wilde child

holds 63,951G

[retrofritz-blog]

accidental workhand [ Candace / Fritz ]

[retrofritz-blog]

“Aw, shucks - you don’t have to thank me at all for that, yanno,” Fritz smiled at her fondly, his hand already patting the side of the small alpaca who now nuzzled more affectionately for how happy it was to have attention. “I love animals, I never get to work with them enough!”

He was already lit up from chasing the hoofed creature around, red faced and happy for the burst of energy to even get himself up in the morning. But her suggestion lit a fire under up.

Fritz snapped his attention to her with more enthusiasm than he even thought he was capable of that early in the morning.

“Yeah!” he started in immediately, leaning against the fence posting instead. “That sounds stupendous! Not even a maybe, that’s a definite yeah! I can even help if you want–” he grinned to her, bouncing on his heels. “I could finish early and help out with any sewing, too! I’m pretty good at it, I promise–! I bet the animals’ll be ready long before noon, anyways, and then we could hang out!♪”

[whip-stitched-blog]

Candace giggled, refusing to look directly at him; if she hadn’t been embarrassed enough at his compliment, it was just as embarrassing to have so much of his attention all at once like that! Not that she’d expected anything different— pretty much any mention of food around her accidental workhand resulted in this sort of response. Still, she wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to someone directing quite so much hunger at her.

“Well—”

His offer to help was a lot more appealing than she wanted to admit. She’d heard once or twice already how good his sewing was, by now. Really it was her own stubbornness to accept help that had kept Fritz out of her needlework for as long as she could— but it was hard to argue with just how much he had helped her already. And how much he still could.

“Well, maybe.. we’ll see. Lunch first, and then we can talk. But.. hanging out should be okay, I guess.” She smiled, shaking her head. “I miss getting to chat over work, anyway.”

She shrugged - then took a step back, wiggling her fingers in a small wave goodbye. “Okay.. let me get started. The sooner I go, the sooner lunch will come, right?” At that she turned, heading in the direction of the tailor shop - feeling surprisingly good to leave the farm in Fritz’s hands for the time being.

[retrofritz-blog]

accidental workhand [ Candace / Fritz ]

[retrofritz-blog]

Fritz beamed proudly as he caught up after the large alpaca, heaving another short breath before settling the hand with the brush against his hip. “Yeah, she woke up rearin’ to go, heh,” he pat her gently before turning his attention instead to Candace with a large grin.

“Heh, too much attention, probably! But I think it’s ‘cause I promised her a–” he caught himself, swallowing it before putting his free hand up to block his mouth and instead quietly mouth the word “treat.”

“Then again, she’s been out eating the clovers now that they came in, makes it hard to save any for the rabbits, heh. Maybe it’s like eating too much sugar. I’ll keep her running until she wants to be brushed,♪” he grinned, setting the brush on the fence and looking the blue haired girl over with a high bob of his eyebrows. “You’re already up so early too, looking ready to take on the world! You going out to work this early? What time is it–”

[whip-stitched-blog]

Candace’s smile faded as his (ever cheerful) attention turned toward her— with praise she was sure she didn’t deserve in the slightest. She certainly didn’t feel ready to take on the world. She was pretty sure she didn’t look it, either.

“It’s pretty early still— I just thought I’d get through some of my sewing and stuff before it’s more likely customers might come in.” She rubbed her shoulder with the opposite hand, directing her gaze to Zipper - glad for the diversion and the ability to focus on anything but what she must look like, right now. “I’m sorry for not helping as much with the animals, but it’s been a really big help getting ahead of schedule.. I can’t tell you enough how much it’s meant to me..”

She blinked, turning back to him with sudden realization.

“If you want— I could make lunch down at the tailor’s?” It had only been a short while, but it would be impossible for Candace not to have learned that food was an excellent thank-you when it came to Fritz— even for as dense as she could be when it came to socialization, sometimes. “Maybe in a few hours? I’ll pick up some stuff for sandwiches and make some tea, maybe.. for when you’re done with the animals?”

