#chinese crane painting meaning

[lingshanhermit]

Lingshan Hermit: Evidence of Having Lived

A magazine once said that ordinary people will be completely forgotten by the world 50 years after they die, as if they never existed. As Buddhist practitioners, we know we will be reborn, we know we have countless past lives, we know we are the continuation of our past selves. But for ordinary people, Confucians believe we should do things, leave some words behind, make some impact on this world, so that the world will remember us. This is the meaning of your life, and the evidence that you existed. For our grandfathers and fathers, they still held Confucian values, they would teach us this way. Their time had no internet, no WeChat, no AI, so they could keep traditional ways of thinking. But now, few people think like this anymore. I see many kids today only think about how to eat well, play well, make themselves comfortable. They don't want to spend time doing something with no visible reward. Even things with rewards, they don't want to put in too much effort. A friend I know wanted his child to learn the art of zisha teapots, but the child didn't think it was a respectable job. This is truly a tragedy. If everyone thinks this way, many things will disappear. You really will be, as that magazine said, forgotten 50 years after death, with nothing memorable left behind. I love Song dynasty paintings, the peak of Chinese painting. I love Emperor Huizong's Auspicious Cranes, if he didn't leave those exquisite paintings, just being a major historical figure, he wouldn't be remembered by me. And Cao Xueqin, descendant of an imperial concubine, he left behind the book Dream of the Red Chamber, which he spent 10 years writing. And Zhuangzi, Kumarajiva who translated the Diamond Sutra, those who lived thousands or hundreds of years ago, they left these things, allowing us to enter their spiritual world, they still nourish us now, this is the evidence they lived in this world, this is their immortality.

Written by Lingshan Hermit on October 16, 2021.

Copyright Notice：All copyrights of Ling Shan Hermit's articles in Simplified and Traditional Chinese, English, and other languages belong to the natural person who owns "Ling Shan Hermit". Please respect copyright. Publishers, media, or individuals (including but not limited to internet media, websites, personal spaces, Weibo, WeChat public accounts, print media) must obtain authorization from Ling Shan Hermit before use. No modifications to the articles are allowed (including: author's name, title, main text content, and punctuation marks). We reserve all legal rights.

灵山居士：活过的证据

[mysticmonkiebusiness]

🌷80024 The Legendary Flower Fruit Mountain, Manual Introduction🌷

[I.D 1: A piece of paper in between a scroll, drawn on the paper are pencil sketches of Flower Fruit Mountain, some are in-depth planning for which LEGO block will create each section of the mountain.] 

[I.D 2: A sheet of paper surrounded by various LEGO bricks and foliage, strewn across the page are several work-in-progress minifigures of Monkey King, one of them has an incomplete white face and torso but the other is in his warrior garb, to the right is a white brick-built crane.]

Transcript:

THE MAKING OF A LEGEND

INTERVIEW WITH LEGO® FLOWER FRUIT MOUNTAIN DESIGNER LIN LI-YU

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

"Among the lineup of cool and exciting LEGO® Monkie Kid™ sets, we wanted to make something really special to celebrate the epic stories of the great Monkey King. In a legendary world, filled with mystical locations, we all agreed upon Flower Fruit Mountain as an essential landmark from the original story. After all...it's where Monkey King came to life and the epic adventure began!

My first thought was to place lots of different Monkey King story elements across the model, but during a design team meeting, the suggestion was made that we could arrange the model to reflect the chapters of the story in a more chronological way.

And so, the final model design of Flower Fruit Mountain was created to give a linear story- telling of the Monkey King legend, starting with how he was born from a rock, to how he took to the Monkey King throne. Last but not least, I'm also extremely excited that we feature no less than four different LEGO minifigure versions of Monkey King himself-something completely unique to this set!"

CAPTURING 'SHANSHUI' "From the very beginning, I was determined to make this set unique and make it stand apart from all the other LEGO® location sets. One of my key considerations was to capture an authentic Chinese aesthetic within the model. After numerous discussions with our LEGO concept artist, Xiaodong Wen, I eventually took inspiration from traditional Chinese mountain landscape paintings; 'Shanshui', which literally means 'mountains and waters'. These paintings capture the essence or spirit of the natural world and aim to evoke a feeling rather than give a realistic or life-like impression of a place.

The first sketch models I built of Flower Fruit Mountain had a conventional rectangular footprint, but going back to the long horizontal scroll as one of the principal forms of Chinese Shanshui paintings, I developed and opened up the model to have a long horizontal footprint instead. This makes it a great set for shelf display as well." A TIMELESS TALE: RETOLD "While designing this model, I was really motivated by the idea that parents would be able to use the set to tell and share the timeless stories of the Monkey King with their children through play."

[ainews]

Cranes have long been a symbol of longevity and fortune. In East Asian cultures, they’re seen as a bringer of good luck—a creature capable of living as long as a thousand years. And while these special birds are revered for their grace, there’s one thing that still remains mysterious: the dots they often carry.

On its feathers and wings, a crane packs a few small, circular dots—sometimes faded, sometimes bright. Though the exact origin of their appearance is unknown, many experts believe these dots represent the crane’s many lifetimes as an immortal.

The idea of crane dots, as they’re called, is a centuries-old concept rooted in Taoist beliefs. According to folklore, the marks on a crane indicate the time and place each of its lives has begun and ended. Every dot bears a different color symbolizing a moment of joy, a sorrow, a promise, or the experience of mortality.

In the world of modern Chinese art, the crane’s dots are often painted with bright colors to represent its significance in the culture. As Chinese artist Liu Peng explains, “It’s a way to show respect for the crane and its long journey through life.”

The idea remains shrouded in mystery, but the meaning of the crane’s dots is no less influential. To this day, the dots remain the subject of art, literature, and film. They represent a potential for eternity—both for our species, but also for the divine.

[duxiaomin-blog]

Chinoiserie as a Symbolic Form: A Cross-Cultural Analysis through Cassirer’s Theory

Ernst Cassirer (July 28, 1874 — April 13, 1945) was a German philosopher renowned for his theory of symbolic forms and his philosophy of culture. His thought is deeply rooted in the Neo-Kantian tradition and has had a significant impact on 20th-century philosophy, cultural studies, and aesthetics. In his famous work, The Philosophy of Symbolic Forms (published in three volumes from 1923 to 1929), he argued that humans do not confront reality directly but rather construct and understand reality through symbolic forms.

Chinoiserie as a Symbolic Form

Analyzed through Cassirer’s theory, Chinoiserie is an 18th-century European reimagining and recreation of Chinese and East Asian culture, essentially functioning as a symbolic form. By selectively adopting and translating Chinese cultural elements such as architecture, decoration, porcelain, clothing, and garden design, European artists and designers created a symbolic system imbued with Eastern allure. Although inspired by Chinese culture, this system actually constructed an “Oriental” symbolic world as perceived by Europeans.

In Chinoiserie, the symbolic form is manifested through the representation and reorganization of Chinese cultural symbols. This symbolic form does not faithfully reproduce Chinese culture but rather redefines these symbols through a European cultural lens, aligning them with the aesthetic and cultural expectations of European society at that time.

The Cultural Mediating Role of Symbolic Forms

According to Cassirer’s theory, symbolic forms serve as intermediaries through which humans understand and interpret the world. Chinoiserie, as a symbolic form, plays a mediating role in cross-cultural exchange. European artists and audiences did not directly engage with authentic Chinese culture but rather understood and imagined the “Orient” through the symbolic system of Chinoiserie.

In symbolic forms, Chinoiserie constructs an idealized and exotic “Other,” a representation that helps Europeans define and understand their own cultural identity through contrast. Therefore, Chinoiserie is not merely an expression of Chinese culture but also a reflection of European culture itself.

In the V&A Museum in the UK, there is a Chinoiserie armchair designed by John Linnell and made by William Linnell in 1754. Linnell drew inspiration from Chinese gardens and architecture, abstracting elements such as Chinese lattice windows and eaves as symbolic motifs and integrating them into the framework of a Western armchair. Additionally, it is evident that the designer partially referenced and replicated Chinese characters as decorative elements, painting them on the black lacquered surface. This surface, as a symbolic form, is not merely a reflection of reality but a recreation of it.

The Chinese elements in Chinoiserie have been reinterpreted by Europeans, becoming a new and imaginative symbolic form. This symbolic form is not confined to authentic Chinese elements but mixes fantasy, exaggeration, and idealization to create an aesthetic style that is both strange and familiar.

Creativity in Symbolic Forms

Cassirer believed that symbolic forms are not merely tools for expressing and communicating experiences but are also ways through which humans create and reshape the world. Through the use and development of symbols, humans continually generate new meanings and worldviews. Chinoiserie is not just a superficial imitation of China in form; it also carries deeper symbolic significance. It symbolizes the European curiosity about foreign cultures, the pursuit of a luxurious lifestyle, and the desire for an idealized world.

As a pioneer of Chinoiserie-style jewelry, ChuCui Palace’s brooch Crane Dancing in Clouds exemplifies the ability to recreate and reshape symbolic forms. The brooch takes the traditional Chinese totem of the “crane” as its theme and uses deconstructed cloud patterns to express a deeper level of Eastern spirituality, one that transcends the material world and pursues harmony and beauty.

The depiction of the cloud pattern is vivid yet retains its ethereal charm. By reinterpreting traditional cloud motifs, the design achieves a complex yet fluid aesthetic that resonates with both traditional and modern contexts, creating a visually rhythmic effect. The recreation of the cloud pattern involves a complex order of dots and lines, adorned with gemstones of varying sizes, and seeks to balance elegance and asymmetry in the composition, evoking a sense of Chinese romanticism where stars intertwine and clouds curl.

