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fanartbyherd · 10 months

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So these drawings are from around the time I was first introduced to the mechanisms.

I had started listening to the band, and made my way through the four main story driven albums and some of the other mechanisms albums.

And I thought to myself, what do the, immortal villainous canabalistic, time traveling, dimension hopping, space pirate crew of the aurora do when they are not having fun! Violence…. Violence.

When there are no tales to be told.

What do they do then?

So I drew that!

Mischief what else?

Johnny being impatient when gunpowder tim paints his nails because Johnny has less coordination with that.

Brian and Ivy realizing that they have left the toy solider somewhere on some market planet when it got interested in some shiny trinket or weapon or what not.

NOW! to the main part. so bottom picture from the first image, and the large picture at the top of the second image. this was my solution to part of the questions on what they get up to in those more boring or sluggish times of existence. they hibernate... Wait! I actually wrote something for this! wonder what mindset I was in when I wrote it? I'll share what I wrote after the main post. it is mostly just fluff (???)

the next two images are stacked onto of each other one is of Johnny being absolutely awful at chores as he breaks all he touches. below that one is the toy solider braiding hair.

the final picture in the second image is that of Ashes scolding Brian, Johnny and Tim about tricking the Toy solider into doing their chores, mostly by that it follows any order. (now that im more familiar with the characters I think Brian was the wrong choice for this picture, perhaps raphiell or Ivy would have been a better choice, but this was one of my first pieces of mechanisms fanart.)

the final picture is of The toy solider painting a portrait of itself on a mirror because it has trouble with internal visualization.

along with the first planning and world building this (/pc) mess of an AU:

Alright as promised, I'm going to share the messy little thing I wrote about the mechanisms taking a nap. better context to the picture, whole found family in some twisted way.

(also I do in fact misspell all the names)

The mechanisms, domestic reprise. Featuring: Johnny De’vill (captain), Gun Powder Tim (explosions expert), Ashes O’reilly (quartermaster) Raphael La Cognizi (scientist), toy solider (itself), Ivy {red} (archivist), Nashtya Rasputin (shipwright), Drumbot Brian (pilot), Marious von Raum (“doctor”), the sentient starship auroura.

Ch1 (Johnny) there’s this rather interesting thing that happens when you are an immortal space faring pirate, it’s called downtime, never been much of a fan myself, but its unavoidable. Space is vast and sometimes it just takes a dame long time to get anywhere. Other times it’s just that the mortal people out there aren’t doing anything interesting, no wars, no disaster, no nothin’. I mean there’s technically something always going on, but that something doesn’t always involve us. the absolute atrocity.

So it is here we find ourselves on occasion…

Ch2. That time the mechanisms took a nap. (Johnny) Bein’ immortal and all we really don’t need to sleep, gee some of us like the toy solider, can’t. though things that it can’t do has never stopped it before and the same thing can be said about sleep. (Toy Solider) very true.

(Johnny) so even though none of us need too, on occasion we will still fancy ourselves for a nap. Some of us more than others.

(Nashta) We’ve in-fact made a rather nice room for it, deep in the bowls of the ship. With her permission of course.

(Johnny) of course.

(Brian) Yeah, made a good space too, stole a bunch of mattresses and jigsaw them together to cover the entire floor, threw some comfitures, sheets and pillows atop it.

(Ashes) Yes, it is quite cozy. The ship did have crew cabins at some point.

(Nashta) When we do sleep, we sometimes do it individually, though usually we do it as a group.

(Ivy) Quite rare actually for all of us to sleep at one time, the common thing for us is that half of us or a few more sleep, sometimes just three of us.

(Ashes) Though sometimes all of us just sleep together. Keep your mind out of the gutter Johnny. Either way we are all fixing to take a nap here soon.

(Johnny) O’reilly you flatter me, my mind is always in the gutter and you know you love me for it.

(Ashes) phfht, Shure if you say so.

(Brian) how long of a nap are we thinking this time?

(Ashes) a year or two.

(ivy) -looking at a book- our records is fifty years.

(Brian) Rumors say those where some of the most peaceful -if tense- fifty years the galaxy had known in a long time.

(Ivy) I for one am looking forward to being cozy. Ash makes a great pillow.

(Raphael) Agreed.

(Ivy) you also make a nice pillow. several of the other long naps were nice too.

(Ashes) It did get much comfier when we decided to leave our weapons by the wall and not bring them to bed.

(Brian) yeah, I’d fancy not getting shot in the face by a misfiring again when we are supposed to be sleeping.

(Tim) -walking in- yup, try getting shot three times by Johnny’s trigger-happy finger even in sleep.

(Johnny) Ah, well Tim, you liked it did you not?

(Tim) I…I’ll…

(Raphael) Oh! Oh! Remember that one twenty-year nap?

(Ivy) which one?

(Raphael) that one where all of us actually slept, even the toy soldier was doing it’s best pretending to sleep. (Marious) ah yes, the one where we were interrupted just a bit more than halfway through? (Nashta) Fools thought Aroura was abandoned, just because something looks empty, dose not make something a piece of junk! (Ashes) Calm yourself Nashta. (Nashta) they were going to sell her for parts! (Ashes) yes, yes, but they are a red spot across the wall, can’t hurt aurora any more.

(nastasiya grumbels) (Brian) Also why we stay up in shifts now, that and to keep Toy Solider company. (Toy Solider)Yes! (Raphael) Don’t you get lonely toy solider? (Toy Solider) No! of course not, I have all of you around me. Your presence keeps me company. (Tim) you ol’sap (Toy Solider) all of you also agreed to let me braid your hair as you sleep. (Ivy) *monotone* you also braid the hair of corpses on the battlefield. (Johnny) ‘bit of a curiosity if ya’ ask me. (Toy Solider) If I have nothing to do, I join you in sleep. (Johnny) well you try. (Ashes) Toy Solider tries its best to pretend to sleep (Toy Solider) I do. (Tim) Yes, yes, Are we ready yet? I for one am eager to sleep, where’s a pillow? (Johnny) all the preparations are ready? (Marious) Finishing touches captain’ (Tim) *cough, co-captain, cough* (Jhonny) Ah Tim (Tim) what? (Johnny) Want to go a few rounds before turning in? (Tim) hmmm…ah Sure why not? (Johnny) Anyone else? (Ashes) Nah. (Toy Solider)… (Ivy) I’m good (Brian) next time by me (Raphael) Busy with marious preparing the nest. Giddy* (Marrious) Odd way to phrase it Raphe, I’d accept but as she stated. (Nashta) busy with the aroura (Johnny) suit yourselves, come on Tim. (Ivy) I think a year nap will do us some good. *places down a handful of books. (Brian) I think so too. (Toy Solider) Agreed. (Ashes) we ready then? (Johnny) We were, once me and Tim finished our rounds we joined in the warm group, this was how we showed our greatest trust, we turned in. once we did the aroura dimed her lights and slowed her speed, as if she too joined us in our sleep. Of course, I don’t personify the ship. I’m not nashta, the dork.

