⒈Yuputka ⒉Pockets Full of Posies ⒊Pumpkin Pals(Halloween 2016 Event Response) ⒋Geborgenheit ⒌Winter Blooms ⒍Quaintrelle ⒎Weltschmerz ⒏Vorfreude ⒐Nerd Paradise ⒑Happy Birthday(Part 1) ⒒Happy Birthday(Part 2) ⒓Tatts N' Tags ⒔Fashionably Late ⒕Voorpret
Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2016 10:34 pm
Yuputka Ulwa, n. The phantom sensation of something crawling on one's skin. July 26th, 2016
A distant rumbling woke her from her sleep, but she was not in her bedroom. Was this a dream? It had to be—she distinctly remembered laying down under the covers. Eden pushed herself up from her spot in the grass, her head feeling heavy and light at the same time. She couldn’t seem to focus her eyes completely, everything possessing a slight smoke-like blur around the edges. Where was she?
The trees around her didn’t look familiar, but there was something comforting about this place. Still, it was dulled by that strange, far-off rumbling. She rubbed at her eyes and looked around again to try to find something promising in the too-bright light. She tried to lift herself off the ground, but did not feel the familiar sensation of petal-like wings against her skin. A glance over her shoulder found no wings, only long dark hair. Wait… this wasn’t right. Who was she?
Panicking, Eden stumbled first to her knees and then to her feet—feet! She looked down at herself and took in a sharp breath. She had legs! And a stomach! Was she a Valsaros? No, she would still have her wings if that were the case. Confusion clouding her already wary brain, she started walking clumsily through the brush toward the brightest spot. Something pulled her that way- logically she had no idea if there would be any help there at all. The more she walked the louder the rumbling became, and the stronger a strange prickling feeling became in her chest. Her rune? No… This was close, but not the same type of ache. It felt as if something were inside, scraping at her slowly and carefully, but not the same as if she scratched her skin. She had no words to truly describe it.
Upon reaching the clearing, she first saw a wide expanse of lush green grass and flowers of all sorts. She knew some of them were not wild, they had to have been planted. But by whom? This placed seemed rather remote—no, she wasn’t alone.
She could hear faint murmurs of voices over the now almost deafening roar. Now that she could hear it more clearly, it was obviously that of machinery. She gasped sharply again and stumbled, looking toward the far end of the clearing. There, perched on the hill, were three large yellow beasts, engines rumbling hungrily. They lowered their big claws to the dirt and scraped, digging harshly into the grass. At the same time Eden felt another surge of pain and fell to her knees.
There were more, more--so many of them now, surrounding her on all sides. Everything they touched turned to dark, bleeding soil and she could barely breathe. Her vision swam and she could barely hold her head up, let alone support her weight on her hands. The nearest beast loomed above her and roared, the faceless man astride it a shadow against the glaring sky. The last thing she saw before her vision faded completely was a swath of sweetpeas blooming along the ground between her and the beast’s hungry maw. There was another sharp, soul-rending stab of pain—a scream.
Eden awoke with a start, her face and pillow wet from tears and her body chilled. She was tangled in her bedsheets like a mummy and her heart was racing, her rune glowing the brightest she’d ever seen it. Her throat felt tight and raw and she realized she’d heard herself scream. Her door opened quickly and there was Ian, reaching clumsily for the lamp atop her dresser to turn it on.
“Eden? Are you okay? I heard you scream,” he said hurriedly. His voice was still crackling from sleep but his eyes were wide and alert, brows drawn up in concern. Eden ran a hand through her hair and wiped hurriedly at her face, sniffling against swollen sinuses.
“Yeah,” she croaked, rubbing at her chest just above her ribbon. “I’m fine- just a bad dream…”
Eden and Vesna attend a Halloween festival in Barton and Eden participates in a pumpkin carving contest!
Quote:
A fun looking Halloween carnival had been set up near Ian's shop, and it is on this spooky but merry evening that Eden found herself participating in a pumpkin carving contest. Most of the participants were kids so Eden was feeling most confident. However, when it comes to judging time, Eden found out that her pumpkin was not carved. In fact, even though similar in size and shape, it was not her pumpkin at all! Someone did a a switcheroo! When was it? When was her pumpkin switched out? Who did it? And why? Will Eden find out?
