#and then slightly more cutesy things like their pair of overalls and such.

[flemingology]

blurb request! a soft one where leah comes home from international break and spends the evening with r. maybe then have a cute movie night with pizza and cuddle on the sofa with a blanket draped over them? just overall cutesy and lovey dovey haha 💗

home is where you are ─ leah williamson x reader

in which: leah and you reunite after the international break

warnings: none

wc: 1.3k

Leah loved playing for England. She loved putting the shirt on, feeling the weight of the badge on her chest, wearing the captain's armband with pride. She loved winning with England. Whether that was a useless friendly, a Nations League group stage game or a major tournament, Leah was addicted to winning. But the thing that Leah loved most about her international breaks, was the prospect of coming back home to you after being away for the best part of two weeks.

The weight of what had been a grueling 14 days rest heavily on her shoulders. Sarina upped the intensity in training off the back of what had been a disappointing camp back in November. Leah wasn't one to shy away from training hard, but it had taken its toll on her body. It was the first time since her ACL injury that the England captain had played a good, consecutive run of games and she was starting to feel the consequences. She was happy, beyond happy, that her body finally felt like it had before her surgery. No more setbacks, no niggles, just her body, her knee and herself working back towards the level she was at before the dreaded injury.

Leah was lost in thought as she expertly navigated the streets of your neighborhood, her limbs aching more with each turn she took, as if her body knew that she was nearing home with each passing minute. She parked the car in the driveway and exhaled a breath she didn't know she was holding in as she saw your car was there too. You had your own international break to attend, traveling to Spain for your own camp, so she was relieved to find out you'd made it home safely. You hadn't really texted today, the both of you caught up in traveling home, too busy thinking about the prospect of being in each other's arms again at night.

The defender took her bags out of the trunk and locked her car behind her, crossing the driveway to the front door in a quick few strides. Leah knocked on the door, not finding the energy in her to fish out her house keys that were probably somewhere at the bottom of her England backpack. The cold London air nipped at her exposed legs, silently cursing herself for not having changed into a pair of sweatpants before she left St George's Park.

Leah got pulled out of her thoughts as you opened the front door, dressed in one of her old Arsenal sweaters and a pair of fuzzy sweatpants. Your hair was slightly tousled from where you had been lounging on the couch, waiting for your girlfriend to come home. Your lips formed a small smile and Leah didn't bother saying anything before she dropped her bags on the ground and pulled you into a tight embrace.

She soaked you in, the warmth of your body spreading towards hers as she buried her face in your neck and inhaled your scent, which she had to miss for the past two weeks. "Hey, baby," you said softly, your Spanish accent laced through your voice as you spoke the defender's mother tongue. She pulled you tighter against her, mumbling something incoherently against the exposed skin of your neck, pressing a couple soft kisses there before pulling her head away and looking you in the eye. "I missed you so much," she voiced. Not awaiting your reply, she rested her hands on both sides of your waist and pulled you closer, capturing your lips in a searing kiss.

You'd never get tired of kissing Leah. The way her lips perfectly captured yours time and time again, it always made you feel like you were made for each other. She let her hands roam across your back and then settled them on your bum. You pulled back a couple moments later for some air, and you breathlessly leant your forehead against your girlfriend's. "Can we go inside, please? I'm getting quite cold," Leah chuckled.

Leah and you spent the rest of the evening cuddled up on the couch, telling each other about everything that happened while you spent two weeks away from each other. You ordered pizzas, opened a bottle of red wine and enjoyed your evening together.

"You can't leave me again." Leah's voice startled you as you were engrossed in the movie she had put on earlier. "Hmm?" You cocked your eyes at her. "You know, for football. You can't leave the country anymore. I miss you too much." You let out a breathy laugh and snuggled a bit deeper into her chest. "I missed you too. Spain was nice, but not nicer than here. Although it was a welcome change from all the rain."

One of Leah's hands ran through your hair while the other rested comfortably on the small of your back. You were nudged in between her legs with your head on her chest, one of your hands on the side of her face. You couldn't possibly get any closer to one another, but you wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

"I hate it when you leave. When we're not together. I know it sounds cheesy, but I just feel like a part of me is missing," Leah whispered. The room was dark, only slightly illuminated by the tv, but you could feel the sincerity in your girlfriend's gaze and words. You sit up a little and cupped her cheeks with both hands. "I will never leave you for a reason other than football or family, mi amor." You pressed a soft kiss against her lips and tried to pour all the love and adoration you had for her in the moment. Leah's hands gripped your waist tightly like she was scared you were going to leave again if she didn't hold on tight.

"Next month, just come with me. I'm sure we can get the club to fake an injury or something." You chuckled at your girlfriend's suggestion, but soon quieted down when you sensed she was being serious. "Le, you know I can't do that. As much as I love you, and I'd love to spend every moment of every day with you, I have my own football career too. And I know, deep down, that you want me to do good."

Leah sighed dramatically, throwing her head back against the arm rest of the couch. "Ugh. I guess?" She drew out the syllables of her words, feigning annoyance but you didn't miss the slight smile that crept up her lips. "Te amo, mi vida. So much. I'm yours. Forever." Leah's eyes locked with yours and you didn't miss the unshed tears that were pooling there. You brushed your thumbs over her cheeks and pressed kisses all over her face, whispering soft reassurances and declarations of your love her between the presses of your lips against her delicate skin.

No matter how many times the two of you would have to spend international breaks apart, the prospect of coming home to her was one you'd never, ever get used to or take for granted. Nothing felt more like home like Leah's arms, laying in her embrace under a soft blanket on the couch. Soft kisses and whispers shared while nursing a glass of wine, munching on some pizza that definitely wasn't on your meal plan for the week. But you wouldn't have it any other way.

[sirens-gemberry]

(Quieter) "Lies and Slander-"

@r-enegadedbi, Shuvi, Abigail, and Haley inviting Ren out with them on one of their “girl nights” and dragging them off to a boutique.

Shuvi having Ren try on a pile of outfits and each time she just shakes her head no and sends them back with another outfit.

Ren internally freaking out because are they just so unappealing that they look bad in everything?

Finally Shuvi is just like “this isn’t working, you look too adorable in everything and I’m buying you all of them.”

[dokifluffs]

Sleepy Time With His Babies | Iwaizumi, Sakusa

Pairings: Iwaizumi X Reader (female), Sakusa X Reader (female) 

Genre: domestic fluffy sleepiness 

Author’s Note: Another one

Sleepy Time With Their Babies | Atsumu, Osamu // Sleepy Time With Their Babies | Kita, Kuroo // Sleepy Time With Their Babies | Ennoshita, Akaashi // Sleepy Time With Their Babies | Kenma, Bokuto

gif from @rivaillerose 💛

Iwaizumi: 

He was physically crushing you

Did you care? Not at all

This was Hajime, a soon to be athletic trainer, someone who seemed intimidating with his muscles and overall beefiness

But here he was

Here was your hajime that melted anytime you called him cute or any other cutesy, mushy gushy nickname

He was a puddle in your arms and he didn’t care what he looked like - as long as no one else besides you or the dog saw

Even your guys’ dog was the same as him — an intimidating Rottweiler, muscular, growl so low that would make those that didn’t sit right with him, scurry far far away

His name was Zilla, short for Godzilla named by Hajime yet he was such a puppy whenever you were around, his tail wagging like crazy as he nuzzled his snout against your legs, whining whenever you went away for even just a few minutes, waiting by the door until you returned home from wherever

Yep, they were two peas in a pod

And as Hajime laid on you, Zilla laid beside you on the bedroom floor, the two of them fast asleep

Your legs tangled beneath the sheets on the gloomy day outside as rain trickled down from the clouds, tapping the windows and rooftops all throughout the city

You brushed your fingers through his hair, slowly scratching the base of his scalp as he snored lightly into your shoulder, his cheek squished against you, making his lips all pouty

No matter what angle you saw him in whenever he slept on you, you could never bring yourself to make the smile on your face falter

For someone who looked so beefy, you never knew they could look so soft at the same time yet here he was

Whenever you moved just the slightest bit, readjusting the blankets or pillows, he woke just the slightest, lifting his head off of you until you were ready and patted his head down against your body again

You held him closer, squishing him into your arms even if it didn’t feel like much to him 

a slight, sleepy smile spread on his lips, his face showing he was in true bliss while he slept on you

Domestic: 

The fire crackled in the fireplace behind the iron gate while you sat on the couch on the ground beside the coffee table and Zilla at your feet, fast asleep while your fingers rapidly typing away at your laptop, finding the recipe you needed so you could make some agedashi tofu, a favorite of Hajime’s  

Your little girl crawled about around the couches, staring out the windows seeing the tufts of snowflakes fall onto the snow covered ground, already a couple inches high

She was so small yet she saw so much of the world, it felt like she could fit the world and the universe in those eyes

You made sure to keep her away from the fireplace, not letting her get too close, steering her away, giving her one of her favorite toys, or to even hold her in your lap while you watched numerous videos of others making the tofu

though after about an hour or so, as the snowflakes only got bigger, she no longer had any interest for the things floating silently to the ground as she crawled down the hall, the baby gates keeping her from falling down the stairs or bumping into the taller dining room table 

“D/N?” you looked up, finding your little girl’s legs disappearing into the room where Hajime slept soundly, his snores kind of echoing louder into the hall now that the door was cracked wider 

she let out such a pure sounding giggle as her wide eyes fell upon her sleeping father as he laid flat on the futon fast asleep 

she crawled faster, her little hands making little thumping noises against the plush covers he slept under as she crawled and climbed onto his sleeping body 

until she finally did it 

she had successfully made her way to the top of his chest, laid right on him, a smile of wonder spreading over her chubby cheeks as she slowly rose and fell as Hajime breathed 

Hajime was still undisturbed as he slept, catching up on the hours of sleep he had missed, practically unbothered by the slightly extra weight added onto him by his little girl 

that was until she made her way toward her sleepy father, reaching her little hand to his chin, doing her best to grab him, though it would be quite some time before she could properly hold his face 

she continuously patted his chin until he woke 

it took a moment as his eyed adjusted to the sight of his baby girl, a chuckle escaping his chest as he smiled, his eyes drawing into lines 

“Hi, mochi,” his voice raspy from sleep as she cooed, her smile contagious, cheeks so chubby, Hajime just wanted to bite them

like mochi 

she adorable tilted her head side to side, shying away from the loving eyes of her papa as he tickled her, poking her puffy cheeks with his finger, getting her to easily fill the room with her giggles every time he did it 

“Wanna sleep with papa?” he hummed as he sleepily looked to her, a yawn escaping him as he reached his head up to peck a kiss to her face before he turned to his side, laying his little girl beside him, beneath the warm covers of his futon 

“nap time, moch,” he chuckled to himself as the two of them stared at each other before he gently blew a raspberry into her cheek 

her cheeks were just too irresistible to him 

gif from @rivaillerose​ 💛

Sakusa: 

His footsteps sounded through the bathroom as you stood, brushing your teeth, your hair still damp from your shower, the mirrors steamy

Kiyoomi stood behind you, his figure towering through the foggy mirror

His movements faltered before he gave in, snaking his hands from behind you, around you, letting his chest melt to your back

“You smell good,” he said but subtly sounded bubbly as he buried his face into your shoulder, bending his back to a “C” shape so he could match your height

You only smiled through the mirror as he began to sway side to side slowly while you brushed your teeth, finishing

“I did just shower, Omi,” you smiled up to your curly haired husband

The two of you paused in place as you looked up to him, adoring his features as he did the same to you, something neither of you could never get over - the fact that you two had each other

“Mmhm,” he cuddled himself even closer like a kitten when you were fresh out the shower

Your skin and body was so warm, so fresh and clean and he could hold you without letting any of his fears interfering

He stood beside you, just standing awkwardly with you in the bathroom before he followed you out to the bedroom

The two of you got into bed but before you could really settle, you were suddenly pulled into his embrace, his arms wrapping around you, his body curving to match against yours

“Aren’t you cuddly tonight,” you murmured as you turned your head back to the best of your abilities turning so you could face him

“I’m tired,” he matched your volume in the darkness

“Sleepsies,” you brushed your fingers through his hair, getting a relaxing sigh from him as he hummed in agreement

“Sleepsies,” his voice barely audible

“Goodnight,” you smiled into his chest

He held you close to him, a scenario your high school self could have imagined with the Sakusa Kiyoomi

Omg was always distant, known to be quite handsome yet no one ever had a chance with him

So many others thought he would never be with him, that no one would be good enough for him but he was a great volleyball player

And now you were a Sakusa too

Domestic: 

The sun kept him warm as he laid beneath the open blinded windows as the summer rays cast down into the living room, right onto Omi as he laid on his back, his arm draped over his eyes now that he got to relax

The house had been cleaned through his monthly sanitization day

The past few days were making his skin itch but now - it was all okay

Birds chirped in the neighborhood, outside in the distance, it was a beautiful day

The house was oddly silent as he laid on the couch, his chest slowly rising and falling

But before he could fall asleep, let his energy recharge, just before he drifted off, the smallest sounding steps approached the couch and then stopped right beside him

Omi slowly lifted his arm, turning his head to take a peek at what could be happening but he had an inkling of who it could be

And he was right

He saw his little girl, her teddy in hand as she stood beside the couch, her chin just able to reach the couch cushion

Her beady eyes looked up to him, cheeks round, her lips almost in a pout as she stood looking up to him to the best that she could, the sun shining into her eyes

“What is it, pum?” He lifted his hand, blocking the sun from hurting her eyes 

His little girl was observant, kept to herself, speaking up when asked or when she didn’t like something or if something didn’t go her way

She was just like him

She blinked looking up to him before she raised her arms, her teddy in her hand waiting patently to be lifted

“You wanna nap with me?” a smile cracked onto his lips 

and all she did was nod

“Mmhm,” he complied as he sat himself up, scooping his little girl, pushing out a yawn as he laid back down as D/N made herself comfortable on top of him before cuddling close into his side in between him and the couch 

she hugged her teddy close in her arms while Sakusa laid sort of on his side, turned toward her at a slight angle 

