#will get to any that i may get tmw!

[rancherdyke]

i came home and ate and had tea and my gma's dog found a squirrel skull!! so i put it in dish soap and water in a container and it shld b ready to sun bleach tmw :) then i watered plants and fed my geckos the last of the worms i have

#dl #i soaked two of the smaller plants but some of the others may need to soak in the shower w me tmw #larry ate a worm with barely any help!! hes getting so much better :) #and james wanted much more food but i didnt have enough to give her :( #i gotta get crickets for lemon at some point this week

[midnightsnyx]

girl at home | mat barzal | part 5

pairing: mat barzal x fem!reader summary: you’re eighteen when you find yourself pregnant after Mat leaves for hockey. nearly eight years later, Mat finds out about your daughter and you have to deal with the consequences of not telling him about her.

warnings: swearing, angst, food, fluff, not edited word count: 2.3k authors note: it's my bday tmw and i am going out of town for the weekend so i wanted to get this posted!! also, i have no idea how pr management works so i def got everything wrong so pls don't yell at me lol i feel like this chapter is just like a roller-coaster that went off the tracks and blew up and someones trying to put it back together with tape from the dollar store so im sorry but i hope yall like it anyway and don't hate me pls <3 send your thoughts or come yell at me about this story bc I LOVE hearing from you guys!! It feeds my writing soul. thank u all for the love on this story so far and lmk if you wanna be added to my taglist. also thinking about doing some smau for this fic and wondering if you guys have any ideas or suggestions?

if you asked to be added to the taglist and didn't get tagged it's cause you didn't show up when i searched for you! so shoot me a msg and we can figure it out. also if you want to be added or taken off the taglist please let me know <3

requests are open. masterpost masterlist taglist form ask box

You didn’t think the situation with Mat’s statement could get any worse. You were already being pestered by your mom, your friends and even other parents at the day camps Nora attended. Mostly everyone knew that it was true that Mat was her father at that point so the statement caused questions to rise. Ignoring everybody’s opinions about it was easy but six simple words from Nora were what broke you. 

“I thought Mat was my daddy,” she said softly while eating breakfast one morning. She had been quiet since the day before but it continued when she woke up the next morning. You thought maybe she was just moody and tired but it ended up being much more than that.

It took you a minute to answer, trying to figure out where she might have heard or been told that. It wasn’t that surprising that she might have gotten the impression that he was her dad considering how much time Mat had been spending with the two of you or she overheard a conversation. Kids are very perceptive but you couldn’t see how anyone would directly tell her about the public statement and you had been very careful about what you said around Nora and told everyone else to do the same. 

Apparently someone didn’t get the memo. 

You had two options. You could lie to Nora about what was going on or you could explain it in the best way you could to her. Lying to your daughter was the last thing you wanted to do but figuring out the easiest way to explain it so she would understand was hard. How were you supposed to explain that yes, Mat is her daddy but he was a fucking idiot and told the world that she’s not even though he said he wanted to be in her life. It would have been so simple to take the easy way out but it wouldn’t have been fair to Nora so after she finished her breakfast, you sat her down. 

“You’re feeling a little confused, huh?” you asked, watching her fiddle with a loose string on her sweater. 

She nodded, still not looking up at you and not offering her thoughts. It was a bit alarming because she was usually a chatterbox, even when she was upset about something. She would let you know exactly what was wrong. 

“Who told you Mat was your daddy?” 

She finally looked up at you, and the tears threatening to spill from her eyes made you both angry and upset. You were ready to find whoever told her and scream at them but her answer stunned you.

“I heard you talking to Jaxy,” she whispered. “I wasn’t trying to listen but I was coming out to get some water and you said that you were mad at Mat.” 

She didn’t elaborate on what else she may have heard which was unnerving because you probably said a lot of things about Mat that night when Jax came over to talk to you about it. You hoped she didn’t stay long enough for your breakdown where you had cried for thirty straight minutes. 

She sniffled, wiping a couple tears away. “I don’t understand.”

Your heart broke but you still struggled with how to explain everything to her. Telling her in the beginning was probably a better idea but you were so caught up in your own thoughts and feelings, you ignored the person who should have been your number one priority the entire time. 

“Mat is your daddy, baby,” you said. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

I’m sorry I kept you a secret.

“How come everyone is saying he’s not?” 

Mat should have been the one to answer this question because it was his doing, but you hadn’t spoken to him since the night he was at your apartment and the two of you argued. He had texted you the day after but you ignored it because you didn’t know what you would say when given the chance.

“Well, sometimes people make mistakes and Mat said something he shouldn’t have,” you explained, hoping it was enough and it seemed to be enough at first but then she hugged you tightly.

“I love you mama,” she said and before you could reply, she quietly asked, “Do you think Mat loves me?” 

“I’m sure he does,” you told her and it took everything in you not to cry. 

. . .

Liana: dinner at our place @ 6. bring nora and don’t be late!!!

You’re tempted to decline the request and just stay home but you’ve been promising Liana and Nadia that you would actually visit instead of dropping Nora off and leaving like you’ve been doing. Avoiding Mat is becoming increasingly difficult. It’s been two weeks since he released the statement and a week since your conversion with Nora. She’s been asking a lot of questions, ones that you didn’t plan on having to answer so soon. You expected her to be angry with you for not telling her but she took your confirmation that Mat’s her dad with ease. 

So it didn’t come as a surprise when her first question was whether Mat would be at the Barzal household for this dinner. You hadn’t bothered to ask Liana, mainly because you knew it would definitely impact your decision to agree to go. 

“Did you know that Zoe’s mom and dad aren’t together either?” She says during the drive to the Barzal’s. 

You do know this but you humor her. “Really?”

“Yup. Zoe said she spends weekends with her dad and stays with her mommy during the week,” she explains and then moves on to a different topic. You’re a little curious why she would talk about her friends’ living arrangements but when you finally pull into the driveway, your question is answered. 

“Do I have to stay at Mat’s on the weekend?” She asks and if you hadn’t already parked the car, you would have hit the brakes. 

“No,” you say a little too quickly and sharply because she frowns. 

“How come?”

You don’t answer her question right away, getting out of the car and walking around to the other side. She’s already unbuckling her seatbelt by the time you open the door and she’s still frowning. 

“Just no, Nora.”

“But Zoe does!”

You can’t explain custody agreements to a seven-year-old so you say the first excuse you can think of. 

“He doesn’t live here,” you say, taking her hand and begin walking towards the house. She’s dragging her feet, clearly not happy with your response. 

“Do I have to call him dad?” 

“No.”

“Why?”

“Just ‘cause,” you say, stopping at the door and turning to her. Her arms are crossed and she’s giving you the look that says she won’t let up until you give her an answer she wants.

“Do you want to call him dad?” 

She pauses, looking down at the ground and frowning. After a moment she shakes her head. 

“No, but Miss. Jones says you’re not supposed to call your mommy and daddy by their first names ‘cause it’s disrespectful.” 

“It’s not up to Miss. Jones,” you say gently. “This is new, and you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

After a moment, she mutters a quiet “okay,” and then: “do you think Nadia has ice-cream for dessert?”

“Guess we’ll have to go inside and ask,” you reply and raise your fist to knock on the door but it swings open before you can. Liana is waiting on the other side with a big smile on her face. Nora runs straight to her and giggles when the older girl picks her up and swings her around. 

“C’mon in,” Liana says, ushering you inside. So far there’s no sign of Mat so some of the tension leaves your body. After putting both yours and Nora’s shoes aside, you make your way to the kitchen. Nadia is puttering around, juggling a million things but she still smiles softly when she sees you. 

“Can I help with anything?” 

“You can keep me company,” she says and points to a chair. “Sit down and update me on what you’ve been up to.”

You know that you can’t argue with her so you sit and chat idly with her. She doesn’t bring up anything to do with Mat and you’re not sure what to think about it. You almost slip up and ask if he’s going to be here for dinner but decide not to. You haven’t seen him around since you arrived, so he’s probably out. Maybe with a girl. 

Not that you care, obviously. 

Mike eventually pokes his head in the kitchen to greet you and ask how you’ve been. He offers to set the table but Nadia shoos him out of the kitchen, rolling her eyes fondly. 

“Don’t get married, they’re nothing but trouble,” she jokes but there’s a smile on her face that lingers even after her husband leaves. You always admired their relationship, and were certain that you and Mat would be like it some day but it wasn’t in the cards. 

Soon, Nadia calls everyone to dinner. Nora immediately asks why Mat isn’t here and there’s an awkward silence until Liana breaks it.

“He’s busy,” she tells Nora and that must be enough because she just nods and starts eating dinner. Nothing else is said about Mat but just as you’re all finishing dessert, you hear the door open and close and there’s only one person you figure it will be.  

Mat walks into the dining room, clearly caught off guard by your presence. Nora hops off her chair and darts over to him, wrapping her arms around his legs and starts chatting excitedly. He’s trying to give her all his attention but his eyes keep flickering to you. 

When Nadia and Mike get up to start clearing the table and Liana asks Nora if she wants to go watch a movie, you realize that the three of them planned this. It’s almost like you’re kids again, fighting about something stupid and needing his parents to help fix the problem. 

Mat looks at you a little helplessly when the room clears and it’s just the two of you. There’s no way you can yell at him with his family and Nora in the next room and you realize that was also probably planned. 

“Can we talk?” he asks and you really don’t want to, but you realize that eventually you’re going to have to talk to him so you nod. You follow him out the back door and the two of you sit on the porch steps in silence until you finally break it.

“Why didn’t you come to me about what PR wanted to do? We could have figured out something together.”

He shrugs, looking at the ground. “I didn’t think to ask you about it. I just wanted to fix everything before it got complicated. I wasn’t thinking.” 

“Yeah, no shit,” you mutter. “That’s something you’re great at. You don’t think before you do anything.” 

You jump when he stands up suddenly and turns to face you. He’s angry but so are you.

“No, fuck that. You can’t just expect me to do everything right, when a month ago, all I had to worry about was hockey. I can’t be number one dad overnight! You didn’t even tell me about her for six years!” 

You’re a bit taken off guard by his sudden outburst but you can do anger too.

“That is the exact reason I didn’t tell you about her, Mat. Hockey is always going to come first in your life,” you snap. “And I didn’t ask you to be a number one dad, all I asked was that you be sure you wanted to be in her life before you committed to anything because this is exactly what I was worried about.” 

He falters a little, probably not expecting you to return the anger. 

“I didn’t want to post what they asked me to,” he says, sounding defeated. “But I didn’t know how to say no. When PR tells you to jump, you jump.”

You’ve no idea how public relations in hockey works, it’s possible that they would have posted the statement without asking Mat but you’re so damn angry. You’re angry but you don’t know who you’re even supposed to be mad at now. 

“You should have come to me,” you say again. “That’s how co-parenting works, you know.”

His mouth twitches. “That’s what we were doing?”

You can feel the anger slowly dissipating. Mat’s shoulders aren’t as tense and he plops back down on the steps so you sit next to him, letting your shoulders and knees knock against his.

“Well, you are her dad,” you admit. “And she is very concerned about her future living arrangements.”

He looks at you a little confused but there’s a small smile spreading across his face. 

“Does she know?”

“Yeah,” you tell him. “She’s smarter than you expect sometimes.”

“She gets that from you,” he says, poking your arm.

You roll your eyes fondly. “Well she had to get her brains from someone.”

He huffs but it sounds more like a laugh. You watch him look at the ground, brows furrowed and deep in thought.

“I fucked up, didn’t I?”

Here’s the thing that a lot of people don’t know about Mat: he doesn’t forgive himself easily. It’s something you learned the hard way when you were younger and dating. 

So you know he will beat himself up over this until you forgive him. 

“Yeah, but we both did.” You bump your knee against his until he looks up at you. “We can fix it, but we have to do it together.”

He holds out his pinky finger. ”Co-parenting, right?”  

You hook your finger around his and nod, letting yourself relax for the first time in weeks. It’s going to take time, hard work, and you’re both going to have to learn how to trust and communicate better again but you're sure you’ll get there.

“Together,” you agree.

tag list: @literatureluster @dasiysthings @barzyblogbabe @diary-of-jj @heatherawoowoo @fallinallincurls @topguncultleader @shadowsndaisies @lovinbarzal @whatthepuckisgoingon @alilstressyandlotdepressy @teapartydreams @keiva1000

#hockey imagines #allies writing #nhl fanfiction #hockey fanfiction #nhl imagines #hockey imagine #mat barzal x reader #mat barzal imagine #mat barzal fic #mat barzal fanfiction #mathew barzal imagine #mathew barzal x reader

[asirensrage]

I have a list for the fanfic writer ask...brace yourself. lol

3, 6, 13, 29, 38, and 42 for either Serendipity or Study in Intimacy or This Means War?

obviously you don't have to answer all of these, i just like to pick your brain. ;)

Hahhaha. Okay. Let's go. I'll start with the generic ones? And I'll put this under a readmore...

58. what is the last thing that a fic made you google when you were writing it?

Oh god. Honestly? Probably the meaning of a word. I always want to make sure it means what I think it means. The last thing I googled for a fic was "80s punk style" so...

62. what’s the weirdest reason you’ve ever shipped something?

Hmmm...I have no idea. I usually ship something because I can see the chemistry (or possibility of chemistry) or the chaos lol.

73. how do you visualize scenes? do you see it like a movie in your head, or do the words just flow?

Sometimes I can picture it, but usually it's like listening to an audio. Like when I imagine the scenes and how they play out, I imagine the dialogue more than I picture it. Then I have to write the scene and that's part of why I suck at descriptions lol.

76. what is one essential thing to remember when writing a villain?

Motive. What do they want and how far are they willing to go to get it?

now for the fic ones:

3. on a scale of 1-10 how much do you enjoy incorporating romance into the average story?

Maybe a 7? It depends on the pairing and reason for romance. It's a 7 is Serendipity because it's a slow burn (and I love writing those). It's an 8 in Intimacy because them getting together this time is going to change everything. Also, I love the wait and possibilities for them. It's an 8 in TMW too because those three are chaotic dumbasses sometimes but the sass is strong.

6. do you have any kind of consistent writing schedule or just hoping for the best?

Hahahha. You of all people know that my writing schedule is like the wind. It goes where it wants. I try to make sure I have something to post once a week. It may not be what people want but...I find I'm more inspired when people engage with a fic. (but also keeping myself from wandering to new ideas is hard). I'm super ahead in TMW though so woo!

13. talk about a writing experience that has pleasantly surprised you.

I think writing Serendipity surprised me. Mainly because of how much I enjoy it. Toni is such a different character to some of my others and it's not really demanding like the others either. (some characters *cough*ericandbilly*cough* refuse to let go sometimes)

29. give us a spoiler for one of your stories.

Kate gets put on Fisk's radar before Fisk is aware of Daredevil and her connection to Matt. Fisk also reaches out to her first before the others. (it's someone's fault but it's not Matt's this time)

38. how many stories do you work on at one time?

Too many. No, seriously, I have too many. If we're including oneshots and short series and whatnot. It's too many. I can't stop though. My mind just keeps going. Why must I work when there's fic to write? (just look at the fact that you gave me 3 main stories as options and that's not even all my main stories)

42. describe the aesthetic of a story in 5 words.

Oh god. I am not good at being concise.

Serendipity: baking. softness. blood. home. warmth. This Means War: bed. cooking. swans. holding hands. ...also blood. Intimacy: books. grease. kitten. cooking. technology.

Thanks for asking! ;)

#asks #fic writing asks #fic: serendipity #fic: this means war #fic: a study in intimacy #vixenofcourse

[penelopepserver]

Sunday weekly roundup! 5th november

!!SPECIAL SNEAKPEAK LEAK OF A NEW UPCOMING MOVIE STARRING DEVILEENA AT THE END OFTODAYS POST!!

TONS going on this week! I'm bringing you the good, the bad and the completely stupid!! Cain was interviewed today so expect his interview to be posted tmw.

•Server's "Counting if bored" channel is currently at 243!

Server addition count (29th of October- 5th of November): 27 new characters to the server!

This includes,

•quentin. Quentin, quentin, quentin you silly goose.

•Riley but crazy

•new, st caedes cast!

•CONNOR THE ANDROID

Lovely selection.. however for all the characters we've gained, we're missing one!

‼️IMPORTANT‼️📢

Danielle is canonically missing☹️☹️ You'll be happy to know a search party is now undergoing with progress being made (IM IN IT TOO!!! IM IN A ROLEPLAY YOU GUYS!!)- see image for further details. If you know anything please lmk or tell Lucius (her brother). If we keep this up, we'll find her before her birthday and we'll throw her a party! :))

The current consensus is that she's was kidnapped and is now being held up in a strange building within the forest! All by the TERRIBLE Dr Kaid- related to Dr Rachnid somehow.

Also did I mention MY POOKIE DODGEMS IS THERE TOO!? I'm trying to get his attention but he like.. hasn't talked to me yet... but its okay! Its only a matter of time. :)

Regarding the search too- tensions are rising within the team and we only just started! Ethans brought a knife, acting suspicious, and Foghearts NOT happy. I'm once again blessed to get the best seat in the house to watch this go down! Will they fight? Will they argue? Will they put their team at risk!?

Arabella x Kolby

Arabella and Kolby are AT IT AGAIN! Man are these guys gonna go out or what? Stay tuned folks because something is BOUND to happen! For context, Ethan, our resident supernatural hunter, is ON THE HUNT and Arabella could be in trouble due to her connections with ghosts and demons! Not to mention her strange appearance. Don't you worry though because her Knight in shining armour, Kolby, is there to protect her >:))

Speaking of, Kolbys gotten Arabella a new pet! A silhouki egg- not to push any ideas but isn't this like playing house? I mean that in a good way. Let's hope it hatches before Arabella can cook it into a cake or sacrifice it!

(special mention to Riley for getting these pics for me)

Ellie x Tiana

This was ONLY JUST BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION but ELLIE X TIANA IS A THING and I am SO AAAAAA!! Personally, a suprise to be sure but a welcome one! Their adults versions have been submitted to the server and are canonically MARRIED ugh I am SO proud of them, the little sillies<33 however- we must turn our attention to the current day Ellie and Tiana! Our cool emo x silly goober! Will they ask eachother out knowing they get married in the future anyway!? I'm waiting. You're waiting. Quentin, make it happen.

PICKLES IS HOMOPHOBIC!?

Captain Pickles! That violent pirate! He's been under our radars, making suspiciously anti-gay comments! It's been reiterated that he does drag, but what's that in the grand scheme of things if you're not a supporter? If I were you, I'd keep my distance. He's continously dead named his own child Kolby, he's blown up at Morphine with his go-to insult being gay AND he called Fibblestew, an elderly man, a c word! Okau maybe its a bit unrelated butbit still shows hes a bad person. Captain Pickles is NOT live laugh loving and you shouldn't be live laugh loving him either!

(Disclaimer, Pickles was given a flag and was forgiven.. but I'm not gonna talk abt that >:)) )

St Caedes opens!

A new private school has opened up in our local area run by Mr Kinderswatter, but we've gotten word the school is not all it's cut out to be- dangerous headmasters? Iron maidens? Sad, abused children? Call me crazy, but we may have a Matilda the musical au in the works here ladies and gentlemen.

