#Red Almond Blossoms

[hourly-cookie-run]

CRK CN SERVER APRIL FOOL'S SPRITES

[rosejigglypuff76]

Cookie Run Kingdom - Special Episode Ideas

Lately I've been thinking of the possibility for potential storylines for Cookie Run Kingdom! More specifically when it comes to the Special Episodes that the game has to offer.

This there's only been five of these Special Episodes, I feel like I can brainstorm a couple of new ideas if more were to be added in future updates.

Here are a couple of rules that I decided to make for myself while listing out possible/potential Special Episode Stories & Plotlines: 1) It needs to focus on either a returning character or a brand new character planned out for the given update. 2) A Special Episode needs to be either Flashback Episode such as "A Mermaid's Tale", a Side-Story Chapter similar to "Legend of the Red Dragon", or something that has both just like "Icicle Yeti's Winter Song" 3) Story needs to make sense within a Cookie Run Kingdom setting. So character development for most of the cookies involved. 4) Have at least 2 New Playable Cookies and Magic Candy for Returning Cookies.

Alongside a few extra things that I decided to add, but it doesn't need to apply to every idea: 1) The Special Episode can be some sort of sequel to a previous update, which includes the original chapter's storyline as a bonus for players. An example could be "Icicle Yeti's Winter Song", which includes the plotline of "Lantern in the Snow Story" as a bonus. 2) A cookie who was an NPC prior will eventually become a playable character, releasing alongside their Special Episode. An example comes with Pitaya Dragon Cookie when they released with the "Legend of the Red Dragon" storyline, and was an NPC prior to that. 3) References & Inspiration of various other pieces of media is allowed, just as long as it makes sense with the planned-out storyline.

Without further ado, here's all the storylines for potential Special Episodes in Cookie Run Kingdom!

~~~

Special Episode Idea #1 - Bittersweet Flower Within Ones Headspace Story Type - Side-Story

Synopsis For years Dark Choco Cookie wasn't sure if he could ever escape the control that Strawberry Jam Sword has over him. But Day 1 of having it causes a flicker of light that gave the Exiled Prince the hope he needed to break through the curse. A cookie that he sees in dreams, the only cookie that was able to nullify the Strawberry Jam Sword's control. Months after leaving the Cookies of Darkness and thus the control of the Strawberry Jam Sword, Dark Choco Cookie now wanders Earthbread's various forests. Recollecting what he once lost from himself. Even meeting the cookie who he thought only exists in his dreams to help him out during the toughest times.

First-Half of the Story A couple of flashbacks from Crispia Episode 13 & 14 are showcased, all of which lead up towards the point where Dark Choco Cookie left the Strawberry Jam Sword and the Cookies of Darkness behind. Numerous times he recounts the cookie that he often sees in his dreams. Seen as a silhouette during flashbacks, the now Redeemed Prince believing he was someone that he came up with in order to nullify the Strawberry Jam Sword's pain and given eventual hope to break free. He ends up bumping into Peach Cookie, who happily brings him with her. This is where Plum Cookie also makes an appearance, but the meeting was abrupted by an unsuspecting Leek Cookie. Dark Choco helps out Peach and Plum deal with Leek, but unknowingly comes to the aid of a cookie who he thought only existed in his dreams. That cookie is soon revealed to be Herb Cookie.

Second-Half of the Story A few or so months had past, and Dark Choco Cookie is shown to be taken in by Plum Cookie and Peach Cookie's Master called General Jujube Cookie. The Redeemed Prince also got to know Herb Cookie beyond his dreams, and has a stronger bond with him. This eventually leads up to the events of Beast-Yeast Episode 3 & 4. But unlike his father, Dark Choco is the only Cacaoian that's immune to the Pale Ailment. In fact his bond with Plum, Peach, and especially Herb gave him the feeling of true resolution. It also turns out that General Jujube Cookie's Dojo (or something like that) is located in Mystic Flour Cookie's area in Beast-Yeast. But Dark Choco's hope and resolution caused him to finally find himself once again. More character development for Dark Choco Cookie is there, which is also accompanied by character development for Herb Cookie and Peach Cookie as well. This also includes more screentime for Peach Blossom Cookie, who can be classified as the older brother of Peach Cookie.

Story Inspiration Omori (Game)

Main Character Cookies *Dark Choco Cookie *Herb Cookie *Peach Blossom Cookie *Peach Cookie *Plum Cookie

New Cookies *Leek Cookie (Epic Rarity, Ambush Type) *Plum Cookie (Epic Rarity, Defense Type) *Peach Cookie (Super Epic Rarity, Charge Type)

Magic Candies *Herb Cookie -> (Gains the Water Type) Gives the three enemies with the Highest ATK a Shackle Debuff, a shackled enemy's HP is given to heal Herb Cookie and the rest of his party.

Main Reason for the Special Episode Dark Choco Cookie didn't show up that much in the official chapter for Beast-Yeast Episode 3 & 4, and was instead only shown in flashbacks or simply mentioned. This idea of a new Special Episode involving Dark Choco was created to give him the character development that we didn't get to see. Even showing a couple of ways to how he successfully reach said development.

~~~

Special Episode Idea #2 - A Desire for The Order Story Type - Sequel Story

Synopsis Sometime after the events of the "Tragedy of the Tower" story, Pastry Cookie continues to follow Reverend Mother's desires to follow the wishes of The Witches. The St Pastry Order is revealed to be located somewhere in Parfaedia City, with numerous believers growing by the minute. But every single believer didn't know the real truth, one that Pastry herself knows far too well. Knowing what she's seen when she ventured to the Tower of Sweet Chaos prior to now, feeling bad for Red Velvet Cookie and the various Cakes who were treated as "monsters" by many. A story about rebellion and independence starts, as Pastry Cookie meets up with an unexpected group of cookies.

First-Half of the Story One faithful night Pastry Cookie ends up finding Red Velvet Cookie lurking around in the shadows of Parfaedia, looking around as if he was trying to hide and run from someone. She secretly follows him, towards one brightly lit up place. Curiousity got the better of her, as she too went inside. Pastry found Red Velvet in what appears to be some type of bar or pub, the latter immediately confronts her but was quickly calmed down. It wasn't just Pastry nor Red Velvet in the scene, but the likes of Sparkling and Cream Puff were also there. Even Red Velvet's cake hound, Chiffon, was also in the building too. Another cookie also heads inside the building, revealed to be Sparkling's Juice Bar. This cookie is what many cookies refer to as the "Detective Princess", due to her royally intelligent and logical crime solving skills despite her young age. It was Walnut Cookie, who's known Sparkling, Cream Puff, and even Red Velvet for quite sometime. The first-half of this Special Episode involves Pastry Cookie and Red Velvet Cookie getting to know each other more outside of their respective alignment. Includes the former of the two slowly drifting away from the St Pastry Order's beliefs, and the latter feeling that he feels more like himself when he's not with the Cookies of Darkness.

