• Published 1st Nov 2021
  • 1,675 Views, 64 Comments

And I Hope You Die - Aquaman



“I’m not making you do anything, Flurry," Cozy murmured. “I’m giving you a choice. Me or your empire. And we both know what the right call is.”

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I Hope We Both Die

Flurry Heart was almost asleep again when she heard Cozy’s voice rise from underneath her chin.

“You know something?”

Flurry shifted up a bit until her shoulders rested on her pillow, and her head was at an angle that let see Cozy’s head nestled against her chest. In the corner of her bedroom, just barely illuminated by the moonlight streaming in the window, she could see both of their coronation dresses crumpled in a heap and probably ruined beyond repair, the last remnants of a disastrous reception that—to be perfectly honest—she couldn’t care less about now.

“What?” she asked Cozy, whose shoulder tensed against Flurry’s forehoof as she shifted a bit under the covers.

“You’re the only pony I’d ever let kill me,” Cozy tenderly replied.

Between late-night exhaustion and afterglow, Flurry didn’t have the energy to unpack the absolutely batshit thing Cozy had just said. Instead, she just narrowed her eyes and mumbled, “Well, that’s… morbid.”

“I think it’s romantic,” Cozy said, with such a sincere depth in her gaze that Flurry couldn’t imagine arguing the point. “Think about it: I’m me. Y’know, hot-headed, stubborn, empirically unbalanced. Maybe there’s a few creatures somewhere big and mean enough to stop me, but I wouldn’t let them kill me. Not unless it was you.”

“You have an awfully high opinion of yourself,” Flurry observed.

Cozy smirked. “I am dating a princess,” she shot back, leaning up at the same time to plant a kiss on Flurry’s lips that the Princess happily accepted. “Sorry, I know I’m making it weird. What I mean is that I trust you. More than I trust myself. And if you decide that I’m worth keeping alive, then I believe you. And if I’m not, then… whatever happens, I’ll go out protecting you. I’ll leave you a better mare than I found you.”

Flurry kissed Cozy again, and kept kissing her until she had to pull away to draw breath. “I think you already covered that,” she whispered, her lips brushing Cozy’s just enough to tickle.

“Hmm…” Cozy hummed. “I think you can get better, though. I’ll figure something out.” She yawned and settled back into Flurry’s shoulder. “Maybe start a war or something. Those always make rulers look great.”

Flurry couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re a psychopath,” she told her marefriend.

Just before she nodded off, Cozy’s lips bent into a smile. “Every great leader is,” she murmured as sleep overtook her. “Some of us just make it look good.”

Author's Note:

Apparently this song's popular on the Tik Toks now. The teens today have good taste.

(Also, yeah, I know it should've been "Hoof in Unlovable Hoof," but that wouldn't have rhymed. Blame it on Bonnie Zacherle.)

Comments ( 35 )

“You’re the only pony I’d ever let kill me,” Cozy tenderly replied.

hot and gay

BLESS YOU FOR THE MOUNTAIN GOAT REFERENCE

That was really good and it took me way too long to get the song reference :twilightsheepish:

Ok, so. This was really good. Like, objectively. But for some reason it just didn't click with me. Maybe because there weren't enough words to see exactly how Cozy's character changed over time spent with Flurry in more detail? Or maybe because I don't know exactly what Flurry's takeaway from her whole ordeal was, robbing me - and the story itself - of catharsis?

Oh wow.

This is incredible. I really don't know how to express just how impressed I am at this story. Every moment of it had me on the edge of my seat, and the raw emotion you put into it come through so very well. I need to study this Cozy and Flurry for a bit, to learn how to better write them.

Flurry consistently produces some of the most engrossing stories in Imposing Sovereigns. One can take her in just about any direction possible. But a relationship with Cozy Glow is a consistent theme for her both in and out of the contest, and it makes for some amazing fiction as the two of them explore the darkest depths of unhealthy romance.

This Cozy is especially well realized. She is truly mentally unhinged, not a cartoon villain but a young woman who, while aware of her irrational state, has no power to change it. She is the one thing she has never been able to control; Flurry just made her realize it. No wonder Cozy couldn't bear a happy life as princess consort for too long. It only underscored how, at the heart of things, she'd never been as in control as she'd told herself. Dictating the circumstances of her demise was the only way she could accept going out.

