|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 1:26 am
Random Nobody 13's Total Word Count: 4,017
Porcelain Pinch's Total Word Count: 4,341
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 1:38 am
Dandy heaved out another heartfelt, longing sigh. She just couldn't help but walk to this exact section of any store that had it. To anyone who might have passed by, she must have looked odd. Standing in the middle of the baby section, longingly looking at the variety, cooing over how adorable the clothes were. But she just couldn't help herself. It seemed to her only natural. Both of her mates were so good to her, but she wanted a bunch of joy, a tiny child made by the three of them. She had dropped some hints about her desire. Many hints. Over several weeks. Including dragging them to this section of the store when either of them came with her, but neither of them had said anything to her. Tail swaying softly behind her, her eyes roved the variety of infant items once more, coming to land on a pink grimm further down the aisle. He was looking particularly lost and she couldn't help but sidle closer. The look on his face said he was overwhelmed and she wondered with no small amount of interest if he had a baby-to-be somewhere, waiting to be awoken or if he was looking for someone else. "You look a little lost dear, what are you looking for?" she asked once she'd gotten close enough. She'd been here enough times that the odds of her knowing where whatever he was looking for was were quite high. Ears perked up and tail softly wagging, she gave him a bright smile. "I can help you find whatever it is, I'm sure." Word count: 266Porcelain Pinch Hope you don't mind I went ahead and started this while I was thinking about it <3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2018 1:13 pm
Prosper was no expert, but he was pretty sure there didn't need to be a thousand brands for the same bottle. It was a piece of plastic to hold the infant's drink. Did there really need to be ten different brands offering the same, bland, white container? He didn't think so. But---he had to admit, the ones that were decorated and different colored were quite cute. His eyes traveled to the strollers. And did there really need to be so many options?! Ahhh. The hybrid ran a hand through his long hair. He was utterly lost. Prosper had never imagined that he would have wanted his parents to have another kid. But now? He did. It would have given him more of an idea of what to get. It had to be a good gift. Was a set of pacifiers and bibs good enough? He didn't know. He jumped at the sound of a voice, turning around to look at the source. A--grimm? Although, they could be like himself. Looks were deceiving. He gave them a grin. "I am lost." he roved his eyes towards the array of items designed for infants. "I need a gift for a baby shower. One that's going to surprise everyone." His lips fell. "But I don't know a damned thing about babies. They're so small---I thought it was going to be easy." he glanced over towards the female. "Do you have kids of your own?" She was extremely attractive. It wouldn't surprise him in the least. Even if she didn't have kids; he'd take any help that he could get. WC: 259
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2018 8:24 pm
Dandy listened, her face sympathetic when he revealed his problem. A baby shower, how exciting though! A party to celebrate a new child with family and friends in attendance. Marvelous. She couldn't wait to be able to have one of her own. Even the dip in magic that would happen for a couple months after they had the child wasn't enough to deter her. For now though, she could turn her attention to helping this grimm. "A surprise baby shower? Sounds exciting!" she beamed at him. "If I were going to get something someone picked out for me as a gift, I'd love whatever it would be. So you shouldn't worry too much over what they're going to think of it. Now, if I were going to get a few things, I'd pick out a couple sets of clothes. . .definitely some different sizes of diapers for when the crystals dissipate and they start getting food. Some locks similar to this for when they start crawling and want to get into everything." Dandy grabbed some of the ties she spoke of, mostly to show him what she was talking about. It had been difficult to keep from just grabbing some of the things she was admiring and putting them into his arms. "I have a couple adopted freshlings, but none with my mates," she admitted, tail drooping a bit at the admission. "Oh, my apologies, I didn't ask about what kind of budget you had for this." Flushing a bit, she gave him a sheepish smile. Word count: 255
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2018 10:29 pm
Prosper smiled but the corners of his mouth twitched, slightly unsure. He had to admit, he was looking forward to it. The hybrid just couldn't help but feel nervous. Sure, he knew the couple. They were great friends of his. But would his gift be the best of the bunch? To make matters worse, he wasn't sure what a baby shower entailed. Sure, it's a celebration. But what exactly went on? Ahh, all this baby business was confusing. "It really is. They've been trying for a few years." He just hoped that having kids wouldn't tear their marriage apart like it did with his. Prosper laughed. She'd love anything, huh? How sweet. "I want this gift to be the best. Cost doesn't matter." The couple had done plenty of favors for him. It was time to pay them back. They were too stubborn to accept any help. Or money. The hybrid had tried. "You sure know a lot for someone who doesn't have infants of their own." His brows furrowed. "Would these things work for freshlings? I--well, this is embarrassing." Prosper winced. "I've never had to shop for anyone that is still--well--growing. Not even annoying juniors. Prosper gingerly picked up each thing she spoke of. "Does it matter what size of clothes I get?" He stared at the numbers. What did they mean...He was tempted to go for all sizes but there were ten numbers in total. He might be willing to spend a lot but he wasn't willing to spend that much. The hybrid looked to the diapers. And paled. "They're the same way too?!" He let out a groan. "Baby shopping is so complicated." he paused, giving her a considerate look. "Do your mates not want infants?" his lips twitched into a frown. She seemed so excited talking about baby things. The grimm sure deserved a stone or two of her own. She seemed prepared. The hybrid pulled a slew of locks into his cart as well while giving her a sheepish grin. "Maybe it'll keep away others with sticky fingers." he chuckled fondly, thinking of his own lover. Maybe he should give the locks to the couple before the shower...Before Gemini came into their home. WC: 368
