#and then all of my mutuals suddenly emerge to support my rambling

[dyke-in-crisis]

drop your most self indulgent magnus protocol prophecy. mine is that gwen will be mentioned to have a wife and then in one ep casually drop that said wifes surname was Lukas before they got married. this will have no plot relevancy at all, just a little treat for the lesbian lonelyeyes ogs

#everytime I hop on here to post stupid shit and think to myself: there is no way anyone will agree with this #and then all of my mutuals suddenly emerge to support my rambling #so this is me throwing bred crumps at you <33 #my beloved pidgeons #the magnus protocol #the magnus archives #lonelyeyes #text post #gwen bouchard #tmagp #lesbian lonelyeyes I will die on this hill

[inthedayswhenlandswerefew]

The Answer

Requested by: anonymous (“Congrats on reaching over 2.5k followers! I was wondering if I could request something with Joe trying to talk the reader out of doing something stupid, but in a funny way?”)

Summary: When Valentine’s Day turns unexpectedly stressful, your favorite coworker Joe Mazzello is there to offer moral support. I may have gotten a little carried away with this one, but it’s all in the spirit of the holiday! 😂 I hope you enjoy it. 💗

Warnings: Language. 

Word Count: 2.2k. 

You can find all my writing here!

Oh my god, this man is about to ask me to marry him.

You are suddenly aware of every immaterial detail, because this is the sort of night you’re supposed to remember forever. This is the sort of night, the sort of story, you’ll be retelling all your life: to parents, to friends, to overly-chatty hairstylists, to coworkers, to children, to grandchildren. The music is slow, sophisticated, French. The dress you’re wearing is lavender and just a stitch too tight in the ribs. The tablecloth is white, the flowers in the centerpiece ruby-red roses. The candlelight bathes Ryan’s face in hot, flickering gold. And he’s smiling, broadly, artfully, like he knows something you don’t. Like maybe he always will.

You’re trying to follow what he’s talking about, but you can’t. It’s some meandering summation of your last two years together: meeting at your mutual friend Sarah’s New Year’s Eve party, numbers tapped into each other’s iPhones, sushi and green tea, browsing through book stores, murky movie theaters and hands entwining on shared armrests, Fourth of July picnics where you socialized gamely with one another’s extended families, kisses that started out light and fleeting in the chilly lobbies of restaurants like this one and turned into hours spent in the rustling shadows of your bedroom. And although the details sometimes evade you, the arc of Ryan’s story is clear: that the journey was perfectly linear, every piece in place, every want and ritual accounted for. That the time has come for the inevitable conclusion.

He reaches across the table to take your hands in his. The last of your beef bourguignon lays unclaimed and forgotten in its bowl. Your appetite has vanished entirely.

“Pierre,” Ryan tells the moustached waiter, grinning triumphantly. “Could you bring out dessert now, please?”

You hear your chair squeal as you bolt to your feet. Your ankles wobble as you balance on your strappy, rather painful silver heels, the ones Ryan likes so much. “I’ll be right back,” you announce. You flash him a reassuring, innocent smile. You gesture apologetically to the wine and water glasses, like it’s all their fault. The perfect fall guys. How dare they interrupt this magical evening.

Ryan suspects nothing. Or—worse, far far worse—he doesn’t care. “Sure, baby. Take your time.”

You zigzag, rather unsteadily, around the restaurant tables—all those other nameless candle-lit couples reminiscing and giggling and feeding each other spoonfuls of quivering chocolate mousse—and crash through the restroom door. There are two college-aged girls touching up their makeup, stark and bone-white under the florescent lights, and they peer quizzically over at you. You take shelter in the nearest stall and lock the door.

“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.” You stare at the wall, waiting for a sign. There’s an artsy black-and-white picture of the Eiffel Tower hanging there. Another trivial detail to one day tell your grandchildren about. “Oh my god,” you moan again.

You root through your purse, pull out your iPhone, and find Joe Mazzello in your contacts. You’ve never called him before; you have his number solely in case of work-related emergencies. But your fingers are moving swiftly, almost autonomically; and time is rolling irrevocably forward like a freight train.

“This is clearly a pocket dial,” Joe says as soon as he answers. “There’s no way you’re thinking about me and my subpar sandwich-making abilities on Valentine’s Day.” He’s right about his sandwich skills; they’re honestly abysmal. He’s the worst employee at Quiznos. He always spills the honey mustard everywhere. You, on the other hand, take great pride in your consistently neat, uniform application of condiments. But, nevertheless, Joe is your favorite coworker. Your favorite coworker by a margin that ships could sail through like a drawbridge.

“Help,” you croak.

“Uh...?” Joe’s voice changes. He’s not exactly serious yet—you’re not really sure what a serious Joe Mazzello would even sound like—but he’s definitely apprehensive. “Are you locked in a trunk somewhere...?”

“Wait, no, sorry. I’m not being kidnapped. I’m at L’amour Vrai.”

“Oh, nice!” But he doesn’t sound that thrilled about it. “With Ryan, I’m assuming.”

“Yeah, therein lies the problem.”

Joe is confounded. “...Did he forget to bring you a massive teddy bear and a heart-shaped box of Ferrero Rocher, or...?”

“I think he’s going to ask me to marry him,” you say in a rush, breathlessly. “He’s been rambling about our relationship and being weird and sentimental all through dinner and I think dessert is going to be, like, a giant bowl of chocolate mousse with a ring hidden in the bottom or something and now I’m hiding in the bathroom.”

“And you don’t even like chocolate mousse,” Joe notes.

“That’s not really the point, but yeah, true.”

“So what are you going to do?”

You don’t have an answer. You don’t even have threads of thoughts that could be woven into words. Because no matter how seamless and fated Ryan’s story of your relationship sounds, you feel that something is missing. You’ve always felt that way. And you’ve waited—patiently, undemandingly, faithfully—for that one last piece of surety to drop out of the sky and click into place for the past seven-hundred and forty-four days. You’ve waited for indelible magnetism, for that sensation of free-falling, for love; you’ve waited until you started to suspect those things didn’t exist at all except in fiction. But sometimes, just recently, you think you might be catching glimpses of them: in how Joe sends you a clandestine smirk when a customer is agonizing over whether they want cheddar or swiss, in how he invents new combinations of fountain drinks for you to taste and rank on a highly scientific ten-point scale (Cherry Coke-Dr. Pepper is the current champion at 8.5/10), in how he complains incessantly about having to close but will wipe down the same counter fifteen times while you count the money in the register so you don’t have to lock up alone. And those transitory glimpses are enough to show you exactly what a lifetime with Ryan would mean living without.

“You don’t want to say yes,” Joe realizes quietly. “You wouldn’t be freaking out and hyperventilating in the bathroom if you did.”

“I don’t think I can say no.”

Joe snorts. “Lady, this isn’t the sixteenth century. You’re not being traded to this guy for some cows or a military alliance or a duchy in Germany. You can always say no.”

“But we’re in the middle of this fancy restaurant and he’s got the staff in on it, and everyone is going to stare when he asks me, they’ll probably start clapping and making TikToks and I’m going to look like a total bitch if I don’t say yes.”

“Well, yeah,” Joe says, a little darkly. “That was probably the plan. To put you in a position where you felt like you didn’t have a choice.” And you recall that Joe doesn’t seem to like Ryan very much, hasn’t said a single nice thing about him in the six months that have passed since Joe joined the illustrious Quiznos team.

“Maybe I should say yes and then after tonight never speak to him again.”

“You’re...gonna ghost your fiancé? You legitimately think that’s a better plan?”

“Maybe.”

“It’s only going to get harder to back out as this thing picks up momentum. The families will get involved. There will be dress fittings, venue shopping, cake tasting...oh, wait, actually, don’t back out until after the cake tasting. And invite me.”

“I could fake my own death. Or enlist in the Peace Corps. I’ve always wanted to see Mongolia.”

“But then you’d have to give up your promising career in sandwich making.”

“They might have Quiznos in Mongolia.” You sigh, defeated. “I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t be bothering you with this. I’m definitely ruining your Valentine’s Day.”

“There’s not much to ruin, honestly. I’m re-watching Tiger King and eating my weight in Skittles.”

Oh, right; Joe and his girlfriend Julie broke up last week. And come to think of it, despite the fact that you don’t have any identifiable reason to feel this way, you’ve never really liked Julie either. “I’ll gladly trade you.”

“I mean, sure, I fucking love chocolate mousse. My apartment is only three blocks away. I can hurry over there and put on your dress and heels and earrings or whatever you’re wearing, but I feel like Ryan might catch on.”

You laugh, your first real, involuntary, jolting laugh of the day. “Genius. Let’s do it.”

“You can say no,” Joe tells you, seriously now. This, as it turns out, is what a serious Joe Mazzello sounds like: warm, concerned, measured, his typically frenetic energy temporarily wrangled. “If he asks you to marry him and you want to say no, you can say no.”

“Okay,” you reply, taking a deep breath, resolved.

“Okay?”

“Yeah. Okay. I’ll say no.”

“Cool.” Joe sounds pleased; proud, even.

