hua #Mai #Ghazan #Fanfiction

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tinywriter2018 · 3 years ago

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Level 2.10

“You take me instead, do you hear me? Give her back and take me instead.”

Connected to Level 2.2

It had been a month since Bei Weiwei had been home. Their two sons were standing up closer to land watching their father pace back and forth on the sand.

“He’s finally lost it hasn’t he?” Ming Yue whispered to his brother. The two teenagers saw their father pause catching something in the waters. To them, it looked like a really big fish tail.

“I know your there!” Their father yelled out at the water.

“Now he’s talking to fish… Mom leaving him really has made him lose his marbles hasn’t it.” Ming Yue joked. He turned to see how serious his older brother’s face had turned. “Cong Cong?”

“Shut up.” He whispered, gripping his knee tightly. Xiao Nai grabbed a rock throwing it at the fish which quickly bee line for the shore.

“What is that?” Ming Yue went to run towards their father who stood perfectly still but Cong Cong held him back.

“Remember dad said not to step on the sand.” Suddenly a person’s top half emerged from the water, a woman with long black hair similar to their mothers. Slowly she moved out of the ocean, the water foam forming into almost a silk like material dress. A spear of bone in her hand long and ready to kill.

“You got my attention Land Dweller.”

“I want my wife.”

“She’s not your wife. I never gave my blessing. She’s not your kind, so she doesn’t abide by your peoples rule.” The women’s eyes looked behind Xiao Nai meeting the two boys who took a step back from the power in her gaze. Xiao Nai stepped in front grabbing her attention once more.

“You take me instead.” The women seemed to ignore him, stepping to look once more at his sons. “Do you hear me? Give her back and take me instead.”

“The only thing that would happen is I would drown you. My daughter’s foolish to think any life with you is a life at all.”

“Give her back!” The end of the jagged bone ended up pointing directly at his throat.

“You have no power to command me, Land Dweller!” Her voice vibrating through his system. Xiao Nai did not flinch, he merely glared at her.

“You won’t be able to hide them from us forever. You and Weiwei were naive to think we didn’t know.”

“You will not take them.” He stepped closer, a small trickle of blood coming from his neck.

“They will seek us out. Once they finally touch the water.” He felt her remove the bone from his neck turning with a smile.

“Whatever deal she made with you, undo it!”

“The deal means I can not kill you or have you killed and that I do not take your sons from you until they wish it to be.” She turned back, the end of her gown turning back into foam with every brush of the wave.

“What do you get?” Xiao Nai took a step closer, feeling the edge of the water brush his feet.

“My heir to my throne.” With that she walked back into the water disappearing completely. Cong Cong and Ming Yue raced towards their father. Cong Cong grabbed a cloth from his pocket pressing it against the wound on his neck.

“Dad who was that?”

“What is that?”

“That is your grandmother. Queen Chen Fang of the Eastern Seas.”

“Mom’s a princess? And a fish?” Ming Yue looked shocked at both of them. “You knew didn’t you?” He yelled at Cong Cong.

“Dad?” Cong Cong ignored his brother. “Mom’s not coming back is she?” Xiao Nai’s eyes filled with sadness looking out at the water. His eyes scanning the ocean top like he had since he found her after a hurricane 15 years ago.

“She will. Your mother never breaks a promise.”

Masterlist

#love o2o #love o2o fanfiction #Level 2.10 #Xiao Nai x Bei Weiwei #Xiao Nai #bei weiwei #Cong Cong #Ming yue #Mermaid AU

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airbookworm · 12 years ago

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A Date for a Scarf

~with teen!Tahno and teen!Jinora~

Tahno

“a date for a scarf” {{cuz my mun dosent have any idea on what to title it}}

Even thou he had asked a hundred times and a hundred times she had declined that hundred and one she finally sighed and simply said ‘yes’.

Tahno stood in the shore of the beach that hosted the port to Yue Bay. His dark pants where rolled to his calves, his feet planted steady in the water while he slides the thumb of his right hand into the inside of his left palm, the inside of his hands were redder than normal. He had asked the young airbender to meet him at the shore. He had seen two ferry’s leave the passengers and leave. It was afternoon now and he was wondering if she simply had stood him up.-

Jinora

Jinora had arrived in the city early that morning, with her father on Oogi so she could do some research in the City’s archives. It was something she did every so often, dig through the archives and find an interesting story or article to read. It was only when she looked up from a paper thirty some years ago that she realized she was running late.

As much as Tahno annoyed her, with his attempts to get her to agree on a date with him, she didn’t want to show up late, that was just rude. Swearing lightly, she cleaned up the archives, hurriedly told her father she’d catch a ferry home, and ran from City Hall with swiftness that only an airbender could possess.

Minutes later, she was standing at Yue Bay, their designated meeting spot, and looking around for him. Spotting him standing in the water, she walked towards him, crossing her arms as she stood behind him on the dry shore. “Enjoying the water?”

Tahno

He wriggles his toes into the sand as he glances at the fish intently trying to bite his toe. “little bastard” He mumbles as he shifted his body, hands in his pants pockets. At the sound of the familiar voice he perks and runs a hand over his hair casually. ” of course Water is the best element…” There were light bags under his eyes as he looked a little stressed. “and you. It took-” He closed his mouth abruptly and let out a sigh. He opted not to chew on her for been late. ‘be nice,be nice’ His mothers voice assured him in his thoughts as he extends an offered hand towards her. “Remove your shoes. Are you hungry?”

