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And I look to the sea and hear you calling softly
I got so much stupid excitement out of writing this story. Consider it the spiritual predecessor to the Val Baby!Herd story, cause obviously he encounters a good many more adorable kittens before he is able to handle children so well.
PS, people got to hit me if I mess up their characters! I think Brian is alright, but don't be afraid to tell me otherwise XD
Series: Kingdom
Characters: Val, Brian, Loni, mentioned Dusty and Tasha, KITTEN!HERD
"I'm terrible with animals," Val maintained, surveying the kitten-rich scene before him. Brian had roughly five to entertain, but did so with ease and grace, as if he might just as easily entertained a dozen. Sitting on the roof beside Val and Brian was Loni, who switched between two kittens and used some strips of colored fabric to play with them. Another two kittens wandered between Loni and Brian, batting at their long hair before retreating, meowing, and slinking forward to bat again. Dusty and Tasha were closer to the door, occupied with another small bundle of kittens. Especially Dusty, who cooed over a little tabby as if it were his child.
Even though the Brownstone's rooftop was the idyllic scene of a cat-lover's orgy, Val, however, determinedly frowned at the others. Especially to the only kitten to wander in his direction, who seemed much more interested in punching holes in the sleeve of his dress shirt than in anything else. On his attempt to pet it a few minutes ago, the cinnamon brown kitten twisted around, grabbed his finger, and tore into it with needle-thick kitten teeth. Val didn't know why it still insisted on hanging around him, when her brothers and sisters were obviously having more fun. If this continued, he would be forced to conclude that he really did smell like chicken.
"Terrible with animals, and with children too," Val continued, a little louder in case nobody heard him the first time. "I don't know what it is. Something about me."
"I doubt it. As long as you have hands, cats like most everybody," Brian said. He shooed a kitten from his side - he had a little pint of buttermilk seated next to him, and occassionally had to wave away the over-eager and over-curious from it. They guessed at the contents of the pint because Brian was rewarding his kittens, one at a time, with a dipped finger of the milk.
Val crossed his arms, preferring to look obstinate than envious. "Well, I tried."
Kittens adjusted themselves as Brian twisted around to look directly at Val. "Really?" he asked.
"Really." Val looked down at 'his' kitten, who met his peeved stare with an impatient one of her own. "Look. It won't purr. It eats my shirt. And when I try to pet it, it gets angry. Then it claws and bites me."
Next to him, Loni shook her head and tut-tuted him. "Val," she said, in that tone she used when she had to get something through his stubborn head, "Kittens can't tell you how much they love you." She lifted the little tiger in her lap, cradling it in her forearm and scrunching its belly with her fingers. The kitten reached up, wrapping little paws and little white nails over her skin. The kitten's gesture certainly didn't appear malicious, he thought. "They don't claw. They give kitten hugs."
"Exactly." Brian smiled, balanced a cat on his shoulder, and stood up. He leaned over, carefully, to pluck up the pint of milk before three cats could tackle it. "Not bites, but kitten kisses."
Val considered his kitten again, who was cleaning again, her back turned from him. "This one doesn't look like the huggy type."
"So she has a little attitude, but that's how cats are," Brian said, easily, as he walked to where Val sat. He knelt beside Val and offered a finger dripping with buttermilk to the kitten, who took to it enthusastically. But Brian slowly pulled his hand back, moved backwards a few steps until his hand was a good foot away from Val. The kitten stared at the hand, wavered, but ultimately did not step off of Val's thigh.
Brian stood up straight again, his smile a mystery. "I imagine she'll complain when you leave," he said. His shoulder cat tried to make a jump for a plume in his hat, and he had to brace her. Before going back to his seat, Brian put the pint of milk next to Val's leg. "But I think if you name her, she'll remember a bit of you even if you aren't around."
That, at least, was enough to get Val to stop complaining. He dipped his finger into the milk himself, and tried offering to the kitten. Not only did she take to the milk, but she spent an unnecessary few moments gnawing and nibbling. Val waited, forcing himself to be patient with it. Then the cat gave a deep rumble of a purr, and nuzzled the crown of her hand against his palm.
