#lampwickcore

[solar-nightengale]

So This guy? Accidentally became a proper character one year later.

So Introducing Pinocchio Guercini, alongside his own Candlewick, Lucignolo Zoppetto! (Kudos to my mutual on here for helping with the names 🫶🫶)

More random sketches for these fools under the read more (Though this won't be the last time they show up around here)

[naivesilver]

Absolutely random crossover between @lizardthelizard s beans and mine because I had an idea weeks ago and just now got around to it aksjsjjdkdjd please don't ask why how or when, it happens when it happens 💖

~~~

"Lampwick, stop bothering these other versions of me."

"Uh-hu. No can do. They give me lots of new material to make fun of you."

"Even the seventeen years old?"

"Especially the seventeen years old."

August raised an eyebrow at his boyfriend, who simply grins back at him, wide and mischievous. Granted, he's happy Lampwick has been taking this world-hopping misadventure so well; August is still a little rattled by having to face copies of the both of them over and over again, himself, but he wagers he'll cope - he's coped with worse, and with way less support

He just wishes that amusement wasn't coming at the expense of a confused teenager, that's all. The boy keeps glancing at the two men in front of him with puzzlement writ all over his face - it's better than the way his step-brother was taking pictures of them with unbridled glee, sure, but not by much. There is no need for him to be involved in any trouble caused by a grown-up Lampwick.

Lampwick, however, doesn't seem to agree, because he simply presses on, smirk still in place. "Look, it's all in good fun, okay? 'Sides, I'm paying him a compliment here. He looks like he's doing better than you by a mile."

"Not a hard task, that one." August sighs, shaking his head. "Even if you weren't pulling his leg- which you are."

"I'm not! Seems like you both make some questionable choices when you get dressed, but at least he's putting a pop of color in his outfit. You don't need to always be ready for a funeral, you know?"

He's gesturing to Pinocchio's baggy hoodie, which is bright orange and much gaudier than the rest of their collective clothes. August goes to protest, not because he's offended (he's used to Lampwick's shenanigans, unfortunately) as much as because he's worried about whether the boy will be. If there's anything he remembers about teenagers, is that they don't often take kindly to people commenting on their outfits.

And yet, he doesn't get to speak, because Pinocchio surprises him- not by snapping at them, though. Instead, he smiles, and it's a big, genuine thing - his cheeks take on a red tinge, and his eyes crinkle at the corners with a warm ease that August hasn't seen in the mirror in quite a while.

"Oh, it's not mine," the boy says, somewhat fidgety. "It's Lampwick's- I mean, my Lampwick's. He left it at my house, but I don't want to give it back. It smells like him."

August's Lampwick opens his mouth, then clamps it up once again, as if at a loss for words. A little further down the road, still sitting on the curb where he's been not-so-conspicuously listening to their entire conversation all along, his younger self raises a hand to cover his eyes, a burning blush creeping across his cheeks where they remain visible. August barely stifles a laugh at how their reactions appear synchronized, but it's still not enough to avoid a pouty glare from his boyfriend.

"I give up," Lampwick mutters, rolling his eyes skyward. "That cute face was a low blow. How am I supposed to make fun of that?"

"Told you," August huffs in laughter, and he's pleased to hear his other self snicker alongside him, a twinkle of mischief in his eyes that is all too familiar, this time around.

[lizardthelizard]

“The tall, lanky boy hovering by his side rolls his eyes at Pinocchio’s antics, but when his eyes settle on the doctor all of his annoyance seems to vanish, leaving space to smug, unrestrained delight. He grins his horsey grin, then, and flashes Archie a two-fingered salute, dripping with mockery even from feet away.”

Lampwick, as a member of the Court of Misfits in @naivesilver‘s Thousand Problems AU

[naivesilver]

(happy birthday, @lizardthelizard 🥰)

[naivesilver]

gathering some visuals about good old uncle wick for easy access reasons lmao samuel valentine is not 100% his fancast but he's useful to convey the idea

basically:

sunburn king (perks of being a redhead who spends a lot of time at sea)

freckles

never fully clean shaven

strong nose

none of the pictures had good hat options by in my mind he's always wearing THEE iconic lampwick newsboy cap

WILL spoil his boyfriend but more importantly WILL spoil baby cedar like no tomorrow

[solar-nightengale]

18 or 36 + lampwick?