Names of the students will be kept a secret for their privacy, but you can bet its the rich of the rich on this server. And trust me, theres ALOT of rich kids on this server. I may have to take further research in the future!

New Devileena movie!

Ive gotten FIRST WORD of a NEW upcoming Devileena movie!!! No trailer or cast drop yet, but that leaves more to the imagination. A movie in which Devileena is a villan, taking care of a space baby? this is SO mistki coded. Devileena is so Mistki coded. I theorise the child in said movie is a character we've already seen before- if not then it must be a popular child actor! State your predictions, closest answer wins a prize!!

That's the end of our Sunday roundup, boy am I tired! So much going on... penelope Paparazzi, signing out!

-Penelope Paparazzi

[alexbkrieger13]

Any thoughts on what tmw's lineup will be? Unfortunately, given the injury situation and the tight title race, I don't think Sam, Erin & Guro will get any rest. The backline will probably be the same except Maren may replace Eve. Would like to see Jelena and Jessie F but who knows with Emma.

Oh it's hard to say cause yea options are so limited but yea backline probably easiest to predict and then proably sophie into the midfeild and maybe jessie if Erin's not ready and Sam unless emma dose what we did against reading and play niamh and guro as 2 9s then she's playing

[mystic-kitten-writer]

Limerence [M] ︳34

Pairing: Zuko x Fem. OC (Ying Yue Jiang)

Genre: Romance, mainly fluff with future smut, and if you squint hard enough - you’ll find some angst.

Rating: SFW

Words: 16100+

Notes: It’s finally up! Sorry it took me so long to edit, I don’t know why, but it kept lagging. I’m probably gonna log on tmw and re-edit because things just kept freezing on here. But take care everyone, and I hope you like it~!

Masterlist ︳33 ︳ 35 [M]

❤ Buy me a coffee? ❤

Limerence: (English/n.) the state of being infatuated with another person.

The moment their eyes locked they knew - the flames within him twisted while the water within her turned. It was a connection, a connection that would lead to love, adventure, and drama.

“Lacuna”

(Latin/n.) A blank space, a missing part.

~ Countess Mai ~

           Fucking Ying Yue, that dumb bitc-

           Kissing my teeth disagreeably loud, I could feel the jagged rocks under the thin sole of my shoes, the ground stupidly uneven and uncharted. My breathing came in quick pants, bruises lingering on my arms, thighs burning as we marched up the cliff at a steady pace. The looming trees above provided ample shade and cover, kicking up dust as Azula trailed in front.

           My lips parted, another exhausted breath escaping me as I narrowed my eyes – Azula.

           Her long ponytail swayed side to side like a whip, face void of any expressive emotion, trekking forward with purpose. Her shoulders were squared, not breaking a sweat from the steepness of the hill or the humid air. If I didn’t know better, I would’ve said she was completely fine – but I knew better.

           “Azula,”  I muttered, voice monotoned, barely audible. But the speed at which Azula’s posture tensed proved as evidence that she heard me loud and clear. Still sharp as ever.

           Effortlessly, she looked over her shoulder, raising a perfectly groomed brow at me. “What?” Azula clipped, jaw clenched as she bore over me impatiently. I ignored the sharpness in her tone, a gentle breeze causing the bangs that framed her face to twirl—the way she held her head high, nose in the air.

           Her pace didn’t flatter once, high-tailing at an alarmingly hasty pace. Don’t blame her, the faster we get away from the Kingdom, the better. The scenery around us was different from the last hide-out she brought me to. The landscape seemed thicker, so dense that one could easily scream for help, and not a single soul would hear—a perfect hide-out.

           “Are we close?” I bore, rolling my eyes as my foot nudged a rock. “If I wanted to go on a nature walk, I would’ve gone to work with my sister.”

           The stone tumbled, skipping by Azula’s feet.

           She scoffed under her breath, eyes judging as she twisted her body forward, continuing on her march. “Why, tired? Try not to get your ass kicked by a peasant next time.” Azula expired, and I could hear the way her lips curved upwards at the insult.

           My eyes glowered once more, “Nice scar you have on your hand.”

           Azula stopped.

           The way her hands quaked, balling into fists before letting go-

           My pace eased, cautiously treading behind her before coming to a complete stop, surveying the way she towered above. Despite her back facing me, I could feel it. An aura of malice – down to the twitch in her fingertips.

           I swallowed, seeing the bright pink scar that ran across Azula’s palm. The way the dipping sun managed to seep through the thick bush, seemingly emphasizing how deep the cut ran. It wasn’t a wound for the weak, the skin roughly patched together by her flames. Gross.

           Azula abruptly shook her hand, balling it into a fist as if she could feel my lingering eyes studying the cut in detail.

           “Up ahead,” She spoke, catching my attention, “The cave.”

           I looked beyond Azula, realizing the way the ground evened for a moment, moss-covered rocks looming ahead. The entrance was almost entirely out of sight, only noticeable now that she pointed out the obvious. Trees grew on top of the structure, the dark abyss begging us to enter—the perfect image of a secreted lair.

           My feet itched to move, but I stopped myself, noting that Azula didn’t move a muscle despite us being a few steps away. Fucking- I swore under my breath, flicking my fingers in annoyance.

           “What’s the holdup?” I grumbled, trying my hardest not to roll my eyes once again, but it was her voice. The deadly drop in pitch, the way she hissed.

           “I’ll kill her,” Azula whispered, and I could feel my skin begin to heat up.

           Every word Azula spat was laced with venom, filled with a deep-rooted hatred, a passion and emotion-evoking tone that was all too unfamiliar. Azula, the most put-together being, the only one to keep her composure together, even in the heat of battle. But now-

           The way Azula’s fists trembled, letting her emotions rise to the surface.

           She’s not the same.

           “I’ll make her regret thinking that I’m anything less than perfect.” Azula hissed under her breath, and I grimaced. She didn’t need to say her name for me to know who she was talking about. Her nails dug into the skin of her palm, a bead of scarlet running down her porcelain skin, her wound reopening.

           Soundlessly I watched as the lone droplet of blood dripped onto the dirt below, and just like that – with a quick shake of her hand, Azula walked forward. Her shoulders were relaxed, flicking a strand of hair behind her ears as she casually strolled.

           As if nothing had happened.

           Not a single sound could be heard besides the rustling of the tree branches, Azula’s feet kicking up a trail of dust as she stomped over loose rocks. The only real thing of interest in this forsaken forest was her retreating figure.

           The mouth of the cave eagerly welcomed Azula, the shadows beginning to swallow her body. Just as she was about to take another step, she halted, head tilting as if trying to hear something. She looked over her shoulder, an exhausted look on her face.

            “Stop gawking like a fool, Mai, or else I’ll leave you with the Avatar and his annoying friends.” Azula pestered, her tone oddly tranquil, different from the act moments ago.

           I glared, kissing my teeth as I commanded my feet to move.

           “Whatever,” I muttered petulantly, begrudgingly going as I stripped my gaze away. I could hear Azula snort, rustling onward as I swiftly caught up. The burn in my legs seemed to grow tenfold, the slight pause in our march giving time for my body to take in the damage Ying Yue unleashed earlier. What a nuisance.

           I crossed my arms, eyes looking straight ahead as the space around us darkened the further we descended into the mouth of the cave.

           The air felt abnormally dewy, but it was the uncanny silence as we entered that had my guard rising. The sound of Azula’s and I breathing seemed to have intensified, every sniffle or breaking of a twig ricocheting off the walls at an alarming volume. Watchfully my eyes scanned our surroundings, piles of rubbish sprinkled.

           Food, water canisters-

           “Where the fuck is she?” A man’s voice resonated in the ample space, and my pace flattered. My eyes tapered, taking note of the glowing specs of light up ahead. People, but that voice-

           I knew that voice, and I could feel my gut drop.        

           Memories of Kayto swamped my mind, remembering the final moments of that faithful day. The sound of his body slain from the inside, his last breath, how lifeless his eyes looked-

           “Looking for me, Yakone?” Azula purred devilishly, as she strolled frontward. The illuminations were now in full view, torches laid along with the outermost corners, lighting the space. But that wasn’t what caught my attention.

           It was the tall foreboding man at the center, whose chest was rising and falling, eyes glowing. His fists balled up, nostrils flared the moment he caught sight of Azula, before briefly shifting his gaze on me. His lips pressed tight; jaw clenched as he took a sharp inhale.

           “Where the fuck were you, and why is your fucking finger-puppet here?” Yakone spat, stepping forward, dangerous slow.

           Azula’s body stiffened slightly, but the way she brushed back her long bangs behind her ear, letting a hand rest on her hip as if she was completely unbothered by the beast in front of her. Yakone’s eyes were stone cold, a blue that easily reminded one of the dark depths of the sea, the unknown – danger.

           “Mai is staying with us now.”

           “Isn’t that a fucking treat.” Yakone sarcastically replied, running a hand through his hair.

           Azula’s eyes narrowed, Yakone licking his lips impatiently. “You know what else is a fucking treat, the fact that I just got word that someone tried to kill not only your dumbass brother but Ying Yue.” He bellowed. The veins in his neck bulged as he spoke, and as he took a step headfirst, Azula took a step back.

           Why would Yakone be upset that Azula wanted to kill Ying Yue? Isn’t that plan?

           Carefully I followed her lead, letting my body ease its way to the other side of the stony encasement, and as I shifted, I could see the look on Azula’s face. Her lips pressed, eyes conspicuous as Yakone inched his way closer and closer to her figure. Azula, she’s cowering away-

           “What are you trying to suggest, Yakone,” Azula warned, and he merely hooted, losing his patience by the second. “It was you and your lil’ friend over there, wasn’t it? You tried to kill Ying Yue.” Yakone interrogated, his hands twitching, cracking his fingers.

           She rolled her eyes, “What makes you think I have anything to do with this?”

           My eyes widen, hearing those words leave her lips - Azula’s lying.

           The way Azula effortlessly tried to bypass Yakone’s questioning, acting aloof and unbothered. But I saw the way Yakone rolled his shoulders back, chest buffing. My arms reached into my sleeves, fingers grazing the knives that laid hidden-

           And just like that, Yakone lunged.

           His hand reached forward with speed, grabbing Azula’s by her neck, shoving her against the rocks behind. His fingers spread across her windpipe, nails digging into her skin.

           Azula looked like a hurt puppy.

           The way Yakone effortlessly overpowered her, the grip on his hand tightening, purple and blue bruises rising to the surface of her skin quickly. The sound of my feet shifting over the dirt that decorated the floor caught Yakone’s attention, as he raised his free hand, wiggling his fingers towards me.

           “Fucking try, and I swear I’ll make your death more painful than Kayto’s.”

           I stilled, holding my breath as I watched as Azula’s hands fell over his.

           “What are you doing-” she hissed, eyes crazed as he practically lifted her body off the ground with no struggle. Her feet barely touched the ground, Yakone putting a warning-amount of pressure on her neck, her face turning a light shade of pink.

           “Don’t you ever fucking forget, Azula, who needs who here.” Yakone snarled.

           He leaned closer to her face; their foreheads pressed together as he tousled above. “I agreed to your plan because of two things. No United Nations, and your brother’s demise. One of those things failed, meaning Zuko’s death is the one reason why I’m even here.”

           Azula growled, “I told you I wanted to ruin him, damage him, not kill.”

           “Oh, now we’re getting into technicalities here, and I’m not one for word games. I want Zuko dead, Ying Yue was not apart of this discussion.”

           “What do you expect, Yakone? That she’s going to run and give hugs and kisses to her long-lost Uncle? You’re a criminal.”

           “And what about you, smart-ass?” Yakone shouted, shoving her body further against the rocks. She winced as the sharp edges dug into her back, “You think you’re just going to hurt Zuko and take the throne? You were nothing more but a tool for your father’s failed plan, even your mother, tossed you aside. You’re disposable.”

           The looks on both of their faces, insults and slurs tossed, each one of them raising their voices to beat each other—a shouting match, whose lungs were loudest, who could hurt the other more. I swallowed hard, taking a step back as my arms limply fell to my side.

           The whole time I thought Azula and Yakone shared the same goals, a singular plan in mind. But the way Azula shrieked and Yakone roared had my body feeling numb, their fighting fading to background noise.

           I thought the real threat was Azula and Yakone working together, but I was wrong.

           This was far worse.

           There’s no longer a game plan, a goal, or a motive.

           One wants blood, and the other wants power – both willing to cross each other and lie to get what they want.

 ~ Ying Yue Jiang ~

           “She’s pregnant!”

           “What a blessing, will this be her third child?”

           “Fourth, her eldest is serving in the navy.”

           “Ahh, yes-yes, slipped from my mind. How beautiful, if only I could convince my husband…”

           “Makes two of us. How about you, Imperial Consort Ying Yue? Have you thought about having children of your own?” The ladies giggled, sipping away on their sweet teas in the garden.  

           The cherry blossom branches swayed under the gentle breeze, the pink flowers cascading with the current, fluttering like butterflies. The cool shade painted our skin, providing as an escape from the blaring sun, although the kids didn’t seem to mind the heat in the slightest. Quite the contrary – they were thriving.

           Their laughter was clear as day, ringing throughout the palace gardens, but I couldn’t help but tune in with Kiyi’s the most. The ladies’ banter lost to the birds humming and moving water – absorbed in the beautiful smile on Kiyi’s face as she chatted away with her friends.

           A red and golden embroidered picnic blanket laid over the grass, Kiyi was passing along the turtle duck food for her friends to feed. Her cheeks were dusted in pink, telling them fascinating facts about the creatures from the Southern Water Tribe.

           “After school tomorrow, I’ll read the book to you. They have this animal called a ‘Polar Bear Dog’ – and it’s so cute and fluffy!” Kiyi gushed, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t snort hearing her excitement. The way her eyes twinkled with passion, a small part of my heart hurt – because the look reminded me so much of Zuko’s whenever he got excited.

           Zuko…I miss you-

           “Imperial Consort?” A voice droned; the sound close to my being, I found myself jumping. My head snapped to the women beside me, them staring at me with looks of concern. Shit – what were we talking about again?

           “My apologies, I was watching the children-” I started, and the lady to my side started to snicker. She rose a napkin to her face, delicately tapping the tissue to rid herself of any crumbs that littered her appearance. All the women looked put-together, their hair and makeup done to impress, their clothes extravagant, meant to display their status.

           “I guess that answers our question.”

           “What question?” I inquired, and the ladies began to laugh once again.

           “Whether or not Fire Lord Zuko and you are planning on having children anytime soon.” She replied, shooting me a sheepish smile. My mouth dropped, a shy blush coating my cheeks as a meek oh escaped me. Of course, they were talking about children and family. Almost all the high-ranking nobles were married, most with kids – or pregnant.

           I stuck out like a sore thumb in these ‘royal tea parties,’ unable to relate to the women or men due to my lack of domestic life. I’m a mere child dressed in adult clothes – playing dress-up. My hands fell over my lap after combing my hair behind my ear, carelessly pressing thumbs as a means to keep my composure. I could feel my skin starting to heat up once again.

           Another fever- Katara is going to kill me.

           “Well, if it is not out of line to ask – when do you and Fire Lord Zuko plan on officially tying the knot?” A curious voice peeked, and at the question alone, I found myself reaching for my teacup, stealing a sip of the much-needed chamomile tea.

           Marriage – with Zuko? I fought back the petty laugh. Marriage with Zuko seems more like a distant dream than a reality.

           “Hopefully, once Fire Lord Zuko completes a few of his personal projects. Love is patient after all, and I’ll wait an eternity for him.” I spoke, forcing the words to leave my lips as I swallowed the lukewarm liquid.

           It was comical, how quick they were to eat up my words, gushing about how romantic I was, that I was willing to wait for Zuko – words straight out of a romance novel. If only they knew that that was only scratching the surface of what I would do for Zuko, the things I would sacrifice.

           I could feel my shoulders slump over in defeat, biting my lips anxiously.

           The women didn’t notice the waver in my voice, the blue smile on my face, or the tears that I desperately held back. They were more concerned about the newest designer, skincare product, and fragrance – topics I would’ve undoubtedly been interested in if I didn’t have a looming fog in my mind.

           Politics, it’s all politics.

           The kid’s squeals peeked in volume, catching my attention, the children throwing their napkins in the air, towards Kiyi. What in the world-

           “It’s okay! I’ll be right back!” Kiyi insisted before standing up.

           Her black hair bobbed side to side, skipping towards me at full speed. Droplets of something dripping after every bounce, tainting the green coloured grass under her steps, seeping into the soil.

           “Button-” I cooed, letting my tea rest on my plate before outstretching my arms. My hands caressed her face, and the happiness in her expression had me sporting a smile – a genuine smile. Kiyi was a breath of fresh air. Youthfulness and innocence, a heart of pure gold.

           “What happened, button? You’re a mess.” I snickered under my breath, watching the sticky liquid trickle from the hem of her dress, her lap completed covered. She scratched her head, shooting me a spirited grin. She looks just like Zuko when she smiles like that-

           “An accident, I didn’t see the jug of juice, and I kind of hit it.” Kiyi giggled, and I couldn’t help but snort, running my hand through her loose locks. “You’re so silly, button. Let’s get you cleaned up, okay?” I assured, light-heartedly tapping her nose.

           Kiyi nodded her head before shifting her gaze to the women I was seated with. My eyes followed hers, flustered at how the women looked over us with broad smiles – hearts for eyes.

           “I bet on two kids.”

           “Really? I think one.”

           “Wouldn’t be surprised if they already have a name picked out.” The ladies bantered between themselves as if I wasn’t currently sitting with them.

           I could feel a tiny finger poke my cheek, looking back at Kiyi, a teasing smile on her face. And seeing her sport that knowing look, a look that reminded me of a harmonious mixture of Zuko’s and Toph’s ‘I’m up to no good’ had me freezing.

           Oh no-

           “Izumi – Zuzu told me that that’s the name they want,” Kiyi spoke up, catching on to the topic at hand far too quickly for my liking. The women all leaned over in disbelief, jaws hitting the table, struggling to process the very thing Kiyi blurted.

           My eyes widen, the silly banter of family life between Zuko and I exposed. When and why did Zuko tell Kiyi this information-

           “Button-”

           “And Zuzu said they have a baby room set up in their vacation house! I can’t wait until I become an aunt. He said it’s a very serious job and-” My hand fell over Kiyi’s lips, cutting her off midsentence as I shot the women an embarrassed smile.

           The redness of my face was no longer due to my impending fever – but out of the utter realization that Zuko seemingly unleashes all his damn soft and fluffy feelings to her. Kiyi really is Zuko’s weakness, isn’t she?

           “Let’s get that dress cleaned button,” I said through awkward giggles, hand still firmly placed over her face, Kiyi letting out squeals of delight through my fingers.

           “Yue and Zuzu, sitting on a-”

           “Throne because he’s Fire Lord and I’m his-”

           “Wifey.” Kiyi managed to yelp.

           The speed at which my body moved, not bothering to say my goodbyes to these royals, as I nudged Kiyi’s body forward with my own. There was no way in the spirit world I was going to look behind me, already imaging the sunny looks on those women’s faces hearing the fuss coming from Kiyi’s lips.

