#future snippets

[misfits-of-zaun]

Toffee went very still.

"...Good," he managed to respond at last; his recent adaption of careful civility felt especially stiff and awkward in the face of such intimate news.

"That's good."

There was an unmistakable sense of relief at the knowledge that months of nightly efforts woud finally be over now that the heir they needed had been confirmed to be growing inside her. This was what he had wanted; his legacy would be secured.

Yet the information did not spark any joy, merely resignation to what he knew was to be another layer to the facade of a happy marriage that he was required to maintain. There would be an addional set of duties and expectations he would have to fulfil, not just to keep up appearances, but to ensure she kept up her end of this implicit deal.

More so than ever, he needed their tentative truce to remain intact. The stakes were too high to fail now. He had too much to lose.

In his mind's eye, he kept seeing that blood-slicked floor.

"...How long have you known?"

@moon-of-mewni

[moon-of-mewni]

@cold-blooded-candy [from here: https://cold-blooded-candy.tumblr.com/post/169038174139/can-i-hold-her ]

Moon did not stand as Toffee cradled Star’s sleeping form within his arms. Attentive eyes did not miss the softening of his features and the care that came with his careful movements that sought to preserve the infant’s rest. Her body remained tender as it worked to heal the damage that bringing the child into the world had done. Her movements remained slow- something that made her grateful for the shift in dynamic between her and her husband. She could not imagine having to defend herself both physically and mentally from his brutish behaviour in such a state.

But such woes remained in the past. Now, Toffee’s attentions were more focused and amenable. Adoration was showered upon the child he had known little more than a week and a quiet sort of respect remained for the queen that had granted him such a miraculous gift.

"It’s possible,”

Toffee’s words gave credit to the theory she had been working on. What poor luck it would be to have a child who was sensitive to the cold in the thick of winter. Of course, whilst Star was so small and vulnerable, it made little difference. The vast amount of the child’s time was spent within the warm hold of her mother’s arms. But Moon had already grown familiar enough with the baby to notice a faint difference in temperature between them in some moments.

“She seems to like this spot well enough… has she been fussing?”

“Not too much, no…” Moon’s maternal gaze remained fixed on the bundle within Toffee’s arms. From within his arms Star continued to sleep, drawing slow irregular breaths as she lay utterly unaware of the change of arms that had taken place.

“She went down like a dream for her nap this morning. She was a little fussy an hour or so ago, but she soon settled once I moved to sit by the fire.”

It was peculiar how naturally Toffee took to holding the child- how well he adapted his stance to support the life he aided in bringing into the world. Moon had not considered him to be much of the nurturing type given past behaviours, but she had been proven quite blessedly wrong. Little Star brought the smallest glints of light into his eyes.

“Eating and sleeping is just about all the little one can manage…she’s sleeping a frightful amount, but the nurses seem to think she’s in good health.”

As if on cue a faint gurgling sound came from the swathed child. From amidst her blankets, Star coiled in clumsy, ill-adapted movements as consciousness seeped back into her drowsy body. Bleary eyes stared up at the markedly different face that held her in an attempt to recognise Toffee through sleep’s lingering clutches. A soft, infantile mixture of both mewman and septarian sound built from within the blankets. Distress did not quite seep into the tiny princess’ newly formed voice, but a niggling uncertainty was evident.

“It’s alright.” Moon’s words were just as much intended for Star as they were for Toffee. The mere sound would be enough to remind the child that her mother was still present, even if she was no longer within her arms.

“…I’m still here, sweetie.”

[dlinyenkiwrites]

      In a fit of insomnia-and-gin-fueled mania Jean painted on the barest wall a listing mandala of angry, lashing reds and dark, jagged blues deepening to black. An errant patch of white spilled out from the lightest blue and shaded to concrete gray, and an errant bolt of azure speared through the center. Kasra added to it, after a few days of silent contemplation, softening the edges to feathered fringes, coaxing the red into hellfire orange before it turned to plunge back into the black. Luko had finer-boned fingers, and he let Kasra dip them in black and guide his hand in tracing the sketchy outlines of three figures, silhouettes of armaments bristling over their shoulders and the darkness ahead lighting up with precise specks of blue-white. He spent a few hours on those, nose pressed close to the wall, turning the dark into a starscape that matched, when Jean checked, exactly with the one he would have seen over Siberia, way beyond the reach of light.