Incredible piece. Thank you for it, and best of luck in the judging.

I'm out of practice reading, so maybe I'm not picking up on the subtleties, but despite it seemingly falling on deaf ears, Twilight actually gave good comfort didn't she? It seems like its supposed to be her talking without really understanding what Flurry went thru but it seems like she really does? Idk.

I am gonna be honest here. I was disgusted at Frozen. But this story, I had to give it a like. It did a much, much better job at making Cozy, while still on the wrong until the very end, completely sympethizable. Her background explains very well her drive and twisted view. Being betrayed and used by the only family she loved at such a young age, she was scarred for life. She feared love because she was scared of being hurt again by her love, and it had drilled this notion of "love is bad, love is weakness" into her head. So she went out of her way to reject love. It still doesn't explained very well the power-hungry and obsessive-of-control aspect of her, and I still think her fate could have been much different had Flurry realized her issue and had a correct approach to fix her. Nevertheless, it was plausible how things turned out the way it did.

The irony is, by betraying Flurry and forcing her to kill the pony she loved, Cozy had commited the same offense as her father did to her, hurting Flurry and robbing her off the trust in love. Perhaps that was exactly what Cozy wanted. Because of that twisted philosophy of " love is weakness" of her, she wanted Flurry to never be able to love again, to become cold-hearted so she could be "strong". It's clearly a wrong, twisted view, but the readers could sympathize with her, could understand where she was coming from. It was a complete tragedy.

11039403
She tried to drown herself.

This is so absolutely tragically beautiful and I am not surprised in the slightest that it placed first in the Imposing Sovereigns contest.

I absolutely adore how you characterized both Flurry and Cozy in this and how well you portrayed a sympathetic villain. That I was actually sad that Cozy died in the end, that the happy ending you would hope for didn't play out, is an absolute testament to a wonderful story. Seriously, this was incredible to read, and I'm so glad I got a chance to do so.

Most excellent, thank you for this~!

Well. I'm heartbroken, fulfilled and shocked with the conclusion of this story.
Truly Magnificent.

May A Cup Of Tea Always Be By You.

i was hoping for some beautifully toxic CozyHeart interrogating the link between sociopathy and absolute power and this fic absolutely delivered. this fic definitely left an impression on my own headcanon for how these characters develop, and i will have to meditate on it in the future. i especially love how the fic echoed Cozy Glow's initial imprisonment in stone, but investing it with far more emotional depth and thematic resonance. just the idea of Cozy characterizing her actions to herself as a self-sacrifice that is the only thing she is good for is just so two chefs kissing each other on the mouth. if i can ever write a relationship half as toxic as this, i will be very happy

11078735
thats dumb. no one lives like that. if anything it breeds hate in the rulers heart for there own people, and thats the most horrifying thing ever. when the ruler genuinely hates there own selfish stupid people that take every thing from them and give nothing.

can you imagion the horrors unleashed by a ruler that isnt allowed any loved ones or friends because that?

i agree with Iskander on what it means to be a ruler.

https://youtu.be/KdZVPn-Wh3U?t=8

11184930
First of all this doesn't mean you can't love your family, it means that when choosing between your subjects and your family you must choose your subjects. Is that a reasonable thing to ask someone? No! That's why almost no one is a good ruler. But the problem is what happens when your one of the subjects and the queens son was kidnapped? And the rival nation asks for 10,000 people including you for the safe return of her son? Maybe she should declare war and let 100,000s of thousands die to save him, maybe she should accept the deal. Or maybe the right thing to do in that situation is to do what no parent would do. Sacrifice their child for the good of the whole. This goes to lesser extremes. Do you want a ruler will protize the happiness of her child, or one that will make a marriage alliance to sign a peace so you and your family don't have to go to war and die so some kid you never met can marry the love of his life. This is less extreme and so easier to fulfill, many rulers did this last one but the principle still stands, sacrifice family and friends if that's what the people need. And that's why no one in their right mind would want to be a ruler.

