#this is why sindri wants to give him a kiss

[sohm-wehs]

going through the crystal tower quests on Fornhesh and i forgot how much of a dork g'raha is, I missed this little dweeb. he's so small.... Little dude

[ravenloop]

Hey! Love your writings! Would love to see you write something for Sindri, Tyr, Thor and/or heimdall with a giantess reader who is taller than the boys (feel free to change any of the boys or lower the amount by picking your favs!)

Headcanons: Sindri, Tyr and Heimdall with a giantess S/O

AN: WOOOOOO I LOVE TALL GIRLS STUFF! Also I did a lotta stuff for Thor recently so i decided to leave him out of this one. Hope you dont mind :)

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Sindri:

Considering he's a dwarf, Sindri isn't ever really surprised when he sees someone taller than him. That also applied for when he first met you.

You were a giant so of course you would be taller than him, it was expected.

But man, he never actually thought that he'd ever date a giant!

He gets very shy and flustered around you, even more than he normally is when you're not there. Brok teases him about it a lot and he somehow gets even less composed.

You tease him a lot about how much taller than him you are, those times Sindri likes to retort. It's all fun and games of course, just loving bickers.

He builds a bed in his treehouse home that can accommodate your size, just so you don't have to sleep all cramped or uncomfortable in the smaller beds.

Though Sindri ends up sleeping in it more than you do cause DAMN it's comfy as hell to sleep on something big enough to be your house.

You both take naps together and he knows that he's never leaving until you wake up cause you always trap him in you're limbs that are way heavier than he ever will be. Sindri could just use his dwarven teleportation ability but why would he?

Whenever he wants to kiss you he taps on your leg/thigh in a silent request for you to kneel down. Sometimes you just pick him up and kiss him which both scares and oddly arouses him.

What can he say? He's a sucker for a tall lady. And that lady happens to be you.

Týr:

From the moment you both met, Týr knew you two would become good friends.

He was right, you definitely became friends and a lot more.

It had been so long since Týr met another giant of his size - or someone around his size.

You were definitely taller than him which he didn't mind, he was just happy that he didn't have to worry about spraining his neck to look down at you.

Kissing you is also a relief! You're a bit taller but still the perfect kissing height. Sometimes you even catch Týr off-guard by grabbing him and pulling the god into a kiss - but he isn't complaining. Not one bit.

You tease him about being taller. Týr is a good sport though and only gives a hearty chuckle. He isn't phased by your teasing and knows it's just your nature.

Both of you share giant problems with one another as well. There just isn't enough things in the nine realms made with Jötnar in thought.

It's also easier for the two of you to have a passionate time in bed. I will not elaborate further.

You also spoon him in bed because you're bigger, and its very strange at first for Týr but he gets used to it quickly.

Týr also shares his stories from when he traveled to other lands with you, most of his stories he also talks about how he met other giants.

Overall, it's a very loving, happy and teasing relationship, all the teasing comes from you.

Heimdall:

Oh gods, how did this relationship even start is the real question.

Heimdall absolutely despises the Jötnar, all of the Aesir did. So how you of all people managed to become his partner baffles both of you.

Even when you start dating he's still snarky and rude to you.

And if you tease him about being shorter than you... Oh may the nine realms unite to help you because the gods certainly won't.

He calls you things like, "Long stuff" "Sky high" and just "Mountain." You have no idea if it's out of spite or love but you like to think it's a bit of both.

You're too tall for most chairs and Heimdall finds it hilarious seeing you sit with your knees to your chest. After a while you started sitting on the floor at tables, Heimdall's sad about it.

Sparring with you is an amusing and somewhat terrifying experience. All Heimdall sees is a tall, shadowy figure coming at him. Foresight of course helps him avoid you but that doesn't make it any less frightening. Not that he'd admit he's scared.

He doesn't kiss you in public and only does it when you're sitting down in your shared room, it makes him feel a little taller that way. Plus it means he doesn't have to ask you to bend, that would just mean accepting you're taller.

You also mess with him by pretending he's too far to hear so you have to bend down. It annoys him to no end but you find the way his face gets red too cute to stop.

It won't seem like it at first but he is in love with you. The way he acts in private tells you that, and you also love your Irritable little man.

[6rookie-writer0110]

Request - For the Headcanon of Sam Arias dating y/n who is the God of War (y/n is exactly like Kratos but in this story after he killed his father Zeus with the power of "Hope," the chains that bind him released and the ashes of his wife ans daughter that makes up his ghostly skin

•When you started dating Sam, you didn't talk about your past life.

•You didn't open up to her right away. But she knows that you care for her and Ruby.

•You would barely sleep but when you sleep next to your girlfriend you won't have nightmares.

•You are happy with Sam. She does like to cuddle which you don't mind.

•Sometimes, you would surprise Sam at work. She would be so busy that she forgets to take her lunch break and you would bring food.

•Ruby did ask questions about why your skin was white like a ghost.

•Sam did apologize for what her daughter said but you said it was okay. You knew eventually you would have to tell Sam everything about your past.

•She is very affectionate with you.

•Kara and others have caught Sam kissing you. They are supportive of the relationship.

•You had a nightmare and Sam did comfort you.

•You went back home to Sparta, Greece.

•Brok and Sindri recognized you and they are happy to see you.

•You spend time talking to them. You tell them your Twin Blades Of Chaos broke while fighting.

•Blacksmiths Brok and Sindri decided to make a Leviathan Axe for you. They surprised you with it also they made you a new shield.

•You spend a few more days back home.

•When you went back to National City, Sam became happy to see you. She hugged you and she started to kiss you.

•Sam takes you out for dinner.

“Right now?”

“Of course. What could be more romantic than watching my boyfriend go toe-to-toe with an 80-ounce steak” Sam smiled.

“You are funny, Sam”

“I know” Sam smiled again.

•Sam and Ruby were in kidnapped, by Freya.

•Kara told you what happened, but you didn't want to wait and do nothing.

•You grabbed your gold shield and Leviathan axe.

•” Y/N!” Sam yelled.

Sam and Ruby are tied up. Then Freya showed up.

“Leave them out of this. This is between you and me”

“Y/N, I told you that I would make you feel the same pain I felt when you killed him,” Freya said.

“I don't want to kill you”

“Then I will kill you,” Freya said.

Freya started to run towards you. You used your Guardian Shield to block her attack, Sam and Ruby watched you fight Freya. Kara and Alex arrived to help but you told them not to get involved.

•Freya didn't kill Sam and Ruby.

•After the situation, you tell Sam about your past life. You tell her how your wife and child died.

•You tell her how you killed your father Zeus. It took a while for Sam to understand what you just told her.

“He was consumed with evil and death. I had no choice but to stop him”

“Now, I understand why you don't talk about him,” Sam said.

“I refused to give Athena the power of Hope, I was tired of being used as a pawn”

“What happened next?” Sam asked.

“Instead impaled myself with the Blade of Olympus, and thereby released the power, which granted Hope to humanity. Athena, after she said that Mortals couldn't wield such power, pulled out the Blade of Olympus from my torso and walked away. I laid on the ground and dying, found solace of my actions, had finally forgiven myself for the murder of my family, and felt ready to let the Underworld take me. However, I was cursed by the gods to forever walk the earth for my sins I will understand if you don't want to see me anymore”

“I’m going to need time, Y/N,” Sam said

“Okay,”

•You didn't speak with Sam for weeks, you wanted to give her space.

•Sam surprised you and she wanted to try again.

•Sam wants to help you grieve. She helped you spread the ashes of your wife and child into the ocean.

•Sam stands next to you and she is holding your hand.

“Calliope would always play with the flute I craved for her. I still remember the music”

“She sounds like a wonderful girl,” Sam said.

•After spreading their ashes, your ghostly skin disappeared. And your skin goes back to normal then Sam gives you a peck on the lips.

•The relationship has gotten stronger and Sam trusts you again. She can see how you bond with Ruby and that makes her happy.

[izthepup]

Brok Catch-up

This will include spoilers, and cussing. Well, by cussing I mean the word but somewhat censored. Minor mentions of drunkenness, drugs, and uh... how do I say this... a mention of a... a... juicy nokken -sobbing sounds- ITS SCARY

———If you were a Valkyrie———

- He asks for you to take off your helmet / mask every so often

- Actually a lot

- "Oh come on, take off ya (helmet / mask.) We all know you're a pretty son of a b-"

- Well, the pretty part is something kind of rare, he only says it sometimes

- Sometimes he might just take the helmet off- if he can even reach it

- Mainly his only chances are when you're sitting or laying down

- But he will ask sometimes 

- Behind closed doors either you take it off, or he's gonna grab it off of your head 

- He's in between about flying 

- Once you offered

- "Nahh. My blue toes are meant to stay on the ground, not high up."

- You just grabbed him and tossed him on your back.

- "HEY YA SON OF A B-"

- Then he realized it was fun

- "AHAHAAHAHA LOOK AT ALL THOSE BAS-"

- He doesn't care too much about being touched by your wings, but he is kind of surprised how soft they are

- "Huh. Ya wings are pretty soft."

- He probably has made new armor for your wings- and just for you overall

———Your Best Friend + Friends———

- Sindri

- You love him as a brother 

- Brok likes to mess with him by putting stuff in his infinite bag

- Sometimes you help him by distracting Sindri or just giving brok an idea of what to put in it

- You probably give him ideas of stuff not too bad

- Atreus too

- You see him kinda like a little brother, maybe even a nephew

- Mimir

- Mimir gives brok riddles

- Brok gives Mimir riddles

- Sometimes you give them riddles

- Sometimes they give you riddles 

- Kratos maybe

- sometimes he talks to you and brok 

- when brok goes on adventures with him (which is rare), sometimes you tag along.

———How you cuddle + hug———

- He doesn't cuddle or hug too much

- Every now and then he does hug

- Sometimes he cuddles

- When he hugs, it's just like a normal hug you might expect

- Basically him wrapping his arms around you

- When he does cuddle, basically it's mainly three ways

- 1) He'll wrap his arms around your torso, and put his face almost in your arm- [If you are laying down]

- 2) He'll wrap one arm around you and rest his head on your chest

- 3) He'll just fall into your lap and expect you to let him just stay there

- In fact he'll probably make you stay there

- He doesn't care if others see

- You could be chilling, alone or in front of others and he'll just plop himself onto your lap

- "Oh stop gawking. Can't I hang out with my b-"

———Kisses———

- Pretty much anywhere

- Hand? 

- Sure, if he's feeling like it

- Face?

- Yep! If he can reach it

- Neck?

- Kinda weird, but yeah if he wants to mess with you

- Nose? 

- Mhm.

- Eskimo kisses?

- Nope.

- Lip locking?

- Yeah, mainly behind closed doors though.

- He mainly gives sloppy kisses-

- He'll do normal speed kisses most of the time

- If he has to go

- "ALRIGHT, HOLD ON A DANG MINUTE. Geez.."

- He'll either not kiss you if he really has to leave 

- But if it isn't urgent, he might give you a kiss- just barely quicker than normal

———Do you wear each other's clothes———

- He won't wear yours.

- If you wore his, he'd be confused

- "What the f-"

- "Why are ya wearing my clothes?"

- He'd say both of those of course

- He'd let you wear it for a little bit

- Then he'll ask for them back

———If they heard you sing———

- He'd watch you

- He thought you sang pretty good

- When you finished

- "Why did ya stop? Continue, don't mind my gawkin."

———When they get jealous———

- He probably took you to a bar

- just so you could meet some of his old drinking buddies

- Unfortunately a bunch of people were pretty drunk 

- They begun flirting with you

- He was talking to his old drinking buddies, before he realized you weren't there

- Then he saw you, and he got jealous after seeing some people flirting with you

- "HEY! STOP MAKIN PIG EYES AT Y/N! THIS IS MINE."

- You dragged him out before he started a bar fight

- "Brok, were you jealous?"

- He gave you a look before answering.

- "Maybe a little. But those dumb bas- were flirting with you."

———If they walk in on you changing———

- He asked the others where you were

- He wanted to ask you something

- He didn't even knock, he just barged in

- "HEY, Y/N! WHAT DO-"

- "Wow, you have a hot bod-"

- He'd say both of course

- You'd probably be throwing things at him to get him out

- "ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT, I'LL LEAVE. CALM DOWN."

- If you asked 

- "Hmmmm. Fine, only 'cause I'm so nice."

- He didn't seem embarrassed at all

- He wasn't embarrassed at all, either

———Everyday life / sorta headcannons———

- He'd call you things like a son of a b-, idio-, sunshine

- He would be putting dead things in Sindri's bag sometimes 

- He'd make you armor and weapons, free of charge

- well, you do have to find the materials

- he might make you pay for the weapon or armor with a kiss or something like that

- he enjoys making Sindri clean stuff up sometimes 

- he isn't embarrassed about doing hugs, kisses, or hand holding in public

- In fact, he'd probably do it in public specifically to make people jealous

- you two mainly hang out in Sindri's house

- you can go to Alfheim, but brok can't after Uhm...

- teaching the elves what a "Juicy Nokken" is

- ITS NOT INNOCENT TO SAY THE LEAST

- so you two don't go to Alfheim that often

- he doesn't give compliments that often, but he will compliment you

- If you get badly hurt, there's a few things he might do 

- 1) Grab a bandage or some cloth and wrap it around the wound

- 2) Try to carry you to safety before trying to tend to the wound

- 3) Get Kratos or Atreus to help him by either carrying you, or help tend to your wounds

- If you are a god, it won't really change his view of you

- he doesn't really know how to react to compliments

- well, he kinda does, some times he doesn't know how to react

———After his death———

- Everyone felt bad for you and sindri 

- You weren't the same after witnessing your loved one's death

- Sindri only trusted you 

- He would only hang out with you

- He was a little bit like his old self after a while, but still different 

- Atreus would try to apologize to you and Sindri

- You and Sindri probably still lived in his house

- Just, whenever Kratos and Atreus would come in, you two would just stay in Sindri's room.

