#brennan not knowing how to respond

[wormhabitat]

emily axford is a comedic genius

[cloudprincesslady]

the look on brennan's face when he saw the inside of the bear... wig SNATCHED

[sharkieboi]

rewatching some random Adventuring Party in the background (mostly to provide my bird some entertainment while I do other stuff) and I realized:

in the first AP for Starstruck both Brennan and Zac know about Zac’s actual PC, but at this point the audience and the rest of the cast only know what went down in ep1 and its cliffhanger.

so Brennan asking Zac about his character and Zac being purposefully but not noticeably vague like “oh Amercadia was an interesting faction and a pilot sounded cool!” etc makes it so so so much funnier watching this knowing that they are both fully aware of the actual situation

[jq37]

So, that lady FH episode was amazing and all, but...

Hoo boy, I already see the discourse around the Ratgrinders' fates forming and it is going to be painful. Be careful around the fandom space.

(I mean, resurrection is still on the table for them, but that's based on if the players feel like it and right now, we're looking at 50/50 odds at bests)

Yeah, don't worry about me. This isn't my first rodeo and also I post a lot about D20 and respond to asks I get but I don't actually personally engage with any of The Discourse (tm).

And I'm not really surprised at the reaction. I know people have been opinionated all season in two main camps (that have a lot of overlap): people dissatisfied with the narrative direction and people deeply sympathetic to the Rat Grinders to the point of being mad at the Bad Kids.

The first camp I mostly understand. I get wishing the cast would explore a certain storyline more. For example, I've been on the Aelwyn redemption arc train since literally the first episode of Fantasy High so I was a little disappointed that when that finally came to a head in Freshman Year, it was a big fight and then very little aftermath/unpacking because Aelwyn was sent to jail right after. And Sophomore Year hadn't been announced so I had no idea that she was gonna get another shot. But I wasn't upset or anything. Adaine at that point still hated her sister. She had no reason to want to reach out. And at the end of the day this is other people playing a game. Brennan presented them all the possible plot threads and they were most interested in self discovery, hanging out with each other, doing Shenanigans, and playing Tomb Raider re: Ankarna. Those are all options they were presented and it's not like they were doing crazy off-roading. It's well within the parameters of what D&D is. If you're gonna watch a show like this (or honestly any show), you have to accept that what's most interesting to you isn't always going to be the most interesting thing to the people in the driver's seat.

So yeah, I feel like this side of things I get (even though I'm fine with how things turned out).

The other camp--people being legit mad at the Bad Kids (and in some cases the actual cast) for treating the Rat Grinders like antagonists instead of victims that they were responsible for empathizing with and redeeming--I find kind of wild.

Like…you're mad at the kids who go to Child Murder School for killing kids who want to end the world and kill them specifically? Literally the first day of school the principal of the school says that adventurers are violent wanderers who engage in shenanigans and enact violence. This is the exact assignment they were given and that's what they're doing.

I think it's wild to at the same time believe that the Rat Grinders (who have killed people) are not responsible for their actions and deserve to be talked down while in the process of causing an apocalypse because they're just kids who were manipulated while at the same time calling the Bad Kids evil lunatics for trying to stop them by killing them (in a world where Revivify and Resurrection exist) even though they are ALSO kids who are doing what they've learned at Child Murder School. The Bad Kids have to be mature enough to thoroughly investigate the situation and have nuance about it but the Rat Grinders don't have any responsibility to not join a shady evil murder plan*? And do the Bad Kids really hate the Rat Grinders to the point where they're doing some overkill in this fight? Absolutely. But it's not like they're killing them because they hate them. They're killing them because they're trying to end the world--and they also happen to hate them. Are we forgetting that Kipperlilly killed Buddy--her own teammate--with a gleeful smile on her face? That was so out of pocket.

They're adventurers! Not guidance counselors! If Jawbone was like, "We need to kill these kids," yeah that would be weird but why would the Bad Kids extend an olive branch to the kids who (1) famously hate them, (2) killed at least one maybe 2 of their own party members, (3) endangered the entire student body population an hour ago, (4) are currently trying to end the world. Hell, Adaine was ready to be mean to her own sister in elf jail literally up until the point Brennan described how rough she looked from the torture and that's when she changed her mind. The Power of Love and Empathy is on the menu but it's a special item you only can get if you know the chef. Everyone else is getting a serving of These Hands. Just because you can find a vegan solution to a problem it doesn't mean you're obligated to.

This all comes down to, "Maybe teenagers shouldn't have godlike powers and the ability to play judge, jury, and executioner" but that's literally the premise of the entire show so you can't get around it without rejecting the show's entire premise. If they were like, "Hmm the systems that underpin our world are questionable and we should change the power structures" instead of, "Let's kill some bad guys!" then that's a totally different thing we're doing here!

And, idk man, this show has always had a Who Framed Roger Rabbit style morality where the normal rules of ethics stop applying when it's funny. They beat the crud out of Ragh and then lied to him that he shit his pants just for the bit. A pirate was rude/kinda racist to Riz so they scared him into killing himself. Riz ate the remains of the sentient (albiet evil) dragon he killed. That's all unhinged behavior but none of that is meant to be serious. Getting upset about Fig sending Ruben to hell to me feels like getting mad that Jerry hit Tom with a cartoonishly large mallet.

None of this is new so I have to assume that people are having a big reaction because they relate to the Rat Grinders or just really like them so it feels bad that the Bad Kids are treating them like fodder rather than beloved NPCs.

But again, this is a world where you can bring people back from the dead and the Rat Grinders have showed intent that is grievously neglectful at best and insanely murderous at worst so I can't muster a lot of sympathy for the fact that the Bad Kids are just taking them down without remorse. I don't think you have to try to empathize with the people who are trying to harm you if you don't want to especially while they are in the process of harming you.

(*And we still don't know how voluntarily they joined this plan. We don't know if they were killed and basically forced into resurrecting with rage or if they just leapt at the chance to join a plan that would let them get one over on their rivals. It literally could be either. We've had kid villains on this show strong armed into being party to evil plans by threat of harm (Aelwyn) as well was kid villains who just had their own selfish motivations and weren't tricked at all (Penelope and Biz). We actually don't have any clear answer on how culpable they are. We don't know if they all have rage crystals (except for Buddy). And we don't know how much having a Rage Crystal effects your actions. The best indicator we got is in this latest ep when Brennan said that there was a mechanic where Porter was going to call anyone with a rage crystal to fight for him but that says to me that he's only directly puppeting them when he uses that action and otherwise they have free will and are just angrier. The Bad Kids don't have a reason to believe definitively that the Rat Grinders are just unwilling puppets even if that is the case so of course they're treating them like enemies. Anyway, this is a whole lot of "I don't knows" but that's only because I've seen a lot of people talking like the Rat Grinders literally aren't in control of their actions but that's not info that we have. It could be true but we don't actually know that so it's not a good argument.)

[thenatezone]

I thought it was so cute how gleeful Brennan was when he broke Zac in episode 9 with the Vulture King because Zac seems to be the one player who can always break Brennan by responding in a really understated way (see: the Ravening War). So when Brennan, as a confusing NPC born from a running gag, refuses to engage with the lore and just responds to Gorgug's question of "Are you a god?" with a sigh and a tired "I don't even know, man" it felt like such a Zac response, and I think that's why it got him so good and why Brennan was so proud of himself. Anyway I just think it's cute! I love friends being funny together!

[callsign-rogueone]

alone with you - l.m.

Liam Mairi x reader part two of Liam and Spark's story. words: 3.0k 🏷: Fourth Wing spoilers (spark knows things that Violet doesn't lmao), sparring and a tiny bit of blood, reader gets injured but not to worry, someone takes care of you. no pronouns used for reader but Liam does call you a girl. Tuile being a bitch (wbk) and perhaps some answers about what happened in spark's first year at basgiath... I'm still not good at writing fight scenes, sorry lol

Another year, another round of challenges. Another opportunity to show the entire quadrant that you’re not here to fuck around, nor to make friends.

You loosen your muscles as Emeterrio discusses the rules of engagement, cracking your neck and stretching out your arms, taking mental inventory of all the weapons on your body -- even though it’s frowned upon to use them in these fights, you keep the array of knives at the ready.

“I see the general’s girl has survived the week,” Tuile muses. “I’m almost impressed.”

You cast a glance across the room, seeing her standing next to the cadet who was in front of her in line for Parapet, the one she’d traded boots with.

“It’s only a matter of time,” you mutter back. 

Even though Xaden had convinced the two dozen of you to leave her alone, it’s likely that somebody else is going to see how fragile she is and walk right up and snap her in two, to thin the herd -- not that she has a real chance of making it to threshing anyway, not without some divine intervention.

But she’s a perfect little Navarrian citizen, so she must pray to their gods every night before bed. Maybe they’ll help her, because you sure as hell won’t; you have a reputation to maintain, and there’s no rational explanation you could give her for why you would want to help her at all, not without jeopardizing the entire revolution -- she might not take after her traitorous older brother, who as far as she and everyone else in this death trap of a college is aware, is dead.

She seems to notice you watching her, locking eyes with you for a split second and quickly averting her gaze. She’s afraid of you and all of your friends, unaware that your respect for Brennan is what’s keeping her alive right now.

Fear is a requirement for survival here. Maybe she’ll make it longer than you’d thought.

It’s not a surprise to you at all that your name is called first, nor that you’re matched with the largest cadet in the class. It became clear to you last year that the professors aren’t making these assignments randomly. It couldn’t be a coincidence that they keep pairing you with the best fighters -- but never with another marked one, even though you’re all at the top of the class.

No, they’re probably entertained by all of this, betting on you like racehorses or wild dogs, placing wagers on who would come out on top. If anyone’s putting money on you, you’ve made them a killing -- you’re undefeated. 

But that would require someone else to bet against you, and while you may not respect all of the professors and leadership, or any of them, really, you don’t think they’re dumb enough to throw their money away like that.

“We meet again,” he says with a sick grin that makes the scar below his eye stretch and contort.

You don’t respond, taking one last survey of the seven blades on your body, but you’re not dumb enough to touch them, lest he see where they are and try to take them himself, like he did earlier this year.

He’d wrapped his fingers around the wooden hilt of the blade that Liam had given you before you left for Basgiath, intent on putting it through your heart, and you’d seen red.

“You should have taken his eye out.”

“I gave him that scar as a warning,” you reply evenly. “It’s up to him if he’s going to heed it or not.”

You’re at it as soon as Emeterrio says go, taking turns lunging at each other and blocking attacks.

You’re evenly matched, despite the size he has on you. He may be stronger, more intimidating, but you’re faster, and you know what you’re doing. You know where to hit and when, your strikes much more precise than his.

Still, Liam’s heart races.

It was one thing watching you mess around with Bodhi in the courtyard, but it’s another thing entirely seeing you fight as if your life depends on it -- and it does. There’s a very real possibility that one of you is going to be spending the evening in the infirmary, or the morgue, after this ends. 

You fight like Xaden, like himself and Bodhi and Imogen and everyone else his brother had a hand in training, but with an edge he’s never seen from you before.

He hesitates to put a name to it, but there’s something in your eyes akin to a wild animal’s as the pair of you stalk circles around each other, planning your next attack.

“It’s not polite to play with your food,” Tuile chides.

Fine. You’ll finish this, if only so she’ll shut up and leave you alone.

The other cadet has the same idea. 

You charge at the same time as he hurls a dagger in your direction, and you hit the ground at the last second to avoid being skewered. You start to press up to your feet, but he stomps a boot into your back, pain ripping down your spine. You swallow a scream, digging your nails into the sticky foam beneath you.

The mental wall separating you from Tuile crumbles, that familiar white-hot anger flowing through you. “Do something.”

You unsheath a dagger, reaching up and swiping it across his calf, and he hisses in pain, releasing you and taking a stumbling step back.

It’s easy enough for you to knock him off balance, landing three consecutive blows to his ribs and a swift kick to his stomach that sends him to the floor.

You’re tired of this already. It’s lost its novelty, and you really need to sit down -- there’s black spots clouding your vision, and the pain in your back has gotten impossibly worse.

“Do I have to kill you in front of the kids, or do you yield?” 

“I yield,” he rasps, still clutching his leg.

You lean down, wiping each side of the blade on his shirt before you sheath it.

“Sloppy, but satisfactory,” Tuile comments — that’s high praise from her. Maybe she’ll give you the evening off from her snide remarks.

You slot yourself between Liam and Bodhi, leaning against the wall as casually as you can; every movement has pain spreading across your lower back and shooting down your spine. 

You try to focus on rebuilding the wall she’d knocked down, brick by brick, taking deep breaths and forcing the anger out of your body.

Liam reaches for you, looking worried.

You speak under your breath, not moving your lips. “Not here. Not in front of everyone.” 