           “I swear, button, I’m going to revoke cookie dates from you!” I mumbled under my breath, feeling the way Kiyi’s body shook from joy. My hand slipped from her mouth, her face pink as she held her stomach, her laughter loud and proud. And despite the embarrassment and exasperation, I found myself laughing along with her.

           There was something about hearing a child’s guiltless laugh that was contagious, especially coming from Kiyi. The smile on my face was enormous, reaching my eyes. When was the last time I smiled this much? The last time I laughed freely, enjoying my time?

           “You’re so much trouble, button~.” I blew, hands falling over her shoulders, embracing her. My fingers squeezed her chubby cheeks from behind basking in the sun’s heat before we walked up the palace steps. The guards before us opened the grand doors, observing the way I coddled Kiyi to my body. Like a momma bear.

           There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that they didn’t already know the trouble Kiyi could cause in less than a minute – the reason why they all sported small grins watching us enter.

           A handful, just like her brother.

           We stepped inside the Kingdom, walking side by side, glued to the hip, humming happily. Our footsteps pattered along the flooring, heading towards her room, but I saw the cheeky glances Kiyi tried to steal from the corner of her eyes, studying my figure. She thinks she’s so sly.

           I snickered at her childish behaviour, poking her cheek, “What are you staring at so much, button? Do I have some crumbs on my face?”

           “No~.” Kiyi giggled, tilting her head to the side.

           “Then tell me, button.” I pestered, enjoying her coyness. Her blush deepened, a flush I didn’t notice until now, before poking her one more time, “Tell me, what are you staring at so intently?”

           “You’re smiling again…you’re pretty when you smile.” Kiyi breathed.

           Our paces stilled; my breathing hitched as Kiyi wore the saddest smile on her face. An expression no child should ever have to wear. My shoulders dropped in surprise, not fully processing the words she spoke.

           “Ever since Zuzu got this cold, you’ve been really sad…you must miss him a lot, I can tell.” Kiyi uttered. Her tone dripped with distress, only then noticing where her golden eyes were settled over.

           Men and women dressed in red with badges strapped to their arms. The cross-shaped icon of their insignia standing out amongst their outfit. They were moving around us hastily, clipboards pressed against their chests, giving us quick bows before running through the large doors before us.

           The Infirmary.

           How did I not notice before?

           “I want to visit Zuzu, but Mom told me that I couldn’t. She said that he’s sleeping, but-but he’ll wake up soon…” Kiyi continued, although the more she spoke, the quiver in her voice grew. I breathed in deeply, hearing the pain in Kiyi’s words. Gosh, of course, she misses Zuko.

           They’re two peas in a pod – an inseparable duo. I watched as Kiyi sprung side to side, a whirlwind of emotions flying by. But what pained me the most about this was the fact that Kiyi didn’t know a single thing, the truth.

           A nasty cold – that’s all it was.

           “I’m going to pick some flowers for Zuzu for your bedroom! He loves it when I pick him flowers. Can I do that, Yue?” Kiyi questioned, and I smiled at the positive idea, the ache laced in her tone already lost, a chirpiness finding light. Seeing how quick she bounced back to her upbeat self, pushing past the sad thoughts, the spirit of a Firebender.

           My knees bent, going down to her height, our pupils leveled.

           “Zuko would love that, button.” I whispered docilely, brushing her black locks behind her ear, “Any gift from you would make him smile.”

           My smile grew, seeing how a faint pink painted her cheeks, like tiny pink stars that decorated the starry night. “Yue…can I-can I ask you for a favour?” Kiyi questioned shyly, looking down at her toes, her hands stuffed into her dress pockets. I let my finger dip underneath her chin, compelling her gaze to met mine.

           “Anything button.”

           “I-I made a get-better card for Zuzu in school today. Can you-can you give it to him?” Kiyi requested, pulling from her pocket. My eyes dipped, noticing the little red card appear from her dress, astonished it wasn’t ruined from the juice spilling over her lap. A large sun was painted in front with a smiley face, ‘Get better Zuzu!!!!’ scribbled across.

           The smile from my face flattered, lips parting as I took in what Kiyi asked me to do – the effort she put into this card. She wants me to give this to Zuko? My eyes snapped back to her, taking in the look of pure and utter determination on her face.

           There was nothing more Kiyi wanted at this moment than for her big brother to have this card.

           I opened my mouth to say something – but I couldn’t, lips trembling as I struggled to think coherently. The feather-like footsteps from the maids and nurses around us seemed to intensify, sounding like thunder. Blood rushing to my head as the thought of seeing Zuko’s resting figure tormented my mind.

           Kiyi will be heartbroken if I say no, but Zuko-

           “Button, I-I-” I stammered agonizingly, unable to find the right answer, trying to catch my breath. But the look on Kiyi’s face. Gosh, the similarities in expressions with Zuko, it was baffling.

           I can’t hurt her like this, but to see Zuko after so long-

           A delicate hand fell over my shoulder, like a plume, and Kiyi’s eyes widened in surprise before shooting the stranger behind me a joyful smile. I flinched at the unexpected tender touch over my kneeling figure. The familial grasp accustomed.

           “Avatar Aang!”

           “Hi Kiyi, what are you two doing over here? Planning on visiting your brother with Yue?” Aang spoke light-heartedly from behind, his pitch higher in tone than usual. I could feel the way his hand shifted over my shoulder, his fingers wrapping around my body, squeezing.

           He’s telling me to relax-

           “No~. I can’t visit, grown-ups only. But I made a card for Zuzu, and I want Yue to give it to him!”

           “A card, so thoughtful, Kiyi! It’s been a while since Yue saw your brother. What a perfect reason to see him now.” Aang casually spoke, his playful and cheerful aura shining through. And while any other day I would’ve gushed about how well Aang was with children, my mind focused on the words he uttered. I knew the double meaning.

           “Aang-” I warned with a batted breath.

           A cold sweat started to form on my eyebrow, the fever and impending panic attack beginning to work its way back to the surface no matter how hard I tried to shove the looming emotions away. I didn’t need to look over my shoulder, as I could feel Aang’s usual doe-like eyes boring holes into the back of my head, goosebumps rising on my skin.

           “I was going to see Zuko right now. I can go with Yue.” Aang continued, and I could hear the smile on his face. But despite the casual tone, there was an unspoken sternness. He wasn’t leaving this up for debate.

           Kiyi, utterly oblivious to Aang’s underlying message, squealed in delight. She shot me a great smile, a smile that had my stomach in knots as her tiny hands gripped my own, tugging on my sleeves. The excitement that ran through her body, practically jumping and standing on her toes.

           “Thank you, Yue! You’re the best; I’m so lucky to have a big sister like you. No wonder Zuko says he wants to marry you!” Kiyi gushed, and I could feel my skin begin to prickle. Zuko wants to marry me- “I can wash up by myself, so don’t worry about me, Yue! Here is the card-” Kiyi rushed, shoving the fragile thing into my grip.

           But what caught me off guard the most was the way Kiyi leaned towards me, pressing her puckered lips against my cheek. The feeling of her pouting lips, planting a gigantic wet kiss, had me blushing with happiness. It was adorable, sweet, a gesture that I didn’t deserve.

           “You’re the best; I love you!” Kiyi blurted all in one breath.

           No, I’m not, I’m far from ‘best,’ and even farther from ‘good.’

           “I love you too, button.” I hummed, pressing a bittersweet kiss on her cheek before she pulled away. She glowed at the words of endearment, waving at Aang before skipping down the hallway. I watched as she clasped on her juice-covered dress, giggles flowing from her innocent lips as she danced away, her figure becoming nothing more but a fleeting dot.

           It was Aang’s moderate tap that pulled me away from my trance, looking over my shoulder to see him standing in those mustard coloured robes of his.

           “Let me help you up, Yue.” Aang hummed as he reached, our fingers brushing against each other. He tugged me forward easily, letting me find my footing, as I dusted off my dress. As I patted down, I couldn’t help but let my digits slide over the hand-made card Kiyi gave me.

           The large sun she had painted with a cheery smile, staring back at me almost mockingly.

           Why did it hurt so much to see this card?

           “You’re flushed, Yue. Is your fever back?” Aang worried, stepping closer as he carefully inspected my figure. The further he inched his way towards me, I found myself blinking rapidly, taking in Aang’s appearance.

           The deep circles under his eyes, cheeks a bit more hollow than usual, highlighting his cheekbones in an ill manner. Even his brown eyes that were usually light in colour seemed darker, murky.

           “Aang, you look unwell-”

           “Guess that makes two of us.” Aang laughed under his breath, letting the back of his hand fall over my forehead. His soft skin brushed against mine, sweeping aside whatever baby hairs decided to escape from my current updo. The coolness from his body had me sighing in relief. How an ice bath seems far too tempting at the moment.

           Aang glowered, pulling his hand back, and I couldn’t help but gripe under my breath – my five second-cooling pad gone. “Let’s go see Katara about this fever. You’re burning up; this isn’t good...” Aang started, and I shook my head.

           “Don’t worry, Aang, she’s with Zuko and I-and I have things I have to do,” I spoke, voice unsteady as I tried to sound put-together. Instinctively, I sharpened up shoulders, chin up, trying to appear presentable—the same go-to movements I often did with the other royals and councilmembers.

           Yet the moment I breathed in deeply, back straight, I couldn’t shake the overwhelming feeling of feeling stupid. Standing here with Aang, forcing myself to seem normal, happy, okay, had my whole act in shambles. Because while I was able to put on the perfect façade with everyone, Aang was family.

           The way his shoulders dropped, eyes rounded, and arms ready to embrace – he already knew that I was in so much emotional and physical pain. Every day was a struggle to get out of bed, to eat, to work. I bit my lip, letting my fingers dance with the card Kiyi left behind. I can’t do this.

           I rose it, extending it towards him, “H-here, please give this to Zuko.”

           Aang’s eyes widen, lightly pushing the card back towards my chest. “Kiyi asked you to do this, Yue.” Aang reasoned, shaking his head, and I swallowed dryly.

           He doesn’t get it.

           “I-I can’t, Aang-” I inhaled, and Aang blew, “How long are you going to go not seeing Zuko, Yue. He needs you-”

           “I’m busy-” I struggled, and Aang scoffed, his palms falling over my arms.

           He ran his hands up and down, trying his best to comfort me despite the busybodies swimming by us. And for a split moment, I found myself slowly starting to ease in the act, before Aang spoke once more.

           It was like the room around us disappeared, the people, the noise, everything gone. My vision tunnelled on the way Aang moved his lips, ears listening to his usually airy voice utter the heaviest, heart-wrenching truth.

           “It’s been a week, Yue. A whole week, and you’ve never visited him once.”

           I swore, realizing I caused a dent in the corner of the delicate card from my shuddering hands, hearing Aang’s blunt revelation. A-a whole week?

           A whole week I went without seeing Zuko, and the sense of overwhelming dread weighed down my shoulders, stressed to process the information. I swallowed back a sob, cradling the card to my chest as the space around me felt like it was enclosing, the air too thick to breathe, burning my throat-

           “Yue, watch out-” Aang exclaimed.

           A maid bumped her shoulder against mine abruptly, causing me to wobble in my spot.

           The room spun, Aang’s arm reaching forward, grasping my elbow securely as a means to steady my dazzled state. The maid’s eyes widening in shock as she took note at the way my feet tumbled over each other for a moment, Aang desperately trying to help me find my state of balance.

           “My apologies, Imperial Consort Ying Yue, I was not watching where I was going- Imperial Consort Ying Yue? Are-are you alright?” The lady asked, her brows pinching together as she thoughtfully inched forward. It was then I realized how frazzled I undoubtedly looked.

           My whole body squeezed inwardly, clenching onto the card Kiyi gave me to my chest for dear life. I gulped, nodding my head nervously, “I-I’m fine, please, don’t apologize. I was lost in my thoughts; it’s my fault. I have to go now.” I exclaimed, forcing a smile on my face to the maid as she worriedly nodded and carefully bid her farewell.

           Aang’s grasp on my elbow stiffened, shifting my gaze back to him as she left, “Yue, you need to see Zuko eventually. You promised Kiyi.”

           “I will, just not now.” I wheezed, and the frown on Aang’s face grew, “You’ve been saying that all week.”

           “Because I’m busy, I made a vow-”

           “Work can wait, Yue. You shouldn’t even be working; you’re exhausted. Have you seen yourself?” Aang puffed, shaking his head in frustration as his fingers unknowingly dug deeper into my arm. “You look like you haven’t slept in days, you have a fever, you look sick. I’m worried-” Aang tried to reason, and I grimaced at his words.

           I knew how terrible I looked.

           Every night I tossed and turned in bed. No number of blankets, no number of pillows, not even sleeping in Zuko’s old T-shirts, seemed to do the trick. And those rare moments, where I did manage to close my eyes, were only filled with nightmares. Vivid images of the pained expression on Zuko’s face, him struggling to breathe, the way he looked at me.

           He hates me-

           A shaky exhale left me, “A-Aang, I can’t see Zuko-”

           “Stop punishing yourself, Yue.” Aang snapped, his voice sharp.

           The people around us all stilled for a moment, undoubtedly hearing Aang raise his voice, a tone I have only listened to a handful of times. They stared at us, looks of confusion and alarm stamped on their faces before they cautiously treaded around us, dashing through the infirmary doors, or down the hallway.

           Aang’s face was pink, the grip on my arm constricting as he blew stridently. It was like the emotional turmoil inside the both of us snapped, lashing out towards each other with no real reason. The weight of the whole week, the stress of running around, was eating us all alive.

           I ripped my arm from his grip with a cry, taking a step back as my bottom lip quivered. “You don’t understand, Aang.” I gulped, head shaking as I took another weak step backwards. The way my body trembled, thankful I didn’t trip over my feet.

           It was like all the pain and confusion was evident in my face, Aang’s expression softened, realizing how his temper flared for that split moment. Rubbing his face in defeat, he sighed heavily.

           “Then talk to me, Yue.” Aang pleaded as his voice strained with need, “Zuko needs you so much right now, you’re the only person he’s ever opened to like this. He loves you more than anything else in the world-”

           My breathing hitched, body stilling at Aang’s words. Memories of Mai and I’s interaction a week ago entering my mind-

‘Zuko would never love a monster like yourself. Not after everything you’ve done.’

‘All this drama happened because of you.’

‘If anyone gets hurt, it’s all your fault.’

           My lips parted, a wheezy gasp leaving me as I struggled to talk – as if someone kicked me in the gut. “I need to go-” I said, eyes unable to focus onto Aang, everything around me turning into one giant blur.

           “Yue-”

           “I need to go; I have work I need to do,” I spoke harshly, face impassive as I dodged his reach. Aang’s soft pleas, desperately trying to grab hold of me, the sleeves of my dress slipping through his fingers like water as I twisted on my heel.

           Scurrying through the people in the hallway, hand clasping over the card Kiyi had drawn, my teeth dug into my lips, the taste of iron filling my senses. I need to go; I need to go-

           But…

           I don’t want to go.

             I let out a tired sulk, staring down at the black ink that stained the document before me. My signature looked like a two-year-old drew it, lines shaky and blotchy. What’s wrong with me? It’s like I forgot how to write, the ink practically pooling at the bottom of the page.

           It seemed like instead of spilling the ink all over the desk, like I’ve been doing this past week, I decided to pool it at the bottom of each document I’ve signed. Each paper that I touched with the tip of my golden pen, sporting its own artistic touch of ‘blotches.’ Every hour, the specks and chaos were getting worse.

           Maybe I could play it off as some modern artistic signature style?

           I snorted at my foolishness; shoulders slouched as I hesitantly rose the heavy pen in my hand back towards the paper. My eyes wearily scanned the document, trying to think of any possible way to save the work.

           At this point, anything would do.

           One paper, I just needed one article this evening to have a pretty signature. That’s it. Cautiously, I inched the pen towards my scribbles, biting my lip as I held my breath. And just like that, I swore.

           The sound of wet paper ripping as the golden tip stabbed through, the paper giving way to the sheer volume of ink and pressure. A loud whine escaped me, pen slipping from my grasp as I let my body fall against the desk, head thumping against the wood. Why can’t anything go right for once?

           Papers flew into the air, cascading downwards like fluttering butterflies, falling onto the floor. The unrelenting throbbing of my head grew tenfold. Either from banging it against this wooden desk or the utter frustration that coursed through my veins – my bet is both.

           My hands spread wide, flush with the study, nails digging and scratching at the surface.

           “Get it together, Yue. You’re not going to cry over a damn signature.” I blubbered, lip rolling between my teeth, forcing my eyes shut to prevent that stupid tear from rolling down my cheek. The taste of old blood still lingering on my lip from biting it roughly earlier on in the day with Aang.

           I whipped my head back, sitting upright, forcing my eyes open.

           “Don’t you dare cry.” I hissed to myself, as my chest tightened.

           The room was deathly quiet, only the dim lights from the candles spread about lighting the area. Eerie shadows from the décor scattered throughout the room had a restlessness settling in my stomach, the air stuffy. Every creak of the wooden floors, the flicker of light felt like a spirit hiding in the shadows, ready to lunge and attack.

           The room didn’t feel like home.

           I didn’t get the butterflies when I sat in this chair, skin warm and giggling non-stop.

           Nothing felt like home anymore.

           Because Zuko was home, dummy.

           “D-don’t cry,” I repeated like a mantra, blinking rapidly to stop the tears that so desperately wanted to fall. “It’s a signature, j-just a signature. Who cares?” I reasoned loudly, undoubtedly the guards on the other side questioning my sanity. But the more I spoke, the further my voice cracked, my emotions and logic fighting fiercely against one another.

           Helplessly my gaze wandered about the room, trying to distract myself, anything to push the too real of emotions away. I could hear my heartbeat thumping in my ears, every single thing my eyes settled upon evoking another, stronger emotion.

           The simple door at the other end of the room had me recalling those times I would sneak in here to surprise Zuko during work. The way his face would light up, more often than not, sighing in relief and beckoning me to his side. ‘Just who I needed, my baby’ Zuko would often coo, his hands brushing back my hair, tangling themselves.

           Or what about this desk?

           The number of times I sat on this thing, Zuko and I teasing each other, bantering about nonsense. ‘You’re so needy, love. Always needing hugs and kisses,’ Zuko would complain, only to pull me close. Fitting perfectly between his legs as he planted chaste kisses over my head, whispering sweet nothings.

           I sniffled, nose runny as my eyes fluttered shut.

           ‘Mmm, my one and only, baby’ I could vividly recall Zuko droning into my ear just last week, arms wrapping around my waist, fingers dancing over my skin. His warmth, his touches, his kisses.

           Zuko loved me in those moments, he really did, and I ruined it all.

           “Why now? Of all the times, why do I have to remember this now?” I whimpered under my breath, pain radiating up my nails as I burrowed into the wood beneath me. For days upon days, I drowned myself in work—anything to keep my mind off Zuko, avoiding the Gaang like the plague.

           This wasn’t about the stupid signature, gosh, it was so much more.

           My thoughts ran wild, switching between the happy moments Zuko and I shared, to the look of absolute horror once he realized what I was. But the cherry on top, the gut-twisting moment that had a small cry leaving my lips was Mai’s words that faithful day.

