Weekly challenge #11: You know what day it is.

[Vay]

Well it still is for some of you. Thats right I'm bringing the mushy romance all to the writing section.... well opening the door for it it you guys going to do the bringing. It is (or was) valentines day.

So for all you new guys, just write a short post about the subject, no skill required its all for fun.

This week's phrase: Because its Valentine's

 

[Fluffy]

For Valentine's Day, I decided to bake a dozen cupcakes, each with a candy heart upon the frosting. My love fancies white cake with vanilla frosting, which I planned to dye red just for this occasion. Some sprinkles, too. These cupcakes will be so ultimately sweet, so I decided to schedule a dentist appointment. The time and date are even written down in the adorable card I purchased.

Everything was gathered on the counter. I mean everything. The cookie cutters, every spatula, every bowl... I was simply too excited. This clutter just wouldn't do, though.

While my back was turned, my hands reaching to put some extra unneeded bowls away, I hear a mewl. That was, without a doubt, my feline friend. "How was your nap?" I ask aloud, of course knowing I'd get no response. Once the cupboards got closed, a smile instantly brightens my face.

"Cookie! What are you doing in the mixing bow?" I laugh, petting the cat on the head. She purrs as I scratch her ears, her eyes closing as well. Clearly, she was hoping to have another nap. It looks like my cupcakes will have to be delayed! Suddenly, I hear the door unlock and then open. Hastily, I grab the bowl with Cookie still curled inside it and rush to my Valentine.

"Have a Cookie," I coo, winking at him. All he did was laugh, then pet our cat on the head. "Happy Heart's Day!"​

 

[Hydronine]

"You're such an asshole!" She screamed down the hall, pelting the insulted man with conversation hearts and a vase with a single stem of a red rose in it. There was a tinkling sound as it connected with him and then dropped to the floor, breaking to pieces, some slicing into his bare feet.

"Mary! Come on, I swear, it's not what it looks like!" He pleaded, wincing at the glass, when he suddenly spotted what she'd be propelling at him next. "Oh shit.... Mary! Come on! I swear I wasn't doing anything!" The man yelled at, backing away from the woman, who was now holding a very large knife in one hand, and a gigantic teddybear in the other; The same teddybear he had gotten her four hours ago.

Instead of throwing the knife, or threatening him with it, she silently cut the stuffed-animal's head off, tears rolling down her cheeks. "If you're telling the truth, Jack, why the hell were you in that jewelry store with that... that girl! You put a ring on her hand! I know what I saw!" She exclaimed, dropping both the knife and the bear when Jack came towards her again, cringing as he walked on injured feet again.

"I was practicing." He muttered under his breath, and when she asked him to speak louder, he got down on one knee and smiled up at her. "I was practicing so that I wouldn't be stuttering or saying something stupid... Mary.... " He paused as he fished a small red box out of his pocket and took her hand in his and smiled up at her. "Will you be my Valentine?" He asked, opening the box, within, there was a red stone, cut in the shape of a heart.

"Can we go to the hospital now? I'm pretty sure not many other people are there... because it's Valentine's... I doubt that many people get hurt today." He laughed quietly under his breath as Mary stood there, unsure of what to do.

 

[Starlighter]

"I love you!"

Marcus stared agape at his twelve year old sister, the gaming scene on his computer turning to one of carnage as a result of his sudden inattention. He murmured something unpleasant under his breath and spun his chair to glare directly at her.

"What's that got to do with anything?" She shrugged, beaming an impossibly innocent six-year-old smile.

"Because it's Valentine's Day!" Slowly, he shook his head and turned his chair back around to absorb himself once more in a virtual reality.

"That's just for mushy people, sis." If not for the headphones he so forcefully jammed into his ears, he might have heard her quietly whisper,

"Well, maybe it shouldn't be."

 

[Pahn]

Because it's Valentine's...

The red circle drawn on the calendar on Empress Nagère's desk stood out against the stark white paper, highlighting the date obnoxiously. Nagère did not celebrate such mundane and... human holidays. It concerned a saintly man from milleniums ago, nothing relevant to the world of today. Yet, because it was Valentine's Day and humans were sentimental creatures, here she was. Her second in command, a young woman in her twenties, had insisted on organizing a sort of mixer for their group. Their inner group only, of course. Most of them were outlaws and even if she was the World Empress, sometimes little could be done to destroy the criminal archives of certain countries.

Rolling her cybernetic eyes, Nagère rose from her large armchair and whispered a command to change the backdrop of the large room. It was usually their meeting room, but it was large enough to hold a small party. The windows were covered with a thin film used to display holograms, and now instead of showing various sights from the world she now ruled, they displayed what her second in command had convinced her were "romantic sights". It felt rather superficial and arbitrary; but then again, Nagère did not know much about romance.

