#its likely that this is a perfectly healthy cactus

[spitblaze]

(via twitter)

[darkx-the-dragon-kn1ght]

Chapter 13- Part 8

Well, would you look at that, the cactus predictions are half-right so far! And Blizzard’s Snow Warning overrode the other weather effects associated with Desert Field (sandstorm and harsh sunlight), very good!

But that’s just one part of it. Because now that he’s Lv. 23, he learned a very��interesting move, and now’s the time to see if it’ll do what I think it will. The big question now is: does an Elemental Terrain override a Telluric Field like this one? Only one way to find out: time for Blizzard to deploy Mist!

Oh my gosh, it actually worked!! The Desert Field’s down for a little while!

Pin Missile’s still scary, but that’s okay- because now, the real fun can begin!

What in the- Icy Wind gets a boost from Misty Terrain?? 

…Um, I mean- yeah, I knew Icy Wind gets a boost from Misty Terrain! That was part of my plan the whole time, totally! I definitely planned all of this!

Ahahahaha, it does so much damage now!! And now we-

Oh- oh no, it’s going for Pin Missile again- stop stop stop stop STOP STOP NOT THE SAND TOMB TOO-

AAAAAHAHAHAHA??? HE’S STILL ALIVE! THE HP SLIVER CURSE CAN HAPPEN ON OUR SIDE TOO!! But uh- yeah, let’s definitely use a Super Potion so he doesn’t die to the next Pin Missile and Sand Tomb combo, then finish with another Icy Wind.

Perfect! Already one Pokémon down! Unfortunately, the Misty Terrain goes away at the same time, but that’s alright, it’s done its job for now.

As much as I’d like to keep Blizzard out to get the most out of the Telluric Seed boost, that there’s a Steel-type and he’s an Ice-type. Time to bring out Caldera!

Oh, it’s got a Seed too, how cheeky-

Well, uh- we can’t use Clear Smog to remove the boosts because of the Steel typing. But even with the Sp. Defense boost, it’s still quad weak to Fire, so Incinerate should still do good damage.

Ah! I hate that, actually! To the flames with you!

Nevermind, it got taken out by its own Sand Tomb from the Telluric Seed!

Mmm, I’m sure it’ll have Sand Veil, so we’ll need to use Clear Smog to get that Evasion back to normal. After that, we’ll send in Prong to finish the job.

…Or…not. The way the Reborn wiki worded it, I thought Sand Veil got activated just by default, even if there’s no sandstorm- maybe not? Or maybe it’s just a passive effect and not so much a hard stat boost? Uh- either way, there’s nothing to Clear Smog, so Prong comes in early!

Nature Power again? That’s fine, I wasn’t gonna switch her out anyways. Cancea may not be a Dark-type yet, but it’s still weak to Bug Bite!!

Nice!! And as you can see, Prong’s doing perfectly fine after that Pin Missile!

Aha, Breloom! My other prediction really did come true! Now all she needs is Rotom and I can say I’m a genius! 

At any rate- Grass/Fighting? Send in the Flying-type!

And guess who got a stronger special Flying move to replace Gust? That’s right, it’s Air Cutter, baby!

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BRELOOM HAS SPORE-

WHAT DO YOU MEAN?? Breloom can’t learn Spore naturally in Gen VII, it has to do it as a Shroomish! At LV. 40! What kinda move technique stuff was Florinia doing to have a Lv. 23 Breloom with Spore!?

Using the Awakening didn’t help, it just used Spore again because guess what?? It ALSO outspeeds Decibel! New plan- send in Glare!

We’ll heal Decibel in the background while Glare’s out tanking attacks, then try to- oh my gosh it put Glare to sleep with Spore too, STOP!! 

Now what’s Florinia sending out-?

OH SHOOT, CRADILY’S OUT EARLY. Um- no no, it’s okay, I have something for this! But I need Glare healthy and NOT asleep, so we’ll stall for time with Riptide, who is likely to be deleted with a Grass-type move but we need to do what we need to do!

That’s…fine! Gives us a free turn to wake Glare up with the Pop Rocks!

And Cradily’s still just…Stockpiling…? …You know- I was gonna have Glare paralyze the Cradily to drop its Speed, but at this point…I think Riptide can just do that with Scary Face before he gets hit with whatever Grass attack?

And it’s setting up Sandstorm- we can deal with that! We can deal with all of this, actually! We just need to heal Blizzard!

And now Cradily’s…spamming Smack Down…? Instead of using a Grass move on the Water-type? Wait…it’s used Stockpile, Sandstorm, and Smack Down…it has one more move I haven’t seen yet, but it’s still only attacking with Smack Down…

…Does Cradily…not have a Grass-type move?

Well, in that case…I know a way to get Blizzard in for free without switching him into a Smack Down! And if he’s just taking a Rock-type move, Riptide has time to get some Ice Fangs in! It won’t do much because of the Defense boosts, but that chip damage could mean all the difference here! 

He’ll take some damage from the Smack Downs, more damage from the sandstorm, but he’ll be doing plenty of damage back with Ice Fang, until…!

Wow- lived on 1 HP from the rocks only to die from sandstorm damage…

But with Riptide’s sacrifice, we can change the tempo and the weather more to our favor by bringing Blizzard back in!

Now Cradily won’t be getting advantages from the sandstorm and the hail will be doing chip damage to it too. And not only that- but let’s take away Cradily’s other advantage too! Let’s bring the Mist back in!

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[veryplants]

🌵 Molly's Succulent Mix: The Ultimate Premium Cactus Potting Mix 🌱

When it comes to growing healthy, vibrant cacti and succulents, the secret lies beneath the surface—quite literally! Your plants thrive when they’re rooted in the perfect cactus potting mix, and that's where Molly's Succulent Mix - Premium Gritty Soil Mix comes in. 🌟

In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore why choosing the right potting mix is crucial, what makes Molly's blend superior, and how to use it to give your plants the ultimate care they deserve. Let's dive in!

Why Your Cactus Deserves the Best Potting Mix 🌵✨

Cacti and succulents are hardy plants known for their ability to thrive in arid environments. However, when grown indoors or in pots, replicating their natural environment is key. Here's why:

1. Drainage is Non-Negotiable

Cacti are highly susceptible to root rot caused by waterlogged soil. A well-draining cactus potting mix ensures excess water escapes quickly, preventing damage to the roots.

2. Aeration Promotes Healthy Roots

Good airflow around the roots is essential. Dense or compacted soil can suffocate roots, leading to poor growth and unhealthy plants.

3. Nutrient Balance Matters

While cacti don’t require nutrient-rich soil like other plants, they still benefit from a balanced medium that promotes slow, consistent growth.

This is why choosing the right cactus potting mix is critical—and Molly’s Succulent Mix is designed with all of this in mind!

What Makes Molly's Succulent Mix Premium? 🌟

Molly’s Succulent Mix is not just another potting soil—it’s a premium gritty soil mix expertly crafted for cacti and succulents. Here's what sets it apart:

1. Perfectly Balanced Gritty Texture

Molly's mix features the ideal ratio of coarse sand, pumice, and fine gravel. This gritty texture mimics the natural habitat of cacti and succulents, ensuring optimal drainage and aeration.

2. Custom Blended for Cactus & Succulents

Unlike generic potting soils, this mix is tailored specifically for drought-tolerant plants. It maintains just the right amount of moisture without retaining excess water.

3. pH Optimized for Healthy Growth

Cacti thrive in slightly acidic to neutral soil. Molly's mix is pH-optimized to create the perfect growing environment.

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Made from 100% organic components, Molly’s Succulent Mix is free from harmful chemicals, making it safe for your plants—and the environment. 🌍

Key Benefits of Using Molly's Succulent Mix 🌿

Using a premium cactus potting mix like Molly’s comes with countless benefits. Here’s how it helps your plants flourish:

Prevents Overwatering Issues: With its fast-draining properties, Molly's mix minimizes the risk of overwatering.

Reduces Root Rot: By allowing water to flow freely, it protects roots from sitting in damp conditions.

Encourages Root Growth: The gritty structure promotes strong, healthy roots.

Improves Longevity of Plants: Healthy roots mean a thriving plant that lasts for years.

Replicates Natural Conditions: Molly's mix mimics the desert-like environment cacti and succulents love.

How to Use Molly's Succulent Mix 🪴

Getting started with Molly’s Succulent Mix is simple. Follow these easy steps to repot your cacti and succulents like a pro:

1. Gather Your Supplies

You’ll need:

Molly’s Succulent Mix

A pot with drainage holes

A small gardening trowel or spoon

Gloves (optional)

2. Prepare Your Pot

Ensure your pot has proper drainage. If there are no holes, consider adding some or using a liner to improve water flow.

3. Fill the Pot

Add a layer of Molly's Succulent Mix to the bottom of the pot.

4. Position Your Plant

Carefully remove your cactus or succulent from its old pot, shaking off excess soil. Place it in the new pot.

5. Add More Mix

Fill in the gaps around the plant with Molly’s mix, gently patting it down to secure the plant.

6. Water Lightly

Give your plant a light watering to settle the soil. Remember, less is more when it comes to cacti!

Caring for Your Cactus: Expert Tips 🌵

To get the best results with your cactus potting mix, follow these expert care tips:

1. Water Sparingly

Cacti need less water than other plants. Wait until the soil is completely dry before watering again.

2. Provide Adequate Light

Place your cactus in a spot with plenty of bright, indirect sunlight.

3. Fertilize Occasionally

Use a cactus-specific fertilizer during the growing season (spring and summer) to provide a nutrient boost.

4. Repot as Needed

Cacti grow slowly but may outgrow their pots over time. Repot every 2–3 years using Molly’s Succulent Mix for best results.

Why Molly's Succulent Mix is the Best Choice 🏆

Choosing the right soil for your cacti and succulents can make all the difference. Here’s why Molly’s mix outshines the competition:

1. Tested & Trusted by Plant Lovers

Countless gardeners swear by Molly’s Succulent Mix for its reliable performance and high-quality ingredients.

2. Eco-Friendly Packaging

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3. Affordable Premium Quality

Get premium quality without breaking the bank. Molly’s mix is competitively priced, making it accessible for everyone.

4. Perfect for All Skill Levels

Whether you’re a seasoned plant parent or just starting, Molly’s mix makes plant care simple and rewarding.

Conclusion✨

Healthy cacti and succulents start with the right foundation. With Molly’s Succulent Mix, you’re giving your plants the premium care they deserve. From optimal drainage to natural ingredients, this cactus potting mix is your go-to solution for vibrant, thriving plants. 🌵💚

[cactusfru1ts]

naming your plants after fictional characters is maybe not such a good idea if yr kin actually

[witchings-ofkoi]

Toadstool's Grimoire: Page Six

Houseplants for Protection

The poll is over! results are in and the option with the most votes was the best houseplants for protection! I love plants and working with them in my craft so im super happy to get into this topic.

Plants have plenty of properties, whether its medicinal, edible or even poisonous. Protection is in my opinion one of the best uses for plants next to healing reasons, especially if you just like having plants in your house.

There are all kinds of plants but some arent easy to care for or can be harmful to pets if they try chewing on them (and knowing cats, they will).

For this page im going to share with you a list of plants i found that are best for protection, not too hard to care for (plus a bit about how to care for them), and whether or not theyre harmful to pets/if consumed.

if you have any questions at all please let me know! im happy to answer ^^

Protective plants

Cacti A cactus can absorb anxiety and negative energies, great for keep your home a calm positive space. These prickly guys love heat and sunlight so they're fine if you leave them in a sunny spot! Do be careful not to prick yourself! Do a little research on the type of cactus you get so you have the right soil, some prefer to be dry with a little water every now and then but some prefer being watered a little more often. Cacti are fine if you forget to water them every now and then and they usually come from dry hot places, so they're pretty easy to care for and don't require too much effort! As far as i can tell most cacti and succulents are safe around pets especially cats but to be safe look up the specific plant you have just to make sure your pet will be okay. Most decorative cacti/succulents like holiday cacti are perfectly safe!

Chinese Money Plants These little guys flourish in positive energy and are great for holding onto any negativity in their leaves to keep things positive. They're super easy to care for needing indirect sunlight and not too much water! They're non-toxic to both cats and dogs so they're plenty safe!

Basil These herbs generate positive energy and are known for spiritual protection! They're not as easy to grow, needing about 1 inch of water every week but aren't too much of a handful and are even worth it because you can cook with the leaves! Basil is healthy for cats and even dogs in small quantities, a non-toxic plant to help protect your home!

Aloe Vera While being known as the best plant to help soothe burns, Aloe vera is also another good plant for spiritual protection in your home. They love sunny spots and water but don't need to be in direct sunlight or watered too often! Unfortunately this plant IS mildly toxic to cats and dog, causing vomiting, tremors and a number of other things so it's best to keep it away from your pets if you do choose to get it, maybe scheduling a vet appointment if your cat happens to get a bit mischievous and nibbles on t.

Sage This one is very well known for helping ward off negative energies among other things but it's important to do your research on the cultural connections to plants as well such as the act of burning white sage. My suggestion is just simply growing other types of sage like green sage in your home. Sage is fairly easy to care for as you don't have to water it too often so long as it's in natural lighting and the soil is wet when watered. They're very drought-resistant so if you forget to water them a few times it's perfectly fine! Sage is thankfully non-toxic to dogs but it would still be good to be on the safe side and limit just how much they end up consuming if you can help it, same goes for cats!

There you go! im sorry the list was shortened to just five plants but others i found required more care than the rest and a lot of us dont exactly have that time on our hands or will remember all that care needed for the specific plants.

Id be very happy to create a part 2 to this list if you'd like more plants and dont mind hearing about ones that require more attention and care but for now, i hope you like these findings ^^

Of course if i left something out, something needs correcting or you feel like adding on another plant feel free to go ahead and do so! you could even share what plants you have in your home! (mine are mostly succulents!)

Thank you for joining my post series so far i have a lot of fun with this already ^^

Blessed be and merry meet!

[garbagevanfleet]

Brightest Blue (series)

PART FIFTEEN (final chapter)

Pairing: Josh & female!Reader Warnings:  18+ ONLY, sexual content, alcohol, feelings Summary: Things are changing. New state. New school. New roommate. You just pray things are going to click into place. Notes: What an odd feeling this is. I love writing fics, but when you work so long and hard on something, it’s hard to let it go. I’m really pleased with how it turned out though, and I’m so incredibly grateful to everyone that read it and interacted with it. A big thank you to my editor, @lantern-inthenight​ for sticking with me through it, and thank you again to everyone on my taglist. 

MASTERPOST

taglist: @valleyd0ll​ @satingrass-maidensfair​ @guitarfingers​ @thebohemianpenguin​ @peaceisouranthem​ @oblvions​ @hansonobsessed @myownparadise96​ @anditsmywholeheart​ @kill-fear-the-power-of-lies​ @bigblack-catattack​​  @dharma-divine​

There was a plant in the Kiszka house that you couldn’t stop looking at - you found yourself making your way to the kitchen, just so you could peek in on it. It was a Christmas cactus placed on the south-facing window sill above the sink, spilling out of the sides of its terra cotta pot in long tendrils. 

Shapely, dark green, and perfectly healthy - it was the perfect metaphor for the household that loved it. The fuchsia pink buds on the tips of every trailing vine were promising to open every day since you’d arrived, and - perfectly on queue - the first one opened on Christmas Eve. It had been tightly closed when you greeted it in the morning as you sipped your cup of coffee, but by the time the family was snacking on a veggie tray and cocktail weenies at lunchtime, it was fully open, facing the floor in a way that reminded you of a ballerina’s tutu. 

“You like this thing, huh?” Josh had asked, audible to just you over the lively conversation and music filling the kitchen and dining room. He was standing closely behind your right shoulder, charmingly trying to get the same view of the cactus that you were - as if that could help him appreciate it better. 

“Isn’t it lovely?” you replied, turning your head and realizing at the same time that you could kiss his cheek if you leaned in closer. The two of you shared a lingering look that you put an end to just before you could start feeling physically warm.

He hummed in consideration after a moment. “It’s pretty,” he agreed and then smiled weakly. “It kinda just looks like another plant to me though, if I’m being honest.”

You turned to face him then, giving him a warm look. “There’s a lot of beauty to be found in things that other people don’t know to consider. It gives you kind of a selfish satisfaction.”

The slightly suggestive tone you’d taken put a puzzled smile on his face. He gave you a look that somehow perfectly let you know that he’d be back to pry at the deeper meaning of this conversation later when you were alone. 

“We got this for Christmas for my mom one year when we were little kids. Sam and Ronnie liked the color.” He smiled at it past your shoulder. “It used to be so tiny.” 

It certainly wasn’t anymore. As a matter of fact, it was currently threatening to take over the whole sill - swallow up the little knick-knacks peppered around it. 

“It’s really happy,” you agreed. 

+++

Dinner that night was photo-worthy. Laid out on the table were dishes upon dishes of different comfort foods, each with its own oversized serving spoon. Jake had been trying to make homemade bread through the entirety of your time there - the first night was his very first time making it and it was a little raw, then the next night it seemed a little hard, then the next it looked a little overcooked and dense. Tonight, however, it looked worthy of a cooking magazine cover.

PERFECT BREAD ON THE SIXTH TRY! it would read triumphantly.  

No one had a claim on any of the specific spots at the dining table, so it was free game - which was how you were able to finagle your way into sitting between Jake and Sam for that evening’s meal. You liked them a lot, for the record, but you had been thinking a lot about your earlier interaction with Josh, and that was the reason for your chosen position. 

You wanted to stare at him without arousing suspicion - or rather, any more suspicion than was already present amongst the six of you. 

He had given you a questioning look as he sat directly across the table from you, scooting his chair in until he could rest his elbows on the wood. You offered him a reassuring smile as you settled in, but secretly you reveling in the fact it’d seem awfully non-platonic if he questioned your choice out loud. 

While you ate, he only caught you looking at him once, to which he responded by playfully poking his tongue out at you. Otherwise, you listened intently to a story that Sam was telling you about a fated time he found a designer jacket in a truck stop bathroom and it fit perfectly. You also chatted lightly with Jake - who was sitting to your right - about each of your classes and he graciously listened to you gripe at length about the weather and its lack of consistency, which was obviously very kind of him.

When dinner was over, the family changed into their pajamas before meeting in the living room with their wine to sit around the tree and open one present each of their choosing. It went around in a circle, starting with Josh who received a new cutting board and a set of knives that his mom jokingly assured him he couldn’t have until he was ready to go back to Ann Arbor. You were unabashedly visibly excited to be able to use a knife that could cut without having to use a sawing motion.

Jake had unknowingly chosen to open the present you got for him, which was a leather-bound journal and fountain pen that cost more than you wanted to admit but after you saw it at the store, you couldn’t stop thinking about it. You had felt incredibly cool while purchasing it, so in a way, it was kind of a gift for you too. 

The gift you opened was a wool sweater from Josh’s parents and when you lovingly clutched the forest green fabric to your chest, it was a genuine gesture. You reminded them that they didn’t have to get you anything, but thanked them profusely when they informed you that you were being silly.

After the designated presents were opened, warm conversation was had as the Rudolph Christmas movie played quietly in the background. It was one of your holiday favorites though, so you probably paid more attention to it than the rest of the family. 

