#This takes place after cabin fever btw

[4m4zing-gracie]

[ N and Uzi are in a small room together. ]

Uzi: "Are you ready for this?"

N: "Not really."

Uzi: "It'll be fine."

[Uzi briefly pats N on the back. Then, N and Uzi come out of the room in front of Khan sitting in a sofa.]

Uzi: “Dad, we have something to tell you--"

[N pukes a thick, yellow substance. Cut to the two in the previous room.]

N: "I think that went well."

Uzi: "You threw up and we both left."

N: "It's all in the past."

Uzi: "It was literally thirty seconds ago."

N: "That's a matter of opinion."

Uzi: "No, it isn't. Let's try again."

[N and Uzi confront Khan again.]

Uzi: "Dad, we have something to tell you--"

[N chloroforms himself and falls on the floor. Cut to the previous room.]

N: "I chloroformed myself, didn't I?"

Uzi: "Yeah, you did."

[N tries to chloroform himself again, but Uzi slaps his hand away.]

Uzi: "Don't do it again! Look, you take the lead this time."

[They confront Khan again. N rambles nonsensically, and Uzi looks at him exasperatedly.]

[Time skip; cut to the same room.]

N: "The thing is, Uzi kind of -- I'll just kill him."

Uzi: "Whoa, no no!”

N: "Let me shoot him in the face!"

Uzi: "No— no no nO!”

[Time skip; cut to same room.]

N: "Mom, Dad, I'm gay!"

Uzi: "Wrong! ... but good for you.”

[Time skip. Close-up shot of N and Uzi practically wrestling over N’s gun arm.]

N: "If I shoot him, we can eat! This could be so easy!"

Uzi: “nO, N!! N, STOP IT!”

[Time skip. N's height is reduced to chest height.]

N: “You see, yesterday during the camping trip—“

Uzi: "Where are your legs?!"

[Time skip.]

N: [Speaking in German] 

Uzi: "Nein!"

[Time skip.]

N: “Mr. Uzi—“

[Future N appears in a flash.]

Future N: “Hey, I’m from the future. Tell him he's ugly!"

N: "You're chubby!"

Uzi: "You can't even get that right?!"

[Time skip.]

[N flosses while Uzi and Khan look at him in confusion and slight exasperation.]

[Time skip. Uzi is struggling to confiscate the gun arm from N.]

Uzi: "N. N!”

N: "Give me the ... No-"

[Jump to previous room.]

N: "I'm really bad at this, aren't I?"

Uzi: "Yeah. Dad is never gonna find out what happened at the campsite.”

N: "Oh, that's what we're doing!"

[N confronts Khan, and Uzi follows.]

N: “Mr. Uzi, I know this is hard for you to hear, but your daughter killed and ate her classmates yesterday!”

Khan: "Yeah, that's fi— wait, what?

[N suddenly shoots Khan with his gun, which shocks Uzi.]

N, sarcastically: "Whoops!"

[musamora]

𝖙𝖆𝖐𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖈𝖆𝖗𝖊 𝖔𝖋 𝖆 𝖘𝖎𝖈𝖐 𝖘/𝖔 「𝔣𝔶𝔬𝔡𝔬𝔯 𝔡𝔬𝔰𝔱𝔬𝔢𝔳𝔰𝔨𝔶」 ༉‧₊˚

from anonymous ⇢ "could you write some hc's about fyodor taking care of a sick s/o? love your work btw!"

content. gn!reader. illnesses (implied pneumonia and influenza), hurt/comfort, dizziness, badly translated russian, cute little headcanons. not proofread. 1.8k+ words.

author's note. thank you for the request! i've been in a bit of a writer's funk lately, so hopefully my little ramblings are good ٩(*•͈ ꇴ •͈*)و ̑̑❀

would you like to see more? fill out the taglist or comment under this post.

synopsis. it had been the perfect day for enjoying the sunshine, only for you to succumb to the symptoms of an unknown illness. unluckily for you, fyodor is gone on a mission, so it's time to fend for yourself.

You had been stuck home for weeks, only allowed to leave for groceries and emergencies. Fyodor was away on a dangerous mission inside the city and wanted to ensure that you were safe and sound at home. It was reassuring to receive letters from him since he was close by, but you had started to succumb to cabin fever.

But tomorrow was supposed to be the perfect day.

You took a cursory peek at the weather the night before, pleased to find local climate conditions suitable for finishing your chores while soaking up some sun. It had been either too hot or too rainy for you to leave the house, but tomorrow would provide the prime opportunity to embrace some fresh air.

But it was not meant to be.

"God," you hissed, stretching your disjointed limbs when the sun blinded you as it peeked between the shutters. Weather conditions were perfect, but it seemed your body raised another issue. Your muscles ached with each pop of your joints — strange, but you assumed you had slept wrong. And then your head began to throb. It was small at first but only increased in pressure and annoyance as the day continued. Your throat was the worst of it, an unfluctuating burning sensation aggravating your nerves every time you swallowed.

