#DIY activity kit

[intellibrain]

Engage kids in studies proactively with STEM Activity Kits

We frequently hear from kids that "school is boring," "Maths and Science are hard," "memorising theory is meaningless" and other such phrases. It has been like this for decades and will continue to be like this if we continue the same old teaching methodology. Without a doubt, education is the most crucial thing a parent can provide kids in order to ensure their survival, success, and development as wonderful people. But when kids are disinterested and skip school because of the way education is delivered, things become challenging. It then becomes crucial to begin actively involving kids in their everyday schooling and introducing STEM Activity Kits to kids to accomplish this.

STEM is an abbreviation that stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. STEM is a learning technique that focuses on encouraging interest in learning, fostering curiosity and building critical thinking skills. STEM activity kits include age-appropriate activities that offer a significantly different learning experience than textbooks and lectures. STEM kits for kids are deliberately made to feel like a play time.

Here are some of the reasons why proactively engaging kids in studies using STEM Activity Kits is strongly suggested.

-  Mapped with school curriculum

The best STEM activity kits are ones that are perfectly aligned with the academic programme. Thus, it enables kids to engage in hands-on activities or get first-hand knowledge of theories and concepts they have learned in school. The kid won't feel burdened or under pressure to learn anything new in this method. Rather, the kids gradually come to understand that these activities are only a supplement to their academic studies and a more enjoyable approach for them to retain what they have learnt in class.

-  Experiential learning

STEM activity provides a unique and entertaining way to approach problem-solving and a much more engaging learning experience than textbooks and lectures. The experimental and experiential techniques of education are highly emphasised in these kits. These are especially made to feel like a play experience and they learn in a setting by engaging in experiments and activities.

-  DIY activities kit

STEM activity kits contain carefully crafted activities with clearly defined instructions that a kid may perform alone or with a little assistance from elders at home. These are DIY activity box that are based on real-life examples, allowing kids to understand the significance of a subject or topic.

-  Better focus & understanding of concepts

As these activities are so engaging, kids must focus and pay close attention while performing. Additionally, it helps students learn ideas and concepts more thoroughly by using activities that are relevant to their daily lives. It also disproves the assumption that the majority of the stuff kids learn in school is useless in real life. Kids would never feel that way if they learned about a subject through experiments and real-world experiences.

-  Knowledge Retention

Several research shows that when kids play and learn, the knowledge is retained for a longer period or throughout life. The major plus is that these experiences and activities stick with them in a way that traditional textbook and lecture-style teaching does not. Such knowledge retention helps them perform well in school or any competitive exams.

To sum up, the purpose of these DIY activity kits should be to foster positive emotions, pleasant memories, a fundamental understanding of concepts, and a love of learning that will last throughout their life. Incorporating STEM learning kits into the educational process is therefore strongly advised.

ALLEN Intelli SMART Box is one of the top STEM activity kits in India for kids in grades 1 to 8. It features more than 100 play-based educational activities that kids can perform on their own or with little assistance. Its robust 360° learning method, as well as real-life applications of ideas and concepts, has been shown to improve knowledge retention in kids by 70%.

[sirladysketch]

First round of the DIY Destati Desk Lamp kits are now available! Flat packs should be up over the weekend. :)

Available on Kofi (shipping included in price, US-only): ko-fi.com/s/059e2f6248

And Etsy for International friends: etsy.me/3OvNNCL

If you have any questions, just email me: KnightedDoodler@gmail.com

Reblogs and shares appreciated-- thank you, and may your heart be your guiding key!

[merakisphere]

Build your own Fidget Bloom in as little as 3 easy steps with my new Fidget Bloom DIY Kit.

This DIY kit provides you all the materials (and tools), you need to make your very own convertible 3D wire flower from start to finish. Just scan the QR code on the card included, and follow along my complete tutorial video of how to complete this project.

Preorder Here

Included in the kit:

Prepared arches with looped ends (30pcs)

Your choice of beaded ring styles (2 pcs)

22 gauge banding wire (10pcs)

Optional: 5 inch craft pliers for assembly (1pcs)

Meraki Sphere sticker

Pre Order Link | Pre Orders are now open! While supplies last.

[sewgeekmama]

Metalkitor: Metallic Artistry Inspired by Nature

[productviewblog]

Chalk and Chuckles Art and Craft Keychain Dolls - Make Yourself Activity Kit for Ages 8+ Unique DIY Set, Gifts for Girls 9, 10, 11, 12 Years Old

Chalk and Chuckles Art and Craft Keychain Dolls – Make Yourself Activity Kit for Ages 8+ Unique DIY Set, Gifts for Girls 9, 10, 11, 12 Years Old

Price: (as of – Details) Product Description A craft activity box that’s perfect for all crafters- teens, tweens, and adults! For Ages: 8 and up. Beating boredom is easy with this kit. A Family time Craft project! What’s in the box? So much in one box- Everything you’ll need is right there! 75 m Thread/yarn (4 types- Cotton Wax thread, Acrylic yarn, Ribbon, Cotton Thread), 38 wooden beads, 15…

[nostalgiclittlespace]

40 Regression Activities

Just some ideas of fun stuff to do while regressed!

Blanket fort

Baking 🍰

Audiobooks 🎧

Journaling ✏️

Make an agere wishlist 🎁

Make an OC for your favorite Little Space show 📝

Decorate a paci or collar (you can draw one if you don’t have a real one!)🐶

Play with Legos 💛

Kandi bracelets or other DIY jewelry 💍

Craft kits 🧵

Listen to music that makes you feel small 🎶

Write a short story or picture book 📕

Come up with jobs, favorite things, etc for all your stuffies (it’s a fun thing to put in your agere journey!) 🧸

Make an agere moodboard based on the last movie you watched

Bathtime 🛁

Have a picnic (you can even have one inside!) Invite all your stuffies! 🧺

If you’re having a bad day, have a therapy session with your favorite stuffie friend. I’m sure they’ll have some great advice! ❣️

Scavenger hunt🔍

Origami📜

Blocks 🧱

Dress up 👑

Make/use a sensory bin 🎀

Write a poem 💌

Fashion show with your toys 💖

TV 📺

Going to the park 🛝

Reading 📖

Video games 🎮

Drawing/coloring 🖍

Sticker book ⭐️

Have a photo shoot. Go to the park, garden, etc and bring some toys!📷

Sew a plush (careful with the needles! Recommend CG supervision!) 🪡

Look at nostalgiac things on eBay 🪁

Go to the arcade, or play arcade games on your device 👾

Make/write postcards 🌆

Make a movie or play with your toys as the actors 🎥

Learn, practice, or play an instrument 🎷

Reorganize your toys, bedroom, play space, or art supplies 🎨

Decorate something with glitter and stickers ✨

Dance party 💃

[jasperxkuromi]

Play ideas for chronically ill, disabled, or otherwise bed bound/low energy littles

Hi all! I am chronically ill. I am not comfortable sharing my specific diagnosis, but I am more than okay with talking about disability in general. Everything below is based on my own personal experiences and activities I like to do while stuck in bed. Everyone's body and experiences are different. I may list some things that just aren't an option for you, and that's okay. You are more than welcome to add on to this post with activities you do too!

🐛 Open the curtains and cloud watch! I like to look for clouds that remind me of animals or characters and day dream a story about them. If the weather is nice, consider opening your window a little bit and letting some fresh air into your room.

🐦 Bird watch! I have a bird feeder outside my window that I painted myself from a kid's kit. There are also bird feeders that have suction cups that can be stuck right on your window. You can also make your own seed ornaments. You could pick yourself up a kids book or two on learning to identify birds.

🌷 Get a window planter. You may need someone's help to set one up, but once they are in place they are fairly easy to care for. I like pansies and marigolds because they remind me of childhood, and they are low maintenance and do well in containers.

