#ninelives snippet

[a-hackneyed-premise]

I finally started writing part 2 to Without Naked Beauty Displayed, where Daryl is an artist and Carol is a life model. Here's a little snippet, and a reminder that part 1 can be found on AO3 and on NineLives :)

“You look nervous,” Carol said, just as he set her mug in front of her. “That should be my job.”

“Y’ain’t gotta be nervous,” he replied softly. “I don’t want that.”

“So, spit it out,” she said.

“Huh?”

“Whatever it is you want to say to me. Say it. I think we’re a little beyond being embarrassed to say anything around each other.”

She looked at him so openly and earnestly that it almost took his breath away. A fleeting feeling of that confidence drifted past again, and he grabbed it while he could.

“I wanna paint you,” he said, before his confidence failed.

“Yeah, that’s why I’m here,” she said, looking a little confused.

“I mean.. I want to paint you. I had this idea, and I ain’t never tried it, so I don’t know if I can, but I thought…” He looked up at her, hoping she’d grasp his meaning but she just looked confused. “Forget it,” he muttered. 

“How can I? I’m intrigued,” she replied, and the barest hint of a song-like laugh colored her voice.

He couldn’t look at her but instead grabbed the top magazine from a nearby stack on his kitchen table, handing it to her, and immediately chewing on the corner of his thumb once again while he awaited her response.

"Body painting?" she said.

"You don't have to. I don't want you to be uncomfortable or anythin', but—"

"I'll do it," she said.

#stuff i write #caryl #caryl fanfiction

[springsaladgaming]

February Snippet 1

I made a list of prompts based on what some of you sent me and on romance tropes listed on TV Tropes. Throughout the month of February, I’m going to be rolling on that list and the list of ROs and writing snippets based on what I roll! My original thought was to do one for each day of the month. I don’t know how well I’ll be able to stick to that, but I’m going to try!

My list is currently sitting at about 60. Please feel free to send me more ideas. (SFW only, please.)

For the first snippet, I rolled Ansel. See if you can guess the prompt. :)

Snippet found below!

Ansel Snippet 1

You wake up to find Ansel has left a paper note on the kitchen counter, right next to a morning pastry, stating that he’s out running errands and will be back later. You’re alone, nothing but silence to fill the empty corners of the house. It’s rare that you’re here without him. Rare enough that you find yourself sitting quietly in the living room, drinking your preferred morning drink and munching on the pastry he left for you, for nearly thirty minutes.

It feels like an eternity, and the realization that it’s only been a half-hour makes you flush with embarrassment, even with no one around to witness your foolishness. You have to find something to fill the time until he gets back. You aren’t going to be one of those people who languishes away on a sofa as they wait for their partner to get home.

For lack of any other ideas, you end up cleaning as you blast music through the house. Silence is now overpowered by songs just upbeat enough to make the time pass faster. You sing along, paying no mind to the quality of your voice or lack thereof, and move to the beat of the music in ways so joyous and silly that you’re not even sure you would call it dancing.

You let loose, having the kind of fun that’s only possible when you’re certain no one’s watching. Before long, you’re jumping around more than you’re cleaning, and you’re spinning so much that it makes you dizzy, but you don’t care. It’s fun and free, and you love every second of it.

And then you spot a flash of blond hair in the doorway. You stop in your tracks. Your body halts before your mind does, and you’re left stumbling on your feet a bit as you attempt to face the man leaning against the doorframe in front of you.

Ansel is attempting to hide a smile and doing a terrible job of it, smile lines peeking out from beneath the hand he’s using to cover his mouth. He’s watching you intently, eyes twinkling behind his glasses.

Under his scrutiny, your face grows hot enough that you can feel it on your ears. You do your best to ignore your mortification and smile at him sheepishly, pausing the music from your phone as you do. You simply say, “Hi.”

Ansel removes the hand from his face and draws his lips together in an attempt to tame his smile. “You certainly seemed like you were having fun,” he says.

You clear your throat and look around the room at your lack of progress. “I was cleaning?” you say, not sure why you phrased it as a question.

Ansel laughs, clearly giving up on hiding his amusement. “So I see.”

You laugh in return, your embarrassment slowly fading underneath his fond gaze. “How long were you watching?”

“Not long,” he says, though his grin tells you that’s clearly a lie. “Please, don’t stop on my account.”

