#I've had store bought varieties before

[maideninorange]

(Fic Request) FumiIyo go out for ice cream.

I put way too much thought into the existence of ice cream within Mugenri for a simple fluff with light angst fic lol. Why am I even surprised, knowing me?

(TW: Just References to Iyo-san's Tragic Past for this one. Because this is me writing this lol. Otherwise, it's a fairly straightforward fluff fic.)

The Ice Cream Merchant

The ice cream merchant only comes around once every five year.

A shadowy legend to children everywhere, the merchant goes from village to village, region to region, distributing a strange cold, sweet cuisine those who had visited them had only called "ice cream". With colder sweets being quite the rarity this far away from Devanagara for the peasantry, the merchant often draws in crowds by the tenfolds. For some, it will be the only time they get to taste anything like it.

...Or at least, that's how Fumikado had described it to them. It was also why Iyozane was not back home lounging around in the river, and instead standing behind a long crowd of children and curious adults.

So far, Iyozane couldn't see what all the fuss was about. This guy looked like just another merchant with their bright and colorful stand, if one that specialized in what may be a pretty rare product. But even with that in mind, they weren't holding their breath.

Merchants are complete and utter parasites, funneling away money that could've gone to hardworking individuals for themselves. And so far, this one seemed to be no different than the rest of the lot. If it weren't for Fumikado's eager pleading, they doubt they'd be here to begin with.

As if sensing Iyozane's silent seething, Fumikado gently nudged them, snapping them out of their straying thoughts. (The fact that their definition of "gently" sent them a few sun forward probably helped with that too.)

"Look, I know you don't like merchants, but this guy isn't like those other parasites, I promise! Their treats are to die for!"

"...So far, all I'm seeing is gaudy colors and lots of children. Feels kinda shady to me. And what is this 'ice cream' treat, anyway?"

"One of the best things you'll ever taste! So come on! Trust me! When's the last time I was irresponsible with our funds anyway?"

Just last week, with the "brilliant" idea to spend hundreds on an expensive shawl I saw. It wasn't even made of real gold! Iyozane wanted to say, but by the time they opened their mouth, Fumikado had already taken off.

...And by the cries of children that just rang out, right into the middle of the line. Iyozane let out a loud, put-upon sigh as they trudged after them.

"Sorry..." They mumbled towards the angry people now behind them, tugging their haori closer. It was the least they could offer, knowing how rude and impatient their boss can be. That sort of thing tended to make people angry, didn't it?

When it wasn't done by a royal it seemed, so some of their siblings had claimed every now and then to them in a past as distant as a bad memory. But Iyozane wasn't a royal anymore. They didn't even get to indulge that privilege even once before they lost it.

The dark thought washed over them like a plague. They turned to berate them for cutting in line, as the alternative was letting it weigh on their mind. But then Fumikado beamed at them, and the poison died from their lips.

"You're gonna love it Iyozane! I promise! I know all the best flavors!" They reassured them, "Trust me! I am the seer of ice cream!"

Considering Fumikado's track record when it comes to foresight, that did not inspire the confidence they had intended such a statement would. Still, it was a little hard to be overcome with dread when their strong and dignified boss is bouncing on their heels like a giddy little kid.

Okay, incredibly hard actually. It was hard to stay nervous with them behaving like that. Iyozane lowered their head, looking at the ground and their wobbly feet, the tension eased slightly from their shoulder.

Perhaps it was from Fumikado skipping ahead in line, perhaps it was their own thoughts siphoning away the time, but it felt like Iyozane had only blinked before they were both at the front of the line. They had to rub their eyes at the feeling when they were suddenly met with the sight of the bright pink wooden counter.

Fumikado held up a couple fingers to the smiling person behind the counter, "A box of mochi please! Give us chocolate, vanilla, and matcha for Iyozane here!"

The merchant nodded, "Coming right up. Your enthusiasm is much appreciated, but next time, please wait your turn. You might make the much more patient children cry."

"Oh." They glanced nervously behind themself, as if to check. Iyozane couldn't help but follow their gaze, as they so often did. The children directly behind them looked more annoyed than anything. But it seemed even the mere thought was enough weight on Fumikado's conscience, as they swiftly turned back to bow apologetically, "...My bad!"

The merchant gave a light chuckle, holding out a small basket full of little mochi. Woah, that was fast!

"It's alright! Just remember for the future."

Fumikado tilted their head forward as they took the basket with both hands, "Will do!"

The merchant waved them off, and just like that their little trip to such an odd merchant stand was over.

Iyozane didn't stop reeling until Fumikado found them a nice bench to sit on. They then tilt the basket forward so they can see.

"Go on! Try one! I stake a claim upon one of the chocolate ones!"

Iyozane looked the mochi over. They saw brown, green, and white at its bottom. They could tell the green ones were obviously the matcha ones, and Fumikado plucking up a brown one indicated it was the chocolate flavor. So the white ones were this "vanilla" flavor? They're kinda curious about that one, actually...

Fumikado popped the chocolate mochi into their mouth, "...Mm!!! I missed you, chocolate!"

Iyozane chuckled a little at this display. They've actually never got the opportunity to try anything with the label of "chocolate" before now. In the distant past, they only heard it in passing. Mitori had told them extensively about it in such a way that left their mouth watering. None of their wardens attendants would let them try it, saying it will rot their perfect teeth or make them sick. They weren't allowed to eat any sweets, actually. But chocolate especially.

But the present is not the past. They are no longer a lonely bird in a cage, yearning to experience the horizons beyond their window. They are a free person (if an indebted one), and able to decide for themself what to put in their own body. And if that thing rots their teeth or makes them sick?

Then let it!!!

And before they could let it stop them, Iyozane reaches into the basket, takes a green mochi between their fingers, and takes a large bite.

...Bliss.

It was definitely cold to the touch, but it was very sweet, like all the green teas they were familiar with. A touch of bitterness, which balances out the sweetness. It hurt their teeth to chew, but it was absolutely worth it.

Iyozane heard a chuckle beside them, "I take it you like the matcha flavor?"

They swallowed, smiling earnestly now, "...Guess so! Wasn't expecting it to be so cold though."

"Well duh! It's called ice cream, you dummy! It would probably be called somethin' like fire cream if it was hot!"

Iyozane rolled their eyes, "That is the worst name for a sweet I've ever heard."

"Well, I personally think it sounds pretty cool myself!" Fumikado huffed.

"Whatever makes you feel better," was all Iyozane had to say to that, directly before popping the rest of the mochi into their mouth.

Wowie...They had no idea how they went their whole life without experiencing this. How many sweets have they missed out on? How many people even got to try anything like this, knowing how unreliable Fumikado can be at times?

As if reading their mind, Fumikado leaned back, inhaling a matcha mochi they plucked up when Iyozane wasn't paying attention, "Rumor has it that the ice cream merchant is from the Outside World. Brought this sweet with, and now goes around Mugenri selling it."

"Mm," Iyozane nodded in agreement. They go for a so-called "vanilla" mochi. They took a bite as Fumikado continued.

"I can't remember who told me that rumor. Probably a servant some long time ago... but either way I knew we couldn't miss this! A shame Tsugumi didn't want to come..."

"For a rumor, it certainly has some merit to it, with a merchant stand looking like that," Iyozane pointed over at the stand in question, swallowing the rich sweet iciness in their mouth. In the distance, children rotated in and out of the line for the garish pink stand. Some clutched upside-down cone shaped cookies with brightly colored, larger versions of the filling within their own mochis.

"Hm...Good point, my dear servant! I suppose even a moron can be right every now and then."

Please don't confuse me for yourself. We walked past this stand three times trying to look for it, Iyozane sneered inwardly, too busy finishing off their vanilla mochi to actually jeer.

Not that it mattered for too much longer, for Fumikado's next words nearly made their heart leap out of their chest, "But I digress! Thanks again for coming with me today, Iyozane! It really means a lot to me!"

Iyozane had to do a double take at that. Fumikado? Sincerely thanking someone? Not their odd roundabout way of showing gratitude? They never thought they'd see the day.

In fact, Iyozane isn't used to gratitude like this at all. In another life, all of those suffocating expectations were just that: expectations. You were supposed to fulfill them, or otherwise be punished. Also, Fumikado is their boss. If anything, a lack of gratitude was to be expected.

So with that in mind, one could certainly pardon Iyozane for their flustered reaction. They fan themself with their hand, sweat beading down their forehead, and thankful the blazing heat of summer disguised their anxiety well. Although, their voice probably gave it away when they heard themself stammer a smidge:

"Uh...You-You're welcome, Fumikado-san. I mean...it's not like I had much else to do today, right?"

Scratch that. They sounded very, very nervous to their own ears. Not good not good not good-

However, if Fumikado noticed, they certainly didn't say anything. They just crossed their leg, rubbing the back of their head as if nervous themself.

"N-No! I really mean it! Whenever I got the chance to visit the ice cream merchant here, old Pops, may he rest in peace, never let me go with anyone. Well, it's not like I had many to go with to begin with. Just Chouki, but..."

Their pointy ears twitch, like most youkai do when anxious. Unbelievable. But like...in a good way? Fumikado sounded in over their head over taking them to somewhere as simple as the marketplace, and yet Iyozane couldn't help but find it weirdly endearing in its own way. The way they chuckle awkwardly was doing strange, terrible things to their heart and makes their legs go weak, and they couldn't begin to comprehend why.

They hid it well, in their opinion. They just raised an eyebrow, saying, "So you're saying you're lonely?"

"Not lonely!" they huff, "Just...in need of companionship for this very special occasion is all!"

"...So lonely?"

"No!!! You're utterly impossible sometimes, Iyozane!"

Iyozane had to cackle a bit at that. "Why of course I am. If I wasn't, we wouldn't get anything done. We'd probably still be terribly lost right now if it weren't for me."

"Don't be so arrogant. I'm the one in charge, remember?"

"Then act like it."

"Okay! Sheesh. Even emperors make mistakes, don't they?"

There was no malice in either's words. Iyozane felt a wide grin had graced their face, and Fumikado was beaming equally as much. They both laugh once more.

"Why yes. Yes they do. Would appreciate if you had a better sense of direction somedays though," Absentmindedly, Iyozane reaches into the basket for the last mochi.

And that's when, ever so suddenly, fingers, big and slightly sharp from retracted talons, brushed against their own. Iyozane let out a small yelp of surprise as they both grabbed for the little sweet, raising it up.

"Oh...Uh, whoops?" Fumikado offered awkwardly, shrugging.

It took a moment for Iyozane to respond. They were too busy staring at the chocolate mochi between their hands. If they moved just the wrong way, they could easily end up gripping Fumikado's hand instead. The thought didn't quite disturb them as much as they'd expect it to.

"Um...It's the last one...I've never had chocolate anything before..." they eventually mumble, looking away.

"Seriously?! Not even a little chip?!"

"No. Locked away for most of my life, remember?" Iyozane gently chided.

"Oh right! Uh...So how about we share it then?"

"Share it?" Iyozane parroted back at them. They looked back over to see Fumikado tug at the mochi between their fingers.

"Yeah! I get half, you get half! Think of it as generosity on my part, as a token of appreciation."

"You just want me to try chocolate, don't you?"

"And so what if I do? It's a crime against sweets for you to never have even tried it!"

That sounded like something Mitori would say as they attempted to slip them some. The guards would always catch them back then, alas.

