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#comedies and proverbs
shihlun · 2 years
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Éric Rohmer
- Pauline at the Beach
1983
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pr0scenio · 9 months
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Comedies and Proverbs #3 "Qui trop parole, il se mesfait" or "A wagging tongue bites itself"
Pauline at the Beach "Pauline à la plage" (1983) dir. Éric Rohmer
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tozluveolagan · 2 years
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Dün gece izlendi, bu sabah kısa bir tanıtım yazısı yazıldı ve işte burada! Bir ara neden Éric Rohmer sevdiğimi maddeler halinde anlatacağım size.
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jimflanigan · 2 years
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Say What?
Being old, I like old sayings. I especially like the old Scottish proverb from the 1600s, “If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.” No, I didn’t actually use it myself in the 1600s, but I think it clearly conveys that you need to make things happen and not just wish for them to happen. However, I’m not sure the term beggars is politically correct these days. I think financially-disadvantaged…
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peacewise08 · 2 years
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New Australian Proverbs, by daj 2022.
New Australian Proverbs, by daj 2022.
Talk does not cook the bbq. That roo steak is not hopping onto the bbq by itself. Look the roo is cute and all, but if you don’t shoot it in the head we can’t eat it. A wombat burrows its own holes. Spilt beer is not worth crying over. Climb their backs and you’ll find the footy. The sun does not care about your lack of water. May the flies go up your nose and in your eyes. If you have a…
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hacash · 1 month
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Terror AUs where some or all of the crew survive are a lot of fun, but I think we need to lean more into the comedy of the fact that – no matter where in the story the men get rescued, no matter from which particular brink of danger they’re snatched, no matter the context - that would have to have been an incredibly awkward journey home. As in, awkward enough that the crew of the random whaler that picked the boys up petitions their captain never to rescue any survivors from a maritime wreck ever again because honestly, captain, the vibes are just too toxic right now.
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Little: You embarrassed me in front of all the men! And then, yeah, the whole mutiny thing, but that thing at the armoury was so fucking mean.
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Jopson: I was right there, dying, and you bastards just left me!
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Gibson: Were you about to fucking eat me?!
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Fitzjames: Whoa, hold up George, you were happy to eat our dog?!
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The entire crew: YOU TRIED TO SET US ON FIRE.
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Crozier: Hey, anyone from Erebus remember how I said this was an act of hubris none of us would survive, and then none of you bastards backed me up? And then we almost didn’t survive it? Remember that, huh? Huh?
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Hartnell: Look, Captain, I appreciate you saving our lives and all but the next time you fire off a rocket would you mind not doing so straight at my face, please? Thanks for understanding. Also Hickey and Tozer you fucked us all over and nearly killed us all, you absolute colossal pricks.
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Goodsir: First girlfriend in my entire life and you wankers ruined EVERYTHING. And also that whole cannibalism thing.
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Blanky: Remember when I lost my leg because you were having a hissy fit, Francis?
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The Marines: Listen to Hickey, you said…he’s got a plan, you said…get out of here all in one piece, you said…
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Tozer: You KNOCKED ME OUT and tried to use me as TUUNBAQ BAIT.
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Irving: HEY HICKEY, THE BOOK OF PROVERBS SAYS ‘THE WRINGING OF THE NOSE BRINGETH FORTH BLOOD’ AND ONCE LITTLE AND HODGSON STOP SITTING ON ME I’M GONNA PROVE IT TO YOU, ARSEHOLE.
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Sir John: …Ok, ok, my bad.
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elancholia · 2 months
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A. E. Housman's poem "Terence, this is stupid stuff" made the rounds recently, and this part of Terence's critic's verse caught my eye.
But oh, good Lord, the verse you make, It gives a chap the belly-ache. The cow, the old cow, she is dead; It sleeps well, the horned head: We poor lads, 'tis our turn now To hear such tunes as killed the cow.
I thought it might be a reference to some anecdote about the historical Terence killing a cow with a poem, Vogon-style, but apparently it's referring to an English nursery rhyme or folk song about music being an unsatisfying substitute for food—a farmer plays music to a cow rather than feeding her—or to a proverb based on same which flattens its meaning into simple death-by-cacophony. Terence's interlocutor does say the poetry gives him indigestion, after all.
On a tangentially related note, it is puzzling to see Terence, famous as a writer of light comedies, invoked as a sad and serious tragedian.
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simpforfandom231 · 3 months
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Basketball star PT2
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The midday sun cast a warm glow over the Belgian streets as Y/N pulled up in her sleek Range Rover to pick up Julie Vanloo, her spirited teammate and confidante. Julie hopped into the car with an infectious grin, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Guess who's practically Hollywood royalty now?" Julie teased, nudging Y/N playfully as they drove towards their favorite lunch spot.
Y/N blushed, her hands tight on the steering wheel. "Oh, come on, Jules. You know that whole thing with Rachel Zegler was just a crazy coincidence. She's a Hollywood star, and I'm just a basketball player from Belgium. It's not like she'd actually want to go on a date with me."
Julie, unable to contain her enthusiasm, squealed, "Are you kidding? Rachel Zegler crushing on you is like winning the lottery! You're an absolute catch, Y/N!"
As they arrived at the cozy cafe, the owner greeted them with a knowing smirk. "Looks like you've got some famous admirers, Y/N. Better watch out for the paparazzi!"
Seated at their usual spot, Julie continued to playfully prod Y/N about sending a message to Rachel. "Come on, Y/N! Slide into those DMs and make history! I'd give anything to be in your shoes right now!"
Y/N rolled her eyes, "Yeah, right. Like Rachel Zegler is going to respond to a message from me. She's probably just joking about wanting to go on a date."
Julie's eyes widened, "Are you kidding? This is like a romantic comedy in the making! Hollywood actress falls for the Belgian basketball star. It's perfect!"
Y/N chuckled, still unconvinced. "Julie, you've watched too many rom-coms. This is real life, not a movie script. Besides, she lives in Hollywood, and I'm here in Belgium. It's not exactly convenient."
Undeterred, Julie leaned in, "Life is short, Y/N. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take, right?"
Y/N smirked, "Nice try, quoting a basketball proverb at me, but this is a whole different ball game."
As they debated the pros and cons of Y/N reaching out to Rachel, fans approached for pictures. One particularly enthusiastic fan brought up the Met Gala interview, and Y/N groaned playfully, "Yeah, that happened. Rachel Zegler is incredible, though. I'm just a basketball player from Belgium."
Once the fans dispersed, Julie resumed her campaign. "Look, Y/N, even your fans want this to happen. Imagine the headlines – 'Belgian Basketball Star and Hollywood Darling's Unlikely Romance!'"
Y/N sighed, still skeptical, "Julie, this is crazy. It's not like she'd ever consider dating me. We're in completely different worlds."
However, the twinkle in Julie's eye didn't waver. "Come on, Y/N. You're amazing, and who knows? Maybe Rachel Zegler is just waiting for you to make the first move. It's worth a shot!"
Reluctantly, Y/N pulled out her phone, her fingers hovering over the keys. "Fine, but this is probably the dumbest thing I've ever done."
As she crafted a message to Rachel, her heart pounded in her chest. "Hey Rachel, it's Y/N. I heard your interview, and, well, I was wondering if you'd be up for grabbing coffee or something sometime? 😊"
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vedurnan · 1 year
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Hello,
Do you keep any text written 1000+ years ago close to your heart? Do you feel like the features of people who wrote text so long ago can be seen in the people around you? Thanks for your time and your blogging.
there are a lot of sumerian proverbs from the electronic text corpus that i think about very often, i encourage you to look through that website because i am sure that some of them will really leap into your heart. every time i visit it i am struck by a new one, but here are some that have stayed in my mind for months and years:
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it is not yet 1000+ years since dante, but i think about dante a lot, especially the vita nova and his descriptions of love... many people have read the divine comedy but not as many have read the vita nova. it is short and it's beautiful and fascinating, i highly recommend you to read it! https://digitaldante.columbia.edu/text/library/la-vita-nuova-frisardi/
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dante's life was really crazy, if you are interested in his poetry at all i really recommend reading about his life especially his insane exile thing. he's like grimes to me
there are a lot of old english poems and riddles i think about a lot too. this one is the best
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sometimes i feel like the difference between the people who live now and the people who lived then is extremely small. there are times when i wonder how i can even know for sure that any of this is as old as people say it is, and what if it was all fake and written by modern people? some part of it is fake and written by modern people anyway since it is all translated into comprehensible modern english. i always end up thinking it doesn't matter either way, the vast distance of history is given meaning within my mind, and there is some small part of me that exists outside of time and was there with them too
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"Men plan, God laughs. I am not a man, I love to plan, and I don't believe in God."
And
"Comedy and tragedy are the closest of partners; they share the same toothbrush."
Both from here if you want context:
"Men plan, God laughs" is a Yiddish proverb that haunts and delights me. I am not a man, I love to plan, and I don't believe in God. But I do believe in the humor of our universe. It's possible that this letter is all very funny now for reasons I do not yet know about and God is laughing his nonexistent divine ass off. It could be funny haha, or funny strange, or funny painful like the way you laugh about something sad and you're not sure why. The wires just got crossed. Comedy and tragedy are the closest of partners; they share the same toothbrush."- Meg Bashwiner from"The First Ten Years" by Meg Bashwiner and Joseph Fink
Dismiss
oh these are CLASSY jokes
Askbox is currently closed as I work my way through these older asks
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Meaning/references behind every Gilmore Girls episode title - Season 1
Hi friends! In today's edition of I'm avoiding work and obsessing because I'm banned from rewatching until September (self-inflicted), I wanted to share my latest deep-dive project: making a clear, concise list of the meanings and references behind each episode title. I'm going season-by-season and filling in references when I catch them.
Some titles (especially in season 1) are quite obvious and literal, but many are clever references that emphasize themes and symbolism happening in the plot or character relationships. I like trying to figure them all out and wanted to share in case I have some wrong or people have caught references I've missed or didn't know writers may have spoken about, etc. ASP has such a deep well of pop culture knowledge, I enjoy mining it.
Masterlist: Season 1 Season 2, Part 1 Season 2, Part 2 Season 3, Part 1 Season 3, Part 2
My notes: - As always, please correct anything I've gotten wrong and share your own insight! - Many of these notes are pulled from and/or learned via annotatedgilmoregirls.com - an absolute icon! I claim no author originality. I'm just the one to compile/edit them. :) - So many of these seem deceptively straightforward... I'm almost convinced there must be sneaky references I'm missing with Kill Me Now, Forgiveness and Stuff and Christopher Returns especially... - This was the first time I realized the exact reference in Concert Interruptus and it's hilarious. I love when they get a little naughty/cheeky. - Looove the contrast between the happenings in Star Crossed Lovers and Other Strangers vs. S6's Written in the Stars. :')
Season 1
Pilot A “pilot” is a test episode for an intended TV series, an early step in series development, much like pilot studies serve as precursors to the start of larger activity.
The Lorelais' First Day at Chilton Lorelai and Rory both deal with Rory’s first day at her new school.
Kill Me Now "Kill me now" is a relatively common, ironic/humorous response to bad news or to a situation that the sender considers so bad that they would rather die than endure it. Likely how Lorelai feels about the idea of Rory’s golf date with Richard.
The Deer Hunters The title references The Deer Hunter (a 1978 war drama film co-written and directed by Michael Cimino about a trio of Slavic-American steelworkers whose lives were upended after fighting in the Vietnam War) as a joke about the deer hitting Rory’s car on her way to school.
Cinnamon's Wake Cinnamon is the name of Babette’s cat. A wake is a watch or vigil held beside the body of someone who has died. Possibly also a reference to the book Finnegan's Wake by James Joyce (an experimental novel with a reputation as one of the most difficult works of fiction in the Western canon due to its linguistic experiments, stream of consciousness writing style, literary allusions, free dream associations, and abandonment of narrative conventions).
Rory's Birthday Parties Rory has both a party thrown by her grandparents and a party thrown by her mother for her 16th birthday.
Kiss and Tell A common colloquialism referring to Rory’s first kiss with Dean. Possibly a reference to Kiss and Tell, a 1945 American comedy film starring a teenaged Shirley Temple. In the film, two girls cause their respective parents trouble when they start to become interested in boys. The plot interestingly involves an impulsive, secret elopement and accidental pregnancy drama.
Love and War and Snow Perhaps a reference to ”All is fair in love and war", a common proverb attributed to John Lyly's Euphues. “Love” referring to Lorelai’s blossoming romance with Max, “War” referring to the Revolutionary War reenactors and “Snow” of course refers to our first introduction to Lorelai’s love of snow and her insistence that good/important things have always happened to her on the first snow of the year - a theme that repeats throughout the series.
Rory's Dance Rory takes Dean to her first high school dance.
Forgiveness and Stuff This episode deals with multiple themes of forgiveness - Lorelai forgiving Rory for staying out all night with Dean, Emily and Lorelai forgiving each other for their fight about Rory and Lorelai being uninvited to the Christmas party, Lorelai forgiving Dean, and Lorelai dealing with lingering issues with Richard and how he raised her, perhaps forgiving him in a way.
Paris is Burning Paris Is Burning is an iconic 1990 documentary film directed by Jennie Livingston chronicling the ball culture of New York City and the African-American, Latino, gay, and transgender communities involved in it in the 1980s. This is the first episode where Paris gets a more humanizing backstory and causes trouble by outing Lorelai and Max’s relationship to distract from her own issues.
Double Date A common term for a date where two different couples go out together.
Concert Interruptus The title is a play on “coitus interruptus”, the technical term for the pull-out method of birth control. In the same way, The Bangles concert in the episode is interrupted when Madeline and Louise withdraw or “pull out” of the proceedings.
That Damn Donna Reed The Donna Reed Show is an American sitcom which aired on ABC from 1958-1966 starring Donna Reed as middle-class housewife Donna Stone. Although it was the first sitcom to focus on the mother as the central figure in a domestic comedy and paved the way for female-focused TV, it was commonly critiqued by feminists in the 1970s as presenting an idealized view of domesticity.
Christopher Returns This episode marks Christopher’s first visit to Stars Hollow and his seemingly first big return to Lorelai and Rory’s lives, much to the chagrin of every sane fan.
Star Crossed Lovers and Other Strangers In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare refers to the main characters as “star cross’d lovers”, meaning that their relationship is destined to fail no matter how hard they try. The phrase comes from astrology, meaning that the stars are working against them. The title is also a reference to the 1970 comedy film Lovers and Other Strangers, in which a couple’s upcoming wedding shines a spotlight on the marriage problems of their family members. “Star crossed lovers” can refer to multiple relationships facing troubles in this episode - Rory and Dean, Luke and Rachel, Lorelai and Max, Lorelai and Chase (the weird guy her parents try to set her up with), and of course, the lovers in the story behind the Founders Firelight Festival. This is especially endearing when you remember that, in contrast, the episode in season 6 when Luke and Lorelai go on their first date is titled “Written in the Stars”.
The Break Up: Part 2 This episode is the first to pick up exactly where the previous episode left off (Rory running home to Lorelai’s arms post-break up with Dean) in a kind of to-be-continued way, explaining the “: Part 2” in the title. There is also an episode of the classic 1970s sitcom The Jeffersons titled The Break Up: Part 2 where the Jefferson and the Willis families debate about getting Lionel and Jenny back together and George accidentally sets his son up with a sex worker. Perhaps a stretch to think it could be a reference, but ASP is a big sitcom nerd so it’s not out of the realm of possibility.
The Third Lorelai We are introduced to Richard’s mother, Lorelai “Trix” Gilmore; Lorelai’s namesake and therefore the third Lorelai in the Gilmore family.
Emily in Wonderland The title is a reference to the children’s book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, commonly shortened to Alice in Wonderland. It’s an analogy for Emily finding Stars Hollow just as peculiar as Alice found the nonsensical Wonderland.
