#it gives me the security to come to that desicion by myself which i am! i definitely have more than i need

[felidthing]

i feel like this doesn’t make sense unless u are also this brand of neurodivergent but seeing Near be this character who’s pretty respected and trusted as an authority just like, chilling and playing with kids toys is so......... aaaaa. it is aaaaa. i never stopped enjoying toys and a lot of children’s activities. i loved stuffed animals as a kid and i loved them when i was Near’s age and i still love them but in real life people stop putting up with you. so it’s just nice to see this anime boy enjoying himself when i’m not entirely able to

[lillaxtrigger]

The ghostly maid: Mannerithmatic

Jenny and Pike were at the ice cream shop, eating their favorite flavors. While Pike was eating is ice cream, he noticed that Jenny wasen't eating hers. She looked rather down as she stared at here melting cone. "Everything okay? You barely touched your ice cream." he asked her. The girl groaned and said "It's my stupid mom. She found out tht I'm in the basketball league and is making me quit.". "What!? After all the trouble we went through to get you in? Why?". "She want me to be a CEO when I grow up. Saying that basketball won't make enough money to sustain the family business.". "But can't you get in the basketball league when you grow up?". "The womens basketball league, sure. That won't make enough money." said Jenny. "What kind of business does your family do anyway?" Pike asked. "She run a company that sells stock share management software. But that's so boring. I don't wanna do something like that for the rest of my life. I wanna go out there and follow my passions.". "Don't they have anyone else who can run it? Like any other children or family?". "Most of the family has been...ostracized, from the business. And I'm an only child. The only way for anyone else to try and run it is through matrimony.". Pike stopped eating his ice cream and started to blush. Jenny looked at him and said: "You have an idea?". "Well...I might have one." he said nervously. "You asked her to marry you!?" Trevor shouted. Both boys were at Trevor's mansion, in the living room. Pike just told both Trevor and Jewely about what his plan was. "Yeah. I thought that maybe I could run her family business so that she can pursue her dreams of playing pro basketball." said Pike. "You're 14! You can't get married at your age.". "We're not getting married now. I was thinking along the lines of marrying when we turn adults. You know, like a planned marriage.". "How long have you both known eachother, like 3 months now? I think you need to slow things down. Have you even thought about what you want to do with your life?" Trevor asked. "Well, thought about it and if I can, I would want to get a high paying job. Maybe doing this will secure my future. That's not why I'm doing this or anything. Really, it's an after thought.". "What did manque Jenny say about all of this." Jewelys asked. She said the same thing that Trevor said. Saying how we've only been dating for a short while, and that we might find something about each other that we might not like down the line. I told her that whatever it might be, we can handle it ,and said that whatever I find that I don't like will be overshadowed by what I do like about her.". "Aww." Jewley said. "She said that I'd have to prove myself to her parents. They won't just let anyone take their daughter and run their business. That's why I came here to learn how to be a gentleman.". "I still think that this is a rushed and poorly thought out desicion. But I can't ignore one of my friends in need, can I?" Trevor said. "Cool. So you won't mind if I borrow Jewels?" Pike said. "What?" both of them said. "Why?" Jewely asked. "I need you to teach me how to be a gentleman.". "Hm...it might be tricky, but I will do it. When do you have to be at Jenny abode?" "I'm not sure, she hasn't called me to set up a-" Pike said. Just then, his phone rang. Answering it, he says: "Hello...Jenny, hi! So what'd they say?...Uhu...No, that's fine...It is! Trust me, I'll be there my then...Okay, bye.", then put away his phone. "Well?" Trevor said. "Yeah...She says I have to be over at her house by tonight.". "Tonight!? Oh mon dui! We need to get started as soon as possible, then." Jewely stated. The ghost maid pulled out measuring tape from thin air and quickly took Pike's waist size and height. She wrote it down on a piece of paper and handed it to Trevor, saying: "Trevor, I need you to go to the tailors and get a suit ready. Show him these measurments.". Trevor tooke the paper and left. The ghost maid faced Pike and said: "Pike, by tonight, you will know how to act like a gentleman.". Both Jewely and