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morfinwen · 1 year

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1 for Nate, 2 for Connie, 3 for Amanda, 4 for Ash, 5 for Lanzo, 8 for Aidan, 9 for Niner, 10 for Q, 13 for Angie, 14 for Christopher, 16 for Reagan, 17 for Neal, 18 for Ian, 20 for Elise, 22 for Julie, 24 for Lauren, 25 for Jerome, 27 for Kayla, 29 for Myrtle, 31 for Hannah, 33 for Elarin, 34 for Meaghan, 38 for Leah, and 45 for Avery, please!

So this uh, was asked over a year ago. But hey, it's answered now!

1. What's a unique skill Nate has? Is there any reason why he can do it?

Unusually for someone living in a small, quiet town like Aldstow, Nate knows a ton of skateboarding tricks. One of his uncles got him a skateboard when he was seven years old, and for five years that was what he spent almost all of his non-school time doing.

2. What are Connie's favorite possessions? Why? (sentimentality, history, price, etc.)

Some of his books, for different reasons. One because it was the textbook for one of his favorite college classes, and is still an informative read even now. Another because it was a gift from his parents that he re-read a lot in childhood. And one just because the leather cover feels nice in his hands and it has a good heft to it.

3. Does Amanda get jealous easily? If so, what usually causes it?

On occasion, a really attractive woman persistently flirting with her SO has made Amanda jealous, but not often. Her ex Simon got hit on at least twice by men, which she found hilarious (Simon was incredibly straight), and once she and Lanzo work things out, she finds she doesn’t care so much about people flirting with him, partially because she trusts him, mostly because she knows from first-hand experience that getting through Lanzo’s emotional barriers enough to even start an actual relationship is way harder than any aspiring homewrecker would have the patience for.

4. Is Ash a good gift-giver? What does he tend to give as gifts?

Ash’s gift-giving instincts are fairly reliable if he knows the recipient well enough, but he’s missed the mark more than once. If he barely knows the individual, it’s even worse.

In order of likelihood, books, tea, candles. He recognizes that other people like things other than what he likes, but it’s just so much easier to give things he knows he’d like to get. This is the chief problem with his gift-giving.

5. What's Lanzo's reputation like? Does this reputation contrast what he's really like?

Lanzo has a lot of different reputations.

At work, to all but a few perceptive regulars, he’s the worldly-wise bartender with a mysterious past who’s willing to listen to you ramble about your problems but avoids offering advice, except weirdly specific things on random occasions.

This is not completely inaccurate, but it’s definitely more of how Lanzo would like to be seen than how he actually is.

To those perceptive regulars, he’s an average guy who’s lived long enough to have some weird stories, and is charismatic enough to weave a convincing air of mystery out of it.

This is considerably more accurate.

To those in the house, he’s laid-back and easy to get along with for the most part, though you have to beware his sense of humor and occasional desire for chaos, but he’s really good at smoothing things over if he upsets you, and there’s also the chance that he’ll be incredibly perceptive about something that’s bothering you and have some oddly specific but actually really helpful advice for the situation.

8. What does Aidan's dream house look like?

A treehouse, for starters. Sparse on furniture, but a lot of hammocks and tall shelves with space for perching. Nuts or fruit-bearing plants in the vicinity, as long as he doesn’t have to tend them himself. And a swell video game system, for when Nate visits.

9. If Niner could change one part of her appearance, what would it be?

If we’re allowing changes that are not biologically possible, she’d made her nails grow faster and break less easily. She’s always trying to grow them out super-long, but then one of them breaks on something and she has to trim them all down or otherwise it feels weird, and the process starts all over again.

10. What's a simple thing that brings Q joy?

Fireflies.

13. How forgiving is Angie? What does she consider unforgivable?

To Angie, forgiveness is a sacred responsibility. For the most part, she doesn’t find it hard to forgive, even if the other person doesn’t seem genuinely sorry.

She doesn't consider anything unforgivable as such, but one of the worst sins in her eyes is a total lack of principle. Hypocrisy or failure to live up to your own principles is bad, but at least those people believe in something.

14. Who does Chris go to in a crisis/emergency? Any particular reason why he chooses that person?

Any situation dire enough to force Chris to seek help most likely requires professionals, like firefighters or S.W.A.T., but assuming it was something sufficiently non-urgent for him to reach out to someone specific, that would be his sister Marie. The reason being, Chris would hate having to ask for help, and his sister would be able to figure out the situation with the minimal amount of actually explaining/asking for help, and would respond in the way most soothing to his ego.

