#SO HERE'S MY MASSIVE SALT PILE

[1moreff-creator]

DRDT is back!!! Here’s my live reaction to everything that happened this week! Obviously take everything I say with massive piles of salt, these are in the moment reactions and aren’t supposed to be fully coherent thoughts.

DRDT CH2 EP12 SPOILERS (Oh that feels good to write)

We’re back!!! Teruko we fucked up!!!

The theory that Charles was going to bring up the possibility of a wrong time of death was true! There weren’t really any other theories about what he was going to say from what I saw, but it’s still cool we got that right. You have no idea how giddy I am to finally hear him talk about it, after waiting so long for him to finish the sentence lol.

Also Teruko’s face lmao.

Oh, poor Teruko, she looks so sad. She’s gonna bring up the marks on the wrist, right?

Or, yeah, the swinging.

(Does this screw up any theories? No, her body was still likely strung up at 7:30 AM, which is what most people thought I’m pretty sure)

Ah, Whit. I missed how shady he always is even when he has, like, an airtight alibi for the time the fish were taken (which is still around 7:30 PM to nightime btw, don’t forget Nico’s account).

They’re not gonna bring up the time the fish were taken, are they? That furthers my belief that the person who took the fish and the murderer are different. Nothing concrete obviously, just kinda narratively works better that way.

“Or did you do it on purpose?” Veronika how I’ve missed you :D

David’s face lmao xD

“I’ll fix that mistake” (Paraphrased) Hell yeah! Go Teruko! :D

I missed you too, Literature Boy Insane. That “pathetic” voice line was cool. Also, thank you Hu.

J: “The body would have been cold if it was drenched at some point.” (Paraphrased). Interesting point about the water, I wonder if it’s important or not. We know she wasn’t drowned because the relax room wasn’t open at 7:30 AM, right? So I don’t know how she could have gotten drenched.

Ace no genuinely how do you not know how water works what.

“The range of human stupidity is larger than I thought.” Charles, you’re great.

[Levi and Nico complain about Arturo’s medicine skills] Okay, but like, Arturo has repeatedly told you he’s not that kind of doctor. Like you can blame the guy for a lot of shit but this one ain’t it chief.

(Also don’t think I don’t see how Levi throws suspicion on Arturo. Small point towards Levi!Culprit and Levi!Accomplice)

“You shut your whore mouth!” Okay maybe I don’t need to defend Arturo actually, he seems like he has it handled. You good my guy?

Oh shit we actually brought up that Arturo is ridiculously young for someone in the medical field. I did not have that in my (hypothetical) bingo card.

Twelve?! Dude my guy wanted out of that house yesterday damn.

Dude he’s kinda going off! I was not expecting Arturo fans of all people to eat this good this episode, but this is interesting!

Oh right the crazy lady- “Adorable”? Verturo shippers eating!

“Feel free to add to the number of dents in the computer lab” (Paraphrased) PFFFT Charles!

Wait wasn’t there actually a dent there? Wasn’t that a thing I saw on people’s theories? Holy shit is that actually going to get addressed?

[Whit explains] AHAHAHAHAHA HOLY-!

“I let it slide because it was funny” I missed MonoTV too actually.

And no fish! Nico’s account of the fish still being there last time they checked goes unmentioned, meaning it’s likely going to be used for a twist later!

New alibis? Could be possible.

Whit: “I don’t have an alibi. Neither does Charles” (Paraphrased) Which you know because…?

Oh so that’s not addressed. I repeat the statement of Whit being unnecessarily shady all the time.

????? DAVID AND J ALIBI???? This could be kinda huge actually.

David: “Oh. Shit.” This is the reaction of a man being cleared of murder. That’s so funny.

Didn’t David usually wake up late? Inconsistent sleep schedule ig.

J: “Oh yeah, and Veronika.” Girl you gotta say this shit earlier.

Yeah, look, J, you went and made Veronika sad! >:( /j

David: “Whoops” Holy shit every line this man says is gold actually what?

David? Lying? Noooo, how could you say that? I forgot how funny post magical girl transformation this man was.

David I am going to need you to give an actual answer. I spent hours looking at That Video and I still don’t know what your deal is please-

“And she’s Teruko” J’s also really funny actually. Hold a knife to someone’s throat once and they hate you forever, smh.

“Oh and don’t say something like “I wanna kill myself” that’s boring” (paraphrased). Holy shit I missed Veronika- that’s my second fave right there! (Min you will always be N1 don’t worry).

David-Veronika duo is great actually.

By the way David said “the truth is…” I am not expecting a serious answer.

You know, for a moment I actually did think he genuinely thought he was the blackened. But my first instinct was right.

“I would have actually tried looking at the crime scene” Bro what the fuck is he actually cooking.

“A good person” drop!!!! If you know, you know!

Also, I wanted to point this out here, I might have accidentally misinformed a part of the fandom a bit? One point that I brought up was that several important people to this chapter have been called “a good person”, and one of the examples I gave was Hu calling David a good person. Which… I don’t think happened? I evidently misremembered a line where Hu called David a “good friend”, which is a different phrase with different connotations in DRDT, and I genuinely apologize for that. Especially because I have seen people repeating that David had been called a good person in the past.

But now David has called himself “a good person”, if in a roundabout way, so the point actually stands lol.

Oh shit the Xander name drop.

… He was trying to kill Teruko wasn’t he. Because Xander tried it, and because David has Teruko’s “the killing game is all your fault” motive. Oh shit.

Speaking of the “good person” point, that argument might actually be dead lmao. Given that Xander got called that and he’s, well. Not particularly important to chapter 2, let’s say.

[Hindsight Post-Video: Actually, the argument could now be “anyone referred to as a good person is deeply important up to chapter 2”. Or, alternatively, argue that Xander is somewhat important to the Chapter 2 trial because he inadvertently caused David to magical girl transform. The “good person” list in case you don’t recall is Teruko, Levi, Eden, Arei, and as of this episode, David and Xander. We’ll see what we make of it once the chapter ends ig]

Oh Teruko is pissed I am loving this.

Holy shit the voice acting is amazing holy shit Teruko is going off she said Xander didn’t treat David like a human (“No Longer Human” reference??? I might just be insane though) oh this is incredible!!!

Oh he knows something deep. This motherfucker knows what was written in Xander’s “kill Teruko” note I bet.

WAIT HE KNEW XANDER BEFORE HOPE’S PEAK?! HE KNOWS WHY HE’S THE ULTIMATE REBEL?!

Motherfucker you are going to tell us what Xander did before Hope’s Peak and why you know his work or I swear to God-!

Okay actually, David, I am going to need you to give… a straight answer at some point? Like I get you’re canonically bisexual (and it’s showing) but a single straight answer isn’t going to kill you.

Also, the music?! Is peak?!

David: “If the answer is no…” Neat sprite! Just thought it looked nice, and the line’s cool too :>

The return of the Teruko Baffled Sprite, long awaited.

Secret reveal? The killing game’s her fault?

Okay not the angle I was expecting in the slightest. Obviously gonna have to analyze how truthful he’s being at the moment, but he’s basically pulling a DRV3 ending logic thing. Cool!

So… Xander is absolutely Opening Guy, right? Like, I know that was the most common theory, but c’mon.

YEAH HU GO OFF!!!!

Voice acting going crazy too!

I adored Hu’s screaming section. How long till it’s revealed she has the “hopeless child” secret?

Hu’s a queen, hell yeah.

Pffft J’s high horse voice line-

Thank you Charles for being the only competent one (affectionate). Btw what does Veronika think of David’s reasoning? I was kinda hoping we’d see that.

[Red herring joke] Whit. Whit /disappointed/silly

Oh shit I was not expecting that line to actually cause a reaction damn.

You know, I’ll be honest and admit Eden’s really not acting that much like a culprit. I still think she is, I’m just surprised I’m not able to confirmation bias my way into suspecting her through her voice lines :v

Aaaand we’re back to Ace v Nico! Woo!

Okay wow the new alibis are like, laser focused on going against the most popular theories, huh? I’m not going to say anything’s deconfirmed yet obviously, but Hu!Culprit, J!Culprit, even Veronika!Culprit and theories surrounding David being involved have some questions to answer damn.

[To the question of if anyone else had alibis] “Nope” Whit how do you know this.

Levi!Accomplice also takes a hit because Eden and Levi aren’t trying to alibi for each other, but it can be explained. If they never prepared to give each other alibis, it’s safer to just… not, since they can’t actually say what they were doing during that time. And yes, possible explanations like this is why I’m not calling anything outright deconfirmed yet.

I wrote that before Levi three dotted directly after Eden, looking like he was thinking of trying to give her an alibi. Now that’s confirmation bias that can’t be safely used for theories!

Oh right J still hates Arturo xD

[The whole thing about excluding suspects who had an alibi at night and not in the morning] Oh God, Levi really wants me to think he’s the culprit huh? The method’s still too crazy for me to really believe that, but still.

This is also bad for Levi!Accomplice. Not a dealbreaker, but still weird that he’d say something that could point in Eden’s direction. I am not even going to try to defend that yet.

Cool. Can we finally talk murder method?

Levi: “That’s my secret.”

Oh okay, we’re not talking method yet.

…

Wait, WHAT?!?!?!!?!!!?!

THAT’S-! That’s not-! What the hell?!

Okay, so. Cool, Levi’s the remorseless murderer, we got that one right. But, the reveal is so insanely out of left field holy shit…

I am not lying when I tell you I had to get up and start PACING like I was not ready for this. I am vibrating. He just- He just said that shit! What the hell?!

I have genuinely no idea how the hell this is gonna play out. Holy shit I cannot wait for the next episode. It’s just… so peak!!! We are so back!!!

—-

General Closing Thoughts: This episode was awesome! I was lowkey a little worried that the first episode back wasn’t going to be as insane as it ended up being, but wow it blew me away. And it was only twenty minutes? When the episodes go up to possibly an hour??? It’s just… holy shit.

It was awesome to finally start getting some insight into why David Did That, and I’m genuinely super excited to see where this goes. I’m still trying to figure out the exact angle on things like hiding Teruko’s secret, if he even is doing that because I now believe there is a non-zero chance he isn’t actually lying. Like, it’s low, but not zero. I do find it strange Veronika didn’t react to it, though, but at least we got that one line before David started talking.

But that’s only the cusp of the iceberg. I genuinely adore the details we got on Arturo’s backstory, and Hu’s blowup, and Teruko’s remorse- it’s all so awesome.

(The fucking dent in the wall of the goddamn computer room got an explanation I still cannot believe that. Wow)

Props to the voice acting and the music btw, absolutely incredible all throughout.

Btw, correct me if I’m wrong, but there weren’t any “minigames” this episode, right? Nothing wrong with that, just found it interesting.

Theory-Related Initial Thoughts: This episode is… possibly one of the biggest theory slaughters I’ve ever seen?

Like, obviously, again, it’s still too early in the trial to fully rule out anything, so I’m going to leave it to the other DRDT scholars to revise their own theories to fit the new evidence, but wow those new alibis are something. Between Hu, J and David having alibis for 7:30 AM, that’s three of the top suspects who weren’t there at that exact time to either kill Arei or mess with the body. Again, maybe there’s explanations for it, I’m not calling anything unconfirmed yet, just that many theories were inconvenienced.

As for my theory, Eden!Culprit Levi!Accomplice… ups and downs. The more Eden speaks, the less I’m convinced she’s the actual culprit, even if I’m a decent 80% sure she took the tape; the more Levi speaks, the less I’m convinced he’s an accomplice. I’m not going to deny that their dialogue isn’t 100% what I would expect. I don’t think it’s disqualifying, I still believe it to be the theory with the best evidence, it’s just that some things strike me as odd.

That was what I thought… until the end. Because I have no idea what’s about to happen with Levi revealing the secret like this, but… there is a very possible Levi!Accomplice turn here? Like, it’s the “Levi’s holding the glove” idea; the moment Eden loses her alibi, Levi does something that immediately puts a target on his back, potentially trying to get himself voted off before people catch on to Eden as a possible culprit. First he tries to argue that he shouldn’t be a suspect because of the alibi thing, which could make him more suspicious in some people’s eyes (maybe that’s too much 4D chess but it could work), then revealing the secret. I don’t know how likely this is, but it’s a genuine possibility.

Otherwise, I’m… not entirely sure what the angle is? I need to rewatch the trial to figure out why Levi’s talking about “detailing the trial” then immediately revealing his secret. I didn’t rewatch any DRDT before the episode, hence the confusion. But… at this moment, I don’t know what Levi’s cooking, other than possibly accomplice behavior. And even that feels more confirmation bias-y than anything.

There’s also the really weird line where Whit just… knows, Charles had no alibi at 7:30 AM? Unless they discussed it or I’m forgetting something, I don’t actually remember how he’d know that? Was he stalking Charles? Was he just wandering the halls? What kinda-?

(I don’t think that’s likely, but I don’t have a really good read on what’s happening there)

Other than that, here’s a crackpot one to lighten the mood. Mastermind business. I’ve never brought this up before, but I’ve always believed that were Veronika to be the mastermind, she would get revealed early. As in, possibly at the end of this trial, given Teruko had some idea to end the killing game after her chat with Veronika in the movie room.

I’m bringing this up only because Veronika didn’t react to David’s explanation of what he was trying to do by claiming to be the blackened. She was set up for a reaction with the whole “please tell me it’s not boring” thing, and then she… didn’t. It’s possible, in a conspiratorial sense, that she didn’t react because David hit the nail in the head, and Veronika was genuinely upset at the idea. If that’s the case, her reaction could be postponed to the end of the trial, maybe the end of Trial 3, for the early mm reveal there. It’s a very half-baked idea I’m failing to communicate properly ‘cuz I’m eepy, but it’s there.

I rank it in the same level of mastermind evidence as “Nico is unafraid of grabbing MonoTV by the tail.” Immensely silly and should not be considered solid evidence by any means, and yet it’s still probably gonna get mentioned if I ever make a mm probability ranking lol.

Anyways, absolutely incredible episode all throughout. Holy shit were so back, this was amazing. See you next week for more peeks into peak!

[vitaminseetarot]

PAC: Your January Forecast 🎇❄🦢

Sup y'all, I'm back for the very last PAC I'm gonna write for 2023. By the end of the weekend, we will have shifted to a whole new year, with a new moon close in tow. I'm gonna be honest, this has been a rough year for me, but not without its bright spots. Like the birth of this blog, for one! I'm already planning the 1 Year Special.

The plan is only to expand from here to see what more there is to do! There was a lot I wanted to do this year but didn't get around to doing because of life, so I have a lot lined up for January.

Thank you for your support this past year in helping my blog grow! The circle is small, but each like and reblog makes a difference, especially to newcomers like me.

Please choose your swan ornament below to find out about how your January will look for the new year. Instead of Tarot today, I'll be using my Black Salt Lenormand deck and Astro Dice to get details along with oracles for advice.

