[Kyar]

Beautiful

[Lady Tuesday]

maRKKKKKKKKKK

[lovestruck]

Mark
They were cold here's an ugly old cloak
Besties

[revvington]

username;doglady88722
name;Lucan (Luc)
gender; male
story; wip

[Grey_Hoodie]

username; Grey_Hoodie
name;
gender;
story;

wip c:

[angelshy]

username;
name;
gender;
story;

^^ possible res ?? ; v ;

[cosmos.;]

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬(⬦.⬥)▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Username: cosmos.;

Name: Alois (a-loy-is)

Gender: Male

Forgive me if this isn't the exact prompt, I wanted
to take a different spin on this ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Good luck to all!

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬


I took a brief glance of the clock on the right. 7 o'clock sharp.

There was a brief series of knocks at the door - rhythmic yet stiff. Though they’d seem to have ignored every event
thrown their way previously, the child had turned up effortlessly to have dinner with someone most could barely trust.
Which was a surprising feat considering how everyone in the village was so fickle with time yet so eager to celebrate.

I opened the door to find a young teen, who seemed to have been an outcast among the town. There had been many of
those in a situation like this, but not so many as well known as the guest. An eccentric yet methodic child who had little
interest in true friendship as it were but had still wished to be a part of their rural community. Of course, they found it
hard to stay with many of their 'friends', as they'd want to keep up with everyone. But something about this outcast in
particular reminded me of a time long past, and we had met a couple of times before. So being nostalgic and bored,
I’d decided to invite them over for dinner.

“Pleasure to see you again. Take a seat while you wait.” I shuffled across to the counter and grabbed a drink along
with the plate.

“You as well. Hey, is that chicken and veg?”

“As you've told me, your favorite.” I slipped in a small grin under my hood and patted their head with a smooth paw.
I sighed internally - no matter how hard I tried, I would always seem stilted and awkward. However, I figured that it
would be a better idea to leave my identity problems until after dinner.

Soon enough, I’d managed to fetch the main course. Nothing out of the ordinary - I’d prepared a rather timeless meal
which I was quite proud of. Cooking was a useful hobby, for many unusual reasons. It had gained me many allies
throughout my life and was a good way to either make or break a relationship.

“So, what spices did you add to this, uh, sir? Madam? I like to know what I’m getting a taste of, in case of any, well,
allergies.”

“The food has plain table salt and basil - sodium chloride and Ocimum basilum if you must know the specifics. The
meal has nothing venomous or toxic inside, despite the fact that it was cooked by me. You can stop slamming the
chair with your tail now.” I grabbed the pepper and slid it across to them. “Anyways, are you going to look me in
the eye and say you don’t trust an outcast? There's at least 20 on this street and you're definitely one of them.”

The kit let out a soft, high laugh and finally broke the ice that almost solidified from thin air. “Yeah, but I’m not
the mysterious merchant who looks like they’re at least 1202 with kid problems. And I’m not an outcast. I’m just..
well, in the process of finding friends.” The look on their face told me otherwise. I sighed.

“Sure. But you’d be surprised how profitable this business is. Anonymity to the highest level and plenty of stories
to listen to. And you’ll never have to tell your own, whether it’s plain and hidden or dangerous and vile. If you
really want to understand someone, let them talk about themselves.”

“Huh, I've never thought of that idea. Maybe that’s why some people are as quiet as you.” they took another piece
of chicken and almost bit into the fork. “But seriously, tell me stories about this place, since something clearly had
to happen to let you come here. It’s just a weird place with annoying people, and towns like that pop up all over
the place. I mean, 5 bucks says that that pigeon’s going to be kidnapped within 2 minutes.”

Having trouble seeing, I ran up towards the window. I eventually caught sight of a young hen sitting on the branch
of a pine tree, which had probably been left over from last Christmas. Sure enough, a shadow appeared from behind
it and the next thing I knew, the bird had been bagged and brought into the darkness. I chucked a banknote into the
air behind me.

“Exactly. I mean why would you come to this place? It’s possibly the most unappealing place on earth and I’m sure
plenty of your most notorious enemies would search for you here. No traps or fake trails. Seems like quite a change
from that guy who keeps secretly keeps tabs on everyone and has a master plan going on behind the scenes.” They
dropped their cutlery as they gulped from a glass and looked over to me. “I haven't heard anything about this but I
want to.”

