#thinking about these stunning gold wings I saw at the store earlier

[rosicheeks]

👀

[wrenhyperfixates]

A Perfect Proposal

Pairing: Loki x reader Summary: In which you propose to Loki. Warnings: Did anyone order fluff? Well, here you go :) A/N: Sending love out into the world for anyone who needs it. If you’re feeling down on yourself and like no one will want you (as so many of us oft think) just remember your real life Loki isn’t as far away as you think :)

Tag List: @lucywrites02 @frostedgiant​ @lunarmoon8 @twhiddlestonsstuff @lokistan @lowkeyorlokificrecs @gaitwae @whatafuckingdumbass @castiels-majestic-wings @kozkaboi @cozy-the-overlord @birdgirl90 @myraiswack

Disclaimer: Gif not mine 

“I love you, dearest,” Loki said, placing a small kiss to your temple.

“I love you, too,” you replied. “I want to be with you for the rest of my life and every moment after.”

“I feel the same way.”

Unfortunately, for as much as he insisted that, Loki had yet to take the next step in your relationship. He’d been your boyfriend for nearly two years now, and you were both madly in love with the other. You honestly had no doubts about that at this point, but it was frustrating being stuck where you were, nonetheless. There wasn’t even anything wrong with your relationship, per se, but it had been the same thing for a while now. The problem was that you loved him so much, you wanted more. Marriage. You’d talked about it a while ago, and he seemed open to the idea, but he had yet to pop the question. With all the hints you’d been leaving recently, you thought he would have asked by now. There was nothing else you could do short of asking him yourself.

“That’s it,” you gasped, jumping up from the couch. “Sorry, Loki. I gotta go. I’ll see you later, ok?”

You gave him a quick peck on the cheek before hurrying off to find your friends, leaving a very confused god in your wake. Zooming into another common room, you found them locked in concentration on an intense game of MarioKart.

“Bucky, Wanda, Nat. Important announcement,” you said to get their attention.

“One second,” Bucky shushed. “I’m about to win.”

“In your dreams,” Wanda snickered.

You impatiently tapped your foot as you let them finish the final lap, about ready to burst with excitement from your idea. Bucky and Wanda both groaned as Nat snatched the win at the last second.

“And that is how it’s done,” she said high-fiving you. “Now, what’s the emergency?”

“I’m going to propose to Loki.”

Wanda squealed in excitement and threw her arms around you in a hug. “That’s awesome! I’m proud of you!”

“Thanks, but before I can go through with this, I’m going to need a ring.”

And so, your little band of friends snuck out of the Tower and headed to a jewelry shop in the city. You were marveling at all the beautiful bands, as your friends argued over which one would be best. They all had different ideas about what you should get, though you didn’t really have a clue yourself. You were sure you would know it when you saw it.

“I’m telling you, this is the best one,” Bucky insisted, holding up an antique ring.

“Are you crazy? It’s so worn. No offense, but who would want that one?” Nat said.

“Steve would like it,” he murmured.

“How about this one?” Wanda called.

She pointed to a slim, ebony black band in the display case. It was understated, yet pretty. You considered the shiny trinket for a moment. It seemed like something Loki would like, and yet it wasn’t quite right. Continuing to walk through the store and take in the countless options, something in your peripheral vision caught your attention. Your head snapped back to it, and you let out an audible gasp.

“This is the one,” you declared.

Your friends came rushing over to see. The ring was fashioned as a gold, double-headed snake with emeralds as eyes. Far from a typical engagement ring, but you and your boyfriend weren’t much for conventional.

“We’ll take it,” you told the chipper store clerk.

To thank your friends for their help, you treated them to some coffee. As you sat in the cafe, you began to obsess over how to propose to Loki, though they insisted you were overthinking it. They were acting as if it were easy to speak from the heart. Then again, Loki was the love of your life, so maybe the right words would just flow out in the moment. Still, you’d like to have some kind of general outline.

Your planning was cut short by your ringtone, and you knew it must be Loki as he was the only one who bothered with calling anymore. Everyone else just texted, but he hadn’t quite figured out how to do that yet. You had to admit, his ineptitude with technology was kind of cute.

“Dearest, can you hear me?”  he asked. “Is this accursed magic box working?”

“Yes, my love,” you laughed. “It’s working just fine.”

“Very good. I was wondering if you would accompany me to dinner this evening. Say, 7:30, the balcony where we first met?”

“Absolutely.”

You remembered meeting Loki as if it had only just happened moments ago. You’d heard the stories of the monster he’d been at the Battle of New York, but standing there in the moonlight, he’d just looked fragile. You’d missed introductions earlier that day, having been on a mission, and approached with caution, careful not to rip him from his quiet reverie.

“Whatcha thinking about?” you’d asked softly, leaning next to him on the railing.

He’d looked slightly bewildered, whether because you snuck up on him or he didn’t know who you were, you still didn’t know.

“Nothing much, mortal,” he’d said.

“Well, that’s not very nice.”

“What?”

“Calling me ‘mortal.’”

“Well forgive me, but you did not introduce yourself,” he’d snapped back.

“Oh, well, yeah. Ok. I guess you’re right.”

You told him your name, and he said it softly, tasting the foreign word on his tongue. He tested it out a few times before coming to a conclusion.

“I like that name very much, mortal,” he teased.

“Haha very funny. How mature.”

Despite trying to sound angry, you couldn’t help but smile. You’d talked for a while after that and didn’t split up until the first light of morning began to fight through the darkness. Needless to say, you didn’t get much sleep, for even when you’d reached your room, your heart was pounding too wildly to allow you to slumber. You were too excited from meeting this handsome stranger. This god. Loki.

But that was then, and this was now. You walked out onto the balcony decorated with twinkle lights, candles, and your favorite flowers, the napkins and tablecloth your favorite color. You nervously checked to make sure you had the ring carefully tucked away one more time before going out to meet Loki in an embrace.

Throughout dinner, you mainly managed to keep your cool, but your leg would not stop bouncing with anxious energy. If Loki noticed, he didn’t say anything, though he did appear to be a little nervous himself, what with the constant fidgeting of hands and all.

Waving away your empty dishes with a flick of his hands, he began asking what you would like for dessert, but your mind was already far away. You jumped a little at the sound of Loki’s voice.

“I’m sorry, what was that again?” you asked, snapping back to the moment.

“Dearest, are you feeling alright?” he questioned, voice laced with concern. “You seem worried.”

“No, I’m fine,” you said as he raised an unconvinced eyebrow. It was now or never. “But I have something to say.”

“By all means, please share.”

“Ok,” you began, sucking in a sharp, anxious breath. “As you know, we’ve been dating for some time now, and I love you more than anything in this world. Even when we fight, that doesn’t change. Every moment I spend with you, I feel loved. Safe. Happy. You’ve been there for me in ways no one else in this world has. From the moment we met, something was screaming in my mind, ‘This is the one.’ It hasn’t stopped saying it since. I want to be with you, be there for you, for the rest of my life. Loki, my heart, my love, the light of my life, will you marry me?”