But that was then and this is now. And right now, that sounded delightful. Iyozane nodded, their hand clenching the wooden bench beneath their hand.

And then they split the last mochi in two and ate their respective halves. The taste made all the needless struggle all the more worth it.

"...So what did you think? Was it everything you expected?" Fumikado asked, their mouth still full.

Iyozane waited a moment as they swallowed. It...wasn't quite how Mitori had built the taste up to be (though it could just be because it is cold), but it was well worth it in the end. It almost melted in their mouth, even (albeit rather literally).

"Hm...I'd say so! Can definitely see why Mitorin always loved the stuff now, at least."

"Oh come on! No shock and awe at the taste?" Fumikado pleaded.

They shook their head, "What were you expecting? I'm nowhere near as dramatic as you typically are, you know that."

"Why excuse you!!! I'm as expressive as an emperor should be!" They crossed their arms, pouting.

"Which is really dramatic apparently, but who am I to judge?" Iyozane couldn't help their snicker at the aggravated shout Fumikado let out at that, proving their point.

But that's Fumikado for you. Loud, boisterous, and more than a little dense. There's a certain charm to them though. Otherwise, they wouldn't have stuck with them as long as they have. Still doesn't explain the heart racing whenever they see them smile like that though.

But that's a question for another day. The two just chattered and babbled amongst themselves until the sun set and they had to head home. It wasn't a very interesting story, in Iyozane's mind, but it was well worth it all the same. Tsugumi had missed out! And neither of them could wait to tell them all the ways how.

Psst! Hey! I'm taking requests now! Feel free to drop one in my inbox after reading the rules here (might need to go on desktop first though)!

[jinglebuckrock]

I Really Ducking Love You

this is just Bucktommy being cute with rubber ducks 🤗🦆

read it on ao3

When Tommy opens the center console of Evan's Jeep looking for their misplaced shopping list, he doesn't expect to find the compartment full of rubber ducks. He stares down at the toys, eyebrows scrunched as he studies them. They aren't just the plain yellow ones; there is a varying range of colors, glitters, occupations, and accessories. Tommy doesn't know how long he stands there staring, but it must have been too long because the driver's side door opens, and Evan pops his head in.

Tommy looks up at him.

"Babe, why do you have so many rubber ducks?"

Evan's face twists in confusion at the question for a second before it lights up with a smile as he laughs, leaning farther into the car to peer into the center console.

"It's something that started during the pandemic. You see a Jeep, you leave a duck. That sorta thing. I've seen these accounts on Tik Tok who have whole set ups in their trunks so they can make the ducks customized to the Jeeps they see. And some people even have these little stands on their mirrors so people have a better place to leave them instead of somewhere that they aren't going to be seen. The dedication people have to it is insane but I kind of admire them for it."

Tommy nods at the information as he reaches into the pile of ducks and pulls out the first one that catches his eye, a hot pink one with sunglasses.

"There must be alot of Jeep owners around because you have amassed quite the collection here." He gives the pink duck a squeeze and it makes Evan laugh before he reaches across the car and plucks the duck from his hand, setting it back with it friends.

"These aren't all from other people. I bought a variety bag so I didn't have to give away the ones I recieved. Those are tucked away safely at my apartment so they don't get mixed up."

Tommy hums in understanding as he reaches back into the center console and grabs the list he got distracted from before. Moving the notepad uncovers a duck he couldn't see before. An idea starts to form as he snaps the lid shut and plops the list into his boyfriend's waiting hand.

"Alright, I want a duck tour when we get home. Right now, we gotta get into that store before it gets too crowded or we are never getting out of here." Evan salutes and backs out of the driver's side as Tommy does the same on the passenger's side. They meet around the front of the car, and Evan grabs Tommy's hand with his free one, intertwining their fingers. Tommy's gives his hand a quick squeeze before he's being pulled along towards the carts as Evan starts rattling off what they need for dinner.

-- a few days later --

Tommy gets to set his plan into motion a few days after the 'Great Duck Discovery' when they go to the movies. After their showing ends and they're making their way towards to exit, Evan lets him know he's going to take a quick trip to the bathroom. Tommy nods, tells him to take his time and that he'll be out in the car waiting. Evan gives him a thumbs up and heads towards the restroom and Tommy is out of the theater's front doors before the bathroom door even closes.

When he gets to the Jeep, he moves around to the trunk to dig through his work bag where he stashed the duck he had ordered the night of their trip to the grocery store. It's a little pilot duck that had arrived the day before their date tonight. Tommy had spent his entire afternoon off transforming the little duck into exactly what he had had in mind. He had painted it's flight suit a darker blue to match the one he wears at work. With the thinnest sharpie he owned Tommy had carefully written his last name on the front as a mirror of his nametag. He had even made an attempted at the Harbor station patch. Tommy shuts the trunk and moves around to the passenger's side. carefully placing the duck on the door handle before hopping into the driver's seat. He pulls out his phone and pretends to be occupied with it while he waits.

A couple of minutes pass before the crunch of gravel under foot draws his attention. He doesn't look up from his phoe but he knows it's Evan from the way the footsteps pause and a huff of laughter comes from outside of the car. The passenger side door opens and Tommy tips his head to see one grinning Evan Buckley.

"Seems like I've got a new duck to add to my personal collection." Evan lifts his hand to show off the duck, wiggling it in the air. It makes Tommy laugh as he goes to set his phone down in the cup holder so he can take the duck so Evan can get into the car. The duck is dropped into his waiting palm as Evan hoists himself into his seat, closing the door behind him. He turns to look at Tommy then, a small smile on his face.

Tommy smiles back as Evan leans across the center console to press his lips against Tommy's. They both sigh into the kiss and Tommy  brings his hand up to card his fingers through Evan's hair completely forgetting about the rubber duck in his hand. He pulls away with a laugh, shaking his head when Evan grins even wider.

"What was that for?" Tommy asks as Evan plucks the duck from his hand and leans forward to situate the little toy securely against the windshield. Evan sits back in his seat before turning to face Tommy again, his smile softening as his shrugs a shoulder.

"Just, uh, wanted to say thank you for a wonderful night, is all."

And with that answer, it's Tommy's turn to lean across the center console so he can gently grasp his boyfriend's chin, angling his face so he can press their lips together again. This time when he goes to sink his fingers into Evan's hair, there isn't a rubber duck in his way.

-- the next morning --

Tommy's just finished filling his travel mug when he hears the shuffle of feet making their way down the hal and into the kitchen. When Evan reaches him, he immediately plasters himself to Tommy's back. His arms come up to wrap tightly around Tommy's waist as Evan rests his forehead against Tommy's back. Neither of them speaks right away and Tommy's wondering if his boyfriend has fallen asleep standing up when Evan shifts, splaying his hands across Tommy's stomach. Tommy chuckles, shaking his head fondly.

"I thought I told you to go back to sleep."

The other man grumbles something into the fabric of Tommy's shirt and it makes him laugh as he settles his hand on Evan's wrists, giving them a light squeeze. He feels Evan lift his head so he can hook his chin over Tommy's shoulder instead. "I know, but I wanted to give you a little present before you went in."

Tommy hums as he nudges Evan away just enough to turn around in his arms. He sets his hands on the other man's hips, tucking his thumbs under his sleep shirt to brush lightly over the skin there.

"As much as I would love a repeat performance of last night, I am going to end up being very late to work." Evan rolls his eyes with a shake of his head, whacking Tommy in the arm before pulling his hand away to reach for somthing in the pocket of his sweats.

"It's not that kind of gift! Get your head out of the gutter, old man." Tommy huffs and pinches at Evan's side, which earns him a yelp and a fist thumped against his chest.

"I meant," Evan opens the hand still resting against Tommy's chest to show off a rubber duck, "that I wanted to give you this."

The rubber duck sitting in Evan's palm is dressed like a firefighter and Tommy instantly knows it's the same one he saw that day in the grocery store parking lot. He takes a moment to look over the duck before flicking his eyes up to meet Evan's.

"Did you give it your birthmark?" Evan nods, ducking his head a little as his free hand fiddles with the hem of Tommy's shirt. "I figured since I have a little Tommy Duck in my car, you, uh, could have a little Buck Duck in yours."

Tommy lifts his hand to cup Evan's cheek, and he ducks down a little so he can press their lips together. Evan's sighs against his mouth, setting his palm and the duck to rest against Tommy's chest.

When they seperate, Tommy releases Evan's chin and takes the duck into his hand, eyes flicking over the toy again. In addition to the birthmark, the original design on the hat has been blacked out and replaced with a silver '118'. The duck's eyes have been painted blue and Tommy releases they match the blue he used to paint his own duck's outfit. When he tips it forward to look at the duck's back, 'Buckley' is written across the back in the same silver from the hat. Evan watches him during the whole inspection, eyes flitting across the other man's face like he's trying to read his boyfriend's mind. Tommy finally lets him in on how he feels when he leans forward, stealing a quick kiss.

"I love it."

"Oh, good. I'm glad." Tommy brushes his thumb across Evan's hip as he watches the other man relaxes, the uncertainty that had been there moments before over his little gift completely forgotten.

"And I see you found the remnants of my own project at some point which leads me to wonder when you even had time to do this." Evan chuckles at that.

"It might have been after you fell asleep last night. You were snoring so loud I managed to sneak out to my car, sneak back in, and complete this little surprise all without waking you up." And Tommy would be impressed about his boyfriend's dedication if not for the little comment about the snoring.

"I do not snore, Evan."

"You absolutely do snore, Thomas. And as your boyfriend, I find it very concerning that you can not hear if someone has entered your hom while you're asleep because of all the snoring! It's a real problem you know. Maybe we should look into getting it checked out. Or possibly installing an alarm system."

Tommy scoffs as he pinches at Evan's side again but the other man doesn't budge. Just tilts his face up with the bigest smirk on his face. Tommy would think it was cute if he wasn't currently under attack.

"You're a brat, you know that?" Evan's bats his eyelashes up at Tommy, smirk turning into something more innocent.

"Yeah, but lucky for you, I'm you're brat and you love me for it." And Tommy tries to scowl, he really does, but he always finds it so hard to stay mad at his boyfriend and those pretty blue eyes of his.

"Damn right I do." Tommy grins. "I guess you could say that I really ducking love you." Evan groans at the pun but his eyes are bright and full of laughter as he tips forward, slotting their mouths together. Tommy makes a pleased little humming sound as he slips his arm fully around Evan's waist, bringing them even closer, and Evan uses the opportunity to wrap his arms around Tommy's neck. He lets Evan kiss him breathless for who knows how long before he's pulling away, chest heaving as Evan chases after his lips. Tommy squeezes his hips, keeping him in place. Evan pouts about it and Tommy squeezes him again in a silent apology because as tempting as it is to keep kissing him, Tommy has something to say.

"I was just thinking that if you're so concerned with me sleeping through an intruder, what if you moved in? That way you wouldn't have to worry so much." Evan jerks back so suddenly that it unbalances them and Tommy staggers forward a few steps to press him back against the island. Evan's staring at him, eyes wide and mouth hanging open.