P.S. I Lo… The title references either (or both) the popular 1934 song PS I Love You, written by Johnny Mercer (recorded many times throughout the years by Rudy Vallée, Bette Midler, Bob Dylan, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra and more) or The Beatles’ 1962 song of the same name, the B-side to their debut single Love Me Do. The title also suggests not being able to bring yourself to fully say “I love you” and both Lorelai and Rory deal with their individual commitment issues - Lorelai struggling to commit to Max and Rory regretting not being able to tell Dean she loves him.
Love, Daisies and Troubadours The title refers to the ongoing plot points weaving together and coming to a head in the finale of season one. Lorelai, Rory, and Luke are all struggling with love - what it means to them, committing to it, and figuring out how to express it, which is what the town troubadour has come to represent (according to Rory) as he faces his first rival in the town. Rory reunites with Dean and finally is able to say “I love you”. Max sticks a bandaid on his floundering relationship with Lorelai with the romantic gesture of 1000 yellow daisies. Daisies can symbolize love, fertility/motherhood, and the return of someone’s affections, while the yellow color is cheerful, vibrant, and a sign of being quick-witted.
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shihlun · 2 years
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Béatrice Romand in Éric Rohmer’s Claire's Knee (1970), Love in the Afternoon (1972), Le Beau Mariage (1982), The Green Ray (1986), and Autumn Tale (1998)
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pr0scenio · 9 months
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Comedies and Proverbs #5 "Ah! que le temps vienne où les cœurs s'éprennent!" or "Oh! May the time come when hearts fall in love!"
The Green Ray "Le rayon vert" (1986) dir. Éric Rohmer
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gyuyoungarchives · 7 months
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[Hong Jongseon's Character Analysis] "Roman Holiday" of the 21st Century: "Dali and Gamjatang"
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[By Hong Jongseon - Arts & Culture Expert, Reporter] A drama worth anticipating has arrived. The drama "Dali and Gamjatang" (directed by Lee Jungseob, written by Son Eunhye and Park Seeun) seems to have poured time and effort into its production, making viewers feel truly pampered, as if someone is devoting their time and care to the food they eat.
Starting with small details, various sound effects such as the sound of a "screech" when the protagonist takes a step back, and the "swishhh" sound that freezes the air, conveying an awkward atmosphere, enhance the realism and enjoyment. There's a hidden excitement in wondering what kind of sound will come next, creating a subtle anticipation that keeps viewers waiting.
The music is also wonderful. Not only ballads and classics, but even hip-hop can complement the drama very well. It's clear that music can effectively convey the protagonist's emotions and situations in a condensed manner. The songs are so good that sometimes people listen to them on OTT (Over The Top, internet TV) just for the music. If attention is paid to the song selection, it can make the drama more vibrant.
It's nice to have scenes with a slower pace at times. While the plot may develop quickly, in scenes where we hope to deeply empathize with the protagonist's emotions, the drama's rhythm slows down. Rather than the camera lingering on the protagonist's crying face for a long time, it captures them from behind as they walk away. This provides ample time to feel the emotions and serves as a short breather for viewers to take. In a world where everything is moving so fast, these moments are sometimes necessary for the right tempo.
In an era saturated with dramas filled with cruelty and excessive violence, the appeal of refreshing melodramas and adorable comedies is undeniable. The setting, much like a 21st-century drama version of the 20th-century film "Roman Holiday," is intriguing and captivating.
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As Princess Anne (played by Audrey Hepburn) escapes the royal palace and finds herself in unfamiliar circumstances outside the palace, she encounters the resourceful newspaper journalist Joe (played by Gregory Peck) to help her. Meanwhile, Kim Dali (played by Park Gyuyoung), who has become an heiress burdened with debt, receives assistance from Jin Muhak (played by Kim Minjae), a money-making expert. Just like how Anne and Joe fell in love, we know that Dali and Muhak will likely follow suit, yet there's an element that keeps us curious about the situations and episodes that will lead them there.
Shall we meet the protagonists of 'Dali and Gamjatang'? First, we have Dali, the daughter of the Cheongsong Art Gallery household. Raised in a world of seclusion and art, she's known as the 'Princess of Cheongsong Castle.' Even her name, Dali, is inspired by the early 20th-century surrealist painter Salvador Dalí, reflecting her detachment from the world's realities. With her father's passing, she's thrown into the harsh realities of life.
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Actress Park Gyuyoung is skillfully portraying Dali, who exudes the elegance of a noble yet possesses warmth, and a strong willpower akin to a greenhouse flower. With her excellent diction (accuracy and fluency in pronunciation), solid acting foundation, and the ability to digest the hairstyles and costumes that remind one of Hepburn's Princess Anne, her portrayal is exceptional.
The male protagonist creates gamjatang using pig bones, earning the nickname "Don Don" due to his obsession with money. He is Jin Muhak, the actual representative and executive officer of Don Don F&B, which operates gamjatang restaurants. His name, Muhak, literally translates to "lack of education," and he is indeed ignorant. He doesn't know English or idioms, often misinterpreting proverbs and making spelling mistakes. Nevertheless, he possesses a keen sense for judging whether something is profitable or not, along with strong decisiveness and drive. He's not just a boss who talks the talk; he is diligent and leads by example. Despite his wealth, he doesn't waste money recklessly. He's frugal enough to not turn on a single light without reason.
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Actor Kim Minjae skillfully blends his powerful vocal cords and emotional expressions, mastering the art of intense acting. A role with such strong and noisy characteristics could easily appear overly dramatic, but he manages to strike the right balance in intensity. Moreover, he effortlessly emanates the charm that captivates even the sophisticated Dali. His genuine simplicity devoid of artifice and pretense feels endearing, making even his lack of knowledge appear adorable.
Muhak's lack of education is not a concern, as he is accompanied by Yeomiri, who is knowledgeable and quick in understanding situations, often even outsmarting Muhak himself. Despite being a female secretary, she dresses head to toe in a male suit. She may seem like a gangster, but she stands between the delicate-hearted employees of Don Don Gamjatang and Muhak without standing out.
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Actress Hwang Bora is skillfully portraying the multi-faceted character of Yeomiri. At times, she exhibits maternal care and concern for Muhak as if he were her child, while other times she shows a tough and gangster-like demeanor. She seamlessly transitions from performing serious drama scenes to comedic ones. She doesn't raise her voice next to Kim Minjae's high-pitched tone, but her diverse facial expressions and gestures enrich her performance. Even though her role could easily appear chaotic with ups and downs, she carefully manages the ebb and flow, allowing viewers to observe the intricacies of her acting.
In addition to the characters mentioned above, "Dali and Gamjatang" features a variety of characters portrayed by talented actors, forming a radiant constellation of performances. Each character is given a well-defined story, and the camera rotates evenly among them. This structure not only avoids making the drama solely focused on the main leads but also makes the show more vibrant and realistic. The effort put into casting extends even to the supporting roles and minor characters, making it all the more rewarding.
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Thanks to this, a romantic dynamic unfolds among Kim Minjae, Park Gyuyoung, and Kwon Yool (who plays Jang Taejin), with various romantic subplots branching out. Meanwhile, the cheerful interactions between Kim Minjae and Hwang Bora bring lightheartedness, while Jin Baekwon (played by Ahn Kilkang) and Sogeumja (played by Seo Jeongyeon) provide comedic relief throughout the drama. Woo Heejin fills the drama with her natural and comfortable acting, making her character come to life.
The attention to detail in "Dali and Gamjatang" results in a drama where every corner of the story is well-crafted.
Full Article: https://n.news.naver.com/article/119/0002536845
as Kim Dali in Dali & Gamjatang, 2021
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seyaryminamoto · 1 year
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Leap of Faith: Sokkla Saturdays 2022
Day 5: College AU
On FF.net//On AO3
A/N:
And now... a lighter and much more comedy-oriented entry for today. I really hope you guys enjoy it, I had so much fun writing this one!
"Look, I get where you're coming from, I do… but every time we try to recruit more people, no one wants to join us!"
"But that doesn't mean we can't ask again, Zuko. We should give it a try!"
"Well, be my guest, but I don't think there's much point to it. The three of us can pull off another campaign just fine together, can't we?"
Aang sighed: Zuko's stubbornness could have its perks in certain circumstances, but sometimes it grated on his nerves instead, no matter how patient he tried to be with his friend. He glanced at Sokka, who sat with arms crossed on the couch. Their party's dungeon master stroked his stubble, raising an eyebrow slowly before saying:
"There's a rather important proverb that we must abide by, in these situations…" Sokka stated. Zuko scoffed.
"Proverbs? Who'd you think you are, my uncle Iroh?"
"Do tell, do tell!" Aang said, excitedly. Sokka cleared his throat before making his big, insightful revelation.
"The more, the merrier!"
Zuko groaned, and Aang laughed while clapping approvingly. Sokka chuckled: Zuko's despair always amused him, even if Sokka suspected that the grumpiest among the three of them would win at this particular argument, in the end.
Sokka had met Aang and Zuko in college. At first, they were brought together by their career choices, then their bond tightened over their love for tabletop games: so far, they had played through four short adventures in which Sokka had served as dungeon master. Aang and Zuko would build up powerful characters who eventually prevailed against the forces of evil Sokka controlled… and it was fun. Their grasp on their games strengthened every time, and Sokka had so many stories in mind to tell in the future…
But Aang wasn't wrong to believe it would be more fun to tell them with more players in their party.
Just so, Zuko had a point as well: all their attempts to invite other people to join their Dungeons and Dragons sessions went to waste without fail.
Typically, their games were held in the house Sokka and Zuko had been roommates in for well over half their college careers – by now, however, Zuko's relationship with Suki had advanced enough that he spent more time at her place than at Sokka's. Sokka certainly didn't look forward to finding another roommate once Zuko inevitably moved out, but he'd have to look for one anyway… which was a problem to worry about on some other day. Right now, all he needed to think about was who to recruit for their next, full campaign… one he hoped would be a much longer campaign than the ones they'd done so far. He had so many ideas for it, ideas he hoped Aang and Zuko would enjoy, but it would be so much better if more people joined them…
"Well, I'm not going to make a public post on social media to call for new players," Zuko growled, shooting down Aang's latest idea, one he had put forward while Sokka wasn't paying attention. "That sounds awful."
"Then we should just ask people we know! Why not, right?" Aang said, glancing at Sokka. "We could ask Katara…"
"She always says she can't trust me as her DM," Sokka admitted, with an awkward smile. "She thinks I'm going to kill her character on the very first action sequence just to be a shithead of a brother…"
"Well, then, swear you won't do that and she'll join in!" Aang pouted. "Come on, and there's others who could join too…!"
"Well, I don't know if…" Zuko grunted, but his words were cut off abruptly when the doorbell rang.
He frowned before rising to his feet. The living room of the small house wasn't far away from the front door, allowing both Aang and Sokka to see glance in that direction as Zuko pulled the door open… and he groaned immediately at the sight of the woman standing right outside.
"What are you doing here?" he blurted out at once. Sokka glanced as best he could, only making out a few details past Zuko's silhouette… enough details to bring him to suspect the identity of this visitor even before hearing her teasing voice.
"Well, now, my parents raised me to greet people properly before asking questions… especially asking them so harshly. How uncivilized of you, Zuzu."
"Oh, please," Zuko huffed, stepping aside and allowing Azula to march into the house, a devious smirk upon her face.
Sokka's heart jolted lightly at the sight of her: he was an idiot, of course, for having any manner of crush on his roommate's sister. It was a strange trope he wasn't sure he should be trying to live out, but curses, she was pretty. She was clever and devious, and the way she teased Zuko never failed to make Sokka laugh. His lips instinctively curved into a smile as he waved like a fool in her direction.
"Ah, see? Sokka's much wiser than you," Azula smirked, nodding in Sokka's direction.
"Good to see you," Sokka grinned – happy tingles in his stomach urged him to talk to her more, to make the most of any opportunity to spend time with her…
"Hi, Azula!" Aang smiled too, waving at her, and Azula sighed happily.
"Ah, thank you. You all prove my point marvelously," she said, turning towards Zuko with her mischievous grin.
"They're not your brothers, and they don't realize you're only here because you want something," Zuko grumbled, glaring at her… and then allowing his eyes to drift down to the laptop bag she carried with her. "You broke your computer again?"
"I… did nothing. The updates are at fault here," Azula said, raising a finger pointedly in Zuko's direction.
"And now I have to backtrack them for you, as usual," Zuko huffed, shaking his head. "Well, I don't have my stuff here, if it's too serious I won't be able to fix it right now."
"Heh. I did go to Suki's place first, seeing as you've basically moved there, but she told me you were here," Azula said, with a shrug. "And I wasn't about to pretend that I could leave my laptop at your apartment without personally requesting that you fixed it, you were bound to ignore it if I wasn't there needling you about it the whole time, so…"
"You do realize me specializing in computer science doesn't mean I'm your go-to IT guy, don't you?" Zuko grunted. Azula huffed, shaking her head.
"You're my brother, and you picked your career as you pleased. How is it my fault that you wanted to be an IT guy?"
"I'm not an IT guy!" Zuko squealed, as Azula sank in the couch, right next to Sokka. He tried not to react, but yet again, his idiot heart fluttered over her closeness.
"If you were studying to be a mechanic, I'd come to you for car trouble," Azula continued, nonchalantly. "If you were studying to be a doctor, I'd ask you about every single potentially alarming health sign I find, if I found any. Therefore…"
"That's just…! Ugh, at the very least pay me for my efforts!" Zuko huffed. Azula gasped, affronted.
"That's… you've gone too far. You'd charge me for your services? Me, your own sister?" Azula said, dramatically. Zuko groaned, his hands on his head while he heard Aang and Sokka chuckling at Azula's wicked teasing. "Oh, but you're so cruel…"
"Okay, now, not to brag but I've beaten your brother at grades every semester," Sokka smiled, folding his arms over his chest. "If you really need that fixed, I can do it for you."
Azula blinked blankly, turning her head towards him with undisguised delight… and Sokka saw the spark of mischief in her beautiful golden eyes well before she spoke anew.
"Why… such a generous offer," she said, showing him what she no doubt believed was an angelical smile – the deviousness was nowhere near gone, however. "I couldn't possibly impose on you, though…! How much should I pay you for fixing it?"
"Oh, so you would pay Sokka but not me?!" Zuko squealed: Sokka covered his face with his hands as Azula smiled brightly, her latest stunt to irk her brother achieving the expected effect. "You're just…! Ugh!"
"You're my brother. Different rules apply there," Azula said, smirking. Sokka chuckled, shaking his head.
"I'm not charging you, Azula, so different rules don't have to apply at all," Sokka said. Azula's teasing intent dwindled then, as she eyed him with curiosity.
"Are you sure?" she asked. "I have no idea how tricky this is…"
"Rolling back an update isn't a big deal, I can do it right away. I'll do that and throw in a few security checks too to make sure things are running smoothly," Sokka offered. Azula smiled and shrugged.
"Well… be my guest, if you're serious. Thank you," she said. Sokka grinned proudly, hoping he wasn't blushing like the idiot he felt he was…
"Wait, so you're going to focus on that now?" Zuko huffed. "We were talking about the campaign, it's the whole reason why I dropped by…"
"We can take a break for now," Aang said, with a shrug. "And we can use the break to brainstorm ideas for how to get new players to join us!"
"Campaign? Players?" Azula repeated, eyeing Aang and Zuko with a dismissive sneer. "Oh, goodness. Another of your, uh, Rooms and Roaches game, I suppose…"
"Dungeons and Dragons! Seriously, could you be more of a textbook annoying younger sister?" Zuko groaned, dropping on his seat as Azula smirked deviously, shaking her head.
"Ah, he just makes it too easy, doesn't he?" Azula said, nudging Sokka gently with her elbow. "I imagine your sister torments you as often as I torment Zuko and you don't whine about it half as much, do you?"
"Oh, yeah. I've accepted my fate as her favorite source of entertainment," Sokka admitted. "Though Katara's very easy to annoy right back, you know? We get even sometimes. Zuko, though…"
"Anything I say can and will be used against me," Zuko growled, glaring at Azula, who smiled brightly at him.
