Baptized in fire

Blacksmithing is one of those things that a lot of people get wrong because they don't realize it stuck around past the advent of the assembly line. Here's a list of some common misconceptions I see and what to do instead!

Not all blacksmiths are gigantic terrifying muscly guys with beards and deep voices. I am 5'8, skinny as a twig, have the muscle mass of wet bread, and exist on Tumblr. Anybody who is strong enough to pick up a hammer and understands fire safety can be a blacksmith.

You can make more than just swords with blacksmithing. Though swords are undeniably practical, they're not the only things that can be made. I've made candle holders, wall hooks, kebab skewers, fire pokers, and more. Look up things other people have made, it's really amazing what can be done.

"Red-hot" is actually not that hot by blacksmith terms. when heated up, the metal goes from black, to red, to orange, to yellow, to white. (for temperature reference, I got a second degree burn from picking up a piece of metal on black heat) The ideal color to work with the metal is yellow. White is not ideal at all, because the metal starts sparking and gets all weird and lumpy when it cools. (At no point in this process does the metal get even close to melting. It gets soft enough to work with, but I have never once seen metal become a liquid.)

Blacksmithing takes fucking forever. Not even taking into account starting the forge, selecting and preparing metal, etc. etc. it takes me around an hour to make one (1) fancy skewer. The metals blacksmiths work with heat up and cool down incredibly fast. When the forge is going good, it only takes like 20 seconds to get your metal hot enough to work with, but it takes about the same time for it to cool down, sometimes even less.

As long as you are careful, it is actually stupidly easy to not get hurt while blacksmithing. When I picked up this hobby I was like "okay, cool! I'm gonna make stuff, and I'm gonna end up in the hospital at some point!" Thus far, the latter has yet to occur. I've been doing this for nearly a year. I have earned myself a new scar from the aforementioned second degree burn, and one singe mark on my jeans. I don't even wear gloves half the time. Literally just eye protection, common sense, and fast reflexes and you'll probably be fine. (Accidents still happen of course, but I have found adequate safety weirdly easy to achieve with this hobby)

A forge is not a fire. The forge is the thing blacksmiths put their metal in to heat it up. It starts as a small fire, usually with newspaper or something else that's relatively small and burns easily, which we then put in the forge itself, which is sort of a fireplace-esque thing (there's a lot of different types of forge, look into it and try to figure out what sort of forge would make the most sense for the context you're writing about) and we cover it with coal, which then catches fire and heats up. The forge gets really hot, and sometimes really bright. Sometimes when I stare at the forge for too long it's like staring into the sun. The forge is also not a waterfall of lava, Steven Universe. It doesn't work like that, Steven Universe.

Welding and blacksmithing are not the same thing. They often go hand-in-hand, but you cannot connected two pieces of metal with traditional blacksmithing alone. There is something called forge welding, where you heat your metal, sprinkle borax (or the in-universe equivalent) on it to prevent the metal from oxidizing/being non-weldable, and hammer the pieces together very quickly. Forge welding also sends sparks flying everywhere, and if you're working in a small space with other blacksmiths, you usually want to announce that you're welding before you do, so that everyone in a five-foot radius can get out of that five-foot radius. You also cannot just stuck some random pebbles into the forge and get a decent piece of metal that you can actually make something with, Steven Universe. It doesn't work like that, Steven Universe.

Anvils are really fucking heavy. Nothing else to add here.

Making jewelry is not a blacksmithing thing unless you want jewelry made of steel. And it will be very ugly if you try. Blacksmithing wasn't invented to make small things.

❝  don’t be ridiculous,  there’s enough room on this bed for both of us. ❞ 

❝  please stay.  i don’t think i can be alone tonight.  ❞

❝  i’m staying,  okay?  you don’t have to be alone tonight. ❞

❝  you shouldn’t be alone right now.  i’ll take the couch,  it’ll be fine.  ❞

❝  will you sleep with me?  i know how that sounds i just mean—  i feel safe when you’re there.  ❞

❝  i’ll be here the whole night okay?  nothing will get to you while i’m here.  ❞

❝  wait— have you been here all night?  ❞

❝  i thought you went home after i went to bed.  you didn’t have to do that— you could’ve at least joined me in bed that couch is shit for sleeping on.  ❞