“Alright. I’m gonna go. Thanks, Joe. Seriously. Thank you so much.”

“No problem. You can mop up my next honey mustard spill as a show of gratitude.”

“Deal,” you say with a smile, and then you hang up.

Waiting for you back at the table is the moustached waiter cheerfully playing a violin, Ryan’s luminous grin, and a glass chalice full of chocolate mousse. Jesus christ. Chocolate fucking mousse.

Ryan motions for you to take a bite. You obediently sit down, pick up your spoon with a quaking hand, dip it into the center of the chocolate mousse...and lift out a diamond ring. You unleash a gasp of horror that Ryan mistakes for—or, perhaps, is determined to believe is—elation.

Ryan plucks the ring off your spoon, wipes it clean with a red cloth napkin, and slips out of his chair to kneel at your feet. Blood is pounding frantically in your ears. Your courage has evaporated. Your legs feel numb, jellylike, boneless. How the hell are you going to walk out of here after you say no? How the hell are you going to say no at all?

Ryan is reciting some generic, Hallmark-card speech. The other restaurant patrons are beaming, clapping, already assuming your answer. Ryan asks you the question. Your trembling hand is now resting at the base of your flushed throat like a noose. Your words are ghosts.

“I...” you sputter. “I...um...”

“Go ahead,” Ryan says, nodding, smooth and undaunted. And suddenly you know that Joe was right; every single part of this was planned. Ryan turns to the crowd. “Aw, folks, give her a hand, she’s shy!”

And as they cheer and whistle encouragingly, as Ryan waits for your acquiescence, as your hope for those things you’ve only caught glimpses of begins to wither like autumn leaves, someone steps between you and Ryan and fills up the hollow, hungry space left by your silence. It’s Joe.

“No no no,” he tells Ryan. His voice is ostensibly matter-of-fact and yet formidable. “She’s not shy. She’s just trying to figure out her answer. And she doesn’t need some random strangers in a French restaurant to help her out with that.” Joe looks at you and raises his eyebrows. “Go ahead. Whenever you’re ready.”

“What the...?!” Ryan exclaims, his eyes shifting from you to Joe. The other patrons are extremely bewildered. The waiter’s violin playing screeches to a halt.

“No,” you say, your courage flooding back in, a slow smile igniting across your face.

Ryan doesn’t understand. “No...?”

“No. My answer is no. The past two years have been nice, but this is over now. I’m not right for you, Ryan. You’re not right for me either. And I think you know that. So goodbye.”

You stand, sling your purse over your shoulder, and follow Joe out of L’amour Vrai; but not before you yank off your silver high heels and leave them there on the restaurant floor. The other guests are in scandalized uproar now. Ryan is still kneeling, furious and in shock. Outside it is bitingly cold and your breath turns to fog in the night air; the chilly concrete sidewalk soothes the aching soles of your feet.

Joe is ecstatic, his eyes gleaming under the streetlights as you walk together. “That was incredible! Did you see his face?! He totally thought he was going to be able to bully you into saying yes and you were not having it, you are a beast my dear, I hope some of those people put you on TikTok, I hope you get TikTok famous for being freaking awesome, then you can get rich and buy a mansion and let me live in the pool house and I’ll never have to work or suffer another honey-mustard-related catastrophe again—”

“Joe.” You stop him abruptly, resting a palm against his chest, gazing up at him beneath the cold stars. And after a moment he understands, and he kisses you. You catch more than a glimpse of those beautiful things you’d feared might not exist. They light up like the goddamn Eiffel Tower.

“I’ve wanted that for six months,” Joe says as he pulls away, softly, shakily, smiling almost shyly.

“Yeah,” you reply. “I think I have too.”

Joe takes your face in his hands and kisses you again. He tastes like heat and harmony and laughter and Skittles; but more than all of that, he tastes like love.

#sleepover event! #joe mazzello imagine #joe mazzelo x reader

[justlookatthosesausages]

‘Emergence’ - an interactive fanfic

=======

CHAPTER 7

=======

Kristoff rose his hands.

“Elsa, breathe calmly. I came alone.”

The Fifth Spirit’s nervous breathing slowed down, and her shoulders lowered a bit. Around her, the air seemed to warm up.

She just had a panic attack when she saw Kristoff in the forest, walking by Sven’s side. She lowered her arms that she had put up earlier to use her magic if needed.

“Hey, it’s okay.” Assured the man, seeing how panicked she had been.

He stepped to her, and they hugged as a greeting. Elsa smiled weakly to Sven, petting his head.

Kristoff then frowned in confusion. “What are you doing here? The camp is miles away. And you don’t have Nokk with you.”

“I, uh... I needed to take a walk.”

Elsa had her left hand clutching her right arm, and Kristoff knew this posture really well. Including which mental state it meant.

“What are you doing here?” Asked Elsa, a bit defensively, before he even said anything.

“I was around, for work, and I thought I could drop by. I’m exploring the nearby lakes to see which spots we could use with my team of ice harvesters.”

“Spots?” Repeated Elsa, a bit numb.

“When the lakes will get frozen this Winter. With the cold. As we are up North. To get the ice.”

“To get the ice?” Repeated the Spirit, again.

Kristoff had a scoff chuckle at her state.

“You made me Official Ice Master and Deliverer 4 years ago, remember?” He laughed.

Elsa blinked, and nodded when everything finally clicked in her mind. “Yeah, yeah, right.”

She still wasn’t looking at him, and he got concerned.

“Are you okay?”

That was a stupid question, he knew that the sisters weren’t okay. He was naturally clumsy at social interactions, so he briskly coughed and found another topic of discussion.

“How was your week?”

Elsa stared at him in an odd way, and the blond worried.

“What?”

She sighed. Elsa realized, by Kristoff’s kind and soft presence, that she needed a confidant. She hadn’t talked to anyone about what happened with Honeymaren, and was even avoiding the Northuldra people just in case someone would ask, cleverly pretending that she was busy in the wild to not spent too much time in the camp.

“I... Can we talk?” She asked.

Kristoff smiled with his usual kindness. “That’s why I’m here.”

Elsa had a relieved sigh. “We should sit down.”

The mountaineer looked around. They were in the middle of nowhere, and there was no fallen trunk on which they could sit. Suddenly, a crunching noise came to Kristoff’s ears, and he recognized it as being Elsa’s ice crafting an object. He looked down and saw a bench, transparent and shining in its magic. Sven jumped in appreciation, and the ice harvester whistled.

She sat heavily, like she had a very tiring day, and he passed a hand along the backrest. “Flawless. Like always.”

His compliment finally made Elsa smile, and they exchanged a happy face. He sat down next to her.

“What is going on? Tell me.”

He turned his face to his sister-in-law. She didn’t have her arms crossed anymore, but her hands were clenched on the ice seat on each side of her thighs, and he wondered if that was any better. Elsa took a long time before gathering enough courage to speak.

“IkissedHoneymaren.”

“Excuse me?”

“I...”

She tightened her fingers, and took a shaking breath out.

“I kissed Honeymaren.”

Kristoff’s eyes widened. Sven abruptly lifted his head from the grass with a surprised grunt.

And Elsa immediately buried her face in her hands.

“Ooooh, why did I say that...” She muttered, her voice masked by her palms.

“Wait wait wait... You...”

He couldn’t believe it. He was happy for her, but also completely bewildered. Elsa had gained a lot of confidence in the passed years on the physical plan, both for her and about touching others, but... This?

“Were you... The one who initiated the kiss?”

She looked at the horizon. “Yes.”

Her eyes widened suddenly. “I mean, NO! No, it wasn’t me. But then... Yes.”

A thousand questions bumped each other in the blond’s head, and Sven and him exchanged a glance, yet he shook his head and stayed on the supportive aspect.

“Was it... Great?” He asked.

She lifted her palms to the sky.

“I don’t know, Kristoff! It was the first time I ever kissed someone!”

The mountaineer put a soft hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

“Okay. Okay. I just want to know if you were comfortable with it. It’s important, you know. How did it feel?”

Elsa bit her lip, hesitating to confess. She hesitated on telling Kristoff, but after all, he was caring and listening, and they knew each other well. They were family. She took another breath in and tried to remember the details.

“It was... Humid, and...”

The blond frowned. “Ew.”

“I was crying, Kristoff.”

“Oh. Oh, okay. My bad. Keep going.”

He wanted to ask why she was crying, but he had a little idea about it. Anna was shocked since their dispute as well. Elsa fidgeted with her hands as she continued.

“It felt... Warm. Like, I never felt this warm in my entire life. I mean, I have, when I’m with you, and Anna, and Olaf, and Sven, and... In the castle, and in the Northuldra camp, with-”

“I think you mean that this time, it was the warmth of love.” Said Kristoff, cutting her nervous rambling.

She looked at him with a still expression. As if it just occurred to her that it’s what it was. Yet, she knew it from the very second it happened. Why did it help to hear Kristoff saying it?

“Yes. Yes, it was the warmth of love.”

Elsa’s worried face broke in a soft smile for a moment. “It was.”