-- I do believe my writing has improved slightly since this, but regardless this is fun for me. I also remember

#fanart #the mechanisms #silly stuff #cw scorpion #cw swearing #fanfic

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reinersbottombitsh · 1 year

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Blueprints (on Wattpad)

You were tied up and left for dead. Your cabin was burned to the ground. A mysterious gunslinger saved your life. This is a tale of love and revenge.

(Charles fanart on cover credit: SAINTEMARVEL)

#arthurmorgan #arthurrdr2 #canonera #charlesrdr2 #charlessmith #charlessmithxreader #rdr2 #rdr2fanfic #rdr2fanfiction #readerinsert #reddeadredemption2 #romance #romancefanfiction #slowburn #smutwarning #books #wattpad #amwriting

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saffalilac · 1 year

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Saffalilac’s really long list of favorite media 💜

If I would reblog fanart of something, it’s probably going in this list!

Anime 🌸

Digimon Adventures

Fullmetal Alchemist

Houseki no Kuni

Hunter x Hunter

Mob Psycho 100

Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Soul Eater

Yu-Gi-Oh!

Yu-Gi-Oh! Season Zero

Blogs 🦙

Bogleech

hedgehog-moss

one-weird-mammal-a-day

Books 🐋

A Dog’s Purpose

Artemis Fowl

The Candymakers

The Heroes of Olympus

How to Train your Dragon

The Kane Chronicles

The Locked Tomb

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

The Scholomance

Fanfiction ☔️

Being Dead Ain’t Easy (Yu-Gi-Oh!)

Blue Sky (Portal)

Fargo (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)

Luster (The Adventure Zone)

Of Trying and Towers (Sanders Sides)

One Last Theft (Artemis Fowl/Yu-Gi-Oh!)

Live Action Shows 🪨

The Good Place

It’s Me or the Dog

The Last of Us

Lucifer

Parks and Recreation

Schitt’s Creek

Movies 🥙

Barbie movies pre-2008

Coco

Coraline

Encanto

Ernest & Celestine

Fiddler on the Roof

The Incredibles

Inside Out

Kung Fu Panda

The Prince of Egypt

Princess Mononoke

Ratatouille

Rise of the Guardians

Spider-Man: Spiderverse Trilogy

Spirited Away

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Winds

Tangled

Thor: Ragnarok

Toy Story 2

Zootopia

Podcasts 🍇

The Adventure Zone

Cabin Pressure

My Brother, My Brother and Me

Typin’ Toons

Poetry 🫧

The Orange

Two-Headed Calf

Theater 💐

Bad Jews

Fiddler on the Roof

Hamilton

Wicked

Video games 🦎

Ace Attorney

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Bugsnax

Celeste

Chicory: A Colorful Tale

Deltarune

Ghost Trick

Hades

Hollow Knight

Kid Icarus: Uprising

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Night in the Woods

One Shot

Pokémon

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon

Pokémon Ranger

Portal

Sara and the Sarcastic Creatures

Sonic Unleashed

Spelunky 2

Spiritfarer

Splatoon

Stardew Valley

Super Mario Picross

Super Smash Brothers Ultimate

To the Moon

Undertale

The Witch’s House

Webcomics 🏕️

Brimstone & Roses

Castle Swimmer

Cucumber Quest

Everything is Fine

Gunnerkrigg Court

Homesick

Homestuck

Lavender Jack

Let’s Speak English

Monster Pulse

Paranatural

Sleepless Domain

Suitor Armor

Yumi’s Cells

Yuna and Kawachan

Western Animation 🪻

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Bee and Puppycat

Bojack Horseman

Codename: Kids Next Door

Danny Phantom

The Dragon Prince

Gravity Falls

Hilda

Infinity Train

Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts

The Legend of Korra

OK K.O.!: Let’s Be Heroes

Over the Garden Wall

The Owl House

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

The Spectacular Spider-Man

Spongebob Squarepants (pre-season 4)

Steven Universe

Teen Titans

Wander Over Yonder

YouTube 🫐

Brian David Gilbert

Chuggaaconroy

Cranbersher

DanAndPhilGames

DougDoug

Jacksepticeye

Jarvis Johnson

Jenny Nicholson

Lofi Girl

Louie Zong

MelonyPepon

Monster Factory

Pikasprey Yellow

PlayFrame

ProZD

Rachel and Jun’s Adventures

RTGame

ScykohPlays

Skurry

SnapCube

Tasty

Vinesauce

Worthikids

Bonus: Videos I Have Watched A Whole Lot of Times

15 Very Dumb Things in Fantastic Beasts 2

The Adventure Zone: Balance trailer

A Man With No Rhythm Plays Rhythm Heaven Fever

The ACTUAL History of Bloons

Bad Guy — TAZ Animatic

Breaking Stardew Valley by Starting a Drug Farm [series]

Dhar Mann Solves Racism

Diamond Jack

Hollow Knight but Impossible

Hollow Knight but the items are split

I Can’t Decide — TAZ Animatic

I forced an AI to play a kids’ adventure game

I read the terrible Episode IX pitch where Rey is a robot

I Wanna Be The Guy - Cherry Apples! | PART 1 | ScykohPlays [series]

[I’m the Bad Guy]- Wander over Yonder Song

JackSepticEye Animated | The Tender Cut

Mambostuck (Homestuck Animation)