Tommy's not sure how long they stand there before Evan finally snaps his mouth shut, but he still doesn't say anything. Tommy's face starts to heat as he wonders if he just made the biggest mistake of his life

"I mean, you don't have to, obviously. Unless you want to. Or you don't. Or- god, I've made a mess of this, haven't I?" He clenches his fist, and it makes the little Buck Duck squeak unhappily. "Why don't you take today and think about it? We could talk about it more tomorrow if-" Tommy doesn't even get to finish his rambling because Evan is surging forward, crashing their lips together.

Tommy grunts as he gets an armful of Evan Buckley, his grip tightening and eyes falling closed as he tries to keep up with his boyfriend's very enthusiastic attempt at trying to devour him whole. Except Evan pulls away a few moments later, his lips are red and slick and it's Tommy's turn to chase after them. Evan laughs, bright and slightly hysterical sounding, as he sways out of reach.

"Wait, baby, wait, hold on. I have to say yes to moving in first." And that stops Tommy dead in his tracks.

"Yes to moving in?"

Evan nods, hands coming up to brush through the short hairs along Tommy's neck. "Of course I'll move in, Tom. I couldn't imagine saying no to getting to come home to you every day."

Now it's Tommy turn to laugh a little hysterically as he's tugged forward into Evan's space, getting a taste of the grin that's spread across Evan's lips as they settle against each other. And as Evan gets a hand in his hair and Tommy works his hands under Evan's shirt, Tommy accepts that he is definitely going to be late to work.

(Tommy, miraculously makes it to Harbor with two whole minutes to spare. He jogs into the locker room and manages to change, stash his stuff in his locker and slide into the open seat next to Lucy right before their captain gets into the morning briefing. Tommy sags into his chair, hand slipping into his pocket in search of the little duck he stowed away before he came out, hand closing around it. And he knows the duck was meant for his car but Tommy thinks the helicopter could use a little touch of Evan instead.)

[noroi1000]

Yo! Can u do Boyfriend Gojo × Y/N

Where they get bored n then y/n suggests to do a fun role-playing game for passing time where she acts like a waitress welcoming gojo in her restaurant(imaginary) n he sits on the couch imagining it as luxurious chair of the restaurant or smtg n when she asks him "what would u like to eat sir?" He says "I would love to eat You~" then y/n becomes shocked n goes like "Gojo ur literally a customer in a Restaurant so act like one!" N then he gives some cocky reply like "isn't the work of a waiter is to listen to the customer?" then he makes things heated n then... ;)

(No need to write same exact dialogs btw I just wrote them for a reference)

Make it NSFW obv hehe 🍡

Thx in Advance I will be waiting for the reply ;)

Homemade Maid Cafe

Paring: Gojo x reader

pictures not mine!

Warnings: smut (sex on table, maid outfit, role-playing)

"(y/n)-chan, (y/n)-chan! Let's play something!"

You looked at your boyfriend who was standing next to you. Preventing you from leaving the wall you were standing against.

"A maid cafe?" you asked.

"Yeah! You know... I'm bored." He laughed.

"I noticed, Satoru. Also, I've seen you looking at descriptions about coffee shops like this." You said, waiting for what he would say next.

"You know, I was thinking... And I feel like playing role-play..." He muttered with a smile.

"It'll be dinner soon. But I'll play with you." You said looking towards the kitchen. Hoping to escape before he catches you.

Such fun always ends with one...

Especially if you're going to play it with him...

He put his hand on the wall behind you.

"Honey, you just recently said you were bored. Me too. So we can play something. Now." He smiled. "Besides, it's good. We will eat dinner. How about you be my waitress?"

You looked at him blushing. Even if you proposed it to him.

You know what he means...

Whenever he's bored, his thoughts come out as something perverted. When he's not trying to convince you to have sex, he's saying something related to it. Or touches you.

And this is something like this.

Or maybe he just wants something like this?

You won't know until you see it.

"Fine... What should I do?" you asked, watching his smile grow bigger every second.

He left for a while and then came back, handing you a transparent package with a maid's outfit inside.

"You've prepared for this, haven't you?"

You picked up the outfit.

You don't know if he was tying the right size.

Besides, you know exactly that he knows your clothes sizes. So it's no wonder he brings you outfits that fit.

But it's a bit smaller.

And you know exactly why. This man loves to watch you put on his clothes. He feels so proud then. And you look nice wearing his shirt hanging off your body. Or that his shirt sticks to your breasts sometimes. Especially when you don't wear a bra and your nipples stick out.

Then shivers run down his spine and the heat only goes between his legs, pumping blood to the body part he's been using too much on you already.

And even more, he loves to see you in clothes that cling to your body. Showing him every roundness.

At least this outfit is not a variety for a small child. You'll fit in it easily.

You're only concerned about the length of the skirt.

He might as well have bought it at a sex shop. And in such a store there are no other outfits than those that are too short, revealing too much, or those that have holes in the material in places other than just for legs, arms and head.

"I've been wondering what you'd look like in this for a while."

You took your clothes to the bathroom and started changing.

When you left, you saw him sitting on the couch with his legs spread. And in front of him was the low table that had been in the living room for as long as you can remember.

"You look beautiful!" He said cheerfully.

"Sir, it's not nice to comment so loudly on the waitress' outfit." You said getting into the role.

If he laughs at it, you'll burn with shame.

Or you burn him.

You could have made up a funeral game or an accountant game. Nah... If you were playing funeral and the table or the bed was a fake coffin, he'd jump on you and start fucking you...

If you were playing accounting, he'd make you change into a skirt, shirt, and jacket, and he'd throw you on the desk and fuck you. So either way, it's going to end badly.

At least now while you're his "waitress", you can go up to him, ask him what he wants to eat, then you'll serve him his dinner, and that's it...

"You should sit at the kitchen table. It would look more like a restaurant." You said pointing to the chairs.

"Nope. I'm in a fancy restaurant where I'm sitting on the couch. And I'm served by the most beautiful waitress." He smiled wildly, looking at your body over his glasses.

"Fine." You reached into the apron you were wearing and pulled out the small notebook that came with it.

You walked over to him.

"What would you like to eat, sir?" You asked.

Maybe he'll like this game if you fit your role perfectly.

He was staring at the table with his fingers on his chin.

You thought he was thinking about what's for dinner tonight so he could say it.

He suddenly smiled and looked at you.

"Oh, I know. I'd like to order an orange juice." he said looking at you.

You wrote it down in a little notebook.

"What to eat?" You asked with a pen ready to write on a piece of paper.

"I'd like to eat you~."

You widened your eyes at his perverted comment.

You looked at him and, shocked, decided to step out of your role for a moment to tell him your opinion.

"Satoru, you are literally a restaurant customer. So act like a customer!" you said before clearing your throat. "So what would you like to eat?"

"I want to eat you, baby."

You thought you'd break a pink pen in your hand when you heard that.

"You should not -".

He interrupted you.

"Excuse me, but isn't a waiter's job to listen to the customer?" There was still a smile on his face.

You decided to stay calm and continue.

"Today I'm offering you baked chicken with vegetables." You said with a smile.

"No thanks. I feel like something different today."

"What is this?"

You wanted to come over and throw that pen at him if he said anything about eating you.

"Something sweet."

You nodded. It was normal.

"What exactly?" you asked.

"Uhm... your sweet pussy~."

You clenched your fists and wanted to punch him.

But how much he only mentioned about fucking you made you wet.

Why don't you play his game?

It can be interesting and enjoyable.

"What exactly do you want, sir?" You asked again.

"Your body now on this table. No panties, pussy towards me."

More moisture gathered between your legs.

"Perhaps you prefer chicken, though? I recommend it." You said with a smile.

Suddenly he got up.

"No. I want my order. That's what I said. Unless you want me to talk to your boss."

Oh yes, you want to play this game.

"boss? Why boss, sir? I don't want to lose my job. Chicken is our dish of the day..." you said softly. Getting into the role too much.

A dangerous customer in a restaurant? Oh yes.

"I want my order. I'll come for chicken another time. I know it's probably delicious." he replied.

"Please sir-."

"I'm going to the boss. Guide me. I'll turn to him and you will be punished."

"Oh no! Please! Don't tell the boss! I will be a good waitress. I don't want to lose this job. Please sir~."

Hearing your sounds made his cock harden in his pants.

"Will you be a good little waitress and fill my order? I'm really hungry. And really generous. I'll tip you for a job well done." He said as he sat back on the couch.

He spread his legs, showing how comfortable he felt.

This game was interesting...

You walked over to the empty table in front of him and slowly pulled your panties off.

You knelt in front of him, grabbing his sweatpants and pulling the material down.

Allowing the hard, standing cock to pop out.

"Here is your order. I hope you will enjoy the service and the meal."

Saying that, you opened your mouth, letting the mushroom pink tip into your mouth. Listening to his contented purr.

  As your pussy dripped from how aroused you were by sucking him, he pushed your face away.

He let you straighten up as you knelt in front of him.

"Is that what you ordered?" You asked innocently.

"Yeah. The appetizer was perfect. Please give me the main course." he said with a smile and gestured for you to turn around.

He pushed you gently onto the table until your breasts were pressed against the wood.

He pushed the couch with his foot so he could kneel behind you and have plenty of room.

He lifted your skirt and curved it, arranging the fabric so it wouldn't get in the way.

He put his knee between your calves, signaling you to spread your legs.

As you did, he also placed his other knee between your calves, widening your stance even a little more.

Grabbing his cock, he placed the tip against your shiny pussy, sliding down your hole and slapping against your clit.

"Mhm~ The main course looks delicious~." he murmured before inserting the tip into you

You purred as you lay on the table, feeling him slowly fill you up and then pull you out to hit you deep next time.

"A sweet waitress like you is perfect for customer service." He said placing his hands on your hips, lifting them slightly. He held to get the leverage so he could fuck you at a fast pace.

The moisture that gathered in your warm core allowed him to do so.

"This is a perfectly prepared meal. Nothing is dry. It's juicy and delicious. I want to eat a dish like this more often~" he moaned pulling your hips closer as he fucked you.

As you moaned, you searched for anything to put your hands there.

You found the corner of the table with one hand.

His hips hit yours at breakneck speed. Making your eyes roll to the back of your head.

The fact that your body was pressed against the table made the table scrape on the floor. And you, too, felt the strength and speed of his thrusts.

Your belly, or rather lower abdomen, was pressed against the wood. That's why you felt even more clearly how he pressed deep inside you, in a straight line. Reaching even deeper.

Even if your eyes were watery, behind your mouth drooling, you found your way to his body with your hand.

And you put your hand right over his cock.

The way you could feel the veins under his skin under your fingers. And the fine pubic hair he sometimes doesn't shave off. Not that it bothers you.

He slowly began to stretch out. He left only the tip inside, but as he moved, his cock snapped back, slamming the tip wet in your fluids into his stomach.

Thus touching your hand.

"You're a nice waitress. I'm a generous customer, and in return for such a delicious meal, I'll tip you."

He suddenly thrust into you again, moving inside you even faster. Making you scream and cry as you lay on the table. Your legs twitched as you tried to tighten them, but his knees prevented you from doing so.

You couldn't stop a client who was making your pussy spasm. That held you in place and prevented you from changing position.

His tip for you was too nice.

As he placed his thumb on your clit, you reached for his wrist to stop him.

But before you could push his fingers away, you came, spilling your juices all over him. Tightening it, alternately pushing out waves of your wetness that made it so slippery. However, he continued to move within you. But he slowed down to only slow thrusts so as not to leave you empty.

