#there’s no such thing as too much Thenamesh

[eternalowl]

Incorrect Eternals quotes part 3

Ikaris gets d e s t r o y e d in this because it’s funny

Thena, while entering a store: Why do they have door sensors outside of the exit door if you’re not even supposed to enter through there?

Gilgamesh: Probably because there’s the occasional idiot that walks through the wrong door.

Thena, dead fucking serious: Then just take the sensor away and let them run into the damn door.

Kingo: *is recording Druig struggling to husk a corn cob*

Druig: I swear I will throw this fuckin corn at your face if you don’t put your damn phone away.

Thena and Ikaris: *are about to beat the living shit out of each other in the kitchen*

Druig, running into the kitchen like a damn track star: WAIT!

Thena and Ikaris: *pause*

Druig: *quickly makes a bowl of popcorn and heads over to the couch to watch*

Druig: Okay, you may continue.

Ikaris: Today, two families will become one.

Druig, in an ominous voice: Two families enter, one leaves.

Sprite: Accurate yet terrifying.

Ajak: …The Wedding Games…

Sersi: May the bouquet toss be ever in your favor.

Phastos: I hate all of you!

Thena: Please don’t turn Gil and I’s wedding into the Hunger Games.

Ajak: BEAT HIS ASS RAINBOW DASH!

Kingo: I can’t believe you just said that…

Phastos: I don’t even want to know.

Sersi:, texting the others: There’s just this bird…

Sersi: In the Chicago airport…

Sersi: I’m going to name it Ravioli.

Thena: Is it on fire? No? Can it be solved with a fire? Also no? Does it have anything to do with cooking? Yes? Then leave me alone, I’ll just make it worse.

Gilgamesh: Hey, I’m heading to Australia-

Druig: Get me a kangaroo.

Gilgamesh: Why?

Druig: B e c a u s e.

Gilgamesh: No get your own damn kangaroo.

Kingo, running away from Ikaris for who knows why: Lemme tell you something, lemme tell you something-

Ikaris: *grabs a frying pan*

Kingo, screaming: Let mE TELL YOU SOMETHING-

Phastos: So, T, what’s your New Year’s resolution-

Thena: To start a revolution.

Sprite: Don’t you dare kill me! I have a family!

Murderer: And you think I care?

Sprite: That wasn’t a plea for mercy, that was a warning.

*sounds of cosmic energy, several explosions, screams of agony, and car alarms are heard in the distance*

Sprite: And it sounds like they’re almost here.

Thena: What happens if you press the gas and the break down at the same time?

Gilgamesh: The car takes a screenshot.

Phastos, who was just about to leave the Walmart parking lot: Get out of my car. Both of you.

Phastos: Please, Thena, don’t do anything overly violent.

Thena: You could sooner divert a river from its course than deny me my nature.

Sersi, deeply inhaling: Okay, let’s try this again. Mary had a little lamb-

Druig: Its heart as black as coal.

Thena: It crept into her room one night-

Druig: -and ate her fuckin soul.

Sersi: …

Kingo: Roses are red…

Kingo: Violets are blue…

Thena, threateningly holding a paint brush: Interrupt my painting again and I’ll fucking bite you.

Sersi: I stay in bed, I am warm. I get in the shower, I am warm. The distance between the bed and shower? No. That is not warm.

Kingo: So, if you die, how do you think it would happen?

Thena: Eh, probably old age.

Kingo: But- We don’t even age?

Thena: That’s my point.

Druig: *laughing manically after Ikaris makes a stupid mistake*

Druig: It’s funny how dumb you are.

Makkari: I always wear red to funerals. It’s my way of saying, “Hello, Death. Kiss my ass.”

Random person in an elevator: Your purse looks delicious.

Ajak: …

Ajak, ready to wack them with her purse: WHY DON’T YOU JUST EAT IT THEN???

Druig: Hey, wait-

Kingo: Sorry dude, there’s no space left in here.

Thena: We could throw Ikaris onto the roof.

Ikaris: How about we throw you on the damn roof.

Druig: I agree with Thena, now get onto the roof.

Ikaris: How about we put Gil on the roof?

Thena: *throws Ikaris out of the car and pulls Druig in*

Ajak: *closes the elevator*

Kingo, Sprite, Phastos, Druig, and Makkari: *waiting outside the elevator since they won’t fit*

Kingo, as soon as the door closes: *opens it and waves*

Ajak: *shuts the door again because she just wants to leave*

Kingo: *opens the door again and waves*

Ajak: *closes the door again*

Kingo: *opens the door AGAIN* You shall not leave.

Ajak:: *closes the door AGAIN*

Kingo: *proceeds to open it yet again*

Ikaris: Just let us fuckin leave!

Ajak: *closes the door, starting to get agitated*

Kingo: *opeNS THE FUCKING DOOR AGAIN*

Ajak, Ikaris, Sersi, Thena, and Gilgamesh: LET THE FUCKING DOOR CLOSE!

Ajak: *closes the door, ready to beat the shit out of Kingo*

Kingo: *finally lets them go*

Thena: I am fluent in many ways of kicking your ass.

Ikaris: GIVE ME BACK MY FUCKIN TWINKIES!

Druig: NO!

Phastos, to Sersi: Are they drunk-

Ikaris and Druig: SHUT THE FUCK YOUR MOUTH!

Kingo, watching a potato that’s attached to his ceiling fan: A potato flew around my room before you came-

Kingo, Ikaris, Sersi, Sprite, Druig, Phastos, Gilgamesh, Thena, Makkari, and Ajak, less than ten minutes later: *chaotic, bloody murder, unholy screeching*

Kingo: If you’ve knocked on a door, you’ve technically punched a house before.

Phastos: No-

Kingo: honk :D

Druig: WHAT

Kingo: HONK >:(

Druig: WHAT THE FUCK DOES HONK MEAN THIS TIME YOU WHIMSICAL PIECE OF SHIT???

Makkari, pointing to a strange creature: WHAT IS THAT???

Phastos: I don’t know! I remember reading something about it, but I forgot the name!

Makkari: NEVERMIND. I DON’T CARE WHAT IT IS, JUST HIT IT!

Sersi: IKARIS, GET THAT THING OUT OF THE HOUSE!

Ikaris: What? You’ve told me about how much you’ve been wanting a cat, then I found this guy! It’s fate, Sersi, FATE!

Sersi: IKARIS.

Sersi: THAT IS A RACCOON.

Sersi: Words ending in 'ie' just sound so adorable. Like cutie, sweetie, cookie-

Kingo: Eyy, homie!

Makkari: But then there's cootie...

Thena: Die.

Ajak: You fuckers don’t know about my knife stick. It’s a knife taped to a stick and it’s the ultimate weapon.

Thena: Spear.

Ajak: BLOCKED.

Ajak: I CHOOSE TO CALL IT MY KNIFE STICK.

Druig: I woke up today smiling because I saw Makkari and then I remembered that I’m still better than Ikaris.

Druig: Ajak, there’s a monster under my bed and it’s really ugly.

Ikaris, on the bottom bunk: Honestly, fuck you.

Makkari: Vegetable oil is made from vegetables, coconut oil is made from coconuts, so BABY OIL-

Phastos: CAN’T WE JUST HAVE A NICE FAMILY DINNER FOR ONCE???

Thena: *shatters a window and climbs through it*

Thena: *turns around and helps Sprite through it* Breaking and entering is wrong, Sprite.

Sprite: Okay.

Ajak: Is he stupid?

Thena, Druig, and Phastos, in unison: Yes, but he prefers to be called Ikaris.

Makkari: No thanks.

Makkari: I'm god.

Sersi, tearing up nearly every room in the Domo: WHERE ARE THEY???

Sersi, opening every cupboard after interrogating Druig: WHO MOVED THEM? WHO MOVED MY CHILDREN???

Sersi: SOMEONE MOVED MY M&Ms AND NOW I’M GOING TO START KILLING.

Ikaris, during the Emergence: What has this planet done for you? Why would you want to save it?

Sersi, Phastos, Makkari, Druig, and Thena, in unison: BECAUSE I’M ONE OF THE IDIOTS THAT LIVES ON IT!

Druig: Where are you going?

Ajak: To either get ice cream or commit a felony. I'll decide on the way.

Thena, looking at a dead phone: How do we bring this thing back to life? Magic? Live sacrifice? I know a guy in town-

Eros: What happened to Ajak?

Thena: She died.

Eros: She what?

Thena: She died, but she’s okay now.

Eros: …Can you please clarify?

Ajak the Almighty: Clarification is for the weak.

Druig, working at McDonald's: Sorry sir, we don't serve a McFuck here, so either you throw that one slice of pickle out or we're gonna have a McProblem.

Druig: Why are you burning our marriage certificate?

Makkari: Good luck returning me without the receipt.

Phastos: Ikaris, I don't like you.

Ikaris: What did you say?

Phastos: You heard me!

Ikaris, internally: And it turns out I actually didn't hear what the fuck you just said.

Ajak: Are you really planning to shoot the demon?

Makkari: Don't worry, it's a holy gun.

Ajak: How so?

Makkari: It makes holes.

Ikaris: I feel so burnt out.

Thena: Don’t worry, it'll be over soon.

Ikaris: Are you gonna... assassinate me?

Thena: Well not if you’re expecting it.

Ajak, about to jump over a canyon with the others in the back: Total lack of drivers training DON’T FAIL ME NOW!

Gilgamesh: I love you.

Thena: I love you too. I've waited so long to hear you say that.

*Gilgamesh and Thena kiss passionately*

Phastos, to Kingo: You owe me 20 dollars.

Ajak: What? I'm not aggressive!

Druig: Last Tuesday, you wacked me with a pair of sandals and stole my chocolate chips?

Ajak: Survival of the fittest, bitch!

Gilgamesh: Wow, Thena, you want to hold my hand before marriage? How awfully lewd of you.

Thena: We literally slept together yesterday and we’ve managed to convince everyone else that we’ve been married for the past few thousand years.

Gilgamesh: That's NOTHING compared to the lewdness of holding hands.

Kingo, after being buried in sand: I am the sand guardian, Guardian of the Sand.

Sprite, who is the one who buried him: POSEIDON QUIVERS BEFORE HIM!

Kingo, a few minutes later, screaming at a wave: FUCK OFF!

[softquietsteadylove]

I know it’s probably so annoying of me to keep asking for more every time you fulfill one of my prompts, but once again you hit it out of the park with the memory loss au!!! Gil is so sweet and kind and such a good husband who loves his wife no matter what 🥹 i don’t have a specific prompt, but just would love to read more about that journey. Thank you as always for keeping this ship alive, you have a reader in many of us still!

Gil paused in front of the door to the apartment. He leaned his forehead against the door, letting the cool of the air temper his mediocre (at best) day.

He loved his job, he loved the bakery. But the questions about Thena were getting to him. They came from a good place, he knew, and of course they would have their curiosities. But it was hard to deny that he was annoyed with the questions about if it was weird for them.

No, it wasn't.

Of course it was.

He had to come home and gauge if his wife was feeling particularly nervous around him that day. He had to ask how she was feeling because she went out of her way to hide that from him. She was recovering well, but no memories had emerged as of yet.

In his worst moments he really had to wonder if they would at all.

But he couldn't stand outside and dwell forever on that grim thought. He pulled out his keys to unlock the door. Thena herself had said she would leave it unlocked but he told her he would feel a little better if she didn't.

"Hi."

Gil blinked. It wasn't necessarily a welcome home kiss or anything, but Thena was standing by the door, smiling at him as he dropped his backpack where he stood. "Hey."

Her smile wavered faintly, but it certainly wasn't fake. She was nervous. "H-How was work?"

"Uh," Gil tried not to flounder. She was trying something, and he didn't want to discourage her. He also smiled, kicking off his shoes and starting to take off his coat. "It was okay. Kind of long, but at least it's friday, right?"

Thena just nodded, stepping back to let him in. "Come and tell me about it."

Gil tilted his head, squinting at her so long as she wasn't looking at him. It wasn't that she never asked to hear about his day before. But even just last week she was still trying to figure out how to start a casual conversation with him, or ask where they kept the coffee filters (again).

Thena seated herself on the couch, waiting for him expectantly. He chuckled, ruffling the stress out of his hair. When he rounded the corner of the couch he looked at the coffee table. The beer can was visibly cold, on a coaster and everything. "I thought I was out of these."

Thena shifted her knees, tugging at her skirt. "I decided to go to the store, today."

Gil tried not to look freaked out about that. He was just being overprotective, and there was no reason Thena couldn't want to get out of the house for a little. She remembered where the store was...apparently.

"I noticed there weren't any in the fridge, but I picked some up while I was out," she added, tilting her head as he cracked it open. "It smells familiar."

He smiled at that. Smells could be very good for her memory, he had already discovered by way of their laundry detergent, and his cologne. "You want a sip?"

She shook her head, and that made him smile too. "Yeah, I guess you never really had a taste for beer. You don't mind a glass of wine with Kari, though."

"Hm," she sighed as she leaned against the back of the couch. Her eyes were still intent on him. "So?--work?"

He cleared his throat, setting the beer down on its coaster again. "Right, uh...it was okay. Things ran normally, it was kind of quiet, but I guess it's just that time of year. And the weekend guys will be fine."

