#bee's trying hot chocolate for the first time btw :)

[pazam]

Some nice palate cleansers :)

[elseaa]

Hi! Here is my first participation in the @hetaliamondaychallenge . I wanted to thank everyone because your art and the interesting themes motivate me to participate ❤️

And btw, this text is inspired by my house

I use human names

Belgium -> Bella

Netherlands -> Abel

Portugal -> João

Luxembourg -> Michael

Enjoy ❤️

Despite that Michael had already opened his eyes, he did not get out of bed directly, enjoying his warm duvets, the song of swallows and other birds but also the sound of the wind crossing the trees until the door of his room opened slowly, Pelze then entered the room, took a little momentum and jumped on the bed to join his master, finally licking his face.

-let me sleep…

Michael turned to his dog to pet his head, she then snuggled against his master, he finally decided to get up a few minutes later, wearing a simple blue t-shirt and pants to head then in the kitchen from which there were very good smells.

-What do you cooking ? He asked.

-Hello Michael ! Exclaimed Bella.

-Good morning, we're making pain perdu. Replied Abel

-Yes, there was old bread a little dry, it's stupid to throw it away when we can make of it our breakfast.

The pain perdu is an easy dish to prepare when you have some old bread so you don't have to throw it away, you only need milk, eggs and a bit of sugar, mix everything and after nothing easier than dipping the bread in the preparation and then baking them either in the pan or in the oven.

-Hello ! It looks good! Have you ever been looking for eggs from our chickens? Asked Micheal.

-Not yet, can you do it please? Bella replied

-I’ll go !

Michael started by opening the fridge’s door, Pelze was standing next to him, he took one of the carrots to give it to his dog who was happy to eat it then, he opened the garden door and changed his slippers to put his crocs, he went to the bottom of the garden and opened the enclosure of their chickens, they have three, two of them have black feathers while the last was ginger. The hens gathered around him, following him with every step he took. He then opened the chicken coop to recover the three eggs they had laid this morning while taking the opportunity to pet them.

-In addition to having free eggs, we have adorable animals, it's happiness.

The hens stopped following him when he came out of the enclosure, it was not small, their hens had a lot of space to wander, at some point, they left it open so that the hens could enjoy the whole garden and even kept them company on their patio.

When Michael arrived on the terrace, breakfast was already on the table with their three plates, pain perdu and hot chocolate for everyone.

-I invited the neighbors, they will come around 14h. Said Bella.

-Great ! We should fix the old table before they get to put our plants on it. Abel offered.

-That would be nice, I still have to buy basil, we only have one. Bella added.

The garden they owned was very green, with lots of tulips, poppies and also a few lavender plants. A few years before, they had also planted several fruit trees such as a currant, a raspberry, several strawberries and even a cherry tree which now had grown very large, enough to enjoy the summer without having to go all the time at the market. Sometimes, a few birds came to feast on the fruits of their beautiful garden and also bees and butterflies fluttering from flower to flower, the landscape that was offered to them was the most peaceful. Suddenly they heard the sounds of crumpled paper, Abel turned his head directly to the kitchen cookie cabinet, he suspected, his rabbit was trying to steal cookies. Abel then rose with his celery in his hand.

-No sugar for rabbits! Small rascal…

The rabbit was quickly alerted and despite the fact that his master had celery, he fled with his cookie between his teeth but he was’nt fast enough, Abel grabbed him to remove his cookie from him

-Give me this cookie!

Then, he exchanged the cookie with the celery. His rabbit ran to return to the garden, his celery stick between his teeth. Abel took the opportunity to lock the cookie cabinet this time.

-Your rabbit will always surprise me! Did he really open the cabinet alone ? Micheal asked laughing.

-I have already seen him do it in front of my eyes. Abel replied.

-It seems celery is appreciated too. Michael noticed as he caressed him.

-Even more than carrots. He explained.

Some times passed after their breakfast, Abel looked at what was possible to do to fix the table, only the feet were in good condition while the square surface began to break on some sides.

-We should simply put a large wooden board on the four legs and fix it.

-I see, I'm going to sand the wood, it will be prettier! Micheal suggested.

The two brothers got busy fixing the table, removing the broken part to place the new board while their sister took care of the plants she had placed on the wall separating their garden from the one of their neighbors when a female voice called her

-Bella! Look what we bought !

-Irunya, what a pleasure to see you! These are basil seeds!

-Yes ! I decided to do as you did so I asked my brother to buy it but he took an extra package, I offer it to you! Said Irunya, handing the seed’s package to Bella.

-Are you sure ?

-Yes take them! You told me you still need it so it’s makes me happy.

Bella took the bag of seeds from the Ukrainian girl, blushing a little.

-Thank you ... You should come to the house for dinner… maybe ? Bella suggested.

-I would love ! Are you okay if I come tomorrow? My brother is with his boyfriend today

-Yes of course ! Come tomorrow in the evening, it will be more fun with everyone

-Great, I'll leave you, see you later!

Bella did not take her eyes off the pretty woman, which escaped Abel who was too busy screwing the legs of the table onto the wooden surface, however, her little brother gave her a smile, having noticed the crush she had for their neighbor. Abel therefore finished to fix the table, and although it was not aesthetic, it was much better than buying a new one. All cheerful, Bella placed her plants on the table.

-It's perfect ! Thank you !! She exclaimed.

-It only took us about twenty minutes. Said Abel.

-And it was nothing complicated. Michael pointed out.

The doorbell on their house began to ring, sure that it was the neighbors Bella had invited, they went to the first room with Pelze to open it and greeted each other with a big smile. Antonio, Joao and Lovino entered the house with plates filled with cakes in their hands.

-It looks delicious !! Exclaimed Bella.

-I said that we would bring some cakes. Recalled antonio

-We cook them this morning, there are pastel de nata, cannoli and mantecados, that’s delicious ! Lovino explained proudly.

Michael and Bella brought their guests into the garden, however, João and Abel did not follow them, staying together in the living room.

-I barely saw you this week. Complained João.

