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“ Hey.. [he pats Bragi’s left shoulder] wether you cry or not, I’m proud of you for coming clean with your emotions to me and showing me how you truly feel inside. Not everyone is strong enough to do that and you showed true strength to me today. You’re quite the brave solider for a Kai! “

-Gently kissing the top of his head before standing back up straight. Atticus walks back over to the counter-top and cracks his knuckles-

“ Now… this lasagna won’t make itself and I’m looking forward to some help from a certain Sous Chef I know~! “

-he winks at Bragi-

Bragi can't help but chuckle to himself at the "brave soldier" remark. He's neither of those things and he knows it. Real soldiers are trained to keep their emotions off the battlefield. He's just a kid struggling to make a lasagna without crying into it. Such praise seems silly, but that doesn't stop the warm, fuzzy feeling in his chest.

"Yes, Chef!" He exclaims with a grin, running back over to collect the cheese he was grating and bringing it back to the bowl of cheese mixture he already has, wasting no time in getting to work finishing where he left off. He's eager to wrap this step up and move on. Thankfully, between the actual grating he was doing and the nonsense they were getting up too earlier, he's almost done with this parmesan.

"Once this is all grated and mixed together, what's next?" he asks, seeming much more chipper.

#( the real question is.. Can Bragi crack an egg?#( watch him do it perfectly #Bragi #Atticus

-There was just something about Bragi’s smile that sparked fireworks in Atticus’s soul.. that made his heart burn with love and compassion.. just seeing him all smiley.. UGH.. warmed him up entirely.. why if he didn’t have to make this lasagna he’d scoop him up the second that boy smiled and give him a rapid attack of kisses.. so many that even HE wouldn’t even be able to count them all-

-But for now.. he needed to just.. suppress all of those urges and focus on what’s at hand.. Cooking-

“ After you grate every last bit of Parmesan cheese that we measured out earlier into the mixing bowl… I’m going to need you to take these [he grabs two eggs from a cardboard carton on the right side of the counter] and crack them into the bowl. After you do that then we can go onto the next step! Sound easy enough? “

-Atticus places down the two eggs gently next to the mixing bowl they were currently using so Bragi could conveniently grab them and also possibly remember where they were. In the mean time, Atticus observed how Bragi was cooking and preforming the steps given to him-

“ if everyone in the world was just like me then i wouldn’t be as special, now would I? Sure a life where everyone was understanding and appreciative of people’s emotions would be like a dream come true but.. without a difference to balance it out, it surely would all just collapse. As bad as it may seem.. we need some negatives to balance out the positives in order to make life flow naturally “

“ Everyone is going to deal with their own bumpy road but when you get through it.. you’ll be even stronger and happier than you are now.. I can assure you that. It just takes time and patience as well. “

“ You just have to take teensy steps towards your goal and you’ll eventually make it! And if you need help along the way.. [he places a hand on Bragi’s head, ruffling his hair a bit] I’ll make sure to stay by your side through it all. After-all.. family stocks together.. right? At least.. that’s what I hope would be the case “

-Atticus smiles, hoping that this conversation and just letting Bragi release some of his emotions like this helped him feel much better and much more comforted in this space near him-

“ Are you feeling better now that you got that all out of your system? “

"That's true...." He sighs, still a little disappointed that the world couldn't couldn't simply be filled with more Atticuses, but he knows it's true. If Universe 5 preached anything, regardless of how well it followed its own teachings, it was balance in all things. However, despite his disappointment, he smiles.

"I mean, I had to go through a lot before I could get to know you, right? I'd say that was worth it, all things considered..." He wipes his eyes again, finally stemming the flow of tears. He looks up at Atticus, his smile looking more confident now.

"I think I'm ready," he declares, before adding much more quietly, "...I can't guarantee I won't cry again, b-but I appreciate you being so patient with me..."

His thoughts linger on the idea of them being family. He couldn't be happier that Atticus sees him this way, despite their short time together. It's as though they'd known each other far longer, with how perfectly they seem to fit together. If he wanted anyone to be a part of what he considered his family, it would definitely be him. The idea makes his heart feel warm, as a slight blush tinges his cheeks.

#(( WHERES HIS LITTLE HELPER!!#(( he’s very proud of his boy #atticus #bragi

“ Hey.. [he pats Bragi’s left shoulder] wether you cry or not, I’m proud of you for coming clean with your emotions to me and showing me how you truly feel inside. Not everyone is strong enough to do that and you showed true strength to me today. You’re quite the brave solider for a Kai! “

-Gently kissing the top of his head before standing back up straight. Atticus walks back over to the counter-top and cracks his knuckles-

“ Now… this lasagna won’t make itself and I’m looking forward to some help from a certain Sous Chef I know~! “

-he winks at Bragi-

aliciasilvastuff

By benhmyre

A through the Blossom Cottage

-Atticus uses one of his hands as he lets go of Bragi’s to help wipe the tears falling down his face. It was great to see him open up like this and honestly he wishes he would do it far more often. He knows it takes time to trust someone to completely open up to them… he knows that far too well from personal experience of his own but.. he can’t stand to see Bragi restrain some of his emotions like this. Withholding how he really feels due to fear he’ll do something as horrible as picking on him just for expressing himself. If there’s anything that he could do right now to make Bragi feel more welcomed than he already has been, it’s to comfort him for the emotions his displaying so he’ll know for the future that it’s okay to let it out.. to show him how he really feels-

“ A lot of people.. even Gods themselves have learned the misconception that you need to do something in order to get something great in return.. “

“ which in most cases it could be true, especially when it comes to hard-work in your job or gaining someone’s trust but.. when it comes to something as simple as being a genuine person to someone else.. I feel you shouldn’t need to earn it.. that being nice should come automatically. That everyone should be given the same amount of care and respect no matter who they are. Something like love.. shouldn’t be hidden away from those who truly want it.. “

