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ysabetwordsmithThis poem was written outside the regular prompt calls. It poem has been sponsored by a pool with ng_moonmoth. It belongs to the Shiv thread of the Polychrome Heroics series.
"Uphold You in Every Step of the Way"
[Monday, August 1, 2016]
It had taken a long time
to build up to this, and
rather a lot of work.
Two years since he'd
met the Finns and they
turned his life upside-down
more than he ever imagined.
A little over one year since
the incident in Omaha and
Boss White announcing
that he wanted to retire.
Somewhere in there,
his flippant offering of
"Hugo Lightfingers" as
a historic recreation name
had drifted into "Hugo Finn"
as more of a family name.
And now they were going
to make that official.
Shiv was wrecked.
His new trousers were
wrecked because he kept
wiping his sweaty hands
on them, and the creases
were all crumpled most of
the way from hips to knees.
He couldn't tell what he was
feeling, because apparently
he was feeling everything
in the feels box all at once.
He couldn't have named
what color the building was,
or the floor, or the furnishings.
He couldn't even have said
who was there other than
Tolli and Simon because they
were the ones standing up for him.
Shiv still wasn't sure how to deal
with that, but by now -- especially
after Boss White's announcement --
he could admit that he needed it.
He needed permanence and
security and stability more than
he would've thought, because he
thought of himself as a wild thing,
but that need was in him now and
he couldn't simply ignore it with
his paws scrabbling in midair.
He needed love and trust
and family in ways that made
his heart skitter in his chest
just from thinking about it.
But that was okay, because
Tolli and Simon were there
for him, and had been since
about a minute after they met.
It had just taken the three of them
a while to get from there to here.
There were words to be said
and papers to be signed, and
it was a good thing that Shiv
didn't have to think about that
because they had very carefully
gone over everything in advance.
All Shiv had to do was hold onto
the pen that Tolli put in his hand
and sign wherever he was pointed
without dropping or smearing anything.
And then the adoption was final.
They were family. He was a son,
who had never really been one
before, just a loaner, and usually
not even a wanted one at that.
He had parents -- fathers --
two of them, now and forever,
who would never send him back
and would quite probably kill
anyone who tried to take him.
That was going to take
some getting used to,
but he thought he could.
He also had an aunt and
an uncle, who by the customs
of Clan Finn were pretty much
like a second set of parents,
and Boss Finn could solve
anything that needed solving.
Shiv was, more or less, already
used to the pile of cousins who
sometimes drove him up a wall,
but they would defend each other
to the ends of the earth -- literally,
in Aida's case, with Finn Skerry
so small it was all beachfront
and wide views of the ocean.
Sure, Shiv still had a lot of
attachment damage, but
less than it had been.
That was partly because
of Saraphina, and Shiv had
squalled at Aidan about that
when he figured it out ... but
Aidan had pointed out she was
just doing her job in the family,
and not grabbing random people
to staple them into her life anymore.
Saraphina had only shored up
what was already there; she had
not made anything from scratch.
Somehow, despite his damage,
Shiv had managed to attach himself
to this crazy, wonderful cluster of folks,
and that was all on him and them
before ever adding superpowers.
So okay. This was his life now.
It was still a relief to get out of
the big, official building and
into the fresh air of August.
The bright sunlight helped
clear some of the fog out
of Shiv's head, and he
remembered to dig in
the backpack that he'd
left inside their vehicle.
"I uh, got you something,"
Shiv said, offering Tolli a box.
"Thank you," Tolli replied
before he even opened it.
Lifting the lid revealed
a dark coil and a glint of
intricately twisting metal.
Tolli lifted out the belt.
It was two stitched layers of
wide black krevel decorated
with hand-tooled designs
picked out in silver that
flashed in the sunlight.
Celtic knotwork chased
around the belt, separated
by flourishes tipped in flowers.
The buckle was shaped like
an oval with squarish ends.
