#ax would be so proud you’re coming out of your shell and making a friend!!! | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

raventons · 6 years

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99 q/a for 2017

1. What’s the toughest decision you made today? To get out of bed after a 3 hour nap.

2. What’s the toughest decision you made this year? I would say turning around at the airport, not going to Moscow, deciding my mental health is more important than that trip. However, I was just following my fear, which is quite an easy feeling to follow. And I have not once found myself second guessing that call. I am not one to dwell too much on decisions like that. I honestly contemplate more about what I’m having for dinner, or what underwear to buy – and I always end up regretting or celebrating those decisions more.

3. What’s the toughest decision you ever made? Once I spent over an hour deciding if I wanted carbonara or caciatora. I went with caciatora, and that day I learned that if you are in doubt, you should always go with what your dinner company orders. My dad got carbonara, and it was out of this world. If you order the same thing as your date, it might still be the lesser option, but at least you will not know what you are missing. As an intellectual, this is one of the conclusions I’m the most proud of.

4. What have you forgotten? Almost all the math I was taught in high school.

5. If you were guaranteed the answer to one question, what would it be? I would love to know who is answering me, and how they got the ability to answer any question ever.

6. What’s it like being you right now? Better than it has been. A lot better. I’d say good.

7. What makes you nostalgic? Lenny Kravitz, long car rides, the soundtrack of midsummer murders and the smell of old Swedish cabin in a Småland forest (we all know that smell).

8. If you had two hours left on earth what would you do? Sit close to my parents, and talk about our life together. And tell them how grateful I am and how happy they’ve made me.

9. What’s the most beautiful word in the world? The Swedish Blockchoklad or the Russian Nemnoga

10. Who makes you laugh more than anyone? Alex, no doubt.

11. What did your father teach you? How to show affection, how to make people laugh, how to interact with strangers, how to put together a good outfit, how to cook and pretty much everything I know on economy and religion. And how much it means to have amazing parents that never, not even once, let you down.

12. What did your mother teach you? How to not give a shit about anyone’s opinion, how to appreciate simplicity, how to be a storyteller, how to calm down when afraid, how to love without giving yourself up, how to be badass and pretty much everything I know on literature, self-esteem and really bad British crime stories. And how much it means to have amazing parents that never, not even once, let you down.

13. What’s the best gift you’ve ever given? An orange moose I gave to my dad. It was really cheap and dumb, but he had just been diagnosed with a chronical disease (he is much better now) and everything just seemed to fall apart. So I did what any good daughter would do, I bought him a stuffed animal. It made him smile. And he still keeps it by his bedside. It’s called the vomit moose, since that was the most… obvious symptom at the time.

14. Best gift you ever received? My friend Lin gave me a card once with pictures and drawings of us. I love it and still have it ten years later.

15. How many times a day do you look in the mirror? Way too many.

16. What do you bring most to a friendship? I’d like to think I am funny. I talk too much, and always about the wrong and often quite strange things, but when I’m in the right mood and they’re in the right mood; I’d say I am funny.

17. If 100 people in your age group were selected randomly, how many do you think they’d find leading a happier life than you? Very few if we are talking happy as in privileged. I am so very lucky and have had so many fortunate turns in my life.

18. What is or was your best subject in school? Social science.

19. What activity do you do that makes you feel most like yourself? Writing.

20. What makes you feel supported? I do. (Wow, I am actually quite proud of that answer, but it is true. Sometimes I look for help or motivation in others, but confidence and shit I truthfully only find in myself).

21. Whom do you secretly admire? Secretly? No one. I admire a lot of people, and I think I make sure to tell them.

22. What time of the day do you feel the most energetic and what do you usually do in those moments? Noon. Usually waste that energy on procrastination.

23. What’s something you never leave home without? Pants.

24. What’s a recurring dream you have? Teeth falling out. Or organs. I quite often have nightmares about some stuff that is supposed to be inside or attached to my body suddenly isn’t.

25. What makes you feel safe? Blankets and tea.

26. What’s the best thing that ever happened to you? Discovering international law as my field of work.

27. What do you want people to say about you once you’re gone? That I was smart.

28. What’s the coolest thing about science? Well… let’s go with nature science, because my field of research is not cool at all. I think it’s about the fact that nature is there. It’s not something we invent or solve, it’s something we discover. It’s all written, all the answers are out there somewhere. All the equations, all the numbers, they all correspond to a reality we only see fragments of. It’s like humanity is reading a book together, and the physicists and biologists flip the pages. And for each chapter we find out more and more about how the world around us works.

29. What’s the best money you ever spent? My skinny, black jeans.

30. What’s a bad habit you have? Listening to bad music. I don’t want to support sexist or racist producers. Still here I am, having my playlists filled with pop about grabbing pussies. I’m also weirdly addicted to marzipan.

