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puckngrind · 4 years ago

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What’s In A Name: 11- J. Toews

Chapter 11.

Where we left off: Jon and Bekah sent the summer traveling. She has officially quit her job and they prepare for the upcoming season.

Warnings: smut, language

Word Count: 4,425

Series Masterlist ) Puck ‘n Grind’s masterlist

Beginnings.

Jon was intentional in making sure Bekah felt comfortable in what was now their home. He could see her comfort level change once they were back for good before training camp started. Jon suggested she transform one of the rooms into her office and they could redecorate the rest of their place as she wanted over the season. Bekah convinced him they could paint her new office space instead of hiring someone. So Jon’s first night off before the season, the two were taping off and laying tarps down in what was soon to be Bekah’s office.

“These colors remind me of Sedona, Beks.” Jon opens up the can and looks up at Bekah to see her pulling her hair into a bun

“The paint color is called Sedona clay, Babe.” Bekah laughs and finishes covering her new desk.

“So I’m right?” Jon points to the new furniture collected in the middle of the room with the clear plastic over it. The hint of blues and greens in the wood visible.

“Did you noticed the decor in the guest room for the walls?” She giggles watching Jon process as he starts putting the paint on the wall. He shakes his head. “Yes, Sedona is the inspiration for the office, Tae. There is a print of you hiking then two of us. One from this year and that first summer. I also bought some Arizona art.” Bekah takes in Jon’s smitten look as she watches his muscles flex while he reaches for the higher part of the wall.

“Why aren’t you painting too?” Jon doesn’t even turn around.

“Just taking in the view. It’s sexy as hell.” Jon shakes his ass at her and keeps painting.

“This room will never get painted if you don’t start painting the trim.” Jon turns to see Bekah sitting on the tarp. Leaning on her hands with her bottom lip sucked between her teeth. “Beks!” Jon flicks the paint roller at her. Paint splatters on Bekah’s face and she flinches.

“Did you just get paint on me?” Bekah stands with a fake sound of annoyance.

“Yeah, whatcha gonna do about it?” Jon smirks as Bekah stands on her tippy toes to try and be eye level with him.

“This.” Bekah’s finger swipes alone the roller in his hand and down Jon’s arm. A growl erupts from deep in Jon’s chest. He drops the roller and wraps his arms around her. Lips ghost her own.

“Is this the reaction you were looking for?” He bites at her bottom lip and Bekah nods. “But we need to paint this room so you can feel all home like while I’m gone.”

“Is that why? That’s why isn’t it Tae?” Bekah rubs down his jawline and he flinches.

“Beks, we’ve practically been together 24/7 since April. With the season starting, I’m just... I’m...” Jon drops his forehead to hers unable to speak the words.

“Worried. You are worried with you going out of town, I will what, hate it? Leave you? Go home? Is that what’s going on in your head, Baby?” Bekah leans back and Jon nods.

“It seems silly but I don’t want to lose you because of my job.” Jon’s whole body tenses and Bekah runs her hands down his arms then to his waist. Pulling him into her.

“I’m not going anywhere, Tae.” Bekah whispers.

“You sure?” Jon can hardly be heard.

“Yeah, the mind blowing sex is too good to give up.” Bekah giggles trying to break the emotional conversation.

“Mind blowing sex, eh?” Jon brings his hands up to his head to create an explosion and smiles. “Just remember how mind blowing it is when I’m gone for over a week for the west coast and Canada stretches, m’kay?” Jon kisses her lips sweetly and Bekah presses into him.

“Care to remind me now?” Bekah batted her eyes at him. He pulled up at her thighs with no warning burying his face in neck.

“très bien, mon amour.” Jon breathes into her skin. “Very much so, my love... but what about painting this room?” Jon looks into Bekah’s eyes.

“Just hire someone.” She giggles as Jon makes his way to their bedroom. “We need to wash this paint off first.” Bekah stops kissing his neck and looks towards their bathroom.

“Fine...” Jon mumbles and changed direction from their bed to the bathroom. He placed Bekah on the counter and hardly moves to grab a towel and wet it. He gently starts wiping her face where the paint splattered. “You know when you shaved my beard off after the cup?” He stops and looks deep into her eyes there is a fleck of gold that glimmers in the pool of green and brown.

“How could I forget?” Bekah bites at her lip and takes the towel from him.

“I think that’s when I realized this wasn’t just sex. You and me. This was something more.” Jon admits.

“Really?” Jon could hear the self doubt in Bekah’s voice.

“Don’t get me wrong, the sex was the driving force of our first encounters but how gentle and sexy you were shaving me... that might have been the point when I knew. I’m so glad you were with me when I won the cup. I look back and I know my brain said this was way more and you needed to be here.” Jon’s admission makes Bekah blush.

“Tae, that was 4 years ago!” Bekah gulps.

“I know.” Jon kisses her slowly. “I didn’t say it’s when I knew I loved you. I said my brain knew this was more than sex.” Jon pulls her hips into his.

“Tae.” Bekah moaned into his now bare chest. Without answering, Jon pulls her off the counter and carries her to their bed.

“I promised mind blowing, let’s see if I can deliver.” He laughs while crawling up between her legs kissing Bekah’s lips first then her jaw followed by her collarbone. Bekah’s body arches into his touch while her hands find his hair. Jon’s lips and hand caress her breasts. Nipping each peak before running his tongue down her stomach. Bekah’s hips roll under his chest causing him to laugh into her navel. “My girl needs me to hurry, huh?” His eyes take in Bekah’s flushed face. Her lips part but she doesn’t speak. He returns to his work of worshiping her body while making his way to her core. His fingers and tongue working together to elicit moans from Bekah. “Do you know what I love?” Jon pulls his face from her heat and looks up at Bekah. She huffs our her disapproval and sits up on her elbows.

“What that you could feel my orgasm building and stopped?” Bekah’s voice has a hint of annoyance in it as she stares at Jon.

