|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Dec 28, 2024 4:06 pm
Solo or RP Format
Counts as 5 RP growth Points
Solo word minimum is 750, RP post minimum is 7
Tis the season for gift giving, a sense of celebration as the year comes to an end. You get all the gifts you expect, and give some out as well. However, a strange, unmarked gift has arrived. You have no idea who sent it, or what it might be. Is it something from an admirer, or possibly a bit more sinister?
[ Your character receives an unexpected gift. Feel free to answer this prompt exploring the thoughts around such thing, the suspicion or confusion, maybe even resolving it with finding out who the gift giver was. Maybe it's someone you know, but it's a surprise. Maybe it's a mistake. The only way to find out is to open the present. ]
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2025 3:57 pm
Elka 1 The setting sun dipped ever closer to the horizon, casting ripples of oranges and yellows across the ocean in the distance. Elka held her hands out towards it, opening her fingers as if she would scope it out of the sky. It helped with her balance, taking her focus away from keeping her arms and legs as straight as she could as she teetered over the head of the man holding her up. But sometimes she got a little bit too distracted and forgot, which ended with her plunging headfirst into the current of the sea. Even now, so many years after they first started practicing these more advanced lifts, she still failed at them or he got a wrong grip on her torso and they'd both go toppling into the water, coming up laughing most times.
Despite being out here for the past hour practicing, Kayde still had the strength to keep her lifted for minutes at a time. His strength continued to increase, all the while his petite frame remained petite. It was almost impressive, had he been doing it on purpose. Still, she could feel his arms shaking slightly, indicating they were close to being finished. Her limbs, too, were starting to feel like jelly. Before she had a chance to say anything, she was suddenly falling, but not towards the water. She closed her eyes, feeling arms around her body as she was caught effortlessly, her feet placed on the ground. When she opened them, pale green eyes filled her vision. She always thought he had the most beautiful eyes.
"I am surprised you didn't drop me in the water."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2025 7:04 pm
Kayde 1 With the sun at his back, the Leaf man couldn't see how far the sun was dipping towards the horizon, though he could see the way the light fell on the house directly in front of him. It was fairly close to the sand, with enough distance between it and itself for their to be a small garden on the side, complete with a fountain and many flowers. Even a couple of trees had been placed on the east side, using soil brought in from Belrea, courtesy of the Geian/Wind family that lived some ways down the beach. It was all a little bit too extravagant for him, but whatever made his wife happy made Kayde happy. And decorating a manor of her own made her happy.
At the same time, he enjoyed sitting on the benches in that very garden on sunny days, listening to the waves, the birds, or just reading a book. It was rare that he got that much time to himself during the daylight hours. Not that it was anyone's fault but his own for taking on as much responsibility as he did. He liked being busy. Dance practice had quickly turned into something enjoyable. Especially since he afforded him time with Elka.
The strain in his arms was beginning to become unbearable, the man's mouth twisting into a slight grimace. He could dunk her in the water. Instead, he opted to get in a little bit of practice doing a more elegant drop. It wasn't that they were particularly bad at it. Quite the opposite. They had performed many a lift by now in front of an audience. But if you ignored practice, you would only turn rusty.
It also afforded him an up-close-and-personal view. The sly smile on her face tipped him off even before the Zenan said anything. He grinned back, leaned in until the tips of their noses were touching, and whispered "I wanted to, but this is better" before letting go and making his way back to the sand, nonchalant as ever.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2025 10:13 am
Elka 2 Back in the early days, the sight of Kayde crossing any amount of distance between them would have sent a quick blush to form on her cheeks. Back when the most they ever did was share a sweet kiss on parting. When leaning her head on his shoulder felt embarrassing. Oh, how innocent and young they had been. Now, four children later, as his face descended towards her, Elka's smile didn't waver. Her cheeks remained the same shade of blue as the rest of her body. In fact, she didn't even move an inch, forward or away. Simply watched him as he came closer and opened his mouth, his smooth voice flowing over her ears and his breath on her skin.
It was quite a romantic moment, the two of them standing with the sun behind his back. From the house behind her, it must make a pretty picture. Pity there was no way to capture it instantly. Though she wasn't sure she'd like it hanging on her wall. It wasn't that the pair wasn't romantic. They had their moments. She still thought fondly of the night picnic the man had prepared for her when she had discovered she was carrying their first two. But romance, if done too often, lost some of its charm. It wasn't as special. It wasn't like they needed to show each other how much they cared constantly. They knew, in the small actions. So framing a moment like this for all to see, for her to see daily, made the moment feel cheap.
So instead, as Kayde let her go and started to walk towards the house, the Zenan turned and watched him, holding her skirt up, though the hem still floated on the surface.
"I'd have to plan my revenge if you had," she shot back, following behind him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2025 6:07 pm
Kayde 2 A chuckle came from further up the beach, where Kayde was slowly making his way over the sand, avoiding any shells or rocks in his way. Shells were common place, mostly collected and dropped by the hybrid who lived some ways away. Minke would wander up this way in his search for whatever he was looking for, often times shells. The Leaf would see him out one of the manor's windows, Elias in tow as the two boys watched their feet for treasures in the sand. Not wanting to disturb them, he would simply watch with a smile on his face, at the same time confused why sometimes they'd walk out into the surf after collecting something, only to gently release it under the waves.