Kristoff nodded with happiness, sharing her glee. She kind of exhaled an aura.

He laid on the back of the ice bench, smelling the forest. He let her have a pause in her story to decompress. Some birds chirped in the distance, and Sven munched on the grass a few meters further.

“Did you like it?”

“I... I did, yes.”

He nodded. Those were important questions, and she seemed honest about it. From the corner of his eye, he could see her blush, and he smiled.

“So you both love each other. I’m hoping it wasn’t rushed?”

“No, we... It was mutual.”

The mountaineer nodded with approval.

“Great. The first time Anna and I kissed, I asked for permission first. It was clumsy, I admit it, but I still asked.”

“It kind of was awkward for us both as well.”

Elsa suddenly groaned and buried her face in her hands again. “Why is love so complicated?”

Kristoff burst of laughter. “It always is! And you’re at the beginning of it. For now, it’s still blossoming...”

He made a gesture with her hands to mime the opening of a lotus flower, and he froze in his move when he saw how Elsa was looking at her.

“I mean...” Coughed the man. “I guess.”

She continued to stare at him, then groaned again, this time wiping her head back. She looked like she was imploring the gods, but above all was very dramatic, and it reminded Kristoff of Anna.

“You and your sister are a lot alike, you know that?”

Elsa sighed at the sudden change of topic. “If it’s a way to make me talk to her again...”

“No, I meant, on the groaning plan. You have the same way to complain about stuff.”

“We do?”

“Don’t tell me you never noticed?!”

Elsa stared down, thinking. And it just occurred to her how much time had passed since the last day she saw her little sister. Her heart felt pinched.

She didn’t dare to say it out loud, but she needed to talk to Anna. To share this, to be completely open about to someone. Kristoff could understand most of it, and she would wilfully share how it went to him, but it wasn’t the same thing that talking about it to Anna.

“Elsa.”

‘I need to talk with Anna again. I have to. I must...’ She thought.

“Elsa!” Said Kristoff, snapping his fingers in front of her face.

The Spirit blinked at the sudden call. “What?”

“You were daydreaming for a moment. Ryder has just arrived. He wants to see you.”

“What?”

They turned around, and Ryder was waving at Elsa from the back of a reindeer.

“There you are!” Shouted the Northuldra. “I have to talk to you!”

Elsa blushed and panicked. “Ohhhh no, no no no, I’m not ready for this conversation right now.”

Kristoff frowned at her. “He’s just asking you to call for the Giants help to check if all the reindeers are in his enclosure.”

“Oh.” Muttered Elsa.

She thought that Ryder was going to talk about his sister. Did he know, anyway? Did Honeymaren confessed to him, like Elsa just did with Kristoff?

Elsa nervously stood up in one go, and Kristoff yelped when he suddenly found himself slamming the ground with his butt. Sven had a laughing grunt. Elsa had vanished the bench without looking behind.

“Ouch.” Grumbled the man.

“Oh, sorry, I just...”

“No, it’s okay. You’re used to thaw everything once it’s not of use anymore, I get it...” Said Kristoff, wincing however as his coccyx hurt.

He joined Sven, and looked at the sky. “I should go. Otherwise, night will fall before I get to Arendelle, and I promised Anna I would arrive before dinner.”

Elsa looked away from Ryder to stare at Kristoff with panic.

“Don’t tell her you saw me today.”

“She won’t get jealous.” Joked Kristoff.

“No, what I mean is... She’ll want to get some news, and...”

“You know she’ll ask.”

“Just lie, then.”

“I’m not gonna lie to her, Elsa. I never do.”

The blonde looked down. “Fine. Then tell her. But... Please make sure that she doesn’t worry.”

He climbed on Sven and chuckled. “Oh, when I’ll tell her how you are, I’m sure she will be the opposite of worried.”

Elsa blushed, a bit her lip. “That... That doesn’t change what I said. I still stand my ground.”

“Hmm-hmm.” Smiled Kristoff.

He gave her a last nod, and tapped his heels in Sven’s flanks. Together, they rode down to the South.

“So...”

Elsa startled with a jump at Ryder’s sudden voice.

“Could you call the Giants for me? I need to check...”

“Right. On my way. I’m going.” Blabbered Elsa clumsily, trying to avoid eye contact and walking past him.

“Cool.”

=======

Elsa went down from the Giant’s shoulder with the help of their enormous hand, and thanked them with a deep smile and a soft touch on the chin. They gave a smile that was the size of a house in return, and stood up to join their friends who were sleeping in the distance.

“Thank you so much!” Exclaimed Ryder after he counted the reindeer. “That was awesome. And badass.”

Elsa chuckled at the compliment and vocabulary.

“Oh, while I’m thinking of it!” He added, scratching his head under his hat. “Honeymaren was looking for you, just earlier. She couldn’t find you for the whole day, apparently.”

Elsa’s glee vanished. She gulped.

“Have you been hiding?” Asked Ryder.

“What? Me...? No, not at all!” Blushed Elsa, looking elsewhere.

“Uh-uh.”

“I just... Explored. So, if you see her again, you can just tell her that I’m... Exploring.”

“Uh-uh”, nodded the Northuldra, on a different tone this time, smirking.

Elsa waved with an awkward by-bye and walked to the forest. The trees somehow made her feel like she was isolated without getting too far from the village.

“She’d be the worst at hide and seek”, muttered Ryder with a shake of the head. His reindeer grunted in approval.

The Fifth Spirit walked for several minutes on her own, then found a welcoming shadow cast by a big tree in an isolated glade. She sat on the grass and sighed.

There was a crack sound above her head, and some leaves fluttered to the ground. She frowned with confusion and lifted her eyes.

“Hey.”

Elsa screamed at the top of her lungs when she suddenly faced Honeymaren upside down.

She froze a part of the ground, spiky layers of ice covering the grass and the tree.

With a heavy breathing, she stared angrily at the woman for scaring her, and tried to take her hands off the ice, both clamped to the ground on each side of her hips.

Honeymaren skilfully dropped off the tree with a flip from the branch she had been hanging from with her legs and bent to her.

“You’ve been avoiding me. Is this how you deal with emotions?”

Elsa looked elsewhere, blushing. Honeymaren softened her tone.

“I’m not reproaching anything. I’m just asking. Is this how you deal with your feelings? By running away? Hiding in some place? Do you want to be left alone? For how long?”

Elsa stared at her, her mouth twisting.

“Okay maybe that was too many questions at a time.” Admitted the brunette. “You’re an introvert, I get it. But I just want to know why you’re shunning. Are you okay? That’s all that matters to me.”

The blonde gulped, and nodded. “I’m alright.”

Honeymaren smiled, sighing a bit. “Perfect.”

Somehow, her care helped Elsa to melt the ice, and she shook her hands as the magic vanished.

“No spooking anymore, noted.” Said the Northuldra when she understood the state she was in.

“You scared the hell out of me”, muttered Elsa.

“And you swear a lot when you’re scared.” Pointed Honeymaren, sitting in lotus position in front of her. “One unprepared moment and you loose your regal and poised mask, uh?”

Elsa smiled a bit. “Anna had noticed that out as well.”

“Then it’s true.”

A silence fell. Honeymaren gently nudged Elsa’s knee with her finger, like a ‘boop!’ gesture.

“What’s wrong? Why are you needing all that space? Communication is important.”

Elsa stared at her. She was right. The Spirit took a long breath in and out.

“I just need to think.”

Honeymaren bent her head. “Do you need to think because you kissed someone? Or because you kissed a girl?”

Elsa blushed, and looked down shyly.

“It’s the first time I ever kissed someone.”

“Oh.”

A new silence passed. They both looked elsewhere. Honeymaren smiled.

“So it’s not me. Thanks Ahtohallan, I thought you didn’t like it.”

She snorted at her own joke. “Sorry. I thought that some humor would help.”

Elsa smiled. “No, it’s not because of you. I just... Need some time to process everything.”

The Sami nodded. “If you want to have a positive thought, just know that you’re actually a really good kisser.”

Elsa blushed strongly.

“This just makes everything worse, stop.”

“Excuse me. I was too sincere.” Apologized Honeymaren, and she had a tender laugh. “It’s just... We both loved it, Elsa. And kissing a girl apparently isn’t the problem. So... Is there something else bothering you? Do you want to talk about it? I’m willing to listen, at your own rhythm.”

Elsa bit her lip with emotion at her words.

“Oh no, you’re crying.” Gasped the Sami, noticing now Elsa’s eyes had filled with tears.

“Those are happy tears”, said Elsa.

Honeymaren’s eyes widened. “Really?”

The blonde nodded, her pout turning into a smile. She sniffed. “I’m just very emotional, that’s all.”

Honeymaren melted in a warm smile. “It’s great to be emotional. It’s normal. As an example, I couldn’t sleep all night after you left the tent.”

“You mean, after I ran away from the tent.”

The brunette shrugged. “Details, details.”

Elsa snorted. Honeymaren smiled in victory to see that she had managed to make her laugh again.

Her confession touched Elsa. “I couldn’t find sleep either.”

