#especially if there's also shades of orange or red-pink or dark purple in the flag

[neopronouns]

me when i see a flag with teal in it: i should coin -flagic and -coloric terms for this

[readerinsertdepot]

The Sound Of Pulling Heaven Down

Pairing: Azumane Asahi x fem!reader

Summary: The first in a collection of oneshots centered around your budding relationship with Asahi as you both navigate through adult life.

Asahi helps you through a rough breakup.

Rating: T (for now)

Tags: Emotional hurt/comfort, friends to eventual lovers with a dash of pining?

Word Count: 2.2K

Somewhere, far away from here I saw stars, stars that I could reach It was a midnight, a silent twilight Fell down, beyond the ocean beach

“Asahi?”

His chest tightened the second he heard your voice over the phone. A delicate rasp that you attempted to mask with the slow, steady pacing of your words. But he knew.

“Can you meet me at the station?”

He always knew.

“Um, of course! I’ll be right there! Just wait for me, okay?” He answered, cradling his cell between his shoulder and head while he struggled to get his shoelaces tied fast enough.

“Okay.”

The relationship that had been built between you and Asahi over the last three years was an odd one. You had met each other in high school but never made it past friendly acquaintances. Even though you had been in the same class, your social circles didn’t quite sync up, especially considering he spent most of his time with the volleyball club and you did not. It wasn’t until a chance encounter in the lobby of your apartment complex that the two of you had started to become close.

After you had a break down and dropped out of your first year at university, you felt lost -- not quite ready to start your life and not quite ready to go home. You were a big fish in a small pond at Karasuno, but once you moved to Tokyo, you found yourself drowning. Asahi had become your life raft in the huge, unfamiliar city that had threatened to pull you under. Occasional meetups to catch up quickly turned into movies every Friday night and beer and ramen every Saturday night. Casual conversations about the weather and missing high school became long discussions about worries, aspirations and everything that came with growing up. You each had someone to confide in and suddenly, you could breathe again.

You were both near inseparable. Until your on again off again boyfriend of five years reappeared into your life about four months into the friendship. You had fallen so hard for him at such a young age, you missed all the red flags. But Asahi saw them. And he hated it. He hated the way your boyfriend treated you like a child who was incapable of making a sound decision yourself and required the majority of your attention. The man was more often than not the cause of your downward spirals, whether it was with a snide comment he made about one of your choices or when he decided to break it off with you because he simply got bored.

It was a vicious cycle he was all too familiar with. You would call. You would timidly ask him to meet you somewhere – usually the train station. He would drop everything he was doing and go straight to you. Then he would stay, just listening, until you felt like you could handle being alone again.

This wasn’t one sided, however. For all the times you called him crying, you were there to talk him down from his self doubt and panic attacks. The things he had been slowly improving on since he was seventeen but couldn’t fully shake. But, with your help, they had become softer and less frequent and it was amazing how you could do that.

One of you was always there, ready to pull the other back up if either of you ever fell, no matter what.

The train car you both sat in was nearly empty and almost completely silent, except for the soft whimpers coming from your hunched frame, swallowed up in a dark, oversized hoodie, sitting next to him. Asahi kept his eyes focused on the large window containing the passing scenery. The houses grew few and far between and then eventually turned into rocky formations that stood firm against the harsh waves of the ocean.

He remembered back to the first night you had called him. The way he grew frantic upon hearing the graveness in your voice. He ran up the stairs to your apartment three floors above his, taking two steps at a time, forgoing the elevator because he was afraid it’d be too slow. You jumped and whipped your head around when Asahi burst in with a loud slam of your door.

The sight of the large man in your doorway, panting with a panicked expression on his face mere seconds after you hand hung up with each other caused you to forget everything except that moment. And you laughed. Not at your friend, but out of relief. Relief that you somehow managed to have someone in your life that would care enough to run to you like that. It rumbled up from the pit of your stomach and bubbled out of you, tears still streaming down you face, further alarming your confused friend who rushed over to crouch down in front of you, unsure of how to help. You reassured him that his presence alone was enough once your fit had subsided and then suggested that the two of you go sit up on the roof.

That was the first night he had witnessed one of your breakups, and he could not for the life of him remember the reason why it had happened in the first place. That was also the night that you vowed to be a support for him with the same amount of selflessness and enthusiasm that he had been for you. And, that was the night, up on that roof with the cool night breeze and city lights reflected in your eyes, that Asahi realized he was falling in love with you.

Together, the both of you walked along the water’s edge, not saying a word. Asahi was always careful not to push you into talking. He knew you would open up when you were ready. You always did. His eyes were trained on the sky, its unique shade of pink caused by the mingling of the twilight’s oranges and purples. He didn’t even notice when you had stopped to remove your shoes and socks.

Once he realized you were no longer next to him, he turned back, catching you a few paces behind him, slowly crouching down to the sand. He walked back and sat beside you, watching as you palmed at the sand, its coarse particles falling through your soft fingers. You started digging, deeper and deeper, until you reached the damp earth, pulling it up to form small mounds. Then Asahi, catching on to what you were doing, began patting down the sides of your makeshift sandcastle.

“He said…” You swallowed hard, refusing to allow the sob you felt traveling up your throat to escape. Asahi continued to scoop up sand, silently waiting for you to finish your thoughts. He looked up a moment and caught a glimpse of your eyes, red, glassed over and puffy. His chest felt heavy and suddenly it was difficult for him to breathe, tears of his own pricking at the corners of his eyes. He cursed internally and tore his gaze away, the empathy he felt towards you too intense.

“He said he was tired of this….” you tried again, “That he needed to be with someone with more direction.”

Asahi took in a deep, shaky breath. “That’s not fair. You shouldn’t be punished for trying to find happiness.” His hands formed tight fists, the skin turning lighter from pulling over his knuckles. “I’ve always wished I could be like you, [y/n]. You’re able to just… jump. I’ve gotten better at it but… I still can’t really bring myself to do it. Not like you.” His voice remained gentle but was steady as his frustrations spilled out of him all at once. “So what if you don’t know exactly what you want for yourself? You’re not afraid to take risks and if something bad happens, you pick yourself right back up and try something else. [Y/N], that’s a gift.”

