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literaryvein-reblogs · 12 days ago

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Writing Reference: Fragrance Notes

CITRUS NOTES

In their natural state, are quite volatile and prone to oxidation.

Notes of lemon, bergamot, orange, and mandarin are used in perfumery to impart sharp, sour, and very refreshing top notes to a fragrance.

MINTY NOTES

Follow on from citrus notes as refreshing and clean-smelling top notes used extensively in functional perfumery like household cleaning products.

In addition, notes of peppermint, menthol, and eucalyptus give a cooling effect to many masculine fine fragrances and shower gels.

FRUITY NOTES

With the exception of Osmanthus and blackcurrant bud absolute, the majority of fruity notes used in perfumery are created with synthetic materials.

Gamma undecalactone (C14) - used for a peachy/apricot effect, along with other materials such as Raspberry Ketone, Benzaldehyde (for cherry), and Allyl amyl glycolate (for a sour pineapple note).

The large aromachemical manufacturers produce ready-made compounds, which makes adding fruity notes to a fragrance composition less of a challenge.

Dewfruit, which is a specialty base from the Swiss fragrance manufacturer Givaudan, gives a raspberry and lychee note and is used in a variety of commercial fine fragrances.

GREEN NOTES

Add freshness and naturalness to fragrances, from floral to fruity and chypre.

Cis-3-hexenol - a very powerful material that is reminiscent of freshly cut grass.

Galbanum - a natural material, likened to uncooked green beans.

Should be used sparingly because they can seem harsh if used in large quantities.

HERBAL NOTES

Lavender, rosemary, and clary sage are used in both masculine fragrances and functional products for their cooling and natural effect.

Herbs add naturalness to a fragrance and are usually the steam distillate of the aerial parts of the plant.

Lavender - a key component of the fougére family, with each variety and extraction giving a slightly different effect.

Lavender absolute is said to have a bright green color and warm, hay-like aroma.

ALDEHYDIC NOTES

Aldehydes - a group of materials that are most famous for their use at overdosed levels in Chanel No. 5.

Have a powerful aroma and are perceived as waxy, fatty, soapy, and clean.

On their own, they would be considered too harsh and chemical-ly, but in combination with floral notes of rose, jasmine, and ylang ylang, they impart sparkle and radiance.

C8 Octanol, C10 Decanal, C11 Undecylenic, C12 MNA, and C12 Lauric feature in this group, as do Hydroxycitronellal, Citral, Citronellal, and Benzaldehyde.

FLORAL NOTES

Floral notes make up the heart of most fragrance types.

There are many different types of floral, each with their own characteristics:

Rose Notes. These can include everything from rose absolute and rose otto to geranium and even guaiacwood which, although smoky and woody, has definite rosy undertones. Phenethyl alcohol is used as a blender in fragrances to give a rose note, and the Firmenich base Dorinia is used where a large amount of natural rose would be too costly or restricted. Apart from cost, one of the main issues with using natural rose absolute in a commercial fragrance is that it typically contains 1-1.5% Methyl eugenol, a naturally occurring component that is restricted in the EU and other parts of the world. The maximum amount of rose allowed in a leave-on skincare product is around 0.025%. Low Methyl-eugenol rose is available, but cost and minimal-order quantities are high, meaning it is out of the reach of many fragrance producers. Laboratoire Monique Rémy produce a molecular distillation of rose for this very reason, which enables large quantities to be used in the fragrance Portrait of a Lady (Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle).

Jasmine Notes. As well as jasmine absolute and jasmine sambac, synthetic bases are created with Benzyl acetate and other jasmine-like chemicals such as Hedione, which is used in a huge range of fragrances to impart radiance and diffusion. Unfortunately, although used for centuries, jasmine has been severely restricted in commercial fragrances, due to sensitization, and it is only allowed currently in the EU at a maximum of 0.7% in a finished fragrance for on-skin usage.

Muguet Notes. The name of the lily-of-the-valley notes. There is no natural muguet extract, so all fragrances of this type will contain some synthetic materials. The muguet ingredient, Hydroxycitronellal, which was relied upon for many years, is now restricted to a maximum 5%, due to its potentially sensitizing effect. Other muguet-type replacements are Lyral, Lilial, and Dupical, which are used in combination with other materials.

Violet and Iris Notes. Natural violet absolute is from the leaf, and smells very green, wet, and mulchy. The sweet, powdery violet notes actually come from a group of materials called the ionones—Alpha, Beta, and Methyl ionones—which add a sweet, cosmetic violet note to rosy florals, as well as being a great link to woody notes in the base of a fragrance. Other notes that belong in this category are the orris notes, which are either natural and excruciatingly expensive (orris concrete), or come from a synthetic such Orivone.

Narcotic Floral Notes. Naturals such as ylang ylang, tuberose, and orange blossom are in this category due to their heavy, sweet, almost narcotic effect in a fragrance. With the exception of perhaps ylang ylang, which is available in a variety of grades, these materials offer a low yield and so are quite costly. In commercial fragrances, synthetic materials such as Aurantiol and Methyl anthranilate are used instead. White florals contain traces of the chemical indole, which can be added to a fragrance in trace amounts for effect. Alone, indole has an odor of decay and can be extremely unpleasant, as is the case with many animalic notes.

ANIMALIC NOTES

Indole brings us nicely on to the other animalic and musk notes used in fragrance.

Included here are the leather notes, as there is a fair amount of crossover.

The animalic notes are generally quite strong and often fecal.

The following are main animalic notes used:

Civet. This is the main material used and is extracted from the anal gland of the civet cat. Strange and unpleasant as it may seem, civet, when used in trace amounts, is said to give a sweet, exotic, and sexy edge to a fragrance and is reminiscent of the indoles present in white flowers.

Castoreum. Comes from the glands of the beaver or a synthetic reproduction, which is slightly less alarming. It can have quite urine-like notes, which at low levels give a honey aroma. It is used in chypre and leather fragrances, along with woods, mosses, and labdanum or birch tar and Isobutyl quinoline (leather notes).

Ambergris. Comes from the sperm whale; the most gentle of the animalic notes. Often found washed up on beaches, mainly in New Zealand. It has an aromatic, almost marine-like note that can be soft, musty, and musky. The synthetic versions are most often used. It works well with sandalwood for a soft skin-like accord.

Natural musk. Use of this is now completely outlawed due to the near-extinction of the musk deer from which it was historically collected. The musk notes we experience today are all synthetic and, in fact, are perceived as much cleaner than you would expect considering their origin. This is due to their extensive use in laundry detergent fragrances, hence the term “laundry musk.” Nitro musks such as Galaxolide by IFF are used due to their substantive and long-lasting effects through a wash at high temperatures. They are not very soluble in water, which means that they will stay on the fabric through the wash cycle. Of course, this means that many are not biodegradeable or very environmentally friendly. Musk notes are used in most fragrances for their fixative properties and for the soft, comforting effect they give to a fragrance. Many people, including perfumers, are anosmic to different musks and so they are often used in combination with each other.

BALSAMIC AND VANILLA NOTES

Balsamic refers to the sweet, warm, and resinous notes of Peru balsam, benzoin, and oppoponax, which also have slightly vanilla and caramel undertones.

Vanilla absolute does not smell anything like the vanilla notes used in food or commercial bath products, which are more “ice-cream-like” and foodie.

These are usually created with Ethyl vanillin and vanillin, rather than the more costly vanilla absolute, which is actually less sweet and more woody. Vanilla absolute is difficult to work with in products due to its insolubility in alcohol.

It can also cause extreme discoloration in some products, turning lotions and soaps a dark brown to black.

HAY NOTES

Another sweet, powdery note is coumarin, which is a key component of the fougére family and works well with both vanilla and lavender.

Coumarin - a white, crystalline powder that occurs naturally in tonka beans.

It is created synthetically for perfumery use, but tonka absolute has a similar smell, which is that of powdery, newly mown hay.

WOODY NOTES

A key part of oriental fragrances, the woody notes can be soft and creamy, such as sandalwood, or cool and earthy, such as patchouli and vetiver.

Although patchouli is a distillation of the leaves rather than a wood, it does have some woody aspects.

Vetiver - rooty and has rich caramel undertones, and an earthy woodiness.

Cedarwood Virginian has a sharp, dry, pencil-shavings aroma.

Iso E Super is a lovely, transparent, woody ingredient to add to a fragrance as a blender and is even used alone as a fragrance in its own right.

MOSSY AND MARINE NOTES

Have a slightly yeasty, fungal, and pungent aroma.

Mossy notes - important in both the chypre and fougére fragrance families and, although oakmoss is being restricted, there are synthetic variants that will give similar effects.

Seaweed absolute - can be used for a natural marine note but the most widely used in fine fragrance is Calone, which was prolific in perfumes of the 1990s.

Calone - has a sweet, melon, ozone-like fragrance, which many people find extremely cloying. This is often used with other fruity, melon, and marine notes.

