enchanted forest . mingle

[misconceived]

WHO Forest planet occupants!
BROADCAST N/A
ACTION Enchanted Forest / Spa Time
WHEN Upon reaching the system (Jan. 4) to leaving it (Jan. 31)

[ It's another day, another planet for the Drift Fleet to explore. Whether it be relaxing in the landing field, checking out the spa (and subsequently getting urged to enter the woods), or taking on the Enchanted Forest's game, there's enough to do for stir-crazy Fleet members.

Just remember one thing: make it look good. ]

Comments

[catamite]

I like to... but it's hard to do new things with it very often.

Especially here.

[he's kind of a vain little guy.]

[hearsthesea]

It's easier with long hair.

[Shirley starts pointing to herself, before remembering that she's wrapped all her hair up in a towel. She takes off the towel and lets her hair fall out, with some of the braids still intact - pretty messy, but it proves the point.]

See? But I haven't done anything new with it in a long time...

[catamite]

Oh wow...

[his eyes get kind of huge.]

Your hair is so pretty!

[hearsthesea]

[Oh. Not the reaction she was expecting, but--well. Shirley tugs on one of her braids self-consciously.]

I've worn it this way for years, but I do still like it the way it is.

[catamite]

Have you ever done anything else with it? Like, other braids or anything?

[hearsthesea]

Not really. I just never thought about it a lot before, I suppose. Most of the time there were other things to do.

[catamite]

Really?

I bet your hair would look great with elven braids in it.

[hearsthesea]

Elven braids? What are those?

[catamite]

[he laughs a little... until he realizes that she's probably not making a joke.]

...Braids that elves do?

[hearsthesea]

Well, what do they look like?

[Give her a break, man, she's never met an elf.]

[catamite]

[sheesh, what is with you people and your elf-less worlds.]

Oh, they're really pretty. Some of them get super complicated, but even the simple ones are nice.

[hearsthesea]

[Well excuse you, what world doesn't have sentient oceans?]

Could you make one of them? I wouldn't mind trying it out.

[catamite]

[...actually, his world might. there are sentient forests and they are terrifying.

and oh how his face lights up then.]

...You mean me braid your hair? You want me to?

[hearsthesea]

[The ocean isn't terrifying! Well, not after they beat the murderous rage out of it anyway.

Nel's enthusiasm isn't quite expected, but it's certainly not unwelcome when she's already asking. It does feel a little strange, given that they've just met, but she doesn't see the harm in it...]

If it's no problem.

[catamite]

[and now that she's said yes, he can't help but gush a little.]

I used to live with a bunch of girls, and we would just all braid each other's hair all the time. I guess I miss it. ...They were really good at it, but I do know some stuff.

--Oh! And I bet that conditioner stuff will make it even easier to do.

[hearsthesea]

Will it?

[Hmmm. Points in favor of the conditioner, then. And aside from that, he seems really happy...it sounds like a good memory.]

Then teach me.

[catamite]

Okay! Have a seat.

[on the floor, in the water, on the edge of the pool, it doesn't matter]

[hearsthesea]

[Shirley chooses to sit at the edge of the pool, letting her legs bathe in the water again. Her headbands is already off, but it takes her another moment to undo her braids and straighten out her hair before setting the ties on the ground.]

There.

[catamite]

[he puts some of that leave-in conditioner in his hands so he can work it into her hair as he braids, helping the plaits stay separate from one another and be more easily woven together.

so happy about the whole thing, he dives in without a hint of shyness--carefully and quickly running fingers through the ends of her hair, combing out and dividing up tendrils.]

There are a bunch of different kinds of braids. Do you want little skinny ones, thicker ones, simple or complicated ones...

[hearsthesea]

Hm...thick, and simple. So maybe I can try and do this again later.

[Should be easy, right? She's already been braiding her own hair for a couple years now.]

[catamite]

Oh sure, it'll be easy.

[and so he gets to work weaving her hair into pretty herringbone braids.]

If you like this one, I can teach you no problem.

[hearsthesea]

I'll see when it's done, okay?

[Shirley's pretty curious about how it's going to turn out, although at the same time she's starting to feel a little self-conscious; every now and then she'll tense up for a moment, then force herself to relax. She hasn't had her hair done since she was a kid, really, so it's strange to be doing this again.]

[catamite]

[and if Nel notices the awkwardness, he doesn't show it. for his part, he seems totally comfortable hanging around half-dressed in a bathhouse, braiding some stranger's hair.]

...I'm surprised you haven't tried more things with your hair. Yours is perfect for it.

[hearsthesea]

I never had a reason. Until recently, I don't think I even had many people I could talk with about it.

[Or any. Norma and Grune would have probably been receptive to hair talk, maybe even Chloe, but before that...Shirley would have died if she talked to Senel about hairstyles, and not just because his is such a mess. The thought is just embarrassing, and Shirley starts tensing up again.]

[catamite]

[she gets a little break while he leans to the side and holds out his hand for a hair tie, to finish up her first braid.]

None at all? No sisters, or friends growing up?