11184930
Do you know what happens when people want to be king? Civil wars, lots of civil wars. Death and death. Take it from a student of history when everyone wants the crown the whole nation suffers? Hundreds of thousands die, sibling kills sibling and all so that someone can sit on the throne of a weaker kingdom. When everyone wants to be king then the king always risks assination which leads to civil wars. People shouldn't aspire to be like the king, then they will aspire to become the king and kill everyone and everything in their way. Empire's have fallen to civil war, because everyone wanted the crown, and what's more countless millions have died. No Isakander is wrong, so very very wrong. Learn Roman history, including Eastern Roman or Byzantine and see that since Gauis Marius how many have died in the quest of someone wanting to be king.

11187074
i utterly disagree

11187358
could you explain why? I'd be intrested to hear

11187359
your not the only student of history here. and the actually good rulers then to be the more selfish ones that clawed for more. often the "good" kings left there lands a mess that fell in to a hole and needed to claw out of by there successor.

i truly agree with Iskander that a Ruler should be a Icon that inspires the people to go farther not some insane martyr.

and yes. id totally go to war with the assholes that kidnapped my kid, that's a act of war right there. bad analogy on your part really.

11187363
Im sorry I assumed you didn't know history. That was really wrong and I'm sorry. But I still disagree, does good mean that you made your empire more glorious(in which case every aspiring to be king would still mean constant risk of civil war), or if your definition of good is that the people under your rule live good lives. In which case being more peaceful makes a lot more sense. Think of all the people that would die if you went to war to save your kid, is that really right. 200-300,000 and that's would probably just be soldiers. There are all the people that die in the aftermath. There are martyrs in the world and those are the ones that should rule us.

11187923
no. its a act of war and must be met. you think the people will be happy with that? that you are so uncaring that you let this foreign enemy's take your heir?
thats how you start a civil war for you clearly are mad. and you know what? if i was a soldier id be down for fighting. we are clearly at war anyway what with the kidnapping. seriously its a bad analogy you are using.

and why should a martyr rule? why do you think they are inherently better? what if there bad at it? they sacrifice, but what do they gain for there people? they have no ambition so why would they try to improve there people's lot? why try to improve there nations standing? that would lead to conflict. they don't want to rule or lead so why would they do a good job? where is the drive? the ambition to move forward? to do better? a "martyr" as you call this ideal of a 'prefect' ruler would only inspire disgust as they coldly and with out care discard there loved ones for a people that would go on without them, without the sacrifice.

someone that would throw there family away for a some insane ideal like 'perfection' is some one i would never follow, and i know plenty who couldn't stand it either.

11187963
You've given Me alot to think about. Is it OK if we end this discussion. You've made some really good points and I have to think about them in more detail then an internet discussion would allow. Thank you so much for broadening my mind and even if I end up disagreeing with you what you said makes alot of sense and has made me rethink my thoughts. And if I agree with you then you convinced me with your good points.

11188000
i was ready to end it too.

This is my favorite story on FiMFiction.

I finally got around to reading it. And then I bitterly regretted it. And then I kept going to the end anyway. And now I'm upvoting it, you bastard.

This was really well written. Jumping back and forth between the present fight and Flurry and Cozy's past together was effective at building up empathy for both characters. It's tragic that Cozy chose to act this way in the end.

Great story - everything weaves into everything else, the characters grow and change and then mature.

This has to be one of my favorite stories I've read, absolutely amazing, 10/10 writing, story, characters, EVERYTHING!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!!

boooooooooooooring

11679348
Well thank you for stepping in, and reaching out. I like this story, and I like to hear from all sorts on this site.

Whew! That was awful. That was dirty. I need a shower.

... and that's how you know it's good. Geez, this just lodges itself in your craw; making sociopathy understandable, offering that tiny glimmer of hope in redemption which darkens the tragedy by contrast. Easy to see how it won the contest. Well done.

horizon put it better than me. This was everything I could ever want from a CozyHeart story, and I am eviscerated for it. Like, aside from my emotions getting obliterated, this is written so tight you can bounce a coin off it, and the use of chapter formats to play with points in time, and this excellent economy of words where all the brilliance lies in the words you didn't write it-- Fuck, man. This is so, SO good. The best I've read in years.
I also need a shower.

11712515
Noticed this comment when I was returning to the story to recommend it to someone. Wanted to thank you for putting some of its other exemplary qualities into words I couldn't possibly have managed.

This thing is so filthy you can't properly appreciate its quality all at once. I have no idea how Aqua put it all into his head at once to write it.

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