He pulls back without protest, understanding why you don’t want him helping you where the rest of the quadrant can see you, don’t want them to see the look of concern on his face and his hand on your arm and identify him as your weakness.

You may very well be the most hated person in the quadrant, being marked, bonded to one of Navarre’s nastiest dragons, and unafraid to draw blood in challenges. There are several cadets in this room who wouldn’t hesitate to go after Liam if they thought it would hurt you -- and it would. 

You don’t care what they do to you, what pain they inflict or what scars they leave on your body, but if anyone so much as touches Liam, they’ll lose the use of their hands. 

You breathe through the pain and keep your eyes on the fights unfolding in front of you; making note of who favors what side of their body, who gets sloppy after more than a minute, who yields because they don’t have the stomach to take things further.

Most of the cadets think this is the one class you don’t have to study for, but they’d be wrong -- there’s a reason you always come out on top, and this is it.

The class ends without Liam’s name being called, which is a relief, even though you don’t doubt his skill on the mat — it’s off the mat that you’re worried about. 

Almost everyone heads straight to dinner, but Liam hangs back, getting your attention with a barely-there touch to your elbow. You look over at him, and he nods in the other direction, toward the dorms. 

Of course he’s going to insist on checking your injuries himself, as he always did in the years you trained with him and Xaden. He doesn’t seem to think anything has changed between you in the year you’ve been away.

Sooner or later, he’ll realize he’s wrong.

You wait for nearly everyone to be out of the gym before you leave, leading him up to the second floor in silence and unlocking your door with a wave of your hand, gesturing him inside -- thankfully there’s nobody in the hallway to see you.

You haven’t been alone with him in a full year. A year and two weeks, if you want to be precise. The day you’d said goodbye, and nothing else.

You busy yourself with digging through your desk drawer to find the nearly-empty tin of healing balm, handing it to him before you turn away, gritting your teeth as you pull the shirt up over your head. 

If you weren’t pouring every ounce of energy you have left into keeping yourself upright, you might have it in you to be embarrassed about the amount of skin you’re exposing to him, the history of your first year at Basgiath on full display. But it’s Liam. Liam isn’t going to judge you, isn’t going to pry; he’ll just keep giving you that soft, concerned look -- which is somehow almost worse.

There’s a moment of quiet as he takes it in; the dark blue, nearly-black silhouette of Tuile that spans your shoulder blades and continues down your back, disappearing into the layers of thick linen wrapped over your chest, the full extent of your rebellion relic, winding down your arm to your wrist… 

Then he sees it, the nasty bruise starting to form on your back, below the hem of your bindings. The other cadet had hit you square in the spine, a blow that could very well have been paralyzing had it been delivered at a slightly different angle with slightly more force. That’s probably what he’d intended.

Liam isn’t particularly religious -- none of you are, which was a major reason why your parents had wanted to secede from Navarre -- but he still sends up a silent thank you to the powers that be that you’re okay, standing in front of him mostly unharmed.

You grit your teeth, keeping your eyes shut and gripping the shirt tightly as Liam’s hand rubs over your back, working in the healing balm. 

There’s something about the feeling of his skin on yours that is more uncomfortable than the aching bruise or any of the other injuries you’d sustained in that fight. 

You can handle the brush of your hands, a touch through layers of clothing and armor, eye contact and whispered words and smiles — all things that are acceptable behavior between friends — but the tenderness of this whole thing is overwhelming; being alone with Liam in your room, his bookbag on the floor, standing behind you rubbing a hand over your back, the other on your waist to hold you steady because you’re fucking trembling.

Maybe you are a little embarrassed after all.

The skin feels warm and tingly, a sign that whatever healing herbs within the sticky paste are working, soothing the aching muscle. Your entire body feels warm. It’s unbearably hot in this room, but Liam doesn’t seem to mind, still dressed in his flight jacket and full uniform. 

He moves his attention from your back to your side, murmuring a soft apology when you startle at the feeling of his hand smoothing over your ribs.

You take a breath, letting him work more of the balm into the spot where the other cadet’s fist had landed.

He finally pulls back, letting his hand linger on your waist until he’s convinced you won’t fall over. “Anything else hurting?” he asks gently.

“My head,” you admit to the wall. “But that never goes away.”

You pull the shirt back on as quickly as you can, done feeling exposed, and fight to maintain an unaffected expression as you turn back to face him.

He looks at you for a few seconds before it dawns on him -- the persistent headache, the flatness of your skin and your constantly racing heart, the way you’re bracing yourself with a hand on the desk, how tired you look and feel… “Spark, when was the last time you had water? Or anything to drink at all?”

Liam has always been too observant for his own good. 

You take a moment to think about it, another definite indicator that something is wrong. “Yesterday,” you answer quietly. “At dinner.” 

His eyes widen almost imperceptibly. It’s been a full twenty-four hours -- you’re supposed to be at dinner right now. It’s a miracle that you hadn’t passed out on the mat this afternoon.

He doesn’t scold you, doesn’t tell you how bad that is; he just squeezes your hand gently, taking the water bottle out of his bag and uncapping it. He can see you hesitating, knows something is wrong --  it takes a lot to rattle you, but you’re looking at the thing like it’s going to bite you.

“Three sips?” he asks softly.

That seems doable.

You take the bottle from him, holding it for a moment, feeling the weight of the metal and the energy flowing through the water inside it. It’s clean, calm, not murky and angry like the river water that Carr had made you practice with last year, but that doesn’t matter; in your hands, it’s the most dangerous substance on the planet.

And as fate would have it, it’s necessary for your survival.

You’re just grateful Tuile is off doing gods-know-what and not making her usual smug commentary -- she’d left after you’d won that challenge match, but she’ll be back soon enough. 

You raise it to your lips and drink, wanting to get it over with. The water is cool and crisp, breathing life back into your mouth and soothing your throat as you swallow, your body singing in relief as you give it what it’s been deprived of for months now. 

You take a moment to breathe, comforted by the air that continues to flow into your lungs and back out. Liam is standing in front of you. You’re okay. Two more. You can do this.

You bring it back up for another sip. You hadn’t realized how much you needed this, how much better it would make you feel. You take the next one in quick succession — that’s three. You’re done. 

You hate to admit it, but you feel better already.

Liam is still watching you with that soft, worried expression, though it’s less severe now than it had been earlier. You can see the gears turning, knowing he’s wondering why this was such a big deal for you; but there’s no judgment there, just genuine concern for your well-being.

You decide to tell him the truth, or part of it.

“I almost drowned when I channeled for the first time,” you say quietly, gazing back down at the half-empty bottle. “It was fucking terrifying. I couldn’t shower alone for a week. I needed one of the girls to come into the bathroom with me and face the wall, just talking to me the whole time. Then we realized Bo can counter signets. He’s been helping me control it, but…”

So that’s what Xaden had meant when he said that Bodhi was helping you deal with things. He wonders if there’s anything else his brother hadn’t told him, anything you aren’t telling him, but he won’t demand an answer from you -- he knows how difficult it must have been for you to tell him what you did, and he won’t push you further.

He takes the bottle back and caps it, gathering you into his arms silently, the way he’d wanted to back in the gym. He’s careful not to put any pressure on the injury, keeping his hands well above the bruise -- one between your shoulder blades and one on your ribs, on the side that you hadn’t been hit.

You rest your head on his shoulder, speaking in a whisper. “Thank you, Li.”

His lips brush over your hairline, where the ache is the worst. “Of course, sweet girl.”

You don’t want to let go of him yet, but you’ve already been holding each other longer than is appropriate for friends -- and that’s all you are, for the time being. 

He finally pulls away, and you could nearly cry at the loss of contact. 

“I need a minute,” you manage. “You should head down.”

You’re reminded again of why you love him so much as he nods in understanding, shouldering his bag and giving you a soft smile before he heads out your door.

All good things must come to an end. 

“Sweet? He must not know you at all.” 

“He knows me better than you ever will,” you snap back. 

At least she waited for him to leave, for you to be done with the water, or you would have some serious explaining to do.

You build up the wall again before she replies, and though it isn’t strong enough to block her out completely, she doesn’t push against it or knock it down -- she must not feel like getting into a pissing match with you right now. 

Good. You don’t either.

You notice he left the bottle on your desk. You manage another three sips before you finally head down to dinner, where you slide into the open seat beside Liam, silently pushing the empty bottle toward him. 

“I’m proud of you,” he whispers, not wanting to draw any attention from the group around you, who are all immersed in hearty conversation.

You haven’t heard those words from anyone in a long time. They mean more to you than he could ever imagine.

[senjuci]

A Chance Encounter - Iwaizumi Hajime

╔══════════════════════╗

If there was anything you knew for certain, it was that you hated Mondays. You had back-to-back lectures all morning, and all you wanted to do was curl up and rot in your bed for the next 3 to 5 business days. 

But instead, you had to head down to an appointment at the Athletic Therapy Centre on campus. Your gaze lifted from your phone to see a small group of your teammates huddled by the entrance.

“Y/n!” A voice called out, your gaze shifting over to where Kori stood. You smiled, walking over to the woman and stopping at her side. “Is everyone just waiting here for their appointments?” You questioned, receiving a nod in response as your eyes drifted over to the doors leading to where all the athletic trainers were. 

A woman stepped out holding a clipboard and gently tapped her pen against it before looking over the crowd. “Y/n L/n, Kaito Suzuki and Kori Brown?” The woman stated the three athletes shuffled over to follow her inside. 

“We have to do this every year, I stopped growing when I was like 17, I don’t need them to measure my height again.” Kaito scoffed as he crossed his arms over his chest, leading to a snort falling from your lips. 

“That’s because you’re worried about finding out you’ve shrunk Mr. 5’4.” You replied, receiving a glare in response from Kaito, and a laugh from Kori. A soft grin was still present on your face as you looked around and took in all the new faces that had joined this year. Lots of sports science and kinesiology students would do internships for the school year in the department, so it was no surprise to see a lack of familiarity heading into the room. 

It didn’t take long for your eyes to land on him. There was quite frankly, no way he was real. He looked like he had been sculpted by the gods. His tanned skin, short spikey brown hair and olive green eyes. But what drew you in most was his smile. The way his eyes crinkled slightly as he laughed, you were sure your heart skipped two, no three beats at that sound. 

“I’m in love Kori.” You state simply, Kori rolling her eyes in response. “You don’t even know his name Y/n.” She responded as you shrugged your shoulders. “That’s okay, whatever it is I’m sure it will sound good with mine.” You say, Kori shaking her head as she hears one of the doctors call her name and leave you standing in the middle of the room by yourself. 

It didn’t take long before you locked eyes with the man, a slight look of confusion in them as he noticed you staring. But after a small glance over you, and seeing the blush that rose to your cheeks, he gave you a small smile before returning to his conversation. 

“Y/n? You’ll be with me today.” Dr. Brennan, one of the Athletic Therapists whom you had worked with the year prior had said. Nodding in return, you walked over to where she stood, taking a seat on the bed. “How have you been? You have been keeping up with your practices over the summer?” She questioned, not fully paying attention to you as she flipped through the file with your name on it. 

“Yep, been doing my stretches too don’t worry.” You respond and receive a smile from the woman. “Good. Now, you said you were also having some wrist pain as of late, so I have left a bit of room after the assessment to check that out,” She explained as she looked up at you, "But as you have probably assumed I have a new student interning with me this semester, and he’s going to be helping with your assessment if you’re comfortable with that.” Dr. Brennan explained as you nodded your head in response. 

“Perfect. Hajime? Can you come help me?” She called out, a yes maam being yelled in return from somewhere behind her as the Doctor stood up. “Y/n, this is Hajime Iwaizumi, my intern. Hajime, this is Y/n L/n, they’re on the fencing team.” The doctor explained, your gaze lifting to be met with the man from earlier. You could see the slight smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. 

“Nice to meet you Y/n. I look forward to working with you this season.” Hajime stated as you gave him a smile in response, your heart beating so loud you could hardly hear his words. “Likewise.” You state, your gaze drifting back over to the doctor. 

Normally, you hardly ever have issues talking to people. You were quite a social person, and easily got along and made conversation with anyone you met. But Hajime Iwaizumi? He was like your fucking Kryptonite and you had only known of his existence for what, three, four minutes? 

Hajime, why don’t you take them to the stadiometers?” The doctor suggested as Hajime nodded, gesturing for you to get off of the bed and follow him. Silently, you trailed behind the man admiring his physique from behind as the two of you arrived at the tool. “Stand underneath it with your back straight please,” Hajime asked as you stepped forward and straightened your back, watching as Hajime gently lowered the small weight down so it would rest on top of your head and he could read the results. 

Your gaze stayed trained on him, watching as he bit his lower lip slightly while reading the results and jotting them down. His gaze had yet to lift from the paper when he spoke up once more. “You know, with the way you keep staring at me it gets a bit hard to focus.” He told you, glancing back up to meet your eyes. 

