#when he decides he loves his little lamb too much to kill her. and she is struck dead anyways because that's all she was meant to be

[camellcat]

giles was prepared to face the master when buffy didn't want to, for her, to protect her, because he loved her too much to watch her die simply because it was written to be so. then he killed glory when she didn't want to, for her, to protect her, because he loved her too much to chance that hellbitch ever going after his slayer again. and yet she still died both times no matter

[animeshotsh]

Devils Touch | Dad!Lucifer x Kid!Reader |

Summary: Being forced to take pills alongside your mother just seems enough to end in hell...

Warnings: Suicide mentions | Death | Canon Violence| Cursing | Lucifer its a softie | SFW | Reader its between 5-7 | Reader takes the form of a sheep/cat mix | Reader's mom sucks tbh | Maybe platonic!yandere Luci? |

When you opened your eyes everytning was red. Screams and insults filled the air, the smell of blood and other things you could not understand filled your nose making you gag.

"Mom?" You asked to no one, no one took note of you. All you could see were strange creatures, some more human and some more animal.

Tears went down your face, you could remember being forced to take some pills. Your mother crying while she did the same.

Something was wrong, really wrong.

"And what do we have here?" A stranger voice said taking you by the collar, you ended up meeting with sharp red eyes, and that look....it did not mean well.

"L-let me go" you screamed trying to get free from this thing. Reacting out you saw your hands were now black with claws, making your mind quick you attacked that thing.

It let you go with a small "fuck". You took of running, not knowing where to go, but you could hear that thing behind you chasing you.

Taking a quick look behind you ended against something. Looking up someone wearing a white suit with a cane and a hat that had a snake looked to you.

"P-please help me" you tried again "I dont know whats happening I want my mom"

The stranger took you by your arms to inspect you.

Lucifer stood there with no emotion seeing the "x" on your neck. Suicide? He thought seeing the mark. But you were just a kid, with fluffy cat hears and a tail, however your hair was not the one from a cat but the one from a sheep...or a lamb. Two little horns did also appear on top of your head.

He cursed inside his mind. Maybe you were killed, or forced to something. You were too small, your soul did not let out any type of malice besides the "sin" of taking your own life.

He soon saw a Demon coming towards him, most likely looking for you, and with no debout their intentions were not good.

Just one flick of his hand the Demon was gone. You were shaking looking at him and then around you.

Fuck, he wished Charlie was here, he knew she would be able to calm you down.

Taking care of sinners was not his job. His job was to rule hell, but he could not just leave you in here. He was sure you would be dead again in seconds.

Or worse.

"Calm down Kid, im going to take care of you" his voice was as soft as he could. Turning around opening a gold portal to his home "whats your name?"

He nodded once he hear your name, carefully petting your head. He passed by many old photos of his family. A maid appear besides him looking at the sinner in his arms.

"Please, prepare a bath and get some clothes " Lucifer requested passing you to her.

Or well, trying to.

"N-no, I dont want to go with her!" Your hands took an iron grip on his suit.

Lucifer almost panicked at your state but tried to remember what he used to do when Charlie was this young.

"Listen, she is someone good. You will be taken care off. We can have lunch later, and some sweets"

"...chocolate?" You asked with pleading eyes

~☆~☆~☆~

After your bath and food you were in a better mood. Lucifer used this time to show you around the house while asking you different questions to try and know why you had ended in here.

He showed you his ducks collection and almost passed out by how much you loved them. You ignored him as you played with the duck, almost burning the wall with one of them.

Lucifer decided to tired you up and then look up for your mothers soul. If you two died together...then the chances of her being down here were high.

~☆~☆~☆

It was harder than he expected. The sugar from the chocolate gave you so much energy you ended checking every room of the house. Lucifer behind you trying to stop you from getting hurt or from breaking something.

"Catch me if you can!" You joked while he tried to balance two statues.

With a swing of his wings he was able to catch you, rolling down the stairs and laughtning with you. You seemed....happy almost forgetting your situation. To you this could be nothing but a bizarre dream.

~☆~☆~

Once you were tired enough, Lucifer took you to one room. His heart made a flip when you took his arm pulling him close.

But he needed to go and see where your mother's soul was. So he made the maid stay outside your room just in case you woke up.

~☆~☆~

"That fucking bastard, son of a bitch, cursed slut" Lucifer screamed almost burning his office. Turns out, your mother was not in hell or heaven, she was alive, whatever she was triying to do failed for her.

He wanted to go there and kill her himself. Not only her but heaven as well, you were just a kid. Sure, you had cursed, and lied sometimes, he had read your record of sins. But that was not enough to make you end down here.

He knew your faith was sealed. Heaven would never admit they made a mistake or listen to him for starters. He had to calm down and think.

And after some minutes he decided the safest option would be for you to stay with him. He was not sure how he would explain to you who he was or what had happened. But he knew a few things, besides him no one would try to hurt you, and also you made him feel happy again. He could raise you, be a better father, be someone you could relay on.

"Its decided" he said to himself, picking up a pen and a paper, he wrote down your name and his last name. This way the other sins and overlords would know not to mess with you.

"Dont worry (y/n) im going to protect you.

~☆~☆~

[paruparuparuparu]

UNHOLY ALLIANCE SPOILERS (again, I can’t stop yapping about this update):

Either I’m the slowest person alive, or I just think too much (though it’s fun to do so). BASICALLY I was just playing my game and thought over the Bishop’s final quest until I realized all of their dialogue had a connection to their injuries. I’ll start from the most obvious to the more vague.

First up- Leshy

In this dialogue, he makes the connection to his blindness and his ignorance, being so out of touch with reality that he didn’t know the extent of what he was getting himself into.

Narinder’s plans were not at all a bother to him, having his own cult to run and experiment with. He relished in the devotion his chaotic ways had to offer, and because of his foolishness, he lost his sight; hence see no evil.

Now for the genocide. Once again, he explains he didn’t know the full extent of what he was getting himself into, more focused on what had happened rather than what will happen. Therefore he thoughtlessly agreed, seeing how his siblings were compliant to Shamura’s orders.

He never saw the evil in the actions of his peers until it was too late, his eyes acting as both a symbol and punishment for his ignorance to all around him.

Next- Kallamar

This can be easily skipped if you didn’t pay attention to the dialogue, but he explains that all of which he has heard he wishes to unhear.

I already explained this in my other post, but he knew of Narinder’s plans, and instead of speaking out, he cowers and wishes he never knew of it in the first place. Unlike Leshy, who remained ignorant on the matter, Kallamar knew too much.

For the genocide (Which might explain the Mystic Sellers description of Kallamar), he hesitates when he hears of Shamura’s orders to kill all Lambs. A part of him knows that what they’re doing is wrong, but rather than listening to his sense of justice, he complies. An action in which he regrets.

He hears too often, and wishes to not hear. He listens, and yet doesn’t listen to himself. His ears act as a symbol and punishment for his cowardice and lack of self.

Now- Heket

This one is a little less obvious than the previous ones, but only a small part admits it. Heket shows her love for her siblings quite often despite being the cruelest of them. So imagine her despair once everything fell out of order.

For Narinder’s plans, she was most likely unaware of them before it was too late. And once everything started falling out of order, she was demanding for everything to go back to normal, urging her siblings for all that has gone wrong to right itself, and finally in her most vulnerable state, begged for the family she once knew to come back together, knowing that it never would.

After being left vulnerable, her despair turned into rage targeted at Narinder. She was determined to protect her remaining siblings, and in turn, immediately agreed upon hearing Shamura’s orders to carry out the slaughter of all Lambs. She heard the lambs scream and beg with their lungs, cry for lost loved ones, and demand justice for those who have been wronged. Though, she showed no remorse; for she knew there was none.

She screamed and begged for her family, and in turn heard others scream for their own. Her throat symbolizes and acts as punishment for the injustice she faced herself, and for the injustice she caused others.

Finally- Shamura

Shamura’s dialogue is the longest of the Bishops, as well as the most confusing for me to pick apart.

Shamura knew of Narinder’s plans, and yet decided to tell nobody. They knew of the risks of supporting such practices, yet went along with it anyways until the consequences were apparent. Then and there, they decided to put a stop to it all, banishing Narinder to his own realm.

This part would just be a guess in order to connect the dots, but I have a feeling that Shamura and Clauneck conversed one day. On that day, the cards were drawn, telling of a lamb that would slay all the Bishop and set the Chained One free. Shamura didn’t accept this, and politely dismissed themselves, almost immediately thinking on how to avoid such a fate.

One day after resting for years, they come up with a solution- that solution is of course, to destroy all lambs. They order their remaining siblings to hunt them down, spreading propaganda, putting bounty’s on their heads, and spreading plauge and famine across the lands.

They feed their siblings lies about the prophecy, twisting and molding their fate to bring a sense of hope to their siblings. Eventually, they start believing their own lie, convincing themselves that blood must be spilled in order to preserve the Old Faith.

They spin and mold the web to their liking, though eventually it will all come apart, and all that they’re left with is guilt. Their skull symbolizes the strings they pulled. The lies they fed. The guilt of knowing. The guilt of deceiving. All of it. For it is the way they will be punished.

All of these are basically my take on the whole thing, and are not confirmed besides the dialogue. I just enjoy piecing everything together because this game is just so amazing!! Also if you made it to here, thank you for reading all of that, and if you have any thoughts or corrections, feel free to comment and or repost!!

[sadcupcake]

Mikaelon's Gilbert

Part 2

Elijah’s POV

I had just met my mate, that much I’m sure of. I’m inclined to believe her but having mother back in our lives has been good for my siblings. If my mate is wrong about her sister’s intentions it could start an all out war between the Mikaelsons. When I turn around I can see my siblings standing by the stairs watching. I’m surprised our little mate didn’t see them on her way out. We’ve all known for a few centuries now that we shared a mate, also of us but Rebekah. Not that made her any less excited by the looks of her, happy to have a possible friend I’m sure.

“How long have you all been there?” I say. My siblings can be infuriating sometimes, but the look on their faces knowing we have finally found our mate is something that I’ll remember forever. We finally have something We’ve wanted for a thousand years, but the message she came to us with could tip my siblings over the edge. They are so caught up in mother being back they haven’t even considered her intentions. If they decide our mate is a threat to our mother and therefore our family I’m afraid of what could happen to her.

“Not long brother, thought you could keep our mate all to yourself?” Niklaus says, always 

with the paranoia. He hasn’t even met her yet and he thinks I’m trying to keep her from him.

Klaus POV

I should have known that Elijah would have kept her from me, from us. All I got was a glimpse of her leaving my home but I could tell it was her. My wolf tried to urge me forward, to follow her. I wish I could have talked to her, gotten closer to her. I will soon if my wolf has anything to say about it. Kol and Finn next to me both have the look of obsession I’ve come to know in Kol. Seeing that same look in Finn’s eyes however is new, I suppose after nine hundred years in a box I don’t know him as well as I thought.

“What did our lovely mate have to tell you anyway Elijah” Kol says next to me trying to get any information he can about her, the same as the rest of us.

“She is Elena Gilbert’s sister, and overheard her sister talking to Damon about mother trying to kill us all” Elijah says rather calmly for what he just said. I knew deep down that she wasn’t back to forgive me, to be a family again. I guess I just didn't want to admit it. But on the other hand I’ve never met this girl, never even heard of her in fact and now she shows up on our doorstep claiming to be the doppelganger's sister and knows information about my mother. How do I know this isn’t some sort of tep, mate or not? How do I trust her?

“LIES, Mother wouldn't do that, she forgave us, forgave me” I shout my anger coming out as it always does. I want to believe in our mate and let myself have this one thing but how can I when it’s the fate of my family at stake, our very survival?

“Niklaus, she is our mate. I too have my reservations about her identity and how she came about this information. But I believe we should at least investigate her claims. Mother is very much capable of what she is accused of” Elijah says, always the diplomat.

He brought up the topic of her identity and I couldn’t agree more. How is it that we’ve never heard of another Gilbert? It all seems too good to be true, our mate showing up just in time to save our lives, how could anyone trust that?

Kol POV

My mate was just in front of me and I let her walk out the door. Well I wouldn’t exactly say let, Finn and Klaus held me back from runner after her talking about how we couldn't scare her off. I had a feeling my Little Lamb liked a little fear. Our mate is perfect for us, all of us I just know it. When Elijah said that she was a Gilbert I was disappointed, because that means not killing the Gilbert boy. He had irritated me ever since I was un-daggered. All I want to do is rip his arm off and beat him to death with it, but at last, him being my beloved’s brother makes that a little difficult. I can see the wheels turning in Nik’s head already, I swear if his paranoia makes him believe she is conspiring against us I will find a way to kill him before I let him touch a hair on Little Lamb’s head.

“Whatever questions any of you have about her identity or her motive, you better not hurt her. I will find a way to kill all of you if so much as a hair on her head is touched” I say making it clear I won’t stand her being harmed in any way.

“Kol no one is going to touch her, she’s our mate and our questions will be answered in time” Elijah says trying to reassure me. I hope he’s right because I will end this family if it means her being safe.

“Are you sure about that ‘Lijah, ' cause Klaus is already thinking she’s betrayed us and he hasn’t even met her. And Finn over here hasn’t said a word about meeting our mate” I say trying to get my point across. Rebekah is a whole other story. She doesn’t share a mate with the rest of us, and I have no idea where her head is on the addition to our family. Bekka and female friends have never really gone great in the past.

Finn POV

If she knows that Mother wants us all dead, she may know about my part in it. I can’t even stand to think what my mate would think of me if she really did know. I can’t go through with it now anyway, If i did all her mates would die and that would mean her slow and agonising death. I couldn’t even stomach the thought. I need to figure out a way out of this. If I say no to my mother she will have a back up plan, she’s always got a back up. I can’t tell my siblings that our mate is telling the truth without telling them how I know and that would surely end up with me daggered again. For the first time in my eternal life I have a reason to be alive and I won’t let anyone take it from me. 

Without saying anything I walk away back to my room. Anything I say right now will only bring more suspicion on to me and right now I need a plan.

[pessimisticshapewithablog]

Lamb OC: 'Woolhelmina' masterpost

Wilhelmina (english Guillaumine (lol))

"will helmet" or "willing to protect"

Woolhelmina's cult is one of safety and protection, the protection that her people never received.

Current design, it's changed a lot but I've slowed down iterating it. Her character is pretty cemented at this point.

Learn more about her below!

Backstory

 Woollamina is the twin sister of the canon lamb, Lambert. She was taken as a baby and raised Ratau on TOWWs command. Because she was a twin, is wasn't certain which of them was the prophesied Lamb, so TOWW ordered her to be taken and kept hidden. 'If she was not then at least she would be able to bear more lambs' was his reasoning. 

Lambert was left to their fate as decoy for the bishops to believe they'd killed the last lamb and prevented the prophecy from happening. Thus giving Woollamine time to grow and develop as TOWW's chosen vessel.

Mina's story revolves around her keeping her status as the God of Death hidden. She spent entire life serving TOWW but she never got to be a regular person. When he's "gone" she can actually start living her life. But then another thing stopped her. She's a god now, with new responsibilities and obligations.

Some magic stave designs

Vessel of Red Crown

 Mina saw TOWW as a secondary father figure rather than a god and sought his approval constantly. The reason she wears her wool in ringlets is because it's what she thought he would like. Having that much wool is actually dangerous for irl sheep and is a fire and drowning hazard. She's risking her safety and wellbeing for a crumb of his approval.

TOWW and the dynamic with his followers is one big unhealthy family lol. Ratau is the useful disappointment

Aym and Baal are the golden children who are sorta useless but TOWW favors them because they look the most like him.

Mina is the scapegoat only daughter who bears the brunt of the responsibility for freeing TOWW but gets none of the accolades. 

TOWW is the overbearing patriarch that everyone tries to please but he's too far up his own ass to see that they actually do care about him. He has a new 'family' of sorts that actually loves him to some degree but is too emotionally unavailable to acknowledge that. His failed sibling relationship caused him to keep his new 'found family' at an emotional distance.

Woolhelmina's Wool

The reason Woollamina grows her 'hair' and 'skirt' long is because she believed TOWW liked the way it looked on her. Specifically because he commented on it once when visiting him. It was during a particularly bad winter and Mina decided it was best to keep her wool long for extra insulation. Mina is a wensleydale sheep so her wool grew long already but she never kept it because wool is hot and heavy. TOWW rarely if ever made comments about anything not related to his goals of attaining freedom so his little remark meant alot to Mina.

 The thing is, having such long wool all the time is very dangerous for a sheep because it makes it hard for them to cool down and is a drowning hazard. Even though she can swim, her wool will weigh her down. I like to think of this as a reflection of her devotion to TOWW.

Wool Care

Because Woollamina's is a longwool breed, her wool requires special care to maintain its crimp and luster. She can't use soaps or shampoo on her wool as they would strip her skin and wool of its natural lanolin. She does use it sparingly to maintain proper hygiene, though.

Because of the extensive care that goes into her long, white wool and hairstyle, Mina is *very* hesitant to get dirty. Bathing excessively runs the risk of ruining her wool and drying completely, with all her wool takes days with magical assistance.

It's cold and damp, she has to dry it asap or risk fungas and unwanted plant growth. ( Seeds will readily sprouts on sufficiently moist wool, whether it's attached to a sheep or not lol.)

Most of, if not all, of Mina's clothes and bedsheets are made with silk to protect her wool from friction damage. (I'm thinking about adding silk bloomers to her wardrobe and fit. They are awesome for chub rub lol)

[dendrofiles]

explanations for my pcs and their titles :) insanely long yap below be warned

tws: violence, a dash of cannibalism towards the end :3

niko the shepherd: so i kind of directly lifted 'the shepherd' from the jules speech at the end of pulp fiction. this speech made me cry! hard! for quite a few days! and i think it relates nicely to niko trying to improve himself and stopping using retributive violence to solve all his problems. mans had a bit of a come-to-jesus moment after moving to the farm and 1) realizing that he wanted to grow up and actually build a life for himself and 2) accidentally killing one of remy's goons (one of the newer ones who only did it for the paycheck, furthermore!). so now niko's on his self improvement grind. plus the shepherd fits well with the farm :3

callie the siren: the title of 'the siren' is pretty ironic, honestly, bc callie's not trying to lure people. she's always accused of trying to distract people, or lead them astray, but she's really not. she's just existing. it's not her fault that people throw themselves at her. still, callie does what she must to survive, so she's fine playing the part. she doesn't mind being the it-girl. she'll be the madonna or whore, whichever people want. she didn't even mind it when she became a demon. everyone has a gaping void inside them, she thinks, this is just her way of filling it. callie's just... very apathetic to all the shit happening in dolsville lmao. so the siren is sort of a play on itself

augustine the lamb: no relation to the shepherd above lol. this one's pretty simple- he's agnus dei, the lamb of god. i can get more into augustine's lore later, because i have so many thoughts on this fucker, but in my heart he is the reincarnation of some ancient angelic being (haven't decided who yet) and he's always been meant to be a sacrificial lamb. he doesn't know how he knows this, but he just does. it's innate. augustine is fated to give his life to some greater purpose- and he fucking hates it. he's pure, but bitter. he's angelic, but damned. that's made all the more complicated by the fact that he's hopelessly in love with sydney!!! (dw there's no universe in which he gets a sad ending but still. the thrill of doomed yaoi is too good)

percy the gardener: so... eden is named eden. at some point i am going to do a post about eden and genesis 2-3 and how the original sin/the knowledge of good and evil relates to him, especially in connection to the lewdity of dolsville. i am normal and can be trusted with old testament analysis. but that's a story for another time and this is about PERCY. so, percy is the gardener because he's the one person allowed into eden's cabin, eden's life, into eden himself (in a metaphorical sense tho bc percy's got a poosay). he is sinless there. but... he is tempted. not by sex, he gets plenty of that, but by a different forbidden fruit. this boy... he likes meat a lot. his fox tf gives him a propensity towards eggs, but eden has also caught him scampering around the cabin in the middle of the night, covered in the blood of a bird or a deer or some other poor animal. his tastes have... started to spread to those of his own species too. yeah so this is the cannibalism part. he's not trying to eat eden- eden is way bigger than him so that would never work, plus eden is more than willing to let percy bite him a little. but when percy's in heat, and eden lets him ride, percy's definitely gonna wonder what he tastes like. like any sane person does. also,,, he's not actually gonna do it. he's too smart. his brain is just wired weird. blah blah blah cannibalism metaphor blah blah blah he's just a hungry lil guy.

percy section is long asf whoops!!! but oh well. i just was more felicitous in redacting some of the lore from the other sections but percy's took too much explanation to get at what i was trying to get at. i have a lot more to say about all of them though... especially augustine bc im having a religion kinda week. it's late i hope my screaming into the void makes any sense at all

[normiematsu]

concept for angel killer yumemi ^_^ the au i have thought the most about storywise! she's an angel in training who gets corrupted by choro. i made a playlist for it here that serves as a moodboard/audio version of the whole story when you listen to it chronologically! i need to type up a proper retelling of it and create real ref sheets but have some unformatted thoughts/minificlet below...

yumemi is an angel in training tasked with learning more about how humans live. unfortunately for her she ends up at choro's cathedral and he's immediately able to clock her as an angel. even more unfortunate is the interest he takes in her...

shes super trusting and willing to put aside any suspicions she has about choro since she likes him. gets scolded a lot for not being that great at hiding her own identity - what would everyone think if they saw her wings!! her halo!! humans aren't ready to handle that - so choro keeps her close by. she's like a lost lamb that dutifully follows him around the cathedral, never openly questioning the odd things that happen when they're out of sight from the congregation. she thinks there's a lot to learn from him, a man so willing to teach her about humanity, while not questioning how little he shares about himself...

eventually she figures out he's belphegor and despite feeling betrayed she abandons her mission and decides she's going to save him, no matter the cost! love always wins!! she genuinely thinks she can fix choro and he's like... "do you know who i am? what i am?" for a while lots of fighting ensues. shes not that strong though so all her threats fall on deaf ears, and he knows she doesn't have it in her to put her lance through his heart. (he kind of wishes she would tho, since he's a demented freak)

choro could kill her so easily. he's never met someone with so little common sense... he can't imagine her ever completing her mission or being in charge of anything important... so he decides to start up his own little game. testing the limits of how much he can get away with. before he knows it, he's already claimed her soul, not thinking of the consequences...

and then one night he gets too riled up and accidentally kills her during one of their fights. he didn't even mean to do it, honest! suddenly he's hit with the realization he wasn't quite ready for their game to end... he's toyed with keeping undead humans around before, but they never lasted long after reviving them. he's never resurrected an angel but he figures it's worth a shot trying. the result is... not quite what he was expecting.

he manages to get her revived, but not as an angel - she's some strange and twisted thing fresh out of purgatory. violent. bloodthirsty. she wants nothing more than to get revenge for what he's done! even in this state though she's not powerful enough to finish him off, not like she could anyway since he'd just regenerate... begging god for forgiveness gets her nowhere either. she's committed an unforgivable sin by abandoning her mission and knowingly pursuing a relationship with a demon.

choro takes great pride in telling her she wasn't his first plaything, but he didn't think she'd be his last - and now she's bound to him for eternity...

[anitalenia]

━━ ⁺˚⋆｡ WIPS °✩₊

ִֶָ ⊹ ۪ 𖥔 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬.°˖✧ 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑝𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑦 𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝐼’𝑚 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑙𝑦 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑛. ✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡ ˚

✩ ₊˚ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐍 ⊹♡

LLOYD HANSEN.

˖ ࣪⭑ no ordinary love , lloyds men were always looking at you or flirting with you behind lloyds back and he loved to rub it in their face that you were his anytime he got. he showers you with love and affection despite being a murderous sociopath.

˖ ࣪⭑ l’appel du vide , reader is an agent that is forced to work with lloyd and oversee the project they’re working on so he doesn’t ruin the whole thing. lloyd always picks on her and teases her. she thinks he’s “repulsive” and knows it would be unprofessional. a cat and mouse game, until lloyd finally traps her and she’s had enough of denying herself of what she really wants.

˖ ࣪⭑ all my love , reader is already with another man, but lloyd was her ex boyfriend. he’s been keeping tabs on her ever since they split up. her current boyfriend is trying to find lloyd and turn him in to the CIA ever since he became too much of a loose cannon. you can’t find it in yourself to turn him in or develop the case at all, still in love with the man. during another secret meeting fucking ensues.

˖ ࣪⭑ lady serenade , reader gives lloyd a lap dance and masturbates in front of him as he is tied to a chair. he was flirting with another girl, trying to manipulate her for the job ykyk, and reader didn’t like that, so she punishes him for it.

˖ ࣪⭑ veni, vidi, vici , lloyd would do anything for you, even if it meant killing anyone who laid eyes on you. one of lloyd’s men flirts with you because he’s dumb. you deny his advances, refusing to tell lloyd about the incident, knowing how possessive he got. but don’t worry, because lloyd knows, he always knows. lloyd has no choice but to fuck you in front of the man before killing him, claiming you in the best way he knew how.

˖ ࣪⭑ birthday bonding , bondage was one of your favorite things about sex. you told a girlfriend this, but lloyd being lloyd just so happened to oh-so-innocently overhear this. so, as the best gift you could’ve ever gotten, he decides to tie up for your birthday and give you all that you ever wanted.

˖ ࣪⭑ the lion and the lamb , lloyd has kidnapped you, the daughter of some useless guy he’s meant to kill. you were just way too hot to pass up. you’d been locked up for days, until lloyd unties your hands and you throw your chair on top of him. you even managed to escape him, running through the dark woods looking for anyone or anything that could help you. but not to worry, lloyd knows those woods inside and out, and he will get you back. he ends up finding you and fucking you against a tree.

˖ ࣪⭑ the sweetest sugar , lloyd has had a long day at work, dealing with his idiot subordinates and dodging death and whatnot. so, being the good housewife you are, you make him a lovely dinner for when he got home. lloyd, wanting dessert even after being so full, eats you out on the table like a man starved.