He had worked the very early mornings for the weekend before, actually. But since Thena's episode he did what he could to be at home whenever she was up and around.

"What do you bake specifically?"

"Oh," he blinked. It was light enough conversation, but Thena asked it like she was going to be quizzed on it later. But then again, he could remember their first date having a similar intensity to it. That was just what Thena was like. "I guess I mostly do the croissants, some of the desserts-"

"I looked up the bakery online today."

"Really?" he tried to ask casually, but she was going somewhere with all this.

Thena looked down at the small but comfortable space between them on the couch, picking at one of the cushion seams. "I considered walking by, but... "

She usually wasn't one to trail off during a sentence, but obviously she had really thought about whether to go through with it or not. Gil scooted just a little closer to her (not enough to spook her). "Hey, that's okay. I probably wouldn't have been able to come out and see you for long, anyway. It's sweet, though."

She looked embarrassed, but didn't shy away from him, at least. "I was worried someone would recognise me and...and I would leave them wanting."

Gil nodded; Thena was quietly terrified of having to meet everyone in their lives all over again. He couldn't blame her. Meeting people was never her specialty, and the pressure on her was now worse than ever. "It's okay, hon. We can face that later."

She sighed faintly, but she allowed him to just sort of wiggle his finger in her direction. She mustered the courage to hook her finger with his. It was small, but it didn't escape him that it was big for her.

"Hey, on sunday we can go by together if you want. Pick up some stuff for brunch here at home?" he suggested it gently, testing the waters. If she truly never wanted to speak to anyone they knew ever again, he didn't really have any argument to stand on.

He was willing to do anything to keep her from considering leaving all together.

"That sounds lovely." She smiled to match his smile, although softer and gently. Her hand did move, from just their fingers linking to more of a tentative hand holding. Affection wasn't her specialty either.

"It's a date," he grinned, unable to contain himself. Thena blinked and he nearly flinched, "I-I mean, not-! It doesn't have to-"

She laughed, though. He had missed that sound like the air he breathed. "My second chance at our first date."

He knew she meant it as a light joke, or maybe even in a self-deprecating way. But he melted. He couldn't help it! His wife was going to go on a date with him!

Thena watched passively as he brought her hand up to his lips. He gave her the chance to pull away, but she didn't. He kissed her knuckle gently. holding on just so he could admire the wedding ring still on her finger.

She had once asked if he had taken his off, and it had horrified him. But he asked if she wanted to take hers off. She had every right, even if the thought made him want to shrivel up and sink into the sea. But Thena had looked at the foreign object on her finger and answered very plainly but honestly: no.

Thena tilted her head at him again, "Gil?"

He gave her hand another kiss before looking at her again. Her hand in his, a beer to his left, it felt a little more like old times. But it was also new, in an endearing way. "So, you looked up the bakery?"

"Yes," she smiled, indulging his much improved mood, even letting him run his finger against her wedding ring. "It's a lovely site, the products are photographed well."

They had an instagram that Sprite mostly ran herself, but Thena didn't actually know that a lot of the product photography on the website had been done by herself back when Gil first got the job.

He had bragged all about how his wife was an amazing artist with a great eye for beauty! Thena had come in and done the photos for the website and then scolded him for embarrassing her.

"They are," he agreed quietly. "And we have some seasonal stuff, too. We'll still have the usual--the croissants, the pain au chocolat, the mont blancs. But we also still have the petit fours right now, since we get so much extra in for valentine's day."

Thena's face betrayed a split second of horror.

"Hey, hey, it's okay," he reassured her, and also used it as a great excuse to kiss her again (this time her open palm). "You were still in the hospital then. And we were never really valentine's people anyway."

There was some clear doubt in her eyes at that statement, but she didn't choke out a positively miserable apology (again).

"Besides," Gil put on his most charming smile, which she always said made him look suspicious, "I think valentine's is a little much for our first date, isn't it?"

Thena laughed again, and god he could listen to that for hours. He would make it his ringtone if she would let him. "I suppose that is a little forward of me."

"I mean Thena, I don't know what you heard about me, but I like to take it slow," he continued to joke, relishing in her laughter. It was so light and cute for how stern she always tried to look. "I'll pick you up and everything."

"You'll 'pick me up'?" she repeated back to him with her sandy blonde eyebrows raised. She had plucked them recently; she really was bored sitting at home all day.

"Sure," he shrugged and nodded in the direction of the guest room--her room. "I'll pick you up at 10."

[healingagoddess]

When no one listens

Request: Maybe something thenamesh?? I don't know something cute and fluffy and the other eternals are so done with them - by anon, thank you so so much 🖤

Warnings: English is not my first language.

Pairing: Thena/Gilgamesh

Words: 792

It is not an everyday thing to find Gilgamesh and Thena so close resting against each other. So, it is hard to pay attention to Ajak’s instructions as two very tired warriors snuggle in the back.

“Stop.” Thena threatens Kingo from afar with her stare.

“I should say the same thing,” he replies back, body fully turning towards them. “What is this that’s going on?”

She looks away and back to Ajak, ignoring him.

At some point during Ajak’s speech Thena rests her head against Gil’s shoulder earning the attention of Druig and Phastos, who just stare at each other like they are in the office.

“You see it too, right?” Asked Kingo.

“Uh,” Phastos takes a moment to think, but is cut off by Ajak.

“Are you guys even listening?” She speaks directly to everyone in the left corner which consist of Kingo, Phastos, and Druig. “What was I talking about?” She asks at their silence.

Kingo and Druig look at each other waiting for the other to talk as Phastos stutters to form an answer to no veil.

“You are talking about the re-distribution of the teams to travel overseas in the search of deviants.” Thena replies from her place attached to Gil’s rib.

Makkari frowns at her with a discerting look, and Sersi just looks marveled.

“Thank you, Thena; but I was talking to the corner on the left.” She gives them a stern look.

It is enough to make them stop, but it has now gained the attention of Sprite. She uses an illusion of herself sitting at the front listening to Ajak, while she walks invisible in the direction of Gilgamesh and Thena. She takes note of how they are holding hands, and how Gil’s thumb is brushing against Thena’s. Just when she is about to prank Gil tickling him with an invisible feather she hears Ajak calling out her name.

“Sprite, I hope you are not using an illusion again to escape. This is a very important matter.” Ajak talks like a mother with a warning tone.

Sprite hurries back to her place. “Sorry, Ajak.” She knows Ajak can detect her better than anyone, a special ability of the prime eternal.

At some point Gil starts to snooze nodding his head not fully asleep, and Thena wraps her arms around him to support him against her own shoulder like a mother would hold a child close. This has now caused distress between the eternals, even Ikaris is looking at them every now and then. Even Ajak blinked a few times in their direction, like trying to see if she was seeing right or it was one of Sprite’s illusions to stop her speech.

Kingo is fully turned towards them, ignoring Ajak right in front of her salad. The salad being a very cozy Gilgamesh and Thena. Phastos’ jaw has almost dropped to the floor, he keeps looking back and forth between Ajak and them. Druig is seeking comfort with Makkari, trying to ignore the scene, but it doesn’t help when the speedster is also occasionally looking at them and trying to gossip with Phastos and Kingo from afar. Sprite joined the corner on the left trying to get a more discreet glimpse of the two strong eternals in the other corner. At this point Sersi is just completely distracted by Ikaris standing next to her at the right side of the hall.

“I’m going to do it.” Mumbles Druig.

“I-” Phastos stutters. “It would be better if-” He struggles to find the right words. “You know what? Do as you please.”

“Don’t mind control them in front of Ajak.” Sprite intervenes.

“Gil?” They all hear Thena’s whispers. “My feet are cold.”

Gil soon takes her feet into his hands and between them to warm them up.

“Okay!” Kingo declares loudly as everyone else starts to complain, disrupting Ajak’s speech. They all get up shaking their head as Ajak looks at them confused.

“And where do you all think you are going?” She asks as they start to leave.

“We don’t even get cold.” Complains Phastos on their way out.

“Nice talk, Ajak. I might throw up.” Druig says.

“This has been the weirdest experience ever.” Sprite says. “I hope it never repeats.”

“What is going on?” Sersi asks as she follows them out.

Ajak shakes her head as she takes a deep breath trying to keep her cool. Her eyes fall on two very exhausted eternals on the right corner that stare right back at her not even one bit of guilt in their faces.

“So, are we dismissed?” Asks Gil.

“Just go.” Ajak says so done for the day.

But she can’t help but smile as she sees them walk out together; hand in hand.

[delphiniumblooms]

eternals ramblings from my rewatch today:

EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. ikaris makes an entrance he is accompanied by a huge swell of music, often the eternals theme, to the point where it almost feels like his theme. something to be said here about how he believes himself to be more Eternal than the rest

our first sight of sprite in modern era being her clearly trying to hook up with a guy but the moment he touches her the illusion breaks and she has to go - i cannot believe the pain of living for MILLENNIA in a child’s body she never got to do human things like romance or puberty or whatever

when they first go to earth sersi looks to ajak AND THEN IKARIS for reassurance/permission before going to make contact with the human kid 

watching sprite’s London convo with sersi knowing that she’s in love w ikaris and jealous of sersi hits different. she told sersi to move in with dane. it could be sweet, it could be a ploy to push sersi and ikaris further apart, it could be both bc family relationships are difficult like that and sprite clearly loves sersi even though she’s ‘always envied’ her

sersi TURNED THE GROUND INTO QUICKSAND to fight a deviant this is a big deal to me because i wrote a ton of speculation fic based on the trailers before the movie came out and i had her do exactly the same thing in a fight scene - not to toot my own horn but im impressed at how much i managed to extrapolate correctly just from the teasers

i CAN ACTUALLY TELL WHAT MAKKARI IS SAYING OH MY GOD I COULDN’T TELL THE FIRST TIME BECAUSE I WAS WATCHING A SHITTY PIRATED VERSION THAT DIDN’T SUBTITLE HER SIGNING

makkari’s last line is ‘the truth will set them free’. this is a bible verse. i don’t know if it’s intentional but they’re quoting jesus

sersi is such a jesus character to me. treats sprite and ikaris with love even though they hurt her massively

sprite is one of the most storytellers actually (gilgamesh did all these epic things. one day you and your people will sail around the world and make your own legends!)

how does ikaris know how to woo. did he watch the humans and learn from them? 

related: i think it’s super cute how he just. makes his regard for sersi clear by following her around everywhere like a puppy

thenamesh are just clintasha 2.0 (though to be fair it is fanon clintasha. but the him trying to stop her from attacking everyone and loving and protecting her even though she’s clearly unstable? screams clintasha)

i was so touched by sprite helping thena break out of the flashback by showing her illusions of her past like it works SO well

they should all have just stayed together. kingo was right. they should all have stayed together. they hurt each other but they also know how to help each other

touched by kingo’s loyalty to ikaris. man respected and loved his leader so much

also ‘i like watching him too’??? kingo darling sprite’s not the only one in love w ikaris

why is everyone in love with ikaris really if he betrayed them in the end

‘are you going to charm me or threaten me’? that’s probably why. he’s a leader. he’s the strongest one. he knows how to be charismatic and how to be firm, keep the peace, et cetera. half of them love him and the other half are wary of, even maybe jealous of him

it’s really interesting to me how druig listens to and respects sersi even though he hates ikaris’ guts. he obviously doesn’t see them as a unit. 

in fact everyone’s feelings towards each other are really intriguing i should chart a family tree but instead of ‘birthed’ and ‘married’ lines its ‘loves’ ‘hates’ ‘envies’ etc

the way sersi whisper shouts at ikaris and tries to pull him away they were both staring at jack and phastos but she knows it’s rude he doesn’t he’s just staring openly until she reminds him 

the way he SNATCHES THE BOOK FROM HER

phastos’ husband speaking arabic to him. karun speaking in hindi to the eternals. whenever anyone speaks in babylonian. i love the usage of foreign languages in english media and eternals does it so much and so well

the way makkari smiles at everyone and signs ‘ready to go home?’ when they come back to the domo hit me like a TON of BRICKS. she was the last one to find out. goddamn. i can’t imagine the existential crises they were all collectively going through no WONDER tempers were high no WONDER they fought

related: i’m sure they said a lot of things they didn’t mean especially phastos. ‘i’ve always wanted to clip your wings, ikaris’ doesn’t mean he actively hated ikaris the entire time. it’s just like you know when you find out someone did something shitty and your reflex response is to go ‘i ALWAYS KNEW YOU WERE THAT KIND OF PERSON! YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THIS KIND OF PERSON!’ because memory bias you remember the shitty things more than the good things. same with ‘you did always underestimate [sersi]’. did ikaris really?? or did he live and fight with and watch and love her for five thousand years and conclude, like the rest of the others, like sersi herself, that sersi’s powers only go so far? her powers didn’t begin changing until she was selected as prime eternal. if ikaris underestimated sersi so did everyone including sersi herself.

my take on why ikaris did what he did - he wanted to believe that his previous actions were justified/had a purpose. he lied to everyone, he left his wife, he told no one the truth for years because ajak had him convinced that his life’s purpose was to serve the mission. and then ajak calls off the mission at the last moment. he didn’t want to believe that he had hurt other people, had hurt himself, for no reason. he couldn’t accept that his suffering was for nothing. he had to go through with the emergence because otherwise none of it mattered. and he couldn’t deal with that. ikaris i can tell isn’t good at dealing with the fact that he makes mistakes. he told sersi he was sorry and then flew headfirst into the sun. he smacks of eldest child syndrome AND gifted kid depression. 

ok for real this is the last bullet point. the writing was questionable. the editing was bad. the characters weren’t given enough establishing time - it was a bad idea to do such a huge story in movie format (it should have been a tv show). that said the actors put their whole actussy into this and you can tell chloe zhao tried her utmost best. it’s not a great movie but i still love it because i love this huge unconventional, complex family 

[taran-chan]

So, about that spicy thenamesh prompt. Can you please do number 21? Thank you so much!

