#lee and chi at it again
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Oh, professor - modern!Tommy Shelby (smut)
Another piece written with lovely @zablife – it's always great fun with you, babe. Please like and reblog if you enjoyed reading this, your comments keep us writers motivated! Enjoy my loves. xxx
Summary: What happens when you spend a mind-blowing night with a man you thought you'd never see again? What happens when that man turns up at your class as one of your students? Will you be able to let him and your shared memories go or will he find a way to keep you close?
Warnings: 18+, lots of smut, piv, power play, age gap, professor x student relationship
Pairing: Professor!fem!reader x student!Tommy Shelby (6k words)
moodboard by @zablife
The room was dark, well almost, no light flooded through the bedroom besides the light of the streetlamps breaking through the dark curtains, casting a bright shadow. A shadow you probably would have paid more attention to if it weren’t for the position you had been willingly forced into, cheek pressed to a soft pillow, hips raised off the mattress.
Your moans echoed through his bedroom, loud enough to wake any nearby neighbours, forcing heat to rise in their systems at the almost pornographic sounds. The two of you were a mess of tangled limbs, of sweaty bodies searching one another’s closeness for the third time that night.
Your mind was too hazy to remember how you had managed to end up in the apartment of a stranger, a man you had flirted with from the second you had run into one another at your go-to bar, drawing you away from your group of friends. Perhaps it had been the fault of his bright eyes, piercing pupils that had burned holes into your warm skin; perhaps it had been the fault of the charming accent that had shot tingles down your spine; but perhaps it had simply been the fault of the way he had stared at you, marvelled even, as if you were the finest creation known to humankind.
Even though you weren’t one for going home with men you barely knew, hell, you barely left your home at all, fully focused on the courses you were teaching, and on the papers you had to grade, this man had something different to him, something you didn’t want to let go of again. You weren’t one for distractions, and kept your focus on your work, the one thing you loved wholeheartedly. But there had been something about the man who was at least twenty years older than you, hair graced by greyish specks that had drawn your attention to him from the first moment.
“Look at you, close to cumming again, aren’t you, love?” His raspy voice filled the bedroom, no longer could you reply, at least not verbally, opting to moan his name with your eyes squeezed shut. Tommy had his hand buried in your hair, keeping your cheek pressed to the pillow as he fucked you ruthlessly, already knowing your body better than any ex-boyfriend after years of being together.
“Talk to me, let me hear that pretty voice of yours.” You struggled to fight through the hazy fog of lust his touch forced to spread out through your system, heart chasing uneven beats with your hands fisting the covers all too tightly. A few more moans clawed through you, mind racing to try and pierce some words together, anything, to give the man what he was asking of you.
“Fuck, Tommy, ‘m so close, so so close.” An almost gleeful chuckle left the man who momentarily tightened his grip on your waist, forcing his cock even deeper into your tightness. Your walls had a tight grip on him, unable to hold on for much longer. Without even having to ask him to, Tommy’s hand wandered from your waist to your pulsing overstimulated bundle, circling it with his lips pulled into a devilish smirk.
With his name leaving your swollen lips like a prayer spoken on a Sunday morning, you came on his cock, eyes squeezed shut, lips parted. But he didn’t stop fucking you, fully focused on his own high now that yours had been pushed through you once again, allowing him to use your body. The gritty sounds leaving him left you grinning proudly, face painted by a blissful expression.
He came a few moments after you, pulling out to get rid of yet another condom before he found his way back to you, pulling you in for a slow kiss, “I think it’s finally time for a bath, eh? Don’t want you passing out on me before we get you cleaned up.”
……
You hurried past the row of old oaks, eyes squinting slightly at the bright sunshine flashing sharply through the branches. The clacking of your heels against the stone added to the pounding in your head and you could only hope it would cease before class began. As you entered through the heavy double doors, you shifted the strap of your bag and rummaged inside for the paracetamol you stashed in case of emergency.
The building was already bustling with activity, the noise of overlapping conversations echoing off the domed ceiling. Preoccupied by your continuing search for something to stop the pain behind your eyes, you collided with someone’s shoulder. As your head jerked up in surprise, you found your colleague, Charlotte, wobbling slightly in an attempt to balance her coffee cup. Reaching out to help her, you quickly apologized. “Sorry, my fault!”
“It’s alright, I should know better than to wander the halls this late in the morning. It’s bloody chaos,” she chuckled.
Furrowing her brow at you she asked, “What are you doing out here? You’re always two hours early the first day!”
Her look of concern soon turned to impish delight when she noticed the medicine bottle in your hand. Her eyebrow arched as she leaned in conspiratorially, “Took my advice and had some fun for a change?”
You hesitated for a moment before a grin began tugging at the corners of your mouth. “I might have,” you teased.
A little gasp escaped her lips as she exclaimed, “I knew it!”
Biting your lip at the memory of the evening before, you added, “He was incredible, Char. Even if I never see him again, it was…really something.”
“Tell me everything,” she continued excitedly, nearly tripping over her own feet to keep with you as you resumed your brisk walk.
You shook your head gently, trying to retain a shred of professionalism. “Not within earshot of the roomful of students I’ll be teaching for the next four months,” you laughed as you came to a stop outside the lecture hall.
“Alright, but I want to hear about this later!” She called after you as you gave the door a nudge with your shoulder.
“Yeah, we’ll have lunch,” you promised, turning your attention toward the sea of faces awaiting you.
Normally you would have arrived before anyone else, papers stacked neatly and laptop open and waiting. Your first year you even practiced a few greetings, nervous that your voice might tremble in a decided lack of authority. As the youngest professor on the faculty, you still felt the roots of anxiety burrowing inside your stomach at times, especially as you awaited the inevitable test from one entitled little shit or another. You found yourself having to work twice as hard as your colleagues to be taken seriously.
Tossing your bag onto a chair, you tried not to think of the few who might cause you problems and focus on the scores of others who were there to learn. Ready to get to work, you quickly began twisting your hair into a top knot and mentally reviewed what you’d like to cover first. When you were ready, you walked to the front of the room and introduced yourself in the prepared speech you were accustomed to, including all pertinent information to the class. You watched as heads bowed and arms shifted occasionally, the gentle whisper of keys tapping out notes. When you’d finished, you asked for questions, receiving only the shuffle of feet and a few scattered coughs in reply.
In the moment of stillness, you found your thoughts wandering with the particles of dust dancing in the light. Suddenly your mind was as clouded as your field of vision, imagining the trickle of sweat between your breasts, slick against Tommy’s chest as you glided over him. You swallowed hard imagining his strong hands trailing your skin as you felt goosebumps begin to prickle the back of your neck and forearms. Chin raised to his sapphire blue eyes, you swore you could see him smiling back at you now with that same satisfied grin he wore when you fell apart beneath him.
“Professor Y/l/n?” A girl in the front row called to you, snapping you back to reality. You attempted to focus on her question, but your eyes darted to a place beyond her right shoulder uncooperatively. The profile and hair were so familiar, it was distracting. Then as the students in front parted slightly, you inhaled sharply. Taken aback, you stuttered out the last few words of your sentence in embarrassingly inarticulate speech, too overcome by the sight of the man you’d been daydreaming about moments earlier. You hadn’t imagined the intensity of his blue eyes. Tommy was actually here!
You struggled to comprehend it. Was he a student? He hadn’t mentioned university studies. Could he be following you? That’s ridiculous, you chided yourself. If he was a student, you certainly wouldn’t be able to have sex with him again. Oh, but he looked amazing in that blue jumper that matched his eyes. There were far too many thoughts to process at once and the headache from before was only intensifying. You quickly dismissed class and gathered your things, slipping between the throng of people exiting.
…..
Y/n,
I tried to find you after class and lost you in the crowd. You weren’t in your office so I assumed this was the best way to contact you. Can I see you again?
Tommy Shelby
You closed the email-app, biting the inside of your cheek. He’d clearly been thinking of you as much as you were thinking of him, but you still weren’t sure how to proceed considering how little you knew about him. So you did what any curious woman in your position would do. You googled him.
Sitting cross-legged on the sofa with a glass of wine in one hand and your phone in the other, you scrolled until you’d learned as much about Thomas Michael Shelby as possible. The results were impressive, to say the least, from his countless business ventures to his myriad of titles. Without realizing, you’d lost an hour to image searches alone of him in tuxedos at fancy galas thrown by influential figures. He was a man who could have anything or anyone he wanted. Brow furrowed in concentration, you wondered what he was doing in your advanced seminar on Dante’s work. There was only one way to find out.
Mr. Shelby,
I apologize you were unable to reach me on the first day, but as my syllabus states, office hours do not begin until next week. I’m available to meet Monday if you have any questions.
Prof Y/l/n
……
Your eyes glanced at the wall clock one last time before giving up all hope Tommy would appear. Not that you blamed him for losing interest. Your email was overly formal and you winced every time you read it, but it had to remain professional.
Reluctantly rising from your desk, you stretched and gave a long, disappointed sigh. “Doesn’t matter” you mumbled as you locked the office door and turned to leave. The moment your shoulder swiveled left, you collided into the toned planes of a man’s chest and strong arms instinctively caged yours to steady you.
“Mr. Shelby,” you exclaimed with more than a bit of shock tinging your voice.
“Y/n,” he hummed, bending down to retrieve the bag you dropped. Extending it toward you, he quirked an eyebrow as he asked, “May I ask why it’s Mr. Shelby now? Didn’t know you fancied a bit of role-play or am I forgetting something about our evening together?” An amused smirk painted his handsome features at his little joke, eyes dancing with mischief.
You accepted your bag, cheeks growing hot as you retorted, “I could ask you the same of you, hitting on your teacher.” Then you added cautiously, “I should warn you that it’s against the rules for me to see you now that you’re enrolled in my class.” Beginning your walk toward the stairs, you slowed your gait as Tommy huffed out a laugh.
“Ah, so that’s it. I’ve been a naughty pupil,” he exclaimed. Capturing your elbow in a gentle grasp he turned you to face him as he pondered seductively, “What will you do with me now?”
“Can I ask you a question?” you prodded, considering him with a serious expression. Tommy’s face soon mirrored yours as he realized you weren’t playing his game and his hand dropped from your arm. “Why did you seek me out here? I did a bit of research on you, you know,” you revealed. “You have to admit it looks a bit odd, a king of import/export taking a class in poetry?” you wondered aloud.
Tommy closed the gap between you, an earnest look taking hold as he spoke. “Beauty awakens the soul to act,” he said, holding your gaze with those insufferably clear blue eyes.
“You’re here so the beauty of the written word should uplift you?” you asked doubtfully, tilting your head at him.
His large hand cupped your face as he drew nearer. “I think we both know the real reason I’m here,” he whispered, leaning toward you until you could feel the heat of his breath against your cheek. “I want you,” he said with the certainty of a man who always has the coin land in his favor.
You pressed your palms against his broad chest, heart pounding wildly at the closeness of him. “I could get into a lot of trouble for this,” you reminded him breathlessly.
“Only if we get caught,” he countered, hand slipping down your side to grasp your hip firmly. “Don’t you want to live a little?” he prodded with a squeeze.
Your head was spinning as you fought the overwhelming desire threatening to consume you. “Yes…and I want you too…but…,” you protested half heartedly.
“Then that’s all I need to hear,” he said as his hand dipped beneath your skirt to push your underwear aside. You gasped at the feeling of the cool air and the lazy swipe of his finger through your wet folds.
“You’re soaking,” he hummed against your open mouth with satisfaction, plunging two thick fingers into your inviting warmth. He quickly swallowed your wanton moan with a deep kiss and you melted into him without hesitation, any thought of further denial dying on your lips. He licked into your mouth with ravenous appetite, fighting you for dominance in a way that made his cock twitch. As your hips began rutting against his palm for the pleasure you knew he could provide, he praised your eagerness. “Take what you need,” he urged against the shell of your ear.
But the clicking of heels and the echo of voices descending the stairs soon drew your attention. As they came nearer to your position, Tommy maneuvered you into the shadows of the stairwell away from their view and kept you pressed impossibly close.
For a moment you thought you were safe, Tommy returning to his ministrations. Your heart thundered in your chest at the thrill of him rolling your swollen clit beneath his thumb while he nipped and sucked at your exposed throat. It was a dangerous move, however, a guttural cry escaping your lips despite your attempt to suppress it.
Suddenly a man’s voice asked, “Did you hear something?”
You stopped breathing momentarily as you pressed your face into Tommy’s neck, his digits still pressed tantalizingly against your g-spot.
“I don’t think so, Howard,” a woman replied, hand sliding down the bannister so close to your head you could smell her perfume.
You gulped harshly as Tommy withdrew from you, leaving you clenching around nothing. He brought his slick fingers to his mouth and you panted at the sight of him relishing the taste of you. With a wink, he disappeared quickly out the side door as you attempted to make yourself presentable again.
