#anyways. stan fics written by authors of color

[anakin-pilled]

SILVER SPRINGS (Lo'ak x Fem! Reader)

pairing: lo'ak x fem! reader

wordcount: 7.6k

warnings: angst, fandom cliches, amateur writing, bantering, unrequited love (?), complex family dynamics, A LOT OF CLICHES IM SORRY, bad pacing (my bad bro idk how to pace a story im new to this), not sure what else as this is pretty tame

rating: SFW! though my blog is 18+ because i interact with nsfw content, anyone can technically read this?

taglist: @teyamsatan

author's note: okay hi this is my first fanfic that i've ever written before? not counting fanfics i wrote in middle school anyway i got the idea for this fanfic after listening to silver springs by fleetwood mac and i was so obsessed with this idea that i had to make it come true? im a huge neteyam girly so this is a shocker that my first fic ever is about lo'ak (he's my babygirl, just not the LOML like neteyam). uhhh im only familiar with academic writing and this is my first time EVER dipping my toe into the waters of creative writing so pls bear with me if this is not perfect. i actually think this is quite flat and tbh i hate the pacing like its actually awful and there is so much room for improvement, but hey what can i do? IM A NEWBIE AT THIS!! with that being said, if you do decide to read, please treat me with some grace because i am sensitive and i did this purely for fun!!! i know my lo'ak stans are starving for fics and im here to deliver!!!! i am not a professional or seasoned writer by any means but i really tried my best to create something enjoyable ): i don't know why this ended up being so long but it did and there WILL be a part two, i already have it outlined. SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, here is my first avatar fanfiction!!

proofread and edited but i got lazy toward the end LOL if you see any mistakes, please tell me kindly <3

You could be my silver spring

Blue-green colors flashin'

I would be your only dream

Your shinin' autumn ocean crashin'

The forest blended into a mixture of vibrant colors as you ran away from the incoming threat. Beautiful shades of blue, green, and purple passed around you. The feeling of the bare ground, soft and pliant from the morning dew, normally imbued you with a sense of stability and peace. As long as your feet were on the ground and connected to Ewya’s bountiful moon, you knew everything would be alright. However, this time, the feeling of the bare ground underneath your feet felt the opposite of stable and peaceful. The ground served as a reminder of how much longer you had to run until you reached the safe confines of the Omitikaya clan. 

You stopped running with a quick halt. Your chest heaved up and down as you tried to catch your breath. The beads in your hair clacked together in a cacophony as you looked around in different directions. The sun broke through the tree canopy and highlighted the forest like a kaleidoscope. Swish. You quickly turned your head to the other side to catch sight of what made the noise but all you could see was the rustling of the bush–as if whatever you were looking for was looking for you too before running off. Without a second to spare, you dashed in the direction of the village. But you only made it a few feet ahead of you before you were tackled by something heavy and shoved to the forest ground.

“I win.” said the voice from above in a triumphant, but annoying, manner. 

“You got to be faster than that, ‘eylan.” As you shaded your eyes with your hand, you were met with the illuminating picture of Lo’ak on top of you. The sun shone above on Lo’ak and cast him in beautiful rays of light. He looked like an angel–like a celestial being sent straight from Ewya’s heart and into your eyesight. Though you have never seen an angel, Norm described them as ethereal and pure religious beings. And at this moment, Lo’ak was an angel. 

“Get off me, fatass.” You said as you pushed Lo’ak weight off your body. You secretly loved the weight of his body on yours and how it radiated a warmth that hugged your body and soul. Lo’ak rolled off with ease and laid next to you on the foliage. “Hey! No need to insult me because you lost yet another round of hunter and prey.” 

Hunter and prey. A game that all Omitcayan children played growing up. And though you and Lo’ak were no longer children, you continued to play this game. Lo’ak claims it’s a great way to burn energy and let loose. You suspected he liked playing so often because it allowed him to avoid whatever daily chores his father, the Olo’eyktan, assigned him. And while you could think of better ways to spend your time, you indulged in Lo’ak’s childish whims because it brought him happiness. What type of best friend would you be if you didn’t? 

“I’m not insulting you because I lost. I could care less about losing,” You explained. “I’m insulting you because tackled me to the ground and put your entire weight on my body. Lay off the yovo fruit and I might insult you less.” 

Lo’ak scoffed at your response and stuck his tongue out in a mocking manner. “You mean the yovo fruit that Spider and I specifically collected because you asked for it? Yeah, I got put on ikran pen duty for a week after that since we missed curfew.” 

You simply rolled your eyes and aimed your middle finger at Lo’ak. Yeah, you definitely spent way too much time around Lo’ak. 

You both basked in the sun and listened to the sound of the forest: your home, your comfort place, the lifeline of the People. You thanked Eywa every day for the forest and the way it provided for you endlessly–from the delicious yovo fruit, to the medicinal herbs, fauna, and everything in between. There was a gentle rustle in the air as it approached low afternoon. If closed your eyes and listened hard enough, you could hear the faint buzz of the insects and the leaves fluttering. 

As you turned on your side to face Lo’ak, you noticed he still had his eyes shut. Your eyes raked over his stripes–the stripes that would forever be engrained in your brain–and focused on the armband that fits snugly on his upper arm. The weaved armband was made out of dried, violet stalks from the tstxa'a plant and braided into a traditional, intricate Omatikayan pattern. You added tiny clay beads that you hand-molded and painted a color very similar to a marigold–you captured copious amounts of juice from the banana fruit just to have enough pigment to create a dye. A small smile appeared on your face as you recall how long it took you to make the armband. 

Your eyes slowly made their way toward his face. They widened as they realized Lo’ak’s eyes were open and staring at you too. The air was charged with tension as you both continued to stare at each other in silence. 

You and Lo’ak always had this weird ability to communicate through eye contact alone. Your friendship, which was forged in childhood, ran so deep that words failed to represent what your eyes could. He was your other half as much as you were his. In these small moments of intimacy, you remember just how much you love Lo’ak. There was an unspoken bond between you two–a bond that went beyond friendship and teetered on the edge of romantic love. And while it was undeniable that there was something more happening between the two of you, your relationship stayed on that flimsy edge. 

“What are you thinking about,” you whispered in a tone so soft that it reached Lo’ak ears like a tender caress. 

“Oh, nothing. Just thinking,” Lo’ak replied with a teasing lilt in his voice and a glitter in his amber eyes. While everyone in the Omatikaya clan had the same shades of bright, yellow eyes, you thought Lo’ak had the prettiest. You raised the muscle on your face, where your eyebrows would have been if you had, and furrowed your forehead in suspicious knowing. 

“Thinki-” “I’m thinking about how funny it would be if I beat your ass in another round of hunter and prey! Last one to the village has to take over foraging duty!,” Lo’ak shouted with a boyish smile as he got up quickly and ran in the direction of his kelku.  

You got up from the lush grass and ran after him with another exacerbated breath.

The day drawled along as you patrolled the forest for the dandetiger tree. You looked for its long, azure leaves and armored trunk. As a healer in training, you were tasked by Mo’at to look for the tree for samples of the resin-like substance that it leaked. The sticky substance was extremely helpful to the Omatikaya clan in many ways as it behaved like an adhesive. It was especially important to healers as they used the dangetiger tree as part of treating wounds and ensuring bandages stuck and protected healing wounds. The healing hut ran low on its supply, thus you found yourself wandering through the forest. Kiri offered to accompany you, but you could tell she rather focus on perfecting the paste she was mixing. A major perk of being best friends with Lo’ak is that you also became close with his family and found a small niche within the Sully family.

You were an extension of Lo’ak, but also the opposite of him in some ways. Whereas Lo’ak was more energetic and impulsive, you were calmer and sensical. You both balanced each other perfectly; you were the yin to his yang. While Lo’ak’s nature often got him in trouble with his family, namely his father and older brother, you loved his high energy and zest for life. Sure, he could use more pragmatism in his daily thinking, but you saw Lo’ak’s personality as a blessing more than a hindrance, especially in times of war and destruction. If Lo’ak was your sun, then you were his moon–stable and outer-worldly. You were unwavering. Your nurturing nature and kind soul always amazed Lo’ak, even in the worse of times, you took it upon yourself to think and act as an optimist. You carried yourself with a sense of dignity that Lo’ak wishes he could replicate.

Though none of you ever admitted it out loud, you and Lo’ak knew that you loved each other in a way that best friends didn’t.

Despite your differences, you both had a passion for exploring and adventure. If Lo’ak went anywhere, you followed. And if he got in any trouble, you were only a few steps behind him. While Lo’ak intention for mischief was partially caused by the motivation to piss off his father, you believed that Eywa made Pandora for the purpose of exploring. Why would she make Pandora so magnificent and rich in life if not to experience every single crevice, nook, and cranny of it? While the forest would always be your home and the place you want to spend the rest of your life in, you could not deny the appeal of a nomadic lifestyle like the Olangi clan. However, with the return of the sky people on Pandora, your exploring had been cut to a short. Unable to venture into the unknown parts of the forest, the parts that resulted in a scolding or two from both your mom and Mr. Sully, you were forced to stay within the clan’s boundary lines.

Your thoughts were cut short as your heard movement in the background. The bag on your shoulder was discarded to the ground as you took out your bow and arrow. You were no warrior, but you begged Lo’ak to teach you enough to be able to defend yourself. Any Na’vi should know this little. You prayed to Eywa that it wasn’t a palulukan, or worse—a sky demon. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of your face as you aimed your bow in the direction of where you heard the noise. You aimed at the bushes before letting your final finger release the bow.

“Relax, syulang! It’s just me, Lo’ak!,” he said as he came out from the bushes of loreyu and walked to where you were standing. “Lo’ak,” you huffed with annoyance in your voice. “Don’t scare me like that, you skxawng! I was really focused on finding a dandetiger tree. Tsahik’s orders. What are you even doing here? I thought you were training with your father.”

“Lo’ak,” you huffed with annoyance in your voice. “Don’t scare me like that, you skxawng! I was really focused on finding a dandetiger tree. Tsahik’s orders. What are you even doing here? I thought you were training with your father.” 

As Lo’ak walked closer to you, you noticed the downturn expression on his face. Your immediate heart softened. He must have had another fight with his father, you thought to yourself. Lo’ak turned his face toward yours and you saw the unshed tears in his eyes that threatened to fall any second now.

“I, uh, I was training with my father until we got into a fight and I stormed off,” he said with a shaky breath. You could tell Lo’ak was trying to keep his composure, not wanting to show that vulnerable side he desperately tries to hide away. Yet, you knew better than that. Every time Lo’ak tried to shut down and hide his emotions, you came running after him and knocked down the fragile walls he built around himself. The walls were fragile because Lo’ak knew he would and could never shut you out completely. He took a deep, shaky breath before continuing, “I’m just so sick of it. He expects me to be this perfect son and soldier all in one, but I’m not Neteyam. I’m just Lo’ak.”

You always thought Lo’ak was the most complex person you ever met. He was the second-born son of the revered Toruk Makto and mighty Palulukun Makto. But, Lo’ak was so much more than that to you. He was more than both of his parents. Though he would never admit it, Lo’ak was a lost soul. Not quite like Neteyam, the mighty warrior and dutiful son, or the spiritual Kiri who was literally like Ewya’s disciple. Hell, even everyone knew Tuk would grow into a fine, strong-spirited woman! Lo’ak didn't know where he fit in his family. Of course, the Sully family loved him, and Lo’ak loved his family just as much. But that still didn’t stop the gnawing, deep feeling in Lo’ak’s subconscious from telling him that he would never amount to greatness like the rest of his family. You wished Lo’ak wouldn’t be so hard on himself because you also had a deep feeling in your subconscious that Lo’ak was destined for greatness–the feeling was embedded so deep in your bones that you would bet your left on it. 

“I know that I’m a fuck up.” 

“You’re no-”

“It’s okay, syulang. I know I’m a fuck up. I can see it in the tribes’ faces every time they hear my father lecture me, or worse, hear Neteyam lecture me. I can see it in my fathers’ eyes and in the way the rest of my family pities me.”

“Your family doesn’t pity you, Lo���ak. If anything, they pity the way your father has been forced into this weird dichotomy of the punisher and protector ever since the sky demons returned and how it’s taken an effect on your relationship,” you tried to explain as sweetly as possible. 

You took a step closer to Lo’ak and examined his face. Though his tears had dried and his eyes were now puffy, you could still tell there was a great sadness within him. You wished you could take all his pain and suffering so he didn’t have to. 

“I don’t know who I am besides the fuck up, or the troublemaker. I feel like my entire existence is defined by all the things I am not. Defined by the way I’m different from Neteyam or Kiri. I want to be defined by who I am, but I don’t even know who that is most of the time,” said Lo’ak. “I try so hard, but it is never enough to satisfy my father. Or myself. I feel this heavy pressure in my chest and no matter what I do to relieve it, it stays. If I am not meant to be the next Olo’eyktan or the next Tsahik, then who am I meant to be? Sure–I am training to become a warrior, but I’m not sure if this is something I want or if it is a role I am forced into. I know I’m impulsive and reckless and irresponsible, but I try so hard, but what if that isn’t enough to look over all my flaws and mistakes?”

