Some days I look in mirrors

[beautifullies]

Who: Claire Fraser, ota and closed starters
When: October log
Where: Solvunn, Nocwich, the Horizon
Notes: I went with handwaving Claire's finished home, it's been too long now, BUT if your character would've helped then they did! also please ignore the fact that I accidentally tagged this with Adora.
Warnings: None so far, will edit if needed. And brackets, prose - go with your heart.



𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑢𝑛𝑛

[ Claire's new home is tucked just short of the woods. Her gratitude for the help she received has been expressed in simple but filling meals, baked goods, doctoring, and helping with most chores. She's realized with a home of her own she must be settling, but she tells herself it's more to have her own space and feel comfortable. The home is two stories with her small bedroom upstairs that contains the space she works and spends the most of her time. One of the walls is completely plant-filled, and somewhere nestled in comfortably, is her new lizard. The downstairs has a kitchen with a hearth, and a built-in nook to sit and eat on one side. With a small sitting area made up of donated furniture, the other side of the downstairs is for seeing anyone who needs intense care and looking after, or drop-ins needing some sort of treatment.

Anyone dropping in is welcome and will not only be assaulted by plants and wildflowers in abundance, but bees will buzz lazily and drunk on nectar before flying back to their homes. They're tucked back just a bit, but the bee houses, lovingly painted by Nanaue, are bright and visible. She's left the back wall on the bottom floor windowless so that her friend can paint to his heart's content. When visitors arrive, the door is opened with a smile in greeting, able to see who's approaching from the front window.

Even though she has her own home now, she still makes sure to contribute, helping with cooking communal meals which helps her meet newcomers, and taking care of the animals which reminds her of Jamie. It all keeps her busy, and she can't say she doesn't like it. She still visits with the local Solvunnites she's grown fond of, and there are a few children she plays with outside with no shame in how silly she looks. ]

(𝑡ℎ𝑒) 𝐻𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑧𝑜𝑛

[ Gone is Lallybroch from Claire's domain. She'd been thinking of changing it anyway, but something very large managed to take out most of it during the rifts. That makes it easier to change things, though it's still rustic and full of flora. There's still plenty of space for her to entertain outside, and around back is where anyone can come for human anatomy lessons. Separate from that, there's a garden and greenhouse so that she can both learn and teach about different plants. It's a place for her experiment too, trying out her magic without accidentally causing damage to real plants in her home.

Anyone heading inside will be met with comfortable warmth, more plants, and a gray cat that doesn't seem bothered by much. There's always a setup for tea or coffee and something stronger if wanted, along with furniture meant for sinking into a good book.

She does like to explore other's domains, but if it seems closed off, she won't poke around...much. ]

𝑁𝑜𝑐𝑤𝑖𝑐ℎ

[ Claire has come to enjoy the walk to the portal, and if anyone happens to be heading out as well, they're happy to join her. She's dressed for the cooler air, pendant hanging just below her throat and basket in hand. In the square, she can be found purchasing things like flour and other cooking items for her own simple kitchen. Claire even picks up a trinket or two for friends, stowing different things beneath her goods in case she happens upon someone. Because she's rubbish at knitting, she can also be found weaving in and out of different shops to browse mittens and cowls.

When she rests the first time at mid-day, it's near the stage with a drink in hand. Every now and then she looks around the crowd as if searching for someone and in truth, she is. This is her only chance to look for Jamie or Bree, and she takes it each and every month. Eventually, she continues her day and when she's ready for supper, slips into an establishment, finding a seat at a table that could fit two. And a lucky thing too, as she's managed to come in at the height of mealtime, apparently. Anyone is free to join her.

With her basket on the ground between her right foot and the wall, she sits back and thinks of a friend or two she wouldn't mind joining her, almost feeling as though they're near, while leisurely eating her meal.* It only makes her think that she must check up on others soon, especially those she hasn't spoken to since the rifts. ]

[ *ooc note: Claire is able to determine someone's location to her within about 120 yards. (Think the length of an American football field), so if you want her to be surprised because she was literally just thinking you were on your way, lmk in the subject! ]

𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑑𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑑

[ If none of these work, please feel free to whip up a starter! We can plot on discord @ lifewasawillow or PM. My plotting comment from the last CR meme can be found here. If I owe you a starter and I haven't poked you, please poke me! ]

Comments

[satanicpanics]

You must miss her. I bet she would be broken up about the Beatles.

