sticksandbones | [OPEN] gardening & sewing log for your domestic cottagecore needs

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[OPEN] gardening & sewing log for your domestic cottagecore needs

Who: Ain & You
What: Gardening + new tailor shop log
When: A day or two after everyone gets back from the Grove... people might be dying in the log under this we'll deal with it
Where: The Grove
Warnings: None, this is a peaceful and happy log-

I. - The Tailor Shop Prompt

[The Grove has a new shop when everyone returns from the beach. It's little, the outside sign woven with wooden motifs of leaves and carved text reading "NEEDLE & THREAD", and the windows having displays of mannequins in them, one of which has only fabric draped around its neck and the other which Ain is using to sew a dress. He's also wearing his own as he does this, ten different bobby pins in his hair to keep his bangs out of the way while he works.

Although he looks busy, shuffling about to get the display set up, he'll cheerfully greet people who come in and ask if they want anything done. He doesn't have anything premade yet because this place just opened, but he's happy to take requests — or sew something up, if you need it.]

II. - The Gardening Prompt

[After the tailor shop is fully set up, Ain can be seen walking around in short overalls with a ton of gardening supplies. Flower pots, seed packets, a toolbelt filled with gardening tools he got from Heimr... he has thirty-six packages of seeds, three each of any one type of plant, and he looks overjoyed digging in soil. He has become a Dirt Boy. Which is to say he has somehow gotten swipes of dirt on his face. If you want to help, or just stare at him, you can find Ain either:

a) futzing with flower pots and hanging planters that he's trying to get hung up on the awning of the tailor shop and on the other buildings, once things get planted; and he specifically tells you that the cacti need to be planted in large pots because they grow out too, not just up, and can you help him reach this and that or move this big heavy cactus flower pot over there?

b) digging holes into the actual ground, but not near the sunflowers so he doesn't harm them by accident, around the various buildings. Here is where he's planting lilies and frangipani and a bunch of other flowers, watering the spots the seeds are buried where they immediately spring to life thanks to him asking Moder to make them grow faster earlier. The Guardian herself is lingering in the distance supervising like a mom at the park.

c) Of course, if you didn't want to help with the process of planting things, you can find Ain a few hours later making flower crowns from the lantanas and lilies.]

[[ooc: if it's helpful to anyone wanting to garden, this is the full list of plants bought: cactus, aloe vera, lilies, frangipani, wisterias, fuchsias, begonias, hydrangeas, poppies, lantanas, calendulas, & gardenias. have fun planting plants :) ]]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Wolfwood notices that. Oh, he notices it because it's so weird hearing him say his name and not "Mr. Priest" instead that his breath actually catches.

It's there, then it's gone. But he will remember.]

Guess you got a point.

[He sighs again, looking up at the sky, now.]

I was an orphan, livin' at an orphanage called Hopeland. It was my home for as long as I could remember. It was...an orphanage, so basically exactly what you'd expect. The only constant was that sometimes, one of us kids would be "chosen" to leave. It was treated as an honor, real special...I'm pretty sure the other kids thought it meant they were going to a real home. But I never believed it, even if I didn't know exactly what else it could mean. It felt too...weird.

Eventually...came my turn to be chosen. Everyone saw me off as I left with people I didn't recognize, and I was just a kid. I didn't understand, I didn't know what was gonna happen from there.

Turns out, our orphanage only existed to pump out unwitting test subjects for a cult. They needed bodies to experiment on, trying to create a human who could survive basically anythin'. Like...a livin' robot, or somethin'. The lead doctor claimed he was doing it for a good cause, to try to secure a future for a dying world. And for us to survive a world that was dying, we needed to evolve to adapt to it.

[He falls silent for a moment, gaze distant as he's brought right back.]

I don't remember much about it anymore, other than the moments I was awake. One moment, I was a kid, and the next...I was me. Five or six years of it. I was deemed a failure 'cause I needed serums to heal my injuries, I couldn't just regenerate by myself. I might as well just be a normal person otherwise.

[Well, "normal" is disregarding his military training and higher ability for resisting pain and shit, but that's implied by the giant fuck-off gun he carries around.]