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2018 11:39 pm
"The best?" Dandy blinked a few times, searching for something that could be 'the best.' The only thing she could think of would be to completely outfit the parents with all the supplies they needed, or to furnish the room for them. She'd been looking at sets for a baby room and those could get quite pricey. Even so, she knew what would please her were it her baby shower he was planning on attending. "Honestly, it doesn't have to be the best to show them you care. It's not a competition," she reached out and gently touched his arm. "It's a celebration. Not to mention helping out the new parents with supplies that they'll need and might not have expected to need in the case of first time parents." Dandy gave him a bit of a wobbly smile. "I've been doing quite a bit of research." Taking a moment to firm her smile back up, she didn't want him to pity her and she was trying to help him after all! "Some of these things will work for freshlings, but infant needs are quite different from freshling needs. After all, infants can't care for themselves at all and freshlings will be able to move around and get into much more trouble. The locks, at the very least will be useful even once they've grown to freshlings." Seeing the look on his faces when he noticed the variety of sizes in clothes made her laugh a bit. "Clothing size won't matter, but if you're going to only get a few, I'd advise getting some of the slightly larger sizes. That way they'll still have a couple outfits once their kid has grown a bit. It's the same with diapers. Kids need different sizes as they grow." Dandy grabbed a couple different sizes of clothes and a couple of diapers, offering them to him. The outfits were ones she had been eyeing before he'd caught her attention. A pale blue dress with a small flower pattern, a onesie covered in vespercats, some hand mittens, and a package with a dozen adorable little socks. All too cute to resist. "We. . .haven't really talked about it. .yet. . ." Dandy admitted, passing the clothes over to him. "They accepted the freshlings pretty easily, but I kind of might have just . . brought them home one day?" The look she gave him was as sheepish as his, but the sight of all those locks in his cart made her smile. "So for all I know, they could be pining after them the way I am. . .Though I haven't seen that yet." She cocked her head a bit. Sticky fingers? Well, freshlings might be thwarted, but juniors would definitely be able to figure it out. "The locks aren't that hard, just take a bit of time to undo first. If you've juniors or anyone older I wouldn't hold your breath on these keeping them out." Dandy took a moment to look at the variety of things in his cart. "There are a couple of stores I would recommend if you were wanting to get something like cradles or strollers or something. Here might be a bit much. Not that you don't have quite a bit already!" she quickly added on, not wanting him to think that what he had wasn't enough. Word count: 553
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2018 11:43 pm
Prosper's lips grew thin, his shoulder's slumping. But he liked giving the best gift, especially for a couple who had done so much for him. He liked to see the envy on other people's face's. His archenemy was attending the shower. The hybrid's fur prickled at the thought of the casual way the other nightmare would hold it over his head. Yeah, he couldn't have that happen. Dandy didn't deserve to see his frustration though. She was only trying to help. A sigh fell from his lips as he gave her a tired grin. "They've done a lot for me. I should do a lot in return." the hybrid laughed, "I owe them a lot." It wasn't the whole story, but it would do. He was sure she wouldn't want to hear that long story. Or how he had another ulterior motive. "Something they wouldn't expect, huh?" he eyed the shelves. Yeah. He could do that. But--what wouldn't they expect? Everything here was pretty unexpected. Pascifiers? Clothes? Were those all standards to bring? "What about this?!" He pulled off a baby shusher that had caught his eye on the shelf. It seemed legit. He didn't know. It had a pacifier in it at least. If he was a father, that would be one thing that he would want. If only it worked on actual people. Gemini got too emotional too easily. An adult version of this would be perfect. He stared at her and slowly placed the baby shusher in the basket. Even if it didn't work for them, maybe they'd let him use it on Gemini. "I would say more than a bit of research. You know so much!" Prosper gave her a smirk. Honestly, he'd be lost without her help. "You're an expert." Why didn't stores hire people like her to help people like him who were completely clueless? They were missing out on a great opportunity. Then again, he could have asked one of the workers here---but Dandy seemed like the much better choice. So a lot of the things couldn't be used long term. Huh. Prosper eyed the shelves again. "That's...a lot of money for a kid." he murmured, mainly to himself. He knew that it was costly. That was a no brainer. Raising another life was going to cost just as much but he didn't realize the---expanse of it all. The whole bit of having to buy the different things over and over again, just because it wouldn't work for another stage in life. His wide pink eyes darted towards Dandy with a sheepish look. "Sorry," he chuckled. "It's all so new." But it made sense. It was disappointing that he couldn't use the locks to stop anyone bigger than a freshling. And it showed. Prosper's lips turned into a frown. "But it'll make them pause?" he looked to Dandy, hopeful. Ahhh, would she want an explanation? His lover's habit even he didn't believe it at