pirateangelbaby | Hair Braiding For All

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amelia

Hair Braiding For All

Summer has come to Asvera, and the locals will swear it has never been so green. Sure, the weather is still a cool thirteen degrees Celsius, and the stiff sea breeze often makes it feel just that little bit more drafty, but the mountain on the mainland seems to have exploded in a carpet of wildflowers and grasses, the greenery flourishing in the village itself along the edges of the roads. The juniper trees' twisted boughs are full, the lavender planted along the footpaths tall and thick. Fluffy clouds cast shadows across land and sea as they drift across the endless blue sky, the sun never quite dipping below the horizon, and every day the fishing boats return with their holds laden heavy with cod and coalfish and halibut. The wooden frames of the hjell along the shoreline of the islands are packed full of drying fish, and inside the greenhouse and in the field before Thor's home, crops ripen underneath the polar sun.

The village is a bit more crowded these days, between the Asgardians and the Sakaarans and the humans, and new housing has been built on neighboring islands and on the mainland. But Thor's house is where it always has been, up on the bluff apart from the densely packed homes on the little archipelago.

Inside the house is a little more chaotic than it once was. Today has been a more trying day than many of late. Thor's head aches from hangover and not enough sleep, having awakened a little too early by Eindrid seeking solace from some night terror, and then Una demanding breakfast since he was already awake. The kitchen is a bit of a mess in the wake of the children's breakfast, sugary jam fingerprints on the table and bits of cheese on the floor, though the ravens are making short work of the crumbs and squabbling over who gets the largest piece. Sigrid and Agnarr gather up the dishes to put in the sink while Eindrid toddles away in search of the television remote, and Thor has Una seated on his knee at the table while he tries to tame her hair. A half-eaten slice of salmon toast sits at his elbow next to a coffee mug that contains little more than the dregs, and smells faintly of mead under the roasted coffee flavor.

More than once he's had to start over already, and Una is fussing under his hands as he undoes yet another braid. They're due to have a visitor today, and normally he's much better about making sure the place is presentable - well, as much as a house with four children can be - as well as the children, but today he is dragging. What time is it, anyway?

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Whatever style she's chosen takes some time to weave, but Thor does not mind. Her fingers in his hair are soothing, and if he was more tired, he might be tempted to nod off. As it is, he sits quietly, relaxed, listening to the sounds of the children in the living room and in the kitchen. Una eventually finishes dunking the plate she'd been so focused on, scampering out to the living room to join her sister and young brother in watching cartoons.

Thor's eyebrows arch when he sees the picture on her phone. "That's very elaborate," he says, not in a disapproving manner. It is the theme of the day, is it not? Thor does not wear a crown of precious metals - though he could easily have one made, if he'd desired - but this suits him better, he thinks.

Eindrid has little input, of course, but Una pouts a little. "It's fancier than mine," she says.

"That's because he's the king," Sigrid replies, with a small nod of approval. "He's supposed to be fancier."

Una considers that. "Okay then," she agrees.

"Everyone has something fairly elaborate," she reminds Thor with a teasing voice. "You weren't going to be the exception when the children are all ready for a fancy party." She laughs softly then takes back her phone. While the children inspect her work, she sends a copy of all of the pictures - Thor's included - to her friend so he can do with them as he will at his leisure.

Amelia arches an eyebrow at Una and then smirks at the small girl. "How about this: On your birthday, you will have the fanciest braid of all. A crown, if you like, or something even more fancy if I can find the right ribbons or hair decorations for it. It'll be your day and everyone will know it simply by the elaborate state of your hair. Deal?"

"Of course not," Thor agrees easily with a small chuckle. "We all have to match, don't we?" He doesn't just mean the children, of course. Amelia is part of this little get-together too, and she is the expert today.

Una's eyes light up, a childish anticipation in her gaze. "Can I ride the pegasus too?"

This is not the first time she's asked, judging by the look on Thor's face. "You'll have to ask the lady Valkyrie," he reminds her. "But I'll put in a good word for you, if you like."

This is apparently acceptable, because Una looks pleased by his answer. "Okay then."

"If we all have to match, I need to finish redoing my own hair," Amelia laughs. Her half-done version of the style she created for Agnarr is charming, but she has far too much hair for it to look nice the way everyone else's hair does. She also lacks enough ribbon to fill her hair, but that's a secondary issue at this point. She'll leave it for now, though, as her attention is best reserved for Thor and the children.

The rogue tilts her head curiously, then asks, "What's a pegasus?" Somehow she thinks this is going to be a terrible thing to ask (she should probably know this one by now), but it hasn't been a topic of conversation previous so she has to know. Knowing more about what the children like is always a helpful thing.