Pile 1 - Black Swan Pile 2 - White Swan Pile 3 - Gold Swan

Pile 1 - Black Swan

Death, Sun; 49. Sun A♦, Cross 6♣, Crossroads Q♦; Uranus, 11th House, Aquarius

Hi, pile 1! Hope you're feeling alive and well for 2024. I kinda called this the "zombie pile" while drawing cause I'm getting this sluggish energy dragging along. Mumbling, creeping, hair disheveled. Goodness, this past year had you wiped out, didn't it? If you're feeling pressured for a resolution, I wouldn't, because for you I think simply sloughing off the old year like snake skin is your main priority for January. I'm hearing Usher's lyrics: "I feel like a zombie come back to life." Maybe you could treat this month like an extended New Year's Eve party. You can't force yourself to be excited for it, but you can slowly build up to it.

There is an emphasis on positive thinking with this pile. You have two Suns from different decks. Doing what brings you simple joy will be healing for you this month. Focusing on little joys can help you shift perspective. Being in the present is very important right now, and you're being asked not to think too much about last year as it will only drain you of further energy. You can't draw healing to yourself if you're spending all your Magic Points on looking backwards for answers. It it feels difficult to be positive, think outside the box at how you can move away from past thinking, like making a vision board for what you most desire to experience this year.

One of the real impressive things about your reading are the dice. You have Uranus, its natural house 11, and its sign Aquarius. Emphasis on CHANGE, much? You know how in movies, where the main character is falling into darkness and has relinquished all hope of being saved, and just as it fades to black someone swoops in to help them while casually laughing off "hah, yeah, I just happened to be in the neighborhood when I saw you falling into an infinite chasm, y'know?"

The word "Deus Ex Machina" is also popping up, or "god out of machine". It's a Latin term referring to an ancient Greek theater technique where a crane would lower an actor dressed as a deity onto the stage during the final act of a comedy, delivering sudden divine intervention and saving the day for the heroes. In other words, there is massive and very unexpected change for you, one that's gonna pull you out of the sluggish stupor of 2023. This is why resolutions aren't important for you now; whatever 2024 will be for you, it's coming in lightning hot and will do that for you.

And I think this change, however large and surprising, will be ultimately wonderful for you. There is so much sunlight emerging from this fog, new life will be breathed in for you by divine planning. It's going to help you work through some of the damage that last year left behind. It will also help you pivot to your next chapter in life. It may feel weird going into a new year with very little expectations, not knowing where you're going to end up next, but it'll be worth it. When the door swings open for you, it will BURST open, so stay on the bright side and focus on regenerating your health for now.

May your new year be shockingly bright, pile 1!

Pile 2 - White Swan

Strength, 25. Sapphire; Garden 8♠, Anchor 9♠, Person A♥; Gemini, 12th House, Pluto

Hello, pile 2! This month will be a quiet one for you, in a good way. This will be a time of retreat for you. If you found yourself being rather social at the end of 2023, expect the new year to start off with a whimper. I see you going into a hermit mode and disengaging from regular activities, especially involving other people. I get the sense that this pile is the type to want to overextend and please everyone around them. If you need a resolution suggestion from me, it's to put the brakes on now before you careen over the edge. January is putting a halt to this behavior.

Yes, you are strong. No, you do not always need to be strong for everybody else. It will wear you thin to even try, and you may end up resentful over it. It's not worth the struggle. I'm not asking you to snap at anyone who comes too close, but consider not adding more of other peoples' errands to your schedule. Consider saying, "actually, I can't go today," without feeling the need to explain why. You have a right to your own personal space away from distractions now.

This pile could belong to a group of people or community that's close to you, which could be going through a lot of hell or has been in the past year. They may have asked a lot from you with few other options. It's made you have to stand up and advocate, at the cost of your own issues being put on the back burner. It is not selfish to walk away for a while and take care of yourself, doubly so if the group in question deals with a lot of arguing and gossip. If it feels bad, trust your gut and keep your distance for now. Don't try to solve big arguments while Mercury is retrograding.

I know how Pluto in the 12th house is, as it's prominent in my chart. Imagine walking downstairs to get to your basement, only for the stairs to never end until you find yourself floating in a weird little wonderland. Somewhere, in that surreal underground mindscape, is a deeply entrenched karmic pattern that may elude you at first. Some shadow work may be required here to dig through the trenches for unpolished gems. If a pesky pattern is repeating in your life, it's time to withdraw and connect to your dreams and subconscious for clues. This pattern may have something to do with this group.

You're actually going to get more progress done by meditating and seeking out nature rather than getting too involved with these issues. The time will come when things can be handled with a clearer mindset. But your higher self is pulling you inward to help ground you through this, to remind you that you are your own amazing being even when you're separate from these people. You have the strength to stand on your own, otherwise there wouldn't be so many folks seeking you out in need. Sapphire wants you to marry your heart with your mind. It's a stone of wisdom guided by compassionate understanding and care. You spin your wheels overthinking an issue, when instead coming back to your heartspace will provide the key.

Take it easy this winter, pile 2, may your dreams give clarity and hope for 2024!

Pile 3 - Gold Swan

Protection, 15. Opal; Bouquet Q♠, Person A♥, Crossroads Q♦; 4th House, Capricorn, Mercury

What's going on, pile 3? Looks like somebody wants to enter hibernation mode, lol. I don't blame you one bit. As the full moon in Cancer has passed and the season changes, there's a strong desire to nestle into the home. Your house will be like your castle for you to improve during this month. You may feel up to redecorating or rearranging furniture to make it feel more cozy or season appropriate as you settle in. Or you may simply desire to clear out old things to decide what to keep.

You may want to do a spiritual cleansing of the house to ring in the New Year, too. Try infusing magic herbs like lemon verbena into your cleaning products, or toss cinnamon outside the front door while ringing a bell to invite prosperity in. A simple incense stick with a very fresh, mild scent like lavender can also do the trick. Does your family have a special trick or recipe they use? Whatever herb and scent combination brings out that "New Year New Me" feeling is best!

I heard loud and clearly, "YOU'RE PROTECTED!" for whomever needs to hear it most. Things might feel shaky and ungrounded at the moment. I wanna wrap a big blanket around y'all. You're being totally protected right now by your guides, so please don't let the uncertainties of 2024 leave your head dizzied. Yes, there's a lot of plans to be drawn out and a lot more work to be done, and you may not know where you're heading next, but perhaps there's a reason we like to begin the year at such a slow quiet time, after all the festivities have passed. It's not sound to start off in a rush.

You're being heavily affected by Sun in Capricorn doubled with the current Mercury retrograde, regardless of your chart placements. This is absolutely not a time for rash decision making, even if it feels you're not being your most productive. Our modern society doesn't like it when workers take a break or listen to their body's needs in any way. It will always have its excuses for its ruthless standards. After a while, though, you have to learn to shrug those expectations off and do what's right for you, or you'll risk burning out before the new year has even started.

Some of you might be thinking of even doing the Dry January trend as part of your resolution. If it's a serious issue, I'd talk to your doctor about how to do it sustainably. If you're already stressed and at risk of burnout, more pressure is not going to help. But a sober month could prove beneficial for you overall. This is not a command for you to have a Dry January if you're not interested; this message is for those who already plan on doing so. Try to take it one day at a time, keep your head free of self criticism, and don't guilt yourself over "cheat days". I will be doing one as well, so please reach out if you need a supporting voice.

Wishing you all the best to come this year pile 3, may you succeed in your resolutions!

This reading has not been evaluated by the FDA to diagnose, prevent, treat, or cure any disease or infection. Please ask your physician before going online.

Cards Used: Black Salt Lenormand, Prism Oracle, Crystal Healing Cards, Astro Dice.

2023, @VitaminseeTarot ™

[mrs-elsie-barnes]

The Old Gods and The New - Chapter 7

Velkommen Til Tønsberg | Loki x Reader

Loki and Thor take you to see the new King of Asgard in the hopes of finding more answers. Charmed by the quaint village and welcoming Asgardians you dream of a better future there. But not everyone is friendly and they're certainly not safe.

Warnings: mostly fluffy...mind the ending. Family drama, talk of forced marriage/marriage of convenience and Reader's family. Implied sexual content, implied loss of virginity.

A/N: From here on in there's going to be talk of other panethons,specifically from Irish mythology, so I'll put a little info at the bottom of the chapter if you're interested! Other mythologies will be depicted in the same way Loki & the Asgardians are in Marvel and the MCU. This is very much a fictionalised account, although there are, like in the MCU, elements of the original stories. You don't have to read about them, but I've tried hard to embed a lot of mythology into the story so although it's easily readable without it, I think it's more fun if you know!

Divider by @firefly-graphics

Series Masterlist | Loki Masterlist | Masterlist

“So you met a woman who can set fire to stuff, makes everyone around her horny and you’ve let him,” the woman pointed at Loki, “teach her to shift and mind read?” She walked around the coffee table in the middle of the cosy living room, keeping her eyes trained on your face as if you might drag the crackling fire out of the hearth and set fire to her sofa.

“Yes - But, in my defence, she could already do a lot of it and it wasn’t my idea.” Thor gave her a massive grin, taking a butter cookie from the plate in front of him while she flopped onto the chair opposite you. 

“I’m -” you paused, unsure of what to call yourself. No one had really addressed you since you arrived at the compound, should you use the name you’d discovered with Loki? When you’d dreamed of Asgard together? Or should you use your old name, the one your Grandfather gave you? 

“This is Estrid.” Loki took the decision out of your hands, and you were grateful for it, leaning into his side a little for reassurance while he patted your knee. 

She took your hand in both of hers and gave them a firm squeeze, her palms were soft, but there were calluses below her fingers that told you there was more to her than the oversized jumper, piles of books and well stocked bar cart could tell you. 

“I’m Brunnhilde,” Brunnhilde gave you a warm smile, far more comforting than you’d expected when Thor had described the warrior on your journey to Tønsberg. He’d described the fights they’d engaged in together, her bravery during Ragnarok and her ability to lead as a fair and firm King for the new Asgardian settlement. He talked about her armour and weapons, whirling his hands around as he acted out his favourite moments from the final battle. Loki had rolled his eyes and told you that she was a skilled and proficient fighter and a sensible leader, despite Thor’s terrible caricature. 

The woman before you looked softer than their stories, she was wearing an oversized knitted sweater that hung down to her thighs over tight black jeans, her hair was styled in long braids that fell over her shoulders and she fiddled with the end of one as she continued to watch you. 

“Valkyrie,” Thor insisted through a mouthful of biscuit. But Brunnhilde, just rolled her eyes exaggeratedly and gave you a knowing smile, as if the antics of gods were commonplace in her life. 

“You can call me Brunnhilde or Valkyrie, Val, if you like,” she had an easy manner of speaking, relaxed and welcoming, in keeping with the homey warmth of her cottage and she pushed the plate of food towards you. “Do you want to tell me about these dreams?”

The hesitancy you felt on arriving in the little fishing village began to melt away. Initially you’d been overwhelmed by the crisp, salt scent of the sea and the shock of the cold. But here, in the stone house nestled in the centre of the village, you felt at ease and allowed yourself to relax into the cushions. The atmosphere that had been so shockingly different on arrival was now settling inside of you, the clean smell sea smell of the harbour mixing with the woodsmoke in the village was familiar somehow. 

You’d arrived in the dead of night while the village was asleep, tucked into the hillside with only a few lights along the dock still bright. The sea had called to you then, a wild thing that beat against the boats and rattled the stones of the shoreline until you were on the edge of the dock, leaning over into the abyss of darkness. 

Loki had pulled you away and wrapped your frozen hands in his own while Thor had looked on, a knowing smile spreading across his face. But you allowed Loki to pull you close, snaking your arms around his waist and tucking yourself half inside his black wool coat. He rubbed his hands up and down your back to warm you, the press of his fingers turning into the weight of your own coat as Loki’s magic flickered over you. 

You’d stood together for what felt like forever and yet not enough time at all, bathing in the darkness and the rhythmic sound of the sea as it crested and crashed on the harbour wall. 

Thor was intrigued by Loki’s behaviour, he’d never seen him act in such a controlled and measured way, nor had he seen him spend more than a few days with any consort since their adolescent years in Asgard. 

He was starting to think this was some sort of elaborate courtship that his brother had thought up, for once he decided he would forgo the teasing, happy to see his brother with a partner he actually approved of, and had left you in the cold air, wrapped together under Loki’s coat. 

Your mind had wandered, rubbing your thumb over Loki’s cool palm, and felt his own relaxed thoughts wash over you, your cheek touched his shoulder and he lifted his arm to tuck you into his side, the movement unconsciously casual and comforting. 

“Are you okay, Estrid?” The Valkyrie’s voice called to you through the memory and you sat upright again with a start. “I think I do remember you - hmm,” she paused and looked up at the ceiling. “You’re Brigid’s daughter? Right? I remember your mother, I was assigned to her guard a few times when she visited Queen Frigga.”

Her words raised goosebumps on your skin, a mother? Without thinking you grabbed at Val’s hands, pulling her to the edge of her own seat so that you could study her face, waiting for her to reveal a lie or a joke. “Show me, can I see? Please,” you begged, eyes filling with tears. 

 Brunnhilde flicked her dark eyes at Thor, hesitating, she had been King of the Asgardians for only a short time and although Thor was more like a brother to her now, she didn’t want to upset either Prince by revealing too many of Asgard’s secrets. 

You hadn’t noticed her hesitation, your only thoughts on seeing your forgotten mother again. “I don’t remember my mother at all. What was she like?” You asked, looking around the room to see if any of them would be willing to share. 

Loki, surprisingly, looked at Thor as well, a silent conversation passing between the two brothers before Thor answered. 

“I don’t see the harm, after all we brought her here to learn, if this is what she requires then she should hear it.” He said, already a little bored and messing with the trinkets on the shelf beside him, hadn’t he differed his responsibilities to Valkyrie for this exact reason?

Brunnhilde leant forward and, with some encouragement from Loki, you met her halfway, your fingers hovering over her temples. “I promise I’ll just look at my mother. Just think about her a lot, when you worked for her, what you saw.”

Loki’s hand found your knee and squeezed, “Remember, Asynja, calm." You concentrated on his breathing, on his scent, on the feel of his trousers below your own hand and closed your eyes. 

She appeared out of the gloom, a tall woman with fiery red hair in a mass of curls flowing down her back. Her clothes reminded you of your dreams, airy and bright. She had a gold crown on her head adorned with gemstone flowers, tulips, daffodils and snowdrops mixed with clover and daisies. On her back a sage green Cape trailed behind her and from one corner peaked a little face. 

“My baby, you stay in there, safe and sound,” her voice was like warm salted caramel, sweet, burning with love and measured by her strength. A fierceness behind it that would surely scald anyone coming too close. Behind her strode the Valkyrie in their armour, as they marched through the corridors of Asgard to Frigga’s chambers.

Once inside the luxurious chambers, a little face peaked out again.

“Mother?”