You moved even closer and tucked one of Lo’ak’s front braids behind his ear. You always loved his hair like this. It suited his face so well. His braids were adorned by various beads, each with its own significance and memory attached to them. The beads he wore today were a pretty amethyst color. Your mind quickly flashbacked to the day you both created the matching beads. You both swam all day in one of the forest’s ponds trying to find the purple stones underwater so you could both craft new beads. Lo’ak almost passed out from lack of air twice and your hair was so tangled by the end of the day that it took your mother three hours to undo the gnarly knots. It was totally worth it, however, because you gained new accessories and memories to match. But before you could let yourself get too far away in the past, you shifted your attention towards Lo’ak and began to speak.

“I see you, Lo’ak. I see all of you. I know that you feel like a lost soul and that you get too caught up in comparing yourself to the rest of your family. And I truly wished you didn’t compare yourself to others so much because you are so special.” Lo’ak’s face grew warm at your words. Before he could respond, you interrupted him and continued to talk. “You feel like you are too different from your family and think you do not fit in, but you do! You are the light of your family; you bring laughter and happiness. The Sully dynamic would not be the same without you–it would be too serious and no one would have fun! Lo’ak, you have a strong heart like your father. Even though you could use some impulse control, I know you never have ill intentions. We are still so young and have so much more maturing to do. Do not let yourself be defined by the mistakes of your past. Mistakes are bound to happen–they are as natural as birth and death. You’re the light of my life too. Without you, there is no one else in this clan that could make me smile as much as you do. No one to explore with and quench our thirst for curiosity. You say that you are impulsive, but there is too much excitement in your body to contain it. I love seeing your excitement and wander–it is a reminder of Pandora’s goodness and the way Eywa intended us to live. You are not irresponsible, you are just learning along the way like we all are. There is no one like you, and my heart is torn because you do not see yourself in the same way. I pray to Eywa that you could see yourself through my eyes.” You then placed one hand on Lo’ak’s chest, right above his heart.

“​​Nga yawne lu oer, Lo’ak.” There was no going back now. You said it–the words that would either be fatal to your soul or make your heart sore higher than the Hallejuah Mountains. And though there was a risk of Lo’ak rejecting you completely, you jumped off the fragile cliff that your friendship lived on. All the intimate moments, the knowing smiles, and the lifetime of shared memories led you to this moment. 

A moment of silent pass as you waited for Lo’ak’s response to your confession. Lo'ak did not expect you to confess, but he knew at some point it was bound to happen. Just not right now, under these cruel circumstances, in a time of devastation.

You shouldn’t have confessed. Lo’ak wasn’t ready for it.

The look in your eyes was so sincere and so full of unconditional love. You are the only person who could truly see Lo’ak for everything that he is and everything he was meant to become. The light hit your eyes in the right way and Lo’ak could swear they were glittering. Ewya blessed her with both heart and beauty, he said in his head. Lo’ak could only stare as he still reeled from your heartfelt speech. He wasn’t an idiot—Lo’ak knew that there was a special chemistry between him and his best friend. And he also knew that it was the type of chemistry that only two people in love have. Lo’ak has known ever since he was a small child that you were his endgame. Your years spent together only solidified his hypothesis. 

Life on Pandora could be unforgiving and unrelenting, but you were the complete opposite. You were forgiving, always ready to accept Lo’ak back into your arms and heart after every mistake he made. Though these mistakes were rarely made towards you, you still welcomed him every time. You were always there for him. But, Lo’ak didn’t fall in love with you because of the fact you were always there for him. It did play a big part, but Lo’ak knew that would be a selfish reason for falling in love. Instead, Lo’ak fell in love with you because you were…well, you. You were kind and always treated your fellow clan members with the utmost consideration and respect. You were perceptive, never wanting to misconstrue a situation and analyzing all nuances before speaking on something. Because of this, everything you said or did was genuine. Lo’ak loved this the most about you. Where Lo’ak felt everyone in the clan (excluding his family and Spider) give him fake niceties, you were 100% authentic towards him. You never condescendingly spoke to him or treated him like a chore that had to be put up with. Compassion and understanding were what you treated Lo’ak with. These are all things he rarely experienced with other Na’vi. Yet, you also weren’t afraid to call out Lo’ak on his bullshit and humble him. You somehow balanced outspokenness and tenderness all at once. This lit a fire in Lo’ak soul.

This thought both excited and scared him. The thought of loving someone unconditionally, and being loved unconditionally, seemed like something too good to be true. Only something reserved for people who deserved it. Lo’ak knew you deserved unconditional love, but it couldn’t be with him. Despite everything you said about him and the way it almost glued together his broken self-esteem, Lo’ak could not return your confession in good consciousness. It’s not that Lo’ak didn't love you–hell, he loves you more than anyone or anything on this moon! But, his insecurities would not allow you to love him or allow him to love you. He didn’t deserve to love or be loved, not when his insecurities kept up awake at night, taunting his brain with “You’ll never be good enough” or “You’re a failure of a son and brother.” You deserved better than Lo’ak and all of his broken parts. You needed someone who was the best–someone like Neteyam, but not Neteyam himself because that would be the final nail in Lo’ak’s coffin. Lo’ak knows his recklessness, impulsivity, and natural gravitation toward the unknown was acceptable because he is young. These may be the traits you love about Lo’ak now, but he knows very well these are the same traits that can make you fall out of love with him too. After all, you won’t be young forever and it won’t be cute forever. But what if he never grows out of this? What if this is who he is meant to be? No, Lo’ak would not subject you to this fate. 

And so, for once in his life, Lo’ak let fear take over his decision. Your face morphed into an expression of shock and confusion before settling on a still face.

“I am sorry, syulang. I can’t do this right now.” 

You watched Lo’ak retreat from the spot you both stood in. What the fuck just happened?

You spent the next few days in a strange haze as you processed what happened between you and Lo’ak. At first, you were angry. How could Lo’ak just leave you hanging like that? For Ewya’s sake, he could have said anything else and it would have been a better response than what he said. You laid your fucking heart out on your sleeve, waiting for Lo’ak to take it and claim it forever. After your initial response to the situation, you started to worry. Maybe you misinterpreted your relationship. What if Lo’ak didn’t love you and you just thought he did because of how close you were? No, that didn’t sound right. You knew Lo’ak loved you too. Not even in a delusional way to comfort yourself, but there was no denying you both loved each other. Did you just confess at the wrong time? Perhaps it would have been better if you confessed when Lo’ak wasn’t fighting with his father. But, you didn’t even mean to confess! Well, you did mean to confess but not at that exact moment. You were trying to comfort Lo’ak and reassure him that he was wrong, that someone could love him. It just seemed like the right thing to say. What if it wasn’t? What if it overwhelmed Lo’ak and pushed him away? Now you felt like the jerk for confessing at such a moment. But Lo’ak was a jerk too for just leaving you! You really wished you could talk to him, or that he would talk to you, but the timing was horrible. The war party went out a few days ago, and it was Lo’ak’s first time joining the mission. But of course, things never go as planned. Over-enthusiasm from Lo’ak’s and an injured Neteyam caused Mr. Sully to put Lo’ak on lockdown for the last few days. This was the first day Lo’ak was allowed some freedom to explore, that’s what Kiri told you before she left with her brother, Spider, and Tuk. You wanted to join them in their adventure today, but you were still reeling from your last conversation with Lo’ak and decided it would be better to stay in the village. You needed one more day to unscramble your thoughts before approaching him.

The tension between you and Lo’ak had been festering, but it quickly came to a stop once you saw him walk back into the village with his entire family. Jake and Neytiri walked walk in front of their children with heavy looks on their faces. Jake looked angry, yet worn at the same time. His mouth was pressed in a tight line and the wrinkles in his forehead looked more apparent than they ever have before. Neytiri walked beside Jake with Tuk’s hand in hers in a tight grasp, as if she never wanted to let her baby go ever again. Her expression was harder to read, but you could tell the tsakarem was worried by her stiff posture. Kiri trailed behind her parents with a slouchy form and arms across her torso. She looks dejected. And finally in the back were Neteyam and Lo’ak. Spider was nowhere to be seen, which you found odd as he went with the rest of the Sully children into the forest, but you assumed he must have gone back to the human outpost before curfew. 

I wonder what happened. Something must have happened if the entire family walked in like that. 

Jake and Neytiri quickly made their way to their kelku and closed the opening flaps before any of their children could come in. The Sully children then made their way toward the side of their kelku and leaned forward on their hands as they attempted to listen to their parent's conversation. You wanted to make your way towards them and figure out what the hell happened. Just as you were about to walk over to them, Lo’ak turned around and his eyes scanned the village as if he were looking for something or someone. Lo’ak’s eyes then met yours and with a small nod, you understood what he was trying to say. Later. At our spot. 

Your stomach turned to bubbles as a feeling of cold anxiety washed over your body. You weren’t sure if it was because of Lo’ak or something else, but you knew whatever it was, it was not good. 

Lo’ak was already sitting on the bioluminescent forest floor when you arrived at the small clearing which was designated as our spot. It was a hidden clearing–away from any of the main trails and hunting and gathering spots that the clan used. You first found the clearing one day after playing a round of hunter and prey with Lo’ak and Spider. 

Flashback

You were both 12 years old. Your hair was cut in a sharp, shoulder-length bob because you claimed long hair only got in the way. A bright orange and yellow ombre feather decorated the underside of your hair. A simple beige-toned weaved top and matching ‘tewng adorned your small body as you ran away from Lo’ak. He loved playing the role of hunter–you assumed it because of the way Lo’ak looked up to his father.  He wanted to be like the Olo’eyktan in every way possible. This was before their relationship had a strain in it. Both you and Lo’ak were unmarred from the harshness of war. The only thought that filled both of your minds was what adventure you would get into next. 

As you giggled profusely and thought of where to run next, you noticed that you were in a different part of the forest that you never visited before. You searched for any familiar landmarks, or plants that would signify where you were. The giggles that previously escaped your mouth quieted down as the situation dawned on you. You were lost in the forest all alone! Your mom was going to kill you, but only if a nantang or palulukun didn’t kill you first. 

“Lo’ak, are you there!!!!!,” you screamed at the top of your lungs. That probably wasn’t the smartest move. A predator could be attracted to your sound. But you figured it would be better to call for Lo’ak. If any predators came, you could climb a tree and wait it out. 

“Lo’ak!!!” you continued. Worry was starting to creep in. If you didn’t find Lo’ak soon, there was no way you would be able to survive the night in the forest. 

As you looked around the clearing again, you noted that it was quite pretty. A small pond, decorated with pink paysyuls, sat in the middle of the forest. The sun streamed through the trees and you could see the fishes elegantly swim in the water. A pack of loreyu sat directly across the pond, along with eanean bushes right next to it. The clearing was simple, but you knew that it was much more than that. Like everything else Eywa created, the clearing served a purpose and was spiritually connected to the Na’vi. Perhaps its purpose was unknown until this moment. You decided that the purpose of the clearing would be a secret spot only known to both you and Lo’ak. The thought excited you, and you quickly imagined a lifetime of moments here.

Flashback Over

Lo’ak sat with his arms extended behind him with his back facing you. You could see the tension in his back muscle as he sat there, looking up towards the night sky. One of Polyphemus’ moons was shaped like an ikran claw. Despite the moon’s brightness in the sky, the stars still twinkled. A soft, minty green glow emitted from the bioluminescent leaves Lo’ak sat upon. His tanhi, patterned perfectly on his body like Ewya directly hand placed each freckle herself, glowed like the sky above him. Lo’ak was lost in his thoughts as he silently spoke to Ewya, questioning what her intention was. You cleared your throat to grab Lo’ak’s attention.

“Hey…” he muttered under his breath. You replied with a soft hello before taking your place next to him. There was still an awkward tension lingering between the two of you, but you pushed it away. Whatever happened a few days ago didn’t matter anymore. You knew something serious happened in the Sully family and you knew your best friend needed you right now. 

“Do you want to tell me what happened this time?” you quoted Lo’ak as you looked into his eyes for the first time in a few days. The dark lighting only enhanced the rich shade of his honey-colored eyes. They glowed brightly in the dark. His eyes resembled the shiny topaz glass jewels located deep in the rainforests’ many caverns–both were a sight to behold. 

Lo’ak thought he should rip the bandage off. There was no point in delaying the traumatic news he just received from his parents. 

“My family and I are leaving the forest.” 

You were confused by his statement. Leaving where? There was no other place to go. The forest was your home, his home. “Do you mean that you’re visiting another tribe for diplomatic reasons,” you asked with a slight tilt in your head to match confusion. Why would this be so important that he needed to meet you at your spot? This wouldn’t be the first time the Sully family has left on diplomatic retreats.