📖 Audiobooks are great for middles who want to read chapter books. If you have a library card you can borrow tons of audiobook, ebooks, and comics through hoopla and Libby for free. There are some audiobooks for younger kiddo books, but honestly I think YouTube is better for that.

🖼️ Scrapbooks and journals! Being penpals with another little is also an option, but I do recommend using basic internet safety and common sense. (I don't think you should do this if you are under 18). You could always scan/take pictures of your letter and send it digitally to your penpal instead.

🛏️ If you spend a lot of time in bed, and have the money to do so, I really recommend getting items to make your time in bed more comfortable. Extra pillows, or even a reading pillow can be helpful. Lap desks or bed tables can give you space to color or set up play scenes with small toys.

🌟 You can also decorate the area around your bed to make it more child like! Fairy lights, glow in the dark stars, bed canopies, posters, and the like.

🪑 I have a floor chair I use for times I am playing outside of my bed. Being close to the floor helps me feel small, but not having back support hurts after a short while. I have an adjustable one that I can lay flat on the floor as a sleeping mat. Very helpful for the times when I need a quick nap after playtime.

🎨 Check the seasonal and kids sections at dollar stores and Five Below. I usually find fun craft kits that can keep me occupied for a bit for really cheap.

🧶 Do your own crafts! I like the knit and crochet. Some people can do them in bed, but I find it difficult to find a comfortable way to do that. However making friendship bracelets in bed works out pretty well. They make great gifts, even for non little friends. Or you could make matching ones for you and your CG or favorite plushie!

🪀 Make your own sensory bin! You can find tons of tutorials and ideas online. Bonus is you can get most of the items you would use at the dollar store. There are tons of other DIY sensory toys you can make as well if you look around. Glitter/shaker bottles are pretty popular too.

🐇 Cuddle with your stuffed animals. Tell them stories. Play pretend. Read to them. They will appreciate all of it.

🎮 If you have an old 3DS stuffed away in a drawer somewhere, pull it back out. 3DS are fairly easy to install homebrew and there are toooons of kiddo friendly games you could get (check 3ds.hacks.guide for this, do not follow tutorials on YouTube or random websites as they very well could be outdated)

💊 Decorate your medicine organizers with stickers. If you use mobility aids you can decorate them as well! Fake flowers are great for decorating mobility aids and there are tons of ideas you can find online.

🍼 I have stomach problems that makes it hard for me to eat enough. I often drink Ensure to make sure I am getting enough calories/nutrients. I get the strawberry flavor and sometimes put it in my sippy cup and pretend it is strawberry milk 😋

😴 If you need rest, rest! You deserve to get as much sleep as your body needs. Babies and toddlers take naps all the time! Trying to just exist with chronic health issues is difficult enough. You don't need to push yourself.

[valsverse]

"lay all your love on me."

synopsis: general dating headcanons for our favorite water boy. pairing: percy jackson x gn!reader headcanons. word count: 1.2k

• oh, the antics.

• he's constantly trying to impress you even if you claim it gives you secondhand embarrassment. he'll be practicing tricks on his skateboard and be like, "this one's for you, babe!" and goes to do a kickflip or something and COMPLETELY falls off. LMFAOO.

and he'll be all whiny when you patch up his hand because he wanted to make you proud!! but all is good after you reassure him and kiss his scratches better. (as per his request.)

• percy loves partaking in your hobbies, regardless of his skill level.

if your hobby is knitting, soon enough you’ll be gifted a sweater with a pink heart and your name stitched unevenly on the seams. yeah, it might be a little itchy and it's practically falling off your shoulders, but he tried his best!!

if you like reading, he'll snuggle up with you as you two share a book. (although he prefers if you read to him, dyslexia is a pain.)

you get the point. quality time is something he values greatly. as long as he gets to spend time with you, he doesn't mind what activities you choose to engage in, whether it's watching, listening, or doing something else altogether.

• you usually accompany percy on quests, but on the rare occasion when you don't, he's quite literally counting the days until he can see you like a child counting down until christmas.

before leaving, the hugs he gives you are so tight it's unreal. like, his friends have to intervene to separate him from you. as he gradually steps back, he tells you he loves you and misses you despite him not even leaving for the quest yet, LMFAO. he only releases his grip on you when your index fingers are the last thing touching.

but when he comes back, his affection for you is on full blast. like i'm talking shrieks of excitement when he finally sees you, which attracts the attention of some nearby campers but he couldn’t care less as he runs over, nearly colliding into you with his hug.

• percy has a unique way of hugging that leaves you feeling entirely enveloped in his warm embrace. when he hugs you, your entire torso is engulfed, and your face is pressed against his chest. his arm wraps around your waist, almost entirely covering it. his other hand, calloused yet gentle, cradles the base of your head, holding you close to his chest or neck, and the scent of seawater and his cologne fills your senses.

• matching bracelets type of love!! one day, you two were strolling around manhattan and came across one of those cheap, diy jewelry kits for 10% off. you know, the kind that's meant for little kids and not demigod teenagers? yeah, that kind.

but percy bought it for you anyway, and you guys spent the remainder of the day crafting matching jewelry for each other! yeah, it did get frustrating sometimes, (you always have to tie the end of percy's bracelet/necklace for him because for some reason he's completely incapable of doing it himself.) but you two laugh and tease each other the whole time and it's just really sweet.

percy made you a blue bracelet with a little trident charm in the middle, and you made him one with your signature color theme and your initials on the beads!! both of you wear them around camp proudly, and the beads make a jingling sound whenever you hold hands with him.

(+ he runs his fingers over the bracelet you made for him whenever he starts to miss you.)

• hands intertwined all the time!! he's developed such a habit for it that whenever you're together, he automatically reaches for your hand. whether you're walking around camp, sitting on the couch, or even sleeping, holding your hand is so ingrained in his mind that he doesn't even think about it.

percy loves feeling the difference between your palm and his, whether yours is softer, calloused, coarser, etc. he also loves playing with any rings you wear, twisting them around your finger or rearranging them.

• cabin sleepovers are an absolute must. you have them once every few weeks — and would have them more often if it weren't for the harpies.

not only does he love spending time with you in his cabin, but also he just sleeps more peacefully around you.

percy likes to rest with his chin nestled in the curve of your shoulder. you've grown accustomed to the feeling of his warm breath against your skin and the weight of his head against your collarbone — which he leaves lazy kisses on before he falls asleep. only when his eyelashes brush against your neck, fingers curled into the fabric of your sweater, can he relax and feel safe, warm, and loved enough to fall asleep.

• percy jackson is the type of boyfriend who leaves his clothes out on purpose for you to wear. he pretends not to notice that the hoodies he lends you never return to his closet. but he doesn't really mind because he loves seeing you in them.

• staring is a percy thing. even if he tries to hide his gaze every once in a while, you still manage to catch him sitting across from you with a lovesick smile, his eyes trailing over your face taking in every feature as if it was his first time seeing you.

when his eyes finally catch yours, he quickly looks away, but he can't resist glancing back at you a moment later because like, how could he not?? and with his confidence building up, soon enough he whispers, “c'mere and give me a kiss, yeah?”

• percy always tries to be creative when it comes to dates because they're kinda limited at camp. while you've experimented with various activities such as training, picnics, and swimming, your favorite pastime is strawberry picking. you two spend the day in the fields, picking the sweetest strawberries you ever had which later turned into refreshing strawberry smoothies.

but he's so particular about what strawberries he picks. you'll go to pick one with a little bruise and he'll whip his head around so fast like??? it's not that serious percy.