You originally wrote off these symptoms — the shift of weather probably had a negative effect on your body. It was nothing some good-ol’ fashioned pain medication couldn’t fight off. A minor cold or headache would be manageable as long as you didn’t strain yourself too much, and you refused to dampen such nice weather, so you trekked onward.

The beginning of your day started in the garden, your fingers fast at work toiling with weeds and watering plants. However, the elevated sensation of spasms crawled up the muscles of your arm, making your fingers twitch with every movement. You fussed, massaging your palm with your fingers, and decided that you had enough gardening for the day — there was no way you could continue in this condition. 

So instead, you embraced the brush of air-conditioning against your sweat-slicked skin, sliding the door shut unceremoniously as you trudged your way over to the kitchen counter. A mound of paperwork loomed ahead, awaiting examination and signatures. It seemed like Fyodor reveled in giving you these menial tasks, either to add or to evade your boredom. You shuffled through the top of the stack, carrying a bundle to sit next to the conditioning unit — otherwise, you’d be tempted to stick ice cubes against your skin to relieve the heat-based dizziness that stirred the neurons of your brain.

Tick. Tick.

The clock clicked onward, and you found your hands more cramped and your eyes more and more strained. Even paperwork had become an arduous task, your muscles twinging with pins and needles in the frigid air. So after you signed your name for what seemed like the thousandth time, you placed the pen and papers on the floor and called it a day. You weren’t getting anything else done in this position, and you honestly did not want to be awake for this day any longer.

It seemed to be one of those days, days when the world mocked your misery with its delightful weather, watching in humor as you stumbled over your own feet to crawl away from its intense gaze. You burrowed into the sheets like a rabbit, the cotton comforter cocooning around your body, substituting the presence of your missing lover. The scent of pine permeated from the sheets — you had sprayed the bed each morning with cologne whenever Fyodor was away — as your muscles unwound, eyes fluttering shut as a tiny smile graced your features.

But the nap did not help.

Instead of arising from your bed with a sense of refreshment and relief, the pounding of your skull ran tremors through your body. Your vision had split into blurred shards of light, hands shaking as you guided yourself into the bathroom. You placed a thermometer against your forehead after a quick rummage through your drawers, leaning against the wall as you waited for the beep. Your legs wobbled as you fought back sleep, wincing when the thermometer rang.

102.2°F.

That was pretty damn high.

Body temperature was the most concerning aspect of your condition, and most of your other symptoms would leave if you had taken care of it, so you focused on that first. After waddling into the kitchen, you strained to reach for a cup inside the kitchen cabinet to fill with water. The entire process became more tedious than usual, and the water splashing against your hands only made your fingers cramp. You popped the medication cap open, downing the pills and chugging the water with conviction before slamming the cup onto the counter.

You stumbled your way into the living room., throwing yourself on the couch as your legs gave up underneath you. Your feet toyed with a blanket on the end, flicking it across your body as you struggled to find the proper ratio for the best cooling effect. It became an on-again, off-again struggle before you gave up, groaning into the scratchy decorative pillow under your head.

Each breath was a struggle, the pressure on your chest acting like a lead weight slowly sinking under the water. You braced yourself on your back, feeling the expansion and contraction of your chest with your hands, fearing that if you stopped tracking each breath, you would stop breathing entirely. 

Shit.

The world went hazy, black dots crawling at the edges of your vision.

Creak!

You moaned, clutching onto the pillow as you covered your ears to shield them from the obtrusive sound. The footsteps that began to enter the room paused before someone rushed to your side. That same person seemed to be talking to you — yes, you knew they had to be — a hand guiding you to sit straight and a gentle voice coaxing your eyes open. It was difficult to see who it was, but that velvety Russian accent made it easier.

"F-Fyodor," you mumbled, squinting at him through clouded eyes. He leaned your body against the back of the couch, kissing your forehead to feel for your temperature. His brow furrowed, eyes examining your body as it tremoured with chills. 

If he had known about this, he would’ve returned sooner.

"Я тут, Я тут. Ты не один, любимая . Я тут."

The moment he strides through the doorway and spots your doubled-over body on the couch, he’ll assess the situation and act with precision. He is an intelligent man, which makes his first instinct to address the issues he can and find the fastest way to cool you down. And knowing him, he would be able to identify your specific ailment with around 95% accuracy.

He may not be a medical professional, but he is well-read and has extensive knowledge of human biological makeup and anatomy. He would also have access to your medical records (whether you know it or not) — it makes it easier for him to look after you, but he’ll never tell you that. 

So his first priority is both bringing your temperature down and stabilizing you. He will refresh the sheets inside your bedroom (smirking at the familiar scent of cologne), laying you down with a cool rag on your forehead. Any time you wake up, you are guaranteed to have water situated inches away from your face. Despite your sore throat, he will not allow you to gargle any salt water. He doesn’t want you to get any more dehydrated.

