#justicefanged

[luminousrider]

Excited, doggish screaming is the only warning Altena has before Honk comes running up to her, jumping up to plant big paws on her; the dog's entire body is wiggling with happiness, tail wagging the dog.

This is quickly followed by the loud, booming voice of Linus as he barrels up hot on the paws of Honk.

"TENA!"

It's not graceful in the least, but it's him and it's unabashedly genuine. Linus crashes into her full force, hauling her up in a bit of a half spin and squeezing her in a bear hug. "Fuck, where the fuck you been?! You okay? Shit went to hell so fast, and I couldn't find you or Peaches--" He'd looked for as long as he could, before he'd had to turn his attention to scared and scattered students.

He lets her down and gives her a quick look over -- too fast to really be taking in much detail beyond the fact that she was here -- before moving without thinking, a rough palm along her jaw as he leans in to kiss her. Relief and happiness at seeing her safe and alive again fueling his passion here.

"Honk!?" Altena is thrilled to see the dog bounding toward her. It could not have been easy for the poor thing during the attack but he's here now and that's what matters. She's about to lean down and give him a proper hug when a booming voice calls out her name.

She stops (sorry Honk your turn will come later) and and stands grinning at him. He charges into her and easily scoops her up and she leans into him, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

"I'm fine. I'm alright. The Projectionist brought a bunch of us to a bunker. But what about you? And Lloyd? Is he..."

He sets her back down but she keeps her hands on him. It's been too long. She doesn't want to let him go. "I thought you...I was worried...but you're here. We're both here."

She'd never really thought much about the stories tied to her lance before. She hadn't had a lover then. Having been separated from him for so long and not knowing where he was or if he had even survived the attack...the tragedy of the Gae Bolg started to loom closer.

But they are together again and they are both alive and well. His hand along her jaw and his lips against hers is proof of that. It's just a story. A legend.

She still worries.

"Hey, have you found a place to stay yet? I know there aren't many options available so maybe we could help out by looking for somewhere together. You know, free up an extra room for someone else." She doesn't tell him she hopes it will let her keep a closer eye on him. He was right when he said shit went to hell so fast. If they'd been together when the fighting broke out, maybe they wouldn't have been separated. Maybe they could have looked out for each other.

Honk whines and noses against her, clearly displeased that she has not taken time yet to reunite with him. Altena laughs and finally pulls herself away from Linus to kneel down next to the poor sad pup. "And you too, of course. We can't forget you now can we?"

[luminousrider]

🎄

Linus didn't really care one way or another about the whole mistletoe thing -- good luck, bad luck, whatever! -- but it was a convenient reason to give Altena a little kiss surprise, right?

Or, well, maybe not much of a surprise considering they were all over the place, but!!!

It only took a little asking around to find out where she was at -- with Peaches, of course -- and Linus channeled all his skill in stealth to sneak around to climb up the tree they were relaxing under with as little noise as possible. It was honestly impressive, considering his size. Still, there was no getting passed Peaches' senses, but with a quick shushing gesture and a wolfish grin, Linus was able to delay getting seen by Altena for just long enough to carry out his plan.

Hooking his legs around a tree branch, Linus drops himself back until he's suddenly more or less face to face with Altena -- grinning at her upside down and waggling a sprig of mistletoe with one hand.

"Hey, beautiful, didn't think you could get away with these around, did ya?"

She jumps when he dangles down in front of her, completely startled. How long has he even been there? There's no way he could have snuck past Peaches...

"Peaches! You traitor! You're supposed to alert me when someone's sneaking around!" But she can't keep the grin from splitting her face. It really is romantic, isn't it? He came all this way, figured out exactly where she was going to be, brought his own mistletoe, and snuck up on her like this. It's cute. She likes knowing she was on his mind.

She knows her cheeks must be burning red both from how silly she feels letting herself get ambushed like this and from how much she does want to kiss him now.

"Aren't you worried you'll fall?" She teases before leaning in and pressing her lips against his. It's kind of weird with him upside down but, really, that's part of the fun, isn't it?

[verseandrhyme]

7. Is your muse the big spoon or the little spoon?

I have a very big bias towards Mitama getting to be the big spoon. We can only wonder where that came from.

She's not particularly picky about it though. Mitama's biggest sign of affection is when she starts to take naps on people, and she's not at all picky about the arrangement so long as she's comfortable. Both have their own kind of appeal and she's happy for either one.

Usually she prefers to be the big spoon if she feels protective or possessive and small spoon when she's feeling lonely, but other than those specific moments it's just a roulette wheel of opportunity tbh.

Silly Claudetama additional answer: she likes to big spoon him because he needs to rest more and it's easier to keep him from running after his latest idea.

[aimlessarchery]

BARKBARK BITE YOU FINNA GET HIT BY THE DOG MAN

There's a sharp metallic squeak from the hinges of Python's door when he yanks it open, staring flatly at the man outside. The darkened skin beneath his eyes seem especially pronounced, perhaps due to it being the middle of the godsdamned night.

"Great work, really. You got a roommate you're competing with for the best dog impression, or is the other one an actual dog?"

He sways to the side, leaning into the doorframe.

"Either way. This still ain't your room, sorry to say. Try one over to the right."

[amitieos]

[ Sweet Bun Trio ]

"Don't think I ever thanked ya proper for that cupcake way back when, so...y'know, ain't homemade or nothin', but figure they'll taste better than anythin' I could scrape together anyhow!" Linus laughed, jabbing the plate in Elincia's direction. "No bitin' this time, promise!"

