update from sparkleup

.tags

@@ -240,7 +240,9 @@ fiction	writing/sawtooth/party/1-4-hostess.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/party
 fiction	writing/sawtooth/party/index.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/party/index\twriting/sawtooth/party/index
 fiction	writing/sawtooth/ritual.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/ritual\twriting/sawtooth/ritual
 fiction	writing/sawtooth/robbed.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/robbed\twriting/sawtooth/robbed
+fiction	writing/sawtooth/running-away.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/running-away\twriting/sawtooth/running-away
 fiction	writing/sawtooth/the-fool.md	3;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/the-fool\twriting/sawtooth/the-fool#fiction
+fiction	writing/sawtooth/valentimes.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/valentimes\twriting/sawtooth/valentimes
 fiction	writing/sawtooth/what-defines-us.md	3;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/what-defines-us\twriting/sawtooth/what-defines-us#fiction
 fiction	writing/sawtooth/what-remains-of-yourself.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/what-remains-of-yourself\twriting/sawtooth/what-remains-of-yourself
 fiction	writing/sawtooth/youre-gone.md	3;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/youre-gone\twriting/sawtooth/youre-gone#fiction
@@ -249,6 +251,7 @@ fiction	writing/the-second-ridge.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/the-second-ridge\twritin
 fiction	writing/with-his-arms-outstretched.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/with-his-arms-outstretched\twriting/with-his-arms-outstretched
 flash-fiction	writing/sawtooth/fisher.md	3;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/fisher\twriting/sawtooth/fisher#flash-fiction
 flash-fiction	writing/sawtooth/folding-laundry.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/folding-laundry\twriting/sawtooth/folding-laundry
+flash-fiction	writing/sawtooth/valentimes.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/valentimes\twriting/sawtooth/valentimes
 furry	writing/belek.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/belek\twriting/belek
 furry	writing/paw-to-print.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/paw-to-print\twriting/paw-to-print
 furry	writing/sawtooth/a-theory-of-attachment.md	3;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/a-theory-of-attachment\twriting/sawtooth/a-theory-of-attachment#furry
@@ -272,7 +275,9 @@ furry	writing/sawtooth/party/1-4-hostess.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/party/1
 furry	writing/sawtooth/party/index.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/party/index\twriting/sawtooth/party/index
 furry	writing/sawtooth/ritual.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/ritual\twriting/sawtooth/ritual
 furry	writing/sawtooth/robbed.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/robbed\twriting/sawtooth/robbed
+furry	writing/sawtooth/running-away.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/running-away\twriting/sawtooth/running-away
 furry	writing/sawtooth/the-fool.md	3;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/the-fool\twriting/sawtooth/the-fool#furry
+furry	writing/sawtooth/valentimes.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/valentimes\twriting/sawtooth/valentimes
 furry	writing/sawtooth/what-defines-us.md	3;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/what-defines-us\twriting/sawtooth/what-defines-us#furry
 furry	writing/sawtooth/what-remains-of-yourself.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/what-remains-of-yourself\twriting/sawtooth/what-remains-of-yourself
 furry	writing/sawtooth/youre-gone.md	3;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/youre-gone\twriting/sawtooth/youre-gone#furry