31. What are you grateful for? My professors and a free education.

32. Whom are you envious of? Almost everyone. But it varies, passes and comes back. It depends on the day. Or the hour.

33. What’s an image you’ll never forget? Well, I have to go with a few summers ago when me and a former classmate ended up skinny dipping in a sunset down at Österlen. But actually, the first thing that came to mind was the real holocaust footage that was included in the TV-show The Promise. I had to leave the room, could not finish the series and I still think about it quite often.

34. Describe a near-death experience. My brain thinks I have one daily, but I don’t think I’ve ever had one. Once I got my luggage lost in Russia, and we had to drive around downtown St Petersburg for hours in a shady cab. It was all fine and no hostile environment what so ever, but when I tell the story it really sounds quite near-death.

35. If you had a clone, what would you have the clone do? Dishes.

36. What’s your idea of Heaven? A lot of cozy spots by windows with rain outside. Good food, good tea and good conversation. A book shelf would be nice too.

37. What’s your idea Hell? Bad food, bad tea and bad conversation.

38. When did you know? Did I ever?

39. What can you do better? I could be more structured. I literally have no routines at all.

40. When are you most yourself? When I am alone, covered in loud music.

41. What superpower would you most like to have? Time travelling but without all the complicated world-war-shit to come with it.

42. If you were granted three wishes, what would you do with the second wish? Fix up the UN.

43. What is your actual superpower? I am very, very analytic. I am also amazing at app games.

44. If you won 100 million dollars, what would you buy first? I would love to own a goat. But well, that’s more of a management problem than an actual money problem.

45. What's the best sound in the world? Waves. Or someone biting in chocolate.

46. What’s perfect about your life? My parents. And Amanda. She is a wonderful person.

47. What song do you sing only when you’re alone and what memory does it bring back? Min Kärlek av Shirley Clamp. And there is no memories connected, it’s just fucking brilliant.

48. Describe a moment you were so embarrassed you wanted to disappear. When I was 8 we had a quiz in class, and I answered cow instead of turtle (I will NOT tell you the question).

49. How many times a day do you think about money? Every time I use it.

50. Who has been the biggest influence on you in your relationship to money? My parents.

51. What's one thing you're certain of? Cows don’t have shells.

52. Describe one of your colossal failures. I think I just did.

53. What makes you cringe? People trying to make memes a thing you can refer to in real life.

54. What does your inner voice tell you? To shut up. I tell it the same.

55. What crime have you considered committing? I don’t even bike without a helmet. I am a pussy.

56. What's great about your mom? Her hair is amazing.

57. What’s great about your dad? His hair is not so very amazing (and I inherited it) but he has other good qualities. He collects post-cards for example. That’s pretty cool.

58. Which day would you gladly re-live? The day in third grade when I won the egg-cracking championship at our school.

59. What are you awesome at? Egg-cracking, obviously.

60. What do you want people you meet for the first time to think about you? That I seem decent.

61. When were you most afraid? Berlin, 2014.

62. What are you terrible at but love to do anyway? Sex, probably.

63. What weapon would you carry during the Zombie Apocalypse? An axe or a sword. Or a nuke, if bad goes to worse.

64. Which of your five senses would you keep if you could only keep one? I would like to hear shit.

65. What’s something you love to make? Pancakes.

66. What do you cook better than anyone? This weird ass pasta with butter. It’s unhealthy but so damn good.

67. What do you wish you’d invented? The airplane. Or well… the flying machine or whatever it was called when it was invented.

68. What would you like to invent? A new UN system.

69. Out of 100 random people, where would you rank yourself in terms of your intelligence? Pretty high.

70. Where do you want to be right now? Venice.

71. If you could be someone else for a day who would it be and why? Graham Norton. He seems so happy. And he is funny and smart and his job seems to be really cool.

72. What makes you feel powerful? My Hans Zimmer playlist.

73. What’s the meanest thing you’ve ever said? Considering how empty my brain is right now, I think it has done quite some work on supressing those memories.

74. What’s the meanest thing someone has ever said to you? Actually, most people are nice. I don’t think anyone has ever been really mean to me. Sometimes I get hurt, when people say I am pretentious or annoying. But the only reason they say that (and the only reason it hurts) is it’s true.

75. What three words would you have on your grave stone? Let me sleep.

76. What’s your first thought when you wake up? Let me sleep.

77. What’s one thing you wake up to in the middle of the night worrying about? Usually if I have cancer in the prostate since I need to pee ALL the time. But then I remember I am a female.

78. If you could tell someone something anonymously, what would it be? I would tell my cousin Johan to never be insecure about anything. He is probably the most awesome, complete and admirable person in the world.

