#⋄ — musings. 「 morven. 」

[featherstcnes]

STARTER CALL —— please like for a starter from the below muses (you can put the emoji for who you’d like it from)! you can ofc request any from my muse list, but these are the ones i have the most muse for currently. please specify who you’d like it for if you’re also a multi. if i’m completely unsure how our muses would interact, i might reach out, but otherwise these will be random !

💙 - beauregard lionett

💚 - orym of the air ashari

💜 - laudna

🧡 - keyleth

💛 - lorna cintale

🩵 - arden morven

🩷 - nova

[acourtofthought]

I’m back with my thoughts. I’m sorry for the delay, life’s been crazy and I have many many many thoughts, but I wanted to make sure I get them to you. So forewarning I’m going to word vomit 😅

My main takeaways from HOFAS-as it pertains to acotar-are about Azriel. I know he gets a lot of hate and isn’t your favorite, but I’ve been curious about his powers from jump, and have drawn many hypotheses based on similarities between him, Cormac, and Lorcan. And whilst he and Cormac have mystery surrounding the origins of their powers, we known that Lorcan is watched over by Hellas, God of Violent Death and the Underworld. 

“Bryce could have sworn that shadows wreathed [Azriel], like Ruhn’s yet…wilder. The way Cormac’s had been.”

Cue the Michael Scott voice because IIIIII knew it!! There’s a clear distinction between Rhy’s & Ruhn’s shadows and those of Azriel and Cormac (+ the murder twins and Morven—maybe. I still have questions about them). But how, and why?

It would appear that the shadows Rhys and Ruhn possess are those of Starborn heritage, those which Silene had. But then this:

 “Hunt opened his mouth, his last bit of bravado before the shit-show began, but in the shadows behind Pollox, beyond the fireplace, something dark moved. Something darker than shadow.  Not Ruhn’s shadows. The prince didn’t seem to be able to access those when constrained by gorisan shackles. Only the prince’s mind speaking abilities remained.  This shadow was different—darker, older. Watching them. Watching Hunt…  …Across the room , the thing in the shadows moved. Just slightly. Like it had crooked a finger at him.  Death. That was that thing in the shadows. And now it beckoned.”

Is TEA!!!! We know that these passages are in reference to Apollion, the Prince of the Pit who cam to visit Hunt. And I’ve long suspected that the forces of Hel and Death have some ties to Azriel’s shadows & shadowsingers in Prythian. I think Sarah is dropping hints at the true nature of Azriel’s abilities, or at least to provoke questions about the forces at play in this universe she created. I'd be shocked if we didn't learn more about Shadowsinging in his story, especially because she teased Illyrian history in HOFAS. 

We learn that the IIlyrians were creations of the Asteri. Could the forces of Hel have mingled in their creation, as they did in Hunt’s? We don’t know if shadowsining is exclusive or dominate in IIlyrians, so I’m not too convinced of that. Truthfully, it’s why I’m not yet convinced that Azriel’s heritage is key to his powers. And something to just really tickle the brain is this passage from EoS:

“Lorcan’s magic was that of will - of death and thought and destruction. There was no name for it. Not even his queen had known what it was, where it had come from. A gift from the dark god, from Hellas, Maeve had mused - a dark gift, for her dark warrior. And left it at that.”

Not even his queen—Valg Maeve—knew what it was. Now, considering how the Valg were not native to the ToG world, would it really be a stretch to consider that the princes of Hel helped another world before? And then, again? What if, for whatever reason, Hel has taken to watching over their universe? What if Hel paid a visit to the little boy being horrendously abused by his family, and saw within them to help him? That they knew the most powerful high lord was also just a boy, and would need a right hand who could wield the dagger, similar to how Enalius commanded it at Fionn's side? If we learn Enalius was a shadowsinger in future books....I will squeal.