She sniffed and kept going, feeling in a good mood to express her emotions. “I’m used to insomnia, but this is a whole other level.”

“Yeah, no kidding.” Laughed Honeymaren.

She was staring at the blonde, particularly enjoying when she blushed.

Elsa smirked, noticing the way she stared. “Do you actually enjoy watching me being bashful?”

The brunette smiled dreamily. “You have no idea how cute you look when you are.”

She then blushed a bit. Words had escaped her mouth.

The two woman looked elsewhere awkwardly. Honeymaren massaged her neck, and Elsa nudged some blades of grass with the side of her ice sandal.

“Do you-”

“Can I-”

They had spoken at the same time.

“You first”, invited Elsa politely.

“No, you first. Go ahead. You’re a Spirit.”

“Don’t treat me religiously.” Elsa laughed.

Why was Honeymaren always making her laugh?

“Well, as far as I know, you’re basically a goddess, so…”

“Honey, please.”

They both widened their eyes.

“Ugh, I did it again.” Grumbled Elsa, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“It’s alright. I like it.”

“...It’s very cheesy.”

“Actually, it’s sugary. But even if it’s ridiculous, I like it. You can stick to it.”

Elsa shook her head. Then sighed. Why struggling? “Okay, fine. Honey.”

Honeymaren bit her lip at the effect it had.

“I like how it sounds, now that you actually say it.”

“I’ll stop if you make it awkward.” Warned Elsa.

Honeymaren bit her lip again with a smirk and looked at the trees.

After a silence, the blonde passed a shy finger along the Northuldra’s boot. “I didn’t mean to hide from you, I just... It’s been a lot, lately. What happened with Anna... What happened with you...” She moaned. “I feel like my heart’s going to explode.”

Honeymaren tapped on her hand with comprehension. “Would that help if we talked about it? You were overreacting yesterday, but now it looks like you stepped back a bit. We can have a chat.”

“I’d love that.” Smiled Elsa.

And in the warming light of the sun, they talked together, their fingers intertwined.

=======

Elsa hesitated before calling out the Wind Spirit and giving them her new letter to Anna. She had been putting everything in it. Her deep thoughts, her apologies... How would Anna react? She had been waiting so long before finally sending a message to her young sister. Would she be mad?

Her fingers pressed the paper as she thought about how she included the news of her kiss with Honeymaren. The Northuldra had made her comfortable enough to share it with her sister, and she thought it was a good decision to tell her, as they promised they would never hide anything to each other. But how would Anna react to that, as well? What would she say?

Elsa sighed with a shaking breathing, apprehending Anna’s answer. With a trembling voice, she called Gale, and her call echoed in the empty portion of the woods she had been retreating in.

After a few seconds, the Wind Spirit arrived, chiming in the air, and Elsa cleared her throat to chase her emotion.

“Could you please give this message to my sister?”

She raised her letter and Gale did a twirl and swooped the paper. They rose in the air, above her head, and threw the paper to her.

Elsa caught it and sighed. “Don’t throw it back, I mean it. Send it to Anna, please.”

She gave the letter back, but the Spirit brought it in her hands again.

“What are you doing? You’ve been annoying me for days saying I should message her, and now you give it back to me? Send my le--”

Then Elsa realized that it wasn’t her letter. The folding shape... It was Anna’s.

“What the...”

She stared at it, unbelieving. It indeed was Anna’s. “She wrote too?”

The Wind Spirit chimed. Elsa interpreted some impatience from it, and suddenly she understood. Her eyes stung and her vision blurred.

“She... She asked you to give me her letter only once I was ready to write mine?”

Gale swooped in a round, the equivalent of nodding.

Elsa was shocked. Her sister has respected her time of reflection and chose to only message her once she was in the mood to talk to her?

The blonde brought her hand to her mouth, gasped, and melted into tears. She slowly fell to the ground, sit on her heels, her legs bent.

“Oh, Anna...” She muttered, smiling despite the tears. “What would I be without you. And your patience. And your understanding.”

Elsa sighed with a warm smile. She looked up and saw that Gale was still standing there, or rather, floating there, as if waiting for her to open it. They apparently have been waiting a long time to deliver Anna’s letter.

“You can go deliver mine, now”, smiled Elsa.

The Spirit did a twirl before leaving, which would mean ‘Of course!’, and went out of the forest to the South.

Elsa was in a calm and silent setting again, and was glad to be so in order to read Anna’s letter with all the attention it deserved. With slightly shaking hands, she looked at the folded paper. Despite their dispute, her sister still had wrapped the message in a cute little shape, like always. This time, it was a horse.

The blonde sniffed, gently unfolded it, and rubbed her eyes before reading, so she could see her sister’s warm handwriting clearly.

So you finally decided to message me. - Elsa had a tearful giggle. - Look, I’m sorry. I truly am. You know that I can get very heated and outspoken when I’m worried, and, you know, I was.

You say that this is a default that actually can be a quality for a Queen, in tough meetings and all, but I hope that it’s not going to be a default for us both, as family, as sisters.

I can see Olaf from where I’m writing (the ballroom’s balcony) and he’s really sad since our argument. The village’s kids are in the market square and traced a hopscotch on the ground with him, but he’s barely in the mood to play. This reminds me that, as soon as we arrived home, he told me that I shouldn’t have said that you weren’t good at goodbyes, for he had forgiven you about that time when you sent us away on the ice boat. - tears went down Elsa’s cheeks, and she laughed nervously when Anna’s next sentence was ‘He truly is what connects us.’.

I already forgave you for what you told me. I know that, as well, you can lose your temper when you’re angry. I’m sorry if I made you say bad stuff (that you surely regretted as soon as you went away on Nokk), and I hope that you can forgive me too. I came to realize that it’s something I’ll often have to do, as a leader.  

Take your time, but if you want to meet up some day, message me when and where.

I love you Anna PS: Don’t pick up ‘midway’ as the meeting place, I found ants in my travel boots again the other day, and ugh.

Elsa re-read the letter several times, delighted to lay eyes on her sister’s words again, and then started to laugh. It was a sniffing laugh at first, but then it became clear, and happy, and finally she laughed openly in the woods, filled with her sister’s love. She had missed her so much.

=======

Elsa wrote a new letter to her sister in the following afternoon, after an idea crossed her mind. In fact, once she got the idea, it then took her several hours to think it through, but when she finally stop listing the thousand pros and cons of her decisions, she took a paper in her tent and grabbed a pencil, and went to a calm place in the village to write.

Anna

First and foremost, I love you with all my heart. You were right about me waiting such a long time before eventually sending you a message after our dispute, and you were right about everything. You ARE right about everything, in fact.

That’s why, for the place we’ll meet, I suggest you the Northuldra village. It’s not very exceptional, you may think, but that’s because I want to take you on a ride.

I want to show you Ahtohallan. It is time. We’re going to Ahtohallan together. And find answers there. I know I refused each time you suggested it for the past year but now I’m certain. I took my decision. You were right, again, when you said that I have to go there and know once and for all the reason why I got those visions. We’re going to get the answers, sis. Together.

I love you.

Elsa

PS: Bring as many warm clothes as you can, obviously.

She closed the letter by folding it twice and sealing it with a big five elements snowflake. Her perfectionism hit and she made sure it was symmetrical.

Once done, she joined the middle of the village, where Honeymaren and some kids were playing with the Wind Spirit. When she approached, Gale noticed the letter in her hand and strongly twirled around her arm to pick it up, making Elsa giggle at the sudden tug in her sleeve.

“Yes, it’s for her. Go.”

Gale didn’t wait any longer and brought the letter to the South. Elsa shook her head at how the Spirit was the number one fan of their correspondence.

Honeymaren approached as she was looking at it flying away.

“So, you agreed about going to Ahtohallan with her?” The brunette smiled.

Elsa smiled back with a nod, then suddenly froze. “How do you know?”

The Northuldra winked. “I know you, that’s all. You have that little sparkle in the eye when you’ve done a right action.”

The blonde stared at her, then smirked lightly. “Do I have this little sparkle often?”

“That’s one of the things I like the most about you.” Whispered Honeymaren, bending to her.

Elsa had a pout in-between happiness and awkwardness.

“This and all the moments when you smile. And the bashful faces, like the one you’re making right now.” Smiled Honeymaren.

The Spirit nervously held her arm and looked down. She smiled and came closer to Honeymaren to kiss her on the cheek.

“I’m gonna go check on Bruni. I haven’t seem him in a while.”

“Okay.” Muttered Honeymaren, standing still and blushing.

Honeymaren watched her walk away through the village, admiring her, and when she turned her head back to the kids who she had been playing with, they all looked up at her with devilish and significant smiles.

“What?”

They all started making smooching faces and sounds, and she pushed them away with a laugh.

“Oh, stop it!”

=======

To say that the two sisters were happy to see each other again was the understatement of the month, and probably the year.

Elsa had asked Gale to not tell her when Anna would be here because she wanted to give her her own rhythm, something her younger had respected and that she intended to do too.

So when Elsa had stepped out of the tent and heard hooves coming from the woods and saw Sven hurry to her with a very excited redhead on his back, she didn’t expected it at all.

