I usually don’t do this, but this seller on Etsy is stealing art from artists (I have specifically confirmed from @eggstyle it is theft of their art- see screenshot of the convo). Already I’ve seen people buy from them - who either don’t know or don’t care. Either way it’s not right.
Please report this account - do NOT harass them in anyway, let’s be mature about it.
Here are the cultural references I caught playing Touchstarved ANDDD my Eridia worldbuilding theory + observations. I’ll cut to the chase for you babygorl, Eridia is inspired by Middle East + Mediterranean. One could even argue, Turkey.
We will be looking at 3 things: Eridia’s physical structure(Architecture, geography), word origins, cultural references (like food, clothing, weapons)- with the current non-backer available knowledge we have right now.
I double-checked with internet but Im open for feedback correct me if I’m wrong OR you have any additional input🧍♀️
1) Eridia’s Structure:
Eridia’s architecture is confirmed to be somewhat inspired by Istanbul. This was confirmed in the livestream now posted in the RSS youtube. The houses we see in Lowtown are examples of the old turkish houses that were mentioned. We also come across mosque-like towers and domed structures. Also very prominent in maybe not specifically Istanbul architecture but def Middle East overall.
Evidence A: a1) Eridia Lowtown houses / a2 a3) traditional Turkish houses. A3 more picked to fit the vibe of Lowtown the source is Researchgate
Geographically, lowtown and Hightown are also VERY Istanbul given that the Lowtown seems poorer compared to Hightown, which is similar to the European side of Istanbul across theeeee drum roll pleaseeeee BRIDGES! CORRECT! Boom Istanbul land geography reflected in Eridian structures! Since we know Eridia is also separated by a bridge between Lowtown and Hightown, it feels not unique to Istanbul alone but at least resembling the European & Asian halves of Istanbul
Vere mentioned the weather being “Dreck”, idk what that really tells us geographically but I’d love to hear your thoughts.
THEORY: Location wise, Eridia is giving Mesopotamian locations. With river and all. We know Vere had said “this was more than a miserable (sth i dont recall before my laptop broke so I cannot replay the game rn someone reblog this w that Vere scene)” which leads me to believe that Eridia was once abundant-ish. Mhin also said its not that bad and the streets are now considered eroded (makes sense bc of water damage.)
The senobium is also a religious learning place and could serve as an institution more resembling of a historically islamic school: a Madrasah. Which also studied the sciences commonly during the Ottoman period. Madrasahs can be secular or religious. The Ottoman ones did study the sciences but outside of Ottoman Madrasahs I’d love to hear if they were secular or not (Even Ottoman Madrasahs were not entirely secular institutions.)
2)Word Origins:
Senobium written as Cenobium for us- is like a monastary that encourages community more than solitary. And the word itself has greek origins, coming from the word koinobion apparently). Leander is also probably greek bc of his name origins(Leandros- look up the myth of Oleander), but we can also see some other symbols/ references related to other greek myths like the pomegranate wine, the triple moons, the keys (HECATE AND OVERALL UNDERWORLD SYMBOLISM WAKE UP PEOPLE HE’S A- gets killed) waterways are also somewhat common in ancient sites (for any city close to a water source)
Eridia as a name can possibly originate from the name of the Greek goddess Eris- and it makes sense given the chaotic nature of the city. Mhin themselves said Eridia was never perfect which hints at some level of inevitable chaos.
3) Cultural references:
Mhin’s dagger- looks like an Italian stiletto dagger.
Evidence B: Mhin’s dagger vs an Italian stiletto dagger
Leander’s dagger- that’s a khanjar. These daggers are sometimes used to symbolize “manhood power and authority”. But take what I say with a grain of salt and feel free to correct me :)
Notes: Keep in mind that these dagger references are meant to show the blade not accurately determine where the blade is from-the argument is made for a region not a location. One could even argue this to be an Indian khanjar because of the handle.
Vere’s decorations feel Italian as well when paired with Mhin’s dagger. Kuras’s earrings are feel like they can be somewhere in Middle East (not super sure), Ais himself is an outsider to the city so no wonder nothing he has particularly matches what’s going on as Eridia’s vibe.
We look at Mhin’s blouse? Giving European bbg idk what to say especially those sleeves. And the overall silhouette.
