#some might think it odd how the captain of the royal guard hovers around the advisor rather than his king and queen

[softquietsteadylove]

Could we get a little something something from My Kingdom for a Heart fic that’s on ao3? Idc if it’s fluff or angst I’ll literally take anything you give out bc it’s just that good!!

Sersi was spinning around the floor with Ikaris, her veil whirling around her, sparkling silver against her emerald green gown. She always had a certain joy to her, of course. But even Thena had not seen her beaming so fully in all their lives together. It was exactly the kind of free, unburdened smile she had always wished for her sister.

To marry without obligation was the best gift Thena could pass on to her sister, and that included abdicating the throne as the eldest and making Sersi the acting queen. Thena had some reservations about the marriage in question being to Ikaris, but she had to admit, he was not so villainous. Annoying, perhaps, but that was a lesser of evils.

He was her brother now, and while she felt she was truly understanding the petulance a brother could bring to her life, their families - and kingdoms - were becoming one. Unfortunately, he still liked to argue with some of the advice she had to offer (as the royal advisor). But Sersi was always quick to hear out her sister, and that usually managed to pull her new husband along with her.

"It is a beautiful ball, your Grace."

Much to her disappointment, it was not the one she was expecting, but rather some lord or another. She did not know why he was saying so to her. She had not planned it alone, nor was she truly participating in it, past being the one who had walked Sersi down the aisle to her groom. "It is."

"Congratulations, to you and to the happy couple."

"Indeed," she muttered. She was no longer the princess and regent, she was merely Sersi's second in line, and that came after her job as advisor, as far as Thena was concerned.

"You look splendid as well, of course."

He was wearing on her patience, of course.

"I should almost think it possible for you to steal the attention away from the bride herself."

"My Lord," Thena drawled, keeping her eyes on her sister, "I should think that you would rather not insult my dearest sister in the process of attempting to compliment me."

"I-I-" he stammered, "I would never-"

Thena moved away from him. She no longer held the power to send people away with the flick of her wrist--truly the only part of her position she truly mourned. The crowd cheered for the guests of honour, concluding another of many dances this evening. Thena smiled.

"Your Grace!"

Was tonight destined to be a gauntlet through which she was to battle?

"Congratulations on your sister's happy marriage, your Grace," another lord bowed to her formally at least. "The kingdom could not be happier for the Prince and his bride."

Sersi would make a wonderful queen. "I shall tell them."

"It does free you, does it not?" he continued, perhaps not catching onto her locked tight posture and cold eyes. "Without expectation to marry the Prince, you are more able to select a husband of your choosing. Perhaps even a love match?"

Thena looked at the brazen lord speaking to her without end. He was younger than she had expected, his hair sitting atop his head with as much arrogance as he exuded in his smile. "Do you have a matter that concerns you, my Lord?"

"Perhaps," he grinned at her, and it made her want to take a long step back from him. He held out his hand to her, "if you would do me the honour-"

"Forgive me, my Lord, but her Grace has other obligations."

Thena's eyes rose, and she failed to contain her pleasure at the sight of her rescuer. "Captain, if you would be so kind as to escort me."

"Of course, your Grace," he smiled back at her as a gentleman would. He even removed his leather glove before offering his hand to her. He stood between her and the man asking to dance with her, turning his back - unthinkably rude! - on him in the process.

"Thank you," Thena murmured as they made their escape, descending the steps closer to the thrones and skirting around the crowd. "I can no longer decline such invitations without good reason."

"I would think that not wanting to listen to him preen himself is reason enough."

Thena attempted to keep her laughter contained, but a faint puff of air escaped her. She held the skirt of her dress in the hand that was not perched in Gil's. "You have rescued me yet again, Captain."

"It is part of my job," he stated, although the royal advisor was not technically part of his obligations as royal guard. He winked at her, "Thena."

She smiled down at the lush carpet beneath their feet. If her hands were free they would be wringing around themselves again and again. The Captain continued to have such effect on her, and her poor, suffering heart. "I keep telling you, it is not."

"And I keep telling you: you will always be Princess, to me."

How was she to think clearly when she had such poetry over her shoulder, no less whispering in her ear?

"Would you like to?"

"To what?" she looked up at him.

He nodded his head towards where Ikaris was claiming another dance with his bride, even wrapping his arms around her and lifting her off the ground in their shared glee. "Dance?"

Her hand flinched in his, while the one holding her dress began squeezing it for her life. Her throat dried. "I'm afraid I have not nearly the grace my sister does, Captain."

"Come on," he whispered to her, even coming to a stop at a small gap in the crowd's observation of the bride and groom. "I thought we had a deal."

Thena's eyes darted up to him and then forward again. Her heart flitted and fluttered in her chest as she sighed, "Gil."

He stood straight, his hand behind his back and the other holding hers aloft. "It is a celebration, y'know. No one would think twice about you having a little fun at your own sister's wedding."

She could feel how warm he was next to her, even with his light chest plate over his formal uniform. Her fingers trembled faintly, but he held her steadily. "I suppose your gallantry should not go unrewarded."