Elsa let out a soft emotional gasp, her gaze blurry, and Anna jumped down Sven with a cry of joy. They both ran to each other, and tackled each other into a hug so hard that they lost their balance and fell together to the ground.

Unfortunately, they were on the bottom of a hill, and rolled together on the grass for a moment before arriving to a full stop. Sven grunted with concern. They giggled nervously a few meters below, then fully laughed. They grinned and stared into each other’s eyes, taking in the incredible fact to see her sister again, to be happy with her again, to have forgiven everything. Azure and teal blue eyes switched from eye to eye.

“No, don’t cry!” Gasped Anna. “Because if you cry, then I’ll cry too, and then we’ll both cry, and we’ll spend all day crying.”

Elsa giggled with a sniff. “Too late. I can’t help it.”

Anna blinked, and one tear rolled on her cheek. “Oh, you cutie.”

They hugged each other again, and they were still down, so they sat up with a giggle. Elsa smiled at Anna’s travel outfit and hair, and took some leaves out it. They hugged again, instinctively.

“There’s so much I want to say...” Murmured Elsa, emotion tightening her throat.

“Then say it all. We have all day.” Smiled Anna.

She then suddenly gasped, and parted the hug. “Oh my goodness!! You have to tell me about Honeymaren! When was it? How was it? Where was it?”

Elsa blinked, and winced. “Are you sure you want to know in details?”

“I want to know EVERY detail, are you kidding me?!” Laughed Anna. “Come on, do tell.”

The blonde breathed in and out, looking into Anna’s teal blue eyes. She had missed her caring gaze. This few days separation was far from being the longest one they had in the past year, and yet it felt like forever.

Why did they even yell at each other the other day? She couldn’t believe how stupid they were.

Elsa held Anna’s hand, and she started to tell what happened in the tent.

=======

“Should we stay seated here?” Asked Anna.

“Why? You don’t like it?” Laughed Elsa.

“No, it’s just... I arrived, and we basically fell on the ground. And we haven’t moved since.”

“I like improvising with you. And as you said, we’ve got all day.”

Anna smiled deeply.  

“Hey, I noticed, after our fight... I didn’t even ask you what was the Ahtohallan vision about. What did you see?”

Elsa fidgeted with the grass. “It was more of a flash. It was short, and intense.”

She looked up.

“You were right in your assumption. It was another memory of ours. This time, it was a memory of the coronation.”

“What?”

“Wait, mine, not yours. The one three years ago.”

Anna stared at her, and her eyebrows lifted when she guessed which memory it was.

“I had a flash of the very first moment we actually talked to each other in thirteen years.” Specified Elsa, gulping.

Anna put her hand on hers on the grass, trying to make her smile. “It’s a positive memory, no?”

“Yes. Yes, it is. But I’m still confused at why Ahtohallan showed it to me...”

Anna winced. “What is ironic is that we fought each other right afterwards, whereas the memory was about us being united for the first time in a long while.”

“It’s okay. We’re together now.” Assured Elsa.

Anna nodded with a smile, and a silence passed.

“I think that it’s official: Ahtohallan only submits visions of memories of the bridge.” Suddenly stated Elsa.

“Of the bridge? Do you mean, like…”

“Us. Both of us, the bridge linking the humans and Nature Spirits.”

“I see. Well, you actually brought even more sense to it than I did.”

“No, I only figured it out thanks to you. I was used to see so many memories, I didn’t even perceive the pattern until you pointed it out the other day in the reindeer enclosure.”

“Oh.”

“You’re the smart one, Anna. How many times do I have to remind you?”

Anna snorted. “Well, I’m dumb enough to have stopped counting.”

“Don’t say that!” Nudged Elsa with her finger poking Anna’s ribs. “You truly are more clever than me.”

Anna laughed at the tickle and smiled at the compliment. “Okay, if you say so.”

Elsa turned to Sven. “Did you bring warm clothes?”

“As many as I could.”

The reindeer happily showed the pile of winter clothes stacked on his back. Elsa grinned to her little sister.

“We’re going to Ahtohallan together. Whenever you’re ready.”

“I was born ready!”

=======

Elsa lifted her hands as a serious warning.

“I feel like it’s important to remind you that I don’t know if Ahtohallan got any less colder since I became the Fifth Spirit. I can’t tell if the temperature got better in the memories room.”

“It’s gonna be okay, Elsa. Relax.”

Elsa lifted an eyebrow.

“You’re the one who needs to relax now. You’re so tense, you look like you’re going to sink in your layered clothes.”

Anna clenched her hands in her gloves. She was staring at Nokk, standing near them.

The redhead had never dared to ride the Water Spirit because she felt like she didn’t belong on their back, and wanted to leave that honor to Elsa. She also still was resentful for having drowned her sister, even if it was in the context of a challenge, and she hoped that the magical being wasn’t feeling her anger.

The elder’s gaze switched from the Spirit to her.

“Are you scared of them?” Worried Elsa.

“What? Of course not. I know how to ride horses. But... A water horse... This is definitely not something I’ve done before.”

“Well, Nokk can only run in and on water anyway. I need to freeze them if we want to ride from land to the shore as well.”

The Fifth Spirit raised her left hand, and petted the magical horse on the nose. With a simple touch, their translucent body turned into a gradient of white, and their long waterfall mane looked like a stylized curtain. Anna had already seen them in this condition, but she gasped and smiled in admiration anyway.

The redhead looked at Elsa as she stroked the happy Water Spirit. “We’re gonna ride them in... Ice form? Are you certain?”

“Do you prefer to have your butt wet and lukewarm, or dry and cold?” Asked Elsa, surprisingly serious in that odd question.

Anna went speechless for a moment, then snorted. “Yeah, when you put it like that, I prefer the second option.”

“That’s what I thought”, said Elsa, petting Nokk’s neck. “Also, it’s a good way to prepare yourself for Ahtohallan’s temperature.”

The younger could see that Elsa was still very nervous at the idea of bringing her there. She went next to her and joked to light up her mood.

“Are you saying that my buttocks will turn into pop-sicles?”

Elsa laughed. It had worked.

“Maybe.”

She checked that they had all they needed in Anna’s backpack, and asked: “Do you want to go in front or behind?”

Anna didn’t even have to think. “Definitely behind you. There’s no way on Earth that I’m gonna guide them with ice reins.”

“We don’t use ice reins since a very long time. We know each other by heart, there’s no need.”

“I’m also saying that because I prefer to hold to you.” Muttered Anna, on a lower voice this time.

“Oh, okay.” Smiled the elder. “Alright, let’s go!”

With a baffling ease, she mounted Nokk, her leg admirably passing above their back and seating in a second on top, despite their tall size. Anna stared at her like she had just produced a miracle.

“How the heck did you do that without stirrup?? They’re huge!”

Elsa laughed with a cute tone, both amused by Anna’s face and appreciating the compliment. “Come, I’ll help you.”

She let out a hand, and Anna used her help to climb on their back. Clumsily - and she almost fell on the other side - she set herself behind Elsa, and looked around.

“Yep, definitely taller than any horse I ever rode. Oh my gosh.”

“It’s gonna be okay”, said Elsa’s soothing voice in front of her.

“I know.”

She was glad to have chosen to seat behind her. Elsa’s presence in front of her was reassuring, and the ice below them vibrated with her voice.

With a twirl of the wrist, Elsa made her double train vanish, just in case it would get in Anna’s face as they ride, or obstruct her vision. She looked up North.

“Do you want me to start slowly? With a simple trot at first?”

Anna smirked. “Are you kidding? Don’t spare me. I like fast. Dash to the horizon, mighty Spirit!”

She let out an excited war shout with her fists up, then it suddenly turned into a strangled scream when Nokk briskly ran forward at Elsa’s order, and she grabbed her older sister’s waist with force.

The blonde laughed openly, her voice spraying in the wind as they went at full speed. Anna could feel how her diaphragm moved with sincere laughs, and she was even more happy now to share this moment with her.

She loved to have Elsa back. Her happiness was all that mattered to her, and Elsa had never felt more happy than in this time of her life.

=======

It wasn’t the same feeling at all than when she rode her own horse; Anna forgot for a moment the urgency to ask Ahtohallan, and her worry for Elsa. All she wanted now was to laugh and have fun with her riding Nokk.

Riding the Water Spirit, she had the feeling that she was on another plane of existence. Was this what living with magic felt like?

The redhead felt how joyful Elsa was anyway. It was like riding through the magical lands on a magical horse had unveiled the final version of herself, and, sitting behind her, Anna admired the way her elder expertly looked at the landscape around, gave directions to Nokk to avoid bumpy paths for Anna’s comfort, and waved at Giants in the distance.

Soon they arrived to the shore of the Dark Sea, and the younger widened her eyes when she realized that Nokk wasn’t slowing down at all. She squinted in apprehension, her legs clamping the water horse’s body, her arms tight around Elsa.

And then nothing happened. Nothing, in the good way. She opened her eye fully and let out a silent gasp as she saw the waves passing by, on each side of them, and the Spirit galloping with ease through it like it were casual land.