16. What food does Reagan absolutely hate?

Beets. The first time she tried them, they made her gag almost to the point of vomiting. The lengths to which her aunt was willing to make her eat them, on the one or two occasions per year she served them, only reinforced Reagan’s hatred of them.

17. Does Neal show a lot of affection, or is he pretty reserved?

Very reserved, unless he’s comfortable and very close with someone. Then, in private, he’s very affectionate, and eager for reciprocation.

18. If you had to represent Ian with a flower, color, and animal, what would you choose?

Flower: Dandelion. Grows easily, bright and friendly, some consider it an annoying weed.

20. Is Elise easy to wake up in the morning, or grouchy and sleepy?

Closer to easy to wake up. Elise isn’t a bright-and-shiny, “good morning world!” kind of person, but once she’s up she wakes up quickly, especially if she has some caffeinated tea or coffee.

22. What's Julie's silliest or most unusual fear/phobia?

There are certain kinds of elevators that make her anxious -- it's more an aesthetic thing than anything, but "pure metal" elevators are worse than ones with glass, carpeting, etc. It's a combination of some bad experiences, a few memorable elevator scares in media, and (the biggest reason) one really terrible, very memorable nightmare when her dad was sick.

24. Is Lauren a fussy eater?

She could be incredibly picky when she was a child. As an adult, she’s less so, but mostly because she lives on her own and so she gets to make all the choices about what she eats.

25. What are Jerome's dreams like?

He only remembers a handful of dreams he’s had in his life. They were intense, colorful, and very, very bizarre.

27. Is Kayla forgetful? What does she tend to forget? (plans, phone, keys, etc.)

She has an exceptionally good memory, even once she’s human.

29. Is Knife a good cook? If she is, what does she like to make?

Unless heating soup or one of those “just add water” macaroni and cheese bowls in the microwave counts as cooking, Knife doesn’t really cook.

31. What holiday does Hannah like the most? (Christmas, Easter, Valentine's Day, etc.)

Christmas!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. She starts practicing Christmas songs in October, helps her parents (and grandmother, when she was alive) decorate the day after Thanksgiving, and makes gift bags for all her friends at school. Her favorite thing (after presents) is when they go out to look at Christmas lights: they bundle up, go out and get fast food to eat in the car, then drive through the best-decorated neighborhoods her dad knows of. She loves everything about it, though: the music, the cookies, visiting (some of) her family. She also likes the Christmas story her dad reads.

33. Is Elarin adventurous, or does she prefer to stay in her safe zone?

Elarin was probably crawling out of her “safe zone” when she was a baby. She’s scared of very little, and almost never shows it when she is.

34. What's Meaghan's favorite drink? (Coffee, tea, juice, hot chocolate, soda, etc.)

Some type of relaxing herbal tea from a planet she’s visited. She also likes a few alcoholic beverages, though she doesn’t drink those often.

38. Does Leah get lost easily, or is she good with directions?

She’s better than most with directions. Leah has a good grip on the cardinal directions, which helps. Her memories of the pre-war Boston area interfere sometimes, but they also help -- she just needs to remember to look for half-collapsed ruins instead of skyscrapers sometimes.

45. Is Avery always late, on time, or early?

Avery can be anywhere from two hours early to four days late; the one thing she never is is on time. She makes an effort for people like Aveline, with schedules and deadlines and things, but she just doesn’t have a punctual bone in her body.

Thanks for asking!

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eraisme · 2 years

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77. What is the most drastic thing you've done in your life thus far? Why did it happen?

AN: There was like 3 different stories for this that I started typing, got halfway, then deleted. So...this is what I stuck with...sorry.

Bernie tugs open the door to the small house she and Serena now own, looking at the young woman standing on the doorstep in front of her, holding a baby in her arms. “N-Nicky, please, come in.” She steps aside, still watching the young woman. She does the movement without hesitation, having only been receiving an occasional picture to her mobile and calls gone unanswered or ignored. Bernie had thought the young woman had blocked her number, and really she wouldn’t blame her for doing so.

“I...I was too harsh on you.” Nicky responds honestly, looking to the baby in her arms as she slowly steps inside the small, then back at Bernie, “blaming you for the things that Cam did is...it isn’t fair to you. Especially after all that you had been through, and I just...I want Juliette to be surrounded by...positivity. I don’t want her to...to know all the things Cam did or...”