Oh and btw. The lamps are Turkish/Moroccan lamps. And we have a silly little cup of what might be a funny Turkish coffee cup in MC’s room :)
(More evidence will be in reblogs)
But now that we are at the end of it all, if u actually came this far allow me to now get a bit more sentimental with my words: Dear @redspringstudio I don’t know if you will read this or see this post. I’m also sure we cannot get a confirmation(for now) if any of these are true or not. Either way, I have so far never seen Middle Eastern references in a horror game before. Neither have I seen it done well-made too many times. I have followed the old work of some of the developers on the team and had came across a similar, heartwarming world building with again, Middle Eastern tones to it. Everything I have said today might be a speculation, perhaps I am really reaching with some things I say. But at the end of the day it really really warmed my heart to play this demo and not only freak out about the characters, but the world as well. To look around, frantically take notes and double check my current knowledge to make sure I was not delusional when making this post is really something not a lot of games can make me do. This is yet another reminder that representation matters, and that small hints in a good world building can really touch someone. I remember giggling with my friends and going insane over collecting the evidence for this post, and it will forever be one of the sweet memories I have had when playing visual novels for me.
Enough of being mushy go like and reblog so I didn’t end up wasting my hours and shit/j
Neko, do I need to read the comics and follow the asks?
No, that’s just extra content for those who want to understand more about the lore behind this world. All important and relevant information will be in the game.
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Why is MC being human important?
Let me show you the meaning behind it. You’re in the middle of the jungle, and suddenly you’re surrounded by wolves. What would surprise you more being saved by another human, your own kind, or one of the wolves turning against the pack to protect you? That’s the context I want you to understand.
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Did Harlequin and Pierrot propose marriage when they bit MC?
No. Right now, they’re competing for you in a game of flirtation. Those bites are not proposals. I mentioned there’s context, and that the mark would leave a scar and MC has no scar!
It’s like when a friend gives you a ring that doesn’t mean you’re married, right?
Marriage and courtship among monsters are different, and MC should definitely be aware of what’s being proposed. So relax! For now, they’re just teasing each other and lightly trying to mark you.
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Black tent and pink tent
I can’t answer anything about those topics! That’s something you need to explore in the game and interpret for yourselves.
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What happens when the circus leaves? And Carol? And the fools?
All of that will also be explored in the game, so there’s nothing I can answer about it right now.
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Why does the game only have English voice acting?
I don’t know any Brazilian or Chinese voice actors, and adding voice acting is new to me. I never planned for the game to have it, but @darthsuki’s performance really convinced me it would add more emotion!
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How many endings will the game have?
I’m planning multiple endings, but I can’t give a number right now. I might change my mind, so I prefer not to set expectations yet.
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What does the “poly route” mean?
It means MC will fall in love with Pierrot and Harlequin at the same time. The rest is up to your interpretation. Just like Jester’s tent, I won’t say too much about certain parts of the game so you can form your own interpretations that’s all!
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Will Pierrot abandon MC?
Where did that come from? A lot of people asked me this, so I’ll be very direct:
NO. There is nothing that would make Pierrot abandon MC. Never.
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Are MC and Columbina the same person/reincarnation/descendants?
No. MC has no connection to Columbina.
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Does Pierrot still love Columbina?
No, Pierrot has grown up and matured a lot since then he no longer thinks of Columbina that way.
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What do the circus members/monsters find attractive in humans?
You know when you come across a group of cats on the street, and you recognize that they’re all cats, but you’re unable to distinguish their gender or other traits that define them individually? That’s how they see humans. They learn to recognize patterns to tell them apart, like “most females have long hair, but not all,” or “most males have beards and more body hair, but not all.”
Appearance isn’t exactly what attracts them, but other factors… maybe I’ll talk about that soon.
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What if I don't want anything romantic with the characters?
The protagonist's route won't involve romance, but you can still choose whether or not to form friendships with them.
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Why are some answers no longer canon?
I’ve mentioned before that while I was still writing the full script, I might change my mind over time.
Many asks made before I wrote Day 2 may not be very helpful anymore. Thanks to the @iwasbibliomaniac masterlist, I’ve started reviewing them and already removed some that no longer made sense to keep. Now I have a more solid foundation for the script, and I only answer questions that align with what’s already structured in it.
Português!!
Neko eu preciso ler as comics e acompanhar as asks?
Não, isso é apenas conteúdo extra para quem quer entender mais da lore por trás desse mundo, toda informação importante ou relevante você verá no jogo.
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Por que MC ser humano é importante?
Me permita te mostrar o sentido disso. Você está no meio da selva, e de repente é cercado por lobos, o que é que vai te surpreender mais, se um humano, da sua própria espécie te salvar, ou se um dos lobos se virar contra a matilha pra te proteger? Esse é o contexto que quero que vocês entendam.
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Arlequim e Pierrot proporam casamento ao morder MC?
Não, no momento eles estão te disputando em um jogo de flertes, aquelas mordidas não são propostas, afinal eu disse que tem um contexto, e que a marca deixaria cicatriz, e MC não tem cicatriz! É como quando um amigo te dá um anel, isso não torna vocês casados certo?