“It is safe, Estrid. You may come out. This is my friend, Queen Frigga. You are to stay with her a while.” The other woman held out her hand, her fingers adorned with all manner of shining gems and opaque turquoise, her hair flowed from a golden diadem, but she was dressed casually in a sky blue dress, draped around her shoulders and elbows. A Queen, yes, but a mother also. 

“Estrid, you  very welcome here in Asgard. May I present my son, Loki. He has similar talents. Perhaps he could show you the palace.” A shaggy head of black hair peered around Frigga’s legs. “I have another son, Thor, but my dear Brigid tells me that you love to read and walk, rather than fight and wrestle,” she paused, tugging Loki forward, and bent between you both, “my darling Loki can show you his library, he will be sure to share.” She gave Loki a little nudge forward and dipped her chin at him. 

With practised steps he moved towards the little girl, “Princess” he bowed, formally, looking back up at his mother for approval. Frigga patted the boy on the shoulder and he hid behind her skirts again. 

“Prince," you gave a shy curtsy, holding the folds of your elaborate dress as you moved, your memories drifted towards him and away from your parents. Your juvenile conversations floating through lazy mornings within his library, giggling together while you spied on the court from the gallery. The clothes that Loki had created for you with a glimmer of magic so that you could climb the same trees and tumble down the same hills, splashing together in the fountains of the gardens until his governess chased you back into the palace.

Your small hands clasped together as he walked you through the halls of Asgard, the sheen of sweat on his brow when you ran together through the gardens, hazy and warm and glittering with gold it morphed into a lazy dream, full of clouds and the endless sky and…

The dream faded and Val pulled away.

“You’re distracted.” She looked at Loki and narrowed her eyes. “Loki was very important to you back then, and I see that he still is," she gave Loki a sly smile, “but he’s distracting you. Bugger off and annoy someone else please." She waved the two princes away. 

Loki kissed your hand and stood to walk out with Thor. He had the same shy, boyish smile that you'd seen in your memory. The one that had made you feel welcome and at peace. He lingered, unsure about whether he could push his affection further than a kiss on the cheek. You hadn’t discussed your evening together, but he longed to keep you in his arms. Meeting his eyes you allowed your mind to wander to his and he bent over you on the sofa, his hands either side of your head, and lowered his face to yours. Brushing his nose against your cheek he kissed you softly. 

“I’ll come for you? I can show you the people." He suggested, “I’ll meet you at the harbour when you’re finished.”

“They’re my people now, don’t forget!” Brunnhilde called after him.

“How could I!” He bowed low, “my Queen." His tone was filled with sarcasm as well as mirth. With a final wink Thor pulled him out of the door.

Brunnhilde rolled her eyes and then turned her attention back to the tea tray, pouring a cup for you both. She settled back into her chair and tucked her feet up under her. 

“Brigid was a wonderful Goddess, a Queen herself really, but here on Midgard,” Val took a deep breath and sighed it out, “she made the flames dance, brought the spring and the flowers, and protected the land during winter. She took care with all her subjects and friends, her matchmaking skills, in particular,  were something to behold. She helped Frigga and Odin in their early courtship and had many friends across the nine realms and the Otherworld.” Brunnhilde stopped to look at you, your wide eyes glistening as you listened. “Is this bringing any memories back?” She dunked a biscuit into her tea and watched you as she ate. 

“Yes, a little.” A tear started to fall slowly down your cheek, pooling on your lip, a bittersweet taste of a grief and longing you still couldn't truly comprehend, couldn’t even remember. “She had a cloak,” you wrapped your arms around yourself, “I always felt so safe in there.”

“That’s because it was safe, it created a protection around those who wore it, or who were under it. She used it to protect the land during winter, but when she had to hide you it worked for you too.”

“Did she hide me here? Is that why I don’t remember?” 

“Oh no, she used to hide you on Asgard, mostly, but you visited other realms too.” 

“So is she still hiding in it? Is that why we’re not together?”

Brunnhilde reached out and patted your arm, “no, she’s not hiding in it. I’m sorry to tell you, she died, and she took all of her magic and secrets with her. The cloak was never Asgardian to begin with, so we couldn't have looked for it, though Frigga tried. It's been lost for a long time, but I'd bet if it's anywhere, it's here on Midgard, waiting for you." 

You nodded, contemplating the possibility that it may be out there and, if it was, it was yours now. A Goddess’ cloak. 

Just the thought of it made you feel dizzy. You sipped your tea, allowing the warmth of it to spread through you before you built the courage to ask your next question. 

“How did she die?” The question squeaked out of you, barely a whisper, and you found yourself curling into the cushions of the sofa as you spoke. 

“I wish I knew." Brunnhilde looked sincere and you could feel the sorrow radiating from her as her eyes misted, "she brought you back to Asgard many times, sometimes she would stay and you would holiday around the city, sometimes she would leave you under the Queen’s care. The last time you visited you were just of age, celebrating your birthday and looking forward to your ascension. She left to speak to a potential suitor in Vanaheim, your mother and Frigga had many friends there, and together they sought someone who could match your spirit, but provide you protection, a good match." 

"A good match?" 

"I know it's a lot to take in, but you were, are, a very important child not just to your mother, but to us all. Children are rare in the Nine Realms, especially among the Aesir, skilled children are rarer." 

"Skilled?"

"Your magic. When you first came to Asgard you were wild and untamed. Frigga helped you to channel your energy and taught you alongside her own sons. I believe Loki is helping you again now, but there was a time you trained together. And that kind of magic, in the hands of the wrong realm, the wrong husband. It could've been catastrophic." 

"Husband, why would I have to have a husband?!" You were incensed, "why couldn't I just train and be by myself." 

"It was a difficult time for the Nine Realms, for us all, a time of change. But you were as angry then as you are now, I’m pleased to see you haven’t lost any of your fire.” Angry as you were, you could see that Brunnhilde was telling the truth, and there was no teasing or malice in the way she looked at you. 

The King sat her cup down an came to sit beside you, bringing your hand up to the side of her face, she opened her memories again. 

You were sat in Frigga’s private chambers, a fire glowing in the grate, wine, fruit and bread on the table. Frigga held you close, patting your hair and singing a soft lullaby.

“My dear, you are still so young to lose a mother and we will always be here for you. But you must listen to the wishes of your court, and of your King at least consider his plans. A chaperone and entourage are being sent to take you home.”

“I won’t go with them, I barely know him. Why won’t Odin let me stay?” You sobbed. 

“He will not overrule your father. There will be a ball for you, and then your Father will come and collect you. I imagine you will be introduced to your betrothed and then your ascension will begin, you will be crowned and named to solidify your position."

Brunnhilde pulled away, she was unsure of how the evening played out any further, you had fled the room and not returned. Frigga had asked her to look for you when your maids said you were not in your bed. The Valkyrie had assumed you remained in the castle, but to no avail. To Brunnhilde’s knowledge you had hidden yourself all night, returning in the morning in sodden clothes, covered in soil and grass, and had assumed you’d spent the night in the gardens, perhaps sleeping in one of the follies scattered around the hedges. 

You slid back against the sofa cushions, lost in your own memory, eyes shut but twitching as if in deep sleep. Brunnhilde draped a blanket over your lap and propped your head onto a cushion, leaving you to your memories. 

You stood, tossing aside the blankets and sheets and carefully opened the doors of your balcony. Long since a trellis had been built into the stone wall outside and you used it, as always, to climb down from your rooms into the quiet of the gardens. Out in the night, the lanterns led the way slowly fading as you moved further from the safety of the palace until you were in darkness surrounded by the trees at the edge of the palace land. Above you the forest loomed, foreboding and fascinating all at once. You expected to be alone, out in the night, but as you slowed to a halt, panting breaths that circled you in the midnight air, a voice called to you through the manicured lawns and trained roses, echoing from the mountain behind you, sad and low. 

Loki’s arms found your waist, pulling you back against his chest. Firm and real in the ethereal night, and took your weight as you cried again. 

“My darling, please, you can not leave me here." He begged, nuzzling into your neck and breathing you in. You could smell him too, your memory so vivid that it filled your senses.

“What choice do I have?" You sagged further into his hold, his strong arms keeping you against his chest. 

Together you tumbled to the ground. Loki kept you close in his lap, attempting to stop your skirts from catching in the grass and mud, but you pushed them away, taking his wrists and placing his hands on your waist. With panting breaths you stared at each other, the moonlight glowing in his eyes. Then he kissed you. With no hesitation, no shyness. His tongue licking into your mouth and claiming you. 

You fell into his kisses, the moss below you becoming a blanket as he lay you down. You pulled him closer, sinking into the feeling of his magic as it surrounded you, allowing him to mould himself to your body.

“Your dress, it will be noticed," he mumbled, pulling the silk and chiffon back onto the blanket. 

“If I have to leave in a week, why should I care what anyone thinks? I’ll never be allowed to live again. And I want to live Loki, I want to be free!” Your hands were on his shoulders, in his hair, on his arms pulling him closer, clinging to him as if to life itself. 

“You are still a Princess, soon you'll be a Queen too. I should take you back to the palace.” He propped himself up on his elbow, warring with himself over whether to take you back to your chambers or keep you here forever. Loki was losing his fight, confusion writ across his normally controlled expression. Your kisses tasted like wine and figs, intoxicating and enticing. He had held himself back for so long, kept his feelings deeply hidden for so long he was struggling to keep his hands from you. 

“Is that not enough for you, my Prince? Or is it because you are a God? Am I not Goddess enough?” You started to sit up, confused in the depths of your emotions. If you weren't enough then you wouldn't be humiliated. 

“My darling, my Princess, my Queen, Ásynja. I would worship at your feet." He insisted, cupping your cheeks, his eyes swirling with need, with desire, with something you couldn't name. "But you will have to hold court here, you must be respected as the Goddess of Spring, there is some purity required," he hinted, his hands clenching in the swirling fabric at your waist. 

Loki kissed across your brow, your nose, your cheeks, every kiss more reverent than the last. Filled with the love he was too frightened to name. 

You laughed, a harsh bark compared to the usually tinkling lilt of your joy, “Is that what you think they’ll crown me? Because of my mother?” 

You felt him nod against your neck, pressing his lips against your pulse, enjoying the taste of you while he could, before he let you go. 

“What else could you be? How could you be anything but pure love and joy, there is no other who could replace her, it has to be you,” his hands played with the jewels that seemed to eternally adorn your hair, turning each pink diamond green beneath his touch. 

“Lust. That’s what I've heard I will be, a humiliation, a jest. What do you get when you marry spring and fertility with chaos and brawling? Lust, he said, violent lust. And I shall marry a war lord from Vanaheim too, to confirm my position. He made it clear I wasn’t to fall in love while I was here, I must keep myself pure so that my lord may enjoy his wife to the fullest." You ground your teeth, tearing at the blanket beneath you. "His greatest trick. Naming his own daughter Goddess of Lust as a - as a - as a virgin." Your face screwed up in anger, sobs wracking you as you thought of giving yourself so intimately to your betrothed. But Loki stopped. 

“You love me?” He asked, suddenly shy, his grasping hands holding you close. 

You met his gaze again, soft and full of admiration. “Endlessly,” you breathed, and he lay you back down among the moss, the growing flowers and new shoots, the warm sun rising and the scent of spring surrounding you. 

You woke to Brunnhilde stoking the fire, the curtains drawn now and the lights low. She smiled as you stirred and came to sit beside you again. 

“Pleasant dreams, were they?” She asked, raising an eyebrow, and you felt hot suddenly, even without the crackling fire. 

“I still have so many questions,” you pondered on what you needed answered first. 

“My father? Was he cruel?” You asked, curling your feet under yourself and tucking one of Brunnhilde's many blankets over your knees. 

"I never met him properly." Brunnhilde admitted, though a little awkwardly. "I know he was a god here on Midgard, and that your mother kept you closely guarded on Asgard while he was holding court here. I believe it was an arranged match, and there was no love between them. It was perhaps why she was so keen to see you well married, in the end. But I haven't seen him, not since he took you back."

Married. You had already found out that you were a Goddess, what would be marriage compared to that? To some unknown war lord no less, perhaps he would already be dead. But it was some comfort to know that, even then, you had given your heart and soul to Loki instead. 

Brunnhilde watched you, waiting for the next question. 

“You said Loki meant a lot to me. Will you show me?” You felt the heat of embarrassment creep up your spine, you knew exactly what he meant, but you had to know whether it was a dalliance born of extreme emotion, or something more. 

The King looked awkward for a moment. “I didn’t see a lot of it. You were both private, but also royalty. I wasn’t there, but I do  remember the last ball you attended together, the one in your honour. He danced with you the whole night and refused any other offer, the court was abuzz with whispers of your courtship.  Your father was angry that you'd allowed yourself to become the subject of gossip and he took you early in the morning before anyone else was awake. You had planned a final breakfast on the terrace with the Princes and the Queen, Loki was distraught for a day and then it was as if you were never there. No one spoke of you, and Frigga made it clear your name was never to enter the gossip of court again, for everyone’s safety." 

The whole thing had been so odd, all you wanted to do was speak to Loki and share your new knowledge with him, to see if he could remember it too. Brunnhilde called Thor while you layered your coat and scarf on again, tugging your boots on with one hand on the wall in the small hallway. 

She stood in the doorway as you left, and directed you away from her cosy home, back towards the harbour and to another stone cottage before she closed the door for the night, leaving you to your thoughts. 

You walked slowly across the small village, enjoying the crisp air and the bob of the boats in the harbour. It was calm here, away from the world, and you contemplated asking Loki if you could continue your training here instead of returning to the bustle of the compound. 

"Princess Estrid,” a deep voice said behind you. The title was new and brittle, but you assumed it must be another Asgardian, perhaps someone you once knew and, with a new found excitement, you turned to them with a smile. 

“Yes?"

And then everything went black. 

<<Part 6

Part 8>>

Gods & Goddess' mentioned.

This is just from my own reading, I'm by no means an expert, just a fan, so if you know more and want to talk to me please send me a message/ask!

Brigid - beloved Goddess from the Tuatha Dé Danann. Brigid is often cited as the goddess of spring, the dawn, fertility. Brigid is so popular she was made into a Saint as Christianity became more widespread. She's often linked to a magical cloak which gives protection to those that wear it, you can leave cloth outside of your house on Imbolc for her to bless and in some stories it's her cloak that covers the ground during winter. She's also linked to cattle and craftsmen (including metal work and those that use fire), mothers and children.

Brigid is well loved and celebrated still as a Pagan Goddess and Christian Saint.