Once 10 pm hit, there was a sharp rise in the frequency of yawns, and shortly after that people started turning in, one by one. Everyone was wished a good night, knowing that when they woke up again, it would be Christmas. 

After Jake turned in around 11:30, you and Josh were the last ones standing - or sitting rather. 

You were sitting next to each other on the sofa, about a foot apart because despite Jake having been privy to your relationship, it was just good practice when any member of his family was around. 

As soon as Jake’s bedroom door was closed, Josh seemed to visibly relax his muscles, though his fingers still fidgeted with his jeans every few moments.

“Are you liking being home?” you asked and then took a sip of wine, already knowing what he was going to say. 

He gave you a low, pained-sounding hum through a grimacing smile. “We should have just told my family what the nature of our relationship was - I don’t think I can handle not touching you much longer.”

 “M’kay, couple things to address here,” you started through an amused smirk. “You were able to handle not touching me for months - I think you can handle literally one and a half more days. And two-”

He cut you off with a finger against your lips. “Yeah, but had I known you wanted me to, it would have made a lot of difference.”

You pressed a kiss to the digit before he quickly pulled it away with an accusatory squint in his eye. 

“And secondly,” you tried again pointedly. “What would you have told them? ‘Hey guys, I have very very fuzzy boundaries with my roommate and that often results in us sleeping together, both literally and as a euphemism’?”

He shot you a teasing smirk. “Cute. You’re very cute,” he said sarcastically. 

After a very long, comfortable silence, you spoke again, voice low and hushed. “So, can I scoot closer to you now?” 

He looked over at you from out of the corner of his eye, still holding that smirk. “Please do.”

You shuffled until your thigh was touching his.

Of course, you had missed it right away, but you hadn’t really realized how much you’d missed being physically close to him until you caught the now-familiar scent of his cologne. 

Another comfortable silence fell upon the room, quiet enough that all you could hear was the quiet crackling of the logs in the stone fireplace.

“Can I kiss you too?” you asked, looking over at him through the sheer curtain of your hair. 

He looked like he was truly mulling it over as his eyes flicked down the hall to his siblings’ rooms, and then across the living room and up the set of stairs to his parents’ room. After a second, he let out a huff and said, “Fuck it.”

He reached over and tugged on your various limbs until you were sitting in his lap, face to face. 

It had been so forbidden to you up until then, that when he leaned in and caught your lips, you let out a groan under your breath. 

“I missed you,” he breathed, almost directly against your mouth. “I love knowing you in any aspect, but I’ve been burning for this.”

 It made the heat rise to your cheeks, as well as your lap - but you couldn’t let him know he’d turned you on so easily, so you replied breathily with, “That’s an awfully fancy way of telling me you’re horny, babe.”

He was biting back a laugh for a split second before, grabbing your hips a little tighter to gain back what dominance you had borrowed from him with your teasing. 

You pressed your luck. “Really, very eloquent.”

A look of contemplation flashed over his features as he was obviously deciding what to do next. He lifted you with little effort and then pressed you firmly backward until your shoulders hit the seat of the couch. Then he crawled over you and stared down into your eyes triumphantly. 

“Aren’t you worried about someone coming out here?” you challenged through a grin. 

He leaned in until he could drag his teeth across your cheekbone, making your skin prickle. “I don’t care anymore,” he replied, and then - in a show of brutal honesty - pressed his crotch against your hip and ground down just enough to show you how hard he was. 

Your breath caught in your throat, and involuntarily, you bucked up against him.

You kissed him so forcefully that it was almost more like just mashing your mouths together for a long moment. His hand slipped down between your bodies until his fingers brushed over your navel, the ticklish feeling making the muscles jump under the touch. It was the anticipation of his next move that fucked you up the most.

He was dragging his fingers lower, just about to dip under the band of your pajama pants when he seemed to have a moment of clarity and pulled his hand away altogether. You frowned at him, pushing your hips up to meet his hand instead, to which he responded by placing his palm on your stomach and pressing you back down with a laugh. 

“Let’s go to my room,” he suggested.

“No, wait.” You gave him the softest eyes you could. “It’s so romantic out here right now - the lights on the tree, the fire, the soft couch. Would you just kiss me here for a bit?”

The look on his face could only be described as enamored. He stared at your face for a few long seconds before you finally asked if he was alright. 

“I’m lucky to have you.”

He said it under his breath, so sincerely and honestly, that you weren’t sure how to respond until you could catch up with your thoughts. You cupped his jaw in your right palm, raking your fingers through his hair and he careened your touch in a way that had you feeling like a melting scoop of ice cream.

 “You know, I sometimes think about how poorly the whole ‘moving across the country to a place you’ve never been for school’ thing could have gone. There were so many variables that had to click into place, and somehow I still ended up living with a person that,” You paused to brush your thumb against his cheekbone, hoping to portray your meaning through your touch. “Might be a literal angel.” 

He raked his front teeth over his bottom lip subconsciously as he consumed the compliment. You could see his brain chewing it over as he snickered a laugh. 

“Though, I think angels are supposed to deliver good tidings and not black eyes,” you teased. 

You couldn’t name the look he adopted then, but it seemed somewhere between solemn and proud reminiscence. The frown forming on your features was not lost on him, and you quickly spoke before he could change the subject. 

“What’s wrong?” 

He hummed and met your eyes. “I never wanted you to find out about that,” he said like an admission.

“What do you mean?”

“There were a lot of things I did to get your attention, but that was completely reactionary. I’ve never been a violent person - well, to anyone but my siblings anyway-”

You huffed a laugh at him but nodded for him to continue. 

“You were right,” He met your eyes with an intense sincerity. “I am a lover. Not a fighter.”

“I know,” you whispered as you brushed a stray curl from his forehead. “But you must have known I would find out, right?”

“I wasn’t thinking about that at the time, but yeah - in retrospect - of course, you’d find out. But I did it. I sought him out and it just-”  He bit his lip for a second to take a pause. “I saw him and all I could think about was you crying on my shoulder that night.”

You didn’t say anything. You just let him gather his thoughts as the crackling of the fire served as a placeholder in his silence. 

“He’s lucky he only got a black eye because I wanted to kill him for touching you.”

 It was clear after a moment that he was waiting for you to respond, possibly even hoping for validation at such a vulnerable moment. 

“If I’m being honest, Josh, I still can’t believe you could do that - I can’t even imagine you yelling at someone in a way that was anywhere near serious.” 

He stared at you for a few long beats, and you watched the reflection of the Christmas lights twinkle like stars speckled over the dark canvas of his eyes.

 “Yeah, well,” he started, just above a whisper. His brows were tipped into a look of contemplation - the spacing of his words making you think that he wasn’t sure how to proceed. “You do crazy things to protect the people you love.” 

It wasn’t voluntary in any way when your breathing stopped, it just happened - like your lungs were locked up for a few long seconds as you waited for one of you to say something. 

“You’re my best friend,” he said like a confession, looking more serious than you’d ever seen him. “And I love you.” 

Undeniably, your face was peachy pink - you could feel it tingling warm. You weren’t sure what to do with your hands, but you knew you wanted to touch him. His skin tightened around his jaw when you ghosted your fingers over it.

“You love me?” 

He nodded at you, a small but confident motion. “You fill a lot of different positions in my life. I’m not in love with you yet - I don’t think - but I want your permission to be.”

Without wasting another second, you caught his lips in an earnest kiss, your chest feeling like it might implode. It only lasted for a moment before he was pulling you back up until you were sitting in his lap.  

“Was that romantic enough for you?” he asked, trying to shade his voice with humor but it came out sounding breathless instead. 

“I literally can’t imagine anything more romantic,” you agreed with a weak laugh and then teased, “Unless you proposed. You’re not going to propose, are you?”

He adopted a disbelieving smirk. “Do you want me to? I’m sure I can fashion a ring out of something. Maybe there’s a cock ring joke in there somewhere-”

You rolled your eyes playfully and cut him off with, “Please shut up and take me to bed. Right now, okay?”

He ushered you off of him with a breathy laugh before gently nudging you in the general direction of his room. “Hurry along then.” 

The two of you padded quietly down the hall, shutting the door without making a peep. 

The only light in his room was what you could see of the Christmas lights that framed the front door, casting a white-gold glow over the setting.

When he laid you out over the bed, it was significantly gentler than you were expecting as was the kiss he placed - first on your cheek and then your jaw and down your neck to your throat.

His hands slipped under your pajama top, tugging lighting at the buttons on it from the inside and letting his fingers make the skin across your navel tighten. Instinctively, your fingers tangled into his hair, keeping him close enough that the pointed tip of his nose was resting on your sternum. The warm humidity of his breath hitting your skin was both calming and exciting at the same time in a way you couldn’t describe if you tried. His fingers worked to undo your top with relative ease, sliding it off of your chest after. 

You eyed the way his bicep flexed as he held all of his weight on it, and wrapped your fingers around it to give it a squeeze. He reacted by dragging his teeth across your breast with just enough sting to make your hips lift off the bed. The way he sucked one of your nipples into his mouth and rolled it around with his tongue made you squirm, fingers flexing into his tense skin. A tingly, warm feeling set over you as you wrapped your legs around his hips and sat up to shrug your shirt off. 

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this,” he stated simply as he ran his fingers down your bare chest. 

You hummed at him through a smile, pinching his chin in your fingers and tilting his head up until he had to look you in the eyes. He gave you a grin as he bit his bottom lip and then leaned in to press a kiss against your cheek. In your heart, you knew the gesture had you blushing, but it was confirmed for you when he smugly rubbed his thumb across your cheekbone. 

The chill in the room made your newly-naked skin prickle as he tossed your pajama pants to the floor, followed quickly by his own. With all of your clothing discarded into a pile, he pulled you up onto your knees, cupped both sides of your jaw with his hands, and tugged your face closer until your noses were touching. You listened to his shaky breathing for a moment before you dug your fingers into his hips, pulling him back over you as you laid out on the bed. 

You knew your nails were digging into his skin - probably a little too deeply - as he pushed into you, one of his hands wrapped around your thigh to keep it hitched over his hip. This was confirmed for you when you heard him suck in a breath that sounded more like a hiss, though you got the feeling that he liked the sting of it. 

Through the entirety of the time he was fucking you, he barely pulled his body away from you at all, instead opting to just rock himself against you until you were near tears. The biggest challenge was barely making a sound as you reached your peak, your face buried in the humid crook of his neck and shoulder. 

You weren’t positive how much time had passed, but as you laid together, post-orgasm, you realized just how exhausted you were. 

Neither of you had said a word for quite a while, so it sounded too loud when you spoke into the dark room. 

“Are you going back to the living room?” you whispered. 

“Nah, fuck it. I’m not going anywhere,” he replied, nuzzling the top of his nose into your hair as you laid, half on his bare chest. Just before you fell asleep you remembered the very first night you slept in his bed, and how much had changed since then - and how much had not really changed at all. 

+++

You had meant to set an alarm - really. But you hadn’t gotten around to it the night before, which is why when you came stumbling out of the bedroom with Josh close behind you, you were met with a few pairs of eyes staring at you from the living room. Trying not to look like the most guilty human on earth, you ducked your head and quickly made your retreat to the bathroom. Neither of you said a word as you brushed your teeth together, sneaking playful glances at each other in the mirror. 

By the time you had both showered - Josh first and then you second - and changed into your clothes for the day, it was 9:30. You both found the dining room table hosting his entire family and enough breakfast food piled on top of the worn wood to satisfy a small army. 

The two spots that they saved for you were next to each other, so you settled in and tried to prepare for the most awkward meal of your life thus far. 

“You almost made it to the end,” Jake quipped, apparently happy as hell to deliver the first blow. 

You watched Josh’s eyes flick up at him, delivering him a chilly look. 

“Okay, it wasn’t really a secret before, but it’s definitely not anymore,” Jake finished, rolling his eyes as the bowl of scrambled eggs was passed to him. 

Josh poured himself a glass of orange juice and then gestured for your glass too. “If I were in the living room last night, Santa wouldn’t have come. Really, you have me to thank for the gifts you receive today.” He finished filling your glass and set the carton back down before continuing. “And I’ll take that thank you in the form of you shutting up and minding your own business.”  

 Jake snorted a laugh as he dished himself out some breakfast. He opened his mouth to tease Josh further, but when he looked up and met your eyes, he let the next remark die on his lips - instead just settling for a smug smirk. 

No one mentioned anything else about it, but as the meal went on, you realized that you really had nothing to be ashamed of. You brushed your fingers against Josh’s under the table and then let him lace them together as his sister was telling a story about the best gift she’d ever received. You didn’t share a look with him, but you didn’t have to as his thumb swiped over the top of your hand, over and over. 

After breakfast was eaten and presents were opened, Josh found you on your way out of the restroom and motioned for you to follow him to his room. 

“I have something for you,” he started as he took your hand and sat you on the bed. You crossed your hands in your lap, settling into your spot with a smile. He closed the door behind him and then lifted the bag he’d packed from home onto the dresser. 

He pulled out a little box like a magician would pull a rabbit from his hat, and then held it out for you to take. 

“It really isn’t much, because we obviously don’t have a lot of money, but after what you did for Penny- Well. I wanted to do something meaningful too,” he explained sheepishly. 

The box was wrapped in mint green foil and marked with your name on a brown paper tag. 

You took a lot of care removing the wrapping, and gently opened the top of the box as you held his eyes. 

Inside was a 4-inch terra cotta pot, decorated with delicately painted sunflowers on a white background.

“It’s obviously not perfect-” he started, but you didn’t let him finish before you set the pot on his bedspread and wrapped your arms around his neck.

“It’s perfect,” you stated simply. 

+++

He slept with you again that night, this time sparing any sneaky behavior - and this time, when the two of you emerged from his room, no one even batted an eye. It took you only a few moments to pack your things up, but over an hour to say all of your goodbyes. 

You watched as his mother hugged him again, just like she had when he’d arrived - tightly, like she could barely stand to let him leave. This time, she hugged you too, nearly just as warmly. 

Josh helped you get your bags into the trunk of your car, being decidedly less gentle with Jake’s belongings, and the two of you crawled into the front seats as Jake was ribbing his much taller younger brother at the front door. 

“Hey, I got you this. I looked it up on my phone and the wiki page said I could just rip it off, so I did,” he explained as he placed a long arm of the Christmas cactus into your lap. 

You look at it for a long moment, your chest feeling tight. 

He must have mistaken your silence for apprehension, because he continued on, letting a concerned tone shade his words. “It said it wouldn’t hurt the plant and that it would eventually just grow roots. Is that right? So you can have one of your own, you know? Since you liked it so much. You could even use the little pot.”

You let your eyes meet his as you tried to choke back the feeling in your throat that was threatening tears. Embarrassingly, your voice was a little shaky when you stated, “I love you too.”

He looked completely stunned, but he only had a moment to fix his expression before Jake was opening the back door and sliding effortlessly in. 

“You guys good to go?” Jake asked as he leaned forward and snatched the aux cable from where it was rested on the center console. 

You gave Josh an expectant smile, but when it was clear that he wasn’t going to respond, you leaned over and pressed a kiss against his lips, prompting him to say through a beaming grin, “Let’s go home.”  

[muffinlance]

My mom forgot to hire someone to water the plants while she’s gone and she asked me to do it instead and I’m happy to but also I’m like “mom... mom I killed garlic sprouts, the EASIEST thing to grow?! What are you DOING?! It’s not that I forget to water them or don’t follow the directions or anything I’m just good at killing plants. I was born unto death and so death I wreak.

Okay so this ask has almost nothing to do with my blog but I have FEELINGS about those poor plants and maybe you remembered those like two times I flashed pictures of my own so DON'T KILL THOSE INNOCENT CHILDREN, here have some plant life advice:

For like 95% of common plants, leave them the fuck alone until their soil is completely dry to the touch. Then water just enough to make a little bit of water come out the bottom of the pot. Resume leaving them the fuck alone. In my climate, this process takes a little under two weeks. An over-watered plant can quickly succumb to root rot, which can easily be fatal. An under-watered plant generally loses a few leaves but can be fairly easily brought back to health.

Do yourself a favor: this Mother's Day, give your mother the gift of a Drama Plant. Drama Plants are well known for looking ridiculous when they need water. Like in the space of an hour they go from perfectly healthy to a puddle of sadness and despair, but they recover just as quickly once they are watered, because they were just Being Drama. The beautiful thing is they need exactly as much water as that other 95% of plants, so when your Drama Plant fake-swoons its leaves, you know it's time to water everyone else too.

Peace lilies and crotons are both excellent Drama Plants. Peace lilies have the benefit of being great air filters and generally pleasant to look at, crotons have the benefit of being beauty queens. Get your mom one of these, she'll think it's sweet you're enabling her hobby, whereas you'll be sitting there going "yes, my spy has been accepted into her household, my master plan of Knowing When To Water can begin..."

Special Mention: Desert plants. If it's a cactus or an aloe, don't water it while plant-sitting unless the owner is gone for months. They are DESERT plants. They are adept at retaining water in their leaves from the infrequent rain fall of their ancestral homes. If they're not visibly turning into wilted prunes, they're fine.

Now go forth and DON'T KILL THOSE PLANTS.

[makoto-naegi555]

the bloody bloody despair arc: chapter 8

https://archiveofourown.org/works/31737307/chapters/80467357 https://drive.google.com/file/d/19dSWapOdGFDia_kftPmpLbdeUL94HJH5/view?usp=sharing

Gp: it is time…. ok so let’s start

0:13

Don’t do it! You aren’t entitled to tell her anything and she isn’t entitled to know just go on with your day!

0:28

Hook line and sinker

0:45

Good news Mitarai you got jabaited.

Face palm

Oh the hubris of man.

1:33

Mukuro no!

But I mean she is mentally sound ….was mentally sound you know its like you know shes like a dads old car just kept together by so much duct tape so much….

But I mean compared to Junko shes a perfectly healthy individual.

Soulbound: they all need therapy.

2:20

Gp: YOU WHAT YOU LIAR YOU HACK YOU FROAD I LET YOU IN MY HEART AND YOU BETRAY ME LIKE THAT

Soulbound: your passionate

Gp: ITS BRAINWASHING HES A SCAM

Soulbound: I do agree brainwashing is unethical and the fact he did it is not cool.

Gp: if you need brainwashing to make your animation good your animations not good YOU DIRTY LIAR Pixar, Ghibli, James Baxter! There animations are to cry for, and they don’t brainwash people!

Soulbound: at least I hope they don’t.

Gp: so you! You you you! Forcing people to like your anime! Of all the unethicality’s! you iddddiiooooootttt oh well let me give you your just deserts if you think brainwashing people isn’t anything to worry about how about you get a taste of your own medicine ay!? Ay?!

Soulbound: oh no

2:27

Gp: YOU’VE DOOMED US ALL!!!

2:33

But Then Junko got an idea. An awful idea. Junko enoshima had a wonderful, awful idea.

Soulbound: You're a mean one, miss Junko You really are a heel. You're as cuddly as a cactus You're as charming as an eel Miss Junko, you're a bad banana with the greasy black peel.

Gp dancing in the background

Gp: but in all serious MITARAI YOU IDIOT YOU DOOMED US ALL

2:34

NOOOOO MUKUROOO! STOP IT RJ NOT NICE NOT NICE NOT NICE!