She winced at herself, and her need to make the simple act of a dance something obligatory. Why could she not simply say that she did wish to dance with him?

Because that would be far too damning an admission, and far too revealing for one simple dance.

But Gilgamesh just smiled at her as he always did. He moved slowly, grasping her hand as he took the first step out from the edge of the crowd, "I'm honoured."

Thena forced herself to look up at him as he swept her onto the dance floor. It wasn't that moving with him was unfamiliar, or even awkward. It felt like when he had helped her from the wagon by lifting her delicately by the waist.

If anything, it felt too familiar, and perhaps even too...nice. He was warm, and gentle, and if he were not wearing the pauldron of his armour, she had half a mind to slip her hand up to his shoulder. His hand grasped hers out from them, the other on her back in a proper and appropriate position.

"So, have you thought about it?"

"Hm?" she blinked, betrayed by her mind wandering away from her actions and instead meandering along the subject of her dance partner.

"Marriage."

The royal advisor's cheeks took on a lively rouge as he spun them around with ease. This was not the first time they had discussed such a topic, either. And remembering the last time they had never failed to send her heart into a frenzy.

Somewhere behind them, Sersi also spun past amidst her dance with her husband. Her sister's giggling reached her ears, worsening Thena's feeling of fluster. Sersi knew very well that the subject of marriage - when it involved the Captain - always left her feeling stymied.

"I," Thena started and then paused immediately. Her mastery of language was slipping from her mind. Her eyes slid down his chestplate to the crest of the kingdom sitting right in the centre. Her hand twitched in his again, "I have...considered it."

At her own insistence, her marriage simply had to wait. As soon as she had abdicated, there was little time until Sersi's coronation and the wedding happening right on top of each other. And she and Gilgamesh were at their busiest when Sersi and Ikaris were.

There was no time to consider Gilgamesh's proposal of a proposal, as it were. And a man of his word, he had not brought it up amidst all the chaos of things. But he was asking now. As she had told him, he was asking if he could ask her again.

"And?" he prompted her gently--sweetly. He ducked his head closer to hers, moving closer in their dance to a proximity one could consider salacious. "If I were to ask you, would you say yes?"

Thena tried to keep her breathing even. She felt as if she were drowning in him, and she did not fully want to emerge from it. But she forced herself to keep her face from burying itself against his neck. "Your timing could be improved, Captain."

"Oh?" he chuckled, still in good spirits as she dodged his approach to marrying her yet again. "And how is that?"

Thena closed her eyes, trying to concentrate, and unable to do so while she thought people might be observing them acting so improperly. All she needed do was turn her head for her lips to graze his cheek or perhaps even his ear (indecent!). She gulped. "It is my sister's wedding day, Gil. This is no time for you to be asking for my hand."

"I daresay she would approve."

Sersi would be the first to jump for joy. She would also point right at Thena and say that she had said so long beforehand.

"I will not become engaged on the day of my sister's wedding," Thena resolved with a bit of a huff. "Have you no sense of propriety?"

On the contrary, it was mortifyingly she who was breaths away from pressing her forehead under his jaw just to feel the warmth of his skin.

"Forgive me, your Grace." She knew he was smirking--she just knew it. "Shall I ask again tomorrow, then?"

Thena's heart pounded. He hadn't asked in the exact words, but her whole body felt flush with warmth and thrill all the same. The warmth did not drain from her cheeks as she gripped his hand purposefully with her fingers. "I will be at the garden pond at first light. I expect you will not keep me waiting."

As she had done to him.

His hand squeezed hers, and he even dared to weave their fingers together (the absolute audacity). He tilted his head, disguising the way he touched his cheek to the top of her head, no longer weighed down by a golden circlet. "I wouldn't dream of it, Thena."

[a-world-in-grey]

Bring Back Memories au II

Tissue warning! (and coarse language)

Also tagging @agent-jaselin because I blame them for inspiring this au in the first place.

.

-The glaives believe Sola to be dead. Tredd and Nyx are broken. It's like the Burning all over again, except the grief feels like someone tore out part of their souls. 

-Tredd never wore a Mourning Braid for his parents and siblings, and Nyx thinks he might one day unbraid his Mourning Braid for Selena. But for Sola? Never. Because the aching wound in their souls feel like they will never heal.

-They return to Insomnia, and Nyx and Tredd are so glad they can leave it to Captain to report to the King. Titus knows his men are grieving, he's not going to push them to face the King, to force them to tell the King that his daughter is dead. 

-Nyx… doesn't know why Abyssus sticks to him like a stubborn burr, but he won't admit that the big cat's presence helps him keep it together when he wants to fly off the handle. 

-The funeral… it goes. Titus secures invitations for the remaining 33 members of Sola's regiment, because they were brothers- and sisters-in-arms and they deserve to be there. The King, the Marshal, and Captain give speeches that Nyx barely remembers. Everyone in the regiment cries by the end. Nyx can see the Crown Prince, seated next to the King, the odd golden fox Nyx remembers Sola once called Cyrus sitting in his lap. Dark head bowed, and thin shoulders hunched and shaking.