You got down onto one knee and popped open the ring box for a very stunned Loki. You gulped nervously as he seemed to regain his senses.

“Well, this is awkward,” he said. Your mind immediately jumped to worst-case scenario, assuming he was about to break up with you, but before you could speak your fears, Loki was also down on one knee, also opening a box. “I was just about to say the same thing.”

Now it was your turn to be stunned. You’d truly thought he was too hard on himself to ever actually ask for your hand in marriage, and you were elated that he loved you enough to work past that.

“In case the answer wasn’t obvious, yes. Yes with my whole heart!” you exclaimed, launching yourself into his arms.

Pulling back from him, you kissed him passionately. You slipped his ring onto his finger, and he did the same for you. It was exactly what you’d always hoped your engagement ring would look like. You beamed at Loki, completely happy.

“I love you, dearest,” he said.

“I love you, too. I can’t wait to be with you for the rest of my life.”

“And every moment after.”

[avaria-revallier]

Chapter 3: Of silver bells and painfull memories

They left quietly at first sunlight.

None of the dwarves dared to wake the hobbit. They all heard the scrubbing sounds coming from the kitchen till past midnight. Not one muttered curse nor angry looks were casted in the dwarves direction. Even thought Kìli and Fìli as well as Ori offered their help. The cleaning lass just shook her head. She gently pushed them outside and into the living room, ordering them to rest as they would need it.

Bombur remembered quite clearly the nervous flutter in his stomach when Fìli told him to go and see Bella. He found her sorting through some herbs.

"Would you be so kind and take these with you?" she pointed on a small sample of spices.

It sounded like a request, well it was one. On the other hand Bombur had witnessed the whole company flinching just earlier that evening -for the second time- as she was turning around after the fire, her cheeks darkened with coal. Bella also allowed him to take what was left from her pantry. As well as everything he would see of help to the company. He had put away most of the herbs and sat with the other dwarves in the living room when she entered again, carrying a large tablet full of cold snacks.

"I guess some of you might still like a small snack before going to bed." she smiled shy on her way out, avoiding the eyes of the company.

Nobody except Bombur saw her taking the contract and tucking it safely under her blouse.

Bombur wouldn't judge the lass for not coming along. He, as well as the other dwarves had a chance to observe the hobbits living in the Shire. They were all but friendly and kind. No weapons to be seen, blunt knives only used to chop food. No gold, silver or other fine jewellery on the market. Mainly food and simple clothes. Bombur could understand the hobbit. He as well wouldn't want to leave such a great home for a dangerous journey with an uncertain outcome. If he could he would have stayed in this peaceful corner of the world a little longer. He looked back. The Shire was lying still in the soft light of the morning. The hobbit would wake alone. They didn't even leave a note. Maybe it was better this way. The wild was no place for gentle folk like her.

"Bombur, keep up!" They all stopped for a moment as if they were waiting. The dwarven king was the first one to turn around and make for Bree.

Bella woke alone. It is quiet in her smial, even when she calls out for her dwarves no answer is provided. She looks around her living room. Everything seems to be at its designated place. The kitchen is clean. No sign that there where thirteen dwarves in her home. Only the empty pantry and the contract in her pocket are proof for the events of the last evening. She looks down on the contract in her hands.

'What if Gandalf wouldn't make it in time to save them from the trolls? What if Thorin won't give in in the woodland realm -as if!- What if...' While she thinks of all the horrible possibilities her feat had already taken her into her own room. Excitement grows in her heart as she pulls out her mothers old backpack, sleeping bag and bed roll. Hastily she takes some trousers, undergarments and her fathers old pocket knife out of the closet and places them next to the contract. Soap and other small necessities where thrown on the pile. She rushes to the pantry on the far end of the left wing where she usually stores her winter rations and takes a good arm full. She would need it on the first few weeks. She remembers clearly her always rumbling stomach in her last life. Her mind knows that she would have to do with three meals a day instead of the seven or eight she is used to. She would have to start her swordtraining all over, she realises. Her mind might remember clearly, but her body wouldn't. A small sight escapes her mouth as she thinks of all the pain it would bring her and her muscles.

All packed and ready to leave she looks around one last time. She would miss Bag End, no doubt, but she was truly happy to go on an adventure once more. With a bright smile she steps out of her door. The sun was already up for quite a while. She hurries down the steps and over to her good friend Primula and her husband Drogo. They agreed to watch over her when her parents passed away. As Bella wasn't of age she would likely have to ask for permission. She was not the kind of girl to just run off without a word, well at least not in this life. She slips the thick envelope with the key to Bag End and a letter of farewell into their post box. Within was a smaller envelop for her grandfather and one for her trusted gardener Mr. Gamgee. Her grandfather would be furious to hear that she left.

With watery eyes she makes her way down the hill, through the familiar neighbourhood. At some point she starts running, away from the road and over the farmland, through gardens and over fences. Her heart happily beating to the drumming of her footstepps. It was freeing and finally a happy laughter escapes her chest. She runs all the way till she can see the company between the trees.

"Wait! ... Wait for me!" she huffs.

She stops near Balins pony to take a deep breath.

"Here, I signed it." she takes the contract out of her pocket and hands it shakily over to him.

Nervous she glances at the other dwarves. Fìli was nodding and nudges his brother to hide his wide grin. The Ri brothers where looking at her slightly relieved, as she would be the one to enter the mountain and face the dragon instead of Nori. Dwalin looked annoyed down at her. Her heart dropped for a second there. It has always been hard for her to read the big warrior, but she could imagine him to be happy even if he wouldn't show. Bofur grinned at her openly and she couldn't hide her own grin seeing him. Bombur was delighted to see her and smiles hearty at her. Bifur made a few signs in her direction when she met his gaze. The only one she could decipher was something like 'welcome'. It had been some time for her to actually communicate in their ancient language. She only tilted her head with a small grin on her lips. She wouldn't want to scare them by replying to him with a thanks. Thorin was the last one she looked at. He reacted just as she remembered, frowning. She gifted him a sweet smile as she would to Lobelia and turns back to Balin. The white dwarf studied the contract a moment longer before declaring it as right.

"Get the halfling a pony." Thorin grunted.

He wasn't sure why he's so annoyed by the smile she gave him. It felt not right. Somehow it bothered him to see her so openly smile at Bofur and his sister-sons while she gave him a political smile. He clenches his jaw, stubborn looking ahead.

"I am half of nothing!" the angry voice of the hobbit lets him turn around. He had to control his body not to flinch at her angry tone. He himself wasn't sure why, but seeing her angry made him feel guilty. When he sees the slight hint of being hurt in her eyes a cold hand seems to grab his heart. His mouth is suddenly too dry to speak. Thorin would like nothing better than for her to smile all day, to be happy and safe.