Val then experienced the rare sensation of having one's heart melt down into his feet. Fascinated, and now also enchanted, Val resisted the urge to smudge the drops of milk off of the kitten's nose, but she seemed to figure it out on her own. With remarkable dignity, the kitten took her paw to her nose, wiped off the milk, then considered her own paw before deliciately licking, continuing up her forearm as if her intention all along was to wash. She turned her nose up to Val, but had dug her claws into his lap, and settled her weight that just dared him to try to disturb her.
"Fine," he said, mostly to the cat, and pointed to her. "Coco."
The kitten mreowed at him, considering him, then turned her head and back to him. As if inspired by her new title, the kitten strutted along the length of his slacks, bumped nose with his shoe. She stretched her claws up the brown leather, hooked her paws and stretched, and casually looked over her shoulder back to him.
"Okay," Val said, ignoring Loni's giggles. "That name doesn't mean you can be a diva."
The kitten yawned at him, and nosed his shoe instead. Coco refused to get off of his feet, but that seemed fine for now. It would be a long time before anybody would be leaving.
AND NOW MORE MEME-NESS:
10. What are some really weird situations your characters have been in? Everything from serious canon scenes to meme questions counts!
*thinks hard*
We've put Warren in some pretty bizarre situations. Canon-wise, my favorite was him as a little child, getting dressed up like a girl so that he could explore the Second Kingdom's palace freely ("I feel like a cupcake.") Sadly non-canon, implied vine-rape. I think it's hilarious with him because he has such pride and dignity that he won't allow such indecencies to jar him, and he'd blaze on with such confidence. Even yesterday I was sniggering madly all day about "WARREN ONCE LOST A DOLLY PARTON LOOK-ALIKE CONTEST" because I KNOW he'd be more upset about losing the contest then he would be about getting dressed up as Dolly Parton.
Kingdom is just ABOUND with ridiculousness that I'm not even sure where to start. Just. So much crazy. I feel like we invent AUs like once a week to try to manage it all. OKAY MY FAVORITE CURRENTLY IS STILL DEON SULU AND ARI CHEKOLOV AND THEIR ADOPTED BABY. With happy Uncle Captain Dusty and the mysterious connection to Mara Khan and threats of a red shirt. I also speculate about gender-swapped Kingdom ridiculously.
In Sleepers Awake, there was a scene where all of my characters are barricaded in a college dorm building (hiding from zombies). While the main character is in a coma-state and most of the other characters are occupied with trying to save a wounded character, two of my other primary leads (Jack and Fraise) decided to get blasted drunk, tear pillows and cushions and blankets out of all of the nearby beds and sofas, and decide to build an elaborate fort to better protect Seagram (coma MC). It was like, the Stonehedge of cushion-forts Despite magical powers and zombies and everything else the other characters had to deal with over the past few days, this still struck the rest of the cast as amazingly bizarre.
I also had a character in that book who was able to create amazingly fortified spaces out of any enclosed shelter. He protects himself and a friend from a zombie attack for three days by hiding in a magically-reinforced refridgerator box. Actually, the more I think about that book, the more bizarre things I can think of (like the magical motorcycle who follows Hiram around like a sad puppy wanting attention) so I will stop now.
11. Who is your favorite character to write? Least favorite?
Generally, I do not write or apply for characters I do not like. When I'm creating an application, I am DEAD CERTAIN to ask myself whether or not I'd really be happy writing as that character, and if I suspect that I might not, I put the char on the back-burner, or start again completely. Most recently, this involved Val, who I gave a serious make-over to so that I'm excited to write about him now rather than apprehensive. Also see Ekaitz and Roimata - I LOVED my concept for Ekaitz so hard, especially her character design and her history, but her personally was a bit of a mess to me, and I just had the idea that playing her would be a bit of a chore. Roimata, on the other hand, is probably a bit less inspired, but I KNOW that I love writing him and that he is a char I will keep on coming back to.
I love all of my babies, I can't choose ;_; I go through obvious moods when speculate fixedly on one character in particular (lately, it's been Roimata and Warren switching-off). I am also a bit more proud of some aspects of chars over others - Vay will always be my strong lovable boy, and I am desperately pleased with Liam's personality, Deon and Warren both churn out awesome dialogue on a regular basis, Roimata makes me stupid-happy cause I can get away with a rock star without being Gary Stu, Kazuo/Tahorou is my gentle, sort of ridiculous but well-meaning boy.