Second-Half of the Story The story continues in somewhat of a good light, with Pastry Cookie secretly telling the truth she's seen in the Tower of Sweet Chaos to numerous cookies in Parfaedia. Learning even more about The Witches, knowing that there's more Good Witches compared to the Wicked Witches the St Pastry Order followed. Following the Witch of Order to be precise. Unbeknowst to her, Pastry Cookie didn't expect to get Red Velvet Cookie arrested by Almond Cookie. For once Red Velvet Cookie felt helpless, even worse compared to the prey that he doesn't want to be seen as anymore. Reverend Mother was a few steps ahead of Pastry Cookie, and ended up hypnotizing many cookies of Parfaedia with her magic. Now being nothing more than mindless puppets for The Order. Sparkling, Cream Puff, and Walnut are the only other cookies within Parfaedia that weren't affected by the hypnosis. And the three of them, including dearest Chiffon, decide to help Pastry Cookie finally face against Reverend Mother head-on and rescue Red Velvet Cookie in the process.

Story Inspiration Persona 4 Golden, Persona 5 Royal

Main Character Cookies *Pastry Cookie *Red Velvet Cookie *Chiffon *Cream Puff Cookie *Sparkling Cookie *Almond Cookie *Walnut Cookie

New Cookies *Chiffon (Epic Rarity, Ambush Type) *Reverend Mother Cookie (Epic Rarity, Magic Type) *Walnut Cookie (Super Epic Rarity, Ranged Type)

Magic Candies *Pastry Cookie -> (Given the Light Type) Has Two Cookies with the highest SPD (includes herself) to increase by +35.5% as the battle continues *Red Velvet Cookie -> Power now hits all enemies on the field, but does the most damage to two rear-most enemies. Brings the two rear-most enemies towards the front, inflicting Injury Debuff and decrease in DEF. *Sparkling Cookie -> (Given the Light Type) Heals all Party Members, but gives extra progressive healing to the Two Cookies with the highest ATK with the power being similar to the Blind Healer's Staff Treasure *Almond Cookie -> Magic Candy Power includes Shackle Debuff & Injury Debuff, all enemies will have their SPD and ATK decreased

Main Reason for the Special Episode Since Pastry Cookie and Red Velvet Cookie's story is seen with so much potential, this idea for a Special Episode involving them was created. Tackling the serious themes of religious cults (St Pastry Order) and gaining your own sense of individuality. Having themes similar to that of Persona 4 Golden & Persona 5 Royal. Plus the story taking place in Parfaedia can given the potential of more character development for Almond Cookie and Cream Puff Cookie. Sparkling Cookie also makes sense to be in Parfaedia with his overall concept, and a couple of other stories he appeared have the possibility to be mentioned in dialogue (mainly Holiday Express Story, but also Tropical Soda Islands Story).

- - - - - - - - - -

Cookie Run Kingdom - Special Episode Idea Template

Special Episode Idea #0 - TBA Story Type - TBA

Synopsis TBA

First-Half of the Story TBA

Second-Half of the Story TBA

Story Inspiration TBA

Main Character Cookies *TBA

New Cookies *TBA

Magic Candies *TBA

Main Reason for the Special Episode TBA

[thelinnmiser]

So I Have An Anime Idea About Monsters, Here's The Idea:

Want Me To Show What I Got For Designs?

[stardust-swan]

Secrets to the Arabian Princess Scent 💐🧴🪷

So with Arab perfumes becoming popular in the West due to their strong projection and beautiful smell, and the Arab world becoming known for our knowledge on how to smell good af, I (a half Moroccan) am going to reveal some other ways we ensure we smell amazing to the girlies on Tumblr who are interested in Arab perfumes or just in generally smelling amazing 😍 Most tips are Moroccan but many apply to the Arab world in general (under the cut because this turned into a long post) ✨💞💐

1) Good Eating Habits: When my mother moved here to Europe, she was immediately struck by how the people seemed to smell like "pig." And that's no coincidence. You are what you eat, so coming from a country where nobody eats pig to one where everyone eats it, of course you're going to be struck by people smelling like it from the inside out. Not just that, but in the Arab world, it's also way less common for people to eat takeout and drink alcohol, whereas in many parts of the West, these things are a normal part of many people's diets and affects their natural scent. A lot of Arabs have also talked about how Westerners smell like "milk," and this is because Westerners tend to consume more dairy products than people in the East do. It's also common for Arabs to eat fruit as dessert instead of having cakes or cookies all the time (although speaking of cookies and cakes, the scents of rosewater, orange blossom water, almonds, honey, vanilla, oranges and lemons commonly used in Arab baking fill up the house with a wonderful smell while they're baking). Teas made from various herbal infusions are popular throughout the Arab world. Spearmint, peppermint, sage, cardamom, cinnamon, hibiscus, chamomile, anise, and thyme are commonly used to flavor tea in MENA. Dried lime tea is drunk in the Arabian Peninsula. Coffee flavoured with cardamom is also common. I especially like Turkish coffee. Spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves are commonly used in cooking, and the scent of them can cling to your clothes and hair. Herbs like mint and parsley, which have natural deodorising properties, are often used in meals.

I'm not saying that you need to cut any foods out in order to smell good, but you should consider reducing the amounts of unhealthy foods and red meats you eat, and make sure to drink plenty of water and eat veggies and fruit daily.

2) Keeping a Clean House: Here in Ireland, a lot of people don't clean their houses every day. I know multiple people that only clean their floor once a week, and have a couple of neighbours who don't do much cleaning themselves and just have a housekeeper visit to clean once a week. But in Morocco, people clean daily. The home is also deep cleaned once a week, we even wash the walls. We don't wear shoes inside, and not just that, but we also have different slippers specifically for wearing inside the bathroom. Living in a clean space is important for smelling good, because no matter what you do, you'll always end up smelling like wherever you live due to spending so much time there. The scent will cling to your clothes and hair. Which means if your house smells dirty, you will also smell dirty.

As well as making sure the house is clean, Arabs also make it smell pretty with extras. For example, in Morocco it's common to burn incense or bakhour (perfumed wood chips), and the scent permeates your clothes. People also keep pieces of musk in their wardrobes (wrapped in a handkerchief). It come in scents like orange blossom, jasmine, amber, sandalwood, chamomile and lavender. An unused bar of soap or a sachet of potpourri in your wardrobe will do the same job though if you can't or don't want to buy musk. The musk can also be used as a scented wax melt, a home scent (you just leave it in a bowl), a body perfume (rub it on your skin), a hair perfume (rub on your palms and run through the hair), or to scent bathwater. Solid perfume made from natural ingredients has the same effect. I like Lush Rose Jam solid perfume, as it smells like sweet roses and Turkish delight, and a little goes a long way.

Specific to Marrakech, you can buy jasmine balls which you just leave around the house (if you're not in Marrakech, you can just leave potpourri or dried flowers and herbs in sachets on your desk, bedside table, etc). The Marrakech herbal shops also sell sandalwood bark which you burn. Oud and amber are also burned. Herbs like lavender are sprinkled under carpets and rugs so the scent rises as they're stepped on. Room sprays from brands like Nabeel are used, which come in a range of lovely scents (like the warm vanilla and oud Kanz or the rich floral Raunaq).

3) Personal Hygiene: In the Arab world, people shower daily. In Morocco, we also go to the hammam (public bath) once a week, and we sit in the sauna room, and then rub our bodies with sabon beldi (black soap), a natural soap made from olive oil and black olives, leaving it on for a few minutes before rinsing it off. Then we scrub our skin with a kessa glove after it's marinated. Exfoliating dead skin regularly makes perfume cling to you better (if you order Korean bath towels from Amazon, they're very similar to Moroccan kessa gloves and you use them in a similar way). Then after washing our hair, we use a ghassoul clay mask (some people also rub henna into their skin). After washing the clay off, many people rub rosewater or argan oil into their skin before heading to the relaxation area to enjoy refreshments. As well as helping us smell good, it also makes our skin incomparably soft. When my parents were newlyweds, my father remarked on how he'd never felt a woman with such soft skin in his life before. My mother attributes it to regularly using the hammams before moving here.