A relação de casamento e cortejo dos monstros é diferente, e com certeza MC deve estar ciente do que está sendo proposto, então relaxe! No momento eles estão apenas se provocando tentando te marcar de leve!
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Tenda preta e tenda rosa
Não posso responder nada sobre esses tópicos pessoal! Isso é algo que vocês precisam explorar no jogo para ter suas interpretações!
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O que acontece quando o circo vai embora? E Carol? E os tolos/fools?
Tudo isso também serão explorado no jogo, então não há nada que eu possa responder sobre isso no momento.
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Por que o jogo só tem dublagem em inglês?
Eu não conheço nenhum dublador brasileiro ou chines, e adicionar dublagem é algo novo para mim, eu nunca planejei que o jogo tivesse dublagem, mas a atuação do Darth realmente me convenceu que daria uma emoção maior!
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Quantos finais vai ter no jogo?
Eu planejo uma série de finais mas não tenho como dar números agora, eu sempre posso acabar mudando de ideia então prefiro não dar espectativas a vocês.
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O que significa a tal rota poli?
Significa que MC se apaixonará por Pierrot e Arlequim ao mesmo tempo, o resto fica a sua própria interpretação, assim como a tenda de Jester, eu não direi muito sobre partes do jogo pra que vocês tenham suas próprias interpretação, apenas isso!
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Pierrot vai abandonar MC?
De onde isso veio? Muitas pessoas me perguntaram isso, então serei bem direto:
NÃO, não há nada que faça Pierrot abandonar MC.
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MC e Columbina são a mesma pessoa/reencarnação/descendentes? Não, MC não tem qualquer ligação com Columbina.
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Pierrot ainda ama Columbina?
Não, Pierrot cresceu e amadureceu muito desde aquela epoca, ele não pensa mais em Columbina dessa forma.
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O que os membros do circo/monstros acham atraentes nos humanos?
Sabe quando você encontra um grupo de gatos na rua, e reconhece que todos são gatos, mas é incapax de distinguir genero ou outros traços que definem eles individualmente? É assim que eles veem humanos, eles aprendem a reconhecer padroes para diferenciar como " a maioria das femeas tem cabelo grande, mas nao todas" "a maioria dos homens tem barba e mais pelos, mas também não todos" A aparencia não é exatamente o que atrai eles, mas outros fatores, quem sabe em breve eu fale sobre isso
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E se eu não quiser nada romântico com os personagens Neko?
A rota do protagonista não envolve romance, mas você ainda pode tentar ser amigos deles ou não.
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Por que tem perguntas que não são mais canonicas?
Eu já mencionei uma vez que eu ainda estava escrevendo o roteiro completo, e que eu poderia mudar de ideia com o tempo. Muitas asks feitas antes de eu escrever o dia 2 podem não ser de grande ajuda para vocês, graças a masterlist de iwasbibliomaniac eu comecei a revisar aos poucos e já removi algumas das que não faziam mais sentido manter.
Agora eu tenho uma base mais sólida para o roteiro e respondo apenas perguntas que tenham tema já estruturado no roteiro. Acontece que eu nunca imaginei que o jogo se tornasse tão popular ao ponto das asks serem usadas em teorias haha. Então agora estou sendo mais cuidadoso para não confundir vocês.
Content: contrary to popular belief, the fire lord can't have everything he wants. however, even he’d admit that what he wanted was troublesome in itself, which is why he forces himself to be okay with having you by his side as his advisor. [tw: MDNI, angst/fluff/smut, apothecary diaries coded, so much yearning and longing, porn with plot, there is no power imbalance he’s afraid of your father, zuko’s a little shit tho, we’re already married in his head] wc: 4.8k
m.list | chapter one | next chapter
“You want me to do your hair?”
His lips twitch, fighting back a smile. “Yes, precisely.”
You sigh as you step into the man’s chambers, walking up to the vanity that’s more fitting for a queen, in your opinion. If only people saw this side of the fire lord. Zuko, the pretty boy. He has zero insecurities over the scar his tyrant of a father left on his face, but he’d faint at the sight of seeing too much hair shed on the marble floors of his bathhouse.
“When you decide to have me summoned like this, do you ever wonder, hm— what would her father think?” you ask as you grudgingly pick up the boar bristle brush and begin to brush his hair.
“I do,” he dryly responds. “I like the way you do your hair, though, so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell on me. You wouldn’t want me getting in trouble, right?”
Zuko might be the fire lord, but he still has to watch his relationships with the other clans in this nation— especially with a certain hot-headed strategist that just so happens to be your father. You can only imagine his outburst upon learning that his daughter is playing with the lord's hair, rather than playing your role as his advisor.
