#nomad of nowhere fic

[spare-stories-archive]

Ah, my very first fic ever, you can really tell how new I was to writing.

[ronearoundblindly]

'Hideout' Masterlist

touch-starved!Nomad Steve Rogers x motel emplyee!Reader

Grant, a guest at your middle-of-nowhere motel, has needs not covered by the usual turn-down service.

Romance 🔥 || Smut 🦆 || Angst ⛈️ || Fluff 🌼 || Dark Fic 🌘

Puppy 🌼

Sweet Baby 🌼🔥🦆

Sensitive Boy 🌼🔥🦆 Part I; Part II

Horny Teen 🔥🦆⛈️ Part I; Part II

[[Dirty Headcanon Ask; Two; Three; Four]]

Desperate Man 🔥🦆 snippet

Husband Material 🌼🔥🦆

**Slow burn Nomad Steve during rare and random stays at your family's motel. Appearances by Sam, Nat, Wanda, and Viz. Follows the setup/development of this Valentine's Ask and these THOTS. It'll be cute. It'll be loving. I'm absolutely going to die of excitement. Join me in the happy death!

Ongoing PLAYLIST!

Interlude: A Special Visit Birthday Fluff 🌼🔥

{{Endgame ⛈️🔥🦆🌘}}

[Main Masterlist; Ko-Fi]

[mjanelupinblack]

starving creatures | chapter one 🖤

pairing: xu minghao x reader // jun x reader (mainly lol)

description: starving creatures have arrived at your homeland in forks. little do you know, they not only intend to drain the blood out of you... they'll also to break your heart in two.

genres: slowburn (please bare with me), fluff, angst, vampire!au

warnings: blood drinking, lot of blood related themes, repressed emotions, family issues, miscommunication, kinda toxic friendship with cheol? blood and smut will be mixed. emotionally and physically starved vampires oops. did i mentioned blood?

minors dni!!!

fic playlist 🖤

w/c: 3.2k

a/n: like i said, slowburn as f*ck. you'll have to wait to have fun with jun and hao but it'll be worth it if you bare with me. also i am having so much fun writing this omg ^_^ english isn't my first language and i don't have beta readers so kind feedback is welcome <3

CHAPTER 1

Joshua Hong had been the first for many things in his life: the firstborn, the first brother to complete his education, the first student among his classmates to perform a solo surgery, and one of the first doctors to try chloroform for his medical procedures, as anesthesia wasn't nearly as developed as it is now.

He was also the first one to be turned.

No other outcome could have been expected. People like him - young, enthusiastic, seemingly blessed by the gods - had to have some divine punishment waiting for them. Josh's penance would be to live forever with his luck... and to have it slowly fade into misfortune.

As a doctor, he never thought life could be eternal. He had witnessed all types of miracles at Paris Salpêtrière, but no soul had ever gotten to escape the sweet lullabies of death. At first, he felt terrible about it. Doctor Pierre had told him to get used to it, as God only gives special treatment to his friends. Little did he know, Pierre was a close friend of Him. He didn't notice it until he found himself digging a blade into his tutor's jugular vein.

No pulse could be found, but Pierre's breaths were still steady.

"Let's go, Josh! Everything's packed!" Vernon shouted as he got into the driver's seat.

"Do we really have to go through this again?" Jun complained, as if it would change anything. For the last time, he stared at the California house that had been their home for the past ten years.

He always got too attached.

"C'mon, man, you know it's better this way," Vernon replied.

From the passenger seat, Joshua looked at them. Minghao rubbed his brother's back and gently pushed him into the car despite his deep and frustrated sighs. This might be the worst part. But upon reflection, the worst part might also involve the one where locals started noticing their lack of aging, leading him to search for a new town.

"Jun, you can't be mad..." Vernon tried.

"Hum, yes, I can be mad," Jun countered. "And I can't believe you all think it's possible to move from California to this nowhere town."

"This 'nowhere town' is called Forks, alright? And it's your new home, so you better get used to it."

Nowhere Town. That's a good name, as it reflected all the peace Joshua had been praying for since Junhui and Minghao joined his and Vernon's odd nomadic, supernatural-like lifestyle.

"It's always cloudy there. You'll get to hang out more often with your friends."

"Sorry, what friends?" Jun asked sarcastically.

"You'll make friends eventually, Jun. Stop whining," Minghao said.

You didn't believe Forks was the best town in the world either. The landscape, always covered by mist and the ground sticky wet from the most recent storm, looked exactly as it did when you were born. You finished cleaning the house an hour before the awaited arrival. The large windows were all cleaned, not a single stain preventing passersby from catching a glimpse inside.

The house was empty for now, as it had been since the heartbreaking death of the previous inhabitants. You sat by the porch, trying to catch your breath and wondering what the new family looked like. Were they old? Were they nice? Certainly, they wouldn't want anyone to disturb them, otherwise, they would have chosen to live closer to the town center.

Surrounded by trees and animals, your aunt's house was known for attracting people who appreciated solitude.

That's the first thing you learned about Minghao.

There is a van approaching from a distance. The new renters arrived half an hour earlier than you planned. You stand up quickly, shaking the dirt off your pants when, for the first time, you see his face.

You won’t be able to forget that face.

"Y/N, right? We talked on the phone yesterday," one of the guys says. There are four of them now. By his introduction, you supposed you are talking to Mr. Chwe.

"Yes! It's so nice to meet you all, Mr. Chwe."

You shake his hand, surprised to find Mr. Chwe, a doctor, looks more like a student who just pulled an all-nighter.

He also has the temperature of an old man.

"Just Vernon, please," he said.

You had a speech planned, but right now you're having trouble remembering what you were going to say. There's a man behind Vernon who looks at you with tender and compassionate eyes. You assume he's Joshua, the one who responded to your emails.

"I'm so sorry my aunt couldn't make it today. As I told you, she's been sick. It would be difficult for her to climb all the way up here. I'll give you the tour, if you're comfortable with it."

Vernon shows his understanding. The same goes for Joshua, who breaks into a sincere smile and thanks you for being so attentive. It's almost as if they're acting like parents. And then, there are the kids...

"Actually, I'm tired. I'm sure we can figure out the house ourselves."

"I could really use some sleep."

"We've stayed in bigger houses anyway."

"Jun, Hao... Enough of that."

Jun and Hao; you're not sure which one takes your breath away more. With their silky, white, shoulder-length hair, they stand in the woods like fairies in a fairytale.

But you imagined fairies to be... more polite, perhaps.

"It's okay. It must have been a long ride for them. I'll leave you to rest." You tranquillize Mr. Chwe with a smile, but think, Morons, in your head.

Almost as if he heard what you said, Jun's face contorts in a gesture that appears both surprised and offended.

"Do you all see that little house right there?" you ask, pointing down into the distance past the trees. "That's where I live. Just call me if you need anything. We're the only neighbors you have around, besides the Boo Family. Oh, and I almost forgot. They asked me to leave you a present since they won't be able to come and say hello today. I left it inside."

"A present?" Minghao asks, his forehead furrowed and a fucked up temper. It's as if you'd just left a bomb or something in their kitchen.

You feel small under his gaze.

"Yes... it's just a beautiful mirror."

•••

Vernon was the second one to get turned.

He graduated from uni, having already killed a man. He tasted his blood, vomited to stop feeling sick, but then got the imperious need to drink from him again.

“Who the hell is this Boo Family?” Jun asks once they get to the house. The mirror is still covered in the living room. There’s no use in unwrapping it as they can’t use it anyways.

“Some old friends.” Vernon answers, face paler than usual.

He made a vow to never to steal a life again. No matter how hungry he was, no matter how weak he could get, he had a strong set of values he planned to spend the rest of his non-desired eternity with, even if people told him it wasn’t the natural thing to do.

“Explain yourself.”

“No explanation needed… Just go to your room, Jun.”

“Are you grounding me or something? I thought we were over with all this weird family shit.”

“I could be your grandfather, how is that weird to…”

“Boo Seungkwan is the man who brought Vernon into this life, okay?” Joshua explains.

Josh had been his mentor. Studying hard for his degree, Vernon was only seven years younger than him and had a mind full of dreams. One of them was to become a doctor as brilliant as Joshua, which, after a lot of sacrifice, he did. But he never thought his desire to be like Joshua would put him into a world so dark and twisted. When he said he wanted to be like Joshua, he never imagined… this.

“There’s your answer.” Vernon says.

He wouldn’t have endured sane this long without Joshua as a friend.

“Don’t worry, mate, we are leaving this place.”

The house is big. Of course, they lived in much larger houses than your auntie’s, as Jun said. But this house… There is wood covering the walls and enormous trees blocking the sunlight from the windows.

Vernon asks himself, is it always going to be like this?

Will Josh and he finally be able to take daytime shifts? Will they be able to walk around town without having to worry about deadly eruptions on their skins?

Sunglasses and long sleeves, then they are ready to go. The offer is tempting.

“There’s no need.”

“What do you mean?” Joshua asks in disbelief.

“I mean… We already paid the girl.”

“And she can keep the money. We’re leaving.”

Jun seems thrilled. What will their new location be? Bahamas? Maybe France? Oh, he loves pain au chocolat! Now it is gonna be great.

“I want to give it a try, Josh,” Vernon says, much to Jun’s disgrace. “Yejin is dead. And there’s no other reason for the Boo family to attack me again.”

“Yejin? Like your ex-friend Yejin?” Minghao asks.

“More like the maniac, out-of-her-mind-obsessed-with-Vernon, Yejin.” Joshua corrects.

“How did you know about her, Hao?”

“I might have stumbled upon your diaries once. But then we moved, and I don’t know where you hide them anymore. So I’m kinda stuck in the middle of the tale.

“Well, well, well… Looks like we know very little of each other to be part of the same family, Mr. Chew. Or should I call you Doctor?”

Jun disappears from the room, not caring for Joshua, who wants to say something to him. Even if he couldn’t move at this dazzling speed, he would’ve been able to escape the situation with equal grace.

That’s the way he is.

“Welcome to Forks, then.”

•••

“So… the new renters are a piece of shit.” your friend Cheol says. It's nice to catch up after a whole summer apart, not seeing or hearing anything from him.

Your ankles ache from the cold wind that bites as you walk the last stretch to school.

“That’s not what I said,” you explain. “The doctors were very nice to me. But the young ones… This guy Jun was in a terrible mood and treated everyone like shit. The other brother was…”

Threatening? But gut-wrenchingly beautiful? Eyes so deep like sinking ships after crashing with an iceberg?

“…a bit serious, I don’t know. When the doctors asked me if there was a highschool nearby, I thought I'd get to make some friends.”

“Are you saying I’m not enough of a friend?”

Okay, that was a low blow and you need to respond to it.

“The whole summer you went missing. So yes, at some point your friendship felt short for me.”

Many years of friendship taught you that you can open up with Cheol whenever you feel sad or lonely. You arrive at school and identify some of the friends he spent the whole summer with. A sight escapes your mouth. You love the guys, but you kinda wish your alone time with Cheol would have lasted longer.

And he notices.

“We can hang out later. Just you and me,” he promises, grabbing both of your hands. “We can sneak and spy on this jackasses’ house. Then you’ll watch them nose-picking and realize they’re not that big of a deal.”

“Voyeurism? That 's the date?”

Cheol pinches your nose in between his fingers and smiles playfully. Same old smile. Same old gesture that makes you feel safe. Even after a whole summer of not knowing what the hell is going on in his head.

“I know you. Don’t act like you don’t like to get into other people’s lives.”

Touché. You admit there’s a certain rush of adrenaline growing in your veins whenever you think about getting into your new renters’ intimacy. There's a certain power that comes with knowing about other people's secrets. Even when you don’t plan to use any of those against them.

“I’ll think about it.”

“I take it as a yes.”

“Take it as a maybe I'd rather go grab some coffee and not do such creepy things!”

You hit your friend in the arm playfully. When they see you coming, the gang welcomes you with a hug and some cheering. Hoshi tells you about how your best friend drank his blood’s weight in beer and none of the parties were near as entertaining as when you are there to join them.

You don’t believe him. You know he’s only saying this to make you feel better. But you have nothing against white lies when they serve their purpose.

“Maybe invite me next time?” you say, knowing that you are asking for the impossible.

Soonyoung looks at Dino, who answers without saying a word. Cheol pulls you closer to him. Silent and almost surrounding you with his arms.

“I really don’t think you’d like it,” Soonyoung says. “Plus you’ve been busy training, from what I heard.”

Of course. Training. You are not sure what Soonyoung must have heard about it, or who he must have heard it from. But this summer, you have been leaving your house at five in the morning everyday with the intention of running your sacred five miles before seven a.m—or whatever number of miles you could do before starting to feel like you’re about to pass out. It has been awesome; wind whipping your skin and not a single thought crossing your head. Just a pleasant sensation of hurt that would leave your legs shaking and your mind blank.

After that, you’d return home just in time to give your auntie her meds.

And then you’d like to run away again.

“Are you getting into a competition or something?” Dino asks.

“Nah. I was just doing it to clear my mind. But who knows… I’m fast.”

“Maybe I could help your train then”

Around the corners, or maybe even a couple of blocks away, there’s a soul with the extramundane ability of hearing your thoughts and sayings with just the gaze of your silhouette.

“Hum… who the hell are you?” Seungcheol asks him.

He wasn't there just minutes ago. You must have been too lost in your own thoughts as the sight of your neighbor makes your heart skip a beat.

Maybe he wants you to introduce him?

“Guys, this is Jun. My auntie rented the house to his family, so he and his brother are new here.”

“Great way to introduce yourself, mate. You’re an asshole, from what I heard?”

You step over your friend’s foot, hoping to subtly silent him. Damn, Seungcheol has a big mouth.

“Actually, I’m here to apologize,” Jun says, much to your surprise. And then he looks at you like no one else is there. “My manners weren’t the best. We had a long trip from California so I’m sure you’ll understand.”

“California? You’re a ghost, man.”

Ignoring Soonyoung’s comment, your neighbor continues trying to apologize.

“I just wanted to let you know that whatever neighborly thing you need, you can count on my family and me.”

Just by the way they’re silent, analyzing every bit of him but actually finding nothing, you can tell that the guys already hate Jun without even knowing him.

And for that, you feel relieved.

“Thank you, Jun. I really appreciate it.”

“My pleasure.”