HIIIIIIIIII!!! First off: i'm so SO sorry for how late this one is I've been ruminating on it for the while DFCDSTJBHKDCTRL BUT!!!! I'M HERE AND PRESENTING THE RESULT FOR IT!!

spotify wrapped game: send me a number from 1-100, optionally with a ship or character, for a moodboard based on the song it corresponds to!

36. Make it All Right - The Offspring

[naivesilver]

18 or 36 + lampwick?

Time to pull the BIG self indulgent guns out!

Spotify Wrapped Game

36. Il Signore Di Baux, Angelo Branduardi

[naivesilver]

2025 update: still thinking way too much about various lampwicks

[solar-nightengale]

Also a bit of a challenge, please ignore if you don't want to do it. BUT. The "take me instead" situation from the kid/caregiver thing... Except involving my young guys and your big guys. Can go in either direction with how they know their shared story (:

Oh you had the COGS turning in my head for this prompt, I need you to know that it was SO great to think about!! I will apologise ahead of times for any discrepancies when working with your dear boys!! But outside of those inaccuracies!! I hope you enjoy!! The angst!!! Because that is very much what you’re getting :)

parental caretaker and kid writing prompts

any sort of "take me instead" situation, said by either character. Devastating.

This whole place was… a maze. Even with the wide open streets and lack of wood except in one area, Pinocchio couldn’t help but find himself a little lost in this strange looking town. He figured with enough time he’d most likely get used to it. Hell, Lampwick had already basically made himself at home and the kid alongside him. Neither of the pair were anywhere in sight however as he moved down the street, spotting ginger hair poking out from behind a bench. Curiously he wandered over, recognising the freckled face from the other day. Smoke billowed from his mouth, Pinocchio wrinkling his nose at the act, knowing there was little he could do about it here. This was not his realm, this wasn’t someone he knew. So in the end, it was hardly any of his business. Still, seemed his presence didn’t go unnoticed, as the lanky teenager looked up, one brow arched up curiously.

Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Pinocchio spoke: “Can’t help but smoke either, huh?”

“Huh?”

Pinocchio nodded to the strange stick in the boy’s hand, Lampwick looking down at it. The teenager scoffed as he gave the thing a flick, ashes falling onto the grass.

“Guess it’s a thing for yours too?”

“Most unfortunately.” Pinocchio sighed. An exasperated laugh left him as he shook his head. “Can’t get him to break the habit even if I’d like to.”

“You’ve tried?”

“With zero succession.” The woodcarver chuckled, as he moved to sit down. Catching the subtle movement of Lampwick moving closer to the edge, the older man took care to sit as close to the distant edge as he possibly could. “So long as he keeps it out of the house it’s fine however.”

“Interesting set of rules you’ve got there.” Lampwick pointed out, the man looking over curiously.

“Oh? And your people let you do it inside, right?” Pinocchio challenged lightly, watching the other scoff.

“That ain’t your business.” With another drag, Lampwick reclined back against the bench, Pinocchio taking the time to settle down as well. He looked around at the park, seeing off to the side a group of young kids playing together. He couldn’t help but wonder how many of those belonged to one realm or the other, given how mixed things seemed like over here right now. He only hoped they would get back soon. Three days had been long enough…

… He hoped Eugene had taken the time to check in and feed Figaro in their place because of this…

“Where’d the other old man go to anyway?”

He looked over on hearing the younger boy ask. Lampwick’s gaze was still trained on the lake ahead of them.

“He got antsy. Went to find his companion and our daughter,” Pinocchio explained.

The boy’s eyes narrowed before the confusion fizzled away. “Right, forgot you have a kid there.” he muttered as he stole another drag from the now very small nub of the stick. “It still sounds downright insane, really.”

“Oh believe me, him and I? We’re still getting used it ourselves.” Pinocchio chuckled, watching the other huff as he rubbed the tip of the strange item against the side of the bench.

“Well, good luck, I guess.” Lampwick hummed, Pinocchio taking the time to recline back against the seat once more.

His eyes trailed to the lake, watching as a group of ducks swam by. They were always such fascinating little creatures to him. But he felt it had something to do with the story his late father loved to tell. He couldn’t help but wonder what sort of tales and what sort of life the younger Pinocchio could be experiencing here. It was certainly different from the Enchanted Forest… or, well, Wish Realm has he remembered Princess Emma telling him oh-so long ago. A glance to the side had him almost jumping back on finding the brown eyes of the kid watching him, Pinocchio unable to hid his confusion.