Here you go! Merry Christmas!

21. “Don’t hold back”

It’s Sersi who found the hotspring. She and Phastos spend half a day building it into a large pool not too far from the castle they’re staying in. The area is swept clean of Deviants so they can enjoy the spring without having to worry that something might snatch them. 

But not every Eternals get to check out the steamy warm pool with a mountain view first thing in the morning. Gil has been helping the people building a secure wall around the town. By the time he reaches the spring, the moon is high up and his body is weary from carrying tons of stone up the mountain. He wanted to ask Thena to join him but Kingo said she’d retired to her chamber. He walks toward the edge of the pool and starts taking off his clothes. His brother and sister did a great job, as usual. The pool is beautiful, luxurious and private. Steam rises up from the water surface and there’s some kind of lighting system underwater that makes everything glow a magical blue. 

He senses her before he sees her. It is just a feeling of presence that belongs solely to her. He knows she’s watching him. He lets her, dropping his last piece of cloth to the ground and steps further into the light. He sits down, dipping his feet into the hotspring and groans in relief. 

“Mind if I join?” He asks. 

Like a siren, she appears from under the water, floating closer to him. If his heart wasn’t hers already, this would be the moment she catches it. He leans forward and she pulls herself up to kiss him hello. He hisses when her dainty hand, warm from the hot water, gently wraps around his cock and coax him out. It doesn’t take much effort, he deepens their kiss, marveling at her soft skin, slippery and glistening under the moonlight.

She moves further in between his legs and before he gets a chance to react, she flats her tongue against his shaft. Her name escapes him like a prayer as she kisses his tip and starts massaging his balls.

“Thena, wait,” he croaks, putting a shaky hand on her shoulder, “You haven’t—”

“Shh. Let me make you feel good,” she touches a finger to his lips, her voice like a low lullaby, soft as silk. She keeps pumping him and watches his eyes close in bliss, “You deserve this.”

He forces himself open his eyes to see her plush lips sucks him in, and it takes all of his self-control not to thrust. He leans back a bit, his right hand removes her wet hair out of her face, his left grip the edge of the pool so hard his knuckles turn white and he feels the building material is crumbling under his palm while she takes him deeper and deeper, until he hits the back of her throat. By now, he’s a mess. His breathing ragged and his face is burning. Then, the Goddess of War, his ethereal, gorgeous Thena, hums around his cock, showing him just how much she enjoys this. It sends a vibration through him that makes his jaw slack and his hand automatically palms the back of her head. 

And then, she moves back, reaches out to cup his cheeks between her hands, smirking when she notices his eyes cling to her breasts for a short moment.

“Gil,” she husks, “Don’t hold back.” 

“Thena…” He only manages that far, but it’s enough for her. 

She takes him in again, her head starts bobbing up and down, slowly increasing her pace. The part that she can’t take, she uses her hand, just as soft and hot and tight. His cock throbs and his moans mix with hers just as he thrust up more and more. He notices one of her hands has disappeared under water. The scent of sex fills the air and he lets out a deep groan when he realizes she’s touching herself.    

“Yes, love, that’s it,” he gasps, “I’m going to make you come again, I promise.”

She whines again, louder this time to encourage him, and sucks him harder. His words turn incoherent, from terms of endearment to her name to curses and how good she feels. His thrusts turn jerky and with a howl, he comes hard into her throat, and the fact that his orgasm has triggered hers, with the way she’s jerking and shuddering beneath him, makes him come even more intense. Thena carefully licks him clean, then wipes her mouth. She puts her head on his thigh and lets out a contented sigh.  

When his eyes clear, he slips into the water, welcoming her into his arms. She wraps her legs around his torso and he leans against the pool’s wall because his knees haven’t quite got their strength back yet. 

She’s petting his hair, purring, “My Gil, my beautiful Gil.”

When he asks her to marry him again, she gives him a smile that can put all the wonders they created to shame, and says yes. 

[justsomeoneunordinary]

Hi!! For the ship ask game, what about Thenamesh and ironwidow? :)

I Ship It Both

What made you ship it?

Thenamesh: why would you even ask abt them, ya'll know i'm literally obsessed with them 😩 honestly, i didn't expect them to love this much, mostly bc i usually don't like jolie (tho, this film proved that it's not her i don't like, but that any character she plays is always a sex object and as thena for the first time she wasn't which changed my mind a lot), but seeing the pure love these two have for another? the sheer devotion? god, i was so gone for. their canon relationship holds my heart hostage istg

IronWidow: simple; i ship tony with basically everyone inside and outside of the mcu. the only thing stopping me is the age if someone's too young for him, otherwise i'm literally down for any tony ship ever lol. also, they're both my very faves so ofc i ship em together ;)

What are your favorite things about the ship?

Thenamesh: i already made a post abt them a while ago, so i won't get too deep into it bc otherwise i'll be gushing abt them for-fucking-ever and this post would get way too long lmao. mostly, it's their gentleness. thena and gilgamesh are both incredibly strong warriors and therefore could easily be rough with each other, but they choose not to. they choose to be so gentle and oh so soft with each other, and that - that rlly gets me. they love each other so clearly and they are so devoted to each other. they had me crying more than once in the film, i just.. love everything abt their relationship so much.

IronWidow: hnngh they hot. no, but mostly it's that they're both such very different characters. my favorite dynamic is the opposites attract one and they fit into that very well. nat's quietness and introverted personality compliment perfectly with tony's quirkiness and extroverted personality. even after what happened in im2 they managed to trust each other again and they both clearly care for each other. esp in cacw it's obvious that they love each other as friends in canon. they would be good for each other and that's what i love abt them

Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

Thenamesh: i don't see them as platonic at all. look, anyone can interpret any relationship however the way they please, but i'm saying this as aroace myself: that sort of love and devotion is not platonic. and i'm absolutely baffled how one doesn't see them as romantically involved after watching the film?? the majority sees them as queerplatonic and i'm???? no??? i see them on the opposite spectrum of queerplatonic: they're romantically in love but they don't rlly do what most romantic ppl do. i don't see them saying "i love you" to each other bc they already say it in their actions and the other understands. i don't see them kissing either, even less having sex. i def see them as ace, but still very much together romantically. and that's a hill i'm going to die on.

IronWidow: if you ask me if i prefer tonynat platonically or romantically i must say i find them better as best friends than as a couple. when i read a fic of tonynat alone it's like there's smth missing. imo they need a third to rlly work out, a "catalysator" so to say, which is why i prefer poly ships such a peppernatony or winterironwidow over tonynat alone...

-

send me ship asks!

[softquietsteadylove]

Hello! ✨

Something for the Thenamesh 10 Things AU!

What about some drama with Arishem. He heard a stupid rumor that his daughter Thena had some dirty time with a "bad boy" at a gas station or a workshop. Arishem was storming out of the house when Thena an Sersi came home and he yelled at her and grabbed her, trying to drag her into the house. And then, of course, Gilgamesh shows up and makes it even worse, because Arishem thinks he's this, in the rumor mentioned, "bad boy".

🖤✨Hugs and Love✨🖤

"Thena!"

Thena and Sersi both jumped as their father's voice rattled the air around them. Sersi stood from where she and Thena were sitting on the front step together. "F-Father, what-"

"Silence," the monstrous man stepped closer to them, forcing Thena to her feet with the pressure of his presence. He loomed over them. "Thena, I have heard rumours of you."

"What rumours?" she asked outright. It wouldn't do her any good to play stupid with her father. "Whatever it is, I'm certain it's false."

"Is that so?" he queried, leaning over his eldest daughter more. "I was told you went looking for...transportation."

Thena bristled.

"It is my understanding that you have formed an associative attachment with someone," Arishem paused, "less than reputable."

"Please say who you mean, Father," Thena asked, which was as good as wagging her finger and sassing him.

"Gilgamesh," Arishem spat out the name with distaste. "A young delinquent who will be lucky to graduate school, let alone attend a secondary education befitting of this family."

"And what does that have to do with anything?"

"You know the rules," he spoke deeply and evenly, eyes bearing down on Thena with her head directed at her shoes. "You do not let the common animals bed you, especially not the likes of unlawfuls."

"Father!" Sersi spoke up in a surprising bout of rebellion. "I don't know what you're talking about but Thena-"

"Was seen with this young man several times," Arishem concluded for his second daughter. And favourite, if Thena needed any more proof than this very conversation. "Including, entering and exiting his vehicle."

"I did not realise asking for a ride was strictly forbidden," Thena spoke up for herself again, which she had never done as much of in the past. But she managed to drag her eyes up to glare at her father, "truly I must be the whore of Babylon, then."

Arishem's eyes flared, only making his dark, devilish appearance even worse. "Enough."

"Father!" Sersi gasped.

"Inside," he snarled, gripping Thena's arm and dragging her up the rest of the stairs and towards the door.

"Hey!"

All three heads turned as a figure walked up the sidewalk and towards the house. "I don't know what the hell's happening, but let go of her."

Arishem stared down the young man walking towards him so brazenly. "You."

"Me," Gil made a face at him. Arishem's height didn't bother him, nor the sheer size of his figure, wide shoulders and monstrous limbs. Gil shrugged at him, moving his jacket with his hands inside the pockets.

Arishem looked down at Thena, in his clutches like a bird being shoved into a cage, "truly? This is with whom you wish to associate?"

"Father, please!" Sersi pleaded, tugging at his other sleeve in an effort to help her sister.

"Father?" he an even more sneering face at him. He walked up a few steps towards them. "You're their asshole of a dad?"

Arishem's spine straightened, each vertebra locking into place so he could glare down at the boy. "You have the audacity to address me so improperly?"

His eyes dashed down to the hand around Thena's arm. "I have a problem with anyone who handles their own kid like this."

"Gil, don't-!" Thena bit her lip as her father pulled her upwards, forcing her to stretch up with the impossible angle of her arm within his frighteningly high grasp.

"Gilgamesh," Arishem addressed, still holding onto Thena like an escaped convict. "I will say this only once: whatever claim to my daughter you think you possess, put it from your mind."

"Put it from my mind?" he repeated back as if he hadn't heard it the first time at all. "The fuck is wrong with you?"

Arishem brought his shoulders forward. "You-"

"No, you!" Gil belted back at him, jabbing his finger up in his face despite the difference in their height. Gil didn't back down in the least in the face of the monster of a man. "You listen to me, fuck-face! I don't care if you're their dad, I don't care if you spoon feed them from gold plates every single day! You don't handle them like this!"

Gilgamesh reached forward, taking advantage of the surprise on Arishem's face and grasped Thena's hand in his. He pulled faintly, but Arishem's grip hadn't loosened any.

His eyes looked as black as coal. "Unhand her."

"Stop hurting her," Gil barked right back at him. "I don't know what happened here, and I don't give a shit. She doesn't deserve this."

"Gil."

He looked at her, grief stricken by the whimper in her voice.

"Enough!" Arishem bellowed, his voice once again seeming like it could rustle the leaves in the trees. He let go of Thena, who stumbled like a fawn into Gil's offered support. "It seems I was right to deem you a lost cause."

"Who the hell talks about their own kid like that?"

"You," Arishem turned his attention back to Gilgamesh, whose hold on Thena's shoulders tightened. "If I ever lay my eyes on you again, your life in this town will cease to exist. Do you understand?"

Gilgamesh didn't even blink, holding Thena against his chest, "I understand that you're a prick who's lucky his daughters didn't turn out to be psychos too."

Perhaps with nothing more he could do to exercise control over the situation, Arishem turned and walked back into the house. The door slammed closed and Sersi's somewhat panicked breathing became more audible.

"Hey," Gil said gently, tipping Thena's chin his way, "are you okay?"

Thena just blinked, somewhat stunned by the past minutes.

"Thena!" Sersi rushed over to her, practically in tears. "I-I-I can't believe Father would-!"

Gil moved aside as Sersi threw her arms around her sister. Thena would never call herself a 'hugger' by nature, but Sersi was always the more emotional of the two of them. She patted her sister's back, "I'm okay."

Her eyes met Gil's, who still had quite a snarly look on his face. "Are you?"

Thena blinked before nodding, "I am."

Gil shifted on his feet, nodding his head in the direction of the front door, "are you gonna be okay going in there?"

Thena had her reservations, but their Father, at the very least, never dwelt on them for long. "I have no concern with what his opinion is of me. But don't worry, he would never expend the effort it would take to hurt me."

Gil eyed her arm--the one that had been wrenched upward in her father's grasp. "You sure about that?"