•••

You live in a place so different than Mr. Chwe and Mr Hong’s new house. It only has a few rooms; none of them fancy and only spacious enough for you to sleep and change in there. The little wooden cabin remains hidden in between the trees, all of them prominent enough to prevent your house from being in plain sight. Rain has to make an effort to fall in between thick leaves. And if it wasn’t because of the oscillating movement of your auntie’s chair, Joshua would´t have found it.

He has always been a good neighbor. It’s a signature part of the made up story he tells about himself every time his life changes. So there he is, standing on the porch of your house with a basket of freshly baked cookies in hand. He expects to find you there and maybe ask you a couple of questions about the Boo family and your relationship with them.

“You didn’t have to” you say, receiving the basket in your hands with guilt wrinkling your eyebrows. “Really. I feel terrible. I don’t have anything to give you in return.”

“You’ve given more than enough. This is just a thank you. To you and your aunt.”

Some persistent raindrops have started to pierce through the trees.

“Come in, I insist” you say, opening the door fully even though it’s kinda messy inside. You haven’t found the time to clean up and embarrassment shows in the crimson red of your plumpy cheeks. “You won’t make it to the lodge before the rain. And I was about to make some coffee to warm up anyways.”

Joshua knows perfectly that he will be able to reach the lodge even before the next drop of rain. Despite that, he decides to enter your house and take a seat at your table, waiting for the cloudburst to stop, like any normal person. In front of him, there’s a cup of coffee. He asked for it without sugar or milk because he wouldn’t be able to enjoy those flavors if you put them in there anyways. Of course, the story he tells is different. It’s easier to explain he’s grown accustomed to preparing his coffee bitter in the rush of his night guards.

“So, California…”

Your friend Hoshi’s observation over Jun had been rude but sharp. California’s sun had rejected Joshua’s family in an inexplicable way.

“Yes, we stayed there for a short time,” he answers. For him, that is not a lie. Ten years really is a short time. “We have a condition. It makes us sensitive to the sun. So long term wasn’t an option.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry for that...”

“It's okay. We just have to be careful. Forks seems like the perfect place for that.”

“Trust me. Forks can give you a lot of trouble but sunny days won’t be one.”

Joshua takes a sip of his coffee. It doesn’t taste like anything, but it’s reassuring to see you enjoy the cookies he baked but can’t taste.

“A lot of trouble?” He asks, eyes full of curiosity. “What do you mean by that?”

Coming from California and —from what Vernon told you— previously New York, you imagine your neighbor has no idea of the consequences of living in a place like Forks.

“Well, a small town can be a vast hell if you don’t keep things to yourself,” you explain. “Forks is amazing. But there’s only a few habitants and they all get bored easily, so rumors fly.”

Joshua’s well aware of how deadly rumors can be. Especially when truth revolves around them.

“Do you have secrets to entertain us with, Mr. Hong?” you mock him, feeling a little more comfortable around your neighbor who’s not only a kind person but also a great baker.

His eyes get all wrinkly when he smiles.

“I’m afraid we’re gonna bore you all,” he answers “And please don’t call me Mr. Hong.”

“Fair enough.” You say, while cleaning leftover cookies from the corner of your mouth.

“What about you, do you have secrets?”

You laugh at the question. Maybe it’s because you know the answer damn well.

“Of course. We all do.”

masterlist | next chapter

[nekoannie-chan]

Week 8 Reblog Masterlist

Welcome to Week 8 2023 or Week 164, as always, fics would be listed in the order I read them.

I hope you enjoy it!

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

♥ You can check my reading guidelines here.

♥ You can check my masterlist here.

♥ You can check my main reblog masterlist 2023 here.

♥ You can check my February reblog masterlist 2023 here.

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

𝙺𝚎𝚢𝚜:

💛 ᵒʳᶤᵍᶤᶰᵃˡ ˢᵗᵒʳʸ

💜 ʰᵒʳʳᵒʳ

🖤 ᵈᵃʳᵏ

❤️ ˢᵐᵘᵗ

💚 ᶠˡᵘᶠᶠ

💙 ᵃᶰᵍˢᵗ

🧡 ᶜᵒᵐᵉᵈʸ

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

This is the list of the fics I read and recommend in Week 8 2023:

 In the mountains I (Dark!Stucky X Reader) by @straywords​ 🖤❤️

And all was lost (Dark!Steve Rogers X Reader) by @witchywithwhiskey​ 🖤❤️

Eye contact (Steve Rogers X Reader X Bucky Barnes) by @thenhewaswrongaboutme​❤️

Day (Wanda Maximoff X Reader) by @blog-of-a-multitude-of-fandoms​ 💚

Alvey’s game (Alvey Kulina X Reader) by @talia-rumlow​❤️

Forget me not (Steve Rogers X Mutant!Reader) by @sweetascanbee​ 💚

Stuck in the middle: what it's like being close to Derek and Addison during their divorce (Platonic!reader X Derek shepherd, Patonic!Reader X Addison Montgomery, Mark Sloan x reader) by @shelbgrey​ 💙💚

Hymnostic (Steve Rogers X Reader) by @heli0s-writes​❤️💚

Leap (Steve Rogers X Mutant!Reader) by @sweetascanbee​ 💚

Too Many Wingmen (Steve Rogers X Reader) by @beccaanne814​💚

Imagine 40’s!Steve… (40’s!Steve Rogers X Mutant!Reader) by @imyourbratzdoll​💚

Witchview (Steve Rogers X Witch!Reader) by @buckets-and-trees​ 💚

Santa tell me (Steve Rogers X Reader) by @wildestdreamsblog​❤️

No motive (Serial killer!Steve Rogers X Reader X Serial killer!Bucky Barnes) by @moosereblogsfics​ 🖤❤️

Get this girl some ice cream! (Steve Rogers X Reader) by @witchywithwhiskey​ 💙💚

A kitten and a cat (Nanno X Reader) by @noverenia​ 💚

Little tired eye (Steve Rogers X Reader) by @sapphire-rogers​ 💙💚

Guilty pleasures (Nomad!Steve Rogers X Stripper!Reader) by @oh-my-damn​ 🖤❤️

Round 1 (Alvey Kulina X OFC) by @crazytxgradstudent​💚

Warm on the inside (Steve Rogers X Reader) by @wildestdreamsblog​❤️

Please? Those eyes won’t work on me this time (Evan Buckley X Edmundo Díaz) by @mumucow​💚

By the sword (Steve Rogers X Reader) by @crushedbyhyperbole​💚

Baby steps (Michale Morbius X Reader) by @chiefdirector​💚

Moving (in) (Dark!Steve Rogers X Reader) by @ironlady1993​ 🖤❤️

Round 2 (Alvey Kulina X OFC) by @crazytxgradstudent​💚

Nowhere near done (Bodyguard!Steve Rogers X Reader) by @witchywithwhiskey​ ❤️

The assistant (Boss!Steve Rogers X Reader) by @holylulusworld ​ 💙💚

Don’t forget where you belong (Mean!40s!Steve Rogers X Reader) by @cockslutpadalecki​ 🖤❤️

Escort to the multiverse chapter 3: I think she likes it! (Brock Rumlow X Reader) by @talia-rumlow​ 🖤❤️💙

The man behind the shield (Steve Rogers X Reader) by @winterfrostlovetriangle​ 💚

[secretswiftymarvelfan]

Writer Self-Rec Fics Ask Game

Rules: writers list your top 5 favorite fics of yours and then send this to 5 writers! :)

oooh this is fun! I'm gonna bend the rules slightly and do 5 recs of my own work AND 5 recs of other people's work and those can then carry the chain on if they want!

Okay so for my work I have to say

Memory Served and Court of Public Opinion (I'm combining these because CoPO is the sequel! It's darker than all my other work and full of fun twists and turns!)

Burnin' Up (I cannot put into words how much I love this series and I'm so sad it's coming to an end soon!)

Forgotten Lands AU (This is a newer one and there's not a lot there at the moment but I have so many ideas and I just loved diving into the world of fantasy!)

Fixer Upper (This one hit me out of nowhere and has taken me on a wild ride into the world of Mechanic!Curtis and I totally blame @sweater-daddiesdumbdork for my Curtis Obsession!)

As Long As You're Mine Pt 1 and 2 (I never expected I would write mob stuff because I very much live in the world of fluff and rainbows and all things happy, but I love this and I did struggle picking between this one and Nomad's Girl!)

As for other writers:

I absolutely LOVE @sweater-daddiesdumbdork 's work that its near impossible to pick just one but I love Life's Short So Make It Sweet and The Pack series! Also all of Amber's Halloween series are amazing!

@time-for-a-lullaby is the QUEEN of Chris AUs! The Boston Brute got me obsessed with Hockey! Out of Left Field was AMAZING and Cowboy Chris makes me weak at the knees

@anika-ann writes the best Steve. Her work is so poetic that I feel like I'm reading a classic. Her Attached Series is amazing and makes me wish I had a professor Steve in my life

@stargazingfangirl18 is the QUEEN of Smut and everyone should BOW DOWN! Necessary Arrangement is INCREDIBLE and I cannot wait to get my hands on the published version! I'm also so happy that she is back and I can fully dive into more of her work!

@drabblewithfrannybarnes has the BEST Hockey AU with all the faves! I don't think I could actually pick which one is my favourite! Also she's another fave of mine that has returned and I can feel nature healing!

I could honestly go on and on with fic and writer recs because there are SO many amazing writers on this site so just go give them some support! Engagement has been real bad lately and as much as us writers say we write for ourselves, we share our work for you guys and it shouldn't be a one-way street, we should be getting more engagement than just serial likes in return for sharing our work. So just drop a comment in the replies or reblog because you will get so much more out of us!

[thelediz]

Sonic Underground episode 23: Dunes Day

I’m watching Sonic Underground in search of inspiration to finish a fic I’ve been writing forever. It’s a sad state of affairs. See the recap of the first three episodes here, if you're interested!

The plot (for want of a better word): The Sonic Underground are searching out a nomadic tribe of Freedom Fighters to secure their help for the Resistance, but their leader, Ifyoucan, holds a dark secret…

Oh! Oh, oh, this is Ifyoucan’s episode! Ifyoucan has stuck in my head since the first time I saw this episode forever ago. There is something heartbreaking about him that has just taken a hold of my soul and I cannot let it go.

But anyway. Anyway. So we open with the triplets going through the desert. Manic is annoyed because it’s the middle of nowhere, Sonic is on mission-focus this episode, and Sonia is complaining about being out of the city and is… putting on sunscreen and sunbathing inside the van… okay, girl, you do you.

The van has overheated, and the SWATbots are on patrol! Our triplets are in danger! But shadowy figures watch from above…

 Manic is apparently going to be a brat this episode. He’s complaining about being stuck in the desert and wants to know what people stuck in the middle of nowhere could possibly do to help the Resistance (while Sonia gets distracted by the pretty gems his frustration has uncovered because she’s on frivolous girl duty and I Am Going To Ignore Her). I want to shake Manic quite badly because there are SO MANY examples of wars being won by people who just know how to live and work and hide in their environs and will stop invaders from being able to cross divides. If you can control a divide, you’ve won, because an empire divided is an empire falling.

But I digress.

The shadowy figures prove my point, because Sonic can’t get traction on the sand for some reason (have none of these writers played Sandopolis Zone? Sonic's good in sand!), and the figures have chaos-empowered glowy swords. They introduce themselves as the Azcan tribe, led by Ifyoucan, who may or may not be voiced by the same guy as Sleet – it’s hard to pick.

I’m not sure which culture the Azcan tribe is supposed to be – there’s a veiled dancer at the camp, Ifyoucan’s glowy sword is a sabre, they wear robes and covered hair, and the accent is vaguely Arabic… let’s go for vaguely Arabic and move on. The episode is making a big point of showing these people as noble nomads, so that Ifyoucan’s secret is more easily accepted… not that it’s doing a very good job of hiding the fact he’s got cyborg parts on his face and hand, but don’t notice that yet!

The tribe says that the triplets need to prove themselves by having one of them join the tribe, and Sonic barely lets them finish the sentence before he’s jumping up.

Interesting side point that I make too much of here – generally, when they’re using full names, Sonia and Manic will refer to themselves and Sonic without ‘the’ (ie, Sonic Hedgehog). But Ifyoucan very clearly says ‘Sonic the Hedgehog wishes to join our tribe’. I make too much of this. He’s a hedgehog, not Sonic Hedgehog.

To join the tribe, he must defeat a monster in a hole. He of course does fine, because he’s Sonic. They celebrate with

THE SONG: True Blue Friend. The guitar in this is pure Sonic music and I’m all for it. The lyrics are just your usual corny friendship line, but the sound is good value and I dig it overall.

But Manic still doesn’t trust Ifyoucan, because he hides his face and—worst of all!—he didn’t DANCE when they played their song. SCANDAL.

I will admit, though, there was a shot in the song that made it look like he was scowling at the music, so Manic may be onto something here…! He goes to spy, and finds out that Ifyoucan has been robotocised! He goes to warn the others, but is caught by one of Ifyoucan’s bodyguards. They kidnap him and literally leave him in desert to die. Ifyoucan does not know about this until after Sonia and Sonic come to him in the morning asking where their brother went.

The bodyguards explain they were doing it to keep Ifyoucan's secret – the tribe would reject him if it got out that he was robotocised. But Ifyoucan cares more about the wellbeing of his tribe’s family, of which Manic is now a part.

Meanwhile, Sleet himself has found the trashed SWATbots from the start of the episode. Because this episode needs an actual villain. Far be it from this show to have the conflict just be the internal and emotional issues at play.

Manic is very much falling apart out in the desert, with mirages and all sorts, and a vulture waiting for him to die. So that’s cool.

And for some actual emotional conflict in the episode, Sleet is sounding suspiciously jealous of the fact Dingo has a crush on Sonia, despite having spent the last two interactions ignoring or threatening him, and despite his own personal obsession with Sonic this episode. No comment either way.

Thankfully, Sonic and Ifyoucan have found Manic collapsed in the desert, and Sonic nearly drowns Manic because this show is not about to teach anyone how to actually recover from dehydration (for the record, small sips to start, kids). He then immediately throws him on a hoverboard because that’s how quick people recover from nearly dying in these shows (for the record, you’re going to be out of commission for at least twenty-four hours)

But they arrive back to an empty camp – everyone’s been tied up in the tents! It’s a trap! Shock!

There is… something remarkably well done about the start of the fight in the camp, where the SWATbots and tribespeople are running through the close quarters of the camp in the dim light. Something about the music and the framing. It only lasts a few moments before the episode falls to the terrible and slow animation of Sonic Underground, but it’s surprisingly effective.

