Blót in the back

[hellomajortom]

The goats in the hotel had nearly sent Tom into a downward spiral. Especially, when Vars informed him, they were going to slaughter them in a bathtub and start a bonfire on one of the balconies. It had taken time for the ex-astronaut to discover what was going on. Apparently, the twins were somehow at fault for this by putting the idea of a full Blót into Aarne’s mind at some point. He wasn’t particularly surprised by that part though he was surprised that they thought they could get away with this without him finding out. Aarne’s innocent look when questioned about starting a fire had the Fin glancing at Viktor and Tom shaking his head. Of course, the Brit singer would be the one to start the fire.

Tom had eventually given up and decided the best course of action was to direct, rather than try to deter, the Scandinavians from the task they were set on. He put a hold on the whole outer patio, thankfully fenced in with a high privacy fence, with the hotel to be theirs, undisturbed for two days. The musicians knowing, they would have to clean the place and return it to the state it was when they rented it. It was the only way Tom could imagine keeping this in some kind of control. Controlled and directed chaos was what the Brit did best these days. He watched them clear out all the furniture and tables. Things were getting strange, at least to Tom. He kept hearing chanting and saw more knives than he knew the musicians were traveling with. He did know about the traditional instruments and was less surprised to see those.

Music was forgotten which was an odd thing on the tour, to the point Ziggy postponed two tour dates to later in the month. Everyone threw themselves into some part of it, at least all the Scandinavians, and they dragged along their non-Nordic partners. There was cooking and prepping. The three goats housed out in the patio were tended to like royalty, fed apples and groomed all day. Tom wasn’t sure what to make of all of this though he did set out to ensure there was a proper iron firepit. Maybe not proper to the Nordic traditions but one to keep the fire from spreading across the patio. All he needed was Viktor to throw something flammable in it and set the whole side of the hotel alite. He had seen Rik teaching some how to sing and then watched as Ollie and Torden took turns slowly hand carving a large wooden bowl. Tom had no idea what any of this was for, but his sweet tooth told him the food smelled amazing. Omenakakku and Æblekage, Finnish and Danish respectively, were the sweets he kept smelling that made his stomach rumble. Tom loved apple pie and just how this was described to him sounded even better.

He was fascinated and worried in equal measures. Worried the hotel was about to be set on fire. Not to mention having to pull a tight noose to keep unwanted press out of the way. Damien ended up on paparazzi patrol. It was well into the night when he saw Aarne in full face paint and some antlered headpiece. Tom knew that things were happening. He was curious, it outweighed all of his reservations. Tom had once been a very devout Christian, funny how nearly dying in space had changed that. His wife had changed his perspective even further. That spiritual void only fueled the curiosity.

He wasn’t sure what to expect when he stepped out on that patio, but it felt like he had walked on to a movie set or stepped into the past. Most of the Scandinavians had at least partial traditional gear on or something that blended the two like Var’s long punk leather jacket with the fur collar and studs, the huge wolf painted on the back obviously Fenrir. Even Tom knew that now when he saw the broken chain hanging off the shoulders. It was nice to see Rik on the harp again. The music was soothing but noticing the pile of axes and the wooden target Tom knew this would get rowdy as the night went on. There was a table laid out with sweets and vegetables, but the selection of knives caught his attention. He wondered if Rekker was around and wondered if someone should watch the Brit. Maybe the situation would keep his hands off the blades. The variety of apples was incomprehensible but he had heard talk of some goddess of youth and apples. At least the apples made sense and the whispers that Mikkel would lead this Blót. The youngest for a celebration of youth wasn’t a hard connection to make even if he didn’t have much understanding of the intricacies of the religions or this event.

He wasn’t expecting to see Dee all painted up with her hair in braids, apparently in charge of sharpening the knives. After some thought he remembered that she was some sort of pagan, Wiccan he thought or one of the modern branches. He noticed Aarne and Mikkel with the goats, singing to them. Why that seemed the strangest in this whole landscape of new situations, Tom couldn’t pinpoint, though he wasn’t surprised at all to see Thomas in the background wide eyed and watching. Thomas was obsessed with human culture, and this was a chance to see it firsthand. The Anthean would never pass that up.

