Tw: gore, graphic description, Death.

I read a fic on ao3 with this kinda writing style (though executed wayyy better lmao), and i decided to try it out!

nHo/false fic. False/doc centric. No shipping tho.

Avatar the last airbender au.

In this au: false is a waterbender/bloodbender. Basically, she can manipulate water and blood. She can do some freaky shit. Water includes ice btw.

Doc is a non-bender, but a watertribesmen.

Beef is a nonbender, but comes from the earth kingdom.

Bdubs is a metalbender and an earth bender, which is exactly what it sounds like lol. Hes from the earth kingdom. Same with etho.

Uh yeah i guess thats all? You don't have to watch the show to understand this but id recommend it nonetheless- it truly is amazing.
———

Blood is a lot darker when there's more of it.

She knew it was wrong, but the first time False killed someone, that was the only thing she could think about.

Sure, she'd had the odd scrape on the knee, a cut on the forearm, but now there was so much of it.

A man laid in a pool of it, breath driven from his lungs by a spike of ice, impaling him like a kebab.

God, that was a sadistic thought.

While the sight of it was unnerving enough, what really got False's heart pounding was how alive the man still looked. Sure, he was lying in a pool of blood, but his eyes..

They were open, and still.. alive.

Corpses weren't all that different from people.

There was no difference in life and death from the vessels that held them, fleshy bags of meat that sometimes.. decide to.. shut down.

The sight before her was morbid, but False's eyes couldn't pry away, baby blue orbs enchanted by the display of blood before her.

"Fal.. False..?"

Glass crashed to the floor, dropped from small, unsteady hands, jaw pried open at the sight before him.

N-No- wa- wait-

The blonde pivoted, feet turning to face the sight behind her.

It was an accident! I didn't mean to! He attacked me first! I'm sorry! Wait! Please don't go! Don't leave me! I'm scared! Help! Xisuma!

You promised! You promised you'd-

I don't want to be alone again.

When Doc found her, she was alone.

Her frame was small, decrepit, barely alive, curled up on the floor next to a rotting corpse.

The smell was the first thing that struck the water-tribesmen's nose, a putrid mix of all the things wrong with the world, morbid curiosity pressing his limbs through the front door.

If he had arrived a day later, the girl surely would have been just as dead as her impaled counterpart, ice long since melted to liquid, since evaporated.

The only remnants of the murder weapon laid collapsed in a heap on the carpet, blood staining her thin golden hair.

Doc scooped the fragile figure from the violently stained carpet.

Who was the corpse?

Brother? Uncle? Father? Friend?

It didn't matter now, Doc was the one who had come to save her.

Fingers curled around fabric, shaky, covered in blood, yet pale as if without it, worn damn near to bone.

The girl lived, though in the most hollow sense of the word.
———

When Doc first asked for her name, she said it was unimportant.

After threatening to call her Doccette, she gave in.

When Doc asked how old she was, she told him to guess.

12? 13? She'd open up in time.

When Doc asked who she had killed, she said it didn't matter.

When he asked if anyone else knew, False nearly impaled him as well.

When he finally got the name, it was the only word she spoke for a week.

Xisuma.
———

It had been a month before False saw anyone but Doc, and in that time, the two had become inseparable.

They both came from the north, Doc water tribe, but not a bender.

False could bend blood without the aid of a full moon.

That's exactly what she did when a stranger banged on their door.

5'10", skin the color of treated wood, hair ebony, eyes to match. Younger than Doc, two decades ahead of False, and while he didn't appear to be threatening, False hadn't been afraid since she had learned to play puppet master.

Blood bending was truly a terrifying skill.

BDoubleO, a versatile earth bender who fled Ba Sing Se to live free of walls. He preferred to go by Bdubs, and in time, False warmed to him.

A friend of Doc's was a friend of hers.

It had been sixty days, False had counted, before she was finally able to leave their home- a mess of stone and ice that smelled of rotting fish and nostalgia.

They needed to pick up food, and perhaps find False's parents, though by the look the water bender gave, the two men knew they'd be stuck with the girl until she grew of age.

When they returned, their reputation was ruined, and Fasle was no longer welcomed by the icy embrace that was the northern water tribe.

She picked a fight with some guards over bread she made sure to get caught stealing, and by the time she was done with them, the healer that arrived was playing catch-up.

One would never walk again, though the thought did occur to False to use her blood bending.

When did she become such a sadist?

She knew she'd pay the price when she got home.

250 pushups, maybe more, she reasoned, Doc had been trying to train her, and for all his efforts, it was working.

By the time they got through the door, False had already worked through a dozen.

What she didn't expect, however, was for Doc to start crying.

False, thinking she was in trouble, stood there for a few seconds, blinking as she tried to figure out why someone like Doc was crying.