Pike were in living room. "First step is know how to greet someone with diginty and poise. Try to greet me like you would normally would." Jewely stated. She took a bow and said: "Bon après-midi monsieur.". Pike simply stood, giving a confused expression. "That means hello." Jewely whispered. "Oh. Uh, Hiya." he said. Jewely shook her head as she tsked at him. "What?". "Oh Pike, you don't greet someone of high stature with such a simple gesture. You must add more to it. Give it flare! A greeting is ultimatly a first impression that can give off expectations. Try going with a more fancy greeting.". "Alright, see what I can muster." Pike clears his throat and said with a southern accent: "Good afternoon. Fine sir.". "Mmm...better. But drop the southern drawl. You sound like you own slaves. Next, you need a gesture to go with your greeting. I recommend a bow, being a neutral greeting you can give to anyone. Try it.". "Jeez. All these rules just for saying hi? Okay.". Pike bowed and said: "Good afternoon, m'lady.". "Very good." Jewely said. They then were in the dining room. Pike was sitting down, with a bowl of soup in front of him. Various sliverware laid beside it, including several forks and spoons. "Mmm, soup. Wonder what kind it is?" Pike said. The boy picked up the bowl and was about to slurp the soup down, but Jewely used a riding crop to smack his hand, making him drop the soup. "Ah!" Pike shouted in pain. Jewely managed to grab the soup before it could spill and put it back on the table. "What was that about?" Pike exclaimed. "A gentleman does not pick up his entree. He uses silverware to eat." she says. "I meant what's with the riding crop?". "Oh, I have heard that this tool can be used in training.". "With horses, not people!". "I still think it might work. Now, I don't think I have to explain why most people use a spoon when dining on soup.". "Fine." Pike said. He reached for one of the spoons on the right. The boy picked one up, but dropped it when Jewely smacked his hand with the crop. "Ow! Why!?" Pike shouted. "You were about to use a dessert to eat soup.". "What's wrong with that?". "A dessert spoon is used to eat dessert, cherie. What you want to use is a soup spoon.". "But they're all spoon. Won't just one work?". "Pike." Jewely said. "Alright, alright. But lay off the crop. My hand is starting to bleed." Pike said as he looked at the back of his hand, which was red. "Very well.". The ghost maid made the riding crop disappear in thin air. Pike was reaching for one of the spoon, about to grab one. He stopped when Jewely said: "Mm mm.". He slide his shand to another one, but Jewely said: "Nope.". Pike then when for the spoon on th far right and Jewely said: "Colder.". "Look, can you just tell me what all the silverware does?". "I suppose I can. We shall first start off with the soup spoon...". Both of them were now strolling through the outdoor garden. The various flowers and around them gave of a natural, but controlled atmosphere. "Okay. Why are we out here?" Pike asked. "We are out here to practice how sophisticated people talk." Jewely answered. "Hold up. I have to ask. If Trevor took these lessons, why does he act like an average joe?". "He didn't have these lessons. I offered him the chance to learn how to act like a gentleman years ago, but he passed it up. Saying that the way they speak is not natural.". "Huh, okay. What do sophisticated people like to talk about?" "Well, in my expirience, they often like to talk about what possessions they have and the property they own." Jewely explained. "Anything else?" Pike asked with a hint of hesitence. "Mmm...Ah yes. They also like to talk about memories of being at amazing events". "That sounds pretty normal.". "Yes, times they were at grand gala's and spectacular yacht parties.". "...I'm starting to see where Trevor's coming from. Isn't there other things that they talk about? You know, stuff that's more...sane?" "Mmm...I suppose the weather always works. Maybe the state of the economy.". "Alright, I think I get the general idea.". Trevor finally got back home with a new suit in hand. He was walking into the living room, saying: "Guys, I'm back with the suit. The tailor said he did the best he could with the measurements, but the size might not be excact, so I was thinking that we-", but stop when he saw Jewely stacking books on top of Pikes head, all while the boy is trying to keep the the towering books in balance. "What are you two doing?" he asks in concern. "Bonjour maître Trevor. I am working on jeune Pikes balance and posture. I see you have the suit I requested.". "Yeah, but the measurement you gave weren't exactly precise. It might not fit. Also, don't we have shelves for those?" Trevor said. His ghost maid floats