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gardeninginfoonline · 2 years

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Poisonous Garden Plants to Avoid

Avoid growing a toxic garden that’s surrounding your landscape, wildlife and loved ones. Knowing which plant species possess toxic traits will help you grow a healthy garden friendly to your surrounding environment.

gardeninginfo-online.com gathered crucial information on identifying what plants are poisonous to humans and wildlife.

1. Deadly Nightshade (Atropa belladonna)

The deadly nightshade is a perennial plant with long, thin branches. Its leaves are oval-shaped with smooth edges and pointed ends. They grow on the plant’s thin branches in an alternate pattern and are poisonous. The most distinctive feature of this plant species is the purple flowers with reflexed petals and a yellow cone at the center, which blooms from late May through August.

Hardiness Zone – 5 through 9 Associated Danger – All parts of this plant are toxic, but the sweet, purplish-black berries that are attractive to children pose the most significant danger. Symptoms of poisoning include rapid heartbeat, dilated pupils, delirium, vomiting, hallucinations, and potential death from acute respiratory failure.

2. Oleander (Nerium oleander)

Often called rosebay, this Mediterranean native is characterized by its tall shrubby habit and its thick lance-shaped opposite leaves. The flowers are borne in terminal clusters and may appear in a rose color, rarely white or yellow.

Hardiness Zone – 8 through 10 Associated Danger – All parts of Nerium oleander (leaves, flowers, stems, twigs, and roots) are toxic. Oleander poisoning can adversely affect the heart, nervous system, stomach and intestines, eyes, and skin.

Note: Cut stems release a sticky latex that can severely irritate the skin. Wear gloves when you handle clippings or remove the plant altogether.

3. Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)

This is a plant with leaves containing high levels of the addictive chemical nicotine. After harvesting, tobacco leaves are cured, aged, and processed in multiple ways. The resulting products can be smoked (in cigarettes, cigars, and pipes), applied to the gums (as dipping or chewing tobacco), or inhaled (as snuff).

Hardiness Zone – 2 through 10 Associated Danger – Those who plant, cultivate, or harvest tobacco are at high risk of suffering from nicotine poisoning, known as “Green Tobacco Sickness.” This illness causes severe nausea and vomiting that can lead to hospitalization.

4. Rosary Pea (Abrus precatorius)

Also known as coral bean, crab’s eye, jequirity bean, and prayer bead, Rosary Pea is an ornamental, twining, woody vine reaching heights of 10 to 20 feet when supported by other plants or trees. This plant’s leaves are alternate, compound, and feather-like, with small oblong leaflets. Its flowers are numerous and appear in the leaf axils along the stems.

Hardiness Zone – 9 through 11 Associated Danger – Abrus precatorius is highly toxic and can be fatal if ingested. In its native range, the plant’s roots are used to induce abortion and relieve abdominal discomfort. One of the most deadly plant toxins, abrin, is produced by this species.

5. Castor Bean (Ricinus communis)

Castor bean is a fast-growing perennial large shrub or small tree. This is an evergreen herbaceous or semi-woody species. This robust, tender plant can grow to 40 feet tall, developing woody stems over time in frost-free climates.

Hardiness Zone – 9 through 11 Associated Danger – Ricin is a poison found naturally in castor beans. If castor beans are chewed and swallowed, the released ricin can cause injury. Potentially lethal doses reported for children and adults are three beans and four to eight beans, respectively.

6. Water Hemlock (Cicuta maculata)

Water hemlock has small, white flowers that grow in umbrella-like clusters. Side veins of the leaves lead to notches, not to tips at the outer margin. Poison-hemlock stems have reddish or purple spots and highly-visible streaks.

Hardiness Zone – This species is common throughout the north temperate zone. Associated Danger – Water hemlock is the most violently toxic plant in North America. Only a small amount of the plant’s toxic substance is required to produce poisoning in wildlife, livestock, or humans. The toxin cicutoxin, acting directly on the central nervous system, is a violent convulsant.

7. White Snakeroot (Ageratina altissima)

Growing 1 to 3 feet in height, white snakeroot is an upright, many-branched perennial with smooth (sometimes hairy) stems and fibrous roots.

Hardiness Zone – 3 through 8 Associated Danger – The leaves and stems of white snakeroot contain tremetol, which is toxic to both animals and humans. Tremetol is an accumulative toxin that takes time to build to toxic levels. The toxin directly affects the heart and causes severe muscular degeneration, loss of coordination, tremors, and an irregular heart rate.

Avoid These Poisonous Garden Plants

In this article, you discovered which plant species are poisonous and sold never be planted in your garden.

Avoiding poisonous plants in your garden will help you support surrounding wildlife while protecting your loved ones from potential poisoning.

Allowing poisonous plant species to flourish in your garden puts wildlife, your pets, and your loved ones at risk of severe illness, hospitalization, or worse.

Sources: csuvth.colostate.edu/poisonous_plants/Plants/Details/60 plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/atropa-bella-donna/ florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/plant.aspx?id=1758 plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/abrus-precatorius/ hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/castor-bean-ricinus-communis/ extension.umass.edu/landscape/weeds/cicuta-maculata uaex.uada.edu/yard-garden/resource-library/plant-week/Eupatorium-rugosum-Ageratina-altissima-Chocolate-White-Snakeroot-11-15-2019.aspx

The post Poisonous Garden Plants to Avoid appeared first on http://gardeninginfo-online.com.

#Poisonous Garden Plants #Deadly Nightshade #Oleander #Tobacco #Rosary Pea #Castor Bean #Water Hemlock #White Snakeroot #Garden #Gardening

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kahran042 · 2 years

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Contradictions to convict by

If you want to write a series of Two-Minute Mysteries/Encyclopedia Brown-style solve-it-yourself mysteries, here are ninety-four fun facts that could be used as clues. I wanted to have 108, but I just couldn’t think of that many. :(

1. A katana is a single-edged sword! 2. A Macintosh user would say "trash can," not "recycle bin"! 3. A professional chess player would say "knight/rook", not "horse/castle"! 4. A red sapphire is a ruby! 5. Alexandrite changes color in different lighting! 6. Alligators are only found in the United States and China! 7. American football and rugby both use oblong balls! 8. An international Street Fighter II champion would say "Boxer/Claw/Dictator", not "Balrog/Vega/M. Bison"! 9. Association football is called soccer in both the United States and Japan! 10. Basketball wasn't invented until 1891, and was written as two words until 1921! 11. Bats don't lay eggs! 12. Belgium's royal title is King of the Belgians, not King of Belgium! 13. Cacti are New World plants! 14. Calico cats are almost always female! 15. Cambodia is an elective monarchy! 16. Cats and Starlight Express both have characters named Electra! 17. Charizard/Gyarados is not a Dragon-type! 18. Chocolate is toxic to dogs! 19. Cologne is in Germany, not France! 20. Costa Rica doesn't have an army! 21. Crossbows use bolts, not arrows! 22. Dogs can't climb trees! 23. Dromedary camels only have one hump! 24. Electric eels live in fresh water! 25. Female lions don't have manes! 26. Ferrets are not rodents! 27. Frogs don't have scales! 28. Georgia is both a country and a U.S. state! 29. Heraldic dragons always have four legs! 30. Humans don't have gizzards! 31. Iolite and cordierite are two different names for the same stone! 32. It's impossible to land on Mediterranean Avenue on one's first turn in Monopoly! 33. James Buchanan was the only bachelor president! 34. Japan doesn't have a president! 35. Kangaroos can't walk backwards! 36. Lance corporal is not a U.S. Army rank! 37. Lions don't live in the jungle! 38. Little House on the Prairie and Thomas the Tank Engine are both the second book in their respective series! 39. Lord Stanley never saw a Stanley Cup game! 40. Louis XVI was the grandson of Louis XV, who was the great-grandson of Louis XIV! 41. Ludwig van Beethoven was deaf! 42. Macarons and macaroons are not the same thing! 43. Major is not an RAF rank! 44. Malachite is opaque! 45. Manx cats don't have tails! 46. Marie Antoinette was Austrian, not French! 47. Mario's first appearance was in Donkey Kong, not Mario Bros.! 48. Mercury and Venus don't have any moons! 49. Mercury is a liquid at room temperature! 50. Only six of the Pleiades are visible to the naked eye! 51. Ostriches don't bury their heads when scared! 52. Pablo Picasso was Spanish, not Italian! 53. Paella is Spanish, not Mexican! 54. Passenger trains don't have cabooses! 55. Royal, Prussian, and navy are all shades of blue! 56. School buses don't have seat belts! 57. Siam is an old name for Thailand! 58. Snowflakes are always hexagonal! 59. Sodium chloride is the technical term for table salt! 60. Spain was neutral in both World Wars! 61. St. Petersburg was the capital of Russia from 1732 to 1918! 62. Stags mate with hinds, not does! 63. Strawberries don't grow on bushes! 64. Texas was an independent country from 1836 to 1846! 65. Thailand and China don't share a border! 66. The barbarian is the only third-edition SRD class to use twelve-sided hit dice! 67. The book's title is Alice's Adventures in Wonderland/The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, not Alice in Wonderland/The Wizard of Oz! 68. The British national anthem during World War II was "God Save the King"! 69. The capital of Australia/Brazil/Turkey is Canberra/Brasília/Ankara, not Sydney/Rio de Janeiro/Istanbul! 70. The Caspian Sea is landlocked! 71. The day before Boxing Day is Christmas Day! 72. The emergency number in England is 999! 73. The Erector Set wasn't invented until 1913! 74. The flags of Ireland and Ivory Coast use the same colors, but in reversed order! 75. The Japanese language doesn't distinguish between singular and plural forms! 76. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia didn't exist until 1932! 77. The official language of Belize is English, not Spanish! 78. The original Mobile Suit Gundam wouldn't have been called "First Gundam" until Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam came out in 1985! 79. The plural of cyclops is cyclopes, not cyclopses! 80. The Space Needle wasn't completed until 1962! 81. The U.S. Flag Code wasn't published until 1923, and wasn't adopted by Congress until 1942! 82. The wife of an earl is a countess, not an earless! 83. There are cities in Maine called Paris, Dresden, Palermo, Vienna, Poland, Belgrade, and Lebanon! 84. There are no fish in the Dead Sea! 85. There are no mountains in Florida! 86. There is no such language as Swiss! 87. There is no U in Qatar! 88. Tigers are bigger than lions! 89. Ultima IX was the last one, but there were ten numbered Ultima games! 90. Uranus wasn't discovered until 1781! 91. Vermont is the only landlocked New England state! 92. Water, not Normal, is the most common Pokémon type! 93. Woodlice are crustaceans, not insects! 94. Worker bees are always female!

