#artificial water lilies

[pixel-alchemy]

Tiger Lily, Wind and Rain

[greenerteacups]

I wonder often why Deathly Hallows as a book is so fascinated with wandcraft and wandlore, especially after the series has spent six volumes being more or less disinterested in it (with the exception of the Twin Cores plot in Book 4). A weirdly high % of the plot depends on who owns whose wand and why: the wand mixup with the Snatchers, Harry's wand being broken, Draco's wand, Bellatrix's wand, and of course, the final rigmarole over who's the "rightful master" of the Elder Wand, which ends up being a weird combination of killing/disarming/fist-fight to disarm someone who... wasn't even wielding the Elder Wand at the time he was disarmed, which begs the question of what it counts to "disarm" someone of a weapon they're not technically wielding? Also, are we to assume that Dumbledore was not disarmed once in the N years since his fight with Grindlewald? Or — here's a harder one — that Draco wasn't disarmed once between Dumbledore's death and his fight with Harry? That's plausible, but it's kind of weird that I need to believe it for the rest of the plot to make sense.

And like, I can think of a few Doylist reasons for this to be the case. The first is that JKR wants Voldemort to kill Snape in the boathouse, which allows Harry to get Snape's memories and retroactively justify why Snape's acted this way since PoA (and explain where the sword comes from in the lake in DH, too). I can think of better, more character-driven reasons for him to kill Snape (just... blow Snape's cover? reveal him as a double agent? have him try to kill Nagini? idk), but let's suppose, for subtextual reasons, she wants Voldemort to think Snape was loyal to the end. Having him die by Nagini's hand muddies the already-opaque water of what constitutes "disarming," because Nagini is a living creature. What if I drop someone into a pool of piranhas? Do I get their wand? Yeah, Voldemort commands her, but then — okay, what if I Imperius someone and make them disarm someone else? I get that it's not like DH has time for Harry to sit down with Ollivander and go through all of the tiny procedural rules for wand usage, but also, are these not relevant questions? Is this not the central mechanic of the final battle, this one piece of magic? Am I not supposed to wonder how it works?

The other reason I can imagine is that Harry wins a duel against Voldemort 1v1, which is not terribly believable unless there's some kind of magical advantage working in his favor. We know the Elder Wand's failure to execute the Cruciatus means Harry can't be harmed by spells the Elder casts, because it's his "true master." This is a really weird quirk in wandlore — why does it work this way? Is it the only wand that works this way? By that logic, shouldn't everyone Harry disarms be incapable of casting spells on him? — that emerges in Book 7, apparently for the purpose of giving Harry a buff in the final duel. Functionally, that's weird, because on a technical level it works the same way as Lily's protection — it's a reason that Voldemort can't hurt him. So why get rid of Lily's protection at all? It's not like he duels Voldemort between Book 4 and Book 7. The graveyard scene artificially hikes the stakes for Harry by making him physically vulnerable, pretty much only so he can die at the end of DH... except again, not for real, because Voldemort only ends up killing the piece of Harry that's a horcrux, so it doesn't even count!

And then Harry replaces the wand in Dumbledore's tomb. Which would be a nice moment if the lore hadn't established that anyone who disarms Harry, ever, will become the master of the Elder Wand by default. Harry knows this. He also knows that this knowledge is out there in the world; sure, Grindlewald's dead now, but do we think that Grindlewald never told anyone else about the Elder Wand? And he learned about it from somewhere, didn't he? So Harry might naturally assume that someone else would eventually come looking, in which case Dumbledore's tomb is far from the safest place to put this equivalent of a wizarding nuke. (Not that it seems to be all that powerful anyway; the coolest thing it does is fix Harry's other wand, and we're left wondering why the Elder Wand is considered "unbeatable" when people who own it seem to be getting disarmed all over the fucking place.)

Also, in retrospect, this makes it incredibly odd that Dumbledore allows Draco to disarm him, because he's giving the Wizarding Nuke to a 16-year-old servant of Lord Voldemort. Suppose that he's trying to prevent Snape from getting the wand, because he doesn't want Snape to be a target: okay, fine, but does he know Draco's going to give Snape credit for the kill? What if Draco lies? What if LV just... accepts the fact that the wand recognizes Expelliarmus as a point of transfer, and either disarms or kills Draco? And in any case, no matter what the answers to these questions are, why didn't he just ask Harry to disarm him before he went to the lake?

I'm usually not one to be an asshole about plot holes — mostly because, taken by themselves, I don't find them that interesting — but they become interesting to me when I see several of them in the same vein, because they tell me that the author's trying to do something. And they want to do it so badly they're willing to strain other parts of the story to make it happen.

[idreamofthemeparks]

Whenever someone starts talking about how they don't like Disney parks (or theme parks in general but this is overwhelmingly said about Disney) because "dude they're so fake, everything is artificial bro" I just want to be like yeah, and why would you go to an art gallery? Those paintings aren't REAL. Why not go look at a REAL sunset or water lilies or something? And why would you watch a movie? Everything in them is so FAKE. Every shot in a movie is done in a really deliberate way to create a certain feeling and show you something specific. Nothing like that happens in REAL life.

[saintfelina]

most people don't put aquatic and sexy in the same sentence. and to be fair? they tend not to be. stormy? yes. effortlessly cool? also yes. laid back? absolutely! but rarely sexy. aquatics dominated the 90s and early thousands, given it was the decade of unisex and androgyny it's no surprise these reigned supreme.

whether they're fresh, floral, marine of a combination of the 3, aquatics are normally seen as summer perfumes, as they're light enough to not choke you out in the heat, and are extremely versatile. and given their scent profile, they remind you of summer days at the beach. overall, the category is self explanatory: it's meant to evoke the scent of water in any form.

now what comprises of aquatic perfumes? well it doesn't always have to be a water note. they can be fruit notes like watermelon, cucumber, a synthetic note called 'calone' which mimics a marine smell, florals like water lily and lotus, and other notes like sea salt, seaweed, driftwood and ambergris.

to get the full scope of what an aquatic can be, here's a list of scents that range from fresh, to sensual, to stormy.

cool water is the aquatic we all know even if we don't know that we do. it's the quintessential 'fresh' smell, slightly sweet on some and just an overall great scent. classic for a reason.

rem reminiscence is the perfect mermaid scent in my humble opinion. it has a slightly salty tinge to it, giving it the smell of a lifetime of living in the sea before your skin finally touches the air. it has a slight seaweed smell and is honestly very divisive, but if you love the smell of a salty, briny beach this is for you.

house of bō is a brand centered around recreating its founders (Bernardo Möller) childhood in mexico. la mar specifically is based on the scent of his mother's perfume mixing with her sunscreen, and it's absolutely beautiful. a creamy white floral tinged with sea salty skin, it's incredibly sensual and intoxicating without being heavy.

every storm a serenade is that stormy, moody aquatic i mentioned earlier. the spruce and eucalytus gives it a dark, green scent, like the ocean as a storm brews and the clouds roll in. it's both the goddess calypso and the pirate at the helm.

clean h2eau water lotus is a juicy, bouncy aquatic. it's super bright and young, perfect for a younger girl and it's unique formula adds to it as it's super watery and lightweight. doesn't last long but that's perfect as too much could get artificial fast.

blugirl jus no 1 is your dream vaation cruise in a bottle. you're tanned, tipsy from sneaking rum filled pina coladas and dancing under the moonlight. the champagne note adds a flirtiness as it dries down to a warmer musky amber.

eau des merveilles bleue is the perfect salty marine aquatic. the ultimate unisex scent the woodiness settles into something truly beautiful. for an aquatic it's quite potent and lingers.

rockaway beach is super unique, it's the sea soaked rocks and the smell of suntan lotion lingering in the air. it's grungy, it's a stormy beach on a fall day. it's effy stonem in the middle of a lighting storm. an aquatic for a grungier sort.