-Sorry, I worked a lot

Abel took João by the waist to bring him against him and placed a kiss on his forehead.

-We have the whole weekend for us now. He replied, hugging his lover.

After ten minutes, the couple joined the others in the garden where we could hear laughter, the discussion seemed rather animated.

-Big brother, guess what! The neighbors bought the same water filter as we did. Said Michael.

-Is that so ?

-Yes, we thought it was great choice when we came last time, no need to buy a plastic bottles if you can just filter the tap water. João explained to him.

-And the machine works really well, the water is very good. Said Antonio.

-I think too, it’s Bella who found this on the internet, it’s very profitable and better for the environment. Abel adds.

João and Abel then took their places on the outdoor chairs to join the lively discussions and enjoying this sunny Saturday with everyone.

[cloversreblogs]

Brass in the grey- Chpt. 10

Previous chapters (AO3 only): 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9

Links: FFN.net, AO3, Wattpad

Read on Tumblr: 7 / 8 / 9 / X / 11

Christmas chapter because Christmas! :D

Pairing: FrUK

Genre: Modern AU, Artists AU

Chapter rating: K

Chapter warning(s): None!

Just some quick Christmas fluff for the holidays :) The bolded lines are the phone dialogue, btw.

João- Portugal

Angus- Scotland

Just as swiftly as the transition of November to December, Autumn left and Winter arrived.

The snow had a delicate magic to it. It turned whatever it touched into something sublime and enchanting. The park's trees had long lost its leaves the previous week, but this morning, a blanket of snow had covered the park so that it was like a piece of Narnia had dropped into London.

"Anything else on your mind, Francis?" The therapist asked.

"Erhm… no, actually," he replied. It was actually the first time in a while that he had meant it when he said those words.

"Alright, fantastic!" She said with a smile, and they shook hands. "I think that you've made quite a lot of progress over the couple of weeks! I'll be visiting my family back in Suffolk, so I won't be here for the rest of the year, sadly. Are you planning to do anything for Christmas?" she asked as Francis grabbed his coat.

"Not much. I'll probably just Skype my dad and such. One of my friend's brother have a Christmas party going on at their place, so I'll probably be there."

"Sounds great! See you next year! Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas to you too!" And then he left his therapist's office.

Dr. Turner was a therapist who Francis saw every two weeks. Even though this was only their second session, Francis was starting to feel better already.

Her office was across a mall near the apartment block, so as he walked through it, he could hear the Christmas cheer everywhere.

Carollers were singing the carol of the bells, a Christmas tree that touched the ceiling stood proudly in the centre of the room, a line of children lined up for a mall Santa, and people carrying bags of wrapping paper as well as toys and other gifts buzzed like bees. A violinist who busked outside of the mall played Silent Night, and Francis tossed a shilling to the violin case.

It was even snowing a bit, just enough to dust the people in snow, but not too heavily as to cover people up with snow entirely, which added to the nice Christmassy atmosphere.

Very soon, he made it back to the apartment. The apartment was decorated with tinsel and Christmas lights. Gilbert plugged in the Christmas lights, making the Christmas tree in the middle of the room light up.

The TV was showing Home Alone, while on the couch, he could see Antonio chatting with his (recently declared) boyfriend Roderich.

"Hey Fran!" Antonio called out. Gilbert, on the other hand wasn't as certain.

"Ah, Fran! Erhm… how was the therapist's?"

Sure, Francis had felt better, but ever since he had told him about his anxieties, Gilbert had started restraining everything that he said.

"Gil, it's fine, you don't need to censor everything you say. I wasn't being completely honest with myself over the last couple of months, so I'm trying to do so right now. I'll just remind you whenever I want the topic to be changed. OK?"

"Hm, kay." Gilbert still seemed distracted. Francis sighed. He was a perfectionist, and hated causing problems.

Before he could answer, there was a knock on the door. While turning the doorknob, a small part of him wondered if it was Arthur. Turned out, it was Antonio's brother, João, who had came all the way from Portugal. He greeted him, and went over to the sofa before promptly going into a lengthy conversation with Antonio.

As Francis stood, and looked over to Antonio with João and Roderich, he realised something.

Arthur on the other hand lived alone, as far as he could tell. He never mentioned much family, either. Was Arthur spending Christmas alone?

He walked into the bedroom, and dialled Arthur's number.

"Hello?"

"Arthur! Hi! We're having a Christmas party at a friend of mine's, do you want to come?"

"Erhm… no thanks. Parties aren't exactly my thing."

After some more small talk, (how were you, etc) they hung up.

Francis thought. Maybe he could go over to his apartment, but then there was the Christmas party over at Ludwig's house, and he didn't want to miss that. On the other hand… how alone was Arthur? Maybe he could just give him a gift or something.

He knew that Arthur liked to read, but his bookshelves were full, and besides, it was sort of a predictable present. Arthur wasn't great at cooking, so maybe he could cook him something. Maybe a casserole? They still had more than an hour until they needed to be at Ludwig's. Yes, that sounded good.

And so he got to the kitchen and got to work.

Watching re-runs of Doctor Who while embroidering and sipping hot chocolate was a good way to spend Christmas, in Arthur's book. He wasn't the type who got too festive of anything, he just hung up some tinsel and called it a day.

He held up the embroidery hoop, and examined the piece of embroidery. The blanket stitches hadn't worked as well as he had hoped, and were a bit wide for his liking. Again, the satin stitch-

A knock on the door distracted him, and he stood up. He was pretty confident that it was Francis, though he wasn't sure why he was here, especially so shortly after a phone call. He took a deep breath in. The worst case scenario would probably be Francis accusing him for not wanting to go to the Christmas party, though he reasoned with himself that it'd be insanely unlikely. The best case scenario would be that Francis decided to spend Christmas with him or something like that. The most likely thing would be that Francis decided to drop in for a quick "Merry Christmas", maybe even give a card or a gift or something.

As per with his third prediction, Francis was standing at the door carrying a casserole pot.