Most fathers would be pleased by the information— not yours, he’s a little more… strict. He already doesn’t like him from a joke made over a decade ago, suggesting you’d make a fine concubine, which wasn’t taken lightly.
Your father threatened to usurp the throne, sending a chill running down a then 21 year old Zuko’s spine.
There was no way in hell he’d hand you off to the imperial palace to become a concubine. You’re the only child of his that inherited firebending. If your father had it his way, you’d be a warrior, for fucks sake.
Lord Zuko may have a dry sense of humor at times, but you have your doubts about how much of a joke that statement was, especially with how much he likes to bug you throughout the day.
Perhaps another conflict should erupt— the man has too much time on his hands. Maybe then you’d fulfill your fathers wish of finally working in the military— put your talents to use, as he’d say.
But would Lord Zuko allow the gentle hands running through his hair to commit such violence? Or would that be when he’d draw a hard line with the aggressive strategist?
As progressive as he is, you sometimes wonder just how much it extends to you. Even as children, he’d go easy on you during trainings. He’s only grown softer with you as the years passed. Despite not being a concubine yourself, you wouldn’t be surprised if he saw you as one of the flowers in his garden— one he’s not allowed to touch.
You slide the hair stick through his headpiece, securing the top knot he had you redo. It looks the same, but you hold off on making a comment. “Is that better?”
“Much better.” His eyes meet yours in the mirror, lips curving into a sly smile. “Now— what are we doing today?”
We. You hate how much he likes to emphasize that at times.
“Well,” you sigh. “Aside from the usual council meeting, nothing much. Perhaps you can visit one of your concubines today… for once.”
He huffs out a laugh. “Are you saying I don’t fuck my concubines enough?”
“Precisely,” you say almost mockingly.
It’s all they ever complain about, and honestly, you’re sure you would, too, if you were one of them. Having to wake up and sit around all day, waiting for a man who never comes. And on the rare occasion that he does, he doesn’t stay long. He’ll show up, fuck the shit out of you for a couple rounds, then leave right after. Allegedly.
“Don’t you want an heir?” you ask.
“Depends,” he hums.
With the way he’s looking at you, you can already tell what it depends on, and it has nothing to do with his current concubines. Lucky for you, he never gets the chance to actually say it because he gets interrupted right after, putting a conversation you’d rather not have to a screeching halt.
“The council is waiting for you, my Lord.”
—
The silk district was notoriously known for two things: brothels and bandits. It was the wild, wild west compared to the other districts in the capital due to high crime and the growing wealth gap. The governments always kept a watchful eye on it, which was never enough in your opinion.
Are you surprised to hear that an entire brothel, including the madame, was discovered to be slain and robbed in the early hours of this morning? Absolutely not.
“Send more military officers to patrol the area,” the chamberlain says without hesitation. “We’ve been too lenient with them. If they want bloodshed, we’ll give them bloodshed.”
Yikes, he wants to rule the area with an iron fist when they’re already clearly struggling. You can’t help but think of how much of a dictator this guy would be if he were in Zuko’s place.
You make eye contact with the lord, who’s sitting at the end of the table right next to you. In that brief moment, he notices the concern in your eyes and gives you a subtle nod.
“Perhaps we can send more public aid?” you suggest. “They’ve been testing out a new rehabilitation program in Republic City as well. I’m sure the Silk District could benefit from—“
“Nonsense,” the chamberlain cuts you off, wondering why you’re even here right now— he thought you only assisted in matters within the court, not outside of it. “I-“
“Careful,” Zuko interrupts the man rather playfully as he continues to read through the scroll. “That’s the military strategist’s daughter you’re speaking to.”
The comment makes you nearly roll your eyes, knowing the only reason why he said it was because you’re having to constantly remind him yourself when he gets too close.
The chamberlain, however, straightens up immediately. You have no idea why it took him this long to realize it. He’s been here for nearly over a year, but at least he knows now. The chamberlain can be quite rude at times, you wouldn’t want him to slip up with your father in the room. Not only would that earn him an earful of insults that are as creative as they are hurtful, but it’d also be embarrassing on your part.
That old man embarrasses you enough when he’s around. Following you around like a lost puppy after meetings, asking if you’ve eaten and if your superiors are treating you right, while side eyeing the fire lord himself. You’d agree so yourself that he has too much power in the court. He enjoys holding it over everyone’s head even more. It’s sickening, really.
You look at the chamberlain, who is now pouting, and offer an apologetic smile. “May I continue?”
“Yes, of course,” the old man nods, struggling to hide his shame.
Always one for games, Zuko finds himself suppressing a laugh, which in turn makes the chamberlain’s slouch worsen. He’s grown to find more and more amusement in his daily tasks, a trait his father would definitely disapprove of— good thing he’s not here anymore.
