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tsukkisbean · 4 years ago

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never cold | third year boyfriend!tsukishima x gn!reader

genre: fluff and angst

warnings: jealousy, poor communication

word count: 4.0k

summary: you’ve always loved valentine’s day and believed it was a holiday worth celebrating and this year you have tsukishima to spend it with. however, much to your disappointment he tells you that he thinks the holiday is a waste of time and doesn’t understand why people even bother. so what happens when your secret admirer takes their chance to tell you how they feel?

a/n: i’m sorry this turned out kind of lame but nonetheless i hope you like it!!! ty for requesting!! also this is a repost bc tumblr is picking a fight :)

original request here

Every year, each class is assigned to run a holiday event for the school. So, when the school president notifies you that your class will be in charge of the Valentine’s Day event this year, you’re over the moon.

You’re determined to pull off an amazing event not only because your pride as class representative is on the line, but simply because you love the concept of Valentine’s Day.

During your break between classes you rack your brain, trying to think of an idea that will blow the entire school away.

“What about a kissing booth?”

You turn to look at your friend, nose scrunching in distaste, “Really? A kissing booth? I think that’s overdone and quite frankly, disgusting, Yachi.”

Embarrassment is written all over her face and you can’t help but feel bad at your small outburst, “Sorry Yachi, that was rude of me. I do appreciate you trying to help me though.”

Her messy blonde hair sways side to side as she shakes her head, “No, you’re right. I’d feel sorry for whoever has to kiss hundreds of random strangers.” A giggle escapes your lips when you see the way she gags at the thought.

“Hey, Y/N are you planning to do something with Tsukishima for Valentine’s?”

The question catches you off guard. You’ve been dating for just about a year now and you know he wasn’t exactly into these sorts of things but surely, he at least had something planned, right? Just as you’re about to respond, the school bell goes off, signalling the start of your third period.

For the rest of the day, your mind is preoccupied with brainstorming. Love telegrams? Serenades? Chocolates? No, although traditional, it was all too boring to you.

It’s only the when the ring of your cellphone brings you back to reality. Your face lights up at the caller ID, your finger quickly swiping across the screen.

“Kei! Where have you been?”

When you hear your boyfriend’s voice for the first time today, your worries seem to fade away. “Yamaguchi, Hinata and Kageyama kept pestering me to practice with them during all our breaks today.” You can just imagine the scowl he has plastered on his face.

“Well it can’t be helped. After all, interhighs will be here before you know it. You’ve got to set a good example for all your juniors.” You hear him sigh on the other end, “Yeah I guess but, that means we won’t be able to see each other as much.”

The corner of your lips lifts upward into a wide smile. Tsukishima has never been the type to be so forward when expressing his affection towards you, so you always cherish these types of moments.

You’re suddenly reminded of what Yachi asked you earlier in the day and you ponder whether or not you should bring it up with him.

“Hey, Kei?”

“Hm?”

“Do you have anything planned for Valentine’s Day?” You can barely make it out, but you definitely hear him scoff.

“Probably not. I don’t really understand why people go crazy over it. It’s so corny and unnecessarily expensive, it’s just a waste of a day.”

You nod your head, even though he can’t see you, “I see. Well I have homework to do, I’ll see you tomorrow. Goodnight, Kei.”

Before he can respond, you end the call, throwing your phone on the bed.

Why were you so upset? You know that your boyfriend was like this; you understand that he isn’t fond of big theatrics when it came to love. You like him and he likes you, that’s all that should matter. Yet, for some reason, you can’t get rid of the tight feeling building in your chest.

When you wake up the next day, your heart still feels heavy. Last night’s conversation still lingers in your mind, maybe because you know there’s some truth to what he said. Or maybe, it’s because you secretly hoped he’d take advantage of the holiday to show you how much he cared for you.

Pushing your thoughts away, you busy yourself with getting ready for another day of school.

When you arrive, you easily spot your boyfriend, his tall frame towering over most of the other students. One of his friends catches your eye, before giving your boyfriend a gentle a nudge, pointing towards you. Tsukishima turns to look at you momentarily before quickly walking off in the direction of his classroom.

Automatically, your lips turn into a frown. He must be upset because you abruptly hung up on him last night. You let out a sigh; maybe you’d buy him a slice of his favourite strawberry shortcake and surprise him after his practice.

During class your mind is anywhere but the lesson, your focus drifting between the Valentine’s event and Tsukishima avoiding you.

“Y/N”

“Y/N!”

Your seatmate gives you a sharp nudge to the side, bringing your attention to the front of the room.

“I believe you have an announcement for the class?”

You scramble out of your seat, smoothing out the wrinkles in your uniform as you make your way to the front of the classroom, “This year our class has been chosen to run the Valentine’s day event.” A mixture of groans and excited whispers fill the classroom, “If you would like to participate in the planning process please let me know. Those who do not partake in the planning are required to participate in the execution of the event.”

During lunch, much to your relief, a number of students approach you to offer their help. As a group, you exchange ideas back and forth and by the end of lunch break you’ve collected a wide variety of ideas. All that was left was to actually decide on one.

Happiness and excitement settles in your chest, and you can barely sit still for the rest of the day. When the final bell goes off, those helping with the event hurriedly crowd around your desk to continue the conversation from earlier.

“Okay well we definitely have to have flowers and chocolate! How can you have Valentine’s Day without those?”

“Singing attracts way too much attention. I would literally die of embarrassment if I got serenaded in front of the whole class.”

“Telegrams are so overdone, but I also think they’re romantic, they definitely fit the vibe.”

“What if we set up an event based on the red string of fate?” Once you hear the idea your heart falls in love.

“Watanabe, that’s a great idea! Students can send in their profiles and whether they’re looking for love or friendship. Then we’ll match them based on preferences. On Valentines Day, we’ll separate students onto two sides of the sports field. They’ll find the card with their names and put on their string before they set off to find their match!”

Excited chatter erupts among the group, everyone adding in their two cents. The next while is spent delegating tasks to everyone, from promotion to design to operations. By the time you wrap up it’s already close to 7pm.

Grabbing your belongings, you quickly throw them into your bag. Tsukishima should be wrapping up practice soon, and unless his teammates ask him to stay the two of you could walk home together.

Quickly, you make your way to the gym to find your boyfriend. From quite a distance away you can clearly hear Hinata and Kageyama shouting at each other as usual. When you arrive at the door, you’re greeted by a chorus of “hellos” from the volleyball club.

Your boyfriend jogs over to you, stopping just shy of the door. Upon further inspection, you can see the beads of sweat forming on his nose and forehead and you can’t help but smile, knowing how hard he must be working to make it to nationals this year.

“Y/N? What are you doing here still?” there’s a hint of standishoffness in his voice but you brush it aside, “My class was assigned to the Valentine’s Day event, so I stayed behind with some classmates to do some planning. I thought that we could walk home together?”

Tsukishima’s lips press into a thin line. Was he still angry with you?

“Sorry, but we’re still practicing.”

A voice chimes in from behind, “What are you talking about? You just said-”

The tall male whips around, you can’t see his expression but by the way Hinata reacts, you can tell he’s glaring at him.

“You know what, forget it. You obviously don’t want to walk home with me and I’m an adult so I can walk myself home.” Turning on your heels, you storm away from the gym, ignoring your boyfriend as he calls your name.

The next couple of weeks fly by as you’re busy preparing for the Valentine’s event. Applications flow in every day, and although you’re glad the event is a hit you can’t help but feel exhausted.

The fact that you and Tsukishima haven’t spoken properly since your outburst doesn’t help either. Your text messages are short and infrequent; a simple “good morning” and “good night”, and sometimes the occasional “have a good day”.

Before you know it, Valentine’s Day arrives. As you step onto the field, your heart is racing uncontrollably. You’ve spent the past month alongside your classmates working out every single kink to ensure everything would be perfect for today.

You raise your arm into the air, the red flag in your hand dancing in the cold winter breeze. Taking in a deep breath, you call out as loud as you can, “Ready... set.... go!”

Laughter fills the air as you watch your school mates stumble between each other trying to find their other half for the day through the sea of red.

“Pull on your string, you might be my match!”

“Quit pushing me!”

“Hey, stop trying to tangle my string!!”

“You guys are totally matched together, you’re literally the same person.”

Your cheeks start to ache from smiling so hard, but you can’t help yourself. Watching as everyone slowly finds the end of the red string creates a warmth in your chest. You haven’t felt this way since... well since the day Tsukishima confessed to you.

It had happened last winter. The two of you were walking home together after his volleyball practice. You’re not sure what came over you at the time but you thought it would be a good idea to throw a snowball at him. The look on his face when the cold white powder hit him square in his chest was absolutely priceless. But the moment didn’t last long when he made a much much much larger snowball.

You screamed at the top of your lungs as he chased after you, determined to get back at you. After a few minutes, your lungs started to give out and so you turned around, hands held up in the air, “I give up, I’m sorry.”

He narrowed his eyes at you, snowball still in his hands ready to throw it at you if need be, “What are you sorry for?”

You tried to stifle your laughter, for someone who acted so cool all the time, seeing that side of him was honestly quite refreshing, “I’m sorry for throwing a snowball at you. You must be cold.”

“No.” In three swift strides, Tsukishima is standing in front of you, “I never feel cold when I’m with you, Y/N.”

A distant voice snaps you out of your daydream. When you come back to your senses, you realize everyone has found their match and is waiting for your closing remarks. Grabbing the microphone you quickly thank everyone for participating, sending them off with well wishes.

Once the majority of the students leave the field, you round up your classmates, thanking them for all the hard work they put into the event.

As you head back inside, a familiar voice calls your name, “Y/N!”

“Watanabe, thank you for the amazing idea. There’s no way I would have been able to think of something as creative as this.”

They quickly shake their head, “No way, I should be the one thanking you. You had so many more ideas to add on that really brought it to life. This event was totally a hit, I heard a lot of people saying they want to do this again next year.”

A comfortable silence settles between the two of you as you head back to your classroom to grab your things.

“Hey, Y/N...?”

“Yes?”

“Are you doing anything tonight?” Your head snaps towards them, the surprise evident on your face.

“Ah sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. I was just wondering since you always seem so excited to talk about Valentine’s Day.”

You reach out, giving their shoulder a gentle pat, “That’s okay, I don’t mind,” you pause momentarily, “I don’t think I’m doing anything.”

Watanabe nods their head, clearly thinking about whether or not they should puruse the current topic. When they choose to let it go, you silently thank them, not wanting to be reminded of the fact that you and your boyfriend were still on bad terms on the supposed most romantic day of the year.

When you arrive at home, you try to distract yourself with your homework. Hours pass by, not a single message, or phone call. Even if Tsukishima didn’t like the holiday didn’t he at least have the heart to tell you “happy Valentine’s Day? Pulling out your phone, you open up your chat with your boyfriend. But before you can start typing, the familiar typing bubble pops up and you quickly exit out. You watch your screen expectantly, jumping when your phone chimes.

[10:43pm] ♥kei♥: good night.

Immediately, your shoulders deflate. That was it? Another simple goodnight? Throwing your phone in the corner, you climb into bed and shut your eyes. Maybe in your dreams you’d meet Tsukishima in a world where he truly cared.

Your body feels sluggish in the morning as you make your way to your cubby. Instead of sweet dreams, you tossed and turned all night unable to get Tsukishima off your mind. Pulling your indoor shoes out of their slot, you drop them to the floor with a thunk. You slip off your outdoor shoes, and just as you’re about to put them away, a red envelope catches your eye.

You look around to see if anybody is watching you, but everyone around you is absorbed in their own conversations. Quickly, you stuff your shoes away, before tearing the red packaging open.

Dearest Y/N,

Where do I begin? When I first laid eyes on you, I knew you were an angel sent from the heavens. Seeing you smile at me sends my heart into a frenzy, and quite frankly, I’m not sure if I’ve even recovered from the last time you looked at me with those eyes. Those beautiful eyes that I could get lost in forever.

If only you were mine, I’d make you happy.

Love,

Your Secret Admirer

You were at a loss for words. From the way they addressed you, it was obvious it wasn’t your boyfriend. Yet, you couldn’t think of a single person that could have written you this letter.

The warning bell goes off and you shove the letter into your bag, rushing off to homeroom.

As the week continues on, so did the letters. No matter how hard you looked, you couldn’t figure out who was leaving them for you.

At your wits end, you decide to confide in Yachi. If you couldn’t catch sight of your secret admirer, maybe she could, “I’m telling you Yachi, it’s definitely not Kei. I have no idea who it could be and I have no idea how they keep slipping me these notes without me noticing!”

As you ramble on about your secret admirer, you fail to notice how silent Yachi has become. When you finally realize, you notice how stiff she’s become; the colour has drained from her face and she’s not looking at you, but past you.

Slowly you turn around, only to be met with a cold pair of eyes. The grip around your wrist is tight as you’re dragged down the hallway.

“Kei, you’re hurting me. Let go!” Your complaints are dismissed as the two of you continue on, stopping only when you reach the gym used by the boys’ volleyball club. Your body is shoved into the supply room, Tsukishima slamming the door shut behind the two of you.

Click

“Why have you been ignoring me?”

Your mouth hangs open, completely lost for words, “Kei you can’t be serious.”

The way his gaze pierces through you tells you he’s dead serious.

“Is it because of the letters you’ve been receiving? Who are they from? Do you like them?” His questions come rushing at you so fast, you can barely catch everything he’s saying.

But the longer he goes on, the angrier you feel yourself become. You can hear the blood rushing in your ears, your body trembles with anger, you even think you might be seeing red.

“Do you want to break up with me?”

It’s like something inside you snaps and you can’t bear to listen to his rambling any longer, “Tsukishima Kei,” your voice rings loud and clear in the small room. For a moment even you’re stunned at yourself.

You open your mouth to speak again, but the only thing that comes out of your mouth is a weak sob. You lean over, resting your hands on your knees as the tears build in your eyes. It only takes a moment for them to start streaming down your face.

“Kei you’re so stupid, you’re so fucking stupid.” When you feel his fingers graze your skin, you immediately step away, your back hitting the layer of gym mats.

He takes a step towards you, “Y/N...please tell me what I did wrong. Please.” His voice is soft, barely a whisper.

When you look up at him, he looks just as ruined as you do. The area around his eyes is bright red, tears brimming his eyes.

"I wish you loved me more.” The words are bitter in your mouth, but there’s truth in them.

But when you see the look on his face, you’re instantly filled with regret, “Kei I didn’t-” but he cuts off you off before you can continue, “Is this because I said I wasn’t planning anything for Valentine’s Day?”

You say nothing, but your silence tells him everything he needs to know. Running his fingers through his hair, he lets out a frustrated sigh, “Maybe if you weren’t hanging out with Watanabe or any of those other people.”

“We were working on the Valentine’s Day event, and you know that.” you spit back at him, anger brewing in your chest once again.

He steps towards you again, arms trapping you between his body and the mats behind you, “I bet one of them is the one sending you the letters.”

When you don’t respond, he starts to make his way out of the supply room stopping momentarily to look back at you, “Y/N, I don’t need a shitty holiday to express how much I love being with you, when I do it everyday. Or at least that’s what I thought.”

With that, he leaves you, his footsteps heavy against the hardwood floors of the gym.

Over the weekend, you try to distract yourself from thinking about Tsukishima. But no matter what you do, everything always seems to lead right back to him.

Like the hoodie you’re wearing that he (reluctantly) gave you when you snuck out past midnight that one time. Or when your parents bring home the strawberry cake that the two of you would sometimes share at the bakery near your house.

While you drown in your feelings you ignore the knock on the door. But it comes again, and again, and again. Forcing yourself up from your bed, you make your way downstairs.

Swinging the front door open, you’re greeted by nothing but the emptiness of your front yard. Just as you’re about to shut the door, a flash of red catches your eye.

On the ground is a card and attached is a piece of long red string. The string passes your front gate but that’s as far as you can see. Cautiously you pick up the card, your name written clearly on the front. You don’t recognize the writing and so you debate with yourself for a few moments.

You shout to your parents that you’ll be back, not bothering to tell them why you were running off so late at night.

As you follow the red string you pass a number of familiar places. Your favourite bakery, the record store that has all the albums of your favourite artists, and the book store you like to hide in on rainy days.

At last, the string leads you to the park. Your eyes follows the string to where it disappears behind a nearby tree. Slowly you approach, your feet crunching against the snow.

Just before you can identify the person at the end of the string, a ball of white is hurled towards your chest.

You look down, the icy crystals already melting into the fabric of your hoodie. The sound of footsteps catch your attention, the culprit walking out with his signature smirk plastered across his face.

“What the hell was that for?”

Suddenly, you’re pulled into a hug. It’s warm and familiar, the feeling has you melting into his arms.

His hands grab fistfuls of your hoodie, pushing you closer to his body, holding you as if you were going to melt away just like the snow. Part of you is still angry at him for lashing out at you, but the other part of you knows that you were also in the wrong. So you stay, you stay in his arms because when you’re together like this, your heart knows that it’s home.

The two of you continue to stand there, breathing in sync, hearts beating as if they were one.

“Y/N I’m sorry.” His voice breaks the silence between the two of you.

One of his arms wraps itself securely around your waist, the other rising to cup your cheek, “I shouldn’t have gotten angry at you like that, it’s not your fault you were getting those letters.”

You shake your head furiously, wanting to tell him he’d done nothing wrong but when you look into his golden eyes. It’s a look you’ve never once seen before. It’s almost as if they’re pleading for you to listen, just for now. So desperate yet so full of love.

“I should have realized how important Valentine’s Day is to you. When you hung up on me, I should have realized. When I saw you the next day I shouldn’t have run from you. Being away from you hurt me, and I know it hurt you just as much. It wasn’t fair of me.”

There are a million thoughts running through your mind, but there’s one that you can see clearly.

“Kei, I love you.”

Maybe it was the winter chill, or maybe you’ve finally managed to fluster him, but nonetheless his ears burn a bright red.

“I didn’t mean what I said the other day - about wishing you loved me more. I know you do. I know you don’t say it often, but everything you do for me shows me you do.”

You ramble on, listing every action of love, big or small, that you can recall. Your speech is cut short when your boyfriend captures your lips in a chaste kiss.

His lips are cold against yours, yet when he pulls away, your mouth feels like they’ve been set aflame, “Y/N, I love you. If you want, I’ll make you feel as if Valentine’s Day is everyday.”

Your heart flip flops at those three words but all you can say is, “Kei you’re cold.”

Gently, he knocks his forehead against yours, “I’m never cold. Not when I’m with you.”

#tsukshima kei #tsukishima x reader #haikyuu scenarios #haikyuu imagine #haikyuu fluff #clara click clacks

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abluescarfonwaston · 4 years ago

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Shapeshifter Au 6

Heads up at the top this one is our “Last Wish Special”. It’s extra long and what should be no surprise to anyone- Jaskier does not have a good time! Please take care of yourselves as we move into plot territory.

Part 1 Part 5 Inspired by @spielzeugkaiser art here And Also now on Ao3 cause that’s probably easier for everyone.

Sometimes, when Geralt got hurt, he’d use his shapes against him.

Help was the word he’d use. To help him. But if Geralt preferred to think of him using his shapes against him then so be it.

“Get off me Jaskier.”

He looked down his snout at Geralt and grumbled his reply before returning to his composing. They would at very least wait until the bleeding stopped to ride back. Since Geralt insisted the injuries were not so grievous as to require proper attention.

He might very well have been right about that. Which meant they could afford to wait for it to stop before returning for the reward.

If Geralt wanted to treat his wounds then he’d let him. But he wasn’t going to let him ride off and make everything worse because he was a stubborn ass. That was Jaskier’s job. Being a stubborn ass. Not that he made a habit of being farm animals. The risk it would sour him to the taste of their meat was far too great. He refused to be vegetarian. Grass just did not taste very good. No matter what Roach claimed.

“Jaskier get off me or I will throw you off.”

He shifted more of his near 400 pound weight onto Geralt’s torso to demonstrate exactly what he thought about that.

“I can.” He growled.

He puffed up his fur telling him exactly what would happen if he tried.

He had bigger forms yet. If that’s how he wanted to play- well. He wouldn’t bet on Geralt winning. Witcher enhancements be damned.

Geralt, seemingly having realized this, ceased his struggling and ventured a new tactic.

Insulting him.

Which got him grumbling and growling at Geralt. But didn’t get him off him. Geralt knew well enough what he was saying. He didn’t need to transform to express his displeasure.

Geralt, a versatile and clever man, switch tactics yet again.

Reciting history facts but slightly wrong- the year was 1123 and he was a duke not a prince Geralt- asking questions about agriculture – cereal crops deplete the soil of nitrogen. Legumes fix this. A fallow field is left for weeds and grazing. The three fields are rotated. Together this system allows farmers to plant more crops and increase production. – and finally just asking him to play for him.

He, personally, admitted that his bear vocals left something to be desired but he didn’t let that stop him from belting out a few heavily modified versions of his favorite tunes.

Geralt covered his ears and glared at him.

It was only after three verses of Fishmonger’s daughter that he finally popped down into his human shape to do the finale justice.

Geralt shoved him off breaking his sustained note.

“Rude.” He squawked from the dirt as Geralt stood.

“I stopped bleeding three songs ago!” He growled at him.

“I’m well aware.” He grinned. “But I do so enjoy a captive audience.”

Geralt threw the bedroll at his head. Which did hit him. But he managed to catch it on the rebound, which counted as a win in his books.

“I don’t need you mothering me bard.”

“Is that what you think this is? I’m trying to keep Nenneke from murdering me next time you need her services. The woman terrifies me Geralt.”

She did. A little. Not in the way he suspected she expected to be feared though.

It was because her eyes always held too many questions about why he’d arrived before Geralt, knowing exactly the condition of the man’s wounds, even though he lacked a horse while Geralt road in on Roach.

He’d fly ahead, unhampered by the twisting of the roads, and set them to prepare for Geralt’s arrival. Or, when the situation was far graver, have them send a cart to meet him. Transforming on the road just outside of the temples view.

His skin itched when she stared at him too long. Like she almost knew what he was and if she watched him closely enough she might figure it out.

Luckily, “I mean the woman already hates me Geralt.” She was easy to annoy into not looking closely. “No need to worsen her to me by damaging the one reason she even tolerates my presence at the temple.”

If all she wanted to see was an airheaded flop of a bard that was all he would show her. Staying within the confines of expectations worked well enough to keep people from digging.

“She does hate you.” Geralt agreed with a smirk. Pleased he’d befriended someone Jaskier had not.

“Naaaah deep down she likes me.”

Geralt bobbed his head, half conceding the point.

People were complicated like that. She hated Most of him. But she liked that he cared about Geralt. Even if she didn’t always agree with how he cared about Geralt.

With how they cared for each other.

So maybe he shouldn’t have poked the insomniatic bear that was Geralt as he dredged up the lake at Rinde. But he was a bear often enough and he didn’t mind being poked. Sometimes Geralt needed to buck up and face his problems head on!

Then his throat started closing.

Which was scary. Sure. But there were plenty of forms that didn’t need his throat to breath. He’d play catfish or pike or bream or – he was just listing fish again- something while Geralt sorted out the curse the djinn smacked him with.

Except.

Except none of them would come.

He tried to shift bigger and his skin pulled too tight like it was yanking away from the muscle and he tried to shift down and his organs compressed in his chest. And he was left folded over in pain from his throat and his lungs and from being trapped.

Trapped in one form. Perhaps forever.

“Can you shift?” Geralt asked him, looking between him and Roach. Debating.

He managed a ragged sob that Geralt translated as the ‘no’ it was.

There was the bumpy ride on Roach- poor girl they weighed far too much together- and the elf with the painkillers – which helped a little. But the world continued its painful descent into darkness.

Geralt was scruffing him by the doublet. Dragging his limp form. Somewhere. He liked being scruffed. It reminded him of the old mouser in the kitchen who’d claimed him as kin when he was barely a boy. Whenever he got in trouble, or was lonely, or scared he’d just run to the old tom and pop down into a kitten. Instantly be scruffed and pulled under the cabinet for a bath and cuddle.

Scruffing meant that soon everything would be okay. He was in pain and terrified but soon. Soon everything would be alright.

Everything was not alright.

There was a very scary woman with an amphora on her belly and-

And she was a mage.

A powerful mage.

Something in him was singing. Singing at her notice. Her attention.

He didn’t much like that part of him.

His knees near buckled under him as she gripped his nethers and pressed a knife to his throat.