Soulbound: mukuro dosent get paid enough for this… -----------------------------------------------------------------------

Mukuro: I don’t get paid at all. -----------------------------------------------------------------------

2:45

Gp: THAT IS A LOAD OF TORUS POO if you believe that mitari I will lose all faith in you!

Soulbound: you had faith in him?

Gp: well not anymore with the path he takes

2:50

Oh theme song! Man so short I didn’t know we could talk too much.

4:30

IT’S A REAL-LIFE BEAR IN DANGARONPA so that’s what they look like nice.

5:33

OH MY GOD BAGEL BOOTY

6:33

My word

7:07

And that’s how mikan died.

Soulbound: she didn’t die?

Gp: she died on the inside but we all know shes doomed poor baby

7:15

And now its these guys again

8:11

Poly

8:54

Oh dear rj you killed him didn’t you?

9:05

My word

And once again Junko had a wonderfully awful idea.

Soulbound: You're a monster, Miss Junko, your heart's an empty hole Your brain is full of spiders, you've got garlic in your soul, Miss Junko. I wouldn't touch you with a thirty-nine-and-a-half-foot pole!

Gp dancing

9:36

Gp: it’s kinda annoying how fake she is though, if your gonna be evil rj at least be upfront about it! your faker then a capitalist companies carrying policy!

Soulbound confused about the mushrooms.

9:48

Soulbound: there real!? I thought they were a metaphor!

Gp: a metaphor for what?

Soulbound: SADNESS of course!

9:55

Gp: DOOOOMMEEDD DOOOMMEEDD

10:11

Soulbound: WHAT THE HECK IS THAT!!!

Gp: ou yeah she does that sometimes

Soulbound: SHE LOOKS LIKE LIKE- I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT SHE LOOKS LIKE BUTS IT LOOKS WRONG

Gp: oh chill buddy shes just using her super smart brain skills no Biggy

Soulbound: THAT’S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!?

Gp: yeah why did you think it was an automatic process or something?

Soulbound: YES

Gp: well you thought wrong its like a switch on off on off do doot do

Then gp slaps both sides of his face to wiggle his eyes as if they were playing ping pong

Its weird but cool like shes on drugs which is fair I think her mom owned a drug cartel.

10:25

No mukuro you’re fine!

10:50

That…. That was something but now its time for the moment we’ve all been waiting for

11:08

I FORBID IT YOUNG LADY!

Soulbound: she can’t hear you.

Angry gp noises

11:58

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH its gonna happen I need to prepare myself.

12:07

Good news! you are all going to heaven Bad news! RIGHT NOW!

13:44

Soulbound: why don’t they just use the weapons to kill her?

Gp: well you see, there’s a little thing called fear, stress and pressure it makes you stupid and not see any other way besides the ones told to you happens all the time in horror movies …..

14:14 (just play the scene and hear the song)

[GP] Well…  pulls out guitar. here’s the first killing I have a good song for this...

Will I lose my dignity? Will someone care Will I wake tomorrow From this nightmare?

Group #1 Will I lose my dignity Will someone care Will I wake tomorrow From this nightmare?

Group #2 Will I lose my dignity Will someone care Will I wake tomorrow From this nightmare?

Group #3 Will I lose my dignity Will someone care Will I wake tomorrow From this nightmare?

Group #4 Will I lose my dignity Will someone care Will I wake tomorrow From this nightmare?

Gp: oh the depravity…

But you know I don’t think I’d call that despair either like whoop de do you threatened people and put them in a room of stress blackmailing them causing them to panic and kill eachother who would have ever guessed that would happen literally everyone like it’s a scientific provation so what do you get from it? unless you were secretly hoping they were better than that and that they would just shoot you in the head then and there hahahah…. Maybe

19:33

AND NOW WE’RE ALL DOOMED

20:01

Oh yeah the other guys reaction to it well let’s just say the committee didn’t want people to catch wind of this but why tell you when I can show you.

Soulbound: did we ever get their names.

Gp: … no actually I think not …. ok ok let’s go in order left to right

Ok first guy archie gator then haru gilla old dude with the hair is Jio Futoago and last guy is Callisto de viper.

Got it? Good!

[GP] And now, an explanation of the Corrupt Bargain, which took place in the back halls of hopes peak while no one was watching.

[HUSK] Do, do, do, do, do Do, do, do, do, do Do, do, do, do, do, do, do Archie gator says:

[GATOR] We need to find a scheme to Keep the power in the Hands of the chosen few.

[HUSK] Jio Futoago says:

[FUTOAGO] If my dad was in the council I should get to be in it too!

[HUSK] Haru gila says:

[GILA] I’ll make you councilmen. If you keep me as Secretary of State

[HUSK] Callisto de viper says something in Italian That none of us can translate Whoo!

Do, do, do, do, do Do, do, do, do, do, do, do Do, do, do, do, do Do, do, do, do, do, do, do

All you educated people You can talk of liberty But do you really want The Japanese people To learn of this tragedy? Ooh!

Do do do doot (repeated)

Jio Futoago says:

[FUTOAGO] If we cover it all up Then the mastermind will surely cave!

[HUSK] Archie gator says:

[GATOR] You can do what you want If you don’t try to take away my slaves

[HUSK] Haru gila says:

[GILA] You’ll keep the reserve course ‘cause I know How to play realpolitik

[HUSK] Jin kirigiri said something prescient about this But he not important Let’s dance!

[ALL] Do, do, do, do, do Do, do, do, do, do, do, do Do, do, do, do, do Do, do, do, do, do, do, do

[HUSK] You can compromise all you want They’re still drunk and smell like pee! But Do you really want the mastermind To cause the tragedy?

Jio Futoago:

[FUTOAGO] The people are stupid!

[HUSK] Haru gila:

[GILA] They can all go rot!

[HUSK] Archie gator:

[GATOR] They’re lame!

[HUSK] Futoago:

[FUTOAGO] They suck!

[HUSK] Haru gila:

[GILA] The mastermind’s a total twat!

[HUSK] Archie gator:

[GATOR] These guys are idiots but It’s the mastermind who’s a real threat.

[HUSK] I’m sure sora enix would have an opinion But he hasn’t been born yet

Junko is a loser!

[DEPRAVITY] Junko is a loser! Junko is a loser! Junko is a loser!

They all laugh maniacally as they celebrate what they think is their victory.

[JIN] DON’T I GET A SAY IN THIS?!

Gator and Gila sigh, perhaps not caring an ounce on what jin has to say.

Gp: but Junko was in fact not a loser

because this was all part of her plan with them covering it up it gave her free rain to leak it out but with a certain extra… brain washing flair tainting all their souls with darkness becoming slaves to the great hivemind But I think the best way to explain this is… IN SONG!

22:00

[GP] Oh-whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh You didn't know that you fell Oh-whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh Now that you're under our spell

Blindsided by the beat Clapping your hands, Stomping your feet You didn't know that you fell Oh-whoa-oh-oh-oh Now you've fallen under our spell Oh-whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh

We've got the music, Makes you move it Got the song that makes you lose it We say "jump", you say "how high?" Put your hands up to the sky We've got the music, Makes you move it Got the song that makes you lose it We say "jump", you say "how high?" Put your hands up to the sky

Oh-whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh You didn't know that you fell Oh-whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh Now that you're under our spell

Listen to the sound of my voice Oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh Soon you'll find you don't have a choice Oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh Captured in the web of my song Oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh Soon you'll all be singing along Oh-whoa-oh

We've got the music, Makes you move it Got the song that makes you lose it We say "jump", you say "how high?" Put your hands up to the sky We've got the music, Makes you move it Got the song that makes you lose it We say "jump", you say "how high?" Put your hands up to the sky

Oh-whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh You didn't know that you fell Oh-whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh Now that you're under our spell Oh-whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh You didn't know that you fell Oh-whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh Now that you're under our Spell... hahahaha MAAHAHAAHAHHAHAHAHA!

23:13 Like lambs to the slaughter  and if it all goes the way the creator wants then literally!  Well that’s all for now tune in next time for when things go wronger! 

[sakura-blossom28]

Modern Day Romance

Chapter 5

The date continues! Thinking about doing a small time jump to get their relationship moving! Let me know what you think! Don’t own Naruto 

Ch 1 / Ch 2 / Ch 3 / Ch 4 / 

The botanical garden was more magical than Sakura could have ever imagined.  Flowers bloomed all over and so many scents mixed in the space, it was a bit overpowering, but they got used to it as they moved through.  Everything was sculpted into different abstract shapes.  Sakura had never seen so many flowers at once.  They walked around in silence for a bit getting lost in observing the flowers.  

Soon they found a different type of arrangement of cacti off to the side.  Gaara seemed to have noticed them and headed right over to them but still made sure that Sakura was with him.  His eyes scanned all the different potted plants in front of them, there actually was excitement in his eyes.  Sakura thought he looked like a kid in a candy shop.  She remembered that Gaara had some cacti in one of his pictures on the dating app.  

“You really like them right?” Sakura finally asked.  Gaara slowly turned his eyes towards her and she smiled gently.  He started to blush a bit and Sakura found that so cute.  

“Sorry, yeah, I guess you could say I’m obsessed with them.  I got into gardening and desert plants when I was in school,” Gaara said as he put his hands in his pockets, “It was part of my rehabilitation while I was in high school.” 

He turned back towards the plants, but Sakura knew he was waiting to see her reaction.  She could ask a million questions but decided against it.  It would be so rude of Sakura to question his past when this was the first day, and she felt that she would come off as judgemental towards him and that’s the last thing she felt.  But she risked asking one question.  

“Are you healthy now since then?” she asked while turning to look at the plants like Gaara.  He took a few minutes to answer.

“I had a messed up past, but with the help of that school and my siblings, I can say that I am not the same person I was back then and have no desire to be how I was.  So yes, for years I’ve been healthy and now I help people who were like me,” Gaara said with clear pride in his voice.  Sakura slid closer to him so that their arms were touching.  

“You being healthy is all that matters,” she said looking up into his eyes, “So mister cactus expert, tell me about that one.” Sakura pointed at a small potted cactus that had a small orange flower on top of it, but the flower hadn’t bloomed yet.  Gaara followed her finger to see which cactus she wanted to know about.  He chuckled when he looked at it.

“That’s a cactus and that’s its stomata.  It doesn’t bloom during the day to conserve water.  Normally plants open their flowers during the day for the process of photosynthesis, but they open during the night to conserve water.”

“Oh, well that’s less exciting than I thought,” Sakura half grumbled to herself, “Tell me more!” 

Gaara seemed taken aback by her general interest in the plants around them.  The rest of the time Gaara led them around and talked about all the pants that he knew.  He was so invested in what he was talking about that he didn’t notice when Sakura slipped her arm through his and they walked around the rest of the gardens just like that.  Sakura was very much enjoying hearing Gaara talk about what he was clearly passionate about.  For thinking they would be awkward the majority of the date, all their stress melted off of them.  

Gaara was in the middle of discussing a particularly rare desert flower to Sakura when his phone started ringing.  Sighing Gaara went to pull his cellphone out.  Sakura wanting to give him some privacy, she slipped out his arm, but before she could get too far he reached out his hand to take hers to keep her close.  He had turned away to answer the call, but Sakura could see that the back of his neck was bright pink.  She laughed to herself about this but turned in the opposite direction to give him a little bit of privacy.  He finally hung up the phone and gave a light squeeze to her hand to tell her that he was done.  

“I guess we lost track of time,” he said and showed Sakura the time of 5:15 pm on his phone.  They had been walking and talking for about three hours and it felt like nothing to either of them.

“This may seem weird and feel free to say no, but my sister is a designer and has a fashion show tonight, and she just called to remind me.  Would you be interested to go?  I’m not sure if you’re busy or not-” but Sakura stopped him by squeezing his hand and laughed when she noticed that he was rubbing the back of his head similarly as how she did herself when she was embarrassed.  

“Gaara I’d love to go with you.  I don’t want this date to end yet.”  The look of relief in his eyes was so visible.  It was nice to see how Sakura wasn’t the only one who was enjoying her time and that he was clearly into her too.  

X

Gaara had failed to mention exactly who his sister was.  When he offered to drive them so Sakura could drop off her car at home, he filled her in on a few more facts about his older siblings and what they do for a living.  Temari being the center of attention tonight it did not take her long to figure out that the brand that his sister designed for is Tee.  An extremely high-end fashion line that was the closest thing to couture that was available to the common people.  Ino and Sakura had always admired Tee’s designs and wished they had a reason to wear these beautiful clothes.  

“You know I’m freaking out on the inside right?”

“I think you’ll be fine.”

Now that Ino had moved away to the city she had every reason to wear these clothes.  Sakura always browsed online and had the fashion magazine Shukaku sent to her home, she loved these clothes so much.  (Gaara made no comment that this particular magazine was almost run by him.)  

Gaara pulled his sleek black car (a company car) up to the valet of the abandoned building.  He explained that Temari got a kick of making the other couture designers squirm and picked the creepiest places to showcase a new line of clothes.  Gaara nodded to the valet who seemed to recognize him as they made their way inside.  He reassured Sakura that they were perfectly dressed in their casual clothes, “No one is going to be looking at us anyway.”

The inside of the building was completely redone in order to house this fashion show.  It looked exactly as Sakura had seen on TV;  a long white catwalk that went into the audience, large black curtains on the sides to hide the upcoming models.  On each curtain were large TV’s showing Temari’s previous works.  These were photos from different photo-shoots that Sakura could remember seeing online and in her fashion magazines.  As Gaara lead her to their seats on the side, a familiar face popped up on the screen.  

There Gaara was twenty feet up in the air posing in Temari’s clothes.  It was a fitted three-piece suit in a blood-red color that matched perfectly with his hair, making his teal eyes pop.  Sakura’s breath caught in her throat at the sight of him.  She had never seen this photo anywhere before and she would remember.  The look in his eyes was mesmerizing, they were hard but drew you in any way that you couldn’t look away.  Gaara finally looked up because Sakura had become so quiet. 

“Oh, she didn’t! I specifically told her never to use these pictures,” Gaara grumbled mostly to himself as he pulled out of his phone, probably to tell off his sister.  Sakura noticed that he was scowling and blushing at the same time.  

“I didn’t know you modeled Gaara,” Sakura said as she tried to focus on a spot on the floor and not keep drooling over the screen.

“Technically I’m not, but my siblings love to drag me into their business.  Temari knows she can push me around and I won’t crack like the models do when she yells at them for making her clothes look bad.  And my brother hates working with the models too.”

“You’re very good at it.  But I do prefer you as you are now,” Sakura said not being able to look at him.  Gaara seemed to relax next to her and Sakura peeked a glance at him.  There was a gentle smile on his face as he was avoiding her gaze as well.  They sat there like two blushing fools as the room around them started filling up.  Sakura finally relaxed enough that she got comfortable in her seat to sit closer to Gaara.  

X

As she took in the room she failed to notice a man in his 30’s sit next to her.  He was not much to look at, but his ego oozed out of him.  Checking Sakura out, he was about to strike up a conversation with the young woman, but a long toned arm wrapped around her shoulders.  When Sakura leaned into Gaara’s touch she did not notice the battle that was going above her head.  Gaara stared daggers into the man’s eyes.  The man went pale and decided to change his seat before the show started.  He did not want to cross a man with eyes like that.

Ch 6 

[gelum-lumen]

(( woke up in the middle of the night bc of a headache so its hc time baybee

i was talking to @devilglow about pet hcs a few days ago and ive finally come to a decision on vergils pet situation. 

under the cut cuz i gush a lot and it got long 

so following dmc5 in vergils mainverse he lives (officially) alone. dante comes over whenever the fuck he feels like and nero visits every so often but they dont live there. that coupled with the fact that hes lost his familiars as v, vergil finds himself a little lonely for once in his life. he got used to having constant company as v and now that he finds himself without the constant chattering hes realizes how much hes missed it even if he knows he had to let them go. 

so dante suggests getting a pet. now vergil of course resists. he doesnt need animal hair all over his nice new couches or pee for that matter and his cactus petunia (yes he has a cactus named petunia dont ask too many questions) makes for perfectly suitable company thank you very much. but dantes dante and he insists and even tries to sway vergil with cute puppy pictures (theyre cute. theyre very cute. but no dante) and when he starts to realize he really isnt going to budge he starts cheating. brings up that they would always talk about getting a pet but dad didnt think theyd be responsible enough. that mom would let them play with neighborhood cats and feed them regardless. 

its a dirty trick one vergil knows he wouldnt attempt if he didnt completely believe it would be for vergils benefit and worse yet it works. so he agrees but declines dantes constant recommendations among the strays hes been caring for off the books. instead he goes out of his way to do research on cat breeds (his complex doesnt do big dogs and small ones arent his style). since cat breeds are bred moreso for temperment and looks instead of usefulness and tasks he decides against purebreds and goes out of his way to find the perfect cat and lo and behold he finds one

Her Majesty Christine-Valentine Sparda (he couldnt pick between which book character he liked more christine daae or valentine de villefort) is a pure white quarter ragdoll, half mainecoon, and norewegian forest siberian mix with blue eyes and a wonderful addition to his home. shes a very large lady who requires daily grooming, eats out of a crystal plate, and regularly goes on walks and hunts with her master. she has a high aptitude for hunting and taking commands has a calm temperament and a healthy caution for strangers. shes surprisingly affectionate toward vergil and warms up quickly to dante and nero since its very clear theyre fixtures to the household even if they arent there. 

it goes without saying that vergil spoils her but to be fair shes a very pretty kitty and even takes to following him or the other spardas around like a little bodyguard. tbh i love her so much that i might keep her around even outside of vergils mainverse and even have him take her in even if hes living with other people already bc i love the idea of vergil being one of those people who absolutely spoil their loved ones. cats dont talk back or judge shes an easy target for unabashed affection ))

[justgrowforit]

Zebra Haworthia

Haworthiopsis attenuata

When I first saw this plant I thought it was a weird tiny aloe! They tend to stay fairly small since they are slow growers. A healthy plant will make a flower sometime in the summer! Pretty neat lil dudes!

☀️ Sunlight: Full sun, but indirect sunlight. Yellow or white leaves can indicate too much. Not enough sun, and the green will fade.

💧Water: Let dry entirely before giving a deep watering in the summer. As it gets to its dormant period in winter, cut back, and only water when you can tell its thirsty.

🌱 Planter: Like all succulents, a breathable pot is the way to go. Clay or concrete are ideal.

⛰ Soil: Cactus mix will do perfectly! Adding some tiny rocks is another good way to ensure proper drainage.

☁️ Humidity: No special requirements.

[asksep]

Did I disappear for almost two weeks because I lost track of the time? Maybe, but if you don't mention it it didn't happen. Anyway!