❝  can i stay with you tonight?  i don’t wanna go home yet.  ❞

❝  it’s late,  you might as well just stay here.  ❞

❝  can you just…stay here?  and hold me.  ❞

❝  i know this might sound weird but,  do you wanna stay over?  i guess ‘sleepover’ sounds kind of childish but.  i think it’d be nice.  ❞

❝  i’m not expecting anything,  i just,  thought it’d be nice to keep you company tonight. ❞

❝  i don’t have nightmares when you’re there.  ❞

❝  i get you’re doing the whole protective thing— and i appreciate it.  i do,  but there’s no reason for you to stay awake all night.  might as well come to bed.  ❞

❝  thank you for staying.  it just gets so lonely at night sometimes.  ❞

❝  i don’t want you to be alone tonight and honestly,  i don’t really wanna be alone either.  ❞

❝  do you wanna stay with me tonight?  ❞

❝  stay,  please.  ❞

❝  i’ll stay.  ❞

❝  i’m staying.  ❞

❝  i’m staying.  end of discussion.  you gotta learn to let people take care of you.  ❞

❝  i’m not ready to say goodbye yet.  ❞

❝  i don’t wanna have to say goodnight.  ❞

❝  honestly i can’t sleep,  so if you wanna stay up with me?  ❞

❝  i don’t sleep a lot either these days.  we can be insomniacs together.  ❞

❝  well,  i can think of some ways to wear you out.  ❞

❝  if you can’t sleep,  there are other things we could do.  ❞

❝  i’d rather fuck than stare at the ceiling counting sheep to be honest.  ❞

❝  it doesn’t have to mean anything,  i just don’t wanna feel lonely tonight.  and i want to feel good for once.  ❞

❝  please don’t go—  i need.  i need someone—  i need you.  ❞

❝  the night doesn’t have to end here,  you know.  ❞

❝  i like it when you’re here.  so stay.  please?  ❞

❝  you’re just as lonely as i am.  might as well be lonely together.  ❞

❝  you can stay but i’m not letting you sleep on that couch.  ❞

❝  chivalry is overrated,  get in my bed.  ❞

❝  you’re clearly exhausted.  you can go in the morning.  ❞

❝  you don’t have to pretend to be fine,  if you need me to stay i will.  ❞

❝  when i said i wanted everyone to leave me alone i didn’t mean you.  i can’t handle everyone else right now but you…you’re different.  ❞

❝  you need someone right now.  and i’m the one that’s here.  let me be what you need.  ❞

SCENARIOS

[ GUARDED ]  sender insists on staying the night to keep watch over receiver who has been in some kind of danger. 

[ GUARDING ]  receiver insists on staying the night to keep watch over sender who has been in some kind of danger. 

[ UNEXPECTED ]  one muse stays the night to keep an eye on the other after something traumatic and they end up having comfort sex.

[ CONSOLE ]  sender asks receiver to stay the night because they don’t want to be alone and they end up cuddling.  

[ CONSOLED ]  receiver asks sender to stay the night because they don’t want to be alone and they end up cuddling. 

[ ACCIDENT ]  sender winds up staying at receiver’s house all night because receiver fell asleep against them/in their lap and they didn’t have the heart to wake them. 

[ UNPLANNED ]  receiver winds up staying at sender’s house all night because sender fell asleep against them/in their lap and they didn’t have the heart to wake them. 

[ STAY ]  sender is carrying receiver to bed because they fell asleep somewhere else but when they start to walk away,  receiver grabs their hand so sender joins them in bed. 

[ STAYING ]  receiver is carrying sender to bed because they fell asleep somewhere else but when they start to walk away,  sender grabs their hand so receiver joins them in bed. 

[ APPROACHED ]  sender is staying with receiver for safety and asks if they can sleep in their bed with them. 

[ APPROACH ]  receiver is staying with sender for safety and asks if they can sleep in their bed with them. 

[ SHARE ]  sender is unexpectedly staying with receiver overnight,  receiver insisted sender sleep on the bed while they take the floor but sender winds up insisting they join them in bed. 

[ SHARED ]  receiver is unexpectedly staying with sender overnight,  sender insisted receiver sleep on the bed while they take the floor but receiver winds up insisting they join them in bed. 

