inkwelloftheeldar

[inkwelloftheeldar]

The forest did not speak as she once had. There was a time, long ago - before shadow crept through the woodland - that the trees whispered in joy, and the wind danced untroubled through green leaves. Thranduil remembered it. He remembered laughter in the glades and the voice of his father, strong and unyielding as oak. But time, ever cruel to those who do not die, had taken much from him. Now, the silence of Mirkwood pressed in like a wound that would not close. And yet, amid that darkness, there remained one light. Legolas. Thranduil did not speak often of his affection for his son, if at all. Not out of coldness - though many had mistaken it for such - but because that love ran deeply and brought with it a terrible fear. How could one lay bare his affection, when love had so often been the lever by which kings were broken? He had seen it before, in the ruin of proud houses and noble hearts. Affection, too openly worn, became a blade in the hands of an enemy.

No. Thranduil wore his love as one might rest beneath armour. Hidden beneath layers of ice and gold, guarded and revealed to none. He feared not Death, nor the Dark, nor even the slow corruption of his realm. Only this -- that his son, and his son’s light, might be stolen, for dearly he held him to his breast. He had raised Legolas under a canopy thick in sorrow, and taught him to move swift and silent through a forest that had grown hostile and hungered beneath their feet. He had shown him to love the green even when it darkened to black. And still, Legolas breached the walls his father had long built, of stone and silence and pride. Not by disobedience or defiance, but simply by his breath. And so full of light, Legolas walked the paths of wonder Thranduil had long forsaken for his duties, and in him Thranduil saw not only the child he had loved, but the joy he had lost. Legolas was all Thranduil had once been, and all that he still longed to be. There was in Legolas a light unclouded by bitterness, and tempered by wisdom. He did not deny the grief of their people, nor the shadow that lengthened over the lands, and he met it not with sorrow. In him lived the grace of the Eldar undimmed, and the fierce clarity of one who still believed the world could be made whole. He could weep for the fading trees and still smile at the rising sun. That was what Thranduil longed to be again -- not unbroken, but unafraid to love what might be lost. In his son, he saw not naivety, but the rarest kind of courage -- to hope and to remain. And from within his father’s heart of hearts, Legolas took this. Though the years had wearied Thranduil, and the health of Mirkwood weighed heavily on his spirit, he had not forsaken Middle-Earth. There was bitterness in him, yes. But not despair. For though he rarely spoke it, he too believed in the future of the Free Peoples, that there was still beauty to fight for, still a song buried beneath the rot, waiting to be heard. In this, father and son were alike. Legolas looked to the wider world with the same clear eyes Thranduil had once turned toward the starlit skies, and the same fierce longing to mend what had been broken. It was not ignorance that made his son hopeful, but strength. And Thranduil, though worn, still carried that same strength in silence. Here in the Great Wood - where the forest no longer rejoiced and rot curled like smoke through the roots of her trees, and shadows clung to boughs like memories too bitter to forget - and so long as their people walked beneath the sky - Thranduil would remain. For what he had guarded in silence, he would guard still, with crown and blade, with silence and fire, until the Dark was spent and the green arose fearless. And, until the forest sang again, and Legolas walked unburdened beneath the sky. 

[inkwelloftheeldar]

Han leaned against the bulkhead, crossing his arms with that smirk still gracing his lips. "No 'sweetheart'? Noted." He raised a brow at her tone, but it only made his grin widen. "Alright, don't blow a fuse. Caution's not such a bad thing these days, I'll give you that. Empire's got everyone looking over their shoulders. Trust me, I've been there."

Chewie let out a low rumble, and Han glanced over at him with a shrug. "I know. She's right about one thing, though. Pirates don't exactly cruise around in a ship like the Falcon. Don't think your droid's seen too many freighters up close, huh?"

When she mentioned the credits, Han tilted his head, his interest suddenly piqued. "Well, now you're speaking my language! I'll take a look and see what we can do. Might not be pretty, but if there's a way to get your ship flying again, I'll find it." He gave her a confident nod and gestured toward her wrecked ship. "Lead the way, and let's see what we're dealing with. Just don't expect me to do it for free, and no promises if I spot a part or two I like."

She rolled her eyes and scoffed, “Don’t call me sweetheart,” she warned before she put her blaster back in her holster and stepped inside. “Not to mention, I think everyone has been on edge since the Empire took out Alderann, so forgive me for erring on the side of caution.”

“This is Echo base, please standby for recovery,” said a voice on the intercom.

“Mayday! We’ve got pirates!”

Nova knocked on the blast shield, “No, we don’t, Rex. Pirates wouldn’t be flying in on a Corellian freighter.”

“False alarm!”

“I only put in the distress signal if my ship is beyond repair. I have some credits if you’re able to help.”