The cactus is still alive! Name suggestions welcome from anyone but you and jenna, a dragon named "spit fyre" and a pet rock named "petroc" do not give me hope that either of you could pick a good name for my cactus

I'm glad nothing too bad has happened to either of you! Although how do you get lightly set on fire? And what's magykal exhaustion like? Is it more like physical exhaustion or is it mental? I'm assuming physical, based off of absolutely nothing other than it can cause you to pass out (rip marcia, honestly surprised it's only happened once to either of you in ten years)

Yeah, I had a feeling death would probably be the worst thing but it's good that nothings happened in the past few decades. I guess the stuff that's happened with the supreme custodian and domdaniel and everything else might have put people off trying anything too risky lol

There might have been more I'd intended to say? But I've typed this all into your inbox and I can't go back and check your post without copy/pasting all this and frankly, it is 1:20am and I cannot be bothered. Oh! Except for regarding the post about the medieval torture rack, don't you basically live in medieval times? You might be able to test that person's theory :) (this is a joke do NOT)

Hello I have returned from the dead! again i was reminded this blog existed when my own queue went off lmao

It's been a while since you sent this, I hope the cactus is still thriving (though I guess the cold isn't the best climate for a cactus)! And I dunno what you mean I think spit fyre and petroc are perfectly reasonable names. If you haven't got a name (and its still alive) I think it should be named stabby mcstabbyface

The lightly set on fire was because it we were trying experimental fyre spell designed to be strong enough to get tinder burning but then weak enough (and fast enough to burn out) so that it wouldn't injure someone too badly if they accidentally got hit with it. And funnily enough I accidentally got hit with it 🙃 and was lightly set on fire but it burned out really quickly and didn't cause any injuries, just a bit of stinging that was solved with cold water.

Magykal exhaustion is primarily physical with a healthy dose of brain fog to go alongside it - I dunno of you've ever had a migraine but marcia says it's very similar to the aftermath of one? Where the pain has gone but you're still not totally recovered yet?

Yeah, Marcia said one of the things she was worried about with the supreme custodian was that people would try out spells they weren't capable of doing safely and end up injured but thankfully (?) the custodians stamped out magyk outside of the tower enough that the only thing that really carried on were the basics and very well established stuff

Hmm there's some very weird stuff currently lining the long walk, it wouldn't surprise me if I could find a medieval torture rack somewhere in there🤔

How are you? Celebrating anything this winter or avoiding the festivities at all costs?

✌

[floofsta-x]

Les Feuilles Mortes ✿ [M]

genre;; realistic fantasy (yes, I know that’s a contradiction). Plant spirit!Kihyun, plant dad!Hyunwoo

pairing;; Son Hyunwoo / Shownu x Yoo Kihyun [Showki], Mentions of side Hyungkyun

plot ;;

The sight of the three tiny, wilted sprouts in the window of the antique store pricked at Son Hyunwoo's heart. Little did he know that this dying plant was much more than it seemed...

⚠️ warnings;; be prepared for a feels trip y’all--this has one-sided pining, some cute fluffy/slightly smutty moments, heartbreak, and ultimately major character death

words;; 15,385 (15k)

author’s notes;; soooooooo yes. This fic was a feels trip for me to write. It was the second of @shinigamibutterfly’s three prompts for the @mxficx Spring Fling Fantasy fic exchange. (I think I’ve tagged the right person...if I haven’t let me know. ://) I absolutely fell in love with this idea! I hope you enjoy!

“Wait. Say that again. You want...what?”

“One of the plants in the front window.”

Though he chuckled good-naturedly, the man behind the old, scratched countertop was clearly confused and in disbelief. His eyebrows rose, and he shook his head. “Sir...I’m sorry, but they’re display pieces, there for atmosphere, you know? I’m not sure if I can give them to you.”

It was a chilly autumn afternoon. Though the wind outside was frigid, the sun kept everything inside the small, shoddy antique mall warm. There weren’t many shoppers wandering around today. Those who passed wrapped themselves tighter and spared no second glance. So, understandably, it had been slow and boring. Well, up until now.

“Please? I’ll pay,” the customer pleaded and proceeded to name off a price that was a tad high for a potted plant. Truly struck dumb this time, the employee, a veteran manager of the store named Seungho, shook his head a bit. Also, he took the opportunity to glance the man across the counter over again. He was young and strong, with a handsome face and lithe body. From the way he carried himself and the circumference of his biceps, it was clear he took pride in himself and his fitness. So, why had a few leaves and some dirt piqued his interest? Others of his age and type would be out doing more masculine things, and not appraising decorative flora in store windows. That was something reserved for old ladies and other crazy people. Tree-huggers, maybe. However, he was here asking, and it was clear that he meant it; the only way to describe the look in his eyes was plaintive.

Of course, Seungho’s first instinct was to say no, but something stopped him. Hesitating, he sighed. In all reality, it didn’t matter. Money was money, and who was he to deny such a fervent plea? If the boss really wanted to, he could just buy another plant with the funds from selling this one. “Alright, alright.” Grabbing the keys to the display case from their peg, he led the customer back up to the front and unlocked the enclosure that looked out onto the street. After stepping around some of the displays, knick-knacks clustered around, he made for a large, healthy Peperomia near the middle.

Just as he was reaching for the gold foil pot that contained its roots, however--a tapping from behind him made him stop. When he turned, Seungho met the eyes of his customer, who frowned a bit and shook his head. “No?” After a few more attempts at picking up different plants resulted in the same thing, the manager resorted to pointing. A cast iron plant? Dieffenbachia? Philodendron? Anthurium? Each time, the customer frowned a bit and scrunched his eyebrows together.

Finally, it seemed that he had enough, and he poked his head into the space. “No, no, I mean the small one...on the end.”

Somehow, Seungho instantly knew the very thing he was talking about. That plant? Surely, this was all a joke. He made his feet move, walking over to where the row ended. There, behind a big lamb’s ear, was a tiny pot and plant, no bigger than the palm of his hand. The poor thing was dying, if not already completely dead, its thin shoots tan, and brittle leaves drooping sadly. He picked it up and gestured in the customer’s direction. “You’re offering almost forty thousand won...for this?”

A laugh flew from the customer’s mouth, and his face lit up. “Yep, that one. No tricks, I promise.” Without a moment of hesitation, he reached into the back pocket of his jeans and drew out a leather wallet.

The employee’s eyes grew wide. “W--wait. No, it’s okay. I--I’ll let you have it for free.” He sighed, and made his way out, handing over the little pot. “The boss was telling me I should get rid of it. Honestly, I don’t see what you’d do with a dead plant.”

“Oh, no, it’s still alive,” the younger replied confidently. It fit into his large, gentle hands almost perfectly. He gave a handsome grin and brushed one of the stems with a finger. “Just needs some care, that’s all.”

By this point, the shopkeeper believed that this guy was simply crazy. He shook his head and gave a small sigh. “Even if you’re right, you’d have to be a miracle worker to get it to grow. Probably be better off planting something else in there, like a cactus.”

“I have a way with houseplants. Maybe I am what this little guy needs.” The man chuckled. “Are you sure you don’t want the money? I’d gladly pay--”

“No, don’t bother. It was bound for the trash, anyway.”

“Thank you so much, sir.”

“My pleasure. Enjoy the rest of your day, and feel free to come back if something else interests you.” As the customer turned, the employee gazed at his wide back and thick arms. They were a direct contrast to how he was handling the plant. He was gazing down at it almost reverently, and he shifted it to one palm, moving to cup the top with the other.

What a strange young man.

Son Hyunwoo leaned into the glass of the door, pushing it open with his shoulder. The bell overhead gave a merry ding, but the fierce fall wind overpowered it in a second. Boy, the gale was quite strong today; it could carry a smaller person away. Days like this made the young man grateful for his broad frame. Sheer force pushed him along. Heaven forbid, it might also cause him to lose his precious cargo. Tenderly, he cradled the small terracotta pot in his hands, holding it close to his chest. Every once in a while, he took a glance down at it. Three slender, brown stems poked up from the dry dirt. The tiny shoots looked like they could break at the slightest touch.

If he was to be completely honest, he couldn’t even explain to himself why he’d picked up this plant. Maybe it was how small and sad it looked, or how it was so different from the other, healthier potted greenery in the shop window. If he’d tried harder, he might have resisted the urge to save it, but that apparently wasn’t what the fates had in mind. After staring for a bit too long, he'd stepped inside and approached the man at the desk. Perhaps it was force of habit.

Yeah, yeah, Hyunwoo knew he didn’t look the type. He was twenty-four, a freshly-graduated university student, and finishing up an internship at a marketing company. In his free time, he liked to jog, though he didn’t have quite as much stamina as he used to, when he played on a city championship-winning club football team. Every day at six am, he hit the gym, pumping iron for an hour before going to work. Though he was proud of his strength, most of the routine was solely to keep up old habits and cherished friendships (He quite enjoyed the company of Lee Hoseok, his friend from high school and fellow gymaholic). When Hyunwoo was home alone and didn’t have responsibilities to attend to, he read, danced, and sang. Most considered these things to be feminine or weak. He reveled in them, though, and could care less what other people thought of his hobbies.

As it turned out, another thing he loved was taking care of plants. This wasn't the first time he had brought a particularly neglected specimen home with him. Hyunwoo had a collection of greenery rescued from doorsteps, living rooms, shop windows, and even a bar or two. Ever since he was a kid and helped his grandma keep an indoor garden, he had a soft spot for anything that grew out of the dirt. She passed away during his second year of university, and soon after, he'd obtained his first brown-spotted cast iron plant at a friend's party. Everyone thought he was drunk when he asked if he could take it home, but that wasn’t it; he hadn't even had a beer yet. The owner of the place gave him permission, and after that, he’d wanted to get out of there straight away. Hyunwoo carried it back to his house, watered it faithfully, and pruned the most wilted leaves. Within a month, it was flourishing proudly in his entryway. There was something about tending to plant “friends” that put him at ease. Also, this was his own way of remembering his sweet Nana.

The longer he stayed on the street, the more the itch to get off of it intensified. Glancing both directions, Hyunwoo broke into a half-jog and hurried across the asphalt to his car, parked nearby. As he reached into his jacket pocket for his keys and popped the door of the sedan open, he had to fight the draft. It caught and tugged on everything--the car door, his jacket, even his nose and eyes. Hyunwoo was sure that his hair would be messed up majorly after this, but that didn’t really matter, as long as the plant was ok.

It felt like an eternity passed, but at long last, he was able to duck in and pull the door closed. Leaning his head back and closing his eyes, Hyunwoo sighed in relief. Though the wind still battered the sides of the car, he and his new acquisition were safe from it. A small smile graced his lips when he peeked between his fingers once more and saw that none of the stems had broken. In fact, maybe it was his imagination, but they seemed to have perked up a little. Like he had back in the shop, Hyunwoo brushed the top of one with a finger. “Hey, buddy...I’ve got you. It’ll be alright.” Anyone who caught him talking to his new plant would probably think he was downright insane, but he didn’t care. Besides, Nana had sworn that if you spoke lovingly to still-life things, they’d be healthier and last longer. “I’m gonna take you home, okay? I’ll get you some water and nutrients, and set you in a nice, safe spot. You’ll even be able to make some new friends, how does that sound, huh?” Giving the little flora one last smile, Hyunwoo gingerly set it next to him, in a shallow dip between the front two seats.

It only took a moment to find his key, and then, with a flick of the wrist, the car purred to life. Pulling carefully out of his parking spot, Hyunwoo immediately made for home. He was on his way out, anyway, having been to an eleven o’clock dentist’s appointment. Once he was comfortable with his route and how he was driving, he reached down once more and cradled the pot in his hand again. Maybe he was crazy, after all, but he felt fondness toward the tiny seedlings inside. Every thought was gone from his mind, except for one--he had to take care of them. What might they do if given a second chance?

 Well, as it turned out, a lot, apparently.

Hyunwoo kept his promises to the little wilting plant faithfully. As soon as he got home, he made room on his windowsill, alongside his greenery collection. There was slight shade there, and that would be better on the fragile seedlings than the straight sunshine they had been getting before. Then he mixed up a small batch of lukewarm water and liquid ez-grow, and carefully poured some into the bowl he’d set the pot in to act as a saucer. For extra measure, he got the dirt inside wet, as well. The three little plants looked even better than they had in the car, if it was even possible. If nothing else, they definitely seemed straighter than they were in the shop window. Proud of his new addition to the collection, Hyunwoo snapped a pic of it with his phone. He did this at regular intervals with all his houseplants--he took joy in seeing how they all fared over time.

Six hours later, he returned to find that the water had seemingly vanished into the pot. What was even more surprising, though, was that the three seedlings were green and reaching proudly for the sun. Hyunwoo couldn’t help but think that this was strange, but he poured in some more water-and-nutrients concoction anyway, took another snapshot, and left it to its magic.

The next time he came back, right before he was about to go to bed, about the same interval of time had passed. Again, the dirt was almost dry, and each stem was about an inch taller than before and a darker, richer shade of emerald. This flabbergasted Hyunwoo. How in the heck could something recover so fast? Of course, he knew bamboo grew up to thirty-five inches a day, but this was not bamboo. The leaf shape was all wrong. Abruptly, he remembered the pictures and pulled them up. It was nice to have confirmation that he wasn’t dreaming, and earlier that day the thriving flora was brown and dying. There wasn’t much he could do other than water it yet again, though (actually, he made sure to overdo it a little), and document its progress.

His foresight turned out to be wise. When he checked in the morning, right before his nine-to-five shift, the sprouts had once again taken all the water from their potting soil. Each stood as long and thick as his pointer finger. That meant they had, what--tripled in size overnight? Hyunwoo shook his head in disbelief and confirmed his suspicions with the photos he had taken. Again, he watered them, but he couldn’t also help but wonder and worry. Would he need to run a slow tap into the pot? If the plant was growing at this rate, naturally it would need more water. What was it, anyway? He had never heard of anything that grew this fast from a seedling and had leaves in the shape of a ㄱ. The question ate at him all through his shift. At break time, he did a Google search, scouring a couple dozen pages of results. It seemed that nobody, plant aficionado or botanist, discussed anything that fit the specifications of his new plant, and soon, he had to go back to work, so he gave up.

His mind settled a little on the drive home, only to stoke again when he encountered another surprise. Though the plant hadn't gotten any thicker around, it put on another four inches in height. Only about twenty-four hours had passed since he had purchased it, but anyone who didn’t know that might believe more time had elapsed between the first and last photo saved on his phone. Maybe, up to three or four weeks. It was crazy. To make matters even more intriguing, there were still no answers as to what the sprouts were. Hyunwoo tried every variation of Google search he could think of. He even went pages deep into the results, but still, nothing jumped out at him. Once, he thought he found something promising. The descriptions matched up, at least, and it was describing a fast-growing plant. However, then he’d read further in and discovered that he’d stumbled upon a cryptids website. It was discussing fairy plants--flora that housed nature spirits and other types of fae. He immediately clicked back. Whoever wrote that had to be crazy, right? Things like that didn’t exist.

So, Hyunwoo doubled down on tending to the little plant. He decided that evening that if the seedlings grew any more, he would move them. Indeed, they did, putting on some more height. Luckily, he had a spare pot lying around. It was about fifteen inches in diameter and had once belonged to a jade plant that had died of old age. In this new “home”, his mysterious new acquisition would definitely thrive for a while to come.

He performed the actual transfer the next afternoon, which really wasn't complicated. The only thing he had to do in prep was make a trip to the store beforehand to buy a fresh bag of potting soil. When he'd returned, he got to his knees on the hardwood floor by the window. His hands (and, by accident, the floor) had just gotten dirty and he was all poised to shift pots when the front door opened. It took but a second for Hyunwoo to realize who had let themselves in. Their footsteps were distinctive. “Hey,” he called out, leaning back so he could see better.

Sure enough, Chae Hyungwon, his best friend from University, came around the corner from the entryway. The tall, slender stockbroker had clearly just gotten off work. He was looking sharp in a suit and had his hands stuck in his pants pockets. Upon seeing his friend on the floor, he stopped in his tracks. “Of course. I come over after a long day, expecting to goad you into going to the bar with me tonight, and you’re sitting here playing with your plants.”

Per normal, Hyungwon’s tone was sarcastic and joking. He could be extremely sassy if he wanted to be, and that fact never failed to make Hyunwoo smile. “Well, you're probably used to it by now,” he shot back, “and I’m not playing with them. I’m saving this one’s life.”

A beat of silence passed before the punchline came. Whether it was intentional or not, the younger man had perfect comedic timing. “Shit, you’re right. That’s scary as hell.”

Hyunwoo began to chuckle before breaking out into a loud laugh. “Okay, alright, you win.”

“Better believe it.” Hyungwon fell silent after that, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. He seemed attentive and patient, so the older man took this as his cue to continue.

Digging his fingers into the soil surrounding his little stems, Hyunwoo lifted everything up and out. He couldn’t help but note that the roots had started growing down the sides of the pot. Relief flooded his conscience, making him sigh. If he would have waited any longer, it might have been too late. Hyunwoo grasped the bottom of the dirt clod, broke it apart gently, and held it over the new pot for a minute. A gentle rain of loose soil fell from between his hands. Only after it had slowed did he let it down and nestle the seedlings in their new home, packing the dirt around them to make a reservoir he could use for watering. “There,” he said at long last, standing up and brushing his hands off on his jeans. “Perfect.”

“So, that one finally needed a new home, huh?”

“Finally? If only you knew.” Well, that came out more biting than he intended. Hyunwoo let it go, though, for the moment. Once he had set the plant back on the windowsill, he turned and made his way to the kitchen, beckoning for his friend to follow. “I got that plant two days ago. When I first laid eyes on it, I could barely tell that it wasn’t dead, and now it’s put on a half foot.” Washing his hands in the sink, he prepped another batch of water and nutrient tonic.

From behind him, there came a scoff. “You’re kidding me, right? I don’t have a green thumb like you do, but that’s completely ludicrous.”

“Nah, man, I’m not. Here, I even have proof.” Hyunwoo pulled his phone out of his back pocket, and going to this photos, flicked through the ones he had taken recently. It didn't take long to find what he needed; he'd saved them in an album by the name of ‘기’ (Ki), after the little plant’s foliage shape. Then he held it out for Hyungwon to see.

The handsome stockbroker took it and scrolled sideways through snapshots. Once he figured out what he was looking at, he seemed confused; his brows furrowed, then peaked. Each photo got special attention. After a minute, he went back to the beginning and through them again. Hyungwon tapped the screen a few times, checking each time stamp for inconsistencies and/or mistakes. Honestly, Hyunwoo didn't blame him. Finally, he relinquished the phone, holding his hands up in surrender. “That’s freaky, man.”

“Right?” They went back out into the living room, where Hyunwoo slowly poured a big dose of water into the seedlings’ new pot. “It's already made this much progress, and I have no clue how much more it has to go.”

“I thought you always looked up how to care for your plants on Google?”

“I can't find anything on this one. It's like I have a designer plant or something. The leaves are a weird shape, and nothing except maybe bamboo grows this fast after being brown and brittle.”

“Huh.” Hyungwon came over to Hyunwoo’s side and rubbed a leaf between his fingers. It might have been a trick of the sunlight, but the seedlings had seemingly straightened up even more. “Well, I imagine the only thing you can do now is continue to take care of it.”

“Yeah,” Hyunwoo sighed. “I’ll do my best. We'll see where it goes.” All at once, he perked up. “--Or, rather, where it grows.”

“I swear to God, Son Hyunwoo, that is the worst pun you've ever said to my face, and you are already the king of bad wordplay.”

“Sorry,” the older replied, shrugging and smiling sheepishly.

