#| Maybe We Found Love Right Where We Are : Arrow & Volt

[thewayfaringheroarchived-blog]

“But I’ve got no plans at all to leave.”

⇨ Multiply - Not Accepting

     {➹} – DID THOSE WORDS SURPRISE HIM? Not at all but they did make the blue hedgehog feel remarkably comforted and, regarding the hybrid’s statement as nothing but the truth, took that as an invitation to lean against his friend even more. His eyes glanced towards the clock above the television, which was glowing in the darkness of the room with images of some late night program.

     It was late, but they both already knew that; they just didn’t care. Volt was currently sandwiched between his daughter, peacefully sleeping where she was curled up on one side of her father, and Arrow, who was tempted to do the same thing but settled for resting his cheek against Volt’s shoulder, so even if he had wanted to leave the hybrid was stuck where he was.

     Fighting back a yawn as he shifted again, Arrow smiled at his friend, grateful. “Good. Frankly, I could use the company.”

[rmg91]

Zoe Week; Day 5-ROTT

So I know we got given a free day considered ROTT was...what it was but I decided to still go with the prompt and it turned into more of a small rewrite than just a ‘Let’s slip Zoe into this scene’. Zoe is everyone’s braincell and we know it.

Also I tried writing a fight scene....I donno how well it turned out lol

AO3

~*~*~*~*~*~

“He WHAT?!”

Zoe stared at the assembled guardians, the kids, that had gone up against the demigods bent on restarting the world with that crazy plan to strip them of their powers, only for it to fail. Yes, they were alive. Yes, they had Nari, in spirit, but the Arcane Order had her body, had Douxie, and that was not okay for her! That stupid, self-sacrificing idiot! Of course he'd do something like that! But all it would do would buy them time and just what was going to happen when those power hungry beings found out?! It wasn't going to be good, that was for sure and now Zoe had to hatch a plan to try and save her idiot before something bad happened.

Ignoring the overlapping explanations and assurances they'd come up with a plan, Zoe marched her way out of the ex-throne room and down to what was becoming her studio. Shuffling around the various tomes and grimoires, she searched for the one she was certain had the spell she needed to find him, growling to herself when she couldn't. This is what she got for not sorting through all these yet. Finally, just when she'd been about to say 'fuck it' and do it without the book, she dug up the dusty purple codex of scrying and grinned in victory. Oh, she was finding that idiot of hers and then she was going to give him a piece of her mind once he was safe.

Coming back upstairs, the pinked haired witch flipped through the book, looking for the magic circle that would allow her to find Douxie. Ignoring everyone's voices, she quickly read through the directions, reminding herself how it worked and set to etching runes in the air with her wand. The symbols of power fell to the floor in sparking pink power, forming the necessary element for her spell. “Nari.” She called, “I'm gonna need Archie for a moment.”

The little nature spirit, inhabiting her partners body, let his familiar go from her hold as she finished the magic circle, sending the tomb to rest on the floor outside it. Sitting in the center, Archie crawled into her lap in dragon form, already having a feeling on what she was going to try to do. Normally she could sense Douxie's power, they'd known each other for so after all it was easy, but between distance and most likely being blocked, she couldn't without help. It would be easier if their magic was bonded, tied together for the rest of eternity and the ultimate sign of trust and love between magic users but...they weren't. Not for lack of wanting to but their lives had been pretty hectic and dangerous and bonding their magic came with lots of consequences as well as benefits. If one of them died...it would be the worse kind of hell on the other. And as much as they loved each other they hadn't wanted to have the other suffer so. But maybe, after all this, they'd change that.

“Uh..what are you gonna do?” Toby asked, standing near as he watched the pulsing pink runes.

“I'm going to track Douxie using the bond between him and Archie.” She explained, holding the dragon-cat gently, one hand scratching between his ears, “It should, in theory, help me find where the Order is holding him.” Then they would retrieve him and she was going to kick his ass for putting himself in danger, again.

