#just looking at archipelago weather in the books is making ME cold!

[incorrect-thuggory-quotes]

Thuggory: It's very cold! I regret not having brought along the sweater my mother made me months ago. If only the dragons hadn't started a siege against us! ��

[atinytokki]

The Windy Road

ix. The Ghost Friend 

The fish were thinning.

Some accident must have befallen them on their northern migration for the summer — pollution or overfishing due to the new military activity near the archipelago perhaps— and it was to the loss of the Song business.

The dry summer followed a dreary spring, which followed a dreary winter, which followed a dreary autumn.

Mingi had often seen Dahye and Bosung out in town on their way to and from school and various other outings.

He couldn’t tell whether Dahye truly had feelings for Bosung or not, but the backstabbing neighbour seemed to think she did and followed her around like a lost puppy.

It was sickening to watch.

When they both finished their courses of study, Mingi had some reprieve, but it was only until the day he woke up to see Dahye packing her trunks into a carriage and setting out for the capital. Her parents were sending her to start work there and as much as Mingi wanted to follow— to run away together and have a wild adventure in the city— his own family needed him. Badly.

With his mother’s occupation exposed, there had been a period where hardly anyone would buy from the Song fish stall at all.

In time it passed, and Mingi was thankful for the work but it was the type of work that felt like digging their own graves as they tried to save themselves from falling on hard times.

His father needed help with the business and his mother needed protection from slanderers. And Minseok was never coming back, so that meant Mingi was for all intents and purposes, the eldest. The responsible son. The adult.

A fire had been started and Mingi was fighting to keep up with it.

“I asked around at the market and there are hardly any in the usual places,” Father told him over the dinner table while the pair sat with the map in front of them.

“Bluefish, tuna, monkfish… I don’t know why, but they haven’t appeared and they’re long overdue.”

Mingi nodded and continued picking at the small scratch in the wood surface. “What did the other fishers find?”

“There were plenty of shellfish and carp,” Father sighed, and they both knew that wouldn’t last them the season unless they jacked up the price.

Mingi was tired of shellfish.

“You want to try eel?” He suggested, and Father looked affronted so he went on to explain. “Look inland for it, freshwater rivers and such. You’ll be able to sell at a higher price without question because it’s a delicacy.”

Father sat back and watched him for a moment, considering it.

“Alright, I’ll go to Ineo and see if I can find any at the end of the week, but it may be a long trip. I don’t want to end up wasting my time.”

Mingi nodded with something akin to excitement inside. It was fulfilling to be heard every once in awhile. He’d be eighteen next month, so it was about time he was treated as an adult.

The sound of the first few raindrops drumming on the wooden roof crescendoed into a torrential downpour while they looked out the window at the ocean.

Finally some miserable weather to match his mood.

It was the time of year when it could be deadly out there and Mingi was at least relieved Father would be safe inland and far away from the typhoons that plagued Panhang.

A fog began to cover the sea with the growing intensity of the warm rain meeting cool ocean water, and it created a spooky atmosphere that made Mingi remember an old story from his childhood.

“Hongjoong said it happened once with the gourami,” Mingi whispered as he lit a fire in the lantern on the table. “They just disappeared one season and came back like nothing happened the next. No one knew why, but some of the locals blamed it on a sea monster.”

Father turned to observe his reaction to mentioning Hongjoong when he stumbled over the name. It still hurt to think about him sometimes, dead at the bottom of the sea after being caught up in a pirate’s affairs. Mingi had been checking over his shoulder every day since for his ghost, haunting him as punishment for his idiotic behaviour.

They were his childhood— Hongjoong, Dahye, and Bosung. Without them, Mingi felt like he’d lost part of his own identity.

“You are more than your circumstances,” another voice shook him out of it, and there was Mother to encourage him. “That’s a truth I know well.”

“You’ll take care of your mother while I’m gone?” Father instructed, more of a command than a question, standing to wrap her in his arms before she ventured out into the night.

“Of course,” Mingi answered, joining the hug and relishing it while he could.

Everything else may have changed, but the three of them were still together.

It was difficult to say goodbye when Father set out with his smaller nets stuffed into the bag on his back, hiking southwest to meet the Chigu river. Mother refused to let Mingi walk her to town each night when she went to work, knowing her employer would be angry with her for doing so, but it made him feel useless to sit by the window and watch her walk away, keeping her head down and away from those who would mock her. Usually the angry townspeople dispersed after she left the house, but the whole affair made him uneasy every evening.

The rains continued into the next week, and Mingi began to understand how it might’ve been that night that Hongjoong’s parents died.

He wanted to cover as much area as possible but gave the rocks a wide berth while he could see them, adjusting the sails quickly to reach his traps and collect them before he lost the sunlight.

Rain poured into his eyes and the nagging voice in the back of his head berated him for not bringing a hat.

“I’ll have to buy one in town when I sell these,” he muttered to himself, hauling the last crate over the side and setting it down with the others.

He was cold, sore, and soaked to the bones but nevertheless took his time returning to shore, peering through the grey sheets of rain to make sure the rocks were still a good distance from him.

Father would be perturbed that he went out on the ocean alone, but they couldn’t afford to miss a day’s catch— even a poor one. They still had Minseok’s debts to pay.

While he stood at the stall, accompanied only by fish buried in ice, doing an adequate job selling his wares by emulating his father’s booming merchant voice, he wished more than ever that Hongjoong was still there.

They could have had the entire load done in half the time and maybe even gone searching for places where the sea was rich with catches with the extra hours.

Instead Mingi was left to pack his things and trudge home when the market closed to sit, shivering, by the fire with a book in his lap that he was only half paying attention to.

For a summer evening, the wind carried a strange chill and somewhere the sea goddess must have heard him, because a miracle came that night.

A knock at the door startled Mingi out of his reading. It was well past midnight, and highly unlikely either of his parents had returned, so he approached with caution, peering through the window.

Whoever had knocked was now slumped on the doorstep, having slipped in the rain. It looked like someone who needed help, not someone who wanted to kill him.

Mingi threw the door open and knelt by the huddled form, placing a hand on the bony shoulder gently.

A head shot up and even through the rain streaking down his cheeks, Mingi knew who it was.

He recognised all the angles of his face, the way he carried himself, even that nervous look in his eyes.

“Hongjoong?”

Slowly Hongjoong got to his feet, still staring at him with hesitation, like he wasn’t sure whether he would be accepted or not.

“Hongjoong—” Mingi’s voice broke and suddenly he couldn’t take it anymore.

He grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him into a hug, clinging on and crying like he was afraid to lose him again. Tears mixed with rain dripped down his face, and his sobs were muffled in the cloak Hongjoong was wearing.

“It’s me,” Hongjoong whispered, rocking gently from side to side and reaching up to stroke the back of his head. “I’m here.”

A shiver from Hongjoong broke the spell, and Mingi pulled him inside, closing the door behind him. “I’m so sorry, where are my manners, you must be freezing...”

He ran to the linen closet to pull out some towels while Hongjoong attempted to explain what he was doing here all of a sudden.

“I tried docking all along the archipelago and even further south, but there was too much navy presence at every other port and I didn’t know where I...” he said, accepting the towel and wrapping it around himself. “I didn’t want to intrude but I needed shelter.”

“You could never intrude,” Mingi rushed you reassure him. “We... I thought you were dead.”

Hongjoong froze and stared at him for a moment before blinking it away and wandering into the living room.

As he looked around, a strange expression came over his face. It suddenly occurred to Mingi that he hadn’t been in here since the Song family moved in, years ago.

But the weight of that fact was buried under a lot more unspoken pain Mingi didn’t know about.

Once they were settled in chairs and Hongjoong was adequately dried off, Mingi played host.

“Father’s on a trip and Mother’s out... working. Minseok’s bed is always free. So you can stay the night if you need to.”

Hongjoong sighed and smiled gratefully. “Thank you.”

“Or you can stay here as long as you like,” Mingi shrugged with a withering smile, still too embarrassed to ask him to stay forever outright. “I take it you aren’t returning to Jangwon.”

Hongjoong stiffened and nodded quickly.

After a moment more of sitting around awkwardly, Mingi just couldn’t hold it in anymore.

“Hongjoong, where have you been? What happened?”

His appearance now was a third outcome Mingi hadn’t considered, and it was eating him up inside the more he wondered what had taken place.

There was a tense silence that followed the question before Hongjoong met his gaze.

Tears swam in his eyes but they didn’t fall. He was shaking his head slightly as if he wasn’t even sure where to begin. He pursed his lips and it occurred to Mingi that he probably didn’t even want to.

“Well, that’s alright,” Mingi coughed uncomfortably, heading towards the stairs and listening to the quiet sound of Hongjoong following. “You can tell me tomorrow. You look like you need the sleep.”

This Hongjoong had been to hell and back. He was a ghost, a shadow of Hongjoong.

Not until he was asleep did the darkness lift for awhile.

Mingi watched him from his own bed, trying not to stare at the scars decorating his bare collarbone, or the way his ribcage jutted out from beneath flimsy fabric. Whatever he had been eating, it wasn’t enough. If he wasn’t swimming in his clothes, Mingi would offer his own. From how small he looked lying there it was obvious Mingi towered over him even more now.

When drowsiness came over him, a small voice in the back of his head allowed itself to celebrate.

After an agonising year of merely surviving in this stale town while his life slipped out of his control, Hongjoong came back to him. He was really back.

Perhaps Mingi wouldn’t feel so alone anymore.

On waking to an otherwise empty room the next morning, Mingi wondered in a panic if he’d simply dreamed the encounter.

But there Hongjoong was, downstairs in the kitchen, cooking him a humble breakfast and clutching a cup of tea like a lifeline.

“You’re already up?” Mingi questioned softly, concern seeping into his voice. “You seemed exhausted last night...”

“I’m not really able to sleep much more than a couple hours at a time,” Hongjoong confessed, laying a plate on the table in front of his host. He continued to explain, seeing the clear curiosity in Mingi’s eyes. “Sailing solo against the currents and amongst all the trade route traffic will do that to you.”

“Let me get this straight,” Mingi pressed, swallowing a gulp of his own tea and pulling Hongjoong into the chair across from him. “You survived the naval ambush reported in all the papers and bulletins a year ago, and sailed here all by yourself without sleeping properly on what ship, exactly?”

Hongjoong bit his lip like he was having second thoughts before sighing and getting to his feet, motioning Mingi to follow him.

“I left her at our old spot on the beach,” he told him, following the familiar path down the cliffside. “She’s not much, but I think I’ve grown attached.”

By the time they reached the water, Mingi was bursting with curiosity. Hongjoong let him take a good look at the little boat sitting there, tied to the dock just north of them before he said anything.

It wasn’t the most impressive vessel Mingi had ever seen, a bit smaller than the Song fishing boat and composed of mismatched wood and sheets, but as Hongjoong went on, its appearance began to make sense.

“The bulletins were correct about the Stardust going down,” he told him through a strained throat. “This is all that is left of her.”

“You built this,” Mingi breathed, astounded. “Out of what, the wreckage? You must not have been on the open ocean when it was sunk, then. Unless you’ve gained the ability to dive hundreds of feet while carrying soaked lumber…”

Hongjoong snorted and shook his head, loving eyes on the little bobbing boat he had made. That thing was probably as close a companion as Mingi had been once, and it prompted him to ask what he’d been meaning to since yesterday.

“I guess the only question I have left is... where were you in the meantime?” He kept his voice low, afraid to startle Hongjoong out of his daze while he continued to stare at the boat. “I mean, a whole year has passed since word of the sinking of the Stardust. I always assumed you had-had, you know... drowned.”

There was a restrained silence for a few moments, and Mingi had quietly decided to try again later when his guest had been given more time to recover from the experience, but to his great surprise he suddenly received his answer.

“I don’t know what happened to Eden but his body wasn’t with the shipwreck when I returned to it. We were separated and I drifted ashore,” Hongjoong nearly whispered, digging his bare foot into the sand absently. It was probably too soon to be talking about it but Mingi couldn’t help himself. “I survived on an uninhabited island day by day through...” he trailed off again like he wasn’t sure he wanted to go into detail. “Through so many scrapes with death that I needed to find a way off. No one was coming to get me and I’d been there 292 days.”

Mingi followed his gaze past the boat and out to the ocean. It was cruel and unpredictable, even from his pleasant view here on the shore. He couldn’t imagine traversing it on his own, dead to the world and surviving a nightmare.

And to think it was his own loose lips that had caused all this...

“I’m so sorry,” Mingi choked, lowering his head. “About Eden and- and everything that happened to you. And being abandoned in the wild for that long? I can’t even imagine it. I probably wouldn’t have lasted a day,” he brushed Hongjoong in the shoulder lightly with a teary smile to lift the mood.

“You’re more resourceful than you think,” Hongjoong reminded him as he took his hand and squeezed it. “I was.”

Together they climbed the hill back to the house and watched the sunrise through the windows. The skies promised sunshine for once, and it was a welcome guest.

Mingi watched Hongjoong clean up the dishes then root around for more to fill his empty stomach with and considered how they’d both come full circle.

His first friend, the one he should have stuck with through everything, back to being a ghost boy and floating through this shell of a house as if he was haunting it.

Now hopefully he’d lead a quiet life, recovering from everything that had clearly already traumatised him, settling down with a trade he liked, maybe a family of his own.

And Mingi would be right there to support him. He’d never make the mistake of leaving his side again.

Although, he would have to explain things to his mother when she came home.

Speaking of Mother…

Mingi busied himself by hurrying around the cottage, cleaning up after Hongjoong. He’d tracked wet sand all over the place with his bare feet, there was a spot of dirt on the sofa where he’d been sitting, and the sheets on Minseok’s bed probably needed changing.

Generally, Mingi didn’t take much notice of the state of cleanliness the house was in, but as resident caretaker of it and an almost-adult, he felt the need to make the place presentable and also take good care of his guest.

“Hyung, do you happen to have a change of clothes?” Mingi called from the sitting room, glancing over to see Hongjoong turn sharply from where he was stuffing his face with toast and blink in surprise a few times.

“Everything I own is at Jangwon or the bottom of the sea,” he informed him, speaking with his mouth still full. “So, no.”

Mingi muffled his laugh at Hongjoong’s loss of manners and went to draw water for him to bathe in. He’d been alone in the wild for so long that it was hardly surprising to have banished all thought and memory of high society, but the fact that he also had untreated wounds and tattered rags hanging off him was a little more urgent in Mingi’s eyes.

“Let’s wash off some of that dirt first,” Mingi instructed, leading Hongjoong from the kitchen and into the bathroom, not prepared to have to drag him away and throw him in the tub, but unrelenting when that was the case.

It was a good thing he spent so much time hauling the squirming catches in his fishnets around, considering Hongjoong was as untamed as the ocean and of no mind to be scrubbed like a child, though that was what Mingi decided to do anyway.

“You’re shaking,” he frowned when Hongjoong finally stilled, fingers clutching the lip of the tub until he had a chance to grab the cleaning rag from him and scrub himself. “Is the water cold?”

Hongjoong shook his head, refusing to look at him, and snatched up the towel when Mingi offered it with a successful smile.

Now he was all clean and smooth again.

Eventually the new roughness around the edges would weather away too.

“Though we should most definitely get you something... else... to wear,” Mingi laughed when Hongjoong discovered a new hole in the shirt he’d been forcibly removed from.

“I don’t want to inconvenience you,” he started to say, but Mingi cut him off by handing him an outfit of his own for the meantime.

“No, I meant to take a trip to the market this morning anyway. Let’s just be sure to return before Mother does.”

For Hongjoong’s sake, Mingi decided he could miss a day’s fishing after all.

The first stop was the clothing booth, where they’d bought fabrics on Hongjoong’s birthday almost three years ago. It felt like much longer when a burning wave of nostalgia washed over him, but Mingi busied himself by looking for a hat like he’d meant to yesterday and didn’t dwell on it. He had a lot of regrets about that year.

Hongjoong wasn’t exactly shopping, mostly just standing around and watching the goings-on with a shrewd eye.

“Stop staring at people, you don’t want to end up back at Jangwon,” Mingi admonished nervously before steering him to another section of the booth. “Here, get yourself some shoes.”

It took over an hour to get him into a pair of boots he wouldn’t complain about and Mingi threw in a shirt, jacket, and pair of breeches for good measure when he went to buy them along with his hat.

“I know you like jewellery,” Mingi suggested as they returned to the main road, steering Hongjoong out of the way of some rowdy women in the middle of the road. “Let me introduce you to the latest styles in fashion.”

“I’m not a child,” Hongjoong groaned, brushing his hands off and striding ahead a few paces in rebellion.

“I know you aren’t,” Mingi explained, taking a couple steps to keep up with him. “I’m just… trying to make up for not spending more time with you when we were children.”

Hongjoong didn’t reply but slowed down and glanced up at his host with a nod that told him he was forgiven. “Yes, I do like jewellery.”

He fumbled with the chain of a necklace he already wore, a crystal swinging from it that Mingi didn’t recognise, and made a turn onto the street where the store was.

Deciding not to press Hongjoong about anything else, Mingi settled for following him around and paying for the items he chose. It was the least he could do.

They ended up eating lunch in the corner of a pub, and Mingi struggled to keep up with Hongjoong’s drinking pace but was glad to get him talking again with some alcoholic lubrication.

“So where is this island?”

Hongjoong frowned in thought before pulling a wanted sign off the wall and sketching on it with a quill from the nearby table.

“Here,” he finally passed him a map with the coastline, archipelago, and colonies plotted on it, as well as some smaller islands to the south that Mingi hadn’t known about. “This one is where I was, to the best of my knowledge. Admiral Kim’s fire ships ambushed us here, and this was where the Stardust went down.”

Mingi scoffed and finally looked back up at him. “You memorised all that well enough to recreate it?”

“Well, it’s more or less accurate to a couple of coordinates—”

“Kim Hongjoong, I’m amazed at you,” Mingi laughed and sat back, taking a swig of his drink. He was suddenly very glad he had suggested the pub and not one of the tea houses.

“I’m happy to see you smile again,” Hongjoong told him warmly as he folded up the paper and pushed it to the side, suddenly deep in thought.

“All I wanted on that island was not to be alone anymore. Somehow despite that, being in the marketplace is too suffocating. It’s much better in here tucked into a corner with just the two of us.”

Another reason Mingi was glad to have chosen the pub. Everything was in the open and capable of being scrutinised at the tea house. It would have been total disaster if anyone from Jangwon was there.

“You know, I thought about you a lot while I was gone,” Hongjoong suddenly said and Mingi tilted his head in disbelief.

“Truly?”

“Yes, I agree with what you said earlier about regretting not spending more time together,” Hongjoong explained with a shallow sigh. “There were things I couldn’t have told you, but I feel I ought to have done better, and those words I said that night when I ran away…”

“I deserved them. I should have done better, too,” Mingi confessed softly. “And I will. This is a second chance, hyung. We can live our lives side-by-side from now on.”