• percy does his best to learn everything about you, from the things you love to the things that you hate. if you hate bugs, he'll get rid of them all for you, (but he puts them somewhere safe because he's a sweetheart.) he'll speak for you in public if you're not comfortable in social situations, and he'll lead you through large crowds if you hate them. he's always learning and paying attention to the things you like, dislike, love, and hate so that he always brings a smile to your face.

he'll go out of his way to learn your favorite songs so he always knows which ones to play during long car rides, he knows how you like your coffee, and he has your entire takeout order memorized!!

• percy's love for you is so evident, there may as well be hearts in his eyes. he thinks you're the absolute prettiest, and nothing can change his mind. you two are perfect together, and the whole camp knows it.

a/n

this was supposed to come out earlier but my peanut allergy got provoked, but fuck it, we ball. 💪💪 (malnourished, heavy eye bags, weeping, hysterically shrieking, dehydrated, and on the verge of insanity.)

xx val

[wileys-russo]

stuck with me II k.cooney cross x reader

stuck with me II k.cooney cross x reader

"-so i said we would babysit for a few hours." kyra shrugged, dropping two bags onto your bed as you raised an eyebrow. "you mean i'll babysit. when the kids are around you are not the responsible adult in the situation ky." you raised an eyebrow as your girlfriend pulled a face and kissed your cheek.

"don't act like you wouldn't have said yes in a heartbeat. everyone knows you're harleys favorite anyway!" kyra cheesed hitting you where she knew would work, your ego. "can't argue with the facts. what's in the bags?" you sighed and questioned with narrowed eyes as kyra clapped happily.

"i know its not december yet but i thought since we're as close as we'll ever get to being in the snow for christmas and its the last camp for the year we could-" the girl jumped onto the bed and rifled through the bags. "-build gingerbread houses and make ornaments!" she pulled out the boxes with a gleeful grin and you melted at her obvious delight.

"where did you even get these?" you laughed, picking up one of the diy bauble kits and reading through. "kyra! this very clearly says ages 10 and up, harper and harley are not 10!" you warned, eyebrows furrowing at the toxic warning for the glue.

"it's fine babe! we'll be supervising and doing it with them the entire time." kyra waved off your worries, moving onto her knees and knocking the box from your grip, hands pawing at your hoodie.

"baby!" you laughed as she yanked you down onto the bed and hovered over you with a grin, attacking your face with kisses. "now say; thank you kyra. you are so smart kyra, what a great idea kyra!" she demanded cheekily between kisses.

"like the sound of your own name do you cooney cross?" you teased, grabbing the back of her neck and guiding her lips to meet your own, smiling happily at the waves of pleasure which washed over you at the feeling of her soft lips moving against yours.

but the moment was cut short as rapid knocks sounded, all too familiar voices crying out for the door to open as you gently pushed your girlfriend off of you, pecking her pouty lips a few times and watching her face light up as you promised to resume what you started later on.

you'd not even opened the door more than a few centimeters before two tiny bodies barreled inside, darting through your legs with gleeful cheers as kyra dropped down to the floor to grab both young girls in a bear hug.

"thank you for this." katrina sighed gratefully pulling you into a hug, having been called into an unexpected zoom meeting with some perspective new clubs for the afternoon.

"neither of them have napped so they should hopefully crash within the hour." tameka added on, down for press conference duty with tony this afternoon. "please, like ky will let them sleep." you chuckled, the midfielder calling out hello's to both older women who smiled seeing her spinning around both harley and harper in her arms.

"call us if anything happens yeah?" katrina warned as you nodded, promising you would and taking the girls backpacks from tameka as you waved them off, both their daughters yelling out goodbye before the door closed and they were gone.

"and where's my hug?" you gasped, crossing your arms feigning annoyance as both girls tried to scramble for you, kyra trapping harper in her arms as harley leapt her small body off the bed causing you to scramble to catch her.

"i'm like a superhero!" the three year old grinned as you twirled her round, blowing a raspberry to her cheek. "let her go!" you laughed at your girlfriend as harper wiggled and whined in her grip.

"what are we doing today?" harley asked eagerly, jumping up and down on the bed once you placed her back down, scooping up harper and flinging her up and into the air, catching her as the girl giggled.

"well. aunty ky has some cool activities for us to do, but only if you're on your best behavior." you warned with a smile, both girls yelling that they were good over and over as kyra moved to grab the bags. "okay okay! we get it, you're good girls." you laughed, taking harleys outstretched hands and swinging her around like you knew she wanted.

"okay!" kyra clapped for everyones attention as you took a seat on the bed, harley scrambling to sit on your lap as harper tucked herself into your side, making you grin as her little head wedged its way under your arm.

"we're gonna make...." kyra trailed off, drumming her hands on the nightstand as the suspense built. "gingerbread houses!" she yelled happily, causing you to wince as the two girls beside you screeched in delight.

"ky, i really don't think its a good idea to let them eat so much." you warned, harley sat on your lap as harper sat on hers, both of you tucked up against the desk in the corner building your respective gingerbread houses.

you'd watched with a sigh as kyra would every now and then allow both girls to consume a lolly, which eventually escalated into her giving them permission to eat whatever they wanted so long as they left some to decorate with.

"why? it's fine!" your girlfriend waved it off, moving to help harper glue a few candy canes to the roof of their house. polar opposite to theirs, harley had wanted a much more organised look, taking her time to make sure it was neat and tidy which made you smile.

"because kyra, what goes in must come out!" you warned, already starting to see harper perk up a little more. "what? they won't throw up they're little but they're not babies." kyra scoffed with a roll of her eyes, whining as you reached over to sharply pinch her thigh.

"hey! mummy says no pinching." harper piped out with a scowl in your direction as kyra stuck her tongue out at you, dismissing your worries and returning to helping harper as harley bounced in your lap demanding your attention.

turns out, you were of course correct.

"woah woah! where did you get these?" your eyes widened as you scooped up harley and grabbed a pair of craft scissors out of her hand. "found em." the girl beamed, wiggling to be put down as you tucked her under your arm.

"kyra that is a terrible idea." you warned sternly as the midfielder pulled out the ornament making kit.

"no its not it'll give them something to do with their energy." the brunette huffed, practically pinning harper down who was doing her best impression of a lion, teeth nashing and trying to bite the older girl.

"harps no biting!" you groaned, adjusting harley under your arm who was furiously trying to get away. "see what you did!" you scowled at your girlfriend in annoyance, putting harley down and grabbing harper.

"three minutes for biting." you warned, sitting her down in a chair facing the wall. "harper." you repeated in a serious tone as she tried to get up, the toddler sitting back down and crossing her arms frowning adorably.

"kyra!" you whined seeing her setting harley up with a bauble and a glue gun. "you got any better ideas babe?" the girl raised an eyebrow challengingly. "nap time?" you sighed, wincing as two very loud protests were yelled back at you.

"not on the bed." you grabbed harley under her arms and swung her into a chair as kyra moved beside her. "done now?" harper peeked over the top of her own chair as you sighed again. "done biting?" you questioned with crossed arms as harper nodded.

"go on." you gestured for her to get up as she ran over to kyra, climbing up into her lap as you stepped out to go to the bathroom and clear your head, the christmas music kyra insisted on blasting from her phone not helping the chaos.

"see babe? piece of cake!" kyra chirped quietly, nudging her shoulder into yours as the two of you stared down at the pair of sleeping girls in bed. "they're covered in glitter." you sighed running a hand through your hair with a shake of your head.

"occupational hazard, it washes off." kyra dismissed your concerns with a wave. "come on baby. we did good! no one got hurt, nothing got broken, they're safe and fast asleep." kyra pressed a kiss to your cheek as you rolled your eyes.

"high five for top babysitters!" kyra murmured happily, holding up her hand and wiggling her eyebrows. "you are such a child sometimes." you sighed but smacked your hand into hers none the less.

but when you tried to pull away, alarm bells sounded.