You smiled widely in response, waiting until he lifted the weight up so you could step off of the Stadiometer. “I only stare when there’s something worth looking at.” You tell him in response, watching as his cheeks become dusted with a rosy hue. He is silent for a moment, turning back around before gesturing for you to follow. “Let’s head back to record your results.” He told you, a small giggle falling from your lips as you followed him. 

The appointment had gone much too quickly, and you had been prescribed some cream for your wrist as well as some stretches to do to increase your wrist flexibility. Dr. Brennan had already moved on to another one of your teammates, leaving Hajime to write up the exercises on a sheet of paper for you on the other side of the room. 

You watched him quietly, kicking your feet back and forth while you sat on the bed waiting. Hajime set down the pen, straightening up before walking back over to you, keeping his gaze trained on the desk just in front of you. 

Walking up to you, he cleared his throat and held out the paper, his head turned to the side as he spoke. “Here are the stretches I would recommend for you to do. 3 repetitions of them each day. If you have any questions about them, you can either email Dr. Brennan…” he suggested to you, a hesitancy in his tone as he trailed off “Or you can text me.” He stated. 

You gently took the paper from him, seeing that he had added his name and phone number underneath the prewritten email signed on all of Dr. Brennan’s papers. If it was possible for your cheeks could’ve gotten any more red, they did. “Thanks, I’ll make sure to.” You reply as you stand up picking up your bag that you had placed on the ground earlier. “Bye Hajime.” You mused, the man giving you a relieved smile as he waved goodbye. 

You quickly made your way to the entrance, seeing Kori already there waiting for you, but you didn’t say anything. Instead, your eyes were glued to your phone as you typed in Hajime’s number into your contacts and quickly sent him a text. 

‘I’ve already forgotten how to do a few of the stretches, would you mind showing them to me again?’

After clicking send, you see Kori looking at you with a raised eyebrow. “What’s got you in a good mood?” She questioned as you sighed in response. “I just met my future husband. That’s all.” You tell her as she rolls her eyes. “Yeah, whatever you say Y/n.” Kori tells you, as you feel a buzz in your back pocket from your phone. 

Grabbing it, your face lights up as you read the incoming text from none other than Hajime.

 ‘How does 8pm tonight sound? I can refresh your memory over dinner.’

Maybe Mondays weren’t so terrible.

╚══════════════════════╝

This is my first fic I know she is rough on the edges but I've had this scenario rotting in my head for like months at this point

Likes and Reblogs are so so appreciated!!

[masterkeynobi]

is there anything better in the world than Aabria Iyengar Wizard Arrogance. is there ANYTHING BETTER IN THE WORLD than aabria iyengar wizard arrogance!!! i don't fucking think so!

[text ID:

Aabria Iyengar I slam my staff on the ground, revealing it to be that tall, jagged glass spire of the citadel. [A sound of crashing glass] She's at her full 6ft tall, and pulled back a sleeve enough to see that, like, ring. This is a big enough city that they should know how to respond to this energy. Brennan Lee Mulligan Amazing. Go ahead and give me intimidate with advantage Aabria Iyengar Thirteen! Brennan Lee Mulligan What do you say to Oscar as he's standing in front of you? Suvi [Aabria] Move.

/end ID]

[witchhazelnut]

and let’s break the scene between kristen and her family down a little bit more… the way that her parents conceive of her living situation is so perfectly warped. she’s just staying with her friends. her galicaean “roommate.” it’s clear they view this not as an abandonment from their side but as a choice kristen is making. she’s always welcome to come home. they’re happy to talk with her, but she’s the one who reached out. it’s so perfect too that the voice brennan talks with for most of the exchange is donna’s, and it only switches to mac’s when he’s being standoffish and defensive. like the picture that is painted: parents who don’t understand her and don’t really care to, who love her but with too many conditions, and maybe who miss her but not enough to take that leap. donna’s face as kristen explains she wants to join them for church, even though her faith remains with cassandra, is so full of hope, and at first I thought it was because she thinks it’s a first step toward kristen returning to helio, but maybe she also is hoping that it’s the first step toward kristen returning to their lives. but they won’t ask for it, because they’re stubborn and because they don’t know how. and then there’s mac, who responds to bucky’s interest with the shards with intense and physical rejection. and at first blush too I thought this is him being bigoted against other religions and trying to keep bucky sheltered, but maybe it’s also a defense against bucky following the path kristen has laid for herself, not wanting to lose bucky the way kristen is lost to him. it clicked when kristen called bobby dawn a control freak, because really that’s the problem with her parents too. the thing about control is that it’s often rooted in fear. they don’t call it “god-fearing” for nothing! the tragedy of kristen’s parents isn’t just that they abandoned her, or loved her conditionally, but that they were more afraid of a world outside their beliefs than one where their only daughter is lost to them.

[crestfallercanyon]

Kristen is so fucking relatable as a repressed teenager jfc. I am both horrified and in awe of Ally Beardsley’s playing of Kristen Applebees — Kristen is a MESS but she’s a lovable mess who I’m glad everyone’s kind exasperatedly supporting. I knew plenty of people like her in my school or going through this wild renaissance of new information about themselves (or that they wouldn’t let themselves learn about who they were) and it’s just really uplifting to see Kristen have such good friends through it all (though her speech started sweet and very swiftly needed to be shut down lol) but I know lots of people might like really regard her as frustrating and awful but she’s a teenager who is going through a lot of changes and crises of faith and persona and I just gah. I love her.

Fig and her care toward her two dads is adorable, every interaction with Gilear is gold (also props to Gilear for recognizing Sklonda is too much woman for him) but also the mantras in the mirror were so sweet. I also love how Gilear interacts with all of Fig’s friends and how Fig asserts herself and just wants the best for literally everyone. Yes she is very mischievous (also holy shit her deception skill is so fucking high??) but she’s mischievous on the path of good and I love it.

Fabian makes me sad. Like, he wants to impress his dad but he wants to be his own man. And Bill Seacaster — I still don’t know what to make of him— but being around someone whose mood is entirely unreliable (and assuredly that bleeds into other aspects of him) no wonder Fabian tries so hard to be strong and stable because he’s had to deal with instability his whole life.

Gorgug — I’ve talked about Gorgug a few times now but he’s just such a sweetheart. He called himself stupid and that’s tragic because he may not be the one figuring out all the clues and know what to do but he’s also the one they can rely on to diffuse a situation or just be kind about unknown things and as a barbarian that’s a huge tonal shift that’s so impressive. He’s not the brightest bulb but he may be the sweetest and that matters.

Adaine and her whole sibling rivalry gives me life. I’m glad she’s rebelling against her parents. She became powerful and wonderful and adept DESPITE her parents (whereas Aelwyn always had their full support) and I think that’s something that — while painfully — I hope she’ll learn to carry with pride.

Also Riz? One, he’s such a great like awkwardly confident teenager, and I’m glad he responded to his mom’s hiding of information the way he did (I love that him and Sklonda are like— healthy parent/child relationship) (also love how Brennan plays Sklonda), but he takes this with stride and won’t let all the things dragging him down hold him back and I’m sure for Sklonda that’s both amazing and scary because she wants her son safe but it just warms my heart to see.

And the teamwork here!!! Kristen and Adaine detecting magic and good here? Gorgug trying to find a power source for the palimpsest. THE BIZ REVEAL?? Also Riz’s final move here to take the palimpsest and then pull the gun with Biz!!! That was fucking AMAZING, because of course he’s not cool with what Biz is doing and I also I want Riz and Adaine both to absolutely tear Biz apart.

Adaine and Riz teamups are truly my beloved — like go you angry intelligent kids, go go go!

Honestly all of them — I’m so excited for this fight at the arcade let’s get it.

[alliepretends]

Briefly returning to this blog because I feel like I'm going to explode if I don't find a place to say this where it might be heard.

I feel uncomfortable and disappointed by the way the D20 fandom, and even the players, have responded to the Riz and Skolanda conversation.

It feels like everyone immediately went on the defensive. Endless "she just doesn't get that his friends love him," "look at all this stuff his friends have done for him," "the relationships between the Bad Kids are perfect and they could never take advantage of him." Plus, Ally, Emily, and even to a certain extent Zac immediately shifting how their characters interact with Riz in response to Skolanda's criticism (that their characters wouldn't know about). I generally feel like Brennan tends to get a free pass while players (especially non-male players) get criticized for things that are partly or mostly his fault. But this is the one time that's not the case. It seems to me like he was trying to set up an interesting story. What does it mean for someone like Riz ("very social but weirdly doesn't have any friends," aromantic and desperate to hang on to his first friendships for life, a workaholic) to not really be able to set boundaries with his friends? How does that lead to situations where even loving and well-intentioned friends are taking advantage of him (getting him to write their essays for him, making him adapt to a nickname that was originally used to bully him, sacrificing sleep and mental health in the name of maintaining his relationship to them/helping with what he understands to be their goals)? It's not a pretty story. It's a story where everyone (including Riz) has to admit to some wrongdoing. And everyone has to change their behavior. But it has the potential to be a great story! In a way that "everyone is great, Riz's mom just doesn't get it" doesn't. It would be one thing if Brennan was having this come out of nowhere. But he's not. There has always been an expectation among the Bad Kids that Riz and Adaine will do the bulk of the labor. That Riz will put up with it when his friends make fun of him or seem to use him as a means to an end ("are you just the little thing that finds the clues").

It's a good story. Or at least, a good idea for a story. I get that it could end up in a place may feel too much like pvp for some players. And if they decide to dodge it for that reason then that's fair. But if the reaction to it is just "How dare someone accuse my (teenage) favorite character of not being emotionally aware enough to realize when they are taking advantage of a vulnerable friend?" I don't know how we can expect these stories to be particularly emotionally nuanced or complex. Or really having anything valuable to say at all. It's not a bad thing if the Bad Kids have unhealthy relationships. It's not a bad thing if the Bad Kids are imperfect perfect people. It's probably better storytelling if those relationships are being prompted to actually grow and change for the better. And I'm sad that the situation seems to be that we'd rather shield these characters from any criticism than be excited about maybe seeing them grow

[blorbologist]

Feeding a Flying City

[Aeor, by Pretty Useful Co.]

This started as a little exercise in my worldbuilding thoughts for some off-hand stuff mentioned in my current fic, but I uh. Got Into It. So enjoy, if you're into two thousand words of nerding out about fantasy economics and agriculture and spells. For the sake of context, this is specifically looking at Exandria's flying cities in the Age of Arcanum, working off D&D 5E's rules as written (so I'm avoiding inventing spells).

When tackling the Age of Arcanum in my fanfic, I knew going in that I wanted to use this space to stretch my worldbuilding muscles and fill in some of the space left by Matthew Mercer and Brennan Lee Mulligan with reasonably plausible meat and bones.

One thing I was excited to squint at was the issue of how the hell flying cites feed their populations. 

The ‘lonely city’ is a common fantasy trope, especially in visual media. Your towering bastion of civilization (or spire of evil) on the open plains, or beside a river, or deep in the mountains certainly makes for a great symbol. A flying city is really the ultimate version of this, completely disconnected from the petty ground below… and the farmland that usually would surround any metropolis. 

See, in medieval times, you only had so much time to transport good until they spoiled. Some could be more forgiving than others - however, given a city often aggregates political and financial elite, there is an expectation that they can get their fresh fruits, and decadent game. Even beyond freshness, if you have a lot of people in one place who are not actively growing their own crops, a lot of more-or-less processed food needs to get into the city daily. And though you could station your acres of farmland just over the hill so they don’t ruin the ~scenic approach~, that will cost more to transport. The fact is, having a lot of people - poor and rich - in one place requires a lot of food, every day, to feed them. And it has to come from somewhere.

(Off-topic note, medieval castles (not necessarily cities) were also there to, y’know, defend the populace. So they had to be both near enough to their peasants to respond to aggression, and near enough for the people to get to the castle for shelter when needed. Which is not relevant to this point.)

Magic, like refrigeration, greenhouses and GMO crops, allows a society to sidestep some of these issues. Which is great! But how the flying cities could use the resources they have to feed their population is half the fun in theorizing. 

To quickly recap what we know to be common to flying cities of the time:

Limited to the city only, usually a location with ground dense with brumestone (i.e., no farmland). 

Their limited ‘undergrounds’ are often fairly dense with more structures (Aeor’s many levels; the labyrinth and tons of administrative locations inside Avalir).

They are nomadic and engage in trade (both with eachother and grounded cities, like Vasselheim).

… but they all likely came from landed roots, and potentially were once perfectly normal cities. 

So. How do you feed your people while flying a path that might take years to travel (ex: Avalir’s 7-year trek), especially between trade stops?