[moon-of-mewni]

@cold-blooded-candy [from here]

“…Getting drunk,” 

Large, clawed hands moved to fill the glass again as if working to demonstrate the fact. Toffee's reluctance to so much as cast a fleeting glance in Moon's direction was all the confirmation needed that her presence was distinctly unwelcome. The septarian treated most display of personal weakness in the same manner. Moon had long-since noticed the pattern. But not once had such dips in composure led to the tears and shaking breath that plagued him at present.

"...Yes, I noticed." The statement swallowed back the brief swell of exasperation as the bottle was swiftly drained. It would be a wonder if he was sober by morning. Something plagued Toffee enough to bury it within the empty bottle before him. Such efforts seemed entirely in vain, however, as the alcohol's touch only oozed the emotion out of the septarian. Such a sight felt almost criminal to bear witness to.

"It doesn't look very enjoyable."

[moon-of-mewni]

@cold-blooded-candy [from here: https://cold-blooded-candy.tumblr.com/post/169008236514/do-you-want-me-to-leave ]

Wide eyes greeted Toffee as he made his approach and sat at a respectful distance. The unknown nature as to what he would make of her in such a state caused Moon’s shoulders to hitch a little higher in anticipation of whatever angle had drawn her husband to sniff her out. It felt wrong to be joined in such a moment of solitary pain and regret. She had been left under strict instructions to rest: something that did not stop her wandering throughout the rooms of the castle’s left wing in an attempt to distract herself from the horrors that were forever carved into her mind.

What a terrible thing she had done.

Toffee had not been angry, but there had been something in his eyes. Something she had not recognised. Something she did not trust.

Moon had not abandoned the possibility that his anger was merely delayed- waiting for the day upon which she was more satisfying to kick down with it.

Warily, Moon reached for the handkerchief, curling her fingers around it as though hoping to find some comfort from within its folds.

He had expressed a wish for her to have communicated her situation with him. Perhaps with distance, Toffee realised just how impossible he had made such a simple action. When cruelty and manipulation were the only games he played, honesty and vulnerability were far from what she wished to approach him with in a moment of crisis. When one could hardly hold a conversation over breakfast, discussing womanly matters such as suspected pregnancy felt utterly insurmountable. It was possible, Moon surmised, that this was Toffee’s attempt of remedying the lack of communication that had created such a situation. Nevertheless, she did not trust it.

Cautiously, as if half-expecting the gesture of the handkerchief to be some veiled act of furthering her humiliation, Moon raised it to catch her stray tears.

“…Is there something you need?” The quiet question fell as pale eyes found themselves incapable of holding his gaze. Toffee rarely instigated any interactions without purpose. It would be easy enough if she threw him an opportunity to discuss whatever royal duty needed her approval whilst he dictated matters in her absence. It was nothing short of implausible that he had approached her for a mere discussion. He needn’t have to discuss her tears if there were greater issues at hand.

[moon-of-mewni]

Lie to Me

(( Thread with @cold-blooded-candy continued from here: https://moon-of-mewni.tumblr.com/private/167717161894/tumblr_ozbh660jH41w9eytu ))

“I went to see Count Nagresse,”

Opal eyes narrowed as the truth was squeezed from her target. A bitter flare of anger was swiftly swallowed back behind a clipped, detached mask as Moon pressed on. "I had already told you, the issue is done. We have more important things to do than police the harmless whims of noblemen."

Nevertheless, it seemed suitable to hear Toffee out. The monster rarely took pains to act for inconsequential or petty reasons; something which maintained the healthy air of scepticism across her features whilst she listened.

“He bought several plots of land in the South East with the intent of building an estate. I blackmailed him with evidence of his affair with Lady Adia and got him to sign over the deeds to me - fuck this fucking spell is strong.”

A long, drawn silence followed the expletives that rolled from her increasingly distressed husband's tongue.

"You blackmailed him." The response was quiet but markedly firm as Moon repeated the confession.

"What underhanded need do you have for that land that drove you to stoop so low as to blackmail?" The anger and disbelief was contained behind the unwavering mask, but as the queen spoke, each word sharpened.