[ FOUND ]  sender is staying with receiver who had them take the bed while receiver takes the couch.  in the middle of the night,  sender goes out to join receiver on the couch because they don’t want to sleep alone. 

[ FIND ]  receiver is staying with sender who had them take the bed while sender takes the couch.  in the middle of the night,  receiver goes out to join sender on the couch because they don’t want to sleep alone. 

[ DISCOVERED ]  receiver wakes up in the morning to find sender asleep on their couch because sender was watching over them. 

[ HAVEN ]  receiver wakes up in the morning to find sender asleep on their couch because sender felt safer with them. 

[ WEARY ]  sender cries themselves to sleep in receiver’s arms. 

[ TIRED ]  receiver cries themselves to sleep in sender’s arms. 

[ PROPOSITION ]  one or both muse(s) are having trouble sleeping so they have sex to pass the time. 

[ PURPOSE ]  one muse can’t sleep so the other initiates sex to wear them out. 

[ TRAPPED ]  one muse ends up staying the night with the other due to a storm. 

She wasn't one to judge, as once upon a time, she would appear in bed bare as a undecorated wall, but she'd be remiss if the woman held some immediate decorum by wrapping herself in something decent. But for now she was willing to let it go. Anna quietly shut the door behind her, watching as Kali emerged from the bed and lifted her arms above her head. Teal eyes widened slightly, raising a hand to shield her vision from the sight until she bowed. Bloody hell, she had assumed she'd wear something in the bed.

Were those bruises... No, she was no stranger to that. But by the gods!

A hand raised, adorned with jewels and a connected chain ring, while the queen took a deep breath, smiling gently. "No need to be so formal, darling. I had the suspicion you were expecting my son." Her head lightly tilted, a rebellious wave slipping out of her meticulously made ponytail. Same rich copper red as her daughter.

[ ♥ ] ── * Hearing gentle reassurance from the Queen was enough to still her racing heart but not enough to calm her frayed nerves. She accepted the clothing while avoiding the regal woman’s gaze like it was the sun. Kali made a mental note to find and throttle Nick later for not even giving her a warning about this encounter. 

❝ I confess that I was expecting Prince Nicholas. ❞ She replies, quickly combing through her knotted hair one clawed hand. ❝ Had I known that you would be here I’d have made an effort to sleep with clothes on. ❞

Her next words leave Kali speechless. An entire day…spent with the Queen? Not only a Queen but the mother of her current squeeze? Kali wasn’t sure if she should be honored, terrified or both. To say that she was intimidated by the situation was an understatement. She hadn’t anticipated anything official such as this so quickly…

❝ I... Y--You honor me, Your Majesty. ❞ She replies softly as she squeezes into the garment handed to her. Awkward and quiet, the hybrid finds the sack of clothes she’d brought with her and fishes out an outfit. It’s nothing in comparison to her guest’s regal attire but it covers her nakedness which makes things far less awkward. With her cheeks still burning, she turns back to the Queen. ❝ After you, Your Majesty. ❞ Her words feel stiff and robotic but she can’t help her anxiety.

At the mentioning of knowing she'd be here, in her home, made her raise a simple brow. Guessing she was under the impression she'd be off doing other royal duties. And she'd be right, but a vast majority of her time would be at home tending to the greenhouse. "Well, Nicholas is busy right now. Off to help Zander with something unique."

A soft smile spread along her features, already thinking about how to spend the day with her son's current lover. It was even whispered throughout court, and the servants, that the Queen Mother had to meet any suitors her children were infatuated with. Making sure she got along with them was a green flag. Sure, Geoffrey would come, but even he had his busy days with getting Aodh in line.

send an emoji (and/or a provided description of them) to let them know! this can be for how they perceive them now, how they perceived them when they first met them, how they perceive them during certain situations, anything at all!

😊 [SMILING FACE WITH SMILING EYES] — not intimidating at all

🙂 [SLIGHTLY SMILING FACE] — the tiniest bit intimidating

😗 [KISSING FACE] — a little intimidating

😳 [FACE WITH WIDE OPEN EYES] — can be intimidating sometimes but not always

🫢 [FACE WITH OPEN EYES AND HAND OVER MOUTH] — more intimidating than not

😕 [CONFUSED FACE] — mostly intimidating

Three little taps on the door to the Nick's bedroom were caused by the Queen. For the past few months, she has seen and occasionally heard of the hybrid making her way into her son's heart. And she has made slight small talk, but never an actual conversation. So she asked her son twenty minutes ago if she could have a word with the young woman. Yet it did cause Nick to go a little bit paler. Anna was known to be very intimidating, despite her calm and cheerful face. All Nick ased was not to show any portraits of him as a child.