In little more than four weeks, Hyunwoo had to move the little plant from the windowsill to the floor. He couldn't call it small anymore, either. Now the stems were almost four feet tall, and each about as thick around as his wrist. However, it was hard to determine an exact height, because at some point they had started to lean. Their growth pattern continued in that way until they had formed a circle, layering on top of each other to create a round, trunk-like structure. After settling, they turned a curious shade of dark brownish-gray, and in some cases sprouted smaller branches with leaves. When touched, they also felt wooden. Hyunwoo watched this transformation with interest. It was almost like a vine-based plant was becoming a tree.

He was still watering it up to ten times a day. The bigger it got, the thirstier it seemed to become. To fill the need, Hyunwoo figured out a way to have a direct water line from the kitchen sink to the pot. All it took was a small section of garden hose. If he left the faucet on and let it slowly drip while he was at work, he didn't have to worry about the soil drying out. Once or twice, he thought about the fact that the plant was consuming water like a human would, and greedily. That was impossible, too, though, and he pushed it out of his mind.

Maybe it didn't make a difference, but he also continued to encourage it with kindness. The plant had made so much progress, and though it gave him stress sometimes, he was also proud. It gave him hope that he was doing the right thing. Like his Nana would have wanted, he shared that emotion with what caused it. Thus, he had a chance to release those feelings in a healthy way. Besides, it only seemed appropriate. Every time Hyunwoo passed the pot and greenery, he took a moment to smile and rub a ㄱ shaped leaf or two. Sometimes, he also had words of love. He considered himself to be a caretaker and guardian to all his precious flora, after all. Some people even jokingly referred to him as ‘plant dad’.

Given such a steady supply of nourishment, it wasn't long before the flora surpassed the height of his tallest cast iron specimen. Even as it continued to put on inches, it also thickened, and soon threatened to spill over the sides of the pot. This put Hyunwoo in a unique predicament. If the plant wasn't already root bound, it was going to be soon. That meant he either had to perform another transplant or let it take outside in his already-tiny yard. The latter, he didn't want to do. Its behavior so far had convinced Hyunwoo that it was strictly a household plant, no matter how big it got. So, he began to call every place in the phonebook that labeled themselves ‘Greenhouse’ or ‘Garden Center’. He needed to find the biggest size of flower pot he could. Few words were needed to get his point across. It was as simple as introducing himself and then asking the question. Some places only sold smaller planters, not much bigger than the one currently home to the strange greenery, but others seemed promising. Some carried thirty inch-diameter pots; others said thirty-six inches was their biggest. Most of those upper-end planters were about that deep as well.

He struck true gold on one of his last phone calls, though. A lady with a peppy voice answered the phone, and as usual, Hyunwoo said his spiel. “Well sir,” she replied, “You're in luck. One of our regular customers ordered a jumbo size flower pot that's forty-eight inches in diameter, and perhaps a little deeper than its width. We got a set of four, but he only wanted three, so we've been trying to get rid of the extra for a while now. I'll cut the price for you if you're interested.”

“Oh, really?” Hyunwoo leaned back and brushed the hair back from his brow. “Yeah, sure, that would be nice, actually. When could I come pick it up?”

“Whenever you want. I'll be here until five.”

Fifteen minutes later, he was at the store. As she’d promised, the employee let him have the pot for seventy-five percent off. He had a feeling that his attractiveness level had something to do with that number. Price, though, he quickly came to find out, was nothing compared to how awkward carrying the thing was. It even made him question his own sanity a couple times. In the end, it barely fit in the backseat of the car. There almost wasn’t enough room for his other purchases: a couple big bags of soil and some more nutrients, as he was running low.

Hyunwoo tried to be as gentle as he could. He drove carefully, not taking turns too fast. On his way inside the house, he also made sure to hold on to the pot with two hands. Something close to exhaustion set in once the task was complete. Still, he wasn't done yet. The thought of trying to clear a space for the ginormous terracotta pot was honestly torture. He chose the first alternative he saw: a sunny place just beyond the entryway, next to the kitchen and visible from the living room. He set everything down there, dumped soil in, and did the transplant. The size of his plant’s new home relative to the old one was about the same as the first time. Hyunwoo prayed with all his might that he wouldn’t have to repeat that again.

Another month passed. Two. Three. Before he knew it, Hyunwoo had a plant standing in his entryway that touched the eight-foot ceiling. It was also once again close to the edges of the pot, and that made him worry. Weren't the roots restricted? Surely, they didn’t have room to spread and continue to support the tree. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to take the plant out to the yard. The hunt to find a bigger container would probably be fruitless, too. So, Hyunwoo waited for the inevitable death of the plant--but it defied expectations. Given that he fed it a steady stream of water, and also nutrients on occasion, it seemed to flourish.

Fearing that it might try to grow too tall, Hyunwoo invested in some clippers. However, it turned out that he didn’t need those, either. Oddly, the plant seemed to know its limits. When it hit the top, it thinned and started spreading out. New, slender green vines clung to the ceiling and pushed forward, making their way through the house. They mostly concentrated in the living room, but a few also inhabited the kitchen, laundry room, and spare bedroom. He clipped any that tried to breach the doorway to his bedroom, and the bathroom, though. For some odd reason, allowing that felt like an invasion of his personal space. Besides, then the doors wouldn't be able to close.

One day, Hyunwoo noticed a small green teardrop forming near the main trunk of the tree. It wasn't a new leaf; he knew what those looked like, and this was completely different. More of these new buds appeared in the next twenty-four hours. It didn't take long to realize what was going on, and luckily, Hyunwoo was there to see what happened next.

It seemed like for a while, the plant held its breath. Then, in the span of only a few minutes, everything bloomed.

Pretty, reddish-orange flowers with six petals and a chocolate brown center covered the ceiling wherever vines grew. They were tiny (not even as big as a one-won coin), delicate, and filled the house with a subtle, pleasant scent. To Hyunwoo, it was something like a mix between baby powder and peaches. If he was being honest, he was in awe. How was it that this little plant from an antique store had ended up being such a treasure? It filled his home with beauty, and in such a short time, had become as big a part of his life as the house itself. Now he couldn't pass it in the entryway without taking a moment to touch and whisper to it.

Hyungwon, too, gawked the first time he saw this lovely display. He had been over a few more times since the first, so he was aware of the plant’s progress, but still, the flowers were something he hadn't expected at all. The moment he walked in, he was staring up. His jaw only dropped open wider at the fact that the branches had spread through the entire house. For the first time, perhaps ever, Hyunwoo saw him at a loss for words.

Not long after that, the plant decreased its water intake dramatically. One morning, the dirt in the pot was over-saturated, and the entryway flooded. Hyunwoo cleaned up the best he could and backed off the water from the sink. Even then, it threatened to spill over again. It forced him to re-establish a watering routine, and so he dousing the soil with water every few hours. It seemed that now, the unusual flora was only taking in enough nourishment to support its flowers. All growth halted, and the remaining green vines turned woody and gray, like the trunk. Hyunwoo didn’t mind, really; leaving the sink on all the time had earned him a huge water bill the month before.

For some reason or other, this turn of events filled Hyunwoo with a sense of contentment. He still wanted to see the plant through the rest of its life. Admittedly, he’d grown more attached to it than his other greenery.

Little did he know that things were about to get even more interesting.

Hyunwoo walked in his front door one evening, and got the shock of his life.

Work had been stressful, but fulfilling. He’d fidgeted all day after the morning brought an impromptu visit from his immediate supervisor, Mr. Lee Seyoung. He asked if Hyunwoo would be willing to stay for a few minutes after his shift. This was quite odd, since overtime was rarely granted, and it was rare that anyone broke the rules, anyway. The whole thing put a weird feeling in Hyunwoo’s stomach, for some reason, but he agreed. Nothing was on his agenda for that evening, so a little bit of time was something he could spare.

Well, it turned out that his boss had set up a meeting with Mr. Kang, the CEO. Apparently, Seyoung really liked Hyunwoo and believed him to be an asset the company should not let go of. To support that opinion, he produced documents showing that their department’s productivity had gone up by eleven percent since Hyunwoo had started his internship. “He’s become a member of my team, and contributes valuable ideas and input weekly, if not daily. I have never seen or heard of a more capable and dedicated intern in my years with this company.” The boss finished up with the fact that Hyunwoo’s first partnership, with the owner of a small frozen yogurt shop, had been a stellar success. One location had grown by leaps and bounds, and now there were several spread across Seoul. The advertising campaign the intern had helped organize was a big part of the reason.

When Mr. Lee finished with all he had to say, Mr. Kang excused him, then turned his attention to Hyunwoo. After a couple questions about whether he’d enjoyed his experience under Seyoung and at the company in general (yes, very much), and if there were already other plans for employment lined up (no), the question came out:

“If I was to offer you a position today, which I am fully prepared to do, would you take it?”

Hyunwoo nearly fainted with excitement and happiness and accepted on the spot. Did Mr. Kang know exactly how much of a weight off his back this was? It meant that now, he didn't have to worry about hunting for a job. That was a major stressor, eliminated. Truly, he had loved working for the company; at every turn, he’d met people he admired and respected. A future with them was one of the best outcomes he could ask for. Suddenly, the days ahead were full of possibility.

Happy songs were playing on the radio all the way home, and Hyunwoo couldn’t help but smile and sing along with the ones he knew. He even threw in a couple upper body dance moves while he was stuck in traffic. His heart was so light, and he felt like smiling until his cheeks hurt. Today can’t get any better, he thought absentmindedly. I’ll call Hyungwon and tell him the good news, and we can go bar hopping or something to celebrate.

Dusk had already fallen when he pulled into his driveway. Hyunwoo whistled to himself as he parked, turned off the car, and made his way up the sidewalk and front steps. He grasped the knob on his front door with one hand, while the other slid his key in the deadbolt lock. After that, it only took a simultaneous turn of his wrist and shoulder to the wood to get into the house. Hyunwoo waltzed in, setting his keys and bag down on a nearby table, and made for the kitchen. As he passed his plant, he reached out and was about to give it a pat--

A sudden, strange sound made him stop abruptly. It would have been easy to brush it off as something shifting, or a sound from next door, but this was different for some reason. Hyunwoo went dead quiet, and in moments, came to realize that yes, he wasn’t hearing things. There was a faint breathing coming from the living room. He couldn’t see anything out of place, though, and a shiver ran down his spine. Cautiously, he crept forward and peeked over the top of the sofa, glancing down to an unexpected sight. As the truth settled in, his eyes widened, and recoiling, he gave a short cry of terror.

There was someone sleeping there, lying stretched out across the couch cushions, on their side. The rise and fall of their chest was barely visible in the growing darkness. It was a man, by the looks of it, and buck naked. Hyunwoo’s mind raced. What was he doing here? How had he gotten inside in the first place? Was it under the influence of drugs or with bad intentions? In any case, seeing the complete stranger zonked out on the sofa sent Hyunwoo into panic mode. He bolted for the kitchen, pulling a sushi knife from a drawer and fishing for his cell phone in his back pocket. As soon as he had it out, his trembling hand flicked to the emergency call screen, and he dialed 119.

In what seemed like only a flash, he was back in his living room again, standing over the sleeper. His finger hovered over the call button; he knew that he should go ahead and press it. Then, he’d make a run for the front door again, so he wouldn’t wake this guy before the police arrived. Yet, once again, something stopped him.

Perhaps it was that he got a better look. Hyunwoo’s tight throat and chest wouldn’t allow him to breathe, so he sat there for a minute, heaving for air. That forced him to take another glance, and suddenly, Hyunwoo couldn't stop staring.

The mysterious man was fairly small, only about 160 centimeters in comparison to Hyunwoo’s 181. Medium-long, orange hair (the shade of which was almost irritatingly familiar) fell across his forehead, swept behind his ear, and framed his face. He had a strong jaw and a handsome, pointed nose, though his long eyelashes and plump lips gave him a delicate look. Next to Hyunwoo’s dark golden skin tone, he was a little lighter, but really not by much. Last, but not least, his complexion was pristine and clean, almost like a baby’s. There was no blemish or spot anywhere on his body. Though he was no Adonis (it was very hard to beat Hoseok’s toned, chiseled figure in that regard) he was still well-formed, and a dazzling sight--pure, innocent almost.

How could someone this--adorable have just turned up here? Nothing seemed to be off or wrong, and there was no evidence to suggest a break-in. The longer the taller man stayed, the more the alarm system in his head faded into the background. Yes, this was an intruder, but he was just lying there, sleeping.

In the end, Hyunwoo never dialed the emergency number and switched off the screen. He still shook a little but managed to calm down enough to go put the knife away. Maybe that was a stupid move, yeah; any other rational person would definitely have treated this as a home invasion. Something deep down inside told him that it was alright, though. This would all work out. When he came back around toward the couch, protective instinct kicked in. It consumed every other feeling he had and took him completely over. Maybe this guy was confused and unfortunate, and needed a ride home or to the hospital. Or, perhaps they’d met at the bar one night, and Hyunwoo just didn’t remember.

Shifting slightly in his sleep, the orange-haired beauty curled up further and shivered. Without a second thought, Hyunwoo pulled a quilt from the back of a nearby chair, the warmest he had. Trying to be as quiet as possible, he stepped over and gently draped the blanket on top of his guest.

All was well at first; the man hummed and smiled, snuggling deeper into the couch. However, the change in weight must have disturbed his slumber, because in the next moment, he was blinking back to consciousness. He lifted a hand to his eyes and rubbed them drowsily as they fluttered open. “Mm--Hyunwoo-hyung?” were the first, quiet words out of his mouth.

Another chill wracked Hyunwoo's body, and he froze. Swallowing his growing apprehension, he glanced down to the sight of the stranger's gaze trained reverently on him. Questions multiplied in his head. Wait--what? This stranger knew his name and was addressing him like an old, beloved friend. That was impossible, right?

“Hyung! Finally, you're home!” Suddenly, with a burst of energy, said individual jumped up from the couch, then launched himself into the taller’s arms. Taken completely by surprise, Hyunwoo scrambled to adjust, and managed to regain his balance, saving both of them from ending up on the floor. When the confusion settled, the man had latched on like a baby sloth. He'd wrapped his legs around Hyunwoo's waist, and was clearly trying to cuddle as close as possible, too.

Hyunwoo couldn't move, petrified with shock and trapped in a moment of awkwardness. Even his vocal cords felt frozen. He’d somehow managed to hook a supportive arm around the man’s small waist, and now couldn’t let go. To save the last shred of sanity he had, he also purposely tried not to think about the genitalia pressed against his belly.

“Oh, I thought you’d never come back! Today, of all days.” A few warm, gentle teardrops dripped down onto Hyunwoo’s shoulder. “I've been waiting so long.”

Swallowing hard, Hyunwoo made his voice obey him this time. It came out a little broken, but he managed to control things somewhat. “Sir, I’m really sorry, but I have no clue what you’re talking about. I don’t recall ever having met you in my life. So, um, would you please stop calling me hyung? It makes me uncomfortable.”

Slowly, the smaller man glanced up, and his smile dropped. The cutest look of confusion came across his features; his mouth hung open, and his eyebrows scrunched together. “W--wait, what? You don’t--”

“Who are you anyway? What are you doing in my house?”

“Oh...you really don’t recognize me.” All the strength seemed to leave the visitor’s body, and now he looked sad. Tears filled his eyes, and his lips began to tremble. “But how? You’re the one who brought me here, and you’ve been taking care of me. I--I’ve lived with you for months now.”

"Are you sure you have the right place--?” Terror washed over Hyunwoo in a new wave. If this man had been living with him, where had he been hiding all this time? He considered going back into the kitchen and grabbing the sushi knife again. However, the sobs that broke from the smaller's throat stopped that train of thought in its tracks.

“Yes!” The stranger buried his face back into Hyunwoo’s shoulder. “I haven’t been outside…not since the day you rescued me from death. You’re my savior, and I want to repay you for that! Why don’t you recognize me…?”

Something clicked in the taller man’s head. Carefully, he turned around and came to a revelation. The words reminded him of the little plant he adopted, and sure enough, something had split its trunk wide open. There was a hollow in the center big enough for a man this size to fit tightly. “H--hold on. Are you saying that you came from the tree in the entryway?”

A little bit of hope returned to the orange-haired man's face. Light danced in his eyes, and he nodded. “Yeah, close. See, I am the plant--or rather, its guardian.” When Hyunwoo’s confused and distraught remained, though, he shrank back again. “Are you gonna throw me out?” He asked, weakly.

"What? No, no, I could never." That would be nothing but cruel. Sure, this--nature spirit? had little understanding of the concepts of privacy and security, and also thought, erroneously, that they had met before. He probably figured that since Hyunwoo talked to him on a consistent basis, they were already acquainted. All this at once made the taller man's head spin. Still, his protective instinct was strong. Now that he knew that this man meant no harm, he was put a lot more at ease. Hyunwoo felt a deep, pervasive desire to nurture him like he had with the mother plant. Instinctively, he rocked a bit and hummed softly in an attempt to calm the tears splashing onto his shirt. "Hey, um, let's get you some clothes, and we can talk after that. Ok?"

His human (or, Hyunwoo supposed, fairy) koala nodded slightly, making an obvious effort to calm his heaving sobs. He climbed down, and together, they made their way to the bedroom.

"I-it's Kihyun. If that matters to you."

"What's Kihyun? Your name?"

"Yeah." The shorter man looked so small, kind of like a kid, as he hung his head and nervously fidgeted with his fingers.

"It's nice to meet you, Kihyun." In hopes of easing his worry, Hyunwoo gave him a big smile. "Your leaves are shaped like that, aren't they?"

If he hadn't turned to push the door open at that very moment, he might have seen the red that rose to his guest’s cheeks.

Once inside his own room, Hyunwoo headed straight for the closet. On the top shelf, there was a box of things his mother had insisted he take with him when he moved out of the house to go to college. It was mostly junk from his middle school days, so he didn't quite see her point, but acquiesced anyway. There were a few nifty toys that might be of interest to any grandsons that might come along, and some other things that carried memories, such as an empty, crudely-painted flower pot and some old, ripped play money. Also in the box happened to be Hyunwoo's lucky checkered boxers. They were too small for him now, but he was sure they'd fit his guest perfectly. It only took a moment of digging around before he found them. In handing them to Kihyun, he stretched the waistband to show what side was up. "Put these on your legs, like my pants are on mine."

The smaller man nodded and stepped in, pulling them up. Meanwhile, Hyunwoo dug around in the back of his closet until he came across a tee shirt that had shrunk in the wash. Also, he found the smallest pair of sweats he owned. Kihyun got dressed in those, too, and Hyunwoo laughed at how oversized on him they were. The fairy was practically drowning in cloth. It made him look even smaller than he was. Hyunwoo had to fight back a sudden urge to cuddle him.

 So, that was how Son Hyunwoo came to have a nymph living with him literally full-time. Kihyun never left the house after the first time they went somewhere together. Things spiraled out of control, and could have ended badly if it wasn’t for some quick thinking.

In short, Hyunwoo took Kihyun shopping one day, about a week after their meeting. The latter had never been on a big excursion like this, and they both soon came to find out that any prolonged separation from his mother plant could be fatal. Only about thirty minutes after they’d gotten to the department store, Kihyun was looking very pale. He started to shake like a leaf in the wind, but insisted he was fine; that is, until he gave out completely. Hyunwoo dropped everything to run over and catch him. After asking Kihyun what was wrong, to uncertain responses, he carried the smaller man to a nearby bench.

