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 Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2026 1:16 pm
Quote: Flower Power (15) : Destiny City has erupted with colorful wildflowers, both beautiful to look at and surprisingly fragrant. The aroma is incredibly alluring, and it's difficult not to be tempted to get a closer whiff. As expected, it smells even more amazing up close, and immediately after inhaling the aroma, colors seem brighter. Lights appear softer. The world takes on a warm, dreamlike quality where everything feels just a little more magical. Some describe glowing trails of light, shifting colors, or patterns that seem to move when they aren't looking directly at them. Others find themselves unusually cheerful, creative, or sociable. Unfortunately, not every experience is pleasant. What begins as a pleasant daydream can quickly become overwhelming, and the same flowers that inspire wonder in one person may leave another feeling confused, anxious, or trapped in an unpleasant hallucination. The effects always fade with time, maybe a few minutes, maybe a few hours, but no one seems quite sure why these flowers have such unusual properties. If you're the type to stop and smell the roses--be careful.
The grocery shopping had been done, food left in the car, before they went to work on the rest of the shopping. His hands were in his pockets as he walked at the others side, flowers blooming all up and down the sidewalk where there were small open spots of ground from which trees grew as well. The scent of the flowers filled the air, he was certain they smelled more than they had the previous year, the smell was so nice though admittedly heavy. “I wonder if it’s just the heat, or something in the air, but the flowers smell so strong. As if I’d buried my nose into them.” And he certainly had not done that, he was just walking by them, as he smiled over to his partner the blond reached for his hand and held it gently.
“It makes me want to buy some flowers for inside the house.” Perhaps in the living room a flower arrangement would be nice? Maybe their bedroom as well, or even Olivia’s room? Or would flowers in her room be too much? “What do you think? The living room could benefit from some flowers.” For certain, and he really was liking the idea more and more.
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2026 4:26 pm
There was a lot on his mind, between the lawyers, Melody, Amelia, and of course, Olivia. He’d spoken with Desiree and Agatha about the basics, about how things needed to be kept quiet and out of earshot of his daughter for the time being. There was enough going on and he still didn’t feel like he had everything in order when it came to all this.
Liam pulling him out to the store was a reprieve from things though, the grocery shopping having helped him focus on something that wasn’t his own thoughts for an hour at least. Even with Liam’s hands in their pockets, he weaseled his arm around theirs as they walked together. At first he hadn’t noticed the flowers, he’d been too lost in thought again, but then when it was pointed out he took a moment to look around and see the sections of wildflowers around them. They were colorful, maybe a bit disorganized, but they smelled pleasant enough.
“We could do that, just like when you buy me roses?” Though there would be different flowers this time, he wasn’t sure which types yet though. But as they passed a particularly strong smelling group of the wildflowers, he couldn’t help but lean down and pluck two from the plot after making sure nobody was watching.
Offering one to his husband, Aloysius looked at the vibrant petals for a moment and wondered where they’d come from.
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2026 4:29 pm
“Mmmm, maybe.” Taking the offered flower, giving it a little sniff, the blond reached up and tucked it into his hair. “Maybe we could fill the house with flowers.” Cut flowers, of course, their lawn was already covered in flowers thanks to a certain petite blond who had two green hands. They were there, every season, with new things to add and things to remove, whatever wouldn’t come up the next year was removed and in its place was something new, he also took bulbs from the ground and made sure they were stored properly till the following year when they were replanted - like clock work.
Watching him turn up with new things, and tools, was always a show really. He turned up every season and it was a whirlwind of controlled chaos in their lawn for the day as he worked. “We should fill the house so it smells like this - like it does here.” And if Liam happens to have a dopey smile on his face, when he said this, who would notice?
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2026 4:30 pm
It sounded like a nice idea, but as the scent of flowers grew stronger, something unsettling started to prickle down his neck. It felt like he was being watched, being followed, and as he looked past Liam towards the crowd, he could see a familiar face staring back at him.
His face grew pale as he slowly reached for Liam and grabbed onto his shirt with his free hand. It didn’t make any sense. How could they be here? They were dead; he’d seen it, caused it. That starseed was hidden away where it couldn’t go back to the cauldron. But as the crowd moved past, the man started to move towards them. Eyes as dark as the stormy sea, brown hair that matched his own, and a face that he’d only just recently stopped seeing in nightmares.
“V-victor… how?” Breaking the line of vision, he looked at Liam’s dopey smile and pulled him back with him as he turned to quickly walk further away from the man. “Someone is following us, darling…”Keeping quiet and close as he pulled his husband along and back towards the car, he couldn’t help the shake in his hands, the flower falling to the ground, forgotten as he tried to keep his breathing in check so as to not panic.
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2026 4:33 pm
The flowers in the house, filling it with their scent, was appealing and it seemed like it would be happening; he’d just need to find a florist or two to order from. But when he was about to mention it, to ask about florists, he spotted the changing look on the others' faces and how pale they suddenly were. “Aloysius…” Something was wrong and he wasn’t entirely sure what, but he knew something was wrong, it was enough to pull him out of his own thoughts.