'You could let her ride with you. She would be safest with you, near you' a small voice whispers in the back of his brain. He is tempted to give in to this voice. Before he could do something he would regret later 'As if!', she continues angrily.

"Don't give me that look, Thorin Oakenshield! You got lost! In Hobbiton! All ways are marked and everything has signs!" she hisses at him. Her hands on her hips she stares up to him, challenging.

For a moment he is stunned. Only few people would talk to him in this manner.

She stares at him, angrily, one foot tapping. Before she or Thorin could say any more Kili and Fili gently grab her by the elbows and lift her onto a pony. She glares at them halfheartedly. She could never be angry at them for a very long time. They meant well and she knew.

A coin purse flew past her head and lands safely in Kilis hands. She lifts one brow, asking: “You took wages on me?”

“I knew that you would come with us!” The dark haired dwarf swiftly escapes her question by smiling brightly.

Bella fills the time chatting with the company. Gloin was more than delighted to tell her everything about his son Gimli. She heard a lot about him in her last life. He was a good friend to Frodo and even friends with an elf.

Somewhere in the middle of Gloins extended story of how Gimli threw his first axe, Bofur groans displeased.

“Mistress Baggins… Tell him to stop! I can’t take any more!” With his hands he covers his ears.

Gloin, disbelief written all over his face, opens his mouth to respond to his friend but is interrupted by an apple flying in his direction. Bombur was the one to throw it and continues to give out their lunch, ignoring Gloins muttered curse and Bofurs thanks. Watching them a warm tingly feeling begins to grow in Bellas stomach.

Gently she nudges her pony to go a bit faster and sets herself next to Gloin.

“I would be more than delighted to take first watch with you, master Gloin. I am happy to hear a bit more about your son.” She inquired.

The proud dwarf immediately straightens his back and seems to grow a few inches.

“It would be my pleasure, Mistress Baggins.” He responds enthusiastic.

Bella slows her pony again to fall back to the back of their group.

Ori was writing in a leather bound book, all by himself. To Bella he looked quite focused, so he took her by surprise when he glanced up to meet her curious look.

“I didn’t mean to stare, I am just a bit curious. What are you writing there, Master Ori?” Bella tilts her head.

The young dwarf blushes lightly and lowers his head, looking at the written pages in his hands. Careful he closes the book and tucks it safely into his coat. Ori fiddles with the buttons on his shirt as he glances to the hobbit only to take on a deeper red.

“I am- I am the scribe for this journey. I will write down the events and the p-progress on the road. We will need to keep track for later…” he mumbled.

“That is a really important role, right? May I ask you something, Master Ori?” again she tilts her head slightly, watching his reaction.

Ori, as Gloin before, straightens himself in the saddle and grins happily at her. He was always more than delighted to share his knowledge with others.

In her past life he had been the first one to tell her about dwarven manners and morals. He had also been the only one to tell her -flushed deep red- that asking Thorin to undo her hair was equal to invite him to sleep with her. She had somehow managed to tangle her hair into the buttons on the back of her blouse. Thorin was the nearest dwarf at that time and so she had asked him to lend a hand. He did, very gently for someone gruff as him without any kind of discomfort on her side. He said not a single word and the bigger part of the company watched them silently, only Fili and Kili snickering in the far back.

“Mistress Baggins?” the soft voice of Ori brought her back to the present. “You had a question for me?”

Bella blinked at him for a moment. The butterflies in her stomach settled and the memory faded. Unconsciously her fingers had wandered up again to brush over her lips. Slowly she puts her hand back down to rest on the warm neck of her pony. Interest sparked in Oris eyes, with a spymaster as a brother everyone would learn to pay attention to smaller details. Even though he didn’t dare to ask about her unusual behavior, he would just have to watch her a bit closer from now on.

“Ah, well you see, I – I never encountered dwarves before, so I am a bit lost. I don’t want to offend any of you by accident.” She hesitates a moment, looking around as if she was expecting someone to listen in on them. “Well, I would love to know more about your customs. Only if you are free to tell me… Obviously I would be answering any question of yours about hobbits if you are interested.”

Unsure how the young dwarf would react Bella plays with a loose strand of her auburn curls.

“Dwarrows.”

Her head jerks around. “What?”

“We prefer ‘dwarrows’ over ‘dwarves’.” He smiles at her.

Bellas face heats immediately. Eyes wide she clutches her hands, covering her mouth.

“Oh, oh my. Good gracious! I am terribly sorry! I- I am so ashamed, please do take my sincere apology, master Ori.” She had called them dwarves in her past life too, the entire time! This was more than shameful.

“No harm done.” The young one chuckles. “We didn’t know either, that ‘halfling’ is so insulting to your people. I say we are even.”

“That is a relief. Please do ask away, master Ori. I would be more than happy to answer your questions.”

They talked for a good while, taking turns in asking questions. Bella learned a few more things about her fellow dwarves – pardon, dwarrows – and confirmed some of her assumptions.

Ori was just about to teach her the difference between dwarven craftsmanship and the ‘poor quality of any other race who might try’.

“Belladonna Baggins! Get down from that great beast this instant!” the voice was piercing her ears, she would have recognised her anywhere.

“Lobelia, my dear. A wonderful day to you too. Isn’t the weather just lovely. Perfectly right for a small trip, don’t you think so too?” she smiled down at Lobelia as she did smile up to Thorin this morning.

Her knuckles turned white so hard was her grip on the reins of Myrtle. She wouldn’t let Lobelia have the satisfaction of her obeying like a little faunt.

“I always knew you would take after that hideous mother of yours! Up to no good. I can see you follow in her footstepps, going on with a whole harem of men, Belladonna.” Lobelia nearly spat her name as if it was some kind of insult.

“At least the Shire will once more be entirely peaceful. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, when you come back, pregnant with a bastard, crawling into the Shire and weigh down some respectable hobbit, just like your mother did.”

A growl climbed up in Thorins throat. Only Dwalins hand on his shoulder held him on his pony. Insulting the gentle hobbit lass was one thing, but also insulting her mother and the whole company in one breath on top, an entirely different.

Thorin had no doubt that she would climb down her pony to give that detestable woman on the sideway a pice of her mind.

She didn’t.

“You made your choices and I made mine. Just because you can’t live with yours doesn’t mean you should shame me for living with mine.” She turns around, nudging her pony and rides, head held high, past the stuttering, gasping woman and the stunned dwarrows.

There was a moment of silence. None of the dwarrows dared to move. They all were watching their burglar moving on. Bofur is the first one to break the silence.

“Loud that one.”

They moved one, behind them a distant cry: “In trousers!”

They stopped in Bree that evening. Bella had been silent for the most part of their travels. The others had been respectfully keeping their distance, giving her some space for herself.

Kili and Fili were the first to approach her after she left her room in the tavern.

“How about you come with us? We were planning on going shopping for a bit.”

She hadn’t imagined to meet Lobelia of all people on her departure. Well, no harm done as she isn’t going to come back any time soon.

She beamed up at the brothers.