A few minutes passed, and the little fae was looking worse and worse. It was to the point he couldn’t even vocalize anymore. Hyunwoo was considering rushing home, when he had a sudden thought. Faintly, he remembered seeing some water bottles for sale in a cooler on the way in. Maybe that would provide Kihyun the sustenance he needed until they could do what they needed to. This on the forefront of his mind, Hyunwoo promised that he’d only be gone a few minutes, and ran off.

When he returned, Kihyun looked too close to dead for comfort. Hyunwoo’s hands shook as he scrambled to get the cap off the bottle. Carefully, he tipped the nymph’s head back and poured liquid down his throat. It took a couple more times before this actually started to work, but it did nonetheless. Soon, Kihyun had regained enough strength to hold the bottle in his hand and drink mouthfuls from it himself. He didn’t quite get back to his peppy, smiley self until they were home again, but it at least saved his life. They were also able to finish getting basic necessities and clothes that fit.

This wasn’t all they had to learn; really, there was a lot on both ends. For instance, it was a while before Hyunwoo discovered Kihyun’s surname: Yoo. The reason that the nymph’s hair color was so familiar was because it was the same as the petals from the flowers off his tree. His eyes, too, were the chocolate brown of their centers. Most interestingly of all, he didn’t need any food, just water. That made sense, though, considering that if he ate anything, it would be cannibalism. (Yes, even meat. All of it was plant-fed.)

Something else that Kihyun revealed was that long ago, he had been a free-spirited, mischievous woodland guardian. A witch caught him in her garden one day and bound his existence to the plant. Her curse was that he'd wait in obscurity for a thousand lifetimes, and only when a special individual nurtured him to full growth would he appear in physical form again. Hyunwoo didn’t doubt a word of the account. He was already past the point where things sounded crazy to him. As he listened and nursed a cup of coffee, pride grew in his breast. He must have done a good job of raising the mother plant, because all things considered, its fae was strong and healthy. In light of this, he loved praising the smaller man all the more.

“Hey, have I ever told you how proud of you I am?”

“I’m so glad I found you in the window that day.”

“You make me happy.”

Before the plant had made its switch from foliage to person, Hyunwoo had also gotten in the habit of saying I love you. Now, that felt wrong, though. His relationship to Kihyun wasn't, and would never be, romantic. Someday, he might admit that he had love in his heart for the nymph, like a father loves his son, but not yet. He was just caring for him like he would for any one of his other greeneries, and that was that.

Little did Hyunwoo know, however, that his conception of the dynamic was completely different from Kihyun’s.

The faerie’s consciousness had existed in his plant, even from the beginning. Hearing Hyunwoo’s voice for the first time, in the antique shop, had jerked him out of restless slumber. For the first time since the cursing, someone was showing Kihyun true attention and love. Thus, he quickly came to realize that this was the special one the witch had talked about all those years ago. The tiny nymph-in-a-pot dared to hope that things would work out in the end, despite the fate that awaited him--a cruel and painful death. (Of course, he’d never tell Hyunwoo that part of the story.)

It was just--why did his human caretaker have to be so beautiful? Kihyun knew he was a goner from the moment he was first nestled in those big, rough hands. Even having frolicked among dozens of gorgeous deities, and also lived among humans for such a long time, he could still swear that Hyunwoo was the most handsome man he had ever seen. As the days passed, his attraction only got stronger. It was the small things that did him in. Kihyun fell for Hyunwoo’s kind and easygoing ways, how he danced and sang when he thought no one was watching, and last but not least, his delightful laugh and smile. There was no denying that Kihyun was totally and hopelessly in love.

Now that the fae was in a physical form, it was like a dream come true. Kihyun tried to be close to the human as much as he could. He wanted to spend every moment with Hyunwoo, so it hurt to see him leave in the morning. Kihyun could understood sleep, of course; he, too, needed to rest. Burning nine to ten hours of daylight without his favorite person, though, was torture. The amount of time that this thing called ‘work’ demanded was ridiculous. Why did Hyunwoo continue to go day after day, with only the occasional day off? Was it really necessary? Kihyun asked about what it entailed, even, and things didn't get any clearer. Hyunwoo said that in short, his job involved performing a lot of different tasks to make others happy. That sounded incredibly boring, but Kihyun didn't question it or prod further.

A couple times, Kihyun tried to keep Hyunwoo back from it by begging, pleading, and restraining him. Finally, Hyunwoo sat him down and treated him to one of his gentle explanations. Apparently, the human world ran on things called won, or money (they were the same). If Hyunwoo didn’t go to work, he would have no won, and thus also no place to live or water to drink. The idea was strange and foreign, but Kihyun did his best to understand. He was sure that his caretaker would never lie to him.

Though he wasn’t sure if he’d ever understand, Kihyun got used to it eventually. At least, he learned that he could always count on Hyunwoo to return around the same time every evening. There was an occasional exception, though, like the day that Kihyun had chosen to emerge. If that happened, he tried desperately to keep himself calm, and usually within a half hour, Hyunwoo was home.

However, in the meantime, Kihyun had free rein of the house. Usually, he read a book, tended to his tree, or slept. However, then, one weekend, Hyunwoo showed him the internet: more specifically, a few sites with games on them. Kihyun was in awe of how a flat piece of metal could do so much and quickly got addicted. It made the hours until his caretaker came home fly by.

There was a dark side to technology, though. Kihyun found that out the day he stumbled upon something strange in Hyunwoo’s browser history: porn. Of course, because of his never-ending curiosity, he clicked it. What he saw shocked him. It was like...procreation. Kihyun’s parents had taught him that it was necessary, but a taboo topic. Two faes only had sex when they loved each other very much. From the videos he watched, though, it seemed that some humans didn't care. Some even recorded themselves doing it or had others record them doing it. They engaged in other intimate acts, too, like kissing, touching, and biting.

Sometimes, Kihyun would imagine that the couple in the video was himself and Hyunwoo. Within seconds, he’d be trembling as a strange feeling took him over. He would grow hard in his underwear, and every fiber of him begged for touch. When he wrapped a hand around his dick, clear, slick fluid leaked out. Moving up and down the shaft sent indescribable feelings through Kihyun’s body. Before he could process it, he had instinctively buried two fingers in his asshole. The thought of Hyunwoo’s husky voice asking him to come was what undid the little nymph.

After that discovery, Kihyun cautiously started getting more handsy. Hugging and snuggling with Hyunwoo was already the best feeling in the world, but now he wanted more. He expressed his love for the human all the time, and for the most part, received it back. Of course, It disappointed Kihyun that Hyunwoo didn’t say the l-word anymore, but that didn’t matter. He was always the type that let his actions speak louder than words. Why couldn’t they go further than “safe” touch, though?

Unfortunately, nothing Kihyun tried worked, short of an outright makeout session (and he wasn’t near bold enough to attempt that yet). He touched and nuzzled every sensitive spot he knew, but Hyunwoo only smiled softly and cuddled back in return. It was frustrating, but the nymph waited patiently for his chance. He was sure that one would come eventually, and it did.

Though it definitely didn't have the outcome he'd hoped.

It had been about four months since Kihyun came into Hyunwoo’s life, and they’d fallen into a comfortable routine. Mornings started early, around five am or so. Hyunwoo would rise first, shower, and make a small breakfast for himself, or toss together some cereal and milk. Inevitably, Kihyun would not be too far behind. He didn’t eat, but always chose to nurse a glass of water and hang out at the table. Before letting Hyunwoo go, the nymph gave his caretaker a hug and perhaps a little kiss on the jaw.

The gym and work never changed, though the tasks and routines changed day-to-day. Hyunwoo still hung out with Hoseok at the weight rack and bench press, and his new job was satisfying. Occasionally, a tough day would come around, and that was particularly true one balmy Thursday in April. Calls kept flooding in right after another. Hyunwoo did his best to handle everything he could at once, but it was not always enough. Those kinds of shifts were draining, so understandably, he came home that evening exhausted.

Kihyun greeted him at the door as always, with a bright smile that lit up even the human’s worst of times. Hyunwoo accepted a welcome home hug and mussed the nymph’s hair fondly. Today, more than usual, he was aware of Kihyun’s hand in the small of his back, rubbing slowly. Determined to put that out of his mind, he chalked it up to stress.

Not that Hyunwoo hadn’t noticed the fae’s growing insistence on intimate touch. Honestly, it was hard to miss. At first, the contact was fleeting and occasional, but now, when they cuddled on the couch (often while watching a movie), Kihyun let his hands roam more. He’d drag his fingertips down Hyunwoo’s forearm, or draw patterns onto his inner thigh. Did that mean he was becoming more comfortable?

It never crossed the human's mind that Kihyun might be head over heels in love. Admittedly, he had always been a little slow to see things. Maybe if he’d noticed one more of Kihyun’s stares or blushes, he might have realized the truth earlier. Unfortunately, he didn’t and remained oblivious to the nymph’s feelings.

The rest of the night passed quickly. Hyunwoo had brought some work home with him, and that was a time eater. When that option presented itself, he always took it, however. It was nice to sprawl out on the couch in his pajamas and take his time finishing an email or brainstorming things for clients. His own home was a whole lot quieter than the constant bustle of the company offices. Potential distractions were fewer in number, too. Not to mention, there was also the fact that this was a perfect opportunity to let Kihyun snuggle him.

Around nine pm, the nymph started to yawn. His eyes would droop shut before abruptly, he’d jerk awake again. Hyunwoo gave a low chuckle at how adorable he was. “Looks like it’s bedtime for you, huh, little guy?”

Reluctant to leave his warm, comfy “pillow”, Kihyun grumbled and complained some, but didn’t argue. Setting down Hyunwoo’s cell phone (he often asked to use it when things were slow), he peeled himself away. From where Hyunwoo was sitting, he could see the entrance to what was formerly the guest bedroom, now Kihyun’s. The little plant spirit disappeared inside. There was the characteristic sound of fabric rustling as he changed into pajamas. Every once in a while, the human checked over his shoulder to see whether the light had turned off yet.

Soon, accompanied by a soft padding of footsteps, it did. That was the cue for him to lay aside his computer and the documents he had in his hand, take off his glasses, and make his way there. Kihyun was just settling down, burying his face in the pillow as always. He'd bunched the blankets up near his shoulders, which was also a normal occurrence. Carefully, Hyunwoo crept over and sat down on the side of the bed. “Goodnight, Kihyun-ah.”

“Goodnight, hyung.” The bright, sweet smile Hyunwoo got in return was everything. Kihyun looked so tiny as he snuggled in deeper. The human at his side seemed to be the object of his admiration. Reached out for his caretaker’s hand, he held it gently as his eyes fluttered shut. After only a few minutes, his breathing leveled out. No doubt, he was fast asleep and dreaming of whatever nymphs dreamed about. Once he also started to snore a little, Hyunwoo left as quietly as he could, shutting the door behind him.

Walking out of that room was the equivalent of being thrust into the fire after living in a haven, especially tonight. Giving a groan, he plopped down on the couch and settled his glasses on the bridge of his nose. He had to push rogue thoughts out of his head before diving right back in with fervor. If he didn’t, he might give in to the unwanted desire to go cuddle with Kihyun.

Time plodded on, or, rather, kept flying. A couple more correspondences and good thousand words of a report later, Hyunwoo glanced at the time and realized it was almost twelve-thirty in the morning. Eyes widening in surprise, he sat up straighter and flexed his aching shoulders. Better stop now, or else he might get reprimanded for working overtime. He was already pushing it this week, even having taken tomorrow off.

So, Hyunwoo logged out of the program keeping track of his hours and shut his work computer. As darkness engulfed him, he pondered going to bed, but in the end, decided against it. He wanted to watch a couple more episodes of a drama he’d been working through lately. Might as well, considering that he had nothing to do in the morning other than eventually meet Hoseok at the gym. They’d set a time for eight-thirty on their days off. The remote slid almost effortlessly into his hand. Flipping the television on, Hyunwoo clicked through a couple screens to get to his drama subscription service. So what if he was a sucker for sappy romance plots? If others weren’t, they wouldn’t exist. The volume was a little loud at first, so he turned it down and laid back. What would the couple on screen be up to this time around?

One episode had already come and gone, and another was only about ten minutes in when something not quite usual happened. A small sniffle came from behind, and Hyunwoo turned to see Kihyun standing there in the hallway. The little nymph was carrying a big, fuzzy blanket and wiping his eyes. Fresh tear tracks streaked down his face. A sleepy droop to his eyelids revealed that he was only half-awake.

“Kihyunnie? What’s wrong?” “Hadda bad nightmare,” the nymph sighed in reply, running one small hand through his hair. “Can I stay out here with you?”

Hyunwoo’s heart softened. “Alright,” he relented and patted the spot beside him, where Kihyun had been earlier. It seemed that the little plant spirit had other ideas, though. He broke into a tired smile and headed for the couch. However, instead of settling down in the expected place, he climbed up onto his caretaker’s open lap instead. Caught off-guard, Hyunwoo gave a tentative oh, but didn’t protest. Memories and sensations from their initial encounter instantly began flooding in. Kihyun’s knees squeezed the human's hips firmly but gently, and he nuzzled into a spot between Hyunwoo's neck and shoulder. This pressed their bodies flush; the two of them fit together so perfectly, it was almost criminal.

Sighing in contentment, Hyunwoo wrapped an arm around Kihyun’s waist. A gentle, melodic hum flowed forth from his lips, and before he knew it, he was combing his fingers through orange locks. The attentions seemed to work like a magical 'soothe Kihyun' charm. He began to calm down, hiccups growing less frequent and further apart.

The drama kept playing. Hyunwoo tried to pay attention but found it impossible with a small, cute boy drifting off in his arms. He managed to get most of the important plot points, however, even while his brain was overtaken by other things--mostly, how Kihyunnie was just as adorable as the day they had met. The nymph’s face wasn’t visible, but it was obvious that a peaceful smile was on his lips. Hyunwoo could feel their upward curve as they pressed into his neck. Gentle breaths tickled the sensitive skin there.

Then, all too soon, the credits were rolling. Subtle noises from Hyunwoo's shoulder revealed that Kihyun was fast asleep. Not wanting to wake him, the human tried to be as careful as he could, and reached out to press the power button on the TV remote. Darkness engulfed the room, and the only light left was from the streetlamps outside. Moving up to the front edge of the couch, Hyunwoo held the nymph tightly to himself and thought things through best he could in his exhausted state. Despite the fact that Kihyun was out cold, his grip hadn’t relaxed any at all; if anything, it had grown more secure. Hyunwoo doubted that he’d be able to loosen it without waking him up.

That was what, in the end, led to the decision to just take them both to the master bedroom. The extra presence wouldn’t keep Hyunwoo from falling asleep, after all. More importantly, though, it might mean that Kihyunnie wouldn't have more nightmares. If he did, knowing his caretaker was nearby might comfort him, too.

So, Hyunwoo got up slowly, trying to be as quiet and steady as he could. The weight of his passenger felt like nothing, and it wasn't long before he settled himself down on the edge of his bed. Not for the first time, the human found himself glad that he was already in pajamas. Changing would be next to impossible at this point, and Hyunwoo hated sleeping in his clothes. Pulling back the covers, he turned and laid down as carefully as possible. It took a few moments and readjustments, but soon he found a comfortable position, and only then did he finally allow himself to relax.

Then, all at once, Kihyun pervaded Hyunwoo's mind. The nymph’s orange hair fanned out perfectly across the pillow. He seemed as serene and happy as he had been in the living room. The gentle moonlight that filtered in through the sheer white curtains seemed to touch him fondly. His sharp jaw, long, delicate eyelashes, and pronounced cupid’s bow should be familiar, but Hyunwoo could swear that he was seeing them for the first time in this moment. He looks so beautiful, flashed through the human’s head before he could stop it. Maybe it was only how a result of how tired he was or a trick of the night’s strange magic, but he found himself unable to stop himself from reaching up to softly brush the smooth skin of Kihyun’s cheek. In response, the nymph stirred, gave a tiny, adorable yawn, and, if it was even possible, snuggled closer.

The added body heat was making it hard for Hyunwoo to keep his eyes open, which was frustrating because he wanted to watch Kihyun more. Yet, he knew that if he did, it might lead his already-dangerous wandering mind into territory he didn’t want to go.

So, taking one last moment to rub Kihyun’s shoulder blade in small circles, he allowed sleep to claim him at last.

The next morning, Hyunwoo awoke to an unfamiliar sensation--something ghosting across his face. It took him a moment to realize what it was, but the instant it hit, the gears of his mind ground to a halt.

What the hell? Someone was kissing him. Not deeply or sloppily; just fleetingly, brief presses of soft lips to his. Some were slower and longer than others. It crossed his mind that this was a wet dream; however, that was quickly proven incorrect. When his eyelids fluttered open, Kihyun was lying there next to him, inches away. Memories slowly but surely returned of the late night before. Fleetingly, Hyunwoo also remembered the pangs of...whatever that emotion had been, the one that had struck him as he'd watched the little nymph sleep. Now, it seemed that it was Kihyun's turn to admire him. The other's gaze was so tender and fond. He wore a radiant smile, and red blush tinged his cheeks. He combed his small fingers through the human’s hair, too.

“Good morning, my handsome Hyunwoo,” Kihyun murmured softly before his smile faltered. Awe replaced some of the joy in his eyes. “I--I can’t believe--oh, this is so much better than I ever dreamed it would be.”

Hyunwoo gave half-awake groan in response and rolled over onto his back. Judging from the light in the room, it was--what, seven? In any case, also far too early in the morning to be conscious. “Huh--ugh, what’re you talking about, Kihyun?”

“Waking up next to you.” The grip on Hyunwoo’s waist tightened a bit, and the nymph moved closer again, nuzzling into his caretaker’s side. “I’ve dreamed about this for so long, you have no idea.”

Then and there, in that moment, it all made sense. The realization of what every one of Kihyun's gestures, words, and touches truly meant became clear. Hyunwoo felt like a freight train had rammed into him at full speed. He froze and glanced down at the orange-haired nymph, but suddenly couldn’t get words out.

Grinning and giggling a bit at Hyunwoo’s struck expression, Kihyun pushed himself up, then over, and straddled his hyung’s hips. “I guess what I really wanna say is that I love you so much, it hurts sometimes. I’ve been waiting so long for this opportunity to tell you.”

Hyunwoo couldn't breathe; the air was gone from his lungs. “Wait, what?”

“Was that not plain enough?” Now it was Kihyun who sounded surprised. “I...I didn’t think I could be any clearer. Hyunwoo-hyung, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You’re sweet and kind and funny, and when you smile, my heart beats out of my chest.”

“Kihyun--I...I don’t know what to say--”

“You don’t have to because I know. That’s what I love about you--that you care so much, and always have. You nurtured me and made sure my needs were met. Now, let me return the favor.” Leaning down, Kihyun left a trail of kisses across Hyunwoo’s jaw, then down his neck, and nipped gently at an exposed collarbone. Meanwhile, his soft, small hands started unbuttoning the human’s pajama top, too.

