⊗ test your flirting prowess. flirt with broken
⊗ THEN flirt with the broken.
⊗ Seconding this!
Now that you're a teenager, the world has opened up a lot wider for you than it was before. This is about how you can leave camp now, of course, but also because you've hit puberty. Your mother has told you that around this time, some slugpups begin developing romantic interest, or crushes, on other slugcats.
You're not really sure you have any of that, especially when you only know two other slugcats near your age at all. You don't have any romantic interest in The Broken, or at least you don't think so, but maybe you will? Or you do? To be honest, you can't really tell what attraction is supposed to feel like.
It's a hard thing to describe, like emotions always are, or like colours, so you guess that just isn't something your parents can easily explain for you.
But! As a teenager, you can start flirting with people now. Since The Broken is your best friend, it feels like that she'd be the best candidate to try it out on, even if nothing else.
When you walk up to The Broken, she raises her tail in greeting to you like usual, but raises her brows when you keep coming purposefully closer without greeting her back.
Broken, You say.
Hi? She responds.
You put your paws on her shoulders. She looks back at you, baffled.
Can you believe The Gull thinks you're cool and wants to impress you? You're like, the biggest prankster goof I know.
You only know how your parents flirt with each other, so this is just about the best you've got.
She regards you with a bemused half-smile, head tilted to the side with one ear lifted up and the other drooping down.
Uh, what? Is this some kind of new insulting tactic you're trying out alongside the intimidation stance? 'Cause I have to tell you, it's not really working. You've made better play-jabs half-asleep.
I'm trying to flirt with you, You explain matter-of-factly.
Oh. Her eyes widen, and she looks a little flustered. Oh. Uh, you feel that kind of way about me?
No? Maybe? I dunno! This makes you sit back and shrug, scratching behind your ear as you try to explain it to her so she understands what you're thinking, and you don't miscommunicate. Like, I don't really know what that kind of way is supposed to feel, even. I only really know you and The Gull that are even teens, you know? But since I'm a teen now too, I wanted to try out flirting. 'Cause it's a thing I could do now. You're my best friend, so that's why I wanted to try it out with you. I dunno.
Right, yeah. She nods, quick to at least seem to recover. You've always been curious, so I guess I should have expected something like that…
She lets her head loll as she rolls her shoulders, turning the thought over in her mind as her head rolls. After some thinking, she speaks up again.
I guess I don't really know how to feel about that either? It feels kinda weird to flirt with me if you don't like, have feelings for me, but you're also not saying you don't. Just that you were trying it out. So I don't really know how to feel about it. I guess kind of uncomfortable? But mostly 'cause then I don't really know where we're standing.
You're my best friend too, so you care about my feelings. Obvs. So I'm telling you that because, you just trying it out like that kind of feels like you don't. Feels like you were just curious about how I'd react, not how I'd actually feel about it. You know?
Oh no. Your ears droop immediately in response, and you let your tail lay flat on the ground; apologetic and remorseful. I'm sorry, Broken. I didn't think about that.
Bah, I know you didn't. She flicks her tail, dismissive. You're just like that Winged, you always wanna see what happens. I get that. I just mean it, maybe don't do that with me. Unless you actually mean it, I mean. I dunno about how other people feel about it, but for me it's basically: if it's not a serious thing, just you trying stuff out on me, it doesn't feel great. Like I don't mean anything, just an experiment. Does that make sense?
Yeah, of course, You reply, conciliatory. You know that Broken has had some problems with how she feels included or not, or liked or not… You didn't really make the connection until now that she might feel bad about it, but now that she's spelled it out for you, it makes a lot of sense.
You're her best friend! You love her, and you're closer to her than anyone else is, probably. It must have felt really weird and bad for you to try that out on her then, without being considerate of how she might feel about it.
Thank you for telling me. I know you used to not like talking about feelings.
The Broken scoffs, this time more playfully, and looks away. Like I said, you rubbed off on me. I'd like to think I'm a "mature" "teenager" now or something. Which involves talking about feelings sometimes so people know what you're thinking, I guess. Not like you can read my mind, though it'd save a lot of trouble if you could.
If I could read your mind, I'd use it to send you really important thoughts from my head! You raise your paws to your temples, though not touching your head, and stiffen the muscles there, as if you're concentrating really hard on something. Ooooo... Read my signals... Waaaaaawa... Broken... Bring back a lantern mouse for my meaaaaaal...
She laughs outright now, and slaps at you with her tail. Gonna catch your pet for you, how's about that?
Noooooo! You pounce on her tail in response. Leave it, the poor thing grew up under a rock all alone! Does it even know it's a lantern mouse??
Pshhh, how should I know? I only know about that stuff insofar as catching 'em and how darn tasty they are, I think I'm supposed to ask you that. She whips her tail under your paws, trying to pull it out with a lot of enthusiasm but not actual effort - just playing, like you are. Back to normal.
Like I know that much about it either, though!! The Old Sun is who introduced me to it, and even though it eats from my paw now it doesn't even want to follow me I don't think, so I don't even get to see it that much since I'm so busy with learning stuff.
Hah. Welcome to the apprentice life, Winged. She spreads her arms out. Isn't it all you dreamed of? Training your tail off day and night, hunting and patrolling, getting beat up by random animals?
I mean... You know she's just joking, but you giggle and shrug. It is pretty cool, to be able to learn all the stuff I did as a pup, but now I get to use it on people. And we still can hang out more, if we're not both busy. Or if I go to training, you know, we could train together.
I should have known you'd be excited about testing random medicine on people. She shakes her head in mock-disapproval, placing her paws on her hips. Experimenting on people, you are, like one of those scary healers you hear stories about using their skills for evil.
Hey! You protest, pushing at her. I do not wanna test random medicine on people!! These are all totally well known herbs, and besides, it is kinda cool getting to put it in practice. I don't call you evil for being happy pulling off some kinda hard move!
Ah-ah, but that's because me finishing the muscle memory for a hard manoeuvre is a super cool thing that totally helps the clowder in the future, and helps me not die.
Like me learning how to heal people with herbs isn't the same!!
The rest of your conversation continues in this vein, the same bickering, banter, and actual discussions, and it makes you feel much better. Just because you made a little mistake doesn't mean anything has to change. She's forgiven you already; it's water over a shelter. That's relieving. You privately think that maybe it'd be for the best not to do that to her again.