#amaranth Poly

[mister13eyond]

i should draw an oc ship art for valentines but WHO...

[148dazed]

★ AMARANTH SET !

hello hello!!! :D this set is finally finished! it took some time because of some weight issues that I tried to fix (˶˃ ˂˶) ,,,, I hope you enjoy this set !! °❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

BG & HQ compatible !  + for FEM frame !! TOP (2 versions) ☆ 26.866 (V1) /11.897 (V2) POLYS ☆ 38 SWATCHES

SKIRT ☆ 6.034 POLYS ☆ 38 SWATCHES

DOWNLOAD (Patreon, Public on December 15)

you can tag me if you use my stuff i would love to see :D please message me if you notice any problems with my CC ♡

if you want to support me you can become a patreon for 1€ per month or donate on ko-fi ♥ all my cc is free after 2 weeks so dont be pressured to do so ♡ thank you for your support !! ʚ♡︎ɞ

[queereads-bracket]

Queer Fiction Free-for-All Book Bracket Tournament: Round 1B

Book summaries and submitted endorsements below:

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

In 1893, there's no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box.

But when the Eastwood sisters—James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna—join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women's movement into the witch's movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote—and perhaps not even to live—the sisters will need to delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances, and heal the bond between them if they want to survive.

There's no such thing as witches. But there will be.

Fantasy, historical fiction, alternate history, turn-of-the-century, adult

The Fire's Stone by Tanya Huff

Endorsement from submitter: "Poly ship with the most disaster of gays and their aroace BFF as they save the world."

THIEF, SWORDSMAN, AND WIZARDESS

AARON. Clan Heir, he has fled his people when his beloved was slain by his own father's command, abandoning his training, duty and beliefs to become a thief. A master of his trade, he now dared the odds in Ischia, city of the volcano, where the price of being caught was death.

DARVISH. Prince of Ischia, third son of a king who had no intention of giving up his throne. The prince was a drunkard, a lover, and a wastrel, yet was gifted with sword skills and with the ability to charm all around him. But not even his charm could free him from the political marriage now being planned.

CHANDRA. Born a princess, she had chosen to become a Wizard of the Nine, that rarest of beings, able to master all the forms that sorcery could take. Now, promised as Darvish's bride, she undertook a desperate journey to Ischia to convince him they must not wed.

Aaron, Darvish, Chandra—three strangers whose fates were about to become interwined. For someone had stolen The Stone, the magical talisman which stood between Ischia and the volcano's wrath. And unless the three could learn to work together on a quest to find the Stone, Ischia would drown in a sea of lava.

Fantasy, adventure, secondary world

[skibidisprunkii]

newest Faded Melodies au related sprunki oc! :]

some quick fun facts about them:

- She just got her name confirmed, its Amaranth!!

- Genderfluid & demigirl, she/they prns

- Their design was partly inspired off of a dragonfruit!

- Jevin & Tunner's current lover (yayy poly mentioned!)

- They were once one of the sprunkis to be manipulated and then abnormlized by Darla, but after her riddance, she slowly recovered.

repost

[plantbasedlady]

Pinned Post

Color Key: (Read first, very important)

most important information

important information

please read

positive information

negative information

#tag

et cetera descriptive or ancillary text

Anons and DMs are always open! If you do want to directly message me, I highly recommend adding me on

my discord: mindgirl

I may occasionally edit this pinned post with new / remembered information to better express myself.

Beginning of bio for short attention span havers:

Names: Amaranth / Amy (please ask before using Amy)

My age, as of my birthday in 2023: 23 years old

My preferred pronouns: she/they/it

My preferred honorifics: Ma'am, Miss - Ask before using any others

Sexuality/Romance/Etc: Demisexual/Asexual, Panromantic, Poly

Likes, in no particular order:

TTRPGs, TCGs, Video Games, Writing, Art, Music, Theatre, Movies, TV Shows, Animation, Cooking / Baking, Computer Science, Psychology, Hypnosis, Learning, All forms of life, Defiance in the face of injustice, Kindness, Empathy, Therapy, Anything that pisses off my mother, Webcomics (yes including that one), Generally pretty much every form of telling stories available to me

TTRPGs that I play / have played or at least read some:

