#createober2025

[twstinginthewind]

For day two on my Createober list, Dearly Beloved, I decided to let it give me the push I needed to finish filling in and illustrating @bunnwich's Wedding Template. I think it looks pretty darn cute...

Am I just going through all of Joker's ships? Maybe.

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[twstinginthewind]

Today's Createober prompt was "Retro", so I wanted to do some cute retro-style art of one of my favorite oc ships! @the-trinket-witch's sweet Tidus and my Joker together are Big Love, and they bring me big happiness.

Songs I listened to while working on this:

Daydream Believer - the Monkees

Can't Take My Eyes Off You - Frankie Valli

Do You Believe In Magic - the Loving Spoonful

Happy Together - the Turtles

Dream a Little Dream of Me - the Mamas and the Papas

.... and a bunch of other sappy 60s tunes. I am not immune to schmaltz. XD

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[twstinginthewind]

Continuing with the Createober prompt list, today's story features a different one of my girls, Sia Sealponte, in a long-ago discussion with her mother. Also mentioned is Sia's younger sister Mia, and at the end is just a tiny implication of @cyanide-latte's oc Marshall, though he's never mentioned by name. And the prompt?

Heirloom

Sia Sealponte stood on the tips of her toes, peering across the top of her mother’s vanity table. It was always a wonder to her when Mother prepared to go out. Mother was always pretty, but something about the way that the powders and pencils and creams worked together was almost like magic, and turned Mother into a princess, just like in the storybooks that she and Father read to her and baby Mia. Sia watched as her mother swept a big fluffy brush over her cheeks, tinting them a sweet pink, and sighed. “I wish I could go to these parties with you and Father. I want to play dress up too.”

Mrs. Sealponte laughed, a bright and brilliant sound over the quiet murmur of the radio. Her long tail swished amusedly behind her. “Do you? And I thought you had quite a few little dresses and robes to play in.”

“I mean ones like yours!” Sia took a deep breath, trying not to sound like a baby. That wasn’t her place anymore. Now Mia was the baby, and she had to be the big girl. “The soft fabric and the pretty colors. All of mine are just ruffly.”

“But you look very pretty in ruffles, my Sia.” A tube of lipstick twisted in her hands, and she swept it across her lips, leaving behind a trail of sparkling shimmer. It looked like the drink in the tall glasses that Father sometimes poured for himself and Mother on nights they were home. “And these parties we go to are not the kind a little girl like you would find fun. It’s all standing about, talking to the right people, telling them what they need to hear. It’s quite a bore, aside from the clothes.”

“But I’d be with you and Father; that would be good enough for me.” Sia watched as the lipstick was slotted back into its place, and Mother sat back from the mirror a bit to assess her work. Her long dark hair still hung loose down her back, and Sia’s favorite thing to see was still to happen.

“But then who would be with poor little Mia?” Mrs. Sealponte seemed to approve of what she saw, and reached for a narrow lacquered box. Sia’s eyes lit up.

“Nanny Peg can stay with her. I think she’s boring. She only ever sings songs about boys that get away.” Sia rested her little chin on her hands. “I don’t know why there’s so many songs about that. It’s reeeeally dull.” As she watched, her mother opened up the box and pulled out a pair of long, straight ebony sticks, with shiny flowers on one end. Sia loved watching her work with these; it was even more magical than the makeup.

“Some people find a comfort in sad songs. Life becomes complicated, my little one, and you find your happiness in unusual places.”

Sia’s ears flattened out against her head petulantly. “Well, and she also sounds like a duck.”

Sia’s mother laughed. “Be kind, dear. She sings to you because she cares about you, and she’s sharing what makes her happy.” The two sticks tucked between her fingers, Mrs. Sealponte set to work with her hair. She took up the waist-length locks, and deftly twisted them into shape. Sia was always amazed to see how effortlessly her mother could transform her hair into what seemed like any number of updos, and then keep it in place with just those little sticks! Tonight, she created an elegant low chignon and carefully secured it with the hair sticks, letting the bright enamel decorations on top stand proud above the rest.

