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drabblesandimagines · 2 months

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Hi there, I would like to request Cloud, if thats okay. A sparring session that leads into an unexpected kiss?

Just read you are feeling under the weather, hope you feel better soon!

Sweet anon, I'm sorry this took me literally months! Please lemme know what you think x

It’s late as you leave your room at Stargazer Heights, pulling the door closed behind you with a gentle click. The weight of your new sword still feels unnervingly foreign on your back as you head down the stairs carefully, not wanting to disturb any of your neighbours’ sleep with your heavy footfalls.

Just because you couldn’t sleep didn’t mean theirs should suffer in return.

Your beloved, trusty sword, after many years of faithful service in the Watch, had snapped clean in two after a particularly good thwack against a hard-shelled creature whilst on a job in the scrapyard earlier that day. If that wasn’t enough, it just had to happen in front of Cloud Strife, the blonde ex-Soldier who had joined the Avalanche ranks - temporarily, at least – and who you were somewhat hoping to impress with your mastery of the blade as common ground over the past few weeks.

“You’d be good for him, you know?” Tifa had teased over the bar one night, catching you staring a little too long as he sat down the opposite end, nursing a drink. You’d have told her to hush if Barret’s voice wasn’t booming around the establishment, meaning you were lucky to have even heard her comment in the first place.

Instead, you answer flustered. “What? I… He’s your… No!”

“I don’t like him like that, sweetie.” She’d reassured, patting your hand with a smile. “Plus, I’m pretty sure he likes you.”

“Me?” You scoff, shaking your head. “I don’t think he’s aware I exist, not with how Jessie has been all over him.”

“Mm.” Tifa purses her lips in thought before they pulled back into a knowing smile – she’d caught the merc’s gaze flickering in your direction before it settled back on the drink before him. “No, I think Cloud’s warming up to you. Let me see what I can do.”

“Tifa-“

Biggs’ warm hand wrapped around your arm and tugged you up from the bar and away from your protest in an instant. “Come on, you owe me a rematch and I’ve finally convinced Wedge to let us have a round.”

You concede, destroying Biggs at darts once again would be a good distraction from the blonde at the bar. Besides, what could Tifa do anyway?

What Tifa could do, apparently, was make it so whenever Cloud took on a job, Biggs or Wedge would insist you tag along to help him navigate the area – sometimes with Tifa, sometimes without – and that’s what had led you to today, stuck deep within the scrapyard with a broken blade.

You’d never been any good with your fists, nor could aim a gun straight – despite tips from Tifa and Biggs over the years – so, reluctantly, you’d been relegated to the back line for the rest of the outing. At the most, you could fling a spell or two from the materia still equipped in the broken hilt when you could.

Unfortunately, it meant you didn’t have anything really to defend yourself with whilst the materia recharged. A nasty hit from a retreating drake had sent you tumbling backwards, head literally over heels. It dived back down at you, realizing you were now easy prey, ready to go for a nasty bite when a certain blonde merc’s sword dug into its side, sending it flying over in Tifa’s direction who finished it off with a perfectly executed roundhouse kick – all before your life could flash before your eyes.

“Are you okay?” Cloud crouches in front of you, his sword already sheathed, and places a hand on your arm as he awaits your answer. His expression, usually stoic and unreadable, is marred by a slight furrow in his brow as he looks you over with concerned Mako-blue eyes.

He must find you at least tolerable, you’d decided, as he didn’t seem to protest as much when you joined them on jobs like this around the slums.

Though maybe not ever again after today’s pathetic display.

“Yeah,” you nod, feeling foolish. “Still in one piece. Thanks for that.”

“Don’t mention it.” He shrugs and gets to his feet, offering you his hand in assistance.

You take it, relishing the feeling as his gloved fingers wrap around your palm. He pulls you up with a little too much gusto – or maybe underestimates his own strength - sending you stumbling forward. You try and catch your balance, only to find your hand placed firmly against his chest, his other hand now on the small of your back in alarm.

“Uh…”

“S-sorry,” you stutter out and retreat back, bowing your head as your face feels horrendously warm. Somewhere behind you, Tifa poorly attempts to hide a giggle.

“It’s fine.” His tone is back to his usual curt manner. “Come on - we should head back.” And without another word, Cloud spins on his heels and storms off ahead.

“Cloud, wait up!” Tifa calls, threading her arm through yours to pull you along with her. “He’ll get there – don’t worry.”

You’d taken the blade in to the weapons store below the Watch’s HQ after reporting in, Cloud and Tifa following behind. The proprietor dutifully inspected it for a few moments before deeming it beyond reasonable repair - said he could re-forge it, but it would only last a hit or two before it snapped in two again and he didn’t want the bad advertisement. He’d offered some gil for the scrap metal value and waved to the selection of his ready-made wares. Even with the gil he’d proposed and from your own pocket, the prices made your eyes water.

“Can I pay in instalments?”

He scoffs.

“You know I’m good for it.”

“This ain’t a charity, kid.”

“Here.” Cloud had stepped forward then, placing a pouch of gil on the counter. “That should cover it.”

“What?” Your eyes widened in disbelief. Cloud had been hounding Tifa and Barret for his pay for days and you knew he still hadn’t received all of it yet. “No, I couldn’t – that’s yours.”

“You need a weapon.” He shrugs, Tifa bouncing on her heels behind him at his act of generosity, a told you so smile plastered across her face. “Pay me back in instalments, if you want. I don’t care.”

“Are you sure?”

He nods, crossing his arms. “You’re good with a blade, it would be a waste for you not to have one.”

Your scalp tingles at the compliment.

The blades all felt lighter - maybe you’d grown stronger over time? - though they were thinner in width in comparison to your old blade. You’d performed a cautionary test swing of each towards the back of the shop but they all felt off, unbalanced. Begrudgingly, one felt a little less odd to wield so you’d settled with that, thankful it was a mid-range price of the selection so you hadn’t needed the entirety of Cloud’s gil pouch.

“I’ll pay you back as soon as I can – I promise.”

Cloud shrugs, as usual.

You swing at the tower of boxes you’d assembled in the middle of the wasteland, trying to be precise and knock out the one in the middle, but as soon as you release the momentum you nearly lose your balance, missing entirely. If you were in combat, it would’ve been a pathetic sight to behold. Thankfully, you were the only one to wit-

“Hi.”

You jump, spinning on your heels to face the blonde mercenary, holding your blade aloft in a defensive stance to an unimpressed face.

“Cloud! Hi.” Your heart is pounding at his sudden arrival – how could you not have heard him approaching? You lower your blade to rest on the floor. “Sorry, did I wake you when I left?”

“No, I couldn’t sleep so I heard you leave.” He folds his arms, looking a little displeased. “You shouldn’t be out here on your own, you know? It’s not safe.”

“I wanted to get some practice in, that’s all.” You look down at the sword in your hand in demonstration. “There’s been no more wererats here since you cleaned out the nest either, so it’s safe enough.”

“It’s not just fiends I’m talking about.”

That’s true – unfortunately, you weren’t a complete stranger to the troopers that often patrolled the slums. All it took was one to recognize your face and you’d be dragged to Shinra HQ faster than you could blink.

“I really need to get used to the weight, though. Barret wants to strike any day and-“

“Fine. I’ll spar with you.”

You weren’t expecting that. “Really?”

“Why not?” He reaches back for his sword, before swinging it out in front of him playfully. “Unless you’re scared.”

You bite your lip in a smile. “Bring it on, Strife.”

Cloud holds back at first, acting more as a training dummy for you to swing at. He doesn’t even need to deflect any of your blows at the beginning, but as you become familiar with the weight and how the new blade swings, finally he starts to raise his sword in return, the sound of metal clashing echoing through the air before one firm blow sends you toppling back, the Buster Sword now inches above your neck.

“Better.” He pulls back his sword and offers you his hand, which you gratefully accept, bracing yourself for his strength this time to avoid what had happened that afternoon. “Try again.”

You’re not sure how much time passes like that, but steadily your confidence in your weapon grows and it turns into a proper sparring bout, both giving it your absolute all. As your blades clash, crossed in front of each other’s faces, you risk a smile at the blonde merc. Suddenly, Cloud’s forearms lose their tension, meaning you get an upperhand you were not expecting. You swing your sword out to the right and fall forward, Cloud toppling backwards, his sword to his right, and his head smacking into the ground as you fall on top of him.

“Oh… Shiva,” you gasp, heart pounding, your thighs somehow straddling around his. “Are you hurt?”

Cloud doesn’t reply, staring up at you in bemusement as he tries to catch his breath.

“Cloud?” You lean down, planting your hands either side of his head for balance.

He lifts his head, suddenly, and presses a kiss to your lips.

Your arms go limp and you drop into his embrace, his arm wrapping around your waist to hold you close as you return the kiss, lifting a hand to cup his cheek, fingers curling into his blonde hair, blissfully lost in the moment until there is an odd, inhuman sound from behind you.

Cloud sits bolt upright, twisting you as he does so you’re sat in his lap, one arm still wrapped tightly around your waist and, somehow, the Buster Sword back in his other hand as he holds it out in defense.

A cat sits a few meters in front of the two of you, flicking its tail back and forth curiously. You feel his muscles relax beneath your touch at the realization. You get to your feet then, grabbing your blade as you do so and securing it against your back. Though you feel flustered, you can’t turn down the opportunity to offer Cloud an assisting hand this time.

To your delight, he accepts, somehow twisting it as he stands in order to intertwine your fingers within his.

“We… We, er, should get back.” He mumbles.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

He leads you back through the tunnel, silently, fingers still laced, and back towards Stargazer Heights. You climb the stairs together before he brings you to a stop outside your door, hesitating. Your stomach twists – does he regret what happened? Are you just to wake up tomorrow morning and it will feel like nothing but a dream?

A firm squeeze of your hand brings you back to the present, as if he could read your thoughts. “I’ve been thinking about that for a while.” Cloud whispers, cautious of his voice carrying through the neighbours’ door. “It’s… unfortunate that we were interrupted.”

You place a hand on your door handle and smile, coyly. “Would you like to come in?”

Cloud smirks. “Do you have any pets?”

Masterlist . Requests welcome . Commissions/Ko-Fi

Comments, follows, likes and reblogs make my day!

#ghostdogwrites #cloud strife x you #cloud strife x reader

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thatonebirdwrites · 7 months

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Korrasami prompt: Romance

Asami derives the idea of dating Korra after she gives Korra her first driving lesson.

"I never had a girlfriend before," Korra says after they clear the air about Mako. However, Korra strangely follows it up with a quick, 'except Naga.'

Asami is left pondering what Korra means for several days.

Is Korra saying she is in a romantic relationship with her polar bear dog? Or does she not know the full meaning of the term girlfriend?

Asami assumes the latter. The former is too strange and disturbing for her to dare let lose on her far too vivid imagination.

So Asami endeavors to teach Korra what girlfriend means. Her plan involves first approaching the subject to gather data, next she will implement her 'date Korra' strategy, and finally romance will blossom and grow into a happy ending. It is surely a fool-proof plan.

She tries approaching the subject subtlety, by asking if Korra enjoys going out on the town. (She does.) If Korra enjoys flowers (if there's food involved). What Korra is looking for in a romantic partner (someone badass who can keep up with her).

Asami hopes this gives Korra a clue she's interested.

It doesn't. Korra instead calls them delightful chats with a friend.

It's a trifle frustrating.

She decides perhaps gifting Korra something magnificent will help. Since her first airship, that she designed herself, was completed by the time airbenders started appearing, Asami decides this is the moment of truth.

Korra is elated. Then calls her the bestest friend one could have.

Asami is a trifle discouraged, but she is if anything relentless when she sets her sights on a goal.

Her next attempt involves offering Korra dinner in Omashu. Surely a candlelight dinner at a noodle restaurant will do the trick?

Korra tells the brothers, and they crash the attempted date. Her only solace is Korra sitting next to her, their legs practically touching. Asami does her best to make Mako as uncomfortable as possible. (She still hasn't forgiven him for refusing to tell Korra he broke up with her when Korra had partial amnesia. Nor for leading Asami and Korra on during that time. Plus making him squirm amuses her.)

