#‘how do I backtrack this? I can’t so imma just run with it’

[winnie-the-monster]

Lol why can’t I stop thinking about this

#shadow and bone netflix #shadow and bone #s2 #2x08 #jesper fahey #wylan van eck #wylan x jesper #jesper x wylan #wesper #I just love this scene so much #bc Jesper is just like ‘oh crap I just called him my man and haven’t talked about it yet’ #‘how do I backtrack this? I can’t so imma just run with it’ #😂😂😂 which is exactly how I would react in that situation

[onlyhereforangst]

10. 11. 16. 20.

10. Top three favourite fic tropes.

how do I answer angst for every single one 🤩 sike let’s see I do love whump (hurt/comfort may fall into this category for me but there’s usually not much comfort because I’m shit at finishing my series and so it’s just hurt before the happy ending WHOOPS).

gotta have me some angst smut oooooof that is a top tier trope right there. it’s so fun to be so mad. at. the. other. person. but. also. why. am. I. so. attracted. to. you. FUCK let’s fuck. (this typically goes hand in hand with the “enemies” to lovers type deal which yes but I do like a pit stop or at least a backtrack to friends then lovers again).

and finally, the love is requited they’re just idiots is gold. the angst that can be woven in is chefs kiss give me all of it forever and ever.

11. Three tropes that are fine but overrated.

literally any AU ever 💀 i'll probably get canceled over this take but AUs are overrated imo - other people can write them, that's fine. you will rarely see me write a true AU, if you look closely enough it's just a bit of canon divergence typically lmao the reason i like the characters are usually tied to the universe they live in

there. was. only. one. bed. like don't get me wrong, this one is fun but also it's just meh. people hype it up and idk feels overdone. i only want it if it's chock full of angst like helnik in SaB.

another one that might get me shunned is secret relationship. idk like it’s just always fluffy and that’s so far from my vibes, we don’t mesh. people love it (& fake dating which isn’t as overrated ig) but well, it’s fine. not my cuppa.

16. Are one-shots really underrated?

Ok so imma say yes, absolutely. And then I’m gonna rant about it.

I feel like there’s been this shift across the world of fanfic that has created this idolization of long multichaptered (or series) fics and a sort of shame/inadequacy impressed upon those writers who stick with one-shots, short or long. It’s always “omg will you continue this” and “when’s the next chapter” and “could you do a part two.” Like sometimes, sometimes a fic doesn’t have to hit 100k or 10k or even 1k to be complete. There can be beauty in less is more, leaving a universe “open” is not some cardinal sin that one-shot authors should repent for because we didn’t feel the need to suck it dry. This is not to say multichap or longer series are bad!!! God I have a couple of my own lmao. Just that not every fic has to be that. A well-written, flowing prose that intertwines with an intriguing plot in less than 2k that ends there and ends well- whether open to interpretation or tied with a bow- is like hitting the goddamn jackpot for me. I honestly don’t read fic much at all anymore because I quite simply do not have the time to read these 10k+ individual chapters that people feel the need to write (imo that pressure has been arbitrarily placed on us as the “ability” to write these long ass fics is deemed “better” or “stronger” than shorter one-shots). I am far more impressed when a writer can blow me away with 500 words and I’ve run the gamut of emotions and reeling for more but also know I am perfectly capable of envisioning what that more is in my head.

Once again, absolutely nothing against writers of novels people call multichap fics, in awe that you have the patience tbh 😂 but do I think the concept of a one-shot and leaving it at a one-shot is underrated? Yes a thousand freaking percent, yes. And that’s not just the I have a wip list out my ass that I now wish were just one shots in me talking 💀 lmao

20. Do you work on a single project or many at the same time? How does that work for you?

LOL well. I rarely if ever write two fics simultaneously, that sounds way too confusing for me. I will occasionally hop from one idea to another and frankly that’s happened way more because I can’t seem to finish and publish a single gd fic lately. But typically, I work on a fic by itself and then move on—not necessarily finish the entire series (see above) but I can’t work on two fics truly at the same time. Currently nothing is working for me though so, rip 🥹

talk dirty writer asks with me

#writer asks #trying to get me canceled out here huh seek

[hongism]

(1/?) H e l l o i am return to this stupid story that makes me cry and laugh and scrunch ny eyebrows in suspicion. We're 30+ chapters in? Hundreds of thousands of words? With nine entire characters (and NOW! TEN!) and their stories to weave together?? and here i am!!! Crying! In front of my sister's cat! I for real scared the cat from her nap! I remain absolutely tickled by your ability to deliver a story over the course of months and have it remain fresh af, not spoiling everything AND

(2/?) not trying to dupe readers! A lotta stories will plot twist outta nowhere to blindside readers for what??? To prove the writers are sneaky??? BORING. You drop your little breadcrumb morsels so well, you build TENSION! Intrigue! (I don't know if i should redact potentially spoilery stuff but imma do that). Why the FUCK was Yunho and Yeosang doing tricksy hand things with the *****??? I screamed when Daichi's said the different name, i lost it, i was like caveman spongebob,

(3/?) searching for a suspicious character that is a *****. And Wooyoung's dream??? Pretty suspicious, no?????? Also backtrack, especially with recent news about Mingles, him carrying y/n to the infirmary after her panic attack got me all 🥺😭😭 but that reminds me again on y/N'S DREAMS/FLASHBACKS. I'm like a little goblin hoarding your chapters and screeching over mystery and build up. I would also like to talk about y/n's characterization w her trauma! She is such a badass, AND, she is very

(4/) tired. She is so tired and confrontation/war-weary. Whenever there's a tense interaction between crew members, y/n backs up and often freezes (to a point, of course) during whatever fight ensues and it just makes me think of how tired she must be after everything. Yeah, she doesn't know the intricacies of her new crew's relationships so staying out of it makes sense. But y/n really retreats into herself during a lot of fights. She was

(5/) memory-wiped and abused into soldierhood and then her crew mates **** and ******* her and she killed a king and went on the run and then just wanted to get some papers and leave and then she gets shot and hides and then has to interact with people and their pirate politics and ah shit, now she CARES about eight entire idiots, ***** of which are now ******* like HOW EXHAUSTING.