79. Whom would you like to forgive and forget? The people who made two and a half men.

80. If you could get rid of one of your responsibilities today, what would it be? Dishes.

81. What type of person angers you the most? Extreme right wingers who grew up in a place where they had a choice. Of course you can’t blame people for reacting to the environment around them, and get affected by their culture – but people who grow up with access to information and without oppression – how on earth did you make those conclusions?

82. What is your greatest strength? I’m confident about my intellect.

83. What is your worst weakness? I’m insecure about pretty much everything else.

84. How do you show your love for others? Tiny surprises. It can be buying them flowers, cleaning their apartment or just answering a two years old text and apologize for forgetting their existence.

85. Why are you here in this room right now? It’s 10 degrees minus outside.

86. When is a time you forgave someone or were forgiven for something? I forgave myself for not doing the dishes. It felt good.

87. What’s the biggest mistake you ever made? Talking too much. I always talk too much. It’s not one big mistake at one certain event. But it keeps on happening and I never fucking learn.

88. What are you hiding? Nothing.

89. What’s your unanswerable question--the question you seem to always be asking yourself? Can there be true objectivity?

90. What are you ashamed of? My fetishes.

91. What is stopping you? Panic attacks. Or walls, mostly.

92. What’s a secret you have? I really have no idea what I am going to do with my life.

93. How do you secretly manipulate people to get your way? I don’t do this on purpose, but I’ve noticed it happening without actively thinking about it. I usually express a will to rely on people, and come across as weak and fragile, making them think I need their help and protection – when I am really just better of on my own.

94. When was the last time you apologized? This morning.

95. What is the biggest lie you tell yourself? That I am a cool and mysterious person that people look up to.

96. What’s the moment you left childhood behind? Probably when I moved out from home and went grocery shopping for the first time. Deciding if I needed milk or not was my first ever adult decision.

97. What's missing from your life? Structure. And home cooked meals.

98. Do you believe in a higher power? No.

99. What are you ready to let go of? About half my closet and my fear of flying.

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juniperhillpatient · 7 years

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Summary: Modern AU in which everyone is happy and no one dies. It’s Halloween and the losers decide to indulge in a little more than candy. Stike/Stanlon, Benverly, Reddie & Bill/Audra. Rate PG for swearing, underage drinking and making out which are also the only trigger warnings I can think of. Enjoy! xoxox

******

A skeleton popped out from behind a plastic grave, and a group of kids screamed, running away. A moment later, the skeleton, who was actually Went Tozier in a costume from Halloween City, was taking off his mask and trying not to laugh too hard while beckoning the kids back towards the yard where his only slightly irritated wife was sitting on a chair with a bucket of candy.

"Boys and girls of every age, wouldn't you like to see something strange?"

Mike clicked out of the Halloween Pandora station and turned off the car after he parked in front of the house.

"Hello," he said to the Toziers, waving as he made his way towards the house.

"Hi, Mike," Mrs. Tozier gave him a warm smile. She liked Mike, probably because he always said please and thank you and often brought fresh eggs and produce from his parents' farm. "The kids are upstairs," she told him.

"Thanks!" Mike said and made his way past the clumsy jack-o-lanterns which Georgie Denbrough had helped Richie carve one night when the Denbroughs were having a date night and needed a babysitter because Bill was at Audra's.

Of course, Mr. and Mrs. Denbrough didn't need to know that Bill and Audra had been having their own date night. According to them, Bill and Audra were just friends, who happened to do homework together six nights a week. At seventeen, they considered Bill old enough for a date night maybe, but probably not when Audra's parents were out of town. Mike smirked, wondering how that night had gone for Bill. He was sure Bill wouldn't tell much. Stuttering Bill was the definition of a gentleman.

He headed up the stairs, and down the hall towards Richie's room. When he got to the door, it was closed and he gave a small knock. Mrs. Tozier hadn't clarified which kids were upstairs and he was a little early so if she just meant Richie and Eddie, he wasn't in a hurry to rush in unannounced, as most of the losers had managed to do a few times by now.

"Come in," came Richie's voice. Sure enough, when he opened the door, Eddie was sitting unrealistically far from Richie on the bed and desperately using his inhaler, his face bright red.

"Nice costume," Richie said, unphased. Mike grinned. His mom had helped him sew the Deadpool outfit and he was pretty proud of how well the black and red outfit had turned out.

"Thanks! You guys too!" Mike said. Richie and Eddie were dressed as Mike and Eleven, inspired by the losers club binge re-watching Stranger Things over the course of the month in preparation for season two. The blonde wig didn't exactly suit Eddie, but it was crooked now anyway and, as Eddie had pointed out, it gave him an excuse to carry around a box of Eggos. "What's the plan for tonight?"