They clinked their glasses together and downed them to seal the deal, and as they stood to leave Mingi noticed Hongjoong barefoot again and sat him down to lace up his boots.

“But not if you won’t keep your shoes on, for heaven’s sake…”

He laughed it off with Hongjoong as they walked back into the street, but behind closed doors, he knew what it was. Between the way he ate that oyster soup like it was his last meal, how easily disquieted he was, and his aversion to being touched without warning, Hongjoong was struggling to turn off his survival instincts. If it was as bad as Mingi thought, he might not be able to return to society. Not in any meaningful way.

For a while longer, they wandered the stalls and Mingi tried not to let it bother him. It was one of those days where the sun transitioned between blazing hot and being hidden behind the moving clouds, and a headache was growing behind his eyes as a result.

“What do you think of this one?” Hongjoong had to ask twice when Mingi couldn’t keep his eyes open and pay attention.

He was standing in between two anchors of different sizes and materials and Mingi couldn’t help but snort as he imagined Hongjoong trying to figure out how to move them down to the waterfront.

“An anchor? Why would you need an anchor?”

He was becoming irritable and Hongjoong knew it.

“You head back, I’ll look around for some other things to buy for the ATEEZ,” Hongjoong finally suggested instead of explaining himself.

“ATEEZ?” Mingi mumbled, putting up a hand to shade his eyes as the sun came out again.

“That’s what I’ve decided to call her,” came the response and Mingi gave an approving nod, dropped his money bag into Hongjoong’s hands, and trudged home to get in a nap.

Mother was there mending some clothes in the sitting room and Mingi provided her with a short explanation before escaping to his bed and evading all the following questions.

Sleep came over him gradually and wasn’t the most peaceful, not with the worry that Hongjoong was alone in the market gnawing at the back of his mind. He might get into a fight or steal something from a shop owner for all he knew, and as host Mingi would feel responsible for whatever harm might come to the stranger.

Perhaps he was treating Hongjoong too much like a child.

Thankfully, Mingi woke to the smell of dinner wafting through the house and the sight of his mother and guest sitting and eating peacefully. Hongjoong had brought back a canola flower bunch to decorate the table and upon seeing it, Mingi remembered the way he gave Dahye flowers once and became overly excited. It was as if the old Hongjoong was back.

The feeling didn’t last as supper went on when conversation fizzled out and Hongjoong, already finished with his meagre fish, would stare at nothing, reliving a horror he didn’t share.

He did an excellent job of hiding his fragile state when a dark memory overtook him, but Mingi was better at seeing it than Hongjoong was at pretending.

Mingi had noticed it before in the old sailors who fought in wars once. Hongjoong carried a type of pain with him that never faded, it only changed form.

“What do you intend to do with the ATEEZ?” Mingi asked to break the silence when the two of them sat outside under the stars, watching Mingi’s mother head to town for work.

“I’m not sure where I’ll go yet, but I want to sail,” Hongjoong answered, fiddling with his hands. “I have a feeling Eden is still out there…”

He trailed off quietly and neither of them spoke for a long time. If there was something he wanted to add, he was having trouble expressing it, so Mingi let the silence stretch on and considered whether Eden could be alive.

Hongjoong had survived, and Eden was much more experienced a pirate to begin with which certainly put it in the realm of possibilities.

But to hunt him down and join him would make Hongjoong a true pirate as well, and Mingi knew if he went down that road it would mean being pursued by enemies across the ocean for the rest of his days.

Not the quiet seaside life they’d envisioned earlier.

When the moon came out, the pair retired to bed. Questions of the future could wait at least a day longer, and the exhaustion of their outing had finally caught up with them.

Mingi should have anticipated the night terrors.

Muttering from the other bed awoke him sometime in the night and at first he ignored it, rolling over and pressing a pillow over his ears, but the sound of Hongjoong suddenly yelling had him sit up and rub the sleep out of his eyes.

Now he was breathing heavily and his thrashing grew in force until Mingi was genuinely worried and decided to wake him up.

“It’s just a dream, hyung, open your—”

Before he could finish, Hongjoong’s eyes flashed open and a hand shot out to switch their positions, choking Mingi fiercely before he realised who he was.

When had he gotten so strong?

“It’s me,” Mingi tried to say, mouth working with only a breathless grunt coming out of his sore throat, but it seemed to do the trick.

Hongjoong released him with a gasp and slowly moved away, shrinking into a ball and struggling to regain control of himself while Mingi recovered his breath.

“Are you alright?” He whispered, as if being quiet now could atone for the violent episode he’d just had.

Mingi expected him to be crying, releasing that tumultuous emotion somehow, but he simply stared at nothing again, knuckles white as he curled his fingers tightly in the blanket and waited for a reply.

No, I’m terrified, Mingi wanted to say. I could’ve died just now, you could have killed me…

“Just startled is all, it wasn’t your fault.” The rasp in his voice made him pause to swallow carefully. “Are… are you?”

“We don’t… keep secrets from each other,” he answered so quietly that Mingi could barely hear, but he knew what Hongjoong was admitting.

He wasn’t alright. He wouldn’t be for a long time, maybe not ever.

This wasn’t the same Hongjoong who left Mingi alone in the cold, weather-beaten town that had turned against the both of them. This was someone else, someone who was part wild beast himself now.

Mingi didn’t know how to help him, and it made him feel useless.

“You’re soaked,” he mentioned absently as he laid a careful hand on his shoulder and noticed the shirt he wore was doused in sweat. “Let’s get this off…”

He should have known what a mistake that was before pulling the cloth off for him and being greeted with a frightening collection of jagged scars running down Hongjoong’s back, but instead he opened his mouth to ask, stunned, “What happened?”

Mingi hadn’t noticed the marks during the bath, probably because of the way his guest had been pressed against the tub, hiding it from him.

Hongjoong scooted as far away as possible with the speed of a cornered animal and pulled the blankets up to his chin. “Please,” he insisted through his teeth, and he didn’t need to finish the sentence. Mingi knew what he was asking.

Don’t make me lie to you.

He looked like he’d nearly been clawed to death by something, but apparently it wasn’t worth telling Mingi, who may not have experienced anything remotely similar but was doing everything in his power to aid his recovery from it.

He couldn’t help the annoyance from seeping into his voice. “I’m just trying to help—”

“You should go back to bed,” Hongjoong cut him off, voice hoarse and eyes shining with something akin to regret. “You need to sleep.”

Instead Mingi tossed the shirt to the floor and marched outside, upset.

He knew it was his frustration at more than Hongjoong coming through, but despite his friend’s return, life still felt unfair.

He was alive, but in a strange state of limbo, where for long periods of time he might as well not be. He was with Mingi but deep down wanted to go somewhere else, wherever Eden was.

Mingi swallowed his tears before they presented themselves and tried to formulate a plan.

Hongjoong’s suffering wasn’t his alone. It might take time but if he could let Mingi in, they’d both be better equipped to handle it.

Mingi just needed to be patient.

He started by going back inside and crawling into bed. Hongjoong was either asleep or pretending to be, facing the opposite wall to avoid another confrontation.

The two didn’t argue until the following morning, when Mingi found his guest outside again, watching the ATEEZ bob up and down on the water below.

“Why do you expect me to be the same as I was before I left?” Hongjoong asked tiredly without looking at him. Mingi wasn’t sure how he even knew he had approached. “Haven’t you noticed that you changed as well?”

Mingi furrowed his brows and tried to understand. “Me? What on earth are you referring to?”

Hongjoong faced him with his jaw set and a cold look in his eyes. “You’re always trailing behind like you can’t let me out of your sight. I told you before, I’m not a child… or a mangy dog for that matter.”

Mingi bristled but kept his clenched fist by his side.

“Well, I’m sorry I can’t be as aloof and insensitive as your pirate friends,” he scoffed bitterly, and regretted it as soon as it left his mouth.

Hongjoong got to his feet slowly and let his eyes rake over the little cottage he’d loved so dearly once.

“I think it’s best that I stay somewhere else.”

There was no emotion in his voice and it terrified Mingi.

“No, please, hyung! Don’t do this to me, don’t leave me again. I’ll do anything—”

Hongjoong sighed and raised a hand to stop him from going on. There was concern in his eyes that didn’t reach his voice as he explained, “Mingi, I could have killed you last night. I don’t want to hurt you anymore.”

Mingi was partially relieved this suggestion had nothing to do with his sarcastic comment, but still got to his feet and blocked Hongjoong’s route to the sea.

“What does it matter if you do? I deserve it!”

“Don’t say that,” Hongjoong snapped immediately. “You didn’t do this. I know you want to help but—”

“Nothing can be done?” Mingi finished for him. “Are you completely certain of that fact? Let me at least try. Give me another chance, hyung, I’m begging you.”

Hongjoong pursed his lips and glanced away. For a moment he said nothing and simply let the wind ruffle his hair, deciding whether to part on such terms or relent and let Mingi redeem himself.

“I’ll make you a deal— and you know I’m not the gambling type,” Mingi broke the silence breathlessly, for once in his life taking the first step himself. “Work on your ship all you want, but do it here. I won’t interfere, and if you ultimately decide to leave on it, I won’t stop you. But please just try for me. Wear your boots and join society if you can. Promise you’ll do your best… because I can’t bear the thought of being separated from you again.”

Hongjoong’s eyes swam before meeting his and he let out a wet chuckle before scratching the back of his head. “You really want me here?”

“We won’t even make you help with the fishing,” Mingi promised with a growing smile. He knew he’d managed to convince him by the way Hongjoong let out that little amused snort and offered his hand to be shaken.

“Alright,” he sighed, resigned, before setting his eyes on the town. “I have other means of earning my keep.”

Mingi overlooked the dark undertone of that statement, relieved he’d managed to win back Hongjoong’s company.

“I’ll return for supper,” Hongjoong bade him farewell as he slung a bag over his shoulder. “The ATEEZ needs some work.”

He had his word, and that held good for Mingi. His heart was lighter as he returned to the kitchen and looked around for something to cook breakfast with.

Not fish this time, Hongjoong was probably sick of them.

Mingi looked out the window that pointed toward the road inland, with still no sign of Father. When he returned with his eels, it was likely he would try to enlist Hongjoong’s help in finding the elusive catches, and that would be a breach of the verbal contract Mingi had just made.

But even then, no fish for breakfast. If it was the only food available on a remote tropical island, Mingi could do better.

There weren’t many new fish in Panhang in the first place.

...

A/N: With only a few chapters left, we’ve reached a turning point both in the story and Mingi’s character! Let me know if you managed to connect past and present by leaving a comment, and have a great week <3

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[spamzineglasgow]

(REVIEW) Miscellaneous by Julia Rose Lewis

In this review, Maria Sledmere visits the verdant isle of Julia Rose Lewis’ pamphlet Miscellaneous (Sampson Low, 2019), and engages chaotically with its shape-shifting poetics of ecstasy, digression and slippery things.

> Miscellaneous: of various kinds; elements of different kinds. A little green book full of miscellany. The work of Julia Rose Lewis has been dealing in miscellany (let me say it as much I can, it’s a lovely word) for a while now. Lewis’ collection Phenomenology of the Feral (Knives Forks and Spoons Press 2017) was a veritable assemblage of household objects, clothing items, all things edible (from oranges to gummy bears), tools, chemicals and other substances. Words had a Steinian tendency to slip, where a ‘pear’ becomes ‘peer’ and sugar becomes sand. The whole book teems with a delicious excess of things and their zoomed-in, jostling, merging and almost psychedelic relation (I mean just consider the multicoloured octopus-bunny hybrids on the cover). Her recent pamphlet, Miscellaneous (2019), a slender offering from chapbook series Sampson Low, edited by fellow dealer in poetic animalia, SJ Fowler, continues this playful approach to disordering objects, experience and relation.

> Explicitly ‘inspired’ by Green Eggs and Ham, a classic children’s book by Dr. Seuss, Miscellaneous works with its foodstuffs in a fractal and kind of ecstatic way. Ecstasy meaning rapture or transport; Miscellaneous as a little island of strong emotion. I want to say island, but I could just as easily say green tomato. It’s difficult to resist the seduction of island metaphors during quarantine, and besides, Lewis herself spent time as a child in Nantucket Island. According to the publisher, Miscellaneous ‘asks if it is possible to have a mutually healthy relationship between a human and an island’. In an interview from 2016 with Katy Lewis Hood, Lewis says, ‘I use writing about the place I’m longing for as an antidote; I see islands as stories and stories as islands’. Staying with that chiasmus, might we see Miscellaneous itself as a kind of place? The scales upended sufficient to slip into our pocket, a zoomy island remainder? A dinky little 12-page island you could circle on foot and do it again and again — for this is a book that loves repetition, a veritable jaunt on the anaphora express, a 5-7 syllabic ride on the waves. But it’s difficult to know what constitutes the very land you walk or ride on:

A mane! A terrain! A mane is a terrain through and through and should you be guarding the herd inside the river valley? You hold this territory? Not harnessed! Not in a horse-less carriage!

Lewis plays deliciously with the fact of metaphor as a transport, a vehicle, while thrashing around in the joy of assonance and sound as forces of meaning and meaning’s disruption. What’s more, the repeated invocation of the ‘you’ means I’m forever hailed back to the scene; I can’t leave the island utterly behind, can’t glide drone-like over its landscapes. Besides, maybe it’s more like an archipelago? Terrain is a region of land, a system of rocks or geological formations, a standing-ground or position. Lewis teases us with the ever resolving, dissolving, negating terrains of lyric. Those exclamation marks are surely provocations to the reader, as much as the swept up proclamation of revelling in words themselves (thinking of the upward-looking heart emoji, reacting to a message). Her ‘I’ (perhaps riffing off the O’Haran tradition of I do this I do that poems, via Colin Herd’s I like this I like that variation) is quite demanding, precise, has an eye for arrangement (‘The musk ox is not in the / ocean’), identification, variation, placement (‘They disappear’). As with the effect of haiku (a kind of ‘cut’ of images), she challenges ‘nature’/object relations by similarity and contrast:

I would not like that morose woman faraway, that maiden hair tree. I am that old ginkgo tree.

What is the connection between the morose woman and the maiden hair? Does the fact of the speaker being the ‘old ginkgo’ explain her conditional dislike of the woman? And is the maiden hair tree the same as the woman? With its short, invitational lyrics, Miscellaneous gives you time to wander around the ideas of things, ideas in things. Maybe it’s telling the story of an island which is really a metaphor for Earth: its ‘holding pattern[s]’, its ‘there or anywhere’, its snowy territories, its ‘dry grasses / and mosses’ (v. Eliotic, ‘The Dry Salvages’ of Four Quartets?), its ‘skyhook’, its ‘living fossil leaf’ with ‘many millions of years’ inside it. Crudely speaking, ecopoetry often tries so hard to seem either objective (ecomimesis) or explicitly subjective (Romantic); the speaker of these poems insists on a kind of declarative, shape-shifting reality, whose run-on code requires the user command of something more than human. ‘You hold all the weeks / would you tote the boulders here?’ The labour of bringing the world to life in poetry is more than just reading; you have to really consider toting the boulders of words around. There’s a weird hospitality to this, a gesture of extending the voice: ‘So I / say try the bloom of mold!’. Maybe as a reader I’d speak better the world with the mold in my throat. It’s these kinds of special conditions Miscellaneous gets at so well. What the chapbook gives is a portable miscellany, a set of questions, a dicey and moreish feast of seeing the world anew — at all scales and dwellings, from a ‘ptarmigan nest’ to the air itself. Better eat up.

> Lewis’ smart and choppy lines remind me of the best chefs at the restaurant where I used to work, who would dice veg or make meat cuts with a certain deftness, all the while engaging in dishevelled conversation. I would ask, from which precise bay are the oysters sourced, and the chef would lecture me on the valiance of a 2Pac album. We would swerve from one topic to another by the time of the bell: language defined by the beat and demand of cooking. It was good to feel enslaved to the temporality of the microwave, the rising of bread, the petulant delay on the part of a chicken. And you might say, O maria what does this have to do with Julia Rose Lewis’ new book? And I would say, well, it’s all about iteration, digression, perversion of recipe. The poetic line as the flick of sweaty chef hair, the child’s demanding inquisition, the special way of dodging the question. But don’t let me fill you up with nonsense.

> There’s this weird piece in The Guardian that totally disses Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham, which I’ll admit I haven’t read this side of puberty. The author, Emma Brockes, is pretty damning: ‘two-thirds of the words feel like filler’, ‘the rhyme scheme [...] is like something a kid would throw at a homework assignment so he could finish and run out to play’, ‘[Seuss’] books are creepy, empty, over-long, cheap, twee writing posing as whimsy’. Maybe I don’t have a striped ankle to stand on here, but I can’t help but think Brocke is missing a point somewhere. What’s wrong with poetry that wants to fly through itself quickly, all the better for the writer to go out and play? I’m thinking of something Jack Spicer writes in one of his letters to Lorca, describing how there are times in a poet’s life where ‘the objects change’ when ‘someone intrudes into the poet’s life’ so a certain balance is lost. ‘The seagulls, the greenness of the ocean, the fish—they become things to be traded for a smile or the sound of conversation—counters rather than objects’. You sort of get the feeling Brocke got tired of this (too many counters, too much supposed impeachable brilliance) and upended the board, sending everything scattering to miscellany. Maybe that was the appropriate reaction. I’d like my poetry to have that effect sometimes. And then I’d quite like to run out and play, or fall in love (if we were not in lockdown), or otherwise just write you a blowsy prosy letter.

> There’s this idea of Green Eggs and Ham as a childhood exercise in epistemological questioning. Asking you to think about how experience establishes beliefs about the world. Miscellaneous quite obviously trades in the empirical possibilities of knowing, experimenting in what happens when certain patterns or conditions are put into play (it’s worth noting that Julia Rose Lewis is also a scientist by training). I think of a child stuffing sand in its mouth, learning about size, scale, texture, taste. A child that learns a tomato is good when ripe and sweet. I also think of judging when I might cross the road, or a chemist inching just a *wee* bit more of X in the formula (is that how it works? is it like choosing to add another comma to a poem - what exactly is the risk of explosion?). Every day of our lives we are hedging, testing. ‘If you will then I will try / rain on rain on rain’; how I learn from you, a fashionable imitation in the wearable weather/whether. Things pile up, acquire elemental charge; the poems are teasingly object-oriented; the ‘I’ is an iterative effect of desires, repulsions and relations. Substances effect themselves into life and I think of Francis Ponge and the orange. Expression is something to be ‘endured’. How does an object hold itself in a poem, without being overly squeezed into miscellany, matter? Lewis uses the singsong effects of poetry (repetition, rhyme), to play with causality and intention. In the final poem, for example, is the ‘gold’ ‘old’ and what temporality is ‘golden’; is it the ‘spring /green’ or the speaker who is ‘cold’?