Moments later your colleagues found you patting your hair down and adjusting your bag in frenzied, awkwardness.
“Professor Y/l/n, we were just talking about the upcoming welcome dinner,” Dr. Baker said with a warm smile. He prattled on, oblivious to your eyes darting over his shoulder to watch Tommy sauntering across the courtyard. Turning to glance back at you, you noticed he was still lazily sucking his fingers. The obvious delight in the curl of his sinful lips caused your thighs to clench and your clit to throb, the overwhelming need to finish what you began frustrating you beyond belief. Your skin felt as though it had been set ablaze, thighs rubbing together unconsciously as you watched him fade from view.
“…fingers,” Dr. Baker finished, looking at you inquisitively and you realized you’d missed what came before that. Had he seen Tommy’s lewd display as well?
“Excuse me?” you asked, paranoia chilling the warmth in your cheeks like a bucket of ice water dumped over your head.
“I said my wife will bring her signature dessert, ladyfingers,” he repeated.
“Yes, of course! I’m looking forward to it very much,” you agreed with an overly enthusiastic smile. Then you excused yourself home.
……
Ever since that moment with Tommy, you hadn’t been able to stop yourself from wrecking your head about the what ifs racing through your mind. Even though your night with Tommy had been something you had never experienced before, you couldn’t risk losing your position within the university, especially not for a situation like this. But no matter how hard you tried to shake these thoughts, forcing yourself to focus on the welcome dinner you were about to join, the thoughts of him seemed to follow you around like a shadow sewn to your boots.
Familiar faces smiled at you as you stepped into the room, hand stroking down the soft fabric of your dress to try and collect yourself, putting on your best smile. This evening was all about making an impression, all about crossing paths with those that were important for your career, hoping to leave them impressed about your determination, your work drive.
“(Y/n)! There you are.” Charlotte’s voice left you smiling, a sincere smile that wasn’t as fake as the one you had worn just a minute ago. She pulled you in for a short hug before you greeted some other colleagues standing close. “Did you see Lizzie? The things I’d do for the man she brought as her date are unspeakable.”
The words Charlotte whispered towards you left you chuckling, at least as your gaze kept combing through the crowd of colleagues, trying to find Lizzie’s face. You had never been the biggest fan of her, not of her personality, not of her way of teaching, trying to keep a friendly though respected distance to her. But your laugh got stuck in your throat as your eyes found the piercing ones of her date – Tommy fucking Shelby.
Charlotte must have picked up on the way you grew tense, mistaking it for interest in the handsome man making his way towards your small group, arm wrapped around Lizzie’s waist. Your breath hitched in your chest the second the scent of his expensive cologne clashed against your front like a tidal wave set on drowning you, a scent that instantly reminded you of the way he had fucked you in his bedroom, how he had marked you as if you were only his to love.
“May I introduce you to my date, Tommy Shelby.” Lizzie kept on introducing Tommy to the other colleagues, blissfully unaware of the way his gaze kept wandering back to you, sporting an unmistakable smirk on his lips. Heat rose to your face as Lizzie finally turned towards you, about to speak your name, though interrupted by the murmur of your name rolling off Tommy’s tongue.
“Professor Y/l/n, it’s good to see you again.” His hand found yours, pressing a featherlight kiss to the back of your hand, a gesture that left you breathless; a gesture that left Lizzie visibly seething.
“Mister Shelby.” You nodded at him, suddenly feeling all too uncomfortable with all eyes focusing on you, wondering where you knew the man from. Just for the sake of dethroning Lizzie, not wanting to endure the arrogant smile she wore, you debated telling them of your escapades with the man – yet these were all too intimate, not daring to leave your painted lips. “Mister Shelby joined my class for this semester.”
Your eyes wandered through your small group, explaining the short interaction to the others, trying not to spare the grin Charlotte now wore any of your attention. You’d deal with her later, letting her in on the reasons for the tension growing between you, Tommy, and Lizzie. Before either one could speak another sentence, you were interrupted by the voice of the dean hallowing through the room.
“May I ask for your attention? It’s so good to see so many of you here tonight!!” The woman kept speaking, staring at the crowd with a smile so bright you feared for the way the corners of her mouth would start burning soon. But the second you felt a hand on the small of your back, you shifted your attention away from her, eyes finding Tommy’s, even in the darkness you were now engulfed by.
“Meet me in the hallway in thirty minutes.”
……
“Come,” Tommy took your hand, eyes set ahead with his smirk still playing on his lips. For just a second you allowed yourself to take him in, to look at the lips you had kissed a while ago, already aching for his taste once again. Fuck you had it deep for the man, unable to tear yourself away, unable to shake the sensations he had pushed through your body.
“Where are we going?” Your whispers were left unanswered, Tommy opened a door for you, pushing you into the dark room before anybody else could see the two of you. He pressed you against the now closed door, lips finding yours in the dark. The moan that clawed through you was raspy, vibrating with lust, with a special kind of pleasure only he could make you feel.
“Fuck, wait.” You pushed him away, hands firmly placed on his chest, trying not to spare the feeling of his tense muscles beneath your fingers a thought. “What about Lizzie, your date?”
“Oh, love, I’m not interested in Lizzie, you know that.” The chuckles that rumbled through Tommy left you panting, not understanding why he was toying with Lizzie and with you. "I came because I knew I’d find you here, I needed to see you again.”
You didn’t get the chance to reply, shut up by his lips finding yours. The feeling of his fingers on your body was enough to distract you from your thoughts, keeping quiet, not wanting to interrupt the sensation once again. A fire was burning inside you, a fire so strong you feared Tommy would melt you, burned to the ground by his wandering hands and the smirk that could make the devil blush.
“I want to make you scream my name, let them hear who you belong to.” Tommy’s words left you moaning, eyes fluttering close as he kissed his way down your throat, hands disappearing beneath your dress. You were pulled closer, feeling his clothed, hardening cock against your damp panties. The pants that ripped through you left Tommy smirking against your skin, all too aware of the power he held over you. “But we wouldn’t want to risk your reputation.”
Tommy let go of you, feeling as if cold water had just been dumped over your burning body, instantly missing his touch. For a few seconds, he stared at you in the darkness before he dipped his head down once again, lips ghosting over yours, “Call me on your way home, and I’ll come to find you like I always will.”
“Fuck, Tommy, wait.” You couldn’t let him go, it felt as if you were burning, your body on fire from just a few simple touches. With your arms finding their way around his neck, you pulled him close once again. The kiss you pressed against his lips left your heart racing in excitement, moaning as Tommy moved you back. Within seconds you found yourself placed on top of a table, thighs pushed open by his wandering hands.
“You’re such a greedy girl, look at you, weeping for my touch, for my cock. We’ll have to be quick.” Another moan tore through you, eyes fluttering close as his warm breath clashed against your cunt. His tongue brushed your arousal-covered folds, groaning at the taste he had been thinking of ever since he had fucked you, a taste he thought of as Tommy fucked his hand to the thought of you at any given chance.
“Oh fuck, your mouth is deadly.” Tommy chuckled against your skin, eyes flickering up to your pleasure-drunken features. Two fingers were forced into your tightness, curling them against the spot that left you breathless. He knew exactly how to push you to your limits, knew exactly how to make you see the stars he had shown to you the last time he had fucked you ruthlessly.
“Fuck, you taste so sweet, love, I’ll never get enough of you.” Tommy was a starving man, a man who would claim you at any given chance. And you were his salvation, the rescue he had long given up on, the lifeline that would stop him from drowning in the darkness he had befriended years ago.
Your clit pulsed against his warm tongue, knowing that you’d cum any moment now. With your eyes set on Tommy, you covered your mouth, knowing that you couldn’t be silent, not when he fucked you with his fingers; not when he ate you out like no other man ever had. And as your head rolled back, eyes squeezed shut, Tommy pulled you even closer, pushing the awaited high through your trembling body.
Tommy kept fucking you with his fingers, smirking against your bundle of nerves as he watched you fall apart, only pulling away as a shaky exhale left you. Wordlessly, you pulled him in for one last kiss, tasting yourself on his tongue.
“I’ll see you later, love, be a good girl and I’ll reward you later.”
……
An hour later, you fell out of the lift with a little giggle on your lips, Tommy’s strong arms catching you before you tripped. “Do have the entire floor?” you asked in amazement.
“The building actually,” he replied with no attempt at modesty. There hadn’t been much small talk during your first visit or you might have learned that. However, you did remember the incredible view, courtesy of the floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the city.
The lights gleamed back at you in a glittering array of colors that seemed endless, much like the vast expanse of the room where you now stood.
“Well, you might have more real estate, but I certainly have more books,” you noted with a firm nod. Spinning in a tight circle, you looked at the near empty shelves around you. “Where do you keep yours?”
Tommy smirked at you as he came closer, hooking an arm around your waist as he answered your question with one of his own. “Would you like to see?”
You bit your lip and nodded in reply, feeling his hand wander down your backside with a gentle squeeze. Kicking off your heels, your feet glided along the polished hardwood to stop in the doorway of a home office. The room was much more inviting with tall shelves full of leather back volumes and photos.
“Take a look over there, professor.” He pointed over your shoulder, directing your gaze to a desk in the corner. Your eyebrows went up in shock as you approached and saw the assigned reading for your class open to the correct page.
As your fingers traced the familiar words, you felt Tommy’s warm breath upon your neck, “Do I get a gold star?” he asked, brushing the hair from your shoulder to replace it with a kiss.
“I’m impressed you know what we’re studying this week,” you admitted. Quirking your eyebrow at him playfully, you added, “But have you actually read it?”
You felt him smirk against your skin as he admitted, “I was hoping you’d give me a private lesson.”
Slightly distracted by the featherlight kisses he placed along the delicate skin from your ear to your throat. And even more so when they turned to gentle nips, you huffed out a little laugh. “Is that so?"
His only reply was the warmth of his palms, skating along the sides of your body. Fingers massaging deep, insistent circles into your hipbones and raising your dress up to your waist until he had revealed your ass to the cool air.
“I think you could be persuaded,” he whispered against the shell of your ear. The sight of dark lace coming into view caused his dick to twitch and he couldn’t resist reaching out to cup your warm heat, stroking along the gusset of your underwear. An impish grin spread across your face as you captured his hand suddenly.
“Alright then. My class, my rules,” you explained. Handing him the book, you instructed him to begin reading without stopping. Tommy’s brow furrowed slightly before noticing your hands had slipped to his belt, the jingle of the metal and the zip of his trousers the only sounds in the room.
“Well?” you prodded as you proceeded to undress him from the waist down. “Let me hear you,” you demanded with a peck to his lips.
Biting his lip as though he were trying to decide, Tommy complied the moment you sank to your knees. The first sentence boomed into the quiet space confidently as you reached for his already erect cock. However, his voice hitched slightly when your warm breath met his skin, even more so when your tongue darted out to lick the first glistening drops of precum.
“Oh, fuck…” he muttered, as you began licking up one side and down the other in slow, even strokes of your tongue.
“I don’t remember that part,” you joked as your hand closed over his length to begin pumping him gently. Tongue laving over him in tantalizing patterns, his voice grew shaky, a near whisper remaining of his commanding tone.
By the time you took him into your throat, he could barely think through the fog of pleasure. His head felt full of cotton and the words suddenly uncooperative when he attempted to recite them.
Releasing him with a wet pop, you placed a few open mouth kisses along his length to slow his desire and return his attention to the task. Then you asked sweetly, “Will you read a bit more?”
“M not sure,” he confessed with a shudder, composure slipping further as your thumb brushed over his sensitive tip.
“Go on,” you urged, fondling his balls and scratching lightly with your fingernails. Sucking on his reddened tip, you looked up through your lashes at him and swore you saw him suppress a whimper, but he attempted to continue.
Although he tried to control it, the clenching of his muscular thighs beneath your palm soon gave away his need for release and you set a devilish pace you knew he couldn’t resist. Releasing small staccato breaths, his hips jerked forward, hand clutching your hair in a desperate attempt to ground himself.
Tommy only managed two more words before his resolve snapped, pulling you from the floor and turning you to face the desk in one swift movement. You moaned as his large palm pressed against your back, bending you over the desk to rip your thong away. He kicked your legs apart to give himself greater access before entering you with one deep thrust.
A grunt of relief passed his lips as he held himself there to feel you pulse around him, savoring the tight grip of your pussy. The moment didn’t last long, the overwhelming urge to pound into you overtaking him. He quickly wound your hair in his hand before tugging you back to meet his first thrusts of raw need and your hands shot out for something to grasp hold of.