[whip-stitched-blog]

Catching Up Before Catching the Ferry [Molly/Candace]

Candace had seen less of Molly since she’d picked up and moved to Leuda— even despite her semi-permanent residency on Arcadia, due to the location of one of her main businesses. The winery couldn’t quite go with her across the ocean, after all; not physically, anyway. Still, that made two people Candace was very fond of that had made the jump into the modern age, leaving Candace sitting comfortably (though perhaps too comfortably) in the middle of her stubbornness to change.

Three if you counted Carl. Even more if you counted all of her classmates she’d lost touch with as other islands beckoned them away from Arcadia. Sometimes Candace wondered if she’d missed out on whatever gene it was that gave one a spirit for adventure - or even just the spirit to not be downright terrified of the big city.

Still, it was good practice to try to keep in touch as much as possible, even with less time to do it in— and it would be unduly fatalistic to count Molly among those that had disappeared from her life forever, especially when she was back by the island quite as much as she was for work. It was a shame that there was quite so much work to be done during Candace’s shifts, and how much of this time overlapped with when the winery was open— but today, she’d determined to catch her friend before the ferry arrived. No matter what.

She may have been running late, however— and she’d picked up the pace as she’d headed for the docks, hoping to catch a glimpse of Molly amongst those loitering around the docks, waiting for their ship to come in.

[klaus-le-nez-blog]

cozy shop [ Candace / Klaus ]

[ -1000G ] to the Guild to visit Arcadia

A visit to Arcadia was common enough for Klaus, with his family still on the island (sometimes) he took the opportunity to visit when he needed fresh air. He made it an extra excuse now that he had a puppy in tow, taking her across to the island for the exercise and to keep her entertained. After visiting with his parents for a few hours, he did have errands that he wanted to take care of, and he was grateful to them for watching the young dog while he was out.

The most particular one this trip was a visit to the local tailor’s. The one in Leuda just didn’t compare in craftsmanship, after all, and their robes here just always felt more… warm, somehow.

Klaus entered the small shop’s door with a duck for its small doorframe. Perhaps it just felt smaller on the small building to him, but it always felt like he had to duck an inch in comparison to his home’s doorframe. It was remarkable how comfortable the tailor shop felt from the moment one entered it, however. He stopped by the doorway, inhaling the sweet scent of linens and paper for a second before stepping further inside.

“Hello, no rush if you’re busy–” he called in as he entered, unsure whether he’d be greeted by the elder Shelly or her blue-haired granddaughter still on the island. Candace usually ran the shop lately, his family told him, and she had been there the last few times he’d visited. It was exactly as he remembered it, and he fondly settled into the comfort of it by immediately turning his attention to their current line of stock. Nevermind that he already knew none of the stock on the shelves would fit him.

[whip-stitched-blog]

Busy was exactly what Candace was, this morning— and the voice (despite calling no rush) definitely ramped up her mid-morning stress. It wasn’t in her to not rush to see to a customer, even when she was busy. So Candace froze in place, processed the sudden fight-or-flight response, turned off her machine, then peeked around the divider into the front of the shop with what she hoped wasn’t an expression that looked like she might go fleeing at a moment’s notice.

“Oh— hello, Klaus—” she began when she recognized him, her hands immediately going to one of her braids— twisting it gently, as though wringing out her nervousness. She slipped behind the counter, hands fidgeting even as she assumed a more professional, take-charge station in the shop.

“What can I do for you..?”

[whip-stitched-blog]

Break Time || Open

[bathlovingwitch-blog]

[★] —- Since her bathhouse didn’t open until the afternoon hours, Melody would often spend the early morning taking a walk around the island. She often woke up very early, and was much too restless to sleep in or stay still, so the walks did great to keep her occupied until it was time to head to work.

Melody never had an actual destination in mind when she went on these walks, either. She would just go wherever her feet took her, and make the most out of wherever she ended up. Some days she would end up at the bakery, while others she would be at the Guild or City Hall. Each day always brought her something new and unexpected, and she reveled in the thrill of possibly discovering places in town she’s never been to before. Despite having been on the island for almost a year now, it was something that happened pretty often, since new businesses and locations were always cropping up.

