#cleona

🕷️, 🌋,🍀- Cleona

💔 BROKEN HEART - what could their partner do that would absolutely break their heart?

Millie has abandonment issues, so if you ghost her or leave her somewhere with no warning she'll have a hard time trusting you again.

💤 SLEEPING - do they fall asleep easily? what helps them sleep?

She doesn't fall asleep very easy, but if someone is cuddling her... Zzzzz.

🌺 HIBISCUS - do they have any allergies?

She is allergic to bullshit and peaches.

🕷️ SPIDER - what is their biggest fear? do they have any irrational / mundane fears?

Cleona's biggest fear is losing anyone she loves and her most irrational fear is that she's afraid of ants.

🌋 VOLCANO - how bad is their temper? is it a slow boil, or a instant explosion?

She has an extremely big temper. She will explode over the smallest things and only her wife or dice can calm her down immediately.

🍀 CLOVER - do they believe in luck? are they lucky?

Benjy doesn’t call her the next night or day-and the phone doesn’t ring.

It’s shifted between them, and though he can’t put his finger on it, something of him tells him Cleona picked up that he’d been lying when he’d told her he’d forgotten what he’d wanted to say.

Benjy just really hopes she also didn’t pick up on the truth.

He’s almost to napping when the phone rings, and were anyone in the room to see how quickly Benjy snaps to attention, it’d be embarrassing. He clears his throat before he picks up the receiver.

“Hello?”

Maybe nothing was weird and Benjy was just reading into things-wouldn’t be the first time. Maybe last night was just a busy one at the bar or she had a test or-

“Hi.” The sound of Moody’s voice on the other end of the line pops the hope in Benjy’s chest like a cheap balloon.

“Oh, uh-hi Al.”

“Not who you were expecting?” 

Benjy detests the smugness in his friend’s voice.

“No...just surprised. I don’t get many phone calls.”

The way his former partner scoffs lets Benjy he doesn’t believe him, but Al doesn’t push. 

“What’s up?”

“Shacklebolt was er, talking about your nurse. How pretty she is.” 

A surge of possessiveness rips through him and Benjy forces himself to keep his breathing steady.

“Thrilling news, Al. Is that all?” 

“You know that’s not bloody all. When are you going to stop fucking around, Benjy? You’re clearly mad for the girl.” 

Weirdly, hearing Moody exasperated at him just like he always used to be almost makes Benjy feel a fondness towards him. Almost. Immeasurable indignation surpasses any other emotions.

“Jesus fucking Christ. What’d Mary tell you?”

“Doesn’t matter-I was around the two of you for two seconds, and I’m not bloody blind or stupid. You’ve been mooning over her for months and now you finally have some fucking time to get to know each other and...what? The spark’s gone?”

“My fucking legs are gone, Alastor.” 

Benjy says this so fiercely he actually spits onto the phone. Rage comes to him so quickly when it comes to her-and that’s scary within itself. Benjy’s worst fears are true-this love runs deep.There’s silence on the other end. And then-

“I don’t think that matters to her, mate.”

Benjy hates the softness in his friend’s voice. He hates everything about this conversation, but most of all, he hates that he’s having to have it again.

“It matters to me.”

Benjy can almost picture Alastor and it hurts. At his desk, looking out over the organized chaos of the station, finding Shacklebolt in the crowd maybe, for the sole purpose of sizing him up. Benjy will never be back in that bull pen.

“So that’s it then?”

“Unless you’ve got a solution by way of a bloody miracle.”

“Hmm. So you wouldn’t care if Kingsley looked her up and gave her a ring? Took her out?”

“I hope they go dancing.” That’s what he was going to do. For their first date. If she’d ever said yes-there was a place pretty close by that gave ballroom lessons for pretty cheap on Thursdays-he’d thought about taking lots of girls there, but something told him with Cleona along, it actually would’ve been fun, no matter how helpless Benjy actually was at dancing. 

Would’ve would’ve would’ve.

If he can’t make her happy, at the very least, he owes it to her to try to pay her back. Somehow. Someway. The gears turn and click into place. A replacement.

“Benjy-”

“You know what, Al? I’ll do him one better. I’ll ring her for him-do the fucking heavy lifting for Shacklebolt to swoop in just in time to get the glory-sound alright to you?”

“For fuck’s sake-”

“Don’t call me again.”

Benjy’s voice is cold and he hangs up without another word. His hand rests on the handset, gripping the plastic so tight Benjy actually hears it start to crack. He wants to throw the whole bloody thing against the wall with all his regrown strength-but that’d land him in some deep shit, deep shit that might make it’s way back to the girl who hasn’t called.

Almost robotically, with every fiber of his sense screaming at him not to, Benjy dials Cleona’s number.