> Miscellaneous in general describes a kind of extra or supplementary category, that which escapes the normative set. Perhaps there is then a case for this being a kind of queer object-oriented poetics. Things are slippery and hungry and irresistibly insistent. They become the book itself, the little object in your hand, tomato green as ‘the spring / green tomatoes in sea salt’, sprinkled with salty little words. This is a case for frivolity and filler and whimsy in poetry, for appetite and affect, salty wit, the necessity of dancing around sentiment, excess, sweetness and swerve. ‘I will eat the spring / fruit upside down’; the fruit of the book you peel again.

Miscellaneous is out now and available from Sampson Low.

~

Text and image: Maria Sledmere

Published: 12/6/20

[fictionalnormalcy]

The Boy with a Strange Name Ch. 1

Modern Day HTTYD AU

Blurb: Living in practically every city in the Archipelago. Dad tells me that Berk seems to be the place to stay. New high school, old bully, actually making friends, but my unknown secrets are bound to catch up to me. It seems to me...that this move is going to be one of the most hectic I've had in 16 years of life. (Mix of book & movie univ.)

Welcome to Berk

" Son, you need to get a move on. You'll have time to greet the neighbors another day."

He glanced back at his father, adjusting the two boxes he held in his arms. The street was quiet, and the only people he could see were on the other end of the block, conversing in murmurs. Arriving a little after noon, he could guess why there weren't many cars scattered around the block. If there were any other kids living on this block, they were in school. He turned away from the sidewalk, and faced the home that was going to be his twelfth residence.

" Dad, I don't see why you had to get such a big house. That house looks like 5 people could live there and there would still be spare space."

" It's the family home Hiccup. Been in the Haddock's possession for generations."

" Than why haven't we lived in the family home?"

" You know the answer to that."

" Yeah I do, but why all over the Archipelago but Berk?"

" My job means travel Hiccup. I do however, have some good news for you. I can say this will be our permanent stay."

" Let me guess." Hiccup blew away the bangs over his eyes as he walked past his father. " We move any more and we lose the house."

He didn't need to look back to know his father's response. He knew he was right. Hiccup and his father had spent the past half hour lugging boxes back and forth. The moving truck wasn't due to arrive until the next day, so Hiccup would be confined to a sleeping bag for the night. He just had to hope that this home had central heating. He shuddered at the memory of when they had moved to a mobile home in the city of Skullion four years ago. He and his father, Stoick Haddock, or Stoick the Vast as family friends and relatives called him, had spent their first week living in a freezing home.

That was the first and hopefully the only time Hiccup had frostbite. However, having done his research on Berk, he wasn't liking his chances. It was normally very cold weather, even colder than it had been in Skullion. He would have to dress in layers until his father could take him to buy thicker clothing. He dumped the boxes next to the doorway and went to take out the trash left in the car. It was the exact same routine all over again. Every time they moved into a new home or apartment.

His father would unload the smaller furniture they had managed to tuck into the pickup truck and Hiccup would unload the boxes filled with spare clothing, cooking utensils, and housing decorations. Each time they had moved a few objects had been left behind, but never anything that reminded either of them of Hiccup's mother. Hiccup trekked down the hallway, trying to find where the kitchen was located. The walls were in desperate need of a repainting, and the faded flowered wallpaper in the living room was peeling off.

It may have been the family home, but as far as Hiccup knew it had been rented out since no one in his family was in residence. Uncle Magnus was all the way in Berserker, his aunt twice removed Brunhilde had moved beyond the reaches of the Archipelago. His mother had been an only child and most of the relatives on his mother's side had refused to live in the Haddock residence. His Aunt Maera, a cousin of his mother, had lived in the home for about two years, but she eloped with a German man and moved to Europe.

" Got everything?" His father asked.

" Even the trash." Hiccup said a nod.

" Than let's get settled. Once we've unpacked what we've got, I'll take you out to eat. I know a few places that serve very good food."

" It better be in feast quantity." Hiccup launched the bag off his shoulder and placed it next to the back door. " Dad, would you mind giving me a tour? You know the family home better than I do."

" I never forgot this home, know it like the back of my hand. Practically grew up here before your grandfather moved us across the island. Let's get started son, so you can pick out your bedroom." He led Hiccup over to the kitchen window, which overlooked the backyard. " See the forest out there?"

Hiccup could see in the dim, gray day that there was no fence cutting off the property. His new backyard, was forest that stretched as far as the eye can see. Dense trees with logs cast on the ground and scattered branches spilling into the neatly cut grass of the yard. He could guess, that as soon as he would walk into the forest he would be enveloped in the canopy and the gray light darker than it had been.

" That is Raven Point Forest. Stretches all the way to the beach. When the cloudy days ease up I'll take you on a hike through the forest. Your mother and I actually met in there. I had stolen a bottle of your grandfather's mead and your mother had caught me drinking while she was out looking for her dog."

" Please don't tell me you offered her the mead."

" No, boy!" He laughed. " She grabbed the bottle from my hand and smashed it on the log. She said that instead of drinking I should help her look for Cloudjumper. We were inseparable ever since."

" She named her dog Cloudjumper?"

" She had her reasons for naming the dog. Now, we'll start from the second floor and work our way down."

" There isn't a basement is there?"

" No, is that a problem?"

" Would be nice to have somewhere to escape the cold."

" This house may have been in our possession for centuries, but it has been renovated plenty of times Hiccup. It has central heating."

" You don't know how much of a relief it is to hear that."

The Haddock family home was without a doubt the largest home Hiccup had ever been in. There were three bathrooms, a dining room, four bedrooms, an office, a living room, laundry room, kitchen, and two hallway closets, with a garage detached from the house, located in the backyard. Moving from place to place, Hiccup had experienced his fair share of cramped lodgings. The smallest being a one bedroom one bathroom apartment where he had been confined to a sofa bed for ten months and two weeks in Visithug.

Then there was the town house in Red Thorn, and their neighbor loved banging stuff against the wall. Hiccup only remembered eleven of the twelve moves. His father had told him he had been born on Berk, but never gave the reason as to why they moved. It was after his mother's death before he turned six that he and his father drifted through the Archipelago like clouds. So far, he admitted that Berk was the best house they had moved into.

All the bedrooms were on the upper floor, two had some furniture, the other two were devoid of any objects. The room he chose was painted a dark sea green, and had a dark maple wood dresser. His father chose the one across the hall, and assigned Hiccup the redecoration of the house, should he feel it was needed. While Hiccup was happy about the task, he was more excited about the fact that his dad was letting him convert one of the bedrooms into an art studio.

" Okay, the house is bigger than I thought. Are we sure we don't want to rent out a room or something?"

" We can afford it Hiccup. Now, if you're going to want to change anything, I expect the list and sketches on my desk in the office in no more than two weeks."

" I haven't even started school yet. I'm going to need to ask for an extension Mr. Haddock." He smirked.

" The sooner I know the better, son. Getting the supplies is going to be the priciest thing."

" That, and keeping your only son fed and warm?"

" Aye, that too," His father chuckled.

The sky had cleared up some but Hiccup was going to have to get used to the cloudy days. When he had done his research three months prior, he noted that Berk was known for their storms and endless attacks of sleet. Sunny days did occur in the summer, but while the sun was out there was still enough cold to make your fingers go numb. That was what he had read. When he had voiced his worries to his father he had immediately brushed them aside. You're a Berkian at heart, son. The cold won't affect you.

He couldn't wait to tell his father I told you so when his prosthetic snapped because of the freeze. Actually, now that he thought about it, he needed to figure out how he was going to guard the prosthetic from the cold. He looked outside the window of his new bedroom, looking as far as he could into the new neighborhood. There was snow covering the sidewalks, but not so thick that you couldn't walk through it. The trees were bare of leaves, yet there were no icicles hanging from the branches.

The houses were smaller in comparison to the one he and his father now lived in. They were more spread out, probably because this island could handle the extra space. There was a house right across the street, and it seemed worn down. There was a sheet of ice coating the roof, and a ladder had been left abandoned on the side of the home. The other houses were clear of ice, yet that one seemed unattended to.

He set to work on emptying the boxes of clothes he had brought with him. Since there was only the dresser, he figured he should start organizing his clothing. The hangers were in a box on the moving truck so he decided to keep his jeans and coats in the boxes. For now he could organize his shirts, socks, scarves, and thermal long sleeved shirts. He had a mind to vacuum the rug, but remembered they lacked that item at the moment.

He unrolled the olive green sleeping bag on the area of the floor closest to the ceiling vent. He wanted to keep as warm as can be. He took out the extra thick blankets he had packed and tucked them into the bag. He only had a few possessions that he had brought with him in the truck, so there wouldn't be much decoration. He placed the statue of a Burrowing Slitherfang on top of the dresser, shifting it so the tentacles topped with eyes would face the window overlooking the street.

The Night Fury had been left in its secure packaging in the box on the moving truck, so he'd have to wait until-

" Hiccup, I think you've unpacked enough. Come on, you must be starving."

He glanced down at his watch, and noted he had been organizing his room for about an hour and a half. There were empty plastic boxes scattered about the room, and piles of long-sleeved shirts that had yet to make it into the dresser. He followed his father down the stairs, grabbing the coat he had left on the kitchen island. Hiccup ushered his father outside as he locked the door.

" What ho stranger! What brings you to this street?" A voice cried.

" Umm, what?" Hiccup glanced at his father.

" I'll wait for you in the car. It looks like you're going to be a little preoccupied."

As his father cast a glance back at him, Hiccup pleaded with his eyes to save him. He smiled at his son. Maybe he would make friends this time around instead of bullies. Hiccup turned to see two teenagers walking towards him. They must have been siblings, maybe even twins. Both sported blonde hair, and were of similar height and build. He tried to figure out which was the one who had called out to him.

Both were eyeing him with curious, scrutinizing stares, one was smiling while the other was frowning. They both sported backpacks, and one, maybe a girl, was carrying two textbooks in their hands. Their hair was parted into two braids that reached their waist, and strips of leather wrapped around the blonde locks. The other had a puffy burgundy coat and dreadlocks that reached their shoulders. Both wore leather studded boots better built for the weather than his measly brown worn-out combat boots.

" Pardon my brother, he gets like this whenever he meets someone new."

" Aw lay off sis! We need to find his business here, make sure he isn't interrupting our neighborhood tranquility."

Girl was the braids, guy was the dreadlocks, he made the mental note in his head.

" I still need to learn the layout of the neighborhood, but so far I'm pretty sure I haven't interrupted anything yet." Hiccup said quietly.

Over the years, he'd learned to be careful of how he spoke. If he responded with too much determination, someone would make a comment on his physical appearance. With a nod or a simple wave, he'd be pegged as weak and vulnerable and hounded until he walked around with his arms constantly over his head. For now, he managed a subtle tone to test out how the two blondes would treat him.

" You're new to the neighborhood ain't ya?" The boy with dreadlocks responded. " Well you must be, I know every face on this block and I haven't seen you before."

" I just moved in."

" You're a Haddock then?" The girl gave him a wide grin.

" How did you figure that one?" Hiccup chuckled nervously.

" Mom's always talking about how the home is empty and only the Haddocks have ever lived there. If you and that man have moved in there, then you're either a Haddock or the family finally sold the home."

His eyes widened. " Very perceptive. Nice to meet you." He held his hand outward. " My name is Hiccup Haddock."

" Hiccup? Well that's a strange name." Instead of taking his hand the boy surged forward and wrapped his arm around Hiccup's shoulders.

" Welcome to Riders Way!" The siblings said simultaneously.

" I'm Regina. The kook giving you a one-armed hug is my twin, Trent. We're the Thorstons!"

" Thanks."

" So Hiccup, that was your dad?" Trent faced him, the both of them now facing him with eager expressions.

" Yeah."

" You two look nothing alike!" Regina giggled.

" Is it that obvious?" Hiccup couldn't resist rolling his eyes.

" You must have gotten your looks from your mother. Is she here with you?" Trent peered at the living room window.

Hiccup frowned, pushing down the tears that suddenly sprung into his eyes. " No."

" Oh. Well hey you're new here, what school are you going to attend?"

" Dad said I'll be going to the school he went to. The name is Berk High?"

" Hey, we just came from there!" Trent shouted. " We'll be glad to have you!"

" When are you starting classes?" Regina came to stand next to her brother.

" Next week. I need to get settled in first. Now if you'll excuse me, my dad is going to take me out to eat."

" We'll be seeing you around Hiccup!"

The both of them waved him off as he climbed into the passenger seat of his father's truck. Hiccup waved his hand before quickly lowering it and turning to look at his father. He gestured for his father to start the engine and the twins watched as they pulled out of the driveway. He couldn't deduce whether or not they would become bullies, but at least he knew he had fellow Berkian high schoolers on his block.

" Hiccup." He smacked his lips. " Hiccup. I wonder what possessed his parents to name him that."

" He's pretty cute, don't you think?" She adjusted her textbooks.

" Little too lanky for my taste. I say we tell the others we're expecting someone else at Berk High."

" We'll have a proper greeting for him the moment he steps inside our hallowed halls. Come on, we have work to do."

The door to the Thorston home slammed shut, shards of ice tumbling off the roof.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13183339/1/The-Boy-With-A-Strange-Name

[poolenick-blog]

Growing up in the islands of Batanes in the Philippines, I am no stranger to natural terrains and formations that can easily take anyone’s breath away. In fact, I’m quite hard to please when it comes to such things; but of course, this does NOT mean that I do not appreciate nor acknowledge the beautiful sights that I see in my travels — because I do! However… in order for me to be in utter awe and wonder, the landscapes must be far incredible. To date, there have only been a few places that has made me felt this way and on top of that list would have to be the far-flung yet stunning Faroe Islands.

Right from the moment that I landed there, I have felt as if I was sucked into a grand fairy tale — every where I looked, there would be something that will draw my breath in awe, as I constantly question myself if I was still on Earth!

Yes, it was that majestic and surreal.

It might still be an understatement to say that the Faroe Islands are a natural masterpiece; but either way, it is my hope that you will see the outstanding beauty of this place in the flesh!

I bet that you have this now on your travel bucket list and surely, it would be my pleasure to help make your travel planning easier… and so, with this post, I give you the ultimate travel guide for the Faroe Islands — complete with infos, tips, resources, and itinerary that you’re free to customize depending on the length of your stay or the style of traveling that you will do! Enjoy! .title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, .title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, h2{ border-color: }

Faroe Islands : 5-Day Itinerary

» PRE-TRAVEL GUIDE

But before we go on, let me give you some quick and basic facts about the Faroe Islands…

It’s a self-governing small group of islands under the external sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark. The Faroe Islands or Føroyar are quite far from Denmark; truth be told, its 18 rocky and volcanic islands are closer to Iceland, Norway and Scotland. But one important thing to mention is that though Denmark is part of the European Union, the Faroe Islands are not.

TRIVIA: One of the inhabited islands, Koltur, has only one resident! (…Or two, because I keep seeing conflicting info online; but some of the locals said that there’s only one left there. Maybe they were talking about 1 family which are these 2 residents.)

TRIVIA: The Faroese language is said to be one of the North Germanic languages and it is closely related to Icelandic and the now extinct Old Norse Language. Anyhow, English is widely spoken especially by the younger ones.

TRIVIA: The name of the islands first appeared as Faereyjar (in 1225) which means “Sheep Islands” that was given by the Viking age settlers from Norway in the 9th century.

When is the best time to visit the Faroe Islands? Weather here can be quite unpredictable. It’s common to somewhat experience all 4 seasons in just one day! But yes, generally, sunny days here are rare because the islands are mostly windy, cloudy and chilly. For starters, expect cool summers (with an average temperature of 13°C) and mild winters (with an average temperature of 3°C). I went here in the summer around end of June and the days can really have long hours of sunlight with the sun setting after 11PM or even later! (The longest day will be in June 21 spanning at almost 20 hours). As for winter, it can be as short as 5 hours — imagine that…

With all that said, it’s best to visit the archipelago around June to September to enjoy the green scenery. Don’t forget to pack your jacket! ;)

How to get to the Faroe Islands? By air. There are currently 2 airlines that fly to the Faroe Islands. First is Atlantic Airways that has 2 flights per day from Copenhagen, Billund, Aalborg, Bergen and Reykjavik. Flighs cannot be booked through travel websites so you’ll have to book directly on Atlantic Airways website here. The other one is Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) that just started having daily flights to the Faroes.

By sea. Smyril Line’s ferry, M/S Norröna, sails to the Faroe Islands from Hirtshals in the north of Denmark and from Seyðisfjørður in Iceland. It doesn’t sail as frequent though so make sure to check by its website for the scheduled departures.

What kind of clothes should I pack? If you’re coming around May to September to the the Faroe Islands, you should pack for chilly weather so your bare essentials should be a sweater, a raincoat, and a set of good comfortable (hiking) shoes. If you’re like me who can get cold quite fast, go and pack a warm hat or even some gloves just in case!

Of course if you visit around winter or the colder months, your clothing essentials will be different.  The same goes for when you’re coming here mainly to camp or hike.

Where to best stay (for accommodations)? The central city of Tórshavn is where you will find most of the accommodations and it’s a strategic place to base yourself in for all your adventures around the islands. (Of course it can get cheaper if you get places outside of  Torshavn, but for the best capital picks, they would be the following). Luxury: Hotel Foroyar / Mid-Range: Hotel Hafnia or AirBnB / Budget: Kristjanshavn or AirBnB

How can I go around the islands? By car. Driving your own car is highly recommended (to make the most of your time!) and you can arrange a rental online before your arrival on the islands. Rest assured, you can rent a car (from small cars to SUVs) on-the-spot when you land at the airport since there are stalls there by Sixt, AVIS, HERTZ, and Unicar. Once you start driving around the Faroe Islands, be mindful of the driving conditions and rules because for instance, there are one-way tunnels in the islands and you have to make way for incoming vehicles (you can find all the details in here).

By bus. The main inter-town bus that they have is called Bygdaleiðir (they’re easy to spot since they’re big and in the color of dark blue). To see the complete timetable of the buses, go here. It helps to note, however, that public transportation is expensive in the Faroe Islands, so it’s best to buy a travel (multiple-ride) card beforehand with Strandfaraskip Landsins (the mother company of Bygdaleiðir) at the airport or at the main bus terminal in Torshavn. This travel card already covers busses and ferries around the islands (except to Mykines Island) and can cost 500 DKK ($70~ / Php 3,500~) for 4-days or 700 DKK ($100 / Php 4,900~) for 7 days.

By ferry or by helicopter. Since this place is made up of islands, some are not connected by roads so you’ll sometimes need to hop on a ferry. The schedules for this can be found on Strandfaraskip Landsins.  Now if a helicopter ride seemingly sounds expensive to you, don’t worry! Here in the islands, the service is subsidized by the government so it’s quite cheap and it is serviced by Atlantic Airways (see timetable here, and remember, booking in advance is mandatory). With these affordable helicopter rides, I say take advantage of it!