Then he pulled a length of it out of you with a loud, wet sound.

Your body was shaking and your face was red. When he touched the tip of your pussy, you let out a soft moan.

He covered wet length with his boxers, and lifted you off the floor.

Swinging you gently over his shoulder.

"I think I'd like some more dessert. I've got a craving for that pussy. It looks sweet and delicious~."

You can't... Especially with his mouth pressing into your pussy...

But well, your client is your master. You listen to what your boyfriend/customer says.

Humming, he went to your bedroom.

Oh... You forgot to bring him the orange juice he wanted...

[copperbadge]

[ID: Top image, a fabric banner printed with a dragon on it, sitting on a table; circled in the lower left corner of the banner are a pile of nails I pulled from various walls. Bottom image, a photograph of my kitchen stove, covered in containers holding a variety of herbs, spices, and oils.]

NaClYoHo's about to get very visually uninteresting from me for a while...

I'm out of town from Thursday through Sunday, which was an excellent opportunity to do the kind of work that requires a bit of wait time; this morning I went over every wall in the condo, sanding down and spackling over holes and similar small dings that are simply the result of living here for five years. (Six next January!) I'm letting the spackle dry while I'm traveling, before everything gets a second sanding and then some paint touch-ups. I also took down the dragon banner, which really deserves to be framed; I bought it at a "Tibetan Cultural Festival" in California in 1996, and it's hung on the door of every bedroom or apartment I've had since.

That was a bit of physical labor, but I felt okay after so I cleared out my spice shelf in order to measure it; normally the jars are just sitting on the shelf, but I'd like to get some kind of rack, or at least a well-fitted box that I can take down and paw through when I need to. Also made a note of what I was low on for a Penzey's spree later in the month. Predictably, I'm nearly out of dried onion mix, dried garlic, no-salt Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and steak seasoning. I think I'm going to have to do a winter project, after the month is over, of cooking foods to use up seasonings I haven't used very much. I sense tamales in my future.

Disposable nitrile gloves total used: 5.

Trips to the hardware store: Holding at 2, but Container Store is definitely in my future.

[pearl-kite]

Want to see some neat things about how irises grow?

Remember when I dug up and divided ALL of my irises at my parents' place a few years back? And how I ended up with 50 rhizomes, and I had bought 9 more just a bit before that?

Well, my mom wants to try to amend the soil because it's not great. Most of the irises have just been surviving, but not well enough to bloom, and everything else planted in the area struggles similarly. In order to amend the soil, though, I needed to dig them all up.

Again.

I dug up 44 rhizomes this time, which is honestly a bit better than I expected. I knew that not all of the ones I put in were going to survive, but I was still surprised by how many I just dug up today.

Anyway, the learning bit!

So irises aren't bulbs, they're rhizomes. Each year they put up leaves at one end, and over time they kind of end up migrating in that direction. If they do really well at gathering and storing energy, instead of just continuing forward, they'll fork, putting up leaves on two sides and a stalk with blooms in the center. The following year, the pattern continues, going forward from each side of that fork. If a rhizome does REALLY well, you'll end up with a bunch of forks spreading out.

The one on the left has survived, but not gone very far, and the white at the end shows that I accidentally broke some of the old rhizome off when I was digging it back up. It also happens to be a dwarf variety, so the rhizome is smaller to begin with; all my other photos are of intermediate and tall bearded irises with much larger rhizomes.

The one on the right has done well enough to grow forward for a few years, with the oldest of the rhizome at the bottom (still healthy and full of stored energy!) and the newest year's growth at the top. Looking at the rhizome itself, I'd guess that one is about 4 years (which makes sense, 'cause I think I did the splitting back in 2020).

The one on the left bloomed this year; you can see the flower stalk dried out in the center, and the new fork in the rhizome to the sides. Next year, they'll continue in those two directions, and it won't go forward from the stalk any longer.

The one on the right bloomed a few years back, and though it kept growing forward from there, it hasn't bloomed since. The other side of the fork also died off, and it's now only growing in one direction again.

Last but most certainly not least we have THIS beast. This one has bloomed the last two or three years in a row. I honestly can't tell if the guy at the bottom right is part of the same rhizome or another one I planted too close that got subsumed by this monster, because it took ten minutes to get most of the clay off and there was still more. I'll need to actually rinse it off with the hose to really see if it's all one plant or two.

But I'm 95% sure that this guy is going to bloom again next year because of those nubs down along the bottom. They were below the soil, and they're too thick to be new roots, so I'm guessing that's what future growth looks like. Honestly, this guy should probably be divided, but I also don't want to ruin the chance of it blooming next year, so I'm going to put him back in the dirt as is and maybe divide next year after blooming season.

Anyway, irises are my favorite, and I think it's intriguing how they work. I'm hoping that we can get the soil a bit more balanced and that they'll do better after replanting them, because even though I just dug up 44, we only had 4 or 5 bloom this year. They aren't thriving in the soil as-is, because for as long as they've been established we should have had more blooming than that. It was still the best year since dividing them, though.

I've brought a bunch of them over to my apartment and I'm going to try them out in containers, mostly the dwarf varieties I had. ONE of the dwarfs bloomed this year and it was gorgeous, but I'm hoping the rest will do better in new soil with some extra attention.

[putschki1969]

2024/02/10 Blog post by Wakana おしゃべりガーデン第6回目！〜みんなのバレンタインと美味しいチョコレート♡〜

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Talk Garden vol.6！〜Everyone's Valentine And Delicious Chocolate♡〜

Vol.6 of Wakana's Talk Garden has been uploaded! ＼＼\\��( 'ω' )و //／／ First of all, thank you so much for sending me so many Valentine's Day memories! ! 😂😂 I was wondering what would happen after I had made my blog post last time because it was so close to the deadline, surprisingly, it turned out to be the highest number of submissions ever! ! ! *laughs* There were so many people who sent a submission for the first time! ! 😭[I was one of them XD] I really felt everyone's love...😭✨It's almost as if I received Valentine's Day gifts a little early...😭💕I'm so grateful💕 As always, it was fun talking to you! ︎Sharing everyone's stories, tears, laughter, and warmth...♡ But!!When it comes to tragic stories, no one can beat me! ! 🤣 I don't think anyone reasonable would disagree with me on this, right? 😂😂 *laughs* (By the way, now that I think about it, it might have been 3rd grade instead of 1st grade *laughs*) Well, those are treasured memories...😌✨ [Note: She is talking about something "incredibly sad" that happened to her in elementary school. There was a boy she liked a lot so Wakana asked her mum to help her prepare some chocolate for him. After she gave him the chocolate he was quite apologetic and pretty much told her straight-up that he didn't like her. Needless to say, Wakana's little heart was broken into pieces.]

In the last blog post, I talked about a``mysterious chocolate that was so delicious but I couldn't remember its name,'' I did my best to search for it and... I actually discovered it! ! ･:*+.\(( °ω° ))/.:+ I managed to order it from an official website that said they would ship it right away! ! Ta da~♡

The mysterious delicious chocolate shop is actually a Belgian chocolate specialty store called “Rêve De Bijoux”! Apparently it's a select shop that sells a variety of Belgian chocolates that are carefully selected every year･:*+.\(( °ω° ))/.:+ It is not the same chocolate I used to eat, their selections seems to have evolved so the "chocolate of memories" no longer exists🤔I decided to choose a chocolate that had a similar shape to the one I had gotten in the past, I also chose a brand that I had purchased before😁

This is ZUUT's new product, "ZUUT Praline -2024 New Selection-"🍫 (I've bought some of their chocolate before) Way too beautiful...✨ It's almost a waste to eat them...✨(I will though)

And this is the chocolate of my memories, Rêve De Bijoux! ! (the box itself has not changed at all) The contents are all new though, I haven't had any of these before! This truffle seems to be very popular 😳💓 I am sharing my reaction on the podcast! ! So be sure to listen to it😆

And here is the decaffeinated coffee I drank with my chocolate ☕️ It's the instant coffee on the right. Although it is caffeine-free, it has a strong refined taste and is delicious 😳 (despite being instant) Personally, I like the fact that there is not a lot of acidity! What's even better is that it's organic and decaffeinated without the use of chemicals ♡

The drip coffee on the left is not decaffeinated but I really like it ☕️ It's called Cafe Verona from Starbucks. It has a very bitter taste that I occasionally crave😍

I had a lot of fun ordering chocolates and taking advantage the talk theme for the episode 😂 If you have any delicious sweets or foods you recommend, please let me know 😄 The next talk theme for March 10th will be “Graduation Memories”! ! Memories of your graduation ceremony from your school days, or when you graduated from ◯◯, etc, everything is welcome🤗 It shouldn't be that difficult! *laughs* I'm waiting for your submissions! ! !

Thank you to everyone who watched “Wakana 5th Anniversary “Prologue” ~Premium Online Live~” held on February 6th! ! ! 😭✨ You can still watch the archived video until the 13th (Tuesday), so I don't want to reveal too much! ! 😂 Let's just say, something quite shocking occured🤣 If you haven't seen it yet, please be sure to check it out! ! 😂😂

During this online event, I also announced my next live! ＼＼\\٩( 'ω' )و //／／ “Wakana 5th Anniversary Live” Date: May 12, 2024 Venue: I'M A SHOW Yurakucho Marion Appearing artists: Wakana, Satoshi Takebe, etc.

I wanted to start this year's 5th Anniversary celebrations with all of my fan club members. But I also want to use this year to share my music with many more people, that's why we have decided to hold a proper band live for the first time in a long time😄!! ️ Everyone, please come to "I'M A SHOW" in Yurakucho on May 12th! ! ＼(^o^)／

Lastly , here's a picture of myself and Sakurada-san who joined me on the piano on February 6th♪

Well, that's it for today. Until next time~☆( *'▽'*)/

＊＊＊Wakana＊＊＊

Wakana’s Talk Garden #6

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Episode #6 »»—— CLICK ME 🎁 CLICK ME ——««

Vol 6 Topic “Memories of Valentine's Day”

OMG, I can't believe she actually read my message😳 I always stress way too much over what to write and I am generally super self-conscious when it comes to my Japanese skills so I never really leave any comments, let alone long messages. But Wakana's blog post from last time made me feel so bad for her that I couldn't help but submit at least something. Apparently, lots of other people felt the same way XD That makes it all the more surprising my message ended up being chosen. I had no idea it would be so embarrassing to hear her read my message🙈 Especially now that it turns out my guess about the mysterious chocolate was completely off. I speculated that she might have talked about a popular Austrian sweet called "Mozartkugel" but turns out she was talking about a special chocolate from Belgium (see images above). Oh well, the message was a great transition to her introducing the chocolate and doing a little taste test. And I am happy that she at least remembers receiving my packages of "Mozartkugeln" during various lives. Also, this is the third time she has mentioned "Sachertorte" in relation to Vienna so I guess she must be pretty obsessed with it. I need to find a way to bring one as present for her.

For next month’s episode which is scheduled to air on March 10th, the topic is “Memories of Graduation” The submission deadline is 02/29.

[fishyishy]

A3! Event Translation: Pastry Chef's Specialty (1/11)

━━━━━━━━━

Tsumugi: I'm home.

Juza: I'm home.

Juza: I guess I'll go put my pudding in the fridge.

Tsumugi: I see. I'll be going back to my room then. Goodnight.

Juza: Kay.