-Once all the speeches are done, and everyone is waiting for the pallbearers to lift the empty casket to be delivered to the Royal Mausoleum, Tredd takes a breath and lets his voice rise to the rafters of the cathedral. It's not a Lucian song, but rather a Galahdian one, because for all that Sola had never been braided, she was one of them. One by one, the rest of the regiment joins in, until all 33 of them are singing.

-And despite his knee, the King insists on being one of the pallbearers. An elderly man, thick Leidan accent and clearly close to the King, is at the front with Regis. Another man, dark skinned and closer to the King's age, takes one of the center holds opposite Clarus' son Gladio, who stands for both his father Clarus and for the too short Crown Prince. And at the back, the Marshal and the Captain. Leaving Clarus and the Kingsglaive to form up around the procession because like Pyre they're going to allow assassins to take a shot at Sola's family at her funeral. Nyx and Tredd and Abyssus hover near Sola's little brother, while Libertus and Crowe guard his Hand. 

-The hug Noctis gives Abyssus isn't surprising. What does surprise Nyx are the two hugs he gives to Nyx and Tredd, before allowing Gladio and Ignis to usher him into the waiting Regalia. 

-Safe in Little Galahd, the fourth regiment gathers to mourn and get roaring drunk. Nyx doesn't remember Libertus dragging him back to his apartment, slung over Abyssus' back. His next memory is Abyssus waking him up at some Pyre-cursed hour, raging hangover making his already shitty mood worse. Nyx tries to push Abyssus away, but the damn cat just meows insistently at him, dodging the half-hearted swat Nyx blindly aims his way.

-Nyx's resolve to go back to sleep loses against Abyssus' determination when the cat grabs him by the tangle of his sheets and drags him, bedding and all, onto the floor. Nyx swears, blearily glaring up at Abyssus. Abyssus huffs at him, unimpressed before dropping shirt and sweatpants on his head. Nyx grumbles about making cat-kebabs, but stumbles upright and into the clothes before tossing his bedding back on the bed and then searching for something to help his Six-awful hangover.

-A search he's forced to abandon at the knock on his door. Not by choice, if it were up to Nyx he'd ignore it because fuck everyone else at the moment, but Abyssus lets out another one of his demanding meows and Nyx just wants to go back to sleep. Nyx yanks open his front door, ready to tear whichever unholy daemon of a morning person a new one, only to freeze at the sight of the Crown Prince standing on his doorstep. 

-Nyx really wants to know who he pissed off to deserve this. He's hungover and nowhere near awake for this, he's not even on duty! But he knows Sola would come back from the dead just to kick his ass if he let her little brother get hurt, so Nyx looks around to see if he can spot whichever Crownsguard are shadowing Noctis.

-Only, unless they're sneakier than an Arra - and Nyx knows where he'd put his gil and it's not on the Crownsguard - it doesn't look like the Prince has anyone guarding him. What. The. Pyre. Nyx manages not to swear out loud through Astral-worthy willpower and ushers the kid inside. 

-Once he's leveled a Look at Abyssus and the cat's taken up a position at Nyx's front door and only window, just in case, he levels a stern look at Noctis and tells the kid that he'd better have a good reason for being in the slums at - Nyx checks the clock and wants to glare at Abyssus all over again - seven in the morning without any bodyguards. Does anyone know where Noctis is?

-Noctis blinks wide blue eyes at him - Sola's eyes, fuck - and says that Nyx does. Abyssus huffs from the door, and Nyx swears the cat is laughing at him. Nyx is not amused. Nyx rubs a hand over his face and tells Noctis that he can't do this. They just lost Sola, don't… don't make his father grieve him too. Noctis hunches his shoulders, looking away guiltily. He mumbles an apology, but some of Sola's stubborn defiance pokes through when he adds that it's important.

-Nyx sighs, but ushers Noctis over to his crappy kitchen table, rummaging through his cabinet for two glasses and painkillers. He sets the water down before him and the kid, but pauses at the elixir Noctis holds out to him. Nyx frowns, and tells the kid that he's not injured. Noctis tells him that it's for the hangover. Nyx… doesn't actually want to know how an eleven-year old knows what a hangover is or how to make a magical cure for it. Especially when he knows for a fact that Sola never drank, even after she became legal for it.

-But he's sure as Pyre not turning it down. And Ramuh does it help. Nyx savors the sweet relief for half a second before turning his attention back to Noctis. He asks the kid what's so important to bring him down here without telling anyone. Noctis says that Nyx knows how Sola was his Sword, right? Nyx nods. It was something Sola was fiercely proud of. Noctis asks if Nyx knows why.

-Nyx… actually doesn't know, and he admits it easily enough. It's not like the inner workings of the Royal Retinues was common knowledge. Noctis doesn't look surprised. He frowns in concentration, like he's trying to figure out what to say. He tells Nyx that the Lucis Caelums are Blessed by the Draconian. Nyx nods. That's common enough knowledge, and Galahd has a number of Clans Blessed of the other Astrals, though none so recent as to have magic. Noctis says that because of the Blessing, they bond with people. Like, stronger than normal.