Today she ended up at a cute shop, with swimsuits and other outfits on display in the front window. The tailor’s, seems like. Melody smiles to herself as she folds her arms behind her back and leans toward the window, eyeing the swimsuits curiously. Summer was just around the corner, wasn’t it…? Maybe it was time for her to go shopping for a more summer-appropriate wardrobe. As much as she liked the witch look, long cloaks were just not the way to go in the unbearable summer heat. The hats provided some nice shade from the sun, though, so those should still be fine. She wondered if the tailor’s sold witch hats…

As she ponders this, the pinkette notices something in the corner of her eye, and she glances over at the woman sitting on the shop’s steps, eating a cookie as she stared at the sky. Curious as to what she was looking at, Melody follows her gaze to the sky, and quirks a brow in confusion when she sees nothing but clouds. Shrugging, she looks back down at the woman. 

“The sky is really pretty today, huh?”

[whip-stitched-blog]

“Hmm—”

Candace may have ignored the passer-by for shyness had she not stopped being a passer-by. A passer-by passes by, and this girl was certainly standing her ground— and apparently, was even addressing her. Suddenly, Candace felt the sudden need to explain what she was doing with herself - besides soaking up how pretty the sky, indeed, was.

Candace swallowed the cookie she’d been chewing (a little awkwardly and slightly too quickly), coughed against the side of her fist, then tried to remember what the question had been.

“Oh— yes,” she concluded, before chastising herself mentally for not having had something better to say. She cast around in her head for a moment, before continuing slowly. “You know how sometimes when work piles up and you need to take a break from it— sometimes you catch yourself staring up at the ceiling or something, when you need a few seconds to unpack your thoughts..?” Okay, kind of a weird thing to admit to a stranger. At least finish the thought, Candace.

“When that starts happening a lot.. it’s nice to be out in the fresh air, watching the actual sky.” She shrugged one shoulder, trying to turn the corners of her mouth up in a hesitant smile.

[tomanncat]

French Knots | Candace & Shara

[tomanncat]

Shara watched the steps even more carefully the second time, Slowly pull the knot through, do not get over excited. Holding the thread the way her teacher had shown her, it was a lot easier the second time, Had she been holding the thread wrong before?

Pulling the knot to the ending point, it still looked to tight, but it was a large improvement. “Heyy that’s not bad at all!” Shara beamed lifting the cloth to show Candace proudly. This was something she could actually put in her work, but she did want more practice to have it look more like her teacher’s knots.

“I guess even the best aren’t perfect huh?” She said playfully laying her cloth on her lap and wiggling her very bandaged fingers at Candace. “As many times as these?”

[whip-stitched-blog]

Candace was all happy smiles as the second french knot bloomed in Shara’s hands. “It’s lovely,” she reassured her as she leaned in slightly to admire it, setting her own embroidery down in her lap now that her friend seemed to be getting the hang of it. 

“I bet the next one will be even lovelier.. you’ll be making beautiful fields of thread flowers in no time.♥”

She waved a hand dismissively at the implied praise, shaking her head - but smiling, just the same. “Gosh... I’m far from the best, but yes— just as many times as those, and a lot more.” She giggled, wiggling her own fingers back at Shara, mirroring the playful motion. “And that’s just with a needle, sewing by hand..! I don’t even wanna tell you how nervous the sewing machine made me when I first started using it.. in fact, I pinched my finger in the machine’s foot just the other day!”

[curl-up-n-dye]

Alterations || Candace & Allen

[curl-up-n-dye]

A half grin graced his features (and Candace of course, because it was such an honor for Allen to smile at anyone, let’s be real,) and the young woman greeted him. Candace, he had learned her name during a visit to the shop once before, the older and quieter of the two sisters that worked in the shop with their grandmother, though today it seemed it was just her.

“Morning, Candace,” mornings were never good, especially mornings after a night out okay!! He laid his garment bag atop the counter. “I ordered a few new blazers that I need altered; they’re baggy and won’t look right on me if I don’t have them fitted.” His closet was certainly a reflection of this statement, as there wasn’t a single item of clothing in there that was bigger than he needed it to be.

“There’s only three, though I’m in no rush to have them completed…well, before they’re out of style, of course,” he joked.

[whip-stitched-blog]

“Oh?”

She took a quick, bracing sip of her tea before leaning in to have a look at the garment bag— peeking inside to see what she’d be working with. Very chic, very fashionable; not Candace’s favorite thing to alter, what with the nerves that always came with the fear of ruining something nice - but she’d manage.