[vintura-o-serif]

What Do You Think The Human Souls Sound & Taste Like?

Ok so hear me out.

This is in reference to my take to Dusttale, or more accurately, the aftermath/sequel to Dusttale.

I’ve posted about this “revamp” of this AU in a previous post, but as a refresher:

This AU of an AU takes place after the events of Dusttale with some minor alterations. The story will mainly revolve around the survivors (heavily NPC based, with some main characters & my OC Vani). However, a few of the survivors try to bring back the dead by using a DT injections (much like in the game, except in this version: Alphys used Artificial Determination while the survivors use Determination collected from the human souls), also these new DT injections are mixed with the 7 human soul traits. This does work, but with some minor complications, which will be explained more in the notes.

Now to explain the question:

Basically the author of the notes is writing down their research & findings of each human souls; things like how common each trait are within humans, what injection they are used in, side effects of said injections, rpg style stats, etc. However there are 2 items of information that I might need some help on: What sound/pitch each soul trait makes &, for a hint of humor because “Undertale”, what each soul traits tastes like.

That’s where I looking to you all for assistance/headcanons for this.

*Side Note: When I say sound/pitch, I’m referring to the amount of Hertz (which I think is the measurement of sound wave frequency or pitch)*

*Side Side Note: In this AU, the red human soul trait is not Determination (since all humans have it) but instead is Willpower (I’ve seen a few saying it could be Love since its in red, but I think Willpower makes more sense)*

I already have the frequency picked for each soul, now I’m just trying to figure out what specific sound/noise they make.

Here’s what I have so far:

DETERMINATION

Color: Gold

Injection: DT-pDT PT v1.0

DETERMINATION Category: Pure DETERMINATION Injection Prototype version 1.0

Fallen Humans: All

Frequency: 0-20k+Hz

Sound Description:

Like a choir with every living thing singing

Sounds like screaming in an auditorium when distressed

Taste Description:

Similar to water that is both freezing & boiling

WILLPOWER

Color: Red

Injection: DT-WP PT v1.7

DETERMINATION Category: WILLPOWER Injection Prototype version 1.7

Fallen Humans:

Chara

Frisk

Frequency: 9.9k-10.6kHz

Sound Description:

Sizzles of an orchestra of cymbals constantly increasing & decreasing in volume

Taste Description:

Hot & salty copper

Metal sitting out in the heat

BRAVERY

Color: Orange

Injection: DT-BV PT v1.2

DETERMINATION Category: BRAVERY Injection Prototype version 1.2

Fallen Humans:

Hiro

Isaac

Frequency: 18.9k-19.6kHz

Sound Description:

Hoard of mosquitoes quickly approaching

Taste Description:

Fresh cold sweat with a hint of cinnamon & pumpkin pie

JUSTICE

Color: Yellow

Injection: DT-JT PT v1.6

DETERMINATION Category: JUSTICE Injection Prototype version 1.6

Fallen Humans:

Clover

Otis

Frequency: 15.9k-16.6kHz

Sound Description:

Hiss of a firework with anticipation of when said firework will explode

Taste Description:

Overly sweet & carbonated TV static flavored drink mixed with gunpowder

KINDNESS

Color: Green

Injection: DT-KN PT v1.5

DETERMINATION Category: KINDNESS Injection Prototype version 1.5

Fallen Humans: Sam

Frequency: 6.9k-7.6kHz

Sound Description:

Taste Description:

PATIENCE

Color: Cyan

Injection: DT-PE PT v1.1

DETERMINATION Category: PATIENCE Injection Prototype version 1.1

Fallen Humans:

Gena

Lily

Frequency: 999-1.6kHz

Sound Description:

Taste Description:

INTEGRITY

Color: Blue

Injection: DT-IG PT v1.3

DETERMINATION Category: INTEGRITY Injection Prototype version 1.3

Fallen Humans:

Dawn

Otto

Frequency: 12.9k-13.6kHz

Sound Description:

Taste Description:

PERSEVERANCE

Color: Purple

Injection: DT-PR PT v1.4

DETERMINATION Category: PERSEVERANCE Injection Prototype version 1.4

Fallen Humans: Yu

Frequency: 3.9k-4.6kHz

Sound Description:

Taste Description:

[mudzdale]

to the alien laboratory that created it and the intergalactic government that confiscated it, this lifeform is known as "Experiment 2224." it is an artificial being designed to fulfill one primary function: spread flowers and plant growth in excess wherever it goes, no matter the type, no matter the cost. it burrows through earth as easily as a dolphin swims through water, and is capable of "charging" plant seeds and propagules with its own energy to guarantee swift and excessive growth. its temperament is docile, but it will heedlessly tear up walkways and intrude upon ecosystems in its efforts to flood the environment with as much overgrowth as it can manage.

when Experiment 2224 is unexpectedly sent to an alien planet known as "Earth," its plant-spreading purpose is quickly eroded and replaced with a new objective: bring happiness to the residents of the sad, lonely town it has landed in. to the broken community that found it, this lifeform is known as "Flower Critter."

a few design notes under the cut (:

for some reason, this animal was very difficult to design. i really really wanted to avoid just making a Wacky Experiment(tm) in the style of the freakin lilo and stitch tv series, while simultaneously attempting to capture......a lot of elements that make stitch's design actually appealing. many drafts later, i finally got this thing. it of course retains stitch's ability to retract the limbs & antennae, it has his super strength, speed, etc... instead of being fluffy, though, its fur is very soft and short, reminiscent of extremely short-pile minky or similar fabrics.

that all said, depending on one's taste, i think a Flower Critter design could go all kinds of directions - heck, if anyone wanted to make their own to suit their own FK design or personality, i think that would be super cool (: they could be a beautiful herd...

i also don't have a "lilo" in this au, it's all just "stitch"... but an alternate take could have both. FK finds an alien flower beast and has to befriend it, dodging the efforts of the bounty hunters that pursue them relentlessly... i did not do this because my intent was to sort of just combine FK and the Tooth Lily into one narrative entity. i had it in mind that FK and FC would be too much in alignment, in terms of goals/personality, for the narrative conflict to work like it does between lilo and stitch... but it would actually probably could be very workable depending on one's FK interpretation, and if you want something a little different from the story that i had in mind.

my true dream had been to give it little beady eyes...