Everyone took that as the queue to be quiet, to let her work, and Zoe breathed in deeply, letting her magic seep out and take shape. The circle glowed as she let herself fall into a trance, focusing on Archie, who was relaxed in her lap, his own magic open to letting hers in. She found the bond, a shining string of magic that was warm, comforting, powerful, reaching out beyond their little space in search of their missing wizard. She followed it as it swirled, twisting and turning through the space between, searching, searching, searching until-There! It sung brightly, tightening like a perfectly tuned guitar string and humming with life and she knew in that moment just where to find him.

Opening her eyes, a pink glow encompassing them, she grinned sharply. The Order didn't know what was coming to them.

~*~*~*~

The group entered the abandoned train tunnel, sans one Trollhunter, looking for any sign of the Order or Douxie. Zoe knew she had been harsh when she told Jim he needed to stay behind but she was not going to take back what she said. He was injured and therefore a liability and she wasn't going to let him kill himself or any of his friends if things were to go pear shaped. But hopefully they wouldn't and they'd be able to rescue Douxie with minimal trouble.

Her blue eyes roamed over the various crates and scaffolding, sensing him near but unable to see him. But she just knew he was here. Even as the group spread out and looked around old, crumbling crates and rusty metal drums, confused as to why they couldn't find anyone, Zoe was reaching out with her magic, searching for her wayward husband. Frowning down at the tracks, something just wasn't sitting right with her, she tried her best to see and think like Douxie would. There had to be something here she was missing...

She blinked, a thought coming suddenly and could it really be that easy?

Trotting up a staircase to get higher ground, she looked down at the tracks, shaking her head lightly because for some eon's old beings, Skrael and Bellroc really couldn't be original? “Their hiding in plain sight!” She shouted to assembled guardians, flicking her wand out and rearranging the train tracks, “They've made a giant sigil with the tracks!” The tracks moved, soon lighting up and dispelling the room around them, revealing a much darker room and three beings in the center.

She wasn't sure if they were aware they weren't alone anymore but it looked as if the demigods of ice and fire were taunting who they thought were Nari. She, or rather Douxie, was hovering in the air, held aloft by his hands in glowing magic and maybe, possibly keeping quiet as to continuing fooling the gods. But then, as they were staring confusedly as the Genius Seals, wondering why they weren't opening, he opened his big fat mouth.

“Abracadabra, Buttsnacks.”

Zoe groaned, because why had he said that?! But before the Order could do more than threaten him, she raised her wand high and cried, “Hey! Hands off!” She then sent a bolt of pink lighting down, just barely hitting Skreal, and then it was on!

Everyone jumped into action, firing and fighting the two remaining members of the Order. Zoe jumped down, joining the fray, firing spells and shields as she made way to Nari's body. She was put to a stop though as the icy wizard floated in front of her, brandishing his staff. Oh, if he wanted a fight, he was getting a fight. Ignoring Douxie's strained call of her name, the hedge-witch ducked a swing of the staff, dodging to the right and not giving in to Skreal's taunting. Hedge-witch or not, didn't mean she wasn't powerful and she wasn't about to let these bastards win.

Zoe fired spell after spell, wildly missing the floating god as he chuckled darkly at her. But that was okay, all part of the plan because when he least expect it she smirked and performed a round-house kick, planting her foot below his belt with a cry of “Rule Number Three!!”

As Skrael crumpled, she turned back to Douxie in Nari's body, running closer and hoping she could break the spell keeping him in the air. Fire had started to burn everywhere, the old wood catching easily to the spells Bellroc fired off but she ignored all that as she examined the magic around Douxie's wrists. She shushed him as he tried to talk to her, needing to concentrate on what she was doing, hopefully she wouldn't need Claire's help. Then a dark chuckle came from behind her.

“You won't break him free.” She turned to glare at Bellroc, their ever fluctuating voice grating on her nerves, “That magic is too powerful for even a full fledged wizard, let alone a little hedge-witch.” She growled as they laughed at her. And maybe she wouldn't be able to break it herself but if she could break this beings concentration... A wicked grin came to her face, feral as she remembered the chaos she'd wrecked at Killahead, and she began drawing runes behind her back.

“You're right...Guess I'll just have to make you break it.”

