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cartoonfanaticmonsterrobotalien · 3 months

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Solar Opposites in Mighty Solars Issue #41: “Stolen” Pt. 2 Ch. 3

Cut to the Silver Blade’s cave where he waits for Qourra to enter her State. Qourra finally enters the state, creating a dome of water around her.

Maverick: Now destroy the last southern water bender!

Qourra: STAY AWAY FROM ME!

Aqua sends an ice shard to Qourra, who destroys it by breathing frost. Qourra struggles and pulls off the chain on her right arm, swinging it toward Maverick, followed by Aqua. Maverick dodged the attack, but Aqua was caught off-guard and slammed against a wall, losing her water appendages in the meantime. Bullet erupts lava toward Qourra, who swings the chain around her arm before directing the lava flow with water bending back to Bullet, causing him to retreat to avoid the lava. Qourra rips off the chains on her legs and waterbends herself away before propelling herself with bloodbending to rip off the final chain. She lands in front of Maverick and bends four boulders and circle them around her before bloodbend in to push the boulder away. The three Silver Blades retreats to avoid the attacks. Qourra breathes ice in fury while the Mighty Solars and their friends enter the cave.

Yumyulack Solar-Opposites/Vil-Gil-An-T: WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING?!

Terry Solar-Opposites/Mighton: Holy shit! We gotta stop them!

Qourra ice fires toward Maverick, who dodges the attacks and flies out through the open roof. Qourra propels water from her feet and gives chase.

Cheery Smithers/Bloody Sympathy: Aw man! I think Qourra has definitely lost her mind!

Qourra: ENOUGH OF THIS SHIT!

Phoebe MacCarthy/Starburst: [Blocks Aqua’s attacks with her lasso] Look out!

Quasarblast gasps.

Korvo Solar-Opposites/Quasarblast: Mighton, Starburst, Mighty Pupa, you took on Bullet! Vil-Gil-An-T, Fung-Irl, Lightspeed you take on Aqua! Venus Tip, Nighthowler and I will go find our friends!

Terry Solar-Opposites/Mighton: Are you sure?

Korvo Solar-Opposites/Quasarblast: We’re the Mighty Solars! We got this! Together! We’re a family! And our weirdness is what makes us strong! No matter what! So Mighty Solars, let’s roll out!

Mighton smiles tearfully and kisses his husband's cheek

Terry Solar-Opposites/Mighton: I love you you brave fuck.

Korvo Solar-Opposites/Qausarblast: And I love you too.

The two alien husbands kiss and then the heroes out their hands together and break.

Korvo Solar-Opposites/Quasarblast: Mighty Solars, roll out!!

All: Right!

Maverick flies out of the cave with Qourra giving chase. Maverick sends two boulders toward Qourra. Qourra dodges the attacks, but is pushed off by Maverick. Maverick grabs Qourra and tosses her away, slamming her against a column, while the trapped humans in the tube witnesses the fight.

Miss Frankie: What the fuck is happening now?!

Randall: Shit! WE'RE GONNA DIE!

Then, one of the Silver Cops presses a button and then each different types of slimes appears underneath each separate tubes with Miss Frankie, Principal Cooke, Ms. Perez, Randall, Mia, Jamie, Darcy, Kevin and Sherbet inside as they gasp.

Jamie: Jesus Christ!

Darcy: Eew! Gross! I just bought these shoes!

Ms. Perez: Uh, Darcy, now is not a good time for worrying about fashion!

Darcy: Sorry!

Jamie: It's okay, babe. I love you.

Darcy: I love you too! And Frankie, I love you too! And you two girls and-

Miss Frankie: Aw Darcy! I love you guys too! I’m sorry we all grew apart after graduation if from college!

Kevin: I love my kids and wife! And you guys!

Mia: I love you guys!

All: We love you too Mia!

Principal Cooke: slime is almost reaching I love you guys and… uh what does the slime in my tube spark red lightning-

Suddenly, Quasarblast, Nighthowler and Venus Tip arrived and knocks out five Silver Cops while a few other Silver Cops ran away screaming. Nighthowler then got about her labtop and puts on a microphone on her her ear as she hacks into the tubes’ system.

Sonya Solar-Opposites/Nighthowler: Okay! It’s done!

The slime then drains away as the tubes open up and frees the Solars’ humans friends as they embrace Quasarblast and Venus Tip.

Korvo Solar-Opposites/Quasarblast: Thank goodness you’re all okay!

Miss Frankie: And Thank God you guys are alright! Now let’s get the fuck out of here!

Korvo Solar-Opposites/Quasarblast: Right! Come on, we have to move fast!

The gang then head about the temple as the rest sees them.

Kevin’s Daughter: Daddy!

Kevin’s Son: Dad!

Kevin: Hey! You okay? No one hurt you?

Kevin’s Wife: Uh huh. Everyone is okay honey.

Louise: Guys, you look like a mess what happened?!

Miss Frankie: Aw man, you don’t wanna fucking know.

The scene then cuts to Mighton, Starburst and Mighty Pupa fighting Bullet who throws metal stars but luckily Mighton is able to smash some of them. Starburst even uses her lasso to smash them to the ground.

Terry Solar-Opposites/Mighton: What are you smiling about?!

Bullet: I was remembering the last time we fought!

Terry Solar-Opposites/Mighton: Yeah well a lot has changed inside then!

Then, Fung-Irl uses her plant powers to create a vine and throws Aqua towards Bullet as they scream.

Aqua: Stupid fucking little brat!

Mighton kicks Bullet in the face.

Terry Solar-Opposites/Mighton: It’s over bitches! You messed with us long enough!

Monica Miller/Lightspeed: Yeah! That’s what you get for blowing up Earth!

Bullet: We did what we had to!

Phoebe MacCarthy/Starburst: Give it up you two bitches! You can’t win!

Bullet: We’re going to prison. If we’re going down today, you're coming with us!

Bullet punches the floor, causing rocks to fall down. He melts the walls around him and Aqua and directs it downward as it burries him and Aqua alive!

Pupa Solar-Opposites/Mighty Pupa: Hang on!

Mighty Pupa creates a platform through his telekinesis and the rest of the Mighty Solars ride out of the cave, where they watch the cave collapse. The fam run out of the cave. Cut to Qourra grunting resisting the poison. Maverick zooms past her multiple times to fully knock her out.

Qourra: N-no….

Maverick: The poison has done its work. It’s over you lose….

Qourra cries. Maverick starts to suffocate Qourra, when he feels a sharp thorn in his leg. He turns to see a huge thorny vine created by Fung-Irl approaching him. Cut to the surface where the rest of the Mighty Solars made it out, of the cave while Quasarblast and Nighthowler embrace their family with Venus Tip and Mighton and Quasarblast kiss Cut to Fung-irl nodding at Staburst for the signal in the center. Cut to Qourra, no longer held by Zaheer's bending, tumbles over. Maverick flies out to grab Qourra and tries to fly away, but is slowly being sucked in by the vortex. After multiple failed attempts to escape the vine, he drops Qourra and flies off, only to be caught by Starburst who flails her rope and manages to catch him by the ankle. Starburst drops down and flings Maverick with Qourra. Fung-irl then turns the thorn into a huge flower as she giggles. Stacy G blushes. Qourra succumbs to the poison and collapses. The citizens runs up to Qourra, while the rest of the gang look on with worry. Quasarblast and Mighton trap Maverick in an electric rope as blood trickles from Qourra’s nose.

Maverick: No! No! You don’t understand! You Shlorpians are supposed to be afraid of us!

Terry Solar-Opposites/Mighton: Grrr! You shut…shut…

Korvo Solar-Opposites/Qausarblast: gasp in joy Come on Terry! Say it you brave strong man!

Terry Solar-Opposites/Mighton: SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH YOU CORRUPTED SILVER BITCH!

Mighton then punches Maverick unconscious as Qourra is taken away to the paramedics. The asylum cops then take Maverick and takes him away to the asylum. Mighton pants

Korvo Solar-Opposites/Quasarblast: puts his husband on the back You did good honey. You did good!

Mighton groans. Then, he falls into Quasarblast’s arms as he looks up and smile at his husband.

Terry Solar-Opposites/Mighton: Thanks baby…

Then, Mighton touches Quasarblast’s cheek lovingly.

Terry Solar-Opposites/Mighton: You very brave today you beautiful invisible stud. Thanks for not giving up on us! Because you never do! That’s what a true hero is! He looks out for the ones… I love you…

Korvo Solar-Opposites/Quasarblast: I love you too…

The two superhero aliens kiss and moan lovingly. The kids then ran up and hugs their dad along with Phoebe, AISHA and MAX, which ends up surprising Mighton, Fung-irl, Lightspeed and the rest of their human friends.

MAX: Hi.

Mighton yelps in surprise.

Terry Solar-Opposites/Mighton: Another AISHA?! Where did he or she come from?!

AISHA: This is MAX. Korvo’s sister sent him to join us. It’s a long story.

Mighton gasps.

Terry Solar-Opposites/Mighton: Janiz sent you?… Oh Korv… I am so sorry… you still miss your big sister, huh?

Quasarblast nods tearfully as Mighton wipes his hubby’s tears away and comforts him as Quasarblast breaks down in tears.

Korvo Solar-Opposites/Quasarblast: I wish I could see her again.

Mighton wipes his hubby’s tears as he smiles at him.

Terry Solar-Opposites/Mighton: Don’t give up. I’m sure you will see her again one day. I promise…

Quasarblast tearfully smiles and embrace Mighton in a kiss as they moan lovingly.

Korvo Solar-Opposites/Quasarblast: Mmm, oh my sexy Mighton. Yess…

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lupstarnyx · 10 months

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imagine you're me.

it's 20XX and you're just about old enough to access the internet. while you're getting acclimated to the hustle and bustle, you find a story-writing site - one with a particular theme, where every story is a monster in a box. sometimes the monster is a person in a bad position, sometimes the box is more metaphorical than physical, but the stories are monsters in boxes and the doctors who try to keep them in. the tone is clinical and detached, the horrors are lurking at the edge of human comprehension, and there is a general tone of seriousness throughout the whole site,.

some of the stories are stories about a group of five catgirls and a goddamned space wizard hijacking a spaceship to blow a hole in the moon. these ones are your favorite.

time passes. you lose friends because you can't be bothered to keep up with them. you lose a bit of whimsy, a bit of wonder. the world grinds to a halt as it is gripped by plague and yet it keeps going, much too quickly. everything is happening so much all the time and your only choice is to mature past the point where you have time to read regularly.

one day, you click on a bookmark on your phone absentmindedly and it all comes rushing back.

new stories, familiar horrors. things have changed, sensibilities have shifted, the old guard changing out for the new. things are different, but all the same.

the catgirls are still there. in a sense. in one of the larger articles on the site, there is a description of them being "neutralized" by a reality bender who subconsciously changes people and places into the corporate pastiche you have become all too familiar with, stripping them of what makes them unique.

it's not particularly detailed. it doesn't need to be.

something about this footnote clicks with you. perhaps it's the fact that something from your youth has become altered in such a familiar way. perhaps it's because you wonder what makes this particular anomaly tick, what drove him to be like this. perhaps it's the description of the space wizard being kicked to the curb after having been left behind by the strange reality alteration, unaltered but having lost the only family he's ever had.

perhaps it's the part of you itching to write again, despite your continual failure to finish a long-form writing piece.

imagine you re-activating a long dormant wikidot account and typing up a first draft.

#writing

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firsthand-accounts-of-torelia · 11 months

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Humans vs Formtakers

Behold! First species sheet finally done!

Image id and transcript under the cut

Humans vs Formtakers!

[Subtitle] An important distinction on Torelia

For thousands of years, humans have lived alongside Formtakers; a humanoid species of creatures that develop special nonhuman abilities. Some Formtakers look far from human - and some look almost identical. It’s important to know the difference on Torelia.

[On the left, the bust of a shirtless human man with bangs and a long undercut pulled into a braid labelled “Human” on top, and “A famous Human scholar, Arthur Crea” below him. On the right, the bust of a shirtless man with curved horns, a fluffy and curly mohawk, pointed ears, eyes with slit pupils, and freckles along the outside bottom of his eye socket labelled “Formtaker” on top, and “A popular Demon-Formtaker singer, Ek-taleya” below him.]

Formtakers can have a wide range of features, like horns, tails, sharp teeth, strange eyes, or even wings. A Formtaker’s genetics will usually shift to fit the area they’re born in; for example, Formtakers born in places with a high werewolf population may grow a set of wolf ears and gain enhanced vision in the dark. However, with long exposure to other creatures, Formtakers may subtly lose and gain various traits. For example, a Satyr-Formtaker may form goat ears as a child, but if adopted by Vampires, would also gain fangs and nightvision, and may lose their horns and mischievous nature. They can also take on traits of extraterrestrial visitors or immigrants

[From left to right, sketches of: A head with large bull-like horns labelled “A Taur-Formtaker’s horns”; A large snake-like mouth with large fangs and a forked tongue labelled “A Naga-Formtaker’s mouth”; An eye with a slit pupil labelled “A Tarkiti-Formtaker’s eye”; A cutout of the midback to the midthighs of a human wearing boxers with a hole at the tailbone, and a doglike tail sticking out, labelled “A Lycan-Formtaker’s tail”; A smiling mouth with jagged teeth and two mandibles on either side labelled “A Dryder-Formtaker’s mandibles”; A hand with claws and pawpads on each segment of the finger and the palm labelled “An Anthro-Formtaker’s hand”; A cutout of the midneck to the lower back of a human with two batlike wings sprouting from their shoulder blades labelled “A Gargoyle-Formtaker’s wings”]

In history, Formtakers have been given many roles because of their genes. Some Formtakers are declared protectors of villages and clans in danger of bandits. Some are recruited by guard forces in cases of murders. Some become nurses of non-humans suffering from unknown ailments. Some protect churches and universities from ill-meaning Gargoyles. Formtakers around Torelia are often celebrated, and have their own segment in the Celebration of Difference, a festival made to honour all the species of Torelia, and it’s alien immigrants.

Formtakers are not considered a type of Shifter. Shifters like Changelings and Light Benders can shift forms at will, lycans and selkies have triggered form shifts, but Formtakers gain their nonhuman traits in early childhood and retain most of those same traits for the rest of their lives.

Formtakers are nearly indistinguishable from humans up until around ages 4-6, when their nonhuman abilities and traits begin to develop. Formtakers raised in human cities and towns with little to contact with nonhuman creatures will form minimal traits, usually only gaining enhanced nightvision or increased strength.

#Formtakers #firsthand accounts of torelia #nohuman species #worldbuilding #writing #torelia

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beifongsss · 4 years

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playing with fire pt. 7 [sokka]

Pairing: Sokka x reader

Summary: You’re a Fire Nation citizen who saves Sokka and Katara from some angry villagers. Aang “convinces” you to come along with them, finding your knowledge of the nation useful. Not everything is smooth sailing though as both Water Tribe siblings have their doubts about you.

this will be a series :D this is a filler tbh set in the serpent’s pass

w.c.~3.1k

prologue. one. two. three. four. five. six.

.masterlist.

if you want to be added to the taglist PLEASE use the taglist form in my bio!

It had been a few days since the truth had been revealed and things had only gotten rougher.

As you trudged through the desert with the rest of your group, you couldn’t help but think about just how twisted the relationships between you were. Tensions between you and the Water Tribe siblings were still sky high and the only people talking to you were two twelve year olds. Things on Toph’s end hadn’t gotten any better considering Aang blamed her for losing Appa. During the sky bison heist, you had been outside the library with Toph but had been knocked unconscious before the fight even began. As pissed as the group was with you, this was something that they couldn’t blame you for.