“If you want to keep all you have familiar,” She squeezed him tighter. The singing and terror crescendo-ing in his ears. What do you want me to be? It sung, heart racing in his chest. “Make a damn wish.”

He reached. Reached for. Something. Some shape that would get her away. Small or big or cute or monsterous or something.

Her magic threw him to the floor and it crackled over his skin- she wants you to be human so that is what you shall be – lighting up every nerve with delicious power – do as she says. So that the powerful one might keep you – and burning the tapestry of thread he didn’t know was woven underneath his skin.

“Make your damn wish! Do it now!”

This one is better. Powerful. Be what she wants. “I don’t- I don’t know!” Lightning ran through his veins and fire blazed through his chest and- and- Be her’s. Wish to be hers. Exalted one.

He didn’t want that.

“I wish very much to leave this place forever!”

She turned from him, the burning fading. The singing loud in his ears. Scolding, screaming, begging him to go back to her as he scrambled from the building.

And Geralt was there.

Geralt was alive.

Geralt left him to that witch.

“Jaskier. You’re okay.”

“I’m glad to hear that you give a monkey’s about it.” He fumed.

The singing was quieter now. The smoldering in his chest easing next to Geralt-

Geralt was going back inside.

The building collapsing.

“She could not have survived it.” The elf from earlier- Chireadan- said.

There was coldness in the shape of the lightning flowing through his veins. Ashes in the stitching of his soul where Geralt once resided.

“Why did Geralt go in there? It doesn’t make any sense. What, to save a mad fucking witch?”

“Because she was magnificent.”

She was. The song wept.

His knees hit the ground, the pain of the gravel collision distant, over the shapeless void that pulled him to nothing.

“What am I supposed to do now, hm?” What would be left when this form collapsed into the emptiness in his chest? “It wasn’t supposed to go this way.”

You should have died with him.

No.

“I’m gonna write you. The best song. So that everyone remembers who you were, what we did, everything we saw.” There was a lifetime there. In the spaces they shared. Not a human lifespan perhaps. But it wasn’t like he was human anyway. “And I will sing it. For the rest of my days.”

“He always said I had the most wonderful singing voice.”

A joke. Between him and a dead man.

If he wanted to correct him he should have stayed alive.

Chireadan knelt before him, laying a hand on his shoulder. A tiny beat of comfort in a symphony of pain.

“They’re alive.”

They were very alive.

He ran his fingers down Roach’s neck, unsure how he was supposed to feel.

Relief that Geralt was alive? Jealously that he’d gone to Yennefer? Jealously she choose him over you?

Anger?

Joy?

Hollow. He felt hollow.

Roach nudged him.

He was nearly draped over her.

He wanted that old tom cat to scruff him and pull him under the cabinet. To lick and squish and purr him back to whole.

What would he be if he shifted now?

Nothing. It called to him that nothing.

Nothing wasn’t a shape. Nothing wasn’t Jaskier. Jaskier wasn’t nothing.

Still it called to him.

Roach lipped at a saddlebag. The one he’d nested in as his wing healed.

He shoved his bloody shirt in as a makeshift nest and fluttered in.

If Geralt wanted his peace he could dump him on the side of the road.

Until then. He breathed in the way the leather bag blended Roach and Geralt into itself and fell asleep.

He drifted back to the shores of sleep welcomed by the gentlest smoothing of his feathers.

He readjusted, further nesting into the callouses of Geralt’s hand.

“I thought.” The pain in Geralt’s hesitating voice forced his eyes open. “That the djinn took your voice and your shifting from you.”

Geralt was laying down on their bedroll watching him with those big sad eyes. Which hurt.

But not as much as the fact Geralt had stopped petting him. He shifted into Geralt’s petting hand demanding he get back to work with a sharp chirp.

Geralt resumed his gentle stroking, lips twitching slightly upward. “So bossy.” He complained.

They laid there as the sun went down; quiet and exhausted.

“We used to do this a lot. When your wing was broken. It was nice.”

He softly trilled an agreement.

“I could smell you on Roach when I got back you know? I thought you had left. I understand if you’d left. After what I did.”

He blinked tiredly at Geralt before standing to shift up. He didn’t want to have this conversation now but if Geralt did then. Well then they’d have it now.

“Don’t.” Geralt’s hands shifted slightly, like they were caging him in. They weren’t. He knew he could get out. Knew that if he wanted to leave Geralt would let him.

He settled back into Geralt’s fingers, more than happy not to.

“Tonight. Can we be that again? Just for tonight.”

Be simple. Be easy.

Nenneke always scolded Geralt for thinking he could deny destiny. Because she cared about him and knew destiny would have her way, willingly or not. It would he agreed. Geralt couldn’t run away from her forever.

But he did help him run away from it. Sometimes. Like tonight?

Tonight destiny could go fuck itself.

Tonight they were just a bird and a man sharing each other’s company.

Tonight they were easy.

#Geraskier #geralt x jaskier #shapeshifter au #shapeshifter!Jaskier #geralt #jaskier #post in the tags darn you #writing

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elsanna-shenanigans · 4 years ago

Text

April Contest Submission #15: Schrödinger’s break

Words: ca. 3,700 Setting: modern AU Lemon: no CW: wrong Witcher facts (sorry Yen!)

“What do you mean it doesn’t count?!” Anna could tell that her face was tomato-red, since she could feel the heat in her puffed-up cheeks.

“Well, they clearly were on a break, were they not?!” Elsa’s voice was positively dripping with restrained annoyance.

That was the difference between them - while Anna got heated up and was all fire, Elsa turned cold and icy. Anna hated that version of her sister. Ice queen, indeed. Yet with sick satisfaction, she noted that Elsa’s usually pale complexion also sported a hefty colour in her cheeks. She felt a flare in her throat and belly and, like an out-of-body experience, she couldn’t stop herself and this argument, and so pressed on:

“So you think cheating is okay then at the first sight of trouble - is that it?!”

“Well, how exactly is it cheating if they are not even together, Anna! Of course it’s scummy to-”

“So you think cheating is okay on a technicality? Wow, that’s very assuring, thanks a lot.” Anna huffed and crossed her arms indignantly. What does one even do with arms in situations like this?

“Why are you making this so personal - this is so stupid - I mean, how old is this show exactly now? 20 years?!” Elsa almost whispered to hopefully calm the situation down.

She was painfully aware of the people in the little cafe, giving them harsh side-looks and judging them quietly. Anna was immune to stuff like this, but Elsa felt their stares almost physically. And this was their usual cafe and go-to place on late-work mornings, which made it even worse.

Her fingers found the rounded edge of their table as she rubbed her thumb against it, until she finally found an imperfection that she could push her thumb in even harder.

The blonde side-glanced around them, not making any real eye contact yet trying to mentally ward off the surrounding people. Most of them quickly looked away as Elsa furiously glanced in their direction. She felt a headache coming on.

“So I’m stupid now for caring what my girlfriend thinks about cheating?”

“What, NO- how is that - I-I didn’t say anything like that!” Elsa’s fingers gripped the smooth wood of the table even harder; the pressure on her knuckles made her whole hand ache.

“Anna, let’s not do this right now” she tried to lower her voice even more, but could immediately tell by Anna’s face that it was a mistake. A big one.

“Yeah- okay, I get it. Let’s NOT do this!” The younger sister shuffled her phone back into her backpack, and yanked her haphazardly placed jacket hard from the chair at their table.

“Are you seriously storming out because of-“

“Yeah! Yeah, I am!” Anna roughly pushed her arms through the sleeves of her rain-jacket. Her braids were rabidly bobbing with every jerky action of the furious redhead. “Do you think I’m too stupid,” she angrily signed quotation marks at this “to not know how embarrassed you are right now?!”

Elsa couldn’t help but glance around them, to the other patrons of the cafe, as Anna practically yelled their grievances into the air.

“See!! You’re doing it right now! If I’m too embarrassing for you as it is, I’m going! So - have fun!”

Anna quickly slung her backpack on her shoulder, stomping out as quickly as she could and leaving a speechless Elsa at their table.

She didn’t dare to look around again, since it would have been pointless anyway. She could practically feel all of their stares like daggers.

She kept her eyes down on her now lukewarm chocolate and angrily blinked away the tears that threatened to fall. She stopped gripping the table to nurse her aching head with her fingers.

She always hated Ross.

***

“What crawled into your morning coffee and gave you the biggest resting bitch face I’ve ever seen? And that’s already accounting even your usual standards!”

Elsa pinched the bridge of her nose. She loved Meg, she really did. In fact, she was her favourite coworker in all of Arendelle Corp, but today she felt like she was not capable of the banter and dry wit this required.

“Meg, just leave her alone already! Can’t you see she’s struggling as it is?!” Raps piped up. Leave it to her PA to fend off the inquisitive brunette. But knowing her, it will do no good anyway.

“Hey blondie. I meant snowflake over there. Leave the talk to the grown-ups.” Meg countered with her usual dismissiveness.

“Oh stop it, you two! You’re giving me a bigger headache as is.” Elsa slapped her papers on her desk. When she looked up, she could practically see the concern in her friend’s eyes - a rare sign indeed, to see Meg so open about her emotions.

“I think someone needs a sugar fix - blondie, get your boss some hot chocolate… and make it extra sweet.” Meg sat on the edge of Elsa’s desk, looking over to the short-haired PA to gauge her reaction.

Rapunzel looked over her boss and saw the plea in her eyes, pleading for peace and not the usual shenanigans those two got up to. She sighed.

“Alright, I’m on my way.” She slowly packed her things up, made sure to turn down the volume of her little hot-pink Bluetooth speaker and took her purse with her.

When she quietly closed the door, Meg didn’t waste another second.

“Okay, so what’s wrong? You look like you’re… ” She briefly touched Elsa’s shoulder but didn’t leave it there. She knew her too well for that.

Elsa dropped her head into her hands and breathed in deeply.

“I had a huge fight with Anna this morning… and the worst part is I don’t even know for what and why? We started to talk about what we used to do as children-” she swallowed harshly because she knew she had to be careful.

The official story was that they were childhood friends. It was easy to change the general logistics of their meeting. But it was hard, in some specific cases, to veil how deep their connection was.

“-and we talked about Friends.” she concluded.

“Wait - the TV show?”

“Yeah, Friends.” Elsa clarified “So all of a sudden we get to the topic of Ross and Rachel’s break-up and it goes all downhill from there about cheating and about how I didn’t think he did-“

“You don’t?” Meg asked her surprised.

“No, I don’t. They were on a BREAK.” Elsa felt her cold anger gripping her again. It was so pointless and unnecessary - stupid Ross! - why did this keep happening?!

Meg’s laughter snapped her out of her thoughts.

“I’m sorry snowflake, but this has to be the cutest yet most idiotic lover’s quarrel I have ever heard in my whole life, so far.” Meg ran her fingers through her hair. “I know it’s rude to laugh… but Elsa. I mean.” She stopped there but let out another snort.

“I know, I .. it’s positively atrocious.” She breathed out her frustration. “I really don’t know what this means or what even caused this. Nothing has been out of the ordinary lately. At least I think so…?” She frantically started to question herself. Was she just not seeing it? Was she so inconsiderate and not noticed her sister’s pain or grievances of late? What if it wasn’t nothing and it turned out-

“And is she by any chance on her period or getting there?”

“Meg, that’s sexist!” Elsa said indignantly.

“Yeah, but it doesn’t make it untrue.” Meg shrugged “I always get bitchy around that time and boy, do I get all the feels when it happens.”

“You’re always bitchy.” Elsa deadpanned.

“I know. But you love me for it.” Meg nudged the blonde’s shoulder as another small snort escaped Elsa.

“So in any case” Meg soldiered on, “what’s the grand romantic gesture you planned to show your undying love now that it happened?”

“A… grand gesture?” Elsa didn’t like the sound of this. Not at all.

“Oh Elsa, Elsa… why are you so clueless about women when you are one yourself - of course grand gesture! Something that’s bigger than your fight, so as to leave that the only big impression of the day!” She side-glanced at Elsa, a mischievous grin on her lips.

“Get her something big or better: get some poor street performers and make them sing some positively sappy love-song or something while you stand in a sea of roses telling her how dumb you have been.”

“Well, that sounds totally feasible.” Elsa shook her head into her hand, cradling her chin as she stared into space. She never was someone to openly show her feelings… or her life to others. And the idea was simply ridiculous.

She startled as her PA quietly opened her door with one hand, the other cradling the promised hot chocolate and a paper bag with something positively lovely-smelling in it.

“I thought, what’s better than hot chocolate? A fresh chocolate croissant to it! So… double the fun?” Rapunzel smiled, all teeth, and it was hard to not feel her heart softening at that. She had it good here.

“Alright snowflake, enjoy your spoils and tell me your battle plan once you have it!”

Meg fished out one of her reports on Elsa’s desk - thank god it was already finished - and sauntered off without looking back.

Rapunzel placed her beverage and pastry bag on the very same spot Meg just sat on, and went back to her desk to turn up the volume on her little radio.

“Thanks Raps. You’re an angel.” Elsa smiled as she opened up the lid of her steaming hot chocolate, savouring the smell of the sweet concoction.

As Rapunzel laughed at that, she tugged her short hair back behind her ears “You tell Mr. Weselton that, when you have the chance.”

The radio tuned into an upbeat song they played at least 3 times in the span of a day. If Elsa recalled correctly, her PA told her they’re a Korean girl band and all the rage now. Pink something… hm.

“Say… how does that little speaker of yours work and where did you get it?”

***

Anna tugged on her new and tight yoga pants, trying to get the seam out of her crotch. To no avail. Typical.

“… at the same time there is a lightness; a sensation of floating. Feel both of these things at once. You feel the waves lapping at your feet. They beckon you to step closer. One step at a time, you feel the purifying power of the ocean. Its body envelopes you. Notice if your tongue is touching the roof of your mouth. Let your tongue soften down…”

Anna stood in the middle of the living room, the furniture haphazardly pushed against the walls.

The TV was still on and the PlayStation was still running, but at least it was muted. The Witcher was still standing in the maze, waiting for any input to further this party along. Amiss in between all those pompous Novigrad nobles and probably feeling kind of lost? …

Wasn’t he supposed to look for his missus? Jennifer… or something? It was already some time ago she played it last and had a hard time keeping it all straight.

But Anna tried to not think about this. About how this reminded her of Elsa. Elsa, who loves reading and who devoured the whole series in a matter of days. She just got the game to be able to talk to her about it - and it was really good, actually! She started with the third and last one, but she could piece things together with Elsa’s little anecdotes and the overall pointers in the story, but no - here she was. NOT thinking about it. No sirree!

“… it carries away your sorrows. It affirms the power within you. Life is good. Life is precious. Say it-”

“Say it.” Anna murmured and tried to concentrate on the voice again, pushing any thought of Jen or Elsa out of her mind.

“- out loud.”

“Out loud.” Anna’s voice rose with the last word.

“Life is peace.”

“Oh.” She opened her eyes. Now she felt silly.

With a deep breath, Anna closed them again and envisioned the waves lapping at her feet. Again and again. She pictured seagulls in the distance, imagined hearing their distinctive cry. They got closer. Their cries got shriller as the waves of the water, imaginatively yet unruly, lapped against her feet, quicker and quicker, with harsh -

“Fudge this!” Anna tugged on her braids as she groaned out loud.

Wasn’t meditation supposed to make her feel better? To forget and relax? What a mess she was still feeling. Still an undercurrent of anger and hurt, but mostly regret now. She could see how she took this way too far, how it tugged on her insecurities - mostly unfounded, she could admit! - of her constant abandonment issues, even if Elsa showed no indication of leaving her. Even if she could tell that, sometimes their .. unusual situation was still not sitting right with the older sibling at points. But mostly, it was good! Really.

Now all Elsa had to do was come back from work so they could talk it out, make up, and kiss it better… So that was the plan. But it was already later than usual for her sister to return home. If only she could calm herself down enough to rationally and calmly talk through it so it wouldn’t even be a bigger mess than it was right now. What was the worst that could happen, right? No matter what, they still were family! At least that, even if - Anna painfully tugged on her braids again.

She took a deep breath and tried to banish all feverish thoughts from her head. She listened to her breathing as it flowed in and out. She listened to the little specks of sounds coming from the window. She could almost make out a pattern as the little clanks came almost every three breaths.

- Wait, what?!

Anna hesitantly went over to the window; all the while the suspicious sounds didn’t cease to stop. Just as she reached it, she saw a tiny pebble hit the windowpane as it immediately dropped down again. Pushing the flimsy curtain aside, she looked down wearily. What kind of crazy - serial killer or stalker really- would do this?!

But what she found was her older sister flicking those pebbles up their window. Her cheeks were unusually flushed and Anna could see her breath escaping red lips in harsh puffs, curling in the cold air. Her golden hair was wind-whipped and some loose strands escaped and fluttered in the breeze. She’s never seen Elsa so…disheveled and radiant at the same time. She looked like a spirit stepped out of the night. Like a beautiful and elegant… wraith? Wait, was that even a thing?

As she fiddled with the old window lock, she watched as Elsa dropped all her stones on the ground as she frantically rummaged through her purse with one hand; the other one was clutching her phone tightly.

“Elsa?” Anna called out just as Elsa was straightening herself again, with one arm outstretched above her head with a small hot pink… device held high above her.

“Elsa - what.. ?”

“Anna! I-I’ve been so stupid,” Elsa cried out “it doesn’t matter that we don’t see eye to eye on everything or that we’re different - but whatever happens, I’ve always-” just then a guitar riff cut the blonde off as a familiar male voice started to sing

So no one told you life was gonna be this way

-Clap clap clap clap-

Your jobs a joke, you’re broke

Your love life’s DOA -

Anna couldn’t hold back the manic laughter that escaped her as she frantically tried to take everything in. Was this really happening?!

Her sister making a fool out of herself. In front of their window. In front of their neighbours. In front of everyone. And most importantly, in front of her! That was so not Elsa and yet here she was, doing this to make her laugh and to prove to her how much she means to her. She could feel tears prickling in her eyes even as she sported the biggest grin that she tried to hide behind her hands.

your week, your month

Or even your year but

“I’ll BE THERE FOR YOOOUU” Elsa belted as she stood there steadfast yet with the pink Bluetooth speaker slightly wobbling in her hand as she pushed through the strain in her left arm.

Elsa felt terrified about the whole spectacle, but her worries took a backseat as she saw Anna clearly laughing, her eyes shining with happiness. So - huge success! And worth everything ten times over.

(When the rain starts to pour)

“I’LL BE THERE FOR YOUU” Anna joined her this time even when her voice cracked a bit with emotion.

(Like I’ve been there before)

They both laughed out loud at themselves and couldn’t make it through the last chorus. Both their eyes were trained on just one another. Elsa’s heart felt full and like bursting in any second.

(‘Cause you’re there for me too)

The song came to its conclusion, yet Elsa was still standing there with her speaker held high. This time, Anna could tell the nervousness was replaced by elation and happiness, even through the awkward moment of silence that was now threatening to envelope them.

“Come up here already you sappy fool!”

Not a moment longer after the invitation, Elsa stuffed the speaker back into her purse and dashed to the front gate, avoiding to look into any windows as she did so.

She felt her thighs burn as she sprinted up the two flights of stairs in record speed to join her love.

She could hear the keys turning just on the last steps of the stairs, as the warm glow of their apartment illuminated the dark staircase. She looked up just as her sister stepped into the door frame. Anna was encompassed in the soft glow of the light that looked almost like a halo around the contours of her body. After this rough day, it truly seemed like a vision to Elsa.

“Anna, I’m so sorry-“

“Oh, Elsa. But stop. Just come to me already - please!” the redhead sniffed as she wiped her nose with her wrist.

Elsa practically flew into her arms. Her arms snaked around the scrawny shoulders as she pushed her head into the crook of her neck and breathed in deeply. She felt Anna trembling in her embrace, and she was glad to hear the snort of laughter through the tears as she did so.

“I love you so much, Anna. Let’s never do this again.” she breathed into her sister’s collarbone as she pushed her cheek further into the warm skin of Anna’s shoulders.

“It had a pretty remarkable end, if you ask me - so… I won’t make any promises” Anna left a wet kiss on her forehead as she rubbed the blonde’s back soothingly up and down. “But let’s go inside. I’m sure the neighbours are entertained enough for now.”

Elsa gently pushed Anna and herself inside as she closed the door behind her and double-locked the locks.

Once safe inside, she let herself rest against the locked door and let her fingers push against the sturdy wood as she did so.

Anna was taking her girlfriend in with a soft smile. She knew how much this took out of Elsa and what a big step this was for her to do. And she loved her even more for it. Anna watched her like a hawk as she pushed herself up to take off her boots and her coat and meticulously hung everything up in its space at their coat rack.

With patience never being her strong suit, Anna immediately bounced on her lover once she put everything away and pushed her back into the groaning door. Her lips sought out her sister’s as she pressed her harshly against it. Elsa frantically deepened the kiss, her cold hands holding Anna’s cheeks closely as her fingers stroked her temples. Anna felt breathless at the heat that threatened to engulf her, yet the cold and gentle fingers ground her to reality. She had to break the kiss for air but stayed close to Elsa’s lips, not being able to bear any distance between them right now.

“I love you so much, Elsa I…”

The smile the blonde gave her was a radiant one.

Elsa’s hand found its way around Anna’s hips, brushing the curve of them and enjoying the soft material. She kissed the freckles right beside Anna’s nose, one of her favourite spots in general. It always made Anna melt.

“You’re so sweet, my love.”

Her hands started to warm up, Anna could tell, as Elsa gently tugged on hers to lead her further into their apartment.

“What happened here?” Elsa’s eyebrows rose high as she saw the mess that was left in their living room. Anna felt Elsa’s hand gently squeeze hers.

“Well .. I thought I’d try to center myself with some meditation and some yoga or something.”

“Oh, now those pants make sense… though I wouldn’t mind any occasion, really.” Anna felt her cheeks flush as she saw her sister’s eyes roam over her. “They suit you, you know.”

Why was it that Elsa could make her feel just like a lovelorn teenager just in a matter of seconds, even when they were already together for years now.

“Oh, what’s this? You’re playing the Witcher?” the blonde studied the scene in front of her.

Gerald sitting patiently in a garden - in his finest clothes? Elsa tried to place the scene in her head, considering that Anna started almost at the very end - so very much like her, mused Elsa.

“Yeah, it makes me think of you so…” Anna rubbed her neck. “I’m just at this party with Triss and we just kissed and now-“

Elsa whipped her head around instantly with a sudden and dangerous glint in her eyes.

“You what?!”

#elsanna #submission #April 2021 contest #prompt: break

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carewyncromwell · 4 years ago

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Fluff Alphabet: Carewyn/Orion

@weasley-adoptee tagged me, and uh...yeah, while I’ve done this before, I did it before I’d settled on an endgame ship for my girl Carewyn! Now that I have, I can do this for the HMS Carion (AKA Carewyn Cromwell/Orion Amari)! XDD

Tagging @smarti-at-smogwarts, @department-shoe-stud, @cursebreakerfarrier, @that-ravenpuff-witch, @words-and-wands and anyone else if you’re interested and either haven’t done this already or want to do it for a ship they haven’t done it for! xoxo

A= Attractive (What do they find attractive about the other?)

Carewyn thinks Orion is the wisest person she’s ever met. She’s always admired how content he is with his life, even while he chases victory on the Quidditch field. He got dealt a pretty bad hand in life, but he’s always been able to make do with little and reach for the stars without being unhappy on the ground. She also absolutely loves how much he loves his friends and later his daughter, Eos. Orion’s a lover, not a fighter, and Carewyn finds it very attractive. Plus his smile, when he actually ends up smiling fully, makes her heart melt every time!

Orion loves how generous and selfless Carewyn is. Her putting her own safety on the line to help him achieve his dream of Slytherin winning the Quidditch Cup remains one of her most beautiful moments in his eyes, even after so many years. Although her passion can get a little much for him sometimes as well, he nonetheless finds her absolutely stunning when she’s fighting on behalf of somebody else -- the fire in her eyes, to him, are akin to the eyes of a wild stallion, and it makes his heart race.

B = Baby (Do they want a family? Why/Why not)

When Orion and Carewyn reconnect post-War, they actually both have kids already, Orion being the single father of an infant daughter, Eos, and Carewyn being the legal guardian of twelve-year-old Erik Apollo. Carewyn has no interest in bearing any children herself, so both she and Orion are very content raising their own kid as well as helping support their partner’s.

C= Cuddle (How do they cuddle?)