“Of course—” she agreed quickly - before letting her eyes flit up to his face. Oh, a joke. Candace forced a small smile. “I mean, it shouldn’t be a problem.. I don’t think it’ll take too long. Let me think..” She’d need to provide an estimated time of completion; a quick glance at her work station was all she needed to remind herself how backed up she was.

“Well— my grandmother works in the afternoons, so with two of us here I’ll definitely be able to have them done by tomorrow, if that’s okay? I hope you weren’t just in town for the day..?”

[whip-stitched-blog]

Paycheck [7 May 2016]

Expenses (Arcadia):

None (lives on Oak Tree Farm)

Gains:

[+2,000G] For your first (main) job.

[+1,000G] For your second (part-time) job.

[+2,500G] (+500 menu bonus) For being the boss of a business.

[+1,500G] For being the boss of a second business.

[+1,000G] For being an owner of a business.

[+1,000G] For being an owner of a second business.

[+500G] For updating your Biography / Diary pages.

[+500G] For updating your info in the Character Information doc.

Previous Bank Total: 53,451G Updated Bank Total: 63,951G

[whip-stitched-blog]

Drop Off [Molly/Candace]

[mollygoodgolly]

Molly scratched her cheek as she listened to her friend’s response. For some reason, she had a feeling that perhaps it wasn’t exactly as good as Candace was trying to make it sound. But she continued to listen as she spoke, nodding her head as she went into the help she had for a bit on the farm.

“Mm, I know what you mean; it’s nice to have someone around to help with some things. Was it just temporary, the helper? Or do you think they’ll come back?”

[whip-stitched-blog]

“Oh..”

The thought hadn’t even occurred to her before this moment - and Candace looked up at Molly as though she’d said something especially strange, her eyebrows knit together in consternation.

“...I don’t think so,” she concluded, ever the pessimist without evidence to the contrary. “No, probably not.. I mean, it was kind of an accident that he even ended up working at the farm.. it was just to pay me back for a sandwich and a room, I think. He got stranded on Arcadia I think and just needed a place to stay for a little bit, so.. I think the chances of that happening again are pretty slim.”

She smiled sadly, then shrugged. “It was nice while it lasted, though..”

[whip-stitched-blog]

Break Time || Open

Spring cleaning was a nice change of pace for the tailor shop— and a little overdue, given how much work had built up for the small shop over the last few months. At the change of each season it was typical to change out old stock for next season’s fashions - and that meant spring items could come down in favor of the newest line of summer clothing. Swimsuits lined the front of the shop, a bright and cheerful reminder that the weather would certainly soon match this call to be out and about under the sun.

Candace, however, was more glad for the break from sewing than for the change in stock. This was a chance to open all the windows and doors and to let the late spring weather in while she swept the dust out. This was a chance to get a nice breeze going, to take the curtains down to wash them, to take the rugs out to beat them. And as much as she loved her job, she loved the chance to make everything fresh and new all that much more.

It was definitely doing wonders for her spirits, at least, to clean the slate.

She stopped for a snack halfway through cleaning, settling in for a rest on the tailor’s front steps while she let the rugs air out on a nearby line. If Candace were going to indulge herself in a break, she was going to go all the way; she’d set a plate of cookies and a pitcher of lemonade out on the steps beside her for nibbling perusal and refills. She’d pulled her hair back into a dusting kerchief earlier in her shift, and now she ignored the way her messy braids had started to escape the neatness from how busy and bustling she’d been, instead chewing a cookie quietly and watching the clouds roll peacefully over overhead.

[whip-stitched-blog]

Business Savvy [Candace/Luna]

[la-lunetta]

The ‘hi’ was enough to alert Luna of who it was that had been calling her that evening. In all honesty, it had taken her by surprise, eyes blinking wide as she wondered if this was truly reality or perhaps a hallucination from studying too long. But as the voice continued, she settled into believing that it truly was reality that her sister was on the other line. “Hi,” stopping herself from tagging in an 'I know,’ and instead answering the question her sister posed to her.

“I’m good. Busy with finals, but good…” She pursed her lips as she thought a few moments, settling into a chair not far from the phone’s wall mount. She continued with the small talk, directing the question towards Candace.

“How about you?”

