Aqua Utopia｜海の底で記憶を紡ぐ
will byers stan first human second
NASA
styofa doing anything
cherry valley forever
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Misplaced Lens Cap
祝日 / Permanent Vacation
Cosmic Funnies
Kiana Khansmith
almost home
I'd rather be in outer space 🛸
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Cosimo Galluzzi
Product Placement
❣ Chile in a Photography ❣
Claire Keane
occasionally subtle
izzy's playlists!
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@boarchasers-archive
The Boar-Chasers now have their own blog over here. This one will remain up for archival purposes, but will no longer be updated.
In similar news, I can’t remember if I’ve ever mentioned this before, but if for some reason you ever want to find my personal blog, it’s here.
“I’ll need more than five,” he said flatly. “I am Errol, and I need your help. Roan was attacked by a vampire. He turned. I need to find a cure. I was hoping you might know of something, or someone who knows of one.”
Haaki nearly shot anyway. He wasn't sure what kept his hand still, or what made him lower the crossbow and, without taking his eyes off the man stood in front of him, put it away - probably the name, but he made a note, if Roan ever asked, to blame Grey Mage magic.
'If you're Errol - and I'm not convinced - use your magic. Turn him back,' he growled. 'Why do you need my help?'
greyborn replied to your post:
The man frowned at the sight of the crossbow, but otherwise ignored it. “Normally you greet me with a bit of bouncing and warm milk,” he said and tilted his head slightly. “Though I suppose my new appearance is somewhat… unsettling.”
The crossbow clicked as Haaki raised it, settling it against his shoulder.
'I'll give you five words. If you can't explain yourself with that--' his finger tensed around the crossbow's trigger '--then I'll let you imagine the consequences.'
"Haaki?" The young man took a few steps around the camp, searching for the former bandit. "I was wondering if you could assist me."
Haaki was sure he hadn’t heard anybody approach. If he had done, he would have had his crossbow out much sooner, rather than shoving a bolt in as he spun around.
‘Who are you, and what are you doing here?’
Just A Moment of Your Time... [Haaki, Sibby]
“Of course,” she agreed and nodded, standing and tugging on his hand gently. “We’ll head home and I’ll make you a nice meal. Perhaps even dessert before bed.” It was only after she had said it that she realized how it sounded. A blush started to form on her cheeks, but she played off her embarrassment rather well - letting out a muffled giggle and offering the man a coy smile.
Once they exited the inn, she sighed in relief and ran a hand over her face. Still, she kept walking, until the entrance to the inn was no longer in sight.
“I am so sorry,” she began, and let out another sigh. “I just — I panicked? He wouldn’t take no for an answer and you were there and… it was rude of me. I’m sorry. I can still get you a meal, though? For the trouble.” Sibby looked up at him and offered him an apologetic look, coupled with a half-smile. It was then she realized she was still holding his hand. With another apology, she released it and clasped her hands awkwardly in front of her, awaiting his reply.
As soon as it was free Haaki ran his hand across his face, willing his blush away to no effect whatsoever. He leaned back against the nearest wall and, without thinking about it, was finally able to pull his cloak around him, shrinking into it for cover even as he shook his head.
'It's nothing, miss. Just a bit unexpected, is all. As for a meal...'
He glanced back over his shoulder, in the direction of the inn, and gave Sibjorn a thin smile.
'As long as it's not in there, I don't see why not. Name's Haaki, by the way.'
Hammerfell
The air was sweet, Whiterun-sweet, with mountain flowers and mammoth sweat and people, people Frithjofr loved more dearly than himself, than the snow and the rock and the sky. There was Minnel. Warm and red-faced, stretched out beside him. He cupped her cheek in his hand. There was Finnr, curled up in her lap, wrapped in layers of silk from the Khajiiti caravans. He was old enough to reach up now and wave his hands around, wanting Pa, wanting Ma. Whiterun-sweet.
They weren’t in Whiterun. They were in Hammerfell, in a tent which smelt of leather and smoke. The flower scents were desert flowers, the sweat from animals Frithjofr couldn’t even name. A tent with sand everywhere. A tent with the soldiers thundering across the Alik’r.