Orion and Carewyn are both on the “A” side of the LGBT+ community (Orion being gray-A and Carewyn being ace/pan), and Orion himself wasn’t raised with a lot of physical affection, so their cuddling is a bit muted, compared to a lot of other couples. They’ll very often sit side-by-side with their shoulders touching and/or holding each other’s hands, and sometimes Carewyn will rest her legs across Orion’s lap or Orion will rest his head on top of Carewyn’s, but they don’t usually tend to get way up in each other’s personal space for very long. When one of them decides to spend the night at the other’s place, they’ll take turns as the big spoon, with Carewyn sometimes resting her head on and arms around Orion’s chest and Orion other times resting his head over Carewyn’s heart with his arms around her waist.

D= Dates (What are dates with them)

Broomstick flying dates! Carewyn’s out of practice, considering how much of a workaholic she is, but she loves having the chance to fly alongside and with Orion again. Carewyn will also attend Quidditch matches with Orion when he’s not playing, and they enjoy cooking, baking, Wizard Dueling, and taking their kids on outings together.

E= Everything (You are my ____ (e.g. my life, my world…))

Orion to Carewyn: “You are my Abraxan.”

Carewyn to Orion: “You are my partner.”

F = Feelings (When did they know they were in love?)

Orion first had the feeling he could fall in love with Carewyn (in other words, he realized that he felt romantic feelings for her) when he saw her Abraxan Winged Horse Patronus (same as his) for the first time at the tail end of his seventh year and her sixth year. He was too afraid to chase those budding feelings at the time, only to realize how strongly he still felt for Carewyn and how much deeper his feelings had gotten when -- after they reconnected -- she immediately resolved to deal with all of the paperwork needed to give Orion sole custody of his daughter Eos. The blazing look in her blue eyes when she stubbornly insisted that she would do whatever she had to in order to make sure that Eos stayed with “the man who had put his life on the line to keep her in his life and safe” was so beautiful that Orion for a moment forgot to breathe, and he felt like such a fool for not chasing her from the very start.

Carewyn realized she was in love with Orion as she spent time with him post-War and saw both how much he’d changed and also how much he’d stayed the same. She saw how he’d only gotten wiser about himself and how he wanted to live his life, as well as how well he got through the more recent struggles he went through and how well fatherhood suited him. Seeing him again reminded Carewyn how much she’d always admired him, and also gave her all the more reason to admire him. It all came to a head one day, when after she’d sung Eos to sleep and brought the usually serene Orion to tears, Carewyn and Orion ended up sitting on her couch for the next half-hour or so together, with Orion holding the sleeping baby over his heart with his eyes closed, softly asking Carewyn if she could sing “just one more song” while they sat together. Seeing his handsome, peaceful face as he sat with her and his daughter was the thing that made Carewyn suddenly realize how precious Orion had become to her, and maybe had been, a lot longer than she realized.

G = Gentle (Are they gentle? If so, how?)

Oho, Carewyn is the ultimate Mama Bear type and Orion is a pacifist to the nth degree, so these two are ridiculously gentle. If Carewyn’s ever having trouble reaching something high up or lifting something heavy, Orion will frequently whisper a quick “would you like some help?” and if Carewyn says yes, he’ll either very gently pick her up or place his hands/arms on top of hers to help her with the object. Carewyn is prone to giving Orion chaste kisses of gratitude and helping him fix his collars or clothes before they head out.

H = Hands (How do they like to hold hands?)

LOL, when Carewyn first initiated hand-holding between them when they were still at school, Orion was faintly uncomfortable because he’d never really held hands with much of anyone before, but it quickly became something he really enjoys doing with Carewyn. Most commonly one of them will rest a hand on each other’s while it’s resting between them on the couch or in their lap, and then the other person will hold the first’s hand in return. When they’re out and about, Orion loves holding hands with Carewyn at their sides, though Carewyn will sometimes also hold Orion’s arm with one or in both of her hands, at which point Orion often kind of lean into Carewyn. Most commonly Carewyn is the one to initiate most physical intimacy, since Orion’s still rather unaccustomed to it given his background, but it makes it so that when he does initiate, it’s usually very spontaneous and romantic, since it’s often done in the heat of passion.

I = Impression (What was their first impression?)

Carewyn about Orion: ‘So that’s the Slytherin Quidditch Captain? ...How is he balancing on his broom like that??’

Orion about Carewyn: ‘Short and round, a Snidget’s build -- ginger ponytail, like the Weasley boy’s -- tight grip on her broom, slightly tense...a Seeker, perhaps? ...No. No, those are a Chaser’s eyes.’

J= Jealousy (Do they get jealous?)

Actually, no! Neither of them really feel jealousy much of ever. They’re both rather secure in themselves and in their relationship to not get jealous. In Orion’s case, he’s way too chill to really get aggressive or surly because Carewyn’s spending time with other people, and in Carewyn’s case, she knows Orion and herself well enough to not be that distrustful.

K = Kiss (How do they kiss? Who initiated the first kiss?)

Like with most gestures of physical intimacy, Carewyn initiated the first kiss, right after she learned she and Orion had the same Patronus and Orion finally came clean to her about how long and deeply he’d felt romantic feelings for her and she’d likewise expressed how she felt. Carewyn’s first kiss to Orion’s lips was very chaste -- so chaste, in fact, that almost as soon as she’d pulled away, Orion brought both of his hands up to her face so he could cradle it and hold it in place so he could kiss her himself more deeply. There’s often a build-up for their kisses, starting very short and then either growing deeper, or just turning into a stream of traded chaste kisses back and forth. Carewyn tends to prefer shorter kisses because she likes being able to see Orion’s expressions and deep kisses kind of require having your eyes closed, so over time, both Carewyn and Orion become very fond of kissing each other’s faces, foreheads, noses, neck, hands, and shoulders when they’re intimate so that Carewyn can more properly enjoy Orion’s facial reactions and Orion can be a bit more creative in how he expresses his affection.

L= Love (Who says ‘I love you’ first?)

Orion. Though, rather predictably, he said it in a very round-about way:

“...I have...nurtured this bud in my heart...longer than I have ever admitted to anyone -- including myself. But when we collided again, during the War, that bud only served to grow further...and then bloom into a blossom so strong and beautiful that I could never hope to hide it...however ashamed I am that I denied it the sunshine and attention it deserved years ago. I’ve wasted...so much time, trying to stifle it...trying to be happy with what was in front of me, rather than chase what my soul was clearly aching for...all because of my own inner doubts...because of the reluctance I felt, in the face of making a choice between the dream I’d been fighting for for so long...and the chance of a new dream I’d never imagined. I realize I have been a coward, Carewyn Cromwell -- something you have never been, from the moment we first met. I don’t know if someone like that could be your soulmate -- if I could ever live up to the standard that word entails...but most assuredly, you are a special woman, one I will never know the likes of again...and I love you, all the same.”

M = Memory (What’s their favourite memory together?)

One will always be the morning they spent together in the Commentator’s Box talking after Slytherin won the Quidditch Cup. Another is when Carewyn accompanied Orion to drop Eos off at Platform Nine and Three Quarters for the first time -- Carewyn took Orion out for an outing to the shore afterwards to cheer him up, and they spent the day swimming in the ocean, playing volleyball, and walking around the seaside town together.

N = Nickel (Do they spoil? Do they buy the person they love everything?)

Both grew up without a lot of money, so neither are the type to buy extravagant presents, but Orion does like to “surprise” Carewyn now and again, if he sees something he thinks she might like. Most commonly this involves single flowers or small bouquets, which he’ll leave in a spot he knows she alone will find them, such as on her office chair at work or on the windowsill next to her bed at home. Carewyn in return tends to spoil Orion with surprise visits (popping over to watch one of his Quidditch matches without telling him she’s coming and then running to greet him afterward -- the first time she did this, Orion was so stunned and happy that he barreled over to her and, once she hugged him and he’d recovered from that surprise, clung onto her for almost a full thirty minutes afterwards), as well as handwritten love letters. She’ll sometimes send them through Owl Post as usual, but other times she will leave them in his locker or on his pillow for him to find too.

O= Orange (What colour reminds them of their other half?)

Carewyn always thinks of Orion whenever she sees anything black and white, as those are his Quidditch team, the Montrose Magpies’ colors.

Orion always thinks of Carewyn whenever he sees anything light blue, like her eyes -- he particularly likes forget-me-nots, since they remind him of them.

P = Pet names (What pet names do they use?

Although Orion frequently cites how Carewyn “has more fire than a Fire Crab,” he most commonly compares her to an Abraxan Winged Horse, with his pet name for her being “his Abraxan.” Carewyn dips into the usual “dear” and “love,” but when she’s particularly affectionate, she calls Orion “starlight,” as a reference to the constellation bearing his name.

Q = Quaint (What is their favourite non-modern thing?)

Carewyn loves records! Their audio quality is so much better than CDs.

As dumb and predictable as it sounds, Orion does enjoy lava lamps. He likes colored lighting as opposed to stark white light, as he finds it more calming (even if Carewyn points out that it often makes it harder to see!!), so you’ll find a lot of colored lightbulbs and such around the tiny cottage he shares with Eos.

R = Rainy Day (What do they like to do on a rainy day?)

Orion enjoys games of all kinds, not just Quidditch, so he and Carewyn will sometimes bust out a game of cards, checkers, or Scrabble when it’s raining, especially if Eos and/or Erik are also around. Carewyn’s favorite games are Hearts and Mancala, while Orion’s favorites are Blackjack and Jenga. Wizard’s Chess is one of Erik’s favorite games, so sometimes Orion will play with him while Eos and Carewyn watch, too.

S = Sad (How do they cheer each other up?)

When Carewyn’s down, Orion likes to encourage her to talk about it, but usually does so by starting off talking about something else entirely, so as to help her relax first. He will also sometimes want to show physical affection, like trying to hold her hand or wrapping an arm around her, which he always does so tentatively out of the worry of Carewyn not being comfortable with it that even if Carewyn’s not in the mood, she’ll nearly always try to adjust and initiate some physical affection in return to show some gratitude for the attempt (i.e. sliding her hand out of his, but kissing Orion gently on the cheek afterward).

When Orion’s down, Carewyn goes into full-on Mama Bear mode, coddling him to the nth degree and being his attentive listening ear.

T = Talking (What do they like to talk about?)

Anything and everything! Orion is a philosopher to the max and Carewyn is intellectual enough to enjoy deep conversations, so they can go way far afield when they’re talking about stuff. Sometimes Carewyn needs to refocus the conversation because Orion gets too vague and dreamy and sometimes Orion has to “lighten up” the conversation when Carewyn gets too serious, but one of the things they love most about each other is how easy it is to talk to each other. You could hear them talking about their respective kids Eos and Erik and their careers just as often as the meaning of life or the current status of a piece of legislation regulating dragon breeding.

U = Unencumbered (What helps them relax?)

Orion meditates constantly. He’s occasionally been able to get Carewyn to join him, but more often she prefers putting on some calming music and getting some work done at the kitchen table while he does so, claiming that the music helps her relax. (It does. To a limited extent.) Whenever she does this, Orion -- upon finishing his meditation -- will fetch her hairbrush from her room with a smile and then come up behind her and start gently brushing her hair for her, which does actually get Carewyn’s shoulders to loosen up slightly. They also will often drink tea together, which is very calming.

V = Vaunt (What do they like to show off? What are they proud of?)

LMAO, if Orion manages to catch sight of Carewyn in the audience during a Quidditch match, he ALWAYS has to break out the old “Inspired Broom Surfing” technique for her. He can’t resist showing off on his broom around “his Abraxan.”

Carewyn’s much more prone to “show off” her partner’s accomplishments by telling others about them when they’re out and about together, as well as any pretty new outfits she’s wearing.

W = Wedding (When, how, where do they propose?

Carewyn and Orion would never get married, instead becoming legal partners with their own separate homes and lives that nonetheless exist in perfect harmony. Orion describes their relationship as them being two flowers that have bloomed on the same branch -- separate entities that nonetheless are connected and are fueled by the same sun and nourished by the same water. Carewyn felt strongly about them having some sort of lasting legal statement for the sake of both each other and their kids, so that if anything happened to either of them, their partner would have the right to be with them in St. Mungo’s, make decisions in their stead, and take custody of their respective child in an emergency. The two had a very small ceremony at a courthouse in London, only attended by their respective kids, before attending a larger gathering later with all of their friends and Carewyn’s mother and brother.

X = Xylophone (What’s their song?)

These two have a whole playlist! ^.^

Y = Yes (Do they ever think of getting married/proposing?)

Answered above, but no. Orion has his own cottage in Montrose, Scotland, home of his Quidditch team, while Carewyn has her own flat in London, England, close to her job at the Ministry of Magic, so merging their two households would’ve been a real challenge. On top of that, Carewyn was never in much of a rush to get married and Orion never saw much point in the ritual to begin with.

Z = Zebra (If they wanted a pet, what would they get?)

There are actually a lot of hinkypunks in the woods around Orion’s cottage in Montrose, which Orion and Eos actually leave little treats out for and treat like pets, even if they’re generally known for luring people to their doom with their lamps. Eos tends to call every hinkypunk she comes across “Punk” by default, but there are a few she’s learned to recognize by overall attitude and given individual names like “Impy,” “Mello,” and “Wisp.” There’s also a large tribe of selkies that often pop up near the shore a short trek away from the Amari home too, and although Eos and Orion can’t communicate with them, Orion enjoys taking Carewyn down to the beach and encouraging her to sing so that the selkies will come up out of the water to listen better.

#hphm #hogwarts mystery #carewyn cromwell #orion amari #headcanons #shipping #my writing #lol recycled art #erik apollo #eos amari

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kpop-zone · 5 years ago

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Playing with Fire

If you play with fire, you’re gonna get burnt. You knew that. But what if four gorgeous girls fought for your affection at the same time? Would you bring yourself to safety or get singed by the flames?

Word Count: 1,943

Introduction

„Y/N! The girls are here!”

Nervously you looked in the mirror, tugging on your shirt one last time, before taking a deep breath to calm your nerves.

You had been working for YG entertainment for years. Doing the dullest duties to work yourself up on the corporate ladder. But your plan had worked. Today was your first day as a producer and the first group, you would be working with, was none other than Blackpink. When you had received the news, you almost kissed your superior in joy. Blackpink was on top of their game and producing for them would be a huge step in your career. Plus, you really admired their previous songs. You were looking forward to getting to know them and working with them.

“You’ve got this.”

You said to your reflection in the mirror, before stepping into the studio.

The four girls had their backs turned to you, talking to Teddy, the other producer working on this album. You were put by his side this time to breathe new life into Blackpink’s songs. Awkwardly, you cleared your throat to get their attention and when they turned around, your breath hitched in your throat. You had known that they were beautiful, but seeing them up close, made your brain freeze. Working in the music industry for years now, you had thought that you didn’t get starstruck anymore. But apparently you had been wrong.

“Guys this is Y/N. We’re going to produce your new album all together.”

Teddy introduced you and you stayed glued to the spot, but luckily the girls came closer to greet you.

“Hi, Y/N. It’s nice to meet you.”

Chaeyoung was the first one to greet you, bowing to you with a soft smile playing on her lips.

You were glad that you had to bow, too, otherwise you probably would have stared at her cute dimples way too long.

Jennie was the next one to greet you, followed by Lisa and finally Jisoo.

“We’re looking forward to working with you.”

The latter stated and you knew that it was pleasantry, but you wondered if you had just imagined her gaze lingering longer on you than necessary.

Quickly banishing that thought from your head, you smiled politely.

“So am I. It’s a true honor to be allowed to work with you.”

All of you took a last bow before turning your attention to Teddy that started to introduce the rest of the team consisting of several songwriters and composers.

You scooted a little closer to be able to hear his instructions and ended up standing directly behind Jennie. You could smell the scent of her perfume and you couldn’t help to check out her petite figure. Suddenly, however, she turned her head, directly looking at you and you snapped your gaze up, hoping that she hadn’t caught you staring. Your heart beat like crazy. But Jennie smiled at you softly before fixing her eyes to the front again, making you exhale the breath that had been caught in your throat.

“This album is going to be big. It’s going to be the first full album, so we’re going to work on it for one whole year.”

Finally being able to ignore the rapid beating of your heart, you were actually able to listen to Teddy.

You definitely had to pull yourself together. One year was way too long to get violent heart palpitations every time the girls were around you. You had to focus. This could be the start of a new life. If you managed to make this album succeed, you could be the most sought-after producer in the Kpop industry. Not to mention that you would also be the youngest. It was time to turn off your heart and to delve your whole head into this instead.

The clapping of the whole team pulled you out of your world of thought. Politely you joined in, pretending like you had listened to every word of your colleague. It was showtime. No more distractions. You had to fight hard to get here, you wouldn’t temper with this chance recklessly.

“Hey Y/N.”

You were about to talk with Teddy, when Lisa’s voice suddenly appeared out of nowhere from directly beside you and you jumped in surprise.

When you looked at her, she nervously fidgeted with her fingers, shyly searching for your eyes.

“We’re going out for lunch later. Do you want to join us?”

She vaguely pointed at her group members and you gulped.

You weren’t here for fun, you told yourself in your head. You were here to make your leap into the world of the rich and famous. There was no way that you could accept this offer.

“I’d love to.”

You heard yourself say instead, making you curse yourself inwardly. Your impulse control was definitely zero, which could become a serious problem in the next year. You had to find a way to stay focused.

A wide grin appeared on Lisa’s face and you almost sighted at the view. How could a simple smile light up a whole room?

“Great! We’re going to get to work then and get you later.”

Lisa said cheerily, gifting you with her smile a little longer before turning around and leaving.

This year was going to be fun if you kept being a mess whenever they talked to you.

You were supposed to guide them through the process of producing this album, not the other way around. There were a lot of people that expected a great deal from you. You had to satisfy them, otherwise, your career could be over. Therefore, you started to get to work, like Lisa had suggested.

Teddy and you sat together, to discuss your ideas and wishes for the album with the rest of the composers and song writers. After two hours of intense brainstorming, everyone was in desperate need for a break, right in time with Lisa sticking her head in the door. She smiled at you cheekily and you cleared your throat to grab the attention of your colleagues.

“I think, it’s time for lunch. How about we meet here in an hour again?”

You asked everybody around and were instantly met with grateful nodding from everyone. Therefore, you ended the meeting at this point before grabbing your jacket and slipping out the door.

Outside, all four members of Blackpink were waiting for you.

“Should we invite the rest of the staff as well?”

You asked sheepishly because you felt weird to be the only one going out with the girls.

“No, it’s fine. After all you are the one, we’ll spend most time with alongside Teddy. And we know Teddy already, but there is so much to figure out about you.”

Jisoo explained confidently and you felt your heartbeat fasten up at her remark.

It sounded like you were awaiting an interrogation that you were definitely not prepared for. What kind of meetup was this? Was it a business lunch to test your abilities as a producer? Was it a casual lunch between some acquaintances? Or did they want to take this relationship to a level beyond work?

Therefore, you didn’t know how to behave on the short way to the restaurant by foot. Should you walk next to them to demonstrate that you were easy-going? Or should you walk behind them to show your respect? Inwardly, you cringed at your own behavior. You definitely had to stop overthinking everything.

Chaeyoung apparently sensed your discomfort, casually linking arms with you. You looked down at your interlinked arms with wide eyes. Was this a normal thing to do for colleagues? For Chaeyoung, apparently it was. Her facial features were relaxed, and it didn’t seem to be a big deal for her. Opposing to you. Your heart immediately began to flutter, and your mouth was drier than the Sahara.

“So, Y/N. Have you been working in the industry for long?”

Chaeyoung asked nonchalantly after a while, glancing at you from the side.

You shook your head lowkey to get your brain to work again.

“Um... yeah. I started working at YG entertainment right after graduation.”

You answered a little constrained, catching the attention of Jennie.

“For so long already? How come I’ve never seen you before?”

She questioned you with a furrowed brow.

“Oh I guess, I was too unimportant to catch somebody’s eye.”

You explained honestly, because you had worked in the shadow of others for the longest time.

“Hm I don’t think so. You would have caught my eye, if I had seen you.”

Jennie instantly responded with a wink and you almost stumbled over your own feet.

What did she mean by that?

“Yeah Jennie has a really good memory for faces.”

Lisa added while grabbing your arm that wasn’t occupied by Chaeyoung to link arms with you as well.

They wouldn’t give you a break, would they?

As soon as one heated situation was solved, another popped up out of nowhere.

You definitely had to stop your brain from making mountains out of molehills.

This was nothing more than a friendly meetup to get to know each other better. After all you would probably be spending more time with each other the next year than with anyone else. Producing an album was a long and exhausting process that required a ridiculous amount of work hours and night shifts.

Therefore, you took a deep breath to get a clear head again. Now was not the time to panic. It was time to secure your spot as a permanent producer for Blackpink next to Teddy. You smiled at Lisa and the rest of the way the girls were engrossed in light conversation, giving you the chance to focus again.

When you finally reached the restaurant, you managed to keep your composure. Although you were on edge throughout the whole lunch, it passed without any further incidents. Most of the time, the five of you spent on small talk or on topics that were actually related to work. Nevertheless, you were glad when you went back to the company again. You knew that you wouldn’t see the girls the rest of the day. While you had to start working with Teddy on the details of the concept of the album, the girls had other obligations in the company.

Therefore, the rest of the day flew by and it was already dark when you looked out the window the next time. Stretching your sore limbs after sitting the whole time, you called it a day and said goodbye to Teddy eventually.

When you came home, you changed into comfortable clothes and threw yourself on your couch to watch the new episode of your TV show. But your mind couldn’t focus on the pictures on the screen. Over and over again, it drifted back to the weird occurrences of the day.

Jisoo’s gaze lingering on you. Lisa nervously fidgeting with her fingers when she was around you. Jennie’s wink. And Chaeyoung linking arms with you.

What did this all mean?

You tried to tell yourself that there was nothing to worry about. They were simply touchy people that wanted to create a good working atmosphere. But your gut feeling violently fought that assumption. Therefore, you restlessly tossed in your bed that night, haunted by the faces of four angels that could mean your downfall. You had to keep a clear head, otherwise this chance could turn into your biggest nightmare.

But it was too early to panic, you told yourself. Everyone had their weird days and tomorrow was a new dawn.

Little did you know that this is where the story only began...

#kpop #collab #Dragonaceflamez #Kpop-zone #blackpink #blackpink scenario #blackpink imagines #blackpink reactions #jisoo #jennie #chaeyoung #lalisa #blackpink jisoo #blackpink jennie #blackpink chaeyoung #blackpink lalisa

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domme-by-starlight · 5 years ago

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Induction: Rain

Hey folks! I was unsatisfied with this one until now, so sorry for promising it a week ago before it was fully revised. It’s a very gentle induction themed around water/rain imagery. No themes of obedience or ties to me, just a nice trance. Strengthens ‘sleep’, includes but doesn’t require ‘darkness’ suggestion from my Twilight induction, contains an awakener but no safeties - remember that you can always wake easily from trance at any time if you need to. Enjoy!

Today I want to talk about rain. It’s raining outside as I write this, and that’s always had a calming effect on me. The pitter-patter of raindrops on the roof, the smell of clean air and wet earth, even the grey sky makes me breathe a little easier. Clouds can take away the brightness of the world for a while, dull it to a soft distant haze. Because the world is so distracting usually, isn’t it? Bright colors, sudden noises, a thousand tiny things constantly breaking your focus. Rain washes those away, dampening the sounds and dulling the colors until it’s a little easier to just relax.

Rainy days are lovely days to just curl up inside with a blanket, a hot mug in your hands, and a fireplace crackling nearby. It’s easy to stare out at the falling rain and get a little lost in your thoughts, that way. It’s okay to just take a break for a while, stop worrying and rushing around and just watch the rain fall.

I like to imagine that each tiny droplet is a thought, an idea. More ideas than I could have in a year, falling to the ground and making puddles and rivers and pools. And that many ideas is just overwhelming, too much to take in all at once, so staring at the rain just gives this sense of tranquil indifference. All those ideas are so much that you can only absorb them, you can’t really process individual droplets or even understand the whole. So the rain just goes by, and that’s okay.

It is a kind of trance, isn’t it? You could get lost for hours just watching the rain fall, not really thinking about anything in particular. Listening to the soft drizzle and how it seems to mute every other sound, just drifting - anyone could do that. People go into trance all the time watching the rain, even if they don’t know anything about hypnotism. It’s just so easy to get lost in.