RP Points 200+ word post x3 = 3 points TOTAL: 3 points
Cynnybun
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Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2017 9:03 pm
Geborgenheit German, n. A feeling and state of complete safety and sense of well-being; a mix of well-being, trust, acceptance, contentment, protection, security and love - often related to another loved person; the feeling of being in your mothers arms as a child while just letting go and feeling at home independent of where you are. Thanksgiving Day, 2016
The concept of Thanksgiving had been completely foreign to Eden when Ian first told her about it, but so were most holidays in general. What she immediately latched onto was the sheer amount of food that Ian described. It was a shame she couldn’t eat most of it. Thankfully Amelia was more than happy to oblige her new granddaughter and vowed to make an effort to use more natural, unprocessed ingredients and make dishes that she could eat. The table was laden with a few traditional sides that she couldn’t eat, but there was also fruit salad with only a bit of sugar, mashed potatoes without excess butter, colorful roasted vegetables, and minimal fancy seasonings on even the turkey so she could partake in the star of the meal. She couldn’t have the deliciously golden-brown rolls, but she didn’t mind too much. There was more than plenty of food to go around, and even the things that she could eat she had to do so in moderation. Not having a stomach tended to limit your appetite.
Caroline had joined them on this visit to the Flynn homestead and Eden couldn’t have been happier to see her aunt. She really loved having the woman around and dearly missed her. When asked, Ian always said that she was very busy with her schooling but Eden never seemed to accept that excuse. She wanted to see Caroline—and her grandparents!—on a much more frequent basis. Perhaps she could convince Ian to start letting her ride the city buses by herself…
“How is everything, honey? You doing okay?” Amelia leaned to her side a bit to check on her, her eyes warm and bright as she paused in the middle of cutting a piece of turkey. Eden blinked and immediately flashed a smile at Amelia, nodding eagerly. The last time she’d been here Amelia had cooked for them as well—it seemed to be what she loved to do the most. Ian had told her that that was how his mother took care of people and showed her love. And who didn’t love good food?
“Yes, it’s all delicious! I’ve never had mashed potatoes before, they’re so smooth—and no cream or anything?”
Amelia sat up a little straighter and wiggled, fluffing up at the compliment. “No, only a tiny little bit of butter. And I made sure it was organic and unsalted, just for you.” She patted Eden’s arm gently and squeezed her hand.
“Oh, Mom! I forgot to tell you—" Caroline started to talk around a mouthful of green bean casserole (Eden was most interested in the crunchy onions on top but Ian had said no), “I passed my latest mock trial with flying colors! And it was a murder trial too!” The fiery redhead flashed her eyebrows and took a smug bite of her food, teeth clicking gently against her fork. The table echoed a round of “ooh”s and “congratulations!” and Caroline feigned a dramatic bow.
Ian chuckled beside Eden and nudged his sister’s foot under the table. “You’ll be a regular shark by the summer at this rate,” he teased. Caroline just laughed and tossed a piece of her roll at him.
“We’re so proud of you, Caroline. I’m sure you’ll pass the bar with yet another high score,” Kieran chimed in with his soft baritone. Eden had liked the man the moment she had met him. He was quiet like Ian, but a different type. Though he looked strong and a bit rough, his touch had been gentle when he had hugged her and she could see a warm softness in his eyes and his smile when he looked at his family. Amelia had a similar look, but her eyes had a hint of something watchful as if she were always keeping an eye on them. Not in a malicious way—Eden knew she only meant the best.
And just like that, all the food was gone. Eden felt a strange sense of fullness, as if she didn’t want to swallow anymore and her eyes were beginning to feel heavy. But it felt good and warm and safe, and her rune glowed softly under the hem of her sweater. She yawned and looked up when Amelia and Kieran stood, as if snapped out of a haze. Suddenly the prospect of curling up in one of the cushiony armchairs in the family room sounded so nice…
“Pie!” Caroline clapped her hands as Amelia and Kieran cleared away the dishes. They had all offered to help, but Kieran had insisted that it was his job since Amelia had cooked most of the food. Eden recalled learning to make the green bean casserole with Ian, his designated responsibility. Like what Cesc had shown her in the bakery this hadn’t been horribly difficult--just some green beans and a can of soup--but she’d had fun all the same. She had sneaked one or two of the crunchy onions out of their box while Amelia and Ian weren’t looking, delighting in the crunch of it in her mouth. She couldn’t wait to try more foods once she had her stomach, particularly those adorable coffee drinks she kept seeing on Instagram.
Naturally her Frei body would not have handled pie well with all its processed ingredients and fats, but Amelia had gone to the trouble of making her a special dessert. Peaches and strawberries, her favorites, covered in sugar so that they made their own sweet, dark syrup. After adding a bit of whipped cream and sending a snap to Cesc, Eden was perfectly happy even if the golden crust of the pumpkin pie looked particularly yummy. She was already thinking of how to edit the picture later for her theme. “Thanks!” She promptly stuffed her mouth with the fruit mixture and licked the whipped cream from her lips. Amelia simply giggled in response and reached over to push a bit of Eden’s hair from her face. The nymph caught Ian’s gaze as they sat around the family room with their dessert and she snuggled down into the plush blanket Amelia had given her.