SPICY NOTES

Spice notes play a huge part in perfumery as accessory notes for floral and oriental fragrances.

Spices can be overpowering, and notes such as cumin can take on a slightly sweaty odor that may smell unpleasant on skin.

There are warm spices such as clove (or Eugenol), which can give a carnation effect to florals, and cooler, dry-spice notes like black pepper.

Shinus molle, or pink pepper, has been used extensively over the last few years in floral fragrances.

Cinnamon, nutmeg, and coriander can also be used, as can other foodie spices like cardamom in the form of distilled essential oils.

Source: Perfume: The Art and Craft of Fragrance by Karen Gilbert More: Word Lists ⚜ Notes & References ⚜ Perfumery ⚜ Fragrance Writing Resources PDFs

#perfume #writing reference #writeblr #dark academia #spilled ink #writers on tumblr #writing prompt #poets on tumblr #literature #creative writing #writing inspiration #writing ideas #light academia #fragrance #nature #konstantin somov #writing resources

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pixiedust0604 · 1 year ago

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Miss You Already-

Clarisse x fem!reader

Info: Reader is in Aphrodite Cabin. Set in The Sea of Monsters. This is my first fanfic on here, so some constructive criticism would be very appreciated!

Context: Clarisse is about to go into the Sea of Monsters to get the Golden Fleece, but something (or someone) gets in her way

Reader's POV

Warnings: Angst but is resolved in the end

Word Count: 1381 words

Clarisse was livid.

Not that this should be a surprise. Clarisse was known for her temper in Camp, so it was of no big shock that she was upset. 'Probably the nerves of going on a quest for the first time' her siblings thought.

They were very wrong.

You see, Clarisse had a lucky shirt and bandana she wore when she did things like this. Any competition she went to, any test she did she always wore her lucky CHB shirt and bright red bandana.

She set them out that night, before she went to bed. She knows she did. But when she went to get dressed this morning, they were gone.

Now she's in a worse mood that usual, and I was terrified.

I could here the noise she was making from the dining pavilion.

I took the shirt and bandana last night, but I didn't know that they were her lucky ones. I just wanted something to remind me of her while she went away. It's not like I knew how important they were.

Okay, I didn't know the bandana was important, but in my defence, it's scary thinking about the fact that my girlfriend might not come home after this quest. I know I'll miss her, so I wanted to wear both the t-shirt and the bandana while she was gone, so it felt like she was right there next to me, and that the luck would bring her home to me safely.

I was just about to sneak back off to my cabin after breakfast so Clarisse wouldn't catch me, when I bumped into her immediately.

*Great, I'm dead aren't I* I think to myself as I see her almost glaring at me.

"Hi Y/N, you haven't seen my lucky bandana and camp t-shirt, have you?" She said, even though we both knew that I have them both.

"No, can't say I have honey, good luck on your quest though! Goodbye, love you!" I say, before quickly trying to running off.

Keyword, trying to. Unfortunately, Clarisse caught me by the arm before I could run off.

"Not so fast, love. You need to help me find them. Do you mind me looking in your cabin first?" She asked, grinning at me.

"I mean, I'd love to help, but I'm very busy right now." I say quickly, hoping that it'll work and she'll let me go.

It didn't work. Of course it didn't.

"Please, love? It'll only take 2 minutes." She said, feigning being upset.

I sighed, and said, "Fine, but you'll have to be quick, I don't think you have that much time, Clary." I was worried that she was going to see them both straight away. "Do you mind if I clean up a bit before you look? My part of the cabin is pretty messy."

"No, I'd prefer if I could look right now, lovely. I want to get going as soon as possible, okay?" She answers, looking at me again with that smirk of hers.

"Okay, come on then." I say, turning around terrified. I lead her to the Aphrodite Cabin, practically shaking the entire time.

I open the door, letting her in. "Here you go, just don't go through people's stuff too much, alright?" I close the door behind us, grateful that no-one else is there.

She starts rifling through everyone's wardrobe, checking the tags for her name, and searching through each person's accessories for her bandana. Until she got to mine.

This is where I start panicking, because I hid it in the most obvious place I could think of. Underneath my pillow.

She looks in my wardrobe, obviously to find nothing, then she gets to the bed.

She throws everything off the bed, and there lies the bandana, and the shirt where my pillow should be, crumpled up into a ball.

Clarisse, the girl I've been dating for almost 9 months now, turns to look at me with a look I've never seen aimed at me before.

A look I've only seen her give Percy Jackson, and any monster who dare to make her angry. A look of unbridled rage.

"Babe, why is my lucky bandana and shirt in your bed?" She asked, glaring at me with that look.

"Uh... I- I don't know, could have been one of the Hermes kids? But I don't know how it got there my love," I shakily replied, trying my best to get to the exit, bumping into things on the way.

"Then why are you leaving? Didn't you say yesterday that you wanted to see me off to the border?" She said, frowning at me. She stepped closer.

"Did I? I don't remember that..." I say, trailing off as my hand grasps the door handle.

"Just tell me why you took it, love" Clarisse says, that terrifying look fading and her voice growing softer as she saw how frightened I was.

She steps closer, her face relaxing as she stepped closer. Her hands were spread out wide, showing me I had nothing to fear. That she wouldn't hurt me. I know she never would, I was the only person in the entire camp she wasn't willing to spar with. The only times we ever did spar together, she always held back.

"I wanted something to remember you by, that's all. I'm so scared you won't make it- home, and I want something to have that- that's yours, so it feels like you're here with me. I'm so sorry Clarisse, I'm so so sorry I took them. I won't take anything from you again, I promise. But please, promise me you'll make it home safe, because I can't lose you." I say between sobs, tears flowing down my face and onto the hardwood floor.

I'm quickly enveloped into her arms, and my head is tucked under her chin.

"I'm sorry that you felt that way, Y/N. But maybe next time, ask for something from me. I have a ton of camp shirts and bandanas for you to have that I'd be happy to give you. You just have to a ask." She tells me, stroking my hair.

After a silence, I say, "I will, I'm sorry. Can I still walk you to the border?"

"Of course you can. In fact, why don't you pick out a bandana before I go? You can wear it while I'm gone." She says, letting me go, and leading me out of my cabin, to hers.

"Really?" I ask, my voice wobbling as tears fill my eyes once again.

"Yeah, of course love. You said you wanted something to remind you of me while I'm gone, so you can pick something out of mine." She says walking into her cabin, her hand still holding mine even as her siblings stare.

I ended up choosing a blue bandana and one of her camp shirts.

I felt all eyes on me and Clarisse as she held my hand and walked out with me. "Do you want anyone to come with us to the border?" She asks, rubbing my knuckles.

"No, I think I'll be okay" I reply, clutching the blue cloth in my left hand.

"Alright then my love." She said, and pulled me along gently to the border. There stood Argus, with his van.

"You ready to go?" He asks Clarisse, opening the van door for her.

"Yeah, just one sec" Clarisse answers.

Argus nods his head, his multiple eyes blinking at the same time.

"I'll see you later, Y/N. And don't you dare say I might not be, because I know I'll always come back to you." She says playfully.

"I swear to the gods, if you die on this quest, I'll kill you Clarisse." I joke, giggling as tears fill my eyes again.

She then kisses me, and her hands snaked around my waist. I quickly grab her face, kissing her back. I can feel her chapped lips as they move against mine. Her rough hands pull me closer, so I can feel her body .

Unfortunately, Argus interrupted saying "Clarisse, we have to get going."

She slowly pulls back and lets go of my waist. As I feel her body leave mine, Clarisse possibly for the last time, kisses me on the cheek, and moves away from me to go on her quest.

#pjo series #clarisse x reader #clarisse la rue #clarisse la rue x reader #pjo x reader

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daily-clace · 2 months ago

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She was clutching her sketchpad, her bright hair escaping out of its braids. He leaned against the door frame, ignoring the kick of adrenaline the sight of her produced. He wondered why, not for the first time. Isabelle used her beauty like she used her whip, but Clary didn’t know she was beautiful at all. Maybe that was why.

City of Bones, Cassandra Clare

#dailyclace #clace #clace quotes #clary fairchild #clary fray #jace herondale #jace wayland #jace lightwood #Jace lightwood herondale #tmi #the mortal instruments #tsc #the shadowhunter chronicles #cds

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c0llisiion · 1 year ago

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BEYOND BOUNDARIES PT.2 - k.th

♡pairing : kim Taehyung x f!reader

♡: dom!kth , sub!reader , smut, unprotected sex (practice safe sex!) , teasing , cheating reader and kth , name calling ( slut, bitch ) slight fluff(?) at the end , not proof read - lmk if i missed any <3

W/c : 939

A/n: this took longer than I expected even though it’s pretty small. Went through a slight block nd im not rlly that proud of it huhu! Hope its up to par:))

Pt.1

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ MDNI. Please refrain from reading if the topics make you uncomfortable. ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

Your phone rang. Eyes open wide in shock and not knowing what to do. Your Heart was beating at an inhumane rate, scared of what’s to come. Taehyung stopped before looking over at the bright screen. Your boyfriend’s name in big bold letters was displayed on the screen. He pulled out of you before picking up the phone from the ground. “Heh.. he must be worried.” He said as he brought your phone closer to your Vision. “Taehyung. Do not pick-“ “woops!” .

