#with cocoa its a lot more simple; but like. its pretty major for her honestly. a pretty big first step.

[trainingdummyrabbit]

woe. ocposting.

for a long time i couldnt really figure out why exactly i kept wanting to put cocoa and wolfe next to each other in 'postcanon' scenarios so intently but then i remembered the "character desperate for stability and quiet and the lack of expectation to be and/or not be something or do something" and the "character intently wishing to be able to protect and/or care for someone after so long of being utterly incapable of it due to internal and external barriers"

yeah everythings a smear of noise and color and despite how fucking exhausted you are you cant stop moving without making several things significantly worse; but also if you just cant take it anymore you can just shut the fuck up and hide behind someone a while and they dont ask questions and their presence is kinda anchoring you in place and well. maybe you like that. just a plain, simple, Thats Nice.

yeah nothing good happens to you ever and no matter how much you try to turn away and ignore it something always comes back to make your life hell again, and youre really starting to wonder if you even had a say in the matter to begin with; but theres someone there that relies on you in a way you can help with and who actively seems to search out and appreciate your presence without expecting much in exchange. and contact becomes reassuring rather than difficult and anxiety inducing.

you two are going to make me ill.

[himbowelsh]

I know its a lot lol but shifty for the affection asks? ❤️🌟❤️

valentines day alphabet  ( accepting! )

A   :   AFFECTION.   how does your muse show affection?

Shifty is soft, man. He just...  cares a lot, and wants to show it any way he can. When he cares about someone, he’s generous with his touches, casual and nonintrusive, always light (as though some part of him is worried about hurting anyone else ever again). Shifty’s go-to display of physical affection is an arm around someone’s waist, binding the two of them together; he’s also fond of little gifts for his loved ones, something he picked up at the bakery, or some flowers that reminded him of them. He’ll usually leave the gifts where he knows they’ll see them, and say no more about it. Above all, Shifty’s affection is non-intrusive. He doesn’t make a big deal about it, and does nothing to show off.

B   :   BOUQUET.   does your muse like flowers? which ones are their favourite?

Shifty frankly prefers flowers outdoors, still growing...  picking them always feels a bit like destroying a part of nature, which he doesn’t enjoy. Yet he can also admit, flowers can be a very romantic thing. Shifty’s mother had a beautiful garden, and he inherited a love of it from her, so he sometimes makes bouquets from his own garden to give to the people he loves. He’s partial to rhododendrons and mountain laurel.

C   :   CHOCOLATE.   does your muse like chocolate? which one is their favourite?

He’s got a weakness. Give him a Hershey’s bar any day and he’s a happy man. (The ones with almonds are the best, in his opinion. He likes the crunch. Don’t drag him.) A box of chocolate will make his Valentine’s Day, he needs nothing else.

D   :   DATE.   what is your muse’s ideal date? where / who with / etc?

A few things are ideal:  meaningful conversation, somewhere quiet  ---  preferably outdoors  ---  and someone who can fill the silence. Shifty’s not a big talker. He can make conversation well enough, but it helps to have someone who has things to say, and can draw him in. Otherwise, well...  if there’s too much silence, he’ll get nervous. If he doesn’t feel like he connected with the person somehow and came out understanding them better, it was a failed date. Shifty’s ideal is...  a walk outside, maybe? In the woods, or by the lake? Somewhere he feels comfortable, and where they can talk in peace. 

E   :   EMBRACE.   does your muse like hugs? what are their hugs like?

He is an amazing hugger, okay? Very solid, very secure...  frankly, he likes getting hugs as much as giving them, but giving them is a responsibility, okay? If he cares about someone, he’ll hug them to protect them, to show them that he cares...  and Shifty’s hugs are a beautiful experience. You know the feeling of being a kid, playing outside on a snow day? It’s freezing out, you’ve soaked through your gloves and got snow in your boots, your cheeks are stinging from the cold...  but you step inside, and there’s a mug of hot cocoa sitting on the table waiting for you. It’s loaded with marshmallows and whipped cream, not too hot or too cold  ---  the perfect temperature. As soon as you take a sip, you feel warm all over....  boom. You’ve just been hugged by Shifty Powers.

F   :   FLIRT.   is your muse good at flirting? how do they flirt?

He’s a very...  sincere flirt. Like, Shifty flirting is not out to make anyone uncomfortable, and would be horrified if he knew he’d managed it. Pretty much just actual conversation with compliments mixed in; they might not even know he’s flirting until they catch the flush on his cheeks, or the way he can only look at them for a moment before looking away. If he’s feeling really bold, he might even take the person’s hand.

G   :   GIFT.   is your muse good at gift - giving or do they struggle to get it right?

For Shifty, gift-giving is an intuitive thing. He always observes things about the people he loves; he remembers their likes and interests easily. If they say something offhand, like “I could really use some new oven mitts” or “I broke my favorite figurine the other day”, he’ll rock up with some cookingwear and super glue. Again with the gift-giving thing, Shifty never makes it a big deal. If they don’t even know it’s from him, that’s alright. The point is that it matters, and makes the people he cares about happy.

H   :   HEART.   is your muse quick or slow to give their heart away?

Here’s Shifty’s stance  ---  a fellow knows when he knows. If it’s meant to be, he believes, it will just feel right; one day, his heart will settle into a rhythm of beats that matches the person he’s supposed to spend the rest of his life with, and it’ll be the most natural thing in the world. Before that can happen, though, he’s very...  thoughtful about love. A little cautious. If it doesn’t feel right at first, he’s going to trust that gut instinct. However, Shifty grows to care for people very easily, without even meaning to...  so even if it’s not romantic love, he can’t quite help how quick he is to love someone.

I    :   I LOVE YOU.   does your muse find ‘i love you’ easy or hard to say?