Mrs. Sealponte saw how Sia watched her, and smiled. “Turn around,” she said, and the little girl complied. Sia felt the gentle tug of a paddle brush through her hair, working out some small tangles, and then her mother’s hands finger-combing through. She felt her hair get lifted up, twisted gently, and then the soft scrape of a single accessory against her scalp. “All right, little one. Look in the mirror and see.”

Sia positioned herself in front of the vanity mirror, which her mother tilted so she could see better. “Oh, wow, Mother!” Sia’s hair had been put up into a single bun atop her head, and among the gold-kissed strands of her hair, a shining dark wood stick, capped with a carefully carved lotus flower. “It looks so pretty!!! I never saw this hair stick before.”

“It’s one of the treasures in my collection.” Gentle hands rested upon Sia’s shoulders as her mother went on. “I got it from my mother, who got it from hers. It’s been with me on a lot of special days. When I graduated from school, when I went on my first date with your father, even on my wedding day. And now you have it.”

“Really, Mother?”

“Really. Keep it safe, my Sia.”

Sia Sealponte sat at her vanity table, assessing the work she had done with her cosmetics. Satisfied with what she saw, she reached for a narrow lacquered box and opened it. She pulled out two long dark sticks, positioning them just so between her fingers as she began to twist her waist-length hair into shape. Tonight, she decided upon an elegant low chignon, and carefully secured it with the sticks, allowing the ornaments of a carefully carved lotus and apple blossom to stand proud above the rest.

For a moment, she felt a flicker of sadness. It had been many years since she lost her mother and father, but she still wore the lotus hair stick for special times in her life, just as Mother had told her she had done. The feeling was interrupted by the quiet ping of a text message on her phone. She checked the notification, getting a little flutter at seeing the name of the sender, and sent a swift reply before collecting her purse and wrap to go out.

Maybe sometime, she thought idly, her own daughter might be able to take this hair stick on a first date, too.

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[twstinginthewind]

Some friends and I were trying to figure out what prompts list to use for October writing/drawing challenges, and came to the conclusion that we could just make our own. So I took some suggestions and put together this list! If you join in (or just want to see what people make), use the tag #createober2025. And if you're tackling a creative challenge this month, I hope you stay inspired and full of wonderful ideas!!

[twstinginthewind]

For today's Createober prompt I went with a character I haven't written an awful lot for yet. A special guest comes to Ramshackle to help my Yuu, Thea Yuuni, celebrate a

Milestone

It was a dreary December evening, and the wind whistled around the battered shutters of the old Ramshackle dorm. The days had been getting shorter and shorter lately, and the campus had fallen into a deep chill. Thea shivered next to the fire, wrapped up tightly in the blanket from her bed. Grim snored on the couch beside her, his thick fur offering more protection from the cold than her collection of blankets and throws provided. Although she had a book open to study, she could feel her eyes starting to droop as well. Maybe sleeping through the worst of the cold would help…

As she started to drift off, though, a loud pounding snapped her back to sensibility. She shook her head. What was that? The pounding noises began again. Oh! The door. Someone was knocking at her door. Thea rose from the couch, letting her blanket wrap trail along the threadbare carpet behind as she walked. The loud knock continued, along with some familiar-sounding whining, muffled through the door. “C’mon, Thea! It’s freezing out here! Open the door!”

Thea peeked through the peephole out of habit. A familiar face waited impatiently on the other side, his ginger hair almost completely covered by a thick fleece cap. Ace scrunched up his nose as he shifted a box and thermos from one arm to the other, and knocked again. “I know you’re there! C’mon, sometime tonight, would ya??”

Thea pulled away from the peephole, and secured her blankets against the cold air before opening the door. “Ace,” she greeted him, ushering him inside and quickly closing the door. “Our study night was supposed to be tomorrow. Or was I mistaken?” Her head tilted to one side, inquisitively. “No, I am fairly certain it was tomorrow. What brings you here now?”

Ace had put his things down onto a side table in the entryway. He rubbed his hands together, shuddering. “Ugh!! It’s SO cold out there. Guess it’s really almost the winter solstice, huh? Man! It sure gets colder on Sage Island than it does in the Queendom.” He pulled off his hat, the static from the fleece making his hair bloom outwards like a terracotta dandelion. “It’s almost as cold in here as it is outside, T. You all right?”