———If you were sick———

- He'd ask Mimir what to do

- He'd make you soup

- if you ordered him around, he'd grudgingly do it

- "I don't see why ya can't do it yourself, dumb a-"

- But he'd still take care of you

- If you refused to sleep he'd make you sleep

- "Oh c'mon, just go to sleep already."

- If you can't sleep, he'd get Mimir to tell him a story to tell you- or get Mimir to tell you a story 

———During your period———

- "What the f- is a period?"

- You explained it

- "And are ya sure it isn't killing you?"

- He wasn't entirely convinced that you weren't slowly dying

- "Alright, alright I'll get you what you need I s'ppose."

- He doesn't know how to make tea

- He'll either say 

- "Suffer than. I can't helps ya with those cramps of yours."

- (yes I put s at the end of random things cause he sometimes talks like this SHUSH)

- Or he'll grudgingly ask Sindri to make it

- "Y/N, ya know what I went through for this 'tea'? Ya had better appreciate all of my hard work."

———Soulmate AU———

- At first he didn't believe in soulmates

- "What a bunch o' hog sh-"

- Then he met you

- He still didn't completely believe in soulmates, but he did love you

- And he did get irritated at your connection-

- Your Connection: Whatever one of you is eating, the other craves

- If you are eating something and he can't eat at the moment

- if you are close to him: 

- "GOD DAMMIT Y/N-"

- If you aren't close to him he'll mutter the thing above

———If you almost died———

- He'd be panicking 

- "Y/N! SINDRI, GET THE F- OVER HERE WITH THOSE BANDAGES! KRATOS, YA BETTER COME TOO!"

- He made Kratos carry you to safety since he saw that you were in a too fragile state for him to try to carry you

- But before Kratos carried you, he wrapped the wound

- His hands can be surprisingly graceful and quick 

- You don't die:

- He'd be relieved

- You opened your eyes to him next to you

- His eyes were red and puffy, but he didn't seem like he had been crying

- when he saw you were alive:

- "Well, sh-. You're alive!"

- He would keep you in the house at least a week after you have healed

- If you tried to leave before then:

- "Oh, no no nope. Ya aren't gonna leave yet." 

- If you went out to adventure, he'd either

- 1) Go with you

- 2) Get Atreus (or freya), or Mimir to watch you to make sure you are safe.

- If you did die:

- "Y/N! NO, YA AREN'T ALLOWED TO LEAVE ME! C'MON, HANG IN THERE!"

- Whoever didn't help, he'd blame them

- "THIS IS YOUR FAULT! ALL YOUR F-ING FAULT! IF YOU HELPED, THEY WOULD STILL BE ALIVE!"

- His voice would be breaking / cracking

- He would probably drink more often

- He might be a little closer to sindri, and not close to whoever didn't help

- He would trust others a little less

- He might make less snarky comments or responses

- Probably be a little more quiet, and seem more tired than usual

———Their reaction to a hybrid———

- You, Sindri, Atreus, and Brok were at Sindri's house 

- Kratos was on a sort of adventure with Freya

- You got brok to come outside the house

- But there was a sort of Lindwyrm outside

- It looked like a mix of  Dragon and a lindwyrm, since it had wings

- But it was friendly

- it still seemed like a young lindwyrm, too

- "What the f-? What is that?"

- Brok was very confused

- He didn't know too much about monsters, but he knew that there weren't any known hybrids 

- He wanted to brag about it to others

- He probably told sindri something like

- "Look at what Y/N and I discovered! It's better than anything ya could ever find."

- He was mainly smug about it to others, but he was actually curious 

- he probably asked Mimir about it

———Big spoon, little spoon———

- He'd probably be a big spoon

- Sometimes he would be a little spoon

- He likes the feeling of being able to protect you as a big spoon

- He's a confident one, so he doesn't really think that he needs protecting

- But he'll mainly be a little spoon if he's in a bad mood

- it makes him feel like you'll protect him from all of his problems

Also sorry I don't really know how to write brok, so I'm just trying my best- same for sindri ;v;

Yeaa they're probably gonna be outta character sorry

[thetempleofthemasaigoddess]

Vassal of the King (part 8)

Frerin x OFC

Author's annotations are here!

*****

Frerin is one hundred and twenty years old on the day he finds himself at a crossroad.

It is a difficult period for both of them. Verdandi's mother, mistress Sigyn, has passed into the Halls a month ago, throwing the Dwarf woman into despair; she cries constantly, and does not get out of the house unless she really cannot help it, spending hours alone in her room. Frerin, who has known the same pain and the same loss when he was still a boy (sometimes he thinks it is a good thing his mother never saw her family wandering around Middle-earth without a home and her husband lose his mind and disappear, but her death on the day of Smaug's attack is an agony he knows he will never heal from) does his best to comfort and console her, but he does not know how, and no matter how strong and deep is the love and the affection between them, and while she appreciate the effort, he has the impression his wife does not actually wants him around.

Verdandi, who is always happy to share her joy and help those in need, is private in her pain; she hides her sadness, her tears, not so much pretending everything is all right but withdrawing into herself, bearing her loss in private and behind a shut door. Frerin's by now familiar sense of helplessness returns once more, and the thought that his wife does not want him close in a moment like that wounds him, but he hopes that the baby Verdandi is carrying in her womb will give her the strenght to keep going and to smile again.

Four weeks later (in a terrible, bloody day in which Skuld comes see him at the forge in the middle of the morning, and Frerin understands what has happened without the need for his sister-in-law to speak, looking at her ashen face and red eyes is enough) Verdandi loses the baby. Skai has no idea why: the Dwarf woman is young and healthy, and the sadness for the loss of her mother did not cause her to neglect her health or to forget their unborn baby needed to be taken care of. Still, it happens, and the sibling she and Frerin had hoped to give Sindri passes into the Halls, before their parents had had the time to give them a name, too small to even reveal whether they would have been a boy or a girl.

Frerin is beside himself with pain. He cries every night, all night, asking Mahal the reason for that tragedy, and tormenting himself with the (completely unreasonable; but if there has been a moment in his life he has been able to think clearly, this is not it) suspicion the Maker is punishing him for running away from his duties towards his family and kin. He holds Sindri against him, he brings the child wherever he goes, including the forge, which the child had until now been forbidden to enter out of fear he might hurt himself, prey of an irrational but persistent fear something terrible might happen to him as well, if Frerin is not there to protect him. Quiet, reserved Sindri does not ask questions, but uncle Skai has explained to him the loss of the little sibling he had not even known of until then, and he does his best to comfort his parents with his love: he hugs them, kisses them, keeps them company and attempts to distract them as often as he can. It helps, very much, but it is not enough, not yet.

Verdandi has closed into herself even more than before, hiding her guilt and hatred for herself behind walls so high not even her sister, and her child, and her husband, can reach her. At night, she lies on the bed, unmoving, turning her back to Frerin to clearly communicate she does not wish to be touched, in any way. Frerin is tormented by the suspicion his wife blames him for what has happened, since he had been the one to propose they try for another child and even if she had enthusiastically accepted. A distance has grown between them, where before they were so close, physically (even though abstinence is the least of his worries, since he would rather wait before trying again as well, and his libido has never been so low) and spiritually, a gesture or a look were enough to make each of them perceive what the other was thinking; he fears the tragedy they suffered will destroy his family, and everything he and his beloved, darling wife have built together, all the happy moments and the hopes for their future. It is a terrifying prospect, enough to keep him awake at night, praying and tormenting himself as he searches for a solution.

It is in moment like this that he wishes the most his mother and sister were still with him; as women, they could perhaps help him decide how to best comfort his wife. But his mother has passed into the Halls years ago (and maybe she is with the baby now, as is mistress Sigyn; it is a sweet thought, even though it does not help either) and Dís is almost as far from him, and no matter how fond Frerin is of Skuld, and Skai, and the good Dwarves of Tharak Bazan, there is no one he can ask for help. He is worried for his wife and her well-being, and for Sindri, who is naturally affected by the tension infecting the house like a plague, and then he has his own pain to deal with, the sense of loss and mourning for something that was as little as his finger and still so precious, a darkness that no one and nothing can seem to help him find a light in...

Had the child been a boy, they would have named him Thorin; Verdandi had been the one to propose it, and Frerin had loved her for that.

One day, two months after Verdandi's miscarriage, Skai comes see him at the forge minutes before he is meant to close; the two reach the closest tavern (not The Axe and the Holly, but one he has never been with Verdandi) and drink more than they should. Frerin is sincerely fond of his brother-in-law, and to stay out of the house for a while, to vent and express his frustration and helplessness, and maybe to forget his woes in the ale, is liberating, and exactly what he needs.

They have reached the bottom of their fourth tankard when Skai, searching for a topic of conversation other than his siblings-in-law's recent tribulations and completely unaware of the effect those words will have on Frerin, asks: "By the way, have you heard the news about Erebor?"

Frerin almost chokes on his ale.

Erebor has been reclaimed. Apparently it has to do with a strange little creature hailing from the lands west of the Anduin river, and the honor of killing the dragon belongs to the heir of the King of Dale, not to the Dwarves, but it is true: Smaug is dead, and the Line of Durin has taken back what is theirs.

They have returned home.

To keep his calm, to prevent Skai (who is more than tipsy at the moment, but still much more perceptive than many Dwarves) from suspecting what he is feeling and how much those news affect him, is one of the hardest things Frerin has even had to do, but he pulls it off, and his brother-in-law is happy to tell him everything he knows (which is very little, but at least he is sure of what he is reporting, since apparently the whole city has talked about nothing else since early morning) thinking Frerin is simply curious, and happy to think about something other than the loss of his child.

That night, after a quiet dinner, Frerin sits on the steps out of the door, lits his pipe and smokes, silent and alone, as he looks at the stars.

Thorin is the new King of Erebor. Skai was not completely sure of the name, but he is called ashenshield or something of the sort, he said, so Frerin has no doubt: it is really his brother - his stubborn, brave, reckless, beloved older brother.

Frerin is happy, of course; he is overjoyed, as much as he can be after Verdandi's miscarriage, and part of him wants to kneel and give thanks to the Maker from now to eternity, thanking Him for not forsaking the Line of Durin. The other part of his heart, though, is troubled: Thorin is alive, but what about the others? Dís, and Balin and Dwalin, and all the others? Did they find out what happened to his father?

Part of him wishes he could go back; now that it is safe to do so, and that others have toiled and risked their lives. The thought fills him with shame, but Frerin cannot help it, nor can he lie to his heart, and as he creates smoke rings that idly dissolve in the cool night air, and as Verdandi observes him, unseen, from the window of their bedroom, he lets his thoughts wander, and fantasies fill his mind. He imagines going back to Erebor, being a prince, a brother and a King's heir once more, sleeping in the large and comfortable room of his childhood and living among the riches and the luxuries he was born in. He dreams of showing his homeland to Vedandi and Sindri, and he is sure they would love him just like he does, that Dís and Verdandi would love each other like sisters, that his family would grow fond of the child, and that him, Frerin, could finally give his family everything they deserve, and that they want, instead of a simple and modest existence, lived considering every little expense and saving in fear of harder times.

He dreams of Thorin; to make peace with him, to apologize and see himself forgiven, and to tell him I love you, and to hear him say I love you as well, little brother. That for him would be enough.

Those are dreams and nothing more. Frerin cannot go back and he knows; first of all because Dwarves are slow to forget any wrong they have suffered, and he has never known anyone more capable of bearing a grudge than Thorin, son of Thráin, son of Thrór, King under the Mountain. Almost fifty years have passed since he ran away, but it could have been fifty centuries, and nothing would change: Frerin knows his brother has not forgiven him, and that if they were to meet Thorin would still hold his past sins against him, the way he ran when he was needed the most, abandoning his family until he could return and undeservingly enjoy the fruit of his kinsmen's sacrifices. And while Frerin might perhaps endure the shame, he could never bear to have his wife and son witness it.

And after all, he does not want to return; not really. He was not made to be a prince, this he has always known; he could never accept the responsibilities, the obligations the role entiles, he knew this on that night at the gates of Khazad-dûm and now, half a century later, he is more sure than ever. He is Fjalar, a smith and a husband and a father, not Frerin, prince and heir (unless Thorin has children of his own; it might be) and this is a choice he has never regretted. His life is here, with his wife and son, and no matter how much he misses his siblings and his friends, no matter how he wishes they could remember him with love instead of scorn, he knows Verdandi and Sindri are far more precious a treasure than anything guarded in the depths of the Mountain. He will never ask for anything he has not worked for and earned; not for him and not for his family. What he has is enough, and probably more than he deserves.

Even when he feels he has lost a part of him, like now.

In the end, Frerin lets his pipe go out and goes back inside. He is about to head to Sindri's little room to make sure the child is asleep before going to bed himself, but something stops him as if he had walked into a wall.

Placed on the kitchen table, neatly filled with his clothes and other possessions, is the old bag Frerin had taken with him from Azanulbizar, that he had always used in his wanderings and that, since he has hardly ever left Tharak Bazan after he met Verdandi, has long been buried at the bottom of a closet. Inside, there is everything he needs for a long journey: a water bottle, his warmer cloak, half of the coin they keep in the house, folded clothes so that they will not wrinke. Frerin looks at it, in the silent and dark room, for five minutes, disbelieving at first, and then simply sad.

Verdandi has packed his bag.

She is not telling him Go, I do not care. It would be easy to believe so, but he likes to think he knows his wife better than that, and no matter how tense things are between them, Verdandi would never ask him to leave, or even let him go without trying her best to stop him.