Again  ---  if it feels right, and Shifty’s heart’s all in it, it’s the easiest thing in the world. With Shifty, the words are always genuine, and always ring with truth.

J   :   JEALOUSY.   does your muse get jealous in a relationship?

Trust is a major component in any of Shifty’s relationships. If he doesn’t have that with someone, he can’t be truly comfortable, or happy. But if he does  ---  and trust comes easily to him  ---  it’s unwavering. As long as his partner loves him, he doesn’t doubt them for a second.

K   :   KISS.   is your muse a good kisser? why / why not?

He’s shy at first...  but, with a bit of encouragement, gains confidence very quickly. His favorite position is having a partner straddle his knee, with his hand on their waist to steady them. Nipping his lip makes him  w e a k .

L   :   LOVE.   who does your muse love?

So!! Many!! People!! Shifty has such a capacity for love, and such a big heart. It would be impossible for him to list all the people he cares for, but his family is definitely at the top of that list. He’d do anything for his parents or siblings. The same goes for his friends, old and new; even if they’ve been out of contact for years, Shifty’s heart isn’t the sort that can ever truly stop caring about someone. 

M   :   MOONLIGHT.   is morning or night a more romantic setting?

Honestly...  Shifty’s one of those gross morning people. He finds no setting more romantic than dawn, with the peaceful sounds of a reawakening world in his ears, and his lover’s hands in his. His lover  ---  provided they are not a morning person, and have just been dragged out of bed because Shifty was very enthusiastic about the sunrise  ---  might not agree.

N   :   NAUGHTY.   what is your muse like in bed?

Again...  he’s a quite shy first, a little uncertain, really just feeling out what he’s doing. Doesn’t have much technique, goes all on instinct; probably very sensual, needs to be touching, needs to feel his partner. Just feeling their heartbeat racing against him, or their breaths muffled into his skin, is a big turn on for him. Encouragement is key here  ---  he needs to see that his partner likes what he’s doing, or even be told that he’s doing a good job. While Shifty is a very giving lover, if he were to get any of that in return  ---   god forbid, an entire session devoted solely to him  ---  he’d absolutely melt.

O   :   ODE.   does your muse have a way with words?

He has a very simple, softspoken manner of speaking, but always gets his point across. He’s never been much of a writer, much more comfortable expressing himself verbally, but also understands some things don’t need to be said to be true.

P   :   PARTNER.   what does your muse look for in a partner? looks / personality?

More than anything else, Shifty would seek out a kind person. Someone with a gentle soul, a deep capacity for empathy  ---  someone who gives to others before taking for themselves. Shifty isn’t too specific when it comes to looks, but he would appreciate someone physically strong  (and he’s got a weakness for freckles). His partner would definitely have to love nature, and be content with living a quiet life  ---  nothing too grandiose, but comfortable and safe. Shifty looks for someone who makes him feel like he’s come home at the end of every day.

Q   :   QUESTION.   would your muse ask the big question or expect their partner to?

Him, of course! Honestly, Shifty didn’t even contemplate it any other way. It’s just...  the gentlemanly way to go about things, isn’t it? If his partner beat him to it, he’d stammer and blush like a firetruck.

R   :   ROMANCE.   is your muse a romantic or a cynic?

Very much a romantic. He’s all about them heart eyes, baby.

S   :   SWEETHEART.   did your muse have a childhood sweetheart?

No childhood sweethearts! Shifty was a quiet, sort of intense kid, who blended in with his brothers. The Powers boys were considered a little wild  ---  not because they caused any trouble, but because they spent so much time outside. It wasn’t uncommon for more well-off children  (especially young girls in their hair ribbons and pristinely-ironed dresses)  to turn their noses up at them. 

T   :   TRUE LOVE.   does your muse believe in true love?

Again  ---  if it’s right, it’s right. If you know, you know. What is that if not true love?

U   :   UNREQUITED.   has your muse had their heart broken?

Luckily...  no, he hasn’t. He’s always guarded his heart too well for that, and never fallen in love with someone who would.

V   :   VALENTINE.   how does your muse feel about valentine’s day?

Well, it’s an opportunity to spend time with the person he loves, and give them a special day. Also, an opportunity for chocolate. Sure, it’s a little commercial, and too much importance is placed on having a date or not...  but Valentine’s Day can be wonderful in practice, if spent right.

W  :   WEDDING.   would your muse get married? why / why not?

Frankly, once he’s certain of his own feelings and equally confident in his partner’s, he’d be eager to get married as soon as possible. Why waste time when it’s right? Shifty would want to make the proposal romantic, but intimate  ---   he’d probably drop down on one knee during a nighttime stroll, in one of their favorite locations, somewhere meaningful to himself and his partner.

X   :   XOXO.   does your muse use / like pet names?

You bet! He comes up with pretty cute ones, too  (even if they don’t make much sense)  and likes to get creative.

Y   :   YOURS.   does your muse get protective easily?

He actually has a strong protective instinct! It’s basically a sleeping snake  ---  you might not even notice it, but the second someone he loves is threatened, it rears it’s head and makes itself known. Shifty isn’t a violent guy, so he won’t threaten...  but he will step in to defend the people he cares about if they’re ever in trouble. Some things Shifty Powers simply doesn’t tolerate, and hurting his loved ones is at the top of that list. How many confirmed kills does Shifty have again? Mmm, bear that in mind.

Z   :   ZZZ.   how many people has your muse slept with?

Oh gosh, not many at all. He’s not a promiscuous guy; not a blushing virgin either, not with the war going on (and not with friends like Popeye and McClung), but definitely not someone who enjoys sleeping with people casually. For Shifty, it is a very intimate, very personal experience. He probably slept with...  one girl during the war, maybe two. After that, he decided to wait for the right person to come along.