from the perspective of anyone else if they entered the living room, they would only see Kiyoomi’s back, and only stepping closer would they see his little girl cuddled close, the two of them fast asleep together in the summer sun as it shined in through the window

~~~~~ Thanks for reading! Masterlist for more! Please do not repost anywhere else!

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[fluffyy-dreaming]

I can have some knights headcanons, that their gender neutral s/o is fantasy-type idol?

A/N - I hope I didn’t misunderstand this one! This is a bit ooc so feel free to request again- I apologize! Thank you for requesting once again! I appreciate your support sm !!

Tsukasa Suou

Tsukasa will do as much as he can to support you in your idol career, even using his influence in Knights as well as his family’s to bring light to your idol group

Would genuinely become a fan of your group, buying your merch and attending your live shows constantly

He'll text you about his feelings about your lives extremely quickly!

He finds your voice is greatest when used in symphonic pop style music or at the very least in instances that bring out power in your voice

Tsukasa admires you greatly, even asking you for advice on Knights’ next shows and their overall aesthetic

He may be slightly awkward when asking so, but he may want for you to collaborate with Knights

He’d eventually talk about your unit quite a lot to the other members of Knights and probably will end up gushing about and promoting you on social media

Please show him previews of your next songs or live shows he has brainrot for your idol group now

He’s going to take so much inspiration from you and wants to be as great as your group, and there's a small period of time where it is very evident

Tsukasa will work even harder to become as great as you, and he’ll always stay by your side supporting you no matter what!

Arashi Narukami

A fantasy themed idol? How adorable!

She’s so happy to be dating someone so talented!

The fact that you’re an idol gives her an excuse to bring you out to karaoke

She wouldn’t mind covering one of your songs or doing a duet together!

Would most likely promote you on social media as well, taking pictures with you or showing her collection of merch of your group, more specifically your merch

Arashi's particular favorites are, of course, sweet and cutesy songs paired with frilly or princess-esque clothes and props

She may become slightly envious of how often you wear varieties of brighter and more feminine clothes, at least compared to Knights

“<Y/N>, your recent live show costumes were so cuuute! May you be so kind to help with Knights’ next costumes?”

While she may not be particularly invested in fantasy, your unit made her significantly more invested in various fantasy tropes and tales

Arashi would love to try on some of your unit outfits or at the very leasts design similar or matching ones related to fairy tail couples

She’d love to accept any advice on maintaining hair and skin care or tips on remaining high energy on stage

Whenever she can, she loves to involve herself in your hobbies and interests, and if it involves your idol work, she’ll gladly and naturally become your biggest fan!

Leo Tsukinaga

As soon as Leo attends your live show, his eyes light up from how much inspiration he gets from your live shows

He already enjoys writing songs about you but he feels so exhilarated as he finds even more topics to explore in his songs from yours!

Both the reason listed above and simply the experience of hearing his favorite being in the world sing so passionately motivates him quite a lot

“Will you pleeease show me a preview of your next song? I can’t help but wish to listen to your angelic voice forever!!”

His favorite songs are more grand and over-the-top, the best songs from a fantasy themed unit will truly show the thrill of an adventure in such a world!

If Tsukasa talks “a bit more than usual” about your unit, Leo will most likely only talk about how lovely you are on stage for several days, most likely tiring out Izumi

He can’t help talk about you! It awes him how collected you are on stage

Leo would gladly have your group collaborate or have you help out with song writing

Leo makes a habit of supporting you through surprising you by appearing backstage to encourage you or in the audience

While he’s a songwriter, he’d try his best to come up with set designs or themes, possibly offering you props he designed

He’s so happy to have such a wonderful s/o in his life to positively affect so many aspects of his life

Don’t be scared to come to him for ideas as well!

Ritsu Sakuma

As much as Ritsu loves you, Ritsu isn’t the best at displaying his enthusiasm

He supports, you of course! But he'd often tell you how well you did or summarize his feelings into "you did great once again" as he plays with your hair or snuggles you

One thing you often pick up on and walk in on Ritsu doing is listening to your songs and rewatching your live shows, his favorites being more calm or gothic, and he enjoys seeing you in silkier, flowier, and occasionally frilly dark clothes

It make him feel at peace to listen to you when you’re gone

Ritsu enjoys sharing interests with his s/o, yet understanding the difficulties of being an idol, he‘d make sure to monitor your health and that you’re spending time off

He’d often try to help you backstage and would bring you refreshments or a towel to help you cool down afterwards

Ritsu feels inclined to help you with sewing your outfits, or even adding simple things like laces or making sure to tidy them before you're off to perform at a live show

He does find you to be quite cute in your outfits regardless of if you made them on your own or he helped (he does prefer the latter, though), and will find more opportunities to cuddle with you because of how busy you've been

”<Y/N>, you must have been working hard, haven’t you? It’s time you rest up, come here with me.”

Ritsu enjoys praising you for how hard you work and is sure to acknowledge your hard work

Sometimes he'll take pieces of your costumes and hug them while you're busy as he's extremely clingy and misses you very easily

He'll often ask for you to sing your songs to him as you cuddle and fall asleep

As much as he loves supporting you, don’t forget to make time for him, okay?

Izumi Sena

Similar to Ritsu, he wouldn’t openly admit he adores you as an idol as well

He’d attend your live shows, but be slightly defensive if you bring it up, making up poor excuses as to why he's there

Izumi would moreso show appreciation by giving criticism, though he may accidentally, as per usual, offend you

“Your dance moves are so sloppy! Surely you can do better than that, right?”

God, that outfit looks so childish.. I’ll fix it so you won’t embarrass yourself.”

Despite his busy schedule, he’ll do his best to clear it up to be able to help you with your dance routines and costumes

As much as he denies it, he loves spending anytime with you, and loves being apart of your passions and helping you succeed

He enjoys being depended on!

Even if he calls fantasy themes childish or idiotic, he‘ll still stay up quite a bit to come up with ideas for songs or design props and outfits.

It wouldn’t hurt to take some inspiration from your oh-so-kind boyfriend, right?

Don’t worry he really does want you to succeed and he does think highly of you

Which is why he’s using all of his knowledge from working in Knights to help you

After all, Knights is quite fantasy themed already!

Maybe you’d be able to collaborate sometime?

[shuadotcom]

The Smell of Spring | KTH

✿ Pairing: Taehyung x Female!Reader ✿ Genre: Fluff, slice of life, established relationship ✿ Word Count: 1.6k ✿ Rating: G ✿ Warnings: None ✿ Summary: Taehyung loves procrastinating almost as much as he loves you. ✿ A/N: This is an older work of mine that I’ve edited and re-written. A simple little fluffy piece.

"Noona, I don't want to do this!" Taehyung whined, throwing his hands in the air.

You looked up from your laptop at your boyfriend who was frowning so hard you were sure his mouth would become stuck that way. "Taehyung, you don't even have much left to do. You only have like half a page left of questions."

Taehyung dropped his head onto the dining room table and made a high pitched groaning noise. "But it's half a page too much! Besides, it's so nice outside and we're stuck inside doing work!" He gestured to the open window closest to you. You absolutely loved spring and all of the smells it brought with it. Grass that was finally growing again, flowers that were blooming, the fresh air that was transitioning from cold to warm. You made sure to always leave your windows open during the day so the smells could waft into the apartment.

"Well, I only have a page left of my paper to type so when we're both finished, we can go to the park and get ice cream."

"Or...we could go now." He beamed at you and batted his eyelashes.

"Your cutesy act won't work today, Tae." The brunette boy pouted and let out a sigh. He looked down at the computer screen in front of him, finding it completely uninteresting. He was trying to be more serious about becoming more fluent in English, but he was not feeling it today. He glanced back over at you and saw how intensely you were staring at your screen as your fingers flew over the keyboard.

"Hey, babe, what class are you doing homework for again?" He asked.

You glanced up at Taehyung briefly. "I’m writing a paper for my sociology class.”

“Do you like that class?” 

“It’s fine. My professor is a little boring, but overall it’s pretty interesting.” You went back to typing, slipping back into the zone. 

"What’s your favorite class out of the ones you’re taking this semester?” He asked after a few more minutes of silence.

"Taehyung, stop procrastinating, and do your work." You deadpanned, already knowing what he was trying to do.

Taehyung let out a groan of defeat and rested his chin in the palm of his hand. "I really hate this."

You loved your boyfriend, but truly you had never met anyone so dramatic (okay that was a lie seeing how you knew both Park Jimin and Kim Seokjin). "I told you I would help you if you needed it. Did you forget that English is my first language?"

“And I told you that I can do this by myself. It’s not learning if you tell me the answers, duh babe.”

You rolled your eyes at him. “Well then shut it and learn something!” Your tone was joking as you looked for the closest thing next to you to throw at him. You grabbed a nearby napkin you had used to wipe some dust off of your computer screen, balled it up, and tossed it across the table, watching it bounce off of Taehyung’s nose. You couldn’t help the loud laugh that slipped out of you as you looked at his blank expression.

"Noona, did you just throw a used napkin at me?" His tone was flat and he wore his signature, extremely intimidating stare.

"Y-yes?" Judging by the look on his face, you weren't sure whether or not you wanted to answer him. Taehyung was up and around the table in a flash. His hands were at your sides in an instant and he somehow managed to wrestle you to the carpet in between your shrieks.

You continued to thrash and giggle while Taehyung's long fingers dug into your sides. "K-Kim Taehyung, you stop it th-this instant!" Between Taehyung's weight on you and your hysterical laughter, you were having a hard time breathing, plus, you felt as though you’d wet yourself soon if he kept it up.

With a few more prods to your soft skin, Taehyung finally stopped, his hands going to either side of your head so you could get your breathing back. Your cheeks were a bright red and you were panting, but there was still a smile on your lips.

"You suck," you whispered.

"But you love me," Taehyung said matter of factly. He smiled down warmly at you, making your heart flutter. You did love him. A lot.

The two of you stayed like that for a few more minutes before Taehyung leaned down, his lips ghosting over your ear. You felt your heartbeat pick up because of your proximity and in anticipation as to what he'd say.

"Noona, can we go out and get ice cream now?" You scoffed and pushed his chest to get him from above you.

"That's all you're using me for, isn't it!? To buy you sweet frozen treats!" You exclaimed teasingly.

"No, of course not. I'm also using you for your amazing beef stew which I hope we're having for dinner." He flashed you another wonderful smile. You rolled your eyes and shimmied away from the younger boy.

"Fine. I'll grab my purse then we'll go get ice cream, but after that, we are coming right back and you are finishing your studies! Promise?"

"Yes, I promise!" Taehyung jumped to his feet and saluted you before running to the front door for his shoes. You followed behind him at a normal pace to gather your things.

Not even twenty minutes later, you two were strolling hand in hand in the park, both enjoying your ice cream. It was warm out but not hot enough for either of you to complain. The wind was blowing slightly, occasionally making your skirt billow at your knees. You made sure to savor the times like this that you spent together.

Being with Taehyung when he wasn't busy recording song lyrics or practicing choreography was your favorite. It was the days when he was off and he could relax that you loved. It's not that you weren't supportive, you were just concerned. No matter how much he claimed he had everything under control and that he was fine, he was still only a person. You had seen him practice the same dance moves over and over again until he looked ready to pass out. He had spent days, nearly weeks with you, forgetting to eat or hydrate when his mind was focused on a comeback. He was the most precious person to you and you made sure to never take his time with you for granted.

"Hello!? Y/n!?" You were taken from your reverie by Taehyung's hand waving wildly in your face. You blinked and looked up at him.

"Yes?"

"You were spacing out. I was trying to tell you about the park in Tokyo that the guys and I went to, but you weren't listening," he said before taking a few licks of his ice cream cone.

"I was paying attention!"

Taehyung shook his head quickly. "No, you weren't. When you're thinking about something important, your eyebrows scrunch up and your lips do this really cute pouty thing."

You opened your mouth to object then shut it. It wasn't the first time someone had told you that your facial expressions were like a guide to what you were thinking or feeling. Jungkook made fun of you all of the time because you had the worst poker face in the world and always told you that being a professional liar was most certainly not in your future. You sighed and gripped Taehyung's hand tighter. "It's just that...I'm really happy you have these next few weeks off is all."

That bright, boxy smile you loved so much broke out across Taehyung's face. "I'm happy I do too! I'm so glad I get to spend so much time with my favorite girl." He released your hand only to loop his long arm around your shoulders and pull you closer to his body. You wrapped your arm around his waist and made sure there was barely any space between your bodies. Taehyung leaned down, catching your lips in a short, sweet kiss. You felt your face flush for the second time that day because of Kim Taehyung. 

When he pulled away, he winked at you before placing a second kiss on your forehead and resuming the walk. You decided to keep your other thoughts to yourself and let the warm, comfortable silence between the two of you hang in the air for a bit longer. You wanted to enjoy the moment with him and pushed any thoughts of worry to the side.

Once you had your fill of fresh air and your ice cream was long gone, you returned to your apartment. Taehyung immediately made a bee-line to your small kitchen, but you quickly grabbed his wrist and stopped him in his tracks.

"You stop right there! English work first, then I'll start dinner. You just had ice cream anyway. You promised you'd finish when we got back, remember?" Taehyung let out a long sigh before trudging over to the dining room table and plopping in front of his long-forgotten laptop. You smiled and went back to your homework, trying to figure out where you had left off.

"You know, I'm only doing this because I love you," Taehyung mumbled after a few minutes of sulking.

"I love you too, Taehyung." He didn't reply, but you saw the corners of his mouth quirk up into a tiny smile even though he kept his head down. You felt his jean-clad leg rub against yours before they intertwined under the table. You stayed like that as you both worked, letting this simple, seemingly plain gesture say everything else you wanted to say to each other and more.

[walkerismychoice]

Unwritten - Chapter 2

Book: Platinum

Pairing: M!Raleigh X MC

Rating: This series will contain mature themes. Any necessary warnings will be listed before each chapter, but the overall series rating is 18+

Series Summary: Newly discovered talent Aria Campbell get unknowingly assigned to help write Raleigh Carerra’s latest album and rehabilitate his image in the process.

Summary:  Aria and Raleigh start settling into the beach house. Things could be going better.

Word Count: 1868

Master List

Kidz Bop?! Aria can't decide if she's more mortified or pissed off at Raleigh's response to the prospect of writing his album with her. At 22, she can't be more than 5 years younger than him, maybe less, but she hasn't kept up with his personal details other than catching an occasional tabloid headline. And sure, she might be from a small Midwestern town, but between her outfit, an off the shoulder royal blue top and distressed black jeans, and her long, wavy black hair, she thinks she comes off as cool but not trying too hard. But what if the fact that she thinks that means she's not cool at all? Whatever. Maybe she should just slap a big snake tattoo on her neck and then Raleigh would respect her. Does he think all those dumb tattoos make him edgy? His tattoos are kind of hot though....No, scrub that thought. Raleigh Carerra is proving to be nothing more than the arrogant bad boy the media makes him out to be.

"Okay then..." Aria mutters under her breath, more of a question than a statement.

Fiona glares towards the Escalade. "Just hold on." She charges forward and tries to open Raleigh's door, but of course it's locked. "Hank!" she calls out but he's already anticipating what she wants, unlocking the doors before she asks, and she flings the door open. "Raleigh, get out of the car."

Raleigh scoffs, "I'd rather quit making music than write this sell-out album just to make the label more money. I don't need any of this."

"Have you forgotten that Ellis and the legal team at Overknight Records helped keep you out of jail? It's not too late for charges to be filed. This was the deal. You make this last record, redeem your image, and then you can do whatever the hell you want. Until then, you are going to apologize to this very talented young woman, and then get your ass in that house and start writing with her. Unless you want a felony on your record. You wouldn't look so bad in orange I suppose..."

"Oh, fuck off, Fiona," Raleigh grumbles as he gets back out of the car.

"I'd be glad to, but if you remember our contract, I don't get my bonus until you finish this album. The sooner you finish, the sooner you can be rid of me nagging you all the time. So like I said, get a move on. Oh! Before I forget..." Fiona reaches in her pocket and hands Aria a key and and an archaic looking cell phone and then does the same for Raleigh.

"The fuck is this? I didn't know they still made these." Raleigh pries open the basic flip phone, navigating the limited features. He attempts to key in a number before frustration sets in and he seems about ready to chuck the phone into the ocean. "This piece of shit doesn't text or dial out."

Fiona smiles smugly as the scene unfolds. "Oh it works perfectly fine...but only for approved, pre-programmed numbers."

Curious as to who's in her list, Aria powers up her phone and checks the contacts. Her mom, dad, and sister, as expected, along with some professional contacts including Hank and Fiona. She's pleasantly surprised they included Shane as well. Aria had put him as one of her emergency contacts, so they must trust her judgement as far as he's concerned. Her nerves start to settle ever so slightly with this lifeline.

Looking at his list, Raleigh scoffs and snaps the phone shut. "Is this a joke?" His hardened features are a bit disconcerting, piquing Aria's curiosity.

"I can assure you each of your lists was carefully selected to facilitate your creative process. Now, I'll leave you both to it." Fiona turns and heads in the opposite direction of the beach house.

"Where are you going?" Aria asks, concern creeping into her voice. Normally she doesn't need someone to hold her hand, but these aren't normal circumstances, and she's not quite ready for Fiona to leave her alone. She kind of feels like a kindergartner being dropped off for her first day of school to be honest.

"To the guest house. Where Frank and I are staying," Fiona replies.

"I knew there was something going on between you two." Raleigh chimes in with a devilish grin.

Hank coughs. "That would be unprofessional."

"There are two bedrooms," Fiona adds, rolling her eyes.

Now Aria's panicking a little inside. Or maybe a lot. She's expected to stay alone with this very intimidating celebrity who very well may hate her already?

"Wouldn't it make more sense for us all to stay together? The main house is more than big enough," she suggests .

Fiona lets out a terse laugh. "No. Absolutely not. It's enough that Hank and I have to stay and babysit to ensure this project gets done. We can't be bothered by singing and music playing at all hours. Think of it as a gift that you won't have to consider our sleeping habits while you work."

"I don't care who stays where, but I just need to know where my bed is at. It's 11am, and I should still be sleeping for at least a few more hours yet." Raleigh tilts his head towards the back of the truck, directing Hank. "You can bring my bags to my room." He takes off, the scent of alcohol hanging in the air as he passes.

Must be nice to order people around like that, Aria thinks as she reaches for the bags in the trunk. She's not too good to carry her own luggage.

"Ms. Campbell," Hank places a hand on her arm to stop her. "That's not necessary. Why don't you go inside and start settling in while I bring in your things."

Well, he is offering. It would be rude to turn him down, wouldn't it? Aria follows Raleigh into the house, and not wanting to ruffle any feathers more than she has merely just for existing in his space, she stands back and allows him to select his room first.

While she waits, Aria takes a look around. Although the exterior style of the home hints at its age, the inner design is exactly as modern and kept up as Aria would expect at a place where celebrities stay, with lots of white, shades of blue and blue-green accents, and nautical themed decor scattered about.

In the great room stands a gorgeous white baby grand piano that probably, no definitely, costs more than everything Aria owns combined. Aria steps over, gently striking a key, and for the first time since she signed the contract, begins to allow herself to get excited about making music here.

"Ms. Campbell?" Hank breaks Aria's chain of thought. "Where would you like me to put your things?"

"Oh...I need to pick out my room." She jogs up the stairs ans Hank follows. There are 6 rooms total, three on either side of the corridor. The first two are a bit smaller with bunk beds, so Aria counts them out, but the next two have promise.

As she approaches the last pair, one door is slightly, ajar and she notices Raleigh passed out face down and snoring on the bed already. Of course he would choose the master bedroom for himself, but as Aria looks at the remaining bedroom, she doesn't really mind. Although she considers taking one of the bunk bed rooms just to be as far from him as possible, she cant resist the spacious yet cozy space with a king-size bed and seaside view.

"I'll take this one." Aria directs Frank and he gently places her suitcases on the floor before excusing himself.

Aria kicks of her sandals and plops on the bed, staring up at the textured ceiling. Now that she's alone, she has no idea what to do with herself. Obviously getting straight to work with Raleigh is out of the question but that doesn't mean she cant try to get started. Pulling out her song journal, she stares at a blank page and laughs because if she doesn't laugh, she might cry. To say she's overwhelmed would he an understatement, and if she hadn't signed a contract, she might be calling her mom to come pick her up, proving to be a failure once again. At least their's a binding piece of paper to keep her from quitting this time. Maybe a walk on the beach is what she needs to pull herself together.