-Nyx frowns, and asks what Noctis means by stronger. Noctis flails a hand, saying that he's not sure how to explain it. It's… it's a feeling. It's instinct. But, when he was a baby, Sola decided that he was hers. And that she was his. And when Noctis was older, he accepted and returned that bond. Sola was his sister.

-Noctis huffs, frustrated, and complains that he's not explaining it right. But Nyx is frozen in his seat, because that… that's familiar. He tells Noctis that Sola Claimed him. And Noctis Claimed her back. Noctis perks up and says that yeah, that's exactly it. Meanwhile, Nyx is thinking back, a year and a half ago, when Sola's enlistment was leaked to the public and Tredd dragged him to calm Sola's Rage. How Tredd had called Nyx one of Sola's Claimed.

-And Nyx asks Noctis if it's only their Retinue that Lucis Caelums Claim. Noctis shakes his head. He says that Sola Claimed the Glaives years ago. All of them. He figured it out when she kept calling them 'her idiots.' Nyx fixes Noctis with a deadpan look and Noctis grins innocently back. Noctis adds somberly that it was why he encouraged Sola to stay with the Kingsglaive, because she was happy with them. They were hers.

-Nyx swallows hard, because damn it, he's not going to cry. He roughly asks what this has to do with Nyx specifically. Noctis tells him seriously that Nyx was Sola's Sword. Nyx chokes on his water, because what. Noctis says he didn't see it before. Sola never wanted a Retinue when he was little, because she was worried the Council would make her stop being Noctis' Sword. But Sola must not have realized it, because Nyx was Sola's Sword and Tredd… her Heart? He wasn't her Shield because Sola refused to have a Shield and he doesn't think Tredd was her Hand-

-Nyx holds up a hand to cut Noctis off, and takes a moment to order his thoughts. He was part of Sola's Retinue, go figure. Tredd too apparently, which, Nyx can see now that he thinks about it. And if Sola Claiming the Glaives wasn't enough to bond with them as her Retinue, but Noctis Claiming Sola back made her his Sword… Nyx thinks of the bead he added to his Mourning braid for Sola, for the woman he'd have adopted as his little sister if only he'd realized it sooner. 

-Fuck, that makes far too much sense.

-Nyx asks if Tredd should hear this too. Noctis nods. He says that he could use Abyssus to find Nyx, but he doesn't know how to find Tredd. Nyx nods, and says that he'll call him, and Noctis can tell them at the same time. Privately, Nyx is feeling just this side of petty because if he has to be up this early to have this conversation, then Tredd can suffer with him.

-It takes three calls before Tredd finally answers his phone, swearing at him. Nyx tells Tredd that he's going to be stopping by in thirty with breakfast, get up and get dressed because the Crown Prince is coming with him to talk with them about stuff no one knew they had to tell Nyx and Tredd about Sola Claiming them. There's a few seconds of silence on the other end, and Nyx asks if Tredd got all that. Tredd swears and says that yeah, he got it, but Nyx better bring the good shit, not Yamachang's pathetic excuse for kebabs. Nyx snorts and says that yeah, yeah, he'll get a proper breakfast for him.

-Nyx tells Noctis that they're gonna pick up breakfast on the way, wait at the table while he changes. Nyx washes his face, scrubs his teeth, and throws on jeans and a shirt, redoes the worst of his braids, and buckles his kukri to his back. Then he's ushering Noctis out his front door with Abyssus and locking up before hoisting Noctis onto Abyssus' back. Because if he's the only guard Noctis has currently, he wants Noctis to have a quick escape route if things do manage to go south. And Abyssus is more competent than half the Crownsguard. Easily.

-Turns out Noctis hasn't breakfast either, so Nyx picks up three of the breakfast burritos from Psamathe Furia, who takes one look at the Crown Prince and tones down the spices on one because Nyx honestly doesn't know if Noctis shares Sola's delicate Lucian palate.

-Tredd is in fact up and presentable by the time Nyx pounds on his door. Nyx gives Tredd a cheerful good morning just to be an asshole, and Tredd tells him to shut the fuck up. Nyx tells Tredd to watch his language, there's a kid present. Tredd swipes one of the burritos from Nyx, retorting that the kid's in public school, there's no way he hasn't heard it all. The two look at Noctis, who's staring at them innocently and Tredd tells Noctis that his innocent face sucks. Noctis pouts and Abyssus laughs at Noctis. Noctis clambers off, accepting the milder burrito from Nyx and finding a place to sit at Tredd's table because Tredd tells both of them that he's not discussing anything until he's had food damn it. Noctis wrinkles his nose at the veggies, but obediently eats them when Tredd gruffly tells him not to waste food.

-Noctis presents Tredd with another hangover cure, which puts Tredd in a marginally better mood but prompts him to ask where the Pyre Noctis learned to make hangover cures. Noctis says that it was Sola. Whenever a mission went bad, he'd spend time with her while she made them, because she always said the other glaives would need them. And Noctis was curious, so she taught him how to make them too. Nyx pinches his nose because fuck, that was Sola all over. She always showed up with her hangover cures after a mission gone bad, because half the glaives usually went out and got drunk. And sure, Sola usually poked fun at them while she handed the cures over because she could be a bitch like that, so no wonder she taught her little brother how to make them. Handing out cures made by a kid would've been hilarious to her. And because she could never really say no to her little brother.

