#Thai Orchid

[takeawaysbarrowukco]

Takeaways Barrow

Takeaways Barrow - Find your Menu, Order your Food. Your favourite takeaway menu online.

Visit Our Website

[flagsinthemaking]

Seasian4Seasian (Southeast-Asian4Southeast-Asian

- Not for RCTA people.

- Requests open!!

- Seasian4Seasian : SouthEast Asian ppl who prioritize/prefer/only date other SouthEast Asian ppl.

- FLAG ID : 7 striped flag, with an Dusty Red Orchid in the middle.

- COLORS : Dusty Blue, Steel Blue, Dusty Red, Pale Red, Dusty Red, Steel Blue, Dusty Blue.

- EXTRA : The colors were chosen due to many Seasian flags having Red and Blue in them. The flower is a Orchid which are revered for their beauty and diversity. Along with holding cultural significance is places such as Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia.

[orchidmilkshake]

Dendrobium Thai Pearl

The wittlest cutest most prettiest baby!! Dear god i hope i dont kill it

[kalpasio]

i’m ngl, one thing i’ve recently just thought about like literally just now is… what the hell is that thing beside kalpas’ left asscheek? you know, that one pic with his back facing us. its so.. oddly shaped - orchid 😰

I think you're talking about the canister on his left? the wiki used to legit say like "canister of unknown contents" at one point lmao I don't know exactly what it is, but i think the general consensus is that it's something flammable? because when he transforms it's gone

I just want to look at the fiery man

anyway

could totally be just the canister didn't fit with the second stage design like how he gets taller for the fight so you can actually see him? just a practical sorta thing. could also be that he uses it to ignite himself or it's essentially a bomb? man could also just have a funky looking water bottle lol

[beeangel94]

flower shopping

[gary0057]

[toestalucia]

was gonna write. got hit by the awful cramps i rarely get. gods intervention.......

[orchidloves]

Thai Orchids: The Perfect Bloom for Weddings

Orchid Love specializes in providing stunning orchid flowers for weddings, creating enchanting floral arrangements that exude elegance and romance. From breathtaking bridal bouquets to exquisite centerpieces and floral arches, our vibrant Thai orchids add a touch of luxury to your special day. With a variety of colors and styles, Orchid Love ensures your wedding blooms with unforgettable beauty.

[leeorchid]

Top Criteria for Selecting the Best Orchid Exporter

If you want them to be a part of your daily housewarming partner, it surely can be! They can be carried as gifts to people, and so many functions are there that a thai orchid flower can perform. 

[takeawaysbarrowukco]

Enjoy Mouthwatering Delights at Takeaways Barrow: A Culinary Paradise

If you find yourself craving delicious food without the hassle of cooking, look no further than Takeaways Barrow. Nestled in the heart of Barrow, this culinary haven offers a wide range of delectable dishes that are sure to satisfy your taste buds. Whether you're in the mood for traditional favorites or exotic flavors, Takeaways Barrow has something for everyone.

Explore a World of Flavors Takeaways Barrow takes pride in its diverse menu, providing customers with a plethora of options to suit various preferences. From classic comfort foods like burgers, pizzas, and fish and chips to exotic dishes like Thai curries, sushi rolls, and Mexican tacos, there's an array of culinary delights waiting to be discovered.

For those seeking healthier alternatives, Takeaways Barrow offers a selection of salads, grilled options, and vegetarian dishes. Every item on the menu is carefully crafted using the freshest ingredients, ensuring a burst of flavor in every bite.

Unmatched Quality and Service At Takeaways Barrow, quality and service go hand in hand. The skilled chefs and staff members are dedicated to delivering a memorable dining experience to every customer. The kitchen operates with the highest standards of hygiene and safety, ensuring that your food is prepared with care.

Whether you choose to dine in, order for takeaway, or opt for home delivery, the team at Takeaways Barrow strives to exceed your expectations. The staff members are attentive and friendly, always ready to accommodate any special requests or dietary restrictions.

Convenience at Your Fingertips Takeaways Barrow understands the importance of convenience in today's fast-paced world. They offer online ordering through their user-friendly website, allowing customers to browse the menu, customize their orders, and conveniently pay online. The process is seamless, ensuring that your food is ready for pickup or delivered to your doorstep in no time.

Additionally, Takeaways Barrow provides a dedicated mobile app for both iOS and Android devices. This allows you to explore the menu, track your orders, and receive exclusive deals and discounts. The app also offers a loyalty program, rewarding frequent customers with enticing benefits.

Conclusion When it comes to satisfying your cravings, Takeaways Barrow is the ultimate destination. With an extensive menu encompassing a wide variety of flavors, impeccable quality and service, and the convenience of online ordering and delivery, this culinary gem has it all.