The patio went silent all the sudden, in unison, and it startled Tom, as an outsider with no true understanding of what the night would entail. Tom looked around for what was happening but noticed that every eye was on the two with the goats. Mikkel was singing in Danish that Tom couldn’t understand. He had a good handle on Swedish but hadn’t even started Danish yet. However, he didn’t miss the knife being passed around nor the bowl of water out of which everyone was washing their face. He hesitated and glanced at Raev beside him, who was offering him the two items.

“Witness the sharpness and cleanse your face.” He instructed quietly. It wasn’t appropriate to talk, or that was what Tom gathered from the situation. He felt like a child where everyone else knew what they were doing, and he didn’t. Being the oldest in the group, aside from the Antheans, the role reversal put him ill at ease. The ex-astronaut was rarely in a place where he was completely clueless.

Tom took the knife and wondered what to do, he ran his thumb on the cutting edge just like he would test a kitchen knife. He had no idea if that was the right thing to do but no one said anything. He then splashed the water on his face and handed both things off to the next person. Tom was counting musicians and noticed everyone was around, including Ziggy and he swore he saw the twins in the hotel earlier. Isamu better be here if he was the one that started this trajectory.

The knife made its way to Aarne who spoke in Finnish to Mikkel, a language Tom knew even less about. Mikkel responded in Danish and then took the knife while Aarne picked up that wooden bowl that he had seen the Vestergaard brothers making the day before. The way he held it out and Mikkel squatted with the goat Tom knew what was coming. The knife cut like butter through the neck and the blood came flooding out, Aarne catching it in that bowl. The animal barely struggled or made a sound. The kill must have been clean, precise. All three goats were slaughtered in turn before Aarne stood and held the bowl of blood overhead. It sloshed and Tom watched it rain down on the white clothing Aarne and Mikkel wore.

Tom was staring and couldn’t blink. There were words coming in more than one language he didn’t understand. Viktor, Harald, and Vars being splashed with blood before Mikkel offered them the dead goats. A thought ran through his head about the young, feminine boy offering the sacrificed animals to the older, masculine, warriors of the group. He wondered about all the cultural meaning he was missing. Like a midnight mass, the movements were practiced and mechanical so they must have all meant something even if he was clueless. Tom felt like a play by play would have been helpful but he would have to make due with remembering and asking later. The goats were taken to a table beside the fire pit which was blazing hot enough he could feel the heat. Someone had to have stoked it up while he was transfixed on the goats. Tom watched with awe as Devon also joined the three with Dee and the animals were quickly cleaned and beheaded. He’d seen animals butchered before, but this was something else, parts separated out into piles for reasons he didn’t know. Tom only came around when something wet touched his face. He looked over to see the Dane and the Fin standing there. Mikkel’s red hand slipping from his face, and he could feel the cool wetness left behind.

Mikkel spoke in Danish and then Aarne repeated, or Tom thought he did anyway, the words in English. “Will you join us?”

For a moment he could only imagine he was about to be treated like some village elder. In this village of a tour, he was the elder and the leader even if everyone went their own ways on a personal level. Tom was stunned, not by the invitation but the drips of blood rolling over the white paint on Aarne’s cheek and the mess of red in Mikkel’s bleach white hair. The details felt overwhelming, but he found himself nodding and then jumped as blood was splattered on his face. It was still warm and caused him to step back. Glancing around he noticed he was the first to be anointed, was that even right but it did remind him of holy water in that midnight mass on his mind. The thought of being treated like a village elder came around again. His focus had been so driven down to one thing that he missed the fact that the Danes were singing. Rik on the harp and Ansgar on some war drum while Ollie and Raev sang. What they were singing was lost on the Brit who didn’t know the language though he did pick up a couple of god names, all Norse. It didn’t even sound like Danish. Maybe it was something else? Vars spoke Old Norse and Tom wondered if there was an Old Danish or some equivalent. Truth was he was well outside his area of expertise or experience. This coming from a man who had lived with aliens. Tom cracked a smile with that thought, interrupted by Aarne kissing his cheek before they went off to find others. He noticed the elder feeling had some merit when Hexed and Robert were the next approached. The oldest of the group.