“Yn? You there,love?.” Using all your strength you picked yourself up. The phone right in front of you, your hands on either side. You heard your boyfriend’s voice call out again. “Hellloooo? Is everything alright?” As you were about to respond, taehyung slid inside of you once again. A smug smile was on his face. A soft whine left your lips as you feel him fill you up. A very audible whine. Your boyfriend called out once again. “Yn? Where the hell are you and what are you doing?” He sounded stern. “Huh? What? Sorry! I was just doing something and um..” you trail off thinking of a believable excuse. “I was just um…” Taehyung thrusted in. “Ah..! i was doing something and i kinda messed it up ahahahaha!” It came out like word vomit and you were sure your boyfriend wont believe it. “Oh? Okay good good … where are you tho?” He believed it. You were more than relieved. Taehyung leaned in closer to your ears before whispering “good girl..” his long fingers found your overstimulated clit and started toying with it. Your hand desperately was trying to push his hand away to avoid any grunts or sighs from leaving your mouth. But he was stronger and bigger. The struggle was useless. “Im um… hhh- in clari-nghh… Clarissa’s place.” You blurted out. You feel taehyung slowly moving in and out. His pace increasing. “Oh okay okay, when will you be back?” Taehyung once again leaned in. “Tell him you are gonna stay over at ‘clarissas’ place, alright?” His other hand wrapping around your neck pulling you closer to his mouth. You nod as he presses into your neck. “I might stay- Fuck!” Taehyung thrusted in you with force which made you curse out loud. “Yn???? Is everything okay????” Your boyfriend asks sounding very concerned. “Yes yes… I just um… dropped an equipment.. yeah! I just dropped this huge equipment on my feet! Haha…” i turn my head to face taehyung who had a stupid smirk on his face acting like nothing happened. “Oh well.. be careful okay? Does it hurt?” Taehyung was starting to grow impatient. “How long is this fucker gonna take?” He mumbled under his breath. You glare at him before responding. “No no! Im fine… hey listen i gotta go and just finish this off. ‘clarissa’ is being a huge bitch rn because im talking to you…” i glare at him again. “…I might stay over at hers because we might take time in completing so dont wait up. Sleepwell. I will see you in the morning okay?” Your boyfriend hummed in response. “You too. Dont overwork yourself. I love you.” “I love you to-“ taehyung reached over and cut the call before throwing your phone away.

“Taehyung what the fuc-“ he shut you up by plunging into you with no mercy. His hands went back to your neck pulling you back a bit. You felt the knot in your stomach form again as he drilled into your pussy. “Im gonna fill you up yeah? Gonna fill you up with all- hhh.. my cum, ya heard that slut? Yeah?” He sounded angry. Tears dripping down your face as you nod at his every word. “Speak up bitch. Tell me. Tell me you want me to fill you up so you can walk around with my cum dripping out of your pussy. Not his. But mine.” His thrusts were getting more harsher. He was jealous. “Yes…yes! Please I want to be filled with your cum only! Just you! I want it to be always inside me! Please…nghh- taehyung!” You cried out. Chanting his name in between loud pornographic moans. You hear him chuckle behind you. His grip on your neck loosens and you fall face down onto his pillow. thrusts got more sloppier and loud grunts were leaving his mouth. “Im gonna cum in you doll… gonna fill you up- fuckkkkkk… im gonna-“, you screamed out as you finally let go. Squirting down on his sheets and some hitting his abdomen and thighs. You clenched onto his dick for dear life, as the orgasm was too overwhelming. That was the last straw for taehyung as white cum painted your abused walls when he finally came. His eyes closed shut and head thrown back as he stabled his breath. Sweat was trickling down from his neck to the base of his cock. He stayed in you for a few seconds before pulling out. He admired the mess you made and took his phone to snap a picture of your cunt. You on the other hand were shaking. The aftermath of your orgasm hitting you. He pressed your body into the bed and laid next you. He pushed your sweaty hair from your face, grazing his long fingers on your tear stained cheeks. He leaned down and kissed your forehead, softly massaging your lower belly. Your eyes were closed and your breath was coming out in quivers. You chose to stay silent and just melt into his touch.

His hands went lower and hooked under your thigh. “Round two?”

A/n: im thinking of making this a series, should i? Not rlly sure but I hope you liked it^^

#taehyung smut #bts reactions #bts smut #bts #taehyung #bts headcanons #bts scenarios #bts x reader #bts army #bts fanfic #bts taehyung #bts v #taehyung headcanons #taehyung x reader #taehyung x you #taehyung scenarios #kpop smut #kpop

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thecandlewasters · 1 year ago

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Kia ora koutou,

After 4 years of being on hiatus we wanted to officially acknowledge that our filmmaking collective has disbanded.

We are so proud of all the work we made, and we loved sharing it with you all. Your gifs, analysis, letters, writing, art, and comments made us feel so lucky. Creating these stories was such a special time in our lives and we can’t thank you enough for being a part of it. We could not have made our 5 webseries in 5 years without your awhi, love, and support. We will be forever grateful for the support of our Kickstarters which allowed us to continue making series, and never forget our fandles or flamangoes.

While as a collective we have gone our separate ways, we are all continuing to be creative folks and if you follow our various social media you will see what we get up to next.

Claris - @/clariskate on instagram Elsie - @/littlebollinger on instagram Minnie - @minniegraced most places Robbie - @robbienicol on instagram Sally - @/salazar.bollinger on instagram

We will continue to post as The Candle Wasters from time to time — NMTD turns 10 next year and we’ll be sure to acknowledge that!

Finally, we are releasing several videos from our YouTube Drafts as part of the final updates to the Kickstarters for Lovely Little Losers and Bright Summer Night. You will see these on your feed. After that, we will not be releasing any further original content on YouTube as The Candle Wasters, though there will be other updates from us as individuals from time to time. For more details on the Kickstarter, please see the Final Updates on each Kickstarter.

Thank you all for joining us on this journey!

Lots of love, ngā mihi, Claris, Elsie, Minnie, Robbie, and Sally EDIT: What's NMTDaily? CLICK HERE FOR INFO

#the candle wasters #nmtd #lolilo #bright summer night #happy playland #tragicomic webseries #nothing much to do #lovely little losers #trgc #bsn #hplw #The Watch Approves This Message #fandles #flamangoes #tcw #pinned post

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katnissdoesnotfollowback · 9 months ago

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Katniss feeling insecure one random afternoon after seeing Peeta interact with some pretty girlies and asking him later that night all quiet if he thinks she’s pretty 🥺

I meant for this to be funny and then it turned out... not funny. Oh well. Enjoy some post-Mockingjay not fluff but not really angst??? No warning tags on this one.

“Having an eye for beauty isn’t the same thing as a weakness,” Peeta points out. “Except possibly when it comes to you.” - Catching Fire, Chapter 15 “You’re not very big, are you? Or particularly pretty?” - Mockingjay, Chapter 16

It takes me longer than usual to finish trading with the new butcher. She’s originally from Ten and came here after marrying a soldier from Thirteen. She refused to live underground any longer and he tried living in Ten, but felt too exposed and jumpy in the flat plains of that district. Twelve was their compromise. But I haven’t had the chance to build the kind of rapport with her that I had with Rooba.

Rooba. I make a mental note to ask Peeta to draw her for the memory book tonight. We’ll both have memories of her that need to be recorded.

When I finish with the butcher, mostly satisfied with the cuts of deer meat and the coin I walk away with, I make my way over to the bakery. Usually I’d help Peeta close for the day. I got lucky catching the deer so close to the fence, but it still took time for me to bring back enough help to drag it to the butcher.

Surprisingly, there are still a handful of customers in the bakery. Unusual, this late in the day. I hasten my steps, thinking Peeta might want some help getting rid of the chatty customers, and seeing me after a hunt usually does the trick.

As I reach the window, though, I slow my pace. It’s not just any customers. It’s the Lassiter girls. They moved here after the war with their father, who used to be the head foreman at a perfume factory in District One. Apparently someone thought his skills would translate well to running a medicine factory, because that’s what his job here is. And his five daughters -- Neroli, Dior, Ambrette, Clary, and Opal -- aged twenty-four to sixteen, spaced two years apart down the line, are each just as beautiful as the last. Gossip holds that they each have a different mother, and while there’s been no confirmation from their father on that point, they’re each so strikingly different in looks and coloring that it wouldn’t surprise me.