After she decides he grabs her hand and starts walking into the water. The water started to part on the sides as they walked forward. He pulls her closer to him. “sorry I need you a little closer because I am tired” He said it so fast and low it was barely auditable. A bubble started to form around them as she could notice he was following a small tunnel of air on the sand with his feet. The more they walked, the deeper they got into the ocean and the tunnel revealed a long rock canal with small dancing flames. They started to follow it as it died behind them. it was a one way trip or so it seems for now.

as the path become more illuminated they reached their destination. There was a large dome, its edges marked by the small rock canal that hosted the small fire flames and on the middle there was a low rock table and the sand had been shaped into cushions as they were covered in a warm blanket. There was food and drinks placed on the table. There was a small radio ontop of a large closed bin with a type of floating device around it and there was a rope tired to it as well as it when up to the top of the done and into the water.

From outside the water the view of the vast sea was incredible. There were lots of fish swimming around them. Even some bright orange and silver ones trying to bite at the flames on their side. Tahno released her hand gently as he walked over and took a bending stance. His upper body and hands turned into a circular motion before his feet dragged into the algae patch. There was a small pressure and then the dome seem to strengthen. He stretches his back and then waved his hands to the side taking some leaked sea water out. He moved towards the sand cushion and unceremoniously plops down into it with a heavy sight. “I’ll never do that again.. ” He meant keeping a stretched path open for such a long time, in fact Tahno was exhausted about it, he wanted to scream at the airbender but it had been such an ordeal to even sustain a conversation with her he really didn’t want to push er away. Yet his sentence wouldn’t make much sense to her since only he knew what he had done, well him and his jerkbender friends as she had called Ming and Shaozu. They had come with him over this section to bend the rocks and provide the fire. thankfully they didnt know who he was bringing here or he wouldnt hear the end of it.

Tahno ran a hand over his face and looked up towards the water. The sky was starting to shift into oranges. ”I am starving.. Would you like me to serve you?” He turns to look at her with softness in his eyes. The cuisine was a mixture of water-tribe and some fire-nation items.

Jinora

Taking a few seconds to take in the area and the view, she walked forward and settled herself carefully beside him, placing her shoes off to the side. “Tahno, this… This is amazing! I can’t even… This is amazing!” She gazed around for a bit longer before turning to look at him.

She froze for a second, seeing the softness in his eyes and the bags underneath. He must be tired, and she had kept him waiting. She bit her lip, feeling sorry, yet not knowing how to make up for it. She never really thought he would be like this; everyone else had always told her he was a jerk, a pretty boy who played with girls hearts. Maybe he did, but he was good at making a girl feel special, that was for sure.

Realizing he had asked her a question, she nodded, hoping to keep the light blush from completely forming on her face. “Uh, yeah, sure. Do you want any help?”

Tahno

“umm yeah..I dont know what you like and its a little cold so here..” He handed her her plate because he had no idea what she liked. he had seen her drinking tea’s and sweet cakes but that was about it. It made him realized he really didnt know much about the young woman, he knows she likes books and the brat brothers but not much more. They had always lived at each others edge, simple polite gestures that were more to keep been civilized than any other thing. yet Tahno knew she liked her, he had liked her since the first time he saw her and now that she was more of a woman than a girl he still liked her. It was a mix of admiration and star-struck and he half disliked and liked it himself. It was a conflicted emotion, too bad he was sure the girl really disliked him and she was here because he had kidnapped her scarf from her. He had to resort to playing dirty. but really who could blame him?! If he tried to be nice or good he got himself beaten or screamed at or insulted. Even she had seen it since most of it came from her group of friends. He could feel his face darkening as his thoughts started to flow into and unwanted path.

He ran his hand over his eyes as he pours himself some soup. He was use to eat food cold and water-tribe food originally was cold type of food. He grabs a piece of fire-bread and sinks it in the liquid before taking a healthy bite. He closed his eyes momentarily. it was delicious.

He had wanted to play this date cool and smooth but he was somewhat exhausted, so he was opting to simply play it natural. She wasent going to go out with him anymore so whatever; yet he breaks the silence with:

“there’s a radio there. you see sometimes the ocean gives out this scary sounds or the vast emptiness here can be a little overwhelming, so if you want to break it, the radio is able to play a few channels down here. I dont mind either of them…”

He continue eating and turned on his sand cushion to look at her. She was really pretty, his eyes wandered a few times and then stopped at the blue in her skin. he wonders if it had hurt and then he wonders if it was real?

He licked his thumb as he finished his last piece of spicy bread and then ran his finger over her arm, tracing the blue line and then stopped. He leaned closer and started to rub her line out wondering if the ink would smear.*

Jinora

Jinora nodded, taking the plate from him before looking at the food. It was an impressive array of foods, mostly Water tribe cuisines along with a few Fire Nation dishes. She noted that there were no Earth or Air, dishes, but didn’t mind too much. Earth dishes were common in Republic City, everyone seemed to like them well enough, and they weren’t quite as eye-catching as Water and Fire foods. As for the lack of Air dishes, there was nothing to be done about that. The only real place where one could eat the food of the traditional Air Kingdom as on Air Temple Island, and she ate plenty of it without having it on a date. Still, she had to give him credit for making sure there was little to no meat, save for a small dish to the side that she guessed was for him.

Quickly, she filled her plate with neat portions of Water soup, noodles and Fire fruits and bread. Settling back down beside Tahno, she dug into the food as politely as she could. It was only now that she realized how hungry she was. Her last meal had been early that morning before she left the island, and she was starving now, thankful her stomach hadn’t made an audible reminder.

They ate quietly for a few moments, the somewhat heavy silence being broken by Tahno talking about the radio. She nodded, politely covering her mouth as she swallowed the last bit of bread. Feeling too lazy and stuffed to actually move at the moment, she merely raised her hand and flicked her finger in the direction of the radio, a small gust of air flipping the switch. She flicked her finger again, and this time the air turned the tuning dial carefully, until the caves were filled with the sound of soft jazz from the local music station.