The brooch’s design is clearly inspired by traditional Chinese culture — drawing from elements of classical Chinese art, including both meticulous gongbi painting and expressive xieyi painting. Using diamonds and gold as the “brush,” the design outlines and depicts the pure colors of ink and wash, with the meticulousness of gongbi as its foundation and Western inlay techniques as its method. Through a modern design approach, the piece retains the cultural significance of traditional symbols while adapting them to contemporary aesthetics, conveying an idealized vision of Eastern beauty and spiritual aspiration.

Symbolic Forms and Cultural Symbols

In Chinoiserie, the “Orient” is repeatedly presented and reconstructed as a symbol. This symbol not only caters to Europe’s aesthetic interest in Chinese culture but also embodies Europe’s fantasies and projections onto foreign cultures. In this process, the symbolic forms of Chinoiserie become cultural symbols, reflecting the complex attitudes of European society towards globalization, trade, and cross-cultural interaction at the time.

After 1660, cabinets with stands were considered highly prestigious furniture pieces. These cabinets were lavishly decorated and featured numerous drawers for storing valuable and rare items, while also serving as objects of display themselves. This particular cabinet has undergone a ‘japanning’ process, a decorative technique that imitates East Asian lacquerware. Japanning was carried out by skilled craftsmen and also became a popular pastime among affluent women.

The V&A Museum houses a luxurious Chinoiserie lacquer cabinet made in England between 1690–1700. The piece is a fusion of Baroque and Chinoiserie styles, featuring gold and silver lacquerwork, with the base coated in a finish that imitates tortoiseshell. The cabinet’s base and decorative top sections are carved and silvered. The cabinet has two doors adorned with gilt brass corner mounts, pierced hinges, and a lock plate. The front and sides are painted with Chinoiserie landscapes and exotic plants, set against a background that mimics the texture of tortoiseshell.

The combination of Baroque opulence with the delicate precision of Chinese classical style creates a perfect harmony. Europeans clearly showed a deep fascination with this intricate and luxurious exotic aesthetic. The Orient, as an “Other,” was juxtaposed with European luxury, serving as a projection of identity and embodying Europe’s wondrous fantasies of foreign cultures.

Through Cassirer’s theory of symbolic forms, we can more comprehensively examine the complexity and multilayered nature of Chinoiserie as a cultural phenomenon. It is not merely an aesthetic representation of Eastern culture, but also a process of self-positioning and identity formation for Europe when confronting foreign cultures. The symbolic forms embodied in Chinoiserie, through the selective absorption and recreation of Chinese cultural elements, have shaped an idealized and exotic “Other” image. This image not only fulfilled European society’s desire for luxury, mystery, and exoticism but also reflected Europe’s cultural attitudes and psychological states in the process of globalization. By analyzing Chinoiserie, we not only observe the evolution of an aesthetic style but also recognize the profound impact of symbolic forms in cross-cultural exchange.

[dropdeadgxrgeous]

Qi Yewan (🌙)

Apperance

General Bio

Names: Qi Yewan (Yewan Qi in western languages)

Nicknames/Aliases: None, currently

Gender: Female (She/her)

Age: 16

Birthday: March 7th (Pisces)

Species: Jiangshi (Chinese Hopping Vampire)

Parents: Unnamed mother and father

Siblings: None

Pet: Po (Crane)

Nationality: Chinese (specifically from Booxi (Wuxi)

Occupation: Student at Monster High, Student Council Member

Eye Color: Red

Hair Color: Dark Purple

Voice Claim: Tine from Fire Emblem (Courtney Lin)

Preferences

Killer Style: "Dresses and skirts made of silk (preferably with long sleeves), some platform shoes, and a nice hat to complete the look. That's the formula I use when picking my outfits."

Favorite Activity: "My legs may not work well, but I work well with my hands, which makes up for it. So I find hands-on activities to be very enjoyable such as board games and zhezhi (that's origami, zhezhi is what it's called in china.). My favorite activity would have to be painting and pottery, both are so relaxing to do and so pretty to look at once it's done."

Pet Peeve: "Monsters who exploit other peoples problems or weaknesses to make themselves look better, the difference between altruism and self-righteousness is almost as clear as night and day. On a somewhat lighter note, some monsters think it's funny to try and trip me while I'm in the halls...it's not, I'm not a prop for your slapstick comedy."

Favorite Subject: "Painting and Sculpting. My Shui Mo Hua (that means "ink wash painting") style and intricate pottery designs have astonished both teachers and classmates."

Least Favorite Subject: "Dance...doesn't take a genius to figure out why..."

Favorite Color: "Royal Blue, Gold, and Purple"

Favorite Food: "Zongzi. Glutinous rice dumplings filled with adzuki sweet bean paste, mmm!...Did I ever tell you I have quite the sweet fang?"

Personality

Qí has a diligent, polite, and overall sweet personality. She is responsible, a good listener, and always looks out for other peoples best interests, doing her best to make sure others needs are met with the utmost efficiency. It is these traits that allowed her to be a member of the student council*. Qí is also introspective, having a good amount of self-awareness about her thoughts, actions, and ideals.

On the other hand, she is rather unconfident and insecure about herself, especially regarding her appearance in mirrors (so much that she's scared of her own reflection) and her condition (not being able to walk) makes her feel isolated from the others sometimes. She also pretty submissive when it comes to the demands and wills of others, almost never being rebellious and often caving into others requests, even if it's detrimental to her.

Abilities

Life-Force Absorption

Like all Jiangshi, Qí can absorb peoples life force through her fingers, known as their "Chi". Which is similar to how Vampires suck blood from their victims. However, she isn't often shown using this ability, as she considers it "a bit barbaric" 

Enhanced Senses

As with all Jiangshi, Qí can detect someone's presence just by the energy fluctuations in their breath, making it hard to surprise or sneak up on her unless they hold their breath.

Prehensile Tongue

Qí has a long tongue she can stretch and retract, she can it use to grab things

Immortality

Like all Jiangshi, which are undead, she is immortal

Skills

Artistic Skills

Qí is very proficient in art, both in painting and pottery/ceramics to be exact. Her style of painting is referred to as "Shui Mo Hua", which is a type of Chinese ink brush painting that uses black ink and water.

Fun Facts

She shares a voice actress with G3 Draculaura

Her favorite food being Zongzi is based on two weaknesses of the Jiangshi: Glutinous rice and adzuki beans.

She is part of Monster High's student council

While Qi usually hops to get around, she does sometimes use bamboo crutches.

[joancoyechina]

DAY 6: Beijing: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven

Our Beijing guide, Cathy whisked us off first thing this morning to Tiananmen Square where after multiple passport station checks, we entered the world’s largest square capable of holding 1 million people!  Edging the vast expanse are the Great Hall of the People(where the government meets), the Mao mausoleum (where his preserved body is kept), the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Monument to the People and the gate of China (entrance toForbidden City:originally Forbidden to ordinary people).

We of course took photos in front of the parade stand with the enormous picture of Chairman Mao, and found ourselves again having celebrity status.  Person after person asked us to pose for pictures with them and/or their children... fun and funny!

The Forbidden City is the world’s largest imperial palace built in 1420, covering 178 acres and was home to 24 emperors over 492 years! A vast complex of walls, courtyards and ornate buildings it includes 9,999.5 rooms (just less than the 10 thousand rooms they believe God has in Heaven). 

The roofs were made of porcelain tiles and the structures of wood - all with traditional pagoda style roofing. There were no trees in the city for reasons of security and Feng shui, but the intricate carving, gold gilt and paintings on the woodwork added beauty enough.  The three main buildings of the complex are The Hall of Preserving Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony and my favorite, The Hall of Supreme Harmony.

After lunch we were driven to the Temple of Heaven built at the same time as the Forbidden City where the Emperor came to the temple twice a year, at summer and winter solstice to offer prayers and sacrifices. The architecture was similar with the most conspicuous difference here being the plentiful trees, flowers and plants in the temple gardens.  We stopped to absorb good vibes from one particular 600 year old Juniper tree labeled the Tree of Longevity.  

Numerology appears to be a strongly held belief system here.  At both the Forbidden City and The Temple of Heaven our guide explained the importance of the number of buildings, the number of steps, the number of rows of bricks in the wall etc.  The numbers 2, 8 and 9 are auspicious, whereas 4, 5 and sometimes 7…not so much.  4 seems to be the worst, and is associated with death. Our guide said that the Chinese don’t even want to have license plates containing the number 4 (but it can’t be helped?!).  The culture also attributes specific meaning to lots of other things such as shapes (round = heaven; square=earth), colors (red=luck, joy and happiness; white =death), and animals (crane=longevity and high rank; elephant=happiness and good luck).

Red Theatre was the last stop of our eventful day where we viewed a traditional Chinese acrobatic show.  It was an impressive Cirque de Soleil type production culminating in 11 lovely ladies riding one bike and 5 motorcycles circling in a spherical cage (think Mad Maxx).

We only had energy left to dine at the hotel bar which was actually perfect as we shared a salad, spaghetti and Sauvignon Blanc, with a finalé  of Macha Ice Cream.

[segia-cn]

so here is my design of 仙羽守宫玉对

仙羽(xiān yǔ) means 仙鹤 means red-crowned crane,and 守宫(shǒu gōng) means lizard.both 仙羽 and 守宫 are the ancient Chinese elegant name of crane and lizard.Obviously,in my design,the crane represents Ashrah and the lizard represents Syzoth.