She was ushered off to her room, and Bdubs' later told her that Doc was crying because False reminded him of himself.

She couldn't help the flutter of pride that lifted in her stomach at what was, to her, high praise.

It had only been sixty days, but Doc was more her family than anyone else had ever been.
———

This time, when someone showed up, Bdubs opened the door.

There were two new residents to their homely little igloo, this time around.

A man with hair as white as snow, one eye black, the other a fiery red, the obvious hallmarks of a fire bender's attack. His nose and mouth were covered with cloth, thin, black, and with no real purpose other than to hide what was underneath. His skin was near clear, almost rivaling the snow that covered every inch of the outside.

Why would you want to hide your face? False asked, when first she met the new stranger. In response she got an assumed smile- a twinkle of the eyes that indicated the presence of a grin.

Sometimes, you have to hide who you are to feel like yourself came the cryptic response.

When she brought it up with Doc, she was chided, told it was personal.

She didn't mention it again.

He called himself Etho. A name almost as mysterious as it's owner.

The second man went by Beef.

He seemed to carry sunshine in his smile, a presence of warmth and comfort that had everyone drawn closer to him (though none, more so, than Etho, noted False).

His skin was the color of stripped birch, with hair thick and creamy and color of chocolate cake, plus a beard so prized it required almost an hour of maintenance each morning. His eyes sparkled, though their color was a murky brown. They reminded False of dirt.

How cruel the world must have been to give a man with a heart of gold eyes of dirt.

He went by Beef, and when False asked why his name was so weird, he sent the 'compliment' right back at her.

Strange names for a pair of strange people, he had told her.

She warmed up to the two in no time at all.

It only took a week for her to discover what this ragtag group of mostly earth-benders were doing on water tribe soil.
———

It was late, a new moon hanging a sliver in the sky. Only after the fact did it dawn on False that tonight would be when water-benders were weakest.

False had been roused by the sound of shuffling and hushed voices, and she quickly snapped to attention, light on her feet as her ears guided her towards the sound.

She was only slightly surprised to find Beef, Doc, Bdubs, and Etho, sneaking out the front door. It was amazing what clearing your throat could do.

Excuses were tossed around, but after some very adorable puppy eyes, Doc gave in.

We're doing something very dan-

I'm not a child.

Yes you are, but you're old enough to know that what we're doing can't involve you.

I can take care of myself.

That's not what I'm worried about.

Doc, we have to go.

We'll be back before dawn.

False still remembered the tingly feeling in her cheek where Doc kissed her, and that was enough to convince her to stay behind.

She stayed awake until red peaked the horizon, and four figures came limping home.

Doc collapsed onto the dining room table, breaths heavy as blood streaked his body.

One of his arms had been burned beyond recognition, the same side of his face charred and empty. He had faced the full brunt of a fire benders wraith, that much was clear.

Heya there, Falsie!

A choir of coughs followed his words, and Etho, who had been at his side, chided him.

Quiet! You're weak right now.

D-Doc.. what happened?

Shh.. falsie.. go to your room.. I'll be-

No! No! No!

She barely registered limbs wrapping around her, dragging her off to her room.

Bdubs.

False screamed until her throat hurt, but after Bdubs' squeezed the life out of her with a hug, she collapsed into useless sobs. Eventually, she drifted off to sleep, burnt out from the weight of the nights events.

It took nearly a year for Doc to fully recover, and in that time, he and Etho had gotten to work creating advanced prosthetics that would not only allow him use of his arm, but save the socket where his eye used to be.

Doc became a mere half of his former self, machine and man clashing together to create something else. Silky smooth, yet firm, steel, contrasting the peachy soft of his skin.

False loved him all the same.

The next time the group attempted to sneak out, False was ready. It had only been three months since the last time, and Doc's arm was no more than a hunk of metal, jointed at the elbow.

Before they could step a foot outside the door, spikes of ice shot from the ground, the hallmark of a water bender.

They turned to find hollow ocean eyes sharper than the spikes that blocked their way.

Falsie, unblock the door.

No! You could get hurt!

We have to do this.

Do what?! Nearly get yourself killed?! For what! You haven't even told me!

The group around her shared a look, Doc letting out a sigh as he stepped forwards, breaking from the group.

I'll stay behin-

No! I want to go with you! I want to help!

No.

I can take care of-

I'm not worried you'll get hurt, but you can't co-

Why not?!

There are things in play that we.. can't risk getting you involved in.

I'm old enough!

No you're not.

Dad!

That's final, false. Now go back to your room or I'll take you there by force.

False knew the threat was empty, she could easily overpower Doc, as well as the four other men he worked with, but something about his tone made her realize.

This was far bigger than her.