It's a typical June day, warm and sunny but not scorchingly hot, and a light breeze brings gentle waves rolling ashore, not quite reaching the hem of her rolled up jeans as Aria dips her toes in. She closes her eyes, taking in the smell of the salty sea air. The only sounds to be heard on the deserted stretch of private beach are the water crashing against the sand and some seagulls chattering in the distance. If not quite inspiration yet, the ocean is at least bringing a sense of calm, an escape she'll have when she needs it.

Aria wades around, walks up and down the oceanfront a few times before deciding she should probably go face reality. That or at least go get some food since her stomach is grumbling, and it's likely well past lunch time. She meanders to the kitchen and opens up the refrigerator, delighted to see its been fully stocked, and settles on some sandwich fixings.

"Ahh!" She let's out a startled yelp as she whirls around to place her items on the kitchen island only to be stopped short as she crashes into a tall figure.

"Easy there, Chiquita," Raleigh grasps Aria's arms to steady her. "You might want to watch where you're going."

Momentarily mesmerized by his firm grip and the sparkle in his eyes, Aria shakes free and comes to her senses. She's too annoyed at the moment to be intimidated by his star status or won over by his charms. "You could clearly see me here and anticipate where I'd be headed. And my name is Aria." She plunks the food down on the counter with a thud for emphasis.

"But you're so small." Raleigh pats her on the head.

There's a time and a place for cutesy nicknames, but this is so not it. "Again, my name is Aria, and as your colleague, I ask you to refer to me by my given name." She should stop there but she can't help herself. "And for your information, I'm average height."

Raleigh shrugs. "Well you're still shorter than me...Anyway, what's for breakfast? I'm famished."

Aria rolls her eyes with a huff, already mid preparation. "I'm making myself a sandwich for lunch. What you decide to make yourself isn't really my concern."

Raleigh chuckles. "You're feistier than I thought. I like it."

Her cheeks are burning and she lies to herself that it's all out of anger. Without another word she finishes up and scurries upstairs to eat and stew in her room in peace. Raleigh Carrera won't get the best of her today. At least not that she'll let him see.

[amphtaminedreams]

Paris Haute Couture Week S/S 2020 Plus a Little Jacquemus: Okay, Dior DID Suck (Part 2/2)

Hi to anyone reading,

First of all, thank you! I have never had a post do as well as the part 1 of my haute couture week review did and I am so overwhelmed with the positive feedback. This is probably funny to read for those of you getting thousands of reblogs on your posts, me acting like I won an academy award because I got a couple of hundred, but honestly I don’t expect any traction when I write on here (it’s basically just me word vomiting everything I’m thinking as if people want to hear it aka. mouthing off into what I thought was the void) so if you did read it, thank you! I do spend a long-ass time on these so it means a lot:-)

I’ll leave the self-indulgent ramble there though as it’s probably not what you came for and jump straight into part 2 of my thoughts, starting with Jacquemus. Yeah, I knew what I was doing when I tagged that in my last post. Simon Porte Jacquemus is the man of the *fashion* people right now; I’ve even found myself coming round to the Le Chiquito bag despite my original thought being “well, that’s fucking useless”. I know, I know, technically it’s not haute couture; it was part of Men’s Fashion Week, but it happened around the same time and everyone was talking about it on Twitter, so I feel like I have to include it.

In a way, it kind of reminds me of Bottega Veneta’s last RTW show, in that, especially with the women’s outfits, we seem to be sticking with simple, fitted garments and chunky, more statement jewellery. I’ve got to say I like the styling here a lot more though, and in general I’m a fan of this collection. The collared tops with cut outs underneath blazers are cool and I can’t wait until it gets warm enough for me to not feel dumb wearing my headscarfs like this; there’s a LOT of summer outfit inspiration. It’s not a mind-blowing collection or anything but it is effortlessly sexy and that’s something I wish I could say about myself. Most of us can only hope to look half as good as these models do whilst making the effort but at least Jacquemus is aspirational, lol. 

I also fucking adore this colour palette. I’m sick of neutrals literally just meaning brown and white; the navy, sand and muted khaki is a fresh edition to what is usually interpreted as the colours you’d seen worn by Disney’s Riverboat Cruise staff and only Disney’s Riverboat Cruise staff. And I mean, come on-what is more neutral than typical English school carpet blue.

Next for the whole reason I had to make this haute couture week review 2 separate posts: Jean Paul Gaultier’s final show.

In the best way possible, it’s a lot. I don’t even really know where to start, except to say that I guess this is a fitting last show; a celebration of everything campy, messy, weird, performative, and punk is the perfect send off for a brand whose best known perfume of the last few years is called Scandal. More than anything, the final show represented the range of characters and cultures that have influenced JPG throughout his half-a-decade-long career, the lines that supposedly separate what is “masculine” and “feminine”, “old” and “young” and ultimately art and fashion blurred in the most exaggerated way possible. Sure, there are some looks which are individually a bit messy here but the way they were grouped into almost chapter-like segments meant that when you see them all together, they work. Nods to the patterns and structures that recurred from season to season were sprinkled throughout, from sailor stripes to corsets to the expected whirlwinds of colour. I’ll even allow the wellies in that one outfit; if I can get over bucket hats in Peter fucking Pilotto’s last RTW show, I can get over some questionable shoes here. Middle aged fishermen and boys who liked to pose with monster carp in their Tinder pictures as some weird display of masculinity everywhere rejoice.

Now onto a show that I personally found slightly disappointing: Margiela.

I think this one is a bit TOO weird for me. Like if you’re gonna go avant-garde, go all out. Chiffon gimp masks (I don’t know if that’s the intention here but that’s what I’m getting, sorry Maison) are something I’m not particularly fond of and I’ve never been a fan of the Tabi boots in the first place, let alone when they’ve seemingly been blown up to Michelin man style proportions. I didn’t find the show to be a total lost cause-I enjoyed the colour palette and I’ve always liked that contrast stitching detail, plus the bowler hats are interesting-but on the whole considering how much I liked the last RTW show, this is a bit of a let down. 

The looks I included are salvageable but (I feel mean saying this) there were genuinely a lot of pieces that did just resemble bits of fabric draped over each over with no discernible rhyme or reason, so much so that they reminded me of some of the monstrosities I saw at a Drag Race pub quiz this one time where we had 5 mins to make some garms out of loo roll and then have a team member model them for points down a makeshift runway. 

Ralph and Russo was alright. There were a few pieces that I really liked but again, I can’t help but compare this collection to the last, where it felt like the fussy details of bows and sequins and feathers and the Barbie Dreamhouse palette were utilised with a direction in mind. Here, I don’t get that. As ever, the gowns are gorgeous and I’d pay good money just to try one on for five minutes but as an overall collection I’d say there was a lack of higher vision, which is probably the snobbiest sentence I’ve ever written so forgive me.

As for Ronald Van Der Kemp, I could’ve done without including it to be honest, if it weren’t for the few pieces I’m in love with: the velvet cape, fur trimmed jacket and blue satin dress are probably my favourite pieces here.

So onto a collection I liked a lot more: Schiaparelli. 

The influence of nature from flowers in bloom to insects to the organic structure of the human skeleton is as present as ever, though this collection includes a lot more delicate symbolism than usual. Honestly, the details make it for me; the brooches, earrings and facial jewellery are other-worldly touches to outfits that could otherwise be simple fashion magazine editor on-the-go. That’s not in itself a bad thing! The suits are gorgeous. I mean, I’m talking fashion editor in New York in a power suit yelling orders down the phone while she rushes along with a coffee. A Miranda Priestley in the making type woman. THAT’S a modern take on the divine feminine that Maria Grazia should’ve been going for; our goddesses aren’t women who sit around looking pretty (though that helps too) and place curses on mere mortals anymore, they’re women who get shit done. 

With regards to Valentino, which was also a delight, let me start by saying this colour palette is EVERYTHING. It’s ugly sisters in Cinderella fantastic, and we know those 2 were the real fashion icons really. Other than that, I adore the Old Hollywood silhouettes from the gloves to the Liz Taylor-in-Cleopatra-level-dramatic earrings. Everything is opulent and expensive-looking and pretty much what we’ve all come to expect from Valentino. A strong 8/10.

For me personally, Viktor and Rolf was a standout and one of my favourite collections of haute couture week. It’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea and I know it’s at the complete opposite end of the spectrum to what was probably my other favourite collection, Elie Saab, but this is just my style down to a T, the perfect balance of grungy and cutesy that I want to achieve. 

There’s probably going to be a lot of objections to the temporary face tattoos and I get that, but I think they’re fucking sick. I obviously wouldn’t get a permanent one lest my mother murder me in cold blood however if I did, you bet I would be pairing them with frilly-ass babydoll dresses that you could pick up in Camden Market like this. 

And last but not least (that would be Dior), there’s Zuhair Murad.

Sigh.

IDK, man. Seeing Zuhair Murad dresses on Tumblr and WeHeartIt (remember that site? It still exists!) as a 14 year old was one of the things that got me into fashion, so it sucks that almost every time a new collection comes around, I feel underwhelmed. Disappointingly, the brand hasn’t really progressed all that much since 2013. It goes without saying that the stoning and the embroidery and sequins are stunning and would make anyone feel like a princess but from a critical point of view, I’m just not seeing anything new here. Whereas I feel like Elie Saab, for example, reflected the growing fascination with East Asian fashion and recognition of the supremacy of the region’s street style in his haute couture last collection, Zuhair Murad seems to be stuck designing the same dresses he was 6 years ago. 

To pick one example, the rounded stoned necklines are so outdated that they’ve been making their way onto department store prom dresses for years. I get that it’s supposed to be a reference to Ancient Egyptian style and I respect that, I was one of those 8 year old that was obsessed with mummies and the “Curse of Tutankhamun”, but couldn’t it be done in a more interesting way? It’s Maria Grazia’s spin on Ancient Greece all over again. Now I get how how the I imagine very niche subsection of people who are into fashion and Julius Caesar (okay, so I don’t even know if they still believed in mythology and all that malarky at that point in history but just roll with my comparison here) might’ve felt going through Vogue Runway. Anyway, I hate to end on a critical note and so be clear, these are still absolutely magnificent dresses. If we ignore those ugly round necklines, that is.

So that’s it for this post! If you read part 1 and 2, I hope you enjoyed it! As always, let me know your opinions and feel free to disagree. I’m literally just about to start trawling through all the A/W 2020 RTW collections though I imagine that’s gonna take me way longer to do than this, so I wouldn’t expect that for a month or two. In the meantime, I’m trying to fit shooting a Euphoria-inspired lookbook into my days off work which is looking atm like it’s going to be the end of March, so look out for that, and also a review of the red carpet fashion from this season’s award shows. 

As ever, thank you so much for reading and again, thank you for the reception on part 1 if you were one of the people that read it. It makes staying up til 3am with the jitters seem worthwhile, lol! 

Lauren x

[rike-with-love]

Melody of our Hearts (chapter 3)

Pairings: Okikagu, Gintsu (minor), Takaban (minor)

Rating: M for mature content, bad language, fluff, light angst, enemies to friends to lovers

Disclaimer: I don’t own Gintama or it’s characters, Sorachi Hideaki does. I only own this story.

Chapter 3

<- Previous chapter ~~ Next Chapter ->

The grand outdoor concert was just two days away and Kagura had trained for her performance like a madwoman.

Otsu had planned a very simple choreography for Kagura and she would be forever grateful to her fellow idol for doing so.

After another practice session Kagura felt  better about her performance. But still, she had her doubts. It was like Kagura wasn't at the level she should already be.

Dancing is fun so why can't I get it right, Kagura cursed to herself as she went through the steps in her head.

”Hey Otsu,” Kagura called as they were changing out of their training clothes.

”Yeah?”

Kagura slipped her pastel pink overall skirt over her white t-shirt. ”Thanks for being so patient with me,” she said.

It was true that Kagura knew the steps, but somehow she had difficulties with making the choreo look graceful. And it pained her. She wanted nothing more than to execute Otsu's vision perfectly.

”Oh come on, don't be silly,” Otsu said waved her hand at Kagura. ”You're doing a great job for someone who hasn't danced a lot of choreos.”

”Heh...thanks”, Kagura said and smiled a bit.

”I mean, you have the steps down already. All you have to do now is to get out of your head,” Otsu said and walked closer to the dance studio's mirror.

Kagura followed the girl, she felt puzzled by her words. ”What do you mean by that?”

Otsu tightened her bright purple side ponytail and glanced at Kagura. ”You think about the steps too much.”

”Oh,” Kagura said and scratched her right temple.

”Dancing is about feeling the steps, otherwise you'll just look like a robot”, Otsu explained. ”Do you know what I mean?”

Kagura understood exactly what she was saying. It just wasn't so easy to do that. ”Yeah...I just need to practice some more.”

”Sure, I come and help you when I have the time,” Otsu said and picked up her favourite piece of clothing from the floor. A canary yellow leather jacket. She wore it with everything, no matter the weather or the occasion, Otsu rocked that jacket.

Kagura had always admired the fellow idol for her bold and edgy look. A canary yellow wasn't a color for everyone. Usually Otsu wore a lot of black clothes, with a sprinkle of purple or yellow here and there. Nets and leather seemed to be her favourite materials.

As punk as Otsu's look was, her personality was the opposite. She was sweet as a pie, silly and very talented to top it all off. Otsu was always there to help everyone in need and that was actually the biggest reason Kagura liked her so much.

Today Otsu had chosen black skinny jeans and a black loose t-shirt with a text: black is my happy color. A classic look from Otsu.

Kagura also tightened her ponytails in front of the mirror. She had her vermillion hair pulled into two pigtails on the back of her head.

Kagura was more into cutesy things rather than chains and studs. Her pink overall skirt's hem reached just above her knees so it worked perfectly as a dress. Kagura had attached matching pink fluffy pompoms to her pigtails just for fun. She was truly a sucker for everything cute.

Kagura huffed quietly in front of the mirror.

”What is it?” Otsu asked and turned to look at Kagura.

”Well...I just realized that I'm running out of time with my practicing.”

”Ah...yeah. Two days to go.”

Kagura exhaled deeply, pushing the air forcefully through her mouth. She looked like a wide eyed puffer fish with her puckered lips. Otsu couldn't help but to giggle a bit.

”I'm sure you'll pull it off,” Otsu said.

”Heh...maybe,” Kagura hummed. ”I'm just glad I'm performing first...so I don't have to go right after the great dancing squad.”

Otsu giggled again. ”For me it's quite the opposite.”

”Huh?”

”Gura...you're hands down the best singer in here. The rest of us have to push really hard to reach even half of your level.”

”Pppffffff!”

”You don't have to be so modest”, Otsu chuckled.

Kagura loved singing, she really did. Otsu wasn't the first one to tell her she was a great singer. Gintoki was the very first person to point it out to her and his words impacted her deeply. From a young age, she began to hone her natural talent.

”Eh, we should get going already, yes”, Kagura said to change the subject.

She knew she was a wonderful singer and a very confident one too, but at this very moment Otsu's sweet words unfortunately fell to deaf ears. Kagura was a perfectionist, and her lacking dance skills bothered her.

Kagura knew that she had a lot of growing up to do. Mostly with being able to cut some slack to herself. Then again, she was an artist. Is there even such a thing as a mellow, always self-forgiving artist? I think not.

For Kagura, aiming for perfection was her fuel and bringing joy to people was he rgoal.

”Right, Shinpachi told us to come to the break room”, Otsu recalled. ”I'm ready if you are.”

”Yup, let's go,” Kagura chirped.

* *

Before Kagura and Otsu entered the break-room, both could hear some voices coming from inside. It sounded like a flock of hens assembled into a tiny space, which obviously meant that the four remaining members of Sugar Addicts were already there.

Sugar Addicts consisted of five members: Otsu, Yunah, Minty, Ruby and Soyeon.

Yunah was the oldest, she had long black hair with slightly overgrown bangs. She was serious a person with a calm voice. Similar to Otsu, she showed a more passionate side when she was performing, especially during dancing.

Minty and Ruby were identical twins. They both shared a great passion for music from a young age and aiming to be idols together felt like the most natural thing to do. Minty had long black hair with turquoise tips and Ruby had the same cut but with red tips.

Soyeon was the youngest of the group. She had dark brown shoulder length hair. She appeared to be innocent and quiet girl, but behind closed doors she had an opinion about everything. A quality that could help her or hurt her.

As the girls entered the room, a cheerful greeting was the first thing they heard. ”Otsu-ya! Gura-ya!*” Minty said with a smile and waved her hand.

”Hi guys!” Kagura said and lifted her hand at the girls.

All four of them were sitting on a big green couch which Gintoki had provided for the break-room. It was actually his old couch, but Kagura wasn't going to tell anyone that secret piece of information.

Kagura and Otsu sat on the floor next to the couch. ”You had vocal lessons today, right?” Otsu asked her band mates.

”Yeah, we practiced a lot with Kawakami-nim”, Minty said.

”He was worried for you Otsu”, Yunah said, voice as soft as silk.

”Really? Why?” Otsu asked.

”He said you should focus more on yourself rather than helping others all the time,” Soyeon said nonchalantly. She threw a look at Kagura during her words, arousing a lift of an eyebrow from the surprised girl.

Intentiously or not, it felt like she threw some serious shade on Kagura's way. Luckily for Soyeon, Kagura was too tired to stir up anything from a small thing like that. She just stared Soyeon deep into her brown eyes to show her that she heard the comment loud and clear.

Otsu tried to avoid confrontation at all costs, so she laughed nervously to defuse the slight tension surrounding the small space. ”Ah, stop worrying girls. I'm seeing Kawakami-nim later today.”

Yunah crossed her arms loosely. ”Good.”

”Ah, did Shinpachi-shi* tell you to come here too?” Ruby asked.

”Yes, he wanted to talk about the concert”, Otsu said.

”Well then...I guess we have time to kill before he gets here,” Soyeon said and sighed a little.

”Hmm...Patsuan is usually on time... I hope everything is okay,” Kagura worried and scratched her neck.

Otsu giggled. ”You call him Patsuan?”

”Is he your boyfriend or something?” Soyeon teased.

Kagura frowned her brows and huffed dramatically. ”NO! I've just known him for many years, yes.”

”Ne, I think Soyeon was only joking, right?” Ruby said.

”Maybe, maybe not,” Soyeon snarled. Her annoyingly vague answer raised some frustration in Kagura, but it appeared to amuse the rest of the girls.

”Whatever, I don't care,” Kagura muttered. ”Shinpachi is like a brother to me and that's that.”

Otsu stroked Kagura's arm gently, she felt bad that her friend felt attacked. She firmly believed it was the pressure of the concert pressing on everyone's shoulders that caused some rudeness from some of her band mates.

”Why don't we watch some tv to pass the time,” Otsu suggested.

Minty snatched the remote control from a small round coffee table. ”Great idea Otsu unnie*.”

All six girls turned their attention to the small screen. Kagura hoped that there would be some re-runs of her favorite dramas or something light-hearted like that.

Minty switched channels like she was looking for the holy grail of tv shows. Ruby grew tired of her sisters channel surfing and tried to take the remote to away from her. It naturally resulted in some feisty sibling banter.

Kagura lost all hope on ever getting to watch any show. She shifted her focus on the white walls of the room.

She thought it would be amazing to decorate the walls of the break room with photos from everyone. Pictures of upcoming concerts, tours, music video shoots and red carpet events. That way the room would work as a diary of sorts for the Yorozuya Entertainment.

A simple place to remember where everyone began their journey to stardom.

A sudden gasp snapped Kagura out of her thoughts. She searched for the source of such a loud noise. Her eyes darted at Minty and Ruby. Both girls were frozen still, eyes sparkling and tightly glued to the tv screen.

”Oh! Stop changing the channel,” Soyeon said and leaned closer to the tv.

”It would be plain illegal to change the channel now,” Ruby said.

”Agreed sis,” Minty affirmed.

Otsu took a better look at the tv screen. Even Kagura got extremely curious. What an earth was so intriguing to everyone, she thought.

It was a music video. After the first beats of the song, Otsu started bobbing her head a little. ”Oh! It's Ω mega,” she said.

”Yeah! I haven't heard this song in ages,” Soyeon said and began to move with the music.

Kagura looked at the screen. Ω mega was an extremely succesful boy band who had dominated the charts for the past five years. Kagura had heard about them, but she didn't have a specific interest on the group.

”I love them!” Minty said.

”Me too!” Ruby agreed.

Even the ever cool Yunah had an opinion about Ω mega. ”I've always admired their dancing skills”, she commented

”Me too,” Otsu said.

Kagura turned to look at Otsu, she wasn't expecting her to fangirl over the mighty Ω mega. In Kagura's eyes, they were a somewhat overhyped group with their millions and millions of adoring fans and hefty amount of awards.

”Oh, this is my favourite part!” Minty gloated and pointed her finger at the screen. Her enthusiasm drawed Kagura's eyes back to the screen.

A man with light brown hair took the center spot in a very complex dance sequence. His moves were smooth and effortless, even Kagura acknowledged his dancing abilities.

The video jumped between the dance scene and close-ups of the man. He had icy blue contacts like many idols these days had, luring pretty much any viewer to look solely at him.

”He is so hot,” Soyeon marvelled

”He is seriously unreal,” Ruby said and fanned her face with her hands.

Kagura scratched her head. ”Who is that?”

Every single member of the Sugar Addicts turned to look at Kagura. They looked at her like she had asked if the water was wet.

”What do you mean who is that??” Minty asked with mouth gaped open.

”You can't be serious,” Ruby added.

Kagura felt annoyed. Why the hell was this one so-called hot boy so important, she thought.