(6/6) that's all i got thank u and shine on 💞💫

SHJDKFKHJ WHY IS THIS ME PLS 😭 real talk tho can you believe it? 30+ chapters? 200k+ words? 10 characters and counting? and we aren't even a THIRD of the way done? damn someone better stop me before i get out of hand 😳 yoUR SISTER'S CAT PLS that's something i would do 110% but i am Thrilled with a capital T that the story remains Fresh and god i have to restrain myself so much bc sometimes i just wanna come on, drop a vague spoiler, and DIP but i hold back. 

i personally don't like plot twists that are just thrown in for the sake of duping the readers or punishing them for being too close to the real plot? lots of people have gotten really close to the underlying plot and lots of theories have been On Point but i don't wanna change a thing just because someone knows what it is!! part of the fun and intrigue in stories is being able to figure it out, and readers shouldn't be punished for figuring things out!! but god anyways im getting out of hand!

yunho and yeosang are UP to some shit with the ***** and i can guarantee it's coming into play soon and the daichi toss-up and wooyoung's dreams and wooyoung's character god there's so much there and im thrumming with excitement to get into it hehehehheeh 

i really think 'a little goblin hoarding your chapters' is the BEST thing i've read all year that's BEAUTIFUL and i love it slkdjflkfd but really yeah we've been seeing y/n have this buildup over the course of four acts now, like she is this badass and skilled ex-soldier, she knows how to get shit done, but at the same time she hasn't had a moment to breathe in years and you bring up a really good point with how she reacts to tense interactions!! she can easily take care of herself in physical fights but when it comes to emotional and mental ones, she really becomes a different person and that is gonna play off another character in a huge way soon because it's a really neat and special dynamic that i've been waiting to explore. she has been working up to this thing for years and now she's thrown into something else to have to deal with and god someone get her out of there lkasfjldkfjlkj but anywho THANK U im always excited when i see you pop in my inbox i love chatting with u like this it's so much fun for me!! i can't wait to share the next chapter im AAAAAAAAA i can't wait!!

#long post #IM OSJDFIOFIOS #SORRY MY RESPONSE IS SO LONG #mists of celeste #moc: spoilers #tinyertonghua #asks

[theblackandgold-series]

35 please

“Baby...” Chi whines, turning over to face Erik. “You good?” Chi shakes his head no.

“Aww, you gotta a fever? ” Erik asks as he feels Chi’s forehead for any sign of a fever. Chi groans and moves Erik’s hand. “You gotta take something for it baby”

“i haven’t eaten all day.”

Erik almost gets whiplash from how quick his head turns, “Whatchu mean you haven’t eaten all day?”

“haven’t had an appetite” Chi mumbles. “i don’t even think we have cough medicine here either.”

“Can you run out and get me some,” Chi asks with puppy dog eyes.

“Of course,” Erik says, giving Chi a kiss on the forehead, “Imma get you the nasty ass Robutusin though. What do you want to eat?”

“Canes. you know my order already”

“Chicken for a cold? Aight.”

“be happy i wanna eat”

“I’ll be back in a lil bit” Erik kisses his cheek, grabs his keys and walks out. twenty minutes later he’s back with the medicine and food. Chi reaches out to take the bag of food, but Erik quickly pulls it back, “Uh uh, medicine first.”

“But you’re not supposed to take medicine on an empty stomach.” And they’re both just staring at each other... “Let me eat first, damn” Chi sniffles and quickly grabs the bag and starts eating, his stomach is thanking him. erik puts the medicine on the nightstand beside him After Chi gets finished eating, Erik gives him the measuring cup filled with the medicine, “Drink up.” Chi looks up at him and grabs it. He takes the medicine and after he swallows it he grabs some water to wash it down. “that was terrible”

“It’s over now. Well,” Erik backtracks, “it’s over for 4 hours.”

“You’re the best.” Chi goes to give Erik a kiss, but he scoots away. Chi looks at him confusedly. “Look, just in case you’re sick, I’m not tryna catch what you got.” Chi rolls his eyes, “but you’re in bed with me.”

“Yeah but I’ll stay on my side and you stay on yours.”

the next morning, Chi is laying on Erik and he’s rubbing Chi’s back. Erik just laughs to himself and makes a mental note to take a vitamin c so he doesn’t get sick. Chi slowly wakes up and they just lay there, Chi taking a moment to assess how he’s feeling. “you feel any better?” erik kisses his forehead and chi nods. “Good. You want me to make you something?”

Chi looks at him skeptically because he’s knows damn well that Erik can’t cook. Erik’s smacks his teeth, “I meant tea, nigga.”

“yeah my throat still hurts a little” “aight” he taps chi’s ass so he can move off of him. “i’ll be back” Chi begrudgingly rolls off of him, not wanting to leave the warmth of Erik’s body and Erik sets off to make some tea. once erik comes back in the room, he hands chi his cup of tea. chi sits up some more and drinks some. “thank you”

“After you finish with that, we can go get some real food.”

#asks #blurbs

[redrobin-detective]

So this past week my boyfriend and I binged the Umbrella Academy on Netflix and we started it to make fun of it but then became pretty invested. We managed to get through all 10 episodes and I must say overall I really enjoyed it and I’m still musing on it. I have problems obviously and I don’t like some of the choices they made but overall it was a fascinating show. Imma put my thoughts under the cut, spoilers for the whole series.

- So I still hold that TUA was made as one of those superhero deconstruction where it’s like ‘owo superheroes irl aren’t real and sustainable’ which is a trope I usually hate but somehow it works out (though I still hate the trope and certain elements in the series). Reginald Hargreeves was, in my mind, modeled after Batman/Professor X stereotype of a mentor/teacher who wants to train heroes not raise kids which... yeah isn’t correct.