“It would be my pleasure, I do actually have some shopping to do. You two would be a great help to me.”

And so they went on, visiting a smith to buy a stone to sharpen her pocket knife and a grocer for her to replenish her rations for the next days on the road, as well as a rather large bag of dried leafs neither of the brothers could identify.

“Do you happen to know a junk-shop? Fili here has a pretty good eye for things that can bring a fine price once repaired or polished.” Kili boasted about his older brother, proudly looking up to Fili.

Fili on the other hand blushed at the tip of his ears, scratching his neck and avoiding eye-contact.

“Oh my, I hadn’t noticed we had such a skilled handsome dwarf in our very middle.” She teased him.

Kili tries to hide his laughter by coughing, while his brother turned as red as Bellas winning tomatoes.

Each of them were rummaging through the shelves of the small junk-shop. Fili focused to find some hidden treasures und gems beneath all the junk that occupied most of the space. Kili was more interested in watching their newest member of the group carefully. The hobbit was searching the shelves, picking up this and that, nothing really seemed to catch her eye. Then she went stiff and Kili watched her more closely. A pair of silver bells had caught her attention. Gently, almost awestruck she touched them. Yanking her hand back almost immediately as if she had burned herself. A pained expression ruled her face and a shadow lowered itself over her eyes. Fast, almost running she made her way into the opposite direction.

Kili picks the bells up as soon as she left. They were nothing special, a small pair of silver bells, a bit beaten and bruised but still repairable. Shrugging he added the bells to his other findings. He would tell Fili later about what he had witnessed.

The ‘prancing pony’ was rather crowded on this particular evening. The company managed to get a table in one of the more secluded corners of the room. Dwalin’s the first one to spot the young princes and the hobbit lass. The dwarrows had the arms full with food and other bags, as well as the small lass, who looked like she would fall over every moment. He nudges Thorin to shift his attention to his nephews. The king frowns slightly at the sight of the packed trio.

“Do you think we can’t care for your wellbeing, burglar?” his voice is no more than a low rumble, even though they could hear him perfectly in the noisy room.

The lass opens her mouth, no doubt to give him a portion of her mind, but Fili lowers his head to whisper something in her ear, resembling in her staying silent.

Everybody is surprised, as Ori clears his throat.

“W-well, as I have learned today, hobbits eat s-seven meals a day. She told me, she would just need a f-few weeks to adjust her eating habits and I wouldn’t have to worry.” He mumbles, shyly looking down on the table.

“Seven?! By my beard, weren’t you starving laddie?” Balin questions the hobbit.

Bella was more than uncomfortable. Of course her stomach would choose this particular moment to rumble on like a great bear. She flushes crimson red to the very tips of her ears, attempting to hide her face behind the bags in her arms. Dwalin hops down from the bench, taking the bags without a comment and shoving them in Kilis arms.

“Come here lass, have some food while the lads bring your purchases to your room. We don’t want to alert anyone with that sound of your stomach.” With a swift motion he sweeps her off the ground and places her next to Thorin on the bench.

A large bowl of soup is placed before her, bread and some kind of drink. She starts eating under the watching eyes of the company.

“Care for another drink, small lady?” the faint smell of alcohol accompanies the lulling words.

Slowly she turns around.

The man behind her was the perfect example of a drunken idiot. Oily hair and bloody eyes. His friend had to stabilise him as he swayed forward.

“Oh, well thank you for your kind offer, sir. As you can see I am already in a very fine company. I have to politely decline your offer.” She didn’t even bother to smile at him.

“Don’t be shy. Come on little lady give us a smile. We promise you to be gentle.” He laughs at his own words.

Bella frowns, slightly cross. With her strong hand she adjusts her grip around her fathers pocket knife.

“You heard the lady. Scram.” Thorins words were more like a growl than anything else.

Without looking up he had his sword drawn and held it protective behind Bella and the drunkard.

She relaxes a bit as the two of them raise their hands and leave the tavern shortly after.

“Thank you, Master Oakenshield.” Ever so lightly she touches his -very damn muscular- arm, smiling at him.

Shortly after she returns to eating her meal, tucking away the knife. She didn’t notice the curious look of Nori, the spymaster of the group, neither the slightly red ears beneath the dark hair of the dwarven king.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Masterpost

[skylar102]

Prompt: Wing Cuddles Summary: It’s the one year anniversary of when Alec left his old life behind him.

Read it on Ao3

It’s the one year anniversary of when Alec left his old life behind him. He doesn’t regret leaving. He misses his siblings, but the fact that they did not try to pay the ransom doesn’t make him miss them as much as he wants to. Izzy and Jace always made sure to include him in anything they could until someone saw them all together. The number of times Alec had to walk home alone because he was unwanted was too many to count.

He sits in his room, leaning against the headboard of his bed. He thinks back to his old life and realizes it doesn’t make him as sad as it first did. The memories from a year ago don’t send an ache through his heart. 

The life he has with Magnus, he wouldn’t trade it for the world. The amazing people he’s met in this city of Edom; Helen and Aline are now close friends of him and Magnus’. Friday’s just aren’t right if those two are not over for a night of food and drinks. His neighbors know his name and greet him with a smile when he leaves for work in the morning. 

The kid with the black wings he saw the first few weeks he and Magnus moved to the city asks him to play all the time. And also to brag about how he and Aec are twins because they share the same color wings. Max is his name, Alec comes to learn. 

The people of the market pull him left and right asking for his assistance. There’s never a dull day. People ask how he’s doing, offering him goods from their stalls without him having to ask or pay them. 

He finally feels wanted.

Alec pulls out the feather he’s kept hidden in his nightstand for 5 months now. He’s made sure to keep it in pristine condition but even after being careful, the vanes of the feather have become a bit frayed. The burgundy and gold still shine in the light of his room. He knows it’s weird that he’s kept a feather of Magnus’ after their first grooming together, but it was the first time someone trusted him with their wings and vice versa. His heart still swells at the trust Magnus has for him. 

He wants to cherish that first grooming for the rest of his life. Magnus and Alec have groomed each other’s wings plenty of times since that day, but Alec will never forget the intimacy of their first grooming for as long as he lives. They made it fun. The sounds that leave their mouths end with a laugh rather than awkward silence. Alec never feels like a bumbling fool because Magnus makes him feel comfortable. 

If only he had the courage to tell Magnus how he feels about the man.

A knock on the door has him hiding the feather under his pillow. He grabs the book on his nightstand to make it look like he’d been reading and not fawning over a feather.

“Come in!” he says, playing it cool before Magnus enters.

“Hey,” Magnus smiles at him, opening the door. “I was just wondering if you wanted to go out for dinner tonight.”

“Sure. What did you have in mind?”

“Well...” he trails off and plays with his ear cuff, a sign that Magnus is nervous. “You remember that restaurant that we went to the first month we came here?” 

“Yeah, the Italian place?” Alec nods, moving so that his legs and hanging off the bed. “Didn’t they close down for maintenance?”

