Suggested listening: [A Quick One Before the Eternal Worm Devours Appalachia] by [Lizard in the Spring]
ohhhohohoho i feel alive again
:D jin... my new touy...
⁺‧₊⊹𓌹𓉸𓌺⊹₊‧⁺
The transmission fizzles and cuts, the words left blinking on the screen.
"D—dad. Dad!" Jin scrambles for the damaged communicator. "Dad!" he screams.
He stares at the display lights, chest heaving.
"Dad," he whispers running his hands through his hair, dropping the token to the console. You always comes back, you always comes back.
The comm crackles to life, "—in, do you hear me? Jin, are you there?"
He scrambles to pick it up, "I'm here, I'm here!"
"Oh, thank the master—" His aunt's relieved voice breaks through the static, "Is Mira with you?"
"No, I don't know where she is, she went to go help Dad…"
A pause.
"—You got the transmission too. Oh, I'm so sorry, Jin."
He sinks to the floor, comm cradled to his chest. It's too hot in here, the sweat stings his eyes.
"… I told him I hated him."
"What? Oh, honey, he knows you didn't—"
"But I did! I said I hated him, and I meant it, and now he's dead, and I'm never gonna…"
"He knew you loved him. He knew it."
"But—!"
"Jin! Listen to me, we can't stop to cry right now, okay?" Her voice is thick, and urgent. "You're out in the open still and you need to get to cover, fast."
The sound of metal crumpling on itself fills the cockpit and for a brief, terrifying moment he thinks, 'Oh, I'm gonna see Dad again'. Then, he realizes the noise came from the communicator.
"Uh, what was that?"
"Don't worry about it." A crackling sigh. "Okay, I see Mira a bit north of you. She's not responding; her comms must be down. She might not even know about—"
About Dad.
"Jin, listen to me: is the Saber responding?"
"I—yes, but I've never piloted it before—"
"It's just like the others you've flown, just more of it. You can do this."
He hesitates.
"Now listen, please. You and Mira need to regroup. The Bounty is getting a little overrun, but between the two of you you'll find somewhere else. We've told you a lot of stories over the years, yeah? Lots of places you can hole up."
"We can't just leave you—"
"You will. Jin, I love you. And you tell Mira that I love her okay?"
He can hear them now, the signs of battle disguised by the static. He feels very, very small.
"Okay."
"Good," she breathes, and the transmission cuts like a door slamming in his face.
i think it would be funny for aspheera and wu to have a sort of "elderly divorcees that keep trying to impress the grandkids more and sometimes hookup bc it's annoying to find someone else who can do that thing just right" vibe
the grandkids, of course, are the ninja. also really funny if aspheera's favorite is kai. will she manage to buy him over or will he remain skittish?
and what if the end was not the end? what if the war is still waged but the dead can never know? what if a storyteller can only end a story with his friends' becoming, but will never be able to become something himself.
OR:
mike specifically is dead. maybe vecna won or maybe he didn't. maybe mike's trapped in the stomach of an elder brain or maybe this is the very last moment. he can't picture growing up because he'll never have the chance. but he really, really hopes everyone else will. after all, they have Will.
enthusiastically voyeuristic pixal because she's literally in zane's head, so she has front row tickets to watch him fucking into kai over and over until he's a whiney overstimulated mess on their lap
and she can ride on zane's senses but what she really really Really wants is—
"You want a dick?"
Her Zane sounds confused for some reason. She replays her logs. Seems normal to her? Although...
"You're right, that's not enough. I'll need two dicks."
"Two? Dicks."
Yes, what is not clicking.
"Zane. Dear." If she had a body yet she would hold her other heart's face like Kai so frequently does. She settles for the digital equivalent of tapping nails on his awareness. "When I have a body again... we can fill him together."
"... Oh. Oh!"
Pixal is gleeful as she recognizes the growing arousal that spreads through his circuits.
She's already pinged Kai's phone, he should come looking soon.
chaote with a hot n ready au for my extremely niche fireguard fam 🔥🔥 (what i dropped on fellow enthusiast @thepiratefish earlier lol, plus the very start of adapting it to an actual fic)
It starts when Kai marks Rusty to inherit his fire. Its a brief moment, in the middle of a bad time all around. Its not anything Rusty could have felt or noticed, least of all as he was pulled back from a death he didn't know he could exist beyond, least of all as his form was twisted and pulled and squeezed like taffy into a new shape, least of all as his newly born eyes recognized the face in the water (his master, yet younger than Rusty-Once-Valiant ever knew him).