That prompts another laugh from you, and you’re filled with enough giddy energy that you find yourself idly swinging your arms around as you stare at him. “Are you going to just stand there and watch?”

Ansel looks too pleased with himself as he says, “Would that bother you?”

You grin back at him, ignoring the new wave of heat that spreads across your face, and turn the music back on. With a playful look, you hold out a hand to him, your eyebrows raised in a challenge.

Ansel only laughs, untouched by the embarrassment you were hoping to make him feel, but it’s still worth it to see the fond smile that lights up his face as he crosses the room to join you.

The two of you don’t get any cleaning done, but watching Ansel perform silly dances right next to you is an accomplishment in and of itself.

#ninelives ros #ninelives: ansel #ninelives snippet

[silversundown2]

Here’s a little  ‘coming soon’ snippet for the next chapter of my fic A Common Condition. I wanted to post it today at NineLives but it’s looking like tomorrow instead, but this should give anyone who may be following a hint at what’s in store for caryl ;)

She should feel even more exposed with him looking down on her, but she doesn’t and when he traces the waistband of her pants she practically purrs.

“Can I?” He asks, so shy and sweet.

She might love him more in this moment than all of them combined.

A nod and a lift of her hips is her answer, then he’s sliding the fabric down her legs and taking her panties right along with it. His eyes never leave hers, watching for any hint of regret until she’s naked on the bed, vibrating with need against the sheets.

“Come’re.”

#caryl #caryl fanfiction #this whole chapter is them finally getting it done ya'll #they've waited forever #if you're following the fic i hope you enjoyed this tidbit #am i spoiling my own fic? i guess so lol

[springsaladgaming]

February Snippet 5

Today’s snippet features Alex! Hope y’all enjoy! 🥰

Alex Snippet 1

After long hours spent at work, you barely have the strength or energy to walk up the steps to your apartment, much less take your shoes off at the door. The click of the front door behind you as you get home acts as permission to finally relax, and you let out a relieved, albeit tired, sigh. You beeline for your living room, eager to lay down on the sofa and kick your feet up. When you enter the room and see Alex sitting there, dressed to the nines in a crisp button-up shirt and khaki slacks, you can’t help the “oh” that escapes your lips.

You were supposed to go to dinner tonight.

The thought never crossed your mind when you were on your way home. You could only think of comfy clothes and getting horizontal. The fact that you’d be drained enough to forget a date with Alex makes you feel as surprised as it does contrite.

Alex, for better or worse, interprets your slip-of-the-mouth easily. “You forgot,” they say.

Though it feels more like a statement of fact than an accusation, you say, “I’m so sorry. It was such a busy day at work, it didn’t even cross my mind until just now.”

Alex grins. For a brief moment, you’re worried that their smile is a mask for their disappointment. Then Alex stands and crosses the room over to you. They stroke a thumb across your jawline, the motion so soft that it sends a pleasant shiver through you. “It’s okay. Let’s have a night in instead,” they say.

Alex gently grabs your hand and tugs you over to the sofa. They sit down first and gesture for you to sit next to them. Before you have the chance to protest, they guide you down onto the couch, your legs stretched out onto an arm rest while your head lays in their lap.

When you catch their eyes, Alex is looking down at you with such love that you can’t help it when their name slips from your mouth in a breathy whisper. In the face of their affection, a new wave of guilt floods through you. “I’m really sorry,” you say.

Alex shakes their head and shushes you. “It’s fine. You must have had a rough day,” they say with a grin. Soon enough, their fingers find their way onto your head, and Alex starts rubbing soothing circles into your scalp.

The touch is relaxing, enough to make your eyes drift closed as you let out a contented sound. For the next long while, no other words pass between the two of you. No other words need to, Alex’s care laid bare by their actions. You spend minutes like that, maybe hours, before they usher you off to bad, their soothing fingers never far from your skin.

#ninelives ros #ninelives: alex #ninelives snippet

[springsaladgaming]

February Snippet 2

Here’s the next snippet! This one features Cherry. Hope you enjoy! 😘

Cherry Snippet 1

You clutch at the small plastic container in your hands, thumbing the edge of the lid periodically for lack of anything else to do. It’s Cherry’s last workday before her weekend, and this week has been uncharacteristically busy. She’s late getting off today, just as she has been for the last three days, and it’s no wonder with the constant flow of customers filing in and out of Under-Cover.