The last surviving flying city is Draconia, which is really fragments of a larger nomadic city that decided to remain fairly sedentary compared to its predecessors. Its answer was probably pretty simple: given that Draconia hovered within Dreemoth Ravine, the tailed dragonborn could just… collect a tithe of crops from the enslaved ravenites. It’s already canon that they were put to work in the mines, so working the land also unfortunately makes sense. It’s unclear how the food then got up to the city (skyships, given they have ready brumestone access?), but given Draconia seems to be an exception to the rules I can (mostly) confidently rule out ‘the Age of Arcanum was built on abusing the grounded cities and towns, potentially requiring an age of magically-enhanced farming to provide for the people above and/or risking the farmers going hungry in favor of the mageocracies’. 

Here’s where magic offers numerous solutions, and just as many weird problems! 

First of all, the stupidly isolated nature of flying cities means that any method of bringing food in has to be extremely structured. Mom and pop can’t just bring the donkey to the farmer’s market to sell their goods in Avalir; to get there you need to fly (more scheduled) or teleport (requires a mage, and limited quantities of goods). So from the getgo a lot of financial control is likely in the cities’ hands. Which… is not all too dissimilar from history, but the lack of flexibility is probably more striking here. Shit, I was hoping to get away from Draconia’s grim worldbuilding.

It also places flying cities in a role very similar to an advancing army, requiring food as they march to be drawn from the surrounding lands. While soldiers can break off and loot towns they pass through, a flying city probably can’t just dock in the middle of farmland, grab all the corn and bolt. So the need for a more organized food transport likely helps protect towns from that exploitation. (Though, with the military posturing of Avalir and Aeor, I could see flying cities strong-arming support from grounded ones in exchange for promised protection/aid if they needed it.)

Of course, when docked at another city (Avalir stayed at Vasselheim for ten days in the weeks before the Calamity), they can fairly easily trade with the surrounding towns there… who are also providing for the existing city. Hosting a flying city must be a huge logistics nightmare, but economically worth the headache. 

(Vasselheim likely has a leg up in that it has both a sitting population of mages, such as Vespin pre-fuckup, and the likes of Clerics, who I’ll get to soonish.)

In EXU: Calamity, skyships (and an offhand mention of something called an ornithopter) already exist, which could facilitate the bulk transport of goods. Based on the speed of the Silver Sun in Campaign 3 (4-5 days to cover ~700 miles translates to a speed of ~5-6.5 knots; for context that seems to be about the middling range for a medieval tradeship), this seems like an excellent way of transporting goods that do not spoil easily. Or use arcane equivalents to the canon Bag of Colding to help keep things fresh longer. However, as noted above, this would require a lot of community organization to get crops together when the skyship shows up for harvest.

The tricky thing is that Avalir, at least, follows leylines as it travels. So if there was intent to line up its passes over farmland with their harvest season - to minimize transport distance - it might be difficult to coordinate. Moreover, with an implied many flying cities, and no clear territorial delimitations between their routes (especially if they’re all following leylines; but Avalir at least made stops in Issylra, Gwessar/Tal’Dorei, and Dorumas/the Shattered Teeth at least), I wonder if there would be economic conflict over which cities could be highest bidder for the freshest crops. Which could be Interesting. 

(I wonder if sky piracy, or sky privateering, was a thing in the Age of Arcanum. Nydas is said to have been a pirate on the actual seas, so aquatic trade is still going strong, but given the flying cities are so reliant on limited methods to get food… you could put a lot of pressure on a rival city by capturing a few key skyships full of the last harvests before winter.)

Another option is teleportation. Avalir, after all, has an entire guild devoted to teleporting people around, so critical to its functioning that part of the Betrayers’ plan was to leave them without leadership when they struck. However, teleportation is very much a creature-oriented form of transportation; perhaps you could bring up a herd of cattle for slaughter, but that’s a pretty damn high spell slot for beef.

Avalir is in a fortuitous situation, in that it has a longstanding relationship with the Gau Drashari; druids, well-known masters of plant and animal life. In theory, this could mean Plant Growth casts to increase harvests… but at this time the Gau Drashari specifically only live in Caithmoira, guarding this holy site. So hopping from one druid-boosted farmland to another is unlikely. 

Well, if transporting food to the cities is such an issue, why not produce food in the cities?

While magical greenhouses must account for some luxury fresh goods for sure, I really don’t think the cities as illustrated have enough real estate to actually support their whole populations like this. Like I noted above, of the two cities we know really well, their insides are already full of labs and labyrinths and all sorts of things probably best kept away from your food supply. 

D&D 5E spells offer another answer, and another piece of potentially complicated worldbuilding: Create Food and Water. Per the spell description, it creates enough food to feed 15 people for 24 hours, which seems to neatly solve all our problems! Until you realize the food is explicitly bland (bet you the mages turn up their noses at it), vanishes if not consumed after 24 hours (so that’s a daily 3rd level spell slot from some poor schmuck), and is mostly limited to Paladins and Clerics. You know, godly people, who are so fondly looked upon by the mageocracies. Artificers, at least, are more in line with the Age of Arcanum attitude - but we don’t see any in Calamity, so it’s unclear if the class ‘exists’ per say in the time period. Reducing powerful Paladins and Clerics to food dispensaries - and not even good food, probably for the lower class - would fit in neatly with how the powers of the divine are seen as lesser. Goodberry falls into a similar role: useful, but probably something mages would avoid.

Speaking of spells, let’s get a little fucked up, hm? Who is to say a mage couldn’t just. Summon some pigs to be served up as bacon tomorrow? Well. Conjure Animals specifically says the animals are actually fey, and vanish when their HP reaches 0. Summon Beasts? Same thing. Find Steed? You guessed it. So magic can help us grow food, and transport it, and preserve it, but not actually make it out of nothing. (If there’s a spell I’m missing that completely solves this, please let me know, but I can’t really find one.)

My final little thought came watching geese migrate some time ago. The passenger pigeon has been extinct for… a hundred and ten years, now. But in its hayday, flocks of the birds would literally cloud the sky. Exandria is home to far more stunning beasts than pigeons, and hunting flying game is likely a lot easier when you yourself are flying too. 

Sure, you can apply this to actual fishing when the cities are over the seas, but! Imagine fishing boats but for birds and all manner of winged beasts in great flocks, netting and catching them to haul in. Maybe the magical equivalent of those helicopter boar hunts to deal with invasive populations, but landing at all introduces a whole lot more hassle. Big net and flying device = fresh meat, with an arcane twist.

So: how do you feed a flying city? Especially one with a lavish lifestyle as seen in Avalir, or a hard research focus as in Aeor?

Have an extremely regimented relationship with the towns on your path (likely in competition with other flying cities using these leylines when you are) or that otherwise have food you need. Make sure skyships arrive in time for the harvests. Miss that and things get dicey. 

Supplement this with trade, both with other flying cities and grounded ones when docked. However, docked time has to be limited to not risk starving out the countryside surrounding the city hosting you.

Small deliveries, especially of fresh livestock, can be accomplished through Porter’s Guild or equivalent.

Magically preserve food thus obtained to survive until your schedule and harvests of X Y z goods next align. 

City-based organizations can ‘fish’ for birds as the city flies (or potentially even actually fish as they fly over the ocean) for fresh meat.

Hope to gods (but without hoping to the gods because they’re schmucks) that you time your pick-ups right, that there are no famines, or early frosts, that no one steals your fucking skyships our outbids you on a key agricultural contract, or casts Dispel Magic and makes your food all spoil.

When the carefully-scheduled management of the city’s resources fails, turn to your diviners or healers and have them feed the masses with bland crackers while the Somnovem or Ring of Gold continue eating honeyed lamb and figs. 

If you read this far, I'm super flattered you shifted through my rambles! I'll gladly discuss any glaring mistakes or things I've overlooked; this is only what I considered in worldbuilding for a fic, and I don't pretend to be an expert on medieval agriculture or economic practices.

This was still very fun to (over)think about <3

(Water, of course, would be a similar limiting factor, but is easy enough to magically purify, and would not be too bland when made by Create Food and Water, so I didn’t bring it up.)

[fourthwingfan]

Madness - Chapter 21

Hello, there readers. Here is the new chapter. Enjoy :) And as always you're all awesome! ❤️

Don’t freak out if you can’t immediately channel your dragon’s powers, Mira. Yeah, I know you have to be the best at everything, but this isn’t something you can control. They’ll channel when they feel you’re ready. And once they do, you’d better be ready to manifest a signet. Until then, you’re not ready. Don’t push it.

—Page sixty-one, the Book of Brennan

This really isn’t necessary.” Violet glances sideways at Liam as we make our way toward the door of the Archives. The cart doesn’t even squeak anymore. He fixed that the very first day.

“So you’ve told me for the last week.” He shoots her a grin, revealing a dimple.

“And yet you’re still here. Every day. All day.”

“Come on, Vi. Don’t be like this.” I chided her. “Admit that you actually like him. Liam is awesome, you know.” I wink at her.

“Shut up, Aelin.” She retorts but blushes so hard, her face is almost red.

And that’s it. Liam’s charm is working. He’s courteous, funny, and ridiculously helpful. He makes it difficult to loathe his constant presence. I mean I tried to avoid him when we first met, but somehow he wormed his way into my life. And Violet can’t hate him either. Even though he leaves wood shavings in little piles everywhere he goes. The guy is constantly whittling with that smaller knife of his. Yesterday he finished the figurine of a bear.

“Until otherwise ordered,” he answers to Violet’s remark.

I shake my head at them as Pierson jolts upright at the Archives doors, straightening his cream tunic. “Good morning, Cadet Pierson.”

“You as well, Cadet Melgren, Cadet Sorrengail.” He offers us a polite smile, which dies as he glances at Liam. “Cadet Mairi.”

“Cadet Pierson,” Liam responds, as if the scribe’s tone hadn’t completely changed.

My shoulders tense as Pierson hurries to open the door. Maybe it’s just that I haven’t been around marked ones before Basgiath, but the outright hostility toward them is becoming glaringly, uncomfortably obvious to me.

We walk into the Archives and wait by the table just like every other morning.

“How do you do that?” Violet asks Liam in a hushed whisper. “Handle when people are that rude without reacting?”

“You’re rude to me all the time,” he teases, drumming his fingers on the handle of the cart.

“Because you’re my babysitter, not because…”

“Because I’m the son of the disgraced Colonel Mairi?” His jaw ticks, his brow furrowing for a heartbeat as he looks away.

I silently squeeze his shoulder and he faintly smiles at me.

„I guess I’m really no better, though. I hated Xaden on sight, and I didn’t know a single thing about him.” Violet says softly.

Liam scoffs, earning us a glare from a scribe near the back corner. “He has that effect on people, especially women. They either despise him for what his father did or want to fuck him for the same reason, just depends on where we are.”

“You actually know him, don’t you?” She cranes her neck to look up at him. “He didn’t just pick you to shadow me because you’re the best in our year.”

“Just now catching on, huh?”

“Hey, take it easy, Liam. I needed time too. It’s not that obvious.” I elbow him in the ribs.

A grin flashes across his face, then he looks toward Violet. “I would have told you that on the first day if you hadn’t been so busy huffing and puffing about the pleasure of my company.”

I roll my eyes as Jesinia approaches, her hood up over her hair. “Hey, Jesinia,” I sign.

“Good morning,” she signs back, her mouth curving in a shy smile as her gaze darts up to Liam.

“Good morning.” He signs with a wink, clearly flirting.

It shocked me to my toes that first day that he knew how to sign, but honestly, I should have known. He’s awesome at everything.

“Just these today?” Jesinia asks, inspecting the cart.

„And these.” I reach for the list of requests amid their obvious glances and hand it to her.

“Perfect.” Her cheeks flush and she studies the list before putting it in her pocket. “Oh, and Professor Markham left before his daily report arrived to teach your briefing. Would you mind taking it over?”

“Happy to.” Violet waits until she’s pushing the cart away from us, then smacks Liam’s chest. “Stop it,” she whispers out loud.

“Stop what?” He watches her until she turns the corner at the first set of shelves.

“Flirting with Jesinia. She’s a long-term-relationship woman, so unless that’s what you’re looking for…just…don’t.”

Ohhoo, Violet are you jealous?

His eyebrows hit his hairline. “How does anyone think long-term around here?”

“Not everyone is in a quadrant where death is less of a chance and more of a foregone conclusion.” She says as she tries to calm herself down.

“So you’re saying that some people still try to make cute little things like plans.”

“Exactly, and those some people is Jesinia. Trust me, I’ve known her for years.”

“Right. Because you wanted to be a scribe when you grew up.” He scans the Archives with an intensity that almost makes me laugh. As if there’s any chance someone is going to lunge out of the shelves and come after Violet.

“How did you know that?” She lowers her voice as a group of second-years passes, their expressions somber as they debate the merits of two different historians.

“I did my research on you after I was…you know…assigned. And Aelin is really gossipy.” He shakes his head. “I’ve seen you practicing this week with those blades of yours, Sorrengail. Riorson was right. You would have been wasted as a scribe.”