Perhaps the right combination of flowers, noodles, and tickets to a musical in Zaofu would work as a clue?

Instead, Korra calls that a girl's night out and drags Opal and Jinora along, which Asami doesn't mind, but it defeats her plan of a romantic night that hopefully ends with a kiss.

Her next tactic involves borrowing a jeep in Zaofu to go for a picnic in the mountains.

That somehow ends with Korra challenging her to a sparring match, of which Asami wins.

Honestly, why she doesn't kiss Korra the moment she pins her to the grass leaves Asami frustrated with herself. Surely that would clue Korra into her attempts at romance? (Her nervousness at the possibility of a kiss ruining the fun she's having with Korra is what stops her.)

All of this is before Zaheer. Before the poisoning.

Before Asami fights her way to the airbenders, before she picks the locks on their chains, before Asami is tempted to zap Zaheer's head to shut him up, before Asami panics over whether Korra will live or not.

Taking care of Korra is the role Asami assigns herself. She insists on it.

Tonraq takes her aside on the airship to Zaofu. "Are you sure, Asami?" He looks concerned.

Asami nods. "I am sure. I will stay at her side as long as she has me."

Tonraq smiles at her and grasps her shoulder. "I'm glad she has you."

Asami considers this a sad victory. She has won the approval of Korra's father, even if Korra herself doesn't view her in a romantic way.

So Asami tirelessly and selflessly stays at Korra's side those few weeks in Zaofu and Air Temple Island. She helps Korra bathe and dress. Brushes and does her hair. Helps her into the wheelchair. Takes her outside to breathe fresh air at times. Reads books out loud to her to help her fall asleep. Tucks her in at night. (She is tempted to kiss Korra's temple each time. One night she gives in and does so.)

In the end, Korra decides to head South to see Katara.

Asami doesn't think twice. She offers to relocate South with Korra and aid in her recovery. She doesn't say the truth out loud to Korra -- that doing so would mean giving up everything she has in Republic City if Korra's stay in the South turns out to be more long-term, but Asami doesn't care.

Korra is what matters to her far more than anything else. That is when she realizes that she is hopelessly in love.

"No," Korra says that day at the docks, "I appreciate it, but I'll only be gone a couple of weeks. A little alone time will likely be good for me." Korra sounds dejected. Her entire frame droops forward, and she stares at her motionless feet. Asami squeezes her shoulders and accepts Korra's words.

The rejection stings, but Asami does her best to stay supportive. Korra is in pain. She's depressed. Likely doesn't know what to do with that request.

So Asami endeavors to write Korra often.

At first, she doesn't know quite what to write. Asami chews on the end of her pen and glares at the empty paper in front of her. Obviously, she can't just say, "Korra, I love you ,and I hope you feel my love across the distance, so that you know you're not alone."

That seems presumptuous and possibly too heavy.

Instead, she decides the best way to handle the situation would be to share about her day and how she feels about that.

Her first letter is written a week after Korra left for the South:

Dear Korra,

I never know how to start a letter, so I will jump into exactly how this day is going. At this moment, I sit at my desk within my office at Future Industries. Before me lies a large stack of paperwork that requires my review and signatures. I do not look forward to this. If someone had warned me that being CEO means mountains of paperwork, I might have stolen a plane and flown off into the sunset instead. But alas, I must do my duty and will do my best to survive. Wish me luck!

It is now close to lunchtime, the mountain of paperwork half done, but my break was sadly not at all interesting. I had several meetings this afternoon, except, Korra, have I mentioned how boring older men are? No hint of humor, dry blandness, and sterile suits that look like they bought new that day. Is that how they spend their salaries? What do they do with the old suits? Recycle them? Put them on display in the world's ugliest museum? I must listen and speak with authority, otherwise these egotistical and horribly uncreative duds would refuse to recognize that I am the CEO not them. So I've learned two dozen ways to politely tell them how terrifically awful their ideas for the company truly are.

Have I mentioned that they have no color sense? Who puts blue and orange together on a tie? It looked like a glaring florescent sign like those we saw in Ba Sing Se's Middle and Lower Rings.

After those meetings, I escape to the factories. There I am able to work alongside my employees. Perhaps the best part of the day. I inspect the lines, repair sections that failed to work, and assist newly hired employees with the finer details of construction. Walking and working with my employees like this makes me look more human to them. Like I'm approachable. I don't ever want to be that CEO that lives in some ivory tower and fails to offer their employees living wages and benefits to help them thrive.

Actually, one of workers on the line reminds me of you. She's from the Southern Water Tribe but a nonbender. She was so excited to meet me and had some excellent ideas about engine efficiency. I took her aside and we worked on an engine to test a few of her ideas, and I dare say, they worked! I am giving her a raise, and she's now on one of our engineering teams working to make her designs a reality. I love moments like that.

That actually gives me an idea. Since we are badly in need of sales still to break even, why not help get our name out in a good way? I'm going to set up community forums in the Dragonflats and Water Boroughs to teach engineering to anyone interested for free. Longer courses will be available at a very low price. Way cheaper than the university is my goal, maybe for the price of a noodle bowl once a month? We'll have a repair garage attached to the forums, and students can work with our engineers on repairs to see how it's done. What do you think?

I better close this up else I write you a novel!

Love, Asami

It's the word 'love' that has Asami hesitating on sending it, but in the end, she figures it can't hurt. Maybe if she's more blatant about her feelings Korra will eventually understand that Asami has been trying to date her this whole time. At the very least, the word will hopefully provide a comforting reminder that Korra is indeed loved. Asami desperately hopes Korra understands that truth.

She will gladly remind her with each salutation to her letters.

There is no reply to her initial letter, but this doesn't deter Asami. If anything, it makes her more determined. She decides on a schedule, sets time aside for updating the letter throughout the day, and a time to send it.

She determines that two times a week can suffice at first. If her schedule becomes too intensive with the rebuild Republic City project, then she will downgrade to once a week. She will not stand for less than once a week however.

Months pass, but Korra doesn't reply to her letters. At this point, it becomes a habit. She writes the letters and starts to become more free in what she says. At first, Korra's mother replies with a thank her for the letters, but that stops on month three.

By month seven, Asami wonders if something is wrong with the mail system. Maybe her letters are getting lost? Does she have the right address? She verifies with Tenzin, who offers to call Tonraq. Asami sits in on that call and learns that Korra hasn't written anyone back. In fact, she's closed in on herself.

This worries Asami.

Is there a way she can still help despite Korra's refusal to allow anyone close?

She decides to keep her schedule. It helps ease her own worry to write, and maybe the steadiness of her letters will aid Korra somehow too.

Part of this decision hinges on a conversation she had with Korra on the airship:

---

"Tenzin's schedules got no room for fun!" Korra throws her hands into the air, frustrated.

Asami leans against the balcony railing next to Korra. The wind blows her black hair backward, like a cape. "If you built the schedule, what would it look like?"

Korra looks startled. "Oh. Hmmm, maybe time for Naga, meditation, I guess we ought to do some airbending practice.... Ugh, okay, I'm terrible at them." She smiles, sheepishly. "I lose track of the time and day a lot. Easily get caught up in doing stuff, and then whoops, I failed to go to meditation or whatever."

Asami tilts her head and studies Korra. The sunlight on Korra's skin highlights the gorgeous copper undertones, and a hint of sweat glistens the hairline of Korra's chestnut-colored hair. Her wolftails dance with the touch of the wind. Asami simply cannot get enough of looking at Korra's bulging muscles, the curve of her breasts, or her deliciously muscular thighs.

This is not helpful for Korra. Asami blinks and focuses on Korra's eyes instead. "Did Tenzin start building schedules because of that then?"

Korra sighs. "Probably." Her blue eyes meets Asami's green, and for a moment, Asami's breath hitches in her throat. So unfair how utterly beautiful Korra looks all the time. "How do you manage it?"

Asami can't think the longer she looks into Korra's eyes. Her brain refuses to function. Instead she thinks only of how Korra's lips might taste. She forces herself to look at the mountains below them, while she grips the cold metal of the balcony tighter.

"Being CEO, I have to abide by a schedule, and honestly, I had one my entire life. Even as a child. So I am used to drafting one for each day. I made one for today actually."

"Really? Was our talk part of that?" Korra asks.

Asami blushes. "I always leave space on my schedule for you. I call it the spontaneity with Korra hour."

Korra grins. "Really?"

"Yes." Asami says, firmly. "It's what I call a floating hour. My schedules aren't as strict as Tenzin's. I tend to have one thing that cannot be altered, that item grounds my day, then I build up the tasks that need to be done and set them around that root. I need to be flexible since emergencies can and often do happen."

"Oh, you know, I like that. Having one thing that roots everything else, and float the other stuff around it." Korra taps her chin. "Maybe I can convince Tenzin to adapt to that."

Asami laughs. "Good luck. He seems as stubborn as you."

Korra crosses her arms over her chest. "Stubborn? I'm not stubborn. I'm...." She struggles to find a word, only to sigh and slump against the balcony's railing. "All right, you got me."

The next day, Asami makes it her goal to find a root to help anchor Korra. This becomes more urgent when she listens to Korra complain of her failed attempt to convince Tenzin. Asami takes it upon herself to soften him to the idea, until he gives in and tasks her with making the schedules. (Korra sees the newly pinned schedules as her finally convincing Tenzin, and Asami doesn't have the heart to correct this.)

---

So Asami continues to write weekly to Korra. Perhaps this root will help stabilize things for Korra? She hopes so.

A year passes with no reply. Asami is frustrated, worried, and grieving. She wonders if it was something she said or did. Maybe Korra hates her letters?

On the day of Asami's birth, one year and two months after Korra left, Asami fails to write her weekly letter.

Instead, after work, she buys several bottles of whiskey and drives to the mansion. She parks far from the entrance to avoid being seen my Mako's family. The sun sets to a glaze of red and gold, stars start to shine in the night sky, and Asami glances at it and feels only despair.

She unlocks the workshop that holds the entrances to her father's hateful underground factory, steps inside, and locks the door behind her. The room has not changed since that fateful day she turned on her father. The floor is still ripped up above the trap doors, and the shelves are still full of workshop supplies. She opens the trap doors. The darkness of the factory looms like the maw of a hideous mouth. A suitable mockery of her birthday she supposes. She sits on the steps and drinks the whiskeys, wallowing in grief.

Her company still struggles to make sales. Although the construction projects are going well, the city rarely meets its financial obligation in their contract. This makes it difficult to pay her workers, and she has decides to take only ten percent of her usual salary and bonuses in order to make sure all her workers are paid a living wage no matter what. In turn, she dips deep into her remaining savings to keep up with the taxes on her estate, the upkeep of her satomobile, and the cost of her new penthouse she'd bought three months prior.

For her friends and loved ones, their lives deviate from her own in painful ways. She receives nothing from Korra. Bolin leaves to assist Kuvira. Mako dives headfirst into investigator work, and the Air Nation works hard to help people all over the world.

Asami feels cut off and lost. She drinks an entire bottle of whiskey, and tosses the bottle down the stairs. It clatters against the wall and shatters on the bottom step. She uncaps the next bottle and raises it in a toast.

"To the eternal autumn that is the Sato name! Grief and despair seems to be our fate. May this one day be broken."

She drinks that bottle too and throws it.

It shatters on the third step.

She calls in sick to work to recover from the epic hangover. Asami decides it best to tell no one of this incident.

Two weeks after her birthday, she receives a surprise in the mail. A letter with the postmarking of the Southern Water Tribe.

Hope crashes through her, and she sprints into the residential building, staggers into the elevator, and takes it to her penthouse. She rips open the letter by the time she reaches her door and has to juggle her keys with the letter to unlock. Leaning against the door, Asami unfolds the letter.

Dear Asami,

This is Senna. First, I wanted to express heartfelt thanks for your steadiness and kindness with writing Korra. I know it may be frustrating to not hear from her.

Second, are you all right? We missed your letter this past week, which was unusual. Korra wanted to write and ask if you were okay, but she was unable to put words to paper. I offered to assist, which is why I am writing you today.

I hope this letter finds you well. If you need anything, please feel free to ask myself, Tonraq, or Tenzin. I'm sure we can provide support. Be safe, Asami.

