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 Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2022 11:39 am
Quote: The Wishing Tree (1): A Destiny City Star Festival Tradition to be held every year; In Town Square, there is a beautiful tree with spreading branches. It is tall, but the lowest branches are easily reached. The city has decorated the tree with small, starlike ornaments and glistening lights. Thick leaves and beautiful purple flowers dangle from the branches, along with a myriad of different colored papers with handwritten wishes. Next to the tree is a stack of blank paper with twine attached, and a handwritten sign that explains: Write your wish on a sheet of paper and tie it to the tree. Take one wish off the tree and do your best to grant it. When you have granted the wish, bury the paper in the park. The papers are biodegradable and filled with seeds. There are no rules for wishing, but you are encouraged to wish for something vague enough that it can be interpreted in many ways so that it can be granted; you do not write your name on it, but it is encouraged to write something that doesn’t wish for self gain, but rather something that can make the world a better place. Some wishes dangling from the tree already include things like “I wish there wasn’t so much litter in the park,” “I wish someone would clean the graffiti off the old historic buildings,” and “I wish there were more volunteers at the shelter.” If you choose to use the Wishing Tree, what do you wish for? If your wish is private, you may write it on the paper and choose a spot in the park and bury it yourself instead of hanging it on the tree.
Dawn crept over the horizon in deep grays and inky blues. The sun had yet to crest the surface, but the sky was lightening ever-so-slightly from the darkness of night. Having already been out for a jog even earlier that day, Nataniel felt awake enough despite the early hour.
Both of his companions, however, needed a little something extra to get moving in the morning. And why it was both his companions and not just the usual one, Nataniel didn’t understand.
They’d woken up in the typical fashion, and since their shifts mostly coincided for the day, Nataniel and Basyl had decided to drive to the hospital together, with a half hour to spare so they could walk down to the Starbucks for a pick-me-up. Having stayed with them the night prior, Gremlin overheard they were going somewhere food was involved and decided to tag along. It seemed like a lot of effort for an overpriced breakfast sandwich, since Gremlin likely wouldn’t want to hang out at the hospital for ten hours and would have to walk home alone, but Nataniel didn’t argue.
They’d successfully acquired drinks and were on the way back: Nataniel content with an iced peach green tea to combat the warm air of the morning, and Gremlin with… more than Nataniel had really wanted to pay for. If the powers that be were willing, it would hopefully keep the Mauvian occupied for most of the day, and Nataniel wouldn’t have to worry about his DoorDash account being excessively charged.
He tried not to complain. Gremlin had his uses, and it wasn’t like the Guardian had any means of collecting his own money. He just wished Gremlin would be a little more conscientious and considerate of what he was asking from other people.
“If you are going to order so much, the least you could do is come with hands,” Nataniel grumbled at the cat curled around Basyl’s neck, as Gremlin balanced a cake pop in his paws. He knew the little goblin had a limited civilian guise. He could’ve ordered his own food, carried his own bag, and walked alongside them while he ate, instead of expecting Basyl to order his treats and carry him and his things.
If Nataniel lost patience for anything, it was how easily Gremlin took advantage of Basyl without even blinking.
And Basyl let him.
The Mauvian snorted around teeth gnashing at the stiff icing outside of his cake pop. “And walk around looking like a filthy, disgusting, bald, and crippled two-legger? Pass.” Humans were hideous to begin with, but even with his civilian glamor, Gremlin stood out among them. It was just easier to hitch a ride with Basyl. The guy didn’t mind, and even though Gremlin would die before he admitted it out loud, he liked the way the senshi-boy doted on him and stood up for him and practically never denied him anything… Basyl was indeed “a keeper.”
And not just because half-chewed cake and icing was falling into Basyl’s long lavender locks, and Gremlin knew he’d never hear a complaint about it.
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Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2022 11:44 am
“Oh, Nat, don’t grumble l-like that,” Basyl laughed softly as he raised his free hand to catch the side of Gremlin’s face and smoosh their cheeks together. He expected the Mauvian to act all affronted, but they were getting to the point where Gremlin wouldn’t swipe or snap at him. Basyl considered them friends! And if his friend was more comfortable in the cat body he’d had for most of his life, Basyl was happy to accommodate him.
