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 Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2025 9:31 pm
Quote: Counting Sheep (12) : All around the city, odd, lumpy mounds of snow have begun appearing--harmless at first glance, until one of them suddenly shifts, shakes itself off, and lets out a loud bleat. A large flock of incredibly fluffy, snow-covered sheep has wandered into town from who-knows-where. Their dense white wool blends perfectly into the winter landscape, and snow clings easily to them. They seem perfectly content in the cold and go about their business without a care, but it’s still startling to watch what looks like a miniature snowdrift suddenly get up and trot away. They're typically not hostile, but they will attempt to flee and avoid capture. They seem good natured--adorable, warm, and only occasionally a little chaotic.
“Here’s the surprise, Alice! Look at them! Aren’t they the cutest things you’ve ever seen? I’ve been hanging out with them kind of often and they’re perfect! They’ll let you pet them and cuddle them, so…happy date! Here’s some sheep.”
She gave a grand gesture, wiggling her arms and giving a very un-Cressida like laugh.
She adored these sheep, and wasn’t shy about it. The idea of getting one was pretty solid in her mind now, and this was going to be the deciding vote.
“What do you think? Are you excited?”
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Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2025 10:33 pm
There were a lot of things that Alice had come to expect, after the whole saving the whole world from the giant snake thing. One, holidays were way more magical than she'd ever really noticed before. Two, somehow she always ended up smack dab in the middle of something chaotic. More often than not, it was the latter.
So the fact that Cressida took her to a giant mound of snow that was actually a herd of fluffy sheep didn't surprise her. The energy with which Cressie was waving her arms around did though.
"They're very cute and fluffy," she said with a smile and a tentative pet of one of the sheep. It was, in fact, very soft and fluffy. Very cuddleable. Her eyes narrowed slightly when Cressie asked her if she was excited.
"I am very happy to do anything with you, you know that Cressie." Alice pecked her on the cheek.
"We aren't taking one home though."
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Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2025 1:23 pm
“Well, of course we’re not. These are…I’m kind of sure that they’re like. Some kind of magical sheep, honestly. They might be in the same league as frosty the snowman and all that, but I was thinking of maybe getting one or two…for real…”
There had been research done now, and she had a few names picked out that she could call them. And while she wasn’t sure if she wanted to breed the sheep to get new sheep…the idea of little lambs was…
Well it wasn’t an unwelcome idea.
“I’m glad you’re happy with them though. I absolutely adore them. Almost as much as I adore you.”
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Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2025 6:12 pm
Oh good, she knew that--- Alice's smile fell into something like a knowing glare and she crossed her arms. No amount of Cressie trying to butter her up with how much she adored her was going to distract Alice from the comment of trying to get real sheep.
Did she not remember the betta fish?!
"Cressida..." she said, still petting one of the, admittedly, very, very soft sheep. Another one came up and flopped next to her for pets with a soft baa.
"We are not getting real sheep."
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Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2025 6:16 pm
Cressida gently rubbed the sheep under the chin, pondering her next words. She had half expected Alice to…try and put her off, but…the fact that she had been right about that still…stung, and really. It was this that always made her think before inviting her to join the Negaverse. She didn’t need such…nagging negativity…especially when it was such an easy situation.
“Well, Alice…you don’t have to get one. I was thinking of getting them for home. There’s more than enough room on the estate, and hey. It would give me an excuse to visit more and that would help to get mother off my back a little…it’s a winning situation. A huge issue, solved with one of the cutest sheep in the world, and think. I can make…well. The sweaters that I can have made from the wool? Incredible.”
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Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2025 6:24 pm
Alice rolled her eyes at her girlfriend and let out a sigh. Only Cressida would look at cute sheep and go "new sweaters!" Did she honestly expect her mother to allow a flock of sheep in her gardens?
"Cressie, I know as well as you, your mother would not sacrifice her perfectly tended azalea bushes for sheep, even if it meant you went home more often," she reminded her. "She would also have to be incredibly unwell for her to let them inside the estate."