           The way Mai’s eyes looked down from above, an expression filled with sadness and pain etched into her very soul. Her tough shell crumbled for that tiny instant; her winded whisper engraved into my mind.

           ‘Remember, Yue. If you really love Zuko – want the best for him. You know what to do.’

           “B-but I don’t want to go.” I weakly snivelled, confessing that very thing I was trying to ignore. The festering and unavoidable topic at hand, the decision that kept me up at night, the reason why I couldn’t look at Ursa or Noren in the eye. I want to stay here, by Zuko’s side. I can’t hurt him like that, leave him after everything he’s been through-

           But this isn’t about you; a dark voice echoed into my mind; this is for Zuko, his safety.

           But he’s home-

           He doesn’t love you, you’re a monster, forever and always.

           My eyes snapped open once more, vision blurry as tears build up, freely falling down my face. “I’m losing home.” I sniffled, heart aching as I tried my hardest to swallow down my sobs. I didn’t want the guards who stood on the other side of that door to hear me, to feel burdened by my distress.

           Now is not the time to make others worry.

           I just need to continue ruling the Kingdom until Zuko gets better and then-

           Weakly, I wiped the tears from my eyes, taking deep lungsful as a means to control my emotions. My cheeks hurt from the crying, nose a bright red, no doubt, as I wiped the final tear from my eyes. I don’t even want to know how I look like at the moment.

           My vision cleared, a shaky breath leaving me, as I sat straight. Another hour of work and then you can try to sleep this all off. I wiggled my way into Zuko’s chair, trying to find a comfy spot to zone out my thoughts and fix my terrible signatures, only to freeze.

           There, at the very edge of my desk, stood that perfect red card.

           The bright yellow sun smiling at me, Kiyi’s adorable cursive scribbled on the front.

           “Get better, Zuzu,” I whispered, a small smile emerging on my face as the words flew from my lips.

           Memories of Kiyi’s, bouncing from joy in her spot as she said she loved me, that I was the best big sister. Hands shaking, I found them stretching before me without thinking. Leaning forward and pressing myself against the desk, my fingertips grazed the edge of the card, drawing it closer.

           I couldn’t help but caress the soft paper, feeling where the paint stuck, the paper slightly wrinkled. With much care, I brought it close to my face, eagerly musing over every paint stroke, every sparkle, the love etched into this simple card.

           It was funny how the little things in life take up the most space in your heart.

           How a simple card caused the warm fuzzy feelings, the feelings I haven’t felt in almost a week, to appear. The dashing butterflies in my stomach, cheeks glowing in glee, the emotions and reactions that would often appear whenever I was with Zuko. A fleeting moment of complete and utter bliss, happiness.

           I want to see Zu-

           A knock on the door stripped me from my thoughts, jumping in my seat.

           The way my eyes bugged out, staring at the door with my jaw dropped, not at all anticipating such a powerful knock, let alone at this moment. My head snapped side to side, hastily taking note of the mess spread around.

           “Umm, o-one minute, please!” I shouted, mortified beyond belief.

           My hand grabbed the papers that were within reach, almost throwing myself over the table as I greedily swiped all the blotched documents towards me. Shit-shit-shit, where am I going to put all this? And that’s when I spotted the small white bin that stood at my feet, and without thinking twice, I tossed all the papers inside.

           I’ll take care of this mess after.

           “C-come in!” I awkwardly muttered, sniffling as I stared forward.

           A moment of silence fell over me before the front door flew open with a bang. My head tilted to the side, watching with interest as a short man dashed inside. His black clothing made him look like a shadow, making his way towards me as if he’s been inside here countless of times, knowing the room like the back of his hand.

           The door swayed close behind him, the man's hands raised as he adjusted the thick red scarf wrapped around his shoulders and neck. “Fire Lord Zuko.” The man huffed, pulling the veil down his face, exposing his sharp nose, “I have news about Ax-”

           His dark cat-like eyes lined up with mine, his thin pink lips forming an ‘O’ shape as he froze in his spot. We stared at each other, looks of confusion and amusement flashing between us, neither one of us knowing who we were in relation.

           I found my gaze falling over the man’s features, taking note of the faint wrinkles that appeared on his face, his skin tanned. As if he realized that I was studying him intently, curious as to who he was, a faint flush coated his cheeks.

           “Y-you’re not Fire Lord Zuko.” The man buzzed, his tone low and taut.

           I let out a breathless giggle, entertained by the expression on his face.

           He looked utterly taken off guard, stunned, like a confused child. And seeing such an expression on a man who was currently dressed in a skin tight-suit, weapons undoubtedly concealed underneath was such a contrast. I found myself easing in my seat, something in me telling me he wasn’t a threat, despite his harsh facial structures and odd clothing.

           I saw the way he eagerly studied my sitting figure, and like something clicked he quickly bowed, “You must be- Imperial Consort Ying Yue, my sincere apologies-”

           “Please, it’s okay.” I quickly retorted, standing up from the chair as I waved away the formalities. My eyes scanned his face once again, trying desperately to place a name. He seems unfamiliar, I’ve never met this man before, have I?

           “Is there something you need? Fire Lord Zuko is not available at the moment, but I can do whatever I can.” I started, and the man merely shook his head, hand scratching his head. “Unfortunately, I need to speak with Fire Lord Zuko, directly. Do you know where I could find him?”

           My lips parted, a sad smile forming on my face, as I eased my way around the chair, walking around the desk. He doesn’t know- Even the man in front seemed to notice the way my body altered, a sudden heaviness in my step. I let my hand slide down my lap, fixing any wrinkles that may have appeared.

           “Fire Lord Zuko is ill at the moment; I’m temporarily stepping into his role. But if there’s anything I can do-”

           “He’s ill?” The man exclaimed, and I puckered, nodding my head.

           “This whole week…” I spoke, and the man clicked his tongue, running his hands through his hair. He did not want to hear that. He began to grumble under his breath, mumbling incoherent, but I could sense the frustration from him.

           I couldn’t help it, watching over him, feet moving on their own, inching closer towards him: the sharp eyes, sun-kissed skin. Just who is he?

           “My apologies, but who are you, may I ask?”

           He looked taken aback by the question, before chuckling bashfully under his breath. “I promise I do have better manners than this, Imperial Consort.” He droned, shaking his head in shame before giving me a broad smile.

           “I go by Mihir; I’m an informant, I work directly under Fire Lord Zuko’s authority.” He started, and the moment his name left his lips, my eyes widen.

           The beach house.

           I stepped forward, a pout on my face as I pointed a finger, “It’s you. The man who kept calling Zuko when we were on vacation- you kept stealing Zuko from me!”

           He looked taken aback, raising his hands in front of him as he shook, hearing the high pitch in my voice as I squealed. “S-sorry, Imperial Consort. I didn’t mean to bother you during your vacation-” he stumbled, and I huffed under my breath.

           “It’s fine, knowing Zuko, he made you work. That man doesn’t understand how to relax.” Gosh, if Zuko knew I stuffed the bin to the brim with paperwork, he would’ve killed me.‘Hiding paperwork doesn’t make the work go away, love’ I could already imagine Zuko grumbling, hearing his voice vividly in my mind. I smiled to myself despite the annoyance.

           Zuko would pinch his nose, and then complain about how the papers are all wrinkled-

           “You know Fire Lord Zuko well.” Mihir chuckled under his breath, a blush creeping onto my cheeks as I realized I zoned out for a moment. I timidly brushed whatever hairs fell from my ponytail, biting my lip as I looked down at the floor.

           “I admire his work ethic, even though it drives me nuts sometimes. There isn’t a day where he isn’t doing something, improving himself or helping others. I-I always adored that.” I rambled, mentally slapping myself. Why is it that, whenever Zuko is brought to topic, I find myself blurting another thing I adore about him?

           Mihir mused at my words, crossing his arms, “Fire Lord Zuko…he talks about you…a lot.”  My gaze snapped upwards to meet Mihir’s, a gentle smile on his face.

           He didn’t seem like a man who smiled often, but it suited him. Even though every expression of Mihir’s had this stoutness to it, I couldn’t help but notice the softness in this man’s soul. I think I know why Zuko trusts him.

           “I guess I’ll come back tomorrow. Hopefully, Fire Lord Zuko feels better and can arrange a moment with me. I’ll leave so you can go see him now, give him my regards.” Mihir spoke, and my head tilted, raising a brow.

           “What makes you think I’m seeing him now?” I blurted, confusion written on my face. Mihir chuckled, raising his scarf over his face, “Because you’re holding that ‘get better Zuzu’ card.”

           His cat-like eyes were the only visible part of his body, stepping back as he placed his hand over his chest, “And based on the way you’re holding it, tight and close to your heart, shows me it’s important. That you care and worry about Fire Lord Zuko, maybe even more than you realize.”

           He bowed from his waist down before opening the study door, just a crack – slipping through like the wind. It softly shut behind him, leaving me alone in the middle of the room. My mouth dropped, looking down at my hands to realize Mihir was right.

           This whole time…I-I was holding the card.

           The sun smiled back at me, and I couldn’t help but smile again, no longer experiencing that mocking feeling like I was earlier in the day. “A promise is a promise…” I whispered, and I twirled on my feet, walking towards the candles that littered the room.

           My lips puckered, blowing out each one, dashing. The way I spoke to Aang, the promise I made to Kiyi- I don’t want my time here to end like this, on such a sour note.

           I want to see Zuko – one last time.

             Thumbs twirling, a large pout settled as I waltzed down the red hall, the infirmary just around the corner.

           My dress rustled as I walked, the clicking sound of my heels, bouncing off the walls of the almost wholly deserted Kingdom. One or two servants would come down ever so often, smiling sweetly before continuing on their way. They all bore tired expressions, ready to go home for the night, until tomorrow.

           I pressed the card Kiyi made close to my chest, hands shaking slightly.

           The moon was high in the night sky, admiring the reflection it drew on the water in the pond. Despite the distance, I could spot the faint ripples, turtle ducks calmly floating below the waterfall, enjoying the chill air the Fire Nation had to offer.

           Another puff left me, lost in my thoughts as I continued on my walk, eyes settling upon the flower petals that fell from the trees. To think that just hours ago, I was under a tree, the hot air and beaming sun radiating upon my skin. Now an odd sense of peace filled the air, the children's laughter, the women’s gossip just remnants of time.

           One more walk in the gardens with Zuko.

           I would’ve loved that.

           The warmth of Zuko’s hands in mine, his fingers rubbing the skin between my thumb and pointer, humming our soft tune. Or maybe us playing in the water with Kiyi once again, Iroh and Ursa laughing in the background, shaking their heads in amusement.

           “Yue?” A voice breathed, so light, quieter than a whisper, that for a moment, I thought I imagined it. My brows pinched together, raising my hand to my head as my pace flattered. Did I- am I so tired I’m hearing things right now?

           I shook my head, scoffing to myself.

           My eyes burned, throat rough as I swallowed hard. The events of the day had my hands cramped and body aching. “Get it together, Yue,” I grumbled under my breath, forcing my feet to move. I let my hand drop from my forehead, resting it along the palace walls – pivoting to turn the corner before I stopped abruptly in my tracks.

           “Yue.” The voice spoke again, this time louder, more forceful.

           This isn’t my imagination; the voice is coming from behind me. I twirled in my spot, a small gasp escaping me as I soaked up what I saw. The stunning mix of yellow and blue, a large wooden stick in hand-

           “Aang.” I breathed, reviewing his figure up and down.

           He stood there, posture hunched, and unlike this morning, where he seemed tired but overall refreshed, now he looked utterly drained. The way his eyes sulked and the grip he held over his staff, loose. Dangling from the tips of fingers as he stared back at me, his pupils wide. Is he just coming back from work? At this hour of the night?

           “Aang, you’re just going to bed now?” I announced, unable to hide the worry in my tone.  Aang awkwardly scratched his head, laughing under his breath while nodding slowly, “Mhm, I had some paperwork I had to review for Republic City.”

           “This late?” I questioned; my hands firmly pressed over my chest.

           Aang opened his mouth before shutting it, the corner of his lips tugging upwards as he coolly leaned on his staff. “What about you, Yue?” Aang started, wiggling his eyebrows, nudging his head to the side as if to emphasize the fact that the moon was high in the sky.

           “It seems like someone else is just going to bed.”

           I bite my lip, shaking my head, “I’m not going to bed just yet…”

           Aang glowered at my words, pushing off the staff that he was just resting on, back straightening. “Where are you going, Yue?” Aang voiced, “It’s late; you should be resting-”

           “I'm going to see Zuko.”

           The air between us stilled, hearing him take in a sharp inhale, stilling in his spot.      

           His mouth agape, gawking as he let the words, I uttered, seep in. Expressions of astonishment and disbelief flashed by his face, unsure which emotion to settle upon. I couldn’t fault him for feeling as shocked as he was. For a whole week, I refused to see Zuko, no matter how often they begged and asked. But I can’t say no anymore; I want to see him so bad, be greedy and selfish and see him-

           Reservedly, I shifted my hands from my chest, presenting the get-better card Kiyi gave me earlier in the day to him. It was like the card jerked Aang from the conflicting emotions that tumbled inside him, seeing his sandaled feet moving forward.

           “Yue, if you’re not ready to see him, you don’t have to.” Aang concerned, brows pinching together as he anxiously stepped forward. “I can give the card, right now-”

           “Aang, I’m sorry for pushing you and the Gaang away.” I snivelled.

           The trembling in my hands grew, teeth digging deep into my swollen lips as I drove the card further into my chest. My nails pulled at the silky fabric of my dress, fighting back the tears of remorse.

           The way I treated Aang earlier was sad, but it wasn’t just today. It was ever since Zuko fell ill. It was like I couldn’t look at anyone in the eye, not even Sokka or Katara, without feeling guilty. Overwhelming shame and burden, despite them not holding what happened to Zuko against me.

           But I was also lying to them, not telling them the truth of what happened that terrible day, the extent of my bending.

           “I was so mean to you, and I’m sorry.”

           “Yue-” Aang sniffled, and I felt his arms wrap around my body, pulling me into a tight embrace.

           I let my head snuggle in between his neck and shoulder, chest rising and falling between my heavy breaths as Aang fussed into my ear. His lips pressed against my head, a smile dancing as he held me close. A whole week I went without a single hug from anyone, without any form of affection. I was forcing myself into complete isolation beside any business meetings.

           To have someone hold me close made me realize how lonely I felt. How much I wanted a hug – to be held.

           “I’m sorry too. I should’ve have lost my temper like that. I just-” Aang started, pulling away slightly, our gazes meeting as we stood close. I saw how round his eyes were, cheeks a pleased flush as he spoke. “I can’t stand seeing you hurting yourself, Yue. Take all the blame and hurt when you deserve to be happy.”

           “I just want Zuko to be safe.” I sighed, raising my hand against my nose for the hundredth time today. Aang hummed knowingly, “Come on, I’ll walk you to the infirmary, and then I’ll let you be.”

           “A-actually, Aang…” I stuttered, cheeks turning rosy, “Can you come with me? I-I don’t want to do this alone.”

           The way Aang beamed as if I told him that Appa could, in fact, fit inside the Kingdom and sleep in the same room as Katara, him, and Momo. He let his hand rest over the small of my back, glowing ear to ear.

           “I would love to go with you, Yue.”

           I stepped back from his caring touches, taking a deep breath as I looked down at the card that sat in my hand. The red of the paper practically radiating under the dim candlelight of the Kingdom. The last thing I’ll ever do for Kiyi-

           “We should hurry,” Aang spoke sympathetically, “You look exhausted, but I know seeing Zuko is important for you, Yue.” I could feel the way he put light pressure on the tips of fingers, nudging me gently. Within seconds I found ourselves walking, Aang letting his staff twirl in his grip as he watched over me out of the corner of his brown eyes.

           With every step we took, the beating of my heart grew.

           Blood rushing, skin warm as goosebumps rose.

           Despite the chill air of the night, I was sweating, the sound of paper rattling between my grasp embarrassingly loud as we marched. The mental gymnastics that ran through my head, torn between running to Zuko’s side or hiding in the comforts of my blankets. I want to see Zuko so bad, but what if Mai is right? That he doesn’t love me anymore, and the last thing he wants is a visit from me.

           My lip rolled between my teeth, letting my gaze wander to our right as we turned the corner. For a split moment, I saw how the turtle ducks huddled together in the pond. The babies adorable squished together heads resting over each other, as their parents loomed over them. A family…

           “Don’t think for a second Zuko doesn’t want you there with him,” Aang spoke.

           I titled my head, snapping my gaze towards him.

           Aang continued walking ahead, the grand wooden doors before us a few steps away. People with crosses embordered on their sleeves, walking in and out of those doors. The air around them was calm, but I could tell a few of them looked surprised to see us this late in the night.

           “You really think…Zuko wants me there, Aang?” I whispered.

           I could hear Aang snort, giving me a side look filled with personality. “Yue, I didn’t want to say this…” He started, and by then, my head was spinning, realizing that right before us was the entrance.

           Aang’s hand rested over the door, look heavy as he slowly faced me, “Katara told me that sometimes Zuko whispers your name in his sleep.”

           My bottom lip quivered, hearing those words, Aang’s hand dragging along the wood. But he wasn’t finished, laughing lightly as he seemingly remembers the conversation between him and Katara. “Every time he says your name, he smiles. Katara said it was creepy seeing him that happy.”

           I couldn’t help but giggle, rubbing my eyes with the ends of my sleeves imaging it.

           From first-hand experience, I already knew that Zuko was prone to smiling during his sleep. Also, prone to holding me to close to his chest so that the slightest movement from me caused his arm to lock, holding me in place. And don’t forget about sniffing my hair, whispering ‘vanilla’ under his breath far too many times to count.

           Tugging on my sleeves, now stained with wet droplets, Aang glowed from above, “Now, Yue, you make do with that information as you will. But I think we both know what it means.”

           “Aang…” I breathed between my stuffy nose; voice soft.

           “Yes, Yue?”

           “I-I’m ready.”

           “Let’s go then, Princess.” Aang teased with a cheeky smile, pushing the door.

           The door creaked, the high pitch noise sounding louder than usual, given how quiet the palace hallways were at the time. Right away, the nurses who were busily working inside turned their heads towards our direction, shooting us enormous smiles. They waved excitedly, energy-filled in their actions.

           “A beautiful night, Imperial Consort,” they happily sang, before going back to work.

           I pressed a smile to my face, whispering my soft greetings as I pressed the card closer to my chest. I couldn’t help but notice how clammy my palms were, if it weren’t for Aang’s guidance, I would’ve undoubtedly froze in place at the door.

           My eyes scanned the area, the chandlers lighting up the large room, the grand windows opened, and curtains pushed back to allow the calming breeze from outside to enter. Fresh flowers and bright paintings decorated the space as a means to keep the atmosphere up and going. And the further I walked, taking in every detail, down to the colours of the candles, I couldn’t help but wonder.

           Was this how Zuko felt that time when I was in here?

           Just as nervous, anxious, to see me after the waterfall incident? I could recall how flustered Zuko appeared. A look of exhaustion washing over him as he stood before me. The way he rushed to my side, cupping my face before placing a kiss of pure desperation over my lips- my cheeks flushed.