Air was stuck in your throat and your eyes grew wide, frozen in place by his words. All this time you had been told that you were unreliable and that you needed to settle down. That even though you were able to support yourself on your own, your constant job hopping made you irresponsible. Then here was Asahi, telling you he admired it, that it was valuable, dismantling years of insecurity in less than five minutes. You blinked a few times, taking time to process what he had said and attempting to bring yourself back to life. Suddenly you stood straight up, eyes cast out to the horizon. “I think I’m done,” you firmly announced, startling your friend.

Asahi slowly rose to his feet, side eyeing you suspiciously, unbale to get a read on your expression. This had definitely been one of your quicker outings. “You sure you’re ready to go back?”

You shook your head, gaze still fixed on the waves, “No. With him. We’re finished.” Your legs moved instinctively towards the ocean. “I’m tired of talking through the same things and I don’t need to keep doing this to myself.” Asahi’s hand reached out to catch your shoulder but caught nothing but air as you marched further out into the water, the freezing ocean eventually rising to above your knees. His eyes grew wide and a familiar panic set into his face, finally registering what you were doing.

Once the water had reached your thighs, you turned back to see him, swiftly pacing back and forth while calling out to you, trying to figure out the best way he could bring you back to shore while staying as dry as possible. A smile crept onto your face and broke out into a fit of giggles, the calming sensation of relief overtaking you. The kind that only he had ever been able to provide for you. Asahi stopped immediately in his tracks when he heard the melody of your laughter.

He caught a glimpse of your smile and the anxiety that had commandeered his senses dissipated, relaxation instead melting away the stiffness in his muscles. His breath hitched as he felt heat rise to his cheeks. That was the smile that told him that there was nothing to be afraid of. That smile meant more to him than anything in the world.

You closed your eyes, took a deep breath through your nose, and fell, giving way to a soft smack the moment your back hit the water. The sound of vast emptiness filled your ears, allowing you to focus on the rise and fall of your chest as you floated there. Even from thirty feet away, you had been able to see the tenderness in his eyes when he looked at you, further amplifying your feeling of weightlessness.

When your eyes opened, they were met with the dim twinkling of stars against a muted blue sky, signaling that it would be night soon. You thought back to Asahi, who was no doubt sweating bullets at the fact that you had not returned and smiled. He had proven time and time again that he would always be there for you. He had taken on such a huge part in defending your happiness you hadn’t realized that he actually made up the majority of it.

For so long, you had believed you wouldn’t amount to much. That your life was marked by more failures than it was by successes. But you had been wrong. The only failures had been when you allowed your fear to control your life. And while you had learned some hard lessons, the happiness that grew from them far outweighed the pain. It took a while, but Asahi had shown you that your happiness was worth more than anything else.

And you loved him for it.

Asahi slumped into his seat and let out an exasperated sigh once you both had settled yourselves on the train home. “Damn, [y/n],” he began, a hand clutching his chest. “You’re going to give me a heart attack one of these days you know that?”

A playful smirk formed on your lips as you remembered back to the way he nervously rambled on about how you were going to get sick when you trudged back to the beach. The only thing of yours that had remained dry were your shoes, which he carefully guarded until you returned. He had also kindly rushed to the nearest gift shop to find some suitable bottoms for you to wear, too embarrassed to have his giant hoodie that you practically swam in be the only thing you clothed yourself with.

You lightly pushed against his side with your shoulder and allowed yourself to linger there. “You love it.”

He coughed erratically, a desperate ‘I do’ choking him. The spontaneity you had brought into his life was, in fact, something he loved, though he wasn’t sure how much more of it his poor heart could take. But he would try, for you.

Asahi cleared his throat, “You’re super lucky you left your phone at home, you know?" He had attempted to change the subject, hoping the rapid beating of his heart would subside soon. He doubted it.

“Yeah.” You looked up at him through your lashes before looking back to the window, opaque with the night sky, causing your small, relaxed frame and his large, stiff one to be reflected back at you. You were unsure if the heat that radiated off of him or the recent revelation of your romantic feelings for your friend was causing you to feel flushed. Either way, it dangerously inviting. And it felt like home. “I know.”

So never look behind you, spooky people bring you down The world is ending there's a party by the bay I'll wear my suit and tie, we’re eye to eye and toasting To the way you put that smile upon my face

A/N: I NEVER would have thought I would be inspired to write for Asahi while listening to Blue October. But here we are. And I have a few more ideas swirling around too! So thank you so much for reading and stay tuned.

[shadowgeist-stars]

Vitam et Mortem: Divine Pride

A small gift for Pride Month before June ends. I probably should've come up with this earlier, but hey, I hope you enjoy it regardless.

Bridget had wanted to show Emily her new favorite part of June for years since they first began. After all the time they spent together for the last five or six centuries, she found it quite fun to introduce the otherwise reclusive Mother Nature to all the things she otherwise ignored among the mortals.

But this particular celebration wasn't just a joyous occasion for herself. Many lost spirits and even deities from all over the world rejoiced at the celebration of their own way of love and life.

From the gods of ancient Mesopotamia, to the far-flung rainbow serpents of Australia, to the hidden deities in China and Japan, to Bridget's own neighboring Loas and other divine friends in the Americas. The jubilee expressed by the immortals could only be matched, let alone surpassed, by that of the humans. Finally, all of the unfortunate people who lost themselves for the sake of their own hearts wouldn't have died in vain. All of the poor children close to that edge had something to look forward to.

"Come on, Emily, it's this way!" she called, leading her companion by the hand. "I promise you'll love it!"

Mother Nature chuckled, following the winged girl as quickly as she could. "This is the most excited I've seen you in the past few centuries. Have you met another holiday spirit?"

Bridget shrugged. "Not exactly. But I think you'll especially love it. It can't be much further now."

They stopped when they reached a crowd of people down the road.