˖ ࣪⭑ after hours , lloyd was the ceo of the company, sure, but everyone knew you were the real boss of the operation. the brains behind the brawn. you were strong and independent, got on your knees for no man… except your husband, who had you kneeling under his desk with his cock down your throat.

˖ ࣪⭑ bloodbath , lloyd was always messy, and you were always cleaning up his messes. but this time, it was a total bloodbath and you didn’t have the patience to clean it up this time. so, lloyd takes the opportunity to fuck you on said mess, as he would, just to see how pretty the red made your skin look. for the first time in your life, you didn’t mind getting a little dirty.

˖ ࣪⭑ a captive audience , you and lloyd were never able to keep your hands off each other, especially at what seemed to be the worst of times. basically, you and him fuck in front of your tied up hostages… not much plot here lol

˖ ࣪⭑ when night comes , you were lycan!lloyds prisoner, and every full moon his rut hit him so much harder than usual… thank god you were always there to help. he kidnapped you, the daughter of a pesky hunter he had to get rid of.

˖ ࣪⭑ the sweet escape , you were the officer posted outside lloyd hansen’s cell. he was the prisoner in the white jumpsuit with a cocky smile and bad attitude. he always flirted with you, his pretty guard with the long pretty hair and big pretty eyes, how could he not? besides, you were too cute when you tried to hide your blush behind scoffs and snares. who would’ve thought that it would only take a library and a thunderstorm that would have you bent over a table for him?

˖ ࣪⭑ a thousand bad things (series) , you were on the run with claire and six, hiding from lloyd and the government who were after you. lloyd kidnaps you when you bargained your life for claire’s. eventually, you started to fall in love with the man, and he you. there was a thousand reasons why you shouldn’t love him, but you didn’t give a single damn about one.

COURT GENTRY.

˖ ࣪⭑ be my protector, be my love , six was your bodyguard, someone meant to protect you and rescue you and watch you. he wasn’t supposed to fall in love with you, see you as more than a target that needed protecting. but somehow he did. and you were no better off.

˖ ࣪⭑ a velvet unity , you and sierra six were paired up on a mission somewhere in brazil. all you were supposed to do was take down the target, retrieve the hard drive, then bring it back home. it was simple instructions; nothing the both of you hadn’t done several times before. it was so easy; you still weren’t sure where it all wrong. all you knew was that it was all his fault and it wasn’t yours. so, with the target gone and the mission busted for the day, you and six have no choice but to bunk up in a sleazy hotel for the night. and yes, folks, there was only one bed…

˖ ࣪⭑ the love we crave , reader is someone six goes to after a bad fight to get patched up / doctor!reader. they used to be something, not dating or anything, until the lloyd hansen thing happened and reader was almost killed by him. he hurt her, and she has a scar. so six stopped seeing her for a while in guilt and shame, believing she was better off without him. until he couldn’t take it anymore and he had to see her. very soft, yearning vibes.

˖ ࣪⭑ an envying eye , six and reader were something, not dating, but not just friends either. you and him are paired up on a mission in the lavishness of paris to take out a foreign player; he was smuggling military grade weapons to the U.S. in hopes of leading an uprising against the american government. you and six were sent to kill him during a grand party he was throwing before he could do that. men were flirting with you all night, and it didn’t help that you looked so fuckable in that dress of yours. after about a couple of hours of dealing with your games, six couldn’t take it anymore, dragging you to a room and showing you who you truly belonged to.

˖ ࣪⭑ heart for you , six was protecting you and claire after the events of lloyd hansen. you and him always had a thing brewing between the two of you, but it wasn’t until six takes you to a safe house does it finally boil over. — continuation of the six drabble

˖ ࣪⭑ pink in the night , reader is a bimbo who is dating six, who is also her bodyguard. she is sweet and dumb and spoiled, and six likes it that way. could be an anniversary fic, but six is just really sweet to you all day because he loves you so much, and ends up making love to you later that night.

˖ ࣪⭑ fall of angels (series) , you were an ex-sierra agent said to be dead, holding secrets about the cia you shouldn’t. after multiple attempts on your life, you were forced to move off the grid for your own safety, surviving off your own pathetic gardening skills and roasted squirrel. courtland was on the run with claire, being hunted by dangerous players you knew oh-so-well. if it wasn’t for fitzroy telling him of your ‘passing’, six would’ve never found you. so, together, you both have no choice but to run for your lives, trying to take down corrupted government figures all while trying to hide your feelings for each other. and trust me, they were strong.

˖ ࣪⭑ beloved loathing (series) , you worked in a similar position to lloyd hansen, someone who isn’t afraid to get a little blood on their hands. you always did the governments dirty work without question and as of late, that means cleaning up the mess lloyd hansen couldn’t. of course, you’ve dealt with worse things than sierra six, but he was proving more of a hassle to you than he was worth. you were supposed to kill him, he was supposed to kill you, but yet neither one of you could kill the other. It finally just got to the point of who was going to break first, and you weren’t sure how much longer you could hold on.

✩ ₊˚ 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐏𝐋𝐄 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐑 ⊹♡

SANTIAGO GARCIA ‘POPE’.

˖ ࣪⭑ femme fatale angel , you are a criminal, a woman dealing high grade weaponry to higher grade anarchists. he was a retired special forces operative dedicating his free time to catching people just like you. no matter what though, he could never find it in himself to turn you in. you were dangerous, seductive, cunning, used your wits to fool him time and time again. and he fell for it, time and time again.

˖ ࣪⭑ sweet as honey , your best friends father was ripe for his age, a beekeeper just as sweet as the honey he salvaged. you were always attracted to him, and with the way he always looked at you, you could only assume he wanted you just as much as you wanted him. so, what was supposed to be an innocent lesson in beekeeping ended up turning into something so much sweeter…

WILL MILLER ‘IRONHEAD’.

˖ ࣪⭑ long past dawn , you and will are forced to share a bed in some sleazy motel after a long day of recon. the bed is too smelly and will is so annoying… and a blanket hogger. of course, with any one bed trope sexual shenanigans are bound to ensue.

˖ ࣪⭑ babydoll , you were just a girly girl meant to live in lavish homes and velvet comforters, not the rough terrain of a rocky floor and itchy sleeping bag in a too-small tent somewhere in the middle of the woods. maybe you were spoiled, but will was nothing if not a giver, and when his head is buried between your thighs under the night sky and glowing stars you swore you were right back at home, laying on your bed taking everything he gave you.

˖ ࣪⭑ cool me down ft. benny miller (mini series) , will and benny were a strong firefighting pair, brothers in arms in their own right. you were the girl who jogged past their fire house every day in those too tight shorts and too cropped tank tops. they both wanted you, but it wasn’t until a cooking incident set fire to your kitchen did they get the nerve to talk to you. benny was easy to get along with, but will needed a little more encouragement…

˖ ࣪⭑ breaking dawn ft. benny miller (mini series) , will and benny are cowboys on their dads farm. you’re just a city girl doing research on the cowboy culture in the midwest. their father gladly let you stay as you did your paper, while will and benny taught you everything there was to know about taking care of a farm, a horse, a happy home. you just didn’t expect they’d be showing you to ride cock properly either… meh, in due time anyway.

˖ ࣪⭑ flood of rubies (series) , reader is a vampire, will a vampire hunter. you were fast and deadly, beautiful and haunting. and will being just a man was too weak to deny it after weeks of your capture; your smiles, your teasing, your beauty. loving you was wrong, he knew. he was supposed to turn you into the council, let you burn. but at the end of the day he was just a man, protecting the woman he loved.

BENNY MILLER.

˖ ࣪⭑ eyes on fire (requested) , being the only girl in the unit, you were constantly flirted with by the other soldiers, but none were as bad as your bunk mate, jameson. benny wasn’t the jealous type, just protective (he always said), but he couldn’t stand the way you were constantly preyed on. the boys teased him about it, but he didn’t seem to mind when you took benny aside and showed him exactly why he was the only one you wanted.

˖ ࣪⭑ ‘til death do us part (not even then) (requested) , benny plans to propose to reader, so he fake crashes his bike. not to worry, benny has been teaching her how to ride for a while now, and during an outing with the boys he fake crashes. when reader goes to help him up he gets on one knee and proposes to her. they end up having sweet sex at home to consummate their marriage early.

˖ ࣪⭑ heart of the ocean , benny is a lifeguard at a popular surfing beach. reader is with a group of friends but she doesn’t know how to surf, so benny saves her life when things go wrong. reader comes back the next day to thank him and he asks her out on a date. benny helps her learn to surf and they end up fucking on the beach during late hours when the tension became too much.

˖ ࣪⭑ cool me down ft. will miller (mini series) , will and benny were a strong firefighting pair, brothers in arms in their own right. you were the girl who jogged past their fire house every day in those too tight shorts and too cropped tank tops. they both wanted you, but it wasn’t until a cooking incident set fire to your kitchen did they get the nerve to talk to you. benny was easy to get along with, but will needed a little more encouragement…

˖ ࣪⭑ breaking dawn ft. will miller (mini series) , will and benny are cowboys on their dads farm. you’re just a city girl doing research on the cowboy culture in the midwest. their father gladly let you stay as you did your paper, while will and benny taught you everything there was to know about taking care of a farm, a horse, a happy home. you just didn’t expect they’d be showing you to ride cock properly either… meh, in due time anyway.

FRANK MORALES ‘CATFISH’.

˖ ࣪⭑ lolita , you were his best friends daughter, the girl he taught how to drive and how to cash a paycheck. yes, you were young once, but now you were all grown up, not the shy teenager he first met but now the strong woman with a place and car of your own. you were still young, younger than him, but he always admired the way you’d lick those lollipops of yours, just didn’t expect that you’d be on your knees doing it to him on his birthday… with your father cooking his burgers just a few feet away.

✩ ₊˚ 𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐒 ⊹♡

GHOSTFACE.

˖ ࣪⭑ follow you until you love me , ghostface followed you around a lot, stalked and spied on you and made sure no harm ever came to you. you were so beautiful; his little princess with her pretty pink room and pretty pink bow ties. you were so pure, and he couldn’t wait to ruin you.

MICHAEL MYERS.

˖ ࣪⭑ beg for it , he planned on killing you, but when you got down on your knees and said you’d do anything with those pretty tears in your eyes, he realized he could make you do anything to live. so, he pressed your cheek into the wall and made you beg for it, in more ways than one…

JASON VOORHEES.

˖ ࣪⭑ blood moon , it was supposed to be a normal camping trip with your friends at crystal lake, but when a masked man with a machete starts slaughtering them it seemed the trip had taken a turn for the worst. jason realized you were way too beautiful to kill though. yeah, you always read that the blood moon was a symbol for impending doom, but was it really so bad when jason’s thick cock was deep inside you?

✩ ₊˚ 𝐀𝐕𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐑 ⊹♡

˖ ࣪⭑ want you, want me , you were part of a research team in pandora, writing about their life, their habits, how they move, what they eat, etc. but there was a certain avatar there that you couldn’t stay away from. he was curious as to who you were, fascinated with how much smaller than him you were. he was a fighter, and was very cocky and self-assured, so odd for a na’vi. he’s kind of cocky because he knows how much he affects you. women na’vi in his tribe have tried to be his mate forever, but he just doesn’t pay attention to any of them, only you.

˖ ࣪⭑ all of me , you were in pandora to teach the natives the english language and how to communicate with humans and teach them about human culture. there was one native who was very touchy and proby, because he didn’t know you couldn’t just pull up a girls shirt. he’s very curious to learn about humans because you smelt so good. ykyk he wants to learn about the female body and both ya’ll urges kick in as you teach him.

˖ ࣪⭑ mamihlapinatapai , you were left to die by your team because they left pandora once the animals attacked them. you didn’t want to do bad things to their planet yada yada, so they left you behind for dead. a male na’vi finds you and takes you back to his place, where he helps you heal. ya’ll become closer during your time in their world. until he sees you washing in the river, until he sees you getting more male attention than he liked, it wasn’t until those things did he act on those primal urges you heard so much about.

✩ ₊˚ 𝐀𝐑𝐈 𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐎𝐍 ⊹♡

˖ ࣪⭑ sea foam , ari is a humble farmer in a bustling town, always looking to the beach for peace. one day, you wash up on shore looking radiant and glowing, a goddess on land. he took care of you, a gentleman. you came to earth looking for someone worthy, someone kind, and after a while you knew the person you wanted was right there with you all along…

✩ ₊˚ 𝐃𝐂 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 ⊹♡

BATTINSON.

˖ ࣪⭑ emerald city (series) , you were poison ivy, the mother of plants and the most tempting death batman had ever seen. after a spree of plant related killings in gotham city, batman enlists the help of poison ivy, his most beautiful enemy, to help him solve the crimes and bring the murderer to justice. of course, with all those days and nights spent together things were bound to blur the hazy line between hero and villain, love and hate…

BALE BATMAN.

˖ ࣪⭑

JOKER / DARK KNIGHT.

˖ ࣪⭑

SCARECROW.

˖ ࣪⭑ philematophobia , you were the patient in his asylum, he was the doctor that was unusually nice to you. it took a while, but eventually he started to coax you out of your shell, and that weird fear you had of getting close to people seemed to melt under the feel of his lips on yours.

✩ ₊˚ 𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐂. ⊹♡

˖ ࣪⭑ jewel of the sea (series) , you were a child when you first saw a pirate. you helped his wounds, for he was just a boy just as you were just a girl. you grew up having forgotten about that mysterious boy, until it was the day of your wedding, and a band of pirates ransack all the riches and kidnap the governors daughter. you assumed you forgot about that boy, until the captain of the ship you’ve been forced onto just looked so familiar to you…

˖ ࣪⭑ an angel like her to call my own ,

˖ ࣪⭑ how ardently I admire ,

˖ ࣪⭑ amateur hour ,

✩ ₊˚ 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐘 𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋 ⊹♡

NATSU DRAGNEEL.

˖ ࣪⭑ cold bodies, warm hearts , you and natsu are stranded in the brutally cold mountains of mt. hakobe on a dangerous mission. having no choice but to spend the night, the cold slowly becomes too much for your body to handle… good thing natsu was there to warm you up.

✩ ₊˚ 𝐉𝐔𝐉𝐔𝐓𝐒𝐔 𝐊𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐄𝐍 ⊹♡

RYOMEN SUKUNA.

˖ ࣪⭑ dragostea mea , every year the dragons came out of hiding to find their perfect mate. you’ve never been chosen nor have you ever participated; you liked it that way. until mating season comes around once more and sukuna, the dragon king, has his eyes set on you, the virgin princess, and he intends on making you his in every way possible.

˖ ࣪⭑ with love, pinkie & rose, this is the second part of all my lost love. a fic for how the relationship was after sukuna came back and how the both of you were adjusting. sukuna finds himself wanting to repeat old habits but he loves you too much to do so, and a couple cute moments.

˖ ࣪⭑ love as angels do ft. yuji itadori

˖ ࣪⭑ sin as devils do ft. yuji itadori

GOJO SATORU.

˖ ࣪⭑ caelestes amantes , your powers surpassed the great gojo satoru, so powerful even the students of jujutsu high refused to believe you were real, that a person could carry that much power. most people thought gojo would be jealous that he wasn’t the number one sorcerer like everyone thought him to be, but no. he was completely in love with you, his goddess.

˖ ࣪⭑ you know I’m no good ,

˖ ࣪⭑ let me love you ,

KENTO NANAMI.

˖ ࣪⭑ lovesick , you were just another love crazy patient at pearl gardens psychiatric hospital, nanami was the best psychiatrist there was. he didn’t necessarily like you at first. you were so childish and a cold blooded murderer, but he was so handsome and perfect, made for you. eventually, with a little persuasion and seductive manipulation nanami becomes just as obsessed with you as you were with him.

˖ ࣪⭑ pretty in your eyes , your boyfriend couldn’t make you cum. your dads best friend, kento nanami, takes matters into his own hands and shows you what it’s like to be fucked by a real man.

˖ ࣪⭑ bring me to life , you are a freshly turned vampire and nanami teaches you how to be one. you’re unable to control your bloodlust, so nanami teaches you about all the other ways you can curve your cravings. it does involve blood sharing and some freakiness 🥹

˖ ࣪⭑ when love lasts , you and nanami are in the process of divorcing, but in the meantime of waiting for him to sign the papers you end up seeing other men. when nanami finds out he shows you he’s the only man for you in more ways than one.

YUJI ITADORI.

˖ ࣪⭑ love as angels do ft. sukuna

˖ ࣪⭑ sin as devils do ft. sukuna

MEGUMI FUSHIGURO.

˖ ࣪⭑ singing the blues (requested) , megumi is very depressed because of his nightmares and doubts. he pushed you away, the girl he loved, because he didn’t want to drag you down with him. silly megumi, you were always there for him, he should’ve known a few mean words wouldn’t push you away…

MAHITO.

˖ ࣪⭑ from wence wicked blossoms bloom (requested) , you were always told never to leave the outskirts of charming, never to enter the dark wood. still, curiosity got the best of most, and most certainly you. you knew it was dangerous, but upon stumbling across a handsome man with white hair and wings to match you couldn’t find it in yourself to care. how stupid you were, for you had fallen right into his trap…

[hiswordsarekisses]

“Aunt Ruth, that clothesline hit me!” My little niece had been playing outside, not where she was supposed to be, when she ran straight into the clothesline pole, and she was still holding her head.

As we tried not to laugh, since we know the clothesline didn’t go chasing her around, we also know it can hurt!

But in truth, I’ve been my own worst enemy at times too. I have blamed God for things that really are my own doing.

That brought me to this verse:

���Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

I read it, and I liked it, but I find most of us are so busy resisting, we’ve missed out how to submit and why it’s so valuable.

Or we don’t believe in a devil at all, so we don’t even bother resisting.

For me, it’s more like I resist, then I think about submission, but I need to turn that around, because sometimes, I can be my own warrior. I can think the clothesline is hitting me!

I might call it spiritual warfare, when it’s really that I am not where I need to be in submission to God.

What made this clarifying to me was the word “Resist”.

In the Greek, it means to withstand, go against, don’t comply, oppose, abide, endure.

We see this as separate from the next instruction, when in fact we resist…..

BY our submission to God….against the Adversary.

How?

Thats in the very next words:

“Come close to God and He will come close to you.”

I like to picture this as a lamb choosing to walk close to the Shepherd, to protect itself.

The lamb knows it doesn’t have the power to protect itself, without the actions of the Shepherd.

So, the best place to be, is in close to the Shepherd.

I’m always amazed at people who call God out like He’s supposed to be their servant, while they either walk with the Adversary in reality, or they are doing their own thing, expecting God to just take care of them.

That’s not how that works.

This is a relationship.

To be able to stand against the Adversary, it’s imperative you abide…….with the Shepherd. And the quality of any sheep’s life, is in direct correlation, to the

Shepherd they follow.

Not all Shepherds are good.

But we are all shepherded by a Shepherd.

When we walk closely with God, in full submission to His Will and purpose, then we have the goodness of His protection and provision.

Submission is actionably a military term which literally means “to place one’s self under the authority of another, to ensure victory”. This is not only distinctively beautiful in our relationship with Christ, but also in marriage and other relationships.

It’s simple in words, but difficult in action.

Putting all of this together gave me such a liberation in my spirit! If we are already abiding with our Shepherd, in full submission to our Savior, how much easier it is to know, when the Adversary comes to us, we draw closer to Jesus.

Thats how we know what’s happening in a trial. If it makes us more like Jesus, then He is drawing us closer to Him.

If it makes us more self destructive or hurting others, it’s not Jesus.

When it is Jesus, we withstand whatever the Adversary has decided to use against us.

In our submission, we are resisting.

In our endurance, we are putting the Adversary in his place.

In our abiding, we are remaining….

close to the Good Shepherd.

Now the Shepherd may take us places that scare us at first, or grow and mature us. He may “prune” us as he shears away things we’re attached to at times.

But He will not harm us.

He will do us good.

We can trust Him.

The Good Shepherd loves His sheep.

The Adversary only desires to kill, steal and destroy us.

Truly, submission and abiding with the Good Shepherd, is the safest protection from the Adversary.

Trust Him fully to be our all in all.

Walk confidently in submission.

May victory be ours today.

~AnnStewartPorter

[seyaryminamoto]

The Shadows in her Reflection: Sokkla Saturdays 2023

Day 5: Fire

Rated: M

On FF.net//On AO3

A/N:

Recent developments in ATLA's canon have basically decreed that this canon/comics-compliant fic is, of course, no longer canon/comics-compliant. This is no surprise to anyone, I'm sure. It's not even that the changes were huge, they weren't, but there's certainly one important difference between this story and the comic that I'd like to... talk about, I guess?

Azula's Kemurikage group, the Fire Warriors, what have you, have always been an awkward team due to the absolute lack of personality, development and fleshing out of how, exactly, they ever ended up working together. Azula broke them out of the asylum: why did they follow her afterwards? No one knows. Did she get along with any of them? No one knows. Everything is a huge question mark and, unfortunately, the new comic basically did nothing to answer these questions. Instead, it twists them even more by featuring the team being perfectly normal, adjusted, decent individuals while Azula is the only one who is a terrible, no-good person. This invites new questions: why were they in the asylum at all if there's no sign of mental illness or any unusual behavior in these people? Were they locked up under false pretenses of mental illness? If so, that should be fleshed out a bit more, right? Maybe being sent to an asylum when they were 100% okay, mentally speaking, is what makes people like them crave vengeance against the system!

... But that's not really how it reads, and it ends up proposing an interpretation of these characters that I frankly can't describe as anything but shrugworthy. Somehow they're not competent enough to avoid capture but they're competent enough to break free their imprisoned member, without Azula's help...? It's all too convenient, I'd say.

Point of all this is... the Zirin I wrote in this chapter was very much written over a month ago, probably two months ago instead. The character I decided to portray was not going to be a perfectly normal cute girl who loves her friends, because someone with that kind of personality doesn't make a lot of sense joining rogue Azula's terrorist group, if you ask me. I've constantly used Zirin's only line at Yang's hands to decide how to portray her, in which she comes off as brash, harsh, impatient, goal-oriented and willing to defy Azula. In this story, I've granted her a certain unique danger as a firebender that clearly is of my invention and has nothing to do with her canon portrayal. I'm saying all this to make it very clear that I understand how different this character turned out to be in the newest comic, and I acknowledge those differences... but I'm not rewriting this chapter, or this whole story, just to make a terrorist gang look like innocent little lambs who were just guided by a bad shepherd. If they could walk away as easily as they did, I don't understand what was keeping them with Azula in the first place.

Anyway. That would be that, as far as author's notes are concerned here. Hope you guys enjoy the chapter!

A tense silence hung in the air as Azula's placid mood shifted rapidly: she glared at her brother, whose golden gaze carried a mercilessness in it that starkly reminded her of someone else… someone he would do best not to try to imitate in any way.

That cruelty diminished when he turned his attention towards Ursa: his brow drew together slightly, puzzled by her presence around Azula, but he stepped towards her, reaching a protective hand to his mother's shoulder, as though to reel her to safety, away from his sister.

"I didn't know you were here…" Zuko said, his voice softer now. "Are you okay? Did she do anything to you?"

"She… no! Of course not!" Ursa exclaimed, startling Azula by her vehement, firm response. Zuko froze, eyes wide – the last thing he'd known about their bond, of course, was that Azula wanted to kill her own mother…

"W-well… good, then," Zuko said, still urging Ursa to pull away from the table she had been sitting at with Azula…

She didn't move.

"Mom?" Zuko frowned, glancing at Azula with eyes that turned from confused to accusatory in a heartbeat – he thought she'd done something to twist his beloved mother's mind, did he? As usual…

"What is the meaning of this?" Ursa huffed, shaking Zuko's hand off and folding her arms across her chest. "What do you think you're doing, Zuko?"

"What…?" Zuko scowled. "Mom, it's Azula! She's a hazard to your safety, to everyone's safety! You knew that, you've known that for years, she's been causing unnecessary trouble and chaos all across the Fire Nation and…!"

He faltered, frowning more heavily as the utterly confusing situation started to sink in: Azula… sitting placidly at a table with their mother. No screaming, no crying, no accusations, no murder attempts…

He froze on the spot, staring at Azula as though she'd suddenly twist herself into some manner of wicked spirit that could shapeshift as it pleased. Naturally, no such thing happened.

"And she's your sister. My daughter," Ursa said, firmly. Azula's heart jolted upon hearing her speak those words with such confidence. "And you? As far as I've understood, you issued out actual wanted posters asking for her death, Zuko? Did you, truly?"

For once, Zuko paled and backed down. It was almost amusing to see the Fire Lord balking over his mother's fury… but Azula couldn't help but dread whatever Zuko's ultimate reaction to this apparent betrayal might be.

"I… look, I've learned since then that I was wrong in some of my assumptions, but I only did that because it looked like she had kidnapped Sokka!" Zuko exclaimed. "Which… damn it. Guards! Search for Sokka in the rest of the house. Is he here, or did you ditch him somewhere when you had no use for him anymore?"

His snarl towards Azula displeased Ursa, but Azula wouldn't simply hide behind her mother throughout this conversation. Instead, she smirked at his words.

"What makes you think I'd find no more use for him?" she said. "He's a rather helpful ally…"

"What the hell did you do to him? How did you get into his head?" Zuko huffed, glaring at her. "Sokka wouldn't have teamed up with you willingly, leaving his sister to think you'd have kidnapped or killed him…!"

"I was led to believe that he'd written a letter to explain he was leaving. If she overreacted to it? That's no fault of his…" Azula shrugged. Zuko scoffed.

"Everything about Sokka's disappearance was fishy as hell! And then I find out that the two of you have been traveling all over the place, trying to shake off pursuit…!"

