#avanda inspo

[mrs-mikko-rantanen]

Happy STS! Quick, your characters house/apartment/dwelling is on fire! What’s one thing they absolutely won’t leave without, even risking their lives to go retrieve it before going to safety?

Nyar: the crew. He really is pretty minimalistic, so as long as the crew is safe, he doesn't care.

Caelum: his Bible. He knows it may be a little cliche, but he's going back for it anyway.

Avanda: if she didn't already have it her first aid bag. Otherwise the sword she got from Thane on her Coronation day.

Thane:his journal. He can't help that he's a poet. He's poured so much of his life in there, his anguish and joy, that it would feel like leaving a part of himself in there

Carina: honestly she isn't very materialistic either. Maybe she would grab Nyar's violin on her way out? Or one of Thane's books? She's more likely to squirrel away something for someone else.

Jalev: assuming Jadè has made it out, I'm not sure there's anything he'd go back for.

Jadè: she has a stuffed animal that she can't sleep without. She'll deny it if you ask, but thats what she'd save

Ewan: after getting his brothers out, he'd go back for his father's sword. (He wears his mother's necklace constantly, so he would have that already.)

Adair: his mother's instruction book. Filled with every plant and how to use it. He's made notes in it, and he leans on it honestly.

Ferret:

[da5haexowin]

Ferret and Magpie

Or: Check Out The Height Difference Between Ferret and Avanda

[mrs-mikko-rantanen]

Red is The Rose

    Ewan couldn’t remember the last time that he had slept. He had tried, of course, but he hadn’t been able to at all. Every time he climbed into bed, he was reminded of how empty it was. Of how cold it was. Of how it had felt when she was there. It had been close to a month since Nyar had told him about Avanda’s disappearance, and he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about where she was since then. He refused to accept that she was dead. She couldn’t be. And there was no way that she had betrayed them. So he had spent every waking hour thinking about her, obsessing over where she could have vanished to. 

He sat up on the edge on his bed and sighed, running a hand through his hair. It had been a month, and no one could find her. Her father had sent search parties to every corner of the galaxy, but they had returned with nothing. He had volunteered to lead searches himself, but King Alistairion had always refused him, giving him reasons why he needed him to stay.

    “The guard is weak enough, I can’t send one of my best away when home needs to be defended.” 

    “You’re a brilliant strategist. I need you here.”

    “Your duties here are too important. I need you here.”

    It had been today that had broken Ewan when he begged again to search for the King’s daughter, tears barely restrained. The king had turned his own eyes to the boy, sad and deep with regret. 

    “Your brothers have lost so much already. I can’t ask your family to sacrifice anymore.”

    Ewan stood, shaking his head and walking to the window, staring at the stars. Who knew how many of them lay between him and his love? A memory stirred of a song that she had sung softly to herself as she went about the house and her day, hair pulled back into a messy ponytail. The words seemed to fall from his lips on their own, without his consent.

    “Come over the hills, My bonnie Irish lass; Come over the hills to your darling; you choose the road, love, and I’ll make the vow; and I’ll be your true love forever.” 

    Avanda shivered in the corner of the cell that she had been left in. Her head ached and her mind had begun to spiral. It was cold, and empty, and silent. She couldn’t stop her mind, as badly as she wanted to. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Nyar telling her to run. Every time she breathed, she remembered how hard she and Thane had laughed the last time they had been together. Every time she stretched, she could see Jalev climbing a tree, or Carina sprawled in the grass watching the clouds, and it hurt.

But even worse was when she tried to sleep.

Because when she slept, she dreamed.

And every time she dreamed, it was of him.

    Dreaming was worse than being awake. Awake, she was here; cold and miserable. Hungry and scared. But dreaming was worse.They were vivid and realistic and painful. She could feel his arms around her. She could smell the forest on his skin when he came home from hunting. She could see the stars in his eyes, she could--

    “No,” She sobbed, rubbing the heel of her palm into her eyes until she saw stars. She couldn’t do this again. She wasn’t strong enough now. Her teeth chattered and she tried desperately to distract herself.

    “Red is the rose that in yonder garden grows; fair is the lily of the valley, clear is the water that flows from the Boyne; but my love is fairer than any.” 