Sersi pulled herself away from Thena to offer a positively furious expression, no matter how tearful. "I cannot believe Father would act this way. I'm going to tell him that I will never forgive him for this!"

Thena nearly laughed, watching Sersi stomp her way into the house to give 'daddy' a piece of her mind. She rubbed her hands over her arms, "if it comes from Sersi, he is more apt to listen."

"Hey."

Thena looked at him as he placed his hands over hers, letting her guide his hands over her arms as well. She immediately thought of the hoodie that was inside, sitting on her bed waiting for her.

"Are you really okay?" he whispered, as if her father were lying in wait, listening. He ducked his head closer to hers, "you don't have to go in there. My Uncle would have no problem with you staying with us. He has a guest room!--and my room in the basement is-"

Thena smiled, tapping just the tip of her finger to his lips. She had never had the privilege of seeing Gilgamesh ramble on and on. It was endearing. "I am not afraid of my father, Gil, nor will I be afraid of walking into my own home."

"But-" he tried to protest, but she sealed his lips shut again.

"It is a sweet offer," she conceded. She never would have anticipated it, and it was almost humorous to imagine Gil just...showing up with her, like some stray he wanted to keep. "And I appreciate it. But I promise I will be fine here."

He sighed, obviously not in favour of leaving her here to whatever her father had in store for her. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," she echoed back to him, just to see a smile on his face. It was small, but it was there. "I'll come find you tomorrow--prove my living status to you."

He chuckled, stepping back from her with a roll of his eyes, "okay Princess, whatever makes you feel better."

This was very literally for his benefit. But she didn't mind that so much, "very well. Tomorrow, then."

Gil took the steps backwards, staring at her as he made his way back across the street, "looking forward to it."

[softquietsteadylove]

some confused thena? xoxo

"Aunt Thena?"

"Jack," she blinked, looking down at him as he walked away from his friends and the curb of the school's front entrance.

He looked around them, "what...are you doing here? I'm taking the bus home today."

"Oh," she blinked again, also looking around and appraising herself of her surroundings. She was standing in front of Jack's school, humans mulling about, cars idling while waiting for children. "Yes."

"I thought you were home with Uncle Gil," Jack continued as he took in his aunt, standing with such a bewildered expression on her face. He toyed with the straps of his backpack. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," she repeated, although she didn't look any less confused about her surroundings. "I...I thought I was."

Jack reached up for his aunt's hand, sliding his smaller one into it, "did you get confused?"

Thena smiled.

That was the word for it that had worked thus far. Aunt Thena had her 'episodes', or 'fits', or whatever the rest of them called it. But Jack simply said 'confused' to suffice for what clouded the Warrior Eternal's mind.

"Yes, it appears I have," Thena sighed as she enclosed her hand ever so gently around Jack's precious little one. "I seem to have ended up here."

Jack merely shrugged as he began the walk home with his aunt beside him. "Yeah, I guess that's how I get here too."

Thena merely walked beside him, looking around her still, but perhaps with less apprehension. She recognised more of their surroundings as they walked. She knew the school, and the route they took when Jack was coming and going.

"Do you feel okay?"

Thena smiled down at her brother's child, so gentle at heart. She wasn't sure if all humans had such sweetness to them and she didn't much care. There were many things which paled in comparison to Jack in her mind in that regard.

"I was at home," she narrated as they walked slowly and gently. Jack got to take his time with his little legs, while Thena drifted idly beside him. "I remember looking for something to eat and then... "

Jack merely nodded, so easily accepting of the fact that sometimes Aunt Thena would wander out into the yard and stand still for a long time. He had no fears nor reservations about it, as far as he was concerned.

Thena looked down at their hands and then around them. She tilted her head at him, "do you not fear judgement from your peers?"

He tilted his head right back at her and her antiquated speech.

"You do not wish to hold your fathers' hands."

She was referring to how 'holding hands was for babies', as Jack had so boldly proclaimed last time Phastos attempted to hold his hand in the parking lot of the mall.

"Mm, well," Jack twisted his lips as he made a face for the sake of his thought process. He shrugged, "that's different."

Thena accepted the statement for what it was, as he had done for her. She gave his soft little human hand a squeeze, "thank you, Jack--for helping me get home."

Jack smiled up at her as well, showing off the young teeth in his mouth still finding their permanent placement. "You're welcome. I get confused too sometimes--it's pretty scary to be alone for it."

"Yes, I suppose it is," Thena conceded to the young boy's wisdom, well beyond his years and even the words he had at his disposal.

Jack looked up at her, "does Uncle Gil help you with that?"

Thena smiled at the mere mention of her most constant in life. She nodded, looking at Jack and then at the golden bracelet around her wrist, keeping her powers in check.

True, at first Phastos hadn't gotten them quite right. Gil hadn't been very happy about the side effects they'd had on her. But she wore them still, because they were for the safety of her nephew.

"Aunt Thena?"

"Yes, Jack?" she asked softly as a breeze passed by them.

"What makes you feel better?" He looked up at her more sheepishly, "after you get confused, I mean."

There were some things, although she had more of a history of violence before coming to Chicago and getting these bracelets shackled to her. But she supposed that going dormant on the spot was a small price to pay instead of becoming the planet's deadliest force alive.

"Uncle Gil," she answered plainly and honestly. Truly, the man who had been by her side for - in many ways - her whole life was her strongest pillar of stability. She smiled and uncrossed her other arm from around herself to pat Jack's head, "and you."

"Really?" he blinked at her, baffled by the suggestion. "What do I do?"

He reminded her that life was full of promise, and love, and joy, and that it was worth protecting. It was worth all the pain and fighting and the sacrifices she had seen - and made - with her own eyes.

She leaned over, kissing the top of his head, "plenty."

Jack rubbed his hair, now thoroughly embarrassed by the public affection. "Okay, I guess."

Thena smiled, allowing his resistance to her gesture. It was part of his maturation, she was told. He no longer liked hugs and kisses and holding hands by family. She seemed a slim exception to the rule. "Indeed."

Finally turning down their street, with the house in sight, Jack looked up at his aunt again. "Do you feel better now?"

Thena inhaled as the front door opened, Gilgamesh clearly on his way to sprint out of the house to come find her. She smiled, "much."

"Good," Jack sufficed, although his hand did give hers a little squeeze.

"There you are," Gil greeted lightly, although his eyes ran over her frantically in search of distress or injury.

"I walked home from school with Jack," she explained needlessly. She let go of Jack's hand as he walked past them and into the house to shed the school day from his mind.

Gil looked at her, "you okay?"

She nodded, leaning into him without hesitation as he pressed his lips to her temple, "I'm sorry I frightened you. I woke and...there he was."

The two drifted into the house, watching as Jack independently got himself a glass of milk and some cookies. Gil chuckled, "great kid."

"He is," Thena agreed.

"Aunt Thena," Jack called out as he slapped the tupperware of homemade cookies onto the table, "have some!"

Gil ruffled Jack's hair on his way past him, "at least put 'em on a plate, buddy--come on."

Thena just smiled, seating herself at the table and taking one of Jack's preciously guarded cookies (which Gil made). "Thank you, Jack."

"Aunt Thena, do you know math?"

"Not at all." She had lived throughout the life of some of the world's greatest minds. She chewed on her chocolate chip, "ask Uncle Gil."

"Hey, don't look at me," he laughed, setting some of the cookies on a plate for the two of them and putting the rest away. "You'll have to ask your dad."

Jack let out a loud groan before rifling through his back for other homework that required his attention.

Gil and Thena traded a look over his head, assuring that she was safe home after another bout of Mahd Wy'ry--this time thwarted by a ten year old human.

[softquietsteadylove]

Hello!!!

I miss cute interactions between Jack and Thenamesh!! Would you write something sweet? Jacks birthday party for example. So he can introduce his cool aunt and uncle to his friends. And Phastos totally disliking it?

THAAANK YOUUUUUU

"You must stop sulking, Habibi," Ben chuckled as he patted his husband's shoulder. He emptied another bag of pretzel sticks into a bowl.

"What ever happened to having a secret identity, hm?" Phastos huffed as he peeked out from the kitchen and into the living room. "He's in there telling them that his 'superpowered' relatives are gonna lift the freakin' car for them."

"He's exaggerating," Ben excused for his son, as well as maybe hoped that if he said it then it might be true. "I'm sure they know that."

Phastos just sighed as Jack's friends oohed and awed at Gil and his muscles as three of them hung off one of his arms. "He has to at least make it look like it takes effort."

"They're children," Ben shrugged, offering Phastos some pretzel sticks, "and look at him."

"Baby," Phastos turned to his husband, "if you start checking out my own brother, I swear to-"

"Could you blame him?"

Ben just laughed, while Phastos nearly jumped a foot in the air. He put his hand on his chest, "Thena!"

The Warrior Eternal merely looked at her brother, enjoying her newest favourite American snack: cheese puffs. "The children are enjoying themselves."

Jack had eagerly asked Uncle Gil and Aunt Thena if they would be around for his birthday party. They agreed, of course, although Gil may or may not have whispered in Jack's ear that Aunt Thena wasn't really one for crowds. Jack, being a very sweet and considerate boy to his favourite Aunt, told her that she didn't have to hang out with them the whole time.

She had emerged to greet them and then for cake, solely to oblige her dear nephew. She smiled, "kids love Gil."

Ben smiled at the look on the surprisingly gentle hearted woman's face.

Phastos shook his head at her, "that look on your face makes me long for the days of Kievan-Rus."

Thena punched her brother right in the side.

"Aunt Thena!"

Thena shoved her bowl of cheese puffs into Phastos's hands (who was both already holding the pretzel sticks and also still winded from her punch). She smiled at Jack, leaning down to him, "are you enjoying your party, Jack?"

"Come on, everyone wants to see Uncle Gil lift you up!"

Thena let Jack pull her along into the living room with everyone else. She eyed the children among them, "hello."

"Miss Thena, is it true you picked up Jimmy and his friends on Halloween?"

She tilted her head at the question, as if she hadn't even understood the words. She looked at Gil.

"Remember the kid who took Jack's candy?" he asked, which immediately sparked some recognition in her. "Yeah, the one you picked up from the back of his jacket."

Thena nodded, indeed remembering that incident. She looked at the child who asked the question, as well as the others crowded around them for the answer. "We work out together."

"I told you they're cool!" Jack hollered, to which his friends also cheered their agreement. He looked up at them, "Aunt Thena, will you lift me up?--please?!"

Gil nodded, "sure thing, bud. Just not like she lifted up Jimmy, or you could get hurt, okay?"

Thena looked at Gil, and then down at her precious little nephew. Humans were so delicate already, and children were a whole other story. She sighed, "very well."

Jack and his friends all whooped and hollered as Thena lifted him right up off the ground like it was nothing, holding him under the armpits like a baby, or a pet.

"Enough," she smiled as she set him down again, making sure he was unharmed from having his body weight held from just two points.

"Me next!"

"No, me!"

"Me!"

"No," she stared the kids down without hesitation. They all just laughed, unbothered by the dry response. "Only Jack."

"Okay, okay," Gil laughed, ready to intercede for the sake of his wife. He came up behind her bending down and scooping her up on his shoulder without a care in the world. "Aunt Thena is off limits now."

"Uncle Gil!" Jack laughed. His friends all admired his display of strength.

Luckily the living room had a higher ceiling than the dining room and kitchen. Thena leaned over slightly anyway, her hand on Gil's opposite shoulder and her hair swaying against the back of his neck.

Phastos sighed, left with just the pretzels and the cheese puffs, "unbelievable."

[softquietsteadylove]

How about the 5+1 times thing? :D

5 times Gil protected Thena and one time She protected him

Up to you wich AU :)

It was his job to protect Thena. Technically speaking, it was his job to keep her safe and at an appropriate distance from anyone who could be a threat to her or any event tied to her or the label's reputation.

That was how his contract phrased it, at least. But his job was to protect Thena; that was how Gil phrased it.

And he took that job very seriously--always had. And there were different ways he protected her than just being her bodyguard, like most thought.

He could protect her image.

It was early on in his time working for her. They were at some awards show, and neither he nor Thena wanted to be there. But it was part of her job, which made it part of his, too. At least he didn't really have to talk to anyone, he could admit. Thena was forced to socialise with the odd interviewer or contact in the industry, much to her chagrin.

"Are you okay?" he frowned as Thena made the same pinched expression he'd seen a few times now. She kept rolling her shoulders in a way he'd never really seen her do before.

She scrunched up her mouth, obviously debating whether or not to tell him what she was thinking. They were still somewhat new to each other, after all. But she nodded him closer.

"I have to fix my dress, but these goddamn cameras are going to see every move I make."

Gil wasn't too proud to admit he blushed (just a little). He was...aware of how attractive Thena was--beautiful, really. That was part of her job, after all, and he wasn't breaching contract just by noticing that. But he didn't think of her in that way. She was a client, and also the boss of him, even if the label was technically in charge of them both.

Thena huffed quietly to herself, rolling her shoulders again.

"Here," Gil whispered, guiding her off to the side as a few other stars walked along the carpet ahead of them. He moved her in front of him, which was technically behind him, as far as the cameras were concerned. "Just hide behind me."