"That's not what we were doing," Azula said, hands on her hips. "At least, not at first. We certainly had to put more effort into shaking it off once you and your unhelpful guards turned up, but we weren't always shaking off annoyances, that's for sure…"

"None of this makes a smidge of sense," Zuko said, glaring at her. "But whatever you've deceived him with, whatever nonsense you've done to manipulate him, it's over now: we either do this the good way or the bad way, Azula."

Azula scowled: the guards near Zuko were ready to chain her down, were they? Never again. Whatever she had to do to stop them from…

"Absolutely not!"

Azula froze: again, Ursa's demeanor and determination to protect her caught her off guard, much as it did Zuko.

Then, that surprise increased all the more when her mother clasped her hand, urging her to stand behind her… offering herself as a shield to the disbelieving Azula, as a wall to overcome for the utterly aghast Zuko.

"Mom! W-what are you doing?!" Zuko exclaimed: the guards behind him, whether brandishing weapons or shackles, hesitated to move now.

"I'm doing what I have to do! What you're making me do, I'd dare say!" Ursa declared. "What do you think you're doing, treating your sister this way? I don't care what terrible things you think she has done, she's your sister! Stand down and tell those guards to put aside those horrible shackles!"

"Mom… come to your senses. Whatever she's told you…!" Zuko said, pleadingly. Ursa snarled.

"She has told me the truth! She has been honest, human, real, in ways most people refuse to be around me, these days!" Ursa exclaimed, startling Zuko. "I… I have a chance, for once, to do right by Azula and you will never persuade me not to take it! Whatever you intend to do to her, you'll do it to me first! Be it imprisonment, or moreover, execution!"

"Mom!" Zuko's eyes were struck with utter horror… whereas Azula's widened with amazement: could her mother truly be that courageous when she wanted to be? That was a rather pleasant surprise. If Zuko had been Ozai, he would have laughed in her face and subjected her to the exact treatment she had demanded…

"You are a better man than this," Ursa declared, firmly. "I know you are. So either you listen to me now and stand down… or you're losing me, just as much as you're willing to lose Azula."

That threat, evidently, didn't sit well with the Fire Lord: he glared at Azula in confusion, in horror… did he think Azula had taken Ursa from him? If he hadn't grown up at all, he might just believe that. Azula truly wondered if he might conclude something like that…

"You don't have to…" Zuko said, staring at Ursa in chagrin. "Why are you doing this? Mom…"

"Because it was about time I did," Ursa said, fists tight. "I've never been the mother she deserves. I never have been the one you deserve, either… but even if she doesn't truly need me, it won't change that I finally know what I want to do, and who I want to be, now that I can be part of her life anew. I never imagined the first person I'd have to defend her from would be you, Zuko… but I'm not afraid to do it."

Zuko stepped back, confused betrayal plain across his features: to this day, he prized the approval of those he admired and loved far more than would ever be healthy, Azula suspected. He didn't know what to do, or how to react to the possibility that his sister would have anyone on her side anymore… let alone that the person standing with her would be none other than his mother.

But the gravity of the situation didn't sink in properly for him. No, it couldn't possibly do that… not after a rather unflattering scream pierced their ears, drifting from the direction of Sokka's room.

"Sokka…!" Azula gasped: had he still been resting? Oh, she hoped he had at least been about to come out for breakfast by the time the soldiers stormed the room…

Naturally, Sokka's luck wouldn't favor him: he pulled the covers up to his chest, bashful and confused when several guards barged into the room, hands raised in defensive katas until they flinched out of form over what they found.

"W-what the hell is this?!" Sokka squealed. "Get out! Go away! W-where did all of you even come from, what…?!"

Heavier footsteps down the corridor marched straight to the room: Sokka had no time to prepare himself, or hide better under the bed, when Zuko marched in, unceremoniously.

He froze on the spot, face paling, upon finding Sokka's upper body appeared to be bare.

"W-what…? Sokka?!" Zuko squealed.

"Zuko! You… you can't just invade someone's privacy this way!" Sokka squealed, cheeks flushed as he struggled to find any way out of this predicament.

"Y-you're just… asleep? You didn't even notice we were raiding the place…?!" Zuko exclaimed… eyes drifting around the room warily to find clothing items scattered all around. His eyebrow twitched at the sight of a very evident male undergarment… "Sokka?"

"Yes?" Sokka said, with a small voice.

"Are you naked under that sheet?" Zuko asked, a dangerous glint in the harshness of his glare. Sokka winced. "You… you were naked, in a house with my mother and my sister?! That's what's going on, you idiot?!"

"I…! I…!" Sokka struggled to come up with anything to say, anything at all: he couldn't possibly fight Zuko off like this, he had no weapons at hand, for they were in his actual room… for this was Azula's, actually. Half the clothes scattered around were hers…

Zuko might notice that sooner than later. If he did, he'd realize he had slept with Azula, and then Sokka would be dragged out of here and paraded as a heathen all across town for inappropriate behavior… well, perhaps the townsfolk wouldn't really judge him for that, considering the previous day's festival, but Zuko would certainly judge him non-stop for it. He might even declare him a criminal in the Fire Nation for desecrating the Princess's virtue, as estranged as she might be from her family…

Said Princess, however, suddenly burst into the room, pushing past her brother and startling Sokka with her arrival, welcome as it might be, even if it terrified him too. It suddenly crossed his mind that she would have been better off running away, out of Zuko's reach, out of sight… he would capture her otherwise. She wouldn't be safe…

And yet she seemed to be here to protect him, instead.

"No need… to kick up a ruckus," Azula said, spreading her arms in a defensive gesture as she stood between Sokka and Zuko, without sparing even a glance over her shoulder at her lover. "Sokka is just… unrefined that way!"

"He… you're not telling me that you two have been traveling together for months and he's been constantly sleeping naked near you, are you?!" Zuko squealed, his face a mask of disgust. Azula gritted her teeth as she sought to spin her lie far better than she had…

"I only do it in the Fire Nation!" Sokka suddenly exclaimed, picking up her slack when she faltered briefly. "It's… way too hot around here! So, I just wanted to sleep comfortably and I did it this way! Nothing more to it!"

"Oh, really? And my sister and my mother being here didn't deter you from acting like a creep?!" Zuko asked. Azula scoffed as Sokka processed now that Ursa was back already…

"How do you know that neither me nor Mother do the same thing in the privacy of our rooms?" Azula asked. Zuko yelped. "The three of us might just have a perfect understanding when it comes to preferences in attire, or lack thereof, during nighttime, and we can very well keep… proper, respectful boundaries, in those instances. Such as not barging into other people's rooms without at least knocking first."

"Y-you…" Zuko grimaced, glaring at Sokka with disgust again. Sokka smiled, waving at him, still holding the sheet to his chest. "You have a lot to answer for, Sokka. I mean it."

"Yeah, yeah, well, unless you want me to answer it with my business hanging out in plain sight, I suggest we discuss that later," Sokka smiled awkwardly. Zuko winced, shaking his head in disgust as he turned around.

"Everyone, out! Sokka, get dressed, and come out here to answer for this mess!" Zuko bellowed. "And if you try to run away, I'll… I'll hunt you down all over again! Understood?"

"Geez, fine, damn it, so loud and authoritarian…" Sokka sighed, shaking his head: Zuko shot him one last glare over his shoulder before stepping out of the room. The guards followed… and Azula lingered behind, even though they kept watching her from the corridor, in case either one did anything dangerous. Sokka smiled sadly at her, and Azula responded in kind.

"He just barged in a while ago. Don't even know how he found us yet, but…" Azula said. Sokka sighed. "Go on, get dressed. I have no idea what's going to happen next, but… at least Mom seems to be keeping Zuko at bay, mostly."

"Heh. Come to think of it, he's one hell of a momma's boy, isn't he?" Sokka smirked. Azula smiled at his statement. "You have a reliable ally in Ursa, if she meant what she said yesterday… though I'm surprised she's already here."

"She came by early. Tried to cook. Didn't really go so well," Azula explained. "Anyway, so far she's on our side, and we might just be safe, to a fault, for as long as she is. So… dress up and get ready for anything. I don't know what Zuko's going to react like, going forward."

"Okay… okay," Sokka nodded. Azula nodded back, wistfully gazing at him before walking through the doorway and marching away – she would have gladly kissed him, helped him dress up, but not under those guards' watchful glares.

They hadn't really talked about keeping their relationship secret, but it seemed an obvious decision to do so, particularly when they hadn't truly settled the terms of their dynamic yet. It was difficult to label it as anything specific, after all. By the time they decided on those things, they'd also decide on whether to keep matters quiet still, or be entirely open about what they meant to each other…

After around ten minutes – Sokka had to dress in his same clothes from the previous night, to then return to his actual room and change into a proper, clean outfit there –, the Water Tribesman returned to the kitchen area, where the Fire Nation Royals remained at a standstill. The guards had backed off out of the room, providing them with more privacy than before. Zuko glared pointedly at Sokka, who held his hands up defensively.

"No need to be so cranky, Zuko. Curses, you'd think I took a dump on your favorite portrait or something," Sokka huffed.

"Heh. Might as well do it if he keeps treating you that way, at least you'd earn the scowls fair and square," Azula smirked at him. Sokka snorted, shaking his head as he laughed at her remark.

"You two…" Zuko snarled, as Sokka fastened his hair into its proper wolf's tail.

Azula bit her lip as she watched him, probably more shamelessly than she should have. The way his muscles flexed… and curses, as used as she had become to seeing him with his hair down as they traveled, as shocked as she had been by how well it complemented his features, now she realized the attraction she had experienced towards him hadn't diminished in the least now that his hair was tied up again.

"What?" Sokka pouted, hands on his hips once he was done fixing his hair. "Got a problem with my, uh, partnership with Azula?"

"What the hell are you even partners for?!" Zuko squealed. "Sokka, come back to your senses, can you? Mom, well, she's Mom! She's protecting her kid, but you? What do you get out of all of this?"

"Me?" Sokka started: the immediate, obvious answer could not be spoken. He felt Azula's keen stare on him, and his cheeks flushed as he struggled how to convey something that wouldn't set off Zuko any more than he already was…

"And you!" Zuko scoffed, glaring at Azula next. "Of all people, you… joined up with Sokka. Sokka! You two are… well, not the biggest mismatched pair of all time because you clearly are thrilled to be terrible influences on each other, as your last exchange proved…!"

"Come on, now, I'm far worse for him than he ever could hope to be for me…" Azula said, bringing Sokka to smile fondly at her.

"Point is, you two used to not want anything to do with each other and I'm not exactly aware of when the hell that changed," Zuko growled. "Or why, for that matter."

"Uh… you wouldn't believe it, I think, if we explained," Sokka swallowed hard, glancing at Azula with uncertainty. She sighed.

"Promise you won't drag me by the hair to the asylum or anywhere of the sort if we do explain…?" Azula said. Ursa, beside her, winced.

"He won't do any such thing to you. He can't. And if he ever tries to take you elsewhere, I'll see to stopping him," Ursa said. Zuko flinched: Ursa being on his sister's side was devastating, infuriating, even…

"Mom…" he said, pleadingly.

"The thing is, I… have been seeing visions of someone," Azula said, with a dry grin. "Someone Sokka was close to. And it's not just random visions, but a strange, mysterious, deeper connection than that…"

"The hell are you talking about?" Zuko grimaced. Sokka sighed.

"Azula is connected to Yue," he said. Zuko's eyes widened, and he turned his attention to Sokka again.

"What? Yue? The girlfriend who turned into the moon?" Zuko asked, confused. "Wait. Azula? What the hell did you do?! Is that weird thing with the moon darkening or fading from the sky your fault?!"

"Right! Because I'm so damn powerful that I can annihilate the moon altogether, isn't that right?" Azula said, with a sardonic smile. Sokka stepped forward, placing a placating hand on Zuko's shoulder.

"Azula didn't do anything intentionally. We don't actually understand what happened to the moon. As far as Yue explained to her, a comet crashed into it somehow and maybe that's what started all this," Sokka said. Zuko scoffed.

"And how do you know it's really Yue?" Zuko nearly squealed. "She could be tricking you!"

"Right! Let's see: did you ever tell your sister about Yue?" Sokka asked. Zuko frowned. "My relationship with Yue wasn't exactly public knowledge, you know? Only a handful of people were aware of it, mostly people close to me, and the only one among those people who has frequently crossed paths with Azula is you. How did she know Yue and I had anything going on if none of you told her, huh?"

"I… don't know! Azula has ways of figuring things out! She's smart in… messed up ways!" Zuko huffed, shaking a hand in Azula's direction. The Princess rolled her eyes and drew the mirror from her pocket.

"No doubt I'm smart enough to know exact details about how Sokka flirted by asking to do 'an activity' with Yue, huh?" Azula said. Sokka blushed a little, though he smiled fondly at the embarrassing memory.

"An activity?" Zuko repeated. "Is that some kind of… innuendo?"

"What? No! Get your head out of the gutter!" Sokka winced, lightly shoving Zuko for his remark. "Seriously, dude, we were just kids! I had no idea what I was doing, so I said something dumb and silly and… it's endearing, damn you! That's all it was!"

"Yue certainly agrees," Azula smiled. Sokka grinned back at her, and Zuko brought a hand to his forehead.

"All I'm getting out of this is… she figured out your weakness. And she's manipulating you through it," Zuko said, with a dry grin: both Sokka and Azula glared at him, unamused by his assumption.

"You really underestimate Sokka's mind that much?" Azula said. "Tell me again, why are you friends with my brother, exactly, Sokka?"

"If he keeps that up, maybe I won't be one for much longer," Sokka grumbled. "You know what? Azula! Did I ever tell you about what Zuko did in the North Pole?"

"Uh… no. I kind of forgot he was there for the siege, come to think of it," Azula said, raising an eyebrow. "Mustn't have been very impactful if I can't remember any reports of anything noteworthy he did…"

"More like he did something incredibly stupid that he most likely doesn't want us to bring up…" Sokka said, staring at Zuko sternly. Zuko grimaced.

"Look, I was another person back then…!"

"Ask Yue to tell you, Azula. Go on," Sokka said.

Azula blinked blankly, glancing at the mirror. Yue grimaced.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine. My brother's on the verge of a nervous breakdown, maybe, but I'm alright," Azula said. Yue smiled warmly. "Did you hear the question?"

"I did, and I… I do remember what happened. It's not very flattering for your brother, though…"

"Any unflattering stories about Zuzu are worth his weight in gold," Azula declared. Zuko snarled at her, but her attention remained on the mirror. "Go on, tell me."

With that, Yue began her retelling. Zuko glared at her as Azula raised her eyebrows slowly.

"She says… she was with Katara when the Avatar started meditating in the oasis," Azula began. Zuko's eyes widened. "Says she panicked about Aang crossing over suddenly, he was glowing and all… and that's when Zuko showed up. Huh. Apparently, you mocked Katara and said she was a 'big girl now' because she was confident that she could protect the Avatar by herself?"

"Woah, woah, woah… you said WHAT to my sister?!" Sokka squeaked. "I didn't know that part!"

"I…!" Zuko's cheeks reddened: Sokka hadn't been there to hear that, it was true…

"That is incredibly inappropriate. Shame on you, Zuzu," Azula said, before focusing on the mirror again. Sokka's eyebrow twitched as he stared down his friend ruthlessly. "Alright, then… Yue says she left, but Katara explained later that you defeated her once the sun rose and then took Aang forcibly even though they weren't supposed to move his body at all, so he'd know where to return once he came back. Why was he going to the Spirit World to begin with…? Uh… oh. Huh. He wanted to get help from spirits to defeat the Fire Nation forces, then. Anyway, after that… Katara, Yue and Sokka flew on Appa to find you, because you ran off through the tundra. They found you by some cave and… heh. Yue says Katara beat you in a single move. Nicely done."

"That was very gratifying to see," Sokka said, with a dry grin. Zuko groaned, covering his face with a hand.

"And after that… you and Katara wanted to leave Zuko to freeze to death?" Azula asked, glancing at Sokka in disbelief. "Yue… apparently had no opinion on the matter. Aang's the only reason why Zuko didn't actually just… wow."

"Let's just say, months of being chased by someone makes you very unfriendly towards them," Sokka said. "But you know what's funny, Zuko? I actually regret having said that nowadays. Even if I know why I did it, and I don't think there was any way I wouldn't have, under those circumstances… ultimately, I'm glad you survived. I'm glad you're here, and that we became friends when we did."

Zuko eyed him with uncertainty, aware already that Sokka was going down a rather unpleasant road with that particular reasoning…

"So, as hard as it can be for you to fathom that maybe someday you'll look back on your relationship with your sister and feel the same way about it? I can guarantee that I already reached that stage," Sokka said, arms folded over his chest. "She's the real deal. She's not lying to me, I know she's not. That's Yue in her mirror, in her reflections, in her dreams… it is her. And we're traveling together so we can help Yue see all the sights and places she never could while she was alive, so she can experience the cycle of the seasons, all those things!"

"Right," Zuko grunted, his eyebrow twitching. "And what happens after Yue's had her fill? Do we go back to terrorism, Azula?"

"I…" Azula gritted her teeth, and Sokka scoffed. "I know it's hard to believe I don't intend to do that, but I… won't do that. Not anymore."

"You really don't need to talk to her that way, damn you," Sokka huffed.

"It's going to take a while to convince you of anything, I know it will, but…" Azula said, breathing deeply. "I don't feel the need to do that sort of stuff nowadays. And yes, that doesn't fix all the chaos I caused…"

"You messed with Uncle Iroh not that long ago!" Zuko exclaimed. Azula winced, and Sokka snorted.

"Come on, now. What she did there wasn't terrorism, it was… a prank," he said, with a shrug.

"A surprisingly tame and yet amusing one, at that," Ursa agreed. Azula grimaced, eyeing her mother with uncertainty.

"Here I thought you'd found it terrible too…" she said. Ursa huffed, shaking her head with certainty.

"Zuko is concerned, or should be, about things that endanger the Fire Nation," she said. "I hardly see how a playful, if ill-spirited prank, could achieve that."

"Don't make excuses for her!" Zuko groaned. "Mom…!"

"Making excuses?" Ursa asked, raising her eyebrows. "Do tell… what did you do, exactly, when I told you about how my terrible, no-good choices had resulted in your father treating you as poorly as he did?"

Zuko froze. Ursa smiled sardonically.

"I told you I was unforgivable. You said you disagreed. You made excuses. You said I had no choice," she said.

"But that's different…!"

"Yes: what I did to you and your sister was far worse than what Azula did to Iroh," Ursa finished. Zuko groaned. "So, for that matter…"

"Why the hell are you both so determined to protect her from me?" Zuko exclaimed, looking at them helplessly. "When did I become the bad guy in this situation?"

"Why, I would gladly say you're not… but you certainly pushed your tiles to that corner when you issued out wanted posters calling for her to be caught dead or alive," Ursa said. Zuko winced.

"Well, I don't really want her dead! I just don't want her endangering anyone, simple as that!"

"You just saw she's not doing that right now, so for that matter, you can just as well leave the way you came," Sokka said. Zuko scoffed.

"Your sister's worried sick about you," Zuko said. Sokka winced. "And you have a lot of answers to give her too. Me? I'd rather focus on my own sister, but if you would be so kind and go back to Republic City, talk to Katara and Aang, and tell them what's going on…"

"Yeah, no. I'm not leaving Azula," Sokka said, firmly. Her cheeks flushed upon hearing his certainty. Zuko snarled.

"If you don't trust me to be reasonable with her, at least trust that my mother will keep me in check!" Zuko exclaimed. "Besides…! Why the hell are you standing up for her like this? Why are you so sure that you're making the right choice here? Sokka…"

"Do you really think you know the first thing about Azula?" Sokka asked. Azula scowled.

"If he doesn't, you're not about to start giving things away, now, are you?" Azula scoffed. Sokka shrugged.

"Nah, but… I'm just saying, he doesn't understand how I spent months with you, does he?" Sokka said. "And not only do we not hate each other after all that, we're getting along great! At least, on the most part."

"What's that supposed to mean? In what regards do you not get along…?" Zuko scowled. Sokka ignored him.

"My point is, if your own brother has no idea why I'm protective of you, maybe that's the very reason why I should be," Sokka said. Azula raised an eyebrow. "I'm not letting anything bad happen to you."

"Nor will I," Ursa said. Zuko snarled, rubbing his brow in frustration.

"What makes anyone think I'm going to…? Ugh!" he growled, shaking his head in disbelief. "I still don't understand how exactly I'm the bad guy here, but have it your way!"

"Zuko…" Azula called him, earning herself a resentful glare. "If I agree to go with you for questioning, or whatever you want from me… what would my status be, exactly? Would you deem me your prisoner, or…?"

"I…" Zuko gritted his teeth: evidently, affirming that last question would be utterly stupid. But what would she be, if not a prisoner? He sighed, shaking his head. "You'd be… an honored guest. That's what."

He spoke the words with poorly contained bitterness. Azula sighed, hands on her hips as Ursa scrutinized her son intently.

"Whatever you intend to inflict upon her, you'll subject me to it first," Ursa said. Zuko pouted. "I figured I'd remind you of that. But if Azula is an honored guest, I'll probably be pleased with my own treatment too."

Zuko snarled, rubbing his brow with his fingertips and shaking his head. Even the sight of her son in apparent distress didn't change Ursa's tune.

"Whatever. I… I'll wait for you outside. Get your things, if you have any. You're coming back to the Palace with me. Guests," Zuko reiterated, with a dry grin, before turning on his heels and leaving the room – clearly, he needed some time to himself to stew over the shocking betrayal of seeing his mother taking Azula's side to that extent.

"Well, that wasn't a total disaster. Almost, but not in the end," Sokka said, smiling awkwardly before turning towards Azula. "You okay?"

"I'm… I'm fine. Which is not what I expected to say after being face-to-face with Zuko again," Azula admitted, raising her eyebrows. She turned towards her mother, who still seemed slightly displeased… "You didn't have to go that far…"

"What, you mean by telling him he'd have to do to me anything he did to you?" Ursa asked. "Considering that was what it took for him to restrain that hostility… I suspect I did have to."

"Heh," Azula said, with a weak grin. "You might just have lost your mind slightly, then."

"Maybe it's Zuko who did," Sokka said. "We're, uh, going with him? You sure? I mean, even if I know it wouldn't be the nicest thing to do, we could run away now…"

"No. I think running now would seal my fate, who knows if yours too, as an enemy of the Fire Nation," Azula said. "If this is the first and only time that I'll have a chance to settle things with Zuko, I'd do best to take it."

"Well, if you say so. But I'm standing by you through and through," Sokka said, stubbornly. Azula smiled at those words, perhaps more fondly than she should have.

"You'd better hold some of that back. He's going to start, well… suspecting that you weren't sleeping like that just because the weather is too warm," Azula said, cheeks flushing. Sokka winced, eyes flickering towards Ursa warily. She eyed them with a knowing grin.

"Well, that's for the two of you to discuss. I'm sure you'll figure out a plan on what to do, going forward," Ursa said. "I'll keep an eye on Zuko and make certain that he's not combusting over this. Go gather your things. Mine are at the inn, after all… oh, but finish the mochi at least before we go, Azula. They're edible, if nothing else is…"

"And Zuko cut me off just as I was having them… that's a bigger crime than any I ever committed," Azula groaned, eyeing her guilty pleasure sweets with longing.

"What about you?" Sokka asked Ursa. "You'll eat something, or…?"

"I'll make Zuko's staff feed me, why not?" Ursa smirked. "It's still early anyway. I'll have them set up proper breakfasts for the two of you later. Maybe I'll even stay and watch how they make the meals, that way, once we're on the road again after Zuko lets us go, I'll be able to cook some food…"

"You… w-wait, what?" Sokka blinked blankly. Ursa raised an eyebrow.

"Oh. Uh. Well, you'll have to discuss that first," she said, with an awkward grin. "I'm sure you'll want to have a say upon that. I'll just… go now."

"Right…?" Sokka watched Ursa walk away with confusion… but he turned his eyes on the blushing Azula before the woman was out of sight. "I guessed I'd missed a lot of things, but that's a bit more than I expected. What was that?"

"Well… we talked. It's probably the best conversation I've ever had with her," Azula said. "I never really thought she might be plagued by her own set of troubles, truth be told. It seems she's a little lost in life, too. Might be expected for someone to feel that way, after having two lives to conciliate into one…"

"Might be," Sokka agreed, nodding. "And after getting to understand her better, does she understand you a little better too?"

"I think my outburst from last night saw to that," Azula sighed, leading Sokka back to the corridors where the rooms were. "I, uh… I'm sorry I blew up as I did. I may have inflicted a lot more strife upon you both than I should have."

"I wouldn't call it that," Sokka said, eyeing her with heartfelt compassion. "I'm sorry too, I kind of antagonized you and pushed too hard when we were alone later too…"

"I'm glad you did," Azula said. Sokka raised his eyebrows. "Though you're starting to grow a little too good at understanding whatever I need, whenever I need it. It's, uh… disconcerting."

"Heh. It's always nice to know I'm surprising you in a good way," Sokka grinned. Azula smiled back at him. "But… you really seem calmer now. Was it Ursa, or…?"

"Actually… it was Yue."

Sokka froze, uncertain of what those words meant. Azula, however, smiled as she shook her head in his direction.

"Does it ever bother you, being right about things as often as you are?" she asked. Sokka blushed slightly.

"About… which things?" he asked.

"She doesn't hate me for… well, us. She actually… asked me what sleeping with you had been like, the utter weirdo," Azula laughed. Sokka smiled, cheeks flushing further upon hearing that. "I apologized, but she… she didn't need apologies. She didn't feel betrayed. She said she loved you… and that she loved me, too."

Sokka's eyes widened, though his heart soared upon hearing that: of course Yue would love Azula. Of course she would have grown to see what he had, surely far earlier too…

"Seems like she really just wants us to be happy together, so… guess we'll have to figure out how to achieve that, huh?" Azula smiled teasingly at him. Sokka chuckled, shrugging.