“ for example.. someone like you. I could’ve been cold or rude or pushed you aside when I first met you but I didn’t. Why would I treat someone like you in that way? You don’t deserve that one bit. I know the world isn’t all sunshine and rainbows.. that people will never truly treat each other with proper care but as long as I’m alive, I’ll always treat you with the upmost care in the world. I’ll always let you know that in my heart, I care about you.. deeper than anyone can see. I want to be able to help you and be here by your side.. I want to be able to show you.. how much I love you. “

-Atticus starts to tear up a bit before wiping his own eyes with his free hand that he used earlier to wipe Bragi’s tears. Moments like these.. make him so emotional. He can’t help but drop a few tears here and there-

“ see? You’re not the only one who gets emotional? “

-he says with a soft chuckle-

Despite Atticus's best efforts to wipe his tears, Bragi can't stop crying. Atticus's words, despite being the antithesis of everything he was taught either intentionally or unintentionally growing up, are extremely comforting in a way that he wouldn't be able to describe. He has never felt so completely safe, a feeling that only amplifies upon seeing Atticus shed some tears of his own.

"It's not fair..." He sniffles, feeling mildly frustrated at the state of things. "Why can't the rest of the world just be more like you...? Everything would be so much better if it were..." He certainly wouldn't feel the need to cry so much, that much is for sure.

"...B-But perhaps I'm lucky, then?" He asks, cracking a bit of a teary smile. "...To be able to experience something so wonderful and rare for myself? I can't imagine anyone else in my shoes not feeling the same way... But I'm the one in my shoes, so I'm the luckiest of all...!"

#[[ Bragi being the luckiest boy rn #[[ baby boy having the sweetest dad #[[ FAMBLY STICKS TOGETHER

“ if everyone in the world was just like me then i wouldn’t be as special, now would I? Sure a life where everyone was understanding and appreciative of people’s emotions would be like a dream come true but.. without a difference to balance it out, it surely would all just collapse. As bad as it may seem.. we need some negatives to balance out the positives in order to make life flow naturally “

“ Everyone is going to deal with their own bumpy road but when you get through it.. you’ll be even stronger and happier than you are now.. I can assure you that. It just takes time and patience as well. “

“ You just have to take teensy steps towards your goal and you’ll eventually make it! And if you need help along the way.. [he places a hand on Bragi’s head, ruffling his hair a bit] I’ll make sure to stay by your side through it all. After-all.. family stocks together.. right? At least.. that’s what I hope would be the case “

-Atticus smiles, hoping that this conversation and just letting Bragi release some of his emotions like this helped him feel much better and much more comforted in this space near him-

“ Are you feeling better now that you got that all out of your system? “

-Just hearing Bragi say “ you don’t have to put on a huge show of support “ felt like a small dagger piercing through his heart. In no way, shape or form was Atticus actually faking how he felt towards Bragi nor was he putting up a show in order to quiet him down just because he was letting out “ too many “ emotions at once. Though as hurt as he kind-of felt towards this phrase, he wasn’t about to let Bragi know this. Not one bit. It would only make matters worse and most likely cause Bragi to want to hide his emotions even more from this point on in fear he was just going to hurt him again. That’s not even close to what he really wanted from Bragi-

-Atticus wanted Bragi to be able to heal properly and feel comfortable in his presence where he could tell him anything without the slightest bit of hesitation. No way did he want Bragi to resort back their progress to 0. He worked far too hard to have Bragi get bottled up again because of his or someone else’s negligence-

-Staring down at Bragi still, processing what he said.. he let out a sigh followed by a small warming smile-

“ Bragi, people need emotions. Having emotions is normal and everyone expresses them differently. Nobody is the same and yet that’s just what makes someone like you special in your own way. Emotions are like.. an open flame that burns brightly in your heart. Emotions are what sustain us all no matter what anyone says. They might pick on you or tease you or mock you but they have emotions just like you do “

“ while, picking on someone for something as normal as that isn’t right, people are sadly just like that. You’re not a lot and I’m glad you show me how you feel like you are now. I’d rather how you do this then never talk to me about it at all. It’s good to be emotional because not only are you being true to yourself but it shows others like me that you care “

“ so yes, I do want you to be emotional. I want you to tell me however you feel and I swear to you on my life [he grabs Bragi’s hands in his] I won’t ever mock you for this. Not picking on you or nothing. Is that clear? “

-Atticus brightly smiles at Bragi while holding his hands in his. Hopeful what he said could help him come to terms how he really felt-

As Bragi takes in Atticus's words, one thing becomes exceedingly, undeniably clear: he's serious. It's not a joke or appeasement, it's real, genuine, unconditional love. And with that permission given to him, he begins crying all over again.

"...I can't believe you're real," he says with a sobbing laugh. "I-I mean, I know you're real, you're standing right in front of me, but..." He trails off. He can't bring himself to admit how much he's dreamed of someone loving him like this. It's straight out of his most private, self-indulgent wish fulfillment fantasies. That's far too embarrassing to say out loud.

"...What did I do to deserve someone so wonderfully kind...?" He asks instead. "No one has ever treated me like you have... N-Not that no one has ever been kind to me at all, b-but you... E-Even from day one, you've been going above and beyond... I-It's like you came down from the heavens just to ease all my worries... I-I know it's a silly thing to say, being gods, b-but that's how it feels..."