“Are all holidays like this? Halloween was very different,” she mused. Though there had been food, what she had seen had been considerably more candy than makings of an actual meal.
Caroline flashed her an eager grin. “Just wait until Christmas, Eden. You’ll love it, even if the weather is a little chilly.” Eden’s wings perked at the mention of the mysterious holiday.
“Christmas? I think I’ve seen something about that… Some guy in a red outfit?” She recalled the brightly colored pictures that had started filtering into her social media feeds. Lots of lights and sparkly red and green ribbons were becoming more and more popular. She’d thought it was some strange trend. The others laughed softly.
“That’s Santa Claus, Eden. He’s like… the mascot of Christmas!”
“Oh, yes. Christmas is my favorite! It’s so warm and lovely, and all the lights!” Amelia clapped her hands together once in pleasure. Kieran just chuckled beside her.
“Every year the park across the street decorates all the trees with lights, Eden. It’s beautiful!” Ian chimed in, swallowing an overly eager bite of food. “We can tour the houses in the Barton Hills, too--they always put on a big show.” Amelia cooed in delight and tapped her chin.
“Maybe I’ll do up a nice prime rib this year… Or another ham?”
Eden had mostly stopped listening now, too overwhelmed by the pleasantly full feeling from her meal. Though she had only eaten a small amount compared to the others it felt like she’d been to an all-you-can-eat buffet. Her eyelids felt heavy again and she yawned, managing to set her bowl aside before sinking down into her blanket. The last thing she saw before warm, soft sleep took her was Ian’s smile. If all the other holidays were like this, she didn’t know if she would be able to pick a favorite.
RP Points 1333 words = 6 points 1000+ word bonus = 2 points TOTAL: 8 points
Claire Holmes and her son, Lorin, visit Thistle Do Nicely on a cold winter's day.
RP Points 200+ word post x4 = 4 points TOTAL: 4 points
Cynnybun
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Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2017 9:13 pm
Quaintrelle English, n. A woman who emphasizes a life of passion expressed through personal style, leisurely pastimes, charm, and cultivation of life's pleasures. Mid-December, 2016
“omg this is so pretty!!” “girl you should do tutorials!” “goals af! ♥”
Eden’s lips stretched in a smile as she scrolled through the comments on her latest Instagram posts. She’d been getting more and more as of late, particularly ones mentioning beauty videos. She’d watched a few before, but only very simple tutorials when she was first getting into makeup and beauty products. By now she knew how to do a beautiful smoky eye, a halo look, and even a fairly decent cut crease. Eye shadow was her favorite, but she had practiced contouring plenty of times as well. All the pictures she posted on social media had gotten very good feedback and she’d gained quite a few followers as of late. She hadn’t broken 1,000 on any single platform yet, but all together she was over that milestone even if most of them were probably repeats. Still, it was an encouraging situation to say the least. She wanted more.
She drifted off her bed and to her desk to unplug her laptop and bring it back to bed. She’d already subscribed to a few of her favorite beauty gurus on YouTube and that was where she went first. After finding her favorite pen and notebook Eden began to take notes, looking at things that they all had in common. They were beautiful of course, but so was she. All of them seemed to do their videos by windows for the natural light, and they all had beautiful backdrops or stylishly decorated shelves and vanities in the background. Glancing around her room Eden couldn’t help but pout a bit. Though Ian had indulged in all her wishes, it was nowhere near where it needed to be. White was the main theme and she had some flower lights strung above her bed, but she needed more. She started a list: fairy lights, lots of gold and pink accents, those classic white drawers, a ring light… With Christmas coming up, perhaps it would be easier to furnish her “studio” than at another time of the year.
“Ian?” The nymph floated out into the living room and hovered near the edge of the couch with her hands folded in front of her ribbon. Ian looked up at her from where he was hunched over the coffee table working. If she remembered correctly he was going over stuff for the shop, but she didn’t really know anything about it. Not that it concerned her anyway—she only refreshed the plants when needed and took the extras to furnish the apartment. The living room was bright and airy, lit only by the natural light streaming in from the large windows along the wall. Outside everything was coated in a light dusting of snow, making everything brighter despite the cloudy sky.
“Yes? Is everything alright?” The florist’s brows were lifted just slightly. Why did he always default to that question?