"Linus! Wow - you're looking incredibly fetching tonight," Elincia grins up at him as he approaches. His outfit might not quite be considered formalwear but it would be a lie to say it didn't suit him to a tee. Besides, a person's comfort and confidence was far more important than tailored jackets and appropriate ties. Her whole face lights up when she spots the plate in his hands, and a dusting of pink covers her cheeks. He really shouldn't have! "You know, you don't need to thank me at all. But..."

"I've never been one to turn down sweets, either. I'd be honoured to accept them. Would you like to share?" She hums thoughtfully, removing a black feather from her brooch and tucking it behind his ear. "If you ever want to make something homemade for a dear friend or special someone, do let me know. I'd be happy to teach you how to bake!"

"You're a very kind person, Linus, and a wonderful friend. Fang's lucky to have such a great role model and caregiver."

[profitsabode]

"You!" Linus barked, jabbing a finger at the woman as he stomped up to her. "How the fuck did you beat me?!" It's presented as a disbelieving, angry sort of question, but he was...more or less, actually asking. He remembered most of the fight, but the point where he got knocked out was a bit of a messy jumble for him.

Sure, he was pissed about getting knocked out right after he finally landed a hit, but he didn't think his foes incapable.

"I was just gettin' my shit goin', and then you--!! What did you even do?!"

Ah, she was wondering when the oversized pup would show up.

As much as she would have loved to support her side of the battle as the fight begins to meet its end, Anna's elimination in the previous combat prevents her from directly stepping back in. She could spectate the remaining participants, although the thought of only watching a fight she holds stakes in doesn't sit well with the commander. So instead she decides to remain at the medical tents, perhaps seeking out previous combatants or meeting some new faces.

As of right now...well, he at least fits the former request.

Anna naturally is pushed back by Linus' poke, but his vulgar prose and pissed tone prove he is more bark than bite for now. Besides, she couldn't imagine even him picking a fight in the middle of neutral territory. The redhead takes back her ground and flashes a light smile.

"It's simple, Mad Dog. I kept a clear head at a time when you could not," while her words are true, memories of flubbing two openings in her last battle linger on her mind to remind her of the contrary. But he didn't need to know about that! "You should know best to respect a worthy foe on the field, no?"

It's hard to be threatening, let alone intimidating, towards a man that holds a fair amount of height over her, but Anna leans in slightly with a wink. "But you can always swing by for a lesson of mine if you need a refresher, Linus. Deal?"

[luminousrider]

"Hey there, birthday girl, hope ya ain't been partying too hard without me!" Linus smirked, once again thankful for the monastery's ability to circulate information like a seasonal sickness. He'd learned quite a few things just from overhearing students, teachers or knights -- let alone anything that got pinned up on the board.

Absolutely abysmal for actually serious information that shouldn't get around, but endlessly helpful when it came to the mundane or more pedestrian.

"'M sure you've got a few people to celebrate with, and I won't shove my nose into any of that if ya prefer, but...figured when ya had time, maybe we could take a fly out to somewhere away from everyone else," he continues, his energy and excitement surprisingly contained for the moment. "I ain't got nothin' on you when it comes to wyverns, but I can handle one well enough for a li'l day trip."

Besides, if he fell flat on his face, she'd get to show him up right pretty.

"If you'd like to stretch your wings outside of Garreg Mach, that is," he chips in, an adventurous sort of mischief in his eyes.

[pretend i got this in on time shhhh]

"Is it really a party if you're not there?" Altena tilts her head to the side and folds her arms across her chest. Linus brings life and fun into any situation she's seen him in. It's hard to imagine a party quite as exciting without him. Not that she had planned on even having one to celebrate her birthday. Not here, at least.

It's nice to know that he bothered to figure out that it even was her birthday. She certainly hadn't told him. It's kind of a weird topic to bring up randomly. But she finds herself unable to stop smiling now that he's approached her about it.

"You don't really think there's anyone I'd rather spend my time with other than you, do you? Well, maybe Peaches but if you're inviting her along anyway..." It's hard to imagine a better way to spend the day than in the sky with someone she cares about. She knows Peaches would love it too. She can tell her wyvern misses her buddies from home.

"I'd love to. There's this really nice spot up in the mountains. We could pack a picnic."

[adalrikr]

@justicefanged continued from here:

"Bold'a you to think you're owed a response," Linus growled out, giving the kid a proper once over after he'd been given a name. Still wasn't ringing any bells, so if this kid was somebody, Linus wasn't going to give a rat's ass about it. "Well, Erk from Etruria, I don't really see how anythin' 'bout me or my kin has anythin' to do with you." And with those words, said with an annoyed sort of finality, Linus did let the boy go -- releasing him to stumble back to his own footing as he turned to act like he was busy with something else. But the kid just wasn't taking the hint... Sighing loudly, shoulders slumping, Linus brought his attention back around to Erk. "Do I look dead to ya now?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "Listen, I don't know ya and ya sure as hell ain't one of the F-- I don't know you. I don't know where ya got it in your head that you know me or my brother. We ain't never been to Etruria." He wasn't as good about keeping quiet about certain topics as Lloyd was, but Linus did try to catch himself -- it was just hard to try and figure out where this brat knew him from without giving something up.

"No. You don't look very dead." Erk dusts off the front of his uniform where he had been grabbed, frowning as he noted the wrinkles it in. His cape is also slightly wrinkled, but it often was, so he did not care so much about that, "But that is not an indicator if it happened or not."

He kneels, picking up the tome that had been dropped when Linus grabbed him.

"I don't suppose I did not know you, other than in passing. But I was..." He pauses, wondering what exactly he was meant to say to explain how he knew of Linus and the Black Fang, "I was a part of Eliwood's army, for a time."

It is not at all a sufficient explanation of what he had actually been doing, but he does not care to tell the whole truth right now.