[inkwelloftheeldar]

Han stood at the open hatch, snow crunching under his boots as he looked back at Chewie, who had his bowcaster slung casually across his shoulder. "Pirates?" Han echoed, a crooked smirk tugging at his lips as he stepped inside the wreckage. "Buddy, pirates aren't as charming…"

Before he could say anything else or ask questions, the sharp click of a weapon's safety disengaging snapped his attention back to outside. A woman stood there, blaster in their faces, her stance steady despite the freezing wind.

Han raised his hands as she spoke, though the smirk stayed. "Hey, hey! No need to get trigger-happy, sweetheart. Name’s Han Solo. That’s Chewie. We’re answering your distress call." He quietly chortled and glanced from her to Chewbacca and back.

"Look, if I wanted to steal your stuff, I wouldn’t have knocked first." Knock? Sure, bud.

Chewbacca let out a low growl, narrowing his eyes at Nova.

"Relax, pal." Han said before looking back at her.

Inescapable Legacies

@inkwelloftheeldar

“Rex! Tell me you’ve fixed it!”

“N-n-n-negative! Impact with Hoth incoming!” The droid replied.

“Keep working! Wall-E, take cover!”

The little box droid strapped himself into his compartment and compacted into his box form. Nova managed to steady the ship as it got closer and closer to Hoth’s snowy landscape.

“G-got it!” Rex chirped as the systems came back online.

Nova pulled back on the controls to pull the ship out of a nose dive. But it wasn’t enough as the ship skidded across the snow, before coming to a stop, half buried in a dune. She managed to free her death grip from the controls and massaged her joints.

“Everyone alright?” Nova asked and sighed with relief as both droids positively chirped in affirmation.

She ran a ship diagnostic and paused for a moment, “I think we lost a part in the crash… I’ll go out and see if I can find it.”

“Are you sure?” Rex asked.

“The sun is still up, so we should be fine. Send out a distress signal, just in case it’s a major fix,” Nova replied as she pulled on thick boots, gloves, a purple hat, and a thick coat. Wall-E immediately grabbed one of his carriers to join her.

“No, bud, you’re gonna sink. Stay here, okay?” She ordered before shoving the door open to the elements.

Cold was an understatement. After shutting the door, she rubbed her arms before following the path of destruction. Nova really hoped that this was an easy fix.

[inkwelloftheeldar]

Han Solo was lounged in the pilot's seat of the Millennium Falcon, boots propped up casually on the console, when a sharp ping echoed through the cabin. He leaned forward, frowning as a distress signal flared on the display.

"Huh, that's interesting." He mumbled, tapping a few buttons to get a better read on the signal. "Looks like someone's in trouble on Hoth. Great. Just what I needed -- another trip to that ice cube."

Next to him, Chewbacca rumbled skeptically from the co-pilot's chair, his massive hands resting on the controls.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Han replied with a wave of his hand, squinting at the comms. "I'm picking up the signal, but no answer. Either they're too busy to hit the comms, or…well, let's not think about that."

Chewbacca growled uneasily and Han flashed him a crooked grin. "We'll take a quick look. Who knows? Maybe they've got something worth salvaging, if they're already frozen stiff."

Chewie turned toward him with a disapproving growl, his fur rippling as he shook his head.

Han raised his hands defensively, the grin not leaving his face. "I'm kidding! I'm kidding! Take it easy." He leaned forward and adjusted the controls, his tone a bit more serious again. "Alright, set the coordinates. Let's go see who's got themselves stranded. And if it's another droid out there sending a signal like last time, you're the one digging it out. Not me."

The wookiee let out a loud snarl, clearly unimpressed by the suggestion, and shook his head again.

Han's hands deftly worked the console as he set the ship's course, her engines humming to life. The stars outside stretched into long streaks as they jumped to lightspeed.

Moments later, the Falcon descended Hoth's frosty atmosphere, her hull rattling slightly as the chilled winds hit against her. Han leaned forward in his seat, focused, with both hands on the dash as the distress signal grew stronger.

"Alright, Chewie, keep your eyes peeled. If they're half-buried in this snow, they're not gonna be easy to spot."

Chewbacca growled in acknowledgment, scanning the blindingly white terrain.

"There!" Han said, pointing ahead at a dark streak in the snow, which was the unmistakable path of a crash leading to the crumpled shape of a half-submerged ship in a snowy dune. "Looks like we found our popsicle."

Han eased the Falcon down carefully, the landing struts hissing as they extended to touch the ground. With a soft thud the ship settled, her engines powering down. Han unbuckled his harness and grabbed his heavy coat from the back of his seat, shrugging it on and pulling on his gloves.

Chewbacca let out a low, reluctant growl but grabbed his bowcaster, following Han toward the ramp as it lowered into the frigid air. Snow swirled around them as they stepped out, the wind somehow biting Han through even the thickest layers of his coat.