And here are some unisex names for anyone who wants to do a rehash or variant of The Case of the Dentist's Patient/The Case of the Missing Roller Skates: • Alex • Andrea • Ariel • Ashley • Avery • Carol • Chris • Dana • Dylan • Jamie • Jordan • Leslie • Meredith • Morgan • Robin • Ryan • Sam • Sandy • Sasha • Taylor • Toby • Yuri

#conviction by contradiction #fun facts #unisex names

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wildlettuceherb · 2 years

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What You Should Learn About Wild Lettuce

Found along riverbeds as well as roadsides, the plant grows primarily partially of central Europe, the Middle East, as well as numerous states in North France. Wild lettuce belongs to the Asteraceae household, and flowers on a biannual basis. Much from an additional salad environment-friendly, wild lettuce produces a viscous kind of latex used for its mind-altering results as well as distinct influence on the main nerves. Human beings have utilized the plant for hundreds, if not thousands, of years in folk systems across the world. Wild lettuce has numerous names, including Lactuca virosa, bitter lettuce, as well as opium lettuce. Continue analysis to find out everything you require to learn about this fascinating plant species, including where to locate it expanding in the wild.

The biennial plant comes from the exact same category as salad lettuce, yet their standard uses differ enormously. While one offers a tender source of nutrition, the various other is mainly used as a holistic natural herb. laitue vireuse generates a latex referred to as lactucarium. The very name lactuca indicates milklike extract. This bitter-tasting white compound exudes from the fallen leaves of the plant when damaged or cut, promptly transforming brownish when subjected to the air. Records compare the smell of this gooey product to that of opium from the poppy types, Papaver somniferum. Wild lettuce grows in the wild along the seaside areas of France. It likewise appears widely across Central as well as Southern Europe. The species favours water-rich atmospheres and can usually be found flourishing along with rivers.

Wild lettuce includes a bright-green look and also varies anywhere between 60-- 200cm in height. Those wanting to determine the plant in the wild can typically do so by taking a better look at the fallen leaves. They are lance-shaped as well as oblong as well as have fine teeth-like ridges on the edges. The underside of each fallen leave should include little hairs along the size of the mother lode. The reduced fallen leaves reach around 25cm in length, while the top, more youthful leaves are substantially smaller sized. Wild lettuce can be also much easier to spot throughout fall as plants start to create yellow blossoms. The blossoms are slightly pale in appearance and also share the appearance of dandelions, with each head featuring in between 6-- 12 blossoms. Milky-white sap is another key feature of wild lettuce. When snapped or racked up with a blade, the stem should begin to hemorrhage lactucarium.

#herbal tea #wild lettuce #herbal extracts #herbals #lettuce tea

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wealthypioneers · 2 years

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Mega MINT Mix Seeds Collection, Huge Varieties (Mentha) Herb Heirloom Non-GMO, Easy to Grow, Super Fragrant #50 Countless beneficial insects are absolutely enchanted by mint, while many pesky garden pests are repulsed by it. Growing mint from seed is a lesson in the beauty of chaos in the natural world, as the busy activity of insect pollinators causes a wide spectrum of mint flavors. We love the element of surprise in growing mint from seed. While the flavors may range from spearmint to peppermint or applemint, the purported medicinal and pest-repelling benefits remain the same. Perennial from zones 4-9, mint will thrive in most gardens. It is quite competitive and belongs in the herb bed or in a contained location. Many folks simply clip the leaves and use them as mulch around plants in the vegetable garden to harness the pest-repelling benefits without letting this aggressive plant grow in the vegetable garden. Mint is easy to cultivate and has a wide variety of culinary and medicinal uses. It can be used in any savory dish that calls for mint and is perfect in sweet dishes and in teas for cleansing the palate and re-energizing the body after a meal. Not sure which mint to buy? This mint variety mix would be perfect for you! Seeds are not individually packaged according to variety but are packaged in one envelope for this listing, please see other listings for individual varieties. As a general rule, mint family plants root vigorously when allowed to grow freely and can be invasive. Grow them in containers to keep them in check. Sweetly aromatic, mint, can be used in both cooking and in potpourri and other fragrant decorative items. Mint herb is used to make mint jellies and sauces and of course, tea! Spearmint also has medicinal benefits as well. It is a wonderful addition to the garden that can easily be started with mint herb seeds. This perennial herb grows to 3 feet tall and spreads rapidly to indefinite widths. The 2 - 3 1/2 inch lance-shaped leaves are a unique wrinkled texture. Oblong terminal spikes of lavender-pink flowers appear all summer. Like other mints, mint plants are extremely easy to grow. In fact, they grow so well, it is best to confine them to containers. Every three years mint plants should be divided and re-potted in fresh soil and compost to maintain healthy growth. The plants are hardy and will die back to the ground in winter. Top dress with compost in autumn if the plants are not lifted annually. 4-12 hours of Sun Sprouts in 10-14 Days Ideal Temperature: 55-90 Degrees F Seed Depth: Surface Sow Frost Hardy: Yes USDA Zones: 4 - 11 Height: 24 inches Bloom Season: Early summer Environment: Partial shade Soil Type: Moist, well-drained, pH 6.1 - 7.8 Germination Rate 90% SOIL Germination Temperature: 70 - 85F Depth: Press seed onto the surface of the soil, do not cover Sowing Rate: 1 seed per inch Moisture: Keep moist until germination Plant Spacing: Rows 12 - 24 inches apart; thin seedlings 12 inches Count: ~50 Mentha mix Heirloom NON-GMO, Perennial, Easy to Grow, Super Fragrant, Rich Flavor Attracts Pollinators Attracts bees and butterflies Repels pests Aromatic Growing Mint From Seed: How To Plant Mint Seeds Mint requires light to germinate. If you buried the seeds or even covered them lightly, they might not germinate. Likes soil temp approx 70°F/20-22C°. Mints also generally do not transplant very well and do better direct seeded into the garden or pot where they will remain. Sow seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost in your area. Keep the soil moist but not soggy with an ideal temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Mint seeds should sprout in 10-16 days. Bottom heat will speed germination. If starting mint seeds outdoors, sow seeds on the surface of prepared soil and cover them with a light layer of vermiculite. The seeds are tiny, but you can space them with a seed injector or simply thin the seedlings once germinated. Paper towel method: Scatter mint seeds on a wet paper towel, put the towel in a zip top bag, and taping the bag to a window. It will take 2 weeks for them to germinate! Paper towels are designed to be durable, although they will break down eventually. The roots will poke right through the paper towel. Some roots are very fine and still manage to grow through. When germinating seeds this way, I started with the seeds at least 1/2 inch apart on the paper towel so their root systems didn’t overlap. When it was time to plant the seedlings, I separated them by cutting the paper towel into pieces, each seedling and its root system on its own piece. The bit of paper towel got planted with it. If that is too much trouble, you can try using coffee filters instead of paper towels. They definitely will break down in a few weeks. Once seedlings have two sets of true leaves, harden them off and plant them into beds or outdoor containers. Once the little plants are ready to transplant, take containers outdoors and let them acclimate for a week to outdoor conditions before moving them. Water new plants regularly. Ideally, mint needs 1 to 2 inches (2.5-5 cm.) of water per week during the growing season. Use drip irrigation or water in the morning to allow leaves to dry. Overly wet leaves may lead to fungal diseases. Apply fertilizer in early spring. A balanced plant food with a 16-16-16 ratio is ideal. Do not over-fertilize, as it can diminish oil production and lead to disease issues. Mint can be aggressive so it may be best to plant it in containers or in an out of the way area of the garden. Alternatively, you can let it ramble around where human contact will release the oils and perfume the area with a heavenly scent. Transplant the mint seedlings when they reach 2 inches tall. Harvest leaves when the mint herb plant reaches 12 inches tall. Pick the larger outside leaves as the plant grows to encourage more leaf growth. Young leaves and stems have the best flavor. Dry mint leaves on trays or by hanging bunched branches upside down in a warm, dark, well-ventilated area. Fresh leaves are easy to freeze too. Seeds are not individually packaged according to variety but are packaged in one envelope for this listing, please see other listings for individual varieties. We do NOT make any claims that you will receive all 10+ seed varieties since we have no way of knowing which are which. Varieties Mint Mix Seeds: Peppermint, Spearmint Mojito (Mentha Spicata), Lemon Mint, Lemon Balm Melissa, Corsica Mini (Mentha Requienuii), Pennyroyal (Mentha Pulegium), Mountain Mint Note: No tracking # will be provided to make the shipping cost-effective for us and free for you. Returns & exchanges Not accepted. But please contact me if you have problems with your order Our seeds are guaranteed to germinate. Once the seeds have sprouted, please understand that we cannot be held responsible for the many uncontrollable growing and climatic conditions that must be met to ensure the success of your crop(s). I try my best to make my buyers happy and would appreciate it if you'd contact me first if you have any questions or problems with your order. If you open a case before contacting me first, I will automatically block you from future purchases. Thank you for your understanding. http://springsofeden.myshopify.com/products/mega-mint-mix-seeds-collection-huge-varieties-mentha-herb-heirloom-non-gmo-easy-to-grow-super-fragrant-50

#Peppermint #Spearmint Mojito #Mentha Spicata #Lemon Mint #Lemon Balm Melissa #Corsica Mini #Pennyroyal #Mentha #medicinal herbs #herb seeds #Mountain mint #Medicinal herb Seeds #Chocolate mint

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foragingincanadamb · 2 years

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Pin Cherry

Find:part shade, shade, sun; open woods,forest edges and openings.

Identification:Pin cherry bark is smooth and shiny. The bark is reddish brown with orange lenticels, or horizontal stripes.Look at the leaves. Pin cherry leaves are oblong or lance-shaped and are finely toothed along the edge.

Edible Parts and uses:produce small, edible fruits, that are sour when raw, but make excellent preserves.

Precautions:all non-fruit parts of the tree contain toxins and are inedible.

Low Sand Cherry

Find:part shade, shade, sun; open woods,forest edges and openings.

Identification:deciduous small shrub growing from 4 to 6 feet high and spreading just as wide.are reddish with small white lenticels. The buds are reddish brown with lighter tips to the scales, and are clustered at the top of old leaf scars. Older stems take on a more purplish color and the whitish lenticels become horizontally elongated.a series of clusters of 2 to 4 stalked flowers along the length of prior year twigs, appearing with the new leaves.