She only realized she had called Doc her dad once she had tucked in to bed.
———

Doc, Bdubs, Etho, and Beef came home in the late morning, False already up and about, a determined look in her eyes, sweat pooling all over her skin.

Despite the chill the early fall gave- especially this close to the poles- False wore sweatpants and a tank top, muscles straining against her skin as she smashed her limbs into a dummy. Shoes and arms, legs and fists bashing and brutalizing the mess of cloth before her.

The training dummy didn't stand a chance as limbs crashed against it, an organized mess of strikes that rocked the human like figure back and forth, and a spinning kick brought it into the ground.

Snow crunched under it, and while felling a dummy such as the one False did was- undoubtedly- a huge accomplishment, she didn't seemed phased.

Hey, False! Why don't you use your water-bending? Called Bdubs, his voice obnoxious as ever.

A shrug was all he got in response, as False pulled up the dummy to start again.
———

It was nearly three years before False was deemed ready to join in on a mission.

She had barely been 16 a week when Doc approached her.

I'm sure you know, but we've been fighting fire benders. They've been.. trying to take over the world, and we've been doing out best to prevent that.

False's eyes stared blankly into Doc's mismatched ones, blinking once, twice, three times, before she found words enough to speak.

Are you asking me to come along?

Sharp as ever, Falsie.

The blond couldn't help but feel prideful at the complement.

Give me your hand, Doc held his metallic limb outwards, as if asking a dog to give paw.

False obeyed, palm facing towards the sky as she rested her small hand's in Doc's prosthetic.

Should we ever be separated, find the white lotus. The water tribesmen's organic hand extended, fist uncurling to reveal a small, wooden disc.

A pai sho tile? False questioned, her own finger's curling around the disc that had been placed in her palm.

A small smile crept onto Doc's lips, the organic side of it, at least.

Much more than that.

False slipped it into the heel of her boot, reminded of its presence every time she took a step.
———

The missions were simple.

Go somewhere, wreak havoc, steal supplies, and leave a single pai sho piece. A message.

Only on the fifth of such an outing did something go wrong.

False was in the middle of breaking some people out of a prison when she saw a face she recognized.

Grizzled brown bangs slashed over peachy skin, eyes a dull blue, hollowed with horrors unseen. The makings of a beard poked from his chin, and a distinctive scar cut across his nose, flesh pale and mutilated. A mark had since the beginning of time.

Xisuma? Is that you?

F- False?!

Oh my god-

Xisuma backed himself to the wall, pupils nearly swallowing his robins' egg irises. He looked terrified, toned figure shaking against the wall.

Y-Y.. ho.. how.. you- ki.. killed..

Wait.. Xisuma.. I can-

Ge- Get away from me!

Xisuma's bare foot lashed out, nearly clipping False's shin.

The blonde's instincts kicked in, however, and she was able to stumble out of the way.

It- was..

False gulped.

In the countless scenarios she had run through her head, she hadn't accounted for.. well.. this.

Perhaps, some things were better left to the past.

I'm sorry.

She then turned on her heel, rushing out to find someone- anyone- to beat the shit out of.

When she found them, she let her rage loose.

A group of fire benders, equipped with armor. The sight of them sent False's heartbeat up in arms.

How many had they killed in the name of imperialism?

Blood gushed through veins and arteries, it was all False could hear, the sound of liquid sloshing through sacks of flesh. The signs of life from the people before her, though she wouldn't call them human.

Why did they get to live? Mere beasts who'd claimed the lives of man- monsters in every possible definition of the word. Putrid, disgusting, deplorable, vile, whatever the adjective would never do it justice.

Yet they still breathed, still had blood pumping under every loathsome micrometer of skin.

False decided to fix that.

She rose her hand, pale, thin, and bony, clammy and shaking with ire. Pure, untainted rage.

Fingers curled into fist, lifting the sacks of flesh from the ground.

She let out a shaky sigh, hand raising to the sky as screams filled her ears.

They were terrified.

Of her.

And then she slammed her fist downwards, like rag dolls the monsters followed suit.

Armor clattered, screams violated the air, but they did nothing to stop what happened next.

Blood is so much darker when there's more of it, False recalled a thought, the one she had so many years ago.

It was so sadistic it hurt.

Blood poured from the bodies strewn on the floor, every last drop of crimson liquid drained from the monsters before False, collecting into one floating orb of nightmares.

She swiped her hand in a wide arc, the blood turning to frozen spears that nestled into the wall in front of her.

False claimed two titles that day.

Monster, and monster hunter.

No one would ever hurt her, or anyone she loved, again.

The Pai Sho piece dug into her heel, a tangible reminder of what she was fighting for.
———

Songfic fluff next, and then a req, then probably angst knowing me :)

-yours, choo choo mf its the angst train