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Just A Moment of Your Time... [Haaki, Sibby]
For a moment Sibby doubted her choice. Even more-so when the man seemed unable to process exactly what she was asking. Now that she thought of it, she probably could have blatantly asked him to pretend to be her lover - it was doubtful the drunk would remember either way.
She scooted closer to him, and brought his hand towards her lap, resting it on her lower thigh - her hand still grasping his almost desperately.
“It’s been such a long day, dear,” she said and glanced sideways at the Breton, who seemed to be glaring at them both, his arms crossed over his chest. “It’s so lovely to see you again. Your day was eventful, hm?” She eyed him over and spotted the scarf about his neck.
“Keeping the Empire out of Skyrim, aye?”
Haaki was immensely grateful for his scarf in that moment, wrapped tightly enough around his neck that he doubted either the Breton or this increasingly forward woman could see him swallow. If only he could hitch it up higher, around the hot blush on his cheeks, or sweep it across his legs without being noticed. They were starting to twitch as the woman's grip tightened.
'Aye, you know... lots to-- think about...' He turned his head around the rest of the inn, looking for an escape route and finding none. 'Why don't we head somewhere else? Somewhere quieter?'
Somewhere there wouldn't be so many people to watch his face turn the same shade of red as the Imperial flag, in other words.
“Keepin’ y’self busy then?” Arlain asked and followed him towards the center of the camp. She looked over the rather familiar area, and her eyes only lingered on the empty space for a few minutes. Then she returned her gaze to the hunter and scoffed at his comment.
“Oh, aye,” she agreed with sarcasm, nodding her head for emphasis. “Nothin’ quite like gettin’ to listen to Trond babble on ‘n on all night. Not even a challengin’ thief lately. Gettin’ a bit disappointin’.”
Hjolrin started to smile, and stopped. It had been busy enough the last time he was in Whiterun. Dark Brotherhood assassins turning up in the city, turning up at her house, and turning out to be his own brother. His face went dark and sullen for a moment.
When he realised what he was doing he straightened up and tossed a few sticks on the fire.
'Could do something together. Make life more interesting.'
Just A Moment of Your Time... [Haaki, Sibby]
Why she chose the rather mopey-looking Nord out of any other choices was beyond her. Perhaps it’s because he was the first young man she spotted that wasn’t already invested in conversation with someone else. Perhaps it was due to the fact that he wasn’t completely terrible-looking. Perhaps she was just desperate.
Regardless, she sat down in the chair next to him and took his hand within both of hers and looked at him with pleading eyes.
“Hail, darling,” she said and offered him a warm smile. “Terribly sorry that I took so long; a certain annoying, pushy man” - and here she looked towards a rather drunken Breton who was eying the two of them - “was in my way and tried to keep me from you.”
Haaki's hand tightened around his tankard when somebody approached him. There was always a period of tension after a contract, waiting for somebody to hint at their suspicions, or blackmail him, or to drag him off to the guards. Balancing innocence with menace wasn't a technique he had mastered yet.
His façade was shattered anyway when she spoke and he choked on his mead, almost spilling what he had left in the tankard. Whatever maturity he had gained vanished, replaced with childish red cheeks and wide eyes. His only saving grace was the stubble of beard across his jaw.
'I... I...'
He glanced between the Breton and this stranger several times before his mind, in a desperate attempt to make sense of the situation, started trying to catch up. It wasn't enough to keep the question out of his voice when he coughed,
'I... don't mind, miss... dear...?'
Settling Accounts [Roan, Haaki]
Roan grabbed Haaki’s hand, spun and held a dagger against the Nord’s throat. Once he realized who it was, however, a smile broke across his face and he released him.
“Did’ya brin’ a picnic for us?”
It was only then that Haaki realised sneaking up on a bandit might not have been the wisest idea he had ever had. In fact, it was right up there alongside trying to put a hat on a troll, after a dare from Trond, and attempting to hunt down a sabre cat, aiming to impress Hjolrin.
He held his breath, but, in his opinion, didn't show his panic too badly. When Roan let him go he grinned, although he did turn to look out for guards at the tower rather than at his companion.