Marching through the street was a parade of celebration. Flags of many bright color combinations littered the area. Some were blue, purple and pink. Some were pastel pink and blue and white. But a great many of the flags and all-encompassing banners -- and there were so, so many of them -- were all the colors of the rainbow.

"Bridget, my dear… what on Earth is this?"

Before her eyes, the rainbow painted itself over Bridget's otherwise black cloak. Strips of each color encircled her long cloak in luminous, vibrant hues. Shades of deep bright pink and fiery red orange sought out her shoulder cape, imitating one of the proudly-waving flags in the parade with black between each stripe. Emily soon learned exactly what it meant, as many couples in the parade embraced one another without fear or shame.

"It's a celebration of people like us," the redhead explained, no less than sheer jubilee on her face. "You once showed me how many animals are able to love in the same way we do. And according to the older gods, mortals who were the same way never had such a chance to be themselves since before the Dark Ages. Now that they have that chance again… isn't it beautiful?"

Emily did remember showing her all that. From birds of all kinds to various cats and other mammals to even insects and fish, and a whole lot more. The colors around her and the light in Bridget's eyes and all over her cloak… it truly was a sight to behold.

"It's wonderful," she replied simply. "Absolutely gorgeous. I've never seen anything like it."

They joined the parade like it was the most natural thing in the world. Following families and children greeted the two, as did many more immortals who began to appear. The children were laughing and dancing together with the other immortals, sporting their own flags.

"Lovely day for a parade, ladies," greeted a man in a multicolored tribal outfit framed with various flowers. "I'm certain I saw someone handing out Sapphic flags. Just watch for the usual, ahem… intruders."

"Thanks so much, Xochipilli," Bridget thanked the stranger. "I'm sure Emily would love that."

He smiled. "Never thought I'd see the day that the infamous Mother Nature would appear here. I'll tell the others; all of your Loa friends are bound to be nearby, and they'll love hearing about this."

Emily was confused by the names. "Who was he talking about?"

"My Voodoo-related associates," Bridget explained. "Many of them like both men and women, so they'll almost definitely be sporting pink-purple-and-blue flags like those over there. Though it takes a trained eye to know who’s who with the outfits they wear.

“Xochipilli is Aztec, and one of the few gods in that group with a decent amount of common sense. Back in his hayday, he was the god of games, the arts, and flowers, as well as the patron of people like a lot of the mortals here. Really nice guy, but I wish I could say the same about some of his friends.”

Emily chuckled. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. Are there others like the ones you mentioned?”

The redhead nodded. “Lots of others, all over the world. They’re all probably having a blast at parades on their home turf just like this one. Oh look, there’s the flag Xochi was talking about!”

The flag in question was actually quite darling. It had two pastel pink stripes around one that was white, with a pretty little violet directly in the center. The person beside the girl handing such flags out was handing out flowers of all kinds.

Bridget went for the flower person, taking a violet before flying up to plant it above Emily’s ear, adding on a kiss on the cheek.

The swell of warmth in her chest from the gesture caused the violet to spread into a crown on her head.

The Grim Reaper giggled. “Now it looks even prettier. It suits you!”

Emily sighed at her reaction, but eventually couldn’t help a smile. At least until she noticed the white-robed and white-winged people hovering above a different crowd. They glared at the celebration as they stood guard over the yelling people holding some… rather rude signs.

Her beloved noticed her expression. “What’s wrong?” Bridget followed her gaze, lifting off the ground a little for a better view.

Angels. And a whole lot of their own downline.

“Oh, for the love of vultures…” she muttered under her breath as she pulled her scythe out of her shadow. “Ignore them, Em. They should know by now that they can’t do much of anything without getting people upset.”

“Is that… normal of them?” asked the dark-haired woman.

“Very,” the redhead replied with a sigh, leading Emily away from the protestors. “Their minions love to say that living the way we do isn’t natural and that it’s corrupting their children. All because they like to listen to the one who commands those angels. We just call them the usual intruders. I think I’ve already told you how troublesome they are to my fellow death spirits.”

“Ah, yes. Of course.” She noticed how the blade of Bridget’s scythe shined with iridescent colors. “Hm, even your weapon appears to have gotten into the spirit of the celebration.”

“There’s a reason for that, actually.” With a snap of her fingers, Bridget unveiled a slew of visiting wandering souls in the broad daylight. So many of them floated around in groups, like the other immortals in the parade had called them here. Many bore dark scars that only occurred among souls who sought their own destruction in life. “These are all of the people in just this area who lived the same way as all of these mortals, in worlds that didn’t allow them, or hearts that no longer wanted to beat.”

Emily gazed upon each spirit, seeing the joy and peace on each and every spectral face in the procession. “This is far more than the joy of the living... it’s also a comfort for the dead.”

Bridget could see the angels daringly lean towards the ghosts from above their followers, and firmly tapped her scythe against the ground. All of the ghosts turned their attention to the Reaper, and to those she glared at. The protesters faltered, as if perhaps they had seen her standing there. Either way, they knew better than to test an emissary of death with her albeit passive army, so she’d count that much as a win. So did the ghosts, who peacefully returned to their own mingling.

Fingers found their way into soft, owlish feathers. “Where did you learn that trick?”

Bridget’s smile returned with a chuckle. “The Valkyries have shown me how they command their soldiers a few times. Angels are a pretty popular overarching reason as to why the ghosts around here have perished. It's just a matter of setting off the alarm. They know better than to trust what killed them."

A couple of the children seemed more than a bit intimidated by the parade's protesters, regardless of their dropping momentum. "Come with me, Em. Forget the angels and their little friends. This is a time for celebration."

Mother Nature was quite willing to comply, her leaf-bearing winds gently guiding the children away from the scary people like large, caring hands. As they went on with the parade, the two eventually grew more cheerful again. More immortals dropped by to meet them, such as Nibo, one of the Loas Bridget mentioned earlier; Oua Oua, a higher-ranking Loa who led the children, also said hello. Several "Voodoo" figures made appearances, really, and all of them offered nothing but coos and congratulations.