He had his drink in one hand, a caramel ribbon crunch that was impossibly sweet for a coffee drink, and Basyl wasn’t complaining about it. Looped over the other arm was Gremlin’s plastic bag of snacks: a bunch of wrapped sandwiches and bakery treats. Like, a bunch of wrapped sandwiches and bakery treats. Having Gremlin was like having a child. How could something so small eat so much? But it made the Guardian so happy for someone to buy him things… It wasn’t like Basyl could possibly refuse him.
But a content Gremlin made a grumbly Nat.
Basyl shifted his drink to the same side as the arm carrying the bag, so that he could loop his now-freed hand around Nataniel’s arm and fall into step closely at his side. Even with Gremlin as an unexpected tagalong, he was still perfectly pleased to get a few extra minutes with his boyfriend out of the house.
The walk back to the hospital wasn’t long; across the park and through the back of the parking lot, but even the short walk together was better than nothing. Still mostly dark and quiet as it was, it felt like a moment of privacy, even if they were out in public.
And while he hadn’t noticed it on the drive, or the even-darker-and-earlier walk to the Starbucks, it was getting light enough now that he could see aspects of the festival that had been set up the day before. Thee were decorations on benches and fountains in the park, and a great tree almost directly in their path. His mind tumbled over what day it was and what event the decorations were for, and it wasn’t until he saw the star ornaments that he realized-
“I-it’s Star Fest,” he whispered, pretty magenta eyes swiveling to find Nataniel’s gaze.
They’d met during the Star Festival two years ago. It had been a tense meeting, but a meeting none-the-less. And then last year they’d practically had their first date as civilians under the wishing tree. Summer heat was in the air and the decorations made him nostalgic even though it hadn’t been that long ago. This time of year was important for them as a couple and their relationship.
His hand slid down to catch Nat’s, and Basyl gave a tiny tug off their usual path and toward the tree. “Nat, do you r-remember?” He asked, voice soft and sweet as the beginnings of a smile pulled at his lips. “Let’s go and s-see, just real quick, if there’s anything on the Wishing Tree, yet.”
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Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2022 11:48 am
As had become customary when Basyl drew close to him, Nataniel felt himself relax. The Guardian was a nuisance and a bother, and surely no one would half a brain would even argue that fact, but if it pleased Basyl to have a Mauvian at his side, Nat would try not to grumble for his boyfriend’s sake. He exhaled, and crooked his arm more property for Basyl to hold onto.
When a certain sort of wonder overtook the other man’s tone, Nataniel let his gaze follow Basyl’s to where decorations had been strung, before landing back on the man at his side.
’Do you remember?’
For a moment, he wanted to prompt, Remember what? It felt like all manner of things happened during this time of year, despite the city’s good intentions. Sometimes there were monsters more dangerous than youma, sometimes it seemed as if they tripped into an alternate dimension, sometimes it was just harmless food-borne pranks. But Basyl’s expression, with his misty magenta eyes and soft sense of nostalgia convinced Nataniel that he should remember something positive.
Basyl took his hand and tugged, and Nataniel allowed himself to be led.
“Hey, c’mon, no detours,” Gremlin hissed into Basyl’s ear. He was already awake at this hour just because of the promise of food, but he didn’t want to hang around longer than he had to! Once these two losers finally left him and went to work, he could take his snacks and teleport home- He could probably do that, anyway, but his stuff was practically being held hostage!
Ignoring the complaint, Nataniel pondered for only a moment, but of course he remembered the wishing tree. He’d visited every year since the festival’s inception. And last year, he had come with Basyl. One of their first excursions as civilians out in public together. Their first “date.”
Nataniel’s heart gave a flutter for reasons he couldn’t elaborate on. But it was a good flutter, a happy flutter to be thinking of where they had been a year ago and where they were now. Physically in the same place, he supposed, but he allowed his fingers to curl more fully around Basyl’s hand, and it pleased him to realize how comfortable and relaxed he felt- How comfortable and relaxed Basyl seemed, even if he stuttered still. “I remember meeting up here a year ago,” he murmured, turning his head and leaning in to touch a soft kiss to Basyl’s cheek. “We made a wish together.”
Even though Nat was a little embarrassed to be seen participating in such things in public.
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Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2022 11:54 am
Basyl beamed as Nat followed along after him, squeezed his hand, gave him one of those contented smiles, pecked his cheek. It was much too early to get too worked up in excitement, since he still had to conserve energy for work in a few minutes, but he couldn’t deny that he was just happy to be out in the park, under the wishing tree, with someone who meant something to him.
And Gremlin.