Whether you're looking for a quick bite, a family meal, or a feast with friends, Takeaways Barrow caters to all occasions. So, why not indulge in the scrumptious delights offered by this culinary paradise? Visit Takeaways Barrow today and embark on a gastronomic journey like no other.

[painlandpalace]

dead boy detectives reading list

with the show finally out i figured it was a great time to share my reading list again! check it out below the cut 👻☠️🔎

-

⏳ the sandman #25 (1991)

this is their first appearance!

🐇 the children's crusade (1993)/free country: a tale of the children's crusade (2015)

1. the children's crusade #1

(2. black orchid annual #1

3. animal man annual #1

4. swamp thing annual #7

5. doom patrol annual #2

6. arcana annual #1)

7. the children's crusade #2

alternatively you can just read free country. whether or not you read the annuals i recommend reading free country's middle chapter

!!! in place of the annuals there is an additional middle chapter that was created for the book "free country: a tale of the children's crusade" where it is placed between the two children's crusade issues. the boys don't actually appear in most of the annuals (they are in two panels of swamp thing and appear in doom patrol) and reading them isn't necessary but i figured i would include them as they are part of the story.

❄️ winter's edge #3 (2000)

this is an anthology. their part is the 'books of magic: waiting for good dough' story starting on page 19

🐦‍⬛ the sandman presents: the dead boy detectives (2001, 4 issues)

i believe the tv show's esther finch was partially based on this run's villain.

*

(they do have a part in 'death: at death's door' from 2003. it's short and really just a retelling of events from sandman #25 with some minor changes. the entirety of their appearance in death: at death's door is included at the end of the next comic im listing so i am not really adding the death: at death's door book to the list)

☠️ the dead boy detectives (2005, one-shot)

this book was made by jill thompson in a very cute manga-esque style

👻 ghosts (2012), time warp (2013), the witching hour (2013)

these three are anthologies. the story 'the dead boy detectives in: run ragged' runs through all of them. 'run ragged' kicks off the next run.

🔮 from the pages of the sandman: dead boy detectives (2013, 12 issues)

this is the comic where crystal is introduced! a book collecting all 12 issues titled 'dead boy detectives by toby litt & mark buckingham' was released in 2023

🔎the sandman universe: dead boy detectives (2022, 6 issues)

the most recent run, centered around some really interesting thai mythology and featuring multiple edwin moments that i am sure you will love

-

and that's everything! i also recommend buying the omnibus if you can. it includes everything minus the 2022 run plus some additional bonus content!

i hope this is helpful! feel free to ask me any questions you may have about the comics. dead boy detectives is my number one interest so i should be able to answer

have fun reading! 👻

[xylo-slongium]

ORCHIDS WERE DOING PERFECTLY FINE UNTIL WE TOOK THEM OUT OF THEIR NATURAL HABITAT, IF WE DIDNT MINGLE WITHBTHE NATURAL ORDER OF RHUBGS THEY WOULD'VE STILL BEEN PERFECTLY FINE AND THRIVING.

IT IS THE CARELESNESS OF MAN AND NOT FAULT IN THE DESIGN THAT MAKED THEM SO VULNERABLE.

PLUS ORCHIDS ARE WHERE WE GET VANILLA FROM SO THEY ARE QUITE NECESSARY FOR MANY THINGS WE CONSUME EVERY DAY.

in conclusion if uiu cannot keep orchids alive it is because you expect them to thrive so far away from theur natural habitat. You wouldn't expect an elephant to thrive in the alps now would you.

hwy do you hate orchid s

Well buddy theyre useless weak ass flowers that cant survive the fast paced stressful work enviroment that is my habitat (〃＾▽＾〃)

They demand so much but offer so little like what do you mean you need somewhat decent drainage youre not built for this

'Oh look at me so helpless i bloom once a year and am going extinct' -the ghost orchid

Get over yourself weak ass orchid this mindset is why youre going extinct if you cant keep yourself alive in the optimal climate how do you expect me to keep you alive im not putting in that much effort my peace lillies are chilling and they havent got any water in weeks thats a strong survival mindset

Spewing even more bullshit orchids arent even pretty hate it theyre trying to be differend so bad shut up and grow normal flowers you wannabe bitch get good

Orchids stupid idiot motherfucking orchids i hate them so much why do they need so much water why do they have fucked up roots how are they not extinct fucking orchids i see an orchid i want to burn it my neighbor has a big ass window and hundreds of orchids in there and i want to go in there every day as i walk to the bus and destroy those orchids my sister has an orchid and i have to watch it slowly die as she fails to keep it alive mind her other plants are fucking thriving orchids are just dumb

Well i hope that answers your question enough (≧◡≦) ♡

[thaifanfests]

Here are some brief explanations for some of our prompts for ThaiTheKnot2025! (Our other prompts, such as “ceremonies” and “The Pillow Arrangement,” will have dedicated posts.)

