#interactions: ocean

[blackcatxmagic]

Ocean smiled at Aris's response. "I like their names. They're different, like yours. I've got three older sisters, Sunshine, Rain, and Coral, and an older brother, Forest." He liked that they had that in common, that they and their siblings had unique names; it was something they shared, which felt important. But it wasn't long before Ocean realized he said something wrong because he saw the look on Aris's face. Great job, you idiot, he thought bitterly. You upset him. That had been the last thing that Ocean wanted to do, but he should have known that that was what would happen when he started talking about this. He's probably starting to see you like Aaron did, one voice in his head whispered, while the other said, You showed him all the things he hadn't noticed yet. It used to be that one of his inner voices was kinder, but more and more they were becoming difficult to distinguish.

At first, his heart pounding, Ocean just walked with Aris. They were still holding hands, but it felt like the energy had changed, and Ocean was expecting it this to fall apart any moment. Sure enough, Aris let go of his hand, and Ocean felt his heart shatter. It was nice while it lasted, he thought, but that was just for a fleeting moment because the next second, Aris had his hands on his face, and Ocean couldn't ever remember anyone so gently caressing his cheeks or looking at him the way Aris was now. However, Ocean soon felt terrible as Aris began to apologize to him because he was the one who had made Aris feel this way. But there was a tiny, rational part of him that could see this was all just a little misunderstanding, could see the way Aris's words had been meant as a joke and nothing more, and Ocean clung to that, as though it were the only thing keeping him afloat in the brackish, murky sea of his heart. Ocean looked into Aris's eyes and smiled, reaching up to gently hold onto his wrists. "It's okay," he said softly. "I understand now. I'm sorry that I didn't at first." It had become very clear that Aris wouldn't intentionally hurt him, and Ocean was feeling better now, this misunderstanding ironed out. But in the midst of it, Ocean had revealed some dark truths about his past, things he couldn't un-say. Trying to ignore these revelations, Ocean joked, "I don't know very much about fish. Well except for sharks, which are technically fish. Some people think they're mammals because they give birth to live young, but they're not. And did you know that some sharks can live hundreds of years?" Ocean paused, realizing he was rambling, but he just smiled. "Are you sure this is what you want?" he asked Aris. "I know a lot about sharks. This is just scratching the surface."

Aris was still apologizing, and Ocean had to make this right. "It's okay," he told Aris again. "I...I think it's just easy for hear things in...in his voice." Even though Ocean hadn't planned on talking about this further, he felt like he needed to explain a little bit. "Thank you for all of the kind things you've said, and for being so nice to me today. It means a lot." And then Ocean reached for Aris's hand again, the two of them walking together once more, Ocean leaning into his side.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ “I have a sister, too. Copper and Hypatia.” He smiled then, warm and genuine, the kind of smile that softened his face, a farcry from the blank expression he’d had when he talked about Copper talking too much, but the moment didn’t last. His gaze drifted toward Ocean again, and as the other man kept talking, Aris’s smile began to falter. 

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ And then he stopped walking. 

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ It was subtle at first, the way his steps slowed, the way the warmth in his expression dimmed by degrees as Ocean spoke, but by the time Ocean said, “You’re better off being seen and not heard,” something in Aris stilled completely, gripping his chest. He froze, not because of the words exactly, but because of the weight in them, the quiet resignation beneath the way Ocean said them, like they were a truth he’d swallowed too many times to question anymore. Ocean leaned into his side, and Aris didn’t move. His free hand had curled into a tight fist, and when he finally loosened it, there were crescents pressed into his palm from his nails. Fuck. Aristotle McIntyre, you absolute dickhead.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Anger twisted in his chest - not at Ocean, never at Ocean - but at the man who had put those words in his mouth, who had made Ocean feel small for existing. And maybe a little at himself, too, for the offhanded comment he’d made. You probably do talk too much. He’d said it like a joke. He hadn’t known it would land like a blade.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Ocean even smiled at Aris after that, despite the hurt that must have clung to every word. Aris looked at him, really looked at him, and then quietly said, “Wait.” He let go of Ocean’s hand, just for a second, only so he could each up and gently cup his face. His palms were steady against Ocean’s cheeks, thumbs softly brushing against his face. He leaned in slightly, his brow drawn together. “Hey. Ocean. What I said before, about you probably talking too much,” his voice faltered for a breath. He felt terrible. “I didn’t mean it like that. I didn’t know. I was just being a smartass, trying to tease you. I’m so sorry.” His hands didn’t move, and he didn’t look away as he continued. “Look, you can talk as much as you want with me, okay? About anything. I don’t care if it’s nervous rambling or weird facts about fish or whatever. I want to hear what you have to say.” He let his hands fall, slow and gentle.‎‎