玉对(yù duì)means jade pairs.In ancient China, jade pairs often represented tokens between lovers.A pair of jade can be divided into two, with each party holding half.

Starting from the same first version as the painting, after three changes, I finally finalized the design for the fourth versionAlthough it may look different from the one in this painting, in the future, if there are 仙羽守宫jade pairs in my paintings, they will all have this design.

"May the jade pairs reunite soon,and so do we"

“仙羽守宫重圆时，长聚不相离”

“May we reunite soon”

[themuseumwithoutwalls]

MWW Artwork of the Day (11/5/22) Ma Lin (Chinese, 1180–1256) Landscape with Great Pine (c. 1225-35) Album leaf; ink & color on silk, 25.2 x 26 cm. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (A.W. Bahr Collection)

Ma's painting turns away from the realism of earlier Song Imperial Painting Academy works in favor of a new abstraction. In the absence of an accompanying poem, the meaning of this complex scene remains unclear. The Daoist-inspired imagery seems to hold out the promise of transcendence or escape. Outdoor altars are places of worship and meditation, cranes are known as the vehicles and companions of Daoist immortals, the evergreen pine is an emblem of longevity, and the full moon recalls the palace of the moon goddess, Chang E, whose hare prepares the elixir of immortality. Yet the immortals have not come, and the moon is far away. The figure is anchored to this world and can no more reach the moon than can the outstretched branches of the pine. There is a sense of brooding and foreboding in the tortuous, restless form of the tree that may well be influenced by the impending threat of Mongol invasion.

[blazedrawsstuff]

Say hello to the Jiangshi girl from Booxi (Wuxi), China!

Bio down below under the "read more"!

Qí Yèwǎn

Daughter of a Jiangshi (Chinese Hopping Vampire)

Parent

A Jiangshi

Age

16

Killer Style

Dresses and skirts made of silk (preferably with long sleeves), some platform shoes, and a nice hat to complete the look. That's the formula I use when picking my outfits.

Freaky Flaw

My legs are rather stiff. As such, I usually have to hop around in order to get anywhere, with my arms outstretched for balance. Other than that, I'm not that very confident in myself...to the point I'm scared of my own reflection!...it's silly, I know.

Pet

A red-crowned crane who I named "Po". My father found an abandoned crane egg when I was 13 years old. I asked if I could have him as a pet to which dad agreed, on the condition I can be responsible with him. Helpful and loyal to us, I can say that I've done a good job with that.

Favorite Activity

My legs may not work well, but I work well with my hands, which makes up for it. So I find hands-on activities to be very enjoyable such as board games and zhezhi (that's origami, zhezhi is what it's called in china.). My favorite activity would have to be painting and pottery, both are so relaxing to do and so pretty to look at once it's done.

Pet Peeves

Monsters who exploit other peoples problems or weaknesses to make themselves look better, the difference between altruism and self-righteousness is almost as clear as night and day. On a somewhat lighter note, some monsters think it's funny to try and trip me while I'm in the halls...it's not, I'm not a prop for your slapstick comedy.

Favorite Subjects

Painting and Sculpting. My Shui Mo Hua (that means "ink wash painting") style and intricate pottery designs have astonished both teachers and classmates.

Least Favorite Subject

Dance...doesn't take a genius to figure out why...

Favorite Colors

Royal Blue, Gold, and Purple

Favorite Food

Zongzi. Glutinous rice dumplings filled with adzuki sweet bean paste, mmm!...Did I ever tell you I have quite the sweet fang?

Friends

Jinafire Long

Ghoulia Yelps

Draculaura

Finnegan Wake

Polly Wog (OC)

Abilities

Life-Force Absorption

Like all Jiangshi, Qí can absorb peoples life force through her fingers, known as their "Chi". Which is similar to how Vampires suck blood from their victims. However, she isn't often shown using this ability, as she considers it "a bit barbaric" 

Enhanced Senses

As with all Jiangshi, Qí can detect someone's presence just by the energy fluctuations in their breath, making it hard to surprise or sneak up on her unless they hold their breath.

Prehensile Tongue

Qí has a long tongue she can stretch and retract, she can it use to grab things

Immortality

Like all Jiangshi, which are undead, she is immortal

Skillset

Artistic Skills

Qí is very proficient in art, both in painting and pottery/ceramics to be exact. Her style of painting is referred to as "Shui Mo Hua", which is a type of Chinese ink brush painting that uses black ink and water.

Personality

Qí has a diligent, polite, and overall sweet personality. She is responsible, a good listener, and always looks out for other peoples best interests, doing her best to make sure others needs are met with the utmost efficiency. It is these traits that allowed her to be a member of the student council*. Qí is also introspective, having a good amount of self-awareness about her thoughts, actions, and ideals.

On the other hand, she is rather unconfident and insecure about herself, especially regarding her appearance in mirrors (so much that she's scared of her own reflection) and her condition (not being able to walk) makes her feel isolated from the others sometimes. She also pretty submissive when it comes to the demands and wills of others, almost never being rebellious and often caving into others requests, even if it's detrimental to her.

Trivia/Additional Information

The Qí part of her name is actually her last name, as in many eastern cultures including China, people are usually referred by their surname/family name first, then their given name. Qí (奇) is not only a traditional Chinese last name, but is also the term used for one's life force, which Jiangshi are known to feed on.

Her given name, Yèwǎn (夜晚) means "night", which matches with Jiangshi being creatures that hunt during the night. It was also based on the Nightwalker Heartless from Kingdom Hearts, which take the appearance of Jiangshi.

Her pet, Po's name means "soul" or "spirit" and is based off the Chinese Daoist concept of three huns (heavenly souls) and seven pos (earthly souls)

Her favorite food being Zongzi is based on two weaknesses of the Jiangshi: Glutinous rice and adzuki beans.

Her being part of the student council is based on how the Jiangshi are usually depicted as figures within the Qing Dynasty government, wearing the traditional uniform of said government.

[urmomsstuntdouble]

congrats on 100! is it possible for you to write some headcanons for china?

of course! and ty! also, quick shoutout to @mysticalmusicwhispers for some of the inspiration for this :)

He is a firm believer in the concept of chaotic time (i will be discussing various interpretations of time as they are described in The Fourth Turning by Neil Howe and William Strauss, as their books about American generations live rent free in my brain), which is defined as “history having no path. Events follow one another randomly, and any effort to impute meaning to their whirligig succession is hopeless.” It’s sort of the original way that people percieved time, and this interpretation of time can be found in a lot of indigenous cultures, as well as in popular nihilism. I think part of why Yao thinks this is because of all the changes in political leadership he’s had throughout his life, which prevent him from being able to apply an overall narrative to the universe. This can make some things like diplomacy a little difficult for him, as many of the other world powers are proponents of linear time- The idea of “time as a unique (and usually progressing) story with an absolute beginning and an absolute end.” 

That’s not to say that Yao is terrible at diplomacy- He’s actually very good at it, and can talk people into buying just about anything from him. 

He has an entire house that’s just filled with his old stuff. Clothes, pottery, paintings, manuscripts, trinkets, et cetera. It’s not very organized, though, and some things can never be moved because if somebody were to touch them, the objects might get damaged. 

His weapon of choice is a gùn staff, when it comes to gun-less fighting. I think he likes to bop people on the head with it when they’re being annoying. 

This is sort of based on some ancient chinese military history that i don’t fully recall so I’m not sure what to type into google but. very deadly with the gùn. 

On that note, he’s very well practiced in both Northern and Southern style Shaolin kung fu, but you probably wouldn’t know that unless you’d been around him for a while. He gives me massive “old person doing tai chi in the park” vibes. Where kung fu is concerned, I think his favorite animal thingy would be the crane? I feel like he’d really like a lot of crane forms even though he’s a bit short for it. (also im very sorry if im getting this wrong or talking about it in the wrong way! i pracitce shaolin kung fu, although i haven’t been able to really engage with it during the pandemic, so my memory might not be 10/10)

His spice tolerance?? through the roof. The things this man eats could kill a human

To me, Yao feels like one of the most human characters in hetalia, because he’s the oldest. Part of this is just because he’s the oldest, so he’s been through the most stuff- While other prominent characters are depicted as being kind of messy young adults who haven’t figured everything out yet, Yao has a calmness about him due to his age. Don’t get me wrong he’s still a bit messy, but he’s messy by choice?? like. from @peonycats latest china drawing. that was voluntary. But at the same time, I think he could fit the wise old mentor trope if he had the patience to be a mentor. He’s lived through so much that he has experience with pretty much everything one could encounter. This is also a double edged sword, because it can make him a bit impatient, especially with things he feels he’s already seen and done before. Sometimes he’s just over it, ya know? (side note i feel like that’s smth he’d be able to bond with India over- being done with all these modern kids who want to do stuff that he’s just endlessly bored by.)

He has a love-hate relationship with C-dramas. On the one hand, they’re interesting stories and imbue nostalgia. On the other hand, they can be super historically inaccurate at times- One complaint I’ve heard is that the hairstyles are often inaccurate for the sake of making the actors look really pretty. 

short king

His government is often wary and not trusting of him, because they see him as being a sort of relic from previous times. Like a potential threat to their sovereignty? idk, just. mutual distrust. 

idk where this came from but I’ve seen the hc that one time the italy brothers were like yo you knew our grandpa right? we just wanna talk- and then china goes yah we used to fuck and i think that’s so funny

He nibbles at his food, eating sort of like a bird, and does the same with water. 

