#stand rock campgrounds

[shakespeareanwannabe]

As You Wish, Chapter 13

Summary: When arriving at Camp Silver Star, Abby Floyd was anticipating a summer of adventure with an ocean separating her from the three people she loved most: her mom, her Uncle Bob and her Aunt Natasha. But after a run in with Charlie Seresin, an extremely familiar looking and irritating camper in a different cabin, her summer plans take a turn that neither girl ever could have expected.

Trigger Warnings: reader's children are described as being blond with green eyes because genetics are wild and Jake's genes are strong, reader is canonically Bob's sister (but biological relation is never discussed), reader goes by Buttercup and is tattooed, drinking, reference to divorce, kids doing sneaky things, references to pregnancy, swearing, references to the hospital, references to an accident

South Trail, Seresin Ranch, Clifton, Texas, Now

Charlie felt a chill run down her spine as their trail group walked steadily down the beaten dirt path. Dad was in the lead, as per usual, and Abby had beaten her in a game of rock, paper, scissors in order to come second. That left Charlie third, close enough to Savannah to hear every muttered complaint and snap of her camera as she took selfies.

“Jakey!!!” Savannah cried out as they emerged from the trees onto a lookout, the ledge watching over a field full of wildflowers. “We need to stop! I need photos of this for my followers!”

Charlie stifled a giggle as she saw her dad’s head slump forwards. This was the fifth time Savannah had whined about needed a photo opportunity since they had left the ranch, approximately five hours ago.

“Savannah, I—”

“This is the last one, I promise!” she squealed, clumsily pulling her horse to a stop and sliding down her side until her suede boots touched the ground. She practically threw her phone to Jake and went to stand on the edge of the cliff.

Jake grunted as he neatly dismounted and patted Firewall on the flank. “It has to be the last one or we won’t make it to the campground before nightfall.”

“Yeah, yeah, fine, whatever,” Savannah chirped as she struck pose after pose.

Charlie and Abby both dismounted and moved off the trail to stand in the shade of the trees.

“It would be mean to scare her and hope that she falls, right?” Charlie muttered under her breath.

“Charlie!” Abby let out a scandalized gasp. “She may be awful, but we can’t wish death upon her…though I would be lying if I said that the same thought hadn’t occurred to me as well.”

Charlie slumped against the tree, watching the horses drag their reins on the ground as they stood on the trail, waiting for their riders to be done. “She’s just…the worst.”

“I know. Why would Mum insist that she come with us instead?”

“She said that she wanted Savannah to have a chance to get to know us.”

Charlie smirked. “Alright then. Let’s let her get to know us. Then maybe she’ll wish she had never met us.”

“We’re not that awful,” Abby rolled her eyes.

“I know that, and you know that, but Savannah doesn’t know that. So, let’s make her think we’re the worst. Then she won’t want to marry Dad because it would mean having to spend time with us.”

Abby grinned, her eyes trained on a spot on the ground. “I think I know exactly how to start.”

Crouching to the ground, Abby scooped up a tiny chipmunk from where it was nestled in the roots of a tree.

“Hey buddy…” she whispered. “I bet you want to see what’s in our saddlebags.”

Charlie covered her mouth to muffle the sound of her giggles as they approached Angel.

“Do it now! Savannah’s got her back to us!”

Quiet as a mouse, Abby slid open the saddlebag and slipped the chipmunk inside. “And now we wait.”

Around noon, Buttercup wandered into the kitchen from the guest bedroom. She hadn’t been lying about having to work. Her deadline was rapidly approaching, and she had been struggling quite a bit with writer’s block, so she had taken advantage of the silence of the ranch house and the beauty of the view and spent the morning writing her heart out. Twenty pages later, and her groove had been interrupted by the grumble of her stomach. So, she saved her work and, slowly as to admire the pictures and paintings on the walls of her ex-husband’s home, she wandered out of her writing cave and into the kitchen, where she was faced with a sweaty Rooster.

“Oh…hey.”

He grunted at her as he dug through the fridge. “I’ll be out of your way in a minute.”

“Technically, I’m in your way, since this is your home so…don’t worry about it.” All she received in return was another grunt, and she sighed. “I know you’re mad at me. I know you were against our divorce since the beginning, I know you hated the custody arrangement, and I know you blame me for moving to a different continent, but Rooster…” she sniffled. “Thank you. Thank you for taking care of them for me, when I wasn’t here…when I wasn’t strong enough to do it myself.”

She watched as Rooster sighed, his head hanging between his shoulders before he slammed the fridge door shut and turned towards her.

“Listen, it isn’t your fault. You were sick. I remember my mom talking about how she got sick after havin’ me, and…and shit, Buttercup, I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. And it didn’t help that we kept getting deployed. You were goin’ through it and none of us could see it. I know you fought like hell, and so does he. I just—”

“You know what its like to not have a dad around, so you wish things had been different for Abby. And you know what its like to not have a mom around, so you wish things had been different for Charlie. Right?”

He blinked at her. “Get your ass outta my head.”

She chuckled before the mood settled around them, still slightly somber.

“I should’ve been able to handle it,” she whispered, and Rooster sighed, leaning back against the fridge.

“Hangman should’ve been able to handle it too,” he shrugged. “I know I was pissed off at you for putting yourself first, and it wasn’t fair. I was more worried about how the divorce would affect the team dynamic, instead of worrying about how the divorce would affect you. But he screwed up too. He should’ve put you first, not the team. That’s how it’s supposed to be.” Buttercup blinked up at him and he shrugged. “I started going to therapy after a bar fight when Charlie was like 2. Court mandated, but it helped. I let a lot of shit go.”

“Good for you,” she smiled. “I am grateful that they had you and Javy to lean on, you know. I’m not just trying to get back on your good side.”

“I know,” he shrugged and turned his back to her. “What do you want for lunch? I could hear your stomach grumbling from my room.”

She grinned and sat at the counter. “I imagine asking you for a salad wouldn’t fly?”

He scoffed without turning his back. “We eat healthy in this house, but we don’t eat rabbit food. What do you really want for lunch?”

She giggled. “What about taco salad?”

He turned and pointed at her. “Now that’s a damn good idea.”

It couldn’t have gone better if they had trained the chipmunk themselves. They had remounted and strolled along the trail for another fifteen minutes before Savannah started pawing at the saddlebag, looking for her oversized, bright pink water bottle. She was able to pry open the clasp of the bag and stick her hand inside. And then it happened…

The chipmunk launched into action, racing up her arm before Savannah could even realize what was happening and landed on her shoulder. Savannah freaked out, screaming and shaking her arm to try to dislodge it. Sweet Angel picked up on her rider’s anxious movements and started trotting down the trail, shaking her head this way and that.

Charlie and Abby watched from the rear as the chipmunk disappeared under the hem of Savannah’s designer t-shirt, Savannah screaming as the rodent searched for an escape. Angel reared up and Savannah clung to her neck. Both girls turned their heads to hide their giggles as their dad scooped the reins out of Savannah’s hands and gently pulled Angel back to the ground, soothing her in a calm voice. The chipmunk finally found an escape through the arm of her flannel, and leapt from Angel’s back to a nearby tree.

“Oh my goodness, Savannah!” Abby called, urging her horse forward. “Are you alright?”

“That was crazy!” Charlie gasped, hiding her laughter behind her hand.

She glared suspiciously at them but said, “I’m fine. Thank you.”

Jake tied Angel’s reins to Firewall’s saddle and turned back to look at them. “We’re going to head to the campground now, okay, Charlie?”

Both girls gave him a thumbs up and he rolled his eyes. When he turned back to face forward, they leaned over and high-fived each other. Neither the chipmunk nor Angel had been hurt, but Savannah screams had been absolutely hilarious. Perhaps their dad suspected them (he knew enough about the great outdoors to know that a chipmunk wouldn’t just materialize inside a closed saddlebag), but perhaps their little prank had allowed their father to see a different side of Savannah.

Lunch with Rooster had been good. The taco salad he had whipped up had been absolutely delicious, the ground beef perfectly spiced, and the spinach base had been simple but brilliant. More than that though had been their conversation. He had filled her in on so much of Charlie’s life (and Jake’s life as well, since it was so tightly woven with Charlie’s). She had always known that Jake would be a brilliant father, but some of the stories that Rooster had shared with her had her torn between laughter and tears. The antics her husband and her youngest daughter had gotten up to were bittersweet to hear about. In her mind’s eye, she could see them happening. She could see Jake flying toddler Charlie over his head, could hear her phantom cries as he gathered her 8-year-old body in his arms and carried her to the car, her arm bent at a painful angle.

As she strolled along the gravel path towards the dude cabins, she could practically see the phantom figures of her family as they lived and grew here. Knowing she had missed so much of Charlie’s life here, she regretted her decision to stay behind on the trail ride, but she hoped that Savannah would be able to make a better impression on her daughters than she had made on her.

“Honestly…” she muttered as she approached Cabin 1, where her brother and Natasha were staying. “What kind of woman doesn’t want to write her own wedding vows?” She sighed and climbed up the few stairs to the porch. “And what kind of sadistic bullshit is it to ask your future husband’s ex-wife to write the vows for you?”

She shook off the question as she knocked on the door. It had obviously been some sort of territorial claim from Savannah, trying to show Buttercup that he was hers now, but Buttercup had no doubt about that. She’d hurt Jake too badly for things to ever go back to the simple, fun, and loving way it had been before.

Natasha threw open the door and groaned. “Thank god it’s you.”

She chuckled and entered the cozy, modern cabin. “Who did you think it was?”

Natasha rolled her eyes and collapsed onto the comfy leather couch. “Javy. He keeps trying to come and talk to me.” Her friend shuddered dramatically.

Buttercup considered her carefully as she lowered onto the other side of the couch. “What’s the deal with you two? I thought Jake was the one you hated.”

Nat sighed and buried the scarred side of her face in the couch. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Buttercup took the pillow from behind her and whacked her friend with it. “C’mon! You’re acting like he killed your dog or something!”

Nat snatched the pillow and tossed it back at her. “Why’re you being so pushy, bitch?”

“Because you and Javy have been at each other’s throats since we got here, and I had to kick you out of dinner last night before either of you said or did something inappropriate in front of my children. And I hated doing that.”

Natasha let out a low whine as she tried to bury herself deeper in the couch. “Sorry…I promise I won’t call him a self-important bastard in front of your children.”

Buttercup barked a laugh and cuddled down into her seat. “But why would you call him that? It’s so weird! I honestly thought you two were into each other back in the day.” Natasha shifted so that her back was towards her friend, and Buttercup read it all in the tense line of her back. “Oh my god, you were into him!”

“Shut up…” Natasha grumbled. “He was into me too.”

“Were you two hooking up?”

Natasha rolled to look at her again. “Yeah. For a couple of months. Whenever we were both at Top Gun.”

Buttercup squealed and crawled across the couch so that she was right next to Natasha. “I knew it!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Natasha grumbled, pushing her off.

“So, what happened? Bad breakup? You act like you want to kill him.”

Natasha groaned. “No, it wasn’t a bad breakup. It wasn’t a real relationship.”

“Did he want it to be?”

Natasha buried her head in the pillow. “Yeah…he wanted to make it official after that last deployment. We fought about it a lot. I didn’t want to risk it because…” Natasha paused and looked guiltily over at her.

“Because?” Buttercup prompted gently, having a sneaking suspicion that she knew where this was going.

“Because I saw how messed up you were after the divorce,” Natasha admitted. “Our jobs are–were–risky enough without being in a relationship. And if our relationship fell apart the way yours and Jake’s did?” She sighed. “I told him no, but he wouldn’t let it go. Then there was the crash, and he came to visit me in the hospital and…” Natasha’s fingers clenched into fists. “He told me he would ‘take care of me’. That he felt like it was time to retire and that he would stay with me and that it would all be okay.”

“And that’s…bad?” Buttercup leaned back, confused. “He cared and wanted to help you? Why is that a bad thing?”

Natasha shuddered. “I couldn’t stand him looking at me with all that pity. And besides, why did he retire? He had the best job in the whole damn world and he willingly gave it up? Are you kidding me? They all gave it up! I mean, okay, Bob makes sense because he wanted to help you but why the hell would the rest of them give it up? Fucking idiots.”

Buttercup bit her lip. A decade of living with the other woman told her that trying to talk to Natasha when she was this fired up would be like trying to draw blood from a stone. So instead, she said, “Where is Bob, anyway?”

Natasha shrugged. “He got a phone call and went for a walk.”

“What is up with him and these phone calls?” Buttercup mused as she folded her legs beneath her.

“No clue. But what is with you deciding to stay back and let Cowgirl Barbie go on the trail ride with your girls and your man?”

Buttercup grumbled at her. “He’s not my man, and you know it.”

“Does he know that?”

Buttercup rolled her eyes. “Of course he does! He’s marrying Savannah, remember?”

Nat rolled her eyes and rolled off the couch before padding into the kitchen. “Of course I remember. That’s why I’m going to get wine. We’re going to need it.”

By the time they reached the campground, Abby was half convinced that Savannah had never been on a horse before. Even though she kept telling stories about her championship barrel racer back on her own ranch, poor Angel kept tossing her head at the confusing signals that her rider kept giving her. Charlie was fully confused. She’d done barrel racing before and the way Savannah was describing it, she knew she had never done it in her life. Her stories about shopping, drinking wine, and winning Miss Texas however, Charlie completely believed. No one could sound so excited about boring adult things if they hadn’t actually done them.

Luckily, they wouldn’t have to share a tent with her. That had been a stipulation of her joining them. Her own tent. Not even shared with their father, just her. Luckily, Jake had packed a hammock that he had already strung up between two sturdy trees for himself, leaving the other tent for his daughters.

All three Seresin’s watched Savannah as she primped in front of her cellphone camera, taking selfies of herself near the lake they were camping by. Jake shook his head with a sigh as he finished setting up her tent and stretched.

“What do we think about a dip in the lake before dinner?” he asked the girls, a wild grin on his face.

Both nodded eagerly and bolted into their tent to pull their swimsuits on.

“Did you bring it?” Charlie whispered, and Abby nodded, pulling out a packet from her backpack.

“Uncle Roo gave it to me and I tucked it away for safe keeping,” Abby replied. “You distract Dad, and I’ll make sure it reaches our target.”

“Deal.”

Both girls quickly changed and headed out of the tent.

“Dad!” Charlie called. Jake turned from where he was talking to Savannah, his hands soothingly rubbing her shoulders as she scowled at him. “Can you help me put sun block on my shoulders? Mom would kill me if I came back burned.”

Jake grinned. “She’d kill me first,” he called back, turning from Savannah and strolling over to Charlie.

Jake sufficiently distracted, Abby snuck into Savannah’s tent and ripped open her packet. She sprinkled the contents everywhere. In her sleeping bag, in her clothes, on her hairbrush, in her shoes, and definitely on the inside of her hat.

With a wicked grin, Abby crumpled up the evidence and crept back to her tent to hide it in her backpack. She emerged just in time for Jake to finish lathering her sister with sun block, the two of them turning to her.

“My turn?” she smiled at him sweetly.

“Yeah, baby, c’mere.”

Charlie turned to Savannah, who was still trying to find the just right angle for her selfie. “Will you be joining us in the water, Savannah?”