Senna

Tucked inside the letter is a folded origami triangle, which is the start of a crane. Nothing is written on the origami, and Asami isn't sure if Korra folded it or if Senna or Tonraq did. Maybe Katara? She inspects it thoroughly, but she cannot find any clue as to why it was included. Despite this, she carries it with her to work to display on her desk in honor of Korra.

The letter, itself, is a balm to her soul. Her weekly letters did impact Korra. Enough to cause worry.

Asami hates the idea that she causes Korra worry.

She endeavors to repair this immediately and sends a reply that is not at all part of her schedule. (She decides she'll restart her schedule that week, so Korra will end up with two letters for the week.)

Dear Korra, Senna, and Tonraq,

Thank you for your concern. I apologize for causing you worry! I never meant to do so. I am sorry for that. It has been a rough week for me. My birthday was this past week, and it brought sour memories of my father. I am okay now. I suppose the grief of that hits me hard during my or my former parents' birthdays, and I admit, I am unused to seeking assistance or support. So thank you again for checking in on me.

I plan to continue my schedule. I hope it helps to anchor you all. Give you a root on which to build your own days and hopes.

Much love to you all, Asami

Within a week and a half, Asami receives a reply to her spontaneous letter.

Dear Asami,

I understand how hard birthdays can be. I too struggle with grief on the birthday of my late mother. She died when I was a teenager from a lung disease that couldn't be cured. So I understand how hard grief can hit. No need for you to apologize. That is perhaps my message for you. Never apologize for your feelings. Your feelings are valid.

Feel free to write me further if you find it helpful.

Take care, Senna

Asami is so touched by Senna's reply, that she reexamines her schedule. Perhaps writing Senna can be added to it?

She decides to continue her weekly schedule for Korra, but adds another schedule, where she writes Senna twice a month. She is a little worried this is presumptuous of her, but Senna's letters did offer this twice now. So why not?

To Asami's shock, Senna does reply to her letters. She does not mention Korra. She instead describes the landscape of the South (mostly glaciers and mountains, where trees are rare, Asami learns), some of her duties as the wife of the Chief (surprisingly she does a lot of negotiation), and asks questions about Asami's work.

One of Senna's suggestions sends Asami to the Air Nation to check on their needs. This, in turn, causes Asami to build an airbending glider suit, which she leverages Future Industries resources to build. It is a rousing success among the Air Nation, and Jinora demands Asami start visiting more often.

This is why Asami finds herself scheduling time for dinner with Jinora and her family twice a month. The connection warms her heart.

When one year and five months have passed, Asami finds herself frustrated with work. Frustrated at how sales continue to flounder. Frustrated by Raiko being a jerk about her community forums. (He calls them 'useless time wasters when those attending ought to be working.' The gall of the man! Asami decides to open up more forums and builds a few homeless shelters just to spite him.)

More than anything else, Asami finds herself frustrated by Korra's lack of reply, and frustrated with herself for not being able to handle the silence. Korra is likely struggling with so much. Why should Asami expect Korra to have energy to reply to her inane ramblings?

After a particularly hard day at work, Asami returns to the mansion's workshop, opens the trapdoor, and drinks an entire bottle of whiskey. She sings a song she vaguely remembers her mother singing to her. Her father has also sung it whenever they visited her grave, but he stopped when Asami was eleven.

So she sings it to herself as she drinks and tosses crumpled up love letters to Korra into the darkness of the factory entrance.

"Winter, spring, Summer and fall.

Winter, spring, Summer and fall

Four seasons, Four loves.

Four seasons, For love."

Part of Asami is tempted to go down and smash things. Maybe rip apart what is left of the vile factory, wreck destruction in a way she'd never done before, but she can't bring herself to do this.

Asami Sato is an engineer. She fixes things. She doesn't break things.

Instead, she drinks the bottle and tosses it down the steps. It lands far enough away that she can't hear if it shatters or not.

She does not describe this day in her letter to Korra.

By the second year, Asami is lost in depression. Keeping to her schedule has become incredibly hard. She has managed to persevere this long. Surely, she can keep going, right?

She wonders if she loves a ghost.

Will Korra ever return?

By this point, Asami's whiskey drinking on the steps of the underground factory has become a monthly activity. She makes sure she is not seen by Mako's family -- how could she explain it? -- she verifies a radio is playing somewhere, and she locks the workshop door behind her. The trapdoor pulls up easier each time.

She is unsure of how much shattered glass lies at the bottom of these steps nor how many crumpled up love letters. (She's a little afraid to check.)

On the third day of the second year, Asami goes to the workshop for her monthly drinking. She sings sadly to the looming maw of darkness, drinks far too much whiskey, and passes out on the floor of the workshop. When she wakes in the morning, she has a massive hangover. One that leaves her confused as to where she even is.

For a terrifying moment, she's convinced she's been kidnapped. Only for her to hear the sounds of Mako's family shouting nearby about breakfast. That roots her in her reality, and she realizes she fell asleep in the workshop. How embarrassing.

The sink in the workshop doesn't work, which is frustrating. Asami hasn't needed it before, nor has she included the upkeep of this workshop in the duties of her mansion's staff. (She's actually written rules that forbid them from entering this place, and keeps it locked.)

Asami sneaks out to her satomobile. When she reaches her penthouse at the residential building near Future Industries, she is feeling terrible, her head pounds, and she wishes she could be swallowed by the earth.

But she must focus on recovery since she has work the next day. It will be a big day. Several of the road projects will be completed, and she must do a press conference with that hideous Raiko. (Asami hates press conferences with Raiko. He insists on shaking her hand and putting his hand at the small of her back for a photo every time. He is lucky to not get punched after.)

Asami then discovers a surprise in her mailbox. A white and blue letter leans against the side of the box. It has a Southern Water Tribe postmark.

Except the handwriting doesn't match Senna's.

Asami is far too hungover to process the script on the letter's envelope. She thinks perhaps she is delusional.

She decides to leave it on her kitchen counter and shower instead. (Hot water is excellent for distilling thoughts into coherent ideas.)

When she returns to the kitchen, her hair wrapped in a towel, she notes how the letter continues to take up counter space. The print writing is still not Senna's handwriting. Asami doesn't know what Tonraq's handwriting is like. She decides it must be his. Though why he would write her is not something her hungover-addled brain can fathom.

She decides to make breakfast first and drink as much water as she can stomach. After she eats her oatmeal and eggs, she cleans the dishes and puts them away. Getting out a book, she tries to read in the armchair by her balcony door. Her headaches causes her to fall asleep.

By lunchtime, the letter has not moved. It is still in the same spot with that same handwriting.

Asami wonders if the letter is daring her to open it.

Is she afraid of a letter?

How ridiculous! She is Asami Sato. CEO of Future Industries, listed as one of the top philanthropists in the Republic Times (that award was just four months prior), and a local community leader. A letter does not scare her.

She takes a deep breath and snatches it off the counter. Her finger rips it open.

Inside is a folded piece of paper and again that origami triangle, except this time, it's much closer to being a full crane.

Asami unfolds the letter and promptly drops it on the counter.

Korra's name is in the salutation.

Asami has to sit down.

Korra has written her back. She truly has written her back.

Asami feels like she's soaring high, where all the spirits in the world sing the love song her parents had sung so often when she was a child.

Korra has written her back! What joy! What delight! Asami grins and swoons at the sight of Korra's meticulously written characters.

She picks up the letter again to read.

Dear Asami,

I'm sorry I haven't written to you sooner, but every time I've tried, I never know what to say. The past two years have been the hardest of my life. Even though I can get around fine now, I still can't go into the Avatar State. I keep having visions of Zaheer and what happened that day.

Katara thinks a lot of this is in my head, so I've been meditating a lot, but sometimes I worry I'll never fully recover.

Please don't tell Mako and Bolin I wrote to you and not them. I don't want to hurt their feelings, but it's easier to tell you about this stuff. I don't think they'd understand.

Yours, Korra

Asami can't stop the tears from flowing. She pulls out her handkerchief and weeps. She wishes she could hold Korra. To kiss her forehead. To remind her that she is worth everything and that she can defeat this. She can recover.

In the end, Asami decides she cannot wait for her schedule day to write. She responds right away.

Dear Korra,

I understand. Don't worry about how long it took. I will always be here to support you. And don't worry! I won't speak a word of this to Mako or Bolin. I will continue my weekly schedule, but I wanted to get this to you as soon as I could. So you knew that I hear you and I understand. Recovery is hard.

Love, Asami

Asami stares at her letter and thinks of how inane it feels. It doesn't come close to summing up how she feels. She thinks again of Korra's worry about the Avatar state, and wonders if she can help with that. She doesn't truly understand how the Avatar state works, but perhaps she can do some preliminary research? Would that help Korra through this?

When Asami sees a problem, it immediately makes her want to seek a solution, but she doesn't know if that is wise for this.

In the end, she sends the letter as is. She continues her weekly schedule, but she adds in time for brainstorming. She visits every library in the city and Air Temple Island. She reads about chi pathways, chakras, and prior Avatars. She learns about how acupuncture opens up the chakras, and how this effects bending. She ponders if this can be turned into a way for Korra to still have the Avatar state without the Avatar state.

She decides to take the glider suite design and add in an acupuncture design to the back. Between meetings and mountains of paperwork, she works on this in the workshop in front of her office. Occasionally, one of her department managers asks her about the project, and she only levels a 'don't you dare test me' glare at them. The interrupter slinks away ashamed. It takes her most of the month to complete.

When she visits Air Temple Island for her second dinner of the month, she asks Jinora to chat with her in the meditation pavilion.

"Would you like to test an idea for me?" Asami is both excited and nervous.

Jinora grins at her. "Sure!"

"Really? I haven't even explained what it is." Asami is taken aback at Jinora's blind trust.

Jinora laughs. "It's you asking. Why wouldn't I say yes? I know you'd never hurt me."

Asami hopes that is the case. "Well, I have a prototype glider suit for you. Can you wear it for three days and write down your observations for me? If you find it uncomfortable or if something goes wrong, please call me immediately. I'll drop everything for this, okay?" She reaches into her backpack and takes out the suit. She has specifically designed it for Jinora's build.

Jinora takes it and looks it over. "Why is the back so hard?" She taps her fist against the spine of the suit.

"That's the acupuncture spine. It's meant to open your chakras." Asami is very nervous now. "At least, that's what I read. We'll see what if it works."

Jinora smiles. "All right. I'll do it."

Asami leaves the island feeling like she's on cloud nine. Maybe her wacky idea might actually work.

She receives the call during one of her meetings. Her assistant, Tariq, rushes into the room. His blue eyes are wide, his brown skin flushed likely from running down several flights of stairs to the meeting room. He gasps out, "Ms. Sato, you said if Jinora called to alert you immediately."

Asami stands. "Thank you, Tariq." She turns to the engineering team. "Excuse me, I must attend this emergency. We will reschedule."

She rushes up the four flights to her office to take the call. Jinora sounds panicked, and talks far too fast for Asami to make sense of on the phone.

"I'll be right there," Asami assures her and hangs up. Grabbing her keys, she swaps out her dress shoes for her sturdier boots and sprints to the elevator. The drive takes far longer than she prefers, and finding a spot to park her precious blue satomobile also eats up minutes.

On the ferry, Asami frets over whether her idea has hurt Jinora. She wouldn't be able to bear it if it did.

When she walks up the path from the docks, she is shocked to see several fully grown trees torn up by their roots laying across the path. A large clearing now exists where that grove of trees once stood. Jinora sits on one of the trunks holding the suit, her head downcast.

"Asami!" She looks up relieved. "You came!"

"What... what happened?" Asami stares flabbergasted at the destruction. At least the trees hadn't hit the buildings?

Jinora stands and hands her the suit. "I... I wore this and tried to air bend, but I couldn't control it. It was way powerful, far more than I'd ever felt in my life." She looks sad and kicks at the ground. "I'm sorry I couldn't do the full experiment. Dad forbid me from wearing it again."

Asami looks down at the suit and comes to the conclusion that this is perhaps the worst idea she ever had.

But it would be a funny postscript for Korra. Best to not explain the why however.