"You need to drink, мышка. You won’t get better if you're dehydrated."

Your entire bedroom will have turned into a cozy den, allowing you to rest without going completely stir-crazy. A heating pad would lie beneath your back, and a humidifier would be adjusted near your face to clear out your lungs — that’s one of the things that worried him the moment he walked through the door. He was concerned you were slowly suffocating, which he knows is one of the worst ways to go.

He would also massage your sore muscles. Enjoy this treatment while it lasts because he wouldn’t normally do this when you were fully cognizant. He is a bit softer to you in this state because it reminds him of the fragility of the human body. He often forgets (more like doesn’t take into consideration) that his own body is weakened due to his anemia, so this is an excellent wake-up call.

You are going to have a rare chance to eat his food! Fyodor is usually too busy to make any meals, so you have the prime opportunity to enjoy some classic Russian dishes — delicious sour rassolnik and hearty solyanka soups, perfect for soothing your throat and filling your stomach.

After all of this, he would force you to take a bath — but at a lukewarm temperature to ensure you wouldn’t worsen your fever. He would want to get rid of any germs as soon as possible, so he’d make sure that every inch of your body is scrubbed down.

And if you aren’t married, he will not get in the tub with you. He is a traditional man (i.e., no sex until after marriage, etc.), and he is already pushing it by helping you bathe in the first place — because as much as this man secretly loves your body, he has to "maintain the sanctity of your relationship." Though the entire experience would make him think twice about waiting to get married.

If you are married, he might get in the tub with you if you insist. He finds that he can’t say no to you as efficiently when you’re in this much pain, and you both enjoy the feeling of being so close to one another. 

He would still sleep in the same bed as you, but he won’t do any sort of cuddling (not that he does it much in the first place). At most, he’ll hold your hand as you fall asleep, letting you know that he’s there. He’d also read to you if you were struggling with sleeping, ensuring that you get a proper night’s rest.

It is rare to see this man taking care of you in a non-discrete way, so revel in it while it lasts. He will maintain a calm composure throughout the duration of your sickness, but he is genuinely worried for your health. He hates seeing you in pain, and he will do anything to ease it.

For the following weeks, he would not allow you to exert yourself until you have fully recovered. If he sees you overworking yourself, you are immediately chastised and sent back to bed.

"Приле́чь, любимая моя. Ты нужда́ешься в о́тдыхе."

He makes sure to set up a system so that he’ll be notified whenever you’re sick, which could be from having a co-worker monitor you (though he doesn’t like the idea of anyone besides himself having eyes on you) or setting up a camera system in your home. He wants to be aware whenever you’re sick so that, at the very least, he can be prepared for when he arrives back home.

"Идти́ спать, мой Дорогая. Я буду здесь, когда ты проснешься."

мышка = mouse я тут, я тут. ты не один, любимая. я тут. = i’m here, i’m here. you’re not alone, my love. i’m here. приле́чь, любимая моя. ты нужда́ешься в о́тдыхе. = lie down, my love. you need rest. идти́ спать, мой дорогая. я буду здесь, когда ты проснешься. = go to bed, my dear. i'll be here when you wake up.

TAGLIST: @imhandicapableofmath @seisitive

© MUSAMORA 2023 — do not repost or modify my works for any reason. do not steal graphics w/o explicit permission. reblogs are appreciated.

[kozumesphone]

hiii idk if you’re still accepting these for the event… butttt can i please have if you seek amy??

i am emma, i’m 5’4, autistic and adhd, i have short natural blonde curly hair but have it dyed red with brown over it so it’s kinda golden-y red now, i’m a reader, writer, and barista, i love movies, i am a massive swiftie, i love the beach and live in a very warm and sunny place. i wear a lottt of pink, and always wear converse. percy jackson is my favourite thing in the entire universe. i love doing things in the water, swimming, kayaking, and the like. i’m very sarcastic, love little kids, and want to be a stay at home mum more than anything.

thank you!!

⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖

EMERCY ⭑.ᐟ

⟢ “i’m a million dollar baby, don’t at me!”

my brain can not physically see you with anyone other than percy mf jackson.

there’s a pretty good height difference (5’4–6’1) between you guys, but that just makes your hugs more cozier if ykwim

you guys had the childhood enemies to best friends to lovers trope written down from the start!! you probably had a silly fight as kids, but grew closer with time, and became best friends till you were around 11-12 years old

he loves yapping to you about anything and everything, and he loves hearing you yap as well <3 adhd-iac x adhd-iac trope goes so hard with yall!

you probably definitely have tried out your hair dye colours on his hair (he ASKED for it, literally)

you don’t stay at chb all year around, but percy does, so, whenever percy’s out on a quest, he always makes sure to drop by the cafe you work at!