They’re currently clustered near the counter, a bouquet of undoubtedly sweet smelling flowers. Their dresses a rainbow of eye-catching hues in expensive looking fabrics. All I can do is snort as I think of how dull and dingy their clothes would’ve been if they’d lived here when there was still a coal mine. But their hair, although different shades, all gleams in glossy waves and curls and curtains of shimmering silk in the bright lights of the bakery.

I hear Peeta’s laughter then, followed shortly by the twittering chorus of the Lassiter girls’ giggling. Ugh. They cannot be serious. Not my Peeta.

None of them are married yet, and there’ve already been several District Twelve men turned away from their front door step with dazed looks in their eyes, like they couldn’t believe they’d actually dared to propose to one of the Lassiter girls. And while this group ambush of my Peeta gives me an idea of what sort of partner they might be looking for, it’s unacceptable.

I push through the bakery door and attempt a smile. Neroli sees me first. The oldest, and by far the smartest of this bunch, our eyes meet and her lips curl in a smile. She’s dressed in a dark, forest green dress. Her dark, almost black hair swept to one side, into a long, sleek ponytail. There’s no denying that she’s stunning. Long, sooty black lashes frame her pale eyes that I’ve never been able to decide if they’re blue or gray. Some part of me knows that if I were somehow more beautiful, I might look like her.

Neroli glances at Peeta, then back at me. She inclines her head slightly towards me, and I’m not certain what she means until she speaks.

“Father will be wondering what’s keeping us,” she announces to her sisters. “Come on. Get your purchases and let’s leave these two turtle doves alone.”

She still pauses to say something to Peeta before she and her sisters clear out, but the glance she throws my way before shutting the door behind her makes me think that maybe Neroli and I might’ve been friends under different circumstances. When I finally manage to look at Peeta, he’s head down in the cases, cleaning them out.

“Lock the door for me? How was your day in the woods?”

“Not bad,” I tell him as I throw the bolt. “I got a deer.”

“That’s great!”

“Put this in the cold storage while I sweep?” I hand him the package from the butchers and he hands me a broom across the counter. It’s one of my usual chores and it isn’t long after that we’re headed home. But all through dinner, I can’t get the image of the flock of Lassiter girls twittering around him out of my head.

I distract myself after we clean up the kitchen with the memory book, telling Peeta about the deer today and how things went with the new butcher. We share a few memories of Rooba while he sketches her and I write them down in draft. We manage to finish her page and seal it into the book before it’s very late.

And while Peeta showers with me, and stands next to me while we brush our teeth and get ready for bed, he somehow feels distant. As I lay down and watch him as he carefully removes his prosthetic, I can’t help but think again about the Lassiter girls.

“Goodnight, my love,” he murmurs as he turns to me, slipping his legs under the covers and cupping my cheek in his palm before kissing my lips once, softly.

“Goodnight,” I respond and blink when he turns out the light and lays down.

But I can’t get comfortable. And behind my closed eyes, I see a still ravaged Peeta, the hijacking reversal barely even begun. His knuckles pale as he gripped the bedsheets beneath him and restraints holding him down, safely away from me.

“You’re not very big, are you? Or particularly pretty.”

I huff out a heavy breath and jam the heels of my palms into my closed eyes, trying to push the image out of my brain. He’s laying right here beside me. He kissed me and called me his love just minutes ago. What Peeta and I have puts the stars in the sky and the poets’ words on the page to shame with its depth and significance. That’s far better than some superficial beauty.

And yet the words still slip past my lips.

“Peeta,” I whisper, and he hums in response so that I’m not sure if he’s fully awake or not. “Do you think I’m pretty?”

There’s a few seconds of silence and then I hear the sound of the sheets rustling as Peeta turns over to face me.

“Are you serious?”

“It’s just a question,” I say and smack my hands down onto the bed, right at my sides. They’re still clenched into fists and I try to hold back the sudden, ridiculous tears welling up in my eyes. Because his hesitancy to answer tells me what I need to know. How stupid of me to ask.

“Katniss, honey,” he breathes and moves through the dark, pulling me into his arms. “You will always be as radiant as the sun to me,” he tells me and I snort, wishing I’d never told him that phrase or how I’d once used it. “No, I’m serious. Katniss, you take my breath away.”

“But I’m still not particularly pretty. At least not as pretty as Neroli Lassiter, am I?” I poke and I can feel his frame stiffening besides me.

“No. Oh no, no, you can’t believe what I said that day, Katniss.”

“But you were right. I’m not very big.”

“And we both looked like shit that day because we’d been through too much shit. That doesn’t mean I meant it, Katniss. You have to know I was… I was trying to hurt you that day. Hurt you the way I thought you’d hurt me. Because I thought you’d used me, chosen Gale and the rebels, and left me to die or worse in that arena.”

“I know,” I say and finally manage to turn over into his embrace, burying my face in his chest as he caresses my back and whispers a hundred apologies for his careless words. I inhale his scent and let his hands soothe me.

So when he slips his fingers beneath my chin, I let him lift my face to his. I close my eyes and savor the brush of his lips against mine.

“You once told me that I had a weakness for beautiful things,” he whispers. “Real or not real?”

“Real,” I answer without pause. I can smell the horses and feel the warmth of Cinna’s glowing ember costume. I can see Peeta in front of me, radiant and beautiful, and smiling in amusement at my assessment of him. “But you don’t have a weakness for beauty. Only an eye for it,” I remind him.

“So yes, Neroli Lassiter is a beautiful woman--”

“And her sisters?” I prod and I can feel Peeta smiling against my lips as he kisses me once.

“And her sisters are, too. But you’re the only beautiful person I have a weakness for. No one else has left a lasting impression the way you have.”

I can’t help but smile stupidly at the repetition of his words from the cave. The reminder that somewhere amongst the acting for the cameras, we always had at least a sliver, a taste, a fraction of or at least the roots of something real.

“I’m still a goner for you, Katniss Everdeen, real or not real?” he whispers, and I already know the answer. I know what he wants me to say, because it’s true.

“Real.”

#words are peetas thing not mine #everlark fanfiction #everlark #post mockingjay #i don't even know what this is #but here you go anon #enjoy #anonymous #look at that ask

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bookishjules · 2 months ago

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HIII please talk more Clace as parents 💕

well if you insist <3

i think their home is very bright. in color and light and just general atmosphere. even if it's just the institute, i think it's warmer than it was when robert and maryse headed the conclave. (i know this isn't strictly about their parenting but it felt important to set the stage)

they're 'treat your kids like people' parents. they're communicative, providing reasons for rules, making them part of the conversation. and they give their kids space to be themselves. "oh you wanna try out xyz? let's give it a go!" walls can be repainted, bruises can be healed. hair will grow back and messes can be cleaned up. they'd rather give their kids the opportunity to become whoever they want to be than place too many restrictions out of fear for their safety etc.

not that they don't worry ofc, but i think they really try hard to respect their children, and hold their hands more to guide and steady them than to pull or protect beyond what is necessary. it's about being shadowhunters and training them to fight and hold their own, but it goes beyond that.

the whole explaining rules etc. thing ends up being especially important because of how likely the kids are to break them. i mean these are clary and jace's kids we're talking about. they like adventure and excitement and sometimes things get a little out of control. it's helpful for the kids to understand where their parents are coming from, and that there's enough mutual respect for them to abide by the few very important rules etc. clary and jace give them.

and yes, i did say adventure. i feel like their kids are going to end up becoming a little team, getting into shenanigans, making up stories to play out or tell under the blankets late at night. it's the kind of thing jace and clary are both really happy to see develop, having been raised as only children, so they let their kids get into their chaotic games etc. and just make sure they've cleaned up their mess by the end of the day.

in addition to spending time together as a family, i think they also place importance on those one-on-one relationships. especially given how busy clary and jace must be, it does a lot for making each kid feel valued and also giving them the space to just. hang out. and maybe talk about hard things or maybe just joke around in a way that feels personal. jace is teaching one piano and clary sits and fingerpants with their youngest. jace helps each kid pick out their signature weapon and loves spending time in the training room with them.

speaking of jokes.. i think that goes along with the brightness. there's a levity that always feels accessible, even when things get heavy. and i think that's something that, while not unique to the clace household, does sit at a level that feels a bit exceptional just because of how natural it is, and how hard they fought to be able to live like that, to maintain such a life. it's not always easy, but it is always full of love.

#sorry it took me so long to get to this anon <3 #these things require a massive switch in my brain to be flipped and then still take a couple hours to write out #and the energy just has not been there for me lol #but hopefully this is what you were looking for!! i love thinking about them <3 thank you for giving me a reason to #clace #clary fairchild #jace herondale #clace fam #tsc #tmi #the shadowhunter chronicles #the mortal instruments #headcanon #vetted #anon <3 #asks

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tsc-malec · 2 months ago

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Alec and Aline tumbled out of the house after Isabelle, Aline in a bright red dress that made her hair look shockingly black. Alec had dressed like he usually did, in a sweater and dark pants, though Clary had to admit that at least the sweater didn’t appear to have any visible holes in it. He smiled at Clary, and she thought, with surprise, that actually he did look different. Lighter somehow, as if a weight were off his shoulders.