PS--

Something else from the HOSAB passage is that Ruhn’s shadow abilities disappear when shackled. I cannot remember if Morven was ever shackled, but Cormac’s ability to teleport/winnow was hindered by the gorisan bullet in HOSAB. An injured Az would certainly be hindered as well, but I wonder if it would be to the same degree considering how the Midgard fae are much weaker. Does the bullet hinder him just because he was shot, or does it specifically drain his magic?

I still have many questions, like if Cormac, Morven and the murder twins share the same shadows. Their inability to teleport inclines me to think no, but another major indicator of Cormac & Azriel’s difference is that Avallen magic is actually earth magic. I suspect the shadow powers Avallen have are because they’re the descents of Helena and/or fae of the "Night Court" bloodline (I cannot remember if this was explicitly explained or not lol). 

But that's all I have for now! Super curious to hear what you think :)

🧼💖

Despite my dislike of Az's behaviors at the moment I definitely know that when we get it, his story will be an interesting one! And I am curious why Rhys says it was Az's time in the dungeon that helped her learn the language of the shadows versus someone like Cormac who has a similar power but doesn't necessarily have quite the same tragic backstory. Does that mean it wouldn't have mattered whether Az had the childhood he did or not but that he would have always developed the ability to talk to the shadows? I agree that there's a good chance we're going to see a strong connection to Hel and Az in later books. Nesta is Death, both Cassian and Az had a strong reaction to Nesta in her Death form and she hears the lowest level of the library whispering to her. Since Gwyn felt a presence like a cat down there I do think it's going to turn out to be a portal to Hel and Aidas. I think with Bryaxis gone, the portal is no longer guarded which means whatever was in there can now reach out. I also think that because we learn the other "brothers" of the Princes of Hel are off helping other worlds, we'll see that set up for future arcs for Az, Gwyn, Nesta, etc. where they too world walk to protect their world from outside threats. My one big question from HOFAS was why did Vesperus bleed black (like a Valg) but the Asteri on Midgard bled red? If Vesperus was an Asteri, shouldn't they bleed the same color? Thank you for putting together all your thoughts for me!!! ❤️

[ircnwrought]

rowan keeps giving me au ideas ahskfkak amaya losing her memory along with her wings. does morven still find her and shape her in the image he wants? do the asteri find her and use her as a weapon? your muse deals with the fall out when she returns to prythian

her hotd / fw au’s can go well with this too if she lost her memories after she fell from her dragon. do the greens/venin manipulate her? does she come back to herself? so many possibilities

[madam-wakefield]

Family Artwork

Just a little fic for the first day of @berenaadvent and the 3rd day prompt “Silhouette”

Read on A03

If you’d told a 15 year old Bernie that one day she’d have a wife she’d have told you you were crazy. Of course by then she knew she had feelings for women, she also knew she was destined to join the army and that she would never share that first fact with another living sole.

If you’d have told a 35 year old Bernie that she’d have a wife one day she’d have told you that she’d lost her chance. That she’d made her choice to join to RAMC and marry Marcus. She’d have said that for her the legalisation of gay and lesbian people serving openly in the British army had come too late. Of course she was overjoyed it had finally happened but it was still too late for her.

If you’d have told a 51 year old Bernie that she’d have a wife one day she’d have told you that she was no good at relationships. That she’d ruined her marriage, ruined her friendship with Alex through the affair that had led to the breakdown of everything else.

Yet here she is now 62 years old, watching her three grandchildren, Florence, Mabel and Ezra and one grandniece, Greta, run towards the castle, as she walks hand in hand with her wife down Disney’s Main Street, on what is unfortunately the last day of their holiday. She struggles still sometimes, still has days where she is riddled with guilt about all the mistakes she’s made in her life, but right here right now she knows she’s exactly where she should be.

Her and her wife are lucky enough that they have a certain calibre of job, that has afforded them a comfortable life, so last year in lieu of Christmas presents they’d revealed they were taking their children and each of their grandchildren, and of course Jason and his daughter to Disney World.