Gripping the edges of the desk tightly, you could hear the squelching sounds as Tommy drove into you relentlessly. Your own desperate pants were drowned out by the noise of skin slapping harshly as your body began to bounce back against him. The brutal pace he set lit a fire in your belly as he arrowed himself into you perfectly, hitting that sweet spot deep within.
Every drag of his cock against your sensitive walls pushing you to the brink, your body keening and arching in response. Tommy eventually slowed to watch you unravel. The pride in his voice evident as he mumbled lustfully, “Taking me so well.”
He reached forward to fondle the globe of your breast, rolling your pert nipple in his fingers and pinching to hear your sweet little gasps. The delicious combination sent sparks of pleasure zinging through your body, overwhelming your senses until you were flooded with euphoria.
Thighs beginning to shake from aftershocks, your hips dug further into the wooden desk as you collapsed forward in utter exhaustion. Tommy soon followed, hips stuttering against your backside before he pulled out. You whimpered at the loss of him just as you felt the warm spurts of his release against your ass. If not for Tommy cleaning you off and carrying you to bed, you might not have made it on your own.
It was certainly no surprise when the bright rays of the morning sun woke you instead of your alarm. Your evening of passion had once again made you late for work, but this time you decided to take a much deserved day off.
Rolling over to find your discarded purse, you rang Lizzie. As you thought of what to say, you gathered the sheet and wrapped it around you, walking as quietly as possible to the hall. When you heard her pick up on the other end of the line, you immediately began to ramble.
“Oh, I’m so glad you’re in. Of course you are. Well…I…I have a small favor, Lizzie.” Not quite reaching the point before you felt something brush against your arm. You could hear her heavy sigh of annoyance just as you caught sight of Tommy, tugging at the corner of the sheet until he’d left you naked.
With an impish grin, he began kissing you, beginning at your temple. You bit your lip as you tried to concentrate on your call, asking if she might take over for you this morning.
“Yes, just the two classes this morning,” you confirmed as Tommy’s head began to dip lower, lips grazing your shoulder and then your breast. You stifled a squeal as his tongue swirled the pebbled flesh around your nipple and gave a sudden bite, apologizing to her as you explained. “No, I, uh…burned myself.”
Tommy frowned at you as you tried to bat him away. Seductively pushing you against the wall as you listened to Lizzie begin a list of her own demands. “Well, alright, but when you return I’ll expect a trade. If you could…”
Just then Tommy sunk to his knees, pushing your thighs apart and swiping his tongue through your folds before you could clamp your legs shut again. He sat back on his heels. “C’mon love,” he begged quietly.
“Is that a man's voice?” Lizzie asked sharply. Then with a gasp of recognition she said, “Tommy Shelby!”
“No, of course not. I have to go, Lizzie!” you rushed out in a single breath, hanging up before Tommy could open his mouth again.
“You’re going to get me fired!” you hissed at him playfully as he raised from the ground to kiss you good morning.
“They wouldn’t dare,” he promised, cool blue eyes shining back at you. You scrunched your nose at him skeptically, “And if they did?”
“You could be my tutor,” he offered as you broke into a fit of giggles. “I quite enjoyed last night’s lesson. In fact, I think I need another,” he began earnestly before his eyes crinkled with a mischievous grin. “Turns out I’m a terrible pupil. I have to study constantly,” he added with a dramatic shake of his head.
Then without warning, he scooped you up and hauled you back to bed as your shrieks of laughter echoed down the hall.
#Tommy Shelby smut#Tommy Shelby x reader#professor fic#Tommy Shelby imagine#Peaky Blinders smut#lee and chi at it again
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Me when the tk community gets into some bullshit drama every 5 seconds:
#and its all the same reheated bullshit over and over again#also what's lee baiting??? ive never heard of it until last week#chi speaks#tk community#sfw tickling community
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《命轉情真》 (1999) | “Life for Life”
#After waiting for YEARS#YES! I can finally rewatch one of my fave#TVB#HK Drama#Series of all time again! 🎉 And my fave#Mariane Chan#Role overall#Life for Life#Cheung Tat Ming#Cutie Mui#Ha Ping#Gordon Liu#Lee Ka Ding#Helen Ma#Benz Hui#Angelina Lo#Michael Tse#Liu Kai Chi#Mickey Chu#My Caps
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Hi, i love your stuff! Your writing is AMAZING!
Could you do a sokkaxreader fic, where reader gets majorly hurt saving sokkas life-and she almost dies and super angst but turns sweet/fluff?
-✨anon
a/n: ugh i love angst!!! tysm for requesting this <3
warnings: mentions of blood, injury,
summary: a fight gone wrong leads to an important revelation for you and Sokka
It all had happened so fast.
One minute your group is enjoying a nice breakfast together and the next you’re fighting off Azula and her minions. They’d ambushed you, catching you in a vulnerable position and striking the moment you least expected them to. You had the advantage of numbers against them, but these girls were immensely skilled, so you didn’t have enough of an edge to completely defend yourselves against their attack.
You were assisting Katara in trying to take down Azula when you happened to catch a glance of Sokka from across the way. His back was turned to you and his focus was set on trying to dodge Ty Lee’s chi blocks, so he wasn’t able to detect the blades that were being aimed in his direction. Your eyes widened with panic as you quickly make your way towards him; you wouldn’t be fast enough to stop Mai from throwing the knives, but you’d at least be fast enough to get in their path and stop them from hitting your friend.
“Sokka, move!” You urged, shoving him out of the way and effectively knocking over Ty Lee in the process as well. You weren’t given the time to process anything else as you immediately felt the blades make contact with your skin, digging themselves deep into your back. You cried out in agony before immediately collapsing to the ground, all while Sokka watched on in horror.
“Y/n!” He screamed before scrambling to your side. The fabric of your top was beginning to turn a deep red, and you could already begin to feel the effects of blood loss take over. Your vision was hazy and your body felt cold, and yet you were still able to make out the features of his face as he stared down at you with tears in his eyes.
“Just hang on, I’m going to get you out of here!” He insisted, some of his tears landing on your face. You couldn’t find the strength to muster up a response, so instead you simply let your eyes close and allowed the cold to consume you whole.
When you regain consciousness again you find yourself in a tent. Everything hurts and your body feels like it’s on fire, and yet you can’t find the strength to move. Blurry faces hover over you and muffled voices fill your ears, but no matter how hard you try you can’t make sense of any of your surroundings.
“-more water. I need more water!”
“Why isn’t it working?!”
A sharp pulse jolts up your spine and this time you do cry out in pain, effectively startling the figures in the tent.
“Y/n!” A voice cries. Sokka’s voice.
He’s beside you in an instant, kneeling before you and taking your hand tightly in his own. You’ve never seen him like this, so distraught and terrified. You wonder what happened when you passed out.
“Try to stay awake, okay? Please stay awake,” he begs you before looking frantically to his sister. “She doesn’t look any better!”
“Sokka, I’m doing everything I can here!” His sister shouts back, equally distressed as she exerts all of her energy into healing you. Progress is there but it’s slow, and she worries that if she isn’t fast enough the damage may be permanent. Why did the blades have to hit your spine so perfectly?
“Sokka…” you murmur quietly, your eyes beginning to feel heavy yet again.
“No, no, no, y/n, look at me! Don’t go back to sleep!”
But his pleas fall on deaf ears, and you’re swept back under.
You’re not sure how much time has passed since you were last conscious, but the lamp beside you must mean that it’s grown dark outside. You feel warm, the sharp pain is gone, and all that is left behind is a sense of exhaustion from your adrenaline inducing day. You try to sit up only to immediately collapse due to the soreness of your back, but at least you’re able to move now.
“Hey, it’s okay, don’t move,” Sokka insists, alerting you of his presence beside you. You feel his palm carefully lift the back of your head towards the bowl of water he holds in his other hand, allowing you to take greedy gulps until you’re satisfied. “Katara says you shouldn’t try to get up yet or you’ll strain yourself. Your body is still adjusting.”
“What happened? How long have I been asleep?” You ask groggily.
“About twelve hours,” he replies sullenly, and it isn’t until this moment that you’re able to detect the exhaustion present on his features. “Those blades dug right through your skin and into your spine. Katara spent hours healing you; for a minute we thought you might not make it or that maybe you’d live but be paralyzed for the rest of your life. Why did you do it?”
“What?”
“Why did you do it?” Sokka says more firmly this time. “How could you do something so stupid like that?! You could’ve died!”
“It’s not stupid to risk my life for someone I love,” you correct him with a faint smile. Your admission takes him by surprise, his face immediately growing hot and his mind actually at a loss for words for once.
“You… you love me?” He asks gently, almost as if he doesn’t believe you.
“I thought it was obvious, dummy.”
“Not to me!” He cries defensively. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I don’t know,” you admit with a small shrug. “I guess there’s never really been a good time; there’s always another fight to win or people to save. It just didn’t feel right.”
“I guess you’re right,” he murmurs faintly. “But I’m glad you told me now, and I’m glad you’re alive. Because I can’t stand to lose another person that I love.”
You smile tiredly at his words, a new sense of understanding now being shared between you both. You love each other, and neither of you can stand to lose the other. This is real now, and you’re in it for the long haul.
He presses a kiss to your forehead then and urges you to get some more rest, and so you do. And Sokka stays planted right beside you to keep watch over you in your vulnerable state. In that moment he swears he’ll never let anything like this happen to you again.
And that’s a promise he intends to keep for a lifetime.
#sokka#sokka x reader#sokka imagine#atla#atla x reader#atla imagine#avatar the last airbender#request#✨ anon#angst#fluff
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kissing skz goodbye
pairing: skz x reader
type: reaction
warnings: none
a/n: please read info before requesting update: if you saw that pic of felix before, no you didn’t. upon further investigation that was not even felix and pinterest has done me dirty. this is why we don’t look for photos and post at like 1am 🙃
masterlist | info
——————————
chan- it’s amazing chis was even asleep but he was and you know that if you left before him and didn’t kiss him that he’d pout about it all day. did he jump a little? yes but he melted right into your lips in no time. he let out a groan, his voice still raspy with sleep. his arms wrapped around your waist and because he was so much stronger than you, your body fell right into his.
“i’m not gonna let you go just yet.”
lee know- this was purely to annoy him. he HATES being woken up but nonetheless you had to do your job as a partner. you gave several pecks in a row, lingering longer on the last one. to your surprise a hand came up to the back of your head and the kiss was deepened.
“do this again and i’ll kill you.”
changbin- will also pout if he doesn’t get a kiss before you go to work. you’ll get texts throughout the day teasing that you don’t love him and how could he possibly be with someone so cruel. so to save yourself the headache on such a busy day, you leaned down and gave him a gentle kiss on his cheek. as you turned to walk out, a hand caught yours at the last second and you heard him whine.
“nooo, kiss me properly, baby.”
hyunjin- kisses were spread all throughout your morning routine. when you first opened your eyes and rolled over, you brushed his hair back to admire his beautiful features in sleep before softly kissing them. then a quick peck after your shower on your way to change. lastly, a long kiss to his lips that finally causes him to stir and then return the kiss.
“have a good day, my love.”
han- you know better than to leave a room let alone the house without kissing your boyfriend goodbye. your kisses are like a drug to him and he can’t go more than a few hours without begging for them. you give him a kiss to each cheek to wake him slightly, gently letting him know what’s coming next. his lips poke out while his eyes are still closed. letting you know he’s ready for you and you lean down once more, giving him a final kiss before you have to go.
“i love you, baby.”
felix- lix is so stunning when he sleeps. his bare face littered with freckles and relaxed features looking younger in sleep. you almost hate to wake him up even a little but you can’t help but to kiss him before you leave. not only would he be upset if you didn’t but your heart would ache without one last kiss. your hand rests on his cheek, stroking it with your thumb as you lean down. felix isn’t scared or even fazed by your affections. instead he kisses you right back and reaches up to keep you in place for a little longer.
“such a perfect way to wake up.”
seungmin- sleep is such a precious thing to seungmin but if he was honest, you’re even more precious. the first time you left for work before he was up, you got to hear about it when you got home that evening. he wasn’t really sulking or anything, but was just talking about your absence like it was fact. you got the idea. from then on you remembered to kiss him goodbye. the room was still dark as the curtains were drawn and you leaned over him, pushing his hair off his forehead before kissing his lips. you felt him smile before kissing you back.
“bye, darling.”
jeongin- though he can sleep though anything, jeongin still knows when you leave without kissing him. you joke that it’s like kissing a mannequin but he insist you do it anyways. this morning was a little different because he had just returned home from tour and wanted to savor every moment he could with you. it surprised you when his lips moved against yours and his hand came up to caress your cheek. his nose nuzzling yours as your lips parted to still keep you close to him.
“i’ve missed this.”