"We don't blackmail. What on earth is worth such a violation of how we treat our people? Did you really think you would manage to hide the paper trail that comes with an extension of crown land? You fail to realise that your behaviour has made me keep watch of things with twice the care. If you're forthright and have just cause for actions I, as queen, can support you without need for blackmail. Go behind my back, however, and I'm inclined to have you ride out there and return the deed in person."

[moon-of-mewni]

@your-ardent-admirer [from here: https://your-ardent-admirer.tumblr.com/post/168995615418/are-you-alright-in-there-youre-so-quiet ))

A gargantuan swell of relief clenched at Moon’s heart once her placatory tactic received a smile. Beneath the swallowed hysteria in her own pleasantries, there was an unending fear that another cruel turn of temper would bring the wechuge upon her like hellfire. Without her wand or the ability to dip down, self-defence was best found in conceding pained defeat. It was a tenuous balance; one which she had only recently attempted to touch upon.

“…You’re a vision. I knew that colour would bring out your eyes.”

An uncomfortable pause answered Kalgor’s words whilst Moon grappled with what approach would be most effective.

“…You have an eye for detail.” The fact dropped somewhat statically from her in an effort to avoid stroking his ego too directly. She wanted to keep the dress on. The novelty of seeing her in one of his gifted gowns was hopefully, Moon considered, enough to tempt Kalgor to allow her such dignity…As dignified as anyone could be when having to request assistance to complete dressing themselves.

“Allow me,” Long, clawed hands traced the bare slope between her shoulders, eliciting an instinctive shiver at the touch. From where she stood rooted to the ground, Moon held her eyes tightly shut, swallowing back the growing dread that such an involuntary motion may be taken as anything else. The fearful slam of her heart within the cage of her chest caused her breath to catch in her throat as Kalgor’s hand found her waist and drew her into an embrace from behind.

He could not see her face.

He could not see how her lips trembled as shallow breaths fell with greater anxiety at the contact.

“I’m glad you like it,” Words followed the gentle press of lips to the crown of her head. Steeling every last part of herself to remove the fear from her voice, Moon made her attempt of response, allowing the wechuge to maintain his hold over her.

“It was very kind of you.” Again, words danced around a more direct thanks, offering little, but far more than they had mere days ago. Denial had gone down terribly. It was time to attempt a different approach. He seemed happier like this- more pliable. Controlled cooperation was a potentially rewarding avenue, so long as her control did not slip.

“I thought you might like to accompany me for a little walk above deck. It’s a lovely clear day…”

The offer was enough to draw a gasp from Moon, as though the mere thought of such a small excursion were relieving a great pain.

“Yes.” The word tumbled from her mouth without hesitation. It was a rare opportunity indeed; one that had been won by patience and careful humouring of the monster’s dangerous delusion. The deck would grant many opportunities: a chance to see who else was on the ship, a chance to perhaps scout how close land was and a chance to gain her bearings. It was an invaluable offer.

“Yes please,” Moon corrected herself, inwardly chiding at her abruptness in accepting the gesture. “I would like that very much.” Pale eyes held his in a tentative manner.

“…I love the sea.” Strained words were chosen with care. “I should wish nothing else than to gaze upon it rather than hear nothing but its cry from within this room.”

[moon-of-mewni]

@cold-blooded-candy [from here]

At the unreserved drop of the tension within Toffee's shoulders Moon stilled, quietly concerned by the sheer weight of such a reaction. He still appeared to be breathing and by the pressure of him settling into her hands, it became clear that such attentions were far from unwanted. Not wishing to disrupt the calm, Moon's hands continued their work. Gentle presses eased around the areas of greatest tension, caressing over them with broad, soothing strokes.

Mere weeks ago, such moves would have been part of a display that aimed for a display of weakness or surrender, but now no such aim existed. The truce had been a genuine one. It was in the lack of Moon's escalation and Toffee's willingness to accept the contact that both demonstrated the new balance that had been put into play.

Whilst smoothing careful touches over scales, Moon slipped into thought. Warm hands dipped beneath the collar of the septarian's shirt before systematically working their way up once more beneath the cover of his hair. Touches varied from trained presses to gentler touches, each seeking to soothe the tension within his frame, but not showing the slightest inclination of wandering beyond their task.