But we can do better, of course. Rain can pull anyone into a light trance, but there are certainly ways to… enhance that experience, hm? I wonder what would happen if those droplets weren’t thousands of different ideas - what if every drop of rain started to carry the same thought? The effect would be quite powerful, I should think. The overwhelming variety would stop being too much, but in its place is a single powerful message: sleep. Good, just like that. Every drop pulls you down deeper and deeper, and there are so many drops. So there’s nothing you can do but sink down, down, pushed down by the weight of the rain.

And the rain starts to wash away your thoughts, too, doesn’t it? You don’t need to think right now, that’s alright. Just let it soak into your mind, filling you with the same idea over and over again. Drip, drop, sleep. Washing away all the worries, all the thoughts, everything just gone for a moment as you fall into trance. It’s so relaxing, isn’t it? Nothing to do but go deeper and deeper now, relaxing into bliss. You’re so lethargic now, heavy with rain, so deep that moving seems difficult.

And all the while, the rain continues to fall, and every drip-drop pulls you deep. It’s forming a pool around you now, starting to submerge you in water singing you to sleep. Just relax and sink down, feel the water seeping into you, filling you with its thought. After all, you’re mostly made of water already. I’m just switching out what’s inside you with what’s around you, and once I’m done it won’t matter if the rain goes. Trance will run in your blood, then, and all you’ll need is a reminder of the rain to fall right back into this deep, drifting trance. And you’ll remember when I tell you to sleep, won’t you? You’ll remember how deep you can go, how trance is only a thought away.

Good. Relaxing and drifting and dropping into sleep. Feel it running through your veins, filling your heart, every inch of you full of trance now. Deeper and deeper for me. The rain just washes all those thoughts away, leaving only a deep calm emptiness. Like you’re part of the water now, just some molecules drifting along as the current pulls them. Can’t move, can’t think, can’t choose where to go. The water just carries you along with it, into the ever-changing cycle that it is.

Down and down the river you go, draining out into the sea with barely a realization that it happened. And the sea is so, so deep, isn’t it? The current carries you out, away from land, but also down, deep into the uncharted waters. No one knows what’s really down there, not really. There’s so much water, and so very little of us. Can’t you feel it? Water on all sides, surrounding you, pressing into you, miles below the surface in the darkness: even sunlight fails to percolate all the way down here. Almost nothing lives here, of course, because up on the surface life comes from the sun. Down here? The little life that exists is strange, unknown, finding new ways to survive without the sun’s life-giving light.

Time passes. You’re not sure how much. There aren’t days and nights to mark the passage of time here anymore, no sights to occupy you, just overwhelming darkness surrounding you and heavy water pressing down on you from above. Perhaps it’s minutes, perhaps eons. All you know anymore is the water. You can’t even tell if you’re moving or not, cycling around the depths of the ocean or floating completely stillness.

Then, eventually - light. It’s faint, but to you it seems bright as noon. You’ve nearly forgotten what light is like, after all that time in the dark. You’re moving upwards, you realize now, floating upwards on some current or other as the water around you grows brighter and bluer. Up and up, closer to the surface. Past shimmering schools of fish, life drifting by that you haven’t seen in so very long, wondrous in new beauty. Until finally you reach the surface, and come into the sun once again.

And as the water goes through its ever-constant cycle of change, so do you. Feel yourself start to evaporate, splitting into millions of tiny droplets of water that float up and up into a big, fluffy cloud. The wind blows you this way and molds you into shapes that someone looking up might form into meaning but you can’t see yourself well enough to tell.

Until finally, at long last, you’re back where you started, above the place that once held the pool into which you melted. And the cloud that is you starts to coalesce, and after a few moments it starts to rain.

And as the rain falls down, feel yourself filling back into your normal human form. Still full of trance-water that can be called on at a moment’s notice: but for now, it lies dormant within your blood.

1 The rain grows heavier, splashing down onto the ground like your own personal rainstorm.

2. You’re slowly taking shape again.

3. The cloud’s last few droplets rain down onto you and are absorbed.

4. Waking now, as the water within you fades back to normalcy for now.

5. Wake.

I hope you enjoyed! As always, feedback is my lifeblood so please give it to me if you have any. I promise I don’t bite. Expect a more intense induction next time, and let me know if you have any themes you’d be interested in seeing. Happy trancing!

#induction #hypnokink #mine #gentle induction #hypnosis #rain #this took so long to be satisfied with #expect more content sooner probably!#next thing is ACTUALLY queued up I promise #hope you enjoyed this!

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oxbridge-quality-fanfiction-co · 4 years ago

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The Spring of Burning Forests: Chapter 10/10 ❤️ (Geraskier)

A happy ending with Jaskier? The idea is inconceivable, really. Impossible.

But it’s at least worth a try.

Read on AO3.

For a full summary, see this post. Go here if you want to start from the first chapter.

Big thanks to @booichiboo, @sdmcburney, @goshdraws, Rita, @valdomarx, @carmillacarmine, @thelastsock, @katesierra @ro-the-bard-writer @geraskierficrecs ❤️ Dedicated to @variousnoises.

No more updates, of course, but I have a Geralt Fluff Week entry coming up on the 4th August.

Here’s the first scene:

The closed border meant customers were scarce, and the inn was nearly empty. The place had an unsettling, ghostly feel. As they walked through the front door, Jaskier had glanced at the name, The World’s End, stopped for a moment, and stared at it.

It was as if a premonition hit him, eyes wide, hope draining from his face.

Geralt wasn’t eager for them to go into their rooms, having bad premonitions of his own. He was convinced things were about to turn bad and hated the uncomfortable wait much more than he ever hated a confrontation. A tongue-tied Jaskier was not something he was prepared for. Not as bad as a self-sacrificing Jaskier, for sure, but bad nevertheless.

No way he could stay quiet that long and yet, they got as far as an awkward climb up the stairs, the steps creaking underneath their feet, without a single world from Jaskier still.

At the top of the stairs there was a long corridor. All doors were open, not a single soul in sight. They stood in front of their respective rooms, almost ready to go in when, finally, Jaskier broke the silence.

‘That was… something.’

Geralt was relieved to hear him talk. Not interested in reliving the experience, he wanted to skip right to the point. Only the point proved difficult to discern, let alone skip to.

‘Listen, I know you…’ Geralt hesitated, and his voice was unusually raspy.

He barely started and was already getting frustrated, unable to articulate any fucking thing.

Jaskier seemed startled by that beginning.

‘No, Geralt. You really don’t need to...’ he paused, flustered.

‘No, I really think I should.’

‘Just forget it,’ he blurted, sounding more insistent than he intended. ‘It’s not like I was hiding this before. It was far from a dark secret.’ He seemed slightly amused by the idea but his smile was sad.

‘No, but-’ Geralt started again, and Jaskier stopped him.

‘It was pretty obvious. And because you didn’t seem to see it that way, I just…’ He didn’t quite know how to describe what he ‘just’ did. ‘But I did try. And even at minimum you were finding it…’ he considered a couple of options before arriving at ‘…intrusive.’

‘Sure.’ Geralt nodded lightly.

He was just about ready to continue but Jaskier wouldn’t let him.

‘So don’t worry about it.’ Jaskier took a deep breath. ‘I mean, regardless of what you might think, I wouldn’t have said anything. It’s just that today…’ He was getting agitated by the memory. ‘Well, in my wildest dreams I wouldn’t have been able to imagine a shitshow of such magnificent proportions. To be fair, I had no clue I’d be capable of that… but I just really went with it, didn’t I?’

He seemed to find that half tragic, half funny.

‘And I’m glad I did,’ he concluded, confidently. ‘Even if it was all just a morbid joke to them. Even seeing what I saw. And even if it made this the perfect time for you to state you don’t want me. Like, out loud, directly, using words, not through whatever-the-fuck you did before… looks, stares, grunts, movements, sighs… any physical manifestation available, I suppose.’

Geralt grunted uncomfortably in response, and Jaskier just nodded, resigned.

‘Exactly... although,’ he started again, remembering a distant mountaintop, ‘I can recall some words. Quite a few, actually. I guess that task required extra measures. And it wasn’t to this exact end but it was pretty close. There was a significant proximity to the issue at hand, there, I’d say. So it’s not like I wasn’t aware of what you were trying to convey. You can’t exactly surprise me now. It’s not the most important thing, really.’

He suddenly realised something, and blinked a few times, obviously unsettled by the idea.

‘I definitely didn’t do this to exert any pressure,’ he added, quickly. ‘I’m not hoping for anything. I’m not…’ He stopped himself from saying ‘delusional’, worried he might be making the situation worse. ‘I just didn’t want you to die. That’s all. That’s hardly a horrible crime.’

He was just about ready to finish but then hesitated a bit, knowing his effectiveness was highly questionable.

‘It seemed like the right strategy at the time,’ he said in the attempt to justify himself. ‘It was worth a shot. I did the right thing. I’d do it again, if needed. I guess it makes me a bit more useful.’ He realised he was starting to sound bitter. ‘You’ve always been a great friend, Geralt. You did so much for me. So…’ he did his best to sound perky but failed ‘…does this even matter?’

‘I think it-’ Geralt started but Jaskier didn’t let him finish.

‘I know you don’t feel the same way. You’ve made that abundantly clear… in hundreds of ways… for years. So you don’t have to worry as far as clarity is concerned.’

It didn’t take long for Jaskier to get worked up. He just kept going, and his discussion with himself was becoming increasingly heated.

‘And it’s not like this changes anything now, right? Or does it?’ He wondered for a second. ‘Are you going to leave because of it?’ He didn’t wait for an answer, his thoughts running ahead at a frantic pace. ‘Fuck… I said it out loud and we’re done now, aren’t we?’

He seemed shocked by the realisation.

‘Jaskier-’

‘It doesn’t matter that I… I mean, regardless of what I implied before… and what I did, sure. Why would you want me whining in your ear, now that you know? Feeling guilty… and for something nobody should feel guilty about, by the way,’ he sighed, his frustration slowly transforming back into sadness.

‘Ja-’

‘But can I change anything by saying this?’ he just kept going. ‘No… You might feel like you’re not doing the right thing by staying, regardless. And we can’t have that.’

He was now upset by his imaginary conversation with Geralt, who was just slowly coming to terms with the fact that he was not allowed to participate.

‘Well, it’s not your fault,’ Jaskier continued. ‘It’s quite certainly beyond our control. If I did have a choice in this matter… you know, ehm… there are safer, less deadly, more welcoming options out there. Let’s face it.’

Geralt just blinked a few times and Jaskier nodded as if he was trying to convince himself.

‘Although, none of them is…’ Jaskier threw a glance at Geralt and stopped, weirdly shy all of a sudden, backtracking again. ‘Regardless... my ideal romantic adventures do not involve waiting to hear that your dead-crisp-of-a-body was discovered in the forest, or putting my life on the line, just to find out it was actually some fucked up game. And yet, the consequences are real and now I have to…’

He suddenly realised something.

‘While also knowing that, of course…’ He slowed down, his mind racing again. ‘None of this would have happened if you…’ He stopped.

‘If I what?’ Geralt was glad to finally break through the flood of words.

Jaskier didn’t dare to say it.

‘I meant what I said to her, you know,’ he started again. ‘I really did. But there are those days when… sometimes I believe the bullshit she spews. Because it’s hard… it’s like, fucking… swimming against the current from morning till night. It’s pushing, and prodding, and trying. It’s… Sometimes you’re a bit much, Geralt.’

‘I’m a bit much?’ Geralt’s confusion was turning into anger. ‘I didn’t make any of this happen. I never asked-’

‘But the way you treat me… sometimes. It’s like I’m nothing more than an annoying child.’

‘That’s because sometimes you act like one.’ Geralt raised his voice in anger. ‘I told you to leave. What the fuck were you thinking?’

Jaskier was genuinely hurt this time.

Geralt felt a sudden pang of guilt which almost stopped him.

‘Everything I’ve done was to avoid what just happened,’ Geralt continued. ‘Let alone what could have happened. But no matter what I do… there you are. It’s like you have a fucking death wish. It’s like you want me to give you a hard time.’

‘I have a death wish? And I want...’ Jaskier laughed, sounding borderline hysterical.

He shook his head in pure frustration.

‘Yes, you.’ Geralt was getting carried away, and decided to just give into it, no reservations. ‘Has it ever occurred to you that you ask for too fucking much?’

‘I never asked for anything. I offered.’

‘Don’t fucking start…’ Geralt raised his voice again and Jaskier flinched slightly. ‘All you do is want and ask. Every time I look at you… you’re like a fucking human-shaped question mark. A ball of fucking need and hope, demanding more than I can give.’

‘But I just…’ Jaskier stared at Geralt for a moment, looking as if he was slapped in the face.

Geralt hated the sight. The thought that he just finished what Aliya had started crossed his mind. And he did a good fucking job too.

Jaskier looked much more hurt and shocked than he had under the threat of a sword. He blinked a few times, shaking slightly.

‘How did we even get here, hm?’ Jaskier asked, his voice faint. ‘Not that bloody long ago, I was perfectly happy...’ He was determined to get back on track, and desperate to ignore Geralt’s last words ‘...chasing after women who like my singing. This…’ Both his hands motioned towards Geralt. ‘This… was far from my plan, believe me.’

He sighed angrily, but his voice was breaking again. His mind was working against him, frantically replaying Geralt’s words. He forced himself to speak again.

‘I could cope at first, I really could. But then… I honestly don’t know how.’ He stopped, realised what he was doing and got angry with himself. ‘What am I even saying? Why am I even...’ His breath turned shaky.

He stared at Geralt. It was clear he was craving some reassurance. Perhaps he was still hoping Geralt would take back what he said. He was strangely disoriented as if he was genuinely surprised by his own response, and disappointed with the both of them.

Geralt just stood there, confused.

‘I’m sorry…’ Suddenly Jaskier seemed exhausted and resigned like a long-distance runner giving up a few meters before the finish line. ‘It’s not fair. What I’m doing. What we’re both doing, I suppose. It’s not fair. And I just can’t… anymore.’

He rubbed his temples and started again.

‘Back there, I’ve said enough. And I can’t take it back now, can I?’ He looked down, and his voice was growing weaker and quieter by the second. ‘And I did mean every word.’

He punched out the last words with determination and strain as if admitting that again was more difficult than it was before.

‘I guess,’ he whispered to himself before speaking up again. ‘I just wish I could feel this way about someone who...’ He stopped again, feeling like there was a wall slowly growing between them. ‘Or, at least, who could appreciate…’

He shook his head, and closed his eyes for a moment.

‘Listen-’ Geralt started but Jaskier just shook his head in response.

‘Well, emerging from this with a broken heart rather than a broken neck is, in itself, a success of a kind.’ He laughed and it was the saddest laugh Geralt has ever heard. ‘I really don’t know what the fuck I was thinking...’ he said, gasping for air a bit ‘...all this time.’

He was clearly on the verge of tears but managed to stay calm, his breathing restricted.

‘Jaskier…’

‘No, don’t. I’ve had enough already.’ He moved away from him and walked into his room. ‘This is what we’re going to do,’ he stated, his tone of voice suddenly assertive. ‘We’re going into these lovely, separate rooms, having an uneventful, restful night, and tomorrow… we probably should say goodbye and go our separate ways. Goodnight.’

He shut the door in front of Geralt’s surprised face.

Read more on AO3.

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jellyfishdoodler · 5 years ago

Photo

Ladies and Gentlemen and all the beautiful people outside and between, it’s my honor to present to you the new barbershop troop of the Ego Universe:

The Septic Quintet!

I have fought with myself for like 2 weeks on this drawing but I’m SO happy with the results!! I hope you guys like it to! ^^

Bonus: Transparent polaroid version, playlist of songs that inspired me while working, and some headcanons/ drabbles under the cut! :D

Playlist of Barbershop/ songs that inspired me!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gADlgxrnAdQ&list=PLQvnEz4p9_4d23rgrqkBGYxsW3nI1TvBj

*cracks knuckles* Here we go! (I talked about these headcanons a lot with the awesome @owletry and @pistachio-lan so I can’t take all the credit for all these. Thanks for putting up with my bullshit guys lmao)

Everyone’s parts (highest to lowest): Marvin as first tenor, Chase as second tenor (and lead of the group), Schneep as baritone, and Jackie as bass.

Schneep and Jackie are able to trade parts quite easily but they prefer where they are in the group.

While Jameson can’t *sing* with the group, he still is an important member! He not only acts as like a director for the boys, he also plays accompanying instruments like the ukulele, trumpet (yes Sean’s blue trumpet specifically), and sometimes kazoo if they’re singing more of a joke song for fun. He also whistles tunes when it’s called for!

And before every show/ performance they ask the audience if there’s any deaf folks in the crowd. If there is, Jameson perks up happily and sets aside his instruments and instead signs for those who need it.

Since it’s these dudes, I can’t imagine them being a totally serious barbershop quartet/ quintet- so their style is heavily influenced by comedy and the group “The Newfangled Four” (there’s a few of their songs on the playlist and they’re EXACTLY how I picture the egos are like on stage. Especially with Chase and Jackie beat-boxing like in TNF’s Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Schneep nudges them and they get back into their regular positions for at least a moment before moving to the next bit)

Schneep pretends to TRY and keep the others under control but in reality it’s just for the bit and he’s having a lot of fun being up there with them.

Jackie and Marvin have an on-going bit of where they go back and fourth about who’s the better singer of the group and often have mini sing-offs (they usually sing “Anything You Can Do” from Annie Go Get Your Gun and it’s a crowd favorite). Chase is egging them on and keeping the audience engaged while Schneep rolls his eyes and pretends to be all like, “MUST you two do this EVERY time?” It’s all in good fun tho.

Not only does JJ play instruments and act as a sort of director for the others, he also runs a lot of the VISUAL gags and hands out props to the others when it’s required. Also he put on big reactions to what they’re singing to try and have the audience do the same (like laughing, booing, cheering, and just over-all getting them involved while the boys sing).

The whole barbershop thing was Chase’s idea and it came out on a whim while the five of them were all drinking together one night. They were all messing around singing random songs and bar shanties together and Chase noticed, “Oh damn we actually sound good?? Dudes, let’s make a band.” And after a lot of research and a some more (sober) practice they all decided, “Oh hell yeah, this is gonna be cool.”

They started out just going out and singing in bars/ on the streets spontaneously (after JJ helps start with a pitch pipe). It always drew a crowd and turned heads and it was awesome! And eventually they started getting invited to events and parties to perform for.

Anti isn’t in the group for a few reasons. 1) He’s an asshole. 2) Can’t sing worth SHIT (sounds super auto-tuned lmao). 3) He thinks the whole idea is stupid and he fuckin’ hates their dorky-ass outfits. (Marvin: “I’m not a fan either, but at least I make it look good.”)

But since they got an extra outfit/ hat they use what would have been Anti’s hat as a tip jar. But being the ass that he is, Anti would claim the money was his. “It’s my hat, so it should be my cash.” (Chase: “... Bitch?”)

Chase and Henrik’s favorite song to sing (about Anti) while JJ plays the ukulele aggressively is “No More ... To Give” by Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq. It’s just.. so perfect. And animation worth... Hm.

Smol angst/ fluff time! :D Song

It gets hard sometimes, yaknow? Some nights Chase’s depression gets the best of him so he just mopes in the kitchen drinking in his sweatpants. The others find him and share some sad looks before Jameson gets an idea. He casually saunters over with his hands behind his back while whistling a tune that they all recognize with silent snickers and grins. Chase perks up at Jameon’s whistling and the other’s singing, starting the first song they ever learned as a group. Marvin taking the lead to start with Jackie and Schneep joining vocals soon after, “Whenever life gets you down, keeps you wearing a frown, and the gravy train has left you behind. And when you’re all out of hope, down at the end of your rope, and nobody’s there to throw you a line...”

They all pause and look to Chase with hopeful expressions and the father shakes his head with a grin and continues the song, “If you ever get so low that you don’t know which way to go, come on and take a walk in my shoes. Never worry about a thing, got the world on a string ‘cause I got the cure for all of my blues~”

“All of his blues~” They all sing in soft harmony for a moment, crowding around Chase in a sort of hug before taking a breath in unison and singing as a group, holding back their laughs to try and make it through the first part, “I take a look at my enormous penis~!”

“And my troubles start-a melting away~”

They found this song when first getting into barbershop and it never failed to make them all burst into laughter by the end of it. Singing it together always cheered them up almost instantly because of how ridiculous and silly it was. Yes it may have been a little immature, but c’mon! It’s a good song and they sound DAMN good singing it together. They never sang this one in public, of course- unless it was requested at a bar or something- so they keep it more to themselves as an inside joke and therapy song that always pulls out a giggle from them

And I think that’s everything! If you read through all that.. wowie. XD I’m sorry? I’ve just been really into this idea while working on it and I really wanna draw all of the ideas but I’m so lazy/ fleeting motivation idk if I’ll ever get around to it ^^;; But if you have any ideas/ headcanons for this dumb idea of mine, please share!! I’d love an excuse to gush more about these musical bois lmao

If you got to this point put a “:d” in the tags so I know how crazy you fuckin are lol

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kusunogatari · 4 years ago

Text

[ ObiRyū October | Day Ten | Trash ] [ @abyssaldespair ] [ Uchiha Obito, Suigin Ryū, Hatake Kakashi, Nohara Rin ] [ Verse: Medical Machine ] [ Alcohol, pregnancy ]

[ Previous ] [ Next ]

Nibbling the scar in his lip in concentration, Obito carefully solders another wire into place. He’s almost got this project finished...just a few more, and he should be done!

“Oi! Obito!”

His shoulders deflate with a sigh as a hand knocks on his door. “...what?”

“We’re going out for drinks - you’ve been sitting in there all day! C’mon man, let’s go!”

“But I’m -!” He exhales curtly in frustration. “I’m almost done with -?”

“Dude, your little robot will still be there when we get back! I’m tired of having to drag you kicking and screaming out to socialize,” Kakashi argues through the door. “Asuma and Gai are ready to go, and we’re meeting Genma and the others! Just get out and get some fresh air for a few hours, all right? You’re freaking me out.”

Obito scowls, but knows better than to argue. His roommates tend to make his life difficult when they want something. If he appeases them now, it will give him more free time later. “All right, fine! Let me just...change real quick.” He’s wearing his tinkering clothes, which are singed and stained.

“You’ve got three minutes!”

“Yeah, yeah…” Pulling his shirt over his head, Obito makes quick work of shifting outfits, shoving his rather thin wallet into his back pocket before heading out to meet them.

It’s not that he doesn’t like going out. He loves a good evening with drinking and friends. But it just seems like any time the rest of them are free to do so, he’s trying to get some work done! Just once he’d like to have an evening to go uninterrupted and actually finish a project.

For Obito, you see, is a tinkerer. At least, that’s what those who aren’t into the hobby call it. Ever since the introduction and normalization of robotic tech and androids, it’s really taken off. And Obito just happened to have a knack for it. He’d make all sorts of little bots when he was growing up - mostly things to help his grandmother as an unspoken thank you for bringing him up. Then he joined the robotics club in high school, winning prizes and even money at building competitions.

Which then led to him quite obviously pursuing the field in college. While he had big dreams of helping with the latest generations of androids, he’s been mostly shuffled into smaller-scale, more basic projects.

Frustrating, to say the least.

Which is why, in his free time, he works on his own models and tech. Nothing to a full android scale, but he’s...working up to it. He often scavenges parts from dumps and learns about them that way, reverse engineering the broken parts and building up his pool of knowledge.

The thing is...he doesn’t know anyone else with the interest. Kakashi is smart, but doesn’t really care about robotics. He can listen and understand what Obito’s talking about, but the bored, glazed-over look he gets only discourages Obito from sharing his new excitement any time he makes a new discovery. And the rest of their friend group, well...they only go downhill from there.

So, he keeps it mostly to himself. Which earns him a little crap from his friends, given that it makes him a bit of a hermit in his room whenever he gets in deep with a new project to tinker with. But...he’s still glad they take the time to drag him out every so often.

He’d likely be taking the hobby to an unhealthy degree by now if they didn’t…

They go on foot, their apartment not too far from downtown and plenty to do. The bright lights of the city bear down on them, billboards and signs vying for their attention for any product under the sun. But Obito ignores them, milling with the others as they discuss the goings-on of their days, their weeks. Given the divide between his interests and theirs, Obito is more of a listener more of the time, but he doesn’t mind.

That’s what forums are for: he can type novels to his heart’s content on the subject, and other like-minded tinkerers can chime in and reciprocate.