"Livette? The room is ready for your... party." The empress voice the updated to the small communicator bracelet around her wrist, and her eyes fell on her outfit. She never could quite leave behind the formal battle clothes, which were all designed to match and pair up with her body's enhancements. She was more machine than human, and it was perhaps the one thing some of her followers were now reproaching her. Their discontent voices were drowned in the ocean of carelessness in her mind, and she would have them executed sooner rather than have to listen to their whispers any longer.

But not today.

"Empress, you really should put on something more... appropriate." Livette, the second in command, had a charmingly cheerful voice, but she had yet to learn when it was okay to speak in such a tone with the empress.

"Lieutenant General Livette. I would advise to keep your fashion advice to yourself." Nagère's tone of voice was cold and unflinching, but it did not manage to deter the sly grin on Livette's face.

Rolling her eyes, the Lieutenant General pulled out an elegant dress from a bag. It was a dark blue, with silver embroidery. The empress pursed her lips, extending a hand to touch the fabric. The silicon skin-like material that covered her cybernetic hands quickly analyzed the quality of the fabric and Nagère could not hold back the mild surprise from her face. The muscles moved around to form an expression before she could prevent it, one drawback of some outdated pieces of technology in her body.

"Are you sure, Empress Nagère? You would be setting a wonderful example..." Livette herself was dressed in a very pretty suit, flattering all her natural curves and showcasing the intricate tattoo that covered her shoulder and neck. Nagère knew what it represented, she had been the one to design it after all, but right now it simply looked like an intricate piece of art.

"One evening would not hurt. At midnight everything will be cleaned out and clear, this is an order. Just because it's Valentine's Day does not mean I will let this place sit idly for days!" In a swift motion, a hologram appeared between the two women and blocked any view of Nagère. She changed into the dress under a minute.

"Ooh la la, Empress Nagère, you look--"

"Livette."

The lieutenant general giggled and turned away, and with a few flick of her fingers jazzy music started from somewhere and the lights dimmed down. Nagère was definitely not convinced that she would allow another Valentine'S celebration next year...

 

[PoetLore]

The children all sat at their desks each had a handful of tiny cards in their hands. There were giggles and blushes from the girls, and poking and kicks under the desks from the boys. Each child had created a box for their cards to be placed in. Some were quite creative, and others were well, a box with hearts glued on it.

Miss Lehman called the group to order, "Now children, we are going to pass out our valentines in an orderly fashion. No pushing or throwing." He gave a stern look at Jonathan Biggs as she spoke. "Then we will have cupcakes and punch ok?"

The children passed out their cards, and much to her relief no child was forgotten, or left out of the group. They had their punch and cupcakes and cleaned up. They finished just before the bell signalled the end of the day. The children who rode the bus were dismissed first and then a few minutes later the children who walked home. Little Robbie martin took his time getting his things together and went over to her desk with a card, that he had obviously made himself. "Happy Valentime's Miss Lehman." he said and then he ran out the door as fast as his little legs could carry him.

She card was covered with hearts of all colors and glitter. When she opened it she smiled, "I love you. Will you be my valentine? love and hugs Robbie." She set it up on her desk for everyone to see tomorrow, and let out a soft sigh. "Oh Robbie if only you were twenty years older and a foot or so taller..."

 

[Doctor Jax]

"Why... did you put candles all over my apartment?" Mateo asked as he entered, the two halves of the stop sign nailed around the jamb screeching momentarily as he slammed the door shut. His apartment - typically a wreck of books, trash, cereal boxes, soda cans, and the odd movie - had been more or less cleaned, candles on the sparse counters and his single dining room table.

Gabby, dressed in full-length black, as ever, smiled sheepishly as she said, "Well, because it's Valentine's, duh!"

Mateo gave her long stare, arms crossed over his chest, while Gabby squirmed under the weight of her fib. Finally she broke and machine-gun-rattled, "Yourapartmentsmellshorrible."

"Hm," was all he answered, looking around uncertainly at his empty-feeling space. "How long did it take you to...?"

"Uh, maybe like four hours? Five? I didn't have much to do all day," Gabby admitted. "This place is kind of boring, actually."

"Yeah, Jeanstown is literally less than five thousand people," Mateo said as he levered himself into a chair, coughing into his elbow. "Not gonna find a Starbucks for another thirty miles north. Now, why were you waiting for me to walk in the door?"

"I pay rent now, you know."

"But you were waiting there. In that seat," Mateo said, pointing.

Gabby's shoulders fell as she rolled her eyes and grimaced.

"I... wanted to know if maybe you were... willing to take on another case, besides mine," Gabby said, rapidly fiddling with a piece of paper on the table. Mateo's dead-eyed stare seemed to be taking him to another far away place.

"Not a chance," Mateo said, swiftly walking towards his room. "Good night!"

"M-Mateo! Matty, you don't sleep until like 3 AM - Matty, come on!"