She turned back to her food, thankful for the radio. The silence before had been making her a bit nervous, for some reason, and she did not like feeling that way. As she picked up a dragonfruit, she felt him shift to watch her, and she glanced towards him, biting into her fruit.

She tensed, feeling him run a finger down her tattoo, and looked at him, curious as to what he was trying to do. She took another bit of her fruit as he started to rub the edge of her tattoo, leaning towards her as if puzzled. Swallowing, she let him continue to rub for a few seconds before speaking. “It’s permanent. It’ll always be there, just the way it is now.”

Tahno

“now that’s impressive” he expressed as he watched her with amazement and her delicated airbending skill were. It was impressive, he realized he needed to improve his skills. Now that he was intently trying to smear her ink he stopped in his tracks as he glances up at her. There was admiration in his eyes as he listens to her. He knew it meant that she was a master or a warrior to her `tribe`. Pretty and skilled. His though and how warm his hand felt against her skin made him remember he was touching her. As vibrant blue gray eyes starred into hers, she could see as his fair face started to tint with pink. “wow…it looks playful. I always looked at you but didn’t think it was real like real…” He blinks as he releases her hand and shakes his head a he raised his hands to her. ” not.not always i don’t look at you all the time like that. It’s not like that!” His eyes widen for a moment a he shook his head and then turned to face away. His ears were beat red as he was racing to serveboth of them some cold tea. It was made with limes,flowers and piecds of a special tree from the sawmp. To each person it would taste different. To him it was lighly sour yet finish with a sweet taste. He secretly liked sweets. He slides a cup to her as he stands and starts to clean up. He placed the plates in a pile and everything not eaten on a bolw. ” so you really dont eat meat then?” He placed the dirty items inside the bin and he pressed his hands against the dome and pulled a bubble of water and pored into the bin. He washed them and threw the water back out, where fishes started to gather. Then he poured the rest of the food and stood back as he watches the school of fishes. “every single time. ..I’ll never get tired of it….” He turns over and walls back to her. He drinks the tea and blows inside to make it cold. Then he moves next to her and takes her hand holding the cup. He placed his hand over hers and leaned closer to blow at the outside of it. The cup frosted except for the area her hand touched. “jin-ora…how it’s that?” He states into her eyes as he gave her a playful smirk.*

Jinora

She giggled as he seemed to trip over his words, his face flushing. He poured tea, and she carefully took a cup from him, sipping it as he began to clean up their meal. Her first sip surprised her- it was an interesting blend, but immediately one she loved. Not too strong, tasting of citrus mixed with a hint of vanilla to give it a darker taste.

Hearing his question, she nodded, lowering her cup. “Yes. The airbenders from my grandfather’s time believed that all life was sacred, so they didn’t eat flesh. He passed the belief onto my father when they discovered he was an airbender, and now the belief is practiced on Air Temple Island,” she explained, sipping her tea once more as she watched him clean. It was an interesting sight, to see Tahno cleaning. To be honest, she didn’t think he was the kind to really clean.

She tensed as he took her hand, a shiver running up her spine as he frosted the cup. Still, when she looked at him, on the receiving end of his devilish look, she flushed, her mouth opening just a tad to try and respond, though no words came out.

Tahno

“is my touch so unbearable?” He replies as her body tenses at the contact. The tone in his voice was low and he was calm about it. This Tahno was a new one, different from the arrogant, coincieted person that fought and shouted with her friends. It was a different side of him that he exposed to her. He was a little preoccupied and somewhat dissapointed that she recoils upon contact. It wasmaking him a little uneasy because he didnt know how to proceed. But as his gazed into her face, his thoughts started to wash away at the sight. Her delicate features highlighted in pink, her parted glossy lips and slightly fast breathing provoked a sudden flutter at his core. She looked so desirable. His body reacted by instinct. He wad inches from her lips, his right hand had slides next to her waist to support his weight as he inclined closer. Then there was the sound of crystal against the rock. He had pushed her hand that he held backwards which made him clack against the table. The sudden sound made him jump as he blinks amd realized that he was inches from her. He got suddenly nervous and his concentration broke. There was asudden splash of cold ocean water over them both. The pressure of the water falling from the ’ roof’ made him fall ontop of her. He stared eye wided for a few seconds before he remembered he was a waterbender. He moves partially to close the gap and turns to look back down at her as they were now soaking. He was so flustered about it, “are you ok? ” The sound of the jazz music returned to him as there was also the sound of some flaps as some fishes struggled. Too bad he was too caught up looking into the airbenders eyes. *

Jinora

She felt as if her stomach was becoming the home for a family of caterflies, the way he was leaning towards her. His arm was so close to her waist, so close he could have been holding her if he wasn’t supporting his own weight. Still, he leaned closer, and surprisingly, she didn’t lean away. She had always found him to be attractive, and it was only due to her friends saying he was a jerk that had kept her from developing any feelings for him. However, her friends where nowhere to be found at the moment, and she was finding herself remembering all the times she had looked at him in the past and thought he was cute or hot or just plain attractive.

He moved her hand, the one he held, back and the movement caused them to bump into the table, making both jump a little in surprise. She realized he was only inches away from her face, and she would have jumped backwards or shifted away from him a bit, if the makeshift ceiling hadn’t broken.

Ocean water came crashing down on both of them, the pressure knocking her to the ground, with him falling on top of her. After a moment, the shock of the event and cold water pouring down on them sunk in, and Tahno fixed the ‘leak’ with his bending. “Y-yeah, I’m fine,” she replied, shivering violently for a second as she shifted, supporting herself up with her arms. Soaked to the bone now, and shivering, she looked at him, his hair dripping, his eyes connecting with hers, paralyzing her.