he loves listening to you talk about the books you read, or the novel you’re currently writing btw

you’ve gone to the inside out movies with him, and to a taylor concert right after that <3

also!! cabin 3 kid x beach-lover kid is so perfect?? you’ve had multiple underwater kisses, and collected so many shells + made matching necklaces out of them (he added some shells you collected to his chb necklace)

you’ve both done every water-related activity ever! swimming, snorkelling, deep sea diving, kayaking, speed boating, talking to cute fishies and jellyfishes, you name it!

he’s always loved your dressing style, especially your converse (he thinks they’re very practical to run at a moment’s notice from monsters) + he thinks you look really cute fighting monsters in pink clothes. idk. it’s just a thing.

also, whenever you go over to his house, and sally & paul go out on a date, you both take care of estelle; it’s so so so cute and you always end up with major baby fever!

once, when you both took estelle with you to the grocery store, someone had told you ‘your baby is SO cute!’ and gushed over her in your arms, while percy replied with a simple ‘thanks’, making you blush

you guys definitely plan on having kids in the future!

(as a cabin 3 kid, I 101% approved of yall since the beginning okay)

bonus: you and I hang out more than you hang out with him 🫶

taglist for event — @serendipitous-girl @mqstermindswift @anyas-shitposting69 @skeelly @urmomabby

@sunnitheapollokid @gentlehue @gossip-girl-co @cinemaconrad @mqshido

@flowers-for-em @aezuria @thetunnelunderoceanboulevard @cherigall @percabethluvr

@pjoverseluvr @maybxlle @sweetnnaivete @riordanness @starlitszn

@metyouattherighttime @a-beautiful-fool @sequinsnstars @ssparksflyy @fayvpor

@iheartgirlzn @nomournersnofunerals @over-the-ocean-call @seaglass-and-string @cer3lia

@lara20aral @strawberryapologist @xoxochb @auroraofthesun1 @sophiesonlinediary

@solangelotus @brodieland @s1utlvr @imasimpdealwithit @waitingonher

@nqds @skyrigel @daydream-of-a-wallflower @hermidastouch @catastrxblues

@moon-drop18 @d4rkdi0rrr @hopelesslyromantic-shark @hope92100 @fizzywashere87

event masterlist

kozumesphone © 2024 | don’t repost my works onto other platforms, or edit and post them even on tumblr, without asking me first • don’t steal my works, steal my heart instead • reblogs and comments are more than appreciated !

[prettyoddfever]

if you wish you could hear Cricket & Clover...

so I completely love Razia’s Shadow for being a total masterpiece in its own right, but then there’s the extra bonus of the connections I see with Cricket & Clover:

a musical storyline

a doomed love story with starcrossed lovers

both have a song called “It’s True Love”

they take place in a “strange world” (Ryan’s words for C&C but it fits Razia’s Shadow too)

both have Brendon Urie singing. obvs.

Cricket & Clover started as a concept album with the seven deadly sins. Razia’s Shadow also has biblical imagery woven into its fantasy creation story, the entire fall & redemption arc with salvation through sacrifice (and that prophecy), the prince of darkness disguising himself in the city of light, Cain & Abel figures, the light/dark themes, the Aramaic, and a lot more.

both bands faced challenges for how to fund and conceive the orchestration.

almost no guitar on the whole album

Razia’s Shadow had its first demo in 2006 but started in the studio with 2–3 songs in fall 2007. C&C was scrapped in early summer 2007, so they’re from the same era (and the same label). 

Thomas Dutton was inspired by Moulin Rouge, which was also a huge inspiration for P!ATD in the Fever era. He was also inspired by Aladdin, which Brendon kind of loved. Aaaaand Ryan told Pete during P!ATD’s cabin season that one of their new songs sounded like Aladdin.

Thomas said he was obsessed with Disney movies. C&C was a “Disney-styled fairytale concept album.”

actually, both projects had a major fairy tale quality.

Forgive Durden’s name is a reference to Fight Club’s Tyler Durden so there’s a Chuck Palahniuk connection going on... they also opened for P!ATD for a couple tours.

there are more connections within the lyrics but it feels like a major reach. I’ll just leave it with:

so Brendon plays Pallis and then Thomas Dutton was Adakias and they’re the princes of darkness directly descended from the angel boy who kind of destroyed creation & split the world in his fall, right? (His “young veins were ripe for [evil to grow]” etc). 

some of Ryan’s Cricket & Clover lyrics:

I fell from the heavens as a fetish blessed with an operatic skeleton, and as the stars watch me descend I crack a family tree and chopped off all of the branches

Ryan Ross is thanked in the album’s notes because he was a good friend Thomas said he talked to quite a bit and bounced ideas off of while writing Razia’s Shadow. Ryan also gave feedback, so it seems like they were on the same page! (I’m definitely not attributing anything to Ryan or trying to diminish the genius of Thomas & Paul in any way btw). I just think if you’re a P!ATD fan who’s sad about Cricket & Clover then sometimes the general similarities add another layer of appreciation.