“Hey, I’m not ‘gossipy’, you moron.” I scowl at him.

“That remains to be seen.” She answers both of us.

At least challenges haven’t resumed. Guess enough of us are dying during flight lessons to hold off on killing more through hand-to-hand.

“What did you want to be when you grew up?” Violet asks suddenly.

“Alive.” He shrugs.

“How do you know Xaden anyway?”

“Riorson and I were fostered at the same estate after the apostasy,” he says, using the Tyrrish term for the rebellion.

“You were fostered?” Her mouth drops open.

Fostering the children of aristocrats was a custom that died out after the unification of Navarre more than six hundred years ago.

“Well, yeah.” He shrugs again. “Where did you think the kids of the traitors”—he flinches at the word—“went after they executed our parents?”

“I didn’t think.” She admits it in a meak voice.

Oh, Vi. I didn’t know her mother never mentioned it to her. It seems I am much more informed on the subject. Thanks to The General…

“Most of our great houses were given to nobles who had remained loyal.” He clears his throat. “As it should be.”

I don’t bother agreeing with what’s obviously a conditioned reply. King Tauri’s response after the rebellion was swift, even cruel.

The burning of Aretia, which had been Tyrrendor’s capital, to the ground had never sat well with me, though. Liam was the same age. It wasn’t his fault his mother had broken faith with Navarre. And I’m sure there’s more to it.

“But you didn’t go with your father to his new home?” Violet asks.

His gaze swings toward her, and his brow furrows. “It’s hard to live with a man who was executed on the same day as my mother.”

“No. No, that’s not right. Your father was Isaac Mairi, right? I’ve studied all the noble houses in every province, including Tyrrendor.”

“Yes. Isaac was my father.” He tilts his head, looking toward the area where Jesinia disappeared, and I get the distinct feeling he is over this conversation.

“But he wasn’t a part of the rebellion.” She shakes her head, trying to make sense of it. “He isn’t on the death roll of the executions from Calldyr.”

“You read the death roll from the Calldyr executions?” His eyes flare.

“I needed to see that someone was on it.” She admits it.

He draws back slightly. “Fen Riorson.”

She nods. “He killed my brother at the Battle of Aretia. But your father wasn’t on that roll.”But Liam was—as a witness.

“Vi, enough.” I try to stop her. We should not tear open his wounds.

She glances at me and I can see the understanding in her eyes.“I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“He was executed at our family’s house.” His features tighten. “Before it was given to another noble, of course. And yes, I watched as they did it that time, too. I already had the rebellion relic by then, but the pain was the same.” He looks away, his throat working. “Then I was sent to Tirvainne to be fostered by Duke Lindell, the same as Riorson. My little sister was sent elsewhere.”

“They separated you?” Her jaw practically unhinges.

He nods. “She’s only a year younger than me, though, so I’ll get to see her when she enters the quadrant next year. She’s strong, quick, and has good balance. She’ll make it.” The edge of panic in his tone reminds me of Mira.

“She will make it, Liam. And after that we’ll be there to help her.” I grab his hand and squeezes it.

“She could always choose another quadrant,” Violet says softly, hoping it will soothe him.

He blinks at her. “We’re all riders.”

„What?”

“We’re all riders. It was part of the deal. We’re allowed to live, allowed a chance to prove our loyalty, but only if we make it through the Riders Quadrant.” He stares at her in bewilderment. “You don’t know?”

“I mean…” she shakes her head. “I know that the children of the leaders, the officers, were all forced into conscription, but that’s all. A lot of those treaty addenda are classified.”

“I personally think the quadrant was chosen to give us the best chance of rising in rank, but others…” He grimaces. “Others think it’s because the death rate is so much higher for riders, so they were hoping to kill us all off without having to do it themselves. I’ve heard Imogen say they originally figured the dragons have unimpeachable honor, so they’d never bond a marked one in the first place, and now they don’t quite know what to do with us.”

“How many of you are there?” I ask him, because I don’t know the exact number.

“Xaden’s never?” He pauses. “Sixty-eight of the officers had kids under the age of twenty. There are one hundred and seven of us, all who carry rebellion relics.”

„The oldest is Xaden,” I murmur.

He nods. “And the youngest is almost six now. Her name is Julianne.”

I think I’m going to be sick. “Is she marked?”

“She was born with it.”

I understand it was done by Codagh, but what the fucking hell? My father is a monster.

“And it’s all right that you ask. Someone should know. Someone should remember.” His shoulders rise and fall as he breathes deeply. He suddenly turns toward Violet. “Anyway, is it hard for you to be in here? Or is it more of a comfort thing?”

Subject change noted.

„It’s like coming home, but not. And it’s not that it’s changed—this place never changes. Hell, I think change is the mortal enemy of a scribe. But I’m starting to realize that I’ve changed. I don’t quite fit here. Not anymore.”

“Yeah. I get that.” Something in his voice tells me he really does.

That’s when Jesinia reappears, the cart laden with the requested tomes.

“I have everything here for you,” she signs, then gestures to the scroll on top. “And that is for Professor Markham.”

“We’ll make sure he gets it,” Violet promises, leaning forward to take the cart. Her high collar shifts, and Jesinia gasps, her hand flying to cover her mouth.

“Oh gods, Violet. Your neck!” Her hand movements are sharp.

“It’s nothing.” She puts her collar back in place, covering the ring of yellowing bruises, and Liam reaches across me, taking the cart. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”

She bobs her head and wrings her hands as we turn for the door. Pierson closes it after we pass into the hallway.

“Riorson taught me to fight during the years he was at Tirvainne.” Liam’s change of subject is appreciated and no doubt intentional once again. I still feel terrible. My farher is a monster. There’s no doubt about it. “I’ve never seen anyone move the way he does. He’s the only reason I made it through the first round of challenges. He might not show it, but he takes care of his own.” He glances toward me with a smirk.

“Are you trying to sell me on his finer points?” I ask as we make the ascent.

We round the corner and take the path past the Healer Quadrant.

“How can you do this anyway? Guard someone whose own mother oversaw the wing that captured yours?” Vi asks before he could answer.

“Wondering if you can trust me?” He flashes another easy grin.

“Yes.” The answer is simple.

He laughs, the sound echoing off the tunnel walls and glass windows of the clinic. “Good answer. All I can say is that your survival is essential to Riorson’s, and I owe him everything. Everything.” He looks me straight in the eye for that last word, even as the cart hits a raised stone in the paved corridor.

The scroll on top tumbles to the floor, and Violet retrieves it and it unrolls along the slight slope of the passage.

“Got it.”

The thick parchment isn’t eager to roll back into place, and when she looks at it, she pauses.

“What does it say?” Liam asks.

“Sumerton was attacked.” She flips the scroll to see if it’s marked as classified, but it isn’t.

“On the southern border?” He looks as confused as I feel.

“Yeah.” She nods. “It’s another high-altitude attack, too, if I remember my geography correctly. It says a supply convoy was looted.” She reads a little further. “And the community storage in nearby caves was ransacked. But that doesn’t make sense. We have a trade agreement with Poromiel.”

“A raiding party, then.” I say.

She shrugs. “No clue. Guess we’ll hear about it in Battle Brief today.”

Attacks along our southern borders are rising, all with the same description. Mountain villages are being torn apart wherever the wards weaken.

I hear an enermous growl.

„Sorrengail?” Liam looks over at her, concern etched between his brows.

“Tairn’s awake,” she manages to say, clutching her stomach. „Does it ever get any easier?” Being tackled by what they’re feeling?”

“I don’t know.” I shrug. “Aon is pretty good at keeping his emotions to himself, but sometimes I can’t separate myself from him.”

Liam winces. “Deigh keeps pretty good control of himself, but when he’s angry?” Liam shakes his head. “It’s supposed to help once they start channeling and we have the power to shield them out, but you know Carr isn’t going to bother with us until that happens.”

I’d already assumed Liam didn’t have his abilities yet, considering he’s with us in every single class, but it’s comforting to know he’s still in the waning population of powerless riders with me.

“So neither Aon nor Tairn has started channeling to you, either, right?” Liam asks, a look of uncertainty, vulnerability on his face.

I shake my head. “I think he has commitment issues,” I whisper.

“I heard that.”

“Then stay out of my head.”

Suddenly waves of emotions washes over me.

„Don’t be an ass.”

I swear I hear him chuff a chuckle in response.

“We’d better hurry or we’ll miss breakfast.” Liam says.

“Right.” Violet finishes rolling the scroll and put it back on the cart.

---

“I want to be like the cool kids,” Rhiannon grumbles as first-years from Second and Third Wings pour out of the stairwell of the turret that leads up to Professor Carr’s classroom that afternoon, further clogging the hallway on our way to Battle Brief.

“We will,” Violet promises, linking her arm through hers.

“You may be cool, but you will never be as cool as I am!” Ridoc pushes past Liam and me, and throws his arm over Violet’s shoulder.

“She’s talking about everyone who’s already channeling,” I explain, juggling my books so I don’t drop them. “Though at least if we’re not channeling, we’re not stressed about manifesting a signet before the magic kills us.” The relic on my back tingles.

“Oh, I thought we were discussing how I just owned that physics test.” He grins. “Definitely the highest score in the class.”

Rhiannon rolls her eyes. “Please. I scored five points higher than you.”

“We stopped counting your grades months ago.” He leans forward slightly. “Your grades in that class make it unfair for the rest of us.” He looks between Liam and me. “Wait. What did you get, Melgren? Mairi?”

“Not getting into the middle of this,” Liam responds.

“Me neither” I laugh at him.

I had pretty good scores. Only thanks to Liam. Despite of his assignment, he still has time to study with me. And I will be eternally grateful to him.

I smile at him as we’re entering the bottleneck of cadets to get into the briefing room.

“Sorry, Sorrengail,” someone says, stepping out of the way and tugging their friend with them as we enter the tiered classroom.

“Nothing to be sorry about!” She calls out, but they’re already headed up a few rows. “I’m never going to get used to that.”

“It definitely makes getting places easier,” Rhiannon teases her as we descend the steps that curve along the massive turret.

We find our row and walk to our seats, sitting as a squad among the first-years.

The room buzzes with energy as riders file in, and I can’t help but notice that no one has to stand anymore. Our numbers have decreased exponentially in the last four months. The number of empty chairs is sobering. We lost another first-year yesterday when he got too close to another rider’s Red Scorpiontail on the flight field. One second he was standing there, and the next he was a scorched patch of earth. I kept as close to Aon as possible the rest of the session.

My scalp prickles, but I fight the urge to turn around.

“Riorson just got here,” Liam says with mirth in his voice from the seat to my left, breaking from the little dragon figurine he’s carving and looking up the rows toward the third-years.

“Figured.” I hold up my middle finger to him and keep my eyes forward.

He just loves teasing me. Asshole.

Liam snorts and grins, flashing his dimple. “Now, that we’re talking about Xaden. I noticed that you two are always bickering. Tell me, is it fun pissing off the most powerful rider in the quadrant? ”

“You could try it yourself and find out,” I suggest, opening my notebook to the next empty page. I can’t turn around. I won’t. Wanting Xaden is fine. It has to be. Indulging the impulses it gives me? That’s asinine.

“That’s going to be a no from me.” He shakes his head.

I lose the battle with my self-control and look over my shoulder. Sure enough, Xaden is seated in the top row next to Garrick, mastering the art of looking bored. He gives Liam a nod, which Liam returns.

Then he concentrates on his carving, which looks a lot like his Red Daggertail, Deigh.

“Then you should focus on Vi. She is you’re assignment, not me.” I shot back.

“I swear, you’d think there were assassination attempts on me during every class with the way he makes you shadow me.” She shakes her head.

“In his defense, people are fond of trying to kill you.” Rhiannon sets out her supplies.

“One time! It’s happened one time, Rhi!” She says as she adjusts her posture.

“Right. And what would you call that whole thing with Tynan?” Rhiannon asks.

“Threshing.” She shrugs.

“And Barlowe’s constant threats?” I arch a brow at her.

“She has a point there,” Sawyer chimes in, leaning forward from the seat next to Rhiannon’s.

“They’re just threats. The only time I’ve actually been targeted was at night, and it’s not like Liam here is sleeping in my bedroom.”

„I mean, I’m not opposed—” he begins, his knife hovering over the piece of wood.

“Don’t even start.” She whips her head to face him and she blushes. “You are a shameless flirt.”

“Thank you.” He grins and goes back to carving.

“It wasn’t a compliment.”

“Don’t mind her, she’s just sexually frustrated. Makes a girl crabby.” I say and write the date down on the empty page with my quill. Those easy, mess-less pens some of the others can already use is just another reason I can’t wait to channel. No more quills. No more inkpots.

„That has nothing to do with it.” She shots me a glare.

“And yet I don’t hear you denying it.” I smile sweetly at her.