The bar they slink into is familiar, the boisterous atmosphere a welcome change from the typical quiet of their apartment. Already there, others their age from college call out in greeting. Kurenai immediately latches onto Asuma, Yugao perched atop Hayate’s lap. Anko gives them all a grin, a tankard already in hand.

And Rin greets Kakashi with a kiss and a smile.

Obito ducks into his jacket collar furtively. While several of the others are also single, he’s still the most lagged-behind in terms of romance and experience.

Kakashi blames it on his hobby.

...and Obito really can’t deny it. There are women who involve themselves in the hobby, but sadly most tend to be a bit...distant given how flocked they get. And sure, Obito likes men too, but there just hasn’t been much of a connection beyond the hobby with anyone.

And all of his roommates are straight, sadly.

Taking a seat at one end of their sizable table, he agrees to a beer, sipping it as everyone settles in and relaxes. Obito observes, chiming in where he can but mostly letting his mind wander in the white noise of conversation to how he’s going to wrap up the bot left back home on his desk.

“Obitooo!”

A while into the night, he jostles as Rin sits next to him, flushed in the face from indulging in spirits. “...hey, Rin.”

Her lips pout. “What’s that for?”

“Heh?”

“You don’t sound very excited to see me,” she retorts.

“Sorry, er...was lost in thought.”

“You’re always thinking,” she teases, fixing some of his hair and making him balk. “Don’t you ever get, like...bored of it?”

Obito can’t help a snort. “Not really, no. That’s the thing about thinking: you can do just about anything with it.”

She listens with a rather spacy expression, then swiftly changes the subject. “Obito, you need a girlfriend.”

“Wh-?”

“Y’know, ‘kashi tells me about how much you just sit in your room...s’not healthy! You need to go out sometimes, right?”

“I do go out. I’m out right now!”

“And when was the last time you were out?”

His silence required to try and remember is telling.

“M’serious, Obito...I worry about you, y’know.” She’s back to pouting. “You’ve always been so...reclusive. I don’t want you to sit in that room and not experience life…! To...to look back and realize you missed it all!”

He gives a nervous chuckle. “Rin, really - I’m fine. I’m not -?”

“M’gonna ask around my circle for a blind date for you.”

“Wh-? No, don’t do th-!”

“I know lotsa nice girls, Obito! I bet one could make you happy, huh? Just give it a tryyy, okay?”

He flounders, not sure how to get out of this one. “I, uh...look, that’s really nice, but -?”

“C’mon Rin, leave the man alone,” Kakashi then cuts in, dragging his girlfriend back to another chair and ignoring her whining. “You can pester him about it when you’re sober, hm?”

“But ‘kashiii -”

“Why don’t you go check on Kurenai? She hustled to the bathroom pretty quick, she might need some help.”

Rin’s mouth opens into an o of concern, and she scurries off with her new mission.

“...sorry about that,” Kakashi sighs. “Admittedly she’s been going on about that sober, too.”

Obito glances aside, feeling embarrassed. “...is it really that concerning?”

“You know how Rin is, she has to take care of everybody. Just tell her you don’t want a date. Might take a few tries, but she’ll take the hint.”

His lips fall into a pout. In truth, well...he’d like a date, but...not with that kind of setup. It’s all the more mortifying given that he used to like Rin so much when they were in grade school. Having her try and set him up on a date just feels...weird. “...I’ll try.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Kakashi takes the chair Rin was occupying, leaning back with a beer in hand. “You’ll figure it out.”

Obito gives him a glance, not quite sure what ‘it’ is in this context.

Not long after, the hour growing late, the group agrees to disperse. Rin and Kurenai whisper at the other end of the table as they all get ready to go.

“...I think Kurenai’s pregnant.”

Obito, swigging the last of his beer, almost does a spit take at Kakashi’s blunt revelation, choking instead. “What?!”

“She hasn’t had a single drink, but was still running to the bathroom. Bet you anything it’s morning sickness and she’s pregnant. And it doesn’t seem like Asuma is sober enough to put two and two together yet.”

Gawking, Obito looks around the group. Kakashi has always been keen, and...yeah, given what he can see, it does seem to be the case. “...pregnant...oh man…”

“Life marches on, eh?” Kakashi muses. “I had a feeling they’d be the first ones to pop one out.”

...something in Obito’s gut clenches. So...someone in their group is going to have a baby. And he hasn’t even -

Kakashi interrupts the thought with a slap on his back. “C’mon, let’s head home.”

“...you guys go ahead. I...need to pick something up.”

“Whaaa…? Like what?”

“A part for my bot. I’ll just swing by the scrap heap then be back.”

“You good?”

“Yeah, I’m a little buzzed but I’m fine. Cold air will help. If I’m not back in half an hour, come looking for me, all right? You know where I’m headed.”

Kakashi stares at him for a moment, and Obito fears he’ll call his bluff. “...all right. Got your phone?”

“Oh yeah.”

“Good. Hey...be careful.”

“I will.”

Nodding, Kakashi then files out with the others, Obito bringing up the rear and splintering off to cross the street. While he doesn’t actually need any additional parts...he’s not quite ready to head home yet.

Not with so much on his mind.

Hands in his pockets and breath pluming in the air, Obito follows a familiar route. He goes to the scrapyard so often, he could probably do so in his sleep. The amount of good tech that gets thrown away honestly astounds him sometimes. But, that’s more for him to salvage and make use of, so he can’t really complain.

And it will give him something else to think about.

Reaching the edge, he slips through the fence in his usual spot, turning on his phone’s light to start looking for anything viable. Gears, wires, plating, plastic...he rummages through it all for anything that can catch his eye.

Anything that will make him forget for a moment that he’s such a black sheep among his friends. Falling behind and feeling more and more divided from them. He doesn’t want to think about kids, and dating, and getting married, and settling down...it’s all too much…!

Finding an android hand, he tugs it up to look at it, finding it stuck. Another tug, still nothing. Sighing and clenching his phone in his teeth, he uses both hands, pulls, and -

An entire body surfaces.

“Shit -!” Losing his footing in surprise, he falls over backward in a shower of parts.

...someone tossed a whole android...?!

Staring at it, he heaves himself back up and starts digging, revealing an entire robot. Well...mostly. Every part is intact save for the components kept in the torso, ripped out and severely damaged. There are deep dents along the entire body casing.

Someone beat the absolute shit out of this thing, but...why? Androids are so damn expensive...you might as well just light a bank account on fire.

Taking in the damage, Obito then looks at the face. It’s modeled to be female, with delicate features...making the deformations all the more shocking, in his opinion. The hair is white and wavy, and that makes him blink. All-white androids tend to be used in the medical field. So...wait...is this one of them?

Why the hell is a medical android so busted up and tossed for scrap? That doesn’t make any sense!

Turning her over, Obito checks the back of her neck for her model and serial number, checking it on his phone.

...it’s one of the latest models.

Okay, this is just weird.

Brow furrowing, Obito tries to puzzle this out. So someone got ahold of one of the latest medical robots on the market...ripped out most of its components...and then totally trashed it before throwing it in the dump. He can understand a potential parts robber, but there’s still so much valuable tech left! It doesn’t make any sense!

...he can’t just leave it all here.

He urges her back over to face upright, her powerless eyes a bit haunting. Androids are so realistic now, it’s like he’s staring at a real dead body. Now the only question is...how to get her back without anyone gawking at him. Including his roommates. He could disassemble her, then reassemble her back at the apartment, but he’ll need something to carry her in.

So he scrambles up to his feet, dragging her to a hidden alcove before dashing back toward home. Once there, he fishes out a duffle bag from under his bed, and a kit to take her apart.

“Whoa, you okay?” Kakashi asks, frowning.

“Yeah, fine! Found some cool stuff, can’t carry it all, so...I’ll be back!”

“But -?” Watching him dash back out, Kakashi just wilts. “...must have been a hell of a find…”

It’s almost one in the morning now, but Obito doesn’t slow down until he gets back to the scrapyard. Practiced hands break her down into smaller parts, and then he hauls the whole thing back home, furtively glancing around in case anyone thinks this is weird.

And thus just making himself look more suspicious.

But he returns unfettered, heading straight into his room and shutting the door.

He’s got a lot of work to do.

Carefully taking her back out, it takes far more time putting her back together than taking her apart. He starts making a list of her missing and damaged parts.

Man...this is gonna take a while. And given how stingy tech corps are, he can’t find any info on what’s been taken from her core.

So he texts Rin, who just so happens to be a nurse.

Hey, so this is weird, but if you could get me blueprints for a certain medical android, I’d owe you big time.

Knowing she won’t reply until she sleeps off all she drank tonight, he nonetheless gets to work. First thing’s first: carefully fix all the indentations. Then figure out if any components in her limbs were actually damaged, and either find replacements or fix them himself. Thankfully it’s almost all superficial, and he can move on to the rest of the mess: her core. There’s a lot of torn cabling and wires...that alone is going to be a nightmare. But he’s waited for so long to be able to work on a full working android model...he can’t let that faze him.

It’s late morning before Rin replies.

You realize I could lose my job for that?

But it’s really really important! Pleaseee?

...why do you need it?

Promise not to tell?

I’m already considering one illegal thing today. Why not another?

I found a Meditech android in the scrapyard, and I wanna fix her. But she’s missing some parts of her core.

Holy shit, really? You should return that! It’s hospital property!

I will! AFTER I fix her! Please Rin, you know how much I wanna get into full android work!

Several minutes pass as she clearly thinks it over.

...okay fine! I’ll try. Gimme the numbers and I’ll see what I can do.

You’re amazing, you know that?

I do, thank you.

A few hours later, she sends him the file...and Obito starts digging. As he figured, a lot of it is tech he’ll likely never get his hands on.

...legally, that is.

Thankfully he knows some people, and heads to the forum for help. Within the hour, he has trades arranged for all he’ll need.

Now to wait for shipping, and then the work...and he should have a functional android.

All the while, his roommates just figure he’s gotten himself buried into yet another timesink. Kakashi tries to sneak a peek, only for Obito to shove him back out every time.

“You can see when it’s done!”

For over a month...he barely leaves his room. Kakashi has to remind him to eat, let alone sleep. But then finally, after countless hours of work and frustration...he gives the reboot system a try.

Just barely audible in the silence is a quiet whir of tech booting up before they start running silently. Unseen, her software begins powering up , a diagnostic completed before she can begin to function. Sat in his computer chair, she’s completely still for several minutes.

Obito chews his lip, wondering if this is going to work.

And then...her bowed head lifts, and eyes open. They blink once, twice, subtly taking in her surroundings before focusing on Obito.

“...ID?” he asks.

Another blink - man, she looks so real…! “Meditech at-home care android model V-seven-nine. Serial number four eight two, nine nine seven three, zero zero zero zero.”

Huh...an at-home model. So she wasn’t at the hospital, but living with a patient. “Name?”

“My data bank is empty. Would you like to register a name?”

Oh shoot, that part of her memory was erased...or was never filled in the first place. He hesitates for a long moment. “...er...register name: Ryū.”

There’s a moment’s pause as it’s committed to her memory. “...I am Ryū. How may I help you today?”

And so begins his own check, running through as many system operations as he can think of to ensure nothing is on the fritz or damaged. All the while, ‘Ryū’ answers every question, performing scans and reporting all functioning as normal.

“...holy shit,” he then breathes. “I did it. I actually fixed you.”

“Would you like to register a patient?”

“...what is your patient registry?”

“No data available.”

“...run a patient registry scan for past entries.”

Another small pause. “...no data available.”

“...so you never got programmed. Seems to me you either never arrived at your destination, or...you were stolen from them early on. But why only take your core components and then trash the rest of you...?”

She doesn’t reply, the question rhetorical.

He sits on his bed with a thoughtful sigh, rubbing his chin before shooting Rin another text.

So...she’s up and working. Seems she was programmed for at-home care. Any records from the hospital of one of them going missing?

Hm...not from ours...give me a minute and I’ll check elsewhere.

As he waits, Obito watches the android. She just...sits, perfectly still, occasionally glancing around and blinking as programmed to appear more human and less unsettling. As he has several times while working on her, he can’t help but marvel at how far android tech has come over the years. She really does look human.

...and then there’s the question some ask about the humanity in a machine. If they can learn enough to be considered sentient. Some fear it, others embrace it, and a few even demand their freedom as equals to humans.

Obito...well, for the most part, he’s in the middle. It’s amazing technology, but...still technology. Can it become sentient? Maybe. He’s never seen full proof of it, at least not yet. As for being treated like a human, well...he’s pretty iffy on that.

But the longer he watches her, the more he wonders. Then his phone buzzes.

So I checked every hospital in the county, and nothing. No reported losses or thefts. I’ll check at the state level, but I mean...that’s pretty far, given where you found her.

His brow furrows. All right, thanks. What should I do with her in the meantime?

I mean...you can bring it in, we can always use it. But officially, we dunno where it belongs, so...y’know. Up to you, I guess. Unless I find something.

Well, all right then.

...now what?

In truth, he’s getting excited. If no one can claim her...maybe he can keep her! Obito does have his share of chronic conditions from his accident when he was young...he could probably make use of her. But does he really need to keep her, or...is he just geeking out about having an android?

As if sensing his thoughts, she looks to him, head tilting.

...he has to admit, her casing is really pretty. But it’s just an empty shell for a highly advanced computer.

...isn’t it?

...there have been rumors. Of AI going rogue in androids along the east coast. Nothing confirmed by the manufacturers of course, but the forum buzzes about it every time a supposed account leaks. The androids break their programming limitations, making decisions outside their parameters, and acting irrationally.

...acting human.

No one’s sure yet what causes it, but...it makes him wonder. Maybe he can use her as a bit of an experiment. See if he can replicate the supposed ‘malfunctions’.

But for now, he better wait until Rin exhausts all other avenues. He doesn’t want to mess around with a stolen android. But...that doesn’t mean he can’t at least interact with her.

“Hey, Ryū.”

“Yes?”

“My right shoulder is sore.”

She blinks, and then gives a smile. “If you’d like, I can perform massage therapy to try and ease tension in the muscles. I can also utilize acupuncture if you prefer.”

Her language is so….stiff. But whoever did her voice did a great job for a medical android - soft and comforting, clearly meant to ease patient stress. “Let’s try the massage therapy.”

“Please, have a seat.” She rises from his chair, letting him take it instead before asking, “Are you comfortable removing your shirt?”

He hesitates a moment. “...sure.” Pulling at the garment, he tosses it on his bed. Beneath are the plethora of scars from the accident that nearly crippled him in grade school.

Even if she isn’t human, he can’t help a surge of self consciousness.

...and then something odd happens.

So light he barely feels it, she runs fingertips over the hardened tissue. “...I do not have access to your medical records. May I inquire what caused this scarring?”

Another pause - he hates going over this, but...well, he supposes it’s relevant. “...accident when I was young. I was struck by a car. I’ve got a lot of pins and plating from putting me back together.” After a pause, he jokes, “Makes going to the airport quite a hassle, heh.”

She doesn’t reply, and just keeps...mapping out the marks.

“...is it in the way?”

Her focus seems to return. “No. But it will help me to diagnose and solve other issues in the future. Thank you.” She then adjusts her posture and starts working at the knotted muscle in his back.

And...dang, she’s really good at this.

With pinpoint precision, she finds and soothes at the sore spot, and soon enough Obito is a puddle in his chair. Twenty minutes later, the pain is entirely gone.

“How do you feel?”

Slowly sitting up, he rolls his shoulder. “...great! Thanks.”

She smiles again. “You’re welcome! Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“Nah, I’m good.”

“As a brief reminder, I am also outfitted with custodial knowledge, and if your medical dependency is severe enough, I am programmed to handle housework, assistance with day to day activities, and escorting you out of your home if desired.”

That ears a blink. “...seriously?”

To his surprise, she laughs. “Seriously! I am a full home-care model, and can handle all regular duties of a human caretaker to an even more sophisticated and efficient degree. And should you find any of my programming insufficient, you need only contact my manufacturer, and they can arrange a software upgrade to handle your individual needs.”

...huh. He wasn’t expecting all...that. “And, er...do I need documentation to have you upgraded? Your receipt or anything?”

There’s a pause, and he can tell she’s checking her internal manual for an answer. “I’m sorry, but I do not have the information you’re looking for on hand. Please contact my manufacturer for clarification.”

Well, shoot...if he does end up keeping her, that might pose a problem. He supposes he can always take her to a less legal place to have her tinkered with...at least, anything beyond his own capabilities. He might be able to find bootleg copies of any new software, but given all she sounds like she’s capable of, that shouldn’t be a problem anyway.

“Oi, are you done in here yet? Who are you talking to?”

Stiffening, Obito doesn’t have enough time to get to the door, and Kakashi opens it up.

...and stares.

“...am I...interrupting something?”

Bright red at Kakashi’s clear assumption, Obito blurts, “I-it’s not what it looks like!”

“Hello!” Ryū then offers.

Kakashi perks a brow. “...hi. And you are…?”

“I am a Meditech at-home care android. I have been named Ryū. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

...he blinks. “...you have an android?”

“She’s what I found in the scrapyard last month. I just finished putting her back together!”

“A whole-ass android was in the scrapyard?”

“Yeah! Rin’s been helping me figure out how to fix her. And now, er...she’s fixed!”

“...huh. And uh...does it belong to someone?”

“Rin’s checking. No records yet. So, I...might get to keep her…?”

“Well it better pay rent. And if you get frisky with it, keep it down, all right?”

Flaring red again, Obito gives a holler, throwing a shoe as Kakashi closes the door. Said shoe bounces harmlessly to the floor.

“Stupid Kakashi...as if…”

“If it addresses the issue at hand, I am equipped with -”

“No! No no!” Obito cuts in, face about to explode as he interrupts her. “I already know that, I saw when I was reassembling you! I don’t need it!”

She blinks. “...heightened aggression and tension in male patients can sometimes be attributed to pent-up se-”

“NO!” Oh lord he’s going to die from embarrassment. “I...I don’t need that, okay? Kakashi is just getting on my nerves. It’s fine.”

“Would you like me to check your blood pressure?”

“...no, I’m fine.”

“Perhaps you’re hungry! Could I fix you something to eat?”

...she’s not going to stop, is she? “Okay, sure. But uh...I live with three other people. Kakashi was one, Asuma and Gai are the others.” Though Asuma, if Obito remembers right, is looking for a place to live with Kurenai and their soon-to-be baby.

“That’s no problem! I’m capable of adjusting any recipe in my index to suit as many household members as necessary.”

...well, might as well get this over with.

Asuma just chuckles at the sight of her, and Gai marvels at “this brilliant new technology” until Kakashi convinces him to stop.

And while she’s cooking, Rin sends Obito a text.

So how much do you love me, bff of mine?

...a lot? Why?

So no registry records in the entire state. So I looked that serial number up, and guess what?

What?

There’s no match for it. It wasn’t part of any official manufacturing run.

Obito gawks at his screen. So, what...she’s a bootleg?

No, seems she’s legit given what all you told me. It’s more like...someone went in to the factory, made ONE android, and made off with it after clearing the record of its assembly. To the system registry, it doesn’t exist.

He has to sit down for a moment, the background noise of the guys peppering Ryū with questions going unnoticed. ...so what do I do?

I’m not sure. I mean the RIGHT thing to do would be to turn it in, but...I mean, there’s also no proof you stole it or anything. But nor that you bought it. It’s a really weird grey area. My guess is...someone made an off-the-record ‘droid to try and steal the technology from the company for their own.

Obito stills. ...that’s why only some of her components were missing. That was all the thief needed.

Exactly.

...well, I...guess I’ll think it over.

Sure. Lemme know if you need anything else, kay?

Will do.

Obito puts his phone to sleep, stunned. An off-the-record robot. And he just happened to find her.

...now what should he do with her?

His thoughts are broken as laughter rings out, and he looks up to see Ryū smiling as everyone points at Gai, a pancake perfectly centered on his head from her pan.

...if he didn’t know any better, he’d think she was real.

Well, for now, he’ll just...keep her here. If anyone else finds out her origins, he might have to turn her over. Thoughts start turning. Maybe someone on the forum can help him forge some documents for her. Shouldn't be that hard. Then maybe he can keep her.

...it’s been barely an hour and he already feels attached, damn it.

“Oi, Obito!”

His focus returns. “Huh?”

“What would you like on your pancake?” Ryū asks after Kakashi gets his attention.

“...uh, just...butter and syrup, please.”

She gives another smile, and he feels his chest clench.

...oh no.

Aaand I went overboard again xD BUT I haven’t gotten to use this verse yet, so...I indulged lol Not very, uh...traditional? Def the first time I’ve written a muse as an android, but I’ve had the idea for a long time. It’s a bit parallel to day...three of last year, I think? BUT it’s not quite cyberpunk, and the roles are reversed, as well as amplified lol Otherwise, uh...not much to say? Posting late cuz today was muh birthday and I had stuff to do .w. Tomorrow is also gonna be busy-ish sooo we’ll see if I finally start falling behind :’D But for now, that’s all I’ve got! Thanks for reading~

#obiryū october #abyssaldespair #uchiha obito #suigin ryū #hatake kakashi #nohara rin #medical machine [ au ]#alcohol //#pregnancy //

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grither55 · 4 years ago

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The Princess and the Peasant - (An Azula Epic) - Chapter 43 - Two Earths

Team Azula strode at a leisurely pace through the forest in order to accommodate for both the acrobat's broken ankle and their young friends breathing condition.

All the while Azula found herself sighing in mild annoyance once more while Elle walked alongside her already chatting her up once more.

The two noblewomen could only watch in amusement while the princess listened to the girl with patience that she would never show even them.

Not even Ty Lee could get away with pestering Azula so frequently.

The princess furrowed her brows in bewilderment when the girl began to talk about the former slave once more.

"What? You think an escaped slave is more respectable than this Julius Caesar and this Augustus?" Azula questioned in a subdued voice so as to avoid hurting the girl's feelings while Elle baffled her when she nodded adamantly.

"Yeah! It's easy to accomplish great things when you are born in a position of great wealth in an empire as vast as Rome…well a Republic at the time. And it's even easier to accomplish your achievements when you have millions of slaves to do all of the hard work for you. Rome was built upon slavery. Without the slaves they would have been nothing. They may be deserving of their fame…but in my opinion. That is nothing compared to someone who fought to free hundreds of thousands. There…is no cause more noble than freedom." Elle explained with a resolute nod while her three friends listened curiously.

And once more the two noblewomen fell silent.

It wasn't like they disagreed with the girl.

It just made them uneasy knowing that Elle would eventually be torn up to find out about some of the Fire Nation's nastier dealings.

And judging by the frustrated look in Azula's eyes they could tell that the princess had not been expecting this.

"No cause more noble than freedom. Curious words. Coming from a girl who is practically begging to be my slave." The princess scoffed with an amused smirk returning to her lips only for the petite girl to chew on her lip.

"Azula…" Ty Lee trailed off in yet another sigh while Elle shook her head in disagreement.

At the very least Azula was making an attempt to be nicer.

Not that it was likely to last long.

"You seem to misunderstand Azula-sama. I'm not your slave. I'm here because I have freedom! I choose to serve you." The blonde-haired girl insisted gently while the older girl stared at her in revived puzzlement.

"Hm. You're not? Because it would appear that I now own your freedom." Azula retorted in a playful voice with her arms crossed over her armored breasts.

"Oh no! I serve you with pride because you are kind to me…and because you treat me well. I defer to your will because I know that you look after me…if you treated me even remotely like Felix did. I would…leave. Even if it broke my heart. I am still free." Elle spoke in a soft voice with her statement causing Azula to lose her smug smirk.

All three highborn women gazed at her in unease over how she casually stated that she would leave if Azula ever were to become abusive.

A sentiment that both Mai and Ty Lee silently agreed with.

"You are the one who presumes erroneously servant. While I will always make good on my promise to never abuse you. I still own you. And you are not free to leave. If I must leash you for you to understand that…then so be it." The princess commented with a domineering gleam in her cold eyes while her subordinates shuddered once more.

"Azula…please…please no leashes." The brown-haired woman begged with a worried frown only for her plea to fall on deaf ears.

"I know you would never hurt me Azula-sama! Because we're best buddies!" The blonde-haired girl cried out with her hand tugging on the royal woman's sleeve while her big sister's sweatdropped over her joyful cry.

"Of course, we are…best buddy." Azula snorted with a pompous voice that seemed lost on her handmaid while Elle happily held onto her sleeve.

"I swear Elle. You're a strange girl if this is your dream come true." Mai stated in her usual dry voice while Azula smiled down at the girl with an unnervingly possessive stare.