The petite blond couldn’t hide her sneer. “I think I’ll pass, sugar, but thanks.”

“Suit yourself,” Charlie shrugged. “You might want to get changed then. It’s going to start cooling off soon.”

Savannah smiled, the pull of her lips a touch too saccharine to be sincere, and said, “Thanks, honey. I’ll do that.”

As Savannah strutted into her tent, Jake joined his daughters and mussed their hair. “Last one in is a rotten egg!”

He took off running, his long legs eating up the ground as his daughters squealed and sprinted after him.

By the time they emerged from the chilly water, the sun was hanging low in the Texan sky and the air had adopted a slight nip that spoke of the coming autumn. Charlie and Abby raced to get dressed in their flannel pyjamas and their thick socks. As they pulled on their matching PJs, they heard Savannah whine and swapped grins.

“I HATE THE OUTDOORS!” she shrieked. “Everything hurts, I have bruises everywhere, my hair is so frizzy, and I must’ve been bitten a thousand times because I can’t. Stop. ITCHING!”

The girls could practically hear the frustrated look on their father’s face as he faced her. “I thought you said you’d been camping before?” he asked, his voice cool under pressure.

Savannah scoffed. “Yeah, in a cabin like civilized human beings. You know, electricity and indoor plumbing? And we never rode to the cabin! We drove there.”

“Who took care of that prize winning mare of yours while you were gone?”

“The staff, as usual,” she replied as though she were talking to a small child. “They do everything for her.”

The twins could feel the rising tension even from inside the shelter of their tent. “Even ride her?”

“Duh,” Savannah giggled. “Daddy paid top dollar for her because I wanted to try barrel racing, but I hate riding, so now she just has babies that we sell. Daddy lets me keep the profit since she’s mine and all. Two of her babies paid for my month-long trip to Paris.”

Jake huffed a sigh. “And you didn’t tell me this because?”

“What does it matter?” she replied coyly, a branch cracking under her foot as she moved closer to him. “We have loads of other things in common, sugar.”

Charlie rolled her eyes at Abby before leaping out of their tent. “Dad! We’re starving! Can we get the fire going so we can eat?”

Jake nodded, his eyes still fixed on Savannah. “You two go collect some firewood, and I’ll get everything ready.”

“Savannah, you want to come?” Abby called sweetly.

Savannah grumbled, her hands scrabbling against her chest and stomach. “Why am I so damn itchy!” she shouted, stomping her foot.

Jake huffed and turned to her. “You’re probably having an allergic reaction to something. Go wash off in the lake while the girls are gone. Take the calamine lotion from in my bag and make sure you cover all your itchy areas. I’ll get you some of my clothes to wear.”

“An allergic reaction to what?” she seethed, glaring at the twins as though she knew it was their fault.

“I think Uncle Rooster might have changed our laundry detergent,” Charlie supplied, grinning at her. “Maybe that’s it.”

“Maybe…” Savannah snarled before stalking off, the sound of her complaining drowning out the twin’s peals of laughter.

Savannah complained that the hot dogs and smores they were eating weren’t on her diet plan for the wedding, but Jake promptly shut it all down by telling her they were her only choice. Grumpy and painted pink from the calamine lotion, she slowly munched on a hot dog, grimacing with every bite.

“Dad?”

Jake grinned at Abby and nodded. “What’s up, kiddo?”

“I know you’re supposed to tell us stories around the campfire…” Jake’s confirming nod gave her the courage to finish. “Could you tell us about your first date with Mom?”

Savannah’s eyes went wide, and she looked as if she was about to complain again, but Jake cut her a look and she quieted.

“Sure, darlin’. If that’s what you want to hear…” Jake grunted as he settled himself further into his chair, his daughters watching him from a log across the crackling fire. “Let’s see…”

The San Diego Zoo, almost 13 years ago

Jake’s palms were sweating, which was saying something. He was the only pilot of his generation who had not one, but two air to air confirmed kills under his belt. He was ice cold under pressure. Nothing made him flinch. But strolling amongst the different animal exhibits with Buttercup had his hands damp and gross, no matter how many times he wiped them on his jeans.

My god, how he had fallen for her. Her spark, her sass, that fire in her eyes that challenged him in all the right ways. She was brilliant. She was perfect. And he had to make sure she didn’t wise up and take her brother's advice. There was no denying that Bob Floyd still didn't like him very much, and who could blame him? He'd been a dick to everyone when they had all arrived at Top Gun for the Uranium Mission. Now, Jake was still a dick, but he wasn't 100% an asshole anymore. He needled his teammates, pushed them to be better, aggravated them until they were achieving their full potential. It's what he did. What he had always done, even as the captain and quarterback of the high school football team. His methods didn't earn him many friends, but they earned him a shitload of respect.

It had taken him three weeks to work up the courage to ask out Bob Floyd's little sister. Three weeks of hanging out with her at the Hard Deck, three weeks of getting his ass kicked by her at pool, three weeks of feeling like a fucking freshman again, drooling over the girl that was so out of his league.

It was Phoenix who had finally given him the push to ask her out. A gruff "She likes you too, dumbass, so don't miss your fucking chance" was all that he needed to ask her to go to the zoo of all places. He'd heard her mention it a couple of times and wanted to make their first date memorable, because he had a sneaky feeling that it was one he would be talking about for a while.

“Giraffes are this way, darlin’,” he chuckled as he gently tugged her arm down the correct path.

Buttercup squealed and swung their hands between them. “I freaking love giraffes!”

He shook his head playfully. “You’re such a weirdo.”

“What?” she pouted. “The hot aviator my brother has been bitching about for like a year takes me to the zoo to meet the giraffes and I’m not allowed to be excited about it?”

“No, you are,” he smiled, squeezing her hand. “It’s cute.”

“You just said it was weird,” she pointed out.

“Yeah, but a good weird. I like your weird.”

“I like your weird too.”

He blinked. “I’m not weird.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re the only person I know who can name every type of military jet. In order of the year they were made.”

“Lots of pilots can do that,” he blushed.

“No they can’t, and you know it.”

“Fine, whatever,” he teased. “The giraffes are here, you weirdo.”

She squealed again and tugged him along to the meeting area, where the tour guide was waiting for them.

The whole tour of the giraffe enclosure, Jake kept a close eye on Buttercup, who was drinking in all the information. She was incredible. The way her eyes lit up with excitement, the way she quietly squealed as the giraffes strolled over to look at her. It made a funny pit grow in his stomach. He could watch her facial expressions forever. It made him feel like a fucking superhero to know that he was the one who made her smile like that, that he had been the one to make this happen.

Finally, the tour guide led them up close to the giraffes, who were milling about the wide paddock.

“I’m going to fill their food buckets so that they’ll come closer, and you can say hi, okay?” she grinned at them and Jake pulled out his phone. He wanted to capture the smile on her face as she met her favourite animal for the first time. He wanted to be able to look down at that smile the next time he was out in the middle of the Atlantic and remember how good she had made him feel just by standing beside him.

Buttercup squealed softly as the giraffes came close, and Jake chuckled. "Excited?"

"I still can't believe you set this up," she murmured, glancing up at him with stars in her eyes. "This is the most thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for me."

"You're welcome." His smile was almost shy as he watched her interact with the gentle giants. "Would you maybe want to grab dinner on the way back? I know a great place for Italian."

Her responding grin was just as bright as it was when she started feeding the giraffes, and Jake gulped. He knew in his heart that this was the start of something special.

As Charlie listened to the story, her misty eyes watched Savannah stomp away to her tent in a huff.

Morning broke, and with it, so did the silence.

Savannah shrieked and, based on the racket she was making, her tent was probably about to fall down too, if it hadn’t already.

Abby and Charlie shared a startled look and bolted from their tent. They hadn’t done anything. They figured having to listen to a romantic zoo proposal story had been enough torture for one night. But there Savannah was, screaming and shoving at her tent, which had seemingly collapsed on her.

“What the hell is going on here?” Jake shouted, his boots hitting the ground as he took in the sight. “Savannah, what is wrong with you?”

“They did this!” she screamed, a pink painted nail stabbing at Abby and Charlie. “I know they did!”

“Savannah—”

“No!” she shouted, whirling on him. “I know they put that chipmunk in my saddle bag. I know they put something itchy in my clothes. And I know that they made my tent fall down on top of me!”

Abby turned to her father. “We didn’t make the tent fall, Dad. I swear!”

“You see!” Savannah shrieked. “The little demon admits it!”

“Watch it!” Jake growled, stepping in front of Abby.

Charlie bent to look at the ground in front of Savannah’s collapsed tent. “There’s hoofprints here, Dad.” She followed the tracks over to where Angel stood, her reins dragging on the ground. A thin black fiber hung out of her mouth. The exact same colour as Savannah’s tent.

“You expect me to believe that a horse collapsed my tent?” Savannah seethed.

“It looks to be that way,” Jake replied icily. “Now, you owe my girls an apology.”

“An apology?” she laughed coldly. “You heard the little brat. She only denied collapsing my tent, which means she did the other things!” Savannah sneered at her. “I know you’re the British one. I can tell a fake accent a mile away. And let me tell you this. You showing up here was the worst day of my life. I never wanted to be a stepmother! I thought maybe I could handle one kid until I could convince you to send her to boarding school, but two? No one in their right mind would want to be a stepmother to two little brats!”

Jake stepped smoothly in between them, both Abby and Charlie huddled behind him as he faced his fiancée. “Who says I would’ve sent them to boarding school? They’re my girls.”

“I am your girl!” she shrieked. “ME! M.E.! And if you want to marry me, then you have to choose! Because I’m not playing second fiddle to two little she devils anymore! Got it?”

“Then…” Jake chuckled. “I choose them.”

“Excuse me?”

“T.H.E.M? Them. I choose my girls. Got it?”

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[verai-marcel]

Your Hearth Is My Home (BG3 Fanfic, Astarion x Female Reader, Chapter 2 of ?)

Summary, Notes, Tags, & Part 1 are here.

Chapter Word Count: 2370

AO3 link is here, sweeting.

Act I, Chapter 2 - The Companions

At first light, you left your cottage for the last time. The rays of the sunrise painted its walls in a soft light, and you silently said goodbye, hoping that the next tenant would be just as pleased as you had been. Then you and the others began to travel west.

By mid-morning, you had reached the druid grove, standing far back as the party fought off some goblins. They spoke to some of the guards, and came back to you to search for a campsite nearby to use as their base of operations while they explored the region. By noon, you had found a defensible area next to the water, with plenty of rocks and trees for cover in case of an ambush.

You had watched as the others convinced Lae’zel that tact was needed for gathering information, and that it was better if she stayed with you for today. It had felt tense for a few minutes, but Lae’zel finally agreed, though reluctantly. So Shadowheart, Wyll, Astarion, and Gale set off to gather information at the druid grove nearby, while Lae’zel dutifully scouted around the area, making sure that any branches that would block line of sight were chopped down.

When you were left alone, you breathed a sigh of relief. You had forgotten how strenuous it was to be traveling with a party again. Not just physically, but mentally.

Looking around the site, you mentally planned the layout and began to set up everyone’s tents. You had offered them the small tents and bedrolls from your old cottage, since they didn’t appear to have any. Otherwise, you would have left the packs behind. They had all agreed, and it made you feel a little better that your old belongings were being repurposed.

You quietly hummed to yourself as you set up each of their little spots with their tents and bedrolls. They were all quite different people, after all, and they would probably need their privacy after spending all day together. You worked your way around the campground until you set up the last tent. Content with your work, you walked over to the water’s edge. Taking off your shoes and your gloves, you dipped your toes in the water.

Ice cold. Sighing, you gritted your teeth and waded into the water until you were hip deep.

“What are you doing?”

You turned to see that Lae’zel had returned, and was watching you with her arms crossed, an eyebrow raised.

“Making a hot water rune,” you replied. Bending down to touch the surface of the water with the tips of your fingers, you started to sing as you walked in a circle large enough for a person to lay in the center. As you moved, glowing lines followed your fingertips as your cantrip took hold, the pattern of wavy lines criss-crossing over one another until it looked like a glowing net was floating just below the surface of the water.

You finished your song and clapped once. The rune flashed and the water inside of the circle became still. It bubbled every once in a while, and steam began to rise off the surface.

Smiling in satisfaction, you waded into it and sighed with relief. Gods, the hot water felt good. Too bad your clothes were on.

“C’mon in here,” you said, waving her in. “It’s nice and warm.”

Lae’zel shrugged and began to shed her clothes. All of them.

You quickly turned around. Did the gith have no sense of modesty?

There was a sudden splash, startling you. A wave of warm water engulfed you, drenching you completely. You sputtered and wiped the water from your eyes.

“This is… adequate.” Lae’zel said from beside you. Apparently she had just jumped in, and from your quick glance, she was completely naked. She squatted down and ducked her head beneath the water for a few moments, running her hands through her hair. When she came back up, she turned to you, the same haughty expression as ever. “I will take my turn now.”

You shrugged and trudged out of the water, the ten feet of cold shocking your senses. By the time you got out, you were freezing. You could barely jump over a rock to save your life, but these adventurers were something else.

You quickly cast a drying cantrip, put your shoes and gloves back on, and went back to the middle of the campground where you began to build a campfire pit out of stones. When you were done, you mentally went through the list of other chores. You needed to gather firewood and kindling for the night, set up traps around the area for rabbits, and get out your fishing supplies to catch a few fish for tonight’s dinner.

Lae’zel came back from her bath, clothed once more. “I will patrol the perimeter,” she declared, and wandered off.

As stiff as she was, there was something very direct about her manner of speaking that you appreciated. No lies. No deceit. No manipulation.

You carried on with your work, humming a soft tune. A few hours passed with everything you had planned. After you had set up your fishing nets, you foraged for local herbs, fruits, and vegetables. You found a few edible ones that you could make into a stew, and some sweet berries that you could use for a cobbler for dessert.

It was late afternoon by the time the others came back, and once again, you saw another new face.

At this point, you were not surprised.

You were cooking a pot of fish stew and a covered pan of cobbler. Karlach immediately smelled the stew and headed straight for the campfire. You had to admit, it was a little intimidating seeing a large tiefling charging your way.

“That smells delicious. Is it ready?”

Her bright eyes and broad grin immediately put you at ease. You took a small spoon and tasted a bit of the broth. “It needs a bit longer,” you replied. “You all came back a little earlier than I expected.”

Wyll came up behind her with another pack. “We found some old camping supplies that you can use,” he said to her.

“Oh, that’s so kind of you.” Karlach reached for the pack, but you immediately took it from Wyll’s grasp.

“I’ll set it up for you. That’s my job, after all.”

“Your job?”

You smiled and introduced yourself.

“I’ve never heard of a hearth witch before, but it sounds nice,” Karlach said.

You grinned. Then you remembered the bath. “Oh! Everyone, come with me.”

Excitedly leading them to the shoreline, you pointed out the glowing runes ten feet out in the water and explained that it was a spot of heated water for bathing. “It’ll last about ten hours, then I have to redo it, so please use it tonight while it’s active.”

“Well, ladies first,” Gale said with a flourish. He and Wyll walked back to the campfire to rest and chat. Karlach insisted that Shadowheart take the first turn, since she had seniority, and you went back to the campfire with the tiefling.