    Ewan shouldered his quiver with a sigh. Hunting was getting harder, now that the seasons were changing. The larger game were beginning to migrate now, and the smaller game wasn’t going to feed the family for long. Fishing was fine, but as the water in the river got colder, even they were harder to catch. He scowled as his boots crunched the brittle brown leaves underfoot, the frost stiffening them even more. He froze with his foot resting on the trunk of the tree that stretched across the river. His shoulders sank as he recalled the night that he had led Avanda here.

    He could still see the stars in her eyes and the moonlight as it danced across her skin. He could feel her hair tangled around his finger. He could still taste her smile.

    ‘Twas down by Kilarney’s green woods that we strayed; When the moon and the stars they were shining; The moon shone its rays on her locks of golden hair; And she swore she’d be my love forever.

    The songs had become everything to her now. They always had been though, hadn’t they? When she was a child and they had stolen her memories, she had clung to her lullaby. The words had been the only ones in her native tounge that she had known. Their meaning had been lost, maybe. But the familiarity hadn’t been. They had been her anchor then, just as they were now. At least now there were more songs. There were more words now to rattle around her mind, loosening memories and soothing and healing the wounds that her captors had inflicted.

    “Red is the rose that in yonder garden grows; fair is the lily of the valley, clear is the water, that flows from th Boyne, but my love is fairer than any.”

     Ewan had never felt loss like this. He had been a boy when his father died, but he could still remember it in vivid detail. The passing of his mother had come a year later, leaving him and his twin to care for an infant and a toddler. He had grieved, and it had taken years for him to accept that his parents were gone. There had been a time that he had even resented them for it. But this wasn’t the same at all. It was worse, it was stronger. 

    It filled every waking hour with a terrible sting, reminding him that he should have been with her. It kept him awake, whispering that he had failed her, just as his father had. 

    Besides, every day without her was just a bitter reminder that she was gone. He had thought that he missed her when she left for the mission. He had thought that his heart had ached when he heard her voice on the radio, filled with static as she gave a report across the galaxy. But that ache was nothing compared to this pain. He was beginning to wonder if he would ever see her again. He prayed every night that the next morning would bring some scrap of news, some hint that perhaps there was a new place to search for her. But each sunrise brought nothing more than bitter disappointment. 

    He had never felt a loss like this. And as time went by, he was beginning to think that it was all he would ever feel, the rest of his life.

    It’s not for the parting that my sister pains;It’s not for the grief of my mother; ‘Tis all for the loos of my Bonnie Irish lass; That my heart is breaking forever.

[mrs-mikko-rantanen]

The Moon and The Stars

(After the last bit, I figured it was time for some fluff. Don't worry, the next bit will be about characters besides Ewan and Avanda! SUUUUUUPER fluffy. Probably not great. 200% self indulgence. Also I have no idea what's going on with the formatting on this, sorry)

Prompts: “The moon is high tonight, it frames you well.” “Stars pale in comparison to you.” “I’ve never felt such love.”

Avanda smiled as she clapped along with the music. The harvest festival was a welcome diversion from the day to day routine that her life had fallen into; as well as an excuse for all of her friends to come into the village from their far flung corners where they had been staying. Thane danced by, Peadair riding on his shoulders and clapping excitedly as they spun in circles around the room. Carina Was dancing with Carrick, who was blushing profusely. Nyar, Caelum and Jalev were all sitting at a table, taking turns arm wrestling each other. Things finally had fallen into place, and Avanda felt truly at ease for the first time in a very long time.

    Ewan made his way through the crowd, a smile on his face as he approached her. She smiled back at him as he took her drink from her hand. She raised an eyebrow when he set it down on the table next to her, instead of taking it to refill, as she had expected him to. 

    “C’mon, Lass.” He said with a wink as he took her hand in his. 

    Avanda was again surprised when he led her not to the dance floor, but to the door in the back of the tavern, and slipped outside. 

    “Ewan, where are we going?” She asked as he pulled her away from the town square, back towards the road that led to the MacClyde home. 

    “Hush, Lass! It’s a surprise!”

    “Ewan--”

    “I said hush!” Ewan teased. He pulled her through the forest, off the road, and along what had to have been a hunting path. They ducked carefully under low branches and Ewan helped her over fallen logs, until finally he stopped. 

    They had reached the river bank and Avanda couldn’t help but smile. The trees grew a little farther apart from each other here, allowing them some space to move around. The grass was thicker here than other parts of the woods, and grew slightly taller as well. Ewan had clearly come here at some point earlier, and laid out a blanket, flattening a portion of the grass down for them. He smiled as he pulled her closer to himself, wrapping his arms around her waist. 