[whip-stitched-blog]

“Finals,” Candace repeated the word slowly, not quite a question as a statement of surprise— as though taken aback by its existence in the English language. She’d been out of school for so long now that finals seemed so impossible to be counted among someone’s problems. But that was right, wasn’t it? Part of Luna’s being away involved school - something that Leuda, supposedly, was ever so much better at than Arcadia.

“That’s— good,” she concluded after her initial surprise. Twisted a forefinger up in her phone’s cord, wondering if it really was good on Luna’s end. Luna had always been so much better at putting on a strong front than Candace was; sometimes she could scarcely tell if Luna were bluffing or not.

“I—”

Well, this was the purpose of her call, wasn’t it? She could lie here and then have not much else to talk about, and not to mention have to stumble through a bit of an awkward patch when it was eventually asked of her why she was calling. Or she could tell the truth, but wasn’t that as difficult as picking up the phone in the first place? She let a few awkward seconds hang silently on the line, until finally, she pushed through to a quiet response.

“...I’ve been better, I guess..”

[whip-stitched-blog]

Drop Off [Molly/Candace]

[mollygoodgolly]

A slight grin came to Molly’s features as glanced between the yarn and her friend. She could tell she was thinking over what she said, though exactly what was going through the other woman’s mind, Molly could not say what. 

When Candace spoke again (and not surprised from her response in all honesty,) the slight grin morphed into a genuine smile as Molly nodded her head. 

“You’re right; I’ll have to think of something nice to make with it then. You’re too sweet to have thought to give this to me,” she said, still feeling how enjoyably soft the yarn in her hands was. She’d really have to sit and think over what she could make with it; with how busy she had been, her own knitting hobby had slowly been collecting dust. 

“How’ve you been doing at the shop? Busy I hope; well…maybe not too busy,” she chuckled. 

[whip-stitched-blog]

“Mm..” Candace started at her friend’s question. It was tough to keep her face from being a little too honest; the frown that tugged at the corners of her mouth was impossible to will away.

“It’s been.. good,” she lied, burying her fingers just under her braid, rubbing her scalp through her thick hair as she tried to make this lie more presentable. More believable. A smile might help; she tried one on. “Not too busy at all, no.. very, um. Laid back. Kind of relaxing.” A lack of business was anything but relaxing, but that seemed like the right thing to say.

“I had a helper on the farm for a little bit, so that was nice..” This, fortunately, wasn’t a lie - so Candace was able to inject a little bit of confidence into her voice as she switched gears very slightly. “It was good to share chores for a little bit. I’d almost forgotten what that was like, you know?”

[whip-stitched-blog]

Business Savvy [Candace/Luna]

[la-lunetta]

Running a business was no cake-walk; running a business during finals proved to be the exact opposite of one. As the semester drew nearer and nearer towards its end, Luna found herself closer and closer to a potential breakdown…maybe…if she could allow herself to actually breakdown. Constant running was how she functioned; and while she could most likely handle the pressure of both school and a business under normal circumstances, she wouldn’t exactly say her state of mind allowed her such circumstance. 

It had been long, too long, since she last spoke to her sister; far longer than Luna would have ever thought. It was taxing on her, and yet as much damage as it was doing, the young woman was too stubborn to even pick up the phone and at least hold a civil conversation. So when the thought crossed her mind that perhaps she should make the phone call, she instead glared at the phone, allowing the bitter idea of ‘well why hasn’t she bothered to call yet,’ flicker in her mind. Of course, knowing her sister all to well, the answer was not something of a puzzle, and sometimes enough to make her feel a tad bit guilty…

But it was tonight of all nights, as she studied for a very big, very important final to be held in the early hours of the next morning, that her phone rang. Looking up as it sounded, she had half a mind to ignore it and return to studying. But something told her, urged her to put the highlighter down and answer the phone. She stood from her seat, crossing the room to where the cordless receiver was mounted to pick it up.

“Hello?”

[whip-stitched-blog]

Someone really ought to hand out medals or trophies or something for small achievements liket his. Didn’t Hang Up The Moment The Person You Dreaded Calling Picked Up. That’s what would be engraved in her trophy that someone should be handing her.