Tom glanced at the spitted goats and realized that the intent of this was to go on until food was ready to share. Tom took a breath and decided he was going to need a drink to survive this. No mule though. He had seen enough people huddled in the bathroom from the Danish liquor. Maybe Hunter had some wine, surely he wouldn’t be caught at a party without it. Tom didn’t move from where he stood near the middle of the patio. His eyes were trying desperately to take this all in but there was simply too much. Tonight wasn’t going to be like any other experience. Another notch on his belt of strange things he’d lived through in his life.

Comments

[oprorsk_sode]

Mikkel was wandering around looking for Sigurd with the bowl still in his hands. He hadn't seen his own partner yet, nor Fredrik but he did spot the three Brits who were still unmarked.

By this point Mikkel has blood all up his arms and in his hair but isn't bothered. He feels kind of high and euphoric from the attention and atmosphere.

"It's a modern Norse based celebration." Mikkel glanced at Vars who many of the Danes looked to as being the one with spiritual knowledge; him and Aarne. "I need to welcome you."

He noticed the way they were looking around and laughed. "Ziggy is with Rekker, I think. Gloria is having her chest painted by Dee up by the fireplace and Ansgar... follow the drumming."

Ansgar was with the other Danes drumming and probably soon to be joined by Aarne.

[guitar_voodoo]

"Welcome us? Well, by all means do what you need to do, mate. I'm up for celebrating other cultures and stuff."

Mick was marrying an alien. That in itself was embracing an entirely different race and culture, although not many knew except Aarne and those closest to Ziggy. So, this Norse celebration would be welcome by the usually shy guitarist. The blood wasn't so bad if everyone else was wearing it all over them.

"I'll go and find Ansgar!"

Rex giggling a little before walking over towards the Dane, following the sound of the drums. Weird was looking around wondering where Gloria was and was intrigued about the whole chest painting thing.

"Ok, I need to find Zig and Rekker. Is there booze and food at this party?"

Mick asking the obvious.

[oprorsk_sode]

Mikkel takes that as an invitation to splatter the Brits with blood. He could only grin at how eager Rex was to go find Ansgar. He was surely drunk and with at least Rik and Ollie, probably more. The Danes would all be happy to welcome the Brit among them for drinks.

Mikkel was going to say something to Weird but Mick's comment had him snorting a laugh. "We're Vikings. Of course there's booze and good."

He motioned over toward the table but the meat wasn't ready yet. That would take time. Mikkel looked around and noticed that Ziggy was up with Missy, Dee, and Gloria now. Where Rekker had gone, probably Bjorn or something. The Dane was still too busy looking for his own lover.

Mick to Ziggy

[guitar_voodoo]

Mick was now walking up towards Ziggy, Missy, Gloria and Dee. All the girls together it would seem. It wouldn't be long until Weird met up with Gloria because Mick knew the bassist would want to spend the evening with his girlfriend.

"Zig? Oh, hello, ladies. Doing a bit of blood painting, eh?"

The blond smiling shyly at Dee, Missy and Gloria while adjusting the tie on his white silk pants. Perhaps wearing white wasn't the best choice for tonight but Mick knew he could always wash his pants if they got flecked with blood or whatever.

"It's a good thing there's no vampires at this Blot thing."

Mick just giggled a little as he went to hug Ziggy.

Re: Mick to Ziggy

[ziggyplayedguitar]

"Mick." Ziggy smiled from where he was sitting, having a drink with the other girls. It was good to have others around that were feminine and he hadn't had much time to get to know Dee or Missy yet. Dee was already pouring Mick a glass of mead.

"You've been splattered, do you want painted?" Dee had a bowl of blood she was using to paint on people with. Ziggy had lightning bolts, stars and some music notes already painted across his chest.

[guitar_voodoo]

Mick thought it was nice that Ziggy was spending time with the girls since the Brit hadn't had the chance to speak with the other members of Hexed yet either. He wanted to though and was now smiling fondly at the suggestion of getting his chest painted up. The fact that the girls were topless and painted didn't phase the guitarist, since he didn't really care for a girl's chest much. He was more a leg man anyway.

"I'd love to be painted, thank you, love. I could have guitars, notes and stars? What do you think, Zig?"

The blond kissing Ziggy on the lips, stroking his red hair and sighing slightly before moving away so that Dee could paint his chest.

[thrashdevil]

They were all sitting in a tight circle so Mick could sit beside Ziggy while getting painted if he wanted. Ziggy returned the kiss and stroked Mick's arm gently while Dee prepared to paint Mick.