DnD 5e, Pathfinder 2e, Masks, Dungeon World, Thirsty Sword Lesbians

Favorite Foods/Drinks, in no particular order:

Takis, Raspberries, Blackberries, Crispy ginger beef, Broccoli with cheese, shrimp fried rice, Monkey bread, Catfish, Homemade kombucha, Dr. Pepper, Water, Sourdough bread

I will probably immediately like you in some capacity if you meet one of the following criterion:

Goth, Punk, current or former "Scene" girl, Woman (bonus points if your hair is short), Witch/etc, GNC, Using "She/Her, They/Them, She/They, or Fae/Faer" pronouns, Nice to me

Disclaimer:

I hold the stance that to believe every single cishet man to be a chaser or bigoted is bigoted in itself, so don't discount yourself if you are both a cisgender man and only into women, you still have a chance, even if I may be biased against you.

Dislikes, in no particular order:

Purposeful lack of empathy, Executive tasks, Purposeful ghosting, The USA, Law enforcement, Any form of purposeful bigotry, Gatekeeping, Calling anything/anyone "cringy," Myself, "cancelling" someone/something without significant evidence and reason to do so, deciding that something/someone is unequivocally good or bad, rejecting the idea that people change, Logical fallacies, the word "Lazy," Conflict, Rejection, Purposeful lack of honesty (especially in a relationship), excessive vegetables/greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, excessive onions, non-crunchy asparagus.

I'm just here looking for friends that enjoy similar things to what I also like to partake in, be they horny or not.

- - - - - - - -

Frequently used tags and what they mean:

#hypnosis, #cw hypnosis, #hypnok1nk

typically used as a trio when tagging hypnosis themed art, or any mention of hypnosis in an ask response or any post in general

#thoughts on the brain

always used for posts that are just rambles, or off topic

#my voice

will always be attached to posts that feature my voice in an audible format, whether directly attached or on the audio hosting website that I typically use

#my art, #digital art

Art that I have created. Will usually include #digital art, as pretty much all art that I make is in Clip Studio Paint

#ask response

A response to an ask. Exactly what you think it means.

#brainwashing

Explicit mention of some form of conditioning, classical or operant, usually paired with #hypnosis, #cw hypnosis, and #hypnok1nk.

#maestri sub tag

Woag me? A bottom? Surprising right? Wrong. This tag is for all of my posts (after a certain point where I started using the tag, I'm not going to find all my older subby posts and tag them) in which I am being a complete and utter subby little bottom. Please don't make fun of me too much.

- - - - - - - -

If you read all of my pinned post, congratulations! I will probably like you a lot more because you are emotionally invested in me and learning as much as you can about me.

:>

[itzr4v3n]

Future AU!

Okay so, what is there to say? I usually mean stuff that happens ten years into the future.

Let's start off small.

Eminence and Grayscale got married after some years of dating, three to be exact (as in, three years after the present timeline). Unfortunately, during a private dancing ceremony, Eminence was shot in the head and died pretty much instantly. The last things he heard were Grayscale begging him to stay with him and that an ambulance was on its way. It was the first and last time he ever heard Grayscale cry so desperately.

Okay, wow uhm. What a start. Oops.

Uhhhh

Grayscale was not fine for a long time. Here's one of the aftermath I wrote because apparently I was not okay that night-

Yeah, I sometimes reflect random moments of sadness onto characters.

He ended up moving back to his mom's place temporarily, because he could not care for himself properly.

No, he wasn‘t the one who shot Eminence, dw. It was kind of like his mind pushing the blame on himself for not being able to protect him. It wasn't like Grayscale was unaware people have grudges against Eminence or want him dead, it was a worry his older boyfriend sometimes spoke about.

He was able to find out the assasin was a former member of the new Drakonian Government, but the killing wasn't under White's command.

Grayscale literally hunts the guy down, leaving specks of himself in the area to let the man know he's onto him, but not enough to pinpoint. After some time of mentally torturing him, he gets his revenge and kills him.

The CPA never remarried or sought out a new partner. Not that he ever did, he has had bad relationships in the past, he just kind of gave up and waited for love to find him instead. It did, but then it was destroyed, so Grayscale figured he just wasn't meant for long-term relationships.

On a more light hearted note, Red and Gunmetal got their relationship figured out and marriage is also a thought, but they haven't popped the question yet (aka I haven't made them be married in the future yet).