By bike. Some districts like the capital, Tórshavn, can be explored on city or sports bikes. You can rent these from Visit Tórshavn that is located in Steinatún in the city centre. The cost for a day can start at DKK 150~. To book, just send an e-mail to booking@torshavn.fo or call (+298) 302425.

What tour operators can I contact? In case you don’t like to DIY your trip and want to have someone take care of everything for you, I suggest that you book through local operators in order to help support the local economy. Some of them are as follows:

62°N Tours

GreenGate

MakeTravel

MICE

Should I get a visa to visit the Faroe Islands? Even if the Faroe Islands are connected to the Danish immigration policies, like I’ve already mentioned above, there are some differing factors to take note of. So…

If you come from a Nordic country: showing off your document of identification with photo is enough to enter the islands.

If you come from an EU (European Union) or Schengen country: if you’re an EU citizen, you may enter with just your ID card with photo. However, EU residents are not part of such scheme because you must be a citizen (so for instance, it follows that if you have a Danish residence permit, you still need a visa to the Faroes). If you have a Schengen visa or Danish visa, it is NOT applicable for entry to the Faroe Islands — you still need to apply for a separate visa that is specific to the islands (the requirements will be similar to obtaining a Danish visit visa).

If you are of any other nationality: naturally, you need to apply for a Faroe Islands visa (remember: NOT a Schengen visa) at the Danish embassy in your country of residence — unless your nationality is exempted from getting a Danish visa then you can enter the Faroe Islands.

Helpful Faroese phrases the official language of the faroe islands is faroese which is a Germanic language that descended from Old Norse. Since they are within the Kingdom of Denmark, the locals also speak Danish. Rest assured, most of the people can speak English (sometimes even German and Norwegian). All in all, it doesn’t hurt to learn a few of the local phrases.

Hello: Halló (hahloh) Thank you: Takk fyri (Takk fi-reh) or Takk (Takk) Yes: Ja (Ya) No: Nei (Ney) Goodbye: Farvæl (Far-vyel)

I’m sorry: Orsakið meg (Or-sha-kee mey) Excuse me (getting attention): Orsaka (Or-sha-ka) Excuse me (begging pardon): Umskylda (Um-shil-da) How much does that cost?: Hvat kostar tað? (Kvat kost-ar tay?) Is there someone here who speaks English?: Dugir nakar her eingilskt? (Du-cheer nak-ar her ain-gilsk?) Help!: Hjálp! (Yolp!) Cheers!: Skál! (Is-kol!)

Now, before I begin with the itinerary guide, if in case you’re more of a visual person, you can already watch my video below to get a ‘ brief peek’ into what the islands can offer.

» Day 1

» Day 2

» Day 3

» Day 4

» Day 5

Explore parts of Vágar and Streymoy Islands

After you land and pick up your rental car at the airport, I highly advise that you don’t go straight to Tórshavn yet (which is likely where your accommodation will be) because there are some nearby spots around the airport that are worth looking into!

You might be thinking, “I can visit those later!” — sure you can, but the thing is… they’re quite far and to save time, I think it’s best that you visit them ASAP while you’re in the vicinity. (Otherwise, you can visit them on your last day on your way to the airport, depending on your scheduled flight back.)

If you want to see one of nature’s mind-blowing ‘optical illusions‘, make sure that you drop by Lake Sørvágsvatn (also called as Leitisvatn). It is the largest lake in the Faroe Islands and it has been dubbed as the “lake over the ocean” — this is because if you go up a certain angle, it will appear as though the lake is floating directly above the ocean! The lake is just 40 meters above sea level with a magnificent waterfall at the end of it that’s called as Bøsdalafossur.

To get here, set your GPS and near the location or by the church in Miðvágur, you will find signs to “Trælanípa/Bøsdalafossur”. Follow these signs until you find a parking spot. You will then find a gate and you must start walking from here to the south towards the ocean by following the gravel path. The hike takes about an hour (one way) and in order to get to the spot that shows the iconic ‘illusion’, you must go to the southern tip (not on the southwest end of the lake). You will know if you’re in the right place when you see 3 small sticks sticking up or if you see a steep hill. (Doesn’t matter if you end up at the wrong vantage point because every angle is stunning here! But if you really want some more specific instructions, go to this page and scroll to page 36 to 37.)

• • •

This is yet another iconic landscape in the Faroe Islands which is just an 18-min ride away from Vagar Airport. As you will see from the photo above, the Mulafossur Waterfall is a grand sight! It is nestled within this small village of Gasadalur and there are 2 ways to see it: with minimal effort and with some effort. What do I mean by this? You can see this glorious spot by car as you do some short walking from the main road; or if you’re a dedicated hiker, you can do a hiking trail that the villagers used to take before the car tunnel was built.

TRIVIA: Gasadalur used to be one of the most isolated places in the islands. Residents had to hike through 700-meter mountains just to get in and out of the village! After the car tunnel was built, access to the town got a lot better, but to date, the residents here still number at only 18!

Since I didn’t have much time (and a bit tired from my flight), I opted to just drop by here with my car as I enjoyed the waterfall and do a bit of strolling in the village itself. If you want some more detailed tips for this place, like how to find the trail that leads to this vantage point and how to do the longer hiking trail itself, check out my guide found here: Gasadalur & its Mulafossur Waterfall

• • •

The central city of Tórshavn is where you will find most of the islands’ accommodations and it’s a strategic place to base yourself in for all your adventures around the islands. But of course it can get cheaper if you get places outside of  Torshavn, but for the best capital picks, they would be the following. Luxury: Hotel Foroyar / Mid-Range: Hotel Hafnia or AirBnB / Budget: Kristjanshavn or AirBnB

I stayed over at a guesthouse with a local though and unfortunately, it’s not really a place you can book — but I wish it was because the house was in the traditional style and it was so cozy with a great view of the sea and a river!

• • •

Like a natural amphitheatre, Saksun is a splendid remote hillside village that is known for its serene atmosphere. The place where it lies now used to be a deep inlet in the sea (fjord) and during low tide, you can walk along the lagoon’s sandy shore which is found at the foot of the village.

Whilst here, make sure you check out the village’s church and Dúvugarðar, a farm that houses 300 ewes — which also functions as a museum.

• • •

This is the largest waterfall in the Faroe Islands at a hight of 140 meters. Located near the village of Haldarsvík, this waterfall has two cascades that falls down to the sea. If I may share a tip, it’s best to come here after some heavy rainfall because that’s when it becomes even more spectacular!

TRIVIA: Fossá in Faroese means “river with waterfalls”

• • •

As the night falls, you can choose from an array of restaurants that speckle the city of Tórshavn; but if I may suggest, go and dine at Barbara Fish House! It has a great menu that consists of Faroese seafood dishes; plus, the place itself is quite charming given that it is built into the rocks.

Kalsoy and Gjógv

Rev up your car,  wear good shoes, pack up some food and sail to the nearby island of Kalsoy! You can spend a whole day here to explore its various sights. If you still have time by the end of the day, you can drop by the charming village of Gjógv.

Kalsoy is like a flute-shaped island due to its thin shape. You can reach it by ferry along with your car by driving from Tórshavn to the port of Klaksvík (this is a 1-hour drive). It’s best to catch the first or earliest ferry to Kalsoy’s Syðradalur port so that you’ll have enough time to explore the island. To check the timetables, see this page (take note of the departure times as well so you can time when you will have to drive back to port). Take note: it’s not possible to book in advance so you have to pay on the spot (DKK 160 for one vehicle), and if you’re coming with your car, make sure you arrive there 15 minutes before departure.

Once on the island, there’s no need for maps because there is but just one highway with lots of tunnels — make sure that you watch out for sheep because they can come up anywhere and block the road, seemingly seeking for some sort of showdown.

First, I recommend that you go straight to the north to Trøllanes not only to see the surroundings of the village but to also hike up the mountains to see Kallur lighthouse because the view here is superb. I actually had a hard time finding the trail that leads to this place because there are no signs that lead me to it. Thankfully, my companion and I saw a tour group by the road who were headed to the lighthouse and they gladly invited us to join them.

Basically, somewhere on the road before the village, you will find a small red gate along the fence. This is closed but you can open it — most of the gates in the island are closed not for people, but for sheep. Once inside, you just have to climb up the hill toward the north direction until you see the white Kallur lighthouse. With this in mind: make sure to wear good and comfortable hiking shoes! Rest assured, the climb up isn’t that hard but it can get a bit steep.

On the way back, make sure that you stop by the village of Mikladalur to visit Kópakonan, or the “Seal Woman”, which embodies one of the popular folktales in the islands. Made of bronze and stainless steel, it stands above a rock near a waterfall with a great backdrop of the mountains and the sea. The legend that surrounds this is quite sad and dark though and you can read all about it here.

TIP: Pack your own lunch and snacks because I personally had a hard time looking for a restaurant in Kalsoy. There was a canteen in Mikladalur but it only served snacks.

• • •

Just an hour away from Tórshavn, this is the northernmost village in Eysturoy island. Nominated by the Nordic Council for the Nature & Environmental Award in 2014, this well-preserved town is nestled by mountains on all sides and filled with traditional houses that are made of timber and turf roofs. For those who are fond of hiking, there are also several trails for you to do here! What’s one thing that you absolutely must NOT miss? it would be the natural harbour that they have which is a picturesque gorge.

• • •

Once you’re back at the capital, have some more classical Faroese dishes — but this time around, try some fine dining at Aarstova!

All about mountains

The way I see it, the Faroe Islands is a hiker’s dream paradise! In fact, almost all of the best landscapes can be seen via hiking.

But for those who don’t have the stamina for such things (like me), don’t fret because there are hiking trails that are at an easy level. …Yet if you could push yourself — by all means, do so! I have personally done a difficult hike up the mountain of Villingardalsfjall, and I was so glad that I pushed myself to do it even if my legs were about to give way because the view that I saw up high was one of the most jaw-dropping landscapes that I’ve ever seen in my life!

» READ: Hiking Trails in the Faroe Islands

Anyhow, if you think you can’t really do any moderate to high level hikes, you can spend this day visiting the villages of Saksun or Gjógv if you haven’t managed to do so in the past days. You can even revisit the past spots I’ve mentioned if the weather became a lot more favorable for this day.

(Hiking difficulty: medium) Towering at 880 meters, Slættaratindur or “flat summit” is the highest mountain in the Faroe Islands so it’s an absolute must-see! According to Guinnes World Records, this is the world’s longest sight line because due to the light bending effects of the atmosphere, the largest glacier in Inceland called as Vatnajökull can be seen from here on a clear day (aside from the fact that you can have awesome views over the whole Faroese archipelago). For complete hiking instructions, go to this page and scroll to page 22 to 23.

• • •

This is the hike that I was talking about — as a non-hiker, this has been one of the most difficult hikes of my life but also one of the most rewarding (together with Norway’s Trolltunga)! The whole hike to the top takes 3 to 4 hours with a distance of 6 kilometers yet at a steep height of 841 meters. I can talk on and on about this place, but I think it’s best that you read my blog post below to read more about my experience as well as to see the other views you will witness from its summit:

Hiking Faroe Islands’ Stunning Mountain of Villingardalsfjall

• • •

Good news: this does NOT involve hiking. The top of this mountain plateau near Hotel Føroyar can be reached by car and reaching its amazing viewpoint will only take you a 30-meter walk.

A Mykines kind of day

Mykines island is a favorite in the Faroe Islands! You need a whole day for this mostly because the transportation to the island usually only happens in the morning, and the ride back in the afternoon. Regrettably, when I visited here, the weather wasn’t good. In fact, once we arrived at the island, we were stranded in a small cafe together with other tourists as we waited for the heavy rain and strong winds to pass.

It still ended up as a great day though because we met a lot of interesting individuals — one of which was a well-known harp player from Ireland who was on tour at that time and who gladly played songs for everyone. Still and the same, before leaving the island, my companion and I braved the rain so that we could at least glimpse at the cute puffins that live on the cliffs!

Anyhow, it’s my wish that you get a good day so that you can see the great sight below.

There are 2 ways to reach Mykines: by boat or by helicopter. Remember how I said that helicopters are subsidized by the government of the Faroe Islands? With that in mind, I highly suggest that you take a one-way helicopter trip to this island by booking in advance! I say one way because Atlantic Airways’ helicopters mainly service a round trip route to Mykines in the mornings only from Vagar Airport. To see the complete timetable, see this page. For the boat or ferry, timetable can be found here.

Once on the island, you can hike from the old turf-roofed-filled village to the lighthouse which is at the western end of the islet of Mykineshólmur. If it’s summer time, make sure to visit some clifftops to see an endless sea of cute puffins nestled in the burrows. After all, this is called as the “paradise of birds” so take advantage of this fact and do some birdwatching while you’re there!

As you wait for your ferry back to Torshavn, take your time exploring the small village. One important thing to take note of though is that if you take a helicopter to the island from Vagar Airport, the ferry will land somewhere else and it’s at the port of Sørvágur — so if you parked your car at the airport, you have to do a 20-minute walk back, or you can take the 300 bus. (Details here).

TIP: Much like Kalsoy, it’s advisable to pack your own lunch and snacks. There’s a small cafe in the middle of the village but it mostly serves light food.

NOTE: Just recently, a new policy has been set that tourists have to pay DKK 100 to travel to the Mykineshólmur lighthouse for maintenance of the birdlife and nature on the island. This fee includes a certified guide to ensure that everyone sticks to the path and not disturb any of the local fauna. For more information, you can contact the Visit Mykines office.

• • •

Assuming that it’s summer, by the time that you come back to the main island, it will still be light outside so if you could, make a stopover at Kirkjubøur. One notable attraction that you must see here is the huge black building at the center of the village that is called Kirkjubøargarður. It’s arguably the oldest inhabited wooden house in the world with over 17 generations of the same family that’s living there (there are sections that are turned into a museum). It even once housed the episcopal residence and seminary of the Diocese of the Faroe Islands.

You could also visit the old churches that they have such as Magnus Cathedral and Saint Olav. And if you go by the shore, you will see two old stone houses.

Before capping the night, while you’re already in the area…

• • •

I highly recommend this restaurant since I have dined here myself! What’s special about KOKS? Well, it has been awarded as the best restaurant in the Nordic countries in 2015 by the Nordic Prize; plus, it is also the first and the only Michelin star restaurant in the islands. The restaurant which only uses local ingredients is housed in a private house that has been turned into a guest room, and it has an open kitchen where you can watch the chef and his assistants cook (but there is a bigger kitchen in the back).

Dining here is obviously not cheap, but if you have the money to spare, I urge you to give it a try. I’ve dined all over the world and this is one of the best places I’ve ate in. Besides, they surely know how to do pairings!

Basically, dinner here is a tasting menu and you can choose to pick your own drinks or choose their wine pairing or juice pairing set — YES! You read that right, juice pairing! This might sound boring to you but their juice pairings were simply phenomenal. I never though that fresh juices can be mixed in such ways that would perfectly complement a dish. Aaaah… simply put: I hope you get to try it to experience a truly gastronomical feast!

Explore the rest of Tórshavn

We’re now on the last day and I think it’s time to fully explore and enjoy the main capital of Tórshavn. Let yourself get lost in the city’s small streets; if not, you can take your pick from the array of activities below…

Tinganes is an area where you can see a beautiful clutter of red wooden houses. These are one of the oldest parliamentary meeting places in the world that once functioned as a meeting place for Vikings. Today, it houses the office of the prime minister. You will rather find the Faroese parliament — the Løgting (‘Law assembly’) — a few streets down. What’s great about this area too is that there are enough signs and plaques to explain the history of the place.

• • •

Go over to the waterfront and you will this store that’s housed in an old factory building. They sell products made in the islands itself such as traditional clothes, wool sweaters, postcards, posters, and other design products. For sure, it’s worth looking into!

• • •

You can experience a magnificent horseriding experience in and around Tórshavn and you can do it with the tour provider, Berg Hestar, who uses Icelandic horses. The experiences vary in difficulty and price range but take note that it’s only allowed for 7 years and older. To protect the horses, there’s also a weight limit of 95 kilos. To book your spot(s), check by their website here.

• • •

This experience will grant you a unique perspective to the Faroe Islands as you sail by the most remote and breathtaking sights that the islands have to offer — one of which is to circle around the nearby island of Hestur. RIB62 tailors tours upon request every day of the weak so feel free to contact them for inquiries. (Departure for this boat tour is from Gamlarætt which is 15 minute away from Tórshavn).

Wondering where to dine in the Faroe Islands or the local dishes that you must absolutely try?

Check out this blog post to find out: Top Faroe Islands Restaurants . .

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Booking Essentials

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Overall

It’s clear to see that the Faroe Islands has an untouched beauty that’s worthy to be seen and explored! I guarantee you that it is the kind of place that will fit your fancy, NO matter the kind of traveler that you may be.

Besides, it’s a destination that a lot of travelers have NOT heard of yet, so why not be one of the “forerunners” (like me) who will sing its praises? Through that way, the Faroe Islands could soon be known by more people, thereby paving the way for its popularity — which they so rightly deserve!

How about you?

What do you think of the Faroe Islands?

Would you like to visit? Why or why not?

Or have you visited here before? How was it?

Did you like this article? Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube and be notified about my newest posts and updates!

The post DIY Trip Faroe Islands Itinerary: 5 Days (More or Less) appeared first on I am Aileen.

[phagechildon]

The Greater Good - Chapter 1

Read on AO3

Author’s Notes: Ever since I rewatched all of Xena: Warrior Princess, I’ve been desperately wanting to write a Hijack au to it - and here it finally is! I’ve been working on this since last year, maybe around November? Maybe a little earlier? I wanted to wait to upload it until I had a good amount prewritten. I have fifty pages now, though it’s still at the beginning x.x So I figured I should start uploading it and just keep writing whenever I have time despite having a full time and part time job now. This isn’t strictly a Xena AU, it has elements of many different things, but it’s the main theme~  Also this universe takes place between the movies and books. Since I love them both and couldn’t pick one universe, I decided to go inbetween~

Summary: Jack, unable to handle the dark life he’s living, is now trying to redeem himself by using his skills and demigod powers to protect the innocent. Though he gets more than he bargained for when he meets Hiccup, who unknowingly holds the very fate of the world in his hands. 

Words: 9,788

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

Smoke billowed from the charred, decaying boards of wood that scattered across the battle-scarred village as a lone rider wearing a white turban strode slowly through the village. Silence rang in his pale, pointy ears as his conscious reminded him of everything that happened here; the screams of terror as heavy black smoke suffocated the homes and streets, the pleading of simple farmers to spare their families, the cries of sorrow as loved ones took their last breath...

Yes, this place was a ghost town that still haunted the rider who clenched his fists around the reins of the horse he rode on, silently pleading his steed to go faster. He didn’t want to linger – he didn’t want to lose himself to insanity.

There was still too much to do to give in now.