You still couldn’t help but feel guilty, knowing that blaming Toph wasn’t the right thing to do. She was so young, she definitely didn’t need that type of pressure placed upon her. Aang had been so upset that he had flown off to who knows where, claiming that he would be able to find Appa on his own.

Things had come to a head when you all encountered the sandbenders again and Toph had told Aang that she recognized one of their voices. After finding out that they had muzzled Appa, Aang had entered the Avatar State and attacked before Katara managed to calm him down. It was then decided that the group would travel to Ba Sing Se and look for the sky bison there.

And that’s how the five of you found yourselves at the Full Moon Bay ferry station, tagging along with a family as you tried to get to the famed city.

“I can’t believe how many people’s lives have been uprooted by the Fire Nation,” Katara commented casually, shooting you an unreadable look before glancing at the people who were anxiously waiting to escape to Ba Sing Se. You looked down uneasily, clenching your fists as you tried to ignore her words.

You all approached the ticket lady, cowering slightly when she snapped at Aang and Sokka before Toph stepped forwards confidently. She placed something on the counter before glancing up. “My name is Toph Beifong and I’ll need five tickets.”

The lady’s eyes widened at the sight of the flying boar before glancing at all of you. “Ah, the golden seal of the flying boar! It is my pleasure to help anyone of the Beifong family.”

“It is your pleasure. As you can see, I am blind and these three imbeciles are my valets,” Toph stated plainly before turning to point to you. “And she is my most trusted companion.”

“But the animal-”

“That’s her seeing eye lemur,” you quickly interrupted, ignoring Aang’s snort. “She needs him with her at all times.”

Momo chittered quietly, nuzzling against Toph’s neck to add dramatic effect.

“Well, normally it's only one ticket per passport, but this document is so official ... I guess it's worth five tickets,” the lady commented, stamping five tickets and handing them over.

“Thank you very much,” you said, smiling softly as you gathered the tickets and guided Toph away.

You all walked away, Sokka commenting on how cool it was that Toph was able to scam the lady. You were trying to tune out his words before silence ensued and you turned to see Sokka being held back by a guard.

“Tickets and passports please.”

“Is there a problem?” you asked politely, catching Katara’s panicked gaze and giving her a simple nod. You stepped up next to Sokka, avoiding his surprised gaze. The girl looked at you briefly before turning back to Sokka.

“Yeah! Is there a problem?” Sokka asked, repeating your words as he tried to stay calm.

“Yeah, I got a problem with you! I've seen your type before. Probably sarcastic, think you're hilarious and let me guess, you're traveling with the Avatar,” the girl said. You exchanged a scared glance with Katara.

“Do I know you?” Sokka asked, leaning in slightly to get a better look at the girl.

“You mean you don’t remember? Maybe you’ll remember this!” the girl leaned in suddenly, placing a brief kiss on Sokka’s cheek. His eyes widened almost comically and he casted a panicked look at you, only to see you looking down as you turned and walked away.

“Suki!” Sokka exclaimed, rushing forwards and gathering the Kyoshi Warrior up in his arms.

“Sokka! It’s so good to see you,” Suki replied, hugging him back tightly. Greetings were exchanged as the Gaang reunited with their old friend, with the exception of Toph. Noticing the way you had abruptly left, she went after you, finding you seated alone as you stared off at the water.

“What’s wrong, Princess?” Toph asked, coming to a stop next to you. “Are you really moping over him?”

You smiled softly at Toph’s words. “I don’t know, shortcake. I guess so.”

Toph sighed dramatically as she leaned against the railing, turning to face you. “If you really like him you can go talk to him. Or fight for him.”

Copying Toph’s actions, you turned around, your back now against the railing. Your gaze landed on the pretty girl standing in front of Sokka, watching her as she smiled widely. “She’s pretty.”

“And?” Toph replied, crossing her arms and huffing lightly.

“I’m not going to fight for him,” you muttered. Toph opened her mouth to argue but you quietly shushed her. “They’re right, Toph. I’m Fire Nation and I can’t change that no matter how hard I try. I’m going to try and do my part to help Aang defeat the Fire Lord but when the war is over, I can’t simply go on and live my life. I’m either going to have to return to the capital and claim the throne or I’m going to be hunted down as a traitor to my nation. I can’t be focusing on my dumb feelings when there are bigger things at stake.”

Toph hummed lightly before she punched you in the arm. “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve heard you say but whatever. C’mon let’s get going, Princess.”

You rubbed your arm before trailing after the small girl, noticing that the family that had arrived with you was frantically talking to Aang. The group moved over to the ticket lady and you could faintly hear Aang arguing with her before turning and walking back over to the family dejectedly.

Five minutes later, you all found yourselves walking back the way you had come from. Nervous glances were exchanged all around as Aang declared that he was going to lead you all through the Serpent’s Pass, and you found yourself lagging behind in order to make sure that no one was getting left behind.

“Hi.”

You looked over to your left to see the girl from before: Suki. She had joined the group after changing into a green dress, makeup covering her face in a style reminiscent of Avatar Kyoshi’s. You nodded softly, acknowledging her presence as you came to a stop.

“We haven’t met yet,” she continued, shooting you a wide grin as she stood next to you. “I’m Suki!”

“I’m (Y/N),” you introduced yourself before bowing deeply. “It is an honor to meet a Kyoshi Warrior.”

A blush spread across Suki’s cheeks, partially hidden by her white face paint.She smiled bashfully, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she started to walk slowly. “You’re too kind. Really, there’s nothing special about us.”

“I beg to differ,” you replied quietly, walking next to her. “Kyoshi was a powerful Avatar. Your group is equally as amazing.”

Suki opened her mouth to reply only to be cut off when the ground underneath Than, the man you were traveling with, gave away. Toph reacted instantly, bending a piece of the cliff out in order to catch the man.

“I’m okay!”

“They’ve spotted us!” Sokka yelled, pointing to the Fire Nation ship that Suki had pointed out earlier. “Let’s go!”

Aang took off into the air on his glider, deflecting the fireball that was coming your way. It crashed into the cliff behind you, sending multiple large chunks of rock flying everywhere. You heard Suki yelp lightly and looked over to see multiple chunks of earth heading her way. Without thinking twice, you threw yourself at her, tackling her and sending the both of you out of harm’s way. You landed roughly, your body curling around Suki’s to protect her from any wayward debris before Toph came in to save the day. Suki was the first to sit up, throwing her arms around you as she muttered multiple ‘thank you’s’. You hesitantly wrapped your arms around her waist, helping her up before separating and brushing yourself off.

“It was nothing,” you replied quietly, shooting the girl a small smile. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Suki! Are you okay?” Sokka asked worriedly, rushing over and wrapping the girl up into a tight hug. “You have to be more careful! Come on!”

Suki gave you a warm smile as she was pulled away by Sokka, leaving you standing alone with Toph. The earth bender turned to you, opening her mouth to make a comment that you had no doubt would be sarcastic. You quickly spoke before she could. “Thanks for saving my life Toph.”

“Now that’s what I like to hear, Princess.”

The group had settled down for the night, exhausted after running from the Fire Nation. You were unrolling your sleeping bag, sighing softly as you searched for a decent spot to set up in. Your eyes drifted to Suki, who was placing her sleeping bag down a little aways from you before it was pulled away by Sokka.

“Suki, you shouldn't sleep there. Who knows how stable this ledge is, it could give away at any moment!”

Suki looked at Sokka with concern, following him as he walked away from the ledge. “Sokka, I’m fine! Stop worrying! Besides, (Y/N) no doubt had a bigger scare today. Fuss over her instead.”

Sokka ignored her words and you looked down, setting your sleeping bag down close to where Suki was originally going to place hers. Ignoring everyone else, you slipped into it, curling into a small ball as you stared up at the moon. You felt all your worries subside as you fell into a deep sleep, a small smile spreading across your face as you mentally thanked Yue for being there for you.

When you woke up, you felt well-rested and refreshed and ready to reach Ba Sing Se. Once again, you trailed behind everyone else, keeping an eye out for any Fire Nation ships that could be tracking you. You were so distracted that you didn’t notice everyone coming to a stop, causing you to bump into Sokka’s back before tumbling to the ground. You muttered out a soft sorry, picking yourself up when he ignored your words.

“Everyone, single file!” Katara called out, her eyebrows furrowed as she noticed that the path in front of her was underwater. “Aang I need help!”

Katara proceeded to bend the water out of the way, clearing a path for your group as Aang conjured up a large air bubble to surround you. You chuckled softly when you noticed Momo’s curious gaze aimed at the water, a full blown laugh escaping you as he dived into the water to chase the fish. Your laughter died down when he leapt out of the water, clutching onto you as he curled himself around your neck.

“What’s wrong, Momo?” you asked, softly scratching the back of his ears. He was trembling, chittering softly as he hid his face in your neck. You glanced at the walls of water surrounding you, flinching when you saw a large shadow pass you on your left. “G-Guys?”

“What is that thing?” Katara whispered, also noticing the large shadow. The thing in the water broke through the walls Katara had created, forcing Toph to bend the earth and send you all back up above the water level.

“I think I just figured out why they call it the Serpent's Pass!” Sokka yelped, stumbling as the serpent sprung out of the water with a large screech. “Suki, you know about giant sea monsters, make it go away!”

“Just because I live near the unagi doesn’t mean I’m an expert,” the girl retorted, panic clear on her face.

Sokka walked over to you, taking Momo from around your neck and holding him up. “Oh great and powerful sea serpent, please accept this humble and tasty offering. Thank you.”

“Sokka!” you and Katara cried in unison, irritated expressions on both of your faces.

“I’ll distract it!” Aang yelled. “Katara, get everyone else across!”

Katara nodded, creating an ice trail for all of you. Everyone sprinted across, leaving only you and Toph standing on the chunk of earth she had sent up earlier. You took a deep breath and began to walk across, pausing when you realized Toph wasn’t following.

“Toph!” Sokka yelled from the other side. “Come on, it’s just ice.”

“Actually, I'm going to stay on my little island, where I can see!” Toph replied. You turned back, noticing that the serpent was approaching. You quickly lunged for Toph, grabbing her hand and tugging her behind you just as the serpent hit the earth she was previously standing on.

“Sorry, shortcake,” you said quietly, gripping her hand tightly. “We need to get across. I won’t let you go.”

Toph nodded meekly, gripping onto you as you proceeded to move forwards. You were moving slowly but surely, trying to focus on not being taken by surprise by the serpent.

“You’re doing great! Just follow that sound of my voice,” Sokka yelled, watching the two of you closely.

“Well it’s kind of hard to ignore!” Toph yelled back, causing you to let out a snort.

“You’re almost there!”

Just as Sokka said those words, the serpent reappeared and crushed the ice trail. The impact separated you and Toph, sending the two of you flying in opposite directions. Toph fell into the water unceremoniously and you found yourself landing on the tough rocks that the rest of your group was standing on. You scrambled to your feet, ignoring everyone’s worried looks before frantically searching for Toph. You could see her bobbing up and down a bit away, struggling to stay afloat.

“Help! Help! I can’t swim!” Toph yelled out, causing everyone to panic. You noticed Sokka taking off his shoes and Suki getting ready to jump but before they could, you launched yourself into the water, desperate to reach Toph in time. Everyone watched with bated breath as you reached the small girl, grabbing onto her and pulling her up so she could breathe.

“I got you,” you whispered, already starting to head back to the group. Toph clung onto you, gasping for air.

“Thank you, (Y/N)” she whispered back, hugging you tightly. You smiled softly, glad that she was now safe. You reached the rocks quickly enough, being helped up by Suki. Aang and Katara quickly rejoined the group, having taken care of the serpent for the time being. With a small cheer, you all kept going, smiling widely when you saw the walls of Ba Sing Se.

Of course, nothing ever goes according to plan and you soon found yourself sitting alone while Katara and Suki helped Ying give birth. Hope was born soon enough, all of you cooing over the newborn as Aang stepped away from the group.

“I promise I’ll find Appa as fast as I can,” you heard Aang say as you approached him and Katara. “I just really need to do this.”

“See you in the big city,” Sokka whispered.

“Say hi to the big fuzzball for me,” Toph chirped.

“Stay safe. Please,” you said, stumbling back when Aang threw himself at you and hugged you tightly.

“You’ll find him, Aang,” Katara said, smiling sadly.

“I know. Thank you, Katara,” Aang said, letting you go. “You ready, Momo?”

With a chirp from Momo, the two of them took off. It was silent after their departure and you suddenly felt more awkward than you had in a long time. Without Aang, you were left with Toph and two people who you were sure hated you. Sokka stood off to the side, talking quietly with Suki. You couldn’t help but watch them, not noticing Katara sidle up to you. Your heart fully broke when Sokka lurched forwards, connecting his lips with Suki’s as the girl wrapped her arms around him.

“They’re cute together, aren’t they?” Katara asked quietly, turning to face you with an unreadable look. “She’s good for him. Don’t ruin it.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” you breathed, trying to ignore the tears that wanted to well up in your eyes. “You have nothing to worry about, Katara, I know I don’t deserve someone like him.”

Katara’s expression softened as you walked away, gathering up your stuff before you continued to walk along the path. You had barely gotten more than a few steps away before you were stopped by a hand on your wrist. You turned slowly to face Suki, a determined look on her face. You looked at her curiously, tilting your head to the side as you waited for her to speak.

“Come with me,” she breathed, taking you by surprise.

“W-What?”

“Come with me,” she repeated more confidently. “The Kyoshi Warriors could always use someone like you. You’re strong and care about others. Join me.”

You paused for a few seconds, looking around at your companions (who were pretending to mind their own business) before facing her once more. Toph was the only one who would miss you and you knew that the Water Tribe siblings wanted you gone. Aang would find you eventually; they would tell him you had joined Suki. You nodded once, causing Suki to smile excitedly and pull you away. You dug your heels into the ground, stopping her before you could get any further.

“Suki. Before I go with you, you need to know-”

“That you’re the Fire Nation crown princess?” Suki interrupted. You looked up at her, bewildered. “I’ve seen the family portraits, silly. I know you’re the princess but I don’t care. You saved my life and you saved Toph and you’ve been helping Aang out for a while. I don’t care about your family. You’re a good person and I want you to join the Kyoshi Warriors.”

Overwhelmed by her words, you hugged her tightly. You nodded once again, tears dripping down your face as you laughed lightly.

“Okay. I’ll join the Kyoshi warriors.”

taglist!

atla: @musicalkeys, @mywigglybaby, @aangsupremacy, @iguessthefloorislava, @dekahg, @boxofteenageideas, @bottledcostcowater, @butterflycore, @coldlilheart, @the-firebender-girl, @ajediherowitchrunner, @lammello, @a—-rag, @astroninaaa, @samsmultifandomblogs, @sadskater25, @oddment-niwit-blubber-tweak, @eternallyvenus, @emberislandplayers, @sunflowerazula, @moonnei, @stilllivindue2spite, @knaite-solo, @riespage, @wastelandbbyg, @edgy-hufflepuff-bro, @a-monsters-love

pwf: @ilovespideyyy, @binaryssunsets, @existing-but-nonexistent, @milk-n-cheese, @itsthatsadbitch, @nin-tendou, @honey-ruel, @reclusive-chicken-nugget, @teenbiology, @davnwillcome, @fandomarchiveilyd, @minninugget, @sukifans, @nugget-barnes, @vintageroses1014516, @donteatmycookiesplease, @fanficdepot, @birdlovinghyena, @cipheress-to-k-pop, @my–shitty–art, @woohoney, @castalette, @lozzybowe, @spacelesbianfanclub, @macymafia, @deadsunflower01, @olsenholic, @thia-aep, @loganrwebb, @porkbumh, @awkwardnesshabitat, @romanticraccoon, @jackbamexpress, @marievanleeuw, @lunariasilver, @francesciak, @alive-ahahah-fuk, @reillykwatson, @naanlianid, @on-jah-bruh, @celia-not-cecilia, @lanie103, @heavensgaymenace, @dairy-peach, @ryryryleigh, @natsbelova, @kyoshiwcrriors

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itscalledbisexualcrisis · 3 years

Text

Legacy

Request: Hii! Could you do a angst/fluff with Kuvira where r is like from an important family and they meet when they're young but then r joins the avatar? Finish how you'd like! Thank youu

Thank you to depressed-bi-bitch for the request, this was a lot of fun writing!