"Hi, Arthur!" He greeted before handing him the pot with a smile. "Merry Christmas."

"Ah." He took the pot. Even with the lid closed, he could smell the savoury content of the pot, and it smelt absolutely mouth watering. "Thank you. Erhm, wow, you didn't have to give me a casserole." Francis smiled, and shrugged.

"It's the least I can do. I have to go now, unfortunately. Bye!"

Arthur waved while Francis walked away to join with another small party of people. Arthur looked down at the hallway, and then down at the casserole, still warm in his hands. It had been awhile since he was given a Christmas present. Sure, there were still the Christmas cards given by that overly festive co-worker, but otherwise, it had been awhile.

He brung the casserole back into his apartment and onto the table. Actually, it had been awhile since he had something close to a proper Christmas dinner. During Christmas, he usually went out to eat, whether if it was at a fancy diner or at a takeaway place. The last time he had a proper, hearty Christmas dinner was…

Was…

Seven years ago.

Had it really been that long? Wow. Seven years. Almost an entire decade.

He grabbed a dish and opened the lid. The tantalising aroma of hot lamb, rosemary, potatoes, and peas flooded the room immediately. His mouth watered. It smelt delicious!

A memory popped in his head. One year during Christmas, Angus tripped on the cat and fell into the trifle. He snickered at the memory. Mum wouldn't let the cat sleep on the dining room floor after that.

After he put some of the casserole into the dish, he noticed the way the potato slices were arranged so that they overlapped like fish scales. His own mother would just stack them.

He blew the casserole piece on the fork, and ate it. A million memories of Christmas during his childhood flooded his mind.

It tasted good. It tasted like home.

Arthur went on to finish half the casserole, and put the pot into the fridge. While he did, he wondered: shouldn't he give Francis a Christmas present as well?

He thought. What would Francis like as a present? Something music related, maybe? The stores were closed already, so if he was to give him a present, he would had to improvise. He definitely couldn't give him something cooked, hell no. Well he did have books…

There was this book he bought earlier in the year. Arthur walked over to his bookshelf. He had only read it once or twice, so it should be somewhere at the bottom shelf…

Ah! There it was wedged in the bottom. He pulled the book out, and brushed the cover.

For a second, he wondered if it was a good idea. Was he really going to give him a book? At least the casserole had effort put into it, this book was pretty much just something he pulled out of his ass.

Arthur took a deep breath in. The shops were closed, and he couldn't think of anything more suitable as a present. At least the book wasn't at the same calibre as, say, gifting Francis a used napkin or a plastic bag, at least there was some thought put into it. Besides, the book was still in a pretty good condition.

After reminding himself of those things, he felt better about it, and went out and headed downstairs.

"Hey, Fran, I think that this is for you or something," Gilbert called out as he came back from collecting mail the next day.

"Hm?"

"Here. It's from that Arthur guy." He handed him a book with a post-it note stuck onto it. A book from Arthur? Huh. The cover had a blue trombone on it. The reason that Arthur had picked this one was probably because it was about trombones, which was somewhat close to saxophones. Sure, Francis didn't like trombones more than saxophones, much less know how to play one, but he appreciated that at least Arthurĺ tried to pick something that peaked his interests.

"Thanks, Gil." He read the note:

Hi, I found this book while rummaging through my things. It's a book about a girl with sound-colour synesthesia, and it's quite an interesting read. The shops were closed, so I wasn't able to get wrapping paper, I must apologise. By the way, thank you for the casserole.

Merry Christmas,

Arthur

He flipped the book over, and read the summary. Reading books were not exactly his thing, but the premise sounded interesting. He reached for his phone:

Thank you for the book! <3

A few seconds later, there was another text:

You're welcome :-)

The book, trombones are blue, is a real book, by the way, though it is a WIP by @wildrhov. Thank you, Rhov for letting me mention the book!

I'll be taking a bit of a hiatus to figure out what's going to happen in the next couple of chapters, so no chapters next month, unfortunately. But on the other hand, thank you for the comments last chapter!

Happy holidays, everybody!

[ficdirectory]

Disuphere (An AU Fosters family fic) Chapter 46

CHAPTER 46

On Monday, Jesus’s world got turned on its head for the second time since he’s been “safe.”  There have been other times, of course.  Times as a really little kid with his birth mom, where she’d be high and there wasn’t enough food.  Where they got locked out of the house.  Or left in the empty one.  There were the foster homes, so many Jesus had lost count.  Each one slowly weakening his ability to trust.

Then there were the Fosters.  (The Adams Fosters, eventually, when marriage was finally legal for his moms.)  But back then they were just the Fosters.  Jesus remembers Stef - meeting her at the police station - where he and Mariana had been dropped off by the latest foster parents who “couldn’t take care of them anymore.”  Even at five, Jesus had thought how scary it was that no grown ups could take care of them.  How scary it was to be responsible for his sister all on his own.

Stef and Lena, though.  They changed everything.  They were the first adults that proved they could take care of Jesus and Mariana.  Three intense years in the foster system, living with Moms, and being bounced back to Ana when she tried to get clean, and they were finally adopted at eight.  At nine, Jesus got in That Car and at thirteen had to start all over again with the bonding and the trusting.

All for what?

So Callie could creep on him and take pics while he didn’t even know she was doing it?  Moms didn’t even know what she’d been up to?  How could Jesus ever trust them again?  How could he trust his family to keep him safe, when all this time, that was an illusion?

He doesn’t want to think about it too deep.  Besides, that’s what therapy’s for.  He’s been yesterday and today.  Trying to rebuild and work through everything.  At least he can still trust the office, the process and Dr. H.  It’s the only reason he comes out of his room.  Because he knows he needs it.  But he’s not ready to talk about Callie.  Or look at her.  Or see her.

Even just hearing her talk to Jude about how she’s in “the biggest trouble of her life” makes him feel a strange mix of violated and vindicated.  What she did was so bad.  He feels gross even thinking about it.  So, hell yeah, she should be be punished.  Losing her phone should be the least of her problems, but right now, it sounds like it’s the biggest.