“Waow.” Muttered Anna.

“Is the view great from where you are?” Asked Elsa, smiling as she turned around.

Anna couldn’t believe it. That was her first concern? To make sure she enjoyed the landscape fully?

“Yeah! Yeah, it’s amazing.” Smiled Anna.

The sisters had to shout a bit when they talked, because of the whistling of the wind and the sound of Nokk’s ice hooves splashing the water. If they kept them in their regular state and they were made of water, it wouldn’t make a sound, for the water spirit’s hooves were magically connected to the surface.

Anna blinked.

“I can’t believe it. I’m literally riding water. I’m literally sitting on moving water that literally gallop on water.”

Elsa heard her sister’s mutters in her back, and giggled.

“This can’t be the weirdest thing you’ve ever experienced.”

Anna shook her head, her arms still clenched around Elsa, and she was surprised that her elder was confident enough to look behind her and not check where they were going at such a speed.

“No, your magic made me used to way weirder.” Laughed Anna. “But still. This is... Waow.”

The redhead smiled, tension finally leaving her, and she was appreciating the moment. “How did it feel the first time you rode them?”

Elsa smiled, and turned to the horizon with a blessed sigh. “Incredible.”

“Yeah, well, I can’t believe it either. This is insane.” Snorted Anna.

The water horse neighed, and Elsa laughed. “They like the compliment”, informed the blonde.

Anna detached her gaze from the sea to look at her sister. “You can understand everything they say? I mean, feel?”

“Yes. It’s like a bond. A magical one, certainly. I have the same with Bruni, and Gale, and every Earth Giant.”

“Every single one? Damn, that’s a lot.”

Elsa laughed. “I don’t feel the emotions of everyone all the time. It’s like... When I need it. And when they need it. We understand each other.”

Anna grinned. “It’s cute.”

She hugged Elsa tighter, and the Spirit wondered if she was scared of something despite how calm the water was. Then she realized that Anna was casually hugging her. She smiled and put a hand on her sister’s.

=======

After dismissing Nokk and letting Anna admire the entrance of the glacier, Elsa looked at how Anna was exhaling smoke.

The younger noticed how she stared, and chuckled at how she was the only one to do puff smoke. She imitated a dragon to make Elsa smile. But joy didn’t stay long on her sister’s face.

“You should put your beanie on already.”

Anna put the hat on her hair and nearly sank her head into it.

“Is your coat closed tight?”

“Yes, don’t worry.” Smiled Anna.

Elsa came to her, and checked the state of her clothes herself, from her toes to her head. She took a full minute doing so, and the redhead stared at her in silence, with a touched expression. The elder was looking at her with deep focus in her blue eyes, and Anna felt like she was a kid again, when the elder checked on her before they went outside to build a snowman. She also knew that Elsa had issues about her getting cold because of her.

“Elsa, I’m fine.”

“What did we say about the conditions?” Frowned the blonde.

Anna had to physically restrain herself to eye roll. “No lies; If I’m too cold, I tell you; And I don’t protest if you decide to cancel everything and to get out.”

She repeated that rule with a very annoying tone, and Elsa actually laughed at it. “You sound like you just recited a poetry you hate.”

“You made your rules that way.” Joked Anna. “Wait, did I use to recite poetry?”

“I can find you the memory again if you want. You look adorable when you’re little.”

“Oh, I don’t know if I’m ready for the awkward parts...” Winced Anna.

Elsa smiled. “Trust me, I have the worst ones.”

She took Anna’s hand in hers. “Come on, let’s go.”

The redhead gave her a giant smile, and together, they stepped inside Ahtohallan.

=======

Wooo, this was a long chapter! I had lots of fun writing it, and really wanted to include all of that. Ice Bros, Snow Sisters, Elsamaren... Those are all dynamics that requires tons of drama and confessions hahaha - but also cute moments!

What do you want to see next? This is an interactive fanfic! You get to choose, yep I listen to you. Give suggestions in your reblogs, fellas.

(If you like my style, you can check out Untangling the Frozen Knots, my 140K words fanfic novel! :D)

#frozen 2 fanfics #post frozen 2 fanfics #there you go guys! #this new chap was planned for tomorrow but i finished early and you all were excited after last chap's cliffhanger lol #sidenote: kristoff is a very open minded cute bear #we can thank the trolls #also OF COURSE elsa and anna weren't going to stay angry at each other for long #but i really wanted that exchange of letters #and anna knowing exactly how elsa would react and letting her some space #and that roll in the grass after the hug #and all those stuff that made me squealed as i typed them!!! #like the scene where honeymaren is worried about elsa and checks on her #anyway thank you SO MUCH for all the positive feedback you gave me so far i'm really touched #i'm having tons of fun and you are having tons of---well feels lol #frozen #elsamaren #ice bros #snow sisters #emergence #frozen fanfics #disney #disney fanfictions

[tracybirds]

Mostly an excuse to ramble on about the beach and Virgil in general.... although the beach might be more of a main character than our boy xD

That’s okay, it did the job of relaxing me and making me feel more hopeful for tomorrow, and that’s all I can ask of my fic honestly. At least 80% inspired by @gumnut-logic ‘s Kermadec fic bc reading that was very much keeping me calm and happy at lunch lol

Hope you enjoy :D

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The strip of sand on Tracy Island was hard pressed to be called a beach and they had to fight both storm and sea to keep it there. Gordon had scoffed the first time he’d set foot on the island, mournfully comparing it to the golden beaches he expected of a tropical island. Instead the only sediment was closer to a muddy silt, occasionally washed up from the seafloor, and the sand itself comprised largely of broken down shells and coral matter. It didn’t matter to Virgil, who often clambered down the cliff face which had a mere impression of steps hewn into the hard igneous rock.

He breathed deeply as he reached the base of the cliff, staring out across the water. It was mid-morning and he stood for a moment, mesmerised by the way the sunlight glinted on the water, highlighting the crest of each ripple. The breeze was cool against his skin, just strong enough to occasionally whip the ocean waves into breakers, the steady crash against the shore slowing his heartbeat after the steep climb.

The hoarse whistle of seabirds provided a haunting backdrop to the crunch of his footsteps, and he strained his eyes to find its source. Gordon would be able to tell him what they were, he thought with a smile as he spied the bright yellow beak pointing high in the sky. Soon, a second bird joined the first and he chuckled to see the impromptu sword fight that emerged between them.

The setting was calm in direct contrast to Virgil’s regular life, and he relished the opportunity to rebalance his mind before he was called back into the world of chaos that so often swirled around his family. This was one of the few places of retreat on the island, a place that was shared with nobody. He loved his family deeply, but it was a relief to have a place where he could withdraw, surrounded by the island he loved and out of range of the local comm system installed around the house. Sure, Scott or John could reach him in an emergency, but if they were unable to contact him on the local system they tended to avoid reaching out unless it was absolutely necessary. The arrangement illustrated a mutual respect that was born of years of trust and communication.

Not that there had never been mistakes. When their Dad had first disappeared, there had been a lot of trial and error as they were all forced to understand each other’s needs and be open about their struggles in a way they’d never done before. They’d discovered their Dad had worked hard to ensure they had privacy when they lost faith, had shielded them from seeing each other’s pain and doubt, and to lose that and see his brothers in a new light had been a revelation. They had grown stronger and closer for it, able to recognise their emotions were not a weakness to hide from each other, that they could provide support in a way they had once relied on their Dad for. There was hope and joy and love blooming from the pain, that wouldn’t have existed without that pain, just like his mother had always taught him.

Virgil blinked, suddenly seeing the rising cliff before him. The beach could sometimes make him maudlin with its lonely ebb and flow, forever resisting the call of the moon and sea to allow the invasion of the ocean on its shore. He sat and dug his feet and hands into the bleached sand, sighing happily as more sea birds flew across the picturesque view. The blue of the ocean sparkled and shone in the sunlight, reminding him again of the goodness innate to the world he loved.

Small and fighting for survival the beach on Tracy Island may be, but its significance was held in the heart of one Virgil Tracy. He la down, stared up at the small puffs of clouds above and smiled.

#virgil tracy #thunderbirds are go #thunderbirds #i was screaming 10 hours ago now i'm down to making a game plan for tomorrow :D #we're good #sometimes i fic #and then afterwards i go to bed xDD

[biasedwriting]

God Save The King ||12||

Find all the parts here

Thanks @vixxscifiwritings for putting up with me

 Taekwoon dismissed his guards as he sighed, pacing up and down his chambers. His lip stung, it had been freshly cleansed and the wound wasn’t very deep. Yet it was his pounding heart that kept him from sleeping even as the moonlight streamed through the arches of the windows. He had taken a risky step today and Sooyeon assumed that he was now in love with Minah which indeed worked in his favour, but Wonshik was stubborn, clearly controlled by his emotions.

Taekwoon needed a queen.

Footsteps alerted him of the arrival of another person as he spun around to meet Minah’s sharp gaze. He froze, her face unreadable as she bowed in greeting, her slate grey robes fluttering with her movements.