She adds it to her next letter. "P.S. Jinora and I did an experiment. However, things went awry. We accidentally tore up an entire grove of fully grown trees. Tenzin was furious. However, I think our remodeling added a beautiful clearing for picnicking."

Asami doesn't expect a reply. It has been three months since Korra's last letter.

To her surprise, a letter from the Southern Water Tribe shows up in her mailbox a week later.

Dear Asami,

What the spirits was this experiment? That sounds amazing. I wish I could have seen that. I don't think I've laughed so hard in a long time. I could just picture Tenzin's face red with fury. Bet there was steam coming out his ears too.

It got me thinking. Do you think I've been in the South too long? If maybe that's why I'm stuck in my healing? I haven't made any progress since my last letter, and it's been eating me up. But your letter got me thinking that maybe I do need a change of scenery. My own remodeling maybe?

What do you think?

Yours, Korra

Asami is delighted to learn she caused Korra to laugh. However, Korra's question makes Asami wonder if now is the time to reveal her truth. She so badly wants Korra to return to Republic City. She wants to take Korra out on a date still, maybe even go on an adventure in the wilds to do some experiments with chakras (Asami hasn't quite let go of ways to help Korra find her Avatar spirit again).

But part of her holds back out of fear that Korra doesn't return her feelings.

Sure, Korra signs these letters with 'yours' but Asami doesn't know if that is a friendship-y 'yours' or a romantic 'yours.' In fact, Asami hasn't ever written someone like this before, so she doesn't know how friends sign letters. Business contacts use 'sincerely,' so that isn't any help.

Asami decides to play it safe. She will admit to Korra having her heart, but that is the most she will do. Surely, that won't scare her away? She doesn't want Korra to stop writing after all.

Dear Korra,

I want to say come here to Republic City, but I also know you need to feel ready to do that. So please do not see this as me trying to convince you to come back. I want you to now that whatever you decide, I will always support you. You have my word and my heart.

Whenever I am stuck on an idea, which feels often of late especially with how difficult things are with Future Industries, I will take a day and go hiking in the mountains. There in the wilderness I find a solace that can't be captured elsewhere. Nature has such beauty and wonder hidden around every bend.

Did you know that fractals are perhaps the most common type of growth among plants and fungi? They are a perfect repeating geometric pattern that is everywhere. I bring my magnifying glass sometimes to examine leaves, mushrooms, even rocks, and all have these lovely patterns.

This excites my imagination. Then when I reach the peak, I stand at the edge and take in the breadth of the world. I can see for kilometers in all directions. Did you know that one of the tallest peaks in Republic Nation is Mount Makapu and is within a day journey by Satomobile? That one is my favorite to climb. It sits on a peninsula that overlooks Yue Bay and the ocean. I can see so far, and I can touch the clouds. (Clouds are so wet. I know scientifically they are made of water crystals condensed into fog form, but it's quite different to physically feel such a thing on my fingertips).

It reminds me of our airship adventures. Where we wandered the Earth Kingdom, sparring, laughing, and having great fun. Perhaps that is what you need?

Sometimes a journey requires more than a step. You took a big leap to go South for healing, but now you face the next step of your journey.

I have hope that no matter where that next step leads you, you will find your way. It will be hard at first. Just as climbing a mountain is hard. (Let me tell you, if you don't get the right boots, your feet will hate you forever! So make sure you have good hiking boots!) Each step up the mountain gets harder, especially at higher elevations when there is far less oxygen. This makes the journey very, very hard.

But to stand there at the top of the world? It is worth the hardship and pain.

I think you are still climbing that mountain. You have not yet reached the peak, but you will, Korra, you will. And when you are ready to climb back down, I will be here to offer you a hug and a heartfelt congratulations at such a marvelous achievement.

And if you want someone to accompany you on this next stage of your climb, you have only to ask. I will gladly take leave to walk that with you.

May this letter inspire you to new heights. And remember, you have my support always.

Love, Asami

Asami again doesn't expect a reply. She, however, continues her schedule. Writing Korra is perhaps one of the few things that gets her through her long days.

She often finds herself in Avatar Korra park (this was the first thing she built, she is proud to say) and sits by the statue to draw. Sometimes, she comes late at night to sit between Korra's legs and whisper her secrets to the stone (she hopes she is less likely to be recognized at night).

During this time, the bureaucrats in charge of the city's contract keep being very dodgy about paying the full amount owed, and she is tired of this song and dance to get them to follow through. Her company badly needs the money.

At least sales has improved somewhat thanks to her efforts with community forums. She finds that the lower income boroughs have lots of interesting engineering ideas. This delights her. For some of the more promising ones, she offers to help realize their designs with a contract. She can't afford to pay them full time, but she can at least sub contract with them part time to fund their projects. This is well received by the public, and Asami can't help but preen with pride at how helpful it has been for people.

She eagerly shares these successes with Korra in her letters. For the bureaucrats, she mocks them in what she hopes is an amusing way. She badly wants to hear Korra laugh, but this she supposes is the next best thing.

At two years and five months, Asami receives a third letter from Korra. She has had a long day at the office and construction sites dealing with emergencies. Plus, she keeps getting letters from her father (why is he writing her at all? The memory of him trying to kill her haunts her dreams far more than she'll ever admit.) All of this grief and frustrations tempts her with heading to the mansion workshop to drink it all away.

Instead, she opens her mailbox to find the letter.

She barely reaches her penthouse before she has torn it open.

Dear Asami,

I don't know what I'd do without you. Honestly, you're the best thing that's ever happened in my life.

I've thought long and hard about your letters, especially the one about mountain climbing. I think you're right. I do need to take this next step, and I think I know what to do. But I need you to do something for me. I know this will be hard, and it's not fair to you. Especially with how kind you are. With how devoted and steady you've been despite my lack of replies. I am probably being selfish, aren't I?

But I don't think I can do this without knowing you have my back. Can you stop writing me in exactly one month from the postscript of this letter? I need everyone to think I am returning at that time. Please tell no one of this letter.

I promise that I'll come back to you. I just need more time. I need to finish that metaphorical mountain climb, and when I reach the peak, I hope I will find my Avatar state there. Thank you for being here for me. I hope to see you soon.

Love, Korra

Asami stares at the letter. Her fingers hover over the word 'love.'

What is Korra planning? Asami thinks through her last few letters, and then abruptly remembers the one she'd written in reply to Korra's questions.

Korra is going on a journey somewhere. She asks Asami to not share with anyone what Asami now knows. For Korra to entrust her with this? Asami's heart swells with love.

She will honor Korra's request.

Asami continues her schedule for one month and promptly ends it. She tells no one of Korra's final letter to her.

At two years and six months, Asami must attend the train station reveal and deal with President Raiko. (She really hopes he doesn't do that touching of her back while shaking her hand. She decides she'll step hard on his foot if he does. Maybe she'll break one of his toes. It'd serve him right.)

The crowd is surprisingly large. Reporters hog the front viewing area with their large, lumbering cameras and pen and paper. Asami is anxious but relieved to learn she doesn't need to speak. (She really doesn't like public speaking.) Instead, she smiles and cuts the stupid, red ribbon with the biggest and most ungainly scissors she's ever seen.

She hopes this is all she needs to do. The mingling after the ceremony goes significantly easier. Nod, smile, pretend to care about the inane ramblings of uninteresting people. Honestly, Korra is the only person Asami could happily listen to ramble. Certainly not stiff business people in their overly tailored suits, greasy hair, and badly chosen tie colors. She's mastered the 'pretend to care' expression due to her time as CEO.

At least, it would have been easy if not for Prince Wu. He corners her to her irritation, then blatantly hits on her. This makes her want to stab his eyeballs or maybe stab her own. Then he calls himself a super human, and she can't help but roll her eyes.

No, the only superhuman is Korra.

To her relief, Mako comes to her rescue. She could hug him. (Not kiss him, that is only for Korra, and she knows Mako well enough that even a kiss on the cheek would confuse him. She is not interested in him and will never be interested in him again. That ship sailed long, long ago. Korra is the only one who has her heart.)

Mako mentions Korra's return.

Asami can't look him in the eye. She knows the truth. So she looks at the ground, and says what needs to be said, "I can't wait to see her." For that is the truth, but when she will see Korra, Asami doesn't know.

Later that day, the boat from the Southern Water Tribe pulls into Air Temple Dock. Asami sits on a bench at the top of the path and watches, knowing Korra will not be there. Naga is however, which makes Asami wonder if Korra has decided to be incognito.

The others panic at first. They talk of searching for Korra.

Asami decides to go play with Naga before she loses her temper at how ridiculous everyone is being. She is tempted to tell them all off and demand they trust Korra's intentions. But she simply cannot take that risk.

Naga is delighted to see her. Nearly knocks her over. Asami decides to incorporate visits with Naga into her schedule. She decides on three times a week. For her, Naga is a fragile connection with Korra, the person she loves most in the world. This is the least she can do for Korra.

Tonraq finds her in the clearing -- the same one Jinora had made by accident during Asami's suit experiment -- and he watches her throw the ball for Naga for awhile. Asami is nervous at first, but slowly relaxes when he doesn't try to interrogate her.

Except, his next words breaks Asami's calm. "Asami, I wanted to ask. Korra wrote you, didn't she?"

Asami doesn't want to lie to Korra's father. Not after all her work to prove herself to him. "She did."

"What did she tell you?"

Asami turns and meets his gaze. She sees the worry in his expression, the furrow in his brows. Korra has his eyes and nose, she realizes. "Tonraq, you are asking that I betray Korra's trust. I can't do that."

His lips twitch in an almost smile. "I understand. May I ask if you are worried? Of all of us, you are the most calm."

Asami is worried. She can't help it. Not knowing where Korra is, or if she is safe drives Asami to distraction. But Korra has asked for her word and her trust. Asami gives it readily to her. "I do worry, but I cannot and will not speak further on this."

Tonraq studies her for a long moment. She finds herself holding her breath and hopes she hasn't made an enemy out of Korra's father.

To her relief, he reaches out and grasps her shoulder. "Thank you, Asami, for being there for my daughter. She couldn't have a better pa-friend."

Asami smiles and bows her head in reply.

When he walks away to join the others, she looks after his tall figure and wonders if the word he meant to say was 'partner.' EDIT: Got it up on AO3 now.

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firstknightvulion · 2 months

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Brainrot has taken over. Spoilers ahead. Be warned.

Finished the Gongaga Reactor fights last night.

Just cause I haven’t seen anyone talk about this yet.

Right after killing another one of Hojo’s experiments.

Cloud was helpless in this scene. Mako poisoning. Dragged around by Barret. I can only imagine the mishmash that is his headspace. Probably didn’t know who he is. I mean, more than usual.

Then Tifa is attacked and it’s clear as day. In a second, he’s back. Physically and mentally, laser-guided. And I think that is a very important aspect of his psyche. He forgets so much but the promise, the desire to protect Tifa is so damn foundational to Cloud. Even when he swung his sword under Sephiroth’s influence, he didn’t cut Tifa. There was no wound or blood. And as evidenced by the Trooper Massacre, it was not a lack of skill. Some part of him was trying his hardest not to kill her.

Which is why I believe Sephiroth was messing with Cloud and Tifa’s relationship specifically. He knows she is his rock. His foundation. In the scene with the Weapon, Sephiroth wasn’t trying to kill the planet protecting Kaiju. He was trying to kill her. Without her, Cloud would be just another Black Robe stumbling along.

I love how these two, young nobodies from Sephiroth’s past he barely remembers, are the one-two punch that knocks him on his ass. Especially in the OG game. The ‘literally who’ aspect of his demise in the original is so cathartic and funny.

Aerith was the threat in the broader context. The Last Cetra. Wielder of Holy. She lays the foundation but Cloud and Tifa are the ones (plus everyone else) that see it through.

Anyway, playing Rebirth is like playing the game again for the first time. It’s so good.

Now here’s a funny:

Also, I love the fact that most of my Cloti stuff was before I got to play that game. I didn’t know the party would have so many Cloti shippers. Feels good.