"You know your fundamental rights, at the very least. Good on you," Azula said, nodding sagely. "Anyway, I had no idea the three of you were playing Prisons and Penguins. Did Zuko scare away the rest of your team's players with his temper, or…?"
"The right term is 'party', and no. It's always been just the three of us," Zuko said, bluntly. Azula hummed.
"Aang and I thought we should get more people on board, but Zuko says it's not going to work… and after hearing you call Dungeons and Dragons literally anything other than Dungeons and Dragons, I can't say that I'm surprised by his refusal to look for more players anymore," Sokka smiled. Azula offered him a devious grin of her own.
"Well, you see, if Zuko could explain reasonably how the game works, perhaps I would be interested in it. But every single time I asked him, he started talking about stats or whatever number of sides a functioning dice can have, and how 'the dice tell the story', which happens to be a concept I still can't pretend to understand… he makes it sound as entertaining and appealing as a visit to the dentist, in short."
"I… that's not true!" Zuko huffed, though his cheeks lit up – he had definitely tried to teach Suki how to play, only for his girlfriend to decide to stick with her favorite videogames instead. While he knew Azula made a sport of making fun of him, perhaps she wasn't entirely off-base with that assessment…
"Well, then, maybe Aang and I can do better," Sokka chuckled. "It's a roleplaying game, Azula."
Her eyebrows rode surprisingly high upon hearing those words. She stared at Sokka with a slowly growing grin, and Sokka blinked blankly.
"What?" he said. She bit her lip before leaning closer, covering her mouth as she spoke into his ear.
"Roleplaying, as in… sexual stuff?"
Sokka nearly jumped out of his seat upon hearing that: his cheeks lit up fully, much as Azula blushed as well while laughing at his reaction. Sokka's jaw dropped, he gasped, and then he shook his head quickly.
"N-no. No. Absolutely not. RPGs… have you never heard of them? Really?" Sokka asked, still flustered as Azula laughed against the backrest of her couch. "You… you're trolling me too. Just like you troll your brother all the time. You're a menace… a wonderful menace, but a menace anyway."
"The look on your face…!" Azula chuckled, covering her face with her hands as Aang and Zuko reached their own conclusions regarding what Azula had just whispered into Sokka's ear.
"Well… romance can be a thing in Dungeons and Dragons?" Aang clarified, with an awkward smile. "If that's what you meant…"
"Azula, seriously…" Zuko grimaced, shaking his head as he rose back to his feet. "I suppose I take it as a victory that you're choosing to mess with someone other than me for once…"
"Don't worry, you'll do something silly for me to ridicule any moment now. I'll just be patient until you do," Azula smiled. Zuko sighed.
"Well, then, at least hold back the ridiculing until I finish ordering pizza. Or else I'm not asking for pepperoni just to annoy you," Zuko huffed, pulling up his phone. Azula gasped.
"You wouldn't dare!" she said, dramatically. Sokka, beside her, yelped as well.
"Seriously, don't you dare!" he said, far more seriously than Azula had.
"Make sure mine's got none…" Aang, the sole vegetarian in the house, smiled awkwardly.
As Zuko busied himself with picking a delivery option, with Aang glancing over his shoulder to make him choose his favorite pizza restaurant, Sokka took it upon himself to begin patching up Azula's laptop – he sighed at the blue screen error that greeted him moments after powering up the computer, but he took to repairing the software quickly with the expertise he had developed over three years of studies. And as he worked, unless he had to ask any questions about the computer, Sokka explained more about Dungeons and Dragons to a surprisingly receptive Azula.
"… So, basically I'm the Dungeon Master, I come up with the story, the non-playable characters, the setting, all that stuff. The rules can be the ones established by the original game, or you can come up with a few new ones depending on whatever you feel like doing," Sokka said. "Basically, Dungeons and Dragons' system is more of a means to tell a story, you see? The idea that the dice tell the story isn't completely wrong, but without further context it probably sounds pretty weird…"
"Zuko never bothered providing any context, but I think I understand better now," Azula said. "You, the so-called Dungeon Master, build an adventure, you help your players build their characters too, then you have to be ready to either improvise with whatever their choices are, or plan so extensively to be prepared for anything they choose to do…? It seems a rather complicated way to play a game, frankly. Almost sounds like the Dungeon Master doesn't have as much fun as everyone else does."
"Oh, don't worry, that's not the case at all. Not once you get to the fun stuff of being the DM," Sokka chuckled: the computer booted up again, and this time, everything flowed perfectly. "Alright! It's running now."
"Ah, so quickly, too. Zuko would've kept me waiting for three days," Azula sighed, shaking her head.
"You're his sister, that's his revenge for all your teasing," Sokka said. Azula groaned.
"I know, but he's just so easy to annoy…" she sighed, before smiling at him again. "Thank you for your work, though. As for what Aang said before, though… romance is allowed in these games too? Is that how broad their scope is, truly?"
"Oh, yeah. Some people even livestream their games, get huge fanbases, their fans fall in love with their characters and with the relationships between those characters…" Sokka explained, with an awkward smile. "I mean, sure, it's a little crazy to roleplay being in love with a friend, I imagine, but if you're doing it right, I'm sure it can be lots of fun."
"Huh. Has Aang ever fallen in love with Zuko, then?" Azula asked, amused. Sokka snorted.
"Well, no. Though I had to play Aang's wife in one of our first campaigns," Sokka chuckled. "But that's what I get for being the DM, always got to play every other character in our D&D world. Anyway, I think as long as the players and DM are in agreement about romance, it's doable."
"Hmm… if so, I don't see why it's so hard for you to get Suki to play with you, Zuko," Azula said, raising her voice so her brother, finished placing his order, would hear her.
"Say what?" Zuko raised an eyebrow.
"Sokka says romance is a thing. Tell her that, and that you're at risk of being romanced by Aang… might make her jealous enough to join in just to make sure she keeps you to herself," Azula smirked. Zuko scoffed.
"We're not teenagers, she doesn't think Aang's going to steal me away," Zuko huffed. Aang chuckled.
"The characters are the ones who tell the story, though. If you happen to build a character that my character finds appealing…" Aang said, wiggling his eyebrows teasingly: Zuko scoffed in disgust.
"Maybe mine won't find yours appealing, then," he said. Aang whimpered, a hand on his chest.
"Unrequited love? Oh, no! Whatever shall I do?"
"Are you three in league today to pick on me or something?" Zuko huffed, glaring at his two friends and his sister, who laughed at his irate reaction.
"Oh, lighten up, Zuzu," Azula chuckled, shaking her head. "Anyway, I think you really ought to try recruiting Suki. She likes videogames, I bet she'd enjoy this if she gets the hang of it eventually. If she's too difficult to coax into it, though… hmm. Maybe not Aang, then. Maybe you should invite Mai to join in, too."
"No. I… no!" Zuko whimpered, cheeks flushing. "You're not getting my ex entangled in this just to amuse yourself, damn it!"
"Well, it would be amusing, but I'm not just trying to tease you," Azula chuckled. "Seriously, the way Sokka puts it, he wants to tell a big story, right? The more…"
"The merrier! That's what I said!" Sokka exclaimed, beaming. Azula smiled at his reaction too.
"For that matter, instead of pushing other people to join in, maybe you should consider doing it yourself," Zuko huffed. "How about it, Azula? Want to play a game of Jails and J-… J-…"
"Jellyfish," Azula supplied, helpfully, and Zuko huffed in irritation at her response. "What? Perfectly valid animal…"
"It sounds like you have a set for every possible synonym and word you can use for this joke of yours…" Sokka smirked. Azula blinked blankly, a hand on her chest as she acted utterly shocked by his apparent accusation.
"What, innocent old me, coming up with a whole reservoir of names for Chambers and Chameleons? Vaults and Voles? Oubliettes and Owls?"
Sokka couldn't hold back the laughter anymore. Azula smiled with undisguised satisfaction as Zuko rolled his eyes at her.
"Anyway… sure," she said, with a shrug. "I will require some thorough coaching so I won't mess up, as well as a copy of this rulebook and whatnot, but…"
"Wait, what?" Zuko's dismissiveness froze… transformed now into sheer terror. Azula blinked blankly, gazing at him questioningly.
"What? You just said I should join in, and I said I'm perfectly happy to attempt it," Azula said. Zuko's face paled. "Oh? Is this not the outcome you were looking for?"
"Well… maybe Zuko wasn't, but Aang and I? Absolutely!" Sokka grinned, turning towards her in amazement. "Welcome to the party!"
"Heh. Sounds even more fun when you say it that way," Azula grinned in a rather devious way at Sokka. Zuko winced. "Have something to say now, Zuzu?"
Zuko's jaw had dropped in sheer horror: it was one thing for Azula to visit once in a while over computer trouble. It was a very different one for her to do so on a weekly basis for a Dungeons and Dragons campaign… especially with his two friends basically enabling her constantly, laughing at her jokes and encouraging her to poke fun at him left and right.
He couldn't refuse her now, though: she was bound to show up every week even if he did, and Sokka and Aang would welcome her without a hitch. No… what he needed was backup. Strength in numbers. More people to help him keep her in check…
Which was exactly what he hadn't wanted to do, but damn, Azula left him no choice.
"I… will convince Suki," Zuko grimaced. Aang gasped happily. "Sokka… get Katara too. And someone should get Toph. Maybe Jet…"
"I'll tell Mai and Ty Lee, then," Azula grinned. Zuko grimaced but sighed: at this point, he'd gladly endure the awkwardness of being around Mai if it meant Azula might have someone else to bicker with at some point or another.
"See? That's better payback for computer repairs than money," Sokka chuckled, smiling brightly at Azula. "You convinced him all on your own! I'll finally get the big party I was looking for…"
"You needn't mention it, though… I do need that rulebook, don't I?" Azula asked. Sokka chuckled.
"We'll get you one. You might need help with setting up your character, but I can give you a hand, maybe on videocall if that's easier for you than coming here," Sokka said. Azula huffed.
"It's not that hard, my own house is barely a few blocks away," Azula said. "Technically, I would have been staying in the same place as my brother if only Zuzu hadn't been so adamant about finding a roommate so he could have an excuse to stop living with his wicked sister…"
"Well, he's bound to move out sooner than later. He barely comes here anymore," Sokka said, with a shrug. "Anyway, if you'd rather drop by, that's fine by me. No idea if you have a lot of work to do for your classes, so…"
"My semester shouldn't be that heavy. I'll be able to spare a couple of evenings to come here, be it for building characters or whatever you need," Azula said. "Just let me know when you're available and I'll swing by."
"Awesome," Sokka smiled – he wasn't stupidly misunderstanding this as a date of some sort, was he? No one had dates over Dungeons and Dragons… but that she'd be willing to visit even if Zuko was absent was a surprisingly agreeable sign. One that, of course, didn't have to mean anything, but he'd always welcome spending more time with Azula and her delightfully devious wit.
After comparing schedules – both, it seemed, were rather oriented towards planning their schedules to the utmost detail, something rather convenient for people who would play Dungeons and Dragons –, they chose to hold their character-building session four days later. Azula asked many questions about the game that night, while also reiterating her gratitude towards Sokka after he finished all checkups of her computer, confirming it was functional and that it would stay that way – at least, until future updates crashed it. Her numerous queries about Dungeons and Dragons were hilarious, especially the ones she blurted out carelessly while they ate, and Zuko groaned in despair at every devious concept Azula ran by Aang and Sokka, who seemed to find her ideas hilarious instead of painful.
By the next day, the four of them contacted the rest of their potential party and confirmed that their player group would increase in size considerably. Jet even offered to bring his younger brother, a faithful Dungeons and Dragons enthusiast who, while still in high school, was as experienced a player as Aang, Sokka and Zuko were. The kid in question agreed to help his brother with building his character sheet, and Sokka took care of helping Katara and Azula while Aang handled Mai, Ty Lee and Toph. Zuko's sole assignment was Suki, who still hardly understood the point or how to play the game, but she agreed to join it if just for her boyfriend's peace of mind.
As much as preparing a big campaign was the greatest highlight of his career as a Dungeon Master, Sokka looked forward to building Azula's character more than anything else. He welcomed her in his house, offering her refreshments, making the most of the opportunity to talk about their respective careers – it was rather amusing that Azula's demeanor changed so starkly once Zuko wasn't around, for while she snuck in a few barbs here and there to tease him, it was nothing compared to how she acted when her brother was present. Her attention was on Sokka constantly, even helping him in the kitchen when she noticed he was struggling with their dinner, and they ate together while exchanging ideas on the very first character Azula had ever created for a tabletop roleplaying game:
"So… I've decided I shall be a tiefling," Azula declared, with a proud grin. Sokka bit his lip and shrugged.
"They're a pretty popular choice for players… unpopular in-world, though. You're sure?" he asked. Azula nodded sagely, and Sokka smiled. "Alright, then. You'll get some intelligence and charisma bonus which, I suppose, is quite fitting…"
"Is it, now?" Azula smirked. Sokka chuckled.
"Not going to pretend you're not smarter than everyone in any room you're in, are you?"
"Well… I mean, I'd love to say that, but you're in this room too and that makes it rather difficult to sustain such a claim," Azula said. Sokka blinked blankly and glanced at her in perplexity. "What? You're not going to pretend someone as competent as you, with such an ability to grasp this crazy game and build an entire, massive narrative the way you seemingly have, isn't basically a genius, are you?"
"I'm not…!" Sokka snorted, cheeks flushing as he shook his head. "No, no, no. I'm not a genius at all, Azula, I… I mean, it's flattering that you'd say so, but I'm not."
"Suit yourself…" Azula said, smirking as she focused on her character sheet, as well as the many notes she'd made about her plans, some of which she had already discussed with Sokka and discarded. "I've thought about it a lot… and the Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer sounds perfect for my character. Do you agree?"
"For someone who thrives in mocking the 'dragon' in Dungeons and Dragons, you sure seem to be a fan of them," Sokka smirked. Azula chuckled.
"Oh, that's just what my contract as a younger sibling entails, nothing more. I've always liked dragons. I've even wanted a tattoo of one, but I suppose maybe in the future…" she said, offhandedly. Sokka blinked blankly as Azula smirked at him. "What? Think it wouldn't suit me?"
"Might suit you too well, I'd say," Sokka smiled awkwardly. "Where…? Uh, where were we?"
No, he was not about to ask her where she wanted the tattoo, damn it. He had to focus.
"I'm a sorcerer," Azula repeated, smiling. "As for my personal storyline…"
They continued to discuss the details of her character, whom she named Fyrelith Krylla, the female tiefling who traveled the world on a quest to find a purpose in her life as an outsider to society. Once their main work was done, though, Azula continued asking questions about the campaign and, most of all, about Sokka's work as the Dungeon Master. He was surprised that she'd be so intrigued by it, but she wasn't secretive as to why:
"It's just… odd to me that it sounds like the Dungeon Master is the one who puts the most work into it while the rest of the players have lots of fun navigating the storyline you'd be creating," Azula said, raising her eyebrows. "Have you never wished to be a player instead?"
"Oh? Heh, I've done it and it's not as fun for me, honestly," Sokka laughed. "I mean, I'm not going to pretend I'm the greatest storyteller there was or so, but I love seeing the way people react to the twists and turns a story can take. I love improvising when things don't go as I planned… and honestly? My dice rolls are way better when I'm a DM. Or maybe I don't mind much when I roll poorly as a DM? Unless it's a big character, you know, by then it's unnerving to get lots of natural ones in a row, or so…"
"Well, then… I suppose I must ask you to forgive me for being judgmental, but this sounds like you're a bit of a control freak," Azula smirked. Sokka blinked blankly. "Not that it's too outrageous if you're one, I am one myself, but…"
"I wouldn't… say it's a matter of control, no," Sokka chuckled.
"Then you're just a self-sacrificial guy who wants his friends to have fun and doesn't care if he has to be the bad guy in order to help them do so?" Azula asked, her elbows on the table. She leaned in slightly, as if studying Sokka's true motives… and his heart raced far faster than it should have because of it. "It's very noble if that's how it is… but it feels unfair, too."
