#nothing against that sort of folk either i admire that ability to really tease things apart and be very specific

[omg-snakes]

Snestion: what's your favorite Corn Snek Behavior?

I genuinely don't even begin to know how to answer this, I'm sorry.

You may as well have asked which aspect of the leaf twisting in the light breeze is your favorite? Which color band of the rainbow on a late summer day after the first rain of the season? Which stage of a flower's bloom? Which dimple on an orange's skin?

They are all part of the whole and must be appreciated in equal measure. To dissect them apart and identify one as superior is a disservice to the organism these parts comprise.

Every behavior that defines a corn snake is my favorite.

[writermuses]

Feel Something || Adra & Micah

Below the RM is the chatzy of Adra and Micah’s date. They went to a group painting session, then to a performance of the Harry Potter soundtrack, closing the night off with a little wine tasting under the stars. This was Spring 2016; Pre-Micalessah Being Exclusive

Adra: She'd be lying if she were to say that she wasn't nervous. Perhaps she was moving on too fast, ready to see where things would led with different people. However, Adra was certain that she had gotten over Gerard for some time. There was no particular heartbreak there - just a dull ache of hollowness. She had donned on a simple printed dress and decided to let her hair loose. When her doorbell rang, Adra took one last look in the mirror before opening it. The last time she saw Micah was more than 2 months back in New York. He towered over her but his stature was never imposing to her. "Hi," she said shyly. "It's really to good to see you." The petite brunette wasn't too sure if it was appropriate to actually hug him but she did anyway.

Micah: Micah never felt to far from Adra, but since she left even their friendship had seemed to be put on the back burner to their jobs and other relationships. He mainly blamed himself for keeping things topical. Micah was always overly focused on his job and his daughter, leaving little time for growing his friendships.... let alone dating. At the very least, Micah never denied to himself that he had been attracted to Adra for more than her looks. It felt, to him, like he’d regret not seeing where a date could take things. There was definitely a lot to flesh out though, he knew what he wanted and he had faith that though his bar was set high that God had made that perfect woman for him. Micah was a good guy and never brought up those things, but he couldn’t lie about the things going through his head either.

Micah: He didn’t want to over or underdress, so he put on dark wash jeans and a white button up. Micah rolled up the sleeves and picked Adra up in his Aston Martin. No noticing her nervousness he stepped in, like he’d done every time he’d seen her in New York and gave her a gentle but completely engulfing hug. “I missed your beautiful face.” He pressed his lips to the top of her head and opened the door for her. “So, would you like to know what we’re going to be doing tonight or do you prefer a surprise?”

Adra: There was nothing like an engulfing hug from Micah. As soon as he released her, she was slightly glad that she decided to opt for heels. Of course she could never get pass his neck. That was impossible given the stark difference between his height and hers. Colour rose to her cheeks when she felt his lips touch crown. She thanked him when he opened the door for her, settling in the car before he got in. When he spoke, Adra arched a brow at him. She was always one for sass although in this case, it was playful. "You know, you're killing me with suspense here," she countered, squinting at him before a smile took over her soft features. Adra chuckled, shaking her head. She was sure he wouldn't want to share but curiosity ultimately got the better of her. "Where are you bringing me, Dr Cartwright? I'd better be a really good surprise."

Micah: Micah loved the little faces she pulled. With a chuckle he started the car and headed in the direction his navigation commanded. “I’ll give you our first destination. I think I’ll let the suspense of the rest of the night keep you alert.” He winked across the car and kept driving. “So, first we’re going to a painting class. I don’t know if you’ve heard of them but there’s wine and snacks, then everyone in the class paints the same thing. At the end you get your art and a picture of your class all showing off their work. I’m absolutely horrible with paint, so I thought it would be a nice laugh. You’d think ‘hey, he stitches people up for a living and must be good with his hands!’, but it really doesn’t translate to paint.” Then he pressed his lips together to catch himself from saying that it’s one of the few ways ‘good with his hands’ doesn’t translate. They pulled up to the small shop and Micah opened the door. “What do you think we’ll be painting tonight?”

Adra: Her hues widened in mock horror when he mentioned painting classes. "Yes to wine and snacks but... in which universe would you think I am any better?" Adra said in feigned defeat before covering her face. She was so close to making a dirty comment about his hands but she figured that wasn't appropriate at all. Taking in a deep breath dramatically, Adra replied, "I can't even draw a flower unless I use a ruler and a mathematical set... Do they accept abstract art?" A nervous chuckle escaped her. She was secretly wishing she had taken more of those art classes Nova was teaching at that local art store during the summer. Adra pursed her lips, clambering out of his vehicle. "As long as I am not painting a naked human body, I can pass things off as blobs of colour in the name of abstract art." She made a face just as they entered the shop. "May the force be with me and those poor paintbrushes."