Jesus knows she’s faced real loss.  Jude, too.  For all of Jesus’s awful trauma anniversaries, Callie and Jude lost their birth mom.  Their birth dad was driving the car, drunk.  Brandon told him about it once.  The day was awful for them.

But trauma doesn’t excuse this.  Nothing excuses this.

Jesus hears it, the minute Mariana arrives.  It’s hard not to.  Even when she’s trying to be quiet, she makes an entrance.

...Except this time, she doesn’t.  

He can see her, silhouetted by the light down the hall.  She has blankets.  A pillow.  Her backpack.  It’s like she’s moving in.  And it makes him feel secure, except:

“Did you know?” he asks, hoarse.

The day’s coming back to him - the moments he lost and the words he was screaming - he’s starting to remember.  It’s like rocks weighing him down to the bottom of a river.  How Mama had sent Frankie from the room to call Mom.  How Callie and Mariana had come in, and Jesus had rushed at them, shoving Callie all the way back against a wall, until Brandon intervened, dragging Jesus away.  Frankie crying.  Him screaming, “I trusted you,” at Callie.  At the family.  Because he had.  He’d trusted them.  Now, he just doesn’t know.

��No,” Mariana says.  “Why do you think I’m out here for the third night in a row?”

“I don’t know,” he admits.  He feels close to blank, but he can’t be blank when he’s talking to Mariana.  

“I’m here because I’m on your side.  Because I’m your backup.  Because I’m mad for you…”

“Then why are you crying?  If you’re mad?” Jesus asks.  It’s subtle, her crying.  He wouldn’t know she was actually doing it, except her voice got thick.  It’s not how she used to cry, he realizes.  She’s adapted for him.

“Because, if you hurt, I hurt.  That’s kinda the way it works,” she snaps.  “And I should have known what she was doing.  I should have asked more.  Made her tell me.  Because her doing that hurt you so much.  You not trusting her carries over to the rest of us.  We all let you down, Jesus.”

“Not if you really had no idea,” he manages.  Jesus crawls over, like the slug he feels, and reaches through the beads for Mariana’s hand.

She takes it, tentative.

They just stay like that - her lying out in the hall, him in his room - separated by a curtain of beads.  He lets go, and she moves.

She’s going.

His heart sinks.  He feels totally alone.  Stares at the stars on his ceiling.  It’s fine.  He’s used to being alone.  So, he just thinks for a while.  Mostly about those damn pictures.  Mariana was right.  What happened did hurt him.  It set him back.  He thinks about the pictures he hates, and then one nudges the corner of his mind. Jude, around ten years old, watching Jesus at thirteen.  

Seeing that picture, he honestly doesn’t know how he could have ever thought that Jude and Jacob looked like each other.  Hair color, yeah, and maybe their height at first.  But Jude was sturdier.  So much more confident.  And there was another major difference:

Outside of that first day, Jacob never thought Jesus was going to hurt him.  But in the picture Callie took (Christmas of 2011, when everybody was finally together again) Jude looked guarded.  Afraid.

How had Jesus missed something so obvious?

Jesus hears it in his head - the words Jude had just spoken earlier tonight - in the hall with Callie:

At least he didn’t pull a knife on you.

Had Jesus ever apologized? Ever tried to make that right?  Because if Callie’s trauma isn’t an excuse for her to systematically destroy three years of safety, security and trust, then his was never an excuse to scare his little bro.

Little bro.

It feels wrong to think it, and right at the same time.  Jude’s not Jacob and he shouldn’t be worried about what Jesus is gonna do.  So, maybe he’ll talk to Dr. H. about Jacob some...and maybe he’ll talk to Jude, eventually.  He’s not responsible for Callie’s choices.

He hears the beads again and glances over.  Sees the entire box of Cheez-It crackers, outlined by the hall light, and a letter.

This whole time, Mariana’s been writing to him.  Emotion closes his throat but he clears it.

“Thanks,” he whispers.  He flips on the light, unfolding the paper and reading:

Jesus,

I don’t know what to say right now, but if my letters help you even the smallest bit, why wouldn’t I write you?

Maybe because I’m embarrassed?  Maybe because you’ve always taken such good care of me and I feel like I am sucking at returning this totally vital thing.

Maybe because I’m guilty.  You really are the best brother ever.  You always protect me.  You always have.  But I can’t reciprocate.  When I could have helped you, I didn’t.  And I can’t forgive myself for that.

Okay, this letter is getting seriously depressing.  You said you liked hearing stories about when we were little, right?  Well, I remembered one.

It was Mama’s birthday That Year.  So pretty much right before.  Moms were at work and Brandon was in charge.  He’d just turned eleven, like, two days before.  But he thought being in charge meant bossing us around, and that he got to call Aidan to help him babysit us.  They got distracted (of course) mangling a poor bee on the back patio...and while they were busy you may have locked them out.  (Front and back doors.)

I decided that we were in charge and we were gonna bake Mama a cake.  From scratch.  IDK why I was so opposed to boxed cake mix, but I was determined.  I thought baking a cake must be kinda like baking cookies.  You climbed on a chair and got a super old cookbook down.  We destroyed the kitchen, Jesus.  It was so bad.  Technically, we weren’t allowed to use the oven, but I was sure Moms would make an exception if they knew we were using it to bake a cake for Mama.

Amazingly, we didn’t burn the house down.  The cake turned out.  Like, it baked.  But it looked weird.  Then you found like three different frostings in the cupboard and wanted to use them all to frost the cake - and we were in a rush because we didn’t want Moms to come home to Brandon and Aidan locked outside and us using the oven.

So, you frosted the cake with oven mitts on, because the pan was still hot.  All the frosting kept melting off and you just kept saying how it was a good thing we were using all of them - vanilla, chocolate and cream cheese frosting BTW.

Long story short we got the cake done and hid it in the refrigerator.  But Moms came home to a destroyed kitchen and we were almost grounded forever.  But then you were like, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAMA!  WE MADE YOU A CAKE!”