It certainly made it a far more lively experience than Burning Man, where they usually wandered about largely unseen. But oddly enough, it wasn't quite unpleasant. Emily enjoyed meeting so many wonderful divine friends. Seeing Bridget's multicolored stripes grow brighter, and her hair shining in the sun like fire, against eyes so pale silver in the daylight they almost looked pure white, was a simply mesmerizing experience.

Near the end of the parade, Emily had discovered a work of art made entirely from flowers; an entire wall of words shaped with roses of every color. Red, orange, yellow, green, even blue and purple. She used her power to grow out a bouquet of separate lavender roses, with a little help from Xochipilli. After which she gently wove each flower into Bridget's lovely wings and hair, pale and beautiful against her bright red locks and dark gold feathers. Bridget was delighted at the gift; something she knew Emily would most certainly do.

"Now you look even prettier,” she said warmly, parroting the reaper's words. “It suits you.”

The look she got in response was so full of affection… Emily could feel it taking something else from her chest aside from her breath. Bridget floated to her eye level, cupping the taller spirit's face between her hands.

"I think you deserve a thank-you for it."

With that, she leaned in for a kiss.

Emily’s heart filled with a familiar, welcoming fire at the soft and warm touch of Bridget’s lips, yet entirely new and exciting. A wild and joyful tune, yet sung in the tone of a lullaby. Miniature earthquakes rattled through her body, and she felt like she was floating. Her hands started flexing and lifting up on instinct, until they dug into the soft down between the reaper’s shoulders, pulling her closer. The flower-decorated wings swung low, the ends of the joints resting on her sides.

A moment meant to last forever.

“Ah, young love. Truly a beautiful thing.”

“It’s like something straight out of those romantic fairy tales.”

The two voices startled the two from their reverie. Bridget sank to the ground with a face as red as her hair; given the fiery heat that went from her heart to her face, Emily probably wasn’t much better.

“Lundy! Limba! You ruined the moment!” scolded Èrzulie Dantòr, batting the two men away with dark-skinned hands. “Out, out, and away, boys, before you ruin their mood any more! Shoo!”

Bridget giggled at the sight of the Loas. “I take it you enjoyed that, Emily?”

Mother Nature cleared her throat, smiling down at her sheepishly. “I suppose I did. Though I… can’t say I expected to… Will there be other parades like this in the future?”

“Of course!” She took her hand as they prepared to return to the realm they shared. “It’s an entire month out of every year that celebrations just like this will occur. Why? Do you want to go to another one?”

Emily chuckled, mustering the courage to kiss the top of her head. “Perhaps…”

To see such colors like those still lingering on the Grim Reaper’s cloak… To feel such childlike glee she hadn’t experienced in millennia… Mother Nature could hardly wait for the next adventure outside of her fog.

[psiprinting]

Top Color combination ideas for t shirt design

When you want to create a new design for t shirt printing, but can’t make up your mind on the best colour combinations to use for your designs, consider these combinations that never fail to work:

Red and White

Red design on a white T shirt or a white design on a red shirt always looks sharp because of the great contrast between the two colours

Green and Grey

Green ink printed on grey is a great combination whether it’s a bright or a more earthy green, it just gives an awesome look on all types of clothing

Blue and White

The calming nature of blue T shirts with white designs gives a water theme to you design

Blue and Yellow

This neutral design balance with the warmth of yellow on a blue T shirt works well in many designs especially if using different shades of yellow and blue together

Maroon and White

Maroon T shirts look amazing with fine white designs, the contrast allows for clear messages

Blue and Grey

With all the different shades of blue and grey the possibilities of this colour combination as vast, but they all give a really cool tone to the T shirt

Red, Blue and White

The balance of these three colours blends so well which is one reason it’s popular on patriotic designs such as flags and emblems

Dark and Light Blues

This is a winning combination on a T shirt as long as there is plenty of contrast like a using a design of Royal Blue on an Ice blue T shirt or Dark Navy with a light blue design

Orange, Red and Yellow

Matching the warmer tones give a feeling of fun and happiness combine to give a great contrast that’s full of energy in a T shirt design

Rainbow

Using all the colours of the rainbow or just a few will give a fresh and appealing aspect to your design

Neutral colours

Combinations of neutral colours found in nature contrast well especially those from the desert and sea

Bright colours

To bring out positive vibes and good feeling a bright coloured T shirt with a Neon Green or Tahiti Blue design exudes positive energy. Royal Blue with bright Red is also a big statement

Higher Contrast

More contrast can be achieved by showing off or intensify the reds and yellows in your designs by shadowing them with purple or dark blues

One of the most important things for T shirt design, is formatting the design correctly so if fits the T Shirt and the use of well contrasting colours

There are a few colours that never seem to work well including Black and Brown, Grey and Brown, Blue and Black Red and Green, Green and Pink, Green and Orange, Purple and Orange and Red and Orange, but of course if you use other colours to dilute them you can still make interesting and appealing designs with these combinations.

[florenceisfalling]

2 for the Adorable Asks?

@widdendream5 also asked for two!

sorry this took so long, i went feral and made graphics

2. favorite color when you were younger, and now?

okay, here’s the stupid thing: i claimed when i was little that i did not have a favorite color. “i love all of them,” i’d proclaim, constantly. “but! i do have a signature color!” i declared. that signature color was hot pink. i have no idea who put the concept of a signature aesthetic or whatever into my head, but god, it was iconic. hot pink. i guess that’s still a lot like me these days - i don’t have a favorite aesthetic or -core, but i have the ones that i think i’m most recognizable for.

and now! i still don’t have a favorite color! i love them all so much! my opinions on colors are as follows:

pink/peach/lighter reds, green, and yellow are the best colors together for me!!! golly gosh i love!!!

i’m not a big fan of any particular shade of blue by itself. but blue combined with other colors or other shades of blue??? good. yes. still not #1 on my aesthetic list, but HIGHLY respected and good.