"kyra. why is your hand stuck to mine?" you asked calmly, your girlfriend shrinking a little at the question.

"please tell me you washed the glue off." you spoke again, the brunette avoiding your eyes as you pinched the bridge of your nose with your free hand.

before you could say another word there was gentle knocks at the door, your girlfriend hissing a little in pain as you yanked her toward it by your conjoined hands. "hope they weren't any trouble?" katrina smiled, her and tameka moving inside as you and kyra backed off.

"no trouble! never trouble." kyra replied nervously, katrina instantly picking up on the shift in tone, shooting the younger girl a weird look over her shoulder as she picked up a still sleeping harper.

"do some arts and crafts did we?" tameka laughed at the glitter all over harley who stirred. "we'll drop the baubles off once they dry." you smiled nodding to the desk where they sat among a pile of glitter. "they're so cute." tameka grinned, kyra having done her best to help them both write their names.

"really cute." katrina echoed, though her tone conveyed suspicion as you and kyra did your best to hide your conjoined hands. "well we have to shower and get ready for dinner!" you smiled nodding toward the door, tameka thanking you both and promising she owed you one before leaving.

"you right min?" kyra smiled nervously as the shorter woman stared you both down. "fine. what are you two hiding?" she adjusted harper in her arms, eyes narrowing again as you both rambled out nothing. "its my fault." kyra blurted out as you glared and rammed your elbow into her side.

"ky shut up!" "what is your fault?"

"babe!" you groaned as kyra held up your stuck together hands. "i don't get it." katrina frowned on confusion. "they're stuck together. i had glue on my hands and i didn't wash it off and then we high fived and-" her nervous ramblings were cut off by the laughter from the woman in front of you.

"oh my you two are unbelievable. good luck! see you at dinner." with that she quickly left the room, ignoring the two of you calling after her for help.

your girlfriend withered at the glare you fixed her with, the two of you taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "where did you get the kits from?" you asked firmly, your girlfriend stuttering out an answer as you grabbed her phone and did a quick google, which proved to be incredibly challenging with one hand.

punching in the number you dialed the store kyra snuck out to you quickly explained what happened to the manager who assured there was a dissolvent they could order in to arrive tomorrow morning, the canadian clearly unable to hold back his amusement as you thanked him and hung up.

thankfully the game was not until the weekend as you explained the situation to kyra, the blunt tone of your voice meaning she knew exactly how pissed off with her you were.

"baby." you turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow. "what?"

"there's no one i'd rather be stuck with than you?"

[merakisphere]

I don't know how to say this...but my DIY Fidget Bloom Kit is now live on Etsy! :)

[jjkamochoso]

Arts and Crafts with JJK Characters

Fluff

Warnings: none; scenarios can be seen as romantic or platonic!

Yuji: photography

He was known for having his phone out a lot of the time, capturing candid moments of the people he cared about and pretty landscapes, so you knew he would be excited when you suggested doing a photo scavenger hunt. As you two raced around the city, taking pictures and checking off boxes, smiles and laughter were bountiful. You had tons of fun discovering different buildings and paying more attention to your surroundings than usual as you tried to finish the scavenger hunt before Yuji. You ended the day with a picture of the delicious meal you shared and a selfie to commemorate the good time! He already had the next scavenger hunt theme decided--since you two were definitely doing this often!

Megumi: painting

He was apprehensive at first when you asked him to join you painting, but nevertheless he relented. When the follow along video started and you and Megumi put paint to paper, he started to relax a bit after realizing how fun it actually was. At the end of the session, you felt your jaw drop seeing Megumi’s artwork--it looked the exact same as the tutorial! When you complimented him, he averted his gaze as a blush became evident on his face. He would never say it out loud but he was hoping this could become a frequent activity for you guys.

Nobara: crochet

You and Nobara couldn't resist buying diy mini crochet animal kits, their precious faces causing the two of you to giggle in delight at the prospect of making your very own cute creature. When you got back to the dorms, you eagerly began your crochet adventure. You both tried your best at following the directions but the resulting products looked nothing like the picture on the front of the package. Rather than being discouraged, you decided you enjoyed the process more than the results, which was fine by the both of you--you'd just buy pre-made plushies the next time you went shopping!

Maki: needle felting

You wanted to spend time with Maki doing literally anything other than sparring. It was hard to get her to agree to that, but you figured she'd have a good time needle felting since it consisted of aggressively punching material together with a sharp object. She was pleasantly surprised at how much fun she was having and you liked seeing her work with a smile on her face as her felt animal took shape. When you were both finished, you proudly displayed your animal on a desk in your room while she scoffed at the idea of something so childish. Little did you know, she kept that first craft (and the ones she made on her own afterwards) in a box under her bed for her to admire when she was alone.

Inumaki: rock painting

You and Toge were walking together, watering the flowers, when an idea struck your mind. As a fellow enjoyer of the arts and beating boredom, Toge immediately agreed when you suggested you two paint rocks. You had a great time hunting down the perfect ones, making sure they weren't too round or odd shaped. When you got started, you found peace in the comfortable silence. All of a sudden, you felt a tug on your sleeve and saw that Toge had painted onigiri and other sushi ingredients on his, while you had painted some of the flowers you had watered earlier. You exchanged your rocks and kept them where you could be reminded of the fun you two shared.

Yuta: drawing

When you approached Yuta about drawing with you, he excitedly accepted. It reminded him of simpler times and he knew that his open mind with overactive imagination could lead to interesting artwork. You two sat outside under a big tree, basking in the warmth of the day as the only sound you heard was pencil on paper. It was good for you both to take that time to relax and not think about anything other than the task in front of you. When you were finished, you showed each other what you had drawn and made sure you planned this low-key activity regularly.

Noritoshi: embroidery

Though it was a bit too traditional for his taste, Noritoshi agreed to learn embroidery with you. You went online to find some helpful videos as you went to work on your samplers. You found yourselves getting the hang of it pretty easily and when your samplers were finished, Noritoshi's precisely executed, he shyly proposed that you two should continue the activity and move on to creating actual scenes. You were overjoyed that he liked embroidering with you and it turned into a shared weekly event. Noritoshi even made pieces on his own time as a way to destress!

Todo: jewelry making

Aoi was overjoyed when you asked him to make jewelry with you. You visited a bunch of craft stores to collect beads, charms, and other supplies before you started on your pieces. Of course he suggested making matching bracelets and you would never turn him down. After those were done, you created some necklaces as he made friendships bracelets for Yuji and Takada-Chan. You two laughed and had a great time together, listening to music as your hands were busy working. After that day, you were frequently treated to new jewelry handmade by Aoi that was lovingly dropped off to your room with a kind note attached explaining the design's inspiration.

Gojo: phone charm making

Satoru is always on his phone and you felt that it looked too abysmal compared to his fun personality so you planned a phone charm making day with the man. He, of course, was excited to be a part of it and bought a whole slew of beads and other sparkly pieces to add on. You two were on a roll, creating phone charms as quickly as inspiration hit you, until you were looking at 50 of them with only 2 phones between you. You passed out some of the extras to the students and faculty of the school and ended up doing custom ones for those who asked. You and Satoru loved doing this activity together and frequently made each other charms so you would always feel close to each other.

Geto: calligraphy

You had been practicing your calligraphy when Suguru found you. Intrigued by its beauty, he asked if you could teach him and you energetically said yes. He watched your movements and copied them to the best of his ability, trying to be as precise as possible. You were happy at how quick he was at learning and before long, you two were writing notes to each other in various styles, eager to show off your abilities. You both kept those notes and cherished them deeply, a sign of your bond made permanent with ink.