Least of all as he takes in the destruction and understands that Kai made a trade that Rusty can't take back.
i think in this one kai marks rusty for inheritance which seems to be like. irrefutable evidence that kai really is dead
and by the time rusty gets to the monastery wyfy might be there and she needs a teacher who can understand her (she needs *kai*) but rusty can do *something* for her at least
rusty fills most of kai's roles, even going to the nether prison with bonzle (and boy howdy when they realize they are Both Polymorphs lol)
"that's my sister" to "that's my family" or something like that and its bittersweet bc even nya has been trying to adopt this guy in but the only reason he's here is bc her brother is dead
...
eventually (vaguely past current canon lmao) they need to hit up monjago to find smth (possibly the monastery of that ex-realm) and as they approach the way is lit by a distant lighthouse. which was definitely not there before. rusty would know.
so of course theyre checking that out bc that should mean someone living there, right? but on the way they get distracted per usual and also come across a little girl with a lot of weapons lol
its like she has a qiankun bag (the bag with magical space inside)
that scene from pirates of the carribean, she just has stuff Everywhere its nonsensical
its so much that a kid like her Should Not be able to carry it lol
there's smth familiar about her, but of course smth big comes by so there's no time to wonder. maybe the ninja were split up but when everyone regroups the girl (call me Tai!) obviously lights up and is excitedly vibrating when she sees Rusty in his armor... and scrap of his cape
(my dad has part of that! he says you were an ancient guardian here before you had to go!) which is... a little weird bc Rusty is pretty sure he didn't tell anyone in monjago about what he was before. even if they met in his old form, how would they know what he looked like now?
but she says she can take them to the lighthouse (proving to be quite a twisty path) so they go along with her for now (something about her... it hurts Nya's head)
...
as they trek along the coast they notice the light house is... not lit up. tai doesn't seem to notice so they don't say anything yet as they progress through obviously maintained garden plots to a wooden door that creaks open in the breeze before they even touch it. "Dad?" A red fabric is half spilled off a wooden table and Tai clutches it. "Dad never goes out without this..."
nya definitely gets deja vu about being in a lighthouse *again* but its whatever at this point. not like someone is the manifestation of a greater part this time :)
that would be weird :)
they check everywhere and confirm that tai's dad is nowhere to be found. they also realize that the lighthouse is missing something fairly important: the light itself. they try asking tai about extra bulbs but she doesn't know. "that's dad" dad takes care of it, then. pfff
there are lots of drawings around the lighthouse, some pinned to walls and others rolled together and tucked in various spots. something seems very familiar about the drawings and paintings, but the ninja can't quite put their fingers on it
after poking around they find absolutely no sign of b&e or a scuffle or even that there was anyone there to begin with. a cup with tea(?) has a layer of dust settled on the water, sitting on an otherwise tidy surface. "dad always forgets to eat when im not there" but he still must eat... right?
they start to think he must have walked out on his own... without things he would never leave on purpose. tai admits there are a few different things which could make someone behave like that (rusty remembers tentacles shooting across the water, registering the piercing damage across him but not feeling pain—ohhh, he didn't know that sort of pain yet) but is insistent that they wouldn't work on her dad
she still isn't explaining anything about him, partially bc she doesn't realize there is smth especially odd about her family situation lmao. kai raised her lovingly as much as he was mentally present too, and it carried over when he was running on instinct
she assumes that informing them that certain troubles don't apply is enough, bc anyone else who lives in monjago long enough would know that's the part that matters toward survival
...
so they struggle around some more, with tai pretty consistently getting the good end of things lol "dad says im lucky :D" and probably get caught up in a few side quests plus finding the monastery but not what they needed to find there
and then theres a big ol monster aggressing them until a giant moth monster shows up and... tells it off? its hard to tell but it definitely carries the vibe of someone scolding a child (the monster is like. juvenile at best, but the ninja haven't been in monjago all that long to have actually seen any adult colossals lol. its all just Big to them
so the big baby lumbers off to complain to its mama and the moth is about to leave again and tai is getting upset for reasons the ninja dont understand but she starts yelling up at the moth and trying to flag it 😞
and it does seem to catch its eye and it comes circling back around and sort of gently prods at her and churrs questioningly. and she's like "dad, you said you wouldn't go away yet" and similar refrains and the ninja (who are somewhat nervous of the big ol moth) are realizing Oh This Is The Dad 😬
and a bit of tearful and touching drama later, the giant glowing moth seems to melt and dissipate into itself (in a very reality-dietorting and headache-inducing way) and becomes a much more normal sized person covered in fluff and tai throws herself into his arms and he soothes her and nya's heart stops.
they're both into girls (and they both know that) and both convince themselves that even if the other (again, into girls) one also was somehow into them it probably wouldn't work out in the long run anyway.
better not to risk their friendship like that, because they really do love each other even especially if they'll never be loved the same way in return. that's their best friend!
and then the ice emperor empress happens. maybe zane associates her femininity with her cruelty, maybe she doesn't. maybe it was always going to be a long road, but the road starts somewhere.
whatever her struggle, kai realizes that—yeah. he's definitely in love with zane. has been for a long time. but zane would never love him back, so he buries the bitter longing and resolves to be the best best friend for her! it hurts! sooo bad!
but he survives. they both survive, even after everything to follow. and kai is used to putting things on the back burner in favor of survival. so it's easy to ignore the little things.
it's only after the crystal king that kai starts really putting together some things. drag night starts taking on a different flavor for him. and maybe he wants to ask zane some personal questions.
but the world says bet. and the world rips apart and rips them apart and pieces it all back together in unfamiliar ways
another rusty x kai plus my fankid lol @fluffyjuly
featuring my migraine! and magicked human rusty!