You spent the better part of the day making cookies. Far too many cookies, most people would probably say. But you didn’t know what kind Cherry would like, and you wanted it to be a surprise, so you made three different types of cookies in the hopes of cheering her up.

It takes far too long for her to emerge from Under-Cover. She smiles shyly as soon as she sees you waiting for her, and you hope that means that she didn’t have too rough of a day. Within a few seconds, she has joined you on the sidewalk, and the two of you are walking side by side down the street, thankful for the sunny skies and pleasant weather.

“Good day at work?” you ask, giving her a bright smile of your own.

“It was busy, but it wasn’t bad,” she says. Cherry isn’t the type to complain when something is bothering her, so you watch her closely for any sign of a lie, but she seems calm and content, perhaps even relieved to be out of work and walking next to you.

You feel the same, butterflies fluttering inside you at the pleasantness and naturalness of her company. You hold out the plastic container to her, looking deep into her eyes with as warm a smile as you can muster. “Cookies,” you say. “A little present for making it through the week.”

Cherry takes the container from you as blush fills her cheeks. She stares at it, momentarily at a loss for words, until she looks back at you, her eyes wide and glistening with sincerity. “Thank you so much,” she says quietly.

“You deserve it,” you say, and she must be embarrassed from the way she looks away from you and back down at the gift in her hands.

The two of you walk in silence for a bit, enjoying each other’s company while Cherry stares longingly at the confections. She never opens the container, as if the warm moment will be snatched away the moment she does.

You give her a reassuring smile. “You can eat them now. I don’t mind.”

Cherry catches your eyes again, her face flush with embarrassment and guilt. “I can eat them later,” she says in a voice so small that you can’t help but worry.

“Is something wrong, Cherry?”

She shakes her head a little too quickly. “No, not at all. This was so sweet of you. It means a lot to me,” she says. Her tone is hurried in a way that says, though she may not be lying, she isn’t saying everything.

“Cherry, if there’s something wrong, you can always tell me,” you say, working to keep your mood as calm and even as possible, knowing that she can pick up on it without meaning to.

She’s full of nerves anyway, a bit of her and perhaps a bit of yours as well. Cherry shrinks under your gaze and clears her throat. Then she makes a strangled sound that you’re surprised to realize is a barely-suppressed laugh. “You’re so sweet, but do these have eggs in them?”

You stop in your tracks, eyes wide, and you barely contain nervous laughter yourself. “You’re kidding,” you say.

Cherry giggles a bit more readily this time, unable to contain herself in the face of your surprise and tickled by the awkwardness of the situation. She nods as she says, “I’m allergic to eggs.”

“Oh my god,” you mutter, swiping the container from her hands. “You should have said so!”

“I did say so!”

The two of you stare at each other for a moment. You’ve joined Cherry in her embarrassment now, your cheeks hot with the telltale signs. Then both of you fall into a fit of laughter, more relieved to have that out in the open than anything else.

“Thank you anyway,” Cherry says eventually, her smile bright and full of cheer. “It really does mean a lot to me.”

You smile back at her. “I should be thanking you,” you say with a teasing tone. “I’m the one who gets to eat all of these when I get home.” You reach out then, and the two of you continue walking hand-in-hand.

#ninelives ros #ninelives: cherry #ninelives snippet

[springsaladgaming]

February Snippet 6

Today’s snippet features Teagan! Enjoy! 🤭

Now that I’ve done one snippet for each of the six ROs, it’s back to rolling on who gets next turn (with a potential for some poly snippets).

Continue below to read!

Teagan Snippet 1

It’s getting late, the moon high overhead and the stars exceptionally bright on a splendid clear night. As you walk hand-in-hand with Teagan, the majesty of the night sky punctuates the day with a bittersweet tone. You’ll see each other tomorrow, always, but you know the time is coming for the two of you to part ways tonight. You wouldn’t mind spending every night with him if you could, but you must go home eventually, your clothing and other belongings still there.

Teagan catches you looking up. Almost as if he can guess your thoughts, his hand tightens around yours as he looks at the sky as well. “It’s pretty,” he says simply.

You can’t help but smile at that, your heart warmed by how the few words he speaks always manage to be so earnest. “It is,” you agree, eyes still on the stars above.

Teagan eyes you for a moment, only speaking once your eyes catch his. “Wanna find somewhere? To stargaze.”

You smile at him and take the sweet moment of eye contact as an opportunity to snuggle against him for a moment. He pulls you in, happy to provide you comfort even though it’s not his first instinct.

