#asimperper

[standfortheangels]

Odd Affection for mike please~

Send me ‘Odd Affection’ and I’ll tell you an unconventional sign of affection from my muse!

Despite paying a lot of attention to his looks, it completely distracts him to see someone he cares about in any reflective surface. Even if he's looking in the mirror at his own face, the second he sees someone there, he makes solid eye contact with their reflection and finds it tough to look back at himself to do/check whatever he went there for.

[standfortheangels]

“ I leave for five minutes and this happens?! ” (Brandon and Mike please!)

Mike froze, meeting Brandon at the door with a wide-eyed look of 'oh shit'. With his one free hand, he held the weight of the Christmas tree as high as he could. Which wasn't all that high, considering he'd managed to get himself all tangled in strings of lights and tinsel.

"Now in my defense-" he started, taking a good look at the tilted tree, the trails of decorations... Himself...

"Okay, I have no defense." He admitted with a sheepish, breathy chuckle. "I know this is a mess but do you think you could come and maybe help me with this tree? Before it escapes? Or crushes me? Oh, be careful though, at some point I knocked one of those ball things off and I don't know where it went, so you know, watch your step. It might be funny seeing you fly into the air like in a cartoon but, less funny if you got hurt, so let's not do that."

[standfortheangels]

"Can't sleep?" (To be fair this probably happens a lot with cinder and Chester -w-)

With a slight jolt at the unexpected sound, Chester turned from his dimly lit desk to find Cinder through the shadows. Had he woken her when he got up after all? Or, no, maybe she just woke up and wondered where he'd gone. Yeah, that one must be it. It had been a little while already.

"Not a wink." he replied, a sad, dejected tone in his slightly grainy voice. Yikes. He prayed he didn't look as tired as he sounded. Or at least that the darkness would cover it. "It's almost every time I close my eyes tonight.. You know?" He turned back to the desk, staring down at the four same runes he'd been repeating over and over on messy sheets of paper. It didn't even really count as studying anymore, but, he'd needed something to take his mind off of things.

"Three nightmares tonight already." He said, resting his elbows on the desk and running his hands up into his hair loosely. "- and it isn't anywhere near sunrise yet.. I... I don't know what to do with myself right now in honesty." With a breath out, he closed his eyes just for a second. When he opened them back up maybe halfway, maybe less- he'd never really thought about how wide his eyes usually went, but now those eyelids felt like they were just, weighed down, and he could feel the skin beneath his lashes burning.

How long had he been without a decent sleep now? This whole week had been pretty much like this, and it wasn't great before that either... The festival maybe? Except, no, he'd been so busy in the run-up to it he'd resorted to napping in the sheep field while they were grazing, so he couldn't have gotten much sleep then either. He sighed heavily, dropping just one hand from his head to turn his tired eyes to cinder once more, full of some kind of pleading hope, and also, of comfort. He felt her hand on his shoulder, a reassuring contact, and then brushing up gently into his hair. Through the tangled locks her hand found his own, and guided him back down. His expression softened, facial muscles relaxing that he hadn't even realised were tensed.

"Is there something I can do to help?" Her voice came like a welcome song. It was easy to forget sometimes, the way she spoke so softly here with him, that her life was all about fighting and survival and struggle.

"Cinder, you're already helping. More than you know~" He lifted her hand to plant a soft kiss on, and took a second, just enjoying the way the silence finally felt calm again.

"Okay, what if.. we get that fire going again, and, try the couch so we can be near it, if- Well, you don't have to, I'm sure the bed would be more comfortable, I'd rather be there myself- I mean I could- but, I already tried that enough times tonight, I think, and it didn't work right, how am I even supposed to get comfortable knowing that I'm just going to have another nightma-" A finger to his lips stopped his babbling.

"The couch is fine." She assured, bringing a subtle smile to Chester's face. With a kiss to his forehead and a squeeze of the hand, Cinder stepped away towards the old wood burner, and after a few seconds just smiling after her still, Chester stood too.

"I'll go get the blankets."

"Okay~"

He paused on his way out of the room, angling back around the wall to look back at her. "Thank you" he said softly, voice full of admiration and love. "For- literally everything. I love you."