“No, (Y/N). My family and I are leaving the forest permanently,” Lo’ak replied. Your heart dropped into the pits of your stomach. Now you were just getting annoyed. You haven’t spoken to Lo’ak in the days, and the first thing he does is try to pull at your leg. “Lo’ak if this is a joke, then it’s not funny. What are you talking about?” you said with a stern voice. Lo’ak stared at you as if he didn’t want to explain further. It’s true, he didn’t want to explain further because it meant that what was happening was real and there was no way to delay or stop the situation.

“Earlier today, when we were exploring the forest, we saw footprints in the dirt that didn’t belong to any Na’vi. It was sky demons. We followed the footsteps to an abandoned shack. I knew we weren’t supposed to be there, but then we spotted a group of uniltìranyu in military gear. I quickly paged my father and let him know what we found. But as we were trying to leave back to the forest, the uniltìranyu captured us and held us hostage…”

“What?” you let out in shock. The magnitude of Lo’ak’s words hit you like a poisoned arrow. Dreamwalkers? How could that be true? The last dream walker to walk the ground of Pandora was Jake Sully…and that was 14 years ago.

“I-I  thought we were going to die. They treated us like we were animals. As if we were the ones who invaded their planet and deserved to be captured and hung. All I felt was primal fear and the instinctual reaction to protect my family. We were held hostage until my parents and brother came to our rescue. But, it was too late by then. They figured out who were and our relation to my father.  They even captured Spider…” Lo’ak had to stop speaking. The familiar tightening of his throat began. You could tell he was about to cry, but you pushed further. Honestly, your brain was fuzzy at this point. It was so fuzzy to the point that you didn’t even process the news of Spider, your tiny human friend, being captured. It completely slipped your mind. You didn’t have time to think about the implications of this news as you could only process one thing and one thing only: Lo’ak was leaving. The Sullys were leaving!

“What does that have to do with you leaving the forest?”

“Don’t you understand, syulang? They know who we are. Our lives are at risk! The whole clan is at risk if we continue to stay.” Lo’ak explained in frustration. “I don’t want this, I don’t want to leave the only place I’ve ever known. How can I leave the forest while Spider is out there, going through Eywa knows what, with those demons? How can I leave you?” Fat, wet tears streamed down Lo’ak’s face as he spoke. 

Crack. The sound of your heart breaking reverberated in your ears. All you could hear was a dull ringing. Your best friend, the love of your life–how could he just leave like that? You questioned the will of Eywa. How could she be so cruel to tear you both apart? Especially after your confession the other day? You wanted to curse and scream and cry all at once. However, you knew you had to be strong for Lo’ak. 

You held Lo’ak’s body in silence. You were both in a catatonic state. An hour or so had passed since his initial confession. The atmosphere was serene, a heavy contrast from the dark storm brewing in both of your minds. This may be the last time you would ever get to hold Lo’ak like this and fully enjoy his presence. All of the years spent together slowly meshed in your mind as you tried to calm yourself down with memories of happier times. You honestly didn’t know how you could survive this life without your other half. 

Lo’ak wasn’t faring any better than you. His continuous sniffles vibrated on your body. He barely looked up, wanting to savor the feeling of your bodies pressed together in such an intimate way. His mind was in a haze as he processed the situation. This wasn’t real life, it couldn’t be real life. His life was perfectly balanced with you. If Eywa sought to protect the balance of life, why would she take you away from him? Why would she take away Spider? 

Tomorrow is never promised. That is a cruel lesson you learned today. It was probably best that you and Lo’ak head back to the village and sleep, but you didn’t want this night to end. You wanted to savor every last moment. Memorize every stripe on Lo’ak’s body, every green speck in his eyes, the way his eyebrows moved, and how his body felt right next to yours. How could you say goodbye to 14 years of memories in one night? It seemed impossible. 

As you stared at the light reflecting off the pond, you knew there was one topic you had to broach. You weren’t sure if this was the right time, but it was the only chance you had. After all, Lo’ak only had one more day in the clan before his family set off to Eywa knows where. You knew the forest of Pandora held many clans, but you suspected his family would be going somewhere even further than that. You tried to calm the rapid pace of your heart, but your nerves refused to settle down. So, you sent a quick prayer to Ewya, turned to Lo’ak, and quietly said, “The other night, when I said I love you, why didn’t you say it back?”

You didn’t want to fight with Lo’ak–not on a night like this, where blood has been shed and a family has been torn from normalcy. But, you had to talk to Lo’ak about this. What if you never saw him again? You couldn’t live the rest of your life with unresolved feelings. It would drive you utterly insane and wreck your soul for as long as you live. 

(Y/N)...”

“I’m being serious, Lo’ak. Why did not you say it back? I know this is the last thing on your mind right now, but you cannot leave me hanging. You owe me more than that and you know it,” you said with determination in your voice. 

You then stood up. This was not a conversation you could have sitting down. The anxiety coursing through your veins made it impossible to sit still. Lo’ak followed your actions and stood up too. 

“I was afraid,” he replied.

“Afraid of what Lo’ak? We have always been so honest with each other.” You thought you would always understand Lo’ak, but perhaps you were mistaken. You didn’t understand what there was to be afraid of. You both loved each other, shouldn’t that be enough? You failed to realize that love isn’t enough sometimes. There are forces beyond your control that make love unsustainable and out of your reach, despite how close you are to it. Eywa did not teach you this lesson. Lo’ak did. 

Lo’ak was faced with two choices at this moment: he could confess his love to you or he could deny it. He so desperately wished he could choose the first choice. Something within him would not allow himself to whether it was because he was about to leave and he could not promise himself to you, or because he was so far deep in his inner turmoil. Lo’ak felt anger bubbling in his chest. This anger wasn’t directed towards you, but himself. He cursed his inability to allow himself to fully love you because of his internal issues. No, he justified the second choice in his mind with weak reasons as to why he could not confess his love. 

If he said confessed, Lo’ak knew you would spend the rest of your days waiting for his return. If he ever returned. You deserved more than that. You deserved someone who could love you now. The prospect of you waiting for him, only for Lo’ak to stay the same Na’vi he was now, a version of himself that wasn’t proud of, haunted him. Yeah. Lo’ak framed his reasoning to focus on you, rather than himself because it made the harsh reality less painful. Damn the fact he was leaving, he would wait 100 years for you too if he confessed. The reality was Lo’ak could not confess his love because he couldn’t give his all to you, not when his judgment and self-worth were clouded by thoughts so dark that Eywa would be heartbroken to learn one of her children, whom she created with love and adoration, did not love himself. 

Either way, he was about to break your heart for the second time within days. 

“You are the other half of my soul and if there is any person who can understand me, it is you. But, I cannot love you. I’m sorry syulang.” There was a sorrowful look across Lo’ak’s face. Your body deflated at his words and the familiar sting of tears gathered in your eyes. He didn’t want to continue, but if was going to break your heart, you at least deserved a proper explanation.

“You are the most lovely and wonderful woman on this planet; the idea of you not being in my life hurts more than a palulukan attack. But I swear on my life to Eywa when I say this, but it is not you. It’s me. You have always been this positive being in my life, and I always hoped it would rub off on me and make me a better man. I thought, maybe if that ever happened, we could be together in the future. I would finally be worthy of all the love you have to offer. I am not good enough for you. I would only drag you down with the weight of my heavy problems,” Lo’ak finished.

“But it’s not your choice to decide who deserves me,” you let out with an exasperated tone. “How can you stand here in front of me and deny the bond we have? The love we have? The other day when I confessed that I see you and you ignored it, I brushed it off my shoulder because I was sure, with every fiber of my being, that you see me too. That you love me. But now you are leaving, and Eywa knows when the fuck you are coming back, and you can't even admit it out loud?” you questioned. 

“Don’t you get it? I am not doing this because I want to deny the bond we have. I feel our bond every day from the time I wake up to the time I go to sleep. Even in my dreams, you are there. Your essence is built into the foundation of my bones. I just can’t love you. No good would come of it. I’m the clan’s outcast. Yes, we are best friends and we know each other like the back of our palms. But I won't let you carry the burden of my imperfectness,” Lo’ak choked with a sob at the end. 

Without missing a beat, you tirade, “I think everything you are saying is complete bullshit. How could be absolute about something that has not been realized? We have spent the last 14 years together. I know you better than I know myself, Lo’ak. And I know you see me too, so what are you so afraid of? There is nothing that you could ever do that would scare me away from loving you. I love you for who you are–flaws and all. I notice everything about you, the good and the bad. I know you have feelings so big and nerve-wracking that you do not know how to handle them except by convincing yourself that they are true. But you cannot stand in my face and claim that this is for my own good. No, you are saying all this because you are too scared of the possibility that I might see through all that and decide that you are not worth the trouble, that every judgment the clan and your father says about you is right.”

You stepped a few feet away from Lo’ak and then turned towards the direction of the village. He hadn’t said a word since you finished your speech. Your entire back was facing Lo’ak until you turned your head over your shoulder to look back at him. The tears that pooled in your eyes began to flow like a sad waterfall that was dying, the tears slowly rolling down your stripped cheeks in an antagonizing matter. Your golden eyes stared into Lo’ak’s. He could see the hurt etched across your iris and he was sure his eyes looked just as pathetic and broken. It was a moment that would forever be engrained into Lo’ak’s memory. You opened your mouth and delivered the final blow to this already crestfallen night,

“Maybe I was wrong, maybe you don’t see me. Because if you truly did, you would know that I would not care about your weaknesses. I don’t even care about them now. I refuse to believe that you cannot love me too. You are a lot of things Lo’ak. A coward is not one of them. I’ll see you tomorrow to say goodbye.” 

And at this moment, Lo’ak knew this was the biggest of all his fuck ups. He had managed to ruin a lot of good things and moments. Never knowing when the party is over and when the business began. When it came to you, his sweet tìyawn, Lo’ak never made any serious mistakes. So why was he doing it now? Lo’ak’s eyes burned as he stared at your figure walking away from him and the future you could’ve had together. 

translations: eylan - friend, Olo’eyktan - male clan leader, tstxa'a - canalyd, kelku - home, palulukan - thanator, syulang - flower, loreyu - helocordian, skxawng - moron, Toruk Makto - toruk rider, Palulukun Makto - thanator rider, Tsahik - clan spiritual leader, Nga yawne lu oer - i love you, tsakarem - successor to the tsahik, ‘tewng - loincloth, nantang - viperwolf, paysyuls - water lily, eanean - blue plant, tanhi - bioluminescent freckle, uniltìranyu - dream walker, tìyawn - love

credits for dividers: leafs (x) green line (x)

#kendra's works !!! #loak x female reader #lo'ak x reader #lo'ak x you #lo'ak x y/n #lo'ak sully #lo'ak te suli tsyeyk'itan #lo'ak #lo'ak avatar #lo'ak angst #avatar 2009 #avatar the way of water #avatar #atwow #lo'ak headcanons #lo'ak fic #avatar 2 #avatar fanfic #atwow lo'ak #a:twow #avatar lo'ak #avatar james cameron

[teenwerewoofs]

I posted 4,278 times in 2022

That's 2,528 more posts than 2021!

210 posts created (5%)

4,068 posts reblogged (95%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

severedned

theroseandthebeast

ladyshinga

audikatia

ambersagen

I tagged 2,007 of my posts in 2022

#steter - 483 posts

#teen wolf - 434 posts

#steter fic - 240 posts

#steter fic rec - 232 posts

#peter hale - 120 posts

#stiles stilinski - 102 posts

#stetopher - 99 posts

#teen wolf podfic - 73 posts

#my podfic - 70 posts

#fic rec - 70 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#he says ‘you don’t need to hide your dislike of him from me. it doesn’t make you a bitch or crazy or a shrew. it’s actually 100% justified’

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Tag Game

Tagged by the JR Bourne stan @exlibrisfangirl 😘

Time- 8:04 pm

Relationship Status- single

Favorite Color- To wear? Black or grey. In general? Maybe a deep green.

Favorite Food- pizza, garlic bread, pasta, steak seared in butter 🤤

Song Stuck in My Head- “Free” by Florence + the Machine

Last Thing I Googled- “my little pony cowboy hat” because I was trying to find the name of the one who wears a cowboy hat 😂 (it’s Applejack, in case you were wondering)

Dream Trip- Scotland! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 I want to spend like 2 weeks there so it will take a lot of planning and arranging. Plus, for it to not be a pandemic anymore lol

Something I Want Right Now- for a new Steter or Stargent or Stetopher long fic that’s full of all the tropes I love and is well written to drop 😂 also for work to stop being so hectic 😅

Tagging: @midmorning-bomb @meggie-stardust @punchedbymarkesmith @lucky-bishop @bewarethesmirk @petersnarker @batwynn @aurevell and anyone else who is feeling it!

