#Thaddeus Thatch

[atlantis-archive]

Più Disney n.21 ATLANTIS: L'IMPERO PERDUTO #1

Chief Editor: Claretta Muci. Edited by: Stefano Ambrosio. Story coordinators: Davide Cesarello and Roberta Zillio. Cover pencils and inks: Claudio Sciarrone. Cover colouring: Matteo De Benedittis and Stefano Attardi. Publisher: Disney Italia. Publication Date: December 2001. (archive of unaltered scans)

Text:

Page 2: Welcome to the world of Atlantis: The Lost Empire, the new Disney animated film that will be in theaters from December 21st. To prepare you for the fantastic adventure here is a three-issue miniseries dedicated to the enterprise of the courageous cartographer Milo, Princess Kida, Colonel Rourke and the other crew members of the submarine Ulysses. You will discover backstories, curiosities, even characters you don't see on the screen, but who have contributed to making Milo's adventure unforgettable. Sometimes even too much! And in the next issue, the comic book adaptation of the film awaits you. But first, let's join Milo's Grandfather's expedition: we must recover a secret journal and a map that shows the way to the sunken city of Atlantis!

Page 3: LOGBOOK

The Protagonists Atlantis: The Heroes 4

THE SECRET OF THE JOURNAL 11

Towards the Lost Empire 37

Miniposter* 41

RAPID DESCENT 45

What Kind of Explorer Are You? 55

THE LAST GUARDIAN 59

* = this item is not listed on the contents page

[historiavn]

ASSORTED HEADCANONS — Milo James Thatch

When I first started writing as Milo, I wanted to pursue a holistic approach to his character that actively took into careful consideration the turbulent time period in which he lived. Here are some of the headcanons I’ve come up with him, to give y’all a better picture of my portrayal.

Growing up in GILDED AGE AMERICA had an enormous impact on Milo's character, and plays a distinct role in determining the course of his reaction to Rourke's betrayal. During this time period, "ROBBER BARONS" such as J.P. Morgan, Andrew Carnegie, and John D. Rockefeller ruled with an iron fist over their respective industries, flaunting their wealth and prioritizing profit over people in order to get ahead. Rourke's plan surely would have eerily reminded Milo of the greed exhibited by these individuals, heightening his aversion beyond the fierce desire to protect Atlantis and her people. The negative consequences of AMERICAN CAPITALISM were on full display as Milo came of age, and it is this that enables him to so clearly predict the mechanisms through which Rourke would weaponize Atlantis's material and spiritual resources.

Milo is incredibly SUPERSTITIOUS, and has been this way for the vast majority of his life. Many of these superstitions were instilled in him by his grandfather Thaddeus, but his firm belief in the concept that breaking a mirror brings bad luck comes directly from personal experience. Shortly before he was due to give a major presentation on Atlantis to the museum board, he accidentally broke a handheld mirror by dropping it on the floor — and the presentation was a failure.

Milo's grandfather, Thaddeus, was a veteran of the American Civil War. He was called to serve in the Union Army due to the Conscription Act of 1863, and subsequently joined the ranks of the men fighting alongside ULYSSES S. GRANT in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Thaddeus fought alongside Grant for the rest of the war, including APPOMATTOX. Milo grew up knowing of his grandfather's military service; however, Thaddeus rarely, if ever, spoke of his experiences on the battlefield. He once met the former General Grant at the age of five years old, but barely remembers it because of how young he was at the time. What he does remember, however, is witnessing firsthand the effects of trauma from war wrought upon his grandfather. As such, Milo has developed a profound fear of war & bloodshed and will strive to keep peace at all costs.

Thaddeus once attempted to take Milo horseback riding in the Appalachian Mountains; however, to say that this did not go well is an understatement. Milo returned home with several broken bones and a lifelong aversion to equestrian activities.