Edible Parts and uses:The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked. It has a sweetish flavor but is astringent. Jelly will retain the astringency. Like all Prunus species pits, these contain hydrocyanic acid and the pits must be removed before use.Fruit matures in mid-summer.

Precautions:all non-fruit parts of the tree contain toxins and are inedible.

Apples trees -many varieties

Find:in the woods,fields,homesteads, farms and sandhills.

Identification:tree that grow to 13-39 feet tall with a dense, twiggy crown. Wild apple varieties are much smaller than cultivated kinds; the largest kinds usually do not exceed 5 to 7.5 centimeters (2 to 3 inches) in diameter, and most often are smaller. The trunk is reddish brown or grayish brown often single-trunked with low branches. The bark is smooth in young trees but becomes furrowed and knotty where branches have detached. Heavy fruit loads sometimes make the trunks (and canopy) lean. They have small, medium to dark green, somewhat spear-shaped, alternate, simple leaves with smooth or finely serrated edges, about 1-4 inches long and often have thorns. The leaves turn bronze, red, orange, or purple color in the Fall. Their flowers have five petals and are white or pink (sometimes red) and their fruits reddish or yellowish. The center of the fruit has five carpels arranged in a star-like pattern, each one containing 1-2 seeds.

Edible Parts and uses:Apples

Precautions: no real precautions.

Canada Plum

Find:part shade, sun; open woods, forest edges and openings

Identification:10 to 16 feet.Leaves are simple and alternate, 2½ to 4¼ inches long and 1½ to 2¾ inches wide, the blade broadly oval-elliptic to lance-oblong, often widest above the middle, abruptly tapered to a point, tapered or rounded towards the base, on a 1/3 to 2/3 inch, hairy stalk with a few small glands near the leaf blade. Edges are finely double toothed with blunt teeth and a small gland at the tip of each tooth. Upper surface is dark green, sparsely hairy, the lower surface is lighter and sparsely to densely hairy, especially along the veins.Twigs are reddish brown to gray, smooth or occasionally sparsely hairy. Branches are spreading to ascending with older lateral twigs developing into stout spines that are up to 2 inches long and occasionally compound.Fruit is a purplish red drupe with a thin waxy bloom, about 1 inch in diameter and a single hard seed inside.

Edible Parts and uses:Fruit.

Precautions:no real precautions.

Sumac

Find:Roadsides; fields; wood borders; waste places.

Identification:The colony-forming smooth sumac is a 10-20 ft. shrub with short, crooked, leaning trunks and picturesque branches. The pinnately compound leaves are alternate, with 13-30 sharp-toothed leaflets on each side of the midrib. Deciduous leaves become extremely colorful in early fall. On female plants, yellow-green flowers are followed by bright-red, hairy berries in erect, pyramidal clusters which persist throughout winter.

Edible Parts and uses:Raw young sprouts were eaten in salad. The sour fruit, mostly seed, can be chewed to quench thirst or prepared as a drink similar to lemonade. Also used as a herb / Spice in cooking.

Precautions:Poisonous leaves.

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absurdbread · 3 years

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Imagine Sam Vimes didn’t follow the Night Watch way.

Imagine a young assassin approached lance-constable Vimes when he was standing by the dead body of John Keel, mourning.

Imagine lance-constable Vimes played a significant part in coup d'état that brought lord Vetinari to Oblong Office.

Imagine Sam Vimes became the Commander of the Guard before he turned 30 and married Lady Ramkin the same year.

This Sam Vimes’s never had drinking issues, but he’s still an angry, stubborn man who values the Law above everything. His black doublet looks like armour. He proudly wears his new coat of arms granted to him by the Patrician – a barking dog. Not many can make out that above the dog there’s a black crown barely visible on black background. There’s a rumour that he feeds his hound dragons with perpetrators. No one stands in his way.

Darker times – darker Vimes.

#Discworld #au #sam vimes #dark!sam vimes

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aknight · 3 years

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Vyzerre The Hive Knight

Thanks to a CERTAIN ASSHOLE IN MY DISCORD who got me addicted to Corruption of Champions and CoC2, I’ve been playing it nonstop for like two weeks at this point. So I decided to make a character sheet for my character as if he was an NPC that the Champion could recruit. I can sum up my experience with this one text.

Vyzerre

This Hornetfolk Hive Knight can be found in the Frostwood, occupying one of the tiles on the right side of the split in the path just after Evergreens Cottage. Once a harem breeder of a Vesparan Hive, upon first glance he appears to have suffered the same Corruption as his brothers and sisters but not to the same extent as those encountered in the Old Forest.

Appearance

A nearly nude Vyzerre stands in front of you, he looks to be nearly six feet, impressive for a male vesparran. With a warm smile he takes his crossed arms away from his body, taking a more relaxed stance making it much easier to take in his toned muscles. His warm smile turns into more of a knowing grin the longer your eyes linger on him, long, cape-like wings protrude from his back seemingly ready to snap out from their stowed position and take flight.

One of his hands rubs at his chin as a shy blush comes across his face as your eyes travel further down his slender and athletic form. Copper Brown flesh only occasionally interrupted by thick black bands turns to thick, smooth and shiny black chitin at his otherwise humanoid elbows and knees. No doubt at one point it was perfectly smooth but the nicks and breaks in its surface not fully healed shows that the natural armor only proves to further the aura and image of the domineering knight that you know Vyzerre as… at least when you're not gazing at him causing him to fidget.

Normally he’d dress himself in blackened bronze armor, and carry a blackened short lance and an oblong, convex shield that layers itself in a similar pattern to the chitin on his arms. Though currently his lack of armor and arms is making it difficult to look away, for the most part he's lacking any actual clothing aside from a slightly dirtied white breechcloth that runs down to just above his knees keeping him modest for the most part though leaving little to the imagination.

Dark brown fur wreaths his neck like the trimmings of a coat in stark contrast to the pale yellow hair is kept behind his long elfin ears at the sides of his head, its flowing waves only interrupted by his rather animated and candid antennae feelers. “I know I carry all the grace of my mother-” Ornate solid black orbs look over you with an eager gaze, his painted black lips curve up at the edges, “-but if you're going to stare so intently, I expect something at the end of all this.” His fuzzy insect abdomen sways impatiently, despite his efforts he is still a horny hornet at heart.

Information

Species: Vesparan

Gender: Male

Occupation: Warrior, Breeder

Family: Unknown

Location: Frostwood, Frost Hound

Stats

Health: 250

Resolve: 120

Description

Interactions

First Encounter

When first encountering the hornet, he takes up an aggressive stance, seeming more frustrated by your encounter than anything. Suspecting you to be a threat, another Katsune in disguise or would-be corrupted invader from elsewhere in the forest. You can Attack him, Speak with him, or Leave the first encounter without having done anything.

If you Attack, then you must follow through and fight the Hornet.

If you Speak, you will ask the Vesparan about himself and he will share his name and speak on how he is aspiring to be a Hive Knight. Afterwards you may subsequently introduce yourself, ask about his Hive, or Flirt with him. Once you have Flirted with him, he will offer to have sex with you.

If you Leave, Vyzerre wishes you well and allows you to go without a fight.

Subsequent Encounter

Subsequent encounters with Vyzerre will depend on how you acted when you first encountered him.

If you chose Fight and lost to him, or if you chose Leave, then he becomes a random encounter that can be met by exploring the Frostwoods area. In this case, on subsequent encounters, he will give you the options to Fight! or Try to Talk! - the latter option is the same as if you chose the Speak option on your first encounter.

Once you have spoken to him and learned his name, he becomes a permanent resident of the square where you first met him, and can be interacted with. In this case, you have the option to Talk, Challenge, Attack or Leave.

Talk

The Talk interaction allows the player to talk about Him, His Body, His Hive and Flirt options, as per the first encounter.

Once the player has had sex with Vyzerre at least once, the Talk menu also allows the player to ask him to cuddle, which restores 10 hit points and presents the player with the option to either have Sex or Leave afterwards.

When asking about himself, Vyzerre can give a series of banterous topics referencing the Kitsune in the forest, the Drider Queen and his encounters with Evergreen and her daughters.

When asking about his body, Vyzerre arches an eyebrow confused before the Champion asks if they’ve been in contact with the Hive to the south. He says that he had a run in with a few drones who had tried to assault him when he first arrived in the marches but since then he's avoided them not wanting to quote ‘go through that again’. When pressed by the champion he says that the pheromones were almost enough to kick in his breeder instincts. Returning to the Champion's original question he says he was originally smaller, but made a deal with one of Evergreens daughters to change his build, lamenting how he wished they’d him a bit taller and sturdier built like his sisters, quietly mentioning he wished he had a stinger too.

When asking about his Hive he seems less keen on talking about it compared to his other dialogue options, in the end he relents saying that he is far a Hive far to the south. Originally he was a breeder and a member of his queen's harem and later took it upon himself to become a Hive Knight.

When flirting, Vyzerre chuckles to himself before his cheeks change a color of red before averting his eyes saying it's been some time since someone has spoken to him in that way and that his race often dies when alone. Scratching at his neck he chuckles again talking about how he had gotten so used to being alone that he’d forgotten how it felt to long for another's company.

Sex

Vyzerren has five sex scenes (Need to think of more innuendos)

Get a Treat - “So maybe it’s not honey, but it's still pretty sweet.”

The Challenge interaction allows the player to fight a practice spar with Vyzerre, suffering no penalties if they lose. During this battle, Vyzerre fights in a defensive stance, and he may take flight, making him harder to hit in melee. Oftentimes letting the player use their abilities before counterattacking.

Once the player has challenged Vyzerre three times whether or not they have beaten him, Vyzerre comments on how he appreciates the company and the practice the Talk menu will reflect his change in tone and allow the player to ask him about being a male Hive Knight, where he will disclose that he is the only Hive Knight left of his Hive and that he must get better.

Attack

The Attack interaction causes the player to attack Vyzerre unprovoked, causing them to gain 3 Corruption. If they lose, Vyzerre chastises them and steals some of their money. However, he remains in the square for further interactions.

Queen and Consort

Once the Champion has challenged Vyzerre three times and has listened to the subsequently unlocked Hive Knight? Dialogue option, the next time the Champion encounters male Hive Knight he will be deep in thought as he glances over the scars that chinks in the chitin that covers his hands. His face shifts into a snarl as he hurls his shortlance across the small clearing he’s taken to occupy before freezing up his expression shifting to one of embarrassment as he notices the Champion before slinking over to his shortlance to reclaim it. The Champion can either choose to Leave or to Ask.