“What is it?”

Lampwick shrugged. “Nothing. Jus’ weird seeing Pinocchio... you know—”

A tilt of the head. “Bigger?”

“Right.” Lampwick nodded, frowning before glancing up once more. “Guess life gets better?”

Pinocchio couldn’t help but scoff. Better, right. He was set to marry maybe in the summer just a few months ago. But the whole mess with Camelot had them pushing it all back once again. It was a never-ending cycle with that really. It could be worse but... “Well, we’ve for sure had our ups and downs. Still do. The way we got the kid was one of them.” he pointed out.

“Guess it’s not us if it were simple.” the boy joked, but Pinocchio couldn’t help but look over with unhidden worry. He looked as nonchalant as when he first saw him, but he wondered just how much of that was an act and how much of it was true. He wouldn’t be surprised if the whole thing was an act. He couldn’t say for sure… he knew his own Wick would go to lengths of shutting issues down before Pinocchio could even try to pry much be able to hide the most unfortunate news he possibly could if it came down to it. This one though? Who knew how much an open book he could be.

His expression grew sympathetic as the boy leaned back. “The trials don’t end… but they are easier to deal with when you’re not alone.”

“Right.”

“I’m serious-”

“Well some of those ‘trials’ shouldn’t have happened!” the teen ground his teeth together, scowling up at the man. Pinocchio’s expression fell entirely. Gone was the soft concern, leaving behind nothing but a frown as Lampwick scoffed. “When we were younger, Pinoke didn’t like going near the beach. Would get real pale and refused to go near it. Wanna know why?”

“Because the one time he ditched classes it ended up with a fight amongst the boys and one seriously hurt with his book?” Pinocchio guessed, watching the boy’s brows arch upwards. “Or perhaps because of how he got stranded out at sea, and had to toss himself overboard during a storm after a whale tried to chase them in order to save his father?” With a grimace the woodcarver looked away and muttered; “I suppose it’s a shared experience between our realms.”

Lampwick looked away, Pinocchio hearing the loud drumming of the boy’s fingers on the wood. “It’s especially the second one.” he explained, Pinocchio looking over and seeing the way the boy’s eyes narrowed. “Do you know how insane that is?” he gritted out with a glare, “He died!!”

“I know. I know completely, kid.”

“Don’t ‘kid’ me!”

The snap had Pinocchio recoiling, cringing apologetically.

Lampwick let out a sharp breath as he combed a hand through his hair, his shoulders relaxing again. “Sorry.”

“Guess that’s a shared experience between our realms too. Running that mouth of yours first and then apologising.” The woodcarver commented bluntly but the boy only shrugged. He shook his head as he turned to face him a little better. “Still, your Pinocchio seems happier here.”

“That’s only on the outside. But I know it all does still bother him. All of it! If I could-” the teen sighed as he slouched back against the bench, his gaze once again out on the lake water. “Maybe it should’ve taken me instead.”

Pinocchio’s eyes narrowed, fist balling tightly. “Don’t say that-”

“Spare him of the haunting. He’s got enough on his plate already than thinking about shit from the past.”

“Losing you won’t help solve that problem.” Pinocchio insisted, the boy- the teen only scoffing in response as he looked up and continued, as though he had hardly said a word to him.

“There’s a story about us too, you know. But it ended differently. Pinocchio got to live but it was I, well, Lampwick, that died instead.”

Pinocchio’s shoulders stiffened.

“Kinda makes you think what would have happened if it ended like that.”

“You’d stay dead?” he didn’t even think about his words before blurting the out, feeling his chest tighten as the conversation continued. “No fairy will bring you back from the dead, turning your flesh and bone now cold back to life. You know that.” Pinocchio pointed out. He could barely keep the shake out of his voice.

If the stone in his stomach could drop any lower, he figured it would. It already proved difficult to breathe simply thinking about losing his own Lampwick. Having that happen, really happen, to any version of them?

He inhaled deeply. “Pinocchio and I got lucky, but that wouldn’t be said about you.”

“Least it’ll spare him of the pain.”

“Pain will heal. With time, with support, it’ll heal.” the woodcarver continued softer once more. “But believe me when I say taking anyone out of the equation will always leave a feeling like there’s something, or, well, someone, missing. Especially if it is someone he cared dearly for. I might have moved on but that hole my father and Jiminy left behind does remain.”

“He’ll get over it.” Lampwick retorted, pulling another of those lighting sticks.