Milo exhibits numerous characteristics that, when considered collectively, would result in a modern day diagnosis of AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER. Milo's characterization in the film suggests that his SPECIAL INTEREST is the lost kingdom of Atlantis, and he "infodumps" to the expedition's crew numerous times throughout their journey. As exhibited by his difficulty to befriend his fellow adventurers, Milo finds social situations challenging; he is a LITERAL thinker who struggles to understand the subtle rules of etiquette that govern group dynamics. SOCIAL CUES, such as Kida's ceaseless flirting, fly right over his head, making him entirely oblivious to Kida's affections. His affliction of TIME BLINDNESS demonstrated in the very first scene of the movie and made possible by POOR TIME MANAGEMENT skills, is also evident of Autism.

Although Milo pretended otherwise — unable to stomach the fact that he was upset over the loss of friendship with a man who so callously put profit over lives — Rourke’s betrayal STUNG. For many years, lingering emotions over Rourke's status as a turncoat haunted Milo, and this tragic fact became his deepest, darkest secret. Not even Kida, who is able to read Milo like an open book, suspects that the emotional damage wrought by Rourke cuts so deeply. Milo values loyalty to friends and family above all else, and the experience with Rourke was the very first time he ever witnessed someone blatantly disregard one of his core values.

When he needs to think, Milo will take a walk on the beach at Long Island Sound. Oftentimes, this endeavor will instead lead to him getting distracted by acquiring seashells to add to his already extensive collection.

[pussinbootsandbountyhunter]

Once Upon a Studio (Series) Season One; Episode Thirteen: Boys Night Out

Info: Jim Hawkins suggests the boys should have a Boys Night Out while the girls would spend time relaxing, not knowing for the boys that Jim had other plans as well that might drive Milo Thatch insane!

Characters that would be in this episode: Jim Hawkins, Milo Thatch, Nick Wilde, Robin Hood, Little John, Prince John, Cogswoth, Lumire, Gaston, Mickey Mouse, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, the Mad Doctor, Bruno Madrigal, Agustin Madrigal, Felix Madrigal, Camilo Madrigal, Antonio Madrigal, Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, Kristoff, Olaf, Sven, Eugene, Max, Goofy, Max Goof, Donald Duck, Aladdin, Abu, the Genie, Jafar, Iago, Mole, Water Rat, J. Thaddeus Toad, Magic Carpet, Mortimer Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Judy Hopps, Belle and Mirabel Madrigal

Hint: This episode reveals that the Mad Doctor was the one who wrote the letters to Mickey, Anna, Oswald and Elsa!

Note: I'm planning to do some once upon a studio series as everyone wants to see if they can lend a hand for me by likes, comments and reblogs their ideas and create arts if they want!

[namesetc]

Masculine names that start with T?

theo, theodore

tom, tommy/tommie, thomas/tomas, thomson/thompson

tyler/tylar/tylor

tucker

tatum

taylor/tailor

tim, timmy, timothy

tanner

tate

tristan

toby/tobie/tobi, tobias

teagan

tyson

tytus

titon

troy

travis/travys

triton

tripp

tray/trey

trevor

trenton

true

tony/toni

ty

thatch. thatcher

talon

thad, thaddeus

plenty more here

[systemadministratorclu]

Lyle T. Rourke

Tag: His RP posts will be tagged "muse: lyle rourke" and will include the verse in parentheses.

Full name: Lyle Tiberius Rourke. However, only Milo calls him Lyle. He prefers to be called Rourke by everyone else.

Age: Differs depending on verse/thread, but he always appears 54 (his age in the movie)

Species: Human (also known as Terran)

Gender: Male

Hair color: Gray, with a white streak on either side of his head.

Eye color: Brown

Appearance: He's 6' 4" and full of muscles. He's huge and definitely looks like someone you don't want to mess with. He wears a glowing light blue crystal pendant like everyone else in Atlantis wears. He also has a tattoo of a star (just like Milo's) on his right shoulder.