When Suyin was creating Zaofu, she knew she needed a dependable supply of metal. The valley, where eventually Zaofu would be erected, was a small mining village. It had an abundance of precious metals, but were predominantly used in trade with neighboring villages. There, Suyin met your family, the esteemed owners of one of the largest mines of the village. Suyin was eloquent with her ideas and clear passion for leading people. Her husband, Baatar, had already made a name for himself as an architect from Ba Sing Se. Meanwhile your family was one of the established families of the village, producing most of the metals and negotiating with outsiders trade deals. Together, your family and the Beifongs created Zaofu, a technological city of the future.

Growing up in a sprawling metal city was like living in a story tale. Big spiraling metal structures, an abundance of art and culture blooming all around you, and spending most of your childhood with the Beifong family were your earliest memories. You were surprised one day, while playing with Opal in the Beifong estate, to find Suyin bringing in another child. The girl seemed older than both you and Opal and she had a firm pout on her lips. Her clothes were more plain compared to what usual Zaofu citizens wore and she wouldn’t make eye contact with anyone.

“This is Kuvira. She’ll be living with us and be part of our family now, Opal. Think of her like your sister,” she introduced.

From being the adored only daughter to having to share with another little girl was not easy for Opal to adjust. Including sharing you, her childhood best friend.

“I don’t want a new sister!”

The way Kuvira’s face was already apprehensive, turned into a scowl quickly as she looked between the two of you before running off.

While Suyin sat down with Opal and tried to explain Kuvira’s situation, you went off to find Kuvira. She was sitting down under a low hanging awning by the river. You could hear small sniffles coming from her. Six year old you approached her without caution, bumbling up to her with the perkiness only a child could contain.

“Hi.” You introduced yourself to her with a wide toothy grin and a welcoming outstretched hand. She jumped and turned around, quickly wiping away a stray tear. Her deadpan glare penetrated your outstretched hand left open. Being a child, you didn’t let it affect you. Instead you asked, “Do you want to come to my house? I have a dollhouse we can play with!”

Kuvira hesitated, looking from your still extended hand to your beaming face.

“Opal doesn’t like me.”

“Opal’s not coming.”

Oh to grow up with Kuvira. She was quite hot tempered as a child. And you admit, some days it was hard being her friend. She let her emotions take control, most of the time not realizing that she was bending until the dolls were disfigured under her metal grip. You never blamed it on Kuvira though, and you always came back to each other at the end of the day. It took a long time under Suyin’s guidance for Kuvira to gain a better understanding of her own earthbending. But once she did, it was like a flip switched.

While gaining more control, she became more reserved. She pulled farther from the Beifongs and moved out of the estate, choosing to live with the guards in the dormitories instead when she became a teenager. It didn’t change your close relationship though. From running around your estate playing games to her joining you in your metals lab in your research to helping her study for her test to join the Metal Guards; you and Kuvira supported one another through everything.

In the back of your mind you always knew things weren’t great for Kuvira at the Beifongs. But it was always something so hard to bring up to Kuvira whenever you tried to get her to talk about it. It also complicated your friendship with Opal, navigating between their polar personalities was always a challenge. So you opted not to, instead playing mostly neutral grounds and after she moved out, things did get better.

As you got older, there was more pressure on you to take on the family business. Your whole life you’ve studied metals and how different properties of metals work together to create new things. An inventor, truly gifted, but there were always parts of you that wanted to leave Zaofu.

“I don’t want to study rocks my whole life. I want to learn from other cultures, get a bigger insight!” you confessed one day to Kuvira. You lay back on the soft grass of the lawn. You were visiting the Beifongs casually one afternoon when you ran into your favorite guard. It took minimal convincing for her to take a break from duty to lie with you. It was known that Kuvira always had a soft spot for you. It took one big smile to get her to crumble to you.

But seeing you smile was something she could never get enough of. “You wouldn’t leave me here alone, would you?” Kuvira semi joked.

“I’d take you with me, of course,” you laughed. “See the world together. Maybe fight some bad guys, who knows?”

Kuvira knew that would never be possible. Not with how Suyin ran things, but she didn’t say that, choosing instead to have a lighter hearted moment with you.

Going through the ranks, she saw potential in the Metal Guards, in the people of Zaofu actually. The fact that Suyin rejected most international requests, slowly infuriated her over the years. She watched as her fellow soldiers grew in strength, but all of it went to waste within the metal domes. Kuvira had long surpassed everything Suyin taught her, choosing to go off in her own studies to continue growing as a bender. When not on duty, you’d find her studying different types of bending in the Zaofu library or coming to your lab to practice with rarer metals. Sometimes it seemed like Kuvira never stopped at bettering herself.

You were mesmerized every time you saw Kuvira use her bending. Something as simple as making casual shapes from a slab of meteorite could keep you entertained for hours. It was times like these that were your favorite. She had her armor off and was sporting a long green sleeved spandex shirt with her dark green uniform pants. Her braid was slightly disfigured and helmet thrown off to the side somewhere. She was playing with a piece of meteorite, leaning forward on the bench as she manipulated it with firm concentration. The way her hands moved delicately through the air with precision; every crook and bend of her fingers and knuckles; how soft yet also strong they looked as they bent the metal into a small flower. It rested perfectly in her slender palm as she handed it to you.

It made your stomach flutter and a heat build in your chest. You reached out to take it from her and suddenly feeling nervous. Almost immediately, a gust of wind blew Kuvira over the bench making her tumble down and the metal flower scattering somewhere on the ground.

You both were left gaping. You were born as a non bender, so suddenly being able to airbend made you freak out. Kuvira grabbed your wrists, telling you to breathe as you started rambling off about never being able to bend before and not being the daughter of Avatar Aang and what if your mother had secretly had an affair with the AVATAR and oh god what would your father think-

“We need to find Suyin.”

Learning that Opal also gained airbending made you feel better, and it was something you two could bond over. Suddenly you were spending more time with Opal, trying to learn more about this new weird power to Kuvira’s dismay.

When Avatar Korra and her crew came to Zaofu to rebuild the Air Nation, you laughed off the idea of becoming an Air Nomad. Your future was set in the metals your family mined. You were supposed to live your life in Zaofu, continue your legacy here to grow the city.

“This is where I belong,” you said sheepishly. Korra seemed disappointed, but if that’s what you wanted there was nothing she could do. Although she did debate dragging you on to the ship, kidnapping an heiress to an empire would definitely cause an international crisis that Korra frankly couldn’t afford.

Kuvira was relieved to say the least. The fear of losing her closest friend didn’t sit well with her. But she also saw how you were with your new bending, carefully exploring what your bending could do; how it frustrated you when you couldn’t gain your own footing straight or when wind would blow back in your face.

“Maybe you should consider it.” Kuvira’s response surprised you. It was another day at your estate this time laying on the grass. It was one of Kuvira’s few days off. When she became the Captain, her free time became very limited, but this afternoon was a peaceful rarity. Tonight would be Opal’s farewell dinner, where you would be saying your final goodbyes before she boarded the airship to the Northern Air Temple. You were casually bending a circle of air above your heads, watching as leaves swirl around in a hypnotizing way. It immediately dissipates upon Kuvira’s confession, leaves slowly falling around the two of you.

“What?” you snort. “I thought you’d be the first person to ask me to stay.”

It left a lump in Kuvira’s throat. She never wanted to be the reason you held back your potential. She knew how talented you were as an inventor, but to bring that strength as an airbender? And the opportunity for you to build a nation that was up until recently deemed extinct? Kuvira knows an honor like that is something you’d thrive in, and the only way you could do that is to leave Zaofu.

So with some more convincing from Kuvira, you came around to the thought of being an Air Nomad. Sure shaving your head wasn’t the most appealing thing, but to be able to explore the world outside of Zaofu? It felt like this was your true calling all along. And Kuvira was the one to help you realize that. You gaze softly at her face, trying to find any hint of doubt you could. But she wholeheartedly believed in you and that in the end is what had you knocking on Korra’s door before the big dinner.

“Avatar Korra, I’ve changed my mind. I will join Opal to the Northern Air Temple and help rebuild the Air Nation.” Korra’s face broke into a wide grin and she gave a big cheer, deeming another success in her Avatar duties. You smiled back, feeling giddy at the thought of finding something more than rocks and metals for your future.

Seeing you and Opal boarding the aircraft shattered Kuvira’s heart. Her face is stone and her back is straight, watching the two of you talk wildly about your new adventures to come.

It seemed like at the last second, you pulled away from Opal and turned around, catching Kuvira’s unwavering gaze. You bite your bottom lip and tell Opal to go on without you, that’d you catch up momentarily. She was confused, but realized what you were doing when you ran back down the ramp and towards Kuvira.

Before she knows what’s happening or can ask what in the spirits you were doing, you nearly plow Kuvira over with a bone crushing hug, knocking her helmet right off her head. Burying your face into the crook of her neck, you feel her muscles tense under your touch, and then melt right into your hug. Strong arms wrap around you and clunky armor gets in the way.

But Kuvira can’t picture something more perfect.

She is speechless and squeezes her eyes shut, willing any tears to hold back. This was a momentous day for you, and she didn’t want your potentially last moment with her to be a sniveling mess. Instead she tries to memorize the way your hair smells, how firm your torso feels under her arms, how soft and warm your skin is. Everything she possibly can in these fleeting seconds with you.

“This isn’t goodbye,” you whispered in her ear. The way your breath fanned across her neck made Kuvira’s eyes flutter. She could stay in this embrace forever. “I will see you again.”

“I know,” she breathed out, suddenly finding it hard to find her voice. “I know.” It was something she had to tell herself more than to you.

You hesitated, wanting to say more. But how could you tell Kuvira that most nights you fell asleep thinking about what her lips would feel like against yours? How could you tell her that you still dreamed of traveling the world with her one day? How do you tell your childhood best friend that you’ve been in love with them when you’re about to board a ship to a new life?

Instead you take the chance and lean in, placing a soft quick kiss on her cheek just below her mole under her eye. With one last watery smile, you turn and board the ship. Your future terrified you, but you know for certain that you will keep your promise and return to Zaofu for her. One day.

If you had turned around you would’ve seen Kuvira steeled in stoicism, seemingly unaffected by your gesture. Meanwhile, inside she was on fire. Her cheek was burning where your lips touched. She had to replay the moment again and again in her mind to make sure it wasn’t her own imagination making it up. But it was real; the feeling of your hesitant lips pressed against her cheek made the flush in her chest grow. Her breath comes out in one shaky stream as she lifts the radio to her ear for the guards to close the domes.

And as the metal flower-like structure enclose her in, Kuvira can’t help but let her eyes linger on the sky where your ship disappeared.

This isn’t goodbye.

#kuvira #kuvira x reader #kuvira fic #not sure if this is enough angst or fluff

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sokkascroptop · 4 years

Text

traitor. (sokka x f! reader) pt 1

part 2 | part 3

Azula was good at that, doing and saying things that made you want to yell back. It was her favorite thing to do on purpose and had become like second nature by accident. Y/N, in response, had become very good at holding her tongue over the years, and very good at calming herself when she wanted to lash out. More than once when they were children Azula had lobbed a fireball in her direction that had singed the clothes or skin it was aimed at.

“Do you remember when we first met?” Azula asked. She was lounging on a chaise near the window cleaning her nails with a sharp blade. The sun was setting behind her basking her in a glowing, warm light. It made her gold eyes brighter, gold eyes that were staring intensely at her, waiting for an answer.

“Of course I do. I came to the palace for a party with my parents,” Y/N responded. She was a ways away on Azula’s bed lying on her stomach. She flipped over and hung her head off the bed letting the blood rush to her cheeks. Azula was smirking at her.

“No, at school. When I chose you.” Azula tossed the knife she was using and it thudded into the dark wood of her door frame. A door frame that was sliced with notches of where the girls–her, Azula, Ty Lee and Mai– would measure their heights when they were younger; or where Azula would stab her knife deep in the wood, for safekeeping, she would always say.

Chose. That was a word that Y/N was familiar with. It usually meant that you were special, but to her, to Azula and the girls and Y/N’s parents, it just meant she was lucky.

“Of course I do,” Y/N repeated.

Y/N started at the Royal Fire Nation Academy for Girls later than most. She was already nearly ten and had always had a slew of private tutors. But her father had been recently promoted to Commander and it was insisted that his daughter, his progeny, had the right type of upbringing–and apparently that meant not running through the forests of Ember Island barefoot.

She not-so-fondly remembered the heavy uniform they wore, so different than her thin cotton pants and tunic she was used to. The Capital City was in the same climate as Ember Island, so why did they wear silk? It was so hot. Y/N had hated moving back to the Capital City, and out of their summer home that had become her year round home the minute her mother decided it was much better to be away from the city.

“That first week was hellish. I’d never had to listen to authority before, or hang out with children my age and suddenly that’s all I had. You saved me.”

“Saved you,” Azula scoffed. “I do remember you being quite the little heathen.”

“Hey! I just meant from lashings from the teachers,” Y/N laughed and threw a decorative pillow at Azula’s head. She caught it quick as a cat-snake with one hand and brought it to her chest.

They sat in an easy silence, Y/N wondering why Azula had brought up the moment they met. The first words that she’d ever said to Y/N echoed in her mind. “We’re going to be great friends.”

Azula wasn’t wrong when she prophesied that they were going to be great friends. Azula wasn’t necessarily the ‘welcome with open arms’ type, but she did whatever was closest to that with Y/N. She became a part of them, almost instantly. They had class together, they ate lunch together, they went back to the palace and trained together. Everything, together. Ty Lee was the most friendly of them all, she often braided Y/N’s hair over and over, taking it out and braiding it back, just to have something to do with her hands. Mai was sweet once you got past her glum exterior. Azula was, well, Azula. She was cold one minute and hot the next, literally. Her emotions changed as quickly as the weather. She might throw a fireball at your head if she was mad. But the next moment she’d sweeten you up with fruit tarts she’d stolen from the kitchen and all would be forgotten.

Y/N kept thinking about Azula’s words as she trained with one of the palace guards later that evening. He wasn’t the best with a sword, but he was a fire bender, and that gave her a better workout.

Y/N was a non-bender, but masterful with a sword. It was her father’s favorite hand to hand weapon and he had insisted on her training with it even at a young age. By the time she started at the Royal Academy, she was able to beat her trainers regularly.

Becoming friends with Azula gave her access to some of the best fighters in the Fire Nation, and even that was becoming boring.

Y/N slashed at the guards neck. He threw a fireball at her that dissipated harmlessly where she once stood. She landed in a crouch and kicked her leg out at the back of the guards knee, it buckled and he fell. She bounced to her feet and pointed the tip of her sword at the back of his neck. She saw a swatch of pale skin there which dripped with sweat. A small part of her wanted to dig her sword in and draw bright red blood.

A slow clap echoed through the courtyard that awoke her from those dark thoughts. Y/N smiled at her friend and patted the guards shoulder. “See you later.”

She jogged to join Azula who was starting to walk away. “Come to watch and fawn over me for old times sake?” Y/N giggled and wiped the sweat off her brow. She sheathed her sword and felt the familiar weight bounce against her hip.

“You give yourself far too much credit.” Y/N could tell Azula was in a good mood. A better mood than she’d seen in a while. They reached Y/N’s room and she dropped her sword on the bed.

