#simblrstories

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She's testing his patience...

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I have no idea what's going on with the quality. They are pretty HQ if you click.

Text version under the cut:

Among wild lavender and hibiscus, Bridget rocked baby Heather beneath a flowering archway—barefoot, calm, humming.

Morrigan stood at the edge, frozen. Watching.

Morrigan: “You gave me midwifery.” Bridget: “Because you didn’t ask for it. And because I’ve seen how you hold her.”

She didn’t mean politics. Or posture. She meant Heather. The baby. The softness Morrigan tried so hard to hide. Morrigan (quietly): “I’ve always wanted children. But I can’t. Not with who my father is. He’ll take them. Use them. Break them.” Bridget: “He won’t. Not while I’m breathing.” A long silence. Then—Bridget offered her Heather. And Morrigan took her. Held her. Let herself feel something real. Morrigan (whispered): “I won’t let him touch her.” Bridget: “I know.” And for the first time in a long time, beneath sun-dappled leaves and the hush of bees, Morrigan allowed herself to hope. Just a little.

With summer coming to an end, all the “kids” had their final meetup and River and Lucas’s newly finished shelter. They had chosen to rebuild when they started getting more horses, as they simply needed the space. Sitting outside with horses grazing close by, under one of the big trees, the talk between them was mostly on where they were now all heading.

Who was going to what university, what classes, what they expected, and so on. Libby told them about them finally starting high school, while Izzy stayed quiet as usual. In all honesty, they were surprised he chose to come still. 

Liam: You guys will come over less often now then I assume? Libby: Yeah, sorry, but on the weekend hopefully we can come say hi.

There was a nod from Izzy as well who had 5 kittens in his lap. It was a rare smile on his face that they all assumed he simply did not know he had. 

Liam: Good, I need my coffee tasters to drop by after all. 

There was a smile between them all, before the talk shifted to the cafe, how it was doing, pets who had new homes, new pets that were coming in to try their luck, and in general they just chatted about what the next year might have in store for them all.

Liam: Here you go. - he looked at both, then his eyes rested on Izzy who didn’t look at him at all.- If you're wondering where Della is, she is at the shelter today, getting her yearly vaccines and such, she’ll be here again tomorrow. 

His words gained him a look, and then they just focused on their coffee, Liam shrugging his shoulders slightly hearing Libby saying thank you for both as he went back to his work, checking on the other customers, as well as taking some orders to go.

It had actually been his grandpa Hayle who had mentioned it, that to have things to go, would let those without time to stay taste his things, and perhaps on a day when they had time, they would visit. Either way, it was another good way of making money.

Without Liam noticing it, Izzy takes a photo of him before the two, or well, one of them says goodbye, while the other just nods their head. Izzy walks by the small photography store in the town before they portal home, printing out the picture and doing his best to hide it from his twin by distracting her with the candy store.

As he stands outside, he empties the pack of cigarettes, takes out a pen from his pocket, then scribbles the words “do it for him” on the back, about to stick it into the pack when he hears his sisters all too familiar voice

Libby: I KNEW IT! You have a crush on sunlight!!

Izzy doesn’t even get halfway through his sigh before he finds the picture taken out of his packet by his twin, who grins widely at him. Libby: Love at first sight? Izzy: … Libby: It was? Wasn’t it?

Liam: Why are you… -stops as he sees the cigarette.- You smoke? Izzy: -looks surprised at Liam-Liam: First of all, the sign for no smoking is on the fence over there… Izzy: -lowers gaze- Liam: Secondly, it's fucking unhealthy! And third, you ain't smoking and then testing my new coffees with that shit taste in your mouth. How can you even taste anything if your mouth is filled with that?

Before Izzy can respond, the smoke and packet is taken from him. The lit smoke stomped while the pack itself was thrown in the bin behind Liam’s counter. Izzy: Oi! Liam: The sign says no smoking. Their eyes meet, and a staring contest starts, until Izzy suddenly turns around and walks off, leaving Liam with a deep sigh before he shakes his head. Why would he smoke in the first place? He was pretty sure his Uncle Fan would not approve of it. 

Turning his attention back to his workday, he figured that would be the last he saw of Izzy, but much to his surprise, later the same week he was back with his twin. Libby asked if she too could be a taste tester, which he of course allowed her to be, making them one each of his latest test creations, a salty mocha latte that he knew could be good, but he had to make it just right before it could become part of the menu, and the feedbacks told him that they wasn’t there just yet.

Liam: So what do you want today? Izzy: … Liam: I am sure something but the simple coffee I normally serve you could be tempting? Izzy: … Liam: Fine no coffee until you tell me what you want. Unless of course, you want me to have you test new creations? I always need some feedback, but you then need to give me feedback.

No words came, but instead, Izzy took up the menu and pointed to a caramel latte that he had just added. Liam: Okay, think about the other thing though? Getting a nod from Izzy he went to make the coffee, he wondered why they never talked. In a way, they looked lonely there in the corner, but he did notice someone that often came to that corner too whenever he was there; Della, one of the cats that had been here since the start. She seemed to get more smiles from Izzy than anyone else. It was some weeks later when he noticed Izzy standing outside. He had in the end agreed to be one of Liam’s testers, which at least let Liam hear his voice on occasion, although his answers were short, to the point, and concise. He liked that for his coffee reviews, they were honest and simple to work with.

Sunlight often came to him if it was something he wanted to talk about, often dragon things, which was something Emil still loved sometimes sending the young dragon to Vy to answer some of them, not because they didn’t know, but because they knew Vy loved visits from the kids, and even more, loved to answer any dragon questions.

Through summer, the kids made sure they met at least once a month at Liam’s cafe in the morning, to then head out to the shelter to help out in the afternoons.

It was a way they liked to just keep in touch, as their own lives took up more and more of their time. It was a late summer afternoon when Liam noticed someone familiar in his cafe, someone he hadn’t really seen in a while. As if to tell him he was right, he saw Libby wave at him as she too entered. 

Libby: Hola! Liam: Heya Libby, did they really let you travel alone? Libby: Yeah, we're old enough now to come visit all by ourselves!

Liam just smiled, letting her look through the list of drinks, letting her order for her and her brother. Much to his surprise though, he did notice that Izzy came back almost daily after their first one, which he admitted surprised him. He always sat at the same table in the back, and in general, didn’t talk, but gave a nod in his direction.