#do prefer green and herbal teas to black but I like chai just not over the moon about it unless it’s kashmiri chai Then

[cabeswaterdrowned]

me hating almost all mint flavored things but loving mint tea soo much… make it make sense

[lees-chaotic-brain]

hooray!! congrats on the good news, i hope the streak continues!

okay i'm glad you won't be uncomfortable with the stuff i interact with. i didn't bother with any warnings on my blog bc i'm mostly here to consume things and don't expect too many people to wander by lol. but! since i have been coming out of my lil lurker basement lately i finally at least added a color scheme to it so i look less like a bot.

oh man oh man where to start on tea and jackets? what are your go-to's for either? i'm kind of a tea purist-i prefer tea the east asian (chinese/japanese/korean) way, just pure tea leaves and occasional aromatics with no additional sugar or cream unless i'm specifically making a milk tea. i don't really like herbal teas. i want that camellia sinensis in my shit. my default tea rn is probably hojicha. i made a sunrise burnt basque hojicha cheesecake and though the layers didn't come out as cleanly as i wanted it tasted lovely. a tumblr friend on here inspired me to try out the burnt basque with a FANTASTIC green thai tea i have next! (if you're in the market for the green thai tea and are usa-based i cannot recommend it enough. it's so unique bc green thai is uncommon in the states already, and most of it comes from the powder packets but the one i have is all whole ingredients, no extracts or dye or flavor enhancements and it is DIVINE. sooo fragrant with pandan and vanilla and mint. i will scarf down anything with pandan in it but this is especially lovely)

i basically only own leather jackets or blazers, i have an embarassing amount of both. i did just do a closet purge with a friend's help though and i am proud of say i got rid of like, 16 college-era (p)leather jackets and blazers that had seen better days/are no longer in style

ty for sticking around for my D1 yapping!

dw abt it LMAO. it's not super apparent, but if you look close enough you can see my inner hoe poking through in my tags, so yes. i definitely consume smut and dark content and am looking forward to seeing your stuff on my dash 🤭

omg and for tea? i literally drink any and all kinds of tea. so again, if you've been on my blog long enough/look closely i'm pretty sure i've mentioned it before but i'm half korean, and i while i love all kinds of tea, the tea my mom made for me are nostalgic and bring me comfort. i almost always drink my teas plain (chai being the only exception) or with a little bit of honey.

i LOVE herbal teas. i can't really drink a ton of caffeine with my adhd meds or i genuinely start tweaking. like twitching and all that shit, so i normally drink other teas even though i really enjoy green and black teas :')

THAT TEA AND CHEESECAKE BOTH SOUND SO GOOD OMG

i'm a sucker for jackets and boots, and while i don't have too many, i definitely own a few, but i'll probably reblog this post and rant about them later lmao

if you're interested, here is a comprehensive list of my top ten favorite teas (in no particular order), how i drink them, and why. thank you for attending my lecture.

1. you are so right about hojicha. i love green tea, but my absolute favorite variation of green tea is nokcha. i love the extra flavor the brown rice brings to it. i normally drink it plain, but if i'm feeling fancy i'll steam a little milk and add a drizzle of honey

2. this definitely isn't korean, but when i was little my mom would make me this tea and it was so, so, so, good. it's basically just a stick of cinnamon, some apples slices up, orange and lemon peel, and a little bit of honey boiled together for like an hour. it's literally my favorite thing to drink in the fall bc it just warms me up from the inside

3. oksusu-cha. it's basically a korean tea made from roasted corn kernels and i really, really, like it. it's different from a lot of teas in the sense that it's almost savory, but its taste is very unique and almost earthy? idk how to describe it but i highly recommend trying it. i always drink it plain, but pouring it over heukmi bap (korean purple rice) and eating is also amazing

4. earl gray. i know this one is very british and different from the rest of the teas i drink, but i love having a cup of it once in a while! i drink it black sometimes, but i'll also drink it with either lemon and honey, or a little milk and honey

5. chamomile my love. i love love love a nice cup of chamomile before bed while i'm reading a book! i almost always drink it plain, but if i'm on my period i add a spoonful of honey

6. hibiscus tea. while this isn't necessarily my favorite taste wise, it brings back a lot of memories from when i was little and would go to a cafe with my mom. not to say i don't enjoy the flavor, it's just a little too sweet and a little too tart for me to drink a lot of

7. gyulpi cha. it's a korean citrus peel tea (not unlike #2) and it's really, really, good. i always drink it plain.

8. chai. this is the only type of tea i drink with a ton of stuff in it. i'm currently boycotting starbucks, but i love their iced chai latte with sweet cream foam. during fall i normally get it with some pumpkin flavoring lol. however i barely consider the drink tea at this point lmao

9. lavender tea. i absolutely love a cup of lavender tea before bed. i always drink it plain, and think the scent is so calming!

10. and finally lilac tea. i love lilacs. growing up we had a massive lilac bush and the smell always brings me back. i really enjoy its subtly sweet and floral flavor, and always drink it plain.

anyways, that's it for the tea lmao.

[empressofdiamonds]

A rough guide to tea

Whatever the quality of your tea is, or the teaware you're using, a good preparation will help things immensely.

Steep at the EXACT time indicated, or a bit less for cheaper teas as they tend to be very bitter.

Reheat your teapot with hot water to wash off residues of soap (if you do wash them, more about that later), and reheat the teaware (so it doesn't cools down and gives a subpar brew). The water temperature will be more stable too.

For black tea, the water should be ABSOLUTELY boiling, like, one second off the stove to pour into the teapot. It is NECESSARY to reheat the teaware beforehand.

Green tea will be fine with steaming biskly water, or you can boil it, then pour into the (reheated!) teapot wait one minute then add the leaves.

I'm personally not such a fan of white tea but if you want to prepare it, it should be about at the same water temperature as green tea, except that white tea is so much more sensitive to higher temperatures, so don't rush!

If you purchase flavored teas, make sure they're of high quality, it's worth shelling a few more bucks to get a good enjoyable product than suffering through a ton of cheaper subpar chemical-tasting product. David's Tea is terrible for flavored teas....

You can stick old vanilla pods (that have been thoroughly used up!) Into flavored black tea tins to give some depth of taste. Green teas could work well with this but I haven't tried this yet.

Same thing with (bio) orange peels, lemon peels, mandarin peels.

If you're bored of plain tea, try adding marmalade jam to black tea, or strawberry jam too.

Give DIY chai teas a shot! There's plenty of recipes out there and it allows you to adjust spices you like and don't like. And wayyyyy cheaper than buying it readymade.