    “I thought tonight would be a nice night to get away, you and I.” He said with a wink.

    Avanda laughed a little as she slid her own arms up around his neck, “I think you were absolutely right.” She stood on her toes slightly, pressing a soft kiss onto the corner of his mouth, teasing him a little. She felt him smile and shift so that his lips were better aligned with her’s, and she pulled back a little, still teasing him.

    “Ah, Lass…” He sighed. 

She pulled back even farther, giggling as she quickly darted away from him, pulling her shoes off as she ran for the river, splashing into it as he stumbled behind her, grasping at her fingers as she tore away. They splashed through the river until they were knee deep, kicking water into each other’s faces and shrieking loudly with laughter. Finally, Ewan caught up with Avanda and swept her off of her feet, pulling her from the river. She laughed and kicked her bare feet, splashing him as much as she could as they left. He set her down on the bank and she feigned pouting as he pulled on his boots. 

“Ach, you didn’t even bring me my shoes! My feet are going to get all sandy now!” She joked, pointing at the soles of her feet. 

Ewan gave her a quick peck on the lips before swooping down and pulling her up over his shoulder. 

    “There!” He declared, “See? No sand on your pretty little feet!” and with that, he deposited her down onto the blanket, before flopping down next to her. 

    She sat up, arms stretched behind her and he shifted, his hands behind his head. They were silent for a long while, enjoying the peace of the night. Avanda sighed as she watched the light dance along the water, the river adding its own cheerful melody. The trees swayed and seemed to hum along quietly and owl song flitted through the leaves. 

    “The moon is high tonight,” Ewan said softly, “it frames you well.”

    “Och, come off it.” Avanda laughed, “You’re such a sap.”

    “Ah well I can’t help it, can I?” Ewan said as he sat up, mirroring Avanda’s position. “I have the most beautiful girl in the whole world.”

    Avanda rolled her eyes. “MacClyde, you’re embarrassing your family name.”

    “So what if I am? It’s only the truth.” Ewan said, his fingers trailing up Avanda’s arm, “Stars pale in comparison to you, Lass.”

    His fingers tangled in the hair at the base of her neck, and he pulled her in close to him, kissing her slowly. Avanda’s eyes shut, and she melted into him as he gently pulled her down to the ground, never breaking apart from each other. His hands traveled across her back, slow and deliberate, exploring her shoulders and neck.  She pulled back from him and he smiled at her; that crooked half grin that drove her crazy. 

    “I’ve never felt such love.” She whispered, shaking her head a little. “What have you done to me?”

    Ewan laughed, “Me? I did nothing. You’re the one that’s stolen my heart. You’ve blinded me to any future except one with you by my side.”

    Avanda laughed and swatted his arm. “Do you get these out of a book?”

    Ewan’s smile widened and he shrugged. “What can I say? You bring out the poet in me.”

   

    They woke in the soft, still moments of the morning, tangled in each other’s arms in the gray light before the sun rose, and slipped quietly back into town. Ewan kept his fingers entwined in her’s, even once other people began to move about, something that before then he had only done in the privacy of the clearing that their home rested in.

    None of her friends said anything about it to her, but the smirk and pointed wink from Thane were enough to tell her that their absence had been noticed. (And the gentle smack on the back of his head was enough to tell Thane to keep his mouth shut, at least for the time being.)

    The rest of the day, Ewan was softer around her than Avanda had ever seen him. He slipped flowers behind her ear, or tucked them into her braid as they walked. His hand traced circles on her back, or rested on her hip as they explored town, and he bent low, whispering to her and surprising her with little kisses on the cheek as they enjoyed the festival.

    And for the first time ever, Avanda felt like maybe, just maybe, this was the life she was meant to lead. 

[mrs-mikko-rantanen]

Parenting Styles of the MacClyde/Alistairion house hold

Avanda:

Adair:

Ewan:

[mrs-mikko-rantanen]

Stop Treating Me Like This

(Loooook! Semi canon writing!!!! May not end up in the final draft but enjoy!!)

Context: By order of the King, the crew of the Archangel have been scattered through the Keridwen countryside, for their own protection. Avanda has been places in the care of the one family that he trusts: the MacClydes. For the most part, the family has taken it well. Ewan, with his own demons, is a little more stressed than he should be.