side story: I saved a fan’s recap from when she met P!ATD during the time of Razia’s Shadow’s release in late October 2008 and had them sign her script. She didn't understand what was happening & it’s hilariously sad:

“Brendon made some comment to me about the crazy or amazing... things that come out of Thomas Dutton's mind... Ryan was actually first in line and after handing him the script and telling him that I had been at the listening party the night before, I mentioned that he and the guys ought to do a musical some time... Zack elbowed Ryan and said "YEAH RYAN.” Ryan just kind of looked at me (her friend said he looked sheepish) and said "we tried that already." Awww, sorry Ryan. But you *could* try again, maybe after you've gotten another album or two under your belt? Just a thought.”

update: here’s the Razia’s Shadow playlist & interview with Brendon update #2: Razia is the name of the mountain! update #3: the picture at the top is my cd bundle 

[darkknightsuggestion]

Here’s a lesson how to be an adult with friends with a story about what happens when you don’t know how to be an adult with friends and a lot of grains of salt.

Too long, don’t wanna read? Here. https://twitter.com/woIffangs/status/1261876309518700546

You are in a group chat with your friends and argue with them over conflicting opinions and feel uncomfortable around them at the moment. You want to remove yourself from the stress/discomfort, so what do you do? Do you:

Just leave without a word to leave your friends confused and coming after you to ask you if you’re okay?

Tell them you need some time to cool down from the argument and you’ll be back later, before leaving.

If you picked 1, you’re an asshole. Communicate with your friends so they aren’t confused and worried about you. You’re still friends. Friends can get through heated arguments over differing opinions over pineapples on pizza.

Are you stressed because real life is really giving you the short end of the stick and you feel trapped within your own misery and you’re STILL hung up on that argument, and you just want to leave? What do you do?

Wait for everything to snowball to something worse because you don’t want to bother these people you call friends. Instead, you wait for something to trigger you to leaving again and excommunicating yourself from your friend group.

Tell your friends how you feel, understand that your mental illness could be making you worry too much over things, but you want to take a worry off your shoulders.

If you picked 1, you are wrong. Again, communicate with your friends that maybe you won’t be as talkative, or you feel like an odd one out, or that you’re still feeling awkward from that thing (the argument) that happened a while back, and just talk it over with your friends.

I know my wording is biased as hell, but you cannot tell your friends nothing and then EXPLODE.

I bring this up because someone did this to me and a friend group. I (out of nowhere) was given a halfhearted goodbye message before being blocked everywhere. I had no idea what the fuck happened and thought this person was seeking a permanent solution to their problems given that they’ve been very unhappy recently with their life (and it’s not cabin fever related at all, actually). There was one place they didn’t block me on so I messaged them there to ask if they were okay, because I was worried they were going to hurt themselves and as far as I was aware, we were on good terms. Them blocking me came out of NOWHERE. Everyone in the friend group was hurt by this person’s actions because there seemed to be no reason for them to suddenly just block us like this.

Their reply to me was another halfhearted message that they felt things were awkward w the friend group because of the argument they had with ONE person that happened in the group chat. I told them i’d respect if they wanted to distance themselves and I hope that they have good luck in the future because they deserve happiness (there’s a LOT of context I’m omitting because of privacy reasons). They reply that my well wishing doesn’t mean shit (total change of their tone, btw) and they explode on me about how their life is in ruins because of IRL things happening to them and how they feel like we (the friend group) hate them because we never ask them how they’re doing or initiate conversations... To top it off, it ended with (and I quote) “I have no friends, no family, and a dead end job in an anemic economy. I have a dog. That's it. Maybe that would have been great context for you all to have . . . if I'd thought you wanted to listen.” and then blocked me.

... Excuse me? They are acting like a child. (I say “are” and not “were” because in the time I’ve known them, I know they are still having a tantrum about this.)

Don’t be this person having the biggest tantrum of the century. I’m sorry your life has gotten worse but what the fuck? You can’t just drop a bomb of everything that went wrong in your life (again omitted for privacy, but it was A LOT of stuff they NEVER said ANYTHING about to any of us) to GUILT TRIP?

Gee, I’m sorry we didn’t read your mind and cater to your needs, I guess? No, I can’t be sorry for that. I feel sorry for them that they can’t see how much they ruined their friendships by not talking to us and communicating how they feel.

If you can’t have a normal conversation about Feelings then you’ve got a lot of unsettled personal issues, and cutting out your friends for no reason aside from the reasons your brain tells you is.....wrong. Tell your friends that you feel like they aren’t talking to you as much, or that you don’t feel like you’re part of the group. Most times things like these (especially with friends) is not intentional. We all have our own lives, we all deal with our own shit, and that can make us all behave in ways where we may interpret that “vince hasnt talked to me lately/isn’t starting the conversations anymore. i guess he hates me” when really, I could just be investing my time elsewhere, or going through my own IRL issues. You’ll never know the answer if you don’t confront me about it.