times. If it weren't for his teary eyed face each time he was caught, he'd believe he was a liar. No, no. He wasn't going to say it. At least...unless he was asked. Prosper was no liar. The hybrid riffled through the clothes and found the bigger sizes, placing two sets of clothes within the basket. "Diapers...also the biggest?" he rose a brow. The ones there seemed like they were freshling size. That had to be someone just starting the academy on the cover. That didn't look like a freshling at all. "One package will do it right?" It's not like they'd go through five in a day do they? All this information was such a whirl wind. He looked at her, quite confused. They haven't talked about it yet? He rose a brow, his confusion molding into something that he couldn't even put a word on. "What's stopping you from talking? You won't know if you don't ask." Was that too forward? Yeah. Probably. But there was no other way to go about it. She seemed like she deserved it. And if they loved her then---well, what's the point of not looking into it? "I'm sure they won't love you any less if they say no." He frowned. Why would they say no to someone so sweet and devoted? If he knew them better, he'd talk to them himself. Convince them of it. Stones seemed hard to take care of but if they were rewarding--then why not? Hard work payed off in the end. Cradles. How could he forget? Ahh, but what if they already had one? Did they? Promise tried to recollect what he saw the last time he stepped in their place but came up with a blank. They had been pretty secretive as of late. He'd have to check....without being obvious. "Where do you recommend?" he took out a small notepad that he always carried with him along with his favorite pen, holding them out for her to take. WC= 824. (Oh no, I'm sorry for the explosion. ; A ; )
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2018 3:36 am
 Dandy's ears twitched forward, catching his sigh and she bit her lip a bit. He seemed rather keen on getting the best. She wondered. . .ahh. That made sense. He felt obligated. Absently, she wondered what they had done that would make him feel that way. It warmed her heart to know that they would do something that would make him want to reciprocate it like this.
Her smiled warmed further, and she nodded. "You'll find a lot of the basics here in sections of the store like this. There are also kits with useful items already made for babies and toddlers for a cheaper price than getting them by themselves." She pointed to a few of the kits that were hanging up and then a couple of the items that were in the kits but sold individually. Sometimes it was cheaper to get the individual item, but just from what she'd seen, the kits were much cheaper and came with a bag most of the time to hold everything.
Looking over the baby shusher, she circled around him to look at a couple other of their larger items. "That one is pretty useful, but I'd get one that was a bit more sturdy." She looked at a couple more before tugging on a different branded on. "From what I've seen online, this one is pretty popular and long lasting." Her tail swished back and forth, pleased to help.
"Oh, no. I'm sure that I'll feel differently when I have an infant of my own! There are surely plenty of things that I wouldn't think about normally that I'll have to deal with when I have the actual thing. My two little freshlings are cute, but they came to me already knowing how to walk and talk and tidy up after themselves more or less."Dandy blushed a bit, hearing his compliments. Normally only Austin or Max heaped those upon her, so it was nice to hear it from someone new.
Dandy nodded, catching his quiet comment. "Kids are expensive." In more than just the cost of everything to get them. The magic needed to have them lowered the amount they had less for a couple months, the emotional cost, to love and care for them and hope that they turned out right. She'd started picking up small things when she could, just to make sure they weren't scrambling about when it came time for them to have kids. If she could bring herself to talk about it.
"Thankfully, there are thrift stores where you can get clothes and some other things cheaper, and places where you can trade in clothes that were too small for different sizes. I'm sure there are also groups online that swap things as needed, but I haven't joined or seen any just yet." Stepping up to him, Dandy looked up and gave him another couple pats. "No worries dear, it's a lot to pick from even if the stuff isn't gonna be for your own kid."
Blinking, Dandy thought for a moment about the locks. He seemed awfully keen on them. She wondered if he had a relative or something of the sort that kept getting into things they shouldn't. "They . .might. Especially if they aren't expecting something of that nature." Pausing for a moment, Dandy weighed telling him more. "If you're wanting to make someone have to pause a bit before getting into something, there are some hooks that you can attach to counters to keep them from opening as quickly. You screw them to the door and it'll catch on the top of the inside of the cabinet. To open them, you have to push down as you open it. It's a bit of a hassle, but it slows down rifling through cabinets and it's useful for keeping freshlings out of places they don't belong."
"Is. . .there someone in particular you're hoping to keep out of things? A niece or nephew perhaps?" That was the only thing she could think to explain this. Oh, but wait, hadn't he said he didn't have anyone younger to shop for? Her cheeks headed in embarrassment. "Ah, you don't. . have to answer that. . ." she waved the question off. "Sorry."
Clearing her throat, she addressed his next few concerns. "Not the biggest. I'd go for something between the youngest and the smallest. Hopefully by the age for the biggest of them, they'll be potty training and only really need them at night. The beginning first few months will be the ones where you need the most diapers. For a baby shower, just one should work out fine though. Hopefully some of the other attendees will bring a package each and that way they have a good supply for when they need them." Dandy plucked out the package of diapers he'd tossed in the cart, replacing them with a smaller size.