[[MORE]]

Avanda sighed happily as she and Carrick walked back through the woods towards the boy's home. She grinned down at him and ruffled his hair.

"Thanks Carrick. I needed to get out of that house. I was starting to go crazy."

Carrick smiled and nodded back. "Ewan can get like that. He just takes his work very seriously."

"As he should. He has a responsibility, and he's holding to it. I just wish he'd give me some room to breathe."

They stepped up to the door, and just as they were about to open it, Adair flung it open.

"Car, take Paddy to the market. I don't care if you trade anything, just go." He glanced up at Avanda as he pushed the boys out. "He woke up. I know he would never hurt them, but yelling makes Peadair nervous."

Avanda furrowed her brow and pushed past Adair, storming through the house. In her anger, she was barely able to stop in time before smashing into Ewan.

The poor young man was a mess.

His eyes were wild with a mildly panicked look, mixed with some rage. His hair stood in all directions, after having slept for the better part of the day. His sword belt was slung haphazardly over his shoulder, and he was trying desperately to shove his left foot into his right boot. As Avanda rounded the corner, standing with her hands on her hips, he straightened up as well, the panic in his eyes dwindling a little.

"M'lady." His teeth ground a little, "Where have you been?"

Avanda shrugged. "I went out for a bit. I was tired of being placed ubder house arrest, so I went and got some fresh air."

Ewan dropped his boots. "Alone? M'lady, do you have any idea how much danger that put you in? What if someone had seen you? What if an animal had attacked you? What if--"

"I wasn't alone, MacClyde." Avanda cut him off. "Besides, anyone who had seen me wouldn't have recognized me, and I know how to steer clear of animals. I hardly think picking flowers puts me in too much danger." She brandished the bundle of herbs that she had collected at him, and he leaned back a little.

"But-you're-I'm- I'm supposed to--" he grumbled as his brain scrambled to find the right words. Avanda raised an eyebrow at him as she crossed her arms and let him think. Finally he sighed.

"I know it isnt easy, M'lady. But you are the princess. You were lost for so long, and now it's my duty to make sure that doesn't happen again. I know this house isn't much, but you have to stay here. I can keep you safe here."

Avanda had to fight not to roll her eyes. "I'm not the princess. At least, not the one you keep expecting me to be." Ewan frowned and she went on. "You keep acting like your home is too small, or too simple and plain. You keep acting like I need every possible need fufilled before I even ask for it."

She softened a little. "I may have been born a princess, but that isn't how I was raised. I didn't have my own room until last year; I slept in barracks with a hundred other girls. And when we were assigned to the Archangel? I still had to share a room with Carina, but At least we had room to move around and store things. And I had to fight to make it into the medical program. I may be your 'princess,' but I was raised a soldier. I can take care if myself."

Ewan's shoulders dropped a a little. "I'm sorry, M'lady."

Avanda could tell that he was hurt and winced a little. "It's fine. We just need to set some new boundaries, ok?"

"Yes M'lady."

"First things first, drop the formality. We're both soldiers, and as far as I'm concerned, equals."

"Yes M'la-" he stopped. "With time, lass."

Avanda smiled. "That's a good start."

------------------

Taglist! Let me know if you want to be added/removed!

@wallpatterns , @abby5577 , @foreverwayward , @sammyimpala-67 , @a-mess-of-many-fandoms , @dammitsammy , @jess---writes ,@rose-of-sharon-cass

[da5haexowin]

🖊 avanda

Avanda actually remembered a decent bit of her native language after her memory was wiped when the Regiment took her.

It took a long time for her teachers to pretty much litterally beat it out of her.

She clung to the accent for as long as she could.

(The only reason she started to cover it when she spoke was because they started punishing her crew, and she didnt want them to get hurt because of her.)

But anytime she gets really focused, she starts talking to herself in the language.

Thane and Jalev have picked up a few words here and there, since they're usually the ones helping her when she needs extra help in the MedBay, and since she'll start angrily pointing at something and using whatever word comes to mind first to describe it.

[mrs-mikko-rantanen]

Caelum: Hey, do you think I could fit fifteen marshmallows in my mouth?

Avanda: you're a hazard to society.

Thane: and a coward. Do twenty.

[da5haexowin]

Avanda aaaaaand green? 😊

Wow this was actually really hard!! I've only ever associated her with the color blue!! Thanks for the challenge!