“Well, they wouldn't know my name or my face, so they wouldn't find my location. Also what makes you think that
I have nemeses? I’m not that evil, or at the very least, I’m not that stupid. Anyways, names aren’t as important as
you think they’d be at this point. You just need to do your job, and do it well. And that’s exactly what I do. Sell
things to people for a decent price which then curse them, then curse whoever's investigating the scene.” Of course,
that wasn’t the only thing I did. Most of my time was spent dabbling in literature and occasionally the sciences, but
who would care for that? “Change is hard to come by, so I do take all the opportunities I get for it. I took a
break from infamy for normalcy, but I'm not sure where to go next. That's why I invited you over.”

“What are you getting to here?”

“How would you feel about an apprenticeship with me? There’s a lot I haven’t told you about myself - and I feel
proud when I say I have infinitely more to offer than most mysterious characters, considering that I can actually
provide for someone else instead of keeping them as a slave, and don’t speak in riddles. I refer to myself in 3rd
person but that's besides the point. You seem to be interested in things beyond what you should know, and I'd
love to mentor someone like that. To answer your previous question, I do think this is a dangerous place, and I'm
planning to move out. The question I'm asking is whether I want to take someone with me.”

They seemed to ponder this point, and probably put more thought into it than I had ever seen them use before.
But unfortunately, it wasn't what I wanted to hear. “I don't think I could leave the town, because I don't need to
know anything outside of it. I'm just fine with stories and they'll be fine with me. I may or may not want an actual
friend, come to think of it. But I'm fine with that, and I hope you'll be fine with that.”

I hate to say that the next few moments of awkward silence stuck around for much longer than they should have.
I was used to the occasional silent moment with anyone, usually being quite asocial. Eventually I did see the
clock and pointed out that the time had long passed the curfew. I patted the child's head awkwardly and smiled
briefly at them.

“Well, it's a shame, to say the least. Enjoy the juice?”

“Yeah, it tasted just like what I would expect from someone who never goes to the store. That is to say, you make
good OJ. I'd love some more.”

“You know, I do wish we had become better friends because of this dinner. A big difference between you and me is
that I've suffered the cost of having more than one. Goodnight, I hope it's a good one.” I pulled out another carton
from my cloak and handed it to them. “Perhaps tonight would be a good time to make a true friend, if that’s what
you end up wanting. You won't see me around again.”

I lead them out into the street and watched the kit run into the distance with soft silent steps. I brought my hood
over my head as they dashed out of earshot and jogged to a dimly lit house to climb in through a window as someone
started yelling in the distance.

And with that, the ‘furless one’ was left to their home once again, alone and aloof as most merchants are. But this
one was timeless, and had little else to lose with only half his sight and none of his identity left. Alois laughed a
little at his predicament and the story that had resulted from it, and sat down to remind himself that things would
change as time went by. It would just take a lot of waiting.

I'd get over it in a couple of years.

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

[squints]

username;
name;
gender;
story;
anxiety is aflutter about the chest and mind; something like

[Peyto1217]

username; Peyto1217
name; Ashlyn
gender; female
story;
We were in the middle of the hallway when I first saw her. I already felt like I knew Ashlyn because everyone always talked about her and whispers. I knew she had been going to my school for the past few years but I never really met her. That had only occurred to me when I first saw Ashlyn. Then I realized no one really knew much about her except that she was fur-less and always covered up. Wip!

[kiwi sauce]

username:: boss. | name:: miel | gender:: female
meaning 'lamb' in romanian
╘═══════════════╛

I’m beginning to think my purpose in life is being relegated to the most unskilled tasks available. And while some might say that covering my uncle’s bookshop is far from the realm of menial labor, I’d like to remind you that I’m seventeen and it’s friday. There are a lot better places to be then in a dusty book store. (Un)fortunately, I’m sympathetic. Uncle Erin’s just rushed out in a flurry of panicked excitement – his wife’s having their first kid – and had frantically pushed me into imprompto watchdog for the evening.