And with a flash of pink, twenty more Zoe's surrounded the demigod.

Crying out, Bellroc began to blast away her clones, easily poofing them from existence, which was fine as it was only meant as a distraction. The real Zoe dodged behind him, thankful for the rest of the crew keeping Skrael busy as she charged her magic. She'd only have one shot at this and she hoped it worked. It had been a while since she last did this. Bringing her now brightly flashing hands together, she drew them apart, a glowing, sparking, pink arrow held between them.

“Foolish girl! This won't defeat me!!” Bellroc cried with rage, dispelling the last of her clones.

“It's not meant to!” She yelled back before firing the arrow, sending a million volts through the wizard and causing them to spasm. And it was enough, for the spell holding Douxie up sputtered and died, dropping him to the floor. Zoe dived for his staggering form as Bellroc cried out again, pushing him out of the way of a blast of fire. Of course now she needed a plan to get them out of there...

Just as the fire god was approaching, already up from her attack and ready to end her life, a black portal formed beneath her and Douxie and they dropped away.

~*~*~*~

Zoe groaned as she was dropped onto the floor of Camelot, rolling onto her back. That had been...something. She really needed to practice that attack again, it took far too much out of her but at least now Douxie was safe. And Nari. She heard the rest of the guardians tumble in, shouts from their assembled allies rising and still she laid there, catching her breath.

“Zoe! Zoe, are you alright?!” She looked up at Douxie's voice, finding Nari's face above her looking at her with concern and they were needed to change back because this was just getting too weird. She watched him sag with relief, most likely due to her opening her eyes and he sighed, “You were nuclear, Love.”

“You better switch back before you kiss me, Casperan.” Was her only response.

Chuckling breathlessly, he nodded and she watched him hold out his hand for Nari to take, the goddess now crouching on her other side. A flash of magic and she was then being pulled into Douxie's lap, the wizard now back in his body. She let him nuzzle his face into her neck, still recovering from the adrenaline and almost overuse of her magic as they sat there, friends and allies all around.

“Thank you, Zoe.” Nari said softly, sitting primly in front of her, “You risked so much.”

“It's fine, Nari,” Zoe said, smiling at the forest child, “There was no way I was letting them keep your body and Douxie's mind.” Let alone risk the possibility of them forcing the two back into their proper bodies. Then they really would have been in trouble.

“So what do you do now?” She heard Claire ask because now they were back at square one. Keep Nari out of the grasp.

“I donno,” Zoe sighed, “But the important thing is the Order doesn't have Nari anymore.”

“That's not all they don't have..” The nature goddess smirked shyly before holding up the Genius Seals.

Zoe's eyes widen as cries went up around her, Douxie laughing in surprise, before she grinned wide and shark like. Oh, things were about to get interesting.

~*~*~*~*~*~

How the rest of the movie would play out from here I have no idea but there’s some choice Zouxie protecting each other/Nari/Archie so...there’s that. I hope you all enjoyed!

[chaosworthyarchive]

➤ Dating Game | Accepting

↳ @familylightfox​​ said: 💘 our ship (just for fun)

                                                              —————

where they first met and how

In some random Zone after Arrow bonked his head and Volt patched him up, only for the two of them to be chased by G.U.N soldiers, shot at, and then go their separate ways. 

how long their ‘flirting’ phase was before feelings got involved

It was...a while if I remember right. Volt definitely hit that point before Arrow, and I don’t think Mr. Hero hit that point until long after meeting Harmony and he started spending nights in their Zone. 

who fell for who first ( if applicable )

Volt fell first, easily. 

where their first date was and what it was like

If we’re talking proper date I think Arrow considers their date at Chirps to be the first real one, but you could consider all the nights they spent together just lazing around as a date too (there are plenty of those to choose from).

who asks who out and how ( with a sign? spelled out on a cake? just a simple ‘will you go out with me’? )

I meannnnn, technically Arrow was the one who asked if they should just take the leap and start dating. He was too damn nervous to try to be romantic about it. It was after the whole tangle with Dark and he reached such a point of ‘fuck it’ that he just asked, and got a yes~

who proposes first

Probably neither.