PS, people got to hit me if I mess up their characters! I think Brian is alright, but don't be afraid to tell me otherwise XD
Series: Kingdom
Characters: Val, Brian, Loni, mentioned Dusty and Tasha, KITTEN!HERD
"I'm terrible with animals," Val maintained, surveying the kitten-rich scene before him. Brian had roughly five to entertain, but did so with ease and grace, as if he might just as easily entertained a dozen. Sitting on the roof beside Val and Brian was Loni, who switched between two kittens and used some strips of colored fabric to play with them. Another two kittens wandered between Loni and Brian, batting at their long hair before retreating, meowing, and slinking forward to bat again. Dusty and Tasha were closer to the door, occupied with another small bundle of kittens. Especially Dusty, who cooed over a little tabby as if it were his child.
Even though the Brownstone's rooftop was the idyllic scene of a cat-lover's orgy, Val, however, determinedly frowned at the others. Especially to the only kitten to wander in his direction, who seemed much more interested in punching holes in the sleeve of his dress shirt than in anything else. On his attempt to pet it a few minutes ago, the cinnamon brown kitten twisted around, grabbed his finger, and tore into it with needle-thick kitten teeth. Val didn't know why it still insisted on hanging around him, when her brothers and sisters were obviously having more fun. If this continued, he would be forced to conclude that he really did smell like chicken.
"Terrible with animals, and with children too," Val continued, a little louder in case nobody heard him the first time. "I don't know what it is. Something about me."
"I doubt it. As long as you have hands, cats like most everybody," Brian said. He shooed a kitten from his side - he had a little pint of buttermilk seated next to him, and occassionally had to wave away the over-eager and over-curious from it. They guessed at the contents of the pint because Brian was rewarding his kittens, one at a time, with a dipped finger of the milk.
Val crossed his arms, preferring to look obstinate than envious. "Well, I tried."
Kittens adjusted themselves as Brian twisted around to look directly at Val. "Really?" he asked.
"Really." Val looked down at 'his' kitten, who met his peeved stare with an impatient one of her own. "Look. It won't purr. It eats my shirt. And when I try to pet it, it gets angry. Then it claws and bites me."
Next to him, Loni shook her head and tut-tuted him. "Val," she said, in that tone she used when she had to get something through his stubborn head, "Kittens can't tell you how much they love you." She lifted the little tiger in her lap, cradling it in her forearm and scrunching its belly with her fingers. The kitten reached up, wrapping little paws and little white nails over her skin. The kitten's gesture certainly didn't appear malicious, he thought. "They don't claw. They give kitten hugs."
"Exactly." Brian smiled, balanced a cat on his shoulder, and stood up. He leaned over, carefully, to pluck up the pint of milk before three cats could tackle it. "Not bites, but kitten kisses."
Val considered his kitten again, who was cleaning again, her back turned from him. "This one doesn't look like the huggy type."
"So she has a little attitude, but that's how cats are," Brian said, easily, as he walked to where Val sat. He knelt beside Val and offered a finger dripping with buttermilk to the kitten, who took to it enthusastically. But Brian slowly pulled his hand back, moved backwards a few steps until his hand was a good foot away from Val. The kitten stared at the hand, wavered, but ultimately did not step off of Val's thigh.
Brian stood up straight again, his smile a mystery. "I imagine she'll complain when you leave," he said. His shoulder cat tried to make a jump for a plume in his hat, and he had to brace her. Before going back to his seat, Brian put the pint of milk next to Val's leg. "But I think if you name her, she'll remember a bit of you even if you aren't around."
That, at least, was enough to get Val to stop complaining. He dipped his finger into the milk himself, and tried offering to the kitten. Not only did she take to the milk, but she spent an unnecessary few moments gnawing and nibbling. Val waited, forcing himself to be patient with it. Then the cat gave a deep rumble of a purr, and nuzzled the crown of her hand against his palm.
Val then experienced the rare sensation of having one's heart melt down into his feet. Fascinated, and now also enchanted, Val resisted the urge to smudge the drops of milk off of the kitten's nose, but she seemed to figure it out on her own. With remarkable dignity, the kitten took her paw to her nose, wiped off the milk, then considered her own paw before deliciately licking, continuing up her forearm as if her intention all along was to wash. She turned her nose up to Val, but had dug her claws into his lap, and settled her weight that just dared him to try to disturb her.
"Fine," he said, mostly to the cat, and pointed to her. "Coco."