Looking around the gently lit space I sighed. As far as stores went there were worse places than my uncle’s. While I could definitely spy a few shelves that looked like they hadn’t had a good dusting in quite some time, my surroundings in general were quaint enough. Homey, was the word. A place you could see yourself lingering a bit longer in because the atmosphere was comfortable and the quiet not oppressive, thumbing through the pages of your next great adventure with the soft tick-tick-tick of a wall clock in the air. In all, it wasn’t a bad place to be, even for a friday night. Or would have been if it wasn’t so mind-numbingly boring.

Not a soul had stopped by since I’d taken over; who’d come in this rain anyway? Water and books generally didn’t go together as a rule. Glancing toward the door the streets lamps had just come on and I could clearly see the state outside my little haven. The sidewalk looked vaguely flooded making me concerned for the walk home; knowing Erin he would be too wrapped up in his wife and child to remember me. Oh well, small sacrifices, right? Although…

I quickly peered over my shoulder to the wall clock, something almost as ancient as the shop itself, and guaged the time. I’d been here four hours already, the store usually closed at 8pm and I had an hour and a half before that. However, if I knew my uncle he’d be so completely absorbed in his own thing that he’d hardly think to text me to see how things going, let alone check to see if I’d kept the place open.

I could just leave. He wouldn’t even know I had. I liked to think that there was some little cartoon devil perched on my shoulder and tempting me but I already know that I’m not always the most honest person. If there’s a chance to shirk responsibility with minimal consequences, I might just take it. Unless I like you.

Giving a last, cursory look at the store I went about gathering up the till and making a note in the accounting book to how much was being returned to the safe. I’m no accountant and my calculous classes hardly made me qualified to do much more than this, but uncle Erin was nothing if not thorough in making sure anyone he had sitting for him knew what to do. Finishing this I hastily flung open the utility closet and dragged out the small vacuum, making a short circuit around before deeming it ‘clean’ and stowing it away.

Bag? Check. Homework? Check. Keys? Uh… where’d I – oh right, jacket pocket. Jacket? Hanging on the coat rack right where it should be. Everything was in order and I could leave the store with a somewhat clean conscience. But it was as I was tugging my arm into a sleeve when the worst thing possible happened.

The bell went off.

Like any old timey store, uncle had kept the bell hanging over the front door; something about it completing the aethetic. Standing in the doorway was a kalon I’d never seen before. Not that I spent any gratuitous amount of time here to begin with but she looked just as startled to see me there as I was her. Our eyes met at once, a vivid cerise that seemed to pop out from beneath the heavy hood she wore. What was more confusing was that I noticed almost immediately that she was furless, like one of those hairless cats.

Her skin was pale, standing starkly in the dark cloak that hung limp and dripping over her. “Um...” I can only imagine how intelligent that must’ve sounded because she smiled sheepishly. Hey! That’s what she reminded me of. A sheep - or lamb really with how her nose flared with a hint of the sniffles. From being outside so long presumably.“Excuse me, is Erin here?” I blinked, my brain taking a minute to process the question before I quickly replied. “My uncle’s at the hospital,” she looked a cross between fearful and concerned. “Don’t worry, nothing’s happened to him, my aunt’s having a baby so…” My mystery guest seemed to grasp what I was saying so I didn’t elaborate further.

“I see, I’ll be sure to give my congragulations when I see him next.”

Silence. Awkward silence at that. My skin itched with the weight of her gaze and I fought the urge to shuffle in place. I felt like I was six again, entering a class room I wasn’t familiar with and with a teacher trying to peg me for one of the good students or bad ones. “You are, Markus, right?” Unconsciously I relaxed. Her accent made my name sound a bit strange and I couldn’t hope to place its origins but I wasn’t all that curious on that end. “Your uncles talks about you from time to time, my name is Miel. I was hoping to sit out the rain until my friend is able to come and get me.”

My throat clogged. I’d really been gunning to leave early but apparently the universe had had enough of my dishonest ways. “S-sure, just – um, come on in.” The entire time she’d been lingering in the doorway and I hadn’t had the presence of mind to invite her in. My mother’d have my hide if she ever found out.