- I think what sticks with me the most about the series is that, in the end, it’s not a show about superpowers or time travel or the apocalypse. It’s about 6 extremely fucked up people who really can’t do much of anything. They had SO many opportunities to stop the end of the world. I was screaming at the TV because if they had one (1) family meeting where they talked through things everything would have been alright (if we assume Vanya causes it every single time). So many times there were ALMOSt there but inevitably one of them fucked it up. 

-Like seriously, between Luther’s isolation/inability to think for himself, Allison’s selfishness and self-centered views, Diego’s inability to work well with others and listen, Klaus’s desire to run away into drugs and thus isn’t listened to when he actually sobered up and had good ideas, Five’s apathy, tendency to jump to extremes first and mental breakdown from decades of being alone/assassin, and Vanya’s enforced separation from her siblings and inferiority complex hiding massive repressed rage/trauma they were all at fault for the way things ended. People say “Luther was the bad guy” or “Five messed it all up” but the truth is? They ALL were victims and they all contributed to the clusterfuck.

- That said, I still have my favs. I loved Klaus for his emotional depth and journey and how he genuinely wanted the best for people but just couldn’t cope with his own demons. Once he sobered up he was one of the most stable, sensible siblings which is, wow. Five was just stellar. What a fucking prick but damn his character was such a kaleidoscope of disaster and anguish and the effects of what mental trauma DOES to a person. That kid deserves all the goddamn awards for that performance and I look forward to his future career. 

- Allison was my least favorite, I understand why she was the way she was but she, not Luther, is the MOST responsible for Vanya’s breakdown in my mind. Time and again Allison lashed out at Vanya, verbally tore her down, pushed her away, disregarded Van’s opinions. Yeah Luther locked her away at the end but by that point the damage was done and no amount of “yay sisters” will deny how Allison dismissed and fought with her from minute one.

- I just fucking love time travel stories, I am so weak for them. Everything got so wibbly and Five, motherfucking Five, with his teleportation and briefcases just hopped around without realizing that he created no less than 3 separate timelines. I adored watching things unfold only to backtrack and restart on a different path. Man with one eye? Oh yeah he was relevant 2 timelines ago now it’s all about the Commission. fucking love that shit.

- Season Two wishlist: My ideal for S2 would be the 7 Hargreeves (BEEEEEN) going back to some point in their childhood and just, starting over. They keep it a secret from Reginald and the others but they start putting things into motion to avert future problems (Leonard/Harold, Commission, etc). Along the way, they confront, accept and heal from their traumas and start to bond as proper siblings and hone their abilities. Maybe the Commission comes to try and restart the apocalypse and they must avert it as the united Umbrella Academy.

- Also: more info on alien Reginald, the mysterious pregnancies because there were 43 total heLLO? Dave but unlikely, HazelxAgnes 5ever, more Commission info, give Five a decent coffee ffs, Claire.

#the unbrella academy

[asymmetricboys]

Fic title: sink swim or be the captain??

alrighty

i can’t tell if this is one title (“sink, swim, or be the captain”) or two (”sink, swim” or “be the captain”) so imma write summaries for all three options like the extra bitch i am

“sink, swim, or be the captain” - OT4, 8k, PG-13

it’s an AU! calum, michael, and luke are on the same swim team for their high school, and they have always been jealous of (horny for) the golden boy of their rival high school: ashton irwin. with his sleek swimming bod and unbeatable times, they furiously decide the only way to defeat him is to seduce him ahead of the next swim meet, so that ashton will be so distracted by their hot bodies that he will be slower in the pool. 

the problem is that they ALL want to be the one to seduce him, so they end up turning it into a contest as well. this goes hilariously wrong, and results in several of the combatants getting so distracted in their competition to be the sexiest seducer that they end up kissing each other a bit (*cough cough* lukeandmichael). when the swim meet rolls around, every boy is in love with ashton irwin and a little confused and flustered about it.

their plan completely backtracks: a horned up ashton is just faster than ever, and they are too distracted themselves to do much better. but although they were worried that he would be mad that it was a ploy, in the aftermath, he reveals that he was playing dumb the whole time and knew what they were up to–he just really wanted to make out with them all. 

anyway they all go on a date after the swim meet to like, Denny’s or something, and then kiss a bunch, you know

“sink, swim” - luke/ashton, 20k, R

(this takes place in a hazy period of time i have not done enough research about to actually know how long it lasted or where it was, so bear with me, there is a lot of Mashing of canon events and Falsehoods that had nothing to do with each other together into one thing lol) 

luke, struggling with his mental health in the wake of a breakup, moves into ashton’s house because he can’t take being in his own. ashton’s home is a private beach-front place in L.A. not far from the one he used to share with calum. of course, he and calum haven’t lived together for at least five months now, and ashton’s not bothered by it. he doesn’t miss it. he certainly doesn’t get confused one hazy morning when he comes out onto the deck and he’s still somehow drunk from last night, and luke is sitting on the edge of the deck with his blonde hair hidden under a black snapback and ashton walks up and drops a kiss on calum’s shoulder without thinking about it–and luke stiffens and ashton plays it off as a joke, but inside he’s panicking a little, because that was just a thing they did for a while, him and calum, it didn’t mean anything and wasn’t meant to continue. he was fine with that

and luke and ashton keep having these long, deep talks, right, because ashton is the smartest person luke knows, and luke feels like he’s grasping at straws trying to understand himself these days, trying to find a reason to keep going, keep making music. 

there’s this sea turtle they keep thinking they see at the edge of the surf, and they name her bertha and keep an eye out for her. luke reads obsessively about sea turtles and regales ashton with fun facts. and even though luke came here to get help from ashton, ashton finds himself opening up in a way he hadn’t been able to with a bandmate before. even calum. 