The rest of the meeting went by as smooth as it could be, with the fire lord, of course, praising the chancellor in the end for being so well behaved, pretending to wonder what could’ve changed his usual demeanor. The usual teasings, all while you once again found yourself thinking of how light he’s become. Even after receiving such upsetting news, he stayed calm while finding a solution.
A humane one.
No longer the grumpy, angsty boy you grew up with. He’s actually quite charming. But you keep that to yourself.
The palace grounds are empty, as they should be during the afternoon. Everyone’s off either eating, napping, or tending to duties such as cooking or cleaning. It’s quiet, surprisingly peaceful. Your footsteps echo throughout the breezeway as Zuko defies the basic etiquette of walking ahead of you as a ruler should. Instead, the bastard walks a little slower than you. If given the opportunity, he’d turn it into a mini competition of who could walk the slowest, up until you both come to a full stop, with him looking at you all smug.
“Your chambers are this way,” you remind the said bastard as if he’d already forgotten.
He doesn’t bother to look back as he responds, walking down a gravel path leading directly to the flower garden. “How about we take a detour today, hm?”
You watch him for a moment, waiting to see if he’d stop. He doesn’t, and you shouldn’t be surprised by it. You’re able to catch up with him in just seconds given his slow pace, this time not bothering to walk behind him as he’s clearly in the mood to be extra stubborn today.
You’re all alone and away from the hearing distance of anyone else, yet you still choose to speak quietly as you start to gently tease the man. “What a surprise to see the king taking some time to enjoy his garden.”
He lets out a soft laugh that fades into a hum. “Only around a select few.”
“Oh, wow,” you pretend to be impressed. “How charitable.”
“It’s an honor that you think so,” he says, placing a hand over his chest to add to the theatrics, trying not to laugh once again. “Tell me, when was the last time you walked through here?”
You hum as you walk further into the sprawling garden filled with wooden arches covered with green vines and flowers in full bloom. “Can’t say I actually remember when.”
“That’s a shame. I had the gardener plant new rose bushes,” he murmurs. “Wanted to ask what you thought of them.”
“I think they’re lovely,” you admit, softly pinching a petal, rubbing your thumb over the velvety skin.
He smiles. “I figured.”
They were your favorite after all.
Why is he like this? The garden’s already filled with enough flowers. A new section wasn’t needed.
Again, he’s just bored.
In an attempt to keep the conversation from getting any more personal, you change the subject. “Are you looking forward to your trip to Republic City?”
At the end of the meeting, it was decided that he’d visit with the purpose of getting more information about the new rehabilitation program the city was rolling out. While the chancellor wanted to take a more aggressive approach, he decided to take a more peaceful route. It’s admirable how hands on he’s chosen to be since taking his father's place.
“Mhm. It’ll be nice catching up with some old friends while I’m there—“ he cuts himself off and looks at you with slight suspicion, “you’re going, right?”
You never said you would, nor did you want to, honestly. It’d be nice to take a break. “I’m sure you and some of your subordinates can handle it.”
“Weren’t you the one who came up with the idea, though?” his tone slightly clips as he reminds you.
“I was,” you respond tentatively, taking back your thoughts from earlier as you look him in the eyes.
This man looks like he’s about to throw a fit.
Zuko opens his mouth again, already knowing he shouldn’t be this pushy towards you, of all people, but he is far from perfect.
So with a forced smile and all the resolve in the world, he murmurs, “you’re going.”
You smile back despite feeling an annoyed heat creep up your neck, heart starting to pick up. “Alright.”
—
Imagine being the fire lord, a literal ruler, and getting the cold shoulder from your own advisor. Every answer is so curt and clinical, and it’s going to drive him up the wall.
Yes, my lord. Of course, my lord. Apologies, my lord.
Give him a fucking break.
As if you weren’t punishing him enough, you went ahead and had two of his concubines “accompany” him on the trip. It’s not like he can say no to that, either, since it’s considered to be one of his duties. Not to mention they both come from high-ranking families that would not be very pleased to hear of their neglect.
So now he has to deal with two spoiled, pent-up brats hanging on him during the entirety of this flight, all while trying not to glare at the biggest brat of them all— you, as you sit directly across from him, reading probably what’s some pathetic romance novel.
This is fucking ridiculous. You haven’t looked at him once since you first sat down.
You’re no better than him. There was a strike of lightning in the direction you walked off in, and given how it was a perfectly sunny day, he’s pointing his finger at you for the damages done in the east wing, despite keeping his mouth shut on the matter. Complain about being dragged to Republic City all you want, but you still have it better than most. If you really did have it that bad, you would’ve been punished for such an offense.