38 notes - Posted April 22, 2022

#4

Peter can feel how much everything has been weighing on him lately. He can see it's been affecting Stiles just as much - the slumped shoulders, the bags under his eyes, and the lag in his reaction time all tell the same story. He decides to suggest an impromptu trip away from Beacon Hills. Maybe, once Stiles realizes how great it can be away from this hellhole of a town, Peter can convince him to leave for good.

For day 2 of @steterweek!

103 notes - Posted July 25, 2022

#3

Peter has seen the drifter around town. He's heard about him bouncing around from farm to farm, lending a hand where he can for some under-the-table cash and a dry barn to sleep in for the night. Argent's been taking time out of his busy schedule of harassing Peter about selling his farm to ask probing questions about the drifter. From what Peter can piece together, Argent had a run-in with the kid and didn't seem to like the mouth on him. Peter decides to see if he can find the kid and convince him to come work for him on his farm. He can appreciate a well-timed wise-ass remark, especially when it's directed at Argent. And, well... the enemy of his enemy is his friend, right?

For day 4 of @steterweek!

145 notes - Posted July 27, 2022

#2

via aidencullen1 on IG

308 notes - Posted July 21, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

I love fics where the authors are teenagers dabbling in writing or someone who speaks English as a second language or someone who is processing something through these characters they relate to.

I love fics where the author obviously cares SO much about canon or where the author has never even seen the original work but decided to dive in anyway.

I love when fic authors try to nail the character’s exact personality and habits and speaking patterns from the original work. And I love when fic authors say, “okay, but how would this character be different if this life changing event never happened?” or “how would they be different if they grew up in this very different universe with a different societal set-up?” And I love it when fic authors pick a character trait from canon and decide to zoom in and choose to view it through a microscope for a whole fic.

I just love all the different versions of fanfic that exist for us and all of the room that they allow fic writers to play with and all the different versions they share with fic readers and allow us to explore. 🥹🥹🥹

3,532 notes - Posted April 23, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review #lol not my YIR yelling at me for not using tags all the time 😂

[ramblesanddragons]

Life’s Work. Life’s Worth Ch.9

Ch. 9 When the Wolf Comes Home

Thank you to everyone who has read and commented on this story. While it’s a Gravity Falls fanfic it’s also a pretty personal story too and I feel oddly lighter now that I’ve written it. Apparently it takes 4 years and a fanfic to process stuff sometimes. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

Anyway the chapter titles all come from snippets of songs from my Stan and Ford Playlist (Find it here!) You can find that below and also here’s the codes for all 9 chapters. These were less ominous clues (like in my last long fic) and more author’s commentary as I wrote it.

Ch.1 Colors by Halsey

Sometimes is just takes one last thing to push you over the edge.

Ch. 2 Counting Stars by One Republic

Dipper and Mabel had to be in this fic somewhere even if it's in the form of a metaphor.

Ch. 3 Pompeii by Bastille

We may think Ford being mad over an accident is bad but at least he didn't murder Stan over a name.

Ch. 4 Trouble by Imagine Dragons

Stan was born with a "Fight me!" attitude. Ford grew into his.

Ch. 5 Natural by Imagine Dragons

Bill will never understand something like unconditional love. That’s why Stan can always trick him.

Ch. 6 I Bet My Life by Imagine Dragons

Have you written a Gravity Falls fic if you haven't titled at least on chapter after this song?  

Ch.7 Natural (again lol) by Imagine Dragons

Stan remembers what happened in those locked doors more or less. The brain has a habit of trying to erase pain no memory gun needed.(Ask me about late 2007-early 2009 and all I can remember was Obama was elected.)

Ch. 8 Battle Scars by Paradise Fears

In this dimension Stanley beats Bill just by being the practical twin.

Ch.9 Up The Wolves by The Mountain Goats (Turned out to inspire a running motif in the fic. I think this is the ultimate Stan twins song for me.)

"Our mother has been absent ever since we founded Rome but there's going to be a party when the wolf comes home."

#gravity falls #fanfic

[ow-anteater]

I’m gonna need more character style analysis, please. 🥺🥺 (maybe Jesse McCree 👉🏻👈🏻)

OH MY GOD I MISSEE THE WORD STYLE HDSJDNISJGXBSJCHSJZ IM SO SORRY I WILL GIVE MORE OUTFIT IDEAS ANYWAY HERES A CHARACTER ANALYSIS

Omg thank you so much, I’m always here to ramble about my fictional people of choice I’m sorry if this is disjointed or repetitive I literally just read the ask, sat down, got possessed by an evil McCree stan and wrote this

So I’ve actually already shared a lot of what informs my McCree in this post, and it hasn’t really changes since then, but I’ll never get tired of talking about him. I’ll also have to add that how I view McCree is largely colored by the fic author Motorghost, their McCree is so vibrant and intelligent and full of depth and reading their fics really made me think more about him? (warning that they do write NSFW fics, if you’re sensitive to seeing sexual themes written in the tags, don’t follow the link to their AO3)

So! I like to think of McCree as a character driven very much by guilt, let me explain:

I believe him to be sarcastic and snappy and kind of sharp, but very good and idealistic deep down. I’m also very fond of the idea that Deadlock didn’t start quite as ‘sinister’ as it has become; that it was more about community and rebellion in the beginning and the practicality of ‘we’ve got to make money somehow and crime is a good business’ really didn’t suit him? He’s idealistic and cares very much about the greater good, Ashe watches out for her own even if at the expense of everybody else - I love the idea that that’s what drove them apart so violently

When he got roped into blackwatch it was unwillingly, but he didn’t ideologically disagree with the broad strokes of what was happening. Here, for the first time, he dared to really truly believe in something and fight tooth and nail for it because here was the possibility to make a difference on a scale that mattered. And it was tough, brutally so, but it was also worth it?

And that’s where that guilt comes in. He believed in something for perhaps the first time in his life and he let it all crumble (Or worse still; he did all he could and it did not matter in the end) - at least that’s how he sees it, let it all sour and become something it was not supposed to be. In the years after the fall I think he’d been heartbroken.

I think his multiple voice lines that hint at being ‘a bad man’ or whatever are super interesting because I don’t think we’ve ever seen him be cruel? His self image is so harshly opposed to his actual actions and I like to believe it’s cause he’s very much struggling with the after shock of having struggled, of having believed wholeheartedly and recklessly and have it all corrupt anyway. So much of his humor and charm reads to me as - yes honest charisma - but also heaps of protectiveness and deflection. I also think this makes sense as the reason why he’s so hesitant to join the recall. He thinks he had his chance and he fucking failed, he’s not deserving of that chance - or capable of bearing that responsibility - and perhaps in that complicated mix of bitter self loathing and hostility towards the whole organization he’s also convinced himself the whole idea of a bright further was naive and unattainable.

And by god I know they probably won’t, but I hope his role in OW2 touches on the possible aching, terrifying idea of going back to something you thought you weren’t deserving of. An idea and a world you would have happily died for, but couldn’t realize.

also McCree struggled with addiction - especially alcohol - in the years after the fall I will hear no other opinions

#overwatch #ask #thank you so much for thiiiiiiis #🥺🥺🥺 #McCree #Jesse McCree #I CANT READ #I GOT SO EXCITED I LITERALLY SHORT CIRCUITED #HERE ARE SOME EMBARRASING MCCREE THOUGHTS

[sky-squido]

16, 21, 30, or 34? ALSO HAPPY BORTH YOU WONDERFUL PERSON 'yeets a cake at you'

*gets cake yeeted at me*

MORPH ILY

it's really funny thought cuz my parents actually got squido WRITTEN ON THE CAKE AAH

anyway *coughs*

here's where you can find the answer to 16! ^^

21. Favorite pairing to write for? (platonic or romantic!)

all of these are gonna be platonic cuz ew romance ((post was made by the probably aroace gang)) and FOUND FAMILY IS THE BEST

okay so i write a LOT of downfall duo,,, like a LOT. it might be my favorite pairing, but it feels a little too easy sometimes. i'm a total sucker for rarepairs like sky&legend, four&legend, wind&legend twi&legend—I'M A SHAMELESS LEGEND STAN OKAY

oh hyrule&sky is fire, too

okay but in all seriousness i ADORE writing twi-sky parent gang and wind&twilight also gives me SO MUCH LIFE. my favorites are legend, sky, and wind, and i feel like the latter two especially are just really underutilized. the most fun i have in my fics is like, yes there's a storyline and Serious Things Are Happening but they're still a buncha kiddos going on an adventure together and i feel like the more banter and rarepairs a fic has, the more real it all feels

enough rambling okay YES i love downfall duo with my whole heart but also i think the beauty of LU is the diversity of interactions you can play with and anything with a soft legend or a badass wind and/or sky in it is a recipe for a VERY happy squido. just,, sky and wind, and twi, too, i feel, are often the "recessive" characters in an interaction, if you will. it feels like they're usually not the main characters and tend to be a vehicle for the plot of whoever's talking to them so when THEY'RE stepping up and taking a role, it just makes me so happy! ^^

as i mentioned here, they're all the main characters of their own games so watching them all step up and take charge, especially the traditionally timid ones is just YES

okay enough rambling what was the other one? ah yes

30. Tooth-rotting fluff or merciless angst?

yes.

no i’m kidding.

well only sort of.

the way i see it, angst and fluff, hurt and comfort, they’re like push and pull. it’s a dance, my friends, a dance of hurt and healing and you need both to feel satisfied. fluff fics are nice, but they’re not food. angst fics are great, but i always leave them feeling sort of empty. but both, the angst sets up the conflicts and the fluff resolves it. i think you really do need both to have balance in a fic. obviously fics don’t have to show you the whole picture and authors can write whatever they’re comfy with and sometimes you want a fluffy comfort fic and sometime you just want pain—i’m by no means trying to say that my way is the only, or even the best, way to write a fic. it’s just my personal preference and that intertidal zone between the soft yet stagnant sands of fluff and the roaring, turbulent waves of angst is where i make my home. the tides come and go, waves crash and pull, but life flourishes in the cracks in the rocks and the burrows in the sand and sjghsfjghfldkgsehfjgsd i really just went off didn’t i

tl;dr:

yes

34. Copy and paste an excerpt you’re particularly fond of.

ohh this one's hard.

i had a big ramble here before i remembered two excepts that just take the cake and these are probably my favorite things i've ever posted on ao3

this one’s from Burns:

 “Tell me, do you ever feel a strange sadness as dusk falls?” The man said that like it was somehow supposed to explain something. Like it meant something.

 Wind thought for a moment. “No, I can’t say that I do. Sunset… it’s beautiful.” Wind smiled despite himself, gesticulating excitedly. “The sky lights up a million colors and the ocean turns to molten gold. The sea stays warm even as the wind grows chilled and the first stars begin to blink into the sky, a welcome sight to any navigator. Sure it’s sad that the day ends, but the night is beautiful in its own way. I welcome them both. Two sides of the same coin, you know?”

 The man remained in silence for a moment. “But what about the twilight? That time when the world hangs precariously between the two, balanced on the coin’s edge. What about that time?”

 Wind felt his brow furrow in confusion, but he indulged him nonetheless.

 “Yeah, it’s nice. That time when the first star blinks into the sky, the bravest and the brightest, a beacon of hope guiding sailors on their journeys. It’s like the dawn, but not quite as still. It’s like… it’s as if the day is an inhale and the night is an exhale and twilight is that little time in the middle when the world holds its breath. Is that what you mean?”

 The man’s gaze shifted to the ground, a bittersweet smile on his face and his eyes suspiciously wet.

 “Yeah. That is what I mean.”

 Wind opened his mouth, but was interrupted by the man saying: “call me Twilight.”

:D

This is from What Hyrule Hadn't Seen chapter 10 and it’s both spoilers and kinda long and i don’t want this post to be five miles so

 “Wind, we need to get you out here. You can barely stand.”

 “Bullsh*t! I’m not leaving you behind!”

 “I’ll manage,” came his reply, the blade of his spin attack passing above Wind’s crouched head.

 “No you f*cking won’t! I’m not going to leave you out here to die!”

 “So you’d rather we both died instead?!”

 “You admit that this is a suicide mission, then!”

 “Stop wasting time and get out of here!”

 “NO!”

 “WIND! As your commanding officer, I am ordering you to get to safety!”

 Wind finally rose to his feet, his right leg bleeding and clearly supporting none of his weight, his sword unwavering in his determined arms.

 “The day I submit to your authority when you're being an ass is the day I f*cking die.”

 Warriors let out a small whine, a sound Wind never could have imagined the captain making. He spoke in a low, slicing tone, his eyes like his blade—cold, steely, and far too wet—as he faced the sailor.

 “I’ve stood over far too many corpses. Don’t let yours be one of them.”

 Wind straightened his posture and said nothing, pulling his bow from his back, his gaze like fire—hungry and bursting with life—and wordlessly turned his back to the captain, knocking an arrow, brilliant luminescence collecting on its head as he aimed into the blackened forest that seethed with darkness.

 “Come on, tactics man, use your head. If you fall here, the town won’t be safe. Nowhere will be.”