[mrs-mikko-rantanen]

Character Introduction: Avanda

Age: 20 years old.

Appearance: about 5'3" Broad shouldered and built with a lot of natural strength. (Not petite in any way. But she’s not like ripped either? She just looks like she was born for hard work and does what she’s made for.) Long hair, copper blonde color. Dark blue eyes. (Has a scar running down the left side of her neck, starting behind her ear and ending at about the base of her jaw.) (Face claim: Rose Leslie)

Personality and Demeanor: generally pretty cheerful. Dedicated and loyal, very hardworking. Tends to see the best in others before she’ll see it in herself. CLUELESS AF. (Will usually catch the real meaning of something a few days late.) Very defensive of those she loves, wouldnt hesitate to fight for them. Quick to anger, quicker to forgive.

Strengths: She is a medic, and a very good one. She’s very compassionate, and very gentle. She would stop anything to help someone if she can, and even if she can’t do much as well.

Fears: Has a major fear of fire, and needles. (She can stick someone else, but can’t handle it herself at all.)

Additional information: As a child she had a very thick accent, as well as symbolic tattoos that very clearly marked her as a Kerridwen. (Her homeland is notorious for being the most revolutionary, and so she faced a lot of prejudice for this.) After about a year, she learned to suppress the accent. A few years later she was drugged, and the tattoos were forcibly removed. In her medical training, people offered to fix the scar, but she refused. She even found other subtle ways to honor her roots.(this detail may change. I came up with it as a child, and having grown up a bit, this detail seems a little…dicey and perhaps a bit politically incorrect. I like the detail, but I can see how it would be offensive, and that is not my intention.)

[mrs-mikko-rantanen]

Here are a few sketches of Avanda in some different outfits. (BTW I TOTALLY FORGOT THAT MY GIRL HAS EYEBROW PIERCINGS WHAAAAAT)

[da5haexowin]

8, 11, & 14 for Avanda please!

Awww yesssss! I also low key forgot on the last one I was gonna do these in character lol so here:

8: Describe one of your OC’s bad habits.

Avanda: ah, I've kinda got a lot honestly. My worst used to be chewing the skin around my nails, but sinve I'm a doctor, I cut that one pretty quickly after it was pointed out to me. Now I just chew my lips and the inside of my cheek.

11: What does your OC want for their birthday?

Avanda: ohhh um, a new bow might be nice? Or a big journal that I could use to write down the techniques that Adair and I javr been sharing.

14: What is one of your OC’s secrets?

Avanda: the only reason I really clung to my heritage in school and training was because it drove my teachers crazy. By the time I was older, about the time my tattoos were--removed...., it was something I did actually care about, but not at first.

Thanks for the ask!!

[da5haexowin]

Quick (and honest) raise of hands

Hey @my renegade archangel peeps! I know my updates are pretty few and far between, but I do want to write stories and excerpts that you enjoy. I know that all I've been posting lately is Ewan+Avanda stuff, but that's mostly just because that's what I'm motivated to write. What is your honest opinion on those pieces? Should I just assume that I'm the only one who really enjoys that and use them as warm ups that don't get posted? I won't stop writing completely, I just want to know where I should be spending my energy!

(Also I do have a platonic Thane+Avanda bit that hopefully I will post in the next few days, so don't dispair!)

[da5haexowin]

Boys With Braids part 2

@moderatelypanickedbiromantic @abby5577 @flowersanddinosaurs @katekarnage7 @fantasy-shadows there y'all, it's ya gremlin boi

[mrs-mikko-rantanen]

Late Night Writing #5

((1:04am. An actual oc bit whaaaaaaaat? No idea where it came from. I'll do taglist when I wake up.)) (For now this is 'headcanon/fanfic/au style. Not part of the real story, but real ocs) also its cheesy as Heck. But I finished it at 1:30am, so I don't exactly care.

Ewan groaned as he clicked the lock open. It had been a long watch at the outpost, 16 hours. No, wait...20 hours. He shook his head and yawned.

"'m home." He grumbled to the living room on his way to the kitchen. The tv was on, an episode of Friends playing at low volume. The blueish light lit up the room. Must be Av, He thought, Addie's working tonight. He opened the fridge and pulled out a soda, cracking it open and starting out to join his girlfriend on the couch.