“Hi—” Candace began, slowly and awkwardly, her voice slightly strained and tight with nerves. She cleared her throat, hoping to make it sound more normal. Less squeaky. “It’s Candace,” she continued, as though such a thing needed clarifying. Though actually, it really might have - she couldn’t quite put away the small fear that Luna had somehow forgotten the sound of Candace’s voice over the phone. She wouldn’t have blamed her; it had been a while.

Quick, small talk. That’s what came at the start of making a tough conversation easier, right? “..How are you?”

[curl-up-n-dye]

Alterations || Candace & Allen

There were times when Allen found himself just too busy to take care of things he would usually do himself. Laundry, for one, he preferred to do himself, cooking, cleaning, running errands; he was a firm believer in being able to provide and depend on oneself. But there were times when laundry needed to go to the cleaners instead, food needed to be ordered for take out, someone hired to do a bit of tidying and run a few errands. 

Sewing and mending clothes was another skill Allen had picked up over the years, and came especially handy prototyping new headbands and bows he’d one day hope to sell within his salon. And luckily, this skill too came in handy when seams tore, new clothing needed to be altered, or even if old, plain clothing needed a bit of life and excitement designed into them. 

He had recently ordered a few new blazers, and of course not one to wear baggy clothing, immediately decided upon clicking the ‘confirm order’ button they would need to be altered. But as it stood, time was not in abundance for him, what with the schools in the area holding spring dances and graduations. Later and later each night he had found himself staying in the salon, organizing products, placing orders, washing towels, refilling bottles, and ensuring the place was in top condition the for the next day. 

This, of course, meant a quick trip to Arcadia, as the new tailor shop in Leuda had yet to open for business. Though this busy time would only last for another week or two, a professional alteration was still something he wanted to have done, as it would mean the new blazers would be ready sooner rather than later.

So bright and early (read 9 am) on his day off, Allen took his trip to the other island, garment bag in tow. It was a trip he did not mind taking, as there were a few places he could certainly visit to make a few purchases before heading home for the day. It did not take long for him to get to the tailoring shop from the ferry, grateful it had been a clear, sunny day. Arriving, he entered the shop, looking around as he passed through and approached the counter. 

@whip-stitched

[whip-stitched-blog]

You never really realize how quickly you come to take things for granted until they’re no longer a part of your day. Candace was surprised to find that a work arrangement that had lasted only a few weeks could be so debilitating when it came to an end, even though its ending had simply returned her to her previous schedule. Having an extra set of hands at the farm had seemed like a blessing from the Goddess, really. She’d been able to get into the tailor’s earlier, to get more work done - had even managed to very nearly get ahead on her work, for once in her life.

So of course, when she dragged herself into the tailor’s already tired from doing all of her farm chores by herself this morning, she found herself missing Fritz’s help all the more. How had she done this every day for so long? Hadn’t it been years before those few short weeks? Grandma Shelly could only help so much these days, sure - and Luna had been here once, too. But Candace had somehow made it all work before.

She wondered if she were capable of making it work again. Was that being defeatist? She tried to swallow each doubtful thought as it cropped up, postponing getting started on her sewing for the day while she made herself a cup of tea to perk her up a little. Hopefully the warmth of the tea would sooth the ache in her lower back and feet, somehow, too.

A customer caught her attention as she came back to the counter with her tea - and she put on what she hoped seemed like a real smile when she recognized his face. What was his name? Allen, maybe, she thought. He’d come in before, though his visits weren’t nearly as frequent as some of her other customers - she’d seen him just enough times to cement his name with just enough confidence to be mostly sure she’d gotten it right. Probably better not to say it out loud at first, just in case she was wrong.

“Good morning,” she greeted him - though it was beginning to slide toward noon, now, and already felt like 4PM to her aching muscles. “How can I help you..?”

[whip-stitched-blog]

Paycheck [24 April 2016]

Expenses (Arcadia):

None (lives on Oak Tree Farm)

Gains:

[+2,000G] For your first (main) job.

[+1,000G] For your second (part-time) job.

[+2,500G] (+500 menu bonus) For being the boss of a business.

[+1,500G] For being the boss of a second business.

[+1,000G] For being an owner of a business.

[+1,000G] For being an owner of a second business.

[+500G] For updating your Biography / Diary pages.

[+500G] For updating your info in the Character Information doc.