Sexuality: Gay

Bio/Verses:

Canon-ish verse:

His father was a very militaristic man and raised his son in the same way. He was taught to keep his feelings inside and not let them show, and he got better at doing so as he got older, though he struggled in school (leading to teachers often immediately deciding he's an idiot) and often took out his frustration on the more successful students. He was expelled for fighting on more than one occasion, and decided to join the military as a teenager, where he found more success and respect, but still not what he was hoping for: acknowledgement of his efforts and ANY praise for what he did right.

He has been in multiple battles while in the military and was wounded multiple times.

He married once, but it only lasted four months because of his aggressiveness (according to the ex, though a lack of chemistry/connection may also be to blame. Basically, they were never really in love)

As a result of the way he was treated in school and even in the military (everyone deciding he's just a big, muscled moron), he greatly disliked 'academics', though he will admit he had respect for Professor Thaddeus Thatch because Thatch didn't act like a know-it-all and was actually resourceful in a crisis. This was, oddly enough, when he began to think he might be attracted to men.

Upon meeting Milo, Rourke felt a strong urge to protect him and keep him safe. Along the way, through several instances of helping Milo and just watching him be.....Milo, Rourke found himself having feelings for Milo, though he only got up the courage to say something when Milo lay dying in his arms after being fatally injured in the effort to return the Heart of Atlantis.

After Milo was healed by the Heart, he decided to stay in Atlantis to be with Milo, who he learned was in love with him, too.

Heart of Atlantis verse:

This is pretty similar to Canon-ish, but it's based on an idea running through several of my fanfics. In this verse, Milo's grandfather was actually Prince Talos, the younger brother of Atlantis' king. Not much is different from the previous verse (except that Rourke has confessed love for Milo, and Milo revealed his love for Rourke the night before they arrived in Atlantis) until they visit the Heart of Atlantis. Here, Milo is chosen as the Crystal's host instead of Kida. Rourke tries to convince Helga not to go through with her plan, but only succeeds in turning the other team members to his side, and only after Helga's goon kicks his leg where one of his old war wounds is, sending Rourke to the ground, where Helga kicks him in the face before leaving and stranding everyone in Atlantis. The dying king, with Kida's help, explains how the crystal chooses its host and how Milo is in fact Atlantean royal blood, a prince. The king gives his crystal to Rourke, telling him to take Kida with him and return the Heart in order to save Atlantis and Milo, which Rourke does. Milo is returned by the Heart and Rourke tells him about his heritage.

Future-verse:

Currently just with @the-haunted-office but this version of him is kinda fun and could be used in other threads. He's 9022 years old (subject to change depending on plots/threads). While not a genius like Milo, he is competent when it comes to technology, especially the things Milo builds/invents. He knows enough science/tech/engineering to be able to help Milo with something if Milo asks him to. He also speaks fluent Atlantean as well as English, and can read/write it fluently also. He would be considered an expert on Atlantis.......if people knew Atlantis existed. Which they don't.

Space verse (because why not):

Takes place after Canon-ish and Heart of Atlantis verses. Either one can be used as his background. A Star Trek-ish deal that kinda crosses with my Rovarians universe with Rourke as Commander/First Officer of the vessel RSS Ulysses and the rest of the Atlantis cast as his senior crew (Milo as captain). Ulysses is a multipurpose Saturn-class heavy cruiser (think the Enterprise D from Trek) whose design is actually based on the submarine of the same name that started the trip to Atlantis (the space vessel is a lot bigger, though, as it has a lot more lab facilities and crew quarters and such on board). It has the standard warp speed drive, a high speed drive known as quantum slipstream, and the basically instantaneous transwarp drive (transwarp is only used when absolutely necessary, as it uses a lot of fuel and needs to cool down and recharge before it can be used to "jump" again. The further you travel with it, the longer the time before it can be used again. This is why transwarp is reserved only for times when even quantum slipstream isn't fast enough). I can give you more details should we decide to do something in this AU

*Rourke also has his own smaller vessel, the Zeleya Maru, that he gained on some mission after he and an away-team stole it from a gang of pirate-like thieves (who had likely stolen it from elsewhere) that they were escaping. Since then, Rourke took up a position as primary caretaker for the Maru, and often uses it to make himself and away teams appear to be rogues/smugglers/whatever they need to be in order to gather intel/resources from places where affiliation with the Rovarians is not well received (Rourke sometimes uses the alias "Teir Aurelan" when necessary for undercover work.). Maru is normally kept in the hangar bay of the RSS Ulysses when she's not in use.