           Why would I think of something like that right now?

           Aang’s hand fell over my back once more, rubbing gently as I jumped in my spot.

           “He’s over there, behind that curtain, where the guards are,” Aang spoke, nudging me where he pointed with his chin. As if they heard, the guards carefully lifted their helmets, bowing slightly with warm smiles before moving off to the side. Their helmets fell back over their faces, quietly discussing amongst themselves, giving us space and privacy.

           My knees were wobbling; every step I took felt like rocks were tied to the soles of my feet, the ground sand as I struggled to move. The reality of the whole situation hitting me all at once. You’re fine, Yue.

           This is fine, you’re fine-

           The curtain that isolated Zuko from the rest was now right before me. A dark velvety red fabric, dragons imprinted all over. The point at which the curtains met swayed lightly with the incoming breeze, and I could feel my breath catching when I spotted the end of a metal bed through the momentary crack.

           He’s right here, right behind this curtain-

           My hand reached naturally, fingertips feeling the soft fabric slip in between each digit. It was like everything was moving in slow motion, the overwhelming need, want, to see Zuko.  I missed him so much.

           I need him; I want to see him-

           Hastily, I drew the draping back, the curtain swaying dramatically with my movement. I clenched the card tightly to my chest, eyes rapidly scanning the space, and just like that, my arm limply dropped to my side. My shoulders slumped, body shuddering, hand falling over my mouth as an uncontrollable sob erupted from me.

           “Yue?” Aang worried from behind me, his hands squeezing over me with care.

           It was at that moment I realized I wasn’t moving, too busy studying over the handsome sleeping figure before me – Zuko.

           His long black hair was neatly brushed and scattered over the scarlet pillow he rested upon, hands over his heart as his chest rose and fell with every breath. The way the moonlight shined through the large windows behind him, painting his skin with a heavenly aura – almost spirit-like.

           Those pink lips of his that I adored were parted, loveable sighs leaving him as his head slightly leaned to the side. It was like last week never happened, his expression so peaceful, sleeping without a worry in the world. The red blanket that laid over his body stopped short of his chest, his milky skin bare.

           Zuko- he looked healthy.

           Part of me imagined Zuko’s appearance to have withered slightly. His face to have sunken, cheekbones prominent, and his physique smaller. How wrong was I. Zuko looked like he gained weight – shoulders broader than usual, the divots on his arms from where his muscles lined abnormally defined. He was even freshly shaven, skin clear and dewy.

           Small breathless giggles left me, unable to contain the relief of seeing Zuko looking nothing short of perfect.  “Yue-” Aang voiced once again, and this time I turned on my heel to look at him.

           “He’s okay.” I cried, and Aang’s expression softened the moment he realized why I was crying.

           I wasn’t shedding tears because I was upset but relieved.

           Zuko looked so healthy, completely untouched, as I wiped my nose messily on my sleeve. “K-Katara took such good care of him; I owe her so much. I-I couldn’t have healed him as well as her if it weren’t for you and the Gaang being there for him-”

           Aang’s hand brushed my face, cleaning my cheeks to the best of his ability as I let my tears flow. “I told you, Yue. We’re family. We love Zuko too. If you think Katara was going to let her best friend fall ill because some bad guys wanted to hurt you, you doubt our bonds.”

           I smiled, choking as I sniffled, turning my head back to Zuko. He looked so happy, “T-thank you. For everything. For coming with me.”

           “I’ll always be here, Yue. Now give him that card. He may be knocked out cold, but I’m sure he’ll be happy to see it when he wakes up.” Aang happily blubbered, standing at the far corner as I carefully made my way around the bed.

           I couldn’t pull my gaze away from Zuko, watching him as he slept, it felt like my heart was going to burst. Was it creepy to stare at Zuko this excitedly while he slept? Probably, but I couldn’t stop myself. I missed him so much.

           Carefully I rose the card, lips moving silently as I cumbersomely. “Katara told me that he could most likely hear us, Yue…I bet he would love to hear your voice.”

           My voice…?

           “Z-Zuko.” I shakily started, carefully placing the beautiful handcrafted card on the wooden table that stood right beside him. A few vials and bowls of water with towels laid there – tools for Katara whenever she was healing or checking up on Zuko quickly at her aid. If it weren’t for Katara’s Waterbending skills, who knows what would’ve happened to Zuko.

           “Zuko.” I breathed once again, smiling softly as I inched my way closer to Zuko’s bedside.

           I watched as Zuko’s eyes moved under his shut eyelids at the sound of my voice so close to his body, a deep sigh, leaving him for a moment as he continued sleeping. My hand outstretched over his, hovering, fighting the temptation to feel his skin against mine.

           “K-Kiyi made a card for you; she misses you….” I whispered, and I saw the way Zuko’s expression changed the more I talked. His brows pinched together slightly as his head tossing towards me side, another long exhale leaving him. It was like in his sleep he was searching for my voice, his fingers tightening its hold on the blankets that laid over him.

           I weakly smiled, and without thinking, my hand rested of his.

           “I miss you,” I whispered, tears falling down my face as I anxiously held my breath.

           The greed took over, my fingers dance over his soft skin, basking in the warmth. It was like a current ran through me the moment our hands touched, the sense of familiarity and happiness bursting at the seams.

           “I miss you so much. I miss your hugs and cuddles and smiles, and-” I had to stop talking, struggling as my words rushed. My digits laced with his, my skin tingling, butterflies in my stomach from being so close to Zuko after so long.

           “I’m sorry you got hurt because of me, I’m sorry for not telling you the truth. I’m sorry I didn’t do more.” I cried as I let my other hand wander, trailing up his chest to his neck. I winced, feeling the rough patch of skin nestled at the base of his neck. There was a small scar now, a darkened patch of skin from where I sliced.

           Forever a reminder, and I swear I could feel the scar that rested along my jaw tingle.

           “I promised myself that I would never hurt you…” I whimpered, leaning over his bed, unable to stop the temptation to get closer. My hands cupped his face, thumbs caressing his pouting lips. “I promised Iroh, your mom, Kiyi, everyone that I would take care of you. I made that vow to myself the moment I met you.”

           My eyes fluttered shut, face rosy, all self-restraint gone.

           Leaning over his body, hair falling over our faces as my lips gently brushed over his. The feeling of his soft, plump lips pressed against my swollen ones, tears tumbling over his skin.

           “I hope you find someone who can keep that vow better than me, Zuko. Who will love you more than I ever could. Who will bring out that stunning twinkle in your eyes. I want you to be happy Zuko…”

           “Yue.” I heard Aang cry, and I carefully pulled back, noticing the way my salty tears dripped down Zuko’s cheek, tainting the stark burn on his face.

           “One last kiss.” I dejectedly cried, taking a step back, my fingertips grazing his skin before leaving. The moment my touch left him, I could feel my heart ache, hands cupping my mouth as I tried my toughest to shush my tears.

           “What do you mean by one last kiss, Yue?” Aang worriedly questioned, stepping closer to my trembling figure.

           It’s time I come clean.

           “I-I never you, what Mai said to me.” I sobbed, and I could feel Aang’s arms wrap around me, holding me close to his chest as his hands ran up and down my back. He cradled my face into his neck, shaking his head at my words, “What did she tell you, Yue?”

           “S-she said that the reason Zuko got hurt is because of me.” I started, spluttering harder as my sight became filled with nothing more but tears. “I-if I leave, t-then Zuko will be safe. No harm will be done.”

           “Yue, you can’t believe her, she could be lying for all we know-”

           “But what if she isn’t, Aang?” I huffed, pulling away to stare at him.

           Tears swelled in Aang’s eyes, wiping his face with the back of his hand heatedly as he looked down at me. “Maybe she is lying, Aang. But I prefer to take the risk, then have Zuko get hurt again because of me.”

           “I-if you leave, Yue.” Aang broke, his voice cracking as the grip on my body tightened. “Zuko would look under every damn rock for you. Go to the ends of the world looking for you. You think he’s going to let you go, Yue? Walk out of his life after how much you’ve changed him?” Aang argued expression hurt as he took in a shaky breath.

           “Zuko loves you so much. I shouldn’t even tell you this, but Zuko is already thinking of a hundred and one ways to propose! He told me that he wants kids, he wants a family, asking me what good diapers- damnit Yue!” Aang huffed, pulling me back into a tight embrace as we cried silently together.

           “This whole week, you’ve pushed us away, carried the burden of that knowledge. You wanted to see Zuko today, not because you stopped blaming yourself, but because you wanted to say goodbye.”

           “I don’t want to go, Aang, but I don’t want Zuko to hurt anymore.”

           “You’re going to hurt him by leaving.”

           “But, I’ll be hurting him more if I stay.”

           I pulled away slightly, looking to my side to watch as Zuko laid in bed. The tranquil expression on his face at the moment, I couldn’t have wished for a better lasting appearance to see. Every memory we shared, forever locked in my heart for years to come, because no one can steal those recollections away from me.

           “I thought Zuko was the one, Yue,” Aang whispered into my ear, and I rubbed my nose, smiling to myself. “Zuko is the one for me, always will be. But I’m not the one for him. I don’t think I ever was…”

           “So, is this it? Are you just going to leave us? Me, Katara, Sokka, Hakoda-”

           I winced, shutting my eyes as I shook my head, “I’ll leave as soon as Zuko wakes up. I made a promise that I’ll take care of the kingdom for him, and I want to keep at least one promise.”

           “Where will you go, Yue? I-we-but-” Aang raged internally, stepping back before running his hands over his hand. His fingers pressed against the skin of the blue arrow along his head, expression panicked. I could tell from the look in his eyes that his mind was swirling, unable to focus.

           Carefully, I stepped towards Zuko, grabbing the blanket that laid over him, and lifting it. I tucked the warm fabric, snuggling under his chin, a bittersweet smile painting my face as I took in Zuko’s features one last time. “I love you, Zuko, I can’t even begin to express my feelings. There aren’t enough letters in the alphabet to string together a word strong enough to tell you how much I love you.”

           I pulled away, letting my hands clasp together, nails causing crescents into my palms as I swallowed back the next wave of weeping. “And I want you to know, Zuko, that no matter how much you hate me, are angry at me, I’ll still love you. That will never change.”

           Turning on my heel, I faced Aang, whose face was swollen, nose a bright red as he weakly grabbed the staff he let rest on the wall.

           “I-I think it’s time I go to bed now…” I quietly spoke, and Aang nodded, using the tip of his stick to pull back the curtains to lead to the outside world. But he didn’t move right away, his eyes locked with mine.

           “Aang?” I asked, and he sighed, forcing a smile on his face.

           “I can’t stop you from leaving, Yue. This is your choice, your journey. But I hope you know that while everyone may be nervous once they learn about your bending, you’re still you. You’re still Sokka and Katara’s sister, Toph’s drinking partner, Suki’s shopping pal, and my best friend.”

           “Thank you, Aang.”

           “I’ll take you to your room, and I hope tomorrow, by some miracle, you realize that Zuko will love you, regardless of how you view yourself. And that you have every right to stay here with Zuko, and have the family you always dreamed of.”

           I could feel my heart swell, Aang outstretching his hand towards me, a poignant smile on his face. Right away, I grabbed his cold hand, our fingers intertwining, letting ourselves relish in the bittersweet moment. His hand squeezed tightly, before beginning to move, and I looked over my shoulder quickly.

           “Goodbye, Zuko.” I hummed, taking in the finest of details as if I didn’t already know each and every mark on his skin—the shape of his nose and lips, even his ears. But my eyes narrowed, only noticing too late the fresh tear running down Zuko’s cheek.

           A tear that was undoubtedly not present a moment ago.

           My feet stuttered, and as I eagerly tilted my head to get a better look, to make sure it was not my eyes playing tricks, but it was too late. The thick curtain shut, red flooding my vision. This is really it; I said my goodbye.

           Without any of other words spoken between Aang and me, we walked side by side, our hands swinging as Aang silently guided me to my room. The nurses and guards all said their share of goodnights, not daring to ask as to why our cheeks were as red as could be, our voices coarse and eyes puffy.

           Tiredly, we inched our way down the hallway, rubbing my face as I took in every nuisance of the kingdom. How many more days do I have left, walking down this hallway before I go? Soon the I won’t ever hear the clicking of my heels when I stroll in the mornings or the happy greetings of the servants.

           We turned the corner, my eyes lighting up as I spotted two guards at the front of my bedroom—two people who I knew far too well at this point. I turned to face Aang, our eyes meeting. An unspoken connection hitting us both as Aang drew me in for one last hug.

           “Goodnight, Yue. And how I hope, more than anything, I see you in the morning.” He wished before pulling away. We shared one last look before he begrudgingly turned on his heel. His yellow robes flowed behind him as he let his staff dance in his grip, eagerly walking towards the waiting arms of his dearest lover. Bringing my arms up to my chest, I hugged myself.

           Thank you.

           “Imperial Consort Ying Yue?” two voices spoke, causing me to twirl.

           With their helmets now off, I couldn’t hide the short moment of happiness seeing them this late at night. It really is them- “Ah, hello, friends~!” I sung, waving with a small yawn as I inched my way towards them.

           They smiled back, but I couldn’t help but notice how forced their smiles seemed, their bodies tensed as they shared anxious looks. I pouted, tilting my head to the side as I looked around. Aang was already long gone, no one in sight. What could be upsetting them?

           “Is everything alright?” I asked curiously, and I had to raise a brow at the way they nudged each other in the stomach.

           “You tell her.”

           “No, you do.”

           “I didn’t let her enter.”

           “She’s a Princess; I can’t exactly say ‘no.’ And you were there with me, why didn’t you say anything?” They bickered with each other. My head snapped back and forth, watching how they grumbled under their breath, like two school children bickering. It was literally like watching Katara and Sokka fight, just older and from the Fire Nation.

           I let out a small giggle, shaking my head, children.

           “Can someone, please, tell me? I promise I won’t get mad.” I urged, crossing my arms over my chest. At the sound of my voice, they stilled, nervously shifting in their spots. I gave them a look, and that seemed to do the trick. Both of blurting out what they didn’t want to say, “Princess Kiyi is inside your bedroom. She says she wants to sleep in your bed.”

           My eyes widen at the news, staring at the large bedroom doors.

           K-Kiyi?

           I opened my mouth, only to close it once more.

           This was strange.

           Kiyi was undoubtedly a cuddlier, loved to spend time with everyone and anyone. The star of the show, able to capture the hearts of many with her positive and addictive attitude. Sometimes Zuko would go to her room and read books before she went to bed, often coming back to the bedroom and telling me how these children’s books were ‘cringy.’

           But to have her, in our bed, saying that she wants to stay the night had me in a whirlwind. It was so unlike her. She loved snuggling, but she was one independent cookie – one who went to the beat of her own drum. Processing their words, both of them gawking over me, trying to figure out if I was upset at the news.

           “Did she give a reason why she wished to stay?” I asked, and they nodded eagerly, “Something about a card?”

           “Oh-”

           “We can go and ask her to leave, Imperial Consort, we shouldn’t have let her stay in the first place-”

           “No,” I spoke up, raising my hand and gently placing it over theirs.

           Their breathing hitched, unsure if I was about to get upset, but I quickly flashed a smile. Shaking my head because suddenly, it made sense, remembering the sad smile on Kiyi’s face from this morning when she spoke about Zuko.

           She was just as upset and worried as everyone else about the whole situation. Just because she was a child, and didn’t know all the details regarding the situation, didn’t mean she didn’t pick up on the depressive tone from us all. Just like how I needed a hug, I bet Kiyi needed one too.

           “Do me a favour, please, and let Lady Ursa know that Kiyi is with me tonight. To send a maid in the morning to wake us, so she goes to school on time.”

           They both nodded, letting out a breath, “We’ll go right now, Imperial Consort.”

           “Thank you. Have a nice night.”

           “You too.” They smiled before bowing.

           I turned on my heel, facing the bedroom doors, my hands falling over it. With one fluid movement, I eased my way inside, only for the corners of my lips to curve upwards.

           What a sight.

           There Kiyi sat, in the middle of Zuko and I’s bed, pillows around her as she held the teddy bear Zuko gave me tight to her chest. The blankets were perfectly nestled under her chin, her beady eyes glowing under the warmth of the candles. “Button?” I cooed, and I could hear Kiyi enthusiastically squirm under the sheets.

           “I was waiting; it’s past bedtime.” She smugly retorted, and while I didn’t see the look on her face, I already knew she had a huge grin.

           “Oh, I’m sorry. It’s just that this room here I’m pretty sure doesn’t belong to you.” I teased, stepping inside as I let the door shut behind me. With ease, I pulled at the elastic that held my hair into a high pony, mewling with delight as it fell. All the tension in my scalp, releasing as my hair draped over my shoulders.

           Kiyi watched in awe as she sat up, her mouth hanging, “Your hair is so long and pretty.”

           “Compliments won’t work on me, button.” I pestered, grabbing one of Zuko’s old T-shirts that was draped at the end of the bed.

           With the shirt in hand, I eased my way to the bathroom, letting the door open just a crack, so I could hear the way Kiyi buzzed on the other side. My hand rubbed the back of my neck, another yawn escaping me before my eyes settled over the mirror, taking in my appearance for the first time in a while.

           I looked exhausted.

           The dress I wore seemed oddly loose about my hips, fingers a bit boney, and cheeks sullen. Dark circles under my eyes and back aching from hunching over the desk all day, staying up all night only to wake up bright and early. I let my hands run through my hair, trying my best to shake out the tangles, too tired to brush.

           With a tired sigh, my fingers danced to the front of my dress, beginning to undress.

           “Yue, where did you get this teddy? He’s so cute.” I heard Kiyi gush and laughed softly. “Who do you think, button?” I responded, letting the red fabric fall onto the floor.

           My hands grasped Zuko’s old shirt, easily squirming my body into it. It was massive in size, stopping near my thighs as it bagged over my body comfortably. His warm spice-like scene still etched into the fabric, like cinnamon.

           “Was it Zuzu?” Kiyi shouted, and I happily smiled with closed eyes, “You bet it.”

           In a matter of minutes, I cleaned myself up, patting my face dry with a towel and wiped the last drop of my cream onto my leg. My hand reached for the door, ready to step out, but I stilled for a split moment, catching a glimpse of myself once more in the mirror. A sad smile reaching my eyes knowing that I saw Zuko today, even if it were for the last time.

           As long as you’re safe, Zuko, that’s all that matters

           “Which side do you want, button?” I questioned, forcing my pitch to be higher than usual, a weak attempt to appear cheery. With my hands on my hips, I stopped at the foot of the bed, gazing over at Kiyi with tender eyes.

           Kiyi brought a finger to her lip as if thinking deeply of the question. Her cute brows scrunching up before her lighting up unexpectedly, “Where do you sleep?”          

           “On the right,” I answered, and Kiyi grinned.

           “Then I want to sleep right-” Kiyi droned before rolling underneath the blankets and stopping abruptly, “here.” I giggled at Kiyi’s silliness, taking note where this little ball of trouble decided to sleep.

           “As you wish, button.” I hummed under my breath before walking towards the left side of the bed.

           My fingers dragged along the warm covers, eyes setting over the pillow and nightstand that rested. The unfinished book Zuko had left sitting over the table, the candles still fresh and unused for the past week until today. And while Kima and Lia even dusted his side, creating the illusion as if space has been used, I swallowed back the sadness.