Tahno

He started to chuckle as the whole thing started to sink in. Here he was trying to impress her and he was dropping the roof over them as the were at the bottom of the ocean. He ran a hand over his soaked hair, he had been growing the front of it.Ming and Shaozu loveed to tease him about it but longish hair quite suited him. As Jinora started to shift under him he could feel the friction between their clothing. His playful laugh died as their eyes connected once more. He moved his hand and the wet sand gave on him. He actually sank down closer to her. His gaze shifted to her collarbone and the fabric on her shoulder catched his eyes. The yellow fabric was thin and see-thru now that it was wet. It was plastered over her flesh that was tattooed with blue. He didn’t even thought about it a he reached to run in hand over the wet fabric and followed her arrow. From her elbow, up, to the back of her neck. His eyes had drastically darkened as he watched her in silence. His hand started to run kver the base of her neck, slidding into her hair as he quickly glimpsed at her lips. He had been over thinking everything during the date but now he simply wanted to kiss her and closing the distance between them he did. His lips meet with hers for a soft kiss.

Jinora

She bit her lip, watching him as his fingers followed the path of her tattoo, now visible through the wet fabric. She shivered again, from the cold but also from the feeling of his fingers ghosting up her neck. His fingers tangled in her hair, bringing her closer to him even as he moved towards her. Her mind was on turbo as their faces grew closer and closer, her thoughts racing.

“I shouldn’t be doing this, this isn’t proper. It’s only the first date, and we’re barely able to hold a civilized conversation in public. Okay, that’s mostly due to my friends, but still this is only my first date with him and Spirits, Father would not approve of this-”

Her thoughts halted as he kissed her. She stared, frozen at him, looking at the way his lashes rested against his skin as his eyes were closed. She stared, just for a few seconds before her mind gave up and she too closed her eyes, nervously returning the kiss.

Tahno

After she was on her feet he placed the striped sea slug in a water bubble and handed it to Jinora. He walked towards the radio, raised the volume and placed the item inside the bin, he hurried and took anything he didn’t want to leave down there. He closed the top then turned to look at Jinora.

He did a waterbending kata which resulted in a water softly starting to fill the dome. The fishes started to swim and some started to get closer in specific the orange-red one that started to peek at Jinora’s feet.

Tahno continued his movements but in a dance as he made his way towards Jinora. He took the striped slug and gently dropped it into the water. The bubble busted and the creature started to swim away. After that he tentatively slided his hand over her waist and swung his body softly to the jazz been played.

‘Nora. Do you know how to swim?

Jinora

Slightly disappointed that he pulled back, Jinora pouted. He was a good kisser, there was no doubt in her mind about that. She sat up as he moved off of her, and lightly glared at the slug. Taking his hand, she pulled herself, looking at him curiously as he handed a water bubble to her. Awkwardly, she held the water, noting that he must be keeping it somewhat solid so she could hold it. She studied the slug as he cleaned up the area- there was no sense staying here, when they were cold, wet, and surrounded by sea animals.

She jumped as she felt something nibble at her foot. Looking down, she saw a beautiful fiery colored fish, nibbling at her ankle as the water rose. She smiled at the creature, shifting the water bubble into one of her hands as she knelt and scooped up her shoes before a green fish could flop in.

Standing back up, Jinora handed the slug off to Tahno, smiling as he released the creature into the rising water, now halfway up her calves. Her smile grew, as did the light blush on her face, as Tahno slid his arm around her waist, drawing her to his side. Quickly, she slipped her shoes on, holding onto his shoulder to keep her balance.

“Yeah, I know how to swim. My parents were scared that I might fall off the island when I was young, so they taught me to swim almost as soon as I could walk. Why?” She responded, giving him a curious look.

Tahno

Her orange shoes made the fiery fish hyper as he kept trying to bite at it now. Tahno turned her body and started to soft dance with her around the room.

“too fall off the island? Were you a clumsy child ‘Nora?” He placed his and on her lower back as he swung her body sideways before they fell back into step with him leading. “you would run and trip and fall right?” “Did you fall alot?” He rubs his face against her hair gently as they danced while the water raised more and more.

“you an air bender. so if I am short of air would you give me some?” He nibbles into her right ear .

“Breath up!” He held her steady by her waist and pressed her against his body. as the water raised the plastic bin with the radio floated upwards. The music had left them, the fishes moved along and He softly whispers to her “fall for me..” The water washed over them as the dome collapse. The sky was darken as the sun had almost sunk completely. A current dragged them over as he still held her close to him and when it started to die down. He let her go but still held to her hand and started to swim. He could hold his breath for a good amount of time but as he turned to look at her he wonders how the airbender was holding.

He used his hands to signal her if she was ok and if she wanted to go up*

Jinora

She chuckled as he pulled her in to dance, leaning her head against his shoulder as they swayed. “I wasn’t a clumsy child, but I was very eager to learn. I’d examine everything I could touch, and when I started walking, I wanted to learn about everywhere I could get to. They were scared I’d walk to the edge of the island, see the water, and be curious enough to jump in.” She paused, chuckling once more as she remembered. “Also, my parents knew I was an airbender and were afraid I would sneeze myself off the island.”

They danced for a time, the water becoming deeper as time went on. Too soon, the water was nearly to their waists, and Tahno was whispering to her again. She murmured a sound of consent into his chest, lifting her head to kiss him, subtly blowing a small amount of air into him as well, as if to reassure him that she would.

Her hands gripped his shoulder and shirt as the dome began to break. She had just opened her mouth to reply to him, but only had enough time to take a breath before she was completely underwater. They drifted with the current until they were merely floating in the water.