Like, seriously? Blowing shit up, like a fucking child— a terrifying one, to be frank, you are absolutely your father’s daughter— just because you had to do your job? Grow up. His grandfather’s statue was shattered in the midst of it all, thanks to you. You’re lucky he never liked the bastard.
In protest, you’re dressed like a noble's daughter rather than a member of the court. Wearing the finest silk and adorned in gold imported from the Earth nation, quietly refusing to represent your actual nation as you claim to be representing your clan— proof that you have enough power on your own to be acting like he’s actively denying you of basic human rights.
As if he even cared about your attire. Be his guest! You look fucking hot. Someone might even mistake you for one of his concubines, and he might just not correct them, since you think you’re more petty than he is.
Zuko gets pulled out of his thoughts when Concubine Aika speaks, still leaning against him and rubbing on his chest. She asked what book you were reading, which is when you finally looked up from it.
“It’s sort of an adventure novel.” You look at the cover, speaking to her with a certain warmth you’ve been depriving him of. “It’s about a girl escaping an abusive orphanage once she turns 18 and follows her journey for the next 10 years.”
So now you’re fantasizing about leaving him? Good luck with that.
“You look troubled, my lord,” the woman to his right, Concubine Saiyo, says. She’s leaning against him as well, now tracing her fingers along his jaw. “Are you alright?”
“M’fine,” he murmurs, trying to fix his face as he takes a sip of sake. “It’s been a long flight.”
“There’s a private cabin you can retreat to, if you’d like,” you suggest, going back to your little book, missing the way you just made the lord’s eye twitch.
“I know,” he says.
It’s his airship.
Without warning, he gets up from his seat. Was it a little rude? Perhaps. But surely the two women beside him could understand what feeling hounded could do to someone. They don’t, they do their jobs and get up as well, which he understands. However, Zuko’s not in the fucking mood right now and waves a dismissive hand.
“No need,” he curtly says, making his way to the back of the airship. “I just want to close my eyes for a bit.”
. . . . . .
The trip starts off strong with a banquet being held in honor of the fire lord's arrival.
Contrary to Zuko’s wishes, nobody’s stupid enough to mistake you for one of his concubines. At least not within the circle of people you’re mingling with tonight, who all recognize your family's crest engraved on your hairpin.
They were an ambitious bunch that spread all over once Zuko came into power— reaching amongst the highest positions within the military, medicine, and even education.
Funny enough, your position in the court was nothing special in comparison to some of your relatives’ achievements. Some are even bothered by the fact. Being the first of all your cousins to master the art of firebending, being your grandfather's favorite solely for bending lightning with the same grace as he did in his prime, all while excelling in your studies.
All of that potential, just wasted on being the lord’s “pet”.
You don’t have much of an opinion on the disappointment some of them have expressed in the past, though it would’ve been nice if their words had stayed behind closed doors. You didn’t want to hear any of it. If you truly wanted to make use of that said potential, you would’ve worked directly under your father as his subordinate.
Maybe it was the result of growing up feeling like you were enough. You have nothing to prove, and quite frankly, you’re content with having a role that really only requires you to share your opinions with a ruler that shares the same ideals as you… for the most part.
If only he’d also agree that you two spend way too much time together.
Luckily, you’re not required to be by his side tonight since you’re attending the banquet as a representative of your clan— something Zuko had no clue about until the moment you stepped onto the airship, which had him looking like he was about to blow a fucking gasket. He absolutely sucks at masking his frustrations. You’re surprised his concubines still had the courage to cuddle up with him. He looked like he was 2.5 seconds away from throwing you off the ship mid-flight.
Zuko would never do that, by the way, but you’re sure he was daydreaming about it.
But even then, with all the distance between you tonight, you can still feel his eyes on you. Just watching and waiting for you to do something he didn’t like. Very masochistic considering how he wouldn’t confront you if you did end up doing something wrong in his eyes.
You spend the entire night avoiding eye contact, which isn’t too hard given how all you’ve done is catch up with old peers from school and relatives who’ve decided to move here to start new lives.
The relatives you got along with, that is.
You were enjoying yourself. Truly. Until Sokka called you over to their table.
Funny how Zuko wasn’t looking at you then and was instead stuffing his face with spicy dumplings, then downing it with whatever liquor was in his cup.
You walk over with two thoughts running through your head— please don’t let this man be as drunk as Sokka and Aang, and don’t let this be a conversation about how work was been. Sokka tends to ask those things at the wrong time, despite his heart being in the right place.
This time around, it’s not Sokka.
“How’s our flaming hot lord treating you?” Aang asks, throwing an arm around a very drunk Zuko, who’s laughing his ass off over the avatar’s words for once.
Your lips may have twitched a little, as well. Only because Aang gave even less fucks when in an inebriated state.