           I didn’t dare touch this side once, opting to curl myself into a tight ball, sticking too far right.

           But now standing here, pulling the heavy covers back had me entering a joyful trance. If I thought wearing Zuko’s shirts gave me flashbacks of pure bliss, letting my body dip into the bed, head resting along his pillow had me turning pink. It felt like home, the closest I’ve been to him for days, and if it weren’t for Kiyi’s giggle, I would’ve laid here with a goofy smile plastered on my face for hours.

           I twisted my body, pulling the blankets over us as Kiyi wiggled her way closer to my body. Her legs wrapped themselves with mine, letting my arm drape over her frame as she rested her head on my shoulder. My lips danced along with her temple, placing a sweet kiss, “So button, tell me, something. Why did you come to my bed tonight?”

           I heard Kiyi shyly huff, before mumbling softly, “Because I miss Zuko…”

           A low sigh escaped me, placing another chaste kiss over her. “He misses you too, button. I know when he gets up, he’s going to give you tons of hugs and kisses, especially after that card.” I cooed against her forehead, hand caressing her face.

           Kiyi sniffled, nodding slightly as she tugged the blankets closer to her body. I could tell based on the way her body didn’t squirm as much anymore, that sleep was starting to get the best of her. I wonder how far it is past her bedtime? Hopefully, she gets the rest she needs.

           “Yue…” Kiyi quietly spoke, her voice so low that I had to force myself to hear her properly. “Do you ever get lonely without Zuzu around?”

           My mouth opened at her question, pulling her body closer to me as I thought. I’ve never felt lonelier in my life until now.

           “Of course, Button, but guess who decided to surprise me in my bed, it’s like a cuddle party.” I chirped under my breath, trying to keep my tone down. Kiyi giggled feebly at my answer before a tiny yawn left her lips.

           I rose a brow at the adorable yawn that left her, reminding me of the cute sighs Zuko was letting go as he slept. “Is someone tired?” I whispered, and I could hear her pout.

           “No…I-I can stay up a bit longer...” Kiyi argued tiredly, but as I pulled back, I snickered under my breath.

           Kiyi’s eyes were droopy, struggling to stay open as she snuggled the teddy bear close to her chest. I let my hand brush her black locks behind her ears, carefully moving her head from my shoulder onto my pillow. Without much protests, just a tiny whine, Kiyi curled into a ball, head sinking into the cushion.

           “I love you, Yue.” She whispered sleepily, and I beamed, tucking the blankets under her chin. “I love you too, button. Thank you for always bringing a smile to my face.” I hummed, before slowly inching my way back, sitting upright for a brief moment to blow out the candles that lit the space.

           The room darkened, only the moonlight seeping through the curtain, casting shadows. But this time, the shadows – didn’t feel as scary.

           I pulled the covers over my body, settling onto my side as I let my arm drape over Kiyi’s resting figure. My heart twisted into knows, joy filling my soul, as the light from the moon cast just enough illumination for me to see the tranquil expression on Kiyi.

           My hand rose, gently caressing her chubby cheeks, her lips parting as her breathing evened out. She’s precious. Soft snores escaping her as she snuggled deeper into my hold, blankets enveloping her body.

           “Goodnight, button,” I whispered into her messy hair, my own eyes falling shut.

           I don’t want to leave. Not Kiyi, or the Gaang, Iroh or Ursa…

           But most importantly, I don’t want to leave Zuko.

           My breathing began to even out; mind spacing as my body felt heavy. Sleep beginning to consume my body, enjoying the way my muscles relaxed. How long has it been since I’ve been able to ease into such a calm state?

           Lost in the peace, the gentle sounds of the door opening, footsteps pattering was dismissed as nothing more but a dream. The current state of nirvana, mind floating, disregarding the way the blankets shifted over my body. Probably Kiyi getting comfy.

           Intuitively, I squirmed in my spot, bringing the covers closer to myself, head sinking into the pillow. A comforting warmth was spooning me from behind the further I fell into a deep sleep, as if two large arms were holding me from behind.

           I smiled softly because there wasn’t a doubt in my mind who I was dreaming of. The way their hands cupped my own – fingers rubbing my palms as their legs tangled with both mine and Kiyi’s.  

           “Zuko.” I weakly called, because the dream felt so real. As if he was right behind, his face pressed into my hair, his hot breath tickling my ear. Even his overwhelming firewood scent filled my scenes, eyes rolling to the back of my head despite my eyes shut because it was the smell of home.

           “Shh, baby. Just sleep, I got you.” I could hear him drone into my ear, my heart pounding because I could feel the way his chest rumbled from behind. It was crazy, how vivid this dream. But my body too tired, to relaxed, to move and make sure that I was in fact, dreaming, let the doubts in my mind go.

           Enjoy the dream, Yue. Your first happy dream in days.

           “Zuko…” I sighed in harmony, snuggling my body deeper into his embrace. Right away, the grip he had on my body tightened, cooing into my ear, “Yes, love?”

           “I’m…sorry. I don’t…I don’t want to go.”

           “Then don’t.” he quickly replied into my ear, a raspiness in his voice. I let out a small sniffle as I instinctively pulled his hand to my chest. “But…I…I want…you safe.”

           “I’m safe, right here, with you in my arms.”

           “I… I love you.”

           “I love you, too, Yue,” Zuko whispered once more before my mind drifted completely.

           And for the first time, in days, I slept.

           With the biggest smile on my face.

Copyright © 2019 Mystic-Kitten-Writer, inc. all rights reserved. No reposting, modifying, or translations of any kind allowed. Thank you for your cooperation.

Disclaimer: I do not own any Avatar characters portrayed in this story besides Ying Yue Jiang, Lia, Kima, and any future creations.

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#atla #Zuko #Avatar The Last Airbender #avatar the last airbender zuko #atla zuko #limerence #zuko x oc #zuko love story #prince zuko #masterlist #Like and/or reblog!

[trixie-pixie]

every perfect summer's eating me alive (until you're gone)

Jan has never understood the feeling of love before, not until now, when she’s driving through the city streets with her best friend at 1 AM, singing along to Madonna’s discography that’s playing so loud she could feel rather than hear her voice breaking. Jackie wasn’t a singer by any means, but she’s always indulged the blonde- especially on late summer nights like this when they know they don’t have too many chances to do this again. The air outside is cool with the light breeze of a late August night, but inside the car, Jan feels nothing but warmth and pure love as the end of Madonna’s Like A Prayer faded out.

Jan lets out a giggle as the car suddenly became far too quiet for her liking. Jackie smiles at her in the mirror, not willing to take her eyes off the road but still giving her a look that makes warmth bloom in Jan’s chest, and not just from the slightly excessive amounts of alcohol she’s drunk at the party they’re on their way back from. Jackie had been happy, as always, to be a designated driver, so long as Jan had a good time and got home safe.

“I love this.” Jan says, matter-of-factly. “I love this so much. I love you so much. I just love being alive.”

Jackie chuckled at her best friends excited rambling. “I love you too, Janessa-” Jan could never control her smile when she heard that. “What’s going on in that pretty little head?”

Jan is silent for a moment, ignoring Jackie’s teasing tone. She’s feeling thoughtful (and more than a little bit drunk), and the question just tumbles out of her mouth.

“Do you think you’ll ever fall in love?”

Jackie laughs before realizing that Jan is stone cold serious. The blonde is looking at her like her answer could change the world, like it’s the only thing she’s ever needed or wanted.

She pauses to think for a moment, and Jan thinks that it’s the most beautiful thing she’s ever seen. Jackie’s dark brown curls are pulled back behind her head, but the stubborn ones continue to fall around her face, refusing to be brushed away. She’s wearing a hoodie over the short black dress she had worn to the party, and Jan envies her for being smart enough to remember one. Jackie looks warm, but it might just be because Jackie is warmth personified. From her smile, to her deep chuckle, to the way she can always warm up Jan’s perpetually cold hands, Jackie is warmth.

“I don’t know-” Jackie says quietly, and Jan is intrigued. “How should I?”

“What do you mean you don’t know? How could you not?” Jan shouts, as if Jackie’s answer is the craziest thing she’s ever heard.

“I don’t even think I know what love is supposed to feel like! I mean, I understand liking someone, but I’ve never fallen in love with someone- not real love, at least,” Jan nods along with Jackie’s words, absorbing them like they’re scripture. “What about you, Jannifer? Any plans to abandon me with the hunk of your dreams?”

Jan cackles at that. “God, I have no clue-” She admits. Jackie laughs along with her, and soon their giggles fill the car, louder than the now-forgotten music.

“How could you make fun of me for not knowing when you have the exact same answer! You’re such a hypocrite!” Jackie exclaims, and the girls burst into another fit of giggles, thankful that they’re at a red light because Jackie definitely wouldn’t have been able to pay attention to the road if they had been moving.

“I don’t know, I guess I don’t know what it’s supposed to feel like either!” She laughs, but quickly her tone sobers. “I don’t know if it’s supposed to be like the movies- I’ve never looked at a boy and felt… like that. I’ve never had those butterflies for a boy. It just feels weird, honestly.”

“I feel that,” Jackie replies earnestly. “But it’ll come. Definitely for you, Jan, I mean, look at you. Anyone who wouldn’t date you is an idiot. But there’s a boy out there for you, I know it.”

“Yeah,” Jan replies, and that was that.

She feels unnerved at Jackie’s comment- was it that talking about the L-word made her nervous? Or was it the compliment that is making her feel awkward? Jan shakes it off- it’s most likely the alcohol in her system that’s making her feel off. She smiles as Jackie parked a few doors down from Jan’s house, making it easier for her to sneak back in after being out far later than she should be.

She thanks Jackie for the ride and hugs her tight across the console. Jackie stops her just as she’s about to shut the door.

“Wait, I have news,” Jackie sounded both nervous and excited, and Jan perks up at this, forgetting about her previous discomfort.

“Wait, what? Tell me! I need to hear!”

Jackie let out a nervous chuckle. “Well, uh, speaking of boys-” She started. “D’you know Cody? From school?”

Jan knows Cody- he’s a nice guy. A weird art kid with a mullet that could rival any 80’s boy band, but a nice guy nonetheless. They’ve never exchanged more than a few words, but he’s never been anything but kind. So why does Jan feel bile rising in her throat?

“Of course I know him- what about Cody?” She responds, attempting to hide the discomfort that is quickly returning. Her fists clench, trying to ignore the blood rushing in her ears.

“Well-” Jackie begins, trailing off.

“Well?” Jan pushes. She knows what’s coming- she knows what her best friend is about to say. She knows that her reaction has to be perfect, even if all she wants to do at the thought is cry. Why is she so upset?

“He asked me on a date-” Jackie blurts out, and Jan does everything in her power not to let her face fall. The cool summer air has turned frigid, and Jan feels freezing cold and suddenly sober.

“-I said yes!”

And that’s how Jan’s night ends with her puking on the neighbours lawn at 1 AM.

---

“Holy shit, Jan, are you okay?”

“I’m fine-” she hiccups. “Just had too much to drink. I’m sorry.”

Jackie looks worried- Jan almost never throws up from alcohol. Even when she gets absolutely wasted, Jan is usually the one to just sleep it off.

“Are you sure? You aren’t feeling extra tired or weak or anything?” Jackie lists off symptoms, and Jan reassures her.

“God, no, I promise I’m fine. Just nauseous- I’ll drink some water and sleep it off. I promise.”

Jackie’s expression softens, and she hugs Jan.

“Text me when you get home safe, yeah?” Jan confirms. Jackie nods into her shoulder.

“You’ll probably be passed out by then, but I will. Make sure you take care of yourself, alright? I love you.”

Jan feels immediately guilty at the expression- Jackie has told her she loves her a million times, but this time, her stomach sinks, and it definitely isn’t due to the alcohol. She simply nods and smiles, not being able to force a response out of her mouth. She gives the brunette one last squeeze before she goes and attempts to sneak back in her house without her parents noticing.

They don’t, of course. Jan learned from the best- the best being her three older brothers, who got caught enough times to teach their baby sister exactly what not to do. Jan was just as much of a troublemaker as the boys, maybe even more at times, but with a dazzling smile and her sweet mannerisms, she could get away with just about anything.

Jan sneaks into her room without incident, making sure to get herself a large glass of water on the way. She feels exhaustion rooting itself in her bones- nearly enough to neglect taking her makeup off before crawling into bed. Keyword being nearly- she may have had a long night, but Jan is not about to take it out on her skin.

She drags herself to the bathroom- her feet are aching from her uncomfortable heels and her head is pounding from her current state, but she makes it there. Right as she goes to grab her face cloth, her phone lights up with a flurry of messages from Jackie.

1:16 AM

Jackie 💜: made it home!!! get some sleep ily

Jackie 💜: i’ll call u after the date tmw

Jackie 💜: i’d get u to help me get ready before but ur gonna be sleeping til noon after drinking that much

Jackie 💜: wish me luck!!!! ilysm babyyyy

It’s at that moment that Jan bursts into tears.

She doesn’t know why she’s so angry at the thought of Jackie going out with Cody- it’s not like Jackie belongs to her. But in a way, she does. Jackie is hers. Jackie has been her best friend since middle school- she’s seen Jan through tears of pain and joy, she’s held Jan’s hands during pre-soccer game pep talks and pre-show encouragements. She’s held Jan close to her chest on some of her worst nights, and Jan has done the same for her. The thought of her best friend in someone else’s arms is almost too much to handle, and Jan sinks to the floor. Jackie is hers- not some stupid boy’s from English class.

Every time she thinks about stupid Cody and his stupid smile, it feels like another knife wound to her heart. She just wants to crawl into bed and be alone- not alone. She wants to be with Jackie. Jackie, the only person able to talk Jan down from her drunken meltdowns. Jackie, who is the only person that Jan would want to talk to about this, and is the only person she can’t.

Jackie. Her Jackie.

Jan falls asleep that night wearing a hoodie stolen from a certain brunette and with tear stains on her pillowcase.

#rpdr #rpdr fic #rpdr fanfic #rpdr fanfiction #jackie cox #jan sport #jankie #jankie fanfic #fanfic #fanfiction #drag race fic #drag race fanfic #drag race fanfiction #jankie fic #jankie fanfiction

[im-happy-at-home]

I was lying in bed in the middle of the night, listening to Queen, and thought, “The Millionaire Waltz is better than Bohemian Rhapsody.”

Hear me out, don’t get triggered just yet. 

The Millionaire Waltz’s piano and bass duet opening is so amazing. Fred and Deaks really have great musical chemistry. When we got some of Brian’s guitar in there, it was like adding in something you didn’t know was missing. Then there’s the soft guitar and piano slowly getting louder, the boys harmonies appearing and leading into the rock and roll portion with Brian and Roger’s electric guitar and energetic drums really stealing the show. Then there’s the actual waltz with Brian and Freddie. It’s magical, like time traveling between two eras, the Victorian era and the rock and roll era, which somehow fit together really well. I bet those lords and ladies would have loved the electric guitar, it melds so well with the piano. When Deaky jumps in with the bass to add extra swing and Roger with his cymbals to add more grandeur, the effect is mesmerizing. Again, it’s like listening to two eras at once. Then it slows down and leads up to my favorite part: the harmonies. It’s amazing. The amount of layers of vocals they put in this section is dumbfounding. Every voice and tone is in perfect harmony with each other and the effect is magical. Then it reaches its majestic ending with a resounding bass and cymbal combo. Perfect. A true work of art.

But before you all go:

I decided to give Bohemian Rhapsody a fighting chance, so I listened to it immediately after TMW with an open mind (as if I haven’t heard this song a million times, but eh, I’m not complaining). 

As soon as the acapella part begins, it’s obvious that the band grew incredibly in The Millionaire Waltz in terms of making their harmonies much cleaner. But there’s something more mysterious and edgy in the acapella section of BohRap. Plus with the sudden enter of the piano, it truly feels like the beginning of, well, a rhapsody. An epic poem. Plus, you’re totally taken in by the mesmerizing vocals and more importantly the lyrics. “Anyway the wind blows doesn’t really matter to me.” Then begins Freddie’s piano and his soul pouring lyrics that we still don’t know the true meaning of 40 years later. “Carry on, carry on, as if nothing really matters.” When the drums came in, I literally got shivers down my spine. I’m NOT kidding. The electric guitar, and the ethereal “Any way the wind blows” in the background give me goosebumps. Freddie’s voice is so raw and vulnerable as he sings, “I sometimes wish I’ve never been born at all!” No matter how many times I’ve heard that line, it never gets old. Here come the Gallileos. Then the Magnificos. The Bismillahs. The Mamma Mias. No song today has ever gotten close to the majesty of this sequence. Then the build up to one of the most iconic guitar and drum numbers of all time. Head banging is a must. Then from the chaos, it slows down, focusing again on Freddie’s vocals and his lyrics. “Nothing really matters to me.”

So there I was, with the legendary rock and roll ballad in one hand and the underrated work of art in the other. Which would reign supreme? Which would be the song to end all songs? 

I decided: both.

Bohemian Rhapsody is definitely a masterpiece. It’s rich, it’s mysterious, it’s soulful, it’s rock and roll, it drags you in. You can hear the technical flaws but, like what Brian May said in an interview once, that’s just the way it is, just like life. So many people can identify and relate to the lyrics and the overall raw feel, sound and emotion of the song. That’s why it’s so timeless.

The Millionaire Waltz, on the other hand, is actual proof of how talented every single member of Queen is, and how far they’ve grown as artists after recording BohRap. While BohRhap is generally labelled as “Freddie’s song,” which it is, The Millionaire Waltz is 100% a QUEEN song. It joyous, it’s astounding, and it showcases what every single member of the band can do. A good example is how we get to hear John show off a little, whereas in BohRhap he takes a backseat and instead compliments the others. It’s a song that perfectly displays what they each can do, and how well they go together.

In conclusion, one is THE song that will remain timeless and in the hearts of those who hear it forever, while the other is a precious gem hidden amongst some of Queen’s best work, waiting to be discovered and appreciated. While this does not settle the argument between which is better, it gave me the closure I needed to realize they don’t need be compared. They can both be loved individually. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

Thanks to @skywardblaze @wereallgoingtodie and @graffiti-national-monuments for being interested in this! What do you guys think?

#wheeew that was a lot #sleep deprived queen listening party #freddie mercury #john deacon #queen #queen band #roger taylor #brian may #bohemian rhapsody #bohemian rhapsody movie #deaky #deacy #queen song analysis

[tibbygetsrekt]

TMW you got a new f/o and you just kind of go ham creating content.

no content warnings apply other than possible diabetes.

     The stack of paperwork never seemed to lessen, Smoker’s hand scrubbing over his face as he let out a groan. He could understand if perhaps he was a slacker like other Captains, but he wasn’t. To be honest, he had a sneaking suspicion that someone was foisting their paperwork off on him, knowing he would do it. Teeth grinding on his cigars, he reached out for the next slip of paper and paused. 

     It was off, at first his tired eyes couldn’t place what was wrong with it. But then he did, his cheeks flushing as he re-read the form four times before slamming a hand down on it as if someone else was in the room. After a moment, sitting in his chair with his eyes closed as he counted to twenty, Smoker lifted his hand and read the form again. 