It of course had taken a lot of logistics to ensure both Bernie and Serena, as well as Cameron and Morven, Charlotte and Lizzie, Elinor and Grant and Jason and Greta could all have holiday at the same time. They’ve been naughty and taken the grandchildren out of school, no way they could have organised everyone’s time off work with a school holiday. It’s all be so worth it though, the memories they’ve made together, these past two weeks, as a big giant mixed up family have been more than worth it. And Bernie knows that despite all the mistakes she’s made this is exactly where she’s meant to be, that she’s truly happy.

“You alright?” Serena says squeezing her hand, lets Bernie know she’s been quiet and musing just a little too long.

“Yes just thinking about how happy I am,” it’s as she turns to smile at Serena that she spots it. The silhouette studio off to her right. The images look so beautiful, can’t help built stop and look, the sudden and unexpected pause pulling on Serena’s arm and putting her just a little off balance. Bernie helps steady her, apologising earnestly. Before pointing and speaking

“Aren’t they beautiful?” She watches as Serena catches sight of them, eyes going wide.

“They are but from the look in your face you already have an idea forming in your head.” Serena says nudging her gently. Bernie loves the fact the woman she married can read her every expression, that she doesn’t have to hide herself.

“The art work that we have never been able to find for above the fireplace, I think we might have found it. Five of these, one for each little family arranged together to make a five like on a dice.”

Bernie allows herself to be pulled to face Serena, moulds easily as Serena leans in to kiss her quick and gentle. “You my dear are a genius, they’d look beautiful.”

That is how the next hour finds each little family in turn sitting for a silhouette. Serena and Bernie go first, their grandchildren looking in awe as the artist freehand cuts their joint silhouette out of the black card, before placing it inside the thick black oval frame. Charlotte, Lizzie and Mabel go next, being the eldest grandchild she always says it’s her job to show the others how to behave. Elinor, Grant and Erza go next, Erza is the youngest of their grandchildren, is a little impatient to get to some more rides. So after they’ve finished they send them on their way with Charlotte, Lizzie and Mabel. Tell them they’ll message when they’ll finish. Jason offers for Cameron, Morven and Florence to go next, Bernie and Serena know it’s because he doesn’t want the audience as he sits for his portrait so sends them to join Charlotte and Elinor after they’ve finished. They themselves wander slowly around the shop for the length of time it takes Jason’s little family to be finished.

It’s Bernie who takes the two bags with the carefully wrapped frames and keeps them safe for the rest of the day. That evening when they stand together to watch the fireworks, Bernie can’t help but watch Serena’s silhouette, illuminated by the colourful lights she looks as beautiful as ever and Bernie’s breath is once again take away by how lucky she is.

When they get home, Serena takes the suitcase and sets about sorting the washing while Bernie takes the bags containing the five silhouette portraits, grabs the stepladder and her tool kit and sets about finally adding their fireplace art to the living room. Every day from then on it’s her little reminder of the family she gets to call hers, of everything that is good in her world. That somehow all the decisions in her life have led to this and that there is nothing she’d rather have more and no where else she’d rather be.

[ourbite]

a list of all NPCs in my muses life. i am heavily, unapologetically, playing with canon to fit my needs. these npcs are free for inbox questions but at the moment are not available for threads. they are made to be tools to enrich the narrative in threads. if you would like one of them mentioned, please feel free to reach out.

ERES

aella - female, cisgender. a companion before the events of the game. she is a seldarine drow and a rouge. met shortly after eres venture out of the underdark and the only drow that eres trusts wholly. whereabouts: unknown. status: alive. her hair is a lighter grey, pulled and braided away from her face. there is a scar that runs from the bottom of her right eye and down towards the lobe of her ear. she's level headed in most all situations and quick to react. despite being a seldarine drow her eyes are a rich maroon.

atlas - male, transgender. a half high elf. also a companion before the events of the game. steadfast, serious and strong. an oath of devotion paladin, he follows a path of righteousness and would hope to see the good in all beings he crosses, naively in eres opinion, given second chances. he can be quick to defend and is loyal to his party. he has short nearly shaved choppy sandy colored hair and white eyes. there is a thick tattoo line that runs over his bottom lip and down his chin. he was able to leave word at their hideout ( the makeshift camp eres can be found in ) that their company lives.