"I'm sure we have an idea or two on how to start," he said, stepping closer and taking her face into his hands.

This time, Azula was aware of the weight of Yue's mirror in her pocket. She didn't draw back from Sokka's kiss regardless, hand upon his chest as they pecked each other multiple times, relishing in a moment of privacy that they weren't likely to find anew once their journey to the Capital began.

And they might not have much of that even after they left, either.

"But the thing is, I… may have extended an offer to my mom to come with us," Azula whispered against his lips. Sokka raised an eyebrow, puzzled, and Azula kissed him softly once more, as though to coerce him into accepting that. "I know it'd mean more restraint for us, and we wouldn't be able to be crazy as much as we were yesterday, but…"

"Heh. That side of it is a shame, no lie, but… I'm fine with it," Sokka smiled warmly, brushing her hair with his fingers. Azula sighed in relief.

"If you're sure… go get your things. We're damn lucky that my brother isn't smart enough to realize half the clothes scattered in the room you were naked in were mine…"

"I think he was too appalled to stop and confirm who they belonged to," Sokka smiled awkwardly. "I'm not sure he'll ever be ready to know that we, uh… canoodled a little too much."

"That's the word you're going to use?" Azula asked, amused. Sokka chuckled and shrugged. "You're a goofball. Go, pick up your things, I'll get mine… and I'll pick up the mochi on my way out too. Let's get ready to face Zuko and his nonsense, shall we?"

Sokka nodded enthusiastically: they shared another thorough kiss, one in which Sokka dared sneak a few bold caresses, and Azula wound up entering her room in a perfectly blissful mood afterwards, as though she weren't about to march into a likely tricky situation in a matter of moments…

Zuko was upset, but he couldn't be too upset, could he? She hadn't done anything wrong right now. Ursa's support had been a shocker, but it might just be the best possible defense from her brother's wrath. Resolving her conflicts with Ursa certainly was one thing… figuring anything out with Zuko would be much more difficult, if just because of his disposition. Merely a few weeks ago, Azula would have told herself that she'd rather deal with her brother's hostility than her mother's emotional manipulation, her sad doe eyes, and her meaningless apologies… but Ursa's reaction to her rant, as well as the conversation they had shared just that morning, had caught her by surprise. She never imagined she might be able to start over with Ursa, and there truly would be no erasing their past… but it was about time to ensure that whatever troubled history they shared would not preclude the possibility of a better future.

The liveliness of Ember Island appeared slightly stunted, as most its population watched in confusion when their Fire Lord led a march towards the largest, grandest ship docked in their harbor: his Royal Barge would rush through the internal waters of the Fire Nation fast enough to bring them to the Capital in a couple of hours, at most. Thus, neither Sokka nor Azula bothered choosing cabins or even asking where they would stay for now: after enjoying their breakfast aboard the ship, sharing the mochi Ursa had found for Azula, they chose to wait on the deck instead of finding any private cabins, sitting together by the ship's railing… meanwhile, Ursa had dragged Zuko inside the ship's tower in order to have a thorough conversation about many things that Zuko appeared to need to hear.

"Well, despite it all, looks like we're going to end up in the Fire Nation Capital," Sokka reasoned, with a slight grimace. "Did he ever explain how he found us?"

"Not really," Azula said, relaxing against the ship's railing. "I suppose we were seen at some point. I'll try to ask later, or maybe you can… but Mom appears to be quite busy scolding him right now. Never thought I'd see the day…"

"A nice surprise, huh?" Sokka smirked. "Guess your mother wasn't as far gone as we thought she was…"

"We? You thought so too?" Azula asked. Sokka shrugged.

"No offense intended to her, but… she sounded like the exact opposite of my mother," Sokka said. Azula hummed, eyeing him with interest. "My mom sacrificed herself, lying to some piece of shit from the Southern Raiders to tell him that she was the last waterbender, rather than Katara. He… he killed her because of that."

Azula's stomach clenched. A swirling fear gripped her chest, with misplaced guilt that might not be as far out of place as she wished it were… for the ideology, the regime, responsible for the death of Sokka's mother was the one she had fought for, across all those years. She knew there were plenty of deaths and sacrifices throughout the war… but she hadn't known Sokka had faced one quite as close as that of his own mother.

"Katara's still working through it to this day. I didn't realize that was why it had happened until she told me, and she didn't even explain until a few years after she confronted the killer directly," Sokka explained. "Anyway… I could be wrong, but it sounds to me like, if my mother had been married to a bastard like your father, she would have never forsaken her kids, just as she didn't forsake Katara. Meanwhile, your mother…"

"She left us and forgot about us, yes," Azula said. Sokka shrugged.

"Even back when we found her, in Hira'a, I didn't really know how to feel about that," he said. "I kind of convinced myself to stay in my lane because it wasn't my business, you know? Who cared how I felt about something like this? But… as time goes by, I've realized I can't really help myself. It's just not fair, Azula. It never has been fair on you."

"No, I suppose not," Azula whispered, glancing at Sokka with uncertainty. "But a mother who would forsake her kids is… is probably less painful to lose than one who loved them with everything she had."

Sokka grimaced, glancing at her with uncertainty: Azula reached out to take his hand, careless about the sailors and soldiers who might see her.

"I'm sorry. Doesn't count for a damn thing, I had no real say upon what happened to your mother, but…" Azula said, gritting her teeth. "It was a lot easier to support the Fire Nation's war by closing our eyes to the rest of the world. That's what everyone seemed to learn how to do. Your mother should have never died that way."

"No, she definitely shouldn't have," Sokka said, with a fragile smile. "But… well, nothing can be done to bring her back, I guess. Though… huh. Wait a second! Ask Yue about the Spirit World! Ask her if the spirits of our people actually go there…!"

Azula blinked blankly, pulling out the mirror. Yue seemed as perplexed by the question as she was, and she offered her a sad smile along with a shake of her head.

"Looks like she doesn't know much about that," Azula said.

"Most souls don't really make it into the Spirit World that way, I think. They tend to be, well… sent back to the real world? Until the soul achieves enlightenment, I guess…"

"Says only the souls that achieve enlightenment would enter the Spirit World," Azula concluded. Sokka sighed and shrugged.

"Worth a shot," he said. "Anyway, your nation's soldiers are nasty, yeah, but… it was a long time ago. We were as good as babies back then. Don't feel responsible for it."

"So, it doesn't really matter that I wouldn't have cared about this one bit if I'd learned about it a year ago?" Azula probed him. Sokka snorted.

"Matters to you now. That's enough for me," he said, smiling at her. Azula shook her head.

"You're too nice for your own good. Still… I'm sorry you that didn't have a mother while growing up either," Azula said.

"If this subject had come up any sooner across our journey, I would've told you not to worry if yours never tried to do better for you," Sokka pointed out. Azula raised an eyebrow. "I mean… if she hadn't done anything but piss you off, the way it sounded like when you confronted her when she first turned up? Well, I would've understood if you hadn't wanted to give her another chance. Though… I suppose you do now, huh?"

"I don't know what's gotten into all of you," Azula said, startling Sokka. "Starting with you and Yue, having it in you to see more to me than anyone else did… and suddenly my mother is taking stands against Zuko for my sake?"

"Don't forget that Toph let you out of prison and handled Kuei and Zuko for us, though I have no idea how that turned out. One more thing to ask Zuko about," Sokka reasoned, tapping his chin with a finger. Azula sighed.

"None of you make any sense. How is it possible that the person who sees things and hears voices has a clearer understanding of reality compared to all of you?" Azula asked. Sokka laughed and shrugged.

"Guess you're special that way," he said. Azula's heart somersaulted in her chest at the sight of his affectionate smile. "Anyway… it's good that your mom wants to help you. Definitely improves my opinion of her so far. Honestly, it was about time someone in your family came through for you. Though I'm still a little surprised that we'll go as far as traveling with her…"

"I know that means we'll have a lot more pressure, and less privacy, and, well… it's going to be awkward. But to be fair, she already walked in on us once so, not much left to the imagination there anymore…" Azula sighed, cheeks flushing at the memory. "How the hell did I manage to talk to her or look her in the eye after that nonsense, exactly?"

"I can't say I know, but I'm glad you did," Sokka said, squeezing her hand gently.

"Of course you are," Azula sighed, glancing at him uneasily. "You sure you're fine with this? With… traveling with her?"

"Might be a bit awkward, sure… but she'd be more likely to keep us in check than Yue was," Sokka smiled awkwardly.

"The sneaky little troublemaker said she caught a few glimpses of us in the bathroom, through the mirror there…" Azula said, with a grimace. Sokka's cheeks flushed slightly. "She said she looked away after a while, but I'm starting to worry that she might not have. Naughty brat. Teenagers do have an inappropriate interest in these matters…"

"Well, I'd like to think she… has better sense than that. Restraint? I don't know," Sokka laughed. Azula scoffed as she pulled the mirror out, startling Sokka. "What, are you going to ask her if she'll behave herself right now?"

"Might as well," Azula said, glaring into the reflection. Yue smiled at her, cheeks slightly flushed, clearly having overheard their conversation. "You wouldn't look intentionally, or hear intentionally, whenever he and I are up to no good together, would you?"

"… Nooooo?"

"That's the most convincing negative answer I've heard in my life! Your lies are getting a lot worse now, mind you," Azula smirked.

"I wasn't lying as much as you think I was before! Maybe I am now, though… but Azula, I'm curious!"

"Well, that's unsettling. Tone down that curiosity," Azula huffed, shaking her head and staring at Sokka. "You're not wrong, my mother's definitely going to be a good asset. Otherwise, this one would get corrupted by how filthy we are, too."

"The Filthy Royals," Sokka said, proudly. Azula snorted and laughed. "It's not that bad, is it?"

"Sounds terrible," Azula as good as cackled. Sokka scoffed, shaking his head.

"Always so judgmental. We still don't have a team name and that's not very nice, mind you. Now that your mother's joining in too, it's going to be even harder to find a unifying factor."

"How about 'Sokka and the women he can't keep up with'? Sounds like a good name to me…"

"Very accurate, but too extensive. You'll have to be more concise," Sokka smirked. Azula laughed again, glancing at him sideways.

"Say…" she breathed in, holding his gaze briefly before tearing her eyes away. It wasn't easy opening up to people, but it was easier when it was Sokka. "I… thanks for not running out on me over my outburst from last night. I mean, you're probably the one person who has every chance to leave me and yet you've chosen to stay without fail. I might not deserve it, but I… I'm glad you chose to do that. I'm glad you didn't run away."

"I'm afraid I'm not the type to run from beautiful women. Instead, I chase them all over the world and fall head over heels for them without even trying," Sokka said. Azula snorted, staring at him skeptically. "I know we have a lot to figure out still, there might be more bumps along the way… but we'll do it, in time. Don't fret about it right now, okay?"

"Well… we should figure out what to do about Zuko, though," Azula pointed out, raising her eyebrows. Sokka blinked blankly. "By which I mean… that absurd nonsense we fed him about why you were sleeping naked apparently worked. He has no idea you and I, well…"

"Yeah, you know, he's very gullible sometimes," Sokka smiled awkwardly. Azula laughed and nodded. "But I guess what you mean is… do we keep it quiet still? Or do we talk things over, so we decide whether to come clean about it or not?"

"Thing is… do any of them even know that you and Suki are done?" Azula asked. Sokka shrugged.

"Toph knows. Don't know if she told Zuko, though," he said. "Though, frankly… is that a big cause for concern?"

"I'd rather they don't give you shit for cheating on her with me. You have to know what this looks like," Azula said, staring at him skeptically. "A hopeless man clinging to his past love has too many clashes and conflicts with his would-be wife, and as a consequence runs off to start an affair with the dangerous, deadly but apparently beautiful woman who's so very bad, absolutely no-good for him…"

"So, what, I'm having a midlife crisis at twenty-seven?" Sokka snorted. Azula laughed, dropping her head against the railing. "Well, guess when your life is as weird as mine has been, it's kind of justified for it to start earlier. Didn't you say that's what's going on with Yue too, as a spirit? Then… the Midlife Crisis Royals! Ha! That actually bonds all of us together, why not?"

"That's awful… most of all because you're not wrong," Azula snorted, bending over forward as she laughed harder. Sokka smirked proudly, arms folded across his chest.

"Gotcha with that one! We have a team name now, like it or not!"

"No, we don't! There's no way we're keeping that one, Sokka, anything but that!"

"C'mon, bet Yue agrees with me," Sokka said, taking the mirror from her and pointing it at Azula. "Hey, Yue, tell her! My idea is the best idea!"

"… I actually don't like it at all. Don't let him use that one, Azula."

Her negative broke Azula with further laughter – so used as she was to hearing Yue agreeing with Sokka on most accounts, she certainly didn't anticipate the opposite happening now.

"Well, well? Bet she thinks it's great! I'm sure she does!" Sokka snickered, waving the mirror proudly in front of Azula.

Standing by a window, in the ship tower's second level, Zuko scowled at the sight of his sister laughing quite so vividly at whatever Sokka was saying. Even in their younger years, he couldn't remember anyone, not even Aang, laughing that way at Sokka's nonsense. An uneasy feeling spread in his gut, one he wasn't sure how to interpret, or what to make of… for it had been quite a long time since he had experienced it over Azula.

Was she a better fit, a more fun companion, than he ever had been? If given a chance, would she mesh perfectly with his friends, better than he ever had? Would he lose everything he had gained to her, if she was granted the chance to heal that their mother was asking him to offer her?

"You didn't send her to the asylum when you did because you thought she was a lost cause, or did you?" Ursa huffed. Zuko gritted his teeth, tearing his gaze away from the pair by the deck. "Otherwise, you would have chosen prison. Even if you didn't understand the full extent of what they did to her in the institute, you had to have believed it was a better choice for her health than a fate as bleak as your father's."

"Had better conversations with my father in prison than I did with her, though," Zuko said.

"Maybe that's more of a reflection of what that asylum could do to a person, rather than anything that determines whether your father or your sister are better people," Ursa said. "Truly, Zuko… as difficult as this may be for you to wrap your head around, it shouldn't be. I'm not going to change my mind about her. She's not manipulating me."

"Right, because this initiative to go travel the world with those two isn't their doing?" Zuko asked. "Say what you will, Mom, but she could have guilted you into wanting something you actually don't…"

"And what if I do want it?" Ursa asked. Zuko gritted his teeth. "What if I need time away from home?"

"But…" Zuko said. Ursa raised an eyebrow.

"But what?" she said. "You forgave me when I abandoned you and your sister all those years ago. This time, I'd be choosing to travel with her and hopefully help her find peace…"

"It's not the same," Zuko said: his heart churned upon realizing the real reason why it wasn't, but he bottled it in for now. "She's dangerous, Mom. Right now, she's saying she sees Yue, but what if she goes off the rails in some worse way later too? You can't know what you're going to get with her."

"You think she's going to kill me and Sokka eventually?" Ursa asked. Zuko winced. "I'm not sure I believe that would happen. Fact is, I… I would even argue that it wouldn't. She has been with Sokka for a long time, and if anything, it seems they're getting along marvelously right now."

"That doesn't mean much. Sokka, Aang and Toph didn't give me a hard time when I joined their group. Only Katara did," Zuko said.

"So, you'd only learn to trust her if Katara did?" Ursa asked. Zuko winced.

"No, I'm just saying…"

"You wouldn't trust her at all, not even if your friends do."

Zuko shivered, lowering his gaze. Ursa folded her arms over her chest.

"Zuko, dear… I love you. You know I do. I've done terrible things, I've made awful mistakes… and I haven't made up for many, if any of them, so far. You forgave me regardless because you loved me. Because you prized me. Because your need for my wellbeing, my safety, my happiness, was paramount to finding justice. Am I wrong?"

"Well… no? But you're you, and she's her!" Zuko scoffed.

"And what if you could heal your bond?" Ursa asked. "What if you could sit with those two and laugh alongside them, too?"

Zuko froze. Ursa shook her head slowly.

"You've been poisoned terribly by your father, Zuko. In ways you never truly understood," Ursa said. Zuko winced.

"That's not… I'm not my father. I'm not!"

"I never said you were. But treating your sister as a wanted criminal, to be hunted all across the world? Isn't that the same thing your father did to his brother? To you?"

Zuko yelped. Ursa sighed, taking his hands in hers.

"No, Azula didn't do things so terrible that she cannot be forgiven for them. By all means, Iroh's death toll will always be far greater than either yours or Azula's could have been," Ursa said. "And yet you can accept him, while turning your back on her. I don't blame you, dear, for your uncertainties and your fear, for not wanting your sister to be around you constantly… but there comes a point in life where we need to stop running away from the harder truths we don't want to face. Azula brought me to realize that. She told me many things I didn't want to hear, but that I had to. And maybe that's what you need to prepare yourself for: listen. Don't just talk back, don't just defend yourself… listen. You have good intentions, dear… but you cannot do anything with them if you refuse to open your heart to other people's needs. More so when you're actually trying to help them."

"Well… I wasn't really trying to help Azula," Zuko confessed, frowning. "And I'm not even sure I want to. I keep thinking she'll just spit it all right back at me if I try."

"Is that any reason not to try at all?" Ursa asked. Zuko flinched. "Your uncle didn't give up on you even when you didn't make matters easy for him, he's told me so, as did you. It wasn't until you opened your heart to him, until his needs mattered as much as your own, that you learned to appreciate him properly. Azula? I think she's at that stage with Sokka, and maybe with Yue, too. Your sister isn't some nightmare to fend off, or merely a terrorist to fight against: she's your family. And you're one of the most powerful people in the world right now, dear. This nation is full of people who believed in the same things she did, and if they'd had the power she held, they wouldn't have acted any differently than she did. You're their Fire Lord: you're her Fire Lord. Wouldn't it be suitable for you to do right by your every subject, no matter how difficult it might be?"

"It's different when you're talking about Azula," Zuko scowled. "She's… not my subject. I haven't thought of her as that ever before."

"Then maybe it's time for you to start," Ursa said. Zuko winced, uncertain. "You're her older brother. And you cannot hope to heal this world, this nation, if you'll give up on members of your own family just because it's hard. In her case, half the work, more of it, even, was already done by others. If she could reach an understanding with me, she surely can with you too. All you have to do is… try."

Zuko gritted his teeth, a fist tightened: that sounded like a taller order than he was ready to commit to… even though, objectively, it shouldn't have been. Trying something didn't necessarily translate to sticking with a set course for good. If Azula went off the rails again, as she often did, Zuko very well could prove to everyone how wrong they had been about his sister.

But if she didn't… then maybe he could be a better brother, starting here and now. It was difficult to fathom, it made him deeply uncomfortable… but if Sokka and Ursa were right to stand by Azula, if she truly was seeing Yue and changing in more ways than he knew? Perhaps… they'd have a chance to be a real family one day. Perhaps.

"I'll talk to her once we get to the Palace," Zuko said. Ursa raised her eyebrows. "I… will try to mend fences. But she does have things to answer for… and I hope she's ready to do it."

"I'm sure she will be," Ursa said, with a genuine smile. "Thank you, Zuko. Your sister needs this, so much more than she realizes. Her heart is finally on the mend, thanks to Sokka and Yue… we could be part of that too. Wouldn't you like to have a positive impact on her life, lead her on a better path…?"

"I… guess I might not mind that. But we'll see," Zuko said. Ursa sighed, smiling still as she approached Zuko.

"Thank you for trying, dear. Thank you."

He hugged her back, uneasy, unsteady. A part of him wondered if Ursa would regret her earlier harshness… but he didn't dare ask. If she didn't, she might just be upset at him for so much as suggesting that she should…

Would she stand up to Azula similarly, if their roles were reversed? The realization that she would, that she might just have gone further for his sake, chilled Zuko's heart as he held his mother closely. He was a fool, wasn't he? Envying his sister for having their mother's attention, if just briefly… she was Azula's mother too. Just as she was Kiyi's. As special as his bond with Ursa might be… he would be an utter bastard if he tried to keep Ursa to himself when she had other children to watch over, too.

He sighed as he glanced through the window anew: their destination approached. His conversation with Azula wouldn't wait for much longer.

The Princess was visibly unsettled upon being in the Fire Nation Capital as herself this time. Her attire, far too casual, suited Ember Island so much better than the grand seat of power of her people. She'd change into something else as soon as she had the chance, maybe ask Sokka to fix her hair too…

But Zuko wouldn't give her that chance: as soon as they crossed the threshold into the Palace, the Fire Lord turned towards her with a stern frown.

"We'll talk privately," he said. Sokka huffed. "And I don't know why that bothers you so much, Sokka, but this doesn't concern you."

"It… doesn't," Sokka said, begrudgingly – he couldn't claim to be concerned over Azula's safety to that extent, not unless they were ready to set off Zuko's alarms regarding their relationship.

Still, he sighed as Azula shrugged – clearly, she wasn't all that pleased for this outcome, but she wasn't about to run away from her brother either.

"See you when I get out, I guess," she said, simply. Sokka sighed.

"Hey… wait."

Azula had merely taken one step forward when Sokka took her hand, placing the mirror carefully in her palm.

"I'd taken it earlier, before we arrived, remember?" Sokka smiled a little. "You won't be alone if Yue's with you."

"Heh. Sabotaging Zuzu's attempt to speak privately with me, I see," Azula said, though she couldn't hide her genuine, fond smile. "Thank you."

Sokka grinned brightly: Zuko scowled upon realizing he hadn't seen Sokka in such a good mood in… years, at least. Perhaps since around the years of the end of the war…

How, exactly, had Azula brought him to be that happy? Was it Azula at all, or was it Yue? It was much easier to believe it'd be the latter… but the fond smiles between them left an awkward feeling nestling in his gut.

He tried to ignore that sensation as he led his sister into a private sitting room. There'd be no pleasantries, no shared tea… they'd just talk. Hopefully, Sokka and Ursa would know better than to try to eavesdrop as they spoke.

"Well… looks like things are looking up for you," Zuko said, turning towards her with a prominent scowl on his face. Azula raised an eyebrow as she stood across him, arms folded over her chest. "Mom's… defending you without hesitation. I'd never seen her do that."

"It's hard to believe for me too, so you're not alone if you're confused," Azula said.

"I feel like I don't understand any of it," Zuko said, shaking his head and staring at her in confusion. "You're having new hallucinations, visions, whatever they are… and yet you sound more like yourself than you have in ages. You have people standing up for you and defending you to this extent, it's… weird."

"It's quite alright, I don't know how it happened even though I was there the whole time," Azula admitted, with a shrug. "Though… you're not the only one confused about certain things regarding each other. How, exactly, did you find us in Ember Island?"

"Oh. It took us a while to pick up on your trail," Zuko said, bitterly. "My guards eventually sought the Mechanist, he told them he'd given Sokka a hot-air balloon. After that, it was just a matter of waiting for sightings of unregistered, non-military hot-air balloons anywhere. Someone caught sight of you by the western Earth Kingdom, so we traveled there… once the next military sightings report claimed the balloon was sighted landing in Ember Island, I didn't hesitate to go there as soon as possible."

"So, you had all your soldiers looking for me, huh?" Azula said, raising her eyebrows. "I almost feel important and everything now…"

"Yeah, well… sure," Zuko huffed, shaking his head. "I'm sorry that I misunderstood that you'd kidnapped Sokka, but I hope you realize you… you don't make it exactly easy to think any better of you."

"Well, I didn't for all these years, that's certainly true. Do you expect me to throw a tantrum over how you don't trust me, or like me, or treat me with respect?" Azula asked, with a slight smirk. "Though I suppose that last one might be a fair one to protest against, come to think of it…"

"I don't want you to throw anything, I just… I want to understand what exactly is going on," Zuko scowled. "You abandoned your group, you traveled to the north, you're ride-or-die with Sokka suddenly… you have to realize it makes no sense. And after showing up in Ba Sing Se and causing unnecessary trouble…"

"Did you only hear about Ba Sing Se?" Azula asked, raising an eyebrow. "That wasn't our first stop, actually. Didn't Suki reach out to you?"

"Was she supposed to?" Zuko asked, frowning.

"That's… odd," Azula blinked blankly. "Here I thought she was that mad at Sokka once they broke up, threatening that she'd only give us one day to leave before alerting everyone that we were there. Maybe she actually had a soft spot for him still. The truth is we went to Kyoshi Island first, they had the break-up of the century, then we left again. That's where I found out that you were hunting for me, dead or alive…"

"I… I'll rescind that order," Zuko said, self-aware and uncomfortable. "I thought… you'd crossed a line. Turned out Sokka joined you willingly, though…"

"There really was no sign that he hadn't done that," Azula pointed out, raising an eyebrow. Zuko winced. "Whichever one of you lot decided I could only have kidnapped him, well… you'd have to give me a smidge of credit after this and admit that at least one weirdo in the world would travel with me willingly rather than dragged into it kicking and screaming."

"We jumped to conclusions and we shouldn't have. But… you do have to admit it looked weird. And like I said, you really…"

"I don't make it easy? No, I don't. Did I say otherwise?" Azula said, with a slight smirk. "I don't pity you at all, Zuzu, you have it pretty damn hard, being my brother. I don't know what you brought me here for, if what you want is an apology you might as well wait forever…"

"You're not sorry for any of what you've done over the last decade?" Zuko asked. Azula winced.

"I… didn't exactly say that," Azula said. "Just said I wouldn't apologize for it."

"So, you're not."

"I'm sorry enough for a lot of things," Azula said, glaring at him. "But… I was vindictive. I was angry, bitter and frustrated and I wanted to hurt you so you'd suffer as much as I was suffering. That's the truth. If you don't like it, that's not my business. I wanted vindication, revenge, what-have-you… and nothing I did actually got me any closer to attaining any of it. So, I failed at my quest to piss you off, and I joined Sokka in a weird journey to please a spirit that only I can see. It's… strange how different it is, living life that way. It wasn't all that comfortable at the start, but it is now. I can't fathom going back to what I was doing before."