“They did, but they just reopened last week and I thought… Well, I thought we could see if their pasta is still as good as it was all those months ago.”

“That sounds great, Magnus.”

“Excellent,” Magnus cheers, clapping his hands together before turning to leave. As he gets to the door frame he turns around. “Oh, make sure to dress nice. Apparently this place is now deemed as fine dining and doesn’t allow people in street clothes to enter anymore. Guess our street look made them reevaluate.”

Alec laughs as Magnus closes the door behind him. He grabs the feather and puts it back in his nightstand before standing up from the bed and making his way to the closet. Alec only has a few nice dress outfits from the times that his neighbors have invited them over for their monthly cocktail parties. It should worry him how many times they have the parties but after the first few, Alec has found that he enjoys the small gatherings.

Alec picks out his outfit, a black suit with matching black shoes. He lays out the suit on his bed, eyeing it to decide what tie he should wear when he remembers the gift that Aline had given him for his birthday. He goes to his dresser, pulls open the top drawer, and grabs the small box that has kept the tie in pristine condition until he found the courage to wear it. Opening the box he looks at the tie and smiles. 

Guess tonight is the night.

---

Alec makes his way downstairs to the living room. It had taken him longer than he had thought to get ready, but he wanted to make sure he looked his best. When he looked at himself in the mirror and the only color he had on him was the tie, he knew he made the right choice. He looks down at the burgundy tie and the gold swirls that twist around it and adjusts it for the twentieth time that night. He’s gelled up his hair so that it’s not the normal poofy mess he has to deal with.

He looks around and doesn’t see Magnus yet, which means the man is probably still getting ready. He shakes his head. He thought he was running late, but he forgot that Magnus wears makeup and won’t settle for anything less than perfect. 

Alec wanders around the living room, not wanting to sit so he doesn’t crinkle the suit. His mind drifts again to the past year and his time with Magnus. The house is now filled with memories of them. A small statue of a raven on the fireplace mantle that Magnus had brought home one day saying that it reminded him of Alec. Alec had been a sputtering fool only able to choke out a thanks before placing it in the spot it rests now.

There’s a guitar on the ground in the corner next to a record player that Alec had gifted Magnus after he witnessed Magnus help fix a street performer’s guitar on his lunch break. Watching Magnus strum a tune while making it sound right, Alec could tell that he could easily play a song. When he passed the music store one day and saw the acoustic guitar sitting in the window, he just knew he had to get it. He’s glad he stuck to his gut because the look on Magnus’ face when he saw the guitar sitting in the corner was everything to him.

His weekends were now filled with soft strums of guitar and a silky voice singing the sweetest of tunes. 

Alec turns his gaze to the wall and all the framed photos that hang. He steps up to the wall and takes in each photo. The one of him and Max showing off their wings in the park. Max had insisted on a hero pose and how could Alec say no to the little guy. He could hear Magnus laughing with Max’s parents, but he couldn’t feel embarrassed when Max was looking at him like he was the coolest person on the planet. 

The next photo was of Magnus and Aline both laying in chairs soaking up the sun’s rays in the back yard. Their wings spread out behind them, not caring that they were in the way of everyone else. What the photo doesn’t show is Helen sneaking up behind them with a bucket of water. Alec doesn’t think he’s laughed that hard before in his life, watching Aline chase her wife around the yard yelling profanities. He remembers looking over to where Magnus had sat up in the sun chair looking like a drowned rat and seeing the softest smile on his face instead of anger. 

Alec goes to the next photo. This one is probably his favorite of them all. It was later in the evening with Aline and Helen that they decided to have a bonfire in the back yard. They had invited their neighbors and Max and his parents over for smores. Aline had Max sit between her and Helen as a way to punish her wife for her earlier antics. There’s a visible pout on her face as she watches Aline help Max get his marshmallow on his stick. 

Their neighbors are chatting it up with Max’s parents. It was the first time they had met and they had hit it off immediately which meant they had added three more guests to their monthly get togethers. This also made Magnus sad because it meant less alcohol at the party, but Magnus got over it quickly once he saw how happy Max was to be hanging out with Alec more. 

In the two-person wicker chair sat him and Magnus. He hadn’t even realized they had practically snuggled against each other until their neighbor had given them the photo a few days later. He may have drunk too many sangrias that day, but Magnus had felt so nice next to him. His wing decided to make the decision for him and curl around Magnus, pulling the man into his side.

He remembers Magnus relaxing into his side, his own wings pulled behind him so that Alec’s could curl around him. The photo shows them looking at each other with smiles on their faces. He forgets what was said to cause them to look at each other with such tenderness.

That was the moment he fell in love with Magnus.

Alec is taken out of his trip down memory lane when he hears footsteps coming down the stairs. Turning to ask Magnus what took so long, his words die before they even reach his lips. 

Magnus was wearing a burgundy suit that matches his wings, gold seams around the edges of the blazer that shine. Golden cufflinks at the ends of the sleeves also glint in the light. His makeup flawless as always, eyeshadow the perfect match to the rest of his look. As Alec’s eyes look him over, they pause on the black tie around Magnus’ neck. When it hits the light just right, the colors of purple and blue shine through, just like his feathers. Alec’s throat dries up. 

He finally looks at Magnus and sees the man is also checking him out. When his eyes reach his tie, there’s a glow to them that wasn’t there before.

“Alexander,” Magnus whispers, finally looking at his face. “You look stunning.”

“As do you,” he whispers back, voice a bit more hoarse than he wishes.

They stare at each other for a moment more. Snapping out of it with an awkward cough, they make their way to the front door. Alec locks up the house behind them before meeting Magnus on the sidewalk. The two begin the slow journey to the restaurant on the other side of town. Walking side by side, Alec has to put his hands in his pockets to stop himself from grabbing Magnus’. His wings, on the other hand, have no problem with showing his true emotions and his left wing is slightly extended behind Magnus. If the other man notices, he’s kind enough to not mention it. 

“It’s a beautiful night out,” Magnus comments. 

“Yeah,” he says. Not as beautiful as you, he thinks.

They walk in comfortable silence until they reach their destination. Nuovi Inizi is lit up in a soft glow. New Beginnings, Alec muses, how fitting. The owners really outdid themselves with the remodel as they step inside the restaurant. The ceiling lights are dim as candles fill the room in a soft glow that truly sets the mood. Magnus approaches the hostess, saying they have a reservation as Alec takes in the place. 

“Follow me this way, Mr. Bane,” the hostess says. Magnus grabs his elbow and they follow the woman through the restaurant. They pass by a few couples that are also enjoying a night out, but they pass by them all and make their way through a set of french doors to the patio next to the ocean. Alec freezes at the sight causing Magnus to come to a halt as well. Magnus looks at him nervously and he understands why.

The patio has been cleared of all tables except for one in the middle. Fairy lights hang from the trees scattered around the area, illuminating the patio in a soft glow. 

“Magnus…”

“Is it too much?” Magnus asks anxiously.