and that’s mainly just referring to pictures, bc when it hits that weird hour of darkness and super deep blue sky before night really hits?? wow. gorgeous. thank u god and nature. i love black and blue. and i love the range blue has!!

purple and yellow together is an underrated combo, but mAINLY if they’re light colored or toned down, or else they look like a bad superhero or gross school colors or something. and yes i am nonbinary lsjfkslkd so the flaG

like this!!

piNK IS SO GOOD and i adore soft pink paired with black. black and light colors together is so goodddd

orange is. quite. underrated. how does one see orange and nOT get filled with great warmth and joy?? i do not understand??

unpopular opinion: terribly disgustingly saturated eye-bleeding colors are gREAT!!! you just gotta like. put warnings on them. because no one wants eye strain. eye strain sucks. so i’m not putting any of the good SATURATION :)) on this post :((

and yellow, red, blue, and black are my defaults for spooky or venty stuff, especially with my story kiddo!

but yes thank u for your patience with my love of color rants

[an-otome-cally-correct]

Living in Technicolor

This is something I like to call the Synesthesia AU. Now I know this isn't exactly how synesthesia works, but humor me for a bit. Also, for my sanity, I left out Mousse, the Tweedles and Amon.  If you wanna read more of my stuff, then check here.  PS thanks for the title idea Naga~

Everything had its own color. From vibrant to muted, everything every sound had a color - with people being the most dazzling of them all.

Everyone had their own mix of colors. No less than two but no more than four, always shifting as time went on, making it nigh impossible for any two people to be exactly the same, and it filled her days with magic not even Lancelot or Harr could ever hope to imagine. It was only something she could see - a world found not through looking, but through hearing.

Mornings in the kitchen with Luka were bathed in warm hues, while he himself would sneak a little lilac and blue - and a pink she’d only seen from a certain someone in the Red Army, if she were to be honest - whenever he reminded her of which to chop, which to simmer, which to take off the fire. Whatever heat there was, his calming presence, both seen and felt, eased her soul.

Training would then start, and she’d be bombarded by a myriad of colors that even the grandest of rainbows would be put to shame. Often times, the chaotic flashes that accompanied the soldiers’ shouts would be too much, and she’d wander off to somewhere quieter, until the hues slowed to faint pulses. It wouldn’t be long then, until Sirius’ soothing azure and green found her - those colors of his seamlessly melding with a deep purple and brilliant red in a way she found difficult to forget - and she’d be tasked with chores and errands.

Come afternoon, she’d be swept up in Fenrir’s whirlwind of lime as they roamed Central Quarter, warmed by the sweet traces of blush and steadied by the touches of slate and navy that danced around the periphery of her vision. Even on the gloomiest and coldest of days, he’d swoop in with his own version of a sun that could easily outshine the one that sat high up in the sky.

It was either that, or Seth would come bounding up to her, surrounding her with a sea of teal, with all the comforts of a gentle surf, the thrills of an intense wave, and… the mysteries of an endless depth. So much so that tendrils and blotches of an black would sometimes creep around the edges, ominous and heavy. Yet just as sudden as they would appear, they would disappear, and a soft beige would take its place, as if it was the shore to save her from drowning.

At night, it wasn’t as easy to see the shades people gave off - especially Ray’s. His was a blue that teetered between midnight and navy, something that swung between the solemn quiet of evening and the noble burden of duty. Scattered all across were flecks of  yellow-green and wisps of mint, fading in and out like fireflies in a field on a midsummer night. Each moment he spoke was a breath of fresh air and a source of confidence, and it made it impossible not to pay attention.

There were days when she’d run into Red Army folk in Central Quarter, and despite their less than pleasant first impressions, she had come to appreciate the colors they brought with them as well.

Often, it was Kyle she would run into during her errands into Central Quarter, and at each instance, she’d be able to spot him first before being able to discern his hues. It was not unusual to find pastels hanging about him, what with all the children that surrounded him, and it was only when the little ones had gone back to their families that she’d be able to see the chocolate and burgundy his voice carried - cozy and familiar, with the gentle ripples of amber stirring up the slightest bit of mischief.

Sometimes, she would chance upon Zero while he was on patrol, and on rare occasions - whether it was by luck or lack thereof - Edgar would be with him. With those two together, she found some difficulty in separating their respective colors and pinpointing the softer tones, at first. Zero's crisp orange melted much too easily into Edgar's  vibrant yellow, but in time, she learned.

With Zero, it was innocent baby blues and cream blooming here and there whenever he spoke… mostly. There were… instances - much too few and far in between - when she'd find black strike across her vision like dark lightning, and just like lightning, it'd be gone in the blink of an eye, leaving her wondering whether the flash had actually happened.

Edgar, much to her surprise, had pinks and lavenders strewn across, the two colors flaring up whenever he poked fun at someone - especially so when it was Jonah. His hues were sweet and cheery, reminiscent of the candies he oh so loved, but then from time to time, small cracks of something akin to a dark rust would appear along the edges, marring what otherwise would have been a happy scene. In no time though, those cracks would be patched up with more of his yellow, but they would always come back sooner or later, and it was a mystery to her what they could be.

It wasn’t often she'd run into Jonah, but when she did, carnation and lilac would flood all around her despite whatever sharp words he'd send her way. It made for an interesting sight - him brushing her off as coldly as he could, when his colors were something so tender and pure - and even with the occasional pulses of red, it didn't take away from his pastel, almost childlike tones. In those moments, she could see the family resemblance in a much different, much amusing way.

As for Lancelot - it didn't surprise her when a red that matched their Army's flag appeared when he first spoke. Initially, his voice, his color struck fear into her heart. However nowadays, although it still commanded attention, the gentler blues and violets she had come to know that accompanied his brilliant red made for something much more encouraging rather than frightening - save for the thin fog of black that would roll in and out of her view.

Some days would bring her to the White Rabbit's quaint home, where she'd be greeted with the smell of tea and sweets, Blanc's sky blue and Oliver's emerald green. She could still recall the first time she had met the two, the both of them filling her vision with colors she hadn't quite expected from them.