[heavilycaffeinatedsblog]

hi there!!! love the fic so far ❄️ ☃️ here to bring snow wisdom from canada hehehe. sorry if it’s long :3

i will say that snow is lovely and fun a lot of the time!! it’s something i look forward to seeing every year, but grow tired of after a few weeks.

one cool thing idk anyone has mentioned is that parking lots will be ploughed overnight and MASSIVE snow piles form! also that snow dampens sound! so it becomes a lot quieter after it snows. this also might have something to do with the temperature and most animals hibernating, because sometimes on a winter walk, i’m the only one out and about and it’s kinda peaceful!

but i can say that there’s also some “negatives” to snow! first of all, the first snowfall always seems to surprise everyone. 2 feet of snow can appear overnight and people always seem to forget how to drive in the snow at first, which can cause accidents! it’s very easy to slip and slide on snow and ice on the road (and sidewalks, for that matter!!!), and during a storm, the visibility goes way down so it’s hard to stay on the roads.

snowploughs come to clear the roads and lay down salt to avoid ice buildup, but lots of suburbs and backroads have to wait hours (or days!) to be cleared! my friend got 3 feet last week and hasn’t been able to leave the house in days because not only are the roads slow to clear, but the doors of her house are snowed shut! this is also why Snow Days exist. school buses can’t always run after heavy snowfall (or freezing rain) because of safety measures for the kiddos!

you also have to SHOVEL snow (or use a snowblower). snow ploughs might clear the roads but your driveway is up to you. it takes me an hour to shovel my mom’s 1-car drive after a bad storm, and snow can be quite heavy!!! and it’s also COLD lol. last winter it was -34°C up here and i was quite chilly. below -10°C, frostbite starts to be a risk to any exposed skin. this can happen after 30 mins, and the colder it is, the more likely and quicker it is — so you gotta remember to bundle up!!! 🧤🧣

sorry for the info dump but i think snow is beautiful and fun, but it also can be dangerous and unpleasant! can’t wait to read more x

No don’t apologize for infodumping, gimme all the info. This is FASCINATING, thank you!

[tumblezwei]

Hold on I'm about to go crazy again

during the warp jump to Penacony, scenes from the quest flash briefly on screen. We're first shown Acheron after our first encounter with her

then the moment right before Firefly's death where she turns to look at Trailblazer

a chessboard for some reason, the first image rattling around along with the turbulence of the Express

Stelle...looking at something? Outside of the Express? The angle looks like she's on the left side of the couch, near where the memokeeper for MoC stands. Or maybe on the other side. Either way this isn't a shot of her sitting on the couch like she is during the warp jump.

after that is Robin from after we crash land in the Golden Hour

then Acheron again from the same scene but played in reverse, interrupted by TV static.

I think the most base level theory we can craft with this involved Acheron and her multiple red dialogue options. Something about time loops, or multiple iterations of the same story happening at once. Personally, I don't have enough ammo in my arsenal to argue one way or another, but some things here interest me.

The first is the chessboard. I don't remember this being shown in the story quest at all, and as far as I know there isn't a chessboard on the Express. I mean, even if there is that doesn't mean anything to me atm. What does is the positions of the pieces.

We first get a close up shot of the black rook, and then a wider shot showing the state of the game board. My average knowledge of chess just tells me this looks like a stalemate. Both opponents have the same pieces left on the board, protecting their kings in the exact same way. There's potentially a trap being set up by the black rook to capture the white rook, and the white king has moves outside of its shield of pawns.

Since we haven't seen the chessboard or that shot of Stelle in the quest, my guess is that they're from future events we have yet to see. But I also think the order in which these shots appear mean something, or else why would they be included? Maybe we can view Firefly as the black pawn and the Trailblazer as the white rook. An intentional sacrifice to draw someone into a trap. After all, Sam and Firefly were working together until he abandoned her for some unknown reason, and then attacked us after we spent time finding Firefly's traces.

But using that interpretation would put us as the Trailblazer on the white side, with the king moving out of position. And I'll admit right here I don't know what that would mean. Unseen allies, maybe? Or an implication that we're entering into dangerous territory at a disadvantage? I Dunno.

Moving on I'm interested in the last sequence with Acheron. The TV static can quickly be connected to the pile of TVs we see in the primal dreamscape where we fight Something Unto Death. And the scene being played backwards brings to mind a tape being rewound. I swear to god I saw some text saying something like "you're not watching the TV, the TV is watching you" but I can't fucking remember where I saw it. So take that bit with a massive grain of salt until I can recall where I read it from, but I'm keeping it in mind.

I also think this sequence being bookended by our first encounter with Acheron is important. Is it evidence for some sort of time loop? Who knows.

Also also, that shot of Firefly is similar to the shot we get of Robin. Centered in their chests (where Firefly was pierced, and Robin has her wound) and obscuring their faces. This could have just been foreshadowing their shared fates as victims of Something Unto Death. But maybe, if my chess interpretation holds any water, could be foreshadowing Robin and Aventurine acting in similar roles as Firefly and Sam, i.e., bait for the Trailblazer.

anyways, I'm going nuts.

[pad-wubbo]

Onaga Clan Funerary Rites

TW: Death, blood, cannibalism (kinda)

So, this is my first published Sploon fanfic. I've been really sleepless and kinda depressed tonight, so I wrote out this silly little plot bunny I had in my head.

---

The Splatfest parade tore through Splatsville like a riptide of ink and sound. Frye’s float led the charge, her lithe body twisting and leaping atop the serpent-shaped platform, a tempest of energy. Below her, the crowd screamed her name, their chants mingling with the pulsating beat of the music.

From their float just behind her, Shiver watched, arms crossed and mouth set in a crooked grin. “She’s gonna eat it one of these days,” she muttered, her crimson eyes sharp, cutting through the electric haze.

Big Man chuckled beside her, his booming “Ay!” a counterpoint to the noise. "(She’s fine, boss. Look at her go!)”

And then, she wasn’t fine.

Frye’s foot slipped, her form pitching forward. For one fleeting moment, her body hung in the air like a splash frozen mid-leap. Then she plummeted, a streak of gold against the blackened sky. The thud when she hit the cobblestones cut through the music, through the screams, through everything.

Shiver didn’t hesitate. She leapt from her float, landing lightly despite the weight of her ornamental sash and blade. Big Man followed, his normally buoyant movements slow and heavy. The crowd parted, their murmurs swelling as Shiver knelt beside Frye’s crumpled body.

Blood pooled around her head, thick and dark, staining the stones beneath her. Her sharp grin was still there, but her eyes stared blankly at the towering skyscrapers above, unblinking. Shiver’s fingers brushed against Frye’s cooling cheek, and for the first time in years, her smirk faltered.

“She’s gone,” she said flatly, pulling her hand away and flicking the blood from her fingers.

Big Man’s voice trembled. “Ay... (What do we do now?)”

Shiver exhaled sharply, standing and adjusting the tanto blade at her hip. “We do what we’ve always done. We take care of each other.” Her gaze was steely, her tone sharper than any edge. “We’re not leaving her here to rot like some random squid. We take her home.”

---

The Deep Cut hideout was eerily silent as they carried Frye’s body inside. Blood had soaked through the blanket they’d wrapped her in, leaving streaks on the battered concrete floor. Her treasures—the shelves of stolen plushies, piles of sparkling trinkets, and half-finished projects—seemed to mock the stillness.

Shiver set Frye down on the table in the center of the room and looked at Big Man. “Get the rice. The seaweed. That stupid sauce she always dumped on everything. We’re doing this right.”

Big Man hesitated, his massive fins twitching. “Ay... (Are you sure we—)”

Shiver rounded on him, her sharp teeth bared. “Do you think I’d be saying this if I wasn’t? This is what the clan does, Big Man. She’d do it for us. Get moving.”

Big Man nodded, his “Ay...” low and mournful as he shuffled off to gather the supplies.

Shiver turned back to Frye, unsheathing her tanto. The blade gleamed in the dim light, its edge clean and ready. She pressed the tip to Frye’s chest and paused, her jaw tightening.

“Dumbass,” she muttered, her voice cracking. “You always had to show off, huh?” She drove the blade downward, slicing cleanly through muscle and cartilage. Blood spurted, warm and viscous, splattering across Shiver’s hands and dripping onto the floor. She worked with methodical precision, carving through flesh, separating it into manageable portions.

By the time Big Man returned, carrying a tray of ingredients, the room reeked of copper and salt. He stopped in the doorway, his eyes widening at the sight of Frye’s body in pieces.

“Ay! (Boss...)” he started, his voice wavering.

“Don’t.” Shiver didn’t look up, her hands steady as she wiped the blade clean on her sash. “Just help me finish.”

---

They worked side by side, assembling the meal with the care and artistry Frye would have demanded. Each piece of her body was wrapped in seaweed and rice, dotted with her beloved sauce. Blood still seeped from the cuts, mingling with the other ingredients, but neither of them flinched.

When the last bite was prepared, they sat cross-legged around the table, Frye’s empty chair looming between them.

Shiver poured three cups of sake, sliding one to Frye’s place. “Alright, you little stinker,” she said, lifting her cup. “Here’s to you. You were annoying as hell, reckless, and loud... And you were ours. You still are.”

Big Man raised his cup, his voice soft but firm. “Ay. (Always.)”

They ate in silence, the taste of meat and salt heavy on their tongues. Shiver chewed through the tears that threatened to choke her, her hands gripping each bite like it might break apart. Big Man moved slower, his fins shaking with every motion, but he didn’t stop.

When the meal was done, Shiver leaned back, her hands smeared with blood and sauce. “She’s with us now,” she said, her voice rough.

Big Man nodded, his gaze fixed on Frye’s empty chair. “Ay. (Forever.)”

They sat together as the first light of morning bled into the room, the echoes of Frye’s laughter still lingering in the air. Somewhere deep inside them, Frye lived on: fierce, wild, and unyielding, as much a part of them as their own souls.

[cyberneticlagomorph]

Zeb holds tight to your hand for his first few steps into the Market, his eyes darting here and there, trying to take it all in and only ending up dizzy again.

But he doesn't complain.

You find Tigger at a stall selling juicy looking bugs from various rotting logs set up like fruit displays at the supermarket. He's chatting loudly with the vendors, bouncing in place and flapping his front paws as he does. "If i'da know you guys would be here too I woulda brought Pooh to come say hi!"

The vendors, a goblin and an absolutely MASSIVE beast of an orc, are smiling at him with soft nostalgic eyes like he's an old friend they haven't seen in such a long long time.

"Nah that's ok, we got to see you and that's enough for now." Says the goblin, a thin and wiry creature with a shock of cherry red hair and soft floppy looking ears. "But how is Pooh holdin' up with the whole... thing?"

"Poohbear is Poohbear, as long as he has his hunny he'll always be ok... we miss our boy though, and our other friends... a lot." Tigger stops bouncing and wrings his tail, ears back. "N' it's not like the new people we found aren't the bestest people, cuz they are!" He looks at you pointedly, and holds eye contact until he knows you know how much he means that. "Sometimes you just miss someone lots n' lots n' that's ok, the missin' gets easier after awhile I think."

"Yeah it does." Says the goblin with a glance at the orc, as if to say 'I know, may you never ever understand how much I Know'. "But enough mushy stuff, why don't you guys take a bag of bugs to go, on the house, my treat."

Zeb makes a face without meaning to, and is suddenly very grateful for the mask, "Bugs?"

"Bugs!" Says the orc. This is the first time you've seen one without the green paint that they normally wear, so he's a ruddy brownish-red with proud tusks, and an even prouder belly from snacking on his own wares. "Slimy yet satisfying! Truly rare delicacies we breed ourselves."

"I'd offer you a free sample, but the whole bag is free so that'd be redundant." Says the goblin, up to his shoulder in a mossy log, digging around in its rotting guts. Several smaller bugs and spiders skitter out of other holes, startled by the disturbance, only to be hoovered up by the orc. The goblin bops his partner on the snout with his free hand and frowns.

The orc gives the goblin puppy-dog eyes in return and the goblin just... sighs.

Several assorted bugs are chucked into a brown paper bag, and lightly dusted with raw salt before being handed over. Zeb gazes at the squirming mass with obvious distaste, despite his mask.

"Now you tell Pooh, Willy and Minerva we said hey, ok?" Says the goblin, pulling a little Leonid child out from behind a pile of extra logs, the kid's mouth is absolutely crammed with bugs. The little Leonid is nearly the same height as the goblin but that doesn't stop him from balancing the kid on one hip like a practiced mother. "And if you see anybody else from back home, you send 'em our way, yeah?

Tigger nods enthusiastically, doing happy flips and tricks midair as you wander away from the stall.

"Who were they?" Says Zeb, he's rolled the bag shut so he doesn't have to see what's in it, but he won't let you carry it for some reason.

"Friends from back home!" Tigger purrs, pausing to check out a stall selling candy spun from dreams.

"Oh, friends from the Wood?" You hand over a piece of gold to the dream-seller, and listen to Tigger purr purr purr as he gets his own paper bag to hold.

"Nah, thats Home, I mean home like where me and Pooh and the mice came from before we got here." Tigger digs through the bag and inspects the sweet dreams he's bought, his glass eyes sparkling.

You nod in understanding, but Zeb just stares for a bit, failing to grasp what Tigger means.

"...are those for Egg?" Zeb points at Tiggers bag.

"Some of 'em, but not all of 'em, she'd get a tummyache if she ate all of 'em." The plush tiger holds up a brilliant blue dream and watches the light dance across its sugar shell before putting it back in the bag.

"Be careful with those." You warn. "I'm not buying you more if you drop them."

"...I wanna buy something too." Zeb says in a voice so soft it might as well be a whisper. "But I dunno what to get... and I don't think they take people money, do they?"

"HUMAN money, but no they don't, they mostly trade things for gold or Sents." You pry Tigger away from another stall, this one selling shiny sharp and fragile things you don't want him dropping.

"Cents?" The boy asks.

"No, SENTS, short for Sentiments." You put Tigger on your hip like a toddler to keep him from touching more stuff, and he doesn't complain. "First kisses, emotions, dreams, wishes, that sort of thing."

"...isn't that illegal?" Zeb tilts his head.

"Not... really? Taking someones Sentiments without their consent and trading THOSE is very illegal, but dealing in or with Sents is just how fairies do things."

"Do... I have Sents?" Zeb stands still, as if the stillness will help him ponder this mystery better.

"Probably! But lets take you to an Appraiser and find out."

[enigmatist17]

Part 1

---

He's so small!

Jorge is the first to blurt out the truth, breaking the momentary spell that had been cast over the older man. He'd only seen the youngest Madrigal from behind the walls, the only one who had never seen their tío Bruno before his self-imposed exile. Bruno had knelt beside the wall of Pepa's room during the entire twelve hours of labor and delivery, only sagging in relief when he heard the cries of his newborn nephew the moment he entered the world. Hernando had left a small carving of a tiger for Antonio when he'd turned two years old in the nursery, pausing for a moment to take in both nephew and niece sleeping before quietly disappearing behind the walls once again.

"Our family needs help.....and you need to get outta here." Bruno flinched at the gentle hand over his, but at the pleading looks from both Mirabel and Antonio, who was he to say no? Avoiding the jaguar that Bruno hoped desperately was docile, he led the younger family members up and out of the walls, the growing storm around Casita masking their noise from the shouting from below. Hernando had to gently nudge Bruno to keep walking when he was close to taking a peek over the railing, wanting to see his sisters for the first time in so long.