Previous Bank Total: 42,951G Updated Bank Total: 53,451G

[retrofritz-blog]

accidental workhand [ Candace / Fritz ]

There was plenty to do on a farm as it was, and a ranching farm would never hurt from more hands to help out. It was with that luck that Fritz found himself able to earn his short keep at the little farm he was at now. Candace had been kind enough to let him stay there, and in return the least he could do was help take care of her animals. No pay, just a place to stay - and that was surprisingly comfortable to him. It suit him very fine.

He surprised himself at how much he enjoyed the change of pace from Leuda immediately: the green grass, the fresh air, taking care of cute animals that either liked him or tolerated him - and the company of a cute girl that owned the place? It was a good life, and boy did it do wonders for his mood.

The fresh air seemed to make the farm’s alpaca always start the morning with much energy, too. Fritz started his own morning trying to chase it around for a few minutes to get it to calm down, but without having the four legs the spry animal had he didn’t quite keep up. He was grateful when it stopped skipping just away from him, happily beelining directly for the girl it was so fond of. Fritz stopped to catch his breath, unsure whether the alpaca had heard her before he had and waving to Candace with the brush before following after.

“Hey! G’morning!♪” he started, switching the animal brush in his hands. “I thought I was gonna surprise you and get a head start and brush Zipper for you early, but she kept zipping right by me, heh♪”

[whip-stitched-blog]

It was no secret that business had been dragging, lately. The small family owned business had held on with a hope and a prayer with three sets of hands, and two sets of hands had begun to drag once the two that belonged to Candace’s sister had left to pursue other ventures. They’d made it work (if only just barely), but grandma Shelly’s age and need for rest (especially at Candace’s frequent insistence) had meant that a single pair of hands was left on duty most of the time.

That pair of hands got up early, tended the ranch, watered crops, opened the tailor’s as early as she could manage, and began work on the shop’s stock for the day. Those hands grew pinched and pained by being propped against their work station, by being cramped against their sewing machine, by being worked to the bone tending both animal and crops.

It was nice to have an extra pair of hands around, these days.

Fritz hadn’t been there long, of course— not so long that he’d overstayed his welcome, anyway. It had been a blessing, really, for as well as it had worked out; that chance meeting on the beach a few weeks ago had cost Candace a sandwich (and a second dinner shortly after), but had given her more than she could put value to. When Fritz watched the ranch, Candace could open the tailor’s earlier in the morning by a few hours at the very least, rather than let the door stay closed and locked until noon. 

She’d been nervous about it at first, of course. She’d been most nervous the night she’d invited him to stay with her and her grandmother on the farm. Each day that passed, however, she grew less and less nervous— and grew more and more relieved at Fritz’s very presence. Still, a habit was a habit - and Candace stopped by the barn each morning to be sure Fritz at least had a handle on the situation. Zipper seemed more than happy to see her off, and Candace giggled as the alpaca nearly bowled her over with her energy. 

“She’s so excited..!” Candace managed between quiet laugher, patting Zipper hello while trying to remain standing upright. She knew exactly what the reason for it was, of course— knew all too well that the alpaca was happier lately to have someone to play with. Candace could never maintain A Fritz level of energy, even on her best of days. (She was pretty certain that no one she’d ever met could.) Still, she could tease. “What are you feeding her that she’s been so energetic lately..?”

[whip-stitched-blog]

Business Savvy [Candace/Luna]

@la-lunetta

Candace was beginning to forget how it felt to not have the skin around the eyes rubbed raw from salt and the rough fabric of her cardigans’ sleeves. Pulling the business out of debt had been a slow, arduous climb— but with debt collectors at bay, the tailor’s wasn’t exactly in the clear. Operating just over the black didn’t bode exceptionally well for the continued good health of the business— and wasn’t going to keep those letters from reappearing either.

She sat by the phone more nights than she cared to admit, despite never actually making the call (or receiving one either, for that matter). Usually she chickened out, picked herself up, and busied herself with something else. But every night she debated it while mopping quiet, nervous tears into her sleeve and hopping grandma Shelly wouldn’t see.

Tonight, however, something compelled her to finally pick up the receiver. She’d dialed the number before she could stop herself and tried to make her grip like iron as she held the phone to her ear, trying her hardest to keep herself from slamming it down again before her sister could pick up.