Mom took it out and set it on the table.  Mama cut herself a piece right then...and ate it!  (The cake looked seriously weird, Jesus.  She should not have eaten it.)  But we were so proud and she hugged us and said it was the best cake ever.

That’s how much she loves us, Jesus.

She ate our scary-gross-made-by-nine-year-olds cake.

She still does, you know?  She loves you.  She just didn’t know what Callie was doing.  None of us did.  And if you can forgive me for not knowing, try to forgive her, too.  

Mari

Before Jesus does anything else, he folds the letter back up and tucks it with the other one inside his wallet.  Then, he reaches through the beads again, for her hand, not really looking at what he’s doing.

“Yes.  Hello,” Mariana says.  It’s muffled.  Jesus peeks through the beads.  His huge hand is totally against her face.

“...Kinda like your hand, but different…” he mumbles, embarrassed.  He pulls away.  And just like that, there’s her hand through the beads.

“I don’t know, you know?” he admits.

“Yeah,” she says softly.  “It’s a lot.  But I won’t push you, okay?”

“You don’t have anything to feel embarrassed or guilty about BTW.  You’re here for me the way I need you to be.  That matters.”  He squeezes her hand.

She grimaces but he can see it. “Sorry.  Too hard?” he asks, glancing at their hands.

“No, it’s my stupid stomach.”

“Guilt gut?”  He means it as a joke, but when she doesn’t answer, Jesus thinks maybe he’s onto something. “You can tell me about it.  I didn’t mean to shut you down just now, I just meant that I’m not holding a grudge against you or anything like that.”

Silence.

“Will you tell me about it?  Sometime?” he asks softly.

“Yeah…” she echoes.  Sometime.”

They fall asleep, still holding hands.  

It’s the first time in three nights he doesn’t wake up with nightmares.

[slyther-bird]

1-92 😘😘

Child pls… I’m gonna put these under a cut because holy shit that’s a lot of questions and I’m not flooding anyone’s dashes (forgive any typos pls. It’s late for me)

1. Would you have sex with the last person you text messaged?

That would be you, so nah bro

2. You talked to an ex today, correct?

Fuck no

3. Have you taken someone’s virginity?

I think so? I was told yes but I don’t know if that was true or not

4. Is trust a big issue for you?

Sometimes, but it depends on the situation

5. Did you hang out with the person you like recently?

Nope

6. What are you excited for?

Right now probably my next skating day

7. What happened tonight?

I shut myself in my room and watched vine compilations while fighting with a drawing and then decided I deserved alcohol and snuck into the kitchen to grab a bottle of wine. And got harassed by my cat because she’s ridiculous

8. Do you think it’s disgusting when girls get really wasted?

I guess it depends on what happens when they get really wasted? I’m usually the one drunk and don’t remember a lot so I couldn’t say

9. Is confidence cute?

In the right situation yea, but not if the person is being cocky and rude

10. What is the last beverage you had?

I’m switching between a white wine and water because the wine isn’t cold and keeps drying out my mouth

11. How many people of the opposite sex do you fully trust?

Maybe 3 max?

12. Do you own a pair of skinny jeans?

Yup

13. What are you gonna do Saturday night?

If I can’t make it to skating probably just watch YouTube and draw

14. What are you going to spend money on next?

It honestly depends when I end up getting a job, but I do need more wood panels for mosaics so probably those

15. Are you going out with the last person you kissed?

Nope

16. Do you think you’ll change in the next 3 months?

I fucking hope so

17. Who do you feel most comfortable talking to about anything?

You tbh

18. The last time you felt broken?

Probably within the last week? It was recent and it’s been a shitty week so

19. Have you had sex today?

Nah mate

20. Are you starting to realize anything?

Not really? I’ve been trying to keep busy with things so I can’t think of anything

21. Are you in a good mood?

I’d say a decent one

22. Would you ever want to swim with sharks?

If it was totally safe and controlled then yea sure

23. Are your eyes the same colour as your dad’s?

No, mine are a really dark brown and his are hazel

24. What do you want right this second?

Probably some motivation tbh. Or a pita

25. What would you say if the person you love/like kissed another girl/boy?

I’m not interested in/looking for anyone right now so it wouldn’t matter?

26. Is your current hair colour your natural hair colour?

Partially. I still haven’t cut off the bleached bits yet. I really should

27. Would you be able to date someone who doesn’t make you laugh?

Depends on their other qualities. I’m not totally in touch with emotions so something could make me laugh one day and not the next

28. What was the last thing that made you laugh?

My cat shoving her paw under my door because she heard me quietly singing

29. Do you really, truly miss someone right now?

Not really? Like I miss you but I usually do so?

30. Does everyone deserve a second chance?

It depends on what they did/want a second chance about

31. Honestly, do you hate the last boy you were talking to?

It was my brother so no not really

32. Does the person you have feelings for right now, know you do?

I don’t have feelings for anyone right now, I’m trying to figure myself out before I worry about that

33. Are you one of those people who never drinks soda?

I haven’t been drinking it a lot because I’m actually kind of taking care of myself and paying attention to a diet lately

34. Listening to?

Waltz Op. 64 No. 2- Chopin (because it’s in the ost playlist for a fanfic I like)

35. Do you ever write in pencil anymore?

I do in sketchbooks or randomly on my walls if I don’t have paper or my phone

36. Do you know where the last person you kissed is?

I don’t know who the last person I kissed is so no?

37. Do you believe in love at first sight?

Not really. It seems like it’s more based on appearance than anything

38. Who did you last call?

I think you?

39. Who was the last person you danced with?

Definitely you, we were dancing in the car a bit ago

40. Why did you kiss the last person you kissed?

I’m not sure since I don’t know who it was

41. When was the last time you ate a cupcake?

Oh god probably some time last fall?