“I’ll set up your tent now. Would you like a warming spell inside?”

Karlach shook her head. “Don’t need one.” She pointed at her chest. “Got an infernal engine for a heart. I’m always running hot.”

Nodding, you went off to set up her tent. You didn’t quite understand what an infernal engine was, but you had noticed that a lot of heat radiated from her skin. As you built it, you wondered. What if…? You mentally calculated the lines of the rune and changed the melody in your head. Could a cooling cantrip work in the same way? You could test it later. For now, you finished building her tent and laying out her bedroll before returning to the campfire.

Lae’zel had returned from her rounds and joined the others around the campfire as the day’s events were shared. It sounded like they had a couple of leads for curing the tadpoles in their brains, but they had to do some work first before they could get the help they needed.

You felt sorry for them; the creatures in their heads were far beyond your scope of medicinal knowledge. All you could do was make their day to day a little more comfortable.

“That bath is amazing,” Shadowheart gushed when she returned to the group in her camp clothes. She knelt down beside you at the campfire. “Thank you, it helped a lot after a long day.”

Your heart soared. Satisfaction suffused your soul.

Checking the pot, you could taste that the stew was ready. You started passing out bowls. Before you could even begin to hand one to Astarion, he stood up. 

“I’ll go check around the area,” he said, and left without waiting for anyone else to respond.

Karlach stared after him, her mouth open in shock, before she turned towards you, sympathy in her eyes. “Awful rude, i'nnt he?”

“I’m used to it.” You shrugged. “My food’s too lowborn for him,” you muttered to yourself.

The rest of the night was peaceful, with people taking turns in the bath while everyone else ate. Karlach finished off the rest of the pot, smacking her lips and letting out a contented burp.

“That was great!” She looked at you for a moment, thinking. “Say, if I bring you meat, can you cook it?”

“Of course!”

“Aces. I almost want to go hunt somethin’ right now.”

Your mind filled with a dozen recipes you could make with the wild game in the area.

“What’s in that one?” Karlach asked, pointing at the covered pan.

You grinned and removed the cover with a flourish. The scent of warm berries and sugar filled the evening air. Nearly everyone leaned forward to stare at the wildberry cobbler, bubbling and golden brown, the oats just toasty enough to make a nice crispy crust over the top.

“I didn’t expect to have such a fine meal out in the wilderness,” Gale said as you handed out everyone’s portions.

“I try,” you said, trying not to seem too proud. Hubris led to downfall, after all. “I’m just glad everyone likes the food.” Standing up and dusting off your clothes, you started to head towards the tents. “I’ll go prepare your tents for sleep.”

“What’s that mean?” Karlach asked curiously. 

“I cast a long-lasting warming spell on the inside so that they’re as comfortable as an inn in the city. But you don’t need one, I’m guessing?”

She grinned. “Nope, but if you ever figure out a cooling spell, I’ll be your first test subject.”

“Already thinking about it,” you replied. She was quite the positive presence. You really liked her.

You worked on Lae’zel’s tent first. When you finished, you turned to see her standing, staring at you.

“Erm, it’s ready for you now,” you said meekly as you stepped out of her path.

She inspected the tent you had built for her. You stayed nearby, hoping to see some kind of reaction, anything other than her usual frown.

The fighter stuck her hand into the tent and blinked. She stepped inside for a moment, then stepped out again. Finding your gaze, she gave you a single nod of approval and went back into her tent, closing the flaps.

You let out a sigh of relief as you carried on with everyone else’s tents.

***

A few hours had passed. You had already cleaned everything and put things away. Everyone else was asleep, but you lay by the campfire, wide awake. Unlike the others, you liked sleeping out in the open air where it was fresh and crisp. It reminded you of home. Your thin, sleeveless sleeping shirt and your soft, flowing skirt was very different from your usual breeches and work shirt, but it was much more comfortable. And you weren’t worried about accidentally brushing against someone in your sleep.

You turned over, trying to convince yourself to sleep, but that only put Astarion’s tent in your field of vision.

You sighed.

He hadn’t returned yet.

You weren’t worried about him. Surely he could take care of himself.

A noble can’t do anything on their own.

Sighing, you got up and quietly walked around the perimeter of the campground, just to check.

I’m not worried.

You came to the river’s edge and saw him standing there, staring at the rune in the water. It was slowly fading away, yet he continued to stare, unmoving.

As you walked up to him, you saw that he was holding a bucket in his arms, a cloth draped over the side of it, presumably for bathing.

He glanced over at you as you came close. “I can’t bring myself to cross even a few feet of water,” he said quietly.

You were ready to dress him down for being a snobby noble, but the look on his face wasn’t haughty; it was contemplative, almost melancholy. Consumed by curiosity, you reached out for the bucket in his arms, and casually brushed your fingertips on his arm, just for a moment.

fear

Your heart broke a little bit. It didn’t matter why he feared the water, only that he did, and that made you feel bad for assuming he was being snobbish. You filled the bucket with water and cast a small warming cantrip on it.

“This should stay hot for an hour.”

He nodded. “This… camping… is all rather novel to me.”

You smiled. “You’ll get used to it.”

He frowned. “Well, I don’t have a choice, do I?” he replied testily.

The two points of sympathy he earned from you just dropped back to zero.

“No, I suppose you don’t. Sweet dreams,” you said, forcing a polite smile onto your face.

“Same to you,” he replied perfunctorily before he walked back to his tent, shutting the flap behind him.

Left in the quiet solitude of the night, you looked back out at the water and watched your rune fade into the water, streaks of light dissipating with the flow of the river. Heading back to your bedroll, you glanced at Astarion’s tent.

He didn’t have to be so snippy, did he?

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

End notes: Oop, guess you’ve got a level in bard now too.

Chapter 3 is here.

[writteninlunarlight-years]

Hello :) I hope you’re having a fantastic day, please could I request a BG3 and Hogwarts Legacy matchup :)

Gender: Female

Pronouns: She/Her

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Appearance: I am 5’3, have long black hair and green-hazel eyes and I’m very pale. In terms of fashion I normally dress in black and other dark colours as black and purple are my favourite colours, I normally wear goth style clothing, jewellery and makeup (simple and not over the top), and on special occasions I dress more elegantly.

MBTI: I am a Capricorn and personality type INFJ.

Personality: I’m normally shy when talking to people for the first time and scared to approach people. When I get to know people, I am more open and hyper around them. I really enjoy testing myself and improving myself as a whole (I have low self esteem), I also like to take care of other people and make sure they’re doing okay and I really have a soft spot for animals.

Likes (at least three things): I normally spend my time watching horror movies, playing video games, reading, listening to music and I love watching anime. My favourite music genres are rock, metal, goth and classical. I’m absolutely fascinated with Greek mythology and many countries History.

Dislikes (at least three things): I absolutely can’t stand when it’s too hot or sunny outside as I much prefer the cold. I hate being forced into social situations and when people are extremely judgmental.

Extra fun fact: My ideal dates are normally visiting museums, anything historical, nature walks and visiting spooky locations.

BG3 extra

Race: Wood Half Elf

Class: Paladin/Bard

D&D alignment: Neutral Good

~~~~~ MATCHUPS ~~~~~

BG3

Astarion Ancunin

~~~~~ HEADCANONS ~~~~~

Astarion loved easy prey, and that is precisely what you were to him. Someone so timid and shy, easy to manipulate and use to protect himself.

You were also a natural born leader, yes you may need some time to warm up to your companions but once that was all in order you were a force to be reckoned with. So graceful on the battlefield.

The only issue was that you were so bloody kind to every person you guys met. You were always seeking out to help others with nothing in return. What type of person does that?

What Astarion didn't realize was that he loved that about you. He was just clouding this admiration that was blooming with hate so he could hide from his feelings.

When you saw his scars for the first time, he knew he was falling, and it terrified him. You looked at his wounds, his horrible past, and just accepted him. So willingly.

He knew there had to be a catch, so to spare himself, he became cold and distant from you. Yet you always came back, and he realized he couldn't do it.

When you two explored Baldur's Gate with the group, you two were like encyclopedias. Where Astarion could tell you everything about nightlife, you could recite anything about day life.

Though Astarion loved the sun and the time he got to spend in it with the illithid in him, he couldn't deny the moon looked gorgeous on you.

Soon after Cazador's demise, you and Astarion took refuge in a small cottage near the town. There, you two created your own gothic safe haven.

~~~~~ BLURB ~~~~~

You and Astarion had been dancing around your feelings for one another. Yes, he confessed he no longer saw you as just a bodyguard but as something more; he just needed time. You respected that, wanting to give the man the chance to honestly choose you. Making your way to Baldur's Gate is when the incident that caused him to finally confess occurred. You were gorgeous. The whole group would agree, and so would 90% of the people who passed by you on the street. As you walked along the the winding roads and through crowds Astarion noticed all the head nods and quick looks you were getting.

Once satisfied with your hunt for a safe place to sleep for the night, you guided your companions to the campground. Yes, there were tons of taverns around, but with Orin and Gortash switching sides, you would rather be safe than sorry. Taking your place at your tent, Astarion couldn't help but admire you. You had everything: the personality, the looks, and most of all, the morals that any man would be blessed to love. He knew he was the one that pushed you away, wanting to understand his feelings, but something about now in the present, witnessing all the looks you got, made him realize he could lose you. Mustering up the courage, he strode over to you, clearing his throat, "Hello, my little dove. How are you today?"

You smiled radiantly, "I am good; what do I owe the pleasure this evening, Astarion? Do you need some blood tonight?" He shook his head no before gently bending at the waist and whispering in your ear. "Actually, I would like to officially consummate our relationship; I can't bear for someone to steal you from me." You blushed darkly, giggling when you nodded, leading him into your tent. You two got comfortable under your rucksack and began discussing the future for both of you. Yes, Astarion liked the thought of that; both of you are no longer alone.

~~~~~ EXTRA ~~~~~

(You and Astarion are the only two awake at camp, watching over everyone and having a moment.)

Y/N: It's beautiful tonight, isn't it?

Astarion: I agree that the calmness of night was always pleasant when I wasn't on the hunt.

Y/N: Do you think you will learn to love the night again when we go on our own?

Astarion: I would love to relearn everything by your side, my love.

Y/N: Do you think our neighbors will snore as loudly as Gale and Halsin?

HOGWARTS LEGACY

Sebastian Sallow

~~~~~ HEADCANONS ~~~~~

Sebastian thought how shy you were when you came to school was cute. He thought the big bad fifth year who took on a dragon would be some pompous ass.

However, as he grew to know you due to the countless lessons he got voluntold to do with you, he realized you were really kind.

You were powerful, though, beyond belief, and he hoped you would willingly help him with his sister. When he told you about Anne, he knew he had to have some inkling of feelings for you.

Due to his research for a cure, Sebastion loved to quiz you on interesting facts. On holiday, you two will also explore old monuments and museums in the muggle and wizarding worlds.

Sebastian hated it when you doubted yourself. You were the most beautiful and capable witch he had met, so of course, he naturally had to help boost your confidence as much as he could.

When Sebastian confessed to Ominus how he felt for you, it was a good two weeks of torture where Ominus would start a conversation with you, pretending like he would tell Sebastian's secret.

Sebastian may be a great wizard, but he was still a schoolboy at heart, so confessing to you took a long time of contemplation.

What did him in, though, was when he took you to meet Anne. You were so kind and gentle to her, helping her with the chores and other necessities.

When his uncle yelled at him, you were by his side, trying to cheer him up like you always did.

Though Sebastian's path was wrong, you knew deep down that he was doing it for a good cause. That didn't stop you from trying to convince him to stop on the dark path he was on. After the incident, it took a long time to rebuild that trust.

Once you and Sebastian were back on good terms, it was almost disgusting to Ominus how long you two could dance around loving each other, so he had to inform everyone very, very loudly.

~~~~~ BLURB ~~~~~

Sebastian had been bested again in a duel by none other than you. It was crazy to him that you were so far behind everyone else, yet powerful and confident. Though he knew you disliked all the attention you got for your title as the 'Savior,' he couldn't help but agree with them. "Oi, Sallow, will you help me clean up this mess or what? We have our NEWTs to study for." Sebastion nodded, running up to help you clean up the practice dummies. Time had flowen since fifth year when you first appeared, being in seventh year you two went through so much together. Though he had to work hard to regain your trust, he knew he wouldn't risk losing you again this time.

After putting up the equipment, you waved goodbye and went to Professor Weasley's office. You were extremely powerful and intelligent, helping the staff understand the artifacts you found in school that would be placed in a prestigious museum soon. You had your life lined up for you, but where did he stand. He knew he needed to confess to you and was running out of time. He couldn't count how many times he and Ominus had discussed this thoroughly since they had made up. Sebastian had a brilliant idea as he went to his common room. Party in Slytherin.