Ahead, the stranded ship rested.

"Hope whoever's inside is still breathing." Han dejectedly muttered as he trudged toward the wreck and pulled the hatch open.

Inescapable Legacies

@inkwelloftheeldar

“Rex! Tell me you’ve fixed it!”

“N-n-n-negative! Impact with Hoth incoming!” The droid replied.

“Keep working! Wall-E, take cover!”

The little box droid strapped himself into his compartment and compacted into his box form. Nova managed to steady the ship as it got closer and closer to Hoth’s snowy landscape.

“G-got it!” Rex chirped as the systems came back online.

Nova pulled back on the controls to pull the ship out of a nose dive. But it wasn’t enough as the ship skidded across the snow, before coming to a stop, half buried in a dune. She managed to free her death grip from the controls and massaged her joints.

“Everyone alright?” Nova asked and sighed with relief as both droids positively chirped in affirmation.

She ran a ship diagnostic and paused for a moment, “I think we lost a part in the crash… I’ll go out and see if I can find it.”

“Are you sure?” Rex asked.

“The sun is still up, so we should be fine. Send out a distress signal, just in case it’s a major fix,” Nova replied as she pulled on thick boots, gloves, a purple hat, and a thick coat. Wall-E immediately grabbed one of his carriers to join her.

“No, bud, you’re gonna sink. Stay here, okay?” She ordered before shoving the door open to the elements.

Cold was an understatement. After shutting the door, she rubbed her arms before following the path of destruction. Nova really hoped that this was an easy fix.

[inkwelloftheeldar]

"—It is when they are children that they show you their hearts and who they are to become.

Away from the demands and duties of a king, Thranduil’s free time was most spent with Legolas through quiet evenings of reading, song, or ventures into the woods to learn of the life that surrounded them. From the very leaves of the trees to the running river of the forest glen, Thranduil taught the Prince to admire all life. Everything which dwelt within their realm was to be cherished, whether it whispered in the wind or fed their kin.

“Ada! Ada! N’aras pin! Na baran aras pin!” (Father! Father! A little deer! A brown little deer!) Legolas’ tiny voice was full of excitement at the sight of the timid fawn as it wobbled behind its mother, hiding away from the noisy “baby” elf.

“Shh. Calmly, ion nin. Quietly. It is small. Just like you.” Thranduil’s voice was soothing and quiet as he looked upon the doe with a respect that had been founded over months of patience, trial and error. “You must approach it with care.”

If not for the pair of deer having recently been cared for in the stables, Thranduil would have forbade it. And full of determination, Little Green Leaf agreed to carefully approach, and tip-toed forward.

“Tolo si, aras pin. Tolo si.” He gently called to the fawn, slowly inching towards the pair with a small hand extended. “Come here, little deer. Tolo.”

In turn, Thranduil fanned out a comforting hand upon the round of the doe’s leg to ease her as his son approached hers. Legolas’ little fingers brushed over its barrow as gentle as a child’s touch could. "Can I name him? Len iallon, Ada?"

Reluctantly, the King nodded, if only to see the brightness in his son's eyes and the tenderness in his young being.

"Maer, aras. Maer." (Good, deer. Good.) With each pat, Legolas' and the fawn's closeness grew. "I will call you, Araspin. Araspin nin. My Little Deer." And, grew.

Although Thranduil tried to keep Legolas from forming bonds with the woodland animals, as their lives were far too short and the Elves of Mirkwood were pristine hunters - which would only serve to break his young spirit - the Prince’s heart was too full and his empathy too great. This was an inevitable and painful cycle for an Elf child. One that left a mark so deep upon his heart, Legolas briefly stopped naming them.

Art Credit: Cudzinec @ deviantart

[inkwelloftheeldar]

╰ * elvenking musings.

artist: unknown (if you know who the artist of the original graphic is, please let me know, so i may give credit where due).

"—He ever only did for Legolas. All what Legolas knew was Thranduil.

But their purposes were never aligned. Legolas was never meant to follow in his footsteps. Not in the way of a king. Nor was he meant to understand all what his Adar endured and the decisions he made to protect him from the same sorrows.

[inkwelloftheeldar]

I owe everyone. I'm sorry. I hope to return here soon, as I've been dealing with health & personal matters.

Thank you all for your unwavering patience.

[inkwelloftheeldar]

What would Gambit’s favorite comfort movie be?

Oh, I see whatchu doin'. Dis de type o' question dat gets me talkin' bout dem deep, dark secrets y'all wanna know.

I'ma go wit Titanic. 'Cause, ya know... big ship, tragic love. An ice cube.

Remy loves ice cubes.