”That's S, the main-dancer and vocalist of Ω mega,” Otsu explained. ”And to be honest, the most popular member of the whole group.”

”Uh...okay,” Kagura simply said. She wasn't sure what kind of reaction the other girls were expecting from her. Was she supposed to throw twelve cartwheels for his honor and throw her panties up in the air.

Well...that wasn't going to happen. ”I haven't heard of him”, Kagura said and shrugged her shoulders.

”Oh Gura...you're in for a treat,” Minty said.

”We'll tell you everything you need to know,” Ruby continued.

Before Kagura could turn down the wonderful offer, she was showered with a bucket load of info on the idol.

”His stage name is S, he is 22-year-old Japanese-Korean superstar working under Cosmos Recors”, Minty began.

”He debuted in Ω mega, the greatest boy group ever in my opinion. But he went solo just a few months ago,” Ruby said.

”He is an extremely talented dancer, even said to be one of the best in the industry,” Yunah said to Kagura's surprise. He must be very influential as he even got the attention of Yunah, Kagura thought.

”I really loved his solo debut song Skin,” Otsu said.

”Oh yes! I loved it too!” Soyeon said.

”It was a really dirty song in my opinion,” Yunah pointed out, making all the members of Sugar Addicts giggle.

”But that was the best part Yunah unnie!” Soyeon said tongue in cheek.

Kagura felt a little uncomfortable. All five girls around her were gushing over this mysterious S, so she naturally felt left-out. Maybe if she showed some interest on him it would ease the situation, Kagura thought.

”So...what does the S stand for?” Kagura asked.

”Well...it's never actually been confirmed by Cosmos Records, but fans have many theories,” Ruby said.

”Most of us think it's the first initial of his real name, which we still don't know,” Minty said and playfully shook her clenched fists.

”Or it could be, superstar, Seoul, swag...” Soyeon listed.

”Swag?!” Otsu laughed.

”No-one is stupid enough to call themselves swag...” Kagura said and raised her eyebrow. ”Hey! Maybe the S stands for stupid?”

Kagura's fantastic suggestion wasn't well received among the girls. Who could have guessed that..?

”It could be his hometown's initial or an animal,” Yunah continued.

”That's the part of his charm. The mystery of S,” Soyeon pointed out.

”I think so too,” Minty said and nodded her head a couple of times.

”Also, he is known to interact with fans a lot,” Otsu said.

”Yes, there are hundred of videos online of S appearing in random places to surprise any fan who spots him,” Minty explained.

”Okay...” Kagura said, still feeling a little unimpressed. He wasn't the first idol to interact with fans, althought he seemed to be a bit more active with it than others.

”A-anyway,” Otsu said and turned to Kagura. ”After all the new information we gave you, what do you think about him?”

Kagura felt five pairs of eyes staring right in to her soul. They were clearly expecting some sort of smitten reaction from her. So Kagura glanced at the tv screen to help her form a fair and well thought-out opinion of the handsome man called S.

The music video was on its last frames. S was sitting on a rustic looking chair in a dimly lighted space. The camera's angle was a side-profile of him and the chair. S slumped his back against the chair with a small slow-motion effect.

He ran his hand on his hair and looked away from the camera. A light hit his face just enough to highlight his sharp jaw line. Then the frame faded away with the last note of the song.

Kagura thought the song and video were okay, but when it came down to the beloved S, she had only one word for him.

”Meh.”

”MEH?!” Ruby and Minty shouted in unison.

Soyeon shook her head in disapproval, but Kagura couldn't care less. Otsu and Yunah weren't as baffled as the rest of the girls, but a little surprised. Meh was quite diminishing after all.

Shinpachi walked in to the break-room just in time before the passionate S stans* attacked Kagura's opinion. ”Hi everyone!” Shinpachi said and drawed the attention of all six girls.

”Oh, hello Shinpachi-shi,” Yunah said. ”We've been waiting for you a while now.”

Shinpachi scratched the back of his head. ”Ah, sorry. Sakata-nim had some urgent matters I had to take care of.”

”It's okay,” Soyeon chirped like the two-faced creature she was.

”We need to leave to the park, they finally got the electricity working on the stage,” Shinpachi informed.

Without further words, all the aspiring idols stood up, smiling and ready to go. Kagura snatched the remote control from the couch to turn off the tv, which was apparently running another music video from Ω mega. She sighed and pressed the power button.

As the group of people followed Shinpachi out of the building, Otsu pulled Kagura to slow down her pace. ”Hey,” she whispered.

”Hey,” Kagura whispered back and grinned sweetly.

Otsu looked like she had something on her mind, but for some reason she held her words back. ”What is it Otsu?” Kagura asked.

”Oh...you noticed...,” Otsu said quietly.

”I did. Tell me what's on your mind.”

Otsu shook of the unnecessary nervousness she was feeling and spoke up. ”Uh, it's just that...why you disliked S so much?”

”We're still taking about that guy?” Kagura asked. She was surprised about Otsu's question, maybe S was more important idol to her than Kagura had thought.

”Hey...I'm serious.”

”Okay okay...well, I didn't say I disliked him,” Kagura explained. ”It's just that I don't understand what you all see in him.”

Otsu nodded her head a couple of times, she was happy that Kagura wasn't afraid to speak her mind around her. ”Right...but he is a wonderful dancer. You can't deny that Gura,” Otsu giggled.

”Sure, maybe he is,” Kagura said and flicked her long ponytails. ”I just think that most of you adore him because of his looks rather than the dancing, yes.”

”Yeah, maybe some fans do, but I don't really mind.”

”I mean obviously you don't. You're all gushing about him and it's just a little off-putting to me.”

Otsu glanced at Kagura with a neutral look on her face. ”So you don't like him because we all admire him so much?”

”Uh...I-I don't know”, Kagura mumbled. She had difficulties with finding the right words. ”I just think it's shallow to like an idol just because of their looks.”

Otsu fell speechless, she wasn't sure how to feel about Kagura's statement.

”What?” Kagura asked.

”But I'm not a fan because of his looks,” Otsu said. ”As I said, I admire his dancing abilities.”

”Yes you did. I heard that,” Kagura said to reassure her friend. ”I just feel like everyone are so insanely crazy about him and I don't want to become a fan of someone just because everyone else so passionately are.”

Otsu stopped walking. ”So...if I understood correctly, the only reason you don't like him, is because he is so darn popular”, Otsu said.

Kagura halted her movement at Otsu's words. Her tone was serious.

”Don't you think you're being the shallow one right now?” Otsu simply asked.

Kagura was caught off guard by Otsu's question. She hadn't even thought about her own words from another point of view. And they were hella rude to say the least. Kagura pretty much unintentionally bashed Otsu for stanning a popular idol she liked.

Before Kagura could apologize or say anything at all, Otsu continued walking forward. Kagura watched silently as the purple haired girl caught up with her group and easily joined their conversation.

”Oi Gura! What are you standing there?” Shinpachi called from a distance. ”We have to go!”

”Y-yeah! I'm coming”, Kagura said and skipped after everyone. Her thoughts were all over place after her friends comment. The only thing she was certain about was that she needed to apologize to Otsu for being so inconsiderate to her.

And the other thing she needed to think about, was her own shallowness. Was his massive popularity really the reason she didn't get his charm? Or was there something else?

A/N: *ya: used as a ”hello” when attached into one's name in the Korean language, (Kagura-ya! = Hey Kagura!) *shi: Korean honorific, meaning mr. or mrs. *unnie: a female calls an older female as unnie in the Korean language *stan: a portmanteau of the words ”stalker” and ”fan”, refers to someone who is overly obsessed with a celebrity (urban dictionary), I personally feel like ”stanning” a group/celebrity isn't necessarily overly obsessing, more like a hardcore fan thing (correct me if I'm wrong)

[okayyeahsurewhynotcool]

@indiekings

The past couple days had really been a clusterfuck of emotions. At first she was upset that she’d really tried to see her but she quickly realized that that was a very irrational emotion to have and moved past it. When Open Mic Night came around the next day, she’d been seriously conflicted on whether or not she’d go this time, that was until she’d gotten Gilly’s text. She’d actually decided not to be so childish and had been in the middle of straightening her hair when her phone dinged. It was then that she decided, really decided, that the space was imperative. Just knowing that Bennette was all of a sudden showing up in space where she usually was was only troubling to her and she wasn’t in any mood to feel any more awkward than she usually did.

Ignoring her second text hadn’t been intentional- at first. She was busy writing and recording and by time she saw it…it just felt odd to reply to. So she hadn’t. And maybe that wasn’t the correct way to go about it but what even was correct between them these days? She eventually put her entire contact on do not disturb, but not before turning off her read receipts to do so. She didn’t want her to know she’d seen it and not replied, in fear of hurting her feelings back somehow.

Once Monday rolled around, she’d been sitting in the class, her mind intentionally focused on the design in front of her- she’d done about fifteen of them since their…whatever it was. When someone sat down beside her, she’d first thought it was Willa, a weird surge of energy bouncing through her. She hadn’t expected to be filled with such disappointment when she realized it wasn’t them. And to make matters worse, seeing Willa and Bennette being so cutesy was like one of those things that were so gross that she couldn’t look away. It hurt. But hey, what did she expect? They were dating.

By time Wednesday came, she was conflicted again. She didn’t think she was in any place to be seeing her again but she also missed her friend…a lot. And it had been almost a week so it was time, she decided, to simply just pack up her feelings and move the hell on. Her phone dinged and she chewed on her lips. If she changed her original concept it would surely be awkward but if she didn’t…she was definitely fucking herself over. “I haaaate thiiiiis.” She sang softly to herself before shooting off a reply.

Definitely. See you soon?

Turns out her professor had approved. And she really needed the extra credit. Which meant the theme was already approved and she didn’t have much of a choice because the project needed to be in by the end of the day so…there was that. Without much hesitation she started to get the place set up for the shoot.

Willa was relieved to finally receive a text back from her friend. Even though she understood it, she didn’t like it. It had only been a few days, but it felt like forever. Dramatic, yes, but she couldn’t help it. Hearing they were still on for the shoot was nice just because it meant things might be going back to normal just a little bit. 

Perfect, see you soon. I just have this one class and then I’ll head your way!

On the way to her next class, Bennette caught up with her and the two walked to class together. She still felt a little guilty, especially since Bennette seemed to appear whenever she had any thought or interaction with Zari. It was strange, but she knew it was just weird timing. After class, she told Bennette she had to do some extra work and when it came to art, Bennette understood needing space to create, even though art came natural to her. 

It was a little warmer out in SanFran today, so Willa wasn’t in layers of sweaters and shirts. Only two layers today! A striped shirt with an oversized jean button-up and a pair of black skinny jeans, with her quintessential Willa Beanie. When she got to the photography side of the school, she went to the classroom Zari would be in, lightly knocking on the door to avoid startling her. 

���Ey, Z. Hope I’m not late,” she said, offering Zari a slightly awkward but happy to see her smile. It really was nice to see her. It had only been a few days, but Willa missed seeing Zari. She was so gorgeous and just an overall warm energy. Even if there was a bit of tension, the company was welcomed. 

[ngame989]

When it comes to Starco, what was your ideal scenario for S4? Like do you think Tomstar should've ended at Swim Suit or LHF. Then build Starco up with a mix of platonic and romantic until Beach Day where they finally go all in (full romance)?

So I won’t pretend that any specific plans I could theorize would work out perfectly, so I’ll split this in two: generic S4 relationship plan, and one that assumes most of the general structure of the season is preserved as is. I will note that the very broad themes for relationships are still good, needed, and what I hoped for in S4 in the first place, they’re just being done in a specific way that puts “will Star and Marco kiss again” on a massive pedestal and keeps the romance drama dragging.

Generic ideal plan: 

Tom and Star actually DO have a conversation about the photo and break up amicably around episode 2-4 (depending on plot), with Star being nudged into realizing her feelings for Marco, and Tom being pushed into realizing he can find himself. As the season goes on, we’d still get similar things for Tom like we did this past week, but in the context of “he’s trying to figure out how to be himself now that he’s single”. Marco and Star have another talk and confirm that they do have feelings for each other somewhere before episode 6 or so, and at this point they’re “canon” but it takes them a few more episodes of getting used to actually enjoying themselves and enjoying a relationship before they’re fully official, and it’s around this point the word “love” is dropped. Topics being handled in S4 should still be handled - blood moon (although I wouldn’t actually have it used as hamfistedly as here, I’d rather have the question of whether it actually forced feelings be solved within the episode it was brought up and have it be more plot-relevant afterwards), tackle the topic of Marco moving back to Earth and the two of them making a healthy commitment that respects each other as individuals, etc. Basically, for those of you familiar with the Tangled TV series, I love what that does. The beginning of the show has both of them know they love each other, and that love has a strong foundation and commitment and desire to improve, but it’s still in its infancy - they don’t know exactly what they want out of a relationship, or what their longterm plans are, or how to really be the best partners for each other, and that’s what their development is: everything after the “honeymoon phase”. I like the idea that “love” is an important word, but it’s not the endpoint - two people can truly be in love but still grow and change and need to work at it. Then the climactic moment and endpoint for Starco would be… not officially marriage or anything, duh, but a very clear “we fully understand why we love each other and we know for a fact that we want this relationship, romantic and more, to last forever” message, perhaps with direct allusion/symbol to Marco becoming a prince/king someday, even if not officially. 

Plan using the actual episode titles and specific themes of the season: 

Swim Suit: don’t involve Tom, the rest of the segment can go mostly as is, but have Star specifically be sad about not being able to have the Beach Day, and look a bit contemplative on that topic as a lead-in

Ransomgram: …OK this one’s a bit weird here, maybe change it to something else. Or flip it with LHF idk.

LHF: Tomstar breakup, basically the thing they would’ve done if they actually were even SLIGHTLY less spineless about it.

Have normal plot-based Starco episodes, as well as at least one stumbling awkward quasi-romantic Starco moment leading up to Curse.

Kelly’s World: Kelly does confess some stuff for Marco, and he brings up the topic of his feelings for Star, but rather than what happened, he either turns her down, or at the very least, even if he IS at least a tiny bit conflicted in the moment, it pushes him to the brink to figure stuff out with Star for real.

Curse: One way or another the topic of the Blood Moon is brought up, both of them wonder if it could be forcing their feelings, and those feelings are still scary so they do insert plot thing here to stop it. Hell, it could even similar to what we got, but however it ends, it concludes once and for all that it didn’t. Either they learn it wasn’t a curse and it doesn’t break, or it does break but doesn’t change anything, idk, depends on the plot. This is the turning point from “feelings are scary” to “we’ve fully accepted them and are moving forward”. Probably “love” used here, now, but not necessary.

Knight Shift: really doesn’t have to be much different, the same exact topic and theme work wonderfully even if they’re already a couple. But the ending would probably not be so strong in the “together forever” theme, leave it more open-ended

Junkin/Boy - Basically can just be the same, except without Tomstar in the former case. Tom learning to be his own person, etc.

Cornonation: Marco can be alongside Star for a lot of it, give them a cute moment (again, doesn’t need to be over the top - hell, have their kiss get interrupted for a gag too for all I care)

(SPECULATIVE THEME TIME)

Beach Day: Use the idea of the future/determinism/etc from the photo to tackle the idea of free will and whatnot here. They tried to force the photo before, and it didn’t happen, and it spontaneously happens when the time is right without them going out of their way to try for it, so this gets them thinking about what the future really means or something like that.

Sad Teen: An endgame-ish important episode for Tom, one that explores the trio dynamic of Tom + Starco and shows Tom really reaching his potential as a good friend to both of them.

Cleaved: Some big plot thing (involving the Blood Moon maybe?) with Star and Marco, maybe some big imposing force gets in the way and they have to fight tooth and nail to get back to each other (climax of the “free will” idea) and the ending is that they know 100% that they’re ready to be together forever.

In general: more casual Star and Marco episodes and Starco moments. Doesn’t need to be excessive, I’m not asking for nonstop Starco fluff, and I recognize that a lot of the non-Starco episodes have been great! Off the top of my head, I’d have at least one or two additional segments pre-Curse contain actual Starco Moments™ (not just “Star and Marco team up for the plot”, but actually have the emotional core of the episode center on the pair in some way). Give them a cutesy first-steps-into-official-relationship moment in Cornball, Cornonation as mentioned previously, etc. Have a proper first date somewhere in there, even if it’s twisted in some way or “ruined” by the plot but they still enjoy it in the end. Have a Starco babysitting Mariposa episode (although who knows, we may still get that).

Also, introduce themes of comparing Marco and Star to River and Moon as a way to show the whole “love goes hand in hand with commitment and support” thing (since Knight Shift gets a bit absolved of it now), and also as a way to symbolize Marco being King eventually even if the show wouldn’t be allowed to even allude to it directly.

Overall:

Honestly, I can’t even say if this would be a better show in every way for sure. I think it’d be more enjoyable to many of us, at least. I get that some of the themes might be slightly harder to portray as strongly, and respect that despite everything the crew are still professional TV writers and I can’t hope to stack my impromptu Tumblr answer against a fully funded television show outline in every detail. But taking something even moderately along these lines, not putting “will Star and Marco kiss” on such a fucking pedestal, and actually allowing for at least a SOMEWHAT better balance of cute or intimate Star and Marco moments with the rest of the dynamics and cast, even without changing much else would make the show FAAAAAAAAAAAAAR more enjoyable to me and bring a much better balance of the things I love seeing most episode-by-episode while still respecting that the show is about far more than just Starco, and can and should explore a lot of other things.

[cutiecrates]

Cutie Reviews: Kawaii Box April 19

I probably would have done this yesterday, but I ended up going to the county fair; it was horribly hot (despite how cloudy it was) and it actually made me feel sick being out there. By the time we got home I was very sore and worn out.

So here I am today, refreshed and ready!

Word of the month: Usagi - Rabbit

Amuse Chinmari Munchkin Plushie

Our first item is an adorable plushie neko from Amuse. It is palm-sized and includes a ball chain so that you can bring it around with you wherever you go. It’s squishy and slightly stretchy, and there are 10 unique, colorful, adorable kitties in all~

On Blippo, these are $6.90. But keep in mind only a handful of them are an option, not the entire series.

(btw, am I the only one who thinks the one I got could also be a mouse? I know its a cat but from the front I keep thinking mouse. Still adorable either way.)

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

It’s very cute and soft! It’s like a fluffy squishy, but without the rise action. I feel like I’m squishing on a marshmallow while holding it, and it’s kind of soothing in a way... Although, it’s not nearly as stretchy as my other similar plush I’ve gotten. It has a very sweet little face~

Also, there’s no problems quality wise.

Kawaii Ribbon Hair Clips

Next up we have these sweet little Blippo exclusive clips, each featuring a dot pattern and a cute bow charm. They come in a set of 2 in a variety of colors.

On Blippo, these cost $1.90.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥

The quality of the clip is great, it has a tight snap due to being a whole metal piece with a “coat” over it, and nothing is flimsy or loose. It’s a really cute concept too, but... I actually really hate this color combination. It’s not that bad but... I just don’t like it <3< the bow coloring could have been better, but what mainly bugs me is those vibrant orange-red spots against the yellow background. I would have rather gotten any other of the clips, but that’s just me. On Blippo, this is one of the sold out sets so it must have been well-liked by everyone else...

Also, I noticed the quality of the clip, and I’m kind of worried this is the metal prone to rusting due to how it feels. I could be wrong, but...

Neko Bookmarks & Disney Notebook

Next we have two, really cute stationery items; first is this set of kitty bookmarks, each featuring a big paper clip with a soft rubber kitty on the top half. On Blippo these are $3.50, and you can get them in a few different colored sets.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

I think these are pretty cute and fun, I’m not sure how I feel about the kind of oddly colorful color scheme of the set I got, but in a way I kind of like it too. They’re as fun to play with as they are to use, but because of the soft rubber and the fact it is a paper clip, you can’t man-handle these. 

--------

To go with our usual stationery hall, we also get an adorable Disney themed notebook. There is a big variety of cutesy, pastel designs and characters (from tsum tsum to mickey and friends to Winnie the Pooh to Disney Princesses!), and each notebook costs $6.90.

The notebooks are simple, featuring a magnetic clip to keep it shut and 2 types of pages per-book.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

While on one hand, I think I would have liked to get one of the other ones more, I’ve always had a soft spot for Chip and Dale so I’m not disappointed. They’re so cute aren’t they?

Meanwhile in terms of the notebook I think it has some nice quality. I like the magnetic clip feature, its very decorative and sweet looking, and it’s just plain fun to use. It’s small size makes it very handy for carrying in a variety of places.

Ice Cream Cup Charm

These sweet Harajuku-inspired charms are as cute as they are delicious looking~ Each features several cutesy deco bits, like fake fruits and sweets, pearls or gems, and a gem star. They have a small cellphone charm-like strap so that you can connect it and take it with you on the go too!

Everything is plastic, with the exception of the deco cream, which feels a bit squishy-soft. There are a few different variants, and each one costs $3.50.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ 