The sound of footsteps made him pull the reigns back, halting the horse in an instant. The hair on the back of his neck stood up and he quickly unsheathed his sword and pointed- only for his deep blue eyes to settle upon a small boy covered in ash and grime. He looked thin and sick, obviously one of the only survivors of the village.

“S-sir… d-do you have any food to spare?” The raspy voice of the child spoke before he hacked violently. He needed water too.

“We all wish we had food to spare,” he said, seeing the child’s face sink in sadness. “Luckily I have some.” Rummaging in one of the side compartments on the horse’s saddle, he pulled out food wrapped in fabric and tossed it to the starving boy. He caught it with ease as his eyes lit up, and when the man tossed a large canteen of water by his feet, he practically cried.

“Thank you sir - Thank you!!”

With a small smirk, the rider rode off, waiting until he was far enough from the child before he let his face fall. That child lost his family because of him. He’d still be living in a cozy warm house filled with food and water alongside his family if he hadn’t been born. But he’d come to accept this long ago. He was, after all, the son of the Norse god Loki. Trouble, tricks and lies loomed over every step and every breath he took. And yet his own father hadn’t had the guts or nerve to talk to him.

Maybe even the great Loki was disappointed in him, and honestly he was okay with that. He hated his birth father, and he hated his human parents.

A numb coldness started to seep out from his body, his horse starting to neigh in protest.

No – no he couldn’t think about that. He needed to focus on his objective. He needed to help as many people as he could all around the world. Though he wasn’t even sure if his new destination even existed. He heard about it when he was working with The Nightmares.

Rumors spoke of a prospering village at the top of the north mountain called Berk that was inhabited by large Vikings that were /one/ with dragons. They say armies would scale up the mountain only to be thrown off the cliff by the most feared dragons in the Archipelago – Monstrous Nightmares, Deadly Nadders, Hideous Zipplebacks, and even small dragons that are normally pests but were vicious like vipers. Yet with travelers like the famous trading man, Johann, they were welcoming and friendly.

Surely such a place didn’t need someone like him – someone who wanted to help in any and every way he could, even if it was just bringing joy and fun to children. But part of him wanted to go up there, if not for them then for himself. Ever since he was a child, he dreamed of seeing this place and its beauty even if he wasn’t too fond of dragons himself.

Fire and ice doesn’t mix well.

Making it to the base of the mountain, he dismounted from his horse and gently pet its neck. “It’s too dangerous for you to come with. Wait for me here, okay?” He smiled as he gently pecked a kiss to its forehead. The horse gently nudged him, trying to insist on coming, but he merely shook his head. “I’ll be fine. I’m Jack Frost, after all.” He cracked a bright and brilliant smile that only made the horse worry more. “See you in a few days Baby Tooth.” Taking the saddle off, he hid it in some bushes before starting his trek up the steep mountain.

The further he ascended, the colder the air became as the wind became fierce. It would’ve bothered a normal human, but Jack of course, was a demigod – an ice demigod. Cold weather never bothered him.

However, weariness and exhaustion did. As the sun started to set, his boot-clad feet dragged in the slushy mud as he fought to keep his drooping eyes open. He bit his pale lips and started to gently sway his hips back and forth, humming a soft tune to keep himself occupied. With the wind in his face, it worked - for a few more hours. When he could hardly keep his eyes open at all, he kept going until he made it to a rather wide area on the road. Letting out a deep sigh of relief, he pressed his back against the snowy cliffside, sinking to his bottom.

He was kind of disappointed. So far he hadn’t seen or heard any dragons. Even now as he strained his hearing, he didn’t hear anything but the wind. Maybe he wasn’t high enough yet; this was the largest mountain in the valley after all.

With that small hope in mind, he let himself fall into a deep slumber where his past gripped him by the throat, desperately trying to strangle the life out of him. It was true what they said, no matter what you do, you never truly left The Nightmares…

When the sun peaked over the horizon, it blinded him, even in his sleep. He was still so tired but he didn’t want to waste valuable sunlight.

Forcing himself to stand, he shook the snow off that had settled on him overnight and continued the hike, the wind and cold being harsher than yesterday. If there were dragons on this mountain, how did they manage to fly in these winds when he could hardly stay stable? It only made him even more determined to make it to the top to find out.

It was rare for him to be this motivated. So he didn’t rest – he didn’t pause. He kept hiking until his feet went from hurting to numb, and his stomach hissed at him for food. Only when the sun was down again did he finally rest, eating a little bit of dry, crumbly bread before falling asleep.

He repeated the process for a few days, each time finding something new to keep him preoccupied. From kicking rocks to dancing, he’d find something to entertain himself until it was finally time to sleep. By day five he was starting to get exhausted, yet he was used to this kind of situation – having to walk endlessly for weeks straight with very little food or water. At least he had reached a point where the wind wasn’t as vicious and he wasn’t nearly stumbling off the ledge. It was almost as calm as the wind was on the surface world.

It was perfect weather for a fire, and despite loving the cold, his body still needed warmth.

Gathering twigs and wood from the trees growing on the side of the mountain, he started making the fire. It was so nerve-wracking, as it normally was as he scratched the two rocks together over the pieces of wood. He was so afraid of feeling those flames touch him. Fire was his biggest weakness, and one of his biggest fears. Wounds caused from fire always took forever to stop bleeding, let alone heal. In cases of intense heat, it felt like the fire was literally sucking the life out of him. The fire he was currently making wasn’t going to be all that high or intense, but it still made nervous beads of sweat slowly trail down the sides of his face. He just wanted the light and to feel a little bit of heat.

Striking the rocks together a few more times, he almost dropped one, his sweaty palms making him curse under his breath. Maybe he should just put up with the darkness of night and take comfort in the cold. Yet his fingers scrambled in the dirt and picked the rock back up, striking the stones a few more times until sparks suddenly flew. With an intense fear, Jack pulled his hands back just as the branches finally caught fire, making him laugh a little in excitement. That was the first time he made a fire without burning himself! It was such a small feat yet it meant so much to him.

With a shake of his head he slowly laid down on his side, watching the fire blankly as sleep slowly started to consumed him. However, he heard something with the wind – a soft flap, like a bird’s wings. Thinking it was part of his imagination, Jack curled his legs closer to himself, licking his lips. He heard it a few more times and opened his eyes a slit, not seeing anything.

Bats, he assumed as he closed his eyes again. They were harassing him all last night. With his luck he chose one of those areas to sleep in again.

Swoosh – a large gust of wind made his eyes snap open, seeing a large body with massive wings before his fire was snuffed out.

It was unmistakable though – that body type, that sound, those wings - this was a dragon about five times his size. It would’ve been fascinating if only he knew if it was a friend or foe. Heck it probably saw him as dinner!

“Are you okay?” Someone suddenly spoke, making him scramble to his feet. Dragons he could deal with. They didn’t have an agenda. Humans on the other hand, they could never be trusted. Even now as Jack searched the cliff, he couldn’t see anyone. Was this a trick? Was someone trying to ambush him and using this dragon as a distraction?

“Where are you; show your face!” He demanded, drawing his sword. Instantly the dragon went wild and made angry noises, to which made Jack take a few steps back.

“Do you want to be eaten?! Put your sword away!” The voice gasped in irritation, and as the clouds moved /just/ right, the moon’s light brightened up the area. On the back of the dragon sat a boy about his age gently moving his hands around the dragon’s head and neck, whispering what could only be soft reassurances to the beast. The sight was enough to make his jaw to drop and the sword to fall from his hand.

It was just like the stories!! This boy – man, however old he was – was riding on the back of this dragon! Something no one’s dared do! There were truth to the stories after all!!

Gods just the thought made him beam with excitement, but he held in his energy. If this man could ride this dragon, he probably had some control over it. In a moment’s notice, he could make Jack into human barbeque.

“Sorry, you startled me,” Jack admitted, making sure his hands were where the rider could see them. “I knew there were dragons here, but I didn’t expect the legends to be true.”

At this, the rider glowered as he sat up straight, the dragon growling. “And why are you looking for dragons? Are you here to scout the area for an invasion?”

Quickly Jack shook his head. “No, I’ve just heard stories since I was little about Berk, and I wanted to see it for myself. I have a fascination with adventures and journeys – stories if you will. I’m a traveling bard.” It wasn’t a complete lie. He did travel to cities to tell children stories and put on plays for them too. He just left out the part of being, what some called, a warrior of justice.

Skeptical, the boy rose a questioning eyebrow (or at least it looked like he did from this distance) as the dragon finally landed on the road. Luckily Jack had stumbled upon a larger nook than usual tonight, leaving plenty of room for this encounter. “And how do I know you aren’t lying?” The freckled man asked as he slid off the back of the larger dragon.

Jack opened his mouth to speak but stopped when he noticed a small black dragon on his shoulder, seemingly sleeping. It only made him more excited knowing smaller dragons were here as well! He wondered if they were the ones knocking people off the mountain like the legend stated.

“I could’ve killed you by now, but I haven’t,” he honestly said, which only made the freckled man snigger.

“Oh really? You couldn’t even keep the sword in your hand.” He mocked as he put his hands on his hips, the larger riding dragon standing up tall next to him.

Right – that was an embarrassing first impression to leave, he blushed a bit as he looked down at his hands. He couldn’t tell this man he could’ve frozen them out of the sky. Nothing good ever came out of people knowing he was a demigod, let alone the son of Loki.

“I have my ways,” he decided to say threateningly as he crossed his arms. “So… you’re from Berk?”

“No, I’m from the other village on the mountain,” he said, his sarcasm oozing with each word. Jack couldn’t help but roll his eyes as he took a few steps forward, watching as the other tensed up. He hated seeing that.

“Look, I just want to experience your village. Are strangers not allowed?”

The stranger looked at his riding dragon as it made a few noises, nodding as if understanding the creature. Then the dragon on his shoulder opened its eyes, making noises as well.

“I’m not gonna just leave him!” He snapped to the smaller dragon who only seemed to have a few teeth. “Windwalker’s right,” he sighed as he looked at Jack again, letting his hands slide off his hips. “Sorry, we were attacked last week, I’m still a little on edge. I’ll walk with you the rest of the way. It’s only a few more turns.”

Jack raised a questioning eyebrow as he looked around. He wanted to walk, while it was still dark out? Wasn’t that dangerous? “Cool! Lead the way, oh great Dragon Whisperer~” he smirked as he bowed, trying not to freak out over the fact that this kid seemed to understand the dragons.

His ministrations must’ve caught the other off guard as he blinked a few times, not sure how to react. Jack gave himself a point on his imaginary scoreboard, determined to leave him thoughtless because the face he made was just too cute (he also loved messing with people – it was in his blood).

“Just make sure to keep up,” he mumbled as he started upwards, the large dragon leading the way. It kept sneezing though, Jack just noticed. Could a dragon even get a cold? Maybe it had allergies.

Shaking the thoughts from his head, he picked up the sword he abandoned, gathered his things and ran up after him. “The name’s Jack, by the way, Jack Frost.”

“Jack Frost?” He snorted, glancing back at Jack. “Sounds like a stage name.”

“Well I am a bard~” he playfully smirked, giving him a wink. “And if you don’t lead me to my death, maybe I’ll put a show on for you~”

At that the freckled one rose a confused eyebrow, still looking at him as he strode forward. “A bard tells stories, not plays.”

“Ah, well you see-“ he said as he quickly caught up with him, walking right at his side. “I have many skills~” At this, the Dragon Whisperer looked him up and down, studying his thin, yet tall body, the clothes he wore, and the bags he carried. His eyes lingered on a few parts, as if he was taking mental notes of some kind.

“I see. So you’re a swordsman, archer, good with a staff, bard, thespian, and don’t tell me, a great cook,” he spoke with his hands as he gave a dry laugh. It was obvious this new character didn’t take him very seriously, but who would? Humans had the tendency to lie, especially to impress people or for personal gain.

“Yes to all of those, exceeptttt that last one,” Jack admitted with a laugh. “At least it’s edible.”

“You have more skill than half of Berk,” the freckled one smiled, unconsciously petting the dragon on his shoulder. “I’ll spare you the horror stories.”

Jack sniggered at that, casually throwing his hands in his white robe pockets. “As much as I love stories, I’m grateful you gave me a pass. Though,” he looked over at the stranger with a hopeful smile. “I didn’t catch your name.”

The freckled man turned to him with a sly smirk of his own, a daring fire sparking in his eyes. “ ‘Cause I didn’t throw it~” He teased with a little raise of his shoulder.

Oh Jack was determined to win now. “That’s okay,” he smirked as he looked forward again. “I’m sure as soon as we get into town, I’ll hear your name.”

He expected another clever and witty comeback, he expected a sneer or embarrassed answer. But instead he was greeted with silence, and it worried him. Chancing a glance back, he saw the brunette looking sadly forward, a haunting look in his eyes.

“I doubt it,” he whispered, obviously noticing his gaze. Jack wanted to expand on this; he wanted to know why the mood suddenly shifted, but he decided against it. He just met this guy, he didn’t want to pressure or rub him the wrong way.

“Well, I hope I do at some point,” he merely said as the sun started to blind them, making it a bit more difficult to see. They were following the dragon though, so Jack had to put faith in the pair. “So… stop me if this is a sore subject, but why were you guys attacked, and by who?” Maybe there was a way the could help this village after all.

The tension in the Dragon Whisperer’s shoulders suddenly depleted as he deflated, the tense atmosphere slowly fading. “The Outcasts. They’re a band of people-“

“Who’ve done terrible things and were banned from their homes,” Jack growled, the other looking up at him in shock.

“You’ve heard of them?”

“Unfortunately,” Jack mumbled, remembering the time where The Nightmares teamed up with The Outcasts. They betrayed them in the end, and his boss never forgave them. “What do they want with you guys?”

“What they normally want, our dragons, knowledge, and treasures. Though their leader seemed more interested in learning how to control the dragons.” He mumbled. “If he learned how to…”

“He could assemble an army,” Jack finished as he clenched his fists. “How close did they get?”

“To the gates of Berk,” he said, which honestly wasn’t all that bad. In fact it was good – really good.

“Only to the gates?” Jack let out a laugh. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about, especially if you keep an eye out-“

“On the path, yeah we know. We won’t be caught off guard again, which is why I’m not too worried.” He smiled as he glanced back up at Jack. “You were the one that asked.”

“Hey, sorry just curious,” he mumbled, inwardly sighing in relief. There wasn’t much he could do then when the village was practically impenetrable. Unless these guys suddenly stopped making rounds and paying attention, Jack didn’t think it was much of an issue. After all, they could just have a dragon swing in and knock the invading army off the cliff.

Speaking of gates, as they rounded another corner, the gates to Berk came into full view, making Jack’s jaw drop. It wasn’t completely at the top of the mountain, but it worked out better that way because a giant waterfall was at the center of their world of beautiful greenery. Dragons of all sizes were flying around while the dragons on guard duty each stood on posts on the walls. There were two Monstrous Nightmares and two Deadly Nadders, all looking at them, studying them – evaluating them.

“Hey guys, he’s cool,” Hiccup said before speaking in another tongue. If Jack didn’t know any better, he could swear he was speaking to the dragons in their own language because the dragons all stood up tall and went back to their posts. Did these people really learn their language too? He did seem to understand them a bit earlier too. “Please don’t tell anyone you heard me talking like that, I’ll get in trouble,” he admitted as he approached the gate. Simultaneously the dragons all blew fire, giving the signal to open the gates.

“Why? Are you talking to dragons??” Jack asked his face full of excitement. His reaction made the other blush a bit as he bite his lip, obviously not sure how to respond. “Y-yeah… but it’s forbidden here, so…”

Forbidden?? Jack couldn’t help but blink, shocked. Why would such an amazing discovering be forbidden, especially in a village that were friends with dragons? Unless it was to prevent people from having more control over the dragons…  

“Fine, I won’t tell, on two conditions,” the demigod smirked. Those words made Hiccup pale over before sighing dramatically, putting a hand on his right hip regrettably. “You tell me your name~”

“Of course,” he mumbled, though despite his grumpy remark, there was a small smile. “It’s Hiccup, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III.”

It took everything Jack had not to laugh. Hiccup? Seriously? Why would someone name their kid Hiccup? Then again, he’s heard worse. “Well, Hiccup,” he put emphasis on the name, rubbing in his win which only made Hiccup roll his eyes. “The second condition is that you’ll show me around town~”

“Fineee,” he whined as the gates finally opened for them. “Now, be warned, we’ve lived up here for years without much contact with the outside world. Some of us aren’t the smartest, and some of us aren’t the most… sane.”

“It’d be boring if you guys were normal,” Jack admitted as he followed behind Hiccup, taking in all the scenes. There were so many people, sheep, dragons and – chickens? – running amuck. The little kids were chasing the smaller dragons, playing either hide and seek or tag while the grownups worked and shopped, dragons loyally following behind them. It was a sight he thought he’d never see, and now that it was in front of him, he wanted to engrave it in his mind. “You guys have a lot of shops,” he observed as they started to pass them by. He wanted to look at each and every one of them, but he’d do that after Hiccup showed him around. Despite being partnered with him, he didn’t want to waste Hiccup’s time.

“Yep, there’s a shop for everything, evennn a shop full of nothing,” he sighed, the disappointment obvious in his tone.

“Do people actually buy nothing?” Jack blinked, not believing it.

Hiccup nodded, though shame filled his features. “Some Berkians… aren’t the brightest.”

Not really sure how to respond, as he wasn’t even sure what to think, Jack just nodded and kept following him. After all the shops they had the store houses where weapons, food, water, and other materials were stored. They were two-story warehouses as well and they apparently had replicas on the other side of town in case anything happened to one of the buildings. Beyond that was the town hall, standing large and proud. The large, marble carved Vikings on each side of the door were a bit intimidating though, which was impressive considering he didn’t even know who they were.  

Behind that were the homes, each about the same size. Though it was easy to distinguish which house had how many kids because a floor was added to it. It was frightening – there was a house that had to be at least nine stories high. What was really amazing was that between the homes, there was room and space for dragons to sleep, eat and drink. The dragons were literally part of the family.

“-and here are the crops. We have a statue of each god and goddess surrounding them with hopes that they’ll watch over our crops.”

Jack’s eyes narrowed at that, glaring at the statues. That was one addition he hated. Everything else was beautiful, even the area where the dragons and people played around by the waterfall. But this? The fact that they had a statue of each god, even Loki  his supposed father, made his blood boil.

“The gods don’t do shit,” Jack couldn’t help but grumble, glowering up at his father’s statue. “I doubt they even know you have the statues here.”

Hiccup, noticing the change in Jack, turned to him, curious. Realizing his outburst, Jack tried to downplay it by coughing a bit awkwardly, looking the other way. “This was definitely worth the hike,” he admitted, clearing his throat. It wasn’t a lie, he was impressed with everything, except the statues. “So… what do you usually do around here-“

“Useless!” A snotty voice snapped, making Hiccup groan.