“You can’t know that.” Pinocchio reached out and grabbed the strange object, making the teen yelp. Yet relentlessly held it out of his reach despite the glare Lampwick gave him. “The same way I can’t know what it would have felt like if I lost my own Lampwick back then too. In the end, what’s happened has happened. All that can be done now is be there for him and keep moving forward.”

“Was that what yours did for you?” Lampwick asked as he pulled out some strange box.

‘Fuck, there’s more of them!’ Pinocchio thought as he eyed the strange sticks wearily.

Defeated in his attempt to stop the boy, he looked down at the ring on his finger instead, focusing on the question that had been asked. “Yes. And he still does that to this day.”

“Don’t regret it?” He heard Lampwick ask as he toyed with the metal.

Despite the heaviness of the topic that brough out this question, he couldn’t help but find his eyes crinkling, as his smile started reaching them. A blissful sigh, “And I don’t think I ever will. No matter what hardships come our way.” He glanced over, pretending to not acknowledge the lightness of the boy’s eyes all of a sudden as he spoke, “And you? Do you regret knowing him.”

“Like hell I ever could.” the boy affirmed with a smile spreading across his face. It was a good look on him really. “The day I do that is the day I’d request the mayor to burn me on the spike.”

Pinocchio shook his head with a chuckle. “Well, let’s not let that happen, okay?” he asked, his smile refusing to fade, “I’m sure yours would wish to see you live for another few years.”

[naivesilver]

fake/real, mess is mine, divorce AU (@lizardthelizard) + Ricordi (Pinguini Tattici Nucleari)

Il nome che tu mi darai domani.

[solar-nightengale]

@lizardthelizard Woopsie seems I dropped this here ahah my bad 😇😇💖💖

[naivesilver]

@lizardthelizard please forgive the unorthodox method of response, but Tumblr was, as we tend to say, a fucking bitch - also, I'm sorry, this might be the little shit in me, but my first reaction upon seeing this request was "why not both?" ashkdhaljskfhlkjaf 💗

Kid/Parent Dialogue Prompts

6. "How did you grow up so fast? Yesterday you were still my little baby..."

(Related, of course, to my very self indulgent EAH Uncle Wick AU 😊)

"Uuuuh, guys?" Cedar ventures, unsure of who exactly she has to address at this point. "Why can't anyone tell me where we're going? Is it another secret dance? Because it's going to be fairy hard for me to spoil the secret, if I'm already going down there with you."

She hears repressed giggles around her, which confuse her even more. "Nothing like that, I promise," Raven replies from somewhere to her left - the blindfold makes it hard to pinpoint the exact spot, but Cedar can feel her friend holding tight onto her hand, warm and familiar. "Just a little surprise."

Cedar's plenty used to surprises - learning things at the very last minute is pretty much the norm, when you can't help but blurt them out otherwise - but they don't often focus on her, in truth. She doesn't think Raven, Maddie and Cerise would lead her astray just for a laugh, and it's not like they can go very far; the chaos surrounding them can only belong to the Book End village, as familiar as it can be grating. She should be safe from nasty tricks, strictly speaking.

Still, none of that is enough to make her relax completely. "Alright, but where are we going? I feel like I'm walking my feet to splinters."

"We're here!" Maddie announces cheerfully. "Are you ready?"

Cedar is, in fact, very far from ready, but she only manages an unconvinced mumble before she is made to stop abruptly and the scarf is pulled from around her head. Her eyes don't need time adjusting to the sudden bright light as much as real ones would, but she's still so taken aback that for a moment all she can do is look up in confusion at the area around them, the clear sky and the top of the Mad Hatter's Tea Shoppe.

Then a man's voice says, "What, no warm welcome for me?"

Cedar gasps, glancing down in a second - though not much further down, it has to be said. There is a fairy familiar figure standing in front of the Tea Shoppe, tall and slim and grinning broadly at her, though he has his hands buried deeply in his coat pockets, as if he were pretending not to be all that invested in her reaction.

There is a beat of shocked silence; then Cedar throws herself at him, shrieking in joy as Lampwick drops the facade and wraps his arms around her, lifting her up as though she weighed nothing. "Uncle Wick, how- What are you doing here? I haven't seen you in forever after!"

"That's exactly why I'm here, sprout. Didn't get a chance to say goodbye when you left for school, so since I had some business in the area I thought I'd swing by... And I asked your friends to help me set this nice meeting up, to see tha' sweet shocked face of yours."