No, Verdandi is saying Go, if you so desire; I do not accept it, but I understand. She must have heard about the retaking of Erebor, Frerin's homeland, and is giving him her permission to pursue his destiny, should he decide it leads him back to where he was born. She is releasing him from the promise they exchanged on their wedding day, the promise to never part as long as they were alive, because perhaps this is what he wants, especially (she could never admit it, and she might rationally know he would never blame her for that, but the heart has rules of its own) after she has made it so difficult for him to love her in the last weeks, and she has left him alone with his pain while she could only nurse her own. Verdandi knows Frerin has never stopped thinking about his family, his brother and sister and his friends, and wants him to know she accepts it, that he has the right to go back to them if he wishes, and that it has been good while it lasted.

Staring at that carefully, even lovingly prepared bag, Frerin feels an intense contempt for himself, as well as the impulse to scream at the empty room, loud enough to wake the whole street. He does not, but he takes the bag, brings it with him in his bedroom, and leaves it on the floor. The room is dark, but not so much that he cannot see Verdandi, her back turned to him, stiff as a ramrod, as if she were simply pretending to sleep, and holding her breath. Frerin does not speak, but takes his clothes off, leaves them neatly on a chair and slips under the sheets next to her.

Verdandi remains still for another minute, as if giving him the chance to change his mind, and then she turns. "Fjalar..." she whispers in a broken voice, and for the first time he realizes his wife has never called him Frerin, ever since he shared his secret with her. Not even once.

He would not know how to explain it, but that makes him happy. "It is all right." he whispers back "Come here, my love."

For the first time in months, Verdandi lets herself be hugged, and finally she cries, sobbing and shedding all her tears in her husband's arms, holding on to him and apologizing and telling him how grateful she is, how blessed she feels, for his love. Frerin weeps as well, and holds her, kisses her hair and tells her she has nothing to blame herself for, that everything will be fine, and that there is nowhere he would rather be than with her.

In that embrace, in those tears, whatever was broken is mended, what is lost made peace with, and comfort accepted and shared. On the next morning, Verdandi feels as if healed after a long illness; she is pale, but she smiles, and she finds herself humming softly as she braids her little son's hair. She eats sitting on her husband's knees, and he makes Sindri laugh complaining the weight is going to break his kneecaps, but takes advantage of the proximity to squeeze the firm, plump breast just under his nose. Verdandi slaps his hand away, but she does not seem upset. Not at all.

The next days, and months, and years, pass, peaceful and predictable. Sometimes, Frerin keeps thinking about Erebor; sometimes with nostalgia.

But never with regret.

TAGGING @starlady66 and @elvenenby

[justkeepdancing-nemo]

Something Else || Namtae

Summary: After fighting with Robbie, Nemo confides in Tae and then plans to ditch his exams. tw: anxiety, depression

Part Two of Finding Nemo: Uni Arc Read Part One here: Failing Nemo

@moon-yeongtae 

NEMO: 

Nemo knew, deep down, that it wasn’t Tae that he should have called after his sort-of fight with Robbie. It was Robbie. 

But every time he’d clicked their chat, tears welled up in his eyes all over, all hot and burning. It felt like all of his reasons and feelings were tangled up in a knot and he couldn’t smooth them out in a way that Robbie would understand. If they talked again, Nemo would just cry, and cry, and cry. He’d still have his papers to write, a whole tonne of history to study for his History of Dance class, plus his final exam for fellowship to finish. All the work towered around him in walls he couldn’t climb over. And if Robbie tried to help him– Nemo could just see his face now when he saw how much there was to do. No matter what he’d say, he’d be disappointed in him. 

That made sense. Nemo was disappointed in himself. 

So maybe he should have called Appa, then. Maybe he should talk to Ashlee, who had done a semester of this before, or Jeremy, or gone to his professors, or called Olaf and Sindri, or gone to his therapist. Nemo knew what all of them was going to say though– and he didn’t wanna hear it.

There was only one person who would really understand what it was like to fail this badly.

So he called Tae. And because Tae loved him (more than Nemo deserved), he came, right away.

Soon as Nemo got the text that he was here, he shuffled off his bed and plodded down to let Tae into the dorms. He’d thought about changing before Tae got here, but the weight in his chest after his texts with Robbie had made it too difficult to get up. So he was in his sweatpants, and an oversized t-shirt, shivering as he pushed the door open and the winter air tucked in. 

“Hey,” he greeted Tae, and his lip was already trembling with a second round of tears. 

TAE:

Tae really wanted to see Nemo, which was maybe why he’d been so eager to leave work right when Nemo texted him. He was already missing his friend–their busy schedules stopping them from hanging out as much as he’d like to–so it really was a no-brainer. He’d been doing busy work anyway, trying to fill up his hours with little easy tasks that anyone could do around their office like restocking the paper and carting the tools from the work truck back to the garage. 

Sebastian was an understanding guy and as soon as Tae said he had to go check on some personal stuff he’d agreed and let him go for the day. Tae was glad, because as much as he was leaving work for Nemo, it was also for himself. He was exhausted, the long days starting to get to him, and this was going to be just what he needed. 

Or, well, maybe not at first, because when Nemo opened the door, Tae’s heart broke for him. He looked so sad and small and curled in on himself, which might’ve had something to do with the cold weather blowing in around him but Tae thought maybe not. He thought maybe Nemo was just hurting, and he moved forward to give his boyfriend a hug, wrapping him up tight. 

“Okay, let’s go up to your room,” he said, rubbing Nemo’s back before pulling away and taking his hand. “When we get there you can tell me what happened, okay? I’ll cuddle you the whole time.” 

NEMO: 

Nope, Nemo didn’t deserve this at all.

But he’d take it– absorb all of Tae’s kindness and sweetness and have it recharge him back to his best self. Once he was hugged and kissed and his back was rubbed, maybe Nemo would emerge a brand new person. He could be the kind of person who could take on every assignment. The kind of person who would text Robbie that he was sorry, that he’d just been so tired and in pain and grumpy and stressed– and he would be the kind of person who Robbie would forgive for all those things. 

Nemo knew that this wasn’t how life worked…after all, this was the exact coping mechanism he’d used all semester. Nemo got overwhelmed; he called Tae or he called Robbie. For a few hours, he felt better. Then they left. And he was back to where he started. 

Then maybe this time, Tae shouldn’t leave, went a tiny voice in Nemo’s brain, as they went back down the hall to Nemo’s dorm room. 

Nemo climbed back onto his bed, Tae following suit after he’d taken off his boots. Instantly, Nemo slid over to him and they fell back onto the pillow. Nemo snuggled his head onto Tae’s shoulder, threw an arm across his chest. “Whenever you come from work, you kinda smell like sawdust,” Nemo mentioned. “It’s nice. I like it.’ 

TAE:

Tae collapsed on Nemo’s bed like he had so many times before and Nemo snuggled up to him like he always did and Tae took a deep, appreciative breath. He chuckled, his nose scrunching up just a little and he tried to turn and look at Nemo. It was impossible, of course, with Nemo’s face snuggled so close to his neck, so Tae settled for kissing him on the forehead and wrapping his arms around him. 

He was here for a reason. Nemo wasn’t doing great. Something was wrong if the redness of Nemo’s eyes had anything to say about it and Tae just wished he could make it all go away. 

“Are you sure?” he asked, his voice soft and gentle. “I wouldn’t be offended if you told me to go shower so I didn’t smell like work. I can’t get away from the sawdust no matter what I’m working on. I think the truck just smells so much like it that it just infuses everything with the scent.” 

Tae rubbed at Nemo’s back and snuggled him closer. “So what’s wrong? Are you gonna be okay? Do I need to kill someone?” 

NEMO: 

Nemo let out a soft huff. “No, no, it’s not like that…” 

He wasn’t even mad at Robbie, was he? He was mad at himself. He was furious at himself, actually– and so so embarrassed, because he’d been bratty and immature. Even his very first message embarrassed him, looking back at it. Here Robbie was, actually being a good student and taking his classes seriously. And Nemo kept distracting him, desperate for his attention because he didn’t know how else to feel good. 

Part of him missed the way it was before– when Robbie was a vampire and had all the time in the world. It meant there was always a slice of time for Nemo. Nemo was the busy one. Nemo was the one running from school to dance to hanging out with friends to Robbie– and he’d been patient. 

How spoiled was that? Just because his boyfriend hadn’t dropped everything… 

But I needed him, went that whiny voice again. 

Nemo sighed and he sat up, wincing a little at the twinge in his back as he did. “I… things are… really really bad, Tae-yah.” He began, his voice already warbling. “Which is probably what I should have said to Robbie, but I didn’t. I was just bugging him about hanging out and he got on my case about studying but that’s the thing.” The tears bubbled up in his eyes. “I’m failing everything. I’m gonna flunk out. I can’t stand it, looking at my books or– I’m a total screw-up and he wouldn’t listen– he just– he kept saying I just need to try harder but I’ve been trying.” 

TAE: 

Tae followed Nemo and sat up, looking at him with wide eyes and listening intently. It was–Tae didn’t like what he was hearing. He could remember being where Nemo is now. He could remember Jun telling him that all he really needed to do was apply himself and try harder, but Jun didn’t understand that he’d been trying as hard as he could and he was still just stupid. He was dumb. He didn’t get it. 

Nemo wasn’t dumb. Nemo was much smarter than Tae, but university was another step up from secondary. The classes were probably way harder and Tae knew he could never do them which is why he hadn’t applied. Nemo had and right now Tae wished he had applied too so that Nemo wouldn’t have to be going through this alone–Tae kind of wished he was failing right along with him. 

That was a silly thing to wish, though, because even though he wasn’t enrolled in school or failing classes, he could still be here for Nemo. He could be here in a way that Robbie wasn’t. (Tae might have to kick Robbie’s ass later depending on how this went, actually, but that was a thought for later.)

“Oh, Neems,” Tae said softly and leaned over to hug Nemo gently, careful not to move him because of his back. Tae knew that probably had something to do with this too, not being able to dance like he’d always wanted to. 

“You’re not a screw up,” Tae said. “I remember you told me that too when I failed and I thought you were full of shit back then, but look at me. I have like, a real job and I’m functioning like an adult kind of. Failed classes aren’t going to ruin your life. You’re still the kickass fast flying fairy with the nice ass I fell in love with.” 

He laughed and straightened up to wipe Nemo’s tears away with his thumbs. “Don’t listen to Robbie. I know you’ve been trying and I know sometimes all the trying in the world isn’t enough. That doesn’t make you a failure. It just maybe means you should try something else?” 

NEMO: 

Look at me.

And Nemo did. He looked at Tae’s earnest, big eyes and easy smile and the hair that curled around his ears. Maybe everything that Robbie said would have been better if they’d been face to face and he could see his expression, the way Nemo could see Tae’s now. He could tell  that Tae loved him. No matter what, Tae loved him, and he was right, too, that if Tae could flunk a year and not go to uni and look like this– happy and confident and calm– then why not Nemo? 

Honestly, he’d been jealous of Tae this whole time. Stupid, really. When he was in secondary, he’d been jealous of Louie and Finn whenever they talked about uni. But now he was here, they weren’t, and he couldn’t remember all those reasons why he wanted to get here so badly. Tae’s life sounded way more appealing– setting his own hours, getting money that he earned, and not dealing with work after he left work. 

You should try something else. 

Exactly. Was it really so wrong to give up? He could just… try something else.

Nemo didn’t really know what he’d try. Right now, he felt like a candle burnt all the way down. He was a pile of goop. He didn’t wanna move or think or find a new dream. He definitely couldn’t go to his exams. What he wanted… the only thing…

“Right. Yes. Exactly,” said Nemo, as a few more tears escaped down his cheeks. “Fuck, Tae, I’m just so…I’m so tired. I hate being here.” He shook his head. “I just wish it was summer again and nothing had changed and no one left and– and we were out camping, y’know?” He wiped at his face again. “I just don’t wanna deal with any of this anymore.” 

TAE:

Tae was sad about Louie and Finn leaving, too, almost like it was a personal attack against him, but he wasn’t as sad as Nemo. He could see it in Nemo’s eyes when he said he wished no one had left, and looking at where Nemo was now…Tae couldn’t help but wonder if it would be different if their friends hadn’t run away and abandoned them. (Okay, maybe that was a bit dramatic, but Tae deserved to be dramatic! They’d just up and left! It was like they didn’t even care, and it wasn’t the first time Tae wished he could scream and yell and punch at least Louie in the face…again.)

That camping trip had been–well, it felt really dramatic to say it felt like the last really good time, but it kind of was. They’d all been there. They were all happy. They all had their futures laid out in front of them and they were all excited. That camping trip was a happy memory and happy was what Nemo needed. 

“We should go,” Tae blurted, the idea striking him like a bolt of lightning. He could take time off work! They could go to that campsite. They could get away from all this stress and everyone who just didn’t understand. “We could go camping, just you and me.” He was smiling big and bright, refusing to acknowledge that maybe he was a little sad too, that maybe his life was more stressful than he wanted to let on. 

“I could take off of work and we could drive out there and just be. No work, no exams, just a lot of kissing and walks and it’ll be great.” 

NEMO: 

Yes. Yes yes yes– that was exactly what Nemo wanted. Hearing Tae say it out loud sent a wave of relief washing over him. No more quiet nights in the library, beating his head against a desk. No more dread in the pit of his stomach as exams loomed, ever closer. No more missing his friends– actually, he definitely would. But when he got lonely, or when the missing got too much, he could just turn toward Tae, who knew what it was all like. To be left behind. To fail. To hate yourself. To want to run away. 

Maybe it was all he needed, just a new location, a chance to sleep outdoors and taste the wind and clear his brain out. Who cared about missing exams? Nemo knew he should, but that part of him was so empty and drained. 

But thinking about camping? Nemo smiled. 

He surged forward and kissed Tae on the lips, a smacking, clumsy, excited kiss. It didn’t even last that long. The next moment, he had his face nuzzling Tae’s neck, his arms thrown around his boyfriend. “Please, yes. Let’s do that. I wanna go right now,” he said, his voice muffled. 