"Unfair because… what, you think I never win?" Sokka asked, amused, leaning slightly as well. Azula shrugged. "Zuko does say you're terribly ambitious and try to win at every game…"
"Suki's utterly frustrating in Mario Kart. I've probably only beaten her twice at it for as long as she's been dating Zuko," Azula said, an eyebrow twitching as Sokka chuckled at her confession. "But that's neither here nor there…"
"No, I'm sure it's not," Sokka said. Azula scoffed, though she smiled at his response.
"I'm just saying… it's very noble, but I wonder if I'm overthinking things," she said: her eyes wouldn't leave his, as if defying him, and Sokka refused to back down from the challenge she was offering him. "You deserve to live out your own epic story yourself, I'd say, rather than always building them for other people. Perhaps you're particularly good at that, but… aren't you curious about what might happen if you were a player instead?"
"I…" Sokka blinked blankly. Azula raised her eyebrows: she was trying to get at something that was absolutely going over his head… and that was her fault entirely.
She was so close. He was so close to her. The table was too big suddenly, no matter if they were that close indeed… he could push himself up slightly, lean in fully, catch her by surprise with a kiss, but would it even surprise her? The way she looked at him now, it was as though that was exactly what she wanted him to…
The sound of keys in the front door caused Sokka to gasp and jump to his feet, as if he had been caught by his mother or a schoolteacher doing something out of bounds. Oh, he was an idiot. A total idiot. His heart was racing and it wouldn't calm down – he hadn't really been about to kiss Azula, had he? And he hadn't just blown his first and only chance to do so, had he…?
"Guess it's Zuko?" Azula said as she pulled back too: Sokka's chest almost collapsed upon itself as he heard the front door swinging open.
"Sorry for barging in without warning," Zuko's voice echoed in the house, and Azula grimaced. Sokka smiled awkwardly as he stepped out of the kitchen: Zuko had a rucksack with him, and Sokka raised an eyebrow at the sight of it. "No, she didn't kick me out: she's spending a couple of days at her parents' place, and…"
"And you need someone to cook for you or else you'll order takeout for every meal?" Sokka asked, curtly. Zuko scoffed.
"I mean, if you don't want to cook enough for two…!"
"Three, actually," Azula announced: Zuko's face paled upon hearing her voice. Azula rose to her feet, stepping past the kitchen's threshold and smirking deviously at her brother. "How rude of you to interrupt us, Zuzu."
"I-interrupt… what?" Zuko said. Sokka's face flushed again and Zuko's paled just as much. "Sokka. Sokka. I don't… I don't want to be the Ross to your Chandler. So please tell me this isn't…"
"We were building her character for the campaign. That's all," Sokka said, with a dry grin, a hand on his face as Azula laughed deviously at her brother's utter horror.
"Azula!" Zuko roared, and she couldn't seem to stop laughing as she wrapped an arm around her stomach, bending over forward at his wild reaction.
Sokka couldn't help but smile as he watched her, no matter how flustered he was by her insinuation – it genuinely made him think he hadn't misread things at all before. Oh, he liked her a lot, and she was smart enough to realize it, Sokka guessed… he'd have to talk things over with Zuko if it looked like dating Azula was an actual possibility in his future. Zuko was bound to reject the notion completely, Sokka guessed… but Sokka couldn't help but be delighted by the sight of Azula's genuine laughter. She was beautiful when she smirked, of course… but her honest smiles were the best of them all.
Zuko wound up eating from the leftovers from their meal while Azula gathered her things, keeping all information about her character secret from her brother for the time being. Zuko seemed genuinely shocked that Azula would be taking the campaign so seriously, but he still eyed her warily constantly, until Sokka accompanied her to the front door while Zuko remained in the kitchen, eating to his heart's content.
"Is this it, then?" Azula asked, smiling at him as they stood at the front door. Sokka's heart was back to racing wildly just upon being alone with her. "I mean… I don't have to do anything else in preparation for the campaign?"
"Oh, uh, not really. I'll be painting the minis next week, but…"
"The… what?" Azula blinked blankly. Sokka smiled shyly.
"The stuff that makes us nerdier still, I guess. We make figures of our characters in Dungeons and Dragons, see? They help us keep up with what's going on during battle sequences. As the Dungeon Master, I place the minis on the maps where the fights are happening, that way I know how far anyone can move, the range of attacks and so on…"
"Ah… and you'll be painting my character?" Azula asked, amused. Sokka smiled.
"Everyone's characters, actually?" he said. "I'll ask for occasional input, send pictures to each of you of what it's looking like and what colors to pick, but…"
"Pictures? And how do I know you won't mess up Fyrelith by, I don't know, giving her a huge wart somewhere?" Azula asked. Sokka laughed, covering his face with his hands. "No, no, no. I can't trust you with this. You're too dangerous with all this power, Dungeon Master…"
"What are you saying? That you'll come by to help me?" Sokka chuckled.
Azula grinned.
Sokka's heart raced even faster.
He returned to the kitchen with wide eyes after Azula took off. Zuko continued eating, though he noticed Sokka's daze as his roommate sank in an empty seat. He bumped Sokka's knee with his own, grunting as though to make Sokka speak his mind.
"Zuko…" Sokka blinked blankly.
"The heck is the matter with you? Did she say something that drained all your happiness, or something?" Zuko asked. Sokka swallowed hard.
"I swear… there's nothing going on between me and your sister," he said. Zuko frowned. "But… would you kill me if I told you that I wish something was?"
Zuko stayed silent for a moment. He set down his fork after a moment. His face twisted slowly into a grimace… and then he dropped his head heavily on the table.
"My best friend and my sister…?"
The quote, spoken in an unusually soft, shrill voice for Zuko's standards, actually brought a burst of laughter from Sokka. He covered his face with his hands while Zuko groaned in frustration over the apparent, inevitable match that was bound to happen between Azula and Sokka…
A match that had another chance of cementing itself the next weekend: Azula was ready to exert her artistic chops and prove herself capable of painting minis along with Sokka. It was, without a doubt, the nerdiest thing she'd done, but she enjoyed herself thoroughly with it while Sokka's dumb, stupid heart continued to pound faster… she didn't really like him. She was just having fun, right? And that was great! He wanted her to have fun. But she couldn't possibly fancy him on any level, not necessarily because he thought himself lacking in appeal in any way… no, it was simply too lucky. He wasn't that lucky, was he? Unrequited love was typical, expected… he couldn't possibly have bottled up a crush on her since their very first encounter, when she had visited Zuko on campus once, only to discover years later that perhaps she felt the same way about him…
"Hmm… who's this?" Azula said, eyeing one of the characters she was painting with disapproving eyes. Sokka chuckled. "It looks like a plain, boring human…"
"That's Jet's character, actually. I won't go into details, though. You really shouldn't be here, you're getting spoiled, to a fault…" Sokka smirked. Azula raised her eyebrows.
"Really? Does this mean I, by some chance, am your favorite player already?" Azula asked. Sokka snorted. "It's quite alright to have some biases, I'd say. Better, even. As long as it means you favor me, of course, favor someone else and I'll decry it as utterly unfair…"
"Of course you would," Sokka chuckled, shaking his head. "You're the one who asked to be here, you said you couldn't stand letting me and my clumsy computer nerd hands handle your character, so…"
"Oh, I didn't say anything about your hands. They're not clumsy, I'm sure," Azula said. "As a computer nerd, I'm sure you have to work with some very… delicate parts, don't you?"
Her wording might not have been odd if it weren't for the inflection of her voice upon speaking them. Sokka didn't respond, eyeing her again as she smirked deviously.
"You… are really a menace," Sokka chuckled, and Azula laughed too. "Honestly…"
"Computer parts, of course! Goodness, Sokka, really… everything is an innuendo with you," she said, shaking her head. Sokka raised his eyebrows.
"Right. It's me. Of course it's me," he said, face red as Azula laughed again.
"Fine, fine, I'll stop if you're uncomfortable…"
"I'm… not that uncomfortable. But I admit it's kind of surprising that you'd poke fun at me with this sort of stuff," Sokka said. "I suppose Zuko will be grateful if you decide I'm your new target for teasing…"
"Oh, he'll never get out of being tormented by me. Sibling contract, remember? Lasts forever," Azula said, smirking. "But you're… fun to tease, in your own way, for sure. Still, it's just… I'm afraid my character is the prettiest of the bunch, you know?"
"Probably," Sokka admitted. Azula smirked at him.
"See? Of course she is. No wonder she's your favorite…"
"Yes, no wonder," Sokka chuckled: he'd do best to focus on the next figurine he had to work on, or else he'd never get anything done if he solely paid attention to Azula.
"Whereas the rest of them look lame," Azula sighed, shaking her head. "How could I possibly romance any of them?"
"Oh? That's the problem?" Sokka asked, amused. Azula nodded, feigning genuine consternation as she closed her eyes. "You might like their personalities, though…"
"Say that I don't…" Azula said, eyeing Sokka warily. "I suppose I'm just trying to set the record straight here… you play lots of NPCs, right? Non-playable characters?"
"I do," Sokka blinked blankly.
"Romance… isn't restricted to player characters, is it?" Azula asked, with a slowly growing grin.
Sokka's heart jolted. Azula raised her eyebrows, waiting for an answer as Sokka seemed to forget how to speak altogether. His lips parted, but no words came out as Azula chuckled, tilting her head to the side slightly.
"Oh, my: your blue eyes are flashing some weird code… it's a blue screen of death! Damn it. I guess I might need that USB stick to fix you, don't I? Where did you put it, I wonder…?"
"N-n-no need. I'm… here. Somehow. I think," Sokka swallowed hard. Azula chuckled, biting her lip as she eyed him questioningly.
"You played Aang's wife once, you said? Is it that much worse to come up with a character I could romance?" she asked. "A way prettier one than this lot, too…"
"Heh. I mean… I could, but, uh… probably not right away?" Sokka said, with an awkward smile. "I mean, I do have the whole campaign planned and all, so… might be better to save it for when we're close to the end, heh. T-that way… Fyrelith could even have a happy ending with someone. Right? Could be… that's the purpose she wants in life? Well, if we end up playing things and it feels right, of course…"
"Hmm," Azula said, frowning. "It's a little strange to plan the ending, though. I mean, you could, but I shouldn't be involved in preparing for that… no matter how much of a DM's pet I may be, right?"
"Uh, right," Sokka said, cheeks flushed as she pointed out he was being terribly unprofessional, quite accurately too. "You should roleplay, that's the point, heh. Just… roleplay with whatever feels right for your character."
"Whatever feels right?" Azula repeated. Sokka nodded promptly. "And… what about you? Would you set any boundaries, as a DM? You really should…"
"Well, if someone ever went out of line I'd definitely try to reel them back in," Sokka said. Azula hummed. "I don't think anything like that has ever happened… but I guess with so many new players, things might be different. Still… I think if anything makes me too uncomfortable I'd just say it, yeah."
"Hmm. I suppose that's how it is," Azula said, with a slow smile. "Well, then… I think my questions have been answered now. Fyrelith might be lucky, or perhaps not so much… we'll see depending on if you can come up with NPCs up to her standards, of course."
"That's not a lot of pressure, no…" Sokka chuckled, focusing on working on the minis once more now: his heart was still racing, but he felt slightly better now that Azula's curiosity appeared to be sated.
He really wasn't crazy for thinking there was a strange kind of energy between them, was he? It was an attraction he wasn't sure he had experienced in such a way ever before. Zuko nearly had a meltdown over the concept of Sokka and Azula dating, it was true, but he seemed to be over it by now – that was, as long as texting him links to the 'MY BEST FRIEND AND MY SISTER?' scene from Friends every two days meant he was over it – and his opposition to the concept appeared to be mostly over the realization that Azula would be the most obnoxious girlfriend to Sokka solely to make her brother uncomfortable… but that didn't mean this was a certain thing. Sokka liked her… he really did and he wasn't going to pretend otherwise. Sometimes, he couldn't help but imagine she felt the same way… but did she? Her satisfied smirk as she worked on Jet's character suggested she was up to something… and Sokka couldn't help but want to learn exactly what it was.
He didn't on that day, of course: before they could get too comfortable, before they could even hope to discuss whatever was going on between them, the doorbell rang and Sokka had to open the door to his sister, who was bringing a food parcel their parents had left her with… and upon finding Azula and Sokka were deep in the process of perfecting the minis, Katara rushed in to join them, delighted by the chance to work on her character as well. Thus, once again, their privacy was no more… but judging by Azula's pleasant mood that afternoon, she was genuinely unbothered by that. She and Katara had plenty of conversations about their expectations from the campaign, and Sokka laughed at their assumptions while clearing up his sister's questions and fielding off Azula's relentless, clever teasing.
By then, Sokka only had a few more preparations left before the campaign could begin, and he handled them as quickly as possible: the whole party agreed upon a regular schedule, and they would attempt to make their encounters a weekly appointment, if possible. Once Sokka was done with his final tweaks to the story, as well as with building the maps he expected he'd need, at least for the initial adventures, he texted the group chat to inform them of the date on which their campaign would begin, and he received full approval from everyone.
Thus, on the appointed day, Sokka's biggest campaign as a Dungeon Master was finally ready to begin.
Some introductions were in order, as several members of the group hadn't met before: Jet's little brother was adamant about being called The Duke, and he was entirely into his roleplaying from the moment he arrived. His character was a dwarven noble called Dain, an artificer with magical aptitudes. His brother, Jet, chose the most straightforward and simple character, a human fighter, only to irritate his brother by how utterly basic he was – and to top it off, he called the character Jet, too. Toph, on her part, chose to play as a male half-orc barbarian called Stout, and she warned everyone that she'd go all out with this game, seeing as it was finally a game where being blind wasn't much of a detriment, for she had Braille dice and she would be able to feel her rolls directly. Katara had chosen to be an elven wizard called Ilyrana, Ty Lee was a monk Air Genasi whom she had named, Aerya, Mai was a rogue aasimar with the name Andril, while Suki had chosen to be a gnome ranger called Selwyn. Aang's halfling druid was called Anrin, and Zuko had picked the name Ixuus for his dragonborn warlock.
Once everyone sat at the long table with their respective gear fully ready, the game finally began. Sokka weaved his storytelling wonders upon the group gradually, hoping to ease the process of introduction into the game for those who had never played Dungeons and Dragons before. He encouraged them to interact among themselves, Zuko and Aang helped him in teaching the others how to roleplay by example, though they hadn't needed to do so for the Duke, the only other experienced player at the table.
While things started slow, they picked up speed quickly: a set of missions gone wrong had caused all their characters, mercenaries attempting to make a living, to converge at a suspicious tavern that all leads had pointed them towards. A perfectly innocent innkeeper had provided them with no further information, though, as well as no means through which to investigate the inn's room where the suspicions were leading them.
"This guy's not going to crack easily, huh?" Jet said, raising an eyebrow.
"Not if we keep rolling so poorly," Aang groaned, glaring at the natural one on his dice tray.
"How about we just go upstairs, bust the door open and get this over with?" Toph growled, in-character, and the others shut her down immediately. "What? It'd make it way easier! Aren't we a bunch of scary mercenaries or whatever?"
"That doesn't mean we have to pick fights everywhere we go," Katara said, with a dry grin. "We could, uh, sneak in from the window, maybe? I don't know, I suppose Andril and Aerya might be able to do that…"
"What we require…" Azula cut in, her voice ringing with authority and a sultriness that Sokka shouldn't have found as appealing as he did… "Is a distraction, is it not?"
"A distraction?" Zuko replied. "Uh… okay? We're listening."
"If I can distract the innkeeper, you lot can, perhaps, find a spare key and head upstairs. Find whatever leads you can while I ensure the innkeeper is properly occupied…" Azula said, with a shrug. "And that way we'll finally make some progress."
"I think that sounds reasonable," The Duke said, firmly. "Let's listen to the tiefling, though I warn all of you, tieflings can be tricky, but…"
"Oh, please. What would I have to gain from tricking any of you?" Azula said, rolling her eyes. "I'm only in this for… uh, well, that's my business, isn't it?"
"That doesn't make you any more trustworthy, you know?" The Duke hissed. "But… we could use your abilities. So… do your best, tiefling."