“Why are you so chipper, ‘zula?”

The left corner of her mouth tilted up in the ghost of a smile. “Father wants to speak to you.”

Y/N’s eyes widened. “Me?”

“I think I know what it’s about but I won’t ruin the surprise. Come on, we don't want to keep him waiting.”

Y/N’s stomach turned. She’d only stood in front of the Fire Lord a handful of times. The first being the first time she traveled to the palace when she was very young. At the time she didn’t know the weight of what she was doing, now she did and she was filled with terror. What in Agni’s name could he want with her? She was just a Commander’s daughter who had befriended his daughter.

The throne room was cold despite the summer heat outside and the fire burning around the Fire Lord. It was dark as well, the black marble floor and columns absorbed the only light from the flames licking upward to their Master. The only sound was the crackling fire and the click of Y/N’s boots; Azula was always so light footed she hardly made a sound.

A drop of sweat leftover from Y/N’s workout dripped down her spine and she shivered at the feeling. Ten yards away from the throne, Y/N dropped to one knee and bowed her head. Azula bowed slightly and stood behind Y/N’s right shoulder.

“Fire Lord, it is an honor to be in your presence,” Y/N said. She could feel the heat from the flames now that she was closer. Whether from nervousness or the warmth that filled her face, she began to sweat.

“You may stand.” The Fire Lord’s voice was higher than she remembered. It didn’t fit the aura he gave off and he sounded bored. Y/N stood with her hands behind her back at attention. She didn’t want to have any excuse for Azula to chastise her when they left. “Azula tells me that you are gifted at sword fighting.”

Y/N fought the urge to send a questioning look to her friend. Azula talked to the Fire Lord about her? She stared at the black outline of his tall figure seated in his enormous chair. “I’m adequate, sire.”

“Beating every single one of my palace guards is more than what I would call adequate,” the Fire Lord remarked.

“Your palace guards are extremely well trained in fire bending but not in sword fighting, sire.” Y/N grimaced and ducked her head, cursing internally at her mouth that was too quick for her brain.

Azula chuckled softly behind Y/N. Now she did turn around to stare at her friend. She whipped her head back not knowing how disrespectful it was to turn your back on the Fire Lord.

“Azula will be leaving tomorrow for the Earth Kingdom to capture my brother, General Iroh and the Fire Prince Zuko. I want you to go with her.”

Y/N paused for a beat. Capture them? The last she heard was that they were on a pointless mission to catch the Avatar. Iroh was disgraced and went with Zuko when he was banished because Iroh couldn’t face his brother when he abdicated the throne for his failure at Ba Sing Se. What could they have done searching for a dead Avatar that could get them into more trouble? Y/N could feel Azula’s sharp nails dig into her arm behind her back and she knew she had waited too long to speak.

“It would be an honor to accompany Fire Princess Azula on this mission, My Lord.” Y/N clasped a fist in her left hand and held it below her right palm and bowed deeply.

If the Fire Lord was pleased with her, his tone didn't show it. “Wonderful. You’re dismissed.”

Y/N couldn’t get out the room fast enough.

Azula was more excitable than ever on their walk back to their rooms. She grabbed Y/N’s arms and tugged like she was a small child. “This is going to be so amazing for me, Y/N! For us!”

Azula seemed to notice Y/N’s hesitation to agree with her. This earned her a sharp look. “Don’t you want the honor and recognition that bringing home two traitors would give you? You’d be promoted higher than your father. Agni knows you’d be more deserving of the title.”

Y/N gave Azula the smile she was waiting for. “Of course. I guess I’m still a little shell shocked at the Fire Lord giving me such an amazing opportunity.”

“Well you can thank me for that.”

Y/N stopped at the door to her room. “Thank you, Azula,” she said before she could snatch the words back. Azula rounded the corner to the stairs that would take her to her room and Y/N took a deep, calming breath, working hard to push away the anger the Azula had incited.

She slid down the wall inside her room. Did Y/N want the honor and glory that Azula talked about? She should, with how she was raised, but now that it was offered on a silver platter, Y/N wasn’t so sure that it was for her. Recently, it became all Azula wanted to talk about. Training and war meetings had become her life so suddenly. And if they were Azula’s life, they were Y/N’s life as well. Y/N wasn’t allowed to sit in on the war meetings but it didn’t matter because Azula always came back to relay what happened in them. ‘Relay’ was the wrong word, more like brag about them. Azula was anything but informative when she spoke. Y/N tried to find some interest in the things the Fire Nation was accomplishing but to Y/N it just turned her stomach. She’d never admit it to anyone, especially Azula but she was sickened by the war.

When did life become this way? All about war and capturing cities and cleansing the world? She wished things were back to simpler times when the girls ran the palace wild and teased Zuko and the maids. She knew that in the past three years since Zuko’s banishment, Fire Lord Ozai had been calling on Azula more and more frequently, upping her firebending training to half the day. But Y/N never thought it would come to this.

Y/N skipped out on dinner that night, just told the maids to take the tray of roast turtle-duck back to the kitchen. Her stomach had been in knots since leaving the throne room. Her and Azula were leaving. Sure, Y/N hadn’t lived with her parents in years; this would be her fifth year of calling the palace home, but for some reason, she didn’t feel like she was going to come back.

Y/N instead slid into a hot bath that she drew for herself for once and mulled in her thoughts. As if the steam in the room was steeping her memories like tea leaves she thought of what this mission was supposed to entail. Things that happened around the palace and behind closed doors were usually hidden from her unless she heard gossip from the servants or occasionally, Azula. But she didn’t seem like she was going to give up any information about it. What did Iroh do to betray the Fire Nation? He was one of the best General’s they’d ever had, even after his defeat at Ba Sing Se. And what did Zuko do that was even worse than his banishment?

None of that matters, she told herself. Her previous ideas about the kind of men they were didn’t matter anymore. If the Fire Lord said that Zuko and Iroh needed to be captured, then that’s what needed to be done.

A/N: uh oh, settle in for more inner angst as y/n tries to figure out where her heart lies. what is more important? honor? friendship? peace?

#atla #a:tla #avatar the last airbender #avatar: the last airbender #sokka x reader #sokka x female reader #suki #katara #aang #zuko #azula #toph #toph beifong #ozai sucks #avatar resurgence #sokka x y/n #uncle iroh

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ice-assiest · 4 years

Text

wing-ferret (korra x reader) pt. 1 of 2

hello hello! ٩(｡•́‿•̀｡)۶

Authors note: this is my first korra x reader and I plan to do many more because currently she is the love of my life. But also I’ll do like any character from lok so let me know!! i would love requests and would try to do as many as I can that will fit into my schedule at uni. anyways this is the first part out of two! the second part might get a little steamy heh heh heh.

Pairing: Korra x Reader

Warnings: none for part one

✧ Childhood best friend typa deal (but it shall evolve muhahaha)

“Naga, what am I going to do?” You asked helplessly, looking deep into her polar bear dog eyes for any semblance of guidance or wisdom. Instead you saw a profound blackness that seemed devoid of thought. As she gave you a happy lick on the cheek you sighed and gave her a pat, moving on to the next confidant you had chosen.

“Okay. No help from you today. How about you Oogi?”

Oogi gave you the very telling response of the slow blink of his eyes.

“Very insightful Oogi, but not exactly what I need.” You now turned to the fire ferret, hoping the look in your eyes would indicate your need of a companion. “Pabu, please! Give me anything. Our other friends don’t want to listen today.” His ears perked up in attention as he shuffled his way over before taking a seat in front of you.

“I knew you would help!” You exclaimed, giving him soft scratch behind his ear. “Here’s the issue,” You began, taking a seat in front of him. “You know Korra? She’s the avatar, it’s kind of a big deal. Anyways. She’s leaving soon and if she leaves now I might never get the chance to tell her again!”

While your statement was a bit dramatic, it did hold a semblance of truth. You were one of the new air benders, and a pretty good one at that. After a long and arduous station in a recovering Earth kingdom city you had returned to Air Temple Island for a bit. You returned to Air Temple Island at an opportune time it seemed given that the Avatar and her friends were all gathering.

“Now why is that a problem you might ask, and what do you have to tell her you also might ask.” You said, getting up to pace around the fire ferret. “One, I think she’s really amazing.” At your words Pabu seemed to nod. “Two, uh.” You started, although your face began to grow hot. “I’ve known her a long time, we basically grew up together. It took me a while to realize it but whenever I was around her things felt different.”

Your father was one of the men Tenzin had entrusted to keep Korra safe as she mastered the elements, and he was quite proud of it. You were one of the only friends Korra had growing up besides Naga, and despite annoying you occasionally she was still your favorite of them all.

You remembered sparring with her the most, you were a non-bender at the time and prided yourself in being able to keep up with the avatar in combat. You always begged her not to go easy on you and for the most part she didn’t, she wasn’t that type of person. She was the type of person to get hyper-invested in the penguin sledding race you were having and either become extremely giddy when she won or excessively annoyed and challenge you again when she lost, and you loved that.

There’s that word again, love. You gulped as you looked towards Pabu with soft eyes. “When she left the Southern Water Tribe it hurt. A lot. That’s not her fault, it would have hurt anyways and it was best for her to leave. I just can’t help but wonder what would have happened if I had went with her.”

The day that Korra passed her fire bending exam and was permitted to begin training in air bending was momentous for the both of you.

“(Y/N)! I get to start my air bending training! Tenzin’s coming today.” She exclaimed as she slammed the door open to your uncle’s steamed dumpling shop. The power of her slam and the door against the wall caused the dumplings to fly right off of the old man in the shop’s plate.

“Oh. Sorry about that.” She said as she awkwardly scratched the back of her head and gave her signature avatar slanted smile.

“You’re the Avatar!” He said in surprise, only slightly disappointed by the lack of dumplings in front of him.

“Congratulations!” You ran towards her from behind the counter engulfing her in a big hug. She hugged back passionately, gripping you as tightly as she could. You began to get lost in her presence, her scent, the feeling of her frame against yours. Blush began to spread across your face as you felt her firm muscles against you, but also the softness of her chest.

You both pulled back slightly, looking each other in the eyes. Your heart felt as if it were going to burst out of your chest and you wondered if she felt it too. There was something so sweet about her face, about the way she looked at you with her blue eyes. It made your chest feel tight.

“How did you even get here? You shouldn’t be sneaking out so much!” You whispered with a smile, your love struck eyes still holding her gaze.

Despite your words you knew fairly well that she could handle the guards as you thought back to the time she had gotten in trouble for fighting a group of them – and winning might you add – although she would never tell you why.

“Don’t worry about that.” She said, pausing before looking you over. Embarrassed you averted your gaze to look downwards. “You’re my best friend. I love you, you know that right? I always will.”

There it went. You were pretty sure you watched your heart soar out of your chest and into the heavens. Instead of responding you just hugged her harder, nuzzling yourself in the crook of her neck.

I could stay here forever. You thought to yourself, although it seemed fate had other plans

“Uh. Not to interrupt, but could I get the check?” The old man asked as he looked at the two of you with questioning eyes.

“Yes, yes. Of course, I’m sorry! I’ll throw some extra dumplings in for the road.”

After that day, well she was pretty much gone. You desperately wanted to go with her but you had responsibilities in the water tribe. She had them elsewhere, it pained you but it seemed like fate just didn’t want the two of you together. You saw her once a year later while visiting your aunt in Republic City, before her battle against Vaatu. She was with someone who was seemingly her boyfriend and a very pretty woman who appeared to be her friend.

In that moment your heart froze wondering what to do. You hadn’t spoken to her in so long and didn’t want to intrude but at the same time the Korra that you knew would have been happy if you did.

The fire nation boy leaned closer to her and grabbed her hand as they walked. You looked at Korra and the two people surrounding her, they were definitely cooler than you. Your heart fell as you watched them at the table across from you and your aunt in the park, they seemed to be getting ready to go.

Maybe she’d be embarrassed to see me with her new friends. You thought, still contemplating whether you were going to say something. Then she looked up, Korra had locked eyes with you. The same warm eyes that looked at you as she told you she loved you, although now she was looking at you with confusion splayed across her face.

Her friends were already up and about to leave. When she noticed you were looking back she quickly got up to join them as well, her boyfriend giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. You saw her mouth move to tell him something and then both their eyes were on you again while attempting to be indiscreet. Keyword being attempted. You noticed and it haunted you for the longest time, maybe she really was embarrassed to see you in public.

“Anyways, the next time I saw her was here. I haven’t said anything yet and I don’t think she’s seen me but I need to air my grievances Pabu.” The ferret moved to nuzzle up besides you and you thanked him by petting him softly. “Also, I think the biggest problem is. I still have feeling for her.”

“You like Korra!?” You jumped in surprise, looking at Pabu with your mouth agape before realizing it was not the fire ferret that spoke but instead a wide-eyed earth bender. Gasping you stumbled backwards as you instinctively air bended at Bolin. His eyes widened as the gust of air had thrust him backwards causing him to land on his behind. Feeling bad you rushed over, inspecting him as he rubbed the back of his head.

“You shouldn’t spy on people like that!”

“(Y/N)! No, no, no, no! It wasn’t anything like that I swear! I was just looking for Pabu and then I heard you speaking and-” He prattled on. You looked at him and sighed knowing he wouldn’t be the type of person to do something like that. The two of you had gotten to know each other very well when your paths had collided in the Earth Kingdom.

“Just don’t tell anyone, okay?” You asked hesitantly, scanning the man who now held a deep deep secret of yours.

“Don’t worry (Y/N), my lips are sealed.” He said as he made a motion of zipping up his mouth with his hands. For some reason you didn’t fully trust him. “Some call me Bolin, the master of keeping secrets.” He continued.

“Yeah, yeah. I get it, just please Bolin promise me.” His eyes softened as he heard your voice waver.

“I promise. Plus, this might be the best accident to ever happen to you.” Your eyebrows shot up at his response.

“How so?”

“Because you now have the best wing-man and wing-ferret on your case, and I’ve got a plan.”

You watched as Bolin smiled excitedly, ready to tell you his plan. You knew it might not be the wisest to go with it but as you thought of Korra you sighed. What other option did you have?

“Okay. I’m in.”

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hello-nichya-here · 3 years

Note

"Not only Mai and Ty Lee weren't harmed after betraying Azula but their families also. Even though Azula could've ordered to punish them all." You know, Ultranos has a really interesting post saying if The Fire Nation is anything like the nations/time periods it takes inspiration from, Azula should have and would have been legally mandated to not only execute them, but their entire families alongside their other friends and acquaintances as well. 1/2

Also, I am pretty sure Ozai had changed the punishment for treason from death or life in prison to just death there is also a question of how Azula managed to hide that she had only imprisoned Mai & Ty Lee when Ozai would have wanted their deaths. Especially Mai's considering she had helped several high-value prisoners escape, including Zuko who was seeking his death. Could the above be why Ozai left Azula behind during Sozin's Comet/took her out from his circle of trust? 2/2

***

I doubt any of this is what actually happened for one simple reason: Iroh is a traitor, and he was imprisoned, not killed, despite being the actual heir, and therefore Ozai's biggest political threat.

"But Ozai he'd change the penalty before shooting lightning at Zuko" a few words that nobody but Zuko heard is hardly an official change in law by the Fire Lord, and the treason he was refering to was killing a Fire Lord and the punishment Ursa got was banishment - which she only got because Ozai was in on the ploy to kill Azulon. Anyone else and in any other circumstance would have been killed. We just cannot take that scene as evidence that Ozai changed any laws.

As for why he left Azula behind, it is quite clear: he wanted the glory to win the war all to himself - plus, even though he was full of shit when said it to her, he did need to make sure the capital city was safe, so making Azula, one of the strongest benders ever, stay behind wasn't likely to cause any problems.