—City of Glass

#alec lightwood #clary fairchild #aline penhallow #city of glass #the mortal instruments #the shadowhunter chronicles

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inkykeiji · 2 years ago

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AHHHHHH I rushed over here cause im out of a relationship and its been a bit so I felt comfortable enough to move on with someone sexually and in the middle of sex he goes "this feels so good dude" and my one friend was like whatever he called you dude but ME? im used to princess so when dude dropped from his mouth my pussy kinda became the desert down there... (no hate to ppl who like that term!!!! my best friend doesnt mind it, just not for me)

ANON i love u hehe <3 oh mannnnn no i am so with you on this. like to each their own of course like u said, but if someone called me ‘dude’ during sex i’d probably have to get up and leave LMAO like i’m sorry, what????? i am a princess or a baby or a slut or a whore or a brat or a bitch but most definitely not a dude. i don’t mind dude in literally any other context and i use it with friends, but during sex??? it’s a hard no for me thanks <3

#i'm so sorry anon LMAO #if this happened to me i'd be like ????? what am i ur bro or something???#ahahahaha #but on the bright side hey!! it's awesome you're feeling comfortable enough to have sex/be intimate with others!!! <3 #super happy for u in that regard anon <3 #i hope tuesday is treating you well!!#keep safe out there and stay healthy luvie <33 #inky.bb #clari gets mail

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anakin-pilled · 10 months ago

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𝘨𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘰𝘶𝘴 - anakin skywalker x fem! reader (part four)

pairing: anakin skywalker x fem! reader

wordcount: 7.1k

warnings: no use of y/n, alchohol consumption, reader gets drunk/tipsy, rushed ending

rating: 18+

author's note: i literally didn't mean for this to come out so late. life got in the way (again). i was super excited to write this chapter but the more i wrote it the more i was like UGH lowkey don't like the way this turned out but i hope you enjoy anyway! when will reader and anakin finally fuck? reblogs, comments, and likes are greatly appreciated xx

side note: i read on wookiepedia that in the sw universe, they refer to alcohol as "hooch" so i used that in the story...not sure if i like it but i wanted it to be immersive lol

creds to saradika for the divider!

The party was in full swing by the time you and Anakin arrived at the party. He knew Coruscant’s rich and famous lived lavish, but he would’ve never imagined attending a party of this splendor. A live jizz band was playing in one corner of the room, their shiny instruments reflecting off the chandelier lights. People of all species flocked to the living room, where protocol droids served an abundance of hooch and fanciful hor d’ourves. The people, dressed in the latest galactic fashion trends, laughed and danced with each other like they had no care in the world. Like there wasn’t a war happening throughout the galaxy–a war that threatened the very comfortability of their lives. Where there was much pain and turmoil in the galaxy, there was none in this room. Anakin was disgusted by this.

The host, an acquaintance named Jackson Wang, lived in an expensive high-rise located in Coruscant’s entertainment district. The three-story apartment was built with the most expensive materials in the galaxy. The windows were composed of reinforced clari-crystalline, and the floor was constructed out of white Wayland marble embedded with specks of Kallistan gems. Gold, shimmery streamers decorated the grandiose columns supporting the apartment, and there was bright, colorful plasto confetti strewn across the floor. The very presence of this room went against the Jedi code–it was an attachment to wealth and materialism. Even if Anakin never joined the Jedi, he still would have found this party revolting. How could people live like this when there was still so much wrong with the galaxy? Slavery, poverty, species discrimination, etc. were all happening under the Republic. Being born a slave radicalized Anakin. It was harder for him to ignore the galaxy’s rampant class differences. It proved to him even further that politicians could not be trusted–because how could they allow such a disparity to run rampant?

Anakin’s eyebrows furrowed as he took in the sight before him. You weren’t sure what he was thinking, but the creases between his eyebrows told you it was nothing positive. You noticed Anakin looked out of place in his humble, dark Jedi attire. You knew this wasn’t his scene, and he might feel out of place, but Anakin insisted on coming. What business did a Jedi have doing at a party like this? “For your protection,” he defended.

“You okay there? You look like you’re about to shoot lightsabers out of your eyes with that glare.” It was true. Anakin’s eyes were a dark, stormy blue right now.

You thought he would have laughed at your stupid joke, but Anakin’s glare only became directed towards you. You shivered in response. His glare was intense which was exacerbated by the scar on his face. His presence exuded authority, it was raw and powerful. You would gladly give into it every time.

“I’m fine. I think this party is ridiculous,” Anakin replied. “Look at all the food just sitting there, no one is eating it, and they’re ignoring the servers. The least they can do is acknowledge the servers. Do you know how many planets are starving out there? Entire systems wiped out by the Separatists? Just for the rich to parade here and let good food spoil.” He scoffed at the end of his sentence.

You had no idea Anakin would feel so strongly about this. However, what Anakin was saying made complete sense. You felt guilty–even if he wasn’t directly speaking about you, these were still your “people.” You always tried your best to not be wasteful and treat all workers respectfully. Even so, it couldn’t be denied that rich people, more often than not, were the opposite of you.

“I agree with you. I don’t know why they order so much food, especially when they know that most people will be too busy drinking, talking, or dancing. Why don’t we make sure that the food doesn’t go to waste by having some?” you offered as a solution. That wasn’t Anakin’s point, but he conceded anyway. The both of you walked towards a table where a pretty spread of food sat like decoration.

After fixing yourselves a small plate of food, you began speaking again. “Thank you, Anakin. You and the Jedi are doing your best to ensure the safety of the Republic and all of the galaxy’s inhabitants. We shouldn’t be allowed to parade here, not while others are struggling to survive.”

“I didn’t intend to insult you. It’s just an observation that I made. You can’t help but become cynical after witnessing war crimes being performed on innocent people.” Anakin was slightly embarrassed. He didn’t mean to group you in with everyone else, especially after you and your team have graciously treated him these last few rotations. But still, he meant what he said.

“How is it being on the battlefield? It must be so hard to be in constant chaos. Anakin, you are so brave, ” you innocently wondered.

Anakin didn’t know how to describe it to a civilian, mainly because Anakin rarely found himself around civilians nowadays. The only civilians he encountered were those who needed saving, those who understood the brutality of war. Anakin knew that not everyone in the Jedi organization agreed with their current roles under the Republic. Some Jedi believed that the Republic was interfering too much with Jedi affairs and that the Jedi should relinquish their roles as generals. Others, including Anakin, believed that the Jedi were too constrained by the Jedi principles and teachings to effectively fight in this war. Though there were many wins for the Republic, almost every loss encountered could’ve been a win, if only the Jedi could see past the teachings for a moment. On top of that, the Senate’s constant feuding and bickering rendered it useless. They could barely fund the war at the moment, hence a select group of Senators decided to host a concert charity benefit to raise credits for the war effort. There was so much uncertainty. If Anakin was certain about one thing, however, it’s that he belonged on the battlefield.

“I hate war…but I love being on the battlefield.” Anakin hesitated for a moment before continuing, “I was a slave, along with my mother, before the Jedi found me. I had only heard of the Jedi. They were mythical to me, they sounded too good to be true.” Anakin never thought he would be revealing this information to another soul, especially not in the middle of a party with one of the galaxy’s biggest singers.

Your breath slightly hitched at Anakin’s confession. A part of your heart shattered, and an overwhelming feeling of empathy and sadness washed over you. Anakin felt the shift in your energy.

“Being a Jedi is an honor, and being on the battlefield allows me to be the type of Jedi that I pictured as a young boy. As a slave, I was subjected to my former owner’s rule, never allowed to act on my own. On the battlefield, I act on my own and make my own decisions. I’m using my power for the greater good, ensuring that the galaxy doesn’t tumble further into chaos and destruction. I can be myself on the battlefield. There’s a sense of independence from everything when it’s just you, your padawan, and your legion. It’s a reminder of how far I have come in life,” Anakin finished with a hard edge to his voice.

“Anakin…I’m so sorry. I didn’t know that you used to be a slave,” You said gently as if the words you spoke were made of glass. Who would have thought that one of the galaxy’s most powerful Jedi used to be a slave? Hearing those words come from Anakin’s mouth shocked you.

“Don’t apologize. You couldn’t have known.” Anakin didn’t want you to feel bad. He looked off to the side, suddenly feeling like his flustered nineteen-year-old self again. This wasn’t information he easily divulged, nonetheless to someone he met only a few rotations ago. Anakin hoped it wouldn’t change your view of him.

You grabbed Anakin’s hand and reassuringly rubbed your thumb on the top of his hand. Your thumb felt the ridges and lines of his veins. “You didn’t deserve that. Neither did your mother–no one ever deserves to be a slave. I’m picturing the young version of you, and my heart is breaking. You were just a child, too innocent and pure to be in that situation. I don’t want you to think I’m pitying you, Anakin. If anything, I think you’re even braver now after learning about your past. Thank you for sharing that with me. It couldn’t have been easy.”