#[[ YOUR DAD IS EMOTIONAL TOO!#[[ God? no.. Daddicus lore…#Atticus #Bragi

-Atticus uses one of his hands as he lets go of Bragi’s to help wipe the tears falling down his face. It was great to see him open up like this and honestly he wishes he would do it far more often. He knows it takes time to trust someone to completely open up to them… he knows that far too well from personal experience of his own but.. he can’t stand to see Bragi restrain some of his emotions like this. Withholding how he really feels due to fear he’ll do something as horrible as picking on him just for expressing himself. If there’s anything that he could do right now to make Bragi feel more welcomed than he already has been, it’s to comfort him for the emotions his displaying so he’ll know for the future that it’s okay to let it out.. to show him how he really feels-

“ A lot of people.. even Gods themselves have learned the misconception that you need to do something in order to get something great in return.. “

“ which in most cases it could be true, especially when it comes to hard-work in your job or gaining someone’s trust but.. when it comes to something as simple as being a genuine person to someone else.. I feel you shouldn’t need to earn it.. that being nice should come automatically. That everyone should be given the same amount of care and respect no matter who they are. Something like love.. shouldn’t be hidden away from those who truly want it.. “

“ for example.. someone like you. I could’ve been cold or rude or pushed you aside when I first met you but I didn’t. Why would I treat someone like you in that way? You don’t deserve that one bit. I know the world isn’t all sunshine and rainbows.. that people will never truly treat each other with proper care but as long as I’m alive, I’ll always treat you with the upmost care in the world. I’ll always let you know that in my heart, I care about you.. deeper than anyone can see. I want to be able to help you and be here by your side.. I want to be able to show you.. how much I love you. “

-Atticus starts to tear up a bit before wiping his own eyes with his free hand that he used earlier to wipe Bragi’s tears. Moments like these.. make him so emotional. He can’t help but drop a few tears here and there-

“ see? You’re not the only one who gets emotional? “

-he says with a soft chuckle-

-Still caressing the top of Bragi’s head, Atticus softly chuckles at his attempt to apologize over such a minor detail like crying. Whether Bragi cried the entire time while making the lasagna or he practically speed ran through it without a single emotion on his face, Atticus would’ve still enjoyed this time spent with him. Though if he was being honest, he prefers Bragi like this. Being able to see his true emotions and understanding his feelings more as time goes on is all he wants. If that means seeing him cry 10 times during making a meal then so be it. This is much better over seeing him mask everything in fear he’d be judged for the truth-

“ Hey now.. no need to apologize Bragi. There’s nothing to apologize for! I know it seems like you’re being a hassle or maybe even annoying by crying this much during our cooking session but that’s far from the truth. If crying means you’re being honest with me then I’m all for it. We all have our moments and I practically get just as emotional as you do.... I just never show it. It’s still a bit hard for me to easily express myself but I’m slowly getting there! “

“ I want you to be able to feel safe enough to let these emotions free and to show me this side of you. To feel secure enough where you won’t have to worry about someone ridiculing you for your every move. I promise, I’m not mad that you’re crying or you get emotion frequently. I’m happy you are. It lets me know I’m doing a good job keeping you comfortable enough to do this “

“ If you’re able to react so freely then so can I, right? We’ll share our emotions together and in the end.. no matter how you react- nothing will ever change how much I care about you. Never ever ever.. “

Bragi is so baffled by Atticus's response that he actually stops crying and looks up at him like he's grown three heads.

"... You... want me to be emotional? No one has ever told me that before..." he sniffles, furrowing his brow as he tries to figure out the other Kai's angle. It's obvious that it's because Atticus loves him, but surely no one is actually that much of a saint to not only be tolerant of it, but actively encouraging it.

It doesn't seem real, let alone possible. He lowers his head, resting it against Atticus's chest. He desperately wants it to be.

"I...I've always... been like this," he mumbles. "I don't know why. No one else does either... Everyone just gets upset with me, o-or scolds me for being childish, or teases me... Even my closest friends, they let me cry, but I know deep down they're exasperated, especially if I do it too much... They tease me too... But I know it's just because I'm a lot..." As his emotions well up once again, he buries his face, clinging tightly.

"I-I don't want you to tease me too, b-but you don't have to put on a huge show of support for my sake either... I-I know you still love me, even if I'm a lot..." Despite his reassurances, his voice is quivering, scared. He doesn't want Atticus's support to be fake, just to placate him, but asking him to live up to that promise would surely be too much to ask.

#[[DADDICUS TO THE RESCUE #[[Bragi I swear it’s not fake #Bragi #Atticus #[[this is how he rlly feels-

-Just hearing Bragi say “ you don’t have to put on a huge show of support “ felt like a small dagger piercing through his heart. In no way, shape or form was Atticus actually faking how he felt towards Bragi nor was he putting up a show in order to quiet him down just because he was letting out “ too many “ emotions at once. Though as hurt as he kind-of felt towards this phrase, he wasn’t about to let Bragi know this. Not one bit. It would only make matters worse and most likely cause Bragi to want to hide his emotions even more from this point on in fear he was just going to hurt him again. That’s not even close to what he really wanted from Bragi-

-Atticus wanted Bragi to be able to heal properly and feel comfortable in his presence where he could tell him anything without the slightest bit of hesitation. No way did he want Bragi to resort back their progress to 0. He worked far too hard to have Bragi get bottled up again because of his or someone else’s negligence-

-Staring down at Bragi still, processing what he said.. he let out a sigh followed by a small warming smile-

“ Bragi, people need emotions. Having emotions is normal and everyone expresses them differently. Nobody is the same and yet that’s just what makes someone like you special in your own way. Emotions are like.. an open flame that burns brightly in your heart. Emotions are what sustain us all no matter what anyone says. They might pick on you or tease you or mock you but they have emotions just like you do “

“ while, picking on someone for something as normal as that isn’t right, people are sadly just like that. You’re not a lot and I’m glad you show me how you feel like you are now. I’d rather how you do this then never talk to me about it at all. It’s good to be emotional because not only are you being true to yourself but it shows others like me that you care “

