@oshizu Glad you enjoyed Morris's return to the spotlight! I actually read that about Aditya meaning sun god when I first met him. I think it's so cool! I had the darndest time remembering his name at first, but now I really like it. As for Aditya himself, I'm afraid being a live-out spouse has caused his personality to suffer a bit. He doesn't speak to me that much, other than saying, "I'm very handsome and not too bright," so he's more of a sidekick husband. Besides, Cressida's true love is grilled cheese.
Thank you so much for the tip about leveling fitness while Morris is at home! I'm so trying that!
@wfgodot I really like that shot of Cressida as well! She looks uncomfortable, but I just had to include it.
I'm glad you liked Otto's painting. I'd hoped you would.
@Magpie2012 Oh, my gosh! Thank you so much for telling me about the K word. I had no idea! I'm tempted to go back and change it to something else, as I'm horrified to have word that's a racial slur in any country in my story, but your comment provides such good, useful information that I kind of want to leave it in so that people reading the story can learn about it the way I did. Maybe an asterisk. I'll think about it. Suggestions welcome!
Your flag-waving made me smile.
@Whirligig I don't know about Arianna, but I certainly feel that way sometimes.
All I meant by "next time" is that Thad's insane trait makes him yell at somebody autonomously at least once per day. More often now that he's immortal I leave him idle most of the time. Make a wood sculpture, nap in the bush, find someone you like and yell at them. That's his retirement plan.
Chapter 119: Hipster
Cressida: Obligatory birthday shot!
Thaddeus: Obligatory family member celebrating with crazy-wide-open mouth!
Wendell: Did someone say, “Handsome devil?” Anyone? Someone? No?
Watcher: Okay . . . what? Seriously? The glasses now? You couldn’t just be a hipster in attitude, you had to be outwardly and obviously pretentious as well? Am I going to catch you on a fixed-gear bike next?
Thaddeus: Look, I don’t even know what you’re talking about. I don’t really think about what I wear. Now, could you possibly take your basic-ness somewhere else? The smell of Frappuccino is giving me a headache.
Watcher: I take my coffee black and you know it! THADDEUS! You . . you . . . HIPSTER!
Thaddeus: *eyeroll*
Cressida: Smashing the dollhouse gives me a happy moodlet, and fixing the dollhouse gives me a happy moodlet. Win-win! I could do this all day! Being both mean and handy is amazing!
Cressida: Those birds freak me out. And I’m me, so that’s pretty impressive. Good show, creepy birds.
Watcher: Dude . . . your jeans. Those are the tightest jeans I’ve ever seen in my life. How do you even get them on? Where did you find them? Wait . . . are those the girl skinnies from Backyard Stuff?
Thaddeus: I guess I anticipated that your narrow, gender-conformative mind would take issue with that but, like, I still find it disappointing. I mean, what are girl pants? What are guy pants? They’re pants. I put them on my legs. Do we really have to police the masculinity of denim?
Watcher: I don’t know, dude, but those are some extremely tight pants.
Thaddeus: *sigh* *eyeroll*
Wendell: Ah, the romance festival! Where your girlfriend can immediately throw rose petals all over your grandson and everybody is cool with that and you all just go drink some pink tea together.
Erika: What? It’s a friendly interaction.
Otto: And all those phone calls asking me out to hang with you at bars?
Erika: I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Thaddeus: Ugh. It’s just so-
Watcher: Don’t say “mainstream.” I will honestly figure out a way to punch you if you say “mainstream.”
Thaddeus: I was going to say predictable. It used to be better. It’s gotten all commercial now. I don’t know why we even come here anymore.
Watcher: Because the house is laggy and Cressida only works three days a week and things would get super boring if we just sat around doing yoga and rolling our eyes all day.
Thaddeus: *sigh* Whatever.
Guru: So . . . what sort of answer to your question will not get me beat up?