His question hit the nail on the head. Dandy would admit that she'd been. . .reluctant to bring the subject up. Not that she really thought that they would be upset with her or love her less if she asked for more kids. It was just. It was a big responsibility. Not to mention Max and Austin had both been busy with their jobs and the new kids. It just didn't feel right to ask them to bring on more just yet. Sighing, her tail and ears drooped. "Well. . .it's just. . . "
"I just don't want to bother them with it. Both of them are so busy with their jobs and the new kids. I just don't want them to get fed up with me."The moment the last sentence left her mouth she covered it with her paw, shocked. She couldn't believe she'd just blurted something like that out to someone she'd just met! But if she were being honest with herself, there wasn't really anyone else she could confide in about this sort of thing.
Wrestling her thoughts back to the task at hand, she took a deep breath and reached out for the pad and paper. "Hmm, I'd say these three stores, at the very least." She scribbled down the names of some of her favorite stores and then one who had amazing deals. "This site is pretty affordable too." Tapping the pen against her face a few times, she brought it back to the paper once more. "And here's my number, if you have any questions about anything." 'Dandy,' she wrote, and her number, circling them a few times. Then she handed the two back to him with a smile. "Oh! Did you want to just go ahead and exchange numbers instead?" That way she wouldn't be potentially be getting a call from an unknown number.
Word count: 1,120
Porcelain Pinch Apparently I'll just give you another one back orz Did you want to end this after 5 posts each? I feel like we could find a good stopping point about here. (I think I've already asked this, but I forgot what the answer is, sorry)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2018 9:40 pm
This was just the basics. His jaw went slack at the new information. He thought that this store would have..well...everything that a baby could possibly need. It had what he usually needed, after all. But there was more than just this? Prosper wet his tongue with a flick of his tongue. Being overwhelmed was an understatement. "What else could you need?" He looked around. And then smacked his head. There were no cribs in sight. "Right. A crib." He shook his head at his own idiocy. It wasn't like they could sleep in a stroller. Still, what more could they even need? "Kits huh?" he glanced up towards where Dandy was pointing and nodded to himself. Even for his tall stature he wasn't able to reach them by himself as he went to grab one of the kits to take a closer look and had to step on his tip toes. He looked at the package. A safety kit seemed necessary. And something that his arch nemesis wouldn't think of. He too put that in the cart. No price could be put on safety. And given his friend's rambunctiousness---he wouldn't be surprised if his kid got into just as much mischief as he did as a kid. "Thanks for the tip!" he grinned at her as he placed that in the cart as well. He didn't want to bother calculating the cost for each individual item. He wasn't that hurt for money to put in that much effort. As Dandy walked around Prosper, the grimm also swiveled around slowly on his heel to follow her, carefully surveying every movement. She knew of what specific brands were better than the others? His lips this time parted open in slight astonishment. "You really know your stuff." He placed the other pack and picked up one of the ones that she pointed out. For someone who didn't have any infants or stones of her own she sure was an expert. He didn't even bother to look up the reviews that she was talking about. Dandy seemed trustworthy enough. "Thanks."He laughed. "You still seem prepared more than most others." Even expecting, he could understand that caring for them could be---well--unexpected. But he had never talked to someone who had been so invested in learning how to take care of them down to the brand names. Then again, it was the first time that he had ever been in the baby isle looking for a great yet useful gift. "I, at least, would have been lost without you." Prosper gave her a grin, the corners of his eyes crinkling. It wasn't like anyone of the older generations were in this isle to give advice. And even then..would they know the current trends? The older one was, the more likely they were able to stay with what they know. At least, from what he had seen. Not like he could blame him. He'd be the same way. Maybe his friends were right, maybe he was an old soul in a young body. "You still have the theory down." he grinned with finality. Even if she hadn't experienced the first time that they walked, the first time that they said their first word---she seemed to have the research on necessities down. Which meant that she probably researched how to get them to speak and walk. The grin grew before it fell flat at the next thought. "Do you ever wish...that you were there to hear their first words or to teach them how to walk?" Was that a thought that she came across? Or could she live without having to take care of the tykes before they learned how to take care of themselves? He cocked his head to the side. It was....an interesting thought. "I bet." Even if they were so small. Why did it cost so much to keep up with them when they didn't require as much as an adult? Was it the safety, the constant purchase of new clothes, a bit of both? "They're definitely a commitment." His eyes roved the shelves. A huge one. Taking care of another life added another complexity to life, a large responsibility that could result in death or psychological problems if not treated correctly. It seemed like it was a hard, finite balance. Were Gemini and he ready for it? He doubted it. The geist was fragile himself. Prosper was positive that he wouldn't only hurt his lover's feelings but his kid's as well as soon as he got after them. Which, for Gem, he had to do a lot. Not to mention his sticky fingers... Yeah, they weren't ready yet. Not until Gemini learned how to