Thena gave him a questioning look for it, but he put his hands on his hips under his suit jacket, creating a curtain of sorts for her to fix the sparkly and skin tight dress she was wearing. He glanced over his shoulder too, just so she could have as much privacy as possible.

"Thanks," she whispered as she fidgeted with the bust of the dress. Or did whatever she had to do, because Gil was mortified at the thought of even looking at her in the moment.

He could protect her peace of mind.

"Thena, it'll be fine."

"Hey," Gil walked over to them, slipping his phone back in his pocket. Thena was on the defensive, arms crossed and angling herself somewhat away from the rest of the management team. "What's going on?"

Kingo held out a hand at her, "she just gets nervous about transportation sometimes."

Gil wondered what exactly was missing between the way Thena was acting and Kingo's vague statement. He looked at Thena, trusting that she would tell him more specifically what she needed and what had to happen to make it better. "What's wrong with what we've got?"

Thena shrugged, "nothing."

Kingo sighed, "Thena-"

Gil moved in front of her, which he could tell irked her manager/stylist greatly. But he focused on the singer folded in on herself. He nodded his head, asking her to speak in not so many words.

Thena squirmed and pursed her lips, like a kid who didn't want to go home yet. Or maybe wanted to go home right this minute. "The limo has to park on the main street. If we walk to it, there will be fans, and paparazzi, and-"

"And you can ignore them," Kingo suggested with a shrug of his shoulders.

But Gil held a hand out to him, which irked him even further. But he wasn't Gil's client (his priority), Thena was. "She's had a long day, man. And you know how they can get after a performance."

"Well, what do you suggest?"

Gil tilted his head, looking at Thena, who was both being very stubborn and trying not to make a big deal out of it. But her battery was completely empty, that much was certain. She looked ready to drop, and she probably was going to ask if they could go get greasy burgers or cheap tacos or something anyway.

"I've got an idea."

"What?" Kingo asked, but continued to go ignored by the bodyguard. He huffed, leaning past his massive shoulders to peek at Thena. "Just get home safe, and text me when you do, okay?"

She nodded, waving him and the rest of the team away. She looked at Gil, on his phone. "What did you think of?"

"You're hungry, right?" he asked her with a smirk. It stretched into a full grin when she perked up like a flower in the sunlight. "Ubers will take you through the drive-thru if they don't have another ride waiting."

That was one of the first instances of what had since become a tradition for them.

He could protect her physically.

He had done so plenty of times, obviously. He would always remember the first time that not only was he on the job, but rather when Thena actively sought him out for protection.

She wasn't even out as Athena: Goddess of Song. She was just out as Thena, with Makkari and Sersi. They were also in the music industry, of course, so it wasn't as if they could go around completely anonymous. But at the very least, they weren't at a music event, they weren't at a concert--they were just three friends out for drinks.

Thena had asked if he could be on call for the night, for when they had to get to and from different locations. He had easily agreed, not just because it was part of the job, but also because it was Thena; she would be socially exhausted by the third bar anyway. If anything, he was prepared to pick them up and get them all drive-thru on the way back to Thena's penthouse.

But Thena called him from the bathroom of the second bar. Apparently someone in there had recognised her and was being pretty aggressive about getting a photo - and her number - and meeting her friends. Without a proper escape route, she had called him.

And Gil arrived ready for a fight. The nerve of some creeps in this part of town astounded him. He easily found the guy, leaning against the wall outside the bathrooms, just as Thena had assumed he would be. Didn't the club have any security of their own?!

"Hey brother, I'm just waiting for my girlfriend t-"

Gil gave him a swift crack in the jaw, his fist sending the guy to the floor in the blink of an eye. He shook out his fist afterward, although his knuckles were well conditioned for impact. "Prick."

He knocked on the door, leaning his ear close, "Thena? It's me. Are you-"

She pushed the door open, nearly pushing it right into him. But she rushed right to him, her forehead pressed to his chest at the earliest opportunity. "Thank you."

Gil heard her loud and clear despite the head-rattling music from the dance floor. He folded his arms around her, knowing that no matter how much she didn't want to show it, that it was one of her worst nightmares to find herself in a situation like that. He pressed his cheek to her hair, "it's okay. I've got you."

He could even protect her from herself--in a way.

"Thena," he called her name for the umpteenth time, watching her pace the floor of her dressing room so consistently he was worried the rug would go bald. "It will be fine."

She wasn't listening to him. She wasn't listening to anything but whatever her head was screaming at her. And it was never kind things, Gil had come to learn.

She was picking at the cuticles around her press-on manicure, since she couldn't chew the fake nails. If she were sitting her knee would be bouncing a mile a minute. In not time at all she would start muttering aloud to herself.

"Thena," he tried again. He had been trying since he got her in the car, though. There was almost no winding her down from this point before a performance. Almost.

Thena grumbled as he planted himself directly in the path of her pacing. She tried to move around him but he trapped her in his arms against him. She huffed. "This is a little over the line, no?"

"So file a complaint," he chuckled, still holding her to his chest. He took a few deep breaths, deliberately letting his chest expand and contract against her.

Despite her attempt to remain cranky, she slowly fell into the same rhythm, her heartbeat slowing and her breathing becoming more even and more in sync with his.

"That's it," he whispered, running a hand over her hair. There was nothing he could say to comfort her in these moments. They would be as good as empty words to her anyway. The only thing that mattered to Thena were results. But to get the results she wanted, she had to be in the right mindset to perform in the first place. "You'll be great."

Thena sighed, dropping her head to his chin with a slight bonk. She would be burying her face right in his shirt if not for her full face of makeup. "You don't know that."

"You've got a pretty good track record so far," Gil shrugged. He didn't have to argue with her with false promises; Thena believed in results, and her popularity spoke for itself. "I'll be here waiting."

But his favourite part of the job was actually the part that was taking care of her. It wasn't actively protecting her from anything--maybe protecting her from burnout.

But it was things like carrying her after a long day in ridiculously tall heels when she was exhausted. It was knowing exactly what her order was at every fast food place in town, or coming over to make her breakfast when he knew she was sleeping until two in the afternoon after a performance. It was buying her medicine when she was sick; it was even running regular old errands for her.

He had come to like tucking her in when she was asleep and already snoring by the time he got her in bed (he had never told her she snored, just a little). He liked running hot baths for her so she could have a soak while he made a nice nutritious dinner for them (fast food was only for after performances). He liked that he spent more time at her place than his, these days.

He liked protecting her from the job.

Gil frowned as Thena's phone buzzed on the coffee table. She was in the shower, losing track of time as she sang to herself with the help of the steam stretching out her vocal chords. "Hello?"

"Gil?--I called Thena."

"Yeah, and I'm answering," Gil set down his breakfast burrito and got up for his own phone, left by the stove. "It's her day off--what's going on?"

"I know, I know, I'm sorry."

If he were really sorry then why was he calling?

"The label got a call from Ikaris' management team. Remember that piece she recorded with him?"

"Yeah," Gil murmured. He knew the piece personally--he had helped Thena rehearse it in this very spot.

"They want her to make a guest appearance at one of his shows he's doing on his tour--over in the UK."

Usually artists would just contact each other personally and let management figure out the details for them once they were or weren't in agreement over it. But then again, Thena and Ikaris weren't exactly friends. Friends through Sersi, and perhaps frenemies with a playful rivalry between them. But it made sense that Ikaris knew better than to slide into Thena's DMs. Not that she would know what that meant.

"We can talk about it tomorrow."

"Gil, come on, I wouldn't be calling if they weren't expecting an answer today."

"So tell them she's sick, or she's on vocal rest or some shit," Gil argued. He could hear Kingo getting frustrated with him. It wasn't that they experienced friction that often, and they were both part of Thena's team, and her friends. Gil considered Kingo his friend.

But if it was between Kingo or Thena, obviously he chose Thena.

"Gil-"

"Kingo," Gil pressed, his voice softening as he heard the faint fluttering of Thena's voice. She had left the door cracked; her trust in him was incalculable. "She's exhausted from the show this weekend. She really needs today to just...chill, okay? I promise first thing tomorrow, I'll get her on a call with his label. But today is all hers."

Kingo sighed loudly - dramatically - into his end of the phone. "You're a little too good at your job, you know that?"

Gil smiled to himself, "I take that as a compliment."

"I'm sure you do, Gil. Fine, I'll tell them she's on doctor ordered silence. Just make sure to bring it up in the email so it doesn't sound like uncorroborated bullshit."

"Will do," Gil promised before the call ended. He swiped the notification of it away. It was still in the phone's logged calls, but Thena never looked at that anyway. He set her phone down again, resuming his task of finishing his burrito.

"Who was that?"

Gil smiled, licking his lips as he finished up his last bite. "Just Kingo--nothing that can't wait until tomorrow."

"Are you sure?" she tilted her head, but she hadn't knotted up at the mere mention of work.

She had come a long way since he had first started working for her. "I'm sure."

She could even protect him.

"What the hell is going on here?!"

Gil was being visibly mauled by a horde of fans. They were mostly young, all significantly smaller than him, most of them appearing female. And of course Gil wasn't in the habit of fighting children.

"All of you!" Thena barked at them, storming over without a second thought to her initial desire to find their ride and go right home. "Get off him!"

Gil groaned as Thena pulled him from the grips of the crowd previously shaking and clawing at him. He even had a few scratches on his face.

"What the hell happened here?" she asked him, although the crowd around them was still rioting at them. She backed up with Gil tucked against her side.

"They're fans of Eros'," he sighed heavily, leaning against her. At least, he was until she moved him behind her. "Thena?"

"Get the hell away from him!" she bellowed, knowing exactly how to shout at them loudly and with a sustainable strength in her voice. "I cannot believe you would attack him like this!"

"He deserves it!"

"He punched Eros right in the face!"

"You should've had him fired!"

Thena's back raised, her shoulders tensing. She took a step forward, ready to get in a screaming match with a child.

"Thena, come on," Gil held her hand in his. He was spent from defending himself (which meant letting them tear a strip off of him and not fighting back at all). "Leave them be."

Thena all but growled at the gaggle of little monsters glaring at them. She had no concern what they thought of her. "You should be ashamed of yourselves for attacking an innocent man."

"He's the one who attacked an innocent man!"

"Come on," Gil urged Thena again, before she could argue that Eros was the instigator, which would be a pretty clear and direct breach of their agreement with his team to keep the whole thing quiet. "Just ignore them."

Thena did finally turn away from his assailants. She raised a hand to his face, brushing over a slightly swollen cheek, "what did they do to you?"

"Please," he chuckled, brushing off literally being mauled by a riot. "They're just a bunch of kids."

"If that's his most devoted fanbase, it does nothing to increase my confidence in Eros' character as a person," Thena scoffed.

"This will all blow over soon," Gil murmured, not that he was entirely sure that was true. He looked back at the crowd still booing him as they walked back to the car waiting for them. He walked closer to Thena, pulling her ahead of him--which was technically behind him to them.

Thena reached behind her, finding his hand naturally and slipping her fingers against his. "I'm sorry."

He gave her hand a squeeze in return, smiling despite the soreness of his swollen lip. "You have nothing to be sorry about."

"Still," she whispered, pulling him to walk beside her properly. She squeezed his hand even harder, "are you okay?"

"I'll be fine," he promised her, smiling genuinely despite his little scratches and scrapes. She frowned at him, openly doubting him. But he leaned forward, pressing a kiss to her forehead, "I'm sure."

[softquietsteadylove]

Helloooo! For the bodyguard AU because it’s a very interesting AU!

A few minutes before the show ends Gil goes away to get the car ready. In the meantime the show ends and Thena slips down the last 4 steps from the stairs because it’s gotten wet and nobody noticed it. But she absolutely refuses to get carried from anyone but Gil. And when he comes back and sees the situation he worriedly hurries to her.

It had been raining all day.

Thena always felt bad when the weather for a concert was terrible. She couldn't just cancel a show because of a little drizzle, but she hated imagining people standing around in the cold and the rain to see her, either. She rarely did shows outside for this very reason.

But today was just a few songs, slotted among plenty of other artists. And the rain did shift a few times, sometimes increasing to torrential levels and sometimes dying down to a fine mist in the air.

Either way it was miserable, and Gil couldn't wait to get somewhere warm and dry--get Thena somewhere warm and dry. He nodded to the driver to wait for them as he headed back into the stage structure built for the venue.

"Athena, please, just let us help!"

Gil rushed over, already prepared for the worst. He shoved a few people out of the way, finding Thena seated on the steps off the stage stubbornly, crossing her arms and turning her nose up at those around her. "Thena?"

"Oh thank goodness," a production assistant sighed as Gil pushed his way to the front of the little crowd. "She refuses to let anyone come near her."

"Is that a problem?!" Thena snarled at them. "He's my personal security!"

Gil sighed, kneeling down in front of her. If she was being this cranky and snappy with people, something really did happen. He looked at her and her outstretched leg. He ran a finger over her shin, "you fall?"

Thena's leg flinched as he reached her swollen ankle. "The steps were wet, but I couldn't see it on the black."

Gil nodded, unstrapping her heel and slipping it off as delicately as he would try to unfurl a rose. He held her eyes, "does it hurt?"

"A little," she answered him honestly--more honestly than she had been with anyone else present. She whimpered as he tested her knee.

"Okay," Gil frowned, laying her leg down again. "Might be a sprain."