[homunculus-argument]

Woke up this morning with the words kultainen kieso in my head. Finnish. First word was immediately familiar, "golden, gilded", but I had no idea what the hell "kieso" is, though I was vaguely aware that whatever the context of the dream was, it was something that was either inherently gold-like in colour or shade, or gilded on surface, like sprinkled with gold dust or such - not a statue or model of one made out of gold. Whatever this kieso would be, it was the real deal, and not something artificially constructed. Nor was it something that's golden normally, but this particular one was distinct from the others by being golden in some way.

Kieso sounds like a finnish word, some sort of a flower or plant. I know the names kielo - lily-of-the-valley, and keiso - water hemlock. Or perhaps a bird of some sort, it could be the name of a bird. The image of something like a peacock, except in shimmering shades of golden brown, came to my head as well. But not exactly a peacock. Some bird, some flower, some one splendid particular specimen that stood apart from its own kin by being golden. I was so sure that this word has to be the name of something, it has to mean something, that I had to google it.

Turns out it's the name of some dude who writes textbooks about accounting.

[lolo3hwriting]

The White Lily Greenhouse - How Would It Work?

Pure Vanilla Cookie has always been a favorite character to me because of his hobby of gardening. As someone who gardens as well as studies horticulture, it’s fun to see all of the gardens and plants he has in the story. The most notable example for me is the White Lily Greenhouse because it plays such an important role in Pure Vanilla’s character and story. He built it as a place to relax and to enjoy the white lilies he loves so much. But it made me wonder, how in the world would he manage it? Realistically it would take a lot of effort, and considering it's a private greenhouse within his castle, Pure Vanilla would most likely take care of it all alone.

Before I get into anything, I wanted to talk about the specific type of lilies that Pure Vanilla grows. The character White Lily Cookie is based on lilies in general, but most significantly the Madonna Lily. However, I couldn’t find much information about growing Madonna Lilies (Lilium candidum) in greenhouses specifically, so most of the information I have is from growing Easter Lilies (Lilum longiflorum) or lilies (Genus Lilum) in general in greenhouses. The growing requirements are mostly the same, but might have a few slight differences.

Specific Requirements for Growing Lilies and Greenhouses

(Diagram of a bulb, image taken from here)

So first, I wanted to explain briefly about the morphology of lilies and how that impacts their management. Most lilies grow from bulbs, which are specialized structures made up of a short fleshy stem enclosed by thick, fleshy leaves. At the bottom of a bulb is the base plate where the stem, leaves, and roots grow from. One way to propagate lilies is through bulblets (also called bulbils), small bulbs that grow from the base plate, which can be removed and planted on their own. However, the most common way is through bulb scales where the first (and sometimes second) outer portion of the leaf scales are removed and planted. But whatever the case, both the bulblets and bulbs scales need to go though some period of cold temperatures to break their dormancy. This means you can plant them in the fall and let them stay over the winter, or you could put them in a refrigerator to chill. Considering the Vanilla Kingdom is in a mountainous region and high up in the sky, I’m sure they can be put outside before transferring them to the greenhouse.

Heating and lighting are two important factors in making lilies grow well. Lilies need full sun, which is about 6 hours per day. Generally a south facing greenhouse will have more light exposure, otherwise you may need artificial lighting. Lilies will start growing when temperatures are warm enough, so greenhouses usually aim for 60 F, but they can also grow well up to 75 F. I'll discuss how heating and lighting might work for the white lily greenhouse.

Although lilies are perennials and bloom year after year if you maintain them, most ornamental gardens will plant new bulbs every year because old bulbs won’t produce as much or as big flowers as younger bulbs do. This would mean Pure Vanilla would have to dig up old bulbs and plant new ones every year, unless he has some type of special magic that will make them bloom as big and numerous consistently.

Weeding and pest management are always something to keep in mind with greenhouses, but if you don't let them become a problem then it's pretty easy to deal with. Proper sanitation like removing weeds before they produce seeds, removing plant debris and dead plants, and having clean growing media will all help prevent problems. I think Pure Vanilla is vigilant enough to do all of that.

Historical Greenhouses

(A classic greenhouse from England, image taken from here)

In the past, greenhouses were heated just by the sun or with additional heating like furnaces, hot water, or steam. This meant that temperature control was not very precise and had to be fiddled with in order for the greenhouse to be properly heated. If this was the case, I think there would have been some type of boiler specifically for the greenhouse situated at a higher elevation so that the hot water/steam could be carried by gravity into the greenhouse. Water for irrigation had to be brought in unless you had a nearby water pump. Carrying water in would have taken a lot of effort, not to mention that you would have to do watering by hand, which would have been tedious for one person. However, I doubt that Pure Vanilla would mind with his patient nature and enthusiasm for gardening.

The cost of glass and steel to build the greenhouse itself would have been expensive. But taking into account that Pure Vanilla was a king, he probably didn’t have much trouble with the cost of construction or equipment. 

The Vanilla Kingdom is based on Germanic countries, and those countries have a long history of using greenhouses. During the 16th and 17th centuries places like England, France, Italy, and the Netherlands had greenhouses to grow exotic plants that they collected. So the locale and inspiration for the kingdom lines up.

The Modern Approach

(A modern Dutch style greenhouse, image from here)

Considering the Vanilla Kingdom had the waffle bots and advanced technology, it would be reasonable that Pure Vanilla could have access to more modern greenhouse technology similar to what we have today. Things like automatic misting systems, electrical and gas powered heating, and artificial greenhouse lighting. Not to mention all the sensors and timers that can help automate things. However, I’ve seen greenhouses built pretty recently that still use hot water pipes to heat the greenhouse and manually watering their plants. Seeing that Pure Vanilla is more old fashioned and traditional, he could have also run his greenhouse using old school methods. 

Of course, all of this can be hand waved with magic but I like to think that the creation of spells is also considered special techniques that have to be learned and trained. I'm sure that Pure Vanilla or even White Lily Cookie could have developed some type of specialized magic to grow plants easier, similar to how in real life new technology is constantly being developed in order to more efficiently grow plants.

Sources:

https://wyoextension.org/publications/html/B1185R/

[beingatoaster]

Remembered this story, which Isgrac told IC in the Feywild as payment for an inn stay, due to in-game events today. And I don't think I've posted it here yet! So have a little story from her childhood. :>

---

"Um. I guess… it's my turn? So, um, I have an aunt, Fer- furry, a worg aunt, you know how that is, right? We made friends with a pair here who were like that, too. My worg aunt lived with us, so my cousins and I lived together. And with the first litter of cousins, I was still young enough that we would run around together, too, and whenever my parents wanted time alone they'd ask my aunt to watch us. Or sometimes when we woke up really early, my aunt would hear us wake up but my parents would sleep through it, and she'd come out to see what we were doing… I think this might have been one of those times, actually, because I remember we were trying to sneak out?"

"So, um, we were trying to sneak out, because two of my cousins had been hunting frogs down near the river, and we wanted to see if we could catch one to show to my father. And a couple more for them to eat, probably, but they said they'd help me trap one for my father first. There's a place where a bridge goes over, and just past it one of the irrigation channels goes out, so someone widened that spot and put up a half-dike and made an artificial stone shore, and there's lilies in the water and a bench…."

