Day Six - Love Language

Have you ever had a conversation with close friends that drifted to a topic no one, not even the most talented oracles, could have expected? It happens on occasion. In this case, it happened on a girls' night for Luz, Willow, Amity, Vee, Viney, Skara, and Emira at the Cadaver's Cafe in Bonesborough.

And the topic was their partners' love languages.

"Amity's is totally words of affirmation," Luz said, taking a swig of apple blood. "Pay her a compliment and she lights up like the Fourth of July."

"Luz's is physical touch," Amity commented back, keeping her nose teasingly in the air even as her cheeks pinked. "But that's hardly a secret, right? With how much she hugs and scrunches up faces." She looked at Willow, who rolled her eyes.

"Gus's is acts of service," Vee said, in her human guise. "He can get so focused on his research that lately he sometimes forgets to eat. Bring him a sandwich or a cup of tea and he practically melts." Vee blushed too, thinking that she was more than happy to do these things for her beau.

"Edric's is words of affirmation," Viney said, swirling her straw in her glass. "I have a feeling it's a Blight thing. They were yelled at for most of their life, so positive words feel all the more precious to 'em."

"That's-" Amity started, eyes narrowed, until she seemed to think it over. "That's actually a valid hypothesis."

"Quincey's is acts of service, too," Skara piped up. "He's all about grand romantic gestures. That Grom-posal back in school? All him. I mean, yes I was flattered, but it's more his thing." She giggled, blushing faintly. "It's how he shows love the easiest."

"In that case," Amity smirked and elbowed her girlfriend, "maybe that's Luz's secondary language?"

"You would know, Sweet Potato," Luz said back, eyelids lowered.

Derwin's is physical touch," Emira cut in. "He loves a back rub and it always gets him in the mood," she added, her words almost a purr.

"Ugh, I do not want that mental image," Amity griped, and everyone laughed.

"So what about you, Willow?" Luz asked.

"Me?" Willow asked, and everyone realized she was the last to speak.

"What's Hunter's love language?" Luz asked. "I mean, I've got some ideas, but you would know better than anyone."

Willow smiled wanly and tapped a nail against her drink glass. "It's words of affirmation, like Amity and Edric," Willow admitted, but her voice was … saddened.

"Is that a bad thing?" Viney asked.

"Yeah, you're super complementary!" Skara supported.

"It was a way Belos manipulated him," Willow said, her voice turning from sad to a faint snarl, and then back again. "We've talked about it, and … One of the things that pushed Hunter so hard was the smallest hope of words of approval from his," she gagged, "uncle." She gripped her drink, the glass protesting, and lifted it for a swig to soothe her nerves.

"Ese bastardo," Luz growled. "It's things like that that make me wish we could bring him back just to kill him again."

"Mátalo lenta y dolorosamente," Vee agreed, and Luz blinked at the venom in her soft-spoken little sister's voice, even if she could certainly see the why.

"Well, if there's anyone who can help him get over that, it's you, Willow," Emira said with a wink, biting the cherry from her mocktail.

"Seconded!" Amity said, lifting her drink in a toast.

"Third!" Viney said, toasting as well.

"Fourth!" Skara cheered, and everyone lifted their drinks in support.

"All the numbers!" Luz cheered.

"Thanks, everyone," Willow said, blushing with gratitude.

"Gus actually talked about that book he read and said it mentioned secondary languages," Vee mentioned, which started another round of discussion.

Hunter was determined to have physical touch, which had slowly become quite apparent during their time in the human realm when his walls began to come down. Derwin's was quality time, particularly enjoying when Emira would sing to accompany his oboe. Edric's was quality time, as was Quincey's. Gus's was touch, too, which had suited Vee just fine living as a member of the touch-happy Nocedas.

"Y'know, it kinda makes you wonder what the guys are talking about," Skara noted.

"How did we even get to this line of speech?" Derwin mused with a faint smile.

"Gus is crazy about human stuff, Edric's brain has no map and Hunter's an eclectic reader," Quincey replied.

The boys on a guys' night were sitting at a table in Grimgrub's Pub and discussing a concept Gus had stumbled upon in a human relationships book: love languages. Gus and Hunter had explained the idea before Edric started asking innocent questions about their respective lady-friends.

"Vee?" Gus asked of Edric's inquiry, thinking it over for a moment. "Hmm. Honestly? It's either words of affirmation or acts of service." He sighed through his nose in a bittersweet way. "After everything that she went through, Vee can still have trouble thinking anyone would care for her. So seeing proof that someone does, it … it speaks to her and makes her feel loved."

"Oh, jeez," Edric said, adjusting his glasses that he'd begun to wear openly after the Collector, "Gus, I'm sorry, man. I didn't-"

"I know," Gus said with a smile. "Her past is a part of her, and I love every part of her. As long as she doesn't get hurt, we can talk about it."

"Love, huh?" Quincey asked, drumming his claws on the table and his mouth stretched in a wide grin. "How long have you guys been dating? A few months?"