He presses a kiss to her cheek that makes her snicker, before putting her down with an exaggerated huff. "How did you get so big in so little time is beyond me- I coulda sworn you were just a green bud last week, and now you're almost as tall as me."

"That's never going to happen, Uncle Wick." Undeterred, Cedar clings to him like a lifeline, though she turns to smile gratefully at her friends, who are standing a few feet away to give them space. Maddie looks fit to burst with excitement, and Cerise seems pleased under the brim of her hood, but it's Raven that appears the most self-satisfied, regarding them with a proud smirk and her arms crossed against her chest.

And she has every right to act so, Cedar thinks. There's a good chance this might be the best weekend she's had since the beginning of the school years - she always knows exactly when and where she might see her father and grandfather, but Uncle Wick is as slippery as an eel, here one day, gone the next. To have him on hand like this, so unexpectedly... It beats every encounter she made on Yester Day, that's for sure.

"Still, we gotta water your roots some, kiddo." He ruffles her curls with fond cheekiness, then makes a broad gesture that encompasses them all and the building behind them.

"Let's go, girls. Tea's on me for everyone- let's see if the old Hatter is still as good as I remember, shall we?"

[naivesilver]

HI I'M AT YOUR WINDOW AND SCREAMING ABOUT THE SPOTIFY GAME AND UHHHHH!!!!! How's about 22 with either Pinocchio/Lampwick or just Wick alone (both for TP)

THESE MOODBOARDS BEEN KICKING MY ASS SO HERE YOU HAVE THEM starting from the angstiest one bc of course 💞

Spotify Wrapped Game

22. O Superman, Laurie Anderson

[naivesilver]

Just a little something inspired by @wildartsstuff 's Lies of P content - thank you for confirming you encouraged this kind of thing, I am genuinely unwell about your Lampwick ahaskjfhjakkfdsh 💝

✍️(◔◡◔)

The fact that there are people calling the boy Devil’s puppet in earnest will never not be ridiculous to Lampwick.

It’s true, perhaps, that what little Pinocchio has left of natural only serves to make him more uncanny – he’s deadlier than any human and as multifaceted as no other automaton could ever hope to be, handsome from a distance until you step close enough to hear the cogs turning in his chest. His appearance has tricked many and will likely trick many more in the future, Hotel Krat’s finely-tuned defense mechanisms being only the first to fall; no wonder some wagging tongues would take offense to it, after a while.

If the Devil’s in the details, then old Geppetto sure went to great lengths to refine his son up to his own perfectionist standard, and at the end of the day, it worked. Pinocchio is a miracle, or an abomination, depending on who you ask. He’s as unique as it gets, even in a bizarre place like Krat.

But Lampwick- Lampwick has seen this abomination from up close, and while he might not be an expert in anything holy unless he needs to curse it off the sky, putting such a label on Pinocchio is still an amusing prospect. There’s nothing devilish, from what he’s gathered, in a young man who looks up at him with such bright, guileless blue eyes, who responds to every kiss with the naive enthusiasm of a child trying out a game for the first time, and who elicits such trust and such protective instincts in most people he meets, warranted or not that it might be.

And there are some other moments, where they’re laying side by side in the eerie quietness of the sleeping hotel and Lampwick turns to Pinocchio, to this beautiful, complicated fool who is so painfully human for someone who’s had so much of his inner workings replaced, and wants to press his lips down the length of his naked body, and if there’s anything sinful in that, then they’re already both done for. There’s hardly going to be a circle of hell reserved for them that’s worse than Krat itself, anyway, with its reek of death and automated patrols and a nagging, irritating talking lamp that frets more than a grandmother sitting on her porch and yelling at neighbor children.

Besides, even if there were- well, at least it would be warm there, somewhat. Warmer than this bed, maybe, where even Pinocchio’s marble skin turns tepid and flushed, and he becomes the holiest sight Lampwick has ever set his eyes on.

[naivesilver]

oh lei oh lai oh lord

Soldier, Poet, King by The Oh Hellos Lampwick by @lizardthelizard Beth by @solar-nightengale Eliana by me

[naivesilver]

RIGHT. hello again. I am once again in your inbox :) how about 'would you stop with the worry - flurry?' or 'i care cause it’s not fair!' or 'oh , sweetie , what’s wrong?' from the EAH ask for Cedar? 🥰

HI I AM VERY LATE but. You know. Gretel duty called AHSKDGASKHDKGNADSC thank you, I hope you'll be able to forgive me 💗💗💗 also, I did try to come up with some ACTUAL EAH content, but the urge was too strong, so have a little Uncle Wick and Baby Cedar snippet again LMAO

Ever After High Quote Starters

"Oh, sweetie, what’s wrong?"