He has it memorized.

FCs:

Sundae: doesn’t even understand the fact that he’s an adult, so love??? Nope. If someone were to actually flirt with him, he’d just think they’re being friendly and that wouldn’t hold his interest much- that and Sundae’s circus mates would go to the person and explain why what they’re doing is not good lol. Besides who would even try to flirt with the clown creature that tends to walk on all fours...? The only partner Sundae wants is a partner in crime- and he has those already.

Liegois: aro ace. Not interested in such relationships- but does have a platonic lover tho. I’ll show him one day!

Tobleron: no genitalia/doesn’t feel sexual attraction, so ace.

Sazae Oni: he’s the kinda namekian without genitalia, and isn’t interested in such things. Isn’t even interested into having children. But you know what he’s interested in? Men. Strong men. He’s homoromantic 👬💕

Sailoon: has no concept of any kind of love. Seeing people doing the mere act of holding hands confuses him greatly. Why hold hands to express your affection while you can simply offer a freshly caught prey

Daiquiri: Bisexual- more women leaned. But has no luck with anyone actually. He probably actually never did IT.

Tagada: no genitalia (‘cause that’s my hc of core people/shinjin + demons- since they get born from fruits and all) and actually doesn’t feel romantic feelings? But tries to date men (and only men... evil ones) anyway because he’s very much into them aesthetically. But only aesthetically. If he ever got in an actyal relationship he’d panic lol

Tsurara: Doesn’t really know his orientation- this kinda things tend to confuse him. He has a relatively childish and naive way of looking at things, so in his eyes, any kind of love is a big mystery. Also, i guess if he ever found one of those kinda yokai that charms people, the said yokai would probably give up pretty quickly- because Tsurara would just interpret it as friendliness. Like if the yokai is like ‘come... come to my special place... and i’ll-‘ Tsurara will be like ‘Hold on!! I gotta ask my parents first :/ wouldn’t you rather come to my place instead?? We can have a PILLOW FIGHT!’

Sadaf and Maryssa: both straight- and they’re together so yeah lol. They did have children- and that’s enough for them; plus their relationship strained over time so they don’t have that much of a couple relationship anymore.

Pinecone and Chataigne: are together, so gay. And i highly doubt they’d have a sexual relationship; they’re too busy being ecoterro- uhhh i mean protecting the forest. From harmless things. Even from animals trying to survive by eating a bunch of nuts- like ‘oH MY GOD PINECONE THERE’S SOME HEARTLESS CREATURE EATING NUTS FROM THAT POOR TREE!!’, with Pinecone replying ‘OH NOOO!!! What do we do?!’ And Chataigne ‘LET’S WRECK IT AND PROTECT NATURE’... yeah they’re very busy people

OCs:

Cedra and Quibris: they’re both without genitalia, so ace- and Quibris is aro, they don’t understand the point of romantic love. Cedra on the other hand, while not especially understanding romance itself, has been sometimes feelings things like that, towards Quibris, before they got in a platonic relationship. When the latter happened, Cedra was more than satisfied with their relationship, and his romantic ones just kinda faded away. But now that they’re not together anymore, they miss each other greatly...

Lulu and Moiris: both without genitalia, and homoromantic- since they’re together!

Cycloplasm and Ocularose: both based on me so ace aro, no genitalia and aesthetically attracted to men. Especially attracted to a certain fictional character... (those who know me personally probably know who it is, lol.)

Calnis: No genitalia, panromantic. But likes to play ‘hard to get’ to an obnoxious level, and as result never actually had a partner. They’d never admit that part though.

Cupsilon: No genitalia, and aro. But might also not even accept platonic relationships- he’s too afraid to care for people, out of fear that they ‘betray’ him like Calnis did- because this event greatly affected him and is afraid to have any type of relationship, that it may be friendly or else, with anyone.

Fruitbugs: all pan and ace- don’t have genitalia or any concept of sex in their program. Except Olive, who has all that too but doesn’t feel romantic feelings either; actually, he doesn’t feel *anything*...

Also fun fact about Fruitbugs- in the game, the players need to state their age; and the game experience is slightly different based on that. Under 18, Fruitbugs don’t really care about the players and are essentially humouring them; they don’t feel anything for them and at best they pretend to be friends. And for 18+ players, that’s when Fruitbugs are their true selves and act as dating sims characters. Also, they don’t have genitalia, so even for adult players, nothing 18+ happens; only occasional blood and gore.

He sits up next to whatever shes baking on the counter. He tries to catch her around the waist with his legs to pull her to him, but she dodges him. 

@legendofgrump

He’s dialing the number even though his hands are still shaking. It’s probably too early, Seamus is probably awake but he needs her. God dammit it he needs her.