If the Champion chooses to Leave, Vyzerre will shift awkwardly in their presence for a moment as if he has wronged the player in some fashion before bowing apologizing and flying off. (This doesn’t lock or disable the quest, the Ask option will appear the next time they speak with him) If the Champion chooses Ask Vyzerres posture and expression will relax, fluttering over to the Champion thanking them inviting them to sit and stay with him for a while. Where the Champion will be given the option of choosing Yes or No. Refusing the Knights offer, he will smile bitterly clearly disappointed by the players decision, responding with a simple ‘Oh’ before watching them as they leave.

Agreeing causes him to blink at you before turning and collecting a few pieces of fruit jerky and offering it to the party before he settles down across from the Champion and their party. As everyone partakes, he mentions that it was one of his Sisters who got him addicted to fruit jerky, and that he learned how to use the lance and shield thanks to her too. The Champion remarks how they are sure she would be proud of him. Grimacing, he spits a bit of the fruit jerky out onto the ground, the taste seemingly fouling in his mouth; before going on to mention that she's dead and so is his entire Hive.

It's clear by how his demeanor changes that it makes him uncomfortable to think about it, but he waves off the Champion's attempt at interjecting. He goes on about how he was the Queen’s consort, a member of her harem, and while he was not sent with his sisters on raids and nowhere near as strong as them, he blames himself for being absent the day his Hive was attacked. He opens his mouth a few times but no words come out. Settling on his phrasing, he says he did his best to avenge them, but came up short before coming north hoping to find some kind of conquest that would bring his Hive honor. Pausing, he relents in his domination of the story and looks to the player for their opinion.

The Champion can then make the decision to choose to ask, The Marches, Vengeance, Honor, or choose the option Next to advance.

Choosing The Marches, Vyzerre moves into his small camp retrieving a small book from his bag. Flipping through its contents, he goes over some of the stories he's transcribed onto its pages. Each is a story of his Hives past, though the one he settles more thoroughly upon is one of the Godswar where he talks of how his Hive could not resist the call of battle in the North and mustered against the Wraiths… he mentions in passing that mother always hated that story before gesturing in the direction of the local Vesparan Hive saying that he wondered if they might be distant cousins from a Hive Knight who stayed after the campaign concluded.

Choosing Vengeance, Vyzerre bites at his cheek before looking at you, much like how a child might a parent when they’ve done something wrong. He speaks on how he couldn’t let his family's deaths go unanswered and any death in the name of the Hive is worthy of honor, but he argues that what happened wasn’t just them dying, it was them being murdered. He reveals that his hive was smoked out and that its inhabitants died with very few being able to raise a hand in its defense, that they burned his Hive. He furrows his brow, saying he did his best to make sure that their killers paid.

Choosing Honor, Vyzerre nods affirmatively at the word, repeating it before smiling. He tells the Champion that he swore to his Queen that he would bring enough Honor to their Hive so that even upon his death, the Hive would pass on into legend. Bowing his head he sighs, saying that he wishes he hadn’t made such an impossible promise.

Choosing Next causes Vyzerre’s antennae to vibrate as he jumps to his feet and searches the edges of the small clearing before a party of Imps appear, attacking the party. Once they are defeated the players finds that Vyzerre’s small home has been ruined in the battle and its contents, all but destroyed. Sighing, he looks from the Imps to the Champion openly wondering why there are so many of the Imps running around and where they are coming from.

The Champion recounts their fight with the Alurain, Kasyrra, and the Hornetfolk to the south, to get where they are now. The Knight's black eyes twinkle like stars, muttering to himself about how amazing the Champion is, telling them that they would make their own Queen proud. Though once the magic of the moment passes, he furrows his brows and glances back to his hand before tightening his hand into a fist. There is a tinge of regality in his voice like he was standing in court. He asks if he could come with the Champion on their adventures.

Should the Champion refuse to bring Vyzerre into their company, he will frown his stance, deflating a moment before he straightens back up and mention that he will salvage what is left of his camp and make his own way back to Hawkthorne and see if he might hunt Kasyrra for what she's done to the local Hive.

(Updates and continuations planned)

Companionship

If the Champion decides to bring in Vyzerre to their company during the introduction of Queen and Consort, they will have the option to immediately add him to their party, or send him to Hawkethorne to be picked up later at the tavern.

At The Frost Hound, Vyzerre can be found under the Guests option where, if the Champion did not bring him into their company, they will have a Recruit option to bring him along. Other than the Recruit option, the Champion may ask Vyzerre about his quest, to which he laments that it is going rather poorly for those who have yet to recruit Berwyn.

Approaching Vyzerre once he has been recruited will bring up the following options:

Appearance

Talk

Him

His Hive

Flirt

Sex

Azyrran?

Royal Treatment

Give Item

If Vyzerre has been recruited if you haven’t sparred with him yet that day, there is a 20% chance that the Champion will receive a Vyzerre? option the next time they go to look for him at The Frost Hound. They will find Vyzerre missing from his usual spot and go to look for him. The Champion will find him outside the southern gate humming to himself as he taps the tips of his carapaced fingers on the surface of his shield, which he has resting across his lap. When asked what he’s doing, he will reply that he’s looking back towards home before correcting himself, saying where his home once was. Laying his hands flat on the shield's surface and explaining that every Vesparan knows where their Hive is no matter how far away they are, but his case is different, feeling more like a ghost clawing at him than a Mother calling their children home. His body trembles a moment before clearing his throat as he explains how he hates that something he used to take such comfort in now only serves to remind him of his past. His hands tighten into balls as he crushes his eyes closed, continuing on about how there were hundred of others who deserved to be the one to survive the fire. Stopping, he realizes how he is speaking in the Champion's presence and apologizes. Silence falls in the conversation for a few moments before the Champion redirects, and asks him what it was he was humming, prompting the Hornetfolk to smile with a downcast gaze. He explains it is a song from home, but doesn't know who started singing it. It's one of his favorites, going on about how his sisters would sing it when they came home from raids. The Champion will have the options of Sing or Leave.

Choosing Leave, the Champion excuses himself from Vyzerre telling him they will be waiting back at the tavern.

Choosing Sing, the Champion asks Vyzerre to sing the song for them to which he smiles and agrees drumming up a rhythm on his shield with his finger tips before he starts to sing.

(It's a work in progress)

‘We were born early spring to beat of royal wings and the loving grace of Lumia fell all over us.

O’ and every single night when the Knights would end their flight, they’d invite the neighbors out with this fine chorus.

No sense to run and hide, if you've already caught our eye. Let's tell the world how you won your medals.

Let's tell them how the beat of wings made you want to run and scream, from our Queen and all her lovely dames of Vespa. While we went one to one and never did we run when we sent the Wraiths back into their burrows.’

His voice is warm, like the honey as it often was, but this time it held more pride like a father boasting of their child. The Champion settles next to him as they enjoy his voice and the picture he paints, until his voice wobbles for a moment, but the Champion excuses it, thinking that it was their imagination, until it happens a second time, his voice wavering on another line. Opening their eyes they find Vyzerre with tears streaming down his face as he fights to keep them from his voice while he sings. As his voice is silent, he simply stares off over the path he had originally taken to come north, much like the Champion not so long ago his lips quivering as tears continue to fall.

The Champion rests a hand on his shoulder and smiles, snapping Vyzerre out of his would-be trance before he apologizes. The Champion tells him there is nothing to apologize for before pulling him to his feet, offering to buy him a drink back at the Frost Hound. Walking with Vyzerre back to the tavern the Champion is given the options of Drink, Sing Together, or Leave.

Choosing Drink, The Champion chooses to sit and drink with Vyzerre, who after a few drinks turns smiles at the Champion hugging them suddenly telling them that they are the first person outside his Hive who he’s sung that song to and that he appreciates them listening.

Choosing Sing Together, The Champion picks a pair of drinks from the bar before giving one to Vyzerre, drinking together for a moment before standing and telling him that they are glad this particular Knight found they’re way home starting the same beat they had heard earlier. The Hive Knight takes the hint, raising his pint to his lips and starts to sing with the player following suit.

Choosing Leave, The Champion drops Vyzerre off at the counter letting Garth take care of him before taking leave of the Hornet.

#Corruption of Champions #CoC #CoC2 #hornet #a.knight #original character #monster boy

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kimmimaru · 3 years

Text

A bit more added to my ‘Before’ Tseng/Reno fic. Honestly I just love writing Hojo and the Turks. Also Tseng being quietly threatening is always fun. (aslo Reno is shot. It is not medically accurate at all because I’m in no way a medical professional)