She understood why Cressie did not go back home to see her mother more often. Frankly, she did not blame her. But not even that woman would let sheep onto her property if it meant Cressida would come home more often.
"Also, do you remember the betta incident?"
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Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2025 6:28 pm
“Babe, that’s what fences are for! And we’ll hire someone to care for them. It’s a foolproof idea, and I have thought things through, I swear.”
Cressida held her hand up and waved it, as though dismissing a bad smell. “The betta incident is something completely different and shouldn’t be brought up in this context, Alice darling. There was a slight edge to her voice, and she really…
“I hadn’t brought you here to ask your opinion on this really…I’m going to do it, it’s all thought out and I just thought you would support me on it. It’s a good idea. I’ll give you the first sweater, you know.”
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Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2025 7:37 pm
The sheep next to her startled as Alice's voice rose in credulity. "It absolutely should be brought up! You couldn't even be bothered to shake flakes into a tank once a day! That poor thing starved." She huffed, crossing her arms. The sheep scrambled away, its companion following suit with a bleat.
You would think that Cressida would know that Alice wouldn't be completely on board with this. They're sheep and farm animals! She was a spoiled rich girl with too much money. A spoiled rich girl that she adored and loved very much, but a spoiled rich girl nonetheless.
"Cressie... I'm glad that you have thought it through and treat them right. I'm proud of you for that." said Alice after a moment of chewing on her lip and a resigned sort of sigh. "But I can't support your decision. Sheep are animals and while these sheep are super docile and calm, not all sheep are. What happens when the sheep doesn't want to be cuddled and kicks you? Or you get bored of them?"
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Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2025 7:42 pm
“Well…” Cressida bit back a hundred sassy remarks. A hundred biting things that she wanted to say. The betta, sure. That had been a mistake but. She had bought the automatic feeder, though it was…her fault it had run out of food, sure. That was her bad. One hundred percent but this? This was a whole other story. And she had a good set of ideas and. Alice was being stupid.
Absolutely stupid. Maybe she would give the first sweater to Siobhan instead. Or even Brooklyn, that poor girl had like. Nothing. She would support her dumb ideas, and so would Siobhan!
Ugh.
Now her good mood was absolutely ruined and she looked at Alice with a pinched face, as though she had eaten something sour. “I don’t need your support, it’s my decision, and I just thought you’d understand. I won’t bring it up again, but they won’t kick me. And if I get bored, there’s farms around. No big deal. I have this covered.”
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Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2025 8:15 pm
Ugh, great now she felt awful for getting upset with her. But Alice just... couldn't leave animals in Cressida's care. Something about it set her on edge, and it made the part of her that ran barefoot through the park to keep the little creatures safe from youma and the Negaverse try to rise to the surface. But Cressida wasn't the Negaverse or a youma. She was her friend. Even better, she was her girlfriend.
She couldn't condone the decision.... but she didn't condemn it either.
Alice gently smoothed a piece of Cressida's hair behind her ear. "In that case... perhaps I will just have to visit with you, to make sure the sheep are well cared for." She took Cressida's hands in hers and licked her bottom lip.
"I'm sorry I snapped, Cressie. It's clear you've thought this through." She smiled sheepishly and met her eyes. "I really am sorry... and thank you for bringing me here."
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Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2025 8:26 pm
Cressida forced down her annoyance and gave a smile, perfect and convincing as always. “It’s okay. You meant well, I’m glad I brought you here too. They’re fantastic babies and just like cuddles. Do you want to go out for food? My treat.”
Truthfully, the best thing right now? Get away from the sheep. Besides. All dates should have food at the end. And this was a date, after all.
Her hand slipped into Alice’s, and Cressida leaned in for a soft kiss, before tugging her wonderful…sometimes nagging girlfriend away from the sheep and back towards…wherever they were going to eat.
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