poly_chromatic | ✜068 [video]

Hello, I was wondering if anyone was good with wood.

[Minds out of the gutter!] I broke my brother's chess set when everything was glass. It's back to normal now, but it's still broken. It's just broken wood instead of glass. [She holds up the knight piece in three pieces. The wood was nicely polished on the outside and the breaks were fairly clean though parts were splintered.] Some pieces are worse than others. I know I could get a new board, but this one is special to me if anyone thinks they can help.

[She then removes just a few people from the feed before continuing.]

[Filtered from Justin, Tommy, and Hanna]
Also, I have a hypothetical question. [Not hypothetical.] If a person was enjoying spending time with two people—one of whom she thought of as a friend and one who she was thinking of as maybe being more than that, but then she found out that the friend loved her and she isn't sure how she feels, but something like this had actually happened once before and didn't turn out well and she's afraid of that happening again then what should this person do? [The longest of sentences.]

Ah... That probably didn't make much sense, did it? Never mind. Thank you.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Guy problems usually are.

[Into the oven go the cookies. Penny sets the timer and turns to Euphie.]

So what's up?

A friend of mine told me he loves me.

That's awkward. And this is the kind of friends you want to want to stay friends with?

...I don't know.

I just didn't expect it. I hadn't thought...

I've been seeing Tommy a little. I wasn't looking for more.

Euphie... if you're happy seeing Tommy, I'd say stick with that. It's really, really, really hard to not love people back--I mean, in the way they love you--because it feels awful to let them down, but I think it's important to do what you want.

[Not that Penny has ever in her life followed any of this advice, although she's trying where Captain Hammer is concerned.]

Anyway, people who love you want to see you happy, even if you being happy means them not getting what they want. I think.

...That's what Hanna told me too. [She still feels awful for the way she handled things then.] I didn't mean for this to get so complicated again.

I'm sorry, Euphie.

[Hugs for you!]

Can you tell me what the very, very worst thing that could possibly happen with all of this is?

I'll lose them both as friends.

There's no way that'll happen, okay? It's totally possible to be friends with someone who's kind of interested in you, even if you're kind of interested in them too but there's nothing you can really do about it because you're already dating someone else who seems like the most amazing person in the entire world until you realize that he's the opposite of amazing and you would've been better off swearing off of guys forever and just getting a puppy.

[pause]

Wait, forget what I just said. Totally different situation. What I meant was sometimes the being-friends thing works out. People don't fall in love with other people just because, you know? If these guys love you then there must be tons of things about you that they like. All of that liking doesn't go away.

Ah...

[Well, she already has a puppy.]

I hope that's so. I just... There are others I used to be very close to. I still think of them as friends, but we don't speak as much now or spend as much time together. I don't want that to happen.

Hold that thought.

[The cookies are done. Penny pulls them out of the oven and sets them on the stove to cool.]

People drift apart. That's happened to me lots of times, but it was usually my fault because I just got caught up in other things and put friends on the backburner, you know? I don't know what all you can do besides be there for friends.

We didn't drift until things went badly. It grew...awkward. Or I worried I was bothering them.

But you'll never know if you're bothering them if you don't get out there and start talking to them again, right?

What if they were just too polite to say anything?

If you're really, truly, honestly bothering them, I'm sure they will.

Don't be afraid, okay? Sometimes you have to take chances to make things happen.

Taking chances hasn't always been good for me... [The massacre happened because she took a very big chance. She hasn't had quite so much confidence since then.]

But I do appreciate your words, Penny.

It doesn't work too well for me, either, but that's because I never take them.

[She starts removing the cookies from the baking sheet.]

I just wish I could help you out more. ...Cookie? And the water's hot, if you want tea.

Yes, thank you. Both please. You help a lot just listening. You've been very nice. [Exuding politeness at the other girl.]

[Off to check the tea stash!]

Hey, that's what I'm here for. You really don't have to thank me.

Chamomile, mint, or... oh, this one's not labeled. So chamomile, mint, or mystery tea?

I think the mystery tea is raspberry. How about that one? Are you sure I can't help?

Raspberry it is! And I'm completely sure. [She grabs a mug and a plate.] Just go ahead and relax.

[It might end up being orange.

Euphie nods.]

It's very nice of you to do all this for me.

[Why yes, the hot water is turning orange. Curious.]

It's not a lot. It's okay. [She eyes the tea.] I think the tea might not be raspberry, though.

Oh, that's all right. I'm sure whatever it turns out to be will be good.

✜068 [video]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action, and apologies for my lack of typing skills!]

[action, your typing skills are fine!]

[action, <3]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]