#kpop#kpop imagines#kpop fanfic#kpop scenarios#kpop reactions#kpop fic#kpop fluff#stray kids#straykids#skz#stray kids scenarios#stray kids reactions#stray kids fanfic#stray kids fluff#stray kids imagine#bang chan#lee know#changbin#hyunjin#han jisung#felix#seungmin#jeongin
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OKAY; We need to talk about this TyZula scene:
this scene has been talked about a LOT. specifically by anti-tyzula/azula fans. but for this "rant" im looking at it through the lens of just azulas character.
it is DETRIMENTAL to azula as a character. this will be a slightly indepth review i guess. im sure someone already talked about this and what im going to say, but i just want to bring it to light considering some of the anti-azula/tyzula stuff i've been seeing recently
Part 1: Azulas reaction to the way Ty Lee approaches her
the way ty lee approached azula is really important here. you might just think, "oh leo it's just Azula being jealous!" but when ty lee walks up to azula saying, "thank goodness you're here!" (i didn't get this part in the clip cuz im a fool and didn't record it on time but whatever go watch the clip on youtube) this qoute is really impactful. it possibly made azula feel less than ty lee. here is the qoute again, "Thank goodness you're here", i feel like azula would take this very personally.
even just the single first sentence. "Thank goodness" is obviously ty lee thanking azula, but for what? you might say, "well yeah for being there" but i genuinely believe azula would interpret this along the lines of, "she only wants me when she needs me" or something like that.
Part 2: Azula's jealously towards Ty Lee
i think a lot of people solely think she's jealous over the boys liking ty lee more than her. but it's not just that. i genuinely find that azula is not only jealous of the boys, but also social interaction in general. specifically with ty lee having that skill and her not.
we don't have much information as to mai, ty lee, and azulas experience in the Royal Fire Academy for Girls, but im assuming azula didn't need much social skills to succeed there. she had two close friends to deal with people speaking to her, and was literally a crown princess of the FIRE NATION. if she couldn't get what she wanted whether mai or ty lee were there- she could always use her royalty as her advantage. i also can see her threatening those in school who opposed her (without using her royalty as a reason). there is a key moment we see during a flashback where azula and ty lee are playing. azula did her best to preform a cartwheel and failed while ty lee succeeded. because of this azula actually pushes ty lee down!
keep in mind that this is one of azulas closest friends other than mai. we can only IMAGINE what azula would do to a student who got in the way of something she wanted.
so yes; azula is jealous of ty lee getting attention from boys, but it's not solely that. it's her social skills that she's also jealous of.
Part 3: The Conflict
azula gets defensive after her reaction to the previous plot point. she verbally attacks ty lee because of it. azula says to ty lee, "those boys only like you because you make it so easy for them! you're not a challenge, you're a tease."
yes azula is "critiquing" the "way" ty lee attracts men. azula is saying she'd do the exact opposite. but the opposite is all she knows. she grew up learning the power of being the best, being perfect, and fear mongering. she genuinely sees that as the way to handle ANY social situation.
as far as, "it's not like they actually care who you are." qoute goes; azula sees this as another flaw in her interactions with men.
example is when she tries to convince chan to to maybe (?) have a relationship or farther; she uses (not exactly royality) but her skills as a skilled bender for a reason to stay with her. considering she has no social skills, her only option (in her mind) is to use her higher power. ty lee doesn't use her high rank in nobility (along with her chi blocking abilities) to what azula would call an advantage.
im not defending azulas verbal assault on ty lee. im solely explaining (imo) the feelings behind it.
Part 4: Ty Lee's reaction
This one is simple. ty lee is hurt by azulas words. obviously.
Part 5: Azula's redemption for this scene
it already baffles me when people say azula is (pure evil) just based on her actions between others. but this scene shows a side of azula we haven't been able to see so far through the series. an apology. not only did she apologize to ty lee but admitted her mistake and explained why she said what she did. i think it's insane that people solely walk past this scene and only see it as azula bullying ty lee. if anything it's the opposite. yes she makes a rude remark, but after seeing ty lee's reaction she IMMEDIATELY takes her comment back an apologizes.
this is so human and shows a side we hardly ever got to see. especially when it's specifically between her and ty lee. their relationship is so important as far as azulas character goes. (not to get too deep into it but,) even in "Azula and the Spirit Temple" ty lee is one of the illusions that the spirit attempts to make her happy with. azula obviously has a strong connection to ty lee in a loving and caring way that most people look past. whether it's from these scene or that specific comic. obviously their relationship has unhealthy flaws but what relationship doesn't?
Part 6: A quick resolution
so there you go. basically an essay on a single 36 second clip i just wanted to give azula some light because people ALWAYS paint her as "crazy" or "evil" but that's simply not true. same goes for TyZula. yes there is a power imbalance, but azula does admit her mistakes and apologizes for hurting ty lee's feelings.
Anyway thanks for reading!!
#atla#princess azula#ty lee#tyzula#azula#ty lee atla#avatar the last airbender#im scared to post this
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I've been reading a bunch of Azula fics, I have three pet peeves (and they bother me a lot because I read "Azula-friendly" only).
Azula shot Iroh with lighting: she didn't. I've just watched one or those bending compilations and her shot even makes the fire noise. there's no crackling of electricity, there's not the whole bending movement she does for lighting.
the same goes for Mai, she was going to shoot fire. (it's not as if we see her shooting with two fingers multiple times...) fire is faster, she's good at it, that's a primary weapon.
sending the Kyoshi warriors, Ty Lee and Mai to prison is the worst thing she could have done. it makes sense to send Suki to the Boiling Rock, as it makes sense that Hakoda was there, they're the leaders. having prisoners of war is not a war crime. actually, war crimes ≠ acts of war. sending the Kyoshi warriors to prison after fighting them is exactly what you expect of people in a war.
Ty Lee and Mai committed treason on her face. that's not even about the betrayal, that's just a whole ass crime. that's the crown princess, the second most important person in the fire nation, literally the only one left to take the throne. if this wasn't a children's show, they'd have been executed before Azula could move again after being chi-blocked.
sure, being resentful about being in prison is fine, but if you don't want to go to prison, perhaps don't commit treason in front of the god-damned crown princess?
now, the worst of all: Azula always wanted to be Fire Lord.
Azula...
born fifth in the line of succession...
who has her grandfather, her father, her uncle, her cousin and her brother in front of her...
Azula always wanted to be Fire Lord.
you mean the kid that has abandonment issues?
not even counting that. after the whole shit with Lu Ten dying, Azulon dying and Ozai usurping the throne. she still has 1) her father in the throne and 2) Zuko as the crown prince. to want to be Fire Lord even then, when she's a lot closer to it, is making her want the people she loves the most to be dead or exiled.
even if you don't believe that she loves someone. why would she bring Zuko back home, restore him as the crown prince, if she wants to be Fire Lord? leave the guy there, betray him after he helped you, that would make more sense for a power-hungry secondborn daughter of the secondborn son than bringing your only competition to the throne.
I don't know where the idea that she always wanted the throne comes from, I just know it's stupid and doesn't fit anything in her show characterization
#atla azula#my little pet peeves#really the idea that she always wanted to be fire lord bothers me so much#trying to kill zuko is more about obeying ozai than anything else#azula is a better sibling than zuko
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Can you share any thoughts/headcannons about Ty Lee's sisters?
i’ve talked before about how i think that aang would date one of ty lee’s sisters and it would really freak katara out because she’s terrified of ty lee and she thinks that nothing good can come from involving himself in that family. but aang is actually like best friends with her whole family because of their air nomad ancestry and he’s trying to get them all into embracing their culture more and teaching them about their heritage. and maybe even one of her sisters does have latent airbending powers (ty lee has like, very minimal airbending ability, but her sister can actually move the air and all that) so he’s just overjoyed to help her hone that skill.
also this isn’t really about her sisters but i think that the chi-blocking girl from the legacy of yangchen who gets relocated to yangchen’s air temple for her own safety is a distant ancestor of ty lee’s. not because ty lee like epigenetically discovered the ability to chi-block (if anything i think ty lee discovered it on her own) but because i just think that’s a fun intersection and i do feel like fc yee incorporated it deliberately. anyway back to her sisters.
one of them dates aang, one of them is an airbender (possibly the same one?), at least one of them is also gay (just, statistically speaking), and unlike what the stupid comics will tell you, just because they all look identical does not mean that they wear matching hairstyles and outfits. they definitely each have their own sense of style and a complex about being unique and distinguished in their individual field. if anything i think ty lee incorporates their insecurities into her persona during her confession on the beach because she knows firsthand that the desire to distinguish oneself runs rampant in their family. like she’s clearly exaggerating as a deliberate performance of vulnerability, but it does come from a real place, if only through borrowing the anxieties of her sisters.
one is an accomplished musician, one is an accomplished mathematician, one is an accomplished engineer, one in an accomplished artist, one is an accomplished poet, one is an accomplished architect, and ty lee is the accomplished performer(/acrobat/fighter/liar). she could also probably be good at all those things too if she put her mind to it, but they all tacitly respect one another’s boundaries.
they come from a family that cares about nothing more than entrenching themselves within the fire nation aristocracy, and so their parents never really cared about their wellbeing as long as they were excelling. and ty lee was particularly favored because she’s excessively charming and knows how to get her way in any situation, and also, of course, because she’s the chosen playmate of the princess.
the pressure to always be perfect and provide an “in” for her family gets to be too much for her so she runs away to the join the circus, and she kind of assumes that they won’t even notice because she left behind six identical copies, but they get really worried because what will happen to their family now that they no longer have a direct link to the palace? so they’re really relieved to hear that ty lee is once again working with azula after news of the coup on ba sing se reaches the fire nation. and then they hear that she betrayed azula and got herself imprisoned and they’re furious. they actively consider disowning her, but then they figure if she’s already in prison for life, why bother. but then a few months later, they learn that now she’s friends with the avatar and the new firelord, which is even better than being friends with the princess, so they accept her back.
not that she wants to go home, but aang has suspicions about her ancestry that he wants to confirm so he makes her take him to her house and introduces him to all her sisters and her parents. they all show off their various talents to aang because they’re so nervous to be meeting the avatar, but he’s literally impressed by every single one of them. any time any of them do anything he’s just like “wow that’s awesome!!!” completely sincerely. he thinks ty lee’s family is so cool and has dinner with them whenever he can.
after the war aang gets really intent on finding all the remnants of the air nomad legacy through tracking down the air nomad refugees whose families assimilated into other nations over the past century. and he and ty lee (and her sisters) embark on this really in-depth archival project to collect all the traces of her family and families like hers as a way to honor and commemorate their cultural heritage. ty lee learns a lot about her family and what they had to do to survive (and how that mirrors her own life). and even though it’s nothing like it was before, aang finds a community of people who want to reconnect with their heritage and piece by piece, he slowly rebuilds what was lost.
#the-wright#asks#ty lee#aang#aang&tylee#postwargaang#sorry this turned into aang central#but in my mind ty lee and aang are like this 🤞#which katara HATES btw#she’s like ‘couldn’t the air nomad heritage belong to anyone other than THE WORST GIRL ALIVE?????????’#and aang’s just like awww no she’s nice#to which katara is like that’s just what she WANTS you to think .#she’s fine w aang dating just NOT IN THAT FAMILY
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There’s Something About These Grounds… | Tommy Shelby x Mrs Shelby & Reader
Request: no - written for @zablife ‘s 2k celebration and @little-diable ‘s 15k celebration
Pairing: Tommy Shelby x Mrs Shelby & Reader
Summary: Mrs Shelby takes a walk and stumbles upon a dark secret that is hidden on the grounds of Arrow House. She's given a warning about the future of her family, a warning that makes her new husband wonder if she should even leave the house at all.
Warnings: language, drinking, smoking, paranormal themes, implications of past and future miscarriages (nothing in detail), implications of suicide (nothing in detail)
Word Count: 3317
A/N: I…I’m not 100% sure what this is, but hey, I finished it - I think we’ll call it my best attempt at writing something that’s the complete opposite of fluff haha. I’ve given Mrs Shelby a name…she’s an OC but reader is also present here. Enjoy! :)
A/N 2: Lee and Chi - congratulations on your amazing milestones!! I’m so thankful that you’re both part of this amazing community…I can’t imagine it without you! Thanks also to Chi for allowing me to play around with the prompt - it’s bolded/italcized in the story…I hope I still got the gist of it!
I’D LOVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! - YOUR COMMENTS & REBLOGS HELP ME WRITE!
Comment/Message Me if you’d like to be tagged in future stories similar to this one!
The landscape got darker and more overgrown with each step Mrs Shelby took. She wondered why she'd decided to take a walk away from the manor that she resided in. At one point, she even considered abandoning her original idea and turning back to the house. But then she reasoned that anything would be better than being cooped up inside those dark walls for yet another day.