You can actually reuse the same old leaves up to about three times, especially good teas. Every brew will taste different, in good or bad ways, but give it a shot.

If you love green tea, PLEASE give gyokuro tea a shot. It's too tier stuff mwah.

When you serve tea to guests, always give them the first pour: it is the most flavorful, and doesn't has the bitter bits the last cup has. I just consider it politeness, and I want them to enjoy the greatness of tea.

Loose tea is almost always better than bagged tea. It is a pain to clean out, I know, but some shops carry those nifty tea bags you can fill yourself. Bagged tea uses the tea dust/chips byproducts from making higher quality tea.

Chinese, Indian and Japanese teas are radically different in taste. If you don't like Chinese teas, give Japanese teas a shot and so on.

You don't need fancy teaware to enjoy tea, use the stuff YOU like and enjoy. I drink my own tea out of a cat mug I freaking love, some purists would be offended at my choice but... It's my home, my drink, and my enjoyment. Have fun!

If you want to choose a teapot, consider how much you drink (do you prefer to have small portions? Big mugs of tea? The teapot for each will be different.), And ask if possible to test the flow (some specialized shops will have no issue, don't ask this in normal cookingware shops they'll look at you weird hahahah), a good teapot will flow out smoothly without spilling, a bad teapot you'll have difficulty pouring out neatly. And you don't wanna a bad teapot, it takes out of the tea enjoyment!

"raw" clay teapots should NEVER ever be cleaned out and exclusively used for tea (no milk, no sugar). They absorb the tea flavor over time and they become better over time. Rinse out those teapots after use and air dry them right away. Don't leave them "dirty" for days...

A lot of the hot water spouts for tea (those machines where you pull a level to get hot water) are not hot enough for black tea, but are fine for green tea.

If you have difficulty sleeping, don't drink any tea in the afternoon and switch to herbal blends. People say it's fine to have caffeine drinks in the afternoon but some people's bodies have more difficulty processing the caffeine, and may take longer to do so.

[obeythedemons]

ok wait i know you mentioned you like strong black teas but i was curious if you have a favorite? like fave brand or type of black tea etc. personally i'm a loose leaf earl grey fan, though i grew up drinking more green tea than anything, and i def take wayyy more sugar in my tea than most people would tolerate 😅. idk feel free to use this ask to talk about tea as much as you want lol

also i'm loving your barbatos/lance content!! they're always v sweet and funny and they're nice to read when life is being blegh

~ @barbatosmybeloved

Okay, so I do love loose leaf tea the most, because you have more control over it than bagged tea, but I usually do use bagged tea because that's what I typically have access to. I do also prefer certain brands, but the pandemic has made it difficult to actually find things in stock - so I'm cool with getting whatever I can.

As for favorite teas - that depends on what I'm eating, the weather, my mood, and how my body is feeling.

Generally, for breakfast, I eat non-sweet pastries like butter croissants. With that, I enjoy drinking raspberry black iced tea. The fruity sweetness of the tea pairs well with the food. Though, I am going to try make peach iced tea soon and see how that goes with it :)

During the day, if I'm at home, and especially if it's cold, I enjoy drinking earl grey tea with vanilla extract, honey, and milk. It's basically a London fog - just without the shot of espresso. I can't stand coffee, so I leave that out.

If it's hot outside, and I don't want iced tea, I enjoy drinking green tea. I'll also drink green tea if I have a headache or if I'm stressed out. My favorites are jasmine green tea and green tea with lemon and honey.

If I'm having issues with asthma, I'll typically have black tea with honey or an herbal blend with honey - depending on the time of day. The black tea's typically earl grey or English breakfast.

If I want iced tea, I'll go with a fruity black tea, an unsweetened black tea, or oolong. I don't really like green tea when it's cold.

Herbal teas and chai teas are a hit or a miss with me. It has to be the right flavors for me to enjoy it. I also have to be super careful with teas, because a lot of them will have stuff I'm allergic to - cherries/chocolates. I guess they could have dates?? I just learned I'm allergic to that, so I never paid attention to whether or not teas have dates in them.

I don't like putting actual sugar in any of my teas. If I'm going to sweeten my tea, I'd rather do it with fruit or honey.

It's not tea, it was actually green coffee beans, but Starbucks used to make the very berry hibiscus refreshers. That was one of my go to drinks. They no longer make it ;_;

And thank you so much! I'm glad people like my Barbatos/Lance stories. I have fun writing them.

[rejaytionships]

1, 7, 9, & 10 ~ rebeccaselfships

(for this one i'll do albert wesker and excella gionne!!! <3)

---

(1) When they eat, are they a salt lover type of person or do they have a sweet tooth?

Although she wouldn't immediately tell you, Excella's got a bit of a sweet tooth, particularly for dark chocolate and salted caramels. Sometimes as a gift I'll get her a box of gourmet chocolates which she seems to appreciate! Albert has a very refined palette in terms of food, but he leans more toward salt lover than sweet tooth. He tends to prefer food with a bit of spice as well, which thankfully he's with two people who are fine with spicy food.

(7) What flower/plant/etc reminds them of you and vice versa?

When I think of Excella, three flowers come to mind. The first is the jasmine flower, since it's a beautiful flower used in decoration and also it has a scent used popularly in perfume. It feels like an elegant flower, just like her. The second is the white amaryllis for its radiant beauty, which only underestimates how I feel of her. The third is the red azalea, a symbol of elegance and wealth. When she thinks of me, the first to mind is a lavender. It's a calming flower, representing peace; coming together really helped soothe her once she took her walls down. The second is blue hydrangea, great for weddings but also it symbolizes forgiveness and honest intent. She was scared to trust me at first, and it led to her initially being cold and distant, but eventually she learned to warm up and didn't want me thinking she truly despised me anymore. When I think of Albert, I think of the red azalea, same as Excella. The second is the red calla lily, as it symbolizes not only admiration and courage, but a passionate love. The third would have to be the purple crocus, representing spring and rebirth, sent to loved ones who will notdeter from the pursuit of their goals. When he thinks of me, the first to mind is the red aster flower, as it symbolizes undying devotion, which he can translate to how the two of us have managed to stay together after having spent so much time apart after the Arklay Mansion incident. The second is the pink hibiscus. Although it can mean all types of love and passion, he also knows it's my favourite flower.

(9) How do they like their favorite coffee/tea or meal? How do you like yours?

