🍇 what strange things grow from little seeds 🍇

[graftage]

WHO: Steinbeck and....YOU!
WHAT: Random effects time! And random Steinbeck prompt times! (IF YOU WANT A PERSONAL STARTER PLEASE ASK/DM!)
WHEN: Summer mid to Summer end
WHERE: Everywhere
WARNINGS: some attempted superpower self harm in one prompt but otherwise nothing else (will update as needed)



1. "Everything you touch ends up with glitter on it, and every time you sneeze, confetti comes out"

ACHOO-!

[Whoah there, that's a whole sneeze and a half. If you're walking by Steinbeck's farm, you may notice him walking up, looking a bit miserable as he wipes his nose, which...looks glittery. Actually, a lot of him looks glittery.]

Ugh, what is this...some kinda cold... [He's murmuring, looking up as he sees someone and waves.] Hey, are you feeling sick at all? I keep just...s...s-sn...

[Oh no.]

ACHHOOOO-!

[And now you're covered in confetti. Whoops.]


2. "A sports announcer voice narrates every significant event in your interaction with others."

[Later after that whole nonsense (and still a little glittery) Steinbeck can be found at the grocery store, poring over the wares. He's grabbed a few things for cooking, looking over a couple of packs of cookies, and he turns to whoever is nearby with a smile-]

[Except he doesn't speak. Because what speaks is a very loud and eager announcement, booming as if its coming over some intercom that clearly is not there.]

AND HERE WE GOOOO-!!! JOHN STEINBECK HAS MET THE EYES OF A HANDSOME AND BEAUTIFUL INDIVIDUAL ACROSS THE AISLE. NOW BRAD, ALTHOUGH HE'S GOT THAT WHOLE TRACK RECORD FROM LAST YEAR ON HIS PLATE, FORTUNES MAY TURN FOR HIM YET! LET'S SEE WHAT HE DOES NEXT-!

[Steinbeck. Freezes like a deer in headlights. (WHO'S BRAD?)]


3. and better things will sprout, won't they? (tw: attempted self harm for superpower purposes)

[He's really trying hard to stay in the shadows here - if you happen to be out in the evening close to the woods, you may see Steinbeck trying to sneak in there with something in both hands. One of them happens to be a knife, the other, a small cloth bag.]

[He doesn't seem to think anyone is following him, even as he casts his gaze over his shoulder a couple times. Once he finds a clearing, he shifts open his collar with a finger, before he flicks open his knife.]

[He moves to raise it directly to his neck, as if he's going to jab it at his own skin.]

[Are you going to stop him, or are you going to watch-?]


4. WILDCARD

[get your personal starters here if you want!! Steinbeck is still open for scavenger hunt and mine shenanigans or whatever you want to do with him!]

Comments

[framestory]

[ Steinbeck can get an actual pillow once he confirms the wound is closed, but he really doesn't want to do that right now, so, rolled towel it is. But honestly? Yeah. Ellis could have left him there, but his recently gained empathy said otherwise along with the rest of his logic.

He tired gets his notepad out of his pocket, scribbles with somehow still neat handwriting and turns to show it to Steinbeck: ]

We don't need more bodies to bury in Crescentview.

[graftage]

[His eyebrows furrow at that.]

...More bodies?

[This was supposed to be? G-RATED FARM SIMULATOR?]

[framestory]

[ gestures to everyone having sex and causing drama ]

With everyone slowly regaining their powers, this is kind of inevitable with most people's temperament.

[graftage]

[He lets out a short, curt laugh, lacking amusement.]

Figures. Where are the bodies? Buried in the woods?

[framestory]

[ Ellis shrugs. He's not going to divulge that sort of information casually.

Anyway. ]

How are you feeling? Are you going to threaten me into silence?

[graftage]

[He reads what Ellis has to say, and he grins, eyes narrowing in a fox-like, sly manner as he says, lightly.]

...I have half a mind that I should. Maybe it should teach you not to go in the woods in the dark.

[And then....a sigh.]

But I bet you don't even know what you were looking at, anyways.