Cressida: The one you could have given me five seconds ago. Too late now, though. *shrug*
Guru: I knew I should have just said, “match made in heaven.” Why do I always try to get creative?
Cressida: Hehehehe. Now I get to watch her sweat all night. This is a great festival, after all! The tea ain’t bad, either.
Watcher: Gosh. The peasants didn’t want to sit with you? Shocker.
Thaddeus: Or maybe ironically observing the festivities from afar is the only way to really make this event tolerable.
Watcher: Yeah, well, you just continue being too cool for school there, buddy. I’m going to actually have fun.
Thaddeus: I think it’s nice that that’s possible for you. Having such simple tastes must be a real boon. I envy you, honestly. I wish I could be so easily entertained.
Watcher: You know they’re selling that pufferfish nigiri stuff over there.
Thaddeus: Please. That’s so five minutes ago. Nobody eats nigiri, anymore.
Watcher: I was thinking more about some of it from five hours ago. Or five days ago, even. Semi-fermented nigiri is where it’s at.
Thaddeus: That’s not a thing, and if you kill me off you’ll just have to get Cressida pregnant and start all over again.
Watcher: Then stop being so murderable! Ya dang hipster!
Wendell: This rose-colored lighting really brings out my awesome.
Cressida: Hey! I know you’re super angry because I just flirted with someone else, but want to renew our vows?
Aditya: Yes! Very publicly and loudly!
Cressida: Oh, Aditya, your name means sun god and truly you are-
Aditya: SPEAK UP! And, that’s right! You keep walking, buddy! And don’t forget who wore this shirt better. It was me!
Cressida: Oh, hey! New ring! That’s a nice touch!
Aditya: Anything to show the world that you’re mine and only mine!
Cressida: You’re pretty cute when you’re possessive, but I belong to no one. Except perhaps the inventor of grilled cheese.
Watcher: . . . .Okay, what? I wrote a whole plotline, girl. I wrote you out and . . . how many times have I given up, now? Is anyone keeping count? Welcome back, Salma! I’ll go re-assign your bed to you, just in case. Who will be our butler next time we travel off the lot? Sir Chilipepper? The Ghost of Jorge? Could be anyone! Stay tuned!
Watcher: You look much too cheerful right now. I’m pretty sure hipsters don’t smile.
Thaddeus: Well, I might be giving up the whole hipster thing. It’s exhausting, and I’m very old. Do you have any idea how many new bands are formed every day? And some of them are bad and some are good and some are so bad they’re good and . . . it’s hard to keep track.
Watcher: Well, I’ve got to tell you, that’s a giant relief to me.
Thaddeus: I’m keeping the glasses, though.
Watcher: That’s fine. I’m too lazy to go back into CAS right now, anyway.
Watcher: Oh, good. Found all your old plate-dropping spots. Carry on.
Watcher: Oh, look! It’s the only thing that could cheer me up right now!
Diego: This isn’t Echelon. What nonsense. It’s like the second I phoned up and asked Morris to re-join Upper Echelon he immediately started a club gathering and elected to stay home. Oh, they’ve got talking toilets, now! I’d better go check them out, although I hate it when anything I like changes even slightly, so I’ll have to despise them on principle.
Cressida: Whoa. My internal eye is making me dizzy.
Morris: Oh, Diego darling, I’ve missed you so!
Diego: Then I am sorry I did not stay away longer. I like being missed.*
Morris: Don’t you dare quote Oscar Wilde at me! If you do that I might never end this club gathering for the whole rest of the dynasty.
Diego: Well, then you’d better make me a drink so we can settle in, because we are all of us in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.**
Morris: You're incorrigible!
Cressida: Well, I’ve maxed my career, but something is somehow still missing . . .
*POOF*
Cressida: Oh, of course! That was it! I wonder if the dust that accompanies my summoned grilled cheeses is supposed to be golden fairy dust or just powdered cheese. Hmm.
*From
An Ideal Husband**From
Lady Windermere's Fan