A horse's head filled the center,
framed by a horseshoe, with
sharp-pointed Celtic knotwork
stretching out to the ends.
The background was black
with tarnish, the design had
been polished to brilliant silver,
and the horse's head showed
delicate shadows and highlights.
In the box there lay a card.
Confidence is like a belt
worn around your waist.
If you wear it too tight, you
come off cocky and arrogant;
if you wear it too loose, you
come off timid and a pushover,
but wear it fit and snug, and it will
uphold you in every step of the way.
"This looks splendid," Tolli declared.
"Are you ... Hugo, are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'm sure," said Shiv. "It
took me a while, but I'm sure now.
And I wanted you to know that."
He had based the belt on glimpses
of what he'd seen Tolli wearing,
back before Shiv's first visit to
the forge when he'd freaked a bit
over Tolli measuring a belt for him.
Neither Tolli nor Simon had worn
a belt around Shiv since then.
So they needed to know
that it was okay now. That
he was okay with it now.
"Thank you," said Tolli as he
threaded his new belt through
the empty loops of his trousers.
Shiv looked at Simon. "You get
one too," he said. "Only I didn't
know if you needed anything in
particular, so I wanted to ask."
"I prefer a narrower belt and
a buckle with rounded edges,"
Simon said, nodding. "I do
appreciate you checking."
"I can work with that, no
problem," Shiv said. "Just
give me the measurements
and I'll send them to the guy
I'm teaming up with for this.
Chad does some great stuff."
"Custom work?" Tolli said.
"I recognize your hand on
the belt buckle for certain."
"Yeah, I made the buckle and
the tools to work the krevel,"
said Shiv. "That's the trade
for the krevel and the work --
Chad gets to keep the tools."
"That's going to be popular,"
Simon said. "Soups love
custom gear, and it's hard
to get for some things."
Krevel was difficult to work
in general, but it responded
well to superpowers, including
Shiv's gift-touched metal tools.
He found it hilarious that lots of
superheroes would be going out
in uniforms he helped make.
"Everyone ready to go home?"
Tolli said, patting the vehicle.
"So ready," Shiv said fervently.
It felt like a long day, but the sun
was still high in the sky. He was
tired and restless at the same time.
Everything would be okay, though.
Tolli and Simon would uphold
him in every step of the way.
* * *
Notes:
Chad Corwin -- He has pale skin, hazel eyes, and short brown hair. He is tall and sturdy, already muscular although he's still growing into his build. He is 21 years old in 2016.
Chad earned an Associate of Arts in Applied Arts: Leatherwork at the Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, Nebraska. There he joined the BeKind Student Club, Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization, SkillsUSA, and Sustainability at MCC. Through SkillsUSA, he earned certificates in Citizen Emergency Response, Fair Trade, Intermediate First Aid, and Sustainable Practices. After graduating, Chad set up shop as a leatherworker, primarily making belts, wallets, and other personal items. He also does some custom tack and pet equipment. Recently he has gotten interested in working with krevel and other zetetic materials.
Chad enjoys working with his hands and easily makes friends with others who do so. He's bad at big-picture issues, though. He likes practical menswear, often jeans and a T-shirt or flannel shirt.
Qualities: Good (+2) Blue-collar Friends, Good (+2) Diligent, Good (+2) Leatherworker, Good (+2) Kinesthetic Intelligence, Good (+2) Strength
Poor (-2) Big-Picture Problems
Associate of Arts in Applied Arts: Leatherwork (T-American)
at the Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, Nebraska
Core Courses
Everyone takes these two courses:
Introduction to the Applied Arts
Studio Setup and Safety
Choose one of these two courses:
Entrepreneurship & Small Business
Choose one of these two courses:
Business Math
Choose one of these two courses:
Developing Your Artistic Vision
Choose one or more types of applied practice.