As cute as it is, I wanted to mention that the Blippo website describes these as being scented- I smell a weird plastic rubber scent, nothing delicious or appealing (and I did keep it sealed in its package this entire time). Also, as you can see on mine there is a chance there is a small amount of smearing of the cream. 

However, it is handmade and I like the little differences in a way to make it more unique. I’ll probably end up using this as a cute display item.

Nail Decoration Set

These DIY kits and items always seem to be Dollar Store quality don’t they? I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing, but as long as they work out it’s not that bad right?

This a korean nail decoration kit, and you get all sorts of cute and fun deco bits for your nails, all you need to do is supply the clear polish, or whatever color you’re using, but you should have a clear coat to go on top once you finish to help seal everything in. As you can see we get some shiny dot pieces, glittery, star and heart flakes, and various fruits, smiley faces, and kitty head pieces made from clay cane.

Each one costs $4.50 on blippo, and there are 4 sets available. But the only things besides the packaging difference is the glitter and dot piece colors.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

As I’m not really an experienced nail person, I decided to just do my thumbs. I wanted something summery, so I just added a watermelon slice and two of the shiny hot pink flakes to match. But as a pro-tip I do know a few things; such as using a pair of tweezers when adding the pieces, it makes like way easier. As I said before you want clear polish to seal them onto the nail, I did probably 4-5 coats per-nail. 

Anyway, for someone inexperienced (or just someone who likes doing deco nails or making slime) I think kits like this are pretty nice. Like it obviously works, and I think everything is really cute, you can really get creative or go for something simple if you wanted.

Morinaga Disney Chocolate Cookies

For this month we get a box of chocolate cookies/biscuits from Morinaga, featuring Mickey Mouse on the packaging. As for the cookies, it’s probably the usual variety, because as you can see I got a handful of Winnie the Pooh in the pic. Not that I mind or anything, they all taste the same. You can get a wide variety of 300 different Disney characters in total! Lucky people will also find a heart-shaped biscuit~♥

Each box features one of Mickey’s well-known depictions; for example mine is based on Steamboat Willie. Each box is also 234 calories and costs $2.73.

I’m not going to bother rating these because I had them before. They always taste good and you get a nice blend of cookie/biscuit and chocolate. And no, I didn’t get any heart-shaped ones, and ironically enough I didn’t get any Mickey either. I did get Minnie though, which was kind of nice since she is my favorite.

Bunny Ears Icecream Pen & Lipstick Wax Pen

Back to stationery now, we get two very cute and fun looking writing utensils. First is this icecream pen with a pair of bunny ears for that extra hint of sweetness~

The cream on top and bunny ears are slightly soft and squishy, and there are 2 available; one with yellow inner-ear like i got, or one with pink. Isn’t that ironic...? Each one costs $4.90.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Despite my not being a fan of yellow, the difference is so tiny that it doesn’t bother me very much. The pen is easy and comfortable to grip, it writes very smoothly and I haven’t noticed any issues with the ink besides the typical smear with fine tips, but if you give it a few minutes to dry you should be good to go.

Overall it’s a very fun, Easter perfect pen; although you can’t put the cap on it while using it, which always bugs me a little...

---

Next is an adorable wax pen inspired by a lipstick ♥ These come in a variety of colors in both the warm and cold color-scheme, and each costs $2.50. Essentially they are wax highlighters and underlining pieces, and they can be twisted to extend, just like a real lipstick!

I think it might even be scented. I smell something from mine that could pass as being Green Apple, but nothing mentions there being any sort of scent. It’s pleasant and light though.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

So besides just looking really cute, I think it would be a really nice alternate for things like pens or highlighting markers. The wax is soft to apply and is visible, while not having an obnoxious scent or drying period.

I’m not sure I’ll have too much use for this, but I am very tempted to buy a couple, or even all of them to do a review and see how they all look, check for scent, etc. I find them aesthetically pleasing and would love just having them for a display item- and in times of need they could be used as a crayon :D

Jewelry Seal Stickers

This is our last item, an adorable set of Jewelry heart and flower seals/stickers. These are available for $2.50 on Blippo and come in a few various colors. As you can see, besides the various hearts and flowers, we also get some spherical pieces and some diamond, leaf-like pieces. They are plastic pieces, giving them a sort of 3Dish look.

I wanted to use them on something. Since I already have gem hearts and Sanrio on my phone, I decided to put them on something else I rely on- perhaps more than my phone:

This is my hand mirror... which is actually several times bigger than most hand mirrors. That’s because this is a vibrant, lighting up mirror that folds back on itself when sitting. It also zooms in, making it useful for hair removal and makeup application.

I’m not any kind of expert or someone with a need to have everything in perfect measurement, so I just went for it. What do you think?

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

I really like these! But I did notice a little issue while using them. Some of their sticky pieces wanted to stay on the packaging, or it rolled up while trying to get them off. They were still usable of course, but it did make the process a little tiny bit less fun. It only happened on a couple though, the rest were fine.

♥ Cutie Ranking ♥

Content - ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ I have no complaints, I really like everything. It’s all practical and very kawaii~ 

Price - ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Everything comes to $39.83- which greatly shocked me; I think that might be the most money spent on these boxes yet or us, and remmeber we only pay about 20 dollars. On one hand, if you were to buy everything you would get free shipping and a free gift on Blippo, but I felt like a couple of the items could be cheaper, too...

Theme - ♥ I’m sorry but they completely failed this time. We got ONE Easter item- and what makes it worse is that they did WAY better last year with an Easter box, and I know they could have done better this time too. I was kind of disappointed. 

Total Rank: 9 out of 10 Cuties. So once again the theme was a huge bust and I feel like they wasted a good opportunity- especially since nobody else really did anything Easter related in comparison to last year. However, despite getting a lot of the typical, same old same old stuff, I really found myself drawn to the ones specifically in this box. The quality is there, they’re ultra-cute and fun to use, so I thought this box did way better than last months, but in saying that, I’m not sure which box I would go to first if I could only choose one, I found items I loved in both of them a lot.

♥ Cutie Scale ♥

1. Wax Lipstick Pen - I admit, this specific color might not have been my first choice- but I think not only is it really pretty and cute to look at, but it’s just plain fun to use :D It’s like a really soft, possibly scented crayon.

2. Nail Decoration Set - Very fun, just like the stickers. I’m excited to try to come up with some other ideas using it and the previous nail set I got from this box. I like the wide variety of pieces we get too!

3. Bunny Icecream Pen - It’s simple but really cute, you get the idea right away looking at it. I just wish I had a place to put the cap... I did consider resting it on the bunny ear, but I don’t want it to get dirty. It’s actually a lot more comfortable to hold than it looks.

4. Jewelry Seal Stickers - Super pretty, it was a lot of fun decoing with them. But like I said, you need to be careful using them since some of their sticky pieces like to cause problems...

5. Neko Plushie - I love its sweet little face~ It’s so soft x3

6. Icecream Cup Charm - It’s almost delicious looking enough to eat~ I am a little bothered by the issue I saw on mine, bu I could probably fix it with some paint or something.

7. Morinaga Chocolate Cookies/Biscuis - very tasty with a mild-sweetness. I love how creative and fun they are when looking at the characters, but I will fault it on the fact that I never tossed this around or anything and I had a bit of a mess and a handful of broken cookies/biscuits waiting for me when I opened it.

8. Disney Chip and Dale Notebook - I think it’s really cute, and I love how decorative it is. But in terms of color-scheme, I’ve never been a big brown fan. That has nothing to do with its use though, the quality is great and if I needed to get more notebooks I’d probably order a few others in the set. 

9. Cat Clips - The cartoony design and colors is really fun to look at, but I am worried they will be kind of fragile...

10. Ribbon Hair Clips - I really, really wanted to like these! I love ribbons and bows, and dot patterns, and hair clips. But I cannot stand the color combinations in this specific set and unless I had something to match or compliment them, I probably won’t be using them.

[askdawnandvern]

A Lamb Among Wolves :Ch 32

Not much to say about this chapter. Just a little intimate quite breakfast between Audrey, Dawn and Vernon. Fluffy, cutesy character moments to make you all warmed and toasty inside before i gut your collective hearts out like a mortal kombat finishing move. Lol, Sorry. I just mean were moving up to the big catalyst of the whole story soon, and so this fluffy stuff might hurt once we get there.

Still working on speeding up the chapter output, but I've been fighting off a nasty bug that I haven't been able to shake since seemingly December that's making my mind all murky. So I'm torn between trying to force it out because i really want to finish it, and having the quality suffer for it. Or go with the flow, and write when it works. Hopefully it will kind of go away, I am on meds now for the thing, because apparently the first run of meds on my sinus infection proved to weak. But hopefully this will finally do the trick.

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

Chapter Thirty-Two: The Perfect Gift

Vernon let out a pleasant sigh as he slipped another slice of his Mother's famous caramel prench toast into his maw. With the slightest press of his teeth against the syrup soaked morsel, hot caramel sauce oozed out from its center, spilling out into his throat and dancing pleasantly across his tongue. The overall delectable sweetness causing the wolf to cringe in delight as he continued to chew the scrumptious treat.

There was nothing quite like his Mother's cooking, especially when it came to anything she baked. And while Vernon knew his favorite recipes well, and could do a reasonable job recreating them on his own, they always seemed to lack that special something that only his Mother seemed capable of bringing out in the dish. A certain flavor, an indescribable quality that Vernon could never quite pin down with his own attempts. Audrey usually referred to it as being the 'love' baked into every batch, and despite how cliché and silly it sounded to Vernon, with no hard evidence for the wolf to prove otherwise, he found it hard to argue against it.

Audrey had taken the time to teach all of the Hunter pups how to cook. It was part of her efforts to make sure that he and his brothers were fit to survive on their own when the time came. And while Vernon had proven to be leagues better than someone like Xavier, who seemed to be able to create kitchen fires at a mere glance, Vernon could only describe himself as nothing more than an 'adequate' cook.

At a certain point Vernon had come to accept that his cooking skill would never quite match up to his Mother's abilities. It simply wasn't something he could hone as easily as someone like Malcolm seemed to be able to. Nor did Vernon have a bizarre natural skill for it like Ulric.

How the twitchy, nervous wolf seemed able to duplicate their Mother's recipes perfectly was beyond Vernon. Perhaps it lied in the wolf's extremely analytical nature, and his impeccable attention to detail that made it easy for the wolf to cook as well as their Mother did. It was something Vernon chalked up to being yet another trade off, the gods way of making up for Ulric's complete lack of social skills by compensating for it in his other traits. Still, it made for a great question to pose to his Mother sometime. After all, Ulric certainly didn't bake a damn thing with 'love', the wolf didn't believe in it. Ulric was the kind of mammal who believed love to be nothing more than a chemical process in the brain. It wasn't that surprising, considering the wolf's line of work and way of thinking. Yet despite that belief, he could bake just as well as their Mother right down to that supposed phantom ingredient. And so it made her intangible reasoning behind Vernon's own failings make even less sense.

Still, at least it gave the wolf something to look forward to when visiting the Hunter Ranch. Unlike his Father's mood swings, or whether or not Yuri was posed to show up for a surprise visit, his Mother's cooking was something that was always an absolute good. A hot, tasty and filling meal was a guarantee, and the wolf had come to rely on it whenever he made his way home. Regardless of how difficult the day around it seemed to be, or however badly a mood you were in, Audrey's meals seemed to have the miraculous ability of making everything seem better. And for that reason, Vernon could scarcely conceive a better way to start off the morning than with one of his Mother's scrumptious breakfast delights.

Well, the wolf could think of a few thing that involved his Honey lamb, but Vernon wasn't keen on breaking the house rule again so soon. As far as he knew, he was still being punished for the previous evenings debacle. And Vernon surmised it was better simply to not bring it up in case his Mother had some how forgotten her decree. The last thing Vernon wanted was to once again find himself elbow deep in dirty dishes.

The breakfast table was pleasantly quiet, leaving Vernon to simply enjoy the first truly comfortable moment he had since arriving at the Ranch. That is to say, the first comfortable moment that involved any members of his family. The peaceful solitude of sharing a delicious meal with his Mother and his mate without the bickering and teasing of the other members of the pack allowed Vernon to fully unwind. To allow whatever nervous troubles and worries eating at him to simply slip into the recesses of his mind as he savored the moment as well as the meal.

Vernon felt oddly optimistic despite the day that lie ahead. While his Mother's plan to drag them to the fair against the wishes of his Father should have been something to leave his stomach twisted up in knots, the wolf felt a strange sense of hopefulness. Perhaps it had been Dawn's pep-talk from the previous evening. Or perhaps it had been the fact that Yuri had been more or less prevented from spending the evening mocking him thanks to his other brothers shutting him down. Followed up quickly by Wade's accidental reveal in regards to his mysterious mate becoming the dominant topic until they had all more or less tired themselves out.

But if Vernon had to pick out what had played the biggest role in renewing his confidence and optimism, it had to have been recovering the friendship bracelet Dawn had given to him as a pup. Just the sight of it, even in its broken state, was enough to leave the wolf feeling as if perhaps things were starting to turn around for the pair. Finding the ruined bracelet had been a sign, a good omen in Vernon's eyes, of things to come. And the prospect of being able to show it to the ewe later today had the wolf practically humming with delight as he took another bite of his breakfast.

His dreams the night before had been laced with visions of how he imagined the big reveal would go. Each one a different approach, a different take on how to surprise the ewe with his discovery, and how it had been restored. But regardless of the scenario it all ended more or less the same. Dawn basking the wolf in her beautiful warm smile as tears swelled in her eyes. In some of the dreams she would hug him, in others she would kiss him, in a few she managed to jump into his arms and squeeze him with all the strength her tiny little arms could muster. Despite all the terrible things that both of them had endured throughout the trip, this was something the wolf could rely on to make his little ewe happy. To try to make up in some way for the terrible shaming his Father, Yuri, Ana, and the others had put her through. After over two decades, their bracelets would be reunited. That is, so long as his Mother finished the repairs in time.

Vernon shifted his glance toward his Mother. The wolfess was looking at her plate, carefully cutting her own stack of prench toast before bringing a piece up to her muzzle. She had brought it a mere few inches from her muzzle before she seemed to notice Vernon's wide-eyed stare.

Audrey lowered her fork, raising the wolf a curious eyebrow in response.

Vernon didn't want to draw Dawn's attention, and so the wolf attempted to limit himself to simple facial gestures. The wolf raised his eyebrows, bobbing them decisively in regular intervals, but the she-wolf seemed perplexed by his expression. Audrey tilted her head slightly as she watched his attempts to convey his message. Vernon held back the urge to groan, instead adding a slight nod to his head in an effort to further emphasize what he thought was a rather clear message.

Audrey only seemed more puzzled, the she-wolf now squinting at him quizzically.

"What?" The she-wolf mouthed inaudibly.

Vernon rolled his eyes at her response. Thinking on his feet, the wolf glanced down at his paw, flicking his eyes back and forth between it and his Mother's eye line. As Audrey brought her attention down, the wolf very quickly tapped his wrist with his other paw, flashing Audrey a weak grin after she caught the gesture.

Audrey let out a quiet chuckle, giving the wolf a slight affirmative nod as she returned to her meal, scooping her previously cut morsel of food back onto her fork and into her mouth.

Vernon tried to stifle his excitement as an ecstatic grin forced its way to his muzzle. The wolf had felt like leaping out of his chair with joy, but an act that dramatic would have given away to the ewe seated next to him that something was off. However, the dull thumping emanating from his chair as his tail slapped haphazardly against it was the one impulse he couldn't control. The overwhelming silence at the breakfast table only helped to make the 'twapping' noise it produced seem that much louder.

"I take it someone had a good night's sleep?" Audrey said with a chuckle, drawing the wolf's attention back her way.

'Saved by the she-wolf" Vernon thought to himself, thankful for his Mother's distracting question. However, the wolf's excitement was still far too palpable to keep from leaking out in his response.

"Y-yeah!" Vernon yelped. The energy in his voice was obvious, despite his attempts at stifling it. His words wavering as he tried to bring his cadence back to something more 'normal'. "I mean, yeah." Vernon continued, lowering his voice as he clasped the sides of his seat with his paws to steady himself. "I slept alright."

Audrey shook her head, letting out a giggle as she turned her attention to Dawn.

"And how bout you Darlin'?" Audrey asked.

Vernon turned to Dawn to see her reaction only to catch her looking down at her plate. The ewe seemed oddly quiet. Well, more so than usual. And Vernon could easily see the slight frown on her muzzle as she picked lamely at her food.

"How long has she been sitting like that?" Vernon thought to himself as he appraised the ewe's cowed sitting pose. The wolf had been so lost in his own thoughts that he had failed to notice the state his mate was in. Even though their relationship had been a relatively short one, Vernon liked to think he could read the ewe's expressions pretty well by now. And as he observed the seemingly troubled ewe, the wolf tallied all the red flags in his head that the sheep was now displaying. Her slight frown, hunched posture, lack of appetite despite the sheer deliciousness of his Mother's cooking, and seeming inattentiveness told Vernon that she was lost in her own thoughts. And the frown lead the wolf to believe that those thoughts weren't very good ones. Vernon's own smile began to slip. His previously subdued worries now creeping back up in his mind as he watched his mate carefully. The ewe remained silent, leaving his Mother's question to hang in the air for several moments as the ewe continued to play with her food.

"Darlin'?" Audrey uttered, slightly louder this time.

At that Dawn seemed to perk up, jumping slightly in her seat.

"O-Oh!" Dawn stammered, placing her utensils down. "I-I'm sorry Audrey, what did you say?"

Audrey grimaced slightly, her eyes now appraising the ewe as carefully as Vernon imagined his own were.

"I was askin' how ya'll slept Darlin'." Audrey repeated. "You get to sleep okay?"

"Oh..." Dawn muttered, her head drifting back down to her plate as she picked up her fork. The ewe stabbed a particularly soggy looking morsel onto the tines and began to swab it around on the plate idly. "I mean...I slept okay..." The ewe shrugged. " It could have been better I guess."

The wolf managed a slight smirk. "Right, she's just tired." Vernon reassured himself in an effort to push his nervous thoughts back. The wolf leaned over, wrapping an arm around the ewe before pulling her tightly against him for a hug. It was awkward bridging the distance between the two chairs, but thankfully Vernon was tall enough for both of them.

Dawn seemed surprised for a second, but quickly leaned into the hug, wrapping her hooves around the wolf as he buried his muzzle in her woolly poof.

"I'm sorry Darlin'." Vernon cooed. "I know you ain't a crack of Dawn type of mammal."

Dawn giggled softly into his chest.

"Neither are you!" Dawn retorted, giving the wolf a playful swat on the back as she continued to hug him.

"Yeah bu-" Vernon paused as his nose caught whiff of a peculiar scent mixed into the ewe's wool. The wolf took another soft sniff, burying his nose deeper in an attempt at better discerning the source of the odor. "Don't tell me her hormones are still actin' up?" The wolf thought to himself.

As the wolf took a sharper inhale, Dawn pulled herself away slightly, staring back at the wolf with a curious expression.

"What are you sniffing?" Dawn asked.

"Ya'll smell weird." Vernon said, flashing the ewe an inquisitive glance of his own.

"Vernon." His Mother said with a laugh, drawing his attention back toward the wolfess. Audrey sat with her paws crossed, a mirthful smirk on her muzzle as she shook her head in disbelief.

"Ya'll don't just tell a girl she smells bad so bluntly, 'specially yer mate!" Audrey rolled her eyes. "I raised ya'll to be a gentlemammal!"

Vernon chuckled, releasing his grip around the lamb as he slid back into his own seat.

"I didn't say 'bad'" Vernon clarified, raising a finger to accentuate his point. "I said 'weird'."

Dawn giggled, placing her hooves to her muzzle in an effort to stifle a giggle.

"I didn't think you'd be able to smell Qali on me." Dawn snickered.

Vernon raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I thought that smelled familiar!" The wolf exclaimed.

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Yes, well Qali slept with me last night and-"

"She slept with you!?" Vernon asked aloud in mock shock, doing his best to suppress a rising smile as he prepared to tease the ewe.

"Vernon." Dawn tried to stifle her giggling.

"And here I was worried about my brothers movin' in on my gal..." Vernon chuckled. "Didn't think I'd have to be worryin' about my sisters too!"

"Vernon!" Dawn whined, trying her best to swat the wolf from her seat. Unfortunately for the ewe, the gap was far to wide for her to reach as easily as Vernon had reached her. Dawn's face was flushed, a red tinge now spreading ear to ear as she desperately tried to hide it with her other hoof.

"I mean Malcolm sure..." Vernon continued. "He may be into fellas, but with a ewe as pretty as you I could easily see him switchin' sides."