Everyone’s fighting back, the SWATbots are exploding from apparently getting sand in their joints (so says Sonia and who am I to argue), and Manic runs afoul of the beast Sonic had to fight earlier. He’s having such a bad day… but is saved by the bodyguards who kidnapped him earlier. So apparently everything is forgiven between them, which is... wow. Just wow.

Sleet and Dingo are driven off by the tribespeople and the day is apparently saved.

Ifyoucan thanks the Sonic Underground for their help, and takes responsibility for Manic almost being killed by admitting his robotocisation to the tribe, and sentencing himself to exile.

While shocked, it’s pretty obvious from everyone’s reaction that the fact their leader was a cyborg is NOT the problem with this statement. Because good leadership beats out physical differences, or something, the lesson is kind of fumbled here, but well meaning!

The newest member of the tribe must cast the first vote for a new leader (which is… an interesting legal choice, but sure), and Sonic of course votes for Ifyoucan, which is obviously echoed by literally everyone, and the status quo is restored hooray.

And as a weird coda, we have Sleet and Dingo making their way back home, with Sleet using Dingo as an umbrella, and… yeah, it’s supposed to be the final joke, I think, but whatever.

So I obviously like this episode, but like the one before it, it feels like there was a message or lesson that was supposed to be imparted here that just… wasn’t. This one’s a bit more obvious, in that Sonic verbally says Ifyoucan leads with his mind, not his body, and so there’s a big disability advocacy message, obviously, but it’s… yeah, it’s not actually brought across in any meaningful way.

Egh. I enjoyed it.

And yeah, Ifyoucan's story is... it's not handled well in the episode, but there is something about the subtext of hiding yourself and your pain so that you can be strong for your people, who would always accept you anyway... there is something important and powerful in there that has remained with me over the years. I wish it had been handled better, but... hm.

Come back tomorrow if you’re interested for more!

[post-itpenny]

Brown for everybody

Brown- Where do you call home?

Maggie- Is slightly nomadic. She travels around a lot but settles in each place for a long period of time. She lives in her tent but also stays for short periods with Magpie.

Faline and Zilla- Nowhere is home. They simply follow their noses from one hunt to the next.

Vespers- Couch surfs. He stores the majority of his belongings with Magpie. Chanel does stay with him however. I can see Vespers running a small travel blog based around her adventures for funsies.

Juno- Lives with her parents on the family estate.

Peregrine and Lyra- Live on the family estate in Scotland. I had a few fic ideas that never came to fruition. Be nice to revisit those in the future.

Magpie- The pocket dimension. It’s cold and dark. Thanks, she hates it.

Kestrel and Sophia (Magpie and Peregrine’s parents)- Living in another reality with Sophia’s family. This version of Earth is mostly a giant city of Venice. Sophia’s family needed help in running the family circus, so when Peregrine took over the Blackwood Estate the two of them moved over. They rarely visit because of everything with Magpie.

Vega, Joseph, Nigel, and Claire- Live in the French Alps. The Etolie’s have a rather large home just outside a small village. Gorgeous in the spring uwu

Atlas- Currently with his parents and grandparents right now. Will be joining Vespers in the future uwu.

Venus (Nigel’s sister)- Lives with Canis and works as both a secretary and curator in the museum.

Ursa Minor (Lyra and Vega’s brother)- I only wrote for him once! He lives in Italy on the coast. He’s not the most social guy. Loves his family but prefers to be alone.

Cecelia and Rigsby- Live on Blackwood’s planet but will be coming to town eventually.

Jack- Here, there, and everywhere (but alas, not in the garbage where he belongs).

Circe and Ash- Planet hop constantly, will pick somewhere they can live it up and move on as soon as they get bored or whoever they’re controlling gains the strength to fight back.

Kier- No idea, probably don’t want to know.

The Elders- Same homes and before uwu

[pastelpoison88]

Fic ideas I got in my google docs

I started writing when i was in middle school and now that I’m out of high school I got the first parts of so many fics planned out in my head or posted on other accounts but none of them are finished and I want to at least finish 1 before I turn 25

Italics = nope; Bold = maybe; Heading+Bold = Main Focus 

“Spoils”

Fuck no, but it’s there and beyond this, never seeing the light of day

Spider Queen Reader Fic

Posted on my Quotev and I think also on my Wattpad

Drider reader in a Modded Minecraft World

definitely not done but I know what I wanna do in it

Twelve Forever Butt Witch X Reader Fic

on my Quotev and Wattpad

slime reader

OPM Various X Mysterious Being! Reader

discontinued on Quotev, was gonna be about a reader that was half alien half human

but not completely scrapped, thinking of changing it into a ex-bf!Garou X Monster Reader fic and reader is not gonna be an alien but something else

KND: Perfection

discontinued or hiatus on my Quotev, idk what I’m gonna end up doing with it

based off of an entry on the KND fan wiki that’s not there anymore so it was probably fake but it was compelling

Nomad of Nowhere Various X Reader

Quotev, hiatus for now

starts off as Don Paragon X Reader & reader has a twin brother

Demon’s Life

Quotev, Wattpad?

Fantasy Life 3DS X Reader

Consequences

We Bare Bears Agent Trout X Police Officer Reader

I got ideas for this one so maybe

Genderbend Donna Beneviento X Reader

I have this one all planned out I just didn’t post it anywhere yet and I’ve got the notes all typed out on a draft here so I’ll be posting that after I’m done with the fic just to show my thought process

reader is a muscular woman btw but with like himbo mentality, you’ll see

Journey (Pokemon x Reader OC Fic)

just an excuse for me to show my love of Alolan Grimer and the only pokemon game I ever completed

Got the basics down and it might turn into an OC fic rather than a reader fic (scratch that, it WILL be an OC fic)

non-linear bc i got snippets in my head like a compilation of podcast clips

Royals Fic

Not planned out yet mainly due to potentially offensive content and I don’t want it to be problematic especially when I don’t have the themes worked out at this point

Like, I know what I wanna do with the plot but some of it is really like “why?” and I feel why I just don’t have the words lined up

Lord Shen x Peahen Reader

one-shot

Another fic w/ nobles in it

MC is a bitch, based off of Stella from Helluva Boss as my expectations for her character were too high when I initially saw her in the pilot

The Knight’s Grave (Hollow Knight)

based off of the “Dream No More” ending of the game

just how I’d imagine characters in the game to react to finding the knight’s grave

Fae & human chick

like writing a romance but it’s about a friendship between a fae woman and a human one

[fuckyouozai]

two fics in my post atla pre lok timeline now have been tagged with the kids having ptsd (zuko and katara respectively) even tho that’s not like. the central point of the story, it’s just a fact about how they interact with the world and i am going to share some thoughts on how i think that manifests for all of them

for zuko, as i wrote in this fic i think he tends to have some similarities with azula when it comes to like. depersonalization and feeling detached from reality, like he’s looking at himself and the world through someone else’s eyes. we see canonically in the show that he really repeatedly struggles with cognitive dissonance and understanding his reality as it is rather than how he Thinks it is, and i think that carries on for many years for him

it’s a coping mechanism, because all of this happened to him when he was so young that now he’s 17 and on the throne and beginning this new life and when he looks back at himself as a kid then he feels like that person is more real than the person he is now, because for so long he internalized the pain and shame he felt that now its source is gone, he almost doesn’t know what to do with himself. and that’s a lot like his sister, who lost her grip on reality when the version of herself which she understood fell apart (think of how she said “you can’t treat me like zuko!” to ozai at the beginning of sozin’s comet)

for katara, as evidenced in this fic and i think portrayed pretty clearly in the series, she gets restless. she feels like she can’t not move and help, and in a way she goes looking for that challenge and that fight in order to prove herself. when she sees horrible things, like the whole painted lady situation or the southern raiders ep, she has to act. i imagine post-series, when the opportunities to act and fight to save the world have calmed down a little, she doesn’t know what to do with herself. she has all this desire to move and act but nowhere to direct it

and it causes her guilt and shame, that she wants to fight so badly when she knows that fighting is bad and dangerous and they almost didn’t survive it the last time. i think of her as really feeling horrible for almost missing that time, feeling like she’s a monster for wanting the challenge of it, waking up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, ready to fight except there’s no one there she needs to fight. it’s more of a hypervigilance situation than zuko’s is, and lingering guilt that she carries with her for years

for aang, i mean. the man’s an airbender! his whole perspective is to avoid and turn away and cut loose when things get rough. he tries really hard to, and often packs it away deep down in order to comfort the people around him (especially katara, whose guilt he can clearly see) but i do imagine him struggling particularly when his children are born. the next generation of air nomads, who all came from him, the responsibility of rebuilding entirely on his shoulders. that’s when the grief of losing his people really starts to take shape in a way that he looks at directly, making it difficult to breathe sometime, afraid that he’ll do something wrong or forget something or fail to live up to the absolutely impossible burden of being the only remaining air nomad. (which he will! he cannot contain an entire society inside himself!)

also, nightmares. aang canonically has nightmares from the very first episodes of the series all through the entire show. those don’t let up. i wrote in this fic that when bumi was born aang’s nightmares were so bad that he could barely sleep and i think as he grows up he hardens a little to get a better handle on the nightmares and the fears. poor baby

sokka and toph i have less thoughts on. i think they both tend to throw themselves into their work, especially sokka, who naturally takes on a leadership role when he’s stressed. i think that would explain why he is on the council in republic city, he just can’t stop himself from stepping up when he’s needed.

i’m of the opinion that in a crisis, of all the gaang you want the water sibs with you because both katara and sokka are the coolest and most collected in a crisis. sokka gets a clarity of mind that i think is one of the things that makes him stand out from the rest of the gaang, and katara is a bit like. dps lmao you point her and shoot

sokka and toph also have a special bond where they had that moment in sozin’s comet where they truly like. were certain they were both going to die and in that moment sort of accepted it, and i think that’s unique to the two of them in a way that the others don’t get. sokka is a nonbender and toph was in a lot of ways fully reliant on him on the airships because of her blindness. it was different than zuko and katara against azula, or aang going full child god on ozai

anyway. thots

[xoteajays]

animated/games/interactive fiction

digimon adventures

name: yukimi ‘yuki’ ono ship: mimi tachikawa digipartner / crest: lopmon / perseverance faceclaim: kayo hinazuki, yuzuru nishimiya, mitsuha miyamizu summary: In one word to describe Yukimi Ono: quiet. Quiet in life, quiet in everything. Everything but her anger. If anybody had bothered to get close, they might just have seen what was right below the surface. A girl stuck in the past, persevering after the worst thing that can happen to a person. The loss of a twin. Himari, dead at barely ten years old, leaving behind a broken family and a sister struggling to move on. Then came summer camp, the digital world and Lopmon, and Yuki had to pull herself together because now the world (both real and digital) was counting on a bunch of kids to save it.

pokemon

name: rhythmi ship: elite four rika team: skitty, tinkaton, grafaiai, tastugiri, appletun, phanpy faceclaim: maki kuwana summary: As far as Rhythmi is concerned, she’s got no future to head for. Her Kalosian adventure went up in flames and now her mother is moving them off to Paldea to join her somewhat-estranged father, Saguaro, at some ‘Naranja academy’. She has no interest in going back to school but she has no choice in the matter, not when she can tell how her mother is worrying about her. She, at least, doesn’t have to resort to ditching class when release comes quick in the form of this ‘treasure hunt’. She’s got her options laid out ahead of her now, a whole sprawling region … but a green-haired elite four member Rhythmi keeps running into is really throwing a spanner in the works.

[ fics / here ]

name: cirsi ship: guzma team: brionne, alolan raichu, cutiefly, bewear, to be adjusted faceclaim: itsuki nakano summary: to be decided.

infamous-if

name: herah heart, born hellena ambrose ship: orion quinn faceclaim: salem mitchell band: spider lilies summary: From humble beginnings comes the newest band to grace the botb, Spider Lilies. With popular hits like wallflower and tethered, fans of the band were ecstatic about their win and were quick to defend them when news hit of the ensuing post-win clash between Underground Wastebasket and Spider Lilies - curiously, lead singer Herah Heart was nowhere to be seen during this brawl, arriving later in the evening with band manager Orion Quinn to pick up her battered bandmates.

name: benji butcher, born benjamin sawyer ship: g reign & victoria valentine, ex-boyfriend seven faceclaim: joseph quinn band: DEVOUR summary: If there’s a party to be had, DEVOUR will be there! High school friends turned bandmates, the newest band joining the botb is headed by Benji Butcher. Known for his high energy performances, it’s no surprise the audience goes crazy whenever they get on stage. However, new to fame and a newer face on the scene, there’s a rumour going around that DEVOUR rigged their most recent win against fan favourite Underground Wastebasket.

avatar: the last airbender

name: ila ship: zuko bender: waterbender summary: A southern water tribe girl who left the water tribe at about age 13. She'd long since being practically an orphan since her father left with the other men to fire in the war and her mother died of illness. She'd been nomadic and traveling on her own ever since. It's not until meeting Zuko and Iroh on the boat to Ba Sing Se that her life starts to get complicated. Joining the Gaang, Ila is thrust right into the middle of the war, a horrible place for most to be but especially for a pacifist like herself.

detroit: become human

name: morgan nix ship: connor rk800 faceclaim: alex chen summary: Morgan Nix was practically a nobody. The ghost-writer for the famous android singer, NT200 - or 'Nita' as she was dubbed. Her life is simple enough, the pay was good enough to get by with. Then Nita becomes deviant. Having always cared for the human, Nita invites Morgan to run away with her. However, people are quick to notice their favourite android celeb going missing and Cyberlife's RK800 is put on their case under the assumption that Morgan had been kidnapped by NT200.

[primatechnosynthpop]

Do you have any OCs? feel free to talk about them if you do What was the first piece of media you engaged with on the internet? Are you still interested in it? What's something you made or did that you're proud of? What's something that made you smile this month?

Hi! Thanks for asking. Putting my answers here under a cut so as not to intrude too much on people's dashboards...