Amaranth and Blackstone probably got married as well eventually. No drama, very demure, very mindful

Oh, the poly, how could I forget.

Crimson, Rulean and Silverton started Test-Dating for a bit, it went well, then Volume 2 happened. Rulean and Silverton continued their relationship, but it's expected Rulean will be single again eventually, because well. Silverton is well over 60.

As for the oxymorons, I got drama ahead.

But first off all, Estella (I finally gave her a last name, it’s Arctic) got hired by the Investigation Institute and became Irratino’s apprentice and crime scene photographer, 27. Leo became Logico’s apprentice and is, well, a deductive, 21 by then.

Logico permanently moved into Irratino's mansion, so they live together now.

Potino is 10 years old in this AU :p

Anyways, more planned lore for them, that is not fleshed out at all and is only a rough concept

Leo and Estella were solving a murder case, however after it, the perpetrator attacked Leo and ended up shoving him off a cliff. It's unsure if he died from the impact on the water or drowning, but either way he dead.

Obviously devastation for the fam and Estella.

After the funeral, the fact Potino wasn't a real human really started to show, after he poked at his own eyes until they bleed so it looked like he was crying, because he himself couldn't produce tears. Therapy for the boy, Logico becomes paranoid and notices other small details, such as exaggerated facial expressions, generally altered perception of pain etc etc and starts actively questioning where Potino actually came from.

Estella may have gotten a bit of the paranoia too, because she believes there's a higher motive for Leo's death, similar to Volume 1 end reveal, and starts her own investigation instead of mourning.

A few days later, there was a second big situation, as Leo's grave was robbed.

The oxymorons could barely start investigating, when Logico suffered a heart attack. It might seem like the shock caused it, and it's very much possible, but remember. Correlation doesn't equal causation. Logico has to be hospitalised for a few days, until he was diagnosed with coronary artery disease.

That's literally all I have planned so far.

The idea was that Potino's creation was a part of a big social experiment, to see how artificially made humans integrate into society. The next step would be to revive dead people.

Quite a jump, but if you can artificially make a brain, certainly reactivating an already existing one can't be that hard, right?

They do find Leo's body eventually, but he's already been experimented on and barely recognised them. He also can't live without being permanently hooked up to a machine.

In the end, it was decided he should go back to rest and detach him from the vials.

I am realising just how little I actually worked on lore wise for this AU, only start and end. Nothing in between.

Uhhhhhhhhhh

...

Potino grows up to be quite well integrated into society, became a small scientific celebrity but was able to remain unbothered for most of his life. He's almost the perfect combination and balance of logic and esotericism. Estella is like an aunt to him

Aaaaaand that's actually about it. Bruh

Next post is more interesting (hopefully), it's about Robogico

K bai

[drhoz]

#2848 - Sclerolaena muricata - Black Roly-Poly 

A native Amaranth, and one of many species in steppe and arid areas that adopts a tumbleweed lifestyle to scatter its seed, drying out and breaking off at ground level. There are even clubmosses and puffball fungi that use the same trick to disperse their spores.

The Russian thistle Salsola tragus is probably the best-known tumbleweed, after it was accidentally introduced to the US and instantly became an agricultural nightmare. The tumbleweeds can pile up to 6 metres deep, closing highways, burying houses and cars, and spreading wildfires. At least here in Australia we don't have the problem of radioactive tumbleweeds escaping nuclear waste dumps. We do get Panic Grass (Panicum effusum) piling up like that, though. 

Uranquinty, NSW.

[lees-chaotic-brain]

1 Year Anniversary Soulmate Color Event! (Closed)

Event Masterlist | Blog Navigation

Let me know if you want to get added to the event taglist!

It was recently my one year anniversary on tumblr, so I decided to do my first ask event! (I'm also rewarding myself because I caught up on my schoolwork)

The tag for this event is lee's 1 year anniversary event so filter it out if you don't want to see the fics from it.

Below are the rules and guide.