 He smiled a smile that had no right to cover the face of a child.

 “If we’re gonna die, we might as well do it together.”

 Warriors’ shoulders heaved in a silent sob, but he quickly quelled it, regaining his composure as best he could, brow furrowed and sword quivering in his hands.

 “I just can’t f*cking win with you.”

 “No, but you can lose with me one last time.”

 "So be it."

 Warriors said nothing more, diving into battle once again.

 Wind fired his arrow.

 A halo of light burst through the forest, shattering shadows into dust.

 And a sword slipped past the captain’s wavering guard. 

read it here uwu: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25993870/chapters/68195218

#squido rants #this got so long i'm so sorry #(not really but sssh) #people have been liking and not reblogging these anyway so they probably won't be on your dash 15 times

[jazzywazzy89]

I just wanted to say ily and your work, it’s just incredible. I can never get enough and I can’t wait for your updates (hopefully soon). But on a side note, have you ever thought of doing a TVD/TW crossover fic? Idk what the pairings would be but it could be interesting :)

Hey Anon, Thank you for the love! I am finishing up Pitch Wars this month so hopefully I will be able to get some updates started in February after the agent showcase. Right now I am just trying to get my manuscript where it needs to be. Afterwards I am trying to write anything but this book I have been working on because it has been months of intensive revisions and I need a break and to see if I get any traction or potential manuscript requests so I’ll be back to my fics. 

Anyway, I never actually watched Teen Wolf. For some reason I never got into it. Also, even from the outside looking in the fandom seemed toxic and there was never anything good said about the treatment of PoCs by the fandom or the show. As far as pairings, I have seen people do like fanvids on YouTube for Bonnie and Stiles. But honestly, I am over the whole “white boy fan fav” thing so I would rather see her in a PoC pairing if I were to do a crossover but apparently according to people I have asked even though Tyler Posey is playing Scott, Scott is not written as a PoC, so he basically got the Tyler Lockwood treatment, which is just a missed opportunity but that seems to be the way of shows like these when it comes to actors of color and writing for PoC in general. 

While I like  the idea of crossovers as I am sure you know if you read my work, my current crossover potential is pretty limited because I have tried to stay out of fandoms since the hell-pit that was the TVD fandom for Bonnie stans during the years in which I watched the show. The only recent crossovers that I had been working on were a couple that integrated Bonnie into the Black Panther verse in MCU but after Chadwick’s passing it just felt weird to keep the fic going. 

I will say though, I do think, from what I have heard TW does interesting things with their supernatural aspects and mythos. Maybe if someone reads this ask they can give you a few crossover recs for Bonnie. Some other verses I think would be interesting for Bonnie to crossover into but will probably never write (so someone needs to) would the the HP-verse (even if the author is a trash bag human being), Game of Thrones, Penny Dreadful, The Witcher, and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (literally only to have a threesome with Prudence and Ambrose).

#anons #replies #fanfic #bonnie bennett #crossovers #lol #this is a longwinded answer

[alias-b]

OKAY. So, I wasn’t gonna dignify this with an answer, but I’m feeling super good and starting my vacation and have few things to lose tbh. I blocked you, but you’ll find a way back if you feel this is really worth it.

You certainly found it worth it enough to slap that anon button to insult me and dress it up as idk ?? being helpful & even kind in your mind?? If you followed my fics, you know the nasty msgs I get monthly so why would I take a personal jab as from a good place? Why would anyone mean to act “holier than thou” ???? Telling me you’re not coming from a bad place....yet you still went anon bc you knew how this read. Hm. Anyways....to answer, I’ll just unpack this neatly:::

1) ???? When did I say ANY of that even in a talk down/negative context??? lmao I even searched my asks trying to find myself being this rude. Slide into my DMs and let me know bc from my POV, you’re blatantly misreading something or making it up?? I’m confused and of course, I’d never want to come across any kind of way like that! If I ever mention young ppl, I mean actual teenagers in fandom spaces that adults get nasty interacting with. Ppl in their 20s/30s+ really need to be mindful about interacting with ppl under 18 and attacking them or being creepy and inappropriate with them/their content. Don’t twist my words.

Ppl who write thin OCs still get hate on their fics lmao, I did. But they don’t get constant hate generally based on their size or race. ((Also like...we’re all aware of fatphobia & racism in fandom and what types of OCs/characters are targets for that...esp if they’re being paired with favs... Writers of color are absolutely also allowed their frustrations with racism in fandom spaces btw too. Do not talk over them. Just listen and be aware. Do your best.))

2) I absolutely DO NOT think I’m better or “more moral/braver” than any other writer on here wtf, I consider myself even “still young” and learning... I’m in my 20s, I’m not a fandom gma trying to police anyone??? As long as you’re living your best life, surrounded by the best content YOU want, go tf off, sis!!! We’re all in a pandemic here trying to get by.

Writing is always a growing process and we’re doing it for free, it’s not perfect and always is a skill that gets better as we do it. I try not to compare myself to others, my fics are mine and that’s IT. I’m allowed to be proud of what I’ve created and I encourage all writers to do the same. A lot of writers are happy and patting themselves on the back for what they created but I’m NOT taking digs or doing it cause I think I’m some brave crusader on a mission. I’m too tired for that bull. I don’t get/want cool points for anything. Have you sent these concerns to any one else for doing the same??? Or are you irked I’m trying to uplift MY fat character?? That I get constant hate for??? More reflection for you.

3) I’ve been incredibly supportive of OCs of all shapes and sizes. I’ve gotten asks shading thin/white “model” ocs and only ever preached patience and support to all oc writers bc it’s never right to bring someone down to lift someone else up. It’s never right to shame a writer not hurting anyone. All OCs are good OCs. That’s the point I always make!! Writing is hard. Finding face claims is hard. Making whole ass humans for a fictional world is hard. So, I’m constantly posting/replying to be open and understanding with writers, whatever they do. It’s their fic. Their characters. Their choices. All OCs are valid.

No one is obligated to make a specific type of OC, just make the OCs you want to see. I don’t think it’s right to hate or shade ANY writer/OC and I make it clear in asks that try to suggest otherwise. Maybe go reread them before slapping that brave anon button again to come from ‘a good place.’

4) Evie is ONE of FIVE OCs I’ve written on this account. And the only plus size OC of them too so IDK why I’d ever act ‘holier than thou’ about a SINGLE OC when the numbers are 1 of 5 here... I’m not gifting the fandom the gift of me, I’m just writing content I enjoy. I’m gifting it to my damn self. There’s no crusade. There’s no BIG STATEMENT UWU. She’s not some political piece, y’all can be so dehumanizing with that toward fat characters or characters of color. Just let them exist proudly. If you don’t like it maybe they’re really not for you!

Evie’s literally just a character I created that I adore. Fat characters exist and they can be whatever we writers want. If people feel represented by her, I think that’s amazing and I so so appreciate when I’m told. It’s a special thing to see yourself represented when you never do in fandom or mainstream spaces!! She represents parts of me too that I’m still learning to love. But if not, I’m sure she’s still relatable. She has a whole personality beyond being a plus size girl bc being fat is not her defining trait. We absolutely should encourage more positive diversity in fandom, esp in main characters. Everyone of all sizes writing about what they look like is awesome! We agree on that point!

5) Evie is one of five ocs. Again. I’ve gotten hate messages and passive aggressive comments for all three of my big fics. Evie has ONLY EVER gotten hate for her size and race. She’s gotten a LOT.  ((sometimes her eating disorder, but that’s another issue)) And yeah, it doesn’t shock me. It’s too transparent. People who relate to her don’t deserve that shame either.

I hadn’t even started posting the actual fic before I got my first hate msg about her being an “oc reach bc billy hates fat chicks” whatever. So I think I’m allowed to defend and stan her that much harder and her role in this fic. I think I’m allowed to gush about how much I love her story against all the disgusting hate she gets. I’m not apologizing for that. Me loving Evie super hard has nothing to do with anyone else’s OC. It’s not a mission. It’s not a dig. She’s mine.

**So no, anon, I don’t think I’m doing any big, in your face, public service with my ONE plus size oc. I don’t think I’m better. I think I’m just creating content for myself to enjoy. If others enjoy it too, awesome!! If not, they’ll find something else to enjoy. It’s a big space with lots of amazing writers, I can even direct you to a few!!! I’m happy to do that!! ****If I really had an issue with white or skinny ocs....I wouldn’t be writing them myself which I DO. I wouldn’t be supporting my fellow writers who also write them!!

So you’ll excuse me if I don’t believe that you actually support Evie or me or my fics. All this message served to do was dwindle an author’s excitement for her OC and accomplishments. And you didn’t do that. I’ll try even harder to support fellow writers around me tho!! ^_^

If this is a big misunderstanding bc you misreading asks that I’ve gotten or you misread my tone or remarks anywhere, that’s really not my issue either. IDK, maybe I’m popping off too much too, but this accusation is truly mean-spirited. I know things don’t always translate over the internet well, but I’ve been openly loving and supportive to fellow friends and authors despite anything that’s been said. Even through laundry lists of passive aggressive and hateful messages about my stories since my first fic took off. I’ve seen friends get hate too and I can’t stand that they have to deal with that. They SHOULD be proud of their works always.

I know I don’t deserve them and I know I don’t deserve this either. I know who I am at the end of the day and I know what I put into the world and I know that my fics are mine first. I know my truth and I hope you know yours behind that anon button.

So, thank you for your concerns but please drop them somewhere else and have a wonderful day enjoying the free content we put out. Support your favorite writers and encourage all writers to keep doing what they love and getting better at it! Thanks!!! xoxo :)))

#anon hate #plus size ocs #sis...aren't we tired? #ya girl is feral now and anyways I love Evie and her story and her character. #reply #ask #anon

[blizzardfluffykpop]

writing blog recommendations?💓

I have lots in my head, but like I’ll just write whoever comes to my head

@choco-seventeen I’mma just spill my love for them, omg wow. I’ve been in love with their writing for a very long time, wow. Like they have this fan-fiction called Dream Catcher for Joshua I wish I could forget it continuously to read it over and over again, it’s series that’s finished and wow man... Like I love all these it’s a mixture and I love that :) This is one of the many stories you need to read. She’s made me cry and that’s a good thing but yeah. 
@pinktokens   cdhshuovsdaohhouohuvdsaho sorry that was emotions for her series and it just came out... I read Hidden Rooms like when I first read it DK’s part wasn’t out yet but man... Like the ending was fantastic wow, I still have yet to read an au quite like it so go read that you won’t regret I promise on my life.


@not-all-that-chic so I’m still reading their works, once Land of Wonder is finished I was going to compliment them but here we are :) I really love your writing! Anyway, they are mostly a smut writer but y’know man I am in love land of wonder I can’t wait for Dormouse part to come out (my ult bias y’know). 


@kpop-wonder212 I don’t know how many times they have made me cry, but it’s enough, try My Daughter it’s still not finished but wow if that story hasn’t made me cry I don’t know what has. Truly a phenomenal writer, thanks for making me cry. She writes as much angst as I need for my teenage soul. 

(Most of these writers will have made me cry because I’m the biggest crybaby I know; but I’m good with that)

@ripperoonii Okay so Cady is absolutely amazing writer I think you should check out her Like Cashmere and Velvet it’s Jeonghan and wow I loved that story to pieces, this one didn’t make me cry if I’m correct but I still loved it. (also if you need a fic recs like she has a blog for it :) @sippin-on-lemonade ) 


@astarlightmonbebe As far as I’m sure she stopped requests wanting to pursue her own writing that’s my Leah!!! :) But she is much more of a member x member writer rather than an x reader writer (which is mostly what I read and what I write) But if I ever got time I’d read it, but she wrote me a birthday scenario with Mark X Reader and wow talent let me tell you. 


@got7imaginations All of your got7 needs are right here! (I realized how many works I need to read today oof) But anyways the fan-fiction I read from them is Shy Like Me I’d personally recommend but like it’s up to you.

@tokyoseo Wow I’m pretty sure this is one of my last series that I read in a night or over the course of two (I usually can’t sleep until I finish a fanfic).
 I personally would recommend the series Paradise it’s complete and wow the whole story was wahhh omg. I have no words. 


@floraltenwritings So I’m pretty positive I’ve read everything on her poly scenarios personally check that whole masterlist out, if that’s something you’d be interested in, I loved it personally. 


@strawberryjmilk Wow another amazing writer where I didn’t read all their works told myself I’d get to it but I didn’t, but the work I did read was When the Ticking Stops and wow I loved that so much, 10/10 would read again. 


@changbeanie okay really need to start reading more but I’ve read alot of  tattoo artists aus and it’s one of my many favorites but like you need to check out Stawrberries it’s Minho fanfic wow omg I actually think getting a strawberry tattoo would be neat, but like I fell like I wouldn’t get it colored it, it was just be on ribs-but anyways-back to the main point of this really check them out okay?