"I'll t-tell you," came Stuttering Bill Denbrough's voice. He and Audra came in, holding hands. Audra's deep red hair was decorated with a sea-shell beret, and she wore a purple bralette and a green skirt, like Ariel. Bill was wearing a white button up and loose pants, as Prince Eric.

"We brought something special," Audra opened her purse and the boys crowded around to peek inside.

"Ooh!" A clown and a machete-wielding girl with blood on her crop-top and torn jeans were suddenly peering into the purse as well.

"Nice Baby Firefly and Captain Spaulding," Richie said, high fiving Bev.

"Thanks!" Ben said. "Nice vodka!" Everyone shushed him.

"Jeez haystack," Richie complained, "Why don't you say it a little louder? There might be people a few blocks away who didn't hear you!"

"Come on in," Eddie agreed, looking nervously around. Mike glanced down the hall.

He was with Eddie - getting out of the Toziers good book wasn't at the top of his priority list. He certainly didn't want a call home. They all crowded into Richie's bedroom.

"Hey guys," they all jumped, and then relaxed as Stan came in, closing the door behind him.

To no one's surprise, Stan had opted out of wearing a costume. He wasn't big on Halloween, Mike knew. He hoped the vodka would help his friend relax and enjoy the night a little. Instead of a spooky Halloween costume, Stan wore his usual button up shirt and nice jeans. Ironed. God, who ironed their jeans? What junior in high school ironed their jeans? Mike tried to hide the small smile he felt creeping onto his face. There was something so endearing about everything Stan did. The little habit he had of picking at his nails, the way he always smelled like fresh laundry and shampoo, rare for a teenage boy. The rarity of smelling like actual soap was especially true when most of the boys in their grade believed axe body spray could cover up any scent - a fact Mike had discovered not to be true when he came home after skipping class and smoking a joint with Beverly and his parents immediately smelled more than cologne on him.

"Check this out," Bev said, pulling out her phone. "I tagged Sheri Moon Zombie in Ben and I's pictures of our costumes on Instagram and she commented!" they all crowded around her phone to see that Sheri had not only commented, she had commented using a generous number of heart eyes emojis.

"Bev, you look so beautiful in those pictures," Audra said. "Of course Sheri would like them."

"Thank you!" Bev said. "She's like, my idol!"

"I know right?" Audra gushed. Bev moved over to sit beside Audra, and the girls fell into a side conversation about their favorite Sheri Moon Zombie roles.

"So are you just going to keep that bottle hidden away in your purse, or are going to do some shots?" Richie asked.

"Not here," Eddie said, looking nervous. "Your parents are right downstairs."

"I heard there's going to be a great view of the stars tonight," Stan offered. "We could go down to the barrens and sit."

"Yeah!" Mike said. "We haven't been down there in forever."

"N-not since the s-summer," Bill agreed. "I'm in."

They all nodded and made their way out to Richie's van, which was a rusty piece of junk which Richie took extreme pride in, parked in the driveway.

"Where are you kids off to?" Mr. Tozier asked.

"J-just the b-barrens," Bill offered. "W-we figure we can watch the s-stars there."

"Alright," Mr. Tozier said, a hesitant look in his eyes. "Don't get into any trouble."

"We won't dad," Richie said, holding up his hands as if to show he didn't have a weapon.

Richie peeled out of the driveway before they could all buckle in and Mike could hear Eddie snapping something at Richie about being more careful that he couldn't hear over his own heart pounding.

Richie's terrible driving was one reason for Mike's accelerated heart rate, but mostly he was aware of being thrown to the side and pressed against Stan so that their bodies were incredibly close for just a moment. He felt Stan stiffen up, and Mike hurried to move away from him a little, feeling extremely awkward, which was ridiculous to feel just because you bumped into one of your very close and totally platonic friends.

"You okay?" Stan asked him. Mike felt the heat rushing to his face, and he was pretty sure if he spoke he'd be the one stuttering, so instead, he just nodded without meeting Stan's eyes.

When they parked near the barrens, everyone got out and began making their way into the familiar forest. Ben and Beverly stayed behind a little, holding hands and speaking in soft voices. Richie and Eddie were running ahead, laughing and yelling jabs at each other excitedly. Bill and Audra were walking arm and arm as Audra talked about how excited she was to have gotten a role in the school play and Bill nodded, listening with adoration in his eyes.

Mike and Stan ended up falling into step beside one another, walking in silence. It was not uncomfortable. The two of them had spent many afternoons together in comfortable silence, Stan studying his bird book and watching for new and valuable specimens to record, and Mike riding his bike, or more often sitting near Stan, drawing, reading, or watching Stan.