“I received permission from Joonmyeon to enter,” her voice held no emotion as she maintained her gaze, poised, unreadable “I hope I am not disturbing you.”

“Not at all,” Taekwoon’s voice was soft as he stood stock still, the curtains shifted, casting more of the moonlight onto Minah’s face. He shifted after a few moments to turn on the lights. The room illuminated as Minah continued to look at Taekwoon with the same poker face “how may I help you, my good lady?”

“I came to check on his highness and sincerely apologise for the hurt the king has caused you,” she paused for a response, eyes fixed on the scratches on Taekwoon’s cheek.

“I have suffered much worse, this is something I expected,” Taekwoon waved his hand dismissively “do take a seat.”

Minah took two steps closer to him “then may I ask if his majesty is aware that he is taking a massive risk by asking for my hand in marriage.”

Taekwoon paused, now aware of why Minah was here as he sighed, walking over to the single settee placed in the room and taking a seat before indicating to her that she should join him as well. He watched as she took cautious steps before settling down beside him, back straight, eyes meeting his.

“Is Sooyeon not good enough?” Minah asked, taking Taekwoon aback with how straightforward she was being “your majesty, you’re mistaking her to be more of a child than she is, Sooyeon will make a good queen, it is in her blood.”

Taekwoon’s eyes shifted from her gaze to the floor, sweeping up her figure before meeting her eyes again “I knew it was a risk, but...Sooyeon cannot be my queen.”

“Your majesty, you cannot throw away a month of negotiations on a whim, tell me what it is about Sooyeon that displeases you and I will see if I can….”

“She is not you.”

Minah froze, feeling her heart rate pick up. No one had spoken to her in such terms, she shook her head. She would not be swayed by pleasing words.

“She is royalty and she can take care of your kingdom as an able queen.”

“And you more so.”

“Your majesty, you are mistaken, I am not royalty. You cannot marry me, I am to marry Wonshik.” Minah’s eyes fixed themselves on the ground as her heart beat rapidly and her skin flushed. Even the sea breeze could not cool her skin as she felt his gaze on her.

Taekwoon took the moment to truly look at Minah. After all these days of admiring Sooyeon’s blinding beauty he wanted to admire the woman he wished to have as his wife.

Until the power failed, throwing them both into the darkness. Yet Taekwoon could see her with the moonlight cast gently on her face. The way the light touched her cheeks, the curl of her eyelashes, her pursed lips. Did she not want to marry him?

Taekwoon wondered, the intrusive thought suddenly gnawing at him.

“Hopefully the emergency generator will start up...most of power is currently being rerouted to be used to power the hospital for our wounded men…”Minah rambled into the silence. Taekwoon was certain that this had been a decision taken by her. A perfect queen sat beside him and now he was plagued by the thought of her not wanting to marry him. His eyes fell on her vacant fingers placed on her lap.

“You wear no ring,” he whispered as Minah found herself looking at her fingers.

“It awaits my king’s ring.”

“You are not engaged to Kim Wonshik?” Taekwoon gaped at Minah who continued to look at the ground. There is silence as Taekwoon wonders what in the world could have possibly possessed Wonshik to not place a ring on this woman’s finger and wed her instantly. The intrusive thought appeared yet again and Taekwoon could feel his stomach churn.

“Do you not wish to wed me? Do you dislike me?”

Minah paused, her heart hammering against her ribcage. It wasn’t that she disliked Taekwoon, neither was she madly in love. But she could see a future where there was mutual respect and admiration for each other. That maybe she could possibly grow to be even more fond of the king of the East than she was now. No one had ever treated her like this - like she was tender but strong, precious even. Sooyeon was not going to marry Taekwoon, she knew it, not after this for certain, no matter how much she would try to convince the princess.

Taekwoon felt her shift uncomfortably as he could feel his stomach drop. Maybe he was forcing her into a marriage she didn’t want.

“I…” he tried to formulate a sentence, casting a glance to the floor as he heard the rustle of her robes. His mind temporarily blanking out when he felt her lips against the scratched skin on his cheek causing heat to flare up the flesh, the tips of his ears feeling a little too hot.

“That is all I can say...I will take your leave now,” Minah stammered as she stood up and hurried out of the chambers.

The lights returned as Taekwoon gazed out of the arched windows, even more determined to have Minah’s hand in marriage.

Minseok wasn't particularly surprised when Taekwoon had broken the news to him. The king assumed that Joonmyeon had informed his council member of the decision that he had taken.

“I see you are determined to marry her, but your highness, are you making this decision with your head or your heart? A king who rules with his heart does not rule for long.” he warned as Taekwoon shook his head.

“She will be the best queen for our people. I hold only affection for her and admiration for her wisdom.” he replied, trying to suppress the heat shooting up his ears when he thought to the night before.

“She is now in council with the king of the South. We will be meeting after breakfast.” Joonmyeon commented as Taekwoon fixed his coat sleeve.

“Do we have a strategy going into this?” Minseok asked wearily as Taekwoon looked back at his councillor.

“I will take Wonshik on. It is men he needs and his sister by him. If he wants a war I will give one to him.” he knew that with Minah's strength on his side, he wouldn't have to wage a war against Wonshik. Sooyeon had already declared her lack of intention to marry him and if the south didn't comply, they had no allies to support them, not with the West in it's weakened state.

“All for a woman?”

“A queen, Minseok.”

***

“Minah, you know exactly why you're here.” Wonshik began with his cajoling voice as Minah sat across him straight faced.

“Wonshik, there needs to be a sacrifice and I have no troubles taking Sooyeon's stead. I have done it once, and I will do it again.”

Wonshik winced, the privacy allowing him to express himself freely. His uncle and aunt's death had weighed heavily on him as he had lost his cousin too. Minah had lost her family to the empire and was forced to take her sister's place as his betrothed. “You must not speak so freely of the dead.”

“They are my dead Wonshik, taking my sister's place to marry you was natural, now it is simply marrying the king of the East.” Minah shrugged “Sooyeon will be safe at the least and we will be protected from war.”

“You infuriate me with your logic,” Wonshik huffs “you are my betrothed! We are to be married!”

“We were to be married two years ago Wonshik, the moment you ascended the throne. I am aware of the reasons why you have been reluctant, I know who visits you in the nights. I hope you don't take me for a fool,” Minah's voice trembled “I want you to be happy Wonshik, not tied down by me.”

Wonshik stared at Minah, stunned by her statement. Her eyes fixed themselves on him, unmoving, but not without compassion. He was a fool to haveunderestimated her. He should have trusted her more.

“The small council will be arriving soon. I will hold my tongue for your sake Wonshik, out of love and respect for you. I think it is best to accept this deal offered by the king of the East. That way Sooyeon is eligible to marry Jaehwan and become queen for the Empire. You will still have her with you for a little longer.”

“Minah,” Wonshik sighed as she looked at him with a soft smile.

“It is the least I can do for our people, for Sooyeonie, and for you.”

The arrival of Taemin and Jongin was announced as the two hurried in. Taemin seated himself by MInah while Jongin remained standing, staring at her.

“Please tell me it isn’t true. The King of the East wishes for your hand in marriage?!”

“Yes, that is the case.” Minah sighed causing Jongin’s face to twist in worry.

“Do you wish to go?” he asked and Minah was reminded of the same sensitive Jongin she used to visit in her childhood. The same Jongin who held her hand to lead her while they played hide and seek in his father’s gardens. She knew he was worried, but she had made up her mind.

“I will go to keep our people safe.”

“It is foolish of the king to change his mind,” Taemin commented “what could have possibly caused this change of heart?” he eyed Minah suspiciously

“If you wish to imply something about the honourable lady, I hope you will think twice Taemin.” Wonshik growled.

“I am not aware of anything that could have caused this, but you are free to suspect as you wish. I am open to marrying him if it brings us three rivers and an army. You will still have Sooyeon to offer to Jaehwan for peace with the High King. Sooyeon will be high queen. A position she deserves.” Minah's steady voice called an end to all debate.

“But we need you here,” Jongin interjected, looking pained “the south needs a Queen.”

“We cannot afford to go to war, Jongin, the south has done well without a queen and will continue to do so. This is our best bet for peace on all sides.”

Wonshik sighed,Minah's  brute logic was difficult to counter. Sooyeon had declared that she refused to marry Taekwoon under any circumstances and he felt it too cruel to force her into a loveless marriage. Neither could he change Minah's mind. Not with what she knew. But he knew he could trust her judgement and character of pure honesty.

“So be it,” he said sighing and holding his arms out to pull his cousin into a hug “you are brave to do this for your kingdom.”

“It is an honour to serve you, your highness.” she bowed to him.

That night, the declaration of Taekwoon’s engagement to Minah was spread across the kingdom.