#final fantasy rebirth #final fantasy remake #ff7 remake #ff7 rebirth #ffvii rebirth #ffvii remake #ff7 #ffvii #final fantasy 7 #final fantasy vii #cloud x tifa #cloti #tifa lockhart #cloud strife #sephiroth #rebirth spoilers #spoilers

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skrunksthatwunk · 7 months

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ok sequel post to the it's cool how obvious mako's crush on ryuko is from day one post from a couple hours ago bc I wanna talk about them more

ryuko takes a bit longer to warm up to her, but honestly? not by much. ryuko has a protective streak in her that lets her befriend people who need her pretty easily, and she's endeared to people relatively quickly if they don't piss her off (i.e. the mankanshokus, senketsu, maiko, eventually satsuki). she really does like people, even if she can be a little standoffish at first

ryuko's a little taken aback by mako's immediate strong affection, but she quickly adapts (very clear in how her approach to mako trying to tackle her changes from dodging to catching her and setting her down gently in only a few episodes). she doesn't get mako at first, but figures her out pretty quickly and adjusts. that's just mako, y'know? plus mako's just very kind to her in a way most people aren't. ryuko, too, wants company. she wants a family, she wants friends.

plus, her protective nature is fed a lot by the other students kidnapping mako so much and mako's dependence on her in those moments. mako is something precious to save and ryuko's weakness, but she also gives her strength. her support means a lot to her and mako comes to her rescue often (in the bathroom with tsumugu, de-monsterifying her, standing up to her family and fighting her demons in the fight club episode, etc etc). ryuko's fight against satsuki is one that feels very solitary. it's emphasized a lot just how many people satsuki has willing to fight for her, and there's just one ryuko. she has backup via mikisugi, mako, and senketsu, but what they can do for her is often pretty limited by their circumstances. again, mako's the one who calls her back from the edge multiple times. she's the key to calming her down. she's the one she staggers home to, the one she celebrates with, the one she spends her free time with. she chooses her company because she likes it. a lot.

there's a lot of moments where ryuko's like yep that's mako :) she's sillyyy. she brightens up immediately around her and often sours when other people enter the picture. she's the one good thing about honouji academy, y'know? she gives in to her a lot, letting her come along on her return to the ruins of her house, letting her come to honouji for the cultural festival, etc. she has an "aww i can't say no to you" thing going most of the time. mako's resolve and persistence is what bores through ryuko's walls and lets her get close to her. it's what she mentions when, after the wedding scene (and we'll get to that, trust me) she says mako and senketsu are more than friends. mako's surprised at her inclusion (again, she tends to slot herself as #2 to senketsu, her sunday best) and ryuko cites that persistence. mako was not only there for her, but stuck around, even when ryuko pushed her away, and that means something to ryuko. ryuko who people always misjudged or sent away or avoided or fought. ryuko who was lonely, whom no one fought for but herself. mako was there, and mako feels the same (as she says running in the naked sol's generator very near the end which. the sheer joy with which they say each other's names there is just. waaaaaaa)

ok the wedding scene. the wedding scene. not gonna go too crazy on this bc I don't wanna detail this but I'll say this: junketsu is frequently referred to as a wedding dress, and the fantasy/hallucination it forces upon ryuko (as the kamui itself was forced on her) is one of a normal-girl, average kinda life. one where she has a mother who's always there for her, she grows up normally, and she's happy. and she's happy because she has a family. she's not fighting all the time, she's in her place in society, she's having a wedding. of course, who she's marrying is irrelevant, even to junketsu. the man is faceless and unacting. he's not what makes this fantasy appealing. it's the assimilation, the acceptance of her by a greater society and authority structure (in this case ragyo). when mako and senketsu burst through the door, its handle flies off and knocks over the groom, stiff as a board, and he is forgotten. mako walks down the aisle to her, to call her back to her senses. ryuko says this is what she needs to be happy, that she'll kill mako to get it. mako says this isn't her or what she wants, pulling the "the ryuko i know" thing from before. but she's always been right. she knows her well. ryuko thinks she hurts mako/senketsu, and that realization lets her break out, lets her flay herself ripping junketsu off. she says she's getting out of that damn wedding dress even if it kills her. this is all to say that that scene is one of the most lesbian-coded things I've ever seen. mako's like you don't need to conform or marry a faceless groom or have a normal life to be happy, and i don't think you're truly happy or yourself like this. and ryuko realizes she's right. she doesn't want to marry a faceless groom, she feels trapped and changed by the wedding dress, by its ceremony and expectations. it's something that has a lot of similarity to a lot of lesbians' experiences of the expectations the world puts on them to marry men, to fit into this role. the joy of having a wedding vs the indifference to actually being married to someone. it's something that resonated with me a lot, having figured out i was a lesbian only a few months prior to seeing it for the first time.

it's after this that she says mako and senketsu are something more than friends. the exact nature of her and senketsu's relationship is unclear to me and debatable, but her and mako's take a very definite romantic shape by the end when mako asks her out, her hallelujah moment featuring them kissing and holding hands, with ryuko in a boy's highschool uniform, evoking heterosexual imagery to imply romantic intent ("I want to go on a date like a boy and a girl would go on a date" is kinda the effect). I think ryuko kinda figures it out then. she wants to go out with mako. she wants to be something romantic to her, something romantic with her.

ryuko lets her in. it's clear to everyone that mako's managed a closeness with her that no one else has (they don't acknowledge senketsu as a person/friend for a long time). they'd move mountains for each other. ryuko, who always had to fight everything alone, finally has someone who's willing to wade through all the bullshit life and ryuko herself give her because she believes in ryuko, because she thinks she's worth it.

my point is ryuko's into mako as much as mako's into her, she's just a bit quieter about it

#anyways. i love them very much #i dont tend to think about the ryuko side of it as much so this is partially me doing that #klk #kill la kill #ryumako #ryuko matoi #mako mankanshoku

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hayleysayshay · 23 days

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I'm one of those ppl who think the equalist Asami plot for TLOK likely wouldn't have played out that well. I get why peeople want it -- giving Asami simply more to do is always a plus, and plus grey morality is interesting in characters, plus we get to flesh out the equalist movement as it is quite sympathetic.' The problem I have is that committing to a true double agent story takes time and I just don't think TLOK has it, and could easily fumble it. Plus I'm not that bothered about enemies to lovers, and I think Asami's 'redemption' arc would be seen as Zuko-lite.

So my suggestion to develop Asami more, but keep the story relatively uncomplicated for such a busy series with many elements in it:

-- Asami is an equalist sympathiser, not a full blown equalist.

-- She doesn't hit Mako with her moped. Instead, Mako and Bolin put an ad in the paper asking for sponsors. Who drops by, Hiroshi and Asami Sato! Asami accompanies her father as she is a bit suspicious of the probenders, sees probending as a farce. She's angry as benders killed her mother. But Hiroshi wants to sponsor the team, says some spiel about it being good business, gets Mako on side like the show.

-- Hiroshi is an equalist like the show. He decides to sponsor the Fire Ferrets as it gives him in an in on the probending world and the arena that he can report back to Amon.

-- Asami and Mako and Bolin spend some time together. She's suspicious but at some point prior to Hiroshi's reveal her and Mako have a talk. She vents about bending that she knows not every bender is evil but bending took away her mum. Mako says the same thing, bending took away his mother. But bending helped protect his little brother as they had nothing else to rely on. This helps Asami put somethings into perspective a bit-- as I think the discussion of opression in this universe cannot be solely limited to bending, it has to include class as well.

-- Like the show she is still fairly kind.

-- Mako and Asami do not date in book 1, but there is maybe some attraction between each other, but with Asami's bending reservations there is no chance for an immediate attraction in canon. Korra is still jealous of Asami just because she's beautiful and captures Mako's attention. I'm going to keep this version fairly similar to canon so Mako and Korra still date at the end of the series.

-- Asami still invites Korra and Bolin and Mako to her house when the arena is shut down as she's a nice person. Korra is like OWO at Asami. But then she finds an equalist glove in the house-- who would have that unless you're an equalist? And she and Mako muse that it would make sense if it's Future Industries tech, and since Asami lives in the house and has voiced reservations about bending before, it would make sense if she's the equalist and even making them.

-- Asami is heartbroken that her friends would suspect her like that. She's interviewed and released due to lack of evidence. At some point Mako and Korra and Bolin find the secret passageway, Hiroshi is revealed. LIke in canon, she makes the choice to side with her new friends. They apologise to her for doubting her and she forgives them.

The rest plays like book 1 canon (but with less love triangle stuff) and we could spend more time on the ordinary non-bending citizens being victimised by the police.

The reason I like this is that we get a more developed equalist subplot. Asami is kind, but she's wary of bending, and how it can hurt people. It's complicated. If the rest of the show supports that, then Asami is seen as a bit more complicated and reserved than just kind and perfect. She's a bit short-sighted in terms of her wealth giving her privilidge.

I think for the rest of the series, to give Asami more flaws and depth post book 1 you can a) play up her privilege and wealth and b) play more into her insecurities. Book 2 does show that she's worried about literally running Future Industries as a CEO. Instead of the show where her problems are fixed by a man (Bolin) punching Varrick, instead we can see her POV more and how worried she is, more time is spent on her handing over the company, and she also gets the chance to bring Varrick to justice. She can still date Mako and realise he's not right for her. She dates Mako in book 2 because he's there, comforting her, so that can still happen.

Book 3 and 4 can be similar to canon, just have more time with Asami. In book 3, we mention how she's angry and insecure and just needs a break from beng CEO, that she just doesn't get everything right-- which Korra validates her with and relates with her own struggles and pressures as the Avatar. They touch hands, look into each others eyes, they say they understand each other (the start of korrasami).

Maybe in book 4 she makes sure she's a voice for non-benders and intra-community relations, tying the plots from the start to the end together more. And more time spent on her loss of Korra and her anger at her Dad.

Idk. Maybe I just don't see the solution to Asami being underwritten is to put her into an enemies to lovers plot. There's plenty there in the whole series to build off whilst keeping her 'good' and relatively uncomplicated.

#asami sato #tlok #legend of korra #korra #avatar #korrasami

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dutchdread · 27 days

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I was reading some of your stuff and I’m very confused. If aerith first love was zack why not have them kiss in ccr or hold hands ? It just seems like the writers don’t want them together when they let aerith have all this moments with cloud especially since they don’t let zack and aerith meet in rebirth. And I didn’t understand why the dev don’t say cloud and tifa are married after ff7 if there the cannon couple.

This question is odd to me, you're essentially asking me why the story didn't end in part 2. We have an entire third game to get through. Drama and bumps on the road are a part of every story, you're essentially asking me why they don't just skip that and resolve the story at the start...... the reason they don't is because that's not a story. Aeriths uncertainty and inner struggles concerning Cloud and Zack are a part of the story, and they're what make the story engaging. Clouds issues in regards to his jenova and mako induced mental and physical health as well as his pre-existing conditions, are all elements of the story that cause friction and interplay with the characters as well.

The reason we don't get an Aerith and Zack reunion in part 2 is that that is a pay-off, and pay-offs are for endings. Aeriths feelings concerning Cloud are part of the inner struggles being told. In this part of the story we see Aerith using Cloud as a stand in for Zack, we see her realizing that's wrong, we see her trying to look at Cloud for Cloud, and ultimately he see her discovering that it's just not the same, that while she really likes Cloud, she doesn't "like like" Cloud.

That was the pay-off for part 2. Part 3 will reveal exactly why it was that she did feel a certain draw towards Cloud with the Zack reveal, and it will have the pay-off of Aerith and Zack reuniting, supposedly combined with a good example of how her chemistry with Zack contrasts with the forced nature of her interactions with Cloud. And we'll get the pay-off of the tension that's been built up between Cloud and Tifa. Concerning why we don't see them married in ACC. If Zidane and Garnet are canon why didn't FF9 show them kissing? If Squall and Rinoa are canon why didn't the ending show them getting married? What is it with these specific requests? They're living together raising kids, what more do you want? Instead of asking why we're not getting something, lets look at what we do get. We get Cloud and Tifa kissing in the second part of a 3 part story where their most iconic and romantic scenes, the scenes all about them revealing their hearts to each other and growing closer, are yet to come. We get Cloud and Tifa living together and raising a family. We get more than just about any other canon couple I can think off. Yes, there is still wriggle room, there always is, but why wouldn't there be? Why would SE go out of their way to stomp out any and all other interpretations of their work? What would be the point of a scene showing that Tifa and Cloud officially married OTHER than just being there to piss off Cleriths? That would honestly just be cruel for no reason, plus it would make Cloud come across as even worse. And one has to wonder why anyone would expect them to be married after only 2 years at age 23 while already dealing with raising kids, rebuilding bars, and dealing with loss. But them not going out of their way to ruin peoples days doesn't mean that there isn't a canon interpretation that they are following when writing. And that canonicity specifically, repeatedly, calls them a family. Here is a question, if there was supposed to be a question about who Cloud ends up with in FFVII, why does Cloud end up raising a family with the same girl whose "special existence" he vowed to become a decade earlier, while Aerith ends up dead?