-Nyx listens as Noctis repeats the first part of his explanation to Tredd, who, to his credit, picks up the details almost immediately. Though he asks what the Pyre Noctis means by him being Sola's Heart. Nyx snickers, because Tredd looks so disgruntled. So Noctis explains what he knows about each position in the Retinue. It's a bit rote, but clearly someone's drilled the details into his head, because he explains that the Sword's duty was to wade into danger and destroy threats before they reached their King, therefore protecting him. They attacked. Whereas a Heart protected their King's emotional wellbeing. Protected their King's heart.

-Noctis says that a Retinue is en-tit-led to stuff, even after Sola's death, and Noctis wanted to make sure they could get it if they needed it, because Sola was his and they were Sola's. And it's all he can do for his sister. He's knows it's not much, but he got Iggy to help him print off all the info for them. Nyx tells Noctis that they appreciate it, and they'll look it over. But he needs to get back to the Citadel. Noctis frowns, but Tredd tells Noctis that Sola wouldn't want him taking stupid risks. He's still a kid, but he's smarter than this.

-Before Noctis can reply, there's a knock at Tredd's door, and Nyx opens the door to see a very Unimpressed Cor. Nyx apologizes for the trouble, but Cor says he appreciates Nyx alerting him to the situation before anyone caused a panic. Noctis cringes from the Look Cor gives him, and yeah, kid knows he's in trouble. Nyx tells Noctis that if he really wants to come down to Little Galahd and meet more of Sola's people, let them know first and they'll come get him, okay? That way everyone knows he's safe. Nyx asks Abyssus to go with Noctis. The roads can't be good for his back. Abyssus nods, and Noctis climbs back on.

-When the door closes, Tredd slumps back in his chair and breaks down into grief-tinged laughter. Nyx agrees with the sentiment exactly. Tredd says that of course the fucking short stack went and grew on him, like a Ramuh-damned fungus, and once he was attached she had to up and die on them, and he couldn't even do anything because he was fucking bleeding out like a useless idiot! 

-Nyx tells Tredd, the first person he's told, that he tried to reach Sola. But Sola stopped him. Raised a shield and he, he couldn't break through before Abyssus dragged him away. Tredd says that of course Sola did that, the self-sacrificing dumbass. Nyx whispers that he's not sure he'll ever be able to forgive her for that, for not letting him try to save her. Tredd tells Nyx that he'd be dead if he'd reached her. Nyx admits that he knows, not saying that he'd almost prefer it that way. Tredd hears it anyway. Tredd says that Sola always did care more about them than herself. They were hers. Nyx smiles bitterly and says that no one ever told Sola that she was theirs too.

-Neither of them say that now they'll never get the chance.

[awkwardwritersyndrome]

Chapter 3: The Earth Queen

The morning sun is starting to get hot. Bumi and Kai sharpen their new airbending skills but it’s proving to be hard for an old beardog to learn new tricks. Kai out-maneuvers Bumi and knocks him off his feet as Korra, Asami, and Jinora look on. Moments later the airship glides over the inner wall of Ba Sing Se and floats over the lower ring. All the passengers on the ship can smell the filth and squalor down below. Bolin cringes at the thought of his dad growing up in this place. The middle and upper rings are drastically different, revealing a cruel caste system in the great Earth Kingdom. A bad feeling creeps up Korra’s spine but she can’t quite figure what it is.

As the airship landed, Grand Secretariat Gun shuffled towards the visiting aircraft. As passengers filed down the ramp he greeted them quickly before listing off a host of rules. It sounded as if the queen didn’t even want visitors based on all the stipulations put in place before meeting her. Korra remarked that there were “an awful lot of rules,” with a perturbed frown. 

Gun ignored her complaint and rushed the guests to hide the animals before the highly allergic queen spotted them. He then hurried Korra out of the guest house and across the estate to the queen’s topiary. When the Avatar stepped out onto the balcony overlooking the garden, whirlpools, and walkways, the queen was berating her servants. Garden keepers hustled about rearranging earth at their queen’s request. Korra had never met someone so rude and demanding. 

Queen Hou-Ting seemed disinterested in actually hearing what the Avatar had to say. In fact, she requested a favor from Korra before agreeing to help her. She claimed she had tax money stored in a nearby town that had been overrun with outlaws. If Korra retrieved the money, Hou-Ting would have the Dai Li help find any new airbenders in the city. 

Despite feeling unsettled by the queen’s character, the young Avatar agreed to retrieve the money. When she returned to the guest house everyone was looking for Kai. He was missing and Mako was pretty confident he was up to no good. Despite his bad track record, Tenzin argued that such a young kid should not be left to fend for himself. Korra suggested that Mako and Bolin search for Kai, Tenzin and Jinora wait at the house in case he returned, and her and Asami would go retrieve the queen’s money. 