The party was in full swing, and the partygoers were having a grand time. Sebastian, however, was keeping an eagle eye out for you. He knew how you hated social situations like this, and his goal was to sneak you out on a romantic walk to then confess. The only problem was every single one of your friends wanted to talk to you. Sebastian was growing impatient and leaned over to Ominus to exclaim his discontent. As he finished talking to Ominus, he saw the blind boy smirk before jumping up on the table before him and loudly proclaiming, "Oh Y/N, your lover boy misses you!". Not only did you and everyone know Sebastian's feelings, but Sebastian also learned that there was such a thing as an uncomposed Ominus.

~~~~~ EXTRA ~~~~~

(You and Ominus were watching Sebastian fight a training dummy)

Ominus: Y/N, have you ever noticed that he sounds like one of the dummies?

Y/N: (laughs) Are you insinuating that they would look and sound alike if you could see?

Ominus: Oh, it is, in fact, not an insinuation. It's a fact.

Y/N: (staring at Sebastian lovingly) he is a big dummy, isn't he?

Sebastian: I CAN HEAR YOU!

[dynamic-k]

:D

U back :) So how was camp? :>

IT WAS AMAZING AND AMAZING AND AMAZING AND-

I'm an ambivert, but the instant I set foot on campgrounds I was in full extrovert jittery ramble mode for some reason-

I quickly bonded with my cabin mates, had fun with this thing called axe throwing [where i get ta yeet little axe hatchet things at a target and surprisingly I was good at it], sipped on brewed coffee since there wasn't espresso, played dodgeball and broke my glasses when a ball smacked me right in the face, but i had my superglue and a spare pair of glasses, so i repaired the fracture, left it to set, and walked back into the gym building to play more dodgeball-

I went down the potato-sack slide [a hard plastic big long slide that you sit on a potato sack and slide down, it's so fun~], did this awesome zipline at least 50 times over the week, discovered I love high speed activities, got 11,000 steps Sunday, 19,000 steps Monday, 21,000 steps Wednesday, 18,000 steps on Thursday when my legs felt a teeny bit sore, and I forgot the general amounts for Friday and Saturday, but they were about the same amount with minor fluctuation.

I played a cool game on the beach in a flat sandy area on day one, Sunday, and it's called Dragon Ball. IT'S SO COOL, IT'S A LITTLE LIKE DODGEBALL, BUT WITH EXTRA STUFF-

So- Two teams are in the middle of a giant circle to be the last team standing, and every other team stands on the outskirts of the big circle with access to balls. :D Teehee, yey for game violence-

[except the balls don't really hurt- I got hit on the cheek once and was fine-]

The two teams are individual 'dragons'. The head of the dragon wears a colored headband, and every other member of that team makes a train of people by setting both hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them.

But the people on the outside of the circle cannot just target the head of the dragon and get that person out to immediately kill the entire team, you have to hit the backmost person first and work your way up to the head dragon person with many shots.

IT. WAS. EPIC.

apparently, I am good at aiming balls where I want and I got QUITE a lot of people out, my competitive personality completely taking over-

I ended up as the head dragon, wearing this lime green neon green headband [soft, fuzzy, stretchy little thing~] Our team was originally contemplating doing like- A rock, paper, scissors tournament to decide who would wear the headband and be the head dragon, meaning that the moment all your team is out and you are the last one, you are quickly targeted. And the balls tend to come from all directions, as you're in a circle. Now, I am really good at ducking and dodging by looking at ball trajectory [I love high speed reflexive games~], but being in a circle and surrounded on every side does ush the limits of my ability to see what is coming for me.

Before the game began and we understood the rules, our dean, Gabe, called the names of who was on what team, one team at a time, and one of the two counselors on each team grabbed a random headband from the bag [as it doesn't matter if two or more dragon teams get the same color, we still know who wins and who doesn't].

Anyway, I looked at the bag of headbands, intrigued and wanting to pick one out too, but only one headband per team is taken, and my counselor had already selected a neon green one and left, leaving me to follow in mild disappointment I cannot wear a headband.

Then I discover that I could actually wear the headband, if my team let me be the head of the dragon~

So, I jokingly, actually I was quite serious, told my team I just really wanted a headband. Nathan, my other counselor aside Clare, was super nice, he offered it to me to my surprise, and since I knew I was proficient in dodging and had spoken this to my team, I was shockingly just handed the headband-

I love that thing an unusual amount- It's a cheap, fuzzy neon green piece of stretchy fabric in a circle band, to be worn on the head. I have an attachment to it.

We had great fun, and when I inevitably was in the "Ring of Fire", as Clare dubbed the circle everyone with balls stood in, I was eventually the last remaining member on my team.

I stuck close to the other team's dragon, which had around 4 or 5 people left to get out, and i was by myself. I did this thing where i stepped backward and then forward and rotated and tried to move fast so I could be unpredictable, and it did keep me in for a good 2 minutes before I didn't see one ball heading my way and got hit in de cheek. [was fine, i promise- they don't hurt that much at all-]

I had fun even though our team was eliminated~ I LOVE MURDERING DRAGONS WITH DODGEBALLS OKAY- /insanity-toned

Afterward, I removed the headband, unsure where we were supposed to return it, but then I wondered if I could keep it. I didn't feel right walking off with it, since I wasn't sure how valuable they were or if the camp needed them for something else later, so I found Clare and asked him.

Clarence, Clare, my family group leader and the father of the dean who runs everything, he let me keep my headband.

He originally stood there and stared at the headband, unsure for a moment, I stood there and widened my eyes and basically pleading expression with my hands behind my back in a joking way.

BUT HE SAID I COULD KEEP IT, SO I SCURRIED OFFFFFFFFFF

I wore it every day, entire rest of the week, and made it part of my personality~ XD

HEADBAND- :D

there are more stories, but I have been quite busy since returning from camp, and hardly have time unless I really make time-

Like, using the bathroom while on a device and monitoring any and all online work or notifications, or using my lunch break exercise time to sit on the couch and be inactive so I can try to work through more of the emails I've gotten~ MULTITASKING HAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHA

:3 I've been brainrotting stuff-

I've been brainrotting so much Spark AU, and also some Second's Tale because I'm trying to figure out the ending that I never planned-

Second's Tale is so stuck right now, but I wanna update it so badddlyyyyy

also the poor poor Guessing Game- I'M SORRY LEENA-

..plus a few other fics..

And here I am with a new AU idea too- *sheepish* Can't say nothing, can't say it-

I wanna try and finish the entire AU before I publish, that way I don't end up hooking people and getting everyone riled up and impatient for this new thing of mine- I can bring it to completion first! (That may.. take a while. BUT NEW AU-)

The only downside might be the fact I kinda got tired for a few days afterward? Like- I used up so much extrovert-ish energy at camp, and then kinda went strangely peaceful and quiet for some time afterward, like my introvertism tendencies are trying to balance out all the energy I used.

I wouldn't even call that too much a downside, except for the fact I felt bad for not responding to online stuff right away, and my brain felt slower to function and process. I tend to beat myself up when I have difficulty doing stuff, lol-

[writeforfandoms]

Wild Mountain Thyme 2

Find the series masterlist

You and Ezra continue your hunt for a wild dragon nest.

Warnings: swearing, Ezra is an ass, talk of nest raiding.

Word count: 1.2k

Eventual Ezra x f!reader

Ezra wasn't sure he had ever had a partner so green. Oh, sure, she came wearing a pack. But she was so… bright. She had smiled, easy as anything, before she had even met him. She had such energy about her.

Or. Well. She had, until he'd gone and opened his mouth and let his own anger dampen her light.

Oh, he was sure she had asked to go along on an expedition, but that hadn't meant his. It wasn't her fault, exactly, that his employer decided to saddle him with a useless tourist of a partner. And after sleeping on the matter, Ezra felt… almost bad. Almost. Not quite actually bad, but close enough to it that he resolved to talk to her today.

Hopefully she wouldn't get herself killed, at least.

He sighed to himself and stretched out, pushing the sleeping bag down with his feet. At least the weather was supposed to cooperate - neither blistering hot nor bitterly cold, with lots of sunshine on the horizon. And the hike would be pretty, if remote.

Resolved to be a bit nicer and keep his ire aimed at his employer, Ezra crawled out of his tent and stood, shaking out his limbs. He looked over to her tent to gauge if she was awake yet.

And found her gone instead.

"Hells and damnation!"

–

You had woken early, a combination of nerves and being determined to not be late and hold back the hiking. You had slept off some of your mood, but not all of it.

And then you checked, and your partner for the next few days was still dead asleep. You could see his outline in his tent, could faintly hear him snoring. Your temper flared again, and you walked it off. You took care of your morning routine and then took a quick walk around. It’s not like you were going far, and you weren’t going to interact with people. Honestly, you weren’t entirely clueless, or dumb.

How had Ezra referred to you yesterday? Green? Yeah, something like that.

Heaving an aggravated sigh, you kicked a rock off the trail into the woods, pouting. Just a little. It wasn’t fair, you hadn’t done anything wrong. And yet Ezra hated you, clearly.

All you’d wanted was to come on this trip. You’d wanted this for years, had practiced and gone on hikes and done as much research as you could…

Well. If you had to prove to that ass that you could do it, you would. You didn’t need his approval. You didn’t need his help. Hell, maybe you’d end up helping him. That would shut his mouth.

You meandered back to camp and blinked when you found Ezra up and glowering at you.

"Where exactly did you wander off to?"

You snorted. "Had to do my morning stuff. We're still in a public campground, I didn't do anything crazy."

"We are trying not to draw attention to ourselves, Channel Rat, I do hope you realize."

You smiled, though you knew it didn't reach your eyes. "We are drawing more attention from you standing here scolding me than from my quick walk." Not waiting for his response, you walked past him and went to break down your tent and finish packing for the day.

Uncomfortable silence fell between the two of you again, all the way through you shouldering your pack.

"Are we leaving the car here?"

"Yes, we're on foot for the rest of the way." Ezra cleared his throat, fingers fiddling with the straps of his pack for a few moments. "We're headed this way today." He looked like he wanted to say more, then he shook his head and started walking. You fell in behind him.

He didn't set a harsh pace, content apparently to walk easily and steadily. You started off on an actual trail, but didn't stay on it for long. Within a few hours, Ezra was breaking off from the trail, heading through the woods.

And you followed him. You didn't like the guy, but you watched where he stepped.

There were more dangers out here than just dragons, after all.

Around lunch time, Ezra finally broke the silence.

"Why did you ask to come along on this little venture?" He glanced at you as he uncapped his water bottle.

You paused for a moment, grateful you were chewing. That gave you a few moments to consider your reply. "Research," is what you said. "I've done what research I can but so little is known on wild nests."

Ezra stopped and lowered his water bottle, gaze shrewd. "You are aware of what we are doing out here, yes? Because I am not here for research."

You rolled your eyes. "Yes, yes, we're nest raiding," you agreed, flapping a hand negligently. "I'm well aware of what's going to happen here. Like I said. I knew what I was getting into out here."

Ezra nodded. "Well, then, long as we've got that cleared up," he agreed, a little more cheerful. "Still, this is an unusual line of work, or research, for… someone of means."

You laughed. You couldn't help it. "Oh, don't worry about that," you said, still grinning. "That's my business."

"Fair enough." He shrugged and capped his water bottle again before he started off. You set off after him, shaking your head.

He was an odd one. But then, so were you. It was rather fitting.

The scenery was beautiful, at least. Wild and with no people in sight, not since you'd left the trail behind. You tried to map as you went, taking note of interesting rocks or trees, but you knew that you'd get helplessly lost before long.

There was no lack of wildlife, either. Rabbits darted away from the pair of you. Squirrels chittered as you passed below their trees. Birds chirped and sang to each other, flitting around finding food.

Honestly, it was perhaps the most peaceful thing you had ever seen in your life, marred only by the unfriendly brown-haired menace ahead of you.

"Channel rat," he called back to you after a while. "Come join me up here."

Curious, you quickened your steps to pull up even with him. He nodded to some bushes ahead of you.

"What do you make of that?"

You frowned, not moving closer but tipping your head to try to get a better idea of what you were looking at. "It's a bush. Looks torn up." You shrugged. "What's special about it?"

Ezra huffed, sounding annoyed. "That is not just a torn up bush," he groused. "That is a sign of dragon hunting. Look at the bush more closely - see where it got caught? Those cracked branches? And the roots, see how they're comin' up out of the ground?"

You nodded slowly, looking at it with more caution. You could see what he had seen, now. "How long ago, do you think?"

Ezra shrugged, reaching up to scratch the scruff along his jaw. "Hard to say. Recent enough that we're in the right area." He stalked ahead of you again, muttering under his breath. You just caught the words "untrained" and "useless".

A potent mixture of humiliation and rage pricked at your eyes, clogging up your throat. You breathed through it, closing your eyes tightly. You needed this. You needed this. You couldn't just march off now, no matter how much you wanted to.

So you waited until the rage had calmed a little. And then trudged after him.

[teamangelabaker80]

First Time [NSFW]

Warning ⚠️ Smut

Request and partial credit: @chanbien

I nervously stepped into the bustling campgrounds, feeling like a fish out of water as a new arrival at Sleepaway Camp. As I scanned the sea of unfamiliar faces, my gaze landed on a striking figure standing off to the side, her expression unreadable as she observed the chaos around her. Angela Baker.

Intrigued by her quiet demeanor amidst the noisy crowd, I mustered up the courage to approach her. To my surprise, Angela welcomed me with a warm smile, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief that belied her usually reserved nature. We quickly found common ground, bonding over shared interests and inside jokes that only we seemed to understand.

As the days turned into weeks, our friendship blossomed into something deeper. I found myself drawn to Angela in ways I couldn't explain, my heart skipping a beat whenever she flashed me that shy smile or brushed against my hand in passing. It was as if we were two puzzle pieces that fit perfectly together, creating a sense of completeness I had never experienced before.

Soon, our late-night conversations turned into stolen glances and lingering touches, the unspoken tension between us growing with each passing moment. And when Angela finally mustered up the courage to confess her feelings for me under the starlit sky, I knew that I had found something truly special in the enigmatic girl who had captured my heart.

Together, Angela and I navigated the ups and downs of camp life, supporting each other through challenges and triumphs with unwavering loyalty and love. In each other's arms, we found solace and strength, our bond deepening with every shared laugh, every tender kiss, and every whispered "I love you."

That night is the night when Angela have taken me out for a date after an encounter with rude counselors, she brought me to a hidden cabin that is not too far from the camp. She then closed the door before smashing her lips onto mine.

Tongues started to swirl as I tried to fight for dominance as Angela have beaten me to it. She removed my shirt that I wore before going to my neck. My back arched when she gave me a few bites on my neck until she found a certain spot on my neck and started to abuse it.

“Ahh~.” You moaned

Angela continues to abuse my spot before going back to my lips and pushes me onto the bed. Even though she told me that she’s a boy before, I respect her as she looked at me with lust.

“I haven’t done this for a long time so you have to teach me.” Angela said.

“I will teach you honey. Now I want you to remove my shorts.” You said

Angela slowly nodded as she carefully removed my shorts off, exposing my pretty punk rock panties I brought. I told her to remove them to which she have no time as I look at her.

“Wow… clean.” Angela said

“Hehe now let’s start this slowly. You can move your fingers on my core.

Angela nodded before carefully going in between my thighs before I felt her tongue latching onto my core. I gasped out in pleasure before slowly arching my back.

“Fuck~ mm Angela.” You moaned

Angela started off slowly since this is her actual first time. I keep on moaning in bliss while my hand move straight to her hair, holding it as I grind against her tongue.