Not that Gremlin didn’t mean anything to him, of course! It was just that he didn’t mean the same to him as Nat did- no better or worse, just different! And the grouchy kitty snarking at them to hurry along and not take him anywhere he didn’t want to go was, admittedly- No, no, Basyl didn’t even want to think a mean thought. He was happy they were here, both of them.
They made it under the branches, and Basyl was quick to collect a little violet charm from a jar on a nearby desk to offer to his boyfriend. Nat may not like stuff, but Basyl wasn’t completely blind! He could see that Nat had all the charms from the other festivals (and Basyl would never discourage anyone from collecting). No one was manning the stations right now, early as it was, and the park was empty, save for the three of them. If there was ever a time to participate discreetly…
“Do you want to make a wish?” He offered, collecting paper and pen from the desk. “Like we did the first time?”
And then, because the cat was still tucked around him, Basyl craned his head to see Gremlin as best he could. “What about you? Is there s-something you’d wish for? I could write it down for you, if you w-wanted.”
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Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2022 12:00 pm
There was only a second’s worth of faltering as Nataniel fumbled to accept the violet charm Basyl shoved at him. He wanted to at least make it known that he had no want or need for another trinket taking up space in their house. …But he did have quite the charm collection dangling from the posts of their shared headboard, and honestly one more would hardly break it. If it made Basyl keep smiling, he wouldn’t complain this time.
“I think… I am content for now,” Nataniel answered slowly. “I like to think our last one did come true enough, after all,” he murmured as he carded his hand not occupied by trinket and drink through the back of Basyl’s messy locks.
He’d been so sure Basyl would think less of him at the time, but their joint wish under this tree had hardly been entirely selfless. Nataniel was absolutely not an active participant in much of the community, so he couldn’t really see himself picking up litter or volunteering at a food kitchen or cleaning graffiti. But he liked to think it was possible for him to make someone else happy on occasion… A very certain someone else. And he’d thought that was a nice enough desire: to just do their best to make each other happy, to be there for each other, when they could.
It was what “friends” and partners were supposed to do. But he didn’t have very many of those. So to just see Basyl smile at him sometimes, that was nice enough. The old wish was as true as his ability allowed, and Nataniel didn’t think he cared to ask for much else.
Gremlin situated himself enough to crane forward on Basyl’s shoulder, the now-empty cake-pop stick dangling from between his teeth. “I don’t get it. What’s with the tree? What’s with those stupid gooey looks you two are shooting at each other?” He demanded. He glared at the desk with the jar of charms, the little stack of papers tucked in a drawer to keep the wind from reaching them, and a cup of pins. A sign read “Wishing Tree,” but that meant exactly ******** all to him.
“It is part of the event the city is hosting,” Nataniel answered. “You are supposed to write a “nice” wish that someone in the community can complete, and then take a paper from the tree to complete someone else’s request.”
“Why would I do that? Stupid people can just do it themselves if they want something done.”
“I think it promotes “community.””
“Okay, okay, what do I want? “Promote community?” Hmm…” Gremlin made a tsk of a sound from sucking his teeth as he peered down at the blank paper Basyl had selected. The situation was that he didn’t really care much about this community! I every human ******** all the way off, he’d be completely fine with that. Then all the neighborhood cats could finally roam in peace and not be hit by cars or chased by children or thrown into garbage bins if they were too “mean” or “ugly…”
“Alright! I want there to be less filthy human scum bothering the stray cats! Just let them eat out of your dumpsters, nobody should be picking them up and taking them to the shelter to be euthanized just because they’re feral. It ain’t right!”
With a little side-eye to his would-be general and a petulant flick of his ratty tail, he added, “And I know- I know there are people around here who can get that done.” A whole group of people, a “faction,” if you will, looking for reasons to harvest one of the purest sources of energy as a resource.
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Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2022 12:03 pm
The little grin Basyl shot his boyfriend was as much apology as Nataniel would get for adding more “junk” to their home. Things made people happy. Basyl wasn’t sorry about that. He did wonder, though, if there was something significant or meaningful he could put down this year. Last year, they hadn’t tied their wish to the tree unlike most people. It was something private for the two of them, when their relationship had complications that it just didn’t have, anymore.
He did like the idea of making another wish significant to them, but he also couldn’t begrudge Nat for feeling it was unnecessary, for feeling content with where they were now. But maybe he would just… tuck one little paper in his pocket to keep for himself.