Now I work for 'em. If I don't ask how high when they say to jump, they'll take another kid and the cycle will continue. And I'd sooner be their bitch for the rest of time than allow it.

[...ah. Okay. Ain was expecting things to be bad, of course, but not that bad. He's not sure how to feel, at first, a bunch of nebulous and unidentifiable emotions blooming in his chest. He looks to the flowers like they'll give him answers, like the calendulas will tell him exactly what he should say.

This is why he hated humans for so long. They're cruel, they're unjust, they think only of themselves. They only take, and take, and take, both from the world and from each other. Had Elsword not showed him love, had he not seen humans try and struggle and just want to live, had he not seen them signing songs of hope along the bonfire and trying to fix the world they broke, the sentiment he decides to express to Wolfwood would be much different. He knows better know. He knows that humans are full of good things.

Sometimes. Sometimes, they're just as cruel as he remembers them being... but that's why he's here. He's here to protect them. To love them when they won't love themselves. So he sits up properly and spins around, wrapping Wolfwood in a tight, warm embrace. He's still covered in dirt and leaves and flower petals, and their crowns crinkle as he pushes his cheek into the side of Wolfwood's neck, but hopefully Wolfwood doesn't mind too much.]

I'm sorry. I'm sorry they were so cruel to you. You were only a child. [And technically, he still should be. He should be around Laby's age, or Noah's at most. He shouldn't be around Raven's. It's unfair.] You never deserved it.

[It reminds him of Noah, who was put under the same circumstances — experimented on, tortured, and then sealed into stasis for five hundred years. It reminds him of Add, who was enslaved as a child and narrowly escaped, the scar on his neck a permanent reminder of everything he'd gone through. It reminds him of Master Rosso, of Clamor, of Raven, similar experiments...

It's always some cult doing some cruel thing to a little kid every single time.]

You're safe here. You're safe with me, and you're safe with everyone else, too. They can't get you here. I won't let them.

[It's not something Wolfwood has told many people. Only a few know, and it being heavy, sensitive subject matter really only scratches the surface. The rest is a whole lot of personal and emotional baggage, with Wolfwood feeling like being vulnerable is setting himself up for getting hurt. It's like dealing with a wolf in a cage who has been starved for years, expecting him to trust just any person who dares to stick their hands through the bars.

And Ain is not just sticking his hands in. He's climbing in with him, with his own heart pinned to his sleeve.

He turns and hugs Wolfwood close, gripping him tight and offering him the apology he never got from any of the adults who mistreated him when he had his agency stripped away. The assurance that he's safe despite knowing he still very much isn't in another world. That even with all of the demons dogging his every footstep...somehow, some fucking how, the people here have decided he's worth caring about.

And they do care. Even Ain.

Since Wolfwood was already emotional before they started talking, this is kindof what ends up breaking through the dam. It can't hold back what he's been shoving down any longer, and he just...breaks. He does that thing you do when the tears spring forth unbidden, a few breaths escaping him uncontrollably as he buries his face into the side of Ain's shoulder.

He doesn't answer because he can't. He's too busy folding, wrapping his arms around Ain in return with his fingers fisting the back of his shirt, rumpling it and pulling it askew.]

[Poor thing. Ain rubs soothing, small circles into Wolfwood's back between his shoulders, humming a little tune to soothe him like a bird. It's okay, let it out, he's right here...

He doesn't mind if his overalls or his shirt or anything else get tears on them. Honestly, Wolfwood can sit here an cry all day if he needs to. Ain doesn't mind.]

You're not alone. Crying is good for you, so let it all out, okay? Times may be rough, and you may feel hopeless, but there will always, always be a light at the end of the tunnel. You'll be okay.

[And if not... Ain has ways of making things okay. He's very, very proficient at them.]

[And let it out he does. Wolfwood is no longer in a position to be strong, or to try to pretend he's okay when he isn't, or any number of things. He's miserable, he's hurting, and he just wants things to go back to some sort of "normal" despite knowing that isn't going to happen any time soon. Not now, not if he goes back home.