All three of us drink coffee or tea depending on the mood. In terms of coffee, Excella loves treating herself to a cappuccino, or sometimes a marocchino if she's having a particular chocolate craving. Albert tends to take his coffee black, nothing more. I prefer iced mochas or sometimes a caramel latte. In terms of tea, Excella drinks either green teas or sometimes chai teas. Albert prefers black teas like earl grey or pu-erh. I myself enjoy the more fruity or herbal teas, either a cherry-hibiscus tea or a chamomile, either with added honey.

(10) What things do you both have in common/like to bond over?

Excella and I initially bonded over our surprise on how after eight years of not seeing Albert, he was so quickly able to bounce back into the relationship he and I had put aside. Eventually, I started getting invested in her talks about fashion, and she likes dressing me up from time to time (and I like doing the same to her)! She was a genetic engineering major and also works for a pharmacutical company, so we also talk about our research and what got us into our love of science, although I picked it up a lot later in life than she did. Albert's similar in the fact that he also works with Excella and has a degree in virology, so we also tend to talk about our research. Back in the STARS era we'd also discuss our lives in the military, him for the army and myself for the navy, although at least for me it was NROTC to help pay off college debt. We also like watching those game shows on television, especially Albert who loves getting the answer immediately and making petty remarks about those who don't get the answer as fast as he does.

[the-literalist]

Spare Me Some Time (11)

Pairing: USUK

Word Count: 4526

Summary: Alfred Jones is as poor as they get, living homeless on the streets. He is the type of man that high-paid businessman Arthur Kirkland would never spare a passing glance, but that’s about to change.

Link to the full story on AO3

Alfred hadn’t been to a Starbucks in forever. He thought that the coffee was pretty decent, but it was way too expensive and so he tended not to splurge on a drink he could get somewhere else for half the cost. They did offer some pretty interesting flavors though, all equally sweet and delicious, and Alfred felt his mouth watering just roaming his eyes over the menu posted on the wall.

He finally decided on a decadent chocolate Frappuccino, piled high with whipped cream and syrup drizzled over the top. Oh man, he was going to enjoy this to the very last drop. When was the last time he had a treat like this? He almost couldn’t believe that Arthur actually proposed to come here, it seemed like the man had never set foot in a Starbucks before.

Alfred watched Arthur with humored interest; the shorter man had spent a great deal of time racking his eyes over the menu only to grow more and more irritated (no doubt because he couldn’t find his desired tea as an option).

“Excuse me,” Arthur called out to the barista who had been waiting for him to pick something and pay. “Where is your tea selection? I don’t want a chai latte tazo whatever-the-hell! I just want a normal tea, hot – as it should be. None of that iced crap!” 

The barista stared at him, unimpressed, and blinked slowly. “We have plenty of choices,” she stated while bringing up a box full of different brands. “Green, black, white, herbal – take your pick.”

Arthur murmured a “that’s more like it” under his breath before taking the box from her and rummaging through it.

Alfred stood off to the side with his drink already made, watching the line gradually get longer and longer behind Arthur. He knew by now that Arthur was a no-shame kind of guy, he probably didn’t care that people were waiting. Unfortunately, the barista did.

“Sir, have you decided yet?” she asked with a rushed inclination, gesturing vaguely to the box in Arthur’s hands.

He narrowed his eyes at her. “This is a very delicate procedure. If I pick the wrong tea, it could completely ruin the rest of my day. We wouldn’t want that, now would we?” He picked up two different tea bags and studied them closely.

Alfred had to bite his lip from chuckling at the barista’s reaction, she looked like she was ready to explode.

“Sir,” she tried, “please pick one!”

“Fine, you inconsiderate slag. I’ll take this herbal one then,” he said while thrusting the tea bag in front of her. Alfred’s eyebrows shot up, damn Arthur was nasty sometimes!

She took it in a huff and then got a cup from the side. “Name?”

“Beg your pardon?”

Alfred leaned in close to Arthur, “She needs your name to write on the cup.”

The Englishman hummed in reply, “It’s Arthur.”

The barista looked at him, “Author?”

He frowned. “No. Arthur.”

“Oh I’m sorry, I can’t understand your accent. Can you repeat that again?” Alfred covered his mouth to hide his giggles. The barista was totally fucking with him and he couldn’t say that Arthur didn’t deserve it. That’s what happens when you treat workers in New York City rudely.

And Arthur looked more pissed then ever. “My accent is perfectly understandable thank you! You need to get your hearing checked. And you know what, make that Mr. Kirklandto you.”

The barista looked at him with an unreadable expression. “Of course, Mr. Kirkland,” she said with false innocence while scribbling the name on the cup.

After paying for the two drinks and finally allowing the next couple in line to order, Alfred and Arthur moved to the side.

“So it’s your first time in a Starbucks?” Alfred asked, already knowing the answer. “Yes, and my last! I suggested going here because I always hear how obsessed Americans are with the place. God only knows why...I just thought you’d prefer this to other cafes.” He pointed down to the giant Frappuccino in Alfred’s hands, “and I doubt you’d be able to find that monstrosity elsewhere. It looks disgusting by the way.” Alfred pouted, “Hey! Don’t judge! This shit is delicious, you gotta try it.” He held it out to Arthur who put his hand up in disgust.

“No thanks, I’ll wait for my tea while you subject your body to diabetes.”

“Rude,” Alfred stuck his tongue out at him.

Finally a different barista placed a ready-made hot tea on the counter and called out, “Mr. Cockland? Tea for Mr. Cockland?”

Alfred’s face scrunched up before he burst out laughing. Arthur on the other hand turned bright red. Then he whirled his head around to the register where the first barista was. She looked at him and gave the sweetest smile before turning back to the client she was helping.

Arthur’s eye twitched. He grabbed his drink off the counter and then grabbed Alfred’s shirt to drag him out of the coffee shop.

When they were safely outside and Alfred’s laughter died down, he took a moment to appreciate just how angry the other man looked. “C’mon, you have to admit that was funny.”

“No it was not! It was inappropriate, and uncalled for I might add. She’s lucky I don’t report her,” he tapped his foot irately.

Alfred rolled his eyes, “Yeah but you were kind of a douchebag.”

“What are you saying? That I deserved it?” Arthur narrowed his piercing green eyes at him, and it reminded Alfred so much of a few days earlier when Arthur had yelled at him for trying to return his money.

He tried to hide the sudden stab of dejection. “I’m just saying you should be nicer to people, especially when their job is to serve you. You shouldn’t act like you’re better than them, that’s all. Everyone deserves respect…servers, waiters…even the homeless,” he tacked on.