“One second,” Hiccup whispered as his riding dragon flew off, heading towards the waterfall. The little one on his shoulder though jumped up and floated by his side, glowering at the rather short and large man that approached them. Just like the other Vikings he saw around the village, he wore a metal Viking helmet with tusks sticking out on each side, covering the top of his short and spiky black hair that reached just past his ears. Blue piercing eyes filled with mischief looked Jack up and down, his posture and devious facial expression speaking volumes.

This was someone Jack wasn’t going to like.

“Giving the enemy a grand tour of Berk, are you~?” He smirked as he put his hands on his hips, to which Hiccup merely rolled his eyes.

“He’s just a traveler, Snotlout. I found him on my patrol last night.”

“And how are you sure he’s not a spy?!” He snapped, crossing his arms skeptically as he took a few steps closer to Jack, his look turning more sour by the minute. “I bet you’re playing right into Alvin’s hands!”

Hiccup rolled his eyes as he stood between them. “Oh yeah sure, send your spy up the cold and freezing mountain with no supplies and just a thin robe to keep warm – no, not even Alvin’s that stupid. This is just some idiot who didn’t think before he took the trip. Not everyone’s out to get us.”

“And not everyone’s who they say they are!” He snapped as he twirled around with a huff. “I’m telling your father about this, and he’ll take my side!” Putting two fingers to his mouth, he whistled. Just seconds later, a dragon – a Monstrous Nightmare – landed. “Let’s protect Berk from its embarrassment Hookfang,” he laughed, jumping on.

The small black dragon hovering next to Hiccup made a few noises, to which Hiccup merely shook his head. “No, let him go. Trying to stop him will only add fuel to the fire,” he sighed, turning to Jack. “We should head over to my place. Once my father gets an opinion, it’s… hard to change it.”

Oh Jack knew what that was like, so he nodded, following Hiccup back to the residential area. They didn’t have to go far to see a large man that resembled Odin himself walk towards them, two dragons flying at his sides.

“Hiccup, is what Snotlout said true?! Did you let a spy into the village?!” He snapped as the two hunting dragons surrounded them, unnerving Jack. Despite being interested in dragons, he still feared them, especially the fire types.

“No, Snotlout’s just being paranoid,” Hiccup quickly responded as he stood in front of Jack, his arms outstretched as the smaller dragon fluttered above Hiccup. “He’s a traveling bard whose dream is to travel the world and collect stories.”

“It’s true sir,” Jack suddenly spoke up, moving Hiccup out of the way, not wanting to look weak. Besides, he didn’t need to be protected. “I was actually hoping to tell stories to the children, if… that’s okay with you. Anyone can attend,” he glanced at Hiccup with a hopeful smile.

Stoick though put his hand on the hilt of his sword, his eyes studying the weapons slung on Jack’s back. “If you come in peace, why the weapons?”

At that, Jack could only let out a laugh. “Travel without a weapon? In this world? I don’t have a death wish,” he admitted as he pointed at his sword. “Just killed three thieves attacking an old farmer on the road towards Paradise Valley. They outnumbered and outclassed the old man, three to one with a savage glint in their eyes.” Stoick’s hard eyes softened and glittered with a warrior’s curiosity, which made Jack gleefully smirk. “I was making my way here on the back of my trusty steed when we saw the scene. The old man was begging the thieves to spare him, begging them to spare the only crops that grew for him and his family after the first harsh winter storm blew through. The leader of the three thieves, who stood in the middle of the other two men, looked at his comrades and said they’d spare him. But then a wicked smirk crawled like a black widow on his lips as he took out his sword and thrust it into the old man’s shoulder.”

“How despicable! How dishonorable!” Stoick gasped, his fingers tightening in anger on his own sword. But that’s how Jack knew he had his audience captivated as he drew his own sword, holding it high in the air with one hand to show he meant no harm.

“That’s what I thought too. So I took up my sword and charged in, my determination to save the old man blazing.” He moved his body with the story, demonstrating his moves and actions. “The three men, shocked to see me running their way, collected themselves as they readied for battle. But they made the tragic mistake of underestimating me. I stopped my horse midway and flipped off it, landing and swiping at their feet. My blade cut into the ankle of one of the thieves as the other two were smart enough to sidestep away, then one of them charged. I took my sword and swung it behind me, letting it rest in my armpit as I twirled around him, laughing as he rammed into his comrade, stabbing him with his own sword.”

“Idiot!” Stoick laughed.

“Right? Their leader was the same,” Jack smirked as he took his sword in both hands, slowly moving to the side, his eyesight and sword pointed in the direction where no one stood. “He stood, just like this, his eyes glowing with hatred and revenge. ‘Scum!’ He yelled as he took a stab at me, but I moved back, easily parring his swipe. When I fight, I use my senses to their fullest. So I was prepared when scurrying footsteps came barreling towards me. Without a second thought, I rolled off to the side, my sword safely tucked with me. The other thief had grasped a hold of reality, yet was blinded by revenge. Foolishly he came at me, sword swinging and used all his brute strength to thrust his sword forward. I, of course, predicted this move and easily moved out of the way, immediately thrusting my own sword forward. As the second one fell, the third yelped in anger and anguish. He charged as well, but I surprised him with my special attack,” he smirked. This is where his story became false, like always. “I grabbed this magic powder, a gift from the gods, from my pocket and tossed it forward, the sparkling dust lighting up in such a way he stopped dead still. I told him I was sorry I had to kill his friends, but I’d spare him as long as he tried turn his life around. ‘How am I supposed to do that?’ He asked, his voice breaking in anger and sorrow. He still hadn’t forgiven me for slaying his friends, but there was still a chance this man could do good with his life – I couldn’t give up on him. ‘For starters, you can take this man back to his people and work for him until he’s well enough. You owe him that much. Then maybe you can settle down, or work to protect others.”

“That’s stupid!” Stoick snapped, his fingers leaving his sword as he crossed his arms again. “He’s scum! He’s not going to change just because you spared him! He’ll just hunt you down for revenge!”

“But he didn’t,” Jack said as he put his own sword away. “I checked on him before coming back up here, and he found his calling. Now the village has a protector and blacksmith who knows his weapons. Everyone’s thankful he’s there – he’s saved the village from two raid attacks. He even found a wife.” As he finished, he chanced a glance to Hiccup whose eyes were sparkling. The sight made him blush a bit as he cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his head. He hadn’t expected Hiccup to look at him that way, with such admiration and respect. It made him uneasy.

“I’d say he’s telling the truth father,” Hiccup said, looking up at his father with a bright smile. “For an outsider, he tells great stories.”

Stoick, who blinked a few times because he hadn’t even noticed how engrossed he had become coughed, avoiding eye contact. “Well… I guess there’s no harm in performing, but no weapons.”

Instantly Jack beamed in happiness, relieved he would be able to perform. It was something he could cross off his bucket list. “When can I do it?”

“Tonight at the amphitheater,” Stoick said as he whistled, his two hunting dragons flying back to his sides. “Hiccup will show you the way.” He then turned to his son. “If he turns out to be a spy-”

“I know, I’m banished,” he mumbled as the small dragon flew back on his shoulder, those acidic green eyes glowering at Jack. He quickly turned away, avoiding the gaze, already feeling dizzy. One of the first rules when dealing with dragons is to never look them in the eyes. Doing so gives them complete control over you so they could either eat you, use you as a slave, or make you spill your secrets.

“Good, see you two later tonight,” his father said as he mounted one of the dragons and flew off, leaving the two of them alone.

“So,” the demigod started, seeing as Hiccup seemed to be composing himself. “Your father seems nice.”

Hiccup couldn’t help but snort as he turned to him. “He can be, when he’s in a good mood,” he admitted. “If you hadn’t started your story though…” He shook his head, unable to say the rest as he crossed his arms. “Normally he doesn’t listen to me, but your bard skills distracted him.”

Was that supposed to be a compliment? Jack was pretty sure that was a compliment, so he smiled, feeling victorious. “Well, I don’t mean to brag,” he smirked as he clasped his hands together to stretch them out in front of himself. “But I’m pretty awesome.”

Pain shot through his butt as what felt like teeth sunk into his skin, making Jack gasp and jump. Twirling around, he expected to see a large dragon trying to make a meal out of him, but instead saw the small black dragon shaking in laughter in mid air, no doubt laughing.

“Thanks Toothless,” Hiccup gave a smug smile as the dragon slowly flew back to him, laughing and giggling the whole way.

Despite the pain, Jack couldn’t help but give a small, playful smirk. “What was that forrr?” He whined, rubbing his bottom. For a dragon with very few teeth, that chomp hurt like hell.

“Someone was getting cocky, we had to put you in your place.” Jack couldn’t help but chuckle as Hiccup turned on his heels, making his way back to the heart of the village. Oh he’d get him back sooner or later! Hiccup was messing with a child of Loki!

“Was that story true, by the way?” Hiccup’s tone changed, no longer jocular and challenging. This one seemed more sincere; gentle even. It caught Jack off guard.

“Yeah, all my stories are real,” he admitted, looking down at the soil as they continued, trying not to remember the stories he tried putting behind him. “Even the ones I don’t want to remember.” Slowly Hiccup turned, pity written on his face. Jack hated that look, but he always asked for it with answers like that.

“Then… why do you tell them if they hurt you?”

That… was a good question. Why did he tell them? Wouldn’t it be better to just bury some and pretend they never happened?

“I guess… it’s a release,” his mind supplied. “I’ve been through a lot of battles and a lot of wars, I guess telling others is therapeutic.”

“I can respect that,” Hiccup said as they stopped at the edge of the shops. “You gave that thief a second chance. Not all warriors do that,” he bite his bottom lip as he looked up at Jack, a soft smile crossing his thin lips. “How did you know he’d change?”

Jack bite his bottom lip as he looked to the ground, not really sure how to respond. “After… everything I’ve seen, I couldn’t see a killer instinct in his eyes.”

Hiccup’s eyes widened as he tilted his head, amazed. “You can see that?” He blinked before shaking his head, noticing the way a haunting expression seemed to cloud Jack’s eyes. He didn’t have to explain if he didn’t want to, so he decided to change the subject. “What did the dust do? It was a little unclear.”

Jack felt his heart beat fast for a moment. He had hoped he wouldn’t ask, but of course he did. “Well that’s a secret,” he smiled before playfully nudging him. “If I told you, I’d have to kill you.”

A challenging smirk returned to Hiccup’s freckled face and eyes. “I’d like to see you try.”

Jack couldn’t help but snort, looking Hiccup up and down. He didn’t mean to judge, but Hiccup did /not/ strike him as the fighting type despite the missing left leg. Yes Jack noticed the small limp in his step, followed by the faint sound of metal. “No offense, but you don’t seem like the fighting type.”

Quickly Hiccup drew his sword, revealing a small yet elaborate blade. Just like a sword should be, it was an extension of his own arm and he held it with confidence as it was pointed at Jack.

Slowly Jack put his hands in the air. “That wasn’t a challenge, I promise,” he said. “I barely got permission to do my bard thing later, I’m not about to throw the opportunity away.”

“Like Useless could hit you anyway,” the familiar voice of Snotlout came from beside them, making them both turn. Before they could even protest, Snotlout pulled out his own sword and darted towards Hiccup. In an instant the Dragon Whisperer got ready to parry the attack, but there was a dangerous look in the bully’s eyes. A look Jack had seen too many times. Snotlout was looking for blood.

With ease, Jack drew his own sword and blocked Snotlout’s, though blinked in surprise. Parallel to his own sword was Hiccup’s, and his stance was almost flawless despite his shaking arms from the pressure the larger boy was forcing upon them. There was more to Hiccup than he thought. But he wasn’t going to let this fight progress. With the strength that came from a demigod, Jack pushed Snotlout back, knocking his sword to the ground. “We’re not looking for a fight, go home,” he hissed, putting his own sword away.

Snotlout, however, glowered up at them. If looks could kill, Jack would’ve been a dead man. “No one makes a fool out of me!” He snapped before turning to leave. For half a second, Jack could faintly hear the sound of metal cutting through air behind him.

Was he really trying to stab a man in the back? Was Snotlout really this pathetic?

Quickly his hand went for his bow and held it backwards, catching the sword through the strings before he yanked both to the side. Like he expected, the sword was dull, leaving his bow undamaged. “Didn’t your parents teach you manners?” He snapped as he kneed the new comer in the stomach so hard he doubled over. “Never stab a man in the back; it’s dishonorable,” he hissed, turning to Hiccup who went and grabbed the bow that lay next to the now unconscious man.

“We should hang outside the gates for a bit,” Hiccup whispered as they quickly headed in that direction. “He doesn’t take defeat well.” The dragon said something from his shoulder, which prompted Hiccup to sigh. “Yeah, he set fire to the crops during one of my shifts when I was on the other side of the island and blamed me for it all. And since he’s the star pupil in Gobber’s training, everyone believed him over me.” The dragon on his shoulder sunk its claws into Hiccup’s shoulder, making him gasp. “Yeah yeah, sorry, over me and Toothless, whatever.”

Normally Jack didn’t stand down to bullies, nor did he hide from them. But he didn’t want to lose grace with Stoick, and he didn’t want to get Hiccup banished. He’d stay out of trouble… for now.

“Lead the way~” he said, following Hiccup back outside the gates. The guardian dragons glanced over at them as they neared the gates before returning to their positions. Jack was surprised they let them out, but didn’t question it as Hiccup led him to the side of the mountain where there was shade from a tree above.

“I know it doesn’t have the best scenery, but we’re alone out here.” Jack couldn’t help but smile a bit at that. Hiccup liked solitude too? If everyone treated him like Snotlout did, he couldn’t blame him.

“Does everyone treat you like Snotlout?” He asked softly, almost hesitantly. He hated the idea of Hiccup being cast out.

“No,” he said as he pulled his legs close to his chest, Toothless flying up to the tree above to snack on insects. “I don’t like talking about it.”

“Sorry-“ Jack was quick to say, pulling his own legs to his chest. “With the way you handled that sword, I know you can take care of yourself, but…” slowly he looked to Hiccup, his deep blue eyes meeting those forest green ones. “You shouldn’t have to protect yourself from the people you live with,” he said, his voice darkening a bit.

“Well… we’re cousins, actually, Snotlout and I,” he said, biting his bottom lip as he looked to the ground. “And even though I’m supposed to be next in line to be the Chief of Berk, he wants my position.”

“So he’ll kill you to get it?” He asked, watching as Hiccup’s face cringed a bit in fear.

“No, I mean, he’s done some… questionable things, but I doubt he’d actually, you know, go through with it. Besides, I always make it out in the end, as strange as it sounds. It’s like… the gods want me to stay alive or something.”

Unintentionally Jack growled at the statement as he clenched his fists against his pants. It was a habit, he couldn’t control it. Even if he could he’d still curse the gods and tell others not to listen to them.

“Is there a story behind it?” Hiccup asked quietly, making Jack blink a bit in confusion.

“Behind what?”

“Why you hate the gods so much?”

Of course he’d ask that. He pushed into Hiccup’s life, now Hiccup was pushing into his. It was only fair.

“Let’s just say one of them ruined my life,” he said. “They led me down a dark path I couldn’t get out of. It’s why I’m trying to redeem myself. The least I can do is help as many people as I can, and to make people laugh.” He stopped after that, bitterly spitting off to the side. Hiccup, who only grew more curious, opened his mouth to speak when an arrow whizzed past his face, barely missing him, and stuck into the wall between them.

Quickly they both sprung to their feet, Jack taking his sword out. The dragon guardians all got up and growled, howling the signal.

They were under attack, and with Jack’s horrible luck, they were outside the gates as an army started to pour onto the main road.

“Toothless!” Hiccup cried as the little dragon fell out of the tree and onto his shoulder, hissing at the amassing army. “Think we can make it to the gates?” He asked, seeing his people and dragons flying upwards.

“It’s too risky, we’d be hit with an arrow as soon as we started to run.”

“Right-“ Hiccup said, feeling like an idiot before he let out a strange, gargled sound, earning a look from Jack. “It’s a Monstrous Nightmare call. They all have saddles so we’ll be fine.”

Monstrous Nightmare – oh gods Jack felt his face pale. There was no way he was getting on the back of one of those. If it decided to light itself on fire, he wouldn’t stand a chance. He’d get a heat stroke and fall unconscious in a matter of seconds.

“Why a monstrous nightmare? I mean, wouldn’t a deadly nadder or something similar be better??”

“If the dragon’s mature enough, the nightmare’s flames can melt the weaker arrows before they even get close. And if we get surrounded, people will scatter at the sight of fire.”

‘Yeah, so will I,’ Jack wanted to say, but kept his mouth shut. They’d figure it out. Even if he had to make Hiccup leave by himself, then so be it.

“Get them! Bring Hiccup to Alvin!!” One of the front leaders commanded. A few men made a mad dash for them, Jack shoving Hiccup behind him as he raised his sword at the ready.

“Hey!” Hiccup cried. “I can FIGHT!” He growled, trying to push himself forward as the first man came over, swinging his sword. Easily Jack disarmed him, stabbing him in the chest without mercy.

“I know you can, but have you killed before?” The silence that followed was all he needed to hear before he rushed the next two guys, moving away from one of their blades and kneeing him hard in the groin. He then slammed his sword down on another man’s hand before using the hilt to slam the sword on his head; both fell to the ground instantly.

“Once you kill, everything changes,” he said as he plunged his sword into yet another warrior, watching the light leave the man’s eyes sadly. “You’ll never sleep peacefully again.”

Hearing that made Hiccup gulp. It was the truth. He couldn’t even bring himself to kill a dragon, instead he befriended nearly the entire species. But out here, right now, he couldn’t befriend all these soldiers. It was literally a kill or be killed situation. If it really came to it, would he really be okay sinking metal into another’s flesh? Would he really be okay watching as the blood trickled down the polished silver while the light left someone’s eyes?

No… he couldn’t do it…

With a distressed sigh, he sheathed his sword, grabbing Jack’s bow out of his pack. “Fine, I’ll just beat them with this.” The demigod would’ve protested, but he was just glad he was listening to him. Most people didn’t, then regretted it later.

“Ready? Here comes five, I won’t be able to stall all of them!”

“I’m ready!” Hiccup said as Toothless flew around them, the dragon looking determined.

When they came, Jack was able to distract three of them with ease, immediately disarming one. The other two both charged. When they were inches away Jack dropped to the ground and grabbed their ankles, forcing them to fall on their faces. The sound of flesh being shifted by metal reassured him that one of them fell on their own sword. The other was hovering above him, lifting his sword to plunge into Jack.

With a deep breath, he rolled back slightly and kicked the man in the stomach, his hands going weak and dropping the sword. The man on his right regained his sense as he gripped his ankle free from his hand and stumbled to his feet. Fearing he’d go after Hiccup, Jack rolled forward, managing to get to his feet and jumped into a fighting stance, only to gasp. The man was running towards him with his sword, but behind him two men had Hiccup by the wrists, trying to drag him away. Hiccup, of course, was flailing and fighting against him as much as he could with Toothless trailing behind him, being hunted down by a third guy with a sword.