Her marriage to the man who owned the very estate she was walking on, Thomas Shelby, can only be described as a whirlwind. No one in either of their families knew of it happening until after the license was signed and they had taken a trip to Paris. What had bright promises at first now felt like the beginning of a prison sentence for the young woman.
It was Tommy's family that insisted they have the party that was taking place today. The bride was weary about it - she was never one to jump into the spotlight during social events, but Tommy's methods of convincing made it hard to say 'no'. He assured her that she'd be in control; that when she'd say that she'd reached her limit, the party would be over. It eased her worries when she agreed to it, but now that the day of the party was here, she was feeling uneasy once again.
So, in hopes to quell her building nerves, Mrs Shelby decided that she would escape the house and take a walk on its expansive grounds.
The landscape seemed to turn a darker shade of green the further she walked away from the manor, but she reasoned that the worry of being amongst some overgrown trees was affecting her much less than the worry of what would be happening later this evening.
She continued walking until she came upon a pond. The small body of water was surrounded by trees and shrubbery, and the fog that hung low over it added an eerie vibe to the atmosphere. As Mrs Shelby got closer to the pond, she noticed a woman standing in the middle of it.
"Hello?!" she called out, confusing quickly filling her as she walked closer to the water’s edge with caution. "Excuse me," she spoke again when the woman didn't respond or even turn to face her.
From her short distance away, she could see that this lady looked almost white, as if she'd been submerged in the cold water for too long and had lost all color. Her hair was wet and flat on her head, sticking to the skin of her shoulders that could be seen above the water.
Mrs Shelby felt a chill run through her body as she stayed focused on the mysterious woman, who still hadn't moved despite the other making her presence very known. "This is private property, you know," Mrs Shelby tried another direction, hoping that her voice held the authority that was needed to finally make the lady face her. But her words did nothing.
Frustration seeped into her bones as she willed herself to move even closer to the pond's edge. Maybe she didn't hear me, she reasoned as she prepared to call out again. But just as she opened her mouth, the woman completely submerged herself under the water, leaving not a trace of her behind. This made Mrs Shelby frantic. She looked everywhere - even kneeling down on the muddy ground and straining her eyes to see if she could spot her underwater - wondering how the lady could disappear from sight just like that.
The sudden voice that came from behind her made her jump.
"These woods are no one's property, darling." It had to be the woman who was in the water. Mrs Shelby was hesitant to turn and face the person, but when she did, she found the woman, who had disappeared just moments ago, standing beside her. She noticed that she was no longer wet, and was wearing a worn, white slip, something that was too cold to be wearing on a dark, autumn day. "They belong to nature."
"My husband would say differently," Mrs Shelby tried to stay calm, standing up and jutting her chin upwards slightly in hopes it would add to her act of confidence. She didn't want this woman to know that she was actually shaking in her shoes.
"Your husband does not know what he stands for," the woman was quick to say.
"Who-who are you and why are you here?" Mrs Shelby decided to ask, her voice faltering only slightly.
"My name is (Y/N)," the woman responded, "this is my home."
The second part of her statement made Mrs Shelby scoff slightly. "Impossible. My husband and I own these grounds. They've been in his hands for four years now," she spoke in a refuting tone.
"Don't be silly, Eloise. These grounds have changed hands many times," the strange woman countered, uttering a laugh of her own at the face that Mrs Shelby pulled when her name was said.
"How do you know my name?"
"I know things," (Y/N) spoke frankly. "I know things about you, about your husband. I know why your marriage occurred in the manner it did...it's not for the reason you keep telling yourself."
"I don't know what you mean..." Mrs Shelby wasn't sure if she actually wanted clarification.
"Tommy was lonely. He couldn't cope with himself, with his business and its demands. The whores weren't doing it for him anymore, and even though I told him that he could keep coming to see me, it wasn't enough for him. He needed someone who would be by his side constantly. Someone who could appease him physically. It's unclear to me why he chose you...since it seems you'd rather be away from him then by his side." (Y/N) ended her explanation by looking the other woman over, an unimpressed look present on her face.
"He and I love each other," Mrs Shelby tried to be indignant, but she didn't quite believe the declaration herself.
"That's what you try so hard to believe," (Y/N) snorted at the thought.
Mrs Shelby felt slighted by these words. She hastily tried to muster up the ability to take back the conversation, since it was clearly falling into (Y/N)'s hands. "We do. We've spoken of starting a family, of completing our home...a little brother or sister for Charlie." (Y/N) only laughed at what was said. Mrs Shelby scoffed at her reaction. "How dare you react in that way! This is not a laughable matter," she insisted, glaring at the grinning woman.
"You are so naïve to believe that it'll be that simple; that your wishes will be granted," (Y/N) stated, shaking her head. Silly woman, she thought.
"I don't see why they wouldn't be," Mrs Shelby furrowed her eyebrows at the other woman's cryptic statement.
"You've not lived here long enough to know what'll happen...to know what fate befalls every woman that sets foot on this property."
"What are you saying?"
"It's the land, Eloise. It's cursed. It took my babies, and it'll take yours too," (Y/N) words had an ominous tone to them, making Mrs Shelby shiver as she heard them. Nothing could have prepared her for what would come out of the other woman's mouth next: "it kept me here to make sure of it."
A mortified look formed on Mrs Shelby's face while a smirk formed on (Y/N)'s. The former of the two stayed frozen in her spot as the latter slowly retreated back into the trees that surrounded the eerie pond.
Even if Mrs Shelby wanted to, she couldn't ask the strange woman what her ominous message meant because (Y/N) had slipped completely out of sight. She'd practically vanished into thin air.
The conversation left Mrs Shelby reeling; questioning if any of it was even real. She tried blinking her eyes several times, wondering if doing so would do the trick of waking her up. Yes...maybe this is all just a twisted dream. But it wasn't. She was still standing out in the middle of the forest, the fog-covered pond still in front of her; the bottom of her dress still covered in the mud of the bank she kneeled on. So many questions were swirling through her mind as she grappled with what was real and what could possibly be made up.
She knew two things for certain: one, she couldn't stay out here a second longer, and two: she needed to speak to Tommy about this immediately.
Mrs Shelby was completely out of breath when she reached the doors to Arrow House. She rushed inside, squeezing herself through the people who were working hasilty to make sure finishing touches were in place before the party started. She gave them no thought as she frantically looked for her husband, moving so quickly through the crowd that she hadn't noticed he was in front of her until his hands were grabbing hold of her shoulders.
"Where're you running to, love?" Tommy asked, his brows furrowed as he took in the sight of his distraught wife. He watched closely as she took several breaths to calm herself down, and he placed pressure on her collarbones with his thumbs, hoping that it would aid the process.
"Tommy, I...I went out t-to walk and followed the, the path down to the trees, and then I walked further in and I just kept walking until I reached a p-pond, and I, I, I uh I didn't...I didn't..."
"Hey, slow down, Eloise," Tommy cut off his wife's frantic rambles with a steady voice, "catch your breath first before you talk again," he suggested, seeing her nod before he brought his hands from her shoulders up to her cheeks. He caressed them softly as he let his eyes drift over her body. "What's happened, eh? Why is your dress muddy?" he asked, his brows furrowing together again.
"I was telling you, I...I found a pond. And there was a woman in it."
"A woman?" Tommy was taken back by the information.
"Yes. She, she was in the water when I first saw her, but then she came to me and she, she...Tommy, we need to leave. We need to leave here, now," her voice might have been shaky, but she still said the final word with the dire emotion it needed.
"Why would we do that, darling?" he needed to ask, now full of confusion.
"We have to leave here if we want to have the family we talk about. We can't have a baby here, Tommy," the fear filling her body was present in her words.
"You're confusing me, Eloise," he bluntly said, hoping she'd get to the point of her worries and stop dancing around the problem.
"To keep them alive, Tommy," she spoke with a sense of urgency, "there's something in the woods...a woman...she said that she's going to take our babies."
Tommy took a few moments to let what was just said sink in. The cogs in his mind were now turning at the second mention of this woman. He knew now that it was no mistake made by his frantic wife. She must've encountered (Y/N). Just the thought of that happening made his blood run cold. He needed to think of a way to deflect this; to make her believe that this was nothing to be worried about. "I think you might have been outside for too long, love. Why don't you go upstairs and change for the party, eh?" he suggested, his eyebrows raised, showing that even though he'd asked a question, his suggestion wasn't actually up for debate.
"But I didn't...I know it wasn't..."
"Go on, love," he cut her off as she fumbled for the words, nodding his head towards the stairs. "Everyone's almost here."
Mrs Shelby bit on her lip as she fought to keep everything inside. It felt like she was on the brink of a breakdown, and Tommy surely had to see that. Why was he trying to diminish the situation? Didn't he care to know more of why she was reacting the way she was? Did he even want the family they had talked about? All of these questions were bouncing around Mrs Shelby's mind as her husband looked expectantly at her. There was no way that she could bring the conversation back now. It was over.
So she nodded her head ever-so slightly, silently agreeing with what he wanted her to do. That was all Tommy needed from her. He dropped his hold from her, leaning in to press a quick kiss to her lips before he mumbled 'good' and left her side. Mrs Shelby stood there for a moment, still overwhelmed from everything that had happened. But there was only one thing she could do now: get ready for the party and hope for the best.
"Fuck," Tommy breathed as he paced the floor of his office. He brought the glass of whiskey up to his lips and drank the rest of it, setting the glass down just as the door to the room opened.
"Frances said you needed me," the voice of his sister called out before she walked in from behind the door.
"Yes, come in," Tommy answered, waving his hand to her even though she'd already entered the room, "shut the door," he said then, fishing the pack of cigarettes out of his pocket.
"What's going on?" Ada decided to get right to the point. She was never one for beating around the bush, especially when her brother was so clearly being affected by something.
"Eloise just returned from a walk. She managed to find the pond," Tommy started, running his hand along the back of his head as he looked to the ground with a huff. His statement may have been vague, but Ada knew exactly what he was getting at.
"Oh, Tommy," she sighed in dismay. She watched her brother then, now seeing the stress and worry that was so clearly etched into his features.
"She told me she met the woman and that she talked to her," he gave more detail, sitting down on the couch with a sigh. "I don't know what I'm going to do to cover this up," he added, bringing the cigarette to his lips to take a long drag.
Ada stood in her spot, her arms crossed as she observed her brother. It didn't take much to notice that he’d already given this problem all of his attention. He may have seemed composed on the outside, but she knew that his mind was working on overdrive. "Maybe it's time you forgot about her," she offered a suggestion a few moments later.
"Forgot about who?" Tommy asked, not even bothering to raise his head from the couch's back.
"(Y/N)," Ada didn't hesitate in saying the woman's name. Hearing it made Tommy's head snap up so that he could look at his sister. He almost looked surprised at the fact that she'd dare say that name. "You have Eloise now. There's no longer a need to visit her anymore."
"She knows too much," he countered.
"Who?" Ada asked for specifics.
"(Y/N). She knows too much. Of me, of this land, of fucking everything. I don't want Eloise speaking to her anymore."
"What're you going to do then, forbid Eloise from leaving the house?" Her question was meant to be a joke, but it was one that made the lightbulb above her brother's head go off. She noticed it in the way Tommy moved, standing from the couch and stalking out of the room, on a new mission. "Fuck," she breathed with a sigh, knowing that his mind that been set and there'd be no changing it.
Ada wondered why Tommy cared so much about this woman; this person who was no longer living and breathing, yet was still chained to this world. He had told her about (Y/N) in depth: about how she lived a very unhappy life, how she'd gotten to the point where she had nothing left, how she went to that very pond and walked into it knowing that she wouldn't be coming back out.
What Ada didn't realize was that Tommy felt like he was connected to (Y/N); like she was the only person who understood everything he'd been through. Tragedy understood tragedy, and both (Y/N) and Tommy's lives had been filled with it.
So would Tommy really insert more control over his loving wife’s life just because she’d stumbled upon a spirit lurking on the grounds of their estate? That question may not be so easily answered.
Despite the events of the day, the party went smoothly. Tommy, while still having to play host alongside Eloise, managed to speak to his wife about the adventure she'd taken earlier. He convinced her that they wouldn't be moving, and even though she didn't quite understand his reasoning, she agreed to never again walk past the gates of Arrow House's garden; thereby relinquishing her ability to leave the immediate property.
Eloise was able to fall asleep the second her head hit the pillow, exhausted from everything that had happened. Tommy was still wide awake late into the evening. He had one more thing he needed to do.
It didn't take him long to find the pond on the property, and it was no surprise that (Y/N) was waiting for him when he reached the water's edge. She waded towards him, a smile gracing her lips as she stopped in front of him. "I knew you'd come back," she said, speaking in that sweet voice that he'd come to find comfort in. But he couldn't let it calm him this time.