argus - nonbinary, uses he + him. companion before the events of the game. a dwarven life cleric. whereabouts: unknown. status: alive. salt pepper hair, undercut buzzed with dwarvish styles. a long bushy beard that is braded and beaded. ( one of these beads eres carries with him and can be seen messing with in camp on occasion ). a tough yet cherry individual, surprisingly so for dwarrow. argus has a unique 'you live and learn' outlook on life that eres initally thought funny and stupid. through travles eres came to rely on them more. he has multiple tattoos though the most interesting would be the runes and style that cover the back of his hands, up his arms and over the top half of his chest and neck.

casius - male, cisgender. drow, follower of bhaal. casius is blood related to eres, the two having constant conflict before eres trip out of the underdark. he has a paler tone, more ashy and hair to match. his hair is long and straight, reaching mid shoulders and is always worn slicked back. his eyes are fully black. he wears eye makeup that is smeared and runny. the marks casius bare on his face are made from cuts when he became a follower, to prove his devotion [ alongside the murders, of course. ] his ultimate goal is to become a deathstalker and convince eres to join him. as a follower of lolth, eres detests everything that casius stands for.

CORNELIUS

morven theodore jakob bevard - an eldritch knight fighter, though magic comes easy to him, he much prefers his sword. cornelius' and agathe's biological child. morven grows to resent his father for his failings in both being unable to save his mother and also as a father. later in life, when old enough, morven leaves his father to his misery. he falls into a bad crowed that ultimately causes him to become a monster. a crocodile hybrid. he has a no nonsense attitude, holds himself high and hates wizards and those with the personality like his father's. he has long black hair worn slicked back most of the time. he has tan skin and golden eyes with slit iris. he is extremely touched starved but has a lack of faith and trust in others that leaves him traveling alone.

[luxmaeastra]

Madoc tilted his head, looking at the letter and back to Morven.

"I am not the sedentary type Morven."

Morven nodded rubbing at his wrist. Madoc pursed his lips he remembered how the molten chains had felt too.

"I know. Bur I don't trust those who my sister keeps. Please? She needs a Master of The Gaurd Madoc."

Madoc looked back to the letter, crumpling it up and throwing it into the fire at his feet. It wasn't lost on him that Morven used the old titles. That he'd dared to even ask him for such a thing. Perhaps ties forged in a crucible stayed - unlike what his mother alleged.

"I will see what I can do. I will not jeopardize my safety for just her."

"There are Vaettir in —"

"High Vaettir. Ones with blood ties to fae Morven. Lanthys holds Theia's blood and Braxyis holds Norea's and Night's. I am not them my line was born in the mud and dirt of the world. I will see what I can do. But I am no promises."

Morven's grip tightened upon his wrist, he supposed it was the best he was going to get from Madoc. He knew the more he pushed the more he was probably going to fight back, the more he would protest and the knowledge that his sister was not safe worried him. She was there, she was alone, she had no one to watch her back.

"At least go and see her and ensure she is well protected," he asked him earnestly. "I understand you cannot promise, but I need to ensure she is safe. She is alone, she has no one to rely on."

If he knew it would help he was not above begging on his knees, but he knew he was pushing the line by pressing any further. "If you do go, I ask you to send me word. I will ensure you are rewarded for your efforts. I am not one who does not pay his debt."

[nonbelievr]

⋄ — morven tags; pt. 1.

[covetouscryptcrook]

@eldritchbled:

When the touch comes, it’s unlike anything he’s grown accustomed to. The careful, almost methodical caress of a set of slim digits is much different from the coarse handling that occurred whenever he fell in battle or if he needed rousing to take up his shift to watch the company’s camp at night.

It’s a curious thing. He almost flinches at it, despite not detecting any malicious intent. The drag of her fingers ran along his bicep, tracing the faintly viridescent veins that damned him. Strange to have someone treat it with such care.

“Umm-” He doesn’t pull away with a jerk, inching away with each beat. “Is there something… that you ahh- need?”