“The night will still be over eventually.” Your cheeks heat up with the realization that maybe you’re being a bit spoiled, and you’re glad that Teagan can’t see your embarrassment from your entwined position. Not that he’s likely to draw attention to it even if he did.

Teagan hums thoughtfully, and the action is rare enough coming from him that you can’t help but pull back a little to get a look at his face. He’s looking back at you, expression calm but still staring with an intensity that makes you feel seen and loved.

Suddenly, he says, “We could move in together.” The way he says it is so matter-of-fact that it almost sounds like a business transaction, except you know Teagan better than that, and you don’t miss the way his cheeks turn a little pink at the suggestion.

Teagan’s embarrassment has you so distracted that you almost forget to respond. “Are you serious?”

“I wouldn’t have said it if I wasn’t serious,” he says, almost indignantly. He turns his gaze away from you, as if the lights on the opposite side of the street from you suddenly caught his eyes. In a more thoughtful tone, he says, “I’ve never been in a relationship serious enough to talk about living together, but I like being around you. And I don’t want the night to be over either.”

You lean against him, wrapping your arms tightly around him for good measure. The thought has you giddy, and you do your best to convey that with a loving squeeze. “I would like that,” you say.

Teagan doesn’t hug you back at first. Then suddenly he does, and the side-embrace is so gentle that the touch of his body against yours sends a pleasant shiver across your skin. “Okay,” he says.

The tone of his voice is so serious that you can’t help but giggle. Still, when you look over at his face, he’s wearing a rare contented smile that fills your heart to the brim with warmth.

#ninelives ros #ninelives: teagan #ninelives snippet

[springsaladgaming]

February Snippet 4

Today’s snippet features Lucia! Hope you all enjoy. 😘

Lucia Snippet 1

You aren’t surprised when Lucia answers her door immediately after you ring the bell; she often does, almost as if she’s done nothing but wait for your arrival. What does surprise you is that, this time, she doesn’t immediately invite you in. On the contrary, she is making a point to block the door, angling her body so that you can’t reliably see what it is that she’s hiding.

“It’s not finished yet,” Lucia insists. “You have to wait out here!”

Her tone is playful and happy, so you know not to be concerned. You smile at her, just on the edge of playfulness, and say, “What’s the big surprise?”

She puts her hands on your shoulders, gripping them gently and nudging you backwards. “If I tell you, it won’t be a surprise!”

“So you just want me to wait? In the hallway?” You look up and down the apartment hallway, just for emphasis, though the hallway is silent and empty.

Lucia grins. “That’s exactly what I want you to do,” she says. “And you’ll do it because I’m asking so nicely.”

“You literally pushed me out here,” you remind her with a playful tone. Lucia responds by sticking her tongue out at you as she continues putting pressure against your shoulders. She manages to push you far from the threshold and places her hands on her hips triumphantly before closing and locking the door, earning a chuckle from you.

The only thing you can do is wait, so you wait, arms crossed and looking up and down the hallway for anything interesting to happen. A few minutes go by, enough that you feel inclined to call through the door, reminding her that you’re waiting out here.

Lucia appears back at the door a few minutes later, a sly smile on her face. She doesn’t bother blocking the door this time and instead steps around you to place her hands over your eyes.

“It’s a surprise,” she whispers, her lips nearly brushing your ear.

You give yourself over to her direction, and she guides you into her apartment, which smells pleasantly of a fresh-baked pie. She stops you just past the door and directs you to remove your shoes, which you do without much pressing. Then she continues leading you through until, by your estimation, you reach her living room.

When Lucia pulls her hands from over your eyes, the first thing you see is the couch cushions haphazardly arranged around the room. It only takes you a moment to realize how they are stacked and to notice the edges of a wool blanket on the floor within.

“You made a fort,” you say, unable to stop the smile on your face.

“I made a fort,” Lucia confirms. She nudges you toward it, but you don’t have to be told twice. You get down on your hands and knees and crawl into the small doorway of the cushion fort to find a veritable fort picnic. The wool blanket laid out on the ground makes the floor soft and comfy, and waiting just within are two plates of pie and battery-operated candles.

Lucia follows behind you, barely fitting through the door herself, and the two of you settle as comfortably as you can and begin eating your snack.

“You baked a pie and you made a fort,” you state again, a chuckle finding its way into your words. “What’s the occasion?”