**The following are the same for all verses**

Personality: He appears very stern and stoic on the outside (Tron fans, think Uprising Tron), a product of his upbringing and time in the military. He's very good at not showing what he's feeling, and at forcing his own feelings aside. Since staying in Atlantis, he's trying to get better about letting himself feel things and remembering it's okay to not be okay. He admits he doesn't really like the person he became before the Atlantis trip and wants to become a better version of himself. It takes some effort on his part to open up and trust people, especially after Helga, as he blames himself for not recognizing her as a threat sooner. He can get fiercely protective of those he cares about. It takes a lot to get under his skin or make him cry, but there are things that will do it.

In a relationship: He's loyal and dependable, but he can seem cold and unfeeling at first, as he tries to assess whether or not someone is a threat to him or others. Once he does open up, though, he's very caring and loving toward his partner, being (sometimes overly) conscious of how he acts and speaks around them. He doesn't want to be the one to hurt them, as he feels it would be a betrayal of their trust in him. He will often take on the role of being the 'strong one' being sort of a rock for his partner, though he will feel for them or with them.

*I mainly ship him with Milo, but as with all my characters, I'm open to anything else if it happens. Please talk to me in DM first, though.

Trauma: He does have some from the battles he was in, but it's not nearly as bad as the Leviathan attack or the battle for the Heart of Atlantis. In addition, he also has childhood trauma, as his military father was also an alcoholic and very abusive toward Lyle and his mother, even when Lyle was as young as three. He also witnessed his father's beating on his mother (she stayed around so she could protect little Lyle).

Other: He and Milo occasionally visit the surface world to keep tabs on it and make sure there are no threats to Atlantis. They use whatever knowledge they gain to make sure Atlantis is able to protect itself in the even someone else finds their way down there. After all, the two of them and their group did. Because of their greatly extended lives, no matter what time they appear in, they do not appear to age at all. These surface trips are great opportunities for them to meet other muses.

[pulusional]

Thaddeus Thatch??

More like

Baddeus Snatch

am I right???

[adventuringthatch]

MILO JAMES THATCH

"pay my respects to grace and virtue / send my condolences to good / give my regards to soul and romance / they always did the best they could / and so long to devotion / you taught me everything I know / wave goodbye / wish me well / you've gotta let me go"

BASICS

full name: milo james thatch nickname: mj (his grandfather used to call him that) date of birth: 4th august 1990 zodiac: leo age: thirty-three gender: cisman pronouns: he/him sexual orientation: tba relationship status: single occupation: lingusitics professor at pride u hometown: london, england residence: swynlake, england

APPEARANCE

faceclaim: jonathan bailey height: 5′11″ eye color: brown hair color + appearance: brown + about a typical man’s length, does grow it out sometimes / wavy build:  / average tattoos / scars: he has a tattoo of a rose and a clock together in memory of his parents [x] on his right upper chest and some childhood scars

PERSONALITY

mbti: intp alignment: neutral good archetype: explorer enneagram type: type five (the investigator) hogwarts house: ravenclaw likes: reading, day trips, adventures, loud laughter, coffee, tea, dislikes: rude people, being told what to do, being ignored, someone not listening to him, people who won’t take no for an answer aesthetics: the smell of old books, coffee shops, handwritten letters, highlighted passages, working on your novel, losing track of time and losing yourself in work positive traits: intelligent, passionate, trusting, sympathetic negative traits: stubborn, obsessive, impatient, clumsy

RELATIONSHIPS

parents: augustus avery and lucille rose thatch (deceased 1993), thaddeus thatch (grandfather, deceased 2016) siblings: n/a pets: n/a