Obviously not everyone has access to a hammam, but you can create a similar experience at home. Just sit in a steamy hot shower for 10-15 minutes, wash your skin with a natural soap and leave it on for a few minutes before rinsing off and exfoliating with a glove. Then tone with rosewater and apply oil to your body.

Dukhan treatments (smoke baths) are practiced in Sudan. Married women and brides anoint themselves with oil, before sitting over a chair with a hole in the centre. Under the seat, there is a pit, in which acacia wood, frankincense, or other aromatic woods and resins are burned in a clay vessel.

As well as showering daily (and using the hammam regularly if you're Maghrebi), many people in the Arab world also perform wudu (ritual cleansing) five times a day before praying.

Women commonly apply Musk Al Tahara (white musk), an attar that smells like vanilla, flowers and soft musk on the external parts of their vulva after periods.

Alum was commonly used as a natural deodorant in the Arab world in the past, and some still use it today.

Bidets are also common in the Arab world. In the Anglosphere they're uncommon, but it's easy to get a portable bidet (a small squeezable bottle with a nozzle) online.

We also wash our hands before meals, with a pitcher of water which is passed around the room. In Turkey, they use kolonya, made from fig blossoms, jasmine, rose, or citrus to disinfect their hands. In Morocco, it's common for women to scent their hands with rosewater or orange blossom water after meals.

4) Fragrances, Lotions and Potions: In the Arab world, perfumes are incredible. They're oil-based, so they have excellent projection and longevity. The olfactory notes commonly used in them are beautiful too: delicate rosewater and orange blossom water, exotic oud, sweet amber, vibrant roses and jasmine. In Morocco, gardenia scents are popular, even among men.

Emirati perfumes are the most well known in the West and are super good. Some personal favourites of mine include Oud Mood by Lattafa (Caramel, rose, saffron, and oud), Fatima Pink by Zimaya (Sweet rose that smells like a bit like Turkish delight. it's a dupe of the French Parfums De Marly Delina, however, the actual Delina smells very similar to generic rose oil perfumes you can get in the Arab world to begin with so Zimaya was basically able to dupe it to a T. Their version lasts really long too), Ameerat Al Arab by Lattafa (jasmine, a hint of oud, slightly citrusy. Also the name means "Arabian Princess" in English), Fakhar Rose by Lattafa (sweet, fruity, and very floral) and Yara by Lattafa (floral, amber, vanilla and strawberry). I buy my perfumes from Dubai Perfume Shop in Dublin, but they can be easily found online. Some well-known Arab perfume houses include Lattafa, Al Rehab, Zimaya, Al Qurashi, Amouage, Afnan, Ajmal, Asdaaf, Al Haramain, Armaf, Kayali, Maison Alhambra, and Swiss Arabian, but there are hundreds more.

As well as sprayable perfume, perfume oil is also used. It usually comes in rollerballs or small containers, is inexpensive, and lasts for ages. Like spray perfume, it comes in a huge variety of scents. You can also put it in diffusers or add some to cotton balls and leave in your wardrobe to scent clothes and linens.

Arabs know when to wear perfumes. For example, a rich, sweet, strong oud and vanilla scent will be beautiful in colder weather. But in warm weather, it will become cloying and sickly. Musk, amber and saffron are popular in winter, while rose, orange blossom and jasmine are popular in summer.

In the Arab world, many stalls in the Medina sell gorgeous oils, fragrances and soaps that are inexpensive. For example, the musk I mentioned above. As well as making your home smell incredible, you can also rub it on your body and you'll smell good for days.

Rosewater is commonly used as a toner and to remove makeup. In the town of Skoura, where my great grandparents were from, men even use it to shave with! Orange blossom water is also used in Arab beauty routines in a similar way to rosewater. You can apply either to a bath for extra luxury.

Argan oil is commonly used in Morocco on both skin and hair, as well as the less well-known but just as good prickly pear oil (which is very high in vitamin E). Pure argan oil actually smells mild and not fragrant (similar to olive oil), but for beauty, things like rose oil and menthol are commonly added, so it smells pretty good. Throughout the Middle East and North Africa, jasmine hair oil, castor oil and sweet almond oil (I like putting it in my baths and on my body) are easy to find. Usually Middle Eastern and South Asian shops in the West sell them too.

Honey and almond masks have been used since ancient times, and to this day are still popular. You can buy them basically anywhere. Homemade face masks made from honey and yoghurt or crushed figs and yoghurt are also used.

Aloe Vera is used to treat dry skin, acne, and sunburns. It has a cool and refreshing scent, perfect for the hot climate in many parts of the Arabian world. I like applying it after shaving as it's soothing, natural, and absorbs easily.

Frankincense, a resin used in the Middle East and North Africa for thousands of years, was traditionally used as a natural perfume. It's commonly used in incense. Frankincense oil is also good for the skin.

There are many beautiful scented soaps available in the Arab world. If you go to Turkish or Arab supermarkets, a lot of them will have a section where they sell hygiene products, including soaps with ingredients like argan, rose and oud, and olive oil. I've even found Syrian Aleppo soap before. You can just buy soaps from regular stores in scents like rose, jasmine, honey and almond, orange blossom and sandalwood for achieving that exotic scent though.

As well as using various oils, perfumes, and fragrant beauty treatments, Arab women also know how to layer these different scents to add dimension to them and avoid clashing. For example, a rose perfume over a vanilla lotion will always smell good. Other combinations that are good include almond and vanilla, rose and oud, rose and jasmine, lavender and lemon, rose and orange blossom, and orange blossom and vanilla. But there are many different combinations you can use to achieve a delicious scent that's unique to you.

I hope this was helpful, stay pretty ✨

[idanceuntilidie]

What about yandere prince over his favorite knight? Male reader ofc :)

I am done I deserve mac n cheese and almonds

Hope this was okay.

Yandere Prince x male reader

tw: yandere themes and being held against will

You were assigned to prince Charlie since you were little, so naturally you were very protective of him.

You two shared a very special bond of course, two best friends since childhood.

But for prince Charlie, it was oh, so much more. At first he didn’t understand it, you were there more often than not.

He remembers how often you clinged to him when you two were younger. You were supposed to be the one protecting him, he didn’t mind that.

As you two grew older, you got braver and stronger. You even spend less time with him. He noticed something was wrong with him.

An unknown feeling blossomed in his chest.

And you made it so much stronger.

It’s not really like you did anything special, you just,

existed.

He started to appreciate your existence more. How when you smiled your cheeks were dusted by pinkish colour and your eyes twinkled with such a happy flame.

How you wielded your sword and how brave you were.

He watched you, heart longing for you. For your little touches, your laughs.

Oh how he wishes you two were kids again, he would protect you from danger and you would cling to him and never let go.

You were so far away but at the same time so close. After a while, just watching wasn’t enough, he needed you back and he would do everything to make it happen.

You noticed a slight change in your environment.

It started small, maids, servants and other knights started to ignore you. They shook when they saw you and ran away.

You weren’t a violent person, so you didn’t understand what was wrong.

It hurt slightly, but you can’t just go around crying. You were a royal knight after all.