“ so yes, I do want you to be emotional. I want you to tell me however you feel and I swear to you on my life [he grabs Bragi’s hands in his] I won’t ever mock you for this. Not picking on you or nothing. Is that clear? “

-Atticus brightly smiles at Bragi while holding his hands in his. Hopeful what he said could help him come to terms how he really felt-

-This wasn’t exactly the response Atticus expected to hear back from Bragi after telling him those infamous 3 words but.. it was just as perfect. Even though Bragi didn’t actually say “ I love you too “, he knew he did. In his heart, he could see Bragi loved him just as much or even more than how much Atticus loved him back. Even if Bragi never said it, he would still be content with himself. He doesn’t need to hear him say it as sweet as it would be.. by spending time like this with Bragi, he can see how much that boy really cares for him.. how much he admires him and enjoys his company-

-Atticus hugs Bragi back, rubbing the top of his head gently with his fingers caressing through his hair. Smiling down at him in a sincere gaze-

“ We’ll have many more opportunities to have just as much fun as we’re having right now, Bragi.. I assure you. In-fact.. I promise we will. No matter what happens, I’ll be by your side and we can enjoy each others company forever.. just like you said. And no matter who comes in my life.. I’ll never love nobody like I love you, Bragi “

-he leans down and gently kisses the top of his head before going back to rubbing his hand on-top of it-

Atticus always seemed to have a way of being simultaneously extremely overwhelming and extremely comforting to his anxious heart, like being tucked under the world's heaviest blanket made of the world's softest material.

He never realized just so badly he needed to hear that from someone, and yet it's something he's always wanted. He clings even harder, gripping the other Kai like a life preserver, so tightly his hands and arms are tembling with the effort. The floodgates open and all those tears he was trying to hold back forcefully stream down his cheeks.

"That's all I want!" He wails. "That's all I want, more than anything in the world!" He gasps deeply for air. "Y-You're one of the best things that's ever happened to me, a-and I'm glad we met! And I'm sorry I can't go through a single step of this lasagna process without crying! I-I just...!"

He doesn't even have a good excuse, and he can't help but feel a little disappointed in himself for doing this all over again, but he at least knows Atticus will still love him all the same.

#(( if no cry means not true Bragi then he doesn’t WANT it #(( DADDICUS THE GOAT #(( he loves his overly emotional son #(( sobbing wet boy #Atticus #Bragi

-Still caressing the top of Bragi’s head, Atticus softly chuckles at his attempt to apologize over such a minor detail like crying. Whether Bragi cried the entire time while making the lasagna or he practically speed ran through it without a single emotion on his face, Atticus would’ve still enjoyed this time spent with him. Though if he was being honest, he prefers Bragi like this. Being able to see his true emotions and understanding his feelings more as time goes on is all he wants. If that means seeing him cry 10 times during making a meal then so be it. This is much better over seeing him mask everything in fear he’d be judged for the truth-

“ Hey now.. no need to apologize Bragi. There’s nothing to apologize for! I know it seems like you’re being a hassle or maybe even annoying by crying this much during our cooking session but that’s far from the truth. If crying means you’re being honest with me then I’m all for it. We all have our moments and I practically get just as emotional as you do.... I just never show it. It’s still a bit hard for me to easily express myself but I’m slowly getting there! “

“ I want you to be able to feel safe enough to let these emotions free and to show me this side of you. To feel secure enough where you won’t have to worry about someone ridiculing you for your every move. I promise, I’m not mad that you’re crying or you get emotion frequently. I’m happy you are. It lets me know I’m doing a good job keeping you comfortable enough to do this “

“ If you’re able to react so freely then so can I, right? We’ll share our emotions together and in the end.. no matter how you react- nothing will ever change how much I care about you. Never ever ever.. “

Starter for : @fruityjunction

The last thing Flann wanted to do today, was take care of ALL the decorating for the PTA’s annual Valentines Party coming up. She was already making the little heart shaped cookies and making a bunch of heart shaped cake pops! Stupid Breada had been an extra big bitch today and decided since her stupid vacation to Widney World was coming up she didn’t have TIME to do the shopping! OF COURSE, a freaking 3 week away vacation was totally keeping you from doing your damn job, lady SURE.

Flann would have never agreed to it if Breada didn’t make her feel bad for not ‘technicality’ being a mom. And with how distant Bragi seemed lately, her pride was as fragile as ever, so Flann took it upon her self to do double duty for the party.She was going to show EVERYONE she was a good mom, dang it!! She had gotten all the dumb party supplies and NOW she was rushing to get cookie ingredients to make with Bragi tomorrow… he apparently had ANOTHER picnic with that lady from some River East of here. So Flann knew she had to get the BEST ingredients possible to make cookies SO good he’d never want to go to some picnic outside full of bugs, and other horrible things to scare him, ever again!

She first had some trouble looking for the sugar she liked to use… her brand was out… she got a replacement, easy enough. But they also didn’t have the good buttercream chocolate frosting she liked to use, not a HUGE deal, she could make it from scratch! It take a LOT longer but it would show how dedicated she was! But she finally broke in the sprinkle isle.

How the HECK did they not have ANY of the rainbow star sprinkles he liked? In fact, the sprinkle isle looked absolutely barren.

‘Why the Hell is everyone buying up sprinkles?!?! Christmas is OVER you weirdos! I NEED AT LEAST RAINBOW ONES!’ she thought to her self panicked. The best they had were the plain chocolate ones, which were NOT good enough, or boring tiny round ones in white.

She wanted to cry, the sprinkles were SO important! Why had this day been so awful?! it was already nearly 7PM! She couldn’t just GO to another grocery store, after storing all her ingredients at home JUST to find some damn Sprinkles.