Leatherwork
Core Courses
* Introduction to Leatherwork
* Tools & Materials for Leatherwork
Choose at least two of these courses:
* Leather Lore: Stains and Paints
* Leather Lore: Natural Leathers
* Leather Lore: Synthetic Leather Substitutes
Choose at least three of these courses:
* Cutting and Shaping Leather
* Stamping Leather
* Carving Designs in Leather
* Sewing and Fitting Leather
Choose at least three of these courses:
* Leather Workshop: Belts and Straps
* Leather Workshop: Purses, Wallets, and Briefcases
* Leather Workshop: Aprons, Toolbelts, and Workwear
* Leather Workshop: Motorcycle Leathers
* Leather Workshop: Livestock Tack
* Leather Workshop: Books and Book Covers
Clubs
BeKind Student Club
Welcome to BeKind! We are all about spreading kindness throughout the MCC Community and beyond!
MCC's BeKind club's purpose is to promote and encourage a sense of positivity and motivation in the MCC community. The members of the club will lead an intentional effort to spread kindness throughout our college community with words and actions in order to remind their fellow peers, faculty and staff of MCC that there is goodness and kindness in the world, despite all the negativity.
Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization
The purpose of this organization is to...
- nurture entrepreneurial leadership
- increase the understanding and appreciation of free enterprise
- provide networking opportunities with various business and entrepreneurial leaders.
(Through this club, Chad earned certificates in Citizen Emergency Response, Fair Trade, Intermediate First Aid, and Sustainable Practices.)
SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA helps each student excel. Mission Statement: SkillsUSA’s mission is to empower its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens. SkillsUSA improves the quality of America’s skilled workforce through a structured program of citizenship, leadership, employability, technical and professional skills training. SkillsUSA enhances the lives and careers of students, instructors and industry representatives as they strive to be champions at work. SkillsUSA serves more than 300,000 students and instructors annually. The organization has 13,000 school chapters in 54 state and territorial associations. More than 14,500 instructors and administrators are professional members of SkillsUSA.
Sustainability at MCC
Sustainability is the ability to thrive while meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future. Being sustainable can mean doing more with less or finding renewable resources to replace finite ones. At Metropolitan Community College, we are continuously working to provide top-notch education and operate in ways that are economically sound, environmentally prudent and socially responsible.
* * *
"Confidence, is like a belt worn around the waist. Wear it too tight, you come off cocky and arrogant, wear it too loose, you come off timid and a walk over, but wear it fit and snug, it will uphold you in every step of the way."
-- Anthony Liccione
Shiv's fair name is Hugo Lightfingers, mentioned in "For Want of a Shoe" among others.
Finn Skerry is Aida's island in the Maldives, introduced bydialecticdreamer . Its original name is Thafaathudhoo in Dhivehi. See "Camping on Finn Skerry."
See the belt and belt buckle that Shiv makes for Tolli.
Shiv's first forge visit appears in "A Wanderer with a Purpose."
Shiv initially encountered Saraphina in "A Gravel and Cream Sandwich." There's another hint about the connection in the story "Filtering Gravel" bydialecticdreamer.
Adaptive clothing comes in many styles. Wheelchair users often favor web belts, but for those who prefer leather, a narrow belt with a curved buckle can be comfortable.
ng_moonmoth. It belongs to the Shiv thread of the Polychrome Heroics series."Uphold You in Every Step of the Way"
[Monday, August 1, 2016]
It had taken a long time
to build up to this, and
rather a lot of work.
Two years since he'd
met the Finns and they
turned his life upside-down
more than he ever imagined.
A little over one year since
the incident in Omaha and
Boss White announcing
that he wanted to retire.
Somewhere in there,
his flippant offering of
"Hugo Lightfingers" as
a historic recreation name
had drifted into "Hugo Finn"
as more of a family name.
And now they were going
to make that official.
Shiv was wrecked.
His new trousers were
wrecked because he kept
wiping his sweaty hands
on them, and the creases
were all crumpled most of
the way from hips to knees.