Now, back to the whole execution thing: we saw nothing to suggest there was any law that meant an entire family would be executed unless the entire family had commited treason - and again, different types of treason get different punishments. And I remind you: Iroh was the heir AND Ozai's personal rival, yet he was imprisoned, not killed. The Fire Nation, and the Avatar world in general, has some simmilarities with the real world and real cultures, but it is NOT a copy or direct parallel, and it simply doesn't operate under the same rules - which makes sense when you notice every nation incorporates many aspects of different cultures, so keeping everything the same was impossible.

But by far the most damming evidence that Azula was under no obligation to execute her friends is on the very scene when they "betray" her - a guard explicitly asks her what they should do with them. And when Azula tells them to imprison her former friends, there's no questions asked, no confusion, no "but the Fire Lord said", no hesitation, absolutely nothing to suggest that Azula wasn't allowed to choose their punishment.

While that means Azula wasn't getting herself in trouble by sparing her friends, it doesn't change the fact that she did spare them. And that neither them, nor Suki, seemed to have been harmed in any way, despite them all being at The Boiling Rock. It says a lot about Azula that this is how she treats her prisoners - two who had deeply hurt her, and a third that she could not care less about. Add in her telling the warden to stop torturing a prisoner, and her chosing to banish people instead of harming them in any way (despite her being at her lowest moment and in a completely unhinged state) and we see that she is far less cruel than people think.

#asks #azula meta #fire nation #fire nation meta #atla #ozai #iroh #fire nation royal family #azula

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hyper-super-clover · 3 years

Text

Obey me! x Avatar the last airbeder/ Avatar the legend of Korra

I thought about what elements the Obey me characters would be able to bend in the universe of ATLA/ ATLOK, so here´s a list of their elements, sub elements and their preferred fighting style!

If you don´t know the show, here´s a short list of the elements (although I highly recommend watching the series they´re amazing)

Fire bending (can be trained into lightning- & combustion-bending)

Water bending (can be trained into ice-, steam-, plant- and blood-bending)

Air bending (can be trained to fly or project your spirit)

Earth bending (can be trained into metal- or lava-bending and for seismic sense)

Have fun reading and let me know what you think!!

Lucifer

Element: Fire (white-blue flames)

Sub element: Lightning

Fighting style: mainly fighting with lightning, it's more elegant and deadly, and those words are basically the definition of papa Luci. Legends say that once when Lucifer was angered enough, he casted a whole storm to let lightning go down on the whole land.

His white-blue fire is known to be the hottest type of flames, with Lucifer being able to keep their heat on this level for as long as the flames are burning.

"Fire as well as lightning shall be treated with care and used with dignity. Also, if you keep your cool in battle, you can watch as your enemy gets toasted by your attacks, and I personally very much enjoy this satisfaction."

Mammon

Element: Air

Sub element: mild form of flight

Fighting style: "Korra style", basically the more modern way to airbend as shown in the legend of Korra: specifically more forward and for combat (attacking and approaching enemies), for dragging enemies through the air as Mammon pleases.

Although flight is an extremely rare and spiritual ability, somehow the goof Mammon is able to fly short distances without a glider or other tools.

"Livin' like a true air nomad? Nah, that ain't like me. How am I able to fly, then? Well, I'm THE great Mammon after all!"

Levi

Element: Water

Sub element: Ice, steam

Fighting style: prefers to attack with waves of pure water, but when his envy kicks in, he might switch to freezing it (when self-loathing) or boiling it (when angered in envy).

As he loves being engulfed in water, he has perfected moving and diving in the ocean.

"I like being in the ocean... The water wraps around you like a tight but soft hug... A-ah, n-nothing, I would never say anything cheesy like this...!!"

Satan

Element: Fire

Sub element: Combustion

Fighting style: much like his anger can occur in explosive rushes, so does his element as combustion bending shoots a beam of explosive energy at whoever Satan wants to see dead. The explosions become larger the angrier he is, but also harder to control.

Yes, he has this fancy third eye tattoo where he shoots the explosions out of, period.

Technically very skilled in bending fire but dislikes using it (as it reminds him of Lucifer)

"What are you staring at? Do I look this strange to you? Well, if it's that irritating to be near me, I could blast you into pieces."

Asmo

Element: Water

Sub element: Plant bending

Fighting style: not really into fighting, but if he does he uses vines with thorns to whip his enemies asses (preferably in the literal sense hehe). He keeps the vines entagled around his body to always have some with him, and let's them bloom to make it/ himself more beautiful.

Is actually better at bending plants than regular water, even though the pure element should be the easiest to bend.

"Water inside plants is sweeter, which is just like me!", is his explanation for this.

Beel

Element: Earth

Sub element: Seismic sense

Fighting style: Due to his physique he is able to bend massive amounts of stone at once, yeeting those at his enemies. His powers decrease the hungrier he is, but peak once he enters his hungered rage. God help the mountains around him if that happens, they might be pulled of the ground if they are in the way between Beel and his food.

As he is rather calm and dislikes initiating fights, he learned to listen to the earth, his seismic sense helping him detect objects connected to the ground through vibrations.

"If you stay calm and feel your surroundings, you'll find yourself with many advantages in life... For me, it's the ability to detect the nearest food, hehe..."

Belphie

Element: Earth

Sub element: Sand

Fighting style: likes the fast attacks that are possible when bending sand, it's lighter and better to form than solid ground.

Probably his favourite move is to swirl the sand up to disturb his opponents vision while he himself isn't hindered by it at all. If no sand around, he prefers to use smaller rocks and uses them as projectiles.

"Direct combat is too tiring... I'd rather annoy my enemies until they are sick of fighting me. Everyone hates sand in their eyes, right?"

Diavolo

Element: Earth

Sub element: Lava

Fighting style: In my personal AU that is currently forming in my head, Diavolo is the earth prince and thus rarely gets to fight, but oh boy can he beat you up if he wants to. For his size, he is surprisingly agile as he utilizes his earth bending to move. His attacks are mostly through lava bending, a technique which he came up with himself after thinking about how water benders can change their element's state of aggregation. With lava, he keeps his enemies where he wants them to be, to then bombard his enemies with lava projectiles.

"Don't be shy, come a little closer! I might be a prince, but there is no need to be afraid... If I wanted to battle you, you would have already found yourself in a pit of lava!"

Barbatos

Element: Earth

Sub element: Metal, truth seer

Fighting style: This sly mf keeps shreds of metal on his body at any time to be able to shoot them at enemies (kind of like Mai with her knifes). Not an aggressive fighter, rather he waits for the opponent's move, analysing them to then attack with whatever metal is around, or through earth bending, if more effective.

His truth seeing is a form of seismic sense that specialises in sensing another's breathing and heart rate, making him the perfect guard for the earth prince Diavolo.

"I seem to sense an increase in your heart rate... Are you lying or simply thrilled to see me, hm~?"

Simeon

Element: Water

Sub element: healing, spirit bending

Fighting style: Simeon barely ever has to fight, his role in the tribe is a spiritual, not a warrior one. He has magnificent healing skills and is highly spiritual, so fighting is just not his cup of tea. All techniques he is able to do are traditional figures that are passed over generations in the water tribes.

He uses the techniques for 'dances' rather than combat, when pacifying evil spirits or to communicate with and befriend good ones.

Sub element: mild form of spiritual projection

Is able to travel to the spirit world, helps keeping the balance between the human and spirit world.

"Bending is so much more than a weapon to hurt your enemies. Come, I will show you my favourite spiritual place and tell you about the beauty of elements and spirits."

Luke

Element: Air

Fighting style: "Aang style", defensive and keeping his distance. Dodging until finding a weak point, however if you annoy litte Luke, he might switch to a more direct fighting style. With this reckless fighting style, Luke likes to disturb his opponents balance, his satisfaction big when he, a tiny boy, can blow grown-ups off their feet.

Solomon

He loves spirits, so he had always given it his all to get into the spirit world, successfully. Now, he is working on a technique to move his soul unbound by his body. Up to now he can drastically increase his sense (see and hear) through sensing through the wind around him, but he couldn't give his spirit an intangible form yet.

"If you can exist outside your body in the spirit world, it has to be possible here, too! Watch me, I will figure out how to do it one day!!"

Element: Water

Sub element: blood

"You know, technically, air nomads could bend the air carried by your blood cells... Earth benders the minerals and ions in your blood... So basically, blood bending is a really... Huh? What do you mean you're scared of me? I'm harmless, I swear~"

Fighting style: Don't worry, I know blood bending is always treated as the worst thing ever, but Solomon rarely ever relies on his blood bending skill for combat, even though he is able to use it outside of full moon nights, too. He knows a lot about the human body, so he can actually use those skills to heal and help people! (Or well, potentially, he could cause all your blood vessels to burst, but... That is only an option... Maybe... Mostly...)

He is talented with water and ice enough to fight bending those, will use those in the most annoying ways he can.

Bonus: My two MCs Violet and Clover

Element: none

Clover

Weapon: Bow and arrows

Fighting style: Clover tought herself how to use the bow in her free time in case she ever needs to defend herself. Other than that, she wasn't born with any bending abilities, but is, just like Simeon, very spiritually talented and helps him with his work. Wishes to be able to travel to the spirit world one day.

She can hear and see spirits that have escaped into the human world and has made it her task to ensure they return to their home safely.

"H-huh? Ah, don't mind me, I'm not special at all... But wouldn't you like to meet my ghost friends? They have so many fascinating stories to tell."

Violet

Element (learned): fire (mastered), earth (only a little)

Element (yet to learn/ master): water, air, earth

Fighting style: Avatar alerrrt. Yes, this amazing lady would be the avatar of this generation. Born in the fire nation, she has mastered bending fire at young age. Given the right ground (e.g. volcanic stone), Violet has a unique technique of colouring her flames as the bends tiniest fragments of metals and minerals along with the flames. For that she lets the fire touch the ground and burns the metals in her motion. The minerals cause the different flame colorations and showed that she is indeed the avatar. Has yet to learn bending the three other elements.

Lucifer was her teacher for mastering fire bending, and she was taught to fight with a sword, too.

"I may be capable of bending every element, but I still have a long way to go. My homeland has taught me the arts of fire and the sword, but now it is time for me to learn the arts of the rest of the world."

---------------------------------------

Thank you so much for reading!! If you´d like to hear more about this concept I can come up with backstories for each character! Just let me know if you´d be interested~

#obeyme #atla #atlok #obey me #obey me leviathan #obey me asmo #obey me beel #obey me belphie #obey me lucifer #obey me mammon #obey me satan #obey me shall we date

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guiltysecretpasttime · 3 years

Text

Linzin week day 1: Earthquake

Linzin Week Day 1: Earthquake

Linzin/ semi-AU/ one-shot

Note: This is very loosely linked to the prompt. Hope you accept this short and humble contribution to Linzin week. 🙇🏽‍♂️

You may read also on A03.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/33584422

---

Little did he know that the moment they locked eyes on the sky bison, everything was about to change.

---

Feeling the tremors.

It had crept up to him, unnoticed and maybe a bit unwanted.

The more frequent interactions, brought about by the Avatar’s unwitting adventures, threw him and caught him unawares.

It had been easy for them to go back to old times where they worked fluidly and effectively. They always did work well at a professional capacity.

Don’t get him wrong, Chief Beifong had always been efficient and unbiased in her work and dealings with the council, whether or not it was in dealing with him and the Air Nation constituents. It was him, Tenzin, that was mortifyingly awkward at best and downright unbearable at his worst. Which was understandable, one of his siblings would quip, since he was the one who brought this upon them anyway.

It became easier as time passed but it was only after Korra’s arrival did any interaction became remotely comfortable.

It must have been the long late nights they had spent poring over the documents that would help put Equalists and their sympathizers in jail but he could not help himself.

And so he asked, one dinner time at city hall, as they pored over the documents, the rest of the councilmen a couple of tables away, what changed with them.

Chief Beifong raised an eyebrow. “Well, I figured that once I saw your wife give birth to your son – nothing could be more uncomfortable than that.”

He had laughed at that and offered her his share of spring rolls.

But deep inside he thought that it was Lin jumping off the airship for his family that changed everything.

As always, airbender that he is, he did not say anything.

---

At the epicenter.

There was a light tapping on his forehead.

Very gentle. Very familiar. And yet…

Good. It meant he wasn’t dead yet.

Or did it?

He remembered Zaheer and his henchmen taking turns at him.

He remembered with horror as Asami and Bolin arrived in the trap set by the Red Lotus.

He vaguely recall leaning over on Lin.

But that’s impossible. Lin couldn’t have been there…

The tapping on his arrow stopped.

“Don’t die on me.” A raspy voice whispered. “There are still things unsaid.”

Lin.

He struggled to open his eyes. Everything felt heavy.

Something creaked open. A door maybe.

“Chief,” An unfamiliar voice spoke from that direction. “It’s time for your procedure.”

Procedure? What kind of procedure? He wanted to ask, he wanted to respond but it was so tiring and it was so painful…and he let the sweet unconsciousness come over him.

The next day (or so he had been informed), he finally got clearance to get up from his bed. And so he did, at the dead of the night to avoid any stares or questions. He gingerly leaned on the staff that Jinora had given him.

He had to see her.

He needed to see she was fine.

He heard the complete story from one of Suyin’s guards, after much prodding and prying. He learned about how Zaheer was subdued, he learned about the demise of the Red Lotus’ waterbender and he learned about how the Beifong sisters tag teamed the combustion bender. Su had dropped by earlier and was mostly unscathed.

What worried him was how he evaded his questions about Lin’s well-being.

And so now, he gently pushed the door to Lin Beifong’s room open.

Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw.

He knew Lin was in close contact most of the attacks of the combustion bender. And he knew she had fought with firebenders in all her years at the force but… he supposed the combustion bender was a different kind of intensity.

Lin was covered in bindings and gauze that he recognized as the type that Kya and his mother would use for burns. How bad would it have to be for the heat to penetrate the metal… would the metal have stuck to her skin?

He could not imagine how much that might have hurt and yet…

He distinctly recalled Lin sitting by his bedside…

Awkwardly, he hobbled over to the chair beside her.

He groaned in relief as he sat down.

“Airhead?”

Tenzin twisted to face the bed, one green eye peering at him from the dark.

“I’m sorry, did I wake you?”

“No, not really, it’s all might unpleasant.” Lin attempted to shake her head then grimaced. “No good sleeping position, unless I ask them to up the anesthesia.”

He simply nodded.

“Is there something you wanted to talk about?” Lin’s soft yet sardonic voice cut through the silence that fell between them.

“Uh,” Tenzin searched his head for anything. “No?”

“Really. I would have thought there was something for you to hop over to my room at the dead of the night. And I’m sure it wasn’t for the same reason you used to do so back in the day.”

“Wha-what-Lin -no!” He sputtered in embarrassment, thankful for the dark so that his reddening countenance does not catch her attention.

Lin started to laugh but was interrupted by a moan of pain.

“Are you alright, Lin?” He leaned forward against the bed, wanting to ease her up if needed.

“I’m fine, I just forgot I’m not all there yet.” She weakly waved up her hand, all white and hidden under the gauze.

Tenzin caught it.

She squeezed back.

I’m thankful you’re alive.

I could have lost you.

There were many things he could have told her then.

But, he didn’t.

----

Riding the aftershocks.

No one realized there was anything wrong until they needed the Chief of Police to arrest Kuvira.

In the end, they relied on one of her subordinates who was on the scene, and everyone went about their way.

Nonetheless, the sense of foreboding would not escape Tenzin.

“Su, where did you land?”

“A little way over there.” That was the distracted response as Suyin listened to the police officer tell her about the next steps of Kuvira’s incarceration.

Tenzin felt his blood turn to ice.

He rushed in the direction that Su pointed out.

It was highly unlike Lin not to join them, not at this momentous situation where her expertise would be needed.