“Sorry, I will resume that in a second.” His fingers slide between her folds and Bekah’s body jolts. “I love that we’ve been doing this for years now and it’s not old. It’s not standard. It’s still a turn on.”

“Are you really having this epiphany now Tae? While you are between my legs?” Bekah’s eyebrows shoot up and Jon smiles.

“I guess. Sorry. I shall resume.” Jon’s mouth sucks at Bekah’s clit and her body jolts.

“Fuck, Jon!” Bekah’s body returns to the mattress as she feels her orgasm building. His fingers intentional deep inside her while he flicks and licks at her clit. “Tae.” Bekah’s hips jolt up and she feels Jon hum against her. Her hands finds his hair again and the wave crash over her. Jon’s actions don’t slow as her feet curl up onto his back. Fingers keep a pace that is sure to send another ripping through her body. Bekah pants trying to speak. “Tae, up. Please.” She almost whispers. Jon pulls away slightly and makes his way up her body. His hand gliding under her leg to press himself deep inside. His lips firm against hers and he grunts at the sensation.

“Je t'aime.” Jon whispers in her ear as he rolls his hips further into her.

“I love you too.” Bekah laments and pulls her legs further over his hips. Her hands grab at his back muscles. Jon’s trusts are slow and deep. Bekah’s back arches into him and he holds her body there. His hips pick up the pace. Both moan in response. Jon kisses Bekah’s lips hard as he feels both of their orgasms peak. Bekah clinching around him as he pulsates with release. Both panting and gasping for air. Jon collapses onto Bekah. Her fingers running through his hair. “Mind blowing.” Bekah whispers and feels Jon’s whole body laugh.

“Remember that when I’m gone for 4 days. Okay?” Jon groans while slowly moving next to Bekah and she moves her head to lay on his chest.

“And back to your epiphany, sex has never been standard with you.” Bekah feels his smile in sound of Jon’s agreement. “I feel it’s gotten better since this summer too.”

“How’s that?” Jon’s hand runs down her spine

“Not rushed. Not needing to fit a much into a short amount of time as possible. Before we had these chunks of time, you know?” Bekah’s voice is just above a whisper.

“I know and you are right.” Jon kisses the top of her head. “As a healthy relationship should be Beks.”

The season was finally here. Bekah was snuggled on the couch for the first game and decided to FaceTime Brynn. The two chatting about everything under the sun when she heard the buzz from the front door. “Did you order take out?” Brynn questions but Bekah shakes her head while walking to the front. She sees a delivery truck through the window. “He sent you something, didn’t he?” Brynn questions reading Bekah’s face.

“Hold on Rin. I need 2 hands.” Bekah places the phone on the entry day table and Brynn keeps up her guessing while Bekah retrieves the delivery and thanks the gentleman at the gate. “He did not have to do this.” Bekah places the two items on the table and picked up the phone to show Brynn. There were a large bouquet of wild flowers with stunning day lilies in a vase as well as a small cactus in a clay pot.

“The cactus is for your desk isn’t it?” Brynn takes in the flowers and cute plant.

“I’m sure.” Bekah returns the view back to herself. “He didn’t have to do that. He’s gone for 2 more days.” She exhales.

“But we are letting him, friend. Don’t fight it. You hear me?” Brynn jokingly pushes her finger into the camera. “What’s the card say?”

“For my number one fan, I’m so glad you love me back. See you soon. Always, Tae.” Bekah crashes back on the couch.

“I’m never sure rather to start dry heaving or say awe with you two and how hot for each other you are.” Brynn laughs.

“It’s his handwriting too, Rin. He must have done it before he left.” Bekah ran her fingers over the card. The words ringing in her ears from April when she told him she loved him.

“Because he loves you and he’s worried because this whole WAG life is not easy.” Brynn huffs out.

“I swear you two talk! He is worried. I explained how you and I were looking to travel to one of his away games. I’m coming to Columbus in two weeks with him...” Brynn squeals with delight.

“I’m looking forward to a whole Saturday with you! Well, I know I have to share you with your parents... but you know.”

“I’m coming Friday morning and spending it with my parents then you and the game on Saturday.” Bekah laughs taking in her best friend’s reaction. They say their goodbyes and Bekah turns her attention to the game.

The first 2 games went well for the team and Jon. He slipped into bed late after the St. Louis game. Wrapping his arms tight around Bekah and feel his jersey on her body. “Hey baby, I’m home.” His voice was low. Bekah shifted into his arms waking up.

“There is my hat trick Captain!” Bekah moves her arms around him and kisses his lips. “I was hoping you’d wake me up so I can congratulate you.” She kisses him again. Her leg slides up his and around his hip.

“You fell asleep in my sweater huh?” Jon nibbles as her neck. Bekah nods.

“I finished overtime in here.” She whispered. “Figured it wasn’t a big deal since I’m wearing my jacket tomorrow.” Bekah moans.

“Hmmm.... today actually so I need to work quickly.” Jon hums and slides over top of Bekah.

Bekah pulled at her Toews jacket maybe a million times while waiting for Jon to skate out for warmups. She had sat in the family section at the United Center once before but without the eyes of the world on her. She was thankful Alyssa showed up and the boys made sure they were next to each other. They fell into easy conversation. Alyssa pointed out each girl to help Bekah remember their names and who they belonged too. The teams skated out and Jon found his way to glass in front of them. He waved her down. Bekah mouths no. “I don’t think he’s taking no for an answer.” Alyssa laughs taking in the interaction. Bekah slid out of her seat and walked the 10 rows to the glass. Jon’s eyes lock on hers.

“Catch.” He yells and before Bekah could ask what, a puck was flying over the glass at her. He blew her a kiss and skated off. Bekah could feel her face the same color as his jersey as she slid the puck in her pocket and then walked back to her seat.

“Well that was adorable.” One of the girls from behind her says.

“What’s it say?” Alyssa’s shoulder bumps Bekah’s. Her eyebrow raises as she pulls the puck out of the pocket. The opening night 2018 logo printed on the front with the Blackhawks and Maple Leafs emblems and the date. It had stick tape wrapped around it and Bekah spins it slowly around.