The kalon bobbed her head and wasted a grateful smile on me as she crossed the threshold and shut the door behind her. I hadn’t realized how cold it’d gotten with the door open the whole time but I was very thankful for my jacket to say the least. Miel on the other hand looked like she’d had more than enough of the weather’s fickleness. Her hooded throw was soaked enough that it clung to her, emphasizing how much smaller she was than me. “Can I take your coat...thing? We’ve got a heater behind the counter, I could try and dry it as much as possible before your friend comes?” She looked miserable and I wasn’t going anywhere so may as well make a better impression than my first one.

“That’d be very appreciated, thank you.” That foreign lilt niggled something in the back of my mind but for the life of me I couldn’t dredge up why. Ignoring it, I took her throwover and spread as much of the sodden material on the old iron heater as I could, watching her out of the corner of my eye as she took in the store. Surely there wasn’t anything here she hadn’t seen before but she seemed enthralled all the same. Maybe she was a frequent customer? It’d explain how she’d know my uncle.

After a beat my mind focused in on her attire. There had been something under her cloak and now that she’d shed it, I could see the clinging material for what it was. A leotard. I also did a double take when I noticed she, on top of lacking fur, was lacking a tail. Now I’m not so rude as to have tried to circle around to assure myself she didn’t just have a little nub or something but she must have sensed my confusion because her laughter broke my stupor and she looked at me knowingly. I felt a rush of embarassment color my cheeks for having been caugth staring. She seemed even more amused. Glad one of us was.

“It is alright, I’m used to it. My appearance is a bit odd for you.” She soothed, entertained by my squeak of apology.

I cleared my throat, wanting to erase the last few minutes. “The.. uh, leotard? You dance?” I wasn’t even subtle with the shift in topic but Miel allowed me to save what remained of my composure and answered kindly. “I am, yes. I perform at the theatre house.” That caught my attention. While I can’t remember the last time I’d been there, I knew that the shows that played were usually swiftly sold out upon opening. Their choice in performances had always been top notch – or at least that’s what I remembered from the school trip and the one time my parents had deigned to bring me along.

“So you’re a professional then?” Bracing my forearms against the counter, my interest piqued. “What shows are you doing?”

“Shakespeare’s: Twelth Night. I play Viola.”

“I REMEMBER YOU NOW!” I honestly hadn’t meant to shout, hadn’t meant to say anything actually but the realization hit me so fast that my mouth couldn’t contain the thought. Miel jumped, no doubt alarmed by my outburst and I added a tally to my conversational tailspin. “Sorry, I just realized why you seemed familiar.” I babbled, feeling the warmth creeping up my neck like wildfire. “I saw you on the commercials is all.” I managed to shut my trap there before continuing with my real thoughts. She’d looked very handsome in those commerials. Her features, while soft, were admirably andryongynous, making the distinction of gender difficult until I you heard her speak.

Overjoyed, she beamed at me. Not the shy smiles of before but a genuine one. My face was burning for a whole other reason now.

Time swept us by as he chatted amicably about her role, my career goals, any interest in dance which had suffered over the years from school, family and a general apathy towards the arts as a whole. All in all, it wasn’t a bad way to wrap up a friday night.

Before I knew it a horn honked loudly from outside, spooking us both. A glimpse at the clock told me we’d actually be talking for over an hour, it was now well and truly closing time for the store.

“That would be my friend.” She chirped, looking more relaxed that when she’d entered and accepting the cloak I returned to her. “Yeah. Hey, it was great talking to you.” And it had been. I almost wish we could’ve talked more but I didn’t see our paths crossing too many times in the future.

In the time we’d spent I’d learned her group traveled across the nation – she was only here for three more weeks before they left. She was originally from Romania, which explained the accent. “I would like you to come to my show this week if you can?”

My heart thudded loudly. Could she hear it? She made no visual cue that she could but she might just be being polite for my sake. She produced a wallet from within an inner pocket of her cloak that I hadn’t even seen when handling it. From the leatherbound holder she offered me two tickets. “I’d really like it if you could come. And I have an extra if you wish to bring a friend?” She made it a question and I don’t have any idea why.

Nonetheless I nodded, grinning from ear to ear as she breezed through the front door and into the waiting car parked outside.

Guess our paths might cross again sooner than expected.