awashlogs | [OPEN] Flower gleam and glow

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[OPEN] Flower gleam and glow

WHO: Everyone in the Town
WHERE: The community garden(s)
WHEN: Anytime in August
WHAT: Flower crowns! Teach each other to make flower crowns, exchange them with each other, succeed in questing
WARNINGS: No

[At any point during the month you may come across the community gardens in the Town and see a couple of different set-ups.

For one thing, someone created a sign painted with purple paint that reads "FLOWER CROWNS HERE."

For another thing, there are bushels and bouquets of different kinds of plants and flowers that have their color restored that have been gathered.

And finally, there are smaller slips of paper that read "RED", "YELLOW", and "BLUE."

At least once a day people passing by the garden will find John sitting there and monitoring the situation. Anyone who approaches will be greeted with a large grin and a wave.]

You saw the forum, right? I thought we could all make this a little easier on each other.

[Grab some flowers and some friends! Questing has never been so easy.]

[ooc: Hello! For ease of use to complete quest 23, this is an open log that people can consolidate and thread with each other! Please feel free to label in the subject what color your character is, thread out making and gifting crowns to each other, and have fun!]

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[ honestly, he was just passing by on his way to somewhere else. but someone sneaking, in a really obvious sneaking kinda way, over to a random doorknob and hanging a flower crown on it... it kinda draws the eye.

even more so when Shiho's reaction to spotting him is that. Michael can't help teasing, his mouth curling up. ]

Oh yeah, I totally saw. [ ... but he can't hold it for long, and his smug, shit-eating grin flies apart into a laugh that's incredulous, but much more good-natured. ] Why're ya so embarassed about it?

[He’s teasing her, she can tell that much. Her expression goes from naturally, reflexively defensive then to something a little more petulant because how dare he tease her.]

Because I’m trying not to let anyone see.

[Obviously, Michael!!]

Yeah, the whole Mission Impossible thing clued me in. But I mean, the whole town's draping flower crowns over each other right now, do you really have to be so cloak-and-dagger about it?

[ HE DOESN'T GET IT OKAY IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S A SURPRISE BIRTHDAY PRESENT OR NOTHIN' ]

[Why can’t people just let her be tsundere in peace....]

....Why can’t I be? There’s no rule in the quest that says I can’t do it like this. [Also the whole town isn’t made up of psychometers who have been lying to all their friends so.]

[ there's a beat, before he nods. ] I mean, you got me there. I just feel like if I was gonna go outta my way like this to let someone know I thought they were worthy or whatever, I'd wanna make sure I knew they knew I thought it.

[ being tsundere is something that has never entered the sphere of Michael's brain outside of like, the awareness of it as an abstract concept. WHY WOULDN'T... YOU WANNA TELL YOUR FRIENDS YOU THINK THEY'RE AWESOME... ]

All that matters is that they know they’re worthy to someone out there. It doesn’t have to be me. [Besides, she’s never been an overtly affectionate person even when she was a little kid. Her shows of affectionate are small things, usually given when the other person wasn’t watching or was unconscious.]

[ something about that... rubs him the wrong way, for reasons he can't quite articulate.

he's gonna try anyway though. ]

Yeahhh, I dunno. It might matter to some of those people that you're the one they're worthy to. It could matter a whole lot.

[Shiho has never been the best at showing her own emotions, regardless of how well she can read them from others. As a child she’d thought she couldn’t, that being quiet meant she was being good and she’s never been able to shake that off completely even now.]

Well I’ve lied to them. They don’t know who I am. [And she may have taken advantage of that a little bit, touching them sometimes when they’d hurt themselves or eaten floor food because she was worried. One day she fully expects that to come back and haunt her, for people who know about the psychometry to think back and try and remember all the times she may have touched them with them not realizing anything.

[ that's sad.

thinking someone's worthy enough to make them a worthiness flower crown that nice to say they're worthy, but them not really knowing the real you? that's... really sad.

that's the first thing that crosses his mind, but even Michael knows better than to run his mouth with that one. it's too vulnerable a statement for... heck, anyone, let alone two people who aren't even close, but he can't really find something else to say in place of it. in the end, all he's able to come up with is: ]

Doesn't that bother you-- even a little?

[ admittedly, she doesn't sound like it bothers her, at least, not so much, but - he knows better than he ever wants to admit what it's like to front so well like you don't care about something that bothers you that you almost believe it yourself. ]

...Of course it does. [At ten years old she would have told him that it didn’t. At five years old she would have told him to mind his own business.