TAE:

Going right this second was probably not the best idea, but who was Tae to say no to an excited, affectionate Nemo? Plus, he didn’t even really want to say no. He wanted to go now, too! Just the thought of getting away from it all had giddy tingles running up and down Tae’s spine and he wanted to kiss Nemo more. He wanted to pull him close and kiss his face and ask him what was taking them so long! They should already be on their way out of town!

“Hmm, we could do that,” Tae said, kissing Nemo’s cheeks. “We can definitely do that, but we do have to stop and grab the tent and the sleeping bags from my house. Luckily those things are in the shed where I dumped them after the first camping trip so it won’t take that long to grab them. Oh and you should probably bring some clothes and stuff. I’ll just run in and grab my gym bag at my house and stuff some extra things into it.”

Tae grabbed Nemo’s hand and stood up, leading Nemo up into a hug. “Let’s get going!”

[anonwriterthethird]

The Ring of Mages

Chapter One - Siv of Olcar

Words - 3,129

Warnings - Death, slight mention of blood, bad writing

_____

The village was still, all that was moving was the swaying grass and trees from the light breeze. Everything was illuminated by the moonlight, completely captivating Siv. The girl sat on top of a hill in the grass, leaning back on her palms while staring out at the land before her. There were rolling hills littered with buildings and surrounded by walls that looked beautiful in the night, but she was more focused on what was above.

The sky was filled with colorful swirls shaded of blues and purples, all of them spotted with bright shiny dots that reflected brightly off of her golden eyes. This was the only time of day that Judith could find peace, late at night when staring at the painted sky. Of course she had to leave to bed at some point though, training was set for very early in the morning.

Siv reluctantly stood from her spot, not wanting to leave such a pretty sight. But she had to leave eventually so she made her way down the hill and towards her little cottage. She slowly creaked open the main door and tried to be quiet as to not wake her parents. Siv had gotten to her room making sure not to make a single noise and lit up a lantern placed on her desk. She opened up the top drawer and took out a worn leather journal along with a quill and inkwell. Judith wrote of what she saw that night, of every swirl and color in the night sky. Then right next to it she attempted a drawing, making it as detailed as her memory allowed.

Before Siv was able to finish her drawing there was an enormous explosion, startling the girl into spilling the inkwell all over the pages. After a few moments there was yet another explosion followed by the panicked shouts of guards and screams of citizens. Siv stumbled her way towards her window and all that was seen was chaos. The Northern wall was broken down, laying scattered in pieces. Soldiers with spears and axes ran through the broken down wall on foot, a few rode on horses wielding bows armed with flamed tip arrows. The people on foot burst into every home and slaughtered all those inside while taking anything of value. People ran outside screaming trying to get away only to be ruthlessly killed. The cavalry shot their arrows through the air, catching both people and building on fire to suffer a slow and painful death. When watching all of this horror unfold, the bedroom door had slammed open, jumping Siv out of her shocked daze.

“Siv! There you are, we must hurry. Grab your cloak,” It was her father who spoke low and rushed, “C’mon, we must go before they reach us!” He quickly went to the main door, dragging along the stumbling young girl. Siv’s mother met them there from the kitchen holding a small black cloak and a pack filled with food. She kneeled down towards the trembling girl, wrapping her with the cloak and handed her the food. Then she leaned in a bit closer, placing her forehead onto her daughters with her hands holding the other’s head.

She whispered,“If anything is to happen, anything, just keep running. Do not look back,” She peeled away, tears brimming her eyes, and placed a soft kiss on top of her daughter’s forehead.

“Promise me.”

All the girl could do was nod her head. Siv let out a few stray tears, not knowing what to expect to happen in the next few moments.

Her mother gave a shaky sigh and a weak smile, “Thank you…”

The girl’s father cracked open the door just enough to pop his head out. He looked left and right, looking for an opening to run to safety. Once he deemed it safe he opened the door further and led them all down the path. He looked back at his wife and daughter and talked to them in a hushed but urgent voice, “We go to the stables, there we can grab two horses. Siv, you ride with me,”

They both nodded in response, ready to follow. He continues to make his way to the stables, using the back paths and hiding in the shadows while making sure his family was close behind. They get closer and closer with each step they took, being careful to stay hidden and quiet. The mother kept her arm around Siv’s shoulder as they walked not wanting to let go of her daughter, not wanting to lose her. Although she would not lose Siv, Siv would lose her. A roar was made from a soldier behind them as a spear was thrown through the air. It had gone straight through the mother’s chest. Her dress gradually stained red as she had fallen to the ground.

Siv fell to her knees at her mother’s side as she balled out raging waterfalls of tears, “No, no, not like this, mother…”

The only response she could get was a cough of blood and one muttered word said so quietly that she could barely hear, “Run…”

“No… no!” Siv began screaming, giving away their location to even more soldiers. The one who killed her mother had begun to make his way towards them so her father had to roughly grab Siv and drag her away from her now lifeless mother. She screamed and clawed at her father as he picked her up and started sprinting towards the stables which were now right in front of them.

“I know, I know. But we can no longer stay, we must run,” He tried to talk Siv down as he placed her on top of the horse’s saddle, which was thankfully already set up beforehand. He untied the horse and got on back behind Siv. He reached around to grab the reins and swiftly turned the horse while making it go into a sprint. Some of the cavalry took notice of their attempt to escape and chased after. They started to aim their arrows, although these ones were not set aflamed. They launched the arrows making them soar through the air but most of them miss. Until one makes its way through the father’s throat, then his back, then another in his back, and another. They just kept coming, but they fortunately only his him and not the daughter he had sworn to protect since birth.

Just a few seconds after Siv’s father was hit with arrows, an arrow had landed on the horses leg making them crash into the ground. The girl was about to get up and try to run away but realized how foolish that would be after taking a saddening look back at her dead father who still had arrows sticking out his back. Instead she opted to stay laying down, unmoving to make them think that she was killed as well. Some cavalry had trotted up to the fallen horse to inspect if the job was done. A hooded figure had jumped off the horse to look more closely. Siv made the mistake of moving her gaze up to him. If they noticed, which they surely did, then they either didn't care or for some reason took pity because they didn’t kill her or order her to be killed.

The person stood up straight and hopped back onto their horse, “It seems we have cleared this area, let’s start moving to the Eastern side of the village,” with that they were off, making their horses sprint in the opposite direction.

Once everyone was completely gone Siv had begun to slowly stand. Her face was red and blotchy while still being covered in stray tears that couldn’t be held back. When all the way up she had looked around herself once more and then started to run as fast as her feet could take her away from the village, away from her home. She ran and ran, not knowing where to go or what to do. Her lungs burn, her legs and feet begin to ache, but she refuses to stop. She does not stop until she is deep into the forest that surrounded the walls of her home. After Siv has stopped she lays against the tree, breathing heavily to catch her breath. After the short break she begins to walk. Where to, Gods only know.

After walking for what felt like hours Siv had stumbled upon something amazing. A secluded hut. She found it right as the sun had begun to show, meaning she has been up all night and was in much need of rest along with food and water. She makes her way up to the door, wrapping herself further into her cloak as she knocks.

After hearing some shuffling and footsteps the door swings open. Standing before her was a tall woman in a light blue dress. “Oh my, you poor thing you look exhausted! Come in, come in,” The woman ushers Siv into her home, “You look just dreadful, is that blood on you?”

Siv shakily nods her head, letting some more tears slip by when remembering whose blood it was. Although, she did not know whether it was her mother’s, father’s, or both. Probably both.

“Come sit, tell what has happened,” She leads Siv over to the kitchen table where a young boy sat. “Sindri, go fetch a pot of tea,”

“Yes mother,”

While the tea brew Siv had begun her story from when the village was first attacked to when she ran through the forest and stumbled upon their doorstep. Sindri set down the tea just as Siv was choking up on tears when getting to each of her parents death. She then had left out the part where she was spared by the cloaked figure, she didn’t know what to think of that part and thought it best to be excluded.

“My dear you have been through so much, you may stay here as long as you wish,”

“Thank you… “Siv trailed off waiting to learn the woman’s name.

“Nadia,”

“Thank you, Nadia,”

Before they could carry on their conversation the door was kicked open by a large man with a dead deer in his arms. “I’ve brought dinner,” The burly man dropped the deer down onto the table where they sat, causing it to rattle.

“Alvis! Don’t be so rude, we have a guest,” Nadia had given the man, Alvis, a look of judgment and anger.

“My apologies, love,” He turned his attention away from presumably his wife towards the stranger sitting at his table.

“Siv, from the village of Olcar,”

Nadia had piped in after Siv’s introduction, “Her village was attacked just last night,”

Alvis scoffed at the news, “Why am I not surprised? It was likely a group of Vikings, our foolish King Frey has been refusing to pay the Danegeld.” He picked up the deer from the table while talking and started making his way towards the back door to get it out of the way.

Siv looked up to Alvis in confusion, “Danegeld?”

“It’s a tribute the kings pay to keep Vikings from attacking, although paying just one group does not protect the kingdom from all Vikings,” Alvis tried to explain it the best he could for her to understand, for there are multiple groups of vikings where none of which are united. “King Frey really ought to know better by now…” he muttered while walking out the door to get dinner prepared for cooking.

Nadia looked back over to Siv, “Well since Olcar has been ravaged, as I said before, you are welcome to stay here,” she stood up, taking her cup over to the other dirtied dishes, “You’re too young to be on your own, you may stay in the spare bedroom,”

Siv smiled up at her and responded with a quiet, “Thank you,”

“It is no trouble at all. Now, you must be so exhausted after fleeing all night. Sindri my dear, would you be kind enough to show her to her room?”

Sindri who has just been quietly listening perked up at his name being called, “Of course, this way,” Sindri motioned for her to follow him. It was a small room filled with just a bed, desk, and a single small window. “Once you awake I will give you a tour of the rest of the house,” He closed the curtains to block out the sun then moved out the door, leaving her to rest.

Siv had fallen asleep as soon as her head had touched the pillow. Instead of a dreamless sleep, memories of the night before kept playing through her head. She saw her mother telling her to run and then getting killed by a spear. Riding the horse with her father, getting so close to escaping with at least one of her parents, only for him to be shot over and over again by arrows. Then the dream had moved on to a cloaked figure staring at her, it felt as if their eyes were boring straight into her soul.

Siv woke with a start, panting heavily and covered in sweat. Reliving those moments was the very last thing she wanted. She tore off the covers and shakily stood up, making her way over to the window. She drew open the curtains to see that it was still day. Siv walked to the door and stepped out, going towards the kitchen.

“Oh, you’re awake. Whenever you’re ready I can give that tour,” Sindri had offered the girl. She stayed silent but nodded her head. Sindri looked at her a bit weirdly, “Are you alright? You seem a little shaken up…”

“Yes, I am quite alright. No worries,”

Sindri didn’t believe her at all but still said, “Ok if you say so…”

“Well I do say so, but how about we get on with that tour now,” These words came out sounding ruder than she meant it to be, but she did not want to talk about her dream.

Sindri raised his hands in mock surrender, “Ok, ok, let’s go then,” He lead her around almost every room when they had made their way outside. Sindri led Siv down a short dirt path that weaved around the trees.

Siv has no idea where Sindri could be taking her, she got more and more confused the deeper they went. She hardly knows him and is starting to question if it was safe to stay here, safe to follow him into the forest. “Where might you be taking me, Sindri?”

“I’ll be showing you the sparring ring, it’s just a little further,”

Siv was still very confused, only now about why they have a sparring ring, “Why do you have one of those?”

Sindri sighed and looked down at his feet while they walked, “Well you may not know but King Frey is planning on building an arena, one similar to the old colosseum down in Rome,”

Siv gave Sindri a perplexed look while cutting him off, “Wait are you going to fight in a new colosseum…?”

“Yes I am, the king has been recruiting men at random to take part and become something like gladiators,” he started to give a saddened look, “Unfortunately I am one of the recruitments…”

“Oh…,” Siv turned her head away, an awkward silence starting to settle. At least until they had come upon a clearing in the forest. The sparring ring was just a simple dirt circle surrounded by huge oak trees.

Sindri had stopped right at the edge of the ring, “Well this is it, the sparring arena. I figured you might have wanted to see it just in case you’d like to try training at some point,”

Siv gave a small smile, “Maybe I could train along with you! That could be fun, right?”

Sindri gave a slight scoff in response, “I don’t recommend training with me. My training is to prepare me to fight in a ring to the death while people chant and yell, excited to see my blood spill,”

“Exactly, I should prepare to face the worst,”

Sindri had sighed yet again, “Yes, I guess you should, just in case…” He then looked over to her and sternly told her, “Just know that training with me does not mean you can just run into battles or join me in the arena. Only a fool would want such things,”

Siv scoffed at this, “I am no fool,”

In response she had gotten a small smirk, “If you say so…” Sindri got a good smack on the back of his head for that remark. “Ok, ok, you are not a fool!”

Six smiled triumphantly, crossing her arms and tilting her head up. “That's what I thought. Now let's head back, I'm starving,”

Chuckling, Sindri looked down and shook his head, “Very well, let's go,” He turned his back to the ring and marched down the path once again with Siv trailing behind. “Siv, I must ask you something. The people who attacked your village, did they by any chance attack from the waters?”

Siv furrowed her eyebrows together in thought, “I am not entirely sure, Olcar is a huge village and I lived far from the waters so I did not see. Why do you ask?”

“I am trying to figure out who exactly attacked, if it were the vikings then they most likely would have attacked from the waters. Did they have much cavaly?”

“Yes they did, quite a bit actually…”

This puzzled Sindri, cavalry was not exactly the Vikings strong suit. They were more fitted for off-land battles with their longships. “That is very odd, but I suppose if it were a group of Vikings then they might have wanted to perfect yet another craft,”

Siv hummed in agreement, it was strange for vikings to use mainly cavalry. Especially when they were masters when it came to off-land warfare with their longships. But like Sindri had stated, it is not impossible for this group of Vikings to learn yet another fighting skill. “When do you think I could start training?” Siv had asked, just not wanting to think of her old home anymore.