Nanami: macrame

When you went to Kento's apartment and saw the plants he had everywhere, you were struck by an idea. He wasn't so sure about creating macrame plant holders, but was touched by your devotion to sprucing up his living space so he finally agreed. You two learned the knots and were able to catch on the instructions pretty quickly. You both liked the fact that you were creating something on your own rather than buying it, which adds a sentimental touch. He wasn't a huge fan of the design at the end but since you helped him with it, it quickly became one of his favorite home decor pieces.

Choso: cross stitch

You were over the moon when Choso expressed his desire to partake in cross stitch with you. He had no experience with delicate things like arts and crafts and you were more than happy to show him what to do. He picked up on it quickly, finding solace in the quiet, repetitive motions. He smiled softly at his completed piece--a frilly, flower adorned "welcome" sign. You had finished your own work as well and both of you displayed your art proudly. Cross stitch nights became a frequent thing when life got too overwhelming and you needed an easy activity to keep your minds at bay.

[astroismypassion]

✨PART OF FORTUNE IN SIGNS AND HOUSES SERIES: 11TH HOUSE✨

Credit: Tumblr blog @astroismypassion

ARIES PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 11TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Aries and Aquarius Sun people in your life. You can earn money via launching or joining a tech startup, focused on innovative technologies or disruptive business model, via work in community organization or activism, via work in digital marketing or social media management, via providing consulting services to businesses or organizations, advising them on innovation strategies, product development or new market exploration, via work in crowdfunding or fundraising. You feel abundant when you align with social causes, focus on group dynamics and embrace innovation.

TAURUS PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 11TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Taurus and Aquarius Sun people in your life. You can earn money via work in investment management, focusing on building and managing portfolios that provide stable returns, via art colleting, dealing or curation focusing on pieces that have enduring value, via work in interior design, via work in hospitality management (in luxury hotels, resorts or event planning). You feel abundant when you embrace sustainable and ethical practices, when you practice patience and persistence.

GEMINI PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 11TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Gemini and Aquarius Sun people in your life. You can earn money via engaging in activism, advocacy work, via work in public relations, graphic design, via creative writing, screenwriting, content creation, teaching, tutoring, joining or starting a tech company focused on innovative products or services. You feel abundant when you are focused on community, collective goals, when you stay versatile and adaptable.

CANCER PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 11TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Cancer and Aquarius Sun people in your life. You can earn money via pursuing a career in early childhood education or childcare, nursing, caregiving, mental health services, via work in family and parent education, pursuing culinary arts or catering, engaging in art and design. You feel abundant when you focus on community, social connections, embrace technology and innovation, promote security and stability and use your intuition and emotional intelligence.

LEO PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 11TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Leo and Aquarius Sun people in your life. You can find abundance by managing a charitable organisation. You can earn money via work as a creative director or manager, overseeing projects in fashion, advertising or design, via writing, blogging, content creation focused on inspirational and motivational themes, via work in charity or fundraising, work in teaching (drama, art, public speaking). You feel abundant when maintain confidence in your vision and abilities, when you embrace charisma, leadership and when you pursue a creative career.

VIRGO PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 11TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Virgo and Aquarius Sun people in your life. You can earn money via work in tech support, quality assurance, systems analysis, work in non-profit management, pursuing teaching or training roles, engage in environmental research, when you organise workshops or seminars on practical skills, health and wellness. You feel abundant when you focus on health, wellness, when you network, collaborate and when you use technology.

LIBRA PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 11TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Libra and Virgo Sun people in your life. You can create wealth by creating and selling DIY kits or tutorials. You could also learn digital or 3D art. You could sell photos on sites like Shutterstock or Adobe Stock. You earn money via event planning, specializing in weddings, social events and community events, work in legal services, such as family law, meditation or contract negotiation. You feel abundant when you embrace collaboration and partnerships, focus on aesthetics and creativity.

SCORPIO PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 11TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Scorpio and Aquarius Sun people in your life. You can earn money via holistic healing, alternative medicine, energy work, via astrology, metaphysical studies, spiritual counselling, via biotechnology, healthcare technology, environmental technology, via work in cybersecurity, data analysis or investigative journalism. You feel abundant when embrace deep, transformative work, engage in financial and strategic roles.

SAGITTARIUS PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 11TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Sagittarius and Aquarius Sun people in your life. You can earn money via career in diplomacy, teaching, lecturing, work in tourism industry, work in educational publishing, work in broadcasting or journalism, work in editing or translation. You feel abundant when you engage in social and humanitarian causes, focus on education and communication, when you embrace international cultural perspectives.

CAPRICORN PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 11TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Capricorn and Aquarius Sun people in your life. You can earn money via real estate development, work in corporate training and development, taking on leadership roles in non-profit organizations that focus on social justice, community development or environmental sustainability. You feel abundant when emphasize practical, realistic approach, when you use network and social connections.

AQUARIUS PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 11TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Aquarius Sun people in your life. You can earn money via streaming on platforms (Twitch), participating in esports or creating gaming content. You earn money via scientific research, when you create or support educational programs that focus on skills for the future (digital literacy, innovation), when you create content that explores futuristic concepts, technology trends or social change using platforms like YouTube, a blog, podcast. You feel abundant when you focus on technology and future trends and when you stay true to your unconventional nature.

PISCES PART OF FORTUNE IN THE 11TH HOUSE

You feel the most abundant when you have Pisces and Aquarius Sun people in your life. You can earn money via storytelling, work in holistic healing fields, massage therapy, via painting, writing, music or film, via offering spiritual or life coaching services. You feel abundant when stay true to your intuitive insights, embrace spiritual and healing practices and when you focus on humanitarian and compassionate work.

Credit: Tumblr blog @astroismypassion

[stars-tonight]

Hi hiiii! I came across your blog from another blog I requested a matchup for! I really like your style of writing matchups so I wanted to get in the mix! I'll go with the emoji: 🍈 (honeydew!)

🍈 Long, romantic matchup!

🍈 Pronouns, paired with guy or girl- she/her, paired with a guy

🍈 Ideal partner- mature, responsible, independent, hard-working, loving, caring, and kind with a soft and funny side! >_<

🍈 Description of self- I'm sociable and I like to laugh a lot! But most times I'm down-to-earth, self-sufficient, empathetic, nurturing, and resilient!

🍈 Hobbies- I really love playing tennis, pickleball, and basketball. I also go to the gym regularly! Arts and crafts are my downtime hobby :3 I love decorating photocard holders, building modeling kits, making keychains, and DIYing party gifts! :3

🍈 Love languages- Words of affirmation for both giving and receiving!

🍈 Ideal date- I'd like to do something active first like play pickleball or go to the arcade! Then go for some food to replenish! :3 Afterwards, we'd take a walk at the park to digest the food while we continue talking and getting to know each other on a deeper level <3

🍈 Extras!

My MBTI is ENFJ

My zodiac Sun sign is Virgo, Moon in Cancer, and Rising in Capricorn (if you're into that kinda thing, cause I sure am!)

I'm a fan of Bachelor Nation!!! hehehe

I love watching movies, my favorite is White Chicks hehehe

And I'm super good at claw machines!!! Most times I can win stuff in a couple of tries ^-^

I saw that you currently have nine matchups lined up for you to write >.< Please take your time writing mine! No rush hehehe I hope you have as much fun writing it as I will reading it!!! You're doing so great! Your headcanons are literally soooo cute! 🥹🤍 Thank youuuuu~

headcanons

🥛 so iwa-chan fits your ideal partner list pretty well: he's mature; responsible; independent; hardworking; and caring

🥛 and definitely secretly has a soft side

🥛 iwaizumi definitely likes being active outside of playing volleyball (probably has a premium gym membership and frequents the place multiple times a week)

🥛 so you'd definitely have lots of active dates together where you try to teach each other your sports

🥛 he's awful at pickleball but decent at basketball (i think this would be because you have to contact the ball with your hands in both volleyball and basketball and there's a racquet in pickleball and this kind of throws off depth perception or timing)

🥛 he's okay at tennis because he just likes slamming the ball as hard as he can over the net (and he thinks it's easy bc the net is so much lower compared to in volleyball lol)

🥛 i'm sorry if i got anything about the sports wrong, i only play volleyball 😭

🥛 he also likes it when you can just sit next to each other and do your own thing

🥛 he's fascinated by your artistic ability because he doesn't have an artistic bone in his body (ig his hands are too clumsy for things that require individual finger movement / precision??)