Name: Tiberius Morningstar    Personnel Number: 086917 Rank: Ensign                            Date of request: smudged Requisition Request:              HIGH IMPORTANCE!          I, Ensign Morningstar, request the use of one Captain Smoker for nap time. I find myself unable to sleep and would appreciate the comforting presence of my superior officer to assist me in returning to some semblance of peak condition after obtaining forty or more winks.            At this point in time, I may or may not be a danger to my fellow man, as well as myself, or a certain Captain’s sanity as I am beginning to feel slightly manic.            I would also like to request that a more powerful fan be moved into my quarters as two sleeping bodies generate more heat than one. 

     It was signed with a flourish, and a small xo tucked in the tail of the g. Incredulous, his fingers tensed, wanting to crumple the ridiculous thing. But he couldn’t bring himself to do that, instead shoving it into the breast pocket of his jacket. 

     He couldn’t believe that they had- No, wait he could. It wasn’t so far fetched considering the reimbursement requests they’d put in for the items needed for their mischief. The bar tabs they’d submitted and marked down as medical reimbursement form. Claiming that it was ongoing treatment, though the doctor who had prescribed the treatment had been too smudged to read. 

     At the very least, he had the assurance that no one else had read the form. Tiberius tended to tuck their forms into his paperwork while they were… It wasn’t bothering, but it wasn’t helpful. His cheeks flushed again as his mind idly toyed with the idea that each time Tiberius came to his office unbidden they were flirting. He wouldn’t put it past them. 

     Fingers skimming along his jacket over the pocket with the note, Smoker pulled another form from the pile. Blinking a few times to bring it into focus, rubbing his eyes, he tried not to gnash his teeth in frustration. He had not been sleepy until reading that form, as a matter of fact, he'd only been frustrated. But now he was struggling against a yawn, losing, and then feeling his jaw crack. 

     Aggressively shoving away from his desk, he stood and stretched with a low noise in his throat as other things cracked. How long had he been hunched over his desk? Walking around it, and out the door, he ignored the startled personnel that watched him pass. Long strides carried him down hallways until he stopped in front of a door and stared at the whorls in the wood. 

     He was expected, wasn’t he? Technically? There hadn’t been a date or time on the requisition form, his mouth opening as another yawn snuck out, his hand lifting to rest against the door. Fingers curling, he rapped them sharply and felt ridiculous when he realized that he’d started slouching. Straightening his spine, and squaring his shoulders, he waited and then knocked again. 

“Ensign Morningstar!’ Still no answer, and he felt uncertainty trickle low in his belly, reaching out for the doorknob. 

     To be honest he was expecting to find an empty room, but instead found the ex-pirate sprawled on top of what looked like one of his jackets, which was spread over a mound of pillows. It was… cute. Slipping inside the room, he gently closed the door and moved to stand next to the bed. 

“Ensign!’ He called, loathe to reach out and wake them with a shake. 

     But the bed looked inviting, and so did the sleepy curl of their fingers as they gripped the fur collar of his jacket. Which he needed to figure out how they’d gotten a hold of it, his own quarters were locked at all times, even when he was in them. Watching them nuzzle the fabric, and the smile that lazily curled their lips as they breathed in through their nose made his cheeks heat. He should go, if they had finally managed to get to sleep disturbing them would be cruel. 

“Smo-kun?’ One eye cracked open, slowly shifting to look up at him as the smile slowly broadened to a grin. “Oh! You got my form…’

     If it wasn’t for the fact that it was very obvious they were too tired to do anything, Smoker would have blamed the rush of blood to his head on them. But they were struggling to sit up, rubbing at their eye with the heel of their hand. Still smiling. Absently rubbing a hand over his chest where his heart was pounding, Smoker stared down at them as he gnawed on his cigars. Their already curly hair was a bunched near their shoulder, their other hand reaching out and taking hold of his jacket to tug at him. 

“You okay?’ They asked muzzily. “You look like you’re about to tip over.’

“I’m fine!’ He snapped, embarrassed to have been caught staring, red-cheeked as he lifted his eyes and stared instead at the wall over their head. 

“Please?’

     Grip tightening, the ex-pirate staring up at him. When they realized he wasn’t going to come down to them, they stood up and leaned against him, arms wrapping around his middle with a content sigh. If necessary they would fall asleep just like this, Smoker wouldn’t let them fall over. Cheek nuzzling against his skin, they couldn’t help another sleepy noise escaping him as his scent filled their nose. 

“You smell good.’

     A low grunt is all they received as a response, making them turn their head and tilt their head to look up at him. Smoker still wasn’t looking at them, and if his face got any redder he might pass out. Pleased with themself, Tiberius returned to nuzzling against his chest, feeling the fur collar brushing against their forehead. 

“I didn’t mean to wake you.’

“You stood over me and yelled…’ feeling a rumble in his chest as he coughed they struggled not to laugh out loud. “You did, not that I’m mad about it. I miss you.’

“We saw each other in the mess hall this morning…’ 

     But his arms wrapped around their shoulders, a smile tugging at his lips feeling them go on tip toe and press closer. Glancing at the ends of his cigars and seeing they’d burned themselves out, he pulled them out to toss them into an ashtray. They didn’t smoke, but there were ashtrays strewn about their quarters anyways. Something that amused him, but also made him feel a little warm in his chest. 

     Feeling the body pressed against him slump, Smoker felt a flicker of alarm. But after catching them before they fell, he realized that they’d fallen asleep leaning against him. Throat tight at the implied level of trust, he sat down on the bed and chuckled as they cuddled closer on his lap even as he tried to adjust his hold on them. 

“You’re going to fall, honey.’ He muttered, watching as they grabbed one side of the fur collar and held on tightly. “.... I don’t like sleeping sitting up.’

     He was joking, though it came out sounding like a genuine complaint. Tiberius’ eyes opened, blinked a few times and then closed again as they shifted on his lap to cling to him like a reverse backpack. Unable to stop himself, he laughed and wrapped an arm around their waist as he scooted farther onto the bed and lay down. There were too many pillows in the way, his body wriggling trying to move them as Tiberius clung to the front of him. 

“Stop… that is not nap conducive.’

“Why do you have so many pillows?’ He’d ask how but wasn’t sure he wanted to know that answer. 

“You’re not always here.’ They groused. 

     Reluctantly moving, they slid off to one side and started half heartedly tugging at the pillows under him. He wasn’t much help, staring at them wide eyed until they sloppily kicked at him. Arching his back, they managed to get most of the pillows out of the way, and immediately cuddled close to his side after shoving at his jacket to get it out of the way. Eyes rolling, Smoker shifted and managed to work his arms out of his jacket despite the handicap of sleepy Ensign clinging to him. 

“I didn’t realize I was supposed to be.’

“What?’ 

“Be here, all the time.’ He felt their head lift, and used his hand to push it back down as he stared at the ceiling. 

“Wait! What are you- oh!’ 

“It would be highly inappropriate.’ 

“Probably.’ They conceded, though their shoulder lifted and fell in a shrug. 

“But if it means that you sleep more often than wreak havoc, I may have to risk it.’ Ignoring their laughter, his hand smoothed down their arm to wrap around their ribs. “Though I swear you plot even in your sleep.’

“.... I do sometimes, actually.’

     He wanted to be surprised, really he did, but it made a certain amount of sense given just how cleverly they managed to bring hell but somehow not be caught. The only reason he knew it was them was because he knew them. No tangible proof however, and never a single witness to give a concise or helpful answer. It was awe inspiring but also slightly terrifying. 

“Speaking of plotting,’ Smoker felt them tense. “Where did you get one of my jackets?’

“Oh that!’ Relaxing again, they nuzzled his chest with their cheek. “I made a copy of your key weeks ago to sneak into your quarters to nap. Then thought it’d be less nerve wracking to just take a jacket to sleep with in my own quarters.’

“You…’ he paused, taking in a deep breath and let it out slowly before trying again. “You broke into my quarters to nap?’

“Sometimes.’ They didn’t sound the least bit repentant. “No one would look for me there.’

     That was against so many different regulations, Smoker’s head ached, his teeth grinding as they slowly squirmed and shifted until they were half laying across his chest. 

“You can write me up later, okay babe?’ One hand lightly patted his cheek, resting against it to stroke their thumb against his cheekbone feeling the tenseness in his jeans under their fingers. “Or we can discuss some sort of punishment. But you need sleep. I need sleep. Shhhh.’

“I cannot believe you illegally obtained a key to the private quarters of your superior officer to make use of his effects to-’

“That’s nothing.’ They interrupted, their hand moving to cover his mouth. “Yell at me later.’

“Why? What else have you done?’ Voice muffled by their hand, he glared down at them when they smiled in response. 

“I’ll make you a list. Later.’

     At the mention of a list, Smoker let out a soft choked noise. He shouldn’t be surprised, he thought for the hundredth time. And yet there he was, and arm wrapped around them to keep them close even as he wanted to shake them until their brain cells connected properly. Faulty wiring was the only excuse he could think of that would cause someone to find such joy in that much chaos. There was a limit, and they hadn’t seemed to reach it, if their behavior was anything to go by. 

“Later.’ He finally ground out from between gritted teeth. Taking a breath in and holding it, before letting it go as well as some of his frustration. “.... ………. I don’t like sleeping on my back.’

“Smoker!’ They whined, their hand shifting to cover half his face with their fingers spread. 

     Before he could reply, they moved off him and shoved at his ribs, squirming beneath his arm until he rolled onto his side. Another nudge until he was half on their stomach, Tiberius’ cheek resting on his shoulder blade, arm draping across him. 

“Now can we sleep, please? You look terrible.’

“Wh- Excuse you?’

“One more word and I’m going to bite you.’ They grumbled, knee hooking his waist as they shifted closer. 

     A part of him was almost too indignant to care, head half lifted before falling again, grabbing another pillow to tuck between his arm and cheek. If it was anyone else it would be safe to bet that it was an idle threat. But knowing Tiberius, more specifically a sleepy Tiberius, it was a promise. Wordlessly grumbling as he got comfortable, he was amused to feel their lips press a kiss against his shoulder once he stopped moving. Moments later their breathing slowed, falling asleep quickly though their grip on him didn’t lessen. And he didn’t mind it, his own eyes closing with a sigh. He’d read them their rights later, a nap wasn’t a terrible idea after all.

#( an angel craving chaos a demon seeking peace ) #tibby’s library ;; f/o fics #unprompted fluff no one asked for #i haven't even fully finished the self insert information in a doc yet #like i laid it out already to luna and lix #but ??? asldkjgaf fucking Smoker you guys #i'm rekt

[loverofgravity]

West Coast Tech Mystery: A Gravity Falls Fanfic Ch. 3

Wendy was already scrolling through her phone when it chimed. She had received a text from Dipper, “Hey Wen, Ford sounded really worried when I called. He’s coming down tmw night to help us sort it out. We are meeting at Northside Diner at 7. U in?” She smiled as the feeling of anticipation and mystery rekindled in her mind. She had tried to keep the recent events surrounding the Blind Eye in the back of her mind. She typed, “I’ll be there Dip!” and hit send.

The next morning, Stanford excused himself from breakfast in the kitchen of the Mystery Shack and beckoned Stanley to join him as he left. Soos shrugged at his Abuelita and continued eating. Ford gestured his twin towards the lab beneath the shack and followed him down. Stanley leaned against a broken panel of equipment as Ford began flipping through various books. "Stanley, we have a serious problem on our hands. The Society of the Blind Eye is back." Stanley stood up and seemed unimpressed, "The who now?" Ford sighed and rolled his eyes, "The secret cult that used Fiddleford's memory gun on the townspeople...the gun we used to defeat Bill...?" It clicked in Stanley's mind, and he smiled as he scratched his head, "Oh, right." Ford continued, "Anyway, they are a serious threat. Dipper believes he has encountered them at West Coast Tech and has asked for my assistance. Fiddleford and I are going down to discuss the matter in person, tonight. You are welcome to come with us. You may be very useful in case we run into anything, and I'm sure you'd like to visit Dipper. However, you can't speak to anyone about this; we don't know who we can trust!" Stanley laughed, "Sure! I'd love to visit the twerp!"

Dipper found Wendy, Fiddleford McGucket, and his two Grunkles already chatting and laughing at Northside Diner just off campus. They had already ordered him a Pitt Cola and greeted him cheerfully as he approached the table. He retuned their smiles and wearily took a seat. The usual small talk and catching up followed until they had ordered their food. As the waitress left, Dipper and Ford exchanged a serious glance and each of them grew more stern-faced. Ford began the conversation, “We’ve all had a good time catching up on the last few months, but it is time we get down to business.” Everyone grew silent and attentive as Ford spoke. “Dipper, tell us what has happened so far, and what you have learned. Fiddleford might be able to fill in some of our questions, and we can all extrapolate the data.”

Dipper related everything to the group as he had to Wendy and added what little conjecture he had come up with since. “That’s all I have. I haven’t found anything on the Society outside of Gravity Falls, and I can’t find any motivations they may have for being here other than targeting Wendy and I along with any other previous residents of Gravity Falls that may be here. However, we destroyed the memory gun; this makes things even murkier.” Ford looked to McGucket, who had been sitting quietly and pondering the conversation without interjection. “Fiddleford, do you have any clue as to why the Blind Eye could be here? Do you remember if there were multiple chapters?” Fiddleford looked to one side and scratched his chin thoughtfully. “I reckon there was only the one chapter as far as I can remember. That doesn’t mean they didn’t found more after I left. As far as the memory gun is concerned, they could have made more from my prototype. It wasn’t too terribly complicated, but it would take some skill.” After a pause, Wendy sat up and interjected, “I don’t understand how they are still around though; we wiped the group’s memory that day in the museum.”

Everyone turned suddenly as a microphone buzzed on a small stage in the corner of the diner. A pale, bald-headed man with a banjo spoke into the mic. “Hello ladies and gents! My name is toot-toot McBumbersnazzle and I am here to provide you with some entertainment tonight!” He still bore the tattoos on his skull, most of them hidden by a fedora he was wearing. He began a lighthearted but quiet tune on his banjo as the group turned back to their table. Wendy pointed excitedly “See! That’s Blind Ivan right there. Mabel told him that McBumbersnazzle stuff after we wiped his mind!” Ford tapped his glass with a fork, “Hmm…Odd, very odd. If Blind Ivan’s memory is truly gone, the others’ memories should still be wiped as well. I can only guess that we are dealing with another chapter.” Dipper added to his thought, “Or one of the old members found their memory tube under the museum?” Ford shook his head, “Unlikely Dipper, I had Mabel and Soos show me the Society’s old lair. They said it was just as you left it five years ago.” Everyone paused as the food arrived. Once they were alone again, Dipper recapped, “So we are dealing with a different chapter of the Blind Eye who may or may not have a memory gun and are, for some reason, here instead of in Gravity Falls?” Fiddleford wiped his mouth with a napkin, “It would appear so, Dipper. Now we must find out why they are here. I assume there aren’t a lot of anomalies here; therefore, they shouldn’t have a reason to be somewhere like this.”

The discussion continued without any other revelations, and, soon, each of them were exchanging goodbyes. Ford grabbed Dipper by the shoulders, “Dipper, this group could be extremely dangerous. We have no idea what they want. Be careful my boy. In the meantime, Stanley, Fiddleford, and myself will see what we can find back in Gravity Falls. I’m sure we will have to do some investigating here, with you, as well.” Dipper smiled and reassured his Grunkle, “Don’t worry about me, Grunkle Ford. You know I can handle myself; plus Wendy is here to help. I will keep you updated on anything we find here.” Ford returned his smile “Excellent! I’m sure we’ll figure this out.” With that, they walked out of the diner as a group, oblivious to the prying glare of toot-toot McBumbersnazzle that followed them out the door.

#gravity falls #gravityfalls #dipper #dipper pines #wendy and dipper #wendy x dipper #wendip #wendy corduroy #mabel pines #stanford pines #stanley pines #fiddleford mcgucket #soos ramirez #mystery shack #blind eye #society of the blind eye #west coast tech #mystery #chapter 3

[vestigesofperversion]

Why I have NO PROBLEM shipping Nott

Hey so here’s an unpopular opinion for you to grind your teeth over. All the CR blogs I follow refuse to ship Nott because of her age, or for other unexplained reasons. I disagree with this sentiment entirely. Here’s why:

I know nothing about goblin maturity, but I can make some assumptions, one of those assumptions being that they psychologically mature at a different rate than humans as they are forced to be independent at an early age. Nott may appear like the goblin version of a 6-8 year old human girl, but in goblin culture, it’s possible she could have given birth a few times over at this point. You may retort by saying that just because human girls are physically capable of procreation at a certain age does not mean they are ready for it emotionally, and so while away from goblin culture, her innocence should be protected. But Nott is more emotionally mature than some of the grown-ass women in the Mighty Nein (side-eye at you Beau). She knows exactly how to protect herself, at least emotionally, and she doesn’t need your prude, narrow-minded asses doing it for her.

Remember that moment when Nott talked about wanting Caleb to transform her physical appearance, so she could be “normal”? Nott is just a woman trapped in a body that she does not feel truly represents who she is, and feels like she’s not capable of being loved for that reason. She’s essentially Shrek, or really any of us that are not physically-normative -- those around her don’t want to imagine her as a sexual being because it feels icky for them. Ya’ll saying that you refuse to ship her basically reinforces her fears that she is not worthy of love because of how she looks. To desexualize her is to rob her of the womanhood she keeps demonstrating that she desires to reclaim by bonding with the other females and blushing over a gift of flowers. SHE DESERVES TO BE ABLE TO SIT AMONG THEM AND WHISPER ABOUT SECRET CRUSHES AND STEAMY MOMENTS, OKAY.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t disregard the validity of asexuality or inability to consent due to age, nor do I feel like Everyone Must Be Shipped All The Time, but to single her out specifically, versus someone that actually seems like they could be having an *Asexual Moment* such as Caleb, or even Molly who may be horny AF but was born 2 years ago and has no precedent for what constitutes a healthy relationship, seems judgmental and possibly even racist toward goblins. That’s why I just ATE UP tmw she clapped back about her role as caretaker in her relationship with Caleb. She’s NOT pure because she’s young. She’s NOT asexual because she’s hideous/adorable. People with Down’s syndrome are capable of sexual desire!! People that are differently-abled are capable of sexual desire!! You infantilizing or desexualizing them to suit a more comfortable narrative for yourself doesn’t change that fact.

If you disagree strongly with these points, what have you to say about her drinking problem? Ya’ll have no issue saying that Nott cannot have sex, but she can get shwastey AF and you’re like oh how sweet??

I am placing my bets now that one of these episodes Sam will make all ya’ll eat crow by revealing Nott’s 20 fully-matured goblin children or her deep longing over an NPC.