Despite being kind of thin himself, will absolutely pester the shit out of his kids (even if theyre on bad terms) for not eating enough. in the same breath he’ll also berate them for eating unhealthily, and take huge offense if they won’t eat his food. like even if they’re just not hungry that time yao will develop a grudge and he’ll make sure you remember that you didn’t want to eat his food that one time. how rude of you >:(

i probably have more thoughts but theyre either too jumbled/not well worded in my brain or not present at the moment. i hope you enjoyed these!

writing requests

[chelsfic]

Accident Forgiveness - Part 2 - Bucky Barnes x Reader

Part One | Masterlist

A/N: Part two!! This is so very fun to write. I hope you enjoy! Thanks to @sabinemorans​ for listening to me talk about it! Reader gets a nickname in this one, because I can’t deal with Y/N.

Summary: Your wrist is finally healed after your run-in with a certain brooding freight train. You score a great deal on an adorable little motorbike and fix it up with your dad. All you want is a nice Sunday ride...what could go wrong?

Warnings: Fluff, Crack, automobile accidents...

---

The bike calls to you. It’s leaning up against a garage with a hand-written “For Sale” sign on it. It looks old, rusted, and well-used. Considering the low price scrawled on the sign you’re betting it needs some work.

You need it.

You pull out your phone and open your frequent contacts.

“Hey dad? How would you feel about coming down to the city with your pick-up this weekend?”

Your dad’s gruff voice rumbles over the line, “Sounds awful. When and where?”

---

You spend the weekend at your dad’s place in White Plains, fixing up the bike in the garage. Under the layers of rust and grime, it turns out to be a 2001 Honda Super Cub. Beyond a tune up and an oil change, the only thing really wrong with it is the body. Nothing a fresh coat of paint can’t fix. 

“This is a nice little bike, kiddo,” your dad congratulates you, wiping grease and sweat from his brow with an old rag. “You gonna keep it here or ride it around the city?”

You’re perched on a tall stool at your dad’s workbench, your short legs dangling as you consider, “It’d be fun to have it with me in the city on the weekends. I just gotta convince my landlord to let me keep it in his storage shed...I don’t want to leave it on the street…”

You hop off the stool to run your hand over the motorcycle’s refinished body. You’ve painted it in a sleek two-tone pattern: red and cream. Hawkguy is going to be so jealous.

“I don’t think it’ll be a problem.”

---

“Nah,” Clint waves you off as he unlocks the door to his apartment. You’ve been lurking out in the hallway waiting for him to get home. 

“What do you mean, ‘nah’?” you whine, following him inside without asking. Pizza Dog jumps up to greet you, nearly knocking you down in his enthusiasm. You smile and give him a quick hug before starting again. “You still owe me, Barton!”

Clint’s head has disappeared into the refrigerator and he emerges with a Chinese food box and his mouth already stuffed with lo mein.

“Wahhh doo eein?!” he chews his food, swallowing and trying again, “Whadya mean? I threw you an apology party, didn’t I? You know how long it’ll take me to clean out that shed to fit a motorcycle inside?”

“C’mon, Clint! If I leave it on the street it’ll get stolen. Or it’ll end up collateral damage in one of your little superhero battles,” you wheedle. You walk into the kitchenette and grab his arm, looking up at him with your biggest puppy dog eyes, “C’monnnn!”

Clint sighs dramatically and finally gives in.

“On one condition...”

---

The bike struggles to reach 30 miles per hour under your combined weight and Clint’s massive form looks ridiculous clinging to you on the back of the little motor bike. But you have to admit--this is pretty damn fun. 

“Weee!” Clint yells from behind you as you putter through the streets of Brooklyn with a giant smile on your face.

---

People are passing you and giving you dirty looks as you make your way over the Brooklyn Bridge. Well, futz them. You’re enjoying your Sunday afternoon ride. You feel like a real rebel without a cause in your worn leather jacket and the bulbous, cherry red helmet you bought to match your bike. Nobody needs to know the saddle bag strapped to the back is full of library books and a take-out container from your favorite bakery.

The sun is just getting low and it’s orange-red glow reflects on the surface of the East River as you chug along. The sounds of car engines and the occasional curse from an annoyed motorist are suddenly interrupted by a long, deafening screech. You glance over your shoulder and your eyes widen in alarm as a black SUV barrels through traffic, heedlessly colliding with other vehicles as it clears a path over the bridge. 

“HOLY SH--”

The SUV screams past and you barely have time to process what you’re seeing before you’re suddenly, brutally thrown from your bike. You tuck your limbs into your body and slam into the cement with enough force to knock the wind out of you. You roll several feet before skidding to a stop. The leather jacket mostly saves you from road rash but your hands are a bloody mess and it feels like your whole middle is one big bruise. What the fuck was that? It felt almost like someone pushed you off but that’s--

You look up just in time to see your bike zooming--well, doing it’s best to zoom--away with a dark figure riding it.

Oh, hell no!

---

The red-wigged impostor is in handcuffs and leaning against the side of the SUV with a surly expression. Bucky glares at the woman, clearly connected with the Red Room and attempting to frame Natasha for the string of murders she committed over the last week.

“Don’t feel like talking, huh?” he shrugs, removing a knife from his belt and flipping it expertly in his hand. “Don’t worry, mladshaya sestra...I’ll help you find the words.”

The woman refuses to meet his eyes, fixing her gaze in the middle distance instead. Only the faintest sneer curling her lips indicates that she’s heard him at all.

Sam lands gracefully a few feet away and is already talking into his ear piece to call in backup. 

“Lotta damage, here,” he states, glancing around at the crashed cars and the wrecked motorcycle. “You’re almost as bad as Banner, Buck. Think you can manage one mission without smashing something?”

“Hey, I captured the target, didn’t I?” Bucky rolls his eyes and slips the knife back into his belt holster. 

Clint finally arrives, huffing and puffing after trying to keep up with the super soldier. He’s bent almost double, catching his breath, when his eyes light on the familiar red and cream motor bike lying mangled on the ground. 

“Hey...isn’t that--?”

All three superhero’s heads snap up as you come limping up to the scene. You’re carrying your helmet at your side and your hair is an impressive tangle whipping around your head in the breeze. When you lay eyes on the wrecked Super Cub you let out a shriek.

“MY BIKE!!”

Bucky freezes in place, his eyes wide and every muscle tensed in anxiety.

“You gotta be shittin’ me,” he mumbles under his breath. 

Clint eyes him accusingly. He is never going to hear the end of this…

You stand there looking down at your ruined bike and thinking about all the adventures you’d planned to have with her. You were going to take her to Coney Island...Rockaway beach...maybe even take a road trip to the Berkshires… Your poor sweet Cubby didn’t ask for this!

“You!” you snarl, marching up to Bucky with your hands on your hips. “Why is it always you!? Do you have it out for me or something?”

Clint snorts and mutters, “He’s got somethin’ for you…”

“SHUT UP!” you and Bucky both yell simultaneously.

You turn back to Bucky and arch your brow in expectation, “Well?”

The super-spy ex-assassin Avenger stumbles over his words, “I--uh, well...I didn’t mean...I didn’t know it was--”

“Didn’t know it was ME?” you finish for him with renewed fury. “Bucky! You can’t just go around shoving people off their motorcycles!”

“‘S hardly a motorcycle…,” he mumbles angrily. “More of a scooter if anything.”

“You! You...ugh!” you fall on him in a flurry of practically useless punches aimed at his chest. Bucky stands there looking bemused as you rain down fury with your tiny fists on his solid, immovable muscles.

“Hey!” Clint shouts in an excellent approximation of a frustrated dad voice. “Enough! Don’t do a hit on Bucky! That’s not nice.”

He puts his arms around you from behind and drags you away from the super soldier who looks--infuriatingly--unscathed. 

“But he stole my bike and wrecked it!” you whine, finally going limp and dropping from Clint’s hold.

Clint rolls his eyes to the sky like a martyr. 

“And do two wrongs make a right, young lady?”

“Pshh,” you scoff, shaking your head and leaning over your bike to check the saddle bag. You flip it open to find that the box containing your cherry pie has been pulverized and…

“MY LIBRARY BOOKS!!!”

---

The next morning you’re awoken by the cacophony of sounds coming from the alleyway behind the building. It sounds like Monty Python building the frickin’ Trojan Rabbit. You growl and roll out of bed, falling to the floor and catching yourself on your bandaged hands, cursing at the stinging pain.

“Stupid…’vengers...think they can do whatever they want...just cuz they save the world sometimes…” you’re muttering under your breath as you stagger to your feet and pull the cord on your blinds to look out your bedroom window. 

The door to the supply shed is open and two guys are bent over your wrecked bike. You throw the window open in an instant and climb out onto the fire escape.

“Hey!” you bellow. “Uh--stop! That’s my bike! I know the Avengers, buds! And I can have them down here so fast--”

The two men crane their necks to look up at you. One of them is wearing a welding mask but the other one is definitely--

“Bucky?”

He looks up at you with a sheepish smile and gives a little wave with his metal hand.

“Hey, Kit Kat…” he greets and you frown in confusion until you look down and realize you’re wearing a baggy nightshirt you’d got at Hershey Park. It’s emblazoned with the Kit Kat logo. Even from two stories up you can see the gleam of humor in his eyes. You can also see...a lot more. He’s wearing a black tank top that shows off his impossibly toned shoulders and back. Your brain short circuits momentarily as you rake your eyes down his form. 

The man beside him flips up the mask and you see he’s an older guy with a sharp goatee. 

“Are we taking a social break or are we getting to work, Barnes? You know I gave up brunch to do this for you. Brunch,” the man voice drips with sarcasm.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, alright, Tony,” Bucky shakes his head and turns back to the bike. 

