Daisies [tag;; Jason]

[Tea]

Jemima:

Jemima hummed quietly to herself as she carefully braided another daisy into her hair. It was a beautiful day, and Jemima had just wanted to be outside. After several minutes of pleading, she'd convinced her cousin, Edwin, to come with her out to the field where daisies grew in abundance. Every few minutes, Jemima would stop her braiding, scan the area briefly, making sure Edwin was still in the field. He was, with his girlfriend Elle. She smiled, knowing that she wasn't alone, and went back to her daisies. Sometimes though, secretly, Jemima wished she could be like Elle, and have a boyfriend like Edwin. Then, she would never be alone.

[-xXInverted FlyingJennyXx-]

Jason

Thella found a pup yesterday digging through her garden. She pitied the poor thing and ended up having me catch it. Now, I didn't really care for another mouth to feed or a potential hazard to my inventions, but the pup took one look at my 'stash of trash' as Grandma jokes and decided to become it's guardian. All it took from there was a game of catch, and I agreed to the pup staying with us just like that.

Now, I get to be the one stuck with walking it everyday, "since it's the guardian of your stuff," Thel said. I suppose it's true, but that doesn't change much. I like having a dog, though, even if it's still only a puppy. Since I have to walk him, Thel gave me permission to name him, too. I've yet to think of one good enough.

The puppy is a little beagle, with two soft brown ears and black splotches on its back. He darts about so quickly, I have to run to catch up. I should dig through my junk pile and see if I can find a spare rope of reasonable length. He's a really loyal lad--he keeps returning to me, no matter where he runs off to. It's better to be safe, though. Thel loves this puppy almost as much as she likes her garden, which is a pretty impressive accomplishment, to conquer Thel's heart like that. I'm still thinking on the pup's name when I look up and realize he's found himself a little meadow, full of blooming flowers. The place pretty much shouts that spring is here. The little fellow dives into the soft, tall grass and starts rolling around. I crouch down and rub his little warm tummy as I look around. I've been keeping my eyes on him instead of the streets we passed, so I don't really know where we are. Strange.

We're not alone in this field. I spot a girl, with skin a dark creamy brown, and two others, who are farther away. I shrug. Today's a fine enough day, and it's an off day, too. No work, no school. Just loads of homework I've yet to finish for the day after tomorrow. The thin clouds can't contain all the sun they hold, spilling golden beams light everywhere. It's pretty warm, but it's not stifling. I can feel a cool breeze sifting through my hair. There are a few birds--I'm not sure if they're muttations or natural, but today, they act natural enough--singing in the branches of the few trees surrounding this meadow. I go from crouching to sitting cross-legged, from that to imitating the puppy and lying back in the grass that's waving side to side in the breeze.

Homework can wait. Time is fleeting, and so is the day. I watch the clouds shift shapes in the sky and wonder still what to name the puppy, but now, it's not a rushed stream of thought.

[Tea]

Jemima:

Jemima picked another daisy, and examined it. It was absolutely perfect. It's petals were all even, and the stem was nice and straight. Jemima had never seen a more perfect daisy in her whole life. Until now of course. She smiled, and tucked it carefully into her pocket. Maybe she'd show give it to her mother later. Or maybe she'd keep it. Either way, it was her daisy, and she was proud of it.

Jemima had been so caught up in that one daisy, she'd forgot to make sure that Edwin and Elle were still in the field. She stood, looking around frantically for them. But instead of seeing her cousin and his girlfriend, Jemima saw a boy and a puppy. "A puppy!" Jemima squealed, running towards them. "Aw, he's cute! Can I pet him? What's his name? She asked the boy, grinning.

[-xXInverted FlyingJennyXx-]

Jason

"A puppy!" The girl runs lightly toward us. I sit up, straighten my shirt, and run a hand through my red hair.

"Aww! He's cute! Can I pet him? What's his name?" I smile. This girl has that way of talking, like her words just keep coming at you.

"Yes, you may pet him. He likes belly rubs and to be scratched behind the ears. I don't have a name for him yet, though. I just found him yesterday. If you've got any names for him, that'd be great--I can't think of anything." I shrug and grin sheepishly. This girl's pretty lively. Is that a flower in her hair?