MENTAL

education: high school diploma and graduated from oxford with a degree in linguistics and anthropology. completed three PHDs in linguistics, anthropology and cartography. literacy: literate languages: english, french, spanish, german, latin disorders: tba phobias: tba

[seaoftales]

Carnations were sent to Red Force with a drawing of a fox on the front of the card. "Sorry we weren't in time for Valentine's Day. Spent it at Ace's gravestone where I had also left a keepsake from Thatch. Had to spend it with my boys. Thaddeus can't wait to visit. He's got his own present for you~"

The note and flowers made him both happy and sad at the same time. Remembering the chain reaction that caused both Thatch and Ace's death caused even more pain. Sooner or later he would need to face the man both directly and indirectly responsible for both deaths, but that time wasn't now or anytime soon.

Shanks hoped that Rya found at least some form of solace by spending time at Ace's grave and thinking about Thatch who was taken from her way too soon. He knew that nothing could fill the void of a lost loved one, and they would all be there to offer comfort to both her and Thaddeus when they would come and visit.

@ryathenaughtykitsune

[glorioustidalwavedefendor]

I was tagged by the very kind and extremely talented @bacchanalium

Thank you <3

1) Three non-romantic duos: Nanny Ogg and Granny Wetherwax XD … Nobby and Colon … come on … one non Discworld, I can do this … ahm … Calvin and Hobbes

2) A ship that might surprise others: Thaddeus Thatch and Preston B. Whitmore

I randomly stumbled over a collection of fics and they where very convincing … they where also written hilarious

If you have nothing else to do, give them a read

3) Last song: I have the radio on in the background so … wait … Arthur Baker & The Backbeat Disciples - The Message Is Love

4) Last film: ahm … good question … do Youtube essays count? In that case it was: „The Decaying Monomyth of Star Wars“ by the wonderful and brilliant Jessie Gender et al

It‘s almost 6 hours long, but it was definitely time well spend …

The realization of: It is the only story they tell because it is the only story they know, because it is the only they have ever heard

Is still haunting me

5) Currently reading: I got a collection of poems for Christmas, and I will read that wen I finally have my head screwed on correctly again …

6) Currently watching: Nothing … helped along by the fact that my Sister changed her Netflix Password and always changes the subject wen I ask her *shrug* means I don‘t have to give her little „thank you‘s“ anymore … safes me money …

7) Currently consuming: Nothing. My desk and liquids shall never meet. I am to clumsy for that XD

8) Currently craving: Something to elevate this bone deep exhaustion … this is beyond sleep .. beyond coffee … someone please come and resurrect me XD

Tagging:

I never tag anyone who wants to play (my secret talent XD) so EVERYONE <3

If you want to play, feel tagged :-)

[ryathenaughtykitsune]

She watched both Thatch and Ace play around with Thaddeus, hearing the childish yelling and the hollering them monkeying around and the occasional holler from Ace as he was gotten good by the father - son team.

"Guararara, I'm surprised you aren't out there with them." She heard Whitebeard chuckle.

"Clearly, I'm aching for a nap. I've had him for a while, and let his dad deal with the energy." she groused and turned as Whitebeard chuckled.

She dozed blissfully off until she got knocked out of her chair by a combination of Resh, and three bratlings using the gentle Fishman as a chariot.

A look of confusion and then heartache lanced through her. She chewed on her cheek before forcing a chuckle and pulling out a water gun. "OI! NOW ITS WAR!" A holler scattered the kids running for their own water guns.

[princemannikin]

“A Genuine Arrowhead”

Off to the right of Milo’s “desk” in the basement of the Smithsonian, we can see a framed arrowhead, mounted on a lanyard; it’s beside Thaddeus’s hat and a photograph of Milo and his grandpa. I like to think it’s the same piece of compressed shale and zinc pyrite that he and his grandfather found on that hike.

[plummyplums]

Ok but I can't be the only one who REALLY wants to see how the Iceland expedition would go; specifically, of course, in relation to our beloved specialists!