XXX

He finds himself in a small, oblong room filled with tall cabinets. It's chilly in here, Reno shivers a little as the main doors hiss shut behind them. Hojo moves to a cabinet labelled with a long series of numbers, at his touch the door opens and a white cloud billows out. Hojo hums to himself, muttering under his breath for a moment. Reno sighs, leaning back against the wall with his arms folded. Finally Hojo nods his head and reaches into the container. He pulls back and turns, holding a vial of glowing liquid between his thumb and forefinger. Reno's arms begin to drop to his sides, preparing to reach out for the vial. By the time he sees Hojo's grin it's too late. The gun going off in the tiny room is so loud it makes Reno's ears ring. His back hits the wall and his knees buckle. His arm feels numb. His wide eyes are locked on Hojo and the gun he holds in his free hand. Over the whine in his ears, Reno can just about hear him speak; “You Turks are all the same. So eager to die.” Hojo pockets the formula as the container closes behind him. Machinery whirs as Reno's knees give out and he slides down the wall. He leaves a smear of blood behind. Hojo crouches, using the barrel of the gun to tilt Reno's chin up. It's cold in the room, Reno can't feel his left hand. His entire arm feels like a block of ice. He sucks in a shaking breath, tasting metal as he stares at Hojo's self-satisfied smirk. “Maybe you'll prove stronger than the other one, hmm? He didn't expect me to have a gun either. But I suppose we'll find out. The thing all you Turks seem to have in common is that you're all brawn and no brain.” Reno's vision begins to darken at the edges. The ringing in his ears fading a little. He swallows, gritting his teeth as he tries to move. Pain flares from his shoulder, down across his chest. It rips the breath from him. “You...” He gasps, eyes narrowing. “Me. Yes, yes, I shot you. Don't act as if you've never been shot before.” Hojo sighs, “Now just keep quiet, I have some things to collect and then I'll get someone to take you-” “He's not going anywhere.” Reno flinches, hissing air through his teeth as it causes sharp pain to lance down his arm. He turns his head and sees Tseng standing in the doorway. “He threatened me-” Tseng tilts his head in acknowledgement, “Of course, Professor and we will take it very seriously. However, Reno is not under your jurisdiction. He is one of my men and I will deal with him as I see fit.” Hojo smirks, “Wouldn't he be under that great oaf Heidegger?” “You and I both know Heidegger's merely a figurehead.” Tseng replies with a sharp smile of his own. “Ah yes, you're the one who pulls all the strings. Veld's little protégé, didn't you murder him in cold blood?” “Allow me to make a suggestion, Professor,” Tseng steps forward, “You stay out of our business and we will refrain from digging through yours.” He lays delicate stress on the words, ensuring Hojo hears every one. Then his smile widens, revealing just a hint of perfect white teeth. Hojo laughs, “Fine. Take him, I have plenty of other subjects.” Tseng bows his head, “Thank you,” He says quietly as he steps aside and Rude enters the room. Reno lifts his right hand and presses it against his wounded shoulder, he groans and when he pulls it away he sees blood coating his palm. Reno lets his hand fall back into his lap and his head falls back to hit the wall, he stares up at the ceiling as Rude towers over him. “Hey there, partner.” He whispers shakily, forcing a grin that shows too many teeth. “Gonna give a guy a hand here?” Rude sighs and reaches down, Reno takes his hand and bites back a scream when Rude drags him to his feet. He stumbles forward into Rude who holds him steady by his good shoulder. Reno can feel blood, hot and sticky against his skin. He swallows and lets Rude slip an arm around his waist. Tseng eyes him, his face carefully blank, “You're going to need to get that looked at.” He says, his voice cool. Reno averts his eyes, licks his lips and says nothing. Shame burns thick and hot in his gut. He can't meet Tseng's penetrating gaze. Reno feels Rude's fingers tighten briefly against his ribs, a gesture of comfort as he's escorted firmly out the door.

#reno/tseng

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rhymingteelookatme · 4 years

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Que Sély, Sély | Ch. 3: Just the Thing

In which Sély makes a few important adjustments to her life on the First- starting with her wardrobe.

( o @eremiss, o @eremiss, the best and clev’rest beta...!)

Words: 1658

For a few seconds upon waking, Sélysette is content. She feels properly rested- no strange dreams, no linkpearl calls, no nagging feelings have disturbed her sleep. In a moment she can simply start her morning as usual, with her lance drills; the wedding is over, and there is nothing more to…

Oh.

Right. Sély pulls herself from bed and bitter disappointment.

Captain Lyna comes knocking not long after Sély finishes her toilette—bearing breakfast, to boot. Sély recognizes the sausages and buttered toast right enough; not so the glass bottles of some mysterious purple liquid. “Carrot juice,” the Captain clarifies, following her gaze. “A fairly popular drink at any time of day, but especially morning.”

Sély blinks. “Are the carrots actually purple, or is it just their juice?”

“Both. They’re not the only purple vegetation you’ll see. Come- if you’re ready, we can dine as we go.”

They parcel out the food between them and eat as they walk into the clock-designated morning. The juice is more tart than Sély expected, adding an edge to its otherwise sweet taste; the food is utter heaven. She hadn’t realized she was so hungry.

“These are the markets,” the Captain explains as they cross a well-tended lawn toward a great irregular oblong of sunken pavement. “They’re called the Musica Universalis on the city maps, but no one generally uses that name in conversation. I suppose someone was feeling fanciful, back when the Crystarium was first being built.”

“I see…” Sély takes the last sip of her juice, covering her nervous swallow. “Captain, I feel I must remind you that I have no way to pay for any of this.”

Those tall ears wave slightly as their owner nods. “You are hardly the first person to arrive with less than nothing—that’s how this city began, after all. A series of ramshackle tents and ragged folk seeking shelter in the shade of the Crystal Tower. Nowadays, the Exarch has made sure to set up a means of addressing the issue.”

“Of clothing?”

“And food as well. There is plenty to do around here, of course, so you need not worry about gil until you’ve earned some.” The Captain gives her a sidelong glance, and another of those little smiles. “Which, I think, will not take you long. You’re no stranger to hard work, I can tell.”

They approach a row of stalls roofed with crystal-and-steel marquees, their sides enclosed by great triangles of yellow-green cloth. The nearest stall is stacked full of wooden crates in every size, with a prominent few sitting open. All are overseen by a bright-eyed Hyuran woman in jerkin and culottes. Her hair is shaved daringly close to her scalp on both sides, leaving a broad swath of longer locks over the top and back of her head. She hands a pair of pattens to a Roegadyn child nearly as tall as herself, who sits down at once to put them on.

“Aha, a perfect fit. Just as I thought,” says the woman with satisfaction, as the child runs off beaming. Then she spies her next two customers. “Morning, Captain! Who do we have here?”

“Good morning, Eidith,” the Captain replies. “This is Miss Babiole, newly come to us as of last night. She’s in need of a proper outfit- down to the essentials.”

“Down to essentials, eh? Let me see…” Eidith takes a long look at Sélysette, then picks through her wares at lightning speed. “This, and these two, and this, and these, and… there you are!” she finishes, turning and bundling the lot into Sély’s arms.

Slightly dizzy from this dextrous display, Sélysette cradles her new garments to her chest. “Goodness, here I am indeed. My thanks, Miss Eidith.”

“What of her feet?” Captain Lyna asks. “These sandals won’t do for the long term.”

“Oh, of course! I’ve just the thing.” Eidith flies to her crates once more and whirls back around in moments with two well-weathered, calf-high leather boots. Their fringed cuffs are long and asymmetrical, hanging lowest on the inner side. They are like no shoes Sély has ever worn in her life—like shoes for a real wanderer.

She is a real wanderer now, she supposes with a pang. Lost and far from home.

–

Back in her room, Sélysette finds that everything actually fits well; Miss Eidith must have an excellent eye. First come the camise and shorts (of which there are two sets!), followed by gray socks. Next is a red, tan and gray leather jerkin with a belt sewn on just above the hips, a pair of black hempen chausses, and the wanderer boots. Soft yet sturdy red fingerless gloves complete the look. She strides out to show Captain Lyna, pivoting smartly about with her head held high, and receives a firm nod of approval.

“You have fine posture,” the Captain remarks. “Bespeaking military experience, unless I miss my guess.”

“…In a sense, yes. An irregular unit in many a battle, along with my sister.” Sélysette stands a bit taller.

Interest lights the Captain’s eyes. “What weapon?”

“Lance, generally, though I can also use knives.” Please, please, if they’re going to set me up with everything—I’d feel so much better if I could do my drills…

“And the Crystarium can always use an extra guard,” the Captain starts, then catches herself. “But that’s getting ahead of things. No call to go signing up for anything just yet, when you’ve hardly had a chance to look around properly.”

Sély must reluctantly admit the sense of this point.

Captain Lyna’s duties call her away for the next few hours (these being roughly equivalent to bells), but Sély assures her that she will be quite all right exploring on her own. After all, there is no danger of losing her way in the dark.

The city puts her in mind of the rings of a tree, with the Crystal Tower at its heart. Fittingly, its colors of cerulean blue and warm gold are seen all over—particularly on the flags and in the architecture. Without paper or pencil, she is obliged to simply pay twice as much attention to everything: which stalls are selling what, for instance. How long it takes to get from one place to another. What, generally, is where- such as the aetheryte, set about halfway between the city gates and the Tower plaza.

Even with so much to take in, several details stick out in Sély’s mind. For one, the controlled profusion of plant life—while much of it is ordinary green, a good portion is indeed a vibrant purple. For another, the local beasts of burden known as “amaro,” which have four wings, exceedingly fluffy feathers, great black eyes and ever-chewing jaws. (Chocobos are not unheard of, but they do seem scarce. Sély thinks of Etienne with another pang.) Then there are this world’s names for the races- Mystel for Miqo’te, Drahn for Au Ra, Galdjent for Roegadyn… it’s almost disappointing that Elezen here are called simply “Elves.”

But perhaps the most important point is this: when she claims a shared homeland with the Crystal Exarch, people nod and make noises of understanding, and ask no further questions. Indeed, some wax enthusiastic at the very thought—like Katliss, head of the Crystalline Mean, where the city’s crafters make everything from clothes and tools to weapons and armor. “Our city wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t for him, and any friend of his is a friend of ours!” she gushes. “He is a man of many mysteries, it’s true—but for all his secrecy, he has never yet let us down. Frankly, respecting his privacy is the least we can do for all he’s done for us. And we’re happy to do the same for you.”

Sély does not quite know how to feel about this as she goes on her way. On the one hand, she has no idea how to properly explain the truth. On the other hand, she dislikes the idea of taking any leaf out of Ser Hood’s proverbial book. (Crystal Exarch indeed. Ye gods, what a name; she suspects he chose it himself, no matter what anyone says.) But will she really be here long enough for it to make a difference either way?

She certainly hopes not.

–

Though it has been long since her early adventuring days, the rhythm of them comes back easily enough. Up in the morning, wash and dress, have a bite- or not- and hit the pavement with a ready eye for anyone who might need assistance. Fetching and carrying, the adventurer’s bread and butter—sometimes literally, depending on how people choose to pay. Sély keeps careful count of her coin and slowly begins to amass some few necessities, starting with hairpins, brush, and comb. A modest cosmetic set soon follows, and a proper bag for all subsequent acquisitions. She rises, she works, she eats and she sleeps, and she tries not to mark the passage of time.

Time moves differently in this world, after all. The Exarch said.

It is a proud day when she earns enough to get herself weapons again—secondhand, of course, but hers: a lance and knives of good, sharp bronze, with polish and whetstone to keep them that way. She stows the latter and takes the former right out to the practice dummies for over an hour; she loses herself in the burn and the ache of her limbs, glad to know that she hasn’t been here so long as to forget the motions. Apparently muscle memory goes soul-deep.

As does muscle fatigue, to her next-day chagrin. Perhaps her impatience affected the performance of her warmups and cooldowns; she knows she has been lax in her fitness routines since she came here. At any rate, today’s adventuring will have to be... limited. Therefore, Sély aethernets down to a place she hasn’t seen much of since she arrived here: the Cabinet of Curiosity. A spot of reading might be just the thing.