#ffvii #cloti #ffvii rebirth #ffvii remake #cloud strife #tifa lockhart

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prismaticpichu · 2 months

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Posted this fic on an alt account bc I kinda just barfed it out this morning without worrying about quality/being up to snuff with regular stuff but then kinda chickened out and orphaned that account but I honestly don’t want 2.5K worth of words to go to waste so here we are!

Hope you enjoy! A little Zack & Angeal & Sephiroth nonsense for your reading pleasure <33

Unprofessionalism

Angeal was giving him a Look.

A really, really, really stern Look.

Zack Fair stood in the doorway of his mentor's apartment—the first time he had ever entered his mentor's apartment, actually, and all his initial excitement of stepping foot into one of SOLDIER's most elite living spaces had been frozen to subzero temperatures while simultaneously feeling like he was under the scrutiny of two Mako-blue heat lamps as Angeal frowned down at him with a pursed lip and furrowed brow.

Zack swallowed.

What...what did he do? He didn't charge inside the place like a bull who'd been bit in the butt (even though he really wanted to), he didn't track any dirt on the clean wooden floors...Heck, he had immediately removed his shoes the moment he passed the threshold—

"Zack." Angeal finally broke the tension with all the ease of a butterknife. "...What is on your feet?"

...

Huh?

Zack blinked in surprise, taken aback by the question, the burning radiance of those heat lamps toning down just a tad as he rubbed his neck and glanced down at his feet.

"Uh...socks?" he said, and hoped that it was the right answer. Especially given that it was the only answer.

...Surely 'Geal could see that he was wearing proper foot covering, right? Right?! He wasn't some heathen who would risk blistering his feet with the abrasive material of the SOLDIER footwear. So what gives? They were perfectly fine socks—and perfectly clean to boot. There was no dirt; there were no holes; they didn't even smell all too bad. Just two perfectly fine socks that were covering his feet, one white with blue polka dots and the other black with green stripes. Completely and utterly normal.

Zack glanced back up, hoping his (obvious) answer would be enough to satisfy.

Annnnd Angeal was still giving him a Look.

...Oh for the love of sugar-frosted corn flakes.

"What?" Zack had to finally ask. "What'd I do? Really!"

Angeal's expression didn't change.

"...Your socks."

The response was dry, slow, like the sluggish pace and molasses-coated syllables would somehow manage to make it any less vague.

"What about my socks?"

The heat lamp cranked up the heat. Angeal folded his arms, furrowed brow twitching, tilting his head slightly like he had just asked what on Gaia two plus two equates to.

And took a deep breath.

"They're mismatching."

...

Huh?

Zack glanced back down at his socks—at the stripes and dots, at the lefty and righty—genuinely and unabashedly and totally confused, before looking back up at has mentor again.

"Uh...so?"

...

The heat lamp reached solar levels.

Zack rubbed his neck.

Welp. That just earned him a one-way, non-refundable ticket to a good ol' lecture if he'd ever seen one.

"...Zack," Angeal started tightly.

Annnnnnddd there it was.

He tried not to groan.

"What do I always tell you is the most vital part of being a SOLDIER?”

"Embracing your dreams," Zack mindlessly regurgitated.

"Correct. And what else?"

"...Protecting your honor." The second part came as a sigh.

"Good. And what do you think that means, pup? To protect your honor?"

Zack once again rubbed his neck, struggling to puzzle out how this going-through-the-motions lecture connected to the apparent topic of his sock choices.

"Uh...to not cheat on exams?"

"Nope. Try again."

"Uhhhh..."

"It means not only acting the part of a SOLDIER, pup, but looking the part as well. Do you understand where I'm going with this?"

Zack was certain at this point that Angeal's definition of "SOLDIER honor" was actually made of clay and could basically be kneaded and molded to fit whatever unspoken law he managed to break in the moment. Like when he wasn't cutting his meatballs into appropriate sizes before consuming them and Angeal went on to say that the true meaning of "SOLDIER honor" meant having good table manners and apparently nothing else.

"Not really," Zack admitted.

Angeal's brows did a little dance.

"I mean, Zack, that wearing proper and appropriate attire is a clear-cut sign of your respect and appreciation towards military standards. Anything below that not only shows your impropriety, but shows you have a complete and utter lack of respect towards the SOLDIERs around you who are wearing the proper attire. Do you understand now?”

...

...Huh?

"I guess," Zack said, for the sheer sake of moving this grueling process along.

How was it that he hadn't moved from the doormat?

Angeal kept his arms folded. "Do you want to be a First, Zack?"

Zack's head snapped up, something struck, blue eyes suddenly doe-like. "More than anything!"

"Then I suggest you start dressing like it." Angeal finally lowered his arms. "Because, frankly, I do not appreciate the messages you are sending to me by wearing your..." He eyed Stripes and Dots with an unveiled, purposeful disdain. "Incongruent socks."

"But 'Geaaaal," Zack protested, actually starting to get a little offended. "You can't even see my socks with the boots on! Who even cares?”

"It's not about that, pup. It's about the principle."

Oh, the principle. It's always about the principle.

"Geal..."

"Don't argue with me, pup. It's completely unprofessional."

"But—“

"No buts. Now please go change them."

"What?”

"Go on."

"Geal!"

"Go."

"C'mon—“

"Now, Zack."

"Can I at least have a snack?"

"After you change. Now go."

"C'mon, this is totally—“

"Zack."

"But—“

"Zackary Calypso Fair."

...

Why did he ever tell him his middle name?

Letting out a long, exaggerated, petulant sign in resignation—and for the sake of getting off this stinking doormat—Zack begrudgingly complied. With a slump in his shoulders he turned around and started out the door, not even bothering to slip his boots back on because apparently they just didn't matter so long as the fabric underneath them wasn't fit for proper SOLDIER day-to-day life.

...Fooey.

The boy's eyes remained glued to Stripy and Dots as he took his walk of shame towards the elevator.

...He'd been wearing his socks like this ever since he was a little tadpole back in Gongaga. They were his, like, good luck charm—didn't 'Geal see that?! Some people plucked four-leaved clovers from the ground, others carried horseshoes with them. Well, not him. He—Zack Fair—had always held tight to the belief that all good fortune started with mismatching socks. Specifically ones with different patterns. And then there was the question of how in Moogle's magical mascara he was supposed to find matching socks—because, well, his drawer was kinda but totally a rainbow explosion of different socks that had been long ripped from their pairs and set off to marry other mates in the sea. Like, really. That's what it looked like. It would take him hours to organize them all again. Days, even. Months? Years? Centuri—

So subsumed in his sock-serious dilemma, Zack was completely impervious to the sound of the elevator dinging in front of him.

As was he impervious to the sound of a person stepping out of it.

As was he impervious to any sense of time and space as he proceeded to mindlessly walk into the open car only to be stopped by walking straight into someone's open coat instead.

Gah! Shoot shoot shoot.

Zack jolted back into his body, startled , shaking his head from the impact as a deep coral gushed onto his cheeks.

And boy oh boy did his cheeks nearly burn off as his head shot up and he caught sight of the serpentine eyes peering into his own.

...

Oh.

Frosted.

Cornflakes.

Zack's mouth opened way too fast.

"Oh—uh! I'm sorry, Sir! General, Sir! Sephiroth, General, Sir! I didn't mean to walk into your chest or anything—I, uh, I promise! I was just kinda lost in thought y'know—I can be a real space cadet sometimes even though I haven't been a cadet in over a year and erm anyway uh do you like meatballs—“

"At ease, SOLDIER." Sephiroth's voice was smooth, even, and unruffled. "Just keep your head up next time."

...

Huh. That was pretty nice, actually.

Zack nodded vigorously nonetheless, taking a step back, but was relieved to feel the blazes of tension dwindling away in his body. "Y-yes, Sir. Will do."

Anything to avoid repeating that.

...Seriously.

He was surprised to see the man tilt his head, a rather benign gesture as Sephiroth regarded him curiously. "What are you doing on this floor, SOLDIER? Do you have business being here?"

Zack's lips quirked into a smile. "Sure do! My mentor's a First Class; was just coming to chill at his place after some training."

Sephiroth hummed in understanding, straightening his look. "Ah. So you're Zackary?"

Zack's eyes might as well have exploded into stars.

"Yeah! Yeah, that's me! How'd you know?!"

Angeal would not approve of this explicit lack of "Sirring". But who cared two Chocobo nuggets about that? Sephiroth knew his name! His name! Little tadpole Zack's name!

A ghost of a smile crossed Sephiroth's lips. "Angeal's a friend," he explained smoothly. "He has mentioned having a student before."

... No freakin' waaaaaYYYYYYY YY—

Before Zack could let that sound out, thankfully, the general's expression shifted to that of confusion.

And in a matter of nanoseconds Zack was realizing exactly what he was staring at.

And the coral instantly came flooding back.

I know, I know, I'm going! You don't need to reinforce it. Mismatched socks are for squares, i've been told. I won't be a square. Just lay it on me.

He swallowed, holding his breath, and—

"...Why aren't you wearing shoes, Zackary?" Sephiroth asked puzzledly.

—let his breath go.

...

…

Well.

That wasn't exactly the question he was expecting.

Nonetheless, it was a question—a question from General Sephiroth—and for the sake of not looking like any more of a buffoon, it was one that he should answer in a timely manner. Like now.

Like right now.

Zack rubbed his neck, masking as much of his surprise as possible.

"Well, uh, Angeal...he kinda, y'know...told me to change my socks."

Sephiroth remained silent for several moments.

"...Why?"

...

Why...?

Zack could hardly believe what he was hearing.

"Well, y'know. He said...y'know..."

He was trying his best to gesture verbally to the Obvious—an Obvious that Sephiroth, judging by sheer countenance alone, wasn't grasping, which seemed completely and utterly ridiculous given that circulating rumors told of Sephiroth's collective IQ being higher than that of the entire SOLDIER unit clumped together (Angeal himself included) . And yet here he was, looking completely and utterly stumped like he was the world's most Unfair crossword puzzle.

Which meant that Zack was forced to continue.

"You know..." He swallowed. "He said that, well, he said that...Said that wearing mismatching socks was unprofessional and I was being disrespectful and showing impro-pie-ity or something and that true SOLDIER's honor was all in the dress code even though I thought he said it was about table manners and then another time he said it was about tying your laces and anyway he said he wouldn't give me a snack until I change so now I have to abandon my superstitions and conform to the SOLDIER sock wearing code."

...

Sephiroth remained silent for several more moments.

...

And when he spoke again, some five or thirty seconds later, Zack was certain he could be bowled over with a feather.

"Well..." he said slowly, turning his gaze away with a hum. "I suppose I am an activate displayer of impro-pie-ity myself.”

Zack blinked.

...

Huh?

Now, it was his turn to cock his head. "...Whad'ya mean?"

It didn't take many words for his question to be answered; it didn't take many syllables. Which, well, when Zack thought about it... may have been partly due to the fact that Sephiroth's response didn't require any words at all.

Instead, as that ghost of a smile took possession of his lips and curled into a real, true smirk, Sephiroth bent down—alllll the way to his boots, allll the way to the cuffs of his pants—and proceeded to roll up the iconic black material until the clothing underneath was visible.

And that was when the feather bowled Zack right over.

Because there, hugging the bottommost part of his legs and disappearing into the tunnel of his boots, were a pair of socks. But not just any socks: a blue sock on his right, mottled with yellow polka dots, and a plain gray sock on his left. Socks that were not matching in style, color, nor pattern; socks that were chaotic, wild, and free. Socks that were completely and utterly incongruent as they come.

