#i wanted to talk about how many accessories I share with Barbie but we'd be here ALL DAY

[frecklystars]

I love imagining gifting my F/Os jewelry that I own IRL or vice versa.

Six starts wearing my hair ties around his wrist out of habit because I'm always forgetting them when we go out. I gift him a bracelet that I make special just for him and he gives a very small, quiet smile, saying thank you. I don't expect him to wear it but he puts it on immediately. I tell him he doesn't have to wear it, he gets confused. Why would I make him a bracelet if he isn't expected to wear it? He wears a lot of tracksuits so it's almost always hidden under his sleeve, he's afraid to get blood on it, or afraid that it'll accidentally get caught on something and all the beads will break off. I don't mind that it's hidden; it's like our secret. The fact that he wears it at all is sweet enough. Sometimes I catch him smiling at it fondly when he thinks I'm not looking.

I gift Ken a blue bracelet with a "K" charm attached to it that I made for myself a long time ago... I want him to have it. He thinks I'm giving it to him to just hold. I say no, no, Ken, this is for you. He asks if it's for him to... gift to Barbie, like he thinks he's running an errand to deliver it for me. I insist, no Ken, it's for you. It's not for anyone except you. He stares for a second, brows furrowed... and suddenly, he's openly weeping. Nobody has ever gifted him accessories before. He's always been considered the accessory. He puts it on and he runs around showing all the other Kens (and Allan). The other Kens are super jealous and they nearly fight over it; their Barbies have to settle them down. Ken wears the bracelet proudly every day, like a badge of honor. He's got a little more pep in his step when he does Beach, when he glances at his wrist and sees it. Now, he can always think "my girlfriend Keri made this for me!!! I can't wait to see Keri today!!! I can't wait to wave at her!!!" I tell him the K stood for Keri, but now it can stand for Ken. He says no, it still stands for Keri. He likes looking at it and thinking to himself "this belongs to Keri" instead of "this belongs to me now" because it makes him feel like there is a piece of me with him. He wears it with every outfit, regardless if it matches.

Officer K is genuinely surprised when I give him my necklace: gold colored with an incredibly small lowercase letter "k" charm attached to it. I give it to him because this dude is so jaded and tired and he deserves some nice things, and I wanna see that smile come out of hiding, damn it. He's surprised to see something so... shiny, yet subtle. Like Ken, he thinks I'm simply asking him to hold it -- I tell him no. He tries to put it on me, assuming I'm asking him to help me clasp it around my neck -- I have to tell him no, K, this is for you. And, same as Ken, he doesn't really process what I say at first. He's confused. Why is he being given a gift? What did he do to earn it? What does he have to do to continue to earn it, to keep it? Will I take it away later on? I tell him I just want to make him feel happy. It belongs to him. It's a gift. I tell him he can wear this, look at this, and be reminded of me sometimes. He says "...but I already always think about you." as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

I tell him he doesn't have to wear it. A few long seconds pass, him just staring down at it. I worry that he doesn't like it. I debate on telling him he can just throw it away or something -- but he finally, finally looks up and gives the smallest, gentlest smile, with an even softer "thank you" passing his lips. He puts it on immediately. He looks in the mirror, admiring it for several minutes, the smile never leaving his face, his fingertips trailing over the "k" so carefully, hand lightly shaking, as if it will shatter any moment. He's... never been given a gift, before. It feels so good. He hasn't told me yet that "K" is part of his serial number, not a "real" name; it's not like he's hiding it from me... I've just simply never asked. Regardless, he doesn't really think of it as K for KD6-3.7 ... it's K for Keri. He has to wear the necklace underneath his shirt when he's around others, but he'll wear it openly when he knows he's alone, or when he's at home in private. The yellow is bright against his dark clothing. Yellow suits him, it feels right. Joi loves it too, tells him every so often how it makes him look so special. Throughout the day, he will occasionally raise his fingertips to the charm, making sure it's still there. Or when he's outside and he has to wear it under his shirt, he'll sort of press his fingers against his shirt and feel for it. He doesn't want anything to happen to it. It's special. It makes him feel special... because it's from someone special to him.