* let me be brave !

i often have these ideas that have no real origin, but i can actually tell you precisely why my brain wanted this: i was listening to "hey, soul sister" by train on a loop and i got thinking abt the fact that we really do just say "hey" for so many reasons. and i wanted to make that your thought of the evening! so happy november, bon appetit, wrap up warm, DO NOT ADD TO THIS LIST, and enjoy your writings!

[ GREETING ]: sender says "hey" as a greeting to the receiver.

[ ATTENTION ]: sender, having just noticed something strange or remarkable, calls for the receiver to get their attention.

[ REASSURE ]: in a bid to steady the unsettled receiver, the sender lightly says "hey" to help them calm down.

[ ANGER ]: the sender sharply snaps "hey" at the receiver, clearly angry about something the receiver has just done or had done in the past.

[ IDEA ]: having been presented with a predicament, the sender suddenly unravels a solution, introducing it to the receiver by saying "hey…".

[ GUILT ]: having just done something that they know the receiver won't be pleased with, the sender sheepishly greets them once they arrive to see the damage.

[ GOSSIP ]: the sender turns to face the receiver conspiratorially, clearly eager to share some new gossip with them.

[ URGENT ]: the sender rushes to the preoccupied receiver, desperately shouting "hey!" to get them to focus on a far more pressing matter.

[ SOOTHE ]: after finding the clearly distressed receiver, the sender pulls them into a careful embrace, gently murmuring "hey…" to try and soothe them.

[ SMILE ]: the sender (who hasn't been smiling up until they actually see the receiver in front of them) lights up with a smile as they greet the receiver.

[ TEARS ]: the sender greets the receiver while very clearly in tears.

[ FAKE ]: alternatively, the sender (who has just been crying in private) hastily wipes away their tears and tries to greet the receiver casually (to varying degrees of success).

[ WARNING ]: when the receiver begins to say things about subjects that are off-limits to the sender, the latter gives them a warning by saying "hey…".

[ LAUGH ]: having found the receiver to be decidedly unhappy, the sender lightly catches their attention before doing something to make them laugh, or at the very least, grin.

[ PROTEST ]: after the receiver does or says something that the sender deems to be unfair, the sender tries to exact justice by saying "hey!".

[ BREATHLESS ]: having clearly just sprinted down to the receiver, the sender tries to catch their breath while greeting them.

[ SAVE ]: after just saving the receiver's life in a very heroic fashion, the sender smoothly greets them while helping them escape.

[ FLIRT ]: the sender meets the receiver in a social setting, and attempts to flirt with them with the very traditional pick-up line: "hey.".

[ APOLOGY ]: the sender, having recently done something that hurt or upset the receiver, reunites with them and addresses the elephant in the room by greeting them with a sincerely apologetic tone.

[ AWKWARD ]: after a particularly rough first encounter, the sender meets the receiver again, and awkwardly greets them with more than a touch of embarrassment.

[ GENTLE ]: having found the receiver in an emotionally compromised position, the sender closes the door and approaches them carefully, gently saying "hey…" to try and get them to communicate what has upset them.

[ HARD ]: preparing to deliver what they both know will be bad news, the sender tries to prepare the receiver by quietly greeting them in a solemn tone.

[ WAKEN ]: walking into the receiver's bedroom, the sender gently shakes their shoulder to waken them, and whispers "hey." to encourage the process along.

you remember the last time we did this. it didn't go well.

i told myself i'd never trust you again.

you're not very good at keeping promises, are you?

i thought we agreed to work together.

you're the reason i'm in this mess in the first place.

the last time i listened to you, it nearly got me killed.

i guess i don't have a choice.

you're my last hope.

this isn't going to end well.

i stuck out my neck for you once, and look what happened.

you could have told me the truth from the start.

you're a pretty slimy character.

you don't exactly exude trustworthiness.

i can't believe i'm listening to you again.

after everything that happened, i can't look at you the same.

you betrayed me.

how am i supposed to trust you again?

i put everything on the line for you, and you betrayed me.

i'm not taking orders from you.

how do i know you won't stab me in the back?

i promise you, it won't happen again.

you don't have a good track record of keeping promises.

that was bullshit, and you know it.

this time, you can trust me.