“Victor….” Wasn’t that his father - his dead father? “Yeah, you said your father's name.” And it wasn’t possible that a dead person was following them, well maybe it was but wrong season, this might make a bit more sense in the fall…when zombies and spooky things happened. While he was pulled along, by a frantic husband, Liam’s flower fell from his hair and was for a moment mourned.
“Aloysius…”
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2026 4:34 pm
Looking back as Liam spoke, he saw their follower getting closer, and he hurried a bit faster. He could see the car now, just a little further ahead. Wincing when they mentioned what he’d said, he nodded and turned his head back one more time. Just behind Liam, close enough to grab either of them, he saw Victor. He froze, his hand clinging tighter to Liam’s as he looked over their shoulder.
Then he heard it, a voice he’d almost forgotten. Ice cold and devoid of anything pleasant. “It should have been left to me, not you. You don’t deserve it; you never will.” As his father reached forward, Aloysius pulled Liam towards him and away from whatever it was. But it looked so real, real enough that it made it hard to believe that it was anything other than the man from whom he’d taken a starseed from when he first joined the Negaverse.
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2026 4:34 pm
Gasping as he was pulled close, yanked really, his hand moved quickly to grasp at the other and hold tight. They were in a panic but he didn’t know why, didn’t know what they were seeing and reacting to, whatever it was they were bothered though.
Getting the idea, that they needed to get to the car, Liam decided to pick up the pace and start pulling the other along with him. It was clear to him that his husband was in a rush, was worried and even panicked, over something and Liam thought it best to help get to the car so they could escape whatever they were trying to get away from. “Come on love, time to get home.”
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2026 4:36 pm
As soon as he got into the car, the passenger side this time, he took slow breaths to try and calm down. That smell of flowers had dissipated, and as he looked out through the windows, he couldn’t see Victor anymore. Slumping back into the seat, he sighed and closed his eyes.
“Home, please, darling. If we get flowers, not those.” Because as he took time to put things together, even if the sight had stirred up a panic in him, he knew they couldn’t be real even if they looked it. Reaching over to hold their hand again, he kept his eyes closed for a little longer.
“I assume that you never saw him or heard him, even if he was inches from you?” Which was both good and bad, but he knew at this point they wouldn’t think he was going crazy, at least not over something like this.
“I am sorry for pulling you along… I just saw him and my only thought was to get away.” It wasn’t something he could really rationalize; he knew it sounded bad. “Maybe we should make sure that Olivia avoids the flowers, just in case she has a bad reaction, much as I had.”
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2026 4:37 pm
Seated, in the driver's seat, Liam was glad his partner had chosen to take the passenger side; because he wasn’t going to let Aloysius drive. His spouse was in no shape to drive, he was still getting his breathing under control, and he was just glad they hadn’t had some sort of full on panic attack; not that he knew what that would look like. So long as they were alight, safe feeling, and he wouldn’t need to call Lorcan to help Liam was good - he had to be anyway.
“I’m not upset, I was worried - for you.” Because of course he was; he was always worried when the other was upset or troubled. He had pulled his partner along once he'd realized things were bad, knew they needed to escape something, he didn’t need to know what needed escaping, he just knew an escape was needed - that their car was safety. “I saw nothing…not a thing; aside from you.” And how upset, and stressed, they had been. “We can go home….and you can explain things to me.” And he would order normal flowers, as they said normal ones would be fine.
‘We can let her know about the flowers…it won’t tie into us and the magic. It’s the magic of the city which everyone knows.” Everyone knew it and accepted it as normal in this city; magic was real here. Starting the car, Liam didn’t wait long before pulling away from the curb and entering traffic.
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2026 4:40 pm
Letting out a sigh, he could almost laugh over how pathetic it sounded when they hadn’t seen anything. Panicked over a ghost, one that he had assuredly made sure wouldn’t come back to haunt him. “Yes, home, please.”
It wasn’t until they were through traffic and nearly home that he opened his eyes again and looked over at Liam. Feeling calmer, at least enough with the distance as well as Liam’s warm hand in his own. “Yes, we need to tell her, just in case, because she has enough to manage right now with getting used to us, our home, and everything else.”
She still hadn’t spoken to either him or Liam, something that worried him, but Desiree had said she’d spoken to her at least, which was something. With the rest of the paperwork finalized and just the matter of looking over her old home, he was relieved that Amelia hadn’t popped back over. However, he was certain that it was due to the dual efforts of Liam and Melody this time.
“I can explain things in our room. I want to avoid her overhearing something upsetting…”
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2026 4:41 pm
“Indeed, at least if she knows she won’t be taken as much by surprise.” And it wouldn’t jeopardize us, and what they were, not when everyone in the city suffered with this magical issues every year. It had nothing to do with being powered or not, how lucky for them. She might not get expect what might befall her, that might be the surprise, but at least she would know it was magical and yes - it was happening. “We can mention everything we know that has happened, from having dealt with it personally to hearing about it from others or the news, give her a good idea of the things which happen. It’s best we arm her for living in this city.” And hope she didn’t want to run away.