if they keep / kept their relationship secret or let everyone know right away

I don’t think any part of it was kept a secret from anyone. They were pretty open about walking around both their Zones hand-in-hand and what not. They have no shame. 

where the proposal happens and how ( kiss cam at a baseball game? on a hillside surrounded by ducks? at a disney park? )

If it were to ever happen (again, iffy) I could see whoever takes up the role finding somewhere out in nature that’s super isolate and yet super beautiful and doing it there. Maybe even in the forest where they first met.

if they adopt any pets together

They have Bolt (and Blep, I think?) and I think they are handfuls enough.

who’s more dominant

It’s Volt, duh.

where their first kiss was and what it was like

I think they’re first real kiss was either on Christmas before they started dating, or the actual day they became official. I also think it was Arrow who initiated it (for some reason). 

if they have any matching couples stuff ( mugs? sweaters? pillowcases? )

Let’s face it, they probably have matching teacups that Arrow found and bought on a whim lol

how into pda they are

Kissing and hugging are the norm for them. They’re not stopping just because they’re outside.

who holds the umbrella when it rains

Volt, he’s taller.

where their usual ‘date spot’ is ( if applicable )

Anywhere in nature or, once Arrow works up the courage again, Chirps’ restaurant. 

who’s more protective

They are both super protective, this is not a fair question after all they’ve been through x.x

how long it is before they sleep together ( can be as in ‘had sex’ or as in ‘shared a bed’ )

Again, I think it was a while before Arrow prompted their first time. Probably a few months after they started dating. They shared a bed/couch wayyyy before that though.

if they argue about anything

I wouldn’t say they argue but they did have a thing when it came to Volt talking about his past, or his reluctance to. And there was the issue of them both keeping what they thought were harmless secrets but they’ve worked through those. 

who leaves more marks ( lipstick, hickeys, scratchmarks etc. )

VOLT.

who steals whose clothes and how often

 Arrow, and very often when the weather is cold. Or he wants to be a butt.

how they cuddle ( spooning? facing each other? )

Anyway they can, honestly. Though more often than not it seemed to be Arrow on top of Volt somehow.

what their favourite nonsexual activity is

Cuddling and spending time with their daughter in the garden.

how long they stay mad at each other

They never really have been? So I’m going to say not long. 

what their usual coffee / tea orders are

Arrow usually takes some form of black tea (usually Earl Grey) plain, and I think Volt likes black coffee.

if they ever have any children together

They have Harmony but she’s not biological or anything. Anymore than that is...a few conversations away. 

if they have any special pet names for each other

Not really, except calling each other ‘Love’. Volt will call Arrow by his real name every once in a while but I don’t think that really counts.

if they ever split up and / or get back together

They haven’t split, and likely never will. 

what their shared living space is like ( messy? clean? what kind of decor? )

I’d say it’s pretty clean namely thanks to Volt. Arrow tends to be messy in some cases and ‘forgets’ to clean up but it’s never to the point where it’s gross and unlivable. I don’t think we ever really talked about what kind of decor they have in their home, but I can see it being a modern but rustic kind of feel. 

what their first christmas / hanukkah / etc as a couple was like

I can’t remember if it was their first one, but it had to be pretty close to it and Arrow spent it decorating with Harmony before the three of them exchanged presents. It was simple, but they were with people they loved so it was good.  

what their names are in each other’s phones

I don’t think they’re very creative on that front so it’s probably just their names honestly. Though I could see Arrow putting Volt down as ‘Fluffy’ as a joke, then forgetting how to change it.

if they have any ‘couple traditions’ ( buying a new mug for their collection every year?  baking every friday evening? )

I can see them taking a vacation every year after recent events, just taking time to unwind and spend time together as a family. They do celebrate their anniversary too, so that’s a bonus. 

who falls asleep first and who wakes up first

Depends on the night. They both don’t sleep that much but I think Arrow’s awake more often than Volt, but Volt’s much more of an early bird than Arrow. 

who’s the big spoon / little spoon

Again, depends, but Arrow likes being the little spoon~

who hogs the bathroom

Arrow but only because he’s probably listening to music in there and gets lost in the moment. 

who kills the spiders / takes them outside

Arrow eats them. Problem solved. 

