find gainful employment

[mrmage]

The following day, Sadde goes to town at a reasonable time to buy a tiny cactus with some of the proceeds from his terribly tedious job, and sneaks it into the bag with his clothing he brings to Isabella's room. It is inside a cute little box, which he offers Isabella the following morning when she wakes up, saying, "Happy three-month anniversary!"

Comments

[msmage]

Q: How do you help someone who doesn't want to be helped?

A: You don't.

"Anyway, how are you? You look like you lost weight."

[alicornucopia]

"Oh. I'm not on a diet or anything, I dunno."

[msmage]

"Huh. And are you doing anything for your birthday?"

[alicornucopia]

"Not really. My moms sent me a card."

[msmage]

"Mason not taking you to dinner or something? Maybe some cake?"

[alicornucopia]

"...I don't think I ever told him when my birthday is."

[msmage]

"Oh. Well, you should. Maybe he'll buy you something nice."

[alicornucopia]

"Maybe," says Jackson.

[msmage]

"Hmm, would you like a tiny cactus?"

[alicornucopia]

"What would I do with a tiny cactus?"

[msmage]

"I dunno. It's small and cute. Guessing that's a no. Hmmm, you're hard to buy gifts to. Perhaps I could buy you a book, wink wink nudge nudge."

[alicornucopia]

"...what are you saying wink wink nudge nudge about."

[msmage]

"I like reading books and am trying to get you to like reading books, too. Come on, didn't you get the reference, I made this same joke like three months ago."

[alicornucopia]

"I don't remember jokes you made three months ago," says Jackson, bewildered. "Anyway, I don't think I have a rule about where I can get books?"

[msmage]

"Good, then. Do you have any genres you prefer or should I just go wild? And fiction or non?"

[alicornucopia]

Shrug.

[msmage]

"Hmm, alright, gonna get you one fiction and one non, then."

[alicornucopia]

"...okay. You really don't have to, you know."

[msmage]

"You said that already. Do you mean to say you don't want me to? You can say that instead, and I won't."

[alicornucopia]

"I dunno."

[msmage]

"It's the kind of thing friends do," she shrugs.

[alicornucopia]

"Okay."

[msmage]

"Okay! Alright, I'm gonna go grab some food, then."

[alicornucopia]

Nod.

[msmage]

She goes and grabs food and returns, humming happily under her breath.