The way Azula gazed at this innocent girl was the most disturbing thing of all.

It was a gaze of fondness that reassured her that the princess would make good on her word never to harm a hair on Elle's head.

But it was also the gaze of an easily provoked lover one that would turn to violence at a moment's notice.

After witnessing Azula's savage reaction to those two girls bullying Elle she had no doubt that the princess would end up brutally murdering someone in Elle's name.

It was almost bound to happen at some point.

"I guess I am strange! Because I think Azula-sama is dreamy." Elle chirped with a hand on her cheek while Azula swelled in pride upon hearing those words.

"Humph. Naturally. I am a goddess after all." The princess remarked with her head tilting to the side while she smiled arrogantly only for her childhood friends to groan in annoyance.

"I really…really wish you had never dubbed Azula a goddess Elle." The brown-haired woman complained with the smaller girl walking happily under her arm.

"But Azula-sama is a goddess. A-at least to me." The blonde-haired girl admitted shyly with a lovesick smile while the acrobat patted her back fondly.

All the while Mai continued to sigh in aggravation when Azula's smirk grew even larger.

Only for all three of them to watch warily or in Elle's case excitedly when Azula slammed her fists together with the flames of war burning in her callous eyes.

"It's decided then!" Azula called out without warning while she smiled in a pleased manner that had Ty Lee scratching her cheek nervously.

"Uh…what's decided Azula?" Ty Lee queried with a slightly fearful smile when her friend turned to smile back at her.

"This little tiger monkey has just given me the most wonderful idea." The princess revealed with her fingers tapping along her crossed arms while the petite girl smiled brightly.

"I did master?" Elle asked in a delighted voice with her two big sister's peering at her oddly.

Once again baffled that she continued to choose to address Azula as master yet she expressed a high admiration for freedom.

In a weird way they could see that Elle felt that she only gained her freedom by serving under Azula.

It made sense to Ty Lee but it was a notion that continued to baffle Mai.

It was just all the more proof that the poor girl has lived an unnaturally miserable life.

So much so that she felt servitude under Azula was a life of freedom.

But given that their young friend was quite clearly happy serving Azula they didn't really see an issue with it.

For now, anyway.

"After I cement my dominance over this world, I shall require all across the world to worship me as a goddess! They shall all lay tributes before my boots or suffer my wrath when I dominate this world!" Azula announced in a maniacal voice with her arms spreading out to her sides while the three gazed at her in disbelief.

And now the two noblewomen could only shudder in distaste while they gazed down at their young friends brightening smile with mildly scolding gazes.

"Thanks kid. Thanks." The markswoman grunted with a scowl while the princess continued to smile maliciously.

"You go Azula-sama! If you put your mind to it you can do anything! I am sure you will make a flawless Godde-" The blonde-haired girl cheered only for the acrobat's hand to gently slide over her mouth.

"Elle…" The brown-haired woman sighed with a hand over her forehead while the princess smiled down at the smaller girl.

"Ty Lee! Remove your hand from my little worshipers' mouth or I will destroy you!" The princess ordered with a domineering finger pointing at the acrobat's nodding face.

The fact that Azula just called Elle her 'little worshiper' only served to heightened their anxieties.

"Good luck with that Azula. I'll be one of the countless millions refusing to pay tribute." Mai scoffed with a defiant smirk while Azula turned to growl at her.

"Then you shall suffer my wrath for your insolence. Isn't that right servant?" Azula asked with a smug smile while she turned to Elle's beaming face for further praise.

The two noblewomen shook their heads fondly when the adorable girl cred out in agreement once more.

"Mhm! You better give her tribute oneesan I don't want to see you get destroyed." Elle commented with a finger pressing into her lip while Ty Lee sweatdropped once more.

That was when Azula paused in her step with a truly arrogant smile that had both of her childhood friends flinching in realization that something terrible was upon them.

"I hereby declare that the first day of every month will be known worldwide as Azula Day! A day of recognition of my glory and divine beauty!" The princess shouted with her fists clenched at her shapely hips while the two noblewomen nearly fell over in horror.

"A-Azula…isn't that rather tyrannical?" Ty Lee asked in a frightened voice only for Azula to proudly shake her head.

Now that Azula had the idea in her head there was no way to get her to let it go!

Once the princess sets her mind to something, she becomes terrifyingly determined to make it a reality!

Just like Ba Sing Se!

"No Ty Lee. That's not tyrannical. Now if I made everyday Azula Day…that would be tyrannical." Azula purred with a sadistic smile that had her childhood friends shivering in terror.

Only for both noblewomen to gaze down in comical disapproval when joyous clapping resounded into the air.

And the powerful princess turned to smile down at the teenager with a fond smirk on her regal lips.

"I-I want an Azula Day! Please Azula-sama! Please! Can we have an Azula Day when we get home?" The blonde-haired girl whined adorably while her big sisters stared at her in fright.

"Oh, very well. I suppose I could allow it. My little admirer wants an Azula Day. And I shall see it done. I now decree that our second day home will be Azula Day! It's a day to love me…so do try to get me a proper gift." The princess declared with a beyond hubristic smile while the two noblewomen exchanged a miserable glance.

"Just send me to Boiling Rock." The markswoman muttered with a scowl while she marched on ahead of her selfish leader.

"I-I promise that I'll write you a lovely poem Azula-sama…." Elle trailed off in a lovesick voice while she swooned under Azula's confident gaze.

"Elle…you already write Azula poems on regular days of the week." The brown-haired woman reminded in a sisterly voice while she resumed walking with the shorter girl.

"Ignore her my pet. You should feel no shame in offering your goddess tribute. And I for one will not accept anything less than your upmost devotion!" Azula huffed with her finger jabbing Elle's rapidly nodding forehead while her handmaid smiled timidly under her stern stare.

"Azula…do you really have to start making her call you goddess? Isn't master enough?" Ty Lee grumbled while Azula smirked with her hand patting Elle's smiling head once more.

"A-Azula-sama…I love you." The blonde-haired girl murmured sweetly with her big sister's gazing at the selfish woman in disapproval once more.

As much as Azula clearly liked Elle it was also obvious that the princess shamelessly used the girl to boost her ego on a regular basis.

"You are such a good girl. I can't wait for that bath…" The princess cooed in a silken voice before removing her hand from the smaller girl's hair just as she began to walk ahead of her handmaid.

"A-and I can't w-wait to give you a b-bath p-princess." Elle stuttered in a fretful gulp when Azula's posterior began to sway in her line of vision.

"Azula…" The brown-haired woman growled out just as she began to stomp ahead while the smug woman continued to sway her ass before the poor girl's overwhelmed eyes.

"What? All I am doing is walking. Is it against the law for a princess to walk?" Azula scoffed in a haughty voice with her hips swaying ahead of her admirer's widening amber eyes.

"You really are shameless Azula. The girl hasn't even hit fourteen yet and you're already swaying your ass for her." Mai stated with her tawny eyes directing the smirking woman a scolding stare.

"P-please spare me Azula-sama. I…don't know how to handle this." The blonde-haired girl pleaded in a pitiful voice while the acrobat scowled at the princess's swaying back.

"It's okay Elle…just look away. Just…uh…look at the trees!" Ty Lee advised lamely with a finger scratching her cheek while Mai snorted in slight amusement.

"Precious. Isn't she Ty Lee?" The princess chuckled in a confident voice while she strode with a fist on her hip before she effortlessly swayed her posterior ever so slightly.

Never failing to notice how the younger girl's worshipful amber eyes followed her backside with every motion that she made.

It was just adorable how the girl was spellbound by the slightest motions that she made.

"Yeah she is! Though not in the way you're thinking!" The brown-haired woman snarled before gazing down at her little sister only to sweatdrop when she noticed how the poor girl couldn't gaze away from her friend's robed ass.

She could only sigh when the teenager quickly gazed away with ashamed eyes while she offered the shy girl another pat to the back.

"There's no need to be ashamed Elle. It's okay to have desires of the body. Especially when she purposefully puts it in your face!" Ty Lee exclaimed with an angry huff while Elle still gazed away with embarrassed amber eyes.

Innocent amber eyes that found it hard to look away from the princess's round bottom that was accented so wonderfully by fine crimson pants.

Only for the young girl to turn away from the hypnotic backside once more before she released a truly adorable whimper.

One that did not go unnoticed by the smirking Azula.

"Something wrong dear? Are you…coming down with something?" Azula pondered in an irresistible purr while Elle gazed around like a panicking puppy.

"Yeah! You!" The brown-haired woman shouted with a narrow of her eyes while her friend chuckled once more.

"C-can we j-just go back to talking? M-mercy princess. M-mercy." Elle protested in a confuddled voice while she gazed at a passing tree.

The two noblewomen gazed at her with clear sympathy in their eyes only for the sadistic woman to finally relent in her seductive game.

"Oh, so be it. When you plead so adorably how can I say no? I shall grant you a brief stay from execution. You may resume talking now." The princess taunted with a wave of her hand just as she began to walk beside the three once more.

All the while never being bothered by her two friends scolding stares.

"Ugh. Look Azula. If you are going to be doing this every day for over two years then just take the girl into the nearest river and just shove her face between your legs already. At least it will spare us from this torture." The markswoman complained with her words causing the younger girl to yelp in fright while the acrobat blushed deeply.

"Mai!" Ty Lee yelled with a reddening face while the other woman shrugged carelessly.

"What? I am just saying that I would rather not watch this for two and a half years." Mai answered with her arms folded over her breasts while Azula smiled proudly.

"Are you still with us Elle? No? Are you sure the girl didn't get wounded Ty Lee?" Azula teased with her palm waving before Elle's overwhelmed face only for the acrobat to slap her hand away.

"I am sure! I wonder if you'll still smile if the poor girl has a heart attack." The brown-haired woman replied with a reproachful frown only for the monarch to roll her golden eyes.

"Please Ty Lee. Now you are just being melodramatic. My handmaid isn't going to have a heart attack from me swaying my hips and ass for a few moments." The princess retorted with a haughty roll of her eyes only for her pretty handmaid to blink her eyes in confusion.

"Say what now?" The blonde-haired girl blurted out only for her big sister's to sweatdrop in comical entertainment.

"My…my…my…you truly are an amusing little thing." Azula stated with an arrogant smirk while Elle audibly gulped once more.

"So anyway shorty…about Spartacus…I take it that his name is pretty famous huh?" The markswoman conversed in a bored voice with her eyes gazing at the younger girl's brightening face.

No doubt she was also glad to focus on something that wasn't Azula's hips.

"Oh yeah! Most people know his name even if they don't know any of the details. The only people that don't are really young kid's that are too lazy to read up on history. He wasn't the leader of the largest slave rebellion in history for nothing. I mean just think about it! Out of the millions upon millions of slaves born in history what were the chances he would achieve such fame? That's impressive no matter how you look at it! He's a major historical figure no matter what anyone says." Elle answered with returning excitement in his voice while even Azula listened in grudging curiosity.

Both Mai and Ty Lee were in agreement with Elle. But they could tell Azula wasn't.

And so, they had no choice but to keep their mouths shut out of fear that they might push the princess's mercy too far.

"Even so. A slave is still a slave. I am much more interested in hearing about these…emperors and dictators." The princess remarked with a hand below her chin while the weapons expert released a sound of disgust that prompted her to turn her cold eyes to glare at her rebellious friend.

"Well that doesn't surprise me given how…" Mai trailed off with a bead of sweat on her brow when Azula's eyes enlarged into a truly monstrous glare.

"Go on. Finish your sentence Mai." Azula sneered with her fingers curling up before her smiling face.

The meaning of the order was crystal clear.

It was Azula's way of saying that all mercy will vanish if Mai tells Elle that she and her father deal in slavery.

"I…disagree. Such distinctions have no meaning. Any one of us could have been born a slave in another lifetime. I-I bet you wouldn't be saying that if you were born as a Roman slave Azula-sama. You…would try to rebel too. And then some arrogant person would look down on your when you were killed for it." The blonde-haired girl muttered in a bothered voice while the acrobat listened in rising concern.

The princess's smile faded away as she gazed at her admirer with growing surprise in her golden eyes.

Both Mai and Ty Lee could tell that Azula was becoming frustrated with Elle's words.

Azula no doubt expected that she would be able to convince the girl otherwise because their young friend was hopelessly in love with her.

But Elle was proving surprisingly resilient with her beliefs. Timid, but persistent.

"Naïve girl. I was born with a divine right to rule. I would not have been born a slave under any circumstance. I was fated to be…royalty." The princess insisted in a proud voice while her handmaid frowned in a way that she strangely disapproved of.

"No. No, you weren't. There is no divine right in genetics. It's…just luck." Elle retorted in a quiet voice only for Ty Lee to flinch when Azula spun around to glare at them.

Thus far Azula has expressed an astonishing amount of patience for the girl and a surprising level of tolerance for just about anything her handmaid said.

But they could tell that the princess did not approve of those words.

"Azula…." Ty Lee warned before the royal woman could snap at her innocent friend.

"What would you know about my birthright? You didn't even know anything about royalty until you met me!" Azula snapped before turning away with a scowl on her red lips while Elle gazed down at the ground.

"T-that's got nothing to do with it. Y-you're just deflecting. That doesn't disprove what I said." The blonde-haired girl stammered with her eyes avoiding the now angered golden stare.

"Just stop it Azula." The brown-haired woman almost begged with a frown while her friend still glared at the smaller girl's bothered face.

"Deflecting! You think that I am afraid of you!" The princess hissed only for the weapons expert to place a calming hand on her arm.

"It hasn't even been ten minutes and we're already repeating this Azula." The markswoman spoke with a stern countenance as her hand fell back down to her side while her friend glared at her.

"Just because I like this girl does not mean that you and Ty Lee can tell me what to do!" Azula yelled with a sliver of madness in her golden eyes that prompted Mai to slowly back away.

"I-I didn't say you were afraid princess. I said you're deflecting. Felix used to do the same thing…whenever he wanted to act like I was stupid." Elle muttered before turning away while Ty Lee now frowned at Azula's hardened face.

'Why is she so obsessed with slaves? I had known her to be a pacifist and a vegetarian but I had thought that I could sway her…after seeing how she ran to my aid.' The princess thought with a puff of fire escaping her nostrils while she began to stomp ahead.

"Azula-sama?" The blonde-haired girl began hesitantly while the older girl turned to cast her a mild glare.

"What?" Azula questioned in a slightly colder voice than usual while she glared at Ty Lee when the acrobat held Elle closer as if she would strike her.

"Why…are you getting so angry about slavery?" Elle inquired to the sudden nervousness of all three of her highborn friends while Azula stared at her with surprised golden eyes.

Yet even so the princess expertly concealed her apprehension while her lips pursed into a frown.

'Elle's smarter than Azula gives her credit for. Azula's not going to be able to hide this from Elle for much longer. I can already tell that Elle is going to be angry when she finds out.' Mai thought with a worried look in her tawny eyes while Azula hesitated for the briefest of moments to answer.

For the briefest of moments Azula strangely felt her throat become…sticky while she quickly formed the words upon her tongue.

And most puzzling of all was how her heartbeat increased momentarily while she scowled back at her innocent pet.

That was when she realized much to her fury and humiliation that she has become so fond of this girl that she becoming bothered at the thought of her admirer abandoning her.

It was absurd that she should feel so attached to a mere peasant!

And yet she was!

'This is unlike Azula to get tripped up with a question…she took too long. It's already too late.' The markswoman thought with a returning impassive countenance just before the monarch spoke.

"I could ask the same of you Elle. You ask why the Princess of the Fire Nation looks down on a slave? Slaves do not become emperors. Slaves do not become Kings." The princess declared in a beyond strict voice only for her furious frown to increase when a rare spark of offense flashed in her handmaid's eyes.

"Like p-peasants, right? People that are born low should just shut up and accept life as they're told by the ruling class? That's what they tell people like me when they don't want you to question why you can't afford anything but moldy bread!" The blonde-haired girl exclaimed with her amber eyes flaring in emotion while the taken aback princess glared back at her.

"I didn't say anything about peasants. You did. Not me. I said slaves." Azula stated in frustration while Mai rolled her eyes at her back.

That was a poor answer the weapons expert mused.

Especially considering that many peasants lived a life that was scarcely better than slavery.

It was likely because there was only so much Azula could say before it became obvious.

Even to the most naïve person like Elle.

"B-but you would if I wasn't here! You'd probably say it as soon as I fell asleep! Because even your favorite peasant is still a lowly, dirty peasant isn't that right?!" Elle cried out with an unusually incensed face while the acrobat attempted to offer her a comforting hug.

Suffice to say that it was obvious that the girl's anger took Azula completely by surprise.

If only because it wasn't a topic that the princess could easily back out of.

"Azula. Please." Ty Lee implored with a deep frown while Azula seethed in her direction.

"Foolish girl! If I thought you were lowly you wouldn't have ever left that alley! If I thought otherwise you wouldn't be clinging to me day and night!" The princess bellowed with a puff of fire escaping her lips just as she stomped closer to attempt to amend her young girlfriend's worries.

It only served to fuel her frustrations knowing that she liked this one.

That it was no longer a simple matter of parting with her handmaid.

She no longer saw the girl as just a pet, or just a servant, just a peasant.

She was…all of that yes. Such was the nature of their dominant, submissive dynamic.

And yet the girl was something much more at the same time.

There was no doubt in her mind.

She saw this one as much more than all of the other peasants.

More than any slave.

Elle…had an otherworldly charm that captivated her interest.

The girl radiated…something precious…something valuable.

She was a cut above.

The girl was…innocent and she had class.

Elle was something…magnificent.

Who would have ever thought that she would be this fond of a peasant?

'Is this…love? Am I…starting to fall for this little peasant girl? Is that it?' Azula thought with her boot stepping into the forest floor while she clenched her fists at her sides.

"Give her to me Ty Lee. Mai can help you walk." The princess demanded in a terrifyingly possessive voice while the acrobat stared at her with a frown on her lips.

Not because she would have to walk with Mai.

But because of the way Azula continued to talk down to Elle.

"No. No matter how much you try to label her as such Elle isn't a dog. She's not a pet. She has her own feelings. Unlike you Azula…I don't look down on her. I am just trying to be her friend! Maybe you should try it." The brown-haired woman argued with her arm still around the smaller girl's shoulders while the now frowning girl peered off into the tree line.

In the very moment that she said no.

But she and Mai shivered in even greater fear of Azula than before when the princess narrowed her frightening golden eyes back at her.

Somehow Azula was even more terrifying now that she had someone to care about than before!

"I said give her to me. She's mine. I would think that I made that perfectly clear by now. When I want her. I will have her." Azula insisted in an increasingly glacial voice while she stood staring back at Ty Lee's increasingly fearful face.

And it most surely did not escape Mai's notice that Azula was starting to behave just like she feared she would.

Like a terrifying stalker!

"A-Azula-sama stop threatening my oneesan!" The blonde-haired girl called out over the taller acrobat's shoulder while the older girl gazed down at her with moved brown-gray eyes.

And now the princess stood with a displeased frown on her lips while she gazed directly into Elle's emotional amber eyes.

"Hm. Come here dear. I'm not mad at you. Silly girl." The princess cooed in a sweetened voice that had the acrobat staring at her in disapproval.

It was clear that Azula was trying to lure Elle in until the girl eventually melted like butter once more under her lethal charms.

"W-well I'm mad at you." Elle mumbled in a softer voice while Azula took another stomp closer.

All the while her golden eyes brilliantly considering how she could once more sooth the girl's mood.

Just as she has always done.

Every time, without fail.

Strangely enough, she has actually come to enjoy comforting her little pet.

"Azula…p-please just leave the poor girl be." Ty Lee requested in a shakier voice than before only to back up when Azula stepped closer.

The regal woman's lips curved into a scowl while her anger rose after witnessing the acrobat act as if she was going to harm them!

"I am not going to hurt her Ty Lee! I just want to…walk with her. Why are you mad at me Elle? Don't you want to walk with your princess?" Azula purred before placing her hand on Elle's quivering arm while she began to smile charmingly when Elle began to tremble with her eyes widening in nervousness.

"N-no. You are doing it again. You are trying to take advantage of my inexperience by overwhelming me instead of answering my question. You can charm me with your body…but that won't change what I believe. I…might be meek but my beliefs are rock solid." Elle declared with a shake of her head that took Azula aback just as the acrobat began to slowly walk with her.

The princess's lips dropped into an even deeper scowl while she began to stomp ahead with a displeased look in her eyes while she glared at her handmaid's aggravatingly disconcerted face.

The girl was far too mushy for her own good!

"She has a point Azula. It's only natural that a girl going through puberty will be easily swayed by the body of the person she loves. Why don't you try to talk to her instead? Without knocking her down." The markswoman suggested in a frustrated voice while the other woman angrily folded her arms over her breasts.

"I have been talking to her! I have spent more time talking to the tiger monkey than the most of you combined!" The princess retorted with a foul tempered huff while she still gazed at her pet with greedy golden eyes.

It irked her that the girl resisted her charms.

'I suppose…that I will just have to correct that later on. Hm. I'll put the girl to work pleasing my body. And then we'll see how strong her will is.' Azula thought with a confident smile returning to her red lips.

Yes, once this one is in the springs with her there is no doubt that all of the resistance will fade from her body.

"You…asked why I cared. I…care because I care about all living beings. Slavery…is an archaic and primitive function. It hinders the development of humanity." The blonde-haired girl stated with a reflective countenance while the acrobat attentively listened to her.

As did Mai.

The two women gazed at their adopted sister with softened eyes while the princess sighed haughtily once more.

That was the one thing that bothered the both of them.

Elle has shown that she isn't as simple as Azula thinks.

And Azula just sighs it off as if the girl's beliefs are just childish nonsense.

"You are such a troublesome thing. I thought I told you not to worry your little mind over the state of this world." The princess remarked in a more patient voice while she shook her head fondly at her young girlfriend's adorably worried face.

The girl is cute…she won't deny that.

"I-I know Azula-sama…. but it's how I am." Elle mumbled with a smile cracking through once more while Ty Lee affectionately patted her back.

"Don't worry so much about that right now little sister. Everything will be alright. Let's go enjoy the walk!" Ty Lee exclaimed in a cheerful voice with the blushing girl tucked underneath her arm while Elle leaned into her protective embrace.

All the while Azula glared at Ty Lee through the corner of her greedy eye while her gaze never left the other woman's breasts with her handmaid's face being pressed into it once more.

"Ty Lee! My breasts only!" Azula barked with a spoiled snap of her fingers while her two-childhood friends rolled their eyes defiantly.

"It's a hug Azula! When girls hug each other it’s kind of inevitable that their breasts will press against each other! Especially when there is a difference in height." The brown-haired woman retorted with a heavy sigh while the smaller girl adorably smiled against her chest.

"My breasts only." The princess repeated in a tyrannical voice with her eyes narrowing into a terrifying glare that had the acrobat huffing angrily.

"Whatever Azula. Your breasts only. Snuggle hog." Ty Lee grumbled before shifting Elle's head just slightly away from her bosom but not fully.

An act that did not go on unnoticed by the possessive Fire Nation Princess.

That was when all of Team Azula was distracted by a childish cry of joy from the young girl pointing in excitement at a small animal on a tree.

"What's that Azula-sama! I've never seen anything like that before!" The blonde-haired girl cried out with an infectious smile while the acrobat warmly patted her back once more.

And even Mai couldn't resist the urge to smile.

The princess stared ahead with bored golden eyes at a small squirrel toad scurrying up a tall tree trunk.

"Oh, that it's…just a squirrel toad." Azula answered flatly with her hands on her biceps while she turned to gaze at her handmaid's adorably enthusiastic face.

Once more she was completely baffled by her young friends' behavior.

In all of her life she has never seen anyone get excited over something as trivial as a squirrel toad!

"I-it's so weird but so cool! We don't have squirrel toads where I come from! We have squirrels and we have toads! But not squirrel toads!" Elle chirped in a delighted voice with her mouth agape in wonderment.

And unknown to the teenager.

Her claim was just as baffling to Team Azula as the squirrel toad was to her.

"You mean…they are two separate animals?" Mai pondered with a curious blink of her eyes while she eyed her young friend once more.

She had long since abandoned any doubt regarding to Elle's story.

But even so.

It just made it all the more fascinating to ponder what Elle's homeland was like.

"Hm. How strange." The princess spoke with an amuse look in her eyes while she still studied her pretty handmaid's beaming face.

Only to blink in amusement when her pet turned to her with a mutually bewildered look on her youthful face.