and luke gets really upset one day (maybe they have a fight? maybe ashton has this weird moment where he almost kisses luke while knowing it’s luke, or maybe he dreams about calum with luke, or maybe he lets slip something he didn’t mean to–but either way maybe he is harsh to luke when luke is looking for comfort over something, and it’s a disproportionate reaction because ashton can’t take his growing feelings for luke) ANYWAY luke gets upset in the wake of this fight, and he runs into the water because he thinks he sees bertha the sea turtle and he wants to swim away with her and just fade into the fucking distance (it’s not a coherent thought or plan). and instead he steps on a fuckin jellyfish and gets stung.

he goes crashing down, and ashton comes running. ashton hauls him into the house and takes care of him, and luke, all his defenses stripped bare, finally asks ashton if there was something between him and calum. and ashton, too tired to be anything but honest with both himself and the second bandmate he’s fallen in love with, tells luke everything. 

and uh i don’t know, they make out and it’s deeply romantic yet a little upsetting and bittersweet lol 

“be the captain” - michael/ashton, 12k, NC-17

(drawing from that time ashton said he and mikey used to share rooms/beds a lot early on) 

it’s sometime in between the first album and the second. ashton and mikey have graduated from sharing beds in one hotel room with the other boys to having their own beds in a separate hotel room with the other two boys across the hall in their own room. and mikey is thrilled about getting his own bed at first. it’s a little lonely, sure, but he can spread out and not get woken up at weird hours, and if he gets morning wood, no one knows but him! 

except ashton starts imposing these weird rules as if they were still sleeping in one bed. rules like michael having to wear a shirt to bed instead of just doing boxers, and having to get in his bed at the same time ashton is going to sleep in his own, and even really specific stuff like ashton telling him not to squirm in his sleep (which is just weird, cause mikey can’t control that!) And michael should be bothered, but instead he just kind of…does what ashton says, because a weird part of him likes it. and his anxiety starts cooling it a little when he has ashton’s permission to sleep at a certain time instead of staying up thinking about things

and obvs it ratchets up to things like ashton making an excuse about his own bed being fucked up so that he can sleep in michael’s, and when michael gets a boner, ashton tells him how to handle it and get off, but all in this way that makes it sound like “ugh, guess you have to take care of that”, not in a horny way, even though michael–who is not stupid!!–is pretty certain ashton is into it. 

this is all threaded through with michael’s memories and thoughts about ashton (starting with when ashton comforted him when michael cried on his very first flight out of australia) and we slowly realize that even though ashton is ostensibly in charge and taking care of michael in these interactions between them, michael is the more emotionally astute of the two (strange, because ashton is so emotionally in touch with everything else, but this thing with michael is outside of his own understanding of the world and himself). 

so anyhow it’s michael who eventually is like hey i want to do this for real can i actually touch u and then they have deeply loving, yet still kinky sex

thank you for reading, i will never fully write out any of these

#ace writes fic #ace replies

[bellatrixobsessed1]

I’ll Meet You At The Bottom Part 32

Since my birthday is tomorrow I may or may not put another chapter out that day. Like Imma try, but I make no promises. 

Azula had to laugh, at least to herself. She had left the Ash Pit with intentions to never go back and there she was brining it home with her. Fair was fair though, she had to deal with Sokka’s stupid friends now he’d have to deal with her sketchy companions. “Just pick one already.” She sighed at Bo-Rem.

 “I don’t like any of them.” The girl grumbled. “And the one’s I do are too small.” She held up another shirt that had no room to accommodate her muscles. “Ya know what, I’m just going to check the men’s section.”

 “What’re we doin’ here?” Yoko barked as he gestured about the marketplace. “Taeyul needs help ‘n you need to fix yer priorities.”  

 “I do have my priorities straight.” Azula argued. “If you actually want to make it into the palace, you all are going to have to looked respectable.” She looked at the sorry lot. “Or at least, presentable.” Azula entertained herself by picking through a few articles of clothing. She looked up from it to see Yoko still loitering about. “The sooner you pick something, the sooner we can leave. He plucked something from a hanger without looking and handed it to her. “Are you sure that you want that one?”

 Without looking at it he nodded.

 “Alright, fine.” She rolled her eyes. Whether he liked it or not, he would be wearing it. It was the most childish looking dress attire she’d ever seen in the men’s section. Boryuk found something remotely quick, while Yoona was off in the back fumbling with a particularly elaborate, multipiece kimono. The girl had no idea how to wear it properly and was lost in a forest of fine fabric. “How about we try something a little easier.” Azula suggested, leading her over to the once piece dresses.

 “Why don’t Taeyul have to do this?” Yoko complained.

 Azula blinked, this question she wouldn’t dignify with a response. Instead she turned to Kohza. He, unlike the rest of them, seemed to be relishing in the experience. This was part of the higher life he had been longing to part take in and was eagerly sifting through each robe he could spy. He seemed to love each and every one for a different reason. Which was almost as bad as detesting them all. He was taking just as long as Bo-Rem but for a completely opposite reason.

 Chan, unaspiringly, picked out something with ease and took to glaring at Sokka who glared back; an unbreakable display of no-contact testosterone. Azula had an unweaving suspicion that Sokka had started this ridiculous staring contest. She made a point of directly standing in the incorporeal line their strong eye contact was creating. She could practically feel the tension beaming through her soul, but it was worth it to have ended their little pissing contest. “Chan, go help Kohza pick his favorite.”

 He shoved himself off of the shelf he had been leaning on and sulked over to Kohza.

 “What about me, what do I get to do?” Sokka asked.

 “You can keep an eye on Taeyul or go help Bo-Rem, your pick.”

 “Is, ‘keep standing right over here’ an option?” Sokka replied.

 “It was until you asked for something to do.” Azula shrugged.