control his impulses. Thrift stores...his lips pulled into a frown at the thought. Prosper didn't like the idea of wearing a stranger's used clothes. A friends, he could deal with. He knew where they had been, what they were up to. But a stranger...No, couldn't chance it. Especially for a kid. But was it his right to judge? Yes. But it wasn't his right to say it out loud. Dandy didn't seem like the type to shop at a thrift store. Not like it changed his opinion on her at all. He nodded along. "There are places where you can trade in clothes that are too small?" he rose a brow. Honestly, he had never returned a piece of clothing in his life. Too stubborn. Every gift that he was given had some sort of use. But...the money could prove useful. "I...have never heard of that before." he answered honestly, scratching at the side of his face. "It's..useful to know." he grinned at her. And then laughed. "Almost too much to look at." The things he did for his own pride and gratitude. Prosper wasn't one to decline a challenge though, especially one this big. The hybrid smirked at the grimm. "As long as they make the person think, that's all that's needed." Hopefully. Gemini did seem to stop fiddling with anything that he's about to take after a few seconds. Or so, he had seen recently. He doubted that Gemini had encountered anything like a child lock. Why, the male rarely ever left his own house now! Unless...did his family also know of his habit of stealing. They had to...right? Did they also use the same method? He gave pause. It didn't hurt to try. His attention turned towards the shelves. "Those hooks would be perfect." he let out a breath of air, relieved. No longer would he have to worry about Gem stealing his favorite mug. Again. It nearly sounded too good to be true. Someone that he was trying to keep out? His cheeks flushed slightly as he made a strained, pained face. Dandy was going to think he was ridiculous. Dieites, he still found himself not believing it half the time. "My...lover has sticky fingers wherever he goes" he winced and tried giving her an approachful look. "But he doesn't mean to. It just...happens, so he claims." Prosper shook his head. "It sounds ridiculous doesn't it?" He shook his head. "Don't be sorry. It's not a sore issue." Just an exasperating and troubling one when it did happen. Prosper did have to admit that his lover was getting better and breaking the habit. Prosper's attention went back to the diapers. "The smaller ones it is then." He grinned, letting Dandy exchange the packages within his cart. And stalled. "How many diapers does an infant go through?" his face contorted in disgust. Babies were cute, but their bodily functions were not. Man, if he had to babysit, he'd do it but....did he really have to change them? His stomach turned at the thought of a kid sitting in their own mess. Yeah. Probably. He, at least, wouldn't be able to handle sitting in that. He was tempted to get another. Could he trust the other attendees to bring more? But she did say that one would work. Ahhh, what the heck. He'd take her word on it. "I----they learn how to go on their own quickly, don't they?" Prosper looked towards the female, hopeful. It wasn't like he was the kid's parent, but he could sympathize. And the less work, the better. A universal concept, or so he thought. Prosper's head cocked to the side and the smile that was on his lips turned into a concerned frown. s**t. He was too forward and honest. There was no other way to approach the subject though! Guilt plagued the back of his mind even still. He didn't mean to cause her distress. She was too good of a person and really didn't deserve it. But then...why was she torturing herself in the baby isle and looking at things? "Get fed up with you?!" The hybrid shook his head. "If they loved you, they wouldn't." he gave her a considerate look. He couldn't deny that work and kids didn't usually go hand in hand. His own parents were proof of that. Dandy seemed like a trustworthy person. Surely the kids wouldn't end up like he and his brother did..right? He tried giving her a gentle look. "The worse that they can say is no when you ask." Which wasn't too bad. Prosper looked over at the paper within her hands. The names seemed familiar. Wasn't that store just across the street? The hybrid's lips twitched uplifted into a wider grin. Yeah, he had this. Shopping for gifts was going to be easy peasy now! "Thanks!" he'd have to visit them all. Fortunately, the baby shower was still a few weeks down the road. Prosper just liked planning way ahead of time. Especially with a subject that he was fully unfamiliar with. He took his pen and pad back and quickly stuffed him in his pocket. "I'll be sure to call you if I need any help," or if he was bored and wanted an excuse to talk to someone. Which happened...often. More than he'd like to admit. One of his ears perked up. Oh right! They could just exchange numbers. He laughed. "That would probably be easier. " Prosper chuckled as he reached into his pocket to take out his phone, handing it over to the female when he had the contact sheet out. "I can text you so that you'll have mine."WC: 1, 724 words. (Omg yikes, I'm sorry for the word explosion xAx )
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 4:13 am
The sight of him slack jawed when he somewhat realized the extent of things you had to get to properly prepare for a new child forced her to stifle a laugh. Dandy was sure she'd had much the same expression when she started looking into things, but seeing it on someone else's face was a treat. She'd had a rough idea of what one would need to start with, clothes, diapers, foodstuff, some utensils and a bit of the furniture, but as she began to really browse sites and dig for information, she'd learned there was far more than she could have possibly anticipated. Truth be told, the fact that she'd started looking into it when she had had been a bit of a blessing. Now, when she approached her mates about the idea, she'd have a better grasp of what they should get beforehand. They could set aside enough that they wouldn't be scrambling to get it all last minute.