------------------------

Juza: .......

Yuki: It's Juza. You must have been out somewhere.

Juza: I was at the convenience store.

Yuki: If I had known that, I would have made you buy me something.

Juza: Was there somethin' you wanted?

Yuki: I've been stuck in my room all day doing maintenance on the costumes, so now I feel like eating something sweet.

Juza: .......Is that's so. Then, take this.

Yuki: This pudding is the one you just bought right? You sure it's okay?

Juza: I got three rows, so giving one away isn't a problem. Thanks for your hard work maintaining the costumes.

Yuki: .....Well then, I won't hesitate. Thanks.

Juza: Mhm.

Muku: Ah, Juchan......! Thank goodness, I just heard from Tsumugi-san that in the hallway that Juchan would be here.....

Juza: What's wrong?

Muku: I'm sorry, Juchan. We had promised to go eat a parfait together during the evening but I......

Muku: I had something come up that I couldn't miss, and couldn't end up going.

Muku: I thought we could go another day, but I'm sure that the parfait Juchan wanted to eat was only available for a limited time.

Muku: I'm truly very sorry. You were looking forward to it too, Juchan......

Juza: No.....don't worry. If you already have something you gotta do, it can't be helped.

Muku: But......

Yuki: .......Well, I could go with you.

Juza: !

Muku: Eeeeh. Yuki-kun, are you okay with it?

Yuki: It figures it'd be difficult for Juza to go alone, which is why Muku wanted to go along with him.

Juza: .......

Yuki: An exact hit.

Yuki: Well, you did just give me some pudding. I'll go and show my thanks.

Muku: Thank you, Yuki-kun!

Juza: .....Sorry. Thanks.

---------------------------------------

Yuki: So this is the place you wanted to go to. I've been here before with the Currian.

Juza: 'S that so.

Juza: This store has a really wide variety of parfaits too, though.

Yuki: You're right. There might be more varieties than when I came last time.

Yuki: You're probably going to order that limited-edition parfait you've been wanting, right?

Juza: Yeah. How 'bout you.

Yuki: Well, each one of them look delicious but....yeah, this one is especially cute. I'll take this one.

Juza: It's very colorful.

Juza: ......Huh?

Yuki: What?

Juza: It's nothing, there was just a flyer tucked into the end of the menu......Sweets contest.......

Yuki: "Veludo Way Sweets Contest" huh. Heeeh, so they do things like this.

Yuki: Hey, now that I think about it, you're basically an expert at eating things, right?

Yuki: Since you love sweet things so much, have you ever thought of making them yourself?

Juza: Me?

Yuki: It's fine if you don't want to make them, it's not a bad thing. For me, I just like to make a lot of clothes because I love them.

Juza: Err, I don't think I'd be able to make them well.

Juza: .....But, maybe it would be good to know the hardships my mom and Omi-san always go through to make sweets........

Yuki: I didn't go that far.

Yuki: Besides, I think moms make them because they love doing it, just like me.

------------------------------------

I next

[writing-good-vibes]

in the back of his mom's mercury

after all this time, anna finally writes a corey x reader fic !! you know when you just get a single scenario stuck in your head. no plot, no nothing, just vibes? that's what this is. also this is somehow the second round of car sex i've written for corey, i guess he just lends himself to that sort of thing.

WARNING for smut (not particularly explicit), f!reader, car sex, inexperience but not first time, post-accident but pre-michael corey, smoking (corey, not reader) and very vague mentions of child abuse (joan cunningham hate club).

taglist: @slutforstabbings (if anyone else wants to be tagged in corey related things, just let me know !!)

"I dunno if we should be doing this," Corey whispers, hesitating at the curb.

"It's okay, she won't even notice," you promise, turning back from where you were already halfway around the hood of Corey's mom's car. Weaving your fingers together with his, you make him look at you. "You deserve to live a little, Core."

Corey does look at you, squeezing your hand. But with his free hand he worries the ridged edge of the car keys. Is he really going to do this? His momma would throw a fit if she found out what he was doing; is it really, really worth it?

You squeeze his hand back, you have that patient look on your face. You weren't going to make him do anything, you never did. Since the moment he met you on his first day at the call centre, you were the only one who'd been friendly with him straight away. People tended to give him a wide berth these days, which he preferred to the alternative of people saying the all nasty things they're thinking to his face. But not you. No, you'd talked to him between calls, gave him pointers about the software system when he was too nervous to go and ask his supervisor about it again. You showed him where you bought your coffee in the morning and you always hung out together on your lunch breaks. Even when he moved on to Prevo after begging Ronald to give him a job (he'd do all the grunt work, he promised, he just needed something manual to do instead of sat behind that desk all day), you'd kept in touch, saying he was more than just a work friend.

You're definitely worth it, he decides, unlocking his mom's Mercury and getting in the drivers seat.

Corey got his licence back in high school drivers ed, but his momma barely ever let him drive her car, so he'd not had a lot of practice since the day he passed his test. His momma was the worst backseat driver too -- "Corey, check your mirrors," "Watch that pothole," "Careful, Corey, that maniac's about to pull out in front of us". Even when she did let him behind the wheel, and he could count on both hands the times she'd let him drive them home from the grocery store, he ends up wishing she hadn't bothered.

The streets were almost empty as you drove through town. You watched Corey, watched as the street lights illuminated the look of concentration on his face before you passed into another pocket of darkness. There was something in the air that you couldn't quite put your finger on, beneath the almost solemn feeling of being the only two souls in town, there was a tangible sense of good old-fashioned mischief.

You'd brought some CDs along, almost every mix you'd ever burned, so you didn't have to put the radio on. Before meeting Corey, you didn't mind WURG, you kind of liked the variety of genres, and Willy was a character -- he made for good entertainment. After the accident though, Willy's conspiracies about it felt heartless. And once you met Corey in person, eyes fliting nervously around the office while DeVon showed him around on his first day, you knew you'd never listen to another word out of Willy's mouth. Flicking through your collection, you settle on one of your most recent playlists, and the car's built in CD player receives the disc shakily. You keep the volume low so it doesn't distract Corey's focus.

Lover's Lane was on the edge of town, past the rail road and down a gravel track. Without the headlights of the Mercury, you'd be swallowed into the pitch black night. Above the treeline, the radio tower blinks in the distance. There wasn't much of a view from here beyond the cracked dirt, even with headlights still on.

Corey puts the car into park and leans back in his seat. He keeps his hands on the wheel, unsure what he'd do with them if he let go.

Slowly, like you think you might startle Corey otherwise, you reach over and turn the volume up a few notches now, just to set the mood.

Corey's always hesitant to make the first move, no matter how clear you make it that you want him too. That's okay though, you'd seen first hand how difficult Corey found socialising. It was like he was always waiting for the punchline to a joke he didn't understand and didn't trust that the punchline wasn't, in fact, himself.

You place your hand over his on the wheel, wiggling your fingers until he lets you link yours between his. He loosens his grip, turning his palm over so you can hold his hand properly.

"Are you going to kiss me?" you ask, giving him the permission he needs.

He grins, small at first, then spreading wide to dimple his cheeks. He lets out a huffing little laugh, before his lips meet yours.

There's a giddiness to his kissing, the way his hands wander and he hums happily. You've noticed before that he gets like this, drawn out of his torturous echo chamber and caught up instead in the fun of fooling around. In the juvenile counting of bases and mumbled daydreams between stolen cigarette kisses.

"C'mon," you murmur against his lips before you manage to pull yourself away. You smile at him, climbing over the centre console and into the back seat.

Corey follows, his nervous energy having dissipated with his need to keep touching you, and have you keep touching him.

Safely in the backseat, Corey's hands gravitate to your waist, holding you there as your lips reconnect. Soft breaths warming the both of you between open mouthed kisses.

You fumble with Corey's jeans, in no rush to jump ahead as you finally pop the button and unzip his fly. His hips buck as your hand brushes over his briefs.

One of Corey's hands drifts beneath your shirt, tracing along your spine, feeling the blemishes of your back before his thick finger slide work their way beneath the band of your bra. He's hit or miss with how quickly he can unhook it, but he manages it this time. The fastening pings undone, letting the straps slip down your shoulders.

Pulling away feels like an impossible ask, so you stay as close as possible, sharing the same shaky breaths with Corey as you both scrabble to get out of your shirts.

When you're half bare, you latch back onto Corey; lips on lips, chest to chest. He whimpers into your mouth when you palm his bulge, hard and leaking, over his underwear.

All hope of going slow, of making this last, go out the window when you finally -- finally -- wrap your hand around him. All of a sudden it's nothing but heat and want and wetness. He yanks you into his lap, work-rough hands hot on your hips. Jeans come off, dropped into the footwell. His hand goes to your panties, drenching his fingers in slick as you rock against him, and it's not enough. It's not enough -- never enough -- because you can never get enough of Corey.

"Oh fuck," he groans, when he's finally inside you. His arms hug your waist, clinging hopelessly as he gets lost in you, lost in the paradise he can only find between your legs. Corey holds you like you're the last temptation, and he knows without a doubt that he'll never, ever be saved.

Corey leans against the trunk while he smokes (if he does it in the car, his momma is sure to know, he claims), his face rosy in the cherry red glow of his cigarette. His jeans, unbuttoned and a size too big for him anyway, hang low on his hips.

He smokes all the way down to the filter before flicking the butt away, the ember burning bright for just a second before it goes out against the dirt.

Later, when you drive home, you'll roll all the windows down.

[door]

1! 6! 11! 25! 26! 33! 41! 42! 48! 52! 54! 69! hoo boy that's a lot. also how's 30s

hi! oh wow that is a lot. enjoy??? (for the 30s ask meme)

gonna answer the last thing first because honestly i've loved my 30s, and since i'm going into my final year of them it seems apt to reflect. i figured out i was queer like a month before i turned 30, so my 30s have been about queerness and community, about taking risks on things that previously i thought i were too old for. i moved cities and careers, i got a masters degree, i found sooooo much friendship and interests and hobbies and got every single one of my tattoos. i am more myself now than i have ever been before. i used to joke that i had been waiting my whole life to turn 30, but i think that was true actually. getting older rules.

What was the first piece of furniture you bought?

off with a BANG. i think it was probably a knock-off saarinen tulip table i got from craigslist when i was in grad school the first time, long long ago. i think the guy had found the base (which may in fact be genuine) and he built a wooden top for it. it's lovely and i think i paid $100 for it. we don't have room for it in the current house (it's dining room sized, about 5 ft across), so it's hiding in my aunt's basement for now.

6. Most precious thing one of your pets has destroyed?

this wasn't actually one of mine, but my parents' dog punkin. the first and only thing i won at auction was a poster for the 1976 50th anniversary of the 1925 exposition des artes decoratifs (which cemented the art deco style and later contributed its name), and punkin ate it. i can still barely talk about it. looked like this:

11. What’s something you saved up for and then regretted buying?

weirdly the first thing i think of is an inflatable chair i got from kb toys in the mall when i was a kid. i thought that thing was going to change my life. it didn't. i cried. my mom helped me return it.

25. Favorite old person activity?

playing solitaire with real cards. when i was a kid, while the rest of us were rolling in the sand and getting our teeth knocked out by waves at the beach, my grandma would sit inside and play solitaire. one year i joined her. she taught me SO many varieties of solitaire and i remember em all.