People made of wood can't cry, so Cedar really isn't crying, no siree.

What she is doing, instead, is kicking the underside of her bed with her foot, so the thumping noise will drown the yelling coming from downstairs. She hasn't been very successful thus far - her father and grandfather are louder even than the obnoxious clacking of wood against wood, and keep getting worse as they go - but Cedar is determined to continue, if only for lack of anything better to do; she can't get tired, and she's scared of what might happen if she leaves the room, so kicking it is, for now.

Besides, she feels kind of safe, laying on the floor under the bed, as though she were being kept in a neat little box. There'll be some dust flakes clinging to her hair when she crawls out, maybe, but it's not like she gets allergies, and no one will think to look for her there, not until they've calmed down a bit.

Or at least, that's what she thought. The creaking of the door opening makes her freeze, her leg dropping as the two men's row gets louder for a moment before it's shut out again - Cedar would hold her breath if she had any, but as it is, she can only wait, wide-eyed, as a pair of legs approach the bed heavily and kneel down to check underneath.

That's when Uncle Wick's thin, long face pops into view, smiling broadly at her. "Hello, pretty girl. Mind if I join you?"

"No." It's the truth. Of course it's the truth. Cedar is always happy to see Uncle Wick. It's just that she wishes it were Dad instead, because it would mean that the fight is over and she can leave her hiding spot for good.

Still, Grandfather says she shouldn't look a gifted Pegasus in the mouth, so she simply watches as her father's best friend lays on his back and wriggles to fir next to her - he's fairy tall, Uncle Wick, which means his long legs are probably poking out from under the bed in a very silly way, but Cedar isn't really in the mood for laughing, right now. She reprises her kicking, instead, eyes fixed stubbornly on the bed-frame.

A hand comes up to rub at her head, mussing her curly hair. "What's wrong, sweetpea? They shout at you too?"

"No. They just said I should go to my room." Which is much, much worse, in her opinion. "But they're talking 'bout Raven. Raven is my friend. Why can't I listen too?"

"I don't know, kiddo. They told me to get out too." Uncle Wick sighs heavily, his voice growing wistful.

"Look, they're gonna tire themselves out at some point, okay? That's how it always goes. No clue what old Milton told them, but they can't be mad at him forever."

The problem is, Cedar isn't so sure they're mad at Headmaster Grimm and not, say, each other. She wasn't allowed to hear much of what they were saying, but she caught enough to worry - Raven's name came up, and her mother's, and something Grandfather had done, and then off she was, pressing her hands against her ears in an useless attempt to ignore them all.

She's supposed to go to this headmaster's school with Raven when she's older, so she can follow her destiny and become a real girl. Are they going to quarrel so loudly, too, when it's time? Is that why she was sent away, so they don't start fighting too soon? It doesn't make sense.

And what does the Evil Queen have to do with it, anyway? She's dead. Cedar and Raven were supposed to be playing in the workshop while their fathers talked about what would happen after, but they got distracted enough, what with all those somber, whispering adults. "Nothing bad's happened to Raven, right?"

"Course not, Cedar. She's doing just fine. Bet you can go visit her during the weekend, if you ask your dad."

That's something, at least. And yet, the relief is short-lived, for a moment later Pinocchio's voice raises even louder and angrier, so different from his customary soft tones. "Listen, I don't know what Grimm asked you to do, but don't tell me it's something good, because I won't hexing believe you, Father-"

Cedar shifts her position subtly, curling around the man's arm with an ear pressed against the sleeve of his jacket. "Can you tell me a story, Uncle Wick?"

"Sure." Uncle Wick sounds like he's smiling. Cedar is grateful for it, even though he must only be doing it to be brave, to keep her calm and distracted - maybe his voice will succeed where her foot failed, droning on and on until she can't hear anything else anymore. "Once upon a time, there was a very clever wooden girl-"

Cedar finds herself smiling back a bit, despite herself. She appreciates the effort, she really does, even if he's being silly. "That's not right. You always say the same thing."

"Yeah, 'cause all the stories I like to tell are true. Anyway, where was I- Once upon a time, there was a beautiful wooden girl, and she was the cleverest girl in all the realm..."