“I don’t,” he stutters finally looking at the man. “What is all of this?”

Magnus gets even more nervous if possible. He rubs his hands together, biting his lip before speaking.

“It’s the one year anniversary from when you decided to join me,” he says. “I wanted to celebrate the moment in a special way because it means a lot to me that you chose to come with me.” Magnus’ wings get smaller behind him and Alec realizes that whatever his face is doing is scaring Magnus. “We can go somewhere else if it’s too much-”

“No,” Alec blurts out. “It’s- You did all of this,” he gestures at the table, “for me?”

“Of course I did, Alexander,” Magnus admits, his wings losing their tension. “There’s no one else in the world who deserves this more than you.”

If Alec wasn’t sure he was in love with Magnus, he is now. He closes the small space between then and grabs Magnus’ hands, holding tight.

“Thank you,” he whispers. “It’s beautiful.”

Whatever tension Magnus had in his body leaves and he pulls Alec towards the setup. The hostess left their menus on the table before disappearing back inside. Alec pulls out Magnus’ chair before sitting down in his own. He grabs the menu and everything is new. None of the foods they had last time are on the menu. 

“Wow,” Alec laughs, peering over his menu. “It’s like they completely threw out the old place.”

“That is for sure,” Magnus agrees with a laugh of his own. “You think they would at least keep the ravioli I had last time, don’t think I ever had it that good before in my life.”

The waitress comes back with a bottle of red wine and takes their orders. They fill the night with talk of work and life. Just like any night before this, words fall easily from their lips. Their laughter echoes on the empty patio and they have to stop themselves from getting too loud lest they annoy the patrons inside. When their dinner arrives, they’ve almost finished the whole bottle of wine and Alec feels warm inside. He’s pretty sure it’s mostly the wine but with Magnus sitting across from him, he can’t tell. Magnus always had a way of making him feel warm inside by just being in his presence. 

Small talk continues during dinner and after. Alec’s pretty sure they’ve stayed past their welcome but their waitress has not said anything so Alec isn’t going to either. Alec sits back and closes his eyes. He lets the sound of the ocean wash over him and that’s when he hears it; music drifting from inside the restaurant and reaching the patio.

Decision made, Alec sits up from his chair and holds out his hand.

“Care to dance, Mr. Bane?” Magnus stares at the hand and back up at him. Alec raises an eyebrow. So he may be feeling a bit more confident due to the wine, sue him. It’s not like he’d have this courage if he was sober. 

“Lead the way, Mr. Lightwood.” Magnus grabs his hand and Alec leads him to an open space. 

He holds Magnus’s right hand in his left and wraps his other around Magnus’ waist. Magnus’ other hand wraps around his neck and brushes at the hairs on the back of it.

In this world of ordinary people Extraordinary people I'm glad there is you

They sway back and forth, barely moving as they stare into each other’s eye. Alec has never been happier for Helen, that she taught him how to dance one drunken night.

In this world of overrated pleasures And underrated treasures I'm glad there is you

Alec leans his head forward to rest against Magnus’ and it feels like he’s truly found his place in the world. 

I live to love, I love to live With you beside me This role so new I'll muddle through With you to guide me

Alec doesn’t know what he would do without Magnus. What he would be. Who he would be. He shivers just thinking about it. Magnus must feel the shiver because the grip tightens before the fingers start stroking the back of his neck.

In this world where many many play at love But hardly any stay in love I'm glad there is you More than ever I'm glad there is you

“I love you,” Alec whispers in the small space between them. Magnus’s eyes shimmer in the soft glow of lights at the confession, a soft smile on his face. He looks even more beautiful than he has all night. 

“I love you, too,” Magnus whispers back. They stare at each other for a moment before he closes the space between them. 

The kiss is everything he imagined it to be. It’s not rushed or hurried. It’s gentle and soft, like they’re something fragile that needs to be handled with care. He tightens the hand he has on Magnus’ waist and feels the hand on the back of his neck drift into his hair. It never becomes heated even if he wants nothing more. Right now is not about that. It’s about the man in his arms and the fact that he loves him back.

He pulls back, laughing as Magnus follows his lips. He gives a small peck and leans his head next to Magnus’. Magnus tucks his face into the crook of his neck. Alec hums the lyrics of the song as they sway back and forth on the patio. The arm Magnus has around his neck drops to his shoulders and holds on tight. Once again his wings have a mind of their own and curl around Magnus’ wings. Their own little cocoon, tucked away from the rest of the world. He knows the wait staff will come to kick them out eventually, but right now? 

Right now, Alec wants nothing more than to dance with the man he loves.

[magzoso-tech]

New Post has been published on https://magzoso.com/tech/three-of-apple-and-googles-former-star-chip-designers-launch-nuvia-with-53m-in-series-a-funding/

Three of Apple and Google’s former star chip designers launch NUVIA with $53M in series A funding

Silicon is apparently the new gold these days, or so VCs hope.

What was once a no-go zone for venture investors, who feared the long development lead times and high technical risk required for new entrants in the semiconductor field, has now turned into one of the hottest investment areas for enterprise and data VCs. Startups like Graphcore have reached unicorn status (after its $200 million series D a year ago) while Groq closed $52M from the likes of Chamath Palihapitiya of Social Capital fame and Cerebras raised $112 million in investment from Benchmark and others while announcing that it had produced the first trillion transistor chip (and who I profiled a bit this summer).

Today, we have another entrant with another great technical team at the helm, this time with a Santa Clara, CA-based startup called NUVIA. The company announced this morning that it has raised a $53 million series A venture round co-led by Capricorn Investment Group, Dell Technologies Capital (DTC), Mayfield, and WRVI Capital, with participation from Nepenthe LLC.

Despite only getting started earlier this year, the company currently has roughly 60 employees, 30 more at various stages of accepted offers, and the company may even crack 100 employees before the end of the year.

What’s happening here is a combination of trends in the compute industry. There has been an explosion in data and by extension, the data centers required to store all of that information, just as we have exponentially expanded our appetite for complex machine learning algorithms to crunch through all of those bits. Unfortunately, the growth in computation power is not keeping pace with our demands as Moore’s Law slows. Companies like Intel are hitting the limits of physics and our current know-how to continue to improve computational densities, opening the ground for new entrants and new approaches to the field.

Finding and building a dream team with a “chip” on their shoulder

There are two halves to the NUVIA story. First is the story of the company’s founders, which include John Bruno, Manu Gulati, and Gerard Williams III, who will be CEO. The three overlapped for a number of years at Apple, where they brought their diverse chip skillsets together to lead a variety of initiatives including Apple’s A-series of chips that power the iPhone and iPad. According to a press statement from the company, the founders have worked on a combined 20 chips across their careers and have received more than 100 patents for their work in silicon.