"Puppy StaaaAAAaaahp!" Dawn whined playfully. The ewe's tiny frame shuddered with each giggle fit that Vernon's continued teasing brought on. "I-it was, I-I me-" The ewe tried to stutter through her laughter.

"Ah, so ya'll girls bunked up after Ada's bed broke?" Audrey interjected. " I guess that makes sense considerin' yer both the smallest."

"Is that what that noise was?' Vernon asked, turning away from the ewe now trying to catch her breath.

Audrey nodded. "I suppose I should have expected ya'll to have heard it."

"Among other things..." Vernon replied, shifting his gaze back toward the recovering ewe.

"W-what did you hear?" Dawn asked, her tone quavering as she tried to collect herself. The dying laughter now at conflict with her rising tone of concern.

Vernon let out a soft chuckle as he rolled his eyes.

"Relax Floofs..." Vernon reassured the ewe. "It was all too muffled to hear properly, aside from Vanna shoutin' somethin' I ain't gonna repeat in polite company." The wolf added, shifting his eyes toward his Mother briefly before bringing them back to Dawn.

"Oh..." Dawn murmured, her blush returning as she placed her hooves over her muzzle.

"Yeah, sounds like ya'll had a lot of fun up there." Vernon said with a soft smile. The wolf reached a paw out to the ewe, placing it gingerly on her shoulder. "I'm glad." Vernon offered the lamb a reassuring grin. The ewe flashed him a meek smile in return, her blush still clearly visible.

"Lil' too much fun." Audrey chuckled. "Consderin' ya'll broke the legs off a bed." Audrey pointed her fork in Dawn's direction, allowing a little bit of syrup to drip off her fork as she waived the cut of toast lazily in the air.

"So is that why ya'll slept so bad Mutton Chop?" Vernon asked. The wolf leaned toward the ewe, placing his arm on the table as he flashed the lamb a sly smile. "Ain't used to sharin' a bed with a mammal other than me?"

Dawn let out a laugh. "More like Qali couldn't keep her paws off of me!" The ewe flicked a hoof lazily in his direction. "I had no idea she was so pawsy in her sleep."

Vernon placed a paw over his muzzle in an effort to keep from laughing.

"She was cuddlin' you?" Vernon asked in a gleeful tone.

Dawn cringed, gritting her teeth mildly as she broke eye contact with the wolf.

"She was practically fused to my head." Dawn replied uneasily. "She was all coiled up in my wool, and no matter how many times I woke her up and got her to stop, she'd just end up back in my wool again." Dawn sighed, leaning her muzzle against her hoof. "After a while I just gave up trying to pry her off."

Despite his best efforts, a few stray laughs slipped out of the wolf's maw as he imagined the scene in his head. The petite vixen tangled up in Dawn's woolly curls, happily snoring away as Dawn lay awake pondering how to deal with the situation. A part of him was sympathetic to his Honey Lamb's plight, surely. But the wolf couldn't deny just how humorous the whole thing must have been.

"Oh mam'..." Vernon chuckled. "What I wouldn't give to have been a fly on the wall fer that!" The wolf laughed. "At least to snap a photo! Think of the Furbook comments that one would get!"

"Veeernon!" Dawn pretended to whine, but the smile on her face told the wolf all he needed to know. At the very least, the playful ribbing seemed to be picking up the ewe's spirits. "It's not funny!"

"Yer right, it ain't funny." Vernon said, putting on a mock serious expression for a moment. "It's hilarious." The wolf snickered.

"PuuuUUUPPPpppy!" Dawn whined louder, her blush intensifying as she seemed to slink lower into her chair.

"Alright ya'll, that's enough." Audrey chuckled, giving Vernon a playful slap. "Settle down a might." Audrey added, lowering her paws to the table to illustrate bringing the noise level down. "Don't wanna wake anyone else up now do we?"

Vernon nodded, clearing his throat slightly as he turned his attention back to the remaining toast on his plate. The last thing he wanted at this point was the other members of the family poking their heads down here now even if they weren't going to the fair with them. The wolf was having far too good a time to risk letting a mammal like Yuri spoil it.

Vernon cut another slim, soggy piece of toast from his stack. But as he raised the caramel oozing pastry to his muzzle, his eyes once again found themselves drifting over to his mate. Dawn had quickly slipped back into her despondent looking state, the ewe once again lamely poking at her food as she let out an uneasy sigh. Vernon grimaced as he lowered his fork back to his plate. Clearly there was more to Dawn's behavior than a simple lack of sleep. Something was on her mind, and Vernon wasn't going to feel any sort of relief unless he got to the bottom of it. The wolf opened his muzzle to speak, but he never got a chance to ask his question.

"Somethin' wrong Darlin'?" Audrey asked, stealing the query from Vernon's own muzzle as if she had read his mind.

The sudden question had caused the ewe to jerk up from her plate again, her attention now quickly drawn to the concerned looking she-wolf.

"O-oh." Dawn murmured in surprise. "I-It's nothing, really."

Vernon could see his mother's brow furrow at the reply, a clear indication the she-wolf was dubious of the ewe's statement at best.

"Alright lil' lamb, out with it." Audrey said, her tone motherly yet playful. "C'mon now, what's botherin' ya?"

The ewe shook her head briskly, stabbing another piece of food with her fork.

"I was just thinking..." Dawn muttered as she spun her fork in a syrupy pool. "I mean I was curious why everyone else isn't coming with us to the fair today."

Vernon raised an eyebrow as he pondered the ewe's question. It was a good one. One that Vernon had never thought to question when his Mother had told them as much in the first place. He was simply happy with the fact that he wouldn't have Yuri around to pester them all day, and thought nothing more than that. He knew in the case of the barbeque, Malcolm was going to have to stay home to prepare for it, but as for the others, it didn't really make sense. Vernon turned to his Mother with a curious expression of his own.

"Yeah..." Vernon said. "I mean you told us they weren't going, but I didn't ask why." The wolf paused, trying to formulate his next words carefully. "I mean, I know Pa...well..."

Vernon glanced at Dawn briefly. He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence in front of her. "It just don't make sense if we're going against what he said, but only sorta doin' that." The wolf shrugged. "Y'know?"

Audrey closed her eyes, tilting her head down slightly.

"Welp..." Audrey sighed, placing her paws against the sides of her muzzle. The wolfess was silent for a few moments as she rubbed the muscles in her snout.

"I could tell ya'll that I thought everyone else would be of better use settin' up fer the barbeque." Audrey said cooly. "But I ain't never been one to try to muddy my reasonin' about somethin', even if I ain't keen on worryin' the both of ya'll."

Audrey placed her paws on the table. Taking a deep breath, the she-wolf opened her eyes, staring back at the couple with a startlingly serious stare. It was the kind of gaze Vernon had learned to fear when he was a pup, the eyes of a mammal ready to fight.

"I know I said I wanted just the two of ya'll to come run the stand to have fun, and I meant that." Audrey said, her serious gaze remaining fixed and unwavering. "But if Dori decides to stick his big nose in where it doesn't belong, I don't want anyone getting between me and him, understand?"

Vernon blinked in surprise, the wolf still trying to parse exactly what the she-wolf was saying. He briefly turned to check on his mate, only to find that Dawn shared his shocked and puzzled expression.

"The less of the pack around to bicker if things go awry the better." Audrey continued, gesturing a paw toward the couple. "I don't need Zach, or Vanna tryin' to stand in fer me. Complicatin' things and making a bigger scene when it doesn't need to be."

Vernon furrowed his brow quizzically.

"I especially don't need any of them tryin' to say they made the call to have ya'll back at the fair." Audrey pressed her paws together, leaning her muzzle against them as she kept her gaze leveled at the pair. "If Dori wants to try to lay down the law, he's going to be squarin' it with me, ya'll get me?"

Vernon nodded meekly as just what his Mother was saying finally started to register.

" I made the call." Audrey said. "I want you both there, and I want ya'll to have fun." The she-wolf stabbed a finger down on the table.

"The fair is fer everyone." The she-wolf added, waving her finger. " Ain't no law that says otherwise. And that means ain't no lawmammal that has a ground to stand on!"

With that, Audrey's posture seemed to ease. The she-wolf leaned back in her chair, stretching and arm as her expression slipped into something more playful and calm.

"I don't want ya'll to worry about Dori, or the rest of them fairgoers." The wolfess let out another sigh. "I just want ya'll to relax and have a good time. Together." Audrey said with a smile. "'Side's, yer frail ol' mother can't run the stand on her own." The she-wolf chuckled.

Vernon couldn't help but smirk, flashing the she-wolf a dull and dubious glance. The last mammal he would ever describe as frail was his mother. If there was one mammal who could manage to put Dorian in his place, it was her. Sure, Dorian had made a number of decrees over the years when it came to his family. But most of the unjust calls didn't last very long under Audrey's tenacious and rebellious demeanor. It was moments like that which left Vernon to wonder exactly how someone seemingly as wild as his Mother even managed to settle down with such a button-downed, authoritarian wolf.

But the topic at hand had managed to stir some of the wolfs nagging doubts and worries. Drawing those uncertainties up to the surface, and pressing him to mention them.

"But what about the fairgoers?" Vernon mumbled, almost reluctantly. "I mean Ana and Ken-"

"Oh pshaw!" Audrey tutted, flicking a lazy paw in Vernon's direction. " I'm certain those two won't be showin' their face at that fair anytime soon after yesterday!"

Audrey flashed the wolf a smirk, leaning in close to Vernon as she placed a paw near her muzzle to try to hide her mouth from the ewe.

"Considerin' the way they left the fair I doubt everything is hunky-dory in the Loupon household." Audrey chuckled softly.

"But surely Mr. Ruddy, or even some of the other fairgoers could-"

"I'm tellin' ya'll they are far too meek to speak up without that agitatin' she-wolf around." Audrey cut Dawn off. "And with me watchin' over ya'll, no-one'll dare say a bad word to ya!" Audrey said defiantly, bringing her paw down sharply against the table.

Dawn still seemed uncertain of Audrey's declaration, but the she-wolf was quick to pick up on it.

"Aw c'mon Dawn, trust me!" Auddey grinned widely at the ewe. "I ain't gonna let anyone hurt one of my own as long as I'm watchin' them, ya'll have my word!"

Vernon watched as Dawn seemed to be fighting back a smirk. It was clear she was still holding on to some reservations about the whole affair just as he was. But his Mother's unflappable optimism was an infectious sort. It was impossible to fight it off when she hoisted it on you, and she knew just how to work a smile out of even the gloomiest mammal.

"B-But Dorian..." Dawn trailed off, still trying to fight the growing smile she was hiding behind her hooves.

"But Dorian nuthin'!" Audrey spat, bringing her paw down against the table again loudly. "If he even shows his big stupid muzzle around our stand I'll bop him into next week!" Audrey grinned, raising her arm in a mock punch.

That was enough to break the ewe. The sheep burst into giggling, her hooves still clasped tightly against her muzzle despite losing her composure. There was simply no winning against Audrey's enthusiasm.

"Alright, alright." Vernon said with a laugh. The wolf gestured his paws in a similar way to how his Mother had earlier in reference to the noise level.

"We're gettin' too loud again." Vernon chuckled. "And I'd rather not have Yuri spoil this breakfast."

Audrey was quick to stifle herself, bringing a paw sharply to her lips as she smirked back at Vernon.

"Here I am actin' like the pup now..." Audrey chuckled quietly.

Dawn took a few deep breaths seemingly in an effort to chase off her remaining laughter as she tried to compose herself. At the very least the ewe was smiling now, her posture improving as the wolf watched her calm down. Soon enough, the ewe actually began to eat the prench toast that had been dissolving in a sea of syrup on her plate.

"So what about the others?" Dawn asked idly as she slipped a piece of toast into her muzzle. "Surely they at least want some of this fantastic breakfast?"

Audrey let out a soft chuckle.

"Malcolm's got 'em covered." The she-wolf said with a grin. "Whenever they all wake up he can fix 'em some fancy prench toast just as good as mine."

"Maybe not quite as good as yers Ma." Vernon said with a chuckle as he scooped a large chunk of the cinnamon swirled bread onto his fork.

Audrey placed a paw to her muzzle, trying to hide the slight blush as she waived her other paw in Vernon's direction.

"Oh hush now!" Audrey cooed. "Malcolm does a fine job."

Vernon rolled his eyes, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Just take a compliment Ma." The wolf chuckled.

Audrey cut herself another small slice of her toast, stabbing it with her fork before waiving it Vernon's way.

"It's true." Auddey retorted. "I mean, that boy's a real chef, not some home taught housewife like me."

"It is fantastic Mrs. Hu-" The ewe paused to correct herself. "I mean Audrey."

The wolf shifted her fork Dawn's way, dabbing it toward the ewe.

"That's right."  The she-wolf said with a grin. "No need for formalities with my daughter-in-law."

The ewe seemed to frown slightly at the she-wolf's words. Dawn glanced down at her plate briefly before seeming to shake off whatever was bothering her. Returning her attention to the she-wolf, the ewe's smile returned.

"Thank you Audrey." Dawn replied. "Really."

"Yer quite welcome Darlin'." Audrey said, finally bringing the food on her fork towards her muzzle.

"So, what exactly is the plan fer today Ma?" Vernon asked, quirking a brow.

As the she-wolf slid the bite of food into her mouth, she leaned in her seat, allowing her free arm to rest on the table. "Welp..." Audrey rolled her eyes slightly, lazily waving her paw. " I figure between the three of us we can pack the van up in a few minutes." Audrey shrugged. "I mean, we did leave it sorta half loaded last night, so there ain't much work to do."

"And then?" Dawn asked. the ewe leaning over her plate as she eyed the wolfess expectantly.

Audrey looked toward the ceiling. "Well, then it's just a matter of gettin' to the fair." The she-wolf scratched her chin softly as she seemed to be mulling over the process.

"We can all take the loader truck out since that's really all we'll need." Audrey bobbed her head slightly as if affirming something to herself. "Then it's just a matter of loadin' the stand and getting to work."

Vernon watched as Dawn began to wring her hooves nervously, a slightly worried expression overtaking her as her eyes returned to looking at her plate.

"I h-hope I can help." Dawn muttered.

Audrey let out a single, sharp laugh. "You'll be fine Darlin', trust me."

Dawn looked back up at Audrey with a slight wince.

"B-but I can't really cook much of anything..." Dawn murmured, tapping her hooves together. "I know a few prey meals but honestly-"

Audrey rolled her eyes. "You'll be fine Darlin'." The wolfess said reassuringly. "'Sides I'll be there every step of the way. I ain't gonna let ya fall."

Dawn offered the she-wolf a small smile.

"Plus I know a thing or two about makin' Ma's pies." Vernon interjected, trying to add to the ewe's rising confidence.

"Between the two of ya'll yer gonna do a fine job." Audrey added, reaching a paw out to Vernon's head and ruffling the fur on top. Vernon moved away, swatting back at his Mother's affectionate gesture.

"MA!" Vernon whined.

"Oh hush!" Audrey tutted as she returned to her plate. The she-wolf cut herself another slice of bread and idly swirled it around the syrup pooled on her plate.

"After we're done fer the day, it's just a matter of packin' up and ridin' back home." Audrey continued, raising the sopping chunk of toast to her lips. "By then the rest of the pack should have the Barbeque all set to go. So ya'll can just keep enjoyin' yerselves."

"Ah, the barbeque." Vernon said with a comfortable sigh. "Now there's somethin' to look forward too." The wolf pat his stomach affectionately. "Nobody Barbeques quite like Mal-"

Vernon paused, his attention switching back Dawn's way as the ewe continued to eat her breakfast. The wolf hadn't given thought to exactly what he could offer his mate in terms of the family barbeque. It was a largely pred affair, and as such they never really had anything made up for prey aside from simple side dishes.

"Ma?" Vernon glanced back at his Mother, concern lacing his features. " What about Dawn?"

"Mhhm?" Audrey grumbled curiously as she chewed another mouthful of food.

"I mean, does Malcolm have anythin' she can eat?" Vernon added. "I mean, her diet is-"

Audrey was quick to dismiss the wolf with the wave of a paw.

"Malcolm already has a few prey specialty dishes planned fer Dawn, don't ya'll worry!" With a grin, Audrey turned her attention back to the diminutive ewe. The she-wolf quirked an eyebrow.

"I hope ya'll like surprises." Audrey said with a chuckle.

Dawn giggled in response.

Vernon let out a relieved sigh. It seemed as though everything was more or less covered as far as plans for the afternoon went. The only thing he had to worry about now was simply the outside forces that could cause those seemingly mundane activities to prove rather difficult. Vernon didn't doubt his Mother's assertions about the fair-goers, or his Father. He was sure the she-wolf would live up to her declarations should they be faced with any hardship while running the stall. But even the risk of such an encounter, regardless of how his Mother handled it still put the wolf on edge. He just didn't want anything to further ruin the prospect of Dawn having a good time. But running the stall seemed like the more favorable choice over remaining at the house all day. At least at the stall Yuri was guaranteed to be miles away from him, and thus unable to torment the couple.

"Oh!" Dawn jerked to attention, as if she had come to a sudden realization. The ewe quickly placed her utensils down, dabbing her muzzle with a napkin.

"May I be excused?" The tiny ewe asked. "I didn't exactly get a chance to go to the bathroom earlier and I-"

Audrey held up a paw silencing the ewe. The she-wolf rolled her eyes, flashing the ewe a smirk.

"Darlin'," Audrey replied. "You don't even have to ask."

Dawn gave a brisk nod, and Vernon watched as she slipped off the stack of phone books in her chair before disappearing below the table's edge. The wolf leaned in his seat just enough to catch the top of her woolly poof as it bobbed along the table, and watched until it shifted toward the Kitchen doorway before finally disappearing completely. Vernon watched for a few more moments, remaining quiet as he listened for the telltale shuttering of the bathroom door as the ewe closed it.

With a soft and familiar 'clack', the wolf knew the coast was finally clear.

Vernon turned in the blink of an eye, the wolf spinning in his seat to face his mother. The wolf practically hung off of his chair as he eyed the she-wolf expectantly. Audrey hadn't moved much since Dawn's departure, the she-wolf calmly slipping another morsel of food into her muzzle.

"Where is it!?" Vernon whined excitedly.

"Is that how you ask yer Mother fer somethin'?" Audrey tutted, not even batting an eye at the wolf's distress.

Vernon let out a quiet grumble, placing his paw to his head in frustration at his Mother's perceived teasing. The wolf straightened up in his seat, taking a moment to clear his throat in order to perfectly recite exactly what he knew the she-wolf wanted to hear without error.

"Mom." Vernon said calmly. "Do you have my bracelet on you?"

Audrey smirked slightly, but otherwise the wolfess remained unfazed by Vernon's address. The she-wolf slipped another slice of food into her muzzle, chewing it agonizingly slowly as she paid Vernon little mind. Vernon was clenching his teeth as he waited for a response, the anticipation gnawing at him relentlessly.

Finally, the she-wolf offered the wolf a simple, soft affirmative nod.

Vernon jerked forward slightly in excitement, but was quick to calm himself. He had to keep his composure or he was certain his Mother would continue to drag this affair along. Vernon sat straight one more, doing his best to continue to appear calm.

"Okay." Vernon said with a sigh. "May I have it?"

Audrey quietly scooped up the last of her prench toast, stabbing it with her fork and swirling it within the remaining pool of syrup and caramel. The she-wolf raised it to her muzzle even slower than before, stopping just short of her lips as the wolf waited anxiously for her response. She held her fork there allowing a deafening silence to hang for what seemed like an eternity.

Finally, the she-wolf spoke, and Vernon found the food-laden fork pointed his way rather than where he had expected it to go.

"May I have it...?" Audrey tailed off, bobbing the fork slightly with each word. "What?"

Vernon groaned. The she-wolf's sudden adherence to formality was clearly just to toy with him, and the game was starting to wear thin. Then again, the wolf only had himself to blame for keeping it going. He had forgotten the most crucial part of the song and dance when it came to respectfully asking his Mother for something.

Vernon let out an exhausted sigh.

"May I have it..." Vernon offered as wide a smile as he could to the nonplussed she-wolf. "Please?" The wolf asked.

Audrey's grin grew, and the she-wolf finally turned to acknowledge her son. Placing her fork down, the wolfess reached into her breast pocket. After a brief bit of fumbling she extracted Vernon's prize.

'thwap, thwap' Vernon's tail was already off like a shot at the mere glimpse of his treasure. And the wolf quickly reached out to snag it from his Mother's paw only for her to quickly jerk it away, her smile widening into something more mischievous.

"MA!" Vernon snapped, his patience worn through.

"Ah, ah, ah." Audrey tutted, waggling a finger at the wolf.

"First tell me that I'm the best Mother in all of Animalia." Audrey snickered. "And that without my help ya'll wouldn't know hock from yer hackles!"

"MAAA!" Vernon groaned in annoyance.

Audrey rolled her eyes, shaking her head dismissively.

"Alright, alright..." The she-wolf sighed. "You boys are no fun anymore, I swear..."

The she-wolf gestured her free paw toward Vernon.

"Hold out yer paw." Audrey said, extending her own paw outward expectantly.

Vernon extended his paw, moving it just underneath his mother's, ready to catch the precious trinket. Once the she-wolf was seemingly satisfied, she opened her paw, allowing the beaded bracelet to fall gingerly into Vernon's grip.

As soon as Vernon felt the plastic touch his pads he immediately snapped it up, pulling it tightly against his chest before Audrey had even moved her still open paw.

Audrey rolled her eyes again.

"My little Puppy." Audrey shook her head. "It ain't a newborn baby bird, ya'll don't need to treat it like it'll break if ya'll look at it wrong." The she-wolf snickered.

Vernon met her statement with an eye roll of his own. He couldn't expect his Mother to fully understand why the friendship bracelet was so important to him. It had become the crucial lynchpin in his plan to salvage the weekend for his mate. While it now looked increasingly likely that it was going to take more than one weekend to wear his Father down to get his approval for a tithe, at the very least he could make the ewe's first visit to the Ranch a positive memory with his trinket.

The wolf carefully opened his clasped paw, keeping it pooled against his chest as he glanced down at the plastic jewelry.

Not much had changed in regards to how it looked, it was a simple set of plastic children's beads after all. But the fresh dabs of paint and enamel were easily noticeable in the places where parts of the letters had worn away. There was no mistaking what the bracelet said now. The comfortable deep brown satin banding holding the letters together just as they had been all those years before.

"Floofy's Best Friend." Vernon muttered appreciatively to himself, a warm smile crawling across his muzzle.