‎ ‎ ‎ Then, in a smaller voice, one that he hadn’t used in a long time, he said, “I had a good time.” His hand rubbed the back of his neck as he continued, “You know, I couldn’t focus on the movie either. Maybe we’ll have to watch it again sometime, huh?” He felt worse, too, as Ocean complimented him. Oh yeah, you’re a fucking dick. A beat. “It’s not stupid, Ocean.” Aris sighed, not at Ocean, but at himself. “Today was fun. I’m sorry, again. I don’t want to make you feel like you can’t be yourself around me.” There was something about Ocean that made Aris want to get lost in the other man, and he really hoped that he hadn’t fucked it up.

[shandzii]

assorted ocean idiots doodles in the middle of the rot asdfghjk

[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."

[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 felt so defeated. He felt like he couldn't do anything right, and he continued to spiral despite his efforts not to. At least he wasn't crying because that would make this so much worse; Ocean would have probably just turned and left if that were the case. And he was still listening to Jesse despite the fact that he was still looking at the ground. Jesse had a point - he didn't seem like a person to waste his time, so if he didn't think Ocean would be able to do this, he wouldn't have continued to tell him about the job. So that had to count for something. As Jesse spoke, Ocean just nodded, showing that he was listening but not interjecting much.

Eventually though, Ocean did reply. He said, "I didn't think you were going to apologize," and that was true - it was the last thing Ocean would expect honestly. "You don't have to keep going," he added quietly. "I already feel stupid. I was just trying to give a good interview. I guess I don't know how to do that." Pausing, Ocean finally looked at Jesse and said firmly, "But I do know how to do this job, so...I still want it." Maybe Ocean just needed a thicker skin? Or maybe he'd quit within a week. He probably wouldn't quit his other job just yet.

When Jesse told him that he didn't normally do the interviews, Ocean said without thinking, "That's probably a good thing." Otherwise they might not have any employees, but Ocean stopped himself before he went that far. Surprisingly though, he wasn't nervous about what he had said - Jesse had been saying what he thought this entire time, so why couldn't Ocean? "I just want to come and do my job," Ocean told Jesse. "I'm not trying to be best friends or anything." Ocean didn't really expect to make any friends here because he never expected to make friends. There was something about the way that Jesse mentioned not being able to afford more money that got to Ocean though, and it softened the man's rough edges a little. "I'm not trying to get more money," Ocean told Jesse. "What you offered was fair. At the commune - " Before Ocean could finish that thought, he stopped abruptly; he'd been about to tell Jesse that they had paid some farm hands who didn't actually live on the commune, and the wage was comparable, but Jesse didn't care. He'd made that pretty clear. "Never mind," Ocean said. "It's fair. I'm okay with the pay."

Did Jesse notice the change in Ocean? You're damn right he did. In fact, he was a fairly decent people-reader. More so than most people probably realized, even — he paid attention. He remembered stuff. He even knew what common sense was and all of that, too. Whether he heeded it... Now, that was another matter.

Despite the sudden clam-up from the other, Jesse pressed on with the 'interview' as if nothing was amiss. He was kind of glad for it in a way, as it allowed him to make his points and explain what Ocean would need to know as they rode around the property. Jesse almost managed to convince himself that the guy finally took to heart what he'd said, and understood all that personal junk wasn't necessary to chat on about. But as the day wore on and the sun got lower in the sky, and there wasn't much else left to tell the potential employee about, he realized that wasn't the case at all.