🥛 iwaizumi definitely has a way with words

🥛 like he's not akaashi level of comforting but he knows how to pick someone up and encourage / inspire them, which he's shown to have done many times with oikawa before

🥛 also since oikawa is a big sensitive baby he definitely knows how to say things nicely (although tbf he says things specifically made to tick oikawa off sometimes)

🥛 iwaizumi definitely likes active dates, and he's definitely really good at arcade games (will touch specifically on claw machines later hehe)

🥛 and he'd also like taking walks with his partner and getting to know them

🥛 he'll probably keep your relationship on the dl for the first few weeks or even months because he knows oikawa would just be popping up everywhere trying to catch you two together if he finds out

🥛 i saw a really cute piece of fanart where oikawa demands iwaizumi win him one of the stuffed animals in the claw machine and i realized it just makes sense that iwaizumi is godly at those things

🥛 you two could probably clear out a whole machine if you tried hard enough lol

runner up for you was sugawara kōshi!

A/N: hi 🍈anon! thank you for being so patient and sweet while waiting! i hope you liked your matchup 🫶

[pomplalamoose]

Can we please have some luke fluff hc’s?🙏 from any era idc i just love your writing💗

Thank you so much, anon!!! <33

I'm so on board for more lighthearted Luke content to warm our hearts, it's what he deserves🤝🏻

Also I veered into kinda new territory for me; while many of these take place in the Star Wars universe as normal, I included some modern day AU ones too

• the Jedi are taught to take extra care of their clothing and appearance because whenever they're out and about they take on a mostly representative role, whether they want to or not

• this also includes learning how to correctly mend and take care of their belongings

• I don't think that this was at the very front of Luke's education though, Obi-Wan and Yoda really had more pressing conditions to work with

• however, as everyone can clearly see, nobody had to specifically tell Luke about this

• (just look at the man)

• not only did he grow up with maybe one (1) relatively good fitting outfit, I'm also sure that because of this he was taught how to fix holes and re do seams as well as sewing his buttons back on himself

• I'm even convinced he's able to make a simple pair of pants and a shirt from scratch should it be really necessary

• something about the picture of you and Luke sitting together on a warm summer evening or during a winter night and you watching him silently working away is just the peak of domesticity

• he enjoys fixing clothes, especially if by doing so he can do a favor to those he loves

• I think in a way it calms him too

• he'd definitely help out his Padawans with it as well

• I firmly believe he owns a small sewing kit, complete with a thimble

• (maybe two: one he's actually using and a second hand made one out of porcelain because he thinks it's really pretty)

• maybe, in addition and if he has the time, he'd try out similar activities like crocheting, knitting, stitching, etc.

• I don't think he'd be very good at it but everything he crafts is made with love and there is no one around who doesn't appreciate his efforts

• imagine him knitting little socks and hats and scarves for all of his students

• for some reason he really struggles with online tutorials though

• they're always going too fast, he can't see what exactly it is they're showing, and often times they're just overcomplicating really simple steps

• he finds this to be very frustrating

• he probably uses a very (very!) old fashioned book to learn instead

• its margins are full of scribbles of its previous owners and Luke adds his own

• he draws smiley faces next to the patterns he likes most

• Luke is a DIY king

• something that really comes in handy as a Jedi master

• at the very beginning, just at the start of his own academy, he definitely did most of the occurring tasks himself, also including preparing the meals for everyone

• he's a decent cook but I think he'd get really into baking

• baking bread is one of his favorite free time activities

• my sister insists upon the fact that he'd make the absolute best focaccia

• (or its Star Wars equivalent at least)

• he really likes trying out new recipes, especially those he never heard about before

• with varying degrees of success, as some of them are not meant to be made by humans

• but worry not, nothing is getting wasted

• Luke's collection of little fish friends is always happy to eat the remaining crumbs

• (for those that don't know what I'm talking about, check out my other random Luke headcanons if you'd like)

• he has special outfits for his training sessions, including many different shoes

• depending on what or where it is he's practicing, he chooses them carefully

• inside he's wearing soft slippers and soft slippers only, boots are a no go

• it's very much established that Luke is wonderfully emphathetic and always ready to stand by your side, may it be during your period or when you're struggling mentally

• he's still wonderfully emphathetic and caring when you're sick but like, only from very far away

• he'll refuse to come near you if you so much as mention you're not feeling well

• if you have to sneeze or cough even a little bit he's immediately asking whether you've fallen ill or are about to

• just say you feel like you're getting a cold and he's on retreat immediately

• he can't get sick as well!

• he's working with children!!!

• at least one of them is always sick anyways, he can't be contagious under any circumstances!

• he'd feel so bad if he were to be responsible for even more of them suffering

• he feels horrible for not being there for you too though

• so he still does his best

• he prepares warm meals and tea every day and let's R2 deliver them

• he always checks in on you when you're asleep

• he changes your bed sheets while you take a shower or a bath

• he'd totally make a doctor's appointment for you if you're too scared to make the phone call yourself

• he makes sure you're taking your medications

• he pats your back and strokes your hair using the Force

• Luke would absolutely hate quarantine

• at first he'd still be pretty optimistic, thinking it won't be that bad, maybe even fun?

• he'll just meditate a lot, right?

• after all he has mastered his temper now, his patience renowned among his friends and students

• this mindset works at the beginning and for a while he's happy to sleep in for as long as he wants to

• however he forgets about the concept of time quickly enough and soon has no idea what day it is

• when was the last time he had breakfast?

• since he's a very outdoorsy person, always on the move, always doing something, it wouldn't take long until he's getting kinda antsy too

• and while he does enjoy the calm and quiet, he's mostly used to being the center of bustling activities

• soon he takes desperate measures to pass the time, even trying out things he before swore to not be interested in in the slightest

• I see him taking lots and lots of Buzzfeed quizzes

• he texts you about every single result

• one of his first ones was about what kind of animal he'd be and he absolutely hated the outcome

• he eventually ended up making his own quiz because of it

• he likes watching you play video games more than playing them himself

• it's very relaxing to him, especially after a long day at work

• plus he gets to hold you extra close under the pretense of being very interested to see what's going on on screen

• he dozes off pretty quickly though

• while he's happy to let you play whatever you want, I think he has his favorites as well

• Animal Crossing being at the very front

• he loves when you show him your town or island, how you decorated your house and which villagers you're best friends with

• he too would have the newest game, simply because you were missing a few items and he was determined to get them for you

• it would totally escalate during quarantine though, and suddenly he'd have a fully decorated five star island

• (Luke Skywalker plays Animal Crossing with a passion and I'm ready to fight anyone about it)

• for some reason he gets really competitive during Mario Kart and Just Dance

• he unapologetically wins at every single Wii Sports mini game and no matter what you do and how much you practice, he's always better and not in the least bit sorry about it

• he is a Macher™ (please let there be some German fans who know what I'm talking about)

[purple-petrichor]

MarriageToxin Profiles Vol.1

Haven’t seen these in English yet, so I’m posting them! Taken from the Japanese manga releases. Translated by myself. Sorry for the image quality;;

Gero Hikaru

DOB:  November 24th Blood Type:  A

Heir to the "poison user" Gero family. The type to have many copies of the same clothes. Keeps a large number of work tools under his coat. If the room he lives in isn’t constantly clean, he feels unsettled. On nights after something rough happened, he cleans public toilets and other places until they’re better than new. Due to that, rumors of an urban legend “the Midnight Cleaner” have begun to spread throughout one portion of the city.