"I have a name," Azula said. "But… to be entirely fair, I can't pretend I'd care if you use it. Anyway…"
She turned towards Sokka, smiling deviously. He chuckled and shrugged.
"You walk up to the innkeeper," Sokka said. Azula nodded.
"What does he look like?"
"Oh, uh… human, about mid-thirties? Dark hair, tan skin, not too bulky but not weak either, his duties at the inn keep him in alright shape," Sokka reasoned. Azula hummed.
"Good sir… may I ask for your name?" she smiled. Sokka slipped into character immediately and smiled.
"I'm Goldric, my lady. May I help you?" he said. Azula's smile widened.
"Oh, you may indeed," she said. Sokka raised an eyebrow.
"Is there, um, a drink I could bring you, or…?"
"Perhaps instead of bringing a drink here, you could, uh… bring me into your cellar instead? I have a good eye for the best wine vintages, you see," Azula said, with a wicked smile. "Perhaps we could even… share a bottle in private, if you would be so inclined?"
The whole table fell silent as Azula smirked at Sokka. He blinked once, then twice… then he cleared his throat, hoping not to blush too profusely.
"Okay, then… roll a d20 for persuasion?" Sokka blinked blankly – he had thought the innkeeper might have been a family man, with young children… but if that roll was too high, he'd scrap that notion immediately. Azula didn't need him to cause unnecessary drama for her character on the first time she had taken the initiative in the campaign, so…
Azula picked out the dice of twenty sides from her set, and she rolled into her dice tray. Aang, sitting beside her, gasped when the dice stopped…
"Natural twenty?!"
Sokka's jaw dropped. The entire table broke out in laughter as Azula stretched her arms out in a most arrogant gesture, clapping her hands as if to say her job was complete. Sokka, still shocked, blinked himself out of his amazement and smiled at Azula.
"Well, then. Heh. Okay," he said, swallowing hard before getting into character. "O-oh, uh… sure! That sounds lovely. I… gladly. Come, come. This way…"
"How very generous of you. I assure you, you shall be rewarded with sufficient generosity as well," Azula smirked. Sokka broke out of character with laughter as he shook his head.
"Congratulations: you seduced the innkeeper."
Azula raised a fist in the air in proud celebration while the others laughed at her unexpected solution for their predicament. Sokka chuckled too as he continued the story: the group took to rummaging through the innkeeper's things, found a master key and opened the door to their suspect's room. The man they were looking for was there… but not in good shape: a Shadow was sucking the life out of him, it seemed, and the party had to attempt to save the man in order to learn what his true purpose and intent were.
"Okay, so… roll for initiative! Roll your d20s and add your dexterity modifier," Sokka smiled. Azula frowned.
"Uh… this is to determine the order of combat, is it?" she asked. Sokka nodded. "I see."
"It is, so… why aren't you rolling?" Sokka asked, raising an eyebrow as the others began announcing their initiative numbers. Sokka ignored them, though, as Azula smirked at him.
"Because I'm not in combat, am I?"
"You… wait, what?" Sokka smiled awkwardly.
"A natural twenty means… a critical success, doesn't it?" Azula said, arms folded over her chest. "If I was that successful at persuading and seducing that guy… well, it's pretty obvious I'm going to be busy for at least the next, uh, fifteen minutes, give or take."
"Azula…?" Zuko blinked blankly, staring at her from across the table. Beside him, Suki snorted in amusement.
"You're actually fucking the innkeeper while the rest of us are in the middle of a fight?" she asked.
Azula's response was a perfectly shameless shrug: the whole room rang with laughter as she smirked proudly at an utterly flustered Sokka. His face probably had never been as red… for he had never allowed himself to picture, not truly, the notion of himself and Azula engaging in any manner of sexual activity. Nope. And he wasn't about to start thinking about it now. He wasn't going to. He wouldn't…
Oh, well. Why deny it? He'd pictured it now, and it was more than enough to send his brain into overdrive.
The combat scene was difficult to focus on, especially with the relentless teasing of the rest of the players, asking Azula to make performance rolls to find out just how well things were going for her and the innkeeper. Sokka told her not to bother – she still tried, scoring a 17 and a 15 on the first rounds, and Sokka's flustered face spoke for itself regarding what a successful result that was. Still, the battle against the Shadow resulted in victory for the party, Azula apparently was quite satisfied with her cellar adventures with the innkeeper, and their first session ended in utter triumph for the whole party.
"I know it caught you by surprise, but it was my very first idea on how to resolve the situation," Azula laughed that night as Sokka walked her to her car, parked right outside his house. "Did I go too far?"
"Well… I don't know. Depends on how you went about fucking the innkeeper, I suppose," Sokka said, with an awkward smile. Azula laughed, shaking her head.
"More like how he went about fucking me, I suppose, but…"
"Don't play coy now: your tiefling's got to be some sort of incredible dominatrix, accept the truth already," Sokka said, and Azula's laughter seemed to ring across the neighborhood at his accusations.
"Fine, then, fine," she smiled, pulling her car's door open. "You're sure it's okay, though?"
"It is," Sokka nodded, smiling at her. "I'll put my foot down if I change my mind, alright?"
"Sounds about right. I'll play nice if you do. And I'll keep playing naughty in the meantime," Azula smirked, winking at him before slipping into the driver's seat.
Sokka swallowed hard, struggling to suppress the shudder of delight that had rushed through his body over her words and gesture. Maybe he shouldn't be so thrilled about their next session merely for the sake of seeing Azula again, of being the target of her wicked teasing, as he had been today, but he couldn't quite help but look forward to it for that reason all the same…
On the next week, Sokka prepared himself as best he could for a wholly different adventure: the party's investigations into the previous session's events resulted in a journey that took them out of the city and into the wild forests beyond it. Sokka had a few plans for what they'd find… but first off, he wanted to cause some chaos by featuring a few surprise combat encounters along the way. The first ones weren't all that tricky to handle, but then he released his grand threat upon the party…
"Everyone: roll initiative!" Sokka declared, setting the large orc's mini on the map he'd prepared as everyone gaped at him in horror.
"Shit! I didn't think we'd get attacked by anything right before we got to the summit…" Katara winced, looking at Sokka in horror. "You're mean, Sokka! We're almost there, you said…!"
"Hey, it's the way the game works. Take it or leave it," Sokka smirked: everyone rolled, and everyone offered Sokka their respective initiative results as the battle against the terrifying orc began.
Of course, all was going well right until Azula's character stepped up to the orc Sokka had placed on the battlefield. The orc's turn came right after hers, he had already taken a few blows by the other players – ranged blows, mostly – and her choice to be in such proximity with the orc seemed a rather wild one to make…
"It's pretty unsafe to be in close quarters with this guy. He'll get an attack of opportunity…" Sokka pointed out, and Azula huffed, brushing through the rulebook.
"From what I understand, even if we leveled up to second level last week, I actually cannot use second-level spells yet?"
"Uh, you can't yet, no," Sokka said. Azula huffed, shaking her head.
"Well, that's too bad but I suppose Charm Person will do?"
Sokka's jaw dropped. The others let out a deep 'ooooh' while eyeing Sokka deviously, since that wasn't something he'd planned for at all. Azula smiled wickedly again, closing the book and shrugging.
"Mind making a wisdom saving throw for me, mighty orc?" she asked. Sokka huffed, shaking his head before rolling the dice.
"What's the DC?" he asked. Azula hummed before finding the right stat for Sokka to measure himself against.
"That would be a fourteen, yes," she said. The Duke, Aang and Zuko hummed at the surprisingly high number while at such a low level. "Indeed, my charisma is quite high. You're most unfortunate for that, my lovely orc."
"Well… the lovely orc has rolled a fifteen, so I'm afraid your spell didn't take hold," Sokka smiled. Azula gasped in horror as the table groaned.
"That's not fair," she said, huffing. Sokka shrugged. "And here I was thinking we could have so much fun…"
"Wait, what?" Jet snorted. "Again?"
"Are you slutshaming Fyrelith? Are you?" Azula asked, glaring at him playfully from over Aang's head. Jet cackled, covering his face with a hand as Ty Lee's jaw dropped.
"Azula! I didn't know you had this in you!" she said. Azula scoffed.
"Me? It's what Fyrelith wants, I'm only channeling what the character requires. Simple," Azula said, with a bright grin.
"Well, I'm afraid you're not going to bang an orc that's hellbent on trying to kill you for trespassing on his territory," Sokka said, with a sarcastic smile. Azula scoffed.
"I can still try again…"
"Don't waste all your spell slots on this nonsense!" Zuko squealed: Azula groaned, waving a dismissive hand at him. "Azula!"
The fight continued once her turn was over – and of course, Azula took damage from the orc once his turn arrived. He roared before delivering a sharp slap across her face: Azula dignified that with a whimper of pain… and then a devious smile.
"I see you like it rough, do you? How delightful…" she said, and the others laughed again as Sokka groaned, looking at her in disbelief.
"He attacked you! This is an unhealthy fixation you're developing with this guy!" Sokka said. "Don't try to bang people who hurt you, Azula!"
"Oh, now, I wouldn't! But Fyrelith is a whole other story, you see…"
"He's a hideous-looking orc! Look!" Sokka's voice cracked as he picked up the mini, showing it closely at Azula while the rest of the table roared with laughter. She tilted her head to the side, smirking and biting her lower lip.
"There's just this rugged handsomeness about him, though…"
"Holy crap, you're completely incorrigible," Sokka surrendered, setting the mini in place again as he smiled in disbelief at her. "I really hope you guys go to a temple soon. I feel like someone has to exorcize Fyrelith…"
"If only one of us were a cleric…" sighed The Duke, shooting a glare at his brother, who stuck a tongue out at him.
"Why should I be the cleric? You be the cleric…"
The sibling argument unfolded carelessly then as the fight carried forward: a full round was done, and the orc was not in the best of shapes once Azula's turn came around anew. Sokka shot her a wary look. She responded with a devious smirk. Sokka raised a menacing hand.
"Azula…"
"I… would like to persuade him," she said. Sokka's jaw dropped. "Regular, plain persuasion. No spells, or Zuzu won't let me live it down. So…"
"Right. Well, then. Go on and try!" Sokka said, with a disbelieving smirk. "Disadvantage, because you're talking to a dude who's bleeding pretty profusely after the rest of your party hacked away at him like nobody's business…"
"Disadvantage, then. I see," Azula nodded before breathing in and getting into character once again, eyeing Sokka luridly. "Please, now, we can resolve this in an agreeable way, can we not? A specimen as strong and sturdy as you… I'm sure I could heal your wounds from this fight and, I don't know, learn a thing or two about orc anatomy while we're at it?"
She wiggled her eyebrows and Sokka shot her a defiant glare. He gestured with his chin, and Azula picked up her twenty-sided dice: the first result was a fifteen… and the second, an eight.
"Well, then, disadvantage says you failed," Sokka smiled in relief… only for The Duke to hum, eyeing him questioningly.
"I'm not sure about that, you know? Because you probably should do an Insight check yourself," The Duke said. Sokka froze, glaring at one of the more experienced players at the table. "I mean, I don't know how smart you want to make this guy sound, but…"
"That's a good point. He doesn't sound all that smart to me," Aang laughed.
"This could work? You could actually seduce an orc with a roll as low as eight?" Mai asked, skeptical. Azula shrugged carelessly.
"I was about to accept my failure but if that sounds reasonable…" Azula said, smiling at Sokka again: his eyebrow twitched as he glared at Aang. "Oh, come on, it's an eight, isn't it? Hardly like you're bound to fail it."
"Well… the orc's wisdom modifier is minus two," Sokka revealed, and the whole table gasped in amazement. Azula blinked blankly, a slow smile spreading over her face. "And that's what affects insight. So… as long as I get ten or higher, sure, I'm fine, but… fuck."
He hadn't thought to do an insight check himself – it seemed to him that this orc could very well just be a violent asshole who was uninterested in a seductive tiefling. But it might be entertaining to roll against Azula's roll…
His d20 rolled in his dice tray before settling on a seven.
Sokka yelped. Azula gasped happily, even if she hadn't seen the number directly.
"Did it work?! Did it work?!" Ty Lee exclaimed: Sokka covered his face in his hands as a response…
And the entire table erupted in a spree of wild cheers. Azula laughed harder than anyone – she had assumed it wouldn't pay off, she seemed resigned to an adverse result… oh, but seeing her laugh that way was more than enough for Sokka. Even if it meant his orc was a smitten fool now, of course.
"U-uh, I, uh… What? What? You're, um… pretty," he said, roleplaying as the orc again. Azula laughed and nodded.
"Aren't I? That's wonderful of you to say. But now I'd very much like it if you would stop fighting my comrades?" Azula said, raising her eyebrows meaningfully. Sokka groaned.
"I… fight them. You're my snack for later," he decided, turning his focus on the others again: the whole table gasped at the way he had circumvented the situation, preventing a strange, diplomatic solution just when it seemed to be at hand.
"Wait, what?!" Suki gasped. "You can't just ignore her, she persuaded you!"
"She persuaded him of her value as a healer and as a snack, I suppose," Sokka smiled. "But you lot? You didn't persuade him of anything, he's not very bright, so he won't decide you're all harmless just because he thinks she is. See?"
"Let me at him, I'll tear that orc a new one…" Toph said, cracking her knuckles. "It's my turn after he's done with his, right? I'll finish him off…!"
"Wait… I have a bonus action, don't I?" Azula said, stopping Toph on her tracks.
"Sure…?" Sokka blinked blankly.
"I didn't really attack, so I'm not sure if this whole thing about offhand action is plausible?" Azula said. Sokka raised an eyebrow. "Can I bargain with you to make, uh, a manner of attack, I'd say?"
"A manner of attack?" Sokka asked. "What, you're going to smack the orc with your staff? Kind of a little too much if that's what you…"
"No, no, no… I'm going to flash him."
"You're…" Sokka started… then he froze on his tracks. His jaw dropped as the table fell utterly silent. Azula blinked blankly a few times, as if waiting for him to speak. "You're… going to flash him. Like… pull your corset open and…?"
"Exactly."
The table roared with laughter again at Sokka's utter perplexity. Azula shrugged, mimicking the potential action with one hand hovering by her chest.
"See, tugging the binding loose quickly isn't going to be that hard, then Fyrelith just has to push her chest out and…"
"Okay! That's a visual!" Sokka exclaimed, face red as he huffed, eyes wide in horror. Azula laughed, and even she was slightly flustered now.
"Too much for a bonus action? Damn. Guess Toph might have to finish him off, then," she chuckled.
"Azula… roll two d8s," Sokka sighed, shaking his head.
"Oh?" she asked.
"Yep. One for each breast," Sokka snorted: a gasp, and another spree of laughter overtook the table as Azula chuckled, rolling the two dice.
"What exactly is this roll supposed to even be?" Katara asked, eyeing her brother in utter confusion.
"If you must know… psychic damage," Sokka said, bluntly, and the others laughed again at his earnest answer. Azula chuckled.
"I wonder if you'd have picked a die with more sides if her rack was any bigger," Azula said. "I got a 12, by the way."
"Twelve?" Sokka asked, with a widening smirk as he eyed his creature's remaining ten hit points. "Azula… you did a great job! You killed a guy by flashing him!"
"What?!" Azula gasped, horrified as the others laughed and cheered her on. "B-but…no! I was trying to…!"
"You could definitely call it a killer rack now, I have to say…" Sokka smirked, as the others laughed even harder. "Nice move. Never knew it was a doable one, but hey! That was pretty damn clever of you. See how great roleplaying can be? You let the dice tell the story…!"
"Even if it results in death by tits," Toph smirked.
"Curses… this isn't over, DM," Azula hissed, raising a menacing finger in his direction. "One way or another… I will have my revenge."
"Well, be my guest and continue to attempt it," Sokka smirked, shaking his head. "You know, I thought your character was seeking a purpose in life…?"
"Apparently that purpose is banging every eligible individual in the realm," Mai said. Azula smiled deviously at her.