"Because Sokka is… more fun?" Zuko asked. Azula shrugged.

"Would it be a problem for you, if that were the sole reason for it?" she asked. Zuko scowled. "Still would mean you're free from being tormented by me…"

"Until you get bored of him," Zuko finished. Azula laughed.

"I'm afraid that's not very likely. He's… a surprisingly resourceful man," Azula said. "Always has something to say that catches me off guard. Like Yue put it once… we're two master strategists in a battlefield of words, somehow. He's far more interesting than you or any of his other friends likely realize…"

"Or maybe you're both just weird in similar ways. Which I'd never have expected, but frankly, his sense of humor is about as strange as yours," Zuko pointed out. Azula laughed.

"I've noticed. I hate laughing at his jokes, but he makes it too easy sometimes," Azula admitted.

"Then… all this stuff about Yue?" Zuko said, eyeing her warily. "Sokka and her were a thing once. You said your entire purpose is to get her to see the world and experience the seasons and so on? I'm not going to say it's a bad purpose, I mean, it's by far the most harmless thing I've ever heard you want to do. But it sounds like a temporary diversion or so. Once she's satisfied, what will you do?"

"I suppose… that's something I'll figure out once we get there," Azula said, with a shrug. "Though if it makes you feel any better, I…"

The words got stuck in her throat at first, and Azula actually smiled a little as something deep inside her seemed to snap. Something she didn't really know nestled inside her broke off, leaving her untethered… forsaken, somehow. Her hand trembled, and she glanced at Yue in the mirror briefly as she processed what a treacherous thought had crossed her mind… a thought she couldn't help but feel keenly, acutely, in her heart. She breathed deeply, and Zuko frowned at the strange sincerity in her voice.

"I actually never imagined I'd come back to the Fire Nation peacefully… and I certainly have no plans of staying here forever."

Zuko's eyes widened. Azula gritted her teeth: those might just have been the most painful words she had ever spoken. She offered Zuko a dry grin then, covering up her vulnerability as best she could.

"So… that," she said. "I think I'd just wait and see what Sokka has in mind. He's weird, sure, but he's the most reliable ally I've ever traveled with. Seems like he wants to stick with me for the foreseeable future too, so…"

"You think he'd stay even after Yue is gone?" Zuko asked. Azula's heart clenched.

"I… hope so," Azula said. "He's said he would, at least."

"Really?" Zuko blinked blankly. "W-wait. Why?"

"Why?" Azula repeated, slightly affronted.

"I'm… not sure I follow," Zuko said, blinking blankly. "You two are, uh… best friends now?"

"Huh. I'm not sure that we are. Which one of them might be my best friend, come to think of it?" Azula said, glancing at Yue in the mirror. She giggled and waved in her direction, and Azula smiled at her.

"Sokka. Say it's Sokka," Zuko said, with a wild grin. Azula crooked an eyebrow.

"What's it to you, exactly…?"

"Toph said weird shit and I would like to confirm that she's wrong about it, is all," Zuko said, bitterly. Azula raised her eyebrows. "She said you'd… seduced Sokka and that's why he was completely wrapped around your finger, basically."

Azula snorted, then cackled by throwing her head back – a slight relief to Zuko, who smiled awkwardly at her reaction.

"Seduced Sokka? She sure gives me too much credit if she thinks I'd have the first clue of how to do such a thing," Azula laughed, shaking her head. "If Sokka fell in love with me, it'd be his fault entirely. I sure as hell did nothing to make it happen, I can guarantee that much."

"Huh. You know, that's not very tranquilizing either," Zuko grimaced. "Sokka's… weird. Suki was too normal for him, I guess…"

"Oh? So you're saying he needed an abnormal kind of partner instead?" Azula asked, raising her eyebrows. Zuko winced, raising a hand as though to stop her.

"I didn't mean… I just mean I'm not really sure how Sokka was having a good time by dating her! If anything, I'd think he wasn't. Which is possibly why they broke up."

"Sounds like it," Azula said, stubbornly. "Believe me, if he dated me, I'd give him far more interesting and entertaining reasons to break up with me."

"I'm not sure he'd choose to date you just so you can break up with him by… ugh! Could you not entangle my head with nonsense?" Zuko groaned. Azula smirked. "Look… I get that I can't change you or make you become the perfect sister for me…"

"Do you?" Azula asked, eyeing him skeptically. Zuko frowned. "Worth noting I can't do that to you, either. You're far too set in your ways for you to be my dream brother too."

"You… you'd change me?" Zuko asked, frowning. Azula smirked.

"I just said I wouldn't. But I'm not the one who replaced the two unpalatable members of my family with new, pleasant ones instead," she said. Zuko's eyes widened.

"I… Kiyi isn't a replacement for you! And I'm not even close to Noren…"

"Your little sister who loves and gushes over you isn't a replacement for the one who made your life a nightmare, apparently?" Azula smiled sadly. "As for Noren and father… if you're not close to him, then he's gotten the fundamentals of the job right, wouldn't you say?"

Zuko gritted his teeth: Azula's words hurt… but he couldn't help but notice that Azula, too, was hurt. He didn't usually notice as much… but this time, he raised his gaze to find that she appeared mournful of the fate they were facing as siblings.

"Point is… you haven't been optimal yourself. I've tried, yes, to mess with you and cause you grief… but I never really imagined you'd ever conform to being the brother I'd want you to be. Doesn't seem logical for you to start trying now."

"Why not?" Zuko asked. Azula laughed.

"I'm not challenging you, Dum-Dum. You're so ridiculous when you get like this," she said. "I'm fine, Zuko. I have no… no right to ask anything of you. That's not what this ever was, I… I admit it's pathetic to say it, but I just wanted to matter and I knew I never would if I went about it in any other way. Or, at least, I've never learned how. Point is… I fucked up, purposefully and intentionally. I'm not here to apologize because I don't think you have any real reason to forgive me, no matter if I'll never do it again. If that's what you were waiting for…"

"I… I don't know what I was expecting," Zuko said, frowning. "But probably more along the lines of you admitting that you're only traveling with Sokka out of convenience, and that you don't actually want him around much but he's useful so far…?"

"You really think I can only manipulate my way through life, don't you?" Azula said. "Granted, I know why you think so, but that's not the case. Sokka joined me, Yue roped me into this journey in the first place… the few times I've tried to do anything mischievous in this trip, it hasn't gone all that well. And somehow… they keep me busy enough that I can't really focus on doing anything to trouble you. Which, then, translates to me losing my taste for messing with you."

Zuko sighed, lowering his gaze.

"Would you get that taste back if I'm not paying attention?" he asked. Azula rolled her eyes. "I'm serious. You say that you weren't really trying to do anything that terrible with your actions… but the thing is, you did cause trouble and when it wasn't you, it was them. Your allies."

"Right, but…" Azula said, frowning. "While we certainly destabilized your rule, caused chaos whenever we cared to, we never did anything quite as bad as to truly hamper your efforts to fix the Fire Nation, did we? If anything, I've been a perfect villain for you to show the whole populace just why things need to change, or am I wrong? It was either you or me on that throne, and the more irresponsible behavior I display, the happier they'll be that it's you. Isn't it at least slightly beneficial to you?"

"You're acting like none of what you did had lasting consequences that could harm the nation…" Zuko said, gritting his teeth. "And you know what? Maybe you didn't. Even if you might have tried, maybe you actually showed some restraint I never truly registered as such before, and you never did something that devastating. But them? You have no idea what they did while you were gone, do you?"

Azula frowned. Zuko gritted his teeth, fists tight by his hips.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, her voice unsteady: she had a feeling she knew what Zuko would say, but even so…

"They burned down the asylum."

Silence.

Azula's heart thumped with triumph… and fear.

"Did… did they get them out?" Azula asked. "The other patients, even the staff…"

Zuko's frown spoke for itself. Azula's sinking dread hit square in her gut, and she snarled as she tore her eyes away from him.

"I thought it was your final move," Zuko said. "Your full-blown act of war. By the time we got there, it was too late. Whole place… burned. Fifty-seven casualties. Some, family visitors. Most of them, patients. The rest, staff. Everyone dead… and not by any mistake. No, everyone in the building died because the people responsible for that crime ensured to shut the doors, the windows, every single exit…!"

"You can't be…" Azula snarled: even if she wanted to deny it, she knew she couldn't do it. Zirin… she would have done it. Azula knew as much.

"Everyone in the premises died… and we tracked down the culprits shortly afterwards. That's when I caught Zirin, and when she told me where you were," Zuko said. "They're in the Prison Tower right now. Awaiting their sentences."

"What are you going to…?" Azula asked, glancing at Zuko with uncertainty.

"I don't know," he admitted. "But I'm struggling to figure out how to show them any mercy."

"Zuko, you… you don't understand what the asylum was like," Azula said, staring at him warily. Zuko scowled. "You never were there as a patient…"

"That doesn't justify what they did!"

"I agree!" Azula exclaimed, startling Zuko. "But… they unleashed the pent-up rage and wrath that place stirred inside them. That place, their families, everyone who played a role in putting them there… do you understand what it feels like, being forsaken in a place that constantly demeans you, dehumanizes you, subjects you to every kind of humiliation whenever you try to fight back, and affords you no dignity anyway, even when you don't fight at all? To be treated like a beast more than a person, to be spoken to as though you were some inferior kind of being…!"

"I don't think I get it, no, but it's not like I haven't been through dehumanizing, cruel things myself," Zuko said.

"The difference is the man who subjected you to the worst of yours is rotting in jail. The one who did it to me is standing right in front of me."

Zuko froze. Azula's accusatory glare caught him in an uncomfortable spot, and she shook her head.

"I… I understand why you did it. I'm not stupid. I know you had no time for me, I know you had no idea how to help me, you had a nation to run… but you don't know what it's like to be truly forsaken. Say what you will… you had Iroh. If you didn't have him, you had Mai. You had our mother. I… I had our father? Do you think he would have ever visited me, if he had been free to do so? He would have denounced me as unworthy of being his heir, if anything… imperfect, broken, damaged as I am. And even if I'm wrong… he was in prison. How could he check on me? But it wasn't just him… it was you. Iroh. Mai, Ty Lee… not a single one of you ever thought that reaching out to me while I was locked in that blasted place was a good idea. And you know what that looks like? It looks like you just want me out of the way. Like I was someone else's problem now, not yours. Like you just needed me to stop being a hazard to your goals and maybe then you'll try to be my brother… and that's a big 'maybe' anyhow. And you're none other than the Fire Lord, with all the resources and power at your disposal… and you couldn't even hire personal physicians to look after me in your home. You threw me out to a distant institution… so I wouldn't be a bother. Even if that wasn't your intention, that's what it looked like.

"And that's what they went through, too, with their own families. Every woman who didn't conform, every girl who dared have ideas different to what their relatives wanted them to follow, anyone who didn't behave exactly as they were expected to. Their own families and loved ones did it to them just as you did it to me. They were angry. They hated that place, more than I did even, and that's saying something. It was a glorified prison, where you could be subjected to the worst of alleged treatments only to be told that you hadn't been through enough of it yet and you needed some more still. I probably didn't even get it as bad as the others… I was only there for a year. Point is… it's not that I don't understand your position. I do. But I don't think the answer to what they did is… killing them. All you'd do is add to the catastrophe's death toll."

"They're more than just casualties of an accident: they instigated it. They're dangerous, Azula," Zuko said. Azula shrugged.

"I'm dangerous too," she said. "And in case you forgot? So are you."

Zuko winced. Azula wasn't accusatory, even if she could have been.

"You're not as healthy as you'd like to think you are," Azula said. "You're not okay, Zuzu. Maybe you never have been, to begin with. But as messed up as your choices were… you got out of being locked up in a place like that and then managed to join the winning team before the war ended. You could have very well ended up in a place like the asylum, by Father's orders, if I had brought you back as he wanted me to, at first. As a prisoner."

Zuko shuddered: he didn't want to think of that possibility. But Azula appeared determined to make him do exactly that.

"Would you have shown restraint?" Azula asked, frowning. "If you had been told you were not human, incapable of love, a rare case of madness, an intriguing subject to study… if you had heard them laugh off your misfortunes, talk about how loaded they'd be because you were of the Royal Family and they'd finally fill the institution's coffers that way, thinking you were too badly out of it with the medicine to overhear what they were saying? If they'd forced you to swallow food, herbs, unknown remedies that would make you feel numb and close to death? If they had… had messed up their dosage to the point where they killed someone in the stretcher near yours?"

Zuko flinched: the picture Azula painted for him clearly was taking a toll on him. Azula shook her head.

"I'm not saying Zirin and the others deserve to be forgiven. As much as every bastard working in that place was unforgivable, I had no intentions of killing them if we ever decided on taking revenge. Zirin made me design a revenge strategy, you see… I did it, and she kept asking for more violence. For a stronger revenge than just sabotaging the place or burning it once everyone was out safely. I refused to do it, I constantly told her we wouldn't make any moves on the asylum until we could get all the remaining patients out safely…"

"And she never listened," Zuko finished. Azula gritted her teeth.

"I was the leader. She listened solely because of that. It's no surprise that the first thing she did, once I wasn't there to keep an eye on her, was destroying that place recklessly."

"You would have saved the other patients?" Zuko asked. "Granted, the most dangerous ones would have been the ones you brought with you, but…"

"That's not necessarily true," Azula said. Zuko frowned. "You don't understand, do you? We were the family pests that nobody wanted to deal with. I had hallucinations? No doubt. But half of them had no conditions of any kind. I don't know how many people were admitted in the asylum without being mentally ill or disturbed in any way to begin with. It felt like… like they force-fed them alleged medicine that caused unwanted, unacceptable behaviors in people, just to justify keeping them there. That's what that place was like. That's why I'm not sorry to learn it was destroyed… and that's why I can't help but be furious that Zirin would decide not to save anyone who still could be helped."

"Would you have saved them?" Zuko asked. Azula shrugged.

"I tried when I broke out my allies in the first place," she said. Zuko's eyes widened. "I offered them the chance to leave. Over half the patients were too scared to try. They wanted to stay because they hoped… maybe by putting up with all of it, they'd get to go home one day. I won't pretend any of them trusted me, no doubt several must have thought I was more dangerous than the asylum staff and that must be why they didn't join me… but I never thought they should have died the way you say they did. They were no different from the rest of us."

Azula scowled: that this would afflict her quite so strongly came as a surprise to her, too. Initially, she had told Zirin they wouldn't destroy the asylum altogether because it would be deemed an act of war. Their team didn't need that kind of publicity, most of all when they were about to begin their act as the Kemurikage. But then she asked again, and again, and again… Azula didn't overlook the extent of the damage Zirin had suffered, but their group couldn't afford, couldn't field, a mission quite so dangerous. Zuko was never going to let that one go… just as he didn't. Massively murdering everyone in that building was not a laughing matter: Azula had asked Zirin if she was ready to pay the price for that destruction, and Zirin never failed to scoff at her sentimentality. Only practicality had kept her at bay for some time: they'd get too much attention otherwise, they couldn't afford that. But now… now, after putting so much distance between herself and that place, after seeing the world through different eyes, Azula's heart grieved for the people who weren't saved. She snarled, fists tight.

"Are you going to execute them?" she asked. Zuko sighed.

"I don't know. Maybe not," he said. Azula glanced at him in confusion. "But you have to understand this kind of chaos cannot go unpunished."

"I don't disagree. I just… don't know if I want you to kill them for it," Azula admitted. Zuko sighed, shaking his head.

"I don't even know what I'd do anymore. When I captured them, I was ready to do something final. Right now… I don't know," Zuko admitted. "Truthfully, I don't want them in prison. The Boiling Rock might sound like the best choice, going forward, but… it's not, is it? They could escape just as well, set it on fire, kill everyone there…"

"They'll always be a hazard, is what you're thinking," Azula said. Zuko shrugged.

"You don't expect that to be different now just because I caught them, do you?" he asked. "The only way they won't cause chaos is if I keep them contained, chi-blocked, fully restrained…"

"And then you'll just give them further reason to cause chaos as soon as there's any weakness, any leniency for them," Azula said. Zuko frowned. "That's the thing about hurting people, holding them against their will… it tends to breed resentment and grudges strong enough to last a lifetime. You wouldn't ask anyone who was a prisoner of war to forgive our father for what he did to them, would you?"

"It's different," Zuko said.

"Not where the imprisoned person is standing, it's not," Azula said. "The way they see it, you're complicit in the hell we faced in the asylum. You even left your own inconvenient relative there, too. They'd see it as no reason to change their ways."

"And yet you want me to believe you did change yorus?" Zuko asked. Azula shrugged, raising the mirror in his direction.

"Not that I was looking to change in any way, I certainly didn't care to at first. Took well over a year for Yue's influence to start gaining ground on me," Azula said, glancing at the mirror. Yue smiled wistfully. "But… I think the main thing that helped was having something in common, a goal that all three of us were striving for. We had to work together, and that meant each other's struggles and problems were everyone's concern. I don't know how anything like that could be achieved with Zirin."

"You could talk to her," Zuko said, simply. Azula sighed.

"You'd let me?" she asked. "I wouldn't even know what to say."

"Tell her you're not doing any of your destabilizing efforts anymore," Zuko said. "Tell her you're done with that, and that she'd better be done too unless she wants to deal with…"

"Then… heh. You want me to control her with fear?"

Zuko froze. Azula eyed him with a compassionate smile that turned mirthful shortly.

"As far as my personal experiences go, controlling others with fear can be terribly effective until it's not. People have ways of finding more courage than they ever held inside their hearts and turn on you when you don't expect it," Azula said. "Sounds easy enough at first… but it means you'll most likely end up living in fear your whole life, too. Can't advise it if you don't want to face more hardships than you'd be comfortable with."

Zuko snarled. He knew Azula was making sense, perhaps too much of it. He sighed, covering his face with his hand before shaking his head.

"What's your idea, then?" he asked. "What would you do to fix this?"

"Why are you asking me?" Azula said.

"Because you're making too much sense, so maybe you know how to make this better," Zuko asked. Azula grimaced. "What made you change was… Sokka and Yue? How do we give your allies anything of the sort?"

"You can't force something like that," Azula warned him. Zuko scoffed. "I mean it. They'd be more likely to set an olive branch on fire than to ever accept it smoothly if you hand it to them with the obvious intent of making them change and adapt to a life they don't care to live. If you'd personally showed up in front of me and entrusted me with Yue, somehow, I would have never listened to a single word she said, let alone would I have treated Sokka as anything but a would-be jailor following me everywhere. You had nothing to do with that, hence why I had a much easier time learning to… trust them."

"Then what do we do?" Zuko huffed. "I don't think keeping them in jail forever is going to be fine, or that they'd even stay there forever, they're likely to find a way to escape. Right now? I think… I think they're waiting for you."

"They expect me to break them out," Azula concluded.

"They wouldn't take it well if you show up as newly pardoned and allowed to be part of the family again, though, would they?" Zuko asked. Azula scoffed.

"But I'm not those things… am I?" Azula stared at him skeptically. Zuko winced.

"I… I guess it remains to be seen," he admitted. "But the point is, if I'm the one sending you… they're not going to take it well."

"They'd take it far worse if I pretend not to be your ally and it's inevitably discovered that I was talking to them by your command," Azula pointed out. Zuko sighed.

"Is there no solution to this damn madness?" he asked. "I don't even know what I was expecting from you, but it definitely wasn't… that you couldn't help me deal with them."

"I don't know that I can. But what, exactly, did you hope for me to accomplish?" Azula inquired, crooking an eyebrow. Zuko sighed.

"I don't even know. Talk things over with them. You understand what they did. Say… that I won't execute them for the asylum, even though a lot of people are demanding that I do. Say that I won't take it that far, and I mean it. What you've explained is… alarming. I don't know why I never thought…"

"You had no time for it. It's not really a defense… just a fact," Azula said. "Besides, you had very little cause for concern, right? I'm the problem and if someone's causing chaos, it's most likely me rather than my captor – or, rather, the physician attempting to control my every move…"

"Did they… make it worse?" Zuko asked. Azula frowned. "I mean, whether for you or the others. Your breakdown… was it a sign of something bigger, deeper, or did they just take advantage of my belief that it was, when it wasn't?"

"That's hard to say," Azula admitted. "I don't have the most accurate memories, frankly, when it comes to what happened. But it's possible, yes, that they weren't trying to help anyone heal. I'm not sure if it takes a year to recover from what I went through, but their grand treatments typically only made my mind more chaotic, and their therapy attempts didn't help matters either. They convinced me of… of the worst things I believed of myself, I suppose. I'm only realizing that they might have been wrong now."

"Then… could you talk to them from that angle?" Zuko asked. Azula raised an eyebrow. "Tell them the truth about what they did, and whatever they convinced them of. Make them understand that… well, the point should have never been to treat anyone interned in the asylum as a criminal. You're not undesirables in society… you were people who needed help, not to be tossed aside. And I… I did exactly that to you."

Azula frowned: it wasn't every day that Zuko seemed so torn up about whatever mistakes he had made… more so, when those mistakes concerned her. Azula waited patiently as he composed himself, and he raised his gaze towards her.

"I don't know where we'll go after this. I don't know what to offer you. I can't make up for my mistakes," he said. "But… I can try to break the cycle. To stop treating you as I have. To… to be a better brother, even if I barely know where to start with that."

"You'll have to figure that one out yourself. I have no expectations and no demands," Azula said. "But I do believe I should clarify one thing, Zuzu… I already said it earlier, but I'll say it again: I'm not back to stay."

Zuko eyed her with uncertainty upon hearing those words anew. Azula swallowed hard.

"Maybe I will do that one day, I don't know, but… I haven't finished my duties to Yue. And once I do, I might still not end up here again later anyhow," Azula said.

"You say that, but going to the Earth Kingdom would be very dangerous for you," Zuko said. "The manhunt for you in the Fire Nation will end, but…"

"And that's good to know, but I might not need to stay here forever even so," Azula shrugged. Zuko's eyes widened. "Did you hope I would?"

"Well… after what you've said, I figured you might go on the road for a while longer. But this is your home, isn't it?" he asked. Azula smiled.

"Did it still feel that way, once you returned from your banishment? I was under the impression it didn't," she pointed out. Zuko gritted his teeth, fists tight.

"If that's how you feel right now, well… it's bound to be my fault. But that was never my intent," Zuko said. "If I can…"

"I don't know that you can, and I don't know that you should have to," Azula said, shaking her head. "We're having a productive conversation right now, and you're finally listening to me, which I appreciate a lot, Zuzu… but I don't think this should be for the sake of ensuring that I stay at your beck and call constantly. If you've been running this nation without my help, you can carry on doing it too. If you want my aid, it's still up to me to decide that I'll give it. But for now… life has enough things left to offer me, even though I figured it didn't. If all signs point to the Fire Nation, I'll come back, but… I'm enjoying everything else far more than I thought I would."

"Dad would be cross if he knew that. Which is always a good thing," Zuko said. Azula smiled a little.

"You never really did get to see the world just for the sake of it," Azula said. Zuko shrugged. "You were on a mission, and just surviving eventually… but you didn't see the Earth Kingdom or the Water Tribes for what they were, with no pressures. I suppose… I recommend it. Maybe you'll want to abdicate by then, though I'm not sure who you'd hand the throne to if you did. I… I really don't want it."

She said the words casually… but a stronger smile spread over her face after she did. A soft laugh left her lips and she smiled brightly. Zuko's heart clenched at the sight of it… of such clarity and certainty in his usually troubled sister's visage.

"I don't want to be Fire Lord," Azula said, closing her eyes. "And that's probably the most liberating thing I've ever come to realize."

Zuko nodded, accepting her decision: it was different than him claiming she'd never take the title for herself. Azula had reached that point without him pushing her to it, even if not necessarily by herself… it wasn't a struggle anymore. It wasn't some chaotic, unnerving conflict. Azula didn't want the throne… she finally had accepted that. Zuko would be free from the chaos she could unleash with her antics until something else inevitably rose to take her place.

He just hoped it wouldn't be Zirin.

"Alright. That's… good to know. But… can I ask you to talk to them, then? To your old allies? At least, to Zirin?" he said. Azula's smile waned… but she shrugged.

"Might as well try. Though I don't think the outcome is going to be any more positive than it would have been if you'd tried this approach with me a year ago," Azula said. Zuko nodded.

"I'll try to brace myself for it. Azula… thank you," he said. The Princess smiled as she rose to her full height.

"For finally giving you a break? I'll find some other way to make you lose your temper, Zuko, don't you worry about that," Azula smirked.

"Heh. I won't lower my guard a lot, then," Zuko said. "Look… maybe I should've said something else first. I just… I wasn't ready to accept I've failed you in more ways than I thought. As far as I could tell, you were a problem indeed, you were someone I had to keep at a distance because you'd only ever hurt me…"

"And I was," Azula acknowledged, with a shrug.

"You weren't," Zuko countered. Azula scoffed. "You were my sister. And I never really thought about what that actually meant until… until I realized you had a whole group of people who had found your value and were helping you shine, and I wasn't one of them. It's not that I feel like I have to be there too… but it feels like I failed you anyway. Like maybe you could have reached this stage if I had tried a little harder… if I had been there for you in ways I wasn't. I kept seeing you as an enemy to defeat, no matter if I already had this crown on my head and… and I was wrong to do that. I can't help but think your life might have been a lot different if I had been less impulsive and stupid over some things. I'm… I'm sorry, Azula. I'm really sorry."

Azula's heart clenched, her throat thickening with tears that seemed to bloom out of nowhere. That wasn't what she had expected from Zuko… wasn't what she would have demanded from him, either. He didn't have to apologize to her… but he had. It was difficult to know what to say to that… though perhaps, it wasn't all that different from how she had responded to Yue, upon hearing her say she loved her.