Then Prince Charlie requested you must be near him at all times, you expected that since you were his personal knight,

no more strolls through the castle and gardens. No more training. You can’t leave him, not even to eat or sleep.

You feared the last one. You feared you might grow weak, but you can’t let your prince that so you stayed silent.

You didn’t dare to eat, drink or sleep in his presence, much to his dismay. You thought it was disrespectful to even do these things in his presence, EVEN if you two knew each other all your lives.

After some time your body could in fact, not take it anymore so you fainted.

You woke up not long after, laying on the comfiest bed you had ever felt. Stripped from your armour and chained to the bed. Your first thought was that someone broke in and hurt your prince, naturally, you began to struggle. Your body was weak due to the lack of food or sleep.

You didn’t notice your Prince walking cheerfully through the door.

“Oh you are up, how wonderful”

He chirped happily. Your tired eyes followed his figure.

“Your.. highness? What is the meaning of this?”

You asked, voice raspy. Swallowing hurt so much.

“Oh you had fainted my dear knight”

he hummed as he placed something on the table. You tried to move your arms, you felt weak. Chains only rattled quietly because of your movement, it caught Charlies attention.

“Don’t you dare to move y/n”

“Just, just take me to the doctor I will be fine in few days and-“

His pale face turned cherry red in anger.

“No! You are only allowed to see me, only me! I AM taking care of you now!”

His voice boomed loudly in your ears. You winced.

He turned away from you, trying to calm down, then took something from the table, a plate. Charlie walked to the bed, and placed the plate on a nightstand, so he could uncuff your hands.

Your body felt weak, you let him sit you up.

“Now, let me feed you yeah? You must be oh so hungry, and then we can spend some time together.”

he smiled, you were too weak to argue so he took your silence as an agreement. You prayed silently that this was just a dream.

[wanderinggoddess]

more silly crossdressing merlin, inspired by misrule and red velvet & almond blossom

[partyfavorr]

on irreversable love

Song Credits: Die Alone, FINNEAS // Graceland Too, Phoebe Bridgers // ur so pretty, wasia project // Kaleidescope, Chappell Roan // My Love Mine All Mine, Mitski // Sofia, Clairo // j's lullaby (darlin' i'd wait for you), Delaney Bailey // Pancakes for Dinner, Lizzy Mcalpine // Everyone Adores You, Matt Maltese // Birds of a Feather, Billie Eilish // So American, Olivia Rodrigo // Glue Song, Beabadoobee feat. Clairo // Halley's Comet, Billie Eilish

Painting Credits: unknown // unknown // Red Almond Blossom by Vincent Van Gogh // unknown // Crested Butte Sunflowers by Laura Reilly // unknown // Rural Landscape by William Kay Blacklock // unknown // The Seine at Argenteuil by Claude Monet // Thrift, Priest's Cove, Cornwall by Mark Preston // unknown // unknown // unknown, John Singer Sargent

if you have any of the names of the paintings, please dm me or send me an ask!!

[souldagger]

a couple phenomenal Palestinian poetry collections i've read recently and wanna recommend:

almond blossoms and beyond by mahmoud darwish

dear god. dear bones. dear yellow. by noor hindi

red suitcase by naomi shihab nye

water & salt by lena khalaf tuffaha

[brittle-doughie]

I saw your sage of ivies story, perhaps doing a Red Equinox story?

Flower from the Other Shore (Cherry Blossom Cookie)

What’s with certain cookies going mad for you after getting a particular costume?

“Follow me. I will give you a delicious cup of tea!”

You had decided to come up to a shrine where you invited to a tea party/picnic by a certain cookie, who was all the more happy to see you come. She was already attentive to your needs!

“Do you like tea? Maybe green tea? I’ll just give you both, hehe!”

Cherry Blossom Cookie poured you two cups of differing tea, she puts the teapot aside and sits down. You go to drink from one cup, but paused when you see Cherry Blossom watching you intensely. It made you awkward enough to stop your attempt.

“Darling, is everything okay? I didn’t pour too much, did I? I-I can pour some back if you like!”

No no, she poured enough. You take a sip and sighed after drinking it down, which pleases Cherry Blossom.

“I’m happy you like it! Would you like some sandwiches, darling? I made plenty for us!”

She packed…quite a lot of sandwiches, way more than two cookies could handle in a day as you chuckled. There was..quite a lot of flowers falling from the trees all around, spotting the ground all around you.

“There are more flowers deeper into the mountains! Would you like to follow me to a better spot?”

Even deeper in the mountains? There were spots like these in there too?

“Yes! Picnic spots are planted even deep within the mountains for two cookies to bask in the scenery!”

You stand up, but it was to head back down. You thank Cherry Blossom for the wonderful picnic, but you had to go.

“Leave? You’re leaving?”

The flowers around start to fall more heavily, they littered the air around you, as if caught in a gentle whirlwind around you and Cherry Blossom.

“Where are you going? You can't leave. Ever.”

The flowers around you whirlwind faster, as Cherry Blossom goes to caress your cheek, you were confused on what she was doing…and feared on her intentions.

You asked again..if you could please go home…

“The wind will carry us to a magical place!”

“Let's have some tea together. Forever.”

“I love you, darling!”

You swore you could feel your own pupils shrink in fear as the flowers swirling around you two enveloped you both completely…

…

…

…

A solemn Almond Cookie had to file two missing cookie reports the next morning, their whereabouts unknown…

[soracities]

hii words cannot describe how much i adore your blog!! i was wondering if you had any favorite arab poets whose works deeply moved you/whom you’d like to suggest? i would love the recommendations as an arab girl who’s trying to expose herself more to arab lit :) thank you!!

i do!!!! ngl i think i am always just reccing the same poets in different variations but i loved all of these, and hope you find some joy in them also (not all of them are works of poetry but all the authors themselves are poets) 🤍

Women of the Fertile Crescent: An Anthology of Modern Poetry by Arab Women

Paris, When It's Naked / Shifting the Silence / The Cost for Love We Are Not Willing to Pay (Etel Adnan)

Without an Alphabet, Without a Face (Saadi Yousef)

Pages of Day and Night (Adonis)

The War Works Hard / The Iraqi Nights (Dunya Mikhail)

A Red Cherry on a White-Tiled Floor / Barefoot Souls (Maram al-Masri)

The Neverfield (Nathalie Handal)

Miracle Maker: Selected Poems (Fadhil Al Azzawi)

Revolt Against the Sun (Nazik al-Malaika)

Flawed Landscape (Sharif S. Elmusa)

I'Jaam: An Iraqi Rhapsody (Sinan Antoon)

Memory for Forgetfulness / Almond Blossoms and Beyond (Mahmoud Darwish--or anything by him, really)

additionally @barcarole has a lovely list of arabic poems here which i also hope you enjoy. also honourable mention to Badr Shakir al-Sayyab because by god what i wouldn't GIVE to finally have an English translation but for now am consoling myself with "Rain Song" and these two

[selfaware-bungou-stray-dogs]

I have a question

What does BEAST!BSD cast call GL? If you don't have an idea set for that yet, feel free to ignore.

- 🃏 anon

BEAST! Cast's nicknames (and comparison with OG! BSD nicknames)

Universal - Light of hope/Guiding Light (Guiding Light)

Reason: Self-awareness and Reader helped BEAST! Dazai (because now he was sure, that Oda won't die). So, he demanded for Port Mafia calling Reader that. Others equally use Light of hope and Guiding Light.

