video ✨ seelie/unseelie

[gandere]

[ Being a mother... isn't as easy as it sounds, Rin's painfully discovering. While the boy she adopted is a sweet little thing, he is also a boy and Rin is lacking in experience when it comes to boys that age. In Japan they were proper and didn't mingle much with girls so there's minimal experience from her childhood to go by. Growing up, there was a baby sister for a few years, but she doesn't like to think about those times either so it's no good. She's been a mother for a week and she's already crawling to her locket after asking around. Turns out most of her close companions either suck at parenting (thanks Saber for everything Mordred) or just planned to never have children at all (because that's helpful, Waver), leaving her in the dark. If only there were self help books available, but of course there's not.

Plus this gives her a reason to actually pester people. See what's been going on now that Caer Scima is rubble and everyone is scattered throughout the world. Let people know she's alive. Give them a chance to speak with her before she shut her locket for good. So here's one Rin, dressed tomboyish for her poking around for all to see. ]

Boys are really a handful, aren't they? No--before you ask--I'm not having relationship problems. I mean little boys. I'm not sulking, but it's really kind of hard to think of activities for someone his age-! [ She's brooding pretty fiercely by now. ] When I was seven years old, all I ever wanted to do was study, so why won't he?

[ Just in case anyone in Allaidh Darach needed further proof that Rin Tohsaka was a nerd. ]

I don't even know what to feed him since Emiya left. [ Yes, that's a public jab at his departure today. She's still a bit sour over it. ] He's a stupid boy, so he knows what boys need! What if I don't have enough of the right vegetables and his growth is stunted as a result. That can happen, can't it?!

[ There's a sound in the background that causes her to nearly drop her locket, the magus fumbling with it for a few seconds before it lands solidly in her palm. ]

Crap, crap, crap! What if he heard-?! Oh no, he's going to think he's an inconvenience and—[ Snapping the locket shut. It'll be a couple minutes to confirm it's clear before she replies to anyone. ]

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[steeledskin]

[ hmn. seven years? that's near enough to sweetrobin's age as makes no matter. and sansa can attest to what a handful he can be -- sulking and angry and entitled. but above all, sickly. she wonders (all at once) whether it was some deficiency of diet that had done it, now that rin talks about vegetables and growth being stunted.

how awful. ]

But -- what does he like to eat? [ because she is not ashamed to admit she spent many days bribing little robert arryn with his favoured treats. ]

[gandere]

I—[ don't know that yet. It's embarrassing to admit out loud so she keeps from doing so by steering the conversation back around. ]

He's only been here a week so we're trying various things together until we're sure.

video. locked, NO ONE CAN SEE HE IS CONCERNED

[vrykolakas]

Let him run around. Roll in mud. Loose some teeth. Can he swim?

everyone should be concerned, who gave this child a child it's horrible

[gandere]

M-Mud? [ And what was that about teeth? ]

I'm not sure if he can swim or not. I just picked him up from the temple a week ago.

[ Swimming lessons are a necessity now she decides since they live so close to the sea. ]

[digophelia]

When I was seven years old, my older sister and mother tried to get me to study frequently, when all I wanted to do was climb in the trees.

[ And Alice is very feminine, hardly a tomboy. Hearing this makes her think of her older sister yelling at her to get down and pay attention. ]

That's hardly unusual for a child -- children are active. Let him, just with some supervision.

[gandere]

What if he gets stuck up there? I can't climb a tree to save him and it isn't as if there's a police force I can call to help me.

[ Rin would have to rely on people like Rider to get him down and that's embarrassing. ]

You climbed trees?

[selfimage]

The welcome pitter patter of little feet running about.

[ there's a careless shrug of his shoulders. ]

Set him up with plenty of sugar—baked goods, cakes, sodas, the works—and then allow him to roam free among the other children to start their own untempered, dystopian society. Off they go into the sunset.

[ Loki that's Lord of the Flies. ]

[gandere]

Is that it? Sugar?

[ She almost sounds as if she believes him. This is too easy. ] This must be that man's code I've heard about. Where you all gather and help each other out with the perfect lie.