Apparently, Ocean had ruminated in those words during the ride in another way entirely. Jesse hadn't meant to offend — or upset — Ocean, not really. If that had been his intention, he would have done or said a lot worse and picked a good fight of it, too. In fact, Jesse was fairly well-known for that kind of nonsense. But this wasn't a situation for that. They were talking business. It was an interview — Ocean needed a job, and he needed an employee. So, weirdly enough, this had been Jesse on his best behavior.

What did that say about him? Nothing good.

He directed Louisa to follow Frannie back into the stables, and climbed down as the other finally found his chatterbox again. Only, now the overly friendliness was gone and replaced with a defeatist tone.

Jesse's brows came together, and he stood back from Louisa to look over at the younger man. "If you want the job, then where you goin'?" he asked, confused. It wasn't like Ocean's change came out of nowhere, of course he could infer how this all came about and why. But it didn't serve to make him any less confused, because why had he bothered to go for the tour anyway, then? That alone had led Jesse to feel they had an understanding that this wasn't some 'get to know me as me' day. "I don't know what kinda man I got you thinkin' I am, but I ain't one to waste my time," he said, unable to keep that frustration from his tone. "If I didn't want the help n' feel you'd do fine 'round here, I wouldn't have taken you out there."

Hadn't his actions said all of that? He thought it was pretty obvious he was fine with hiring Ocean on, even despite the young man's overshare. He let him ride Frannie (for free!), he took him around the ranch, he told him about all the work they did... He would have flat out told the guy to scram than drain his time in such a useless fashion. One thing to Jesse, his actions spoke louder than his words. Most the time, one might even have to ignore whatever came out of his mouth and listen only to what he did. Cause his mouth would say a whole hell of a lot that his self didn't actually agree with.

"I ain't gonna apologize," Jesse said stubbornly, defensive. Wasn't that such a guilty person, to immediately know they probably owed one. "All I said was, I don't gotta know your heart n' soul here, okay?" he tried to sound less... asshole-y, as he made some poor attempt to explain himself. Boy, did he fucking hate having to explain himself. He wasn't much of a talker, and it's apparent it was because he wasn't a good talker. Especially when it came down to thoughts and feelings and all that gooey shit, too. "You were goin' on 'bout all this shit in your life n' it's like — fine, cool, but all I'm interested in is the other stuff you talked on... like how you're with the animals, n' that you got experience in this kinda work... shit like that."

Jesse sighed as he traded reins for the stetson on his head, and removed it so he could wipe a rough hand through his sweaty curls and down his equally-sweaty face. Then dragged his hand round the back of his neck to rub the slick skin there, clearly uncomfortable. He wasn't good with this, he was running the business into the ground despite his best efforts. "I ain't even the one who normally handles this shit," Jesse said, the frustration now with himself than Ocean. "My fuckin' relations manager is out right now so ya got stuck with me n' well, clearly, I ain't exactly fuckin' charmin'." Yes, the cursing got worse when he was frustrated, too. "It ain't like you're gonna have to work with me side-by-side or nothin'." Hell, if Ocean was hired, Jesse would likely make an intentional effort to keep a wide berth of him to avoid any further problems.

"So, what? You want more money or somethin'?" Jesse frowned and shifted weight from foot-to-foot, feeling like he was begging at this point and he hated that, too. How'd you manage to fuck this up, too? The stetson lightly smacked against his thigh once or twice as he considered Ocean. "I can't afford it," he admitted, though quieter and somberly.

[sharkycare]

🌊🐠bathtime, little guppy!🐠🌊

bathtime moodboard made by mr. malakai himself !!

[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!!

[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."

[blackcatxmagic]

Despite being so happy to see Evangeline, Ocean felt self-conscious now. He wished that he hadn't talked about the way he felt being non-magical in his family, and he blushed, apologizing, "I'm sorry to be so whiny. I know, I've got a family who loves me, and that should be enough. And it is, you know? But..." Ocean didn't quite know how to articulate what he felt, not without sounding like he was being a baby, which he'd already done enough of. You were right, he thought. It was only a matter of time before you started overanalyzing everything. That was the kinder of the voices in his head, though it wasn't always nice to him, especially these days. And then the cruel voice inside him hissed, She sees you now. She knows you're nothing but a huge loser. Ocean wished they'd gotten a little longer before he'd started showing that side of himself to his old friend. Sure, Evangeline was saying such nice things to him, and they made him smile, but Ocean thought his friend was likely only saying them to be nice. So he just shrugged and said, "Thanks," offering Evangeline a soft smile.