Sindri glanced over to her once again, “Well if you rest up tonight then I suppose, if you want, we can start tomorrow,”

Siv smiled over to him, “Sounds great! But for now, our mission is food so…” She started to sprint ahead of him and looked over her shoulder to yell, “Hurry your ass up!”

Sindri shook his head again and laughed while beginning to run forward, “Alright, alright, I can already tell you’re gonna be a lot of fun to have around,”

“Of course I will be, I'm a delight to have around!”

[olaf-likeswarmhugs]

Prologue: Hope World

Every night, when the sky is awake, Olaf finds his Mums and asks for his favourite bedtime story.

It’s his favourite, because it’s about him.

The Mums take turns. First, Anna scoops Olaf into her lap, giggling as Olaf tugs at her hair, wanting to braid it just like how Elsa always braids it. She lets his hands fiddle and knot and tug, as she begins the story. “Once upon a time,” she says,” in a beautiful Winter Hollow, there lived two fairies who were very, very much in love.”

“Anna and Elsa!” chirps Olaf.

“Yes! Anna and Elsa, Olaf, exactly! They had fallen in love over many winters, over hot cocoa and sled rides, and making flower crowns!” went on Anna. “They were each other’s family. And they couldn’t wait to make that family even bigger one day, so they could share their love and their talents with a little fairy all their own. But they didn’t want just any little fairy. No, they knew there was a special fairy boy waiting for them out there. They just had to go and find him.”

“Me! He was me!” Olaf cries out. He lopes his arms around Anna’s neck.

“Hey! Don’t skip ahead in the story!” laughs Anna

Elsa laughs too and gently touches Olaf’s ski-slope nose. “That’s right, little snowflake,” says his other Mum. “You. So Anna and Elsa set off on an adventure to find their special fairy child. First, they went to the great Queen Iduna of the Winter Hollow to ask for her advice.‘You will have to make a snowman,’ she told them. ‘A very special little snowman, made under the Midnight Sun. When the Sun shines in harmony with the Aurora lights, then your fairy child will be yours.’

“But Queen Iduna, gasped Anna--” Anna gasps this too, and it makes Olaf laugh again. “How are we supposed to make a snowman when it’s the middle of summer? How can the Aurora shine if the Midnight Sun is out too?”

“That’s why you’ll need help, said Queen Iduna,” Elsa says. “And after she told them what they needed to know, off Anna and Elsa went. First, to make their snowman, they had to go to the most skilled Ice-talent in the Hollow, Mr. Kristoff! Mr. Kristoff agreed to help them. Elsa used her talent to make three perfect snowballs, and then Mr. Kristoff encased them in a thick, blue layer of ice, so they’d stay cool on the journey.”

“Next, they went to Kristoff’s husband, Sven. Sven was a reindeer-talent-fairy--”

“And the tallest fairy in the whole Hollow!” crowed Olaf. “Oh, lemme say this part, please please please--”

“Okay, Olaf, you say it,” says Elsa.

“Okay! Sven, he’s so tall, so he reached up-- he reached up and picked 1, 2, 3 holly berries from the holly berry bush.”

“Exactly, Olaf,” says Elsa. “And he gave those berries to the girls as well. Elsa held the snow, so it wouldn’t melt. Anna held the berries. And they trekked outside the Hollow, to where the snow melted into grass and flowers poked their gentle, colorful heads above the ground. Though it was getting warmer, the snowballs that Kristoff had frozen for them hadn’t melted yet. They finally reached a beautiful meadow where the Midnight Sun was still shining, even though it was late at night. Quickly, Elsa made a snowy mound and they put the snowballs one on top of the other.”

“And then Anna gave the snowman the holly berries. Now it had two eyes and a button nose, just like yours!” Anna exclaims and pokes Olaf’s nose. He snuggles into her chest.

“But then…” Olaf utters. He knows what’s coming next.

Elsa nods gravely. “But then, both fairies were at a loss. They’d done what Queen Iduna said, but the snowman was just a snowman. The sun was starting to melt the ice. Elsa and Anna were worried. What are we going to do? wondered Elsa. We can’t make the Aurora lights appear!”  

“But Anna was to the rescue!” Olaf says.

Anna squeezes Olaf tight. “That’s right. Anna realized that maybe they didn’t need the real Aurora lights! Maybe they just needed her lights. And so Anna quickly conjured up some lights in every colour she could think of. Blue and green and purple and pink! She dressed the snowman in all these colours. And as those lights beamed like a rainbow, and the Midnight Sun shone overhead, the spell was complete! When Elsa and Anna opened their eyes, a little fairy boy was where the snowman used to be. He was everything they dreamed he’d be.”

“He was exactly what they’d hoped for,” adds Elsa. She squeezes Anna’s hand.

“He was their perfect little Olaf.” Anna kisses Olaf’s forehead.

Olaf smiles. When he looks up, the sky is still awake, beaming in all those colours just like the story. Blue and green and purple and pink. Olaf can never choose which is his favourite, and so he never chooses any, just says its the wide-awake-sky that’s his favourite, the wide-awake-sky that was looking over him the day he was born.

He hopes when he gets his talent, he’ll make colourful lights like his Mum. Though--that’s only when he isn’t hoping he’ll make frost like his other Mum! Or talk to animals like Sven, or carve ice like Kristoff, or maybe his talent will just be knowing things, like Queen Iduna. Oh, he’d love to know things-- to know the names of every colour, to know the words of every story, to know how to make the Mums happy, so every night can be as bright as this wide-awake night.

“Again, Mums,” he asks, still too excited to sleep. “Please? One more time.”

And his Mums ruffle his coppery hair and they begin the story over again. Oh, Olaf thinks, he hopes it never ends.

####

Olaf doesn’t remember meeting Sindri. Sindri has always been there, like the sky is there--  like the first snowfall in the morning that freshens the powder, so when the sun rises, the Hollow gleams brightly like the surface of the moon. He wakes up early to watch the snow-talents make this first flight. He can depend on it like he can the Mums, Sven, Kristoff-- and Sindri.

What he does remember though is when Sindri makes his first frost. His friend tugs one flower from his mother’s flower crown and the frost covers the petals in the prettiest blue blanket. He gives his frosted flower to Olaf. Olaf holds it, refuses to give it back, until the frost melts in Olaf’s hands.

He tries to frost it back. But he can’t...

“How do you do it?” he whispers to Sindri. But Sindri doesn’t know how he did it. He just did it. That’s okay! Olaf doesn’t have to be a Frost-talent. His best friend is a Frost-Talent. And Olaf’s new favourite color becomes the glossy blue of Sindri’s fingers when he uses his talent-- on flowers, on berries, on pinecones--all presents for Olaf, that will last as long as it snows in the morning.

And it always snows in the morning.

####

Anna-Mum takes him to see the Aurora-talents. He holds her hand as she tugs him higher than she’s ever flown. The air crisps in his lungs and tickles his fingers, turning them pink. Anna-mum’s fingers are already pink, but pink like the soft inside of a rabbit’s ear. She draws a pink O into the sky, then a blue O, then a pink A, than a blue F. O-L-A-F.

“Look, bunny! What’s that say?”

Olaf reaches for the O and his stretched fingers swipe through nothing. His eyes widen. It looks so real, like ribbons from Anna-mum’s braids.

Anna-Mum pinches the O and wraps it up onto her hand again. “It’s okay, Olaf,” she says, but she sounds sad.

Later, Olaf will keep trying to hold light in his hand, wishing he could bring it to Anna and make her smile.

####

Reindeers love Olaf, but he’s allergic to them. He sneezes on top of Magnus’s head and Sven carries him down.

Olaf loves snow angels and he builds snow-bunnies and snow-foxes and snow-fairies too, but he can’t craft even the littlest snowflake, not like his friend Blenky, and not like Ricer either.

Olaf’s wings are large and velvety-soft, snow-white and down-gray like cabbage moths. They’re beautiful but no blizzard-talent would ever have wings like that.

It’s okay, says Elsa-Mum. He’ll find his talent in time.

It’s okay, says Anna-Mum. He’ll always be their special little Olaf.

It’s okay, says Sindri. I still love you the most.

Every night, Olaf puts his elbows on his window sill and looks up at the wide-awake sky. He wonders to himself-- where do talents come from and why hasn’t his arrived? Are they a piece of the sky? Are they somewhere in the stars? Do they fall to earth on their own, or do they need a little tug?

“Is there a talent for finding talents?” he asks his Mums. “Do you think that’ll be my talent?”

They kiss him goodnight and tell him not to worry, that his talent will reveal itself, they always do.

But he dreams of flying up into the sky and casting a fishing line into the colours, then reeling his talent in. It’s bright and beautiful and when he holds it up to his ear, it whispers hello.

####

Arrival Night does what it does best: it arrives.

This is the night, this is THE night! Olaf is five years old. After tonight, Olaf will know what gift is nestled inside him, like a seed buried under the snow. Olaf’s soft cream wings flutter him in clumsy circles in front of the door, and he counts down.

“Fifteen, fourteen, thirteen!”

“Someone’s an impatient little snow man.”

“Twelve, eleven, ten-- three, two one!” Olaf scrunches his nose. “Time to go, Mums!”

“Don’t you want to wait for Sindri, Olaf?” It’s a question, but Elsa-Mum can make any question sound like not a question: Wait for Sindri, Olaf.

Olaf blows out air and then plops in front of the door. “Everyone is too slow! I think I’m a Blizzard-Talent after all!” He throws up his hands and wiggles his fingers and whooses like the squalls that blow through the Hollow in the darkest wintery nights. Unfortunately, this doesn’t make his family move any faster.

Finally, Sindri arrives with his parents. He looks paler than normal and he’s quiet as snowfall. They toddle together hand-in-hand, Anna-Mum holding Olaf’s other hand, and Sindri’s mother holding Sindri’s. Sindri pouts and looks ahead and barely says a word until their parents have kissed them goodbye and left them in the little pack of other Fresh Arrivals just like them. Olaf nudges his shoe against Sindri’s shoe, and when Sindri looks up, Olaf presses his hands against Sindri’s cheeks to squish them together. “You’re one big snowball” he teases.

“I feel sick.” Sindri pouts. His dark eyes are deep as slush puddles.

“You’re just scared. But that’s okay! Me too!” Olaf whispers. “I think everyone here is scared.”

“Nuh-uh. You don’t seem scared.”

Olaf nods. “I am. But I’m excited too. I think-- whatever I am is gonna be the best thing. I have a feeling.”  

Sindri blinks slow, which means he has a big Think starting to snowball inside. He looks away and then down at his own hands. “...what if I’m not a Frost Talent after all?” he mumbles finally. “I know that’s dumb. I know...I…” Sindri lifts his palm and holds them up. His fingers shake just a little. “I keep… this morning, I couldn’t make even a little flower…what if…”

Olaf doesn’t let Sindri finish. He wraps his arms around Sindri instead, squishing his cheek against Sindri’s cheeks, which are, yes, round and white like the snowballs forming in Sindri’s head. Olaf grins so his friend can feel his dimples and the rosy warmth of his smile. Olaf believes in things like that-- that smiles can be felt, not jst seen. And they’re warm, like the heated coals that the sledding-talents stuff in their pockets to keep them cozy.

“You’re the best Frost Talent there is,” he tells his friend. “So don’t be dumb.”

Sindri squeaks, but then he’s laughing. “I’m not dumb!”

“No, you’re not! Youuuuuuu’re a….”

“...a Frost-Talent. Okay, okay, okay, you’re right!” Sindri is still laughing. He wraps his arms around Olaf and squishes him back. “My tummy doesn’t hurt as much anymore. You’re gonna have an amazing Talent, Olaf.”

Olaf pulls away so he can grin ear-to-ear. “I know!”

And then it’s time to begin.

The chatter among the nervous First Arrivals fades all at once as Queen Iduna enters. Everyone hushes. Holds their breaths. The fairy lights lift into the sky, hovering above each of the chosen tokens that represent each talent. Every fairy locks their eyes on their Queen, whose skirt cascades in waves of soft blue pixie dust from their Hollow Spring.

Everyone but Olaf.

Olaf’s eyes dart among the tokens. They all look so interesting! The little pickaxe from the sledding-talents. The pinecone from the evergreens! The perfect cube of ice from the ice-talents, the frosted berries from the frost-talents, the snowman from the snow-talents! He wants to touch each one. Pick me, pick me! He’d coo and bat his eyelashes. He bites down on his lip and his hands itch and itch.

One by one, Olaf watches the fledglings his age enter the center. Each one is dressed in white. They look up at Queen Iduna, bow or curtsy, and then, one by one, the pixie dust is poured over them and they find their talent.

Ricer and Blenky are Snowflake-talents, because of course they are! Petur picks up the hammer and he’s a Tinker now, just like his mother.

Olaf keeps his eyes darting around the tokens. Maybe the ladle, he thinks. He’ll be a cooking-talent and make yummy soup every day. Orororor--the yarn! He’ll weave cozy sweaters to keep Sindri warm when he’s frosting throughout the banks.

“Olaf.” Sindri nudges him with his elbow. Olaf starts. “Olaf, it’s your turn!”

“Already?” Olaf says much too loudly. A ripple of laughter passes through the gathered crowd and Olaf blushes. He scrambles out into the circle, in the middle of all those tokens that feel like they are whispering his name.

He needs to pay attention now, he knows that. But his eyes drift a second time, looking among all those friendly faces…

“Hi Mums!” he exclaims when he finds them and begins to wave frantically. Elsa-Mum and Anna-Mum wave back. Another wave of laughter moves through the crowd. Olaf pulls up his tunic over the nose because now he’s shy and red-cheeked like holly berries.

But its time now. Its time! Olaf rocks forward on his toes and looks up at beautiful Queen Iduna. She sparkles. He holds out his hands, cupped, to receive his gift.