🏳️‍🌈Garland

Floral garlands, generally known as phuang malai (พวงมาลัย) symbolize respect and luck across Thai culture. Garlands and other forms of floral art were historically used in various royal and religious ceremonies and are traditionally made with fresh flowers. Garlands are handmade, with the garland highly symbolic of the patience and attention needed for the threading process. Today, you can find markets and stalls that sell garlands of all shapes, sizes, and arrangement types across Thailand. Some of the flowers used for phuang malai include jasmine, champaca, orchids, marigolds, and gardenias. 

For weddings specifically, malai song chai (มาลัยสองชาย) is usually made with jasmine and crown flowers since they are associated with love and happiness. In the Thai wedding ceremony, both bride and groom often wear malai song chai, and other variations of garlands can be worn by other important family members or guests. (macramebynicha)

This is an example of a Lady Pattern Garland, which is a popular choice for weddings. (PraewWedding)

Some beliefs about weddings says that the bride and groom should use only one Malai throughout the whole day and not change it to a fresh pair halfway or something like that so that their marriage would be smooth and have no reason for a fight to happen between them, so they wouldn't have any reason to break up. (Origin Vertical Blog, translated by @recentadultburnout)

🏳️‍🌈Newlyweds’ house (เรือนหอ)

“A groom moving into a bride's family's house is a traditional way of Thai marriage. Each couple can do whatever they want, of couse. Buying a new place only for themselves is an appealing choice for many of those who can, but I want to point out that a groom marrying in is historically done and a very normal choice in Thai.” (recentadultburnout) One of the traditional choices is the groom builds a new house on the bride's family's property/near the bride parent's house to use as the couple's home after the wedding. Buying one from the parents (sometimes they happen to have several buildings in the same fence) is also ok. (recentadultburnout)

“Traditionally, after the wedding, the banana tree and sugar cane will get planted at the newlyweds' house as a wish for the couple to have a sweet, flourishing life with many children.” (recentadultburnout)

🏳️‍🌈Ring & Jewelry

“A wedding ring is a western influence, but a popular one. At this point, it's the norm for a married couple to have one.” (recentadultburnout)

“In the process of giving the engagement ring, the groom first puts the ring on the bride, and then the bride bows down to the groom. Like this Link. After that, it's the bride who will put the ring on the groom, followed by the couple bowing down to pay homage to their parents.” (recentadultburnout) Here is a video that shows what a ceremony could look like.

Typically, when considering the bride’s dowry, jewelry and gold are offered. 

🏳️‍🌈Sinsod Thongman (Dowry)

Dowry, or sinsod thongman, is the practice of a groom paying the family of the bride to ensure the bride’s good status. Dowry and its definitions differ across Asian cultures, but for Thailand, dowry is a social practice that is still widely done. Traditionally, to offer a very sizable and generous dowry means that the groom is financially stable and can care for the bride. To do so also strengthens the connections between groom and bride and their families (Thai Embassy). 

The amount of dowry is dependent on several factors, including social status, level of education, and lifestyle of the bride. “When a man and a woman decide to marry, The men will send his parents or recruit elderly men who have a high position in society or may be their respected elder relatives, known as "tâo gàe", to approach the woman's parents in order to ask the woman to be his bride and be the one who talks about the dowry.” (recentadultburnout)

When the proposals are accepted, there is a dowry counting ceremony, in which the parents of the bride will pretend to count the dowry. Some families keep the dowry themselves, but usually, the dowry is given back to the bride and groom and used to start their marital life. (recentadultburnout)

Dowry is usually given in the form of jewelry, gold, and money, but it can take the form of anything valuable.

In a traditional Thai marriage, dowry is expected. However, some modern marriages forgo dowry altogether. Nonetheless, the decision to not have a dowry should be discussed with both families. (Thai Embassy)

🏳️‍🌈Surname

“The wife's taking her husband's last name after marriage is the most common, but the opposite, or both of them keeping their own last names or even go creating their own new last name, is also an option. As for using both last names, it's not so popular among Thai couples, but it's what quite a few Thai-foreign couples want. This option can be a bit more difficult compared to the others due to its being out of the norm and the process of obtaining it can be confusing, so many people will choose to make their old last names into middle names as a way to keep them instead of actually trying to use both.” (recentadultburnout)

🏳️‍🌈 What's ThaiTheKnot2025? 🏳️‍🌈 Guidelines 🏳️‍🌈 Prompts 🏳️‍🌈 Discord & Carrd

[treedaddymcpuffpuff]

Excessive Force : Tom Ludlow x Fem Nurse Reader (COLLAB W/ THE INCREDIBLE @johnwickb1tsch) - Chapter Map Twenty-Eight

TW: nsfw, past traumas + mental health discussion, domestic violence mention

When you finally return to your apartment together you are tired, yet happy, with Tom’s hand engulfing yours, his other arm filled with takeout from your favorite Thai eatery and a bag full of fresh blueberries for his famous morning breakfast.