"I was thinking of my daughter!" Ah Agustín, Bruno felt his heart swell for a moment as he scurried after the younger family members, only having a moment to do his knocks on Antonio's door before hurrying inside. The massive tree with its surrounding lake and waterfall took his breath away for a moment, the vibrant flora nearly overwhelming after so long in the dark.

"Are you okay, tío?" Little Antonio had doubled back when he realized Bruno had stopped walking, the jaguar thankfully resting out of sight.

"It's a very nice room." The five-year-old seems only amused as Bruno begins walking again, a little hand taking his after a few steps. Despite his anxiety, Bruno smiles at his little nephew, allowing himself to be led to the platform he needs for his vision.

You've got this amigo

"Glad someone thinks so..." Bruno mumbled as he eyed the bucket of sand Antonio had some of his animal friends fetch from his room, taking a deep breath before grabbing the handle.

"We might wanna hurry." Mirabel fidgets as he circles her, staring at an unmoving capybara before simply going around the animal with a shrug.

"You can't hurry the future." He couldn't help but remember when she'd first seen his powers all those years ago, eyes wide as her tío predicted how her mamá would repair her stuffed animal. "What if I show you something worse? If I see something that you don't like, you're gonna be all, "Bruno makes bad things happen. Oh, he's creepy and his vision killed my goldfish!"

A vision killed a goldfish? Eh?

Stupid woman, can't believe she's still upset.

It took biting down on his cheek for Bruno not to laugh as he piled dried leaves in the middle of four small sand circles, hands trembling as Mirabel gave him a look the seer couldn't place.

"I don't think you make bad things happen. Sometimes...family weirdos just get a bad rap."

....what?

For a single moment, Bruno just stared at Mirabel, ears ringing with the words he'd wanted to hear for so long since he had touched his door the first time.

You don't make bad things happen

Bruno had wanted to hear those words from Mamá, from the villagers he did his best to help, from anyone aside from the two he considered brothers. However, he was little Mirabel, looking at him with a smile that was brighter than the sun as far as he was concerned, and whatever hesitations were left faded as it turned to resolve.

"You can do this." She's smiling as a little stuffed tiger is held out, turning to face Antonio as he takes in the weight and soft fabric.

"For the nerves." The little tiger is set aside as Bruno takes a deep breath, the world beginning to tint green as Bruno tosses some salt over his shoulder for luck. His body thrums with power as Bruno opens himself to time itself, opening glowing green eyes as he draws forth the last vision he'd done those ten years ago only to see the same thing. Yet, just as he wants to stop and fall back to let one of the others come forward, Mirabel sees something different, a shining beacon that he hoped desperately led to the answer of saving the miracle.

Her anger at hugging Isabela is...less than favorable, but it could be salvaged!

However, less than twenty minutes later, the worst comes to pass. Bruno can faintly hear the yelling before Casita finally begins to crumble, grabbing rats as he races to find his way out. Jorge slips into control when Bruno falters at some cracks in the floor, cursing under his breath as the house falls around them. He eyes a weakness in one of the outer walls that seemed to come from nowhere, and in a moment of brilliance that would lead to pain later, Jorge grabs his bucket and slips it on before ramming through the wall with a yelp.

The home they'd ever known falls to rubble, and all of them can hear when Julieta starts screaming for her daughter.

We have to find her

The mountain, it's where she will have gone

Hernando flips his hood up as he eyes the newly cracked mountain, hiding Jorge's bucket before limping off for the nearest horse. Sure, it's not the best to steal from an unaware farmer, but Hernando swears they'll return the beast as they head for the opening, clinging to the reigns. The river that comes into view a while later is dazzling, the last of a massive trail of yellow butterflies lining the sky as Hernando makes for the water, able to see Mirabel's curly hair next to...Mamá.

"She didn't so this!" Bruno yells as they burst into full view, heart going a thousand miles an hour as he stares down his mamá for the first time in ten years. "She didn't do this! I gave her a vision!" Bruno's dismount is abysmal, but the seer is more focused on directing whatever anger his mother could be holding at himself. "She only wanted to help. I don't care what you think of me, but if you're too stubborn to -" All of the anger Bruno had been venting was cut off when achingly familiar arms embraced him, the smell of his mamá's perfume making his knees wobble.

"Brunito.."

"....I feel like I missed something important..." He's as stiff as a board when Mirabel walks by, and the older woman pulls away to gaze at her son, taking his face into her hands with a soft smile and pressing a small kiss to his cheek. Bruno still can't speak as she takes his hand still frozen up in the air, leading her wayward son back to the horse as if guiding him back home like she'd done when he was a child. He clings to her as they gallop back toward the remains of Casita, letting go when they come to a stop to help her down as Mirabel runs for her mother. He can hear Julieta cry out in relief as he helps his mother down, the horse flicking its head before wandering back towards its proper stable, and Bruno moves to head for the treeline.

"Brunito, stay, please." His hand is taken once again, and Bruno doesn't know what to do or say as he's slowly led towards the house and the family. She lets go to head inside the home, and Bruno fidgets as he peeks around one of the last bits of wall still standing to see Pepa and Julieta embrace their mother, clearly relieved. She pulls back and motions for him without even turning, and despite his fear, Bruno steps into the figurative light to face his sisters, who are wide-eyed as he takes his mother's waiting hand. They're rushing forward to hug him moments later, however, and both Jorge and Hernando can feel Bruno's joy as he hugs them, rambling about how he'd never meant to ruin Pepa's wedding and that he didn't mean to become a menace. The rambling trails off when he's hugged again, the triplets watching as the townspeople head for Casita, ready to rebuild the home of those who protected their town and lives.

You're never letting them go today, are you?

Of course he isn't!

Bruno smiles as he hears them comment on the town beginning the rebuilding process, both arms hugging his sisters close at the general feeling of positivity in the air.

---

The townsfolk were more than happy to offer the Madrigal family their homes until theirs was complete, and the children were delighted to spend some time with friends after the admittedly stressful day. Alma was housed by one of her council members, feigning attention as the other adults tried to decide who to stay with when she noted an absence that had been ignored for too long.

"Where is Bruno?"

A brief but panicked search finds the man back at the worksite, strangely wearing a bucket on his head as he mixes some spackle without a care in the world.

"This last section, then we go to sleep." Bruno speaks with a strange voice, and Félix and Camlio watch from just out of sight while sharing a confused look. "Bruno is exhausted."

"Si si, last one." A deeper voice replies, and once the mixture is complete, Bruno finishes up a wall that had nearly been finished before the elders called it a day. "Um, where will we sleep? Casita is gone."

"Eh, the church?" Bruno pauses his work, and Félix creeps closer with his son as they hear a sigh.

"Bruno won't like it. We can sleep in a tree or something, " the first voice grumbled, and the work continued until Félix finally decided to announce his arrival, sneaking back towards the main road before clapping his hands together.

"Eh, Bruno, you gave us a scare!" He loudly announced his presence, watching as the bucket was quickly removed, and Bruno smiled awkwardly. "You nearly scared everyone to death."

"S-Sorry, I wanted to finish this." Camilo squints at Bruno's normal voice, but remains silent as his father places a hand on Bruno's arm, guiding him away from the wall.

"There is always tomorrow my friend, for now you need a good meal and a place to lay your head."

"I-I can find somewhere to sleep; don't worry about me." Bruno stammered, Camilo putting an arm around his tío's shoulders to force him down and toward town, only grinning at the slightly annoyed look sent his way.

"You can stay with mamá, she was about to make her powers come back through sheer willpower when we didn't see you."

"W-What?" That seemed to stump his tío, the man silent as they walked to the family, all of them clearly happy to see Bruno was fine when he came into view.

"Don't you EVER do that again!" Pepa seethed, the first to march over and give him a strangling hug. "You don't get to slip away, not anymore!"

"I promise I won't again." He froze up but slowly hugged her back as Antonio came from nowhere to hug one of his legs, mirroring the look on his mother's face. He smiled and moved one pinned arm to pat the top of his head, yelping when Pepa stepped back and grabbed his ruana with one hand, the other on her hip.

"You will stay with me and Félix, understand?"

"Si."

Eh, what is he to do?

The household that had volunteered to house Pepa, Félix, and their son were a bit on edge at seeing Bruno traipsing in behind them but made sure they all were fed and given temporary beds. Bruno had barely eaten despite gentle urging from his sister, just shrugging off her question and feeding little bits to the few rats hidden in his ruana before finding the darkest corner to curl up in. Despite his internal clock telling his body to stay awake for what was "his" average time to be awake, the last 24 hours had been exhausting, and he can feel his eyes slipping shut in exhaustion.

"Can I sleep with you?" The whisper stirred Bruno, and he smiled at seeing Antonio standing beside him, pillow and blanket in each arm.

"Of course you can." Félix finds the two fast asleep when he finds Antonio's bed empty, his son tucked securely in Bruno's arms, completely at ease with someone he didn't know about until yesterday.

"They look so sweet." Pepa whispered as she hugged her husband from behind, teary-eyed at the lost years. "Oh mi pequeño gusano..."

"Which one?" Félix chuckled, trailing off with a slight frown. "My love, can I ask you something?" The little squeeze she gave him was answer enough, and Félix takes a moment to figure out where to begin. "Is...does Bruno act a lot? Do voices, speak in third person much?" Whatever he's stumbled on makes Pepa stiffen behind him, and he merely waits for her reply.

"What did you hear?"

[pyrettawychwiggin]

Songstress of Skyrim - Sub-Chapter 3: The Price of Spice

Disclaimer: The following story is centered around my own character, Mhari Freysri, who is the only character in this piece that I own. All other characters and elements of the world within the Elder Scrolls series is the intellectual property of Bethesda. This story contains, not just massive spoilers, but is in and of itself one very long spoiler, as it is based off of my playthrough of Skyrim: Special Edition. You have been advised. Please enjoy this newest installment of my cringy fanfiction.

"Damn it; what am I doing wrong?" Mhari sighed in frustration, gripping the edges of the alchemist's table, her eyes focused on the failed concoction she'd made as it seemed to ooze about in it's jar like sludge. Angeline smiled kindly and patted her on the shoulder.

"What are you trying to create?" Angeline asked as she peered over her shoulder.

"A potion to cure common diseases," Mhari replied, her shoulders dropping with a discouraged pout. "I'm certain I used the right measurements..."

Angeline eyed Mhari's ingredients carefully; Mudcrab Chitins and a pile of black dust. "Let's see..." She thought for a moment and walked to the bookshelf by her counter, carefully unfolding a piece of parchment paper scribbled with nearly-faded notes. "What manner of powder do you have there, dearie?"

"Void Salts."

"Ah, well there's your problem," Angeline nodded, handing Mhari the piece of paper. "You need Vampire Dust, not Void Salts. They seem to have similar physical properties, but their effects are quite different according to the recipe."

Mhari scanned the recipe on the parchment for a moment and tilted her head up in mock exasperation with a scoff. "Vampire Dust! I was so sure I had it right."

"Don't be too hard on yourself, Mhari," Angeline smiled as she carefully scanned her shelf for the proper ingredient. "Alchemy is a difficult art to master. I've only specialized in potpourri and herbal teas up until the war started. I still have much to learn myself."

"Thank you for letting me borrow your table, Angeline," Mhari smiled, carefully taking the small bowl of Vampire Dust as Angeline handed it to her. Mhari placed a handful of coin into her hand in exchange before returning to the table. Angeline watched carefully as Mhari cracked open another Mudcrab Claw and carefully smeared the contents into a paste on the surface of the table. Once it was smooth and malleable enough, she folded it into a mortar with the Vampire Dust and used the pestle to grind it together until it was well-incorporated. "And a little boiling water..." Mhari mumbled absent-mindedly as she mixed the pungent, dusty gelatin into a bottle with water. As steam rose into the air, she watched as the dusty grey mixture settled and turned gradually into a light pink. Mhari held up the bottle, inspecting it before turning her gaze to Angeline.

"You did it!" Angeline smiled and nodded with approval. Mhari's eyes lit up and a relieved smile stretched across her face.

"I did it!" Mhari etched the process into a notebook with a delighted squeal, ensuring she would be able to repeat the recipe properly at a later time. "I'll make a mediocre healer, yet."

"Feel free to practice here any time, dearie," Angeline suggested as she tucked away any excess ingredients for later use. "I may be able to learn a thing or two from you as well. But for now, I'll need to close the shop for a few hours. Vivienne and I have some errands to run."

"Of course! Thank you, Angeline," Mhari nodded and tucked her new potion carefully into her pack, waving politely to Angeline and walking out into the streets of Solitude.

"Spare some gold for a veteran?" a raspy voice asked timidly.

"Hm?" Mhari turned her attention to the voice to see an older, balding Imperial man in rags holding out his hand with a hopeful expression. Mhari dug into her coin purse and pulled out a small handful of coins. "Oh, of course. Here you go."

"Oh, thank you!" the man gratefully took the coins. Mhari suspected he had been turned down many times today; he had clearly not been expecting a donation. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that he was clearly missing his left eye, a crudely-fashioned glass sphere where an eye had once been. The majority of the skin near his missing eye was mottled with old scar tissue that had clearly healed badly after an infection.

"What is your name?" she asked.

"Oh, uh I- Noster," he stuttered. He had not been expecting her to ask. "Noster Eagle-Eye."

"Mhari Freysri. So, what's your story?" Mhari asked, taking a seat on a nearby hay bail. She patted the space beside her, inviting him to take a seat with her.

"I was the finest Scout in the Legion once. Tracked down all the places in the wilds that were causing people trouble," he began, taking a seat beside Mhari. She dug out a couple carrots and handed him one, which he took happily and immediately took a large bite before continuing. "Lost my helmet in Steepfall Barrow. My pretty, pretty helmet..."

"What was so special about this helmet?" Mhari asked, noticing his expression grow wistful and grim as he thought back. She munched on her carrot as she waited for him to continue.

"I swear it brought me good fortune," he sighed. "Life just got worse after I lost it. Kept losing things; so many things..." he trailed off as he touched the scarred skin surrounding his missing eye.

"Well, I can't guarantee that it will fix everything, but maybe I can keep an eye out if I'm ever in the area," Mhari suggested as she finished that last of her carrot.

"Oh, you would?" Noster was hopeful for a moment before his expression darkened again. "But I don't have any coin to repay you with. I could show you some of my old scouting tricks."

"Deal," Mhari smiled, holding out her hand for Noster to shake. He smiled crookedly and nodded in agreement.

"So what happened after you lost your eye; if you don't mind me asking?" Mhari asked carefully, resting her elbows on her knees as she waited for a response.

"I was there. I fought in the Great War," Noster began; Mhari could almost see his good eye clouding with the memories he was recounting. "I was on the field at Anvil. And when I was struck down, they left me-...they left me for dead."

Mhari frowned as a silence fell over them. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Well, for what it's worth, I'm glad you managed to stay alive, Noster. I'll let you know if I manage to find your helmet." She hopped to the ground and patted the straw and dust from her backside. "You headed to the marketplace to buy some food?"