“Bekah’s first home opener” Bekah angles it towards Alyssa and catches the sharpie on the bottom. “Oh!” Her eyes land on the bottom where Jon wrote thanks for being my #1 fan! Always, Tae

“That’s sweet. Do you have one from the playoff game?” Alyssa asks but before Bekah can answer she hears a girl two rows back.

“So, THAT’S Jonny’s girlfriend?” Bekah turns slightly to see a young blonde who looks more like she’s going to the club than sitting at a hockey game. “Is she gonna take Queen Dayna’s role away and plan the WAG outings?” The words rolled off the tongue of the young girl in a venomous way and Bekah couldn’t focus on anything else. She met Dayna Seabrook a few times. She was very kind and welcoming. Bekah never thought about being the leader of the women like Jon was of the men. Alyssa excused herself to get drinks and Bekah feels her phone buzz.

Brynn: how’s your first home opener?

Bekah: Am I suppose to lead the WAGs? Like am I in charge of them? Wtf Rin!

Brynn: excuse yourself and call me.

Bekah did just that.

“Who put that in your head?” Brynn didn’t even let Bekah say hello.

“Some girl sitting behind me asked the girl next to her if I was Jonny’s girl and if I was taking over the WAGs.” Bekah tugs at her jacket. “Rin... like, that’s not...” Brynn stops her.

“Sweetie, no one is asking you to do so. There is a well established wives group with the Hawks. Was this girl wearing a jacket?” Brynn questions.

“No. Looked like she was heading out to the Short North not sitting at a hockey game.” Bekah laughs a little.

“So she’s either sitting there to try to get to know the girls and catch herself a hockey player or she’s fucking one and he was being nice and let her sit in his seats. Ignore her and enjoy the game with Alyssa.” Brynn smiles knowing what Bekah will say next.

“How the fuck do you know I’m sitting next to her? I swear you and Jon talk!” Bekah pulls at the bridge of her nose.

“I just know he wants to make you as comfortable as possible. Go catch a puck and I’ll see you soon!” Brynn smiles.

“Already did. Personalized too.” Bekah rolls the hard rubber between her fingers in her denim pocket while listening to the delight of Brynn. “I hear the intro, need to go!”

The game was high scoring and Jon scored his fifth goal in the new season. Over time ended with a Toronto score. Bekah and the other girls walked down to the designated family room. Taking a picture of them all. Dayna making sure Bekah was in this one. Bekah was standing in a group of the girls talking when Jon’s arm surprise her as he pulls her into his chest. “Hey Tae.” She turns in his grip to look up at the defeated look of her man. “Ready to go home?” He nods and they say goodbye to the team. Jon’s muscles were tight while driving home. “Thanks for the puck.” Bekah breaks the silence.

“I wish we could have won and you could have seen my hat trick not the other team’s.” His voice has a hint of anger in it.

“I know, you did well. I enjoyed myself.” Bekah runs her fingers through his hair.

“That’s good. You looked good in the middle of the ladies.” Bekah sees the hint of a smile.

“Now where am I going to put this?” Bekah retrieves the puck from her pocket.

“With the others.” Jon mumbles as he pulls into the garage.

“Others? Like your hat trick pucks, first goal? Those in the game room?” Bekah shuts the door and stares at Jon who has this look like he’s up to something.

“Nope. Let me show you.” His hand slides into hers as they make their way to the guest room Bekah stayed in for the Stanley Cup. He opens the top drawer of the dresser. Bekah hears the sound of pucks sliding and looks inside.

“What’s this Tae?” She picks up one and spins it around her finger.

“Bekah’s first Cup game.” She gasps.

“I’ve been collecting pucks for you. Well I had to track down one but the rest were intentional for you.” He picks up one. “This is the one I had Derek help me with.” He hands her the puck. The 2015 All-Star game emblem on the top. Bekah twirled it in her hands to read the writing on the tape.

“When we met.” She read the words out. “Oh, Tae.” Bekah feels the emotion in her throat.

“It’s silly. I know. I kept a puck for you from warm ups when we won then you left for work and I just tucked it in this drawer. We weren’t exactly defining things so I just left them in here, you know.” Jon’s lips touch her temple.

“Can I display them in my office? Get one of those shelf things you have?” Bekah lays her chin on his chest and stares into the loving and intentional chocolate eyes of her boyfriend.

“Of course, Baby.” Jon scoops Bekah up and carries her to their bedroom loving that she didn’t fight him anymore on the love they shared.

Before Bekah knew it she was on a plane back to Columbus. Brynn told her she got special permission from her boss to pick Bekah up as long and she stopped to visit. Bekah sees her best friend holding a sign. “Sorry I’m not a foot taller and a hot ass hockey man but I’ve missed you. Really Rin?” Bekah laughs reading the sign aloud and embracing her bestie.

“Well, normally he’s the one picking you up.” Brynn shrugs. “Let’s get me to work so you can visit and then to your parents.” Brynn links arms with Bekah and the two make their way to her car. “Wait! Did you bring me my payment?” Brynn stops dead in her tracks feet from her car.

“Yes, the Garrett’s popcorn is safely tucked inside my suitcase.” Bekah laughs at Brynn’s excitement.

“I guess there are benefits to you living in Chicago.”

“Popcorn is one of them, huh?” Bekah eyes her best friend who is shaking her head.

Bekah’s visit with her parents went exactly how she expected. The conversation with her dad while sitting outside taking in the crisp October evening was one she didn’t expect. “Do you think you will marry him?” Her dad’s voice was low she almost didn’t catch it.

“What Dad?” Bekah’s eyes go wide.

“Do you think you will marry Jon?” His voice loud and clear this time.

“I... I... I mean.” Her dad chuckled.

“B, you and flustered ways. Still the same since you could talk.” Her dad laughs harder. “Is this different than the last relationship?”

“Very much so.” That question was easy to answer.

“Do you see yourself with him forever? Even after his career is over?” His matter of fact tone mirrored Jon’s and Bekah just realized the similarities.