"Anyway, that part doesn't matter, because the reason for this story is the half-dike had gotten broken in the first spring flood, and there was still snowmelt, and the water was still running high. My aunt asked us where we were going, so we said up to the third bridge, and she told us not to go too close to the water, because she wasn't coming along and she wasn't going to jump in after us if we were stupid enough to fall in. I, um, I think she thought the agricultural engineers would probably be out, because there are some fish farms along that stretch, but I don't think they were yet? Or maybe it was a rest day for them, or they couldn't work there until the half-dike was repaired, or- I don't remember. Just that it was early and chilly and there wasn't anyone else around when we got there."

"There weren't any frogs around either, because, um, there were a few waking up already that time of year, but it was too cold for them to be out in the mornings. Which we realized after we sniffed around on the rocks for a while, or, um, my cousins sniffed and I picked up rocks for them to sniff under. And then, because my father had been telling me about frogs the day before, that's why I wanted to bring him one, I said, maybe they were down in the mud in the riverbank? Hiding from the cold? And one of my cousins, the biggest and bravest and bossiest, said he would dig one out! And then he jumped in. And I, um, panicked and jumped in after him."

"Which I knew was stupid as soon as I jumped in, because the water was snowmelt, and along with running really fast and deep it was also freezing cold. I grabbed him around the neck, and all my muscles, uh, locked up? And so did his, I guess, because he was trying to swim but really badly, and we were being swept away downstream."

"The rest of my cousins went running yelling down the streets for someone to come help. And F- my aunt must have heard them howling, because we were going downstream, and I was getting water in my mouth and nose and starting to choke on it and all I could think about was that there was a waterfall coming up… and then we slammed into something, and it was my aunt, who'd jumped in the water, and she bit my cousin really hard to get a grip on us, she actually broke his leg grabbing on, and just sort of… shoved us both up onto the bank on the other side."

"And then she told off my cousin whose leg she'd bitten for whining when he'd been stupid enough to jump in in the first place, and told me off for being stupid enough to jump in after him, and then she made us climb up on her back, even though my cousin was almost half her size by then, and she carried us home and made us all apologize for the noise to every neighbor we passed. Then Ma- my mother grounded us for a month, but, um, that was fair, even if I didn't think so at the time. And my cousins weren't allowed to hunt any more frogs."

[james-sunshine-potter]

What would each Marauder characters smell like in Amortentia:

James: Broom polish, cinnamon, fresh spring air, oranges (like a tangeriney smell) .

Sirius: Hairspray, Ash (the smell of a campfire), vanilla lip balm, basil.

Remus: Black coffee, a brand new book, caramel, whiskey.

Peter: Sunscreen, watermelon (but the artificial smell), mint (fresh, like you’re smelling the herb directly), fresh laundry.

Lily: The sea, strawberries (fresh not artificial), lavender, dewy grass.

Marlene: Broom Polish, cigarettes, rain, apples.

Dorcas: Coconut, Acrylic Paint, Cold Air (it has a fresh scent imo), Cherry Coke.

Mary: The Earl Grey Tea She Drinks, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Sweet Cream, Her Vanilla Purfume.

Regulus: Cold Water, Pine, Musk (it’s in his cologne), Expensive Ink.

Pandora: Seaweed, Limes, Rosemary, Soil.

Barty: Oil (don’t ask why), Cedar, Rain Water, Copper.

Evan: Sandalwood, Coffee (with milk), Coconut Conditioner, Grapefruit.

[terras-domain]

Forever More (Ahn Yujin x Male Reader)

Reader’s POV

  Another stressful day at work. Fuck my body is aching so bad lately. Good thing weekends are near, now just need to kick back and relax at home. “Honey, I hoooome~” I called, waiting for a respond to come back at me. Instead of a shout back at me, I saw an angel’s face beaming at me, an innocent smile reflecting in my pupils. “Baby?” she said, giddily walking towards me and giving a sniff on my body. “IT IS YOUUUUUU” she shouts out her happiness, hugging me tight I couldn’t breathe for a moment. It’s always been something that we do together whenever, whether it’s the first thing in the morning, or I just got home from work. The love of my life, Yujin will always be there for me and giving the brightest of smiles takes the pain away. We’ve been dating for three years and even though we decided not to get married, I’m still the happiest man in the world and content with her.

  “What you up to baby?” I asked, it’s not usual to see Yujin working in the kitchen, not to mention doing it alone. “Awwww c’mon babe, you think I’d forget, did you?” she raised an eyebrow, making a smug face as she sighed. “It’s our third anniversary silly!” With a face that screams “TA-DA” she presented the dining table looking well made, a small flowerpot with indigo-coloured lilies in it with an artificial candle to set the mood. “So, what do you think?” her hands behind her back and tilting her head with the cutest smile one could ever imagine. All I could do was smile and cup her cheeks with my hands, giving her a peck of kiss on her lips. “I love it, my little babyboo.” I smiled back at her, enjoying the moment as we shared a quick romantic moment before a sudden unpleasant smell reeked in the kitchen. “OH FUCK, THE PASTA!!” It felt as if the part where we should be kissing deeply into each other’s mouth suddenly went to a halt, and the overcooked pasta had to ruin the scene.

“Nauurrrr. It’s ruined.” A clear display of disappointment is shown in her pouting face as she looked down at the mushed-up pasta noodles go down the drain, as well as the pot since the stove absolutely baked and burnt the pot as well, leaving us with a spaghetti sauce with no spaghetti to eat with. “I am so sorry baby….I don’t know what to say” crystals starts to form underneath her round puppy like eyes, pouring down as the self-guilt hit her hard. I couldn’t bare watching it and just wiped the tears of her face, gently caressing her face. “Aww don’t say that baby. It’s far from over. We can always improvise, right?” with a gentle smile to convince her, I gave her a big hug as an of comfort. Yujin has always been a sensitive person ever since we dated so it’s not something odd for me to comfort her. “C’mon, I’m sure we have some instant noodles in the shelf. Let’s use it as our noodles, what do you say, Ms. Chef?” I reached into the shelf and grabbed a pack of instant noodles and tossed it to her, seeing a brighter reaction than she was a few minutes ago after the sad story of the fallen noodles. Since our pot is also burnt, we decided to prepare our ‘pasta’ with hot water, doing it the plebian student-ish way despite being grown adults.

 It didn’t take long before our dinner could get started (it really wasn’t, instant noodles literally only take 2 minutes to make). With whatever we had on we sat at the dining table and had a good meal together where we laughed at the incident and had a nice evening to loosen up. It’s great to see Yujin back to her angelic smile again, it’s way better than seeing her all sad and depressed. “Thanks for the quick improvision bae. If you didn’t help in just now, I’d be by the trash can crying right now.” She sighed and took a sip of water from her glass, clearing her throat from the rather dry meal, possibly because the sauce was dry. I could feel the food lacking a lot of things, but who am I to complain, it was made by my only Yujin, and what matters is she made it with all her love. No matter how dried and unseasoned it is I’d still finish it all like a man who hasn’t eaten for weeks. “Umm baby”, Yujin paused me with a soft calling. “Mhm?” I gave a short reply, my mouth filled with the instant noodles topped with Yujin’s dry spaghetti sauce. Yujin could only give out a soft giggle, but it didn’t take long for that to build up until she chuckled and laughed out loud, looking at my face. “What’s wrong?” I asked, which Yujin immediately responded. “You look so adorable what the fuck hahahaha!” she shook her head and reached out to me, grabbing a cloth to wipe a stain of tomato sauce off my face. “Slow down dumbass, food’s not going anywhere.” She shook her head, smirking as a reaction to my attitude.