[ He takes in what Claire says about Tim Buckley and chooses instead to focus on the second part of her statement: her daughter. He knows that he talks about his uncle as often as he does because he misses the old man terribly, and talking about him helps to ease a little of that homesickness.

But then Claire asks him to play some of his music, and his grin only widens as he pulls his guitar a little closer. ]

Uh, hell yeah I can. Alright, so…besides mom’s Muddy Waters records…Black Sabbath? They’d just be getting started in your time, I think. They're a bit harder than Joni Mitchell and I’m not gonna do them a whole lot of justice on an acoustic, but hey, I rise to the challenge.

[ He doesn’t wait for her to confirm or deny—just started strumming out his best attempt at Paranoid, even going so far as to sing the first two verses and the bridge so she gets the full picture. It’s very important to him. ]

I mean, I’m no Tony Iommi, but…you get the idea.

[beautifullies]

[ Claire's heart swells, and her smile is warm at the mention of Bree. ]

I do miss her. Before arriving here it had already been nearly two years since I last saw her. [ Time travel has it's consequences, and leaving her daughter behind was one of them. She'll always wonder about that choice. ] I think you two would get along, actually. She's eclectic in her music tastes; she surprised me more often than not, and Brianna's the reason I appreciate this sort of music at all.

[ Her kid keeps (kept) her in the loop, and as it turns out, the evolution of music is more interesting than not. Especially when she can go all the way back and compare it to 1743. Listening without interrupting his explanation, she gives him a nod of encouragement. His playing is far better than he's giving himself credit for out loud, and then he starts singing, which nearly makes her cheer in interruption. This is a performance above and beyond, even if it is just Eddie and his guitar, and an audience of one. Would she buy this album herself? Probably not, it's a little too loud for her every day tastes. But the lyrics are like poetry set to heavy metal, and when he stops, she puts her fingers in her mouth to whistle, then claps enthusiastically with a cheer. ]

Brav-fucking-O, Eddie! We're going to make a rock star out of you yet. The first Abraxian celebrity. Thank you, that was a fantastic sample. One of your favorites?

[satanicpanics]

I guess I can thank your daughter for at least part of your good taste, then.

[ The fact that Claire hasn’t seen her for two years is quite sad, reminds him of the fact that he can hardly recall the last time he saw his old man—but Claire clearly holds her child a little more dearly to her heart than Al Munson ever did his (and under totally difference circumstances), so Eddie lets the thought pass. It isn’t worth holding onto.

He dips his head in a semi-bow, beaming with what is undeniably pride. He’s not a young man who thinks overly highly of himself, but he knows when he’s good at something. Music has been a huge part of his life for as long as he can remember, and he’s well aware that his hard work has paid off. It’s always nice to see other people acknowledge that as well. ]

One of them, yeah. I don’t know about the first, but uh…Solvunn doesn’t have any celebrities, right? I mean—living ones. [ Josselyn made quite a name for herself… ] First Solvunn celebrity. Has a bit of a ring to it.

[beautifullies]

[ Pulling a hearty laugh out of her, Claire claps her hands together quietly, in an amused gesture. ]

You're right, I do. There's a saying that includes children keeping you young, so I think that's proving to be true.

[ She would never claim to have been mother of the year at any point of Bree's life. First she was consumed by grief, trying to grapple with what she thought was Jamie's death while carrying their child. Then, after Bree was born, watching her prefer Frank while Claire took time to follow her dream, was too much. She hated that it wasn't Jamie, but it should have pushed her to do more with Brianna when she could. Instead, she threw herself into becoming the best doctor, the best surgeon, and the chasm between them only grew. She was always just out of reach from her daughter, though Claire's love for her has always been infinite and unconditional. She was no Al Munson, but Carol Brady, she was not.

Still, like Eddie, there's no point in bringing it up and dragging them down. She's dealt with these feelings long enough that they pass in a blink by now. ]

Unless you count the goats, I think you can definitely take the title. If you really did feel up to it, we could put together a one-man concert. It might wind up sound like heavy rock from ye olden days, but I bet it would be popular.