[inkwelloftheeldar]

   𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧. 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙮 --       https://tinyurl.com/2rurztcp

[inkwelloftheeldar]

The corner of Remy's lips twitched with a smile. He could never trust anyone. He just knew Evie was playing him dirty. At least, that's what his mind told itself. Did he care? Nah. Either way, he was coming out of this with a new friend.

"Well, well, looks like I'm 'bouta lose to de queen of Uno herself. Not dat I’m bitter," he added with a wink, glancing over at Jubilee who was on the verge of falling asleep. "But don'tchu go gettin' too smug now, Evie. I'ma let you win dis time 'cause I'm savin' my energy for when I really need it." Like when it’s time ta steal yer heart.

As Remy placed a card down, Jubilee chuckled from the side, shaking her head. She had already given up and pushed her pile to the center of the table. "Ouch, Remy. Looks like you're out of luck tonight. Remind me to never trust you in Vegas."

Remy chuckled along with her, his grin fading into something a little softer, and then into a yawn. "Guess we should call it a night, huh?" Evie hadn't claimed the game just yet, but he conceded and threw his pile in with Jube's.

Evie couldn’t help but chuckle at his exaggerations. Was it a jerk move? Sure. Was it a way to get back at him for earlier? Not at first. But there was an underlying motive.

“You really think I would trick you just for the fun of it? How dare you!” She chuckled, before she added an, “Uno, and changing it to red,” as she lowered one of the wild cards.

“It’s nothing personal this time, Remy. It’s just late and I’m sparing you from having to deal with my grouchy tired self. No charm could save you then, and it would probably chase the both of you away for good.”

[inkwelloftheeldar]

Remy's smirk faltered for a split second when Evie played her special card, his eyebrows lifting in disbelief. It was all playful, but a part of him was flabbergasted. He'd been sure he had this one in the bag, with two wild cards. And, now there she was, flipping the game on him. He took the stack with an exaggerated sigh, giving her a look that was somewhere between impressed and downright betrayed.

"Now, hold on, Boo-dini," he drawled, fanning out the enormous hand she'd just burdened him with. "You got me feelin' like I jus' stepped in quicksand, lookin' all smug over d'ere. I thought I had dis game wrapped up like a Christmas present, and here go you, pullin' out magic tricks like it's Halloween."

He leaned his head back, glancing from her to Jubilee. "Seems Remy's outmatched tonight, non?" He asked with a chuckle. He was trying to act unruffled, but beneath all of that, he felt a touch of something new. It wasn't just his charm or his bravado she was brushing aside. He felt like she saw through him, and challenged him on a deeper level. And for the first time, he wasn't sure he could call her bluff.

"If you t'ink Remy's charms don't work on ya, doe, I'm gonn' take dat as a challenge, chere." He glanced at his cards, then leaned towards Evie with a sly smile. "Ohhh, but you've definitely got Remy cornered. C'est si bon," he murmured, laying down a card with an exaggerated sigh of defeat. "So, whatchu gonn' do wit dat?"

Evie’s face got a bit red as she smiled a bit from his flirting. The little lovesick innocent side of her was kicking her feet like an excited schoolgirl. In a strange way, it almost felt nice to feel that side of her again. Yet as soon as it arrived, it vanished when the bitter, jaded guard arrived, like it had chased it away with a rolled up newspaper. Why couldn’t she feel happy and admired for once? Was that so much to ask for?

She could feel so much inner turmoil within her, yet she managed to keep it masked on the outside. Evie wondered if there would ever be an inner peace again. Yet even Remy admitted that his flirting could turn people into putty in his hands. Her inner critic wondered if he meant it in a malicious way too. Like he used such sweet talk to mold the clay that formed his victim into the shape he desired.

Some people just wanted to hurt others-it was their nature. Evie hoped and prayed that Remy wasn’t one of them, but she couldn’t trust him yet.

“You certainly know how to use your charm, but one day you’re gonna find someone it won’t work on. Not me, of course, but right now my pride is what’s keeping me from being swayed.”

More hands of cards were shuffled around. Evie was in awe of how Gambit shuffled the deck with more skill than a casino Blackjack dealer. She won herself two games, Jubilee won one, and Remy won himself two games as well. As midnight hit, so did the tiebreaker game’s climax. Jubilee had five cards, Remy had two, and poor Evangeline found herself with fifteen of them. Six reds, three greens, and five blues, but one trick card-her own special custom wild card. Evie managed to play into her frustration at being dealt every draw four and skips, while hiding this little ace until the right moment.

Evie covered her yawn with the back of her hand, “Well, I’m sorry to do this, but, Remy, I’m gonna need your cards.”

She put down the custom ‘Draw 13 or Trade Hands’ wild card before condensing her cards into one stack and handed it to Remy to trade. Did Evie feel bad that Jubilee had used that card on him in their last game and now she was too? Maybe. But it was way past bedtime and she wanted to break the tie!

