Todolf “(Pre)history” for @theoverthinker-thoughts prompt. Set in 1877 so Rudolf is 19 here.
Cut not strictly necessary (for once lol) but it has become a habit.
It’s a little awkward - propping the article up so he can read it while still carding his hands through Tod’s silky golden hair - but Rudolf long ago mastered this challenge.
He quite likes it and it seems Tod does too, the combination of Rudolf reading with Tod laying across his lap while Rudolf plays with Tod’s hair.
It’s a break from the political treatises Rudolf hides from his father, and from his tutors. Instead, he’s chosen an article on a new dinosaur discovered in the New World.
Tod has a pleasant half-smile from the beginning, and it gradually grows over time.
“And Marsh thinks this new dinosaur - stegosaurs, that’s what he’s calling it - probably had a second brain besides the one in its head. That it had one be the hip as well.”
Tod’s laughter is a delightful and musical thing. “Does he say why?”
Rudolf flipped through the pages to find the correct place. “On account of the brain being so tiny for a creature of this size. It might be a simple turtle-like animal, but to have a brain the side of an orange for a creature that may rival the African elephant in size.”
Tod’s hand covers his face for a moment before he’s gently shaking his head, laughing. “He really does try his best, this Marsh. But I suppose he’s only working off of broken bones.”
Tod hummed for a moment longer, stretching in Rudolf’s lap before rising and offering Rudolf a hand. “Let me show you.”
Rudolf takes the hand, the article forgotten, as Tod pulls him close, an almost mischievous smile on the other’s face before one of his hands comes up, covering Rudolf’s eyes for a moment.
And in that moment Rudolf can smell the green, the plants all around him. Can hear a bizarre noise, not that of an animal that he knows.
When Tod’s hand moves away they are somewhere else entirely, apart in space and, he thinks, time from Vienna.
The creature before them is quite odd looking, but so magnificent with great plates sticking from its back and long spines on its tail. The head is quite the mismatch for such a magnificent body, very small in comparison. The creature, Rudolf thinks, looks nothing like a turtle. But it is so real in a way that all these long-dead dinosaurs - the ones he reads about in the articles - never can be.
They watch it much on the shrubs for a few minutes before Tod’s graceful hand covers Rudolf’s eyes again, and they are back in Vienna. He can feel his friend’s smile at his neck.
“They look nothing like turtles, my friend. But so very magnificent.”
“Indeed.”
“Do they all look so different from what we think?”
Tod’s smile has become an enigma. “Some more than others.”
Rudolf nuzzles close to his friend, kissing his soft cheek. His voice is soft as he asks. “Would you show me more?”
Tod intertwines their fingers, pulling Rudolf so close their noses brush. “Only if you bring me more of these lovely articles. They are so amusing.”
“Anything for you, my friend.” Rudolf kisses Tod’s cheek again, close to the corner of his lips.
3 notes
·
View notes
"You spelled your name with an X here."
"No shit." Jaxon took the paper from Leo's hand. "That's how my name's spelled."
Leo snatched the paper out of his hands, wheeling around on her heel, pacing around the floor. "It is not how your name is spelled."
"Wait, wait, wait." Jaxon laughed, waving his hands in the air. He patted Leo on the shoulder. "How do you spell my name?"
"Fucking J-A-C-K-S-O-N. Like every other person on the fucking planet." Leo turned back around, hand loosely placed over her mouth. "No way I've been spelling your name wrong for two years."
"You have been." He stole the paper back, rolled it up like a magazine, and hit her over the head with it a few times. "You've been spelling my name wrong. For two years. Do I really look like a 'CKS' Jackson to you?"
"No! That's why I was confused!"
"Look me in the fucking eyes, and tell me that you, genuinely and with all of your heart, don't think I'm the kind of person to choose a funky spelling of the most basic name ever."
"Oh my god-"
"It's gonna be okay, Leo-"
"Oh my god, you would pick that name for yourself. With an X. You fucking nerd. I'm so pissed. I almost got killed by a J-A-X-O-N. God dammit. I hate you. I hate you vehemently."
"Wow." He put a hand over his heart, faking offense. "I can't believe you would say that to your best, closest, goodest, nicest, smartest-"
"Too far."
"-kindest... uh... funniest friend."
"First of all, you rank second place, since you pushed me off a building. Second, half of those were the same thing. Third, goodest is not a word, and I hate you for saying it to me.."
"I love you too." Jaxon smiled, and patted Leo on the shoulder again. "I don't think you should do a spelling bee anytime soon. Just change my name in your contacts, and we'll be on our way, and maybe I won't tell Lily. She'll never let you live this down, y'know."
"I know. I'm not changing your name in my phone." Leo was on her phone anyway, scrolling through, before showing him the screen. His contact name was Shithead Mcgee. He took the phone from her hand, and pretended to put it in his mouth.
"Don't eat my phone," Leo scolded, snatching it out of his hand. Her expression shifted into something indescribable. "I can't believe I just said that with a straight face to a sixteen-year-old."
"...So, you've never seen my name written out-"
"Oh, shut up." Leo pretended to sob into her hands. "Usually, if someone texts me and says guess who fell down a flight of stairs again, I can narrow it down to either you or Elliot."
"That's fair." Jaxon shrugged, and ran up to catch up with Leo. He hummed thoughtfully. "Ellie falls down the stairs a lot."
"I wholeheartedly believe Logan would literally install an elevator if we asked politely." Leo grabbed for his hand, pulling him forward. She pointed at their state's welcome sign on the side of the road. "Look, we're almost home. Few more hours?"
"...Few more hours." His chin rested against Leo's shoulder, eyes drifting shut, and snapping back open. Exhaustion hit like five trucks all at once. His feet dragged in the yellow, dead grass, right hand hanging onto Leo's sleeve. She stopped walking.
"...I can probably get enough internet or whatever in like, thirty minutes. Can call Logan, or Cass, or Kai if he's up here. See if someone can just come and get us."
"Please." Jaxon let himself collapse into the dirt. "I think I'm about to die, dude. Call Logan. He's least likely to have our heads on a stick for the whole, uh, we went missing for nearly three months and everyone thinks that we're dead stunt."
"Calling him." Leo shot him a warning glance. "My phone's about dead, so no fucking around. Don't just start to scream for no reason."
"Curses, you know my tricks," Jaxon deadpanned. The phone started to ring. There was a beat of silence. "...So how do you spell everyone else's names?"
"I can leave you here."
4 notes
·
View notes