"You shouldn't have spoken to her," his words were abrupt, hoping that she'd get the point and they'd move on.
"I just had to let her know," (Y/N) didn't let it go; instead she explained her side. Her smile dropped into a pout as she tipped her head slightly, feigning innocence.
Her look didn’t faze him. "You'll not speak to her again.”
"I'm not sure I'll be able to help it if the option presents itself," her smile returned, and any trace of innocence was gone.
"It won't...she won't be coming down here anymore," Tommy stayed assertive, still not letting her switch faze him.
"So it'll just be you then?" (Y/N)'s eyebrows raised.
"It'll just be me. Forget you ever saw her," he finished off with one more succinct statement before turning to leave her. Even if he wanted to, he knew he couldn't stay out here tonight.
"She knows what'll happen," (Y/N)'s voice stopped him before he could leave. "She knows about the curse. Knows what'll happen if you try..." she trailed off, not even finishing her sentence because he already knew what she meant.
Silence hung in the air as he stared her down, watching for any subtle movements she could make. "Make it so it doesn't,” he said after a few beats, not waiting to turn and walk away from the pond without allowing her to have a chance to respond.
"I'll see you soon, Tommy," she called after him, smiling as she watched him walk away.
He knew that there was no way she could make things change, even if she wanted to. There was something about these grounds...something that was darker than anything he'd ever known. But he'd be lying if he said he wanted to leave them.
Eloise may not like it, but at the end of the day, she didn't have a choice. She'd stay locked inside of Arrow House so that Tommy could ensure that his two worlds wouldn't collide again.
Tagged: @mystcldydrms @the-anxious-youth @cloudofdisney @look-at-the-soul @elenavampire21 @mrsalwayswrite @julkaamazing @evita-shelby @lilyrachelcassidy @notyour-valentine @shelbydelrey @theshelbyslimited @peakyswritings @just-a-blackhole @watercolorskyy @strayrockette @peakyduchesss @alexxavicry @captivatedbycillianmurphy @yummycastiel @dark-academia-slut @tommystargirl @emotionalcadaver @stevie75 @lyarr24 @signorellisantichrist @zablife @anotherblinder @cillmequick @dandelionprints @letal-y-poetica @gypsy-girl-08 @insanitybyanothername @depxiety @raincoffeeandfandoms @dragons-are-my-favorite @dlmlufics @forgottenpeakywriter @cljordan-imperium @brummiereader @areyenotfondofmelobster @everythingelseisextra @little-diable @thomashelbyswife @shaddixlife
MASTERLIST
#tommy shelby#tommy shelby x reader#tommy shelby x y/n#tommy shelby imagine#tommy shelby one shot#tommy shelby oneshot#tommy shelby fanfic#tommy shelby fanfiction#peaky blinders#peaky blinders x reader#peaky blinders x y/n#peaky blinders imagine#peaky blinders one shot#peaky blinders oneshot#peaky blinders fanfic#peaky blinders fanfiction#fanfiction#fanfic#little-diable15k#zablife 2k celebration
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#2 for mai. bc she deserves it#i actually have several more for mai. like many more times#i think she swears whenever she can#atla#gray speaks#pollbug#also i know that katara's doesn't have the episode. it doesn't fit
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Books of 2023
the list nobody asked for <3
My reading habits had gone a bit stagnant in the past couple of years so this year i made the effort to engage in reading again and wow books really are good!! who would have thought!
Sharing this year's book log with the small reviews i did while reading yeah i am That kind of list lover if u feel like being nosy, (and maybe even help mi crowdsource reading recs based on my likes 👀🤲?)
The left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. Le Guin
Ursula i Need to know your thoughts on omegaver- [gunshot]
THAT ASIDE yeah. mrs Le Guin you've done it again. I can see why everyone got their brain chemistry altered by this book.
The Membranes - Chi Ta-Wei
another brain chemistry altering book. would love to discuss it with a gender studies major lmao
Satanic Verses - Salman Rushdie
its a v atmospheric and poignant story, I know I would have loved it more if I was familiar with the rich religious/cultural background it draws from
The Masquerade Series - Seth Dickinson
Crazy insane in the membrane about this series. one of the most compelling worldbuildings I've ever seen, and most importantly it features one of the most crazy wet pathetic scrunkly meow meow protagonists i've ever had the pleasure of reading about.
Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides
i liked the writing style of this book a lot! idk how well it holds up re: intersexuality topic, but its a very engaging read.
Dead Blondes and Bad Mothers: Monstrosity, Patriarchy, and the Fear of Female Power - Jude Ellison, Sady Doyle
The title says it all honestly, its a beautiful, thought provoking and engaging essay, spanning eras, pop culture phenomenons, and real life events on the topic of women and horror.
The cat who saved books - Sōsuke Natsukawa
this was so cute and heartfelt, it will really make you go Ah Yes, this is Why we Love Books <333
The Locked Tomb Series - Tamsyn Muir
now when people say there is a girl who is the cursed sacrifice of 2000 infants who falls in love with the sleeping embodiment of the soul of the Earth (barbie) and also another girl who is the only survivor of the aforementioned sacrifice and is. a Jesus metaphor? and also the two girls become one at some point. and every book is a different genre. and god is bisexual. and memes survived the nuclear apocalypse. I can just nod and say so true.
The Area X Trilogy - Jeff VanderMeer
Rotating this series in the microwave of my mind at the speed of light it's soSO GOOD!! the movie doesn't even come close honestly u NEED to read the books. and then go touch grass and be aware of every strand in a completely new way.
The Dawn of Yangchen - F. C. Yee
nice read! I was more invested in the worldbuilding crumbs than in the actual story lmao, I will forever think about the HEATED airball rivalry between the air temples and about the swt greetings / bethrotal armbands.
Inuit Stories of Being and Rebirth: Gender, Shamanism, and the Third Sex - Bernard Saladin d'Anglure
starting w a disclaimer bc I feel like the topic of native colonization was ignored when it should have been way more prominent when talking about the context of where and when these testimonies were collected?? That aside it was very interesting and well put together, with first account testimonies of Inuit elders about their myths, lifestyles and beliefs.
Pachinko - Min Jin Lee
i read the book after having seen the tv series (which i also rlly recommend). Very moving story about a family and its generations, from Korea under Japanese colonization to modern day America.
Her body and other parties - Carmen Maria Marchado
sometimes I go about my day then I remember this book exists and stare at the wall for 30 minutes.
Dictionnaire de l'impossible - Didier Van Cauwelaert
big miss. this collection of articles about "strange impossible phenomenons" sounded so quirky and interesting but i sure would have loved if the author hadnt so clearly picked a side. and also way too much church for my tastes.
He who Drowned the World - Shelley Parker Chan
Im not even gonna speak about this one if you've followed me since july you know what pits of insanity and despair i'm in
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow - Gabrielle Zevin
Sometimes!! the book with pretty covers put in the "famous on socials" bookstore section!! are good!! It's about being othered it's about connection it's about diaspora it's about love and friendship and most of all it's about viddy games.
Station Eleven - Emily St. John Mandel
reading this post-covid and learning it was written in 2017 was A TRIP. Psychic damage at every page. still feeling very normla.
The Mask of Apollo - Mary Renault
Ugh i desperately wanted to like this book because the setup is so interesting and full of potential, but the end result was just. flat. flat story flat characters the plot focusing on the wrong things at the wrong times i was so DONE when i reached the end otz.
Babel - R. F. Kuang
LOVED the worldbuilding in this, the "lost in translation" system of magic is one of the most interesting things ive ever read. I think theres something about the writing in general that didn't win me over completely?? but all in all a very good
Red Ocean - Han Song
This sure is a Book. That i've Read. its so profundly strange and unlike anything ive come across that i dont even know what to feel about it. i think 90% of my confusion comes from Not Getting Cultural References so if someone has a "red ocean explained" essay plz send it my way bc i couldnt find one.
#taking with me into next year Chromorama and The seven moons of Maali Almeida#anyway blease talk to me about your fave books!!#or about the ones in this list!!#send post#books
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You Don’t Have to Hide from Me - Mai/Ty Lee (Avatar)
Gen, Word Count: 2072
Mai/Ty Lee (Avatar)
In prison, distraught and tired, Mai opens up.
-
The prison floor was cold and dry, and disgusting. Mai had wanted to retch the whole ride there, and as soon as she was thrown onto the murky ground, bile travelled up her throat. Having Ty Lee there helped, though. She was sure of that, at least. Her relentless optimism wasn’t as present as usual, and that, to Mai, was more disturbing than the whole prison combined. Ty Lee’s eyes were downcast, and the accompanying smile to every comment she made to try and lighten the mood didn’t quite reach her eyes.
They leaned back against their cell wall, contemplative silence between them as the sounds of rattling prison cells and guards yelling clouded the air. Mai instinctively reached down to her pocket to play with her knives but groaned as she remembered they’d been taken away. Ty Lee eyed her with concern, but she didn’t say anything. There wasn’t much to say, really. They’d betrayed Azula and, by extension, the entire Fire Nation. Together.
That part had shocked Mai the most, how Ty Lee had so readily chi-blocked Azula. How she had stood in front of her, eyes glinting and wide and frantic. How she held her hand and told her to run—run with her.
Mai shook the thoughts off. She knew what they meant, that she had harboured feelings for her best friend for…a long time. She didn’t need them, especially when Ty Lee was her only true friend. (She would count Zuko, but their relationship was too much of a mess to consider him soundly as her friend.)
A soft hand was suddenly placed over hers on the floor, and Mai’s head snapped up to see Ty Lee looking at her. Her expression was difficult to read. Her eyebrows were drawn, and her mouth downturned, but a soft look in her eyes could be seen even in the dim cell light. Mai’s mouth briefly went dry. Ty Lee really was beautiful. Even with dishevelled hair and dirty clothes, she still managed to be the most radiant thing in the room.
Mai swallowed.
“You okay?” Ty Lee asked. Her voice was timid and small, and Mai hated the prison just that much more.
“Existentially or physically? Because not so good in terms of both.”
Ty Lee’s frown deepened, and she shifted closer to Mai. Their arms were pressed together.
“Mai… I don’t know what to do. Did we do the right thing? Betraying Azula like that? She is—was our best friend.”
Mai shot her a sharp look. “No. She wasn’t. She manipulated us. Real friends don’t do that. We did the right thing, even if the outcome is… less than ideal right now.”
Ty Lee didn’t look comforted by that. In fact, her eyebrows furrowed even more, her gaze on the ground. Mai turned her hand under Ty Lee’s and threaded their fingers together. She could allow herself that, at least. Friends held hands, and Ty Lee was upset. It was a simple gesture of comfort. Nothing else.
Ty Lee found her eyes again at the contact, and this time, her lips curled into a soft smile. Mai blamed the darkening of her cheeks on the heat of the prison cell.
“That was really brave, you know. Standing up to her like that. You must really love him.” Ty Lee’s smile faded minutely.
“Thank you, and…I do. But not in that way.” Before Ty Lee could comment, Mai continued, “I do love him. And what we had was…it meant something to me. But there’s a difference between loving and being in love with someone.”
Like how I feel about you, Mai didn’t say. Like how I wish you felt about me.
Ty Lee seemed to consider it before smiling up at Mai again, and it looked more like her usual one. “That’s so sweet. I’m sure he really appreciates what you did.”
Mai felt the corner of her mouth tick up. “He’d better. I risked my ass getting sautéed.”
Ty Lee’s giggles were enough to cure any disease, and Mai was in a trance. Her smile was more genuine as she shifted closer to Mai, lifting their twined hands to rest on their legs. There was a beat of silence.
“I’m also grateful, y’know,” Ty Lee said.
Mai eyed her, slightly confused.
“If you hadn’t stood up to her first, I would’ve never been able to.”
Mai opened her mouth to protest, but Ty Lee was quicker. “I’m serious. You make me feel brave. And I know that I’m brave by myself, it’s just…”
Mai didn’t try to interrupt her that time. She waited.
“It’s hard. To feel like I can hold my own when my whole life I’ve been surrounded by carbon copies of myself. It was like they were the better versions of me that I’ve never been able to have.”
Mai felt the exact moment her heart shattered into a million pieces.
She tried to speak, but Ty Lee carried on. “I always tried to be unique, tried to have my own skills. But they’ve always been better. And I…”
Mai felt her stomach drop when she saw, beyond the dark that surrounded them, a tear slip down Ty Lee’s cheek.
“I just want to feel like myself,” Ty Lee whispered. “Like I can be brave and strong.”
Mai squeezed her hand and shifted until their thighs were pressed close.