For OG! BSD Cast Guiding Light were explained here (in point 2).

And to characters nicknames.

____________

Armed Detective Agency

BEAST! Akutagawa - Sunshine (Sparkle)

Reason: Both Akutagawas will deny it, but they adored Little Light, so they choose light related nicknames.

BEAST! Oda - Muse (Novel Luck)

Reason: Writer-themed nicknames.

BEAST! Kunikida - Perfection (Ideal)

Reason: Reader became a Perfection/Reachable Ideal for both Kunikidas, while they tried to deal with the fact, that they were fictional.

BEAST! Yosano - Suama (Dango)

Reason: Both Suama and Dango are Japanese desserts/sweets. And both Yosanos think that Reader are sweet and nice.

BEAST! Tanizaki - Mystic (Rice Cracker)

Reason: For BEAST! - from Tanizaki's Illusion. For OG- from Tanizaki's love of Chinese food. With a bit of "me" lore, ever since I was little I loved Chinese rice crackers. I still love them.

BEAST! Ranpo - Trusted Assistant (Best Assistant)

Reason: Both Ranpos see Reader as their future assistant.

BEAST! Fukuzawa - Purrfect (Kitten)

Reason: Cat lovers

Port Mafia

BEAST! Dazai - Eranthis Flower (Iris Flower)

Reason: here and here

BEAST! Chuuya - Melody (Symphony)

Reason: From Chuuyas' love of music.

BEAST! Atsushi - Chamy (Beacon)

Reason: For BEAST! - From Atsushi's love of chameleons.

For OG! - The first week of self-awareness, that OG! Atsushi has to live alone in a fictional world, surrounded by empty husks of his friends were a pure torture for Atsushi. But, when he learned, that Reader were here, despite him not feeling their gaze, Reader immediately became a "beacon" for him. Because, he wasn't really alone.

BEAST! Gin - Cloud (Tea Leave)

Reason: Came from the fact, that Reader's presence is calming for Ryunosuke. While BEAST! Gin simply use something soft, OG! Gin use her and her brother's favorite drink.

BEAST! Higuchi - Pumpkin (Honey)

Reason: Higuchis are more "traditionally romantic" and picked up traditional nicknames.

BEAST! Tachihara - Pencil Prodigy (Hyacinth)

Reason: From Tachihara's likes (pencils and hyacinths).

Government

BEAST! Ango - Butterfly (Almond blossom)

Reason: Both Butterfly and Almond blossoms are symbols of hope.

Angos were in hacker teams, reason for BSD Cast having an access to Reader's phone. For BEAST! Ango Reader became a symbol of hope for a new world. For OG! Ango Reader became a hope for a new life and repairing of old friendship.

Others

BEAST! Fyodor - Myshka (Myshonok)

Reason: BEAST! also called Reader Myshonok, but, after a long talk/near fight with OG, he agreed to call Reader Myshka instead. The difference:

Myshonok is baby mouse in Russian.

Myshka is an "affectionate" form of the word "mouse".

BEAST! Shibusawa - Green peridot (dragon's jewel)

Reason: Green Peridot stone is a symbol of strength, creativity, vibrance, energy, and a naturally curious nature. BEAST! Shibusawa, who didn't become a singularity, saw Reader as someone interesting.

OG! Shibusawa view Reader not only as interesting, but the most valuable jewel in his "collection" [of people he knew].

BEAST! Mori - Helping Heart (Sweet Bean)

Reason: For BEAST! - medical themed

For OG! - from him liking sweet red bean chazuke

[thatpikmin]

There are so many amazing artist, so let’s spread love with some flower love language

These flower meanings are based on the book “flowers and their meanings” by Karen azouley. So the meaning will be different!!!

Bathbomb

—————————— Flowers ———————————

Blue violet - faithfulness

sycamore - curiosity

Purple pansy - you occupy my thoughts

Carnation - strong and pure love

ranunculus - I am dazzled by your charms

Sweet William - gallantry

——————————————————————————————

Cherrybomb

—————————— Flowers ———————————

Cranberry blossom - cure for heartache

Ivy - marriage

Olive branch - peace

Milkvetch - your presence softens my pain

locust flower - affection beyond the grave

Red and white roses (together) - unity

——————————————————————————————

Reversal

—————————— Flowers ———————————

Pink - boldness

Four leaf clover - be mine

Greater celandine - first sigh of love

White fraxinella - passion

Mugwort - happiness

lilac primrose - confidence

——————————————————————————————

Fishsticks

—————————— Flowers ———————————

Wisteria - welcome, Fair stranger

Lilac - First emotion of love

Morning glory - affection

Stephanotis - will you accompany me to the east?

Iris - message

White camillia - perfect loveliness

——————————————————————————————

Godmode

—————————— Flowers ———————————

Yellow tulip - hopeless love

Buttercup - childishness

Hembane - imperfection

Jonquil daffodil - I desire a return of affection

Lesser celandine - joys to come

Shooting star - you are my divinity

Honeysuckle - bonds of love

(Why is there so many yellow flowers)

——————————————————————————————

Campfire

—————————— Flowers ———————————

Chervil - sincerity

Kennedia - mental beauty

Alyssum - tranquility

Clematis - Mental Beauty

Bridal rose - happy love

Flax - I feel your kindness

White bellflower - gratitude

——————————————————————————————

Pufferfish

—————————— Flowers ———————————

Knotgrass - restoration

Chestnut trees - do me justice

Crepis - protection

Almond blossom - hope

A bunch of dahlia - my graditude exceeds your care

Sedum - tranquility

——————————————————————————————

Nightlight

—————————— Flowers ———————————

Plum blossoms - keep your promises

Pear blossom - comfort

Daisy - innocence

Lily of the valley - return of happiness

Sweet alyssum - worth beyond beauty

Corepsis - Always cheerful

Strawberry blossom - perfect goodness

(All white)

——————————————————————————————

I want to say that this was ment to represent the ships as a whole (since the creators of the slugcat designs are known as the CEO of said ship, with the exception of FishSticks, I don’t know who the CEO of FishSticks is and if it is pansear I wanted to use different designs to make them all unique) and not the aus the creators made, if any other these ships are inaccurate, I’m sorry.

If the creator does not wish to have their designs displayed or shown off, their designs will be removed and replaced with someone elses

Credits to the character designs

@pansear-doodles

@draagu

@pookapufferfish

@beansmakinbooks

@sugarr-moon

@twocakesinacup

@scrufflesksunnide

Yall are amazing artists, keep on inspiring others ❤️

This was supposed to come out on on Valentine’s Day

[najia-cooks]

[ID: Two triangles of baklava garnished with ground pistachio and whole cloves, with a silver Moroccan tea set in the background. End ID]

μπακλαβάς / Baklava

Baklava is a layered pastry consisting of a filling of chopped nuts piled between thin sheets of dough and sweetened with syrup. It is of contested and potentially ancient origin, with similar pastries attested in modern-day Turkey, Greece, and Assyria. Today, many regional variations of the pastry exist throughout North Africa and West and Central Asia.

This Greek-style recipe layers a spiced walnut filling between sheets of homemade filo dough, then soaks them in a sugar-honey syrup flavored with cinnamon, clove, and lemon. The resulting pastry is flaky, flavorful, and über-sweet.

Recipe under the cut!