"I stand by my word," Gus said haughtily before snickering.

"Well, Skara's is definitely gifts," Quincey picked up. "She loves anything shiny; doesn't matter if it's cheap or expensive. And heartfelt, of course."

"I can totally see that," Hunter commented, taking a pull from his drink. He adored Skara as a close friend, but he wouldn't deny that she was just al little spoiled. Sweet as could be, but still.

"Emira's is words of affirmation," Derwin revealed. "I think being raised in a verbally abusive home really did a number on all the Blight kids. They're all so used to venom that sweet words really hit them hard in the best way." He blinked and felt a bit of deja vu before brushing it off.

"Viney's kinda hard to pin down," Edric mused, then blushed heavily. "Uh, not that way!" he said, waving his hands.

"You said it, not us," Gus teased with a cackle.

"Uh, well, Viney, she-" He cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses again. "She's got a little of quality time and acts of service to her. Like, she can bond with someone just sitting in the same stall to brush Puddles or reading, y'know. But at the same time, actions speak really loudly to her, too. So, I dunno."

"The book said something about secondary languages," Gus mentioned. "Guess that would cover Vee's thing, too."

"So Quincey, Derwin, what about your girls' seconds?" Hunter asked.

"Quality time," Quincey said. "She loves to hangout for no reason at all."

"Definitely touch," Derwin said simply, his voice lower, smokier. The guys all traded looks before moving along.

"And Willow?" Edric asked toward Hunter.

"Willow?" Hunter asked before realizing that all of them were looking at him. And then it occurred to him that he was the only one left who hadn't discussed the topic.

"Oh, uh …" Hunter blushed a bit, having given this a fair amount of thought since he'd read the book Gus had loaned him. "Honestly, besides gifts being a minor one … I can't think of one in particular."

"Oh, boo," Quincey said jokingly.

"I'm serious," Hunter said, his voice level, and no one dared call him out on it. "Willow loves any show of affection, from friends, family, or me. A hug, a kind word, opening the door for her, sitting and watching a sunset … it's all good to her." He worried his lip between his teeth. "But I think, if I had to pick the major one … Quality time. It ties into all of them. Just being there with her shows her that you care."

"I can agree with that," Gus said with a faint smile. He could almost see the gears turning in Hunter's head as he'd turned that thought over in his mind.

"And didn't you say that everyone can kind of relate to all of them?" Edric asked the youngest of them. "Maybe Willow's just more sensitive to kindness because of, uh-" He winced. "The, y'know, her past."

"A lot like Vee, I would think," Quincey said.

"Or Hunter," Derwin noted.

"Or Ed and his sisters," Hunter replied evenly.

"Heck, even Luz," Gus said, then narrowed his eyes. "Is it a bad sign that so many of our groups had some pretty rough childhoods?"

"It is what it is, Gus," Hunter said wisely. "All we can do is be there for each other."

"I'll drink to that," Derwin said, lifting his glass. The guys clinked their glasses and took drinks in solidarity before changing the topic to flyer derby.

"Hi, sweetie," Willow chirped from the couch as Hunter came home. The clock read midnight, so she hadn't been worried. She just wanted to see him before they went to bed for the night.

"Hey," Hunter sighed lovingly, his eyes somewhat glazed as his red wolf palisman, Lupe, rushed in and climbed the couch to lick Willow's knee and then talk with Clover perched on the back of the couch.

Willow scratched Lupe's head before rising and meeting Hunter halfway, hugging him around his broad shoulders as his hands settled on her waist and he settled his head on top of hers. "How was your night?" she asked.

"Fun," he said, his words a bit slurred but still clear. "Yours?"

"Same," Willow replied with a fond sigh.

"Discuss anything odd?" Hunter asked.

"As a matter of fact, yeah," Willow giggled. "You?"

"Yeah, we did," Hunter replied.

Willow shifted to hold the sides of his neck and place a short kiss on his lips. "Why don't I make us some tea and we can talk about it?"

"Sounds good, my darling honeysuckle," Hunter whispered.

Hey, hey! Day Six is here! Now, many of you may or may not have different ideas about how each of the groups expresses and interprets affection, and I say: That's perfectly valid. These are my thoughts, and mine alone. If you think anyone feels different, feel free to comment your ideas and evidence. I'd love to hear it!

*Just so that everyone knows, the five love languages popularized by Gary Chapman in his 1992 book are: Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Quality Time, Physical Touch, and Receiving Gifts. The book is certainly worth a read and one of my favorites.

*Quincey is the bat-looking demon from "Enchanting Grom Fright" who asked Skara out to Grom. His name comes from the "Dracula" character who staked the count.

*I've got a Emira/Derwin story posted if you're interested.

*Honeysuckles symbolize eternal devotion and everlasting love - to me, a perfect for a pet name from Hunter to Willow. Plus, honey = bee = Clover, and we all know Hunter can be cheesy like that, hehehe.

Hope this was an interesting read! Last one's tomorrow ...! Have a fun, fun day!