You feel like somehow, everything is going to turn out ok. You have this warm glow in your chest that you suspect might be an elusive thing like peace, or acceptance, or some other such nonsense this steadfast man beside you is making you believe in again. 

That good feeling disintegrates like cotton candy in the rain, when you realize your apartment door is ajar. Tom notices a moment after you do, and immediately he is pushing you behind him, the bags forgotten on the floor as he retrieves his gun from his ankle holster.

“Stay here,” he tells you in a whisper, as he goes to investigate. You watch while he uses the wall for cover, kicking the door open and advancing inside, sweeping your tiny apartment for intruders. 

You trail behind him after he tells you it’s clear, in shock for the mess before you.

Your apartment is trashed. Completely turned inside out. Destroyed. 

All the contents of your cabinets and drawers are emptied. Your chairs are missing legs. Your pictures are knocked off the walls. Your couch cushions are slashed. Every pot of every plant in your kitchen is broken on the floor, shards of terra cotta and earthy soil scattered across the linoleum. 

Numb, you stand amidst the rubble, finding it hard to process that this is your space. Your tiny little cozy cube that you’d made just for yourself, your personal hideaway from the world, broken to bits. It feels so personal, and you can’t fathom why someone would do this.

It doesn’t even look like they took anything. The tv is still there–with a kitchen knife through the lcd screen. You don’t own any expensive jewelry, or keep stacks of cash around. The only other real thing of value you have…is your laptop. It was on a side table, and now…it’s gone. Fuck.

If you are numb, Tom is furious, his dark eyes blown black with rage as he looks around your ruined sanctuary, his gun still hanging loose in his hand at his side.

“It’s not safe for you here, baby. See if you can get a bag together. If too much is ruined, I’ll buy you new stuff on the way.”

“Tom…don’t we need to call the cops or something?” You were sure you’d need a police report for your renter’s insurance claim, at least.

Bless him for not giving you that ‘I am the cops’ look. Instead his dark brows are drawn together in serious thought.

“Yeah. We’ll get a team to dust for prints. But I think I already know who did it.”

“Who?”

“Our shooters, sending us a message. I think I’ve got some names. Coates, and Freemont. Working on a location. With any luck…I’ll have ‘em by tomorrow.” 

You’re guessing just by his tone that have ‘em does not exactly mean due process.

He looks around at the chaos, shaking his head. “I’m so sorry, baby. We’ll fix it, I promise.”

You nod absently, still feeling disjointed from it all, though a well of tears has finally started gathering in your bottom lids. You shuffle over to your prized vanda orchids, picking one up and setting it in a pile of bark medium back on its shelf. At least it will get a little light, until you can repot it.

A warm pressure lands on your shoulder, then molds into the rest of you, engulfing your body in heat and comfort, and as soon as you are hidden and safe with your face tucked into Tom’s uniform, you begin to sob. 

Wordlessly, he picks you up, and makes to leave, probably deciding he doesn’t even want you to be here anymore because you’re such a wreck of a human that can’t even handle her own apartment being robbed, but your fist gripping his shirt and incoherent words stop him in his tracks. “My…My plants. My—“

“Shh, baby, s’okay. Forget the bag, I just need to make sure you’re somewhere safe…Hey. Hey, look at me.” 

You do, quivering and feeling as tiny as a broken winged bird in his arms even though you are a whole woman. There’s no pity in his eyes, just worry and something else. Something bright burning that lights his black orbs gold. He opens his mouth, then closes it, then opens it again. Maybe realizing this is not the right time to say what he wants to, but rather what you need to hear. 

“I don’t care what happens, you’re going to be safe. I don’t care if I have to burn this city down and then the LAPD along with it. I will do anything to keep you safe. Even if you do decide that I am an asshole and you hate me after all. I need you to tell me that you understand that. That you’ll trust me to keep you safe.” 

“I do,” you manage to choke out. “I do, Tom. Fuck, I do.” 

“And if there is anything. Anything you are keeping from me, then I need to know right now.” He pins you with that impossible to hold gaze…and you look down, earning a tsk. 

It was worth a try. 

And you know he means something you’re not telling him about the case, about the shooting, but all you can think of is Julian—cheating on Tom—how stupid you are. 

You lie. Right to his face. You lie, because you don’t know what else to do. “There’s nothing, Tom.” 

You know you’re lying, he knows you’re lying. Hell, the fucking dying plants know you’re lying. Luckily, it’s not hard to change the subject into more pressing matters, like how you’re sobbing uncontrollably again and burying your face into his thick shirt. 

Thank God that he is a good man. A good man who doesn’t get pissy with you about emotions. A good man who doesn’t tell you to cut the bullshit. A good man who holds you tight and mumbles words of comfort into the top of your hair. 