[inkwelloftheeldar]

Remy raised an eyebrow as Evie laid down the wild draw four. "Mon dieu, chere, you don't waste no time, do ya?"

Casually tapping the edge of his remaining cards, he pretended like he wasn't phased by her move. The truth was, Evie was playing a little sharper than he expected.

With a smooth motion, he reached for the deck to draw his four penalty cards, his fingers shuffling through them as though weighing their worth. "Looks like you got Remy on dat one," he said with a shrug, though the glint in his eye suggested he wasn't entirely out of tricks just yet. "But don't get too comfortable."

Remy threw a quick glance at Jubilee, who was watching the game unfold. "What'd I tell ya, Jubilee? She got a sharp edge ta her," he said, nodding toward Evie as his grin turned just a bit more roguish, lingering on her for too long a beat. "Brains, beauty, AND she know how to play de game? Now dat's de kind o' trouble I could get used to."

Jubilee leaned against the wall, arms crossed and eyes rolling up towards the ceiling. "I'm bettin' on Evie to wipe the floor with you, Cajun. And for the record, all that charm and sweet talk? Please. No woman's falling for that!" She shot Evie another wink before turning back to peek at Remy's hand.

"Flirtin's gotten me outta plenty o' tight spots, believe me, petite. A lil charm, a lil smile, maybe a few kind words, and most folks are putty in my hands." He leaned forward, resting his arms on the table as if he was sharing a secret. "'Course, maybe it don't always work, since I ain't never tried ta win a game of Uno."

Oh, Remy. Quit while you're ahead, boo.

Maybe it was her hanging on every word that stopped her from realizing that she already had yellow cards in her deck and she didn’t need to draw. Maybe it was a combination of that and her own approaching mental breakdown of moral quandaries that kept her mind out of the game. Yet, stability came with Remy’s reassuring answers that she wasn’t asking for the impossible in wanting a normal life.

But she knew that he was right in sharing his second observation. There was no real normal for people like them. At least, she couldn’t go back to the normal she once knew. The one where the most stress she had was reaching out to different creators, making deadlines, and perfecting sponsor scripts. This new power erased all of that, and there was no escaping that. Even if she lived alone in a cave like the mythical gorgon herself supposedly did, there was no getting away that this power was with her forever. Unless she fully understood the hand she’d been dealt with, she was never going to find any peace-for herself or anyone else for that matter.

Remy was right. Neither one of them asked for this life, and they certainly didn’t get to choos—

Evie jumped, nearly losing her cards, when the stranger entered. Didn’t anyone in this damn place hear of knocking?! Were they all raised in barns?! Evie made a mental note to lock her doors as she tried to calm her accelerated heart. Was she always this paranoid, or was it now heightened thanks to the trauma?

The newcomer certainly oozed sparkles with that extroverted energy about her. Yet Remy treated her like a friend, so maybe this was someone Evie could put in the effort to know. Did Jubilee scare the crap out of her just now? Yes. Was her energy way too much for this late at night? Absolutely! Evie was already starting to feel the energy drain with her talks with Remy. The adrenaline rush managed to give her social battery some extra oompah though. Not to mention that it woke Evie to the fact that Remy now had four cards while she still had six.

Now the competitive side was coming out.

Evie chuckled and readjusted her glasses, “I might have to take you up on that, thank you! My name’s Evangeline, but you can call me Evie of you want. If you have time, do you want to join us in another hand after this one?”

Then her gaze settled on Remy. Even though the shades stopped her power, there was still a bit of ice in her look. He better not be going easy on her to make up for what happened.

Time for a power play.

“Speaking of, I think I want green as the new color,” she added as she put down a wild draw four.

Have fun with those eight cards, buddy!

[inkwelloftheeldar]

Remy scanned the cards in his hand, but didn't really see them. His mind was on her words, as he ran his thumb along the edge of his stack.

"Selfish? Non," he said softly, his accent thickening just a little. "Wantin' ta live yer life ain't selfish. It's human. An' sometimes, bein' selfish is de hardest t'ing ta do." He placed down a yellow reverse card, not breaking eye contact. "Charles, he's a good man. Always about choice, an' not force. If you wanna stay but not fight, he'll respect dat."

He paused, watching her closely, the playful grin from earlier absent now, replaced with sincerity. "Ain't no shame in wantin' a normal life, Evie. But…normal might look different fer people like us. You can live as quiet as you want, but yo' power? It's a part o' you, whether you use it er not."

His hand hovered over his next card before placing it down. A yellow two. "I didn't ask for any of dis neither, but we don't always get ta choo-…"

Right as he was about to finish the sentiment, the door to the room swung open and in strolled Jubilee with a bratty grin plastered across her face. She took one look at Remy and Evie mid-game and seized her moment.

