update from sparkleup

writing/post-self/motes/003.md

@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ A few more rounds of leapfrog — repeated a dozen times over with a dozen diffe
 
 Motes laughed and tore up a pawful of grass, tossing it ineffectually at her cocladist, who merely returned the gesture.
 
-Which Offers Heat And Warmth In Fire was a skunk like her, small like her, but had wound up wiry and lithe, perpetually untameable fur stained here and there with green or yellow as if ey had been caught rolling in the grass and dandelions and run off before bothering to wash. It was her friend of friends, a superlative acquaintance that had led to a bond unbreakable.
+Which Offers Heat And Warmth In Fire was a skunk like her, small like her, but had wound up wiry and lithe, perpetually untameable fur stained here and there with green or yellow as if ey had been caught rolling in the grass and dandelions and run off before bothering to wash. A being of indeterminate gender and unsettled pronouns, it was her friend of friends, a superlative acquaintance that had led to a bond unbreakable.
 
 They elbow-crawled over to drape unceremoniously over Motes's front, sighing now that it had caught eir breath. "You are a nerd," they said. "But I guess I like you all the same."
 
@@ -74,9 +74,9 @@ It giggled and pushed its paws up over her face. "Motes Motes Motes! Look at you
 
 "A little," she admitted. "Sort of like 'kinda' or 'gonna'."
 
-"Weirdo," ey stated plainly. "Do you mean what am I doing right now? Because I am using your fat belly as literally the worst pillow."
+"Weirdo," ey stated plainly. "Do you mean what am I doing right now? Because I am using your fat belly as *literally* the worst pillow."
 
-"You could get off of me at literally any time."
+"You could get off of me at *literally* any time."
 
 "Absolutely not."
 
@@ -106,11 +106,13 @@ As it spoke, ey dreamed up a shallow bowl. "No fucking clue! It apparently means
 
 Motes leaned forward and squinted at the dish, sniffing. It smelled like precious little.
 
-"I have not gotten to adding the scent yet," Warmth explained. "That is one area where Codrin did not give much detail."
+"I have not gotten around to adding the scent yet," Warmth explained. "That is one area where Codrin did not give much detail."
 
 "Well, okay," she said, doubtful. She dreamed up a spoon and poked at the...foam? Froth? It was surprisingly sturdy, and although it wobbled, it did not fall over under the touch. 
 
-A grin was growing on the other skunk's face.
+A grin was growing on the other skunk's face. 
+
+Bad sign.
 
 Figuring there was nothing for it, she gathered up a spoonful of the fluff, complete with a few pips, said, "Onetwothree*go!*" and stuffed it into her mouth...then immediately raced to swallow it. "Mmnglhfnnf!"
 
@@ -142,7 +144,7 @@ Warmth dismissed the *frahabrodåt* and stretched out on their belly. "Now why d
 
 She shrugged, peeking over at the other skunk through the blades of grass and drooping columbines. "Just family stuff on the brain."
 
-"Precious little of that, my dear," ey said, gently rapping her atop the head while making a hollow clicking noise with its tongue. When Motes merely stuck out her tongue, their expression softened. "Sorry, Mote. Why family stuff? Why is that mope-inducing? Usually you love that. Sometimes you go on about 'ma and Bee this' and 'Sis Hours that' and it is *lovely.*"
+"Precious little of that, my dear," ey said, gently rapping her atop the head while making a hollow clicking noise with its tongue. When Motes merely stuck out her tongue, their expression softened. "Sorry, Mote. Why family stuff? Why is that mope-inducing? Usually you love that. Sometimes you go on about 'Ma and Bee this' and 'Sis Hours that' and it is *lovely.*"
 
 "Slow Hours used to hate it when I called her that," Motes said, smirking, then returned her gaze to the sky. "Just been lots of thinking and talk lately about how much trouble me being small causes."
 
@@ -174,7 +176,7 @@ Warmth sighed, stretching their arms in front of em. "I know she has not *actual
 
 Motes frowned. "Wait, really?"
 
-"I mean, I have not actually talked to them, but they cut off Dear for less." Ey laughed bitterly. "But again, I am also a little one, right? We also have our family dynamic, yes? Hell, Rye and Pointillist are *plenty* chummy, if you know what I mean."
+"I mean, I have not actually talked to them, but they cut off Dear for less." Ey laughed bitterly. "But again, I am also a little one, right? I have dated a cocladist before, have I not? My stanza also has our family dynamic, yes? Hell, Rye and Pointillist are *plenty* chummy, if you know what I mean."
 
 She laughed. "They just write each other letters."