The other man started to fidget uncomfortably, mulling over Alfred’s words. He turned the cup over in his hands to look at the name ‘Mr. Cockland’ written across it in big black letters. Finally he let out a heavy sigh and raked a hand through his hair. “You’re right. I…need to work on that don’t I?”

Alfred gave him a small smile and stated encouragingly, “Don’t worry, I can help you.”

“You think you can reverse three decades of mistrust and egotism thrust on me by my family and friends?”

Alfred beamed at him, undaunted. “Of course!”

His positivity must have been infectious because Arthur smiled back at him. “Okay then. Before we start training,” he started jokingly, “why don’t we sit and enjoy our drinks?” He motioned to the outdoor seating area, where there was an empty table with two chairs.

“Sure,” Alfred affirmed as they made their way over and sat down.

Arthur snorted, “So is this what Americans do to pass time? Buy overpriced coffee and talk aimlessly for hours?”

The younger man tapped his chin in fake thought, “Hmmmm well yeah, mostly the chicks though. Or people on dates.” Shit, he did not mean to say that last part. He didn’t let Arthur ponder his words before asking quickly, “Why, what do British people do?”

“Go to a pub of course, I must say I’d fancy a pint after that interaction with the barista…” He put his elbow on the table and held his chin in his hand.

“Hahaha! It’s too early to drink!”

Arthur looked at him incredulously before asserting, “It’s nevertoo early to drink.”

Alfred couldn’t tell if he was kidding but it seemed like he wasn’t. He mentally added ‘heavy drinker’ to his steadily-growing list of things he knew about the Englishman.

“You Brits must really like your liquor,” he said amusingly.

“Oh you don’t know the half of it. I could drink anyone under the table in my hometown,” Arthur stated confidently with a smirk on his face.

Alfred smirked back at him. “Impressive. I’m not a huge drinker though, I’ll leave that to you.” He threw in a wink for good measure.

“Well that’s a shame… so you don’t know of any good pubs around here then?”

“Um no not really, I’ve never really been to a pub actually, I prefer clubs so I can dance. Pubs just make me think of tiny, dimly lit bars that serve fish and chips with beer. Not really my thing.”

Arthur did not look happy. And he was definitely pouting. “That’s not all that pubs have to offer! Especially in England! I don’t know what kind of crap goes on here but there has to be an authentic English pub somewhere in this godforsaken city.”

Alfred laughed. “You’re probably right. We’ll just have to do a bar crawl one night to find the best English pub!”

The Englishman contemplated this before nodding in agreement.

They went on to discuss other topics, from their alcoholic drinks of choice to their college experiences, to favorite subjects in school, and Alfred even got Arthur to open up about his childhood a bit!

An hour and a half had gone by before Alfred started thinking more and more about how much it felt like a date. The two of them, sitting outside enjoying the sunny weather talking and laughing and generally enjoying each others’ company. It was exciting of course, but he also didn’t know if his companion felt the same attraction. He still didn’t even know if the man swung that way! Alfred had let his sexuality slip the night before, but Arthur hadn’t alluded to his own preferences, and Alfred wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

It was also weird that Arthur was paying for everything. Alfred felt bad about it, of course, but it wasn’t like he had any money anyway and Arthur clearly had the funds and had no qualms with spending it. The guy was seriously loaded. And Alfred was only a little bit jealous.

If he had that kind of money he was be donating it to charities to give back to the community. Of course he had nothing against the Englishman about spending his own money however he wanted… it was just interesting seeing the contrast between their two upbringings and lifestyles. Alfred had never been on a date with someone posh, or ‘bougie’, or whatever. He tended to go for the tamer, quieter, and laid back men – the ones who had a few part time jobs and preferred to play video games rather than go to work.

Arthur wasn’t like that at all. He was hot-headed, quick-witted, and devoted to the painstaking time and effort to do good work. Alfred could tell the man was a force to be reckoned with. And, for some reason, he really liked it. He liked that Arthur was sarcastic and honest and spoke his mind even when he probably shouldn’t. He liked that the man acted all tough and fierce one second but the next turned all wide-eyed and adorable the next second.

Speaking of his eyes, they were just gorgeous. Green eyes were rare in general but Arthur’s were absolutely mesmerizing. The way the light was reflected in the little gold flecks of his irises captivated Alfred and he couldn’t stop staring, watching Arthur talk animatedly until he paused and gave Alfred a weird look.

“Well?”

Alfred shook his head to redirect his attention; he had completely zoned out. “Huh? Sorry, what’d you say?”

“I asked if you wanted to move on to the suit shopping?”

“Aw but I was having so much fun here!”

“You weren’t even listening to me while I was speaking!” Arthur shouted, scowling at him.

“I sorta was,” he giggled, shrugging his shoulders and radiating innocence.

“My arse you were,” was the response. He abruptly stood up, grabbing the long-finished cups off the table and tossing them in the garbage. “Are you coming or not?”

“Yeah yeah hold your horses,” Alfred replied whilst standing and stretching his arms up to the sky.

They weaved their way through the people sitting and chatting and started down the street. Arthur was using the GPS on his phone in order to find the ‘perfect’ place to buy nicely tailored suits and Alfred followed his lead.

After only walking a few blocks, Arthur came to a halt in front of a store with a name that Alfred couldn’t pronounce. There were luxurious tuxedos on perfectly posed mannequins in the window and even the tiny light bulbs in the display case looked expensive. Alfred’s stomach dropped. This was the kind of store he wouldn’t spare a passing glance; he didn’t belong here!

Arthur held the door open and when he noticed that Alfred was not inching any closer, he dragged him inside whispering “it’ll be fine”.

The place was a lot bigger than it looked. Tons of suits lined the walls, sorted by color and style. There was a section for wedding suits, professional suits, everyday suits – what the heck was an everyday suit?? It was very overwhelming, and Alfred couldn’t help but feel extremely out of place surrounded by such affluent clothing.

A clerk spotted the two men and approached them. “How can I help you two today?”

Arthur took the lead. “Well, we were hoping to find a classic suit for him,” he gestured to Alfred with a nod.

The clerk responded, “Very well, follow me please.” He brought them to a long line of suits toward the back of the shop, a varying array of blues and blacks poking out from the rack.

Alfred gulped. They all looked exactly the same! How was he supposed to pick one?

Thank god Arthur seemed to know the “ins and outs” of suit shopping. After pulling a bunch of suits from the rack and discussing with the clerk which would be the most appropriate for a typical work setting, he ushered Alfred along to the changing room to try them on.