He would think of something special, write it down, stick it in the back of his drawer, and maybe next year, he’d be able to show it to Nat, and he could think again that he was happy with whatever progress there was… And if it didn’t happen like that, Nataniel would never have to know. Honestly, this seemed like the best and safest solution. With a little smile and a shrug, he took the paper, folded it up, and stuck it in his pocket.
Then he retrieved a second for Gremlin.
Basyl had had literally no doubt that Gremlin would wish for something completely unhelpful. He’d kind of expected something like, ‘a mountain of nachos’ or ‘the eradication of winter.’ Something Gremlin surely wanted but was probably not achievable by most people. However, despite the grisly turn of his actual request, Basyl did see a glimmer of kindness there. A little smidgen of wanting something besides the Mauvian, himself to be cared for.
“We’ll just put down, “P-people to help feed the community cats!”” Basyl offered as he scribbled the words on the paper in his entirely-illegible doctor’s scrawl. “How does that s-sound?” Because he absolutely wasn’t putting down “less humans” on a wishing paper.
On the off-chance someone like Calaverite was the one to grab it. …Assuming someone like that could even read.
He collected a twine and moved to the very outskirts of the tree’s reach, before selecting the end of a low-hanging branch and tying the wish off. “And when I get home later, I’ll put a big bowl of cat food out in case we have any close by. Is that okay?” He wouldn’t mention that it would probably be mostly raccoons and squirrels that came to eat anything they’d put out; he was sure Gremlin knew that already.
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Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2022 12:08 pm
Nataniel didn’t miss the way Basyl kept a paper, instead of just using the one he’d already selected to write Gremlin’s “wish” on (if it could be called that). But he didn’t comment on the little smile the other man sent his way. He did feel, briefly, as if maybe Basyl felt that Nataniel had robbed him of something by refusing, and he knew in no uncertain terms that Basyl wouldn’t admit it if he did, but with a quiet exhale, Nataniel let the feeling pass. He preferred the feeling of comfort and security of being with someone he cherished, rather than the doubt.
Gremlin sneered at Basyl with a half-hearted hiss at the suggestion of something other than what he’d explicitly asked for. But as he glared down at the now-offensive paper, Gremlin decided it was hardly worth it to even be mad. It wouldn’t have mattered what he asked for; no one could read Basyl’s chicken-scribble handwriting, anyway! Why even put it on the tree, when anyone who grabbed it would take one look at the god awful writing, and probably discard it for another.
He somehow felt cheated, despite having a whole bag of snacks from the morning’s adventure.
“It’s fine,” he groused irritably. “But I wish you woulda included not to feed them that gross kibble stuff. If it were me, I’d rather starve than eat that. We’ll feed them a bowl of tuna, at least. If not salmon! They deserve better than greasy pellets.”
Nataniel’s answer was a weary sigh as he moved up behind them again. “We will see what we have available when we get home,” he promised Gremlin, hardly wanting the cat to start trying to make Basyl feel bad- and Nataniel knew he absolutely could and would. “For now, we need to start heading back to work. We spent more time out here than I anticipated…”
If there was an insinuation that Gremlin should be on his way, the Mauvian didn’t take it. He’d leave once they got back to the hospital parking lot. For now, Basyl could keep carrying his things.
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Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2022 12:12 pm
Sometimes he didn’t know what exactly he should feel for Gremlin. If it was pity for how he’d been mistreated and his responses to it now, the Mauvian certainly wouldn’t appreciate it. If it was fond affection for the uniquely grouchy way Gremlin saw and approached things- well, he wouldn’t appreciate that either. Maybe Gremlin preferred the anxiety Basyl had initially felt at dealing with something so difficult to please, but Basyl liked this better: the snooty, spoilt kitty lounging on his shoulders, barking complaints and orders and nothing was ever good enough.
Basyl was sure most people, Nataniel included, probably didn’t appreciate Gremlin very much, but Basyl thought he was cute in his own way. He was basically just a kitten, after all! “D-don’t worry. We’ll find something they’ll love, I p-promise.”
But they should definitely be getting back to the hospital now.
He took a long slurp of his drink and hooked his arm through Nataniel’s once again. “Maybe if we come back in the evening, the festival lights will actually be on.” It was under those lights, in a fairy-decorated forest in a park not unlike this one where they’d had their first ever meeting. And they really need to get out of the house for more than just work and to power up. Nataniel probably didn’t agree with the sentiment, but Basyl liked going out on occasion, and this was as good a season as any to see what else they could do during the festival…
But that would be after work. There was still a long day ahead of them.
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