Zack's mouth fell agape.

"Angeal can get more than a little carried away with his lectures." The smirk was still playing on his lips as Sephiroth rolled his cuffs back down. "Not to mention the fact that First Classes have complete freedom in regard to their clothing choices. Did he tell you that?"

Zack shook his head.

"Or course not." Sephiroth shook his own, bangs of silver swishing with the motion. "He still wears the standard uniform everywhere he goes."

The man straightened back upright, smirk still present, and bestowed upon him a brief nod of understanding.

"I wouldn't be too disheartened by Angeal's preaching, my friend. He once lectured me for shaking too much Parmesan cheese onto my dinner."

The numbing, incredulous awe that had enveloped him was finally broken by a laugh.

"...For real?! What'd you say to him?"

"I told him to back off, of course," Sephiroth replied smugly. "That I wasn't a child and could do what I want. Same as when he scolded me to change my socks."

He glanced down at Stripy and Dots, that satisfied smirk melting into something of a genuine smile.

"Very nice colors, by the way. I approve."

And then he was gone, like a silver leaf in the wind, sailing down the hallway towards his own apartment and closing the door behind him.

Zack remained silent for several, several moments.

...

Wow.

What a guy.

#sephiroth #ffvii #zack fair #angeal hewley #crisis core #ff7 #randomness #pichu writing #fanfic #writing #ff7 fanfic #just poking fun at Angeal’s ‘lectures’#dhdhdhdhhd

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gh0stbeeee · 8 months

Note

tell us more about the death note/h2o crossover please 👀

Warning, tiny bit of dark content near the end. But like, it's death note sooo...

Characters:

Rikki = Light

Emma = L

Cleo = Misa

Lewis = Matsuda

Miriam = Kiyomi

Zane = Mikami

Kim = Sayu

Elliot = Near, Mello, Matt

Miss Chatham = Ryuk

Now, despite character assignments I'm still giving cannon siblings. So Sayu is still Light's little sister, the wammy boys are L's etc. The roles are based off of personality, so not everything fits and I'll move things around. Like yeah, Ryuk is Chatham because him as a weird old ocean man with ominous advice is hysterical.

Plot:

Starts of pretty similar, will diverge.

Light and Misa go to high school at the Gold Coast, Australia. Light's mother is a marine biologist that works at a nearby institute, while his father still works in Japan as the chief of the NPA.

Misa lives there with her parents, and is close with Light. Ie, she follows him around and he puts up with her. She is also good friends with Matsuda, who studies with her occasionally.

L is the new transfer kid, who Light doesn't like because he keeps on challenging his intellect. Plus he's weird.

So of course Light gets put in a group biology project with him, along with Misa.

While brainstorming where to research, L asks about Mako Island. Light says the Island and the waters around it are too dangerous. L (in essence) calls him chicken.

That weekend, the two, and an unwilling Misa, take Sachiko's boat out to Mako. And the gas tank leaks. So, they row the short rest of the way to Mako.

Of course, there's no phone service, and no one will look for them until after the weekend. Light and L bicker on the beach until Misa makes them go setup camp on the shore, then look for higher ground to try and get reception.

While looking, Misa falls in a hole. L goes in to help her. Light falls into trying to lend them the rope. Stuck down there, they look for an exit, and find the moon pool.

After oooing and aweing, they figure out the pool is connected to the ocean due to tidal rings. They plan to swim out after L scopes it out. Problem, Misa can't swim.

But after encouraging words and promises to help her, they all get in the pool as the full moon rises over the mouth of the volcano.

Weird bubbles happen.

But they ignore it, swimming out to the ocean and back to their camp near shore, getting dry and going to sleep.

The next morning they go into the shallow water to look for samples for their project since they have nothing else to do.

And they all turn into fish.

They freak, Misa screams, it's a mess. They all crawl onto shore to try and figure this out, and as soon as they're dry, they turn back to normal.

Misa refuses to touch water again. L needs time to process what just happened. But Light, the little getter he is, goes for a swim.

And he loves it, it's the most awesome swimming experience he's ever had. Way better than swimming as a clumsy human. He convinces L, then Misa, and after they all start to get used to their tails, they're having the time of their lives.

Now, they can push the boat back to the mainland, and say that "luckily" the gas tank leaked right as they were getting back.

They get what they need for the project, and like the dorky 16 year olds they are, swear a pact to never tell anyone about this.

(Touta finds out a week later when Misa tried to go to a pool party.)

Miscellaneous/Plot Points

Misa shows up at school the following day in total beach girl aesthetic, including beach curls, shell/pearl jewelry, flowy clothes and wedges. L nearly smacks her upside the head. Light does.

They turn the moon pool into their own little hangout! Misa gets them all to buy fairy lights, tapestries, blankets, pillows, and even shelves for all of their stuff, along with a crap ton of batteries for the lights. It turns out surprisingly cozy.

They all hang out a lot for obvious reasons, which puts a chip in Kiyomi and Teru's shoulder. They've tried to be close to Light to no avail, but suddenly this L guy, and Misa who is now more than tolerated, are suddenly thick as thieves with him! They get bitchy with the two, especially L.

Misa made them all fishing net pouch-belts to put cool things they find during swims in.

The pool starts to look like a little treasure trove, since there is a LOT of cool stuff to find and the bottom of the ocean.

With the sheer amount of pearls and mother of pearl they find, Light starts to make accessories out of it. Misa is overjoyed and accepts the items with joy. L likes to watch Light tinker. Light doesn't mind him there.

The three, especially Light develop a superiority complex in regards to other people. It's based in insecurity about not being human anymore, but they do feel superior because of their powers.

L goes research nuts. A large portion of the moon pool wall looks like a mermaid conspiracy board, he wants to find any possible explanation. Light helps where he can, impressed with L's brain.

L was the first to find his powers, when he froze Kiyomi and Mikami to a wet sidewalk. Next was Light, after he boiled his annoying history teachers coffee all over his desk. Misa found her power a few days after, accidentally flooding her bathroom when she tried to bath.

The first full moon was... not good. Ryuk randomly showed up at the beach to warn Light, who discarded his words as meaningless blabbering. The three of them went moon crazy, and swam in the ocean until Misa got caught in an illegal fishing boat net.

The next morning, the boat was found sunken and destroyed, the charred and frozen bodies of the small were found with it.

None of them swam for three days.

But uh, yeah! They're a little pod, very protective of eachother :)

Misa likes to find starfish that match their hair colours and stick them on the boys' hair. They don't come off :)

It's the wammy boys that notice something up (they including Sayu are 10 btw) and they end up finding some of L's research. Watari just said it was probably a hobby when they showed him, but when they go to Sayu and they find a type of shell that is only found at diving depth in Light's room, they begin to think their theory of mermaids is warranted.

The trio is annoyed by the snoopyness, and now that they were technically murderers there was another level of urgency to keep this secret.

Unfortunately, mermaid hunters and scientists do start showing up, as "sitings" have increased due to underwater cameras.

Stakes rise and the three begin to ponder the benefits of staying. And the risks of going.

They start sabotaging. Finding the groups, their plans and evidence under the guise of mermaid enthusiasts. It works mostly, except for one group that keeps coming back. L finds himself impressed with how easily Light can manipulate them.

The three start going farther away during swims, able to go to places like Fiji or the Mediterranean in under an hour due to their extraordinary tails.

There is relationship drama. Misa is realizing her crush on Light is going no where, and he and L have started to become closer. Eventually they get over it, but lawlight is end game.

Kiyomi's jealousy deflates over time, and she begins to appreciate Misa without Light clouding her mind ;)

That's all for now I think! BTW, blue tails for mermen isn't on a whim, it's cannon in the h2o sequel Mako mermaids :)

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nayialovecat · 7 months

Text

The Ink Demonth 2023 - Day 21. City

Day 21. City Crossover: Samurai Jack Aku is like that one uncle who made his fortune by pure luck (e.g. winning the lottery) and now feels entitled to give life advice to everyone around him on what to do to be as successful as he is, lol.

This is probably one of my best and favourite entries in this year's Ink Demonth.

The funny thing is that I originally had a different idea here - it was supposed to be a crossover with the Spiderverse, where in Spider-Men City one of the Spider-Man (probably Milo) asks Bendy if he's Venom, and Bendy replies that he is, but better because he doesn't need a host. However, I decided that I didn't want to draw the city from this movie, or even so many Spider-Men (although I love both the movie and Spider-Man himself in almost every version) - so Titatotrix and I did a brainstorming session, which resulted in my very discovery: "of course, Aku City... it was supposed to be Aku City from the beginning!" And we got it! I've always wanted to draw Aku. I've drawn Samurai Jack and more, there was even a short comics from my favourite episode... but never Aku. And he is such a lovely object to draw...

I love Samurai Jack. This is probably still my favourite cartoon. And I deeply regret the ending of the last series (the one from Swim Adult). Seriously, I was really sad that so many well-thought-out episodes and the entire complex plot were ruined with one stupid decision at the end... what a shame. I still love the show, and Jack was one of my big crushes (along with Hercules from the 1995 series and Chase Young from Shaolin Showdown and only from Shaolin Showdown - we don't talk about Chronicles). Plus Aku was dubbed in the original by Mako, one of my favourite voice actors (he did Splinter in my favourite TMNT movie and Uncle Iroh in Avatar: The Last Airbender) - may he rest in peace.

While making this picture, I had great fun at every stage: sketching, making lineart, colouring... I would love to continue the theme of "uncle" Aku giving good advice to Bendy, but, unfortunately, I don't have time for that anymore. Maybe I'll come back to it someday. By the way, while coming up with this entry - and it was after linearizing the next one, Radio, which you will see in a few hours - Titatotrix and I came to the conclusion that this year's Ink Demonth in my version looks a bit like Bendy's journey through the Multiverse and asking various characters for advice on how to deal with his perpetual depression (and with Joey). Well, it really looks like that. Plus entries where Sammy does something... sammish X"D

Bendy and the Ink Machine (c) Joey Drew Studios Inc. Samurai Jack (c) Genndy Tartakovsky Sammy and the Ink Machine (c) Nayia Lovecat

#The Ink Demonth #Bendy and the Ink Machine #Sammy and the Ink Machine #BATIM #SATIM #Samurai Jack #Aku #Bendy #Ink Bendy #Ink Demon #love that serial #Nayia recommends #The Ink Demonth 2023 #crossover

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zombieheroine · 17 days

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Initial D character headcanons (2/?)

Part 1

Sato Mako

Day job: Office worker in accounting Music of choice: Girl group grunge In her glove compartment: Maps, marker pens, a cap and sunglasses, polaroids of her and Sayuki, her rally idols, and that one candid of Takahashi Ryosuke. Plus Sayuki's emergency lipsticks and spare stockings. Parallel parking skill: Perfect. She doesn't honestly know what the big deal is, it's just stopping your car, get over yourself. Driving pet peeve: Guys who go on about "women drivers" Ticket score: She got a speeding ticket once and nearly yelled at the cop, so she's made extra sure not to get in that situation again.

Sayuki

Day job: An event venue manager, occasional bartender Music of choice: Girl group grunge, punk, visual kei In her glove compartment: She and Mako share the car, so she treats it like a second handbag. See above. Parallel parking skill: Only the theory. As the navigator, she just tells the driver to do it. If you listen to her, you'll get it exactly right too. Driving pet peeve: Guys who refuse to take instructions, read the manual, or ask for directions. Ticket score: Minus one, because she reins in Mako's temperament and believes without her she'd been arrested a long ago.

Nakazato Takeshi

Day job: A specialized mechanical engineer with a steady government position. The details are classified and it's very well paid. Music of choice: X Japan and Buck-Tick, goth and visual kei In his glove compartment: CDs (legit, he'd never pirate music), eye liner, and usually cigarettes and a lighter, but recently he must have forgotten to stack up. His lighter must be in another jacket's pocket too. Parallel parking skill: Perfect, but he keeps quiet about it in case someone dares him and he can use it to assert dominance (this will never happen). Driving pet peeve: Backseat drivers. He will never get a GPS or use a map app, ever. Ticket score: Speeds a lot but rarely gets caught. He doesn't worry about it too much, just enough to not lose his license.