Slipping her hand into his, she swam next to him, mentally keeping track of the amount of air she had. As an airbender, her lungs could hold an abnormally large amount of air, though when she did run out, she’d have to surface, for lack of having a way to get air.

She shrugged at him, signaling it was his choice, but she was fine for now.

Tahno

The water become less cold as the swam hand in hand. He pointed to a rocky florred area. There was large pieces of draft wood, piles of rocks and even one large sofa shaped structure. Tahno made sing gestures for: two, pack/gang, & fighting/training. He was showing her where his friends and himself trained. After that they swam for a little more. The view was very different. The algae and the colorful coral reef and fishes were stunning and quite friendly as well.

A school of flyingfish of blues,silvers and purples passed thru them as some even stopped to peek momentarily at the red in Jinora’s outfit. Tahno started to laughter as a fish seem to have slides inside her outfit. lucky for the lil bastard he found a way out as smoothly as he had entered, yet Tahno had lost some of his air and sniffed some of the salt water.

He gripped her hand a little as is eyes widen as he looked behind her. I was a small tigersnake. There was some distance between them but he didnt even wanted to risk it. He remember Shaozu trying to ‘fish’ one and how the fish had simply slapped the grown teen so hard they ended up putting him back on the sea.

He pulled Jinora onto him and wrapped her arms around his neck as he started to swim upwards. He kicked his legs harder each time and gave strong, elongated horizontal strides. The water started to bend, the flow of the water brushed against both their flesh and the motion started to change into a spiral. He wrapped his arms around her as he let go of his last breath of air. He was suddenly a little tired but they were close to the surface. Just about ten feet away the current died as tilds his head and started to manually swim with one hand*

Jinora

Jinora did her best not to laugh as the small fish slipped down her collar into her clothes, tickling her as it swam against her skin. Eventually the fish found its way out through her collar again, brushing past her face on its way out. She smiled, watching it swim elegantly away before she was suddenly pulled flush against Tahno, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck.

Then suddenly they were rising, away from the school of fish and what Jinora could identify as a tigersnake, a less then friendly creature. She tried to help Tahno with the swimming, attempting to kick her legs in time with his, but eventually just gave up and allowed herself to be held close to him.

They were close to the surface when she began her countdown for air. She could tell that Tahno was tired as well, and slipped from his arms, swimming to the surface by herself so he could use both arms.

In seconds, she was at the surface, taking deep breaths and brushing her wet bangs from her eyes. Being sure to stay afloat, she looked around, waiting for Tahno to surface for the air the surely he needed by now.

Tahno

He watches as her hands slips away from him and she starts to swim upwards. He could not help it but secretly he felt a little bit of abandonment. He was glad she could not see the expression on his face that overcame him for a moment. He shook his head and started to swim again. He bended the water and a few seconds later he was next to the airbender. He gasps for air and for a moment he forgot about everything and simply closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment. He felt her leg against his for a moment and tuned to face her. He have her a charming smile and then strted to swim byb yby her. A few strides away was the floating bin with the radio still playing music. He reached the row boatboat first and took a deep breath and blew at the water making an ice patch and using it to climb inside. He had thought of the little details. He took a stance an bends the water to get closer to the swimming girl. He ran both hands over his hair, down his neck over his soaking shirt that was stuck against his frame. His hands moved down his hips and into his inner tights as he bends down towards her. The movements could be compared to a dance movement in a way. He was bending the water off his clothes but he was making a scene about it, a subtle yetvery sensual scene. “oh did i just found a tresure? A rare kind of creature? Oh my spirits! I need to hurry and capture it…” He spoke with amusing dramatics as he helps her into the boat. His hands linger over her hands as he looks at her. He was definitely checking jinora out, but he couldn’t help it. She was very much to her liking. He felt his face become a little warm as he forced himself to look at her eyes. ” it’s cold. Let me fix your clothes…” He stated too slide his hands over her arms and stopped at toher neck. He waits for permission even thou he wants to continue he was trying to behave*

Jinora

Watching him bend himself dry, in a very enticing manner, Jinora blushed, unused to seeing anyone do anything like what he was doing. She sank into the water, just enough so that she could breathe through her nose but still try to hide her face as she watches his movements.

She laughed as he spoke of capturing the treasure, and takes his hands, accepting his help into the boat. She shivers, still holding his hands as a light breeze flows past them, chilling her in her wet clothes. Looking at him, she nods as he moves his hands up to her neck. “Yes, please.” She suddenly blushes then, closing her eyes and looking down, realizing just how cold she was.

Tahno

He looks at her lips and then at her neck. Tahno took a deep breath and starts to slides his hands down her neck over her collar bone, from there they spread and moved over her shoulders. He traced her spine halting at the base of her lower back. They lingered there for a moment as he moved closer to her frame. He ran his nose affectionately against her wet hair until he found her ear, he play kissed at it while his hands follows the hip bone structure to the front. Then they move up her sides and just before they reached her breast they stopped. He simply lifted his palms from her skin and had his fingers trail in the muffle of them. His fingers ran over her sternum bone and rested in the dent of her clavicle. Fingertips slides horizontally and off her body as he throws the water from her upper body back at the sea. His lips trailed playfully down her jaw line and he peeks his lips as he lowers his body. His hands moved to rest on her hips as he raises his hands to look at her while they slide over her. His right moved to her side back and left left to her front side. He was very careful not to invade her personal parts but still the movement were on the border btwn been intimate or sensual. He threw the remaining water away as he traced circles at her ankles. He sat down and tugs her fabric a little inviting her to move next to him. “ Nora, do you know the tail of the fisherman and the star maiden?”

