#sometimes i feel like a bad internet-er for not being as hype about stuff i should like/area of expertise

[vermillioncrown]

not to toot my own horn but it feels so jarring to reblog the anniversary of the moon landing and also be doing irl research to support current cislunar activities

[roxaeri]

I wish for your opinion on something: MDD Baldur as a babysitter/brother figure to Atreus. Yay or Nay?

Okay look I came out of a deep haze after reading this because I dO have an opinion on MDD Babysitter/Brother Baldur. And I’m so sorry it’s one of the sides of MDD I’ve neglected this whole goddamn time.

I started writing this in the morning but forgot all I’d written for Baldur and then got caught up reading my own work, so sorry it’s late.

Anyways, I’m fucking hERE for it. I still have such a soft spot for Baldur, it’s obvious whenever I write about GoW.

Of course Baldur and Kratos, Awkward Men become Awkward Friends. Mainly due to their kids and the mediation of Rost and Aloy.

But I’m thinking it’s another cook out. Probably one towards the end of summer. Baldur’s been invited because he’d gone to pick up the boys but they were invited because they thought Baldur would be late.

He isn’t.

So now he’s joining Awkward Fam for dinner.

And ya know, even when the mountain of a father this tiny child has and you know that man is skilled with weapons that you shouldn’t have to worry about him handling knives. Sometimes ya do.

Because despite practically living in his steel toed boots, Kratos does own regular shoes to wear outside of work. Like say in their backyard for a cookout.

And all his cooking knives are ridiculously sharp because of course they would be.

And then suddenly it’s Baldur and four teenagers of varying ages and the animals while Mimir drives Kratos to the ER for his foot because mAN—

Anyways what else can the DBPG crew do for Atreus other than dive right back into video games.

“None of you really change between live streaming and just playing, huh?”

“Is this weird for you, uncle?”

“Extremely.”

“I always forget you watch the show sometimes.”

And maybe it’s because Atreus has never seen his dad get injured and/or curse like that in front of him, but the kid seems extremely small on the same couch he usually sees him sitting on stream.

“Oh yeah. Started as just me watching when the boys were here. Got tired of the whole, ‘We just play games uncle,’ every time I asked how things went.”

“Now I see you in the chat nearly every stream.”

“Are you?”

The boy is curious and a little excited about that. They still don’t really know each other. But then Baldur's not sure how long he can sit around Kratos without annoying the hell out of him. Over a kid friendly internet show's chat is one thing.

“I check in when I can.”

Anyways Baldur’s doing his best to clean up everything even tho he’s never really been there and finish cooking what hasn’t been tossed in the ground.

Probably being followed by the Awkward Dogs. They’re not begging for food. Just. Judging.

As they do, ya know

“I swear, kid, I’m gonna end up punting your wiener dog across the room.”

“He does that.”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed.”

“They’re both curious. Jörmungandr’s just small.”

“He’s fuckin tiny and in the way is what he is. And the other one--"

“Fenrir.”

“He looks like he wants to eat me.”

“That’s just his face.”

And Atreus—well, he’s currently the only one in the house who knows what all they got for dinner earlier. And also where everything is.

((Also Aloy is dozing on the couch herself. She just got off work.))

((Magni and Modi only know what the snack cupboard looks like and what drinks they can have from the fridge))

But cooking with Baldur is a lot different than cooking with his dad or Mimir or literally anyone else.

Artist he may be, a cook Baldur is not. Not to the degree Kratos apparently is.

“I don’t know anything about using grills.”

“I’m not allowed to touch the grill on my own.”

“Back inside then. I’m familiar enough with a stove.”

Enough meaning that he can make easily prepared meals. From scratch is something’s he’s never had to worry about really.

“Your dad does know that you can get frozen mixed veggies.”

“I assume he does. He just likes it better this way.”

“And you don’t have anything easier for us to make in place of all this, huh?”

“Not a lot. We have snacks. Some stuff we can microwave.”

“You’re a little punk who runs a video game show. How do you not have more?”

“I can eat it. Just not a lot of it. So we usually only buy it when I’m feeling better.”

“Right.”

Because kid’s got a slew of medical issues, and Baldur can’t be one to talk about it.

But Baldur’s the type to just suffer the consequences of a bad food choice.

Atreus isn’t.

They decide to fry up some veggies anyways and cook some rice. Because neither of them are really up for more without Kratos or Mimir.

And Baldur just watches this kid between helping him in the kitchen and checking in with his friends to play a short match just—get quiet and tired.

And it’s the ache in his bones that makes him ask about it when Atreus is sat at the table scrolling through his phone.

“Worried about your dad?”

“Mm. Kinda.”

He honest. Which is surprising in itself.

“I mean, no matter how bad it is, he’s still gonna get up for work in the morning. That hasn’t changed my whole life. But he doesn’t get hurt or sick all that often. It was always mom and me. Even Mimir sometimes. Not dad.”

“And your sister?”

“Uncle Deimos says she’s a lot like dad health-wise.”

“So just a paragon of fitness.”

“Yeah, I guess. She’s gonna be healthy for a long time. Well, she doesn’t push herself like dad does, so probably longer.”

“. . . How old is your dad?”

“Older than you’d think.”

Which, once Baldur gets him talking, kid keeps talking.

A lot about tattoos once Atreus remembers what Baldur does for a living.

“My parents never told me who did theirs. But Calliope and Io:nhiòte always talk about you when asked about theirs.”

“Well, that’s up to the person whether they talk about their artist or not. Depending on how personal it is for them and how they feel about the artist. I’d like to think I’m friends with those girls.”

“You are.”

“And it’s just natural to hype up your friends.”

“But you also have awards and stuff, don’t you? Magni and Modi say you get invited as a guest artist still.”

“I don’t go as often anymore.”

“Would you do mine? When I’m old enough?”

“With your dad’s permission at 16, or your own when you’re 18. And you pay me.”

“Well, of course.”

“What you have in mind?”

“Well, I guess some like my mom’s. So I’d still have a part of her with me.”

“Your name's Greek, isn’t it? But you look like you’re more into Heathenry.”

“Dad named me. Mom liked it. But the rest is mom raising me. And dad being fine with it. But I think he just—doesn’t feel connected to anything like that. Because uncle Deimos and Calliope are like that, too.”

“Now that I get.”

And just—Baldur unknowingly getting adopted that day.

((Kratos is fine. Of course he's fine. He comes home to a surprise late night DBPG stream. And stir fry.))

((Rost shows up to late night DBPG stream-turned-competition and more-than-just-stir-fry.))