I've made several OCs throughout my life, but the most recent ones I've developed to the point of being full-fledged characters are Lyra and Tucker, the protagonists of Wires Crossed, a story I wrote a couple years ago that's based on several Lemon Demon songs. Even though they're based on songs and thus their defining traits aren't original, they still have unique designs and several unique features which don't entirely overlap with other people's LD characters based on the same songs (that's kind of an established thing within the Lemon Demon fandom-- making OCs based on songs you like!) For example, they both have anime-style hair antennae (they're cousins whose respective mothers were twins, so they look somewhat alike) but it's much more prominent on Tucker's hair than Lyra's, which is worn in an undercut and dyed a fun colour (usually purple, but I established that she's done different colours throughout her life). They were really close as kids, then grew apart due to their different priorities, but reconnect as adults when Tucker reaches a low point in his life and has nowhere else to turn. I know you're somewhat into Lemon Demon so if you ever wanted to read Wires Crossed, who knows, you might like it!

Other than that, I've made a few Warriors OCs for two fics I wrote in high school. We've got:

Rubblefang, initially a young rogue with distinctive scars and a mysterious backstory who joins a nomadic Clan and, through his equally mysterious older brother with matching scars, uncovers his past

Strikestar, said older brother who was the heir of a kingdom(?) of evil cats but ran away with his baby brother and joined/founded an unofficial Clan (I don't think he founded it but I really don't remember, it's been a while)

Honeypool, Strikestar's deputy and Rubblefang's ambiguous love interest (if I was going to rewrite this now I'd just have them be friends and leave it at that because she's a bit too old for him, plus it's kind of unnecessary for a story that's mostly about siblings). She has a sister that went missing and joined the same gang of evil cats who her leader once fled, and despite her tough exterior, when said evil sister reappears Honeypool is way too trusting of her to disastrous consequences

[Different fic now] Grasstail, a WindClan cat with a bad attitude despite his life not being that hard. Has two sisters who act like moe anime girls because that's where I was in life when I wrote this. Falls in forbidden love with...

Watersplash, an ambitious RiverClan cat with a manipulative mother. Meant to be a "deconstruction" of the mary sue trope, which to my high school self meant that she thinks she's super cool and special but then she just suffers endless horrors. It all works out okay though because in the end she kills her terrible mom and goes to live in WindClan with her husband and children

Other hits include:

Alda, a quodo fankid made by some random aliens visiting the station, y'know that classic prank of creating an entire child comprised of a blend of two people's DNA and handing it over to them to do what they will with. Alda has Changeling powers but also the attributes of a solid, and a highly mischievous personality that gets them into a lot of trouble

Ji Woo Liu, a Chinese-Korean lesbian necromancer from a Heroes fic I wrote who, along with her partner Bruce, seeks to resurrect people with strong powers in order to wreak havoc on the world (I forget if they had a reasonable motivation for this). She starts dating a minor canon character for information, but predictably falls in love for real

Shir and Dö, two teens in a fantasy world who fights demons together. I've had these OCs since I was a kid, and I'm constantly tweaking aspects of their story, but in the current version Dö ran away from home and was adopted by tiger demons, one of whom is a playful shapeshifter who became his sister. Shir, meanwhile, thinks she's an orphan but in fact her father is the very bird demon they spend years trying to track down and destroy. Somehow her whole life she's never noticed her demon powers, which play a large role in keeping her alive in her dangerous lifestyle

As for the other questions, I believe I can answer with slightly less rambling... I don't remember which was first, but some of the first few things I looked at fanart of (before actually making accounts anywhere) were Warriors, Doctor Who, and Artemis Fowl. The first things I actually wrote and posted fic about were Pokémon and Azumanga Daioh. I'm not actively interested in most of these things anymore, but I'm up for revisiting them when the mood strikes.

The third question really ties in with the first, because Wires Crossed is definitely one of the things I'm most proud of making. It's basically novel-length, and I've been told it delivers an effective emotional narrative. On a broader note, I've also gotten a lot better at digital art over the past few years.

Something that made me smile this month was getting a Spirit Phone CD and a lava lamp for my birthday last week, as I mentioned in a post that you may or may not have seen. The dinner and cake we had that evening were really good too ^_^

[justanotherghostwriter]

Ghosty's Fire Nation Hair Worldbuilding/Meta

This is absolutely just for my own reference so I don't have to go wading through my fic to find these infodumps/ideas. The itch to edit/re-write is real.

Excerpt from "The Festival" chapter 1.

Suki’s entire body relaxed about four degrees, even as a delicate frown crossed her face. “Then what were the others going on about you and Ty Lee being tense?”

Fen shifted from one foot to the other, eyes flickering away from Suki before resolutely turning back. “We had a… fight. I think. It was a personal thing. I’m sorry; I thought we’d made sure it didn’t bleed into the mission.”

Suki exhaled only a little louder than usual, returning to Sokka’s side. “You did a good job,” she reassured her Warrior. “But it may be necessary to go back and explain to the others that there isn’t anything wrong with the mission.”

Fen nodded. “I’m sorry about any confusion,” she said. “I just… it came out of nowhere so I — ” She broke off, pressing her lips together. “Thank you. I’ll see you later at the suites.”

“You and Ty Lee are best friends,” Aang felt compelled to interject over the woman’s clear distress. He reached out and lightly touched her elbow, giving her a reassuring grin. “I’m sure you’ll sort out whatever happened.” Fen nodded again, but it was stiff and clearly disbelieving. “I know Ty Lee, and she’ll be happy to talk out any argument that happened,” Aang pressed, gently.

“That’s just it,” Fen blurted, fingers twisting together nervously. “We didn’t… We were talking about the festival. And how amazing it is that there are all these different flowers to represent different nations, you know? And I was just telling her that me and some of the others would love it if she braided our hair, because her braiding skills are so great, and then we’d help her put the different flowers in her hair and she just… I don’t know. I don’t understand what went wrong.”

Aang frowned, and saw Suki do the same out of the corner of his eye, but before either could say anything, Iroh meandered up and, as he often did, solved the problem for them. “Ah, I see the problem here.” He gave Fen a warm smile. “Some parts of Fire Nation culture were drilled into children more than others. And, I have a feeling that Ty Lee had the lesson about the importance of hair drilled into her even more strongly than most, given her background and her personality. I would presume she’s simply struggling to reconcile those many years of lessons with her new position in a non-Fire Nation group of friends.”

“Wait, hair’s that big a deal in the Fire Nation?” Sokka raised both eyebrows. “I mean, I’ve heard stuff, sure, but that sounds a lot more…” He made a vague hand gesture to mean something between intense and weird. “Than in the Water Tribe.”

Iroh hummed in agreement. “In the Fire Nation, only close family or your romantic significant other is permitted to touch your hair, because of the status of honour and dignity it carries not only for the individual, but for your entire household and lineage. I am sure Ty Lee sees the Kyoshi Warriors as family — in fact, she has expressed as much to me before. But it may still be a point of deep uncertainty in her, especially if she was not expecting the request.”

“I didn’t know,” Fen said, quietly, and then bowed. “Thank you, General Iroh, for your help. It will help to know how to address this when I next see her.”

“Huh,” Sokka said, as Fen and Suki bid each other goodbye. “So we could have ended the whole war without the weird bending if we’d just made a powder that turned Ozai bald? You should have cashed in on that, Aang.”

“I did grab him by the hair and beard a few times,” Aang offered, a little sheepish to be saying so in front of Iroh, who would also have been raised under the implications of hair and lack thereof. Honestly, Aang shouldn’t have been very surprised, given that detachment to worldly understandings of honour, wealth and prestige was one of the reasons that the Air Nomads shaved their heads, but it was still a little disconcerting to learn something that big about a culture even after having been close friends with people from the Fire Nation for over a hundred years, technically.

“That’s my guy,” Sokka grinned approvingly.

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

Excerpt from "Atlas: Rebuilding". Somewhere in the depths of chapter three. (Different universe. Different iteration of Fen, because I re-use OCs lmao.)

“I made a mistake, didn’t I?” Katara asked, mentally steeling herself to receive the answer she was sure was coming her way. “When I offered to cut your hair in front of Fen.” 

Zuko, who was settling cross-legged in front of her, glanced over his shoulder, hesitating for just a beat before he answered. “It —It’s fine. It works out. Don’t worry about it; especially not with Fen. She’s your friend.” 

“I know that; I’m not worried about her suddenly turning us in or… I dunno, sabotaging the clinic or anything. I just… I could tell it… embarrassed her? And you? And I’d like to know why.” 

“It’s —” 

“Please, Zuko.” He stalled for time as he undid his topknot and then raked a hand through his hair a few times for her. “I know hair is important in the Fire Nation,” she prodded into the silence. “I just don’t understand all of it. And I’d like to. So that I don’t make another mistake. And just because I’d like to understand, you know? Unless it’s… secret?” 

“It’s not a secret,” Zuko reassured her, and she could tell he took his next pause in order to gather his words rather than to try to deflect the line of questioning. 

Pleased, she began running her fingers through his hair, combing out more of the knots than he’d managed to get to. It was silky smooth and healthy beneath her hands; a pleasure to play with, even if she’d never admit that out loud. And, let down, it was nearly to the bottom of his shoulders. Or most of it was; a swath was burned off, making the ends terribly uneven and very singed in most places. She made a mental note to check the skin of his neck again that evening to make doubly sure she’d managed to heal it all, even though her last checkup had shown only the barest hint of pink marks where the firebender’s attack had caught him five days ago. 

[...]

They were both littered only with minor wounds, however, and she’d seen to them even with bleary eyes and slightly shaking hands. She’d only noticed two days later, when Zuko came home from work and Katara and Fen were still folding the last of the clinic’s linen after closing late, that Zuko’s hair had been burned and was noticeably so when he wasn’t wearing his work hat. She’d unthinkingly offered to trim his hair for him, keeping the offer vague and casual so Fen wouldn’t think to ask tricky questions. But, despite Katara’s tone, Fen had looked at her as though she’d insulted Zuko and his entire family, while Zuko had simply curled his shoulders and blushed and mumbled something incoherent before escaping the room. He’d only thanked her and agreed to her offer once Fen had gone home and it was just them alone again in their home, and Katara had still been too embarrassed and ashamed then to ask how she had misstepped. 

“Hair is a signifier of the honour a person carries,” Zuko said, slowly, as Katara began carding his hair to lie flat against his back so she could see where the straight line to cut was. “Both of social standing and of simple, yet important, belonging. Even before the Fire Tribes unified, hair was used to signify your social standing in society. They used various different methods that were grouped together and modified through the years, and each generation changes something, whether the older folk like it or not.” 

“Like slang shifting,” Katara offered, her hands sliding through the silk of his hair like she remembered playing with the streams that came when the ice melted. 

“Yeah. The one thing that never changes, though, is that wearing your hair in a topknot is a symbol of belonging to the Fire Nation. Once a baby’s hair is long enough to scrape it into its first knot or phoenix tail, parents in the Fire Nation — and that includes the colonies; this is one of the important things — have a Sun Ceremony. The baby is presented to a Fire Sage, who pulls the baby’s hair into a style for the first time in public and blesses it and then… well. Food. Music. Family. That sort of thing. In the Fire Nation, you never cover your hair inside, because places of gathering are places of showing your belonging the most. And, um… Because, uh…because it speaks so much of your honour and loyalty and belonging to your family, your nation and your own social standing… touching somebody’s hair or face outside of your closest family is… one of the most disrespectful gestures you can make.” 

Katara instinctively jerked her hands out of where they’d been running through his hair, eyes widening as her stomach clenched. “I… oh. I didn’t…” 

“No, no, I know,” Zuko reassured her, hastily, twisting to look at her. “And, um, I figured… it’s okay. I mean…” Red bloomed across his neck and right ear, and he studied her knee instead of her eyes. “I figured… at this point… you’re, um. Sort of family? I mean, I know not really but we… you’re as good as… I mean, not like Azula and you’d never want my dad to be yours when yours is really great, but we —” 

“Zuko,” she said, trying not to laugh, but also aware she had to cut him off before he kept shovelling himself a deeper and deeper hole. “Of course you’re family by now. Were you or were you not part of the family group hug? I distinctly remember we forced you into that and there was actual contact of arms.” A smile twitched across his face and he was able to meet her eyes again. “And, um…” It was her turn to look away, and to card at the knots in the ends of her own hair nervously. “I… We’ve stayed together for over a year, now. You’ve been there… through everything. There’s nobody I trust more to protect me, when I need help. Or to make me laugh when I need to. And to… you know.” She was feeling like he’d lit a fire in her cheeks, she was blushing so hard, but it needed to be said. “You’re part of my life, Zuko. And we argue, but we talk things out and you support me and if that isn’t family nothing is. So. I…” Katara floundered, and then decided on a way forward in a fit of inspiration and looked him in the eyes and gave him an awkward, seated, Fire Nation bow that took her head almost to the floor. “Thank you. For the honour.”

She meant for the honour of cutting your hair and also for the honour of being your family and she thought he understood both, because he only smiled at her — the scar-crinkly smile that made her instantly smile back — when she looked back up at him. The weighted moment passed like the wash of a wave larger and heavier than the others, and he turned his back on her again and left her to cut away the burned edges of his hair. Luckily, she thought, absently, nobody questioned how a Firebender got himself burned; it would just have been assumed, by anybody who had seen, that there had been some accident, and they’d be too polite to ask about it. Especially because hair was a much bigger deal than Katara had realised.

“Can I ask more questions? About hair?” she asked, as she began to trim delicately. 

“Oh. Uh, sure?” 

“Thanks. So, when Aang disguised himself to go to school, he invited a bunch of kids from his class to come to the cave we were hiding out in to have a dance party. And th—” 

“I’m sorry, what?” Katara had to grab his shoulder very swiftly to stop Zuko from spinning around to face her despite the fact that she held a very sharp knife almost to his neck. 

“He was very distressed that the Fire Nation had banned dancing,” Katara explained, letting go once the knife was safely out of the way. 

Zuko’s look was a narrative through several different emotions. “Why?” 

Katara shrugged, unable to stop herself grinning. “Aang really likes dancing? And he really wanted to bring that joy to his classmates.” Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled. “He’s twelve. He was twelve,” she corrected herself, and it only hurt a little bit, mixed in with the fond affection. Katara poked at him until he turned around again so she could continue cutting his hair. “Anyway. When the kids all came in, I noticed that the girls had a lot of hairstyle variations. And that seems more-or-less the norm with all the Fire Nation people I’ve seen. Guys seem to only wear topknots or half topknots. But girls seem to get to do a lot more with their hair?”