“No occasion,” Lucia says, her face full of pure delight after the first bite of pie. “We don’t need an excuse to have some fun.”

“I don’t think I’ve made a fort since I was a kid,” you say. You can’t help but look around and marvel at how carefully balanced the cushions seem to be.

“Is it as fun as you remember?”

You watch Lucia for a moment, warmth blooming in your chest at the happy look on her face. “It is fun, thank you.”

When you’re both done with your pie, you instinctively lean in to share a kiss. Lucia does the same, more than eager to meet you halfway. Neither of you gets very far, however, before you both bump the cushions around you and send the fort toppling down, and both of you are taken over by a fit of laughter.

#ninelives ros #ninelives: lucia #ninelives snippet

[springsaladgaming]

February Snippet 3

Voila! Our next snippet features Rene. Hope you enjoy! 🥰

Rene Snippet 1

You can feel your breath hitch and your body attempt to flail. Hazy memories of the past conjure themselves in a largely incoherent fog, but the sensation of floundering is all too familiar, all too real. So much worse than falling in a dream, you feel as though you can’t breathe. Your heart pounds in your chest. You will yourself to inhale, but to no avail. You panic as your thoughts grow fuzzy and dark.

Then you’re being gently shaken awake by a comforting presence at your side. Rene is looking at you with worried eyes, his fingers rubbing soothing circles where he grips your arm. You fell asleep on his shoulder, and, though your neck is slightly sore from the uncomfortable position, his reassuring warmth helps settle your shakiness as you pull yourself from sleep.

“You okay, sweetie?” Rene’s voice is soft and calming, though barely holding back an edge of worry. Your nightmare must have manifested in you physically in some way, prompting him to wake you up.

You nod and swallow in an effort to wet your dry mouth and throat. Awake, you don’t feel short of breath, but you breathe as deeply as if you did. “I’m okay,” you will yourself to say. “It was just a bad dream.”

Rene continues softly rubbing your arm, and the sensation is pleasant and grounding enough to almost completely pull you from the aftershocks of the nightmare. “Want me to get you a drink?” Rene asks, still looking into your eyes as if you might break down at any moment.

You nod, realizing a soothing drink would help you feel better, and he stands up and heads toward the kitchen. You feel cold at his momentary absence from your side, but he’s barely gone for a minute or two before he comes back with a warm drink for you. He hands it to you gingerly before sliding back down next to you and draping a blanket over both your laps.

“Better?”

You sigh contentedly as you sip at the drink, its heat warming you from the inside out. You only remember to respond at the last second, before your silence causes Rene to grow more concerned. “Much better. Thanks, Rene.”

“Anything for you.”

He leans in and presses a kiss to your temple before snuggling against you and settling back in to watch TV. You lean against him in kind, enjoying the heat of being pressed against his side while cradling the mug to warm your fingers.

Eventually, Rene speaks again so softly that you almost don’t hear. “Do you want to talk about it?”

You smile at his care, snuggling in just a little closer. He snakes an arm around your shoulders to hold you, and the two of you adjust a little until you’re both comfortable.

“That’s okay,” you say. “Just this is enough.”

#ninelives ros #ninelives: rene #ninelives snippet

[springsaladgaming]

More opportunities for agency also means more opportunities for flirt options that didn’t exist before - and the scenes that result. I’m working on the introductory scene with Alex right now, but there will be more for everyone in Chapter 2, including Lucia, who will get an opportunity for an earlier intro than in the original CS draft.

#ninelives snippet #ninelives if #i will also be further simplifying the way romance is tracked #but i will talk more about that in an official progress update

[springsaladgaming]

Okay, how would the ros react is a tired and exhausted MC fell asleep leaning against them and while placing their head against their shoulder?

These answers are assuming their relationship has already been established.

Answers under the cut.

Ansel

Ansel would reposition MC to laying on his lap and make sure they’re comfortable (with a blanket and pillow, if they are close on hand). He would let them sleep as long as they wanted.

Teagan 

Teagan would want to let MC rest, so he wouldn’t want to move. He would end up taking the opportunity to just nap with them since he can sleep pretty much anywhere.

Alex

Alex would let them sleep and lean against them while spending time browsing the internet on their phone until they woke up on their own. There’s a decent chance Alex has been in this situation with MC before, even when their relationship was platonic.