#my writing #Sélysette Babiole #Captain Lyna #FFXIV #Eidith #Katliss #Moren #the Pirate Shag hairstyle

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metalotaku-da · 5 years

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MerMay Shance

Prompts stolen from @justshance. all pieces are up for grabs if anyone wants to take them further or rework them. @shancemermay

phobia of pets? warning

13. Fathomless deep.

“Lance it’s ok i promise.” shiro said a bit exasperated as he pulled along the other mer into the deep. Turning on his bioluminescence as the water got darker the closer than got to his kraken nursery.

“Just because they are small now does not mean they are not dangerous shiro.” lance countered. “They still have all of those suckers and the sharp beaks. Do you have any idea what those things can do when they are turned on you?” he asked sub consciously bringing his hand down to cover the large round scar on his tail.

Shiro stopped swimming bring the two of them to a halt. “Lance. Do you think i’d put you danger? That i would intentionally swim you into in situation that i knew to be dangerous for you?” he looked at lance bringing him around to be face to face.

“No.” lance answered looking towards the growing darkness, his own tail and shiro’s tentacles. “But you haven’t almost been eaten by one. So i think i’m well within a sane’s person's level of worry about going into a nest of them.”

“Hatchery. Not nest. Black isn’t even going to be there. He is out hunting. It’s just us and babies. Tiny babies. No bigger than your chest width. And these are not wild kraken. These are domesticated babies. They imprint on mers and protect us. From wild ones, like what attacked you.” shiro wrapped a tentacle around the base of lance’s tail stroking up and down it. The firefly squid celia careful to not put his suction cups to lance’s scales with him as anxious as he already was.

“I know, you say that. And they do. A Lot of mers who live around the trenches have them. And totally preach about how great they are. And what good pets and guardians they are but it… it…”

“Doesn’t make the fear anyless.” shiro said with a sad smile, lifting his own missing arm. “It’s ok lance to be afraid. I just don’t want the fear to control you.” shiro let out a little sigh. “And this is a big part of my life, it’s not just my job, it’s more than that. raising all these little guys and seeing them off.” shiro brought his hand up to rub up and down lance’s arm affectionately. “I want to share that with you. The joy at finding them loving homes. I want to share my life with you lance. But i won’t force this on you if you’re not really ready.”

Lance placed his hand on top of shiro’s a squeezed. “I want to be with you shiro. More than anything. I want to do this for you. I’m just scared.” lance said sadly. His gaze turned down in shame even as his head faced his boyfriend. “I lost everything. I don’t want to lose you too because of that. Not after it brought me to you.” he mumbled the last bit.

Shiro wrapped himself protectively around lance remembering the huge storm that had dissipated once it hit the island just near their shoals area. The storm had brought lance with it. Having ripped him away from his migrating open ocean fairing family. Leaving him injured and disorientated. Easy pickings for the wild kraken that to go after. Shiro and black had made it just in time to rescue him. Allura and coran taking in the lost mer and helping him heal. He had been very grateful and excited to meet all of his hero’s. Even though shiro had to watch the mer’s face fall after meeting him that he stranded with know way to find his family unless they made it near their shoal. Which was very unlikely. The shoal did it’s best to integrate the constantly moving and energy bursting mer into their more slower paced community. Shiro being a huge part of that once he had gotten to know the mer.

“It’s ok to be be scared lance. And if it gets too overwhelming, i want you to tell me and we will leave. I understand how you are feeling. And we can take this as slow as you need to.” he brought lance’s hand up to his mouth to kiss.

Lance gave a giggle. “When have i ever taken anything slow?” wiggling his eyebrows.

Shiro laughed and started towards his nursey once more pulling along the mer. “Never. But let's try to this time.”

Once they arrived at the entrance to the hatchery room shiro pulled lance close into his side. “So the first cavern here, is my hatchery. Only eggs are in here ok. No kraken. We are going to start here. And i’m gonna to leave you to go check on the hatchlings. They are just a few weeks old. Once you are ready i’ll bring you into their cavern to introduce you. If you get overwhelmed or it’s too much you can back into the hatchery. The little ones won’t follow.” he watched as lance’s eyes widened and the mer began to hunch into himself a bit. “I’ll be there the whole time. Nothing bad will happen to you. I promise.”

Lance bit his lip but nodded nervously. Squeezing shiro’s hand tightly. Shiro kept a gentle tentacle against his tail. Shiro carefully guided Lance threw the entrance. Touching corals along the wall as they passed. The stimulation causing them glow. As the room brightened he paused to give Lance time to take it all in.

"Whoa." Lance whispered as he turned in place the walls covered in a multitude of colors. Their oblong jelly like shapes anchored in place. The glow from the corals flickering off their casings to make a rainbow effect across the floor.

"Neat right? Methane vents run through the walls. Keeps it warm and feeds the corals." Shiro followed Lance's gaze his own proud. A wide grin as he looked at his youngest charges. "These still have 14 thebes before they hatch. I just keep them clean and safe."

"I wasn't picturing something so beautiful." Lance said in aw. "It's like the colored arch at the surface after it rains."

"Yeah, it is. Just as pretty as you are." Shiro said cheekily ignoring Lance's bashiful shove. "Stay in here for a minute. I'm going to check on the little ones and feed them so they are a bit calmer. Then I'll come get you ok. There are only 6."

The new information has Lance's smile shrinking into a more nervous one. "Yeah ok. That uh. That gives me time to process, and you know maybe so last prayers to the goddess." Lance tried for a joke, but it was still a bit strained.

Shiro wrapped his boyfriend up in all his arms. "It's ok. I promise. No judgement if it's to much and you have to retreat."

Lance just nodded in response. Giving shiro a squeeze of his own before the Celia went into the next cavern. Stopping only at the food storage in the passage way before entering the cavern with his 6 newly hatched kraken. They are as rowdy as he expected them to be clinging to him as he hands out their meals. Once they are full and back to playing together amongst themselves shiro returns to the passageway and calls out for lance to join them.

Lance is slow to enter peeking his head in first. Catching the attention of the hatchlings. The group at least wait till lance enters the cavern before they charge to him. Lance letting out a panicked cry before he backs back into the passageway. The hatchlings stopping at the entrance. Knowing better than to leave their nest. A few even hiding behind him startled by the noise. It was far from the cheerful cooing of his usual visitors.

“Lance it’s ok. They are just excited. They like new people.” shiro tried to coax his terrified boyfriend back into the room. He let out a grateful sigh when lance’s terrified eyes peaked out around the passageway. “Come in nice and slow. I’ll try and keep them still ok?” shiro prompted the hatchlings to his side giving lance the space to make his way into the room. He still looked ready to dash away. One of the kraken tried to dart forward causing lance to flinch. “No stay.” shiro corrected the small creature putting a tentacle to it’s head. The sad creature letting out a mournful chirp at being stopped from playing with it’s new friend. “How are you doing lance?”

“Ok.” lance said pitifully his form started to curl up.

“How about you sit down on the floor with your back to the wall there. That way they can’t sneak up on you. Front and above open.” shiro suggested and waited for lance to get situated before he released his most impatient kraken. The mers flinch the raise of his arms to protect his face wasn’t lost on shiro or the little kraken who stopped just short of the mer swimming around him and watching. The kraken let out a few sad chirps when lance didn’t lower his arms right away. The hatchling instead settling next to his tail and settling down for his after meal nap. Slowly the other hatchlings followed his lead. Coming up close to lance and settling in for their own naps around him. Pressed against each other. Only two touching his tail. “Hey. hey lance. Can you take a little peek?” shiro said softly moving closer to them. A soft smile on his face. As cute as he found his little charges, he still needed to see how lance reacted.

Lance slowly lowered his arms looking around the cavern before looking down at his lap with the little ones gathered around him. Lance gave a tight smile and small chuckle. “They kind of remind me of my niece and nephew. As guppies.” he got out with a choke.

Shiro moved above him to bring his hand down to his trembling boyfriend's shoulder. It lessening the longer it was there. “Yeah. just like guppies. They seem to have taken a liking to you.” shiro replied with a wane smile as lance lifted his head to meet his eyes. It seemed to be weak and tentative but lance managed a small smile back at shiro. “Think you’d want to pet one? Or best for another time?”

“Maybe next time.” lance whispered his eyes going back to the hatchlings. The tension slowly leaving his body as the two sat and watched the kraken nap. Shiro smiling at lance’s words. Next time. That was progress.

#mermay #mermayshance #cecelia shiro #mer lance #kraken #voltron #late #fear of pets

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justheretobreakthings · 5 years

Text

Remember Me - Chapter 19

(First Chapter) (Previous Chapter) (Next Chapter)

Word Count: 4,353 (Total Word Count: 75,456) Read on AO3

Story Summary:

It was strange enough for the paladins of Voltron to have found another human this far from home, locked in a Galra prison. But it was stranger still when this human insisted that he knew them, and even that he was the former red paladin of Voltron.

That couldn’t possibly be true, could it? After all, if this Keith was actually a part of the Voltron team, then why does nobody remember him?

Chapter Preview:

Lance laughed. “So, have you just been spying on all of us this whole dinner?”

“No,” Shiro said. “I’ve been people-watching. Much more socially acceptable.”

“Uh-huh.”

Shiro shrugged. “What can I say. Feel like it’s kinda my job to keep an eye on the lot of you. Someone has to make sure you kids keep yourselves out of trouble.” He suddenly frowned, squinting across the room. “Speaking of which…”

Lance followed his gaze and spotted Keith walking alongside one of the serving tables. Or, staggering, more like. He was moving slowly, hands on the edge of the table, taking awkward, lurching steps. “Oh God,” Lance said, rolling his eyes. “You know, I had a feeling Mullet wasn’t the sort of guy who could hold his liquor.”

“How are you liking the nunvill, Number Three?”

Lance spun around to face Coran at the sound of his voice, then his eyes darted between the cup in his hand and the royal advisor’s expectant face. “Wait, this is nunvill?!” he said, incredulous. “It doesn’t taste a thing like it did last time!”

“Yes, it seems human taste buds aren’t well suited to appreciating nunvill’s intense flavor,” Coran said. “More’s the pity. However, the buoying qualities of the beverage are really too good for you paladins to have to miss out on, so I recruited Hunk and Shiro as taste testers to figure out a fruit juice blend that would be more, ah, palatable to you humans. Thought I’d debut it here. It’s always good party etiquette for the guest to bring along a dish or beverage for the host to serve. Keep that in mind.”

“Well, you did a good job. I can barely taste it. What is this, like, five percent alcohol?”