She just slumped against her cart and groaned.

“Can ANYTHING go right for me lately??” she grumbled to her self… not noticing someone passing by her….

-Atticus doesn’t normally visit the mortal realm nor any other universe to be exact. Technically, it wasn’t wise of him to do so but he made sure to get permission from the priests prior to this. You might be wondering? Why would a Kai even need to visit earth? Especially a Kai of his status? I mean he could literally just create anything with the flick of his wrist if he needed it. Leaving his planet wasn’t truly necessary though.. sometimes Kais can run into their problems.. like finding a man made item that cannot be created by the means of magic and that exactly was the dilemma Atticus was in. His creation magic was practically limitless but there were just some things he couldn’t re-create due to its unique style. Things like mortal “ movies “ or “ magazines “. It wouldn’t be the same if he just zapped one out of thin air. It wouldn’t have the same passion and value-

-Would he ever let the others back home know he did this? Absolutely not. But no Kai duties will prevent him from obtaining such mortal delicacies-

-Happily he was holding about a stack of mortal magazines. Some fashion, some TV extras and some just assorted drama. But to his surprise, as he was walking past a isle, he saw a familiar face. Was that…?-

“ Flann? What are you doing here? “

-he paused at the end of the isle before starting to approaching her-

“ And why do you look like you haven’t slept in days? Is there something on your mind? Perhaps I can offer some assistance? “

-He didn’t have nothing better to do and besides, Bragi was clearly close to her so it’s the least he could do. A friend of Bragi’s is a friend to him. Well- she was clearly more of a motherly figure but the point still stands-

Flann nearly jumped, ready to knock out the bitch who approached her while she was busy being vulnerable. But it was a good thing she was so exhausted and resigned she couldn't quite will her self that much energy. Since she looked up and it was a person she had already met once before, but she already grew to be rather fond of him for making fun of how stupid Breada's name was.

"Atticus?!" She tried to get up, feeling a little embarrassed he saw her in such a state.

"O-Oh! I'm sorry I'm fine! J-just.. you know shopping for the big PTA run party coming up for Valentines day!"

She muttered a bit annoyed under her breath "That stupid Breada can't seem to be bothered to do herself..."

"A-and, not slept in days?!" She huffed a bit insulted.

"I am ALWAYS in peak form! I never get tired being a dutiful mother!" She said, little bags around her tiny dot like eyes.

she paused at his offer to help though, she gave a tiny little defeated noise, she knew with Atticus being a Kai, he could help solve one of her dilemmas of the day.

"-as you can tell from this aisle." she motioned around the pretty barren shelves.

"EVERYONE wanted to get their hands on the best sprinkles... WEEKS after the peak cooking making period, the weirdos!"

She leaned in giving Atticus her best pleading look.

"Do you think you can be a dear... and once I buy everything... you can conjure me up a bottle of Rainbow Star Sprinkles? They are Bragi's favorite! I can't make him proper cookies with out them!"

-Atticus crosses his arms as he listens to Flanns story and desperate pleas for help. Seems like she was in quite a dilemma herself.. but all of this over some sprinkles? I’m sure Bragi would’ve been fine with any form of sprinkles but alas.. if these rainbow star sprinkles were such a high importance to her and a key feature to this plan of hers for Bragi then.. how could he look her in the face and say no? After-all they apparently were Bragi’s favorite-

-he lets out a sigh and looks at her with a sympathetic smile-

“ There’s no need for begging, If this is truly what you need to appease your worries then I’ll offer my assistance to you. It’s the least I could do. It won’t be a hassle after-all to create something as simple as sprinkles “

“ that being said… if you’d like, I could help you make these baked goods for this.. PTA party thing you call it? Things are done much faster with a second set of hands you know. From the looks of it, you aren’t in this best position to decline such a offer- “

Flann felt a few stings of embarrassment when Atticus called her out on begging. She did appreciate his offer for help however, so much she perked up considerably at his offer. She couldn’t help but to bounce up and hug him, barely keeping herself from crying tears of joy in relief. Finally her bad luck was finally letting up a bit!

“OH! Thank you so so so so much Atticus!” Her excitement made her jump a little. She let go quickly… Did Atticus mind hugs? He seemed like such a serious type, she hoped he didn’t find her sudden outburst of joy too annoying.

“Ahaha- sorry” She laughed calming her self a bit but still was much perkier than she was at the start of this conversation. ”But please, Its been so hard to ask Bragi as of late to help-” She sighed looking wistfully to her side.

“He’s soooo busy going on picnics and getting advice from other adult women… I don’t want to bother him with asking him to help me cook…” Some bitterness couldn’t help but seep in her excitement at Atticus’s offer to help, but she quickly recovered beaming at the man once again.

”Okay! I’ll meet you at the front after I buy these! And then we can head to my house! This out to be exciting! I can’t wait to tell Bragi your helping… Maybe he’ll even come home early…” She couldn’t help but give a mischievous glint at her eye at the last statement passing from her lips.