Micah: Micah was already rolling with laughter. He shook his head and took her hand. “I’m sure that they will just have to accept whatever you throw at them...Will you promise me that you’ll at least try?” He didn’t say try what but he was already thinking that she was thinking that her attempt at trying would be to just try and make him laugh. “I wouldn’t mind it being a naked body. I’ve seen enough that I don’t really need to look at them. At the end we all stand together and take a picture holding our pictures. I think everyone will be impressed by your effort.” Micah winked as they took their seats in the circle of easels and other couples and pairs. The instructor’s larger canvas was set up where everyone could see along with a blown up picture they would be converting and she began teaching them. It was almost trivial how she described the shapes they needed to make. Micah was good with his hands but not all that impressive at converting the image into a piece of art. Periodically he would lean in and compliment Adra’s attempt or, when she was pulling a face, splash her with a bit of paint. “Having fun yet?”

Adra: "Well then, Dr I-have-seen-so-many-nake​d-bodies. I shall try not to make my art disturbing especially when we take that picture. Don't blame me if I traumatise you." She was already cringing but Adra, having a penchant for a challenge nodded when he asked her to try. The setting was so much more different than those few ones she had attended before. Still, Adra scanned the room, taking in the smell of oil pastels and wooden easels. Gingerly picking up a paintbrush, she did her best to pay attention to the teacher and tried to imitate her movement. No such luck. Micah would lean in to check n but Adra was really close to mixing all the paints on the palette together to make it black just so that she doesn't have to comment on her lack of talent. That was until he decided to splash paint at her. Caught off guard, Adra let out a small yelp. Even in her shock, she managed to laugh before poking her soaked paintbrush against his cheek. "Don't make me paint you like one of the french girls, Micah! You might not like it," she teased, arching a brow before painting a lopsided circle on her canvas

Micah: Micah’s deep laugh filled the room and he had to cover his mouth to compose himself, but that didn’t stop a few people from giving him a certain type of glance. “You’re not going to traumatize me.” He scrunched his nose at her but truthfully he wasn’t sure he meant it. She seemed pretty set in her lack of artistic abilities. As their little paint fight interrupted their progress everyone seemed to ignore them until he burst into laughter over her titanic reference. “You’re going to get us kicked out!” He nudged her softly, but as soon as he pretended to go back to his painting he splashed her again. He watched or work and was genuinely impressed. “In medical school we had to draw everything, cells and body parts. They wanted us to control our hands and be able to explain what we were seeing. So, you sort of train yourself to see shapes with in shapes. You, on the other hand.” Micah chuckled, “It’s a Picasso.”

Adra: Adra liked it whenever he talks about medical related. His passion to save lives was one of the few things she admire about Micah. "At least you don't have to draw circles or triangles on a naked body in your job," she chuckled, adding another stroke on the canvas. Adra wrinkled her nose and stuck out her tongue at him. "I am not going to get us kicked out, you are, Mister." He splashed paint at her again and Adra flicked more paint towards his direction. "Picasso? He is rolling his grave if he knew what I am up to," she quipped, pulling back to see her own work before glancing to others in the same class. "I'm not the worst one," she declared shamelessly, pointing to someone in front with blotches of red and dark green on his canvas. "He looks like he's painting Christmas gone wrong." And when Micah looked in the direction she was nodding towards, Adra swept another stroke of red paint on his cheek. "The war isn't over, Cartwright."

Micah: He laughed and shook his head. “Plastics does...and I’ve patched up a few people that had to go their way.” Micah would’ve asked if she really couldn’t manage a circle or triangle but he knew what he was seeing on her canvas. He adored her effort none the less and smiled at her, “Are you having an awful time? Should I be getting us kicked out?”

Micah: “I’ve gone to many a gala with pretentious rich folk fawning over red squares on canvas. I think Picasso would be more offended by that than this.” Micah gestured to their mediocre work and laughed again before covering his mouth when the instructor gave them another dirty look. As he leaned over to see the ‘Christmas Fiasco’ and Adra swiped him with red paint he gasp and laughed, he leaned in and rubbed his paint covered face against her, holding her in a hug so she couldn’t escape.

Micah: The couples around them gasped while a few others laughed but the instructor stood cross-armed. Micah raised his hands in surrender and leaned behind his easel, shaking his head at Adra while suppressing a laugh. “You’re all trouble, aren’t you, Miss. Curth?”

Adra: "Actually I am having a baaalll.." She drew a circle on the canvas as she purposely elongate the vowel. "...of a time. " Adra retracted her paintbrush before choosing another colour to paint the space in the shape. She threw him a smug look when he gasped but a loud yelp escape her as soon as his arms engulfed her. "Micah!" Too late, she could feel the paint on her cheek and laughter surrounding them. Like a child getting caught stealing a cookie from a jar, Adra's eyes widened at the instructor. She wasn't exactly sorry so she didn't bother apologising. "Pot calling the kettle black right here," Adra taunted, narrowing her eyes at him playfully before a smile crept to the corner of her lips. "Now I look like a deranged painter," she feigned a pout.