“I’m as well as I can be.” Thea took the hat from where he had dropped it on the table and hung it on a hook beside the door. “There’s not much I can do aside from endure it until Crowley repairs the drafts. You still haven’t said why you’ve come?” She turned to face Ace, who had picked up the box and thermos again. “I wasn’t expecting company.”

“Well? I brought you a little something.” Ace gestured with both hands. “Got permission to use the kitchen at the dorm, and all. Today’s a pretty important day, you know? Couldn’t let it go unrecognized.”

“Important?” Thea gave Ace an inquisitive look. “Is it a holiday here that I am not aware of? The professors had not acknowledged anything of the sort to me.”

Ace rolled his eyes. “Psh. They ain’t paying any attention to this, I’m sure. I’ll tell you what. Let’s go into the lounge. You got a fire going in there?”

“I do…”

“Then it’s gotta be warmer than this foyer. Let’s go sit there. I’ll show you what I mean.”

Thea led the way, readjusting her blankets to keep herself covered as they returned to the lounge. In her absence, Grim had somehow managed to sprawl himself out further than she had believed possible, and occupied most of the space on the large couch. She looked apologetically at Ace. “I suppose we will have to share the loveseat.”

“I won’t complain too much about that.” Ace grinned, rubbing his nose. “I will complain about the temp in here, though. What are you burning in that fireplace, a couple of toothpicks? I’ve seen bigger fires on top of birthday cakes.”

“I did not want to use up my firewood ration too soon,” Thea sighed. She sat on the loveseat, and Ace quickly took the space beside her. “It grows colder each night, and I have only gotten a small amount for the month. I make do with what I have. I haven’t experienced a winter before, as it was always spring in my forest… is it always so chill?”

“It is, and it’s only starting up. Hey.” Ace put everything down, and took both of her hands between his. Despite having just been outside, they were warm against Thea’s chilly fingers. “You don’t gotta deal with that, you know. I keep telling you, you can stay with us at Heartslabyul. I can kick ol’ Deucey out. Or you can crash in my bed. Whatever. It beats freezing in this dump.”

“This ‘dump’ is my own space, though. And dear little Grim is so comfortable. I could not imagine taking him from his home.” She gave Ace a rare, grateful smile. “Your kindness is appreciated, but I am made of stronger stuff than you suppose. Do not worry yourself about this. I suppose I can gather extra wood from the forested area, or find some other solution. I have always managed, and will be fine.”

“You’re stubborn as a mule, you know.” Ace snorted. “Anyway. Let me open up what I brought you.” He unscrewed the top of the thermos, and a fragrant wisp of steam came out. “I, um. Found a tea in the shop today.” He stammered a bit, his ears uncharacteristically red. “It was way too sweet for me, but I figured you might like it. Heh.” He poured a measure of it into the attached cup, and handed it to her.

Thea inhaled the steam from the cup. It was floral, a scent that made her nostalgic for her days before she came to Twisted Wonderland, and had sugary undertones to it. And more importantly, it was WARM. She took a small sip at first, and then a larger one. “It’s good,” she sighed, settling her shoulders back against the worn cushions of the loveseat. “I think I needed this.”

“And that’s not all!” Ace’s chest puffed out proudly, and he carefully opened up the white paper box. Inside, there was a small cake, with the number 100 written on it inexpertly in red buttercream icing. “Trey walked me through the process, but technically? I did it myself.” He looked a bit sheepish. “It’s, um. It’s been one hundred days since you first came to Twisted Wonderland. And I wanted to commemorate that. And also eat cake,” he added hastily. “Always a good excuse to have cake, haha.”

“One hundred days… it’s funny. I have never counted days before.” Thea reached for the little box. The cake was lopsided, the icing uneven and flecked with crumbs. “It seems as though these are the first days that I will remember as significant. The limited time that humans have is so precious.”

Thea looked Ace in the eyes. His face looked flushed, his expression expectant. He opened his mouth, then closed it again. “It… yeah. It seemed important, you know? Been… some pretty significant days for me, too.”

“Then let’s enjoy what you made.” She patted Ace on the hand, then put the cup of tea down. “I’ll go get some forks.”