He couldn't tell what he was
feeling, because apparently
he was feeling everything
in the feels box all at once.
He couldn't have named
what color the building was,
or the floor, or the furnishings.
He couldn't even have said
who was there other than
Tolli and Simon because they
were the ones standing up for him.
Shiv still wasn't sure how to deal
with that, but by now -- especially
after Boss White's announcement --
he could admit that he needed it.
He needed permanence and
security and stability more than
he would've thought, because he
thought of himself as a wild thing,
but that need was in him now and
he couldn't simply ignore it with
his paws scrabbling in midair.
He needed love and trust
and family in ways that made
his heart skitter in his chest
just from thinking about it.
But that was okay, because
Tolli and Simon were there
for him, and had been since
about a minute after they met.
It had just taken the three of them
a while to get from there to here.
There were words to be said
and papers to be signed, and
it was a good thing that Shiv
didn't have to think about that
because they had very carefully
gone over everything in advance.
All Shiv had to do was hold onto
the pen that Tolli put in his hand
and sign wherever he was pointed
without dropping or smearing anything.
And then the adoption was final.
They were family. He was a son,
who had never really been one
before, just a loaner, and usually
not even a wanted one at that.
He had parents -- fathers --
two of them, now and forever,
who would never send him back
and would quite probably kill
anyone who tried to take him.
That was going to take
some getting used to,
but he thought he could.
He also had an aunt and
an uncle, who by the customs
of Clan Finn were pretty much
like a second set of parents,
and Boss Finn could solve
anything that needed solving.
Shiv was, more or less, already
used to the pile of cousins who
sometimes drove him up a wall,
but they would defend each other
to the ends of the earth -- literally,
in Aida's case, with Finn Skerry
so small it was all beachfront
and wide views of the ocean.
Sure, Shiv still had a lot of
attachment damage, but
less than it had been.
That was partly because
of Saraphina, and Shiv had
squalled at Aidan about that
when he figured it out ... but
Aidan had pointed out she was
just doing her job in the family,
and not grabbing random people
to staple them into her life anymore.
Saraphina had only shored up
what was already there; she had
not made anything from scratch.
Somehow, despite his damage,
Shiv had managed to attach himself
to this crazy, wonderful cluster of folks,
and that was all on him and them
before ever adding superpowers.
So okay. This was his life now.
It was still a relief to get out of
the big, official building and
into the fresh air of August.
The bright sunlight helped
clear some of the fog out
of Shiv's head, and he
remembered to dig in
the backpack that he'd
left inside their vehicle.
"I uh, got you something,"
Shiv said, offering Tolli a box.
"Thank you," Tolli replied
before he even opened it.
Lifting the lid revealed
a dark coil and a glint of
intricately twisting metal.
Tolli lifted out the belt.
It was two stitched layers of
wide black krevel decorated
with hand-tooled designs
picked out in silver that
flashed in the sunlight.
Celtic knotwork chased
around the belt, separated
by flourishes tipped in flowers.
The buckle was shaped like
an oval with squarish ends.
A horse's head filled the center,
framed by a horseshoe, with
sharp-pointed Celtic knotwork
stretching out to the ends.
The background was black
with tarnish, the design had
been polished to brilliant silver,
and the horse's head showed
delicate shadows and highlights.
In the box there lay a card.
Confidence is like a belt
worn around your waist.
If you wear it too tight, you
come off cocky and arrogant;
if you wear it too loose, you
come off timid and a pushover,
but wear it fit and snug, and it will
uphold you in every step of the way.
"This looks splendid," Tolli declared.
"Are you ... Hugo, are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'm sure," said Shiv. "It
took me a while, but I'm sure now.
And I wanted you to know that."
He had based the belt on glimpses
of what he'd seen Tolli wearing,
back before Shiv's first visit to
the forge when he'd freaked a bit
over Tolli measuring a belt for him.
