Somewhat Clear

deerna
somewhatclear

Rating: SAFE
Fandom: the under garden (MAF)
Relationship: olga & staeve & kori
Tags: swearing, word play
Wordcount: 266
Notes: the under garden is a work by velnna | MAF that you can read on gumroad. i know nothing of kori, take his characterisation with a grain of salt

Summary:

Excerpt:

“Anthill,” Staeve repeated, “starts with an A. Say something that starts with B, now.”

She tilted her head at him. “Why.”

“It’s a game.” It suddenly seemed a stupid idea, but when did that ever stop him? “I say anthill, what says you?”

Olga stared him down for a moment, and then in a flat voice she said, “Bollocks.”

{ read on AO3 | read here }

Silence. Just the noise of their boots crunching on the soil, the squeak of armour leather, the rustle of their cloaks. It was driving Staeve a little insane.

“Anthill,” he said.

Olga’s attention snapped immediately to their surroundings, and then to Staeve. ”What?”

“Anthill,” he repeated, “starts with an A. Say something that starts with B, now.”

She tilted her head at him. “Why.”

“It’s a game.” It suddenly seemed a stupid idea, but when did that ever stop him? “I say anthill, what says you?”

Olga stared him down for a moment, and then in a flat voice she said, “Bollocks.”

Oh, he liked her. “Cock,” he offered with a grin.

“Dick,” she replied without missing a beat. Her lip twitched, but her voice didn’t waver.

“Guys,” Kori interjected from the front.

“That doesn’t start with e,” Olga pointed out. “You have to say something that starts with e.”

“…Earth?”

“Boo,” Staeve heckled him. He turned to Olga. “Fuck.”

She snickered. “Goober.”

“Horny,” Kori muttered. It pulled an approving snort from Olga.

“Jackass,” Staeve offered next, cheerful and loud.

“No, I comes before J.”

“Bullshit,” Staeve defended himself, but he was unsure, suddenly. “Does it?”

“Yes,” Kori confirmed. “Insufferable.”

“Fancy,” Olga praised. “What comes next, again?”

“K, I think?” Staeve frowned. “I can't think of rude words starting with K. Can you?”

Olga's looming frame seemed to droop for a moment, an odd silence falling over her. “No,” she said, a handful of grit and snow rattling in her voice. “I can't.”

Kori caught Staeve's eye. They kept walking in silence.

The game was over.