“Sounds like a plan,” said Asami as she stepped toward Korra.”If we take the airship we can be back by this evening.”

Korra liked the idea of them teaming up for an important Avatar mission. Katara used to tell stories all the time about her and Aang working together before they defeated Ozai. They did serious stuff like take down the Fire Nation factory that was polluting a nearby river village. But they also did fun stuff together like penguin sledding. 

A subtle smile formed on Korra’s face until she remembered that Aang and Katara were a couple. Her own thoughts made her blush. “Yup, okay, good. Sounds great. I’m just gonna...head...somewhere else...to get ready,” Korra stammered before jetting off to avoid anyone noticing how red her face was.

That afternoon the two women left Ba Sing Se to find the secluded vault. 

Looking out at the vast rugged land beyond the city’s walls, Asami wondered, “Are you sure we shouldn’t have bought more people to collect the tax money?”

“Royal Guard’s waiting at the vault,” Korra explained. “I doubt anything will happen. I think her majesty just likes ordering me around.”

Asami raised one brow at her friend. “You mean someone can actually tell you what to do?”

“Hey. I’m not that stubborn...Am I?” Korra was at it again, asking questions she wasn’t sure she wanted the answer to.

The CEO’s face softened and she giggled. “No. I’m just messing with you. When it comes to the most important stuff, you’re the first person looking for sound advice. I admire that about you.” Asami wasn’t sure if her compliment came off weird so her posture stiffened and she trained her eyes on the skies outside the windows.

Korra didn’t even notice, she was just flattered by her friend’s words. “That means a lot coming from you,” she said. 

“Coming from me? What does that mean,” Asami probed. 

Then it was Korra wondering if she had said something odd. She tried to explain her thinking. “I just mean that you’re so successful to be 19. I spent my whole life on a compound training to be the Avatar and I’m not even all that good at it. It’s just impressive, is all.” Korra rubbed the back of her neck as it started to sweat from nervousness. This friendship thing was harder than people made it out to be. No wonder Asami was her first true best friend. 

“I never thought of my success as my own. Most of what I have was handed down from my father. Now that his legacy is tarnished, I feel like I’m at square one. I haven’t accomplished anything on my own,” Asami replied with a defeated tone.

“No way! You’ve accomplished a lot since your father went to prison,” Korra rebutted. She grabbed each of the other woman’s arms just above the elbow and craned her neck downward to look into those bright green eyes. “You made the mecha suits mass producible. You dug Future Industries out of debt after its reputation was ruined. You revamped the airship division and you hammered out a deal with the world’s craziest business mogul. That’s all pretty amazing,” Korra insisted tenderly.

“Well that last one was mostly Bolin and kind of backfired on me, but I get your point.” Asami looked back into Korra’s blue eyes and realized how similar they were in being hard on themselves. “I could rattle off a similar list for you,” she sassed.

“Don’t worry, Tenzin beat you to it the day we finally found Daw. I guess I’m pretty hard on myself too,” the Avatar admitted as if she could read Asami’s mind. The two of them hovered near each other until the closeness felt hot and almost unbearable.

A ridge of mountains appeared on the horizon and they knew they were getting close. “I should land this thing,” Asami suggested bashfully, still standing with only inches between them.

Korra took a big step back and away from the helm so Asami could work her magic. “Right. Aye aye, captain,” she said awkwardly before making an about face towards the exit ramp.

The ship floated to a halt in the middle of the town where there were no buildings or homes. The duo quickly identified the vault and the Royal Guard and made their way over. The money was loaded onto a wheel barrel and three guards began walking it to the ship. Suddenly a red flare shot into the sky and the women immediately knew trouble was afoot. A hoard of outlaws with mopeds and an armored truck began speeding towards the guards and the money. Two earthbenders cartwheeled off their hotrods and hurled three boulders at the queen’s guards. They didn’t even attempt to fight and scurried away from the mob.

“So much for our escort,” Asami panned while sliding on her electrified glove.

“Maybe we should’ve bought everybody,” Korra added, swallowing the lump that formed in her throat. 

The pair dashed towards the money and made their stand. A battle ensued, two against twelve. Korra crumbled the ground beneath the outlaws and sent them all stumbling backwards. Two men gunned it towards Asami but she propelled herself over them in a flying roundoff and tased them with her glove. As she stuck the landing, an air strike narrowly caught another bandit as he reached out to grab her. The industrialist looked over and saw Korra was covering her blindspots. The two advanced towards the few men left standing but they began to retreat. As the leader of the mob hopped on the back of the armored truck he yelled, “You’re on the wrong side of this fight, Avatar. That gold belongs to the people, not the queen.”

The proclamation echoed through Korra’s ears. “Why do I get the feeling that he’s right?”

They loaded the money onto the airship and returned to Ba Sing Se. Gun escorted Korra to the throne room to report her successes to Queen Hou-Ting. Turns out, Korra’s gut was right. The queen made up a lie that the Dai Li didn’t find any new airbenders and she asked the Avatar to leave the city. 