The gigantic arm of the colossus lay battered and out of place in the wreckage of the park. Wires and twisted metals littered the perimeter. The ground was upturned, the pavement cracked and trees were uprooted.

The airbender thought it would take long to find the missing earthbender when he spotted a figure, still seemingly trapped within the confines of the metal arm.

“No-no-no-no!” His voice came out choked as he inspected Lin Beifong’s unconscious body. “Lin! Lin!”

Both of her arms were useless, both were at odd limp angles that he could only imagine were a result of being tossed about with great force.

The metal brace around her torso had another curvature beside her.

Tenzin surmised Lin might have secured her sister first before herself.

He bit back a scream of frustration.

The woman was too selfless for her own good.

Ignoring the trickle of blood coming from her lip, Tenzin moved swiftly, searching for a pulse.

It was very faint.

Hold on, Lin. Hold on.

“No. Lin, hold on.” He pulled with all his might as he sought to dislodge Lin from beneath the metal brace. A few more air blades and Lin tumbled from fixture.

He ran. He tried to disregard the almost undiscernible breathes from the woman he carried in his arms.

By some miracle, one of the smaller hospitals in the city remained unscathed by the entire invasion. And by another miracle, Tenzin found himself heading there, possibly by muscle memory alone. When he was younger, he had memorized all routes to all the city’s clinics and hospitals. Having had a girlfriend in the police force made this knowledge very useful.

---

“We will take her from here, Master Tenzin.”

It was just that he did not think that this would come to use decades later in their life.

He would have been hard pressed to tell anyone how much time passed since he was told that the long surgery was completed.

It had not been clear if her arms would go back to normal. All he had cared about that she was alive.

Everything else were just details.

---

There was a shudder from the ground and the light fixtures swayed.

There was an earthquake, possibly brought about by the disturbance that the colossus made. And it was followed by some aftershocks.

The staff of the hospital was mobilized quickly as news came by that some buildings continued to collapse.

The airbender stayed put, sitting in vigil, holding the unconscious earthbender’s hand.

It soon turned to nightfall.

Tenzin had been away for hours and no one had found them or even come to get them.

One of the healers assigned to them, he recognized as the sister of one of the new airbenders, had helped secure them a semi-private room. He was grateful for that. He could not stand anyone gawking at Lin at her vulnerable state.

He just wished she woke up soon.

He leaned back on the uncomfortable hospital chair.

And so, the world continued to turn…

Belatedly, he realized that they were expendable.

Their time has passed.

It was a bitter truth that he had struggled to swallow ever since the first airbender unrelated to his blood line popped up.

To what end were all their fights, the tragedy that was their relationship?

And now, even as the city fell, the city she sought to protect, the city they grew up in – no one cared for her welfare. No one cared to search for her. And, he scoffed, they had all the resources to find her. They just…didn’t.

His hand crept and held her palm, now clean though still scratched and calloused.

He ignored how cold it was. Instead, he focused on her laborious breathing.

“As long as you’re breathing, it’s not over, Lin.”

It’s not over.

We’re not over.

You have to wake up.

His breath caught as two green eyes blinked at him.

He will not fail her. Not again. Not this time.

---

Note: Not my best work but hope it works. Let me know what you think

#linzin #linzin2021 #lin beifong #tenzin #linzin fanfic

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stonesparrow · 3 years

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For the dr.stone x atla crossover I feel that even if Hyoga is or was a soldier in the fire army he wouldn’t have liked the idea of a nations worth of centuries of knowledge pasted down through generations being wiped of the face of the earth.

I just had a thought Hyoga could be a soldier in the fire army but he could also be a master instructor at his own dojo he inherited from his master kinda like master Piandao. He’s still a fire bender though.

Also I think I would be a cute and funny plot twist if he has a daughter who is still young but old enough to help fight and strong enough to thanks her dad training her. I think he’d be the same tough and cold character he is but he’s surprisingly tender, caring, gental, and kind to her in his own way that would just make the characters in the dr.stone universe jaws hit the floor lol.

Ah, you do have a point with Hyoga likely being disappointed that the knowledge of airbending was lost to genocide - all those ancient techniques would probably be really fascinating to him as a martial artist. Though I can also see him buying into the Fire Nation’s imperialist message of “we are the strongest nation, so we should rule over all the weaker nations.”

I like your idea that Hyoga is a fighting instructor, with his values he’d probably be something like Zuko in skillset - he puts a lot of effort into firebending, but also into spearfighting since he deeply respects the nonbender master who taught it to him. At the same time he has no time for people who either don’t take it seriously or are too weak to make a difference.

(More under the cut because this got long)

Him having a kid is an interesting plot twist and while it’s more twisty than I’d expect, I’m kind of intrigued by the potential it has. Though that also brings up the question of who the kid’s mom is, and when the kid was born (I estimate Hyoga’s age in DCST to be around 20-22). Homura maybe? Like...perhaps Hyoga and Homura were both fairly high class and had an arranged marriage, but while Homura fell in love with him as they grew up together Hyoga only respected her as a friend and fellow fighter.

And then if they had a daughter (maybe pressured by both their parents to produce an heir of some sort) it could make them both more complex characters. If the kid was really strong though I’d lean more towards an Ozai-Azula like dynamic with Hyoga impressing his values of “only the strong and skilled deserve to live,” onto her. Plus if we’re keeping relative canon ages then I’d estimate Homura to be 20, Hyoga to be 22, and their daughter to be 2 by the time Team Avatar shows up in the Fire Nation to do their thing.

However...I can see some potential with the kid turning out physically weak, and that throwing Hyoga’s values into wack.

Let’s say the toddler was born healthy and strong and an assessment by some Fire Sages said that she’d become an extremely powerful bender - this pleases Hyoga, since he can’t imagine having fathered a weak child with him and Homura’s combined firebending ability. And indeed, by the time the kid is two she shows signs of firebending power well beyond her age group, with Hyoga planning to train her into an extraordinarily strong warrior.

Except with such a strong fire at such a young age, the little girl suddenly falls terribly ill, having raging fevers and struggling to breathe. Hyoga’s ideals would tell him that such an ill child will die, and that’s that, the weak and ill perish while the strong survive. But he finds himself insisting that the kid will survive, because she’s strong, she has to survive. She’ll recover and become the strongest firebender this side of the Nation, not die a weakling.

Some time later, the Gaang shows up to Hyoga’s town to resupply. Pre-Zuko joining but maybe somewhere between meeting Piandao and encountering Combustion Man? Aang decides to visit the local firebending dojo (rip Sokka’s nerves) because hey, he wants to see some firebending techniques from actual benders, and he can tooooootally handle staying low key this time, honest! He encounters Hyoga and gets a fair bit intimidated by him, though Hyoga seems to approve of “Kuzon’s” highly adaptive martial arts style.

At some point, a messenger comes and Hyoga slips away. Being nosy, Aang follows them and catches enough of the conversation to determine that there’s a sick kid living in that fancy mansion, and relays his concerns to the Gaang. Katara immediately wants to investigate further - Sokka is again very stressed but understands that he can’t stop his sister once she’s made a decision (plus this is post Painted Lady and Katara is even more determined not to let children suffer if she can do anything about it). But when she tries the front entrance, the guards won’t let her in, even when she says she’s a healer. In fact, they deny that there’s a sick child at all, while Aang insists he didn’t hear wrong.

So Aang and Katara, ever the problem solvers, break into the mansion (airbending is super useful!) and find the kid’s bedroom. Katara assesses the patient - she determines that even with her waterbending, the kid will likely suffer from complications her whole life due to the damage she’s already sustained. Hyoga suddenly appears, asking them how they got into his house (he’s actually very curious, since they seemed to enter silently and without alerting anyone). When Katara excuses herself and says she’s a healer from the colonies (Aang’s explanation for how Katara has “special healing techniques unlike any other”) and just wanted to help, Hyoga says that he doesn’t need a healer, and that the girl will recover soon. Katara starts to argue and Hyoga starts insinuating that he could easily beat her in combat, when Homura shows up, pleading with Katara to save her daughter.

Hyoga and Homura start arguing, with Homura saying this may be their last chance and Hyoga saying that a true daughter of his would be able to fight off the sickness alone. Homura eventually asks if he’d rather have a dead daughter than a weak one, which makes him go quiet (Aang and Katara are standing there awkwardly watching all of this). Hyoga then calmly says that since they seem to be at a standstill, the reasonable course of action is an Agni Kai (Aang goes pale at this, while Katara doesn’t actually know what that is).

In the courtyard the Gaang watches anxiously as Hyoga and Homura begin their duel, which results in quite a few impressive displays of firebending. Homura however seems to be holding back slightly, more on the run than attacking. At one point Homura gets thrown on her back and nearly burnt, but Katara calls out to her, saying she has to win for the kid. She gets back up and starts attacking Hyoga with renewed resolve, and even Hyoga is surprised.

Hyoga realizes that as loyal as Homura is to him, she really is doing her best to win, even coming at him with direct shots of flame now. And since this is still Hyoga, he respects that deeply - she’s doing things “properly,” even though she doesn’t want to. He even respects that Katara was so dedicated to her role as a healer that she broke into his house just on the mere mention that there was a sick child there.

And in the very bottom of his heart, despite all the talk of strength and weakness and who deserves to live, he has a hard time realizing that he doesn’t want his daughter to die, even if it means she’ll be weak and reliant on others her whole life. This might be a little OOC for canon Hyoga, but hey, it’s an au and maybe if canon Hyoga did have something small and weak to protect, he’d be less of an ass to Senku and company.

So at a key moment in the battle, Hyoga pauses for a split second instead of dodging a blast from Homura and allows himself to be grazed on the chin, reminiscent of his revival scars in canon. It’s not a bad burn, and those watching closely realize that he let her win. Hyoga turns to leave, only saying that Katara will be compensated for her healing services and that they truly did things “properly.”

Katara heals the girl, saying that the fever is gone but her lungs are damaged and she’ll have breathing problems from now on. She’s paid a small sack of gold by a servant that she initially refuses, but takes in the end since it’d probably be good to have extra Fire Nation currency on hand. The Gaang leaves the mansion feeling...a little conflicted about the experience, honestly.

Meanwhile as Homura sits by the girl’s bedside Hyoga appears in the doorway, having treated his burn from the duel. An awkwardly long silence passes before Hyoga says he’s been thinking about the skills that "Kuzon” and “Sapphire” displayed, and that he’s considering buying a home in the colonies so he can learn about those types of skills (since Aang claimed they were from the colonies). He turns to leave, but not before offhandedly saying that the seaside air in the colonies he’s looked at might be good for their daughter’s lungs.

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avatar-state-kate · 4 years

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Get By With a Little Help From My Friends: The Role of Others in Mako and Bolin’s Character Development

In my dual character analysis of Mako and Bolin -here- I discussed how Mako and Bolin’s personalities informed the others. In that original meta I brought up how the two experienced the most growth in season 4, a season they mostly spent apart. Now while I do believe this separation contributed to this growth that is not to say either brother was alone.

Here I want to explore how the primary relationships the brothers had in season 4 facilitated either brothers respective arcs.

Bolin and Varrick: Partners in Crime

As discussed in my first essay Bolin has a tendency to attach himself to strong (read:controlling) personality types and his friendship with Varrick is no different with Varrick taking on the leadership position and Bolin the follower. Varrick comes up with the scheme and Bolin goes along with it, and in season 4 the scheme is working for Kuvira.

For Varrick this is a job, as he heads her engineering department. For Bolin however, while working under the direction of others this is an opportunity to help people. At the very start of Bolins storyline we are meant to doubt the validity of this claim- is Bolin really helping people or does Kuvira kind of seem like a dictator? Opal outright argues this point when the two meet in the earth kingdom province Kuvira is “helping”.

Bolin’s inability to see this is in character, Kuvira and Varrick are in charge and both are telling Bolin that what they are doing is right so he’ll listen (growing up on the streets there would not have been room for negotiation with Mako). However, once the truth becomes too much to ignore and Bolin wants to defect it is Varrick who leads the charge, as Bolin initially attempts to leave the army without upsetting Kuvira (read: people pleasing tendencies).

It is not until Varricks attempted joint suicide that we see a shift in Bolin’s character, it is this moment and not the realization of Kuvira’s true nature that is Bolin’s characters inciting incident. While Varrick takes the charge in rigging the spirit gun explosion this is where his plan ends, if they are going to live through this Bolin is going to have to take charge and save them- he will have to become the protector.

Outside of the lab and without Zhu-li, Varrick is essentially a child, literally needing to be carried by Bolin. Rescueing Varrick marks a role reversal where Bolin becomes the leader/provider rather then the follower/dependent role he usually fills.

When the pair comes across the escaped water benders and Firebenders from Kuvira’s prison camps, it is Bolin who makes the decision to stick with them and fight the earth kingdom soldiers despite Varrick ordering they retreat, and it his Bolin who makes the call to stick with them and sail to republic city despite Varrick not wanting to.

In needing to take care of Varrick, to be the parent, Bolin develops a greater sense of autonomy.

Bolin and Opal: I Want You Back

Working for Kuvira resulted in a rift between Bolin and Opal. Prior to this falling out with Opal the only character Bolin has had a falling out with in the series was Mako during season 2 when he did not believe that Varrick was responsible for orchestrating the attack on the southern water tribe cultural center. Despite this resulting in Mako ending up in prison, once released Mako was quick to forgive Bolin no questions asked. Bolin has never had to earn Mako’s forgiveness, but Opal will not be won back so easily.

Not only does Opal refuse to just forgive Bolin, but where Mako would give guidance by telling him exactly what he should do, Opal only says he’s going to have to do better then a picnic. Bolin needs to come up with a solution to his own problems, he needs to take control.

This leads to the events of operation Beifong, a rescue mission that Bolin orchestrated. The rescue involves Bolin recruiting Lin and Toph, having the foresight to bring cables for Wing and Wei to aid in the escape once freed, and deciding to stay behind to rescue Zhu-li. Although working as a member of a team this is hardly the soldier Bolin who was working for Kuvira, he is a contributor not just a follower.

In summary, having to take care of Varrick and win back Opal helped Bolin to develop the ability to take initiative and care of himself without needing the direction of others.

Mako and Wu: Meeting in the Middle

Rather then forcing Mako into a completely opposite position, as Bolin’s relationships with Varrick and Opal do, Wu instead meets Mako halfway.

Throughout the series Mako is shown to be a natural caregiver as a result of being a parentified child. While this is maladaptive in the wrong contexts (read: overprotective) as Wu’s bodyguard it is literally Mako’s job to protect Wu. Not only is it Mako’s job, but it is a facet of Mako’s character that Wu is receptive to- compare Mako trying to protect Korra in season 2, most clearly represented in Korra’s negative response to Mako promising Tonraq he would protect him before he left the expedition to the SWT spirit portal, with Wu’s response to Mako, Asami, and Korra’s rescue mission. Where Mako’s protective tendencies resulted in fights between him and Korra, (her own trauma of being raised in a compound for her protection interacting poorly with Mako’s here), Wu is very happy to have Mako save him. Wu’s desire to be cared for is also apparent in the recurring joke of him asking to be carried and his catch phrase “Wu down”- Wu wants to have someone there to take care of him.

However, while he likes to be cared for Wu doesn’t want to rely solely on Mako. This is evidenced in asking Mako for defence lessons as well as his decision to abdicate, which shows he wants to properly lead (read: take care of) the earth kingdom. In this way Mako can fulfill his emotional need to be needed while not also having to be responsible for Wu.