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[stickseller]

When I was seven, one of my favourite things in the world was taking things apart, and trying to put them back together. Or finding things at the scrapyard and try to either fix them, or make something new. (The scrapyard? Howard, your social class is showing. Clearing his throat now.) I also really liked playing baseball?

(He's not really good with kids, or rather, he's not really around kids much, so this is mostly just his upbringing.)

My Ma would stick me outside to run off the energy whenever I was too much for her. Then I'd get home and eat whatever she told me for dinner, too.

[gandere]

He's a clever and quiet boy. That may be what interests him most...

[ Mechanical stuff is harder to come by due to the way this world is though there could be magical puzzles to solve. Riddles, artifacts, something. ]

Whatever she told you?

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[raavashing]

[This woman had a very different life than Wan had growing up. He knew her type, though, insofar as her concerns about why her child wasn't just like her. Having never actually gotten to live with the kind of privilege she spoke of, he couldn't comment on actual experience if that was a good or bad thing.]

Well, you shouldn't be calling him a stupid boy. Ever. That's just going to hurt him and make him feel unwanted.

[And rightfully so, as far as Wan was concerned.]

As for activities, why don't you ask him what he wants to do? He's the one that's going to have to do them. And being seven doesn't mean he doesn't know what he wants right now.

[gandere]

I would never-! [ She sounds offended he would say that and pauses quickly after, wondering what she said to cause the confusion in the first place. Rin's never been careful with her words and it shows now as her sulky demeanor grows stronger. ]

No, no, no. I meant the chef was a stupid boy. He decided to, er, quit after a week of Scian being here. Now I have no idea what to feed my child.

Besides that, don't you think I've tried asking? He was at a temple up until now. I don't think he's ever owned a toy in his life.

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[babbylon]

Scorpions!

[Gilgamesh, no. That's actually worse than Lord of the Flies.]

The shells are full of protein, and the tails are quite the delicacy if you fry them. Although, I haven't caught any skittering about...

[...apparently he was serious. Good timing, though; the locket's sitting on a nearby table, since he's munching through his own food for the day himself. That's a lot of meat stacked high and a lot of food he's shoveling into his mouth. What a piggish sort of King.]

ASSUMING THIS IS AFTER THE PARTY THREAD MAYBE??

[gandere]

[ Rin's fairly certain that every single person in the Drabwurld is trying to kill her child. What is the matter with you all?? ]

Ugh... is that really what you eat? What's wrong with you? [ Grumble, grumble. She's going to be sick. ]

[Video]

[chaoticwhimsy]

You picked up a rugrat, huh? [Says the twelve year old...]

Hmm. I think you're supposed to just shove kids out the door at six am and ring the dinner bell when you want them to come back! Just let them kind of...wander around playing?

[She has no idea. At all.]

[gandere]

[ Don't get any ideas, Lumina ]

Is that... [ No, that can't be right. ]

If I ring a bell, will you visit?

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[envoyoftwilight]

[Midna has absolutely zero experience in caring for children of any age. But that doesn't mean she's never viewed people like Link as young. Or as 'children,' in some form of the word.]

Boys are a handful. [She agrees with a short little nod.] And I imagine some girls can be as well. I suppose it would be too easy to go to the one you have and simply ask him what it is he needs.

[No. She really doesn't get parenting. Which probably means Midna would not make a good mother.]

[gandere]

[ Sometimes people overlook the basics and Rin certainly has. It would be too easy to go to him and ask what he needs, but it creates the risk that she has no idea how to be a parent. She has to maintain some semblance of respect there. ]

We're still in the process of learning about each other. I'm sure with time we'll be able to ask each other outright, but right now it's a lot of feeling around with limits.

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[starspangled]

I don't know, when I was seven, my ma called me her "sunshine boy". [Steve, please.] On the other hand, my best friend called me a "punk", which was probably closer to the truth.

Does he have any friends his own age?

aggressively threadjacks

[falconkick]

"Sunshine boy"? Are you kidding me right now?