“A-Angela… mm this feels good.” You moaned

I felt a pit growing in my lower part of my body as I felt my first orgasm is coming.

“Angela… I-I’m close!” You warned

Angela keeps going which made me let out a loud moan of pleasure as my release came out. I panted as Angela pulled away and I look at her lips.

“How did I do?” Angela asked

“Great. Now let me do the same to you.” You said

I carefully removed Angela’s clothes and that’s when I noticed a tent. I can tell that she is hard and she is blushing a bit. I slowly removed off her bottom clothes and then I slowly lick the tip before placing my whole mouth on it which made her let out a little squeak at first but she let out a moan of pleasure. I moved my head up and down as she gripped my head.

“Ahh Y-Y/N… mm what are you doing to me?” Angela asked while moaning

I pulled away as I look at her.

“I’m giving you something called oral. Now just relax.” You said

Angela nodded as I continue moving my mouth. For a chick, I can tell that she is probably around 6 inches since she is a boy. I started to go faster as Angela let out a moan as I felt her member twitch and throb. I can tell she is getting close.

“Something is coming!!” Angela warned

Angela then pushed my face so close as I taste her sweet release as she let out a loud groan on pleasure. I slowly pulled away as she panted.

“How was that?” You asked

“Wow…. That was.. incredible. I didn’t know you can do that.” Angela said

“Want me to keep on going?” You asked

“I want to learn more.” Angela said

I nodded and I begin to take my little pill I have which won’t get me pregnant.

“Now the final part. We will do two positions. Now put it in me.” You said

“I don’t want to hurt you.” Angela said

“I know but let’s started it off slow.” You said

Angela nodded as she slowly went in between my legs. I felt her member grinding on my core which made me shiver and then I felt her slowly entering in me. I gasped and gripped her back as she let out a groan while slowly entering into me.

“Fuck!!!” Angela swore

Once she is fully in, I wrapped my arms around her head as I am about to lose my V-card to the perfect person.

“Now pull out slowly and push right back in.” You said

Angela then slowly pulled out a bit before using her hips to go right back in, letting out a moan. I nodded for her to do it again to which she did as she started to thrust slowly.

“So tight~.” Angela groaned

The bed started to move slow but to be honest, I don’t care. I have to teach Angela about intimacy I was moaning in bliss and tell her to go faster, to which she did as we both let out pleasurable moans of ecstasy and bliss.

“Angela!! Angela!! Mm fuck me more!” You moaned

Angela groaned and went deeper and harder, hitting my spot which made me cry out in pleasure. She leaned in before kissing my lips with passion as she moans into the kiss before pulling away.

“I’m close!” Angela warned

“Fill me up!” You moaned

After around 10 rough and hard thrusts, she let out a loud groan as she came into me but this was the first position we did. She slowly pulled out and lay on her back as I slowly went over as my core is leaking out before going over to Angela’s member which is a bit hard.

“Now Angela, here’s number 2. I’m going to ride you. Hold my hips and enjoy.” You panted

I started to slide down slowly as Angela gripped my hips as I started to bounce up and down, moaning out her name in pleasure. Angela bit her lips as I keep riding her.

“Y/N!! Mmm so good!” Angela moaned I rode her faster as she moved her hips as the sound of the bed bouncing combined with our skins slapping is the best thing ever.

“I’m close!!” Angela warned

“With me! Let it out!” You moaned

After around 8 more thrusts, Angela let out a moan as she came as I rode out my orgasm as we both screamed out each other’s names. I panted as Angela carefully lifted me off of her member and cuddled me close.

“Wow… that was fantastic. Thank you.” Angela panted

“Say maybe one day, I can teach you more of those things.” You giggled

“That would be delightful.” Angela nodded

Angela kissed my lips as I kissed back with her before we both cuddle together while sleeping. I think I can teach Angela more of those positions another day.

[bellarkeselection]

Kingslayer Prisoner pt 2

Part 1 - read first please

Jaime attempts to defend Y/n Tully to her uncle Brynden and they share a moment later

My uncle and Jaime still have swords pressed up against one another. Holding my hands above my head eyeing the two older lords who were seconds from fighting one another. Jaime lowered his sword offering me his right arm so I could grab it and he helped me to stand behind him with his sword raised in defense. “Blackfish, are you really so stubborn to fight with your pride that you would kill your own family. Even though she never had any affair with me?"

"I sent her to gather Intel and recuse her brother and she came back with nothing. And I can see it in her eyes. She's been drawn in by the misleading lion glow!" My uncle raised his sword up to Jaime’s chest with a growl.

Shifting my gaze up to Jaime’s he didn't dare remove his focus from my uncle. I moved one hand forward, gripping his armor of his forearms. "Uncle, believe me when I say this. I don't have any intention of betraying our family to be with him. I am still a Tully born and I live our vow everyday. Family, duty, honor."

“And yet you think that you could convince him to return your brother. His family has done nothing but tear the houses apart. His sister can’t stand not having any power over everyone and everything. Why do you think he is here now?” My uncle snarled through his teeth.

Jaime started to say something. “House Frey just wants the house they were degreed to get. I don’t see it necessary to make men die when I am offering you to just abandon the castle and go somewhere else.”

"This is my family home, Kingslayer. Tell me would you're late father Tywin let someone invade Casterly Rock hmm." The Blackfish got no reply to his question giving him the answer he already knew where he turned on his heels to leave. "No I didn't think so. When you wish to challenge me into a fight let me have one last look at my nephew before you kill him."

Pushing my way past Jaime and against his better judgment, I managed to pick up my sword that I had dropped on the ground when the guards threw me down at my uncles feet. "So family only means something if they are willing to do whatever it takes to defend their house. And if they don't want to fight, you are calling them a traitor like Jofferey did to Ned Stark."

"The only one I consider calling a traitor is you, Y/n. You see, I had you followed by another spy of this family, and they caught a glimpse of you kissing the Kingslayer. So yes, I name you a traitor against your own house from this day until the day I die." My uncle drew his sword over his shoulder about to swing at me once more until Jaime moves in front of me and takes a slice through his armor.

He fell onto a knee before my uncle retreated back into the castle, sending me a half guilty look for what he had done. Wrapping my arms around the lion soldier, I did my best to help him back in his tent and through the campground they had created. An old Maester came in the moment I got Jaime seated on the bed. "I should...uh have you.. stitched in a moment, ser Jaime."

"Uh I'm not so sure you're hands are that steady, grand Maester. I mean no offense by it." I stuttered eyeing the elderly man seeing him struggling to even put the thred through the needle because of how badly his hands were shaking.

The elderly man tried to assure me. "Ah not to worry my lady. I...oh...I have much practice at this."

"Grand Maester, I would prefer you leave the sticking to Lady Tully here. I know Edmure had some wounds on him that I request you take care of." Jaime glanced at the elderly man before he set his tools down for me leaving us with a bow to the commander of the Kingsguard.

Slowly moving in front of the golden lion, I couldn't shake the uneasy question weighing down in the pit of my stomach. "Ser Jaime, I - uh have to ask. But why did you jump in front of my uncles sword and take a scratch meant for me?"

"Because, Y/n... you don't look at me like everyone else does. You don't give me the look that I've seen for 17 years. You don't see me as an oathbreaker. And I don't see you as a traitor like your uncle does at this very moment." Jaime reached for with his real hand gently taking my hand in his with his green eyes pouring into mine so strong and yet so softly too.

I moved my free hand to pull his shirt sleeve up so I could fix the wound, but his words took over all my concentration at the moment. Squeezing his hand in mine I was truly at a loss for words. "I...I don't know what to say, Jaime...or what should I do?"

"Tell me whether or not our short kiss the night I took you hostage meant nothing. That you didn't feel what I did." He blurted out, sending me that cheeky smile, but it dropped when he met my gaze, becoming all serious about his next choice of words. "Or rather tell me if I'm sitting here trying to get this out and sounding like an idiot." I gulped completely in awe and utterly terrified of what to say next to the famous Jaime Lannister.

Comments really appreciated ❤️

Tag list - @makeshift-prime @rosie-posie08 @lover-of-books-and-tea

- Part 3 anyone??? 😉

[countrymusiclover]

11 - Loyalties Can Change

Part 12

The Last Velaryon

Tag list - @kmc1989 @cdragons @rise-my-angel

Comments really appreciated ❤️

I had hope that Robb would have calmed down after two days and we could have an actual conversation. Chezney and I were scrolling through the campgrounds just chatting like we normally did. After the miscommunication that was shared between us I had immediately filled her in on the whole situation and she was siding with me thankfully. “I've heard rumors from people in this camp that Northerners are stubborn, especially Starks.”

“It doesn’t matter how stubborn he is. I want him to know what he saw the other night was taken the wrong way.” I responded looking at my friend while she walked beside me.

She linked her arm through mine raising a brow. “And what will you do if he still doesn’t believe you? We could be thrown out of here so easily and half the Stark men wouldn't care about us.”

“Then I’ll find a way to get Jaime out of here.”

Chezney covers my mouth with her hands frantically looking around to make sure no one had heard the words that I had just uttered so easily from my mouth. “Have you lost your bloody mind!” She shouted in a muttered tone, dragging me into the nearest empty tent.

“No I haven’t. I mean what I just said. I won’t give my support to someone who clearly no longer trusts me.” I told my friend feeling some tears welling in my eyes.

She sent me a weak look, putting her hands on my shoulders squeezing them gently. “Hael, you are my best friend for life. But are you sure the Kingslayer has good intentions for you?”

“I have to keep the memory of my house alive. He may never love, he’s told me himself. At the very least my house shall remain in Westeros because I’m now married to his family.” I sighed, slumping my shoulders under her touch.

Chezney dropped her hands to her sides questioning. “What about finding love?”

“We don’t choose who we love," he said. Maybe I’ll be lucky enough to choose him and Jaime will choose me.” I did my best impression of the golden lion recalling his declaration of love so clearly that night we spoke in his prison cell.

Chezney remained hopeful though of course. “Or better yet it could be Robb who chooses you and you choose him back.”

“I’m not so certain that shall happen for me, Chez.” I mumbled back to her not feeling like that would happen. I would have to start realizing that duty is the death of love.

Perched up on one of the large rocks big enough to sit down on by the ship port I watched the heavy waves crash against the rock of Kings Landing. The wind was blowing my hair completely behind my back and I could smell the fresh water flowing up into my nostrils, almost feeling like I was back at home at Driftmark. “What in the Seven kingdoms are you doing out here, Little Velaryon?”

“Well I’m not avoiding you if that’s what you’re worried about, Ser Jaime.” I called, never taking my attention away from the water's movement. I had seen many different kinds of cargo ships pass through either picking up or dropping off supplies for the city. Wishing so dearly I could sail on one just for a few hours like I used to when I was younger.

The sound of his boots moving ended once he was standing beside the rock I was sitting on, eyeing me up there. “I was worried when I returned to our chambers and not even your friend knew where you had gone.”

“Chezney, her name is Chezney for your information.”

Jaime bent his head in understanding, beginning to climb up the rock so that he could sit beside her and he hoped she would not mind. “So why are you truly out here. Trying to escape our marriage by boat eh?”

“No, I'm not trying to run. I just - this city doesn't feel like home to me. I'm used to being surrounded by the vast sea and swimming in the waters below.” Closing my eyes I could picture the last day Chezney and I had done so before I had spoken with my father about this arrangement. “Here in Kings Landing I feel so alone even if I have my best friend by my side. I'm missing that other part of me.”

Jaime had been staring at me the entire time, finally saying something back. “You're missing the sea. You're missing the part that connects you to your house.”

“Yes!” I nearly squealed like a child until I realized I wasn't talking with an old friend but my husband in fact. Chezney’s mother had taught me that you shouldn't make outbursts around your husband unless he allows you so. Lowering my gaze to my feet I quickly apologized. “I'm sorry Lord husband, I shouldn’t have spoken of my former house now that I am a Lannister.”

To my shock and awe he didn't seem to mind. Jaime reaches over with his right hand touching my cheek and making me look into his deep green eyes. “Don’t apologize, my lady. It's okay if you speak about your old House to me?”

“It is. But I thought you'd be upset.”

He shakes his head no. “If you married my father he'd be furious. You are a Lannister now, yes. Except my sister became a Baratheon and to this day she still represents that she was born a Lannister first.”

“Jaime, are you saying I can be both?” I questioned him with a curious tone.

Jaime cleared his throat running his freehand through his hair stumbling on his words for a few minutes. “My brother is better with words than I am. Um - what I’m trying to say is - seven hells.”

“Jaime, I think I get what you’re trying to say.”

His green eyes focused on my gaze. “No, you need to head this - Your house will live on through you, through me, through us.”

“Through us? You’ll embrace that I’m a Velaryon.” A smile appears on my lips, feeling less alone in this city than I first believed.

He nodded still cradling the side of my face in his sword fighting hand. “It’s you and I against the world, Haelesa.”

The sun had finally set over the war camp. We had heard that Lady Stark was returning with information from Walder Frey. I bolted into the tent figuring I could get a quick apology to him before the others had arrived inside the tent. “Robb, can I talk with you quickly in private?”

“I’m not in the mood of talking with you, my lady.” He grumbled, eyeing the war table.

He rarely ever calls me, my lady.

Parting my lips I knew that was the first tell that he wasn’t happy with me. He would address me by my first name and barely anything else, unlike Jaime. “You don’t have to say anything. I’m just asking that you listen to my explanation of what really happened that night when you came to his cell.”

“Stop spitting lies to me. I know you’re just doing whatever you have to defend your house - your new household anyway.” Robb slightly lifted his gaze up to my face.

Hitting my palms down on the table it made a loud sound seconds before my best friend came walking in with Theon Greyjoy behind her. “Seven hells, Robb. I am not lying to you. I never have. What can I do for you to believe me?”

“There’s nothing for you to do except stand there and be quiet until my mother gets back with her news.” He responded watching his banner men lords entering the tent all gathering around the large table.

Backing up into the corner beside my best friend I had never felt so isolated since we had been staying in this camp. Of course I was aware that some of the men here only saw me as the Kingslayer’s wife. It wasn’t easy but I knew that was bound to happen. I just never imagined Robb would show so much coldness to me. I would never simply be Haelesa Velaryon ever again.

“Robb, I never meant to sour our relationship. I did kiss Jaime, but I don’t-“ The tent flap opens and Catilyn enters with her guard. She went off to negotiate with Frey - he creeped me out. He has a lot of daughters and I think only two sons from having many different wives over the years. He's a very stubborn old man, way more stubborn than me.

Catilyn steps up to the table as Robb asks frantically. "Well - what did he say?" I step up to his side eager to hear.

She quotes. "Lord Walder has granted your crossing, his men are yours." The banner men are all shocked as am I. My hand takes Robb's but he yanks his palm away from my reach as he never stops making eye contact with his mother.

He questioned. "And what does he want in return?"

"You'll take on his son Oliver as your personal squire, he expects a knight hood shortly after-" she starts putting her hands together in front of her dress and straightening her back.

My breathing slows a little seeing him give his mother a questionative look. "Fine, fine, and?"

Catilyn signs. "Arya will marry his son Waldren, when they come of age..."

A laugh escapes my lips. That girl will hate that. Robb admits. "She won't be happy about that." Caitlyn eyes the ground for a moment before looking to us again. Her eyes I see tears for some reason. Worry spreads over me once Robb asks. "And?" In his voice I can hear the worry.

"And--- when the fighting is done. You will marry one of his daughters. Whichever you prefer. He has a number he thinks will be --- suitable."