“Yes, and no.” Zuko gave a half-shrug, absently rolling her knife’s sheath between both his hands as they talked. “Girls do tend to… experiment?... with hair more, in general. It’s just… you know. Looking pretty?” Katara couldn’t help but giggle, and his blush intensified as he hurried on, “But I’ve definitely met guys who have pushed the traditional boundaries, too. On Ember Island there was a guy who wore his hair like Suki did. But his fringe was all… in his eyes. All the time.” Katara made a mental note of the story she could hear promised in Zuko’s tone so that she’d remember to tease it out of him another time. “And when you’re young enough not to be conscripted, yet, or rich enough to be out of the army and a working class job, it doesn’t matter what else you do as long as the topknot is present. That is sacred. You’re only ever supposed to let your hair down where it would also be appropriate for… you to be naked.” The last four words tripped out in a rush, and his embarrassment was endearing enough she bit her lip not to laugh at him and make it worse. It helped, of course, that there was a warm spark in her belly as she thought about how often even besides that occurrence she’d seen Zuko with his hair either fully down or lazily half-tied as he puttered casually about their little home. “Unless you follow the old traditions; those have new parents walking around with their hair down in public for the first four days after their child’s birth to symbolise that they are taking on a role higher than that to the nation, or even to their own honour.” 

“They’re saying they love their kids more than their own dignity,” Katara murmured, and it tugged a thread inside of her that was at once melancholy and tender. “In the Water Tribe, new parents put their babies’ hands in the cool ash of the celebration fire lit on the eve of their birth, and they wear it until their naming ceremony, which takes place at the next new moon.” 

“Doesn’t it rub off?” 

“Hmm. But you keep replacing it; you keep the ash from the fire in a little pot in your igloo for that very purpose.” She hesitated only a moment before admitting, “I got into soooo much trouble when I was younger, because some of the older guys dared Sokka to steal somebody’s ashpot. He wouldn’t do it, but the temptation to just… make them respect me and also stop needling Sokka… Especially because they kept saying I would lemming weasel out at the last minute. The, uh, the pot broke when I was running away and the ashes fell out all over the snow…” Zuko whistled, and she laughed. “Oh, yeah. Huge, huge trouble. It took Uma so long to forgive me; it was their first baby and everything.” 

“That’s as bad as the double fishhook thumb story.” Zuko’s voice was laced with amusement. 

“A different kind of laugh,” Katara grinned. The South Pole was, for a moment, vivid in her mind, belying all the fearful moments in which she was sure memories of her home were slipping away forever. She could picture herself walking from one home to another as though her body was there taking the steps. The cold was just out of reach of reality. She wouldn’t remember seeing her father with ash on his cheeks, of course, but she could picture the sight of it. And she could picture him walking around with his hair loose, laughing in the same joy as a new hunt. Because of her arrival. The longing was too sharp to bear, after that, so she let her mind jump to the quickest next place it could go: imagining Iroh with his hair down, beaming in joy. She tried, tentatively, to poke the portraits of Ozai into something that undone in happiness, and her mind rebelled before the image could even begin to form. It made her almost as sad as thinking of her own father made her chest full of longing, but she had no words to blurt out that she hoped, for Zuko’s sake, that people wore their hair down for him. “Oh, but…” she said, as her thoughts swirled around the information she’d been given. “From what Aang told me about the, uh, pledges in his school — you know, ‘all to the Fire Nation and Fire Lord above all else’ — I can guess why that sort of gesture has fallen out of fashion.” 

“You mean wearing your hair down at your kid’s birth?” Katara confirmed in a hum. Zuko gave another half shrug. “Individual honour is loving your family,” he said, but there was a distant quality to it. Like a quote he was no longer sure he was saying correctly. “The best way you can love yourself and those closest to you is to love your nation and bring yourself honour, thereby bringing them honour. Your nation is your honour. Your hair shows where you belong.” He seemed to shake himself out of something, a little. “And, to help people along, the army is also very strict about hair. You risk dishonourable discharge by wearing your hair down in public, even for the birth of your child.” 

“That’s…” She couldn’t find the right word, and gave up after a few moments, rather sad for the ways the Fire Nation was losing itself. “What is military standard hair?” 

“Depends on your rank. Hair no longer than your shoulders and in full topknot for both genders at all times when you’re in the entry levels.” 

“So their hair can fit under the helmets?” Katara asked, far too innocently. Zuko gave her a very unamused look over his shoulder, but she just grinned at him cheekily. When he scoffed and turned back around, though, she switched back to genuine curiosity. “But you have more leeway the higher up in the army you go?”

“Some.” 

“Like?”

“You can grow your hair, for starters. And start wearing it in a half topknot or phoenix tail or the like. Again, women tend to do it more than men. But it’s a sort of out-of-date practise that the longer your hair, the higher your social status is. Some people strictly adhere to these rules and make their employees keep their hair short. Others don’t care at all. It’s the same with beards: you’re only allowed to grow one when you hit a certain social standing. That is still a lot more firmly in use.”

“Huh.” Katara found herself taking extra care as she trimmed, recognising what a precious thing she held between her fingers; realising for the first time that Zuko’s hair should have grown longer in their time staying at Kaishi. He must have been trimming it himself; keeping it just above his shoulders. It wasn’t any stretch of the imagination to believe that the royal family stuck to the old ways of looking at hair and Zuko, for all the fact that he wore his full topknot daily with pride, was exactly the sort to not allow himself any symbol of high social standing. And not just because he was trying to keep them from arousing attention and spite. “Are you… can I keep asking questions?” 

“Are you really curious about this?” Zuko asked, sounding surprised. 

“You asked lots of questions about ice dodging,” Katara pointed out. 

“I… okay. Yeah.” The pause stretched for almost two minutes before Zuko prompted, “Is there anything else you wanna know?” 

“Yes,” she said, slowly, “but it’s… You don’t have to answer, okay?” 

“Okay,” he agreed, only the slightest bit wary. 

Katara bit her lip for a moment. “Mai and Ty Lee,” she said, half a question, half an apology. “They, um… their hair was very different.” 

Zuko sighed, very slightly, but before she could take back her question, he began to answer it. “For both of them it’s a case of noble parents allowing a certain type of… rebellion, I suppose. They became friends with Azula for a reason, after all,” he said, dryly. “Ty Lee’s parents are both from noble houses, but she’s… one of six basically identical girls. She felt smothered and ran away to join the circus and they taught her acrobatics.” 

“That… actually explains a lot.” 

Zuko breathed a tiny laugh. “The circus wasn’t all Fire Nation citizens, and she picked up some… forms of expression through appearance from the foreigners.” 

“‘Forms of expression through appearance’?” Katara giggled. “Is that Uncle’s phrasing?” Zuko’s scowl was embarrassed, but there was also amusement in the look he turned to give her. She only laughed at him, and yet again nudged him back around so she could finish with his hair. Despite putting Mai’s name into her original question, Katara had made up her mind not to bring the other woman up again, content to make her own observations from his answer about Ty Lee. 

But, after a moment, Zuko began again. “Mai’s mother’s mother is from the Earth Kingdom,” he said, tone slightly… moodier. More weighty, if not sad. “Mai and her grandmother got on really well. She died when Mai was young, though, and that was when Mai started wearing her hair like her grandmother had; more Earth Kingdom than Fire Nation. Her parents didn’t care; as long as she behaved and brought them honour in the ways that really counted, she could have what she wanted. Including homage to her grandmother in a way that caused some raised eyebrows amongst some of the other nobles. Even recently, when I went back… there were some snide comments about her father being the governor of Omashu when his oldest daughter continued to choose to not show her heritage even as she reached adulthood.” 

“I… wow.” 

“You… okay?” 

“Yeah. I’m just. Thinking. Weighing all of this up. I didn’t…” Katara sighed. “We all have stories, in the end, don’t we?” 

“Yeah,” Zuko agreed after a moment. “And we all have choices,” he added, softer. 

There were other questions on the tip of her tongue, but Katara wasn’t sure whether or not to poke at them, and she was already struggling through the new information about Mai and Ty Lee. She and Zuko had spoken about them before, and she knew he lit candles for them both when he did the ceremony, but a side of her wanted to resist feeling empathy for them after all the harm they’d caused. More than a year into living in the Fire Nation with Fire Nation people, and she was still struggling to simply accept that there was no simple black and white. Zuko stayed quiet as well, but it wasn’t his broody sort of silence, so she guessed he was giving her space to think and feel what she needed to without judgement or expectation. 

“All done,” she announced into the quiet, after running her hands through his hair slowly a few times to ensure she got the edges straight. Zuko shuffled almost fully around to face her, his gaze scrutinising. “What?” she asked, self-conscious, gaze flickering from his and back again like a cricket moth. 

“You can ask. Whatever it is you… You can ask.” 

Katara carefully put her knife back into its sheath and then began braiding little pieces of the ends of her hair. Zuko didn’t move, his gaze on her steady but still not crushing. “I don’t…” She hesitated. 

“Is it about when we first met?” he guessed. She nodded, feeling her insides squirm again in shame and a little bit of guilt. “I, uh…” She tracked Zuko’s sudden movement automatically; watched him scratch the back of his head, and she wondered if the little bits of hair had gotten down his neck to make him itch. “The Agni Kai with Azula wasn’t my first,” he said, simply, but she knew him well enough to pick up the flatness in his tone that he employed when he was giving facts he wanted to give stoically but that he was emotionally touched by, all the same. “Hair is a symbol of honour,” he repeated, this time, bleaker. “When I lost that first Agni Kai and was banished… I lost…everything. Including my honour. It’s customary to show your disgrace by shaving your hair when you’re stripped of your honour like that. So that everybody knows. So that you never forget what you did, and what you’re working to earn back.” 

They’d mocked him for it, Katara thought with a sick swoop to her stomach. Not only them in the Gaang, teasing him for his honour, but the playwrights of that Spirits-awful play on Ember Island. Fire Nation people, understanding all he’d lost more than the Gaang had at that moment, had put it in as a joke. And the entire audience had laughed. She felt ashamed. And sad; not only for Zuko – and there was so much sorrow for him in her she had to clasp her hands together to stop herself reaching out to hug him tight – but also for those who had laughed. Because they didn’t know. Just as those on Kaishi jeering at the lies the guards told them about their fallen prince, the audience at Ember Island was wrapped up in a fantasy that was directly responsible for hurting the entire world. After this long in the war, it was impossible for Katara not to feel a sort of compassion for them, even as anger and disgust also reared inside of her. 

“I was still Fire Nation, though. Well. Enough that not all of my ties had been severed. So I was allowed to keep the phoenix tail; nobody on the ship would say otherwise, least of all Uncle, who still always insisted on calling me ‘Prince’.” His smile was a twisted thing, and Katara had to unclasp her hands so her fingers could rest on his arm in comfort. “Uncle and I only cut off our topknots when we were blamed for Zhao’s death and the catastrophe of the North Pole. As far as the country was concerned, we were already dead. Every last vestige of potential honour we had between us was gone when we were branded traitors. And so we cut ourselves off from the Fire Nation and turned to the Earth Kingdom, instead.” Zuko shut his eyes. “Right after… Ba Sing Se… it was still too short to… And then I was home, and I could pull it up and it just…” He shook his head. “Never mind. You didn’t ask for my whole life st— Never mind.” 

Because he had called her memory to that disastrous day in the catacombs, Katara recalled shaggy-haired Zuko in green. And, of course, that made her remember the first real conversation they’d had. And… 

Katara’s breath caught and her stomach swooped right down to the floor. She’d barely known the man and she’d touched Zuko’s face. To her, it had been an instinctive thing she couldn’t quite explain, even to her furiously betrayed and insulted mind in the long weeks that followed. But it had had something to do with the offer to heal it, she supposed. But Zuko… Even at her most angry, it had bothered her that he’d simply stood still and let her come close. Let her touch. Now, suddenly realising that he, a Fire Nation man, had allowed somebody outside of his close family to do something that was considered highly disrespectful…

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

[lesbian-rook]

posted a Nomad of Nowhere fic yesterday and then got news that RT is shutting down today

[supercasey]

Keep Your Promise

Description: Nodad/Twins AU. The story of how the Mystery Lady escaped her abuser, and eventually kept her promise to Skout.

A/N: Based heavily on bl00w1tch’s Nodad AU, my Twin AU, and signomad’s fanart of the Twin AU! Check us all out on Tumblr! If anyone can come up with a better description, please let me know because this description fucking sucks. Thanks for reading!

A lone woman hurries quietly through the shrouded desert, sweat dripping down the back of her neck and dampening her nightshirt. She has to keep going. Behind her, she can hear the quiet chitter of little creatures on her heels, following her, keeping her running until she’s out of breath. They think that this is just another night, but she’ll prove them wrong. She’s not going back, not ever again. She can’t. Wrapped up in a ragged, dusty green blanket, a little girl lies dormant in the runaway’s arms, her soft snores enough to encourage the woman to keep moving forward.

Pausing on top of a sand dune to catch her breath- a dangerous move, she knows, but these Critters aren’t made to capture. They’re made to track- the runaway gives her child a tentative rock, trying to sooth the toddler into an even deeper sleep. “Easy, my little Skout,” The woman whispers, pressing a tentative kiss to her daughter’s forehead. “It’ll be okay… we’re going to make it this time. I promise.” Last time… well, the woman would rather not think about it too much. She still bears the bruises on her left shoulder.

Behind her, one of the Critters- a tumbleweed, it’s body bristly and cracking- gives the young mother a curious look, as if expecting her to finally give up on this game of cat and mouse. The woman gives the Critter a harsh glare, attempting to hide her anxiety with aggression. “Go on,” She murmurs, daring the little thing to do something. Anything. “Go ahead and get your master… see if it stops me from runnin’ away. You and I both know that I’ll git outta here eventually.”

The tumbleweed visibly saddens, and it fills the woman with guilt. At one time, she called these helpless little Critters her ‘friends’- some days, they were all that got her through the day. But after she started trying to run away with the kids… the runaway shudders, biting her bottom lip to muffle a sob at the silent mention of her young son. She couldn’t risk it though, not again. That alone is the reason she knows she will succeed this time- magic attracts magic, and the Nomad had simply followed the energy of his son to catch her last time. So she left him- she took her only magic-less child and ran, abandoning little Hunter in his crib to cry in silence for his mother and sister.

A new determination filling her heart, the runaway straightens, giving the tumbleweed Critter an sympathetic glance. “I know that this ain’t yer fault, darlin’… but please, go home,” She begs, her voice a quiet whisper- though it sounds deafening to her this late at night, when there’s no one around. No one but her and the Critters. “I ain’t goin’ back this time… I’m sorry, friend.”