"Well, not every eligible one. As far as I can tell, you lot are single, ready to mingle and yet…"
She eyed everyone in the table with distaste and judgment, resulting in another spree of laughter by them all. She waved a hand dismissively in their direction as Jet, the more affronted of the group, cleared his throat.
"And what if I try to romance you?" he asked – Sokka scolded himself for feeling any manner of jealous pangs at the notion of Jet hitting on Azula, even if just her character. "I'm a human and, while my brother thinks that's the most boring thing in the world…"
"It is!"
"I'm perfectly handsome too," Jet grinned. "And, uh, I suppose technically my guy is still looking at your rack…"
"Oh, is he?" Sokka asked, raising an eyebrow. "Azula, roll another two d8…"
"Okay no! Okay, stop, I'm a decent guy! I'm not looking!" Jet squealed, as the table laughed again – it wasn't likely that he'd die over the result of that roll, but he wasn't willing to risk it.
"Ah, how unfortunate. How will I ever find anyone who can withstand looking at my chest without dying in the process?" Azula sighed dramatically, before nodding at Sokka. "And so, I tied up my corset again and my, uh, C-cups are properly hidden once more."
"Ah, and they're C-cups?" Katara asked, amused. Azula nodded sagely.
"You see, I'm theorizing that it'd be a d4 of psychic damage if it were an A-cup, a d6 if it's a B-cup so a d8 if it's a C-cup, I'm assuming, d10 for a D-cup, so…"
"Are you seriously coming up with homebrew rules for the psychic damage in terms of bra sizes?" Sokka asked, gawking at Azula in disbelief. She nodded sagely.
"Well, why not? The other girls might need to do this sometimes to get out of trouble, I'm just offering some helpful resources…"
"Yeah, you know what? I'm writing that down, definitely going to keep that damage chart handy for the future…" Suki declared, making notes of Azula's new ideas while Sokka struggled with his own laughter.
"This… is either the best campaign of all time or the worst. Still too soon to tell," he said. Azula chuckled, and Sokka was delighted to find her eyes seemed even sympathetic and slightly apologetic over the utter embarrassment she had subjected him to with her relentless teasing.
They talked matters over again afterwards, with Azula confessing she had worried that her latest idea was slightly too bold, but Sokka reassured her: this strange tug of war they were holding in the game was thoroughly entertaining for the two of them, as well as the rest of their friends.
So, after confirming yet again that no worrisome boundaries had been breached, their amusing clashing continued in the next sessions: every new character Sokka introduced was immediately a potential target for Azula's wicked ideas. Sometimes her checks succeeded, just as sometimes they failed: on occasion, Sokka would make up new, appealing characters on the fly just to mess with her whenever she was trying to have her way with another one, but sometimes Azula would improvise upon his choices, down to even having her character engage in a rather wild situation with a pair of elves, both too naïve to understand what she was up to as she dragged them into a private room. Her deviousness knew no boundaries, and the people at the table seemed to find her character's antics a grand highlight of each session: they'd even start placing their bets on which newly-introduced character Fyrelith might attempt to sleep with, while also even making their own attempts at bonding with each other as well as her character – Jet continued to attempt to flirt with her, and her deadpan responses caused everyone to roar with laughter as he continued to wonder what, exactly, was so unappealing about his human fighter.
It was a genuine miracle that their group managed to stick to their schedule almost flawlessly, and their campaign flowed quite successfully because of that. New friendships and bonds had been built between everyone, both within the story and outside it, and their genuine enjoyment of the campaign was palpable as their characters gained further strength, now having reached level seven and finally becoming a proper adventuring group, according to the more experienced players.
But something carried over from the first session until the fifteenth: Azula smirked in a telling way as soon as Sokka finished introducing a new character…
"Hey. Hey!" Sokka glared at her menacingly. "Careful where you tread, young lady!"
"What? I'm just thinking… a blacksmith? That's… interesting," Azula laughed as Sokka huffed, shaking his head.
"She's a married woman, damn it!" Sokka squeaked. "And besides… she's straight!"
"Oh, really? As if seeing a lady as hot as Fyrelith wouldn't cause her to question her sexuality at least a little bit…?" Azula said, smirking deviously at Sokka. He huffed. "Come on. Just let me roll for it. I swear I'll leave her alone if I fail."
"So… you're saying you don't mind that she's married?" Sokka asked. Azula shrugged.
"Well, I don't think Fyrelith would, no. She's terribly amoral, remember? Chaotic neutral," Azula grinned, with a careless shrug.
"If you become a homewrecker after this, you might actually be chaotic evil," Katara smirked. Azula rolled her eyes.
"Semantics…" she said, dismissively, and everyone at the table laughed. Sokka huffed, glaring at her meaningfully.
"You insist on giving it a shot?" he asked. Azula smirked.
"You do realize you're supposed to be the boss here? If you want to put your foot down and say this lady's days of experimentation are behind her, go for it. But if you think she'd be even slightly curious…"
Sokka held her gaze, and Azula's smirk didn't dwindle at all. He breathed deeply… before giving her his verdict:
"Roll for persuasion with disadvantage," he hissed. Azula laughed deviously.
"Oh, I don't know about this blacksmith but you, DM, have a soft spot for Fyrelith for sure…" Azula snickered, rolling two twenty-sided dice, as commanded…
Aang, beside her, gasped. Azula raised her eyebrows upon looking at the numbers on the pair of dice…
"What? What?!" Sokka whimpered. Azula smirked again, though there was a smidge of remorse as well.
"Natural twenty… and natural nineteen."
Sokka's eyes widened. His face paled. Azula couldn't muffle her laughter as the rest of the table broke out in laughter as well: Sokka groaned, shaking his head in horror before taking his own dice: he could do this, he could do this, if he rolled high enough he might counter her roll…
A nine, of course, wasn't going to be a high enough number to defeat her.
"Ugh. Fine. Fine. You win," Sokka groaned. Azula giggled wickedly.
"You could say I have a… weakness for strong arms. I'd never seen any quite so strong in a lady before, too," she said, wiggling her eyebrows.
"Mine are pretty strong, though!" Ty Lee exclaimed, beaming: Azula shot her a deadpan glare, like the ones she typically shot Jet. "I mean, I'm not saying I'm interested, but…"
"I… found a much better offer right here. A delightfully strong woman, right? Right?" Azula said, teasing Sokka into roleplaying. His tense smile spoke for itself.
"I… I must say, I don't really know what you mean…" he said, trying to sound as feminine as possible while everyone laughed. Azula chuckled, gazing at him with teasing affection.
"Now, now, don't be so modest… though if you'd truly like to know what I meant, dear, there's one rather interesting way of going about it," she said, biting her lip. "Mind introducing me to your… forge?"
"Uh… sure! You'd like to see it? Perfect!" Sokka grinned awkwardly before letting out a deep sigh. "And so, Fyrelith has gotten laid, officially, six times."
The table erupted in cheers as Azula cackled with deviousness, clapping as well at Sokka's declaration.
"Does that include the two elves?" asked Toph, smirking.
"Six times, seven partners. The distinction is worth pointing out, I suppose," Azula laughed. "Ah, it could be more, but you have been terribly stingy with some characters, Sokka. Like that wonderful orc. He might have been Fyrelith's soulmate and yet…"
"Fyrelith killed him herself, so don't guilt me about it," Sokka chuckled, shaking his head.
"Come to think of it, shouldn't you roll the damage against the blacksmith lady?" Mai smirked. "Probably against all the people who've seen your breasts by now, Fyrelith…"
"Oh, well, it's not a combat situation, so I don't think it'll be necessarily damaging then…" Sokka said. Azula let out a happy sigh.
"Ah, I did worry about that, but it's good to know that's your verdict, Sokka," she said.
"You should do some sort of performance check to make sure it doesn't do damage, though," chuckled The Duke. "I mean, the lady's never been with a female tiefling before, right?"
"So, you think… what, that a low roll would mean she'd faint as soon as I take off my clothes?" Azula scoffed. The Duke shrugged, and Sokka grinned.
"Hey! That's a good idea! Performance checks to find out how this tryst turned out!" he said. "Come on, Azula, it's a performance check…!"
"Well, I suppose at least performance works with the charisma modifier, better than athletics for someone like me…" Azula said, raising her eyebrows as she picked up her dice and rolled it… and she snorted, throwing her head back in amusement. "Why can't I roll this well for initiative calls? Got a sixteen, my charisma modifier is plus four, so…"
"Another twenty?" Sokka's eyebrow twitched. "Well… I got a fifteen here. So… ehem. You guys are just waiting for Fyrelith to be done with her business which, I suppose, means that you'll get all your equipment repairs for free since a performance check that high would get you that much of a discount…"
"Hell yeah!" The Duke laughed.
"Okay, Azula: you're banging the clerk of the potions shops next time," Zuko said, smirking. "I wouldn't be encouraging you to do this, normally, but…"
"Ah, finally accepting my life's choices, brother: thank you. I've always waited for this moment…" Azula responded, dramatically: even though he was usually quite irritated by Azula's antics, it seemed her primary focus on Sokka during these games had eased up Zuko's tension and irritable behavior at his sister.
"After about thirty minutes or so," Sokka continued. "You see Fyrelith is leaving the forge room, looking… eh, like she usually does. Meanwhile, the blacksmith is following her with lovestruck eyes and trembling hands…"
"Oh, no!" Katara snorted, covering her mouth with a hand as Azula's eyes widened. Sokka smiled deviously at Azula.
"Oh, my lady! T-that was incredible! Where did you learn such techniques? I… I am, uh, of course, talking about forging techniques, haha! Yes, yes, do not judge me, please…!" Sokka roleplayed, acting bashful and shameless all at once as the rest of the table broke into laughter while Azula, for once, dropped her face in her hand. "My lady, would you like to stay? For a day, maybe! The night! Surely you need a place to stay! My husband, oh, he'll be delighted to meet you as well…!"
"I… don't think so," Azula said, with a weak smile. "Goodness, if you're this thrilled about my performance, I sincerely doubt he's any good in bed himself…"
"Oh, he's not! But you, my lady…!" Sokka said, his voice as greedy as could be. Azula couldn't keep a straight face anymore as she closed her eyes in laughter. "I'm sure you could teach him so much if you stay and…!"
"We… have a journey to continue!" Zuko cut in, with a dry grin. Sokka scoffed at him. "I'm afraid we cannot stay any longer than we have."
"I can get you some food! Some drinks, too…!"
"Hell, yeah!" Toph roared.
"Toph!" the others rebuffed her, and she shrugged carelessly in their direction.
It was yet another victory for Azula, then, as the dice had favored her this time… but a week later, Sokka ensured to turn the tables. He knew Azula had boundaries of her own, there was no way that wouldn't be the case… and after leading the party into a large swamp, filled with festering corpses he introduced that day's main non-playable character…
"You come across a dark-haired, blue-eyed humanoid," Sokka said: Azula's knowing smile tickled him, as he knew what was going through her mind already… and he smirked before delivering the final blow that would freeze Azula on the spot. "He is eight-years-old."
A collective gasp by the entire party. Azula's smile dwindled at once. Sokka smirked at her, proudly.
"He is… a stable boy of some sort, going by the appearance of his filthy attire, but he may have gotten lost during his journey," he said "And just as it has happened with many people you've met, the child has been haunted by Shadows, pushed away from home. He's nervous, downcast… but he smiles at once when your group approaches."
Sokka cleared his throat, and he hitched his voice purposefully, for the sake of impressing further childishness into his upcoming act.
"G-good day…" he said, shyly. "Are you travelers? I… I'm lost. I don't know where I am, I don't know what happened, I…"
"Child," Katara said, offering Sokka a sympathetic smile. "Don't fret. We'll help you, for sure. Are you alone out here?"
"Uh-huh…" Sokka nodded, making his best impression of an innocent child. Azula grimaced, a hand on her face.
"Really? No friends, no family out here with you?" Ty Lee asked.
"How did you wind up here, then?" Suki said. Sokka shrugged.
"I… I don't know. T-these spooky things, t-they scared me and I just ran. And then I woke up… here," he said, glancing around himself warily. "P-please… I just want to go back to the farm…"
"The farm… owned by your parents?" Azula asked. Sokka's eyes narrowed.
"My parents died," he said, curtly, his voice no longer as emotional, though still as shrill. Azula's eyebrow twitched.
"How about… an older sibling?" Azula asked.
"I have no one," Sokka said, bluntly. "I'm alone. It's just little old me."
"Little… as in, how old are you?" Azula asked, swallowing hard. "J-just… to be sure. A human child, right? That's what you are…?"
"I'm a human child and I'm eight-years-old," Sokka repeated.
For the first time, Azula groaned and dropped heavily on the table in a sign of defeat: the entire group gasped in shock, as Sokka raised his head proudly.
"Fine! Fine! I get the picture! It's over!" Azula exclaimed, as everyone laughed at her surrender. "You win, I lose! I cannot seduce a character, or attempt to, on every single session! I accept your judgment!"
"I mean… you can certainly try next week, but not this time," Sokka chuckled, but Azula scoffed in his direction.
"Don't play innocent now. You knew exactly what you were setting me up for here… and I respect it. I accept it. I… will rethink my life choices. Fyrelith shall do the same. From here on out, I shall become the most reasonable, goal-oriented sorcerer you've met. Though… I have no idea what my goal is yet, but I suppose the immediate goal should be coming up with a greater goal, yes…"
"So, you're going to stop seducing everything we come across?" Suki smiled sadly. "I mean, everything eligible, I suppose…"
"I fear your days of entertainment over my conquests are now over," Azula said: the whole table groaned in disappointment, and as much as she seemed resolute about her decision, Azula couldn't help but laugh at their reaction.
"Well, come on, I just wanted to tease you into not doing it all the time…" Sokka said, but Azula huffed in his direction.
"I can acknowledge it when I've been beaten. So… I accept this fate you've bestowed upon me. Rethinking my life, right now," she said, shaking her head. "Do not try to break my resolve, for it will be futile…"
"Oh, really?" Sokka smirked.
The fact that her resolve was, indeed, unbreakable, took Sokka by surprise on the next session: a couple of characters were introduced, and Azula made no move to hit on them or flirt with them at all.
"Oh, wow. Looks like she meant it," Aang blinked blankly as Azula behaved aloofly, shaking her head dismissively at everyone's confused stares.
"I feel like I'm being judged more harshly over not being promiscuous anymore than I ever was over my promiscuity," she pointed out, prompting some of the others to laugh. "Truly…"
"Well, we're worried about you, Fyrelith!" Katara laughed, in character once more. "Are you sure you're okay? That guy was okay-looking…"
"Oh, he was… but I have to be more responsible," Azula said, shaking her head. "In all this time I've sought a purpose… and meaningless, careless romps with random people felt like one, for a time. I fear I may need something greater, though."
"A real relationship!" Ty Lee suggested. Azula's eyebrow twitched.
"Not with any of you lot, I don't," she said, and as ever, everyone laughed at her rejection.
"Well, then, how about friendship?" Aang suggested, with a careless smile. "That can be its own kind of fulfillment… you'll see!"
Azula sighed, but she shrugged and complied: Sokka eyed her with a raised eyebrow, and she stared back challengingly. Did she mean he had to try harder to appeal to her? Was that what she was getting at?
But where nothing could scare her away before, now it seemed nothing interested her, instead. She started taking her character building far more seriously, interacting more with the other player characters, and while Sokka thought the direction she was taking her character in would be nice, she still constantly dropped hints that she hadn't found the fulfillment she sought yet. Multiple sessions went by, and nothing Sokka did got a rise out of her… but the way she eyed him sometimes thoroughly convinced him that she wanted him to try harder. Maybe he was wrong… but what if he wasn't?
The campaign carried on, and the other characters got away with having fun antics of their own, amusing storylines that had everyone at the table laughing often. Their characters continued to seek the true source of the Shadows plaguing the realm, ever hoping to put an end to the threat that constantly appeared to rise with further strength. Their team, too, grew stronger and wiser, enough to finally investigate deeply enough to track down their final foe… as well as to defy him in the opulent castle ruins in which he dwelled.