[ who's the actual cutest piece of shit on the planet? is it you? ohh, it's you, isn't is, yes it is. ]

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[boutant]

Maybe a dog? Something he can run around with, play with, help look after.

As for food... I guess just... follow the food pyramid? [ Yeah Ariadne doesn't know either. ] I mean, at least you probably don't have to worry about him only eating potato chips here.

[gandere]

A dog? [ Now that she thinks about it, she's going about this all the wrong direction. First was the child, then she started work on an orchard and then... a dog? Shouldn't it be rearranged slightly?

No going back now. ] Potato chips? Is that a common diet where you're from?

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[thole]

[Remus may not have children himself, but he's had enough experience with other peoples' children to be helpful, at least in this regard.]

There, now, children aren't that difficult, once you've got the hang of it. You said he was seven?

[Talking to Remus will always be a bit like talking to your favorite professor. He is both at once authoritative and reassuring. It really will be alright, just talk it through and you'll see, his tone beckons.]

[gandere]

[ Rin's a bit used to speaking with professors seeing as her best friend here was her's until they developed a friendship beyond academia so he gets a pass beyond her guard. Lowering it a bit, there's a softer edge to her tone. ]

Seven years old and an orphan of this world.

I suppose those aren't the best combinations, but they are what I have to work with.

[ permavid ]

[falconkick]

[ the cutest network post in the world, basically??? this one is hopelessly endeared. there's some Things that could be said about her being so young with so old a child, but - well. he's not gonna judge, only grinning here. ]

Boys are like a handful and a half, which is probably why my momma kept both hands tight on my collar. Don't get me wrong, I had a lot of freedom as a kid, but she kept my shit on lock. I can try to pass on some of her notes, if you want 'em.

[gandere]

I can handle it. [ Her confidence wavers a bit, but Rin's mostly sure she can handle this despite asking the public for guidelines. It's mostly a way to get people talking during an already quiet period full of recovery.

And if there's one thing she's sure that's bound to get people speaking, it's chatter about their parents. ]

You had a lot of freedom, but was looked after all the same? Now I have to know how she managed that.

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[notyetlegend]

When I was seven I already had my first bow an' I was runnin' around skinnin' my knees an' gettin' my dresses dirty, much to mum's distress.

[Seven was the year after her father got his leg clean bitten off by Mor'du, so there had been less of his presence around even as he'd insisted he was fine. Running around and skinning her knees helped as a distraction, though she hadn known it at the time, Birthdays weren't a thing Merida liked to remember for herself, so she waves a hand.]

My brothers will be seven this winter actually. Don't ask me what they like unless you want your lad to start bein' a wee little mischief maker. [She taps her chin.] An' don't give him haggis, th' boys like to use theirs as projectiles.

[gandere]

Projectiles? [ Rin doesn't even know what haggis is, but she assumes it's some kind of food since what else can be thrown? ]

... boys at this age are terrors, aren't they?

[ Peers, recalling what Merida said. ] Girls too, huh? Your poor mother.

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[tacticalturtleneck]

When he sticks his dick in a vacuum cleaner, don't laugh your ass off. Trust me, that scars a guy for life.

[Personal experience, yo.]

[gandere]

I don't want to think about him having a dick ever.

[ ... but now she has to ask: ] Archer, have you ever done that to your own--you know--your own??

vidya

[getinthechariot]

Is it really so difficult?

Past school, ask him what he'd like to do. Perhaps he'd like to ride horses or learn a fine art? Or play games with his companions?

Worry not about his diet - they eat much the same as adults!

[gandere]

Please don't give him any barrels of wine, Rider. [ SHE HAS HEARD STORIES. ]

... besides that, he doesn't have any companions. We moved away from the orphanage and the children of the town nearby are apprehensive for good reason. He's a Shardbearer's child.

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[graciousness]

[ this is really somewhat adorable and gwen took care of a father, brother, young boys in the lower city and most of all, arthur who was an oversize child himself so she smiles and shakes her head. ]

You needn't worry, my Lady. You only need to keep him busy. young children love to run and climb, some of them prefer pretending they are knights or dragons. mayhaps he would care to be a little knight and you could be the dragon.