“Hiccup!!” He cried as he parred the guy’s sword, but unlike the others, he didn’t lose his grip on his weapon. Instead he kept fighting, proving to be formidable. He tried all his tricks, all his skills, but no matter what, he couldn’t get this man off him. The other men who were dragging Hiccup were nearly in their safe zone. Even with dragons firing down on them and Toothless desperately biting at their noses and wrists, the dragon was too scared to blow fire, fearing he’d hurt Hiccup. Yet his efforts didn’t seem to be working. One of them, furious, punched Toothless, and with a shriek, the dragon slammed into the ground.

“TOOTHLESS!!” Hiccup cried as he managed to kick one of them in the knee, freeing himself for a few brief seconds before a soldier slammed the hilt of his sword against the side of his head. With a pained gasp his eyes went wide, his body crumbling in their hands.

He had no choice – there was only one thing left to do even though he hated it.

He’d lose the friendship he had with Hiccup – he’d lose Stoick’s respect. But honestly… did he expect a different outcome? He could never be happy….

Bringing his sword close to his face, the air around them grew colder and colder, the wind more violent. The man attacking him looked around, watching the sky darken in fear.

“I’ll give you one chance. Fall back, or face my wrath.” Icicles slowly started forming along his sword, his eye’s reflection fogging over in the blade. The man faltered for a moment, unsure of what he should do. But just like all of them, he continued to come forward, making Jack sigh.

“Let this be a lesson to all of you!” He snapped, swiping his sword as wind pushed the icicles off the metal and into the attacking man, killing him instantly. A few horrified gasps came from the army, even the people dragging Hiccup stopped – only for a moment though. Foolishly, they continued to drag him forward.

“You think this is a trick?!” He snapped as he brought his empty hand to his lips. Softly, he blew against it, unleashing a line of snow that billowed from him and intercepted the people taking Hiccup, making them run right into a snowy wall. Despite being injured, Hiccup used the opportunity to grab one of their swords and slammed the hilt in the back of their necks, knocking them both out. When one of the men hopped the mount and dashed towards Hiccup, who was gathering Toothless in his arms, Jack was suddenly there, his hair now as white as snow and his eyes mirroring the darkest depths of a frozen lake.

“Freeze,” he whispered as he touched him with – wait was that a shepherd's crook made of ice? Where did he get that?? – and instantly, he froze. The dragons and Berkians above were speechless, not really sure what to do while the rest of the army stared on in shock. With a weightless jump, the wind helped Jack up and onto the snow wall he made, stuffing his free hand into one of his pockets while he held the shepherds crook in his other hand. “Leave Berk and never return, or face the wrath of the great Jack Frost!” Wind and snow raged as he said this, laughing maniacally for effect as he watched the army retreat with their tails between their legs.

“You okay Hiccup?” He called, though didn’t look down at him, afraid to see fear, hatred and anger.

“Uhm… more or less,” Hiccup merely said as he pulled Toothless closely to himself, the dragon slowly coming to. “So… is this the magic powder-dust-whatever the gods gave you?”

Despite the situation, Jack couldn’t help the small snort as he turned to him, seeing Hiccup’s face only light up more in fascination than disgust. That… was a first. He wasn’t sure how to respond. This was the first time someone didn’t curse him.

“More or less,” he smirked as he jumped down, using the wind to let him glide down, some parts of his hair losing the frost and returning back to its natural deep brown color. “You’re… not afraid of me?” He mumbled, unable to hide the vulnerable tremble in his voice.  

“Should I be?” Hiccup rose an eyebrow as he leaned down and gathered some snow in his hands, forming a ball. “You seem to have it under control, and I sort of, maybe, think it’s kinda awesome.” He smiled, his excitement nearly uncontainable. The relief was enough to make him laugh, a true, genuine laugh as he reached forward, moving to take the snowball when a blast of unfathomable heat rushed towards him. With a painful gasp Jack scrambled back, already feeling himself weaken, nearly falling unconscious. He was extremely sensitive to heat, and for good reason.

“Wait- what are you doing?!” Hiccup cried as he scrambled in front of Jack, acting as a shield. “He saved us, he’s not part of Alvin’s army!!”

“But he’s a demigod, Hiccup,” Stoick boomed as his father’s hunting dragon approached, his face full of fear. “And not just any demigod, a son of Loki! We can’t trust him!”

Hiccup rolled his eyes, staying his ground. “Just because he has ice powers doesn’t mean he’s the son of Loki! He also controlled the wind – there’s lots of gods that have that ability!”

Those words made Jack’s eyes widen, shocked Hiccup would even bring that up. In all honesty, he wasn’t even sure if his father was Loki. He just assumed that because that’s what everyone else said. No one wanted to risk housing or harboring the child of a traitorous, lying, thieving god.

“He’s got a silver tongue, he had me so invested in that story earlier I literally saw it before my eyes!”

“Maybe because he’s a bard, and a damned good one at that?” Hiccup shook his head. “Even if he is the son of Loki doesn’t mean he’s bad! Fishleg’s father is Alvin, and look at him! He only has Berserk tendencies but he’s not evil!”

Stoick’s face scrunched up in pure fury, veins popping in his forehead. “HICCUP!  You will not question me in front of the tribe!” He snapped, his words far sharper than any sword as Hiccup’s eyes averted to the ground, body tensing. “Are you trying to embarrass me?!”

“No,” he whispered, slowly turning to Jack. “You’re embarrassing yourself, attacking someone who just saved us. We owe him our gratitude, not his execution.” Hesitantly, the dragon whisperer turned back to his father, clenching his fists at his sides. As much as he loved his father, he refused to put up with his stupid views, especially when they were wrong.

For a moment, Stoick hesitated. He looked to Jack, his face softening a bit, but then he looked back to Hiccup and scowled. “Get out of the way-“

“You don’t have to worry about me,” Jack suddenly spoke up, wind picking up. “I’m leaving.”

“What?!” Hiccup gasped, dropping his guard as he turned to him, watching as the wind picked up Jack’s pack he left back at the tree and brought it to the demigod. “No it’s not fair – it’s not customary! Just give me a few minutes-“ he stopped as Jack gently rest a hand on his shoulder.

“Thank you for showing me your village, but even if I was allowed back in, I couldn’t bear to see the fear on their faces.”

“But they shouldn’t…” he whispered, seeing the sad yet peaceful look in his deep blue eyes. It was the look of someone who had given up a long time ago, but found a way to make peace with it. No one should harbor that gaze.

“It’s fine, I’m needed elsewhere, I’ve been selfish long enough.” Gently he patted Hiccup on the shoulder, a sign of pure gratitude as he threw the pack on his back. “The ice wall should keep them out for a bit. Even if they wanted to attack they’d have to climb over it, but they won’t be able to make it to the top before the dragons surrounded them.”

“Jack-“

“You’ve been the best company I’ve had in a long time,” Jack whispered down to Hiccup, not daring to meet my eyes. It was hard to say goodbye. “Thank you.”

Before Hiccup could even muster up another argument, Jack jumped, a gust of wind forcing him to shield his eyes. “Wait – let me get you provisions-“ By the time the wind calmed down enough for him to lower his arms, the demigod was gone, leaving soft snow glittering from the sky.

------

I hope you guys like it so far! I have thirty more pages written up, so enough for another chapter >////<  After I polish it up I’ll upload as soon as I can~! Thank you so much for being my beta reader Tashi~ 

[alotoftrips]

Hot spots for those who want to run away from the winter

A few hot destinations for those who want to flee the winter. Tenerife, Canary Archipelago | The highest average temperature in March: 23 ° C.   Home freezes the waters and you are in Tenerife at the beach, on this island where nature keeps the footsteps of endless lava waves, now covering them with beautiful laurel forests, and Teide National Park is where to rinse your eyes with all that while you wear your boots. Take in turn how many of the cities and mountain villages here (Vilaflor, Teno Alto, Arico Nuevo the Etetera), admire them from the 18th century, taste all of the dishes and, if possible, sit at talk to the people there. Krabi, Thailand | The highest average temperature in March: 34 ° C    If you're only half a day on the plane and if you're still not paying a bargain on it, do the madness right and enjoy the Krabi for at least two weeks. So, after you arrived at the airport and wiped your shoes out of the last snowstorms at home, say to yourself "Let me be, here I can go to exactly 154 islands if I have chef ". You will also be surprised at how cheap the meridians can be here. And if it's not enough, take a walk along the beach, take a massage for about an hour at the price of 5 euros and maybe at the end of the vacation when you pull the line, you realize, maybe not that you went out on the plus , but you certainly do not feel that bad.

2018 Winter Olympics: North Korean athletes will be tackled if they ...

North Korean Olympians have a 24/7 surveillance team who will tackle them if they try to run away. Alan Dawson. Feb. 10, 2018, 5:41 AM. Athletes parade under ...

Crete, Greece The highest average temperature in March: 18 ° C   Too many reproaches you can not bring to Greece when it comes to holiday and vacation holidays - abounds in islands, beaches, nature, culture and all the cutlery. We have tilted the balance in favor of the largest island - Crete - for March. Unlike other Greek cities that are accustomed to winter holidays, Heraklion (the largest on the island) has no thoughts of laziness. Once the temptation of the existed with the seafront hours, you have time to study the history of the place, take Archeology Museum, Knossos Palace, Saint Mina Cathedral and Venetian walls and visit Rethimno, about 70 and a few miles from Heraklion. Dubai, United Arab Emirates | The highest average temperature in March: 30 ° C    Before you do any business in Dubai, show off to the Sheikh Mohammed Center in Bur Dubai and find out all you need to know about local culture. Why? Imagine just how different it is from what you do and that, perhaps so far, the greatest amount of information about the subject you have in the movie Clone. Then overwhelm the overwhelming malls and make your way to one of the local markets. When you start hunger, tell yourself that you have only two choices: break a salary at one of the luxury restaurants, or choose bakery and confectionery at the corner of the street, also loaded with food that you do not have at home anyway. Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam | The highest average temperature in March: 34 ° C   How could you get to the largest city in Vietnam without wanting to know everything about the tumultuous history when the "Vietnam War" seems an expression we still hear from the cradle. Ho Chi Minh is famous for many things, and markets (loaded with about 3,000 stalls), negotiation culture, and motorcycles will jump in your eyes. It is estimated that, within the city limits, there will be 8.4 million souls living together with the 7.4 million motorcycles that belong to them. Algarve, Portugal | The highest average temperature in March: 28 ° C   Close your eyes and mix the delicious Mediterranean delicacies of fish and seafood with bacalaureus. Imaginary. Then think that it can not be too difficult for the appetite to grow itself in the salty air, soaked by the scent of roasting sea life. And when you look at the plate with the translucency of the Portuguese wine glass, you want to extend your free days in the Algarve.

Winter Olympics medal count 2018: Norway running away with ...

Feb 18, 2018 ... With one week to go in the 2018 Winter Olympics, Norway has established itself as the top medal leader. As of Sunday evening, the Norwegians have 26 medals total, well ahead of Germany's 18, Canada's 16, and the Netherlands' 13. Norway added to its medal total after several strong performances on ...

Winter Holidays expensive during the holidays can be bought at substantially reduced prices if you choose the right time and the types of packages that now the demand is not so high. A specialist from a travel agency explained, "truth", which offers the best in this period.

Winter holidays 'growing in popularity'

Winter holidays continue to be a major focus for Britons as the cold spell of January weather continues. Well over three quarters (83%) of those surveyed say they have either already booked a holiday or are planning to book one. Last month was the ...

The first thing that you should consider if you want a cheap winter holiday period that a planned period must exclude dates range with many applications. "If we have to exclude low-cost holiday periods for children between 6 and 14 February, plus the weekend of Valentine's Day, 12 to 14 February. When applications are more numerous, less availability and automatically prices rise. Towards the end of January and the end of February the number of places available is much greater and prices are lower, "explains Gabriela Astănoaiei, consultant at a travel agency in Sibiu. City breaks at half price Offers very good in these ranges calendar found at city-break destinations. You get to see such European capitals at prices that reach even half those charged in December. "Airfares are reasonably priced and accommodation prices in big cities are lower by 20-30%. Within the ranges specified, flights may even reach half the cost of a very sought "says the specialist.

Discounted wellness packages Offers very good the winter in periods after the holidays, wellness packages and spa resorts. "Packages are specially made for those periods in which there is high demand. Discounts start at 20 percent, are for example those type decade offers spa, 10 days accommodation, meals and treatment. Many hotels in the resorts have deals like stay for 7 nights and pay for 5, and are also very good deals and packages the weekend of 10-20 per cent reduction, "explains the specialist. Where to find the best deals on ski holidays The period after the holidays is ideal for those looking for ski holidays in abroad at affordable prices. Best discount packages are resorts in Austria, Bulgaria and Italy. For example, one package at a 4 star hotel with spa in Bulgaria, which during the holiday cost 800 euros family for a week, down at 600 euros, while in Austria, for the same condition, you pay 900 euros compared to 1,200 euros in December.

Discounts exotic vacations and cruises January and February are ideal for holidays in destinations such as Tenerife and Cyprus, where prices can reach even half the tourist season. In winter, here are 18-20 degrees and summer in Tenerife if a family pays 1,700 euros for one week at a 4 star hotel, air transportation and breakfast, now that package can be purchased with euros 900-1000 . In Cyprus, the price come down now from 1,400 euros to 800 euros, as a family for a week with breakfast and transport aircraft. Also now find discounts between 200 and 400 euros in the 2500-3000 package holidays to destinations such as the euro Dominican Republic, Cuba, Mexico and Thailand. Discounts cruises are about 30 percent during this period, from 600 to 400 euros per person.

[travelswithmyart]

When people ask me why I have moved back to Sweden, I realise there isn’t just one specific answer. In fact there are so many reasons why my family and I wanted to return to land of forests, lakes and endless summer nights.

My family and I moved from England to Sweden in 2011. After living in Stockholm for three years, we then decided to move to East Africa. I’m not entirely sure why we moved to Tanzania, I suppose it was because we wanted to give our children a taste of adventure and it was an amazing experience.

But the longer we were away, the more we realised how much we missed Europe. Although it was not England we missed, but Sweden. We missed the wild swimming, the work-life balance, the fact that everything works, the seasonal change, the vast open spaces where you can walk for miles and never see anyone, the safety and security, the fact that an entire culture is centred around children, the progressive political system and the fika. In short we missed everything, so a few months ago we moved back.

In no particular order, here are 10 reasons why we returned to Sweden.

10 reasons why we returned to Sweden

Wild Swimming

There is nothing as liberating as wild swimming. And in the summer months in Sweden you can do this pretty much anywhere there is water. The water is crystal-clear and often you will have a beach entirely to yourself. For the true Scandinavian experience, couple your wild swim with a trip to a bastu (sauna).

Frida, Leon and Lottie – Wild swimming in the lake at Domarudden near Åkersberga.

Lottie and Frida – Wild swimming in the lake at Domarudden near Åkersberga.

Leon – Wild swimming in the lake at Domarudden near Åkersberga.

2. Equality

Much as I love Britain, I am aware that it is still a society deeply divided by class.  So it is refreshing to know that in Sweden there is an unspoken rule amongst most Swedes called ‘Jantelagen’, which is the idea that you are not any better than anyone else. In addition to this Sweden is considered to be one of the countries with the greatest gender equality, topping several international gender rankings, together with its Nordic neighbours.

  3. Fika 

Fika is a big part of every Swede’s daily life. Fika means ‘to have a coffee’, but really it is much more than just that. Swedish people love their fika, it gives them the opportunity to meet and hang out with friends, get to know new people, check out potential partners or even network with business folks. By many Fika has been described as a social institution or even phenomena. And the cakes are amazing too, especially the kanelbullar – which even has it’s own national day!

Kanelbullar – Swedish cinnamon rolls

Leon with a fresh batch of Kanelbullar

Lottie and Frida making Kanelbullar

4. Work-life balance 

Sweden’s flexible approach to working hours is one reason it was ranked best in the world for work-life balance in a recent survey. Once out of the office Swedes place a huge focus on a relaxed and comfortable lifestyle. Stressing less, spending quality time with friends and family, and developing personal skills are important values here.

  5. The Right of Public Access – Allemansrätten 

‘Allemansrätten’ is the freedom to roam and is the general public’s right to access certain public area.  ‘Allemansrätten’ or ‘everyman’s right’, gives a person the right to access, walk, cycle, ride, ski, and camp on any land—with the exception of private gardens.

Picnics by the lake in Sweden

Hiking in forests in Sweden

6. Seasonal Change 

There is no other place that I have lived which has such a diverse seasonal change as Sweden. Throughout the year the weather alters so much, from endlessly warm summer evenings to bitterly cold snowy winter mornings. In summer the sun rises at 3 and sets at 10.30, with twilight and dusk blending into one. Autumn brings such rich colours, reds, oranges, yellows, and browns, it is as if everything has been kissed by the heavy northern sun. Then comes winter. The days suddenly become shorter, but because of the snow, everywhere is still bright and fresh. There is no more magical place than snowy Sweden at Christmas. And finally comes spring, when trees are heavy with pink and white blossom and the smell of lilac and honeysuckle fills the air and everyone seems out on their bicycles.

A double rainbow over the Saltsjön in Stockholm, Sweden

Autumn in Sweden

Long autumnal shadows in Sweden

Snowy bikes

Icicles on a very cold day in Sweden

Lilac from the garden on the table

Elderflowers in full bloom in the hedgerows

Summer along Åkers Canal in Åkersberga, Sweden

Wood Anemone carpeting woodland floors in Åkersberga, Sweden

Early morning light on a snowy day in Sweden

Yellow flowers and blue skies in Bohuslän, Sweden

Ali and family under the blossom trees in Kungsträdgården, in Stockholm, Sweden

Winter along Åkers Canal in Åkersberga, Sweden

  7. Paying Tax

This is something which many people will not understand why I am highlighting as a positive reason for being in Sweden. But, after living in countries that are riddled with corruption it is a blessing to live in a society where tax avoidance is an anathema. Although taxes in Sweden are considered higher than other places, you see the rewards in everything you do, and not just for you, but for everyone – healthcare, education, benefits, transport, public spaces, social infrastructure and more.

  8. Hygge

Ok so hygge is really a Danish or Norwegian concept but I believe the Swedes do it fairly well too. Hygge is a Danish and Norwegian word for a mood of coziness and comfortable conviviality with feelings of wellness and contentment. On a cold winter evening in Sweden, nothing could be more cozy than sitting snuggled up with your tofflor (Swedish slippers) on, reading a book, sipping a hot drink, while scented candles are flickering on your IKEA coffee table.