@@ -579,7 +584,9 @@ sawtooth	writing/sawtooth/party/1-4-hostess.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/part
 sawtooth	writing/sawtooth/party/index.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/party/index\twriting/sawtooth/party/index
 sawtooth	writing/sawtooth/ritual.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/ritual\twriting/sawtooth/ritual
 sawtooth	writing/sawtooth/robbed.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/robbed\twriting/sawtooth/robbed
+sawtooth	writing/sawtooth/running-away.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/running-away\twriting/sawtooth/running-away
 sawtooth	writing/sawtooth/the-fool.md	3;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/the-fool\twriting/sawtooth/the-fool#sawtooth
+sawtooth	writing/sawtooth/valentimes.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/valentimes\twriting/sawtooth/valentimes
 sawtooth	writing/sawtooth/what-defines-us.md	3;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/what-defines-us\twriting/sawtooth/what-defines-us#sawtooth
 sawtooth	writing/sawtooth/what-remains-of-yourself.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/what-remains-of-yourself\twriting/sawtooth/what-remains-of-yourself
 sawtooth	writing/sawtooth/youre-gone.md	3;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/youre-gone\twriting/sawtooth/youre-gone#sawtooth
@@ -672,6 +679,7 @@ short-story	writing/sawtooth/happy-lesbians.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/happ
 short-story	writing/sawtooth/overclassification.md	3;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/overclassification\twriting/sawtooth/overclassification#short-story
 short-story	writing/sawtooth/ritual.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/ritual\twriting/sawtooth/ritual
 short-story	writing/sawtooth/robbed.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/robbed\twriting/sawtooth/robbed
+short-story	writing/sawtooth/running-away.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/running-away\twriting/sawtooth/running-away
 short-story	writing/sawtooth/the-fool.md	3;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/the-fool\twriting/sawtooth/the-fool#short-story
 short-story	writing/sawtooth/what-defines-us.md	3;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/what-defines-us\twriting/sawtooth/what-defines-us#short-story
 short-story	writing/sawtooth/what-remains-of-yourself.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/what-remains-of-yourself\twriting/sawtooth/what-remains-of-yourself
@@ -803,7 +811,9 @@ writing	writing/sawtooth/party/1-4-hostess.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/party
 writing	writing/sawtooth/party/index.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/party/index\twriting/sawtooth/party/index
 writing	writing/sawtooth/ritual.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/ritual\twriting/sawtooth/ritual
 writing	writing/sawtooth/robbed.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/robbed\twriting/sawtooth/robbed
+writing	writing/sawtooth/running-away.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/running-away\twriting/sawtooth/running-away
 writing	writing/sawtooth/the-fool.md	3;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/the-fool\twriting/sawtooth/the-fool#writing
+writing	writing/sawtooth/valentimes.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/valentimes\twriting/sawtooth/valentimes
 writing	writing/sawtooth/what-defines-us.md	3;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/what-defines-us\twriting/sawtooth/what-defines-us#writing
 writing	writing/sawtooth/what-remains-of-yourself.md	2;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/what-remains-of-yourself\twriting/sawtooth/what-remains-of-yourself
 writing	writing/sawtooth/youre-gone.md	3;"	vimwiki:writing/sawtooth/youre-gone\twriting/sawtooth/youre-gone#writing