“Yeah I kinda do. And I don’t love him because of what he does, you know?” Bekah’s voice questioning.

“I know you don’t B. I’m pretty sure he thinks you would prefer him not to be in the spotlight.” Her dad wasn’t wrong and she let those words soak in.

Just like before Bekah wore Jon’s jersey to the game. After a day filled with hitting up her favorite places with Brynn she was ready to be back at Nationwide again. Jon didn’t play his best but the team won. She met him in the familiar hallway between the locker rooms. Several of the Blue Jackets players still remembered her and said their hellos. She laughed as Jon scoped her up. “Whatcha doing Tae?” She runs her hand through his damp hair.

“Doing things I wish I could have done for years of being down here with you.” He kisses her lips. “Let’s get back to the hotel, okay?” He drops her gently on the ground and pulls her into his side. “Enjoy Brynn today? Get your Columbus fill for now?”

“Yeah. Actually I don’t miss it as much as I thought I would.” Bekah looks up to see Jon glowing.

“That’s good, right?” He opens her car door and she slides on only nodding at the admission.

“Crazy to think this isn’t home. The only places for me to sleep are your hotel room, my old bedroom at my parents’ or Brynn’s place.” Bekah pulls the car into the hotel’s garage.

“I guess but we really never stayed at your place during the season.” Jon answers then he clicks his tongue remembering something else. “Before I forgot, the guys were talking Halloween party before our Canada roadie. We need a couples costume.” Jon pops out of Bekah’s car and jogs over to her door. As he slams it behind her the popping of his shoulder is heard by both.

“You okay there Tin Man?” She giggles and they both look at each other.

“Perfect!” The two say in unison.

The Halloween party was a blast. Bekah dressed like Dorothy and Jon as the Tin man. She’s pretty sure his hand only left her body to refill their drinks. Jon wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol or what but watching Bekah interact with his hockey family with such ease made his heart skip a beat. He should have guessed these social events would be this way.

“She’s a keeper, Jonny.” Duncan interrupted Jon’s thoughts and he looks over and just nods his head. “I’m not sure how you managed it.” His chirp was met by a shoulder.

“To be honest, luck. Luck is how I found her.” Jon watches as Bekah and Alyssa chat with some of the other girls. Her head falls back laughing while she tugs on one of her braids. Jon crosses the room and presses his body in behind her. “Ready whenever you are.” His breath is heavy on her ear. She nods and they head for the door.

“Are you sure you are okay staying home by yourself?” Jon asked for the millionth time while packing for the first long road trip of the year.

“Yes, Tae. I have a project to work on and want to mess with that one wall in the living room.” Bekah sits on the bed with her feet tucked under her. “I’m not going to run back home with every trip.” She huffs out.

“But...” Bekah crawls over to the foot of the bed where Jon is packing.

“But nothing. It’s 5 days then I get you for a whole day off. I don’t even have to share you with a morning skate or meetings.” She giggles and he joins her.

The Canadian stretch was not good for Jon and the team. Even with starting out as strong as he did this season there was a tension felt with each loss. Jon hadn’t been gone long for morning skate after their return when Bekah sees her phone buzzing.

Jon: they fired Joel.

Jon: hired a guy my age

Jon: I think he’s younger than Keith

Jon: I’m coming home

Bekah looks at the texts and doesn’t know what to do so she calls Brynn.

“What should I do? Expect? Help!” Bekah is pacing waiting for the door to fly open at any point.

“Bekah, I’m going to be honest. This might get ugly with the fan base and Jon being the captain. There maybe a ripple effect.” Bekah’s wince was noticed even over the phone.

“So... what do I do?” Bekah paces.

“Brace for impact.” Brynn’s voice is firm.

“Impact?” Bekah questions.

“Yeah, impact.” With that the door swings open and Jon’s bag hits the floor with a thud and his ridged body is just standing in the doorway with a mixture of emotions spread across his face.

“I gotta...” Bekah pulls the phone from her ear to hang up.

“Good luck.” Brynn whispered while hanging up.

Bekah makes her way to Jon and wraps her arms around him. He melts into her touch. “I’m here Tae. I’m here.” Bekah kisses his shoulder and they just stand there in an embrace.

#Jonathan Toews fic #What's in a name fic #WIAN #tazer me 19 #love a damn blackhawk 🤦🏻‍♀️#french speaking over 30 hockeys is a type #J toews #jonathan toews

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bubmyg · 5 years ago

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try three times - myg

pairing: yoongi x reader

genre/warnings: lawyer!au, established relationship, fluff, angst (with a happy ending!!), the introduction of seokjin’s character, nonchronological with my other lawyer!yoongi drabbles (linked on my masterlist!)

word count: 4,027

summary: yoongi doesn’t want to admit that seokjin knows what he’s doing or the one about three different weddings and where he proposes (kind of) while smelling like fish.

It’s easy to be in a room full of people and feel as though you’re the only one that doesn’t have their shit together.

For example, the banquet hall was filled with twenty-somethings who had probably ate ramen out of peculiar objects more than they had with proper cutlery in the past six months, but you couldn’t tell it at first glance. The twenty-somethings tucked into tightly collared shirts and lace hemmed dresses mixed among actual adults, family and friends of the wedding party becoming one moving machine, sipping alcohol and munching on weirdly shaped cheese poked onto the end of toothpicks.

Yoongi’s conscious didn’t have the heart to remind him that no one has a clue what the hell they’re doing, too overcome with the way he was clutching his champagne glass and trying to figure out an equation in his head for the amount of time spent at a friend’s wedding versus how many people you were supposed to interact with for it to be considered acceptable.

This is Seungcheol’s fault, his conscious instead convinced him, eyes narrowing on the aforementioned groom as he gripped a tight hand with a brand new diamond band strapped on one finger around his bride’s waist. Of anyone in the room, the bride and groom seemed to have their shit together. Seungcheol was graduating a semester early. They’d just moved into an apartment together. His wife had recently gotten a full time position with her summer internship.