What you were saying was the truth. An image of a small Anakin flashed through your brain. You imagined he had golden hair that illuminated his face like a halo and brilliant blue eyes that contrasted against the rugged, red monochromatic terrain of Tatooine. If Anakin looked like a god now, he must’ve looked like a cherub when he was little. Your awe for Anakin grew tenfold.

He had been dealt life’s shittiest stack of cards and managed to overcome it all.

It was silent for a moment. It’s not that Anakin didn’t want to respond, but he didn’t know how to respond, so he simply nodded. Anakin couldn’t verbalize any words. He felt vulnerable right now. It was as if Anakin responded to your words, it would solidify the fact that he shared one of his deepest secrets with you. He wasn’t ready to confront what that meant, so he stayed silent.

You took note of Anakin’s silence and shifted the conversation to yourself. You understood how daunting it was to reveal a part of yourself that you often kept hidden away.

“Per my contract, I’m not allowed to voice my opinion on anything polarizing. I can’t speak on politics, the economy, war. It was half a shock to the public when the media announced that I would be headlining the benefit concert. On one hand, it made sense because I’m one of the more popular artists in the galaxy right now. On the other hand, people were shocked I was taking a political stance, even if indirectly,” you explained to Anakin. You grabbed a glass of the ambrosia-colored liquid that was stationed next to you and Anakin. It was bitter but had subtle notes of sweetness. You took a few sips before continuing.

“It’s unfortunate that it has to be that way. There are so many times when I wished I could’ve spoken up and used my influence for something that matters. Sometimes I feel like a coward because I see everything happening in the galaxy and I’m voiceless. The truth is I am a coward, just like every other person in this room. We have all this wealth and influence, just to do what? Let it sit in a bank account or spend it carelessly? It’s pathetic. We should be doing more.” Just because you weren’t allowed to publicly speak about certain topics didn’t mean you had no opinions on it altogether.

You took a few more sips of your drink before finishing it. You placed the glass back on the tabletop and gave Anakin a sheepish smile, “I’m rambling now, aren’t I? Sorry about that. I ramble when I get nervous. Anyway, my point is I’m glad that I took the opportunity to headline the benefit. I think my team was slightly against it at first, but after some convincing from the chancellor, they changed their minds and allowed me to do it. People like you, those who have actually witnessed the spoils of war, remind me of why it’s so important to take a stand. I don’t want to be voiceless anymore–not at such a crucial time in politics. If I can’t do the actual fighting, then I’m glad to support those who do by lending my talents. I’ll milk those suckers for all the credits they have.”

Anakin chuckled at your last sentence. He appreciated your sentiment. “Not many can say the same as you. Thank you.”

“There’s no need to thank me, Anakin. I’m just doing what any person in my position should do. I probably pissed off some people, but oh well.”

You heard your name being called from the side. Your conversation was interrupted by your friend, Cressida, a fashion designer from a small mid-rim planet who made a name for herself through her unique and stylish designs. Her skin was dyed pink (you knew her natural skin tone was a lifeless pale), and her hair was coiffed in an elaborate bun with pastel ringlets falling over and small curls sticking to the nape of her neck, appearing messy yet sensual. She came from a planet inhabited by humanoids known for their allure caused by specially produced pheromones.

“Cressida, it’s so lovely to see you! How’s your latest line going?” you faked a smile before greeting her with two kisses on either side of her cheek. Your mother always told you to play nice since playing dirty resulted in getting burned.

“Oh you know, the critics are having a heyday with it. They say I might even win my first fashion award. And who is this? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you before at one of these parties. Our little singer here rarely brings anyone around anymore,” Cressida stated. Her bright green eyes landed on Anakin as if he was something she wanted to lay claim to.

“Friend” was an overstatement. You had known Cressida for around two years, but you wouldn’t consider her a close friend. She was someone you partied with to have fun–a member of your social circle but not your inner circle. You had yet to determine her trustworthiness. While Cressida had never crossed you directly, her catty remarks now and then signaled a radar in your brain.

“This is Anakin Skywalker, a Jedi assigned to watch over me for the upcoming benefit concert,” you explained.

Cressida’s eyes widened slightly. “The Anakin Skywalker? My, you’re even more handsome in person than in the holograms they project on the billboards. I almost didn’t recognize you with that serious look on your face. You shouldn’t glare so much, it’ll only age you faster.”

The fake smile on your face was beginning to hurt. Why did it annoy you so much that she found Anakin handsome? It was an objective fact that most people would agree with. You ignored the nagging feeling in your stomach. You were here to relax your mind and push away the racing thoughts of Anakin from your mind. If Cressida wanted to flirt with Anakin, so be it. It’s not like he could do anything about it, even if he wanted to. Anakin was a temporary occurrence in your life, something that would only last a short time, just to be forgotten as life moves on.

“Nice to meet you, ma’am. And you are?” Anakin responded with a short nod to show his thanks for her compliment. Anakin was used to people fawning over his looks. This wasn’t the first time a stranger, female or male, complimented him mere seconds after meeting him. The compliments did fuel his ego, but he never took them to heart as he only cared about what Padme thought. Now that Padme was gone, he indulged in the occasional compliment. Still, this compliment did not sound right coming from the pink lady in front of him. Cressida looked at Anakin like an object, a feeling he very much detested. It reminded him of the way Watto used to look at him.

“I’m Cressida Calpurnia. I know some people who would love to meet you Anakin,” Cressia announced. “Do you mind if I steal him for a few minutes? I promise I won’t be long. I believe I saw Chione somewhere upstairs waiting for you.” A sickly sweet smile appeared on Cressida’s face as she batted her white eyelashes at you. You knew most people at this party did not give a damn about the war, for they were all vapid and too consumed by the drama in their own lives to think about anything else. It was hypocritical to think, considering you were also one of them, but it was also different because most of the people in this room were nepotism babies born with silver spoons in their mouths. You knew the value of hard work and had some sense of reality, though altered over the last few years as you came into superstardom.

You knew you couldn’t refuse Cressida’s offer. What grounds did you have to refuse? A twinge of childish jealousy? You were afraid if you denied Cressida’s offer, she would think something was happening between you two. The last thing you needed was Cressida’s gossipy mouth spreading a rumor like that to your social circle. You didn’t care if it affected your reputation, but you didn’t know what Anakin’s consequences could be if the HoloNet tabloids captured a rumor like that.

“Well, I can’t speak for Anakin.” You turned towards Anakin and reassured him, “You can go ahead if you want. I think everyone would be excited to meet someone so famous (ironic considering most people in this room were famous or at least famous adjacent). I’ll just go find Chione upstairs.”

Anakin didn’t want to go either. He rather stay by your side the entire night. You were the only reason he went to the party in the first place. Anakin only used the excuse of protection to spend more time with you. You didn’t have much time together left, and Anakin knew that once this mission was done, the Council would send him to the farthest corners of the galaxy. Anakin didn’t know if he would ever be able to see you again, so he wanted to soak up your presence as much as possible. He was about to protest and explain to Cressida that he would prefer to stay with you, but she drew her talons in him before he could speak.

“I promise we don’t bite,” Cressida flirtatiously said before grabbing Anakin by his gloved arm and pulling him toward a couch filled with mutual friends. You mentally swore that you would bite her instead. Cressida’s flirtatious nature normally did not bother you, but she was slowly getting on your nerves now.

Anakin looked over his shoulder and made eye contact with you, an apologetic look gracing his face before he turned his attention to Cressida and walked away with her.

“That nerfherder bitch!” Chione exclaimed to you as you recalled the recent interaction between you and Cressida. You both looked in the refresher’s mirror as you retouched your makeup. You already downed a flute of some fizzy hooch, a warm feeling settling over your stomach as you spoke. Drinking always made you loose-lipped, which is why your best friend was currently cursing Cressida.

“You should just avoid him,” Chione shrugged. You could trust Chione with all your secrets, including your crush on the Jedi. You recounted the dilemma–how attracted you were to Anakin, but you couldn’t do anything about it because the Jedi code forbade any attachments. Your forced proximity to him made the situation worse. You couldn’t escape him over the past few rotations. Each day somehow brought the two of you closer together. It was agonizing. The Maker was cruel and taunting. How dare they throw your life into even more of a whirlwind by introducing Anakin Skywalker? Maybe if Anakin was a regular man, you would have pursued him. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Your whole world has shifted off its hinges since Anakin came into your life. You didn’t know what could fix it, except for Anakin being yours.

“What a load of bantha shit…I don’t know if I can avoid him. That’s what I’ve been telling myself to do! But every time I try, the galaxy pulls us closer. When Gido first told me that they were assigning a Jedi to me, I was scared because I thought it would only bring more trouble. But Anakin…he’s so sweet. We don’t fully know each other yet, but each interaction has brought us closer. I guess I could even consider him a friend. A very handsome friend who I think about more than I should…” you trailed off.