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#kpop #kpopfic #kpopfanfiction #kpopfanfic #leo #jungleo #jungtaekwoon #taekwoon #god save the king #vixx #vixxfic #vixxfanfic #vixxfanfiction #vixxleo

[fire-emblem-heroes-supports]

Ike/Xander C-A Support

Written by @dawn-awakens

C SUPPORT

Xander: Sir Ike! Ike: Hm? Oh, hello there. Um… you’re Xander, from the World of Conquest, right? Xander: That’s right. Ike: Well met, Xander. I’m Ike, although it looks like you knew that already. Xander: Of course. Stories of the Radiant Hero of legend reach even across realms, you know. Ike: That’s flattering, but I’m no one special. I just did what needed to be done, and had a lot of help along the way. Xander: You say that, and yet such modesty is a quality only true heroes possess. Ike: *sigh* I suppose I should just get used to this sort of thing while I’m in Askr. Xander: Apologies, I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable. Ike: Nah, it’s fine. Just feels weird having everyone heap so much praise on me, especially in this world, where I’m about as heroic as anyone else you’d run into in the castle. Well, except maybe that Narcian fellow… Xander: Yes, well, Narcian aside, all of the heroes in the castle do have their own stories to tell, but I can guess why yours resonates with everyone so much. Ike: I’m listening. Xander: Well, yours is an incredible story of a common mercenary who rises to the challenge of guarding his country’s hope against the tyranny of an oppressive power, correct? Ike: Er… yeah, I suppose you could simplify it that way. Xander: There you have it then. Those here of common blood see your story as inspiration to better themselves. If you could accomplish such deeds, there’s nothing stopping them. Ike: Huh. I guess that makes sense. Xander: Meanwhile, speaking personally, those who are of royal blood are fascinated at the lengths that a once average citizen would go to to protect that which he holds dear. Ike: Hm… I can sort of see where you’re coming from. Still though, there are far more impressive heroes here to admire than me. Xander: Hahaha… I suppose you’re entitled to that opinion. Ike: Right, well, I appreciate the insight, but I’m assuming you had a different reason to approach me? Xander: Ah, yes. If it’s alright with you, I’d like to challenge you to a duel. I believe I could learn much from you. Ike: Heh. I was hoping you’d say that, to be honest. The feeling’s mutual. Fighting strong opponents from other worlds is always fun, and you certainly look strong. Xander: I’m honored. Well then, shall we begin? Ike: Sure, just don’t expect me to hold back. I’ve apparently got quite the reputation to uphold.

[Ike and Xander have reached support rank C.]

B SUPPORT

Ike: Oh, hello, Xander. How’s your arm doing? Xander: Greetings, Sir Ike. Still sore, if you can believe it. I’d never have thought the most grievous wound I’d receive after sparring with the Radiant Hero himself for the past few days would come from a third party. Ike: Yeah, Anna slugged you pretty hard when she saw how much it’d cost to repair the damage we did to the castle in our last bout. To be expected when both fighters decide to use magical swords, I suppose. Xander: Perhaps we should go back to using training swords from our next session onwards? Ike: Well that wouldn’t be any fun at all, now would it? Xander: Ha! Perhaps not. Ike: I just wish she would have at least let us finish. The score is still tied now, after all. Xander: Indeed. You were correct to suggest that using our real blades could be used to settle the tie. I’m fairly certain I would have emerged the victor had we the chance to finish. Ike: I don’t know about that. Xander: Hahaha, agree to disagree I suppose. At any rate, I daresay the damage to the castle would have been the same even without your divine blade. Wherever did you learn to fight? Ike: Well, I learned most of my skills from my father. Xander: Oh, I see. Ike: He was a terrific swordsman, unmatched in skill and strength. Even beyond that, after our mother died, he looked after not only myself and my sister, but also our entire mercenary group. I learned pretty much everything I know about anything from him… If it wasn’t for his guidance I don’t think anyone would be calling me a hero at all. Xander: … Ike: How about you, Xander? You fight too well to be self taught, and since you’re royalty I’m assuming your father knew a thing or two about the blade. Did you learn from him as well? Xander: Ah, yes. I… did. Ike: Well then, I’m sure he’d be proud to see how well you’ve taken after him. Xander: … Ike: Um, everything alright Xander? Did I say something wrong? Xander: No, not at all… Excuse me, I should be- Ike: Hey, you can talk to me if something’s bothering you. I may not know what to say or even be able to help, but it’s better than keeping everything bottled up. Xander: *sigh* Well… There was a time when my father was a very respectable man, and had many of the same traits as yours. He was kind, strong, and cared deeply about those dear to him, perhaps even to a fault. Ike: But… Xander: …Suffice to say, he suddenly began to change for the worst. He grew callous, cutting himself off from everyone, and his battle tactics grew more and more ruthless. By the time my youngest sister was born, my other siblings and I could barely recognize him. Ike: I see. Xander: All he did, he claimed to do for the glory of Nohr, but he was always lashing out at everyone, no matter the situation. He’d execute prisoners left and right, and threaten even my siblings with the same fate whenever they went against his wishes. Ike: What? That’s terrible! Xander: Indeed. I… did my best to be their pillar of support, but as Crown Prince, our father’s eye was often on me, intent on molding me into his essence. For the good of our family and our country, I knew I needed to remain in his good books, so I obeyed to the best of my ability, but… Ike: Oh… So when I suggested you’d taken after him… Xander: …I apologize, Sir Ike. I fear I’ve went on for far too long already. I thank you for listening, but I think it’s best that I be on my way for the time being. Ike: I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to- Xander: Don’t let it trouble you. Good day then. [Xander exits.] Ike: …*sigh* I sure messed that up.

[Ike and Xander have reached support rank B.]

A SUPPORT

Xander: Hya! Hah! Ike: Hyaaa!! Xander: Wha-?! Ike: Heh, looks like this one’s mine. Xander: Ha… yes, I suppose so… I yield. Ike: Phew, I’ve been doing pretty well today. Guess all this training we’ve been doing together is paying off. Xander: Well- Ike: At least, that’s what I’d say if you weren’t so obviously distracted by something. Xander: Hm? What makes you- Ike: Is this about what you told me the other day? About your father? Xander: …So you still remember. I should apologize again, I don’t really know what came over me. It’s not like me to ramble so much, I assure you. Ike: Don’t worry about it, I was the one who brought it up. But I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that, actually. To be honest, I was a little caught off guard to hear something like that has been bothering you all this time. Xander: …While it’s been on my mind for many years, I can usually keep it in the back of my thoughts as long as I have something to do, be it training or commanding armies. But hearing how much your father influenced you… Ike: It struck a chord? Xander: …If the influence of an exemplary father can turn one into the world’s strongest hero, then what of a case like mine? Ike: What of it? I don’t see a problem. Xander: But- Ike: I won’t take back what I said, my father’s teachings are what made everything I did possible. But honestly, I think I was just lucky in that regard. Many members of my company had less than ideal parents. Some don’t even remember who brought them up. And yet, they were every bit as heroic as I was. Maybe even moreso. Xander: Why do you say that? Ike: They had additional hurdles to overcome. My life hasn’t exactly been a walk in the park, but I’m not even sure if I’d still be here if I had been born into the same situations as some of them. Xander: I see… Ike: Overcoming adversity despite the odds… that’s what it means to be a hero, isn’t it? I’m sorry that you have to deal with something like this, but I think history will someday see you in a far finer light than it does me. Xander: I appreciate the vote of confidence, however I’m afraid I can’t be so certain of that myself. Ike: Do you think I was certain of anything throughout my journey? Frankly, looking back, I could have been killed many times. It was faith that saw me through it all. Faith in the skills my father taught me, yes, but also faith in myself, and in my allies. Xander: I can relate to that. I too, have many allies I can rely on in times of hardship. Their continued support is something I will always cherish. Ike: Then why don’t you try being a bit more open with them? I’m sure someone among your friends and family have more practical solutions to all this. At the very least, confiding in those close to you is something your father probably didn’t do either, so it would be a step in the right direction. Xander: Will it really be enough though? Or worse yet, what if they wind up getting hurt as a result? Ike: It won’t come to that, I’m sure of it. Xander: Would that I could be so certain. Ike: I’ll have to be certain enough for the both of us then. If it’s for the sake of your country and your family, I’m sure you’ll find a way. That’s the kind of person you are, Xander. The kind who would do whatever it took to… how did you put it when we first met… “protect that which he holds dear.” Xander: Sir Ike… I… will try. I thank you for your wisdom. I admit, I feel a small relief now even if nothing has truly changed. You’re surprisingly easy to talk to, it seems. Ike: I don’t know about that, but I’m glad I could help. And I’d be happy to help even more, if you’ll let me. Xander: How do you mean? Ike: Well, I could just keep beating you in these duels. I’m no pushover, but if you can no longer beat me in a practice fight I don’t think you have to worry about tearing apart your family anytime soon. Xander: Heh… If someone can still speak to me like that, I don’t think I have to worry about being as intimidating as my father for quite some time. With that said, I hope you’re ready to have your title of strongest hero brought into question. Ike: By all means. One thing though. It’s Ike. Just Ike, please. Xander: Ha… as you wish, Ike. At your ready.

[Ike and Xander have reached support rank A.]

#fire emblem fates #fire emblem path of radiance #fire emblem radiant dawn #male heroes #xander #ike #xander x ike #ike x xander