-Atticus was taken back by the sudden change of demeanor from Flann and the hug following it. While, he much rather prefers to see her happy than upset- he didn’t expect her to switch moods this quickly.. practically within seconds too. He didn’t mind giving her a hug but it would take some adjusting to get use to receiving them from her that is. He gives her a warm smile and pats her on the back, reciprocating a hug in return before letting go moments later-

“ No need for apologies, I don’t mind comforting you if it’s what you need. You’re not exactly a stranger so it’s not that big of a deal if you came up to hug me “

-though, he couldn’t help but wonder who this “ other adult woman “ was that she was mentioning? Apparently Bragi was hanging out with her but he didn’t really see a problem with it? In-fact he’s happy to hear Bragi is socializing with others. He just wants the best for him and knowing he has a lot of support warms his heart. Flann on the other hand- seemed quite irritated at the idea of Bragi hanging around this woman? Maybe.. just maybe she was jealous of her? Perhaps she thought that it was a threat to her Status in Bragi’s life? That this woman could potentially replace her? It makes sense but he highly doubts Bragi would- he adores Flann from what he’s heard of-

“ I see.. well- I’ll start heading up to the front to check out what I’ve grabbed as well and then we can go from there “

-Atticus nods his head once in confirmation at Flann before making his way down the isle to the front of the store.. it was still repeating in his mind with curiosity why Flann was so insistent on keeping Bragi away from this woman? He would ask her but- it might create more issues and- it’s not entirely his place to do so.. he decided to wait till she asked him about it or- brought it up again-

-he hands the cashier the needed amount of money for his items and grabs the bags after it was purchased. Standing by the entrance and waiting for Flann to do the same-

Flann was in a much better mood by the time she approached the checkout, humming excitedly as she paid for her purchase. As much as she didn’t want to be in charge of all the Valentine’s party preparations, Flann had several great ideas to decorate for this party. It was no secret from Flann’s pink clad outfits, often covered in hearts she was a big fan of the Valentine’s Day aesthetic.

The romance part she could take or leave, but the emphasis on hearts, candy and the color pink made her sort of fond of it. Breada really soured her mood earlier shoving all most of the tasks on her, but really Flann always DID want to decorate for a big Valentines party.

She had to properly thank Atticus when they started to work on these cookies later, perhaps maybe with a nice dinner? She was curious what he liked to eat, before meeting Bragi, it seemed most kai she knew were content sipping tea all day. But Bragi had grown to love all sorts of foods, especially anything sweet and full of sugar. Looking at Atticus, in comparison, she was sure he didn’t have the same sweet tooth. She’d have to ask what he liked to eat.

Reaching the entrance, Flann waved to Atticus, she had a cart full of decorations and ingredients so she brought her tiny little car she only really used for big shopping trips.

“So uh, you need a ride? Or do you want to teleport and meet me at my home?” She sorta hoped he’d accept the ride, she enjoyed the little they talked and could use a good conversation, with her usual shopping companion, Bragi, not being there at the moment.

She began to unload the groceries into the back of the compact vehicle, leaving only enough to fit the groceries and two people.

“Oh wait, you’ve never been over right? Finn was over once but I don’t think I’ve ever had the honor of having you over!” She grinned, or grinned as much as perpetual cat-shaped mouth would allow, she figured she’d ask now to save her the trouble of guessing.

“How about I make us dinner too? Since baking can work up an appetite! Is there anything you like to eat?”

-Atticus follows along side Flann out of the building. As he carries a small plastic bag of his own in which was holding his magazines, he comes to a stop once Flann reaches her car and begins to unload everything into its trunk compartment. That’s right.. mortals have these motor vehicles in order to travel around since it’s not like they all possess the ability to teleport or fly like he’s gifted of doing-

-These tiny little technological clumps of metal seemed to be quiet a useful assest to a mortals daily life here on earth. While he didn’t quite understand the concept of them, he wasn’t about to go questioning their ways. If they’re satisfied with this way of life then so be it but... as of now- that’s not quite the issue Atticus was coming across. Upon looking closer at Flann’s car he came to the realization of how small it really was and.. how tall he really was compared to it-

-he couldn’t help but wonder how he would even fit into such a thing.. maybe if he just. Bent his legs up against his chest the whole time- even if it was uncomfortable it would probably work.. right? He let out a sigh-

“ I’d be more than happy to accompany you in your automobile back to your residence. I’ve never quite been in a car myself so this gives me the opportunity to experience such a thing and of course save you from any impending worry of loneliness “

-As Flann mentioned the words Dinner, his mind started to wander about food.. it phased him completely that he didn’t exactly have anything to eat yet. He could feel his stomach start to growl a bit. He might just have to take her up on the offer-

“ I’m not picky with meals, I wouldn’t want you to strain yourself to make something overly complicated but… if you insist on making something I’d truly enjoy then I suppose having some pork fried rice and Tso chicken wouldn’t hurt.. maybe some wonton soup as a side.. “

Flann noticed Atticus’s bag full of magazines, she glanced at his bags, trying not to pry, but she remained curious what the man liked to read. Flann figured that could be a good conversation for the drive home. And speaking of the drive home, it wasn’t long before Flann noticed how Atticus was looking at her tiny blue car, she then took note at his height…

Oh boy, Flann realized that Atticus wasn’t just tall compared to her (which isn’t that surprising, most people were taller than her 5 foot nothing self.) he was tall compared to the CAR. She looked back at him gauging his reaction, he seemed to view her car curiously, likely coming to the same conclusion. Perhaps she could make it work? Maybe if he could just pull back the passenger’s seat far enough he’d have enough leg room?

After hearing that sigh, she was curious now if she should just let him teleport to her home? I mean she DID offer that option. She almost felt he was going to reject her offer when he surprised her, agreeing to ride with her. Flann was unsure if she should be happy about that… or worried for Atticus. she playfully thought of the idea of just tying him to the top of the car… But realized that’s something only Finn would probably want to attempt.

“Really? You’ve never been in a car?” Flann questioned at his response, that statement didn’t seem too odd to her at the time, considering how the kais she had heard of all had either heard of cars or seemed to be enthusiastic about them.

“Well! Bragi loves car rides, he always gets excited at the idea of riding with me when we go grocery shopping normally!” She then crossed her arms a bit taken aback by how casually Atticus had assumed she’d be lonely if he didn’t ride with her! Sure she totally would be, but that made her seem DESPERATE and NEEDY.