“I’m sorry I don’t make the cut,” Liam teases. “But I can review a couple candidates, especially if it means you’ll stop being so edgy.”

“And how exactly would you be reviewing candidates? What will you be scoring?” Rhiannon asks, one eyebrow raised above her wide grin. “This I have to hear.”

I manage a straight face for all of two seconds before laughing at how horrified he suddenly looks.

“Thanks for the offer, though. I’ll make sure to run any potential liaisons by you.” Violet teases him.

“I mean, you could watch,” Rhiannon continues, blinking innocently at him. “Just to be sure she’s fully covered. You know, so no one…sticks it to her.”

“Oh, are we telling dick jokes now?” Ridoc asks from my other side. “Because my entire life has led up to this very moment.”

Even Sawyer laughs.

“Fuck me,” Liam mutters under his breath. “I’m just saying that since you’re protected at night now—” We laugh harder, and he blows out a deep breath.

“Wait.” Vi stops laughing. “What do you mean I’m protected at night? Because you’re next door? Please tell me he’s not making you sleep in the hallway or something obnoxious.”

“No. Of course not. He warded your door the morning after the attack.” His expression clearly says she should know this. “I’m guessing he didn’t tell you?”

“He what?”

“He warded your door,” Liam says, quieter this time. “So only you can open it.”

“But if he’s the one who warded it, then he can get in, too, right?” I ask.

„Well, yeah.” Liam shrugs as Professors Markham and Devera walk down the stairs, heading for the front of the room. “But it’s not like Riorson is going to kill her.”

“Right. You see, I’m still adjusting to that little change of heart.” I fumble my quill and it falls to the ground, but before I can lean over, the shadows beneath the arm of my desk lift the instrument like an offering. I pluck it out of the shadows and look back at Xaden.

He’s locked in conversation with Garrick, not paying me a speck of attention.

Except, apparently, he is.

“If we can get started?” Markham calls over the room, and we fall silent as he places the scroll we had delivered to him before breakfast on the podium. “Excellent.”

I write Sumerton down at the top of the page and Liam trades his knife for a quill.

“First announcement,” Devera says, stepping forward. “We’ve decided that not only will the winners of this year’s Squad Battle receive bragging rights—” She grins like we’re in for a treat. “But they’ll also be given a trip to the front lines to shadow an active wing.”

Cheers break out all around us.

“So if we win, we get a chance to die sooner?” Rhiannon whispers.

“Maybe they’re trying a reverse psychology thing.” I glance at the others around us who are clearly overjoyed and worry about their sanity. Either I am a fool or everyone else.

“You crave the action just as much as they do, little one.”

“Don’t you have better things to do with your day than listen in on my private thoughts?”

“Not particularly. Now pay attention.”

“Stop butting in and maybe I can,” I counter.

Aon chuffs. One day I might be able to translate that sound, but it’s not today.

“I know the Squad Battle doesn’t commence until spring,” Devera continues, “but I figured that news would give you all the proper motivation to apply yourselves in every area leading up to the challenges.”

Another cheer resounds.

“And now that we have your attention.” Markham lifts his hand and the room quiets. “The front lines are relatively quiet today, so we’re going to take this opportunity to dissect the Battle of Gianfar.”

My quill hovers above my notebook. Surely he didn’t say that.

The mage lights rise to the Cliffs of Dralor that separate Tyrrendor, lifting the entire province thousands of feet above the rest of the Continent, before shining brightest on the ancient stronghold along the southern border. “This battle was pivotal to the unification of Navarre, and though it happened more than six centuries ago, there are important lessons that still impact our flight formations to this day.”

“Is he serious?” I whisper to Liam.

“Yeah.” Liam’s grip bends his quill. “I think he is.”

“What made this battle unique?” Devera asks, her eyebrows raised. “Bryant?”

“The stronghold was not only set for a siege,” the second-year says from high above us, “but was equipped with the first cross-bolt, which proved lethal against dragonkind.”

“Yes. And?” Devera prompts.

“It was one of the final battles where gryphons and dragons actually worked alongside each other to annihilate the army of the Barrens,” the second-year continues.

I glance left and right, watching the other riders begin to take notes. Surreal. This is just…surreal.

None of them knows what we do, that an entire village of Navarrians was ransacked last night along the border and supplies looted. And yet, we’re discussing a battle that happened before the convenience of indoor plumbing was invented.

“Now, pay close attention,” Markham lectures. “Because you’ll be turning in a detailed report in three days and drawing comparisons to battles from the last twenty years.”

“Was that scroll marked classified?” Liam asks under his breath.

“No,” Violet responds just as quietly. “But maybe I missed it?”

The battle map doesn’t even show activity near that mountain range.

“Yeah.” He nods, scratching his quill against the parchment as he begins to take notes. “That has to be it. You missed it.”

I blink, forcing my hand through the motions of writing about a battle I’ve analyzed dozens of times with The General. Liam’s right. That’s the only possible explanation. Our clearance isn’t high enough, or maybe they haven’t finished gathering all the information needed to form an accurate report.

Or it had to have been marked classified. We just missed it.

Or…they withold information from us.

I need to speak with The General. Somehow I have to gather more information.

“Careful, little one. You need to be careful when you uncover the secrets.” I hear Aon’s warning.

[shelbgrey]

Adventures in babysitting(Squinterns)

Paring: wife!Reader x Lance Sweets, Oc!Child x squinterns

Summary: not really an 'x reader' just the Squinterns having to watch Lance and y/n's daughter while they go an unexpected case.

A/n: AU where Vincent didn't die. the beginning of this sucks but it gets a bit better, I just had this idea but didn't know how to start it.

Master List

“mama look! a Firetruck” Charlotte smiled from the back set of the car, she hugged her stuffed penguin tight as watched on of her favorite vehicle pass by.

Y/n smiled at her daughters knew obsession that was firetruck, last week it was helicopters.

“yeah, isn't it cool” y/n smiled.

“maybe we have a future firefighter on our hands” her husband Lance smiled.

Y/n's eyes widened as she thought about her precious daughter in dangers line of work.

“I want to find skullys like Aunty Bones n mama” Charlotte said.

Y/n smiled at her daughter then looked at Lance as he continued to drive towrds the Museum that was connected to the jeffersonian. It was the first time in a while they both had the day off and the whole family was just a little too restless to stay home.

“I have to stop by my office first and give Cam a file though” y/n responded. Lance nodded. “okay”

“you wanna go see mommy's work?” Lance smiled.

“yeah!” she smiled as Lance let out a chuckle at his daughter's enthusiasm.

Once they got to the jeffersonian y/n carried Charlotte in her arms as she walked into the lab. Charlotte eyes wondered as her mother carried her around. The little girl was always amazed by the lab.

After she got what she wanted from the lab and gave Cam the file, Lance's phone rang.

“Hey Booth...” he said.

Lance let out a sigh, meaning Booth probably need us. He looked at his two favorite girls with disappointment as he hung up.

“what's up?” I asked.

“Booth neeeds us to Interrogate a few people and then you need to look at some remains at the crime scene with Brennan”

Y/n sighed and looked around. “one normal day... That's all I ask”

Lance nodded and gave her a quick kiss on her lips. Charlotte giggled making Lance smile, he quickly kissed his daughter's forehead.

“what are we gonna do about Charlie? The sitter is out of town for the weekend and I don't know about Arastoo” y/n said as see looked around the lab.

Charlotte, who didn't know what was going on, ignored her parents panic and played with the necklace around her mom's neck.

“don't panic... I'll head over to Bureau and get things sorted out, maybe you can drop Charlie off with Angies' dad, I know he's babysitting Michael Vincent today” Lance said. His wife nodded as they kissed each other good-bye

Y/n let out a sigh, as mush as she loved her brother's father-in-law she just didn't want to dump another baby on him unexpectedly.

“what's wrong mama? Are we gonna go see the pictures?” Charlotte asked.

“maybe later baby, mama and daddy have to work now” she looked around the half empty lab then stopped when she saw her favorite Squintern.

“Fisher!” she walked towrds him just as he clocked in. Before he could even say 'hello' y/n put Charlotte in his hands.

“Fishy!” she smiled as Fisher held the child out confuse. The little girl's feet dnagled as he held her like a child would an over sized doll. ��wha-”

“I need you to watch Charlotte just for a bit, please Fisher” y/n pleaded. Fisher honestly couldn't say no, not because she was indeed his boss, but because he genuinely liked her and her family. Y/n Sweets or 'Lady Sweets' as she's referred to at work was the only one who saw Fisher as more than a depressed, Gothic Squint.

“but-”

“thanks Fisher, I owe you one!” she called out and left the building before he could protest, even if he got the chance he wouldn't but he just didn't know how to interact with kids.

“Fishy” Charlotte smiled as she dubbed over in his arms. “Fisher... And don't do that” he said pulling her back up and wrapping both arms around the small child so she was secure to his chest.

“ummm.....” Fisher said, confused on what to do. He jogged into the lab, the movement made Charlotte giggle. He set his boss' daughter on one of the examination tables.

“play with this” he said handding her the small flashlight that was in his breast pocket. She turned it on and pointed it at the stuffed penguin she brought, after awhile she started waving it around making bright light fly everywhere.

“ah” Fisher said in a very monotone voice as the light hit his eyes. “okay never mind” as he took and put it back in his pocket, he picked up the penguin and put in her arms so she wouldn't feel the loss of the flashlight.

“stay there” he said after the Computer dinged, he turned his back to her for a second. The little girl watched him move around and started to follow him not realizing she was still on a high table.

Fisher didn't relize it and Charlotte almost walked off the edge. “woah Charlie” Arastoo yelled and quickly grabed the three year old before she fell off what looked like a cliff to someone her size.

Fisher quickly whipped around with a panicked look. “sorry Charlotte” he said coming up to the little girl that was now in tan interns arms.

“unca asteroid!” the little girl smiled, she could never pronounce his name properly so it was always 'asteroid'.

“what is Lady Sweets' Daughter doing here?” Arastoo asked, adjusting the little girl to one arm. “she never let's her in the Lab unless she here”

“Lady Sweets and... Dr. Sweets got pulled into unexpected investigation and was deemed soul protector of this tiny life force for the time being” Fisher explained.

Arastoo and Charlotte gave him weired looks. “so your babysetting” Arastoo said simply, Charlotte who now under stood nodded quickly. Fisher shook his head and turned back to his computer as the security system dinged.

“Fishy!” Charlotte cheekily smiled as Fisher turned his back. “what's baby sweets doing here?” Wendell asked as him and Vincent walked in.

“and what are the rest of you doing here?” Fisher asked. Wendell smiled as Charlotte waved at him.

“Dr. Brennan required us to examine some century old remains while she's away” Vincent said as he walked up next to Arastoo. Charlotte smiled and reached for Vincent. The British Squintern smiled and shook her little hand. “hello little one”

“I'm guessing I'm out of this project” Fisher sighed as he closed a few tabs on his computer. Arastoo gave him a questioning look. “Fisher, when was the last time you actually watched a child?”

“well, both Sweets are very protective of Charlie, you must be doing something right for her to trust you” Wendell said.

“you here to work on the Bones too?” Vincent asked Wendell. He shook his head no. “actually im here to take over for Hodgins while he's in Seattle with Brennan and Angela.”

“I'll help if you like” Wendell added.

“just give the child back” Fisher sighed and held his arms out to Arastoo.

“we can help out with Charlie” Arastoo said as he set Charlotte on the one of the wheely chairs and spung her around. She giggled making the the young guys look at her in aw.

“we can take shifts, one of us can watch her while the others look at the Bones for Dr. Brennan” Wendell suggests, everyone agreed suprisenly.