The kitten mreowed at him, considering him, then turned her head and back to him. As if inspired by her new title, the kitten strutted along the length of his slacks, bumped nose with his shoe. She stretched her claws up the brown leather, hooked her paws and stretched, and casually looked over her shoulder back to him.
"Okay," Val said, ignoring Loni's giggles. "That name doesn't mean you can be a diva."
The kitten yawned at him, and nosed his shoe instead. Coco refused to get off of his feet, but that seemed fine for now. It would be a long time before anybody would be leaving.
AND NOW MORE MEME-NESS:
10. What are some really weird situations your characters have been in? Everything from serious canon scenes to meme questions counts!
*thinks hard*
We've put Warren in some pretty bizarre situations. Canon-wise, my favorite was him as a little child, getting dressed up like a girl so that he could explore the Second Kingdom's palace freely ("I feel like a cupcake.") Sadly non-canon, implied vine-rape. I think it's hilarious with him because he has such pride and dignity that he won't allow such indecencies to jar him, and he'd blaze on with such confidence. Even yesterday I was sniggering madly all day about "WARREN ONCE LOST A DOLLY PARTON LOOK-ALIKE CONTEST" because I KNOW he'd be more upset about losing the contest then he would be about getting dressed up as Dolly Parton.
Kingdom is just ABOUND with ridiculousness that I'm not even sure where to start. Just. So much crazy. I feel like we invent AUs like once a week to try to manage it all. OKAY MY FAVORITE CURRENTLY IS STILL DEON SULU AND ARI CHEKOLOV AND THEIR ADOPTED BABY. With happy Uncle Captain Dusty and the mysterious connection to Mara Khan and threats of a red shirt. I also speculate about gender-swapped Kingdom ridiculously.
In Sleepers Awake, there was a scene where all of my characters are barricaded in a college dorm building (hiding from zombies). While the main character is in a coma-state and most of the other characters are occupied with trying to save a wounded character, two of my other primary leads (Jack and Fraise) decided to get blasted drunk, tear pillows and cushions and blankets out of all of the nearby beds and sofas, and decide to build an elaborate fort to better protect Seagram (coma MC). It was like, the Stonehedge of cushion-forts Despite magical powers and zombies and everything else the other characters had to deal with over the past few days, this still struck the rest of the cast as amazingly bizarre.
I also had a character in that book who was able to create amazingly fortified spaces out of any enclosed shelter. He protects himself and a friend from a zombie attack for three days by hiding in a magically-reinforced refridgerator box. Actually, the more I think about that book, the more bizarre things I can think of (like the magical motorcycle who follows Hiram around like a sad puppy wanting attention) so I will stop now.
11. Who is your favorite character to write? Least favorite?
Generally, I do not write or apply for characters I do not like. When I'm creating an application, I am DEAD CERTAIN to ask myself whether or not I'd really be happy writing as that character, and if I suspect that I might not, I put the char on the back-burner, or start again completely. Most recently, this involved Val, who I gave a serious make-over to so that I'm excited to write about him now rather than apprehensive. Also see Ekaitz and Roimata - I LOVED my concept for Ekaitz so hard, especially her character design and her history, but her personally was a bit of a mess to me, and I just had the idea that playing her would be a bit of a chore. Roimata, on the other hand, is probably a bit less inspired, but I KNOW that I love writing him and that he is a char I will keep on coming back to.
I love all of my babies, I can't choose ;_; I go through obvious moods when speculate fixedly on one character in particular (lately, it's been Roimata and Warren switching-off). I am also a bit more proud of some aspects of chars over others - Vay will always be my strong lovable boy, and I am desperately pleased with Liam's personality, Deon and Warren both churn out awesome dialogue on a regular basis, Roimata makes me stupid-happy cause I can get away with a rock star without being Gary Stu, Kazuo/Tahorou is my gentle, sort of ridiculous but well-meaning boy.
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OKAY MY FAVORITE CURRENTLY IS STILL DEON SULU AND ARI CHEKOLOV AND THEIR ADOPTED BABY.
\o/
That poor child. That poor, ridiculous-looking child.
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IS THERE A MARKET OUT THERE FOR PEOPLE GOOD AT WRITING KITTENS? FUCK FANTASY I KNOW WHERE I'LL MAKE MY FORTUNE.
(thank you!)