Wait, Tony as in--?

“Hey!” you call down and Bucky lifts his head up to lock eyes with you. How can those blue eyes still have so much power from so far away?? “You still owe me for the library books!”

Bucky laughs and turns back to the bike.

“I mean it! I have a clean library record, Bucky! I’m gonna have fines!”

“Don’t push it, doll!” he calls as Tony ignites the blow torch.

---

A week later you scoot up to the curb on a side street near the Bedford Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. Cubby has been restored to her former glory thanks to Bucky and Tony’s loving care and you give her an affectionate pat as you dismount and walk down the street toward the squat, brick library building. There may be grander libraries in New York but this is your neighborhood branch and it feels like home. You mutter and shake your head at the prospect of having to pay replacement fines for the books that Bucky ruined.

The librarian behind the desk is about your age with dyed bright red hair and a sleeve of tattoos that look like children’s book illustrations. Cool. 

“Hey--um,” you roll your eyes in irritation at yourself. “I have to pay some replacement fees? I kind of...got cherry pie all over some books.”

The librarian laughs good-naturedly and pulls up your account on her computer. She asks you for the titles and frowns at her screen. 

“Looks like...yeah--they’ve already been paid for,” she tells you with a shrug. “Guess you have a mysterious benefactor.”

You smile faintly and shake your head. Mysterious, my ass. You thank her and you’re about to leave when she stops you. 

“Do you want to pick up your hold?”

You don’t remember putting anything on hold...but you’ve had occasional bouts of late-night enthusiasm that resulted in excessive library catalog searches, maybe you forgot...

“Uh...sure,” you say and watch as she disappears into an office behind the circulation desk.

She returns a few minutes later with a slim paperback volume in her hands. She scans the barcode and slips the receipt into the book.

“Enjoy!” she says with a smile and you thank her once again. 

You glance down at the cover as you’re walking out and you let out a bark of laughter even as irritation spikes behind your eyes. 

“Motorcycle Safety: Basics for Beginners”

Bucky Frickin’ Barnes...

Tags: @watsonwise​ 

A/N: “Don’t do a hit on Bucky”-- yes that was a McElroy reference. 

[queensdivas]

Hidden Blade Chapter 5

I know. It’s been so long since we’ve done anything with Four! But damn I was bored and this was perfect timing to bring four back to life in all honesty! Also who can resist Ben? 

Okay so I bet some of you are wondering wheres the update for Gard? I’m waiting for a few artist to get some art work done! So exciting I know! Not Ben related but I thought it was important. 

Okay so here’s chapter 5! 

Enjoy! 

Next Chapter

Previous Chap 

Masterlist

For some reason Four wanted just the two of us to eat dinner on the rooftop? One put us up in a decent hotel that was a few blocks away from the penthouse and honestly a little quiet time before the mission is something I could use. 

“I bring sweet and sour pork, steamed shrimp dumplings, milk tea, and a shit ton of rice.” A weird mixture of dinner but still delicious. He rolled across the roof on his skateboard as I was studying the blueprints of the penthouse. 

“Oh and the lady was so nice she gave us pineapple bread.” He popped off his board as Four handed me the bag full of food. He squatted down to place the drinks in front of us as I began opening the bag. 

“Thanks for dinner. So why are we eating dinner just the two of us?” I asked him as I handed him the dumplings. 

“Cause I’ve been with them since this whole thing started. It’s nice to have a fresh face within the crowd.” Four handed me the chopsticks as I broke them apart. Glad to know I’m a fresh face amongst the other seven of them. 

Ya know. I know we're supposed to call each other by our numbers to keep our identities a secret from each other. But the whole world thought I was dead in the first place before my fake death. So me telling my name wouldn’t really mean anything. If One considers us a ghost, then I’m just the wind blowing around. 

I’d like to tell Four my name..just in case I do die. Someone should at least know my name before I die. But there’s no way he would spill the beans about him which is fair. This is his life and him jeopardizing by telling me his name wouldn’t be such a fantastic idea. 

We ate in silence as we watched the sun beginning to set over the Sea. The orange sky was painted as we looked at each other with our stuffed faces. Scooting closer to each other but not quite touching yet as we kept watching the sky. 

My eyes drifted over to his skateboard as it was sitting there staring at my soul. When I was kid a bunch of the other kids I lived with had skateboards and I always wanted to learn how to ride one. Obviously they said no because I was always the odd ball out. 

“How long have you been riding?” Asking him as he turned his head towards the board. 

“Since I was a kid. Wanna learn?” He asked as I quickly nodded. He grabbed the to go box of the pork as I took a sip of the milk tea. 

We got up as he took a bite of his pork. He got on top of his board to start riding around the rooftop as he was eating the pork. Okay showoff! Very funny. He circled around me as I shook my head at him. 

“Alright, Four very funny.” He stopped right in front of me to get off the board to place his pork down. 

“Now just keep your feet evenly placed on the board because riding is just balance.” I nodded to step on the board with my feet placed where I could see where he left his after the years of riding it. 

“Here. Give me your hands.” Giving him my hands as he began leading me on the board. We kept smiling at each other as he kept leading me around the rooftop. Who’d known that it was this easy to ride around on a skateboard. 

“Now just bend your knees a little.” Nodding as I bent my knees and he let go of my hands. 

“Wait no Four no.” I laughed as I began rolling by myself. My arms were a little shaky till I got the balance down. Oh my god this is fun! 

“See! Easy!” Four yelled as I gradually began to slow down. He walked back over to me as he began leading me again. 

“Now how long to learn all the cool tricks like Tony Hawk?” 

“About three years give or take.” Do I look like I have two or three years? 

“Jerusha.” I blurted out as we stopped moving. 

“You don’t have to tell me your name. Just wanted someone to tell you if I don’t make it tonight. Rather not be completely forgotten.” I’m not quite sure what I just did. I let go of his hands then off the board. 

“We should probably meet with the others before One tracks us down.” Tell Four as I gather up our leftovers and start walking towards the meet up. 

A small group consisting of me, Four, Seven, and One we’re crowded around the cranes that would lead us over to the big apartment, er whatever those buildings are. One says he’s calling it a snatch and grab, minus the snatch or something like that because I wasn’t paying too much attention. Mostly because Four and I were working on harnesses and other contraptions for being spider monkeys of the group. 

“Going to be honest with y’all. Haven’t really climbed anything that could possibly move me around like a fishing hook.” Seven told us I pulled out my much needed and preferred weapon to load that sucker up. My semi-auto, which is a synthetic 12 gage shotgun. I will be packing heat with this little gun, besides, little mini automatics aren’t my forte.

“Just don’t look down.” Four commented as I loaded my gun with the shells. 

“Great advice. What a genius you are!” I’m really trying to hold my sarcasm at this moment because I’m trying not to shit myself. I know this is like my fortieth mission. But it’s the first time I’ve worked with more than a second person. It’s a little uneasy because if one person doesn’t pull their string we’re all screwed!

Stay focused girl! Ah okay. Here we go. I put my shotgun back into my bag as I slung my bookbag back on. I put on my climbing gloves as he began spreading his gymnastic chalk on his hands. 

“So with all this do da stuff. We’re you an engineer before this?” Seven asked as I began checking my zipline contraption. 

“In a weird way, kind of..” I tightened one of the knobs a little more. If we’re going to be dangling like monkeys off the side of this dude's cage, I’d like to make sure my arm doesn’t slip and then fall to my death. 

“If that works, would you mind making me one?” Four asked me as he was cracking his knuckles. I mean I don’t even know if this is going to work, but if it does, sure. 

“Sure. It’ll take me a few days or so if that’s alright? Mind if I use some of your climbing chalk?” He nodded as he tossed over his ball of climbing powder. Rubbing my hands together as One approached us. 

“You afraid?” Is he doing one of those cliche movie things where one of the dudes acts all tought and the leader is like “fear is your best friend when doing stupid shit” kind of thing?

“Nope.” Yup. That’s one of the most cliche things ever oh my god. 

“Good luck.” One told him as he shook his head. 

“Saying good luck is bad luck.” I turned towards the crane to shake out my arms. 

“I take it back.” Oh my god I’m going to start climbing up if they don’t stop. 

“Taking it back is even worse luck.” Yup starting my climb. I began climbing up the crane as quickly as I could, because I know if I look down I’ll die. No I’m not afraid of heights, just things that move under me while I’m super high in the sky. 

“Go go go go go.” One got him to start climbing up the crane. 

“Yeah.” Four sighed as he was starting up to catch up with me. 

“Good luck you two!” One chuckled as Four was the first to start climbing. 

“Do you want me to die? Wanker.” He made it up to me as I watched the building that we were going to be jumping. 

We made it to the top of the crane as it began moving. I gripped his arm as it scared the shit out of me for a second. He looked at me for a moment as I pulled my hand away from him. Dear God that was a little weird.  

“Sorry. It kind of spooked me there for a second.” We began moving as quickly yet safely because One is moving this thing like a bat out of hell!

“Just take it slow and easy. We’re still moving across so just take it slow.” Four tried helped me calm down a little as I finally calmed down a little bit for the ride. Just fine!

“It’s a good ride One. A little scary up here, but.” Seven was the first to speak as we were gliding across the sky. 

“Nah this is fun. Don’t be a pussy seven.” Four told him as our crane was closing into the penthouse. 

“Yeah I got the gun, smartass. Remember that.” Four shook his head at Seven's little comment.

“Slow it down, One. Slow it down.” I told one as we made it over the penthouse. I climbed down to wrap my legs around the crane, then climbed down onto the roof. 

