capeandcowl | 019 ♍ video

[ it's early afternoon and kanaya is in the greenhouse, tending to a row of black calla lilies, watering can in one hand, clippers in the pocket of her apron. she has a headband on to keep her bangs out of her eyes, and a smudge of dirt or two on her cheek. she doesn't look like she's slept in a while. in fact, it's probably been days.

her communicator is propped up on a shelf above the flowers so she can speak to it while keeping her hands free. ]

I've been thinking about it, and i's something of an awkward question, but in the interest of cultural sensitivity, it needs to be asked. You see, it occurs to me that certain words have...numerous contexts depending on the user's place of origin, and in some cases can be utterly and unwittingly obscene. [ she stops and places her hand on her chin, looking up at the communicator. well, that will be more dirt, won't it. ] I was told once that I should write a book about my planet for human education, but I don't know about that. I'm not much of a writer.

[ she turns back to her flowers. ] That said, ignorance can only be dispelled through education, so there will need to be...some sort of offering to make. So, if a list could be collected from various non-humans on practices that would be untoward from humans unaware of the implications of these actions, perhaps a pamphlet could be prepared and left at the Porter's housing unit. I think it's worse considering, at least, but I'll need some assistance in constructing it, namely from any others from non-Earth planets to contribute things I may not be aware of, either.

[ she sits there lingering on the thought for a moment before setting the can down and rising to her feet, her hands dusting off at the top of the frame before she reaches over to take the communicator. ] While I'm on the topic of bridging cultures, we're not far from your holiday celebrating romantic successes.

[ she pans the camera out across the area to show what she's been working on. the greenhouse is growing a great many flowers which are just now coming into full bloom in a brilliant display of blacks, pinks, and reds, with a small corner of a few grey things growing. she'd have liked to expand that one, but her choices were limited as it was and there was sadly little demand for them anyway. ]

Last year, Jade and I offered bouquets to fit each of my culture's quadrants. She...may not be here anymore, but I thought I should carry on the endeavor in her absence. A tradition must be continued if it expects to be established, after all. So I will be accepting orders from now until Thursday's end, and delivery is available.

I hope you all enjoy the day as it approaches.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Oh no, I meant the idea you'd already expressed. Keeping it to yourself for now rather than inflicting it on others. I think that may be the most prudent course for myself, as well.

Oh. Can we, uh, pretend I didn't misunderstand you and accidentally admit that my love life is a total disaster then?

[ weak smile ] See, this is one of the reasons I should probably work on the working on myself thing.

Will the second point have any real meaning if the first part is followed? At least your examples are prominent, and relatively mild. It's easier to be helped that way.

Because it's... [ She looks down. ] You know. Embarrassing!

[ and now comes the flailing. ] And again, I'm not asking for help— not that I'm ungrateful, it's nice that you're offering, and let's face it some days I really wonder if I should be in charge of my own affairs, especially the romantic ones, but–

[ MORE! FLAILING!! Like that will help somehow. ]

If your success have been half as short-lived and disastrous as my own, it's likely that no one should be in charge of them, least of all yourself.

But the help isn't in finding you a new partner, but in understanding your process to become comfortable without. One day it may improve the kind of partner you'll make to the one you love.

Oh, I wish some of them had been short-lived. [ bitter so bitter. ]

So, if I understand right, you're offering me a self-improvement course?

I'm not offering anything. I'm simply agreeing with the sense behind the idea you'd already stated.

Sorry, I thought...

[ Shakes her head. ]

Forget it. It's easier said than done, huh? Self-improvement.

If you were hoping to be advised, then I apologize, but I'm really in no position to give it. I can only serve as a model of what to avoid doing, at best.

[ SIGH. ]

That makes two of us.

Tell me about it.

...That wasn't a rhetorical invitation, by the way. [ maybe cyd's problems will look more manageable, and working another's business out might make her feel better. at least she never threw a necrotic arm at her partner...probably. ]

It's pretyyyyyyy bad.

[ THE MOST NERVOUS LAUGHTER. Please don't assume she's a psychopath, Kanaya, even though she totally wouldn't blame you after hearing the words that are about to come out of her mouth. ]

I. Kind of. Set my ex-boyfriend's cello on fire?

[ she makes no visible sign of surprise, just nodding in understanding as if this were simply a thing that happens. that is a red flag, cyd. ]

What had he done?

[ Someday, she might realize look back on this moment and realize that, with great regret. But let's face it: Cyd lost her ability to see red flags a long time ago. ]

Cheated on me.

[ Looks away from the camera. It's hard to admit, even now, how bad things were with Trevor. ] ...and made me do a bunch of work for his stupid band and stole all the credit while saying I was the one holding him back, and blaming it all on my gaming.

If you ask me, it sounds as if he was left off easy. Maybe a slightly extreme measure, but it isn't like he hadn't earned it.

If only the courts had agreed with you.

[ Shaking her head. ] I'd only meant to burn the music I wrote for the jerk, anyway, and not his instrument... but I gotta be honest. It felt pretty good getting even.

You burnt the music while it still presented a hazard to other items around it? Accidentally?

That's simply poor fire practice. If you were chastised, it was likely due to that.

Give me a break! It was my first time committing arson!

...and only time. [ ANXIOUS FACE: ON. ] S- Seriously, I'm not a pyro, I swear.

But anyone could have told you that fire spreads, it's what fire does. It consumes and expands, and that is why things burn. Had you inclinations toward pyromania, you would have learned this early.

It's just common sense to isolate the thing you want burned from other flammable objects before committing it to its destruction. Do keep that in mind next time.

There—

There won't be a next time! I'm not planning on dating any more dudes who make me want to destroy things.

We all make plans, Cyd. Sometimes the future has other ideas.

[ she doesn't plan on her heart doing backflips the next time she sees a girl being attractively dangerous, but that doesn't mean it isn't going to happen anyway. ]

[ Sticking her tongue out LIKE A GROWNUP. ]

You know what?

My romantic history... might be on your side. In fact, it... totally is. BUT! I'm going to remain optimistic about my ability to attract a guy that isn't a total jerk or... unhinged... anyway.

[ Unsaid: So there.
Also unsaid: Nyah nyah nyah. ]

Is it just down to who you can attract? What about someone who you might find attractive yourself?

Well...

[ There's a goofy grin on her face. ] I did meet a guy recently. He seems nice! But...

[ There it goes, replaced by a pout. ] So have a lot of the guys I liked. At least at first.

Well, it might be wise to get to know him better, then. Don't let your heart leap without first seeing where it will end up.

[ that sounds like wonderful advice, kanaya, why are you so shitty at following it yourself? ]

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