[glitradora]

Oh could you do a blind!adora AU where maybe like once Adora becomes She-Ra she gets Toph-like perception ability based on her other senses? Just a thought. I be Catra would be super protective of her her they were in the Horde

send me an AU and i’ll tell you my headcanons for it (1/15)

au masterlist

Even tho she can’t see Adora is the best tactical fighter the Horde ever had it’s like she can predict the future, like she can know how the other person will act just by their voice

Catra thinks it’s some of Shadow Weaver’s witchcraft

But she also knows Adora obsesses over every detail so maybe it’s just how she adapted to survive.

For most of her life Catra has been Adora’s eyes, they would sit for hours as kids with Catra just describing things while Adora listened.

She can pretty much navigate everything with just a description of the place from Catra.

It’s like her brain is a super machine

But this “weakness” in her part is not seen as great by most of the Horde, the only reason she’s still even around is that Shadow Weaver as stuck up for her at every turn

That could only go so far, however - she hasn’t been in classes with the rest of the kids since she was 7, once the play fighting turned into sharp edges and metal rods. 

Once Catra could no longer protect Adora and herself and the teachers encouraged the other kids to gang up on them.

Since then she became kinda like Shadow Weaver’s apprentice. 

Catra says she’s more like a slave - doing all the things Shadow Weaver doesn’t want to do.

She can’t see how Shadow Weaver does magic so she feels safe having Adora around- and Adora loves being around cause the runestone calls to her. Sings even when she’s in the room. It’s not quite like an image in her mind, not any that Catra described before anyways. But Adora imagines this is what colors feel like.

Since Adora is not a Horde Fighter, Catra took that spot. 

Once Adora wasn’t in classes anymore Catra quickly raised through the ranks must to the other recruits disdain.

She’s most teachers favorite and even Hordak has taken an interest in her- so much so she’s the youngest ever force captain.

Still - once it’s all over at the end of the day - Catra back from conquering some Princess place, and Adora done with her chores, they still lay together in the same bed like they did as kids and Catra had to protect Adora.

They’re too big for it now but it’s home - something that no other place in the Horde ever felt like.

(In this AU the sword has been waiting for Adora longer than in the show)

Adora finds the sword because it tells her where to go. It does sound like Catra- not even slightly - but it has the same care with her. 

It tells her about things in her path to avoid, about animals she’ll hear that mean no harm. It takes her straight to itself with such love that Adora tricks herself into believing it is Catra guiding her. That it’s fine to be following this voice.

Catra notices her gone only slightly too late. Adora just disappeared into the treeline when she looks. 

She panics for a second before seeing the leafs moving. Adora is rarely out of the Frightzone- Catra can only vaguely remember the last time. 

Unlike Catra who has been leading attacks for close to a year - even meet a couple princesses.

This one was a short mission and she managed to convince Hordak she needed Adora there - give her a bit of freedom for a change. 

Perhaps this is good. For Adora to feel like she’s on a real adventure for once. 

(Catra leaves Lonnie in charge and follows a few dozen feet behind)

Which means Catra sees her finding the sword - or more she sees her stopping in front of a few branches and start ripping them off

After a few minutes, shes almost going to stop her before she sees there’s something there. Something all these plants grew around. But how would Adora know about it.

Adora careful pulls out each vine as the voice tells her - her hands and forearms with small cuts by now but it’s ok. Because the closer she gets the more clear everything is. 

Cause from the second she started every time she touches it - whatever it is under all that - she sees a little glimpse. 

A tree, a patch of grass, a hidden catgirl behind her. She’s beautiful just as Adora imagined. 

Adora smiles at that but doesn’t stop pulling things off. She can’t- because things are sharper and clearer and she needs to know.

A sword she realizes in one of the glimpses - the voice seems happy with her excitement.

“YOU STOP RIGHT THERE THAT SWORD IS PROPRIETY OF THE REBEL ALLIANCE”

The voice comes from somewhere to the right - but she doesn’t have time to react before she’s being tackled. 