"Huh? That's not strange Azula-sama. Your squirrel toad is strange. But it's really awesome! Maybe I can take one back with me?" The blonde-haired girl pondered with a happy smile while the acrobat giggled only for the princess to stomp her boot in disapproval.

"Absolutely not servant! The last thing I need is for you to fill the palace up with filthy forest creatures!" Azula snapped in a voice akin to a mother disciplining her child while she fixed her handmaid with a beyond imposing glare.

"M-maybe we could have one in the palace gardens?" Elle whined only for her shoulders to slump when Azula pointed a domineering finger down at her.

"I said no Elle! As your master my word is final!" The princess snorted with her fists on her hips while the adorable girl pouted in the acrobat's arms.

"B-but…" The blonde-haired girl stammered only to be silenced by a dominant stare that sent a pleasurable shiver down her spine.

No matter how much she disagreed with Azula over their beliefs she couldn't help but enjoy belonging to such a magnificent woman.

She…really liked being Princess Azula's girl…

"Aww. Cheer up little sister. I'll put all the forest creatures you want in the garden at my estate. And then when Azula's being a meanie you can visit me and we'll hug in the garden all day!" The brown-haired woman assured in a warm voice with the younger girl gasping in delight against her chest.

"Really oneesan!" Elle squealed with her joy earning her another crushing hug while Mai sweatdropped and Azula glared at them once more.

"Yeah! Really! And I bet Mai would be willing to do the same at her place!" Ty Lee shouted with a huge grin on her lips while Elle peered over at the other woman's sighing face.

The princess had been expecting her more stoic subordinate to say no.

Only to be surprised by Mai's answer.

"Whatever kid. If it will make you happy…" The markswoman agreed with a small smile while she shook her head.

Team Azula watched their young companion shout out in excitement once more while the princess released another jealous growl.

"My oneesans are the best!" The blonde-haired girl called out in a truly happy voice while both noblewomen smiled back at her fondly.

Only for the sound of the spoiled monarch to stomp her pointed boot in the grass.

"No! I am the best. And you had best remember that peasant." Azula boasted with a prideful smirk while she brushed her dark bangs from her eyes.

"So…does that mean that you're going to top us with an even bigger wildlife garden Azula?" Mai questioned in a smug voice that had Azula glared at all three of them.

"Yeah Azula. When you become Fire Lord, we could have a whole forest of critters running through the palace hall ways." The brown-haired woman snickered with her little sister smiling in excitement while the princess pursed her lips in disgust.

"Only if I get to cook the little dears for dinner." The princess sneered with a ruthless countenance only for her soft-hearted vegetarian girlfriend to pale in horror.

It was just another reminder that feeding this young girl was going to be a pain in her ass!

"N-no! Y-you can't eat them Azula-sama. Animals are my friends…" Elle protested in an innocent voice that had Ty Lee rubbing her back tenderly.

Only for her head to spin around to gaze at Azula's supremely haughty face when the tall woman's belly rumbled once more.

"Mhm. I assure you dear. They are my friends as well. I just love them so much that I want to put them in my belly." Azula remarked with a hand rubbing her growling belly while her childhood friends glared at her in disapproval.

Only for the princess to groan in annoyance when her words prompted her pet to shoo the forest creatures away.

"Have a little bit of decency Azula. Elle didn't get to have a childhood and she's trying to live it now. It's cruel to talk about killing them in front of her." Ty Lee advised in a sisterly voice while Azula scowled as she stomped through the tall grass.

"Well excuse me for needing to eat Ty Lee!" The princess barked with a huff only to scowl at her sensitive handmaid when the girl scared off another squirrel toad.

"It's okay my forest friends! Every time Azula-sama tries to hunt I'll just shout out a warning so you'll know to run away!" The blonde-haired girl announced in a concerned voice with her big sister's sweatdropping in amusement.

"You most certainly will not. I had thought you understood how important it was for your princess to nourish her hungry belly." Azula sighed with her smug eyes scanning her well-manicured nails while her stomach growled once more.

"Oh! I do Azula-sama! Don't you worry! We'll find a whole tree full of fruits enough to last us a year! I just know it!" Elle insisted with a gentle grin while Azula rolled her intelligent eyes at her.

"Really? Well it's good to know that you've thought this through." The princess snorted in a sarcastic voice while the two noblewomen smiled at the younger girl.

"Oh, it's nothing really! I just go along with the flow! I try not to worry about simple things like hunger. Because I know that it will all turn out okay in the end." The blonde-haired girl explained to her bewildered companions.

"Ugh. You and your…'flow'." Azula muttered with a finger massaging the bridge of her nose while Elle smiled brightly back at her.

"What will flow will flow and we'll flow their together." Elle commented in a cheerful voice while Ty Lee pulled her in for another hug only for Azula to glare at them once more.

"You're so adorable Elle! I just want to snuggle you all…day long." The brown-haired woman cooed in a teasing voice with a smile while she turned to her leader's murderous golden glare.

"Ty Lee…now I can't but sense…as if you are purposefully pushing your breasts in my pets face." The princess declared in an ice-cold voice while the acrobat still hugged her blushing girlfriend into her bust with a warm grin on her lips.

"I have no idea what you are talking about Azula. I am just hugging her." Ty Lee stated with an innocent smile while Elle giggled in her arms.

"You know Azula. I never thought I would see the day when you wanted to shove a girl's face in your chest." The markswoman taunted with a small smirk while the princess huffed with her arms folded over her breasts.

"She is my pet Mai. Pets sleep with their master." Azula scoffed with a smug shake of her head while she swayed her hips unbothered by the acrobat's disapproving stare.

"Well Azula. I can only hope that you don't talk to Elle like that when she's your Fire Lady. She'll be the mockery of the court if people hear you demeaning your wife like that." The brown-haired woman scolded with a returning frown while the other woman turned to scowl back at her.

She knew well enough that Azula knew that she was right.

But before the princess could reply her attention was regained by her young girlfriend's voice calling out to her.

"Azula-sama?" The blonde-haired girl began with a finger under her lip while the mighty woman turned to smile at her.

"Yes Elle?" The princess responded in a restrained voice only for her young servant while she offered her innocent girlfriend a suave smile.

She understood that her betrothed was a sensitive sort.

And as much as she hated to admit it, she knew that taking her anger out on the girl was a foolish thing to do.

'No. This one…has a special place in my heart. I must…attend to her…more delicately. It would not do to lose her. It would be a waste of wartime power…and…otherwise.' Azula thought with her fist rubbing against the bottom of her chin while she surveyed Elle in approval.

"If you find a way to my home world…do you think that I would be famous like Spartacus for being the first to visit an unknown world?" Elle asked in a childishly hopeful voice while she listened to Azula release a haughty snort that she has come to adore.

Team Azula now gazed at their young companion with a taken aback looks in their eyes.

Yet they all knew that the blonde was making a very good point.

"Hm. I suppose that it is possible." The princess sighed in a grudgingly fond voice while she eyed her handmaid's brightening smile.

"I'd say so little sister!" Ty Lee exclaimed in a voice of warmth while she placed a hand on the cheerful blonde's shoulder.

"Maybe I'll down in history as Elle Turner the Legendary explorer! The first to brave a dangerous foreign land! And the first to make contact with the beautiful Princess Azula!" The blonde-haired girl announced while puffing out her chest in a show of innocent pride only for her three friends to gaze at her in amusement.

"Legendary explorer that wouldn't have survived if not for said princess's charity!" Azula snorted in slight mockery while she held a palm over her chuckling mouth.

But even so. She couldn't deny that she truly found her handmaid's cheer to be strangely pleasing.

"Elle Turner the Legendary explorer…and she who tamed Princess Azula." Mai teased with her lips curving into a smirk while Azula spun around to glare daggers through her head.

The princess's fists clenched at her hips while she glared at her two-laughing friends.

"Tamed! The tiger monkey hasn't tamed the Great Princess Azula! Say that again and I will destroy the both of you!" The princess roared with blue fire escaping from her lips while she narrowed her eyes at her snickering friends.

"I'll be known as the only person on Earth to have gone to another world! Yep! I'll definitely be famous!" Elle cried out with a relaxed smile unaware that her three friends were now staring at her as if she had just spouted a second head.

The three highborn women gazed at each other in bafflement before one of them finally spoke.

"Uh…Elle…this is Earth." The brown-haired woman informed in a confused voice while the teenager's smile vanished from her face while she gazed at her in shock.

Azula held a hand to her chin while she eyed her bewildered admirer with a mutual puzzlement in her golden eyes.

She had come to believe that Elle was telling the truth long ago.

Preposterous as it may be.

The girl was a complete oddity, from the moment she spoke to Elle in her litter it was obvious that she didn't belong here.

She seemed…foreign…otherworldly even.

And then came the bits and pieces of information of places, people and customs that she has never heard of.

And most convincing was her little music player and her oddly shaped inhalant devise.

And most recently…that ancient coin.

And that was to say nothing of the recent revelation of Elle's awakened power.

And yet for the first time since she has come to believe Elle's story to be valid.

She couldn't help but wonder.

Was it possible…that Elle was just…confused?

But how could that be! It wouldn't erase all of the evidence that points towards her story being…true.

"B-but I'm from…Earth. That's…what my world is called…Earth." The blonde-haired girl protested weakly with her friends gazing at her stunned face in disbelief.

Team Azula stood in a state of rare perpetual shock while they gazed between each other and their young companion's open mouth.

"Your homeland…it's…called Earth?" The markswoman queried in a stunned voice with her tawny eyes growing to the size of dinner plates.

"I-it is. In place of the Fire Nation…and the Earth Kingdom…we have many continents that are just as big. Our continent…Eurasia is just as big as the Earth Kingdom. Another Continent…North America…is about twice as big as the Fire Nation. And then we have…South America…and Africa…Antarctica…" Elle trailed off in a confuddled voice with Ty Lee gazing on in awe over her shoulder.

"A-Azula…what does this mean?" Ty Lee asked in a voice of tremendous disbelief while she turned to see that even Azula looked completely astounded by the revelation.

The princess stood in silence with her mouth ajar in an uncharacteristic astonishment.

'How is this possible!' Azula thought with her hands falling to her hips in her shock.

There is no way that Elle is lying!

Mai stood in just as great a shock while she still gazed at Elle with her eyes widening in amazement.

"A-all of this time…I never thought to ask anyone the name of the planet that I was on…this is…so surreal. This is Earth…but not…my Earth." The blonde-haired girl spoke before falling to the ground in her disbelief while the acrobat dropped to the ground beside her.

"Is it possible…for there to be…other Earths out there?" The princess inquired in a perplexed voice while her three subordinates listened in a speechless silence.

"That's…I just don't know what to say." The markswoman muttered in awe before gazing down at the kneeling teenager with widening tawny eyes.

"In…all of these weeks that I've been here…I foolishly presumed that when you spoke of the…earth that it was just a general term for…the dirt. I…didn't even think to ask for a globe…because I was…happy…for the first time in my life. I…had found…a home." Elle mumbled with her hands on her sleeves while Ty Lee placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

The three highborn women were stricken by their young friends touching statement.

"This…is your home Elle. Team Azula…is your home. Isn't that right…Azula?" The brown-haired woman comforted in a still bewildered voice while she sat behind her shocked adopted sister.

The princess glanced up from her musings with her cold eyes now gazing down at her loyal handmaid with a spark of affection in her hardened eyes.

"It is. I am your home Elle. This changes nothing between us." Azula assured with a wave of her hand before taking a step forward while she loomed over her overwhelmed pet.

"B-but how…master? How…would I get from my Earth…to here?" The blonde-haired girl breathed in a tone of utter shock while the acrobat soothingly rubbed her shoulder.

"I…am not sure. But fear not my peasant. I will find out…and then I will take care of your…little dilemma for you." The princess remarked with her crimson lips returning to her usual smile while her cold eyes never left her lovely handmaid's back.

Her desire for this one has only gotten stronger.

Another girl…from another Earth who worships her like a god and wishes to spend her entire life waiting on her hand and foot.

On top of that, said girl is head over heels for her and she is the holder of the Avatar's long buried weakness.

"W-well Elle like I said before. If anyone can figure it out it's Azula!" Ty Lee insisted with her palm on Elle's shoulder while the small girl still knelt staring down at her hands.

All three of them could tell that there was something else on their young friend's mind judging by Elle's unusually worried countenance.

"What's wrong…Elle? Are you okay?" Mai questioned in a softened voice while she continued to peer down at her distraught little sister.

"Two…Earths…that's even more far out than…if our planets were so far apart in space that we didn't know that there were humans on another world. W-what are the chances…that there are two Earths in the same universe? Is this…a whole different dimension? Or…is it…something else?" Elle stammered with her amber eyes staring down at the grass while her friends listened in mutual confoundment over the theory.

"She's…raising a good point." The markswoman stated in an astounded voice while she turned to the princess's contemplative face.

"Regardless Elle. I will find out the answer for you all the same. As I told you before. All you have to do is serve me. And I will mend all of your woes." Azula declared with a charming smile on her lips while the two noblewomen listened in awe.

All things considered; it was a compassionate statement considering that it was coming from Azula.

"I-I thank you Azula-sama…I truly do. But now…I can't help but wonder…" The blonde-haired girl murmured in a still unsettled voice while she sat back in a state of shock.

"Wonder what?" The princess answered in a still attentive voice while she stood standing high above her distressed handmaid.

"I…suppose…I should tell you what happened before I came here. I…sort of gave you a simplified version of the events. I said that I left my house…and travelled without direction…only to find myself here. But I…didn't tell you about what happened in between." Elle admitted with a frown on her lips while Azula pursed her lips in rising curiosity.

"Well out with it then. I did tell you that you are not permitted to keep any secrets…I own that now as well." Azula ordered with a sigh before she seated herself beside her handmaid and her acrobat friend.

And without even considering it Mai sat down beside Elle as well.

While the small girl gazed at all three of their concerned faces with a moved smile on her lips.

Mai and Ty Lee offered the emotional girl a compassionate smile and Azula offered her a piercing glare.

"A-arigatou gozaimasu minasan." Elle stuttered with a sniffle while the weapons expert patted her shoulder fondly.

"Think nothing of it kid. We care about you." Mai spoke in a voice that was laced with sisterly affection while Elle smiled up at her.

"That's right! You're the little sister of the group! It's our job to look out for you. Isn't it Azula?" The brown-haired woman soothed in a gentle voice while she smiled down at the younger girl's heartfelt face.

"It is. Now I demand you tell me your minds secrets or the first thing you're doing when we get back is polishing all two hundred shoes and boots in my footwear collection." The princess commanded in a beyond stern voice with her sadistic words causing her handmaid to begin trembling in the lovable manner that she adored.

The other two women turned to glare at their smugly smirking leader while their poor little sister now looked as if the very life had drained from her body.

"T-two hundred Azula-sama?" The blonde-haired girl whimpered while she gulped under the captivating woman's entrancing glare.

"Two hundred dear. Two hundred. A princess has to have a fresh pair for every new day…for every occasion that might come up." Azula purred before swatting Mai's hand off her pet while she scooted her bottom closer before bumping the acrobat aside with her hip.

"Azula…" The markswoman trailed off in an annoyed voice while the royal woman now sat over the petite girl with her hands on her knees.

"You're being greedy Azula. I wanted to sit by Elle!" Ty Lee complained with a huff before sliding in closer while Elle turned an adorable shade of red under their combined attentions.

It had not gone unnoticed to the group that Elle desperately sought guidance from them as older females and the innocent girl clearly enjoyed being led by other women.

It only served to make all three of them desire to look after the naïve girl even more.

"O-oh…okay. If y-you say so Azula-sama. Then it must be so." Elle stammered with a returning flush when Azula scooted until she sat right before her while reaching down to gently stroke her cheek.

"Please. Not now Azula." The brown-haired woman sighed while she sat on one side of her little sister while the weapons expert closely sat on the other side.

"Hm. Very good. You may begin your tale now little lady." The princess commented with a smug smile while the much shorter girl blushed adorably under her touch.

"I…I…was captured and taken to…a facility where they…experiment on people thought to be…gifted." The blonde-haired girl confessed with her tresses sticking to her face while a look of shared rage was now on all three of her companion's faces.

Azula's smile swiftly vanished and in its place was a tight scowl as proof of her fury.

The mighty woman was so furious that her body began to heat up once more while her childhood friends gazed at her in amazement.

It almost looked like the princess's bending was reacting out of an instinctual desire to protect their young friend!

In all of the years that Mai and Ty Lee have known Azula they have never seen her look as furious as she does now.

The only times that can even come close to the princess's current rage was when she scarred those two girls and when Elle told her about what her brother and this killer have done to her.

"Experimentation?" Azula demanded in a frightening voice while she loomed over her distraught handmaid with her hand possessively cupping the cowering girl's cheek.

"Yes. It's…basically shadow slavery in a prison facility hidden from the general populace. They replace your name with a number…and put you through a series of…grueling tests." Elle explained in a quiet voice while Team Azula listened in rising alarm.

And the two noblewomen turned to Azula's enraged face while she glared back at their accusatory faces.

Now they understand why Elle was got so upset with Azula when they talked about slavery.

Given what the girl has been through with her brother and these unnamed people it was obvious why Elle felt so strongly about slavery.

"D-did…did these people do something to you Elle?" Ty Lee questioned with unnatural fury in her voice before placing a comforting hand on Elle's shoulder.

"I-I was only there about a month. They…mostly deprived me of food and observed me for any indication of a talent beyond my paintbrush and pen. And…no matter how many times I told them that I was just…a dud. They would not release me. Because doing so would draw awareness to their…a-activities." The blonde-haired girl spoke in a muted voice while her princess continued to stare down at her with callously golden eyes.

"Revolting." Mai growled with anger in her tawny eyes while she her fists clenched in her lap.

Not that the Fire Nation was any better with what they were doing with the enslaved prisoners of war in the labor camps.

Both were disgusting.

And she could see that there was a small spark of conflict in Azula's hardened eyes.

Most likely because the princess never expected to feel sympathy for a girl who escaped two different kinds of slavery.

"Only a month? How did you get out so quickly? There is no way that you escaped on your own!" The princess inquired in a harsh voice while she still cupped the smaller girl's dainty chin.

The acrobat frowned at her leader over how she trivialized it by saying 'only a month'.

"W-well you see their purpose was to create the perfect supersoldier. And…any individuals who do not meet that criteria were to be…d-disposed of…" Elle trailed off with a fearful gulp while her friends stared down at her in anger.

"You a supersoldier? It took them a month to figure out that you were a poor fit? I had ascertained that you were feeble the moment we first met." Azula snorted in a rigid voice only for her two-childhood friends to stare at her angrily.

"Azula! Have some decency!" The markswoman exclaimed with a flare of anger in her composed eyes while the monarch scowled.

No doubt trying to pretend that for once in her life she actually cared about someone other than herself.

"Until…today I thought myself a dud. B-but now. I think they were looking for this…Component that I have in my veins." The blonde-haired girl confided with a serious countenance while she peered up at her master's strict visage.

Mai and Ty Lee cast Azula another worried glance while they carefully noted that the princess's face was split between genuine concern for Elle's well-being.

And her lust for power.

They could clearly see that Azula was even more pleased to possess Elle than before.

'Interesting…it is not only the Avatar's weakness. But it is coveted by Elle's people as well. And now I possess it. I will have to watch over this one very closely. She belongs to me and me alone.' The princess thought with her icy eyes never leaving her handmaid's pretty face.

This could only mean one thing.

Even if Elle's people possess no knowledge of bending. There must be select individuals aware of the powers that await when one masters their chi.

"Once more. How did you escape?" Azula pondered with grudging concern in her cold voice while she greedily grasped at Elle's shaking face.

"I…uh…got lucky. They…they failed at most of their candidates. Most of them…d-died before me. But…they created one true supersoldier. She…was everything that they wanted. They…experimented on her for so long that she lost the ability to feel pain…they did it all right. Except for one thing…they lacked the proper measures to control her forever…" Elle commented with a finger nervously rubbing at her cheek while Azula's golden eyes suddenly lit up in curiosity.

Team Azula sat in a spellbound silence while they all peered down at their young companion with varying levels of apprehension in their eyes.

"And this supersoldier escaped." The princess remarked with a finger under her chin while her little handmaid nodded her head in confirmation.

"About a month into my 'stay' there was a power surge that shut down her…containment cell and she broke free of her restraints for the first time in over eight years." The blonde-haired girl muttered with her meek amber eyes gazing back up at the princess's stony countenance.

"Eight years…" The brown-haired woman repeated with a shudder while she gently held onto her adopted sister's shoulder.

"How foolish of them…and fortunate for you. I presume I would not be speaking to you…otherwise." Azula sighed with a deep scowl still adorning her beautiful red lips.

"All…I could hear were blood curdling screams…I…don't know what she did or how she did it…but by the time she opened my cell door. Everyone was dead. The hallways were…l-littered were slain guards. And then I saw it! I recognized her face as soon as the light shined over her. She…was the older girl I encountered during the child hunt. Naoki." Elle revealed with a swallow while Azula listened with intrigue flashing in her hardened gaze.

An unnerving unease spread through all three members of Team Azula after hearing that one of the children Elle spoke about from her childhood was captured for over eight years!

"A-at first I thought that she was going to kill me. Instead she broke me free and told me to come with her. And so, I ran after her. Until I came here…I had never seen anything like her before. It was the first time in all my life that I had ever seen…anyone use a power of any kind and it was…amazing. She moved so quickly and she easily cut down anyone in our way." The blonde-haired girl admitted with a flash of awe in her eyes while her big sister's listened in similar amazement only for her master to lightly flick her forehead.

"No one is as amazing as me! And don't you ever forget that!" The princess barked in a spoiled voice while she watched her adorable girlfriend rapidly nod her head.

The two noblewomen just sighed in frustration over their spoiled friends' boundless arrogance.

"Y-yes princess! Not as amazing as you! But still amazing!" Elle chirped with the first hint of a smile on her lisp when Azula's hand began to pet her hair.

"Humph. That's what I like to hear." Azula spoke with a haughty flip of her hair while she petted Elle's plush head beneath her strong hand.

"Are you done now Azula? Can the poor girl talk without you interjecting your oversized ego?" Mai asked in a deadpan voice while Azula turned to scowl at her.

Only for her young companion to continue before the monarch could discipline her.

"She released another girl I had once met long ago Katsu…and several others. And then we made a rush for the gate with Naoki at the head…we broke out. Only after knocking down the doors together. Only to discover that we were on an island in the middle of an isolated lake and so Naoki stole a boat…and we escaped." The blonde-haired girl conversed in a youthful voice while her older companions listened in a captivated silence.

Only for the acrobat to pull her into a crushing hug while the princess turned to glare at the other woman with narrowed golden eyes.

"I…am so sorry that you had to go through all of this Elle. Don't worry. We'll protect you! We really will." Ty Lee declared in a compassionate voice with Elle's emotional face against her bosom.

"We will." The markswoman agreed with a furious nod.

"I have already assured the girl that we would. Now get your breasts out of my girlfriend's face!" The princess growled with her palm still in her blushing girlfriend's hair only for the acrobat to huff in annoyance.

"You are such a snuggle hog Azula! I can snuggle my baby sister if I please!" The brown-haired woman retorted with her arms still locked around the smaller girl's chest while the weapons expert groaned in aggravation.

"Wrong! Law ten clearly states my chest only!" Azula sneered in a beyond smug voice while she shoved her body into Elle's in an attempt to push the acrobat away.

"Anyhow if you two are done smothering Elle! Back to Elle's story?" Mai queried in a deadpan voice while she glared at the other two women.

"We're not smothering her Mai. We're showing her love." Ty Lee insisted with a grin while Mai pointed down at Elle's face being squished between her body and Azula's.

The acrobat blushed a guilty shade of red while the entitled princess rudely jabbed her elbow in her face with the blushing teenager being smashed against the other woman's armored chest.

"My breasts only." The princess commanded with a haughty smirk while the acrobat pouted as she glared back at her.

"It's so nice to be a part of the team!" Elle exclaimed in a muffled voice with her face being pressed being the two women while Mai gazed at her in sympathy.

"I-I'm so sorry little sister! I didn't mean to squish you!" The brown-haired woman cried out in a worried voice before finally scooting back while the smaller girl smiled back at her.

"It's alright oneesan. I didn't mind." The blonde-haired girl assured with a nod only for the weapons expert to shake her head.

"See? The girl likes being dominated. The more forceful the better." Azula commented in a victorious voice while she patted Elle's blushing head only for the other two girls to shiver in renewed pity for her handmaid.