As Prosper answered his own questions, she merely nodded along. It was nice, more than nice, to meet someone who could grasp the sheer amount of things a child needed after so little explanation. And he wasn't even planning to have one himself at this time! Truly, his friends were blessed to have such a one attending their shower. She beamed at him, pleased when he put a couple of the kits in his cart. Though, he did seem to have quite a bit already. A part of her wanted to say something, perhaps caution him about spending so much, but it wasn't her place to limit him. For all she knew he could he swimming in money, without a care as to how he spent it. Considering he wasn't really looking at prices, she was hoping that it was something along those lines. He had said that cost wasn't a factor when she'd initially approached him, hadn't he? Something along those lines anyway.
Pleased that he trusted her judgement enough about the brands to select the ones she'd pointed out, she swelled with pride. "I've been looking around for quite some time. It's only natural that I'd pay attention to the ones everyone was always raving about," she demurred. "Honestly, if you were preparing for a child, I figure you'd put in some effort to figure these sort of things out as well." Maybe he wouldn't have been quite so obsessive about it as she was, but every parent should put at least a little effort into figuring out what sort of things they'd need for adding a new life to theirs. That would be common sense.
"I'm just glad I was around to help. Otherwise who knows how long you would have been here before someone else stumbled upon you." She'd seen the same scenario pan out a couple times. Some poor lost and confused nightmare looking overwhelmed at the selection of goods and either her or an older nightmare would approach to provide help. Most of the time the nightmare gratefully accepted the assistance, but on occasion the help had been disdainfully declined.
"Even with all my research, I'm sure the children would still find a way to surprise me," she insisted. Reading about it, watching it, they weren't the same as experiencing each moment for herself. After all, theoretically, she knew she'd have less time to sleep, caring for the child in the wee hours of the morning. She'd have to learn how to do things with a child in her arms. Max and Austin would help, of course they would, and that would probably change how things panned out. The freshlings had changed things already between them. How much more would change for a stone. . and infant?
Longing filled her and she took a moment to take a deep breath so her voice wouldn't wobble when she spoke. "Of course I do. My little freshlings. A caretaker isn't the same thing as a mother, a father. It's one thing to know that you were absolutely wanted and needed in someone's life, and another to know that there are countless others to care for you." Dandy knew firsthand that kind of life. She'd been a cache orphan, but nobody had wanted to adopt her. Whether it be because grimm were rare or there was something about herself that was unlikable she would never know. She'd had few friends in the Academy, and a couple lovers in uni before she'd met Austin and then later on Max. To be honest, she was still amazed that they'd wanted her to join their pair and make it a triad.
It took a moment to gather her thoughts back to the present, and she gave Prosper a smile before noticing his eyes were on the shelves. Good, he hadn't noticed her gathering kiddens. The frown he sported worried her, but she couldn't think of what she'd said to displease him. Perhaps it was the idea of trading in clothes? "Well yes, children grow so fast. Especially when they hit the junior years when they seem to grow faster every day," she quipped something she'd read a lot of parents say in different forums. "Plus, it helps families that aren't able to afford new clothes that often to keep their kids clothed as well."
Dandy blinked, surprised by his laugh. It was nice. Warm and almost inviting her to join in. She brightened, tail swishing softly as she gave him a grin in return.
"Truthfully I'm not sure where you find the hooks. I've not seen them in any of the stores I've visited. Perhaps a hardware store?" Shrugging softly, she gave him an apologetic smile. She'd seen them in people's houses, and on occasion displayed online, but she hadn't come across where to buy them just yet.
At his strained expression, Dandy prepared to hear something likely unpleasant. The issue was clearly weighing on his mind a lot, especially considering how invested he'd been in a temporary solution. His problem, however, ended up nothing of the sort. Odds are it was embarrassing, especially considering how he backpedaled to make it seem less of a problem, but a fairly common one, especially if his lover was a geist of some sort. After a moment of thought, Dandy put aside thoughts of offering to talk with him. At this point it would seem odd to just, offer something like that to someone she barely knew. Odds are he would be offended.
"I've known a couple nightmares like that. They ended up with things after visits to others' houses and weren't sure how they'd done so. It's a habit for most of them, and with enough will, one that can be broken." Dandy left it off with that. It might not be a sore issue, but it probably wasn't one he wanted to discuss in the middle of the store with a near stranger.
"More than you would think," she replied. She'd seen enough evidence of that that she wasn't looking forward to that experience when she had infants of her own. A bit of a shrug for the second half of his question. "That depends entirely on the temperament of the child, the parent, parenting techniques, and the will of the nine. Some learn faster than you would think and others still need diapers as freshlings." There was some semblance of rhyme or reason to it, but nothing that she could figure out just yet. It was probably something she'd get a handle of after she'd had a couple stones of her own.
Prosper was correct on all accounts. Truly Max and Austin had been accommodating and more than enthusiastic about the freshlings she'd brought home. Hadn't said a thing about it, even after the kids had been put to bed that night and the three were left on their own. Yet, she still couldn't shake the feeling. She'd wait. At least until there was some bit of good news to go along with it. "That would be the worst thing they could say. I can't imagine wanting to have a child with the two loves of my life and being denied that chance. To have some little ones with our combined magic would make me so happy. To see little copies of them, or of us combined, running around the house. I want that so bad." Dandy tried not to get too emotional, but she couldn't help the light prickling of tears that touched her eyes at the thought of them turning her down. Not having children with them wouldn't be the end of the world, but it would be a bigger disappointment than she could deal with.