[Tea]

Jemina:

"Aw, hey fella," Jemima gushed, kneeling beside the puppy, scratching his ears. "You're such a good boy, aren't you? Yeah! Yeah you are! And you're cute too," she looked back up at the boy, still smiling. "What do you mean he doesn't have a name? A dog like this needs a name! Don't you? Yeah, you need a name." she said, patting the dog again. "Where did you find him?"

[-xXInverted FlyingJennyXx-]

Jason

"My sister found him in her garden, between her rose bush and her tomato plant," I say with a shrug.

"He needs a name, but I can't think of anything. Nothing seems 'right'. So for now, he's just 'the pup'. Want to help me think of a name for him?" The little thing glances me and wags its tail happily.

Something about the look in its eyes reminds me of my manners. "I'm Jason," I say sheepishly.

[Tea]

Jemima:

Jemima pat the dog again. "Well he sure is a cutie. Nothing exciting ever comes in our garden. Except birds maybe, but they like to eat our crops and stuff," Jemima said, picking at the grass. "I'd love to help to name him! I don't think I've ever named anything before." she grinned at Jason. "I'm Jemima by the way,"

[-xXInverted FlyingJennyXx-]

Jason

"Nice to meet you, Jemima. So, do you come here a lot to pick daises?" The field looks kind of lonely--usually at this hour of free time from the fields, people plan for their next meal. That is, the people that need to. Thel's in her garden and Grandma's doing more calculations to make sure she got things right the first time. Otherwise, our District could undergo a harsh talking-to from the Capitol. I grimace.

Putting that aside, I ask, "What do you grow in your garden?" Who knew helping Thel build frames for her garden could provide knowledge that'd come in handy someday--namely, now? "My sister has a cherry tree, a few tomato vines, some carrots and other vegetables, and many, many flowers." I'm curious about the other two in the field but refrain from asking. I turn back to my pup, who wriggles out from under her hand and licks it cautiously before tumbling backwards, tripping on his large ear, and bounding through the field to sniff at flowers.

"Any ideas? I can't come up with anything at all."

[Tea]

Jemima:

Jemima rearranged her daisy crown. "Sometimes," she said shrugging. "If I can get one of my brothers or cousins to take me." she waved then, at Edwin, who in turn waved back. "That's my cousin, Edwin and his girlfriend Elle. Sometimes I make Elle a daisy-crown too. That's what I was doing today, 'cause there isn't school." Jemima flopped on her back in the long grass, still grinning. "We grow tomatoes, and carrots and peas mostly. Sometimes beets too. I don't like beets though. They're icky." Jemima giggled as the puppy licked her hand. "Hmmm..." she mused. "I really don't know. He's a boy right?"

[-xXInverted FlyingJennyXx-]

Jason

I nod at Edwin in greeting. "Yes, he's a boy. The names I come up with, Thel says are too silly or common or not appropriate for a dog." I shrug and watch the subject of my speech. "It's basically whatever you can come up with."

[Tea]

Jemima:

Jemima thought for another minute. "Well if he were a girl, I would have called him Daisy. But he's not." Jemima picked another daisy, and twirled it the stem in her fingers. She loved lazy days like these, where she could do what she wanted. Jemima was also glad she'd come across Jason and his puppy. Even though she had Edwin and Elle keeping her company, she didn't have many friends her own age. "I'm not that good at naming stuff," Jemima laughed. "But it's your dog right? What does it matter what Thel thinks?"

[-xXInverted FlyingJennyXx-]

Jason

I gasp--rare surprise flashing across my face. "That's just what I was thinking! Daisy would be the perfect name... for a girl. But no, this is a little boy, and it's not Thel's... but I must admit--she probably had a point." I glance at the girl's genuine visage. I hope she won't laugh as Thel had, but even I have to chuckle at myself, so I give up that hope. Ah well. I've embarrassed myself enough in my lifetime. This here is a kind stranger that I've randomly met today. Mayhaps I'll never see her again.

"The names I came up with... were like, 'Dog' and 'Spot' and 'Pup' and 'Fetch'..." I trail off and rub my head sheepishly. "It's not like I'm not creative, I just don't name things. I've never had this kind of issue before. I kind of need help."