26. Would you rather sit on the porch drinking sweet tea or sit by the lake drinking beers?

i don't drink alcohol so sweet tea gets my vote. lake vs porch really depends on the breeze situation, but most likely lake. i love a body of water.

33. What’s something you collect?

edward gorey books, including paperbacks he did covers for. also linda ronstadt records

41. What’s the oldest thing you own?

i don't know! i have a lot of old furniture i inherited or found in thrift stores so i really don't know how old any of that is. it might be a ring that belonged to my great-grandmother. it probably dates to the mid-19th century.

42. What’s an unjustifiably expensive appliance that you really want?

a roomba! which is unjustifiable in part because of the weirdness of our house. but how will we know until we try it!

also: this coffee grinder (unjustifiable because we have a perfectly good one already but this one is red) and this milk pan.

48. If you could build your home from scratch, what outrageous feature would you want to build into it?

A CONSERVATORY!!! i want a glasshouse i want to fill it with plants and enjoy the OUTSIDE while INSIDE. that's the dream.

but also like. so many secret passages.

52. Did your relationship with your parents get better when you stopped living with them?

i think it got worse, actually.

54. Do you decorate your house for holidays? Which ones?

i decorate the yard for halloween (full graveyard babey), but any spooky decorations that go up inside the house usually become permanent. we don't have room for anything more than stockings in the current house, but i put christmas lights up on the porch and around a doorway inside.

69. What are you looking forward to next week?

my paycheck lol

[yourfavouritebookseller]

27th of October - 2nd of November

Bookseller Log 3

This week compared to the last is super uneventful. With the amount of donations coming in, its far too much for our small team to manage so we had to stop donations. Although its just clothing donations causing the issue, no donations means we aren't accepting anything and that includes books.

I thought instead I'd talk about the things I don't want to sell and how being picky about the choices has made the store more money. For context before I started my work would barely make over £150 on books. I've now been there for three years and the most I've made in a week for books is £700. So yeah, I'm a pretty big deal when it comes it book selling...

Here are my nemeses: Danielle Steele, Dilly Court, Anna Jacobs, Catherine Cookson, Maeve Binchy, 50 Shades of Grey, Readers Digest, Jamie Oliver cook books, Robert Galbraith and Michael Palin.

Now I'm not saying that some of these authors write bad books - there are many different reasons as to why I wouldn't sell certain ones. Danielle Steele, Dilly Court, Anna Jacobs, Catherine Cookson and Maeve Binchy all have the same problem which is that I have too much of them in stock. They are some of the best sellers and are usually being bought by one particular kind of customer. I always want to try to have as much variety on the shelves as possible and it can be a bit deflating to see five rows of nothing but stuff that you'd only see your granny reading.

There needs to be something for everyone. Older woman buy these authors above, most of the men buy historic novels, army ones, books about boxing and trains. Adults and younger people look for modern romances, fantasy, thrillers and literature. Of course that's just me simplifying certain audiences. A young woman might be hella into trains, a man might want to read a trashy romance and an elderly woman might fancy picking up a 700 page fantasy with complicated world building.

But you learn what certain customers like and occasionally someone will surprise you.

50 Shades of Grey I feel is pretty obvious - it fucking sucks, it isn't popular anymore and we can all recommend better smutty books.

Reader's Digests may look cool and uniform but they aren't as collectable anymore, they take up a lot of space and it's something that our shop isn't supposed to sell.

Jamie Oliver cook books. Look, I just don't like the guy...but when I do put them out on the shelves they don't move for weeks so really, I'm putting them out of their misery into the World of Books boxes.

Robert Galbraith is another I feel is understandable. She is an awful woman and I refuse to sell anything under this name as the history behind the pseudonym is disgusting. But that's a topic to dive into another time.

And Michael Palin books. Nothing personal Mr Palin but no one seems to want to buy your books so they gotta go.

There's plenty more I wouldn't sell but it then mostly just comes down to how old they are and the condition. But I hope this was sort of insightful? Just a book lady spilling out her silly thoughts.

[artificial-condition]

Growing Garlic 101

It's summertime and that means it's about time to order garlic! Garlic is one of the easiest vegetables I have ever grown, although it takes a while from planting until harvest. Most of that time is hands off, so garlic is something I would recommend to grow if you're new to planting and want something easy (or just want lots of yummy garlic)

What to know before starting

Before getting further, I just want to say that I am in hardiness zone 6b (near zone 7) in the US, so that is my growing experience (what is a/my hardiness zone?). To my knowledge and research, garlic can be grown in a wide variety of climates, including very hot and very cold ones. This post is going to be oriented around US geography and terminology because that's what i know

The first thing to know about garlic is that it is typically planted in the fall, but not harvested until the following summer. Why is it planted so early? Garlic goes through a process called vernalization, which means that it needs a cold period before in order to grow to its fullest potential. In garlic, vernalization is what causes the bulb to split into cloves (rather than just having one big chunk of garlic). The first year I grew garlic, I didn't know that it had to be planted so early so I planted in January. It did pretty good and I was happy with it! Some heads didn't have cloves and some did, so even if you get to it late you'll likely still have something yummy to eat by the end of it!

The next year I grew garlic, I planted it out towards the end of October and I had an amazing harvest! The bulbs were bigger and all had divided into cloves. All this to say, you'll have better garlic if you plant in the fall but if you forget or don't know and get to it late it'll be okay!

Step 1: Picking your garlic varieties

This is such a fun step!!! You can find all sorts of different varieties of seed garlic online, with different colors, tastes, and growing habits. My first year I started with seed garlic I found at lowes; the type I found was your generic grocery bought garlic, which for the most part is a softneck variety called California Early (or California Late).

Softneck vs. Hardneck

You should pick softneck or hardneck depending on the climate you are growing in. Softneck varieties do better in warmer climates while hardnecks are more cold hardy. In my zone 6b, I can grow both hardneck and softneck varieties because I am in the middle of the temperature range for hardiness zones. If you are in zones 1-5, hardneck varieties are recommended for your area while zones 8-12 softnecks grow better. If you are in the middle zones 6-7, you should be able to choose either variety and end up okay :)

Hardneck features

Hardneck garlic differs from softneck most obviously in that it will form a hard flower stem, often called a scape:

These are delicious and should be harvested before the flower opens, when they start to curl. They can be chopped up and used like other vegetables (they're also great in pesto I've heard). I roughly chopped mine this year and put them in a bag in my freezer so I can take them out and add as needed. They have a mild garlic flavor, more herby than the bulbs, and can be used in greater quantity without an overpowering garlic taste

Other differences in hardneck varieties is that they have larger (but fewer) cloves and the cloves peel easier.

Softneck features

Softnecks don't have the hard stalks and also keep good for much longer than hardnecks, so their stems and leaves are better for forming garlic braids:

Because of their superior ability to store well, softneck varieties are the type of garlic most commonly sold in grocery stores. There are much fewer varieties of softneck garlic than hardneck (only a couple dozen vs hundreds of varieties of softneck). There are more cloves in softneck garlics but the cloves are smaller and harder to peel.

Where to order seed garlic

Here are some good places I've found to order seed garlic:

Hudson Valley Seed Company

Johnny's Seeds

Urban Farmer (my favorite, I ordered here last year)

You can also just buy garlic from local farmers/hardware stores! They'll likely have varieties well suited to grow in your area.

Step 2: Planting

After you receive your garlic, keep it whole in the bulbs until time to plant. The general rule is to plant 6-8 weeks before your typical first frost date (where is that for me?), but I found that its okay to do it later than that, especially since climate change is messing with the dates. For reference, my average last frost date is October 11th but I didn't plant last year until October 22. Typically they are planted around September-November, the warmer your climate the later you plant.

Before planting, I recommend adding an inch or two of compost to the top of the soil. This will give them nutrients for the year ahead :)

If you are planting late or have pretty mild winters, one trick is to keep the garlic heads in the fridge (not freezer) for a month or two before planting. This will simulate vernalization and will help them to form cloves and bigger heads!

It is good to plant in a fairly sunny area. Mine has partial shade but they do great there!

When you are ready to plant, separate the bulbs into cloves. Try to keep as much as the papery skin on your cloves as possible as it helps to protect them in the ground, but don't beat yourself up about it. I plant mine roughly four inches apart, shoving them about two inches down with them upright (the hairy root end is the bottom and they taper to a point at the top):

After they're all planted, water pretty deep and mulch about an inch or two deep. This will help protect them from hard freezes in the upcoming winter. You can use whatever you have access to, I recommend things that will decompose so they add nutrients to the soil. I raked up fallen leaves from my yard last year and used those

Step 3: Wait

Now relax! The garlic won't be ready for a long time, so just let it do its thing. I don't really ever water mine because I get pretty consistent rainfall, but you can water periodically if you are in a dry climate. It is good to water before particularly hard freezes, it helps the bulbs have what they need to survive.

You might see the greens popping up if you have warm sprees in the late fall/winter. It is fine to ignore these, they will likely die back when it gets cold again but they will still come right back in the spring. You'll want to remove any heavy mulch in the spring when they start growing (my leaves had mostly decomposed so I didn't need to do this)

Step 4: Harvest time

I water mine occasionally as they are growing in the spring or summer, but for the most part I don't bother. I have fairly regular rain and garlic seems very resilient to water differences.

Your garlic will be ready sometime in May-August, depending on what varieties, when you planted, and your climate.

When it is getting close to harvest, it is natural for the leaves to start dying back a bit, especially with softneck varieties. You'll see the garlic scapes form on hardneck varieties, and will need to cut these off once they begin curling, before they flower:

For softneck garlic, harvest when about half of the leaves have yellowed and died off, starting with the bottom leaves. The tops may start to flop over when ready.

For hardneck, the appearance of scapes means they'll be ready in about 4-8 weeks. The leaves will die off as well, but not near as much as softneck varieties in my experience.

Do not water for a week before harvesting. You want your garlic to dry out some before harvesting :D

Since my garlic is in a raised bed, I have fairly loose soil. Therefore, I can just pull the neck of the garlic right above the ground to harvest my garlic. If you have more compacted soil, it would be best to dig around the clove some before you harvest so that it comes out whole and unbroken.

Congrats!!! Your garlic is ready!!

Step 5: Eating and preserving

At this point, your garlic is all out of the ground and ready to be eaten. If you have more garlic than you can eat within the next couple months, you'll need to preserve it. There's a lot of ways to preserve it, but I'll go over a couple I have done.

Idea 1: cloves in a vinegar

This one is primarily how I preserved my garlic last year and I'll be doing it again this year. It is very simple: just peel your garlic, place in clean jars, pour over hot boiling vinegar, seal, let cool, and store in the fridge! Make sure the cloves of garlic are completely submerged in the vinegar or you risk foodborne illnesses. The garlic has enzymes that prevent the cloves from absorbing the vinegar, and the vinegar prevents any bacteria from growing and causing the garlic to spoil. The cloves don't taste like vinegar and can be chopped and added to dishes as needed!

Idea 2: cure whole heads

This is best done with softneck garlic as they store better for longer than hardneck.

This is essentially letting them dry so they keep longer. After harvesting, keep the heads as is with dirt and leaves still attached (brush off any big dirt clumps but don't scrub them clean). Place the heads somewhere flat, warm, well ventilated, and shaded from too much direct sunlight (can get some indirect sunlight). This can be in a garage, on palattes, hanging somewhere, in a shed, whatever you have that seems best. I did mine on my front porch just laying on the concrete.