@lordofassgard Have you ever met a writer you just want to hit but that’s rude so you won’t, well this is one. If you want to end up bawling your eyes out well this is the writer for you. I’m sorry actually I really love her Play Pretend and I’m actually so excited for part 3 like I just can’t wait to see what happens next. Like she makes me feel all of my emotions in stories I just wow ( I really love tattoo artist aus tbh if you can’t tell) 


@yeolology Okay this is a wow factor but like I Like Stars is one of the works I just loved reading and like all of the other fanfictions on here I wish I could catch amnesia to read this one and the others again.


@detaective Well let me mention I need to read more yet again, but I did read Soulmate!Felix and what an amazing au it was so cute wow! I’ll probably be reading their soulmate aus some more later y’know. 


@yehet-me-up okay one of my favorite series is Exodus Mall AU and I’ve seen one like it but I can’t remember who wrote it, but wowwwww I don’t even truly stan EXO (I have so many to juggle and I’m about to topple over) but man did this series make me want to stan to death tbh. 


@kpopfanfictrash Their requests are closed right now oof, but anyways I read Romanticizing the Tome is an amazing fic honestly. and I didn’t even know they wrote about GOT7 till today, (I have lot of things to read tonight) because I’ve always read their BTS stuff but like def a writer to check out tbh 


@byunmania I never got around to it because when I started reading Ador it wasn’t finshed yet but I loved it so much and man I loved the way the writing was, like I’m speechless tbh.

@kissingkpop okay so I find their blog so cool because they are one of the firsts that have tumblr (at least as far as I know) videos like fanfiction videos there are moodboards and fanfic from what I’m sure of, but I just find the video aspect so cool tbh

@miss-noo-na I think I’m just going to recommend everything they write it is quality like brand new converse (sorry first thing that came into my head) one thing got to do is request when the requests are open of course, because wow. They write a lot more smut then fluff but like either way whatever they write is so good tbh. (Although I’ll recommend Mark’s Frostbite)

@seventeen-teen-teen-trash I spent a lot of time reading all of the college aus from them and it was 10/10 it really got a lot of plot for most of it being written in texts messages! 


Talent is all I stan, and it’s not only kpop idols but the fanfic writers, top-notch quality I love them all, and I probably missed quite a few. I’ll probably be screaming later be like why didn’t you include this writer!!! But I’m satisfied with it now.

(I tried my best to write this, I tried to get this done over the course of 3 days. Because I wanted all the descriptions to be to my taste. But literally they aren’t I could probs tell you more about each author but like my mind is drawing constant blanks at this moment. But seriously there is a thing for everyone I think? But I hope you like these writers!!)

[ookamikasumi-writer]

Just say NO to Author Intrusion

The Fourth Wall is the Audience. -- Every time the writer addresses their story's audience --their Readers-- they are violating the fourth dimension, or wall, of that story's Reality.

These violations are known as: Author Intrusions.

Author Intrusions show up as little comments that express the author's personal feelings on what's happening in their story, or heavily hint at things to come during the story.

Author Intrusions are a Bad Idea.

----------- DISCLAIMER: This is how I was taught to write for publication purposes by my professional editors. If you don't want to do it this way -- Don't. (Less competition for me.)

WHY Author Intrusions are a Bad Idea.

Author Intrusions jar the Reader out of the mental movie they've generated while reading because the Author keeps rudely shoving them out of the story to remind them that They know something the Reader doesn't.Compare it to watching a movie you haven't seen before with a friend that won't shut up about how cool the next scene is.

See this shit? This is Author Intrusion.

Identifying Author Intrusions:

The most common form of Author Intrusion is when the writer plants overly-obvious hints of things to come addressed directly to the Reader.

Examples:

In hindsight, he would be thankful for his overreaction.

Unfortunately, his choices had truly never been his own.

If only they'd realized how wrong they were.

These are normally found at the end of a chapter, or book, but I've also seen them posted smack in the middle of a scene in progress.They had no idea what consequences their choice would bring.

I have been told that these particular intrusions are meant to be a form of Foreshadowing.

This shit is NOT Foreshadowing.

True Foreshadowing symbolically hints at things to come. It Does Not point-blank TELL the Reader that something is coming.

More on actual Foreshadowing: TV Tropes: Foreshadowing

I have also been told that this form of Author Intrusion is supposed to create suspense and entice the Reader to read the next installment.

This shit does NOT create Suspense either.

The truth is, this sort of cheap-assed teaser-spoiler Does Not add suspense because it entirely Removes the surprise factor of what is coming.

Suspense is about Anticipation. It's about waiting for 'the other shoe to fall'. When an author point-blank announces that there's another shoe, all that lovely anticipation is halved because the Reader now knows for a fact that this shoe WILL fall -- that something IS going to happen.

THINK: How can anyone be surprised if they're already expecting a surprise?

If you want to create Suspense, don't TELL the Reader outright that something is going to happen. Instead, SHOW IT by planting Clues; the butcher knife was missing from the kitchen drawer, and give Hints through ominous Sounds, creeping Shadows, character Body Language, and stilted Dialogue that something is going to happen.

Authors: Keep Your Opinions to Yourself!

The next most common form of Author Intrusion happens when the writer just can't keep their personal comments about certain characters, or what's happening in their story to themselves.

This is particularly virulent in fan-fics written by new writers who get over-excited about what they're writing.

Cut that shit out!

Literally, cut all that shit Out of your work.

Us readers do not want anyone interrupting our stories with their opinions, feelings, or comments about the story we're reading. That includes comments from the Author. Save that crap for the Author Notes.

However...

"Lines like those (in my fan fiction anyway) are actually meant as red flags; a sort of, "Hey, pay attention, I'm doing something over here!" This is because, in the...years I've been writing fan fiction, I've noticed that the majority of 'new readers' (i.e. those new to fan fiction,) will not pay attention [to what they're reading] and will inundate me with questions that are easily answered if they did. With lines like those thrown in, the questions are fewer and I don't have to waste time explaining things that don't need explanations." -- Annoyed FF Writer

While all that might sound like a good excuse -- it really Isn't.

When the author inserts comments about a character or situation happening right there in the middle of the story just to make it easier for lazy-assed readers to figure out what's going on, those comments are nothing more than Spoilers for the rest of us.

Spoiling the Story for Lazy-Assed Readers -- is a BAD IDEA.

While some readers love to be babied like that, the rest of us readers don't. The rest of us are paying close attention and we love ferreting out the author's little hints exposed by the plot's progression and character reveals. We are reading specifically to discover what the heck is going on.

Spoilers strip all the suspense and discovery --the most enjoyable parts of the story-- right out.

I don't know about you, but once all the surprises are gone from a story, I have no reason to keep reading that story.

Fixing Spoilers

If the Reader doesn't get what happened and the information to set them straight IS NOT actually present in the story, then yeah, the Writer messed up.

To fix this, they should REWRITE and REPOST the Relevant Chapter ASAP! NOT answer their reader's query with any comment beyond, "Oh crap! Let me fix that real quick!"

If the Reader doesn't get what happened and the information to set them straight IS actually present in the story, meaning; the Reader simply missed it the first time around, then the Reader messed up -- not the Writer.

When this happens, the Writer should answer their query by politely telling that reader to Read the Chapter Again a little more carefully. NOT by giving them Spoilers!

Seriously, professional authors don't cater to that crap, neither should fan-fic writers.

The only thing catering to lazy-assed readers does is encourage those readers to bug other writers for spoilers -- and us other writers don't appreciate it.

As for Breaking the Fourth wall...

Or is he?

Deadpool: Not actually Breaking the Fourth Wall. He is Narrating his own story.

Yes, Deadpool does address his audience throughout his comic books and movies. In his comics he even comments on the textboxes around him.

Deadpool also freely admits that he's not exactly Sane.

However, addressing his readers, or watchers, or even his text boxes doesn't change the fact that Deadpool is The Point of View Character in both his comics and his movies. He's the one telling the tale. He's expected to comment on everything and everyone around him because that's what POV Characters do.

Deadpool just happens to be narrating his story out loud to the voices, and text boxes, in his own head. That there happens to actually be an audience of readers and movie watchers is entirely incidental.

Now if Stan Lee; the main author of Marvel Comics, popped into Deadpool's story, that would be Author Intrusion--

Oh, wait... He did.

A...tasteful example of Author Intrusion. AKA: The Cameo.

Narration is Not Author Intrusion

The Narrator is The Point of View Character observing --and commenting on-- their part of the tale. If done Right, what is narrated is colored by that POV Character's thoughts, opinions, and comments about what is happening around them.

Breaking the 4th Wall? Nope, just 1st Person POV.

Narration is not Author Intrusion because the author isn't telling the story, the POV Character is.

Deadpool, in both the comics and in his movies, uses First Person Point of View Narration. First Person POV can look like the character is Breaking the Fourth Wall, but they really aren't because Narration is supposed to address the audience. Think in terms of diary entries, or in Deadpool's case, a massive Selfie Video.

The only time Narration should ever be colored by the author's opinions is in a Self-Insert story where the author is the POV character--

-- or in a Fairy Tale.

Fairy Tales were originally told Orally. They were spoken and acted out by a storyteller directly to their audience. The storyteller's opinions of what was happening were part of the act, rather like the Master of Ceremony for a play. When these tales were eventually written down by collectors, such as the Brothers Grimm, they wrote them in the oral style --author intrusions included-- simply because that's how they were told to the collectors.

Later writers, like Hans Christian Anderson, wanted their tales to be labelled Fairy Tales, so they used this oral style specifically so their stories would blend in with the much older collected Grimm's stories.

However, if the story is not a Fairy Tale--

Don't Interrupt Your Readers!

Written stories are viewed in the imagination like a movie. So when the author pops in a comment to make their personal opinions known, it throws the reader out of the movie they're watching in their imaginations because someone is talking to them.

"But the whole story is the author's opinion!"

That's right, a writers has their whole story to express their personal opinions, so there is absolutely No Need for the author to interrupt their readers with additional comments on anything at all during the story.

If a writer absolutely positively must comment on what's happening in their story, an Author Note is where that shit belongs --or their personal blog, or whatever social media floats their boat-- nowhere else.

Author Intrusions: -- If you're Not writing a Fairy Tale -- Don't Do It.

Unless you're Stan Lee. (He can intrude wherever he likes.)

#writing fiction #writing tips #writing tricks

[spookysummersmores]

Mind Heist - Chapter 6

Word count: 3,449

Author's note: Here we go. It's all come down to this. What exactly is Bill's game here? Why is it getting so hard for Dipper to fight Bill off? And can Mabel come up with a plan to get Bill right where they need him and eradicate his black magic from Dipper's head...before it's too late?

Half of this was written at an extremely late hour. The other half was written this afternoon, during an unseasonably intense thunderstorm! So...tension was high...;w;

Let me tell you; writing Bill dialogue is a real experience. I am always half TERRIFIED just THINKING ABOUT what I'm writing and half completely and totally down for just...PUNCHING his LIGHTS out. lmao

There's a surprise hidden somewhere in this chapter! So have fun with that! :D

Also, there are some references to the real-life Journal 3 novel, so SPOILER WARNING there in case you haven't read it, and there is a brief mention of blood, so I'll tag the trigger warning, just in case.

Special thanks to @ichipine once again for the input, as well as all the great contributions to the original RP piece this chapter is based on! This chapter - and the whole fic in general - wouldn't be the same without them! ❤❤❤

Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy! There are just two chapters left that'll wrap everything up, so stay tuned for those! ^-^

Mabel and Dipper both yelled and tried to escape, but it was no use. As much as they struggled to break free, Bill's grasp was too tight to get out of. As they glanced up, they saw that he was covered in strings of bubblegum from the trap Mabel had left for him, and as he began to taunt them, it turned to ash and crumbled off.

"Oh, THIS...now THIS is PRICELESS!" Bill cackled as he gazed menacingly down at the children's frightened faces. "You HONESTLY THOUGHT you could outsmart me? Here in MY domain?"

"This...ISN'T your domain!" Dipper cried out as he struggled. "It's MY head...and I'm NOT...gonna-"

"What? Let me destroy you from the inside out? C'mon, what's the fun in that?" Bill retorted menacingly. "ALL you had to do" - he gripped Dipper tighter with each overly-emphasized word - "was JOIN me, Pine Tree. A GREAT new world is coming, and YOU could've been one of the elite few!"

Dipper couldn't even respond. He felt as though he were being put through a vice, and all the while, Bill just continued monologuing with evil delight.

"You don't know what you're missing, half-pint...but why should I bother with you anymore, anyway? There's no use fighting! You're DONE FOR whether you want to admit it or not!"

"What...are you TALKING about?!" Dipper squeaked out, still determined to break free, but hardly able to move at this point.

Bill put a hand to his face as he continued to laugh. "Boy, I tell ya - if there's one thing that defines you Pineses, it's STUBBORNNESS. You just DON'T know when to GIVE UP!" He brought Dipper directly in front of his empty, unsettling eye so he had no choice but to gaze directly into it. "Look, let me put it this way...the last guy whose head I got into...we sure had a BLOODY good time!"