Soon Catra is in the fight too with razor-sharp focus pulling these two people off Adora who is looking around in fear. She can no longer see, blurry or otherwise.

She doesn’t know to which side the sword is anymore either.

Catra - once Adora is safely behind her goes more into her usual persona.

She’s teasing them - a Shiny and Arrow-Boy. Adora hardly thinks these are their names but Catra seems to know them quite well.

And the girl seems quite annoyed with her.

Adora ignores them and starts trying to get to her feet.

Is the boy how actually notices - Catra and Shiny to entertained with each other banter - “Is- is she ok?”

“Bow she’s a Horde Soldier! We don’t care”

“But she looks-”

“Blind.” its Catra who interrupts. Adora doesn’t much care she just found the sword again. And now she actually has it fully in her hand.

“I was gonna say scared” Adora barely notices the words - slightly pitchy as if this Bow is embarrassed for commenting on it.

But Adora couldn’t care less - because she can see now. The trees and the grass and the cat girl and the other two, a slightly shorter girl with puffy hair and a taller boy with a bow in his hand. And she’s crying.

Well see is not the right description. It’s not just colors like Shadow Weavers magic, but something more concrete. 

Something more solid - but not the world Catra talks about. It’s a world made up of electricity - ever changing. Like a life force, only she can see that surrounds the things giving them shape.

Colors are only suggestions. Like someone decided to tell Adora how to feel about these things.

Catra is all sharp and angles, bold reds and warm browns. 

The girl is softer - pinks and purples and blues - but the electricity bounces yellow of her. 

The boy is warm but contrasting - dark browns and soft beige. Bold red but soft purple.

Adora doesn’t realize she’s full crying sitting on the floor hugging the sword until Catra moves to touch her shoulder. None of them say much - even Glimmer (she later learns her name) has softened, the yellow volts turning soft pink. 

They all give her a long time to calm down, then they give her a long time to explain, and then Catra and Glimmer reach an agreement about Adora and the Sword. 

Because Glimmer hates the Horde, and she doesn’t much like Catra either (no matter how much Bow seems to disagree) and she never met this Adora before today. But she’s not a monster to try and separate her from the Sword. But she can’t let the Horde keep first one’s tech either.

And Catra is on top of her career, and she can’t believe she’s working with tweedle dim and tweedle dumb over her, but she loves Adora. And if the Sword is going, Adora is going and if Adora is going she guesses she will go to Brightmoon too. 

And like the decision has nothing to do with the big bug they find a few minutes later and how Adora gets like - really big and buff and how she kinda sees Glimmer staring.

[nookishposts]

Ode to a Knife

Tomboy from the word go, I was fascinated by gadgets and tools right out of the womb. My first 1964 transistor radio, with ear piece, 4 inch antenna and 9 volt battery just begged to have the back pried off and the guts removed with less than surgical precision, in order to get some idea of how it worked. Putting it back together was rarely successful, so I hid it in the barn until I could figure out how, or at least find someone non-parental to do so, with sealed lips. Ditto with the Easy Bake Oven, the limbs and heads of every doll, the whirling top that shot sparks when you pushed the knob on top, and the chain of my first bicycle. The “uh-oh” rarely dawned until I was happily surrounded by cracked or greasy bits and pieces.

But my favourite gadget to this very day remains my trusty Swiss Army knife. I bought it with babysitting money when I was 13, for  $15.00 at the local sporting goods store where I hemmed and hawed over special features versus cash reality. The one I chose didn’t come with the nifty spoon and fork of the really high-end models, but it had several blades, a corkscrew, tweezers, a saw, bottle opener, scissors and a hole punch. I knew it was destined to be mine when the sales clerk removed it from the cabinet for me to examine, I opened the main blade, and immediately cut myself. The first of many important lessons that knife has taught me. We were made for one another.