  As time passes by, we exchanged laughter and conversation kept going and going till one point we just thought it was time to hit to the bed – the best part of having a significant other. As we both laid in bed, I just had to lay on top of Yujin’s soft tummy, feeling her breath moving her body up and down, the warmth forever soothing me. Yujin made a sincere smile while looking down at me, caressing my hair. “It was a tiring day, wasn’t it?” Yujin broke the silence, asking as she hummed a little song as she kept playing around with my scalp, scratching it gently and swirling my hair. I couldn’t say a word, all it there was, was a little nod followed by a little sobbing, tears running down my eyes and flows onto hers. “I just don’t know. I appreciate you so much Yujin. I can’t say that life isn’t as tough as it is.” I sobbed, hugging her tight and before we know it, it was a tight cuddling, each of us holding each other tightly, embracing ourselves in a vulnerable state. “I understand baby, it’s a tough life. And I appreciate you for being strong for me, for us. I’m proud at what you’ve grown into after all this time.” Yujin embraced me, holding my face as I watch those eyes beaming at me as if it’s a ray of hope, her soft fingers wiping my tears off before she gives a soft kiss on the forehead. It felt magical, almost as if a burden was lifted off my body and I felt lighter. Yujin’s soft lips didn’t stop there. Her lips travelled and pecked all over my face, kissing me gently. And whilst that the same three words repeated again and again, almost like it was singed into my ears and stored into my brain. “I love you.” Was all I heard every time her lips crashed landed on my face until they touch my lips. Yujin took her time there, taking as long as she wants to kiss me, and eventually the innocent healing kiss turned sensual, and a touch of romantic lust injected into our bodies.

 Our little make out led one thing to another, and it ends up with me sliding my hands underneath her shirt, grabbing Yujin’s perky breasts as our mouth were practically glued to each other, making out as much as we could. Yujin’s soft moans radiate inside my mouth as we threw each piece of garments the floor, leaving us without a string to cover us up. “Take me babe” Yujin urged me as she pulled me back in to get a good kiss into my mouth. I replied to her kiss as I pinned her on the bed, letting my tongue invade her mouth to play inside her mouth before pulling out. We both breathed heavily, as if we just ran a marathon. But I didn’t care, my face traced down her gorgeous body, before my lips reached her golden triangle. I gave took my time smooching around the area, teasing her as I looked up, her red face flustered from my actions just motivates me more as I kissed and suckled gently on her inner thighs, making Yujin let out a soft moan. “Fuck…. baby please…. don’t just tease me. Please me baby” she pleaded, her adorable puppy eyes begging to be treated right as my lover. I shrugged with a sinful smile as I stood up and aligned my erection to her entrance, my face directly on top of hers. “Ready?” I signalled her, not even letting her grasp a second t reply before my cock penetrates inside her, gaping her walls inch by inch slowly, making Yujin let out a whimper to show her satisfaction. I gave her time to adjust to my size, using the time to return the kiss on the forehead she gave early before my body did its work, moving back and forth inside her.

Yujin’s moans were ecstasy to me. The more her sounds coming out of her pretty mouth, the faster I got. It got to a point I just couldn’t help myself and start to plow her insides, holding her legs up to reach deeper inside her. “Aaah nghhh oh God Yujin you’re as tight as ever fuuuck” I grunted, feeling my cock hitting her cervix as kept my pace fast but still sensual for Yujin to enjoy it. “Ohhh fuck yes baby just like that. Give me all of you please” she moaned as her arms wrapped onto my back, encouraging me to go harder and faster for her. The room that was quiet a moment ago is now filled with moans, whimpers and other lustful noises one could think of. Yujin’s arms on my back abled me to lift her up and make her sit on my cock, letting her do her part of and work for our growing lust. I brushed her hair away from that pretty face to kiss her whilst she rides on me, grinding her body on mine while my cock enjoys the depth and warmth of Yujin’s pussy. The heat in the room just overwhelms each other as we crave to satisfy one another, Yujin grinding on my cock and me thrusting it deeper inside. “God fuuck I love you so much Yujin” I groaned as my cocks harden inside her, making me much more sensitive as Yujin gets tighter, sucking in my member like its refusing to let go. I could barely move or thrust from how tight it is and could just moan from the pleasure Yujin is giving me by grinding on me while bouncing a bit on top of me. Yujin’s scrumptious ass was too good not to touch as I caress them gently, feeling them while Yujin rides me, enjoying each other’s presence as our eyes’ stares into each other, the lust from our moans and the heat of the moment, everything was on point and was just perfect. Yujin pushed me to lay down so she can fully take charge, leaning towards my chest to kiss and suck on my nipples before she starts riding again, this time faster and rougher to the point I was moaning loudly and could barely hold my load any longer. “B-baby, I need to cum….”  I grunted and whimpered, trying so hard not to cum too soon without Yujin’s consent, which in the end she allowed me to by saying, “Then cum for me baby. Give me every ounce of you inside me.” Those words whispered into my ears were like a catalyst to erupt a volcano, making me shoot ropes after ropes of cum inside her. “Nghhhh aaah. Fuuuuck I’m cummiiiing.” I grunted, unloading everything my balls could store into her tight pink pussy and filled her up. Yujin moaned and came together with me, feeling her pussy getting filled up and draining her energy. Didn’t take long before she fell onto me, exhausted and nearly lost consciousness from such an amazing anniversary celebration. I couldn’t help but smile and kissed on her scalp, softly speaking into her ears. “I love you Ahn Yujin, to the moon and back”. Even though I couldn’t see her face that’s is planted on my chest, I just know she was smiling before she responded.

“I love you, forever more”

[moons-rising]

world building wednesday: PLANTS

narcala-ranar's signature plant is sunbeam rotala, which grows all over the clan's territory. it's never kepts in pots or garden plots, as it's supposed to be allowed to grow wild and free, and vast swathes of healthy thriving sunbeam rotala are seen as a good omen for the health and prosperity of the clan.

popular plants to be kept in pots on window sills and grown as ornamentation around the town's buildings are dayglo thresh, hallowed ivy, chickweed and dusty marigold.

potted fire lilies and cindervines are meticulously cared for to remember the clan's roots in the ashfall waste.

for food, the clan's gardens and fields grow strawberries, luminous almonds, sweet potatoes, honeycrisp apples and sunbeam figs. potash peaches and cindermint grow plenty on the slopes of the island volcano that cradles the town, and water lettuce can be found in many small artificial waterway weaving between other garden plots. along the coastline, seaberries are a popular snack, and giant kelp is gathered from the sea of thousand currents.