Amount of money spent on DIY candy kits per month:  approx. 200,000 yen *(approx. $1,500 USD )

–

＊TL Notes:  Here’s Gero! Starting off strong with the main character.

Blood types are included in almost every profile in this series. In Japan, blood types are actually considered pretty important for determining one’s personality and romantic compatibility. It’s similar to Western astrology with star signs. For more detailed information, search google or read here. In Gero’s case, Blood Type A is actually the most statistically common in Japan (40% of the population) so that makes him a relatively normal guy. According to one article, “people with blood type A are known to be highly-organized, particularly precise, and pay much attention to details. They are diplomatic and friendly in nature, so you won’t have a hard time approaching them. They seek harmony among other people, but they sometimes prefer to be alone because of their sensitive nature.” Checks out overall. 

The DIY candy kits money is…far too much. Gero please what are you doing. Upon searching, a single package is like, $3.90 USD. So, $1500/$4 = 375 kits per month. That’s 93 per week. That’s 13 per day. Gero is the personification of that one dril “spend less on candles. no.” tweet. --

Kinosaki Mei

DOB:  May 18th Blood Type:  AB

A marriage swindler. Capable of winning-over any partner within 30 seconds. The possessor of an outstanding "mix-and-match" fashion coordination technique. On days off, ends up lounging around inside the house all day. After a long life in abject poverty, will eat anything. Once survived for 3 weeks based only off of gorging food on dates. Living space is small, and strewn with clutter. Is hiding a big secret. –

＊TL Notes:  The original text actually manages to avoid using any pronouns for Kinosaki. Given how Japanese is structured, it’s possible to sometimes drop a subject/object/pronoun entirely, without compromising the sentence. Unfortunately in English that’s much harder to manage, and often ends up sounding like you’re suspiciously trying to avoid the words. I tried to compromise here by arranging the text around. Just know that in the official text, they avoid giving any specific he/she gender markers for Kinosaki as of current.

For Blood Type: “This blood type is the combination of the precise qualities of A types and the free-spiritedness of B types. Given that it’s a rare blood type, people with this type are often perceived as geniuses or [eccentric]. They can be unpredictable and curious. People who belong to the AB type usually jump around from one activity to another, depending on their mood and situation. They chase ideal dreams and pursue learning and knowledge in a wide range of fields. They are calm and rational but have a complicated personality.”  Again, checks out for a swindler known for changing to handle any situation.

…Yes the final line does say “a big secret”. Uh. EDIT: Chapter 54 sheds new light on this line! Perhaps it’s not a dirty joke after all, but something far more tragic. 👀

More coming soon!

[fishnets-fingers]

sparklers, stutters & sweet treats 

a/n - happy deepavali! it's been a while since i wrote layla and harry, so i'm nervous posting this. in six months, layla accompanies her folks to visit family in chicago to celebrate. so, i thought i'd bang out this blurb because i'd regretted not writing about the two celebrating. as always reblogs and comments are appreciated! happy reading :)

MASTERPOST (if you wanna read more of Layla and Harry)

…

The drawing room of Vasanth’s and Abi’s home looked like a hurricane ravaged it. It started with the boxes and packing tubs piled into the guest bedroom on the ground floor. Now those boxes were open; bubble wrap, packing peanuts, old gadgets, clothes, crockeries, baby gizmos, and Abi’s old shoe collection spilled over. “It’s only getting worse,” Abi groans, face heating up from exertion. She padded back to the loveseat, sighing in relief as her back hit the cushion. The room was littered with things the couple had accumulated over the duration of marriage. 

“This was a bad idea,” Layla agrees, voice muffled from the handkerchief she’s tied around her head to cover her mouth and nose. Her makeshift mask didn’t help. She sniffled as she was going through the cardboard boxes. 

“Got another box,” Vasanth announces, climbing down the stairs holding a food processor box. 

“No, come on, I’m done,” Layla complained. “My back hurts. We’ll continue tomorrow.”

“Deepavali is only two days away. We don’t have time, kutti.” Vasanth makes his way to the two, tripping over the things split over from the boxes. 

“Vasanth, Layla’s right. Let’s just call it. Maybe we lost the box of decorations during the move,” Abi says. 

“It can’t be lost. I was the one who loaded the box in the moving van in Cary.”

“Maybe the moving people stole it. We’ve gone through every goddamn cardboard box in this house.”

“Why would the movers steal a box filled with lamps, string lights, and fake garlands?” Vasanth shakes his head, reaching to get the knife.

“Maybe they were feeling particularly festive that day?” She shrugs.

Abi snorts at her niece’s retort, hand absentmindedly rubbing her swollen belly to calm her active baby. 

“Don’t encourage her, Abi.” He opens the box he’d carried downstairs and frowns when he’s met with Abi’s DIY beading kits. “There are three more boxes upstairs. Get them.”

Layla whines and Abi injecterjects before Layla speaks, “We do have a baby coming in three and a half months. I think people will cut us some slack if we don’t decorate.”

“What will our guests think?” Vasanth asks the two women.

“What guests? It’s three people. Anne, Harry and Earl aren’t gonna judge. Plus we could tell them that people don’t decorate much for Deepavali. They’re not gonna know,” Layla voices her support for her Aunty’s idea.

“You two are such bad influences.” Vasanth mutters as he considers stopping the task at hand. “No, we’re decorating. It’s bad enough to be thousands of miles away from our family for every holiday,” his voice firm. 

“Vasanth,” Abi coos, eyes softening at the sight of her husband, sitting up to put a hand on his shoulder and giving him a reassuring squeeze.

“சித்தப்பா (Uncle),” Layla pouts. “Are you homesick?”

“No, I’m not,” he tells her, squaring up defensively. “Didn’t I ask for the boxes from the attic to be bought down here?”

“Are you really going to make your pregnant wife climb up and down three flights of stairs?” Layla asks.

“Didn’t ask her. I asked you,” he raises his eyebrows when she huffs.

“Fine but this is child labour, I tell you.” She stomps her way to the staircase. 

“I’ll take my chances in court,” her uncle replies, making Layla stick her tongue out at him. 

////

“Hey there, dickhead,” Harry calls out, rolling down his window.

“Harry!” Layla waves from where she’s sat on the front porch steps weaving together fairy light on the marigold garland. “How did the meeting go?” Harry had been stressing about his meeting with the college recruiter for days on end.

He pulls up the driveway, quickly tossing his shades on the passenger side. “Pretty good,” he replied, making his way over to his girlfriend. “She asked me a lot of questions about my time in the Arctic.”

“That’s nice. How lucky that she happened to be coming to Chapel Hill!”

He grunts as he lowers himself next to her, clipping his keys to his belt loop when his car beeped locking shut. “Recruiters usually do that,” he says quietly.

“You’re disappointed with yourself,” Layla narrows her eyes as she looks at the way the corner of his lips pulls downward imperceptibly.

Harry shakes his head. “What's all this then?” He motions towards the garlands and the lamps scattered on the floor.

“Decorations for Deepavali.”

“Did you text me last night saying that you guys didn’t find the box with stuff?”

“We didn’t.” Layla chuckles. “Took us hours to pack and put everything back. I went to bed at 3am, only to be woken up in three hours by a call from தாத்தா (grandad).”