Leave them alone to dry for at least two weeks, then store as desired! You can trim the leaves and roots off and clean with a brush if desired, or leave the leaves and dirt and roots and store. I trimmed the roots off, left the leaves, braided them together, and hung in my kitchen:

(here is a video about braiding garlic) (note: it can only be done with softnecks)

Idea 3: make garlic confit

This is such a yummy way to use up garlic. Peel your cloves, add to a saucepan, cover in desired liquid oil, and cook on low until the cloves are soft and smushable. Store in the fridge after letting cool and eat within a week :)

Idea 5: Roasted garlic

Here is a recipe

And that's about it! Enjoy your garlic :D

@yourfriendfrogs

[eldritchsurveys]

1253.

1) If you had to make a six hour cross-country journey, would you rather take the train, fly or drive? How come? >> I'd rather be on a train for six hours than in a car or on a plane. Cars are uncomfortable and highways are dull, and planes are even more uncomfortable because your mobility is severely limited (at least you can park a car and get out of it). I do enjoy plane travel but I think I would go batty if I had to be on one for six hours. But I took a train from NYC to NOLA once and it was a perfectly pleasant near-24-hour travel experience.

2) How long do your earphones tend to last before the connection goes and you have to replace them? >> I haven't had to replace my current headphones or earbuds yet, so I don't know. My expectation is a few years (my ideal is closer to ten years, but I know you can't expect that from modern electronics anymore).

3) If you could dye your hair any colour in the world, assuming it would look perfect with your colouring, what would you pick and why? >> The thing is, I can dye my hair any colour available, and it would look great on me. The reason why I don't is simply because I don't want to. <3

4) Are you a fan of musicals? If you are, what ones have you seen live and which ones would you like to see? >> I am. The only one I've seen live is The Phantom of the Opera. I think seeing The Lion King would be cool. Honestly, I'll see anything.

5) If money was no object, and you could go on a two-week vacation with one other person, who would you take, where would you go and what would you get upto? >> I guess Sparrow and I could do another two weeks in New Orleans.

6) Are you someone who needs to have time alone? >> Certainly. Unfortunately, I think I may be experiencing what we call "too much of a good thing". There's no balance.

7) What’s your opinion on couples who do literally everything together? Are you like that, or is that like one of your worst nightmares? >> I don't have an opinion on that because it simply isn't my business. If you genuinely enjoy doing everything together, great! Some people would immediately pathologise that, but that says more about them than you. I don't think that would suit me, but I also have never really known anyone that I wanted to spend all my time with, so the possibility always exists, I guess.

8) Have you ever had to give up something you were addicted to? Did you actually succeed? >> I have not had this experience. I have "vices" or whatever, sure, but either they remain useful so I keep doing them, or I lose interest because they stop being as fun. I don't think I'm exactly impervious to addiction but I am definitely not predisposed towards it.

9) Does your favourite food vary depending on your mood or on the time of year or anything? >> I do think so, yeah. I have a hard time determining what my "favourite food" is because I think I just love a wide variety of flavours and textures and combinations but I gravitate towards different ones at different times. Like, I love cherries, but what I love is my specific experience of them -- of getting a bunch from the farmer's market, then sitting in the backyard or on the stoop in the summer afternoon sun and eating them. Eating store-bought cherries in my room in like March or something is completely anathema to me, lol.

10) Do you know anyone whose views/opinions are the complete opposite of yours? Do you find it hard to get on with them as a result, or can you generally ignore it and find something else to talk about? >> I don't think I know anyone personally with diametrically opposed worldviews from mine. The closest is Sparrow's mother, I guess; we just come from markedly different backgrounds and she just cannot grasp certain things about life outside her bubble. That is definitely a part of why I don't care for her as an individual, but my disinterest in her doesn't necessarily translate to being unable to have a conversation with her. There's plenty of other shit to talk about.

11) Have you ever had to work (or study) with someone that you really didn’t get along with? How did you deal with it (ignoring them, being nice, etc.)? .

12) Have you ever had any problems with your wisdom teeth, or have they been taken out already? >> I did have problems with them and I did have them removed.

13) Which one of your senses would you miss the most if you lost it? >> I have always had keen senses and I genuinely cannot imagine life without any of them. It stresses me out sometimes because I know very well how easily one can lose a sense, and I fear I wouldn't be able to adapt (although that probably isn't true, considering people adapt to that all the time).

14) Do you ever listen to CDs anymore? >> I do not. I haven't since I got my first iPod in 2008 or so.

15) What’s your favourite type of fast food? Is it something you eat a lot or do you try and limit it? >> I like Popeye's chicken. I don't eat it a lot because eating out is expensive -- even for fast food, these days.

16) Do you find your mood changes when you’re hungry or tired? Does eating or sleeping automatically cure your of a bad mood? >> Absolutely. I can't imagine not being emotionally affected by unmet bodily needs, that's just how things work, to me.

17) When you see cute animals, do you just wanna pick them up and cuddle them or fuss them? >> I mean, I do understand the impulse, but I also see animals as individuals with boundaries and stuff, so it's hard for me to want to just treat them like plushies, lol.

18) What’s the stupidest fight you’ve ever gotten into? Did you make up with that person or did you end up losing them over it? >> Like 95% of the fights I've been in have been absolutely asinine. The ones I lost people over were usually a bit less asinine.

19) Do you find yourself using people as footrests and pillows if you’re sat next to them? >> I do not. I actually dream of being that comfortable with other people. 20) Have you ever gotten really bad travel sickness? Has this put you off travelling or going by certain modes of transport in case it happens again? >> I have not.

21) What’s your opinion on prostitution? Should it be legal and regulated, or is it something that needs to be gotten rid of completely? >> I stand firmly on the side of legality and regulation. I think sex workers deserve full worker rights. I also think that addressing the social ills that lead to people being coerced into sex work (poverty, namely) would be prudent. Sex work should be an option just like any other, but not the way it is now.

22) If it was a case of prostitution or being evicted from your home, which option would you pick (assuming you’d tried everything else to make money first)? >> I was homeless and destitute for years but prostitution wasn't an option for me because I am remarkably unsuited for it. 23) What would go into your ideal sandwich? Do you eat that often or is a treat for you? >> I have a lot of ideal sandwiches. Like I talked about in the favourite-food question, it's just a matter of what I'm in the mood for at the time.

24) In general do you prefer modern art or more traditional art? Or do you really not care? >> My tastes aren't divided that way.

25) If you want (or don’t want) kids, is this something you’ve always known or have you changed your mind as you’ve grown up? >> It's something I've always known on some level.

26) Do you believe “once a criminal, always a criminal” or do you think that people can really change and become better? >> I don't believe anyone is always anything. That seems a really reductive and uncharitable way of looking at people. 27) Have you ever read a quote or a poem and really connected with it? >> Well, yes.

28) What’s something that really puts you off a person (bad hygiene, whatever)? Are you willing to look past that in order to get to know them properly? >> Mostly just being really mean and petty and misanthropic. I won't hate you for it because on some level I get it but I'd prefer not to spend much time with you if that's something you're really into.

29) Are you into piercings and tattoos? If not, do you judge people who are, and vice versa? >> I love piercings and tattoos. I don't snap-judge people who aren't, especially if it seems to be a benign difference in tastes, BUT the reasons some people have for not liking body modifications are opposed to my personal values.

30) What’s your opinion on places like Seaworld? Do you think keeping whales and dolphins in such small enclosures is cruel or a necessary evil? >> I don't know enough about how SeaWorld operates, why SeaWorld operates, or the needs of whales and dolphins to have an opinion.

[ika-himee]

Artist Loft vs Himi Jelly Gouache

Out of curiosity, I decided to try the Artist Loft jelly gouache set. (My boyfriend took me to michaels to buy some art supplies to entertain myself during game night because i had a slightly stressful day and didn't feel like playing games lmao, so i just kind of stumbled across it and said, wth why not XD)

Here are my opinions on the set. I purchased the 24 set that comes with the brushes. It retails for about $24-$25. I had a couple coupons ($5 off $15+ and a 20% off) I purchased other things, but had I only purchased that, the set would have cost somewhere around $18 after tax i believe.

On amazon, the Himi gouache 24 set costs about $25-$26 and I think it also comes with brushes. So the sets are pretty comparable.

I have the 18 set of Himi gouache, that does not include brushes (tbh I cannot remember what I paid for it I bought it a couple years ago).

Having used both, I would say that the paints perform similarly and act as gouache should. (I could not find any information on the artist loft set about archival quality, but I scan most of my finished pieces, so it isn't a huge concern for me tbh.

The packaging is identical, the only real difference I noticed packaging wise is that the foil sealing the cups was incredibly difficult to remove from the artist loft set. I literally spent a collective 6 hours over 3 days peeling the foils off because they were stuck (and it would have taken longer had my dad not offered to help).

Content wise, the biggest issue with the set compared to himi was the quantity. Himi gouache cups contain 30ml of paint and the artist loft cups only contain 27ml i believe it is (which is not disclosed on the external packaging like it is with himi). They also seem to stain a bit more than the himi gouache, but probably not much more really. The artist loft set is also a bit more temperamental when it comes to adding water. Just a touch too much water, and the paint became extremely thin and streaky. I mostly got by with just the water left on my brush from rinsing and used that the thin the paint enough to use properly. The himi gouache was a bit more forgiving with the water, though it also gets streaky if you add too much.

Pigmentation was fine and each color acted as I expected it to. I did notice that the gouache skinned over rather quickly (within about an hour of use, the top layer already skinned, which the himi gouache did not skin so quickly when I first got it.) Overall, I think for a house brand, it did quite well and the price was well enough in line with the competitors to make it a solid choice if that is what is available to you (especially if you have coupons and vouchers).

HOWEVER, the fact that I had to spend hours (my fingers are still a little sore btw lol) peeling foils off of the cups before I could even dive into the paints was enough to make me low-key regret buying it. Now that its open and I've used it, I very much enjoy the set, and having 24 colors is great for people that want some variety and dont want to mix their colors. (I default to color mixing all the time though, so I could literally get by with the main 4 paints if i needed to haha, I just like options).

Do I recommend Artist Loft Jelly gouache?

Yes I do. However, I only recommend it if you can get a discount on it. Otherwise, I think you would do just as well getting the himi gouache unless you don't want to wait for it to ship and Artist Loft is in stock at the store. (remember, opening the artist loft cups is a literal nightmare and himi peeled off much easier).

[bunnywan]

just got off to a vid entitled "amateur tiny ginger caught humping pillow" and all i could think of was "obiwan baby is that you??" and anakin walking in on him and that scissoring fic you wrote. but actually that's not why i'm here, i wanna ask why you like ur lelo egg. i love love LOVE my lelo vibe, i've had it forever and wanna get another, but i'm reading about it and i'm like, gurl what? workout routines? longer, stronger orgasms? u said it changed ur life, does this work? tell me more.