Up until being blocked and then guilt tripped and blocked again, I had been sending them pictures of my dogs, dog memes, and asking about how they’ve been doing, to which they said they were alright, life sucks, but they’re still alive. I was completely blindsided by them suddenly hating my guts. The best thing to note is all of the shit they’re upset about happened when I wasn’t even online for the events that happened. I was fucking asleep but they associate me with the one argument with ONE person in the friend group that they let snowball their feelings. Yikes.

Talk. With. Your. Friends. About. Feelings.

[surrounded-by-superheroes]

The Poisonous Cure Ch. Six

CLICK HERE FOR CHAPTER FIVE.

Summary;  Loki runs into a young girl on his morning walk and is shocked to learn she’s more than just a minor selling herself on the streets. Her web is more tangled than perhaps even his, and she certainly holds as many secrets. He swears to find more about her, but does he really want to?

Author’s Note; Phew, another chapter, yay! Almost to the end here. I’d expect one more chapter, maaaaybe two. Thank you so much to the readers out there. You’re fantastic. Btw, all I have to say about the end of this chapter is; I’m so sorry. Much love, your author.

Warnings; Language, mentions of abuse.

Words; 2,855

Chapter Six

Cabin Fever

“You’re doing it wrong.”

“No, your way is the wrong way.”

“That is incorrect.”

“This is how you cook fucking popcorn!” I shout, close to slapping him. We both stand in front of the microwave, arms crossed and pouts affixed to our lips. “Tony probably told you to cook it over a fire because it takes forever and he’s an asshole. Let me fix it my way and you’ll see it tastes the same.” I try to say calmly, looking over at his fiery eyes.

“Fine.” He snaps and we once again fall silent, watching the bag turn in the golden light of the microwave. We arrived and settled into adjoining bedrooms, then sat on the couch for an hour doing absolutely nothing. I suggested a movie and popcorn, so at least we’d have something to stare at and listen to instead of one another. He’d agreed, although neither of us foresaw the argumentative prospects of cooking the damn popcorn. I can’t wait to pick a movie. After grabbing a bowl and setting it under the microwave, the beeping alerts me to the popcorn being done. I grab it and pour the bag into the bowl as the familiar smell fills my nose. There was a movie theater just down the street from where I worked. I remember the times I’d get into a car and it would smell like this, buttery and warm. Those men were always quick. I’d guess their dates from earlier didn’t feel like putting out, so they resorted to second best. Loki and I walk back to the couch and I hand him the bowl to hold. He stares at the popcorn with distaste.

“Try the fucking popcorn, trench coat. God.” I roll my eyes and open the entertainment center to pick a movie. Thankfully, there are plenty to choose from. “Do you have a particular genre you prefer?” I ask, sitting and twisting my torso to face him nibbling on a piece of popcorn. He raises his eyebrows at me and I turn around, shaking my head. “I take that as a no.” I mumble and continue leafing through the DVDs. Finally, I settle on a classic that I know he’ll enjoy. The Phantom of the Opera.

“What have you chosen?” He asks as I sit next to him after putting the DVD in the player.

“The Phantom of the Opera. It’s a musical, but if you hate singing I don’t give a shit. Pay attention to the words and you’ll love it. I promise.” I instruct as Ghost comes into the room from napping on my bed. Gently, he puts his paws on the couch to ask if he can come up. Rolling my eyes, I move closer to Loki and pat the couch as an invitation. He jostles the two of us a bit, but then lays down and sets his head on my lap. “Good boy.” I whisper and lay an arm on his shoulders. Loki modifies his own sitting position to make space for me and ends up lightly laying his arm behind my shoulders. I’m thankful for the chill, Ghost is a heater.

“What is this picture about?” Loki asks curiously as the previews begin. I skip them all and go to the menu as I explain.

“Well, it’s about a man who is very misunderstood. His only love is the theater he’s taken refuge in, until he meets a girl. But, the girl is interested in someone else. Drama ensues. You’ll like it.” I tell him and press play. “By the way, I see that you’ve eaten half that bowl of popcorn.” He frowns at me and offers the bowl to me, seemingly a bit irritated at being caught. I settle it between the two of us as the movie finally begins to start. We’re both quiet throughout the film, but I glance sneakily at Loki throughout the movie and see him really getting into it. I believe he even tears up a little at the end.

“I enjoyed this. The singing is a tad strange, but the meaning behind the words is still poignant.” Loki thinks aloud, confirming the thoughts I had previously that he would enjoy the film.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.” I tell him genuinely and set the empty bowl of popcorn on the coffee table, earning a slight growl from Ghost because I’ve disturbed him. Leaning back, I sigh. I’m going to make a cup of coffee; do you want one?” I offer and tap Ghost’s nose so he’ll let me up. As I’m walking the mile to the kitchen, Loki follows as my shadow.