Noster nodded and counted what gold he had. Mhari motioned for him to come along with her; once they arrived at the market square, Noster made his way immediately to the fruit and vegetable stand. Mhari had a look at her surroundings. In the center of the market was an old well that had clearly been well-kept and well-maintained. Three well-constructed wooden food stands could be seen; a fish stand, a produce stand and a wine stand, every product was displayed neatly with care, and the scent of freshly-caught fish, pungent onions and sweet wine filled Mhari's nostrils.

"Got plenty of fresh fish for ya," a vaguely familiar voice called. Mhari turned her head to the fish stand, manned by the Imperial she had first seen speaking with Svari during the execution; she approached the stand and inspected the catch of the day.

"You were at the execution," Mhari began. "I take it Svari is your daughter?"

"Yes; it's been hard on her," the merchant nodded grimly. "She misses her uncle. I've tried to explain that Roggvir did something bad and that we all have to be accountable for our actions, but..."

"A child feels what she will," Mhari said solemnly. She and the merchant turned their heads as Svari bolted by, followed by two other laughing children.

"Tag! You're it!" a little boy sang as he tapped Svari on the shoulder before bolting back the way he came.

"Hey!" Svari laughed with a fake scowl. Her eyes met with Mhari's and her father's as she let out a quick wave before skittering after her friends.

"She does seem to be in better spirits, now," the merchant smiled in slight relief. "Even Greta has been finally talking again."

Mhari smiled softly to herself, choosing not to weigh in. "Where do you catch your fish, sir?"

"Oh, my name is Addvar," he interjected before continuing. "Down at the docks there are a few good spots; if you can avoid the East Empire Company workers and those Red Wave Thugs."

As he spoke a couple rough-looking sailors in black and red sailor's tunics passed. One of them spat on the ground by his feet with a glare; Addvar's eyes followed them as his brow furrowed. Mhari shook her head in response to the crewman's rudeness, but she knew better than to get involved.

"Are they always that charming?" Mhari sighed as she returned her attention to the fish. Addvar chuckled with an eye roll, but chose not to go into detail. Mhari reached for a sizeable salmon and handed him a small handful of coin. She thanked Addvar for the fish and moved onto the next booth where Noster was walking away with a small armful of produce and a bottle of mead. The woman behind the stand was a Redguard woman whose face appeared to be etched with a permanent scowl, and she grumbled under her breath as she tucked her newly-earned coin into her coin purse.

Mhari eyed the fruits and vegetables that had been neatly displayed around the stand; everything looked quite fresh for such a cold climate. "Do you ever have trouble getting ripe goods out here?" Mhari asked as she made eye contact with the woman.

"I have my ways, but it's not easy these days," the woman sighed, resting her chin on her hand. "Those Blackblood Marauders have been plundering ships off the coast. Lots of folks been hurt by their foolishness."

"You're telling me, Jala," a nearby voice chimed in. Evette San was leaning on the side of her Spiced Wine stand with her arms folded as she spoke. "If it's not Vittoria Vici and her ridiculous tariffs, it's the Blackbloods. It's a wonder I ever get my ingredients between the two."

Jala nodded with a scoff; Evette looked over to Mhari and smiled. "Oh, thanks again for helping my father earlier."

"My pleasure," Mhari replied with a smile as she picked out a bundle of leeks and some ripe tomatoes from Jala's stand, handing her some coins in exchange.

"You wouldn't happen to have a little extra time on your hands, would you?" Evette began. "I need someone to run down to the docks to pick up a shipment of spices that the East Empire Company is holding up. If you can convince them to, anyways. I swear, it's a fight with them every time. Maybe you'll have better luck."

"I take it you're referring to this 'Vittoria' woman. I'll see what I can do," Mhari smiled with a wince. "Though if she won't listen to you, I'm not sure she'll bother listening to a stranger. Still, I'll try."

"Thanks!" Evette sighed in slight relief. "If you can make it happen, I'll give you something for your time; and a bottle of Spiced Wine free of charge."

"Say no more," Mhari chuckled. She waved politely at Jala and Evette before she wrapped her cloak around her shoulders and sauntered away from the market square to the gates of town.

As Mhari strolled down the dirt path and rounded the corner beyond Katla's Farm, she looked out to the docks where she had first arrived in Solitude only a fortnight prior. She breathed in the crisp salty air and took in the view as the sun had begun to set, painting the skies in a gradient of soft pinks and oranges. Seagulls soared around the sails of the ships that had docked for the night, and the Blue Palace seemed even more radiant as it basked in the golden hues of the early twilight. Mhari shivered as a cold breeze whispered across her skin; she slipped her gloves on before she continued down further into the docks. I don't think I'll ever get used to this cold.

Mhari made her way down the wooden steps to the East Empire Company's warehouse where a dark-haired Imperial woman in a fine green and gold linen dress sat daydreaming behind the counter. Mhari cleared her throat after a moment, snapping Vittoria out of her fantasies.

"Sorry, I was lost in thought," she sighed wistfully. "I'm planning my wedding, you see. So many details to work out."

"Congratulations," Mhari replied with a genuine smile. "It's wonderful to hear of a wedding in times such as these. I think folks need something positive to look forward to these days."

"I know I do," Vittoria giggled. "What can I do for you?"

"Evette San asked me to check on her shipment of spices," Mhari explained. Vittoria's expression immediately changed from excitement to disdain.

"Like I told her, once she pays the two-thousand gold tariff, then we'll be all set," Vittoria sighed, clearly now disinterested in the conversation. Mhari's jaw dropped.

"Two-thousand gold?!" she exclaimed. "Her entire stand is probably only worth that much! Surely you can see why that is far too high a price?"

"How do you figure?" Vittoria scoffed.

"I can buy a horse for half of that," Mhari explained. "She won't be able to keep her stand open if she needs to spend all of her profits on a tariff for her spices alone."

"Ugh, fine," Vittoria rolled her eyes and hauled a small box from the shelves behind her to place them on the counter. "I'll make an exception for her. But only because I like her Spiced Wine. And because I'm feeling generous."

Mhari bit her tongue, irritated by the woman's flippant expression as she waved her off in irritation. "Thank you, ma'am." Picking up the box of spices carefully in her hands, Mhari sighed and turned to walk away when she bumped into an Argonian woman with bright-green scaly skin and an expression that could kill. Mhari nearly dropped the box pf spices, but managed to get a grip on the sides before it spilled over. She could hear Vittoria snickering from where she watched behind the counter.

"You want knives? You want them in your belly?" the Argonian hissed, hovering her scaly slate-grey claws over her glass dagger. Mhari shrinked back, uncertain of how to respond as the Argonian bared a wide mouth of sharp, yellow teeth that were ready to snap without a moment's hesitation should Mhari say the wrong words in return. "Then you'll stay clear of Deeja, warm-blood."

The Argonian shoved past her with a gutteral growl and continued on her way to a nearby docked ship. Mhari shuddered, feeling that she had somehow dodged a very gruesome end. Stay clear of Deeja. Got it. She wasted no time making her way back to the city, finding Evette as she was closing her stand for the night.

"Here you are," Mhari placed the box carefully on the stand. "Hopefully she'll be a bit more lenient going forward. I can see why you don't like dealing with her."

"Tell me about it," Evette sighed as she inspected the contents of the box, nodding in approval as her shoulders relaxed. "Thank you so much. You've earned this.'

Evette handed Mhari a bottle of Spiced Wine and small pouch of gold. Mhari smiled and thanked Evette before returning to The Winking Skeever to relieve Lisette for a song or two. There were very few patrons, but Mhari was somewhat relieved, her nerves still a bit shot from her encounter with Deeja. If I never come across her again, it'll be too soon.

Mhari chatted with Lisette and Corpulus for a little while before retiring for the night. She had earned a little more gold from Evette, but she was still short on coin. Her small tasks around Solitude were adding up, but the process was slow and arduous.

"I'll need to get a bit more creative if I'm going to make enough gold for one of those horses," Mhari sighed under her breath. She wriggled further under the covers of the bed and let out a yawn. "I'll stop by the Blue Palace tomorrow. Between Sorex's rum and Taarie's dress, maybe I can close the gap a little further..."

~To Be Continued...

Note From the Author: Thank you again for reading the latest chapter of Songstress of Skyrim! If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider following this story and dropping a review below. I'd love to hear what my readers think; what their favourite parts were, what they'd like to see more of, etc. If I receive any questions, I am happy to either answer them via private message, or even as a short Q section in the next chapter. I hope to see you in the next chapter, dear reader. Voth Werid

~ Pyretta Wychwiggin

[shiningdesignersreflections]

Chapter 1: Morning in the Tomb

Narrated by no one.

Narrator: With water dripping in the distance, the dark, cold stone chamber underground is a far cry from the burning desert above.

Narrator: Drip drop... Drip drop...

Narrator: The sound of water dripping is amplified and lost as it travels through the tiles.

Narrator: Interestingly enough, though, it seems to carry the beeps of an electronic device.

Narrator: The beeps come from the massive stone coffin in the chamber... out of which comes countless black cables and a pale hand.

Narrator: When the pale hand moves, the coffin's lid moves out of the way ever so quietly. Then, the lights in the chamber jump to life...

Narrator: A black-haired girl sits up from the coffin as she yawns.

Tess: Good morning!

Choose either "What are you doing sleeping in a stone coffin?" or "That's really scary!"

If "sleeping," ...

You: Holy, what are you doing sleeping in a stone coffin?

If "scary," ...

You: That's really scary. I thought it was some monster saying hi to me...

--

Tess: It's pretty awesome in here, and I just got a new pillow. It feels great. Do you want to give it a try?

You: I'll pass...

Narrator: As she stretches, she notices the game controller in her hand. She sits back comfortably into her pile of pillows and starts checking her phone.

Narrator: There are a gazillion apps on her phone, but it only takes her a second to spot a green one.

Narrator: It's an app where the player can grow their own plants, and the garden Tess keeps on that app is already a lush green.

Tess: Let's see what I'm going to plant today. White poplars seem nice... they grow pretty fast and can block out sandstorms for me.

Tess: But salt cedars have a nice shape to them, and their flowers are beautiful.

You: Do you like this game?

Tess: A whole forest grows when I'm sleeping. Doesn't that sound awesome?

Narrator: When Tess finishes planting trees and logs on to Moments under the name "MasterDiviner_Tess," her phone goes crazy with comments and notifications.

Narrator: "This is to redeem my vow for helping me pass my exam! You rock!", "My mom's health check results came back just fine, like what you told me."

Narrator: "Is this a scammer's account? I always get my fortune checked before I game. I've done it five times already, and I always ended up losing!"

Tess: This kid's got some guts. His ID is... Yeeso?

Tess: Win some, lose some, no? But... it should be 50/50, right? It's a different kind of lucky when you always fall on the wrong side.

You: Do a lot of people come to you for fortune-telling?

Tess: There has been a surge recently. Well, I should be specific and say, since what happened at Ninir a year ago.

Tess: It disturbed a long-standing peace and troubled a lot of people, which is why they came to me to seek help from fortune-telling.

Tess: But peace will return. The world has seen its fair share of disasters, and peace has never failed to return.

Narrator: The light from Tess' phone shines on all the game consoles in her coffin, and she has just about everything imaginable. The controller she was holding before she woke up is now buried deep within.

You: You can game in the coffin?

Tess: Apple has a wide Wi-Fi coverage in Wasteland, and it's so stable that you can even game when you're in this chamber.

Tess: The Internet is a good thing. You don't need to go out to be able to play all sorts of games and shop. The only catch is that people aren't willing to deliver what I buy.

Tess: The locals aren't fond of this modern stuff, though.

Tess: And there are priests from the other tribes who claimed that "Wi-Fi signals would interfere with their connection with the gods." It's anyone's guess what they based that on.

Tess: I don't agree with that, but from the standpoint of traditional and cultural inheritance, it's still important to keep ceremonies solemn.

Tess: Which is why I still brave the sandstorms and travel to the Quicksand Shrine, where I dance and pray and announce my fortune-telling results.

Tess: Speaking of fortune-telling, I just saw a beautiful sapphire light in my dream. The Rainbow Light was drawing the sapphire light towards it, though.

Tess: That's a good sign, but I can't let you in on the details just yet.

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

[the-firebird69]

Kansas - Carry on Wayward Son (Official Video)

And our son here my son that is the saying this computer is a pain in the ass he says you're a pain in the ass you blabbing all this s*** and he said it's not me and someone else and he said oh yeah I guess so he says this personal responsibility and your responsible and then he didn't say anything and my son here said maybe it's a redhead then oh your hair is red and so the guy started laughing and laughing and the whole thing is like not a joke at all and doesn't seem like him it's Clancy Brown who hurt it and said oh s*** and he is military guy and sent himself the message and yeah he's got some red hair and okay my son is singing a song Rudolph the red-haired reindeer had some really red hair Rudolph with you guys Rudolph giuliani's sleigh tonight and he says no. Well those are some lines right there and that was Clancy Brown but really my son is off the reservation and I got bad news and Clancy Brown wants to hear it I'll say it like this the whole down there might go to Antarctica but it also went near the ship which he may have taken the whole thing and it went to your mind there's a whole up there and no it's not John Gallagher and it's near salt lake City and it's not really that huge we thought it was a geyser it's about 5 miles across and mine is not really huge but he dismantled it I have a personal grudge against him he's messing with my other son really badly he hadn't punched Jeff malhewish he showed up at Schwarzenegger and his helicopter and he's not Schwarzenegger and I'm so tired of that a****** he was such a dick now he has other people doing it and his Androids and man he's disgusting it looks like he's screwing around with the Max and we're not sure and he's he's in the tomb and even if it's his people doing it too he's doing all the stuff and introducing him to it all and he's it's worse so they're fighting and the guy won't shut up I feel really bad and I feel it's possibly my fault and he says no people are encouraging to make the tech they're encouraging Dave to go too far but it looks like he went extremely far and I do understand that and he can become massive and they did not believe it now there's a song and it's the birds and it's 8 Miles high and what you're saying is he was 800 miles high or a thousand and it may have made a depression 8 mi down and that's what I was thinking and BJ said it too did these huge lakes or something in South America and we have to go look at that and in the survey plane crashed and it became a movie probably just keeps happening but they would be probably about 20 or 30 miles long so I'm wondering what those might be

Camilla

It's about force and distribution of the load he makes his shoes no his feet are huge they're like 40 miles wide and about 80 miles long and the depressions are only a few miles and he fills them in as he goes it's something happened and he had to leave we think it was his wife. He threatened his father with depression so it may have been him and what's 8 Miles high might be a pile of the dirt then he left there that would make it about 40,000 ft high and although Everest is taller it's on a plateau it's about 20,000 ft and the mountain itself is 30,000 ft technically that pile of dirt is higher than Everest and it came up today because people knew about it no it's because of what we're talking about and 8 miles is nothing to sneeze at and he tried to spread the dirt out and couldn't do it and yeah it was his wife with a blaster

And she's the one who made the hole

Thor Freya

You know children with guns

Zues hahaha Hera

He's a grown ups are crying out loud just cuz he's your brother doesn't mean he's a child for Christ's sake this is a weird show already a weirdo says I can get bigger than him yeah we don't want to see that

Mac Daddy is Betty over and I'm New York or something he wants a hot dog that's 2 mi long had enough of this stupid s*** you better not be the dumbass song

Olympus

[djacks001]

The Legend of Atlantis

Many philosophers in history, used fictional stories to express the more complex issues that mankind faces like corruption and greed in a way that is  easier to understand. So what could the story of a great and powerful nation that disappeared under the waves possibly teach us in today’s world? Without further discussion we will try to answer this question and maybe a few others. As we explore the story of  Atlantis. Some people believe that the story is in fact world history while others believe that the story was created by the philosopher in order to talk about ethics and corruption in our world while telling a compelling story of knowledge, power, and destruction. Stories like this have been immortalized in history, so ponder this tale with me as we explore the topic.