She hadn't intended to say the words at all, regardless of how she felt. She hadn't thought they'd change anything… but regardless of her reasoning, her instincts pushed her to speak unlikely words to her brother all the same:

"I'm sorry too," Azula whispered, at last. Zuko gazed at her in astounded silence. "I did a lot of things just to make you suffer, I won't sugarcoat that. I wasn't ready to reason with what was going on in my own head, and I took it out on you. Before all this, well, yes, I certainly teased you a lot and I did hunt you down under Father's orders…"

"You don't have to apologize for that," Zuko admitted, with a small grin. Azula raised an eyebrow. "Well, we were kids. It looks a lot simpler now than it did before. I just couldn't seem to make sense of it back then… I was more troubled than I thought, too. Maybe I still am… but I'll try to reason with myself a little more than I always do. Without just… thinking everything's someone else's fault, every time."

"That'd be a good life choice," Azula said, with a slight grin.

Zuko sighed, stepping towards the doorway as Azula glanced down at the mirror: Yue smiled giddily, no doubt thrilled over having witnessed what appeared to be an unexpected reconciliation between Azula and her brother. The Fire Nation Princess smirked a little, shaking her head at her friend's excitement.

"Well, then… ready to go see Zirin?" Zuko asked.

Azula's heart clenched again… but she nodded, steeling herself for a reunion that promised to be a lot more chaotic and unpleasant than this one had turned out to be.

__________________________________

Prison Tower wasn't meant to be a friendly place. Azula's heart clenched as she approached it about an hour later, a foreboding feeling lingering in her heart: her father was there, but she wasn't here to see him today. Maybe one day she would be ready to face him… but the way her mother had explained her own visits to Ozai, it sounded like Azula wasn't remotely prepared to meet her father yet. He had expectations of her that she hadn't fulfilled… and that she never would.

She didn't really know what her future would look like, but she clenched her mirror tightly and let herself bask in the peace, the freedom, of knowing she would no longer serve the purposes that had damn near destroyed her. At the very least, Yue had died but succeeded at saving her people by doing so: Azula's sacrifices had amounted to nothing. Her vindictiveness had achieved nothing, too. She was tired… and ready to move on, now that she finally had a chance to imagine a future, vague and confusing as it might be, by Sokka's side…

Who, of course, stood right beside her at the moment, arms folded over his chest as he frowned at the prison ahead.

"You really had to come?" Zuko asked him, an eyebrow twitching. "You could have stayed with my mom…"

"You could have stayed with her too," Sokka scoffed. Zuko gritted his teeth and glared at him.

"I'm the Fire Lord! Azula can't talk to Zirin if I'm not here to authorize it!" he said. Sokka pouted.

"Then you'll have to put up with me being here too, nothing more to it," he said.

Azula smiled as they marched into the tower: Sokka's devotion to her hardly seemed real most times, and yet she knew it was. She had a baseline as to what his lies looked like, and it certainly wasn't the confident, strong front he was showing Zuko right now.

"You okay? Ready for this?" Sokka asked her, once Zuko took to speaking with the warden, who appeared alarmed to see Azula as a visitor rather than another prisoner.

"I doubt it," Azula admitted. "You didn't have to come, Zuko isn't wrong about that… but I'm glad you did."

"Oh. Uh, heh," Sokka smiled, cheeks flushing slightly as he ran a hand over his hair. "I'm glad you're glad! Though, you know, if you need anything…"

"I'd reach out, but… I don't know if I will be able to do it," Azula said, frowning sternly again. "You'll be right outside?"

"Yeah. And you can handle this Zirin, right?" Sokka asked. Azula shrugged.

"I'd better. She's usually not enough of a bender to be a cause for concern for me, I'd dare say," Azula mused, frowning slightly. Sokka smiled and nodded.

"You're the strongest firebender there is, after all. Nothing she can do should faze you… but in case it does, I'll stay nearby and even cheer you on."

"Well, I've never really fought with a supportive audience like that, but fair enough," Azula said. "Besides… we shouldn't need to fight at all. It's… a conversation."

She said the words while knowing they weren't entirely true: Zirin would make this a battlefield if she had reason to. And if Azula told her what Zuko would expect her to? It might just be a guarantee that they'd wind up in conflict indeed.

The warden led them to the room where Zirin had been brought moments before they arrived. Zuko and Sokka remained tense by the door, and Azula breathed deeply as she readied herself to enter…

"Good luck," Sokka whispered.

"If you need any help, let us know," Zuko said, frowning. "You don't have to face her alone."

"I'm not sure about that last thing… and I'll try not to make it come to the first thing, too," Azula said.

She stepped between them: she gripped Sokka's hand gently as she passed beside him before pushing the door open. Sokka gritted his teeth, gazing after her hopelessly, his anguish increasing once the door closed, leaving Azula alone with her previous second-in-command.

Zirin sat in a slovenly position on a chair, in the center of the room. She appeared to have been bound to it. Azula frowned as she stopped before her… and Zirin scowled as she raised her gaze, gradually astounded upon realizing this wasn't just another visit by Fire Lord Zuko.

"You… you're back," Zirin said, a spark of hope in her gaze… one that went away quickly, replaced by distrust. "How? Who the hell allowed you to visit me officially? Or did you kill your brother and took his appointment instead?"

"I didn't do that," Azula said. Zirin scoffed.

"Of course not. You don't have the spine for it. Had the spine to get rid of your inconvenient friend yet, or was that too much to ask too?" Zirin asked, spitefully. "You were gone long enough. I thought… did it work? Are you yourself again, or…?"

"It didn't," Azula said. Zirin snarled. "She's still with me. Nothing has worked so far… and I don't think anything has to, either."

"Oh, right, so you're just going to keep botching up operations and messing up our objectives by being completely swept up by stupid arguments with the damn girl in your reflection?" Zirin asked. "You're unbelievable."

"I have no intentions of letting that happen because… there will be no more operations or objectives for us," Azula said. Zirin froze. "Which is your fault in no small part. If you hadn't gotten caught, the whole lot of you could have gone on to cause chaos without me. Begs the question of why you were so eager to be the leader when you botched it up so badly as soon as I was out of the way. Isn't that what you were always looking forward to? Isn't it exactly what you wanted?"

"I…!" Zirin snarled, shaking her head. "What's it to you, what I wanted? You…! You kept us chained down, locked to your whims! You saved us and broke us out of that hellhole, and we owed you because of that…!"

"The hellhole you finally burned to the ground, or so I hear," Azula said: Zirin had the gall to smirk. "With all the remaining patients still inside."

"They were as bad as the physicians," Zirin said, shrugging. "Content to live in their chains, emboldening them to do it to others, like us. Don't like it? Not my problem. They got what they deserved."

Azula scowled. Zirin's demeanor didn't change for it.

"I've prided myself in being a terrible person, you know?" Azula said. "In not particularly caring who I hurt and who I didn't… but I guess I overestimated myself. Compared to you, apparently I still have boundaries and sense…"

"You mean you're a coward. Spineless and weak when you should take action… always been in your damn brother's pocket even when you acted like you weren't," Zirin hissed. "Did he offer to pardon you because you weren't part of the destruction, maybe? Might have offered you the chance to execute us by your own hand too. Was that why you were allowed to come here?"

"I'm here… as your final salvation," Azula said. Zirin snorted in disbelief. "If you won't listen to me, if you won't forsake what you're doing, the way I did…"

"Ha! You're done, then? All done destabilizing the Fire Lord's pathetic rule?" Zirin cackled. "You're quitting now? And why's that, exactly?! Who's caught your leash now, Azula? Who's pulling at it?!"

"I don't have one anymore. You, on the other hand…" Azula said. Zirin laughed, shaking her head.

"Don't give me that. I'm no one's beast," Zirin said, her eyes growing colder as all mirth fled from her face as quickly as it arrived. "What was it? The Fire Lord…? Nah, you'd need a stronger incentive than that. Maybe… heh. The pest in your reflection? Is that who?"

"Shut up," Azula hissed impulsively: Zirin laughed again.

"Controlled by that thing, just as you were by your mother. Funny," Zirin said, coldly again. "You're so weak. So spineless…"

"I have more than enough strength and spine to stand here and see you for what you are," Azula snapped. Zirin raised her eyebrows.

"And what's that?" she asked.

Azula breathed deeply, glaring into Zirin's dark eyes… before giving her an answer:

"A lost, helpless, desperate fool looking for purpose and drive and finding none," Azula said. Zirin scoffed. "You've convinced yourself that destroying the asylum was the right choice but it wasn't: all you achieved was proving them right in fearing you… in wanting you out of their way. You've never imagined a way out, a chance to become something different, to start anew elsewhere. You don't even know the value of that kind of opportunity… because no one has ever granted it to you."

"And someone granted it to you?" Zirin asked, derisively. Azula gritted her teeth. "What? Pfft. Your brother?"

"It's not him," Azula said, gripping the mirror in her pocket. "It's someone I never thought would have any manner of compassion for me and yet he did. So…"

"Ah, don't tell me… you found a boyfriend," Zirin said. "No doubt you're thrilled, what you always wanted…"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Azula scoffed.

"You're so sad and anguished by loneliness, aren't you? I guess you're clinging to the first moron who overlooked… well, all the crazy shit and just latched onto how pretty you were?" Zirin asked, with a sarcastic smile. Azula smirked.

"If that would make you feel any better, go on ahead and believe that. But he's… he wasn't part of this because of me. Not at first. We haven't been journeying together just because he's craving me. He's the one who's helping me fix what's wrong with Yue…"

"And you love him, do you?" Zirin smirked. "Well, wait a few months after the novelty wears off and see how he likes you once you become the harpy that screams at him over anything and everything, just as it goes in all fucked-up marriages. You can't exactly expect to do better than that, can you? Either way… this is stupid. Someone who caved in to something as pathetic as falling for some stupid guy, lecturing me on what to do with my life…"

"I've said I'm your last chance at something better than staying locked inside this building for however long you have left to live," Azula said. Zirin rolled her eyes. "Zuko will kill you if no one stops him. Is that what you want?"

"I want the old Azula back. The one who would break us out of here in a heartbeat," Zirin snapped.

"Oh, you mean the one who laughed when she heard you'd gotten yourselves locked up in jail?" Azula smirked. Zirin tensed up. "I did exactly that, you know? I thought it was a beautiful irony: so much badgering me and pestering me about how you were such a better leader, all your plotting, all your talk behind my back… and you were an even bigger failure than I ever was, in the end. Funny how that works, isn't it?"

"Shut up," Zirin snarled. Azula glared at her coldly.

"That's the Azula you were asking for, though. The one who would walk away and let you get crushed under my brother's boot out of vindictiveness alone," she continued. "I'm here to tell you to turn over a new leaf and set aside your intent, or you're only going to continue paying the price for it. And I won't be paying it with you."

"So that's it, then? You're forsaking me and running off with… with that fool in your head, with the idiot who somehow wants to date you or whatever?" Zirin scoffed.

"I wouldn't be forsaking anything… provided you and the others agree to stop, for good," Azula said. "Zuko is an idiot in many ways, and he didn't truly understand the gravity of what happened in that place. What you did to the other patients is unforgivable, Zirin… were the circumstances any different, I would be advocating for your death myself. But I know why you did it… I just cannot accept that you found no way to spare them. Even so, you can rot in this cell forever or you can make something of yourself…"

"Something to aid this wretched nation?" Zirin asked. "I'd pick the pyre."

"Really?" Azula asked. Zirin scoffed.

"The Fire Nation should go down in flames… and I don't care for it to be reborn from its ashes," she hissed. "You, your accursed family… you all just prove there's no saving this nation. And maybe I'm the one who can do it… by laying waste upon it all. That… that's my fate. There was no Phoenix King, in the end… but I could be the Queen."

"The fuck are you…?" Azula frowned, but she froze: she had seen that look on Zirin's face before.

It was a sudden burst of vacancy that preceded a storm.

The reason why she had been sent to the asylum in the first place.

"Zirin. Zirin!" Azula called her, stepping closer to the woman. "Snap back here! Zirin!"

She was tempted to slap her, but she held back out of knowing that violence might just unleash the very worst of reactions from the firebender even faster than Zirin intended: heat began rising within the room, and Zirin continued not to react… but something seemed to be instants away from boiling over inside her. It was as though she had grown comatose… focusing her power so much that every shred of her energy would become firebending.

"Zirin!" Azula snapped. "I will do it! I will chi-block you!"

It was the only way in which she had been stopped once, when she had withdrawn into that state at night, setting their campsite on fire as a consequence. The others had hidden away from Zirin, and only Azula had reduced her. She had spent hours writhing furiously afterwards, sputtering flames out of her throat all the same…

But this time, Zirin was faster.

This time, Azula raised her hand to stop her just as Zirin screamed.

A violent burst of flames caught Azula just as she had been about to prevent it from rushing out: she was flung back, falling hard against the closed door, as the flames pouring over Zirin's body, charring at her skin, burned and melted the chains and restraints, destroying the chair where she had been perched…

She stood up, fire still alight over her body. Azula snarled, rubbing her back as she felt the door shifting behind her.

"Azula?! Azula! What's going on?! Azula?!" Sokka's voice reached her, and Azula snarled as she pushed herself away from the door.

"YOU'LL NEVER BREAK ME! THERE WON'T EVEN BE ASHES LEFT WHEN I'M DONE WITH YOU!" Zirin shrieked: her hand rose towards Azula, and she leveled a new firebending blast in her direction.

Azula snarled: the door swung open violently once her weight no longer kept it shut, for Sokka shoved it. He had a perfect view of how his princess caught an onslaught of pouring flames in one hand, brandishing it in her control, stealing it from the woman before her…

How? How was Zirin unleashing that kind of power? The room was as good as an inferno, one that Azula was restraining with every ounce of her strength…

Her left leg was unsteady.

There was something dark trickling down her trousers.

"Azula!" Sokka roared.

"GET BACK!" Azula rebuffed, building her power over the flames and wrestling them out of Zirin's control.

This wasn't new, even if it was far more potent than whenever it had happened during their previous mishaps on the road: Zirin's firebending was a threat to anyone around her, even herself. Long ago, Zirin had learned to channel her body's energy in ways completely unknown to Azula until then, as good as shutting down as she gathered her energy in a single point. Even her heart would stop beating for that small moment… and then everything would bloom again, unleashing from her body as an explosion, a storm of flames for which her body was the conduit.

It was more akin to a phoenix than anything Ozai had been. Zirin died for a blink of a moment only to return shrouded by flames. She had hurt herself with her own fire with these stunts in the past, destroyed her childhood home, she had always been restrained with chi-blocking when she had dared do it in the asylum… and chi-blocking was how Azula would keep her in check whenever Zirin's temper got the better of her while they were part of the same group.

She had surely used that technique to lay waste upon the asylum. She had gathered her power and unleashed all of it in one violent, suspended burst that would last for as long as she could sustain it.

And now, Azula struggled against the onslaught of fire that Zirin unleashed through her throat, her body seemingly burning alive as she unleashed her flames into the small room.

She couldn't scream forever, Sokka counted on that: he stood beside Azula, behind her, worried about the wound she had most likely sustained in her left leg… then, Zirin finally slowed her outburst, even as sparks poured from her closed mouth.

"Had enough yet?!" Azula roared: the room turned blue, as Azula brandished Zirin's remaining flames…

She could very well return them at her former ally.

But she didn't do it.

The fire diminished in size and strength, stifled gradually by Azula's expert bending: Zirin laughed, though, raising a hand menacingly.

"You will pay for all your broken promises!" Zirin shouted. "Your cursed family… I will destroy it at all costs! You… the Fire Lord!"

Azula had never understood Zirin's particular hatred towards Zuko: her brother hadn't even entered the room, but Zirin knew he was out there, somewhere. That, alone, would suffice to motivate her into destroying him at once.

She geared up to roar again, and Azula tensed up…

Her left leg buckled.

She gasped: why had she lost her grip? Why had she…?

She reached down to touch it, and only then did she realize her thigh hurt: blood. Her hand was stained with blood.

She shuddered at the sight of it, failing to understand the implications, only realizing now that there was something painfully imbedded in her skin. She couldn't rise back up. She couldn't stand. She couldn't…

Zirin unleashed a new burst of flames.

Azula wouldn't be fast enough to stop them.

A projectile flew violently through the flames, spinning fast in the direction where Zirin stood... but Azula didn't see it strike her.

She couldn't, for she was wrapped in protective arms as the remaining flames of that inferno fell upon the back of the person holding her.

Sokka cried out in pain as the flames charred his body: Azula yelped…

And just as suddenly as it had arisen, the fire extinguished.

"Sokka! Sokka, why would you…?!" Azula gasped, struggling to push herself back upright: Sokka weighed heavily on her, and he snarled with pain under the damage he had sustained. "Sokka!"

"Azula!" Zuko's voice reached them: the Princess turned towards him in anguish, seeing he had retrieved help, but not fast enough to stop Zirin from hurting Sokka.

Zuko's eyes widened at the sight of Sokka's burnt back: his shirt's back had been charred, leaving solely blackened fabric at the edges of the hole across the extension of his spine. Redness underneath betrayed that he had sustained a strong burn… even if the person bending the flames that had hurt him now lay unconscious, bleeding from the forehead.

Sokka's boomerang had spun awkwardly back to him, landing a few steps away, after he struck Zirin down before she could destroy the room, the Prison Tower, everything around them.

"Help…" Azula gasped, gripping Sokka firmly. She looked to Zuko with vulnerability most unlike her… uttering a word she most likely had never spoken to him. "Zuko…!"

The Fire Lord frowned with determination: he gave orders to his soldiers, and he stepped up to take charge of the situation. The guilt inside his chest would be resolved later: for now, Zirin would be contained anew, and Sokka and Azula would be taken to safety.

____________________________________

Sokka sighed, smiling sadly at Azula as she sat by his bedside, her brow furrowed:

The shards of the mirror nestled in a pouch, in her hand.

The mirror had broken against the door in the impact when she had been flung back with Zirin's initial outburst. She hadn't realized it, at first. She hadn't wanted to believe it was true, either, when she understood that her first gift by Sokka had been destroyed by Zirin's attack.

"I know she can show up elsewhere, I do, but… this sucks," Azula huffed, shaking her head and setting the mirror aside, trying to ignore her bandaged thigh. The damage hadn't been that deep, certainly not enough to endanger her, but she wasn't supposed to move around much for the next few days while her body amended the damage.

"We'll get you a new mirror. A prettier one," Sokka said. "One more suitable for you."

"That one was fine," Azula said, sighing as she set the pouch down on Sokka's nightstand. "But I shouldn't complain. You… you matter more than a broken mirror."

"Do I?" Sokka smirked. Azula scoffed. "What?"

"Are you really going to twist my concern for you into some weird flirting or something…?" Azula asked. Sokka laughed, nodding awkwardly as he lay on his back, head turned towards her. Azula scoffed, amused nonetheless. "You're so ridiculous."

"You like that I am, though," he said. Azula lowered her gaze.

"You know… Zuko once did what you just did, too. For your sister," Azula said. Sokka's smile waned slightly. "I was the one on the offensive that time. It's rare enough that I was the one trying to defend others this time… that I was the target of someone out of control, rather than being the one who was out of control or out of line. But it's weirder still that someone would jump into the fire for me."

She raised her gaze towards him, and Sokka smiled a little. Azula shook her head.

"No laughing matter. No smiling matter, either. You could have been burned far worse than you were. It's fortunate that they think you'll recover safely," Azula said. Sokka scoffed.

"Your fire's definitely stronger than hers," he said. Azula rolled her eyes, though she smiled a little. "You overestimated her strength."

"I'm quite sure I did no such thing," Azula said, shaking her head and reaching out a hand to stroke his hair gently. Sokka grinned giddily. "You didn't have to do that, is my point."

"Azula… I love you," Sokka said, earnestly. Her heart jolted to hear the words from his lips again. "I'm sorry to say that's what love means to me. Maybe you don't like it… but I'm going to jump into the fire for you. I'm going to stand between you and any knife that comes your way. If I get hurt… well, it's fine if you won't be."

"That's… you're an idiot," Azula said, frowning. Sokka shrugged.

"Most people think so too…"

"Well, most of them are wrong because they're saying it for the wrong reasons," Azula said. Sokka snorted. "You… you can't go around pretending your life and your safety matter less than that of everyone you care about."

"So… am I supposed to protect myself instead?" Sokka asked, puzzled. Azula gritted her teeth…

A most confusing, surprising epiphany hit her as consequence of his question. Sokka appeared to await an answer… and she was surprised to find she actually had one:

"You're supposed to fight by my side," Azula decided. Sokka's eyes widened. "We're… we're a team. Successful strategies don't require the sacrifice of your own allies. If you need to discard them as you progress towards your goal, you're probably not that good a strategist. More capable and able-bodied allies mean you have more resources at your disposal. It's simple and obvious."

"Heh. So… a practical, reasonable point of view encourages you to believe that I shouldn't jump into danger," Sokka smirked. "You know what? That's exactly why I like you. Love to hear it."

Azula smirked back at him, shaking her head: she couldn't help but grow fonder of him for that reaction. She suspected anyone lesser would have been cross with her for responding with practicality rather than sentimentality after a sacrifice that great… but not Sokka. They certainly saw eye to eye when it came to strategic matters, if nothing else.

"The next time we're in danger, if we are… and we most likely will be, considering who I am, and what your luck in life has been like," Azula pointed out, to Sokka's amusement. "Please… work with me. Don't jump into danger that way. It… it means a lot, that you would. But I'm not exactly eager to lose you. It was good thinking to knock Zirin out with your boomerang, you sure threw it hard for it to cut across her fire that way…"

"Well, these muscles aren't just for show," Sokka said, tightening his biceps to her amusement. Azula laughed, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. "See? See?"

"Dork," Azula smiled. He snickered proudly. "I'm grateful anyway. Just… don't do that again, will you?"

"I'll try not to," Sokka smiled warmly, reaching up to clasp her hand, pressing a soft kiss to her palm.

The tingling feeling of being treasured by someone to the point where he might sacrifice himself for her sake hadn't receded. It almost brought her to tears. Her throat tightened as she pondered it, as she realized that perhaps love did look a little bit like what Sokka had described for her before, even if it shouldn't be as self-sacrificial as that…

She leaned closer to him on his bed, pressing her lips to his cheek. Sokka grinned mischievously at the feeling.

"That's nice…" he said.

"You do realize… that we're not going to sleep together until your back recovers?"

"What?!"

Sokka yelped, and Azula laughed at his extreme reaction: he even seemed to rise from the bed, and she had to reel him in so he'd stop being so careless.

"Come on, you won't be able to lie on your back…"

"Well, I won't lie on it. I don't need to. You'll have to put up with being under me more often!" Sokka pouted.

"You really are that eager to get back to it, are you?" Azula smiled, stroking his hair and kissing his cheek again. Sokka groaned needily.

"When you're being this nice, it's hard to help it," he said. "C'mon, I could just lie on top and even as we sleep, I'll just rest on, uh, the best pillow in the world…"

"You like my breasts far too much for your own good," Azula said: Sokka smiled wildly, glancing at her chest even if her clothes covered her bosom fully.

"What's not to like?" he said. "You're delightful. And delicious, too."

"I'm… ugh, you don't have to be so crude, Sokka," Azula blushed, shaking her head as she pushed him slightly on his mattress. Sokka snorted at her remark.

"If it disgusts you so much, why are you climbing up here right after I said something stupid?" he asked: Azula was halfway on the mattress by then, and she shot him a fierce glare.

"Because I… had already meant to do this before you started being embarrassing," she huffed, lying down fully beside him. Sokka giggled, and Azula rolled her eyes before reaching towards him. "Come here, you annoying jerk, you…"

"Woah, wait…!"

His request was not heeded: thus, before he knew it, Sokka was left to lie his head down happily, comfortably, atop Azula's chest.

"I hope this will help you recover. At least, might brighten your spirits," Azula said, unsure of why she felt bashful after what she'd done. Sokka, of course, beamed with delight.

"Sure brightens them," he said. "Though I hope it won't help much because that means I'd recover too quickly. If I don't, then I'll get to do this even more often, and…"

"If you recover faster I'll sit on your face sooner than you know," Azula declared, boldly: Sokka smiled wildly, raising his head from her chest eagerly.

"You will?!" he exclaimed. Azula snorted and laughed.

"Guess you're happy when I'm the one who's crude. You know, you're delightful too. And ridiculous," she said, cupping his face with her hands before kissing his eager lips softly.

It was a tender, meaningful kiss for the two of them, and they extended it for as long as they dared with sweet, gentle pecks, as well as deeper, thorough explorations of each other, interspersed between the chaste kisses. His hands dared touch her with desire, even if he wasn't about to act on it… and Azula let him. She felt his fingers trailing her weak spots and she thrived in it, quietly, letting her lover trigger her pleasure at his leisure.

"You didn't need to do this either, you know?" Sokka smiled a little, raising his head to gaze at her. "Could've just left me to rest quietly while withholding yourself from me…"

"Why would I want to do that?" Azula asked, stroking his hair gently. Sokka chuckled.

"Don't know. Because I'm the annoying guy who put himself in danger for your sake when he should have been fighting alongside you?" he said.

"Well, lesson learned now, I hope. You're… a little forgiven," Azula said, with a smirk. Sokka laughed, his brow pressed against hers.

"Good to know," he said. Azula bit her lip.

"Maybe we're not so different, you and I. You jumped in front of an inferno to protect me because you love me… and I let you rest on my chest because I…"

"Azula?" Sokka raised an eyebrow, looking at her with surprise.

Azula breathed deeply before meeting his eyes: it felt like the biggest risk she had ever taken. She didn't know what was so frightening about uttering those words, she had already spoken them to someone else…

But doing it with Sokka felt like a greater commitment. Like deciding she was throwing her lot with him for the rest of their lives, if he could stand her for that long.

The way he gazed at her suggested he was capable of that, and so much more.

So she had to do it. She just had to jump… and wait for gravity to claim her, or for her wings to burst from her back and help her take to the skies.