“Oh, you know— the usual.” You let out a lighthearted laugh, and only you notice the way Zuko’s face momentarily drops.
The air around him quickly screams ‘don’t fuck with me’, then settles back into something more suitable for someone who’s already had half their water weight in alcohol.
“C’mon, you can do better than that,” Zuko forces out a laugh, leaning back in his seat.
You laugh a little harder. “Can I?”
“Yeah, you can.”
Sokka lets out this weird, giddy gasp because he loves drama, and cuts in. “Are you two fighting?”
“No.”
“No.”
You and Zuko look at each other after shutting down Sokka’s question at the same time. The fake smiles you’re wearing are not helping your case at all.
“Where’s Katara? I’ve been wondering where she’s been this whole time,” you ask in an attempt to keep the energy between you from getting any more awkward than it already is
Aang grows a little pale— the instant karma feels nice. “She’s a little sick tonight.”
There’s a bit of fear in his voice. She’s totally pregnant. Not that you say that. Instead, you just point in some random direction behind you. “That’s terrible— my cousin actually just mentioned a bug going around. I hope she feels better soon.”
“Thank you,” the man lets out a sigh of relief, allowing himself to be delusional for just one more night.
“What about Toph?”
“Home. Asleep.” Sokka rolls his eyes. “She’s like a little old lady now. You’ll see her tomorrow, though, she’s been volunteering at the center.”
“Volunteering or beating everyone into submission?” Zuko murmurs, and they all erupt in laughter. “She probably runs that place like the military.”
You find yourself starting to zone out as the conversation moves on to a different topic. You’d like to blame some of the wine you’ve been sipping on throughout the night for that. Everything starts to melt together— the live music, the endless chatter in every which direction. The only thing that pulls you out of it is seeing another one of your cousins who had just arrived, waving at you, and you don't shy away from taking that as an opportunity to excuse yourself.
Aang and Sokka were as kind as usual when you said your goodbyes. Zuko, on the other hand, was harder to read through the pathetic excuse of a smile he gave you. One only meant to save face.
If only he knew just how much worse he makes things sometimes. Although they’re rare, this isn’t the first fight you two have been in. Perhaps you have been a little petty towards the man, but it’s not you who grows so frustrated at someone’s anger that you begin to hold a grudge yourself.
You arrive back to your room in the early morning with the regret of not cutting yourself off from the drinks sooner than you did. You wouldn’t say you were drunk, but you were definitely tipsy as you started to shed layers of clothes and jewelry to get in the hot bath that had been prepared prior to your return.
Aang may be childish at times, but fuck was he a great host. Or maybe it was Katara who had all of these amenities set up for you. Candles and bath salts— you could die a happy woman right now as you settle into the stone tub, taking deep breaths, letting your muscles relax.
Twenty minutes in, you hear rattling and heavy footsteps that seem to hit the ground with more confusion than the determination an attacker would usually have. It forces you to leave the warmth of your bath, slipping on a robe. Getting hit with annoyance rather than fear may be a little foolish. Overconfident, even. But there’s still alcohol running through your veins, and you aren’t the pride and joy of your clan for no reason— you can absolutely hold your own in a fight.
When you walk out of the bathroom, you come face to face with exactly who you were thinking of.
“Fuck,” he looks away for a moment, regretting his decision thinking it was okay to just walk in.
Zuko didn’t think you’d be bathing, for some odd, stupid reason. Judging by the fact that he’s still wearing his usual day clothing and his hairs not up in a bun, it’s safe to assume he went straight here after leaving the banquet.
You let out a long sigh. “God— what are you doing here?”
You don’t even sound mad— just disappointed that you have to see him once more before you lay your head to rest, which slightly hurts the man’s ego. Truth be told, he came here to argue with you, but even in his drunken state, he’s finding it quite difficult to do so since he looks like a fucking pervert now.
“Your comment from earlier— what the hell was that about?” Zuko sounds more wounded than anything right now.
You cross your arms, leaning against the door frame that connects the room to the bathroom. “What comment?”
“The usual,” he says with air quotes. “Do you not like me anymore or something?”
“You’re seriously asking me that right now?” Your face twists, just dumbfounded at this point. “You ask me that as if I don’t work for you?”
He scoffs. “So what, you’re saying I’m not your friend now?”
“I mean, yeah— you are, but I’m still your subordinate at the end of the day,” you attempt to spell it out for him, trying to get it through his brain that he can’t just act like you two are a pair of besties.
But he just continues to argue with you.
“Really? ‘Cause last time I checked, people don’t fight their superiors.”
No, they do not. You’re not sure why you even tried to make that an argument, the line between you has blurred a long time ago.
“You know what, just— forget it.”
The thing is, you're not the best at taking accountability. Most of the arguments you’ve had with him have been swept under the rug after a while. Zuko's not having that right now, though.