“Olaf, welcome. Today you have arrived in our Hollow,” recites the Queen. “Today, you find your place.”

She pours the stream of blue pixie dust into his hands as the crowd repeats her words. Today you have arrived in our Hollow. Today, you find your place. Today you have arrived in our Hollow. Today, you find your place. Today you have arrived in our Hollow. Today, you find your place.

Olaf closes his eyes. Welcome, he thinks. He thinks it with his whole chest as it opens.

Welcome.

And with his eyes closed, he can see it, the perfect blue of the dust.

Welcome.

And in his heart he can feel it, a stirring, a knowing. It is blue. It is blue.

Welcome.

It spreads through him, gathering in his toes. His eyes snap open and his fingers curl into his fists, for the pixie dust is no longer there. Olaf sparkles inside, blue like the Queen. He can hear the rushing of the river that runs through the heart of this forest, the river that feeds the Hollow Spring and makes it glow with dust.

Everyone holds their breath, except for this river. They are waiting. Waiting for the answer.

And then the blue glow inside Olaf slowly dims.

It’s the Queen’s face that changes first and tells Olaf that something might not have gone the way it should. Because oh-- frostbite. That’s right. He was supposed to go pick up a token, wasn’t he? He blinks and peers around the Queen. The tokens are still there, washed in the fairy light. They still feel like they beckon to him, but not more than before, not one more than the other.

Uh-oh. Everyone is waiting for him--

Olaf grabs his tunic and pulls it over his nose again. “Uh-oh,” he squeaks.

This time, no one laughs.

Olaf blinks. “Can I go again?” He says it through his tunic, then tugs it down. “Sorry! I mean--I think I was closing my eyes too long. Can I go again?” He looks at his Mums. They don’t wave. He looks over his shoulder, trying to find Sindri, but he is too small, swallowed behind the faces of everyone else. He looks at the Queen. She brushes his fringe from his wide, confused eyes.  

“Don’t panic, little one. There’s a place for you here, a very big place.” She turns to the rest of the Hollow and raises her voice. “Helper-talent!”

Olaf blinks. The applause starts slow, then grows, until Olaf can’t help but smile because—this is it! It must be it because Queen Iduna, she Knows.

“Oh,” he says and waves again at Elsa-Mum and Anna-Mum. Helper-Talent, that’s what he is. He has a Talent! He has a Talent! “I’m a Helper-Talent!” he exclaims, thrusting his hands into the air.

It’s only a minute later, when the applause has finished and he’s halfway back to the rest of the First Arrivals that Olaf realizes something very important.  

“Wait,” he says, and cocks his head. “What’s Helper-Talent?”

[a-merman-not-a-guppy]

Special Kind of Normal | A Soft Laugh

Finn goes to Sindri and Olaf about his anxiety over kissing.

@huldufolk-hjarn​ @olaf-likeswarmhugs​

Finn: hi Finn: um octopus friend? Finn: wait thisi s digjds Finn: how are you? Sindri: hi finn :) I'm okay how are you? Finn: um okay Finn: nemo said you give good advice? Finn: and i Finn: i know i bothered you once and i don't wanna bother you Finn: but i ah Sindri: youre not bothering me Sindri: nemo has too much faith in me maybe though haha Finn: no! Finn: he knows you're great! Finn: but i um i just. this is embarrassing Finn: my friend asked me if i liked kissing boys and so i've kind of been freaking out because Finn: i mean do i look like i kiss boys? do i look gay? or i mean even beyond that Finn: idk if kissing is good? or what i want? i could but also Finn: i'm really confused i feel like i should be kissing people? Sindri: wow um Sindri: first of all dont freak out Sindri: I think kissing and liking people and stuff like that can be super complicated and there isnt really a right way to do it you know? I didnt really like kissing people at all either and like I didnt really think about it that much until people started asking me stuff like that Sindri: and then I kissed this girl but it wasnt great and I think I mostly did it bc i thought i was supposed to but that's a bad reason Sindri: um and then I liked olaf a lot which was also kind of a different thing but what I'm trying to say I guess is dont feel like u have to kiss people or even want to kiss people Sindri: also the whole gay straight thing and how u look one way or the other is really kind of stupis Sindri: humans are so weird Sindri: I wear glitter sometimes and I've been asked if I was gay but really who cares Sindri: its pretty Finn: it's too late i am definitely freaking out but it's just it's like Finn: it feels like there's something wrong with me that i don't like someone or want to kiss someone or whatever? like Finn: people talk about who kissed who and who's dating who but Finn: i'm over here looking at my art and wondering if the color scheme is satisfying yet Finn: and i feel like i must be weird. and i don't want to be weird or more different Finn: people already HATE me i dsiojhdngf Finn: i don't wanna be weird sindri Sindri: is it okay if I add olaf to this conversation Sindri: I think he might be able to help a lot Sindri: also people dont hate you Finn: sure? why not Finn: i'm already so embarrassed i want to cry Finn: but they do though. they already hate my stutter Sindri adds Olaf to the conversation Sindri: honestly that's so mean and there's nothing wrong with u finn Sindri: hi olaf Sindri: um so finn was telling me about some stuff and I really think you might be able to make him feel better because he is not sure how he feels about kissing people and stuff and I told him it's okay if he doesnt want to or feel ready but I just think you're better at words than me and also that you sort of know about this stuff Finn: hello olaf! ha Finn: this is awkward. i feel really it's not i mean it is a big deal but maybe i'm Finn: overthinking it a lot Finn: i get really anxious about lots of stuff but i didn't want kissing to be on the list of anxieties Olaf: oh icicles that is super relatable Olaf: it is on my list of anxieties already though!! haha Olaf: though it's not so much kissing as people wanting to kiss me I suppose. because yeah, i always felt like people were way faster than I ever was Finn: is it normal to feel like it's too fast? idk i mean i don't like anyone but i feel like everyone likes people and like i'm the turtle in a race i didn't know i was in? Finn: is it a turtle or a tortoise in the story? idk. i like turtles Olaf: it was normal for me! i still feel that way honestly and I'm several years older than you Finn: oh. okay. that's good. i mean Finn: not good you feel like you're you know, but it's normal? Olaf: hmm i think normal is an overrated word. i dont know if it exists. because even people who are kissing are doing it for their own reasons and liking it for different things. so even then, it's not like there is one answer. at least from what ive learned Olaf: though its really nice hearing that you feel that way too! it's like we're our own special kind of normal! (◠﹏◠✿) Finn: oh no i'm gonna cry. not that that's unusual for me hahaha Finn: it's nice not to feel alone? because it felt really strange. it feels strange. why don't people just want to do art? or photography? Olaf: or read books!! Finn: yes! Olaf: OR GOOGLING Olaf: I told Sindri the other day that Googling is my new hobby. I'm a Googler hehe Finn: hehehe did you google anything interesting? Finn: you should google turtles. they're so cute. or octopus Finn: 

Finn: he cute! Olaf: WOW thats amazing O.O Olaf: I've never seen anything like that! Finn: really? Olaf: yeah, not at all! I've mostly been Googling about Renter's Insurance. ^.^ Finn: that sounds like the most boring way to google D=

Olaf: and the other day i was Googling recipes for a crock pots! Olaf: and then also Googling and reading reviews about crock pots! Finn: oo you cook? Olaf: Well, Sindri and I are in the market for adopting a crock pot so hehe Olaf: which isnt really cooking from what I understand. It's a pot giving your food a warm hug for many hours Olaf: But I DO love cooking 😃 Finn: that's such a fun way to talk about crock pots! Finn: i like it too! and baking <3 Finn: cakes are really fun to make Finn: and you can decorate them so it's like Finn: food and art Olaf: oooo yeah i love decorating cakes too! i once helped out at a few dances in the hollow Finn: really? that sounds like fun! Finn: maybe we could decorate a cake sometime Finn: or no that sounds dumb wait haha Finn: you could also meet my dog he's very cute Olaf: why does that sound dumb!! we can make it a special friendship cake 🙂 Olaf: dont you think more people should have cake for reasons like that? so silly that we wait for special occasions Finn: Oh. Yes please! <3 Finn: i definitely think so. friendship cake sounds like the very best kind of cake Finn: i'll try to decorate it with all the friends i've made this year Olaf: OH thats so fun! Olaf: have you heard of cupcakes?? you could have a friend cupcake decorating party Finn: i have 😃 cupcakes are amazing! Finn: i'd have to find a cupcake tin but that also sounds like a lot of fun

[evilispretty-dead]

So roommates part 35

Sindri plassed Freya in front of the fire to wear her up from being in the cold water as lagertha and Astrid rushes to her side “what happened?” Lagertha asked as she pulled the wet furs from her body as Astrid pass her some dry far to put over her “we watch her the docks as she walked into the water, then next we saw was her go under and she didn’t come back up” tahu said as he sat down looking at lagertha, ubbe spoke out “ she said she had vision” lagertha dropped to her knees at the side of fraye taking her Face In to her hands so that Freya was looking at her “ what did you see” Freya look at her with dead eyes “so much blood” she whispered out looking throw lagertha “I watched the world burn” the air in the hall went still as fraye said this as this moment in time they are watching for what is to come next “it was just vision the seer has not see it so it not true” lagertha said stroking Freya face but Freya bit her lip drawing blood “mmm I don’t want to take about it now” Freya got up making her way over to her to bed room to get out of her wet dress and in to some dry and warm. The rest of the day for Freya spent in her room thinking about what she had see but it didn’t make sent to her what did it mean for her.

About noon came a knock at her door “Freya it me” it was tahu talking throw the door “come in” she sat up from under her fars that was on her bed, he walked into the room in heavy fars on his shoulders Freya look up at his with a shy smile played on her lip “why you dress to travel” she asked him taking in everything he had on “ me must move on soon and it almost time for the festival for the gods” she lowered her head “ arrhh yes the hunt need to be done and the warriors need to go to the god lands” he placed his hand on her shoulder “yes and you know father is he has to be on the hunt” she pulled back the fars so that she could get up “then I want to you take this to my sister as I won’t be with you this year so give her this to look after her” she handed him the dagger that lagertha had give her when she left for England , tahu look up at her was a sad looking face as he could see that she was shaken from what she had seen.

End scene

Anyha had some time to kill before she was need back on set as she was not needed back till late so that meant she could go over to York set and see what they was filming so she skipped of to her trailer to get changed out of her dress in to joggers and top and picking up her set jacket that had her name on it taking her phone she posted on Instagram a picture of her all cuddled up in her big jacket with big fluffy hood walking out of her trailer to go to the York set .

Walking onto the set of York she did a boomerang as she walked through the ‘streets of york’ she walked behind the camera crew to watch what they was walking through what they was getting ready to be film , someone called that they all should take five before they was going to film . Both Marco and Alex walked over to where they was keeping the stuff so anyha weaved her way through the people to get over to them “hey guys” she cold out to the A’s she got closer to them making both of them look at her “hey” they both said smiling at her. The little brake that they had they spent it with Marco asking anyha question about her time home and that he didn’t know she was in a band but most of all was how he like the picture that Alex had got of her on stage and he guess she was the girl in his picture at the art museum making anyha blush bright red “hey don’t worry I will keep it secret” he smiled at her patting her back as he got up and walked off to his place on set “he got out of me” Alex rubbed the back his head as she spoke looking st her making her giggle at how shy he looked “well it ok now go be ivar the boneless” she straighten his costume from him pulling to it sat in the right place over his chest then patted it as she gave her sinners smile “Ja min dronning” straight his back he walk away from her as anyha muttered something under breath making him look back at her a horn as she work out what he had just said to her.

Scene

Ivar has spent the night looking of the plans of York working out what was the best way to serve a attack from the English and from what he could work out the plan he had come up with was the best one smiling to himself as blow out the candle plunging the room in to darkness and letting his laughter bounce of the walls round him in the dark room .

Somewhere outside of York a army was gavering “heahmund you sure your plan worked” King aderwolf looked at the bishop to his right in a cool tone of voice “ yes my king their men will be weak from hunger so we can over power them” his his blue steely blue looked over York Then trundling his horse to ride back to camp “may god be with us” King aderwolf whispered out following the bishop back the cam as this the two other man that they with them .

It was the early morning the sun was just coming up over the walls of York when the English attacked to find York empty walking the the street bishop looked round trying to find where the Norse men but they could see them soon rats ran passed him making him look down “why are the rats?” He asked himself looking round soon they crieds from the other side of the courtyard as men was hewing cut down as the man cover behind them open up an Norseman came out pushing them onto the courtyard a battle broke out around them as ivar and hvitserk came up from underground both of them smiling as ivar plan had work , hvitserk jumped in to battle smiling as he cut people done as he went , ivar slowly walked throw the men watch them guy each other down a sick smile play on his face as blood splatter cross him . Bishop was stranded by ivar men and he had nowhere to go looking up he could she over looking down on him as he spins a throwing knife on his finger as bishop sat on his house curing down ivar men but they was closing in on him soon they shot his house with arrows knocking from the house ivar called out to his men as the closed around him telling them in their in the own language to give him a his house then he signaled for them to fight again.

End scene

Cut was called for them to take a short break Alex moved over to where he has left anyha but couldn’t find her looking at his phone that was place on top of his jacket seeing a tech for anyha saying sorry she had gone without saying by but she was needed back on let and she had to get redress he text her back tell in her she was on and if he get the chance he will come see her but he had lot to film as well along with the film the stuff with Jonathan.