You intentionally left out your earlier conversation with Anakin. Chione didn’t need to know that sensitive information. A deeper part of you disagreed with Chione’s advice; you didn’t want to avoid Anakin, not when you were slowly unraveling the puzzle that he is. You wanted to know him, even if meant you would eventually break your own heart. You hadn’t felt this way about anyone in a few years, and even then, no one had ever made you the same level of intensity that Anakin did. It was intoxicating, and you wanted more of it.

“I love you, but it’s for the best. There’s no way you two could possibly be together. Don’t let yourself fall for him, only for you to be disappointed when he won’t leave the space monks for you. You’re better off finding someone else at this party.” Chione gave you a sad half-smile. You returned her smile with a small eye roll. “I wouldn’t say that if I didn’t mean it.”

Another part of you, a more conscious one, flashed blaring signs in your mind. “Stop! Turn around! Imminent danger ahead!” they said. Perhaps it was out of fear. As much as you wanted to fall head first into Anakin, you didn’t want to deal with his aftermath. When he inevitably leaves, there will be no one to pick up the pieces of your heart. You didn’t even think it was possible to fall for someone so fast. Yet here you were. The signs knew this, and so they warned you of the danger slowly encroaching on your heart–heed Chione’s words.

You knew your best friend was right, even if you didn’t want to admit it out loud. You bit your lip and nodded in agreeance.

Chione then grabbed your head and the two of you walked out of the refresher. You smiled at a few people on the way to the main room. Parties like these were the one of the only few places where you felt normal nowadays. Everyone here was someone, and if they weren’t someone then they were en route to becoming someone. There was a mutual understanding between everyone here–no fawning, no fangirling, and certainly no spilling gossip to the HoloNet. Of course, some people ignored that rule though.

“Wouldn’t that be rude of me to just leave him? I’m the only reason why he’s here. Plus, I don’t want to leave him with Cressida. She’ll dig her claws into him and never let go,” you questioned.

“I don’t know. Anakin appears to be having a great time with Cressida. He’s laughing and smiling,” Chione gestured toward the couch.

You whipped your head toward Anakin’s direction. Chione was right. Anakin was sitting there as he told the story of how he had to crashland on the planet of Mygeeto, only to be met with mastiff phalones. Every single person was focused on Anakin, their eyes never leaving his person. You saw a look of wonder on all of their faces. The feeling of jealousy washed over your body for the second time that night.

You turned away from the sight before it could enrage you anymore. With a nose turned up in the air and a dramatic hair flip, you grabbed Chione again and dragged her to another room in the apartment. If she wanted you to avoid Anakin, fine. You would do exactly that.

You dragged Chione until you reached the new room where lively, upbeat music was playing and a plethora of people danced together.

You quickly grabbed two extra flutes of hooch with your free hand and handed one to Chione. You chugged the flute down, slightly cringing at the taste, before placing it on the silver tray of a server passing by. Chione did the same before hollering, “Let’s dance!”

You shot her a flashy smile, and the two of you made your way into the crowd of energetic, sweaty bodies.

Anakin Skywalker was bored and wanted to get as far away from these people as possible. He thought one or two stories would satisfy their curiosity, but an hour and a half passed since he first sat down and no one was satisfied yet. They wanted to know everything about Anakin. How was life at the Temple? What was it like fighting in the war? Anakin understood their curiosity. He was once a curious boy, and he used to love hearing the tales from the deep space pilots that were stationed on Tatooine. It wasn’t every day that civilians encountered the Jedi, especially now that the Jedi were more off-world than on-world sometimes. It slightly boosted his ego to have an audience so enthralled by him.

At the same time, they all looked at Anakin like a commodity. They didn’t truly care about what Anakin had to say, or about the war at all. He was simply bragging points to them. Everyone would run to their friends and brag about how they met the famous Hero with No Fear after the party ended. Nothing he said would impact them. Whenever you asked Anakin questions about himself, it was different. You were genuine like you wanted to know more about him and not the persona the Republic created. Anakin was captivated by you, which is why he revealed his origins to you earlier. Not even Ahsoka learned the truth about Anakin’s past directly from Anakin–she learned it from Obi-Wan before their mission on Zygerria. Each moment between you two was marked by a saccharine tenderness. It was a type of tenderness that Anakin missed and craved all the time. Despite being a Jedi, Anakin thought of himself as a loverboy. He loved wholly and completely. And although you two were not in love, Anakin could picture himself harboring deep feelings for you. He was at the edge of the cliff, ready to fall into the deep descent of love.

Anakin couldn't escape his current company. His jaw was starting to hurt from fake smiling. As a representative of the Republic and the Jedi organization, he couldn’t exactly be rude towards them just because he wanted to escape and spend time with you. Several times throughout his time on the couch, Anakin saw you interacting with other people as you made your way through the party’s various rooms. Each time he tried to make eye contact with you, you adverted his gaze and turned your attention elsewhere.

You couldn’t possibly be avoiding Anakin, could you? Except for Anakin, it felt like you were avoiding him. You were talking to everyone else but him. Every time he wanted to reach you, he was whisked away into another story. He could have sworn that you purposely turned in the opposite direction every time you made eye contact. But maybe he was overthinking it? Did you see him differently now that you knew he used to be a slave? He felt insecure. No, that couldn’t be it. The way you spoke to him with such empathy signified to Anakin that it wouldn’t affect the way you saw him. He felt it.

Anakin felt paranoid, and he didn’t know why. Why did he care so much anyway? Anakin rationalized with himself. He was supposed to be your protector which is why he was so eager to return to your side. Not because he wanted to talk to you and get to know you more. And definitely not because you were affecting him way more than he would like to admit.

“...so it true that Jedi aren’t allowed to have sex?” asked a Twi’lek woman to Anakin’s left. Anakin’s eyes widened at the question, and a pretty blush rose to his cheeks. Before he could answer, another woman around the couch protested.

“You can’t just ask people that, Almathea! It’s rude…but do you have sex?” she asked with a seductive raise of her eyebrow.

Anakin took this moment as a sign to end the conversation and get back to you. He stood up from the couch in all his 6’2 glory. He was so statuesque, his statue and demeanor demanded attention from everyone he encountered. It was no wonder he was being held hostage by Cressida and her crew.

“My deepest apologies everyone, but I must return to my original duty. I appreciate your curiosity in the Jedi and hope we can cross paths again one day. May the Force be with you all.” Anakin then flashed one last fake smile to the audience before stepping over a few tangled legs and towards the next room. He closed his eyes and narrowed his focus to locate your person. You were still at the party, just in a different room located somewhere in the apartment’s east wing.

The Jedi made his way through the different rooms trying to find you. He passed through people dancing, people playing roulette, some were crying, and some were laughing. It was like a scene from one of Canto Bight’s deluxe, elite casinos. Snippets of gossip and whispers of amazement filtered through Anakin’s ears as he walked closer to your location.

Anakin finally stopped in another room filled with people socializing. The deep baritone notes of a saxophone mixed with a catchy melody danced around the room, shrouding it in a sultry aura. The lighting in this room was low, and the chandelier hanging from the roof was set to the lowest setting possible. If it weren’t for Anakin’s keen eyesight, he almost didn’t make out your figure. Years of dealing with Tatooine’s sandstorms made Anakin’s eyes adept at finding people and objects in otherwise difficult situations. As a child, Anakin always looked toward the colorful fabrics flying at the top of the slave quarters when an incoming sandstorm was happening. If he could find those colorful fabrics flowing in the wind, then Anakin knew he would be safe for another day. Additionally, Anakin had to have a good eye for whenever he worked on his pod racer or tinkered with droid parts.

You were in the far corner of the room, dancing with another male. His hands were on your lower back, resting very closely to your tailbone. Your body was pressed against his and your arms hung tightly around his neck. Anakin couldn’t spot the male’s face because his face was buried in the side of your neck as he whispered something into your ear. Anakin desperately wished he knew what the male was saying to you. You giggled in response. Chione was nowhere to be seen. She separated from you as she conversed with one of her other friends.

Jealousy was the common theme of the night. Earlier in the night, you were jealous at the site of Cressida oogling Anakin. Now, it was Anakin who was jealous. He was jealous that someone else held your attention while Anakin had been craving it all night. Who was this guy? Anakin wondered to himself. Did you have a boyfriend that Anakin didn’t know about? Did he read any signs wrong? Well, there weren’t too many signs to begin with. Anakin did catch one of your stray thoughts from your initial meeting in which you said he was “kriffing gorgeous.” And Anakin may have felt changes in your emotional state around him, but who was he to assume that was because of him? Like that time he was teaching you how to drive your air speeder and he had placed his hands on top of yours as a guide. He felt a spike in your force signature. Everything else consisted of lingering stares, subtle blushes, or conversation Anakin didn’t want to end.