Like, they've presumably never met, and even at the time Atlantis takes place, they can have trouble getting along. What do you think it was like when they'd all first met, with nobody sure of how to handle each others' personalities and habits?

Did they deal with perils like they did on the Atlantis expedition? How did they handle them? When did they first open up to each other about their histories, and how did Audrey (who wasn't even on the Iceland trip!!) end up knowing Mole's deal before Sweet?

All I can imagine is like

Thaddeus trying to moderate an argument that's in-and-out of 4 different languages in the middle of a massive snowstorm because this is Atlantis' version of Iceland:

[mrssantinni-art]

Happy 20th anniversary for my beloved childhood movie: Atlantis - The Lost Empire !🔷🌊 💙

[the-ever-humming-girl]

Firelight

     Thaddeus thinks about his family while on the famous ‘arrowhead discovery’ camping trip.

    Takes place in September 1890, when Milo is 8 years old.

    “Want one, grandpa?”

    The question startled Thaddeus awake. He’d been seated by the fire in a camp chair, dozing comfortably in his after-dinner lethargy, enjoying the sounds of the forest surrounding the camp.

    He looked to his right and saw Milo sitting cross legged, holding out a freshly made s’more.

    He sat up and shook off the haze that had enveloped him only moments before.

    “Oh, no thank you, Milo. I had quite enough at dinner.”

    Dinner had consisted of tinned beans, beef jerky, and the biscuits Thaddeus had made the day before. A good hot meal had hit the spot, a perfect end to a long and adventurous day in the woods.

    Thaddeus smiled to himself as he watched Milo take a bite out of the s’more. Much like himself in his younger years Milo had a voracious sweet tooth and s’mores had quickly become a campfire staple since his discovery of them a few years before. Personally, Thaddeus found them a little too sweet for his liking and would only have one occasionally. Milo knew this but still offered an extra every time he was making one for himself. He was a good kid. Kind, generous, loyal, with an eager mind, always keen to learn. Thaddeus could see he had the makings of a brilliant scholar and knew he would go on to do great things. Though Thaddeus hoped the future would be kinder to him.

    The flickering and exaggerated shadows cast by the campfire highlighted the barely visible scar on Milo’s forehead. It was a stark reminder of the tragedy that had occurred only a few short years before.

    The train wreck had nearly claimed the lives of all Thaddeus’s remaining family members and not for the first time he wondered at the fact that Milo had survived when so many others including his parents had died.

    Milo’s injuries had kept him in the hospital for several weeks and by the time he had been well enough to leave all funeral services had long since concluded. Milo had never gotten to say a proper goodbye to his parents. Though he’d really been too young to understand what had happened.

    He vividly remembered Milo sitting on the porch of the house in the weeks after he’d come to live with him, waiting day after day for a mother and father who would never return. Thaddeus had done his best to help Milo understand what had happened. He’d taken him to the cemetery to see Augustus and Lucille’s graves, but it had still been several years before Milo had been old enough to fully grasp the concept of death. To little Milo it had seemed as if his parents had only gone out for a short while and would return any moment.

    He never spoke of the accident, of whether he remembered anything of that fateful day, and Thaddeus could never bring himself to ask about it. But he knew it had left a lasting impression on Milo’s young mind. He had nightmares occasionally and would wake screaming in terror for his parents. Thaddeus would always take Milo to sleep in his bed afterwards and for the next day or two Milo would be quiet, his natural exuberance and enthusiasm tempered by what he'd relived in his dreams.

    Thaddeus did his best to make sure Milo had a happy and carefree life filled with all the books, camping trips, and museum outings a boy could want. And he knew Milo was, for the most part, happy though there were times when he caught him staring longingly at families, at children with parents. And whenever he noticed he reminded himself they were simply a different kind of family, a family of two, but a family no less.

    It was difficult to try and be mother, father, grandmother, and grandfather all in one but it was a job Thaddeus gladly accepted.