[standfortheangels]

“She’ll pinch my cheek. I hate that.” [cinder to chester XD]

"oh.. heh, yeah, she does.. do that." Chester's eyes dodged to the side as he thought of all the times he'd felt that uncomfortably strong pinch of hers. And the one time she'd tried to grab him by the ear like the village kids when they were running wild past the cafe. It was a close call. Thankfully innocent enough that everyone simply assumed she'd missed when he ducked, but he'd caught the definite look of confusion on her face. For possibly the first time ever, he was actually glad there was nothing there to grab- it always looked kinda.. painful.

"Look, I know she's a little, handsy, but, she doesn't mean to be... Like that. She's just, trying to say she's likes you. In her own, odd, patented Mrs B way~"

He offered Cinder an unconvinced smile, and glanced off again.

"Besides, her daughter's away on some city trip right now and, well. This is around the time when Mr. B died. She's lonely. And I need to make sure she's okay. Just, not on my own, otherwise I'll get stuck there for hours- I- I can't say no to her, she's like a needy.. guilt expert! Not to mention she'll just pretend not to hear me when I try to make a polite exit and then do that whole thing where she needs help with something and then I have to stay longer and... Please don't make me go on my own.."

[standfortheangels]

Pink hair for..............you guessed it Raph >W>

Send a colour, and my muse will react to waking up and discovering that their hair is now that colour.

_

Raph was always pretty groggy in the mornings, but in the heat like this, it was even harder to drag himself out of bed than usual. With a low groan he popped his feet out from under the blanket and sat up, taking a minute to breathe (or more accurately, sigh).

He ran a hand over his face and up into his hair, then stopped there. With all this heat overnight, he would have expected his hair to feel more wet or greasy. That would have made sense. And yet his fingers were telling him a different story. It felt clean and, even a little fluffy. Like he’d washed it already this morning.

Had he been drinking last night? He’d have to down a lot for him to forget things, but it wouldn’t be the first time. But why would a blind drunk think to go shampoo their hair? … Raph let out a tense breath. Maybe it happened, maybe he just hadn’t been sweating or something. He’d find out later either way. He’d only have to check the booze reserves in the kitchen.

Dropping the train of thought completely, he stood and slouched his way over to the bathroom, to the sink. His lazy hands went on with the trivial routine themselves. Toothbrush, paste, off we go. What an adventure. Woo hoo.

But then his brushing halted suddenly, when he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. At least, it looked mostly like him. Save for one Big difference his eyes were glued to.

The hair.

That bubblegum… pink… hair.

The toothbrush slowly moved further from his face as Raph just, stared at his new reflection. Then reality suddenly hit.

He rushed over to the mirror, hands brushing up through the pink locks one after the other, taking hold of little pieces and tugging loosely at them, like he had to make sure they were attached.

“How the- this- .. I look like a freak!” He exclaimed with wide eyes. “please tell me I didn’t do this…” he whined, then straightened, his eyes filled with something completely different now. His knuckles went white, and he felt the toothbrush snap inside his fist.

“JAKE!” He screamed, tossing the toothbrush halves to the ground and storming out of the bathroom to pound on his roommate’s door. “What did you to me you rat bastard! If you’re not out here in FOUR SECONDS, I’m gunna break everything you own, asshole!! This isn’t Funny!!”

[standfortheangels]

“How does it feel?” [le gasp cinder and chester! :O]

My muse has lost a part of their arm/leg and has a new prosthetic in place, send “How does it feel?” for my muses’s reaction.

((This one came out long, so uh, get ready for that >w>"))

___

"Uhh.. Mmm... Do I have to answer?" Chester replied, trying to stop the more negative feelings from showing on his face, and definitely not succeeding. He'd been awake for maybe three days now and it still hadn't entirely sunk in. He'd kept reaching down now and then just to feel it. Running his fingers along the bumps of new scars under a knee that he hoped would still function. With this level of damage, it was far from guaranteed.

But they'd done the best they could. More than he'd even considered when he was trapped, waiting. Thinking it could be the end. Though he'd made Shadow promise never to tell him what went into saving his life. He could only imagine what weird, creepy, frankly extreme tactics she had in her arsenal for stuff like this. He'd already found out about those needle spiders. For all he knew, she had some other big bugs just eat the leg clean off of him. The image made his stomach turn.