Here is the format:

Number (prompt) Shade (theme) Color (character)

Example:

Megumi angst with the "mark from last time your soulmate ever touches you" prompt

Would be:

#8 Jade Green

Step 1: Pick a Character (Color)

My Hero Academia:

Todoroki Shoto: Red

Bakugou Katsuki: Orange

Kaminari Denki: Yellow

Jujutsu Kaisen:

Fushiguro Megumi: Green

Gojo Satoru: Blue

Inumaki Toge: Purple

Yuji Itadori: Pink

Step Two: Pick a Theme (Shade)

Angst: blood, rust, ochre, jade, navy, eggplant, amaranth

Angst to Fluff: crimson, tangerine, pale, pine, ocean, lilac, rose

Hurt/Comfort: vermillion, dark, golden, forest, sky, plum, blush

Fluff: maroon, pumpkin, lemon, olive, baby, lavender, bubblegum

Crack: fire engine, safety cone, neon, lime, electric, violet, hot

Step Three: Pick an Prompt

#1. The closer you are to your soulmate, the warmer you feel, the further you are the colder. Basically finding your soulmate is one big game of hot and cold.

#2. You and your soulmate are attached by an unbreakable red thread tied on you ankles/wrists/whatever.

#3. Every night your dreams are actually your soulmate's memories.

#4. Once you reach a certain age you begin to feel a pull towards your soulmate, just like magnets. (someone please request a crack version of this)

#5. The name of your soulmate appears on your body only after that person falls in love with you.

#6. If your soulmate gets a wound or cut, flowers bloom out of the same spot on your own body.

#7. The first time your soulmate touches you it will leave a mark in the shape of their touch on your body.

#8. The last time your soulmate touches you it will leave a mark in the shape of their touch on your body.

#9. You and your soulmate both glow if you're in a room together for the first time. (This can get confusing if more than 1 set of soulmates are in the room)

*note: I found these prompts on Pinterest. they do not belong to me.*

At the moment, I am not comfortable writing nsfw, so please don't request it

I don't write poly relationships. It's not that I have anything against it, I just don't feel comfortable

Please be polite! I'm happy to write your requests, but please be mindful of the fact that I am also a human being with a life

Feel free to send in as many as you want, I'll try to get to all of them

The event will close on Oct. 31, meaning I will stop taking requests for it, but will continue to write and post any requests I received up until then

[owlsandwich]

Nine People I'd Like To Get To Know Better - tag game

Rules: answer the questions and tag nine people you'd like to know better.

Thank you @verba-writing for the tag! I don't think I've done one of these before :D

Last song I listened to:

Amaranth - Nightwish

Currently watching:

I actually don't watch any shows at all! I will occassionally watch a series if it has been completed and I know it ends well, but I never follow along with anything.

Spicy/savory/sweet:

I love savory. Eating is one of my favourite activities though, so I'm very much not fussy. I can eat spicier things, but often prefer things to be milder - it all depends on the flavours.

Relationship status:

Married and poly, though this is definately in theory rather than practice. Being on the ace spectrum, it's very rare for me to connect with anyone romantically, and we are also so busy that we don't have the time to be worried about extra partners at the moment. Maybe one day we will find our Professor Rats haha!

Current obsession:

I've not had a proper special interest since I started writing. It seems now, that my obsessions focus entirely on my own works. Sometimes I feel a bit down about it, but mostly I am relieved that I don't have anything so close to my heart in the hands of someone else.

The most terrifying part of these for me is tagging others! I hope these people won't mind :) (also, sorry if you've been tagged before!)

@teacupsandstarlight @jadenoryuu @pb-dot @dragonbooksword @eccaiia @sarandipitywrites @ahungeringknife @hallowedfury @mundanemoongirl

[vinegar-and-daffodils]

Hello friends!

I'm thinking about doing a small project, and I'd love to have some insight from people regarding it! So please read the question and answer the below poll!

Additionally, comments and things you'd like to Do on that date are welcome via replies/reblogs/tags! Thank you so much!

[m--rtyr]

In Amaranth, Tablance or Tablemau?

We all know amaranth is a severely Poly fic. Both.

[gloryundimmed]

Colors of You

The summer breeze in auric hair or the cold winter chill on reddened cheeks will now remain to me as candid films in which I lose myself from time to time. The May raindrops on amaranth lips, juicy like voluptuous September peaches, will shine, tempting me for a bashful taste. I cannot recall tasting a thing as sweet as your lips on mine. In those fleeting times, no matter when, you show me colors that even the mantis shrimp in all its rain- bow glory could not see. You dazzle me.