The attention sent a full-bodied shiver straight through Hyunwoo. “N--no, no. Stop. Please.” With more strength than he’d intended, he shoved the nymph off and sat up. His head spun with the sudden movement, but he didn’t want to take his eyes off of Kihyun. “I’m really sorry, but I--I can’t. Look, I can’t deny that I care for you, but not...like that, ok? I have no intentions of cultivating anything romantic.”

Kihyun landed unhurt on the other side of the bed, but his eyes betrayed that he had a new wound on his heart. An utterly broken expression crossed his face as his eyes filled with tears. It could crush the toughest of men. ”What, no! You’re messing with me. Please tell me you are! I was so sure--so sure that you liked me. Are you saying that you--you don’t...?”

Hyunwoo’s eyes widened, and he reached out to set a comforting hand on the nymph’s shoulder. “I do! I really do. I really enjoy your company and I’m so proud of how much you’ve grown. I tell you that every chance I get, don’t I? It’s just--you want a relationship, but if we had one, I couldn't return your feelings. That’s really unfair, ya know?”

“But--but I love you. This is all I’ve ever wanted, to make you happy, to start every morning with you and give you the kisses and affection you deserve. To welcome you home with more when you get back from work.” Tears started to slide down Kihyun’s face, and he wiped them away with the hem of the oversized tee he was wearing. As he went on, his voice got quieter, and his gaze lingered on Hyunwoo’s partially-exposed chest and body. “I adore every single inch of you, and I want to let you know that. You deserve to feel good, like in those videos you watch. I watch them, too, and I always imagine it’s me and you. I wanna give you all of me. My entire heart, body, and soul.” Then, dropping his gaze to his fidgeting hands, almost so quietly it was inaudible, he added, “I...I want the privilege of carrying your children.”

“What the?” Now Hyunwoo was just confused and in shock. “Literally…?” Kihyun gave a tiny nod. “...How?”

“You needed a companion, so I presented as a male, but truthfully, I don’t have a specific gender. I can get pregnant.”

“Whoa.”

“So...you...really don’t react to me?” Crawling up into Hyunwoo’s lap again, Kihyun leaned forward to gently peck his caretaker’s forehead. “Not that?”

“No, Kihyun, I don’t.”

Then plump, red lips were on his again, and the nymph left a long, sweet kiss. He even was brave enough to let his tongue shyly test the waters, brushing against the bottom of Hyunwoo’s pout. The hope in his expression when he pulled away was almost saddening. “Yes? No?”

“I’m sorry, Kihyun, but no.”

Next, he tried suckling at a sensitive spot on Hyunwoo’s neck, and pushing up the human’s pajama shirt a little, gently took hold of his love handles. “Not even that?”

“No.”

Kihyun bit his lip, frustrated, and collapsed inward on himself just a tiny bit. The light in his eyes revealed that he had resigned himself to something. Then, the nymph sighed and slid down his caretaker’s body. It was immediately clear where he was intending to go, and it made Hyunwoo shiver. “Well, then...how about this?” Gently, Kihyun placed a kiss on his crotch.

The tired, rogue mind that had plagued Hyunwoo the night before returned. For a moment, it sent him images of them pressed together without clothes in the way. Kihyun was on top, riding his cock, so close to falling apart; eyes full of lust and adoration, whimpers falling from his lips. The thought of the little nymph so beautiful and blissed-out sent an unexpected jolt of electricity right to Hyunwoo’s dick, and it twitched in response.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Kihyun’s face was glowing again. Carefully, he stroked the hardening member through the cotton fabric. “Please, let me help you. Can I?”

Shaking with confusion and conviction, Hyunwoo reached forward to grab Kihyun’s wrists. “For the last time, no. Any touch down there is gonna make me react that way. Yeah, we could have sex, but again, if my heart’s not in it, that’s unfair to you. You’re like…a son to me, alright? And it’s wrong and unhealthy for a father and his child to be together like that.”

Yet, a whisper tickled at the back of his brain. Stop making excuses, you fucking idiot! That’s all this is. You know better than to lie to him about how you really feel--

He ignored it. “I--I’ve gotta go get ready to go to the gym.” he took a quick glance over, and regretted that decision instantly. Kihyun had curled into himself, and though he was trying to hide, it was obvious that he was bawling. Tiny hiccups and sobs gave it away. Sighing, Hyunwoo reached out again to put a hand on the nymph's knee. “Look, let me think things through, and we can talk about this later, ok? We’ll figure something out. I...don’t love you the way you love me, but...I probably could. It just will take more time.”

Kihyun didn’t say anything in response, not even raising a finger in acknowledgment, but Hyunwoo assumed he had heard. The human climbed out of bed, stretching side to side a bit before heading off to the bathroom to take a long, cold shower.

He needed it very badly.

Later, when Hyunwoo got back from the gym, Kihyun was gone. However, the plant’s trunk had closed up, and that was a major clue. The nymph had once mentioned that if he was to be badly hurt, he’d return to that solitude, so that’s where he had to be. Guilt pricked at the human’s heart that the morning’s events had caused this. All he could do, though, was resume his routine of touching the gray bark. When before, he just wanted to express his gratitude and appreciation to the flora he had raised, now he was begging the small, cute being inside for forgiveness.

Hyunwoo was struggling with the toughest internal dilemma of his life, and it was on his mind constantly that day. The more he tried to get it out, the more he confronted the small voice he had silenced. For the most part, it always led him to one question and one question only:

“How do you know when you love someone?”

Glancing up from his cocktail, Chae Hyungwon raised an eyebrow and quipped, “I wondered if there was something on your mind.”

“And what might have given you that idea?”“You’ve been quiet. Even more than normal for you, the most stoic man I know.”

Sighing, Hyunwoo put his beer up to his lips and took a swig. Yeah, now that he thought about it, the conversation had been slow tonight. Honestly, though, he’d been so distracted, it was a miracle he’d even been able to hold one in the first place. Now the real reason he had called Hyungwon earlier to ask about a night out was in the open, and he couldn’t take it back. “Really, though, how do you know for sure when you love someone? I--I ask because I know that you and Changkyun are pretty established. When I think of couples in love, you guys are it.”

The younger man’s gaze had gone to his drink and how he lazily swirled it around with his stirrer. Finally, after a beat of silence, a grin spread across his face. Seconds later, he was chuckling, then laughing hard, crackling snickers that he covered up with the palm of his hand. His cheeks pushed cutely up into his eyes.

“...What?”

“Is this related to how you won’t let me in your house anymore?”

“Um--No?”

“Does Son Hyunwoo have a secret mistress?” The tall, slender stockbroker wiggled his eyebrows and gave him a coy smile. When Hyunwoo just stared back in annoyance, he stuck up a hand. “Hey, or boy toy, I’m the last person who should be judging--”

“I’m--I’m not seeing anyone, Hyungwon, I just--ugh, someone was curious.” Internally, Hyunwoo cringed at the bad (and probably obvious) lie. He should have just said it outright: I might be considering it, though. “Asking for a friend.”

“Huh, yeah, right.” Hyungwon rolled his eyes but it was clear that he’d relented. He turned more toward Hyunwoo, his long legs allowing him to easily swivel on the barstool. “How do you know if you’re in love? Well, it’s...kinda hard to explain, I guess? You have to experience it yourself to really know since it’s different for everyone. But I can kind of tell how it is for me, and maybe, your person can pick out--common elements? Anyways.” Hyungwon waved a hand and took a short sip of his drink. “Changkyun is everything to me. It’s the best feeling in the world to know that he’s mine. After a long day of work, even if I have nobody, I have him. No matter how tired he is, he’s waiting for me with a smile and a kiss and a ‘what do we want for dinner tonight?’. He makes our house a home. It just feels so right, and I never want to let him go.

“There’s no one else for me on the entire planet, you know? The thought of him seeing another person is painful. Call me selfish, but I don’t regret it in the least. If I’m planning on going out somewhere, like with you tonight, he fusses over me, making sure I’m fed before I go to the bar, that I have a ride home, that I’m dressed well. I care for him so much, I know that I’d do the same thing if he ever went out with his friends, but he’s an introvert loser.” Hyungwon laughed again, and a sly smile slipped onto his face. “At the same time, perhaps it’s good that he doesn’t. The last time he tried--that’s just it. He tried, and never made it to the door because he looked so damn beautiful, and I couldn’t help myself. We ended up fucking on the couch, and again in the shower, and--”

“--Hyungwon--”

“--right, that was too much information. But I know we have a love thing and not a lust thing because more often than not, I just want to cuddle twenty-four seven. We snuggle a lot, and it fills me to the brim with warmth when I’m spooning him and he slowly traces the veins in my arm.

“Leaving our bed in the mornings is so hard. He goes to work half an hour after I do, but you know me. He’s usually already up and around by the time I drag myself out. The best days, though, are the ones when neither of us has anywhere to be, and he wakes me up with kisses and a hand in my hair. I live for those little moments. It’s not like he doesn’t always show me that he loves me, but it’s when I least expect the affection that it makes the most difference. I could go on, but does that answer your question, Hyunwoo-hyung?”

“Y--yeah. It does. Thanks.” Hyunwoo’s cheeks burned as it became clear that he’d been fooling himself. Everything Hyungwon had said resounded in his head and heart. Especially, the line about how Changkyun made a house into a home. That was exactly what Kihyunnie had come to mean to him. No wonder Hyunwoo always was so eager to get home after work, knowing the nymph was there waiting, felt willing to tell him anything and everything, and cared for any needs his guest might have. All the random urges to initiate snuggling, cuddling, and spooning, as well as that morning’s sexual fantasy, weren't just perverted thoughts. No, they were so much more. Before, he didn’t want to believe it. Hell, how had he been so blind?

Thankfully, Hyungwon didn’t seem to notice the sudden shift in mood and tipped his head back to finish the bit of cocktail left in his glass. Hyunwoo glanced down into his bottle, almost by instinct; but he had hit the bottom long ago. The younger must have noticed because he nodded toward where it was sitting on the counter. “How about another round, huh?”

Hyunwoo was about to say yes; he would have, gladly. However, a strange feeling crept into his gut, one he had never experienced before. Gloom and dread descended on his conscience, and everything in him screamed that something was very wrong. He suddenly needed to be out of here, on his way back to Kihyun as fast as possible--

“No, thanks. Actually, I better go, I still have some at-home work to do and an early morning tomorrow.”

“Oh, yeah, of course.” Hyungwon grinned, turning to the bartender and paying both of their tabs. Though Hyunwoo had protested this little routine at first, the younger man always brushed it off as nothing. I’m a stockbroker, for heaven’s sake. Let me splurge sometimes, huh? “Take care, hyung. Also, I hope that whoever needed that advice finds what they’re looking for.”

It took a Herculean effort for Hyunwoo to swallow the bullfrog stuck in his throat.

He practically ran home, and the terrible feeling grew with every step. It felt like an eternity, but probably was closer to five minutes, before he was crashing through the door of his house and desperately calling, “Kihyunnie, Kihyunnie, where are you--”

No sooner had he said the nymph’s name that his gaze came to rest on a terrible sight. There on the floor of the entryway, in a pile of dirt, red terracotta, and fading green leaves was his Kihyunnie, motionless and unresponsive. In only a few more seconds, Hyunwoo realized what had happened.

See, in the nymph’s hand was a sharp sushi knife--the very same one Hyunwoo had almost used in self-defense the night they’d met. Also nearby, on its side, was Kihyun’s plant. There were huge gashes in the wood, and for every one of those, a bleeding cut existed on its guardian’s body. “Hurt the tree, hurt me,” Kihyun had once said. Now, he’d used that knowledge against himself, practically to commit suicide.

Hyunwoo heard himself screaming, but he wasn’t sure if it was real or not; everything was too much for him to handle. He ran to Kihyun’s side and fell to his knees, his pant legs and shoes getting soaked with sticky red blood in the process. Carefully, but with trembling hands, he lifted the nymph’s limp body into his arms and brushed his orange locks out of his eyes.

“H--Hyunwoo…”

“Ssh, ssh, I’m here.” Tears flowed unfettered down Hyunwoo’s face. “Oh my God, Kihyun, oh my fucking--God--why? Why'd you--?”

“I--I’m sorry. I was--ugh, so, so angry…” The nymph broke into a sad smile, but it only lasted a moment; he coughed and cried out in pain. “I wasn’t in my right mind, shoulda realized sooner that anything with you, reciprocated or not, is better than this.”

“No, I’m gonna help you. I’m gonna fix this, I’ve gotta fix this--”

A familiar hand caressed the human's cheek, and Kihyun pulled Hyunwoo’s gaze back to him. It was clear that the little nymph was fading fast. His skin was turning rapidly grayer, and his eyes drooped shut. He kept steady for as long as it could, but his strength didn’t last much longer. “Stop, don’t bother, hyung. There’s no hope for me. I’m s--sorry, this is my--my fault.”

“P--please, stay with me...Kihyun-ah...I--”

Hyunwoo never got to finish; it was too late. There, in his arms, the little plant spirit passed away. Though he didn’t want to believe it at first, some part of him realized that truth, and his heart shattered irreparably.

“--I love you…”

Despite his deep and utter grief, Hyunwoo made himself do what was necessary. He chopped the sprawling limbs off of Kihyun’s plant and wrapped his body in the hollow trunk. The corpse’s skin had turned to bark, so it probably would decompose in the same way as its vessel. Then, he buried everything in a shallow grave in the backyard. Hyunwoo wished he could do better; however, he didn’t have a clue how. Laying the little plant spirit to rest and letting nature take its course was all he had. Somehow, it seemed fitting. Kihyun had come from the Earth, and he seemed destined to return.

Hoping to return to some semblance of normal, Hyunwoo went to work the next day. Even there, he felt sullen and unmotivated, though. Necessary tasks got done, but when he’d try to do anything else, it felt slow and meaningless. Still, he didn’t realize exactly how bad it was until Seyoung summoned him to his office and urged the younger man to go home. He even granted him permission to take the rest of the week off. Hyunwoo was too sad and defeated to argue, so he gave in and did.

The hours he spent alone and away from the marketing company dragged, and yet passed too quickly. He didn’t feel any better afterward, but still threw himself back into the responsibilities his employment brought.

It would turn out that the phrase ‘time heals all wounds’ was somewhat true, but moving on was harder than waiting for the pain to pass. Hyunwoo missed his Kihyunnie. Everything in his house reminded him of the nymph, so coming home after a nine to five was torture. He could barely sit on the couch and watch television without feeling a ghost of a small body snuggled into his side. His bed was lonely and cold, and there were some nights he couldn’t even sleep because his heart physically hurt. Last, but definitely not least, the whole house felt empty without the plant’s vines spread throughout and the subtle, pleasant scent of its little flowers. So extensive and devastating was his sadness that he even stopped taking care of his other rescued plants. Slowly, they began to turn brown and brittle.

Seasons passed, and Hyunwoo still felt like a dead man walking. Sometimes, he wondered if he’d ever be able to get back to normal. There were whispers that he’d lost his passion, and Hyungwon was even worried sick, as Hyunwoo never wanted to go out anymore or see anyone. The older man isolated himself from the world. Everywhere he turned, the world looked bleak. His life meant nothing without Kihyun by his side.

Finally, when the last snows melted away and the first baby birds of Spring hatched out of their eggs, Hyunwoo decided that it was about time to stop moping and get his life together again. That would require him to do hard things, but he was ready. Starting with the mess that had accumulated around the house over the past few months, he cleaned everything and anything that was dirty. Every spot of dust he wiped away made him feel better. Every once in a while, it'd become hard for a while when he’d find a withered flower petal or leaf.

The singular thing he dreaded the most was the windowsill and what was once his collection of flora. Every single one of them was dead, as his neglect starved them for water. It was tough, but that didn’t stop him from facing the task, though. Hyunwoo had no choice but to get rid of them as well.

Disturbing the spot where Kihyun lay was unthinkable. So, Hyunwoo cleared a patch of earth on the other side of the sidewalk, dug a few holes, and dumped the plants there, potting soil and all, one by one. Hyunwoo was physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausted from the work, and also the pain of his swirling thoughts, by the time it was over. As unwelcoming as the couch still was, a nap on it sounded fantastic.

However, then, for some unknown reason, Hyunwoo glanced toward the side of the yard he had been trying to avoid. Perhaps it was coincidence, perhaps fate, because one tiny, almost unnoticeable detail drew his eye.

Amongst the green grass that was sprouting in the area was a familiar sight: three tiny, slender shoots, arranged in a triangle and each topped with a ㄱ leaf.

The realization stopped him his tracks, and his vision became blurry as his eyes filled with tears. Was it true, or was he just seeing things? His shovel clattered to the sidewalk, and he ran over, dropping to his knees next to the small plant. Pushing away the grass around it, he touched one stem with his finger and sucked in a stunned breath. No, this wasn’t a dream. Kihyun’s plant was once again growing out of the soil.

Hyunwoo’s mind whirled as he went inside to grab a tiny terracotta pot and its makeshift saucer. What did this mean? Could Kihyun live again? Even if not, Hyunwoo would try with all his might to make it so. The thought lifted a burden from his heart, even if he took the possibility that Kihyun might be dead and gone into consideration.

For the first time since losing the one he loved, Hyunwoo had hope again.

He prayed that this was his second chance.

[jcruceweb]

Tips for Growing Cannabis

From cannabis seeds to flower guide

Congratulations, you have taken your first step towards becoming a self-sufficient producer of your own high-quality cannabis plants!In our experience, many people new to growing need a little help to get the best from their plants, and naturally, we want you to get the most out of your cannabis seeds. This is why we have created a few useful tips to grow healthy cannabis plants, with big and flavorful buds.As with most things in life, everybody has their own opinion on how to best germinate a seed. However, at Nirvana Farms we recommend the following easy steps on the way from seed to flower. Germination

Step 1: Place the seeds on a plate in between two moist tissue paper (wet the paper and drain off the excess water) put them in the dark and at room temperature. Make sure not to use chloride water. Clean tap water, rain, or distilled water works best.Step 2: Within three days the embryonic root breaks through the seed cover. Burry the seed (with the root facing down) in seedling or cactus soil 1cm deep and protect it from the sunlight. Spray water on the soil (never on the seed sprout and cover with a transparent cover (a cut-out top part of a plastic bottle works perfectly), for a stable, high level of humidity (micro greenhouse).Step 3: Once the sprout sheds its shell and unveils the two seed leaves, place it under direct light. Fluorescent light is preferred. Keep the top layer of soil consistently moist and avoid intense sunlight at this stage. The root will follow the water level down, so wait until the soil becomes a bit drier not too dusty) before adding more water. In the early days be careful to water gently!Step 4: After 1 or 2 weeks the seedling should have developed into a small plant that can be transplanted to larger pots with nutrient-rich soil or quality potting soil. Your cannabis plants now have the best start in life.