Neither Tolli nor Simon had worn
a belt around Shiv since then.
So they needed to know
that it was okay now. That
he was okay with it now.
"Thank you," said Tolli as he
threaded his new belt through
the empty loops of his trousers.
Shiv looked at Simon. "You get
one too," he said. "Only I didn't
know if you needed anything in
particular, so I wanted to ask."
"I prefer a narrower belt and
a buckle with rounded edges,"
Simon said, nodding. "I do
appreciate you checking."
"I can work with that, no
problem," Shiv said. "Just
give me the measurements
and I'll send them to the guy
I'm teaming up with for this.
Chad does some great stuff."
"Custom work?" Tolli said.
"I recognize your hand on
the belt buckle for certain."
"Yeah, I made the buckle and
the tools to work the krevel,"
said Shiv. "That's the trade
for the krevel and the work --
Chad gets to keep the tools."
"That's going to be popular,"
Simon said. "Soups love
custom gear, and it's hard
to get for some things."
Krevel was difficult to work
in general, but it responded
well to superpowers, including
Shiv's gift-touched metal tools.
He found it hilarious that lots of
superheroes would be going out
in uniforms he helped make.
"Everyone ready to go home?"
Tolli said, patting the vehicle.
"So ready," Shiv said fervently.
It felt like a long day, but the sun
was still high in the sky. He was
tired and restless at the same time.
Everything would be okay, though.
Tolli and Simon would uphold
him in every step of the way.
* * *
Notes:
Chad Corwin -- He has pale skin, hazel eyes, and short brown hair. He is tall and sturdy, already muscular although he's still growing into his build. He is 21 years old in 2016.
Chad earned an Associate of Arts in Applied Arts: Leatherwork at the Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, Nebraska. There he joined the BeKind Student Club, Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization, SkillsUSA, and Sustainability at MCC. Through SkillsUSA, he earned certificates in Citizen Emergency Response, Fair Trade, Intermediate First Aid, and Sustainable Practices. After graduating, Chad set up shop as a leatherworker, primarily making belts, wallets, and other personal items. He also does some custom tack and pet equipment. Recently he has gotten interested in working with krevel and other zetetic materials.
Chad enjoys working with his hands and easily makes friends with others who do so. He's bad at big-picture issues, though. He likes practical menswear, often jeans and a T-shirt or flannel shirt.
Qualities: Good (+2) Blue-collar Friends, Good (+2) Diligent, Good (+2) Leatherworker, Good (+2) Kinesthetic Intelligence, Good (+2) Strength
Poor (-2) Big-Picture Problems
Associate of Arts in Applied Arts: Leatherwork (T-American)
at the Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, Nebraska
Core Courses
Everyone takes these two courses:
Introduction to the Applied Arts
Studio Setup and Safety
Choose one of these two courses:
Entrepreneurship & Small Business
Choose one of these two courses:
Business Math
Choose one of these two courses:
Developing Your Artistic Vision
Choose one or more types of applied practice.
Leatherwork
Core Courses
* Introduction to Leatherwork
* Tools & Materials for Leatherwork
Choose at least two of these courses:
* Leather Lore: Stains and Paints
* Leather Lore: Natural Leathers
* Leather Lore: Synthetic Leather Substitutes
Choose at least three of these courses:
* Cutting and Shaping Leather
* Stamping Leather
* Carving Designs in Leather
* Sewing and Fitting Leather
Choose at least three of these courses:
* Leather Workshop: Belts and Straps
* Leather Workshop: Purses, Wallets, and Briefcases
* Leather Workshop: Aprons, Toolbelts, and Workwear
* Leather Workshop: Motorcycle Leathers
* Leather Workshop: Livestock Tack
* Leather Workshop: Books and Book Covers
Clubs
BeKind Student Club
Welcome to BeKind! We are all about spreading kindness throughout the MCC Community and beyond!