"How was--" he stopped, looking down at her. She was still in her scrubs, stretched out across the whole couch, snoring softly. He set his drink down before sitting on the floor next to her.

"Ah, lass," he murmured. "Couldn't even take down your hair, could ya?" He smiled as he looked her over. Her face was scrunched up as she slept, clearly whatever worries she had dealt with durring her shift at the base hospital had followed her into sleep.

Ewan sighed, pulling his knees up to his chest and watching her. She deserved better than this. Shaking his head, he gently reached up and took the end of her braid in his hand. He took the elastic off, sliding it onto his wrist. His fingers slid through her hair, letting it fall out around her. He smiled as he saw the four small accent braids adorned with small rings.

"Best take those out too. I've seen the way you sleep, those'll be a niggtmare in the morning if I don't."

With a practiced touch, he softly took all four of the braids out. Each silver ring found its way into the small glass jar on the armrest of the chair behind him, placed there for that reason. When he was done, his wrists and thumbs ached from the effort of trying to untangle her hair without waking her, but a smile played at hus lips for the first time since he had left for work. He gently brushed the now slightly wavy hair from her face as he stood. He took the blanket from the end of the couch and pulled it up over her. He sat back down, resting his back against the chair. His fingers laced between her's, and he placed a gentle kiss on the back of her hand before his own eyes slid shut; the lyrics of the theme echoing softly through the still appartment.

I'll be there for you, 'Cause you're there for me too

[mrs-mikko-rantanen]

Late Night Writing #2

He marvled at her. He couldn't help it. He hated to be as cliche as to say that he loved everything about her, but there was no other way for him to express how he felt. More than anything though, he loved her little routines.

In the morning, she would groan and hit the snooze button seven or eight times before she finally rolled out of bed. And even then, it would be several minutes before she went about actually starting her day. If the coffee hadn't been made already, she would set about it, humming quietly along with whatever 80's rock song dripped softly from the kitchen radio. He lived for the soft sunlight and sleepy smiles that danced across her face as she took a deep breath of the rich smelling coffee. She always drank three cups. The first was always black; untainted and pure energy. The second may have a dripbof honey in it, or flavored syrup if she was feeling creative. And the third was usually black again. She would forget aboutbthis one often, but always returned to it, drinking it cold and refusing to waste the liquid joy.

The rest of her day was hard for him to know much about. She would set about tasks in the house; cleaning or doing book work. He did have to laugh at how she always seemed to be more productive if she was wearing makeup. Sometimes she would just put on some lipstick, then spend all day cleaning in her pyjamas.

She'd start dinner at 5:30 every night. Without fail, the instant the clock ticked over she'd appear in the kitchen with her music and a speaker. He always liked when she cookrd. Her music was a mess, just like her mind. There would be classical orchestra pieces followed by more 80's rock; soft love ballads preceded by raw breakup songs; crooning country music led by movie soundtracks; and covers that were wrapped up in the original version they copied.

He wasn't a night owl, just as she wasn't an early bird. So he would place a kiss on her forehead and wander off to bed long before she would. Even then she had a routine that he knew. On Tuesdays, she watched tv, exactly 2 episodes of her favorite show before showering and climbing into bed next to him. As for the rest of the week, she would read, chapters upon chapters with a cold and forgotten tea next to her. Then she would come quietly into their room. She would braid her freshly washed hair loosely over her right shoulder, then hum softly as she lay down beside him under the blankets.

Even the blankets amused him. She always had a rough, green woolen blanket on the bed. When they had first started dating, he had been puzzled by them. In his eyes, those blankets were tools, nothing more. They were rough and irritating. They were used for warmth and not for comfort. They were uniform, just like everything else around him. They were the same color, same size, same shape, and same feels as everyone else's. But to her they were warm and comfortable. She told stories about taking one with her on a sports trip and shielding the girls on the sidelines from the bitter winds and cold snow with it. The rough feel made her smile and she relaxed when she saw the color. Early on in their relationship she had told him that the blankets reminded her of home. But noe, she confided, they reminded her of him when he was gone. And he was glad of that. Because now they reminded him of her, too. When he was deployed, far away and all alone; there were the blankets. Standard issue, maybe. But he smiled as he pulled them up to his chin; knowing that at home, she had one too. And for a brief moment, it was as if they were together again.

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(Please ignore editing mistakes. It is 1:19 am and I cant sleep. This is the best you're gonna get.)