#interactions: ocean

[blackcatxmagic]

Even though he kept telling himself to stop talking, to just let it go, Ocean couldn’t drop it. He’s going to get mad at you, he thought, while that other voice murmured, He’ll realize you’re a waste of time and drop you, something he should have done that already. The voices were loud today, and Ocean attempted to shut them out while trying to figure out what to say. Instead he just shook his head somberly, eyes downcast. “Of course it does,” he replied softly, voice low and quiet. “It’s your life. Of course it matters.” Whether or not this was part of Forest’s past, the reverberations could still be felt. And they always would be because that’s how it always was with the things that made you the person you become. And now finally Ocean felt like he was at the end of his tether. The worst thing that could come out of this would be Forest kicking him out of his life; that malicious voice hissed, He will, and you’ll deserve it. 

After getting what he needed, Ocean hurried back to Forest’s bedroom. He set the glass of water on his brother’s nightstand, and then he put the washcloth on his forehead; Ocean hated how hot Forest felt. “Don’t be sorry,” Ocean replied. “Please. I’m glad I can help you.” He moved aside the covers on the other side of the bed and climbed under them, lying on his side and looking at Forest. “In case you need me in the night,” he explained, smiling just a little at the other. 

There was a lot more to the story than what Ocean knew now, and Ori wanted to keep talking. It took every bit of energy he had to convince himself to shut his mouth. He didn't know what was worse, his brother knowing the truth, or believing that Ori's coach was entirely to blame for all the bad that had happened back then. For now, he figured Ocean could blame the coach for whatever he wanted. It didn't make a difference. They were in Cardinal Hill now, none of that other stuff mattered. Not to Ocean, anyway. "It was a long time ago, it doesn't matter," he said finally, smiling at his brother, as if maybe he believed that. Ocean hadn't gone on to be the dancer he'd dreamed of being. In his travels, he'd done a bit of work in California, but that was the closest he'd gotten to the success he'd once wanted for himself. And he hadn't even stuck around there, too afraid, too anxious to stop moving for that long. Now he taught dance to others, hoped that maybe one day his students could reach the goals he'd ended up dropping as a teenager.

When Ocean left the room, Ori tried to move quickly. He wanted to be changed before his brother returned. His limbs were heavy, but he did his best, changing out of his wet clothes and into his baggy purple sweatshirt and a pair of athletic shorts. He'd just managed to pull his shorts up when Ocean walked into his bedroom again, and he turned to look at him, smiling. "I'm sorry for waking you up."

[blackcatxmagic]

Closed starter for Corey ( @innocentcurse ) Location: The Moonlit Drive-In

Ocean had never been to a drive-in movie, so when he had learned that Cardinal Hill had one, he of course had to check it out. His first impulse had been to ask Forest or Matteo or Aris, but then he had another idea. Ever since their encounter at the grocery store, Ocean had been thinking about Corey. They just had so much in common, and Ocean saw things in the man that made him feel protective in a way that surprised him. He hated the thought that Corey was so hard on himself, that he was so self-critical, though Ocean knew full well that he himself was like that too. Maybe that was part of why Ocean wanted to help Corey see all the good things he had to offer. He was handsome and kind and funny and talented, so many amazing qualities, and the fact that Corey had such trouble seeing that, well...Ocean wished he could find whoever had distorted Corey's view of himself and shattered his self-esteem. And the more Ocean thought about Corey, the more determined he became to do everything he could to make him happy. That's what friends did for each other, right? Were they friends now? Their bond had been so immediate that it had surprised Ocean, so yeah, they were definitely friends.

So instead of asking Forest, Matteo, or Aris to go to the drive-in, he had decided to ask Corey. This was something fun they could do together, and truthfully it was a good way to dip his toes in to social interaction with someone new. During the movie, there wouldn't be much need to talk, and it would help Ocean to relax. He remembered when he didn't used to be so socially awkward, but that felt so long ago; that felt like a different person now. Corey had agreed, and the ride over had been smoother than Ocean had expected, full of smiles and easy conversation. Yes, they were friends, and Ocean was sure of that now - and happy too.

There was just one problem: Ocean had chosen the wrong movie. Child's Play 2 had just come out, and Ocean had suggested it, thinking it fit the season. Sure, Halloween was over, but things still felt spooky in Cardinal Hill. Without knowing what kind of movies Corey liked, Ocean had chosen this because he thought it would make him look cool to like horror movies, an impulse he knew better than to indulge after the fiasco with the haunted house with Aris. But Ocean apparently hadn't learned his lesson. He had wondered how scary a movie about a doll could actually be, having never seen the original. But, well...Ocean had underestimated the fright factor.