He stared at himself in the big mirrors lining all sides of his dressing room, feeling caged and uncomfortable. In the brightness of the contained space he could see his body so clearly. Like the bags under his eyes and the gauntness of his face. He removed his shirt and examined the way his ribs bulged out. He had never looked so ugly, he decided. The lackluster eyes and pale skin was nothing reminiscent of how he used to look. Something had to change; he couldn’t go on looking like hallowed version of himself.

“Everything okay in there?” he heard Arthur ask from the other side of the closed door.

“Uh huh, hold on,” Alfred took the first suit off the hanger and quickly began to change, praying it wouldn’t look overly baggy on his emaciated figure.

He carefully stepped out of the changing room in a dark blue jacket and matching dress pants, awaiting a reaction from the Englishman.

Arthur looked pensive, with a hand on his chin in thought as he assessed Alfred’s outfit.

It was making him kinda nervous.

“Sooo, what do you think?”

Arthur came forward to button the first button on the jacket, and to hike up the pants so they weren’t hanging so low off Alfred’s hips. Alfred managed to not overtly blush at the manhandling, just letting Arthur tweak and correct any imperfections he saw.

At last he sighed and shook his head. “No, I’m afraid that look just doesn’t quite work for you. Let’s try the next.”

Alfred let out a sigh of his own, he had been secretly hoping for the ‘one and done’ kind of shopping trip but alas, the universe was not on his side today. He begrudgingly returned to the dressing room to try on the next suit, which turned into the next suit, which turned into the next…like seriously, Arthur was so picky! It wasn’t Alfred’s fault that he couldn’t rock the professional look like his British companion could.

When he finally emerged with one of the only remaining suits left to try on, he was expecting Arthur to turn it away like all the others, but instead Arthur’s eyes widened and he leaned forward.

“Ah! That one! It exudes classiness and sensibility. It’s bloody perfect. Finally, my god I thought we were never going to find one.” He smiled so beautifully at Alfred then that the taller man’s heart skipped a beat.

“Y-you really think so?” Alfred asked. Curse his stammering.

“Yes! It fits you exceptionally well,” he turned to a clerk in a nearby aisle. “Excuse me sir, we would like some advice on this suit that he has on. Do you think it needs to be hemmed at all?”

The dark-haired clerk came over to them before stopping abruptly.

“Alfred…is that really you?”

Oh shit. It was his old coworker and good friend, Kiku! What the hell was he doing working in this store?

He couldn’t keep that question to himself apparently. “Kiku oh my god! Long time no see! What are you doing here??” He put his hand out which Kiku took as the two shared a friendly handshake.

“Ah, I work here now. I stopped working at the videogame company only a little bit after you left. You were right about that place – so hostile and unpleasant.”

“I know right! I guess it’s a good thing you weren’t there for much longer after I got the boot, I bet you were hella bored,” he laughed merrily.

Kiku smiled tight and warm in response and then changed the subject. “I am surprised you are here in a suit, Alfred. This must be a very special occasion. Are you going to an event with your boyfriend?”

Alfred blushed from ear to ear as he looked to Arthur frantically. “Ohh no no hahaha he’s not- this is just my friend, Arthur! Sorry I totally forgot to introduce you guys.”

The Japanese man looked embarrassed as well. “Oh I’m very sorry, I should not have assumed anything,” he turned to Arthur and bowed slightly. “It is nice to meet you.”

Arthur lowered his head a bit as a show of courtesy. “Pleasure to meet you, Kiku.”

The blue-eyed man looked between the two, thrilled that one of his best friends and his newest friend were getting along nicely, albeit a tad awkward at the ‘boyfriend’ mention.

“The suit isn’t for an event of any kind, by the way. We were looking for something he could wear in a professional setting,” Arthur began, steering the conversation back to the reason they were in the store in the first place. “How do you think it fits him?”

Kiku approached Alfred to measure the lengths of the sleeves and pant legs against his body, and Alfred didn’t miss the frown at his Japanese friend’s lips. Suddenly nervous, he pulled absentmindedly at the lapels of the jacket. “Well? Do I look good or what?” He laughed anxiously.

“I believe it is a good fit for you. If the pants feel too long, I will recommend getting a little trimmed at the bottom, but I do not think it is necessary. With the proper shoes, I think this suit is a good match.”

Alfred looked to Arthur for his approval as well so he could finally get this damn thing off and into the regular comfortable clothes that were beckoning him from inside the changing room.

At last he was permitted to change and when he emerged, he carried the pristine suit over his arm, trying his best not to wrinkle or tamper it, lest he incur the Englishman’s wrath (and perhaps his Japanese friend’s wrath as well, though that was much rarer).

The two men had been engaging in small talk but stopped once Alfred was in front of them.

“Shall I get this paid for then?” Arthur questioned as he took the suit from Alfred’s arm.

“How expensive is it?” Whoops, didn’t mean to let that one slide out.

Arthur fished the price tag out of the fold and glanced down. “Not too bad, especially for this label, definitely worth it.” With that, he turned on his heel and headed to the register.

Alfred narrowed his eyes before he turned to Kiku. “How much is that suit?” He knew his friend wouldn’t lie to him, and now he had to know.

The shorter man looked uncomfortable. “It is around five hundred and fifty dollars.”

Blue eyes widened to abnormal proportions. “F-fi…five HUNDRED? Oh my god… That is literally insane. I can’t believe he’s doing this,” he murmured the last part mostly to himself but Kiku heard it anyway.

“Your friend is buying that for you? He is very generous,” there was a question of ‘why’ hanging in the air between his words but Alfred wasn’t going to indulge his curiosity, not now at least.

“Yeah he is. He’s a great guy,” Alfred said truthfully.

“Alfred, can I ask you a question? It is unrelated.”

“Yeah of course.”

“You look very different from the last time I saw you. Much more thin, and tired. Are you okay?”

Alfred gulped and rubbed the back of his neck, feigning ignorance. “Yeah dude I’m okay, I just lost some weight is all.”

His friend studied him for a moment before replying, “I know you better than that, I think. You seem to be lying.”

Okay but did Kiku really have to call him out like that? Couldn’t they all pretend everything was fine and dandy? He had never known his friend to be so direct with him before, apparently Alfred wasn’t the only person that had changed since they last saw each other.

He was trying to formulate his response when he saw Arthur making his way over to them with the newly purchased suit in tow.