Aside from the cool blue and classic champagne that Blanc's words carried, as if stuck in an eternal clear spring day, there was also a halo of ashen gray surrounding her view. Which she found odd, if she had to be frank. After all, it was the kind of gray she had only seen in the elderly, along with other more muted colors, but Blanc’s were still striking in their own right - not at all what she would expect to see from someone supposedly nearing the end of their life.

Oliver was different matter of confusion all together. Most children would speak in pastels and light tones, but Oliver- Every time he opened his mouth, it was flashes of emerald, and gunmetal, and bronze. They were bright and distinct, and it was hard for her to believe that a child would have them. Even more confusing was the fact that Oliver's colors were exactly the same as one of Kyle's drinking buddies, and with all the people she had met - both in Cradle and in the Land of Reason - she had never seen two people have the same colors, ever. But everything was exactly the same between Oliver and that man, and it had her doubting just how true that belief of hers was.

And then there were also days when her feet - or a certain cat, as was usually the case - would lead her deep into the forest.

However, instead of the green from the foliage, she would find everything dyed in hues of magenta, purple and gold. It made for an entertaining walk through the woods, even more so when Loki amused her with little magic tricks that sent leaves and flower flying about like confetti. Even the Lake of Tears appeared more ethereal than it already was whenever she and Loki passed by.

If they were lucky, Harr would be there fishing and they'd be spared the rest of the walk to their home. Harr wasn't one to talk, but when he did, it was in a mellow violet, with misty blues and hazy reds she was certain she'd seen somewhere in the two Armies before. His calmer tones contrasted Loki's brighter ones, but there was a commonality between them - a black smoke that would come in wisps and whispers, barely visible but always there.

All their colors, she knew, stemmed from their personalities, their relationships, their experiences, and she couldn't help but wonder just how these people had come to know each other in such a profound way that it would leave a mark on their being. Even more, she wondered what color she would leave behind in them, because as easy as it was for her to see the colors of their voices-

She couldn't see her own.

[selkiesbittybonanza]

Introducing: Bonsai Bittys! (Free to Adopt)

These bittys are the dryads or spirits that inhabit Bonsai (dwarf) trees. Bonsai is an art form that has been practiced in Asia for over a thousand years and has been adapted to trees and plants originating from outside or Asia such as the Americas. With proper care, Bonsai’s can live for decades or even hundreds of years so having a plan of inheritance for your Bonsai is important! Some caretakers have even donated their Bonsais to botanical gardens, senior centres or hospitals! The spirit of the tree, your Bitty Bonsai, will only remain active as long as they have a special bond with a caretaker. If no special bond exists they “sleep” within their trees until a new bond is formed. A Bitty Bonsai can’t be away from their trees for long periods of time, after 48 hours they start to feel weak and eventually fade away completely by the 72 hour mark - returning to their tree. However, they don’t suffer any lasting harm and just require another 72 hours of “sleep” in their trees before they reappear – completely refreshed!

Appearance: Humanoid-skeletal figures make of dark wood and black wood grain, despite the wood of the tree they come from. They have 3 fingers and a thumb and dark holes with tiny lights where their eyes would be. They have only a point at their nose and no mouths. They communicate with sweeping movements and dances that somehow anyone who watches can understand, but they prefer to be poetic rather than clear. They are completely hairless but often have leaves, flowers or branches matching their trees decorating their heads. They enjoy wearing clothes but they always leave their hands/feet uncovered. Some bittys prefer wearing masks over their faces to give themselves more decoration and colour.

Powers: These bittys can gift small boons to their caretakers/homes that are in accordance with the symbolism of the tree they come from. (For example: A maple tree is seen as a symbol of balance and the turning of the seasons. So a Bonsai Bitty of this type would be able to help their caretaker ground themselves during a panic attack or even just help them meditate more successfully.) They are unconstrained by gravity and may fly but they cannot be far away from their trees for long periods of time.

At this time I am happy to present FIVE kinds of Bonsai bittys! (If they become popular I have a few ideas for more types!)

Cedars: There are many kind of cedar trees that are plentiful all through the temperate regions of Eurasia and the Americas. They are a part of many religions from Shinto in Japan, to the Traditional Ceremonies of Native Americans. The common symbolism of these trees are protection and purification. “Smudge sticks” are made of cedar branches often used in ceremonies to purify themselves before a ritual or ceremony. Shinto priests use cedar branches to purify offerings/themselves for the same reason! A Cedar Bonsai Bitty prides himself on the protection of their caretaker and their home! Impure spirits avoid homes with a Cedar Bitty to search of easier prey, and the air in your home is noticeably cleaner than others - helping people with allergies to dust/dander. Cedars consider themselves “warriors” so they often like to carry weapons and wear armor / warrior masks. Again they are common among many cultures in the world so they are very diverse in their costuming!

Ginkgo: Ginkgo trees are famous for their hardiness; a famous tree in Japan still stands strong today, in spite of being less than a kilometer from Ground Zero in Hiroshima! They are also associated with health (think Ginkgo Bilbao supplements). They have beautiful green fan-shaped leaves that change to gold in the autumn and is considered a “living fossil” – all the other trees in it’s family have gone extinct over the millennia. A Ginkgo Bonsai Bitty likes to consider themself a healer! Their caretaker and their family/roommates under a Ginkgo’s protection can boast being skipped over when the current “plague” makes the rounds. If they do get sick, people with a Ginkgo in their life they often get better faster – or have less severe symptoms. A Ginkgo isn’t a miracle worker, he can’t cure sickness or disease, but he can help you stand up to it! Ginkgo bittys enjoy dressing up as traditional and modern health care professionals. Lots of scrubs, stethoscopes and medicine boxes! They enjoy jewelry, emblems and other decorations made in the shape of the Ginkgo leaf!