“will Abernathy and Edison be joining us?” Vincent asks, the other men shrugged not sure who all Dr. Brennan had hired.

~~~~~~~~(.......)~~~~~~~~

“please tell me that's one of the fake skulls” Edison said coming into y/n's office with a file.

Edison watched Charlotte play with the jaw and mouth of the plastic skull without a care in the world. She tossed it up then crawled after it. She quickly forget about it and ran towrds Arastoo as he entered the office as well.

“of corse it's fake” Fisher said rolling his eyes as he stood up from the ground. “did you guys find anything?” he asked.

“not really, Abernathy came by while you were in here and is helping out” Arastoo said picking Charlotte up and holding her on his hip.

Fisher let out a depressed sigh. “I see I've already been replaced”

“I wouldn't say that, you have the most important job today” Arastoo smiled as Charlotte stuck her toung out.

“her laughter dose sofen the stonyest of hearts” Fisher said.

“why she here in the first place?” Edison asked trying to remain professional but also not let his heart melt at the sight of the little girl.

“Lady Sweets got called into a crime Scene last minute” Arastoo said.

“unca asteroid... I'm hungry” Charlotte said looking up at Arastoo. Wendell walked in hearing the conversation. “I can get McDonald's... Anybody want anything?”

“can I have some nuggies? Pweez” she said giving all the male Squinterns puppy eye. “I'll go get it Charlie” Wendell smiled and ruffled her curly hair.

“chicken nuggets for the little lady” Wendell said emptying out the bag as Arastoo tried to get cartoons on the screen Angela installed in y/n's office.

“do any of you know how this works?” Arastoo asked. Wendell set down Charlotte's french frys and grabed the controler from Arastoo. “it's just like Angela's, I got this”

Wendell logged into the screen then turned on Hulu. “she likes Regular Show” Arastoo said as he took the controller and typed in the show.

“Did you know the average American eats almost 30 pounds of French fries a year?” Vincent said as he sat on the floor next to Charlotte to eat his fries.

He then turned to Charlotte. “we call these chips from where I'm from” he told the small girl.

“cool” she laughed.

“here ya go honey” Finn smiled giving her a small milkshake.

Once the show was set up and the food was out, it was technically the Squintern's lunch break, so they all(aside from Edison) filed into y/n's office to watch Cartoons and eat.

The commotion and child like giggles made Cam walk into what was supposed to be y/n's empty office.

“Hi honey” Arastoo said nervously as he waved at his fiance.

“hi Aunty cam!” Charlotte waved from her spot in Arastoo's lap.

“what are you guys doing?” she gave them a strange look as they all froze like deers in a pair of head lights, the only one who wasn't affected was Charlotte, who continued to eat her chicken nuggets.

“babysitting” Fisher said.

“on our lunch break” Wendell added quickly.

She sighed and walked out of the room, not wanting to get into it after she saw the bizarre cartoon. “ya know... don't want to know, carry on”

“bye Cam!” Charlotte shouted as the doctor left.

After lunch the Squinterns basically took turns taking care of the small child, while one was exmaing the century year old bones the other one was intertaning Charlotte.

~~~~~~~~(.......)~~~~~~~~

“where could she be” Abernathy looked around the lab. He stoped at one of the tables then tried to jump scare Charlotte. “I gottcha!” he looked at her favorite hiding spot but she wasn't there. “hmm”

He looked around, moving chairs and files around, trying to find the little girl's hiding spot. This cought Edison's attention, he didn't really want to get involved with the little girl, but that didn't stop him from being curious.

“what are you doing Abernathy?” he asked, not taking his eyes off the skull he was examining. Abernathy peaked under one of the examination tables then back at Edison. “playin' hide-n-seek with Little Charlie” he smiled like it was the best thing that ever happened to him.

“she’s Slicker Than Pig Snot on a Radiator” Abernathy said as he looked around the lab some more. Edison looked up annoyed. “she's a good hider or you lost her?”

Abernathy sighed and gave him a 'really?' look. “look, I didn' loose her... I have a kid sister, I know how to take care of a kid”

Edison looked up and watched the little girl run into Cam's office to hide under her desk. He watched the little girl quickly run back to the threshold beacuse she dripped her blue penguin plush, before Abernathy could see she ran under the desk.

“she's over yonder” Edison said in a terrible Southern accent.

“Aw man!” Charlotte wined as she heard Edison give out her hiding spot. She came out hugging her penguin.

“that's not nice” Charlotte grumbled, they didn't know if she was talking about cheating or the fact Edison was making fun of Abernathy's slang. She was talking about both.

“well, you won little lady, I couldn't find ya” Abernathy shrugged with a smile. Charlotte smiled up at Abernathy as he called for Arastoo, it was his turn and Abernathy had to help Edison for a bit.

Arastoo glady took his tern next, he had Charlotte on his back, running around with his arms out while making airplane noise.

“to infinity and beyond” Charlotte giggled as Arastoo ran past Cam's office. She of course saw and scolded them as her motherly instincts started to show.

“please don't run in the Lab! One of you might get hurt” she sighed. Arastoo stoped, making his shoes squeek on the shiny floor. Charlotte rested her chin on Arastoo's shoulder and gave Cam puppy eyes. “aw”

Arastoo gave his fiance a sarcastic pouty face like Charlotte's real one. “aw” he repeated.

She rolled her eyes and gave Arastoo a quick kiss. Charlotte giggled and made fake kissy noises. Cam laughed at the little girl she considered her niece, she kissed the little girl on her cheek and went back into her office.

“have you heard from Sweets or Y/n?” he asked before came went into her office. “they should be back soon” cam respond.

Arastoo nodded as Charlotte let out a yawn then rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms tighter around his neck so she wouldn't fall off.

Cam tilted her head and smiled softly. “she looks tired”

He turned his head so he could see the sleepy child. “I'll take her to y/n's office, so she can nap”

As Arastoo walked into y/n's office Fisher came into with his lab coat off. “well I'm done for the day... With the remains that is”

“that's good” Arastoo said gently setting Charlotte on the couch in her mother's office and used his lab coat as a blanket for her.

“you can go if you like, I'll stay with her while Cam dose some last minute paper work” Arastoo said setting on the couch next to her.

Fisher shook his head. “no, lady Sweets truted me, so I should do my share”

“she's not going anywhere... She sleeps like a rock” Arastoo said as Fisher made his spot on the ground infront of the couch.

Y/n and Lance came in about an hour and half later with a soft smile. Lance gently picked up his daughter while she remained fast asleep.

“thank for watching her guys, I know you weren't expecting to spend your day like this” y/n smiled.

Fisher shrugged. “it was quite interesting... It wasn't hard to intertaning ourselves”

“and I had some help...” Fisher added.

“little angel like always” Arastoo added with a smile as Cam walked in with her coat. “ready to go?” she asks softly so she didn't wake up Charlotte.

“yup, good night guys” he smiled and left with Cam. “night” Lance said holding his sleeping daughter close.

“thanks again guys” y/n waved at the other Squinterns as her and her family left the Jeffersonian, the tired parents thankful their little ball of energy will sleep well tonight.

[sassylegshayne]

marry me, idiot. chapter two

SURPRISE UPDATE!! I wasn't planning on posting chapter two yet but I'm just so excited that you guys are enjoying this piece so much!! I'm honestly having so much fun writing it!! chapter two is 3.5K words! lmk what y'all think!! xx mwah

series masterlist

"what's your ring size"

The text from Erin, the executive assistant, lit up your screen just past midnight.

You quickly responded, noting that it may have been a bit urgent if she texted you about it. You made sure to question her, your curiosity got the best of you.

"I have to buy you a ring before tomorrow Imfao, need a ring for the shoot"

The what? Spencer had failed to mention exactly what changed in his schedule, prompting you to quickly check your own.

"Spencer," You chastised him as you shut off the television, the episode of Friends almost over, causing a groan in frustration from him. "You didn't tell me we have a fucking shoot tomorrow!"

You huffed, your brows furrowed. Spencer couldn't hide the turn of his lips, his smile cracking through.

"Calm down, honey, it'll be fine." He put emphasis on the pet name, his voice just a bit lower than normal. Your eyes widened, surprised at every part of it, even more so as he placed a hand on your bare thigh.

"You okay?" He quipped, reaching across your lap for the remote, turning the show back on. Spencer gave your thigh a soft squeeze, enjoying this intimacy with you and the confusion that was written on your face.

"Did you lose your mind, Spence?" You felt like omething was short circuiting or misfiring in your mind because this isn't your Spencer. Your Spencer is nervous, fumbles with his words, making the most out of pocket comments in any situation, he doesn't do wel| with physical affection.

This Spencer was touching you, on purpose. He seemed so calm, do relaxed that it was managing to put you on edge.

"What? What're you talking about, dude?" Spence furrowed his brow, shaking his head lightly. "You're gonna be my wife in like a year, we can't start fighting the day we get engaged, it's a terrible look."

"The shoot tomorrow is gonna be chill, I was texting lan about it. Everyone at work is gonna know that it's fake so we'll be okay. He said that we're gonna stick to poses he seemed 'subtly romantic, whatever the fuck that's supposed to mean." Spencer was nonchalant, waving his hands around a bit as he spoke.

You nodded slowly, brows furrowed.

"Okay, yeah, that's fine. But what does that mean? Are they gonna make us be all cute and cuddly?" You sighed, nerves evident.

"Aren't we already?"

You would find out the following morning after the two of you arrived early to the building, clocks just shy of 7AM.

You rubbed your eyes, yawning as you entered wardrobe together, quickly being pulled in opposite directions to get ready. Spencer found his mind wandering to you as he went through the motions, curious about how it looked for you, what your time was entailing. You two finally met again at the front of the office, where you're greeted with a small group. Kiana, Spencer, and Brennan chatting as they awaited you.

You couldn't help but take in the simple outfit Spencer wore, it suited him well. He had a short sleeve, olive green button-up on, paired with dark khakis. It fit him so well that you knew Ki had picked it.

Spencer was glad to be ushered out of the building, finding himself speechless as soon as his eyes landed on you. You had on a tea length, light green dress. It had soft layers, accenting everything about you so beautifully; swaying with you as you walk.

Kianna had been saving the dress to gift to you, but as soon as she read the email, disregarding whether or not it was a joke, her heart called for it. She had the vision in her mind in an instant.

She's always known about the feelings you and Spencer had for each other, but couldn't bring herself to spill your guys' secrets. So she adapted early on, deciding to constantly poke at the two of you, dubbing you two work spouses.

Somewhere in the years since it started, as your feelings grew for each other, and Kiana heard everything from both of you, all she wanted was for the two of you to get together. She was so beyond excited with the stupid situation you'd put yourselves in.

Brennan drove the three of you out, both Spencer and you surprised to find that this was going to be a location shoot.

Kiana explained the ideas to you, talking about the field she had found that she thought was adorable. She went over some of the photo ideas, showing the two of you some references. She grinned as she spoke, evidently excited.

"Kiana, please take a deep breath, you're making me anxious." You laughed a bit, brows furrowed as she rolled her eyes. "I'm just excited, it's gonna be so cute and I'm excited to see y'all all cuddled up together."

She cackled a bit, turning around to grin at the two of you as Brennan tried to stifle his laughter.

With all the effort Kiana had already put into this, you could only imagine the delight she's taking in this.

Once you arrived, you stretched, yawning as Spencer approached you, tangling his fingers with yours, giving your hand a gentle squeeze. You smiled brightly up at him, turning after a camera shutter sounds off. You find Kiana behind the lens.

On instinct you raise your free middle finger at her, used to this treatment already. Spencer copied you, his mind on the exact same page as yours.

Another shutter as Brennan and her laugh, Kiana giving a thumbs up as you and a Spencer hold in laughter.

"You guys nailed it, that's the perfect vibe for the shoot. Go get lost in the field while we set shit up." She waves you off, popping the trunk of Brennan's car.

Spencer hums the theme for Animal Crossing as you wander, laughing softly.

"This is chill, right? Like, Ki didn't pick out terrible stuff for us to do like, pose wise." Spencer shrugged as the two of you came to a stop. You stood, squinting as you faced him, the sun shining brightly now.

"I'm cool with everything, but can we agree to say something if we're not cool with it?" You held up your hand, your pinky finger extended to him.

Spencer scoffed, linking his finger with yours and shaking.

"Hell yeah, dude," He laughed as he kept shaking your intertwined hands. "Consent is key."

You doubled over in laughter, clutching your stomach as you shook your head. Spence rested his hand on your shoulder after a few moments, trying to calm you down.

"You really are The Chosen, Shayne was so spot on." Spencer rolled his eyes, pulling you into a hug. You rested your head on his chest, your arms wrapped around his waist.

You smiled as you finally caught sight of Kiana and Brennan positioned in front of you two. They were far enough away to be out of earshot, done purposefully by Kiana's call, but close enough for Brennan to work his magic.

Everyone of you had a very busy day ahead, so this would be a quiet time for each of you to enjoy.

You lifted your head, pulling Spencer's attention as he followed your gaze, laughing softly.

"You think they've been there a while, babe?" He asked, his tone shifting in the same way it did yesterday. He pressed a kiss to your forehead, squeezing you softly as you smiled at the camera.

You shifted a bit, chewing your lip as you tried to pretend that his tone and names didn't have an effect on you.

"They definitely have, I think Ki's gonna cry soon." You stated, turning to smile at Spencer, your heart melting as your eyes met. You played the moment up as he chuckled, knowing you were right, you cupped his cheek softly. Spencer followed your lead, resting one hand on your waist as his other rested atop your hand on his face.

"Oh shit," Spencer jumped a bit, Kiana's gasp heard as loud as could be as you two separate. He dug in his pocket for a second before grinning. "You need this."

He held his hand out, presenting your ring to you. It had completely slipped your mind, the conversation with Erin felt like it happened days ago.

It was a simple ring, but it was perfect. The silver band held a single faux diamond.

"Erin said it's stainless steel and cubic zirconia, you can wear it as much or as little as you want to, I think." Spencer spoke as you laughed, holding up your right hand, giving him the chance to slip on the ring for the first time.