But Prosper didn't deserve to deal with that, so Dandy swallowed back the emotions and mustered up her bright smile again. At the very least, in this moment, she had a possible new friend to look forward to. Ears perked up and tail swishing faster now, she nodded, glad he'd accepted the stores she'd suggested and that he was willing to exchange contacts with her. She quickly pulled out her own phone, getting a new contact up for him and then switching phones with him. She punched in her number under the name Dandy and then accepted back her phone when he was done.
Then she noticed the time. Oh Max was going to kill her. She'd promised to be back within an hour, and already it was edging on the two and a half hour mark. How had time flown by like that?! Frazzled, especially since she hadn't even grabbed the things off her list that she'd meant to grab before she'd gotten caught up helping out Prosper, she shoved her phone into her dress pocket, mouth moving a mile a minute. "Prosper, it has been lovely to meet you. Honestly, a true pleasure, but I realized I am sosososososo very late. I have to run, like, right now. But please! Call if you need help. . .or to talk! My phone is almost always on, and if I'm busy I'll call back, promise. I'm so sorry, but I gotta go now. Bye~" Dandy fidgeted in place, trying not to just up and run, but she really did need to go now.
As soon as she'd gotten his farewell, she turned and booked it to the other half of the store. Maybe if she picked up his favorite candy AND his favorite ice cream, Max wouldn't be so upset when she got back. He'd understand that she'd gotten caught up talking with someone. Wouldn't he? Wouldn't he?? Oh she hoped so. Maybe she ought to pick up things for the kids and for Austin as well. Would he be back home already? She hoped so. She couldn't believe she had let time get away from her like that. Even more surprising was that neither of her mates had called her to check up on her.
Word count: 1,823
Total Word count: 4,017
Porcelain Pinch and done for me, just need your last post and we can label this one finished~
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2018 3:04 am
Quite some time, huh? His lips turned downward in a concerned frown. "You've been waiting too long," he patted her shoulder. Was that too much? Probably. It wasn't like Prosper knew the female that well. But...he couldn't help for care for her. If he were in her shoes, he would have gone and imbued stones himself and brought them home. His eyes widened at the idea....and promptly shut his mouth. No, he couldn't suggest the idea. She cared about the others opinion too much. "If you need help convincing them, I'm only a call away." he smiled, his hand falling to the side. The grimm helped him out. It was the last that he could do. Prosper gave a wry smirk. Figuring out brand names? He cocked his head to the side, laughing. "I wouldn't have," he placed a hand on his chest, full of mirth. "But then, I'm pretty inexperienced." His laughter trailed off. If Gemini wanted to get stones, he'd just look for whatever was cheap and throw it in the cart. They were only infants. He had thought it was so simple. Dandy had helped him out in more ways than one. ...If he and Gemini ever had kids. It seemed like the geist still needed a bit more time to adjust to his life. Prosper needed to do a bit of work himself by researching. He wasn't opposed to the idea. Starting a family of his own sounded fulfilling. If only Gemini wasn't so secretive about his own family. "Good thing I met you, huh?"He would have been lost if she didn't come to his rescue. Prosper let out another chuckle. "Yeah, pretty lucky that you were here." He knew he was stubborn. It would have been an hour before he would have asked for any help. And who knew if any of the workers knew about infant items here. They looked like they had recently graduated from the academy or were within. Looks could be deceiving but...finding someone like Dandy was a rarity. He was sure. Just like each kid was different from another. "Knowing the theory still preps you for what's to come though, doesn't it?" Surprises were a given. Never did he believe that his brother would find a hoard of fluffbugs and decide to play with them as a kid, resulting in a stinky mess. Neither did his mother. But they still came out alright. His mother still knew the basics of how to take care of infants and freshlings by talking to other mothers. And wasn't that another way to grab theory? Back then she still knew more than the information that he did now at least. He shrugged. "Surprises just make you adapt." It seemed easy enough. Infants weren't easy. "I'm sure you'd be fine." His father had them and he didn't know much about how to take care of them. Dandy had done more research than his mother did. He didn't know the grimm very well, but Prosper was positive that she'd be a better mother than both of his parents combined. There was just something about her. Trustworthy. Nice. Some may think that trusting someone from a first meeting wasn't a good idea, but the hybrid didn't believe in that. He believed in the good of the people. Dandy was one of those good people. His heart lurched at her next words, seemingly caught in his throat. Prosper swallowed thickly, a strange pull in the back of his mind. "I'm sure they would have wanted you to see it too." he said slowly, a bit sympathetically. His father was never there; the only times that he and his brother were able to see them were through vacations. The nannies that he hired he couldn't remember the name of. Too many, and although they loved taking care of them, they just didn't last long. Not unlike their mother who had stuck it out until the separation. Prosper nearly sighed. "There needs to be more nightmares like you in the world." His brows pulled up with a lopsided smirk, trying to be truthful. This conversation had gotten