up to him to grab the suit and says: "Oh, I'm sure it'll fit just fine.". Pike then suddenly trips, causing the tower to tumble. The books topple onto a nearby vase, breaking it. "Perhaps it should have not made the book stack so high at first." she admits. Pike is in front of a full body mirror, admiring his newly donned suit, while Trevor and Jewely are behind him. "I've never been in a suit before. It feels nice." he said. "It does? It feels uncomfortable when I where one. But you look sharp." Trevor said. "I feel sharp. I feel like I can cut through the air with swave." "You look nice, Pike. But something is missing...Oh! I know!" Jewely said. The ghostly maid flew away. "So do have a plan or what?" Trevor said. "What do you mean?" Pike asked. "I mean what are you going to do if they say Yes? Do you have any idea what you might do next?". "Umm...I guess when I can go to college, I'll see what I can learn about being a CEO.". "Oh, Pike." Trevor said in a worried tone. "What?". "You can't just learn how to be a CEO of an existing company in a only a few meesly years. You have to invest alot of time into it. Juggling school, and learning how to run the company your managing. It'll eat up a ton of your free time. It'll be a miracle if you get evenings off. Your entire adolesance will be consumed by your responsablilities.". "Are you sure that's not just you?" Pike asked. "What do you mean?". "It sounds more like a problem that you have. Think about it. Who organizes your schedule?". "Barly does.". "Who gives him stuff for you to do?". "The executives at my families company.". "Who's in charge of it now?". "Some business guy. I don't know his name.". "Who was in charge of it before him?". "My...my dad was..." Trevor said with less enthusiasm. "Right, I bet the guys over there wouldn't've dumped you with so much weight of your parents were still around." Pike explained. "You think so.". "Probably." Trevor sat down on a nearby chair with his hand holding his sunken head. "I-...I-I'm sorry, Trevor. I didn't mean to dig up old stuff like that. What I mean't was-". "It's okay Pike". Trevor raised himself up and said: "What you're saying is that the burdens I told you about are my own and they might not turn out to be what you have to deal with. Listen. How much do you really care about Jenny?". "Hmm...I haven't really given that much thought, to be honest." Pike said. "Well, if you care about her alot. Then you'll be able to get through anything that get's thrown your way.". "Thanks man.". "And don't worry. If you do get swamped in work, I give you a couple pointers so you don't loose your head.". Jewely flew back into the room. "These will work." she said holding a pair of golden pins with a bear engraved on them. "My dad's old cufflinks?" Trevor said. "Oui! I thought that they would go well with the suit. That is to say that jeune maître Trevor doesn't mind if you borrow them.". "Nah, it's cool. Just don't lose them.". Jewely put the cufflinks on the end of Pike's sleeves. "So that's what those things at the end of the sleeves are." Pike said. "So what time do you have to be at Jenny's?" Trevor asked. "Around 7:30.". Jewely gave a surprised face as she said: "Pike, that is fifteen minutes from now.". "What? No it isn't. It can be that time alread-" Pike said as he pulled out his phone, but stopped when he saw the time it telled. "Oh no...". The two of them were inside the limo as it booked it through the streets. They were thrown around in the back as it swerved around. "Okay Pike. There is one last thing you need to do before we get to Jenny's." Trevor said. The boy pulled out his phone and gave it to Pike. The phone showed the start of a video. "I need you to watch this 10 minute video on how to be a CEO.". "Trevor, I'm not sure that this'll fully teach me how to be a-". "Just do it!". Pike started to watch the video, it starting out by saying: "So you want to learn how to be a CEO?" They finally made it to a more modern looking home. Pike got out of the limo and gazed upon the guilded gateway. As he walked to the gate, Trevor peaked out and said: "Good luck, buddy.". He walked up to the gate and pressed the intercom on the side. "Hello?" a voice came out and asked. "Um...Good evening. I am here as a guest of Ms. Jenny. May I please proceed?". "One sec...". The gate started to slowly open. The front yard decorated with statues and hedges in the shape of various animals. As he walked to the front door, he saw that the walkway was paved with textured stone. Finally, the front door, which was between to columns of fine emerald marble, was made of smooth mahagony, with silver frames ecthed in the sides. He was about to knock on the door, but he though that might be too primative. Instead, he