He sobs deeply into Ain's shoulder, muffled against the fabric of his overalls. But they're alone out here by his little shop, so there's probably no danger of being watched or interrupted. Though, Wolfwood imagines grimly that the Creature is in fact watching somewhere out there, and is getting quite a kick out of his despair. For the time being, he's feeling as childish as they are.

Wolfwood will sit and weep for a while. He has no idea how long, just that it feels like much longer than it probably is, and by the time it's over he feels tired and dehydrated. He's breathing heavy, his grip still tight on Ain even if his limbs are loose around him.]

...gettin'....yer shirt all gross...

There's this great thing someone invented once called laundry, and believe it or not, I know how to do it. [Softer] I already need a bath because I've been gardening, so it's fine.

[Hugs the Mr. Priest... rubs the Mr. Priest's back...]

It feels good to cry it out, doesn't it? [Says man who never cries ever, in his life, not once.] I don't mind if you need to let it all out. I'll be here.

[Good job Ain, you actually manage to get Wolfwood to laugh with that one. It's wet and thick sounding, still kindof muffled against his clothes, but it's there and that's what matters.

With a heavy swallow or two, he sort of flops his head against Ain's shoulder again in some semblance of a nod, even if it doesn't match up with what he says next.]

Kinda jus' makes me feel like I'm a little kid again...but it was bound to happen sooner or later.

[My man has been ~compartmentalizing~]

I don't know why you mortals are obsessed with being "kiddish" or not. Why does it matter? Doing silly things is fun. If I wanna eat an entire basket of cookies that's my prerogative.

[And he will do this. He will fucking do this.]

Just focus on living, would you? Before I left Elrios, Elsword dared Mr. Guardian to stick his hands into the poisonous river and they would have done it had Elsword's sister not yelled at him.

[Just an example!]

Dunno if I'd call that...k-kiddish so much as a bad idea.

[You're going to get a wicked tummyache doing that, Ain. What the fuck.

...also-]

...yeah. That definitely sounds like somethin' he woulda' done.

Oh, yours too? Haha, I guess they're all the same.

[All Elswords is same? Interesting.]

Do you want sweets? We can go to Mr. Pigeon's cafe! Sometimes there's a weird ghost of a bunny rabbit in there!

[The Liason. The Liason is in there.]

[......]

Yeah. Sure. Why not.

[He looks like fucking garbage, his face is soaked with tears and he looks like he slept outside, but...honestly, he has nothing to lose at this point. He will go get sweets at the fucking cafe with Ain.]

Dunno if I'll eat a whole lot right now though...sorry.

[It's okay he will help Wolfwood wipe his face off. Like Ain is covered in gunk anyway and actually hmm

Passenger is pretty big on not tracking dirt in so actually—]

Wait! I need a bath first. I'll be quick, Mr. Pigeon is going to fry me like a chicken if I track dirt into his cafe. [And he can't trust the bnuuy ghost to not tattle.] I'm gonna head to the bathhouse and put something else on.

Do you wanna come?

[For once I swear to god this is not flirting, Ain is Korean-German this is normal for Koreans they do this.]

...huh?

[Wolfwood, who is not Korean, just kindof. Stares at Ain for a minute like what are you saying to me-]

Uh, I mean...sure?

[He can just stand outside he guesses??? Local man doesn't know how bathhouses work news at 11 he's never used it]

[!!!!!]

Okayyy~! Come on!

[Hops up. Runs into the tailor shop real quick to grab that dress he wore yesterday so that he has something not-dirty to wear. Grabs Wolfwood's hands.

Yoinks him right in there and to the men's section this is where we go with our flower crowns now. Sorry Wolfwood you're not waiting outside unless you say no, Ain is veering into the changing room and undressing.

Run bitch.]

[Let it be known that Wolfwood is no prude.

BUT ALSO-]

W-wait, Ain-

[He stumbles along with him as he's dragged to the bathhouse and just right on inside, his stupid loafers squeaking along the floor as Ain beelines for the changing room.]

Am I 'sposed t'be in here?

[Please explain he's so]

[...]

How do you think you're going to bathe if you don't use the changing room? Are you doing your laundry at the same time?

What? No, I mean-

[He shakes his head a little. What is happening.]

Me? In here? ...while you're in here?