“Forks….?” A muttered voice came from the couch. “Nya…. did I fall asleep? Are we having snacks, minion? I like snacks!”

Thea inclined her head fondly, and Ace grimaced. “It wasn’t for YOU, weasel,” Ace groaned.

“There is enough to share. I’m glad you woke up, Grim. Ace was kind enough to remember that today was a milestone for me. We have been here at Night Raven College for one hundred days, did you know?”

“So long?” Grim stretched out, grumbling. “Sheesh! I should be a great mage by now, three times over!!”

“You should indeed, Grim.” Thea got up, leaving her protective shell of blankets behind her on the loveseat. “Alas, our time runs on such different rules here. I will be back with everything we’ll need to share your treat, Ace. Thank you for remembering this special day.”

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[twstinginthewind]

Another Createober story, back to Joker again! This time it's a moment with her bestie, @twst-the-night-away's Savvy (and a tiny mention of @tixdixl's Mac), where she talks about a hometown...

Tradition

“Savvy!” Joker called out to her friend from across the courtyard, waving with one hand and steadying a cooler bag with the other. “I’m baaaaack! Didja miss me? Anything exciting happen while I was home?”

“I think the fact that this weekend was so uneventful was enough for the calendars,” Savvy joked, putting her book down onto the wooden table where she sat. She got up to embrace the cheerful card soldier, and tucked a wayward curl behind Joker’s ear. “Welcome back, boo. Now, what was it you went back to the Queendom for?”

“Momma needed me and Punch to help out for the Hatterday tea. This was the first year we weren’t going to be home for it, like, ever, so she made a fuss until ol’ Crowley said we could scoot back for a couple days. It was as fun as ever, and I have sooooo many leftovers.” Joker settled onto the bench seat, and put her cooler bag onto the table. “Funny, only a couple other Queendom folks knew what I was talking about when I was getting all excited about it…”

“I hope you don’t mind explaining it again,” Savvy laughed good-naturedly. “It does sound intriguing!”

Joker rolled her eyes, but laughed. “Well, apparently it’s just a town festival. I always thought it was bigger than that. But you know how the stories of the Queen of Hearts sometimes talk about her citizens, and the members of the court? One of the folks in the stories, the Whimsical Hatmaker, was known for hosting great and expansive tea parties. You know that’s a big deal in Queendom culture. And our town, Hatter’s Hill? On the first Saturday in October, we hold the Great Hatterday Tea. It’s like a whole big fair based around the Hatmaker’s tea parties. There’s music, games, poetry readings, all kinds of fun going on!”

Savvy gestured towards the cooler. “And your mother sent you back to school with what part of the festivities, exactly?”

Joker shrugged. “Tea sandwiches, unbirthday loaf, entirely too much jam. It’s all similar to the stuff we already make at Heartslabyul, so I was hopin’ maybe I could offload a little hometown happiness onto you before I take this to my club meeting and let the boys at it. Cater already called dibs on the sammies I marked with orange sticky notes.” She looked at Savvy hopefully. “I told Momma I didn’t need this much, but she insisted it was traditional to pack a bag up for anyone leaving town, and she sent me and Punch back with way more than we could finish. At least Punny’s in a dorm where no one’s gonna be so picky about things, but in mine folks were weird about it being too close to Trey’s repertoire.”

“You didn’t want to step on his toes,” Savvy said amusedly.

Joker blushed. “I didn’t say that.”

Savvy peeked into the cooler. “And how much of this did you make?”

“Almost all of it, except the unbirthday loaf cake and the blackberry jam. That was Momma’s.”

Savvy smiled to herself. Joker was probably thinking she would impress her Vice Housewarden, but when the time came, she didn’t want to make it look like she was challenging him, so she took everything elsewhere. “And you didn’t think Trey would appreciate being on the receiving end of getting some goodies, for a change?”

“Stop making good points.” Joker pinched the bridge of her nose. “It’s complicated, I think. I never asked him straight up, though.”

“Save him something,” Savvy suggested. “Whatever your favorite thing that you made is, let that be what you give him. Maybe you’ll impress him.”

“You think so?”