Micah: Micah was laughing to a point he almost couldn’t catch her words. His failed attempts at keeping it in burst with her unapologetic glance at the professor. “I think we’re going to get kicked out, Miss. Deranged Painter...Though, maybe we both were a little crazy before we came.” Micah winked and kept painting, glancing at Adra and pulling faces to make her laugh while avoiding eye contact with the professor. “You’ll have us banned, no doubt about it. What will I tell my mum when she asks how the date went?”

Adra: "If you tell your mom about this, I am going to be forever embarrassed and burn like a lobster when she visits!" Adra wrinkled her nose at him. "Okay, before we get officially kicked out, isn't it time for you to tell me where we're going next? Because if they're asking us to paint another one and hold it up for them to take a picture of my ugly ass painting, I have no idea what to do with myself." Adra laughed, shaking her hear.

Micah: “Oh? Well in that case I have to tell her, don’t I?” Micah stuck his tongue out at her. He set the paint brush down and rubbed his paint covered fingers on the apron before untying it. “They’re going to ask for a picture at the end, so we might as well carry on. Now, if you really must know, there’s a dinner and concert thing happening and there’s a wine tasting. So, I bought tickets to both and thought I would let you choose.” His big goofy smile turned bashful and he looked at their paintings. “Are we abandoning them or are they coming with us as we make our great escape?”

Adra: "We can't go for all?" she asked before realising she was probably sounding like a greedy person. Adra wrinkled her nose and smiled sheepishly. "You cannot have me make a decision like this. I feel like whipping out my notebook and makes lists of pros and cons!" She mirrored his actions, cleaning her fingers, making sure there were no more spots of paint left. "I don't think I can handle that much social interaction throughout the entire evening," Adra lamented as she eyed the rest of the class. She shrugged at him before chuckling at his goofy expression. The class started to buzz with excitement as most of them had finished their own pieces and someone in front was rallying them to pick their art pieces for the photo. "I hope there's a fun shot."

Micah: Micah adored that organized teacher side of Adra, a side he too had. “If you’re okay with being a little late to the wine tasting then we could do both by heading to the concert for dinner and then going to the wine tasting. I know Jean Baptiste personally, so he won’t be offended and may even let us have a nice post drinking stroll through the vineyard before we drive back into the heart of the city.” He picked up their paintings and made her join the group with him. They held up their mediocrity in a sea of nothing-too-special and he leaned in, “We can make it a fun shot.” He pulled a face just as the flash went off. Aghast the instructor gave him a dirty look and demanded another. As everyone looked forward he looked down at Adra and smiled, happy to be having a great time with her, though he was no sooner cleared up mentally or emotionally as to what the date meant. “They post them on the website. I’ll be sure to print and frame it for you if they don’t crop us out.” Micah took her painting again, paying the desk clerk to wrap them so paint wouldn’t stain his car before they headed to the concert. “So, what are your feelings about Harry Potter?”

Adra: "Really? You know we don't have to go for all, I was just kidding," she made a painful smiling expression before blushing. "Shit, if they crop us out, I would be really happy," Adra laughed as she watched the desk clerk wrap up their paintings. She'd probably send it over to her parents to place it in one of the guestrooms... that is if her Papa wasn't disturbed by what she had done. Adra immediately perked up when he mentioned Harry Potter. Like a child given Christmas presents early, she immediately brightened up. "How do I feel about Harry Potter?! Do you mean as a whole or do you mean like the character development and how the movies butcher it totally except for Golden trio and Snape?" she was more than passionate about this book series. "I love Harry Potter. I grew up feeling misunderstood most of the time and Hermione made me feel that being different and a know-it-all isn't all bad... why the random question?" she queried, arching a brow.

Micah: “Well, after years of friendship and finally plucking up the courage to ask you on a date to see if this is something more, I think it’s safe to say that I have a lot of ‘date’ to catch up on.” Micah laughed, his blush matching hers before carrying the wrapped pictures to the car. With them in the trunk he opened her door for her and started the car. Listening intently he couldn’t help but laugh, he’d loved the books and the films, but was just old enough to take it a bit less seriously. Still, he found her enthusiasm quite adorable. “I meant as a whole, because I’m taking you to listen to the film scores being performed and we can have dinner while we watch, then with some food in our bellies we can make it in, albeit a tinge late, to the winery for a tasting. All in all a good night, I think. I’ve always been a fan of film scores. Mum thinks its a waste of classical genius.” He smiled at her, glancing to make sure she’d buckled. “Does it sound like a plan, love?”

Adra: Adra merely smiled, watching him put the pictures into his car before gladly entering the car. Books or rather fictional stories provided her a chance to escape - it was something she held dear to her heart even when she's 2 years left till she hit the big 3-O. "Wait..." It took her a moment to have the information that left his tongue sink in. Her smile reached up to her eyes as they widened. "I love the scores! And that sounds good," she agreed to his suggestion on how to end their night. She buckled up, fingers tucking in her fringe behind her ear. "All set and ready to go, sir. Adventure awaits," she said almost giddily, humming what vaguely sounds like the tune of Hedwig's theme as they drove off.