This wasn’t the kind of conversation he wanted to have in general, least of all in front of Arthur. He definitely missed Kiku and wouldn’t mind hanging out again in the future, and maybe by then he would be able to open up about the struggles he had faced over the last half-year, but now just wasn’t the right time.

“Kiku, it was really great seeing you, but I think we’re going to head out now.” He tried to smile without giving away his discomfort as he turned away toward the door.

Arthur stopped him, “Oh we’re in no rush. If you’d like to stay and chat with him, it’s no issue.”

The dark-eyed man kept glancing between the two of them, no doubt evaluating the situation and trying to come to a reasonable conclusion for why Alfred was acting so weird. Alfred didn’t blame him for wanting more information, but this was just so freakin’ awkward!

At last Kiku opened his mouth again. “I should help other clients again anyway, so I do not mind if you need to leave. But first I want to invite you to my apartment next week, I am having friends over for a videogame party. We will try out all these new games I got recently. Do you want to come?”

It wasn’t often that Alfred was left speechless, but this was one of those times. He had no idea what to say.

“Uhhh, I– uhhhh,” he sputtered gracefully.

“You do not need to give me an answer now!” Kiku supplied urgently, “You can always text me when you decide.”

Alfred nodded dumbly in response.

“Do you still have my phone number? I have tried texting you multiple times the last few months but you didn’t answer. I was unsure if you lost your phone, or if you got a new number.”

Sweat was starting to drip down Alfred’s temple, and his hands were clenching and unclenching at their own accord. He thought back to the crappy phone with a cracked screen he hadn’t been able to use in months, that was currently stuffed in his tote bag at Arthur’s place. He hadn’t used it since the battery died after he had been forced out of his apartment, and he obviously couldn’t pay his phone bill so it wasn’t like he could use it for anything other than the stupid game apps he had installed to stave off boredom. Suddenly he thought about how many calls he had missed, how many texts had gone unanswered. Looking down, he hadn’t realized his eyes started to water.

So, so much shame.

Arthur’s worried hand was on him in an instant and he heard Kiku start to frantically reconcile for damage that he didn’t cause.

“Alfred, forgive me, I did not mean to make you upset. You do not need to answer about the party or the phone. I only asked because I miss your company.”

And if that just about made Alfred burst into tears right there…

“N-no it’s okay. Sorry, I just-” he wiped at his face desperately, hoping that the other patrons weren’t looking in their direction witnessing him cascade into a state of panic. He took a couple of deep breaths as Arthur continued to squeeze his shoulder soothingly.

“Kiku, I-” he tried and failed to even his voice out.

“It’s okay, you’re okay. You don’t need to speak right now,” said Arthur gently. Alfred took another deep breath, feeling himself calm immensely from the Englishman’s pacifying voice and comforting touch.

This time when he wiped at his face, the tears didn’t reappear. And when he felt prepared, he lifted his head to look at the two worried men in front of him.

“Thank you. I just…Kiku I want to tell you everything that happened since I got fired from that shithole of a company, but I’m not ready yet. Just know that I haven’t been able to use my phone in months, so honestly I don’t know how I can contact you.” He shook his head sadly.

“Do you havea phone?” Arthur asked him, seemingly perplexed at the notion.

“Yeah, I do. It’s long-dead though. Not sure if it’ll turn on when I charge it but I can try. And I’m not gonna have service or anything since I don’t have a phone plan anymore.”

At this, Arthur perked up. “Oh don’t worry yourself with that! We’ll get you set up with a new plan and everything, not a trouble at all.”

Alfred stared at him, debating whether or not to fight the offer, but already knowing how it would play out. How quickly they had developed a pattern of behavior.

He smiled at him, “Thanks dude, you’re the best. Seriously.”

Arthur blushed slightly, “Nonsense.” Then he faced Kiku before taking out his own phone. “I can take down your information just in case the data was lost and we need to get him a new one.”

Kiku smiled and exchanged information with Arthur whilst the tallest of the group watched on.

At last they all said their goodbyes (and Kiku was blessed with a tight hug from Alfred) before the two blondes exited the store. They had only made it a couple of paces on the sidewalk before Arthur turned to him and stated, “You have good taste in friends.”

Alfred couldn’t help but agree.

[nonebothersgiven]

Teatime

Harry hated tea. It was bitter, and it made his biscuits soggy. He had tried having it with milk, but it ended up just tasting like milk that was a bit off in flavour, as if it had been sitting out for too long, or perhaps a few days old. He added sugar to it next, but then it just tasted like sweet water, and reminded him of thin syrup or watery treacle. Tea just wasn’t for him. He preferred really sweet drinks like butter beer or cider. He liked the things that put him right on the cusp of diabetes. His absolute favorite thing to drink, to both Hermione’s and Ron’s horror, was white chocolate, hot chocolate. He preferred the sickening sweet of white chocolate over milk, and loved to top it off with thick whipping creme, and a broken stick of candy cane - broken only because he had no self control, and usually ended up gnawing on the crooked end as he warmed his milk. Yes, Harry Potter hated tea, which was why his best friends could not comprehend his recent tea drinking habit that occurred three times a week at the new tea shop in Hogsmeade.

Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday Teaspoon of Sugar found itself inhibited by Harry Potter, adversary of tea. He always took a seat towards the back of the shop, nestled in a darkened corner, at a small splintered table with only one chair. Jasmine, the owner of the shop, knew Harry very well, and not because of his fame, but because of his clear distaste for her teas. She saw his visits as a personal challenge and strived to find a blend he wouldn’t flinch at so fiercely. The first day, she had made the mistake of serving him a traditional black, as he hadn’t known what to order, and so she figured he ought to start with something familiar. He waited until she left to take his first sip, but she watched from behind the counter as she had extreme pride in her art, and thought she would be seeing a tea virgin become enlightened, but to her utter surprise and dismay, she saw the boy nearly spit the tea out. A little bit even dribbled down his chin. Since then, she had served him a variety of blends - camomile, green, white, oolong - she even added herbals to the mix, though they were not technically teas. None of her efforts or varieties of teas were appreciated by Mr. Potter. Every time, he would take a minuscule sip, and his eye would develop a rather severe twitching problem. The only time he looked close to content was only a few weeks prior when she had made him a hot Chai. Still, he did not finish the entire cup, and looked rather sullen as he left the shop about an hour later. Jasmine had felt unusually defeated that day, and vowed that she would find a tea to Harry Potter’s liking. 