An advanced civilization with knowledge far beyond that of the other Nations in their  time. These people thrived on an island west of the straights of Gibraltar,  Every account I have looked into makes it clear  that the island must have been in the Mediterranean south of Greece north of Crete It was said to be larger than Asia minor and Libya  combined. The Atlantians were a hearty and knowledgeable people ruled by a Wise and beloved king his rich and powerful princes conquered many lands in the Mediterranean  before being defeated by the Athenians and their allies. These were a people that became morally void and the Empire was swallowed by the sea over a night and day.

In my mind this account of a powerful nation who became corrupted with wealth power and human desires sounds very similar to another tale from the biblical account of Sodom and Gamora, The two cities that were destroyed with fire and brimstone from the sky! The explosion was so hot in fact that it turned all who so much as looked upon it into piles of salt. (Genesis 19:1-26) I honestly struggle to imagine what that kind of  blast would look like, this account was later backed up by Satellite imaging taken in the valley of the Jordan where the two cities once stood, Evidence was found to support that an extremely hot explosion did in fact occur over the massive 200 square mile radius. There are many other tales in various accounts of places that were destroyed due to corruption.

Egyptian records of volcanic eruptions on the island of Thera witch in turn caused a series of earthquakes and Tsunamis that shattered civilization on the nearby island of Crete so perhaps a similar chain reaction happened to the island of Atlantis. Massive floods and title waves caused by volcano's or tectonic plates have been pretty common in the world, This Phenomenon may very well be the original basis for the whole legend of Atlantis. This story is more likely to be based on fact in my opinion, maybe parts were embellished to form an epic poem  as storytellers tend to do. In my opinion this legend might have been at least based on fact when the story was written and then it was passed down for many decades.

As you can probably infer people are very divided on weather this story was meant to be taken as a historical account or purely a thought provoking piece of literature . On one side the claims of an island sinking under the waves were corroborated by satellite imaging research done in the Mediterranean ocean. Yet people claim there are too many holes in the story for it to be deemed factual as there are many contradicting accounts of the Atlantians. So is this story simply a legend or could there be more to it? If they did in fact exist some more fortunate Atlantians probably fled the island and went on to become Minoans based on DNA Evidence plus Crete would have been in very close proximity. So weather Atlantis was actually there, The story should at least act as a lesson about greed leading to a major downfall

This is called The Legend of Atlantis, an article I just want to say thanks for watching and I would be happy to see you all in my next video! I'm out guys. The Video is Here: https://youtu.be/jgAipQKd_0I

[silvertonguedgod-archived]

pervyyzimniysoldat replied to your post

oh, why are you salty about it, if I may ask?

No but seriously.

It’s partly because I’m just a salt mine in general, but also because like... you spend 5 and a half years RPing a character, you get kind of attached to them, you know? You want to see them grow as a character and.... not just that, but as a person. You want to see their relationships grow, their emotions, their motivations. You care about the characters around them, their families, their traumas, their joys and discoveries. You’re invested. 

So when the writers, directors, and even actors treat a sequel to two fairly serious movies with some comic relief like a standalone comedy, it feels like a bit of a slap in the face. 

I’ve talked about this with some fellow Norse god RPers from inside and outside the MCU RPC, and just... it feels like nobody involved in this movie actually gives a shit. (Receipt: apparently Chris’ hair is short in this movie because he didn’t want to spend two hours in hair and makeup. Which. You know. Two hours isn’t a lot, comparatively, and also... can you imagine lacking so much commitment to your role and character that you’re not willing to even look like them?) And ok, fine, he’s allowed to do what he wants. If he doesn’t want to spend that time in hair and makeup, obviously that became his choice. But it’s very indicative of his priorities, and clearly he does not give a shit. Which is insulting, because I give a shit. You want the people creating the content to care about their shit, because that’s an indication that they care about you. When content creators don’t care about the content they’re creating, it sends a pretty clear message about what they think of you, the audience.

Now, here’s the thing: I’m sure by objective standards, this is going to be a good movie. It clearly had a huge production budget that they took full advantage of, Cate Blanchett could stab me multiple times and I’d probably thank her, and I’ve very much enjoyed Taika Waititi’s past work. He’s a phenomenal comedy director. I fell in love with Cate as Galadriel when I was 12 years old and I’m gonna fall in love with her all over again at 25. I’m super excited for Valkyrie in general and... well... then there’s Loki. And here’s where I stop being salty and start being nervous.

Because I am heavily (probably unhealthily) invested in the Thor/Loki fraternal dynamic I think... in kind of the same way Frodo was invested in the idea that Smeagol wasn’t entirely beyond help. I need Thor and Loki to behave like actual siblings with a history and a lot of baggage but also a lot of love, because I need to see my relationship with my own sister reflected there. 

The relationship between my sister and me is not nearly as fraught as the one between Thor and Loki, but... a few small changes to our history here and there, and it might’ve been. And that’s where it becomes very, very personal. I want to see a sibling relationship where, after everything, the siblings still care about each other. Where they can fight and really hurt each other, but then heal and grow and understand and apologize and take responsibility. And I’m not talking about Loki taking responsibility, the same way that deep down I don’t think I deserve an apology from my own sister for her anger towards me; I’m talking about Thor owning up to the abuses Loki endured growing up, often at his own hands, the way I haven’t quite managed to do with my own little sister. 

I need that relationship to grow because I feel like, for siblings who are that close, growth is the only possible solution. You grow or you kill each other, but not caring is not an option, because that person will always be a crucial part of your life. 

And I’m very pessimistic about the treatment of the bros’ relationship in this movie. I’m positive it’s going to be shunted off into the conceptual background. Tom himself has said that Thor doesn’t really care about Loki anymore, and that apathy not only seems out of character, but also like a way to cop out of giving the pair of them any real emotional depth. 

Like, oh ok, these two had a very complex relationship in the last few movies, and that was one of the things that seemed to draw crowds... but we want this to be a comedy, so how are we going to handle that? Easy, we just have Thor not give a damn about his little brother anymore, after he clearly wept over his dead body and after said brother snatched his father’s throne from under his nose. Clearly there’s no reason why he would be elated or furious or confused or worried or... you know... any of those perfectly understandable emotions, because this is a COMEDY and there’s no emotions in comedy!

And yeah, apathy would probably be the easiest emotion for Chris to play at this point, given the interest he’s displayed in his character and characterization thus far. 

They’re just... coming at it all wrong -- treating the destruction of Thor’s childhood home and his loss of his hammer (which, if you recall, was a slightly more emotionally traumatic issue just a few years before) as something trivial and reducing all of the stakes to just... whatever trickles of forced comedy can be squeezed from them. They’re coming at it like Guardians of the Galaxy rather than like Iron Man or Captain America... and I don’t get why? like... because it’s in space or something? Because nobody has ever made a serious, high-stakes movie that was set in space in the history of ever. GotG made sense as a fun, lighthearted space rave because nobody knew the characters, the physical stakes were high but not the emotional ones, and while it was funny, there were still some very cathartic moments. 

Ragnarok doesn’t make sense as a fun, lighthearted space rave because we understand -- some of us on a very visceral level -- the traumas the characters have endured, the high stakes are played off as a joke, and the emotional impacts you would expect the movie’s events to have don’t look like they’re going to be given much -- if any -- screentime.

AAAAND I’m pretty sure I had several more criticisms and concerns and lots more salt to sprinkle all over your pretty little heads but it’s been a long week and I am very tired and my brain is only sort of halfway sending signals to my fingers so we’re just going to leave it at what I’ve written: the movie feels disrespectful and shallow from what I’ve seen, and while I will go see and I do really want to be wrong, I’m not optimistic. At. At all.  

[f10werfae]

Wisdom Teeth

Pairing : Husband! Chris Evans x Wife! Reader

Word count: 1,348

Summary: Chris sends Y/n on one hell of a journey

Warnings: none

————

Requests are open!

Likes, Comments and Re-blogs are appreciated♥️

Y/n's P.O.V)

The sound of the air conditioning and people

flicking magazine pages filled my ears, along with the occasional nurse coming out to call in patients.

Chris had been gone for around 45 minutes now, he had spent the whole night worrying about his wisdom teeth procedure this morning. Let me say, it took a lot of kisses and muscle to even get him into the clinic into the first place.

“Chris Evans?” A nurse said when she opened the heavy white door, a grey clipboard clasped in her hands. Standing up, I rubbed the sweat from my palms onto my legs and pulled my sport shorts up.

“Yes?”

“His surgery went completely fine, he’s just a bit loopy right now due to the anaesthesia but here’s the list of the aftercare procedures for the next 24 hours or so”

“Thank you so much, am I able to take him home now or?”

“Yes he can go home now, would you like some help getting him to your car?”

“Please that would be magical”

Entering the room, Chris lay back on the dental chair, his limbs laying limp by his side, groans leaving his lips here and there.

“You alright hunny bun” I asked walking over to him, rubbing my hand up and down his bicep while my other hand combed through his hair.

“HEY! No” He shouted abruptly, his hands attempting to push me away from him, his face looking away from me.

“I’m married lady, cut it out” He slurred out, his arms crossing over his chest.

“Mhm I know you are married. Married to me babe” I laughed out, softly turning his head towards me, making eye contact with him.

“Y/n? Oh It’s my honey bunny” Chris said trying to smile with the bloody pieces of gauze sitting in his mouth, his arms now reaching out for me.

“Come on big boy, it’s time to get you home and in bed”

“Are you coming with me?”

“Of course, I live with you hun”

“Well alright then” Chris said, immediately jumping out of the dental chair, before nearly falling. Luckily the oral surgeon had caught him in time, with some teamwork we both managed to get Chris into the car.

“Y/nnnnn”

“Yes Chris?”

Within seconds, sobs erupted from Chris, his massive hands covering his face. Putting up the divider between his driver and us, I scooted over to him in the car.

“Baby? what’s wrong?”

“You called me Chris. I’m bubba”

Trying to hold my laugh in, Chris leant his head towards me laying on my chest, his sobs now stifled down to sniffles. How had this rock of a man now turned into a pile of softness.

“Yes you’re my bubba”

(Time Skip)

Getting him onto the couch with the help of our driver, I sat with him until he dozed off. Before sneaking off to our bedroom and grabbing the comforters off the bed and bringing it down to the living room. Turning on the ceiling fan, I tucked Chris in under the covers and placed kisses on his heady every so often.

My big baby of a husband.

When suddenly the alarm for his aftercare buzzed on my phone. Knowing how he would react, I decided to prepare the syringe with salt water first before waking him up.

“Bubba wake up, come on” I said softly, pulling down the comforters I softly patted him awake. His eyes soon opening slowly, his bloody mouth pulling into a lopsided goofy grin.

“Heyyy babyvirl” He slurred out, his hands playfully going up my shirt. Holding in another laugh, I slapped his hand away causing his eyes to water once again.

“We can do that later bub okay? Let me jus clean your mouth, can you do that?”

“You promise about later right?” He said with his eyes half lidded, reminding me of the times when he’d come home drunk from going out with his friends and he’d instantly turn into a ball of mush.

“I promise” I said softly, putting a bucket under his chin, pulling out the gauze and rinsing the exact place his tooth was with the syringe.

“There good boy” I said happily patting his head, his hand nuzzling into my hand like a dog would. Putting away the syringe and bucket, I cut off a new piece of gauze and tried to place it in when

“OWWW CHRIS” I winced out holding my fingers to my chest.

“Gotchu honey bun” He said chuckling, clenching his teeth together.

“No biting bubba, or no fun later” I said sternly holding his jaw in my hand, seeing him nod this time with a pout on his lips.

Successfully putting the new gauze in his mouth, I leant back onto the couch, exhausted and in dire need of a nap.

*knock knock*

Getting up to the front door, I opened it to see Scotty with Charlie in his hands.

"Momma" Charlie called out quietly, his arms extending in my direction as I carried him, his arms going around my neck.

"How's Chris?" Scott asked holding onto his nephew's toy buzz.

"Come see for yourself" I said chuckling letting him into the living room as I brought Charlie to the kitchen.

(In the Kitchen)

"Now did you behave for uncle scott?"

"Yes momma, we watched movies and ate izza" His four year old way of saying Pizza. His features mirrored that of Chris', the only thing he really got from me were my eyes and my personality which was pretty shy.

“Listen, dada is very very sleepy right now because he had to go see the Doctor. You understand hun?” I asked brushing back his hair.

“Dada sick?” Charlie pouted with his eyes watering, his expression matching that of Chris' earlier.

“No no no, he just needs a lot of sleep and rest, so let’s not be too loud okay?”

“okay momma” Nodding at him I did our usual routine of me kissing his cheeks and nose before I carried him onto my hip to bring him into the living room.

Without even entering the room, I could already hear Chris crying. Again. Sighing I walked in, Charlie’s head laying on my shoulder as he placed about with the locket around my neck.

“Y/n he has gone crazy, he thinks I lost Charlie”

Scott said laughing loudly with his phone in hand, pointing at Chris who was busy bawling his eyes out into the couch pillow.

“Charlie” He called out in between sobs, choking up and whining.

“Dada?” Charlie called out, as I set him down onto the plush carpet, stumbling his way towards his now crying father.

“Charlie?” Chris called out, his head now poking out from under the pillow, his gauze still sticking out of his mouth, his eyes red with tears.

“CHARLIE!” Chris exclaimed, instantly scooping up the tiny boy and holding him dearly to his chest.

“I missed you dada” Charlie said wrapping his arm around Chris' neck

“I missed you too” Chris said still sniffling, rubbing up and down Charlie's back comfortingly.

“Alright you two, lay back onto the sofa” I said watching as Chris laid back against the massive arm rest, Charlie laying on his chest comfortably. Tucking them in with the comforter and cups of water, I turned on the T.V to put on their favourite movie of Snoopy and Charlie Brown: The Peanuts Movie.

Before turning back to Scott, “Fancy a cup of coffee Scotty?”