You don’t deserve him. Not one bit. So, you wrap your arms around his shoulders and hold on for dear life. Tom is wrong, he is not Poison Ivy’s boyfriend, nor Batman or the Punisher. He is Superman and you are a selfish, pathetic civilian who tricked him into loving you. He could be with Lois Lane or Wonder Woman, and here you are holding him back. 

***

“Y/n? Baby?” 

“I’m in here—the bathroom.” 

“Can I come in?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Hey, I—what in the hell.” An amused, lopsided grin cuts through the serious concern on his face as he looks down at you curiously. Probably wondering why you’ve taken every crisp, cheap hotel blanket and pillow and made a nest in the bathtub with them. 

“I like the hotel bathtubs,” you tell him, glowering, in such an obvious mood that a smile dare not even tap you on the shoulder lest you throttle it. 

Tom has other plans for your pity party. He chuckles, and leans down to kiss-whisper into your forehead. “I really didn’t think you could get cuter.” 

You flush, grab his collar, and pull him down, into the porcelain kingdom with you, not exactly thinking about how he is long and the tub is short. You just want his big solid body on top of you whether he breaks a leg or not, and thank god he’s sturdy. 

Because he bumps his head on the rim, slams his elbow on the bottom basin in an attempt not to shove it into your tummy, and both his legs end up hanging out the side by the knee joint in what looks to be a very uncomfortable position.  

“Jesus, I’m sorry,” you tell him, trying somehow to maneuver his heavy torso and put him back together. He laughs, maybe because you’re tickling him, and definitely because you’re so concerned about his well being. 

Somehow, you both situate, and it’s with you fully on top of him, curled against his chest with his legs bent in half so he’s able to barely fit inside the bowl. You bury your face into his pleasant, itchy stubble, and sigh contentedly. 

“Bathtub a safe space, hm?” 

You nod, and he gets it, stays silent with you wrapped up safe against him, occasionally humming, kissing your hair, running his fingers over the curves and pocks and shiver-inducing spaces in your back. Tom is not built for contortionist work at all, but if he is uncomfortable, he does not voice it. 

You wonder, as your eyes are fluttering closed and your breathing is deepening with the threat of sleep, if you should tell him that you can’t remember a time—ever—where you felt this safe. 

Usually…lately…it’s the bigger part of your brain—the one that is doubtful and cynical and self critical—that plays highest bidder in the auction of your devotion. Not here, in Tom Ludlow’s arms. Here, critical brain function takes a backseat in the trunk of the cerebrum locked inside a tight suitcase, because the rest of your mind (And Heart) is sure that this long man will burn LA down for you, just like he said. 

It's a heady feeling. Tonight, you’re just selfish enough to hold onto it. 

You wake up drooling on his uniform, feeling gross and hot and cramped and sweaty. His head is angled awkwardly against the hard walls of the bath, and you pat his cheek to wake him up. “Tom,” you whisper. “Tom.”

“Yeah, what—what’s up?” His snores cut off abruptly, and he jerks to life, restrained by the confines of the small enclosure. He smiles when he sees you, and you really hope it’s not because of your trainwreck hair and smeared mascara. 

“Can we go to bed?” You ask him, rubbing some drool off the side of his mouth. 

Except sleeping is the last thing you can focus on when he stretches his full body, bare out on the cool linoleum after taking his clothes off. For some reason, you think back to your neighbor, and how she was a strong lady for not having an instant heart attack when he knocked on her door in probably only boxers. 

Speaking of your neighbor…

“Did you talk to the lady next door? Is she okay?” 

He stands you up and pulls your scrub top off. “She’s okay.” A kiss to the spillage of your breasts. “She didn’t hear or see anything, but wasn’t home most of the day.”

“Do you think they’ll come back?” You ask him, sharp little breaths pumping your chest while he kisses up your collar, over the heaving skin on your throat. His fingers pull at your bottoms, discard them in a puddle with his own dirty clothes on the floor. 

“No,” he tells you, smoothing back your tangled, puffed hair. “No, they won’t. They got what they needed. I have some of your pajamas, you wanna put them on?” 

“No,” you reply, the word cut by a hungry kiss. 

Despite the day’s events, or maybe yesterday's events—you can’t tell, because it’s pitch black outside; the kind of devouring dark that only comes after midnight—your cunt still swells and weeps for this man, and you end up sitting on top of him with his cockhead nestling your cervix and his big hands digging into your plush hips. 

You’re too tired to keep a rhythm, or really do anything but whine and grind, but it’s enough to make you both cum and stain the sheets, even though you promised yourself you wouldn’t be the asshole person in the hotel room that gets bodily fluids on everything. It’s hard, however, to think about that—or anything—when this man is bare, hard, and leaking in front of you. 

He’s still softening inside of you when you fall asleep, and you don’t even stir when he gets a warm towel to clean you up, or when he wraps his arms around you and follows you into dreamland. 