“And oooh~ it’s not about me feeling LONLEY Atticus! I just figured it be a good chance for us to talk about Bragi! If anything I wouldn’t want you to wait for ME after teleportation and being cold and lonely outside before I got home to unlock the door for you!” She deflected, she was happy he moved onto the topic of dinner shortly after, and even if it was quite a few things, they weren’t dishes Flann was totally unsure how to make. She had made wonton soup several times before as well as fried rice, the Tso Chicken seemed relatively simple enough to make as well!

“Oh! Wow I see you have good taste, that sounds like a great idea for dinner! I’d be more than HAPPY to make you all of that! I just am so honored to finally have you as guest!” Flann was excited, she was TOTALLY going to use this as a way to make Bragi feel guilty for not having dinner with her tonight!~

-The more Atticus talked with this woman the easier it was to see how similar she acted to Bragi.. without a doubt this is why they hung around so often and well- why she declared to be his mother. They’re practically one in the same. Well.. the only key feature that differentiates their personalities is that Bragi displayed his emotions in a grumpy/pouty like manner even tho he clearly wanted it and Flann seemed to hide her emotions with a more confident and cocky attitude. Either way they’re both too similar to be a coincidence-

-he pulled the handle for the car door and opened it. Taking a few moments to mentally process how he would attempt to do this then proceeding to try out his plan. Slowly but surely he made his way into the smaller framed car. Sticking one leg in at a time and inching onto the seat. When he finally maneuvered his way into it, his legs scrunched up with his knee’s quite close to his chest. Both of his legs were spread open slightly to make room for his bag to place in the middle while he pressed his arms to his sides. His position was far from comfortable but he’d just have to grin & bare it for the ride. After-all it’s not like he could just teleport to her home without even knowing where it is? He’s good but he’s no magician-

“ Shall we get going? This isn’t exactly the most favorable position for me to be in right now but I’ll make do with it since it’s how you mortals need to transport from place to place… It would be rude of me to deny such a request from you after you so generously offered to open the doors of your home to me. “

“ And yes.. I wouldn’t mind chatting about Bragi with you. Seems like a relatively good topic to discuss... considering it’s one of the biggest things we have in common so far- “

-He looks a bit flustered at the fact she brought up how he would like to talk about Bragi. Yes it’s true but coming out and admitting that he wants to- is a little bit more tricky. Makes him feel called out and exposed in a sense…. His ears slightly droop down as they blush red at the tips-

Before entering her vehicle, she stood in dread as Atticus scrunched himself into the confined space. She was half convinced he wasn’t going to make it in with out her assistance. Like she’d have to shove the man in, like he was an oversized souvenir in an already over stuffed suitcase. She watched the man miraculously SOMEHOW fit in, his bag on his lap and his body nearly compacting in on itself.

She frowned he seemed sure he wanted to drive with her, but he also looked so uncomfortable.

“Ah let me help with that…” She leaned in, the door to the passenger side still open, and pushed back the button that made Atticus’s seat go back... a full 2 maybe 3 inches.

“I hope that’s a little better?” She asked, pretty much sure it hardly was. Though he looked… a bit less like a tuna fish shoved in a can. She sighed and quickly got in her side turning on car on. The cheery perhaps a BIT overly poppy tunes from her CD playlist blaring. She blushed chuckling nervously turning it WAY down.

“Ah sorry that was a BIT loud… I’m sure a man of your - taste finds such, ahem, music a bit…” Flann was so flustered for a second she didn’t even realized how equally flustered Atticus was. But as soon as Flann caught onto that little fact she couldn’t help but to feel much more at ease.

So your not as perfectly put together as I figured.~ Flann mused to herself, trying to keep herself from grinning at this realization, she instead calmly responded to his statement.

“Yes! It is, we both love that boy like a son right? I feel it’s a great way for us to officially break the ice… well besides laughing at how awful Breada is! I mean, he told me a little about him meeting you, but not a lot! I was hoping we could use this as an opportunity to get to know each other.”

“As you can tell, uh… you heard my music taste.” She flushed slightly again, worried he found her a bit immature with her taste of music, but she figured she could easily get him to talk more about his interests.

“So what kind of magazines did you get if you don’t mind me asking? You seem like your very well read! Have any good books you recommend? Or hobbies you enjoy?”

-With Flann attempting to move the seat back a few inches it barely did much due to the small & compacted size the whole car was all together to begin with but Atticus still appreciated the attempt that was being made. As he slightly shifted around in place, hoping to find a more comfortable position.. he soon came to realize no matter which way he turned to wiggled around, nothing would feel comfortable sitting in such a small area with how tall he was. He let out a deep sigh of disappointment as he gave up and continued to sit in his seat-

-He was most definitely caught off-guard by the blaring music being played on Flann’s radio when she turned it on for a split second. He’s.. heard of that kind of music before.. from Bragi actually.. looks like this woman and him have another thing in common. They love that preppy and energetic sounding music.. almost sounds like it belongs in some form of a cartoon but.. he had no room to judge. If it made them happy then so be it and besides- he had quiet the questionable taste in mortal music too-

-Just when he thought he could escape talking about his feelings.. Flann brings up Bragi.. AGAIN.. he could feel his body start to heat up as the rest of his ears start to increasingly switch to a shade of red… and even WORSE- she asked about his magazines he bought.. his personal interests..he could feel his heart racing with nervousness-

“ u-um.. well you see.. I- “

-Atticus stammered to try and find a good response to answer about what he bought-

“ Yes I.. do like to read.. quite a lot actually and w-well.. there’s a vast selection of reading material on earth so.. I went to go visit to grab some but then.. I-I got distracted and found some magazines based off of the things I enjoy like.. uhhh.. stars and constellations…”

Starting the car and pulling out of the parking space Flann stole a few glances at Atticus, her cat-like face even more cat-like and mischievous, as poor Atticus got so flustered over such a casual question like- ‘what sort of magazines did you buy?’