Jinora

As his hands traveled her upper body, his lips toying with her ear, Jinora experimented with his neck. Tilting her own face up so she could have a better angle, she lightly kissed him, occasionally nipping him. Feeling him throw the water off her and move across her jaw, she smiled into the kiss. She pouted when he pulled back, and went back to biting the inside of her cheek as his hands caressed her hips. She pouted once more as his hands left her, but sat down at his tugging, settling herself comfortably under his arm, draping her own arm across her chest, her body turned towards him.

She shook her head, curious now. “No, I haven’t. What is this story?” she asked, resting her head in the crook of his neck. Her fingers began to trace a pattern on to his shirt, and her legs shifted closer to his, almost tangling together.

Tahno

He gently took her in her arms and re-adjusted himself more comfortably. His theory was right, he had felt that it would be quite physical between the air nomad and himself. He felt pretty comfortable next to her, she felt like sea breeze against his skin and he wanted to know how her naked body would feel against his. He felt his body becoming slightly hot as he was tempted to find out. Bitting his lower lip he stops looking at her mouth and turned to face the night sky.

” so a star maiden are celestial spirits that serve the moon spirit. Because the moon was so lonely she would hide in the clouds and not come out. The spirits kings decided to give the moon spirits sisters and brothers so those are the star maidens.”

He pointed to the shiny stars in the sky. “but they are like naive children that like to play & prank one another.”

He would skip the part that tools how dead children became those stars in the sky. He started to tell the story he remembers how gruesome it was. Gotta give it to his h mom to tell him a beautiful creepy story before going to bed. He continues.

” ermm.. So one of the maidens had been playing to close to the sea and when sunrise came she feel into the sea and her soul cloud was washed away from her. You see, a cloud soul is a cloth made off cloud that contains their soul and spirit power in it. That’s how they are star maidens, without it she can’t go home tho the moon. A fisherman caught the fabric in his meet that day and when he came to the shore the most beautiful woman he had ever seen was there waiting for him, because she was connected to her soul scarf. The man was in love at first sight so he took her home and made love to her. He could not hear her, he could only feel her, so in his dreams she showed him what she needed. He was heartbroken, never had he loved a woman in such a way so he kept the scarf already with him and tried to make her love him. A bittersweet life the star maiden lived and in time she learned about him and in time he grew to resent herbecause she did not love him. So one day he took on her boat into the sea. It was normal he did so fairly. But this time when he asked if she lived him and she replied with sad eyes instead off making love to her he drowned her. When he came to his senses he was so heartbroken about what he had done he cried to the moon to take his life for hers. Well. He killed himself and his blood mixed with the soul scarf. the star maiden came back to life but it was too late. She had tasted mortality, pain and love and she was also heartbroken. She could not serve the moon completely because she wasn’t whole anymore. so into the water she sank, taking the corpse of her captor and lover. she became a sea star. A sea maiden that would now be able to sing to the moon at night and warn the young star children from the sea and the race of men”

He let out his a soft shook as he ran his hand over jinoras arm. The tale had calmed his raging hormones a lil.

“so the question is……”

He shifts and drags a folded cloth to reveal Jinoras yellow see-thru scarf. He sat upwards and with a quick movement ondulated the fabric. It fell lightly over the both of them.

“should i give this back? Or should i keep it with me?”

He turned to jinora and shifted his body a little on top of hers as his arm still was been used as a pillow. He stare into her eyes and presses closer.

“jinora… Nora…. What do i do? Can you tell me? Or should i do what i really wanna do?” It came out velvety and deeper as he presses his chest against hers.*

Jinora

She watched as he pulled out her scarf. The scarf he had playfully stolen from her, the scarf that was essentially her reason for being here right now. She had only agreed to this date because she wanted her scarf back. Yet now… She could really care less about the scarf.

She could feel every breathe he took, his chest pressing against hers. She felt her scarf, her fingers idly rubbing the thin fabric as her mind raced for a reply. What did Tahno have in mind exactly? Did she want to risk it or tell him that she couldn’t? Be the person she was in society, or be herself? Hide behind her books or live a little? Take the scarf, or let him hold on to it?

“I think…” She paused, her hands moving to touch his face before hanging loosely from around his neck.

“I think we should see where these waters and winds will take us.” That said, she pulled him to her, closing her eyes as their lips met once more.

Tahno

Ambiguous wasn’t she. He could only reply with a handsome smile as her hands guided him. He returned the kiss fully. The previous kisses had been testing, more on the charming side, this one she had instigated it so he would deliver to it. He explored her mouth and tasted her. His lips and teeth gently pressing and nibbling along with hers. The intensity between them grew. When their kiss finally broke he realized he had simply climbed on top of her and his free hand had found its way inside her tunic as fingertips lingered over her chest binds. He wanted to reach for her neck but the collar was in the way. He tried to pull his hand out and it was stuck on the folds of the fabric. He was starting to bush as his lust high was been wash away by embarrassment of getting caught.

Jinora

She opened her mouth to his, tentatively copying what he did. This boy sure knew how to kiss, that was for sure. Her body responded accordingly as she felt his free hand slip under her shirt, traveling across her stomach before slowing at her bindings. She tilted her neck to allow him access to her neck, when she remembered her collar. She let out a quiet groan, letting her head fall back on to his arm as he struggled to free his hand from her shirt, only succeeding in tangling himself in the fabric even more. Smiling at his embarrassment, and positive that she was flushed as well, she quickly untangled her shirt. Once his hand was free again, she arched into his chest, slipping her shirt off and tossing it behind her head, blushing furiously now that she was in her bindings.