 She watched him—equally as cross as his newfound rival—make his way towards Taeyul. That left her, was there ever any doubt, to Bo-Rem. It took much longer than it should have, but at last Azula found something that Bo-Rem could tolerate.  From there it was remotely easy. Despite so, the princess found herself growing antsy; she was itching to finally get back to her training. Bo-Rem’s prior commentary might have hit a little closer to home than she was willing to admit. Even without, Azula missed going through the rigorous motions of firebending. With Zuko well on his way to Ember Island—she didn’t believe that he actually would until the boat was actually on its way with him in it—there would be no hassle at all in getting the group into the palace. She was, after all, their temporary Fire Lord, if she wanted to bring in a bunch of shady ruffians, they’d have to let her. “Now, if everybody except Chan and Khoza keeps quiet, everything should go smoothly. Azula settled her gaze on Yoona and her constant stream of almost intangible babble. She went blissfully undaunted by Azula’s stare.

 “See that tree, Chan?” Sokka asked as he pointed to the dragon maple. “That’s our spot, mine and Azula’s. It has been for a while now.”

 “Good to finally be informed.” Azula muttered.

 “So?” Chan asked.

 “So, you can’t go under it.”

 “I don’t want to go under your stupid tree!” Chan threw his hands up. “I don’t even like trees!”

 “Who doesn’t like trees?” Sokka shouted. This was more pointless than any argument Azula had ever tried to start with him.  She made sure to stomp it out before they finished crossing the courtyard. Once inside the palace they were greeted by Aang. It didn’t take long for the other two to appear.

 “Idiots of Sokka, meet my, probably bigger, idiots.” Azula introduced. “I’ll let you all get to know each other.”

 “I like her.” Toph pointed at Bo-Rem.

 “Wait, where are you going?” Sokka asked.

 “I have to work on my firebending. I’m sure Chan can handle…”

 “No he can’t.” Sokka whispered.

 “You’re right, he doesn’t know who to ask.” Azula resigned to wasting another few moments. “Katara, that’s Taeyul. You can help him, yes?”

 “I think that I can.” She nodded. And after inspecting him for a few moments, backtracked some. “I hope that I can. He’s…he’s not in good shape.”

 “If you can help me, I’m sure you can help him.” Azula assured.

 “Azula, you were never that close to death.”

 Azula shuddered at the possibility that she was close at all and wondered exactly which time that had been.

 “I’ll see what I can do.”

 “Mind if I come train with you?” Chan asked.

 The idea of him watching her when her skills were so rusty…so neglected sent a new kind of dread radiating through her. He was one of the few who still had a mostly polished, untainted version of her. No, she planned on training alone—her firebending was one area where everyone still had a pristine impression. If not, they had high expectations; not quite at the altitude of her own, but still high. “I train alone.”

 “Since when?” He asked.

 Since you asked, the retort was on the tip of her tongue. “Since I decided that I need to focus.” She waved her hand dismissively. “Besides, you have some bonding to do.”

 Chan looked reluctantly at the gang.

 It didn’t take long, not at all. In fact, she had taken only a few steps into the adjoining hall when she heard footsteps padding along behind her. Sokka had a very distinct step sound, heavy but in a soft sort of way that she couldn’t explain with certainty. It might have been that he still liked to wear fur boots that suffocated the brunt of the noise. She knew it would drive Chan up the wall, but she let him tag along. Somehow she didn’t really mind if he watched her fail miserably, he already has multiple times. “You can come along, but don’t do anything distracting.” She tossed back at him.

 “I was just gonna grab my canvas and paint while you do you your fire thing.” Sokka replied.

 “I’ll meet you there.” She replied. While he split off to fetch his supplies from his room, she stopped for a change of clothes. Something with a lesser excess of sleeves. Something a little easier to move in and a little less flammable.

 Azula began before Sokka arrived, a quick warmup that went relatively smoothly. She also worked through the first set of stances in her normal routine. A task that proved to her that her skills had been so horribly neglected. She supposed that she should be thankful; even at her lowest she could still probably get the better of the average firebender. But that wasn’t good enough, not at all. The one thing she had prided herself for, she no longer had complete mastery over. She was slower, slightly off balance, her muscles weaker from such a prolonged lack of use. She was nearly frustrated to tears, these things should be coming naturally to her. But they weren’t, she knew that she shouldn’t have expected them too. And so it was that Sokka’s sudden presence was once again uncomfortable and unwelcomed, no matter how much he’d already seen. She didn’t want him to see her stumble, not at this.

 “Why do you go paint outside?” She asked.

 “I always paint outside.” Sokka shrugged. “Besides, I want to watch you firebend. It always looked so…powerful. It’ll be nice to see it without you trying to kill me while doing it.”

 “Say the wrong thing and I will definitely kill you, Sokka.” Azula promised.

 “Are you stalling?”

 “What? No. I’m taking a break.”

 “Already?”

 She sent a tiny bolt of lightning at his feet and he lifted his arms in surrender. “That’s a good start, now keep that up.” He grinned stupidly. Azula hated that goofy grin. She waited until he began fishing out his paints to resume her own task. At first, the firebender mostly dabbled with her lightning, she’d never truly lost her touch there. It brought a sense of comfort to know so. By the time she decided to go back to bending fire, Sokka was mostly engrossed in his art. Enough so that Azula felt less observed as she conjured up a whirling pinwheel of fire. This earned her a sharp, “hey careful, working with delicate material here.”

 “I’m sure your ego will hold up.” Azula rolled her eyes. “Besides, it wasn’t even close to you.”