opted to use the doorbell, which was on the side. After pressing it, he heard a familiar 5 note jingle play, one that reminded him of a video game that he played long ago. "Hold on, isn't that from Super-" Pike said. But before the boy could finish his thought, the door opened up to show an old man in a suit. "Good evening Mr.Pike.". "G-Good evening.". "The masters of the household are waiting for you inside. Please come with me.". The bulter lead the boy through the decorated halls, where he could see vases and busts on display as he walked by. He ran into Jenny on his way, who was wearing a seafoam green dress. "Hey, you made it!" she said as the girl approached. "Well, yeah. Why would I miss this? I haven't shown up late for a date yet, right?" Pike said. "Just a fair warning. My parents have very high standards. One mistake could set them off.". "Hey, don't worry. I've been training for the past 4 hours on how to be a gentleman. Whatever they throw at me, I can take it." Pike said. The butler led them to a room with a fireplace, where two chairs that were near had two people sitting upon them. "Mr and Mrs. Hemingway. Ms. Jennifers guest has arrived. Both seaters stood up and walked up to the boy, revealing a man with a burly mustache and a woman with dainty looks and diamond earrings. "Good-Good evening, Mr and Mrs. Hemingway. I am Pike Gammer." the boy said as he bowed. A moment of silence passed before the father said: "Well, it is nice to finally meet you, Pike, my boy. Its nice to finally put a face on the one who has been courting our daughter." with a warm smile as he extended his arm out to Pike. As he shook his hand, the mother said: "Yes, we finally get to see the young man wishes to be with the future CEO of Hemingway Inc." as she stares with her cold, unapoligizing eyes. Her piercing gaze causes him to nervously gulp as he let go of the mans grip. "It's nice that all of us get to have dinner together.". "Yes...But I have I have one question for you." Mr. Hemingway said as he crouched to Pike's level. "How do you like your steak?" he said in a serious tone. The man looked at the boy in the eye, awaiting his response. Pike looked over at Jenny, who simply just shrugged. "Um...Medium rare?" he utters. At a moment of silence, Mr. Hemingway laughs and said: "Well, then my boy. We certianly have a treat for you then. Come, dinner awaits.". Mr. and Mrs. Hemingway lead the two to through the house. As they followed, Pike whispered to Jenny: "Your dad seems pretty cool.". "Yeah. He's pretty nice. It's my mom you have to watch out for. I heard she once made an executive breakdown just by staring at him.". "R-really." Pike whispered as he looked at the back of Mrs. Hemingway. At them dinner table, the four of them were sitting down with steaks on their plates. "So Pike, how did you meet our daughter?" Mr. Hemingway asked as he cut his meal. "Well...We meet at school one day. I noticed her alone sitting in the cafeteria. I walked up to her and we started to talk. Talk about what we like. And sooner or later, we started to hang-...Um...congregate more often. Eventually, I asked about her dreams one day. What she wants out of life. She told me that she want to play professional basketball as a career. But due to troubles with the family and planned endevors, she could not pursue her dreams. Saying that she was being forced to run her family company.". "That sounds right." Mrs. Hemingway said. Pike looked at her and said: "Pardon?". "As the CEO of Hemingway Inc, I decide who is best to take my place when I retire. As of now, I have decided that our Jennifer here is best suited for the position. What she wants out of life is inconsequential?" she said. "That's what I actually want to talk about. You see, she told me one way that someone else could run her company.". Mr. Hemingway stopped eating his meal and said: "Son. Are you saying that you intend to wed our daughter?". Pike blushed and said: "Well, we are rather young for it now, but maybe in a few years, we can-". Pike was interupted by Mrs. Hemingway, saying: "Young man. Are you trying to say that you want to be the CEO of Hemingway inc?". "Well, yes. But because I want Jenny to play basketball. She can't do that if she becomes the CEO.". "Do you have any kind of training? Any at all?" she asks. "Well, not any formal training. But I'm willing to-". Pike stopped speaking when she looked into Mrs. Hemingways eyes. Her cold, sky blue gaze stared back at him. He felt something as he stared deep into her, something terribly horrifying. "To...take the time..." Pike uttered. "Oh no." Jenny said. The more he looked the more he felt the instinct to run, run as far as he could. "I...I...I need to use the restroom. I'll be right back." he finally