Anakin wouldn’t have been wrong to assume you felt something for him, because you did. He just didn’t know it yet.

The male in front of you was another mutual friend who you met before at a different party. He, Rigel, was a famous musical producer who worked with some of your other musician friends from time to time. Much like Anakin, Rigel had stunning blue eyes. You ran into Rigel with Chione—who decided to play matchmaker by leaving you two alone. You offhandedly mentioned before how you thought Rigel was cute, but that was before Anakin waltzed into your life.

If you were sober, you would’ve never been caught nearly grinding on someone like this in a public place. It may have been a private party, but just one picture could spread rumors like wildfire. You were more media-trained than that. Plus, it wasn’t in your character to randomly become so intimate with another person so quickly. It looks like you took Chione’s advice a little bit too seriously. Well, that was the goal of coming to this party anyway, right?

Truth be told, you could barely understand what Rigel was whispering in your ear. It didn’t matter either way. Your brain was somewhere else, thinking of Anakin. How badly you wanted to grab him by his face and smash your lips together in front of Cressida. You wanted to run your hands through his silky curls. How did he manage to have perfect hair? What type of shampoo and conditioner did Anakin have access to on the field? After you kissed him, you would lead Anakin away from the party and into an empty bedroom where you would lay him on the bed and straddle him then—Wait! What were you thinking? The hooch was having the opposite effect on you. You drank to forget, not to remember. You opened your eyes and furiously blinked as to forget the thoughts. When you closed your eyes again, your brain automatically went to your previous dreamland. It’s almost like you could hear Anakin’s voice from right next to you.

“Excuse me,” interrupted a harsh voice.

You once again opened your eyes only to be met with the site of an annoyed Anakin. You quickly separated yourself from Rigel, who removed his face from your neck and stared unimpressively at the Jedi. Your heart skipped a beat—you weren’t expecting Anakin to appear.

“A-anakin! This is Rigel…” you sheepishly introduced the two. Karking hell, this was so embarrassing! You hated that you were caught in such a compromising position, especially from the person you were trying to avoid. You then pointed to Anakin and took a deep breath before finishing, “Rigel, this is General Anakin Skywalker.” Your body turned into an inferno as the embarrassment rose. You were too drunk for this right now.

The two men sized each other up through their stares before nodding to acknowledge each other.

“We were…um…we were just-“ you stumbled over your words as you tried to find the right ones. Anakin noticed your eyes looked glazed over and a little droopy.

Rigel stepped in to save your sentence. “We were just getting to know each other. Perhaps you can go back to telling your little Jedi stories? I heard they were very entertaining.”

“Perhaps not. Pop star, I believe it’s time we retreat back to your apartment,” Anakin responded with as much sass as possible. Anakin rather freeze alive on Hoth than allow himself to leave you with some seedy character. Anakin asserted dominance by calling you by the nickname he gave to you. He was saying to Rigel that he knew you enough to have a nickname, which was more claim than Rigel had. Not that you were anything to claim, but Anakin’s possessiveness jumped at the sight of you two. Had you told Anakin that you wanted to stay with Rigel, he would’ve left you alone. You were a grown woman after all. However, Anakin’s statement left no room for argument.

You bid Rigel goodbye, before turning to Anakin and hiccupping. You were annoyed. Was this the Maker’s way of telling you that you were meant to be with Anakin? If it was meant to be with Rigel, then it wouldn’t have been interrupted, right? Or was that just your drunk mind trying to rationalize what just happened? It was definitely the latter, you just didn’t recognize it yet.

“Let’s go,” you stated flatly. You began walking. You regretted your choice of wearing such an elaborate floor-length gown, seeing as you had to lift the dress so it wouldn’t drag on the floor. It was no issue earlier, but now that you were drunk, it was becoming a hassle. You couldn’t balance yourself and hold your dress at the same time, especially in the heels you were wearing.

“How much have you had to drink?” Anakin asked as you stumbled to the entrance of the party. Your lipstick was smudged from all the drinks you had, and in your drunken stupor, you failed to reapply it. You couldn’t count how many drinks you downed. Was it seven or ten? It didn’t even matter anymore because five was your usual stopping point.

“I don’t even know. Probably too much for my own good.” You weren’t watching where you were walking as you said that. A piece of your dress slipped under your heel causing you to almost tumble toward the floor. Anakin caught you by your waist before you could fall. It seemed Anakin had a knack for catching you. You straightened yourself off and continued walking.

“Come here for a second,” Anakin said from behind. He stood with his weight on one side, hips beckoning you toward him.

“Why? I thought it was time for us to go,” you rebuttal.

“It’s in your best interest to come back, not mine.”

You turned around and faced Anakin with a sassy look on your face. He only bent down and grabbed a hold of your ankle, “If you must know, I’m doing you the pleasure of taking off your footwear so that you can walk in comfortably. You’ve had too much to drink to walk in these without injuring yourself.” He was talking about a few moments ago when you almost faceplanted into the floor.

Instead of being grateful for Anakin’s chivalry, you decided to tease him instead. It was the only way you knew how to react to his kindness without instantaneously combusting. You were embarrassed still, but you tried to push those feelings aside. You hated dwelling on embarrassment—sometimes it was best to move on without acknowledgment.

“Why do you speak like that?” you asked with a tilt of your head.

Anakin was confused by your question, “Speak like what?”

“You know. You speak so…melodramatic. Like everything you’re saying is a declaration. Your cadence is so fancy. Why If I didn’t know you were a Jedi, I would mistake you for a wealthy socialite,” you giggled. “It’s quite funny actually. You belong on the Opera stage, ready to declare to the entirety of Coruscant. You would be the Hero of the play.”

Anakin looked at you with a deadpan stare. “Do I really speak like that?” It’s something he had never noticed before. Obi-Wan’s mannerisms must’ve rubbed off on Anakin more than he noticed. As you were speaking, Anakin was undoing the straps of your heels. “Well, If I’m the hero, then you must be the damsel in distress.”

You cleared your throat and began mimicking Anakin again, “I do suppose that you speak like that. Why I go by Anakin Skywalker, and I’m a Jedi Knight. I’ve been on many perilous journeys, but the most perilous of them all has been to watch you. No battle droid or distant planet could compare to the chaos of handling an intergalactic singer.” You tried replicating the huskiness and cadence of Anakin’s voice. Instead, it came out sounding like you were recovering from a nasty cough. You poked fun at yourself too.

Anakin laughed at your brazen attempt to make fun of him. He dropped your ankle and grabbed your heels. They hung by their straps as his fingers gripped them with care.

“Very funny. Are you sure you weren’t written by a playwright? You should be more comfortable now that we’ve removed these atrocious heels. You should be able to walk without any hassle now.” You didn’t get a chance to say thank you to Anakin as he started walking toward the entrance.

You lingered behind for a second, taking in the moment. Anakin was too sweet. It was an action so simple yet it had your heart bursting all the same.

Anakin turned around when he felt you weren’t next to him. “Where are you going, pop star?”

You sent Anakin a small smile before responding, “Sorry, I’m coming.” You began walking to him. The two of you exited the party and walked toward the landing bay, where your airspeeder was patiently waiting for you.

When you and Anakin got home, it was dark. The apartment lights were off. The only light that filtered through were the lights from Coruscant’s skyline. A delicate moonlight washed over the apartment, creating a serene and safe atmosphere.

You felt exhausted. The effects of the alcohol wore down on the way home, and you were mostly silent. Chinone left you a message stating she got home safely, so you had nothing to worry about.

You recalled tonight’s events as you rested your eyes. From the intimate moment with Anakin at the start of the party, your scathing feelings toward Cressida, to Chione telling you to forget Anakin, and then being caught with another male by Anakin. Your head was all over the place, and the fast pace of the airspeeder did not help. You would have a lot to think about in the morning. You just wanted to get home for now and drift into Lalaland.

The speeder came to a slow halt as Anakin lowered the vehicle onto your landing platform. He helped you out of the speeder and the two of you went inside your apartment. This night completely drained you and you wanted nothing more than to go to sleep.

Before retreating to your room, you wanted to say one more thing to Anakin.

“Anakin? I just wanted to give you my thanks—not only for coming to the party with me but for opening up and not letting me go home with Rigel. And for the heels,” you confessed

“It was no issue. That’s what my job is for—ensuring your comfort and protection for the time being.”

“Still…thank you. When you first came here, I was scared that it would bring trouble, but you’ve been nothing but helpful and kind. Your mother raised you well.”

In one final act, you leaned and placed a gentle kiss on Anakin’s cheek. You let your lips linger for a moment before separating. You would tell yourself it was the last remaining bits of alcohol in your system tomorrow, but you knew better than that. It was an intentional act you hoped could convey your feelings when you could verbally not.

i saw someone on tiktok say they saw jackson wang host a party in a harry potter fanfic and somelse commented they made jackson wang a senator in their star wars fanfic so i thought i would do the same...iykyk

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