[veeluvss]

My Girl, Lily Prentiss (4)

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Morgan and Tara arrived at the address and climbed out of the car just as JJ and Spencer turned up too. Emily and Rossi climbed out of their car and Emily practically ran to the front door of the old cottage. Everyone was confused though, this wasn't what they expected. Nevertheless, they all held out their guns and headed through the front door.

The place was dishevelled, it looked like it had been left in a rush. Whoever was here needed to get out. Fast. Prentiss took the lead, walking slowly through to the kitchen, Morgan and JJ went right, towards the living room whilst Reid and Rossi took the stairs. "Clear," Emily heard Morgan shout. After a few moments, she heard Rossi and Reid shout the same. The house was clear. Not an ounce of suspiciousness. Apart from the mess. Emily looked through the cupboards, looking for anything, any sign of Lily. She didn't want it to be empty because that meant they still had no leads. She explored where she could, trying her hardest no disturb the scene. "Prentiss," Morgan said, entering the room she was in. "There's nothing here." "There has to be something, I want the house searched from top to bottom," she ordered. "Prentiss-" Morgan tried to interject but JJ grabbed his arm. "That was an order, top to bottom."

They found nothing. They stayed the day and searched, Prentiss called Garcia, trying to find any more evidence online but they were getting nowhere.

Emily sighed, waking up in the cold room. She didn't move though, the small girl curled up at her side made sure of that. Blonde hair was sprawled over Emily's chest, she smiled through the pain of the previous night's beatings and ran her fingers through Lily's waves. The white, artificial light beamed down on them, making Prentiss feel like a test subject; a victim. She'd been 'abducted' a week ago, letting herself be taken to the warehouse with Lily. She'd planted the camera, it was the first thing she did but she had no idea if her team were still out there, watching it. Seeing it all. She couldn't risk being wired up, not knowing what Harold did to the women - not until she experienced it. Emily kept telling herself that it was only a matter of time until a message got to her. A beacon of hope in the darkest of days because she prayed for some fresh air, some real light and warmth.

Lily shivered in Emily's arms and she instinctively held the girl closer, being mindful of the bruises on Lily's back. Emily couldn't bare the sight of them. He dragged Lily away every time, drugging Emily first so she was weak and then taking the girl to a small corner of the room, forcing Emily to watch as she was beaten bloody for saying the wrong thing. Prentiss begged and begged for him to hurt her instead but he just hurt her as well. "Emmy," Lily whispered, cuddling in closer to the warmth the agent radiated. A small smile spread across her face, realising she'd survived another night in Emily's arms. She wanted this to last forever. Both of them did because although Emily never imagined being in a situation like this, looking after the girl for the last week healed a part of her she didn't know was wounded. When Lily would giggle at Emily's tickles or close her eyes tight to prevent water from getting in them during her bath. Or the way Lily would curl up in her lap, so small, so precious ready for a story to be told to her. Emily told her stories of the BAU team, back home. Of JJ and Hotch, the wonderful queen and king the prince's Henry and Jack. She told her stories of the big, strong knight Morgan and the funny maid Garcia. She laughed along with Lily as she told her the stories of the wise librarian, Spencer Reid who liked to read all the books in the world.

The alarm blared, pulling Prentiss out of her dreams. She felt empty opening her eyes, knowing the young girl wasn't by her side. Her bed was empty. Her heart had a hole in it. It had been three days and they were only one step closer to finding Lily. She didn't know what the boys would do to her. She prayed it wouldn't be too bad.

"That house has to have some significance," Tara said, sitting at the table. "Who owns it Garcia?" "Harold Addams," Garcia sighed. "She was there. She must have been there before we got there." JJ sighed. "Guys, let's look at these messages again. We found out about the house from the cabinet, maybe there's more clues about where more things could be hidden." Reid suggested, opening the file. The group sat in silence, surveying the files where they could.

Morgan walked in a few moments later, coffee for everyone, Rossi was behind him with more coffee. "I want to give Emily a cognitive," he announced. "Why?" Garcia asked. "Lily said in her messages that she hid it in the medicine cabinet like her father did," Morgan explained. "That means, it's old habits, hiding things the way she did when she was little. Emily was with her for two weeks, she knew the secrets of Lily's behaviour, the ins and outs. She might know where else Lily was hiding things." "Prentiss won't trust us enough to give her a cognitive," Tara told the group. "Not all of us," JJ whispered, pushing out her chair. She whispered in Rossi's ear and headed across the balcony to Emily's office.

Emily sat staring out of the window, the picture of her girl in her hand and Lily's blanket in the other. JJ knocked and let herself in, Emily didn't move. She was heartbroken. JJ sighed softly and walked around the desk, perching on the side of it. "Em," she muttered. "Can you think of anywhere she might have hidden something? Something maybe only you can find if her plan went wrong?"

Emily shook her head, not knowing. "I've been thinking. I've been racking my brain for it all!" She cried out. Rossi walked in then. "Let us give you a cognitive," JJ suggested, putting her hand on Emily's shoulder, and sharing her support. Prentiss sighed, feeling vulnerable. "You don't want to know what happened in there," Emily sighed. "We need to know so we can find where she is, we'll be with you the whole time," Rossi told her. Emily stayed silent for a few moments before she finally agreed.

The hair on her arm stood on end as she felt the cold rush over her. She shivered, looking around the room. Lily was there, sitting in the corner, hiding from the man in the doorway. "Lily, Lily, sweet little Lily," he laughed, walking closer to her. "Leave her alone," Emily shouted, going towards him. "No no, Emily, somewhere safe, go somewhere safe," Emily heard JJ say and the scene faded away. Somewhere safe.

It was still cold but the warmth in her lap didn't make Emily feel as alone. She smiled down at Lily, writing down her alphabet. She was seven but isolated. Her drawings were childish scribbles, yet in Emily's eyes, it was beautiful. "Yellow hair for me," she mumbled, picking up a yellow pen and drawing her own hair. "Blue hair for Emmy," she mumbled, picking up the blue. "My hair isn't blue, silly," Emily teased, twirling Lily's curls in her fingers. "I think it is," Lily smiled, colouring in her picture. "Okay cutie, colour my hair blue then." Emily kissed her cheek. Just before she was about to finish her picture, Lily gasped, hearing her father's footsteps coming. She slid the small pens into her socks, making sure they were buried deep. That was the one thing her daddy never took off. She folded up the paper and slid it under the mattress her and Emily shared. Emily watched, taking it in and then gasped as Harold entered the room. "Emily, come back," JJ told her. Almost instantly, Emily pulled herself away from it. "Her mattress." she gasped, trying to come back. Rossi nodded and left the room whilst JJ stayed holding her hands.

"You did so good," JJ encouraged. "Her socks," Emily scoffed. "He never took her socks off, he never needed to. She hid the pens in her socks." "She was clever," JJ sighed. "I wish she didn't need to be," Emily whispered. "He hurt her so much if she did the slightest thing wrong." "But you made her so happy Em." "She made me so happy too. I can't wait to have her back." "We'll get her back soon," JJ whispered. She wrapped her arms around Emily's shoulders.