"I raise my staff and say: who are you? And why are you here?" Zuko growled.
Sokka closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before opening them again: he seemed to be fully in-character as the villainous entity they had been chasing for around half a year by now.
"Ixuus, the warlock," Sokka said, eyes drifting across the party members, one by one, in clockwise order starting with Zuko. "Selwyn, the ranger. Andril, the rogue. Ilyrana, the wizard. Stout, the barbarian. Dain, the artificer. Jet, the fighter. Aerya, the monk. Anrin, the druid. Fyrelith, the sorcerer. I see you have come to pay me a visit."
"We had something a little less friendly in mind," Jet said, with a smirk. "We don't know what you're trying to pull here, whoever you are… but the gig is up. We're here to take you down."
"Is that so?" Sokka said, his voice deep and menacing. "Just as you take down everything on your path, of course?"
"Hell, yeah!" Toph exclaimed, tossing a fist into the air.
Sokka sighed, shaking his head condescendingly. A few of the players eyed him skeptically as he relaxed on his chair, a strange air of authority and arrogance to him.
"You solely prove me correct in my choices. Every move you've made, every step forward into this violent world… made violent by your choices, not my own," Sokka said, a hint of mournfulness in his voice.
"Say what? You keep sending those Shadows to kill everything!" Suki scoffed.
"We've saved lots of people from them, you send them to kill us…" Katara said, shaking her head. "If anything, you're the one who's being violent! We were happy to be…!"
"Mercenaries. Murderers for hire," Sokka said, and the others froze. "You pretend to have morals, to fight for what's right and true… but what is right and true? It matters little to the likes of you, of course… to the likes of nature altogether. Of mortals, not solely your group of miscreants."
"Uh… I'm a little confused now," Aang said, smiling awkwardly at Sokka. "Are you trying to say that you hate us for being murderers? You hate… nature altogether?"
"When all began… the first speck of life was but a gift bestowed upon a world deemed beautiful, meant to be shared with others," Sokka sighed. "But as life thrived and grew, cruelty became the default choice by those whose hearts were conquered by greed, by hatred… by the need to covet more than they have earned. Satisfaction? It is beyond the likes of you… of all living, breathing beings across our world. It is not solely the sentient, for it's in the very instincts of all creatures in existence. The world is rotten. Life is rotten. It needs… to be purged."
"Well, I heard enough: let's wreck him!" Toph roared. Aang grimaced.
"But if we just fight him we'll prove him right, won't we? We should… go about it differently!" he said, nodding promptly. "Let's talk things over and convince him that life is worth fighting for."
"Uh, I don't think this was designed to be a situation where we can win through persuasion…" Zuko pointed out, and Aang pouted.
"It could be interesting if it were possible, though…" Azula said: the others eyed her skeptically. "What? I'm only saying, it's entirely possible to attempt it, though it probably will fail, but still…"
"Well, you're the one with the insanely high charisma stat… and a longer history of seduction than anyone else in this world, I presume," Mai smirked skeptically. "Hit on him. Maybe flash him, get that 2d8 damage…"
"You know, that's not a totally awful idea," Katara said, with a smile. "Technically, you were the one least inclined to pick fights because you preferred to sleep with everyone, so… how about it? You should totally talk this guy down!"
"I… am slightly out of practice," Azula said, raising her eyebrows and glancing at Sokka, who stared at her intently. "But I suppose it won't hurt to try?"
"I don't think I trust that guy… though I don't trust the tiefling much more than I trust him, honestly," The Duke said, with a grimace.
"She's pulled off some really incredible feats with her, uh, assets. I'm sure she can do something now," Jet grinned. "Go on, Fyrelith! Convince that guy that we don't just kill everything, we bed everything we can, too!"
"A respectable motto, yes," Azula agreed, nodding as the others laughed at Jet's words.
She breathed deeply then, turning towards Sokka. He stared her down defiantly, much as he had in the past.
"Well, I haven't done this in a while…" Azula said, biting her lip. "Yes, well, a few months, technically, but that's still a long time for me. At any rate… you have yet to answer our main question. Who are you?"
Sokka closed his eyes again, and he kept silent long enough to make them think he might not answer…
"I am Hessik. And I… am the mind from which this world first spawned."
Their jaws dropped. Everyone glanced among each other in confusion: a few non-playable clerics they'd met had mentioned Hessik's name here and there as some old entity, long-forgotten but recently rediscovered... even so, he had been revered as a deity, a god. An intangible, distant entity…
"This world… was my creation," he said. "And I have seen it grow corrupted with the cruelty in the hearts of all who cannot seem to stop reaching for more than they deserve. It is vile, it is vicious… and it is my wish to see it undone."
"Undone? You… intend to destroy this world, do you?" Azula asked. "And, perhaps, create a new one where such cruelty is needless? Yet… life is brittle, fragile. We cannot survive by doing nothing. By watching sunsets and sunrises, by breathing in flowers… for flowers, too, must drain water and nourishment from the earth. In doing so, they may overstep themselves, take more than they should, kill other flowers by stealing what the others need…"
"It is a flawed world, is it not?" Sokka said, bitterly. "I was young… I was foolish and I failed to predict an outcome that, after so many years, seems so obvious. But nothing will change for the better. There is nothing but cruelty and darkness awaiting… nothing but oblivion for the likes of your friends. But you…"
"Oh? What about me?" Azula blinked blankly: his eyes changed, softening slightly.
"You sought to resolve conflicts in unforeseen ways," he said. "I cannot say… that you sought to create life by doing so, no, certainly not… but you sought a higher purpose. Simple-minded mercenaries like your friends could never understand such a calling. You wanted more, did you not? So much more than traveling endlessly with buffoons who cannot appreciate your true qualities, your talents… your boundless wisdom."
"Boundless what? She flashed an orc!" Zuko squealed, as the rest of the table laughed at his intervention. Azula couldn't hold back a smile, though Sokka remained as serious as before. "That's wisdom?"
"Technically, it killed the orc, so…" Suki said, grabbing Zuko's hand reassuringly as he shook his head in disbelief.
"I… suppose my methods did not displease the creator of this world," Azula said, with a slow smirk. "However unethical as they may have been, at times."
"Unethical?" Sokka said, breathing deeply. "A young man in a tavern found his days monotonous and bleak… until you lured him into his cellar and provided him with a most delightful memory that sustains him to this day. An orc died… after you generously provided him, a creature with nothing but suffering and pain to sustain his existence, with the most beautiful vision he had ever seen: that of your bare breasts."
The fact that he managed to speak those words without breaking out into laughter certainly spoke well of his self-control: the rest of the table, of course, erupted in laughter at the surprising spin on Azula's choices.
"Two lonely elves had not known how to admit their affection for each other until you taught them how," Sokka continued. "As for the blacksmith… she enjoys a much more fulfilling life after you showed her the pleasures she had never experienced before. Her husband has learned from what she learned, too, and their marriage has improved vastly for it."
"Wow. See? Being promiscuous pays off!" Azula said at the rest of the table, who continued to laugh at the shocking outcome of the situation. She turned to Sokka again, a bright grin on her face. "Well, I had no idea I'd had such a positive impact on so many things, but I'm thrilled to learn as much…"
"What if he's lying?" The Duke asked.
"He's the creator of this world, so… one would think he has some level of omniscience?" asked Aang. "He knew all our names already, so…"
"I know more than enough. I know everything about everything… and in all the miserable years of being trapped within this world of my creation, a world I have sought to destroy so that I may finally set myself free by doing so, no one has ever impressed me in the way you have, Fyrelith Krylla."
"Wait… wait. Doesn't this mean that the persuasion idea actually might work?!" Suki gasped: the whole table stared at Sokka intently now, and he offered them a simple shrug in response.
"Holy shit," Zuko's eyes widened.
"Azula's going to bang a god!" Ty Lee laughed, clapping happily. "That's so wild!"
"I… might. But it depends on his willingness, of course," Azula said, smirking as she turned towards Sokka.
"Go on and convince me, why don't you?" Sokka smirked. Azula laughed and nodded.
"Well, then, Hessik, creator of this world… I have my own understanding of life and death, of cruelty and kindness, and I believe we may be better served by enlightening each other further in a more… private capacity. I cannot say for certain that I will be up to your standards… you are a deity, of course. But if this is our final attempt to resolve this matter without violence… then I give myself to you, creator. My body shall be yours to do with as you see fit."
"Fyrelith Krylla…" Sokka said, his voice deep and earnest. "Your body… is a generous offer. Perhaps I shall make, then, an offer of my own: the purpose you have sought, the unsatisfaction you have been ailed by all your life, will be quenched. I shall see to it."
Azula blinked blankly. She eyed Sokka skeptically for a moment, and he raised an eyebrow.
"Um… is this supposed to be some sort of mutual persuasion?" she asked. "Do I need to roll, or…?"
Sokka smiled before shaking his head. Everyone gasped as he spread his arms.
"Hessik… has always wanted to bang Fyrelith Krylla, so no persuasion roll was necessary," he announced: the entire table roared with cheers and laughter now as Azula threw her head back, covering her face with her hands. "And that's where tonight's session ends!"
"What?! Wait, no! You can't just leave it off there!" The Duke groaned, looking at Sokka hopelessly.
"He's right! How do we prepare for next week if we have no idea what's going to happen with them?" Toph asked, huffing.
"Well, you won't prepare much, I suppose," Sokka chuckled. "Let's just say, for the purposes of the game… the whole party gets a long rest now. Fyrelith and Hessik shall be alone for… I suppose, a day and a night in order to ensure she, too, gets a full rest, but…"
"Will she? I wonder if this horny god won't demand too much from her…" Azula sighed, shaking her head dramatically.
"He's a very generous god, he'll let her sleep sometimes. Sometimes," Sokka smirked. Azula chuckled, shaking her head – if she was flustered, she certainly was masking it perfectly through amusement.
Even if the rest of the party protested at first, it was getting late by then, and everyone had to go home. Laughter continued to spread in the group as everyone encouraged Azula to do her best and go all out with her performance once she slept with the dangerous deity they'd come across, and she thanked them for it every time. Little by little, the members of their group took off to their respective homes… yet Azula didn't get going as fast as everyone else. She lagged behind, staring at the minis on the table as Sokka began setting aside all his Dungeon Master tools.
"You have a mini of this god yet?" Azula asked. Sokka smiled and shrugged. "I'm just curious…"
"Want to know if he's Fyrelith's type?" Sokka asked. Azula chuckled. "Not sure what her type is, to be honest. I feel like she went for so many different kinds of characters so far that…"
"Ah, so you don't know for sure? And here I thought the creator god knew everything," Azula smirked. Sokka laughed, shaking his head. "I admit… I didn't see that twist coming. A rather interesting one, too. He's trapped, you said?"
"Oh, yes," Sokka nodded, sagely. "He was a being of seemingly boundless power… but loneliness took hold of him eventually. The idea of creating other living entities came to mind, so he decided to create a world with countless others, people, plants, animals, beasts… all so he could have all the companionship he craved. But the cruelty of mortal life got to him quickly… but he had spent too much of his power in creating this world and lacked the strength to change things. Thus, Hessik has spent hundreds, thousands of years amassing as much power as he can, all be it to become strong enough to break this world apart once more, and to create a new, better one in its stead."
"But then… the crux of the matter is loneliness?" Azula asked, raising her eyebrows. Sokka smiled and nodded.
"He is a loner, yes. The other deities exist in their own planes, he has no access to them, and they never truly knew of him… they were drawn to mortals, and they're enablers of the sins of mortals, you could say. They encourage them, even… so Hessik is not interested in befriending them," Sokka said, shaking his head. "Anyway… yep, he's lonely and fears no one will ever understand him, but…"
"But now he thinks Fyrelith might?" Azula asked, amused, stepping closer to him. Sokka chuckled, shrugging slightly.
"I admit, I had too much fun with your inappropriate antics at the beginning of the campaign. I don't know if I shut you down too hard when I did…" Sokka said. Azula laughed, shaking her head.
"Oh, please, it was hilarious, don't feel bad about it now," she smiled.
"Either way, it's not like I really wanted you to stop altogether. The whole struggle to see if any characters could resist you was pretty funny," Sokka admitted, smiling fondly at her.
"It was our own personal little war in the middle of the campaign, felt like," Azula said. "Though… I suppose this truly would be the final battle, if so. Is Fyrelith powerful enough to seduce a mighty god?"
"I suppose we'll find out… though we could find out right now," Sokka said. Azula raised her eyebrows. "I… I mean by rolling a performance check! We could very well just leave it for the next session, but I figured it'd be a good idea for me to start building the direction of things for the next session… it's probably going to be the end of the campaign, whether Hessik wins or loses, so…"
"So… you want us to roll a performance check," Azula smiled. "That was it."
"That… was it," Sokka swallowed hard, eyeing her with uncertainty. Azula bit her lip and nodded.
"Very well, then. Very well."
She stepped up to the table, where her dice tray remained untouched. She picked out her favorite twenty-sided dice, and then looked through Sokka's own dice to pick one of his, too: she handed him her own dice, and she took his for herself. Sokka smiled approvingly, stepping up to Azula's cleared dice tray, standing right beside her.
"I suppose you have endless charisma…" Azula said. Sokka chuckled.
"You almost have endless charisma yourself, with a plus six modifier by now…"
"Well, I suppose so," Azula smiled. "Either way… whatever the outcome of our battle may be, you were a worthy opponent and challenger. And if you would have me in your next campaign as well, I shall be delighted to sleep with you constantly through that one, too."
"I shall be even more delighted than you about it, I suspect," Sokka chuckled. Azula smirked proudly at him. "Alright then… moment of truth."
Azula nodded, preparing herself to roll: they stood right before each other, neither one looking at the tray, or the dice… only into each other's eyes.
"Three… two… one…" Sokka counted: Azula smiled as they released their dice at the same time.
Neither one broke the eye contact. Neither one looked at the dice to find out whether this dalliance between their characters had paid off or failed. Sokka swallowed hard, smiling slightly.
"We… should look," he said. Azula smiled and nodded.
"Then why don't you?" she asked.
"Because I'll be really disappointed if I rolled badly," he admitted: Azula laughed, shaking her head.
"Poor godly entity… he wishes to impress a perfectly ordinary woman that badly, does he?" she asked. Sokka huffed.
"Azula… you're beyond extraordinary."
That he hadn't even tried to mask things behind their characters didn't register with him, but by the expression on her face, it did with her: a spark of mischief, and yet of hope as well, lit up in her eyes…
Her hand reached up to fist his shirt: Sokka's hands fell upon her waist by sheer instinct before their lips crashed together in an impulsive, teased, long-awaited kiss.
Her arms locked around his neck, her body leaning fully into his: he didn't lose his grip on her, or his footing, recklessly allowing his hands to caress her flanks. His desperate need for her had only risen constantly, even if he had been perfectly willing not to obey it… but ever since this campaign's preparation had begun, he started to wonder if she was interested too. He had tried to convince himself that it was all in his head… but as he picked her up, and she wrapped her legs around his hips while continuing to kiss him deeply, moaning into each exchange, he was happy to let all his uncertainties fade into nothingness.
Azula didn't go home that night, much as Fyrelith would have spent the night with Hessik, in the campaign: it was easy to imagine that their characters could have had just as much fun as they did, that the feelings of loneliness and lack of purpose could have been swept away so quickly in the wake of so much shared pleasure, laughter and bliss. By morning, they climbed out of bed together and cleaned up, with Sokka handing Azula his bathrobe afterwards while he simply fastened a towel around his waist. She had to attend class later that day, so she would have the chance to enjoy his company at least for a couple more hours – and she intended to do just that.
But before they could eat, before they could reprise their nightly fun too, before they could have any genuine conversations regarding the direction of their relationship, the pair stepped up to the table, where Sokka's half-collected dungeon master's tools still sat… where Azula's dice tray still bore the results of the roll that had finally sent them into bed together.
"We… we really need to take a picture of that," Sokka laughed, running a hand over his loose hair. Azula covered her mouth with a hand, unable to muffle her own chuckles.