Tahno

He watches her and when she arcs her back his hand automatically rested between her shoulderblades to support her. His face tinted a little more but seen her flushed reaction he quiets his words and bit his lower lip as his other hand slides over her cheek, until his thumb traced her earlobe and the rest of his digits touched her hair. He lets out a soft gasp and then he was kissing her. Over and over until he needed air, and from there he stated to trail kisses at her neck returning the favor she had done for him before. She tasted of ocean but also of vanilla and oranges, it was very light but he was sure that was her scent, her taste. He nibbles very gently as he trails his nails, fingertips against her spine and binds. He lightly tugs her hair back to expose her neck a he kisses and kicks at her voice pipe before he moves to kiss her clavicle, his hand still holding her in place as his other started to roam more boldy. Talking on her hips and up her chest binds. His fingernails dragging at the fabric.*

Jinora

Leaning her face into his hand, Jinora looked at him shyly. Her face was still red, though it was more because of the… exercise, than actual embarrassment now. Of course she was still very much embarrased, but it didn’t stop her from pulling him down to her once more.

She panted lightly as the broke apart, her fingers tangling in his hair. She let out a soft sound as his fingers left a tingling trail up her spine before tugging her head back. Complying, she tilted her head, mewling as his hands traveled her body as he kissed her collar bone. She made a note in the back of her mind to keep the area covered for the next few days before she returned to Tahno, his fingers now touching her bindings.

Though her head was foggy with their activity, she knew that their clothing was uneven. She was shirtless, and seemingly well on her way to losing her bindings while he still had his shirt on. Her hand traveled down his chest, lightly tugging at the bottom of his shirt, her fingers teasingly touching his skin as she looked at him with what she hoped was her cute and innocent big brown eyes look.

Tahno

A silent breath escapes him as her hands run over his hair. It was odd, but he usually get annoyed when others touch his hair, yet Jinora was touching and pulling just right, stirring in him pleasure rather than annoyance. He was just starting to play with the binds. Lips and tongue trailing that upper edge as he would bite playfully at the fabric. It was then he saw her hands on his chest. The expression in her face made hhis inside stirs. He swallows hard as he moved higher to her eye lvel. He started to tease her; he was really close to her lips and he would lick, quick nibble and kiss her but he would pull back before it got deeper. He releases the hold on her hair and started to do the buttons from the bottom. He would tease her flat stomach in between the processes until his hand meet. He took her hand and placed it at the center of his chest. He put some distance so she could look at him clearly as he remover his shirt, then he pulled over his head the undershirt. He had big bruises and a scar that still looked fresh. Not too long ago she had been present when Mako and himself had a heated argument that ended with their usual fist fights. Tahno tends to laugh when they are at it but in this one the firebender had connected hard in that spot. It wasent one of Tahno’s days. ” it’s alright…” He spoke so low that if she was not looking at him it would have been missed. Under the pinks and purple bruises that decored his fair flesh the were muscles, , he was still in,development. In the future he would be taller and even thou he would remain slim and lithe he would be solid inside. Right now she could see the shadow of that formation. His hands moved down his own slides. His fingers slides over the edge of his pants and he started to undo the sash. She could see a peek of ink coming from his right hip bone. He was watching her to see if she would follow now. It was her turn again.*

Jinora

Jinora let out a frustrated groan as he kept from really kissing her. “You’re teasing me on purpose…” she murmured, helping him unbutton his shirt from the top down, giggling whenever he tickled her stomach. She shifted beneath him, managing to somewhat sit up beneath Tahno.

She watched quietly as he took his shirt off, a quiet gasp escaping from her lips as she saw the extensive bruising. Carefully, she touched him, her hand ghosting over the bruises and lightly tracing his scar. She looked up at him, just in time to hear him speak, and shook her head in response.

“No, it’s not. Mako did this, right? He’s my friend, but he can be a real hotheaded idiot a lot. He gets into too many fights, I’m not surprised if it’s effected his mind or something.” She traced the scar lightly, leaning forward to press a soft kiss to the damaged tissue.

As Tahno began to undo the sash around his pants, Jinora froze, fer face a bright cherry red. The thought of Mako reminded her of her father and the fact that this was her first date with Tahno. As much as her body, and half of her mind, wanted to continue, she couldn’t help but stop and do nothing. She was frozen, her mind warring over what to do next.

Tahno

His body unvoluntarily flinched as she touched his wound and bruises and a soft gasp as her lips made contact with such sensitive area. yet he couldn’t help it as he let out a bitter scoff and rolled his eyes at the Mako comment.

“He could dream too hurt me like this. The hothead ripped my stitches, so thanks to him its taking forever to heal. I got this at my job.”

He replied to his date. “and its alright. I’m use to it..”

AS his hands worked his sash he saw the sudden change in her and he himself froze on the spot. had he misread? did she not find him attractive because of his beatup state? was he too skinny? too girly looking? He was suddenly frowning as Shaozu’s voice came to tease him but he pushed the annoying thought away. His train of thoughts started to go too fast and suddenly it hit him.

She was not ready. She is scared. She is a good girl. His own face became fluster at his own realization and what he was doing. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths as he tries to calm himself down. He took Jinora’s hand and gently closed the other fingers and placed her index over the sash of his belt. He looks down at her with a soft smile on his face as he started to make a ribbon. When his pants were secure he tentatively ran a hand over her waist. The motion wasvery soft and gentle.

“like this… just like this is perfect for me…” He spoke very calmly as he stares into her chocolate-amber eyes. “Nora, can I kiss you for a little bit more?” He started to lean closer to her, but it was very paused. *

Jinora

Mentally jumping as Tahno took her hand, Jinora’s eyes snapped up to look at him. Desperately, she tried to hide unwariness and nervousness she felt inside. She really liked him, oh Spirits did she like him, but she was too much of a good girl to disappoint her father like this. It didn’t even matter that if it did happen, she’d make it so Tenzin never found out, but the guilt would forever weigh her down. She simply couldn’t.