I nearly gag at her words. That old man can't decide what Robb likes. Robb can't marry a Frey girl.

"I see, I see. Did you get a look at his daughter's?" Robb quizzes out to which Theon snickers. I on the other hand want to slap him upside his head.

"I did." Caitlyn states.

Once again trying to break my heart Robb asks. "And?"

"One was..." she trails off.

Robb's eyes from the corner of his eye. "Can I refuse?"

Caitlyn's heart breaking eyes pour into mine and Robb's at the same time as she delivers. "Not if you want to cross."

"Then I consent," Robb declared as he left the tent quickly. The banned men and her stare at me.

Chezney elbows me in my rib. “Go after him.” Rather than go after him I remained standing there briefly before slowly leaving the war tent without uttering a word. I was beginning to think that he might not forgive me and that I should put my loyalty towards someone else from now on.

[darkaviarymc]

The Evergreens Enfold the Shrine, A recursive fic of The Incandescence of a Dying Light by @quaranmine

Chapter 2

June 13th, 1995

-

The Owl Head Trail was a five mile side trail off of Pinnacles and connected to it at both ends. The intended start was by the parking lots at the start of the main trail and the end was just past the campgrounds.  There was no rule against going the opposite way, though, which is what Gem, Etho, and Beef did on that early Tuesday morning.  It was considered a intermediate level trail because of some falling hazards along the edge of the path, steep hillsides and even some sheer drops alond the edges of the path.  The trio no longer considered themselves novices, though, not after spending the past week exploring the first stretch of Pinnacles as well as a few novice level side trails.     

“Can’t believe our vacation will be pretty much over once we reach the end of this trail,” Gem said with a forlorn sigh.  “I miss it already.

“Well, my name’s on the rental car,” Beef said, “But feel free to stay the whole season if you can figure out your own ride to the airport.  I’ve got summer classes for my bachelors program starting in a week.”

Etho shook his head.  “Nah, Pause would kill me if I didn’t come home.  He was worried about me traveling all the way across the continent as it is.  You know how roommates are.”

“It’s too bad he couldn’t come,” Beef said.  “It sucks missing part of the team.”

“Yeah,” Etho agreed.  “It was just bad timing that the only week I could get away from work was the same week as the Iceberg Festival, and that’s like, a big cultural thing.  It wouldn’t have felt right to ask him to miss it.”

“That settles it then!” Gem declared and spun around, walking backward to face Beef and Etho while she talked.  “Next summer, I say we plan better.  Maybe pick a different campground and come earlier, that way Beef won’t have to worry about his summer classes and Pause can have two vacations.”

“Sounds great!” Beef agreed. 

“Turn around and walk straight, Gem,” Etho warned.  “You’ll fall down the hill and crack your head.  Don’t you remember the story you told last night?”

Gem rolled her eyes but did as she was told.

“You know,” Etho continued, “Pause says that someday the internet’s gonna take over the world.  You’ll be able to go to school, work, movie theaters, and all kinds of stuff all on the computer no matter where you are in the world.   Then you won’t have to worry about getting home for class, Beef.” 

Beef scoffed.  “In his dreams!  The internet’s full of nothin’ but dweebs and sex pests.”

“Excuse me!  I use the internet all the time!” Gem protested.

Beef laughed.  “Like I said.  Dweebs.” 

Gem playfully slapped Beef’s arm, and then noticed that Etho had stopped and was standing on the edge of a path looking at something off trail.

“What are you doing?” she stopped and asked.

“Did you see the ghost of mustaches past?” Beef asked as if he was asking a serious question.

“Not funny, Beef,” Etho replied.  “I did see a sialia currucoides, though.  Or at least I thought I did.”

Gem cocked her head.  "A what?"

Etho didn't answer.  He instead simply reached into his vest pocket and pulled out his binoculars.  He adjusted the focus as he looked through them, trying to find the best setting with which to search for he bird he thought he'd seen.

"I thought you wanted to hurry so you could get to the library and make good on your bet with Gem?" Beef said.

"Yeah, but the whole point of taking this detour to the car was to see the sights one more time, right?" Etho answered, not lowering his binoculars.  "I've always wanted to see one of these in the wild.  Their populations have been steadily declining over the past twenty years, you know."  He stepped up onto a large rock to get a better view, not looking where his feet were landing, but instead at what he'd finally found.  Through the binoculars he saw not one, but three mountain bluebirds, all males judging by their bright blue plumage that contrasted beautifully against the dark brown bark of the fir tree they were perched in.  But his enjoyment at the vibrant sight was short lived.  His foot slipped on the rock that was still damp from the morning dew.  He spread his arms out to steady himself, dropping his binoculars in the process, but is was too late.

"Oh Sna-AH!"  He yelled as he completely lost balance and fell.  He tumbled down the steep hillside, his body striking rocks and tree limbs along the way.  Somewhere in his mind, Etho was aware there was pain and would be even more later, but the disorientation caused by the startling fall made it impossible to tell exactly where he was being hurt.  He was vaguely aware of someone shouting, but...

"ETHO!" Gem screamed and darted towards the rock Etho had fallen from.  She was stopped so abruptly by Beef's tight grip on her arm that she almost tripped backwards. 

"If you run after him like that, you'll fall, too!" Beef scolded.  He only released her once he was certain she wouldn't run off recklessly.

Gem's eyes darted between Beef and the rock.  When she approached the rock again, she did so much more cautiously.  "ETHO!" she screamed again.  When she was met with only muffled, pained groaned in response, she looked again to Beef, eyes filled with desperation.

"Shit," Beef cursed through clenched teeth.  "Etho?"

"I'm alive...I think...ow."

Beef breathed a sigh of relief while Gem inched dangerously close to the edge, craning her neck as much as she could to try to find where Etho had landed. 

Beef looked around the tree line and eventually found a long, sturdy stick.  Using it as a walking stick for balance, he took a few slow, careful steps down the hillside.  With one hand on the stick, he held the other hand out to Gem.  "Step very gently," he warned.  "Hold on, buddy," Beef called to Etho, "We're coming to ya!"

Again, Etho only groaned in a response that Gem and Beef could barely hear.

Gem nodded and took Beef's hand, and together, they carefully and methodically made their way down the hill.  Occasionally Gem would feel her foothold becoming unsteady and tighten her hold on Beef's hand, prompting him to stop and allow them both to regain their balance before continuing down. 

They reached the bottom safely; the few minutes it had taken them had felt like hours.  What they found there made their stomach turn.  Etho was laying on his back, and blood flowed from a deep gash in his forehead and many smaller cuts on his face, making him squint to avoid getting it in his eyes.  His long sleeved black t-shirt was torn in several places, revealing even more bleeding wounds, though none as serious as the on his head.  Also concerning was the way his right ancle, the one he's initially slipped with, was bent.  It was twisted much farther to the left than an ancle should be, and it didn't take a doctor to tell at first glance that is was most definitely broken.  

They wanted to be relieved that Etho was alive and conscious, but they instantly knew looking at him that in this state, there was no way they could possibly get him back onto the trail.  

Gem dropped to her knees a little less carefully than she should have.  She winced as her legs struck the hard ground, but she paid her own pain no mind as she opened her pack and unpacked her sizable first aid kit.  Beef had called her paranoid for bringing something so large and comprehensive, insisting that it was unnecessary weight and space to take up that could be used to carry more beer.  She'd insisted on it, though, having been the only one in the group to do her proper research (Etho had researched too, though his pre-trip readings had been mostly on the topic of birds native to the area).

"Go get help," Gem told Beef while opening a pack of gauze wrap and alcohol pads. "I'll stay with Etho."

"'M fine, Gem," Etho said.  His slurred speech was added evidence that he'd most likely suffered a concussion. 

"No," Gem insisted.  "You are not fine.  You have a very serious head injury and probably a broken ancle.  I don't even want to move you right now until we know if your back is hurt, too."

"'Im'ma a bology major, I know wha'I'm talkin bout."

Gem stopped and glared at Etho.  "You're an ornithology major, and unless that dorky tactical vest you always wear is hiding a set of wings, I highly doubt your studies apply to you."

"Yeah well, you're jus' a pharm-cicity tech, yeah?"

Gem rolled her eyes and began gently dabbing the alcohol pads around, but not directly on, Etho's most serious head wound.  "Pharmacy tech?  Yeah.  I still took first aid classes."

"I'm ag-sci.  I'm useless here," Beef said.

Gem nodded.  "Which is why I'm sending you to get help."

Etho winced when the alcohol stung his wound.  His vision was blurry and he couldn't quite make out exactly what Gem and Beef were saying.

But then, just for a few seconds, he felt a moment of clarity.  He could hear some sort of ringing, but not quite like the persistent ringing in his ears.  This was a lighter, almost melodic tone, like a wind chime or...

A bike bell.

His eyes opened fully and he stared directly over Gem's shoulder.  What he saw there wasn't some vaguely human shaped shadow or a transparent apparition. 

He was there. 

He was there as clearly and fully as Gem was: a man with black hair and an immaculately groomed mustache, dressed in a pink Hawaiian shirt.

Weakly, Etho raised his arm and tried to point.  "Behin' you, Gem!"

Gem wiped her head around, but saw only trees and rocks there.  She sighed and abandoned her efforts to clean Etho's still-bleeding head, opting instead to press a thick cloth against it in attempt to controll the bleeding.  "No bird watching right now, Etho."

Etho tried to shake his head, but didn't get far due to the pressure from Gem's hand.  "wan'n a bird," he slurred, his breath growing heavier as he spoke.  "I's him.  The guy from th'story."

"You think you saw the ghost of Pinnacles Trail?" Beef asked, raising an eyebrow.  "Dude, you really did hit your head bad."

"Badly," gem corrected.  "And what are you still doing here?  Go!"

"Right!  Right, going now.  You sure you'll be okay?"  

"We have plenty of water and there's bear spray on my necklace," Gem assured him, emphasizing her point by raising up her lanyard to show him the small canister of bear spray hanging there.

A few moments of silence passed after Beef walked away, interrupted only by the ambiance of the forest and Etho's labored breathing and occasional whine of pain.

"Y-you think he died right when'e fell?" Etho asked softly, a tear streaking down his bloody face.  "Or did'e lay there like this?  Knowin' he's never gettin' up?  Jus' waitin' t'die?"

Gem shook her head.  She closed her eyes tightly to suppress her own tears.  "Don't talk like that," She said, her voice cracking despite her best efforts to hold her composure.  "Beef's going to get you help, and you're going to be okay.  Pause would kill us if we came home without you."

Etho's eyes slipped closed and he let out a ragged breath.  "Y'now how... roommates are..."

"Etho?" Gem asked just short of panic when she felt her friend go limp.  "Etho!" She yelled when he didn't respond. "No no nonono no," she muttered and  touched Etho's pulse point.  She nodded to herself when she felt the thump against her fingers.  She layed a hand on his chest and could feel his breathing that was much too shallow to be safe.  

Gem looked up at the hillside.  She couldn't see her other friend through the trees, and could only hope he would find help in time.

"Please hurry, Beef."

Halfway up the hill, Beef was moving as fast as he safely could.  He'd abandoned the walking stick, opting instead to use the rocks and branches around him to pull himself up.  He wished he could sprint up the hill like some kind of wild animal, but he knew that if he rushed himself, he would end up just like Etho.  He heard something crack and crunch beneath his feet.  He looked down and saw Etho's binoculars.  Under his foot was a lense that had popped off in the fall.  They probably weren't totally beyond repair and he wanted to stop to pick them up, but he couldn't afford to risk loosing his balance.

Not to mention any more precious time.  

He could see the top of the hill and the trail now, as well as the top of someone's head.

"HEY!" He shouted to the person.  "Hey, excuse me!"

The person in question stepped out from behind the tree to find him, and Beef had never felt such relief.  Standing there at the top not far from where Etho had fallen was a tan-skinned man with black hair and a stubbled beard dressed in what Beef hoped was a forest ranger's uniform with a hand radio clipped to his belt  

The ranger crossed his arms.  "Excuse me sir!  What are you doing of trail!"  His facial expression and posture were stern, his voice was more curious than accusatory.  

Beef took a second to catch his breath.  "Can you help?  My friend feel, he's really hurt."

The ranger didn't take a spare second to pull a collapsible hiking stick from the deep pockets of his pants.  "Show me."

Beef nodded and let the ranger follow him down the hill.  "He was birdwatching," Beef explained as they made their decent.  It was faster than it had been with Gem.  He somewhat knew the trick to keeping balance on the loose rocks now, and the ranger knew what he was doing as well, likely from years of experience on these trails.  "He was paying more attention to the view than where he was walking and slipped.  His head's bleeding and I think his ancle's probably broken. 

"Is he alone?" the ranger asked.

Beef shook his head.  "No.  Our other friend is still down there with him.  She knows more first aid than I do.

The ranger nodded.  "Good, good."

When they reached the bottom, they found Gem in tears.

"I can't wake him up," she sobbed.

Beef knelt down next to Gem.  "Is he breathing?"

Gem nodded.  

The ranger let out a low whistle.  "Oh, this is bad."  When sobbed again, he responded with, "Sorry.  I don't sugar coat things, I tell it like it is."  He unclipped his radio from his belt and adjusted the frequency.  It squeaked and crackled a little before going silent again.  "Bdubs to HQ, you copy?"

A voice came over the radio in response.  "HQ to Bdubs, I copy."

"We've got an injured hiker on Owl Head.  We're gonna need a med-evac."

"Copy that.  Coordinates?"

Beef and Gem watched Bdubs pull out some sort of device covered in dials and listened as he rattled off a bunch of numbers that were likely the coordinates HQ had asked for.

"Copy that, Bdubs.  Wait there until the chopper arrives."

"Copy that, HQ.  Bdubs out."

Beef stood back up to be face to face with Bdubs.  "Thank you."

"Of course.  As a forest ranger, it's my duty to make sure all you fine visitors are safe.  But just a second now..." Bdubs looked around the area, down at Gem and Etho, then back at Beef.  "There wasn't a fourth person with you was there?"

Beef and Gem looked at each other, then back to Bdubs and shook their heads slowly.

"It's just been the three of us all week," Gem said softly, her voice still rough from crying.

"Hm,  Must not have gotten enough sleep last night.  A full night's rest is important you know.  Keeps you strong and healthy." Bdubs ponded his fist against his chest to emphasize his point, then winced and rubbed the place he'd struck himself.  "Ow.  See?  I'm so strong I even hurt myself." 

Beef chuckled awkwardly at the ranger's odd antics.  He wanted to further address that "fourth person" comment, but there were more important matters to attend to. 

Bdubs knelt down next to Etho on the side opposite Gem.   He looked him over, paying special attention to the other side of Etho's heas.  "Has he been moved since he fell?"

"No," Gem answered.  "I didn't want to risk hurting him more in case something happened to his back.  

"Good thinking."  Bdubs reached over to Etho's broken ankle and gave his foot a light tap.

"What are you-" Gem tried to protest the action, but was interrupted when Etho roused slightly and grimaced in response.  

Bdubs offered Gem a reassuring smile.  "If he can still feel his feet, that's a good thing.  No major spinal damage.  And he's responsive, so he's not comatose."

"I...I guess that makes sense."

Bdubs visually checked Etho over some more while he asked questions of Gem.  

"Was he unconscious when you found him?"

"No, he lost consciousness about... five minutes ago maybe?  He could talk before that, but he was slurring like he was drunk."

"Had he been drinking?  The paramedics will need to know if he's got any substances in his system."

"He had a few beers last night, but nothing this morning."

Bdubs nodded slowly.  "That slurring means a concussion then, for sure.  Looks like there's another wound on the back of his head, too."

Gem sniffed.  "He warned me to be careful when I was acting dumb and now he's the one who fell.  It was my idea to take this stupid trail in the first place."

"What's your name, sweetheart?" Bdubs asked, giving Gem a serious look.

"My name's Gem."

"Gem.  Beautiful name.  Accidents happen, Gem.  You can't blame yourself.  And this gentleman here is..."

"Etho," Gem completed the sentence.

"Etho," Bdubs repeated.

Hearing his name in strange voice caught Etho's attention.  He groaned and his brow furrowed.

"Hey there, buddy,"  Bdubs said softly.  "You waking up?"

Etho's eyes flicked open just for a second before closing again.  "Who'r you?"