 She moved onto something more elaborate, a form that involved a rapid barrage of fire and a few midair kicks. The first few went smoothly but she was tiring much faster than she would have liked. She paused for a minute or two and then resumed. In due time she found herself decently satisfied with that set and threw in something new; an old favorite technique. Something that required a bit of a running start. A running start that burst into a jump and brining her leg down in an arc of fire and then a repetition of the motion but instead of an arc she would go for a somersault of fire. This didn’t go quite so smoothly. Her first arc was rather impressive, but the somersault ended with a harsh thud. One loud enough to catch Sokka’s attention and add the first tinge of pink to her cheeks. She blew her bangs from her face and tried a second time. And a third, each seemed to be progressively getting worse. She found herself growing increasingly more embarrassed, and therefore, irritated with every blunder. She looked ridiculous. She tried for another somersault of flames, but she had put too much force into it, bringing her down without a scrap of grace. Azula stumbled to keep her balance. She could practically see her father leering at her. She tried it a third time, that one ending more tragically than the time before it. That time she hadn’t even landed on her feet. Sokka’s eyes seemed practically glued to her by then and she was making a fool of herself. By then her face was completely flushed with both humiliation and simmering agitation. She went for it once more, this time not even succeeding with the first arc.

 “Hey, hey, calm down.” Sokka spoke gently, he put his brush down. “You bend better when you’re not angry. Isn’t that why you were so good at firebending before? Because you were so calm.”

 Azula brushed her hair out of her face; when had it gotten so long? He had a solid point, but she couldn’t bring herself to feel anything but exasperation, not when this should be coming so naturally to her.

 “Here.” He came to stand behind her, first massaging the tension out of her shoulders and then out of her back. After doing so, he lifted her arm and extended it, mimicking the stances he’d so often seen her utilize. Some time into it she took the lead and let him follow her through the motions. His hold restricted her from producing any fire at all. Though it was about structure at that point, structure and stance. She could incorporate fire again later. For the time being, Azula was content with the intimacy. Content with his interest in bending with her, even if he could ever hope to produce a spark. She could feel his muscles rippling and contorting against her back. Could smell the tinge of sea-salt on his body. He must have recently taken a saltwater bath. He borrowed her pine soap, from the smell of it. His aroma soothed her some. And then he let go, his touch lingering only for one more brief moment.

 .oOo.

 Upon leaving her side, Azula added fire to the movements that they had just worked through. Her movements were simpler, less bold than he recalled. Speed seemed to be sidelined for perfecting the motions themselves. But she was as elegant as he was used to, despite the occasional falter. She was frighteningly powerful as ever and he hoped that she knew that. He watched slid from one stance to the next in fluid motions. She seemed more relaxed. Sokka couldn’t bring himself to pick up the brush again, he’d rather watch the real Azula.

 Perhaps he would join her some time, his swordsmanship was getting a bit rusty and he wouldn’t mind making a few slashes and slices, especially after spying some of the expensive training equipment scattered about the room.

 After some time had gone by, she tried for the somersaults again, her landings were still shaky or on her back altogether. He feared that she was hurting herself and wondered how many bruises would line the length of her back. She seemed undaunted by that though. By the end of it all, she was a little red faced and breathing hard.

He had to admire her dedication.

 .oOo.

 Sokka extended a hand and pulled her up. “You’ve been at this for hours now, I think it’s time to call it a night.”

 Azula wanted to protest, but even she knew there was no sense in draining herself on the first day. She hadn’t even trained that relentlessly during her prime. Hesitantly she let him lead her back to the springs so she could freshen herself up. She was a bit of a wreck but she didn’t need to look the part.

 A quick sweep of the dinner table confirmed that everyone still had yet to warm up to one another. Toph and Bo-Rem were the oddities, they connected right away. Not that Azula hadn’t predicted such. Bo-Rem was speaking fondly of The Rumble and Toph was insisting that she should part take. Listening to all of the awkward and forced conversation, Azula couldn’t wait to add dear Zu-Zu to the mix. The look on his face would be precious.

 This became a sort of routine. In between checking on Teayul and keeping tabs on both groups of idiots, the princess would retreat to go through her techniques. Eventually her touch would have come back to her, she supposed that she just needed to get used to going through the motions again. Sokka was always there working on either the painting of her. Eventually that came to a halt, in a fit of annoyance—during a particularly taxing firebending form—Azula carelessly kicked a ball of sapphire flame in Sokka’s direction. It both had him facedown on the ground after a spectacularly dramatic dive and nearly scorched the canvas. After dusting himself off Sokka cradled his portrait as if it were some precious gem. After that he wouldn’t let her near it at all claiming that such dangerous activities did not create a safe and healthy environment for a growing portrait. He no longer brought that canvas into the training room, instead he would bring a simple brush and ink and would create careless doodles. Sometimes she would pause her own training and watch him draw until she felt ready to begin again.

The days had a new sense of normalcy to them.

And on most of them the Ruby Tears hadn’t crossed her mind.

#Sokkla #Azula #Sokka #Toph #Aang #Katara #Zuko #Fanfiction #Avatar

[rainygalaxynerd]

Brave New World - Chapter 56

Warnings: Mentions of torture/hell. Angst.

Summary: BABY’S BACK.

Word count: App 2340

Soundtrack: Led Zeppelin, Ramble On.

A/N: I give up. Caitlin and Dean will never behave and follow the outline. I’ll just leave them to it and tell you guys all about their hi-jinx.

This is part of a chapter story. Link to mobile friendly master list here.

Tagging:  @jotink78 @fangirling-instead-of-working @kbrand0 @twenty-onepages @jencharlan @vibou25 @mrsjohnsmith @winchesterprincessbride @deandoesthingstome @littlegreenplasticsoldier

“Sam, I swear to God, the next time you go three days straight without bleeding from your ears Imma smack your head so hard you’ll think the visions are back, you hear?”

“Sorry, bro, can’t hear you.” Sam guffawed at Dean’s look of utter outrage and frustration.

Eventually, the tension slipped out of Dean. The corners of his mouth twitched and soon he was laughing along with Sam.

Chapter 56 - Hot and Cold

The night was clear, the milky way a bright blur above them, as they drove west. Dean hummed to himself, a smirk firmly in place as he sped across the state.