Savvy extracted a jar from the cooler, and turned it over in her hands. It held custard, fruits, and cubed cake pieces - a miniature trifle, glistening with cold. “I know so. This is still so pretty, and it’s going to be delicious. He’s a connoisseur, and he’ll know even better than me how great you did.”

“Savvy, your confidence in me is earth-shattering.”

“You deserve it. I’ll take this trifle, some peach jam, and one of the shrimp sandwiches, okay?”

“Thank youuuuuu! I hate seeing any of this go to waste.” Joker rearranged the rest of the items in the cooler bag, and closed it back up.

“I think if folks knew you made these, there might be a fight over them.” Savvy laughed. “Go on to your club meeting, feed them, and take something special back for Trey. Impress him.”

“Wish me luck, then.” Joker gave her a wry smile. “I wonder how Punch is doing redistributing his?”

“He has a Nightwatch brother in his dorm, Jo. I don’t think there’s a problem with him getting rid of food.”

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[twstinginthewind]

Today's prompt for Createober was... funnily enough, similar to what I did yesterday, oops. Anyway here's Guillermo Roux and a

Childhood Memory

This town was so… so GREEN. It looked nothing like the city that Guillermo had lived in before; there were trees everywhere, and it looked to him like all of the buildings were surrounded by leaves. It was pretty, but it was also weird; every breeze came with a whispering rustle, and there always seemed to be birds squawking.

It was a lot. And it felt nothing like the lot that he was used to. Not like cars and crowds and the busy buzz of the city. It was a whole different set of noises, and there wasn’t even anyone there for him to try and talk about it with, except for his family, and they were all so excited about being in this little itty bitty nowhere town. Well, he hated it. He pulled his knit hat down over the fluffy puff of his hair as he trudged behind his mama, refusing to look at anything around them as they made their way to the library.

“You’re going to have such a fun time, Gil! I was told the library has a great program for little ones, with music and story times. You’re five now, so you’re definitely big enough to go and make friends at these events. I’m sure the kids here would love to be pals with you!” Gil’s mother chattered away, her breath making tiny puffs in the chilly air.

Gil rolled his eyes. Whatever. This weird cold green town couldn’t possibly have anything cool. Bet the library was even small and weird and—

Oof! He collided with the back of his mom’s legs. “Careful, little chicken nugget,” she laughed. “We’re here.” She gestured towards a large building, its windows glowing warm against the growing gloom of the evening. Gil could just about make out the sounds of laughter and playful music coming from inside.

He looked up at his mother. “So it’s in there?”

She nodded, smiling brightly, and offered him her hand. “It is. Let’s go check it out.”

Gil took his mother’s hand, and they walked in together. She checked him in with the children’s librarian, and kneeled down beside him for just a moment.

She said, “I know it’s your first time in a new place. But I think it’d be good for you to meet the other kids without me hanging over you. So I’m gonna get us signed up for library cards, and I’ll be right over in the grown-up books section. If you need me, tell the librarian. If not, I’ll be there as soon as your event is over. Okay, Gilly?”

“Okaaaaaaay.” Gil looked down at his feet, then over to where the other kids were gathering. They seemed to be… a lot like the kids in his old home, actually. Maybe a couple more beastmen, but as one himself, that was a boon. They all seemed happy enough. He squeezed his mother’s hand.

“Don’t forget. Stay open to possibilities, and you’ll find good wherever you go.” She took his coat and hat, releasing his fluffy hair. “Have fun.”

“I will, Mom!” Gil gave her a wide smile, then headed over to the group, settling in near a skinny redhaired boy with fox ears and a tall, chubby boy with glasses, who were watching a woman play the guitar. “Hi! Can I sit with you guys? I’m Gil!”

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[twstinginthewind]

The Createober prompt for day three was a first time, and I decided to stick with the couples theme. This piece is about a first kiss! Features @oseathepebble's darling Adrian Marwood along with my Joker!

----

A First Time

Joker hummed to herself as she manually sorted through the dormitory’s china cabinet. Usually, this part of a Heartslabyul Unbirthday party was overseen by the dormitory vice housewarden (and head chef), but he had been called away for the day to attend a club event. Since she was one of the few underclassmen with a measure of kitchen experience, Trey asked Joker to fill in for him with certain preparatory tasks.