Yoongi, on the other hand, had just switched his major, twice, only to end back up in what he originally started in. He would be a semester behind on credits because of it. He’d spent a strange three months in a fraternity. Law school entrance exam textbooks occupied every square inch of his desk. His shortlist of schools had only been narrowed to ten. He hadn’t touched his personal statement since high school.

And then there was you, a year old addition in his life that seemed to fill in all the puzzle pieces of things he wasn’t. He glanced at your empty chair to remind himself that you’d disappeared twenty minutes ago to get more to drink and to grab him a slice of cake, only to be held up in three separate conversations. He’d made it to get more champagne in less than thirty seconds.

He gulped at the sparkling liquid in his glass to feel it bubble in the pit of his stomach.

A paper plate appeared in his peripheral, something white with pink and gold chevrons racing down the center of it, geometric patterns cut off by the slap of white cake resting on the center of it. There was a plastic fork curling out of the treat, fingers gripped on the end of it as the utensil tore off a sizable chunk and lifted into the air.

“Mingyu cut the piece for me,” You muffled through the bite you plopped on your tongue, handing him back the fork to plop back into your chair, “Told him it was for you and he gave you a deluxe piece.”

Yoongi hummed, absently replacing your grip on the fork. He drug one pointed prong through a small blotch of icing that had fallen away from the cake. “I’ll have to tell him thank you later…”

“I told Jihoon to mix up the playlist a little bit.”

You were referencing the auburn headed audio engineer major who was hidden behind an array of open laptops and a giant headset at the front of the reception hall. Yoongi had a feeling he knew what you meant, but he glanced at you from the corner of his eyes anyway. “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah,” You leaned forward in your chair, nudging Yoongi with a soft grin, “I wore closed toed shoes for a reason. Need some non-toe breaking slow dances with my man.”

“Nice try, but I don’t think you’re going to get Jihoon to leave his equipment all alone, especially not with a drunk Soonyoung lurking around—”

You giggled a little bit but there was a sizable amount of offense held in the downturn of your eyebrows as you caught the apex of Yoongi’s elbow and tugged. When he glanced at you, cheeks full of cake, you shook your head, “I meant you, nerd. I want to dance with you.”

Yoongi paused in the next bite of cake he was cutting, blinking at your intense gaze. Something inside him panicked even if his outside demeanor remained calm. The mix of emotions within him clearly rained confusion in you, especially when he cleared his throat and went to set his plate aside.

“You know, I have to take that practice exam tomorrow morning. Jin is supposed to drive with me and I don’t want to, you know, hold him up or anything,” He averted his gaze the more hurt yours grew. He wrung his fingers together in his lap, uncrossing his legs to lean forward, still avoiding your eyes, “I was thinking we leave here in a second, if that’s okay?”

“Sure,” Yoongi heard it in your voice. He didn’t need to look up. After a moment, he saw you stand, dress fluttering past your knees in his peripheral, “Are you done with your cake?”

His eyes closed, knowing he couldn’t salvage your feelings by changing his mind, sucking it up, and asking you for a dance. Without a word, he nodded.

You disappeared with the plate in hand just as the first slow song of the night began to play.

“You have to work,” He told the string of fairy lights currently suspended by a few stick on hooks. Deft fingers continued to fumble at the battery packs, turning the batteries inside a second time, forcing the lids shut, nail curling into the on and off switch. Nothing.

Frustration made the battery pack, the heaviest part of the entire device, slip from his grasp, tumbling to the mountain of pillows pressed against your headboard and effectively yanking all his hard work with the lights from the wall. All that was left was a sad wooden shadow of your initials, nailed into the apartment walls. With no lights.

Yoongi had spent the greater part of the day decorating. The extensive list on your planner in the tiny kitchen said you wouldn’t be home until after dinner and he’d been determined to get something done.

It’d only been a few weeks since you’d moved into your first place together, just a week since he’d started his first required internship of law school and just a day since your classes had returned. Thus, plastic coverings still sat taped to the television and the window of the microwave and the pull on the blinds. Unpacked boxes made a mountain where there was supposed to be a dining table, an item you didn’t have nor could you afford.

But Yoongi could afford his day off to dig through the boxes to find all your favorite trinkets (picture frames, fairy lights, candles, the tiny porcelain cat you’d bought him as a joke) and arrange them accordingly. He’d finally set up the printer in the room you’d designated the office just to print off some of your favorite pictures together, losing a few nails along the process but managing to stuff the pictures into frames and scatter them along the walls.

The pair of your initials next to each other had been his own touch, a quick trip into a craft store where he felt rather underwhelmed by the selection and overwhelmed by the price he’d covered with his debit card. He’d hung them above the bed, center on the wall and the headboard, the dark wood matching the navy pillows you’d stacked to give, as you’d said, some sense of put togetherness.

A thought had entered his mind when he was shuffling through the options in the middle of the craft store. It would be so much easier if we shared initials. Just one giant M in the middle of the room…

He’d shied away from that thought when he finally located the curve of your surname.

Yoongi mounted the bed with a wheeze from both his lungs and the worn mattress springs, effectively ruining the decorative pillow mountain as he dug for the string of fairy lights. A similar strung together list of curse words left his lips as he pried at the battery pack again, the flower shaped lights dancing against his short clad legs until there was a gentle knocking on the bedroom door and he dropped them again.

“Bubs?” You took one step into the room before pausing, aweing around the space. There was a glint in your irises, one he could see from his compromising position, “What are you doing?”

“Can’t get your fairy lights to work,” Yoongi offered shyly, pink creeping to the back of his neck. “I think they’re the ones that were in your dorm, but—”

“If you used the batteries that were already in them, that’s why. They’re like three years old,” The mattress swayed as you clambered on to stand next to him, touching his hand where it had curled around his neck. You laced your fingers together, letting your arms dangle between each other as you again did a sweep of the room. “You did all this?”