writing/sawtooth/index.md

@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ In which sad queer animals experience Idaho.
 * [o] Story: [Running Away (WT)](running-away)
 * [o] Story: [*untitled happy lesbians*](happy-lesbians)
 * [o] Story: [Aposematism](aposematism)
+* [X] Flash: [Valentimes](valentimes)
 
 ## Rules
 

writing/sawtooth/running-away.md

@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+%title Running Away (WT)
+:writing:fiction:furry:short-story:sawtooth:
+
+Retelling of running away through Amber
+
+Changes:
+* if I had basically succeeded - homeless for a while, start picking up with camps, sees mom at one point, even tries to go home with her, runs away again after a week.
+* swap parents in a lot of cases:
+    * Primarily running away from stepdad
+    * Loves dad, terrified of heartbeat, resentment for being younger, etc.
+    * Stepdad's shit stinks
+    * Not having a mom because of stepdad
+
+Callbacks:
+* terrified of mom's heartbeat
+* resentment for dad being younger
+* worry that will grow up with shit stinking of ash beacause dad's always smelled like that b/c smoking in the bathroom
+* resentment of Jay for stealing mom
+
+## Story
+
+"Amber? Jeez, Amber! For crissakes, get in here!"
+
+She was surprised at how quickly the fight-or-flight instinct kicked in. It took less than the two syllables of her name in her mother's harried voice calling from the car. Her tail bristled out and her limbs went rigid. Her breathing first caught short, then came in short, sharp gasps.
+
+Amber turned that pause in her step into a moment to hitch up her backpack further up on her shoulders. She drew on that well of confidence laying below the surface and converted the rush of adrenaline into the energy required to ignore her mother.
+
+Doubtless her mother knew that she'd been heard. Amber's ears were perked and alert, tail bristled out, and paws clenched tightly at the straps of her backpack.
+
+*She can follow me,* she thought. *She can drive alongside and follow me for once.*
+
+"Amber, pay attention. I swear to god." Her mom wasn't good at this. She had leaned across the passenger seat with the window rolled down, the better to holler, but her steering suffered for this. She kept angling toward the curb, then overcorrecting and jerking back into the road, almost into traffic.
+
+For her part, Amber kept up her steady, ambling pace. She maintained a placid, unconcerned look on her face, afraid that if she lost control, it'd turn into a grimace of fear or manic laughter.
+
+Her mom honked once, then again, then held down the horn. When the younger ringtail didn't look up, she hollered in earnest, punctuating each word with another blast of the horn. "Amber! Marie! Jacobs!"
+
+Amber halted and scowled, mastering the urge to berate herself for being so easily riled.
+
+Before she exhausted that reservoir of confidence, she turned to face the car, bending to rest her paws on her knees. "Help you, ma'am?"
+
+"Amber, get in the fucking car."
+
+Amber rolled her eyes and swung the passenger door wide, taking to heed her friends' advice, slung her backpack into her lap --- rather than into the back seat --- as she slouched in beside her mother.
+
+-----------