“Hello?” Cleona’s voice is a bit flustered when she picks up, and it makes Benjy’s heart flutter, despite all of this.

“Hi. It’s me. It’s Benjy.”

“I know your voice by now, Benj.” He can hear her smiling. “What’s up?”

“Is now a good time? I’m a bit early...”

“Yeah, Uncle Axl can take care of bath time, right?” Her voice raises at the end of the sentence and Benjy hears someone grumbling in the background. “Are you okay, Benjy? You sound a bit off.”

He lets out an odd sort of breathy laugh. “Yeah I’m uh-I’m alright just-my dad came to visit me. He just left.”

She’s quiet for a moment. “Your dad?”

“Yeah.”

“The one you never met?”

“Yup.” Benjy presses the top of his forehead with his hand as hard as he can. He hears Seamus make a loud noise in the background. “It doesn’t sound like a good time, I’ll call back later.”

It’s been four days since he decided to try. Cleona’s had two shifts with him, and she assures him that today, her day off, will be the one where she comes to see him as a friend-not his nurse.

She’s also assured him it’s not a date. And he believes her. Almost.

He’s been tired the past two days, they’d been upping his morphine now that he was actually able to tell his caregivers how much pain he was in, so frequent naps have become common place. He hasn’t been dreaming, thankfully. In his few days of silence, his dreams from his coma mostly came flooding back. He’d relived the worst and best parts of life.

As he wakes up, he senses a presence in the chair next to him. He smiles and speaks before he opens his eyes.

“Couldn’t stay away from me, huh, Lolo?”

“Who’s Lolo?”

Benjy’s eyes snap open. He knows that voice. He’d been told the worst and best things by that voice.

“Graham?!”

“Hello Ace.”

Benjy’s head snaps over, shocked. He hasn’t aged. Not really he’s a bit more grey in some places, and Benjy likes to think he had had something to do with that, given the call he’d placed to the Dean’s office the year before.

But he was still beautiful. And that hurt.

“Don’t call me that.”

Graham raises his hands in mock surrender.

“Sorry, sorry.”

“What are you doing here?”

Graham gives him a look like he’s crazy.

“Benjy. You got shot. I figured you could use the company. I knew you probably still didn’t have anyone else.”

Benjy hates the smugness in his voice almost as much as he hates the fact that Graham is correct.

“You don’t know anything about me.”

“Don’t I?”

Graham opens his jacket pocket and pulls out a small book, putting on the table by Benjy’s bed. Ginsberg, collected poems. Benjy stares at the book, then at Graham, saying nothing.

“You haven’t changed at all, Benjamin. And you’re still just as handsome, even in that gown.”

Benjy clenches his jaw.

“What about what’s his face? He still around? Won’t he not take kindly to you visiting your ex?”

Benjy had run into Graham and a young boy who couldn’t have been older than nineteen a little over a year ago at a club. He’d called and left an anonymous tip that Graham was sleeping with a student. He’d been fired. Small victories.

Graham scoffs.

“Timothy does what I tell him to. You remember what’s that like, don’t you? Besides, he’s not special like you. He’s not perfect.”

“Neither was I.”

“I know that all too well, don’t I, Ace? Timothy’s fuck-ups, though not nearly as momentous as yours, don’t have that same charm. Then again, maybe if he was half the slut that you were, he’d have half your charm.”

Benjy flinches at the all to familiar harshness of Graham’s words. He bites the inside of his cheek before he moves his head back to the center of his pillow.

“Right. Well, thanks for coming. I’m really tired and probably am just gonna go back to sleep. So you can go now.”

Graham laughs.

“And waste an opportunity to have you all to myself? To finally get you to talk to me? I don’t think so. I’ll wait. Besides, you didn’t answer my question, Ace.

“Stop calling me Ace.”

“No.”

He knows immediately not to protest. Panic rises in his chest as he realizes how trapped he really is, in this room, in his current state. He physically cannot get away. Graham’s eyes dance as Benjy sits, silent. Waiting.

“Who’s Lolo?”

He’d asked Evelyn to shave him. He feels stupid about it now, but at the time it made him feel better. It’s too cold now, on his face, but at least he feels a bit like himself now. Even if his stupid shoulder injury made it so he couldn’t do it himself.

Now he waits.

She comes in around nine, and he can tell given that he’s looking at the clock now. She doesn’t even look at him, and well, he deserves that.

“Good morning, Star Shine.”

She glances at him, trying to hide her surprise, but doesn’t say anything.

“What, are you taking a page out of my book now?”

“....maybe.”

She looks at him, which is good, but she’s pissed, which is to be expected.

“I could grovel?”

‘What are you doing, Benjy?”

She sounds tired.

“Trying.”