[ smiling ever so much. ]

you would need the essentials for food. vegetables of any kind are a good start and perhaps some bread and cheese. I found soups and stews are good.

[gandere]

[ Soups and stews seem easy enough. Just pour a bunch of stuff into a slow cooker and ohhh, that's right. The crockpot hasn't been invented yet? Plus there's a lack of electricity and where is she even going to get one? From the monarchs?

Tempting. ] Is it wise to teach the boy to slay me? I could light things on fire easily to act as if I'm a dragon, but knights kill them.

[andallbite]

You never struck me as the type who'd wanna sit around studying all day. [ Yeah guess who has no idea how a person learns all that crazy magic business..... ] But it's not everyone's idea of fun, y'know.

[gandere]

[ It's a good thing she cleans up well. ] Really?

What kind of person do you take me for then?

[ ABORT. ABORT. Eren, if you value your life any-!! ]

vidya

[showmeyourwreath]

Children often like colour or interesting shapes so if you can, try and arrange his meals to look a little fun every so often. It also can make things more appealing if he's decided there are foods he's decided he doesn't like without trying them. But also keep in mind that they have more taste buds than adults, so try to compromise if he really doesn't look like he's enjoying something. It might not seem so bad to you, but it could taste like a nightmare to him, especially if it's bitter. Things like wraps are a good way to get a lot of different nutrients and kids often like eating with their hands, so that's something to consider. Also soups.

[Flora smiles gently and rests a cheek on a hand.]

At seven I was climbing trees and riding lady bugs and jumping on bouncing flowers, but I did love to read and study, too. Maybe try puzzles or teaching him to play an instrument? Music does wonders for learning and motor skills, and it's also just very fun. If he doesn't like studying as much, try and make it a game, somehow.

[gandere]

Make it a game? [ How do you do that?

It's almost as if she was raised by someone who didn't joke around or play with her. What terrible neglect she's going to pass on to her own child. ]

How do you turn education into something that's fun? It isn't possible.

[ Everything else is written down. Bright colors. Pretty displays. Wraps. All of it makes sense since boys do get messy and will get their hands on everything... from what she's been told anyway. What a lot of work this was turning out to be. ]

private video.

[jaywalks]

Put him on a leash. Seven year olds aren't that much different from toddlers. [ is he being sarcastic? we're not sure. ]

And he'll grow just fine no matter what you feed him, as long as it's regular meals of regular food. [ he would not advise rooting through dumpsters to find food for the kid, though. ]

[gandere]

[ Is it legal to leash a child? While she's not sure if it is back home, this world did have a different set of rules. It's possible that leashes and collars were commonplace. ]

You say he'll behave like a toddler even though he's closer to a teenager by the laws here.

... It makes someone really think on how short their lives must be, huh? Sorry, that's a pretty depressing topic all around, but it can't be helped now that I thought about it.

[ Which means she'll spare him the rest of that and bring the topic back around to a lighter one. ] I think he's at the age though where he could out-maneuver a leash. Are handcuffs acceptable?

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[cockade]

I remember that I had a tendency to wander when I wasn't supposed to, at that age. [Arno looks amused at the thought.] My father used to go looking for me all over, because I'd never stay still.

[gandere]

Wandering?

Why would anyone go wandering in this place? It's a war zone. [ Now that it's been confirmed, all she can do is worry about it. ]

How far would you make it before your father caught you?

[muscovy]

Feed him food. [No really he's just super confused by this worrying about vegetables and stunted growth. As long as you give children anything to eat at all, they'll grow, in his experience (well, if they're human).] You could feed him higher food than vegetables if you worry that much and have the money, yes?

[gandere]

Higher food? [ What's better than vegetables, she wonders. ]

Is it something of better quality? Vegetables grown in Treun should be the finest, but I'm not sure. Maybe there's some mystical fruit here that can help a person grow.

I must have it.