What he liked best, was to watch Stan, especially when Stan didn't know he was being watched. He would study the serious expression on Stan's face, the way the light touched his eyes and made them shine, the excited gleam on his face when he saw an especially rare bird.

"What?" Stan asked. Mike felt heat rush through his body, as he realized he had been blatantly staring as they walked.

The moon shone down them through the trees. Mike could hear the Kenduskeag rushing away nearby, and the voices of the others ahead of them, but the crunching of their feet seemed so loud, so immediate.

Everything felt immediate and fast, and real. He had a funny feeling about tonight. How many Halloweens had he spent with the losers club? Audra hadn't been there for most of them, so that was different, but that didn't feel like the reason behind the funny feeling he had about this Halloween.

How many Halloweens had he spent thinking about how beautiful his best friend's face looked under the glow of the moon with the stars sparkling behind him?

Not many.

Or hell, maybe he had always felt this way it was just now he was starting to realize it.

"You sure you're alright?" Stan asked.

"Yeah," Mike said.

"You didn't already do a shot?" Stan asked.

"No, I-" Mike stopped, realizing Stan was grinning. For a moment, Mike had thought it was a real accusation but no, Stan was speaking with that dry sense of humor he had which was so often difficult to differentiate from seriousness.

They made their way down to the river where everyone else had already started to drink. Ben had brought a twelve pack of sprites, which they were mixing the vodka with. Mike dumped out part of two of the cans and splashed vodka into both, handing the one with a good amount less alcohol to Stan, who gave him a grateful look. Mike smiled in return. He knew Stan didn't like to completely lose his senses. He wasn't opposed to drinking and in fact, he had confided to Mike one rainy afternoon as they sat in Mike's room sipping beers, it was kind of nice to feel a brief escape from all his anxieties. Still, he didn't like to get wasted, and hard liquor could be a dangerous game, so the more sprite and less vodka the happier Mike figured Stan would be. He was right.

After a few hours, Richie began using his voices, which were becoming steadily more slurred, and Mike noticed Eddie handing him sprite after sprite with no vodka mixed in and insisting Richie drink them. That was smart. The way Richie was sounding, staying hydrated was probably the best option for his health.

Richie started telling one of his favorite ghost stories, which everyone except Audra groaned at, having heard it a million times by now. It was the story of the kids who had decided to explore the sewers beneath Derry and discovered an evil clown who ate souls below. Richie, of course, had a voice for the clown which Mike always teased him for, but deep down, something about that voice unsettled him.

"Hey," he whispered to Stan, who was sitting on a rock nearby. "Let's go to the lookout."

There was a huge rock overlooking the water a few hundred feet away. They had been there many times and jumped down into the water from there during the summer. From the lookout, they would be looking down at the group from above, and they would have the perfect view of the stars.

Stan nodded in agreement and, quietly, the two stood and walked away from the group and began climbing the small embankment leading to the lookout. Mike realized as he tried to climb that his head was spinning a little and his thoughts were coming in waves, seeming to bob in and out of clarity.

"Hey now," Stan said, grabbing Mike's hand. "You alright?"

"How many times are you gonna ask me that tonight?" Mike asked. He realized as he spoke that his words were at least as slurred as Richie's.

They made their way to the top and sat down. Mike looked back and forth from the stars to Stan. He laughed a little, thinking how corny it would be to tell Stan that he was more beautiful than all the stars in the sky. That was a real dick pickup line to use, especially on your best friend, but my God, it was true.

"What the hell are you laughing at?" Stan asked, but he was laughing a little too, though it sounded like a confused laugh. "Do I have something on my face?"

Maybe it was the vodka, or the night air, or the craziness of Halloween, or years of hidden feelings, but Mike just leaned in and kissed Stan, wrapping his arms around him and leaning into the kiss with a kind of intense desperation.

For a moment, Stan leaned in as well, kissing Mike back. In that moment, and later when he was sober thinking back Mike would believe that he had been right, he felt a kind of happiness that usually only happens in goofy romantic novels.

"Hey," Stan said, pulling away. "What was that?" He was looking at Mike with wide, hopeful eyes.

"A long time coming," Mike said.

"Yeah, it was," Stan breathed. He leaned in and kissed Mike again, before pulling himself back. "But let's remember that when we're sober, huh?"

Mike nodded in agreement, understanding.

They ended up sleeping in the barrens when they realized no one was exactly okay to drive back to Richie's place.

Mike and Stan slept beside each other on a blanket someone, Mike would later not remember who, had been kind enough to throw out for them. They held hands as they fell asleep, and when he woke up, Mike found Stan's head resting on his chest.