Scene

It had been some days since sindri and tahu lifted and bjorn has come back and they was getting ready for war , lagertha had put the work out to men to come fight for her and formed new allies now started coming to katket , Freya could see bjorn eyes on the young princess of Denmark walking passed his she told him to go she watched menu of the men look for someone to lay with but she was not looking for it , sitting down at the head table lagertha cam to sit with her “I asked again call in your warriors Freya” freya looked at her with sadness “ my people have nothing to do with this war and that is it” lagertha could see their was no changing her mind about it all and as of tomorrow they would be riding out to meet with ivar and king harald to see if they could negotiate with them “ very well then” she got back up and made her way into the sea of people in the main hall , bjorn watched his mother make her way over to him “she still won’t lend her arm” lagertha snapped out taking a sip from her cup “why should she now as I am no longer her husband” bjorn said as he takes a bit out of some meat them looking over to the princess again then back to his mother “go go if you must” lagertha went back to thinking about her stolen lover Astrid but she need now after all this time she was not her not more as she was haralds now and this sucked her but remember where she was made her snap out of it .

It was the next day when the riding party was ready to set out on their days ride to the meeting place men and women were saying bye to their families , bjorn was kissing the women he had spent the night with looking around Freya saw so some sadness Torvi walked over to her with her children at her side “fraye I put my child in your care” fraye looked at her shocked but then takes the hands of the small children “ you will come back” he embraced torvi be for she climbed on to her house both Freya and torvi watch bjorn walk passed his children this made torvi snap at him about not kissing his children goodbye marking his way back over to them he kissed his son head and the little girl in Freya arms he kissed her head then looking at fraye he placed his hand on the back of her neck pulling their foreheads together “keep them safe for me and I will be back” he then kiss her forehead pulling away from her jumper up on the back of the house looking back down at Freya and his children then over to torvi as he nodded for them to move out .

Her and the children stand watching as the army movers out of katket on the way to to the battlefield , Freya looked at the children and their sad faces and she had to do something so she walked back to the main hall with them”come we will go play and tell stories” she smiled down at bjorn young son seeing as he smiled at her.

[olaf-likeswarmhugs]

Olaf’s Frozen Adventure Part 1 || Chapter One: September 29th

A/N: So...how did Olaf end up in Swynlake?! The journey began months ago! Things sure are changing in the Icelandic Hollow, and the more they do, the more Olaf has to question. Part One will be told in a series of text conversations between Sindri and Olaf. 

@huldufolk-hjarn​

September 29th

Sindri: when are you going to come rescue me

Olaf: oh no! WHAT IS WRONG Olaf: WHAT MUST I PROTECT YOU FROM THIS TIME

Sindri: boredom Sindri: capitalism Sindri: the sun

Olaf: i will fight the sun at once D< Olaf: i cant fight capitalism though because its a human concept and it confuses me!

 Sindri: because its confusing and stupid Sindri: I didnt tell you yet because I wasnt totally sure but I made a friend Sindri: I think

Olaf: oh??? Olaf: hoppin hailstorms sindri thats amazing!! Olaf: WHO IS THIS FRIEND Olaf: ARE THEY NICE Olaf: where'd you meet? oooo is it the pizza delivery person Olaf: i have always wanted to meet and befriend a real life pizza delivery person

 Sindri: I cant afford pizza so I havent met one of those yet lol Sindri: hes a pixie Sindri: fast-flying Sindri: hes pretty nice. I did find out hes a lot younger than me but I dont think that really matters hes cool and he made me laugh in the supermarket which is a big deal because I hate it there.

Olaf: a pixie? ooooo from the local hollow Olaf: have you gone there yet to find a part time job?? Olaf: i worry you'll run out of pixie dust tell me you asked D:

Sindri: sort of Sindri: im just sort of mad I will have to have two jobs and go to school Sindri: I'll be okay tho probably I dont use a whole lot altho I did go to the hollow recently and that kind of took a good chunk

Sindri: also einar misses you [image of sad pup]

Olaf: EINAR Olaf: i am kissing the bright screen of my mobile telephone device! ahhh its like i can hear his boofs Olaf: wait that distracted me Olaf: 1. what do you mean SORT OF Olaf: 2. I want to hear more about the pixie friend! is he like you? Another Mr. Degree Go-Getter?

Sindri: I didnt ask yet because I'm afraid to Sindri: hes not because hes still in secondary but I mean technically he goes to school so that counts right

Olaf: AHHHH SINDRI should i call their queen on my mobile telephone device?? i will ask for you! Olaf: and what is secondary

Sindri: hes 15 Sindri: and I dont think she has a phone but even if she did then no lol

Olaf: okay but what is secondary?

Sindri: its school like what I'm doing but all the kids have to go until they are like 17 Sindri: olaf did you know humans use tigers to sell breakfast cereal and that cereal is called frosted flakes and it's not even cold

Olaf: wait what are the tigers doing? Olaf: how do they train tigers to sell cereal?

Sindri: well its a cartoon tiger and he wears a scarf

Olaf: oh is he cold? Olaf: because the flakes are frosted? Olaf: oh you said it wasnt though...

Sindri: no its not!! Sindri: and it's not a winter scarf it's like a bandana? I think it's supposed to be stylish? Sindri: if they are gonna put clothes on him it should be pants to be honest

Olaf: sindri that makes no sense Olaf: why would a tiger wear pants

Sindri: WHY IS HE ON THE BOX IN THE FIRST PLACE OLAF

Olaf: maybe he likes cereal! 

Sindri: his nose is blue maybe he is cold

Olaf: oh he's handsome!

Sindri: no

Olaf: i think he's handsome ;3 Olaf: hehehe Olaf: ok im teasing you

Sindri: hes terrifying why is he on my ceral

Olaf: is it good cereal Olaf: i bet its tasty

Sindri: it's really sweet it doesnt taste like corn at all

Olaf: why would it taste like corn Olaf: its...what is a flake actually

Sindri: because they are "corn flakes"

Olaf: if its not a snowflake... Olaf: how does corn come in a flake Olaf: OH Olaf: OH I GOT IT Olaf: the tiger is a corn-flake-talent-fairy! Olaf: there must be fairies who can make flakes of corn!

Sindri: that doesnt exist

Olaf: imagine a cornstorm Olaf: RAINING CORN

Sindri: also hes a tiger

Olaf: well maybe he's a tiger with corn-flake-talent abilities Olaf: there's a talent for everything! Olaf: even turning corn into flakes! Olaf: do you wanna hear about what i ate today!!

Sindri: was it corn flakes

Olaf: no Olaf: [takes a picture of his food because he Would and its like a seafood stew] mmmmmm Olaf: I helped pick out the bones from the trout :3

Sindri: wow I want some of that Sindri: do you wanna know what I ate today Sindri: dry ramen Sindri: OLAF Sindri: OLAFFFFF

Olaf: what!

Sindri: the tiger's name Sindri: guess what it is

Olaf: cornboy Olaf: he's a good cornboy

Sindri: first of all no dont ever say that Sindri: ITS TONY Sindri: TONY THE TIGER

Olaf: really????? Olaf: i would have never guessed that! Olaf: wow! Olaf: Tony the good cornboy!

Sindri: stop

Olaf: what do you have against tony Olaf: you bought his cereal!

Sindri: yeah I did and it was expensive Sindri: Tony is a greedy capitalist

Olaf: ah then i have to fight him :/ Olaf: my corn buddy no more :/

Sindri: I miss you

Olaf: i miss you too! Olaf: this mobile telephone device does not respond to my hugs as warmly Olaf: im hugging it as soon as i send this message though okay so you hug yours too ready go!

Sindri:  ❤️

Olaf:  ❤️

Olaf: when are you done again?

Sindri: this is my first year and there are four

Olaf: ohhhh right Olaf: you told me that Olaf: thats very long! wow

Sindri: yeah it's too long you need to come visit me

Olaf: thats 16 seasons Olaf: i want to, im just scared of the planes... Olaf: i dont know how you did it Olaf: oh and the car to get to the plane

Sindri: it's not that bad I think you could do it Sindri: oh I didnt tell you but my friend Sindri: hes korean and he taught me some of the language

Olaf: wait IM KOREAN

Sindri: I'm sindri hyung now. And he taught me how to say hi

Olaf: wow thats so cool

Sindri: I taught him some icelandic

Olaf: no naughty words i hope

Sindri: and he has two names Sindri: nemo and nam-min Sindri: I'm boring tho I'm just sindri Sindri: can I change your name to cornboy

Olaf: YES Olaf: nemo is cute! does it mean anything

Sindri: I dont know I should ask him Sindri: he probably wont answer for awhile hes grounded

Olaf: ooooo Olaf: is he a bad influence Olaf: did u befriend a bad boy

Sindri: I dont think so? He seems really sweet kinda innocent... Sindri: his dad is nice too you would like him he cooks

Olaf: oh is he a kitchen-talent?

Sindri: healing

Olaf: oh that is not a kitchen talent Olaf: but cooking is very impressive then

Sindri: what did you have to do today speaking of talents

Olaf: bone-picking-talent remember Olaf: i picked out bones for the fish stew

Sindri: you should just cuddle people because I miss your cuddles a lot I think they are magic

Olaf: ahaha well maybe someday someone will need cuddling and i will be there! Olaf: tomorrow Im going to help the messaging fairies i think Olaf: that'll be fun, i'm excited about it. Lots of exercise

Sindri: that'll be fun!

Olaf: yeah, i'll get to talk with a lot of fairies Olaf: ooo i can bring them a message from YOU Olaf: do you want ot say hi to anybody??

Sindri: just tell everyone you give a message to anyway that I said hi Sindri: except viktor

Olaf: yeah viktor can melt off! Olaf: why do we not like viktor again

Sindri: he pushed you into that puddle that one time! I know you were getting in anyway but that was really mean!

Olaf: oh he meant it as a joke! Olaf: or maybe i was too slow Olaf: i dont remember that was a long day Olaf: ahah so many puddles

Sindri: it was mean :/

Olaf: oh i thought it was funny Olaf: you worry too much sindri i was fine

 Sindri: counterpoint: you dont worry enough

Olaf: whats there to worry about? Olaf: it was my slush-puddle-talent day! and you were there too, to pull me out if i needed it.

Sindri: yeah I guess

Olaf: as long as you're with me, there's nothin to fear! Olaf: i know technically you're not with me now Olaf: but theres still nothing to fear! Olaf: because its LIKE you're here with me Olaf: I just think, oh what would sindri do

 Sindri:  😭

Olaf:  😊

Sindri:  😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭

Olaf: hey sindri? Olaf: whenever you're scared Olaf: you should think what would olaf do! too

Sindri [unsent]: I do that already Sindri: I might die tho

Olaf: you wont die Olaf: you rode a plane so you can do anything now

Sindri: you're way braver than me that's how I know you could fly in a plane :) Sindri: his name means graceful boy which honestly is true. He dances

Olaf: thats a pretty name Olaf: did you know my name means king! Olaf: you did i just like reminding you i am royalty

Sindri: yeah well I sparkle and that's way cooler lol

[olaf-likeswarmhugs]

(Things That Boyfriends Do) || Backstory

Summary: Olaf is making a list of Things that Boyfriends Do in preparation for his first real date with Sindri. 

TW: bdrpsmut, but very soft and barely explicit 

The Snowshoe Moon pinks bright in the sky, hanging like a jewel at the peak of Snæfellsjökull. The Hollow flurries with movement: Kitchen-talents cooking away, steam puff-puffing from the chimneys; service-talents bustling as they set up tables through the Hollow’s Circle; Evergreen-talents beading together nut-and-holly-berry chains for the decorations. Full Moon weeks are always busy as a blizzard, especially for a Helper-talent. Olaf finds himself pinballing back and forth between groups. He is the extra set of hands. He is the eye that helps straighten the banner. He is the enthusiastic cheer that punctuates the end of the rehearsal of the performer-talents, as he tells them of course they’re ready, it’s going to be so great! 

Olaf loves Full Moon weeks for all these reasons. He  always looks forward to them, especially this strange, particularly warm spring season. The Full Moon Dance is exactly what the Hollow needs to relax a little, forget about the tough thaw this year, and celebrate all the hard work they’re doing despite it.

But this Snowshoe Moon, Olaf finds himself dreading... just a little. 

Because it’s his first Full Moon Dance with Sindri as more. 

As boyfriends.

His stomach flips when he thinks about it. Olaf shouldn’t be nervous; it’s just Sindri after all. They’ve technically been courting for a little over a week now, even though they’ve not gone on any real dates. Not because they don’t want to, but because being an apprentice means many hours of working and lessons,  and both Sindri and him are tired at the end of their days, so they just get hot cocoa and cake together at Star-Bucks like they always do. Only now, Sindri slides onto Olaf’s side of the bench, close enough that their thighs and shoulders touch. Olaf doesn’t mind this at all. He likes it. He likes Sindri close, he likes when Sindri rests his head on Olaf’s shoulder or plays with the cord tied around Olaf’s Helper-tunic. It’s maybe just a little weird, but only because Olaf knows Sindri is doing it because they are Boyfriends now. He does it like he always wanted to do it--like every time he sat across from Olaf before, he was thinking about sitting next to him instead, and for some reason he’d stopped himself.

Olaf is making a list of other different things that Boyfriends do:  

Share cake. Sindri cuts his in half and puts some on Olaf’s plate. (Only Olaf is pretty sure they shared cakes like this before so maybe not.)

Get hot cocoa for you. Sindri gives Olaf his chocolate wafer, too.  (Only Olaf has offered to do this before; they get each other food all the time.) 

Hold hands. Sindri takes his hand, intertwines their fingers, and walks Olaf all the way home. (But they held hands before too. Olaf loves holding hands. He loves Sindri’s hands. What if they were always boyfriends? Olaf is flummoxed.)

Kiss. Okay, this, this Olaf knows, this is something Boyfriends do. Sindri still gets shy before. His cheeks pink like the aurora and he presses his lips together like he’s getting them ready. Then Sindri surges forward in a single second of bravery and kisses him. Kissing Sindri is nice, something brand new, something that makes Olaf’s mouth feel like a different shape after. But the best part about kissing Sindri is when the kiss ends and Sindri smiles at Olaf, wider than he’s ever smiled, and hugs Olaf, tighter than they ever hugged before, that smile pressed against Olaf’s ear. 