MCC's BeKind club's purpose is to promote and encourage a sense of positivity and motivation in the MCC community. The members of the club will lead an intentional effort to spread kindness throughout our college community with words and actions in order to remind their fellow peers, faculty and staff of MCC that there is goodness and kindness in the world, despite all the negativity.
Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization
The purpose of this organization is to...
- nurture entrepreneurial leadership
- increase the understanding and appreciation of free enterprise
- provide networking opportunities with various business and entrepreneurial leaders.
(Through this club, Chad earned certificates in Citizen Emergency Response, Fair Trade, Intermediate First Aid, and Sustainable Practices.)
SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA helps each student excel. Mission Statement: SkillsUSA’s mission is to empower its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens. SkillsUSA improves the quality of America’s skilled workforce through a structured program of citizenship, leadership, employability, technical and professional skills training. SkillsUSA enhances the lives and careers of students, instructors and industry representatives as they strive to be champions at work. SkillsUSA serves more than 300,000 students and instructors annually. The organization has 13,000 school chapters in 54 state and territorial associations. More than 14,500 instructors and administrators are professional members of SkillsUSA.
Sustainability at MCC
Sustainability is the ability to thrive while meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future. Being sustainable can mean doing more with less or finding renewable resources to replace finite ones. At Metropolitan Community College, we are continuously working to provide top-notch education and operate in ways that are economically sound, environmentally prudent and socially responsible.
* * *
"Confidence, is like a belt worn around the waist. Wear it too tight, you come off cocky and arrogant, wear it too loose, you come off timid and a walk over, but wear it fit and snug, it will uphold you in every step of the way."
-- Anthony Liccione
Shiv's fair name is Hugo Lightfingers, mentioned in "For Want of a Shoe" among others.
Finn Skerry is Aida's island in the Maldives, introduced by
dialecticdreamer . Its original name is Thafaathudhoo in Dhivehi. See "Camping on Finn Skerry."See the belt and belt buckle that Shiv makes for Tolli.
Shiv's first forge visit appears in "A Wanderer with a Purpose."
Shiv initially encountered Saraphina in "A Gravel and Cream Sandwich." There's another hint about the connection in the story "Filtering Gravel" by
dialecticdreamer.Adaptive clothing comes in many styles. Wheelchair users often favor web belts, but for those who prefer leather, a narrow belt with a curved buckle can be comfortable.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-09-29 03:00 pm (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2022-09-29 06:58 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2022-09-29 05:27 pm (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2022-09-29 07:01 pm (UTC)I'm glad you enjoyed this so much.
Re: Thank you!
Date: 2022-09-29 10:52 pm (UTC)Re: Thank you!
Date: 2022-09-30 12:16 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2022-10-01 04:50 am (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2022-10-01 04:56 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2022-10-03 08:38 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2022-10-04 03:23 am (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2022-10-04 03:46 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2023-02-24 01:19 pm (UTC)I have gotten behind on reading, because RL is a bitch sometimes, but I'm in a slightly better place now.
Thank you.
Thoughts
Date: 2023-02-25 06:52 am (UTC)I'm glad you liked it so much.
>> I have gotten behind on reading, because RL is a bitch sometimes, but I'm in a slightly better place now.<<
It's good that things are better now.
meet Hugo Finn
Date: 2024-10-27 04:44 am (UTC)Thank you again for the link. This is beautiful!
Re: meet Hugo Finn
Date: 2024-10-27 05:00 am (UTC)Sometimes I think Shiv's story is a story of becoming. It's not so much about coming of age, because he really goes back and forth on that. It's more a matter of deciding what kind of person he wants to be.
Currently we're working on the college arc, which starts with "From the Ashes a Fire Shall Be Woken."
Next up will be the Poetry Fishbowl on November 5 with a theme of "Healthy Touch & Nonsexual Intimacy." Feel free to drop by and prompt for whatever you like in that line.