“Hm— actually, no— I don’t think I will,” he stubbornly says. “You have been punishing me for fucking weeks now and now you just want me to forget it?”
Punishing him?
You roll your eyes, muttering “oh my god” under your breath, not even bothering to look him straight in the eyes anymore as you walk to the nightstand and pick up a small jar of body cream.
“We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow,” you say dismissively, rubbing the jasmine-scented cream into your hands. “I need to go to sleep, and so should you, honestly.”
It doesn’t matter how well he can handle his alcohol— he reeks of it.
“I’m trying to talk to you right now so I don’t have to deal with your attitude tomorrow,” he says, as if he hasn’t had an attitude himself the last couple of weeks.
“Don’t worry, you won’t have to,” you murmur back.
What feels like minutes pass after your pathetic attempt to settle your issues with him. At first, he just lets out a sigh, trying to keep his composure, but then he laughs under his breath.
“So that’s it?” he asks in a condescending tone. “We’re all good now?”
“Yes. Goodnight, Zuko,” you hum.
More silence follows after. You can just feel his eyes on you despite still facing away, now reaching for some hair oil, waiting for him to leave.
He never does. Even after working the product into your hair, you have yet to hear the door to your room close, making you grow wary.
There are many things telling you not to turn around at the moment— your blurred mind and tensed body. But even you make mistakes, lots of them with Zuko, and so you finally turn around.
His lips are on yours.
You don’t know how long he’d been standing directly behind you, you never even heard his footsteps. All you know is his hands are snaked behind your neck and he’s kissing you and you’re letting him.
It takes you a moment to realize you’re kissing him back— too focused on how soft his lips are, how his tongue glides across your lower lip before slipping inside, so commanding yet so gentle.
Then you sober up— pressing your palm flat against his chest and pushing him back so you two can look at each other, eyes wide and filled with instant regret.
“What the hell was that?” you try to snap at him, but the sharp edge was dulled from the start, already fearing what’ll change between you from this moment forward.
“I— fuck,” he stutters, taking another step back. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have—”
Immediately, you cut him off. “No, you shouldn’t have and you know that.”
“I know.” It sounds like a plea coming from him as his chest tightens. “I’m sorry.”
Even you start to look apologetic, which breaks his heart a little since you did nothing wrong. The one who crossed the line was him, after all. “You should go. You’re drunk.”
He opened his mouth to respond, but then closed it shortly after. There was nothing to say.
And so he slowly nods and turns around, still in shock by his own actions as he begins to walk away, leaving you to deal with the aftermath of what the fuck just happened on your own.
This was going to be the longest work trip of your life.
notes: i hope u guys enjoyed this first chapter!! this was supposed to be a oneshot but then ideas kept popping up in my head and i thought, why don't i just turn this into a longfic like defiance lol. the plan is to follow these two around throughout a couple arcs, with the first one being them trying to navigate their feelings and attempting to go back to normal while trying to fix the shit show in the silk district.
Hey, everyone! Apologies for the late announcement, but as you may be aware, we have a lot on our plate right now! There's important things to take care of and get settled so for this weekend as well, the askbox will stay closed.
It's also very likely that when we are able to open it up again, it will be on a bi-weekly basis as this would better accommodate all of our personal schedules!
Thank you so much for your patience as we continue to grow this wonderful community around Neko and his game and stories!
We appreciate it so much, in fact, that we are excited to announce that there is now an official masterlist for The Freak Circus! It will be linked on the masterlist/info page here and contain any and all important information, a more in-depth FAQ about game and character lore, and an organization/filtering system that could make even Ticket Taker blush!
And we won’t take the credit for this wonderful resource, as it was created and is currently maintained by @iwasbibliomaniac, who has been wonderful to work with ever since we initially posted on this blog about trying to create a proper masterlist we could officially host or use. Creating a masterlist for any piece of media takes a lot of hard work and passion, and The Freak Circus is no different of a fandom— especially when there’s so many little bits non-required but really cool information found outside the game!
In this vein, we’d like to thank @neurthewanderer and @purple-plum-petals for their efforts into the masterlists they had both individually made early-on in the game’s release and life. Several of the moderators themselves even used and referenced those lists when we discovered the game and began making fan content, and we’ve heard of many people who grew to love the game more after discovering those lists themselves! And to all other creators, artists and passionate fans who made resources themselves we simply didn’t come across somewhere: THANK YOU! That passion is what inspires other creators, and it’s an absolutely humbling thing to see in fandom!
So while we ask for forgiveness in having to keep the askbox closed again this weekend, hopefully this wonderful resource can answer some of the questions you all have while we’re working through the asks we have yet to answer!
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