"Good thing we have a week left before the next session… because I have a few ideas," Azula said. Sokka raised his eyebrows. "I… think you might appreciate them. That is, as long as it's within the realm of reason in Dungeons and Dragons?"
"Well, if it's anything regarding what our characters did in bed… I'm sure it'll be fine," Sokka snickered. Azula smirked deviously. "But if you mean the direction things will take, going forward…?"
Azula nodded slowly, and Sokka bit his lip.
"I suppose you're not used to having any manner of… co-DM?" Azula asked, smiling slightly.
"I don't think that's exactly common," Sokka admitted, wrapping an arm around her waist. "But I admit, my curiosity has been stoked. What's your plan, huh?"
Azula smirked, hands caressing Sokka's chest again before she kissed him willfully anew. Once they parted, she conveyed her most devious ideas to her new lover.
"Okay… okay. We've been waiting all week… it's time to find out what happened," Aang said, biting his lip once everyone had taken their seats by the table.
"Let's hope the psychic damage was something else this time," Mai sighed, and Azula laughed as she shook her head.
Sokka cleared his throat, and everyone's attention fell to him. He felt rather nervous, of course, even slightly anxious… not so much about the game, but about the fact that nobody at this table had the slightest clue that he and Azula had been a little too enthusiastic about playing out the outcome of the night their characters had shared. Along with that, Azula had spent almost every night with Sokka since the last session, only failing to do so when she had a project to finish for a class, and on one day when Suki and Zuko dropped by for dinner with Sokka – he had asked her if she was ready to reveal their relationship then, but his devious girlfriend had decided that holding back until the next game would be far more impactful.
And so, he wondered what her plan would be. Perhaps she simply wanted to wait until the session was over… or she'd outright try to kiss him in the middle of the fight, taking everyone by surprise once she did.
But that wasn't what he should be focusing on right now. No… his true focus had to be the campaign, and the final battle was about to commence.
"As you recall, you have met Hessik, the god who created your world and now spreads chaos and catastrophes across it," Sokka said. "After claiming to be dismissive of violence and the way mortals seek to destroy each other for advancement and greed, Fyrelith, your party's sorcerer, tried to persuade and reach an understanding with Hessik. He took an interest in her… he had an interest in her all along, in fact. Thus, Fyrelith propositioned Hessik, and Hessik propositioned Fyrelith right back. This is where we left off…"
"And?!" The Duke huffed, eagerly. "Did you kill him in bed, Azula?!"
"Pfft. How uncivilized of you to say something like that," Azula said, shaking her head haughtily. Sokka laughed.
"The rest of you wait for one full day, getting proper rest after your latest, complicated adventures to reach Hessik's dwelling. If you wish to do anything before…"
"No, no, no, move forward now!" Zuko said, grimacing.
"Are you so eager because you're worried that he might have killed me? Ah, brother! So concerned for my fate… I'm truly touched," Azula sighed dramatically. Zuko scoffed.
"I'm not your brother in the game, and I just really want to get to finding out whatever the hell happened! You've kept us on edge for a week, Sokka!"
"And I will keep you there longer unless all of you agree that you don't want to prepare traps or plan ambushes or… anything, really. No preparations? None?" Sokka asked.
The others exchanged glances before smiling somewhat innocently at him.
"We would like to think that Fyrelith will succeed," Aang said, firmly.
"And that we can persuade Hessik not to destroy the world. I mean… technically, there's no amount of preparation that can help us kill a god, is there?" Katara asked.
Sokka blinked blankly before shrugging.
"Okay, then. Suit yourselves…"
"Wait, what does that mean?!"
"Sokka…!"
He laughed, and in the end, he gave the others time to plan strategic moves in case something failed: about thirty minutes later, all their impulsive plans were finished, and it was time to reveal the outcome of Hessik and Fyrelith's tryst.
"You see Fyrelith walking back to where you are… Hessik stands behind her," Sokka said. Azula cleared her throat.
"Worth mentioning… that Fyrelith's walking kind of funny," she said: the table split between groaning and laughing at her clarification. Sokka chuckled, shaking his head. "Come on, he's a god! Be realistic here, that she's still standing is quite an impressive feat already…"
"Let's just say Hessik is a very generous lover and ensured to boost your health with his powers if you needed it," Sokka chuckled. Azula smiled warmly at him.
"How very nice of him," she said. Sokka let out a deep breath before raising a hand in her direction.
"So… Fyrelith. What would you like to do?"
Azula breathed deeply, turning towards the rest of the party. They eyed her expectantly as she smiled slowly.
"Guys… I think I'm in love."
"WHAT?!"
Zuko's voice rose above the gasps and the snorts by the others as Azula giggled in a most foolish way while in character as Fyrelith. The others eyed Sokka warily as he shrugged in their direction.
"I mean, he's just so good in bed. Like, you have no idea how good!" Azula sighed happily, running a hand over her hair. "The places he took me… I'd never thought that was possible! So, well…"
"Fyrelith… Fyrelith," Zuko growled, eyeing her warily. "That's all fine and good… but you're saying he was as happy with you as you were with him? T-that… he's satisfied and thinks mortal lives aren't that despicable because you, well…"
"Because she's great in bed!" Jet announced. Azula laughed and shrugged, glancing at Sokka.
"Well, I don't know. What do you have to say about my prowess, Hessik?"
Sokka hummed, eyeing her with narrow eyes.
"She… is the most unique, special being this world has ever created. Perhaps the cruelty and horrors of this world were not without value, if they were necessary for her existence."
A happy gasp spread in the group as Azula smiled warmly at him: she reached out to clasp Sokka's hand, and he didn't reject her touch at all. They exchanged a tender gaze, their smiles as dreamy as could be…
"And that's why I shall keep her with me, once I destroy everything else."
Sokka's conclusion startled everyone. Their jaws dropped. All their excitement faded when the unexpected revelation hit them at once.
"Woah… woah. What's that supposed to mean?!" Zuko huffed.
"I mean, we are getting a fight, aren't we?" Toph smirked. "That's enough for me!"
"But… wait a minute. Wait a second," Katara said, staring at Azula pointedly: she was still holding hands with Sokka. "If you're going to destroy the world anyhow, just, not her… does that mean…?"
"Well, you see…" Sokka sighed, gazing at Azula with heartfelt affection. Azula let out a soft laugh. "We've had a whole day to discuss matters, and to reach a conclusion. Multiple conclusions, in a sense, but still…"
"Ew," Zuko grimaced. Azula laughed and shrugged.
"He is just… quite persuasive," Azula admitted. "And I mean, he has a point, so…"
"What?! He doesn't have a point!" Aang gasped, horrified. "Azula…!"
"But he does, though! He wanted to make a much kinder world than what turned out to be the case, he's terribly lonely and he needs a companion, I'm perfectly willing, and…"
"And this means we're all going to die?!" exclaimed Ty Lee. Azula raised a hand.
"All of you, yes. Not me, though," she said. Their jaws dropped until the Duke slammed a fist on the table.
"I said not to trust the tiefling since the first session…!"
"Fyrelith, please be reasonable!" Katara said.
"You're just going to stand aside while he destroys us?!" Suki asked. Azula blinked blankly.
"Well… no," Azula said, with a shrug. "I'm going to help him."
Another group gasp shook the room: the betrayal took them by surprise to such an extent that Sokka couldn't even hold back a cackle of evil laughter, one that didn't suit his character all that well, but that he indulged in all the same.
"You two… how the hell is this happening?!" Zuko huffed, glaring at them. "And I mean, out of character: what the hell was your preparation session for this evening supposed to be? I thought you'd sort out…!"
"Well, we did sort out what happened during our happy day together, evidently," Azula chuckled. "But you see…"
Sokka swallowed hard as he pulled up his smartphone: he sent a message to their group chat, and everyone opened the picture attached to it…
Two natural twenties, one in Sokka's dice, one in Azula's.
"What's… what's this roll?" asked Suki, with an awkward smile.
"Performance check, of course. If his roll had been any lower, Fyrelith would have definitely required another persuasion roll on his part in order to join him in his quest…" Azula said, with a dramatic sigh. "And if hers had been any lower, he would have decided against recruiting her permanently. As it happens…"
"This outcome is simply the mandate of the dice," Sokka smiled, with a shrug as everyone gaped at them in horror. "I know, it's shocking even for me, but…"
"Oh, you pair of assholes," Zuko said, shaking his head and cracking his knuckles. "Well, fine, then! We'll kill the both of you, and we'll save the world!"
"Yeah!"
A chorus of cheers and agreement rang in the room as the party took to planning their strategy to defeat Azula and Sokka. Those two only laughed, chatting amicably and quietly while holding hands only for another moment before focusing fully on the battle…
A battle of which the outcome was nothing like what Zuko had hoped it would be.
"For the next campaign…" Sokka announced, five hours later, as everyone sat in utter shock, frozen at the table. "I advise that someone plays a cleric."
Azula snorted and laughed, covering her face with her hands at the horrified faces of their friends. They weren't quite tearful, but they certainly were affronted by the multitude of minis on the board… minis that had been tilted down every time one of them was out of combat. The first to fall was Mai. The second, Jet. The Duke had followed, and then Zuko. Katara, Suki and Aang had fallen to an area-of-effect spell, and Toph had been the very last one left, but even with her barbarian strength and endurance, she failed to counter the godly resistances and legendary actions of Hessik, paired with the remarkable power of Fyrelith, the sorceress who took flight with her brand-new draconic wings, too.
"You frigging… you TPK'd us. You did," Zuko said, with a dangerous smile.
"What does that mean?" Katara said, her voice small.
"Total Party Kill," The Duke and Aang recited together. Suki dropped her head in her hands, Ty Lee's jaw dropped, Mai grimaced, Jet scratched the back of his neck awkwardly and Sokka sighed happily.
"Well, then! That was great. The world shall be torn apart, rebuilt into something different…"
Cries of protest immediately took off after his announcement as everyone took to lashing out at him for the outcome of the game – frankly, had the dice been any less favorable, it could have been a victory for the party, but luck was not on their side, much as Azula wasn't.
"Calm down, calm down," Sokka chuckled, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. "We can do another campaign, you can even reuse the characters and we'll have other adventures this time. Oh, I'm sorry it ended up as badly as it did, but it was kind of hilarious…"
"You're a shithead, that's what you are," Toph growled. "I was having a blast! And I'm not going to play a cleric! Katara, you do it!"
"Nuh-uh!"
"Oh, unreal. They never learn, do they?" Azula said, smiling at Sokka. "Perhaps I should be the DM next time, and you should be the team cleric so they stop being so ridiculous…"
"Wait, what? No! You'd be a sadistic DM, way worse than Sokka!" Zuko huffed, shaking his head. "Not a chance, Azula!"
"Well, he doesn't have a point and yet he kind of does," Sokka said, smiling at Azula. "You've always been telling me I ought to try being a player, and while I wouldn't mind playing with you as the DM…"
"Would be more fun for us to romance each other as players next time? Hmm… yes, that is a good point," she said, nodding as Sokka smiled, face flushing slightly at her not-so-subtle declaration.
"Romance each other? What, you'll do this madness again?" Zuko growled, grimacing. "You won't get away with playing some god-like character in a proper campaign, Sokka, you hear me?"
"He doesn't have to do that to capture my future character's interest," Azula stated, proudly. "In fact? We should play an already-married couple. That would be unusual."
"Oh? Bold, but… heh. That's an interesting thought," Sokka chuckled: everyone else at the table eyed them with confusion by then.
"Wait, but… why?" Aang asked, with an awkward smile as he drank some water. "Isn't the fun of in-game romance to… play out the romance?"
"Oh, no. Performance rolls to find out if the sex was good or terrible is where the real fun is at," Azula declared, and Aang nearly snorted his drink through his nose. "Good thing it's not up to dice in real life, isn't it?"
"Heh, yeah, it sure… isn't," Katara said, as Azula's words sank in. As the strangeness in her behavior with Sokka also sank in.
Azula smiled proudly at Sokka, who eyed her with a blush and a much shyer grin. The rest of the group at the table gauged the situation slowly, gradually, until…
"You fucks were actually boning in real life too, weren't you?"
Toph's blunt declaration actually got a reaction from them in the form of a spree of guilty laughter: shy in Sokka's case, much bolder and open in Azula's. The Duke blushed, covering his mouth with a hand while Jet groaned, shaking his head in disappointment.
"Guess I had no chance after all, did I?" he said, with a sad smile.
"You actually got away with it?" Mai blurted out, staring at Azula judgmentally. "Well, good for you. Spent ages pining over him and…"
"Mai!" Azula huffed.
"Wait, ages?! You too?!" Sokka gasped, happily. "You didn't tell me that!"
"Oh, she sure did!" Ty Lee confirmed, with giggles. "I mean, I'm still mad that my character died, but oh my gosh, I'm so glad! You two are finally a thing! Yes!"
"Well, Sokka's not going to DM next time for sure! He's just going to keep favoring her because she got into his pants!" Toph huffed, shaking her head dismissively.
"I'm not that biased…! Well, okay, maybe I am," Sokka admitted, with a guilty smile.
"Katara?" Aang asked, smiling awkward at the frozen young woman. "Are you okay?"
"I'm… speechless. I might… stop being speechless eventually. But for now, I'm just… speechless," was her eloquent response, to which everyone laughed too.
"Well, way to go, Azula. I suppose, if all of us had to die, at least it was for a good cause," Suki smiled at her sister-in-law, who smiled and nodded in gratitude for her words.
Naturally, though, Zuko was the last one to react. He had further warning than most everyone at the table, he had already been confronted by the possibility before, and yet he stared at Sokka and Azula, eyes wide before saying:
"My best friend and my sister?"
The whole table erupted in laughter yet again, and if any hard feelings remained after the full party kill from earlier, they seemed to have been swept away in the wake of the revelation of the relationship between Azula and Sokka. The whole group still had much to talk about, much to laugh about, and those two, in particular, had lots of things to discuss regarding their relationship still… and also regarding their next campaign: as he was experienced enough with the game, Aang offered to be the next Dungeon Master. Sokka continued to question his own ability to be a good player, but just one glance at Azula and her devious but heartwarming smiles encouraged him to go forward and live out his own story in the flesh, rather than solely building one for the others: whether in a campaign of Dungeons and Dragons, or in real life, Sokka was ready to indulge in wild, fun adventures beyond his reckoning, adventures he'd be delighted to share with the woman he had fallen in love with.
A/N:
Shoutout to PurplePlatypusBear21 for brainstorming this one with me like... a year ago or however long it was, haha! Thank you so much for encouraging me to write this wild comedy D&D ride!
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Text
On nights when he did not venture into the Alps, Ludwig [II of Bavaria] immersed himself in the study of French history and culture. He often ordered his cabinet secretary, Friedrich Ziegler, to find the books for him. The secretary's son-in-law later recalled:
“King Ludwig read... a great deal and on all manner of subjects. All of this reading material had to be obtained by Ziegler, whether it had to do with medieval or modern German literature or with long forgotten French works. The main requirement was for books of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries with the time of Louis XIV and XV. As the King did not want to read everything himself, Ziegler was required to give detailed expositions of these works and to make extracts... All the French Louis: the Fourteenth, the Fifteenth and Sixteenth, their wives and mistresses, the Dauphine, the Prince de Conde, the Duc de Berry, the Comtess D'Artois and Provence, were woken out of their sleep. The whole glittering court life of the period at Versailles and Fountainbleau was conjured up—the fetes gallantes, cavalcades, tournaments, jousting, high masses, parades, illuminations, fireworks, concerts, allegories and pastoral picnics. Then the theatre: the thousand tragedies and comedies both lyrical and heroical, the divertissements, heroic ballet, fairy-heroic comedies, pantomine ballets, dramatized proverbs, tragi-pantomine ballets and pastorals. Not merely the name and title of these works, but also the plot and full contents, had to be discussed in detail... He alone could not manage this task. His wife sprang to his aid and made extract after extract. Even just the titles of these countless works filled whole volumes.”
King, Greg (1996). The Mad King: The Life and Times of Ludwig II of Bavaria
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