The next time you wake up, there is invasive, awful sunlight peeking through the curtains, and you are screaming. 

Soak and wet, soapy Tom is by your side in less than a second, trying to wipe your tears and just getting your cheeks wetter with his mid-shower hands. “Baby…baby. Hey, it’s okay, I’m here.” 

You’re pathetic for doing this to him. A burden through and through. Your parents were right, the man who was just starring in your violent dream was right. They were all right about you and being too much and ruining lives with the burden of your existence. 

No, no no no no. You have to pull yourself back, get it together. PTSD nightmares be damned. It’s been a while since you’ve had one that bad, but you have the skills to rationalize through it and get off the ledge before these violent, hating thoughts eclipse reason and reality. 

Tom’s there to help with reassuring words and damp fingers and the heat of his body. He lets you cry for God knows how long, even with the water still running in the bathroom. 

The first thing you can say through ugly hiccups and heavy breaths is, “is the water going to get cold?” 

He murmurs a soft laugh into your cheek. “No, baby, they keep it warm. C’Mon.”

By the time you're freshened, cleaned, rinsed, and moisturized with little bottles of complimentary lotion by Tom’s big hands in what seems to be his way of soothing you, you feel a lot better. He even tries to brush your wet tangled hair, although it doesn’t work out because he’s way too gentle and afraid to do anything but press the bristles to your outer strands. 

When you rake it through to show him how, he snatches the paddle back, giving you a hard look. “You’re tearing it out!”

You laugh at him. “I’ve been doing it that way for my entire life, Tom.” 

“Doesn’t it hurt?” He holds the brush higher as you try to snatch it back. 

“Not really, my scalp is strong. Give me—“

The phone ringing stops your reaching hand midair. 

“Scuse’ me,” he grins, going to answer and taking your brush with him, obviously underestimating your ability to comb through it with your fingers instead. 

But you don’t, because you like it when he just barely pulls the tips through your locs, fingers tickling over your shoulders and neck and ears. It’s fine, he can brush it all day if he wants, especially if it keeps him holed up in this little hotel room with you. 

You put your wild mane into a loose bun on top of your head, brush your teeth, and grab the clothes you have prepared from the back of the toilet, not expecting such a familiar smell to waft from the pile and physically push you back two steps. You drop the cotton dress and the black shorts as your back hits the sink lip with a painful thud. 

You’d recognize that cheap, Walmart cologne anywhere. It could bring you back from the dead. Hell, it probably has a few times when he hit you hard enough to knock you unconscious. 

The stench puffs from your clothes in a billowy cloud that turns your stomach sour. You have to turn and lean over the sink, get your head right, close your eyes to guard against the onslaught of ruthless memories jostled by this abrasive odor.

Grounding yourself involves picking out three things you can see, and three things that you can hear. It's all you can do to prevent another panic attack. 

Tom’s muffled voice talking on the phone, the drip of a leaky faucet, the whirring air conditioner, the pristine white porcelain of the sink, the bright blue of your toothbrush, the open bottle of Tom’s cologne…Oh.

Trauma is a funny thing. Too many triggers happen too close together—it makes your brain play tricks in the quest to keep itself safe. Brain wants to hide, jump right back in the bathtub and lock this bathroom door and stay huddled up in the damp shelter for the foreseeable future. 

You grab Tom’s cologne and take a whiff, then breathe a heavy sigh of relief when you realize that the smell has the same musky undertone, but none of the gaudy sweet notes that your mind was fabricating. 

It wasn’t from your now wet clothes—they smell like your detergent, and you put them on despite the patches of liquid that cool your skin and make you shiver. 

You walk out of the bathroom, and Tom is sitting on the couch in his jeans and tshirt, legs spread wide, looking at something intently on his phone until his attention is captured by your presence. He looks so good, all sprawled out and formidable, and all you want to do is wrap yourself around him like a soft little koala hugging a thick eucalyptus. 

“Are you leaving?” You ask him timidly, arms crossed defensively against an answer you don’t want to hear. 

“No, I’m not,” he says.

“You can if you have to,” you tell him, lying, forgetting that this man can read you like the alphabet. “I know you have things to do.” 

He tilts his head at you, mouth perking up just a tiny bit in that way that makes your insides flare with fiery fervor. “How about you?” He muses, “you have somewhere to go?”

“Well,” you start, now that he mentions it, “I should go and clean up my place, maybe.”

“You could…” He seems to think on this matter, eyes darkening mischievously. “Or you could come sit on my lap.” He pats his knee, and you giggle at his usual antics.

“Mmmm…I dunno, Tom.” You attempt a sly, flirty grin, hoping you’re not resembling more of an awkward alligator than a pretty fox. Seductive feels a little strange for you right now…You might have to settle for the Koala. “Maybe you should beg me to sit in your lap?” 