An embarrassed sound of affirmation left Yoongi’s throat, watching you carefully. He nearly stumbled into the wall and his carefully hung lettering when you looped your arms around his neck, holding him tightly.

“Thank you,” You murmured, kissing his throat.

Yoongi was hesitant in the way he fit his arms around you, subconsciously leaning into your touch.

Just as soft, he nodded, “I’m trying…”

No amount of wine seemed to moisten his tongue where it was stuck to the roof of his mouth.

You were effortlessly gorgeous, as always, wrapped up in some emerald sequins number and a devastating smile that made his heart hurt worse than he could ever properly articulate. Yoongi’s cheeks hurt from introducing you, always coming with a shy yet wide smile when his classmate in question made some sort of playfully snide comment about how you were far too beautiful for him.

At Seokjin’s wedding, it was a bit easier to feel less overwhelmed. Yoongi didn’t know everyone, but he knew a lot of people. Despite Seokjin’s career path not exactly diverging to where Yoongi’s seemed to be going, they were still classmates and thus still shared a lot of the same acquatences, professors, advisors, coworkers. He knew what he was doing for the foreseeable future. He’d recently passed the certification exam, marking him as someone who could now, legally, practice law. He had a job waiting and available for him, one while not exactly ideal would suffice to get his foot in the door and his rent paid for the next few months.

Yoongi knew you’d be there, too, in his future. Even if his tongue dried every time he thought of how.

Except he didn’t have to ponder the never ending question of rings and proposals and weddings while attending a wedding. He just had to figure out how to ask you to dance. He’d never forgiven himself for hurting your feelings at Seungcheol’s wedding.

It was you that was trailing him the entire evening, him being the connection between most of the people at the reception and yourself. You were the stranger this time, not each of you mutually connected to the guests at the wedding. Yet, it didn’t stop you from becoming fast friends with Yoongi’s classmates and professional connections alike, dragging each of you into twenty minute long conversations about the state of nonprofit litigation and the staggering rate of black cats put down by animal shelters.

Breaks between people gave Yoongi the opportunity to wet his tongue with a splash of sacchrine wine, poke his tongue around the tulip shape of his lips, and attempt to ask, no matter the music playing through the loud speakers overhead, only to be interrupted again. And again.

And again.

Yoongi thought you were free by the time you’d nearly circled back around to your table where Taehyung and Namjooon were engaged in some sort of debate that involved the plastic knives from their baked chicken. He stopped you before you could sit, dragging crooked fingertips down the inside of your wrist to lace into your fingers and tug.

The muscle felt heavy inside his mouth and he couldn’t bring himself to hold your eye contact as his heart hammered wildly inside his chest, reminding him suddenly of all the things. Nearly five years together. Two apartments together. Both of your names on the car lease.

“Yoongi,” Your thumb swiped over his knuckles, immediately calming the roar of blood in his ears. A frown had slowly worked into the creases on either side of your lips, and you tugged back on his hand. “Is everything okay?”

He was a half second away from blurting out his impulse request, not caring about the nagging part of his subconscious that noted your open toed shoe choice for the evening when your grip was falling away from his.

“Sorry, Yoongi!” Seokjin cheered as he spun a drunk circle in the opposite direction with you curled tightly in his embrace, “I have to steal a dance from your girlfriend.”

Yoongi watched as happiness easily overtook your features, clinging to Seokjin’s shoulders as you threw your head back at whatever rambles were leaving from his friend’s stupor.

“Just wanted to know if you wanted to dance,” Yoongi murmured to himself, letting his arm fall limp to his side, “I hate myself for hurting your feelings every day that I can’t get my shit together and just—”

“Yoongi,” It was Namjoon saying his name, waving around his plastic knife. “You okay?”

Taehyung ignored the obvious discomfort on his friend’s features as he approached the table with dragging steps, still muttering to himself.

“What do you think about sporks?”

“Where are you going?”

The droopy bucket hat in Yoongi’s grip crumpled more, keys still clinking together where they dangled from his free hand. He turned cheek to shoulder where you stood in the threshold with your arms crossed.

“Fishing with Jin,” He lamented, “I told you that a week ago.”

“A week ago we didn’t have a closet full of laundry to do. Or a sink full of dishes to get done.”

You bristled at his involtunary check of his watch. “It’s only seven in the morning. We have all day to get those things done. I’ll help you when I get back…”

“I have to have our loan papers into the bank by tomorrow morning. Are we going to finish those too when you get back?”

“Yes,” Yoongi said simply, “There isn’t that much left to do on them.”

“For yours there isn’t. You’re the primary signee. I have virtually the entire packet left to complete,” After a second of staring angrily at him, you shook your head, “You know what, I’ll just do it all while you’re gone. Have fun.”

He knew you weren’t upset about a packet of questions you had to complete in order to approve you as a secondary individual on the loan for the house you two were planning on purchasing. You were upset about having to fill out an entirely different set of paperwork based on your relationship status. You’d voiced it tightly while handing him a second pen the night before when the ink in his had ran out.

“This would be so much easier if we were married,” You’d tried to smile when his gaze flicked up to yours but he caught it anyway. He was hurting your feelings. Again. Not because of the paperwork. Because of what the paperwork implied.

Because of the contents of the tiny velvet box that had been shoved into the front pouch of his laptop bag for the better part of six months, idle, without a finger to reside on.

The shut of the door behind him was just as soft as his pained, “Bye…”

Yoongi, numbly, let the reel release, watching the reflection of the blue tinted line as it soared into the water, landing yards away from him with a soft plop. He set the reel in his hands, gently turning as he watched the end of the line where it disappeared into the lake create tiny ripples as it slowly came back toward where he stood on the shore.

“How did you know?” Yoongi blurted suddenly.

Seokjin didn’t miss a beat, “Well, generally, the fish is big enough that you can feel it tug back on the line. You have to set the hook so it doesn’t get off but don’t let it swallow it because that’s not good and—”

“No,” Yoongi stopped spinning the reel to drop his pole into the stick made stand he’d pushed into the mud on the bank. Both his fingers went to his face, dragging down on his cheeks. “How...how did you know when it was right to propose?”