writing/sawtooth/valentimes.md

@@ -0,0 +1,137 @@
+%title Valentine's Day in Sawtooth
+:writing:fiction:furry:sawtooth:flash-fiction:
+
+Lee,
+
+Roses are red,
+violets are blue;
+it's been almost two years
+and I still miss you.
+
+Roses are red,
+violets are blue;
+I'm almost ashamed to admit,
+I've started dating someone new.
+
+Roses are red,
+violets are blue;
+her name's Anna, and you'll be pleased to know
+she's nothing like you.
+
+Roses are red,
+violets are blue;
+Only the other night,
+we finally said "I love you".
+
+Roses are red,
+violets are blue;
+don't worry, it's completely different,
+it's completely new.
+
+Alright, miss prissy whiskers, I can't keep that up, sorry! I promised I'd only write you on on your birthday, but I just wanted to say that. I'm moving on, slowly, but I'm still here. I love you, I miss you.
+
+Crazy face
+
+-----
+
+Pad Thai was the order for the evening. Malina had learned early on to cook something simple on holidays, where the focus was company rather than amazing food or flare. It was too easy to mess up something and spend the rest of the night feeling bad.
+
+Luckily, everyone seemed delighted by the Pad Thai.
+
+Their arrangement around the table was a curled line: Aiden, Sélène, Malina, and Saul. An unbroken line of relationship kinked into a neat square by the corners of the table.
+
+Aiden and Sélène had already plowed through their first plate of food and were eying the dish at the center of the table, and Malina had nearly finished. Poor Saul, though, hadn't gotten much more than a few bites into his plate. A three-on-one interrogation leaves little time for eating. The badger took it calmly, serenely.
+
+As if on cue, though none had been arranged, Aiden and Malina looked to Sélène. The fox toyed with her paper towel of a napkin, tugging small corners free, and rolling them into small, white torpedos.
+
+"Uh, is everyone alright?"
+
+"Yes dear," Malina smiled. "Just wondering what you're thinking."
+
+"About Saul," Aiden added.
+
+Saul perked up and focused on Sélène.
+
+Malina watched those nervous paws tugging and rolling, tugging and rolling, and took pity on the vixen, holding out her paw, pads up, by Sélène's. Aiden mirrored the gesture to the other side of her.
+
+The fox smiled bashfully and carefully set the paper towel and a small pile of rolled up paper up on the table before setting her paws in those of her partners. Malina gave a gentle squeeze.
+
+"I like him," she said.
+
+Malina grinned widely. "Good, I do too."
+
+Aiden laughed, "It's decided then. We like you."
+
+Saul blinked and looked up from his food. He'd been racing to catch up. "Was this an audition, then?"
+
+"I...uh, are you alright, Saul? I'm sorry."
+
+The badger shook his head, "I'm fine, Sélène. I just--"
+
+"It's my fault," Malina smiled, looking surprisingly bashful. "I wanted them to meet you, and vice versa, before things got too far along. I love Sélène, and we've built ourselves a family, I just..."
+
+"Wanted to make sure I'd fit in?"
+
+Malina nodded. "This is the first time we've done this. Uh...perhaps obviously."
+
+Saul nodded. "I can't say I've been on a poly-date-slash-audition before, either."
+
+"We just wanted to be deliberate," Aiden offered. "After Sélène and Malina, I mean."
+
+"We that was a mess," Sélène said.
+
+Malina laughed. "A beautiful one!"
+
+The foxes nodded, falling easily in sync with one another.
+
+"So?" Saul said, grinning. "Do I pass?"
+
+The foxes nodded eagerly once more.
+
+Malina grinned and leaned in to kiss Saul on the cheek.
+
+Malina felt the vix's paw tense and un-tense in her own, as if itching to do something.
+
+"Do we?" Sélène asked.
+
+Saul tilted his head, working to swallow another bite of food. "Pardon?"
+
+"Do we pass?"
+
+Malina watched her partners' faces. Sélène looked anxious, eager for approval. More than that, she looked excited. She looked like she wanted this to work.
+
+Saul looked thoughtful, a touch concerned. The silence stretched.
+
+"You do," he said finally. "I mean, of course you do, but I've never done anything like this before. It's going to take some time to adjust."
+
+"It will," Aiden confirmed. "We're still adjusting, the three of us, and it's been months."
+
+"Think it'll be worth it?" Malina asked, feeling her own anxieties show through in her choice of questions.
+
+Saul's expression softened, and he took Malina's paw in his own and gave a firm squeeze. "Definitely."
+
+-----
+
+Dani rarely thought of Amber.
+
+Initially, the idea had concerned her, that someone had affected her life so greatly had slipped so easily from her mind. She'd wanted to latch onto that weekend and try to internalize it, but some part of her either already had or wasn't ready to. Which one it was depended on the time of day.
+
+The ringtail had accepted the warmth Dani had offered, gratefully and gracefully, and then left without a sound, minimizing the impact her presence had had on the otter. That was the safe path, and, when Dani did think about it, she realized that it was Amber's way of staying safe; to expect anything more would be to impose her will on someone with plans for her own life.
+
+And so Dani rarely thought of Amber. She worked. The cold-spell lifted. She read and watched movies. She ate alone.
+
+And while she wasn't happy, neither did that fog of depression settle down on her after her guest had left. They'd both made it through the spell, each in their own way.
+
+And, once a day, almost without thinking of it, she'd tell herself a story in her head.
+
+-----
+
+Guilt changes one, but less so than I thought it would. I spent my time in community service and my five thousand dollars --- while I'd plead guilty to trashing the house and abandoning the car, Jarred had also automatically assumed it was because I'd caught him cheating on me and had admitted his own guilt.
+
+Not something I cared about, but I wasn't about to take the reduced sentence, such as it was.
+
+On the flip side, it got me back up to Adam's before too long, and gave me the freedom to use my name again, to start hunting for a real job. Tomorrow's my first day back at work. The guy who runs it out of the front half of his house is quirky enough that he laughed at my story and hired me on the spot.
+
+Whatever, I'll take it.
+
+Now I just need to continue figuring things out with Aurora, and maybe I'll eventually find a way to settle down, feel happy.