The weight of that knife in the pocket of my shorts made me feel like ‘all that and a bag of chips’. Before I understood the damage I was doing, I carved my initials in trees and table tops and desks and porches like I was seeking immortality. Camping with the family took on a whole new dimension. Need a marshmallow roasting stick with a fine point? Replacing a busted tent peg? A branch with notches on either end to string a bow for shooting arrows?  Remove a splinter from your thumb? Shorten your beach-destined Daisy Dukes another inch while your Mum isn’t looking?(Cut my own way too short once and lived with the mistake, knees stapled together, for an entire summer).   Rest assured, my SA knife and I had you covered.

I made holes to string up a flattened plastic bag with thin vines for a makeshift roof on a rainy hike. I cut down more than one Charlie Brown Christmas tree. Opened a bazillion pop bottles, beer bottles, cassette tapes, rusted locks, stuck cabinets, and heavily-taped boxes. I kept it pristine. Was certain I could perform surgery in the deep woods with only dental floss and a bottle of whiskey if called upon to do so.I recall feeling so very mature when I used the corkscrew to uncork my first bottle of Moody Blue, Lonesome Charlie, Alpenweisse, or Blue Nun at a bush party. That knife went all the way to Australia with me, safe in the perfect-sized pocket of my rucksack, for easy access. Can’t do that anymore. Wouldn’t make it past security let alone onto the plane. It still feels like I have forgotten something when I have to leave it at home to travel. (Yes, it can go into cargo, but I pride myself on one carry-on bag, always.)

Of course it got used for stupid stuff too. There’s a scene in Fried Green Tomatoes where George and Julian go with Idgie to rescue Ruth from her abusive husband,and George calmly trims his fingernails with a rather menacing knife that appears out of nowhere, as the husbands attempts an objection. The sight of the knife stops him cold. I once did kinda the same thing when out with a girlfriend at an event in Toronto; we were leaving the dance and some straight male thugs decided we would be fun to harass. There I was, maybe 20 years old, with a pitiful 4 inch blade opened, custom-fit in the  hand I hung at my side, standing calmly between my girlfriend and the potential for real trouble. They got in my face a little, yelled some disgusting slurs, and I didn’t move a muscle or say a word. When they walked off, I nearly collapsed with relief on the sidewalk. The girlfriend told me what an idiot I had been. She was right. It was the only time in 45 years I ever considered my knife a weapon.

This morning I was using that same knife, the little white shield logo worn almost invisible by 45 years in my hands, to dig out dandelions in the front yard. I leave the dandelions for the bees until other blossoms pop, then I just thin them as best I can to keep the yard tidy. Our house is for sale and though I don’t care about a pristine lawn, first impressions from the street are everything. As I was poking into the damp earth, trying to avoid stabbing worms, slicing the stubborn stems and tossing them into a paper bag, I found myself thinking about how long it took me to earn fifteen dollars in 1974, how many times I taught a wee one to play checkers, how many diaper changes, how many yawning attempts to stay awake until grateful parents returned home at 2 am a little too inebriated to drive me home. I vaguely remember charging 75 cents an hour and a dollar after midnight or something like that. So, let’s say 20 hrs to earn knife money. A couple of years later I would work a lot longer and harder to buy my first guitar. I still have that one too.

I don’t live on a farm anymore, nor do I hike and camp as much as I once did. So my Swiss army knife lays nearly-but-not-quite forgotten much of the time. It still has it’s place in my knapsack, but is more likely to be used to trim a loose thread or a flower stem than any act of serious practicality or derring-do. I have real carving tools for any kind of small woodworking projects I may undertake of a quiet evening on the back porch. It’s not at all the same as sitting staring into a late-night, mesmerising campfire, whittling away at a stick with the same knife I probably used to cut and butter my toast that morning, and to clean the fish for supper after a day in the canoe. 

Our immediate future may well involve some acreage and daily chores involving twine, bags of seeds and feed, maybe field-mending a loop to keep a pen gate closed. My denim shorts come cut no higher than my knees now, with deep pockets for secateurs, soft leather work gloves, and the right-sized Swiss Army knife. With some care and a little luck, we might get another 45 years together, and the tiny scar on my right thumb will continue to remind me that even the most-loved and most familiar tools must always be  carried with respect.