"Well, well, well! What do we have here? Gambit playin' Uno with our newest housemate? Ain't that just adorable."

Remy shot her a side-eyed glance, his lips curling up into a half-smile. "What'chu talkin'? You always gotta make an entrance, don'tchu, petite?"

Jubilee made her way towards their table, leaning against the back of Remy's chair as she peered over his shoulder at his hand. "And look at that. You're losing? I gotta say, Remy, didn't think I'd ever see the day."

Remy tilted his head, arching a brow. "If I'm losin', it's ‘cause I'm lettin' her win. Got a reputation ta keep, y'know."

Jubilee snorted. "Yeah, sure. Smooth talk all you want, but we both know you ain't got the cards to back that up." She winked at Evie, before adding, "Don't let him fool you, girl. His bark's worse than his bite."

Remy leaned back, his gaze still on Evie. "You wound me, Jubilee. A gentleman never reveals his cards, ‘specially in front of such lovely company."

Jubilee rolled her eyes. "Anyway…" Her energy shifted to a warm welcome as she turned to look at Evie. "I came to introduce myself. Was hoping to be the first, but looks like Gambit beat me to the punch. I'm Jubilee, but you can call me Jubes. I see you're getting to know the master of Uno. If you ever need someone to show you the ropes around here or gang up on this guy, I'm your girl!"

A grin had long returned to Remy's face. "You should take her up on dat one, Evie. Jus' watch out for dem sparkles. D'ey contagious."

Maybe if you embraced de sparkle a little mo', mon frere, you'd actually win a game or two. 'Sides, who don't love dem some pizzazz? It makes every'ting a lil mo' fun.

Evie listened intently to his story, hanging on every word. She felt terrible for bringing up what might have been bad memories for him. This recent incident had been her only struggle. Remy had seemingly struggled his whole life.

“I-I’m sorry for bringing up bad memories for you. It wasn’t my intention,” she apologized.

Looking at her own hand, and upon not finding a zero, Evie drew a card and placed down a yellow nine.

“For what it’s worth, I’m glad you did accept. Right now, I can’t imagine anyone else I’d rather be sitting with,” she smiled.

Evie had started to see Remy as an actual ally, even if she hadn’t fully trusted him yet. The walls were still up, and while there may be a ladder with his name on it, there were still weapons on the other side if needed.

“Do you think Professor Xavier will still let me stay even if I decide not to fight on his team. I get that with great power comes great responsibility, but shouldn’t I get a choice in the matter? I don’t plan on using it to hurt anyone, so would it be so wrong to try to live life as normally as I can?”

She thought for a moment, “Is that bad of me to ask? Am I being selfish?”

[inkwelloftheeldar]

He flicked the yellow seven card between his fingers, eyes half focused on the game but mind somewhere else. Evie's question hung between them, light on the surface but carrying more weight than she probably knew. He let the edge of the card graze his thumb, drawing out the silence a little longer.

"Mhm," he finally answered, his voice smooth, casual, like he hadn't just felt the pull of old memories. "Gambit's a funny word, chere. It's a move you make knowin' de risk, but also de payoff. Sometimes ya win, sometimes ya don't. But Remy always makes a move, ready to lose so'me first. Kinda like d'ese cards, hm? If I don' throw 'em quick 'nough…well, let's jus' say, Remy would be missin' some fingers."

Hadn't thought about it much if he was being honest. He earned the nickname while cleaning everyone's wallets out at a few poker games, and it had just sort of stuck. Everyone knew getting involved with him was a risk, no matter what kind of involvement that was. He'd never thought twice about using something else.

But it was her next question that hit close to home.

"Why not clear out every Vegas casino with that good luck?"

He let out a short chuckle through his nostrils, but inside, he could feel the knot tightening again. Vegas. The thought of it - back in the old days, before Xavier's - it was so easy. Or so he'd thought. It was more like the root of so many close calls, bounties on his head, and tight spots. He'd always have to look over his shoulder and find a nice place to hide in, just to get a nap. But that was before he walked into that mansion, all cocky swagger, pretending like he had it all figured out. He remembered showing everyone his power, talking like it wasn't a big deal. But when those cards lit up in the Danger Room, glowing pink and purple, hissing with energy and almost lighting him up, that’s when he knew things could go sideways real fast.

Leaning back, he shrugged off the weight in his chest with a quick wink. He'd keep all those gambling days to himself for now. She didn’t need to know everything. Not yet.