OK, Why is Everything Johnson & Benson? (Scambaiting)

Sherlock Is Garbage, And Here’s Why

Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) | Real-Time Fandub Games

thumbnail (ft. brian david gilbert)

Wire

#about me #fandoms #mine

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misdre · 3 years

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misi's beyblade AUs masterpost

i like making AUs, i have many of them, here's a post of them from oldest to newest. (at least approximately) (the ones that got no art of them have photos from unsplash. i just enjoy setting the mood)

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Magical boy AU takao is an ordinary middle schooler who one day gets dragoon the magical spinning top from a cute little azure dragon, seiryuu, and transforms into a magical boy to protect the world from evil for some cosmic reasons that i haven't come up with yet. the rest of the characters have similar powers from their holy beasts and takao needs to gather up his team to fight the evil and. you get the drill is there art of it? yes 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 is there a fic of it? no note: i originally created this just because i like designing the outfits so i haven't planned the story much (this used to be my main focus but then 4kingdoms happened GJSDHGHSDG) i'd want to though, i'll get back to it eventually...at some point...... one of the charm points of this AU is that the holy beasts are these digimon-like animals that hang out with the characters and each have their own personalities.

Fairy tale monster AU takao and gramps live in a cabin in the middle of a forest full of monsters and takao decides one day to venture out to look for a silver-haired boy he once saw, he meets up with the other BBA characters one by one in the grim woods. is there art of it? no is there a fic of it? yes note: my oldest halloween fic. the characters are all these different cute spooky creatures and it's intended to sound like a fairy tale.

One day, he determined that the time was ripe: Takao decided to leave for an adventure. For his grandfather was old, it was not at all unusual for him to lay down to bed before sundown. Once the hut had fallen in drowsy silence, Takao packed his one and only bag with what little he felt he needed, took his cap and jacket, and stepped over the doorsill. He had left the safe warmth of the hut behind.

Royal fantasyverse AU (the tale of four kingdoms) takes place in a fantasy universe with four kingdoms (east, west, south & north) created by the four holy beasts, in an era where each kingdom happens to be ruled by an exceptionally young king due to their respective circumstances. when the four meet for the first time, a snowball of events is set in motion that's going to affect all four kingdoms. is there art of it? yes 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 is there a fic of it? yes 1 / 2 note: like a period drama with magic and gay and tons of worldbuilding. probably has way too many mysteries for the boys to solve because i have no self control when it comes to creating twists. this is The one AU that i have crammed every usable canon character into, i need enough people to inhabit four fucking countries

After creating the four lands, the holy beasts created people to inhabit them. Because the beasts were celestial beings and couldn't but guard people and the world they lived in from far above, they needed human vessels to lead the four nations. Thus they created four kings who would rule over other people using the four beast’s powers. The four kings were neither human nor gods, but something between – they were messengers, or icons, of the four holy beasts.

Omegaverse AU a canon divergence AU (i guess??) where genders are replaced by A/B/O and everyone being either canine or feline. max is a late bloomer canine and finds out he's the only alpha of the BBA boys thanks to a certain feline omega. is there art of it? not really but i do have dog boy max and cat boy rei art (which are a bit too cute for this kinkfest. i mean they're obviously aged up for the real thing.) 1 / 2 is there a fic of it? it's been in the works for like, five years but i always shy away from finishing it note: it's omegaverse, it's exactly what you'd expect. the smut is so filthy i've been too embarrassed to even post it. hiromi is also an alpha by the way

Coffee shop AU highschooler rei goes on a venture to hit on a local Hot University Teacher and coffee shop owner judy in a cafe owned by her, ends up receiving a bunch of flirty cups of latte from barista max working there. is there art of it? no is there a fic of it? yes note: i mean, rei being into blonde MILFs is pretty much canon

Now that Rei looked at the boy more carefully, he realised his hair was just as fair and eyes just as blue as he knew Judy Mizuhara's to be. Maybe they were related? It wasn't that strange if Judy had hired a relative's kid to help out at the shop, right? He certainly looked American, but he had spoken Japanese. And then, all of a sudden, the boy turned to look back to him. Startled, Rei blinked his own golden brown eyes and shifted them back to his now empty cup. God, it was rude to stare at someone, wasn't it? He'd been too deep in thought to even notice doing it. Not that the boy had looked judgmental – he only seemed to wear a smile.

Soulmate AU max keeps having dreams with peculiar scenarios about a boy named rei. one day he borrows a book on soulmates from hiromi and finds a chapter talking about meeting your soulmate in the realm of dreams. is there art of it? no is there a fic of it? yes note: i don't even care for soulmate AUs, this was my own dare to myself to find a single soulmate trope that interested in me enough to write a thing of it.

Max was walking through a crowded airport, carrying a heavy backpack with him. He had never been to this airport in his life, but somehow he knew exactly where he was, and where he was supposed to go. And he was in a hurry, and Rei had at some point emerged from the crowd, as usual, keeping up with him without bumping into any of the people that should have blocked his way. “I'm sorry, this is probably my fault,” Rei said. “I haven't even travelled in ages anymore, but these dreams just keep coming back to haunt me.”

Chess player AU rei is a young chinese chess champion participating in the world junior championships, ends up falling for the american chess prodigy max somehow in the process and is determined to get to play against him again. is there art of it? no is there a fic of it? yes note: so this is one of the weirder ones i've done. it was inspired simply by me having a very vivid mental image of a scene of them playing dramatic chess together. this is probably my most underrated AU even by myself, i think the writing is pretty solid for such a short story of a topic i know practically nothing about

As a child, Rei had initially been taught to play xiàngqí, a Chinese game much more popular back in his home country; but chess with its refined, uniquely shaped pieces was love at first sight for the young Rei. He was a fast thinker and had amazing concentration skills once he set his mind on something, and he also had an outstanding memory, making it easy to memorise game patterns he once saw and then use them for his advantage. This all granted him natural talent in chess. But despite his skill, he had a bad habit of easily losing his temper and becoming indecisive once his focus wavered. Also, he was just a tad bit too sentimental. These traits often became his worst enemy in important matches, much worse than the actual opposing player. Keep your cool. Focus. Play well.