said. He walked out of the dining halls, then when out of site, ran to the bathroom. Pike was washing his face in the sink, looking into the mirror as was trying to catch his breath. "That woman isn't human. It was like she had a grip on my very soul, just by looking at me. It's was like a lion was starring down on me. I don't want to go back in there." he thought. Suddenly, Jenny knocked on the door and said: "Pike. Are you okay?". "I'm fine Jenny. Thanks.". He looked back at the mirror and stood back to view the suit he was donning. "But I have to. I cant let those 4 hours of Jewley teaching me how to be a gentleman go to waste. I just gotta not look at her eyes." he thought. He got out of the bathroom, only to meet Jenny in front of him. "I'm sorry about my mom. She's usually like this when at work. I can walk you out if you want." she said. "No, no. I'm fine. Let's just go back. I have a steak to finish.". "Are you sure?". "Positive.". Both of them walked back to the dinner table, each of them sitting back on their seats. "Are you feeling well? You looked paniced earlier." Mr. Hemingway said. "I'm...just dandy now. Now what were we talking about?" Pike asked. "We were discussing weather your worthy to run Hemingway Inc, and for our daughter." Mrs. Hemmingway recapped. "Right, right. So as I was saying. I will take the time to learn the essentials of the business. That way I can-". "Let me just stop you right there. Do you really think I'm just going to let some random yokal that my daughter brought home, like a dog she found on the streets that is trying to butter me up by putting on a fake gentlemans facade, to run a multi-national company that I have worked for 20 years to build and keep under dominance? I mean for goodness sake, your suit size isn't excact." Mrs Hemingway said. "How did you-" Pike said. "And those cufflinks you have aren't even yours. I've seen them before. There is absolutaly no room for an impostor such as yourself. Not as the CEO, not as a chairmen, not even as a lowly employee working at the lowest minimum wage you can legally receive, not even half that. I want you out of my home, right now.". "A moment of silence passed over the dinner table after Mrs. Hemingways monologue. Both Jenny and her father had stopped eating. Pike got up from his seat and said: "Okay..." then walked to the front door, he made it outside, but then had the resulution to say something. He turned around outside the door and said: "But before I go, I just have one thing to say. I-". The butler slammed the door before he could get his words out. The door hit the boy on the nose, causing him to reel back and rub his face. He walked away from the mahogony door with discontent. Mrs. Hemingway watched from her 2nd story window as Pike went through the walkway. Her husband came into the room and said: "Hello, honey. I know that you've wouldn't stand for the boys deceit, but maybe you could have pulled back a little with him.". Mrs. Hemingway sighed and said: "Perhaps I was a bit cruel to him. He's only a child after all, not to mention he did all for our daughter. It's just that I tend to take a liking to people who are more...sincere." "I know you do, and I know that you are only wishing for the best for our daughter by making her your successor, but she still has her youth. Once that it is gone, she can never have it back. At least let her enjoy it, while she still has it." the man said as he hugged his wife. "...Oh why not. She can have her basketball team and her friends for now.". The wife hugged back and the both of them began to kiss. Pike was sitting on the curb outside the gate as he sighed to himself. Jenny came out from the gate and sat next to him, saying: "Heya.". "Hi...Listen, I'm sorry that I didn't get to become the CEO. I guess this means that you can't keep playing basketball, huh?" he said. "Actually, they said I can stay on the team.". "Really, that's great. I just we knew they would that before hand, that way I didn't have to be in this monkey suit and talk like some kind of gent." Pike said. "About that. Why did you show up like that? Why were you talking like some kind of dork?". "I just wanted to impress your parents. I thought they wouldn't like me. I didn't know that faking manners would turn them on me...Well, more your mom.". "I kind of partly to blame for this too. I told them all about you, before you met. If I'd known you would have tried something like this, I would have talked you out of it." "Yeah, but I only did all that cause I thought you didn't want to be a CEO. I didn't want to take over the company, I just wanted to make you happy.". Jenny kissed Pike's cheek and said: "I know you were? Maybe we can try again in a few years or so.", then went back inside.