...oh, that's right, you don't bathe on No Man's Land. [no,] On Elrios, we have hotsprings and bathhouses, and everyone goes into them jointly. There's a men's section and a women's section, and you go to one side and bathe in a big pool if it's a hotspring, or have showerheads and a big bath in the middle of the room if it's a bathhouse like this one.

[...]

You don't have to! Haha, I'm sorry, I thought you knew what it was?

We bathe. We just don't have...fancy shit for it.

[You bathe with what you have. Sometimes it's water, sometimes it's scrubbing the blood off your skin with sand. He's had to make do with both in the past.

So it's like. A cultural thing, then. He guesses that makes sense. And since Ain seems completely unbothered, and Wolfwood has already cried all over the guy, it's not really like he can make more of an ass of himself than he already has.

Also, he's not a pussy-]

...no. I prolly need to. I'm all gross, still.

[From crying, he means.]

Maybe it'll...help me feel better, I dunno.

A hot bath is nice. We can put our stuff in the cubbies here.

[Okay but for real: Goodbye clothes.]

It's polite to wear a towel around your waist even when bathing in public in the changing rooms. You can take it off when you actually bathe.

[Since Wolfwood has never had fun in his life clearly. Life without a hotspring is not a life Ain wants. He will explain this anyway though, and put his flower crown on top of his stuff and his clean outfit in another cubby like an asshole.

All towelled up, he is leading Wolfwood toward where the bath is. Don't mind the back tattoo that looks like his wings he showed Wolfwood on the beach, it's fine.]

[Listen it's not his fault the planet has no woter :( He'd be in hot springs all the time otherwise, anyway cowboy!Wolfwood wants his location-

It takes Wolfwood a little longer than usual to undress due to his leg, but he manages and gets his courtesy towel wrapped around himself so he can follow after Ain. It's not like they haven't both been shirtless around one another before, it's just. Uh.

Marginally different when there's only a towel protecting you from being balls out to the world. And yes, he is staring at that tattoo, thank you very much-]

Don't look like anybody else is here, at least.

[Yeah Wolfwood and you wonder why Gnosis refuses to use this place, Kjeragi society is also not big on having your balls out in public. Meanwhile Ain is getting into the big basin in the middle of the room and goodbye towel—

He has an armful of those fancy soaps this place comes equipped with and he is immediately taking his braid out to worsh his hair with some. They're all fruity. Wolfwood might smell like he got attacked by a feral fruit salad if he uses these. To be honest, Ain barely read the labels, he just saw fruit on them and said yeah that's good.]

Haha, are you shy? This is just how it is for me. You don't need to be shy, you know! If others come in, they probably already know the rules.

[Well duh that's cause your balls would freeze if they were out in Kjerag!! Meanwhile it's nice and warm on No Man's Land, so Wolfwood would have no reason to complain.

Wolfwood makes a face like he ate a lemon, and as if he takes that as a Challenge, he lets his own towel drop somewhere nearby before heading for one of the showers. He'd much rather take a shower than just immediately get in the tub, even if he's marginally less dirty than Ain is right now.

He will sort of keep his gaze directed forward towards the wall for now regardless as he switches the faucet on.]

I ain't shy. Just ain't used to this.

[Okay, listen. Ain is not... not gonna look at the booty sorry. To be fair he looks when pants are on too? But he will respectfully look away after a second as he worshes him dirty face. Because oh my god somehow he got it everywhere. How did he do this. It's not like he was rolling in the grass?!]

Haha, if you say so.

[And then he ducks under the water to de-soap his hair. Don't mind him becoming one with the bath.]

[The respectful looking elsewhere lasts only as long as Wolfwood thinks Ain is looking his way. It's only when he's sure that he can safely sneak a secret peek will he glance over. He is not made of steel and he's had a hard day, okay. He's allowed probably.

Not sure how much he'll see with Ain in the bath, though. Ain, however...will see Wolfwood's full ass if he looks over, so enjoy that.

He's just going to scrub his own hair now, as well as his face because god he's still so sticky.]

cw: human/child experimentation

the cws continue: more human experimentation, child slavery mentions

I was gonna roll for this but no I do what I want

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