Oneshots! (Mostly Hermitcraft)

Spring Prompt Challenge: April 1 - Bouquet [Iskall]

[POV: Iskall, 3rd person] 

Alliums. Those were her favorite. Tenderly plucked from their stalks and arranged in a wreath. Small leaves were mixed in, lending small splashes of color amid the light magenta. A couple of poppies scattered about, adding depth. The wreath went from flat to a crown fit for a queen.

 His queen.

 Iskall smiled at his handiwork: a flower crown he had spent multiple hours on. Gathering the flowers, weaving them together, fanning them apart. Arranging and rearranging to make it perfect. After all those hours working away, Iskall could finally say that it was completed. It was beautiful. It was perfect for her.

 He descended his cliffside base, walking along the paths he had carved through the hard ground to the shore of the Hermit-ssippi river. He carefully placed the wreath in his inventory, securing it gently. He crossed the quiet river in the early morning light, breathing the fresh air. The sunrise streaked gold, rose, and magenta across the sky.

 Maybe he had spent the entire night gathering flowers and weaving them together. Perhaps he had spent his time preparing for this caving trip with Stress, instead of sleeping. Although, this was Hermitcraft. Most of the players didn't sleep much. Was it healthy? Probably not. But that didn't matter. Seeing Stress -- or any other hermit, but mostly Stress -- immediately energized him. It was almost magical.

 The keel of the boat ground on the sand, and Iskall jumped out. He walked up the hill to the entrance to Stress' teapot, knocking on the side of her open doorway. Her light and cheerful "Come in" floated to his ears as he stepped over the threshold. His diamond armor clinked gently as he bumped into a chest on his way over to Stress.

"Are you ready for today?" Iskall asked energetically.

"Of course I am, luv," Stress answered sweetly. Iskall's heart did a little trill, although his brain told him that Stress called everyone 'luv'. Maybe it was a little different for him. He hoped it was a little different for him.

 Iskall took her hand, leading her down to his boat. The two sailed into the sun's rays until they found an opening in the side of a cliff, not too far away. They proceeded beyond the lit-up caves, painting ribbons of light across new ceilings, floors, and walls. Iskall fingered the wreath in his inventory, making sure it stayed fresh as he packed copper, restone, and iron ores around it.

 The signature hiss of a creeper came from directly behind him. Iskall whirled around, lightning-fast, and beat the creature away, sending it into a nearby wall. He pounced, slaying the mob in a couple more hits.

Stress squealed from behind him, as Iskall heard an arrow bounce off her shield. Without hesitation, Iskall slew the skeleton, dodging its fletched projectiles and cutting it to pieces with his sword. A second creeper blew up nearby, taking a couple hearts of damage. The sudden swarm of mobs told Iskall the deep state realms were no longer safe.

 Beckoning to Stress, Iskall began exploring in a new direction that appeared to be heading higher. He stumbled upon a dungeon and searched the chests. He took the Otherside disc and secreted it away, already formulating a plan. Stress arrived shortly after, and the two divided the items between each other to carry them back easier.

 Checking his communicator, Iskal saw that it was nearly time for the sun to set. He notified Stress and then began digging up. They emerged in a second cave system, although it was more akin to the ones that were from before the update. The growl of zombies alerts Iskall of the danger, but he leaps out of the hole in the ground, placing a torch to illuminate the darkness.

 Iskall slays the mobs in quick succession, eliminating the danger from the cave. He takes Stress' hand and helps her out of the hole. The two of them stand in the peaceful silence together, simply enjoying the other's company.

 A faint glow comes from a corridor and the pair travel toward it. A small lush cave opens up; glow berries hanging from the ceiling, mossy carpets cushioning the stone floors, and axolotls splashing freely through the tiny pools. Stress takes out a bucket and scoops up a beautiful pink axolotl, it's frills silky and quivering. Gingerly, she carries the bucket back to the entrance of the cave with Iskall at her heels to protect her from mobs.

Iskall rows the boat smoothly back to the community area as the sun begins to set. Now, or never, he thinks. He may be exaggerating, but this may be the best chance he has. Docking the boat at his base, he helps Stress onto dry land. She casts him an inquisitive gaze, wondering why they were at his base.

Iskall walked away through the trees. He looked back. "Come, come, come," he said, beckoning to her. Stress followed, carrying her axolotl. Iskall lead her to the windows of his basement, pausing only to make sure she was still following. By now, the sun was sinking beneath the horizon, casting its golden reflection across the water again. Violet and navy began to creep into the painting across the sky.

Iskall popped the Otherside disc into a jukebox and got out the flower crown, straightening the skewed petals and stalks. He walked out to where Stress was waiting. He held out the crown to her as he went down on one knee.

"Stressmonster101, will you make me the happiest man in the world?"

Stress' eyes filled with tears as she smiled broadly. "Yes, Iskall, yes."

Smiling, the Swede stood and placed the flower crown on his queen's head. "I love you, Stress."

"I love you, Iskall."

The two dance together in the last rays of the sunset, moving with the waves of music. Twilight faded as Iskall took Stress home. The light air of the Overworld, the quiet lapping of the water, the gentle moonbeams. None of it compared to the joy Iskall felt in his heart.

Joy for the happiness of his love, Stress.

In joy, we lose ourselves. The phrase suddenly opened its whole meaning to Iskall. In true happiness, we're focused on one thing together. It is no longer you and me, but we who are spending precious time together.

Joy.

^-^

Short and sweet today. I'm super busy as of late, but I'm doing the spring writing challenge that  HermittpadRecap is putting on. Expect one each day!

Gosh, it's late lol.

I don't have many more words, other than I think this is cringe. First attempt at some semblance of fluff, lol.

~Jade

I know the prompt said 'bouquet', but hey, whatever. A flower crown can be a bouquet. And this fluff needed to come out of my head.