“Where did you get all of this then?”

“சித்தப்பா (Uncle) was moping around all homesick this morning, so I looked around after they’d both left for work. Found it in the closet of my room, behind my suitcases. Aunty is coming back after her lunch meeting. We’re going to surprise him with a decorated house.”

“Want a hand?”

“You’re changing the subject,” Layla notes.

“And why would I do that?” 

“Because you don’t like to admit that you messed up. You’re clearly miffed about it,” she points out.

“The recruiter asked me about the break in my CV,” Harrys says, voice despondent. 

“Oh,” Layla replies quietly. This was the question he was dreading. He’d prepared an answer for it, of course - a very diplomatic answer, but he still felt like he’d fallen behind his peers. 

“I fumbled,” he ran his hands through his hands in exasperation. “I mean I had a script and everything. Still managed to fuck it up. I gave her the answer but it came out all shaky.”

“You aren’t going to be the only applicant who’s taken gap years. Everyone is doing that now,” she reassures with a kiss to his cheek. 

“But I could have been more confident with the answer. It’s early acceptances and they’re very-”

“Did you stutter throughout the interview? Was she displeased?”

“No,” he shakes his head. “It went well. I made her laugh twice. She seemed very enamoured by my fellowship stories.”

“See! You’ve charmed her! She seems impressed. I know this is a competitive program and all; I’m certain your application will stand out. People stumble all the time, especially in high pressure situations. She’s probably seen many applicants stumble. Don’t make a good interview experience all about one small indiscernible moment. One she’s probably not going to remember after a few minutes.”

“Yeah. That makes sense,” Harry sighs. “You’re good at this.” He turns to see her with one eyebrow cocked up and explains, “This talking thing.”

“Hmm,” she smiles. “It’s not like I spent five years training to be a therapist, only to hate it and move to researching the brain.”

“The world was robbed,” he chuckles, throwing his arm around her shoulder.

“Well, if my smartest boyfriend says so,” Layla giggles, leaning forward to kiss the corner of Harry’s mouth.

“Hey! I’m your only boyfriend,” he stitches their lips together, hand coming to stroke her cheek. 

“Guess, you’ll just have to take my word for it.” She laughs, pulling him to her mouth by his collared shirt. “Now, come on, help me with the door,” she murmured against his panting mouth.

It look them thirty minutes for the two of them to finish decorating the door. Harry passed her pieces of cut up tape, while Layla stood on the step ladder trying to make the marigold garland hang in perfect U. Harry asked her questions about how they celebrate the festival back home as they’d folded shiny gold craft papers to make paper rosettes.

“Can you text Aunty, please? My phone’s inside the house. Ask her to pick up a pack of lithium button batteries on her way home,” Layla says, blowing on the paper to check if they are holding up.

“Hmm.” Harry can’t help but smile, when he looks up from his text. Layla’s crop top had ridden up - with the way her arms were stretched up - revealing the soft skin of her belly. She’s rolled down the waistband of an oversized basketball shorts, making the pudge under her belly stick out. He takes two steps towards her, tucking his phone in his pocket, hands coming to rest firmly on her hip. An innocuous gesture that he’d done many times during the course of their decoration to steady her on the ladder that Layla didn’t pay much attention to. He flicks his gaze up and sees her with furrowed eyebrows straightening out the fairy lights. His thumbs caresses the warm skin above the band of her shorts before he leans in and nips her belly.

Layla shrieks in response, and Harry’s hands tighten around her hips so she doesn’t lose her balance. 

“Harry!” She giggles, when he peppers kisses below her bellybutton. “What are you doing?”

“Loving on you,” he mumbles, tongue trailing her flushed skin. 

She laughs, “Maybe you can love on me after we’re done with this,” she juts her chin out to the garlands in front of her.

He steps back, looking at the flowers hanging around the top of the doorframe. Making a show of his inspection, with an arm behind his back and this other perched on his hip. “Looks done to me,” he shrugs.

////

“Ugh,” Layla grimaces, from her spot on Anne’s kitchen island. “They’re not sweet,” she points to the packet of dried rose petals.

“Stop eating the ingredients,” Harry scolds, swatting her hand away from the bowl of cream cheese with his spatula. He was baking an eggless Pistachio Kulfi Cheesecake. 

“Pch, you’re no fun,” she rolls her eyes, dangling her legs. “I thought the cheesecake was for me.”

“It is not for you.” He places the spatula in the bowl of his cream cheese and spice mixture and leans against the island with his hips. “I’m making this for Deepavali. Plus, mum would not be a fan if we show up empty handed for dinner tomorrow.”

“All I’m hearing is: ‘Yes, Layla baby, the cheesecake is for you to eat.’”

Harry laughs. “Yes, Layla baby, the cheesecake is for you to eat-”

“Exactly,” she claps, interrupting him. She reaches for the bowl again, only for Harry to push it away from her reach. 

“Nuh uh,” he tuts, wrapping his hands around her wrists and pins them behind her back. He moves to stand in between her legs, bending down to press his forehead to hers. “The cheesecake is for you to eat.” He presses a soft kiss to the corner of her mouth. “But after dinner tomorrow. Besides, I'm making it without eggs, so it can be an offering when we pray.”

“I don’t believe in God.”

“And I don’t believe in disrespecting traditions.”

“You’re an annoying idiot.”

“Nice comeback, dickhead.”

“You’d deny your girlfriend some sweet treats?” She purses her lips. 

“I got some sweet treats right here,” he whispers, grabbing her hips and pulling her to the edge of the marble counter. 

Their kisses start slow, gentle and brief; Layla nips his bottom lip, making him giggle. She grabs his chin and slowly licks into his mouth. Harry responds by kneading her ass and grinding his bulge against the warmth between her thighs. He pants into her mouth, chest heaving with every breath he takes. Layla crosses her ankles around his hips, drawing his body closer, mewling at the way he suckles at the sweet spot of her neck.

The loud ring from Harry’s phone makes them jump apart. Harry mutters a curse as he silences the device, grabbing the now set crust from the fridge. “Stupid bloody phone,” he mumbles, adjusting his pants.

“Guess we both won’t have our sweet treats today,” Layla smirks.

////

Layla never imagined that she'd be celebrating a major festival away from home. She’d braced herself for the wave of homesickness since the minute she’d woken up. She was fully expecting to cry when she’d talked to her parents and grandparents. But it never came. She misses home, there was no doubt about that. But under the buttery streetlight, the sight in front of her warms her heart. Vasanth holding onto Abi’s hand guiding her to light up the fuse of a flower pot. Anne’s face glowing with a multitude of colours as the firework ignites. Earl holding a rocket, waiting his turn. Other Indian families dressed up, laughing as the colourful fire went off. 

She feels more at ease when a familiar tattooed arm wraps around her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. “You’ve got this look on your face,” Harry observes. They both hung back, refraining from the fireworks from parking with fireworks.

“I’m happy,” she says, gazing up at him adoringly. 

“Hmm, you should be. Iniya deepavali nalvazthukal,” he tells her, slowly, stumbling over the unfamiliar syllables. He’d practised wishing her a ‘Happy Deepavali’  in Tamil all morning. 

Layla’s jaw drops in surprise, eyes shining as she gets on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “இனிய தீபாவளி நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள் to you too, Harry.”

When he produces two long sparklers from behind his back, Layla looks up at him questioningly. He’d cared about the planet, she didn’t expect him to join in and she hadn’t burst crackers since her visit to the firecracker factory.

“Thought we’d light just the one in honour of our first Deepavali together,” he explains and she nods.

They joined the four in front of them, lighting up their sparklers with Earl’s, smiling when the crackling pop accompanies the golden hue. A perfect reflection of warmth and light they were feeling on the inside.

…