“I’m not great at feelings, but I am good at seeing through stupidity. Ty Lee, you are one of the strongest people I’ve ever met. And I’m not just talking about the fact that you can throw a punch. I’m saying that you’re strong emotionally, too. You put up with Azula’s mind games for all those years, still managed to find individuality in a house of people who looked like you.”
Mai pursed her lips. “You put up with me. Even though I’m dry and cold and haven’t cried since I was six.”
Ty Lee softened at that. “Mai…I don’t need to ‘put up with you’. You’re my best friend. My real best friend. I’ve never had to be anything but myself around you. And I love you for that.”
Mai’s heart clenched and shattered all over again because Ty Lee just didn’t know. She didn’t know how perfect and brave and strong she was, so that anyone who saw her would see it. How headstrong but kind and sweet she was, so you’d instantly fall for her.
Ty Lee was everything Mai wasn’t, and she’d never know how much Mai loved her back. Not the way that Mai loved her back, and that alone was enough to break her heart.
Mai tried a smile and couldn’t tell if it worked, but judging by Ty Lee’s shock, she’d say it did. “Thank you, but don’t change the subject. You know that you are brave and strong, right?”
Ty Lee was silent for a moment before her features relaxed, and a small smile spread over her face. “Yeah. I think I do. Thank you, Mai. For someone who isn’t ‘good at feelings,’ you really do know how to make me feel better.”
Mai rolled her eyes. “No. I’m not. I just think you take what I say too seriously.”
Ty Lee’s smile widened, and a small dimple appeared on her cheek. “Maybe I do. Or maybe you take yourself too seriously.” She poked at Mai’s shoulder playfully.
Mai knew it was meant to be a harmless remark, but it made her think of years standing still and silent beside a mother who always cared more about her job, status and appearance than her own child. Suddenly, she was back to being a stone wall of nothingness, staring at kids playing and shouting while she sat behind a desk, blank as her mother scolded her for anything and everything, insisting that as long as Mai did what they wanted, as long as she felt nothing, she’d get everything she wanted.
“Well, sorry I can’t feel any emotion besides indifference. Kind of hard to when you grow up with a mom like mine.” Mai turned away from Ty Lee before seeing the expression on her face.
“Mai, I didn’t mean—”
Mai turned harshly and cut Ty Lee a sharp look, silencing her. “It doesn’t matter. I’ve always been this way, so we might as well make fun of it, right? How funny that I grew up thinking that emotions were weakness and how if I showed any, it meant I was a burden of a child, and I was making my parents’ lives more difficult.”
Ty Lee looked devastated, and Mai hated every word coming out of her mouth, but she didn’t stop. “They’d always tell me how kids who cried and had tantrums were treated too nicely and that if I ever did that, I’d be ‘sorted out’.”
“So you were taught to be emotionless?” Ty Lee’s voice was soft and scared.
“No. I wasn’t taught. I was scared!” Mai was ashamed as soon as she said it and turned away from Ty Lee entirely, snatching her hand away and grasping her own arms.
To her horror, she felt her shoulders shaking and eyes stinging slightly. “I was scared, okay? Scared of what they’d think of me if they knew just how much I felt, scared of what emotions would do to me. Because I’ve seen what they do to people, and I—”
Mai felt a tear slip down her face, relief and pain at the same time. “I still let it happen. I still felt like I had to hide. Had to hide my feelings because it was easier than admitting that I had them in the first place.” Mai didn’t know if she was talking about her childhood or Ty Lee at that point, but it didn’t matter because she just said all of that to her. It was terrifying, but it also felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Just as another tear threatened to slip down her face, she felt a hand tentatively land on her right shoulder and turn her around.
Mai kept her eyes cast down, not wanting to face the embarrassment of seeing Ty Lee’s look of pity. A soft hand cupping her cheek made her look up, lifting Mai’s face to meet grey eyes.
Ty Lee didn’t have pity in her features, and it was instead the softest look that Mai had ever seen on a human being’s face. She registered how close they were and how she just needed to lean in a little closer to—
“Mai.”
She shivered at the gentle way Ty Lee said her name.
“You’re my favourite person in the world, and I wouldn’t want you to change anything about yourself. For anyone, of course, but especially for me. You don’t have to hide from me, you know that, right?”
Mai felt her heart clench, and her eyes danced across Ty Lee’s perfect face. When Mai’s gaze dropped briefly to her lips, Ty Lee hitched a breath and, inexplicably, leaned closer. Mai felt a surge of confidence as she leaned up, only hesitating for a moment to make sure that Ty Lee wasn’t moving away when she kissed her. It was soft and chaste but still the best kiss she’d ever had because it was Ty Lee, her best friend, whom she loved more than anyone. Mai reached around to place her hand gently on Ty Lee’s waist and rested their foreheads together.
“Is this alright?” She had to ask. Mai wasn’t a saint but forcefully kissing someone because you misread the mood was pretty messed up.
“Yes. Very, very alright.”
Mai laughed quietly and leaned up to find Ty Lee already there. That time, the kiss was more sure and more confident, and Mai wasn’t afraid of melting into Ty Lee’s touch as she stroked her cheek with her thumb. Her mouth was soft and warm, and even with the disgusting prison, there was nowhere else Mai would want to be.
The war wasn’t over, and there would still be work to do, but for the time being, Mai could allow herself this, the semblance of peace and calm that came with being in love.
And to have that love requited? It felt as though Mai was truly happy for the first time.
#mailee#mai x Ty Lee#mailee fic#atla#fanfic#fanfiction#I have never seen mailee fics with them as the main pairing#so I was like fine I’ll do it myself#this is my first time posting a fic so be gentle#<333
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Would you like,,,,,,a protein shake,,,,,,
#chi speaks#hi yes this is an excuse for me to ramble in tags#i get to see my crush soon right#and my lee brain was like "what if he tickled you? what if he wrecked your shit?#bc he's tickled me before and that was An Experience#and i want him to do it again
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[ ▶️ ] Stray Kids [INTRO "樂-STAR"]
↬ 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄
Chichi is wearing a very loose pale pink sweater, Timberland boots of the same color and wide denim pants. Her hair is tied in a very small ponytail. She is sitting on a high stool set up in a training room, which is semi-dark.
❝ We are back with a new album and new energy. I think both we and STAY have been waiting for something like this.❞
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
❝ As you can see, I am in our training room, the place where it is easiest to find me at any time of the day as well as night.❞
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
❝ This year has really brought us a lot of good things, mainly a lot of new opportunities to grow and show again that we have our own style. I feel that we are maturing as artists, more and more with each new song. It's a great feeling to be able to blossom at any time of the year. ❞
↬ 𝐋𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐋𝐀
❝ Ah, choreography? ❞
Chichi laughs briefly, sitting down a little more comfortably.
❝ This song was supposed to be as a b-side for 5-STAR album, so I had heard it much earlier. So I had a good part of the choreography laid already in my head, so putting it together into a coherent whole went quite smoothly, so we had a lot of time to learn and practice it. I'm proud of it. ❞
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
❝ Referring to rock-star, I also included the headbanging associated with that concept, but in our style, somewhat reminiscent of the head movement from God's Menu. ❞
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
Lee Know: ❝ The moves are really big too. [...] "They're giving it their all", that's how the final chorus feels like. Everytime I listen to a song I can picture the choreography in my head and how I want to feel. When I listened to this song and then Chichi showed us the choreography I was like... Wow. She really did bring out the song's full potential. ❞
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
❝ This time there were many dancers with us. I wondered how I would lead them, but both they and my Kids and JYP ent. put all their trust in me. I couldn't let them down. In college, large groups of dancers were my specialty, but to be honest, I was still scared. It was really a big responsibility. Fortunately, we understood each other very well and the cooperation went smoothly. ❞
↬ 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐅𝐋𝐄𝐗
❝ "Embracing all my scars and imperfections, turn the tide. All my cons are my pros now." I love this song. I think that even at this stage of life, where I'm already an adult, I can say that I still struggle with complexes. This song is a good way to deal with them, it's about turning something we think is our weakness into a strength, because we are really the only ones who can give it to ourselves. We are our ally, the only one we are sure will stay with us forever. That is why it is so important to build a healthy relationship with yourself.❞
↬ 𝐂𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐌𝐄
❝ Ah, Cover Me! ❞
Chichi laughs and wraps her arms around herself.
❝ At the very sound of the title I got shivers... A wonderful song. It has a huge, huge value for me. It is quite a milestone for me as a vocalist, because Hyunjin proposed me as the voice for the second high note, next to Seungmin. It was a great honor for me, and it filled my heart with pride that I was really developing, that someone else saw it too. That I didn't make this up... I was really moved. ❞
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
Chichi sits on the couch with a piece of paper while Seungmin leaves the booth after recording his part. She stands up nervously and looks at Chan, then laughs nervously.
"It's me now!"
She goes inside, puts on her headphones and puts down the piece of paper. Chan gives her final instructions, after which Chi proceeds to sing her high note.
Chan stops the recording and corrects her cap.
"And I think we're good here too."
Chichi pulls off her headphones and blinks several times.
"Really?"
"It was great."
Confirmed Seungmin standing behind Chan sitting in the chair. The leader turned on the already joined lines of Seungmin and Chichi to show them how it went.
"I really got shivers..."
↬ 𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄
❝ With each new album, each new song or choreography, we try to raise the bar even higher. Some will say that we are greedy... Maybe this is indeed the case, but I have the impression that we have always wanted more, because we know that we are capable of more. We just need to create the right conditions for ourselves, create more space to completely spread our wings, which are constantly growing and need more and more of it. I think this is good, because we are always grateful for everything, we want to achieve more, but in return we try to give twice as much. Some people call it the journey to the top, but I think there is no top, because you never reach your full potential. It's the journey that is most valuable in all of this. ❞
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
♡𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭: @amyysfics , @smh-anon , @neohyxn , @stealanity , @alixnsuperstxr , @juliawritingblog , @rizzshimura , @elizalabs3
#stray kids 9th member#kpop addition#kpop added member#kpop oc#stray kids oc#idol oc#stray kids female oc#stray kids added member#stray kids addition#idol!oc#fake kpop idol#idol!addition
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Cheritz's changes in staff over the lifetime of The Ssum
I wanted to write a post about this because it was the nail in the coffin convincing me that The Ssum won't get better. I really want to be optimistic, I was for the first year of the game's release. But with how hard they're fumbling June's route, and having some context by seeing the dramatic changes that happen behind the scenes, I don't have any hope for the game's future in its original concept.
So here's a big fat list of credits, comparison of them, and my own stupid commentary.
A comparison of the beta OPs credits (2018) vs the new OP credits (April 2022)
Project Directed by-
Sujin Ri (this stays constant)
Project Managed by-
Heinrich Dortmann (this stays constant during the time periods I'm comparing- we'll come back to this later)
Character Model by-
Yuseung An (this credit never appears again so uhhhh)
Game Designed by-
Yoonji Shin, Haeyoung Go (this credit also never appears again)
Project Assisted by-
2018:
Youngtak Lee, Heetae Lee, Yeonwoo Jung, Kyungha Kim, Kyungho Kim, Jihyun Jang, Hyejin Hong, Daniel Hong, Seungiim(?) Hwang, Dakyoung Lee
April 2022:
Heetae Lee, Junghee Choi
Art illustrated by-
2018:
Ilbo Sim, Jinhee Lee, Jihyeon Choi, Hyunju Na, Juhul Kim, Jaehee Hwang, Mirae Kang
April 2022:
Ilbo Sim, Jihyeon Choi, Minji Kim, Mirae Kang, Youngjoo You, Yura Lee
Programmed by-
2018:
Mansu Park, Marcos Arroyo, Rachel Tay, Soonyong Hong, Seungjin Lee, Myungjun Choi
April 2022:
Gunsoo Lee, Kukhwa Park, Moonhyuk Jang, Myungjun Choi, Seungjin Lee, Wonbok Lee, Youngkwon Jeon
Scenario Written by-
2018:
Jinseo Park, Minjeong Kim, E Hyun Kim, Eunchong Jang
April 2022:
Jinseo Park, Lilly Hwang, Minjung Kim, Saerom Shin, Summer Yoon, Youngran Moon
Language Localized by-
2018:
Sunhee Moon, Minkyung Chi, Sungjae Choi, Junhee Kim
April 2022:
Minkyung Chi, Pilhwa Hong, Saenanseul Kim, Sorim Byeon
Sound Resourced by-
2018:
(N/A)
April 2022:
Songhee Kim
Customer Service/Communication with Users by-
2018:
Sunkyeong Yun, Hyeseon Yang
April 2022:
Donghee Yoon, Joyce Hong, Sanghee An, Subin Kim
Credits from 2019
These are in the lyric booklet included in the Teo Love Bundle. Strangely enough, I'm already seeing differences between the 2018 credits and 2019. Uh oh?