A stage security guard hovered around them, "I offered to get her to the first aid tent, but-"

"It's okay," Gil offered casually, knowing that Thena had probably hissed and scratched at him like a feral cat at any attempts to come near her. "I've got her."

For all the screaming and acid and vitriol she'd had with the stage hands after her fall, she was calm and almost eager when Gil moved closer. She reached out her arms, looping them around his neck in a very familiar move as he scooped her up into his embrace.

"Y'okay?" he whispered to her as he adjusted his hold.

Thena nodded, burying her face in his neck as he made his way to their ride. She was tired, she was rained-on, she was cranky (embarrassed), and in no mood to be around anyone anymore. "Can we just go home?"

"Fine, but I'm calling Kingo," Gil chuckled as she groaned into the collar of his shirt. "You're getting that leg looked at, Thena."

"It's fine," she whined, only loud enough for him to hear.

"Oh, so I don't need to carry you, then?" he asked with a grin. She kept quiet, tightening her arms around his neck. He tightened his hold on her, assuring her he wasn't about to make her walk any time soon. "That's what I thought."

"It's not my ankle, it's my knee," she finally admitted.

"Smashed it right off the step?" Gil guessed, and received a deep sigh in response.

Thena let him set her in the vehicle, waiting for him to come around and sit beside her as he usually did. It took a him a few minutes, but when he did return, it was with towels.

"Poor thing," he grinned at her as their ride finally started making its way back to her end of town. He scooched over on the leather seats to her, throwing a towel first around her shoulders and then over her hair.

"Thanks," Thena mumbled as he moved the towel around, drying her hair for her both gently and clumsily. "You have to carry me around a lot, don't you..."

"Hm?" Gil tilted his head, peeking at her under the fluffy white hood the towel created for her.

Thena looked down at her hands supporting her on the seat, her thumbs twiddling together anxiously. "It's not exactly in your job description."

Well, no, it wasn't. In fact, his job was to protect her and her space--maintain it, even. It was not actually typical for a bodyguard to have to be so physical with their client, even with the amendments to his new contract about what constituted 'protecting' the client.

Thena pulled the towel back, visibly blushing against the grey backdrop out the windows. "I'm sorry you've gotten so used to it."

Gil blinked. He hadn't expected that. Not that it was out of character for Thena to be worrying about things, but he hadn't thought anything of it. Yes, he had started forgoing the trouble of trying to manoeuvre her at times. And yes, maybe they were both a little too used to - a little too comfortable with - him carrying her bridal style. And yes, maybe it could be considered wildly unprofessional in more than a few ways. And yes, maybe since the whole Eros lawsuit they'd gotten even more comfortable with each other (somehow).

"I don't mind."

Thena looked at up him with a miserable purse to her lips. "You shouldn't have to, though."

Gil shrugged, moving to start braiding her hair over her shoulder. Since they were going to give up on being professional with each other, why not?--at least just in this moment. "Makes my life easier."

"Gil, I'm serious."

"So am I," he smiled, laughing faintly as he said it. She still didn't look convinced. "Look, I've never found myself carrying around my other clients like princesses, I admit it."

Thena stayed quiet, although he couldn't help but think that she looked a little pleased to hear that.

"But my job is to keep you safe, and keeping you close makes it easier to keep you safe," he continued gently, twisting her hair off at the end. "I like it--I like that you've come to trust me so much, Thena."

She tilted her head, admiring the braiding he'd done. "I suppose I hadn't thought of it like that."

"And even if I weren't used to carrying you, you're not going anywhere on that knee anyway."

"Gil!"

[softquietsteadylove]

Hello :) what do you think about Thenamesh Actors AU where they shoot a scene and a stunt scene ends up badly and Gil gets hurt?

"Okay," Gil murmured as he tested the strength of his harness. "Ready?"

"I suppose so," Thena murmured next to him as they finished securing her own harness. They were getting ready for the big 'jump' shot. They had built the actual platforms on the soundstage and everything. Of course they weren't literal stories high, but they were higher than she really wanted to think about, if she was being honest.

"Hey," he said softly, nudging her with his elbow. "I've done these a million times before. You get pretty used to them after a while. It'll go great."

Thena smiled. She had leaned on his expertise in stunting so heavily for the project, and he had been nothing but warm and kind about it the whole way. "I've never done a 'jump' this big before."

"Well," he looked across the set to the other platform. "I'm making the jump first. And then I'll be waiting on the other side to catch you."

"Right," Thena nodded, also looking at the distance. She just had to think of it in terms of her character. She had more faith than Thena did in most things, after all. And she had faith in her husband over anything--that was a core element of her performance.

Gil matched her mindset, "he would never let her fall."

Thena nodded, breathing through the silly little stutter of her heart in her chest. Gil really was a great actor--a little too good, actually.

"Back to one!"

"Okay," he gave her elbow a squeeze, "I'll see you on the other side."

Thena took a few deep breaths, getting into character for the cut whether this was her shot or not. She nodded to him, already in the mind of the woman who had married him and was very literally riding or dying with him for the rest of the film.

"Action!"

"I'll go first," he recited the line, giving her hand a squeeze as he did. He looked out over the gap, taking a running leap before jumping off their side of it.

The harness was fine. It was the cable that broke.

"Gil!"

He gripped the end of it, but it slipped out of its pulley, sending him plummeting to the ground from nine feet up in the air. He hit fast and hard, his pain ringing out over the fans blowing and the rumbling of the platforms.

Thena clawed her way out of her harness, batting away the multiple sets of hands on her. She tossed it off of her, rushing down the stairs to where Gilgamesh had fallen. "Gil, are you okay?!"

"Fuck," he cursed as the medics turned him over, clutching his arm.

"Oh god," Thena gasped, tears already slipping down her cheeks. She barely registered pushing people out of the way so she could kneel down next to him. Her hand went to his cheek, "Gil, look at me."

He struggled to do so, but he did it. "Hey."

"Hey," she smiled through her sniffling. She looked up at the on-set medics. "What happened?"

"Cable snapped, he fell with his full weight on his arm."

Thena glared up at the director and producers, already making career saving calls. "Why the hell wasn't the mat there?!"

"That's what the harness is for-"

"And clearly he got hurt anyway!" she barked back at them, cradling Gil's head against her lap protectively.

"Thena, it's okay," he grumbled. He was clearly not okay.

"I'm sorry," she sniffed again, tucking her hair behind her ears as she looked down at him, "I'm sorry, you try to stay still."

Gil sighed as she laid his head on her thighs, stroking his hair as the medics stabilized his arm and pulled out a temporary sling. "This is really gonna fuck us up."

Thena tightened her hand on his good shoulder, "they're lucky I don't burn this place to the ground."

Gil chuckled, trying not to jostle his arm as he did. He looked up at his beautiful co-star with a smile. "I'm glad it was me and not you."

Thena sighed, shaking her head at him. "Can you be less sweet right now, please? I am trying to be angry."

"Well, be angry later," he remarked lightly as the painkillers the medics gave him started to kick in.

"Seems to be a clean break, they'll give him more stuff at the hospital," the medic said. "Ambulance is already on the way."

"Can she come with me?" Gil asked lightly, pointing up at Thena with his good hand, although the hand floated around a little.

"Sh," Thena whispered, taking the hand in hers and lowering it back down to his chest tenderly. "It's okay, Gil."

"Please?" he looked first at the medic - who didn't give a shit who went with him or not - and then at Thena. "I'd feel so much better if she did."

"We can't lose both our stars in one day!"

Thena glared up at the director again, "you broke his arm. I'm going to the hospital with him. And then I'll call our agents and see how the hell we're going to fix this mess!"

She would call both their agents, if they didn't already know. She would also have to call Sprite so she could meet them there, just in case it took a long time for Gil to be processed. And they had to go through the trouble of keeping his identity as quiet as possible so the studio could try and get on top of things-

"Hey."

Thena looked down at Gil, already half-loopy from the pain meds they'd given him. He had threaded their fingers together, but she wasn't about to tear her hand away if it was of any comfort to him.

"Don't leave me," he whispered up at her, "okay?"

Later she would remember it was technically a line from the script, not that Gilgamesh was likely lucid enough to remember that. But she leaned over, kissing his forehead to release the furrow of his brows. "I'm right here with you."

[softquietsteadylove]

Well if we got Thenamesh actor AU hurt we also should get a fluff and comfort fic after the stunt desaster, don’t you think? Thena looking after Gil and helping him <3

Thena knocked on the door, waiting patiently, worrying all the while. Even though Gil had been released from the hospital, he had still broken his arm clean through after their stunt had gone terribly wrong. Filming was even on break for a short while as he healed and as they rearranged everyone's schedules. They were filming what they could without him, and that included some of her solo scenes.

But it still left her with more free time to check on Gil, visit him, maybe do her best to lend a helping hand.

Even though it was just the bad luck of things (and the lack of checking on the status of their safety equipment), she still felt bad that it was him that had gotten hurt. The least she could do was bring him some groceries.

"Thena, hey!"

"Hey, Gil, I-"

"Sorry," he apologised, chuckling nervously as he shut the door behind her with his good arm. His injured arm was tucked against his chest--his bare chest. "I'm sorry to, uh, greet you in this state."

Thena just stared, trying to pick her jaw up and say something (anything!).

"They showed me how to get a shirt on at the hospital," Gil continued in a rush. For however embarrassed Thena was, Gil was obviously mortified. "I was trying to get it on when you knocked."

Thena nodded, choosing to look down at the bags in her hands as opposed to the very half-naked Gilgamesh in front of her. She was being silly, she knew. They weren't children, and not only was he in his own home, but he was also injured. It was just a torso--a very bare, very muscular torso.

"Sorry," he apologised again, eagerly scooping the bags up from her hands. "I'll go give it another shot. I'll be-"

"I can help," she volunteered before she could really remind herself just how stupid that was of her to offer. The blush in her cheeks only deepened at the look of gratitude written all over his face. "It must be painful to try and do yourself."

Gil sighed, still cradling his arm against himself. "I guess I wouldn't describe it as fun. They said it would get better as it heals. I can't walk around shirtless all the time."

He could--if he wanted. Thena bit down on the inside of her lip, "I suppose not."

"How's Sprite?" he asked in light conversation, walking up the stairs first to lead Thena to the bedroom.

"She actually made you a card," Thena smiled, handing it over as he paused on the staircase.

He smiled down at the small, simplistic piece of cardstock with a frowny face on it. "Dear Gil, I'm sorry your shattered your arm into a million pieces. That must suck the big one. Sprite."

"A true poet," Thena rolled her eyes at her sister's way with words. But when she looked at Gil again he seemed genuinely moved by the facetious little card.

He shrugged at Thena's skeptical look, holding the card gently, "it's sweet, in her own way."

Thena let out a faint laugh as they continued to Gil's bedroom. He had met her maybe once or twice at this point, but his understanding of her standoffish sister continued to warm her heart. "I suppose so."

Gil opened the door and immediately moved to the bed, where both his sling and his shirt had been abandoned in favour of letting Thena in. "I didn't make it very far."

"I can't imagine it's easy," Thena tilted her brows at him. She could clearly remember how heavy a dose of painkillers they'd given him immediately after the break.

Gil didn't remember it at all--that's how strong they were.

Gil offered her his own shy smile as he leaned his head down, moving his arm away from himself as far as he could.

Thena bunched up the t-shirt in her hands, scrunching it up and condensing the fabric as much as possible. She slipped his fist through the sleeve first, pushing it up to his shoulder.

Gil leaned down closer to her to let her get the neck over his head. Thena turned her head slightly, unable to take the feeling of his face being so close to hers. It was one thing when they were playing husband and wife in a scene--it was one thing to kiss her co-star when they were in character. It was another thing entirely to have Gilgamesh so close to her.

Gil blinked as she pulled the neck of the shirt over his head. He never noticed how much taller than her he was when she wasn't in heels, but he stood back up to his full height, letting her pull the shirt down once his other arm was in. Her fingers brushed against the muscles below his ribs and they both skittered a little further apart. "Th-Thanks for the help."

"Anytime," Thena murmured, twisting her hair around and around and around and then moving it to her other shoulder. She swayed a little on her feet before gesturing vaguely behind her, "the, um, groceries?"

"R-Right!" Gil put on a smile, determined to put his sweet co-star at ease. He certainly didn't feel at ease after parading around in front of her in just some grey sweatpants, but he could wallow in his embarrassment later. "Let me make us some lunch--since you're here!"

"Gil," Thena murmured as she followed him out again, "I can help. You shouldn't be pushing yourself."

"Hey, it's no trouble," he smiled, already halfway down the stairs again. "You were nice enough to bring them anyway."

It was true--she had even braved the grocery store for them. She could already imagine the rumours that were going to pop up if anyone found out that she had brought them here, but she would just have to deal with that later.

"At least let me help," she laughed and scolded him at the same time, joining him in the kitchen as he pulled items onto the counter individually. She held up a bunch of carrots (not having known what to get him but just grabbing whatever she thought he might like). "Sprite will tell you herself that I'm not much of a cook. But at least I can chop some things for you."

"If you insist," he allowed, reaching into the fridge both to put away new things and pull out some milk. "How about some bolognese?"