She relaxed some as she realized he was tying a bow, and she began to breathe again, not realizing that she had in fact stopped breathing for a few seconds. Letting her head fall, her hand curled into a fist on his stomach as she muttered “Sorry,” under her breath.

Hearing him speak, she looked up, his ice-blue eyes showing her an understanding of her hesitation. Slowly, she nodded, tilting her head up to meet his lips with her own in a somewhat shy and apologetic kiss.

Tahno

He shook his head softly, his hair brushed against hers as he kissed her cheek before he softly kissed his lips. He was smiling. He had to break the kiss sooner than the previous ones because he was trying to calm his body. He moves next to her, sitting and sliding his legs over hers. It was almost as is he was sitting in her lap only that his butt was touching the boat. His hands gently took her waist as he pulled her closer. His left hand trailed over her right arm’s blue tattoo. His right hand softly slides over her shoulder and rests at the side of her neck as he lower his lashes and kisses her once more. soft, tender kisses that he had to break to breath properly.

This was bad. He was really kissing her and he knew right there he would be thinking about her more and more. He couldn’t stop thou. He wanted more and more. He was starting to feel heat all over his body. The soft approach was not helping him get calm at all. He bites gently her lower lip as he pulls away slowly and hides his face in the crook of her neck. He took deep breaths of air and there was that citrus, vanilla sent mixed with the sea. Spirits, he really liked her. He would be hurt by this. He knew it. He closed his eyes. His voice came out soft as he ran his fingers over her flesh absentminded.

“never feel sorry for the things that make you you…”

He kisses her neck and he had to stop as he was about to nibble her flesh, so he trails down her collarbone.

“also a real man respects a woman’s choice…” He glances up and straightens so they are back at eye level. “I am not one of the best men’s there are but I love and respect real women. I will never force my woman…” He was suddenly serious, as she could see this was a something he was thought as a child. to him it was a fact. but he broke the tension by smiling at her.

“on our next date you might feel more into it and i coulndt blame you since i am so good looking and all….” he arches a brow at her and lip his lip as he trailed over her binds and chest playfully.

Jinora

Why had she ever believed her friends? Based on this one date so far, everything her friends had told was a lie. Okay, maybe not a lie, but definitely not as true as she would have thought a day ago. Tahno wasn’t rude or a jerk or some stuck up snob. He was a nice, respectful guy that she honestly liked. She liked him, honest to the Spirits.

She loosely wrapped her arms around his neck as he pulled her closer by her waist, her legs resting beneath his as they kissed softly. He pulled back after a bit, gently biting and dragging her lower lip out, and she shivered inside at the feeling it gave her. Mentally, she put that on her list of likes and things to try on him, letting him rest against her neck, her hand lazily playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.

She had opened her mouth to say “sorry” once more, but closed it, looking him in the eyes again. They were such a beautiful color, really. She nodded at his words, loving him for them. She was young and scared, and wanted her first time to be something special. She wanted to know that her partner respected her, and be glad that she trusted them to be her first, to teach her and help her learn.

She chuckled as he brought up the idea of a second date. “Yes, you are good looking, I’ll admit that. Handsome, strong, and respectful. Quite the catch,” she responded, her voice dropping into a murmur as her arms lowered and wrapped around his chest, this time leaning her head in the crook of his neck.

Tahno

He kissed her and held her in her arms for some time. He would brake their kisses when they started to get too heated. After a while he sits up and kissed her one last time before he stood and walked from the boat into the water. his body was burning to cold ocean water would do the trick to calm all of him. He grips the anchor and uses the water to bend it back into the boat as he started to swim/bend his way towards the air temple’s direction. The water was very calm and soothing. when he felt the coldness step into his body the climbs back into the boat and bends the water out. as they got closer to the island, he jumps back down and pushes the boat to shore as he carries Jinora out of it and drops her in the sand. taking her hand to walk towards the pier. They had landed with some distance from there. “so I would like to see you again soon?”

Jinora

They were quiet as they walked towards the island’s pier. She thought about the days events, smiling at the new memories and glad that she had finally accepted a date with Tahno. They stopped walking just a ways from the pier and the path that lead to the temple, and she turned to him, still smiling. “I’d like to see you again too,” she said, nodding as she fingered the edge of her scarf. Her grin grew as an idea came to mind and she stepped closer to him, taking her scarf and wrapping it around his neck and pulling, bringing him down to her height. “I’ll see you sometime next week then?” She said, eyes sparkling, as she gave him a deep kiss, before suddenly pulling back and dashing up to the path. She laughed as she looked back at him, standing there with her scarf, giving him a small wave before turning her back and heading for home, bed and lovely dreams she was sure to have.

Tahno

Just as he went to hold her she slips away, the night air current gently pulling at him as he watches her. He found himself waving back and with a step on his stride as he made it back to the row boat. He didnt even felt to tired as he bends his way back to the shore.

He tilds his head as shaozu and ming waited for with on the board walk. A fast phased conversation along with afressive hand gestures and tahno was just tired of it by five minutes into it. He just wanted to go home and bask in the warmth jinora gave to him tonight, but he was on his way to a fight at AzulasAlley. Sweat, screams, bets and blood later laid somewhere in his apartment as he collapsed in the bed. He just wanted to be in that boat back with the girl with the arrow tattoo and forvet about everything. He could not wait for next week.

#repost from archive #troublemaker-tahno #troublemakertahno #a date for a scarf #au #thread: complete #threads

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