42. Did you hug/kiss one of your parents today?

Yup

43. Ever embarrass yourself in front of a crush?

I’ve embarrassed myself in front of a crush more times than I haven’t

44. Do you tan in the nude?

I don’t tan at all if I can help it

45. If you could, would you take back your last kiss?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

46. Did you talk to someone until you fell asleep last night?

I don’t think so, I think I was done bitching about sai a couple hours before I actually fell asleep

47. Who was the last person to call you?

I think my mum… She decided she needed to call me instead of texting me and scared me because my ringer was on

48. Do you sing in the shower?

Really quietly because there’s always someone here but yea. It’s honestly more of a performance tbh

49. Do you dance in the car?

Not wildly, but it depends on the song

50. Ever used a bow and arrow?

Yup. You need to remind me to let you try mine btw

51. Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer?

At last year’s Lions convention I think

52. Do you think musicals are cheesy?

Sometimes, but they’re nice

53. Is Christmas stressful?

Hell yea it is. I have more than one house to get ready for Christmas

54. Ever eat a pierogi?

I literally had those for supper tonight… One of my favourite things tbh

55. Favourite type of fruit pie?

I don’t like fruit pie all that much but I don’t dislike apple pie as much. As long as it’s drowning in caramel and warm

56. Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid?

The only ones I definitely remember are figure skater, astronaut, astronomer, and palaeontologist

57. Do you believe in ghosts?

Oh yea

58. Ever have a Deja-vu feeling?

Literally more often than not I do

59. Take a vitamin daily?

No but I should be

60. Wear slippers?

Usually only if I’m sick

61. Wear a bath robe?

Not often tbh

62. What do you wear to bed?

Sometimes the clothes from that day, but usually boxers and a shirt or nothing, depends how much I can get off

63. First concert?

I’ve never been to one oops

64. Wal-Mart, Target, or Kmart?

Target was always the best when I was in the states for competitions but I haven’t been in ages so Wal-Mart I guess?

65. Nike or Adidas?

Nike because I like the name more. I don’t even really know what these brands make

66. Cheetos or Fritos?

Cheetossss. That’s how I corral my little cousins

67. Peanuts or sunflower seeds?

Sunflower seeds if they’re not too much work

68. Favourite Taylor Swift song?

Bad Blood or Shake it Off

69. Ever take dance lessons?

I took ballet and tap when I was younger. I was kind of thinking about starting ballet again because I like it and it’ll help with skating

70. Is there a profession you picture your future spouse doing?

Nope, I don’t even entirely know what I’ll be doing

71. Can you curl your tongue?

I can now. I couldn’t until I was like, 13 for some reason

72. Ever won a spelling bee?

Never been in one

73. Have you ever cried because you were so happy?

My cat touched my nose with her paw and closed her eyes and purred the other day so yea

74. What is your favourite book?

I guess Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke because I always go back to it and it doesn’t get boring to me. I feel so bad because my favourites are definitely Harry Potter or Artemis Fowl but not a specific one, just the entire series really

75. Do you study better with or without music?

I never studied at all because that was always a guarantee that I’d screw up the test/exam

76. Regularly burn incense?

I wish, but my mum gets huge headaches from smells

77. Ever been in love?

More than I’d like to admit or think about tbh

78. Who would you like to see in concert?

Maybe Panic! at the Disco, but I’ve heard that the tour Adam Lambert has been doing with Queen is good too. And it’s Adam

79. What was the last concert you saw?

I’ve never been to one

80. Hot tea or cold tea?

Hot tea

81. Tea or coffee?

Usually I’d prefer tea but sometimes I need the higher boost from coffee

82. Favourite type of cookie?

I really like these double chocolate ones my grandma makes. They’re so bad for you but they taste really nice and they’re super soft and gooey

83. Can you swim well?

I think pretty decently, but it’s not impressive or anything. I don’t like being in the water anyway

84.Can you hold your breath without holding your nose?

Yup. But I have to hold my nose if I’m diving into water because of my piercing

85. Are you patient?

It depends what I’m supposed to be patient about but usually I am

86. DJ or band at a wedding?

DJ, they usually have a nicer music selection

87. Ever won a contest?

Competition yes, but I’m not sure about a contest

88. Ever have plastic surgery?

Nope

89. Which are better, black or green olives?

I just got back onto olives and I only had green ones so I’ll say those

90. Opinions on sex before marriage?

It’s fine as long as you’re careful. I’d be such a hypocrite if I said something against it omg

91. Best room for a fireplace?

Family/living room. Or a study

92. Do you want to get married?

It’s not off the table, but I’m not overly concerned about it at this point

I hope you appreciate that this took me 2 hours man I’m dying

[reversed-hierophant-blog]

35 facts about velvet!

buckle in lads because this got long

velvet welch is, if you haven’t guessed, not japanese! wow, surprising, i know. they were born in the united states, and moved to tokyo about a year and a half ago. they’re of white, syrian, and libyan descent— mostly syrian, though, although i don’t have the exact percentages figured out. 

their family is christian— southern baptist, specifically.  velvet is not, even though they were raised baptist. however, they are extremely spiritual. 

(velvet welch isn’t their birth name btw, but it is the name they have listed on all of their official japanese papers. they’d really prefer if you don’t try to pry and figure out what their dead name is.)

fun fact: i got their name from an old 90s instructional video teaching old people how to use the internet. i’m not joking. this was yuro’s idea.

they’re from myrtle beach, south carolina! as the name suggests, it’s a beach town. and as that implies, they love the ocean? it’s like home to them. i could go on and on with this fact alone because i may or may not have been self indulgent and plopped them in a city i’ve visited multiple times a year for like, the past ten years of my life, but. 

velvet’s family consists of their parents and their eleven-year-old sister, rachel! she really looks up to them, and they used to babysit her when she was younger. they’re really good with kids, which is surprising for a lex character.

velvet makes friendship bracelets when they’re bored, anxious, or trying to relax. it’s something they picked up when they were fourteen— their sister wanted to try it out, and velvet (as her babysitter) ended up getting into it as well. she eventually grew out of it (after like, a couple months), but velvet still enjoys it. they usually wear a bunch of bracelets, and will carry around half-finished ones. it calms them down. they will make bracelets for your oc. 