The birds were chirping and the river was flowing, and Mike thought this was the best feeling in the world even if it was a little cold and the rocks below his back ached. None of that mattered. What mattered was Stan's steady, relaxed breathing, and his warm body pressed against Mike's.

When Stan finally woke up, Mike grinned at him, and Stan leaned in and kissed him again. It wasn't the passionate kiss from the night before, but it was somehow even better. It was soft and hesitant, and very, very real.

"Now that," Mike said. "That was a long time coming too."

"Agreed," Stan said and leaned his head against Mike again.

"Oh I knew it, you owe me twenty bucks Eddie Spaghetti!" came Richie's voice.

Mike and Stan both groaned, looking up to see Eddie and Richie sitting on the rocks nearby and grinning at them. The others were stirring nearby, starting to wake up, but it didn't seem to matter. Stan just lay back down and Mike wrapped an arm around him. He wasn't ready to stand up yet.

He wasn't sure he would ever be ready to let go of Stan.

******

A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed please feel free to leave feedback - also I’m tagging a few people but don’t feel any pressure to read! Just let me know if you want me to stop tagging you or if you’d like me to start tagging you: @hair-fiber @skeletontozier @evalocity @punkpisces00 @0firebrand0

#stike #stanlon #losers club #stan uris #mike hanlon #reddie #benverly #bill/audra #rose pretends she can write about it

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maedarakat · 7 years

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Fic: Tide’s Ebb

Missing scene of "Shell Shocked" - the Twins and Snotlout are sent to help Heather and Dagur protect the lives of the Berserker Clan from an enslaved Tidal Class Dragon.

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"By Thor I think you've got it!" Tuffnut shouted up to Snotlout, as they sped along behind their friends. "A gambling problem would explain why he takes so many unnecessary risks in battle!"

Snotlout grinned at him from Hookfang's saddle. "Exactly! I always said he was a loose cannon - not sane enough to be Chief!"

"Wait, Hiccup's going to be an insane Chief?" Tuff perked up at that. "Okay, maybe I won't have to join the Berserker Clan after all. I'll think I'll stick with the Hooligans and see where this leads."

Ruff elbowed her brother in the side while Snotlout just rolled his eyes in amusement. It suddenly became imperative to pay attention to the crisis at hand as fireballs nearly hit Barf and Belch. They avoided them barely and it was all the Twins could do to hold on.

The island wasn't too far away, at least. Heather and Dagur led them to a natural shelter carved in the cliffs of the less beleaguered shore. A lot of people were already gathered there, those who had managed to run from all the attacks.

They'd grabbed everything they could - or whoever they could - and leaned wearily against the cool stone as the attack raged on. Honestly, it was a sobering and heart wrenching sight for all.

"My people," Dagur cried, landing Shattermaster before them. "Our allies have flown here to help us! You must stay here while they join my sister and I, as we continue to rescue -"

"Why should we listen to you?!" One belligerent old man yelled, interrupting him. "We were getting on fine without any Chief before you both showed up out of nowhere! Now my entire cabbage field is ruined!"

Snotlout and the Twins did a double take.

"Mildew?!" Ruff burst out, utterly shocked.

"That geezer's still alive?" Tuff muttered.

The man glowered at the teens. "What're you on about? Mildew's my cousin. My name is Lichen - and I'm saying what everyone's thinking - trouble like this didn't start until our so-called "Chief" and his sister showed up!"

Dagur visibly bristled and then took a calming breath. "Mr. Lichen, listen - we don't have time for another argument -"

"Well, now Lichen's got a point - why should we cower here? We are Berserkers - we should be fighting for our homes, not hiding!" A woman shouted. Others grabbed up their weapons, yelling in agreement.

Seeing her brother about to lose his cool, Heather stepped in to take command. "This isn't anything swords and axes can fight against!" she roared. Another volley of shrieking bombs slammed home, making the island shake as if to prove Heather's point.

"We need armed Berserkers like you to wait here and guard those who we rescue! They'll likely be injured or young, and unable to fight, so hold onto that rage and use it on these cowards should they dare to set foot on our island!"

It was a rousing speech, and it drew forth cheers from many. Dagur beamed with obvious pride and gave his sister a friendly slap on the back. Snotlout's jaw had meanwhile dropped open and the Twins glanced at each other in surprise.

"Come on, Riders - Snothat, you go with my sister to search the homes further up on the hillside. Boy-nut and Girl-nut, you're with me."

"It's SNOTLOUT!" The boy called in irritation, but he obligingly flew after Heather.

The Twins followed Dagur as he swooped low over the flaming wreckages of homes in the central valley. Tuffnut glanced at Ruff, not saying anything but able to glean the other's thoughts.