"The name’s Bdubs.  I'm the ranger who just called a med-evac for ya.  We're gonna get you out of here, just hold tight."

"Gem?" Etho asked, sounding groggy.

"I'm here, Etho."

"Me too, buddy," Beef said from behind Gem.

"Hurts," Etho grunted through clenched teeth.

"I know," Gem said.  "I'm sorry."

"Pain means you're alive."  Beef gently squeeze Gem's shoulder, and she returned the gesture with a small, tired smile.  "Stay that way for us, okay?"

"'K.  Can't die here."  Etho's lip twitched up in was was meant to be a smile.  "Pause'll kill me 'f I die."

Gem and Beef both laughed, taking Etho's clearly intact sense of humor as a good sign.

Gem echoed Etho's previous words.  "You know how roommates are."

"Is his roommates him emergency contact?"  Bdubs asked.

Gem nodded.  "We're all each other's contact, but he's also on the list."

"I'll need to radio back to HQ so they can contact him."

"Here..." Gem offered before rummaging in the inner pocket of Etho's jacket.  She pulled out a small, clear, waterproof bag containing Etho's passport, trail permit, and list of emergency contact names and numbers.  She handed it to Bdubs.  "Here's all his information, just in case they need it at the HQ."

Bdubs took a moment to admire the bag before standing up.  "This is a genius idea."

"It was all Gem's idea," Beef said, patting Gem's shoulder.  "We all have one on us."

"Well, Gem's great!" Bdubs said with a wide-eyed grin and stepped away to radio back to HQ.

"You really are great," Beef said to Gem.  "I honestly don't think I could have handled this without you.  I wouldn't have had a clue what to do."

Not knowing how to respond, she slumped backwards against Beef's chest and let him hold her steady.  Etho had slipped out of consciousness again, but the bleeding had slowed enough that she felt she could safely remove her hand from the head wound. She left the cloth there just in case.

She looked down at her blood covered hands, and again she began to cry.  She buried her face in Beef's shoulder, and if she felt a few tears that weren't hers roll down her forehead before trickling down her cheek and mingling with her own, she would never say so.

[mysteryshoptls]

R Azul Ashengrotto Outdoor Wear Personal Story

"S-So heavyyyyyy!"

[Dwarfs' Mine – Campsite]

Day 2 of Camp―

[splash!]

Kalim: Oh no… I spilled water on all of the firewood we gathered! Once they're this wet, it definitely won't catch fire anymore, huh.

Kalim: Hrrrm, what should I do? Lilia's been gone for a while now, and Cater's off foraging for food…

[quick footsteps]

Azul: Kalim-san, whatever is the matter? I thought I heard a loud sound coming from over here by the pop music club tents…

Kalim: Azul! Actually, I've just ruined most of our spare firewood…

Azul: How distressing. It's imperative that you gather additional firewood as soon as possible. It may only be in a small capacity, but allow me to help you.

Kalim: Eh? You sure?

Azul: Of course. We must all help each other, especially in times of trouble, yes? Come, let us go.

Boardgame Club Member A: …Hey, did you just see what happened?

Boardgame Club Member B: Yeah… It's gotta be a hallucination due to fatigue, but… I thought I just saw Azul-senpai offering to help another club for free…

[Dwarfs' Mine – Forest]

Kalim: There's not much firewood, huh…

Azul: It seems most of the branches that were strewn about the forest floor were already gathered on the first day of camp.

Kalim: Ah! Can't we just snap branches off the trees, then?

Kalim: Look, the branches on this tree are thin and'll probably burn good, don'tcha think?

Azul: Unfortunately, live branches are not suitable for campfires.

Azul: It will contain an abundance of moisture, so even if we were to burn it, it would produce a massive amount of smoke.

Kalim: Really?

Azul: Indeed. If there are no logs suitable to be used for firewood to be found in this forest… How about we head towards the river we passed by on the way to the campground?

Azul: We may be able to find driftwood washed ashore there.

Kalim: Driftwood, huh…But if it's near the river, it might be wet too.

Azul: Actually, no. As strange as it may be, as driftwood floats down a river, its bark can get scraped off by all the rocks and boulders, which makes it easier to dry.

Azul: As long as some time has passed since it has been washed up on the shore, all the moisture should be drained, and would be suitable for firewood… It seems.

Kalim: I see… Thanks for telling me! You really do know everything, huh, Azul?

Azul: Fufufu, I only learned of that myself just yesterday. There is an avid campfire enthusiast in my club that would not stop going on about it.

Azul: Well, putting that aside… Let us work together to gather more firewood.

Kalim: Thanks to you, we gathered so much firewood! Alright, let's bring them all back to the pop music club tent.

Azul: (Well now, I should have made enough of a good impression by now, but just in case, I'll give it one last push.)

Azul: Ah, Kalim-san. I'll carry the firewood for you.

Kalim: Eh, you sure?

Azul: Yes, please leave it to me. I'll bundle it up and hoist it onto my shoulders…Urk!?

Azul: S-So heavyyyyyy! I can feel every muscle in my body screaming out. If this keeps up, I'll be completely crushed underneath it all～!

Kalim: Eh, is it that heavy…? You okay, Azul? Here, maybe I should help too.

Azul: No, I can't allow that. I am the one who offered to carry all of the firewood, after all.

Azul: I will stand by my words until the very end and assist you, Kalim-san!

Kalim: Azul, you… You're such a great guy!

Azul: (With this, I've given Kalim-san the impression that I've helped him without needing consideration for my own hardship. Now, just one more time to seal the deal.)

Azul: IT'S SOOOOOO HEAVY!

[Dwarfs' Mine – Campsite]

Kalim: We're back, Cater! I see you're back too.

Cater: Yeah. I found some food, and now I'm making dinner. Where have you been this whole time, Kalim-kun… Oh, you were with Azul-kun?

Kalim: Yeah, we ended up needing extra firewood. Azul helped me out a ton!

Cater: Eh, when you say he helped you out… He didn't ask you for any gold or silver treasures or anything as compensation, did he?

Azul: How rude. I simply helped Kalim-san with only the best intentions.

Cater: Uh-huh…

Jade: Cater-san, could I borrow you for a moment? There is a tool that I seem to not be able to find…

Cater: Ah, suuure. I'll be right there. Kalim-kun, I'll leave the campfire to you!

Kalim: Yeah! …Azul, you should rest for a bit here. You carried all those heavy logs, you must be tired, yeah?

Azul: Thank you very much. Then, I'll take your kind offer and sit down here.

Azul: Whew… There may have been many difficult moments while camping here, but there's also been many invaluable experiences.

Azul: I'll have many stories to tell my family the next time I'm able to head home for a long holiday.

Kalim: Oh, definitely! When I head home, I'll definitely tell my dad and mom about this camp!

Azul: …Kalim-san, when you do, how about you also inform them of the wonderful memory we created carrying firewood earlier?

Azul: Like how I quickly came to your aid when you were in a bind, or how I shared my firewood knowledge with you…

Azul: Or how I sacrificed my own body to carry all the heavy firewood… By all means! Please tell the Asim family!

Azul: (All according to plan. This will be the foothold I need to allow me to start a business connection with the Asim family…)

Kalim: Yeah, I’m gonna talk to them about everything! I'll mention you, Lilia, Cater, and Jade!

Azul: …Eh?

Kalim: I'll tell them that camping with everyone was totally the bestest!

Azul: Uh... Kalim-san. I'm sincerely counting on you... please?

Requested by Anonymous.

[westadventure24]

Day 4 - That’s history!!!

Hello all! I apologize for such a late update. I had my usual morning post all done and ready to go and then no service when I went to post.

The chilly temperature this morning in Custer woke me up early so I decided to take Lily for a walk around the lake as the sun came up. Lily enjoyed all the strange smells and I think she was trying her best to hunt down that bison who was in camp the night before. (Side note, when we pulled out this morning the behemoth beast was standing right at the edge of the road. I guess he likes camping!) taking that lake walk this morning was contagious. Everyone went walking by the lake in their own time, but Todd was the only one lucky enough to see any horned wildlife. Well, I guess Mom saw some too since she went with Dad. 😊

After walking and organizing, we headed towards Mountain Rushmore. A dear friend of mine, Joanie, told me once “It is like nothing you have ever seen. Indescribable.” She was not wrong!

As Todd maneuvered the camper van through the S curves and beautiful mountains, there it was. The feeling brought me back to that same excitement when I was a kid screaming, “I see the Eiffel Tower!!!” as we neared King’s Island. But this…WOW! To see one and only completed, hand carved, rock sculpture of the faces of four of the most influential presidents U.S. history is truly unbelievable. Seeing it in books and pictures just doesn’t do it justice. Even Lily stopped to look!!! I asked Mom if she ever thought she would see it in person…her response was nothing short of what anyone reading this would expect, “No, I did not.” I am so thankful that she was able to see what some might call the 8th Wonder of the World. (I don’t know if anyone actually calls it that except the guy I heard say it while we were there, but it sounded feasible to me!)

After our visit to Mount Rushmore, we made our way to Deadwood, SD, where Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane are laid to rest. After watching, the HBO series of the same name a few years back, I couldn’t wait to visit the famous western gold mining town. I have to say, I was highly disappointed in the town as it was not the original or even the close reproduction that I had expected, but much more commercialized with casinos and souvenir shops being nearly every establishment on Main Street. We didn’t let that ruin our fun! Todd’s hopes were deflated when he discovered the brothel had been shut down by the FBI over 40 years ago. Just kidding….he had no idea…didn’t even know the sign was there when I took his picture!! 😂

While Calamity Jane always raised a ruckus, I knew Dad would give her a run for her money. A local bartender recommended the Oyster Bay restaurant for the best pizza in town, so off we went. Like everywhere else, they had slot machines. What we learned is that not only Dad, but Mom, had missed their calling….millwright and customer service worker, pfft! They should have moved west and became gamblers! We gave them each $2 and Todd showed them how the penny slot worked. Mom won $9.64 and Dad won $7.35! They nearly won enough to pay for their lunch AND were smart enough to cash out and be done!

After making a brief stop at the Bar where Wild Bill Hickok was shot while holding a hand of Aces and Eights, we decided to head out of town after making one last stop at Mt. Moriah cemetery where Bill, Jane and the town’s first sheriff, Seth Bullock, were buried. I mean, we were there, right? Why not?

On the road again, Wyoming brings a different kind of terrain….many meadows of antelope, but coolest of all was seeing Devil’s Tower in the distance as we made our way to our campground in Moorcroft. I guess I have been doing this way too long both Mom and Todd just asked if I had posted. Until tomorrow family and friends! ❤️

[cedarboughs]

Hiking Journal: Banff NP,

Fossil Mountain Loop, Part I, August 11

A busy week at work ended badly the night before this trip with a needless panic attack. That combined with a sleepless night and being back in Lake Louise, site of my Worst Birthday closing in on one year past, meant that I wasn’t feeling my best, mentally speaking, as we set out along the ski-out road from the shuttered Temple Day Lodge. It didn’t help that the road is a steep dusty climb and the morning was hot. But I was happy to be back among conifers. Some cool things happened even in the relatively short (7.5 km) all this first day. I spied a black bear in the first km, scampering off into the bush. We passed a paddock where some horses and mules lazed in front of a view to Mt Temple, a fair reminder that among the disaster of last late summer, I did stand on that peak for the first time.

I almost got hit by a speeding Parks truck driven by the surly ranger who checked our permits.

Past the ski hill the trail gets more pleasant. Hidden Lake Campground is just by the Halfway Hut. It’s not Halfway to Skoki Lodge from the mountains parking, but from the criminally defunct train station. So it’s more like a third of the way today.

Pitched camp before lunch and spent a while trenching around the tents with an ice auger or maybe a signpost that was lying around camp. The creek running by camp is lovely.

For the afternoon we hiked the 1.3 km up to Hidden Lake itself. One group and then another returning told that two grizzlies were digging calmly near the lake. We approached cautiously, speaking loudly, until we could see the lake itself below the moraine and the two bears were visible shuffling about.

Do you want to see them? Do you want to see the beautiful photo I took of this amazing animal, with my zoomless cell phone?

There he is. Mighty mistaya. Spectacular. I promise the blob is not a rock. As soon as we could see them we retreated. 3 bears in one day!

Rigged a tarp over the picnic table just in time to make dinner and tea sheltered from the hailstorm that blew over the headwall, though not from the cold wind that blew it over. After dinner then I was still tired and now chilled too. Crawled into a warm sleeping bag at the late late hour of 6:30 pm and barely stayed awake long enough to write the entry in my little notebook that I’m now transcribing.

[traipseartist]

July 4th - 7th - Yokum's Right of Seneca Rocks, West Virginia

I claim to be a Rock Climber™ but the majority of my experience is actually clinging to plastic rocks inside of blissfully air-conditioned warehouses in the part of town that's definitely getting gentrified.

I discovered I liked to climb at a time in my life when I was desperate to find something athletic that didn't make me want to walk into the sea. My body image after high school was in shambles and I developed a certain hatred for treadmills and ellipticals--symbols of punishment for over-indulgence or a demand I adhere to some kind of standard that I never really could buy all the way into. Needless to say, exercise was always a means to an end. If I could have put my brain in a jar and made my legs run the necessary number of miles to make me a size 0, I would have. Gleefully. Surely athleticism was mastering the ability to fully disconnect your body from your brain? Who wanted to be present for the heaving and the sweating and the oh-god-oh-god-this-is-how-I-die feeling that hangs in the balance?

Then I had a long-distance boyfriend who fell headlong into the sport and in my soft loneliness, I connected to him via chalk-coated climbing facilities. We would chatter on the phone about climbing problems, the world of outdoor climbing, competitions, characters at our respective gyms. When his life drifted away from mine, I stayed close to the wall. I felt not just the urge to be stronger and solve more difficult problems, but the desire to start speaking my body's language instead of pulling out the duct tape every time I needed to push through something that felt physically hard.

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

So, yes yes, a beautiful back story. An illustrative origin that does nothing to explain why I'm clenching a stubborn half-sapling between my thighs and trying to keep all of my pistachio shells in my hat as I dangle my ankles thousands of feet above the valley floor in Seneca Rocks, West Virginia.

My partner Vincent and I are out with the Explorer's Club of Pittsburgh (some 20+ riotous humans with a distaste for a particular kind of self-preservation) on this fine holiday weekend when we agree to do something relatively stupid and exactly what we came for. We want to stand on the top of the biggest piece of exposed Tuscarora Quartz in the north east and shake in our boots while doing it even though we're mostly little indoor-monkey gym-rats.

Seneca Rocks, West Virginia is not like other climbing destinations. Some crags, especially those on the west coast that attract climbers from around the world, have their own sprawling ecosystems born of their touristic revenue. Joshua Tree has the strangest assortment of desert-proof fast-food establishments. Yosemite and the Sonora Pass have many of the trappings of a mountain get away: Adorable high streets in small boom towns scattered throughout the region, themed restaurants, condos and vacation homes stacked high and wide for visitors and returning locals alike. Something (wineries and theme parks and tucked away spas) for the person who has no desire to really disconnect from society, thank you very much.

Seneca Rocks, West Virginia has:

Yokum's Vacationland - a truly grandiose title for a double-wide cabin that feels like a themed gas station with a root-beer stand tacked on the back and some motel rooms up top. All the same, totally beloved.

Harper's Old Country Store - honestly, much cuter than Yokum's but probably less trafficked unless Yokum's runs out of ice or chocolate milk

Princess Snowbird's Indian Village & Campgrounds - not touching this one. It's been here for a second. It has RV hook-ups and could not be more American in nature.

The Gendarme - your local spot for outdoor guides, good advice, and the climbing gear you forgot.

There are campgrounds (Seneca Shadows) up the hill from Yokum's, and a little science center filled with dusty art-deco furniture across the way. All of this within the cast shade of the mountain you came for, and that is that.

The end.

Yet, despite the almost video game-esque limited nature of this local map, Seneca Rocks is obviously its own ticking entity. There are people who live here. The pepperoni rolls for sale in color coded zip-block bags (RED - Pepperoni and Mozzarella, BLUE - Mozzarella only, GREEN - EXTRA Pepperoni and Mozzarella) deposited in big wicker baskets by the cash register at Yokum's are made by a woman named Betsy. The local guides that cart litters of injured recreationalists down from the mountain are no NPCs.