'Sure. Sweet rolls and everything. Let's get on with this first, though, aye? Work up an appetite.'
In the long tall grass of summer What did we know? What did we think? There was nothing there to warn us Our life was in bloom We were just looking out the window for a sign And I will love you till I die Won't question it or wonder why The earth turns as it does
She leaned up to press a kiss against his lips after he kissed her forehead, and she shivered slightly at his touch.
“Aye, fine, just busy,” she explained and shook her head. “How’ve y’been? Sorry I haven’t been able to come see y’more often.”
'Good. Right time of year, lots of game.'
Hjolrin could have stood with his arms pressed around her for the duration of her visit, but he drew back and motioned her over to the centre of the camp beside the fire. Despite the time which had passed, it looked much the same as ever, although there was a sad empty space where Haaki's tent used to be.
'Expect guarding's more interesting,' he added, as he prodded the fire back into life.
dragonbornguard said: Arlain grinned brightly once she saw the Nord and made her way to him quickly, wrapping her arms around him when she got close enough. “Good to see y’too.”
It still didn't quite come naturally, but Hjolrin was smiling when he bent down and gave Arlain an awkward kiss on the top of her head. He smoothed her hair down with a broad palm afterwards. There was a short pause but, after some consideration, he did let his fingers run against her ears, brushing against the tips.
'Don't often see you here,' he said. 'You all right?'
Settling Accounts [Roan, Haaki]
“Alright, I’ll ask ‘em today if they wouldn’t mind after he gets ‘imself a nap,” he replied with a smile. If he noticed the mockery, he chose to ignore it. ”Whitewatch Tower? It’s a date, then.”
— — —
Roan adjusted the bow on his back and kept a watchful eye on his surroundings as he headed towards the tower. A light mist of rain was falling and he pulled his cloak up to keep it from getting in his eyes. As he got closer to the area, he kept an eye out for the bandit he was meeting.
Haaki was doing exactly the same thing. Crouched behind the bones of a long-dead mammoth, he saw Roan's approach and crept out of his cover, keeping low and darting from rock to rock. As he got closer he moved more slowly, muffling his footsteps with the heather, until he was close enough to tap Roan's shoulder.
Smells Like Rookie Spirit [Gein, Haaki]
Gein dusted herself off and looked the Nord over. Not entirely bad. She had seen worse. “Surprises? Why would I want to reward you with any surprises?” she asked with a raised brow, though a faint smile played on her lips. “Why don’t you just tell me how many you’ve been sent to assassinate, how you killed them, and how you disposed of their bodies? Then I can figure out where to go from there.”
Haaki trudged on in silence for a while. The memories of his kills and contracts thus far were something he was doing his best not to recall, pushing them down into his unconscious and burying them under as many other insignificant worries as he could find. He had to sift through petty concerns about his brothers, about his hunting and his increasingly ragged cloak, before he shrugged.
'Three so far. Left the first body, because I almost got caught by the guards.' He paused, already glaring at Gein and daring her to comment. 'Dropped the second in White River, and buried the third near Stonehill Bluff.'
The halfmer made her way down the path towards Hjolrin's camp that she had become so accustomed too. She smiled once she saw the area through the trees and looked around once she made it to the camp. "Hjoll? Y'round?"
Hjolrin was hidden between two trees when Arlain arrived, whittling a piece of wood down for arrows, but he stood as soon as he heard her voice. A wave of wood shavings fell onto the ground around his boots and he kicked them off, striding forwards with what was becoming a rapidly more familiar smile.
‘Aye. Good to see you.’
“Hulgin Bear-Skull…” Roan repeated, but Haaki was right - the name didn’t sound familiar. “Sure I can help ya out. When were ya wantin’ta do it? Gotta ask the Salvius’ if they won’t mind watchin’ Errol. Or maybe tha’ one Breton girl in Markarth tha’ seems’ta like ‘im enough.”
'As soon as possible, preferably. I'd rather I didn't find my camp sacked again by the time I get back.'
Haaki started towards the door but paused before he reached it, deliberately and slowly.
'But if Pa needs to find a babysitter, I can wait,' he said with a grin. It looked far more tired than he intended. 'How about I meet you near Whitewatch Tower?'