"I love you."

Sokka's eyes gleamed with emotion, reflected by the tears that were born in the corners of his eyes. He laughed softly, and Azula smiled warmly too, if tearfully: he kissed her sweetly, and her arms locked around his neck as she kept him close.

"Azula…" he managed to say, with a broken voice. Azula shook her head.

"It's okay. We'll… talk things over later," she said, caressing his cheek. "We'll decide whatever we need to decide, alright? For now, just… just live in the here and now. Just… just let me love you even if I barely know how, okay?"

"You know more than you realize you do," Sokka smiled warmly: the affection in his eyes caught her so off guard she nearly melted into his next kiss, into his warm, loving embrace…

Yes, there were many things for them to work through still. Yes, perhaps she'd regret having said those words once it sunk in that she had done it, whenever she lost her mind to anguish over not being good enough for him… but right now, everything felt just right. His kisses were as warm as sunlight, setting her inner flame afire with potent emotions she never knew she could experience.

Fire could be so deadly, so devastating. It could lay waste upon everything, just as Zirin had tried to… but it could be warm and gentle, too. It could embody passion… it could embody life. The dark shadows fire cast around itself were intricately connected with its light. The hand of the bender wielding it would determine the true purpose of flames: destruction or creation, hatred or love, life or death…

And right now, the fire in her heart burned with unequivocal devotion for the man whose brow pressed to hers, as they basked in their newfound peace. A part of Azula wickedly wished to ask if this was exactly what he had been missing with Suki… but she didn't dare mar a perfect moment of shared tenderness with any matters besides the two of them. All teasing could wait for later.

Though they would be forced to interrupt that crystallized moment of happiness rather quickly, too, once they heard footsteps approaching Sokka's room, as well as the quelled voices of Zuko and his physicians, who no doubt were informing him of Sokka's state.

"Uuuh…" Sokka grimaced: Azula flushed as she squirmed clumsily, awkwardly, out of Sokka's embrace.

"Lie down quietly there. Nothing happened here," she said, bashful, carefully moving so her leg wouldn't hurt.

"Right. Right. I'll… pretend I was asleep, yep. That's it," Sokka smiled, closing his eyes and relaxing.

Azula's heart raced as she took her seat: Zuko barged in moments later, without knocking.

"Still can't bother announcing yourself before entering any rooms?" Azula asked. Zuko grimaced, slowing down at first before stepping closer to Azula, sitting beside her.

"I guess I ought to work on that," he said. "How is he?"

"He's… asleep. As you can see," Azula said, trying not to show her bashfulness too overtly – while there was much they would need to work on and decide, one of such things was settling on whether to keep matters quiet a little longer or blatantly sharing the truth of what their relationship was with everyone around them… such as Zuko.

"Well… yeah. I can," Zuko sighed. "The physicians say he might… might have light marks left. Fortunately, the fire receded fast enough so it isn't as severe as, well… my face."

"It wasn't a third-degree burn," Azula concluded. Zuko nodded.

"Still… I don't feel like this is the right choice," Zuko said. Azula raised an eyebrow. "I mean… my physicians are the best the Fire Nation can offer. But is Fire Nation medicine going to be enough?"

"I have no idea. I hope so?" Azula said. Zuko sighed.

"I think we should get him to someone who could alleviate his pain much faster. Maybe even heal him enough so his skin isn't damaged forever," Zuko said. "Not even with light marks."

"Is that even possible?" Azula asked.

"Waterbending healing is impressive. You'll see," Zuko said, reassuringly.

"You're bringing a waterbender here?" Azula asked. "Or… do you want us to go to the Northern Water Tribe again?"

"I, uh… didn't mean for us to travel that far. A little less far, frankly," Zuko said, twiddling his thumbs awkwardly. Azula frowned.

"What?"

"There's… a really great waterbending healer who would gladly look after Sokka and make sure he's okay. And I think we should trust her to take good care of him. I know I do… though I'm not sure you do. Sokka would, though, I mean, she's… uh, well… his sister."

Azula had started to suspect what Zuko was getting at right before he arrived at his destination: her jaw dropped, and she inched away from him before blurting out the one answer she could give her brother's suggestion:

"Absolutely not."

"Azula, he's her brother. She'll kill us if we don't tell her he was in danger, if we don't take him to her…!"

"She'll kill you for harboring me at all, and then kill me for being, well, me! So as far as I can tell, the casualties will be minimal provided we just… avoid her. Forever."

Zuko snorted, slightly amused by the panic Katara elicited in Azula's heart. The Princess glared at her brother in displeasure, and he shook his head.

"I'll go too and make sure she understands that none of this is your fault. If anything… it's mine," Zuko said. Azula winced…

"As touching as it is to hear you admit that? I still don't want to go. Nope. Not a chance," Azula said, eyes wide.

"You might just like Air Temple Island…"

"What does that even matter?! I'm not going to jump right into their hands when they thought I'd kidnapped Sokka to begin with!"

"Well, I'll clear that up too! It'll be fine! Maybe we can call Toph too, I bet she'd help clear your name! Maybe she even told Aang and Katara that you're not a hazard to Sokka already…!"

"Right, and you think they believed her, if she did? You're as gullible as…"

"If you guys argued any louder, maybe you'd finally make sure that no one gets any rest around these parts, you know?"

Both Azula and Zuko froze up at Sokka's accusatory tone and deadpan glare – evidently, his attempt to pretend that he was sleeping had ended very quickly. Their apologetic grimaces brought a smirk to his face, and he shook his head at them.

"We can go to Air Temple Island. I'll handle Katara… and I'll make sure to have a loud argument with her just as you two are trying to fall asleep, too."

"Haha. You're hilarious," Zuko scoffed. Azula chuckled, shaking her head at Sokka's promise. "But then… once you're okay to travel? We'll… we'll get going. We'll get you some more healing, Sokka. You'll make a full recovery."

"As noisy as you may be… that's nice of you, buddy. Thanks," Sokka grinned.

Zuko didn't stay for much longer, busy as he was: Azula's nervousness over the next leg of their journey didn't diminish at all… but once Zuko was gone, she reached out to take Sokka's hand in hers: he smiled as he fell asleep holding it, and just by the sight of that gentle smile upon his face, Azula allowed herself to believe wistfully that everything would work out for the best…

They were gone. No light. No reflections. Nowhere for her to peer through and understand what had happened. The mirror was shattered, stained with her host's blood.

"You see? You hurt her! And you keep hurting her! Your meddling ruined her bonds with her allies, and you couldn't save her from another betrayal!"

Yue gritted her teeth, closing her eyes as she tried not to listen to the cackling cruelty of her captor. She didn't want to hear it. She didn't need to…

"Yue… Yue… Yue…"

A second voice. The one she heard at times, a familiar voice… it was kind, it was reaching out for her…

The dark restraints around her body tightened. She closed her eyes and hoped they'd hold. She needed them to hold. Otherwise…

"It won't be long now. It won't be long," her captor giggled with cruelty: she refused to look at him. She wouldn't meet his gaze. She had always refused… and he would never stop pushing her. "It won't be long before you're mine forever… once no one needs you anymore. Once you're well and truly gone from that world. Once every memory of your existence vanishes…

"Once they forget you. The Princess, the warrior… they will give their hearts to each other, and you will be forgotten for good."

A tear escaped Yue's cheeks: she might never be free again… but so long as they were, she would endure this nightmare and face the dark fate that swirled closer and closer around her, threatening to fulfill the dark promise of Oblivion.

[eventinelysplayground]

An Emotional Maelstrom

This story runs in tandem to A Winter Storm, it's the same time frame but from Leonardo's pov. Minor TW for lots of alcohol/drinking so if either one bothers you don't read. Also I don't speak Italian but I believe the tiny bit of Italian I use is correct from asking but I could still be wrong and sorry if I am.

???: How much longer does she have?

???: Maybe a half hour an hour if we're really lucky. I failed them Leonardo, I kept telling her everything would be fine!

Leonardo: Hey take it easy ok, I know you did everything you could. How are the bambinos

????: They're perfectly healthy but she didn't even get to hold them. She did all this work and…

Leonardo: Okay enough of that now…

One of the babies started crying loudly and Arthur got up to tend to him. Leonardo stood there looking down at Mitsuki.

I had a bad feeling about today, thought it was just because of the weather but…

Leonardo saw Mitsukis eyes flutter open and he bent down to her.

Leonardo: Cara Mia?

Mitsuki: I want my sons. Please I can't leave them I want …

Leonardo leaned in closer and whispered in Mitsukis ear.

Leonardo: Come on Cara Mia you already broke my heart no need to kill it.

Mitsuki: I'm sorry Leonardo.

Leonardo could feel her fading, she only had a matter of minutes. He froze for only a second then he was gently moving her hair away from her neck.

Leonardo: You really are too sweet.

Leonardo sank his fangs deep into Mitsukis neck and he felt her body jolt beneath him.

Your scent was already incredibly sweet but your taste is so much better. I'm so sorry Mitsuki but I can't…. I can't lose you again, especially not for good.

Just as Leonardo sensed Mitsuki starting to change he heard a gasp.

???: What are you doing?

Arthur: Leonardo…

Leonardo took one last look at Mitsuki then stood up wiping the last traces of her blood from his lips with the back of his hand.

Leonardo: I'm going to my room.

Arthur: Leonardo wait! Damn it!

Leonardo knew Arthur was still talking but he didn't care. He left Mitsukis room and headed straight for Comtes wine cellar grabbing several of the best bottles before returning to his room and locking himself inside. He set most of the bottles on the bed then pushed a pile of books off the sofa onto the floor and sunk down into it while uncorking the first bottle with his teeth.

Che diavolo sto facendo! How could I do that to her, when did I lose all my common sense?

Leonardo couldn't say exactly when he had fallen in love with Mitsuki but before he knew it it had happened. He didn't spend a lot of time with her when she first came to the mansion, the day after she had arrived Theo had announced she'd be working with him and that was that. He was relieved actually, he was worried about this little lamb who had wandered into a strange new place and didn't want to see her hurt. He knew Theo was trustworthy and would look out for her, he might be tough on the surface but he had a good heart and he knew exactly how to deal with Arthur.

Time went by and Leonardo saw them getting closer, he didn't think it was entirely smart with her heading back to her own time soon but it also wasn't any of his business. Then one day at breakfast Arthur asked about their relationship then Jean asked what everyone else was thinking

Jean: So does that mean you're staying in this world?

Mitsuki never answered Jean that day but a few days later she told everyone she was staying. Leonardo was genuinely glad, he liked having her around and thought she softened up the place. After she decided to stay they had plenty of time and opportunity to interact with each other and he let the memories flow in as he drank. The memories kept coming and Leonardo kept drinking. Some were memories of little things others were of conversations they had or things they did together. Leonardo couldn't pinpoint exactly when he fell in love with her but he could pinpoint the day he realized he was

***

Leonardo are you in there?

Come on in Cara Mia, just watch your step.

You really need to clean up this room.

It's fine the way it is, what did you need Cara Mia or is this a personal visit?

What no!? I just wanted to know if you had a book on art history I could wahhh…

Mitsuki had lost her footing and grabbed onto him probably to try and steady herself but instead they both just ended up falling onto his bed.

Hehe well now you sure this isn't a personal visit?

I'm absolutely certain! I just fell over all this stuff on your floor.

****

He remembered they were so close together and her scent overwhelmed him and it took everything he had to control the bloodlust creeping up on him.

Ya that was it. Never could look at her the way I had before after that. I should have left as soon as I realized it, idiota.

Leonardo was vaguely aware of the passing of time. Both Isaac and Arthur had come banging on his door at some point during the night but he continued to sit on the sofa and drink. Then at some point after the sun rose Napoleon had come knocking as well. Then sometime in the afternoon he heard a light knock.

???: Leonardo I know you're in there. If you hadn't made it home I would have lost my little sister. I don't know if it was just good luck or something else but I'm glad you were here when she needed you. I'm leaving some blanc and rogue outside your door for you.

Leonardo listened to Vincent's footsteps receding down the hall.

Good luck or something else huh I wonder that myself. I wonder what Cara Mia will think of it.

Leonardo thought back to yesterday morning. He could tell there would be a storm later that day. Originally he was thinking of staying home but when he was walking down the hallway he came across Mitsuki and Theo locked in a passionate kiss and he changed his mind. He skipped breakfast and headed into town to help out a few buddies but something was gnawing at him all day that he just couldn't place.

In five hundred or so years he'd learn to trust his instincts and so he decided to head back much earlier than he originally planned on. He thought it was a good thing at the time as the light snow had quickly turned into a fierce blizzard. If he had been a human he would of died out there in it no question, hell even as a pureblood he had thought of trying to find some shelter and just stay put until it ended but that gnawing feeling was just getting worse so he kept going. When he got back to the mansion Isaac was scurrying down the stairs and looked panicked.

Leonardo: You okay Isaac?

Isaac: Leonardo!

Isaac ran over to Leonardo and tugged at his arm.

Isaac: There's no time you need to…

Leonardo: Calm down and breathe Isaac, now what's going on?

Isaac: Just go upstairs to Mitsukis room fast Arthur can tell you better than I can. I need to get milk….

Leonardo remembered the fear and anger that came over him at Isaac's words. The memory was so strong that the fear and anger overtook him once again, this time though they were mixed with guilt. He stood up and walked over to his bed grabbing one of the two remaining bottles of wine and slumped down against his bookcase. He thought back to that spring day when things had changed between him and Mitsuki

***

Leonardo: You shouldn't have been put in a position where you could die. It was reckless of the both of you Cara Mia and it should never have happened.

Mitsuki: What?

Leonardo: You heard me just fine

***

Leonardo: He should be feeling guilty, this love as you keep calling it could end up killing you!

Mitsuki: Are you seriously questioning after all these years if Theo and I love each other?

***

Thinking about that day only made things worse and Leonardo drank back the last bottle in one go. The day kept passing by in relative silence except for when one or both babies cried, adding to his torment and making him wish he'd made at least another trip to the wine cellar before locking himself in.

Some time late in the night he heard the lock on his door jiggling and then a click as the door slowly opened.

???: Leonardo.

Leonardo: Unless you brought something good to drink with you I don't want to see you Comte, even then it would have to be really good stuff.

Comte slowly pushed the door open just wide enough so he could enter. He was holding a tray with what Leonardo guessed was the blanc and rogue Vincent had left for him as well as some rare wine and very expensive whiskey.

Leonardo: Trying to bribe me into talking to you?

Comte: I just thought that you'd like something good if you're going to stay locked up in here.

Leonardo leaned forwards and snatched a bottle of whiskey off the tray and started downing the contents. His old friend sat on the edge of the bed and stared at him.

Comte: Can I ask you something, as your oldest friend?

Leonardo: Go ahead.

Comte: I know your own views on turning humans into vampires and why you're against it, I also know what you thought of me bringing back people even if you never said it.

Leonardo: Is that question hiding in there somewhere?

Comte: Why Leonardo?

Leonardo: Good question.

Leonardo looked at Comte for a moment before returning to the bottle of whiskey.Finally his old friend gave up on waiting for an answer and left him alone again.

Guess I've done a better job of hiding it then even I thought if you're asking me that Comte. Well did a better job of hiding it anyways…

***

Leonardo: I had a heart Cara Mia, but you broke it the day you married Theo.

Mitsuki: ….

***

Never should have told her that, sure as hell ain't going to start telling other people especially now. I really shouldn't be thinking about this but I couldn't take my eyes off her as she came down the stairs that day.

****

(You're absolutely breathtaking Cara Mia)

I'm ready Theo.

…..

(You seriously not going to say anything to her?)

…You're beautiful.

T-Theo, You look very handsome too.

****

I was barely holding it together then my “friend” had to go and open his mouth.

****

But Mitsuki looks so beautiful. She has a smile on her face so bright she looks like she's glowing. I hate to admit it but you're the only one who can do that for her, Theo.

****

That was when my heart started breaking when I realized just how right my old friend was and it finished breaking when Mitsuki finished her vows. Really should of left this place after that but ... . Who am I trying to fool huh? The day I realized I was in love with her I knew I could never be away from her even if she does love someone else.

Leonardo's emotions were spiraling further out of control the more memories came flooding through him, as well as the more he drank to drown those memories in. By the time the sun had risen again Leonardo had finished off both bottles of whiskey and started working on the wine.

Just like the day before the mansion was eerily silent except for the occasional ear splitting cry from one of the infants. After Le Comtes visit Leonardo had been left alone by everyone until so late in the afternoon it was almost evening.

???: Leonardo? Comte wanted me to come tell you that Mitsuki is…

Leonardo was off the floor and flinging open the door before Vincent could finish speaking.

Vincent: Awake.

Leonardo: How long?

Vincent: Not very, she woke up looking for the babies. Did you want to…

Leonardo: No.

Vincent: But…

Leonardo shut the door on Vincent and his protests. He ran his hand through his hair then knocked over a stack of books in frustration.

Please…please be ok Cara Mia.

Late afternoon became evening which turned into late evening. The whole time Leonardo sat on his floor worrying about how Mitsukis change had gone. He'd seen enough in his life and with his own experiments with alchemy he had sworn to himself to never turn anyone but when he was faced with losing her permanently all he could think about was that fear and what she had said that day

I'll do anything I need to…

Even if she was fine now would she be able to withstand near eternity? There was too much uncertainty and he wouldn't blame her for hating him for eternity. Leonardo reached for a bottle and groaned when he found it empty but just then there was a knock on his door.

???: Leonardo I'm coming in.

Leonardo: Cara Mia! What are you doing here?

Mitsuki: We're all having a very late dinner so I came to get you, and also so that you can see I'm fine.

Leonardo just stared at Mitsuki, not able to say anything. He looked her over and physically she looked fine except for her eyes that were full of worry.

Mitsuki: Leonardo, I can't begin to imagine what you feel inside but I just wanted to say thank you.

Leonardo: Why would you thank me after what I did to you Cara Mia, what I took from you.

Mitsuki: You may have taken my human life from me but, because of you I’m still here. I get to see my boys grow up, I get to stay with the man I love and my family. My whole family.

Leonardo almost jerked back when Mitsuki placed her hand on his, her warmth flowing into him.

That's not the only thing I'm talking about here Cara Mia. I never should have done what I did to you that day, said what I said.

Mitsuki: Comte has been beside himself worrying about you. He doesn't understand what happened, none of them do but I think I know. It's because of that conversation we had in the garden isn't it?

Leonardo's eyes darted away from hers then went wide.

Is that how you've been thinking of it all this time, just a conversation? You never told Theo what actually happened did you? I always wondered why he never came breaking down my door…

Mitsuki: I don't want for things to get even more awkward or strange between us Leonardo. I'm perfectly happy and I'm still me, though I guess my appetites changed for good now. Please Leonardo.

You really are too sweet for your own good Cara Mia. I may live for eternity but even with all that time I'll never be half the person you are…

Leonardo: Those bambinos are loud, guess I should at least meet them since they're gonna be keeping the whole mansion awake.

Mitsuki: Haha ya they are, they weren't big fans of the goats milk Sebastian had for them at first but they're happier now so hopefully they won't be as loud.

Leonardo stood up and looked at Mitsukis smiling face.

Mitsuki: There's something I want to know Leonardo are you wahhh…

Leonardo: Again Cara Mia?

Leonardo was once again laying in his bed with Mitsuki.

Mitsuki: It's not my fault! I tripped on that wine bottle, or maybe that one. You really need to clean your room Leonardo and if you won't do it then…

Leonardo placed one of his hands over Mitsukis mouth.

Leonardo: Don't say anything else, I can't take any more of your kindness right now. If I didn't know any better I'd swear you really were trying to kill my heart.

Leonardo watched as Mitsukis eyebrows scrunched together and then her eyes widened. She nodded once and he removed his hand from her mouth.

Mitsuki: I'm sorry Leonardo.

Leonardo:That's enough now. You never need to be sorry for anything that's happened Cara Mia, understand me?

Leonardo waited for Mitsuki to nod her head again before he lifted himself off his bed then helped her up after him and turned her towards the door.

Leonardo: Let's go see those bambinos, just watch your step this time.

[wooyoungisbaby]

hello B)

The grizzly bear rug - which you’d affectionately nicknamed Jongho

PLSSSSS i was warned about rug Jongho but that’s so funny hhfjdnhf (also very cute)

Although you assume your desire to sleep has more to do with the book in your hand than it does the rug.

felt.

If Hongjoong looks carefully he’s almost sure he can see the crease of where your ass cheek meets your thigh. He averts his gaze,

lmfaoooo ok victorian man <3

his black, pinstripe slacks.

ok. why is Hongjoong in pinstripe slacks so hot?? maybe just because hes always hot but who knows.

“Why didn’t you call for us, my dove? […] You know we would’ve come running to you.”

PLEADING EMOJI hes so sweet <33

If you ever get to meet the demon who created such a tempting individual, you’d have to thank them personally.

Genuinely wondering if this is like a thing™ or if it was just another way of saying she likes how he looks. regardless he should be created by a demon bc that would be cool and maybe even hot owo

[…] accentuating them in a way that would have a Victorian harlot gasping with jealousy.

it’s me im the Victorian harlot <3

“Seonghwa doesn’t like it when I don’t use my indoor voice,”

Short sentence that says so much about Hwa!! He’s soft and gentle but he will let his desires and preferences be known. He won’t suffer in silence #girlboss

“It’s not a tantrum,” you whine childishly,

Bahahaha, sure hon <3

He wants to tear you to shreds.

he should do it. i think. in my objective opinion

There’s a dangerous smirk on his lips, the man baring his teeth as if he’s about to go in for the kill.

the way i know EXACTLY what this looks like on him hnnhhnnhnjh

Immediately your eyes hone in on Seonghwa, lying on the bed in all his glory, nothing but a black tulle robe to cover his lithe body.

i am Going to explode into a million pieces from this mental image :’)))))

this is what im picturing btw

your restless mind seems to enjoy being told what to do.

uhhhh mood. uwu

Whilst normally Seonghwa would have you wait for it, teasing you until he’s decided you're ready for it, he can’t help but want to indulge you in your desires now.

LOVE a soft dom who gives in and gives their partner little treats it’s so cute hhhhh<3

Your orgasm hits as the door swings even further open and Hongjoong walks in just in time to see you squirming under Seonghwa’s touch.

my voyeurism/exhubitionsm loving ass: !!! OWO

effectively trapping you between the two of them

im not jealous of Darling at all. hahah ;u;

Just one flick of the wrist and it would be fully exposed, ready to slip inside of you. You moan into Seonghwa’s mouth.

darling 🤝 me moaning at the thought of taking Seonghwa’s dick

His eyelashes flutter gracefully against his porcelain-smooth cheeks, and even with his husband's fingers down his throat you can’t help but think he’s beautiful.

the mental images you are putting into my head, bunny!!!!!! this is too beautiful :’))

ackkkkakdnjkadjjd the img of Hongjoon’s cock inside their darling, along with Seonghwa’s pretty fingers? :’)) She did so well taking both of them im yelling!! prouda my girl

“it’s too much.” “But you can take it, Mi Amor.” […] “You can take it so our little lamb can feel good; keep her stuffed full until her Mommy can cum inside of her too.”

for personal reasons i’m going to explode and die :) no fr the gentle domming, the taunting??? im gone. the whole paragraph after this is a god damn masterpiece too, i’m grateful that we get this glimpse of sub (adjacent) goodboy Hongjoong <3

The first one falls, pretty quickly, but it doesn't get very far as Hongjoong kisses it away. His lips linger against your face, relishing the way your hot skin feels against them.

he loves her so much :’)))) the care and reverence in just this little gesture is so sweet.

opposites attract w/ addams!matz

it’s finally here… i spent so long on this and im finally happy enough with it to give it to you guys!! i hope you enjoy it as much as i enjoyed writing it <333

words - 7.2k

genre - smut/fluff

warnings - sugar mommy!seonghwa, mommy kink, sugar daddy!hongjoong, daddy kink, cute!reader, sub!reader, dom!seonghwa, switch!hongjoong, unprotected sex, creampie, double penetration (2 in 1), clit play, cum eating, collaring, partially clothed sex, seonghwa in a tulle robe, mentions of seonghwa in a dress, i’m so horny for seonghwa guys, mentions of drinking but everyone is sober, pet names (mommy, daddy, mi amor, cara mia, dove, love, lamb), i think that’s it?

——————————————————————————

The fire crackles to your left as you lay before it for warmth. The grizzly bear rug - which you’d affectionately nicknamed Jongho, once you’d finally gotten used to the morbid thing - is soft beneath you, and you have to stop yourself from slipping away into a peaceful slumber atop it.

Although you assume your desire to sleep has more to do with the book in your hand than it does the rug. It had been carefully placed atop the side table next to the chez and since you had nothing better to do, you decided to read it. Only it seems it was written when Shakespeare’s great-great-great grandfather was still a twinkle in his father's eye, so comprehending a single word of it is proving to be more difficult than you originally anticipated. For all you know, you could be reading a recipe book and you’d be none-the-wiser.

For that exact reason, it doesn't take long for you to slam the book closed in frustration, tossing it to the side. It boinks the back of Jongho’s head, bouncing off and landing somewhere on the parquet floor. You can’t be particularly bothered to check where it’s landed, knowing that if you do, you’ll be liable to clean up after your mini-tantrum. The longer the location of the book remains a mystery, the longer you can stay swaddled in the blanket of warmth that Jongho and the fire are providing you with.

“Little dove?” A voice calls from the doorway to the sitting room. Your head perks up and you glance over to where Hongjoong is leaning against the stone archway with a glass of whisky in hand. You smile at him, which he returns, “I didn’t even notice you were here. When did you arrive?”