Cherry

Cherry would let MC sleep for a while, but eventually she would try to wake them up and convince them to go to bed so they don’t strain their neck or back by sleeping in a weird position.

Lucia

Lucia would probably not notice that the MC is asleep immediately and try carrying on conversation with them. Once she does notice, she would let MC sleep while occasionally teasing kisses on their head.

Rene

Rene would lay MC down while making sure they are warm and comfortable so that he could get up and go about doing any work or chores around that would make the rest of MC’s day easier.

#ask #ninelives wip #ninelives IF #ninelives ROs #i didn't do snippets for this one #i would have to shift POV to do that #i'm saving any POV shifts for fun shorts later #i have two written already #and i want to do more #Anonymous

[springsaladgaming]

Another Short

Hi, everyone! I didn’t have time to prepare a snippet for today, so instead... Have another canon short story! (I finished this over a week ago. I’ve just been waiting to publish it.)

This one features Cherry, though it is told from another’s point of view. This story does not contain any spoilers for the main plot of Ninelives, but it does contain information regarding Cherry’s back story. This one is another that is a bit of a downer (because I like to write sad shit I guess), so I would advise against reading if you are not in a great headspace.

Content warnings: references to non-descriptive violence, references to non-descriptive injuries, references to mental illness

Continue below to read!

Together

Erik didn’t bother putting on a brave face before he entered the house. He knew before even turning the key to the front door: she would know. She always knew, somehow, that endlessly brave little girl with his green eyes and her mother’s red hair.

He opened the door and stared at her crestfallen face where she sat on the sofa facing the door. Sean, his neighbor, spoke a concerned greeting, but Erik ignored him and walked over to face his daughter.

Her eyes looked red with the threat of tears, but not a single drop fell. “Is it over?” she said, stalwart and unblinking.

Erik put a hand over hers where they rested in her lap and looked deep into her eyes. “Yes, Cherry. It’s over.”

A moment passed, the two of them the only people in the world. She was safe now, Erik told himself. He had to tear out a piece of his heart, but she was safe, and that was all that mattered. Bittersweet relief flooded him, and he let out a shaky breath he didn’t know he was holding.

Cherry matched his sigh, and they were both allowed to breathe. The days ahead would be hard, but the threat of drowning was gone.

Erik turned to his neighbor, his friend, the only one outside of his family who knew enough to be worried. “Thanks for looking after her, Sean,” he said. “I won’t keep you any longer.”

Sean nodded slowly, as if worried that any sharp movements would spook Erik or Cherry. “Are you going to be okay?”

Erik glanced back at Cherry. Her big, green eyes seemed to be looking directly into his soul. Even spoken to someone else, a lie was still a lie, and there was no point in lying in front of her. “Right now, no,” Erik said. “Eventually, we will be.”

The two friends shared a few more words before they reluctantly parted at the door. As soon as Erik closed the front door behind him, the world felt a little less bright. He wanted to curl up and cry, but he wasn’t alone here, and the night was not over.

After one more wordless glance at Cherry, Erik padded toward the kitchen to assess the damage. The floor was covered in glass and food and debris, broken plastic here, liquid spills there. The counters were covered in spices from broken spice jars, and there was blood still on the floor where Marie had cut her hand open after slamming a glass pitcher against a cabinet.

Erik crossed the kitchen, glass and rice and pasta crunching under his boots with each step. With a shaky hand, he grabbed the broom off the far wall and began sweeping the mess at his feet, the sound of detritus scraping against the floor filling the silence of the house.

Memories of shouting and crying and yelling flooded Erik’s mind, and he couldn’t help but wonder why it took him so long to see that his wife was unwell.

Then Cherry entered the kitchen, boots sloppily pulled onto her feet. She stepped across the mess on the ground until she reached the cabinet under the sink and pulled out a small hand broom. She too began sweeping up the debris on the floor, and Erik knew then why it had taken so long.

Erik turned away from watching his daughter and went back to sweeping. Neither of them looked at each other, but he spoke. “Did you always know?”

There was a long silence before the young girl answered. Her voice was small and fragile, but her words sounded aged beyond her years. “It got worse,” she said.

Erik nodded. “Yes. It did.” Once he’d gathered a neat pile, Erik gathered together a trash bag and bin and began collecting the debris on a dustpan.

“She was scared,” Cherry said. “Sometimes I think she didn’t know why. Other times I think she did, even though she knew it didn’t make any sense.” She brought her own small collection to the trash and dumped it.