She looked back at the long, detailed note that he had left for her. It wasn’t very many tasks, to be honest. And while none were excessively complex, each task was broken down into smaller steps that needed to be performed in a certain manner, in accordance with the Queen’s rules. For instance, teacups and saucers needed to be supplied to each table, and each place setting’s cup and saucer were to be displayed in a different color combination than the others at that table. It had to be handled with such precision! And to top it off, Trey had signed off on the note not with the usual Queendom farewells, but with an almost cryptic “Have fun!!”

She blew out a heavy breath. It had all seemed so chaotic and effortless, the last dorm party she attended. Was it really so complex behind the scenes? Joker never realized her debut as a member of the preparation team was going to be so complicated. She double and triple checked her instructions before moving each table’s supplies to a separate cart, then leaned against the counter with a side of relief. “That’s one task tamed!” she cheered, stretching her arms over her head.

“Brava!” A cheerful voice rang through the kitchen, accompanied by a clapping of hands. A tall young man stepped into the kitchen from the garden, his pleasant smile beaming as brightly as the sunlight that reflected off his soft pink hair. “Nicely done, Miss Carder. Good afternoon!”

Joker tensed up slightly, but relaxed when the familiar face came into view. “Good afternoon to you, Mister Marwood,” she replied, reflexively dropping into a quick curtsey, a smile on her face. “I’m afraid you’ve picked a bad day to come all the way from Pomefiore. Your friend isn’t here today. Trey had club business, so I’m filling in with the minor prep for tomorrow’s dorm event.”

Despite his being a frequent visitor to the dorm, Joker felt a little flutter of nervousness inside of her. True to the reputation of the Queen whose teachings guided his dormitory, Adrian was in possession of an almost unreal beauty that would render any boy-kissing fool like her completely helpless. And the worst part was, he probably knew it. She could see the amused glitter in his deep green eyes, not even barely concealed by his ridiculous long eyelashes. This man was so far out of her league, it was like he was playing a completely different game. And then, he said, “Don’t be silly. I see a friend right in front of me.”

Joker’s eyes darted around the kitchen. She even turned her head right and left, but she found herself completely unable to see who else Adrian could have possibly been talking about. A small scrape and a thump brought her attention back to the man, who was now seated on one of the kitchen’s tall stools, brushing some dust from his pristine uniform robes.

“I’m hurt, Joker. Didn’t you think I meant you?” Adrian pouted. “And here I thought we had become quite friendly with one another.”

A pout. Seven have mercy, that man didn’t need to call any more attention to his already distracting lips. Was he wearing that new LaPerle lip stuff that Savvy had been so excited about? The shimmer looked a bit familiar. Joker’s posture softened a little, but her speech maintained an air of formality. Got to stay impressive around a big shot hottie. “Pardon my assumption. I was so used to seeing you with Trey, I thought he was your only real attachment here. I’m glad to be regarded so highly.”

“Of course you are,” Adrian laughed. “Why, I come to see you just as much as I do Trey.” He leaned onto the counter next to him, but overbalanced, nearly wobbling off of the stool. He yelped, readjusting his weight so that he wouldn’t fall, then leaned again, more carefully. “Ahaha. Aha. Ha.”

Joker winced at the near-miss. “Be careful, there. Wouldn’t want you falling.” But gosh… was he just being polite and charming, or did he really enjoy her company that much? It must have some ring of truth, with his insistence to stay.

Adrian muttered something under his breath, his cheeks pink, then cleared his throat before continuing. “Anyway. I don’t suppose you have time for a cup of tea today? I have a little craving for that rose and honey blend we shared on my other visits here. And we could sit a bit, have a chat.”

“I can spare some time.” Joker tucked Trey’s note into her pocket. Maybe, if pressed, she could argue she needed to follow the directions to have fun in the note. “I’ll start the kettle. Would you also like a snack? We have some ginger biscuits that Trey made that need eating up. They’re iced,” she added, as if that were an enticement.

“Those sound fantastic!” Adrian’s eyes glittered again. Maybe he was wearing enchanted contact lenses, Joker thought, as she went through the comfortable ritual of making a pot of tea for two. He couldn’t be that excited about the prospect of a tea break with just her.