this is the important one, guys: they have a pet cockatoo. she’s going into the game with them because she’s kind of a handful and they didn’t feel right leaving her with their flatmates. her name is felt. she’s basically a small child and velvet adores her. good birb. 

oh yeah, they’re sharing an apartment with some friends, i may or may not make a separate post about them at a later date. 

they love animals in general (and i mean looooooove), and have always grown up around them. their parents have two dogs, their other friends have a bunch of cats, they had a hamster growing up, and they’d really like getting more pets in the future once they have a bigger living space.

velvet is a huge furry, and their fursona is a goat! one of these days i’ll draw it. also hashtag kinfeels. this is why you’ll see me calling them the goat kid a lot, btw. 

their first job was working at a candy store! they love sugar tbh. they’re especially fond of things like sour gummi worms and ring pops, but they like most sweets in general.

they also really love soft serve ice cream! like, a lot. there’s a place on the boardwalk that boasts over 100 flavors of soft serve, and it’s their aesthetic. they especially like chocolate soft serve dipped in a cherry shell!

they wear those LED light up sneakers. like. these

they’re a capricorn! i’m planning on filling out a natal chart for them soon. i associate them with the hierophant card, followed by the devil, the high priestess, and the star! 

they fucking love cool ass rocks. they’re also a steven universe fan. i think their favorite rocks are bismuth, any kind of quartz (especially aura quartzes), opal, and amethyst? i have no idea what their gemsona is yet.

they have four piercings— both ears, a septum, and a medusa! they’ve considered getting more. if they were to get more, they’d probably want a bridge piercing, a labret (maybe? that or snake bites, but not both), and/or probably some extra ear piercings. not sure if they’d go for an industrial bar there but [shrugs]

they've recently been trying to learn how to cook, with varying degrees of success. they’re not bad just..... still in the process of learning. and they’re fairly forgetful

[ear trauma implied?] velvet suffers hearing loss in their left ear and wears a hearing aid! 

they love glitter. especially in their makeup. they’re also the kind of person that’ll wear cute little stickers on their face for fun. they also like rainbow sprinkles and confetti

they follow a bunch of stimming accounts on instagram? they’ve made slime for themself before, and really like that kind of stuff in general. they like slime and frosting stuff more than kinetic sand and paints, though.

they own a bunch of decks, including:

the starchild tarot (which i desperately want)

the 1980s tarot deck 

the hardy tarot deck

the golden thread tarot

tbh i can’t decide between this, this, or this so i might just say they have all three

they also have the food fortunes deck but that one isn’t an actual tarot deck. it was a holiday gift

their hogwarts house is hufflepuff, and their god tier is the seer of light! yeah, they’re rose lalonde. they’re also an ESFP, a chaotic good, sanguine, and enneagram 2w3 (the giver)! they’re right-handed, type B blood, and yes i’m throwing all of the cheap facts together in one slot.

they know english and japanese! their japanese isn’t perfect, and sometimes they don’t make sense, but they’re trying. they also know ASL, but don’t practice it often, so they’re not that great at it. 

i feel like their handwriting would be similar to the woodlands? in english, they write in cursive! 

they love sweet tea. i don’t get it. i live in the south and i fucking hate sweet tea. but, in general, tea is their drink of choice? whether its iced or hot! herbal teas are super nice too, but you gotta be in the right mood for them, y’know? otherwise, they like strawberry lemonade.

alright lets break out the musical aus because you know i love them:

in hamilton, they’d be john laurens

in heathers, they keep accidentally being JD when I AU with sieves, but in all honesty they’d probably be ms fleming

reefer madness? jimmy harper

(”what musical do you associate the most with them, lex?” ha ha, well, that’s a secret)

i mentioned this in my earlier post, but they currently live in ikebukuro! they love the city aesthetic, almost as much as they love the boardwalk aesthetic. 

they’re also a huge fan of like.... idk how to describe it but? they like kitschy cheap tourist-trap souvenir shops with bright neon hoodies advertising the city (side note— they fucking hate that tan / pale blue “life is better at the beach” style of home decor. hate it. their parents love it.). on this note, the gay dolphin. it’s legendary. truly a landmark in myrtle beach. 

and they like... i don’t know how to describe this flavor of psychic advertisement. they also really love miss cleo commercials. because i love miss cleo. they also binge watch old 90s commercials sometimes. because i binge watch old 90s commercials sometimes. they also like that old VHS tape aesthetic. and neons. 

they prefer animated movies and tv shows tbh, and cry over them a lot. their favorite movies include howl’s moving castle, song of the sea, zootopia, and bee movie finding nemo? all animation is good tho. they also really love pokemon!

they’re kinda lowkey goth. on the inside. they went through a (closeted, as best as they could do when their parents would kill them if they get scenekid hair) scene phase when they were younger (it was kind of embarrassing in hindsight), and a lot of their friends are goth, so they still really appreciate the subculture, even if their everyday style is more colorful and floral and obnoxiously neon at times. on occasion, they’ll get dressed up in something trad, but...

they absolutely hate feeling stuffy and restricted in their clothes— you’d be hard pressed to catch them dead in a button-up shirt and trousers and a sportcoat. not happening unless the suit is bright pink or otherwise fun. 

they keep a dream journal! i hate that this became a popular meme.

they’re gay  (...pansexual and very polyamorous, to be exact, and prone to getting crushes on their friends and being super affectionate in general but. gay)

[iamcrystalqueer]

All of them, except the first three and, like, number 19, cause I'm pretty sure I know the answers to those.

alright here we fucking go.

1. Would you have sex with the last person you text messaged?- I would not have sex with anyone tbh.

4. Is trust a big issue for you?- Yes. I have a hard time trusting that people actually care about me, even if they have done a lot to prove otherwise. 

5. Did you hang out with the person you like recently?- I’ve been hanging out with a lot of people that I like recently.

6. What are you excited for?- Getting better. 

7. What happened tonight?- Wait, is this what is going to happen tonight, or what happened last night? Imma go with the first. I am going to go to bed early, because I have work at 6 am tomorrow. 