That was the last straw for the hot headed young woman. “You make me do your dirty work, extorting your own citizens, for your stupid palaces and topiaries and then you just want to send me away? We’re not going anywhere until we find some airbenders,” Korra hollered at Hou-Ting. The queen looked on silently and Korra added, “we know there are some here!”

The queen promptly banished Korra from her sight. Korra began to storm off but spun around and pointed her finger up at the throne like a deadly arrow. “This isn’t over. I’m going to find the airbenders!”

Korra burst into the guest house after stomping all the way across the estate. She was sporting a seriously contorted frown and tightly wound shoulders. When she got to the dining room she dropped her weight in the nearest chair and huffed in anger. Tenzin was asleep with Jinora and the brothers hadn’t returned yet. 

Asami was the only one around to comfort the young Avatar. She approached cautiously and announced herself calmly. Just hearing her soothing voice made Korra relax some. The younger woman let her scowl melt away and said “I’m glad to see someone I don’t want to punch.”

Asami winced at the thought of taking a hit delivered by Korra’s muscular arms. “I’m guessing the queen isn’t going to help us,” the businesswoman assumed.

“No! She isn’t! And I’m the total idiot that ran off to the middle of nowhere like her evil henchman. This search for the airbenders is a complete disaster,” Korra lamented. She folded her arms on the table and buried her head between them. She might have stayed like that all night if two soft hands didn’t take hold of her achy shoulders. A firm but gentle pressure relieved her muscles of knots and tension. Without knowing it she let out a guttural moan.

Asami smirked as her fingers undid the stress in her friend’s body. “How’s that,” she asked coyishly. 

“Huh?...It’s uh... really nice,” Korra crooned with delight. All the rigidity in her body was gone and all she could think of was the image of Asami delicately untangling string the other night. In that moment, Korra felt like she was a knotted mess of string herself.

Asami leaned against the table next to Korra and shared a caring smile. “You could use a real massage. I know a guy in Republic City if you’re interested.”

A drunken grin overtook Korra’s face and she nodded in agreement. 

The two women sat at the table while Korra described all the ways she disliked the Earth Queen. Asami challenged some of her poorly thought out grievances, but generally understood why Korra was so upset. They talked for several hours before they noticed the time. They decided to get some rest, so they both stood up at the same time. “I’m no masseuse, but I give good hugs,” Korra announced with open arms.

The other woman laughed and shifted her weight so she sort of fell into Korra’s arms for a hug. Each woman headed to a different side of the house to find their beds. Even as the night wore on in different rooms, the warm embrace left a tantalizing feeling in each of their heads.

Next Chapter

[stoffelees]

Deserving of Acceptance: Chapter Twelve

Chapter Title: Protest

Rating: Teen and Up

Chapter Warnings: Racism

Word Count: 1579

Summary: It would seem some humans are less than thrilled about the monsters.

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He liked days that started like this one. Papyrus woke up at dawn, had breakfast, and was out checking the perimeter fence before most monsters had stirred from their slumber. He preferred establishing his presence before any trouble could be caused.

He had been on a normal patrol when a sound caught his attention. It didn’t take Papyrus long to find the ones causing it. Humans were grouped together near the gate holding signs and yelling things that were, at present, incomprehensible to him. Heavy boots took him closer to the ruckus and he could finally hear what was being said. ‘Get out.’ ‘Go back underground.’ ‘Filthy underlings.’

Underlings? Monsters were just as sentient as humans, they were not inferior. If anything, monsters had earned the right to live here. What had humans done to deserve the surface other than taking advantage of species deemed lesser in status?

Papyrus closed his eye sockets and suppressed his anger. He needed to inform Undyne of the situation. No actions should be taken until the captain declared her orders. He pulled out his phone and tapped in a quick text. It was informal, but it was the fastest way to brief her on the situation.

Now he needed to get a better look at what was taking place. Eye sockets took in the sight as he reached the fence. It was better not to say or do anything yet, but gathering information would be useful. The humans seemed to hiss and spit with their words as if each one was dripping in venom. But none of them were armed, and, even if there were enough to overwhelm him, they would never stand a chance once inside the perimeter. What were they trying to prove? Did they really think shouting insults would weaken him?

He continued to pace along the fence taking note of each individual human and analyzing their potential strengths and weaknesses. They did not appear to be warriors fit for combat. Not a single one was clad in armor or any protective articles. But he recalled stories told by monsters who'd survived the war. Stories that described armorless humans with hidden blades. Their intention was strong enough to kill some of the strongest monsters. A human needing only to have a strong desire to kill to be effective?...they were just stories.

A short time later he heard the familiar boots of his captain. Turning to make his way toward her he saw monsters had begun peeking out of their homes to see for themselves what was happening. Few were willing to venture further than their front steps. But it was the pair his captain was approaching that puzzled him. Who had summoned Alphys, and why was his good-for-nothing brother here?

Sleeping through the night was a rarity for Sans. Yet here he was, greeted by the morning with no recollection of dreams or waking up in the dark. He wasn’t sure if he could say he felt rested, he’s not sure if he had anything to compare it to, but he actually felt like getting up and that was different.