Thena smiled as he reached around her to set out more ingredients, the warmth from him clinging to her pleasantly. "Sounds perfect."

[softquietsteadylove]

“Today, every day, and on Valentine's Day, I will visit my wife of 56 years. We are separated by her dementia. I will tell her what's been going on outside, as I spoon-feed her in her care-home hospital bed. She says, "Thank you," when I tell her I love her. We both know she would say more, if only she could. We have had a great life together, ever since the second grade. She is slowly leaving, I know that. But we're a pair until then.” I saw this quote on NYT’s post about small acts of love, and I immediately thought of Thenamesh which made me think of you. I know this might be a sensitive topic so feel free to skip this as a prompt if you’re not comfortable, but I do think you could write something not only respectful but absolutely beautiful about this vein of love for our favorite pair. It reminds me of the Notebook too, if that’s at all inspiring! As always, love everything you give us <3

Far out in the Australian desert, there is a house.

It sits completely apart from everything around it. The land is tended to and the house is inhabited despite the arid nothing surrounding it. There is a water pump and an oven, a garden and space to keep goods.

Everyday, a man leaves the house. He leaves with a basket in hand, and he walks under the unforgiving sun. The trip is made in silence, walking for hours. He says nothing, stops for nothing. His journey takes him even further into the desert, further away from everyone and everything.

He walks until he sees a figure on a hill. The figure is all white from a distance, standing out against the sizzling red sands. It remains completely still. Most would even assume it doesn't breathe.

The man sets down the basket first, lowering himself next to the figure. Her hair picks up in the breeze, but he keeps it away from her face. Her eyes are as white as the dress on her back. When the weather turns bad he comes and stands over her, wraps a blanket around her shoulders.

He would fight off the lightning and thunder if he needed to.

He touches his hand to her cheek, to make sure she has warmth in her skin. He checks her eyes, which have not been green in years now. He checks to make sure she's still breathing, that time has stopped for her in a way that leaves her comfortable. He checks that she is still the Warrior Eternal, Thena, his wife.

The Strongest Eternal settles for the time being. He comes and sits with her everyday. Some days it's hours, some days it's only one. He has their home to attend to. He comes and tells her he misses her, what is happening back on their little patch of land. Tells her of the lizards she loved so much running through his garden.

The man pulls over the basket, pulling out some of the mead he has perfected over the years. There's no harm in letting her taste it, now. He pours it into a delicate sipping vessel and brings it to her lips. It is not as if she can expire of natural causes, out here. He can't either.

But he likes to come and share things with her. He's even started taking up her old practice of drawing, although he is certain she would tell him if they were as terrible as he thinks they are. Still, he brings them and shows them to her, one by one. Many are of her.

He eats something for himself, whatever he has made and brought with him. He still cooks because he enjoys it, even if there is no gentle humming at the table or smiles bathed in kitchen window sunlight. She always told him that her favourite part about his cooking was how happy it made him. She wouldn't want him to stop.

He points out clouds to her, asking what she thinks they look like. She would always just say weapons in the past, so now he makes up things like bunnies and monsters and even their family members, in a way. He asks her how they are sometimes, certain that she must be with them. Because he hopes that whatever happens within those completely white shrouds in her eyes, that she is happy, and safe.

He packs up the basket again, preparing to walk home. He tilts her chin towards him. Sometimes he can imagine her lips lifting ever so faintly. He can imagine the smile his wife always had for him. "Hey."

She does not reply.

"I'm heading home," he whispers sweetly to her, promising the next time he will feel most alive instead of the hours in between. "I'll see you tomorrow, sweetheart."

Her head tilts, leaning into his touch just a little more.

He smiles. Because sometimes she's in there--his Thena. He can see glimpses of her in times like these, when she leans into his touch, when her fingers twitch to hold onto him as much as she is able. There are traces of her still there, in the time he feels most alive.

He has no illusions, nor regrets. An Eternal has only the merciless and indefinite future to look forward to. He said they would take that chance, and they did, for almost a thousand years.

He's happy for these moments, and he can live with the hours in between. He leans forward and presses his lips to her forehead. She stopped blinking long ago but he swears he can see her eyes moving when he does this. "See you soon, Thena."

His hand slips from hers, and he sees that little twitch that makes him smile again. The first time he'd seen it, he had stayed for hours and hours afterwards. Now he knows he will see it again.

He walks back down the hill, looking back at her a few times just because he feels like it. She does not move. He knows she will be there tomorrow, and the next day. And if the earth shatters in half the day after then he will come and get her, and he will carry her to a place that is whole. He will carry her to the ends of the earth and sit with her when that end comes.

He would have nowhere else to be.

The man walks back, hours and hours again. The sun shifts in the sky and he makes it back before nightfall. With the dusk oncoming, he can see the light he always leaves on at the house. He follows the same path he walks everyday. He sets the basket down and walks out to check on the garden and the lizards. He makes sure his apron is hung up and his dishes are clean.

He goes to their room, lies down in their bed, and he thinks about his wife. He falls asleep with his hand on her pillow, thinking of her hair trailing onto his shoulder, of her soft breathing and her laughter. And tomorrow, he will go and see her again.

Far out in the Australian desert, there is a home.

It is the home of two Eternals, a husband and wife. They travelled the world together, even saved it, in a way. It was always known that she would leave before him, and they took that chance. They built an entire life out in the arid desert, out surrounded by the sand, surrounded by the sea.

Their home is built at the ends of the earth, and the wife resides further into the nothingness still. And her husband walks to see her, every single day.

[softquietsteadylove]

Hi can you write a full on pregnancy journey between thenamesh and the eternals find out about it as well and gilgamesh is helping thena through giving birth

By all odds, Eternals cannot reproduce. It's not in their physical makeup--they're not organic beings. But there are timelines, and universes, and powers beyond mortality. The Elemental Eternal is proof of that. With her evolution comes exceptions.

She doesn't turn the Illusionist Eternal human, she returns life to the Strongest. And with his renewed life, came an unprecedented circumstance.

The Warrior Eternal became pregnant.

Without Ajak's guidance, they only had so much insight. Phastos performed every scan and test, Druig assessed what he could at the subconscious level, Sprite even tried constructing an early image of the fetus in a sort of ultrasound. Kingo proclaimed to have knowledge from playing a doctor - once - but was denied acknowledgement.

But none of them knew how to bring an immortal life into the world--or if it would, in fact, be immortal at all.

Sersi had brought her sister's dearest love back to life, forsaking even her own loved one. Thena, upon hearing the news of her new role in life, had grasped Sersi's hand. The Alchemist was confused until she saw the tears in her sister's eyes, whispering, "I'm sorry, I know how much you wanted this."

Sersi burst into tears, wrapping her arms around Thena's shoulders. She had always dreamed of transmuting life in its rawest sense. In this way, she somewhat felt that she had.

So, with the family of Eternals with only themselves, they embarked on raising this new form of 'life'.

Sersi was the only one who even remotely knew what to expect. She told what she knew, did further research. Phastos and Makkari concentrated on reading every material the human world - and beyond - had to offer. Druig was quietly attentive, never admitting to concern but always hovering nearby and commenting on if Thena or the budding consciousness she was harbouring desired something.

Gilgamesh was beside himself.

For all the years upon centuries upon millennia he had spent by Thena's side, they had never had to consider this a possibility for them. And while he usually had the typical minutia to worry about - Thena's general well being, health, Mahd Wy'ry - he now had a whole other set of problems.

He was beside her every second, reluctant to so much as look away from her and their child. Everyone told him he was being excessive, including Thena herself. But he refused to leave her again. He promised her as much, anyway. He stayed close, made sure they both knew he was there.

He cooked nutritious meals, made sure they got their rest. He was a little more insistent with his brothers and sisters than they were used to. Either he was asking Phastos and Makkari for what they had read about pregnancy or he was asking Druig how the baby 'felt'.

He asked Sprite for illusion 'ultrasounds' so often that she eventually stopped obliging him, saying that unless Thena asked, she was no longer their ultrasound machine.

Sersi threw herself into tending to Thena, and their child to whom she would be a second mother if anything happened to Thena. Sersi attempted to forbid her from saying such things, but Thena said that she had heard of such practices before, and if it had to be anyone, it could be no one but Sersi.

Phastos had complained that he had an actual child, and that Jack was even fond of Thena (for some reason) and vice versa! Thena said that yes, she was very fond of Jack too. But he and Ben would have their hands full with their human child, no less whatever immortal creature she spawned (her own words).

"Are you sure about this?" she could remember Gilgamesh asking her about halfway through. It was nowhere near the normal number of months for a human gestation, but they had to assume that their advanced cell strength and regeneration was translating into the growth of the baby.

"It is far too late to ask that," she answered, her hands on her stomach, swollen to accommodate their child.

"I mean," he shifted, taking hold of her hand next to the bed she nearly constantly occupied. Although she denied it, she had to all but be on bed rest, supplying the baby with not only her Cosmic Energy but much of her physical energy as well. "We don't have any experience in this--none of us. Are we sure we can get through this?"

Thena looked up at the ceiling, seriously considering the reality of their situation, and the question related. She patted her stomach, a subconscious motion she had taken on in the last two weeks. "Yes."

Gilgamesh chuckled, kissing her hand, "that easy, huh?"

"Hm," she smiled, relishing the small but heavy affection. "It will in no way be easy. But we can do this, is what I'm saying."

He sighed, tilting his head at her, "you'll be doing the hard part. I can be here as much as I can, but there's nothing I can do for the pain of what you'll go through."

None of them had any concept of what it would mean to give birth.

Thena let him moved the back of her hand to his cheek, always cooler to the cheek than his warmer skin. "I have no fear."

"I know you don't," he lamented more than complimented, "but maybe, just this once-"

"Gilgamesh," she said softly, pulling his eyes to hers. Her still and unwavering eyes, "I do not fear this. I will endure anything to bring this being to life."

Gil's eyes watered, "I don't want you to have to."

"Be that as it may," she soothed, moving her palm to his cheek, "I choose to allow this life shelter within me, and I have already decided that it is this life that takes precedence now--over my own, over anything else."

He shook his head, "Thena-"

"I'm sorry."

He blinked through his tears, although Thena's always became glassy.

"I have experienced living without you," she admitted, her throat tight with the difficulty of such words, "no matter how brief. I know that I am asking something unbearable of you."

Gilgamesh buried his burning eyes within the warmth of her palm.

"But the young one comes first, before all else," she insisted. She brushed his tears away and forced his eyes back to hers, "swear to me."

He nodded, unable to say it just yet. To speak such an unthinkable thing was too much for him. He had only just died and come back to life within the same twelve months. And now life threatened to both give him the greatest gift and take away his greatest treasure?

"I will be with you," she promised, rubbing her belly with her free hand again, "in a way."

That was the last they had spoken of the potential worst possibility.

The birth was hard. It took all their resources to keep everyone calm, let alone actually help with the process. Makkari and Sersi did their best, Sprite insisting that she couldn't possibly stomach the reality of what was happening. She could be heard whispering to Kingo the fear that they would lose Thena this time.

Phastos kept an eye on Thena's health, although the actual act of birth had taken more strength from the Warrior Eternal than they ever could have anticipated. All the equipment at their disposal was just barely keeping her conscious as her body prepared to, in a way, deliver its own form of Celestial.

"Thena, come on, just stay with me," Gilgamesh would whisper, his lips always close to her skin, her hair, something. He held her hand, which would have broken with her efforts were it not for his exoskeleton.

She stared upward, delirious from her efforts, her pulse thready and her skin covered in a cold sweat. "When?"

"Almost there, Thena," Sersi promised on her sister's other side, dabbing her flushed skin, "I promise, just a little more."

Makkari waved, it's time!

"Come on, Thena, one more deep breath," Sersi pleaded, squeezing her shoulders as Makkari got into position.

"Almost there," Gil whispered to her, "then you can hold our baby."

Thena's pupils widened. The baby.

A shrill cry broke the air. Breath was held as Makkari held the tiny life, washing it off and wrapping it up as Sersi had told her. There was no 'cord', like Sersi had told her, but she watched as a golden thread of energy dissolved into the air. She tilted her head.

There's no belly button, Makkari shrugged, as if that were all that significant a detail. But other than that, she's beautiful.

Sersi's eyes lit, "she?"

Makkari shrugged again but smiled as she handed the baby over to Sersi first, I guess--looks an awful lot like Thena not to be.

Sersi blinked through her tears; it was true, the little bundle looked like a tiny Thena, even with wisps of the same sun glow hair.

"Sersi," Thena struggled just to lift her arms, "please."

"Here," she whispered, leaning down carefully and depositing the baby into Thena's arms and over her lap. "Look at her, Thena, she's perfect."

"Perfect," Gilgamesh whispered, gazing upon a child of his own. He had always gotten along with human kids, maybe even gotten attached to a select few, like Jack, or Odin's little pup once upon a time. But this--this was entirely different.

"Oh," Thena blinked, her voice unmistakably melted and sweet. She smiled, "she has your eyes."

Indeed, the little one blinked and had massive, warm brown eyes, like the Strongest Eternal himself. She looked up at Thena, and then over at her father, who only dissolved further.

"Hello little one," Gilgamesh whispered, as if even his voice would be too much for his new treasure to bear. He offered his finger to her itty-bitty hand.