Sitting in the car next to Corey, Ocean sank down in his seat, resisting the urge to cover his eyes; he refused to look like a wimp in front of his friend. But then a particularly gruesome kill scene involving a yard stick happened, and Ocean finally had to look away. "Sorry," Ocean apologized to Corey, hands over his eyes. "I didn't know what I was getting us into with this movie."

[shandzii]

assorted ocean idiots doodles in the middle of the rot asdfghjk

[snowfadings]

🌊 quick sea/ocean/aquarium themed moodboard ^-^ i will start posting my summer moodboards soon!! in the meantime pls check out my summertime activity poll if u havent already <3 it helps me see which moodboards i should make first !!

[blackcatxmagic]

Ocean almost apologized at that. He felt guilty, thinking that he had made Dolores feel badly by talking about how much he'd been loved. "I know it's not really a bad thing," he told her. "I know that. I just wish that when the bad things eventually came that I hadn't been so underprepared." Was that even making sense? Ocean had no idea what he was saying anymore, and he decided that maybe it was better to just stop trying; otherwise he might just dig his hole even deeper. And Dolores had a very practical way of looking at the situation, that that didn't make much of a different for Ocean because he wasn't really looking at things - especially himself - objectively. "I guess that's true," he agreed. "No one is the same. But..." He trailed off, unsure of how to explain it. Finally he said, "I guess I just realized most other people have more to offer the world than I do." It had been a humbly realization, one that had ruined him.

It seemed like Dolores was just saying yes to be nice, and Ocean didn't want her to feel obligated. Shaking his head, he replied, "No, really, it's okay. I'm sure you've got things to do with that bread, so I'll let you go." He paused, wringing his hands slightly, feeling awkward (but that was the norm for him). And then Ocean added, "It was nice talking to you, Dolores. I'm glad I got you to try sourdough."

.

Dolores looked down. She wasn't sure if she ever had an idealized view of herself, not even an idea of what her ideal self would be. "... I wish that people loved me so much," she muttered under her breath. Just look at Ocean –he had her admitting things she didn't even like admitting to herself, all while standing in the corner of a bakery. What would the side effect of 'unearned confidence' even be? Maybe other people may think he was annoying, but so what? Confident people didn't care.

"Nobody is like everyone else," Dolores said, less quietly. "Even people who want to conform have something that makes them anomalies. It isn't good or bad. It's just what it is." She had always believed in that, especially considering what she knew about how people were willing to conform faster than one could think possible. People were desperate to fit in. It never changed who they really were.

"Ah... I don't think..." She had plenty enough with her bread. "I'm good." It took Dolores a moment to realize it was more for his benefit than her own. Most likely, if she said no, he would end up apologizing again. "But... I mean, if you'd like, I'll accept it."

[blackcatxmagic]

Closed starter: Sunshine ( @pandemoniumfm ) Location: Sunshine's house

Ocean knew this was a long time coming. While Sunshine had lived in Cardinal Hill long before he had, he hadn't really seen much of her in the months he'd lived here. Whereas it was easy to be around Forest, whom Ocean considered his best friend now too, it had always been harder to be around his oldest sister since everything that had happened with his ex. It was the same with his parents and many of the older members of the commune who had watched out for Ocean his entire life. While he didn't want anyone to see how broken he was, it was even more difficult with those people, and given that Sunshine sometimes felt like a third parent, it was so hard for Ocean to let her see what a mess he was. He hated the idea of Sunshine seeing how weak he had become - had always been really - how pathetic, how he had become such a waste of space. The last thing Ocean wanted was to disappoint Sunshine even though that's what he was: a disappointment.

But Ocean couldn't put it off anymore, and besides, it wasn't fair to his sister. Sunshine had done nothing to deserve Ocean's treatment of her, and he hated himself for being so thoughtless. That's what you are though, that inner voice hissed. You always hurt people. They'd be better off without you. These intrusive thoughts were always so hard to shake, but Ocean tried desperately to do so as he stood on Sunshine's front porch. He wanted to a clear head, hoping he could fake it and pretend like everything was okay, like he wasn't stuck in the labyrinth of what Aaron had done to him. Finally he rang the doorbell, waiting for his sister to answer, and when she did, Ocean smiled softly and said, "Hi Sunny."