An image of the journal's Bill Cipher entry appeared. A six-fingered hand was seen lying across one of the pages...as red liquid slowly dripped onto the page.

So the red splatters on the page HAD been blood after all. Could...could the author be DEAD? Killed at the hands of BILL?! Dipper was horrified.

"And keep in mind - THAT guy was in pretty good shape for a mortal fleshbag!" Bill continued. "Meanwhile, you don't really even need anymore of MY input - your OWN BODY was already beginning to burn up BEFORE I came along, and me just BEING here is making the flames burn higher. Every time you and your puny little consciousness tries to fight back, more and more of your energy just keeps draining out of your ears. So...just so you don't end up causing your OWN demise before I get to have a little FUN...I think...it's HIGH TIME I just let your own nightmares and human weaknesses consume you." Quick flashes of Dipper's various nightmares and the overgrowing brambles slowly creeping up on the mind library flashed across the eye-screen next. "Oh, but don't worry! I'll make sure your precious journal finds a safe space first...'cause it's coming home with ME!"

While Bill had been hassling Dipper, Mabel certainly hadn't just been sitting and letting it happen. She'd managed to slip out just one arm out from Bill's grip. Quickly, she imagined a baseball bat for her free hand.

"Leave...my BROTHER...ALONE!"

The bat went to hit Bill straight in the eye. It was JUST about to make impact...but then...

"WELL! I'm surprised at you, Shooting Star! You wouldn't hit a demon with" - a one-eyed pair of glasses appeared over Bill's giant eyeball - "GLASSES, would you?" Rather than the eyewear shattering upon impact, though, as one would expect, the...bat was what ended up shattering into pieces. Mabel was left in complete and utter disbelief. And Bill found it hilarious.

"M...M-Mabel..."

Mabel, afraid for Dipper's life, tried desperately to get out of Bill's hand. With her free arm, she managed to squeeze herself out a little, but not enough to change anything. The only thing she accomplished was tiring herself out.

Bill laughed maniacally. "Oh, GIVE it UP, Shooting Star! Did you hear ANYTHING I just said?!" He put a hand to what would normally be a person's chin. "Then again...after the whole 'sock opera' fiasco, I think we've all seen how GREAT of a listener you are..."

Mabel felt her stomach twist with guilt at the sound of that. And even in the state he was in, anger began to eat Dipper up inside when HE heard.

"With your brother's physical state deteriorating, his mind isn't going to last much longer if I can help it! But of course...YOU and I could always make a-"

Suddenly, Bill was slapped upside...whatever part of himself you could call his head by a giant frying pan. A cry of pain emerged from him, and he instantly dropped the twins to the ground. HARD.

Mabel jumped to her feet in an instant, but as she brushed off her sweater and looked up, she saw Dipper groaning as he tried to recover from the impact. It seemed like it took everything he had just to pull himself to his feet.

Immediately, she ran over to him and helped him get up. "Dipper...are you okay?"

He nodded, slowly...and then Bill went lunging after them again.

This time, though, Mabel was too quick for him.

In the span of half a second, Mabel wrapped an arm around Dipper, thought up a series of cartoony hole portals in the floors below them, jumped down them with Dipper in tow, then finally conjured up her trusty grappling hook - just in time to hook the stained-glass light fixture and gently lower them to the fourth floor. Each hole closed as the twins fell through it, leaving Bill up on the second-highest floor...far too close to the top-secret room for comfort.

"HA! YES! STUCK the landing! Secret agents, eat your heart out!" Mabel proclaimed, proudly, but fortunately not too loudly. "Hey...thanks for the frying pan. Perfect timing, too!" She grasped onto Dipper's hand and started to pull him along. "C'mon, Dippin' Dots, let's find a place to lay low so we can-"

"He's right."

Mabel, alarmed by the noticeable fatigue and defeat present in her brother's voice, stopped and spun around. "What?"

The world spun a little, and Dipper leaned one arm against the wall, holding his back as Stan would after a particularly hard shift. "I'm...gonna be honest, Mabel..." he whispered to her. "Bill's right. Being this sick, it's...screwing with my mind. It's getting harder to fight..." He took a deep breath before continuing to speak. "But I mean...we've GOT to get him out of here, and-"

"Hey, hey now! C'mere..." Mabel dragged a chair out of the nearby cheat-code 'computer lab' and sat him down in it. "Yeah, I noticed you were getting kinda worn out earlier...which I knew HAD to be weird, 'cause...usually, in dreams, you've got energy for DAYS. So...he is right, then..." She gave him a look of pure concern. "I'm really worried about how much longer you can hold up. Maybe you should just...leave it to me, bro, and sit out the rest of this crazy-fest."

"No. NO WAY. I can't let you face Bill alone," Dipper responded. "And besides, the spell's strength increases tenfold with each person that assists with it. This is BILL we're talking about; the AUTHOR was TERRIFIED of his power. I don't think just one spellcaster is gonna be enough to get him out and undo all of his nightmare-bending outside."

"But...you're gonna get real hurt if you do much more, and-!" Mabel growled with frustration. "Aaaaah, this is awful...this is awful times double infinity!" She sank down on the floor beside him.

A book on the shelf beside her, one with a spine that was oddly colorful for something of Dipper's, happened to catch her eye. She glanced up and noticed that they were sitting in the middle of the 'holiday memories' section.

The little book, bound in yellow leather and decorated with shimmering confetti, was the memory of a family New Year's Eve party the twins' parents had thrown when they were five - the first one they'd ever been allowed to attend. Mabel smiled when the memory came flooding back to her own mind.

Suddenly, as she turned the page, the discordant, yet still pleasant, sound of party horns and noisemakers blasted from the book and echoed through the halls. Mabel cried out in surprise.

"Shhh, Mabel!" Dipper shushed and quickly shut the book. "Don't freak out! That's just how my memories work! You open the book up, and it comes to life. You can even kinda...pull things right out, if you want. I used to imagine doing that a lot when I was little...I never thought it could really WORK that way." He thought for a second. "Think of it as, like...if your scrapbook could talk."

"...Hold the phone. Open it up and it...springs to life...!" Mabel gasped with delight. "I've got an idea happening here! Dipper - what do we still need for the spell?"

"Ah..." He pulled the spell out of his vest pocket - it was awfully fortunate that Bill hadn't seen it - and took a look. "A projectile. Something that will strike him with force. The reaction between the white magic of the crystals and Bill's dark energy will activate the trap and clear all black magic out of the area."

"Well, I think my trusty old GRAPPLING HOOK can do the trick!" Mabel continued, beaming. "And remember you told me about those paper clones you made of yourself in order to try and ask Wendy to dance?"

"W-well...yeah," he replied, a little embarrassed about that situation now.

"If your memories come to LIFE...then that means memories of PEOPLE could probably just...come right out of the book, if we wanted 'em to! Right?" Mabel paced a bit as she brainstormed. "If Bill wants to get YOU...then why can't we just get a few Dipper decoys to distract him? We can get him when he least expects it! And that way, YOU only have to help with the most important part!"

Dipper gasped. "Mabel...Mabel, that's perfect! Besides...there have been a few days where I've really missed Tyrone. It'd be kinda cool to see him again." He grinned. "Let's go find the book of clones. It's back upstairs, the floor right underneath Bill...so we've gotta be sneaky." The twins fistbumped in agreement.

Suddenly, they heard a strange commotion a few floors down. When they peered over the balcony, they were horrified by the sight that awaited them.

The strange, tentacle-like limbs of the nightmares had grown to impossible lengths and had finally begun to seep into the mind library itself. One had snaked its way through the crack in the entrance doorway, while another was intent on trying to bust its way through a window - and it had already created a good-sized crack. The lights in the lobby began to flicker and short out, as if to flee from the impending doom.

Dipper gulped. "And we definitely don't have any time to waste..."

Mabel quickly took hold of his hand. Off they went to hire help and get the real Dipper to a safe spot.

"Let's let my friends out in the woods take care of the mortal scum for now..." Bill said as cryptic images of the nightmare creatures he was summoning flashed across his eye. "I just love the smell of FEAR in the morning!" He cracked his weird little knuckles. "Won't be long...so in the meantime...time to break down some barriers!"

As Bill tried figuring out how best to get past the security sealing up the journal room...

"Hey, BILL!"

Suddenly, he heard Dipper's voice call out and spun around.

Dipper folded his arms defiantly. "If you're so powerful, how come you can't pick a lock?"

Bill turned an angry, hellish red. "Sass won't get you ANYWHERE with me, Pine Tree! Didn't your parents ever teach you to RESPECT YOUR ELDERS?!"

And with one blast of fire, Dipper appeared to melt.

Then...

"Seriously?"

Bill spun around, and there was Dipper. Standing there by the door. Arms folded. As if he'd never been touched.

"WHAT?! I just DISINTEGRATED you!" And so he blasted Dipper again.

"You know..." This time, Dipper was standing on the stairs leading down to the next floor. "You should REALLY work on your aim."

"AaaaaAAAAAHH-"

Mabel observed from the twins' hiding spot. "Okay, Dipper, Bill's totally distracted!" she whispered, giving him a thumbs-up. "He's on Number Five and on his way down! Now's a good time to get him out of here." She made sure the trinity crystal she'd made was securely locked into place at the tip of the grappling hook, then noticed Dipper leaning against a bookshelf for support again. "Are you sure you're ready?"

Dipper pulled the spell page out of his vest pocket. "Ready as I'll ever be." He took a few deep breaths in order to prepare himself. "Are YOU ready?"

"Mhm!" Mabel nodded. Just then, they both gasped at the sight of a giant tree root breaking through the window beside them, looking very much like the zombie arm that had nearly dragged Dipper away during the karaoke party misadventure earlier that month. "Come on, come on!"

They silently sprinted over to the next bookshelf, and they stood, out of sight, waiting for just the right moment.

Down the stairs Bill descended after the clones, firing at Dippers all the way. Yet no matter how many times he annihilated Dipper, he simply kept reappearing, completely unharmed.

"HOW" - there went Seven - "is this POSSIBLE?!" Bye-bye, Eight.

The ninth different Dipper sighed. "You know, this is...actually getting pretty monotonous. Don't know why I was so scared before."

Bill growled, completely and utterly done. "RrrrryyyYOOUUU-"

Then, just as he was charging up to fire at Number Nine...he heard something.

Something that struck fear in him.

Mabel and Dipper had begun to recite the spell together, as loudly and as clearly as possible.

"Of the darkness... I do not fear... For the light... Shall be my savior..."

As they repeated the spell twice more, the crystal before them began to glow with divine light. Bill stood there, rage and disbelief taking over his entire being as he began to turn to static.

"Wait...NO! There's NO WAY you just...?!"

"Ohhhh, I think we just did." Dipper shot him a look of victory.

The Mystery Twins tightened their grip on the grappling hook.

Mabel stuck her tongue out in determination. "Sweet dreams, Bill."

And with that, they launched the crystal toward Bill at lightning speed.

The crystal seemed to burn him the second it touched him. Suddenly, a white light encapsulated Bill in a mystical white orb.

"OHHHHH...you're not through with me! You're FAR from through with me. I'm coming back before you know it! Something's coming...something your underdeveloped little minds couldn't POSSIBLY comprehend...and when that day DOES come, you'll wipe those grins right off of your faces and cower in FEAR before me!" He briefly chanted some sort of gibberish: "Lyom, rvs yqe GVOEZL ihkxz kvbg jps uybvhawav iozdihtbg? WA, K mpe'h usyxexo nfi TQGJANVN kchy gwe vsbv hh rrrofo iywl!"

Finally, a blast of white light consumed everything in Dipper's mindscape, instantly disintegrating every bit of black magic that had infiltrated the library.

All the nightmares, no longer under the influence of a demon, were pushed back into their proper place.

And in an instant, Bill disappeared before their eyes.

Light returned to the library. All of the broken glass had vanished without a trace, as if the windows had never broken in the first place. The atmosphere lost any and all tension. The serenity of a quiet summer day came back.

All was right in Dipper's mind once more.

The twins stood there for a second, still as statues, just to make sure Dipper was truly safe.

Then, they heard familiar voices murmur something from behind them - the only two clones other than Nine who hadn't been blasted, Number Ten and Paper Jam.

"Pssst...hey...is it over?"

"Nyang-nyang?"

"He's gone! WE DID IT!" Mabel cried, her voice filled to the brim with pure joy. She and Dipper exchanged their special twin handshake and hugged each other in celebration.

Once he disappeared, the Dipper clones - all of them, even the ones that seemingly been annihilated - re-materialized and went around giving the twins highfives before they climbed back into their memory book and went silent. Dipper and Tyrone even exchanged finger guns before Tyrone departed for the book. Mabel put it back in its proper place, and all was still again.

"Ohh, man...whoa..." Dipper slid down the wall, wiping his brow with relief. "Thank goodness THAT'S over and done with. Now let's...let's..."