He takes a few steps into the room before coming to a halt upon spotting your body that had previously been hidden by the chez lounge. You’re lying on your tummy, head in hands and feet kicked up in the air. It’s quite obvious you’re not trying to seduce him with the way you're staring up at him with innocent eyes. In fact, once he spots the book tossed a couple of feet away, he can tell that your behaviour is more on par with a petulant child than a seductress. If it weren’t for your outfit, he’d perhaps find you adorable, but that’s the last word he’d use to describe that tiny little tennis skirt you’re wearing.

The hem had flicked up at some point, revealing just a little more thigh than you realise. If Hongjoong looks carefully he’s almost sure he can see the crease of where your ass cheek meets your thigh. He averts his gaze, if only to stop himself from pouncing on you and instead, he lets it travel down your soft legs. His eyes don’t get far, however, as seconds later his pupils come to rest on the thigh-highs you wear. The way they dig into your thighs so prettily, your soft flesh spilling over the top, draws him in.

He gulps down the rest of his whisky to calm himself.

“About fifteen minutes ago,” you shrug before laying yourself completely flat against the bear you seem to adore so much. Your fingers curl into its fur and you stretch your legs out behind you. Hongjoong almost finds you cute, but the way you move only brings more attention to your thighs. He notices the purple marks that had been left between them only days prior have faded, for the most part, although the memory alone makes his cock throb, and he quickly manoeuvres himself so he’s sitting on the chez with one leg firmly over the other to hide the growing tent in his black, pinstripe slacks.

“Why didn’t you call for us, my dove?” He places his empty glass down on the side table, the cubes of ice clinking musically against the sides, “you know we would’ve come running to you.”

You flip onto your back, rolling just a touch closer to Hongjoong’s feet. A shiver runs through you as the cold patch of Jongho’s fur rubs against your skin, and you almost want to shuffle back to the patch you’d already spent the last quarter of an hour warming up with your body. You refrain. It’s nice to be close to Hongjoong, and besides, you can get a better look at him from this angle. Always so handsome, every single pore in his body oozing eloquence and grace. If you ever get to meet the demon who created such a tempting individual, you’d have to thank them personally.

Hongjoong feels the same way, desire and temptation filling him from top to bottom as you reveal the front of your outfit. The corseted top you wear hugs your breasts oh so perfectly, accentuating them in a way that would have a Victorian harlot gasping with jealousy. If you were, in fact, a harlot, Hongjoong would be willing to pay whatever it took for just a peek at your body.

“Seonghwa doesn’t like it when I don’t use my indoor voice,” you mumble through pouted lips. The way they pucker reminds him of all the pretty little sounds you let slip through them when he and Seonghwa are taking you apart. They play a symphony in his head, dizzying him as he further succumbs to your temptations.

“You should’ve come to seek us out then,” his voice is a little gravellier than it had been just a moment or two ago, his desire to ruin you only growing stronger by the second, “You know, rather than just lying here and waiting for us to stumble upon your little tantrum.” he gestures over to where the book still lays discarded on the ground.

You roll your eyes and let out a grunt of dismay.

“It’s not a tantrum,” you whine childishly, “I’m just bored, and that book was dumb.”

He hums as he watches you sulk with your face pressed up to the rug. You’re incredibly charming, actually, and all he wants to do is reach down and pull you into his lap. Perhaps whisper comfort to you as he toys with you a little. Turn you into a gooey mess, both mind and body. He pushes those thoughts away, yet the way you look at him draws them back. You’re the picture of innocence with glistening eyes, body spread out on his rug as if you’re too dumb to care about the amount of skin showing. Perhaps you are; it doesn’t seem like you’ve even noticed that your skirt has now lifted enough for him to see the front of your white cotton panties.

He wants to tear you to shreds.

“Bored, hm?” he grunts out through gritted teeth. His hard cock is aching at this point. It’s a white-hot ache that sits deep in his balls. He can feel that they desire nothing more than to be emptied into you.

“Bored and restless,” you sigh as you let your fingers intertwine with Jongho’s fur.

Hongjoong hums in understanding, a grin rising to his face as you so graciously drop all the answers to his problems in his lap. He almost gets down onto the floor himself to kiss you, but somehow manages to hold himself back.

Keep reading

[princessfaerygia]

it feels wrong to speak but also not too bad to type. i just kinda binged on vegan mesican food. i feel my hunger totally satiated. i ate half a bag of tortilla chips w pace salsa, and 2 vegan tofu enchiladas.

this morning, rain drizzling, wearing the same clothes as yesterday. wearing triple scarves rn. lamb brand boots and warm socks.

it was so cold this mornin i was surprised. i feel alienated but also accepted.

i get scared that, life is a simulation as my previous boyfriend thought. and when i delete trash on my phone i delete myself. but thats not true! im not trash!

i remember since i was in grade school being obsessed with recycling. my ex boyfriend whos a musician was in a punk band and they were deciding names for an album. during the time we dated i tried to be "earth friendly" as always and he learned more about recycling. HIS FREAKIN CHOICE FOR BAND NAME WAS "RECYCLABLE EARTH" ugh. he used to look penetratingly into my eyes during sensual times. i always have my eyes closed to connect with soul during sensual times. but when i peeked, there he was, looking at me as if i were prey. my friend kia told me he was the devil!

unfortunately me and kia are no longer friends. i gave her my black lace up ballet flats and she travelled to los angeles, took a pic of herself in them w bright sunlight. i got scared and blocked her.

i dont want to die like natalie portmans character in black swan. i dont want to kill myself. so i was obviously psychotically paranoid. i wish i didnt block her. she was my friend.

i feel i am psychotically paranoid now, but it is numbed and redirected toward acknowledging these thoughts dont define reality or my subjectivity in life. this is due to my medications abilify and luvox. thank goodness.

reading over my last communication posts, i feel a strong sadness towards my distaste for obesity. but its something in my family that i have issues accepting authority from.

precipitation on the windows in the sun room, wind chimes swaying softly, birds tweeting randomly and rapidly when they do. its so cute!

i said i would do yoga today but havent.

also reading my old posts i realize how much i love perspiring, sweat. the decision to join new gym or do god knows what to get my sweat on is a difficult one. i may have to come to terms with doing daily structural yin yoga (not even break a sweat) and also, dancing.

my brother hopes they ban tiktok. i dont. bc i enjoy dancing. i keep getting invites to lemon8 whatever that is. i will check it out if tiktok gets banned.

i feel my crown chakra burning a little bit. but when i expressed this burning feeling to doctor, they described it as hashimotos disease. which is underactive thyroid. i havent had my thyroid medication for awhile now. they just took some of my blood yesterday, the lady was nice, and so hopefully my doctor will now determine what amount of levothyroxine to prescribe me.

i hate when i get that burning feeling in places of my body. it makes me feel as if i am a star. but my friend got me star blanket and im going to try an be Optimist about this. its ok! i am safe!

[lonliest-cat-blog]

I did a thing in English class. We had to create a fake news article for a short story we had read (Lamb To The Slaughter by Roald Dahl) and I decided to make mine like a wannabe detective tumblr post. I hope y'all like it and any criticism is welcome, just don't be mean since this isn't meant to be taken too seriously.

None of the names are real people, none of the events are real, this is a work of fiction for another work of fiction.

Original story here (YouTube video reading) https://youtu.be/fpyVl3XKVls?si=flbgRGpainxiTdhM

Is there more to the Mary Maloney story? UPDATE

By: lonliest-cat-blog, a curious teen who thinks stuff just doesn’t add up.

Original post here

I think that there are more details about Mr. & Mrs. Maloney and I am going to get to the bottom of it. Part 2, the interviews

As some of my followers and readers may know, lately I have been investigating the Mary Maloney case because I feel something is wrong and things don't make sense. Of course, I am a teen in highschool and am always open to opinions and help. I do my work respectfully and thoroughly while remaining in school, so updates may not be as frequent as I would like. I've done this before, such as the Andy Ortiaz case (Royals vs Guardians), & Doug “Pontiac Bandit” Judy (criminal) and his relationship with Jake Peralta (detective).

Two weeks ago I made an introduction to this case, saying what police have said about the scene, showing photos, evidence the public has access to, my main theory so far (Mary killed Patrick), and what my plan for the future is.

Since then I have conducted three interviews with the grocer, one of the cops at the scene, & their neighbour. Let's get into it.

Interview with the grocer, Samson Hutchison

When i reached out to samson he was suspicious of me for a moment, so I told him I was doing this for a school project, researching a recent case in our local area. He bought the lie and thought it was interesting, so we set up a meeting for Sunday, since his shop was closed. When I got there we made brief chit chat about my “project” and some of the details. I met his wife and she made us tea before heading out. I asked him a few questions about what his regular day is like, and if anything was different with Mary. “I open the shop around 9 and close at about 7, Ms. Maloney came in just before 6, so the shop was already pretty quiet, with only one or two others there. Nothing out of the ordinary. She was just getting a few things for dinner because they were too tired to go out.” he noted that it wasn’t very common for this to happen, but no cause for alarm or concern. He then said she seemed a bit anxious and as if she was trying not to show that; frantic. “She seemed a little off, however, as if she was paranoid. Looking around the room and watching the corners.”

He said offered her a suggestion of getting a cheesecake after she bought some potatoes and peas, and she said that he [her husband] would love that and rang up her items before leaving the store. “As I said before, nothing out of the ordinary. She bought some potatoes, peas, a cheesecake slice and left. When I offered her some meat, she said she had a nice big leg of lamb in the oven at home. She had obviously prepared it just a few minutes ago, as her hands had a bit of red on them, smeared and melted blood from the lamb I assume. Not quite sanitary.”

I asked him what questions the cops had asked. He said it was basically what I had asked him, and that I got the same information they did, as much as he could remember at least.

I left a few minutes after that, helping him clean up and saying goodbye to his wife on my way out.

I think this helps further my case. Him seeing blood on her hands is a weird thing, most people wash their hands immediately after touching and handling raw meat. She also seemed paranoid. Why would she if she was just getting things for dinner? I think there's more to it.

Interview with their neighbour, Sebastian Fedot

Just for some background, Sebastian lives in the house next door to the Maloney's and is 17.

Oddly enough he reached out to me after seeing my original blog post; saying he had some important information he’d like to tell me. We decided to set a meeting for Friday, after school.

When I got to the Fedots house he let me in and said his parents were at work for a few hours, so we wouldn’t be interrupted. We went upstairs to his bedroom and he told me some rather interesting details.

¨I was walking home from band practice and I saw Mrs Maloney standing behind her husband in the window. It looked like she was holding something but I only got a brief glimpse. About 30 minutes later I saw her leave the house muttering something; I was on the front porch so I overheard.” He paused for a moment before saying, “I don't know what I saw, but I think something happened.”

I asked him some more questions about whether he knew what she was saying or if he could recall any other details. Sadly, he couldn't and that was all he had to offer. Not long after I wished him farewell and went home.

Mrs. Maloney was clearly experiencing some strange behaviour, as we have gathered from the last few meetings, but we have more information now. What was she doing behind her husband? What was she holding? We’ll have to find out.

Interview with cop at the scene, Sgt. Jack Noonan

Before my meeting with Sebastian I stopped by the local police station and asked if I could meet with one of the officers to get a firsthand account. With a bit of pleading I was able to get a meeting with Stanley Noonan, Patricks friend, for saturday. I met with him at the police station in his office.

When I got there he greeted me warmly and offered some tea before we began chatting.

I asked him to tell me what happened, at least what he was allowed to. “Well, I feel terrible about what happened. Not only is it tragic, but he [Patrick] was getting promoted and would have to move soon. Sad he never got to do it. Anyways, when i got the call, of course I panicked; one of my beloved friends was dead. So we rushed over to the scene, inspected the body and asked her [mrs. maloney] what had happened. She was distraught, as any woman would be after losing her husband; we tried to comfort her, but she refused for most of it. After a while, when cleaners and detectives were starting to leave, she asked us to eat the lamb she was cooking. Insisted on it even after we said we shouldn't; said it’d be a favour. So we did and left not long after.¨ what was that last part? “Well that's all I can tell ya, sorry if i couldn't be more help.¨

I thanked him for his time and left.

I think I know what happened now.

End thoughts and theories

Here's the timeline: mrs maloney's husband came from work, he had big news to tell her, she stood behind him holding an unknown object, she left the house and went to the store frazzled, she bought a few small items, came home, found her husband on the ground, called the police, they checked the scene, ate the lamb in the oven, and left.

What we know happened: Mr Maloney came home and told his wife about a promotion, Mrs Maloney left her house to go to the store and when she came back her husband was dead. She called the cops and they did an investigation for a few hours. Before they left she offered them some lamb, they refused at first but then agreed.

So, here's my guess as to what happened.

Mr Maloney was getting a promotion at work and when he came home he told his wife, Mrs maloney. When she heard the news she was distraught and without thinking, grabbed a lamb leg from the freezer and knocked him over the head with it, killing him. Once she realised what she had done she came up with a plan to cover herself. She went to the store to buy things for “dinner” and came home to an ugly surprise. She called the cops, panicked, and scared. They came rushing and did a quick investigation of the scene. She offered them the leg of lamb so it wouldn't go bad and to get rid of the evidence.

I think I want to get more information on this before I continue. I'm going to see if I can talk with Mrs. Maloney and ask her some questions. The next part should be uploaded in a week or two, as it might take some convincing.

If anyone has any thoughts on the case and any theories please comment or message me! My email is in my bio and I can book an in person meeting if needed.

That's all for now, bye.

[taduki]

The M6 w/ an MC that acts like a grandparent

Grandparent as in the, “you want a hard candy, baby?”, grandparent who thinks every living being is their grandchild. This post has been brought to you by the multiple people who tell me I have grandma rizz. (I put so much love into this, it took me like 4 nights to write — goodbye forever).

Asra

Your mannerisms are slowly but surely rubbing off on them.

If you carry around hard candies and sweeties, Asra 100% enables it by asking if they can have some. They will also buy exotic sweets from their travels for your collection, though the children might not like them.

Y’all are ROCKING the grandparent look !! Crocheted cardigans and flower-patterned shirts in every color of the rainbow are hanging around the bedroom(s) because I KNOW Asra don’t got space in their closet. They probably utilize the Magician’s Realm as a secondary closet to be honest.

Speaking of crocheting, Asra gets a great idea going with the grandparent image and decides to take up either a crocheting or knitting class. The respective instructor may or may not have fainted upon seeing one of their patterns…

Asra finds customers with children much easier to handle with your added patience and patented jar of caramels on the counter.

You want to kill Azz? Fix the buttons on their top like how the wife in Pixar’s “Up” fixes her husband’s tie.

When they had to reteach you how to do daily things again, they thought, in their own guilty conscience, that this was some way of repaying the favor to you. All of the favors. All of your love to everyone.

Julian

He’s used to being the charming one!!

Though, you leave him lots of room for his signature drama and flair, so he warms up to it after a bit.

He wasn’t as easily charmed by your demeanor as the average person was at first. He thought of you as a little lamb in the streets. He could swear you would be the biggest target for getting pickpocketed in the Red Market, but damn you are CAPABLE!!

Madly in love with your capabilities, magic or not. Takes him a bit to get used to your overflowing sweetness (and pocket sweeties), but finds he is also madly in love with those too.

You are like his pocket Mazelinka, and it horrifies him to no end. At least you don’t spike his soup with sleeping potion…

You force him to bedtime and he isn’t up for it until you read him bedtime stories and sing lullabies. He is definitely embarrassed... He’s like, “I’d never fall asleep to MC’s bedtime singing and stories! ZZZzzzzzzZZZZZZzzz”.

Portia

You two are the world’s best grandparents.

Unlike Asra, Portia pursued crocheting/knitting and never stopped. Though she can be busy, she enjoys it as a hobby as has you to thank for it!! (As you stand there confused why she’s thanking you for it).

She didn’t mean any harm by it!! She just wanted to try new things and you happened to be an “inspiration”.

You two have interactions like The Golden Girls. Zero elaboration.

One of the books she read while teaching herself to read was The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. She quotes many things from the book during her work life, but her favorite quote has become, “Every little thing wants to be loved”, before booping yours or Pepi’s nose.

She says it constantly and you’re starting to think it’s just her way of saying you’re cute and she loves you.

But the truth is that and she just loves the way YOU love things. The way you squish Pepi’s face in your hands and sing/talk to the flowers are just a few examples.

Nadia

She might actually tear up.

Could you possibly get more endearing?

To her, you’re the entire package. You’re a blessing in a bundle. You’re strong enough to beat the Devil and sweet enough to cream butter. If she wasn’t so refined and kept, she’d be kicking her feet and rolling around on her bed.

Alas, she knows many other ways to exert her love for you. What? No, she wasn’t going to spoil you with rich delights! — as she inconspicuously waves a hand behind her back to hide the palace tailors in the hall…

Nadia is very well aware of her many duties and obligations, but she knows to leave a generous amount of time for you. After a rushed, exhaustive day of hard work, Nadia gracefully lays her head in your lap and lets you coddle her. She will accept your head pats, listen to the most storybook-like day you’ve had, and talk about her troubles. All the while, you tell her allllll of the things she should do like more frequent breaks and standing up and saying no when she simply cannot do something even though she already knows.

But she loves it. She loves your care, the little things you do around the palace that make her think of you. You recommended the gardeners sing and talk to the plants and she was delighted to hear it made a difference, but every flower in that garden paled in comparison to you. She believes you are Mother/Father Nature.

She frequently has you accompany her during dignitary meetings, etc. as her magician consultant, and as such, you take no “hoot-a-nanny” nor “monkey business”. (Nadia has never had to hold her laughter in this hard). She regains her composure quickly though, and soon discovers many visitors find you very charming and welcoming. She finds this to be a strategic play in negotiations, so she invites you to meetings more often, definitely not because she just wants to see you more…

Muriel

He too thinks it’s the cutest thing ever.

You tend to feed Inanna many treats because she's just such a good girl!! Muriel gently tries to tell you when she's had enough, but Inanna seems to be starving even after his generously suggested amount…

You could paint his face bright red by pinching his cheeks and calling him something cute like sugar or honey or, god forbid, pudding pie.

You went to help him out with the chickens one early morning and apparently one of the chicks was sick and she wasn’t eating enough. So after Muriel was done checking up on her, you bent down and gave her a nice little lecture how she’ll grow nice and strong after she eats. And Muriel DIED.

He firmly believes the chicks are your grandchildren now because they love you back. (Their cheep cheeps are full of love, he insists).

A good half of Vesuvia are your grandchildren now too. You guys are hero grandparents, I don’t make the rules.

Amongst the minimal duties of being hero grandparents, one of them includes having a baking morning and going to the docks in town to call the children over and hand fresh food out later in the day. The kids call him every unflattering name from Peepaw to Gramps, but he assures you he doesn’t mind at all.

Lucio

He finds you so endearing and sickeningly sweet, he can’t handle it.

He dies from the granny pet names too. He acts like they’re regular pet names, but he expected stuff like babe or darling, not butterscotch pumpkin puffball...

He’s met his fair share of old folks at the snooziest diplomat parties, and even though he’s got that worry in the back of his head that he’s getting older and older too, he’s finding it easier to go through it with you.

He enjoys if you sing him old folk songs, some he may have never heard of. (HUGE bonus if he dances with you to your singing).

It is THE most entertaining thing to him when you’re mad at someone. You wave a stern finger at them and lecture them like you’re their parent. It could literally be the most buff, drunk, muscly regular at the bar and you’d scold them ‘til they’ve recoiled back into their seat, and Lucio, of course, brags about it to the world. “Why use magic when you could’ve just scolded the Devil into submission, MC??”

As you two go through each passing day, he appreciates your slow and caring nature more and more. He’s begun to appreciate the little things like the rise and fall of Mercedes and Melchior’s stomachs during their afternoon naps.

If you knew him years ago, he would’ve thought you were strange and not worthy of his time, but now he quite enjoys your mannerisms and spending time with you.

[coffeeandjoon]

🌓 Nocturnal Prince 🌓 | Chapter II - DPR Ian/Christian Yu x Reader | Werewolf Fic

← Previous Chapter | Next Chapter →

Pairing: Christian Yu/DPR Ian x reader (nicknamed Vixen)

Chapter word count: 1k

Status: ongoing

Summary: Sometimes the most powerful of curses can be shattered by the strength of love. Or they turn someone into the cruelest version of themselves. The Prince of Avalon, Christian Yu, stopped believing a long time ago that one day someone would truly love him and break his curse. 

He’s a werewolf, roaming the forest close to Ravenswood by night, terrorizing and destroying everything that comes along his path with his pack of fearless werewolf soldiers. Everyone knows to stay out of the woods at night.

Meanwhile, in Ravenswood, Vixen struggles to be accepted as the "new girl" at college. As a fox shifter, that's not so easy, which is why she takes on the daring challenge of entering the forest at night and lasting until dawn. 

A night of fear and terror begins and soon Vixen is running for her life from a pack of wolves that hunt her without mercy. Much to Christina's chagrin, the fox shifter survives until dawn and escapes his forest. But not without catching a glimpse of him, which changes everything for both. He can't believe she's made it out alive and begins to feel a stirring within him that he hasn't felt in a long time – hope.

He starts to follow Vixen, watching her from the shadows, and slowly begins to realize that she might be the key to breaking his curse. As he watches her navigate the challenges of being the new girl in town, Christian starts to see that Vixen is not like the other shapeshifters and magical creatures of Ravenswood and breaks one of his most important rules: never seek contact with anyone outside his pack. 

Chapter 2

Christian’s POV

An innocent little lamb has strayed directly into my clearing. I almost feel something like pity at her shocked look, but my wolf instincts are stronger. I must hunt her down. And kill her. No one enters these woods and comes out alive.

I growl a few orders to my pack as the poor thing with the silver-black hair decides to run off. So foolish. My hunting instincts cry out for blood now.

Youngwoo leads my pack into the surrounding thicket, we will soon encircle her and then there will be no escape. For a brief moment I pause, trying to remember why I'm doing this at all, why she has to die ... the howl of my general snaps me out of my thoughts and back into the instant. Too great is the pleasure of hunting to resist it.

I run, catching up quickly. I happen to be the alpha of this pack for a reason. Soon I can see her again, running desperately for her life.

She breathes hastily, I can hear her desperate heartbeat, can listen to the branches crack under her erratic steps, can smell her fear dripping from her skin. Don't worry, I'll make it short, little lamb.

My pack falls back as it should, the kill is always mine. I continue to follow her, feeling almost intoxicated by her scent of fear. She turns sharply around an old copper beech; I follow her and then ... she is gone.

What the fuck? I stop, glancing around in irritation. Her scent has also disappeared. Her heartbeat is undetectable. What the hell?! She can't just vanish into thin air.

I try to pick up her scent again, but nothing. No human is in these woods anymore. Yet we are still a good distance from the town border. I signal my pack to retreat. This hunt no longer makes sense. But still, I must investigate this.

"Shall I help you, my king?" Youngwoo asks me over our mind link.

I decline. I'm not in the mood for his know-it-all advice. Whatever trick this person has just pulled, I will find out for myself.

I sniff the area for a while when the scent of a fox hits my nostrils. There are no foxes in these woods. Not anymore. Since Avalon's downfall, the only predators here have been us wolves.

And there I see it - a silver fox. It sneaks through the undergrowth, straight towards the town border. I'm usually not interested in other animals, but there's something about this fox that piques my curiosity. It almost looks like ... no, that's nonsense. And yet I follow it, but at a respectable distance.

We are getting closer and closer to Ravenswood, the trees are getting thinner, the dazzling glow of the streetlights shimmers slightly through the leaves. I slow my pace. I don't feel like picking a fight with these lunatic eschatology students.

They all come from centuries-old families who have made it their main task to justify their atrocities under the shelter of religion, yet they are nothing more than charlatans who use black magic to bring down kingdoms and bring out creatures like me. And to kill such creatures as me. I hate them all.

I suppress the thoughts and focus again on the fox, which to my surprise passes the town border and is suddenly no longer a fox at all. In front of me is the same girl that I had hunted just a moment ago. A fox shifter.

That is impossible. Apart from my pack, there are no more shapeshifters. The eschatology fanatics have made sure of that. However, I also can't deny what I just saw. She has transformed. Bumpy, to be sure, but it was clearly a transformation. What is she doing in this damn town? Once someone finds out about her, she's as good as dead! I must warn her, she––

The fox girl continues walking down the street that leads to the town and turns around once more. Her silver-black hair whips in her face, but that doesn't stop her amber eyes from boring into mine, and for a brief moment, time stops.  

"Don't." Youngwoo is suddenly standing next to me, in his human form, holding me back. It's only then that I realize I had transformed back, too. Fuck, I've never lost control of my transformations before!

When I look up again, she's gone.

Vixen’s POV

Wolves. Did Mingi's clique actually want to fuck with me?! So much for they would meet in the forest to hang out. I was lured out there like a piece of meat! I'm... I'm...

I take a deep breath. No need to get so upset, Vixen, I say to myself. In the end, I made the decision myself to befriend random people and believe them naively. No, it wasn't even that I acted out of naivety. It was, as always, my goddamn curiosity! It would really cost me my head one day.

I had never been so close to death before. And I had never seen other shapeshifters. This guy with the countless tattoos was definitely the wolf that had been hunting me.

I would have loved to question him, somehow I felt a strange connection to him, but then his big buddy showed up. No, thanks. I don't intend to end up as a wolf bite tonight. So I ran home.  

Exhaustion hits me full force as I lock the door to my apartment and take off my boots and jacket. That's enough Mission Impossible-like action for the rest of my life. I need to get some sleep. And ... ugh, I smell like an ox. I should jump in the shower first.

The hot water turns my thoughts back to the guy with the tattoos, his intense gaze, his muscles ... Vixen, what the hell? I'm still far from my heat for these six months, which makes these lustful thoughts even more inappropriate. And hello? I cannot lust after my chaser, can I? That would be absurd.

Nope. I must pull myself together. Just shower, sleep and confront Mingi and the others in the morning. Yep, that's exactly how I will do it.

And yet, the dark-haired wolf shifter haunts my dreams that night.