Scoot over.

Timeline/World: Atheria 3rd Generation
Characters: Sorren Ursi
Race: Halfling – Demon / Dragon / Elf (forest) / Faery
Age: 40, physically about 21
Final Word Count: 561 words

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Here’s a short, interesting story: I talk to plants.

What, you thought it would be something deeper, something more meaningful? It’s meaningful to me. A lot of people think that plants are just things without feelings or emotions and I know that, for the most part, they’re right. They’re just plants, there might not be a brain in there but there is a general sort of ‘thereness’ to them. I can’t explain it. This is the reason why I have soft music playing in the plant room, why I talk to them, why I take care of them the way I do.

Just a week ago, I’d gotten my hands on a plant that had actually been lost and dead to us for longer than most of us from this third generation have been alive but there it was, potted, still so young and tiny, in my hands. I placed it on a shelf next to another plant I was sure it would communicate well. I scooted the older plant over a little, chuckling softly as I had to untangle some of its vines from the shelf above it, where it had grown surprisingly quickly and I did tell it that it had to scoot over to make room for another peer. I’ve had this vine plant for a while; it always latches onto everything around it except other plants, something I was glad for.

Because see, I’ve had a lot of different climbing plants like that and a lot of them would latch onto everything and I do mean everything. The trellis behind them, the shelves, the other plants. In these particular cases, I had to set them just right, make sure they wouldn’t suffocate the other plants I was setting within their reach but I did find out that some plants did grow better when they were being, essentially, held up by these climbers.

In the case of my latest little addition though, I knew it would need all the care and partial sun I could give it, so putting next to this particular climber that only left dappled bits of the sun about made the most sense. I was right, too. I’d been told that it was likely it would have a hard time to grow but placing it right where I did, surrounding it with other plants of similar nature and making sure it had all it needed gave it a huge boost, within that week it tripled in size and I know they normally don’t grow that quickly so I’m keeping an eye on it in case it decides to have a growth spurt that might make it a danger to all the other plants.

That’s the one thing to keep in mind. You might love one type of plant or flower more than the others, but you can’t play favourites with plants. If you let one take over the others, you’ll likely lose them all, it’s a bit like having good neighbours all around and plants do need neighbours. Some do well in pots all by themselves but let me tell you that having a couple of plants is like having a couple of pets that can play together when you’re not there to keep them company. It’s that simple.

No, of course, I’m not saying that plants are pets but the principle still applies.

I guess I’m more afraid of not being able to change than change itself.

Timeline/World: Erisia – Rockbourne Dome
Characters: Charles de Lacroix
Race: Human
Age: 17
Final Word Count: 571 words

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It’s subtle still but it’s there and it’s hard to miss for those of us who have never been like ‘everyone else.’ Those of us who were never straight, never into having children, never into any of the things we were forced to be for the sake of the population, as our now dead leader used to believe in. His belief of needing everyone paired and women popping out a lot of sons and some daughters is why our population is almost to its limits for the size of the dome and why we’re digging through the mountain—only one injured so far—to get into the sister dome on the other side.

I’m one of the people glad for this change but it still is frightening. After forcing myself to accept that one day I’d have to pick a woman and bed her, it’s hard to go against it, even though I know I wanted to flirt blatantly with just one person in particular for so long. Giving him that book was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Both for the fact that it was all we had left of our home and my brother was seriously against the idea and because people think I act like a particular way but I just don’t. That’s what it is, all an act.

To a lot of people, I act like I know what I’m doing, like I’m probably one of the greatest flirts the dome has ever known and that I’m that outgoing person who can get everything done because it’s just that easy but it’s not. Giving that book? It almost gave me heartburn I was so nervous about it. Talking to him at all and acting like I’m fine, like this is easy, like all I want to do is flirt with him and talk to him just so openly? Not easy despite that yes, I wish I could talk to him easily. I wish my heart wouldn’t get into my throat whenever he’s in my room because he’s been and I admit we’ve done a thing or two that eases this stress but I’m not how I act, I’m a lot more than my brother than I let on.

This has been an ongoing battle for me for years, this need to act more the way I think I should versus the way I know I am. No one likes a shy introvert, do they? Well, I suppose they do since I know my brother’s current friend seems quite fond of him despite his introvert and slightly grumbly nature but I feel like I’m wearing someone else’s skin when I act like myself, when I duck my eyes, when I blush and avoid contact.

I don’t even know how to really explain myself, it’s just how it is and I can’t seem to be able to change at all. I want to stop being afraid to get close, I can now, so why does my heart go a mile a minute when he steps close to me? I’m surprised I haven’t had a heart attack just yet. I know this is more than a simple little crush; this is more than just wanting to get into his pants and trust me I’m going to love that if we ever get there. I’m a little terrified to think I’m in love with him, what if that scares him off?