The both of you could feel an intimacy in this moment, a shift in the air.

"Wrong hand!! Wrong hand, no!" Screams pulled your attention from the moment as Ki and Brennan frantically yell at you two, waving their hands around wildly. You two laugh as you lift up your left hand now. The tension you both felt in the moment had dissipated quickly, Spencer making no show of putting it on now.

You fiddle with it for a second before flicking your ring finger to the pair that had interrupted your bubble. Spencer laughs as the camera shutters again.

You liked to imagine that everytime your heart fluttered was when Brennan shot, because you hadn't noticed the sound again until now, so lost in your time with your best friend. He breaks you from your thoughts as Spencer grabs your waist, bracing your back with his other arm as he spins you away from the camera. He dips you as your mixed laughters fill the air around you once again.

The two of you spend a bit longer together, Kiana yelling instructions for how to pose before calling you in closer. The closer shots were very full of natural smiles and laughter, as your small group continued to crack each other up.

You soon wrapped, finally checking your phone, finding it just past ten in the morning. Your stomach growled as you all piled into the car again, agreeing to hit a drive thru.

"I'm honestly really upset with the two of you." Brennan spoke solemnly as Spencer and you slummed into the backseat, out of his eyesight in the rearview.

"I'm gonna be editing all day because there were too many good shots. I'm gonna have to stare at you two all day long."

You arrived back to the office, Erin's schedule, the one she rushed to add to your calendars this morning as you both changed, directed you towards the Pit stage.

Kiana was quick to push you two back to wardrobe, claiming that you couldn't wear your same outfits, it would out everything.

You slipped your jeans back on, and opted for a black pizza place shirt you kept at your desk. You greeted Spencer back at the stage, finding him in the same pants, now with his navy blue shirt from this morning.

Two identical yellow stools sat centerstage, a table placed in front of it. The lighting seemed more dim than usual, and maybe a more warm toned, too.

Eventually the pair of you were situated at the table, being told over and over again to scoot closer as they check the framing for the cameras.

"Okay!" Kiana clapped loudly as Spencer adjusted himself on the stool, looking to you with furrowed brows. You two were used to being close and touching, but it felt weird on camera.

You both decided to keep the physical affection to a bare minimum on screen, not wanting the internet to run too far with their ideas. It didn't mean the two of you were great at remembering that, but for the most part, this was the closest you two had been durning filming.

The weight setting in as you realize this would also be the first video with just you two, and it was a big joke.

You giggled a bit, earning a glare from Ki that silences you quickly.

"We're gonna do our announcement video. wanted to wait until you guys were more comfortable with faking a relationship, but we need this in case it leaks or anyone posts anything about it." She grinned, nodding. The both of you nodded along, Spencer rubbing his palms on his pants nervously.

He felt like he wanted to scream at the top of his lungs until his voice gave out. There wasn't a project Smosh had presented to a Spence that scared him, but he was a bundle of nervousness and terror right now. He was so scared by how natural all of this came to the both of you, granted, it had only been the one photoshoot. Still, the ring on your finger that you continued to fidget with weighed so heavily on his heart; he wanted so badly for it to be real.

"Spence? You good?" You ask, smiling softly as you glance at him, taking his right hand in your left, squeezing it gently. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he felt the cold metal of the ring press into his skin.

"Yeah, let's do this shit." He nodded, squinting his eyes as he smouldered at the camera, causing you to chuckle.

"Okay, let's do an intro, just introduce yourself and your roles, then you guys can take any explaining you'd like to do from there." Kiana grinned, giving you guys two thumbs up as she stood offstage.

You tooka deep breath, giving Spencera small hug before settling back in place, smiling brightly.

"Hey guys," You grin, waving at the camera.

"The editors are taking over the channel, Shayne and Courtney are no more." Spencer grinned, laughing softly. You rolled your eyes at him as Shayne's laugh is heard off camera.

"If you don't know who we are by now, this is Spencer." you gesture to the man beside you as he waves at the camera. "He's an editor here, and my best friend."

"Thank you, thank you. My college here with me today is Y/N." He began, grinning softly as he watched you pose, resting your head on your hands. "She's also an editor here, she's my best friend, and she's my fiance.'

He swiveled back to the camera, grinning brightly as you squealed, holding your left hand out proudly to the fans. A bright blush was apparent across your cheeks and Spencer's.

"So yeah, that's what this whole video is about today, which is probably a big shock to you guys, so we'd like to explain a little bit." You smiled brightly, grabbing Spencer's hand from his thigh to intertwine your fingers.

"Ki, how long have we been together? Cut this part, also, just, yanno.." Spencer trailed, waving his other hand around as he squinted, looking for Kiana.

"I'd say no less than two or three years." She shrugged, a few people mumbling in agreement.

"Four?" You shrugged, as Spencer mirrored your movement squeezing your hand.

"Cool, all good now, carry on." He laughed, as you shook your head, smiling at him as he began to get back on track.

"We've actually been dating for a little over four years now" He chuckled, chewing his lip glanced over at you. "We kinda just kept it to ourselves for a while, unintentionally. Like, we already posted about each other and cuddled and did super couple-ly shit, so the title change wasn't a big deal."

You couldn't stop yourself from staring at Spencer as he spoke, sounding so sincere and genuine that it tugged at your heart strings.

"We did also talk about keeping it from you guys, which wasn't easy, but we liked having the privacy of our relationship; it was fun to think that no one but us knew about us." You turned a bit, bumping your knees with his as Spencer stared down at his lap, grinning. This felt unreal. He couldn't believe this was something you two were in for together.

"We didn't intentionally keep it from everyone at Smosh, though!" You were quick to defend yourselves, eyes wide.

"That was an accident, but they found out when we moved in together, like, two years ago, so it's all cool now!" You grinned, winking at you gave the camera a thumbs up, Spence unable to contain his laughter beside you.

"It was just because we weren't quite prepared for how everyone on the internet would react, more so me than Spencer." You chuckled as he raised his brows, shrugging.

"Now I'm excited as fuck!" You grinned, bouncing in your seat a bit as Spencer laughed again.

He huffed, rolling his eyes as he pouted.

"C'mon, we're gonna have to edit that." He spoke low, causing you to fall into a fit of laughter, which spurred Spencer into a fit of his own. You two continued laughing for a bit, wiping tears when you calmed down, mindlessly creating more work for yourselves, again.

"We figured since we were gonna tell you guys about it, or since the internet figures everything out, why not make it more interesting? Plenty of people around Smosh have gotten married, sure." He scoffed, waving his hand as he spoke, feigning seriousness. You couldn't contain your giggles as Spencer spoke, nodding along with everything he said.

"Not once in those weddings were both of the parties Smosh employees, let alone two that were shipped online already!" He exclaimed, wrapping his arm around your shoulders, tugging you into his side for a warm hug.

You wrapped your arms around his waist as you grinned at the camera, resting your head on his shoulder.

"What all of that means is that this wedding is a pretty big deal for everyone here at Smosh. Especially with so many of our close friends being our coworkers." You spoke, gesturing to the people behind the cameras. A small cheer rang out from a few people in the crew, causing the both of you to smile.

"Soon, we will be uploading wedding themed Smosh videos!" You squealed, jumping a bit as you squeezed Spencer before you sat back onto your stool.

"We're not gonna do like, wedding videos, but themed ones, kinda like how the Smosh Games series worked. That means you're gonna get to see our usual content, just with a wedding twist. We have a Wedding Party Try Not to Laugh planned, right, Ki?" Spencer grinned, feeling the excitement bubbling in his chest the more he spoke.

Kiana called out an excited 'yes', her thumbs up again as some cheers erupted from the crew. Spoiling an upcoming video was not a concern for her at the moment as she watched her two best friends fall more in love with each other.

Ki was thankful that the lights were still bright enough to keep her from your sights as she stood, teary-eyed, her hands clutched at her chest.

"I think we have some video games, maybe a couple of our other original series too!" You grinned, nodding as you looked to Spencer, finding him already looking at you.

You two were pulled away as Kiana called for an outro. You were quick to start the end card part, glad to have an excuse to stop yourself from staring into Spencer's blue eyes.

The two of you quickly took off your mics before heading in opposite directions for lunch. You brought up the idea this morning on your way in together.

You were worried that Spencer would get tired of seeing you so much, especially with everything happening this quickly.

He was quick to insist that your assumption was false, claiming he'd spend forever with you, winking. Spencer was allowed to make these jokes now, you two were literally, well, more technically engaged. Still counts.

It was almost ironic when you enter your office to find Spencer eating at his desk.

You had initially headed in the opposite direction to find Patrick, needing to talk to him about a scene in a new skit.

You couldn't seem to figure out how exactly he wanted to timeline to run in the video, so it was fairly important.

After no luck with your search for the writer, you headed back towards your office, settling on ordering delivery.

You sat in your chair beside him, laughing softly.

"I thought you didn't wanna spend time with me on your lunch break." He chuckled as he wiped his mouth, setting down a container in front of you.

Spencer knew you well enough to order your food for you, expecting to find you seated beside him eventually. You like to make lunch plans with others early, you didn't often eat by yourself. You'd turn up at your desk after not making plans. He cared about you so much, fuck.

You couldn't help the blush the appeared on your cheeks every single time that Spencer did this, no matter how often it was.

He'd come in after you most mornings, greeting you with a kiss on the forehead as he places a coffee on your desk before sitting at his own. He'd check the time before you did, mindlessly ordering lunch for the two of you as you got lost in your work. You had a habit of accidentally working your way through your break, unless Spencer set a box in front of you, unaccepting of any money you tried to give him.

It was the little things that made you fall in love with you best friend. Love wasn't a word you used to describe your feelings to Kiana, scared you'd have to watch her explode, but you knew you were in love with Spencer.

You love him, romantically, and he loves you, platonically. That's fine.

"Spencer, I love spending time with you," You huffed, pouting softly as you popped open the box, finding your go-to order inside.

You hold your left hand up between the two of you. "I'm literally, technically about to spend forever with you, dude."

He laughed, flicking you off as he placed his headphones on, choosing to squeeze in some editing on his lunch break in-between your shoots.

In reality, Spencer didn't think he could spend his break talking to you like everything was normal. He still wanted to scream, maybe until he passed out now.

You scrolled on your phone, occasionally nudging the man beside you to show him something, Spencer huffing a breath of air out of his nose each time.

When you stood, Spencer was quick to pull off his headphones, rubbing his eyes a bit.

"Call time, big boy." You chuckled, reaching your hand down to rub his shoulder softly before you made your way towards the Pit set, again.

Spencer followed behind you, brows furrowed when his eyes landed on a certain someone standing on the stage. He subconsciously knew you had stopped to stare in confusion too.

[chillinglikeashilling]

In Defense of Wizard Steel

I may be under reacting because I can't think of an extremely terrible immediate result off hand from getting someone- not even specifically a Witch by the wording- to sing where a magical artifact might capture the sound.

The geas and the mind wipe are much more concerning, but I would be more concerned if Suvi was more concerned. Suvi knows a lot more about the laws and rules of magic than we the audience do, and Aabria often turns to Brennan as the source of those laws and rules to confirm Suvi's knowledge.

Not only did Steel give Suvi the option to back out of the whole thing in narrative, Brennan gave Aabria a chance to resist the mind wipe mechanically. Both the PC and the player declined (for different reasons of course but still).

I don't think it's going to be inconsequential at all! I just don't think it's going to blow up the way we might expect, if only because we know how Wizards operate. Wizards are slow to move in a way that most Witches and Spirits are not. It's the exact reason Ame ended up fleeing the Citadel right? Wizards are slow to get going so if anything I think the successful completion of this mission (should it happen) would come back to bite them in an arc or two.

And besides that Brennan is already toying with our ideas of what we (and the Witches) expect from Wizards and vice versa. Part of Ame's panic is that she expected Steel to bar Suvi from coming but it was a Witch that refused Suvi.

Also addressing Steel's actions and thoughts directly here:

Steel was told by Ame and Suvi that the Witches are going to destroy Ame

She was also informed that when the Witches reached out to Ame, they did so in a manner that either broke through or avoided the Citadel's defenses

Steel is also aware of the danger of Witches in a way that other Wizards are not even though that's still very limited

And lastly Suvi is important not only to Steel but to the Citadel. I don't think she's worth burning over what seems like a very hastily put together plot.

So, at this time, it seems like Steel and the Citadel are reacting to the information they have been given and are responding in proportion. Whatever the artifact does or the aim of this mission I don't think it's meant to be any active danger to the people at the Castle so much as a fact finding mission, and I don't think it would be anything that the Witches might kill or even hurt Suvi over if it was discovered.

The Citadel is already dealing with a war, it does not make sense from what we know to antagonize an enemy that they don't know anything about (yet). It definitely does not make sense to endanger the Apprentice Archmage, or the only Witch fron this coven they have access to, to do so.