"Do you want the front and back?" She asked but it didn't matter to Dee. She would start whenever Mick was comfortable.

[guitar_voodoo]

"Oh well---yeah, go on. I might as well have the full works, like."

Mick nodded and leant against Ziggy as he was about to get painted by the Hexed bassist. The Northerner now opening up to more cultures which now included blood painting and Norse traditions. What would Dee paint? Mick was curious but then he put a hand up, halting the process before it had even started.

"Hang on, love. Let me---"

The guitarist got up and then pulled down his white silken pants, putting them into a neat folded pile next to him so that he was left in his black boxers. There. No need to ruin a good pair of white pants.

"---just so they don't get splattered. Now, you get to see me in my underwear, Zig."

[thrashdevil]

Dee wasn't bothered by Mick undressing. Missy did lean over and reach for them. "I can put them in my bag to keep them clean." She had a large leather bag with her and she didn't want Mick's pants to get ruined.

She started with stars across his upper chest and lightning bolts on the shoulder to match Ziggy. She thought that would be cute.

Ziggy started to laugh. "I see you in less than your underwear every night." It had the two girls giggling too. Missy pouring Mick some mead to drink with them while he got painted.

[guitar_voodoo]

"Oh right. Yeah, that will save them from getting all blooded and stuff."

Mick giving a nod of thanks to Missy who was putting the Brit's white silken pants into her bag for safe keeping. Dee's fingers tickled a little but Mick was enjoying it and noticing the designs she was painting on him. Stars and a matching lightning bolt like Ziggy had on his shoulder.

"I know, love. But I'm just being polite for the young ladies here with us. They might not want to see my----well, assets."

The guitarist smirking and blushing a little, giving Ziggy a peck on the cheek. It was amusing since the "young ladies" were all older than Mick.

[miss_mayhem]

Missy snorted out a quiet laugh over the comment young ladies as she handed Mick his drink.

"I haven't been called a young lady in years." Missy can't help the giggling.

Dee snickered a little too. "You don't know Rekker and Devon well. They used to wander around backstage in almost nothing the first 10 or 15 years of our career."

[guitar_voodoo]

"Well, I don't think you look a day over twenty five. Both of you."

Mick smirked and then drank some of his mead. He was being a playful flirt but in a kind platonic way, almost cheeky because he was enjoying the company of the other band members as well as being cuddled up to the love of his life.

"Oh, I can believe that, love. That Rekker is a wild ginger demon so I've heard. Devon, I don't think I've met yet."

The guitarist allowing Dee to paint him while he picked up Ziggy's left hand, kissing the ring on his finger.

[miss_mayhem]

"You're so sweet." Missy leaned over and kissed Mick's cheek, trading the platonic flirting right back. "No wonder your singer said yes to your charms."

She was used to gently flirting and teasing men platonically. It was a dynamic in Hexed despite what it might look like from the outside.

"Rekker is a force of nature." Dee confirmed while drawing the stars on Mick. "Devon is calmer until those two get into something."

She glanced around and pointed out Devon who has stationed himself at the fire and attending to the food since the others were in the middle of a brawl, or it looked that way anyway. Ziggy grinned and kissed Mick's cheek and neck.

"Aren't you a lucky man, surrounded by this many pretty girls?" Ziggy couldn't resist a playful tease too.

[guitar_voodoo]

"Thanks, love. Zig? Well, I think it's a mix of him wanting me and me being a total blockhead for running away when he touched me for the first time. I was a daft sod back then but now I'm besotted with him. Isn't that right, mate?"

Mick glancing sheepishly at Ziggy while enjoying all the attention given to him by both Dee and Missy. The painting felt nice and soothing although it was a little ticklish, causing the guitarist to shiver a little.

"It's like any man's fantasy this. All these topless girls doting on me. Of course my eyes are only for one girl here."

The blond giggling a little as he leaned in and gave Ziggy a kiss on the lips, while caressing his cheek gently.

[thrashdevil]

Missy started to giggle. "You should have seen Dee chasing Devon around after they first met."

There were so many stories among the members of Hexed after so long together. Dee continued painting adding a guitar over Mick's shoulder. She laughed and pushed her hair back.

"You and Ulrik can't resist us ginger girls." Dee winked at Mick playfully which got a giggle from Ziggy.