He placed the yellow seven back into his hand, keeping his grin - the one that never quite reached his eyes when it came to this - and set down a yellow zero. "I was in de streets, gamblin' in de worst parts of New Orleans, eatin' outta some big shot's dumpster. A really bad big shot. Charles offered me a warm bed, a classy roof over my head. A kitchen ta cook in. Protection from out d'ere, safe from things I couldn't control. Remy'd have ta be a fool to turn all dat down, non?"

But the truth was, he'd never felt quite at home. Even if Charles had convinced him of his potential and taught him to focus his energy into objects - like those playing cards - he knew his spirit belonged somewhere else. Somewhere free. Not cooped up in here.

Evie softly chuckled at his comment of enjoying the company. It certainly was a strange circumstance for company. Her place wasn’t even set up for that sort of thing, other than her Switch and laptop set up on the desk and by the TV. Her suitcase of clothes was emptied and rolled under the bed while everything else was hung or put away. There were still two cardboard boxes marked ‘Blankets,’ despite there being a lot on her bed (because, yes, dad, she NEEDED all the blankets!), one marked ‘Electronics,’ and one marked ‘Supplies.’

Was it a lot? Maybe. But Evie wasn’t even sure how long she would be staying. Granted, what was the point in unpacking if she really wanted to leave as soon as possible? Get whatever this was under control and get back to normality. That was the plan. That was always the plan! Nothing could change that.

Still, she returned his grin with a small smile and chuckle of her own. Evie couldn’t tell if this was genuine flirting or if Remy was just laying on that Southern Gentleman charm of his.

Or it could be an act-a way to break down her armor once more.

No. Remy already apologized, and he had explained from an honest place. Everything that had happened in that place was an accident

Oh, and letting your drink out of sight was an accident too, right?

Evie bit the inside of her lip. Maybe she should take up Professor Xavier on that therapy he offered.

She listened intently as Remy explained his power, mesmerized by his playing with the card. He made it sound so simple, so easy, like he was explaining how he spent his Tuesdays. But she figured there was more to it than he let on. The way the cards charged a purple glow in that Danger Room-there was beauty in it. But tigers were just as beautiful too, yet still dangerous.

“Is that how you got the name Gambit? From being able to change your odds?” She asked, as she put down a red zero card, while keeping in mind his yellow seven.

“So what brought you to this place? Why not clear out every Vegas casino with that good luck?” She joked.

[inkwelloftheeldar]

"Lyin'? Moi? Nah. Tonight, I'm enjoyin' de company more dan de game." He quickly glanced down at his cards, the sea of yellow taunting him before he flashed her a grin with a chuckle.

As she placed down her yellow three, Remy's eyes followed the movement, catching a glimpse of that subtle hesitation she probably thought went unnoticed. His smirk deepened. "Poker, hm? Maybe I take you up on dat one day, but I wouldn't be so sure I'd clear ya out."

Maybe I let ya win.

He put down a yellow zero, somewhat relieved that he didn't have to draw any new cards. He couldn't pinpoint what was going on in Evie's head and he didn't want to. Sure, he could drop his voice an octave, charm her ears right off, and persuade her to tell him, but there was something about her that he liked. There was no sense in messing it all up this early before he even got a chance to know her.

Remy paused for a moment when she asked about his ability, then lowered his tone just a touch. "Let's jus' say Remy's got a knack fer…makin' things fall into place when I need ‘em to. No'tin too fancy. Just a lil finesse, dat's all." He leaned in again, knowing she was curious but didn't know the half of it. "Okay, it's kinda like dis. I take energy, right? Kinetic energy, de kinda stuff dat makes things move or explode. An' I charge up objects wit it. Cards, dice, whatever I got on hand."

Taking one of the cards from his hand - a yellow seven, he held it loosely between his fingers. "When I charge so'me up, it's like I'm turnin' it into a…lil bomb. Ain't gotta do much but toss it an'...boom." He let the card spin once in his hand before returning it to the pile. "But here's de thing. It ain't jus' blowin' stuff up. I can charge myself too - get faster, stronger. Or, use it to get myself outta tight situations by chargin' de right places in a person's head."

His eyes glinted as he leaned back. "It ain't all flash an' show, doe. I gotta control it, keep it from gettin' too wild, or else… well, it can get messy if I don't." His smirk slowly faded in realizing what he was saying and how she could take it. "So, I guess I got a talent fo' turnin' de odds in my favor."

But don't worry, belle. I won't use it on dis game. Wouldn't be fair now, would it?

“You don’t have to lie to me, ya know. Nothing wrong with liking to win,” Evie chuckled. “If you want an easy win, put me in a poker match. You’d clear me out faster than a vampire at a blood bank. It’s one game I could never figure out.”

Her eyebrow raised as she watched him only draw one card before letting her have her turn. So that’s how he played. In her house, you drew until you found the card you needed. One time she got stuck dealing ten cards before finding what she needed. Evie never had the best of luck.