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Rusty finds some flowers and brings them back to Kai and Taiyang.
Fluffy July 2025 Day 8: Flowers | "You may be an idiot, but you're MY idiot"
Rusty is surrounded by little white flowers, the warm breeze rustling through the field. He doesn't know their name. Maybe Kai will, his love knows lots of things like this. He gathers a few and slips them into his pocket, returning up through the forest to the little shack they've claimed for now after their escape from Monjago.
He carefully steps over the strings of bells as he approaches, the noise would only risk to draw something in. A small face appears and disappears in the cloudy window glass as he reaches the door and it unbolts with a solid click.
"Daddy!" the small child squeals quietly, throwing herself against his leg.
"Hello, little one," he coos, shutting the door and shedding his heavy cloak and pauldrons in quiet, practiced manner. He lifts up the toddler with an exaggerated groan as the child giggles. "And where is Dada?"
"Bed," she plays delightedly with the low braids in his hair.
"Still?" Rusty peeks into the little room off to the side. Sure enough, Kai is still laid up in the bed they all share, though one eye tiredly watches Rusty approach.
"Is it worse, my love?" He asks worriedly.
"Well izz' not better," he slurs. "Anything out there?"
Rusty sits on the edge of the bed and their little one wiggles out of his hold to butt up against Kai's stomach.
"Taiyang!" Rusty scolds quietly as Kai huffs, obligingly twisting his body to make a pillow for her. Rusty takes a rag from the pail of water nearby and squeezes it, replacing the one already set on Kai's forehead.
"She should've horns, the little sheep."
"She'd be the terror of her agemates."
"Ya'think she isn't already?"
Rusty gives in, making a strange face just to see Kai's tired face bloom in laughter.
They sit a moment, Taiyang making small noises where she's curled on Kai's stomach.
"I found… flowers." Rusty digs into his pouches for the blooms, and holds them closer for Kai to see with his affected vision.
He squints, then laughs in disbelief. "Rusty… that's chamomile."
"… Really?" Kai had told Rusty about aids for his migraines but he'd not had luck finding them… until now, it seemed.
"Yeah… do you remember how to make tea?"
"Yes." Maybe. He can get more flowers if it's not good after all.
He presses his forehead to Kai's, easily feeling the heat of his pain even through the cloth. "I," he kisses Kai's dry lips, "will do that."
"Thanks," Kai calls after him somewhat weakly, Taiyang moving around him to settle in the warm spot Rusty leaves behind.
we made a little thing! for the starving rusty x kai fandom!
and also for @fluffyjuly 🖤
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
There are fireworks in Monjago… apparently?
Fluffy July 2025 Day 4: Fireworks | "Hop in! Let's go for a ride!"
Rusty hears it first, tilting his helm to the far sky like a towering bird.
Kai stops speaking, cradled in giant hands, waiting motionlessly for his colossal lover's signal to flee or fight. Then he hears it.
He must be hearing it wrong. It can't be what he thinks, it must just be some other explosive… way up in the air.
His eyes lock onto the brightly burning tail of a confused comet before it bursts with a loud crack, bright greens and oranges shaping a flower.
"Fireworks."
Rusty's voice is gentle, remembering. Kai shifts, clutching to the rough cloth draped over his mech.
Screaming up to the stars before violently bursting into colorful shapes and novas: it's really fireworks. Some madman was putting on a show for what could be the last night of anyone's life.
"It's been a long time since we—since I—watched them," he continues softly. "A spring celebration. This land collapsed on itself not long after."
"The city fired them for the new year," Kai offers. "But when I was little… my hometown did smaller fireworks for the harvest. And masks, we wore masks."
"Anything that would fit me?" Rusty teases absently.
Kai looks back as colors wash faintly over his worn surface. "Maybe when you were a child," he jokes laughingly, turning again to see a rapid-fire succession of green, blue, and red. His heart twists. "Maybe… definitely something red."
"Of course." Kai can hear the smile in Rusty's voice, even if he can't see it in this life.
The fireworks continue, and Kai silently hopes that whatever stranger is setting them off is alright, their reflections like galaxies in his eyes.