This was a bad attack, and after it was through they'd likely be helping set some boat pyres. Ruffnut looked right as she caught some movement - a small figure running away from a smoldering building. He couldn't be older than five.

"Kid!" she shouted, alerting her brother and Dagur. They all landed in front of him, and the frightened child ran straight to Ruffnut as she jumped off Barf's neck.

"Help! My big sis in there! She tryin' to get chickens out the coop!"

"Chickens you say?!" Tuffnut had apparently heard all he needed. He snatched a cloak that was hanging on a water trough, dunked it into the cool liquid and threw it over himself - charging into the building with a roar.

Ruffnut grumbled then cupped her hands around her mouth. "Don't forget about the GIRL, muttonhead!" She turned to give the coughing boy a ladle of cool water, then picked him up to set him in Barf's saddle.

Dagur blinked. "Um, your brother's kind of . . . "

"Trust me, I know," Ruff sighed, folding her arms and waiting. "If he doesn't come out in the next couple seconds, we'll probably have to go in there and save his scrawny -"

A fierce yell cut her off and Tuffnut came running out, his arms full of terrified chickens and a bewildered figure wrapped in the wet cloak. He was on fire with this whole rescue mission - literally. Tuffnut all but buried his sister beneath girl and chickens, then raced to the trough to drown the embers in his hair.

The girl got up quickly enough and embraced her younger brother, who squealed with delight. "Was there anyone else in there, Dockrat?" Dagur asked, putting a gentle hand on the Berserker-girl's shoulder. Dockrat shook her head, mutely. "Okay, then go to the shore, I know I saw your parents there."

She nodded, balancing her baby brother on her hip, and took off with the chickens running behind her. Dagur glanced at Tuff unreadably, getting back on Shattermaster. "Come on, guys. We've got lots more people to find."

------

Heather scanned the roiling smoke for signs of movement, Snotlout following her. He'd already relayed several children and a net full of panicking dairy goats to the shore, but all they'd found for the past half-hour were three bodies.

There wasn't anything they could have done; the Shellshocker had collapsed the building on top of them killing the people instantly. Heather bit her lip until it bled, trying hard to control her emotions. Not because she wanted to cry; no, she wanted to avenge and rage and scream -

"Hey," Snotlout said, thankfully interrupting those impulses. "Are there any more houses up in these hills? I think they could use us down there. Lots of fire."

Heather nodded and got back on Windshear. "There's two more houses, but I know they're empty - the Bromlok family was all accounted for at the shore. You're right - we need to help the others."

She took off on Windshear and Snotlout followed. He was being oddly quiet, obviously struggling to say something, but when he did, Heather was pleasantly surprised.

"I think Fishlegs would be proud of how awesome a leader you've become. No matter what that Lichen guy says, anyway."

Heather stared at him and then smiled genuinely. "Snotlout, I think that's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me. I've actually been worrying a little whether Fishlegs might have second thoughts about dating a Berserker."

"Why? Because you're good at it? That's crazy! You're going to be a Chieftain whether Fishy likes it or not. He's just going to have to learn to like it."

Heather smiled at Snotlout again but it faded once she saw the lower village. Everything was on fire and she could see her brother and the twins helping people up the cellar stairs of a tavern. Apparently that's where many had fled when the attacks started - to their root cellars - only to be trapped there by blocked doorways.

Snotlout took the injured men, women and children to the shore, while the twins distributed mugs of clean water to the gasping survivors. Once all the villagers they could find were safely transported, Snotlout returned to help round up whatever clean water, food and livestock remained.

Dagur stood watch, scanning the horizon for more flaming blue artillery. Seeing nothing flash in the clouds for several whole minutes, he sighed in weary relief.

"I think our brother managed to drive the Grimborns off," he remarked to Heather. She looked through the spyglass as well. All was quiet, but it did little to raise her spirits.

"Brother, do you think Lichen was right? What if we brought this on -"

"Heather, listen," Dagur said, turning to her. "Our people need us now. They may blame us harshly, but it's only because they're in pain that they're lashing out. We can't leave now when they need us most. Part of being a leader is accepting responsibility - even when it's not our fault. We have to show them that we're willing to stay and fix things."

"Wow . . ." sniffled a voice. Tuffnut stood directly behind them, teary eyed. He was holding a soot-covered hen wrapped in a towel and gently coaxing it to drink some water out of a bowl. "No truer words spoken, D. That was beautiful, and I think Hiccup should definitely attend one of your seminars. He could stand to learn a thing or two about being a great leader."

Heather crossed her arms, knowing backhanded sass when she heard it, but Dagur grinned, obviously touched. "Thank you, Boy-nut. That was really brave of you earlier, running recklessly into that flaming house for Dockrat and her hens."