That…was not Nick’s voice. Far too refined. Much too soft yet it carried an air of authority.

Which could only mean one thing…

Queen Anna was present. Why she was in Nick’s room–while Kali was in his bed asleep no less–was far beyond the hybrid. But questioning a Queen while residing as a guest in her home was a dim witted idea. Even Kali was not brave enough to test her limits with disrespect of that caliber…yet she feared insulting the distinguished Queen Anna was inevitable due to the current circumstances she found herself in. Naked as the day she was born and covered in love bites and hickeys from her previous night with the aforementioned Queen’s son. 

Well…if the insult was inevitable better to just get it over with and be done.

❝ Your Majesty. ❞ Kali croaks, her voice dry and hoarse. Sluggish and lethargic, she climbs out from the bed and quickly stretches far above her head until her bones crack and pop. Without any shame she properly offers a bare bow to the monarch, bowing low enough that her hair falls like a river of black and teases the cool marble beneath her feet. A single hand sweeps it back as she rises, resisting a shiver that teases her spine. ❝ I apologize for my current state. As Your Majesty can see, I was…not expecting company. ❞

She wasn't one to judge, as once upon a time, she would appear in bed bare as a undecorated wall, but she'd be remiss if the woman held some immediate decorum by wrapping herself in something decent. But for now she was willing to let it go. Anna quietly shut the door behind her, watching as Kali emerged from the bed and lifted her arms above her head. Teal eyes widened slightly, raising a hand to shield her vision from the sight until she bowed. Bloody hell, she had assumed she'd wear something in the bed.

Were those bruises... No, she was no stranger to that. But by the gods!

A hand raised, adorned with jewels and a connected chain ring, while the queen took a deep breath, smiling gently. "No need to be so formal, darling. I had the suspicion you were expecting my son." Her head lightly tilted, a rebellious wave slipping out of her meticulously made ponytail. Same rich copper red as her daughter.

𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚌. 𝚜𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚍𝚎𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚕 𝚊𝚜𝚔 𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚎

         here is a small collection of tiny detail questions to ask about someone’s muse, some questions have multiple parts! feel free to add/change as you see fit <3 potentially nsfw. if a multi, please specify the muse!!

how long are their nails? do they paint them?

what is their hair texture? do they take good care of it, if they have any?

what are their favorite fabrics? least favorite?

what is their skin texture?

do they have a skincare routine? if yes, how involved is it?

what does their sweat smell like?

body hair; do they crop anything short? let it grow naturally? wax?

name two or more things your muse can’t leave the house without.

does your muse usually carry around a bag/purse/backpack? or do they prefer to keep only what they can fit in their pockets?

do they get hay fever? if so, how bad?

do they have any sensitivities to smells?

do they have any sensitivities to tastes?

do they have any sensitivities to textures?

is there a sound that drives them crazy? ( like the sound of nails on a chalkboard, styrofoam rubbing together, cardboard boxes, etc?)

what is their favorite genre of music?

what is their favorite flavor in food?

what is their favorite scent? (candles, perfume, food, etc.)

what household chore do they absolutely hate doing?

what household chore do they like doing?

do they have a “comfort outfit” or a go to look? if so, why did they choose those pieces?

in a relationship, are they the ones stealing their partners' clothing? or are they the ones having their clothes stolen?

do they have bumper stickers on their car? if so, what kind? (bonus points for pictures!)

do they have a comfort movie? book? tv show?

if forced to wear socks, what kind do they prefer? ( ankle? crew cut? patterned? plain? )

what do they do when they are deep in thought? ( bite their nails? twirl a strand of hair? lick their lips? just look off to the side? nothing too exciting because this is a highly specific question? lol )

what is their favorite snack food?

what do their hair care products smell like?

how dedicated are they to their favorite color? must everything they own be that color? do they even care that much?

what does their perfume smell like, and how much do they put on?