“A good idea, it would be too soon to bring her deep into family matters anyway.” Meaning that maybe, in time, it would be a good idea so she understood her father better and the place he’d been in emotionally and mentally. But now was not the time, there was time for those things.
“Do you want tea before the chat I can bring it up to your room.”
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2026 4:41 pm
“We can both make sure she stays safe….” At least he really hoped so. Even if he was the only one who could get somewhere in record time, that had to be enough if the knowledge was there on what to watch out for and what to avoid. “Just a little bit at a time, I want her to still feel safe.”
Watching as the manor came into view, he squeezed their hand a bit more. “Yes, too soon… I want to keep a lot of it from her, please. There is no reason she should know about most of what I went through…” Maybe some of it, but for the majority of it, there was no reason in his mind. The person who caused things was dead and gone, unable to bring harm anymore.
Waiting until they parked, he got out slowly, took a few more even breaths, and tried to put on a soft smile. He didn’t want to worry or scare Olivia; the last thing he wanted was for the girl to run away or want to live with Amelia. Carrying some of the groceries, he looked over at Liam. “Yes, bring some tea up to our room so we can have that while I… talk about things.”
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2026 4:42 pm
“Good, then perhaps if we’re going slow we go season by season? Let her know about the fall and then, when it’s over, we give her a heads up on winter?” That way it wasn’t too much all at once but she knew what was coming, wasn’t taken by surprise, it was the best way he could see doing things. He had to remind himself that going slow was the best. Children who grew up like he did tended to want everything, all at once, so they were ready for it all. They’d already seen enough of life, knew how unfair and bad it could be, so they didn’t scare so easily…not like other people. He still at times needed to remind himself of such things.
“Of course, she’s far too young, but it will in time be a good idea so she understands why you never followed up with her mother - never kept in touch. It will explain it and she will understand, with time and maturity and experience in living.” Because that would show her how easily it was to lose touch with things, to forget to keep in touch with friends and others and yet it not be done on purpose. It would help and he knew it; but now was not the time. The stories, the information, was too dark and would sound like a man making excuses rather than what it really was.
“Alright, let me know which tea once we get into the kitchen. Do you want this talk in the bed or in the tub?” Either place was relaxing and would be warm and comforting, which would be needed for this talk. A heated bath might be nice but the comfort of their bed and the ability to lay down might be better.
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2026 4:43 pm
“That sounds good. I think we can work with that, darling.” It gave him time to figure out what was best to watch for and what could be left out due to keeping her at home in poor weather or just away from where things tended to happen. It wasn’t ideal; he knew it, but he needed more time to figure things out without causing more harm than good.
“I… well I want to avoid telling her about how I was before you. Maybe if we find out what my mother’s plan was in all this but… not the worst of me, please.” It would shred any credibility, especially if his daughter wasn’t as kind or resilient as his husband was.
“Lavender, maybe with some honey and cream. Bed preferably, maybe a bath later after dinner.” Because that would make it oh so easy for him to doze off after and right now as much as he’d like to sleep and forget things, he couldn’t do that and avoid his daughter and dinner to do so.
Pushing the front door open, he managed that smile a bit easier and headed straight towards the kitchen. Nobody seemed to be around at the moment but he knew that it wasn’t hard for someone to hear them and show up, whether it be Agatha, Desiree, or Olivia.
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2026 4:43 pm
“Why don’t we work on a list of what we know has happened in the past, for each season, go over it with her slowly. We can start with what has happened more than once - the bunnies for instance.” Because while harmless it would be unwise for her to pick one up…she could feed them and maybe pet them. “The fire flies that sting, for the summer, and the sand that makes noise at the reservoir.” In case they took her swimming there, she was young and might want to go after all.
“We can go over what to tell her, and wait on it, but first I need to know everything so we can assemble a list of what is ok to mention and what is not. Some things may not make sense without other things as well. It’s best we work that out - together.” Because they were in this together and needed to make it work, they were a family. It honestly was also time he knew everything, understood things, there was enough that he didn’t know and it really was about time. Aloysius knew about him, everything, not there was much to know but he knew it. Knew how he’d been an orphan and why, knew about his mothers affair with a chef and all, he knew how his half siblings and his step father had tried to drag him into saving his mother….he even knew that his mother was dead now; and he wasn’t upset at all…he was even happy a bit.
Following the other in, bending to remove his shoes, he left his shoes by the door and made for the kitchen with the other. “Sounds like a good tea option. I did figure on the honey.” Lavender worked though he was surprised not chamomile…but maybe later. Moving past his spouse he went to getting things he’d need, including the tea itself. “Have a seat, get some fruit if you want and grab me an apple, and I’ll have your tea soon enough.”
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