Another issue Mako grapples with is control, he needs to insert himself into a leadership role, again see Wu’s rescue. However in being Wu’s body guard Mako cannot be the boss, Wu is. This is the point of most of Mako’s early irritation with Wu, Wu doesn’t have to listen to him and he cannot control him. Mako’s need to control stems from his need to protect, however Mako fails as a protector when he doesn’t listen to Wu, Wu tells him to escort him to the bathroom and he says no. Wu’s kidnapping is a harsh lesson in the need to defer control, and ultimately helps Mako to relinquish control. This is best shown when Mako allows Wu to take over the radio announcement to initiate the evacuations- Mako lets Wu take control. While Mako needs to learn to relinquish control Wu needs to learn to step up as a leader, something he initially has little interest in doing, which Mako points out to him. In taking control of the radio broadcast and later leading the evacuation at the train station Wu learns to lead.

Finally, Mako has difficulty tending to his emotional needs. Wu does not have this issue, as he is fairly open about what he feels and needs, the best example is Wu’s breakdown at little ba sing we mall, as he 1 has no restraint in expressing himself and 2 has no problem reaching out to Mako (“carry me”). Wu’s emotionality if anything is selfish as he lets his emotions take over the situation, his anger incited a mob at the mall. Compare to Mako who keeps his emotions to himself to prevent them being a burden or upsetting others.

Mako also has an outburst at little ba sing se, calling Wu our for his selfishness; this goes against his people pleasing tendencies, which is good because it allows him to be honest (compare to the amnesia plot where Mako lies to protect Korra’s feelings).

Wu is receptive to Mako’s criticism, and has shown to be sensitive to Mako’s emotional state; having invited Mako to the mall for smoothies as a means of cheering him up after his fight with Bolin. And Mako is likewise receptive to Wu’s emotional state as he is aware he crossed a line with his outburst in little ba sing se and apologizes (again compare this with season 2 Korra and his inability to recognize when he had crossed similar lines). Again, Mako and Wu meet each other in the middle

In summary, Mako and Wu meet eachother half-way, with Wu helping Mako to be less controlling and more honest and open in his communications, while Mako encourages Wu to be more self reliant. They grow together.

Conclusion

As a result of their childhoods Mako and Bolin have a fairly codependent relationship where each brother fulfills a set role. Season 4 the brothers spend time apart, time with other people wherein they need to leave their usual roles and instead build on the characteristics they had previously been able to neglect; Bolin becomes more independent and self directing and Mako becomes more attuned to his emotions and less high strung.

We see the final mark of this shift in the brothers relationship in the attack of the colossus where we witness a rule reversal between the two brothers- Bolin making the pragmatic suggestion to retreat and live another day, and Mako the emotional appeal to protect Republic City and those still in it (ahem Wu).

Ultimately this makes the brothers relationship stronger as they come back to each other not two halves but each their own whole.

#would you believe me if I said all of this was originally supposed to be part of the original #I just have a lot of thoughts #mako #Bolin #varrick #opal #wu #prince wu #wuko #Bopal #legend of korra #lok #avatar #lok meta #legend of korra meta #meta

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forever--rain · 3 years

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I mean if you’re making playlists.... I’ve seen a lot of Zutara playlists and that Sukka one you made was freaking adorable! Can I request a Taang one 🥺

I just have very soft feelings for them and would like to cry to a playlist pls 😭🥺💛

OF COURSE YOU CAN REQUEST A TAANG PLAYLIST, JOY. WHO DO YOU THINK I AM? I WOULD NEVER DENY YOU SOMETHING SO PURE.

We both know this is you subtly trying to get me to be more of a hardcore Taang shipper. 😉 No, I'm kidding. I know you love them. I love them too! 💛

Oh, this playlist was so sweet to make! I have so many E.M.O.T.I.O.N.S now. (Explanations below the cut to save space.)

Wildflowers by Tom Petty

Seven Wonders by Fleetwood Mac

Fools by Lauren Aquilina

Why Can't I? by Liz Phair

The Louvre by Lorde

Precious Metal Girl by Weezer

Doors Unlocked and Open by Death Cab for Cutie

Wild Heart by Mumford & Sons

From Afar by Vance Joy

My Arms Were Always Around You by Peter Bradley Adams

Send me a playlist title and I’ll give you 5-10 songs I think would go on it!

Wildflowers

You belong among the wildflowers/You belong somewhere close to me/Far away from your trouble and worries/You belong somewhere you feel free

This song makes me think of the moment Aang asks Toph to teach him earthbending and join the Gaang. I also think it could carry over into plans they make post-war and could represent their adulthood. Really, it's a song that feels applicable to them at any point in their lives. And it goes both ways! They'd want one another to have freedom and they'd want to be by each other's side in that freedom.

Seven Wonders

So it's hard to find/Someone with that kind of intensity/You touched my hand, I played it cool

I see this as a "Toph is pining" song. It's probably a post-war POV for her. She's been around the world with Aang and has developed feelings for him, and she knows that she'll never find this kind of adventure with anyone else. Maybe they part ways for a time after the comet. They're still friends, of course, but their post-war plans take them in different directions and Toph has that big "OH" moment.

Fools

Friends, I watched us as we changed/The feelings in my headspace rearranged/I want you more than I've wanted anyone/Isn't that dangerous?

Best friends to lovers anyone? Honestly, I could see this song from either of their POVs. If we're talking Zutara, Sukka, Taang endgame, I see Toph and Aang taking the longest to get there. Possibly even into their mid-to-late twenties. Everything is just so good and easy between them, you know? They have an easy camaraderie and they can tell one another anything, but they know something is there underneath it all and they're terrified. Katara and Zuko are probably the ones who finally tell them that they need to have The Talk.

Why Can't I?

Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you?/Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you?

Mutual-pining-but-they're-with-other-people, anyone??? I mean, you could even tie this into the previous situation. Toph and Aang are such good friends and they can't hang on to significant others because other people find their closeness weird. The vibes they throw off around one another are just a big red flag to anyone else who wants to date them. And they're like, "No! We're just best friends! I don't get butterflies! My breath isn't taken away by the most mundane moments! THIS IS FINE!"

The Louvre

But we're the greatest/They'll hang us in the Louvre//Okay I know that you are not my type/(Still I fall)/I'm just the sucker who let you fill her mind

Ah, yes. This one is a Toph POV for sure. She's in denial, you know? "He's not my type! I'm not into him!" But her heart just starts hammering whenever Aang comes around. She gets so caught up in him. And one day she gives in and decides to make a move and... Broadcast the boom boom boom boom and make 'em all dance to it. 😉

Precious Metal Girl

'Cause you're my precious metal girl/My best friend in the world

Okay. I know this is super cheesy, but COME ON. She's his precious metalbender girl.

Doors Unlocked and Open

Down in the ocean of sound, sound/We'll live in slow-motion/And be free/With doors unlocked and open

This song gives me so many domestic!Taang vibes. They sleep with the windows open at night and they don't lock their doors and breezes curl throughout every corner of their house (which they built from stone themselves) and they're free.

Wild Heart

It took a wild heart to tame mine/And it took a wild heart to charm/Now a wild heart has gone and floored me/With this ever lasting glance

I see this going both ways! Aang has a wild heart in that he's so free and Toph's heart is wild in that she's Toph Fuckin' Beifong. It takes them to round out each other's edges and smooth one another's rough spots. They never fail to astound one another every day, whether it's with a new bending move or the sheer force of their love for one another. And maybe it took them a long time to settle down, but when they did it was with each other because they are perfect together.

From Afar

You lined me up/Across the room/Two falling sparks/One willing fool//It shouldn't come as a surprise/What I'm feeling, what I'm feeling now

Okay, I gave you Toph pining and mutual pining. Now... I give you AANG PINING. I personally headcanon Toph falling first but being very in denial about it. But if Aang were to fall first, this would be the song. And maybe it freaks her out because she's like, "We're friends! This is not what friends do! Why are you throwing off those vibes, Twinkletoes?" He doesn't understand how she's so surprised by his feelings, of course, because she's incredible. She's Toph Beifong. But she is because his first girlfriend was Katara and he's had other girlfriends like that since. And Aang is like, "Yeah. And they were all great in their own way. But they're not you." (Nobody look at me. I'm v emotional now.)

My Arms Were Always Around You

Your pretty little wings/They must be getting tired/Trying to keep your feet/Up off the ground//No more dreams/Must I sacrifice/My heart is safe/You'll guard it with your life

Ohhhhh. Yes. Okay. This song is for both of them. Toph gives Aang a safe space to ground himself and Aang gives Toph the freedom to chase her dreams without inhibition. They always have one another's backs. They're always there to support one another. At the end of a long day, they're always there to let the other sink into the comfort of their embrace. 🥺

#ask evergreen #evergreen answers #kinzjoydragon #taang #playlist asks #I hope I did them justice in your eyes Joy!!!!

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papirlife · 3 years

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Blistering Love

Okay so slowly but surely making my way through Johnny’s quest line so expect these over the top analyses of my Johnny/V for each of these jobs ( I shall apologize in advance for spamming anyone’s dash but I can’t help myself). Feel free to add on your own thoughts, I love reading about wveryone’s different takes on these two.

Okay so, Blistering Love, the first step in Johnny’s journey to reconcile with his past, and make amends to the people who cared about him, so we’re emotional from the get go.

Now, in my last post regarding ‘Chipin In’, I stated that my V, who is by all means a very distant, rational person who suffers from chronic emotional constipation, had to come to terms with a lot of things which Johnny brought to the surface when he abused their trust. One of them was wondering wether or not they had made a fool of themselves by placing their trust in him after he went on a mad bender that basically left V emotionally overwhelmed, hurt, vulnerable and pissed as all living hell.

But coming to terms with Johnny’s betrayal hadn’t been the only thing that had upset V. When they had broken down after coming back to their apartment, all the pent up emotions, the grief, the anger, the hurt, everything they had suppressed had come bubbling up to the surface but in the midst of all that V later recognizes that one of the reasons they were so upset was because they were starting to feel something FOR Johnny.

(Now this can be anything from romantic love to something completely platonic and familial but in this case for my V it was romantic).

They had started to develop a romantic interest in him, they liked him, genuinely. They cared about him, his emotions, his well-being, they cared about what happened to him, and what might happen to him depending on how everything with the relic panel out.

But they also cared about his opinion of them, even if it was only subconsciously.

So to wake up and think that everything you shared with this person, everything you had been through to get to this point in your relationship, had all been a ploy, an act to make them lower your guard so that he could take advantage of them.

For V to think that Johnny had such a low opinion of them, that he didn’t have enough respect for them to blatantly disregard their boundaries and reservations despite being intimately familiar with them, had been a huge blow.

It had made V feel like an idiot, feel used, manipulated, and most importantly it had made them wonder what the hell were they thinking when they went and fell for the Johnny Silverhand, rockerboy and professional asshole.

All these thoughts had been plaguing V’s mind in the aftermath of Johnny’s bender and it had made them doubt everything, especially his promise at Pistis Sophia.

But this had been a turning a point in the relationship for V, because this episode had forced them to confront the fact that yes, they had fallen for Johnny, that they cared about him, maybe even loved him just a little, but then have to contend with the idea that he very likely knew this already and was just taking advantage of V’s vulnerability.

But V starts to doubt this claim at Oil Fields, and by the end of their talk, while the doubts are still there, their muted, more of an afterthought than a serious consideration and eventually with time, they fade completely.

Because here’s the thing, Johnny doesn’t know that V has feelings for him, they have a mutual agreement to stay out of each other’s heads even if it’s difficult to manage and that day during V’s breakdown, it was the first time Johnny had been hit with such a tumult of emotion from V’s end that he hadn’t been able to make heads or tails of it, so while V picked up on their romantic feelings for Johnny, he was none the wiser because he was barely able to process anything during the breakdown and afterwards he made every attempt to give V their space so that they could collect themselves.

Bottom line, Johnny doesn’t know shit about how V’s feeling, which is why when V hesitates in answering Johnny about letting him take Rogue on a date, he thinks that they’re just apprehensive about giving him control again (which they are) but in reality, the idea of him and Rogue isn’t sitting well with them, and they’re just a little jealous and sad, especially because it brings to mind Johnny’s comment about V not being his type, which in my opinion is complete bull, Johnny doesn’t really have a type, he just goes for whatever looks good.

Secondly, the not my type comment comes after the jacking off comment, and it felt more like we afterthought than a serious rejection. In my canon, Johnny falls for V first, but since he doesn’t understand the concept of emotional stability, he just locks everything down and thinks that if he doesn’t acknowledge his feelings, they don’t exist.

So at this point, he’s fallen for V but he’s subconsciously in denial about the whole thing and hasn’t realized it yet.

So the comment about V not being his type, complete crap, it’s just his mind being defensive and trying to deny that he’s in love with them.

Moving on, Johnny’s whole quest line is all about trying to reclaim his past, realizing that that’s impossible and instead choosing to reconcile with the people he cared about and moving on. We see him trying to reclaim his past in ‘Chipin In’ and failing miserably but then we see him trying again, this time by attempting to rekindle a relationship with Rogue. Now, Johnny/V ship aside, the whole ‘date’ with Rogue, didn’t really feel like a date, it felt awkward, forced.

There was no chemistry between them. Personally, I think it was just an excuse for Johnny to try and reclaim his past, because the world has changed a lot in 50 years and I think this whole quest line was likely born out of anxiety and panic over the fact that everything he once knew is gone, this new world is still Night City but it’s unfamiliar territory, it’s not the same.

So his quest line involves him coming to terms with this fact, accepting it and starting anew.

But anyways back to the point, V is uncomfortable with the idea of Johnny going on a date with Rogue, because while Johnny may have fallen first, V is the one who acknowledges their feelings for him and doesn’t try to deny them unlike him. Which is why they’re so uncomfortable and disheartened by Johnny wanting to take Rogue out.

But V still thinks that he doesn’t want anything with them beyond friendship, so they put on a brave face and agree to go along with his ideas dreading it but also wanting him to be happy and show that they are willing to put their trust in him again.

So they go to SPC and let Johnny have his night. He and Rogue have their moment together, but this is where it differs from canon; in the game, rogue is the one who pulls away and stops Johnny before things go too far. But in my version, it’s Johnny who pulls away much to Rogue’s confusion and unconsciously relief.

Keep in mind, Johnny might be in love with V right now, but he’s doing his damnedest to deny and suppress his feelings, even if it is subconsciously. So when he’s kissing Rogue, it feels wrong, it feels off. It’s not right.

Because all he can think about is V. All he can think about is how much he wishes they were the one’s sitting here with him watching a shitty action movie and making fun of it, that they were the one’s he was kissing.

And that’s when he can’t do it anymore, can’t deny that he’s in love with them, and he has to stop because this is wrong, because V is the one he wants, even if he can’t put that into words right now. So he pushes Rogue away, says that he can’t, he just can’t do it, can’t do it to V and Rogue realizes what’s happened, and sees that this little merc really has managed to get through to Johnny, to help him be better.

Because he loves them, because the old Johnny didn’t possess the capacity to love, but his one does and he’s learning to accept it. In a way it’s comforting, and she’s glad he’s the one who pulled away first. It seems that they both realized something that’s been eating away at them for a while, and they’re better for it.

They talk, and Rogue finally voices the words that Johnny has been avoiding these past few months,

“You love them, don’t you?”

And now that it’s out in the open, he can’t run from it anymore so he tells her yes he does. They stay like that for a while longer, just enjoying each other’s company after so many years apart, reminiscing g about the few good times they shared, with Johnny actually apologizing for how he treated her when he was alive like he was supposed to.

Eventually, Rogue calls it a night, she kisses Johnny on the cheek, and wishes him and V a good night, before leaving SPC, contented and happy to have spent time with an old friend instead of storming away from an ex-flame like she had done in the game.

Which is when Johnny takes the pills and V wakes up back in their body, groggy and disoriented and confused when they don’t see Rogue. What they do see is Johnny looking at them with this somber, soft expression on his face, like he’s seeing them for the first time after years as he explains that things didn’t work out and she went home.