LET NOTT LIVE HER LIFE PEOPLE

#my two cents #cr2 #critical role #cr spoilers #nott the brave #sam riegel

[anyfuckingthing69]

03th may, 2022.

tw: suicidal thoughts, venting, depression struggles ig

it is 4pm.

i have many exams to prepare for for tmw and i havent learnt anything.

grades are the only source or praise i get and i can’t even keep up with it.

i make up allot of things in my head, and then get sad about it.

i tried to commit yesterday at 11:25pm.

i cried and cried of anger for hours.

i hate everything about me and mostly my personality.

i think i’m a horrible monster unworthy of living.

i never truly saw myself as human.

music is my only comfort and escape.

i really enjoy sleeping to forget, but lately it seems my dreams turned into nightmares against me.

my friends hate me.

i am very lonely and lonesome no matter how many people surrounds me.

i am a 15 years old demi-girl.

i go by she/they/it. but sometimes i think the “it” is only here because i don’t wanna exist.

i’m also a lesbian. and i hate it. all it has broth me is queer loneliness and feeling out of place. i can’t even be a lesbian just a lonely not normal girl.

i don’t want people to respect or perceive me.

being happy is a task to me, and i don’t like tasks.

i don’t think i’ll stay here any longer but i am trying, still. i ignore why since i don’t plan on having plans.

i only hurts others and all i can do is feel bad about it and pity myself.

nothing matters to me as i am a nothing.

i really wish to die. and i believe i won’t be here any long soon enough.

my mother hates me.

she never says no but a forceful yes.

i caused the darkness under her eyes.

i am a problem, a burden and a liability.

i wish to die truly.

#vent post #tw depressing thoughts #suicudal #mommy issues #i hate it here #i want to die

[themangaguide]

A promising collection

This wortenia senki is genuinely a COMEDY-first manga, whatever is later on. It will have its substantial attributes (unlike many informal Jap light mangas) yet when you come right here anticipating raw xuanhuan tropes; you are far better off not reading this.

The suitable combination of both Chinese and also Japanese styles. Has history, personality growth, examinations of life, internal battles to defeat; yet laughter and its wit is its highlight. ooooh! Certainly better than CNs eventually is appointed to your fan; as well as where the girl commonly calls for saving in the youngster despite being so, until now much more efficient. Not right here, the (super-OP) heroine really functions reasonably: displays and also help her partner's growth so they could remain together with 1 day.

Counterpoints to variables explained in common adverse testimonials:

1) Absurd World: as specified, the actual reality the globe is somewhat ridiculous is itself an attribute, along with the writer, does not timid from this. The majority of xuanhuans do not: sides numerous miles large??? Earth span is a couple of 24k miles you realize! A large number of places and also locations; yet all they have is simply one practice?? Your small-world itself has such appealing cultural diversity, that in some cases when examining TMW/MW/DW etc I 'd such as the writer to supply some sensible reason that almost everywhere Asian society controls; really, something comparable to the one-million-year-old fight of treatment getting all sides under simply one tradition could at least be somewhat plausible.

2) Idiotic Instructor: If you research study, you will understand that the business (sect) the instructor, along with the main personality, he mosts likely to remains in the fall season, in addition to the trainer herself is incredibly reliable that his credibility alone may deserve lack of numerous subpar possibilities. martial legacy manga - For the 'savage' test he offered the MC with only one/10th success possibility without any idea that the primary personality really learns about this: visitors, it's defined a few areas later on that an additional of MC's instructors offered him a marvelous waterdrop prior to for different reasons which stopped him from passing away under that check, along with the teacher understood that. Which the instructor wishes to the subject that the MC to 'inhumane' tests to solidify him much faster is totally possible (a minimum of in my experience) supplied his personality as well as the primary world ideological backgrounds (which eventually differ from mine).

3) Similarities to other personalities from the various other mangas: This is in fact a legitimate factor, as well as it annoys even me; yet taking into consideration that it's nowhere to the level of Law of the Devil; I can approve it, the assets of this manga are many despite this. And indeed, occasionally it's rather amusing too.

4) Annoying MC: Many subjective elements, absolutely nothing I will certainly do around this. Continue reading if you want him; decline this if you don't like him. However considering this publication will possibly possess some genuine character growth, although you drop it, do not eliminate it from your analysis history; due to the fact that some couple of years later on when it pertains to 600 phases has actually been converted), remember to attempt it once again and figure out if he transforms extra for your option.

So, in my viewpoint, in general this manga is a great read, the plot is nice, also the characters. And you'll have a lot of inactivity with this light manga. Provide it a try if you have not yet. I highly advise this!! You may also visit https://themangaguide.wixsite.com/manga/post/ahl8qp6zg4ud3fka17z898a1587498673 for more related info

[propheci23]

Updated: ...for the first time in weeks or months or years my "WCB1, Main Major US Federal Reserves, World Bank, Finances" are open with deposits & withdrawals for "...the New Royal Family Fontaines and WC & TMW Gov still finances "...the New Royal Family Fontaines" highly and all other highly accept general civilians who are "Tax Payers" for them it's Economically [Supremely Alright Economically] although we live normal like everyone else, like the fairly New Modern Saudi Royal Family and Immediate Family Tree Only" "Personal Everything & Transportations" "Supremely Alright Highly" and All my "Immediate Family Tree Personal & Transportations" need updating, addition or replaced please update "Supremely Alright Economically". My wrist watch "Glows brightly in the dark” and plentiful enough of essentials nice watch it is..I may be able to keep my reserve one, as long as it does not conflict with this one, I mean this can be for some casual and sport and the other casual and visiting “Birthdays & Family” etc and maybe there’s other brands out there, whom according to my contract want to get in touch details revealed by myself personally, for my Clients & Royalty Globally contact or they’ll contact you on this as which is my assist full control WC & TMW Government, which is the "Entire World". I’m in Full Control and as always by my own God’s Law & my own Law the only in Ultimate Full Control of my WC (World Community), SC [Space Community] All Other Areas, All & Any. Digitally Signed: Simon P. Fontaine (at Preston, Lancashire) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxmd8nhltVB/?igshid=1xxm7szc3az0c

[mayramoss-blog1]

Transfer Talk Real Madrid to smash world transfer record for Neymar

The transfer window is open, and Transfer Talk has the latest rumours making the rounds. Follow live with our daily blog throughout the summer.

TOP STORY: Real Madrid to break bank for Neymar

The Sun claims to have a source close to Real Madrid that says Florentino Perez is willing to pay £307 million to bring Neymar to the Bernabeu this summer before a £263m release clause kicks in with PSG as soon as the window closes at the start of September.

The report claims that "Real are unwilling to wait until January for their Galactico" and that the "free-spending suitors would break the current transfer record by £109m to get him before the new season begins."

PSG reportedly put the Sept. 1 release clause in place to prevent Neymar leaving before 2019, but the rumour mill continues to swirl around the Brazilian's future after returning from injury with the whispers surrounding a move to Madrid refusing to go away.

LIVE BLOG

14:56 BST: Patrick Kluivert learned that leaving Ajax early in his career wasn't that simple and he hopes his son Justin won't make the same mistake.

Kluivert said he has advised Justin to stay with the Dutch club for another year even though the winger closes in on a reported €18m (£15.8m) move to Roma.

"If he's got the feeling to leave then he's got to do that, but he needs to know what things are coming on his way," Kluivert said.

14:42 BST: The Nabil Fekir saga has drawn on long enough for many people -- and the wife of Liverpool owner John Henry seems to be among them.

Linda Pezzuti Henry, the managing director of the Boston Globe, had a bit of a laugh with Liverpool fans on Twitter when a user replied to a post about an honour for Globe reporters:

Same.

— Linda Pizzuti Henry (@Linda_Pizzuti) June 9, 2018

Of course, this means the Liverpool communications team will really have to step up with their announcement should it ever arrive.

14:18 BST: Developing the Top Story, Marca is reporting that Neymar met with a Madrid representative in Liverpool while Brazil were training there last week.

According to the newspaper, Neymar reiterated that he is interested in joining the club to the official, who was in the city to make progress on the signing of Santos forward Rodrygo.

13:44 BST: Wayne Rooney's move to D.C. United has taken another step forward as the Everton midfielder and former England captain has applied for his United States visa.

According to The Sun, Rooney flew to Belfast on Friday to visit the U.S. Consulate and fill out paperwork that would allow him to complete the transfer.

Sources told ESPN FC on Friday that Rooney remains open regarding his future and still hasn't ruled out a return to Everton despite meeting with the United club hierarchy last month.

13:18 BST: Jack Wilshere may not just be leaving Arsenal this summer but possibly England altogether.

That's according to Tuttomercatoweb, who report that Wilshere will be offered a salary of €4.5m a season by the Serie A champions.

New Arsenal manager Unai Emery wants to keep the 26-year-old with the club, but Wilshere could potentially seek a fresh start abroad.

ESCLUSIVA TMW - Juventus, accelerata su Wilshere: ecco l'offerta per l'inglese https://t.co/zYDK51VrTa

— Tuttomercatoweb (@TuttoMercatoWeb) June 9, 2018

13:04 BST: West Bromwich Albion have made a £7m bid for Bristol City forward Bobby Reid, according to Sky Sports.

Reid, 25, scored 19 goals in 44 appearances this past season, and City have the option of exercising a third year on the two-year contract he signed after the 2015-16 season.

He may not be the only City player heading to West Brom, as the Bristol Post reports they are in on defender Aden Flint after Jonny Evans finalised a move to Leicester City on Friday.

12:48 BST: Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini has been linked to a number of clubs in recent months and now Robert Pires hopes the Belgium international will make the move to Arsenal.

Fellaini is out of contract this summer and with Arsenal's recruitment budget limited, a move to north London would make sense, according to Pires.

"If he wants to join Arsenal, I think it would be good news," Pires, the former Arsenal defender, told Sky Sports. "He needs a new start and I think, with his quality, I think he can help Unai Emery and he can help the Arsenal players in the squad."

12:37 BST: Could Everton be looking to add competition for Jordan Pickford this summer?

Finding someone capable of challenging the expected England No. 1 may be difficult, but that's what new manager Marco Silva intends to do, according to the Liverpool Echo.

Silva said he wants two players competing for every starting place, and with Joel Robles set to leave as he is out of contract this summer, 35-year-old Maarten Stekelenburg is currently Pickford's only challenger at the club.

12:28 BST: Liverpool's move for Lyon captain and France international Nabil Fekir has stalled, a source has told ESPN FC Liverpool correspondent Glenn Price.

Liverpool were hopeful that they would be in a position to announce the completed transfer on Friday after positive discussions with Lyon, and an image of Fekir's introductory interview with Liverpool's TV channel was leaked on social media.

But, amid reports of Liverpool having reservations about the 24-year-old potentially possessing an underlying knee issue, a source said the club are not expected to confirm any incoming transfers for the time being.

11:58 BST: There are plenty of reports in Spain on Saturday that Barcelona have decided to sign Clement Lenglet. Mundo Deportivo lead with it on their front page and say the 22-year-old will come in as back-up to Gerard Pique and Samuel Umtiti, with Thomas Vermaelen and Yerry Mina's places in doubt.

ESPN FC reported on Thursday that Sevilla defender Lenglet will take a decision regarding his future by the end of the month.

Las portadas del sábado 9 de juniohttps://t.co/HY39dmdRBU pic.twitter.com/Sxy0QHHrYT

— Mundo Deportivo (@mundodeportivo) June 9, 2018

11:32 BST: Tottenham are weighing up a move for Aston Villa star Jack Grealish, sources close to the Premier League club have told ESPN FC.

Leicester City are also keeping tabs on Grealish's situation, but Tottenham are the front runners, with Pochettino viewing the 22-year-old as the type of player he can help develop into a better player while also strengthening the core of young English talents at the club.

11:10 BST: In case you missed this one on Friday, Manchester United and Tottenham are around £20 million apart in their valuations of Toby Alderweireld, sources have told ESPN FC.

United have been quick to move in the transfer market this summer, already snapping up Fred and Diogo Dalot. 

Sources have told ESPN FC that United are willing to pay around £50m for Alderweireld, but negotiations have hit a sticking point with Tottenham valuing the 29-year-old at closer to £70m.

10:29 BST: When Mario Gotze left Bayern Munich to rejoin Borussia Dortmund in 2016 there was plenty of speculation that he could move to the Premier League. Now, he has revealed how close a move to Liverpool was.

"I decided to leave Bayern and Jurgen Klopp was interested in getting me to Liverpool. And I was also interested in working with him again," he told DAZN as part of a four-part documentary about his career so far.

" still exists. He is a world-class coach and that's why it's always an option. I decided to join Borussia Dortmund, but it was not a decision against Liverpool or Jurgen Klopp."

10:05 BST: While there is still the chance that these players may be offered a new deal, here are 10 players who are available on a free transfer, including Marouane Fellaini, Jack Wilshere and Emre Can.

09:30 BST: In Italy, Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Inter Milan are set to offer Mauro Icardi a bumper pay-rise so they can keep him at the club.

Under the terms of the new deal the striker will get €6.3m basic annually and the potential to earn up to €8m with bonuses.

Sulla #Gazzetta in edicola oggi ⚽ Icardi, safari d'oro. Ma Wanda... ⚽ Milan, 21 giorni per il nuovo socio ⚽ Nazionale, le ragazze al Mondiale! E molto altro... pic.twitter.com/sN9clPstEv

— LaGazzettadelloSport (@Gazzetta_it) June 9, 2018

09:00 BST: Danny Murphy has told ESPN FC that Liverpool's fast start to the transfer window will help Jurgen Klopp build on this season's success. The Reds have already signed Fabinho from Monaco and Naby Keita is incoming from RB Leipzig, meanwhile Lyon's Nabil Fekir is rumoured to be joining.

"I like the fact they're getting their business done early," said Murphy. "I still think the keeper thing needs addressing and I think it will be, and maybe another centre-back. But in terms of attacking areas, I think they're alright. Strength in depth is a question mark maybe, in terms of when you look at the benches of United and City. If you look at United's front six it's incredible really. But I'm pleased. They're close."

Herrera set for Bilbao return?

Ander Herrera could be headed back to the club he joined Manchester United from, with AS suggesting Athletic Bilbao are ready to make their former midfielder the team's highest-paid player to lure him back to La Liga.

The 28-year-old was United's player of the year two seasons ago, but was in and out of the lineup in the latest campaign and his place could be further complicated by the arrival of Fred from Shakhtar Donetsk.

But even if Herrera were surplus to requirements in Jose Mourinho's midfield, the story says that the Portuguese boss is hesitant to let him go without a like-for-like replacement in the team.

Finances could further complicate the move as "Bilbao are also unlikely to be able to have the money to tempt United to sell," meaning both club and player might have to wait until Herrera's contract expires at the end of next season to be reunited.

Fekir deal hits roadblock

Just when it seemed like a deal to bring Nabil Fekir from Lyon to Liverpool was all but done, the Reds have pulled back following the player's medical evaluation in France, reports the Telegraph.

With the clubs in agreement on a £53 million fee and Fekir ready to sign off on contract details, the outlet says "enough concerns have materialised over the last 24 hours to ensure the signing has not gone ahead as planned" and "Liverpool are offering no indication as to the nature of the problem."

The France international, who is ready to head to Russia to take part in the World Cup next week, was meant to be the third piece of high-profile business for Jurgen Klopp's side this summer along with Naby Keita and Fabinho. Instead, it might be a case of Liverpool having to "switch to alternative targets as they continue the hunt for a new No. 10," says the report.

Tap-ins

- Harry Kane has penned a new deal with Tottenham and, according to the Mirror, that will have a knock-on effect and persuade both Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen to follow suit. The England frontman has committed himself to the club until 2024 and the Mirror says his two teammates "are the next in line to get bumper new pay deals."

- Benfica forward Anderson Talisca has opted to join Chinese Super League club Guangzhou Evergrande on a six-month loan following links to Manchester United.

The Brazil youth international had been linked to a move to the Premier League, with Portuguese outlet O Jogo claiming last month that United submitted a £35 million offer for the 24-year-old.

- Juventus have signed Italian goalkeeper Mattia Perin from Serie A rivals Genoa for an initial fee of €12 million after he successfully passed a medical on Friday.

Source link

http://www.manutdnews.online/transfer-talk-real-madrid-to-smash-world-transfer-record-for-neymar/

#madrid #neymar #real #record #smash #talk #transfer #world #mainposts

[digital-strategy]

If any brands haven’t already shifted their Facebook strategy entirely to paid, then they may have to soon.

The social network is changing its news feed to prioritize what friends and family share, which will reduce the amount of content that users see from brands and publishers.

Agencies believe brands will have to spend more on paid ads on Facebook in order to get the same number of views — further lining Facebook’s pockets. This is just the “final nail in the existing coffin” of organic reach, said Doug Baker, director of strategic services at digital agency AnalogFolk.

Facebook’s ad rates have risen by 35 percent in the last quarter alone. Agencies have noticed a slow decline in organic reach on Facebook for some time. Digital agency Jellyfish said organic reach on Facebook has already dropped by up to 2 percent across most European clients. John Hegeman, Facebook’s vp of product management, said in a statement on the news feed update that advertising on the social network will be “unaffected,” but agencies disagree.

Far too many brands pump bland broadcast comms into mass-reach media buys on Facebook and spam millions of news feeds, said Mobbie Nazir, chief strategy officer at agency We Are Social. Now, there will be far more onus on planning Facebook campaigns that go deeper into media planning, campaign execution and optimization, and reporting on various metrics, she added.

“We all need to become better media planners, said Greg Allum, head of social at Jellyfish. There’s a “fundamental shift” in the roles of traditional social media marketers encapsulated in the news feed update, he added. Not only “do you have to understand brand and content,” marketers also require a key understanding of how to plan media campaigns on social.

For many brands, the bigger challenge will emerge from Facebook’s parallel war on low-quality brand content, with the platform’s December announcement that it was deprioritizing “engagement bait.” While agencies accept it will be difficult for most brands to be consistently “meaningful” — particularly when competing with treasured moments with friends and family — there is an opportunity to drive higher creative standards. “Those brands that look to add value to people’s lives and invest in high-quality, original content will have the most sustained success,” Baker said.

The risk could come once brands find loopholes in the algorithm. “I can see brands that tap into authentic conversations with a credible point of view will do well,” said Chris Pearce, the CEO at digital agency TMW Unlimited, “whereas others will be tempted to be increasingly controversial or polarizing in order to stimulate conversation.”

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Another risk is if posts are boosted. Ad rankings on Facebook are not affected by the news feed’s overhaul. But as Kevin Chan, the integrated performance director at iProspect, pointed out, if a boosted page post is getting less organic reach due to these changes, then that might impact the auction. Engagement is a “very small” part of ad ranking on the social network, which relies on many other data points to determine what ads people see to ensure relevancy and value, he said.

It seems like Facebook is returning to being a social network rather than a news organization. In the enduring debate on Facebook’s impact on post-truth politics, the social network has continually denied it is a media company. This algorithm change looks like a step to confirm that, returning to the days of wall posts and status updates.

In terms of how this change will be pitched to brands, Edie Greaves, senior strategist at digital agency Possible, believes there will be a continuation of the stance from both Facebook and Snapchat that brands are “partners,” not “advertisers.”

Greaves believes Facebook will begin offering brands new ways to communicate with people, but they will have to up their spend to get into the news feed. Perhaps Facebook will follow in the footsteps of networks like WeChat that heavily restrict the role brands play in the news feed but give more free reign to advertisers within messaging apps, she added.

via Digiday

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