Draco Malfoy also hated tea. It had been a staple at the Manor, where his mother had made teatime somewhat mandatory. It was a rare uninterrupted moment for mother and son to chat and escape from their busy lives. It was for this reason that Draco never spoke up about his little tea conundrum in worry that his mother might not find time for him at all. After he had moved out from the manor and into a small flat with a small cat and a tiny tea pot, he vowed to never drink tea again. It was a vile drink that wasn’t near sweet enough. It didn’t matter how much sugar he added, he could still taste the sting of the beverage on the back of his tongue. Draco preferred the sweeter things in life like hot chocolate and pumpkin juice with a thick layer of whipping creme on top. Why on earth did people dip their biscuits in something so offensive, when they could be soaked in warm chocolate instead? Never the less, every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, Draco found himself breaking his vow, a boiling cup of leafy water in his hand as he sat at a worn table by the window in the new shop of Hogsmeade. 

Jasmine knew of that Draco Malfoy, and it had nothing to do with his fame. He was her best customer. The boy was in at least three times a week and ordered multiple cups of tea during his lengthy stays. It did not matter what she served him - black, earl grey, white with mint - he always drank every last sip, and left with a flick of his lip which she inferred to be an inconspicuous smile. The boy alone was responsible for a third of her earnings from the week before, and she had made it her mission to find a way to repay him. For months she had worried herself with what she could do. Perhaps she could brew a special blend and give it his name, but no, she figured he was a rather private sort who may not like the attention. Maybe she could give him a discount, or even a free cup every hour, but well, she was a new business, and he was a well paying customer after all, perhaps not. It wasn’t until she looked up from her counter to do the usual checking up on Mister Potter, that she noticed something peculiar. His eye still had the familiar twitch, and yet it, along with the other, was focused across the room on her favorite customer no less. She followed his gaze to where Draco sat and watched curiously as the other boy looked up to meet Potter’s stare. The twitching eyes immediately adverted and Potter’s red face buried itself in its unfinished tea cup. Draco continued to stare at Potter for a few more moments, and then focused back on his cup too, taking another generous swig of ginger tea. As he set his cup on the table, the corner of his mouth flicked upward in that small, secret smile of his, and Jasmine hit the counter with resolve. 

Two weeks later and Jasmine was exhausted. It was the Tuesday before Christmas, and she had worked all night on her gift to Draco Malfoy. At one point, she had worried that she had taken on too much. Tea, she knew, but any other drinks, especially those of the sickening sweet variety were foreign to her, but in the end she had pulled it off. Potter walked in to the shop, snow sparkling against his grey school uniform, and started to walk towards his usual table in the shadow of the shop. Jasmine gave him no time to become fully seated before she dropped a hot mug of hot chocolate down in front of him with a heavy thud. Harry looked up at her with wide green eyes, clearly caught off guard. Jasmine smirked at him with a mad look in her twinkling black eyes, and swatted her hand over to the direction of a recently seated Draco Malfoy. 

“It’s from him,” she shouted gleefully. 

Harry’s eyes widened even more, and he nearly fell out of his chair as he attempted to peer around her to see his faux gift giver, who also looked like she’d just hit him with a rather strong stupefy. Both boys blushed up to their ears, and did not make any attempts to move from their seats. Jasmine was perhaps a little overtired when she plucked the Savior of the Wizarding world from his seat and kicked at his ankles with a maniacal grin on her face until the boy began to stiffly walk on his own towards the other. 

Once at Draco’s table, Harry sat the mug of hot chocolate down slowly, as if any sudden movements might scare the Slytherin off. Draco looked up to him with clear expectation, his nose and cheeks red from embarrassment and the frost of the snow.

“Um...thanks,” was all Harry said. There was a moment of silence that had Jasmine on the tips of her toes. 

“You’re welcome,” was all Draco said back. 

Harry sat down at the table by the window, across from where Draco shown in the winter light. Draco stiffened while Harry fidgeted with his mug. 

“So, I hate tea,” Harry admitted sheepishly. 

Draco’s mouth twitched, “Oh.”

Harry relaxed into his chair, and set his elbows on the table, taking up some of Draco’s room, though the boy seemed not to mind; In fact, Jasmine could have sworn that Draco leaned into the bit of space still between them, as if getting closer meant that he could soak up some of Harry Potter’s warmth. Harry ran his fingers through raven black hair. Draco watched, mesmerized. 

“Yeah, so, basically, I only come here for you,” both Harry and Draco flinched at the bravery of the confession, and Harry fought the urge not to back peddle and play the whole thing off as a joke. “Er- I mean, well...yeah, I do.” 

Harry sat his hand down on the table, and Draco’s own hand trembled. Harry began to tap his fingers in agitation, and looked up startled when Draco stilled them with his own. 

Harry swallowed, “I saw you sitting here through the window. You looked- the sun was shining on your face, and I thought, I have to watch you, er- not in a creepy way, although now that I say it out loud, it is definitely kind of creepy, but uh-,” Harry paused unsure how to dig himself out of his humiliation. Draco ran his index finger over the little hairs on Harry’s wrist. 

“I saw you walk in here the day it opened, and I thought you must like tea.” 

Jasmine watched in awe as Draco Malfoy smiled, not a secret smile, but a full-fledged, teeth bearing grin. Harry laughed, and took a sip of the once forgotten cocoa. Draco looked up at Jasmine with an expression happier than she had ever seen him and spoke with utmost confidence and just a sprinkle of snark, “Can I get one of those too? I don’t much like tea either.”

Jasmine felt the entire world shift in that moment, and her full smile turned to shock. She felt her eye catch Potter’s twitch, and she made her way back behind the counter in defeat. Did no one at all like her tea? Perhaps this wasn’t her calling. Perhaps she was meant to be the inventor of sugary drinks. She grumbled to herself about taking up the profession of a chocolatier or a pastry chef. Of course, she would make the drink for her best customer, but she would make it white chocolate to punish his deception. That would teach him and Potter a very sweet lesson. 

[ffuckgyu]

thank you @kimseongkyu for tagging me~! I’m not cool, my jokes are worse than hoya’s. being around me in public will guarantee embarrassment ( ༎ຶ‿༎ຶ )) also, we’re mutuals as well!!!

It’s hard to tag people, cause so many have done this already... If you haven’t participated yet and want to, consider yourself tagged!

Im tagging @tonikah @utaiteism @teaspoonemotionalrange @b1sung-nim @dinozizi Thank you for liking my stuff regularly! I really do appreciate it!

bruhh i literally had to google so many of these... I also unnecessarily commented on every one

1. go apple picking vs. go on a hay ride  I don’t do physical labour for free anymore hahahaha;;;; but if I get paid...