Tom Ludlow, bless his heart, and despite all that testosterone dominating his personality, settles back into the couch cushions and submits to you. “Please, baby, please come sit in my lap. I need you.” 

It feels a little wrong—he’d be a bad actor—and it makes you giggle at him, covering your mouth to keep the snorts away. 

He pouts at you, and it makes you laugh harder, because he looks so adorable, and because a scary, big man should not look so adorable, and because you fucking love him and it’s driving you insane. 

You don’t realize he’s pulling you on top of him, falling back to the couch with you in his arms—you’re too busy laughing, then crying, although for an entirely different reason now. 

“Honey,” he whispers, pushing the wisps of loose hair away from your teary, sticky cheeks and letting you snot on his fresh, laundered shirt. “Honey, I’m sorry. I’ve got you.” 

But that’s the problem. He’s got you—your little thin skinned heart right in his strong hand, and it’s so ready to burst like an overripe cherry at any moment and kill whatever part is left of you that cares enough about human connection to let someone baby and shush and pamper you. You try to push him away, and he holds you tighter. 

“Tom…”

“No.”

“Okay,” you say around a sob, coiling up in his lap, giving in to clinging for dear life. 

[boxkitkat]

Random post on some small ZSakuVA verse headcannons! <3

(Mainly for Isaac and Elias o(>ω<)o)

Isaac: Isaac probably has a habit of doing that little leg bounce whenever he’s anxious. Before he met the listener and got closer with them he probably smelled A LOT like coffee.

When he was probably 8-11 he took piano lessons for a while but simply didn’t feel like music was something he was interested in.

Isaac as a kid (like around 5-7 years old) would struggle with sleeping so his mom (maybe sometimes joined by his dad) would end up helping him go to sleep by playing with his hair, putting on a small puppet show for him while reading a bed time story with cute animal hand puppets.

His favorite bugs are blue butterflies and ladybugs because they would remind him of whenever he helped his mom in the gardens and little butterflies and ladybugs would show up near the flowers in the spring.

He finds hot chocolate or a warm tea comforting on cloudy or rainy days.

His houses garden would probably have like a miniature waterfalls here and there.

Isaac probably has a messenger for himself like Adriel did to communicate through his workers, or just emails them or calls them but never meets any of his workers in person face to face.

He would be a girl dad. Dressing up in frilly princess dresses with plastic tiaras and attending the finest tea parties with the most high quality and rich wooden biscuits and cookies all to make his daughter happy. Of course when he had the time to. He probably has a black silk robe. Wouldn’t be surprised. As well as a really high quality grey or navy blue kimono stashed away in his closet. Maybe a gift from one of his older clients who is aware of his ethnicity background.

He’s really ticklish behind his knee.

He definitely has a disappointed and judgmental Asian dad glare if you do anything stoopid in-front of him.

He would appreciate the listener helping him with taking care of orchids that he gotten, maybe hug the listener from behind with his arms around their waist while they gently watered the orchids and he gives em a small peck on the cheek :D

He’s got a whole bunch of fancy watches, some as gifts from his clients and some from a collection his grandpa probably had of watches.

Elias: He’s mixed with Mexican and Filipino background, the Hispanic side from his mom and the Filipino side from his dad. He likes Thai food a lot. Specially Pad Thai noodles.

Some of his fave desserts are Ube cookies, and concha’s (specifically the white ones).

He would like to hold a grill with his old friends from high school.

He would tackle an enemy down like a football player.

He definitely uses the word “opp” in an unironic way.

He wears compression shirts during a workout, or loose no sleeve shirts that show off his muscles.

Kinda random but he was taller than most of the other Saku verse boys during their tween years.

In middle school and high school he would get really dirty and hurt a lot (scratches, bruises, etc) due to playing sports with his friends.

(this head cannon is inspired off of another crumpets head cannon so credits to them for this idea!) His mom was religious (not crazy religious but yknow) catholic to be specific so he was raised with an upbringing of some religious faith. He isn’t super religious himself tho, not as much as him mom was. And also he probably has a cross necklace as well that he sometimes wears.

Elias wears mostly silver jewelry because it goes well with his skin complexion.

Listens to the reggaeton genre usually and rap too, he would definitely get jiggy with it to El Coco No.

Speaking of dancing, Elias is probably a pretty good dancer but insists that he’s okayish.

He’d make listener dance with him, especially if it’s a romantic song.

He likes some of Franks Sinatras music mainly because it makes him think of his listener probably or his mom due to Franks music (from what I’ve heard) being very sentimental.

He likes to make himself banana milkshakes sometimes in the mornings.

He’s got a sick belt collection and is very much proud of it and WILL show it off to anyone who asks. He’d wear them on special occasions tho or not at all cuz they are his precious babies.

His jaw can open oddly enough very widely without dislocating it somehow.