Suddenly, Dipper sneezed. He was slowly beginning to experience the symptoms of his cold...inside his dreamscape.

"Ugh...WHY?" he said, sniffling. "Even in here?"

Then something dawned on him...and he gasped.

"Wait. Then I must be waking up! Okay...Mabel, you've gotta wake up, too...we gotta imagine an exit-"

"No way, Jose, you rest! I'm on it!" A door with an 'Exit' sign on it appeared before them. "I'll see you back at the Shack...okay?" Mabel helped Dipper up and hugged him. Dipper returned the 'awkward sibling hug'.

And with that...the twins walked through the exit together.

#gravity falls #gravity falls fanfiction #gf fanfiction #dipper pines #mabel pines #original mystery twins #mystery twins #(please ignore the 'original mystery twins' tag; my dumb tablet won't let me erase it now ajajdnkdd) #pines family #family love #bill cipher #('may he rest in...pieces') #mind heist #chapter 6 #update #ichipine #collaboration #Danni's drabbles #blood two #blood tw #('blood two' I'm gonna throw Autocorrect out the frickin w I n d o w)

[spookysummersmores]

Peppermint Winter

Summary: Just some snow day shenanigans for all Pines family fluff needs. ^-^

Rating: K

Word count: 2,159 (o m g)

Author's note: Hello, everyone! So...I drew a Pines family bonding pic a few weeks before Christmas, and I decided to write a fic involving the Pines family enjoying winter break together! Meant to have this up before Christmas, but...oh well! Also, I realize that Stan and Ford would most likely have been out at sea during Christmas of 2012, so this is just noncanon silliness...heehee..xD

This is the first legitimate fanfic I've written in literal years, so I certainly hope that it's alright, and I also hope you enjoy! ^-^

"Grunkle Stan, Grunkle Ford, come on!"

Stan and Ford laughed. "Alright, alright, we're on our way!" Ford called out. He ran out after the kids, trying to pull his six-fingered gloves on as he went. "Not so fast, now!"

"You goofball kids're gonna kill us," Stan teased as he locked the house up. "Just leave us old men in the dust; don't mind us!"

Dipper and Mabel were already about thirty feet ahead of their two great-uncles, eager to jump right into the winter wonderland all around them. It was the Saturday before Christmas, and a huge snowstorm had hit Gravity Falls the night before, blanketing it in soft, pure-white snow. Being native to California, the kid twins hadn't really seen much snow, and their winter-in-summer experience earlier that year was too packed with paranormal insanity for it to be much of a carefree snow day.

The second the twins were far enough from the Shack, Mabel dropped the sled she'd been dragging with her and let herself fall backwards into a pile of fluff. "Ohhhhh my gosh,  this is amazing!" she cried happily. "It's like swimming in an ocean made of clouds!"

Dipper sat down on a fallen tree beside her. "I know, right?! Hard to believe frozen rain could make something so...well, for lack of a better word, cool." He looked down at Mabel and snickered at what he saw. She'd practically been swallowed by the snowbank she'd fallen into, and it was quite a comical sight. "Having fun there? Trying to become a human marshmallow?" he snarked lightheartedly.

"You know it!" Mabel cheered. Then, she started giggling. "Maybe you should...chill out and check it out for yourself!"

"Wait, what're you- AAH!" Dipper barely had time to react before Mabel grabbed his arms and dragged him into the massive snowbank with her. Rather than get angry with her, though, he just started laughing, as did she.

Stan and Ford finally caught up with the kids - just in time to see Dipper threatening to stuff snow down Mabel's coat. They couldn't help but start laughing themselves. "What are you knuckleheads doin'?" Stan asked.

"Getting even!" Dipper said with a grin, though he had already dropped the handful of snow he had.

"Never!" Mabel cried from behind her sled shield.

Ford tried his best to keep his composure. "Didn't take long for you two to get used to the cold, huh?" he said, laughing all the while. He then knelt down beside them. "So...what do you think of this? Isn't it remarkable?"

"Honestly? Christmas movies don't do it justice," Dipper quickly replied.

"Right? California, you need to up your game," Mabel agreed. "This is what a real winter looks like!"

Stan chuckled. "Jeez, Sixer, maybe this was a mistake. I don't think the kids care for it!" he joked. He straightened up, hands on his hips. "So...we finally caught up with ya speedin' bullets. Whaddya think we should do now?"

Dipper and Mabel looked at each other and grinned, as if each knew exactly what the other was thinking. When they turned back around to face the grunkles, Dipper said, "I think you're gonna have to catch us again.'

"What?" replied the Stan twins in confusion.

In an instant, the little twins boarded Mabel's toboggan and beckoned for their great-uncles to board the other. The challenge had been set. It was up to Stanley and Stanford Pines to accept their mission.

"You've gotta be kiddin' me..." Stan said, trying to act mad, but laughing anyway. "Alright. If it's a race they want, it's gonna be a race the're never gonna forget!" He quickly hopped onto the front of the sled and motioned for Ford to get behind him. "Hop on, brother."

"Ohhh, no. Last time I ever let you lead the way, we both spent half of President's Day weekend cleaning up Mrs. Sebastianelli's front lawn," Ford responded, fondly remembering that weekend, as monotonous as that had been.

"Aw, c'mon! We were eleven then! And we did 'er a favor, in my opinion. How many garden gnomes does one lady need?" Stan said, trying to justify his terrible steering. "We can both drive now. What's the worst that could happen?"

Ford just shook his head and tried to keep from laughing out loud as he boarded the sled. "I have a feeling I'm going to live to regret this..."

"Alright, grunkles!" Mabel cheered. She and Dipper braced themselves. "On the count of three!"

The whole family joined in. "One...two...three!"

Trees and homes raced by at rocket speed. Soon, Dipper and Mabel's toboggan came to a stop, and they were able to catch their breath for just a moment.

"Holy...cheese balls..." was the only thing Mabel could bring herself to say.

"I don't know about you...but I...am so doing that again," Dipper said, and the twins highfived each other. Then, Dipper realized something. "Um...where are-"

There was a commotion at the bottom of the next hill. Then came the strangest sounding crash Dipper and Mabel had ever heard.

Quickly, they left the sled behind and ran down after Stan and Ford. When they spotted the grunkles, they were buried in snow beneath a massive pine tree.

"Grunkle Stan! Grunkle Ford! Are you guys okay?" Mabel said, a little worried.

"Don't worry, pumpkin. Everything's-" More snow fell from the pine needles above...right onto Stan's face."Fine."

Ford didn't say anything at first. He was too busy spitting out pine needles. Then, the two brothers looked at each other and burst out laughing. The kids sighed with relief before joining in.

"That...was more fun than racing the rulers of Kartylon 7," Ford finally managed to say. "I say a rematch is in order! Only this time..." He shot Stan a face that screamed, 'I will never let this go as long as we both live'. "I am definitely driving."

The day was filled to the brim with fun, and yet it seemed to fly by in an instant. The Pines family spent hours racing each other and still found the time to build a family of snow-folk in their image - including a tiny snow-pig. It wasn't until the grunkles noticed the kids beginning to shiver that Ford remembered to check his watch.

"How on Earth is it this late already?" Ford remarked. "Alright, kids, come along...we'd better get you two home before you freeze."

"Aw, man...." said the twins in unison. As cold as they were, they hated for such fun to come to an end.

"C'mon, kiddos. No way're we lettin' you kids get pneumonia or somethin'," Stan said. "Besides, who says we can't have fun on th'way back home?"

That gave Ford an idea. As Stan picked Mabel up and mounted her on his shoulders, Ford whispered something to her, making sure to stay clear of Stan's bad ear so he couldn't catch onto their plan. Mabel giggled to herself, but kept it secret. With that, Ford took hold of the kids' sleds, and the little family made its way back home.

The clouds had begun to clear, and the beginning of a cotton-candy sunset was starting to tint the mounds of white glitter pale pink. All was serene for a short while as the family admired their surroundings. The only sound was the quiet crunching of the snow beneath their feet.

All of a sudden, a fit of giggling broke the silence. "Oh, Grunkle Staaa-aaan..."

Stan glanced up. What he saw was Mabel with her tongue sticking out and a mischievous twinkle in her eye. She was dangling a little ball of glittering white fluff directly above his face, playfully threatening to drop it at any moment.

Stan had to chuckle at that. "If you drop that on me, I'm takin' ya up t'Mount Hood and leavin' ya there," he said, his threat not sounding the least bit serious.

Ford and Dipper both cracked up. "How did you even manage to make a snowball from all the way up there?" Dipper asked.

"My secret weapon!" Mabel announced proudly. She scooped mounds of snow off of nearby tree branches to demonstrate.

"Nuh-uh. Don't you dare! There will be heck t'pay!" Stan said.

Mabel feigned defeat. "Okay..."

The silence returned for a minute. Then...

Plop.

"Oh, that's it!"

Stan dropped Mabel down in the snow and immediately began working on a giant snowball as she tried to escape. He was hardly able to pick his ammo up below he received another blow to the head. When he spun around, there was Ford, grinning at him with childish glee, and Dipper wasn't too close behind.

"And that, dear brother, is what you get for ramming me into a tree."

"You...little..." Stan wiped the snow off the back of his head, dumbfounded. "Y'put 'em up to this, didn't ya?"

"What can I say?" Dipper shrugged. "Couldn't pass up the opportunity to get you back for a summer full of noogies." He, too, flashed Stan an impish grin.

It was then that the all-out war began.

The four of them chased each other all the way back up the hill to the Christmas-light-coated back porch of the Mystery Shack. Snowballs weren't the only thing that flew. Hats and earmuffs of various colors and sizes flew, too, as they were knocked off by the shots being fired. Excellent hits were had by all, but Dipper surprised everyone, for several snowballs he fired showed that he had potential to be quite the skilled marksman with more practice. By the time the Pines family reached the backyard, everyone was exhausted, and a silent truce was called, but Stan wasn't done with anybody just yet.

"Oh - look out! We're in a snowglobe and somebody's about to shake it!" he cried out, playfully tackling the kids to the ground. Ford attempted to sneak away, but Stan was having none of that. "Ohhh, no, don't think you're getting' out of this, Poindexter; you started this!" Stan quickly dragged him into the mess, and the whole family collapsed into a happy pile of giggles.

It wasn't long before everyone was inside, dressed in dry clothing, and seated down in front of the fireplace with blankets, pizza, and big mugs of hot chocolate.

"Y'think Soos'n'his grandma are gettin' in on this, too, up at his cousin's place?" Stan inquired. "Christmas, or whatever have ya, isn't the same if it isn't white."

"Oh, definitely. The northernmost part of the state is getting hammered," Ford replied with a chuckle.

Stan laughed, too, and was about to ask the kids what movie he should put in out in the living room...until he saw that both of them were beginning to fall asleep. "Aww, Ford...look at this..."

Dipper and Mabel quickly sat up, stretching a little bit. "I'm not sleepy," Mabel mumbled, holding Waddles closer to her.

"We never said you were, you silly goose," Ford teased gently, a warm smile on his face as he ruffled her hair.

"Thank you, guys..." Dipper suddenly said with a yawn.

"Whatever for?"

"For the awesome snow day," Mabel piped up quietly, drifting off to sleep as she spoke. "If today was any indication...this is gonna be the best Christmas ever..."

"Aw, sweetie..." Stan smiled. "Little early t'say that, isn't it? Christmas hasn't even started-"

"Stanley..." Ford put a finger to his lips and pointed at the kids. Both of them were already fast asleep.

"Ha! Jeez...that was fast," Stan laughed, only remembering to lower his voice halfway through the sentence. Rather than disturb the children, he and Ford simply pulled their blankets up over them (and Waddles as well, for Mabel had resorted to hugging him in her sleep as if he were a plushie) to keep them warm.

"You remember when we used to be like that?" Ford said.

"Yeah," Stan replied, laughing. "Y'know, Ma said that one time, on New Year's, she practically had to drag both of our butts into bed 'cause we were sacked in front of the TV waiting' for the ball t'drop."

Ford tried not to laugh too loudly. "Oh, God, I haven't thought about that in a long time...don't remember a thing about that night, and I wasn't even drunk." He paused for a moment. "Speaking of dragging kids to bed...do you think maybe we should take the kids up to-"

He happened to turn around just in time to see that Stan himself, with his arm around Mabel and Dipper, was beginning to drift off. He smiled to himself. "You know what? Never mind..." He reached over and turned off the lamp. "Goodnight, Stanley. Goodnight, kids," he whispered.

Stan was still awake enough to hear. "'Night, brother. Sweet dreams, kids."

Ford was the last to fall asleep. He pulled a blanket up over himself, wrapped his own arm around the kids, and once he was warm and content in the company of his family, he let the crackling of the dying fire lull him to sleep.

#gravity falls #Grunkle Stan #grunkle ford #Mabel Pines #dipper pines #pines family #family love #fluff #winter #Danni's drabbles #gravity falls fanfiction #gf fanfiction