“I’ll need it”

(Time Skip to 30 Mins)

After sending Scott off home, I decided to check on my two favourite boys, to walk in on what I expected to find. Both of them passed out, Charlie had used Chris’ pecs as his pillow, Chris' hands clasped around Charlie's body protectively.

Deciding to just leave them to it, I started to head towards the kitchen when I heard Chris call out, “Don’t think I forgot about later baby” An attempt at a smirk was on his face, as he nuzzled back into our baby boy, the movie still playing in the back ground

[daddysbabybunnyyy]

The office

(⛔️MINORS DO NOT INTERACT⛔️)

This is just a smut excuse. You two argue. And uh- yeah.

You sat at your desk brooding. You were so pissed off and for what? Jschlatt. That’s what. He’d been so lovey dovey with you for seven whole months but these past couple weeks he had just been- distant. He’d started paying less attention to you at work and at home. Stopped taking you out on dates or inviting you to his house and it was safe to say that you were touch starved. This morning you’d had it though, because in he strolled miserable as ever with only ONE drink from the coffee shop. He clearly just forgot yours… or maybe he didn’t bother getting you one. “Morning.” He grumbled as he walked past, expecting you to give your usually chirpy reply. But when you didn’t he stopped in his tracks, turning back round to face you. “I said Mornin.” This time his voice was stern, a growing and already agitated look on his face. You chose to ignore him, reply with a half arsed “what? Oh. Yeah whatever.” You could physically feel the daggers his eyes were shooting into you but you were quite frankly done with his lack of attention for you lately. The man needed a taste of his own medicine. Schlatt didn’t press you any further, he just rolled his eyes and slammed his office door behind him murmuring, probably something about you being a bitch. Come lunchtime and the entire floor that you and Jschlatt worked on could feel the aggravated tension between you two. Usually the two of you were flirtatious and would joke about. But today you stuck your noses up at each other if you walked past, pretending he wasn’t even there. You didn’t even give him his lunch today, instead you gave it to Quackity. Right in front of him. Laughing at the furious look that was brooding on his face. “What’s wrong boss?” You sneered. “Oh I’m sorry, did I forget to make you lunch? What a shame.” You strode past him, pushing your empty cup into his chest for him to take, just to add some extra salt to the wound. Jschlatt refused to take your shit any longer. First the silent treatment, then you acting like a bitch all morning and NOW you were giving away his lunch?! He strode after you, he almost looked like an angry ram in his state. Eyes dark, head forward and his stance was menacing. Not that you gave a shit. He followed you to your desk, blocking your only exit. “What the fuck has gotten into you today?” You ignored his question, heaving a massive pile of papers in front of him. “I’m done sorting your shit, you do it.”

You stood, anticipating what he was going to do. You could see the pure rage in his eyes, but part of you couldn’t help but be glad. You wanted him to feel like this, it was only fair. And besides, how else would you get his attention? “Get in my office. Now!” Jschlatt yelled as he slammed his office door open. Without another word you walked in, placing yourself lazily in one of the chairs opposite his desk. He kicked the door shut, so hard you felt the floor shake. You kept your head down as he sat in his office chair, staring you down. “You are aware that I could easily fire you for this right?”

“Yeah but you won’t. You need me too much.”

“Everyone here is replaceable.” He chuckled bitterly. You couldn’t lie, his words did hurt you, even if you tried not to let them.

“Fine.” You spat. “You’ve already started replacing me anyway.” Your voice broke a little.

“What? I’ve not started replacing you.”

“Yeah well it sure fucking feels like it.” You got up to leave, walking towards the door. You heard his chair fall to the floor as he stood up. “What in the gods do you want from me?!” His voice was laced with so much poison. You couldn’t stand it. Turning swiftly on your heel, you faced him. “You Shlatt! I want you!” A lump started to form in your throat. “Where have you been? All you’ve done is ignore me and shrug me off recently.” He gave no response. Your eyes started to well. “I know what I signed up for with this job and it was not to be some shitty cliche work fling!”

“What- no, baby you’re not-“ you didn’t even let him finish. You were at your limit and you were gonna say what you needed to. “I put up with so much of your shit and for what? To get thrown away after a couple months?”

“Where the fuck has this come from?” He groaned, throwing his arms up dramatically.

“You wanna know what I really want Schlatt?” You stormed over to him, once again getting deep within his personal space. “I want you to pay attention to me. I want you to bend me over your desk and fuck the shit out of me like you used to.”… ah. Well you had no idea that’s where you were going with this. “I want you to treat me like I mean something and if I don’t… well then you’ll let me leave.”

You once again headed towards the door, slowly losing hope the closer you got. Was he really just going to let you leave? His lack of arguments had worried you a little, usually he was the challenging one. When you got to the door, you faltered, hoping he wouldn’t notice. With a final sigh and that lump in your throat settling in again, you began to turn the door handle, pulling the door open. However it didn’t get more than a couple inches open before his hand had slammed it shut again. Before you had time to comprehend what he was doing you had been spun around so your back was against the door and his lips were on yours. You immediately relaxed into it, even though it was rough. God how you had craved this. The feeling of his beard tickling your face slightly, the way his lips guided and dominated yours at the same time. The way he would let out a deep groan when you opened your mouth to him. He kept one arm on the door next to your head, but the other pulled in your waist against him. You loved how you felt so small under him. He was so strong that he could keep both your hands in place with one of his, hybrid strength you figured. Your hands soon found their way onto his shirt, fumbling with each of the buttons until they came undone. Once his shirt was finally off, you took no time before exploring his chest. You were so familiar with the way it felt already. The small scar that ran from the left side of his chest to his collarbone, the patch of hair that rested in the middle of his chest and ran down to his stomach. You adored how his arms felt as they flexed around you. They made you feel protected. And the soft, but defined feeling of his stomach and v-line. You teasingly traced your fingers over it till they hit his belt buckle, hooking your fingers around it. “Ah ah, now now darlin.” He pulled away from your kiss, chuckling at your neediness. “I don’t think it’s very fair that I’m shirtless and you’re not.” You watched happily as he undid your shirt, pulling it off your arms and discarding it on the floor. You immediately undid your bra clasp, letting it join your shirt. He took a second to admire the top half of you, cupping your boobs in each of his hands. He smiled softly, but it had a devilish undertone. You had a feeling you were in for a royal time. “Now baby,” you bit your lip shut as he ran his thumbs over your nipples. You cursed how sensitive they were. “Be a good girl for once and put yourself over my desk will ya?” God you felt your knees buckle, letting out a desperate whimper. “Yes sir~” you whispered.

You didn’t hesitate at his order, toddling over in your heels and skirt. You were glad it was laundry day now, because it had left you with no underwear except a very Lacy thong. You heard the click of the door lock behind you as Schlatt followed behind. You leant yourself over the desk, ass sticking out just the way he liked it. He hummed happily, pressing himself against you, hand rubbing your ass. You pulled your skirt up for him, knowing damn well your ass would jiggle when you did. Just as you’d thought, it worked a treat. Schlatt let out a physical moan at the sight of you and in those teasing underwear too. He spanked your ass, causing you to let out a flustered whine. You pressed yourself against him, already trying to grind on the bulge in his suit trousers.”god you really are just a fuckin whore for me huh?” He pulled down your underwear, letting them fall at your ankles. Immediately he ran his fingers over you, feeling how wet you already were. “Oh princess~” he sucked on his fingers. “You’ve needed this huh?” You whined as he pushed his fingers into you, pressing against all the best places. You could already feel your legs wanting to buckle from the smallest of touches, purely from how much you missed the feeling. He pumped them in and out of you, watching and smiling the more you lost yourself on his fingers alone. He couldn’t wait to be inside you, the sight of your ass grinding against his hand to try and get as much friction as you could was enough to make him want to cum there and then. “Daddy please~” you moaned, getting needy and frustrated. “Please what princess?”

“Please fuck me, I want you inside me so so bad~” he didn’t bother to hesitate, unzipping his suit trousers and letting his cock out of his boxers. He rubbed the tip against you teasingly, letting it slip over your clit. Oh how you wanted to just put him inside you yourself, but you knew that if you moved or got bratty, your ass would be getting spanked red raw. Schlatt lent forwards, kissing between your shoulders. “Hey just so you know darlin,” he lined himself up with your entrance. “I love you~”

The man didn’t even give you time to reply before he was balls deep inside you. You let out a squeal, feeling stretched out in all the best ways. He gave you a minute, realising that he’d slipped in all at once. For a second he thought he might’ve hurt you, but your whines and pleas assured him differently. Gripping your hips he started thrusting into you steadily, enjoying the feeling of finally being inside you again. He wanted to tell you how sorry he was for ignoring you and why all this had happened in the first place but that was a conversation for when you were done. Right now, he was focused on pounding his dick into you so hard your boobs jiggled each time he bottomed out.

“God I’ve missed you~” he moaned, the grip on your hips tightening as he pulled your ass towards him, matching his pace. You wanted to reply, you really did but you were lost in your own world of pleasure. It was so hard to keep your shaky legs from faltering but luckily Schlatt had you to keep you right where he wanted. He soon started to speed up, clearly getting impatient with being slow. God he felt so big inside you. With the way you were positioned, you could feel the little bulge in your tummy each time he pushed inside you, hitting your g spot every damn time. Your little hands gripped the edge of the desk, whining for him like a pet in heat. Jschlatt noticed when your legs were getting too tired for you, pulling out and picking you up gently. You moaned at the loss of contact, giving him crocodile tears. He spanked your ass, “Come on now doll, be patient for me.” He cooed. You pouted, secretly loving the way he was harsh and gentle with you at the same time. He wrapped you around himself like a koala whilst he quite literally swiped everything off his desk onto the floor. The way you giggled at his impatience made his heart melt, along with feeling a little guilty. How could he have just ignored you like he had? He sat you down on his desk, standing in between your legs. Holding and squishing your thighs in his hands made you look tiny, something you had realised you were obsessed with. “You good there darlin?” He asked softly, watching your cute face. You nodded with a little “mhm!” in response, your legs swinging off the edge of the desk happily. He chuckled, watching your change in expression as he pushed his tip back inside you. This time, taking the opportunity to admire your face whilst he made you feel good. You tried to hide in his neck, but his hand softly grasped your chin, pulling it back up to look at him. “Just look at me a little longer please baby,” he cooed, to which you only whined, but obeyed. “Good girl.” Schlatt didn’t take the time to speed up, starting out with an already rough pace, hands gripping your waist and thigh. His eyes flickered between your face and.. well your boobs. He just loved to watch the way they bounced every time he slammed into you. And hearing the little squeaks and moans you made? It was heavenly. You wrapped your arms around his neck, wanting to be as close as possible. He pulled you closer to him, leaving just enough space to pound his cock into you. “F-feels s-s-so good” you managed to stutter. “C-can’t they hear us? O-outs-side?” Jschlatt scoffed, gently kissing your forehead. “Let em, I want them to know who you really belong to.” Schlatt felt your insides squeeze around him. He knew you liked it when he was possessive. Your body turned to putty, relying on his hands completely to stay upright. Without thinking, you grabbed one of his horns, trying to steady yourself. “Ah, fuck. Watch the horns.” But you didn’t want to, because you realised each time you pulled on them he only railed you harder and with his fingers now rubbing your clit, you wanted to cum more than ever. “Sugar I said watch the horns-“ you mumbled some nonsense, clearly showing you weren’t gonna listen. He knew exactly why you were doing it, you wanted to see him mad. You giggled brattily, “make me” letting out a surprised Yelp, your legs got spread wider than before, and with the new angle he had you at, his cock felt like it was gonna break you in half. You were still on his desk, but now on your back and wearing his hand as a collar. “If you wanna act like a brat you’re gonna get fuckin treated like one alright?”

“Y-yes sir” But the whole time, your hands never left his horns, and his never left your body, touching it wherever he could. “You’re lucky you’re cute,” he growled. “Else you’d be bent over my knee right now.” You only smiled, your head as empty as a peanut. The only thoughts you had were him and the sex and even those were blurred. You could feel yourself getting close, the constant friction of his dick and his fingers clearly becoming too much for your body to handle. And the way he was talking to you did not help- “You’ve had such an attitude all day huh?” He stared down at you with a smirk, hair messy and eyes lewd. “And now look at you darlin, all messy and pretty for me- oh fuck~” even schlatt was clearly having a good time. All his little comments blurred your brain, “god you’re so fuckin pretty” he’d smile at you, or he’d open your mouth with his thumb and whisper, “come on sweet, whine for daddy.” And all his little “good girls” were just an overload of enjoyment.

“Schlatt.. gon- gonna,” he cut you off, finishing your sentence for you. “Oh my, is someone gonna cum? Is my cock too much for her hm?” You nodded, agreeing frantically. “Come on then darlin, cum for me.” He growled in your ear in his deep, heavy voice. It was all too much and just like that, you were sent over the edge, cumming so hard on his dick you were pretty sure you blacked out for a second. “Oh atta girl~” he cooed. It didn’t take long for him to follow you, the desperate sounds you made as you came, the way you pulled him closer as your legs shook and the way your insides pulsed around him was enough to make him cum. He pounded you through both your orgasms, his thrusts becoming sloppier and messier as he finished. Slowly, the two of you came down from your highs, holding one another the entire time. Every now and then he would place a kiss on your forehead, telling you how proud he was or how well you did for him. Eventually he pulled out and walked away, much to your disapproval but he was soon back, this time with a blanket that he kept for naps on his office sofa. He swaddled you in it, carrying you to the sofa. Once he sat with you in his lap, you snuggled against his chest sleepily. All the fucking had taken it out of you.

“Hey princess, why don’t we go back to mine for a nap?” he stroked the hair from out of your face and tucked it behind your ear. “But- but what about work?”

“Oh sugar, I’m the boss! And I say we need an afternoon off.” Jschlatt rubbed circles on your back. Once you were back at his, he’d explain everything to you. And after nap time? He’d wake you with a bubble bath and a dinner date, but as far as you were concerned, that was a surprise. After all, you deserved it. “So, what d’ya say toots?” He grinned, looking into your big, glazed eyes. “Toots?” You giggled, snuggling into his neck. “Eh, sounded cute I guess” he shrugged, a red glow flushing his cheeks. He was a strange man. A minute ago he had you bent over his desk but he was blushing a nickname? You kissed his cheek and after a moment of thought, you nodded. “It’d be nice to spend time with you.”

So you both gathered your clothes off the floor in the office. You could sort the mess you two had made. Once Jschlatt had wrapped his jacket around you, he finally opened the door, making sure his arm was firmly wrapped around your waist. Of course when the two of you walked out smiling and happily flirting again, half the office was baffled at what sort of conversation the two of you could have had. Unfortunately those who worked a little closer to Jschlatt’s private office heard everything. So when the two of you passed them all they could do is stare at their screens, trying horribly to forget what they heard. Poor Quackity looked traumatized, something you clocked and with a barely guilty expression, mouthed a “sorry” in his direction. Not that you could care. Who was gonna tell the two of you off? You were the bosses after all.

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I’m so sorry about all the massive gaps it’s tumblrs fault :<