    He was no stranger to grief. His wife, Ella, had passed years ago. The birth of their son, Augustus, had been difficult and she had died when he was just two days old leaving Thaddeus with the responsibilities of parenting. It had been hard raising a child on his own. He’d expected to have his wife by his side for years to come, to raise their children together, to grow old with her and enjoy their grandchildren side by side. But that dream had been cruelly cut short and the joyous occasion of the birth of his son had been tempered by heartbreaking loss. He'd gained a son but lost his wife. And then he’d lost his son and daughter-in-law too.

    He’d had twenty-two short and wonderful years with Augustus before the train accident. He remembered sitting at Milo’s bedside in the hospital wondering how life could again be so cruel as to take the ones he loved. Milo was his only remaining family and while outwardly he put on a brave face and did his best to give Milo a happy childhood, inwardly he harbored a deep fear of losing Milo as well. It was a fear that sometimes filled him with anxiety, but he hid it well and never let Milo know how deeply it affected him, how when Milo would wake screaming from his nightmares it left Thaddeus unable to sleep afterwards. How he would lie awake long after Milo had fallen back to sleep if only to reassure himself his grandson was still breathing.

    It was a wonder he’d even agreed to their camping trips, but it seemed his grandson was a chip off his block in a way not even Augustus had been. One rainy afternoon several years ago Milo had been scouring the bookshelves in their house for reading material to stave off boredom and had discovered Thaddeus’s old adventuring journals. He’d been young enough to be uninhibited by the thought of intruding on someone else’s private thoughts and had begun to read. He’d come running to his grandfather excitedly and there had been no going back. So, he now did his best to keep Milo safe while cautiously encouraging his love of adventure. And truth be told he’d had been delighted to have his grandson take an interest in the same things he did.

    Somewhere in the trees an owl hooted softly, and Thaddeus smiled fondly to himself as he watched Milo happily eating his s’more with one hand and beginning to sketch his newest treasure with the other. Earlier that day while they’d been hiking along a stream Milo had discovered what he thought was an arrowhead in the water. He’d been so thrilled, carefully cleaning and wrapping it in a handkerchief, then tucking it lovingly into the pocket of his vest. Thaddeus hadn’t had the heart to tell him it was only a rock that had compressed and fractured into a misleading triangular shape. Instead, he’d exclaimed in delight and amazement, promising to have it framed to commemorate the extraordinary find.

    Thaddeus wasn’t sure where the drawing talent had come from. No one on his side of the family had ever displayed any artistic abilities and he himself was only able to draw barely passable stick figures. He wondered not for the first time if the skill had come from Milo’s mother’s side of the family. Lucille hadn’t known much of her family having been orphaned herself when she was a teenager. A sad smile crossed his face. There had been so much tragedy in their family. If he’d been a superstitious man, he might have wondered if they were cursed.

    Milo seemed to sense he was being watched and looked up suddenly, catching Thaddeus off guard. “Grandpa?” he asked, face serious. “Are you alright?”

    Thaddeus shook himself out of his melancholy thoughts and smiled in earnest. “Just thinking.”

    Milo studied him for a long moment, his glasses reflecting golden light from the fire. And Thaddeus wondered if Milo had guessed what had been on his mind. He was a perceptive kid.

    Finally, Milo spoke. “I love you, Grandpa.”

    Thaddeus felt his eyes prickle. So perceptive. He cleared his throat. “I love you too.”

    Milo smiled then and finished the last bite of his s’more before lowering his head and continuing with his sketch.

     Thaddeus settled back in his chair and a comfortable silence fell between them broken only by the crackle of the fire and the hooting of the nearby owl. He firmly put all thoughts of the past out of his head and concentrated on being present and enjoying this quiet moment with his grandson.

    It was the only thing that mattered.

[darkmagickingdom]

“I’ve connected the dots”

“You didn’t connect shit”

“I’ve connected them.”

[kandelia-mangrove]

Hot take, Thadeus Thatch and Whitmore had an unresolved romance whose remnants would linger through the entirety of Atlantis and that is tragic.