Erik had to swallow the lump in his throat before he could reply. “I thought I was protecting you from it.”

Cherry looked up at him then, and Erik wanted to weep for this little girl who had experienced too much and too little. “Hiding isn’t the same as being safe,” she said, and it seemed as though she regretted the need to say it.

The two stared at each other then, so many unspoken words floating between them. The silence stretched on until some shards in the trash creaked as they settled, breaking the still moment and sending the two back to their sad task.

“Is she going to come back?” Cherry said, her tone flat and even.

Erik cursed his weakness then, cursed that he didn’t have the same awareness that Cherry did. How he would have loved to look into her soul, to know whether she was asking the question out of longing or fear. But he did not have her gift, and the only thing he could do now was tell the truth.

“I don’t know,” Erik said. “When she gets better, maybe.”

“Will we be able to visit her?”

“I don’t know. Maybe not right away, but I hope so.”

“We should bring her flowers when we do,” Cherry said. “It always makes her feel good when you bring her snapdragons.”

Erik had to sit, no longer able to bear his sorrow. He pulled out a chair from the dining table and slumped into it, boneless and exhausted. He did weep then, for his odd and wonderful child who felt too full and too much. She knew every jab of fear, every pang of guilt. She knew what it was to drown in another’s sorrow and to burn in another’s rage. What kind of ‘gift’ was it, to be forced to carry the burden of others’ emotions as she did?

It wasn’t until he felt the tears being wiped from his face that he realized Cherry was standing in front of him. She cradled his face in her hands with a warm and loving touch, even as tears threatened to spill from her own eyes. “It will be okay, dad,” she said. “We still have each other.”

The words only strengthened the flow of tears from his eyes, and he could do nothing but nod at his daughter. He took her into his arms and held her tight, as much for her comfort as for his own. It had been a hard day, and the days ahead would be even harder, but they would get through them.

Together.

#ninelives shorts #ninelives: cherry

[springsaladgaming]

Your snippets are super super cute and i love! i wanted to ask, since Valentine’s Day is on the way, what are each ROs ideal date? Who likes to stay in and watch a movie, or go out to an amusement park, etc?

Thank you so much! I'm very glad you've been enjoying them! (The fact that Valentine's Day is this month is part of the reason I wanted to do them.)

As for the ROs ideal dates:

Alex - Although Alex is normally the type to like going out, their ideal date involves spending as much one-on-one time as possible with their significant other(s). A night in with a homemade meal and some quality alone time is right up their alley.

Teagan - A walk around the city or through the park, possibly at some kind of outdoor event if there's one available. Teagan isn't a fan of busy venues, but he would want to do something that isn't necessarily something he does every day.

Ansel - A fancy dinner, whether or home-cooked or at a nice restaurant, followed by whatever his partner would want to do the most. Ansel is pretty open to doing anything as long as he is with his partner.

Cherry - An ideal date for Cherry would involve one where she could turn her empath abilities off. She would really like going out to a movie or to the theatre. As things are, though, it can be too overwhelming to go out to a busy venue, so she prefers a night in with a movie or some board games.

Lucia - Something adventurous, like paintballing or ice skating. City festivals or markets work too, or something like the Renaissance Festival. Bonus points if it's something she hasn't done before since she likes to experience new things.

Rene - Going to a concert or a group art event of some kind. Rene is definitely a man of the arts, so a date involving the arts would be his ideal. He has a preference for painting, naturally, but he enjoys others types of art too.

??? - I'm including the mysterious maybe-RO who has yet to be introduced formally in Ninelives. Their ideal would be excessively expensive - the most expensive restaurant, renting out a venue for private use, hiring private staff for things like entertainment or mixology. They have money and they like flaunting money.

thank you so much for the ask!

#ask #ninelives ros

[springsaladgaming]

Literally tearing up over mc eating lunch with the ros. Reminds me of the quote “I love you. I want us both to eat well.” from “Our Beautiful Life When It’s Filled With Shrieks” by Christopher Citro. The intimacy of preparing a meal for someone... 🥺

I’m the kind of person who loves to share food with my friends when I’m able to, so I really feel that one!

And even though those snippets were not something that was ever likely to be in Ninelives, the prompt and the whole preparing and sharing a meal is something that fits really well with the whole love and acceptance and found family vibe that Ninelives touches on.

#ask #Anonymous