Eden waved a hand dismissively. “Yeah, everything’s fine. I just-“ she stopped, adopting a big smile as she drifted like a breeze to settle on the couch next to him. “I’ve been thinking, and I don’t really have much to do around here. Um…” There was a slight crease between Ian’s brows now. He held up her hands and splayed her fingers dramatically. “I wanna start doing beauty videos! Like that one I showed you a while ago, you know?” Her eyes were bright as she watched his reaction. It would be so fun! She was sure people would love her. "And maybe vlogging!"
Ian blinked and let out a soft chuckle. “Yeah? Well you can take videos on your phone, you know.” That response only earned an eyeroll and a soft huff of a sigh from the Raevan.
“No, Ian! I need a real camera, like—a video camera!” Ian just laughed softly and nodded.
“Alright, alright—“
“And I need to make my room all pretty, and I need some special lights, and—“ Ian held up a hand, giving her a little smirk with one brow raised.
“Eden, you know Christmas is coming up. Why don’t you put all that on your Christmas list?”
She paused, brows flashing. “Oh, I’m going to! But um—I mean, I could start right away if I just had the camera…” He smiled at him and leaned in a bit closer. “The other stuff isn’t necessary right away, just the camera, you know.”
She could see on his face that Ian knew what she was doing. He let out a long sigh and blinked slowly as he turned to look down at his work again. But there was a slight curl to his mouth that made Eden’s chest tighten with hope. He was quiet for a minute, shuffling through his papers. Eden knew he always had a hard time saying no to her. She put a hand on his arm and wiggled slightly. “Pleeeeease?”
Ian sighed heavily again before leaning back against the couch. “Alright. A camera, but that’s it for now. Just to get you started.” But she didn’t hear the rest after he’d given in. She bobbed up and down in the air as if bouncing on the couch cushion, wings fluttering excitedly.
“Eee, thank you Ian, thank you!” He squeezed his arm in a small hug before flitting off toward her room. “I’m gonna set up a good spot to use it!!”
She practically crashed back onto her bed and scooped up her phone, aiming it at herself for a Snapchat video. Her smile was wide and dazzling as she watched herself move on the screen.
“Soooo, what would you guys think of me starting a YouTube channel? Maybe some vlogs, some makeup tutorials… Let me know what you think! Don’t forget to follow me on here and on Instagram and Twitter, I’ll be posting updates soon! Love ya!” She flashed a peace sign and blew a kiss to the camera, then immediately posted it to her story. She couldn’t wait to get started!
RP Points 1000 words = 5 points 1000+ word bonus = 2 points TOTAL: 7 points
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2017 1:07 pm
Weltschmerz German, n. The sad feeling that comes with seeing chaos and wishing for things to get better. Late December, 2016
Suddenly it all made sense. Eden barely noticed the concerned crease between Ian’s brows as she retreated into her thoughts, thinking about when she could have maybe noticed something wrong. Since they’d met in Vermillion bakery almost a year ago—a year!—she and Cesc had been texting fairly frequently. Unfortunately there had been few opportunities to meet since then, and now she regretted it deeply. Texting and exchanging snaps was no substitute for actually meeting with someone in person. And now…
No, he had to be okay. He had to be. Cesc was older than her, smarter than her, stronger and no doubt much more resilient. A Sigel like him had to be okay. Not to mention that he was born from a white stag! He’d been more than happy to answer her questions about his essence and soul in the past, after she’d realized she’d never asked like she had with almost everyone else. White stags were known for finding the lost, helping others and acting as guides and benevolent messengers in the wilderness. Surely Cesc could help himself out of this. He had to.
But it wasn’t as if everyone else wasn’t trying. As soon as they’d gotten the call from Vivi and Shep, Ian had volunteered to keep an eye out in any way he knew how. He’d utilized Eden’s Internet prowess to find a someone older picture of Cesc from his Instagram, and they had posted it up in the shop with a sign. Owning a popular store like this was an asset in more than just financial ways and they intended to use their reach as much as possible. Eden, too, had posted on all her social media accounts to keep an eye out for the unmistakable pink Sigel. It was about all she could do, but she intended to do her best.
However, this level of determination had not been immediately present. When Ian had first told her that Cesc was missing—not just wandering, missing—she hadn’t really understood. Couldn’t he just come back? He was probably fine, just hanging out somewhere and his phone was dead or something. Right? Something that serious couldn’t possibly happen to one of her friends. She’d seen posts on the Internet about missing children, missing teenagers, but that always happened to other people. Bad things didn’t happen in her world, not when all the Raevans had people caring for them like Ian did for her.