(totally not gonna look up that video later no way haha literally there is noooo chance)

anywayyy i probably should’ve written a little more about the lelo smart bead cus it is a Complex Product. so here we go:

for every good review i’ve read of this product, i’ve also seen a bad one. so ik it’s very polarizing. i probably wouldn’t have even bought it if i had read the reviews before, but i’m true madisoj fashion i just liked the description and impulse bought it. thankfully, it works for me and i loooove it.

i like it bc: i did necessarily buy it to strengthen my pelvic floor. i bought it cus i liked the idea of a “smart” toy, like i wouldn’t be in control of it. also, it’s more of a self-foreplay tool for me ig, most of the times i’ll use it when i want to simmer in horniness but not go all out yet.

the way it works is that there’s 5 different routines of different strengths. you put it in, and when it vibrates, you squeeze. the bead adjusts based on your kegel strength and from there it’ll work you up over time to stronger and stronger “exercises”. it takes like … 5 minutes? there’s a button that you can press after the routine is done that turns on a constant vibration, and that can be reaaallllyyyy nice to have on while you play w your clit, and orgasm that way.

i think it works for me specifically more than others bc whatever way my vagina is shaped is very receptive to it lol, like it brushes my g spot very nicely. i just think it’s a fun toy, not necessarily a powerhouse orgasm bringer, but it’s different ! i have a lot of vibrators, it’s nice to have some variety. and it’s so quiet you can wear it anywhere lol like i have gone to the store with this thing in.

AND i do think it makes my orgasms stronger. especially when there’s something inside me.

so if you’re just looking for another vibrator, i wouldn’t go this route. but, if you’re interested in something a little different/experimental/responsive, i would recommend it <3

[littlecarnet]

Birthday gift art haul!!

Well it's not officially my birthday yet...that's tomorrow, but my shipment arrived early and I got to see all the goods I ordered...

Some of these I've been eyeing for awhile in various stores, but since shipping was free, I thought why not order everything from one spot? Starting from the top left: Faber Castell petite soft pastels, Conté a Paris pastel pencils, Faber Castell Landscape selection soft pastels, Rembrandt Primary Collection, Rembrandt Earth Collection, Rembrandt Sea Collection, Winsor and Newton Gouache, Art Creation Square Sketch Book, faux leather journal with cream colored 100% cotton paper, and Winsor and Newton Designer Gouache.

Rembrandt pastels are my favorite. I have a well loved 48 color set already, but I decided get some more colors that I go through quickly. I've never used Conté a Paris before, so I hope they have good pigments, because I love that they're pencils! They'll be great for details! And I love Winsor and Newton, especially their watercolors, and their gouache is very pigment rich. I had a small set before, so these will round that off quite nicely.

Next are the Copics. I originally was going to buy the beginner illustration set, but I read some reviews about how it's not very good for beginners, aside from the book, so I went ahead and got a variety of sets to cover most of my needs. I've never worked with Copics before, so I'm a bit excited to try these out.

Okay, these have been lingering on my wishlist for awhile, so I thought...aw just get em! I absolutely love Kiki's Delivery Service, so I got the Art Book, a Jiji plush, a Jiij pin, and a collectable figure. I haven't opened it yet, but I like all the possible choices so I'll be happy with anything I get.

These came from a site called Ichigo, I've always loved Cardcaptors, so when I saw the hardback Vol 1 cover, I had to it. It's such a beautiful book, the back of it has the card design. Then I went ahead and bought some blind boxes and bags that were on sale. $3 each! I haven't opened any of them yet, but I'm really hopeful I'll get a bunny baby from the Calico Critters bag, and a jellyfish keychain from the Jinbei-san box. And I love Kirby, so it's doesn't even matter what I get.

This wasn't in the main shipment but purchased from the Five Below site. Look at how cute this all is! I didn't know they had Sanrio stuff! Or Pusheen! So I went a bit crazy and bought a bunch of things from their back to school section. I'm not in school anymore, but these would make my studies fun.

Annnnnd that's it! I'm very happy with my gifts, really excited to try a new medium, and I can't wait to swatch and play around with my new pastels and gouache. I believe I'll be taking those with me on vacation to do some art on location.

My mom and I are currently in town, she wants to get me a gift or two for tomorrow, so I'll maybe do a haul on that too. Likely it'll be clothing, perfume, or jewelry.

[journalsouppe]

Materials I use for Journaling

(And whether or not I recommend them)

As a note I have also linked where you can find all the items (some might be unavailable btw)

Journals

Zelda Hyrule Map Journal - Do not recommend. I spent a whole week trying to find the perfect Zelda themed journal and this one really fell flat. The pages are super thin so even my EnerGel Pens bleed through. The binding of the pages is also super weak and I've had to glue pages together and I am in constant fear of this journal completely falling apart T_T

Vivid Scribbles Journal - Recommend! Although the outside fabric cover isn't my favorite, it is a very strong journal. I purposefully spent time looking for a journal with thick/non-bleed pages, strong binding, and more than 100 pages. As a bonus it also comes with dotted pages to help organize the pages better and stickers (although they aren't the best). A good starter journal you don't have to worry about.

If you live in the EU, a preorder Nintendo Shop bonus for TOTK is a Zelda journal. I won't be able to own this and therefore can't rate it but if you really want a Zelda themed journal, there's an option!

Stickers

Legend of Zelda Sticker Book - Highly recommend! Has stickers for all of the 3D Zelda games and is perfect for journaling. The stickers don't have the best adhesive quality but they do stick well to journal paper.

Daiso Stickers - Highly Recommend! Daiso is a Japanese general store that can only be found in certain cities but if you have one near you I absolutely recommend visiting. They have most of my favorite journaling supplies and the largest selection of them too. Here are the ones that I use that are available online: Food and Rewards

Artist Stickers - Highly Recommend! Some of my absolute favorite stickers come from my favorite artists both from their online shops and from zines. Check out Etsy, Redbubble, or the artist's social media to find stickers that you like (and also support your faves)!

List of artist stores I have bought stickers from (that are not from zines): KellCar, Blibloop, GoodLuckGojira, Freaquinn, TossedLeaf, MaridoodlesShop, TheLittleBirdeeCo, NoodlesAndTeaShop, CalithArt, QuoteUnquoteCo, CRFArtStore, ComstockCafe, Mojgonv , ArcaneGoldArt, Ozlisky, Kelia, halmistax, astarsor

Sticky Notes/Background Paper

Daiso Sticky Notes - LOVE these. The colors are a lot more muted but nice. The paper itself is also very smooth so many adhesives do stick to it. I highly recommend if you live near a Daiso, if not here are the ones I use but online: Blue, Pink, and Yellow

Post It Notes (Marrakesh Collection) - I really like the bold color of these specific Post-It notes but I do have an issue with the paper quality. The paper is on the topside rough and only very strong adhesives adhere to it, sometimes the tape runners won't even adhere. The Zekda stickerbook Stickers won't even stick, they just fall off. So I love the colors but the quality of the paper itself is pretty frustrating, so just be cautious if you buy Post-It notes.

Color Palette Sticky - These are mini sticky notes in a specific color palette! This listing has multiple palettes as well, I personally just bought the palette linked. The paper is smooth so stickers and tape adhere well to it! They're a good purchase if you want more color diversity (or you need a good Zelda color palette lol).

Daiso Paper Sheets - A good color variety with medium sized sheets! I really like these. The colors are more pastel and come in the rainbow. The paper quality is similar to construction paper but smaller and thinner, so they are designed more for journals. Adhesives also stick well and they aren't as rough as Post-It Notes. I enjoy these!

I also have Mushroom Sticky Tabs from Daiso that aren't online (I also got them about a year ago so they might not be in stock). Here's a similar product from amazon. I haven't used them before so I cannot give my opinion on them but I wanted to give y'all an alternate if you like it!

Washi Tape

Daiso Washi Tape - Daiso has my all time favorite washi tape. The tape is very strong and has strong adhesive. They also have a really large selection of tape in store, however the online selection is very lacking. I highly recommend going to Daiso if you have one near you as they have my favorite stationary stock. Here's a few of the washi tape I have that I could find online (the rest isn't online): Rainbow Thin, White Lace, Wind Series, and Red

Michaels- The quality of the tape is not as good as Daiso (the tape is strong but the adhesive is weak) but they do have fun designs. The selection in stores is not great but they have a very large online selection. The specific blue and gold lantern recollections tape I use isn't online (I found it in store).

Gold Foil Cool Tones Washi Tape - Really nice!! The designs are absolutely gorgeous.; The adhesive could be stronger but it's not as much as a problem unless you're using it on top of the post-it (brand) sticky notes. I got these specifically for my Zelda journal and they fit the games super well!

Minimalist/Knit Washi Tape - I don't really like these. They're very transparent (which wasn't advertised) and I just don't like a lot of the designs. They have good tape and adhesive quality if you like the designs but they just aren't for me.

Washi Tape Dispenser Cutter - I'm a fan of these! There's many different types of tape dispensers so I recommend choosing the one that you like, these are the ones I liked after some searching. They cut your tape and all the dispensers stack on each other. They also hold between 5-14 tape rolls depending on size. If you plan on getting a collection of washi tape, dispensers or at least a container is a pretty good investment.

Journaling/Sticker Tweezers

Sizzix - Honestly any brand will do fine so long as you are looking for specific journal tweezers and not hygiene tweezers. I highly recommend getting them if you want to get into journaling or scrapbooking or even just have a sticker collection. They prevent you from damaging your stationary especially if they are hard to peel and you have more control of where you want to place things than with your fingers. They're also relatively cheap and they're very durable, the Sizzix brand works great!

Pens/Markers

EnerGel - I LOVE EnerGel. I have tested so many different pens in college and it wasn't until I graduated that I found the perfect pens LMAO. They write very smooth, they come in a really nice variety of colors, and they last a long time. They also don't bleed and very rarely skip, so the ink quality is really nice. I highly recommend them!

Tombow (Muted Palette)- I absolutely love these. They're water based markers and they do layer over themselves but the quality is really nice. I am also just a fan of the Tombow brand. I mostly have these for my sketchbooks rather than journaling but they are nice to use for my spreads. If you want to use markers similar to these but cheaper you can just use some reliable crayola markers!

Sharpie Metallic - I am a fan of these but you do have to take precaution with these. First they will bleed through most paper, only heavy weight paper (160gsm or more) will withstand it (although there is a shadow of bleed). Second, they MUST be stored upside down. If right-side up, the ink will flow to the bottom and your sharpie will appear dry when it still has full ink. They last a long time if taken care of properly so I do recommend!

Highlighters (Sharpie) - Good! They are just standard highlighters and any brand will probably work just as well as sharpie. If you have any from school I recommend just using those.

Adhesive Tape Runners

Tombow Adhesive Runner - Highly recommend! They are a bit pricey but they are very good quality. I rarely, if ever, have jamming issues and the tape works super well. If you're willing to splurge, I suggest them over Adtech. Here's the link to refills.

AdTech Adhesive Runner - Recommend. Cheaper than Tombow and they work but they definitely have more quality issues. The tape itself can jam frequently which was frustrating and the tape is more acidic so I could see the tape leave dark marks on my thinner journal paper. I only switched to Tombow because my local store ran out of Adtech so I got Tombow and just didn't look back but they are completely usable and fine. (I also haven't been able to find refills on amazon which is what also made me switch to Tombow)

Also as a note!! When ordering adhesive runners, make sure it says permanent as there are different types of runners (glue dots, temporary, permanent, archival, etc)

I will also edit this post if I get more materials.

Feel free to ask any questions! And remember you don't need all of these supplies to journal. You just need some paper and a pen!