Caitlin divided her attention between the spark of anticipation in his eyes and the starry sky. She recognized the tune he hummed as Ramble On. “What happens after tomorrow?”

Dean glanced at her, good mood forgotten. “If we survive, you mean?”

Caitlin had her hands on her thighs and she squeezed them so hard her nails bit into her skin. “Yeah.”

“Whatever happens, you keep talking to Morgan and his team. You help them put those bastards behind bars.”

“But what about…”

“Then you figure out what you want from life and you grab it. Go back to Seattle, become a doctor. Buy a turkey farm. Do what you dream.” Dean kept his eyes on the road as he spoke, his voice gruff.

“What about you?”

“I’m a hunter. I’m gonna hunt.” He threw her a quick smile. “It’s the family business.”

The car was quiet for long minutes. Dean went back to humming, sometimes singing the words. Only as he reached the end of the song did Caitlin realize he was changing the lyrics.

“Gonna ramble on, sing my song, gotta keep slaying evil Gonna work my way ‘round the world, until something stops the beating of my heart. Taking good care of my baby. I gotta save the world.” His eyes were on the road, fingers drumming against the wheel, that expectant smile back in place.

Caitlin swallowed against the lump in her throat and turned to watch the night fly by through the passenger window. Addition to the old saying about men being either full of shit or taken: Sometimes they’re perfect and single and completely obsessed with being fucking heroes and getting themselves bloody killed. She wiped her tears away as if simply rubbing her eyes, lacking sleep. Why do I even care. It’s not like I’ve got anything to offer him. It’s not like I ever wanted someone by my side. Caitlin closed her eyes but her tears escaped anyway.

Sam had convinced Cas to help him gather supplies and teleport the two of them into a high school lab. They were testing their fourth attempt at a Molotov containing borax.

“Maybe we should use tar instead of oil,” Sam mused.

“Maybe we could try distilled alcohol instead of gasoline,” Cas suggested.

Sam sighed. “It’s gonna be a long night.”

Cas nodded. “It would have been useful if Father had put more knowledge of battling Leviathans into his work.”

Sam stopped dead in his tracks, eyes wide. “Cas.”

“Yes, Sam?”

“Never, ever, ever, tell Dean we wasted over an hour of our time before I did this.”

Cas nodded solemnly as Sam closed his eyes and let his mind surge through the divine words written on his soul.

Minutes later, Sam gasped and blinked against the harsh lights in the lab. “Salt. Borax is a salt.” He went to the supply cupboards and rummaged through them until he found what he was looking for. He smiled. “We mix borax crystals with rock salt and then we make our usual shotgun shells. I can’t wait to see the surprise on their faces when the pain sets in.”

Dean pulled the tarp from the Impala with a grand gesture, torn between monitoring Caitlin’s reaction and taking in the sleek, black lines of his Baby, finally.

“She’s beautiful.” Caitlin watched Dean run his hands over the smooth surface. Lucky Luke and Jolly Jumper, Han Solo and the Millennium Falcon, Michael Knight and KITT. Dean and Baby.

“Look,” Dean said, opening the passenger door and pointing. “We carved our initials there when we were like nine and four. Dad was livid.”

The letters D.W. and S.W. were carved in clumsy capital letters. Caitlin looked askance from Dean and opened the door at his nod to run her fingers over the scratches.

“How old is she?” The pronoun slipped in easily. Baby wasn’t just a well-kept classic. She had something undefinable, qualifying her as more than a mere object - even if she lacked actual sentience.

“She’s a ‘67. Dad bought her in ‘73. She’s been in the family ever since.” Dean smiled fondly as he slid behind the wheel with a deep satisfied sigh. “I missed you so much, Baby.” He stroked the soft, worn leather seat, caressed the wheel reverently. He grinned at Caitlin. “Get in, let’s take her for a spin.”

There was an impression in the seat’s padding on the passenger side. Caitlin ran her hands along its sides as she sat in the center. Sam-shaped.

Dean turned the key and begged his Baby to be good, even after standing still for so long. She didn’t let him down. The engine roared to life and Dean grinned at Caitlin.

He had been driving fast on the way there, but now, with the Impala once again an extension of himself, he put the pedal to the metal for real, cutting corners, occasionally drifting through the curves.

Caitlin gripped the edge of her seat and held on. Her pulse quickened and her breath hitched whenever they entered a curve seemingly too fast to make it. Dean chuckled at her every time, his hands on the wheel steady and sure, shoulders relaxed, mouth wide open in a happy grin. Gradually, Caitlin relaxed her grip and smiled.

“Is there something wrong with the ventilation? It rattles.”

“Nope, it’s just legos. Dad wasn’t too happy about them either.”

Caitlin frowned. “You and Sam played with legos in the car and got them stuck in the ventilation without your Dad noticing?”

Dean shrugged and slowed down to something resembling the speed limit. “Mom died when I was four. Dad took up hunting. We were all over the states, wherever the hunt took him. We stayed run-down motel rooms and condemned houses when funds ran low. The Impala and Dad were the only constants, you know? She was home. Still is.”

Dean glanced over to find Caitlin running a hand over the dash, lips pursed in thought. When she finally met his eyes, he found no pity in them. “Aren’t you gonna tell me how sorry you are that we grew up like that?”

“You don’t sound sorry.” The ghost of a smile settled across her lips.

“I’m not.” He smiled back at her, swallowing against a sudden tightness in his throat. She gets it. How can she get it, just like that?

“Good.” Her smile grew wider. Her hand stretched toward him but stopped short before touching.

Dean caught it in his right hand and tangled their fingers together, resting against his thigh.

She scooted closer to him, as close as her seatbelt allowed. “Are you scared?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Of what?” He clasped her hand a little tighter. “This?”

“Tomorrow, doofus.” Caitlin’s eyes were wide as she chuckled, low and bitter. “But I guess I have my answer now, and then some.”