The Critter stares at the woman- unblinking, unfeeling, as if it doesn’t even hold artificial life in its body- before it finally turns away, sharing the woman’s will to escape. Slowly, it rolls away, and with it’s departure the woman breathes a sigh of relief. Okay, that makes things easier… without a tracker, she can get farther. But she still has a long way to go. Hiking up her backpack, the woman presses a reassuring kiss to her daughter’s cheek and continues on, leaving no sign of her presence in her wake. The Nomad can scour the whole desert, but she won’t let him catch her. Not ever again.

“Annabeth… Driller?”

The runaway- Annabeth- glances up from where she’s been cuddling her baby, taking a moment to give the conductor a weary smile. “Yes, that’d be me,” She says, trying and failing to hide the fatigue from her voice. She hasn’t slept all night. “Somethin’ the matter?”

“We’re boarding soon,” The conductor explains, before pausing, giving the woman and her baby a curious onceover. “Don’t got many folk with last names ‘round here- you local?”

“Not anymore.” Anna states, standing to her full- though rather unimpressive- height, her backpack hanging from only one shoulder while she focuses on keeping her grip on Skout.

“Oof, sounds bad,” The conductor admits, giving Anna a tentative smile- he’s trying to be sympathetic. Anna wouldn’t be surprised if he’s seen more than a few runaway mothers in his time as a train conductor. “He a real jerk?”

“The absolute worst,” Anna confirms, hurrying past the man to board her train. “You take care now, sir.”

“You too, miss. And goodbye to you too, little one!” The conductor says, taking a moment to grin at Skout. It’s hard for strangers not to coo over the sleeping toddler- it’s all of that long, red hair, just like her mother’s.

The train takes off not long after, and Anna treats herself to a seat at the back of the train, away from everyone’s prying eyes. There, she lays Skout down on the seat next to her, keeping a tender hand on her daughter’s head. Skout’s about four and a half now, yet the girl keeps quiet for the most part. Anna sees it as a mixed blessing usually, but right now it’s 100% a blessing- she doesn’t need her sweet little girl to be attracting too much attention right now. Besides, Skout’s used to this. Sure, Anna’s never gotten this far with her before, but she doubts that her baby understands that. She probably thinks her Daddy’s gonna bust in at any moment and take her and Mama home.

Anna sighs longingly at the thought, though she tries to keep her conflicting emotions at bay. Try as she might, Anna can’t help but think back on her golden days with Benjamin. They had once been much happier- at least, Ben made her believe they were. Benjamin had found her in a nearby town to his secluded forest, and he had frequented her family’s oil mill for resources on a daily basis. Ma and Pa had hated him, warning their daughter that magic would only bring trouble, but Annabeth… she had been blown away by the stranger. He had been exotic to her and the townsfolk- tall, strong, wise in ways that none of the coal miners or oil drillers ever could be, all dressed up in hooded and concealing clothing that had only continued to interest the young lady.

Benjamin- he had preferred Benny or Ben back then- had obviously been aware of her schoolyard crush, and he had toyed endlessly with her as a result, making time for her during his visits to town to tell her all sorts of stories, filled to the brim with his exploits as a wizard on the run. His magic had only further cemented Anna’s affections, his tricks playful yet intriguing. On Anna’s 18th birthday, Ben had made all the tools on her family’s farm dance for her. Pa had been furious, but a young Annabeth had been swept off her feet, and Ben damn well knew it. Soon after that, he had offered to marry her, promising Anna a life far superior to mining oil and coal for the rest of her days. Of course she said yes.

Annabeth had ran away with him, escaping her constricting family to live a happy and free life in the wilderness with her true love… but fate had other plans. He got her pregnant within a few weeks of their ‘marriage’, and while Anna had been over the moon, Benjamin had been… brooding. He had been clinical with his movements and mannerisms, running his hands over her slowly bulging belly at every opportunity, his hands glowing at times. This had frightened Anna to some extent, but when she had questioned him about it, Ben had waved it off as him putting protection spells on the baby… or babies, as they found out months later. With no access to a doctor, Anna had been forced to give birth in the cabin, her only assistance being Benjamin’s Critters petting her hair and stomach through the ordeal, with Benjamin at the foot of the bed, caring for the babies as they arrived.

She gave birth to twins- one boy and one girl. The girl had been first, and an hour later her brother had joined her in this brave new world. It had been Anna’s idea to name them Skout and Hunter, something Benjamin had simply shrugged at. “Whatever ya come up with I'll love, honey,” He had said, when Anna asked why he didn’t want to help name them. “Anythin’ fer my sweetheart.” Back then, that had comforted her, but now...

The sound of Skout’s whimpering is what breaks Annabeth out of her reminiscing, reminding her of why she’s here and not there, trapped in that claustrophobic little cabin. Slowly, Skout sits up, and greets her mother with a sleepy smile. “Mama!” The little girl coos, eyes glistening in the early morning sunlight.

“Good morning, dear,” Anna says, reaching out and placing Skout on her lap. Absentmindedly, she runs her fingers through Skout’s hair, attempting to rid the girl of any tangles. “How’d you sleep, baby?”

Skout grimaces, burying her face in her mother’s shoulder. “Not good,” She admits, pulling back to give Anna a frightened look. “Where’s Daddy?”

Anna sighs, readying herself for what’s about to come. “”Daddy’s… not here right now. He’s on vacation with Hunter,” She lies, figuring that this is better than telling her daughter the truth- Skout doesn’t need to know who her Daddy really is this young. Nearby, an older woman gives Anna and Skout a sympathetic smile, the lady attempting to give the mother moral support. “And we’re going on our own vacation, too. Somewhere far away.” Anna adds, hoping this will be enough to comfort her daughter.

It doesn’t work at all. “But why? Where’s Daddy? Where’s buba?”

Anna tries to will away the urge to cry, but tears are running down her cheeks before she can stop them. “Because we need a break, baby girl. I know that this is confusing and scary, but you gotta be strong. Be strong for Mama.”

Skout just sobs bitterly, the other train passengers looking away out of embarrassment, not wanting to stare at the clearly upset toddler. “I wan’ Daddy!” She wails, collapsing against her mother’s chest.

Annabeth just holds her close, allowing herself to cry with her daughter. She wants to give Skout what she wants- what she needs- but it’s too dangerous… Benjamin is too dangerous. This is her only chance of survival… Anna just prays that someday, somehow, Skout will understand. For now, she’ll settle for Skout hating her.

It takes some time, but eventually, Annabeth feels like she’s successfully escaped.

Skout’s just turned five years old now- she’s always running, always exploring the area. She’s not yet used to the lack of vegetation, but Anna knows that those memories will slip away eventually, and with their passing will come security in her new home. She still asks about Daddy sometimes, but mostly she just seems to miss Hunter. Everytime it comes up, it absolutely devastates the young mother, but she knows that it can’t be helped. Even if Benjamin somehow couldn’t put a tracking spell on Hunter, the boy would still be a target- his magic is potent, and without a teacher, he could very easily lose control and accidentally hurt someone.

As much as it pains Anna, she knows that this was the right path to take, and despite all her worries… this place is good. She now lives in a small oil drilling town- one that’s very similar to her childhood home. It’s cozy here, and the townsfolk don’t ask too many questions. Even when they do, Anna always gives them the same response: “We’re on vacation.” It’s vague enough to not reveal many details, but it’s enough to clue everyone into the idea that they really shouldn’t ask anymore questions. Besides, Skout likes it here, and that alone is enough to make Anna feel like she’s finally free of her old life.

Of course, it’s around this time that Benjamin decides to show up.

He arrives in the late afternoon, the low crowing of birds acting as an ensemble for the dangerous nomad. Anna’s sitting on the porch when she catches sight of him, the man’s tall, wiry frame barely able to be seen in the horizon, but Anna knows right away that it’s him- the energy surrounding him is too volatile to ignore. Slowly, Anna stands from her rocking chair, trying to hide her frantic movements as she scans the area for Skout. She finds her a few feet away, playing with one of the stray dogs in the area. Anna whistles, and immediately Skout comes running, her grin contrasting with the tense atmosphere.

“Skout, sweet baby, please head inside,” Annabeth requests, already maneuvering her toddler into the house. “Go hide under Mama’s bed, ya hear?”

Skout gives her mother a confused look, but otherwise doesn’t argue, dashing into the house to follow her mother’s instructions. With her daughter safe for the moment, Anna glares at the incoming wizard, refusing to break eye contact as the man draws closer. Soon enough, he’s upon her, the man dressed in his usual garb of a large, shrouded hat, a dark blue serape, long brown jeans, and a baby blue, long sleeved shirt. The Nomad stares Anna down, his mouth downturned in the corner to show how upset he is. Slowly, he reveals Hunter in his arms, the little boy wrapped up in the same baby blue blanket Anna knitted for him when he was born.

“Annabeth,” Benjamin says, his voice a deep drawl that sends shivers down Anna’s spine. At one time, she found his voice comforting- now it just fills her bones with an instinctual desire to run. “Wandered rather far from home, didn’t ya?” He doesn’t really sound mad, but he’s always been good at lying.

“This is my home now, Benny. You best git ‘fore I get the sheriff,” Anna threatens, attempting to hold her ground. “I thought I made it clear that I wasn’t comin’ back… obviously ya didn’t listen.”

“Didn’t listen?” Benjamin repeats, thoroughly unimpressed with the short woman’s tough girl routine. “Baby, yer the one who ain’t ever listened. Didn’t I tells ya that nobody outruns the Nomad of Nowhere?”

Anna swallows, shifting her weight somewhat. She honestly didn’t expect Ben to follow her out this far, not when he’s been so careful to keep a low profile these last few decades. “I… I ain’t scared ‘a ya.” She finally manages to say, tears building up in her eyes. She tries to will them away, but it’s no use.

Benjamin’s stance softens, his frown turning sympathetic. It’s enough to make Anna wonder- at least for a moment- if he really loves her. However, it doesn’t last, and without invitation, Ben climbs onto the porch, unwrapping Hunter and settling the toddler on his hip. “I don’t want you ta be scared ‘a me, baby,” Ben whispers, voice low and gentle. He’s trying to win her back. “It ain’t gonna be like last time, I promise. Lookit ‘lil Hunter ‘ere-” He holds out the boy to Anna, evidence of crying on the child’s face. “-He’s been crying fer days, wonderin’ where his mama and sissy went! Ya can’t leave us!” Okay, that last bit has to at least partially be a lie- Hunter’s never spoken a word and Benjamin damn well knows it.

Right now, Anna’s thankful for the fact that her house is farther away from anyone else’s- the last thing she needs is a crowd to watch the ‘domestic dispute’. “I’ve said it ‘fore and I’ll say it ‘gain- I ain’t goin’ back, Benny. I ain’t lettin’ you hurt me or my baby ever again.”

Benjamin stiffens, before sending a deathly glare Anna’s way, causing the redhead to shiver. “I ain’t ever laid no hands on my babies, you got dat?” He untenses somewhat, though his stance still appears hostile. “What, you gonna abandon yer son now? You gonna leave us ta fend fer ourselves?”

“Yes,” It comes out as a bit of a sob. Anna trembles, unable to keep the defiance in her eyes for much longer. “I ain’t goin’ back… I can’t.”

There’s a lengthy pause, before Benjamin steps forward, trying to hug Annabeth in an attempt to win her over, but Anna backs away, not allowing the nomad to win. “Git the Hell outta here, Benny,” She orders, voice hoarse and angry, her glance refusing to meet the milky white irises of either her son or ex-husband’s eyes. “Go on… I SAID GIT!” She shouts, taking a nearby broom and holding it as a weapon, her glare unforgiving.

Slowly, Benjamin backs off, climbing off of the porch. As one last attempt at winning her back, Ben maneuvers Hunter to look over his left shoulder, the tiny toddler staring sadly at his mother, an arm held out to her, his fist opening and closing expectantly. It’s enough to make the tears finally fall, but Annabeth holds her ground, refusing to yield. With no other way to court her back- and with magic being too dangerous to use when there are witnesses nearby- Benjamin finally decides to go, Hunter refusing to break eye contact with his mother as the duo leave. It’s only after they’re gone that Anna begins to sob, letting her fingers untense around the handle of the broom, until she finally lets go. It hits the porch with a clatter, but it’s not loud enough to wake Anna from her worst nightmare.

It’s only after she’s regained her composure that Anna dares to go back inside. She finds Skout under her bed, the girl looking as though she's been crying. “... That was Daddy, wasn’t it?” Skout asks, after giving her mother a long, heartbreaking stare.

Annabeth slowly nods, willing herself to not start crying all over again. “It was, sweetie.” She whispers, too afraid to speak any louder.

Skout breaks, sobbing as she launches herself out of her hiding place and into her mother’s arms, the girl’s thin frame shaking with every sob. Anna waits out the storm, scooping Skout up and laying down with her on the bed, humming under her breath between small kisses to her daughter’s forehead and cheeks. It takes awhile, but soon enough Skout settles down, her sobs decreasing to pitiful sniffles, though her grip on Anna doesn’t cease, not that Anna really wants it to. Carefully, Anna sits up, her back resting against the headboard of her bed as she readies herself for The Conversation. The one she’s been dreading for weeks.

“... Why’d you yell at Daddy?” Skout asks, once she’s sure that it’s safe. It breaks Anna’s heart that Skout might be afraid of her.

“‘Cus Daddy’s… Daddy’s not very nice.” Anna says, trying to find a way to explain this to Skout without traumatizing her in the process.

“So? Not everybody’s nice, Mama. Mister Donley next door’s a right piece a work, ain’t he? You says so!” Skout points out, and if it weren’t for the somber mood, Anna would laugh. It seems like Skout’s been listening better than Anna’s given her credit for.

Anna sighs, shaking her head. “It ain’t the same, baby girl,” She explains. She swallows, knowing now that there’s no way out of this conversation without telling Skout the truth. “Baby, Daddy ain’t safe. He… he hits, and you know how hittin’ ain’t allowed, right?” She waits until Skout nods in confirmation to continue. “Well, he does it a lot, and that’s really bad. He’s really bad. So we can’t go back.”

Skout still looks upset, but it’s only after she’s sure that Anna won’t go into more detail on her own that she speaks up. “But… what ‘bout buba? Why’s he stayin’ with Daddy?”

Anna bites back a sob at the reminder, trying to convince herself over and over again in her head that she was right to leave him behind… but with every passing day, it’s a less convincing argument. “‘Cus Hunter can’t come.” She states, hoping that will be enough.