“One percent nunvill, although I don’t know how that compares in strength to your ‘alcohols’ on Earth. Considering that a single glass of nunvill can effectively de-rust an average-sized ion cannon…”

“Yeah, no, that’s - that’s strong,” Lance said. “I’ll try and be careful with it.”

“Good lad,” said Coran with a satisfied nod. “It’s nice that some of my efforts aren’t going to waste today.”

Lance grimaced. “Coran, you’re not too upset about us not doing the air show, are you?”

“No, no, of course not!” Coran said with a laugh. “It simply wouldn’t make sense to do the show anymore after that battle with the Holvarthans.”

“Oh, good. I was worried that you’d be - ”

“And sure, I may have poured my heart into that choreography to put on as elegant a show as possible, and spent a full day working on those new additions. And do I enjoy getting to play the roles of director and narrator and producer and everything I could have been if a career in show business had ever taken off for me? Of course I do! But upset? Bah! I’m not upset! Not at all, my boy, not at all!” He looked down at his own cup of nunvill-juice. “You know, I think I preferred the stronger stuff…”

He sighed and left without a goodbye, leaving Lance shaking his head to himself. And he’d thought Pidge could be passive-aggressive. Clearly, she’d been bested by a new master.

His eyes roved around the room, eyes out for his fellow paladins. Most everyone in the room was engaged in conversation; the Thotirnians were talkative people on the whole, it seemed, and they moved about the room easily to dart between conversation partners, the gangly limbs on their reptilian bodies that seemed to contain triple the number of joints as humans no doubt helping in the endeavor. The banquet hall, too, seemed to have been arranged for optimum sociability. The dinner was served buffet-style, but with the dishes scattered across different tables all over the hall rather than on one long serving station. There weren’t many tables for actually eating, and only enough chairs to seat about a third of the occupants in the hall. The majority Thotirnians apparently preferred to eat while standing and walking about.

Fortunately all the dishes served were basically finger food, Lance noted as he turned to a table refill his plate with a particularly sweet dish that resembled half-sized spring rolls in appearance. His focus at this party had been more the food than the people. The scaly, oblong-faced Thotirnians weren’t particularly appealing to flirt with, and their culture seemed perfectly okay with interrupting speakers in conversation and cutting each other off, making story-telling difficult.

They were honestly just a bit exhausting. The introverted Pidge must have been getting irritable by this point, and even Shiro got worn out by chatter at times. And Keith…

Well, Lance actually hadn’t paid much attention to Keith’s whereabouts during this whole gathering. The mullet wasn’t exactly a social butterfly. A social pill bug, perhaps. Deciding to check and make sure Voltron’s guest hadn’t gone and imploded from oversocialization, Lance started weaving through the crowd, keeping his eyes peeled for the silvery armor.

He spotted Keith after a few minutes, standing near one of the few empty tables that was available for dining rather than serving food, leaning awkwardly against a chair as if he wasn’t sure what to do with his legs. He was in the middle of a talk with three Thotirnians, and judging by his expression, whatever they were discussing wasn’t Keith’s preferred topic. Lance casually sauntered over to listen in.

“So would that make you some sort of soldier for the Voltron alliance?” one of the Thotirnians, the tallest of the three, was asking. “Are you a conscript?”

“No, that’s not - I do more than just help out in battles,” Keith said. “I mean, I’m living in the castle and - ”

“You are a tenant?”

“No, no, I - it’s not like I’m paying them rent or - look, I’m an ally, but, like, a close ally. I live with the paladins and I do my part in the battles and around the castle and - and stuff like that.”

The Thotirnians were quiet a moment, expressions pensive, before realization crossed the face of one of them and he spoke up: “Ah, so you are a servant.”

“Oh my god,” Keith muttered, closing his eyes and lifting his cup to his lips to drink.

“What are we talking about over here?” Lance asked, moving in so he was standing right at Keith’s side.

The tallest Thotirnian gestured with a wave of his hand toward Keith. “We were simply inquiring as to this one’s relationship to Voltron. He is obviously not a paladin, you see, nor a soldier from any military we were aware of, and yet he flew with your team in battle.”

“Ah, well,” Lance said with a shrug. “Let’s just say our relationship with ol’ Keithy here is ‘complicated’ and leave it at that. Right, Keith?” Keith grimaced and took another gulp of his drink.

The Thotirnian nodded solemnly. “Understandable. It must be a strange transition, putting a Galra into your servitude, but - ”

He was interrupted by the sound of a spluttering cough as Keith choked on his drink. Lance thumped him on the back, and Keith managed a couple of gasping breaths before asking in a strangled voice, “How - how did you know I’m Galra?”

“Well, your smell,” the Thotirnian said, a hint of annoyance in his tone as if he were explaining something patently obvious. “It is fainter than most Galra, but it’s there. And your blood is not as warm as that of the paladins.”

“How can you tell - ?”

“I can see it quite clearly.”

“And your eyes,” one of the other Thotirnians added. “Those irises - I have only ever seen the color on Galra, haven’t you?” The other two nodded in agreement.

“Yes, they are quite frightening,” the first one said.

“All right, cool,” Lance said, before clearing his throat. “Hey, have you three heard about how the flux capacitors on the Lions work? It’s super cool, you should go ask the green or yellow paladin about it. They’d love to share some of the gritty details.”

“Really?” said the Thotirnian, brow raised - or, the ridge over his eyes angled in such a way that a brow would be raised if one was there. “It sounds interesting. Thank you, we will search them out.”

The Thotirnians left, and with a sigh, Keith collapsed into a nearby chair and ran a hand over his face. “Thanks for that,” he muttered.

“No problem,” Lance said with a shrug. “I’m kinda guessing parties aren’t really your scene, huh?”

“I had been getting better at them,” Keith sighed. He took another swig from his drink and then set the empty cup down with a thunk. “It’s easier when I actually know what I’m doing at them. I - I thought maybe coming to this thing with you guys was gonna feel a bit like old times…” He brought his index finger up to idly brush around the rim of his cup. “Guess that’s not really a possibility anymore. I gotta get another drink.”

“You haven’t been drinking too much of that stuff, have you?” Lance asked. “It’s weak, but it’s still nunvill. So, you know, space alcohol.”

“I can handle alcohol,” Keith said, rolling his eyes.

Lance snorted. “Oh, please. You can’t even handle milk.”

“That’s not even - whatever,” Keith said. He stood up from the table. “I’m drinking, and I’ve been drinking. Only way I’m getting through this party. You can go ask Pidge about her flux component, leave me be.”

“Flux capacitor,” Lance corrected. “And they’re not real. Did you really not - dude, that was a Back to the Future reference, don’t you…?” He shook his head in exasperation at Keith’s blank stare. “Wow, man. Whatever, I guess. Enjoy your drinks.”

“I will.” With a languid wave of his hand Keith left, and Lance resumed his wandering. He eventually found himself near Allura and stuck around for a while to listen in as she fielded questions from curious Thotirnians about the other planets in the alliance. He even helped answer a couple himself, to give Allura’s voice a break, although there weren’t many he could. He resolved to start making an effort to pay better attention during meetings - a resolution that he had already made a dozen times over in the past and never stuck to, but this time surely he could follow it through.

Eventually he grew bored, though, so he politely ducked out of the group and scanned the crowd for the other paladins. Shiro was the first he spotted, by himself, leaning against a wall with a drink in his hand, eyes roving about the room.

“Having a good time?” Lance asked as he approached.

“Perfectly mediocre,” Shiro replied.

“Ah, well.” Lance leaned against the wall next to him. “At least the food’s good.”

“That’s true. I think I’ve seen Hunk go to every table in this place at least twice. And you see how Pidge is carrying her helmet around two-handed like that?” He pointed across the crowd, and Lance followed his finger to peer at her. “She stole a bunch of those rolls with the jam fillings and hid them in her helmet. Guess she wanted to take them back for later. She really thinks she’s being subtle.”

Lance laughed. “So, have you just been spying on all of us this whole dinner?”

“No,” Shiro said. “I’ve been people-watching. Much more socially acceptable.”

“Uh-huh.”

Shiro sighed and pulled himself away from the wall, setting off toward Keith, and Lance decided to follow. When they reached him, he had just made it across the whole table and had stepped away from it, arms out slightly at his side to steady himself. “Hey, bud,” Shiro said, reaching out a hand to take Keith’s arm. “Are you doing okay?”

“I’m great,” Keith said, flashing him a smile. It was clear instantly just how flushed his face was, and his eyes seemed to take a second to locate Shiro’s face before slurring, “This is - ‘s a good party, Sh’ro. Everyone’s fun.”

Shiro raised a brow. “Huh. Keith, how much have you had to drink tonight?”

“I dunno,” Keith answered. “I had - hmm. There was a cup…” He frowned. “I d’nno what happened to that.”

“Damn, he’s really gone,” Lance said. “He wasn’t like this earlier.”

“How much earlier we talking?” Shiro asked.

“A while? Not sure. He, uh, he said he’s gotta drink a bit to get through the party, and some of the Thoti-, um, the Thor-, the alien dudes, they were giving him a little bit of a hard time, so…”

Shiro frowned and looked to Keith, who didn’t seem to have been listening and was instead staring in wonder at the ceiling. “Keith, are you having a tough time at this dinner?”

“Mmmmm, yeah,” Keith said. “S’okay, though. The juice is good. Shiro, ‘ve you tried the juice? Ya gotta try it, Shirooooo…”

“All right,” Shiro said. “I’m taking him back to the castle.” He threw an arm around Keith’s shoulders, and Keith leaned into it instantly, eyes lidding sleepily. “Lance, could you let Allura know where we went?”

“Wait, you’re leaving?” said Lance.

“Well, Keith doesn’t seem to be in any state to be up and about, and he definitely can’t get back to the castle on his own. I have to leave.”

Lance paused, gaze flicking between Shiro and Keith, the former’s arm securely around the latter to steady him as he slumped comfortably into his grip. “Hey, um, I can take him.”

“Thanks, Lance, but you don’t have to - ”

“No, no, it’s fine,” Lance insisted. He slipped his own arm around Keith’s back to tug him away from Shiro. “You’re the Black Paladin, you should really stick around ‘til this thing’s wrapped up. And I’m feeling pretty sleepy, been wanting to head back anyway.” He yawned for emphasis, and beside him, Keith yawned too.

Shiro hesitated, frown deepening, but finally he nodded. “All right,” he said slowly. “Just put him in his bedroom and try to make sure he doesn’t make a mess or fall on his face or anything.”