“I’ll take black coffee, thanks.” He says and sits at the kitchen table, putting his feet up in another chair. Rolling my eyes, I fix him a quick cup of coffee before starting my own. It seems Tony already stocked the kitchen before we got here, which I don’t know if that’s creepy or not. I’m just grateful. I shove Loki’s feet out of the chair and sit down next to him, setting his coffee down in front of him.

“So, what do you do to pass the time?” I ask, idly taking a sip from my coffee. Loki thinks for a few moments, then stands.

“Reading, pondering my next scheme, but in this particular case I believe we can find something more diverting. I did promise to train you.” I perk up at that.

“Deal. What’s first?” I ask, getting up and following him as he goes outside.

“Something small.” He says with a warning glance and I roll my eyes. “I am going to throw something at you and I want you to stop it, then redirect it.” Loki directs as we separate, him walking away from a motionless me until we’re about ten meters apart. We face off for a few moments, breathing in the sunlight and feeling the rays on our skin. After a couple breaths, Loki whips a dagger out of thin air and chucks it at me. I throw my arms out and everything freezes. The grass and nearby branches stop blowing in the wind as the breeze disappears and the dagger stills. I move to the side and move closer to the dagger, then focus solely on that, letting everything else move again. I put my hand over the blade and the handle without touching it and try pushing the invisible field around it. The blade teeters a little and just barely moves away from me.

“Ugh.” I groan, but don’t give up. Suddenly Loki’s beside me and I nearly drop the blade out of surprise.

“No offense, but I don’t think it’s moved.” He drolls and I’m tempted to just grab the blade to stab him. My focus heightens and it moves an inch. Loki sighs and puts his hand on the handle, so I drop my focus.

“I would have gotten it!” I defend myself as he tsks.

“You’re thinking too hard. Magic isn’t like a bow. You don’t have to pull back, wait, then strike. You just strike. It’s a reflex.” He points the blade at me and smiles slyly. “You’re thinking too hard, sorceress.” He tells me and suddenly flicks his hand out with the blade. I stop him with a hand just in front of his own wrist, the blade inches from my throat. I smirk, rage burning through me as we stare into one another’s eyes. I back up and raise my leg, releasing him just as I kick his chest, grinning at the satisfying oomph that slips from his lips. “See? Reflex.” He groans, getting up with a slightly brighter grin on his face.

“Don’t threaten me like that, Loki.” I warn and his eyes turn wide.

“I don’t threaten, I’m teaching.” He clarifies and suddenly tosses the dagger at me. My hands react instantly, pushing out and up. The dagger follows my hands trajectory until my hands lower and it just falls to the ground. Loki grins and picks it up. “Like I said, reflex.” He tells me smugly and I resist punching his face. “By the way…” He waves a hand over the dagger and it turns into a simple stick. “Never trust your eyes, sorceress. If you’d just touched it you’d have known.” Loki explains and hands it to me just to prove he’s telling the truth. Then, he kneels and looks into my eyes. “I am not trying to harm you and you can place your trust in me. I swear to you, dear one.” His eyes burn, but not just because of their color. It seems he’s genuine and he has proven this to me multiple times, but I dislike trusting others with anything. I stare at him a moment more before nodding once.

“You have my trust.” Loki smiles brightly, and I freeze him for a second, making him look like a charming statue. “But if you betray it, I swear that you will regret it more than anything else in your life.” I tell him fiercely, my own eyes blistering with the fervor of my promise. When he’s released his grin doesn’t waver.

“I’d expect nothing less.” He tells me quietly and coaxes a small smile from me. After a quick and cold kiss to my cheek, he’s up and walking with a stick in his hand once more. “Come, let us go again.” He beckons and I nod, ready. We go again and again until I can move the stick without thinking, redirecting it seamlessly.

“How do you multiply yourself?” I ask, just a little out of breath. I’m lucky, with my temperature the air outside is near freezing on my skin, including the sun. Loki must feel like an ice cube in boiling water. He steps towards me and we meet in the middle.

“Visualization is half of magic. If you can see it, you can make it. So, visualize another you in front of yourself. Start off with only one.” Loki instructs and stands beside me, a constant presence that lends me strength. For a moment I shut my eyes, picturing another me in front of myself. “Good, good.” Loki encourages and it makes me push harder. My eyes open and I see myself staring back, although it’s blurry and imperfect. My head aches with the effort of it, but finally the image is perfect. Interestingly enough, it’s easier to maintain than to conjure.

“Why is it so…dead?” I ask, not knowing a better word to describe it. Loki chuckles and walks around it while nodding.