so deep, too quick. Was it because he was terribly blunt? Damn, it probably was. Promise had always said he moved to quick, needed a filter. But he didn't regret where the conversation turned, even if it was too deep. Too many kids that used to be like he and his brother. If kids weren't such a huge commitment, and if he was more secure with he and Gem's relationship, he'd gladly adopt. Save a kid who didn't even have parents. How did a kid like that survive and thrive in adulthood? Who was there to guide them after the orphanage? He frowned. Prosper would have to look into those questions later. Dandy probably didn't know and he was taking up her precious time. What?! Prosper's eyebrows shot up as he stared at her, bewildered. "They grow faster in the junior years?" He would have thought that they grew faster when they were turning into freshlings. A bundle of stone and flesh turning into someone that fully eats on their own and walks around, essentially taking care of themselves. Sure, a junior had a growth spurt but.. they were that vast?! The hybrid opened his mouth to speak but no words came from it. Dandy must have been older than she looked. "Wow." he let out a low whistle. "You learn something knew every day." Well. Today he was learning more than just one aspect of creating a family. He just hoped that he'd remember most of it. Prosper's lips thinned. "True." His family was well off to where he didn't have to worry about money or the clothes on their back. Other families weren't as fortunate. Still, he'd rather have to scrap for money for his kids that something wasn't on someone else's back. Who knows where it had been. Thoroughly washing it might still leave whatever nasties the past owner had. But the topic changed, they moved on. To his own, slightly embarrassing obsession with keeping Gemini out. His own tail swished in turn to her response. "A hardware store, huh? I'm going to have to look into that." They made another bullet point on their long mental list from this meeting. It was fresh in his mind. Maybe he could go after they finish their talk. Test it out on his own home before he gave his friends some to set up. Prosper inwardly groaned. He loved shopping, but the list was getting longer and longer. It was likely that he wouldn't be able to get home until late. How was she going to take the idea that his lover was an accidental thief?! it was a crazy idea and she barely knew her. Jeez, she'd probably think that he was a freak. But she didn't? Prosper's ears perked up and he tilted his head to the side. "Y-You do?" His eyes widened before he let out a carefree laugh, messing with the front of his hair. "Oh man, I thought I was a mad man" He peered an eye open to look at Dandy. "Gemini is the only one that I've known who takes things without thought. If he didn't look so sad about it, I would have thought he was lying." Breaking it was possible. A relieved sigh left his lips. "We've been trying for so long to break it. It's gotten better but..." He looked to the side, frowning and shaking his head. "He still has a knack of taking my things and moving them around into ridiculous places in the house." It was annoying trying to find his favorite mug where it wasn't supposed to be. It wasn't like he could buy double of everything. "I'd love to break that nasty habit." No more endless cleaning. It sounded too good to be true. And now that it was out, he'd take any help that he'd get from a stranger who knew of others with the same habit. He raised a brow at the added complications to having a kid still in diapers as a freshling due to multiple factors. Training, it wasn't so easy. Fascinating. "Kids are so complicated." Prosper decided with finality. Growth spurts, different temperaments and different life milestones....They were definitely their own person. Parenting style...he wasn't sure about. It was either you were there for the kid or not. Much like his parents. His mother was there for a while, his father was barely there. The kids responded to it. But..it was best not to voice it. He had already taken enough of Dandy's time. "If they ever say no to you, you can always tell me. I'll convince them." He said with a smirk. Sure, he barely knew the grimm. They had just met today. But hey, he'd go to bat to anyone who wanted to live their dreams. Even if it was a life long commitment. "You don't know unless you try." Dandy was too nice to say no to anyway. Their lovers were probably just as sweet as she was. "You can do it. I believe in you," he patted her shoulder confidently. Dandy deserved at least one kiddo that had all their magic. Was that too much to ask for? One nightmare was able to imbue a stone by themselves. By dividing the magic just with one wouldn't be nearly as bad. Surely. Right? Oh right. His phone. Gemini took Prosper's all the time that he had nearly forgotten that Dandy had had it. The hybrid took it and stuffed it in his pocket. "I'll be sure to call you." Oh man, she had to go so soon. He looked at his watch. They had been standing there and talking for a while. "It was nice to meet you, Dandy!" he looked up, about to ask just where she was going, ever curious. But by the time his pink eyes looked up--she was fidgeting. Prosper's shoulder's slumped. Ahh, he'd ask her later. She needed to go. "Bye, bye. I hope they don't mind you being a bit late! You can blame it on me." He chuckled. Like that was going to get her very far. The place that she was going to probably didn't know him. Nor would they believe the story. Then again he'd be wrong before. He watched her dash off with a grin before he went back to inspecting what was in his now nearly full cart. Well--he did enough damage here. Time to do some more starting with the first person on the list. WC: 1,770 Total WC: 4,341 Random Nobody 13 Aaanndd we're finished! Sorry about the wait!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