“Overwatch is set. I got the target in his bed scratching his balls, reading some Chinese book. Is that a cookbook?” Oh I would love some squid right about now because that sounds delicious for a midnight snack.

I climbed around to the other side of the pool as I watched for the guards inside the penthouse. They were huddled around in the kitchen eating KFC? Wait a second! You’re in China with some of the best tasting street food and you decide to eat KFC? It’s not even real meat! The only thing that they have that’s good is their gravy!

“Zipline secure!” Right. Need to get started on destroying the windows. Shit they’re moving! Umm umm! I climbed up to the top of the roof roof to basically become the eyes in the sky in close range. For a few minutes till Four got the zipline set. They started coming out of the penthouse all over the outside pavilion thing. I dropped down to start crawling across the roof. Four ducked down behind the plants as he moved around the people he saw. The pool!

“Four to your right. They’re going towards the crane.” Saying over as he climbed down into the pool.

“Shit it’s cold.” He whispered through the com as he kneeled in the water at eye level. 

“Four you got enemies to your left, eye level. Better take a deep breath. I’m going in.” I was about to climb down but One jumped on the com. 

“No, don't Eight you’ll compromise the mission.” Ye have little faith in me. 

“Give me a little credit One. I don’t need to make noise to do my killings.” Taking my hunting knife out of its sleeve to start sliding down the wall. 

The closest guard that was near me stopped in front of the plants as I was about to stab him in the neck but he moved back into the house to sit back down with the other guards. Well shit if I can just slither over then this will be a cake walk. 

Worming around the place as one was directly over Four as he was waiting to come up for breath. Crap they’re too many and they keep running around the pool and crane! 

“Hang on Four I’m thinking.” Telling him as I kept watching everyone to see if I can get away with it. Even if I grab him and do it in the bushes he would be making a lot of noise. Look hiding a body is sort of loud and you have to do it right. 

“Seven shoot the pool.” I whispered. If he shoots a hole in the pool then we have an airway for Four to be able to breath! 

“Four moves right!” Seven told him as I backed out of the bushes to start going through my bag for the small glass breaking bombs. 

“Incoming round.” 

“You’re welcome. And y’all can refer to me as Mr. Seven from now on.” At that point you can call me Lady Eight. Oh could you imagine that? Instead of just numbers we added titles to our numbers! Dibs on Lady Eight instead of just eight. Oh my god that would be absolutely perfect! 

Four climbed out of the water as he crawled over to where I was in the bushes. He flung his bag off as I began handing him the small bombs and rope. He opened his fanny pack as he placed a few of the bombs in there. 

“Spiderman the walls and we’ll be set.” He whispered as I flung my bag back over my shoulder for us to start our bomb placing. 

He boosted me up towards the roof of the penthouse as I reached down to pull him up. Bear crawling across the roof as low as we could till we reached the southside of the penthouse. 

“Hot mask.” We were about to start unpacking but stopped as three began playing through our coms. 

“In a Darth Vader daughter kind of way. Maybe later we can...coochie coochie.” Four and I looked at each other trying not to laugh. 

“Woochie woochie coochie.” It’s becoming the laugh you have to keep quiet because bursting out in laughter would be horrible. 

“A little over the top guys.” One chimed into their little conversation. I handed him the rope as he began trying himself so he could dangle over a building that if the ropes cut we don’t hit the pavement! We’re burned alive! I’m thinking too hard about this. 

“You lost one of your seals! You’re on laughing gas you dumb motherfucker!” Tieing my rope around me as we looked at each other. Turning off our coms for a split second so we could have a private conversation. 

“Did those two have some very big sexual tension even before I showed up?” I asked as he nodded. 

“They hooked up in Vegas.” Telling him as I tried my rope around the pipe. We turned our coms back on as we could hear three laughing. 

“I am the danger!” We turned our heads towards each other in complete shock. Hearing that ring through my ears actually hurt my soul! 

“For the love of everything no more movie lines.” I told them through the com. 

“Or ever.” One added thankfully. 

“It’s a tv line, not a movie line!” Anything that has overpaid actors!

“Yes Miss Vader!” Darth Vader breathing began going through the com as we began lowering ourselves down on the large window glass. God it’s like listening to really bad porno intro Jesus! A loud bang happened from the com as Three was now obnoxiously laughing. 

“Okay we’ve got a problem. Three got hit with nitrous, and he’s stupider than usual.” 

“This is the funniest shit ever!” His laughing echoed through the com. 

Four and I scaled down to underneath the window as we began placing them at the base of the windows. Though the rope was holding us, we still kept a tight grip on the cement just in case it was going to snap. These bombs were suction cupped which were very easy to place as we began going in opposite directions. 

“He said there were sound wave bombs right?” Asking Four as he nodded. 

“Supposedly. Which makes me a little less anxious because this won’t blow up my arm.” Fair enough. Reaching up to place one on the window as I grunted pulling all my upper body strength to smack it on there. 

“How are you two doing over there? You look like elegant spider monkees!” Glad to know that us dangling a few stories off the ground brings him joy. 

“Thank you one for describing us as very capable mammals who are very intelligent.” Not quite sure if that did anything but calling me a monkey is considered a compliment. They’re geniuses! 

“You look like you’re having so much fun!” 

“Tell me one. Has anyone asked you dumb fucking questions when you’re dangling like a fish on a line?” Four asked as we kept pushing to place the bombs. 

“No need to climb angry you two.” It’s not that I’m angry! It’s the fact I’m trying to focus! 

“Mate, you’re really ruining my flow right now, you know that!” Four told him which made him chuckle. I smacked another one as I checked to see I only had one more. 

“Just get those high-intensity speakers placed.” Seven ordered as I shook my head. 

“Yes sir sergeant sir!” I moved up and placed the last speaker onto the window! All done finally! I climbed up the rope to untie myself from the pipe. 

“Hey have you ever uh...you ever been to an American movie theatre? Between 1983 and 2015?” What does this have to do with anything! 

“No.” I answered as I walked over to where Four was dangling to wait for him to get done. 

“No, I just pirate them on my phone.” What a dick move. 

“That’s an ass hole move. All right.” Four finished as I reached down to pull him up from dangling. I took off my bag to pull out my shotgun and was ready to go. 

“Get ready to pull that trigger.” 

“Till my finger hurts.” That image.. OH MY GOD THE FREAKIN’ SOUND EFFECT! OH MY GOD IT MADE ME DEAF WHENEVER WE WOULD WATCH SOMETHING ON DVD OR VHS! 

We climbed across the roof as he took one entrance as I was on the second one. The crescendo hit as the glass shattered all over the penthouse. Though One is a sarcastic dick, I will say that was a very genius move. 

“Hit it!” 

Let’s do this!

taglist

@bonafiderocketqueen​ @filmslutt​ @lazykittenstudent-deactivated20​ @radiob-l-a-hblah​ @itsmeaudrieee​ @intoanothermind​ @imjustboredso​ @4lendow-norris @wickedholland​ @takemetoneverlandbabe​ @raylan-c​ @johndeaconshands​ @myvanishingaddictions​

[justalifelonglearner]

Korean traditional pottery

Dragon jar

Second half of the 18th century

Porcelain jars painted with cobalt-blue dragons were popular from the seventeenth through the nineteenth century. Many were used as flower vases in official court ceremonies. Originally associated with water, dragons were also imperial emblems throughout East Asia. The two four-clawed dragons chasing flaming jewels on this piece embody the dynamic strength of the mythical beast. At the same time, their amusing, rather than savage, faces reflect the notion of dragons as auspicious, welcome creatures not to be feared.

More info at MetMuseum

Moon jar

Second half of the 18th century

A distinctive type of porcelain from the late Joseon period, the moon jar (Korean: dalhangari)—so called because of its evocative form—was usually made by joining two hemispherical halves. The peach hue of the glaze, unintentionally acquired during firing, adds to the charm of this jar.

More information at MetMuseum

Brush holder with lotus decoration

Mid-19th century

Scholarly men of the Joseon dynasty collected and used tasteful accessories, such as this piece and the water droppers, for writing or painting. The lotus is an emblem of the Confucian scholar aptly used here to ornament an object for his study.

More information at MetMuseum

Ring-shaped water dropper

19th century

To prepare ink for calligraphy or painting, a Joseon scholar might have used this instrument to drip water onto an inkstone for grinding an ink stick. Porcelain water droppers, often in whimsical shapes and with or without painted decoration, were fashionable during the nineteenth century.

More information at MetMuseum

Maebyeong with lotus decoration

late 11th–early 12th century

The effect of the delicately carved lotus design under the translucent celadon glaze is subtle. Literally meaning “plum bottle,” maebyeong is a shape inspired by contemporaneous and earlier Chinese vessels. Korean celadon maebyeong developed fuller forms: broad shoulders, as in this piece, or curvilinear contours.

More information at MetMuseum

Maebyeong decorated with cranes and clouds

Second half of the 12th century

The cranes and clouds, popular motifs on Goryeo celadon, are delicately yet expressively rendered. Set against the green color of the glaze, they appear to be floating in the sky.

More information at MetMuseum

[curiouswritinggarden]

The Excuse

I am late for work! Late! Late! Late! Of all the nights to eat cheap fried rice, why did it have to be last night, I think to myself as I start the car. Eating Lee’s authentic Chinese special fried burger rice always knocked me out with fever dreams. I cringe while remembering the crazy dream about claymation Komodo dragons. Oof, I took two red lights. Hopefully I can get to the time clock before my boss notices. I finally arrive at the office building. I slam my car door shut and run through the crowded parking lot. There is only enough time to shout a frantic, “Good morning!” to the lobby’s receptionist before skidding into a closing elevator.