8. Do you think it’s disgusting when girls get really wasted?- lol no. Girls are literally always amazing.

9. Is confidence cute?- Confidence is great. Dunno if I would call it cute, but it’s very attractive. 

10. What is the last beverage you had?- Drinking coffee right now. 

11. How many people of the opposite sex do you fully trust?- Eh, like 2 I think. Mark and my brother. 

12. Do you own a pair of skinny jeans?- I literally only own skinny jeans. 

13. What are you gonna do Saturday night?- Celebrate your birthday, which I totally did not forget btw. 

14. What are you going to spend money on next?- Groceries or possibly a trip to Spain because I am feeling rest less.

15. Are you going out with the last person you kissed?- Nope, we literally just broke up. So liek, that’s a thing.

16. Do you think you’ll change in the next 3 months?- Probably?!?!?!?

17. Who do you feel most comfortable talking to about anything?- @optimisticfairyprincess​, @buttsandtushies​ and @luminarai​. Also my mother.

18. The last time you felt broken?- The 27th of December. 

20. Are you starting to realize anything?- A lot of things tbh. 

21. Are you in a good mood?- Surprisingly so, yes. 

22. Would you ever want to swim with sharks?- A morbid part of me really wants to, yes. 

23. Are your eyes the same color as your dad’s?- Nope, I am the complete opposite of my dad look wise. 

24. What do you want right this second?- An apartment and a sense of purpose in life.

25. What would you say if the person you love/like kissed another girl/boy?- Would be his right, we are not together anymore.

26. Is your current hair color your natural hair color?- Yes. 

27. Would you be able to date someone who doesn’t make you laugh?- Probably not?!?!? Idfk, this is an odd question. I’ll probably have to go with no.

28. What was the last thing that made you laugh?- A photoset of a tiny plastic skeleton eating a brownie. 

29. Do you really, truly miss someone right now?- Not really. 

30. Does everyone deserve a second chance?- No, but a lot of people do. 

31. Honestly, do you hate the last boy you were talking to?- No. 

32. Does the person you have feelings for right now, know you do?- It’s complicated. 

33. Are you one of those people who never drinks soda?- Not really. I probably shouldn’t tho, I am allergic to the carbonation. 

34. Listening to?- The telly. 

35. Do you ever write in pencil anymore?- Occasionally. 

36. Do you know where the last person you kissed is?- I assume that he is home. 

37. Do you believe in love at first sight?- I believe in infatuation at first sight, which then can grow to love.

38. Who did you last call?- My brother. 

39. Who was the last person you danced with?- I honestly cannot remember. 

40. Why did you kiss the last person you kissed?- Because it was my girlfriend and I felt for it, probably?

41. When was the last time you ate a cupcake?- That’s been a while. I am considering making cupcakes today or this week tho. 

42. Did you hug/kiss one of your parents today?- Nope. 

43. Ever embarrass yourself in front of a crush?- My life is embarrassing at all times. 

44. Do you tan in the nude?- No. Not that I tan a lot. 

45. If you could, would you take back your last kiss?- No. I don’t really believe in changing the past. 

46. Did you talk to someone until you fell asleep last night?- No, 

47. Who was the last person to call you?- My mother. 

48. Do you sing in the shower?- It happens yes. 

49. Do you dance in the car?- Only when a good song is on the radio.

50. Ever used a bow and arrow?- Nope, but I really wanna try it. 

51. Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer?- About half a year ago i believe. 

52. Do you think musicals are cheesy?- Yes, it’s amazing. 

53. Is Christmas stressful?- Yes, Christmas is the worst. 

54. Ever eat a pierogi?- I think so?!?!?!

55. Favorite type of fruit pie?- Forrest berry or apple. 

56. Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid?- A riding coach. 

57. Do you believe in ghosts?- To some extent. 

58. Ever have a Deja-vu feeling?- A lot yes. 

59. Take a vitamin daily?- I need to get back into the habit, but yes. 

60. Wear slippers?- It happens. 

61. Wear a bath robe?- If I had one, yes. 

62. What do you wear to bed?- A pink cotton dress with a fuzzy white smth on the front. 

63. First concert?- Nik&Jay. 

64. Wal-Mart, Target or Kmart?- Never been to any of them, but I just know that I would love Target.

65. Nike or Adidas?- Adidas. 

66. Cheetos Or Fritos?- Never had either.

67. Peanuts or Sunflower seeds?- Peanuts. 

68. Favorite Taylor Swift song?¨- I knew you were trouble. 

69. Ever take dance lessons?- Nope. 

70. Is there a profession you picture your future spouse doing?-...No???

71. Can you curl your tongue?- Yes. 

72. Ever won a spelling bee?- No. 

73. Have you ever cried because you were so happy?- Yes. 

74. What is your favorite book?- Stop asking me these hard questions. It’s impossible to answer. 

75. Do you study better with or without music?- I study better with background noise, doesn’t have to be music tho.

76. Regularly burn incense?- I used to. Don’t anymore.

77. Ever been in love?- yes. 

78. Who would you like to see in concert?- Fall Out Boy. That’s the only band I would stick through a concert for tbh.

79. What was the last concert you saw?- The one with Kjartan’s band.

80. Hot tea or cold tea?- Hot. 

81. Tea or coffee?- Coffee. 

82. Favorite type of cookie?- Chocolate chip. 

83. Can you swim well?- Nope. I am terrified of water. 

84. Can you hold your breath without holding your nose?- Not for very long. 

85. Are you patient?- I can be if the situation calls for it. 

86. DJ or band, at a wedding?- Band. 

87. Ever won a contest?- Several times. 

88. Ever have plastic surgery?- Nope. 

89. Which are better black or green olives?- The sweet embrace of death. 

90. Opinions on sex before marriage?- People can do what the fuck ever they want tbh.

91. Best room for a fireplace?- All of them.

92. Do you want to get married?- It’s not a huge urge I have, no.