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[enby-ralsei]

edyn theory for @misty-lilies because i need a whole ass post to get everything down about her.

short version: Edyn is currently pretending to be the Undersea's Chosen One in order to gain access to high government Oversea offices.

long version: Edyn is in Liquidis right now. She looks similar enough to Gillion in order to learn more about Lunadeyis and Aster at the temples. She is also learning more about Gillion's prophecy, specifically the "they shall rise or fall to bring unity", but take guidance on any part of it.

By being the "Chosen One", she has access to a lot of Navy personnel. She told them that the Undersea gave explicit permissions for her access in those spaces. She also told Jayson (she has only seen him once) that a new Chosen One was discovered after he asked about the "other one who put a sword in my chest".

In getting close with the upper folks in the navy, Edyn can learn about the artificial Leviathans, and knows what Jayson meant by "your gods are dead". The artificial Leviathans are built to fight the current Leviathans and take over as the gods. They are built to look very similar, but have surveillance capabilities, which is difficult to get when most in the navy cannot visit the undersea without a water breathing potion or other magical artifact.

She is not for pirates, but is definitely not for the Navy either. She is for Gillion, and making sure he has a home to return to. If that means being close with Naval Officers, that is what she will do. If that means being close with Pirates, that is what she will do. If that means being close with specific island governments, that is what she will do.

Oh, she also super lied in her letter about being safe. She is not safe, especially in pretending to be the chosen one. It's a crime in the Undersea (Impersonating a divine hero). If she is found to NOT be the chosen one by the Navy, she would probably be sent to prison, maybe even the BLOCK.

[myreia]

Seasons Passing

—part iv: summer rains

Rating: Teen Characters: Y'mhitra Rhul, Aymeric de Borel, Yugiri Mistwalker, Erenville, Avi'li Sostomi (WoL) Pairings: Y'mhitra x Avi'li, Aymeric x Avi'li, Yugiri x Avi'li, Erenville x Avi'liChapter Words: 1,297 Summary: For every season, a new love. Whether it is watching the soft fall of autumn leaves with Y’mhitra or the cold snows of winter with Aymeric, the spring blossoms with Yugiri or the summer rains with Erenville, these are the relationships Avi’li Sostomi holds in his heart. Chapters: one • two • three • four Read on AO3 Belated birthday gift for @lilas! Avi'li belongs to them. 💕

The rain hasn’t stopped in Labyrinthos.

Avi’li wades along the bank of the river—murky water up to his calves, arms folded, tail whisking—and casts an irritable look at the sky. For all its grand innovation, Labyrinthos is like any other invention: sometimes it breaks. For no good reason. It has been raining for two weeks straight, disrupting its usually carefully controlled weather patterns and turning it into something akin to a summer monsoon. The engineers are working on it, but so far no progress has been made.

“You would think it would run out of water eventually,” Avi’li grumbles.

Erenville chortles some feet away. He’s further out from shore, standing waist-deep in the muck, protected by a pair of waterproof overalls not unlike the kind worn by fishers. “What is running out of water now?” he asks, carefully examining the perimeter of a vibrant lily pad. For something so large, it certainly is fragile. Avi’li swears he remembers running and jumping on some while being chased by sentient flora… in Saint Mocianne’s Arboretum, maybe…?

“The sky,” Avi’li clarifies, nodding upwards for added emphasis. “Don’t know about you, but I’m tired of lookin’ and feelin’ like a bedraggled rat.”

Erenville looks up from his work, quiet amusement in his yellow eyes. “There is an artificial water cycle here same as there is outside, you know,” he says dryly. “Evaporation, condensation, precipitation… So on and so forth. If Labyrinthos’ sky runs out of water, we’ll have a pretty big problem on our hands. In that case, I recommend heading for the surface immediately.”

“And why is that?”

“Because the sun might just explode, vaporizing everyone and anyone within a certain radius. Can you hand me the journal, please?”

Avi’li’s lips twist as he holds back a smile. “All right, all right, I give up—if it means the sun won’t explode, the unending rain is a good thing,” he replies and scoops the journal from his pocket, proffering it. “I’d rather it wreak havoc on my hair than wreak havoc on my hair and everythin’ else.”

Erenville snorts with laughter. “I must admit, I underestimated you. I didn’t take you to be one so vain.”

“I’m not vain.” Have you met Thancred? The joke lingers on the tip of his tongue, unvoiced. The thought makes him think of his friends, of his fellow Scions, of their scattered organization and the events leading up to their disbandment. They have all gone their separate ways, pursuing their own causes and interests and projects while he is…

Here. Recovering. Healing.

The others worry about him, though they do not say it. He could go back to the way he was before. Fall into old patterns. Keep up his training, perhaps travel all the way to Doma to spar with Yugiri. He could convince everyone his soul is no longer battered and bruised and bleeding, that he is back to the person he was before Ultima Thule. It would be the performance of a life time, and it would break his heart.

Labyrinthos is what he needs right now. Some would call it wasting time, but he would like to think of it as finding time. Time to rest. Time to reflect. Time for all the things he set aside while putting duty first.

Time for himself.

Avi’li raises a hand and drags his fingers through his wet hair, trying to pull it into some kind of presentable look. Perhaps Erenville is  a little right, he has at least a smidge of vanity. But he would consider it taking pride in his appearance. It is, after all, a reminder of what he has been through. What he has survived—and how. From the ragged scar on his chest to the toned muscles of his arms and legs, there’s a history here. He has come a long way from the lean, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed scholar excitedly sailing into Limsa Lominsa to pursue the study of arcanima.

If he had a portrait for every season of his life and put them in a line, you could see the story play out.

A warm weight presses into the back of his hand, slender fingers brushing his skin. “Thank you,” Erenville murmurs.

He doesn’t take the journal.

Avi’li pauses, a familiar sensation thumping in his chest. It’s been there for some time, nebulous and vague, like a distant shore on the horizon when emerging from the early morning fog. Funny how once when he thought of Old Sharlayan, he imagined visiting the city and the Studium with Y’mhitra at his side, winding their way through countless stacks of books in pursuit of knowledge. But Y’mhitra is in the far past now, and he finds himself with someone very different, standing in mud and chasing frogs and examining plants, and it feels…

Good. It feels good.  

Is it really all that different? The same impulse drives research and observation and study no matter what form they take. Labyrinthos is his library, the environment his stacks of books.

He has always enjoyed Erenville’s company, to be sure. Pleasant and kind and cheerful and funny in that dry way of his. And he is very attractive—the curve of his lips when he smiles, the soft dark of his lashes, the lean muscle accrued from a gleaner’s life. But the more they wander Labyrinthos, the more they delve the depths of its caves and scale the heights of its cliffs, wade through its rushing rivers and walk its winding paths, the more they discuss science and philosophy and anything that takes their fancy as they follow the birds and the animals…

The more he has come to realize there is something there, beneath the surface.

Avi’li clears his throat. “You’re welcome,” he says and lets the journal go.