In truth, Morven’s curiosity lies in bold rebellion. She’s heard tale of some wretched man living among them, who decorates himself in chains and whose cough produces poison, whose body thrums with a deadly plague or demonic proportions, and who can be told apart from the others by the great mark on his head, the branding of a letter ‘A’, the mark of the Abomination.

Much of the stories, she’s brushed off as fancy, fairytales, stories you tell to children to make them behave. And now she finds herself in his presence, and she’s determined not to be scornful or afraid.

Of course, being Morven, she cannot express it with a friendly handshake or a kind word or a beer. Instead, she takes the opportunity to sit beside him and, as though mesmerised, she slides a dainty, slightly-callused hand along his bicep, marvelling at how lean and yet defined his muscle is.

It almost comes as a shock when he finds his voice, and she isn’t quite done petting him like a cat. “Need? Not as such, dearie, no,” she murmurs, smiling softly. There is no malice, but there is a thoughtful tone, a dreamlike hum to her words. What were people so afraid of? “My, but I did expect you to be taller.”

[jacnaylor]

just a random list of random holby moments i love:

jac delivering mo’s babies, like, multiple times

sacha refusing to use elliot’s scrub cap to stem the blood flow after jac’s shooting

sam just. collapsing in theatre. as you do.

that time zav called cam an incel

that time that guy was pretending to shock himself but then accidently did it literally just fucking died!!!

kian eating everything (”so good....so lumpy”)

AYE, ON YOUR WAY PAL

the gay wizard we all need to sort our life out

dom and digby singing karaoke together

“you’re like the sister i never had��/”i love that man like a brother”

jasmine having a pic of her and morven on her bedside table

“then beg”

louis pouring actual human urine into guy self’s locker

ollie valentine listening to the saturdays

 when michael finds out jac and ollie fucked and he’s just absolutely roasting them “PERFORMANCE, TEN!”

“i’m not a horse whisperer for the fairer sex”

that time ange just straight up took a cig out of someones mouth

that time jac and jonny took emma to the zoo and they argued and he called her a bitch, presumably in front of their child

jac and mo eating cheese in their office together

the sweden episode

the fact that everyone except me forgets that penny is actually called persephone - to the point where malik and michael start calling her pitstop as in penelope and she’s like! it’s not my fucking name!

jac smashing cups to announce herself

raf coming back from the dead to call his memorial ugly

jac writing emma notes from the tooth fairy in tiny handwriting

frieda just having random kinky stuff in her locker for some unknown reason

the fletchling’s changing raf’s ringtone to ‘you’re beautiful’ by james blunt

when hanssen saw jasmine fishing around in the bin and she was like ‘i lost a contact’ and he just. had nothing to say to that.

“i like you, and you’re a baseball bat”

nice people attaching themselves to jac aka that time kenny tried to come see here in hospital when he heard she’d been hurt

raf and serena getting drunk in her office

jac trying to sew her own surgery wound in a lay by

that time jasmine and cal (on casualty) said they fancied each other 

“You can’t shred those, they include my precious handwritten musings! “

sacha’s stag do (”i’m the father of her child” “maybe”

when jac got sacha to the airport on the back of her motorbike for him to do his romantic gesture

the ric/jac/sacha roadtrip

KIAN ON THE NEWS NAKED AND SCREAMING IN THE WELSH MOUNTAINS

“that’s some spooky witch shenanigans jac”

matteo getting away with swearing because it was in italian

they literally stole a whole leaving scene from ER lmao

[illiumflower]

some of my muses + valentine’s day:

- mindel cousland goes all out. seriously, she grew up as a noble and any time she had any romantic interest, she went the whole nine years for thedas’ valentine’s day equivalent. grand gestures are her thing -- however, these grand gestures are usually private. she’ll hire a full-out band to play for her valentine over dinner, but it’ll be just the two of them + any staff. min loves showing off for her date, but in a way that’s for them and them alone.