Gulati joined Apple in 2009 as a micro architect (or SoC architect) after a career at Broadcom, and a few months later, Williams joined the team as well. Gulati explained to me in an interview that, “So my job was kind of putting the chip together; his job was delivering the most important piece of IT that went into it, which is the CPU.” A few years later in around 2012, Bruno was poached from AMD and brought to Apple as well.

Gulati said that when Bruno joined, it was expected he would be a “silicon person” but his role quickly broadened to think more strategically about what the chipset of the iPhone and iPad should deliver to end users. “He really got into this realm of system-level stuff and competitive analysis and how do we stack up against other people and what’s happening in the industry,” he said. “So three very different technical backgrounds, but all three of us are very, very hands-on and, you know, just engineers at heart.”

Gulati would take an opportunity at Google in 2017 aimed broadly around the company’s mobile hardware, and he eventually pulled over Bruno from Apple to join him. The two eventually left Google earlier this year in a report first covered by The Information in May. For his part, Williams stayed at Apple for nearly a decade before leaving earlier this year in March.

The company is being stealthy about exactly what it is working on, which is typical in the silicon space because it can take years to design, manufacture, and get a product into market. That said, what’s interesting is that while the troika of founders all have a background in mobile chipsets, they are indeed focused on the data center broadly conceived (i.e. cloud computing), and specifically reading between the lines, to finding more energy-efficient ways that can combat the rising climate cost of machine learning workflows and computation-intensive processing.

Gulati told me that “for us, energy efficiency is kind of built into the way we think.”

The company’s CMO did tell me that the startup is building “a custom clean sheet designed from the ground up” and isn’t encumbered by legacy designs. In other words, the company isn’t building on top of ARM or other existing chip architectures.

Building an investor syndicate that’s willing to “chip” in

Outside of the founders, the other half of this NUVIA story is the collective of investors sitting around the table, all of whom not only have deep technical backgrounds, but also deep pockets who can handle the technical risk that comes with new silicon startups.

Capricorn specifically invested out of what it calls its Technology Impact Fund, which focuses on funding startups that use technology to make a positive impact on the world. Its portfolio according to a statement includes Tesla, Planet Labs, and Helion Energy.

Meanwhile, DTC is the venture wing of Dell Technologies and its associated companies, and brings a deep background in enterprise and data centers, particularly from the group’s server business like Dell EMC. Scott Darling, who leads DTC, is joining NUVIA’s board, although the company is not disclosing the board composition at this time. Navin Chaddha, an electrical engineer by training who leads Mayfield, has invested in companies like HashiCorp, Akamai, and SolarCity. Finally, WRVI has a long background in enterprise and semiconductor companies.

I chatted a bit with Darling of DTC about what he saw in this particular team and their vision for the data center. In addition to liking each founder individually, Darling felt the team as a whole was just very strong. “What’s most impressive is that if you look at them collectively, they have a skillset and breadth that’s also stunning,” he said.

He confirmed that the company is broadly working on data center products, but said the company is going to lie low on its specific strategy during product development. “No point in being specific, it just engenders immune reactions from other players so we’re just going to be a little quiet for a while,” he said.

He apologized for “sounding incredibly cryptic” but said that the investment thesis from his perspective for the product was that “the data center market is going to be receptive to technology evolutions that have occurred in places outside of the data center that’s going to allow us to deliver great products to the data center.”

Interpolating that statement a bit with the mobile chip backgrounds of the founders at Google and Apple, it seems evident that the extreme energy-to-performance constraints of mobile might find some use in the data center, particularly given the heightened concerns about power consumption and climate change among data center owners.

DTC has been a frequent investor in next-generation silicon, including joining the series A investment of Graphcore back in 2016. I asked Darling whether the firm was investing aggressively in the space or sort of taking a wait-and-see attitude, and he explained that the firm tries to keep a consistent volume of investments at the silicon level. “My philosophy on that is, it’s kind of an inverted pyramid. No, I’m not gonna do a ton of silicon plays. If you look at it, I’ve got five or six. I think of them as the foundations on which a bunch of other stuff gets built on top,” he explained. He noted that each investment in the space is “expensive” given the work required to design and field a product, and so these investments have to be carefully made with the intention of supporting the companies for the long haul.

That explanation was echoed by Gulati when I asked how he and his co-founders came to closing on this investor syndicate. Given the reputations of the three, they would have had easy access to any VC in the Valley. He said about the final investors:

They understood that putting something together like this is not going to be easy and it’s not for everybody … I think everybody understands that there’s an opportunity here. Actually capitalizing upon it and then building a team and executing on it is not something that just anybody could possibly take on. And similarly, it is not something that every investor could just possibly take on in my opinion. They themselves need to have a vision on their side and not just believe our story. And they need to strategically be willing to help and put in the money and be there for the long haul.

It may be a long haul, but Gulati noted that “on a day-to-day basis, it’s really awesome to have mostly friends you work with.” With perhaps 100 employees by the end of the year and tens of millions of dollars already in the bank, they have their war chest and their army ready to go. Now comes the fun (and hard) part as we learn how the chips fall.

[b-does-the-write-thing]

Can I add a request for a Housekeeper sequal/prequal/drabble/poem/anything for your promptathon? Thank you and congratulations!

How about a first meeting prequel? 

If you haven’t read The Housekeeper, you can do so here.  It’s not necessary to read it first as this is when they first meet.

There was a woman in his shop.

Now, that fact alone wasn’t unusual. Women came into the shop all the time but they usually used the front door, were shopping for antiques and wore more than a gold bikini.

This woman…this woman had materialized in a cloud of smoke in the back room of his shop and was now bowing reverently before him with her hands clasped over her head as if seeking mercy.

Nelson Gold did not usually have trouble mincing words, but at the moment, it was all he could do to keep his grip on the odd oil lamp he had been cleaning…the very item which just moments ago began to emit smoke which had materialized into the very odd woman before them. The half rusted antique had returned to being an innocent knick knack and while Gold was tempted to drop it to the ground, his fingers clutched it like a lifeline.

It was Neal who finally broke the silence.  “What are you wearing?” he asked, taking a step closer to the impossible woman as if to examine her attire more closely. .

“Neal!” Gold hissed as he grabbed his preteen by the back of his shirt and hauled him backwards.

Flustered, Neal tore himself away from his father’s grip tough he did not approach the woman again. “What? I’m just asking!”

Gold shot him a look and his son had the grace to look slightly abashed. On the cusp of puberty, there was little chance Neal had missed the woman’s….assets on full display in the outlandish getup. For his own part, Gold attempted to keep his own eyes fixed squarely on her head but it was frustratingly difficult.  The woman’s skin glowed a luminous white in the shop’s dim lighting as if she had not seen the sun in many years and a majority of it was on display.

“Who are you?” Gold finally managed as he gripped his cane tighter.

At this, the woman finally looked up from her crouched bow and made quick, hesitant eye contact with him before dropping her gaze back to his feet. Her eyes were as bright as cerulean and so bottomless, Gold was so stunned he almost missed her response.  “I am your genie, Master,” she said to the floor. “To do with what you will.”