Sans reached for his phone on the floor next to his mattress. It was just after nine, not bad for waking up without a kick to the ribs. Getting up, he got himself dressed and grabbed his usual additions. Ensuring his ID card was in the breast pocket of his jacket he made his way downstairs to find Papyrus was already gone. Still feeling satiated from dinner last night, Sans figured he’d head out now rather than hang around the house.

Being out on the street was less anxiety-inducing than it used to be. For the first time in memory he didn’t feel like he was going to be attacked. No fear of being used as leverage to get to Papyrus, no one hunting him, nothing trying to bend or break him. He could walk from one place to another and really look at his surroundings. Right now he found himself staring at the sky while his feet took the familiar path toward the shop, but getting closer a strange sound caught his attention.

The gate came into view and with it the source of the noise. Dozens of humans were gathered outside the fence. They seemed to be yelling and a few were holding signs. He squinted in an attempt to read them but motion on his side of the fence distracted him.

Panic tried to take over until he realized who the movement was: his brother. He raised a browbone and eye lights followed Papyrus as the taller skeleton paced the fence. Sans gave a sigh and dragged himself over to a familiar lab coat hovering nearby.

“what’s all this about?” He gestured to the crowd before them.

Alphys jerked away before relaxing as she realized who it was that was standing next to her. “We don’t know. They showed up a short time ago. I just got here and I’m not actually sure why I was called.” She fidgeted with her claws before looking up to see the captain of the Royal Guard arrive.

“well this should be fun.” He turned to see his brother approach as Undyne reached them.

“WHY IS THE ROYAL SCIENTIST HERE?” It sounded more like a genuine question rather than annoyance from the taller skeleton.

“I called for her; I want her insight on dealing with this. Why is he here?”

He knew Undyne was pointing at him and rather than give Papyrus time to answer he figured he should chime in. “i was wandering around and saw my pal standing around looking confused.” He gave a mock punch to Alphys’ shoulder and was rewarded with a glare from the lizard-monster and a scoff from his brother.

“Whatever,” Undyne turned back to the guardsman. “I’ve gotten word that this is not an isolated incident. There are groups of humans at city hall, various businesses, and here. They all seem to be anti-monster and they want their government to notice them.”

Sans looked over, curious to see how his brother would take this information. “HUMANS HAVE AN ODD WAY OF WANTING TO BE NOTICED. IS THERE ANY REASON WE SHOULD BE CONCERNED?” He rolled his eye lights and brought a palm up to his face. Leave it to Papyrus to pass this off as a simple annoyance. Humans are practically banging on their door and he’s wondering if they ‘should be concerned?’

“At the moment? No. They seem to be just yelling. But until further notice, no monster is to leave the neighborhood.” Undyne didn’t even seem phased by having to make this decision.

“what?!” No, what the hell? They’re not concerned by these humans but they’re willing to bar entry and exit from the neighborhood?

“BE QUIET.” Sans closed his eye sockets and shrank only a fraction at his brother’s warning. “I WILL ENSURE THE GATES ARE UNDER CONSTANT SURVEILLANCE.”

“I know you will. But I need you with me. Alphys, you’re going to figure out a way to control these humans. I don’t care how you do it, just get these humans off our doorstep and don’t give the human government a reason to side with them.” As seemed to be her way, Undyne gave her orders and turned to head back.

He could feel his brother’s gaze on him. “SANS, YOU WILL WATCH THE GATE AND NOTIFY ME OF ANY ATTEMPT BY A HUMAN TO ENTER.”

“yea boss, you got it.” Sans watched his brother follow the captain before he turned back to Alphys. “looks like i got the easy job. what the hell are you going to do?”

“I d-d-don’t know. I might know more about humans than most monsters but what exactly can I do? Unless they cross the fence we can’t take action, and if they do cross what do we do?” She was focused on the ground at her feet. “It looks like you’re on sentry duty again though.”

"i know, i’m thrilled. and i don’t even get a station to sleep at.” Bony hands buried into his jacket and found the familiar smooth metal of his blade. Lately, all the comfort he needed was found in just having it with him, but he knew being cooped up might cause his anxiety to spike again.

Alphys started toward her home. Watching, Sans found himself speaking before he even realized it. "hey, if you need any help or insight, uh..." His hand began rubbing the back of his skull, "gimme a buzz or something, ya know?"

Turning back to look at him, she raised a brow and lowered her glasses. "I don't need your pity, and you better watch yourself. You're getting soft. The humans will dust you before you even have a chance." She straightened her lab coat and pushed her glasses back into place. With a scoff she left him to face his task alone.

Eye lights found themselves drifting toward the ground. Was he going soft? Underground that was a self-inflicted death sentence, but here? Were things not changing? He looked at the humans gathered by the gate. Clearly things had not changed. Humans hated monsters, and monsters hated each other.

A scowl took over his features and his grip tightened on his switchblade. It was foolish to think the surface would bring anything but new difficulties. He settled himself against one of the buildings and prepared for a long day.

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