Looking down at himself, he stayed at the edge of the bed with both feet on the ground for the first time in a while. Or at least, one foot. And one... Well. It was probably best to call that a foot too. No matter how odd it was to look down and compare. He shifted his leg a little, feeling the new limb press against what was left of the old. It felt solid enough, he hoped, but it was hard to judge how stable it would be without.. putting some actual weight on it.

He let out a loaded sigh and gripped the bed a little tighter. "Okay. I should probably.. Test this." Trying to build up the courage, he nodded to himself a little too much, like a bird stressed out in its cage.

"If it's too soon-"

"No, no, it's... I need to do this. Can't stay- laying down forever." He took another second with his eyes closed, and another breath. "Alright." Like usual, Cinder was right here, already reaching out to help him balance without being asked. The look in her eyes... So much depth. Worry, sadness, hope.. He had to handle this, and be okay. He has to.  "... Thanks."

Holding Cinder's hands tight, he glanced to his feet, then back to her, and back again. 'It's just standing up. Like you've done so many times in your life. Just stand up like you always do.'

He shook a little as he pulled himself upward, glad that at least he still had the muscles at the top of both legs to help him. Even if they were a little battered.

As weird as it felt, he let out a shaky breath of relief and smiled. "I- hah, I'm up! I'm- I'm doing it, I- oh this is weird, this, this is strange, but I'm standing~" he wasn't quite sure how much of his weight to put where, and a little experiment there nearly buckled his damaged knee underneath him, balance righted again quickly with Cinder's help.

"Think you can take a couple of steps?" The medic spoke up from the corner. She looked focused, which was almost worrying. That expression was just another unneeded sign of how serious this was.

He looked up at Cinder, as if for approval or an answer. Her eyes were locked on him too, but meeting his with all the support and concern anyone could ever show. "Okay." He answered with a heavy breath out. "Just- don't expect, too much. I- I-I don't know how this works yet..."

"You won't fall.." Cinder assured him, keeping his hands held tight, easing herself backwards with tiny steps. "We'll do it together."

Chester's legs shook a little as he adjusted his balance, with Cinder slowly moving away, and looked down at his feet again. Most of his weight was on that full leg, where he knew how to hold it. Walking meant taking it off the ground entirely..

What if he couldn't? What if he couldn't balance on it? And how would it move under him? Would it stay in line? He tensed a couple of times, but backed out without lifting that leg. Still holding on to Cinder's hands, he stayed put, head down and silently cursing himself as the two women shared a concerned look over his shoulder.

"I'm sorry-" His voice squeaked a little, his body still shaking like a leaf. "I-i-i-.. it- it's so- I should- be able t-to d-, do this-"

Carefully but swiftly, Cinder moved herself back to her love and wrapped her arms around him. He hadn't had such a hard time talking in years, he couldn't take a step... but right now, even those thoughts came second to Cinder's embrace. He closed his eyes, a tear or two dropping onto her clothes, and held her tightly before stuttering out another apology.

Cinder's gentle hand guided his face towards her, a soft expression there to meet his crying eyes.

"There is nothing to be sorry for." She replied, comforting and loving, but enough force for him to know she really meant it. Chester let out a ragged breath and rested his forehead on her for a moment.

"Maybe you ought to sit back down." Shadow joined in again. "We can try again another day. When you're ready."

Silently, he nodded. Shadow stepped closer, her hands ready to take some of his weight as Cinder took hold of his arms. With a whisper to check that he was ready, the two women helped him back down safely to perch back on the edge of the bed.

It was pitiful, really. Not a single step, he hadn't even tried. Who knew how long he'd be out of action if he couldn't face this. Heck, he'd been in this bed long enough and now he couldn't even walk away from it.

His self-punishing shame must have been clear on his face- at the very least, to the one person who knew him best, who sat carefully beside him now and placed her hand on his. Without saying anything, he turned his hand to hold hers, and leaned over onto her shoulder. Things would be okay, in the end. At the very least, they were still alive. And they were together. And if either one of them had a choice... they would never let each other go.

[batwomxn-archive-blog]

Starter For: a-simple-rper

   "I was practically raised a soldier.                  Of course I know how to handle a fight."