"Ain't that adorable..." Vernon's attention was stolen back by his Mother. The she-wolf was now leaning both arms on the table, allowing her head to rest on her paws as she watched the wolf's expressions. "Ya'll still get that gleam in yer eye like when you were a little Pup, it's just so cute."

Vernon let out a slight scoff, more at the statement than his Mother's attitude. He certainly was grateful, and the last thing he wanted to seem was disrespectful after what his Mother had done.

"Thank you so much Ma, really." Vernon said with a soft smile.

"Seems like it was just yesterday you were still my little Puppy..." Audrey seemingly hadn't heard him, the she-wolf momentarily lost in her memories. Her voice had wavered slightly, a sadness evident in tone as she reminisced.

But the she-wolf didn't linger on it long, and with a brisk shake of her head Audrey sat straight up in her chair. The she-wolf cleared her throat, seemingly attempting to shake off her burst of motherly nostalgia.

"Anyhoo..." Audrey muttered, adding another few throat clearing coughs for good measure. "I think ya'll should just pocket that fer now." The wolfess advised, waving a finger. "Slip it on at the stall and don't even mention it."

Vernon quirked an eyebrow in confusion.

"What? Why?" The wolf was quick to respond.

Audrey rolled her eyes.

"'Cause imagine how much more of a surprise it'll be if she finds it out on her own." Audrey said with a smile. "She'll probably squeal with delight if she ain't prepared for it. Ya'll can't tell me you wouldn't love that."

In all of the dream scenarios Vernon had played out the previous evening, simply allowing the ewe to discover it on his arm without mentioning was an idea he hadn't even considered. But the way his Mother had pitched it to him easily made the idea trump every other paws down. The wolf knew that was the way he had to do it, the ultimate surprise.

Vernon nodded briskly in agreement, flashing the she-wolf a wide grin before returning to eyeing his treasure.

"Y'know..." Vernon murmured softly.

"Ya'll really are the best Mother in all Animalia." The wolf said with a chuckle.

Vernon looked up to catch his Mother staring back at him in surprise, her paw over her muzzle as her eyes glimmered with what he could only assume was rising tears. But she quickly turned her gaze away, trying to hide the fact that he had caught her emotionally off guard.

"Aw Puppy, d-don't tease yer old Momma now." Audrey tried to sound firm, but her tone quavered with emotion, and Vernon couldn't help but smile.

The familiar clack of the bathroom door pulled the wolf away from the warm moment he had shared with his mother. The wolf fumbled with the bracelet, rushing to stuff it in his pocket as the familiar woolly poof began to trace the edge of the table once more. He finally managed to completely bury it in his pocket just in time for the ewe to begin her struggle back into he seat.

"Need help Honey Lamb?" Vernon asked coolly, doing his best to play off the frantic scramble he had been in seconds before.

"N-no." Dawn groaned, as the ewe began to surface from below the table edge. "I-I've got I-It."

It took the ewe a few moments on her own, but soon enough the ewe was back in her seat. Dawn took a moment to adjust herself, straightening her skirt before finally turning her attention back to the rest of the table.

"That's better." Dawn said with a sigh.

Vernon chuckled. "Yeah sorry Darlin'." The wolf uttered, scratching the back of his neck. "I probably should have asked ya'll on our way downstairs if ya'll needed the rest room."

Dawn chuckled. "It's fine." The ewe replied, picking up her utensils again. "I just hope I didn't miss anything interesting." The ewe asked, raising the wolves a curious eyebrow.

Vernon and his Mother shared a brief glance.

"Nah, just more fair prep talk Floofs, nothin' serious." Vernon replied, flashing the ewe a grin.

"Yeah, I was just tellin' Vernon how he's still gonna be on dish duty at the stand." Audrey added.

Vernon turned to his Mother in surprise, only to find the she-wolf grinning at him with a wide a mischievous smile.

"What, ya'll thought I forgot about yer punishment?" Audrey chuckled. " 'Sides, someone's got to do 'em. The stall doesn't have a dishwasher after all."

Vernon let out a groan as Audrey and Dawn broke into a fit of giggling.

"Great, she did remember." The wolf lamented to himself, running a paw over his scalp as the girls laughed around him. The wolf's paws were still wrinkled from the previous evening. But Vernon supposed it was a small price to pay now that he had his friendship bracelet. The joy he knew it would bring Dawn to see it would be well worth perpetually soggy paws.

[brittanyinterviews]

Julie Harleman, Founder of Maple Street Denim

Julie Harleman, Founder of Maple Street Denim

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This interview was conducted via Google Hangouts on June 23, 2020. It was edited slightly for clarity and consistency. 

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Brittany: Can you tell me a bit about yourself?

Julie: My name is Julie Harleman. I’m the owner of Maple Street Denim in Oakland, CA. I have lived here in Oakland for 22+ years, originally I am from St Louis, MO.

Brittany: Have you always been interested in fashion? Can you describe your first fashion memory?

Julie: I have not always been consciously interested in fashion, but I can say I have always noticed how clothes made me feel. My first fashion memory is getting in a big fight with my mom over what she wanted me to wear to picture day when I was like 4 or 5.

Brittany: What did she want you to wear and, maybe more importantly, what did you want to wear?

Julie: She got me these denim overalls with a ruffly shirt and heart-shaped buttons and it was super cutesy and dainty and I just couldn’t stand it. We compromised and she said I never had to wear what she asked on picture day again if I just wore that this time. You can see the tissue I’d used when I was throwing my fit in the pocket of my little overalls in the picture 😂😂 And the next year I wore a t-shirt with a pony on it.

Brittany: I think you won that argument and you learned the art of compromise early. How did growing up in St Louis, MO influence your view of fashion and personal style?

Julie: Hmm. That’s a tough one. I’m not sure that the place I grew up had as much influence as the family I grew up in did. I have six siblings, there was never a lot of money for new clothes and since I’m the fifth kid, I had a lot of hand-me-downs. St Louis is a very conservative city and I’m from a Catholic family that went to Catholic school and stuff, so I wore a uniform to school through my sophomore year of high school. When I switched to public school, I remember being very particular about what I was going to wear on the first day of school for the first time in my life.

Brittany: That must have been such an empowering moment, especially at that crucial age of self-expression. I see what you graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Social Welfare. How did your time at Berkeley inform your career path?

Julie: Honestly, it didn’t. My career in what I’m doing with a shop got started before I went to Berkeley. I worked at the same store [Slash Clothing] before, during, and after going to Cal. I thought I might want to become a counselor or a social worker but when I graduated, I had an opportunity to stay on in a bigger role at my job, so I did that. Eventually I left that shop to open my own and I’ve never considered social work as a career. I think the way it influences me is that I have always had a connection to the importance of meeting people where they are and operating with care and consciousness in how I run my business.

Brittany: Can you discuss how Maple Street Denim came to be? Did you always see yourself running your own business? 

Julie: So after I graduated in 2006, I planned to stay on and help expand the shop where I worked. We doubled the size of the shop and I started doing all of the operations for the second part of the store. I loved it and took to it very well, but it was never my own shop, and as the years went on, I felt myself wanting to branch out more on my own and take on more ownership of what I was doing. I didn’t know what I wanted to do or what I was going to pursue. I was considering moving to Los Angeles to work as a sales rep for one of the companies I worked with, but I wasn’t sure. 

In May of 2014, I was suddenly forced to make a decision after Slash suffered from a small fire and we kind of needed to start from scratch with everything that I had worked on since 2006. It was devastating to the owners of the shop and they weren’t really sure what was going to happen, and it was just sort of a very clear sign that it was time for me to move on. 

It was really a difficult time and honestly this pandemic and the uncertainty I’m feeling now feels a lot like that moment. Just motivated by uncertainty and necessity, my heart said I wanted to have my own shop so I hustled and managed to get it all figured out and open in downtown Oakland within four months of leaving Slash.

Brittany: I didn't know Maple Street Denim was originally downtown. When did you make your way to Piedmont?

Julie: In 2018. Four years on 9th Street, two years here on Piedmont.

Brittany: What can a new customer expect to find at Maple Street Denim?

Julie: That is not normally a hard question to answer, but it is right now, at least logistically. Customers can always expect kindness and care when they shop here. I like to get to know my customers and really want people to feel at home here. With the pandemic, everything is so upside down, it’s been really hard to continue to meet my customers. We have a really wide selection of jeans and we always help you find the right fit. I always say it’s not Do It Yourself here. I’ll ask you a few questions and find out kind of what you’re looking for and then pull some things I think will work best for you.

Brittany: Can you share some tips for finding the perfect pair of jeans?

Julie: That’s a question that I get asked a lot and it’s not really a question I can answer.

Brittany: Is it too individualized a question to provide a general response?

Julie: Absolutely. The best thing you can do is to get help from people who know what they’re doing. That’s the best tip for finding a perfect anything. Beyond that, you should familiarize yourself with terminology and understand how to talk about what you want. A lot of customers come in for help because they just have no idea how to interpret marketing terms like “skinny” or “boot cut” or “low rise” and things like that... understanding what those things generally mean really helps you narrow down what you’re looking for.

Brittany: Can you describe your typical day at Maple Street Denim before the time of COVID-19?

Julie: Yes! Weekdays and weekends are very different. Weekends are customer service pretty much all day, only. Weekdays are typically a little slower, we get shipments and do receiving and merchandising in the store and see our neighborhood regulars who stop in to chat. That’s my very favorite part of having a shop and what I miss the most during lockdown! It’s very much a neighborhood here on Piedmont and we see a lot of the same folks regularly. It’s really nice to feel so connected to the community that way.

Brittany: What I really like about visiting your shop is seeing the wide selection of local brands like Nooworks. How do you pick which brands to stock?

Julie: I try to pick brands that are trying to do things differently and be better in the world. The fashion industry is really harmful in a lot of ways, especially in terms of environmental harm and exploitation of labor—in particular the labor of impoverished women of color. So, from the very start, if a company doesn’t have anything at all addressing sustainability and fair trade, I probably won’t look any further. 

I like to work with brands that are small, that are owned by weirdos and misfits, that don’t want to be the next big thing, but just keep doing what they want to do and being true to it. I prioritize Made in USA as much as I can, but that isn’t a deal-breaker if a brand is transparent about where their production is and held accountable for how they run their production.

Brittany: Can you name any brands you're excited about right now?

Julie: I am obsessed with Jungmaven and Nudie Jeans pretty much permanently, but both of those brands are doing some exciting stuff right now.

Brittany: Do you do any trend forecasting? How do you decide which items to purchase?

Julie: So in my shop, I try to NOT be too trendy and instead be more classic. I stay conscious of trends of course, but I want my shop to be the place you know you can rely on to just get a great pair of jeans that are going to last you a long time and find some interesting and elevated basics that you can keep in your wardrobe forever. I think the seasonal forecasting thing is one of the most wasteful things about fashion, especially in the Bay Area, where our weather doesn’t really vary that much year round and most people don’t need separate seasonal wardrobes.

When something is really awesome and exciting, I like to just get a very small amount of something totally different so it stands out. I am really into all-over prints when they’re done well like Nooworks. We’ve been making some of our own graphic tees for awhile and working with artists for graphic design is one of the things I’m super into. I like the idea of limited small collections of things that are just interesting and cool, but not necessarily something you’re gonna wear everyday. Like we just got these crazy, fuzzy, leopard-print, organic cotton sweaters in and they’re crazy, but I just got in five or so because it’s going to be an item that you think about and really make a conscious decision that it’s worth being in your closet. That is why I like small brands.

Brittany: Speaking of being based in Oakland, what are some of the benefits of owning a small business here?

Julie: Owning a business in Oakland is really awesome because we are so dominated by small business and not big chains, and Oaklanders ride or die for other Oaklanders. Watching the outpouring of support from neighbors and customers for all of our small businesses in Oakland during the pandemic has been just totally amazing.

Brittany: As a retailer, I imagine you have a lot of opinions on where to buy clothes. Where are some of your favorite places to shop in the East Bay and elsewhere in the Bay Area?

Julie: Ooooh I like this question! Here on Piedmont, Resurrect and Mercy Vintage are both awesome. You can always find something one of a kind in either of those shops. Claflin, Thayer & Co. in the Temescal Alley is THE BEST for a custom jacket and well-made accessories. She makes her jackets in her own little studio and they fit amazing and Liz is just one of the best people. Owl N Wood used to be my neighbor downtown and she’s online now and has a private studio. Her stuff is also always amazing and perfectly tailored. If I were winning an award and needed to find a dress to wear to the ceremony, I would be at McMullen in a heartbeat. Her collection of designer brands is amazing.

Brittany: What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?

Julie: Well I just released another very small restock of some of our brand tees, including a new colorway and redesign on our best-selling Weed Snake tee. Those are available online now! We did a collection of four tees with my friend and one of my favorite artists, Jesse California, on Jungmaven tees last summer and they were a big hit, so I reprinted some recently. And, going forward, I am going to be doing private fit appointments in the brick and mortar starting July 9. You can book an appointment online now through our website! I am finding that’s going to be the most manageable and safe way for me to continue to provide denim fittings as we continue to move through the pandemic.

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Photo provided by Julie Harleman.

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Special thanks to Julie for discussing her work with us. You can learn more about Maple Street Denim on their website. 

[jellybi]

Let’s Rate the Ayakashi Sisters!

I’ll be rating the Ayakashi Sisters as a unit because I’m not their biggest fan and it took me so darn long to get through their arc that the ones who stand out to me less have almost entirely faded from my memories. I know they come back near the end of the series, but I’m going to rate them now before I completely forget the things I still have in mind!

Personality:  ★ ★     I could probably only tell you the personalities of Berthier and Petz -- not to say the other two had nothing going on, but their personalities didn’t resonate with me enough to stick. I liked Berthier and Petz for opposite reasons -- Berthier has a pretty common personality archetype: sweet and delicate about things as a thin veneer of cuteness over blatant ruthlessness and cynicism. It’s overdone, perhaps, but I really enjoy it! With Petz, I liked her hard edges. She’s played as the older, bitter, angrier one, and there’s an enjoyable lack of delicacy to her. For Koan, I felt like her personality shift was way too extreme and uninspired. She went from Generic Wicked Witch we mainly see menacing a child to a saccharine-sweet victim -- the tragic innocent maiden whose pure love was used against her. If there was connective tissue between the two, I missed it in the length between episodes in my rewatch. Calavaras -- I honestly don’t even remember what Moments she might have had that showed character, except that I enjoyed her reaction to two of her sisters changing sides -- sort of a fearful curiosity and doubt while trying to pay lip service to unquestioning loyalty.

In the early episodes, maybe as a placeholder before anything more specific got thought up, all the sisters except Petz seem to have a shared personality trait--obsession with beauty and makeup with a lot of infighting about it. This was kind of... boring and unfortunate and not enjoyable to me, but I did appreciate that they got to keep the beauty obsession when they were made ‘good’ -- since they otherwise became pretty bland and it would have made kind of a sexist statement if goodness had “cured” them of their love of makeup.

Style:  The sisters all have very different styles and I’m going to rate them independently. The ratings are complicated because I have complicated feelings. Koan:  -★  I have invented a negative star for Koan because I hate her style so much that I am pretty sure it has unfairly impacted my impression of her as a character. The full-body feathery tutu with thin vertical stripes and high heels. The incongruous, absurd cat-ears that make no physical sense! I just want someone to go in and fix it all! I even find her attack animations to be awkward and weird-looking. Whatever they were trying to do with her didn’t work with me at all, unless they were trying to make her absurd and off-putting. I think the cat ears were actually a 90′s anime mistake of sorts based on manga image ambiguity and that the cat ears are supposed to be triangular odangos. Triangular odangos would be 100% legit and totally suited to the show. But the idea that she had whipped her hair into peaks like a meringue and then wandered around lecturing strangers about the importance of taking care of your appearance just caused my brain to reject her and all the weird aesthetic sensibility she stands for.  Berthier:  ★ ★ ★ This outfit is fine. It’s basically a monochrome swimsuit with boots and gloves, so it’s on the boring side, but given that Koan is so over-the-top, understated is probably a good direction to go in for other members of the group. She does a good job adhering to her ice theme in dress, personality and manner, while also being asymmetrical from the others in doing this (I couldn’t tell you the others’ elemental themes offhand), which is satisfying and makes her feel unique. Calavaras:  ★ ★ There’s nothing strictly wrong with Calavaras’s outfit. It seems to be inspired by a roman soldier uniform, except with a little skirt and what may be an armored bow. But why? Galaxia’s outfit is similar, but is in harmony with Galaxia’s personality, which is cold, commanding, and militant. Calavaras’s personality is cutesy and feminine, but her aesthetic is severe... with a bow on it. It winds up giving her an Ugly Stepsister vibe like Koan -- someone vain and looks-obsessed who is nonetheless Doing it Wrong by taking her look to weird extremes for the audience to side-eye. Petz:  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ / ★ ★ If you just took the fricking eyeballs off her boobs this would be one of my favorite female villain costumes in the series. But... but.... the eyeball boobs. They break my heart. They remind me of the weird gimmicky sexual stuff going on with the youma. Does anyone ever talk about the youma and their weird boob cannons and such?  If we pretend for a moment that she doesn’t have eyeball boobs, I love the  shoulder feathers, the short hair/updo thing she has going on, the sleekness, and the dark color scheme. She has kind of an ominous, mysterious, regal style that seems to bolster her forbidding personality.  I don’t even think the colored boob highlights looks bad in themselves, just don’t literally put eyes on them, what is wrong with you guys. Civilian Costumes:  ★ ★ ★ ★ When they turn into good guys or are in disguise, the sisters all look great and the costumes do a much better job of selling them as image-obsessed! I feel like the fact that they were designed to die so swiftly in the original manga led to some goofy costume experimentation that the anime showrunners felt compelled to be faithful to (although they were faithful to nothing else). When allowed to improvise, they made decisions that seemed to fit better with the personalities the Sisters had been given. Backstory: ★ ★ What even is their backstory? They used to be regular women until Rubeus recruited them... maybe? Or maybe not. Did they grow up brainwashed by Wiseman’s magic? Is everyone on their planet/moon whatever brainwashed? Some of these questions might be answered later in the season. Petz has a history with Sapphir that is probably the best-foreshadowed thing in the series -- they throw it in so many episodes in advance of the reveal that I can’t help wondering if it was an accident or coincidence. If nothing else, maybe the reference to an ex spurred the pairing idea, not the other way around. But knowing about it in advance doesn’t seem to add anything to it (it’s not like she gives early hints about Sapphir, or even the relationship’s specifics), so I still feel like this is a low-star situation. Hero Relationships: ★ ★ ★ I love villain heel-turns. This is a weird case where they gave me all I might have dreamed of and I didn’t appreciate it. The writing in the Rei/Koan episode was just so inconsistent and confusing. What were they even talking about? What lesson were they teaching one another? Why did Koan’s situation move Rei’s heart in particular, besides the fact that it was a Rei feature episode and Rei happened to be there?  Ami and Berthier going head-to-head as rivals was less emotionally driven, but more narratively satisfying. Their extremely brief connection made me contemplate What Could Have Been -- imagine if Ami had gotten to have a smart, sweet, yet competitive and slightly conniving friend.  Villain Relationships: ★ ★ ★ While overall I didn’t find their relationships that compelling or memorable, they did have some nice moments. I loved that the show broke its symmetry to have Koan reach out to Berthier rather than having the inner senshi line up and each convert a sister to goodness. It was also interesting to see the show cop to and address the toxic infighting of the group as something that was actually kind of tragic for all of them and should be fixed. No one had to really learn any lessons of course, because it was treated as something caused by an invisible evil force, but it was nice to have the show step back and be like “actually it’s kind of super sad that the only people this lady has in the world are snarking about how she might fail at her mission and die.” That’s a level of self-awareness I always yearned for in the DK arc and ended up having to inject into it via fanfic. Likeable/Love to Hate:  ★ ★ ★ There were variable levels for each of the sisters, so I’ll round them out to a “satisfactory.” As I mentioned above, I found Berthier and Petz to be the most likeable, and disliked Koan in a non-fun way. Although I maintain a regretful curiosity about her because I feel like the show LOVED her and treated her emotions with a lot of reverence toward the end of her arc and sometimes I wish I “got” it so I could appreciate something that obvious love and effort was put into.   Resolution: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ If I am willing to take the Sisters as they are, I couldn’t have asked for much more from the show than to redeem them, keep them around and participating in the senshi’s lives and storyline for multiple episodes, and even bring them back for an encore episode long after the audience thinks they’ve been discarded, for a surprise tie-in with another character’s tragic death. Well -- okay, actually, I could. Make the redemption deeper (don’t just turn them into generic Nice Sweet Girls in a flash of light) and commit to keeping them around long term to deepen their connections to the senshi. But to really dig into that, I think they’d have needed to focus on just ONE character to do it with (Berthier would have been my choice).  But I give it five stars because it’s probably the most ambitious villain redemption the show ever attempts and I think it exceeded anyone’s expectations for continuity in a monster-of-the-day, villain-of-the-week show. Overall: ★ ★   Eh... fairly or not, these guys were one of my least favorite villain groups. I always spend their arc kind of waiting for the show to get on with it. Their aesthetic seems deliberately unsettling, and mixes poorly with their group identity as beauty experts. The twists some of them take from scary to sweet seem a little cheap, and I wind up wishing that their redemption arc had gone to other characters. On the other hand, NOT dying tragically means they never had a chance to wring the kind of audience pity that makes one wish for second chances and alternate plotlines. Maybe if they had died I’d be in here writing about how I have this brilliant idea, wouldn’t it have been great if they’d gotten to live and peacefully sell makeup as offscreen BFFs to the senshi, maybe even cameo at the end of the season... I guess you never know how you’d feel about a plot if it had gone differently.