“Ohh,” Seokjin stayed silent when he cast his pole again, clicking gentle as he turned the tiny device. “That’s what this is about. Has she said something?”

“No. She doesn’t have to. I can just tell.”

“Is marriage something you’ve talked about?”

“Yes.”

“Is it something you both want.”

“Yeah…”

“Do you love her?”

Yoongi’s hands fell away from his face and his features screwed up starting from his nose and ending at the part of his mouth where he, almost offended, affirmed, “More than anything else.”

“Then what’s stopping you? You could elope tonight, if you want,” Seokjin eyed Yoongi as he brought in an empty hook, letting it dangle from a second in mid air before tossing it back out into the water, “We’ll be your witnesses or whatever—”

“I’m scared.” Seokjin stopped talking upon Yoongi’s blunt statement, quietly turning away at his reel until Yoongi continued, floodgates now let loose, “I can’t hurt her feelings like I continue to, but what if it’s worse when we get married. There’s never been anyone else and there won’t be anyone else. I have no fucking clue what I’m doing because of it.”

“You’re a lovesick fool,” Seokjin confirmed, “Hey, your pole is jiggling and as much as your my friend and whatever, I’d rather not lose it, so—”

Yoongi begrudgingly picked up the pole where it was bouncing around in the makeshift twig holder, slow at first in turning at the handle but releazing whatever was on the other end was going to need more effort from him. He grunted into the next few turns, “I can’t even fish right.”

“You never could. You waste my bait everytime we go out,” Seokjin shrugged, “But you try. And I love you, in like, a brotherly way. That’s all I care about when I ask you to come along with me.”

“Is this your weird analogy to tell me that I won’t know until we try and that love is all that matters in the end?” Yoongi stumbled in trying to tug back on whatever the massive object was he was bringing in.

“No,” Seokjin sat aside his pole, striding across the bank to slide the pole from Yoongi’s grasp. “I’m telling you to go propose to your soon to be wife while I get this moss off.”

“How do you know it’s moss and not a record breaking catfish?”

“It’s moss. Go.”

Yoongi found you curled up on the couch surrounded by half folded laundry, your eyes clearly lined in the slightest tints of pink and red, the loan application half open on the floor. He wasted no time, not wanting to hear your garbled inquiries as to whether he’d had fun or not because frankly, with how you were at the moment, he didn’t deserve to have had fun.

“I’m not giving you this, yet.”

Your attempt at a friendly expression morphed into a confused squint. “What?”

He dug the box from his sweatpants pocket, flicking it open to show you a glimpse of the glittering jewelry inside. “I’m not giving you this, yet,” He repeated. He approached you, knocking aside a stack of his hoodies to kneel in front of you, hand engulfing your knees while the latter placed the ring box on your thigh, “but I’m going to. Soon.”

You laughed in spite of yourself, gentle at first and then bitter on the end, “I’m not upset because you haven’t proposed to me yet, Yoongi. I don’t like the implications of that.”

“I know I’m hurting your feelings. All the time,” He lifted a finger when you went to protest, “You don’t have to spare my feelings, of all things.”

“I try really, really hard for you. All the time. But that’s not a guilt trip, I know I need to do better. I’m trying right now, to give you a glimpse of what I should have done a long time ago.”

“I know that,” He let you interrupt him this time as the tiniest of tears lipped down the slope of your nose, “I’ve never doubted that. I just thought you’d changed your mind.”

Yoongi wanted you to vocalize your feelings, so he squeezed your knee and offered, “Changed my mind about what, love?”

“About us. Our future,” You shrugged, casting your gaze aside, “Not that marriage is the end all be all or that it’s just a title that helps with some tax information it’s just...”

“What you want for us,” Yoongi nodded, “It’s what I want too. I haven’t changed my mind.”

“I didn’t really think you had it’s just...hard to not let myself think those things sometimes.”

“I’m sorry I ever made you doubt any sort of commitment I want to have in our relationship,” Yoongi leaned forward to chastely kiss away the droplets of tears clinging to the pouted round of your bottom lip. “I’m sorry I haven’t been trying hard enough for this, either.”

“I love you,” You cupped his cheeks, keeping his lips a fraction from yours.

“I can’t wait to propose to you,” He countered.

“And I can’t wait to say yes.”

Yoongi didn’t hear the words the DJ was projecting through speakers stationed at all corners of the reception hall. He was too focused on the swirl of lights on the dance floor, ones that had dimmed into a glittery gold and ceased to move in the calculated circles they’d previously been completing. The back part of his mind wondered did we pick that color? Gold matches pink...and then he glanced at the baby pink bow tie clipped onto his collar, one he subconsciously straightened as the DJ continued to chatter on.

He contemplated the color of the lights and the flavor of the cake icing and the extensive guest list in which half hadn’t RSVP’ed for the reception but now milled among everyone else and kept taking him away from you to chat. It was silent now, no one around him except others members of the wedding party around him, and he didn’t have to contemplate whether to seek someone out for conversation or search his subconscious for the name of your cousins’ significant other. He knew his next move, bending at the waist in front of the high backed chair you perched in and holding out a gentle palm for you even as the DJ continued to chatter over the soft applause of the guests.

“Hey,” Yoongi murmured.

You smiled under the gold lights as they cast shadows down the contours of your features, “Hi.”

“I like your ring,” His fingers crooked when you placed your hand in his to fiddle at the diamond studded band.

“I like your last name,” You squeezed his hand.

Yoongi’s lips covered your fingers, gentle in pecking each one, spending extra time on the one where diamonds reflected in the gold.

His voice muffled on the bend of your digits. “May I have this dance?”