“Cool!” Neal murmured in awe.

Gold just shook his head as if to dislodge water from his ear. “A what?”

“A genie,” Neal and the woman responded in tandem. This caused the woman to giggle slightly, eyes flashing over to Neal with a tentative smile as if sharing some inside joke.

“There’s no such things as genies,” Gold said stubbornly. “This is…some…hidden camera stunt. Who put you up to this? Cora?”

“Cora?” the so-called genie repeated in puzzlement. “No, Master. You rubbed the lamp.”

Gold looked down at the innocuous antique still in his grasp and it shone dully back up at him. The small swatch he had cleaned was a smooth gold with lines of blue the same color as the woman’s eyes swirling ever so faintly as if burned into the surface.

“You did, Papa,” Neal said helpfully. “ I saw you. So, does he get three wishes?”

“Three?” the woman repeated as if this was the most humorous thing she had ever heard. “Why, no! He has as many wishes as his heart and mind contain. His mastery over my life and powers is as limitless as the sands of time and only bound by his mortal being.”

“I’m not making any wishes!” Gold stated stubbornly before he realized he was playing into this whole fiasco. “What I mean is-”

“Can I wish for things?” Neal said hopefully.

The genie- no the woman!- shook her head gently and her long brown braid slipped over her left shoulder. “I’m afraid not, young sir,” she said solemnly. “Only they who possess the lamp can wish for their heart’s desires.”

Neal grabbed the lamp from Gold’s grasp and without missing a beat replied, “I wish for-”

Gold just barely grabbed it back from his son. “There’s not going to be any wishing!” he repeated in a furious whisper. “This-this- this person is going to go back wherever they came from!”

The woman shot upright and with a shake of her fingers dissolved back into smoke. Neal made some noise of excitement as the smoke came whooshing back into the lamp. Gold just barely avoided dropping the thing in his shock.

“Do it again, Papa! Do it again!” Neal chanted. “This is so cool, wait until I tell my class!”

“Oh but you mustn’t!”

Both of them stilled as they stared down at the lamp. The opening at the very top for oil was still ajar and a small, sweet voice floated up towards them. “If anyone was to find out you posses a genie, terrible things will happen…”

Gold’s mouth was dry and he put the cursed thing down on the table before heading straight for his desk. Neal knew better than to touch the thing and simply stared down at it in open amazement as his father went to pour himself a very strong drink.

The only problem was-

“Damn!” Gold cursed as he hoisted out the empty bottle of whiskey from his bottom left drawer. He had forgotten he had finished it off last week in a long haggling over the very crate in which the lamp had come.  “What I wouldn’t give for a decent bottle of whiskey,” he grumbled to himself as he reached for the cheaper brand he had stored for a rainy day.

By the time his fingers curled around the cheap bottle, the neck had straightened and the label no longer read Jack Daniels. “I hope that is okay,” the disembodied voice apologized. “I have not been out of my bottle much since the late twenties but this was very popular in my old master’s day…”

As Gold stared down at the Springbank 1919 in stunned silence, Neal came over to gently touch his father’s hand. “Papa,” he said quietly. “I think she’s scared.”

There were quite a few things Gold wanted to say to this. As he gingerly put down the nearly eighty thousand dollar bottle, he squeezed his son’s shoulder before moving back to the lamp. “Miss,” he said as authoritatively as he could manage in the very odd situation. “You can come back out…if you like.”

A moment later, the woman appeared in another cloud of smoke in the same subservient position as earlier. Neal brushed past his father and gently touched her shoulder. The woman jumped a bit, but at Neal’s encouraging half smile, she slowly straightened to her full height.

Barely taller than five feet, her petite frame was almost emancipated and her shoulders were hunched as if expecting a blow. But when her eyes met his again, there was a small fire in their depths, a hidden challenge.

“I’m Neal,” his son said with a warm grin. “This is my Papa.”

“Hello,” the small woman said to Neal first. Then, she shifted her gaze back to him. Gold had the strangest sensation she was seeing him entirely, every flaw, every crack, every bruise but he could barely bring himself to move. “Hello, Master.”

“Gold,” he corrected.

“Gold?” she giggled as if this was some other wonderful joke.

“His name’s Nelson,” Neal said with an exasperated look at his father. “He just goes by Gold cause he thinks Nelson’s a stupid name.”

“I do not think-”

“What’s your name?” Neal asked her, effectively cutting his father off completely. 

“Name?” she repeated in surprise. “Why, genies don’t have names, young sir.”

“Call me Neal,” he replied. “Well, we could call you Jeannie…What did your last…um…master call you?”

The woman dimmed at this. “He called me his puppet.”

In his short twelve years, Neal had brought home fourteen cats, ten dogs, three turtles and on one occasion, a crow with a broken wing. Every time he had come through the front door with a rescue, his face had been set in a stubborn lines with his mouth twisted in a determined grimace. Gold knew when his son had that look, there was no denying him.

Despite his dislike for animals in his home, Gold had helped his son nurse every single one of those animals back to full hearth and found them homes. With the exception of the crow which they had set free. It still came back to their house every spring to visit them and Neal had an impressive collection of shiny objects his friend had brought him as tokens of affection.

At this exact moment, Neal had that exact look on his face. Before Gold could explain to his son a person was not the same as an injured animal, Neal took her hand in his and began to tug her after him. “The library has books on baby names,” he said more to himself than her or his father. “We’ll go and you can pick one.”

The woman shot a uncertain look over her shoulder back at Gold who felt his stomach drop slightly. “Uh, maybe…you might change before going outside?” he said awkwardly and hating himself every syllable that dropped from his mouth.

“Oh!” she replied brightly and with another wag of her fingers, she wore a boxy frock with floral pattern around the shoulder and bust. It was, Gold suspected, the very height of fashion in the 1920’s Middle East.

Neal sniggered at it but caught himself before the woman noticed. “What about jeans a t-shirt?” Neal suggested helpfully. “It’s nice outside today.”

“Jeans?”

Neal pointed helpfully at his attire. “Like this.”

Nodding slowly, the woman took in his baggy jeans and raggedy gray t-shirt with a twist of her lip that indicated she would rather not. Gold sighed and leaning down, plucked one of the various junk catalogs department stores continued to send (despite his creative threats if they did not remove him from the mailing list immediately) and thrust it at her. “Here,” he said gruffly. “Find something you like.”

The smile that lit up her entire face was so unexpected that Gold forgot to let go of the catalog as she took it with her free hand. He forgot to scowl. He forgot to say something about how he still didn’t believe in genies. He forgot pretty much everything.

“Thank you, Master,” she said as she wiggled her pinkie finger.

The only problem now was her new outfit, the cover model’s exact look in fact, was a short skirt that showed off her legs  and a knit top that while modest clung to her petite frame in a way that left nothing to the imagination.

It was the heels however that made him pause. She went from shorter to him than his exact eye level and the smile she gave him was so brilliant, Gold entirely forgot how to breath.