But as she thought about it more and Ian did his best to impress upon her the urgency of the situation, the panic began to claw at her insides like a cold hand had wrapped around her rune. After making sure Eden was alright when her doubtful smile had morphed into barely-concealed worry, Ian had then overcome his anxieties and called other guardians in the spirit of helping to find their friend. Lab 305 was a community after all, and everyone would be willing to do their part. But with no clues as to where to even begin to look for him, the Flynns and many others seemed to be stuck. Not to mention that Vermillion and Cesc’s home were in Gambino and they were in Barton, quite some distance away. The idea of Cesc somehow getting that far from home without anyone knowing was possible, but improbably. Or perhaps it was just hard to think about. Maybe they just didn’t want it to be possible.
Eden chewed her lip thoughtfully as she looked out her window, perched in a pillowy butterfly chair with a blanket over her shoulders. Spring was beginning to peek its head out of its burrow under the gray cover of winter, but there was still a chill in the air. She watched the crowds drift by on the streets below, unseeing for all her reminiscing. Now that she thought about it, Cesc’s messages had been fewer and further between before having been cut off entirely, and he’d stopped posting on Instagram around the same time. She’d assumed he was just busy at the time, hanging out with other people or trying to deal with increased bakery business around the holidays and New Year. But now… It made something in her chest twist as she realized she’d seen him go missing, she’d seen it happen almost in real time, and hadn’t realized something was wrong. Was she so blind? Was she so wrapped up in her own life that she couldn’t see what was going on in others’? That didn’t seem like something a good friend would do.
Cesc had to be okay. He had to. Every day that he was gone was another day full of worrying about where he could possibly be. It was also another chance for Eden to regret not spending more time with him while she could. If he came back—when he came back—she would remedy that immediately.
RP Points 818 words = 4 points TOTAL: 4 points
Cynnybun
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Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 6:36 pm
Vorfreude German, n. The joyful, intense anticipation that comes from imagining future pleasures. Early January, 2017
The last bit of the year had gone by in a flurry of activity and work, especially in the shop. Between all of the holidays crammed into December and early January, there hadn’t been a time that Eden could recall where Ian wasn’t working overtime to get everything caught up and countless arrangements created for all sorts of occasions. She helped when she felt like it, or when Ian seemed especially desperate for a hand with things, but the shop was definitely not her calling. She did enjoy being there, surrounded by all sorts of beautiful plants—that wasn’t the problem. Her issue was when customers left with the plants, taking them home to ultimately die if their stems were cut. Thankfully Ian seemed to sense this and only kept her in the shop when absolutely necessary. All of the activity was almost enough to distract her from the fact that Cesc was still missing. Almost. She could do little to actually help, so Eden often found herself retreating to her most efficient coping mechanism: distraction.
The New Year came with a tradition of resolutions, promises to oneself to do better or make a change. The concept was intriguing, and Eden thought long and hard about what she could do. She was already good in many aspects of her life: she didn’t need to exercise like many creatures, she didn’t have a bad diet to fix, she already had impeccable style… What else was there?
Midway through a long list of New Year’s Resolution videos on YouTube the nymph looked up from the screen and turned her gaze to the snow-covered tree outside her window. The realization came slowly, her eyes widening when the lightbulb finally went off. It didn’t necessarily have to be a big, drastic change in your life—many people had assured her of that. She’d thought a lot about what she enjoyed doing, what she wanted to do, things she could do. She’d just recently kickstarted her presence on social media, what if she did something with that? She could honestly be taking it more seriously. So far she had only uploaded a few short videos; she needed more. A lot more.
Pushing off her bed like a bird swooping down from a tree, Eden zoomed to her desk to grab her favorite notebook and pink pen. She started to brainstorm all the different types of videos and things she could do with her social media, from more makeup tutorials to everyday vlogging. Well, maybe not every day. She had a life to live, after all! Plus, it was highly unlikely that something vlog-worthy would happen every single day.
Maybe Ian would let her subscribe to some of these makeup boxes? Then she could get a lot without actually spending that much… She made a note to ask—or rather, insist—later. Then she could film the unboxings, and get promo codes, and all sorts of stuff! What if companies started giving her stuff to promote, just like the beauty gurus?! Her rune glowed brightly at the thought.
Eden had found her resolution: She was going to become a social media celebrity, and it was going to happen soon.
Eden reunites with Iorek to find the perfect nerdy gift for her bestie!
RP Points 200+ word post x2 = 2 points TOTAL: 2 points
Cynnybun
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Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2017 8:45 pm
Happy Birthday (Part 1) February 2nd, 2017
February 2nd began just like any other day for someone who had no school or job to go to. Eden remained in the warm cocoon of her bed until late in the morning, basking in the freedom that her birthday brought and reading and replying to all of the birthday wishes she’d received from her friends so far. She tried not to think too much about that fact that one in particular was missing and likely would not arrive, and focused on the ones that had arrived instead.