Flower shop + fake dating AU yuriy doesn't really know anything about flowers but is working part-time in a flower shop for the easy cash. he keeps getting a pair of weird customers who ask about flower language for hypothetical situations. is there art of it? not by myself and i don’t have a link to the fanart made of it unfortunately is there a fic of it? yes note: did i write this for valentine's day? i feel like i maybe did. this is my only AU (and fic in general) so far that's about a non-BBA character as the main lmao

“So, I need some advice for a particular situation,” the customer then began, idly tapping the counter with his hand. “I mean, not a real situation, of course – hypothetically speaking, if someone was just pretending to be going out with another person, but they weren't really going but it just needed to seem that way to everyone else, what kinda flowers would get the message through?” Possibly an idiot, Yuriy concluded his analysis. “So you need suitable flowers for a date,” he stated, shooting his eyes at his notes about common flower-usage.

Classical music AU (the heart that i love) max is a piano prodigy attending a classical music college that holds annual music competitions for the students. he's got some haters for being the son of a world-known pianist who's one of the teachers, but he also ends up having a budding romance with rei the mysterious chinese violinist. is there art of it? yes 1 / 2 is there a fic of it? yes note: the origin of this was my "max and mao are besties" college AU. then it got mixed in with my thirst for classical instruments and max being bullied.

Max isn’t exactly a synesthet, but he has always been able to see music as pictures – as entire sceneries, as great adventures. This tendency of his emerges especially strong whenever he’s learning to play a new piece on the piano; as he moves along the melody, the scenery is also being built around him like a jigsaw puzzle, creating a complete picture piece by piece; and once he has mastered the song, he’s able to freely traverse and immerse himself in the world inside that puzzle. Some pieces have a more relaxed or soothing scenery than others, some are exciting and thrilling – even deliciously sinister in the way that a good horror film can be. Setting himself down in front of a piano is always an invitation to a world of his choice.

Bakeneko AU after moving to a small rural town in japan, max hits his head and starts seeing things, such as a weird white cat following him around. after a while, he's convinced that he's being haunted. is there art of it? yes is there a fic of it? yes note: another halloween AU, a more surreal one where max is human and rei is. well. not

Max kept walking, his eyes still on the narrow road. He hadn't noticed while deep in thought, but it really was quiet that evening. The sun had nearly set by now, leaving the sky striped with the dusk of the approaching nightfall. There was no wind to rustle the treetops, no birds chirping, nothing. Only the sound of Max's own footsteps on the pavement, and the matching sound that followed. Followed. What if someone actually was following him? A sudden, violent chill struck down Max's spine, causing his hair to stand on end. He stopped. After a short delay, the steps also stopped.

Genderbend AU a canon divergence AU where everyone's a different gender from canon (duh). starts off as an alternate version of the g-revolution world championships where the girls meet for the first time and befriend each other. rei is a professional model in addition to being a blader in the baihus, and max from the PPB is delighted to be able to battle her. she has no idea that rei has fallen for her at first sight, though. is there art of it? yes 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 is there a fic of it? it's... in the works. note: i created this because i wanted to design attractive girls, what about it. absolutely partial to maxine's huge badonkadonks.

It wasn’t like Rei hadn’t already taken notice of her before, given that they were participating in the same world championship tournament, but the real turning point was the first time they stood on the opposing sides of a bey stadium. It was the day when the match-up roster signalled the match between the Chinese team and the American team, the Baihus versus the PPB All Starz; and despite both teams consisting of five players, it came down to, to Rei’s immense joy, the tag team of Rai and herself against the two most interesting US players, Rikki Anderson and Mizuhara Maxine.

Vampire & merboy AU rei is a starved vampire just about to end his own life when he meets merboy max at a forest lake. is there art of it? of max yes is there a fic of it? yes note: yet another halloween monster AU, this time they are both monsters though. this one’s a pretty grim one i have to admit

Rei succumbed into deep thought, considering his few options, when something grabbed his unsuspecting hand. Something yanked him forward in one mad splash and forced not only the rest of his arm but also his shoulders and head underwater. Half a second later Rei, so badly startled that he’d come close to slipping into insanity, found himself staring at a pair of bright blue eyes only inches away from his own face. His other hand and lower body still firmly on land, Rei pulled himself back with strength that he didn’t even know his weak body still contained. As he did, he also pulled up whatever was clutching his hand, which turned out to be another hand – a white hand with elongated, dirty fingers, so sharp at the tips that they looked like daggers.

Mafia AU max is the boss of the BBA mafia family, rei is a hitman and max's right hand man, the rest have various roles in the organisation. salima, mariam and some other girls (at least) are reporters doing investigative journalism on organised crime who get interested in covering the story of a group of russian elite detectives doing a thorough investigation of the BBA. is there art of it? of rei and max yes 1 / 2 / 3 is there a fic of it? it's in the works but it's just a gratuitous reimax smut note: this is a story i wish existed but this kind of police investigation action thing is so not my genre of expertise. that's why i'm just doing a PWP of my boys and the rest exists on conceptual level

“Did you know,” Salima said, perfectly peppy about it, “that there are secret underground auctions for stolen artwork that’s sold in the black market? Not just online auctions in the dark web but actual, physical events held somewhere in the city! Isn’t that so intriguing? Can you imagine how an event like that would look like, Max?” Max can – in fact, he doesn’t need to imagine. But he’d rather not think about it; the memories bring the familiar taste of bile in his mouth and make his gut curdle with a mixture of disgust and very particular guilt. The mere thought of it makes him set his coffee aside and bring a hand between his tightly shut eyes.

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the next thing i come up with? who knows............

#bey things #i am only moderately insane #so i'm a person who never reads her own writing #but for this post i did. i read my old oneshots #and i wasn't disgusted by them!! actually i was rather impressed with them!!!#i didn't know such a feeling existed. to read your old writing #and be like how nice! writing of my OTP just the way i want it!#genuinely i was charmed by the soulmate AU because i'd forgotten most of it #bc i was so embarrassed about it for some reason? but it was a very nice story

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lomelindelaurea · 3 years

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Crossover Fic: Under the Arctic Moon

Fandom: due South, Doctor Who (2005), Doctor Who Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Benton Fraser, Twelfth Doctor, The Doctor's TARDIS Additional Tags: Crossover, Childhood, Childhood Friends, Loss, Family, Friendship, Time Travel, Inspired by Fanart, Fanart, Memories Series: Part 2 of Ben Fraser’s Magical Tales Summary:

One night, when he was ten years old, Ben Fraser saw a strange blue box standing under the pine trees just outside his grandparents’ cabin.