Patreon | Tip jar

Ingredients:

For the dough:

4 2/3 cup (560g) bread flour

1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp (133mL) olive oil

1 Tbsp + 2 tsp red wine vinegar

About 1 - 1 1/3 cup (240 - 320g) lukewarm water

3/4 cup (165g) butter or non-dairy margarine, melted, for brushing

For the filling:

400g walnuts (or hazelnuts, shelled pistachios, and/or blanched almonds)

1/4 cup (35g) breadcrumbs

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (1/2 cassia cinnamon stick)

1 1/2 tsp ground cloves (18 / 1.5g whole cloves)

Greek baklava most commonly uses walnuts, though pistachios are also used. You may experiment with nuts of your choice.

The breadcrumbs help to soak up the syrup evenly and prevent sogginess.

For the syrup:

2 1/2 cups (500g) vegetarian granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups (355mL) water

1/4 cup (80g) agave nectar or honey

1 tsp orange blossom water (optional)

Peel of one lemon

1 cassia cinnamon stick

3 whole cloves

Instructions:

For the dough:

1. Combine flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the vinegar and olive oil and mix to combine.

2. Gradually add a scant cup of water and continue to mix until the dough just comes together. Continue to knead, by hand or with a stand mixer and dough hook attachment, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic, about five minutes. If the dough does not come together, add additional water 1 tsp at a time. The dough should not be sticky.

3. Divide the dough into small balls of about 40g each (for a 13" x 9" pan). You may decide to make the dough balls slightly larger if you’re a beginner at working with thin dough.

4. Coat each dough ball with some olive oil and cover. Allow to rest for at least an hour, to allow gluten to form and facilitate rolling out later.

For the syrup:

1. Scrub a lemon thoroughly and remove the outer layer of peel with a knife or vegetable peeler. Heat sugar, water, lemon peel, cinnamon, and cloves in a large pot over medium heat until simmering. Stir to dissolve sugar and continue to simmer for about 5 minutes.

2. Remove from heat and stir in honey and orange blossom water. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.

For the filling:

1. Blanch almonds by boiling them for about a minute, draining, and pinching gently to remove their skins. Shell pistachios. Chop nuts, or use a food processor, to achieve a coarse grind (you don't want a powder!).

2. Toast and grind whole spices, if using. Combine nuts with breadcrumbs and spices in a mixing bowl and set aside.

To assemble:

Baklava is made by interspersing thin sheets of dough with butter and nut filling to create flaky layers. Several sheets of dough will be needed at the top and bottom to prevent the weight of the nuts from causing the pastry to collapse. Some cooks add all of the nut filling between two groups of filo dough, while others intersperse the nuts throughout.

1. Melt margarine in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Using a pastry brush, coat the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13" baking dish in margarine.

2. On a lightly oiled surface, roll out one ball of dough into a rectangle a little larger than the bottom of your baking dish (it will relax as it transferred). Place the sheet in the bottom of the dish, gently stretching it into the corners. Don't worry too much about small holes—there will be many layers!

3. Gently drizzle and brush melted margarine over the sheet of dough.

4. Repeat this process 4 more times, for a total of 5 sheets interspersed with margarine. I placed each sheet on top of the previous one on the counter and waited to transfer them to the pan until I had rolled out all four. You may need to re-oil your working surface as you go.

5. Add just enough nut filling mixture to form a thin layer.

6. Roll out another two sheets of dough and brush them with margarine as before. Add another layer of nuts. Repeat until the nut mixture is gone, making sure to reserve at least five balls of dough for the top.

7. Roll out and place the remaining balls of dough and brush them with margarine as before.

8. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes to make the baklava easier to cut. Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into diamonds by cutting in lines diagonally in one direction, and then diagonally in another direction to form points at an acute angle; or, form triangles by cutting lengthwise and then widthwise to form squares, and then diagonally to cut those squares in half. Stick a whole clove in the center of each piece of baklava, if you like.

9. Bake at 300 °F (150 °C) for an hour to an hour and a half, until the top of the pastry is golden brown.

10. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Pour the cooled syrup evenly over the surface of the baklava. Don't add the syrup warm, or it may make the baklava soggy!

11. Allow the syrup to absorb for several hours, or overnight.

[shoshiwrites]

Prompt requested by @kmk1701d, "a kiss while in close proximity." Thank you so much, Katt! A big bouquet to @junojelli for all things backyard garden, and to @basilone for talking me through at least seven different ?!?! moments ♡ Bucky Egan/War correspondent OC, also on Ao3! Warning here for emetophobia [brief, non-graphic].

september song

A package finds her in Norwich, under the September sun. It’s covered in stamps and ink, pressed haphazard over Evie’s careful hand. Jo carries it out to the back garden, a glass in one hand and the stuffed envelope in the crook of her arm, holding a notebook and novel and pencil besides. It’s optimistic, the amount of things she’s carrying, like she won’t just want to sit and laze under the trees, feel the sun on her face, sip her weak tea.

It’s become a place she goes when she needs something like rest, the oasis that’s hardly one if she thinks about it — the Anderson shelter and the squash blossoms and the cabbages. But there’s the sun on the red brick of the house, the little potting shed, the trees bearing russet apples and the ivy and the last lingering clematis, the scent of it like almonds.

In the summer, the June and July evenings, she’d sit out here with whichever correspondent was staying in the room next to hers, or play cards with the land girls down from Manchester and Hull. Kay had brought drinks out from the kitchen, little cocktails in haphazard glassware sweet-talked out of the housekeeper’s care, Kay’s spectator pumps clacking on the flagstone path.

She slides a fingernail under the lip of the envelope, wincing as the paper snags. Nothing inside seems to be damaged, though. There’s a letter, a packet of photos embossed with the name of a Philadelphia studio, a few more tied with a white ribbon. The ones Angelo took, Evie’s letter explains. Evie’s fiancé — husband, Jo mentally corrects now — is a hobbyist photographer, as much as finances and the war allow. There’s a smaller envelope too, with a few flower petals dried and pressed between. White roses, from Evie’s bouquet.

Guilt washes over her — Evie doesn’t know about William, about the whole awful mess. Nobody at home does. Kay knows, she’d had the front seat to the aftermath, the whiskey thrown up in the bathroom and the thumbnails Jo had bit down to the quick. Kay had brought her ginger ale and brushed back her hair and told her the war needed Jo Brandt, not Mrs. William Merrick. Jo had smiled and told her that was hogwash, but nice hogwash, and then promptly thrown up again.

She hadn’t been able to sour a letter home with it, what seemed like such petty personal news.

The photos, of course, are beautiful. The studio shots of Evie and Angelo, Evie in the suit Jo knows is dove-gray gabardine, light enough for summer, and Angelo with the tie pin Evie gave him the last Christmas Jo shared with them stateside. The family posed in front of the altar, and outside the church. Angelo’s shots are of the reception after, and Evie outside on the sidewalk. The sunlight catching her earrings, the beading on her Juliet cap, filtered through her birdcage veil. There are the hydrangeas in vases, and the table set with a small cake and hors d’oeuvres, the homemade wine, the cousins sat on Evie’s lap. Angela and John asked about you of course, Auntie Jo.