they told me what happened last time.

i won't make the same mistakes they did.

keep telling yourself that.

every time i trust you, it comes back to bite me in the ass.

that was the worst lie i've ever heard.

you're a shit liar.

you're not getting anything from me.

i'm not risking my life to save you, that's for sure.

you're talking out of your ass.

i don't believe a word you're saying.

you're full of bullshit.

that was the biggest lie you ever told.

and to think, i trusted you once.

i'm such an idiot for thinking i could trust you.

i'll never look at you the same again.

that was an awful trick.

did you mean to do that?

had i known what you were up to, i never would have agreed to this.

once again, you lied to my face.

they warned me not to trust you.

after all the things i've heard about you, i'm not sure where i stand.

you don't exactly have a very trustworthy face.

you look like a liar to me.

you won't hold up your end of the bargain. you never do.

flyboy

DIALOGUE PROMPTS

wait. are you ticklish?

get back here! i'm not finished with you yet!

you've got something on your face... right here!

ohh, you are so dead!

last one there's a rotten egg!

looks like i've got the upper hand now!

stop! i surrender! i surrender!

i'm not letting you beat me this time!

that was really cute. do it again.

can i paint your nails?

did you just smear that on my face?

who hit me with a snowball?

i love it when you play with my hair.

okay, now let's take a silly picture this time.

i've never heard your laugh before. i love it.

i'm going to do everything in my power to make you laugh.

we said that at the same time.

i've never had a real pillowfight before!

tag! you're it!

i like it when you play with my fingers.

ready or not, here i come!

get back here you!

wanna arm wrestle?

was that your foot?

stop running! just let me love you!

that's not fair! you cheated!

can i braid your hair?

did you just put a flower in my hair?

will you share that with me?

look! i painted a picture of you!

if you sit on the swings, i'll push you.

on three, we jump into that pile of leaves. ready?

did you just make that noise? that was adorable.

i love how your eyes crinkle when you smile.

can i play with your hair?

you have the most wonderful smile.

let's go down the slide together.

you beat me! how did you beat me?

we don't need music to dance!

this made me think of you when i saw it.

ACTION PROMPTS

[ sneak ] sender sneaks up behind receiver and puts their hands over their eyes to surprise them

[ tickle ] sender tickles receiver

[ chase ] sender playfully chases receiver until they're both tired

[ dance ] sender and receiver perform a silly dance together

[ snowball ] sender and receiver have an epic snowball fight

[ whipped ] sender smears a bit of whipped cream on receiver's face

[ cake ] sender smushes a piece of cake into receiver's face

[ pie ] sender smushes a pie into receiver's face

[ playground ] sender and receiver climb around on a playground together

[ swings ] sender and receiver sit on a swingset together

[ push ] sender pushes receiver on a swingset

[ smile ] sender uses their fingers to turn receiver's frown into a smile

[ win ] sender and receiver play a board game together, and sender secretly lets receiver win

[ pat ] sender playfully pats receiver's butt

[ hoist ] sender hoists receiver onto their shoulders and carries them around

[ footsie ] sender and receiver play a game of footsie under the table

[ mime ] across a crowded room, sender mimes a comical scene at receiver to try and make them laugh

[ pretend ] sender pretends to dramatically fall asleep ontop of receiver, holding in their laughter as they do so

[ rock ] sender and receiver hug, and sender rocks them side to side

[ handshake ] sender and receiver reenact their secret handshake

there's still a lot of work to be done.

i'm not finished with it yet.

i can't give up just yet.

there's nothing noble about working yourself to death.

you think i can't handle this myself?

there's not enough hours in the day.

i realize you think you have to do this.

working like this helps me think.

i'll sleep when i'm dead.

your work ethic scares me sometimes.

i don't need your help.

do you ever sleep?

they need me.

no matter how hard you work, it won't bring them back.

do you realize how crazy that sounds?

i'm not stopping until this is done.

you need to slow down.

i feel like i'm wasting my life.

have you ever taken a vacation?

i can handle this on my own.

i'm nothing without my work.

you're going to get sick if you keep going like this.

you've proven your point.

you're going to work yourself to death.

there are worse ways to spend a life.

you can't keep going at this pace.

i don't have time to rest.