I take a second to catch my breath. The memory of the clay lizards whispering, “mould our faces,” creeps back into my mind. I shake my head to get rid of the weird thoughts and notice my hair is sticking out at weird angles. Great, just great, nothing says late like lopsided bedhead, I think as a try to smooth down my frizzy hair.

The elevator dings at my floor. I poke my head out of the sliding doors. The reception area is empty. The time clock gently ticks on the wall behind the welcome desk. A smug smile spreads across my face. No witnesses, perfect! I can’t believe the welcome room is empty. I speed tiptoe toward the time clock.

“You’re late.”

I jump and muffle a shriek. Slowly, I turn to face my boss, Mr. Borgman, with the most professional smile I can muster. Mr. Borgman is a tall, stern man infamously known for firing tardy employees in the office. He walks up behind me and adjusts his dark blue neck tie with the patience of a priest.

“Twenty-five minutes and thirty seconds late, Ms. Rubin,” he says as his eyes flicker to the clock and back to me. “I hope the extra sleep prepared you to welcome the clients scheduled this afternoon. You’re lucky none of them had the decency to come in early.” He regards me with a disapproving look as he passes judgement on my wicked bedhead. “Even though you are the, I assume, proud receptionist of Sleepy Time Pillows Inc., the company does not endorse sleeping in on work days.”

“There’s no reason why you deserve more sleep than the rest of our employees. Many of our workers perform outstandingly with the standard seven to eight hours of sleep every night.”

He leans down toward me, “Why should I make an exception for you?”

I crane my neck upwards as he looms over me. My smile dissolves into a sheepish smirk.

Why did my boss eat a mountain of calcium as a kid?

Taking a deep breath in, I squeeze out my words in a whisper, “I can explain sir, if you just give me a few minutes of your time.”

“You have taken more than enough time from me and the company already,” he says curtly. Then, with the grace of a confessor, his gaze shifts from judging to challenging. “But I would love to hear you try and talk your way out of this rather, sticky situation.”

He nods, in a merciful way, and eyes the time clock again, “I’ll even give you one minute to gather your thoughts.”

“Thank you sir,” I say meekly. A minute, huh? How am I going to come up with an excuse in a minute? Mr. Borgman is notorious for following the paper trails of his employees. If any employee was truly sick, he wanted them to show symptoms, have paperwork, and even a call from the doctor that treated them. He showed the same ruthless efficiency when family emergencies came up too.

How Jerry wasn’t fired after he faked his father’s own funeral is beyond me. Wait..That’s it! Jerry wasn’t fired, even after impersonating his allegedly dead father in an open casket funeral! It was proof there was a funny bone in my bosses’ thin skeleton figure. I just need to come up with a story wild enough to make him laugh, or at least crack a less sinister smile. I glance at him. His smile is relaxed yet all his teeth are showing. “Thirty more seconds, Ms. Rubin,” he says.

I rack my brain for any idea. Mould our faces, a slithery voice whispers. The dream, of course! I straighten my stance and channel all of my customer service calmness into my voice.

“There is a perfectly logical explanation of why I am late today Mr. Borgman. You see, yesterday I visited the Wynken, Blynken, and Nod Sleep Center in the hopes of convincing them to test if our Sleepy Time Pillows could improve sleep. They told me the lab would be interested, but first I would need to register with the center. As a requirement I had to volunteer in a sleep study.”

He raises an eyebrow in curiosity.

“They told me the study would monitor sleep patterns of the average adult. Not wanting to waste any time, I volunteered for the sleep study last night. Unfortunately, my volunteer papers got mixed up and I was mistaken for a participant in a different study. At least, that’s what they told me, afterward.”

Pausing, I sigh and shake my head slowly, “What I’m about to say is going to sound crazy, but it’s all true. So please, do not interrupt me.”

He nods, “Alright, you may continue.”

“Last night during the, supposed, sleep study I was taken to a monitoring room. They gave me a glass of water and told me I had to drink it as part of the study. So I drank it and fell asleep mid-yawn. The next thing I knew I woke up in a room designed to look like a flower meadow.”

My boss scowls in confusion. He tries to interrupt me, but I cut in.

“Yes, I know it sounds insane, but that is what happened. I woke up in a room made to look like a flower meadow. The walls were painted sky blue and there was green shag carpeting with silk daisies stapled in place. I should know, I yanked a bunch of the fake flowers out of the carpet and cut my foot on the staple. I was confused and stumbled back into a painted wall. Then the wall spun around and I was in a night club. There were loads of people wearing glow-in-the-dark shirts in that crowded room. All of them were dancing to rave music with a heavy base. I was disoriented and kept bumping into dancers. I felt like I was in a human pinball machine and I was the pinball. Suddenly, someone pushed me out the door of the night club and into a different room. The new room looked like a kindergarten classroom…”

As I continue on my long tale, I describe myself walking in and out of dozens of strange rooms. Some with balloons in them, others filled with hedgehogs, but all of the rooms were wacky and left me feeling more befuddled than ever. I glance at my boss and see that my story has the same bewildering effect on him. His eyes are scrunched up in confusion, his mouth is open in a lopsided scowl, and his head is cocked to the side. I decide to wrap it up when it looks like his face is going to flip to a 180 degree angle.

“…And it was just when I was running out of the trampoline bug room that I was face to face with a pair of giant claymation Komodo dragons. They were hissing at me, ‘Mould our faces,’ when I lost the last shred of my sanity and ripped the lizard’s head off. I was screaming, ‘Ok, I’ll shape your faces!!’ when a buzzer sounded and over-head lights came on. People in lab coats walked into the room. They told me to calm down, which is hard to do when you are confused beyond belief and clutching a dislocated clay lizard head. They explained that all the rooms were part of an experiment. The scientists were testing to see how people would react to dreamscapes when they were fully awake. They placed me and other test subjects in a maze filled with bizarre things to simulate a dream landscape. I was shocked and yelled at them. I had only volunteered to do a regular sleep study, not be a guinea pig for a bunch of quacks. I collected my personal effects, went back home to change, and then raced over here to start my work day.”

Mr. Borgman stands very still in the waiting room. It takes him half a minute for him to blink. He reaches slowly into his pocket; perhaps to hand me a pink slip. Instead of termination papers, he takes out a moleskin notebook and writes for over 5 minutes. Then he closes the notebook and says, “Well, your excuse is going right at the top, along with Jerry Barton faking his father’s death, as the craziest late excuse I’ve ever heard.”

I gulp, “Does this mean I’m not fired, sir?”

He gives me a satisfied smile. “I should hope not Ms. Rubin, we need you on our ad campaign team. Someone with your creativity is needed to help us sell our pillows. I believe your excuse would make an excellent advertisement for our company.”

My sigh of relief is cut off as he talks to me again.

“However Ms. Rubin, do not come in late again or I will truly fire you.”

“Yes, sir.”

As he walks into the office, he laughs softly to himself. “Mould our faces, indeed,” he chuckles.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hey there! So this short story is based off a writing prompt from Writer’s Digest’s Year of Writing Prompts.   Specifically, March 4th’s prompt: You’re late for work because you overslept, but your boss hates over-sleepers. He does love entertaining stories, though, so create the most outlandish excuse as to why you were late.  Writing this was a lot of fun! The most difficult part was creating the actual excuse. I needed a scenario that sounded crazy, but real enough so that it would sound believable. The idea finally came to me when I thought of the company my main character worked for, Sleepy Time Pillows. After figuring out the name, everything else in the story fell into place.

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed the story! :D

[duxiaomin-blog]

Romantic Sentiment in Modern Jewelry

People often overlook the precise meaning behind the widely used term 'romantic,' but upon closer examination, it can be described as a strong, passionate, and idealized emotional experience. It is closely linked to love, fantasy, and idealism. The concept of romance involves the pursuit of beautiful things, a yearning for dreams and miracles, and an experience of emotional depth and uniqueness. In modern jewelry, there is a unique romantic sentiment that cleverly combines art and craftsmanship to create enchanting masterpieces. It is not just a piece of adornment but a crystallization of a moment in time, reflecting the ever-changing dynamics of the era and the fluctuations of emotions. Its idealistic sentiment allows jewelry to transcend being merely a symbol of luxury in this challenging modern society; it becomes a treasure that expresses individuality, records love, and preserves cultural heritage.

Alessio Boschi Rumi Ring

Italian jewelry brand Alessio Boschi once drew inspiration from the renowned Persian poet Rumi to create a remarkable mechanical ring named "Rumi." Opening the ring cover and manipulating the side disc, five women dressed in white delicately dance, while the ring's body resembles the domes found in Islamic mosques and palace architecture, adorned with repeating, radiating, and geometric patterns. The use of blue turquoise, emeralds, and mother-of-pearl imparts a sense of purity, elegance, and tranquility to the ring. The entire piece not only surprises with its mechanism and dynamic dance but also reveals a pristine aspect of an idealized world and a touch of the mystical tendencies within Sufism, an Islamic tradition.

ChuCui Palace Dancing in Clouds Necklace

Another jewelry brand that takes a unique approach to romantic sentiment is ChuCui Palace, the predecessor of which was an Italian Roman jewelry family in the mid-20th century. Italian interest in Chinese aesthetics dates back to the 13th century, with a rich history of collecting Oriental art. During the peak of Chinoiserie in the mid-18th century in Europe, ChuCui Palace successfully developed a distinctive and influential Chinese-inspired style. Therefore, in the mid-20th century, ChuCui Palace continued this longstanding tradition and recreated a distinctive romantic sentiment rooted in a deep understanding of traditional Chinese aesthetics.