Focusing on the infant in the young woman’s arms, a slight smirk forms in the corner of her mouth. Bernie shakes her head, “no, I understand. In all honesty, I wouldn’t want her to know about those things either until she was only enough to handle the information.” Tears threaten to form in her eyes and she swallows back her emotions, “she’s absolutely beautiful, Nicky.”

“Yeah.” Nicky nods, looking between the woman and the baby again, “she has Cam’s eyes, I think.”

It’s as if Bernie is unable to look away, unable to take her eyes on the small girl, “I believe you’re right.” She clears her throat, holding an arm out to guide them toward the lounge, “could I get you something to drink?” Bernie wasn’t expecting any visitors. In fact, Serena was the one that made her take time off for herself. Read a book, she said, paint something.

Nicky didn’t exactly know what her own intentions were by coming here, just for Bernie to see her granddaughter face to face for the first time, and really...she wasn’t even sure she was going to be successful. She didn’t even know if she was even going to go through with it. “Um...yeah, okay.” Nicky nods a little, absently, “tea or water would be fine...coffee. Whatever you have available.”

“I’ll put the kettle on. Was thinking of having some myself.” Bernie offers a cordial smile before stepping from the room. She exhales slowly, not expecting the young woman or the baby. Bernie holds her hand out, noticing a subtle tremble. Something that the past couple of years have done to her nerves. Taking the time to calm herself, she tries to focus on the task at hand, putting the water into the electric kettle.

Waiting with Juliette in the lounge, Nicky glances at the clock above the fireplace. She realizes it’s taken the woman longer than it otherwise would. “Bernie?” She calls out, receiving no answer. Nicky looks at Juliette, setting onto the area rug, knowing the girl would crawl around and explore.

Standing from the sofa, Nicky walks into the vestibule hallway area, taking a few steps toward the kitchen area, pausing to listen. Gasping, catching breath. Nicky swallows, stepping to the kitchen doorway, seeing the woman leaning against the counter top, her arms wrapped around herself. “Bernie, are you...are you okay?”

Bernie’s head jolts up and she tries to stand straighter, “I’m...yes, I’m...” She swallows, turning and bringing a hand up to wipe the tears from her cheeks.

“I can see you aren’t.” Nicky shakes her head a little, “would it be better if we came back at-”

“No, no.” Bernie shakes her head, “I....I hadn’t realized...” She clears her throat, staring blankly toward a tile on the backsplash in front of her. “Today is...Cameron’s anniversary. It’s why Serena forced me to take the day.” Bernie swallows, “it’s why I’m home and not...not over at hospital focusing on something that isn’t him.”

This is a completely different woman than she met in passing many years prior. Nicky stares at Bernie’s back, “I hadn’t realized.”

“I don’t expect you to.” Bernie turns after a moment, reaching a state that she was comfortable with the young woman witnessing. “You and he...didn’t exactly end things on a good note...and he wasn’t-”

“He was still your son.” Nicky shakes her head a little, “and he gave me the...most important thing I’ve ever received in my entire life. I do owe him that much.” Though it brings her no delight in saying that her child was part of a murderer either, “I’m not a...religious person, but...maybe the fates wanted us to come here today.”

Bernie never thought of things that way, it never occurred to her in the slightest. “Possibly.” Her eyes shift down when she notices the baby slowly making her way toward them, shuffling. “I...Had I known you lot were coming today, I’d have gotten Juliette a gift.”

“The best thing you can give her is good memories of your side of the family.” Nicky smirks a little, feeling the girl holding onto her leg, causing her to glance down, “also, it’s important for you to come up with a name that you’d like for her to call you.”

Bernie glances between them, finally moving a little closer and crouching next to the kitchen island, not far from the girl. She smiles when Juliette moves over to her, enveloping her in a hug, which Bernie is eager to return. They stay like that for a moment, the air around them seeming to cease, “Hello, Juliette, I’m your Gran...and I plan to be the best Gran you could ever ask for.” Bernie lifts her head up, looking at Nicky again, “if you’ll let me.”

Nicky nods slowly, knowing she should have done this sooner, “I’d love to.”

#Mysterious Prompt Book #Bernie Wolfe #Nicky McKendrick #Prompt 77 #apologies

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