[givenchyic]

Repeat after me, “You Can Never Be Overdressed Or Overeducated”, thank you Oscar Wilde. This quote is certainly true no matter the occasion, yet it does resonate in the time of quarantine and might bring you a dosage of comfort. This time is, to put it bluntly, a ‘kick you in the crotch spit on your neck fantastic moment’. Never thought I would combine a quote from Rachel Green with Oscar Wilde but here we are!

If like me, you love to vicariously live your life for a few days through prettily designed Pinterest quotes from dead famous people, then this one is perfect. Whether it’s dressing up in your finest and putting makeup on for dinner, or subscribing to a myriad of online courses and panic-ordering books on Amazon (because truly how long will this last for?) this quote can motivate you to boost both your mood and your brain. 

Occasion wear is the new stay-in wear, how to be the best dressed in your living room

Truthfully, I am a little bit bored with fast fashion’s disingenuous attempt to shove loungewear down our throats. For instance, these are a few email subject lines and opening sentences I have received in the past few weeks:

“New Season Loungewear BACK IN STOCK”

“Cozy things From £5” – Facetime your girls, eat tacos in bed and play your records from start to finish.

“Welcome to the loungewear appreciation club”

“Latest in loungewear”

“Next level loungewear”

Okay, we are stuck at home, stop infiltrating my social media cookies. 

 But, I also get it, you also want to look chic and you want to be comfortable whilst.. well… lounging. With this in mind, I have compiled a few different moods and faux scenarios for you with clothes to match. Truthfully, other than work, I have nothing better to do, so my imagination has run wild!

Perhaps the most annoying thing that I find with this fast fashion loungewear is the use of unsustainable fabrics and repetitive styles quickly regurgitated to satisfy our insatiable demand. Now, I’m not saying that these clothes picks below contain sustainable fabrics, yet I think that they are way more wearable than said loungewear. These pieces are different as you can easily wear them after lockdown ends. Polyester, Acrylic and Nylon knitwear will inevitably shrink in the wash or will be peppered with splashes of hot tomato pasta sauce after precariously trying to eat your dinner on the sofa. Then, it will just end up in the bin and clog up landfill sites in the UK and overseas for hundreds and thousands of years.

The point is, as sometimes sustainable isn’t necessarily the most affordable, buy pieces that you know you will wear again and again, that like us have a life after lockdown (because that day will come!)

Choose silhouettes that emphasise comfort but also that are more sophisticated. From oversized shirts to palazzo pants and silky dressing gowns, I have selected smart stay in wear that will elevate your wardrobe.

So, although this lockdown may last for a while, don’t let your impact on this earth last longer!

For The Ordinary AHA 30% Skin Peel and Bowl of Pasta Wear

There is nothing quite as calming as a hot bath on a Sunday evening followed by a bowl of pasta the size of your head and a skincare routine. If you are becoming a derma baby, and you want to indulge in that vision of preening yourself in front of an immaculate glamorous vintage vanity set then this lockdown look is perfect: A chic soft and silky dressing gown.

I am biased, but One Hundred Stars do the best gowns! From delicate chinoiserie to botanical floral and vintage maps of your favourite cities, these delightful gowns are made out of the softest fabric, a combination of Modal and Viscose. I often wear my dressing gown just around the house anyway, and last summer I wore it with black trousers and a black rollneck to work or thrown over a bikini!

 Linen gowns are also a great choice for the warmer weather, and this H&M Conscious collection piece promises sustainable sleepwear that soothes both you and the earth.

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Night On The Sofa and Glass of Pale Rosé In Hand Wear:

Oversized linen and cotton shirts are a must for sophisticated soporific wear.I dream about pairing these cool, calm and collected shirts with darted wide-leg trousers, palazzo pants and, when the sun comes out, satin slip bias mini skirts. The sharp tailored pleats of the trousers, and the slick derriere skimming of the bias cut will provide the perfect contrast to the slouchy tucked or untucked shirt. 

For the finishing final touches, accessorise with bright yellow Gold chains, baroque pearls and satisfying slick of red lipstick.

When choosing colour palettes for an overall ensemble, go for graduated tones of ecru, creams, beiges, greyages and latte. These will effortlessly melt and ooze together. 

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  For Pacing Around Your Apartment Whilst On the Phone to Your Boss Wear:

I never have been one for sliders, but since spending all my time at home, I have come to appreciate the need for “house shoes”. As heady sun-drenched living rooms become the norm, slippers constitute sweaty and clammy toes – not the nicest. But if, like me, you have an affliction with your toesies being out all the time, comfortable sandals like these fluffy ugg sandals will keep you perusing around your home with ease. Available in a variety of cutesy pastel colours, these sandals are worth every penny. 

For the Easy Mornings and Luxurious Nights

For me, a slip dress is ubiquitous with both comfort and luxury, two concepts that often go hand in hand or can be worlds apart. 

The greatness of a slip dress is in the name itself, the way they just slip over your head and shoulders with ease. Plus, the way they are cut can accentuate your body and make you instantly feel good in yourself – what’s not to love? The lighter materials too are currently perfect for lockdown, keeping you cool in the warmer climates. 

Although I am partial to cowl neck, I feel they have been slightly overdone. So, I think a deep v neck slip dress is equally as flattering and infinitely wearable. 

The sweet cornflower blue of this Urban outfitters slip dress gives you a renewed sense of optimism and tranquility, and the lime hue is also perfect for dancing the night away with its zeal and fresh colour. What’s more, the chocolate brown option can easily transcend into autumn and winter 

(When editing this piece I also found this slip dress in a pretty oyster shade too – a gift that just keeps on giving.) 

This selection below from Pretty Lavish are also all great choices. The satin Piper maxi dresses are exceptionally elegant, yet they dance on the fine line of formal and smart casual. The tie-dye print of the apricot number invites flat sandals, and the cool mint hue of the other dress means you can easily wear her, at the discretion of your own confidence, in the day. 

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Online courses for pointless knowledge, career-boosting strategies or to learn for the sake of learning

So, I have been purposefully stringent in choosing clothes for this blog post, and believe me, it was hard. The reason why is because the second half is dedicated to learning – yes, learning. 

I miss learning, I really do. I have always had a curious mind, divulging daily in documentaries, reading books or following history accounts on twitter just because I like a random fact popping up on my timeline. I enjoyed the large majority of my lectures, and for the most part, reading for essays at university (I found the writing really hard and abhorred it, but you can find out more about that in this blog post!). 

Quarantine has made me think, okay how can I direct my energy into learning something new – whether its just pointless facts or it can strengthen my career. Because truthfully in future interviews, I might be asked what I like to do in my spare time, and drinking glasses of wine with friends and boyfriend might not cut the mustard. 

I have recently started doing this Museum of Modern Art: Fashion as Design course which is super duper interesting. I’m only on week 3, but the course explores a 2017 exhibition of theirs called ‘Is Fashion Modern’ looking at staple garments like the plain white t-shirt or Nike Air force 1’s and looking at how these garments have made their cultural stamp and their history.

So, I have searched on Future Learn to find other free online courses that I am interested in and have shared them below in case they pique anyone’s interest. The online art platform Artsy has also written: “10 Art History Classes You Can Take Online For Free” . 

Start Writing Fiction

A History of Royal Fashion

Understanding Fashion: From Business to Culture

Fashion and Sustainability: Understanding Luxury Fashion in a Changing World

Propaganda and Ideology in Everyday Life

Many Faces: Understanding the Complexities of Chinese Culture

Introduction to Japanese Sub Cultures

Designing a Feminist Chatbot

Thank you for reading,

Molly x

“You Can Never Be Overdressed or Overeducated” The Quarantine Mantra Repeat after me, “You Can Never Be Overdressed Or Overeducated”, thank you Oscar Wilde. This quote is certainly true no matter the occasion, yet it does resonate in the time of quarantine and might bring you a dosage of comfort.

[outfittrends]

Teenage Fashion 2019 - 18 Fabulous Outfits for Teenage Girls Outfit Trends - Ideas How to Wear & What to Wear

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Teenage Fashion 2019 - 18 Fabulous Outfits for Teenage Girls

Teenage Fashion 2019. “Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak.” —Rachel Zoe. Being a teenage girl is hard enough without having to worry about what to put on your changing body. Plus, in an ever-changing industry, it’s hard to figure out what actually works for you and best suits you and your personality.

So here at Outfit Trends, we have made it easy for you. We have compiled 18 outfits along with the best tips and tricks to help you create looks that will enhance your natural beauty and make staying fashionable as easy as flicking through your favorite shows on Netflix.

What To Wear For Teenage Girls?

Featuring a variety of trendy looks, we have also sampled for you some classic outfits that will always be stylish regardless of the latest trend. You can pick and choose according to what fits you best. Feel free to mix and match as well! Once you figure out the type of style that matches your personality you can get creative and play it up a bit! Fashion is a journey that you have only just begun.

Without further ado, here are our best 23 outfits for teenage girls plus fashion tips!

↓ 23. Back To School

Go back to school in a cool and floral bomber jacket outfit. For more ideas, here are 25 Cute Back To School Outfit Ideas For Flawless Look.

↓ 22. Casual Date Looks

Here are some sweetest outfits that are perfect for Valentine’s day as well as casual dating:

↓ 21. What To Wear To The Beach In Winters

↓ 20. Cute Street Style

↓ 19. Pool Party Outfit

↓18. Perfect School Day Look

This look is so easy to put together and you can wear it any day of the week! Pick a three-quarter length sleeved top of your choice. The one pictured is white with pale pink sleeves and a pale pink collar. Pale, neutral tones are super stylish, especially when paired with another fabric/color of your choice. Here this black, corduroy overall dress hits mid-thigh (you might need to go a bit longer depending on your school’s dress code) and features adorable buttons and classic overall clasps. With this look, you do not need many accessories. Some simple stud earrings will do the trick along with a ring or two. Choose a neutral-coloured backpack like this gray one. It will match almost everything. Finish off the look with a pair of black and white sneakers (pictured are Vans) and tie up your hair in a sweet half-up, half-down do. This is a cute and versatile look that works for just about any casual occasion! Here are some more Sporty Style Outfits for School Every Girl Must Try.

Here’s another similar look but with a different colour tone.

↓ 17. Cute Outfit For Teenage Girls For Summers

Denim skirts really came into their own in the good ol’ nineties. Before that, denim pencil skirts were The Thing. Now, they’re back and they are better than ever (i.e. this is how you wear a jean skirt a la modern fashion). This cute little wardrobe piece hits mid-thigh, is high-waist, and features a line up of buttons down the front. It is very form flattering, especially when worn with a tucked in top. This tee features a high collar and a beautiful flowery print with sleeves that are just a bit on the long side. You can accessorize with a variety of rings on your fingers and the earrings of your choice. (Small hoop earrings or stud earrings would suit this look very well.) Pull your hair back in a loose half-up, half-down hairstyle, and leave a few wisps loose to frame your face. Tuck in a pair of sunglasses to pop on once you’re out and about!

A shoulder purse with a big clasp or buckle can be super stylish. Throw on a pair of slipper style shoes: these are deep red and feature silvery studs along the heel – perfectly matching your buttoned skirt – and echo the reddish pops of color in the shirt. Adorable and stylish, this is a perfect look for a day at the mall or lunch out with your best girlfriends! Don’t miss out these 20 Outfit Ideas For Teen Girls In Summer.

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↓ 16. A Throwback ’90s Look You’ll Love

If you ever watched Friends and thought, “Man, I love those ’90s looks,” then this is the outfit for you. With this ensemble, you’ll be wearing a black and white striped knit sweater tucked into a pair of slightly baggy skinny jeans. With this look, you’ll want to go for a fitted sweater so as not to overwhelm your frame. A traditionally sized black, silver-clasped belt is the perfect throwback accessory. Black, shiny dress shoes lend a bit of a tomboyish vibe as well. Tease your hair a little and tie up in a half-knot on top of your head. Some round, Harry-Potter-esque eyeglasses are the perfect touch to finish off this great school day look.

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↓ 15. Trendy Teen Girl Dresses

Spotted! A Gossip Girl approved ensemble with a trendy twist. With this outfit, you’ll be donning a cute gray dress featuring thin, spaghetti straps and a straight cut neckline over a black turtleneck sweater. Very stylish, much fashion. You will also be wearing a pair of sheer black tights and the trend-setting piece of choice: these black and white high-tops. With footwear this comfortable, you will never want to take this outfit off. To complete the look, straighten your hair and wear some simple stud earrings. Voila! Next time you’re on family vacation consider taking this little look out for a day on the town.

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↓ 14. Alternate Denim Skirt Look

Here at Outfit Trends we want to show you that every clothing piece has endless potential. In this case, we feature again this very modern, very stylish denim skirt which can obviously be worn in a variety of ways. With this look, you’ll again be tucking your favorite blouse or top into your skirt (you want to get the maximum benefit of all those cute buttons!). This particular tee is a soft pink and has a cutesy pattern you could easily replicate or replace, depending on your own personal sense of style, and has mid-length sleeves folded over at the elbow. The shoe of choice is a cute white sneaker, which is such a great wardrobe essential and can be worn a variety of ways. A simple, small black purse (another staple, in our opinion!) completes the look.

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↓ 13. Fun Everyday Look

This burnt orange top and brown knit beanie is everything we could ask for in an everyday look that is as trendy as it is stylish! For an indoor winter look or an outdoor autumn look, this outfit is perfect for nearly every occasion. This bell-sleeved top is loose and flowy (and super forgiving if you do not feel like wearing a form-fitting outfit) and pairs really well with black skinny jeans that hit just above the ankle. The choice of footwear is fun and unexpected (and honestly, most shoes would work with this outfit) and helps bring a more everyday appeal to this otherwise autumnal ensemble. Throw on a beanie and your favorite eyeglasses and you’ll find yourself looking equal parts trendy, stylish, tomboyish, and chic!

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↓ 12. The Perfect Combo of Girly and Grunge

For a look that straddles two ends of the spectrum, check out this casual ensemble that features a white ruffled crop top, army green ripped trousers, and a pair of trendy white sneaks. This outfit is super trendy and is great for a day out with your friends.

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↓ 11. Winter Outfit

For a good and fresh outfit that is definitely Emma Chamberlain approved, check out this trendy look featuring a mustard yellow beanie, a black turtleneck tucked into high-waist checkered trousers, and a pair of standout black Doc Martens boots. This is a fashion-forward look that has been very a la mode, especially among Instagram’s finest, so if this is an ensemble that speaks to you, why not go ahead and try it out. A simple silver necklace is the only accessory you’ll need.

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↓10. Girly Party Look

Everybody talks about having a Little Black Dress, but how about a Little White one? This lacy number is sweet, but when paired with these patterned sneakers you get a look that’s both playful and fun! Perfect for a summer party or a day at the mall. Here are Top 70 Fall Outfits for Teen Girls to Copy This Year.

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↓9. Sheer Black Tights and White Top

Here is our third option for this style denim skirt. Wear over sheer black tights and tuck in a simple white long-sleeved top. A choker really goes well with the tights and black ankle boots. Let down your hair and throw on a little purse and voila!

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↓8. Jean Jacket and Leggings

If you love a comfortable, casual look that still looks put together and stylish, look no further. This outfit is so easy to pull together and is endlessly doable. Start with your favorite pullover hoodie. Any color will do but grey and denim tend to look really good together. Then add a denim jacket. You can fold over the cuffs at the wrist and let your hoodie sleeves peep out. You’ll want a jacket that isn’t too fitted but not over-sized either. Next throw on a pair of black leggings. They balance the extra fabric you have up top. Now is your choice of footwear. These bright orange high-top Converse are comfy, cute, and will never go out of style, but if you like a more understated look, go for something a little more muted, like a white sneaker. Last but not least, tie up your hair in a top knot and throw on your favorite cross-body purse. And there you have it! Comfy, casual, cute. We love it.

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↓7. Fashionista Approved: Chic and Stylish

Now this is a chic look if we ever did see one. This ensemble is made up of several different pieces that you wouldn’t think could work together and yet they totally do. Start with the top. A white tee is folded at the sleeves and tucked into a pair of beige high-water trousers. Footwear is your choice of trendy sneaker (you want some height and some distinction to really have them stand out). Last but not least is a gold clasped purse. This is a great outfit for walking around the city or grabbing coffee at your favorite cafe.

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↓6. The Little White Dress

We have already established that a little white dress can be just as stylish and wardrobe-approved as a little black one. So here’s another look to prove  it! This is a sweet and youthful look that is easy to put together. A white fedora hat is paired with a trendy pair of colored aviator sunglasses. This white dress has a lacy scalloped hem and a high neckline. Your accessories would be a small cross-body purse and watch. And there you go!

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↓5. Casual Shopping Look

We’ve all been there. It’s Saturday morning and you’re rushing out the door, on your way out to hit the mall with the girls. You want to be comfortable but still look cute. So what do you do?! Throw on your favorite pullover hoodie and leggings, that’s what! And let your shoes and bag do the talking. Get a little bold with a black tasseled tote and some standout black ankle boots. Keep your accessories minimal and let your hair down. Done!

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↓4. Cute and Simple: Overalls and Flats

For an alternately casual look that does well when you’re hitting a new city or traveling, check out this cute ensemble! All you need is a white tee and some overalls. If you love a hat, throw that on, too! You can keep your accessories minimal with some aviator sunglasses and a cross-body purse. Some flats or little sneakers are comfy and great for walking in. Now go explore! Here are 10 Best Prom Outfit Ideas for Teen Girls 2019.

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↓3. Easiest Look Ever

Most of us have these clothing items in our wardrobe already so if you’re in a pinch, this is the one you’ll want to try! Toss on a cute little tee and tuck the front into your jeans. Rolled cuffs instantly make you look more put together, especially when paired with these cute sandals. Let your purse be the standout feature of this outfit, along with your ballerina bun. This outfit is great for running errands or babysitting your neighbor’s kids!

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↓2. Perfect Winter Ensemble

Most of these outfits can work year-round, but this is a look exclusively meant for those cold snowy days when you want to get outside but still look stylish. This is a versatile and super cute look that is fun and youthful. Grab a white turtleneck sweater and your favorite pair of jeans. Rolled hems are once again what makes the look work. Your choice of footwear, whether high-tops, Converse, or Nike – it’s up to you! A plush teddy coat and beanie makes you both warm and cute. Plait your hair into braids and voila! You are winter approved and fabulous.

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↓1. Same Shoes, Different Look!

For our final look, we have turned to the endless inspiration that this Insta girl provides and chosen this very current, very trendy ensemble. With this look, you’ll be wearing a long open cardigan over a tucked in gray tee and light wash, ripped blue jeans. This is an understated look so loose braids and your favorite pair of eyeglasses are the accessories of choice. This outfit is great for lunch at your favorite cafe!

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