Evie steals the camera for a few, Angelo with his jacket off and shirtsleeves rolled up, looking every inch the man in love. Like he hasn’t always looked at her like that, every day of their lives. Jo feels still, all of the sudden, just now hearing the birdsong over the walls, too caught up in the photos and the love that pours from each word of Evie’s letter. I don’t know if it will still be in fashion, she writes, but you’re welcome to the cap and the earrings. They would look so nice with your hair, Jo. You’d be welcome to the suit too, but I know you have something white planned for the family. William’s family, she means.

She swallows.

They hadn’t gotten to the planning, actually. Nothing beyond what was expected — the church, the white dress, the flowers, the reception back at the house with a dinner. There wasn’t a dress hanging in the closet, only the ring that now lived in the back of a drawer in her desk inside the house. The only official stamp was the engagement announcement in a Philadelphia newspaper. The one that ran months ago. She wonders why no one had pressed them to marry before they had both left for England.

She gathers the photos back into the cardboard sleeve, back into the package. Lifts the envelope of rose petals to smell the faintest scent, and then replaces those too. Leans her head back, thinks of fishing her sunglasses from her trouser pocket. She’s got a haphazard outfit on, the loose trousers and sandals and a button-down with the sleeves pushed up, her watch, her hair hastily pulled back. An outfit for a rare day with no appointments, only the scurrying of a reporter trying to finish something to send off. She’d made her edits in the morning, and gone over some of Kay’s contact sheets after her second cup of coffee. Maybe she hadn’t earned the rest, but it’s too nice of a day to not at least sit out around the lunch hour. She’ll be back in London under rainclouds soon enough.

She’s too uneasy to keep her eyes closed for long, thinking of wedding gowns and absent rings, wondering how she became the type of girl who needed a diamond.

Her mother had a silver band that she wore every day that Jo had known her. Jo guesses there were some things even her father wouldn’t have pawned for drinking money.

After she’d gotten up off the bathroom floor, Kay had told her of a cousin who was married for the fourth time last spring. This time to a count, Kay had said. Something in her eyes told Jo she didn’t think it would last. A few of the correspondents they know in London are divorced, or functionally so. Several unmarried, to various degrees.

She wonders how you become the type of person who marries four times. Did it mean you’d given up on a certain kind of love? Maybe they know something we don’t, Jo thinks.

She doesn’t have too much time to ponder the question. At once she hears the noise of the door behind her, the one from the kitchen out to the garden, and footsteps, and poor Muriel the housekeeper’s voice leading someone back out to Jo in her chair.

“- should be right out here-”

“There she is.” It’s half-crowing, affectionate. “Thank you, Muriel.”

How does he even know- She turns, replaces her tea carefully on a stepping stone. “Major Egan.”

Affectionately annoyed, at the title. “How many times do I have to tell you to call me John?”

She’s not surprised he found her through the front of the house, not surprised Muriel’s smiling affectionately at his back as she closes the door, as he walks over to her.

“Force of habit,” she says. A useful one, one to ought to keep if she knows what’s good for her. For any of them. Like they’re not a hundred miles past that by now. “What brings you up here?” She scans around for another chair, wonders if he’s already refused a cup of tea.

“Oh, I need a reason?”

She stills, suddenly feels her cheeks pink with sun.

“Buck’ll let you write about him,” he says, almost like a non-sequiteur. “Finally agreed.” She’s amused, faintly, by what that agreement might have looked like. He can read it on her face, nods a little along with her. “Just tipped his chin up like this,” he says, on the verge of smiling. “You know.”

“Wonderful,” she says, and there’s not a hint of shadow in it.

He looks at her lap, and her letter, and her book, and her pencil. “I’m sorry, was I interrupting something?”

That almost makes her laugh. Like he’s ever cared about interruption.

“No, I won’t get to a proper reply sitting in this chair,” she says. “Can’t write too well on my legs.”

“Any good news?”

Oh. She can’t lie about it, can she? The photo sleeve still in her hands. “Two dear friends were just married, actually.”

“Fantastic,” he says, the shine out of his voice, but no less sincere. He sounds almost quiet.

Before she knows it, she’s profferring the photo of everyone out on the front steps of the church, Evie squinting beautifully into the sun, Angelo looking at her, his arm around her waist.

“They look happy,” he says.

“Mmm.” She could keep talking, she knows. Maybe she’s afraid of what she’ll say.

He hands the photo back to her, his thumb careful against the edge. “This is a nice place you’ve got here.”

There’s a physical relief she feels, turning to something like the vines and the trees to talk about. Other than the photos. Other than the fact that’s he’s quieter than usual, has been for weeks. When he’s sober, at least. “I just enjoy it,” she says. “Not much help in the garden besides wheeling dirt around.” She can barely keep a window box alive. Her roommates only leave her in the company of plants with their very precise instructions.

“Can the major get a tour?”

She looks up at him, quirks something of a smile, squints over his shoulder in the sun. Like she didn’t just tell him she’s useless in a garden apart from sitting in it. “If I can’t offer you a chair, I probably should.”

He holds out a hand, lets her press heavily down on it as she stands. More than she thought she’d have to. Her things go in the chair where she’s just been sitting, the curve of sun-faded, striped fabric. It’d make a nice picture, Jo thinks. Kay would move a couple of things, maybe take a stray flower and place it to the side for a shot. Her hand feels warm.

She waves a hand over the shelter in self-explanation, watches him nod in seriousness. There’s the little stone path that leads to the back wall, more ivy, the late-season potatoes and heads of cabbage. There’s a rickety little folding chair against the side of the potting shed, and she assesses that maybe she’s the one who belongs in that, and him in the other. He’d have more trouble getting off the ground than she did, though.

There’s a nice slant of shade, too, between the shed and the wall.

“Anything good in there?” He’s nodding towards the shed.

She’s trying not to narrow her eyes. Trying not to think of a hundred things. She’s only ever poked her head in.

Before she can say something — dirt, gardening tools, who the hell knows — he’s taken her hand and ducked under the doorway.

She’s careful not to trip over the step, close to him now inside the tiny shed. There’s a counter bare of seedlings, now that it’s sunny mid-September, a few implements to the side, the back shelf lined with dusty pots and some old glassware, the rich smell of soil.

“Not much to see,” she says, which is a lie too, if you know how to look.

His voice is almost imperceptibly hoarse, and serious. “‘M not really interested in the tour, Josephine. Not anymore, at least.”

Her voice is faint, as his hands find her hips. “Might’ve guessed.” She can’t think about it, the letter or the photos or his voice, the edge of despair, of anger, her own empty hands.

There’s a moment as those own hands find him, the wool of his uniform, as they look at each other in the dim, filtered light. The dirty window. The silent asking, the way she stills, and lets him press his mouth to hers.

She winds back her foot, tries to kick the door shut. The action falls short, just barely, and he huffs a soft laugh against her cheek. Kicks the door back, for real, with his boot. He’s warm, from the sun. She imagines she is, too.

“Did Major Cleven really say we could do a feature-” she starts, and the face he makes is something she’d bottle if she could.

“Start by calling it something else, Josephine,” he says. “You’ll scare him off-”

Now that’s a joke, and she’d smile if she weren’t busy kissing him again, tracing her thumb along his cheek, his jaw, his ear.

Little surface scar-dings against his neck, raised tissue tinged red, and she can’t think about what flak does, how a person can’t be so easily repaired.

He’s pulling her closer, uniform pressed against the thin rayon of her blouse, keeping, she notices belatedly, her hair from a spider’s web behind them.