"And you would make me very sorry for having crossed you," he agreed, glancing over his shoulder at the woman trailing behind him. Though she had some equipment on the beach, her shoes and a towel to name a few, he had nothing. He had walked from the house in his bare feet and would dry off on the grass on the way back to the house. His shirt he would wring out, but his trousers were already a lost cause. As isolated as the manor was, it still held too many people to be stripping off out in the open like that. As much as Pandra would be very cross with him for leaving water on the floor, there was little else he could do about it.
Chuckling once more under his breath, his pale eyes dancing with amusement, Kayde looked back towards the house just as his foot touched grass. There was a shape on the front step, something that hadn't been there when they'd left for their practice session. He thought little of it, assuming it to be some late package for one of the kids or even the staff who lived there. It wasn't like it hadn't happened before.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2025 7:04 pm
Elka 3 The sand was soft underneath Elka's feet as she left the water, letting down her skirt in the process, the hem now brushing against the ground. "Mhm. Can't have you thinking you can do whatever you wish." Giving Kayde's retreating back a smile, she bent down to pick up the sandals she had left. Once she reached the grass, she leaned down to brush it off the bottom of each foot, placing a sandal protectively onto each. Unlike what she knew he would do, the Zenan had plans to take as little of the beach back into the manor with her as she possibly could. She could scold him for doing it. And normally she would have. It wasn't as if she enjoyed the look and feel of the outside inside. It didn't belong there. But she also felt in too good of a mood to risk ruining it.
Plus, there was something else distracting her attention. As she trotted to catch up to the man, she, too, noticed something on the porch. As the mistress of the house, Elka was a little more caught up on what went on inside it than her husband was. No wonder, when he spent more time in town doing odd jobs. When he was home, he was in his own world. So the presence of a package, while itself not suspicious, was still unusual for an important reason: It shouldn't be there.
"Are you hiding secrets from me?" she asked, half-joking.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2025 5:41 pm
Kayde 3 The question made Kayde stop in his tracks. Could this be his doing? It wasn't impossible. He juggled so many things, sometimes he did forget a thing or two.
"Not that I'm aware of." He put a hand up to his chin, rubbing at the small growth that was just starting to break through the skin after his last performance, a story where he had to play a lovestruck young man pining over a love who refused to return his affection. A part that fit a little too close to home, especially with Elka playing the part of the love. He was the perfect one for the role, with his experience in dancing and the youthful look that had followed him all through his adulthood, he could do everything asked of him while also looking the part.
Now curiosity burned in him. No one had a birthday coming up. There were no scheduled get-togethers. No parties. No dinners. Not even a dance to prepare for. Seemed even more likely that it was something ordered by someone else in the house. The kids could be pretty secretive when they wanted to be and he left the staff to their own business most of the time. He never wanted them to feel as if he was breathing down their necks.
Well, only one way to solve this mystery. He walked forward, the grass cool on his skin and the breeze cold on his back. He bent his body over the package, looking at the unexpected name on the front.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 01, 2025 5:01 pm
Elka 4 "Not that you're aware of?" Elka asked, laughing at his response. It wasn't beyond her husband to order something or make plans and than forget about it. He did so much for everyone else, it was a wonder he even made time for his own family. Which he did, of course. Sometimes she felt as if she were living in a fairytale, he felt too perfect. Maybe this was just her bias speaking, but she couldn't find a single flaw with him. Even his inability to say no to anyone who asked him for help, even his volunteering her for things without asking, was endearing in its own way. It showed how compassionate he was to everyone around him.
Coming up beside him, the Zenan laid a hand on his lower arm, leaning slightly on him as her golden eyes trailed down to the package on the porch. A package with his name on it. Thinking nothing of it, she picked it up. It wasn't very heavy. Still, something was rattling around inside. "No secrets, huh?" she darted at him, her eyes shining with mischief as she held it out for him to take. Wasn't like it was her package to open, after all. Besides, he'd show her. He always did.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 03, 2025 6:49 pm
Kayde 4 "No secrets," was his answer, Kayde holding up a pinky finger to show he would swear on it. Unless he was keeping them from himself, too. Was someone playing a prank on him? That wasn't too farfetched, especially given the nature of one of the kids in the household. It wouldn't be beyond Emmerich to do this. He'd done it a few times already. Usually ordering something embarrassing or praying on the fears of the staff to get them something in their name, as if someone had stopped by to leave them a present. It was starting to make everyone feel on edge and distrustful, always checking around with everyone just to make sure it wasn't another trick. No amount of talks or punishments would make him stop.
Was this just a prank of the youngest? Inspecting the handwriting before taking it out of Elka's hands, it didn't match up.