[little-pup-pip]

hi there! i love your work, you have such an eye for color!! i was wondering, could you do a "sick by the seaside" board? sort of like the hospital in 'the wind rises', just cozy old-fashioned care. big blankets, bay windows, warm veggie soup, all those vibes!! thank you kindly 🌊🐚🥣🛌🐚🌊

Here you go!!

[silvieesbubbles]

I wanna play mermaids an be the pretties fishie princess ever !!

[blackcatxmagic]

Ocean smiled at the thought of it, glad that Evangeline agreed.  "It would be really nice," he replied, still beaming.  For once, he didn't feel self-conscious, though he knew it was only a matter of time before he began analyzing everything about this conversation.  Or maybe he wouldn't - Ocean didn't recall ever feeling that way with Evangeline, of course he had known her before he had met Aaron.  "You know, Sunshine is here too," Ocean told his friend.  "So maybe she could come with us too."  Ocean wasn't sure about that though because he knew Sunshine and Forest both had their reasons for leaving, reasons he wasn't entirely sure about.

While Ocean appreciated Evangeline's words, he didn't really agree.  "I don't know about that," he said, smiling somberly.  "I think it's different when your family as a whole isn't magical.  Then it feels like that's your role in that kind of society.  But for me, almost my entire family are witches except for my dad, so I just feel...other."  Ocean thought about his dad then, wondering if the man had ever felt the way he did.  It wasn't something he'd ever asked because Ocean hadn't wanted his parents to know how sad his feeling of being different made him.  The last thing he had wanted was for his family to worry about him, which was part of why he had left the commune.  Every time they looked at him, Ocean had been able to see the worry in their eyes.  "If your dad wants to talk to me though, he can," Ocean told Evangeline.  "I doubt I'll have anything interesting to add though.

"Maybe we could all visit together sometime!" Evangeline nodded her head at Ocean's suggestion, a brightness in her tone that reflected just how exciting the idea was to her. While she wasn't often the type of person to go back, always looking forward to her next adventure, certain places such as the commune had a special place in Evangeline's heart, and the idea of revisiting them not only in her past works or her memories was incredibly tempting. "I can't wait to see Forest again, too," she circled back to Ocean's earlier words.

"Hey, you are part of the community," Evangeline stood up for Ocean, shaking her head with a soft smile. "You don't have to be a witch to be apart of the community, that's one of my favourite things about it," it was more so made up of those who knew about magic and witchcraft, regardless of if they knew because they possessed the powers or not. "I'll be sure to get him to sign a special copy just for you," she promised. "That's actually a big focus of his current work, too, how the community so safely has so many non-magical humans in it here in Cardinal Hill. Who knows? Maybe he'll ask to pick your brain about your time here."

[chaziemcblack]

Perla knows what’s going on

[mer-idol]

-> A familiar ship could be seen in the distance. The pirate captain had a bad feeling about something. - @oceanic-superstar [CAPTAIN VALK]

There was no sign of the mer-demon. He usually laid across the rocks to feel the warmth and sun bath for a bit. Although he wasn’t in sight.

The rocks he laid on had a spatter of blood and a few scales. Pink scales. They were Dom’s.

[blackcatxmagic]

Closed starter: Astrid ( @hexstrom ) Location: Lilla Bakstugan

It was almost Christmas, and Ocean felt like he had everything he needed as far as gifts went. Finding the perfect gift for his family wasn't always easy, especially now that Ocean realized how bad he was at choosing them, so for almost the entire year, he'd been thinking about it. He'd been taking notes about things his family had mentioned, jotting down ideas, shopping various stores when he could, and now with just days to go, he felt like he'd gotten them things they'd like. Maybe they wouldn't love them, but Ocean would just be happy if they liked them. He just wished he were better at choosing things for them. It shouldn't be this hard - he had known them all his entire life, so it should have come more naturally to him. When it came to friends like Corey and Aris and Evangeline, Ocean had a harder time since he hadn't been planning this the entire year; he'd only met Corey and Aris since coming to Cardinal Hill, and he hadn't seen Evangeline in years. But he'd managed to find them something too.