-- On AO3 --

#due south #doctor who #crossover #my fanfic #my fanart #benton fraser #twelfth doctor #tardis #inspired by fanart

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thelastspeecher · 4 years

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Spirit Touched - Chapter 4: Baby Badger-Viper

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 AO3

I actually updated on AO3 yesterday, but I was too lazy to post the new chapter here. So here’s the new chapter now. Chapter 5 won’t go up until after I move next week, though, because I’m going to have to focus on packing and whatnot.

Again, this fic is inspired by @muffinlance‘s fic Salvage and fanart that @agent-jaselin did of it. A component of this chapter is thanks to this art that jaselin did.

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Hakoda should have known that whatever Tuluk had to say was trouble. The crewman had come into his cabin while he was responding to letters from the Northern Fleet – without knocking.

“Chief?” Hakoda set his pen down.

“Yes?” he asked.

“The kid’s up the mast again.”

“The-” Hakoda’s eyes widened. “Zuko climbed the mast?” Tuluk nodded. “He’s four!” Though, now that Hakoda thought about it, Zuko’s current age wasn’t as much of an impediment as it would have been to someone else. This was, after all, the boy that had managed to bruise multiple crewmen while battling hypothermia. Hakoda got up from his desk and followed Tuluk onto the deck.

“You need to wear something!” Toklo called. True enough, Hakoda could just make out a very young boy, sitting on the crossbeam of the main mast.

“Tui and La, how did he get up there?” Hakoda breathed. Much of the crew had stopped to watch the spectacle of a toddler up very high, in a very precarious, very dangerous situation. Even those who were taking longer to warm up to Zuko were visibly concerned for his safety. The crewmen that had bonded with him, like Toklo, looked like they might have heart attacks.

“No!” Zuko shouted down to Toklo. His voice was petulant, but not in the way a prince would speak. He sounded every bit the toddler he was. “I won’t wear it!”

“It’s the only thing in your size, Zuko,” Bato argued. Hakoda walked to his second-in-command’s side.

“What happened?” Hakoda asked. Bato sighed and uncrossed his arms.

“The little brat won’t put on a coat.” Bato looked up the mast to shout again. “Do you want to get sick again?”

“Yes!” shrieked the small firebender.

“Son of a-” Bato rubbed his forehead.

“Why won’t he put on a coat?” Hakoda asked.

“The one he likes is still drying,” Toklo said. “We had to wash it earlier.” Washing it was the right move. The last Hakoda had seen of the coat, it was covered in messes that only a clumsy toddler could make.

“We got him another coat last time we docked,” Hakoda pointed out. Panuk snorted softly.

“Yeah, and he hates it.”

“Are you talking about me?” Zuko shouted. “That’s not nice!” Scattered snickers came from the crewmen.

“I’ll get him,” Hakoda said wearily.

For the second time, he climbed up the mast to retrieve a stubborn firebender. When he arrived at the crossbeam, Zuko glared at him.

“Zuko, you can’t stay up here.”

“Yes, I can!”

“No, you can’t.”

“Yes, I can!” Zuko said stubbornly. Hakoda sighed. He’d forgotten how difficult toddlers could be. After all, it had been a while since his children were this young, and up until now, Zuko had been on his best behavior.

“It’s not safe for you,” Hakoda said, forcing calm. Zuko glanced down at the deck uncertainly, then met his eyes again with that distinctive glower. But Hakoda had seen the brief flash of fear across the boy’s face. Zuko didn’t want to be up here any more than Hakoda wanted it. “You’re coming down with me.”

“No.” Zuko fidgeted. On a crossbeam. That a fall from would cause serious injuries. Hakoda fought the instinctual urge to grab the boy. He waited. Zuko clearly had more to say. “…I’m scared,” Zuko finally whimpered. “It’s taller than before.”

“Well, you’re shorter than before,” Hakoda pointed out. Zuko fidgeted again. “I’ll carry you down, okay?” After a moment, Zuko bobbed his head. He scooted closer to Hakoda, who scooped him into one arm, stifling a sigh of relief. Zuko buried his face into Hakoda’s shirt, hiding from the height or the eyes of the crewmen, Hakoda wasn’t sure.

Once back on the deck, Hakoda set the boy down. This incident with the mast was vastly different from the first; for one, the boy shivering in the cold wind looked nothing like the proud prince they’d fished from the sea. With his blue clothes drying, Zuko was in his green Earth Kingdom attire again. His hair, which Hakoda felt certain grew faster than normal, was tied back in the traditional wolf’s tail. It took the shortest amount of time of any hairstyles the crew knew, and Zuko was too fidgety to sit still for a longer one.

No, Zuko didn’t look like a prince. He looked like a refugee. Like one of the orphans that picked up a heritage from any adult willing to help them, and as a result, blended many backgrounds into one.

It wasn’t entirely inaccurate, Hakoda considered, to think of the former Fire Nation Prince as a refugee.

“Put on your coat,” Hakoda instructed Zuko, pushing away his musings. Zuko scowled.

“N-n-no,” he said, his teeth chattering from the cold.

“Wearing a coat you dislike is preferable to catching your death,” Hakoda said shortly. Zuko opened his mouth like he was going to argue, but closed it again. He nodded reluctantly. Toklo, who had been standing nearby with said detested coat in his hands, moved forward and draped it over Zuko’s shoulders.

“I can put it on myself,” Zuko whined as Toklo busily dressed him.

“I’m just helping you with the buttons,” Toklo chirped, buttoning up the coat. He pulled the hood over Zuko’s head. “There! Now you can stop shivering.” Now that the coat was on, Hakoda could see why the boy hated it.

“It looks even better than I thought it would,” Bato said, not bothering to hide the glee in his voice. “We’d better keep you away from the birds. They might think you’re a predator.” Zuko scowled.