You dazzle me like a bright disco ball, reflecting light and color as you dance through all the varied seasons of the year. Though you may struggle, you keep your head up, those emerald eyes refusing to succumb to days and nights you thought would never end. You know that Spring will come, my love, and I will watch you twirl in the sun as poly- chrome buds grow anew beneath your pale feet.

[writingbyrenae]

Make Me Write Tag Game

Tagged by: @romanceandshenanigans, thank you!

Rules: Make a 24hr poll listing the titles of every WIP you want to work on. (It’s fine if you only have one, still make a poll for the vote count). Whichever WIP title gets the most votes, write 1 sentence for every vote received.

I don't have anything ready to properly write as a draft but...

Further context:

Robot knights is the sci fi robot fucking story

Jill and the Emperor of the End is a series set in a Gothic Fantasy school

Amaranth is an angel/demon omegaverse trilogy (?)

And they're all enemies to lovers plots, the first and third being poly/reverse harem. I'll have full details up eventually.

Tagging anyone who sees this. I don't think I have enough followers yet to ask for anyone specifically 😂

[pink-lesbian-fox]

Finally made somewhere to keep my thoughts somewhat private. Here's an introduction.

Name's Melody Kagemori Amaranth, I'm gonna be the main poster in here. Trans (She/Her) and otherkin. Dating Allison Amaranth (doesn't use Tumblr) and Michiru!

//Sup, I'm Michiru Kagemori Amaranth, I'm gonna post here sometimes, any post o' mine will have those two bars at the start. Also trans (She/Her), dating the same Allison and Melody!

We're a plural system, poly lesbians and taken.

Oh yeah, and nsfw warning, we will probably get horny as fuck sometimes in here. We're both 18 and will block if you're under 18.

[questioning-aspec-culture-is]

i have hunches but im willing 2 ask for reassurance.... basicallyy what would it be if i struggled to discern the difference between platonic & romantic, the only reason i back off from romance being that the actions within a committed relationship are undesirable to me... & i still enjoy the sexual side of things (presumably hypersexual). n altho i do feel romantic attraction towards people idk if i actually want a full relationship that much. i think i'm some sorta poly as i'm enjoying dating multiple partners but its not serious the way most people have it

hey!! mod amaranth here

there's a few different labels that can be used to describe these experiences, but i can't think of one all encompassing one besides the umbrella terms (greyaro/arospec/etc). i'm assuming that you're allosexual from your description

what would it be if i struggled to discern the difference between platonic & romantic

quoiromantic is the first to come to mind. it's exactly as you describe: it's used to label the experience where you struggle to differentiate platonic and romantic experiences, and typically are unsure if you've experienced one or the other. of course, labels are your sandbox and you can do whatever you want in them!! if you're neurodivergent, and feel that these confusing feelings stem from your neurodivergency, nebularomantic is the label typically used.

i back off from romance being that the actions within a committed relationship are undesirable to me... & i still enjoy the sexual side of things

i think i would urge you to look into terms like non-partnering!! however, from your description, it's also possible that romance is just not your thing :p i'm not sure what the label for that might be (if anyone does know, i'd actually love to know myself lmao), although romance averse is one that might be helpful!!

n altho i do feel romantic attraction towards people idk if i actually want a full relationship that much

i believe that the term orchidromantic might help you out there!! orchidromantic is an orientation where a person feels romantic attraction, but does not desire a relationship

hope this helps!! <2

[dreams-of-the-arcana]

Loosely based on this prompt! Tikos discovers an unexpected treasure one day!

Pairing: Kassamatik (Kassim Atesh @kassim-walks-on-air, Amaranth Silva @xvi-the-tower, and Tikos)

Warnings: Massive amounts of tooth rotting fluff, mentions of abandonment

In The Woods

“Uh, Kassim? Amaranth? Are you home? Helloooo.”

Tikos Katsaros-Yakinthos’ low voice called out as he opened the door to the trio's cottage. A small bundle held in his arms definitely resembled the shirt he’d left in. Which he was currently missing.

Kass and Ama appeared curiously and concerned. Tikos never used anything but nicknames unless it was important. Just hearing their real names coming from him was enough to put the two on guard.