Still, in addition to gifts, Ocean wanted to buy them all some sort of treat. While he'd initially planned on going to Just Like Heaven, he decided instead to try the new bakery in town, which he'd been wanting to check out anyway. Walking into the bakery, Ocean immediately smiled; he loved the smell of baked goods, especially at this time of year. It just felt cozy to be among various treats like this while it snowed softly outside and the sound of Christmas music and bells could be heard wherever you went. Walking to the display case, Ocean looked at the various options, and immediately he felt overwhelmed. This had been a spur of the moment decision, so he hadn't been planning this for the past year. What if he chose the wrong things? What if his family and friends hated what he picked out? Looking at the woman behind the counter, Ocean said, "Excuse me, can you help me? I'm trying to find some nice treats for some people for the holidays."

[blackcatxmagic]

"Maybe for you," Ocean replied, smiling at Boris. "You're probably used to it by now." Admittedly Ocean didn't like what Boris was describing, but they weren't things that surprised him; he'd heard about what it was like living in an area with snow. He was still excited for it. "Maybe after this year, I won't like it so much, but at least I'll know. And it's kind of hard to get into the holiday spirit when you're sweating in your Christmas sweater."" Ocean told Boris. "But I do like having a change in seasons already. I hate that it's almost always so hot in Southern California."

Still worried that he'd overshared, Ocean felt a bit better upon hearing Boris's reply. And despite the fact that he didn't want to dwell on that feeling, he found himself talking about it still. "I wonder sometimes if some people don't really fit in anywhere," Ocean said, giving voice to a secret fear of his. "And if we don't belong anywhere now, will ever belong? Will we ever find out place? I think about that all the time, especially lately." He was bound and determined to make Cardinal Hill his home, and he didn't like the idea of leaving now that he was reconnecting with Forest and Sunshine. They could be his home. As Boris talked, Ocean listened to them describe what it was like here for them, and he gave them a sad little smile. So Boris could understand how Ocean felt. "That's how it was at the commune when I left," he replied. "It wasn't always like that, and I don't think it was anything they were doing there. It was me." He thought about how to phrase it before settling on, "It's like I was a piece of that puzzle, but then the puzzle changed, and I no longer fit." A second later though, Ocean realized that wasn't quite right. "That's not it," he went on. "The puzzle didn't change. I did. The piece is what's different, not the puzzle." Either way, he no longer fit, and he felt like Boris would understand. "It's hard feeling like you don't belong in the place where you grew up," Ocean said, giving Boris a reassuring little smile.

Ocean laughed with Boris as they talked about their friends. "Is it weird that I kind of want to watch it now?" he asked. "I want to see if it has the same effect on me as it did them." There was a lock on his bathroom door at home, or worst case, he'd take baths until he got over it if the movie freaked him out. And besides, it might not be so bad with a friend. At Boris's question, Ocean replied, "I'm actually free all day today. When do you get off work? I'm free tomorrow too." Really Ocean was free most of the time unless he was working.

.

"Meh, white Christmases are overrated," Boris said, still with a smile, scrunching their nose. Their family wasn't one to really celebrate Christmas anyways, at least not how the rest of Cardinal Hill did. "They're fun when you're a kid and school's out, but you got to make sure the heating works, that you have enough warm clothing, that you don't get sick..." They realized that they might just be ruining Ocean's excitement. "But it is a pretty sight, and playing around in the snow's really great, too. And, well, the whole town looks absolutely beautiful, of course, all decked out for the holidays."

Their smile slowly faded when Ocean made his comment about his stay at Cardinal Hill. "Oh... Jeez, I'm sorry. Feeling out of place is the worst. It's just..." Boris made a little gesture with their shoulders, between a shrug and a shiver. "You end up feeling so jealous of everyone else who seems so comfortable in their own skin. Right?" They scratched their cheek. Most probably it wasn't like that for Ocean, most likely thye were just talking about themselves, expecting everyone else to feel like they did. "It's okay, let it out. I don't mind," they said with a smile. "And, uh... Yeah, I've lived in Cardinal Hill my whole life. My parents, though, they're from out of town. And they tend to keep to themselves, so it's kind of, I'm a local, but barely, sometimes. I've been everywhere around here, I know every block, but I don't feel like I'm particularly tethered here, you know?"

They chuckled when Ocean mentioned his friend, though they were a little surprised to learn he grew up in a commune. "Same thing happened to a buddy of mine, when we were little. Poor kid could barely sleep. It's a real testament to how effective movies can be, even when they're that old." Well, Boris had been born less than a decade after it was released; so maybe it wasn't that old, really. And then their eyes shone, when they were offered to watch the movie along with him. "Yeah, sure! It's been a while since I've seen it, but I remember loving it. And watching movies with others is way more fun. When would you like to?"