“Of course you like it, you bought it,” he mumbled. Bato grinned. The coat was one made for children that enjoyed dressing up in costumes. It had ears on the hood and a tail on the back. Overall, it brought to mind a simplified version of an animal Hakoda had heard of, but had not seen.

“You make quite the fierce pygmy puma,” Hakoda remarked.

Zuko pulled the hood further down his face, pouting.

-----

“He’s here, Chief,” Aake rumbled as he walked onto the deck, carrying Zuko over his shoulder.

“Put me down, put me down!” Zuko shrieked, kicking his legs ineffectually. “I don’t need a nap!”

“You sound just like Sitka when he gets overtired,” Aake said. “That’s a sign that you do need a nap.”

“No!” Zuko whined. Aake handed the squirming toddler to Hakoda.

“Zuko, we’ve been over this,” Hakoda said wearily. Zuko wriggled fiercely in Hakoda’s arms. A few sparks burst into life, meeting Hakoda’s skin and causing him to instinctively drop the toddler. Unlike the first time he’d fallen to the deck, Zuko didn’t stay quiet. He burst into tears.

“What is going on with him lately?” Panuk muttered.

“He’s overtired, for one thing,” Aake said. Hakoda picked Zuko up again and brought him to the infirmary, ignoring the boy’s crying. “Toddlers always get worse when they need a nap.”

“Yeah, but he’s been acting out even when he’s not tired,” Toklo pointed out. Aake shrugged.

“Maybe he’s given up on pretending to be a teenager.”

-----

It took a long time for Zuko to calm down. The moment he did, he fell asleep, exhausted from his temper tantrum. Kustaa shook his head.

“It’s back to being the baby badger-viper you were when you first joined us, huh?” he asked the sleeping boy. Zuko snored in response. A thin line of drool dribbled down his cheek. “At least you’re too small to bruise us every time you throw a fit.” Zuko snored again.

Satisfied that his young charge wouldn’t wake up for some time, Kustaa took out the book he’d been given by Healer Yugoda. It was a record of every known instance the Northern Water Tribe had of someone being spirit touched. Hopefully, he could find something in it to illuminate what had happened to Zuko. He sat down at his desk and began to read.

Yugoda’s book was very, very detailed. It included names that Kustaa half-remembered and others that he had never heard before, tales from both poles, ancient legends, and even recent instances, such as the Moon Spirit saving the life of a Northern Tribe Princess.

The reasons spirits intervened in mortal affairs were varied, but a common one was for personal growth. Spirits, despite being immortal, could be impatient with the pace of human development. Any human that had been marked as having a significant destiny was watched closely. Should that human dawdle on their journey, a spirit might intervene.

Kustaa wasn’t too familiar with Fire Nation customs, but he had heard that the royal family were thought of as being blessed by the Sun Spirit, Agni. Zuko, a Fire Nation Prince, would undoubtedly have a destiny the spirits might take interest in. It seemed most likely that Zuko had been reverted to a child as some manner of speeding his journey. After all, the other frequent cause of a spirit intervening – to save a life – didn’t apply. Zuko had been hale and hearty the day before he woke up as a toddler.

Unfortunately, there were no records that Kustaa could find of spirits returning someone’s youth. Which dashed the hope that he might be able to figure out whether Zuko’s change in behavior was as troubling as it seemed. Zuko didn’t seem to notice, but the rest of the crew had picked up on the firebender’s increasingly frequent meltdowns, immature speech patterns, and juvenile reactions.

He could be upset about something, and slipping into more age-appropriate behavior as a coping mechanism. It could be a delayed effect of this specific spiritual intervention. Or even an effect that only happens after being in a spirit touched state for an extended period of time. Maybe it’s as some crew are suggesting, that he’s given up hope of returning to his proper age, and as such, opted to give up acting as if he were that age.

With a soft sigh, Kustaa closed the book. There were too many possibilities, and he wouldn’t be able to narrow them down unless Zuko opened up.

Fat chance of that happening. There was faint stirring from Zuko’s furs. Kustaa looked over. A small face popped up.

“Did you enjoy your nap, nephew?” Kustaa asked pleasantly. Zuko yawned widely and stretched. He nodded. “Good.” A sudden stricken look crossed Zuko’s face.

“Um…” Zuko fidgeted. “Can- can I stay in here for a while?” he asked sheepishly. Kustaa raised an eyebrow. “I…I behaved poorly earlier,” Zuko mumbled. After he’d let Zuko wallow for a moment, Kustaa nodded.

“I have some herbs that need sorting. If you’d like, you can do that.” Zuko beamed. Kustaa fought back a smile in return.

The kid was a beast when he was upset, but far more endearing than he had any right being.

Like most young children.

-----

Hakoda browsed the selection of the store, in his peripheral, keeping an eye on Zuko. The first few towns, he hadn’t been the only golden-eyed child, but as they progressed down the coast, his obvious Fire Nation heritage turned more and more heads. Luckily, any glares sent Zuko’s way were replaced by sheepish looks once they saw his scar. The fact that Zuko preferred warm clothing, and thus dressed in Water Tribe attire more often, helped as well. But Hakoda remained on edge.

Someone tapped on Hakoda’s shoulder. He turned.

“Excuse me, sir, but is he your son?” asked the woman who had approached him. She pointed at Zuko, who was ogling a display of exotic spices. Hakoda nodded. “Ah.” A sympathetic expression settled on the woman’s face. “It was very kind of you to keep him.”

Hakoda knew what the woman was implying. It was the lie he’d given over and over, that Zuko was a war bastard. But the lie suddenly tasted bitter. He’d seen the golden-eyed street urchins. He knew that war bastards weren’t always kept. Still, Hakoda couldn’t shake loose the dirty feeling that had come over him, at the suggestion that a mixed-blood child growing up in a home was an anomaly, not the norm.

“Of course I kept him,” Hakoda said softly. “He’s my son, regardless of his parentage.” The woman smiled. Zuko stood on his tiptoes, reaching for a bright red spice. “Nuktuk.” Zuko spun around. The woman Hakoda was talking to let out a soft gasp. “If you want to get a closer look at something, ask and I’ll get it for you.” Zuko scowled. “We can’t have you knocking things over again.” Zuko nodded reluctantly. Hakoda walked over. “What did you want to look at?”