“Ti? What’s wrong?” Amaranth quickly looked him over for wounds. Her golden eyes moved rapidly.

Kassim carefully reached out to place a hand on Tikos bare arm. Their eyes drew down to the bundle, it was his shirt but nestled in it...

“A baby!?”

The forest was not Tikos normal route home but he hoped that the side track would be worth it. Ilya had mentioned a patch of rare flowers appearing near the path when they’d met earlier for a drink. While Ilya was more interested in describing the medicinal properties, Tikos’ first thought was that his loves deserved a bouquet of beautiful rare flowers. Though as he walked through the steadily darkening forest he remembered why he stuck to the sea.

“Roots! Holes! Με δουλεύεις!* How do people do this to relax?” He muttered to himself as he tripped over another rock on the path.

It’d been a long time since he cursed the mob that stole his eye but he offered up a mean thought about boils and uncomfortable sitting for them. The lack of depth perception usually didn’t bother him because out at sea he compensated with his magic but the trees of the forest interfered with the air. He was about to give up when a flash of color caught his eye.

“Finally,” he muttered.

Quickly he moved towards it expecting to finally get his hands on those flowers. Or maybe run into some bandits. A beast, even. He readied his dagger. At that point he’d happily welcome anything to relieve the tension of his little hike. Something!

... except a baby sleeping soundly inside a hollowed out tree stump.

“Uh...”

After a thorough look around the area in case it was a trap, he quickly stashed the dagger back in its sheath and moved closer. Nestled amongst the moss was a baby with dark pink hair and sparkly rosy cheeks. His brown eye widened and his mind started spinning.

“Μα καλά, τι σκεφτόσουν?!* Who would leave a baby out here? What kind of parents do you have? Oh what are we going to do.”

“And so we waited for a bit longer to see if anyone came back but I couldn’t let them stay out there all night. Even with me there,” Tikos finished telling his story.

Kassim and Amaranth had taken the baby from him and sat with them on a soft rug near the fireplace. They’d recovered from the shock quickly and dived directly into protective mode. First insisting on keeping the baby warm and then properly fed. Tikos looked on from the kitchen where he prepared a bottle of milk.

“I’ll go back in the morning and maybe leave Kiki as a look-out. No one’s getting a baby back until we have a discussion.”

He shook his head at the idea of parents just leaving their baby in the middle of the forest. Who knew how long they’d been out there before he’d come along. Even worse, how long would they have stayed out there if he hadn’t taken the detour.

“Here μικρή γλαύξ,” Tikos said as he handed the bottle over to Kassim.

They picked up the baby and sat back so they could rest the baby in their arms to eat. A soft smile graced their lips as the babe eagerly took the bottle.

“Oh I know that look,” Amaranth looked at the scene and teased. “Pretty cute baby, hm?”

Kassim blushed and focused on the baby.

”Just wondering who could leave such a precious thing.”

“Someone who either had no choice or doesn’t deserve their baby back,” Tikos grumbled. “Don’t worry, we’ll get to the bottom of it and make sure they’re safe. Desperation can make people do things that seem cruel or odd on the outside but made sense at the time.”

He slid down to sit behind Amaranth and let his legs rest on either side of her then pulled her against his chest. His mind hadn’t stopped racing since he’d found the baby but finally relaxed knowing the three of them were doing this together now. Everything seemed better when he had them close.

Ama curled up close and the two watched Kassim and the baby quietly for a moment. It made for such a domestic scene.

The fireplace lit up the area with a warm glow as Kassim gracefully sat with this strange baby. Adoration was plain across their face at the bundle in their arms and the babe stared back with an equally content look. Curiously it looked as though their cheeks were sparkling even more now but it could just be the firelight. They’d swapped Tikos’ thin shirt for a mismatch of fabrics and clothes they could get to fit then topped it off by swaddling the babe in a clean blanket. When the bottle was done Kassim gently lifted them up to pat their back. Small burps sounded from them which only made the adults melt inside. While doing that they finally met their lovers eyes.

“What?” They asked but the deepening blush gave them away. “Um... what do... what do you think we should call them...?”

“I think it’s a little early for that, darling.” Amaranth cautioned.

Tikos and Kassim nodded. It was hard to not fall in love with the baby immediately but getting too attached would just make the separation harder. They all had to remember this baby had a family and could be missed at that very moment.