Erenville smiles, an ear dipping down in quiet approval, and retrieves a pen. He flips through to a blank page and scribbles down his findings, pausing every so often to prod the lily pad with a finger and examine the effect. “You know you do not have to keep me company if you do not want to,” he says after a moment.

“I want to.”

“This work is not for everyone.”

“Good thing I’m not everyone.”

“I’m sure there are more exciting things that match an adventurer’s taste, like hunting for treasure or sailing the seas or setting out into the unknown—”

Avi’li sloshes through the water towards him. “Erenville,” he interrupts. “You said it yourself, the sun could explode down here. Screw the treasure. From where I’m standin’, that’s excitement enough.”

Erenville glances up from the journal, trying to stifle a laugh.

Avi’li tilts his head and stares up at him through the rain. He is up past his waist in the river now, the water swirling urgently about him. Such a rush, such a hurry—and yet all he feels is calm. A part of him is desperate to be spontaneous, to throw his arms around his neck and drag him down into a kiss. It would be a good time for a kiss. Good circumstances for a kiss. It would answer the question he has caught himself daydreaming about more than once.

Kissing him now would be bold. But it would forfeit this other thing, this subtle thing that has become so precious to him in the past few weeks. Something slow, something gentle, something content to take its time.

Maybe for once he can take his time. Maybe there is no need to rush after the end of the world.

“I’m here because I want to be,” Avi’li says firmly. “I mean that.”

Erenville smiles, eyes twinkling. “I am glad for that. Shall we see what is on the other side of the river, then?”

[skzhocomments]

THE WHITE LILY (Mafia Book #1 - Bang Chan) - Chapter 5 - An eye for an eye

Story masterlist - please consult it for the summary of the story, trigger warnings etc.

General masterlist

Chapter 4 | Chapter 6

Let me know if you'd like to be on the taglist for this story!

---

Chapter 5 - An eye for an eye

chapter word count: 1.1k words

"What the fuck is this?" the man screamed, while the tied girls on the floor let out muffled gasps.

The sound of the door opening forcefully could be heard loudly, but no one was able to see anything.

I started coughing up again when that bastard's grip was completely gone from my neck and air was suddenly getting into my lungs. However, my head was still feeling light and my whole body felt weak.

Was it the liquid he forced me to swallow? I wondered, and managed to turn myself on my left side, trying not to choke on my own blood.

"It's Dark in here!" a loud, familiar voice shouted, bringing a slight smile to my face.

A small pat on my back followed soon after, giving me all the reassurance I needed. I was not abandoned. They came, just as they promised they will.

I didn't get the chance to find out who patted my back that night. The lightness in my head was getting too strong, and I passed out just seconds after feeling relief that I was no longer alone.

~

"Argh. Turn off that light, would you?" I grunted as soon as I woke up between the four walls of the room that became my new home barely a week ago.

"Hello to you too, Shade. Feeling good?"

"No, Sky. If you're really curious, my head is fucking killing me. And I'm called Shade for a reason. So please draw the curtains and bring some shade back, will you?"

"No. Light is way better for you right now. Besides, look at the Sky for once."

"Ha-ha, very funny."

"I'm glad you're awake though, everyone was starting to get worried. Especially Jeongin and Chris. And by the way, you look like shit. That guy really did a number on you, huh?" He chuckled and handed me a mirror, letting me examine the dark marks on my face and neck.

"Yea, seems like I really got a good beating."

"Disadvantages of speaking with no filter."

"You should know."

"Touché." He smiled and grabbed the mirror from my hands, giving me a glass of water and a small pill instead.

"Jeongin said to give this to you. For your headache, so you won't be a headache to the rest of us later."

"Thanks." I drank the medicine and handed Seungmin the empty glass.

"You should thank him personally. He was really distraught when he saw the state you were in. The fact that you slept for 5 full days didn't help too much either."

"Wait, I WHAT?" I asked, trying to stand up from the bed quickly, only to fall back down due to the immense pain in my temples.

"Wowowwo- Take it easy. I'll go let everyone know you woke up. Maybe take a shower and brush your teeth in the meantime, you stink."

"Fuck you."

"No thanks. I'm off!" Seungmin waved and left the room.

I went to the dresser and examined myself once again in the big mirror. The bruises were looking even worse under artificial lighting. However, everything looked very well taken care of. My busted lip wore a small plaster that seemed carefully placed on; there was no blood on me; my arm, that I don't even know when or how I managed to hurt, was bandaged with the same care as my lip.

Seeing how good Jeongin took care of me made my heart sink and made tears slowly form into the corners of my eyes.

Just like San used to do. I thought, but quickly hopped in the shower and brushed the thought aside.

~

After showering, I slowly got dressed. My whole body was aching, but thankfully the pain in my temples stopped.

Thanks for the happy pill, Jeongin.

Walking back into the room, I was greeted by someone I didn't expect to see yet standing on my bed.

"Chris." Was all I could say before he got up and ran to me, taking me into a strong embrace.

He let go of me and looked at the bruises, brushing his fingers on each of them.

"fucking bastard" he muttered under his breath and caressed my face. "But don't worry, baby, I made him pay for daring to lay his fingers on you. In fact, I made sure to break each and every one of his fingers, one by one, for each small bruise you had. I counted them with Jeongin."

"He did great..." I pointed to the carefully bandaged arm.

"Mhm, he did. He's a very good doctor."

"So... what else happened to the guy?"

"Oh, yea. I... personally thanked him for bringing you to this state. I stumped on his arms, his legs, and I finally pulled a bullet through his head yesterday morning when I saw how pathetic he was begging me to let him die." He said with a dark smile. "And after he gave us all information we needed, of course."

Right, he's a mafia boss. I almost forgot that for a second.

"And the girls...?"

"They're safe now. These past few days you were asleep we managed to eradicate the whole Knife Devils. Might still be a few bastards hanging on, but we'll catch them in no time."

"Mhm." I nodded.

"Now to the more important things: how are you feeling?"

Chan closed the distance between us and pulled me in for a kiss, making my knees grow weak again.

"I thought we'd lose you for a second." He said in a low voice.

"But you didn't. I'm here."

"The bastard gave you some sort of drug – Jeongin was glad he found the flask on him, he managed to find a counter for the poison. But you still weren't waking up."

"Thank you for coming for me. I thought you'd left me there for a second." I confessed.

"I will never leave you." He said sternly, before kissing me again.

I gave into him completely, letting him explore my mouth with his tongue, feeling the ecstasy each of his kisses were bringing me.

~Present Day~

Looking back on it, I should've noticed that I was falling way too fast, way too hard, and that this strong urge to have him flushed over me like a tsunami would only drown me. I wanted more.

I should've known then how dangerous that was. I was oblivious that his kisses were poison. How couldn't I notice just by the euphoria they made me feel?

I should've known it was too good to be true.

But the sad thing is, even if I knew, it probably wouldn't have mattered. As long as it was him, I would've been happy to stay oblivious. I would've gladly drunk any poison.

I should've known then that he wouldn't do the same for me.

It was not poison that I was tasting on his kisses, but heartbreak.

I should've wanted less.

---

Chapter 4 | Chapter 6