[framestory]

[ Oh. Fox-like eyes. Ellis doesn't like that, combined with the "..." vibes that preceded Steinbeck's dialogue. Hm. His survival instincts are screaming, but he's gotten used to suppressing them a lot lately. ]

You stabbed your neck and put grape seeds in.

[ He looks over at them. ]

Obviously has to do with powers, but are the grape seeds some sort of steroid?

[graftage]

I sureeeee did.

[Now he just seems exhausted, closing his eyes and letting himself lean back once again, folding his arms for good measure.]

It's complicated. [A beat.] Where I come from, some people have abilities. The grape seeds have to do with it.

[He seems reluctant to explain further.]

[framestory]

[ Well, that's fair. ]

Almost everyone has some sort of abilities here, so it's fine if you let yourself slip. It's not as big of a deal, as say, places where it's not so commonplace.

[ Ellis will let Steinbeck take the grape seeds back if he wants to, but like... ]

Can't you just swallow them instead of inserting them into your neck?

[graftage]

Oooh, boy. Swallow them? Now that would be gruesome.

[The mental image....]

[He shakes his head a little, though the suggestion is amusing, even if its incredibly morbid to imagine.]

Mm. Anyways. Don't you worry. I won't threaten you. You went out of your way to help me. I won't be so mean to you for that.

[framestory]

[ Swallowing is more gruesome? Boy, you're just out here slicing your own neck. Ellis nods, but-- ]

I can only stop your blood from pouring out. The wound has to naturally close up on its own. I put gauze there just in case you wanted to leave when you woke up, because it'll start bleeding again if you're away from me.

[graftage]

[Oh, now that makes his attention snap to Ellis, pushing himself up in the bathtub to stare him down.]

What do you mean, "if you're away from me"?

[framestory]

[ He has the mental vibes of a 4' tiny man. It's fine, even though he's actually 5' 11". ]

My power has limited range.

[graftage]

What power.

[binch]

[framestory]

I'm stabilizing your blood flow so that it doesn't pour out. I'm waiting for your wound to naturally close enough so that you don't bleed out.

[ This is why Steinbeck's gauze and bandages have no trace of blood on them, but he probably won't be able to see it unless in front of a mirror, huh. ]

[graftage]

[A long pause.]

[And then he just leans back, exasperated.]

...

[Finally, he speaks.]

If you're wondering, I won't threaten you or anything. You did all this for me. I wouldn't repay a kind deed with violence. So thanks. [A low exhale.] But honestly, this is a pain and a half.

[framestory]

[ Agreed. Ellis also agrees that this is a pain and most certainly because he did not do this from the goodness of his heart.

But it is what it is. ]

If you want to leave, you can. I think you'll bleed a lot less than before if you do.

[graftage]

Hmmph.

[He opens an eye to look over at Ellis.]

...Funny. I'd expect you to be more curious. No more questions for me? Maybe I'm someone who just likes hurting himself.

[framestory]

1. You don't seem willing to answer questions. I can't force someone to answer things. I can't even fight.
2. You put grape seeds inside your neck. That last part is not it.

[ lol ]

[graftage]

Heyyyy. Maybe I'm just a freak.

[:)]

[framestory]

Welcome to Freaktown.

[ One of them. :) ]

I have a grape juice box in the fridge. You can take one on the way out. Homemade.

[ He's just really tired to move. Ellis would just sleep on the edge of the bathtub after Steinbeck leaves. ]

[graftage]

[He gives a halfhearted salute.]

Nice to be here, fellow freak.

[Now that makes him laugh.]

You really know irony, huh? [And a beat.] But I'll rest here a while. I don't want to take chances.

[He folds his arms over his chest.]

That ability of yours...you always had it?

[framestory]

[ At this point, Ellis's eyes are half-closed, but he's trying his best to stay awake. He's never did this for so long at once and wonders if he can increase stamina about using his powers like exercising. ]

I was made because of the ability.

[graftage]

[...........]

[His expression hardens.]

What do you mean, "made"?

[framestory]

[ Oh. Huh. Ellis looks at Steinbeck, intrigued by his response. ]

Why the long face?