Dean let Baby freewheel and when she had lost enough speed, he pulled her onto the shoulder of the road. He used his left hand to pull the parking brake. He turned to Caitlin, serious.

“I really suck at this stuff, Caitie, but I’m pretty sure you got it wrong.”

He opened his mouth to continue and nothing else came out. She watched him, waited for him to explain, her brown eyes darkened with a mixture of sadness and anger. “I’m not good enough for you,” he said. He looked down at their joined hands, biting his tongue. Not exactly what I meant to say. Is it the whiskey talking? Fuck, I’m not even a little bit drunk.

Her free hand came up to trace his jawline, rest against his cheek. “Shouldn’t I be the judge of that?”

He caught her hand and brought it down between them, the touch too gentle, too intimate. Swallowing, he backtracked to what he had meant to say. “I’ve faced a lot of big, badass monsters. Me and Sam, we’ve fought often enough with the odds against us. We’ve faced death and we’re still here, doing our thing. So while I’m worried about tomorrow, at least I know the drill.”

Dean slowly raised his eyes to Caitlin’s, wide and sincere. “But sitting here, in this car, holding hands with someone, and it’s not about a quick tour to a quiet spot for a good time in the back seat, that’s… I shouldn’t do this. I shouldn’t be doing this.”

A shiver ran through Caitlin. An itch, the need to run and hide and never look back. Not because he wasn’t good enough, of course he was, he was too good, way too good. Terror crawled up her spine because this was the point of no return. She should run, had to, get away, flee. She couldn’t move, frozen with his hands around hers, his eyes filled with the same terror she felt and… hope.

Trembling, she leaned forward. Dean met her before she got halfway, his lips soft and warm and hungry.

Dean buried his hands in her hair, sucked her tongue into his mouth to taste more of her. He made happy, hungry noises deep in his throat, pushed against her, pulled at her, until she obligingly undid her seatbelt and straddled his lap. “Mmm,” he groaned, hips thrusting upward, one hand leaving her head to claw under her shirt, slide over smooth skin, grab and knead.

Caitlin took everything he gave her. The shaking had stopped. Dean’s mouth, Dean’s hands, Dean’s dick rubbing against her. Nothing else existed. The fingers behind her head flexing, strong, holding her in place, holding her close. He pushed his tongue into her mouth, no hesitation, licked over her teeth, the roof of her mouth, moaned, caught her lower lip between his teeth and nipped her. Every thrust of his hips ground the seam on her jeans over her clit, painful and addictive.

She had to grab his head with both hands and pull hard to speak. “Wait.”

Dean blinked, expression dazed and almost hurt, mouth open, panting.

“This doesn’t change anything, does it? Tomorrow you and Sam will still ride into the sunset, won’t you?”

“I… guess.” Dean gave her pleading look. “Not gonna stop hunting. ‘s the family business. ‘s all we have left.”

“I’d come with you.”

He stiffened under her, pushed her back, away from his aching cock. “It’s too dangerous.”

“You’ll visit then, when you’re in the neighborhood?”

Dean looked away, throat working hard. Lisa and Ben were kidnapped because I cared about them. This is so much worse. “I’m sorry. Caitlin, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything, I shouldn’t have kissed you.”

Caitlin’s eyes narrowed. “You just wanted a nice fuck before heading into battle, then?”

Dean let out a huff of breath, eyes wide and wounded. “I meant every word.” He closed his eyes and took a shuddering breath. “But I should’ve kept my mouth shut. I can’t care about anyone, I’m poison. Sooner or later you’ll end up dead because of me.”

“Jesus Christ, Dean, how many times to we have to go through this? I know, okay? I know that knowing you paints a target on my back and I’m okay with it. Get it into your stubborn head that you’re worth it. Whatever this is between us, whatever happens, it’s worth it.”

“No!” Dean pushed Caitlin off and got out of the car.

She followed wordlessly, until he stopped, facing a copse of trees, branches moving gently in the breeze.

“I don’t know what you see in me but you’re fooling yourself. Whatever this is between us is gonna kill you, and I… If you knew the things I’ve done, you’d understand. I’m not worth it, Caitie.”

“Yeah? Then tell me. Tell me so I can let you go. Stop pushing me away and let me decide what to do.”

Dean scoffed. “What, you want me to just spill the beans, tell you everything about all my biggest fuck-ups?”

“Yes!”

“Can’t you just trust me on this?”

“If you don’t give me a reason not to stick by you, I’m not gonna stop.”

“Son of a bitch.” He scowled at her. “We don’t actually have all night, you know.”

She gave him a lopsided smile. “Then start with the worst and work your way from there.”

Dean drew in a long shuddering breath. “Fine. Fine. I’ll do just that.” He took a few steps away from her, crossing his arms and watching the trees in the distance.

“My Dad died because of me. He sold his soul and went to hell to save me. I hated him for that, for putting that on me. I should’ve been dead and he should’ve been alive. You’d think I’d learn something from that, right? But when Sammy died... “ Dean turned to look her dead in the eyes. “...I did the exact same thing for him. I sold my soul so he could live and when my year was up, I didn’t even have the good grace to go quietly. I died kicking and screaming right in front of him.”

Caitlin swallowed. Even after everything, comprehending that hell was real and coming back from the dead was possible, wasn’t easy.

“They torture you in hell,” Dean continued, looking away again. “They cut you into a million pieces over and over and mess with your mind. Time moves differently from here, every month is like a decade.”

“I’m still waiting for the awful stuff that’ll make me hate you.” She put a hand on his shoulder but he shook it off.

“Every day for thirty years, I was given a choice. They’d stop torturing me if I’d do to others what they were doing to me.” Dean ran a hand over his face, moonlight catching wetness before he wiped it away. “I was in hell for four months, Caitie.”

#spn fanfic #brave new world #dean winchester / ofc #dean winchester #sam winchester #castiel #season 7 au