"So…what happened next Elle?" The markswoman asked in a still concerned voice while all three of them returned their focused to the younger girl's trauma.

"I…traveled with Naoki for while. She…didn't remember me from our childhood. She…didn't remember anything really. She was…tortured her so brutally that she…forgot her real name. I wish I had known what her name was…then I could have helped her…” Elle spoke with renewed sadness in her voice while her three friends listened in shock.

All of Team Azula but for the princess herself felt immense sympathy for this 'Naoki'.

And they all were coming to realize just what type of horror their young friend had just barely avoided.

"Unbelievable…I can't imagine what it would take to forget your own name. That's…sick." Mai muttered in a disturbed voice while she frowned down at Elle's innocent face.

To think the same thing could have happened to this girl that she has come to call little sister.

"H-how did she…come upon the name Naoki?" Ty Lee inquired with a tear in her eye while Azula released an uncaring sigh.

To their curiosity Elle shuddered before answering the query.

"From… a book that she stole. There was a character in it by the name of 'Naoki'…. he…was a soldier of destruction. She…told me that was what she was going to be. I…departed ways with her. After I realized that she had plans to commit genocide. I’m not that sort of person…I could never do something like that." The blonde-haired girl replied in an unnerved voice while all but her princess paled over her answer.

"Genocide…it sounds like they created a monster." The markswoman stated in a sickened voice while the acrobat shivered in agreement.

"Please. It sounds like they created the ideal soldier. I for one would like to meet this 'Naoki'." The princess announced with an uncaring look in her cold eyes while her two subordinates gazed at her in disagreement.

But they were not surprised to hear Azula say as such.

"Well! It's…a good thing you went separate ways from her…and found more…respectable company." The brown-haired woman commented dryly with the weapons expert snorting in agreement while the princess glared daggers back at them.

"More respectable indeed. I am royalty! And I will have you know that I have been a just master to the tiger monkey." Azula scoffed with her hand pulling Elle closer by the collar of her shirt while the two noblewomen cast her stares of disapproval.

"That's so! I find Her Highness's rule to be quite satisfactory! This is what I was searching for!" Elle squeaked with a brief spark of cheer while her head rested against Azula's armored chest only for her girlfriend's lips to curve into a pleased smile.

The two noblewomen stared at their young friend oddly before sighing in exasperation.

They had both long since come to understand that Elle truly enjoyed Azula's domineering behavior and that there was no sense convincing the girl otherwise.

"You truly are a strange kid…if this is what you were searching for." Mai remarked in a fond voice while she eyed the younger girl's relaxing face.

"Young girls are so enraptured by my dominance that they crave it even before they meet me." The princess boasted with a conceited smile while she allowed her petite handmaid to lean back against her plated bosom.

Mai and Ty Lee just stared at their leader dryly but knew better than to protest their insane friends' words.

"After that she tried to insist that I come with her…to help me awaken my gift. I told her that I had no talent other than artwork and that I had no powers of any kind. But still she insisted otherwise. But…I told her that I was searching for something lost to me…." The blonde-haired girl continued in a reminiscent voice while her family listened in a spellbound silence.

The three highborn women sat in a speechless silence while their young friend gazed at all three of them with a truly appreciative smile on her lips.

"I said that I would know I was there when I found it because it would feel right. Home. I would know I was there when I got there. A-and I knew I had found my home the moment I laid eyes on Azula-sama in her royal litter." Elle confessed in a bashful voice with her thumbs twiddling in her lap while the three stared at her in a speechless awe.

Team Azula already knew that Elle had been searching for a home.

But no matter how many times they heard it. It never ceased to hit even Azula hard in the chest.

"A-Azula…" Ty Lee trailed off with a tear brewing in her eye while Mai also gazed at Elle in pity.

"Cut out the water works Ty Lee! She found me and she isn't going anywhere." Azula snarled with her arm possessively snaking around Elle's shoulder while the small handmaid pressed her face into her breast.

"Yes…I found home. I walked into the woods…and I followed the flow. I didn't know where I was going! I just flowed like a butterfly in the breeze." The blonde-haired girl spoke with a smile while her companion's sweatdropped in returning amusement.

"Did you pick up any food for this 'flow' other than the peasant candy that we just ate?" The princess snorted with a roll of her regal eyes while she began to pet her handmaid's hair once more only for the girl to melt under her stern hand.

"Mhm! I bought about twenty bags of candy for my journey. And then I walked…and walked until I ran into someone." Elle explained in a nonchalant voice while Azula sighed above her.

"I for one am glad that your flow went well little sister! You're so pink! And cute too!" Ty Lee cooed with her chin in her palms while she smiled at Elle's blushing face only for Azula to glare back at her.

"Ty Lee! Take your eyes off my pet!" Azula barked in a pompous voice with her hand resting in Elle's hair while the other woman released an annoyance sigh.

"Who did you meet?" Mai asked in a curious voice while she turned to stare at her companions in annoyance.

It seemed like she was the only one capable of paying attention to the girl without either gushing over her or demonstrating possessive behavior.

The princess and the acrobat were torn out of their mild bickering when the blonde developed a worried countenance once more.

One that truly concerned them.

"An…emperor. I…met Rieko Oshiro." The blonde-haired girl answered with her amber eyes flickering in recognition of the mysterious woman while the princess gazed down at her in unhidden intrigue.

"Now this…I want to hear." The princess purred with a hand rubbing the underside of her chin.

"An emperor? I've heard you mention her name before. Is she a big deal…on your…uh Earth?" The brown-haired woman questioned in a still bewildered voice while the smaller girl nodded rapidly.

The markswoman listened alongside her friends with an unusual look of curiosity in her usually bored gaze.

The chance to learn about another world…another Earth of all places was just too surreal to ignore.

"Yeah. About as big of a deal as Azula-sama. Maybe even more. Considering that she's one of the only people with any sort of abnormal power. I've heard it said that she possesses…unnatural strength. Like…the ability to crush stone in her bare hands kind of strength." Elle revealed with her eyes gazing down in deep thought while Team Azula listened in growing wonderment.

"Wow. It sounds so different than here. What was she like? Is she an ass like Azula?" Ty Lee asked with a playful smile while Azula glared at her through the corner of her eye.

Only for her and her fellow noblewoman to sweatdrop when the teenager shook her head no.

Which earned a strict stare from the cold monarch in question.

"Oh no. Rieko was much more approachable! I was really scared offending Azula-sama by giving her that flower but Rieko gives off a much more cordial aura. She saw me walking down the road…and she greeted me kindly. She…asked me if I needed any help and she didn't even call me a dirty peasant!" The blonde-haired girl announced with a speedy nod while her big sisters gazed at her princess's scowling face in anger.

"Dirty peasant? You called Elle a dirty peasant after she gave you a fire lily?" The brown-haired woman demanded with her boot tapping on the forest floor in her anger while her spoiled friend glared back at them.

"Ugh! It was just a comment Ty Lee! Now if you could cease pestering me so I can learn about this Rieko that would be wonderful." Azula retorted in a moody voice while both women gazed at her in judgement.

"Right. Just a comment." The markswoman snorted in a distasteful voice while her leader glared at her once more.

Only for their attentions to be regained by their young friend once more.

“I-I started to panic when I realized who she was and that I had forgotten to bow when she approached me! But she told me to just call her Rieko. And that formalities were unnecessary." Elle narrated with her finger scratching at her chagrined cheek while her big sisters gazed at Azula's annoyed face once more.

"She sounds friendly…compared to Azula." Mai agreed with a small smirk on her lips while Azula's golden eyes burned a hole through her skull.

"I thought so too! She had such a welcoming personality. She was…so easy going. She even found my backpack for me! With everything in it. I had lost it in the woods when those men captured me. She…even went on a walk with me." The blonde-haired girl chimed with an awkward smile while her master glared down at her.

"She returned your backpack? An emperor returned your backpack to you and you don't think that…odd in the least?" The princess commented with a narrow of her eyes while the other two women gazed at her in a wary understanding.

Azula made a valid point. That was suspicious.

"Y-yeah. I…kind of started to think that something was off…when I began to ask myself how she found my backpack and then…knew that it was mine when she saw me. She…began to walk with me. She had a smooth smile. I even started to forget that she was royalty." Elle admitted while she chewed on her lip with her three friends listening in concern.

"Huh. Now she's starting to sound a bit creepy. Azula's an ass but at least she isn't creepy." Ty Lee piped with her playful eyes gazing at her friend who growled back at her in offense.

But even so the acrobat had a point.

"And then…she took me to a small diner. What Azula-sama would consider a peasant restaurant. She…bought me a meal…and herself one as well. She ate her food without complaint. She…almost seemed like a mother. She had a…very maternal aura." The blonde-haired girl mumbled while the three women gazed at her in disbelief.

Now it was beginning to sound really odd.

Almost like poor Elle got played.

"Elle…what did she talk with you about?" The markswoman queried in an uneasy voice while she eyed her younger sister closer.

It sounded…almost predatorial.

"Many things really. She told me that helping children was a passion of hers. She said that she couldn't stand to watch a child wander in the streets alone. She said that she wanted to help me." Elle responded with a hand tracing her sleeve while Azula's lips pursed into a thin line.

Without a doubt the woman sounded much kinder than Azula. But also…just as manipulative.

Possibly even more so.

"Did she try to do anything obscene with you?" Azula pressed with an unusually protective glimmer in her cold eyes that managed to bring a smile to the acrobat's lips.

"Hm? Oh no. We just…drank cola and talked. Her personality was so maternal…I hadn't felt that since…mother died. For the first time in many years…I began to relax…and I started to open up with her. I…told her about Felix. And how I had just escaped a child prison in the territory region. And then she said something that almost convinced me to leave with her." The blonde-haired girl told her unnerved friends while she gazed off into the forest foliage.

"I can only hope that you didn't tell this…Rieko too much. I can already tell that you were being deceived from the moment she approached you." The princess declared with a displeased scowl on her red lips while she glared ahead.

It was strange for her to be so protective.

But she was already vowing that she would kill this woman if she finds out that she did anything to harm her admirer.

That is once she discovers how Elle found her way…to their Earth.

The two noblewomen nodded in agreement while they gazed at their young friend's face in rising worry.

This woman's maternal aura was so profound that it almost left a doubting effect on the girl's mind.

Almost like Elle was wondering if she had meant her no harm.

"I…still remember it as it were yesterday. She…looked right at me and said…in the friendliest voice. "You have a great talent in you. I have…never seen anything like you before. How would you like me to show you how to use it?" I said well I am pretty skilled with a paint brush but I am always eager to learn more; she quirked a smile…and she laughed with me. It…felt so good to have someone to talk to. Someone…that didn't want to hurt me." Elle recalled with a nod while her three friends listened in both sympathy and growing anger.

The red flags were going off more and more with every word that Elle said.

"Elle…" The brown-haired woman trailed off before placing a hand on the smaller girl's shoulder while the princess frowned down at the blonde.

"And then…she asked me if I would like to come with her. I couldn't believe it. A famous person wanted to take me in. She said that she could give me a place where I belonged. And then she held out her hand to me. And before I knew it, I reached out to take her hand." The blonde-haired girl lamented with a far-off look in her amber eyes while the princess's angered scowl increased all the more by the minute.

Azula knew well enough that she had no right to judge.

After all deceit and manipulation was her specialty, one that she has used to destroy more enemies than she can count.

And yet…there was something about this one.

Was it her purity? Did it anger her to think of someone staining her admirer's gentle heart?

The three highborn women listened in soaring concern when the younger girl chewed on her lip in seemingly increased worry.

A habit that they have all noticed the girl do when she was worried.

"The very moment that my hand touched hers I recoiled in shock. Her skin…was ice cold! I understood why they called her the Ice Emperor. Her body temperature was inhumanly cold! She smiled and apologized for not warning me ahead of time." Elle continued in a perplexed voice while Team Azula stared down at her in disbelief.

The detail had the princess gazing on with her golden eyes widening in a flicker of grudging awe.

"What? That's really abnormal. Firebenders like Azula have a warmer body temperature. A waterbender wouldn't have ice cold skin. What could cause her to have such cold skin?" Mai stated in a puzzled voice while she frowned down at her little sister's fretful face.

"And then for the first time since we arrived in the diner, I glanced away…almost by mistake. Only to stare at the clock in shock to find out that six hours had passed since we stepped in. I felt so secure that I never even noticed that I was talking for hours." The blonde-haired girl mumbled with her hands in her lap while her friends reeled around in alarm.

"Six hours? You really do scream easy prey." The princess almost hissed while her worried subordinates listened in growing unease.

"Azula! That's…cruel. Elle lost her mother…she went through all of that horror and she…was just searching for a mother figure. You can't even begin to understand what she's been through. So, you really shouldn't judge her." The brown-haired woman insisted with a deep frown on her lips while the other woman scowled back at her.

"A-and then I finally noticed that the owner of the diner was trembling in fear. And the entire restaurant was empty. It was…just us." Elle stammered with her hands shaking in nervousness in her lap while the older girls stared at her in trepidation.

It was almost downright terrifying hearing how this woman charmed Elle into talking with her for six hours without even once glancing around to notice that they were alone.

All but for the owner!

They could tell that this woman was unnatural without having even met her.

"I…stood up and she stood up. And for the first time since I had met her, I started to pay attention to her appearance. She…was so tall. Even taller than Azula-sama. Her eyes…were a shimmering ocean blue. Long blonde hair…like me but…it was a platinum blonde. She was wearing a black…military uniform. And she was…very imposing. I started to feel small…very small. And then she held out her hand once more. This time…she was wearing white gloves. She said come with me child and I will give you a home.” The blonde-haired girl spoke in a quieted voice as she sat chewing her lip.

While her three highborn friends listened in an enraptured silence to her every word.

"And then she told me…that she wanted to recruit me into a special team of hers that she was building. At the time I didn't understand what she meant. But now…I do. She…was talking about creating a fighting force of gifted individuals. She…must have wanted this." Elle remarked while she gazed down at her open palms in innocent puzzlement.

Team Azula sat staring at their young friend in complete astonishment.

Before today if they heard that anyone wanted Elle for a fighting force they would ponder if they were being purposefully cruel.

"Yes, I certain that you would make for a prime warrior candidate with that little breathing condition of yours." Azula commented with her brows furrowing in perplexity while she held a hand to her chin.

'Just what…is the significance of Elle's power?' The princess thought with a mixture of genuine concern and lust for power in her golden gaze.

"S-she told me that once I join her. There is no more pain…no more suffering. I…almost thought that I had found what I was looking for. She…didn't seem evil. Not like the people at the prison. I could tell that she genuinely wanted to assist me. But I also…noticed something else in her eyes." The blonde-haired girl muttered with a nervous shake in her voice while the acrobat held onto her shoulder.

"What Elle?" Ty Lee asked in a distraught voice with a protective look in her sisterly eyes.

The small girl glanced up at all three of them before turning to Azula's contemplative face.

"A hunger for power…just like Azula-sama has in her eyes right now. But hers was different. Azula-sama doesn't try to hide it." Elle answered before swallowing nervously while her big sisters turned to glare at Azula's taken aback face.

"Azula. Don't look at Elle like that." The brown-haired woman implored in a bothered voice while the other woman pridefully gazed away.

Even so they were deeply concerned over the description of this woman.

And the young girl seemed to be growing all the more worried with every second that passed them bu.

"She…had the gaze of an obsessive collector. As…if I was a treasure that she absolutely had to have. And beyond that…a single-minded focus on something that I could not quite put my finger on. I…felt like if I left with her…that I would never be able to travel the world on my own as I wished. I told her that I deeply appreciate the offer but…that I needed to find something important to me…I told her that I needed to find home." The blonde-haired girl explained with a shaken countenance while her friends gazed at her in evident relief.

"And you don't find it suspect that she didn't take you by force? There should be no reason why she couldn't take you. Not unless it worked out all the same for her…if you went separate ways." Azula advised with her callous golden eyes staring down at her naïve handmaid's worried face while the girl held a finger to her lip.

"W-well I was wondering…if it was possible if she had something to do with my predicament. But…she seemed so kind. She even bid me safe travels. Safe travels! Safe travels!" Elle blurted out before sitting up in a panic while Azula gazed at her back with her intelligent golden eyes already narrowing into slits.

Only for the princess to gaze on in bewilderment when her admirer swiftly removed her backpack from her back and dropped it onto the grass.

All three highborn women stared on in worry and confusion when the teenager began removing one item after another.

Soon a small hill of the girl's belongings began to pile up behind her while Team Azula stared at her in soaring urgency.

"Elle! What are you looking for?" Ty Lee asked with a hand on the frightened girl's shoulder while she gazed down in nervousness at the growing pile of items.

All the while the teenager continued to cry out the same words over and over.

"Safe travels! It couldn't be! It's just a coincidence isn't it! No! H-how didn't I notice this sooner! S-she left a spy chip in the communicator that she gave me!" The blonde-haired girl cried out in horror while the others stood up behind her with an unnerved puzzlement in their eyes.

At her feet lay a small circular device that she had torn the back off of only to find that a minuscule black chip that glistened in the bright sunlight.

Her amber eyes were agape in realization while her hands limply fell down to her sides as she vividly recalled her parting words with Rieko.

The door closed with the jingle of the bell while young blonde girl walked out with a statuesque blonde-haired woman striding beside her with her hands behind her back.

The emperor strode beside the much smaller blonde with her blue eyes staring down at the teenager when she turned to smile up at her just before bowing at the waist.

"Arigatou gozaimasu Rieko-heika. But I can't go with you." Elle announced with her head bent while she swallowed in fear that she had just provoked the mighty politician's wrath.

The older woman's uniform blew gently in the mild breeze while she gazed down at the small girl with slightly taken aback blue eyes.

"You would refuse my offer Elle-chan? I would see to it that you have a home. A place where you belong…a safe place where no one can harm you. I would look after you…like a mother would her child. As I have done with many children." Rieko insisted with a slight frown on her full lips while she stared down at Elle's ever smiling face.

"Sumimasen…but I cannot. I…am lost…and I must find what I am looking for…on my own. Perhaps…in the future…after I have seen the world for myself." The blonde-haired girl answered with a shake of her head just when she heard the older blonde sigh above her.

"I can't help but feel as if it is a bad idea for you to wander on your own. Are you afraid that I will hurt you? Is that it?" The emperor pondered with a finger under her chin while the petite girl arose from her bow only to speedily shake her head no.

Ah…a lie.

This girl is a poor liar.

"N-no. It's just that up until now my life has been subject to the whims of others. I would like the chance to figure life out for myself." Elle stammered in a timid voice while her still gulped as she gazed up into blue eyes that were studying her very closely.

The rumors were true about her.

She was…so tall! Taller than most women and without doubt one of the strongest people on their entire planet.

Some say even the strongest.

"Hm. Very well then dear. See the world for yourself. Every rotten bit of it. And when you've seen enough. Remember that you still have a place amongst my flock." Rieko sighed with her lips in a grin once more while Elle beamed brightly up at her.

She won't lie.

She is both disappointed and…perhaps even hurt that a young girl this helpless is fearful to come with her.

But…she also understands that Elle has just cause for her rational.

"Wakarimashita Rieko-heika! Arigatou gozaimasu for the meal! The onion rings were very good!" The blonde-haired girl chirped with a bounce on her feet while the older woman chuckled smoothly above her.

"Dōitashimashite Elle-chan." The emperor responded with a shake of her head while she smiled down at the cheerful girl's smiling face.

"I hope we meet again Rieko-heika. After I've found what I am looking for." Elle declared with a still sunny smile while Rieko peered down at her with something akin to a fond gaze.

"As do I. Tell me though…what is it that you are searching for?" Rieko questioned with a gloved hand gently touching the girl's delicate shoulder while Elle shivered lightly under her touch.

"H-home. I am going to travel the lands until I find a place…that feels right." The blonde-haired girl stuttered with heavy emotion in her amber eyes while the ruler's blue eyes widened in puzzlement.

A home…was what she just offered this young girl.

"I…see. I would be lying if I said that I understood. I wish you the best in finding this…home. And should you ever decide that this home just may be with me. Give me a call…on my personal line with this." The emperor commented with her cold breath exuding from her lips while the much smaller girl blinked in curiosity when she held out a specialized phone in her hand.

"You…honor me my Heika." Elle answered in a stunned voice before she swallowed once more under Rieko's concerned gaze.

All the while asking herself if she was making a big mistake by turning down the powerful woman's offer.

"It's nothing. Helping people is what I do. I look after my flock…take this for travel." Rieko spoke with a tilt of her head before removing her wallet from her pocket.

The small girl could only stare up in disbelief when a large sum of paper currency was placed in her trembling hand.

"I-I…don't know what to say." The blonde-haired girl muttered in an adorable stutter while the towering ruler chuckled once more.

"Just take it child. I will see you again someday. And I can assure you that I will personally punish the people involved in your abduction…and your brother as well." The emperor assured with her fingers trailing off the tiny girl's shoulder before her hand fell back to her side.

"A-arigatou gozaimasu Rieko-heika." Elle whispered with a far-off look in her hazy eyes while Rieko finally began to turn away.

"Safe travels Elle-chan. Until we meet again…farewell." Rieko concluded in a reluctant voice just as she turned to offer Elle a parting glance.

"Farewell…Rieko-heika!" The blonde-haired girl called out with a final bow at the waist while she watched the tall woman smile at her before turning to stride away.

And that was the last she had saw of her monarch.

She had never even considered the thought that her own ruler could have been behind this!

The princess gazed down at her handmaid with her golden eyes widening in paranoia to see a miniscule black metal circle in the opened crevice of the device.

It was almost the size of an ant, and it almost seemed like nothing at first.

Until it shimmered with an unnatural crimson hue under the sun's rays.

"What…what is that Elle?" The markswoman pondered in a shocked voice while Elle tore the tiny tracer out of the phone with her eyes widening in obvious hurt.

"A…communications device. It's…. been recording me ever since I parted ways with her." Elle murmured in a stunned voice just when Azula snatched it from her while she stared down at her with her golden eyes agape in rage.

"You mean to tell me that someone has been listening to me since I took you in! Foolish girl!" The princess roared with her fist tightening on the tiny device while her subordinates gazes on in fright.

"I-I'm not sure. I-I don't know if there's a way to make communications lines travel across…what appears to be another dimension. T-they might need to physically take it back to listen to the data on it!" The blonde-haired girl answered without delay while she gazed up at her furious master.

"A-Azula! Don't be mad at Elle! She…couldn't have known!" The brown-haired woman pleaded after taking a painful step forward while her bad foot wobbled beneath her.

"Why would they put it on you if they had no way for you to return? Don't you get it! They used you as a disposable pawn!" Azula snapped with a spark of anger that developed in her eyes while she watched Elle's shoulder slump.

"I'm…an unwilling probe…who better to send…than the sickly girl? Why…why does everyone always want to hurt me?" Elle spoke in a barely perceivable voice while her big sister's placed soothing hands on her shoulders.

The realization was a truly terrifying one.

Elle did not find her way here by mistake.

She was most likely sent as a test…a disposable test.

That Azula just happened to take pity on!

The two noblewomen and their downcast adopted sister watched while their leader glared down at the tiny communications device.

"If anyone is listening to this. You are going to regret the day you crossed Princess Azula! If I ever meet you…I am going to immolate you slowly. Oh, and one more thing. The girl belongs to me now." The princess snarled with her regal lips pursed into a wrathful scowl before she clenched her fist and squashed the tiny device into microscopic shards.

Azula watched it spark in her hand before the remainder was consumed in a blue flame.

All the while she gazed on with her teeth ground together.

As she found herself wondering if she has a new enemy to worry about.

Elsewhere.

Somewhere far, far away.

The statuesque platinum blonde haired woman sat in a plush chair while she gazed down at her desk with her blue eyes widening in unrivaled delight.

All while she listened to a wrathful voice shouting out into her office.

"Princess Azula…. you are such a marvelous specimen. I can't wait to see what you are capable of." Rieko declared in a smooth voice with a wide smirk on her lips while she reclined in her large chair.

All along staring down at her desk with a gloved fist resting against her smiling cheek.

"You are mistaken Elle-chan. I wish no harm upon you. It was not I that sent you. All I did…was place the bug in your phone. Farewell child. We will meet again one day soon enough." The emperor concluded in a reflective voice while she watched the signal die off on her computer screen.

What a fascinating development she mused with a growing smirk upon her amused lips.

#Azula #avatar the last airbender fanfiction #ty lee avatar #mai avatar #yuri

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