HOPE ITS AWSUM + LOTSA FUN GOTTA HANG OUT SOON 2 PARTY 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
From: Claire Happy birthday, Eden! We wish you the best today and hope you have a wonderful day surrounded by friends! We hope to see you soon!
♥ Lorin and Claire
Ian had decided to take the day off to celebrate the momentous occasion. It was her first birthday, after all! She could hardly believe she’d been alive for an entire year—it simultaneously had felt like a blink of an eye and an eternity all at once. Ian appeared even more out of sorts about it, the curve of his smile taking on a more sentimental tone in the past few days. But it was a somewhat complicated celebration due to the fact that she wasn’t technically only one year old. After considerable research it seemed that she was similar to a human teenager, a high school student at the most. In her mind, Eden had decided to celebrate this birthday as if it were her Sweet Sixteen; it was way more fun than a “first” birthday!
When she finally drifted out into the living room with a yawn and a stretch, Ian was already pouring himself a second cup of coffee. Though the rest of the day was sure to be awesome Eden couldn’t help but feel a disappointed twinge in her chest at the lack of a birthday breakfast. Being unable to eat most foods really put a damper on that sort of thing. Anything that could have been prepared had been so often already that it wouldn’t really have been special. But in the spirit of the gesture Ian had still prepared a colorful fruit cocktail and fresh yogurt, sweetened only with pure cane sugar and natural sugars from the fruit. He’d done his best without taking too many risks, seeing as he couldn’t consult Cesc for any inspiration or help. The stag Raevan was still missing, with no replies to any texts nor any promising leads.
“Happy Birthday!” Ian chimed as Eden floated up to the kitchen island where the breakfast was waiting. He’d even found a large novelty candle and balloon, the former stuck carefully into the bowl of yogurt and fruit. “I found a candle, you can blow it out and make a wish. But don’t say it out loud or it won’t come true!” Ian smiled an Eden couldn’t help but return it. As much as she wanted a bountiful breakfast of pancakes and all sorts of processed and altered foods like the beautiful spreads she’d seen on Instagram, she knew it was impossible for now. And Ian had no doubt put in a lot of thought and effort, and it did look good.
Eden held up her phone and took a picture of the display, balloon and all. “Aw, oh my gosh! It’s so cuuuute!” she said with another bright smile. She took a big breath and blew out the candle, closing her eyes as she made her wish: to be successful in her social media efforts. It was a bit of an obvious wish if she really thought about it, but didn’t really want anything else more at the moment. After the smoke tendril had fizzled out she looked back up at Ian expectantly, her smile mischievous and excited. “Thanks! Can I open my presents now?” Her wings fluttered against her back and she clasped her hands under her chin, batting her lashes. Ian hesitated, then sighed and returned her smile.
“Alright, but start eating while I go get them okay? I mean, only as much as you can eat comfortably,” he added cautiously as he left the kitchen to get her presents from the closet. Eden hurriedly dug into her parfait in the meantime but eagerly nudged it aside when Ian returned, his arms laden with wrapped packages and bags. Her grandpa and grandma had unfortunately been unable to cancel their trip out of town but they had given Ian her present before they’d left, and Caroline had gotten her not one but two presents in matching wrapping paper; she no doubt loved having a niece to spoil whenever she could. Ians’ presents were wrapped modestly in (surprisingly) chic brown paper with twine bows, and there was one in particular that she was certain had come from Vesna judging by the outrageously colorful bag and bow.
After a flurry of torn wrapping paper and tissue paper set aside, Eden had lined up all her presents on the dining table for a photo shoot. Kieran and Amelia had sent her a set of classic period drama novels (all of which sounded romantic and engaging), and Caroline had picked out a trendy bohemian cardigan and two breezy, flowy tops for spring. Vesna (and Lorenzo and Buddy) and given her not one but 3 gifts: a traditional cherry blossom kanzashi hairpiece, a new phone charm in the shape of half a heart matching one of Vesna’s, and a deep red Sailor Mars lipstick. But what really drew Eden’s attention and had earned a delighted squeal and hug, was one of Ian’s gifts. It had seemed unassuming at first so she’d opened it last, but was quickly confirmed to be the most desired thing she’d mentioned to him: a makeup subscription box! Apparently it would be delivered once a month for a year, and this was the first installment.
“Eeee!! Thank you Ian, thank you!” She bobbed excitedly in the air and clapped her hands, flitting around on either side of the table to take numerous pictures. She also made sure to take a selfie with her presents from Vesna to send later. Ian just sipped his coffee and laughed, returning her hugs whenever she gave them.