- hazel hawke is similar, but she wants to show her valentine off to the world. this is also largely dependent on when in the da2 timeline we’re talking about -- toward the beginning, we’re talking loud events that declare how much she loves her valentine. toward the end, hazel is much more reserved and Tired, but she still takes the time to show to the world that her valentine is hers and hers alone she’s a bit possessive.

- merrill is quiet and likes giving her valentine gifts, usually handmade. she loves flowers and will likely give them a flower crown at least once; other times, she may carve a figurine for her valentine and give it to them over dinner or when they’re spending alone time together. she just wants to cuddle and stay in with her beloved, no grand gestures necessary.

- josephine montilyet would seem like the type who would throw a grand celebration for her beloved at first glance, but she’s actually quite like merrill. she loves throwing parties, sure, but that’s for work. when it’s just her and her love, she would much rather take a walk in the gardens and have a quiet dinner for the two of them -- no talk of work is allowed. she wants nothing but to focus solely on her valentine.

- joker moreau honestly has no idea what to do with himself on valentine’s day, so he tries to go about it like he and his valentine normally would. his favorite dates are ones where they can explore wherever they’re docked, especially if they’re near silversun strip, and if they can find somewhere to play games? all the better. he’s much more attentive though, letting himself be smitten for once rather than hide that vulnerability and paying his date compliments left and right. he just wants to have fun with his date, valentine’s day or no.

- kasumi goto is a pure romantic, and would want the day to be treated as such. we’re talking go to a gala where she can dress up, or a restaurant where she can show off and be shown off. she wants to be the sole subject of her valentine’s attention... at least for a little while. the best part about going to grand places like these is the number of people just ripe for the picking. her perfect date? getting to indulge in her romantic nature and return home with her date on her arm and her pockets several credits and valuables heavier.

- morven altim would love nothing more than to go to a museum with his valentine, or to explore a city with them. he’s always itching to learn, date or no date, and anyone who he considered his valentine would likely understand at that point. a museum would be the primary target to learn something new, especially if it’s based around something his date is interested in. he loves to ramble about things he knows, but he loves to listen to his loved ones talk about their interests in detail just as much, if not more. morven believes a person’s interests are like a peek into their heart, and he wants to know and love everything his valentine does.

[nhylluan]

Three Songs

Nobody tagged me, i just tought it was fun to do this in between drawings lol

Morven (SW)

Vile World - Perturbator

Jenny Of Oldstones - from Game of Thrones’s soundtrack

Hunt you down - The Hit House & Ruby Friedman

Ulle (IA)

The Void - Muse

Cries and Whispers - from Oldboy’s soundtrack

Don’t Be So Serious - Low Roar

[silentaint]

acrolithed said:

HIII MORVEN u r so mean 2 me.... u never answer to my discord messages 👺 NCKSN JUST KIDDIN i love u sweetheart thank you for being around to listen and talk even when i’m this🤏🏻close 2 shaving my head from the current Stressor of the Week™️ I NEVER SAID IT BUT how do u capture the voices of all ur muses so well... BYE hand over the talent 🤲🏻 i love your oda & elise to bits & im excited to see you write the best boy dazai !! this isn’t a threat but if u ever leave me i will delete ur knees❤️

i made this icon last time you sent me something cute and must use it every time you do now !

HIII ATHENA.... i love you so much. i’m srry discord is homophobic and hates showing me your msgs </3 ok so many its just athena phobic.... brb suing discord..

AAAAAA i could never leave u you idiot. 

you: dont leave me ok me, who’s spent countless nights up talking to u and written u poetry and fawned over u since the day we met: uh............................................. yeah i.... i dont think thats gonna b a problem.

[tea-and-procrastination]

I’m spending the weekend down in Torquay dancing, and I thought it might be fun if shut up and dance with me-AU Berena came too! I have zero plan and updates will be sporadic, spontaneous and unedited - so apologies for any inconsistencies/inaccuracies/a general lack of plot...

***

It was late September when Helena sank into the chair beside Serena, engrossed in watching Bernie dancing with Neil.