V is arguably relieved, and Johnny tries to ignore the wave relief that washes over him from V’s end of their link, convinced that they could never feel the same way he does, especially after the stunt he pulled in “Chipin In” (because y’know these two are stupid and who doesn’t like a bit of angst with their enemies to friends/idiots to lovers ‘fix-it’ fanfic?).

Anyways, they talk and call it a night and Johnny desperately tries to ignore the feelings of calm and contentedness he’s catching from V, just like he tries to ignore the way his heart skips a beat when V looks at him with an adorable little smile on their face.

He hopes to god that they can’t feel it because he can still feel something sharp near their heart. Or is it him? Who knows, it’s hard to tell at this point.

#they’re stupid your honor #I really hate the CDPR did rogue and alt so dirty #there was so much potential in this quest for rogue and Johnny to reconcile and be friends and CDPR just went nope not happening #cyberpunk 2077 #v cyberpunk #cyberpunk 2077 game #cyberpunk v #johnny silverhand #cyberpunk #v x johnny #cyberpunk johnny #cyberpunk screenshots #johnny/v #johnny silverhand x v #johnny x v #rogue #rogue amendiares #rogue cyberpunk #cp2077

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comradekatara · 4 years

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sunset glow - a short mai x ty lee fanfic for mailee week (PG, 3k words)

Stuck in a cell together, they find themselves, surprisingly, without a lot to talk about. They’ve just spent months traveling together and experiencing everything as a pair, but how do they talk about what just happened?

Ty Lee breaks the silence first. “Sad about your uncle’s record,” she offers.

“Sad about our future,” Mai returns dully, not taking her eyes off the wall directly opposite her.

It’s surprising, really, that they were put in a cell together. Surprising Azula didn’t forbid it. Normally any special treatment they receive on their travels is because of Azula, or if a certain type of man is involved then maybe Ty Lee, but Mai wonders darkly if her status as the warden’s niece is what’s helping them now. It figures that the one time things go favorably for her would still end with them both in prison.

Still. It is unnerving Azula let it happen.

“Do you think the Princess is alright?” Ty Lee asks, eerily echoing Mai’s stream of consciousness.

Mai cocks her head to look at her. She swallows. “I don’t think we’re gonna find out either way.”

Ty Lee stretches one of her arms sideways across her chest, then the other. She keeps her gaze on Mai. “Probably not.”

It seems that at night, the firebender guards extinguish the torches in the hallways and patrol with their own palm-sized flames. Ty Lee watches the guards patrol in the hall through the small slot in the door while Mai tries to get comfortable on their ratty mattress.

“It’s weird that they have firebender guards here, isn’t it?” Ty Lee remarks quietly. “You’d think they’d all be in the army. The Firelord talks like that’s where all our esteemed firebenders should be directing their ‘gifts.’”

Mai rolls onto her side and faces the back wall. “I guess bender guards make it easier to break up fire fights,” she says.

“Firebender guards and firebender prisoners, huh,” Ty Lee muses. “I thought they were supposed to be the best the world has to offer.”

Mai laughs out loud. Facing the wall, she doesn’t see that her laugh makes Ty Lee smile.

They get two interruptions a day. Every morning, a guard takes them to wash and relieve themselves. When they get back to the cell, there’s food and water waiting. The only other interruption they get is at night, when the guards take them to the latrine again just before lights out. If they need to relieve themselves any other time during the day, they have to call for a guard. Mai hates the way the guards look at her, with a mix of disgust and pity. Usually Ty Lee takes care of talking to the guards for both of them.

There’s only one mattress their first night and they share it. On the third night, the guards dump another mattress in the cell. It smells slightly better than the first. Ty Lee insists that Mai take it, and crawls onto the old one before Mai can argue. But even though it’s summer, it’s cold in their underground cell, so by the fifth night, they’re back to the original sleeping arrangements, squeezing as tight as they can onto the first mattress with the second one awkwardly on top of them like a blanket.

It’s not comfortable. They both thrash in their sleep when they dream.

By the end of their first week, they’re both starting to look disheveled, and Mai offers to braid Ty Lee’s hair. To her surprise, Ty Lee accepts. Mai sits on the mattress with her back against the wall and Ty Lee sits between her thighs, leaning her head down.

“Do you think our parents know where we are?” Mai asks as she works hair over hair. She’s trying to be both gentle and neat, but above all, to keep from touching Ty Lee’s neck and shoulders unnecessarily. Ty Lee is sitting stiller than Mai has ever seen her, and Mai just has the strange feeling that it would be embarrassing to touch her by accident when Ty Lee is making it so easy not to.

“My parents don’t even know I was with Princess Azula,” Ty Lee admits.

Mai tries to visualize Ty Lee’s family. When they spent time together as children, they’d mostly done so at the palace; it was always more of an effort for Azula and Zuko to leave the palace grounds than it was for Mai and Ty Lee to just come visit. But she vaguely remembers Ty Lee’s parents, a harried mother and disinterested father, overwhelmed by too many daughters who all had to look presentable and be excellent.

“It happened fast,” Ty Lee adds. “I was at work, then the Princess came to invite me to join her, and then we were on the road. So I just didn’t have time to tell them.”

A dot of sweat blooms on the back of Ty Lee’s bare neck. Mai stares at the hair in her hands and then back at Ty Lee’s neck in time to see a second dot of sweat materialize. She’s never seen Ty Lee up close from this angle before. She starts to wonder if Ty Lee might have made sure of that. If this might be a particularly vulnerable position for Ty Lee. If she sweats from the back of her neck when she lies.

If she agreed to let Mai braid her hair because she’s growing to trust her.

“My parents knew,” Mai says quietly. “A royal summons was basically the only way to get away from them. Otherwise I’d still be in Omashu cleaning up after Tom-Tom.”

Ty Lee swivels all the way around at the mention of Tom-Tom. As she turns, Mai’s hand grazes her neck. Ty Lee doesn’t seem to even register it, but Mai stares down at her hand as she processes the unplanned motion.

“How is Tom-Tom?” Ty Lee asks, looking fond and earnest. “Does he talk yet?”

Mai racks her brain. It’s only been a few months since she left Omashu, but life before she was involved in the war feels like a lifetime ago. “I don’t remember.”

Day seven and the guards give them their kindest indulgence yet. In the evening, Mai and Ty Lee are given an hour in the yard outside, without any of the other prisoners.

They step outside and Mai immediately tilts her head up to the sun, unable to resist the breeze on her face. “Close your eyes,” Ty Lee advises as she does the same thing, but it’s a second too late, and Mai is already seeing blue spots in her vision. She has to look down and blink repeatedly before they go away. Sheepishly, she closes her eyes hard before she tilts her head back up to enjoy the sunlight on her face again.

Ty Lee shifts beside her and their shoulders touch. Neither one moves away. “Okay, would you rather have to spend all day in the sun every day, or never see the sun again?”

Mai ponders that.

“Before we got here, I would have guessed you’d pick never see the sun,” Ty Lee adds, and suddenly the warmth of her shoulder is gone, and Mai hears the rustle of fabric as she moves away. “But now that we’ve been inside, is it different?”

Mai tilts her head back down and opens her eyes. Ty Lee is gone from eye level. She follows her voice and looks down to find Ty Lee laying on the ground, her eyes still closed.

“Yeah, it’s different,” Mai says, and she sits down to join her. She keeps her eyes open and looks down at her lap for a long moment before she lays back. “I pick sun.”

The hour feels like an instant.

On day ten, Mai tells Ty Lee about what happened with Zuko.

She feels stupid, because “girl talk” has never come naturally to her and she can’t imagine a less worthwhile subject than the shitty ex-boyfriend for whom she unintentionally gave up her freedom.

“It’s so stupid,” she says as she finishes her story. “There was no reason to fight Azula for him. It’s not like we were ever gonna get back together. I didn’t even like dating him.”

“You didn’t?” Ty Lee says, but her tone makes it clear that she knew this and said nothing.

Mai looks down at her hands. A flush tints her cheeks. Ty Lee spares her from having to answer by adding, “He didn’t seem like a very good boyfriend.”

Mai snorts. “He wasn’t. He was self-involved. I mean, I think he’s just caught up in his own shit.” She looks down, allowing her hair to fall into her face and hide her eyes as she goes on, “But... I don’t think it would have been different with any other boy.”

Ty Lee nods exuberantly. “Boys are exhausting,” she agrees. Her expression looks serious, and as Mai eyes her curiously through her curtain of hair in search of an underlying meaning, a twitch in her posture seems to convey assent. “It’s good that you’re single.”

The weird thing about sleeping side-by-side is how attuned they become to each other’s breathing.

Sometimes, Ty Lee wakes up in the middle of the night and when she opens her eyes and looks to the side, she always finds that Mai’s eyes are open too.

Day eighteen is different. The torches in the hallway come on like always, but the guard who takes them to bathe doesn’t show up until later. By the time she shows up, Ty Lee is already desperate for a bathroom. She starts to hurry out of the cell but the guard stops her. “Just her,” the woman says, jerking her chin toward Mai.

“What’s going on?” Mai asks, getting to her feet.

“Just come with me,” the guard repeats. “Your uncle’s orders.”

Mai barely manages to make eye contact with Ty Lee -- a fleeting, awkward, almost apologetic expression -- before the guard takes her shoulders and steers her away.

When they reach her uncle’s office, Mai finds him stuffing items into a bag. He tells her, without meeting her eyes, that there are rumors that a large military operation is heading for the Earth Kingdom. Many of the guards have been summoned to help with the invasion, and the Boiling Rock will be vulnerable. There are even rumors that they might miss a food delivery or two. He explains that it isn’t standard operating procedure for the warden to leave, but under the circumstances, and here he waves a hand at Mai...

“What about Ty Lee?” Mai interrupts sharply. “If you’re trying to protect me, you need to protect her too. She’s my same age and she doesn’t belong here either.”

But as with everything Mai ever says to the adults in her life, it falls on deaf ears.

They leave by gondola within the hour.

They spend the night at an inn. Mai gets her own room. Her uncle lets her in, but then he keeps the key. He tells her sternly not to leave.

It feels surreal to have privacy for the first time in weeks. More than that, really; it wasn’t like she had any real privacy while traveling with Azula. Even on the nights when she had her own bedroom, she could never completely rule out the possibility that Azula might intrude on her during the night and demand an audience for some new speech or change in plans.

She bathes, relishing the soap and towel, and then lays back on the bed for a moment. It’s such an improvement over what she’s become used to, but it’s also chilly and eerily quiet without Ty Lee breathing beside her. Mai gets up and rifles through drawers until she finds paper and ink and starts to write a letter.

There’s no way to send it. Prisoners of the Boiling Rock don’t receive mail. She writes until she’s out of space, and then she folds it up and puts it in her pocket for safekeeping.

The night the comet passes overhead, both Mai and Ty Lee are inside and very far away from windows. They don’t notice the streak of fire in the sky. They just live to experience its aftermath.

For Ty Lee, the aftermath is that one day they open the door to her cell and tell her she’s received a special pardon from the Firelord.

Ty Lee isn’t sure if this is good news or not, since it begs a follow-up question: who’s the Firelord?

Her shoulders collapse with relief when they tell her.

Mai and her uncle get word of the official change of regime while traveling by carriage from the first inn. A hiker literally runs through the road and screams the news. It sounds almost laughable before Mai realizes they’re still in the Fire Nation, and this guy is in Earth Kingdom robes, seemingly unafraid of where he is and to whom he is speaking.

Mai’s uncle wants to make an immediate detour and go into hiding. He’s worried about the consequences for a man like him, someone who personally endangered the new Firelord, tortured him, and almost killed him.

Mai does not want to go into hiding at all. For once, she argues with her uncle with the intent to win. She points out that if the Firelord wants to find him, he will, and in the meantime, her uncle’s best chance at survival is if he makes it to the capital with the young woman who personally saved the Firelord’s life.

She wins the argument and they continue on course for the capital.

Mai’s welcomed with open arms, of course. Zuko gives her a teary apology, going on and on about how he was selfish and mean and he was only hurting himself more when he allowed himself to forget to respect her. It’s awkward but he means it, so Mai forgives him. They’ll never be together romantically, of course, but they agree they can be friends. With this out of the way, Mai asks her new friend for her first favor: for him to pull Ty Lee out of prison immediately. Zuko assures her that Ty Lee is already on her way. He sent the Kyoshi Warriors to pick her up. They’re bringing her back on the Avatar’s bison.

“By the way,” Zuko says, cracking a smile more sincere than any smile she’s seen on his face in years, “it’s time you met Aang and the rest of my friends.”

Ty Lee’s trip to the capital can best be summed up as a joyride. She also has an apology to make--to Suki, the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, who happens to be piloting the bison today. But Suki is quick to forgive her. The two of them have been failing to hide their creeping respect for one another since their first meeting in the Earth Kingdom. As they fly (which is an absolute delight, and an experience Ty Lee will never forget), Suki shows Ty Lee how to use a fan, and Ty Lee returns the favor by showing Suki a thing or two about pressure points. By the time they make it back to the Fire Nation, Ty Lee has a job offer and Suki has a bit of a crush.

When the Kyoshi Warriors new and old dismount the bison in the palace courtyard, Ty Lee has to hold her hand above her forehead to see in the sun. It’s a beautiful day and the courtyard is bustling with activity. As she blinks her eyes repeatedly to adjust to the light, her gaze lands on a cluster of people gathered around an outdoor table. Suki pulls her over to the table by the hand.

Ty Lee’s eyes focus and she sees that the people are Mai, the Avatar, and some of his friends. They’re playing pai sho, Mai against the earthbender girl. The earthbender is winning.

“Hi,” she says, with an awkward wave.

To her surprise, the whole group greets her with, if not warmth, then at least a neutral friendliness. Introductions are made, and Ty Lee squeezes into a seat next to Mai, feeling a refreshing sense of ease when their hips touch the way they always used to on their shared mattress. There’s some small talk while Mai and Toph finish the game, and then as the sun starts to go down, everyone starts to disperse. Mai and Ty Lee stay outside.

“I missed you,” Mai says immediately, the moment they’re alone.

Ty Lee smiles. “Me too.” She reaches out her arm for Mai’s hand, her arm loose and limp but still purposeful, and Mai allows her to take it. “Did Zuko send for you?”

Mai snorts. “My uncle abandoned his post and took me with him. Either to keep me safe or use me as leverage, we’ll never know.” She looks like she has a suspicion, though.

“And the Princess?”

Mai drops her gaze and starts to pull back her hand. Ty Lee just holds it tighter, and Mai doesn’t fight back. “She’s not doing so well,” Mai admits, and her voice cracks. “But she’s not a threat.”

“Oh.” A few frightening images spring to mind. Ty Lee tries her best not to dwell on them. She adds, unnecessarily but honestly, “I don’t want to see her.”

“I know. Me neither.” Mai’s voice cracks again but she doesn’t move her hand. “You know I used to always wish we could be in this courtyard just us. No royal siblings.”

A rush of warmth for Mai fills Ty Lee’s chest. “I did too!” she says. “It’s beautiful. It was so sad to only be here to experience, like, emotional mind games.”

Mai squeezes her hand. “You want to take a walk around the grounds with me?” She hesitates. “And then maybe if Zuko doesn’t have a room ready for you, we could share again. I think we’re getting the hang of it.”

They’re standing in the coutyard on the west side of the palace, with nothing westward but open field. The sun is on its way down the horizon. Mai looks completely content with the last touches of sunlight on her face.

Ty Lee threads her fingers through Mai’s. “Yes. Of course.”

And that’s how they spend one of the most beautiful nights of the summer together--their first night of freedom.

#mai #ty lee #maixtylee #maileeweek #fic #oh god!!! i rly wrote this!!! oh boy!!!#c

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