it needs to be done.

do you have any healthy coping mechanisms, by any chance?

there's no time to waste.

i think it's time for you to take a break.

everything was going great until you stopped me.

i can't sleep yet. not until this is done.

i'm the only one who can do this.

at least let me help you.

if i just focus on my work, i don't have to think about anything else.

i'm not asking you to take a break, i'm telling you.

did you really have to interrupt like that?

i'm not budging.

it's my life's work.

you're not going to convince me otherwise.

when was the last time you slept?

i'll help you finish the job if you promise to get some rest.

you're practically falling asleep standing up.

you can finish this in the morning.

let me get you to bed.

don't you get it? it's over!

working yourself to death isn't going to fix anything.

if i don't do it, no one else will.

i wish you would take some time to rest.

i'm not taking a break, if that's what you're asking.

you just broke my concentration, thank you very much.

i'm not going to bed.

i don't know how to quit.

they're counting on me.

too many people rely on me.

i can't disappoint them.

you need a vacation.

i wish you would just listen to me and slow down.

your eye bags have eye bags.

all right, that's it. i'm putting my foot down.

no more excuses.

what do you get out of this? this overworking thing?

without my work... i'm nothing.

no one else is going to step in.

i don't care about me. i care about them.

we have unfinished business.

if i stop now, it'll be like giving up.

i'm a perfectionist. it's in my nature.

better to pour myself into my work than something else.

i wish you would go easy on yourself.

i'd really like it if you stayed close.

do you really have to go?

you're the first person who ever offered to stay.

i'd feel safer if you were here.

could you spend the night?

promise me you'll stay.

i don't want to be alone right now.

what if i asked you to stay here? would you?

i really need you here with me.

what are you doing? you said you'd stay with me!

i don't want you to go.

i need you here, with me.

can you stay a little while longer?

i hate goodbyes.

stay right behind me.

next time you leave, tell me first.

just five more minutes.

i can't face this alone.

it's better if we stick together.

we'll cover more ground if we stay as a group.

i could really use a friend right now.

it would mean a lot to me if you stayed.

don't go.

one minute you were here and the next minute, you were gone.

the last time i did this alone... it didn't go well.

keep your eyes on me.

you promised me you'd be here.

i don't do well on my own.

everything feels so much better when you're here.

i like the time we spend together.

wait. i'm not ready to leave yet.

is it okay if i stay here?

i can't face it alone. i need you here.

i'll sleep on the couch. you won't even know i'm here.

i hate being alone.

just one more kiss before you go.

stay close to me.

don't let go of my hand.

promise me i won't be alone.

i'm not ready to walk you out.

just a few more minutes. then you can leave.

do we have to go our separate ways?

things are easier with you.

i woke up and you were gone.

friends stick together.

please don't walk away from me.

when i'm alone... nothing is right.

you'd be better off staying here.

please stay. for me?

i always sleep better when you're next to me.

i can't let you go.

so how long are you going to avoid me?

we should really talk about it.

can we just clear the air?

sit down for a second and talk to me.

i wish you would just look at me for two seconds.

explain to me how that happened.

you handled that a lot better than i expected.

when were you going to tell me the truth about that?

i think it's time we started being honest with one another.

it doesn't do us any good to stay quiet.

you told me you'd tell me the truth. i'm still waiting.

i was hoping for some answers.

what more do you need to hear?

i saw what you did.

when did this start happening?

start from the beginning.

that was a little abrupt.

when did you learn how to do that?

so... that's new.

they called you [title]. why did they call you that?

is there something you're not telling me?

i'd like to discuss what happened between us.

this is going to be really awkward, i'm sure.

when did they start taking orders from you?

who died and made you king?

i missed the part where that was my problem.

you could have given me a heads up.

so... we're just not going to address that?

i saw what happened.

that could have been worse.

you made a mockery of them.

i appreciate what you did for me back there.

you didn't have to stand up for me, and yet you did.

how long have you been planning that?

i think it's about time i was included in these discussions.

you know i could have helped with that.

you got a little scary back there.

i was so certain they were going to kill us.

where'd you learn to pull a stunt like that?

did that really just happen?

i owe you my life.

give me a heads up next time.

you have more power than i thought.