‘Martin’s taking a group of his students down to Torquay for a weekend of dancing at the end of October.’

‘The English Riviera in autumn, how lovely,’ Serena said dryly.

‘He’s just had a couple drop out, and we wondered if you and Bernie might be interested in coming? I know it’ll be difficult for you to both get the same weekend off, but we wanted to ask you before anyone else.’

They talked about it on the way home, Serena reading out the details Helena gave her as Bernie drove.

‘Sounds like it could be fun,’ Bernie said. ‘A whole weekend away together, and the chance to spend most of it dancing?’

‘I’m supposed to be finalising the next set of shifts tomorrow,’ Serena mused. ‘I’ll have to pull in some favours.’

‘I’m sure Ric would be delighted to cover for you,’ Bernie smirked. ‘Between him and Raf and Morven I’m sure they’ll manage just fine without us.’

‘You think we’ll still have a ward to come back to?’

‘Oh, they wouldn’t dare trash your ward.’

‘Ours,’ Serena corrected her, and Bernie took her eyes off the road for a split second to smile at her.

[vuueloarchive]

@aequusjedi​ sent: who are YOU? Send “Who are YOU?” to meet a Muse from one of Muns other blogs!

          cason morven hux. ex-general. angry gimger. been around since 2016 and he is sassy.

[madam-wakefield]

One Hundred Ways To Say I Love You - Part 8

Title: “Take My Seat”

Summary: Number 8 of 100 ways to say I love you.

Rating: G

Word Count: 1027

Part 1, Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7

Bernie winces as the train jolts slightly to the right. She’s got her hand on the back of Serena’s seat so she doesn’t fall, but that doesn’t mean the jarring doesn’t hurt her already sensitive back. 

She and Serena had spent a wonderful weekend in London, Serena’s idea, for a bit of time to themselves and also to allow them to complete their Christmas shopping for their children: Jason (not officially, but he’s basically like their child in so many ways), Greta and Guinevere. Guinevere was easy as the four-year-old was very vocal about exactly what she wanted. Choosing for the others had been a nightmare though, with both Serena and Bernie swearing blind that children close to thirty were so much harder to satisfy than the teenagers they used to have to buy for. 

They’d travelled down on the train since neither of them fancied the long drive, especially at this time of year. They’d splurged on the lush five star hotel, allowing themselves the luxury of a swim in the morning. Significant looks were exchanged when the receptionist had pointed out the possibility, both taken back to a time six years before when Serena had said the exactly same words to Bernie. They certainly had never expected to be in a similar situation again, having been together almost as long. 

They’d spent almost all of Saturday wandering around the Winter Wonderland. Bernie managed to find a few small items for Charlotte. It had been a few years since she’d had the chance, but she is so thankful that her daughter was talking to her again so she never took a single second they spent together for granted. They get each of their families personalised tree decorations, stockings above a miniature fireplaces: three stockings for Jason, Greta and Guinevere, and two for Cameron and Morven, though they are tempted to three for the latter since it likely won’t be long until Cameron and Morven have their own little bundle. Charlotte actually gets the most, four stockings; since Bernie and Serena know they won’t hear the end of it if each of the dogs doesn’t get its own stocking. 

Knowing they shouldn’t have, maybe they ended up in the ice bar, but Serena had twisted her arm, desperate to try a Shiraz in such circumstances. There are still so many times Bernie finds it impossible to say no to Serena. 

They had dinner and enjoyed the theatre, although it’s not something Bernie had done many times before, her army days never really giving her the time. Maybe Bernie spends a lot of the time starting at Serena but she’s beautiful, the way her eyes light up as they follow the action on the stage. 

On Sunday they finish shopping even though it’s even colder than they expected and doesn’t get above freezing all day. Bernie has to ask for them to take an extra break, back aching and in the need to just warm up. Serena ends up offering a gentle massage over her coat, then pulls some of Bernie’s prescription codeine out of her bag, always the more organised of the two. Bernie took them and proceeded to forget about her back pain as they continue around the shops in London.