"I can give it a try, if you like," Thor offers, a little boldly. He doesn't know if she'd permit it, of course, which is why he leaves her an out if she would rather do it himself. But it seems appropriate to offer, after she's helped them all today.

Una's eyes go wide because how does Lady Amelia not know what a pegasus is? "It's a flying horse!" she proclaims confidently. "Every Valkyrie has to have one so they can ride it into battle."

"Val keeps him stabled on the far end of the village," Thor adds, which may explain why Amelia hasn't noticed it around. "We didn't think it was a good idea to keep him with the goats, in case they didn't get along. He is a war mount after all."

It's been a few years since she last let anyone do her hair; Partly because the rogue prefers to have control over how it's done, partly because there are few people she trusts enough to touch her at all. It's her way to give to others rather than let them give to her, but this is a unique case. Thor is a trusted friend and they've all been enjoying each other's company today, so it feels right to let him close like that.

"I'd like that," she tells him with a smile. She grabs a nearby chair and pulls it close, then frees her hair from the partially done plaits to allow Thor full access to all of it. With a last shake of her head to loosen any remaining knots, she offers him a last, reassuring smile and then turns her attention to Una, motioning for the girl to come closer so they can speak while Thor works on her hair.

"Valkyrie must keep him well guarded, then, which is why I'd never seen or heard of him." Amelia also has little reason to interact with the woman when she comes to Asvera to work, but that's something she doesn't need to offer to the child in front of her. "Even if you can't ride him on your birthday, I say we march our way to Valkyrie together and at least ask if we can meet him properly. He may be a war mount, but I'm sure he has a favorite treat we could offer to win his affection."

Not for the first time, Thor is grateful for Hephaestus's craftsmanship. The fingers of his prosthetic hand are nearly as deft as the living one, gently combing out her hair so it lays flat and straight before he begins separating locks for weaving. There are a few styles he knows, some more suited for her than others may be, but he has a feeling she may like this one, using the last bit of her ribbons to tie it off at the end.

Una's eyes glint fiercely at this suggestion, a look that may very well be mischievous if not for the fact that an adult endorsed this plan, therefore it must be above-board. "I bet he likes apples. Horses are 'sposed to like apples. But we don't have any gold ones."

"I'm sure Fjodrflotti won't be too picky," Thor assures her with a faint chuckle.

Amelia will be easygoing about whatever style Thor chooses, even if her own tendency is to choose something complicated for herself. The simple act of allowing someone to do this for her is what's important right now and the feeling of fingers parting and weaving her hair is enjoyable. A little jarring still, but far easier to handle than she would have assumed.

"Horses often love apples," the rogue confirms with a grin. "Gold, green, or any color. If there aren't any here in Asvera when your birthday comes, I'll bring several bushels from the Nexus. What our pegasus friend doesn't want, we can enjoy together instead." If Amelia happens to go out of her way to ask Valkyrie about other treats her steed enjoys to make sure they're available for Una's birthday, then it will simply be all the better when they go visit. With every option covered, there will be no need to worry about the pegasus not wanting to take something from the girl.

Thor's hands are large but gentle, taking care to separate the locks evenly and cleanly before patiently weaving them back together. It's something he finds soothing almost as much as Amelia working on his own, and he finds himself humming faintly deep in his throat as he works. When he's done tying off the last ribbon, he asks for her phone, and takes perhaps an excessively long time making sure the photo is framed correctly before tapping the button to save it. If she swipes back, she may find another photo or two in error, blurry or cut off at the border. But there is one that comes out well, and it is on the screen as he hands it back to her with pride. "There. What do you think?"

Una looks pleased by this proclamation, and leans into Amelia for a hug, something much easier accomplished with her sitting down. "Thank you, Lady Amelia."

The rogue is in the middle of looking over the picture on her phone when Una's arms are suddenly wrapped around her. She's familiar enough with the children that this kind of affection is all right, though she does issue a small 'oh!' in surprise. She hugs Una back for as long as the girl wants and then offers her a warm smile when she draws back. "You're welcome, Una. Always."

Once the girl's attention has shifted, Amelia looks back down at her phone. She doesn't comment on the extra photos Thor took, focusing instead on the final one that showcases his work. She gently touches the braid with her free hand to understand it better, her smile becoming wider as the complexity of it settles in. "It's beautiful," she tells him, turning her smile up at him from her phone. "Thank you. It's perfect for the theme of the day and you managed to use the last of the ribbon, too." She huffs a soft laugh as she gets to her feet. "I couldn't have done better myself, really."

Pleased that she likes it, Thor beams back at her. "You're welcome. I appreciate the chance to practice," he adds, wiggling his fingers a little. It's not really necessary to maintain his arm, of course, but any excuse to participate and help Amelia be included is worth it to him.

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Hair Braiding For All

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