#nomad river

As with almost all of their milestones, despite being the younger twin Scarlett is the first to speak. Her first word isn’t “Mama” or “Dada”, it’s “Fee!” (for Sophie, Vesper and River’s dog). Her second word is “Dada”, something that makes River’s heart almost explode with pride and love for his daughter, his little survivor.

Eli doesn’t speak until a couple of months later (he’d always been quiet, even as a baby he only ever cried when Scarlett did) to the point where his parents actually start to worry a bit, but when he finally does his first word is “Mama”. His second word is “Car” (“Just like a nomad”, River jokes).

I’ve replayed River’s romance scene how many times now and yet this is the first time I’ve ever heard this dialogue exchange? I guess I was always too quick to follow River before, I should have lingered at the bottom of the hill longer.

Anyway, new headcanon that he does regularly pick her flowers in my post-game ending for them. It starts off as an impulsive gesture when he spots clusters of small blue and white wildflowers growing near one of their camps in the early days of their marriage and presents her with a bunch, but it becomes one of the little rituals of their relationship. She keeps them in an old soup can in their tent and when they start to look too wilted, he gathers her more from wherever they’re camped at the time. (On the rare occasions when they fight, as all couples do, he also brings her wildflowers as an apology…the make-up sex that follows is typically fantastic.)

Vesper and River try to reason with him, reassuring him that it was just a coincidence - nothing more than bad luck - that they both lost their parents at that age. They promise him they’re not going anywhere, but once the idea’s in his head he can’t be talked out of it, no matter how hard they try. (The fact that Vesper still experiences lingering health issues as an ongoing side-effect of the relic doesn’t help.)

River and Scarlett, if I didn’t imagine Riv growing his hair out. 🥹