“I’ll fix up a drawer or something as a cot. That way they’ll be safe and can sleep next to our bed.”

Tikos offered and got up to start working on it. Kassim and Amaranth just smiled at each other, they knew it was already too late for their husband.

Tikos stared down at the forest floor in disbelief. There in the dirt was his arrow marker he’d left just the night before. But now it pointed directly to a small sapling in the ground.

”So... this was... a tree yesterday?”

Tikos pinched the bridge of his nose to try and tide the growing headache.

“Yes, a fully mature tree stump that was hollow. It was filled with moss! The whole baby was in it and not even touching the edges!”

Kassim inspected the sapling closely, nothing indicated it was recently planted. By their knowledge the sapling looked to be a good two or three years old. They looked around at the trees nearby but nothing fit the description.

”Are you... are you sure, vehana? I know you can get turned around out here and your depth perception magic gets confused...”

Tikos huffed slightly and looked away, he didn’t like to acknowledge any weaknesses but coming from Kassim he knew it was well-intentioned.

“I know, μικρή γλαύξ. I made sure to mark the right one, triple checked.”

Kassim nodded, if he was confident that he checked then they believed him.

“There’s something in the air here... it’s faint though...”

“I did feel something strange last night. It’s why I was eager to get the babe home. I thought I could just come back again but I wouldn’t let them sit around any longer... forests are weird.”

Tikos crouched down in front of the sapling. Conflicting emotions flickered through his eye.

“You sprung up quick, aye? Straight from the dying tree...”

Weeks had passed since Tikos’ discovery in the woods. No one came to claim the baby in the time so the trio decided to keep her until someone did. They let the captain of the guard know and got everything sorted out. It was left unspoken that the longer time went on the less likely the baby’s family would show up. The Captain was content to leave the babe in their care, he knew they would love and care for her as if she was their own.

“Γεια*, Seffy, Firebug, μικρή γλαύξ! Who’s home?”

Tikos' voice sounded throughout the cottage as he walked in. Laughter answered him and led him into the family room where he found the three of them.

“Welcome home, darling!” Amaranth managed through giggles.

He leaned against a doorframe in the room. Kassim and Amaranth sat on the floor with baby Persephone between them, wiggling happily. Toys and entertainment covered the area and was quickly becoming the new normal for them. Persephone, as they decided to call her, had captivated them all nearly immediately. It started slow with someone bringing home a new outfit or moving something out because it had hard corners then before they knew it, she was everywhere. Bottles lined their kitchen, pieces of cloth were strategically placed around in case of a spitty baby, and the drawer turned cot was a permanent fixture by their bed. Tikos even started sleeping on the end closest to Persephone since he slept so lightly. Any noise of discomfort or discontent woke him up right away. Oftentimes Ama and Kass would wake up to find him spread out as usual but with a hand draped over in her cot. They teased him incessantly but he just smiled and said he worried she’d get lonely.

Persephone giggled away as Amaranth and Kassim were taking turns playing peekaboo. Her cheeks sparkled still, they’d quickly realized it really was her sparkling and not a trick of the light. It was a pretty clear sign that she was happy and also not an entirely normal child.

Tikos walked over to give all three of them a soft kiss before taking a seat. Persephone wriggled and reached out towards him excitedly from Amaranth’s arms.

“Oh look who’s happy. Do you want to go to Μπαμπάς*, darling?”

They all froze at that.

Ama touched her fingers to her lips in disbelief. Only Persephone was unfazed and continued to reach for Tikos. A small rare blush bloomed on his tanned freckled skin.

“Ti, I... I didn’t... uh-“

“No, it’s... it’s alright actually. I... I think I could get used to it, aye?”

Kassim and Amaranth beamed as he took Persephone.

“What do you think, Seffy? Can I be your Μπαμπάς? If so, what will we call your other parents?”

He flashed his signature cheeky grin at his lovers who both suddenly shared his blush. None of them could have anticipated how one little detour would turn out. Not even Asra predicted that the hunt for some flowers would turn into finding something so much more precious: a family.

** Με δουλεύεις - Are you kidding me?

Μα καλά, τι σκεφτόσουν - What were you thinking?!

Γεια - Hello

Μπαμπάς - Dad