She should know better than to expect Skout to take that answer at face value. “Why not?” Skout prods, not understanding her mother’s reasoning.

It takes everything in Anna not to snap at Skout- after all, this isn’t her daughter’s fault. “‘Cus Daddy won’t let him come,” She says, trying a somewhat different approach. “I’m sorry, baby, but there ain’t nothin’ we can do about it… but someday, somehow, you’ll be with Hunter again. You’ll find your buba.”

Skout sniffs, trying to will away her tears. “... You promise?” She asks, an agony in her voice that makes Anna’s heart ache with guilt.

Anna nods, kissing her daughter’s forehead. “I promise, my little Skout. I promise.”

Skout grows up. She grows up so goddamn fast, Anna wonders sometimes where the time went. After turning Benjamin away, the nomad obeyed her orders and left her alone, and for that Annabeth has always been grateful. Yes, some days she wishes to wake up in bed beside Benjamin and pretend that nothing bad ever happened, but with each passing year she’s more comforted by his absence. Never again will she be forced to watch him kill an innocent passerby for having stumbled into the briar, or endure anymore psychological manipulation at his hands. Finally… finally, she feels like she’s moved on.

Like she’s mentioned, Skout has grown up rather fast, the energetic redhead becoming her own woman as time passes her by. She stopped asking about Dad and Hunter after awhile, and nowadays… well, nowadays she’s been studying. The oil town doesn’t have a school, but Anna’s been sure to buy the girl as many books as she can afford. Skout’s already proven herself to be resourceful, if nothing else, learning how to read faster than any of the other kids in town. She reads obsessively, taking the time to piece together stories and ideas in her head, and has also proven herself to be the best repairman in town. Anna’s never been more proud.

It’s on a gloomy, almost somber day that Skout comes running through the door- her hair a mess, her shirt’s top button undone- startling Annabeth out of her daydreaming. “Ma! Ma, there’re soldiers in town!” Skout shouts excitedly- her wordplay makes it sound like there’s danger, but her eyes give away the teenager’s eagerness.

Anna blinks, taking a moment to dry her hands off with a dish towel- she had been doing laundry when her daughter came in. Slowly, she stands from her formerly crouched position, giving her child a worried glance. “Soldiers? What you mean, darlin’?”

Skout closes the door behind her, grinning from ear to ear at her mother. “They’re called ‘Dandy Lions’!” She explains, handing a flyer to her mother. On it, there’s an advertisement to join a far away town named Oasis’ royal guard. “And they’re in town lookin’ fer bright eyed pupils and soldiers! Mama, I could finally go to school somewhere! They’ve got opportunities for people like me! Sure, I’ll start out as a spittoon girl, but I can work my way up! Oh, Ma, I’m so excited!”

Anna’s hardly listening, as her eyes have found themselves glued to the flyer. Oasis… on the tiny map painted into the flyer’s corner, Anna can see that the town isn’t far from the Briar, and if that’s the case… It’s far too dangerous. Yes, she’s recently promised Skout that she can go away for schooling if the opportunity arises, but this… this can’t be the one. “I’m sorry, baby, but no. You can’t go. It’s… it’s too close to Daddy.”

She hasn’t brought up Dad in a long time, and the look on Skout’s face shows that the teenager is upset at his mention. “So? Ma, I can handle myself just fine! ‘Sides, who’s ta say that old bastard’ll recognize me?”

Because he can sense your energy. Because he'll kill you if he finds out that I'm not there to protect you. Anna holds back from saying that, aware of what it will imply- Skout doesn’t remember that her Dad was a magic user… and she certainly doesn’t need to remember it anytime soon, not when the townsfolk have made it clear to her daughter that magic is nothing but trouble. “He just would, darlin’... again, I’m sorry, but you ain’t goin’ and that’s that.” Anna’s voice is stern and low, trying to remind Skout of who’s in charge.

Skout huffs, glaring daggers at her mother. “But, Ma… there’s this girl… she’s leadin’ ‘em, and she said that she’ll get me outta ‘ere… I could be more than an oil driller.”

And there it is. Annabeth, all too suddenly, realizes how her mother must’ve felt when she ran away. The look in her daughter’s eyes- love at first sight, adoration for a cause she barely understands- is something Anna recalls feeling almost two decades ago… she had been in love with Ben, and right now, her daughter’s in love with a woman who’s promised her the same things Benjamin did. That thought alone makes Annabeth terrified, scared that someone is going to kidnap her daughter. It doesn’t matter if Skout thinks she’s in love- Anna isn’t about to let her daughter go through everything her mother’s been running from.

“My word is final, Skout Driller. You are to stay here, with me, until I say otherwise. It’s far too dangerous, and this mystery woman could very well be just as bad as your Daddy.” Anna explains, leaving no room for arguing.

Tears build up in Skout’s eyes, but they’re rubbed away before they can fall. “Dammit, Ma…” Skout growls, frustrated beyond belief… but it’s better than dead. Better than kidnapped. “You just don’t get it! You don’t get what it’s like ta be trapped in some nowhere town, wishin’ you could be somebody! Don’t ya understand? I can’t get nothin’ done in my life in dis place! … I don't wanna grow old and die here. I gotta find out if I can be somethin’.”

Anna sighs. Hard. She really doesn’t want to get into this with her daughter, but… fuck it, there’s obviously no way around it. She has to tell her. “... I ever tell you how I met yer Daddy?” She asks, hoping that the pause has given Skout time to calm down.

Skout visibly falters, shocked by the question. It’s enough to break her tough girl act, at least for a little while. “No, you… you never really brought Dad up much when I was a kid.”

Anna walks over to the couch and takes a seat, motioning for Skout to sit next to her. She doesn’t continue her story until Skout sits. “When I was yer age- so ‘bout seventeen- there was this handsome stranger… he’d come to my family’s oil mill once a month to buy oil and food, so we got ta know each other pretty damn well. He was… God, Skout, when I first met him, he was the kindest gentleman I ever did meet. He’d tell me all sorts of stories, about how he’d grown up in a place where the trees had leaves, and everything was green and alive. He told me he loved me. He told me he could get me outta there… that he could help me be somebody. ‘Course I said yes when he proposed.

“After that, he and I ran away from there- I never even told my folks goodbye. They’d never liked yer Daddy, but I thought they was being harsh with him… shoulda known they was onto somethin’. Anyways, he and I moved way out south, and, well… we had you. And your brother, of course,” Anna pauses, noticing how Skout tears up at the mention of Hunter. Quietly, Anna reaches out and rubs Skout’s shoulder, trying to comfort her. “Few years later, things got… worse. Daddy would get paranoid, start hurtin’ anybody who wandered near da house, and while he never hurt you or yer buba, he’d take to bruisin’ me a bit. Nothin’ major, but that among other things convinced me that I had ta get away. And yer Daddy, he knew I was runnin’... he hid Hunter, so that I couldn’t bring ‘im, but I still ran. I still got us outta there.

“So what I’m tryin’ ta say is… people can shower ya in love, can make all sorts ‘a promises, but dat don’t mean they’re good people. And people… they can tell how smart you are, baby girl. They can tell you’re one in a million. And they’re gonna try and convince ya that they’ve got everythin’ figured out, and that they’ll take care of ya, but they’re likely lyin’. Skout, baby, promise me you’ll be cautious, and that you won’t trust strangers. Promise me that you’ll stay here.” Anna takes hold of her daughters hands, trying to plead with her eyes. “Don’t leave me here,” She wants to beg. “Don’t leave me like Daddy did.”

“Mama…” The look on Skout’s face says it all- a stranger’s stolen her heart, and she doesn’t even want it back. She wants to be loved by somebody other than her mother, and in some way, Anna understands that. It doesn’t mean she thinks it’s smart, though. “Toth ain’t like Dad, not one bit- she and the Dandy Lions’ll keep me safe! I know you don’t believe me none, but… trust me, Ma. I can handle myself. ‘Sides, if’n I do run inta Dad, Imma give dat bastard whatfore!” Her grin is warm and loving, and goddammit… Anna’s never been good at saying no to that face. And she does have a point- she'll be surrounded by soldiers, meaning it'll be too dangerous for Benjamin to come near her.

Annabeth sighs, leaning forward and hugging her daughter. “... Okay,” She whispers, voice croaking with unshed tears. “But you promise me you’ll be safe, baby. And don’t go trustin’ nobody who says they be havin’ magic! And remember to write home! And-”

“Ma-” Skout gives her mother a somewhat frustrated look, but at least she isn’t angry anymore. She appears calmer now, glad that she’s finally been understood. “-’A course I’ll be writin’ to ya! And I know better than to trust magic. What am I to ya, a little one?”

“Sometimes you are, in my eyes. You’ll always be my darlin’ baby,” Anna admits, helping Skout to her feet as they both stand. “Now come along… let’s git you packed. Oasis looks to be a long ways from home.”

It’s a few years before Annabeth sees Skout again, not that she entirely expected to. Around here, if somebody’s kid manages to find a way out, they never come back. And just as well- Anna honestly hates it here some days, hates how no one here can stand change, but it’s home nonetheless. Besides, she wants to stay here in-case Skout ever comes home… which she does. It’s late at night when she comes home, a swift knock at the door waking Anna from her nap. She sits up, rubbing her lower back- she’s getting too old to pass out in her chair, but sometimes she just dozes without realizing it. She blames it on a life filled with stress and worry.

Slowly, she stands, soon quickening her pace when a second knock raps the door. Opening it, Anna is greeted by, first and foremost, the sight of her beloved daughter. “Skout!” She shouts, embracing her child in a tight hug. She doesn't give two shits if she wakes the neighbors. “Oh, honey! What’re you doin’ out here?” She pulls back, examining Skout’s face.

Skout looks absolutely exhausted, her hair somehow more wild than usual- when in God’s name was the last time she cut it?- with dark bags underneath her eyes. But her daughter ignores the questions, her movements making her appear erratic and scared. “Mama, you think I can come in now? I, uh…” Skout looks around, constantly checking over her shoulder. “I really wanna git inside.”

Something’s clearly wrong. Anna nods, stepping aside to usher her daughter in. It’s only then that she realizes that Skout’s brought company. The stranger is short- they’re a tad taller than Skout, but that’s not much of an accomplishment- their body covered in a large, dirty quilt. The newcomer wears a big, wide brimmed hat on their head, and their glove covered hand is joined with Skout’s bare one, the redhead leading the stranger inside- the blanket covers everything but the hat, making the stranger temporarily blind. This can’t be good; this stranger is clearly on the run. What the fuck has Skout been getting into!? Wordlessly, the duo enters, Anna locking the door behind them once they’re inside.

“I guess I best get us some tea… how you like your’s, stranger?” Anna asks, trying to coax the stranger into talking.

“He’ll have it like I do, Ma. He seems like the honey lovin’ type,” Skout answers for him, maneuvering the man to stand in the center of the living room. “Sorry, he ain’t much fer talkin’.”

“That’s fine, sugar. Not everybody likes ta chatter.” Anna says, leaving the room to get the kettle started.

After firing up the kettle, Anna takes to watching in secret from the doorway as Skout pulls the blanket off of the stranger, and… oh no. No, it can’t be. That can’t possibly be… that’s not Benjamin. Anna breathes a sigh of relief as she realizes that it really can’t be Benjamin- the stance is wrong, this man is too short, his body slimmer, somehow. When the stranger turns around to meet Anna’s stare- he must’ve felt her eyes on him- his eyes are the same milky cream color as Ben’s were, but somehow he’s… different. The hat fell off when Skout pulled off the blanket, and now Anna’s being treated to the sight of short, scruffy black hair on the man’s equally black head, the hair soft and curly. But if this isn’t Benjamin, then it has to be-

”Hunter isn’t talkin’.”

Benjamin glances up from his book, raising a nonexistent eyebrow at his wife. “What you mean, baby?” He drawls, setting his book aside.

“I mean he ain’t sayin’ nothin’! He won’t make a peep! Hell, even Skout is babblin’, but Hunter won’t make a sound. He just sits there, starin’ at me… it a species thing, hun?” Anna can’t hide the distress from her voice- she’s not familiar with how Benjamin’s race works, and she’s scared that this isn’t something that can be fixed.

Benjamin’s response does nothing to soothe her worries. “Bring ‘im ta me.” He orders, sitting up, settling his hands on his knees. He looks older than he should be… then again, he’s always said that he’s been alive for centuries.

Annabeth wastes no time, hurrying outside to get her son. He’s with Skout, the two ten month olds crawling around in the grass, a few rock Critters playing with the twins. “Hey!” Anna calls, earning her the attention of both babies. She walks over in strides, scooping up Hunter with ease. “You critters watch Skout for me, alright? Daddy needs his baby.”

One of the Critters- the largest rock, she notes- salutes. Anna would chuckle if she weren’t so worried. Carefully, she carries Hunter inside, the toddler grabbing a fistful of his mother’s shirt for leverage. Once she’s back inside, she hands Hunter to Benjamin, who sits the toddler down on his lap. With a clinical gaze and glowing hands, Benjamin inspects the toddler. “Say ‘Ah’.” He orders, and obediently, the toddler opens his void-like mouth, though no sound escapes. Gently, as to not harm the child, Ben sticks a glowing, gloved finger into Hunter’s mouth. The boy grimaces, unhappy with the taste, but otherwise doesn’t fuss. After a time, Benjamin reclaims his finger and cusses under his breath.

“Well? What’s wrong with ‘em, sweetheart?” Anna asks, giving her baby boy a longing look- she wants to hold him close, to will a voice out of him.

“He’s mute,” Benjamin keeps it simple, but it’s clear even he’s frustrated. “Fuckin’ hell… he ain’t ever gonna be able to use vocal spells… such a pity.”

“Vo- honey, our baby’s a mute, and yer worried ‘bout spells!?” Anna can’t believe her ears- how can Benjamin think about magic at a time like this?

Benjamin stands, giving Anna a harsh glare. “You thinkin’ I don’t care? ‘Course I do, he’s my son! But he’s got the Gift, baby, and he ain’t ever gonna be without it. He’s magic, jus’ like me! He’s gonna have to learn spells eventually, ‘n you damn well know it! You really gonna bitch at me fer worryin’? Fer wonderin’ how I’ll protect ‘im?”

Anna swallows, before ducking her head, defeated. “... No, dearest. I just… he ain’t ever gonna call me Mama, or you Daddy… aren’t ya a little sad ‘bout dat?”