“Will do, Shiro,” Lance said, giving him a thumbs-up before turning away and dragging Keith beside him. “Come on, you idiot, let’s get you back.”

“‘Kay,” Keith said, falling into step obligingly, and already Lance decided that drunk Keith was leagues better to deal with than migraine-y Keith. Drunk Keith didn’t need to make it a point to be stubborn for the sake of stubbornness.

It turned out, though, that drunk Keith was just as unsteady on his feet as migraine-y Keith, and as they walked back toward the castle under the darkening sky, it became increasingly obvious just how much of a lightweight Keith was. At one point, he mumbled something incoherent, knocked his head onto Lance’s paultron with an audible thunk, and closed his eyes, apparently trying to go to sleep on his feet right then and there.

It would have been hilarious if it didn’t have to come with muscle strain on Lance’s part, he mused as he shook Keith off of him and set them moving again.

The walk back to the castle was slow and unsteady, but they made it with Keith still on his feet, and that was the important part. Keith lolled his head back and watched the lights along the ceiling pass by as Lance steered him to his living quarters. “Hey, hey Lance,” Keith said, too loudly for the silent and empty halls of the castle.

“I can hear you, man, you don’t need to shout,” Lance replied.

Keith continued in the exact same volume. “Th’s castle - it’s so big. Y’ever think about that?”

“Uh, I don’t really think about it. But, yeah, it’s big. Good on you for noticing.” He turned down the hallway that housed Keith’s room. “Nearly there, buddy.”

“It’s too big,” Keith said, expression falling to a frown. “Too big. Things… things’ll get lost…”

“I’m sure they do.” Lance opened the door and led the two of them in. “All right, we’re home. Bedtime.”

“Yep,” said Keith. He pulled away from Lance and simply tilted backward onto the bed, flopping onto it face-up right along the head of the bed on top of the pillow. “Bedtime.”

“Okay, dude, if you sleep in full armor you’re gonna be sore as hell come morning.”

“Mm. Tha’s smart,” Keith slurred. He pulled himself back up into a sitting position and gazed silently down at his vambrace for a few ticks before reaching out a hand to fumble uselessly at it. “I can’t get ‘t off,” he declared.

Lance sighed. “God, you’re like damn a toddler when you’re drunk, aren’t you? Remind us never to let you drink at a party again.”

“Okay,” Keith said, obligingly holding out his arm for Lance to remove the vambrace, then move on to the rest of the armor. “Thanks,” he added after a bit, drawing out the ‘s’ in a hiss.

“Whatever,” said Lance. He set the vambraces and gauntlets aside and moved to the breastplate. “I’d really hate to see this armor get covered in vomit tomorrow morning when you wake up with a hangover. Which is definitely going to happen, Mister Lightweight.”

Keith just hummed appreciatively, swaying a little where he sat until Lance grabbed him by the shoulders to hold him still. “‘S nice armor,” Keith agreed. “Liked my old armor better, though.”

“Yeah, your old armor,” Lance muttered, lifting the breastplate off of him. “Stick your legs out a bit, will you?”

Keith obliged, and he let out a small burp before continuing. “It was the red armor. Allura says I di’n’t wear it, but… I dunno… feels right. I like red.”

“Mm-hm,” Lance hummed, pulling the greave off of his right ankle.

“Heh,” said Keith. “I said ‘I like red’ because - b’cause, like, the color. But I like Red, too. Th’lion. She’s a good lion.”

“Yeah, I know,” Lance straightened up, tossing the last of the armor aside. “Okay, so, I guess you’re gonna have to sleep in your undersuit tonight. Because I am definitely not gonna change you into your pajamas. I think we’ll both rest easier forever if this is the most I ever strip you, yeah?”

“Yeah…” Keith agreed softly. He turned and stared down at the armor, his brow creasing.

After a few seconds of the silent staring, Lance tilted his head. “Uh, Mullet? You all right there?”

Keith turned back to Lance. His face still flush as it had been this whole, but now with the addition of a dewiness in the eyes that took Lance by surprised. “Lance?” Keith said in practically a whisper. “I miss it.”

“Um,” Lance said slowly. “What - what do you miss?”

“Bein’ a paladin,” Keith answered. “I miss - I miss Red.”

Lance let out a slow exhale. “Yeah, I know you do. We’ve been over this, man, I know it’s no fun for you and all, but you - ”

Keith suddenly let out a loud, strangled sound before leaning to the side, his expression crumbling as he flopped against the wall at the head of the bed. “I miss Shiro,” he croaked.

“Um.” Lance cleared his throat and shifted his stance awkward. “Do you, uh, do you want me to go back and get him, or - ?”

“No!” Keith snapped, face immediately falling to a scowl. “No, no, no, no, not - I miss my Shiro.”

“What do you mean, your Shiro?”

“My Shiro. The one from - the one I r’ember…” His chin trembled and he let out another strangled whine before burying his face in his hands. “This one, he’s nice, an’ he’s good, but… but he’s not m’brother. He doesn’ remember… he was the first - the first family tha’ I had in sooooo long, and - an’ now i’s all gone…” He lowered his hands and stared at them, curling and uncurling his fingers against his palm. “It’s all gone…” he whispered.

Lance lowered himself cautiously onto the bed, staring at Keith’s face, where the tears had started flowing. This was… not good. He wouldn’t have offered to take Keith back to the castle on his own if he had known that he was going to end up like this.

He had dealt with drunk people before. Once someone had spiked the punch at a party he and Hunk had attended during their Garrison days, and Lance had wound up having to babysit his friend for the rest of the night. But drunk Hunk had simply found everything hilarious. And Coran had once vastly underestimated both the strength of the beverages on one of the planets they had once visited and his own tolerance level, but drunk Coran had simply become an even more loud, talkative, and flirty version of himself.

Giggly drunk, he could handle. Bold drunk, he could handle. Weepy drunk, though?

He lifted a hand to awkwardly pat Keith’s back. “Uh… there there?” Keith didn’t even seem to notice, just began mumbling something under his breath. “Keith?” Lance said. “I, uh, I didn’t catch that, what’d you say?”

Keith turned his head, blinking blearily as his eyes slowly met Lance’s. “It just keeps happ’n’n, Lance,” he whispered. “Every time I try… just all goes away… ” He let out a hitched sob and buried his face back into his hands. “‘S my fault,” he said, voice muffled through his fingers.

“What’s your fault?”

“I left,” Keith said. “I left, ‘cause I was gettin’ it all wrong... messed it all up - tha’s what happens, Lance, I ge’ there, I mess ‘t up, an’ then I have t’ go… but I really really tried, Lance, I tried an’ I thought - I was doin’ it, I w’s doing good, and we were all friends, but then - b’t then - but then it was bad again, and I had to go - had to go - had to - I still tried, I tried with the Ba-… with the - the Bade - the Blades, but then it all just… poof.” He let out a sigh, his shoulders shaking. “All gone,” he finished off in a whisper so tiny Lance barely picked up on it.

He listed to the side, letting his eyes drift close, before softly adding, “It hurts. Hurts so much…”

Lance took a deep, uncertain breath. “Right. Um. I’m not - I’m not sure I followed all of that but - but, um - ” Good God, he was definitely not the person who should be doing this. He could give a pep talk with the best of them, but that was only when he knew his audience. He knew all the buttons to press to get Hunk smiling again, and how to bolster Allura’s strength when she needed it. But Keith - Keith was a mystery wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a mullet. He had no clue what Keith needed to hear, or wanted to hear. Or even whether he was so drunk that he wouldn’t even gauge any meaning out of anything Lance did say.

He regretted not letting Keith just fall asleep on their walk back to the castle. Would have made things much easier.

For now, he just needed to get Keith to settle down. Get him to stop crying, and get some rest. Then, by morning, surely he will have forgotten all about all this shit on his mind. Or, at least, he would be sobered up and be able to discuss it in some way that made a lick of sense, and hopefully with someone who actually had some idea how to handle it.

Cautiously he stood up from the bed. “Hey, uh, look, Keith,” he said slowly. “I’m, uh - I’m sure that, whatever it is you’re on about, it - it wasn’t your fault.”

“Was,” Keith said softly.

“Well, um, okay, even if it was, that’s - that’s over now. You have to remember, of course, none of that - any bad stuff you remember, it didn’t really happen, right? So, you know. You don’t even need to worry about it!” Keith’s lower lip began trembling hard, new tears starting to pour from his eyes. Okay, shit, Lance thought. Not the strategy to go with. “I mean - I mean, just the - just the bad parts. The parts about, uh, messing up and stuff? Those were - that part’s fake. But, um, I’m sure the rest of it is… that’s real?”

He examined Keith’s expression intently, trying to gauge how Keith was taking it. It didn’t exactly feel good to lie to him - in fact his stomach was turning more leaden every passing second - but the guy was three sheets to the wind; it wasn’t like any lie Lance told now was going to stick. And if being told that, yes, sure, his memories were real, if that was what Keith needed right now to stop crying, so be it.

“My team?” Keith asked quietly. “They’re real? … They know me?”

“Yeah, man, ‘course they do.”

“Where are they?”

“Uh…” Lance cleared his throat. “Tell you what, how about - how about I leave and go get them?”

“You’ll… where’re they?”

“They’re kind of a ways away, but I can go get them for you. But it’ll be a little while, see, so - so in the meantime you need to stop crying and get some rest.”

“Get some rest…”

“Yeah. And then by the time you wake up, they’ll be here, and everything will be great. Sound good?”

Keith seemed to mull it over for a few seconds, then he gave Lance a woozy smile. “Thank you,” he said.

“No problem,” said Lance. “So, you just get some sleep, and I’m gonna - I’m gonna leave.”

“Yeah…”

“Good night, Keith.”

Lance turned to leave, and made it across the room and had his hand on the door before Keith cried, “Wait! Lance!”

Lance whipped back around, to see Keith suddenly wide-eyed, urgency written across his face. “What is it?” he asked.

“I gotta - I gotta tell you - ” said Keith. “It’s important.”

Lance hurried back toward him. “What? What’s wrong?”

Keith placed his hands firmly on Lance’s shoulders to look him squarely in the eye. And with an amount of solemnity and directness that surely shouldn’t even have been possible in his drunkenness, he announced, “I am going to throw up.”

Then, to Lance’s dismay, he turned around, leaned over, and did just that.

#vldgen #voltron fic #vld fic #keith #lance #my writing #fic: remember me

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