She was already capable of a strong grip.

"She incredible," Sersi whispered to her sister, pressing her lips to Thena's hair. "What will you name her?"

Thena gazed at her child.

Makkari and Phastos also looked over amidst the work of making sure Thena was stable and going to fetch the others.

"Olympia has always been home in our minds," Thena spoke gently, "even though there is no such thing. And yet when I say it, I still think of home--the same feeling I get when I think of Australia."

Gilgamesh leaned over, pressing a kiss to her temple.

"There shall be an Olympia," Thena declared, her eyes meeting that of her child, already so wise. "You shall be the meaning of home now, little one."

"Olympia!" Sersi gasped.

Thena looked up at her, "you are crying even more than Gilgamesh."

"So?" Sersi sniffled, barely able to see through her tears at all.

Thena let Gilgamesh take Olympia from her arms, just enough for her to recline in the bed more. "Let them in, they should meet her."

"Oi Sis!--you-"

Gil glared at the doorway, "keep your voice down."

Druig clapped his jaw shut, his teeth clacking loudly.

Kingo chuckled, for once, the most tactful of their chaotic little family. He strode in, Sprite clinging to him nervously. He smiled at Thena, "you made it."

She smiled back at her most opposite but undeniably dear brother. "You did too."

Gilgamesh tilted the bundle in his arms, although he obviously wouldn't be letting anyone else try holding her just yet. "This is Olympia."

Kingo smiled still, as if having anticipated the name that was preinstalled in all their heads. "She's beautiful, you guys."

"Gilgamesh," Thena spoke up from the bed, but he shook his head, already knowing what she was going to ask of him. He turned away, leaning over his bundle of joy. She let out a faint laugh as Kingo made his way to her bedside, "you'll have to hold her later."

He allowed the selfishness, "I think he's earned the right to hog her for a little."

"Oi sis," Druig greeted all the same, although in a whisper as he scurried over to her other wide with Makkari and Sersi. "How you doin'?"

She was still smiling, elated to be on the other side of her trauma, no matter how beautiful. She let her brother pat her shoulder, "I have experienced worse...I think."

Druig snorted, "well, for what it's worth, I've never considered you tougher."

Thena looked over to where Gilgamesh was protectively huddling over Olympia, protecting her from her own Uncles and Aunts. She puffed through her nose faintly, "if you can get close enough, take a look at her. See what she's thinking."

Druig regarded the baby curiously. Even after heading a commune for two hundred years, he had never met a baby quite like this. He waved his hand vaguely in her direction.

Warmth

Makkari rubbed his back as he swiped at his eyes. Different, huh?

He nodded, slinging his arm lazily around her shoulders. They deserve this.

Makkari watched as Gilgamesh returned to Thena's side, still refusing to let Kingo and Phastos so much as tickle Olympia's cheeks. They do.

"Come on," Sprite grumbled, choosing instead to go over to Thena's side instead of crowding the baby and baby holder.

Thena looked at her youngest - most tentative - sister. "So?--what do you think?"

Sprite pursed her lips petulantly. She eyed Olympia, and her crowd of admirers. She tilted her head, "she's prettier than I imagined."

Thena took neither offense nor humour, but smiled. "You can meet her when you're ready."

And she did. Sprite warmed to the little life, just as she did to rejoining Kingo and even the human Karun instead of the isolation of secrecy.

Kingo and Phastos easily became the most eager to dote on their new little Eternal, although Gilgamesh insisted that he be the only apple of her eye. Druig managed to sneak into her good graces, with Thena's help getting past Gilgamesh's defenses.

Gilgamesh still barely leaves her side, even months after her birth. Despite her short gestation, she seems to age according to the Earth's rotation, as far as Phastos can test.

"Ajak would have loved you," Thena whispers down to the child sleeping in her arms. Whenever she lacks sleep, she does this--walks the halls of the Domo with Olympia for comfort. Her grey robes swish around her as she takes a seat in the awakening chamber. "She would still be crying even now, I'm sure."

Olympia sleeps as soundly as her father does. Apparently this is odd for a baby, which Thena doesn't think makes sense; they need sleep, so why would they be unable to achieve it?

Thena looks up at the looming statue of Arishem. "He has done me no kindnesses. If anything, he has cursed me in many ways."

Olympia doesn't mind. She has no awareness of her mother's ailment, and with the presence of their family to help, she will never witness the uglier consequences either.

Thena smiles down at the little one, though, "but I have you. And I will endure any curse for that."

She looks up at Arishem again. "Not that he had any part in that. If anyone game me you, besides your father, it is in fact godmother Sersi."

Olympia remains unbothered.

Thena presses a kiss to her tiny head, growing more white-blonde hair by the day. "You will learn in time. I will make sure you know of Ajak. And that you never know of Ikaris."

She dislikes even uttering his name in her child's presence.

Not that Olympia minds that either.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?"

She smiles as Gilgamesh rounds the corner, his grey robes also swaying in the ambient air of the ship. "I wanted to walk."

He comes over to her, checking on their little sunburst and then her. "Come back to bed. I'll hold her if want to look at her while you fall asleep."

She lays her head against his shoulder, "perfect."

[softquietsteadylove]

So I just watched the vow and obviously I can’t stop thinking about Thenamesh in that context so here is my prompt for you — Thena somehow loses her memories and with it goes the memory of her marriage to Gil, but he helps her slowly and patiently remember their love 🥺

"Hey."

Thena jumped, whirling around to look at the doorway. Once again, guilt rose up in her throat as Gil held up his hand and made that terribly sad expression he had on most of the time.

"S-Sorry, sorry, I, uh-" he gulped in the middle of his sentence, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He kept doing that, perhaps to make himself seem less...broad. "I promised I would stop doing that, too."

No, it was unfair to him to make him knock on every door within his own home. She was the one who was jumpy and easily startled. The doctors said they didn't know how quickly it would or wouldn't fade. There wasn't much her doctors could promise her--them.

She had been in the hospital after the 'episode' for some time, anyway. As they explained it, it was a bleed in her brain, a stroke in not so many words. She had forgotten years of her life in a flash, lashed out in fear and confusion, even hurt Gil in the process.

He still had the scar on his arm from her attacking him. And yet he'd been the perfect husband through all of this, utterly and completely. If only she could remember him.

She thought maybe she would at least remember meeting him, knowing him in some way. But no, it was a stranger sitting beside her bed, cradling her hand between his, crying for her to be okay again. And she had done nothing but hurt him since.

Gil said that wasn't true.

He had been nothing but supportive from the moment she awoke. The doctors told them that her memories were fragile, and might never return in their entirety. He was a stranger to his own wife. Surely anyone would need to go through their own grieving process for their life in that way.

But Gil had looked at her far kinder than any stranger. He had given her the space she needed, understood that she didn't like people at the best of times, let alone when she was vulnerable. He did things like bring her changes of clothes, food that wasn't abhorrent, sit in her room with her while she tried to relax enough to sleep.

She did feel safe with him.

Safe enough to finally leave the hospital. They had done the physical therapy, the rehabilitative therapy, just about everything else. There was no more reason to keep her there, with exception to the gap in her memories.

"I left you some stuff I thought you might," he paused, gesturing from afar to the dresser by the guest bed, "like. I-I know you don't remember it, I just...I dunno."

"No, it-" she also choked on her words, nervous about what to say to him, "it's sweet, Gil. Thank you."

He smiled, just a little; he did every time she called him Gil.

She clutched at the shirt she was unpacking. He had brought her pajamas to sleep in while she was in the hospital, but they hadn't seemed right. And she had eventually deduced that they were indeed purchased brand new. What she had decided to sleep in more comfortably was an old shirt of his that had been shoved into a bag brought to her. "Come in."

He did so, shuffling into the guest room in their shared home awkwardly.

Her brows furrowed, even though it made her head throb. "You shouldn't have to be invited into a room in your own home."

He looked at her, his brown eyes so rich and soulful. But he smiled, "our home. And you need a space that's yours. Time to get used to...things."

Get used to him, he meant. And she hated that he was completely correct. She felt safe around him, but she didn't know this man (this sweet, kind, beautiful man).

"You decorated this room, anyway," he chuckled, looking around at the cream coloured walls and generic frames hung around the space. He clung to the walls, giving her a wide berth. "I wanted to turn it into an office or a place for a pool table or something."

Thena looked at the bed and then at him. "Wouldn't fit much else with that in here."

His smile lightened faintly. "You said that then, too."

She smiled as well, setting down her trusty shirt.

"And you were right, as always," he added, chuckling again. He arrived at the dresser, poking at some of the little things he had apparently brought and left out for her. "Kari crashes here sometimes."

Thena's eyes sparked at the mention of her. Gil looked both elated and wounded; they both wished she could have that level of recognition for anything that had to do with him.

Silence fell over them, and Gil looked down at his feet again. He was going to leave her to settle in, but she stepped closer to him, eager for more time with his company. She looked down at the dresser. "I remember this."

He smiled, picking up the little wooden cheetah and handing it to her with heartbreaking delicacy. "You love this thing."

"From when Kari went to Kenya for three whole months," Thena tilted her head at the little carving. She truly did value it. For all her insistence that Makkari was the trinket lover, not herself, apparently this little cat had called to her so clearly that she just had to bring it back to Thena.

Gil reached for something else, "what about this?"

She looked at the lovely little shell, but she didn't remember it. She stared and stared at it though, hoping she would. She just didn't want to admit to Gil that it didn't strike a single chord within her.

"It's okay," he whispered, forgiving her for something neither of them could control.

"Tell me about it?" she practically begged before he could take it back from her. Her palm tightened around the tiny little shell. It was so small and precious, she already felt protective over it.

He was obviously surprised, but she held his eyes. His face really betrayed everything he was feeling. She watched his expression melt as he whispered, "okay."

"Well," he started, moving them to both sit on the end of the bed. "You and I met...on the beach."

"The beach?" she balked before telling herself not to interrupt his very important story.

"I know," he chuckled, though. "You hate the beach."

He did know everything about her.

"But you were there painting, or collecting seashells, or looking for clay or something," he shrugged, the memory faded but precious for him. "I saw you at the end of the beach, kind of away from everyone. You obviously weren't looking for company but...I just wanted to exchange even one word with you."

"I jogged over, asked you if I could help you find something. You didn't talk to me at first, but I asked, and asked, and eventually you told me you were looking for a shell. And I mean it was probably just to shut me up," he added, making them both laugh. "But I said I'd help you look. Boy, the look you gave me--I'd still be dead and buried under that sand."

She offered a sheepish smile, but that was as much a lovingly remembered detail as the rest, for him.

"I found this," he tapped the shell in her hand. "I handed it to you and said, 'hey, you match!'. You gave me that look again, but I could tell you thought I was kinda cute."

She pursed her lips at that, but she had to admit that this man called her husband was undeniably charming. She could see herself very reluctantly admitting that he might not have been so bad.

"I saw you again a few times," he recounted, a different, dreamier, distant smile on his face. "Eventually you were out there with an easel, and I got to see you painting. You let me see it in progress and everything."

Perhaps she was already quite infatuated with him then, because she would rather fight to the death than allow something in progress to be viewed while she was working on it.

"I looked at your easel," he grinned at her, "and you had this shell sitting on the corner, like a good luck charm or something."

Thena felt herself blush faintly. It was a different her in the story, but she felt for that Thena's embarrassing secret being discovered.

"I asked you if you wanted to join me for dinner," Gil whispered, closing her hand around the little shell for safe keeping. "You said you didn't want to dine with me while I was all sweaty and in my jogging stuff."

Thena laughed. That certainly sounded like her (uncharming, unfunny her).

"I said okay, meet me here at sunset," he made a challenging face at her, and she could imagine how handsome it might seem in the right light. "You did and, well...history, right?"

History she wanted to remember.

Thena looked at Gil, sitting close to her, so warm and so solid. He was comfortable, she knew that much. She was no expert on physical closeness, but the times she had been in Gil's proximity via sharing an umbrella or letting him help her out of bed were nice. He had a gentle, calming presence.

He swallowed, his eyes flicking all over her face. She didn't even realise she had been leaning in until he moved his head quickly, stretching up so he could press his lips to her forehead. "You should rest, sweetheart. It's been a big day."

She felt both relieved and disappointed. The shell was still in her hand as he stood slowly, leaving her seated on the end of the bed.

He paused at the doorway again, lit softly by the lamp beside the bed. "You're welcome to anything, 'course--I mean everything, absolutely. But if you - I dunno - need help finding something or whatever...just wake me, okay?"

She already felt lonely at the thought of being in this room all by herself. And that was after weeks of being in the hospital, desperately wishing to be left alone. She nodded.

"'Kay," he smiled again, but it was back to being sad. He patted the wall, "night, Thena. I'll leave breakfast for you before I go to work."

He left gently, closing the door behind him, nothing if not a gentleman. To his own wife, in his own home. Thena flopped backwards on the bed, still holding onto her beloved little shell. She had been so desperate to have some time to herself in the hospital--really think about who she was and what her life was like.

But there was something undeniably lonely about the times when she was without him. Every time he came home for clothes or to shower or had to go to work, she had to admit, she was terribly bored without him.

Would it be terribly inappropriate to ask to sneak into bed with her own husband?