Money Tree: Money Trees are a plant from Central/South America and is often sold with a braided trunk with the leaves only appearing at the very top shading the tree - almost like an umbrella. They are a flowering tree and have the largest flowers of any kind of tree! They are called “Money Trees” after a Chinese myth and are therefore associated with wealth. A Money Tree Bonsai Bitty can’t help you win the lottery – but you might find a $20 stuck in a bush.  Or find a really good deal on something you were saving up for. These little things add up! Money Tree Bittys prefer to wear the colours red, greed and gold – all colours associated with money! They enjoy jewelry, emblems or prints with coin imagery on them. They also enjoy carrying a group of money trees leaves like a parasol!

Maple: Maple Trees are famous for their beautiful changing foliage during the seasons. There are also different types maples from the slim 5 pointed leaves of the Japanese Maple to the large leaves of the Sugar Maple made famous on the Canadian flag – these trees also produce the sugar needed for maple syrup! Although the Japanese Maple is the traditional bonsai favourite, both trees have been used in bonsai before! Due to how beautiful the trees look in each season the maple tree is associated with balance and the passage of time, living reminders of the circle of life and the turning of the seasons. These peaceful Bittys help their caretakers center themselves and promote mental health. Meditating in the presence of the tree, and Bitty you’ve made a bond with, is always more fulfilling. Often they like to dress themselves as humble monks and gurus – people associated with peace, balance and faith. Although some Maple Bittys that are from the Sugar family enjoy dressing as lumberjacks or in the traditional dress of the Native Americans that populate the North-East of North America! (13 Colonies of the USA, Quebec, Ontario and Maritime Provinces of Canada)

Azalea: This brightly flowering shrub is another favourite of Bonsai artist and caretakers. The flowers of azaleas come in many colours but the most popular are the pink shades; other colours include red, yellow, orange, white or purple! Azaleas are often associated with kindness and femininity. The Victorians also used azaleas to symbolize temperance and was used by the prohibition movement. These gentle Bittys remind us that it always better to be kind and influence those around themselves and their caretakers to choose the route of kindness instead of anger. These Bittys are life savers for those caretakers who are in the service industries or deal with volatile people on a regular basis! While most Bonsai Bittys have no gender preference and wear clothes and costumes of all genders - Azalea bittys prefer to project femininity. long kimonos, sweeping dresses, delicate lace and especially floral print! They usually have a floral arrangement matching their Bonsai on their head delicately arranged to look like a hair ornament; often with beads and ribbon accenting it.

Selkie says: I’ve been working on this idea for a long time and it’s gone through a few redesigns since I decided on this one, which I’m quite happy with! These bittys were originally based on @itsladykit ‘s Atypical Papyrus Forest Spirit that I loved so much I wanted a bitty of it. And what’s a bitty tree after all...? A BONSAI! Then I got lost in learning about types of Bonsai and the different styles... Pretty much any tree/shrub can be made into a Bonsai, it really is an art using living materials! I especially love the fruit trees with a full sized fruit hanging off of it! Google it! So cool!

I’d also like to update this post with art someday. I tried making a few prototypes on my own (Maybe I’ll show you someday...) but unfortunately my artistic ability doesn’t match what I want to convey. It was also hard for me to decide on a distinctive style without being too... stiff. And I’ve totally blown my artist commission budget for a while but I hope there’s enough here for you to get an idea of what a Bonsai Bitty would be like!

[lenphorcosmetic]

A woman wearing the right shade of lipstick can achieve almost anything! But you know what A woman wearing the right shade of lipstick can achieve almost anything! But you know what gets really tough to do in the process? It is selecting the best match for your skin tone from an ocean of choices available out there. That is because Indian skin comes in many different tones. So, selecting the right lipstick shade for a specific skin tone can be quite an exhausting task. Indian women are constantly on the lookout for lipsticks that make them stand out from the crowd. Especially, during the festive season. Matte Lipsticks are quite the trend these days as they are long-lasting and comparatively less oily. Women all over the country are in a dilemma of sorts when it comes to selecting the right matte lipstick shades. Lenphor has come up with an amazing solution for this problem. They have recently launched their collection of Treasure Matte Lipsticks. This new range of lipsticks has very suitable lipstick shades for the Indian skin tone. It has smooth, creamy, non-drying properties which make it only more desirable amongst cosmetic product lovers. It is pure vegan and stays intact for long hours too. What more can you ask for in a matte lipstick?

Here is the list of their matte lipstick shades to help you pick the best lipstick colour for Indian skin tones:

1.Crimson Red: Red lipstick is the most important prerequisite in a women’s beauty kit. It is one of the most purchased lipstick shades for the dark Indian skin. This dusky red variant by Lenphor is your answer to all-time-dilemma – which shade should I wear? As this is the perfect shade to pair with almost any attire.

2. Violet Rose: Crimson Red: This shade is for those who love to make a royal entrance, be it a sports event or a red-carpet walk. Its eccentric purple shade blended with a violet undertone inherits a mark of grandeur.

3. Pink Romance: After Red, Pink is the most popular shade when it comes to lipsticks. This particular shade by Lenphor promises to enthral you in a heartbeat. It’s a vivacious pink shade brimming with energy and intimacy.

4. Boysen Nude: Nude colour lipstick is a must-have for every woman these days. Nudes are the most natural-looking lipstick shades. This shade is the flag bearer of rich purple variants, only with a swag of obsessive proportion. It is barely noticeable but it casts a spell on others that speaks volumes about its effect

5. Stunner Peach: Peach is an all-time favourite lipstick shade. This stunning shade by Lenphor unwraps on your lips like poetry. It is so authentic that what you see is exactly what you get!

6. Magenta Jam: This shade is bold and it makes your lips look fuller. Lenphor has specifically made this shade to actualize your dreams of luscious lips. It also pops an incredible pink temptation on your lips which is hard to resist.

7. Almond Coffee: This shade is as exciting as it sounds! It is quite the conversation starter.  A vibrant shade born out of funky pink and brownie notes combination. This shade has a lot to share!

8. Pale Brown: This shade is as exciting as it sounds! It is quite the conversation starter. A vibrant shade born out of funky pink and brownie notes combination. This shade has a lot to share!