Shoji Shingo

Day job: IT customer support at a call center. This is the root of everything that's wrong with him. Music of choice: Rap, hiphop, and secretly Britney Spears. Her CDs (legit) are kept in wrong cases on purpose. In his glove compartment: Hair ties, duct tape, zip ties, a box cutter, loose pill sheets of pain killers, condoms. This looks extremely shady but he doesn't even question it. Opening this would end any date immediately. Also a growing stash of cigarettes and lighters. Parallel parking skill: As good as any basic driving skill. It doesn't even occur to him to be stressed or impressed about anything as mundane as parking. Driving pet peeve: People who complain about "risks" and refuse to live a little.

#Initial D #inid #initial D headcanons

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dark-elf-writes · 1 month

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Kid 1: vote for Barret. Wants their dad to be with someone he 100% trusts and that fought with him for a long time. Places a lot of value on trust and shared experiences. The most rode or die kid of the bunch which is really saying something.

Kid 2: vote for Genesis. Is really invested in the idea of cloud having something resembling an equal when it comes to combat. The fact gen would appreciate their dad’s (far too often overlooked) materia selection just as much as his swords is a plus.

Kid 3: team Rufus. Really wants cloud to be a widower because no one living is worthy of their dad, but the bag needs to be secured before they kill Rufus off. Has high hopes that cloud would be a better president shinra than Rufus ever could be. Practically a shoe in for the Turks. Will hiss at the mention of prenups.

Kid 4 (he/him?): originally voted Sephiroth. Probably thought his eyes looked like an endangered lizard’s and decided that meant the rest of him could be fixed. He is of the opinion cloud is very good at fixing people (others used to say he was weird and broken before cloud, but now they don’t so he must be okay now). Besties with a dragon summon and dreams of giving someone a self fulfilling prophecy because those are his favorite ones.

Kid 1 Lily 11 (She/her): Leader of their group. Brown hair and eyes. Lost her parents when the plate fell and got displaced again after meteorfall. Was brought to Cloud by Marlene who is her best friend to this day. May have alternative motives for wanting Barret to marry Cloud. Will kill for her siblings and friends no questions asked. Has nightmares about the plate falling all the time and takes the longest warm up to the Turks as a result. Future mechanic/gunsmith. Has definitely had more than one experiment explode on her.

Kid 2 Ky 12 (He/they): The Nerd™️ of the group. Red hair brown/red eyes. Got kicked out when he caught geostigma and never bothered to check if his parents wanted him back after he was cured or if they even lived. Was brought in by Denzel after the church along with a few other geostigma kids who had nowhere else to go. Always more comfortable with books rather than people. Looks for symbolism in everything. Has made all of them go see Loveless a dozen times. Materia gremlin. Could probably outcast Cloud if given a few years.

Kid 3 Jayden 10? No one is sure (they/them): The most mysterious/murder gremlin of the group. Could be Cloud’s pre-mako clone with the blond hair and blue eyes. No one really knows anything about them pre Geostigma and didn’t ask for fear of making them sad/bitey. Will settle for Tseng or Elena for Cloud if Rufus is not an option/as a second marriage. Has mutual beef with Reno and no one knows why. Will be scouted for the Turks if they can just stop plotting Rufus’ death.

Kid 4 Seraph 10 (he/him): The Weird Kid™️. White/blond hair green eyes. Ran away from an abusive/neglectful home before everything and kept running after. Only went with Kadaj and co because they looked so similar to him. Most people that meet him swear that he was a Shinra experiment but no one will say so out loud for fear of Cloud and his other kids bodying them on the spot. Likes fortune telling, lizards, and magic (non materia). Has a hard time with social situations and crowds but so does cloud so he feels better about it now than he did before.

#the elf talks #ff7 #names subject to change but I like these for now #the gremlins are named and I love all of them #also there are more kids running around but these are the squad rb #no one knows if sareph is actually an experiment or if his parents were just Seph fans tbh #it could in fact be both #clouds clutch au

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crisiscutie · 11 months

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(twisted) reunion.

Crisis Cutie Collection fic starring C.C Sephy.

Pairing: AFAB Darling/C.C Sephiroth (Nibelheim Incident)

Word Count: 1.4k

Content Warning: NSFW (no actual sex but heavy themes present), Psychological Abuse, Mentions of Past Physical Abuse, Blood, Mind Control, Mind Break.

You were staring out the window, with no particular focus, taking in the sorrowful, violent night that unfolded as you laid in bed. You had no reaction to the sight of the flames consuming the homes and buildings in the distance, nor to the piteous wails of those being incinerated or slain. You want to be horrified and emphasize with the affected poor souls, but you can't. Not with him near... The injuries that Sephiroth inflicted upon you have been healing well, however, there's still some areas of your body where you felt sharp pangs of pain. Just as Sephiroth had foreseen, Jenova is getting you ready for the "reunion"… Or whatever that means. You don't care about it, though. You don't care about anything.

You just want to be with him. Or maybe you don't. Maybe it's just his cells within you, making you think that. That discovery was made known to you not too long ago. You were secretly injected with his cells during your lengthy mako infusion sessions in between the missions you've done for wretched Shinra. Past you would've been shocked and angry upon finding that information out, but present you? It just didn't matter anymore. Plus, these cells within you have mutated since then, who knows if they're still recognizably Sephiroths...

The long period of separation had left you feeling desperate for his touch and presence. Even though he hurt you when you two reunited in the library... But, he eventually stopped and brought you up to this cozy bed, where he laid you down comfortably. And then he spoke such kind, soothing words to you while aiding your recovery process. There's nothing about Sephiroth that changed, you know it. Though, you've been worrying about him tonight, he's been absent for longer than normal, and you can't help but ponder what he's doing.

You were suddenly overcome with a pounding headache, and you desperately pressed your hands against your temples in an attempt to ease the throbbing pain. You squeezed your eyes shut, the salty tears burning as they cascaded down your face. It's Sephiroth, he's near, approaching you. Your heart ached despite the fact that you should be joyous. It's as if by instinct, you realized… He's hurt. Your beloved was in pain, and you were not there to shield him from it. Guilt flooded you. You sensed he had something with him, a presence so strong that it was almost overwhelming to your senses. Is it what hurt Sephiroth? You curled up in a tight ball on the bed, like a lost child seeking comfort. The thought of someone causing him harm made your stomach turn with dread.

Your head snapped up as the door to the room was violently kicked down. There he was, your beloved Sephiroth. As he walked towards you, you could hear his labored breathing, his body visibly hunched in pain. His face was ravaged with rage and anguish, yet his expression softened when his eyes met yours. His lips curved into a twisted grin of joy. He had one hand holding something close to his hip, while the other wrapped around the handle of his bloody Masamune.

You felt the sting of your mending wounds when you rose from the bed, your silent tears becoming sobs of sorrow as you reached out for him, slowly approaching his menacing figure.

"Sephiroth, you're hurting," you sobbed. He stayed silent, his intense eyes narrowed. His gaze pierced through you. His chuckle sent a chill down your spine.

"The reunion…" His chuckle transformed into an echoing, sinister laughter. Even though the time was inappropriate, his voice was like velvet, it sent a forbidden pleasure coursing through your veins. You were so enthralled by his next ramblings that you didn't notice something pressing against your stomach, just below your tits. Your cunt became dripping wet, clit became erect with each husky, determined word he spoke. Why are you taking in such feelings of anger and these words of hatred? How are you absorbing his desire and goal of wanting to annihilate all the less important creatures on this planet? This isn't you. You served aside him to not only be by his side but also to bring the world peace.

You came out of the moment when you felt the anguish and desperation in the air, bringing your sorrow for his hurt condition back. Long, silver hair (not Sephiroths) tickled your arm as you pressed against the warm, sticky blood that oozed from Sephiroth's massive abdominal wound. You're filled with delight, observing the miraculous regeneration of his wound from your wondrous touch, as a sad smile appeared on your face. That was a special ability from your mutated cells, something even Sephiroth couldn't replicate despite the cells in your body originally being his. Sephiroth then leaned down to your level. His laughter grew louder and louder, he moved closer to plant a soft kiss against your ear.

"Mother is here… with us," he crooned. Silence soon overtook you both as you stood in uncertainty. You scrutinized his heavy-lidded eyes, desperate to find an answer in the silence. You couldn't discern any secrets in them: there was joy, rage and agony… And a strange lust that began to uncover? Then, an unseen force compelled you to look down. As you did, your heart dropped when you saw the head of an alien-looking woman with long, silver hair, just like Sephiroth. You couldn't look away from her eerie, pink eyes. It felt like an invisible force was connecting her to your soul. Your body shook with fear, your screams of terror mingling with Sephiroth's cruel laughter. You wanted to flee, but you felt an invisible crushing weight on your shoulders, preventing you from leaving. You were rooted to that spot and you are powerless to do anything.

"NO, NO, NO! GET IT AWAY-" Your words were halted by the intensity of her pink eyes, now radiating with a brilliant glow.

Despite your terror, sensations of euphoria washed over you. Just like a few days ago in the library downstairs, these intense sensations and memories flooded your mind. You don't want to feel good; Your beloved Sephiroth is gruesomely injured, and he's holding some alien's head. B-but NO! You should feel good. What matters now is that Sephiroth... a-and... M-mmm... Mother are here with you now. You three can go to the Promised Land, like what you dreamed, together.

You gritted your teeth and produced a false smile, yet the tears still rolled down your cheeks. Sephiroth softly pressed his forehead against yours, both of your lips nearly touching as he whispered gentle words of comfort. Your body felt looser with each soothing word, and you found yourself closing your eyes. But how foolish for you to be beguiled by his silver-tongued words and be dragged into a false sense of security. Your eyes widened when his lips suddenly met yours with a passionate aggression, as Jenova's head pressed harder against your stomach. His hand, which had just moments before held his blade, now cupped a handful of your ass as his lips moved hungrily against yours. Submissively, you opened your mouth, his hot tongue delving into its wet depths like a predator seizing its succulent prey. His hot tongue moved against yours in a dominating, aggressive swirl. The sensation of his domineering assault on your tongue was so intense that you couldn't help but moan.

He then paused, before breaking away from the rough, passionate kiss, breathing heavily. His slit, mako eyes had a slight, eerie shimmer that seemed to penetrate your very being.

"My precious darling… Stay by me and Mother. Bear my children. As the Chosen One, this planet shall be under my rule," he said.

The tone of his voice was authoritative and sultry. You gasped with delight, pressing against his strong chest as you wrapped your arms around him, enveloping Jenova's head between you both. Even hunched over in agony, he still seemed to tower over you.

"Yes, my love," you replied. He rested his head on yours, you could hear the steady rhythm of his breathing. His gloved hand moved from your butt to your lower back, and the soft warmth of his touch sent a ripple of pleasure through your body, making you giggle and moan in relaxation. The past can't be changed, but you can take comfort in the fact that you have Sephiroth and Jenova with you now. What a wonderful, twisted reunion…

So for context, this is a hypothetical fic of Nibelheim Incident Sephiroth surviving his encounter with Cloud. This fic is also a follow-up to the Nibelheim Incident headcanons I posted sometime ago.

And to explain Sephiroth's and Darling's bond: Darling's bond with Sephiroth has grown so much, to the point where she basically became a power battery for him. He can slowly absorb some of her essence even from afar, making him stronger and durable in battle, which is what lead to his survival (and victory over Cloud and Zack) in this fic.

This strengthening bond also made his cells mutate within her. The poor darling was the first test subject to be injected with Sephiroth's cells before the Nibelheim Incident. Because of her success, the survivors of the Nibelheim Incident were also injected with his cells when Sephy, Darling and Jenova left.

Feel free to ask any questions.

#sephiroth #ff7 sephiroth #final fantasy 7 #final fantasy x reader #sephiroth x reader #yandere sephiroth #crisis cutie #ff7 #project v fic #The Crisis Cutie Collection #Jenova #project v: valkyrie #yandere sephiroth x reader #yandere final fantasy #yandere x darling #yandere x reader #yandere angst #ffvii

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