They’d grabbed an early dinner before heading to the station for their train that had been timed to ensure they are home before 9pm since they both had to work the next day. They’d arrived fifteen minutes early only to find that their train is delayed, thankfully only by thirty minutes, but it allows them time to grab a coffee. However, as they were sat in the small coffee shop on the platform, the crackly announcement came over the tannoy that the train was completely cancelled which is what lead to their current situation. 

The only available train was totally packed. They’d managed to grab a single seat, taking it rather than trying in vain to look for any more and, Bernie being Bernie, had, of course, offered it to Serena. 

She winces again as the train jolts to a stop; too busy in her musings to realise they were nearing a station. She glances out the window noticing they are at Swindon, still around fifty minutes until they get home. She just hopes she can hold out until then. She’s so busy staring out of the window that she doesn’t notice Serena looking up at her from the book she’s been reading. Her face forms a grimace against her will as the train pulls out of the station. Although she knows it’s an expected side effect of the IED, it’s been a while since her back has played up this bad, and that doesn’t mean it doesn’t sometimes come at the worst possible times. 

��Bernie, darling, take my seat,” Serena says and Bernie looks down in time to see her rising out of the seat so she doesn’t have the chance to argue. “You should have told me your back was playing up and I would have told you to take the seat. You don’t always have to be so chivalrous.” Bernie smiles as Serena places a gentle kiss against her cheek, neither of them having any reservations about showing their affection for each other, people’s opinions be damned. 

And for once she doesn’t argue, knowing that if she doesn’t sit down she will not be in state to go into surgery the next day. She sits down and it’s not long before she feels Serena’s fingers against her back, massaging gently against the tender spot, 6 years having given her the knack of hitting just the right place. Her hand stays there for the rest of the journey home, gently trying to work out the pain, and Bernie is so thankful for such an amazing partner. 

The next morning the trauma phone rings just ten minutes after they arrive at work and Bernie spends over five hours in surgery trying to save a lorry driver’s leg. Thankfully she is successful and she’s quite glad she wasn’t stubborn and let Serena look out for her last night. She’s just as thankful that after she scrubbed out after surgery that Serena is waiting for her with a hot cup of coffee, a spot of lunch and the offer of another massage on her back that has started to seize up again. She really does have the world’s most amazing girlfriend. 

[strfe-a]

TAG 10 PEOPLE YOU WANT TO KNOW BETTER. 

name:  morven  /  ven. birthday:  september 8th. zodiac:  virgo. height:  5′7″ ish. sexual orientation:  picky, but indifferent to gender. favorite color:  cornflower blue, but i can appreciate a ton;  prefer ... reserved  ??  colours, though. favorite book:  i don’t read anywhere near as much as i should- favorite artists / bands:  lately i’ve been listening to flume / missio / sivik / savoy  &  a ton of others, last movie I watched:  labyrinth bc it’s my #comfort movie. hogwarts house:  slytherin. random fact:  i own tons of action figures  &  pop vinyl figures;  the pops are all stacked up on the top of the drawers next to my bed, and my cloud figure is standing at the Very Top. when did you create your blog?:  last october, if i remember correctly ... do you have any other blogs?:  yeah, but they’re also low activity.  @inscaria  @joutouda  &  @nyokai  are my only active ones asides from cloud rn, but i’m moving genji to my wip multi-muse. what made you decide to get a tumblr?:  uhh well i mean, i used to write bucky via e-mail rp,  &  the person i wrote with often tried to convince me to make a blog because she had a rp blog-  but i said it was way too much effort. fast forward a few months and i’m into k project, then kiznaiver. i was messaging a k project rp blog who answered my questions, and wound up making my kiznaiver blog first  ...  learning what to do there,  &  then eventually making fushimi among other older blogs. do you get asks on a daily basis?:  when i reblog memes yeah, but i’ve been So Slow lately why did you choose your URL?:  it’s sort of a pun;  ex-soldier  /  mako merged together, but when i was making the url even that was a pun because infusion and  ...  mako  ...  and cloud’s fun time with that,

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