Should he even open it? Curiosity battled with caution. He turned it over, feeling the light object inside bouncing against the walls of the box. Nothing seemed suspicious. Other than the package itself, of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 05, 2025 7:51 pm
Elka 5 None the wiser to what turmoil was spinning through Kayde's head, Elka waited impatiently, nearly bouncing on the heels of her feet. She knew it was childish to do so and could already hear her mother's voice scolding her, but she couldn't help it. Surprises were exciting, even if they weren't for her. Not that she had completely ruled this package away as not being for her.
Was that why he was hesitating to open it? Because it, indeed, was something for her and he didn't want to spoil the surprise? Oh, it must be and the Zenan could hardly contain herself as she took it back from his hands with little resistance. Who else could it be for? And even if it, impossible as it seemed, wasn't for her, they were married. They had vowed to be as one so, if you really thought about it, it would only be a matter of time before she discovered what was in here anyway.
So, before he had a chance to react to what she was doing, Elka had tore into the package and peeked inside. What she found was not what she expected.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 06, 2025 7:11 pm
Kayde 5 Before he even had time to react or protest, the package was swept out of Kayde's hands. His mouth opened to say something, only to quickly close it, knowing at this point saying anything would be pointless. There was no harm in letting her open it. It wasn't anything for him. It wasn't even anything he had ordered. Emmerich was a devious and smart kid, but there was nothing he could do to a simple box that would do anything but shock the one who opened it. The fact it wasn't moving told him whatever this was was probably fairly harmless. The boy had stuffed live animals into apparent gifts before, leaving them around the house for anyone to find. Whatever this was, it at least was no animal.
A live one, anyway. Which, thankfully, was not a type of prank the youngling had ever done. Yet.
So, despite his name plastered on the front, despite that this was not something of his own doing, Kayde felt his confidence returning.
Until he watched the look of confusion creep onto his wife's face, making his curiosity burn even more. Leaning over, he peeked into the box and....
"What is that? Is that...Is that hair?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri May 09, 2025 7:15 pm
Elka 6 "I...Maybe?"
Elka wasn't sure how to feel. On one hand, she wasn't entirely sure what she was even looking at. It wasn't food, that she was sure of. It had no smell and didn't look like it could fall apart. The package hadn't been sitting on the step for very long. It had only been a few hours since they had made their way down to the beach. How they had both apparently missed someone was beyond her understanding.
On the other hand....Looking closer at it, even squinting her eyes a little to see within the slight darkness, it looked homemade. Was it supposed to be a doll of some kind? There were small dots on the mostly smooth part of it that might have been eyes. But there was nothing else to give off a clue as to it being a doll. No mouth, no nose, not even a pair of ears. What she thought was hair didn't even seem to be consistent. It was above the dots, sure, but it was also below in different spots. It was very confusing.
Looking up at Kayde, the woman said, "Looks to me like you have an admirer." And than she giggled. She couldn't help it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 10, 2025 6:58 pm
Kayde 6 That was not what Kayde wanted to hear. He attempted to clear his suddenly dry throat, but the sound came out in a mix of a growl and a groan, much to his continued annoyance. He couldn't even look down at the thing inside the box, whatever it was even supposed to be. Never had he felt so uncomfortable before in his life. Usually carefree and unbothered by everything around him, the man now felt quite the opposite. It left him unsure how to respond or even how to act. What he wanted was to drop the box, but a part of him kept stopping his fingers from opening. It didn't seem like this gift had been made with bad intentions. At least that was what he was telling himself. Because there was still one feature about it that was bothering him.
"The big issue here is that hair looks real."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 11, 2025 6:02 pm
Elka 7 The serious look she was being given only made Elka laugh all the harder. At least she had the decency to raise one of her hands to cover her mouth as she watched him through now narrowed eyes.
Once she had finally had control over herself, the woman took a deep breath and stood up straight, swiping at a strand of blue hair that had fallen into her face. What was the point of having such long ears if it didn't help to keep your hairstyle in check?
"I'm sorry." When she was met with silence, she added, "I really am, truly." Holding a hand over her heart, she tried her best to look ashamed. It was very difficult, what with the tickle of another giggle threatening in her throat."It's just some kind of animal hair. Perhaps from a brush. I think it's really sweet."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 11, 2025 6:21 pm
Kayde 7 Kayde hated to admit that he agreed. Not just about the fact this could have come from a brush or something. Maybe the fringe off a blanket about to be thrown out. Despite how much he had traveled around the known world of Tendaji, sometimes even going across the ocean, there were still a lot of animals he didn't know about. Not out of a dislike for them or anything. They just weren't something that he went out of his way to see when he reached a new country. Food or people, often times at the same time. There was little more enjoyable in those days than sitting down to try a new dish in the company of a stranger to share some stories.
So, despite how fine and soft the hair looked, it was still possible, and he was going to continue to tell himself this, that it was just the hair from an unknown animal. Nothing else would change his mind.
"In some....Strange way....I guess it is." But what was he supposed to do with it? It was rude to throw out a gift, no matter how odd it was.
Maybe if he left this out somewhere for one of the cleaning staff to find....Than, at least, he wouldn't be responsible for it getting lost.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