“That,” Zuko mumbled, pointing out the red spice. Hakoda handed it to him.

“This?”

“Yeah.” Zuko stared intently at the small bottle. According to the label, it contained ground chilis and fire flakes. “I like this.”

“Do you want it?” Hakoda probed. After a moment, Zuko nodded. “Then ask.”

“Can I have it?” Zuko asked quietly. Hakoda raised an eyebrow. “Please?” Hakoda nodded.

“Since you asked so nicely…” Zuko handed Hakoda the bottle, already brimming with excitement. “You can keep looking around, but remember to be careful.” Zuko nodded. He toddled over to a wall of jars containing pickled vegetables. Hakoda turned to the woman he’d been speaking with. Horror filled her eyes.

“I’ve seen burns on refugees before, but never something that bad on someone so young,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry.” Hakoda paused for a moment, trying to figure out how to respond.

“Thank you. But it’s something we’ve done our best to move past. Dwelling on it only makes it worse,” he said diplomatically. The woman shook her head, still visibly disturbed. She walked over to Zuko and crouched next to him, speaking to him in a low voice.

Hakoda watched for a few moments, nervous that Zuko might say or do something that made it obvious he wasn’t a regular toddler. But the woman didn’t seem perturbed, so he resumed shopping. The woman eventually left Zuko’s side and went up to the register. She stopped by Zuko again on her way out of the shop.

Hakoda brought the supplies up to the register. Zuko sidled over to him, a large stuffed animal turtle duck in his arms.

“That thing’s almost as big as you,” Hakoda remarked. Zuko scowled and hugged the toy tighter. “I can’t buy it for you, you know.”

“Not a problem, sir,” said the cashier, counting out Hakoda’s change. “Lily got it for him.”

“The woman that was in here earlier?” Hakoda asked. The cashier nodded.

“Yup. She’s got a soft spot for refugee kids.” The cashier shook his head. “It’s a shame what good people like you and your family have to deal with. Leaving your life behind, taking only the barest of necessities…”

“It’s war,” Hakoda said dryly. The cashier handed Hakoda his change.

“That it is.”

-----

Zuko’s poor behavior began to die down after that stop. His stuffed turtle duck came with him almost everywhere. It reminded Hakoda of the blanket Sokka had been overly attached to as a child.

“Who would’ve thought the kid just needed a toy?” Bato remarked. Some of the men were training on the deck. Zuko was watching, heckling those he thought could do better. His sharp words were undercut by how tightly he hugged his stuffed animal.

“A complete stranger in a store,” Hakoda said softly.

“You mean the woman that bought it for him?”

“Yes. She was under the impression we were refugees whose only real possessions were the clothes on our backs.”

“Huh. Well, with Zuko, that’s actually pretty accurate.”

“Exactly.” Hakoda watched Zuko tease Ranalok for losing a sparring match. “I don’t think Zuko qualifies as a refugee, but he’s pretty close to one. His world’s been turned upside down multiple times. I can’t believe I didn’t think of giving him a toy or blanket or-”

“Hakoda, he’s been trying to act like a teenager for most of his time as a kid,” Bato pointed out. “Don’t be too hard on yourself. The good news is that the kid’s finally calming down again.”

“We never did find out why he started acting up.”

“Don’t look a gift ostrich-horse in the mouth,” Bato said with a shrug. Hakoda didn’t respond. Zuko yawned widely. Hakoda walked over.

“Zuko, would you come with me?” Hakoda asked softly. Zuko nodded. He followed Hakoda into his cabin. Hakoda lifted the boy onto the chair opposite his desk, then sat down. Zuko looked at him, his eyes getting slightly bleary from tiredness.

“What is it, Chief?” Zuko asked. Hakoda steepled his fingers.

“I want to talk about your behavior.” That shocked him out of any sleepiness he might have had. Zuko straightened, eyes wide with fear. “Before you say anything, I’m not punishing you. You’ve been very well-behaved since we last docked.” Zuko relaxed slightly. “But for a rather long time, you were not.”

“I’m sorry,” Zuko mumbled.

“I don’t want an apology. I’m just wondering if you could share with me the reason,” Hakoda said. Zuko squeezed his stuffed turtle duck. “After we parted ways with the Northerners, you began acting in ways you hadn’t before. Why?”

“Why are you asking me now?” Zuko mumbled. “You should have asked while I was misbehaving.”

“Do you remember how you refused to cooperate with something as simple as taking a nap?” Hakoda asked. Zuko reddened. He nodded. “That’s why I didn’t ask then. I’m not going to judge you. But if you know why you were behaving so poorly-”

“I was upset,” Zuko blurted out. Hakoda waited. The boy didn’t say anything else.

“Why were you upset?” Hakoda prodded gently.

“Uncle,” Zuko mumbled. He squeezed his toy again. “I…miss him.”

“Do you want to see him?”

“Yes. No. I-” Zuko looked away. “The spirits cursed me, and I don’t know why, and Uncle cares too much, and he’d ask questions I don’t know how to answer, and-” Hakoda held up a hand. Zuko fell silent.

“You were conflicted,” he said. Zuko nodded. “You want to see your uncle, but you’re worried how the reunion might go.” Zuko nodded again. “You could have told us.”

“No. I’m already four. I don’t need any more indignities thrust upon me.”

“Zuko, when something troubles you so much that it affects your behavior, it’s something you need to share,” Hakoda said patiently. Zuko scowled. Hakoda felt like he was back in time, trying to convince Sokka to talk things out before escalating to a fight. “Are you better now?” The young firebender blinked in surprise, clearly taken aback by the apparent change in topic.

“Sort of. I mean, I still miss Uncle and feel…conflicted,” Zuko confessed. “But it’s not as bad now.” He looked down at his stuffed animal. “I had one like this before. Lu Ten gave it to me.”

“Lu Ten?”

“My cousin. He- he died during the Siege of Ba Sing Se.”