'Things to leave behind'. Intriguing. Boris' overactive imagination already began conjuring images of smuggling, money laundering, drug trafficking, cults, all the scary stories told to small-town folks to keep them terrified and content with their lot. As dangerous as it all sounded to them, it only wanted them to leave Cardinal Hill even more. "It's nice to know you have people who got your back, especially when you're feeling lost," they thought out loud.

[little-pup-pip]

Hi!! Could I please have a stingray moodboard?! With lots of blues and oceany ocean themez? And no paci but little kid toys? And masc plz!! :3

Sure!!

[fisher-price]

30 days of agere: day 20

Peso Stimboard

🩹 | 🩹 | 🩹

🩹 | 🐧 | 🩹

🩹 | 🩹 | 🩹

[blackcatxmagic]

Ocean couldn't believe he had said so much, yet he didn't stop now. When Marisol asked him what was on his mind, Ocean stated, "There's no cure. There's no cure for him. He wormed his way inside like a parasite, filled every empty part of me, and now I'll never be the same again. Even if I tried to extract him, he's become as much a part of my structure as my actual skeleton. If I pulled him out now, I'd just collapse." For better or for worse, Aaron was a part of him now. There was no going back.

But he didn't want to think about Aaron anymore (he never wanted to think about him, but that just wasn't going to happen), so Ocean focused on the pumpkin patch as he walked through it with Marisol. It definitely felt mystical tonight, ethereal, like he could feel the magic in the air and emanating from the pumpkins themselves. And of all the pumpkins in the patch tonight, Ocean was most definitely drawn to this one of above all others. "It's so stupid to feel such a connection to a pumpkin," Ocean said, but he sat there on the ground with the pumpkin in his lap nonetheless. "It's going to rot if I take it though," he realized then. "It can't last. Everything rots eventually, even people. That's...that's how I feel about me." This was yet another way he felt like this pumpkin. Ocean felt like he'd been happy in his pumpkin patch, and then Aaron had come and cut him loose, and now he was souring inside every day. "I don't know if I can take it," Copper told Marisol sadly. "I wish I could magically preserve it somehow."

Marisol paused, feeling the weight of Ocean's admission. She could sense the turmoil swirling beneath his surface, a current of unspoken fears and regrets that pulled at her heart. She felt like she understood - not the reason why he was like this - that she didn't know, but she had grown up with Lorraine, and Lorraine had been a demanding teacher, her high standards often leaving Marisol feeling like she could never measure up. Each chemical burn etched into her left hand told a story—a testament to the long nights spent perfecting her craft and the punishments as a result of her failures. She had faced her challenges head-on, but the scars remained. In Ocean's eyes, she recognized a similar battle, one fought in silence... and she wasn't sure if he was winning.

“What’s on your mind?” she asked, her tone gentle but insistent. “What’s weighing you down?”

She gave him space to answer - if he wanted. She wouldn't pry. Marisol's gaze wandered around the patch, where the odd shapes of the gourds seemed to pulse with life under the evening light. Some magic had a smell to it. Others had a feeling. A sound. Her magic always carried the soft sound of bells. It was the sort of noise that could easily be ignored - overlooked, as though the wind through the trees were simply carrying a sound -- but Marisol knew her magic best, and she took comfort in the tinkling sound of bells.

“You’re drawn to that pumpkin for a reason. Just look at it. It’s a little misshapen, maybe overlooked, but that doesn’t diminish its value. We all have scars - things we want to hide, change, ignore -- but someone is going to see us and decide that - for whatever reason - they want us.”

Marisol knelt beside the misshapen pumpkin, her fingers grazing its rough exterior, feeling the energy thrumming beneath her touch. “This one deserves a home too. Everyone should feel like they belong, imperfections and all.” She met Ocean's gaze, her expression gentle. For all the rumors that she was the Dragon Lady - the one who chased children out of her garden, the lady in red, the femme fatale out to steal husbands (wives)...she was also trying to be a better person for others than what she had been given in her life. “Reaching out for connection can be tricky. Sometimes we find it, and sometimes we don’t, but that can't stop us from trying. We all crave that bond, and it’s okay to want it—even when we’ve been hurt before. That longing is a part of being human.”

She leaned closer to the pumpkin, closing her eyes for a moment as she sensed its energy, almost like a pulse beneath the surface. “If you want it, take it. It might have something for you. Make a pie out of it, eat a slice at midnight - maybe you'll find something in this pumpkin you gravitated towards.”