He’d probably do that thing where people lift up their eyelids inside out to mess with James because James finds it icky and recoils and cringes at it. (He’s done this ever since he was 10 when he discovered James didn’t like that.)

His go to late night snack is a PB&J sandwich or instantly noodles.

Luca: He has a high pitched scream.

He’d have a comfort pillow, he’d cuddle it incase whenever his listener isn’t home (like on a business trip or something)

He has flat hair so he tries to blow dry it to make it have more volume but it isn’t able to hold up for long after a while sometimes.

His hair is very shiny.

He brings a small lotion bottle with him wherever he goes to keep his hands and arms moisturized.

He’s sometimes tempted to eat things that aren’t edible but look edible.

Half of his twitter feed is cats and capybaras.

He might’ve been in a few clubs in high school, like chest or volunteering work.

Luca was a really energetic kid with the people he was closest with and his parents would sometimes struggle keeping up with that.

He liked sandwiches a lot as a kid, he still does and I think he would have a great appreciation for those little tea sandwiches. He’d absolutely adore those sandwiches.

Whenever he’s cooking he puts little hair clips on so his hair doesn’t get in the way of his face and distract him while cooking or getting any hair into the food he’s making. The hair clips probably have little animals on them.

Small head-cannons for the others!:

Andrew likes to wear a lot of gold jewelry, he stretches a lot from having bad seating posture making his body feel sore. Kayson definitely plays around with his brothers by picking them up and throwing them over his shoulder, he’d do this a few time with his listener as well if they are being bratty or playful. Dontis wears those Hawaiian shirts and has crazy bed head. Jonah likes to dye his hair a lot with a bunch of different bright colors, his hair is very dead, and he likes subtle vanilla scents. Rowan likes garlic bread and he gently rubs his listeners hand with his thumb whenever therye nervous or upset. Asirel owns a sick blood red sports car and sometimes sun tans next to his smancy fancy pool with a speedo on and some fancy sunglasses (gotta keep the tan up.)

Okayy thats all for now!! Hope you enjoyed reading and ty for listening to me share! And ofc pls feel free to say your own personal thoughts and feelings on my head cannons or your own personal head cannons! Ty Crumpet Nation! ☆ ～('▽^人)

[perfectlypanda]

When visiting the many islands that comprise the Fire Nation, it was not uncommon for their royal majesties Fire Lord Zuko and Master Katara to don the traditional dress of the host island.

Almost as soon as I had finished working on the art piece I did with Zuko and Katara in Thai inspired outfits, I knew I wanted to do something similar but with outfits inspired by the Philippines (or outfit, sorry Zuko I find women's fashion more interesting than men's).

Before jumping into the commentary, I'll stress that this design is fantasy inspired by the Philippines. Although I did research, it is not an accurate representation of Filipino national costume, nor is it meant to be.

This was more challenging in some ways than the Thai piece, because even though the Thai piece required a ton of detail work, I was creating a design much closer to its real world inspiration. In this case there wasn't a specific "look" I was trying to recreate, instead I wanted to create a design inspired by the traditional fashion of the Philippines. However, 1). pre-colonial fashions were very different from the Spanish inspired styles that arose during colonialization and that have since evolved into modern traditional Filipino attire, and 2). the Philippines is home to many different indigenous groups, each of whom have their own traditional costumes.

Originally, I wanted to exclusively look to the pre-colonial period for inspiration, but when I looked only at pre-colonial designs, I found I missed the iconic silhouettes seen in modern Filipino dresses. So I widened my research scope to see how I could combine pre-colonial with elements of modern fashion.

For pre-colonial styles, the best historical resource is the Boxer Codex. Karakoa Productions was also a helpful resource to see how pre-colonial looks were being interpreted from historical illustrations and descriptions into real world garments. I looked at modern designers from the Philippines to see how they were playing with the design of terno (which often feature the iconic butterfly sleeves I wanted to include). One design I was really inspired by was a look worn by Filipina actress Kathryn Bernardo.

Both written and illustrated accounts of the pre-colonial era in the Philippines emphasize the prevalence of golden jewelry, so Katara has a gold necklace, bracelets, hair beads, and belt. Katara's belt is inspired by two main sources. The first is an extant kandit (royal belt) woven from gold wires in the Museo ng Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas's pre-colonial gold collection. The dangles on it are loosely inspired by the beaded belts made by the T'Boli people.

With Katara's skirt, I tried to blend the longer style of skirts seen in the Boxer Codex, with a striped pattern inspired by the numerous woven designs I found in traditional indigenous attire. The specific photo I used as inspiration was labeled as being from Kalinga, but I found similar weavings from other groups as well.

The flowers in Katara's hair are flowers found in the Philippines - sampaguita, waling-waling orchids, plumeria, hibiscious, and santan. She also wears her dual moon-flame tiara.

♥ Please do not repost. If you like it and want to show people, share a link to this page instead. Thank you!