A few minutes later, after some more delightfully witty small talk and painstaking descriptions of the tea tray’s contents, Joker was able to sit at the little kitchen island across from Adrian. She poured each of them a cup, and settled in. “So, to what do I owe the honor of this visit today? Surely things can’t be so dull in your neck of the woods, that hanging around another dorm’s kitchen sounds so scintillating to you.” She smirked over the rim of her teacup.

“It’s comfortable here,” Adrian replied. “Feels like someplace that I wish I had known.” He turned a cookie over in his hands, thoughtfully. “And there is always someone here that I want to talk with.”

Someone who isn’t even here today, Joker thought uncharitably, as she took a long sip of the rose tea. She shook the doubt off, though, and continued. “Was there anything in particular that you were hoping to talk about? I’ll try my best to keep up.”

“I’m sure you’ll do just fine.” The cookie in Adrian’s hands snapped in half. “In fact, you might be the only person who can properly answer a question that’s been on my mind.”

This made Joker sit up straighter. A question only she could answer! That was more than just a little flattering. “I’m all ears! What do you want to know?”

Adrian’s eyes widened. He shifted his weight on the stool, opened his mouth to speak, and suddenly slid down to the floor. “I— oh, dear.”

Joker sat, blinking, as Adrian descended, panic rising in his expression. She hastily put down her cup and saucer, and walked around to the other side of the island. “I am SO sorry. Are you okay? I think that there’s a screw missing in that stool, I should have warned you…” She knelt down by Adrian’s side, looking him over. His face was terribly red, but he seemed otherwise all right. “Nothing hurt?” she asked, holding out a hand to him.

“Just my dignity,” Adrian joked. “I think the mood may have also been bruised.” He placed his hand into Joker’s, and to her surprise, Adrian’s perfectly manicured, elegantly built hand was clammy in hers, as if he had been in a nervous sweat. This was unexpected. What could he possibly be nervous about?

Wait.

He couldn’t be.

Not over—

“Joker?” Adrian asked in a soft voice.

“Adrian?” Joker echoed.

Red-faced, sweaty, disheveled, on the floor, and still every bit as beautiful as when he walked in, Adrian took a deep breath. “I suppose down here’s as good a place as any to ask.” He straightened up slightly, bringing his face closer to hers. “Do you want to go to Foothill Town, and spend some time together? We can go to a cafe, do a little shopping, it’d be my treat. Maybe the day after tomorrow? Just you and me. Um. Like, as my date.”

Joker nodded, dumbfounded. She started to stand up, gently tugging Adrian’s hand to help him rise as well. “Yes? Me? Are you sure? Gosh, I’m. Wow. I’m sorry you fell.”

“Yes, you,” he laughed. “And don’t be sorry for that. It would happen to anyone. You’re a charming girl.”

And before she could utter a word in confused protest, Adrian tried to get to his feet. Long limbs unfolded, and he rose up faster than expected, causing his forehead to collide with hers. Both of their heads jerked in response to the impact, and their involuntary movements caused a different part of their faces to meet.

Ah, Joker thought. That is the new LaPerle stuff. The tingling balm. Adrian’s lips rested against hers for an endless and fleeting moment, their hands still holding onto one another. And aside from the headache? It wasn’t a bad feeling at all. She was almost disappointed when they both took a step back, with matching rose-red cheeks and smeared rose-red lipstick on both of their faces.

“That did not go as planned,” Adrian whispered. “Leave it to me to ruin it before— Joker? You look pale.” His free hand took her shoulder. “Are you okay?I will find some way to make this up to you.”

“.... we have a date,” Joker mumbled, dazed. “A first date… and we just…”

Adrian looked panicked. “I promise that wasn’t what I wanted to do!! I mean, of course I want to kiss you, I just—”

“I’m not mad about it!” Joker started to giggle. “I’m just surprised.”

“I surprised myself too.” He raised an eyebrow. “Want to do it again?”

“Cheeky.” Joker pulled another stool over for Adrian, pressing down onto the cushion to ensure solidity.

“That wasn’t a no.” He took the seat gratefully.

“Maybe wait for the date?” Joker settled back into her own seat, and lifted her teacup to her lips. “Might even get two.”

Tag list! Thank you all for your consistent support!

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