2. scary vs. sweet I’m easily frightened tbh... after playing in a silent hill escape room a few months ago I found out I’m very much like Dongwoo hahaha!! I think I lost 10 years of my life in that room!!

3. sweaters vs. boots I honestly hate warm clothing...

4. socks vs mittens tbh preferably neither.., guess that’s why I’m always cold haha

5. bonfires vs. football are we talking rugby or soccer..?? either way, I’m not much of nature / outside person, and I’m terrible at any sport that involves a ball rolling on the ground... but I don’t mind watching woohyun playing soccer

6. trick-or-treating vs. watch scary movies nothing scary for me please!

7. apple pie vs. pumpkin pie I’ve never had pumpkin pie I think (￣_￣)・・・

8. Halloween vs. thanksgiving we don’t have a thanksgiving. halloween isn’t really celebrated here either, but I always send money to my family for halloween so they can put flowers and candles on my grandparents and aunt’s graves!

9. bake pie vs. bake cookies~ last time I baked a pie I almost set the kitchen on fire... in my defence, our oven cannot be trusted!!!!

10. rain vs. fog don’t wanna get wet... unless the fog is really thick... I really just prefer the sun

11. black cats vs. owls because I don’t like cats ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

12. ghosts vs. wizards quit the scary stuff already!!;;;;;

13. Harry Potter vs. Halloweentown I think harry potter was the first thing I was really a fan of! I must’ve read the books a thousand times already, I still remember the hype of waiting for the new book!

14. go hiking vs. sleep in I’m a champion of sleeping in...

15. cinnamon vs. nutmeg I have no idea what nutmeg even tastes like.... I don’t cook or bake okAY??

16. reading vs. writing I love writing! I’m even considering writing professionally, a former employer told me I would do very well as an economic academic researcher. but with that being said, I still love reading more!

17. hot chocolate vs. herbal tea I love hot chocolate! but i’m slightly lactose intolerant, so I can’t drink or eat anything that contains milk too often it’s often worth the stomach ache tho

18. live in a cabin in a forest vs. have it be fall 24/7 Eh where I live it’s already fall 24/7... and tho I absolutely hate cold weather, I prefer it over being in the woods, cause I have a hard time avoiding tics in the there ;;A;;

19. candy apples vs. caramel apples  If I had to choose, caramel apples! tho i better not eat one, i was diagnosed with diabetes this year... if I eat something too sugary I’ll probably get another attack ㅠㅠ

20. blankets vs. pillows pillow fight ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)  I sleep with three blankets even in the summer hahaha

21. roasted marshmallows vs. roasted chestnuts I always burn them tho... sigh

22. coffee vs. apple cider I don’t like bean water thanks

23. red leaves vs. orange leaves green leaves thanks

24. braids vs. bows bows are cute! but they don’t really feel age appropriate for me anymore

25. scented candles vs. the smell of fresh baked goods no likes to cook or bake in my household tho, so it rarely happens;;;;

26: carve pumpkins vs. make pumpkin pie I’ve never carved pumpkins, sounds fun!

27. pumpkin spice lattes vs. chai lattes stomach ache tho

28. coats vs. oversized sweaters  coats, I like tight short clothing achem I barely have anything oversized

29. beanies vs. berets a beret makes me feel like a bard tbh haha

30. candy corn vs. peanut butter cups haven’t tried either, though I think you can get reese’s pieces here nowadays.... but with all the fuss, I’m really wondering what candy corn tastes like, is it really that bad?

31. s'mores vs. apple crisp hahaha i had to google both, but apple crisp looks yummy!

32. jump in a pile of leaves vs. swing on a tire swing even as a kid I didn’t like doing dirty things like jumping in puddles or piles of dirty leaves, I’ll pick the swing

33. corn maze vs. haunted house I’d rather just die, thanks :) unless it’s in daylight, then I’ll pick the corn maze

34. bob for apples vs. visit a pumpkin patch people’s dirty ass saliva in the water, blegh, I’d rather visit a pumpkin patch ^^

35. whipped cream on hot chocolate vs. marshmallows on hot chocolate the only thing I like more than whipped cream is chocolate sauce~

[paymeintea]

I've always believed I hated tea (I found it much too bitter), but I think I've just been possibly making it wrong all these years. I've been wanting to turn over a new (tea) leaf and start drinking tea. As a tea connoisseur, do you have any tea recommendations for beginning tea drinker?

♡♡ 

It depends on what kind of flavours you like~ :D 

If you’re not fond of black tea or green tea, you could try some fruit tea tisanes instead? Mix in some sugar (or sugar tisane if you’re so inclined and have the money, cause it’s expensive af and is pretty much just flavoured sugar) as well, and you can drink it hot or cold and it’s great♡ 

You could try some Rooibos tea, it’s more a red tea than black and I don’t think I remember it being bitter. You can always add milk and sugar or honey, etc, to taste anyway~

If you don’t like caffeine, white tea doesn’t have nearly as much. I haven’t had much white tea myself, mostly stuck with Silver Needles which wasn’t as great as I was expecting considering it’s supposed to be like the best of the best of white tea lol

If you like ginger and cinnamon and stuff, you could try some chai tea? Make it on milk on a stovetop, mix in some small chocolate pieces, have a choc chai tea. 

Or you could try some different herbal blends? There are a lot that are gonna smell nicer than they taste though lol

Or there are blends with honeybush which are quite nice. Or there’s also the Earl Grey teas, but if you don’t like the citrus taste of Earl Grey you could try French Earl Grey which doesn’t have the overpowering citrus taste. 

Or there’s always green or black tea with honey. You can always have the black teas with milk and sugar, like whatever level for each you want will work. Or try some tea with lemon, if you like lemon?

You can probably find a bunch of black teas with different flavours added in. A tea shop where I buy mine has one with a really strong vanilla flavour added in, another one is a mix of green and black tea which tastes nice on its own and with milk. 

A lot of it is just figuring out what combination of tea, sweetener or no sweetener, etc, etc, works for you~ I’ve been drinking tea since I was a kid, but I was started off with my tea really milky and sweet. My tea ended up getting stronger and waaaaaaay less milky and sweet over the years, but a friend of mine still has hers that way because that’s how she prefers it. Just experiment with what you like~ you might find that you like it one way for one tea and a different way for another even if they’re both black teas or green teas or what :D

Sorry for the long ramble, but let me know if you try anything new and what you think of it, yeah? o(*⌒―⌒*)o