So, that’s what courting Sindri is like--  more the same than different. But maybe that’s why the Full Moon Dance feels big, like Olaf is gearing up for a performance all his own. He hasn’t rehearsed enough. He hasn’t quite figured out all the rules of Boyfriends yet, and people are going to be looking at them, Olaf just knows it. Anna-mum’s already bad enough, always asking how Sindri is with this strange new lilt in her voice. 

“Ahhh, getting sparkly for Siiiiindri?” Anna-mum appears at the door of Olaf’s room, singing Sindri’s name with that lilt now. Olaf just got back from helping string all the berry chains around the Circle and has toed off his shoes. He hoped to wiggle into bed for the quickest fox-nap. He blushes at Anna-mum’s smile, the way she taps against the frame with her fingers and looks at him like-- like-- well, like he’s all grown-up. Which he is! 

(But why is he more grown-up now then he was a week ago?)

 “I think we were going to get shiny together,” utters Olaf. They always got ready for Full Moon Dances together. Why would it be different? 

Anna-mum raises her eyebrows. “Oh, really? Still? Don’t you want to surprise him?” She slinks forward, then puts an arm around Olaf’s shoulder and squeezes him.  “You should let me do your hair. I have tinsel. You think Sindri would like that?” 

“That sounds shiny.” Olaf nods. But he honestly doesn’t know what Sindri would like. He didn’t... think about how he should have...thought about that. 

(Things that Boyfriends do: dress up for each other. Olaf makes a note.)

“Oh, and I can paint your nails that beautiful blue Sindri likes,” adds Anna-mum. “How about that? This is so exciting! Your first real dance with Sindri, finally!” She kisses his cheek. “I’m so happy for you, snowflake.”

Olaf’s nerves crackle and jump like dangerous sparks and it smacks into him: he doesn’t want to go to the dance.

That doesn’t make any sense. Olaf loves dances.

So he just grins, like he’s supposed to. He grins and he nods and then grins even wider and tells Anna-mum, yes, let’s do his nails and his hair for Sindri, because Anna-mum is so excited like she’s been waiting for this day for so long. Has Sindri also been waiting for this day for so long? His nerves burn hotter-- it’s just all these expectations. It’s these expectations and Olaf doesn’t want to let people down.

(It’s okay. It’s okay, he like-likes Sindri, and Sindri picked him for a boyfriend for a reason. So it doesn’t matter if Olaf doesn’t know what that means yet. If he does what everyone says it means, then he’ll learn.)

When Sindri arrives, he sees Anna-mum finishing the last of the tinsel in his hair. Olaf immediately giggles loud enough to drown his crackling nerves. “Hi!” he blurts.“Sorry, we ah, started early! Anna-mum wanted to do my hair! It’s weird, huh!” 

A small smile moves over Sindri’s lips. “It looks very nice. You’re doing a good job, Anna.”

Anna beams, clasps Olaf’s shoulders and then leans down to kiss his cheek. “Isn’t he so handsome! My sweet boy. If you want I can add some tinsel to your hair too, Sindri.”

Sindri keeps blushing. He’s still looking at Olaf, and Olaf is pretending not to notice because it makes him squirmy. 

“Oh, I dunno--” Sindri starts. 

“You should!” Olaf blurts again. “Yeah! It’ll be fun, we’ll be shiny together. I can even help Anna-mum.”

“Okay.” Sindri chuckles for a second, then gently puts down the flower crown he was hiding behind his back onto Olaf’s desk.

Olaf is relieved to finally get up from the chair. It feels so much better to do something. He watches Anna-mum and learns how to thread the tinsel into Sindri’s locks, so it blends with the rest of his pretty, almost snow white hair. Soon Olaf is an expert. He’s humming a little while combing his fingers through the strands. He doesn’t even realize that Sindri has closed his eyes until Anna-mum leaves to start getting sparkly herself. 

“Are you falling asleep?” Olaf teases. Sindri’s mouth twitches in a smile.

Olaf thinks about kissing him. He likes Sindri like this: so relaxed and sleepy, not a single snowball-thought in his head. This is definitely a Boyfriend thought, and Olaf is proud of himself for having it. 

“It feels really nice,” Sindri just murmurs. His eyes open. “Are you almost done?”

Olaf inspects his work. “I think so.” 

“You really are beautiful,” breathes out Sindri suddenly.  

Olaf freezes. Heat gathers behind his ears. He doesn’t know why, but he laughs and touches the back of his own neck. He wants to make a joke or something, change the subject, excuse himself, he doesn’t know why. “Anna-mum was right about the tinsel then.” 

Sindri giggles too, face flushed. “Do you want your crown? He-here…” Sindri stands and goes to the desk, then brings the flower crown to Olaf. His eyes skirt around the floor, his head bowing slightly as he offers it out with two hands. 

Olaf notices the gleym-mer-ey flowers at once, among the holtasoleys and bilberries. They’re a pretty lilac-blue flower, with an eye of yellow in the middle. Here in the Hollow, gleym-mer-ey flowers are only ever used between lovers. Olaf saw the flowers in the Mums’ crowns. He saw them in Sven and Kristoff’s crowns for each other. He had once gone with Petur to pick the petals for Blenky. But he’s never used the flowers himself. Now, nestled between the other flowers, carefully arranged by Sindri’s expert, artist hands, Olaf reads the meaning quite plain. 

Sindri’s crown says that love has made him rich. 

It’s a beautiful crown. It’s an important crown. 

It’s-- too heavy, Olaf thinks. His nerves crackle again. Why does it feel that way? Nerves, just nerves. He’s scared. He’s thinking about his own crown for Sindri. He didn’t use this flower. He used all of Sindri’s favourite berries, bursts of purple and blue and red. It’s a crown of plenty, but also just a Sindri-crown, something only Sindri will really get, past the different meaning of the flowers. 

(Things that Boyfriends do: use gleym-mer-ey petals. So why didn’t he?) 

Olaf’s mouth feels dry. Sindri smiles that shy Sindri smile. Olaf chuckles again for no reason, or-- maybe, maybe the reason is that Sindri feels the air crackling too.  

“Is this weird?” Olaf finally says, like he can’t hold it in anymore.

Sindri’s smile instantly disappears. “What?”

Oh-- oh no. No, Olaf was mistaken, he was not supposed to say that. “I--I mean. I’m kind of nervous. Is that weird?” he clarifies. “Like I dunno, I think, it’s our first... date, for real, and I’m just nervous.” 

Sindri’s smile returns. “Oh, yeah, I’m really nervous.” 

“You are? Oh good!” Olaf blows out a breath. He laughs more, and then Sindri joins him and they just stand there chuckling at each other until Olaf reaches forward to fix a few of the tinsel strands in Sindri’s hair. “Thank you for this crown, Sindri, it’s so beautiful,” Olaf says. He puts it on. “There!”

Sindri reaches forward to fix the crown. He steps closer. His smile fades and his eyes remind Olaf of how the sky looks right before it snows. That peaceful, relaxed look again. He finishes adjusting the crown, but he doesn’t step away. 

“I’m so happy,” he whispers to Olaf. His eyes search Olaf’s own. “I’m…I’m so...so happy, Olaf. I think you’re just the best person in this whole Hollow. I think… you’re perfect.” Their foreheads touch and Sindri closes his eyes. His nose nudges Olaf’s. 

Olaf’s whole body is hot, his throat, thick. He doesn’t move. He can’t move and he can’t speak. He doesn’t know what to say to that. 

Then, their lips touch and Olaf doesn’t have to say anything. 

When Sindri kisses him this time, it’s not like the other kisses so far. He coaxes their lips together slowly. It makes Olaf’s entire body tingle in a good way. He closes his eyes. Just listen to your body, thinks Olaf. Sindri’s words fade into the quiet sound of their lips touching again and again. Sindri holds Olaf’s face. Olaf grasps one of his wrists. Kissing Sindri keeps the dance far away, lifts the weight from the crown so he isn’t thinking about it. He just thinks about how good this feels, to kiss. Sindri kisses very well. He pays attention to every part of Olaf’s mouth and doesn’t go too fast. 

Olaf doesn’t really know how it happens next. One moment they’re standing up and kissing and the next, they’re lying on their sides in Olaf’s bed, their bodies pressed together and their wings folded down. Their hands roam around each other’s bodies, not really undressing each other all the way, just moving the fabric around until Sindri’s hand sneaks down Olaf’s trousers. That’s when the kiss breaks and Sindri’s  hand freezes like it remembers itself. Sindri draws it back up to Olaf’s stomach, where his palm rests gently over Olaf’s exposed navel.

 Their eyes open and they look at each other, breathless and wide-eyed.

“Hoarfrost. Is this okay?” whispers Sindri. “Sorry, I should have asked…”

Olaf feels very hot all over. It’s that good warmth, a little hard to think through, and he’s a little hard in his trousers too. The idea of Sindri touching him isn’t bad though. He wants to be touched and he wants Sindri to feel good too, and they’ve always done everything together. And this feels easier to think about than the dance for some reason. He doesn’t want to think about the dance. 

But being with Sindri, touching Sindri-- Olaf has always known how to touch Sindri. There has never been a time when he overthought where he put his hands, or where he stood, or the hugs he gave like giving flowers. He wiggles a little closer and lets his hand run up Sindri’s back, between his wings. He watches as that makes Sindri blush bright red. Olaf grins at him. 

“What, what, what?” Sindri utters nervously.

“I’m just thinking you’re so cute.” Olaf chuckles. Sindri  pinches him. Olaf laughs even louder. “Hey!”

“You’re making me--”

“Snowball,” Olaf says. “Sorry. I was just...this is making me less nervous, I think.”

Sindri licks at his lips and says, still kind of breathless, “Yeah?” 

“Yeah.” It’s like we’re hanging out, with kissing. He doesn’t say this, just in case it isn’t the right thing to say. 

“I wanted to do this after,” confesses Sindri. 

“You did?” 

“Yeah. I mean. Not that I was... I didn’t expect, but I was hoping maybe after. I was. When I was picturing it, I mean, I wanted it to be special... Agh, snowballing,” Sindri mumbles and Olaf quickly leans in and presses a kiss onto Sindri’s lips. It works, Sindri breathing out some of the nerves. “Should we wait?” he says. “I don’t want you to think--” 

Olaf quickly shakes his head. “No, I think this. This is perfect, Sindri.” He smiles gentler. “For me, I think this is perfect.” 

“Is it special enough?”

Olaf shakes his head at once. “It doesn’t need to be special.” 

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.” Olaf hesitates for a moment. “Are you sure? Do you want to do it some other way? We can wait, if you want.” 

Sindri shakes his head too. It’s his turn to wiggle close. He ropes his arm back around Olaf and their noses bump again. This close, Olaf goes a little cross-eyed, trying to see his friend. (No. His boyfriend.) 

“I don’t want to wait,” mumbles Sindri and he breathes out shakily. “I love you, Olaf. I love you. Is that okay? Can I say that? I know we just started courting. But I love you.” 

Olaf strokes his friend’s cheek with his thumb. (No. His boyfriend.) He strokes Sindri’s cheek and imagines he’s smoothing all their strange, brand new nerves down that should never be there in the first place, not between the two of them. Instead, he imagines that they are like the two poles of the aurora and their lights are glowing the same colours. Green, and blue, and lupine purple. “I love you too,” he says, and he means it. He has always loved Sindri. It’s something that covers the whole sky. It’s there, every day. 

They kiss again. They kiss harder. Sindri fumbles the cord of the tunic. When its untied, Olaf lets the fabric fall down his shoulders, exposing his back to the air first, his wings fluttering softly. He sits up with Sindri and they keep kissing while Olaf draws Sindri’s tunic down off his shoulders too. Olaf holds Sindri’s round snowball cheeks and makes Sindri sigh and whine and touch Olaf’s arms, then his chest, then his hips, and then they aren’t wearing any clothes anymore and Olaf’s flower crown has fallen off, though the tinsel in their hair sparkles every time the clear white orbs of light catch in their strands. 

They are still nervous. Sindri asks Olaf if it’s okay with almost every breath. Olaf hums and teases and then makes up for his teases by sucking on Sindri’s sensitive earlobes. Sindri shudders and moans. That feels good? It’s Olaf’s turn to ask. What about this? He brushes his finger over Sindri’s nipple. What about this, he says and slides their bodies together. 

This, and this, and this--Olaf’s questions turn into gasps, and then back into questions-- will you touch me there? Can you touch me harder-- until finally there aren’t any more questions, only kissing, touching, giggling, panting. When Sindri comes, he whispers it to Olaf so Olaf can gather Sindri close and hold  him tightly to his chest. 

In the space after, Olaf floats a little and wonders why he was ever so nervous about anything. He blinks heavily. His eyes close, then open, the way that wings fold close, then open, when getting ready to fly. Sindri’s head lolls on his shoulder. He feels Sindri’s lips move against his skin, like they’re whispering something. But he’s pretty sure Sindri is just kissing him.

He gazes out the window and sees the tail of the pink sky. The music is starting. “The music is starting,” Olaf says this out loud. He twists his head to look at sleepy-eyed Sindri. “The dance. The music is starting, do you hear?” 

“D’you wanna go?” Sindri says as he lifts his chin onto Olaf’s shoulder. “I know you love the dances.”

Yes, he loves the dances. This is something Boyfriends know. (No. This is something Sindri knows.)

Olaf’s nerves have gotten much quieter, but when he starts to think about it, he isn’t sure, still. He hesitates. “Maybe we could just skip this one,” he says. “I think we should just. Hang out. Don’t you?” 

And when Sindri smiles, it’s much brighter than the lights and much prettier than the music. “Yeah, okay.” He kisses Olaf’s shoulder. “Okay.” He’s giggling for no reason, in between kisses. “Okay, okay.” 

Olaf snorts, but he sinks into the cot, then wraps Sindri up in his arm, tucking him closer to his side. Next Full Moon, thinks Olaf. Next Full Moon, he’ll be more prepared to be a Boyfriend.