She tastes the faintest hint of ale in his mouth, against his lip and his mustache, and something else — something sudden and deep and sweet. He’s smiling, and she can see a tiny dark scrap between his teeth. He looks almost sheepish, like a kid caught with chocolate on his face before dinner. “I saw some blackberries on my way over here,” he says. “By the roadside.”

“Bring me any?” She’s smiling.

“Thought you might like to go uh, gather some,” he says, like it’s something he’s trying on for size. Gather. Like this is a novel set in deep summer, and not a war. “Had to see if they were any good.”

Maybe she’s being ridiculous — it’s all for the war, anyway. The squash and the cabbages and the apples and the potting shed revived after a decade and change gathering dust in the back of an old house.

She and her roommates will help Muriel put up the apples soon. Hattie and Nancy, the land girls, had mentioned making pies. Blackberry and apple — it sounds like something her mother would have made.

“Kiss me again,” she says. His mouth is tarter now, the tip of his tongue pressed against her teeth. She half-swallows a yelp as he lifts her to the counter, lets his hands settle back on her hips, trailing his mouth across her jaw. “New calculations, Major?”

“Tactical reassessment.”

A laugh bubbles in her chest, surprisingly heavy. “What’s your objective?”

“Top secret.”

Her fingertips play at the epaulet of one shoulder. “Not too hard to guess.”

“I don’t hear you guessing.”

She pulls him, gently, back to her mouth.

“You needed this,” he says, firm and a question at once. Something in her ribcage sings. “Couldn’t risk you not getting it.”

“Getting what?”

“A good kiss.” She drags her thumbnail gently across the back of his neck, the short hairs there, watches his eyelashes flutter ever so slightly. “Someone else might have, couldn’t risk that, either.”

She leans back a little, still tight in his hold. “Wouldn’t let them,” she says. Breathes, like it’s a secret, like she didn’t just say it out into the quiet.

She wants to stain her fingers picking blackberries with him, his mouth, hers. Hear about the moments he stole as a kid. Share her own. Maybe they can have that here, on a September afternoon.

[ephedrathirsts]

Sire Bonds

Synopsis: You are sire-bonded to the bloodthirsty, coldhearted, no humanity trybrid Hope Mikaelson. As your love for her increases so does her destain for you.

Contains: mentions of blood, assault, sexual content, dom!Hope x sub!reader, semi MasterxSlave relationship, fingering (reader receiving), afab reader, degradation, feeding, aged up characters

Pairings: No Humanity!Hope Mikaelson x Fem!Reader

Author's note- This is the first time I am posting any of my works so please be kind! Also if you have any feedback on what could be improved I would very much appreciate it!

Word count- 980

  The breeze was swishing fallen cherry blossoms playfully in cadence with an Elvis Presley song, whining out into the automobile. The sun was adorning your reflection in the rearview mirror. Primroses, crocuses and pulmonarias mixed with almonds, amber, and musk tickled the senses. A bare path uncovered, secured away between country cottages. Days of damp grass, lounging under the sun’s caress and fingers laced with the promise of forever danced before your eyes.

 You soaked up her silhouette, marveling at her beauty. She was all leather and rips, edges and nicks. Although at first glance she appeared the same, she had morphed into a cruel, ruthless beast. Hope, the one that drew out your blood and feasted on your flesh, leaving you to wilt and wither, had captured your mind, chained your heart to hers.  

 She had never meant to have you and neither to keep you. You were to be a convenience, a warm artery for her to pierce and suck dry, but yet you had more to supply. You rose up again with a sudden thirst set deep within and her name on your lips. Unbeknownst to her, she had turned you. You were now a knight walker, cursed to roam the Earth beside her until the dawn of time.

 You were engrossed by her, obeying all of her commands, without wishing for anything in return. You lived to serve her- a slave of blood and amour.

 As you were passing by specks of houses on the road, you smiled to yourself, looking out at the life awaiting you. Hope let go of the steering wheel and dragged you by the jaw, extracting pained gasps out of you.

"I can hear you thinking. Stop being so joyful or I’ll throw you out onto the pavement. " She spat through gritted teeth, discarded you, and took hold of the wheel again. "You haven’t made any progress with controlling your powers. A useless pet is of no need to me! " She eyed her passenger with detest.  

   Your back hit the seat with a thud. You had disappointed her; you were unworthy of her care and love. No matter how much you tried, you would never be deserving of her affection. You turned away ashamedly and peered at your wrist- the Mikaelson crest marked onto it and circled your skin with your thumb in a soothing manner.

    The day peeled off lazily from the sky, making way for constellations to glisten down on you. You had arrived home, a slender province chalet. Fireflies were buzzing busily around the patio, flickering over grapevine leaves. The air was ripe with whiffs of rain and weeds. The stone-clothed trail illuminated the moon’s indolent glow. You followed your mistress through the mahogany door.

"I want my dinner and a glass of red." Hope declared yawnfully. She made her way to the ottoman in the middle of the rustic room and put her feet up. You poured her a glass of Tempranillo and put it down on the iron tray next to her. You crawled to her on the cushioned seat, pulled your hair back and offered her your neck.

  She scoffed at you. "You want me to feed off of you again, feed off of my own blood! Do you take me for a mere narcissist? " You glanced up at her apologetically, tears weighing your eyes at her vicious rejection. You laid your head atop her knees. She stroked it softly and sipped on her drink. "You are so pathetic, aren’t you?" You nodded in agreement.

  "Stand up! Face me!" she pulled onto a strand of your hair and whispered stringently into your ear. You followed her command with anticipation of what's to come.

The trybid caressed your cheek and pulled you in close to her. She brushed your bottom lip with the pad of her thumb and kissed you gently. Her tongue slithered into your mouth, forming patterns with yours. She bit on your swollen lip, making you whimper. Pushing your hair back, she planted wet open-mouth kisses from your jaw, down your neck and collarbone. She sucked on your skin, feeling you shiver in pleasure under her touch.

 Hope’s hands landed on your hips, one creeping up your breasts. She undressed you from the waist up and pushed you down on your back, leaving lines of saliva over your stomach as she was gliding her tongue up and down your body. You moaned when you felt her nibbling on your nipple and pinching the other.

  "You enjoying yourself, gorgeous?" she chuckled arrogantly.

  "Mhm… I want you so bad…" is all you could muster.

   "Good." Hope reached down to your zipper and found her way to your dripping cunt. "God, you are so wet already."

She kissed you again, passionately, while inserting three of her fingers inside your core. You gasped in ecstasy. The girl thrusted her hand in and out of you, stretching you out, and played with your clit.

You bit down on your lips to stifle your moans. You were a mess- body shaking and twitching as your mistress toyed with you. You tightened around her digits, your cunt pulsing feverishly with each and every pump.

   "It would make me very happy if you were to coat my fingers with your cum." Hope purred seductively. You looked up into her eyes as you started to feel your release wash over you. You screamed and groaned, colliding rapidly with Hopes’s hand.

The trybrid flashed her fangs and bit your neck, treating herself to a well-deserved diner. You whined in pain and pleasure, closing your eyes and gripping the sides of the ottoman hard. Fireworks flashed before you as you squirted all over her fingers.

 Hope detached her mouth from your bleeding neck and grabbed your throat forcefully. "This didn’t mean anything to me and neither do you." She squeezed hard, let go of you unamusedly, stood up, and made her way out of the room.

[john-william-godward-paintings]

-Blossoming Red Almond-