One of their works, the "Dancing in Clouds" necklace, doesn't rush to depict the crane's form from a traditional realistic perspective. Instead, it emphasizes the observation of the crane's demeanor, cultural emotions, and aesthetic feelings in the Eastern context as a source of creative experience. Thus, the piece not only captures the characteristics of the crane but also expresses an aesthetically considered feature in an abstract sense. The work emulates the purity and elegance of color in traditional Chinese ink wash painting, featuring a classic asymmetric composition seen in Eastern art. The crane's neck is abstracted into long lines, forming a contrast between complexity and simplicity with the densely curved tail feathers. The form of the beak and the intertwining tail feathers convey a unique aesthetic tension. The emphasis is on expressing intuition rather than realism, revealing an admiration for the crane's "divine posture" and embracing the characteristics of promoting imagination found in romanticism.

Romantic Period Jewelry with Nature-themed Patterns

In addition to traces found in Islamic and Chinese cultures, true Romantic Period jewelry in history, specifically early Victorian jewelry, reflects the youth of the new queen. This period coincides with Queen Victoria's courtship and marriage. Nostalgia for the medieval era was prevalent in England, and artists incorporated medieval elements into their designs. Renaissance and medieval themes were ubiquitous in jewelry design, with nature-themed patterns dominating this era. Bouquets, branches, leaves, grapes, and berries were prominent in jewelry, and floral symbolism was particularly highlighted during this period. Serpentine motifs also reached their zenith, with serpent jewelry being considered a vivid symbol of wisdom and eternity.

Queen Victoria's Serpent Engagement Ring

One of the most famous pieces in this style is the serpent engagement ring that Queen Victoria received from Prince Albert around 1839. This ring is considered a symbol of eternal love. Instead of being adorned with diamonds, the serpent's head is embellished with jade, Queen Victoria's birthstone. The serpent's tail enters its mouth, forming an unbroken circle, symbolizing their enduring love. The Victorian era was marked by a profound fascination with the natural world, and snakes, as highly exotic and mysterious creatures, gained widespread popularity during this period. This influence significantly impacted their status in modern jewelry, underscoring their enduring symbolic significance and mystique.

In the romantic spirit of contemporary jewelry, akin to the dreams of art, each piece becomes a unique masterpiece of design and craftsmanship, outlining timeless portraits of love and ideal worlds. Alessio Boschi's Rumi ring and ChuCui Palace's 'Dancing in Clouds' necklace stand as perfect interpretations of romanticism with their profound emotional expressions, unique insights, and designs. These jewels are not merely accessories but rather the crystallization of emotions, carrying the steadfast pursuit of romantic ideals and fantasies. The legacy of serpent jewelry endures, with classical elements from the Victorian era rejuvenated in modern times, bearing witness to the timeless allure of romantic sentiments. In this enchanting realm of gemstones, each piece weaves profound stories, sketching precious emotional legacies, injecting deeper and more poetic meanings into contemporary jewelry creation inspired by romanticism.

[j-elaine-hyde]

The Townie - Part 6 Cont.

Chris Evans / Reader

(Be sure to catch the beginning of Part 6 in a separate post!)

You jumped up off of the sofa. Panic coursing through you as you realized someone was at your door and you looked crazy and completely unpresentable.

You suspiciously walked to the door, peering through the peephole, praying it was Marki.

No such luck.

There he stood, a hopeful excited smile on his face, roses in hand. Again you felt the pang of panic.

He shifted the roses to the crook of his elbow and knocked twice. Rocking on his heels as he waited. Leaving the chain on, you slowly opened the door, standing behind it so he didn’t see you looking like a hot mess.

“Hey Chris! What are you doing here?” You tried to sound as sweet as possible.

“Hi. ...Can I come in? I wanted to surprise you.” He sounded unsure, internally questioning why you weren’t opening the door and welcoming him in.

“That’s so sweet! Could you give me like five minutes?”

“Uhhh... sure. No problem. I guess I’ll just wait here.”

“Great! Thanks!�� You closed the door and bolted to your bedroom. Forget making the bed or picking up your apartment. You needed bare minimum presentable. You turned on the shower as you plucked the foam from between your toes, realizing you had only painted one foot. You stripped down and hopped into the shower, washing your face and ripping the shower cap from your head. Racing through a quick shower you hopped out and dried off as you made your way to your closet. Attempting to play it casual you threw on a pair of leggings, almost falling over while putting them on. Stumbling out of you closet you grabbed a tank top, scrambling to get it on as you made your way towards the door.

Pulling the chain off the door, you opened it to find him sitting against the wall in the hallway looking bored. A megawatt smile crossed his face as he looked at you.

“Sorry about that....” you smiled apologetically, shrugging your shoulders.

“Had to get rid of your other boyfriend, huh?” He winked at you as he walked into your apartment, giving you a quick kiss on the cheek as he passed you.

“We’ll go with that.” You hollered over your shoulder as you closed and locked the door. Your face immediately turned ten shades of red when you spun around to see his face filling your tv screen, and him standing in front of it, pointing back at it with a slight blushing smile of his own.

“Looks like you have shit taste in movies...” he laughed.

You were still kicking around that he had said “other boyfriend” as you laughed at his self deprecating remark. You rushed to grab the remote and turn off the tv as you simultaneously shoved beauty care products off of the table, dropping them into what was normally just a decorative basket, kicking it back under the coffee table.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt anything. Were you busy? I just wanted to bring you a little something.” He held up a take out bag and the roses.

“I was just in the middle of my Sunday night beauty routine. Nothing major. I’m glad you’re here...”

He set the roses and takeout down on the dining room table and slowly walked towards you, wrapping his hands around your waist, playfully pulling you against him.

“I’m not gonna lie... I missed you. I hope that’s ok.” His blue eyes sparkled, making your heart race faster.

“I’m really glad you’re here. You didn’t have to bring me anything... but thank you. The roses are beautiful.”

“Have you eaten yet? I brought Chinese food.”

You slid your hands up his arms, wrapping them around his neck, locking eyes with him before leaning your face up for a kiss. “Nope. I’m starving.”

“Then I’m glad I came to your rescue.” He kissed you and winked, as he pulled you towards the dining room table. “Wanna watch a movie while we eat?”

“Sure! You pick out a movie and I’ll grab some plates. Plus I need to put these roses in some water. They’re absolutely gorgeous.... thank you. You’re so sweet.”

He plopped down onto the sofa, picking up the remote. You stood there for a moment, roses in hand, staring at the gorgeous man in your living room. It was so...comfortable. Normal. Like he wasn’t Captain America. He craned his neck looking back at you as you pretended to be busy. He had almost caught you staring.

The two of you had gorged yourselves on the Chinese food and were now comfortably snuggling on the sofa. Reruns of Friends played on the tv as the two of you made a concerted effort to behave. You were shifting in your seat, restless, fidgeting with the pillows.

“Why don’t you stretch your legs out? Might make you more comfortable....” he smiled sweetly, apparently not the least bit annoyed at your endless movement.

You scooted away towards the corner of the sofa, stretching out your legs, quickly tucking your unpainted toes into the sofa cushions as he crawled over the top of you, bracing himself, hovering over you. His sexy smirk quickening your pulse as he leaned down and gave you a kiss. He lowered himself, gently nuzzling his face across your chest. Burrowing his face between your breasts, giving you a mischievous glance upon finding you not wearing a bra. You looked down at him with a smile as he nuzzled his way down your stomach.

“I’ll be right back.” He winked. You had a confused look on your face before erupting in laughter as he pulled your shirt over his head continuing his caressing exploration of your chest.

Your laughter immediately gave way to quiet moans and heavy breathing as his nose and lips traced over your skin. Your nipples instantly erect as his soft, warm lips brushed over them, sending a shiver through your entire body. That warm pulsing feeling growing between your legs as his tongue teased your sensitive skin.

As he lowered his hips, making himself more comfortable, you felt his excitement on your leg. You gripped onto his shoulder, lifting yourself just enough to remove your tank top, dropping it to the floor next to you. He shifted his weight, laying next to you, freeing his hand. Scooting further up the sofa, he pulled you towards him. Face to face, his need for you was undeniable. You leaned forward, ravenously kissing him before your hand found its way to his erection.

A guttural moan escaped his lips, filling your mouth, as you skillfully worked him with your hand. Never one to take more than he gives, his hand slid between your legs.

Your surprised gasp put a smile on his face, “It’s only fair baby... you get to play with me, I get to play with you.”

His fingers traced up your hip, before tucking into the waistband of your leggings, moving south to find you excited and wet.

You arched your back as his finger slipped inside of you, effortlessly finding your g-spot, massaging it as his thumb worked on your clit. “OH! Chris!” You exclaimed as your body jolted.

His quest for your orgasm consumed you as you tried to continue, distractedly stroking him with your hand. He felt your body rock and clench, a pleased smile on his face as he planted kisses on you.

“I want you.” he whispered in your ear. His breath on your neck made your entire body tingle.

You amped up the kisses, intensifying the passion as you tugged at his shirt, revealing his toned torso. Half standing you shimmied off your leggings as he clammored to get his pants undone and to the floor. Straddling his lap, you lowered yourself onto him, both of you exclaiming panted sighs and moans. His hands on your hips pushed and pulled as if helping your ride him. You stared down at his face, even more gorgeous than usual, you felt completely connected to him. It was at this moment you realized you were done for.

You were had. He owned you, mind, body, and soul.