She wants to be more truthful but even then wanting and having the ability to do it are two different things.]

But it’s... complicated.

"Complicated". Isn't that always the way.

[ and isn't "it's complicated" always shorthand for stuff that's either super depressing, or else super built-up inside your own head as something huge and insurmountable, or both?

still-- ]

I'm not gonna lie and say I get it? 'Cause I don't. [ it's not like he's never told a lie, but... he's bad at it. his face gives him away. and lying about who he is is just something that wouldn't even cross his mind. ] But for what it's worth that flower crown doesn't look like a lie. So, even if you're lying about literally everything else about yourself, I think it'd still mean something to them-- knowing it came from you.

[Shiho doesn’t know what to say to that. If it was to anyone else? She would have said the same thing, would have reassured them that people would know better than to judge them for a lie like that or else they’d have her to answer to.

But to herself, it feels so much harder even though she knows it’s silly to even think such a thing. She knows these people she considers her friends. She wants to trust them.]

I... know that. [They’re all good, kind people.]

I just... don’t want to lie to them so I thought... at least this could be something.

[ she doesn't... want to lie to them... but she's doing it anyway???? ]

Is it like an old habits die hard thing? --Wait, you don't have to answer that.

[ man, there's a lot going on here that he just... doesn't even have the slightest clue of what it is. he can recognise that. he's pretty sure anyone could. but like with so many things like this, all he can really think of to say is, well... the sorta stuff that he thinks he would want or need to hear, if he was in that kinda situation. ]

Listen: you're totally right. Stuff like this is definitely something. I mean, it matters, you know? So-- I just think it's a shame, that you put all that work in, and all your buddies are just gonna spend the rest of eternity wondering who their secret admirer is while you're literally right there, is all.

[ ... nobody said he had to word it in a serious way, okay. but flippantly-worded or not, he means it! it seems unfair to literally everyone on all sides of that arrangement. ]

[It’s exactly an old habits die hard thing which is why she’s glad when she doesn’t have to talk about it. She should have been past this and it’s still mortifying when she realizes that she isn’t.]

.....I guess. I don’t want to be anyone’s secret admirer after all.

[She’s the one who has secret admirers.]

...You know, you’re actually pretty good at this whole pep-talk thing.

[ there's a small laugh as he sticks his hands in his pockets, rocking back on his heels slightly. ]

Ya think? Thanks. I just throw words at the metaphorical wall and hope something sticks. [ and when it doesn't, and he can feel that it isn't... yeah that's when the problems come in. ] I meant what I said, though.

Kind of easy to tell when someone doesn't mean it. [For one, they wouldn't have even bothered.]

You tried, that counts for something, doesn't it?

I'd like to think so, yeah-- [ beat. ] Hey, wait, don't turn this back around on me! Are you gonna keep on being a mysterious flower crown stork or not?

[First ninja from Maya and now a stork??]
If you don’t want it turned back around on you then don’t be so supportive. [Because that’s what happens when you do kind things: other people return the favour, so there.]

And why is it a “stork” anyway?

[ in a deadpan tone, but spoiled a little by the grin he can't hold back: ] Nuh-uh. I do what I want. Can't be tamed.

--right, so I was thinking along the lines of like, the crowns are your babies and you're delivering them in secret to their new homes, but-- [ hm. ] I think maybe that analogy got away from me a little.

[She tries not to smile but it’s basically futile when he starts grinning a little too.] So you’re like a guerilla supporter or something?

And I’m pretty sure that analogy didn’t just get away from you a little.

[ s u c c e s s ! he lets out a small, goofy-sounding laugh. ] Oh man, yes! If I had business cards, I'd totally steal that off you to put on 'em.

Also hey, that analogy's got a life of its own now! Far be it from me to hold it back.

[Okay, that has her laughing too. He wins, this time!] It might be pretty funny so I guess I’d be willing to let you borrow it.

So you’re just going to let it fly free and do whatever it wants?

[ he definitely just did a fist-pump plus whispered "yes!!" x2 combo in response to that. his imaginary business cards just became infinitely more badass. ]

Yep, I'd be a total hypocrite otherwise. And what it wants is to know if you're gonna keep on doing the thing it was supposed to be analogising. [ WHICH IS TOTALLY A WORD. ]

[It’s such a small thing? How does it make him that happy? Somehow this reminds her a bit of Kaoru.]

Well, I think I still have a few more left to deliver. Can’t let your analogy down, after all. And who knows, maybe you should get one too?

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[OPEN] Flower gleam and glow

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