Wanting to push past this moment, Ocean said, "Do you want to do something? We can hang out and catch up? Unless you have better things to do." Of course she does, both voices inside him said. And then one of them whispered, Anything is better than spending time with you. And Ocean wasn't sure which voice that was, an occurrence that was becoming more and more common; those voices were starting to sound so alike.

Evangeline was growing more and more excited as Ocean spoke of who was with him in Cardinal Hill; who knew this town was so full of absolute treasures? She supposed the answer to that question might have been her father, but even while she didn't doubt that he saw a gem in the small town, she would have bet anything that he wasn't aware of Ocean's presence in the town, which was Evangeline's favourite thing about Cardinal Hill at the moment. "This is the most exciting day - the best that I've had in quite some time!" She giggled with happiness. "I can't wait to see her, too."

She listened to him speak of being a human in a family full of witches; it was more common than one might have thought, for only one member of a family to stand out in such a way, but even so, it so often made Evangeline's heart ache. She'd never be able to understand what it felt like for Ocean, but so desperately wanted to at the very least be a shoulder to lean on when he was made to deal with any hardships that came from it. "I'm so sorry that it makes you feel that way, Ocean." Evangeline could understand feeling other, as Ocean had described, but for very different reasons. "I still value you very much in the community, although, I also value you for exactly who you are, and separately from magic, too." It felt as though there were no right words to say, which was extremely disheartening, considering how badly Evangeline wanted to tell Ocean that he was so very loved. "He'll definitely want to catch up with you, even outside of his work, I can guarantee it."

[silvieesbubbles]

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

[jayden-0kayden]

looks at you two ( @bigidiotenergytm & @messymoonmad )

You both know what THEY did.

[chaziemcblack]

Perla knows what’s going on

[sharkycare]

🌊🐠 gentle reminder little one! 🌊🐠

like the ocean waves follow their rhythm, your routine helps keep you feeling happy and fresh! 🌊💙

🪥 brush your teeth so your smile shines as bright as the sea foam 🚿 wash up like a little mermaid splashing in the tide 🩵 slip into cozy pajamas, like a soft seashell wrapping you up safe 💧 drink some water, just like the ocean hugs the shore—stay hydrated, little guppy!

💊take any necessary medication to be as strong as a crab shell! 🌙 snuggle up and drift into dreams as calm as a quiet tide..

taking care of yourself is sooooo important. you deserve to feel fresh, clean, and so very loved! 💙

[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!!

[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."

[blackcatxmagic]

Ocean didn't know why he was still wasting this woman's time. She clearly had more important things to do than talk to Ocean, and now he was just wasting her time. Plus...her comment about the puddle-soaked cookie kind of hurt, even if it was accurate. Most people, while likely thinking the same thing, didn't actually voice that sort of thought out loud, instead trying to make Ocean feel better. In some ways that was even worse because Ocean could never believe them, but he found that this hurt too. It wasn't the woman's fault though - Ocean had led her to make that remark, and besides, it was true. "I don't know why I do it," Ocean answered quietly. Really he didn't know how to not be that way, not anymore.

"Thanks for the advice on the crystals," Ocean told the other, grabbing the black tourmaline. "I'm going to get some. Hopefully it'll help." It couldn't hurt at the very least.

The witch gave a small nod, her gaze scanning over the crystals as she idly thought about the fact her life had truly messed up to be so stuck in such a moment. Candela truly needed more dark witches to talk to, simply to see if she was actually losing her mind or if she was simply paranoid about it. The witch hummed at the others words "I think it's all subjective, we all think and feel things for our own reasons and that's not always meant to be understood, it's same when they follow through one actions..." she stated simply. "Then if you're aware, why do you continue?" she said bluntly with a light shrug. "Perhaps, you're more of a puddle soaked cookie then?" she offered.