Evie then froze-she remembered this deck. There was a card that came with the pack that the owner could customize to deal any penalty. She wrote on the card that the owner could make the recipient draw 13 cards or switch hands with them. Other than that caveat, it worked the same as a wild card.

Not having a blue or a three, she drew a card, and placed down a yellow three. Evie still had the lead, but it was early. She hoped Remy wouldn’t find that card or that it miraculously left the pack somehow in her travel. But then again, Evie never had the best of luck.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what exactly is your ability? I mean, you know all about mine.”

[inkwelloftheeldar]

Remy took a seat in the armchair opposite her and leaned back with a playful grin. The way she shuffled the cards had a certain charm to it, and he couldn't help but return a chuckle under his breath. The faintest makings of a smile stained his lips as he rested his elbow on the table, drumming his fingers against the wood.

Go Fish? He hadn't played that since he was a kid, stuck at tee Mabel's on the weekends. And, Gin Rummy? Ooooh! Those winning hands paid for Remy's dinners on those poor nights growing up.

"Darlin', Uno's a classic. Can't go wrong wit dat. 'Sides..." he said, his voice smooth again. Play it cool, play it cool. "Remy likes a game dat ain't all about winnin'." When really, he never liked to lose.

Glancing at his cards after they were dealt, he fought back a smirk. Nothing but yellows and not a single three in sight. Just yo' luck, Remy LeBeau. You always gonn' suck at dis game. It wasn't the worst hand he'd ever had, but it wasn't exactly the best, either. He could already picture how this might go down - Evie, with her clumsy shuffle and casualness, might just run away with the game while he was stuck with a deck full of sunshine, by Mattel.

He flicked his gaze back up to her, hiding his doubt behind an easy grin. Gotta play it cool. Ain't about de cards, not tonight. Even if I lose, at least she won't see it comin'.

His fingers twitched around the edge of the yellow cards, as he resisted the urge to start strategizing his way out of this mess. He had no moves. He would have to draw a card. But this wasn't about winning, right? Not with her. Besides, there was something about letting her feel like she had the upper hand for a bit that he didn't mind so much.

Well, Remy, looks like you in fo' a lil ride. He stole another glance at her, noting the way she peered at her own hand through those glasses, and felt that tug in his chest again. Like he needed to keep her safe. Like, maybe this was the best place for them to be tonight.

Reluctantly, he leaned in, drawing a card from the pile. Son of a--... another yellow and still no three.

And, just maybe losing to her wouldn't be so bad after all, as long as she didn't wipe the floor with him like those brats did.

Evie chuckled as she opened the box and tried her best to shuffle, “I appreciate it, but don’t get upset if I happen to win. Every now and then, I get lucky enough.”

Her shuffle was clumsy, and far from any professional card handler. Evie knew it, but she wasn’t going to embarrass herself in front of him. She saw him fling cards expertly in that Danger Room like he had done it since birth.

“You probably know a million better card games. This is all I know, other than Go Fish and sometimes Gin Rummy,” she added as she dealt. “Still, I love the chaos that Uno brings out.”

She placed the deck in the middle and flipped over the first card to reveal a blue three. Evie looked at her hand as best as she could through her glasses. It looked like three reds, a draw four wild, two yellows, and a green.

Not the best, but it was just the start.

[inkwelloftheeldar]

Neville's, or more precisely Neville's father's, wand was irritating him. For the very simple reason of: IT WAS NOT HIS OWN WAND! Being the apprentice to Garrick Ollivander meant that Fred was used to gauging power and making sure that each particular wand worked with their owner. Which, to be completely honest, wasn't the case with the younger Gryffindor's current wand. As Frank Longbottom was still alive.

He strode over to where Neville was struggling with his practical work and raised an eyebrow at him, already dressed to leave for the afternoon. "Up for a trip to Diagon Alley this afternoon, Neville? I have the required permissions to take you out of your lessons- which Professor Snape seemed particularly happy about."

//Tossing a Fred in Neville's way | Chamber of Secrets / 1992-1993

Neville looked up at Fred in surprise, but relief. Leaving the classroom, and Snape's scathing remarks about his incompetence, was tempting on its own, but the offer to go to Diagon Alley encouraged him. His father's wand had always felt like a poor fit, as though waiting for someone else's hand. His dad's. "Really?" Neville asked with full eyes, glancing nervously at his wand as if it had heard Fred's suggestion. "I…I think that'd be great. This wand, it's just not working right for me. So, do you think… I know this wand was dad's, and it means a lot to me, but if Ollivander's shop has anything that might, I dunno, suit me better... Do you think maybe I could try it out?" His voice was almost apologetic and he hesitated to continue as though expecting Fred to disapprove. Thus, he quickly added, "I'll still keep my dad's, of course!"