“Ah,” Hakoda said softly. Zuko looked at him expectantly. Hakoda raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”

“Am I excused?” Zuko asked. Hakoda nodded. Zuko hopped off the chair and rushed out of the cabin. Hakoda leaned back.

Despite all his protests to the contrary, he’s just a boy. A boy that feels a bit safer when he has something of his own to cuddle. Hakoda grimaced. I can’t tell Toklo and Panuk that toys are apparently the key to getting Zuko to open up. They’ll bury him in stuffed animals.

-----

“Zuko.” Zuko sat bolt upright. He looked over at Kustaa. The healer was still fast asleep. Wondering if he’d imagined it, Zuko laid back down. “Zuko.”

Who’s saying that? Zuko fought free of his pile of furs. He slipped on a coat to protect himself against the night wind and snuck onto the deck as quietly as possible. The night shift did their chores, not paying any attention to the toddler padding past them. Something guided Zuko’s feet to the edge of the ship. He clambered onto the railing, ignoring Hakoda’s voice in the back of his head telling him to stop climbing things.

The full moon shone in the sky. Its mirror image on the still ocean was just as bright. Zuko cocked his head curiously at it. Normally, he could feel the influence of the moon decreasing his bending capability. But tonight, he didn’t feel stifled.

It’s probably because my bending is even weaker than usual right now. Zuko tilted his head back to look up at the stars. A memory flashed in his mind: the first time he’d seen the spirit lights in the South Pole. Uncle had been thrilled and dragged Zuko out of bed to watch. He blinked, and the memory faded. No colorful ribbons split the sky in two. Stars scattered across the heavens like they had been spilled from a jar. The moon hung heavy. Zuko sighed. I should go back to bed.

“Not yet, Prince Zuko.”

“Just Zuko,” Zuko said instinctively. His eyes widened. A figure began to form out of the moon. A young woman, about the age he’d been before the spirits cursed him. She smiled sweetly.

“Not cursed, Prince Zuko. Blessed,” she said. Her voice echoed across the waves. She floated closer. “And why would I not call you Prince? It is your title.”

“Not- not anymore,” Zuko stammered. He resisted the urge to fidget. Clearly, he was in the presence of a spirit. He had to be on his best behavior. The spirit settled next to him on the railing. Zuko winced slightly; her bright glow hurt his bad eye. Her eyes widened. The glow surrounding her dimmed from the force of the full moon to a soft foxfire.

“I apologize,” she said. “This is the first time I’m really acting as a spiritual intermediary.”

“But…you’re the moon spirit,” Zuko said, having finally recognized her. She smiled sadly.

“Not always. You can call me Yue.”

“Yue.” Zuko looked down at his hands. “Yue, I- I can’t be the prince anymore.”

“Why not?”

“I just- I can’t.”

“Hmm.” Yue looked out across the water. “If you want to renounce your title, it might behoove you to wait until you have a firm reason for doing so.”

“…Maybe,” Zuko mumbled. He took a deep breath. “Why- why are you here?” he asked. To his displeasure, it came out as a weak squeak. Yue smiled fondly at him. Her white hair billowed behind her, despite the complete lack of breezes.

“It’s time you were told why the spirits have intervened with you.” Zuko whipped his head up to stare at Yue in shock.

“That doesn’t happen very often.”

“The general consensus is that you might not pick up on it on your own,” Yue confessed. Zuko flushed in embarrassment. “Prince Zuko, your personal journey, one that the spirits have been invested in, is unlearning what you were taught by your father.”

“Like what?” Zuko asked. “Give me an example.” Yue’s mouth twitched.

“They’re all examples.”

“What?”

“Children your age wear their hearts on their sleeves and don’t hide their intentions,” Yue said, changing the topic. “They have no difficulty accessing the emotions that you grew up learning to stifle. If you wish to be a kind, just ruler someday, you must relearn how to be vulnerable and open. You must abandon the idea that rage and fear are all that will make you strong.”

“But that’s where firebending comes from. Anger.”

“Is it?” Yue asked, cocking her head. Zuko blinked. “Do you understand what I am telling you?”

“It sounds like you want me to stop being Fire Nation.” Zuko rubbed the back of his neck. “Which…I sort of already have.”

“No. The Fire Nation is no more inherently bad than any other creed.” Yue put a hand on Zuko’s back. “It has a rich culture whose good aspects have been masked by the bad ones for a hundred years.” She began to fade. “Our time is coming to an end.”

“What? But you didn’t- you didn’t tell me anything!” Zuko protested. Yue began to float away.

“I did.”

“No, you-” Zuko huffed. “What am I supposed to do? Am I even going to return to my proper age?”

“That’s something only you can control,” Yue said softly.

“Wait!” Zuko shouted at the spirit. She was growing smaller, moving away from him, back to the moon hanging in the sky. “Wait!” He got to his feet clumsily. “That’s not a real answer, it’s-” His already precarious balance on the rail failed as the ship hit a rough wave. Zuko toppled forward, falling overboard.

Again.

At least he was rescued quicker this time. Ranalok had seen him lose his balance and fished him out of the ocean immediately. Tuluk stood ready nearby with a towel.

“Kid, you have to think of some new ways to drive us up the wall,” Tuluk said as he removed Zuko’s dripping outerwear. Thankfully, he didn’t take off all of Zuko’s clothes, even though every stitch was drenched. The crewman allowed Zuko some of the piddling amount of dignity the former prince had left. He wrapped Zuko tightly in the towel and dragged him to the infirmary.

When Kustaa awoke and saw the soaked boy, he merely raised a silent eyebrow.

“The baby badger-viper fell overboard,” Tuluk explained. Kustaa sighed. “Hopefully he won’t get sick this time.”

“Hopefully,” Kustaa repeated. Tuluk left. Kustaa turned so that Zuko could undress and dry off. “You realize what this means, right?”

“…No,” Zuko said warily, scrubbing his hair with the towel.

“Your clothes need to dry again.” Zuko froze. “Including your favorite coat. So…” Zuko scowled as the coat he did not like one bit was tossed at him. “Time to dress up like a pygmy puma.”

#Spirit Touched #ATLA #Zuko #Hakoda #Bato #Yue #my writing #my stuff #fanfiction #speecher speaks

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