“So what do you want to do today? We have the whole day off of work, Bethany is running things downstairs for us.” He watched her as she thought, brows lifted expectantly. If she were to be honest, Eden hadn’t really thought of any solid plans for what to do. On the Internet people were always going to lunches, dinners, parties, on special trips. All of that wasn’t really possible on such short notice, and she would want friends to come along too.
“Um… Can we go to the mall? Or maybe a movie? That smoothie place in the food court has all-natural stuff right?” She perked up a little as she thought more about it. Her grandparents had also included some birthday money, so maybe she could spend some of that! A new eyeshadow palette had just come out after all, and she needed it. Ian chuckled at her idea and nodded as he took another sip of coffee.
”Okay. Go get ready, and pick a movie you want to see. We can text Caroline and see if she’s free, if you like?”
”Yeah! We haven’t hung out in forever!” The nymph gave Ian another hug before zipping out of the kitchen and into her room. This was the best birthday ever!
RP Points 1293 words = 6 points 1000+ word bonus = 2 points TOTAL: 8 points
Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2017 11:05 pm
Happy Birthday (Part 2) February 2nd, 2017
The first stop at Sephora had come and gone by in a blur of colors and scents. Eden had strongly insisted on collecting her birthday gift, and they would likely be stopping at another store on the way home to do the same. She had also used some of her birthday money to buy a new eyeshadow palette and was already thinking of how to Instagram it later. She would obviously have to use her fluffy white rug; maybe a candle? Definitely some cute brushes, too!
“So where to next, birthday girl?” Caroline wrapped an arm around her niece’s shoulders and grinned down at her. The nymph tapped her lower lip in thought as she looked around the mall, trying to decide where she wanted to go. Perhaps she could convince Ian or Caroline to buy her more things- it was her birthday, after all! Everyone deserved a shopping spree on their birthday!
“Uhh… How about Francesca’s? They just got some super cute stuff in for spring!” She didn’t wait for a response from Ian or Caroline, instead drifting toward the trendy boutique with a flutter of her wings. She cooed softly in awe as she passed through the lighted doorway of the shop and immediately made a beeline for a section of off-the-shoulder tops and dresses in all sorts of colors and fabrics. Picking up top after top and moving through the shop, she barely noticed when the Flynn siblings joined her.
“We don’t have too much time before our movie, Eden,” Ian reminded her gently.
“It’ll just take a second! Oh my gosh this is adorable!” She gasped and picked up a lace-trimmed crop top with long, flowing sleeves. “Isn’t it gorgeous?! I want this for sure,” she declared, holding it up to her chest to check that it would fit. Eden knew her sizes fairly well by now, and she didn’t have much of a torso to worry about fit anyway. Unfortunately, that also meant she couldn’t coordinate pants or skirts with any of these cute tops. Even some dresses just didn’t look right with nothing but a flimsy ribbon to give them shape. She could get away with a nice empire-waist dress, but she didn’t really like anything that wasn’t cropped or didn’t have a high-low hem. She didn’t want to hide her rune, after all!
“Uh- Maybe we should pick just two or three?”
Caroline’s gentle suggestion was lost on the nymph as she drifted up to the counter, piling her spoils on the marble top with a beaming grin. Behind the counter a somewhat startled boy looked at her for a moment. She was sort of used to the stares by now; even though there were quite a few of them now, Raevans were spectacular even by Gaian standards. Eden’s lips curled into a knowing smile and she hovered a bit higher off the ground to make sure he could see her rune.
“I just love this store! You guys have so many cute things,” she chimed softly. Pulling one of the tops off the counter and holding it up to herself again, she looked up at the boy through her lashes. She was actually kind of cute, with soft hazel eyes and dark hair that curled gently over his forehead. “It looks good, huh? Or is it weird with my hair?” He balked for a moment, then shook his head in a mixture of a yes and a no.
“N-No, it looks good. Really good,” he stammered. His flustered reaction made Eden smile a bit more. Something about his reddened cheeks made her rune pulse happily.
“Aw, thanks! You know, it’s my birthday today. Do you guys have a birthday discount?” As she leaned her elbows on the counter and rested her chin in her hand, she could hear Caroline swatting at Ian’s shoulder a few feet away. Meanwhile the boy hesitated, folding and refolding the clothes as he thought.
“Um, I think I could get you a discount, yeah…” He smiled at her, a sort of crooked smile with one corner of his mouth lifting first and just a bit higher than the other. It reminded her of Cesc, oddly enough. Eden’s wings fluttered against her back and she pushed her powers gently to make a trail of daisies bloom along her collarbone and hairline.