Flann just was so amused, and honestly, surprised, such a seemingly perfect put together man had his insecurities, Flann found it rather cute. For some reason it reminded her of Bragi when he got flustered. Albeit, Atticus wasn’t nearly as defensive just, reserved.

“Ah, that’s cool! Mara is a big reader too! So I know if you ever need reading recommendations she could offer you some!” She paused, her smile widening a bit in glee.

“Well if she can stop being so FLUSTERED by you!~” Flann chuckled, sure Atticus definitely could tell Mara was in awe at how pretty he was.

“Also… Stars and constellations huh? That makes a lot of sense! Considering you Kai can LITERALLY make those things. I don’t know much about constellations, just basic stuff about horoscopes and stuff.” She then paused another question popping into her head, she excitedly continued.

“OH! Are you into horoscopes?” She felt it was a great way for them to both talk about something both had a passing interest in. Thus really help break the ice.

“Since a lot of that ties into constellations and stars and stuff! I’m sure your not familiar with our universe’s astrology since your from…” She paused, she actually never knew what universe Atticus WAS from, she never though of it until just now she she figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask.

“Umm, what universe were you from again? Sorry! I don’t think you or Bragi ever mentioned it… I assume… Universe 5? Since a lot of his friends come from there?”

-Out of everything Flann could’ve brought up- she brought up the predicament he was facing with that mortal girl that Bragi’s friends with, Mara. He’s fully aware that she finds him to be quite appealing and how much she practically swoons over his presence when he’s standing in the same vicinity as her. Clearly she was far too young for him to even consider anything with her and ontop of that- Atticus doesn’t even actively want to seek out a relationship. He doesn’t actually want to be in one nor finds any interest in romantic affairs like that-

-Loving your friends or family is one thing to him but loving someone as a significant other- is something completely else. He’ll have to somehow break it to her in a way she could possibly understand. He tends to have this issue quite a lot with the females in many mortal species.. while he knows he’s not repulsive looking, he just can’t grasp around what they all see in him? Was he that alluring??-

-Ugh.. just the thought of this was making him feel even more embarrassed than before! He could feel his face start to heat up besides his ears that were already a shade of red from earlier on-

“ I…. try not to t-think about how she is perceiving me- b-but I do see what you mean- “

-He continues to listen in on what Flann was saying, she talks quite a lot doesn’t she? Well, at least he knows he won’t ever be bored.. as he letting her ramble on and on and on it, the one particular question she asked caught his attention far more than the rest. “ What universe were you from again? “ …. How would he even answer that. He can’t tell her what actually happened to his former universe.. who knows what would happen if he did. He’ll just have to make up something on the fly-

“ Sadly no, I’m not from any universe actually- I live on a neighboring planet outside of the multiverse. On the outer ends of space I live on a humble planet where the grand priests reside as their second in command. One of them that is. It’s called Planet Ikigai, it’s not a well known planet like Earth due to its limited access but it’s quite vast and beautiful for scenery. Bragi seems to really like it there, especially when Finn first brought him to the planet- from what he told me, Bragi seemed to quite enjoy the Train systems we have deployed as means for transportation. Someone like myself could just teleport or fly around but to not make things unfair for the other mortals that reside there- I don’t use those abilities. Nor do the other kais there. We want to make sure everyone feels equal in status.. for the most part. “

As soon as Flann was mentioned Mara’s little crush on him, the poor man began to get so embarrassed . Poor guy, Mara always did this, it was normally for kai around her own age, but Flann had to admit it was a first her being so flustered by an obvious adult man. Flann GUESSED it made sense, Atticus was by what she could tell from most people’s preferences, was a very good looking, well muscled man. Flann however didn’t see the need to get all weird and flustered about finding a person attractive.

Admitedly Flann did notice that obviously, the girl didn’t WANT to be crushing on Atticus. But she found Mara’s attempts to conceal how attractive she found this guy really funny. And to Mara’s defense, she had been working hard to just act normal and view Atticus in a more fatherly light. Still, She giggled at the whole ordeal, she looked over at Atticus growing more and more red, she could feel the heat from his face radiate off him. Flann figured she’d ease the guy’s worries.

”Oh don’t worry she’s nearly over it anyways~ you won’t have to pretend not to ‘perceiving’ her behavior much longer I bet!”

Flann,still chipper, asked Atticus her question she found completely innocuous, not knowing what a dilemma she put the poor guy into. She drove listening to Atticus’s story on his home, Planet Ikigai.

She listened on to Atticus describe the planet, it sounded beautiful and exciting! They had their own running train network?And mortals lived there? Flann was nearly about to excitedly ask how the housing market was on the planet. (Maybe see if she can manage to get a time share there or something at least). But then her mind suddenly was plagued with doubt over the fact… Bragi never told her about this place. Yet another thing he was keeping from her…

Like sure, she got this was a thing teenagers did, not tell their parents stuff, but between this and him meeting with all these new people who Flann knew, even if she’d never admit it out loud. WERE better parents to this boy. This was a planet full of his fellow Kai, people who would match his long life span, who could truly help him reach his true potential. Teaching him things about being a Kai that she could never. She listened on her smile fading little by little until she nodded getting quiet.

“Ah, that sounds beautiful…” She sighed as she drove on.

“Bragi umm… never told me… but I-It’s fine! He’s allowed to not tell me everything!” The woman tried to bounce back with a pained smiled.

“So, wh-what’s it like having access to good public transit?” She tried to change the subject to get her mind off how once again it was being more and more clear how Bragi did not need her at all.