"What?! You ran into a --?!" Heather yelped in alarm. "Tuffnut Thorston, you did not!" She looked him over quickly, seeing singed hair and blistered skin. "You are unbelievable - you are going back to shore and getting some salve on you!"

"Wow, geez, your welcome - OWOWOW! EASY!"

Dagur chuckled and left Tuff to the tender mercies of his sister, who was forcefully steering him over to Windshear.

Coming up beside him, Ruffnut watched the exchange and snickered. "Siblings, am I right?" She pet a yak calf as it gently butted her leg for more water. Dagur gave her a slightly amused look and nodded in agreement.

-------

The death toll was ten people - six of them elderly, two infants, and a young newlywed couple. She had been pinned by a fallen beam, he had stayed with her and both succumbed to fire.

It wasn't as bad as it could have been, not by far, thanks to everyone's hard work and bravery. But still, the Berserker clan mourned its loss keenly, as well as their own ruined homes.

Even as they worked to respect their dead, weaving flower wreaths and building pyres, Lichen was out to cause further grief.

"A pity," he kept saying loudly, shaking his head as he walked about. "Such a lovely couple they were - I saw them alive just hours ago. Ach, and those poor little babes unable to withstand the smoke. Not to mention, the widow Skylige! She was a good woman - a pillar of our community. Gone! And I wonder who's to blame."

Lichen didn't look directly at Heather or Dagur, but it was clear what his intent was. Snotlout, Tuffnut and Ruffnut all glowered at him.

"Okay, listen up, buttercup -" Ruff snarled, getting in the old man's face. "You wanna blame someone for this? Blame Viggo. Blame us Riders for not getting to everyone sooner! Heck, you can even blame Loki himself if it'll make you feel better! But those crazy Dragon Hunters would have attacked this village sooner or later, with or without a Chieftain - so you're damn lucky to have two of the best Chieftains you'll ever get!"

"Ruff," Heather started gently, though she was obviously touched.

"That's right! And as we've told your cousin Mildew several times - before he betrayed us to the Outcasts -" Tuff threw in casually. "You need to put up and shut up."

"Yeah! Shut your gob and get a job!" Snotlout added.

"Ohh! Nice one, Snothat!" Tuffnut praised his friend. It earned him a punch in the gut that completely winded him.

"It's Snotlout! You know that, you muttonhead!" the Jorgenson boy hissed to the now gasping, whimpering blond.

Lichen grumbled but backed down, going off to sulk ominously on the fringes of the somber activity. The villagers seemed grateful for the respite, as they continued to lay their loved ones to rest.

The Riders' defense had left some impact, because later that night and little by little, most villagers had approached Dagur and Heather in the interest of cooperation on rebuilding their village. And also, to informally welcome the new leadership.

"We must leave you briefly - to find out what Hiccup has learned about our enemy's new weapon. We will return before daybreak with more news," Dagur told the Berserkers. They gave a ragged cheer, equal parts exhaustion and fierce determination.

Heather's heart clearly went out to them, for she and Windshear departed for the Edge first - clearly distraught. Dagur and the Riders followed, giving her a bit of a head start.

Snotlout frowned in worry, trying to see her through the clouds. "Maybe we should talk to her," he suggested to Dagur. The Berserker shook his head.

"Let her be, friend. She hates it when people see her cry."

"Yeah, don't sister's just hate that? I can't count all the times Ruff's thrown things at me whenever I catch her crying," Tuffnut supplied.

"What are you talking about? You're the one crying all the time!"

Tuff gasped. "How dare you - I never cry! I just get bugs in my eyes. All the time! They really like my eyes for some reason."

"Oh really? Just yesterday you found a spider with only seven legs and you cried all night about how much pain it must be in -" Ruffnut argued hotly.

Dagur raised an eyebrow and glanced questioningly over at Snotlout. "Should I change the subject or . . .?"

"You know what, don't even bother, just let them tire themselves out," the boy sighed, apparently far too used to this.

"Hmm. Okay. Thanks, Snotlout."

His response was a frustrated scream. "It's SNOTHAT!"

Poor Snotlout was so tired, he didn't even realize his error at first. The Twins stopped their arguing and stared. Dagur huffed, mildly hurt. "Okay, sorry, Snothat. I'll get it right from now on." He flew ahead, frowning.

'Helpful' as always, and delighted beyond measure, the Twins raised their fists in unison. "SNOTHAT, SNOTHAT, OI, OI OI!" they hollered and raced to catch up with Heather and Dagur.

". . . Okay. That's it. I officially hate everything," Snot muttered, too tired to care anymore. Beneath him, Hookfang chortled.

- end

#rtte #tuffnut #ruffnut #dagur #snotlout #heather

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