She gasped softly and clapped her hands eagerly. “Oh, awesome! You’re so sweet- thank you!” She watched closely as he rang up the rest of her clothes, including a silky kimono-style cardigan. “My name’s Eden, by the way.”
“Eden? That’s a beautiful name, very fitting.” He seemed to have recovered, and looked a bit more comfortable talking to her now. “It’s nice to meet you, I’m Peter.” He held out his hand and Eden took it, squeezing gently. He pulled his back to finish bagging up her purchase and tell her the total, which was significantly less than she’d expected. Perfect.
“ Thanks so much, Peter. I’m totally going to tell all my followers how great you were,” she cooed as she handed over her money. “Do you have Instagram? I wanna tag you, if that’s okay. I’m ‘edenantheia’, you should follow me!”
“Ah, I don’t have one, unfortunately…” There was that smile again. Eden puckered her lips in thought, humming softly.
“Hmm… Well, how about I give you my number? Then we can chat.” She lowered her lashes just slightly as she took the receipt. There was a pen nearby, which she snatched up and quickly used to scrawl out the number on the receipt. She even added a small doodle of a flower beside it, so he would surely remember who it was. Not that she had any doubt even without it. A Raevan was probably a very memorable customer.
“Great. Come back soon, we’ll be getting another shipment in.” She hesitated for a moment before picking up her bag, letting her fingers brush his.
“Oh, I definitely will. Thanks again for the birthday discount,” she said over her shoulder. She drifted back over to Caroline and Ian, who looked respectively impressed and appalled. Ian was looking over her shoulder at the boy, to which Caroline gave him another quick smack on the shoulder.
“C’mon, we’re gonna be late. I want time to get my Junior Mints!” She and Eden giggled as they left the shop, Ian trailing behind and carrying the bags.
When she heard her phone chirp, Eden laughed again and immediately pulled it out of her bag.
RP Points 1085 words = 5 points 1000+ word bonus = 2 points TOTAL: 7 points
Eden is finally reunited with Cesc after his return, and helps him find his style. (In Progress)
RP Points
Cynnybun
Anxious Kitten
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Cynnybun
Anxious Kitten
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Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 8:20 pm
Voorpret Dutch, n. Lit. "pre-fun"; the sense of enjoyment one feels before an event actually takes place. Early March, 2017
From: Peter ♥ hey party tonight u coming?
Eden bit her lip gently as she stared down at the bright screen in her hand. Would Ian let her go? She chewed on her fingernail and glanced toward her guardian in the kitchen. He seemed preoccupied enough, busy trying to assemble some sort of dinner. At least he didn’t have to worry too much about feeding her. Unfortunately, he’d also gotten the one Raevan who actually fed off of his life force. Of course. Just the thought left a sour taste in the nymph’s mouth.
“Hey, Ian?” She rose off of the couch and tilted her head to the side. “Um, my friend is having a party tonight. Can I go? There will be lots of people there,” she lied. She truly had no idea, but… The way this Peter boy looked at her made her chest swell. She rested her arms on the cold, granite countertops and watched Ian as he stirred vegetables in a pan. It smelled amazing, reminding her again of the fact that she couldn’t eat it. Damn having no stomach.
“A party?” He sounded like he was only half listening. Perfect. “I don’t know… Do I know this friend?” He turned to look at her over his shoulder. She knew that look. One eyebrow raised, the other creased slightly in apprehension. She needed to convince him. Maybe if she just… No. Not yet.
She shrugged one shoulder dismissively. “Sure. She’s friends with Vesna, too. Patricia.” She smiled brightly. “She just lives on the other side of Barton, I can get there by bus easily—and back. And I promise to text you when I get there and when I leave, okay? Pleeeease, Dad?”
Eden held Ian’s gaze as he regarded her. She could practically feel the tension between his Dad side and his Friend side as he weighed his decision. “I don’t know, Eden—“
“Pleeeease?” Her pupils dilated just the tiniest bit, and she could feel the warmth of his energy. He had always been warm. Not like plants, which felt like a soft, cozy blanket against her skin. Ian’s energy felt like a fireplace; gentle and crackling warmth. Like home. Her chest tightened slightly at the thought of what she was doing, but… He wouldn’t let her go otherwise. Especially not with an unknown boy.
The effects were obvious almost instantly. Ian squinted his eyes and looked away, rubbing at his forehead. He let out a sigh and she knew she had won.
“Alright. But text me, like you said. When you get there, when you leave, and when you get off the bus back here.” His eyes were serious and he was using his Dad tone, but Eden could only focus on the fact that he’d said yes. “And I want you back home by—“