Benjamin softens, reaching forward and hugging Anna with one arm, sandwiching Hunter between them. The baby blinks, before going back to clinging to his mother, unwilling to let go. “Oh, baby, don’t cry,” Benjamin murmurs, kissing Anna’s cheek- his lips are ice cold. “It’s gonna be okay. Skout can talk, can’t she? Our baby girl’ll more than make up fer Hunter’s silence. We’ve got eternity to figure it out.”

Anna nods hopelessly against her husband’s chest, burying her face in his shoulder to hide her tears. 'We’ve got eternity’... It feels more like a threat than a promise.

Finally managing to escape the memory, Annabeth wastes no time in closing the distance, hugging her long lost son close to herself. Skout looks more confused than a reindeer in summer, but Anna will explain later- she just needs to hold him close again, to rejuvenate that lost contact. Slowly, Hunter hugs her back, appearing grateful for the surprise hug. Has he been this touch starved? Benjamin was never really affectionate unless he needed something from her, so it should come as no surprise to Anna that her son would be deprived of such a thing… still, she forces the thought away and hugs him tighter, likely hurting Hunter’s ribs, but she can’t bring herself to care. He’s home. He’s finally home.

“Uh… Ma?” Skout raises an eyebrow at her mother, thoroughly confused. “Why you hugging the Nomad ‘a Nowhere?”

Anna ignores her for the most part, keeping her grip on Hunter. It’s not until her son starts squirming that she lets go, stepping back to look her son over. His face from the eyes down is covered in a red bandana, but otherwise his clothes perfectly match those of his father’s… maybe that means that Benjamin’s dead? Anna knows she should be happy at the thought of it, but she can’t keep herself from internally mourning for him. He’d been nice, when they first met… it’s hard to forget that short-lived kindness, even after all the abuse. Anna finally just grins at her son, before focusing her gaze on Skout.

“Skout, baby… I wish you’d told me you was bringin’ yer brother home… I woulda made you both dinner.” Anna can’t hide the sobbing note in her voice, tears dripping down her face.

Skout’s eyes widen, though Anna can tell she isn’t convinced. “It’s gonna be a long story ta tell, hun,” Anna explains, figuring that now isn’t the time. “Fer now, I think you two need some rest. Y’all must be exhausted,” She turns her attention back to Hunter, who looks even more shellshocked than Skout. She rests a hand on his cheek, savoring the contact. “Don’t you worry, sweetie, it’ll all make sense in good time.”

“Yeah, I uh… think restin’ sounds good right ‘bout now…” Skout murmurs. Suddenly, however, a harsh knock hits the door. The redhead visibly pales, giving her mother an incredibly apologetic look. Her voice drops to a whisper. “Ma… look, there’s a lot we gots ta explain too, but… Mama, jus’ play dumb, I beg of you! Tell ‘em we ain't here! Please!”

Anna nods, understanding completely. Back with Benjamin, she’d been made to play this role before… she’s more than willing to do this again for her daughter. “Go on then… yer bedroom’s still there, hide in there with yer brother!”

“Ma, I really don’t think he’s my-” Another knock shakes the door, interrupting Skout. “Fine fine,” She says, grabbing Hunter by the hand and leading him away. “Come on, you! We gotta hide!”

Hunter waves to Anna as he and Skout disappear down the hallway, causing Anna to chuckle. However, she schools her expression as she approaches the door, taking a deep breath before opening it. A tall, muscular man is there to greet her, wearing barely any armor, a large scar running diagonally across his right cheek. The stranger gives Anna an unimpressed once-over. “So sorry to bother you at this hour, miss,” The man says, keeping his voice friendly, though it’s clear he’s willing to use violence to get his way. “However, it’s come to my attention that a dangerous criminal and his accomplice have wandered into town… was wonderin’ if you’ve seen anyone suspicious.”

Anna puts on a sweet smile, trying to play up the innocent housewife routine. “Oh, I ain’t seen nobody new ‘round here! Nobody but my kids! They’ve been visitin’ me all week long, ain’t dat nice? Don’t often get ta see my kids!”

The man raises an eyebrow, but otherwise doesn’t give away his suspicion. “Funny, ‘cus I coulda sworn I saw that Nomad and his accomplice head in this direction…”

Anna continues to smile, waving the man off. “Nope! Nobody here but my kids and I!”

The stranger shifts his weight, allowing Anna to see Toro’s emblem on his shoulder armor. “You wouldn’t find if I… talked to them, would you, miss?”

Anna doesn’t even blink. “Sorry, they’re both asleep! They’ve been helping me with the pumps all day, and they’re absolutely exhausted. Maybe ask one of the neighbors? Martha next door’s a real chatterbox ‘bout gossip!”

It’s clear that the champion isn’t fully buying it, but there’s just enough truth in Anna’s explanation to warrant her innocence. “Well, if you say so… you make sure to come find me if anything changes. I’ll be in town.” With that vague threat, he walks away, leaving Anna in peace.

Anna shuts the door and groans, breathing a sigh of relief once the champion is gone. It’s been a long time since she’s had to do that- not since she was with Benjamin. Slowly, Anna makes her way into Skout’s bedroom. The redhead is hidden under the covers of her bed, and upon closer inspection, Anna finds Hunter hidden under the very bed itself, his terrified shivering causing the bed frame to shake. “All clear, kids,” Anna calls, pulling the blanket off of Skout and giving her daughter a tired smile. “You can come out now… I think he’s gone.”

“Oh thank the stars,” Skout says, before giving Anna a sorry look. “Sorry ‘bout puttin’ you on the spot like that, Mama… there’s a lot we gotta talk about.”

“Yes there is… but I wasn’t kiddin’ when I says you gotta rest up first- you look like you ain’t slept in days,” Anna chides. When Hunter peeks out from underneath the bed, Anna crouches down and tousles his hair, letting out a soft chuckle. “That goes fer you too, son.”

“Yeah, about that-” Skout begins to say.

“Rest. Now. Ya look damn ready ta faint,” Not to mention, I need time to figure out how I’m gonna explain this to you two, Anna thinks, but pushes those thoughts aside in favor of focusing on her kids. “Think ya can share yer room with yer brother?”

Skout blinks, looking ready to continue asking about this, but she eventually seems to give into her own desire to sleep. “Yeah yeah, he can sleep with me… but I ain’t sharing a blanket with ‘im! He can sleep on the bed, but no cuddlin’!” She points her orders at Hunter, who looks away in embarrassment.

Anna laughs at this, thoroughly amused by her children’s antics. “That’s fair… now get some sleep. We can discuss all of this in the mornin’,” She promises, helping Hunter to his feet. Once he’s up, he gives the bed a worried look. “It’s alright… here, I’ll git you another blanket.” Anna offers, trying to quell the nervous tension in the room.

Once Anna gets back with a large, blue quilt, she drapes it over Hunter’s shoulders. Her son visibly relaxes, clearly glad to have a blanket to sleep with tonight. Has he been sleeping enough? It’s hard to tell if he’s sleep deprived or not, but his sluggish movements are enough for Anna to go off of. With the promise of a bed to sleep in tonight, Hunter now gladly hops into bed beside his sister, wrapping himself in the blanket like a burrito. He lies down silently beside Skout, who already appears to be dozing off. With a whispered goodnight, Anna leaves her two children in peace, allowing them to finally sleep… and for her to finally figure out how in the hell she’s going to explain all of this in the morning. But it’s worth it… or at least, it will be.

Her kids will likely have to leave tomorrow- if Anna had to guess, she’d say it’s Benjamin’s old bounty that now rests on her beloved son’s head, and Skout’s just along for the ride- but she can at least guarantee them a big breakfast and an explanation. And if she’s lucky? Well… maybe she can finally keep her promise to Skout.

A/N: And here it is! My first contribution to this fandom (other than theory/shit posts)! I hope y’all like this fic; feel free to ask me any questions you have for the AU! I plan on doing another fic soon- one from Nodad’s (Benjamin, the original Nomad’s) perspective, so look out for that one! I just got inspired to do this one first because of signomad’s heartbreaking comic for my twins theory! Also, another shout out to bl00dw1tch’s Nodad Theory- I bring it up every time I post something for the Twins AU, but it’s still honest to God the reason this AU (theory??? If I’m right then hOLY FUCK) exists at all. So go check those folks out! See you next time!

~Supercasey

[sroloc--elbisivni]

Make Yourself Some Friends Or You’ll Be Lonely--Nomad of Nowhere

AO3

The thorns and thickets had grown since the last time Nomad had come home, but at the center of the briar patch the cabin was still there, on its patch of fenced-in stony ground.

The lights were out, one of the windows had broken in, and a fine layer of dust had settled over everything inside, but the bed was still made and the broom was still leaning up against the kitchen table, right where—where—

Where it had been left.

Nomad picked it up and used it to sweep off one of the chairs and sit down. He leaned the broom back up against the table, smoothed out the green tablecloth, and folded his hands in his lap, looking around the cabin.

A place for everything and everything in its place. Even him. Especially him.

The house itself hadn’t changed in size. It was still small, for all it felt so empty. That was fine. Nomad was feeling pretty small himself, lately.

Nomad stayed in the cabin for three whole weeks, and by the end he had counted every single piece of thatch in the ceiling and every brick in the fireplace and every knot in the floorboards.

Four times.

Finally, he had had enough. He had to get out.

The briars had grown enough to shield him and everything within from the outside world, so he grabbed a stick and a snack and started walking.

There were all kinds of plants here, plants Nomad hadn’t seen in months or years. He had thought they were gone.

In the case of one particularly spiky, venomous specimen, he had hoped they were gone. Puncturing his own hand to get the goo out was just as bad as it had been the first time.

He left those where they were, anyways. They deserved to be remembered somewhere outside of books and drawings.

Nomad got so caught up in walking, watching all the plants and looking for animals underneath, that he almost stepped over the edge of the briars before he knew it.

He just managed to catch his foot before it hit the sand of the desert outside.

He stared at it for a long moment, then out at the horizon, then back at the ground.

All that space. All that room to just keep going, to find settlements somewhere, to meet—to—to—

Nomad turned around and high-tailed it back for the clearing and the cabin and the neatly made bed.

This time, it took him four weeks to come out.

He ended up making a sign, with paint slapped together from some of the local plants and a stash of oil behind the house. It wasn’t like he’d need it—the oasis was insulated from the desert chill, and he’d grown used to the dark.

When the sign was finished, he carried it out to the edge of the briar patch and hammered it into the ground. A warning and a reminder, right at the side of the path where no one could miss it. Not even heartsick magicians.

He didn’t look back, not wanting to see the horizon, but he could practically feel the red words that faced the briar patch burning into his back.

DO NOT LEAVE.

Nomad had sworn off magic. He had known that going in, that it was something he couldn’t keep, not here. Not like this, not after…everything.

He had been alone before. He could do it again. This wasn’t—this wasn’t supposed to be somewhere he was happy.

There were so many times when the broom, or the kettle, or a chair was just out of reach and he found himself raising his hands to clap, automatically, to bring it closer, but he stopped himself every single time.

That was what had gotten him in this mess in the first place. He couldn’t—he wouldn’t—do it again.

But sometimes the briar patch was just…so…empty.

There were the hippos, of course, in the hidden oasis, but the hippos didn’t care about him, not like his creations had. They didn’t make for very good company. And trying to cuddle with one would undoubtedly end in disaster.

Nomad had sometimes been sad his creations couldn’t talk, but seeing a hippo yawn had forced him to consider the logistics of mouths. And teeth. And biting.

Eyes and hands and legs seemed like more than enough, when he thought about it.

And he thought about it more and more as the days turned into weeks turned into months. He had explored the entire briar patch, over and over again, and still couldn’t shake the feeling of intense, brutal, empty loneliness.

He had wandered for years before. Why was this all getting to him like this?

There was one particular clearing—well, more of a crater, but who cared about logistics like that? Not Nomad. There was one particular clearing, full of little rocks, the ones that had been too small to build into a chimney or a wall or a well. Just lots of little stones, and one big one. Lying on the ground. Existing.

Nomad was staring at them right now, trying to think of all the reasons it would be a bad idea to pick one up.

If he picked one up, he would want to hold it for a while, because they looked so nice and misshapen and smooth. If he held one for a while, he would want to take it with him. If he took it with him, he would want to bring it to life.

And he wasn’t doing that anymore.

He wasn’t.

He picked up one particularly lovely rock, and tried to think of why that was, again.

It was just one rock, right? Just one little river stone. It couldn’t hurt anyone. Not really.

Nomad set it carefully down on the ground, and for the first time in over a year, just…clapped.

Once. Twice.

The little rock opened little eyes, and blinked up at him, and then the legs and arms popped out.

Nomad held very, very still. It was alive now. It could know things, like what a monster he was. It could choose things, like running away.

But the little rock just trotted over to Nomad and climbed on top of his boot, settling down and staring up at him.

Slowly and carefully, so he didn’t disturb the little rock, Nomad lowered himself to the ground, not daring to even twitch his toes.

He and the rock looked at each other for a long time.

A week later, Nomad had brought every single rock in the clearing to life. Even the big one.

Most of them were content to stay right where they were, after saying hello, but the first one he had brought to life—affectionately dubbed “Rocky” in Nomad’s head—followed him around everywhere. He started picking it up and tucking it into his sash or his shirt or a pocket or the brim of his hat, just to keep it from jumping up and down and stumbling everywhere as it tried to keep up.

Nomad figured it would get bored, eventually, and want to go back to the clearing where it had come from, but for now, he was just happy to have the company.

The house was still small, and the oasis was still big, and Nomad still couldn’t talk to anyone, but—well.

There were so many, many things that were worse when you were all alone.

[tu-sugar-mami]

Can you imagine the way Toth would gently hold Skout's hand? Hesitant, with a touch light as a feather, as if she were afraid of hurting Skout with her strength, because Skout is a delicate doll comparing to her, and even if Toth knows Skout can carry a heavy loaded backpack by herself it doesn't mean she wants to risk hurting her. Toth just wishes that her action somehow can convey how she feels, because she isn't good with words, in fact, she isn't good with feelings at all, but she still tries.

And Skout would smile brightly and freely, with a slight blush covering her cheeks, because Toth as fierce as she is isn't brave enough to show affection, or doesn't know how, Skout isn't sure. But what Skout is sure about is that she loves the shy way that Toth holds her hand, with such care, with such love that melts her heart, and it's then that Skout realizes that there's nothing she wouldn't do for this woman.

So, can you imagine?