Hygge moment – book, slippers, cup of tea and chocolate

  9. Lagom 

Lagom is the Swedish expression for ‘in moderation’, ‘just right’ or ‘not too much and not too little’. In 2019 people are living their lives either to excess or embracing minimalism. The Swedish concept of ‘Lagom,’  is the space between minimalism and excess. Many Swedes believe the myth that the word lagom comes from the old times when most Swedes were farmers or Vikings, and drinking from the same horn or bowl. When they handed it around in circles, they tried to make sure that everyone gets their fair share, laget om, around the whole team.

  10. The perfect place to raise a family 

Sweden regularly tops the polls when it comes to the best country to live in if you’re raising children. Some of the many parent-friendly perks include long parental leave policies, free schooling – including university, affordable childcare, child-friendly public spaces and a system where the Government will pay 80 per cent of your wage when you are taking time off work to look after a sick child.

All aboard the Dalarna Horse for some Midsummer fun at Skansen in Stockholm

Family selfie in Kungsträdgården with ice-creams

Ali, Lottie, Leon and Frida with Lake Mälaren, Sweden

Wild swimming with my children in Lake Mälaren, Stockholm, Sweden

Mark with the children in Stockholm

Family cycle ride in Spånga, Sweden

Walking back home after sledging in Spånga, Stockholm

Trip to Stockholm’s archipelago

Hurrah for snow! Sweden in winter

        Ten reasons why I moved back to Sweden When people ask me why I have moved back to Sweden, I realise there isn't just one specific answer.

[connorrenwick]

Design Milk Travels to… Stockholm

There may be no city that best embodies the description “winter wonderland” as does Stockholm during the months spanning December through February, when snow dusts the city’s stately waterfront architecture like powdered sugar over cake, regularly layering its streets so thoroughly, it’s not uncommon to witness commuters skiing to work. During the warmer months the glacial-formed archipelago thaws into something glorious, awakening the dormant Scandinavian desire for the outdoors and the activity revolving the inviting landscape. But visiting the Swedish capital during its more frigid months invites a slower pace distilled to Stockholm’s most basic charms. Destinations per day in winter may be limited, but experiences are magnified and every moment feels indeed wondrous.

WHERE TO STAY

The winter weather outside may seem frightful, but the rooms within The Strand are indeed warm and delightful. Photo: Gregory Han

If only the walls of The Strand hotel could talk – a hotel that once played host to a global revolving door of the who’s who who arrived nightly to drink and be merry (reputedly Greta Garbo and Ingrid Bergman partied at the hotel’s bar with regularity). Originally designed by Ludwig Peterson in preparation for the 1912 Olympic Games, the 170 guest rooms, suites, lobby, restaurant, and bar have only recently been given a modern makeover by Swedish architectural studio Wingårdhs, now wearing a sedate Scandinavian palette of greys and warm woods punctuated into modernity with strategic ribbons of color.

Photo by Andre Pihl

Wingårdhs has done an exemplary job of balancing the historic charm of the original hotel with an aesthetic modernity without ever unnecessarily eclipsing the buildings bones, nor the eye-widening views afforded from the best rooms facing the historic Strandvägen and the ice-laden waters of Nybroviken.

Photo: Gregory Han

Photo by Andre Pihl

At night, this atrium glows with teardrops of LED lights. Photo by Andre Pihl

What I most enjoyed during my stay at The Strand was the tasteful continuity from public to private spaces guided by color and material from the ground floor up, with the occasional joyful surprise revealed from certain vantage points – like the sky-high atrium illuminated with bespoke teardrop LED fixtures that made jet-lagged 6am breakfasts seem more magical than dreadful.

Photo: Miss Clara Hotel

Miss Clara by Nobis is another Wingårdhs hotel, a spotlight that reveals our personal affinity and the architecture firm’s penchant for new life breathed into old spaces. The 7-story Art Noveau building offers guests a choice from 92 rooms, no doubt all more comfortably appointed for comfort than for its previous tenants when the building was a girls’ school in the early 1900’s. Dark woods, herringbone floors, and a spare amount of furnishings permits sunlight to occupy these rooms with an equal presence as any physical object, making Miss Clara’s modest rooms feel rather spacious.

Photo: Miss Clara Hotel

Photo: Miss Clara Hotel

Photo: Miss Clara Hotel

As a professed fan of Ilse Crawford, I look forward to my next trip to Stockholm and staying inside the lively intermingling of home and hotel within the Ett Hem. Where the other two previous accommodations lean toward modernity framed by history, the Ett Hem is proudly mismatched and committed to cozy. If there’s any such things as “vintage for today” it’s best represented by the Ett Hem, with decor that feels less styled as inhabited by a lifetime of an appreciation for Scandinavian antiques and design.

Photo: Ett Hem

Photo: Ett Hem

Photo: Ett Hem

With just 12 furnished bedrooms, the Ett Hem will best suit those seeking a home away from home rather than the arm’s distance luxury of most boutique hotels.

Gretas café inside Haymarket by Scandic reflects how Stockholm offers much more than purely natural hued, spare modernity. Photo: Haymarket by Scandic

Notable mentions: Haymarket by Scandic (specifically for the pastiche of pastels found inside the hotel’s Gretas café) \\\ Story Hotel \\\ At Six Hotel \\\ Hobo Hotel

WHERE TO VISIT

This March the Nationalmuseum will mount an exhibition dedicated to one of the most influential Scandinavian designers of the 20th, Finn Juhl. Photo: Nationalmuseum

If you only have time to visit one place in Stockholm, I’d implore you to make a stop into Sweden’s Nationalmuseum, for there you’ll not only be able to take in the Sweden’s largest art and design museum with 700,000 objects spanning from the 16th century thru today (I was surprised by how enamored I became with the museum’s exhaustive collection of miniature portraiture), but also experience what a $132 million renovation project can produce.

Photo: Gregory Han

As much as the art and design within will impress, you’ll also experience moments of awe just staring down nested hallways painted vivid and contrasting hues of blue, green, pink, and yellow, and other dramatically framed interior architectural moments realized by Swedish architects Gert Wingard and Erik Wikerstal.

Designed for the reopening of Nationalmuseum’s library, Swedish design studio Front own version of the classic green Banker’s Lamp takes the form of wispy mushrooms emerging from the forest floor. Photos: Gregory Han

A stop into the Nationalmuseum’s renovated library also is highly recommended for the bibliophiles who will find much to admire in their small collection of book cover art.

Notable mentions: Icy conditions and a cold kept me from visiting the Fotografiska, but it was mentioned numerous times as “must visit” for the creative set \\\ Moderna Museet \\\ Artipelag

WHERE TO SHOP

Photo: Gregory Han

Stockholm is without a doubt one of the best destinations for design in the world. Turn a corner and there’s yet another exemplary reminder of the Swedes’ proficiency for realizing simple, yet highly proficient design that hits the bullseye between contemporary and timeless. A pageantry of Scandinavian and international design fitting this bill is on full display at Svenskt Tenn, a store founded in 1924 in Stockholm by Estrid Ericson, and endorsed passionately by my European counterparts as, “the shop deserving of a stop any time in Stockholm”.

Luca Nichetto’s Heritage exhibition at the front of Svenskt Tenn welcomes visitors with a colorful landscape of mushroom shaped lighting blown with Murano glass. Photo: Svenskt Tenn

Much more than just a store, the front exhibits contemporary and paramount examples of furniture, textiles, lighting, and fashion. Even if your wallet demands a “just window shopping” walk-by, inspiration is commonly and freely discovered to bring back home inside this shop’s two floors.

Photo: Gregory Han

Photo: Gregory Han

If I could furnish our entire home with Fogia’s catalog of Scandinavian modern decor, I’d be completely satisfied with living within their contemporary designs all dressed in subtle hues; Fogia partners with designers from across Scandinavia, and the resulting pieces are easily imagined within a home in Southern California as is in Sweden. Fogia Market is the design brand’s retail destination just outside of Stockholm proper, bordering one of the waterways marbling Sweden’s landscape, complete with its own coffee bar in the back.

Past Fogia designs are interspersed throughout the Fogia Market, intended to illustrate the versatility of each piece from past and present.

Operating as a showroom, cafe, and workspace, the airy and repurposed warehouse wears a few visible remnants of its shipyard past, but today houses the Swedish brand’s collection of furniture, lighting and accessories in handsome fashion.

Two rugs by Sight Unseen on display at the Kasthall showroom. Photo: Gregory Han

Notable mentions: Austere \\\ BYREDO Stockholm \\\ NK \\\ Cos \\\ Kasthall \\\ Designtorget (recommended for affordable examples of Swedish design to bring back home)

FINAL THOUGHTS

Tip: When visiting Stockholm during winter, be prepared for not only snow, but icy conditions. Arriving from Los Angeles, we required shoes with proper soles to walk around the city.

It seems ideal my first visit to Stockholm coincided with the attendance of several events happening throughout the city during Stockholm Design Week, as the city represents itself quietly as an arbiter of good design both locally and internationally (I found the scope of the design event and accompanying furniture fair more manageable than Salone del Mobile in Milan). Everything I had heard about Stockholm from the perspective of design wasn’t reinforced, but redefined by the city’s embrace (albeit slow) of change.

But just as important were moments spent wandering Stockholm’s streets without definitive purpose nor destination (and occasionally sliding across ice with comical effect). It was during these bundled up jaunts down Stockholm’s quiet snow covered streets where the fleeting swing of a door being opened would allow a moment to peer into warmly illuminated flats, shops, and hearth-lit restaurants, all where the convivial spirit of Stockholm’s citizenry seemed ready to welcome anyone who’d follow through and in from the cold with a warm “Välkommen”.

via http://design-milk.com/

from WordPress https://connorrenwickblog.wordpress.com/2019/03/28/design-milk-travels-to-stockholm/

[low-keylonely-blog]

ATTENTION!!

hello, I am a 16 yr old white girl from southeastern Wisconsin. very vanilla, I’m aware. in response to my “WANTED: cute boy” post, here are a list of my physical and mental traits, so that you can determine if you would like to talk to me.

PHYSICAL: ☆ 5'6" ☆ brown curly hair, about shoulder length. THICC HAIR. ☆ brown eyes that are lighter in the center (there’s a freckle on the left one) ☆ relatively skinny, not very strong. a bit of a tummy, but I suck in so you’d never notice. ☆ chewed nails. I’ve mostly stopped tho. ☆ braces! w/ rubber bands! somewhere between February 2017 and June 2017 the braces come off and I once again enjoy having a bright and happy smile! ☆ 4 very light birthmarks! the one on my knee looks like an archipelago. ☆ a bit of acne, but only on the forehead. ☆ STRONG BROWS ☆ bigger bottom lip, thinner top lip ☆ pouty, but only bc of braces ☆ large knuckles bc I used to play basketball. if I try, I can make it impossible to let go of my hand, bc my knuckles touch and form a barrier. ☆ tiny wrists. both pop when I turn them one way or the other. ☆ bumps on my arms. it’s genetic. they’re non contagious and not like acne, so popping them doesn’t work. ☆ left tit is a tiny bit bigger than right tit. ☆ relatively high cheekbones ☆ “innie” belly button ☆ weirdly lumpy hips. I’m pretty bony. ☆ legs as long as the sky is blue. ☆ relatively cute butt. not bony. ☆ stretch marks at the top of my thighs, just under my booty. not sure where they came from. ☆ usually bruised knees, especially in summer ☆ scar tissue on left ankle from when my dad dropped a ladder on my foot. it scraped the bone in my leg as it went down, so the scar tissue reminds. ☆ my doctor when I was a baby said I have popsicle toes! the 2nd-4th are double jointed ☆ hyper flexible overall. not as bendy as I used to be, but still pretty bendy. ☆ my dad’s parents were both German, but both were very dark looking for German. therefore, my dad can pass as Italian. it just means I turn dark orange when I tan, and tan very quickly. ☆ some eczema on my chest, but it is cleaning up. ☆ very out of shape. I can not run for more than 20 seconds without wondering if I can stop yet ☆ squishy?? I lack muscles so I’m very comfortable to snuggle, especially bc I’m flexible enough to fit anywhere but squishy enough to function as a pillow, especially my tummy and tits.

MENTAL/EMOTIONAL: ☆ A.D.D. easily distracted. ☆ easily confused, but quick to understand once everything is explained to me. ☆ guilty of savior behavior like you wouldn’t believe ☆ possibly anxious? parents don’t have time to get me diagnosed tho ☆ desperate to please people. I have limits, but I LOVE making people happy. ☆ I’m rlly fuckin funny ok most of my jokes are specific to my close friends or my childhood but once I’m around you for more than 3 months I’m rlly rlly funny bc we have memories together and I know you well ☆ very paranoid. overactive imagination led to some rlly freaky nightmares as a child, some of which are recurring. ☆ afraid of being forgotten, not good enough, my closet, the dark, inanimate objects coming to life and coming after me (especially doors and anything with legs, like tables and standing mirrors), and being killed in the shower. ☆ easily scared. can’t stand suspense or horror movies. ☆ semi obsessive?? like my friends and my hypothetical potential s/o are so cool and I love them and talk about them often. ☆ redundant. my life is boring. ☆ very very talkative. it’s a little annoying. ☆ easily bored, especially when I want to travel or get sick of how things are going. ☆ kinda rude? but not intentionally? I try to be kind to everyone but sometimes I come off as salty ☆ very passionate ☆ very defensive, especially of friends and s/o, and usually family ☆ loud :-/ ☆ easily excited ☆ interested in what you have to say, but will probably cut you off mid sentence bc my social intuition is lacking ☆ chronic liar >:-( definitely my least favorite trait, but one I haven’t been able to shake. they range from little white lies to just pretending things didn’t happen or that they’re fine. ☆ the last 3 years of my life have absolutely fried my brain. I’m very tired and very wounded. ☆ attaches quickly ☆ separation anxiety, but moreso just afraid of losing people I care about ☆ very self-centered :-/ ☆ relatively bullheaded. I don’t often think things through. ☆ if I have to face the music, odds are I’ll stick earplugs in and run away ☆ usually very positive! the world is a cool place with some very cool people in it!

LIKES: ☆ film, the art of ☆ cry movies ☆ and a bit of Beyoncé, catey shaw, lana del rey, halsey, … ☆ g-eazy, blackbear, childish gambino, frank ocean, watsky, drake, john mayer, sting, mansionz, relient k, one direction (including all solo work), twenty one pilots (but not rlly blurryface), washed out, a bit of fall out boy and panic! at the disco, arctic monkeys, troye sivan, a bit of the 1975, walk the moon, … ☆ the music from downton abbey and victoria and poldark ☆ history, especially sociology and foreign cultures and mythology ☆ politics, even tho I get too heated about it ☆ sci-fi! soft stuff is ok, but the hard stuff is rlly rlly good. ☆ fiction! ☆ writing non-fiction! ☆ slamming biased news outlets (r.i.p. bill o'reilly) ☆ working backstage crew in theater! my sister is majoring in stage management, so it’s a family affair. ☆ plants! flowers, succulents, cacti, even trees and shrubs! ☆ DOGS ☆ my bird, Elsa. we named her after Elsa in frozen bc her tummy matches the color of the character’s dress ☆ slam poetry?? I’m a dork ☆ activism! get out and get loud! ☆ volunteer work, especially through my church (I’m not sure if I’m gonna stay catholic but it’s how I’m being raised rn) ☆ shopping. it’s so satisfying to bring home something beautiful off the clearance rack. ☆ concept art for film and fashion ☆ interior design and architecture ☆ THE PROPERTY BROTHERS ON HGTV ☆ Steven Universe?? it’s actually a rlly good show. it makes me cry a lot. ☆ Grey’s Anatomy. another good cry show. ☆ purple anything. it calms me down. ☆ soft blankets and pillows ☆ laying down for the night. ☆ meditation and yoga! ☆ photography! I live next to the woods on 2 sides of my house, so it’s the perfect place for photoshoots. ☆ coloring books! the pretty ones, not the kids ones. ☆ reading! I’m usually too busy but it’s so nice when I have time ☆ CRYSTALS AND MINERALS AND PRETTY STONES. I have a growing collection, 95% I found on my own. ☆ driving on empty country roads. ☆ swimming, even tho I’m afraid of deep water ☆ hiking! ☆ chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream ☆ purging old clothes ☆ Internet friends! long distance romantic relationships are awful, but the platonic ones are always fun ☆ learning things you never thought possible ☆ speculation lmao ☆ hugs and physical contact ☆ pressure. I enjoy feeling close to things. I sleep with a billion blankets at all times bc I like the feeling of the weight on me ☆ the concept of Atlas in Greek mythology ☆ in depth discussion about almost anything! I love talking to people! ☆ barbecue chicken pizza from California pizza kitchen

DISLIKES: ☆ people who refuse to acknowledge global warming, white supremacy, sexism, or any fault on either end of the political spectrum ☆ unsolicited dick pics ☆ 99% of country music ☆ metal or screamo music ☆ slut shaming ☆ ignorance in any shape or form ☆ watermelon ☆ Brussel sprouts and asparagus and peas ☆ fish that isn’t fried or marinated in bourbon or teriyaki ☆ oranges ☆ bananas ☆ pop music ☆ slapstick humor ☆ most comedic movies (see above) ☆ cleaning ☆ zara larsson ☆ feminists who hate men (girl we are EQUAL not ABOVE) ☆ the fact that the USA does not have separation of church and state ☆ cold weather ☆ sand in my shoes ☆ most movies featuring talking animals (not counting Dumbo, the Lion King, Babar, Finding Nemo, and a couple others) ☆ those who put others down ☆ those who refuse to listen to both sides ☆ the fact that every Earth year the moon moves 2 inches farther away from Earth and it’s eventually going to be flung into space and we’ll never see it again ☆ white males in positions of authority. your turn is over, pal. ☆ Christopher Walken’s face ☆ John Travolta ☆ the entire movie/musical Grease ☆ when radio stations play the same 10 songs all day long ☆ overused slang ☆ dead memes that are still in circulation ☆ repetition from year to year ☆ bad school photos ☆ pineapple on pizza ☆ basic pages on Instagram ☆ dog types that have been bred to the point of inherent or genetic medical issues ☆ carpet that isn’t soft ☆ bad paint jobs ☆ jumbo tattoos. I love the tiny ones you don’t expect to see. ☆ costume jewelry ☆ asymmetry ☆ bad habits ☆ when everything is black and white ☆ when it’s a gray area ☆ the porn industry as a whole ☆ massive corporations as a whole ☆ people who use deadnames or the wrong pronouns on purpose ☆ driving stick ☆ pulling weeds ☆ vacuuming ☆ loud noises (the unexpected ones) ☆ same old, same old ☆ people who don’t bathe often ☆ when my hair grows too long but I can’t get a haircut for weeks ☆ people who won’t try new things ☆ when anything or anyone dies ☆ the feeling of not being in control ☆ not knowing.

feel free to message me if you’re interested! there’s much more, but this is all I could think of for now. congrats if you made it to the end!