9. Orange Awaken: Here’s the shade that will make you a trendsetter! It is as sassy as it gets. It has a bolt of orange with a pink undertone that slays mercilessly and turns your lips into a thing of desire.

10. Mulberry Silk: The purple lipstick shade never goes out of fashion. This is a curated shade from the purple family with a light violet tone. It transforms regular lips into ones possessing rare beauty in a matter of seconds.

These are some of the best lipstick shades for Indian skin tone. Lenphor is an Indian cosmetic brand that makes premium products that are curated for the Indian beauty market. Their mission is to address the changing cosmetic needs of women and gift them beautiful experiences every single day. They have a brilliant and affordable range of make-up products. Each one is bound to pamper your makeup desires. Through constant innovation and creative formulation they introduce top-end products with optimum value, consistent quality and stunning results! So go on and try these tempting lipstick shades and turn heads this festive season!

[ask-pride-color-schemes]

I coined a gender term to describe my experiences a little while ago, but I've never had the spoons to create a flag for it. Would you like to? I can't send links in an ask, but if you search "erotogender" (the name I decided on) on my blog, you'll find the post (including other name options I ended up not choosing).

[post about erotogender]

Before I introduce the alternatives, I want to make something clear:

On one hand, I do not want to speak over any group that I’m not a part of, even if I’m also a nonbinary person. So, if any of these connotations I wrote for the flags are out of line or need to be replaced, I will respect that. And my intention is not saying that erotogender people necessarily find the things mentioned important or essential to their identity and pride.

On the other hand, I don’t want to make generic flags. I don’t want to make flags that just look like pretty color pallets, I don’t want to make flags that are just “this represents fluidity, this represent sex, this represents binary genders, this represents nonbinary genders”. And, since I have nothing to go on but a definition, I had to make my own interpretations of the erotogender experience.

That said, please enjoy and give feedback!

Blue is for fluidity, purple is for sexuality (not as in “sexual orientation”, but as in “thing related to sex”), red heart is for (sexual) desire.

(Did you know the color of the heart on the first flag is literally called desire? It’s a popular shade of red at Australia and New Zealand, according to Wikipedia!)

This design is pretty straightforward. I wanted to make versions with the Eros symbol instead of a heart, but I couldn’t find large versions of the symbol, and I wanted to make the flags at Pride-Flags’ standard size, which is 5000x3000.

I kind of worry people mistake this flag for an orientation one, but I don’t think that would be too much of a problem. If you are worried about similarities, I think this flag is only relatively similar to incited attraction and auto(sexual).

The variations are because maybe the first flag may be too bright for some, but that’s your call.

Pros:

Rather easy to draw flag

Colors are kind of easy to remember too

Meanings are straightforward and don’t require too much of your memory

Cons:

May be mistaken as an orientation flag because of the heart

Has sort of a boring design

May not be the easiest flag to sew

The colors aren’t terrible, but they also aren’t great

Now that I look at it, the colors alone may be mistaken as the colors for the bi or androgyne flags

Black stripe + frame represent the “closed doors” aspect of the gender; most people aren’t in sexual situations more often than not, and even if they are, I don’t think they would feel comfortable coming out as erotogender at those situations.

Teal represents (gender) fluidity;

Purple represents sexual situations/sexuality/etc.

Orange represents conflict/struggle, since it’s hard to be erotogender in our society for a number of reasons (sex is taboo, nonbinary genders aren’t accepted, etc.), and/or the willingness to be proud of your identity despite that;

Red represents passion. Whether it means passion for your gender, passion for sex, passion for fighting for your fights or something else is up to you.

I wanted to go for something more creative here. Originally, I was going to make just a black bar and then 4 squares, but it didn’t look too good, so I added a border between the colors and changed the proportions a bit.

As for the order, I wanted the darker colors to stay closer to the black bar, so I ended up dividing the flag between cold colors and warm colors. I also kind of wanted to relate the meanings: gender fluidity has more to do with sexual situations (in the context of the gender) and struggle regarding gender, while passion has more to do with sexual situations and struggle, and so on.

As for similarities… I hope this doesn’t look too much like a Windows 98 logo? It has different colors and stuff.

This also kind of reminds me of temporagender flags, but I doubt someone would mistake one for the other.

Pros:

Rather easy to draw flag, but only if you have a reference

Colors look nice, at least for me :P

The flag is pretty different from the norm and stands out, especially among pride flags; it would be easy to recognize for someone who knows about the flag

Rather easy to sew, with the exception of the proportions that are not as important anyway, even if it’s still rather complicated

I don’t recall seeing a flag with those exact colors, so pride stuff that doesn’t have the literal flag design would be rather easy to point out too

Cons:

It’s sort of complicated, I don’t think it would be very easy to remember it

The proportions aren’t intuitive

Meanings aren’t intuitive

Meanings might not be relatable for every erotogender person

There will be people complaining it looks like a Windows logo

There will be people complaining it doesn’t look like a pride flag

Dark red represents conflict/struggle, since it’s hard to be erotogender in our society for a number of reasons;

Orange represents pride and conviction about being erotogender;

Light gray represents fluidity;

The pink heart represents erotism, sexual desire, sexuality, the act of being sexual, whatever else you want to call it.

I think a bright color represents desire better, but I worried that pink would look too bright.

I didn’t want to make this flag too colorful, so that’s why fluidity is gray here instead of blue or teal (which are more watery colors). I still worry about the orange being too bright, but I couldn’t find a better shade.

Similarities? Well, if you want to push it, maybe genderpositive and that queer flag suggestion I made months ago.

Pros:

Colors are rather uncommon, even though there aren’t many;

Meanings are well divided between superficial (having a gender which is fluid and related to being sexual/being in sexual contexts) and relatively deep (struggle, pride), so there’s something in for everyone (probably);

Overall design is not too complicated or commonplace

Cons:

Meanings aren’t intuitive

Colors aren’t the best, and may be regarded as too bright

People may think it’s either a kink flag or an orientation flag

Not too easy to reproduce, even though it’s not too hard either

If you didn’t like either, or want me to slightly alter something, feel free to say so!

~ Tath