“While you conjured it quite well, making it move and speak requires more practice and more energy. I think we’re done for now, let us retire.” He tells me and I nod, releasing the figure and watching it fade like a picture on t.v. We walk in and I collapse on the couch with Ghost. He barely lifts his head at the disturbance. My eyes shut as I lean my head back on the back of the couch. I flinch when something cold touches my forehead, my eyes snapping open. I relax when I see it’s only Loki with a small, damp, washcloth and let him lay it on my forehead.

“Sorry. You surprised me.” I apologize, a little shocked at his gesture. He nods once, his movements more hesitant than usual.

“My…mother would do this for me after a training session. She was the one who taught me all I know.” He tells me quietly as I stare at him. “Although for me, the washcloth was always warm and she’d always serve me a special tea with it.” He confides in a quiet and calm voice.

“She knew about your form?” I ask gently, curious to hear about his parents. After all, I have no memory of mine. He nods and sits on the edge of the coffee table facing me.

“Both of my parents knew and they hid it from me most of my life. Mother never cared, though. I was always and shall always be her son.” His words now have an edge, but I like the sound of his mom.

“It sounds like you were lucky, Loki.” I tell him hesitantly, hoping not to upset him. His lips curve up into a small smile.

“With my mother and brother, I certainly was.” Loki allows and stands once again. “Would you care for some tea? The ingredients won’t be the same as my mother used, but…” Loki offers vulnerably and I nod.

“Yes, thank you.” I respond and press my lips together to keep from giggling when he turns around. I hate tea and have always hated tea. It tastes like grassy water, but if Loki is going out of his way to be nice I’ll drink a gallon to make him happy. In my experience, when someone who goes out of their way to do something and you don’t let them for whatever reason, it discourages them. I’m happy to let him do things for me if he wants to. It’s nice. He returns with his hands behind his back and asks me another question.

“Uh, would you like me to draw you a bath?” Loki asks and I can tell by the movement of his forearms that he’s wringing his hands. He’s nervous? That’s weird.

“Sure.” I respond and he nods once, heading to the bathroom. I watch him go curiously. I have no clue what he’s up to, but it’s amusing, whatever it is. “What do you think, Ghost?” I whisper and scratch his head. He blinks up at me with his golden eyes, but there are no answers there. Gently, I run the wet cloth around my entire face and neck, then get up and leave it around my neck. I head into my room to get some clothes to change into after taking a bath. God, I can’t remember the last time I took an actual bath, if I ever have. My go to is a day dress; a navy dress with pink flowers that falls to my calves and has a slit that goes up to my upper thigh. It has spaghetti straps and the neckline is a v-neck. Overall, one of the more conservative dresses I have. After grabbing that, underwear, a bra, and my iPod, I fold them up and head into the bathroom. Loki is surprisingly absent, so I just set my clothes on the counter.

“Is the water the appropriate temperature?” He asks, suddenly appearing in the doorway.

“I don’t know, I haven’t tested it yet.” I tell him, smiling at the tea in his hands. He sets it down on the small ledge beside the tub as I dip my fingers into the water. It’s freezing. “Wow, this is perfect!” I tell him genuinely.

“Good. I cooled it with my own hands, so it should stay cold a great deal longer than normal.” He explains and I’m shocked by his thoughtfulness. I cross my arms over my chest and purse my lips.

“Loki, do you want something from me?” I ask timidly, not wanting to anger him. His eyebrows furrow. “In my experience, when someone is kind it’s because they expect something in return.” I explain and his expression clears. He leans against the doorway and shakes his head.

“I do not wish to garner anything from you, little one. Well, perhaps your trust, but that is all.” He tells me and his voice is sincere. I nod and sigh, letting my arms fall to my sides.

“I’m sorry. I just…” I trail off, really not knowing what to say.

“Your apology is not warranted. I understand your feelings.” Loki reveals and straightens from his spot. “I’ll leave you to your bath.” He turns, locks the door from the inside like I like, and gets ready to walk out.

“Loki.” I call out and he pauses. I walk over and kiss his cheek. “Thank you. I appreciate everything you’re doing.” I tell him vulnerably and half-smile when he does, then let him shut the door. Sighing, I strip and lower myself into the water, hearing an audible sizzle as my skin touches it. It’s the absolute perfect temperature and I’m shocked to find that the tea he left is delicious. Remembering my music, I reach over and put in my earbuds, then turn the music up all the way. I let myself relax into the water and it’s incredibly soothing. I can see why people do this. I have no clue how long I’m in the tub, but the tea is long gone and the water is warm from my body heat when I finally get out. After drying off and putting on new clothes I feel like a new person. I take out my earbuds and turn off my iPod, then unlock the door. When I open the door, my mouth drops open. The place is trashed. Everything is either broken, knocked over, or both. Groaning calls my eyes down and to the right, finding Loki sitting next to the door. One thing turns my blood to ice.

He isn’t moving.