Step 5: When Plants start flowering, they reveal their gender, weeks or months (depends on type) after sowing the seed. Feminized and Autoflowering seeds will grow into female plants. They develop clusters of pistils (hairs), while regular seeds can either become female or male plants. You can locate the gender at the internodes of the branches. Male plants develop pollen sacks (balls) and are hard to miss! Remove all the male plants to prevent your crop from becoming seeded.Step 6: Treat your plant right and it will treat you right when it comes to harvest time! Hydroponics

You can put the seeds directly in soaked Rockwool cubes or Mapito. Use water with a pH level of 5.5 to soak them to come to a pH of around 6 in the block. Then the seedlings are able to transport all nutrients that are required to grow. Be very careful, the plants can easily burn and dry out. That’s why you should keep the baby plants moist and don’t give them too much fertilizer. Cultivation of cannabis outdoors

Once the cannabis plants are big enough, 15-20 cm (6-8 inches), they can be planted outdoors, in rich soil in the full ground, or in large pots. In the south of Europe or other warm and sunny regions, this can be as early as March, while in colder countries like Holland one should wait until the beginning of May. Outdoors, the development of your marijuana plants is determined by the amount of sunshine, rain, and wind. It’s your task to help nature by providing sufficient water and nutrients. Outdoors, your plants can grow over 3 meters(9ft) tall!When the light cycle has shortened to 15 hours, the cannabis plants will start to bloom. With some luck, depending mostly on favorable weather during the last months, they will produce a lot of buds, up to a kilo per cannabis plant. The plant and yield can become very impressive! Cannabis cultivation in green houses

The quality of cannabis plants grown in greenhouses can be better than cannabis plants grown outside. They can grow as indoor cannabis plants but have the big advantage of sunlight. Here, the marijuana plants can be well controlled. If you artificially shorten the light cycle to 12 hours, by covering the plants or whole greenhouse, you can harvest in the middle of summer and if organized well twice per year! Cannabis indoor growing

Home growing has become very popular, which is logical if you consider you can supply yourself with a top-quality product that is not contaminated with high levels of pesticides, or in the case of hash bought from the street, is polluted with chemicals or shoe polish, which you have to buy for exorbitant prices. Another advantage of indoor growing is that you don’t have to worry about thieves ripping your outdoor garden in the middle of the night.The quality of indoor cannabis plants is often very high. Under high-pressure sodium lamps, it is possible for almost everyone who has a little space available to grow their own. Indoor growing is a little more complicated because you have to control the whole environment, but your effort will be rewarded once you have the conditions right. Then it is as easy as anything! Make sure the temperature does not exceed 25 °C (77 F) or get cooler than 20°C (68 F). The room should be well ventilated and constantly refreshed with air. Enclosed humidity should be around 80% during the growing period, but needs to be lower than 60% at the end of the flowering period to prevent mold.We advise you to read a book on growing or get yourself informed by other growers who have some experience before getting started. Although growing indoors isn’t difficult, having some knowledge of the basic techniques is definitely a big advantage. Nutrients

The marijuana plants can best absorb all necessary nutrients at a pH value of 5.5 – 6, making sure all nutrients are transported within the plant. This way the whole cannabis plant thrives, which results in maximum growth and leads to more quantity of top-quality products. The cannabis plants require different levels of nutrients during different stages of their life. Many nutrient companies have a schedule for the optimum dosages when their products are used. You can also use biological stimulators, such as rooting and flowering stimulators, that activate the organic bacterial life, or micro-organisms, and therefore make the plant stronger and healthier. Some of these stimulators can make quite a difference. Sinsemilla (without seeds)

Most cannabis enthusiasts grow for the production of top-quality buds for themselves and their friends to consume. If this is the case, then you don’t want to have seeds in your buds as this makes them less potent and is no good to smoke or vaporize. In fact, it may even give you a headache! To prevent the plants from making seeds, you have to remove the male plants by “sexing’’ them. The males are of no use other than to procreate. The female plants are the ones to keep, as they produce wonderful tasting and highly appreciated effects on the body and mind with their bountiful buds. They are the ones that should stay to bloom until they are ripe to pick.Cannabis male and female plants are alike at the vegetative stage and sex shows only when the flowers appear. From that moment on, the cannabis plants become distinguishable, and the male and female look quite different. In the pre-flowering stage, one can sex the plants as described above by looking for the males to throw away. You should look at the main stem at every internode to find the flowers. Most likely you will find them in the upper part of the plant. The Harvest

You should only harvest when the flowers are ripe – not before, but also not long after they are ready! It is time to harvest when the resin glands are swollen to their maximum size, which you can see best with a magnifying glass. Another less accurate way is to watch if the buds are still getting fatter with new growth. When this process of daily production has stopped and most of the little stigmas (hairs) on the flowers have turned from white to brown-orange, it is time to harvest the plants. First, take off the big fan leaves, then hang the marijuana plants upside down in a cool, dry, and dark place to dry out. About 14 days later, you can trim off the last few leaves so that only the buds remain. Now you are ready to experience your own grown quality super buds!Club Cannabliss Newsletter Be inspired by the unconventional wisdom of our peers and experts as they help us get to a higher state of consciousness.Sign-in and edit your profile. Not yet a Member? Register and claim your spot among the anointed ones!

Indica vs Sativa. Which type of bud comes out on top? You can decide for yourself as we now dive deep into the world of the various types of cannabis strains.

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Low Maintenance Plants for your Luxury Condominium

To all the aspiring Plantitas and Plantitos out there, this article is for you. Nowadays, it is important to take on healthy and meaningful habits that contribute to homeowners’ mental health, especially when they are working from home and spending almost every minute of life indoors. And what better way to bring in the beauty of the outdoors than creating your own living sanctuary indoors through low maintenance plants in your luxury condominium?

📷Elevate your space with plants | Photo by CoWomen on Unsplash

Benefits of Growing Low Maintenance Plants at Your Luxury Condominium

Plants have tons of benefits for every Brittany Corporation luxury home. And If you live with your loved ones, it can also be a great bonding activity with children or a way for a newly wed couple to take care of something easy before embarking on the journey of parenthood. Here are a few benefits that are already worth buying a bunch of them.

1. They naturally filter out and clean the air, which is essential considering the pandemic that we are experiencing right now. Plants are able to absorb toxins, increase humidity, and produce oxygen through the process of photosynthesis. Some are even capable of repelling mosquitoes, specifically the citronella plant, which  can be easily grown and then ground to extract the mosquito repelling oils from its leaves.

2. Studies show that low maintenance plants are proven to increase productivity and lessen stress; hence greatly contributing to the homeowner’s mental wellbeing. Moreover, being surrounded by plants helps people feel more calm and relaxed, thus decreasing levels of anxiety. No wonder it is also considered a best practice for employers to install indoor low maintenance plants around their offices and working spaces.

3. Finally, they add beauty to every space, whether that be tiny offices or mansions in the Philippines. Adding living aesthetically pleasing ornamental plants to a room can improve a homeowner’s moods the same way a beautiful painting could light up a whole house and lot. Adding living greenery in a dull spot can truly change the whole mood. Plants remind us that we can be both growing yet beautiful, perfectly still yet helpful.

These are just some general benefits common to most plants, yet with the variety of plants in the world, each plant has its own benefit and some may even pose risks. For example, if you are living with a pet cat or dog, it is imperative that you check first if the plant that you are bringing to your Brittany Corporation luxury home is safe for your furry friends. The plants themselves may be greatly beneficial to you, but are not meant to be ingested at all. To be safe, as with all things, always do your research before buying anything.

Suggested Read: 6 Ways to Celebrate the Holidays When You’re Living Alone | Brittany

📷Maintaining your plants doesn’t have to be an arduous task. You just need to find the right plants for your home. | Photo by Kaufmann Mercantile on Unsplash

Low Maintenance Plants You Should Start Growing in Your Luxury Home by Brittany Corporation

Before becoming true green thumbs, however, every hobbyist must first cover the basics. After all, you most likely won’t be able to grow healthy delicate plants such as roses and orchids, even if you lived in the most expensive houses in the Philippines, if you don’t know how to properly take care of low maintenance plants featured in this article.

Succulents are for the Lazy

Succulents are a type of plant with thick fleshy tissues adapted to water storage. This means that they can store water for longer periods of time in order to withstand hotter temperatures. A famous example of succulent plants is the cactus, which is famous for its ability to thrive in the desert. This means that these low maintenance plants thrive with neglect, which is perfect if you want to check in on your plant only once a week or two.

Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis miller)

The Aloe Vera is a succulent plant known for its plump leaves that can provide a soothing gel for cuts and burns. They also make for great hair masks and face masks, evidently with all the aloe vera based body care products available in the market. Once the leaves are big enough, you can harvest its goodness by plucking out a leaf, peeling it, and pouring the cool gel to a pot for your personal use.

If you want to care for an Aloe Vera, allow the soil to dry out completely in between waterings. Depending on the humidity of your home, that may mean watering as little as every two to three weeks. The average height of the Aloe Vera is two feet, but they can grow up to three feet tall. However, if you want to save on space, you can also choose to grow miniature ones by placing them in smaller two to three inch pots.

If you want to propagate your Aloe Vera, just gently pull out some offsets from the mother plant’s roots. Offsets, also called pups or offshoots, are clones that grow from the stem or roots of the parent plant. Place them in well drained soil where they can grow on their own. Don’t plant them deep into the soil in order for the roots to breathe and heal from the damage, and then just let them dry for a week before you start watering them. In no time, you will have a whole corner of Aloe Vera plants!

📷The Snake Plant | Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)

Snake plants might just be the most common low maintenance plant for condo homes as well as offices.This is because they are even easier to take care of than other succulent plants like the Aloe Vera. In fact, this mighty plant can even survive weeks without sunlight or water and still look good as new. With this in mind, maybe beauty brands should be focused on trying to discover the Snake Plant’s secrets instead. This alone should be a good enough reason to purchase plants now if you are a lazy aspiring Plantita/Plantito. They are best with medium to bright light and a sprinkle of water when the soil dries out.

If you are wondering about the origins of its name, just check the patterns on its long pointed leaves. They are greens with a pattern reminiscent of a snake’s scaly exterior. These thick and stiff leaves grow up to three feet long. Overtime, the leaves can overcrowd a pot but no worries because you can just repot the other leaves. If you want to propagate some more of these plants, there are two ways: the water method and the soil method. If you want to experiment, you can do both at the same time! Simply cut the leaves of your snake plant but keep the rooted ones in place to grow. Then, place half of the end parts in a new pot, standing on the surface of the soil. Place the bottom of the other half of the end parts in a cup of water and replace the water every couple of days. Soon, you will see tiny roots growing in both batches. Voila!

Jade Plant (Crassula ovata)

The Jade Plant is a crowd favorite because of its adorable jelly bean looking leaves. They stay this way when you keep them in small pots. However, once they grow a few feet taller in bigger pots, the jelly beans start looking like stubby fingers. Since their leaves are thicker than their stems, it goes without saying that this plant can go out of balance if potted in a weak container. Since the top half of the plant is heavier than its base, make sure to use a heavier pot to support the entire plant, such as terracotta pots.

To take care of this low maintenance plant, simply make sure that the soil is completely dry before watering again. It is easy to observe when the Jade Plant is stressed because the leaves can fall out yet grow back easily. They can generally grow in any environment with medium to high sun exposure.

If you want to avoid growing your Jade Plant too heavy, you can simply cut the stems at three to four inches long for propagation. But before this, you must first make sure that the mother plant is completely dry before cutting. Let the cutting rest in a dry, preferably warm, spot until a callus develops in about one to two weeks. Once the cut on the jade plant cutting has dried, place the cutting into a potting mixture made of half vermiculite or perlite and half soil. Vermiculite or perlite are small pebbles usually used to decorate succulents and are fairly easy to find in the country, so no worries about that. When rooting a jade plant, water sparingly so that the potting mixture is only damp until the jade plant cutting takes root. After it has rooted, you can treat it as you would a normal jade plant.

Non-Succulent Plants that are still easy to take care of

The plants listed in this section are low maintenance plants that need a little more maintenance compared to succulent plants.

Photos Plant or Devil’s Ivy (Epipremnum aureum)

The Photos is probably the most common non-succulent low maintenance plants, especially in tropical countries; so much so that you can even find them in the jungle while hiking in the Philippines because it is a tropical vine. They can practically grow anywhere in the tropics and are pest and disease free. They also thrive in neglect similar to the succulents mentioned above and are a good choice even for darker areas of the luxury condominium.

The great thing about the Photos is its versatility. It can be potted traditionally, hung as an aerial plant, or dangling as a vine. Moreover, it also doubles as an air purifier that you don’t have to stress about compared to other more demanding plants. It’s the gift that keeps on giving, so it is also sweet to gift this to friends and family members who want to start taking care of low maintenance plants as a hobby this holiday season. However, if they have pets in their luxury homes, make sure to keep the plant out of their reach because it can be poisonous when ingested.

To propagate, cut full grown stems six inches long just below a leaf node and place in water. Change the water every two to three weeks and roots will develop over a month or two. Once enough roots have grown, repot the plant in fresh soil.

📷Air plants can be stored in many ways, just like air! | Photo by Severin Candrian on Unsplash

Air Plants (Tillandsia spp.)

Air plants are the cute puff balls in the plant kingdom. They are great for space saving in luxury condominiums but are also a great addition when interior designing mansions in the Philippines. They can be fascinating because not only can they survive by just floating in the air without soil, but they can also have alien features given that there are hundreds of species and variations of the Air Plant. This is definitely for homeowners who want a more modern touch to their living space. So how do they grow in air? These low maintenance plants are actually epiphytes, meaning that in nature they grow on other plants, usually on tree branches. But they do well on their own and actually even flower.

A good tip when buying Air Plants is to buy the ones with silvery leaves. This is because the greener leaves tend to dry out faster and the silver ones tend to need much less water and maintenance. They love a humid environment and can freely grow in areas with frequent rains. In your luxury condominium, however, you will have to water them thoroughly every week or two. To do this, place them in the sink or a small jar with enough liquid to submerge your plants. Let them soak for about half an hour, then give them a gentle shake to get rid of some water before turning them upside down on a towel to let them drain. Once they are dry, return them to their designated spot. In particularly dry times, you can mist them with water every day in between soaks. In terms of light, they prefer well lit environments but never direct sun exposure. Remember that they thrive in humid conditions instead of dry ones.

Brittany Corporation: The Perfect Home for your Plants

If you are looking to move to a grander space where you can grow your family as well as your plants, checkout Brittany Corporation’s roster of properties in key locations surrounding the metro South: Vista Alabang, Brittany Sta. Rosa in Laguna, La Posada in Sucat, and Crosswinds Tagaytay. Each beautiful in their thematic appeal, you will find that every Brittany home is embraced by nature. Enjoy a blissful life in the perfect havens surrounding the city.

📷A campaign ad for Lausanne, a residential space at Crosswinds Tagaytay.

Visit Brittany’s official property page to know more about Brittany’s beautiful thematic offerings or follow us on our Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts!

For those who are interested in being a seller for Brittany, visit our E-Suite seller’s portal here.

Concerns about your home? Click on our Vista Land Homeowner’s Portal.

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1, 19, 20

thanks for asking! (this ended up being hella long so thats why its kinda late)

1: Did you discover that you are autistic early or later in life? How do you think it affected you?i had an “unofficial” diagnosis when i was like 4 (unofficial bc i was “on the spectrum but didnt meet all the criteria for an official diagnosis” aka i could talk and wasnt a boy) but because it was unofficial there wasnt really anything that could be done with it, so it wasnt considered significant and i didnt think much of it.    

i didnt actually “figure it out” till towards the end of high school, and what really made me consider it was how much i related to posts by autistic people talking about traits and experiences.  and it was super “freeing” i guess cause it was like realizing that id been viewing myself wrong for most of my life? that my difficulties werent because i hadnt “nurtured” them the right way and my interests and talents werent some warped form of compensation.  like a mental shift from “im a defective version of other people” to “im a perfectly decent version of myself”. 

kinda like if youd been taking care of a “weird bush”, getting confused that it was different from the other ones, and then realized the bush was actually a cactus.  but now that you know, you can figure out how to grow a healthy cactus instead of overwatering it in the hopes it will look like a bush   

19: What, in your opinion, is the most ridiculous autism myth or stereotype?theres a lot of those but the stereotype of autism being a young white boy thing is definitely up there in terms of perpetuating inequalities like afab people and poc are diagnosed less frequently and misdiagnosed a lot more, especially when theyre not kids anymoreless institutional for this one, but a lot of non-autistic people act like theyre able to intuitively tell if someone is or isnt autistic? when their knowledge is based on one autistic person they know of, or a mix of pop culture and maybe an intro to psych class.  like “*person* cant be autistic they do *thing that isnt mutually exclusive to being autistic*” or “are you sure youre autistic cause youre not like my younger brother”  

20: How would you describe autism to someone who knows nothing about it?im not exactly sure how to answer this concisely and still give some actual background on being autistic but heres some traits (under the read-more since this is pretty long already)

social interactions

casual conversation comes a lot less naturally for you than for others (like for me it feels kinda like trying to do a card trade when youre deck is out of order or when youre taking too long trying to find the right amount of money to give the cashier)

even if youre pretty sarcastic yourself, you might have trouble recognizing when other people are doing it (maybe responding to them as if they were serious, then realizing it was sarcasm afterwards)

difficulty with timing in conversations - accidentally interrupting a lot or not knowing when to start talking in groups

takes a lot longer for you to make friends than most people, even when actively trying

might have difficulty telling peoples feelings from their facial expressions or tone of voice, may accidentally overstep boundaries as a result

language/expression differences

speaking might not come naturally as a form of expression, might be more comfortable writing or using another method, especially on more personal topics

might be more or less facially expressive than most people (”resting bitch face” or finding it really hard to hide emotions)

might go nonverbal at times (or all the time) - talking feels physically difficult and takes more energy than usual, can happen with stress or just randomly

sensory stuff

hypo or hypersensitivities - more bothered by loud noise or bright light than others, being a lot more sensitive to fabric and clothing, needing certain levels of noise to be comfortable, “picky” eating (especially related to texture), sitting normally in chairs is uncomfortable, more or less reactive to certain smells

stimming because it feels nice, helps focus, relieves stress - fidgeting, Need To Move, leg bouncing, rocking, repeating phrases/noises because they sound/feel nice, hair twirling, feeling certain textures, pressure (heavy blankets, tight clothing, etc),

sensory overload when overstimulated (often in loud/bright/crowded/etc areas), may have trouble processing all information at once, get irritated by small sounds, may get dizzy, can trigger anxiety, restless energy, trouble focusing, places others are fine with may feel very chaotic to you (eg: a mall or supermarket), symptoms lessen when away from situation

various other things

special interests - if you like something you really like it no middle ground (”obsessed or nothing”), avidly pursue more info/content relating to it, feel an intense need to talk about these interests with others, could spend hours a day on these interests without getting bored  

executive dysfunction - procrastination, difficulty planning ahead, trouble with time management, distracted easily, trouble staying on task, difficulty multi-tasking, having trouble making yourself do something even when you want to get it done

unexpected events or changes in routine (even small things and even if your schedule is not busy) are stressful, might cause you to freeze up,  can take a long time to get used to

auditory processing difficulties - “sorry can you repeat that”, comprehending what someone said when theyre halfway through repeating it, following verbal instructions is hella confusing (“i know what those words mean and i know what that sentence means but i have no clue what im supposed to be doing”)

detail oriented - needing to know specific details and reasons behind things to remember them better, noticing lots of things others dont

good at coming up with unique ideas, different thinking approach leads you to problem-solve in ways others might not

i could write more but ima stop now, i think ive prob info-dumped enough