As of release + a few months
These screenshots don't feature all the credits, unfortunately. I'm relying on screenshots someone else took because I'm not proactive but hindsight is 20/20.
Changes: Project is no longer managed by Heinrich Dortmann, instead by Juho Woo. Scenario team cut down to 2 people, one of which is a new name (Jooyoung Lim). Art team also cut down to 2 people. Sound is no longer resourced by Songhee Kim, but Jaeryeon Park and ROGIA. All new team of directing assistants as well, it expanded to 4 people but they're all new names. 2 fewer programmers, only one of the listed names was already working.
October 2023 (June's release)
Here's where it somehow gets worse lol.
Changes: A lot. Directing assisted by 1 person. They were not a part of the team credited in the OP. Down to 3 programmers, only 1 being in the OP. Entirely new art team! It's up to 4 people, but all of them are new, even compared to only a few months prior. Down to 1 scenario writer pobrecita (but we're coming back to that). Since I don't have screenshots of the project assistant credits from launch, can't say anything for that, except that Gui Zhenghao is new compared to the OP but the number of staff there remained the same. Flaming Heart is gone for the BGM! He's been working with Cheritz for forever but is gone now. One person from the communication team left, so they're down to 2. That would explain why emails have been slower since October. Only 1 translator, though Cheritz is now looking to recruit new ones.
Important note:
According to Cheritz's post acknowledging their use of gAI, Sujin Ri was not involved in writing season 1 of the game, but IS the main writer for season 2. I won't make a rant about how much I hate what she's writing cuz this isn't the post for that, but it explains why season 2 is so vastly different.
The fact that only a few people (like, in the lower single digits) remain even from 2019/early 2022, let alone who's still around from 2018, is really frustrating for the game. The game started with one vision, but now it's being turned into something completely different. Even the app's functions are inconsistant between season 1 and 2 (and a little so between Harry and Teo). According to an email I got from Cheritz, season 2 takes place a few years before season 1. Just sit with that knowledge for a bit :P. It's like the current people in charge of The Ssum (*cough Sujiin Ri*) couldn't be bothered to keep the original concept in mind, let alone how the timeline would work.
This post was a long time coming, I was caught up in just how bizarre this all is and finding tons of stuff that I haven't even included in the post. Writing this has taken about 3 hours (including the time I spent on a post ONLY FOR TUMBLR TO NOT WANNA WORK PROPERLY WHEN I TRIED TO POST IT SO IT GOT DELETED) and uhhh yeah. Now I gotta wait a few years to ask former staff if their NDAs are expired yet LOL
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#55 for the Zukka prompt ? :3
55. I missed you...a lot [~2k words] / zukka week divorce
I missed you…a lot.
Those were the words that were tumbling in Sokka’s mind the entire journey back to the Fire Nation for the group’s reunion. He just wasn’t sure if he was allowed to say them. He was the one who left, he was the one who ended things, and he was the one who was…still in love.
Every day since he left Zuko, he’d looked back. He didn’t regret his choice, not in the slightest: he loved his people. He would make the same choice again, to be there with them. To rebuild what the war took from them, to bring together the scattered benders, to teach. And he loved doing it. But that didn’t mean he…was happy. He missed Zuko. He missed the rumble of his voice. His sarcasm and brashness. His sullen glares and his passion. How his smile quirked more on one side. How he tried so hard to not laugh at Sokka’s jokes, but Sokka was always able to make him dissolve.
I missed you…a lot.
Maybe he should say it. Fair or not, it was true.
And then what would happen? he thought. You’re still in the same position you were all those years ago. Your heart lies across the world, and he’s here. What do you even think will happen?
“Sokka,” Katara said. “Aang asked a question.”
Sokka vacantly tilted his head, forcing his eyes back into focus to look at Aang, who was grinning at him from his seat at Appa’s reins.
“Totally spaced out. What’s up?”
“What are you most excited for?” Aang said, not skipping a beat. “I’m going to eat flaming fire flakes until I can’t taste my tongue!”
“Uh, yeah,” Sokka said. “Me too.”
“‘You too’?” Katara echoed, her eyebrow shooting up in suspicion. “You can’t eat spicy food. Like, at all.”
Sokka shrugged, and looked over the side of Appa’s saddle. “Tastes can change.”
They were crossing buildings now, getting closer to the Fire Nation Palace. Something tight in his chest constricted.
“Hey,” Katara said, leaning in. “Is your knee okay? You’ve had this look on your face the last few hours. Well…kind of the last few days.”
“I’m fine,” he said. “Just ate some bad jerky.”
She lowered her voice so Aang wouldn’t hear. “You’re nervous about being back, aren’t you.”
“It was bad jerky.”
Katara pinched her face together. It was a look their mother used to give him when she knew he was lying about hiding penguin seal pups under his blanket. Not that he would ever tell her she did something their mom did, because then he’d always get that face, and he hated feeling guilty. And he hated when Katara was right.
I missed you.
It was safer that way. He wasn’t sure if it was more selfish to say it, or more selfish to stay silent.
/
They finally arrived when the sun was beginning to set. The Fire Nation sky always seemed particularly red at sunset. It was normally a gorgeous sight to behold, but Sokka’s mind was elsewhere.
Sokka slid down Appa’s side like he had a thousand times, but groaned inwardly as his feet hit the stone, pain from his knee blaring through it. He was getting old, and the chronic injury didn’t help. He bent to adjust his knee brace, and grimaced as Twinkle fucking Toes landed lightly with a flutter of fabric next to him.
Waiting for them outside the palace was Mai, Ty Lee, and—
“Sokka!” Suki said, mimicking his usual call to her, and ran over, almost knocking him over with her enthusiasm, and his bad knee barely held him up as he got his footing.
A wave of euphoria hit him as she did and he wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her tight. At least one person here was excited to see him.
“How are you?”
Suki beamed, pulling back. “I’m great,” she said. “We just finished initiating the new Kyoshi Warrior recruits. They’re shaping up to be really good. And, I’ve been perfecting chi blocking. When we spar, I’m going to have you rendered useless even quicker than normal.”
Despite it all, a smile tugged at his lips.
“And how are you?” she said, hitting him on the upper arm. “How’s the fancy new submarine project going?”
“Huh?”
“The submarine project?” she prompted. “You said that’s why you could come last year. You were busy overseeing the construction.”
“Oh, yeah,” he said. “Finished. They’re absolutely fantastic.”
Suki didn’t look convinced at his waffling, but Katara said her name, and she swept past him to hug her.
Sokka zoned out a bit, tension creeping into his shoulders. The conversation was something about Toph being a day or two late, but he wasn’t present enough to truly pay attention. He didn’t know why the Fire Lord wasn’t greeting them—
“Where’s Zuko?” Aang asked, and Sokka’s neck snapped so quickly in his direction he heard something crack.
“He’s in meetings,” Mai said. She was poised and calm as always, but the stern demeanor was offset by Ty Lee hanging on her arm. The two had gotten together a short while after Zuko and Mai broke up, and it appeared that things were going well, even after all these years. Sokka could see Mai’s gloved hand on top of Ty Lee’s arm. Barely noticeable, but there. He felt a twinge of jealousy, and guilt for that feeling followed soon after.
“But he should join us for dinner,” she continued.
He didn’t.
Throughout the whole meal, Sokka was watching the door like a hawk. Every time a waitress entered the room, he practically flinched, his heart seizing inside of him.
He still didn’t know what to say.
I missed you…a lot.
He grated his teeth. He was desperately hoping Zuko showed up for dinner so the first time they saw each other could be in a public place, and he wouldn’t have to worry about what he might say. If it was in front of everyone, there was no worry that he would yell out I missed you! I still love you! in front of everyone. In a public place, he could crack a joke, put on his verified Sokka charm, and make Zuko laugh. Maybe make him forget how angry Zuko probably still was with him. A few laughs would…probably ice things over…right?
But Zuko didn’t enter.
He was pushing his food around the plate, barely eating.
Him. Barely eating.
Suki was looking at him like he was a madman.
“It’s not spicy, you know,” she said. “Zuko made sure to tell the cook you didn’t like it.”
Of course he did.
“It’s great,” he said. “I’m just not that hungry.”
Everyone within earshot stopped eating to look at him.
“Are you sick?” Suki whispered.
“No,” he said. “I just—”
“I thought you had some bad jerky,” Katara piped in completely unhelpfully. And by the snarky expression on her face, she knew exactly how cooperative she was being.
“Sarcasm doesn’t suit you,” he snapped back, earning him rolled eyes in response. He shoved up, the chair clattering back. “I’m going to our rooms,” he announced loudly, and left.
/
He supposed it would have been smart to ask where their rooms were before he’d stormed out of the room like a teenager. When they’d gotten there, palace staff had whisked their belongings away to who knows where, and he’d been wandering around the palace for what felt like forever.
Even his fucking knee was starting to hurt. He’d been training and practicing to clear his mind on the journey, but he hadn’t been able to actually successfully clear it, so he’d ended up overworking it viciously, and he felt the dull ache start to spread as he walked.
And here he was. At the turtle duck pond. Again.
“How am I here again?” he groaned, fingers curling into his hair and he yanked the strands. “This stupid pond! Again!”
He kicked a rock near the edge, and ended up hitting the post, and blaring agony shot through his knee. He doubled over, clutching it in pain.
Your future is full of struggle and anguish. Most of it self-inflicted.
Aunt Wu’s words echoed in his mind, like they had been doing a lot recently, and he scrunched his face.
“Aunt Wu, I still hate you,” he grumbled.
“…Sokka?”
Sokka froze as he recognized the voice instantaneously, like a dagger through his heart.
He slowly craned his neck back, and saw Zuko standing above him.
He looked…
Sokka’s heart squeezed, and he felt lightheaded.
Zuko’s hair, which when he left, had been strands of fringe, were now bangs that curled along his cheeks and pulled back into his bun, the rest of his hair cascading down. His eyebrows drew together in concern.
“Sokka, are you all right?” His voice was low, and…
Sokka had thought the years apart weren’t enough for him to forget what Zuko sounded like, but hearing him speak again, hearing him say his name like that—
Sokka shot up quickly, staggering on his leg. “Zuko. H-hey, buddy.”
Zuko raised an eyebrow at the nickname, and regret lodged into his throat.
I missed you.
I missed you.
“Your hair got longer,” he blurted out instead.
Zuko’s eyes widened in surprise, and he rubbed his fingers together, twisting the tips of his bangs. There was a slight blush on his cheeks, but maybe Sokka was imagining it. “I just stopped cutting it.”
“It looks good,” Sokka said. “It suits you.”
Zuko stilled, shock running through his expression.
“So do the robes,” he said, pointing repeatedly. “A-are those new?”
“No,” Zuko said. “You just haven’t been here for a while.”
Oh.
Sokka straightened his spine, cheeks flooding as shame pricked on the back of his neck. “I-I…”
“Why are you out here?” Zuko said, nonchalantly tucking his hair back. His voice was low and rough, and the nearby lamplight accentuated his features.
“Just walking,” he said. He put his hand on his hip, waving his other in the air like this was all a nonchalant stroll in the palace. “Enjoying looking at the turtle ducks.”
“It’s too late in the year for them,” he said. He glanced back, eyes narrowed. “You’re lost, aren’t you.”
“…Yeah.”
Zuko stepped forward, his robes sweeping past him. “I’ll show you to your quarters.”
Sokka followed him, suppressing his limp as they walked down the hallway.
“How…have things been here?” he said.
“Things are being rebuilt,” he said. “It is taking time to reach the far corners, and the law is not my…strongest attribute, but we are making progress. We’ve been quite productive. Several sects have been showing major improvement. The acquisition of—”
Sokka snorted. “Why are you talking like that?” he said. “I’m not one of your advisors.”
Zuko looked down at him with glowing yellow eyes. “To be honest, Sokka, I have no idea what you are.”
Sokka’s stomach dropped.
“Or why you’re here at all.”
Sokka’s eyes flicked back and forth. “Because I…”
I missed you.
Zuko opened the door. “Here is your room.”
Sokka’s jaw clenched, and he slowly stepped through the threshold. In doing so, he could smell the scent of smoke on Zuko’s clothes, and for a fraction of a moment, they were close.
“There’s…medicine on the table,” Zuko said. “For you. I heard you weren’t feeling well. It will help.”
There was some glimmer of petulant avoidance in Zuko’s eyes, and suddenly, Sokka could remember when they were young, when Zuko shouted his question to ask him out without making eye contact with him once.
“Thank you, Firelord Zuko. I…” I missed you. “I’m glad I’m here.”
Zuko’s eyes were unreadable, and with a flick of his robes, he was gone.
/////
oops. aaaand...this was almost 2k words. and might have a part 2 with plot? anyway, thanks for the ask!!
@zukkaweek
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