So when you're teetering on routes with names like "Muscle Beach" and "Ecstasy Jr." that drape the mountain high above our tiny valley below, it's hard to feel that same uncaring maw of the great wilderness that I've felt so many times before when I've been playing with my own safety for fun and un-profit far from the sympathy of other humans.

Still, when a rope strains on a carefully placed nut in the crevices of Whorl's Thicket or you see some cotton slings tangled in the branches of a marooned tree under Traffic Jam, you are reminded that your survival--that any human's survival on this little quartz dinosaur spike--is purely by permission and tolerance only. There is no conquering here; there is only playing on the shoulders of a giant. It's reckless, even though it is surely allowed and time-tested.

I learned very quickly that the people I was climbing amongst, however, did not always have a passion for the reckless nature that is the hobby. Some of them had the exact opposite problem with their bodies and their minds that I found I had. They did not wish to separate their mind from their body so that they could push through the soul-crushing boredom of exerting physical labor without feeling much reward or time passing. Instead, they wished to sever the connection so that they could overcome the crippling fear of hanging on the edge, of being too frightened to progress--something I enjoy playing with, fiercely.

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

At the summit of Seneca, there is a small metal lockbox the size you'd see keep cash in a concession stand on the perimeter of a high school Softball field. This box is full of notes, little plastic figurines, found treasure, a cow bell, a whistle. Well wishes, banal little messages for those behind or in front that may find themselves up here soon and again.

At base camp, there is a loose huddle of chairs around a dimming campfire and the air of survival from something we chose. Another day on the rock, another meal to remember the day we didn't fall off of it. Someone mentions a plaque affixed to a large boulder along the path up to the crag, seen just before the turn off to a torturous route upward to some other famous trad classics named "Stairmaster." It's a commemoration to a woman who was part of the Explorer's Club of Pittsburgh. She stepped backwards off of a steep step-around route on the mountain and fell to her death a week before her wedding in the early 2000s.

Someone says they wish they hadn't named her specifically on the plaque--it made the club look careless. Untrained.

There is a long pause before someone else says that her fiance wanted to bury her in her wedding dress. I put my mind back into my body, and my body back into my tent, and I am thankful to sleep on a solid, flat surface yet again.

[quonka]

Jazz Music to Cancel Out the Mundane-- Sort of Like PEMDAS

"Now, You Must Acquire a Taste for Free Form Jazz"

Alright, maybe they're not "free form" Jazz, but Loftys Comet is a gorgeous little "underground indie jazz rock" band, as they describe themselves on their Instagram, that I've discovered semi-recently and fallen in love with. I even got two of my friends to regularly listen to them as well.

I'm still their "#1 listener" on Airbuds though. Not to brag.

I am bragging.

The Numbers

When I say this band is little, I mean it-- with only "14,639 monthly listeners" on Spotify, their top streamed song is Shower Thoughts with 1,299,101 total streams, while their least streamed song, Altunga, lies at mere 1,937 streams.

Both of these songs appear on their most recent album Strung Out, which released back in February on the 29th. Funnily enough, I discovered them on the 15th of February through their single version of Shower Thoughts-- so I really came in at just the right time.

Their first album, The Juveniles of Funk, has been out for almost four whole years now, originally released to Spotify on July 20th, 2020. The songs on this album do have a bit more streams than on Strung Out, but I single handedly am putting in the work to get their numbers up with how often I listen to their music when writing. Similar to last week's post though, I listen to this band outside of studying a lot too.

Variations upon Variations upon Variations

I really didn't even think I liked jazz, but after listening to this band with not a single track that I don't bob my head like a pigeon to, I had to reconsider. Every single song in their discography has something interesting, and new, and fun to offer-- and I truly do like every song. There were a couple that had to grow on me, but oh did they grow.

One of these songs is Late Night Travels off of The Juveniles of Funk. The soft, slower acoustic guitar layers are beautiful, and while there's no saxophone presence in this song like in most the rest of their work, that's what makes it stand out. For a five-minute song, it truly never gets boring. There are a lot of repeated motifs, but each iteration adds something different and plays with the repetition; not so much that it's unrecognizable, but so that each come and go around it feels fresh.

I don't know really how else to say this, but they play the guitar in this song like how they play the saxophones in their other pieces. This track is unpredictable-- even after listening to it over and over again as I do. There's this specific part at the end of the song where the tempo increases, and the volume crescendos, and it catches me by surprise every single time.

Despite this unpredictability, the song is cozy. I can't help but envision a nice warm summer night at a nice campground, the campfire crackling, and fireflies flickering on and off in the distance. It's truly a lovely song, and all its variation makes it easy to have on in the background for hours on end while I write, because it just never gets boring or stale.

A similar song off that same album, in the sense of starting off slow and melodic, and then really kicking it up at the end, is Blackberry; my favorite song included in The Juveniles of Funk. The duality of the lower and higher saxophones throughout the song, almost like they're alternating, already sounds amazing-- but when they play together with their melodies varied but still obviously connected? gorgeous, just absolutely gorgeous.

My favorite part of this song is when a little more than halfway through, that tempo, and volume, and intensity increases and it just grows and grows-- and then it cuts off, gets low and slow again-- before that double symbol hit comes in with both the saxophones on top of it and propels us right back into that energy and intensity. This part of the song is just so bouncy, and it always makes me feel like I'm spinning-- in a good way!

One of Loftys Comet's pieces that start intense and stay intense is 300, my favorite off Strung Out.

This song is everything I like about the two previous songs combined into perfect harmony; it's got the higher and lower saxophones having a conversation with their connected-by-a-thread melodies, it's got intricate variations on motifs-- and right out of the gate, the piece surges forward with a heavier, aggressive mood that just stings, and throughout its entire 6 minute 31 second runtime, it never once loses its momentum.

Just like Late Night Travels, the variations make this song feel fresh every time I hear it, and just like the ending of Blackberry, the electricity and passion behind each note and well-placed pause keeps me entertained while I do my work, which can definitely get monotonous.

"Okay SpongeBob-- You're ready!"

I genuinely adore Loftys Comet; I listen to them all the time, and they really have become a huge part of my taste in music.

If you liked any of the songs above, I cannot recommend enough to go check out the rest of their music on Spotify or YouTube; Maybe even give them a follow over on Instagram. They deserve so much more attention and love then they are getting, and it would be awesome to see them get bigger.

Which was y'all's favorite song of the three I talked about here? or if you decided to listen to more of their songs than just these three, that's awesome, and feel free to tell me in general what your favorite song of theirs is.

[everystephoftheway]

“this might be a weird time to mention it, but you smell really great.” - dealer's choice!

hug prompts ˗ˏˋ꒰ 🐚 ꒱

Okay, so I chose Pike and Percy for this and I want to disclaim: I don't actually ship this romantically AT ALL, but I know Ashley has said that at one point Pike had a little crush on Percy and I think that concept is fun, so I figured why not :D And I wanted to try something different! Hope you like!

Pike always had an excellent sense of smell. It is a huge help with her baking, but in a lot of cases recently it hasn't exactly been an advantage. Between crypts and zombie hoards and dragon innards, Pike has wished she didn’t have a nose more times than not the last few months. So, when she starts to notice the smell of cherry blossoms trying very hard to mask the smell of gunmetal she starts turning to find its source.

It only takes a moment, and a one-eighty degree turn around, to find Percy standing just behind her, clearly just dressed from a shower as his hair still looks a bit damp. The floral scent brings a smile to her face, the fact that the gunmetal couldn’t be washed away or overwhelmed even more so. She watches as he sits down and fiddles with his coat, brushing off any dust only for more dust from the dirt they called their campground to sprinkle the ends near his ankles. His glasses press against his nose, making little red marks against his pale skin. 

She’s never noticed how he smells before. As she thinks about it, her heart starts to beat a little harder in her chest and she claps her hand against her armor, causing him to look up.

“You alright, Pike?”

“Oh, uh, yeah." She slaps her hand down onto her thigh. "Yeah, I’m okay. There was a bug on me.” An awkward laugh follows as she smiles, maybe a bit too big, but if Percy senses–or perhaps cares–about her weirdness, he doesn’t act like it.

“Well, I’m sure it’ll stay away now.”

“Yeah…This might be a weird time to mention it, but you smell really great.”

It takes a second for Percy to process what Pike said, and his eyes slowly but surely widen to nearly fill the frames of his glasses. It makes Pike’s heart race again, how red his cheeks get and how frazzled he seems. She just wants to sit on his lap and snuggle against his chest. And maybe drink a lot of ale and have some fun in the tents, but that thought flickers away just as fast as it flickers in.

“Oh, I–thanks, Pike. I, um…borrowed Keyleth’s soap.” 

“It’s nice.” 

He nods for a moment, offering her a smile that makes his eyes curl–stop that!–then turns back as if he hears something.

“I think…I think that’s Vex calling.”

Pike turns in the direction he’s looking, but hears nothing.

“Oh yeah, definitely her. I’ll go check and make sure everything’s alright.” He stands, brushes as much dust off his coat as he can, gives another smile to Pike, and then walks away past the tent toward the tree line, nearly tripping on a rock as he goes. 

“Dammit, Trickfoot,” she mutters to herself. “So stupid.”

[queer-and-nerdy]

as a blue ridge rock festival 2023 survivor i’m imagining l&co going to a rock/metal festival and it’s CARNAGE right (this is based on my experience with festivals in the u.s. i’ve never been to any in europe LMAO) also obligatory @wellgoslowly tag <3

the three of them go for all 4 days with on-site camping but they decide to share a single tent because “it’ll be cheaper and we already live together so how bad can it be?” BAD VERY BAD. fortunately, the weather was good but lucy forgot to take into account how much she and george snack when they get stressed. her and george take turns driving to and from the festival (lockwood is a registered passenger princess i love him but also don't trust him behind the wheel), but lucy is the one to park in the campground as george made several domestic and international terror threats if he had to pull into "that shitshow of a lot, are you mad?? who's idea was this, anyways? not mine, that's for sure. park the damn car without killing us, please and thank you." their three sleeping bags barely fit the floor of the tent, so the first night they spend practically curled up together. george, unable to handle the sheer amount of LocklyleTM, decides to sleep in the car for the rest of the weekend. lucy and lockwood try to sleep in an inconspicuous/non-awkward way, but somehow find themselves tangled up in each other's arms. neither of them comment on this, but they also don't separate right away (they make me sick). they all wear matching noise-muffling headphones that lucy made for them (lucy's hearing is already somewhat impaired and she takes care of her body; george bitches about his hearing being fine despite staying close enough to be able to touch the stage for every set he attends and complaining about a "weird ringing noise" constantly; lockwood never takes his off, even sleeping with them on - lucy drew little hearts on his). the three of them also spent the week leading up to the festivals making kandi bracelets to hand out, which earns them some friends they keep for years.

lockwood (the masochist that he is) has the time of his life all weekend. he’s thriving on the loud music and shitty overpriced food. he desperately wants to mosh but doesn’t realize that you don’t really have to ask to join, and his first few attempts just result in him either acting as a wall or getting pushed out of the way entirely. once he finally pushes his way into a decent-sized pit, he instantly gets sucker punched and george has to take him to the first aid tent (they give him a small bottle of water and tell him to “take it easy”). he doesn't sing along for any sets he attends, instead enjoying hearing the combination of the band and the audience. he stays on the festival grounds from first set to last, and when he returns to the campsite he spends several more hours chatting with their neighbors. he loves discovering new bands and genres despite how picky he is and gets along great with the people he stands around (except the person that kept talking shit about metallica). music is a great escape for him and helps him pass the time in his everyday life. it acts as a grounding force in his life, and something about the heavy bass provided by the live music gives him a sense of reality. despite his increasing lack of sleep each night he somehow is more energized each day. this baffles lucy and george, who are running on the fumes of fumes. hypothetically his positive attitude would make him an ideal tentmate, except for the unfortunate fact that not only are the showers largely inaccessible but he gets it into his head that “there aren’t showers in the wild; therefore, i don’t need to take any.” lucy and george set him straight the second night with some not so thinly veiled threats.

lucy is the one to suggest the festival as a “much needed vacation.” she is also the first to regret actually following through on it. she spends the hottest parts of the day in the shade of their campsite, usually only showing up for the headliners at the end of the night as well as some smaller bands she researched ahead of time. although george teases her for "hiding," she ends up being the only one to make it out without any medical issues or injuries. she makes sure to pack the right amount of food for the three of them as well as budgeting for festival food but she would rather die than pay $13 for a slice of pizza. she designates herself as the merch martyr, standing in line for two hours to get the three of them anything and everything they could afford (one shirt each and a magnet for their kitchen). however much she complains, though, she fully enjoys herself the whole time. she allows herself the freedom to relax in what would otherwise be a stressful environment for her, and she makes a few good friends. like lockwood, music is an escape for her, but instead of giving her a sense of reality, she finds it gives her an outlet to be someone she usually isn't. in a large crowd, with no one's eyes on her and any internal thoughts muffled by the loud music, she can let go and lose herself to the experience. she doesn't mosh but instead stands to the side and observes the moshers and crowd surfers. she becomes so wrapped up in the performances that, despite knowing all of the songs, often doesn't sing along.

george, like myself, has a myriad of health conditions, so the fact that he survived the entire weekend is surprising enough. lucy enlists lockwood's help to hold a gun to george's head to force him to take his binder off periodically. he hasn't had a drop of water in months and certainly isn't planning on starting now, which frustrates lucy to no end. the only compromise he makes is purchasing a case of gatorade, which he chugs half of and promptly vomits up all within the first day. he isn't a huge fan of moshing but he gets dragged into a few energetic ones and finds himself having fun. although he, like lucy, researched and planned ahead on who he wanted to see, he prefers to spend most of the day wandering around the grounds and sitting in on groups he didn't know if he has the time. for the groups he plans for, however, he's a bit of a scary fan. he knows all the lyrics, the band members' names, details of their careers, etc. he knows the setlist ahead of time even though he could sing each all of their songs perfectly from memory and excitedly tells the people around him what song was coming next. he starts arguments with a few people on the subgenres of metal, but also manages to get a cute guy's contact info after crossing each other's paths at a few different sets. to him, music is the only way he feels understood. he often doesn't know how to verbally explain his feelings, and there's something about music that he finds accesses deep within him. he passes out three times during the first day (lucy was there for the third one and exploded when he told her about the other two) but manages to only pass out one more time over the rest of the weekend.

skull is forced to stay home by himself despite insisting on being taken along [he will remember this]. the magnet lucy gets, however, satisfies him.