You stood at that, gripping his fingers tightly.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

#bts reactions #bts scenarios #bts imagines #bts x reader #yoongi imagine #yoongi x reader #yoongi fluff #bts fluff #fic: lawyer yoongi

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aroworlds · 5 years ago

Text

Fiction: The Pride Conspiracy, Part One

December isn't the best time of year for a trans aromantic like Rowan Ross, although—unlike his relatives—his co-workers probably won't give him gift cards to women's clothing shops. How does he explain to cis people that while golf balls don't trigger his dysphoria, he wants to be seen as more than a masculine stereotype? Nonetheless, he thinks he has this teeth-gritted endurance thing figured out: cissexism means he needn't fear his relatives asking him about dating, and he has the perfect idea for Melanie in the office gift exchange. He can survive gifts and kin, right? Isn't playing along with expectation better than enduring unexpected consequences?

Rowan, however, isn't the only aromantic in the office planning to surprise a co-worker.

To survive the onslaught of ribbon and cellophane, Rowan's going to have to get comfortable with embracing the unknown.

Contains: A trans allo-frayro trying to grit his teeth through the holidays, scheming aro co-workers, a whole lot of cross-stitch, another moment of aromantic discovery, and many, many mugs.

Content Advisory: A story that focuses on some of the ways Western gift-giving culture enables cissexism and a rigid gender binary, taking place in the context of commercialised, secular-but-with-very-Christian-underpinnings Christmas. Please expect many references to said holiday in an office where Damien hasn't figured out how to run a gift exchange without subjecting everyone to Santa, along with characters who have work to do in recognising that not everybody celebrates Christmas.

There are no depictions or mentions of sexual attraction beyond the words "allosexual" and "bisexual" and a passing reference to allo-aro antagonism, but there are non-detailed references to Rowan's previous experiences with and attitudes towards romance and romantic attraction as a frayromantic. Please also expect casual references to amatonormativity and other shapes of cissexism.

Length: 4, 914 words (part one of two).

Note: You'll need to have read The Vampire Conundrum for many references to make sense.

Rowan should be assumed an Australian character in an Australian city. Our Christmas, therefore, involves hot weather, short sleeves, barbecues and confusion at certain holiday traditions common in the Northern Hemisphere.

They’re aromantic. How isn’t he obligated to help decorate her desk in as many pride-related ways as possible?

“It’s Secret Santa slash December Holiday Gift Exchange!” Damien emerges from the meeting room, shaking a paper-scrap-filled jar with the gleeful attitude of a toddler attacking a pile of presents. In order to give the occasion suitable gravitas, he draped a rope of red tinsel over his shoulders, the fronds glittering in the flicker-prone lighting. “Come gather!”

Rowan looks up from his computer, biting back a groan. This isn’t a surprise, given that Shelby answered his interview questions about “workplace culture” with descriptions of their celebrating capitalist-infused Christian holidays, and the office more than lives up to that promise. A tree sits on the front counter, its branches crammed with baubles. Tinsel hangs on everything from which tinsel can be hung and rests in snake-like coils over the computer towers, screens, desk partitions and the large corkboard. Ribbon-wrapped pencils topped with felt trees, stars and stockings flowered, overnight, from everyone’s pen mugs; Melanie gave Rowan three of them for his frayro mug. Every desk features a red bowl of tree-shaped marshmallows, candy canes or that weird Christmas lolly mix common in dollar shops.

Only the lack of music renders bearable this explosion of festivity. Damien said he drew that line last year after Melanie and Shelby alternated between Michael Bublé and Josh Groban’s Christmas CDs.

Rowan doesn’t want to think about that sublime horror.

Christmas to him means slipping a few TSO tracks into his melodic metal playlists and gritting his teeth until the new year.

“O come all ye faithful,” Melanie sings, spinning her chair around. Every day this week she’s donned a different Christmas-themed T-shirt; today’s features a screen-printed Rudolph head with an apple-sized nose made from red minky fleece. Rowan doesn’t understand the American “ugly Christmas jumper” thing—why?—but Melanie appears to be replicating the trend via short sleeves and jersey knits.

Damien jerks his elbow at the largest whiteboard, half filled with the Banned Holiday Decorations List—items including “music, carols, hymns and singing”, “all types of fake snow” and “Cadbury Crème Eggs”. “Didn’t we talk about carols?”

Rowan doesn’t want to be accused of being a dreadful, fun-loathing millennial about which too many articles have been written on dislike of office gift exchanges … but he doesn’t know how not to be one, either. Why do people like this? Buying presents for people who aren’t strangers but aren’t friends, hoping that his attempt isn’t too generic only to open something tailored to feminine cliché ... followed by the apologetic explanation or justification that Rowan isn’t easy to shop for.

Can’t he save himself fifteen bucks and skip the disaster?

He’s never understood how he presents a difficulty that isn’t cissexism and a lack of imagination: buy him good thread, expensive coffee, dress socks, a nice mug, food storage containers or fancy kitchenware. He’ll even take a cheap box of chocolates, since his housemates will eat anything should they believe it food. Just get him something that isn’t a floral-patterned bath set followed by the hand-wringing apology that the giver just doesn’t know what to get someone as confusing as Rowan!

Why don’t they ask him what he wants?

He’s over spending money and time on gift exchanges only to receive cissexism, dysphoria or stereotype wrapped in paper and tied with a bow.

Rowan draws a breath and slips his fingers under his thighs. He should have sent Damien an email when Melanie started decorating, but Rowan was thinking about pushing their print date back two weeks and not thinking about Mum’s out-of-nowhere request that Rowan attend the family Christmas. “Uh … Damien? Can I … quick word?”

Why did he get himself a new psychologist? One who says terrible words like assertiveness?

“Give us a minute.” Tinsel rustling, Damien crouches beside Rowan’s chair. “Will here do?”

If everyone overhears, Rowan can pretend he’s talking to one person while knowing they all benefit from his explanation. Besides, going into the meeting room makes this a thing. “Yeah. Um. I … I don’t usually get the right presents from people in gift exchanges. By which I mean ... presents that aren’t a reminder that they think me female, and if they give me enough nail polish and heart-shaped jewellery and glittery handbags, I’ll admit it. I don’t want that? Really don’t want that?”

Why do his parents want to play at being a happy family? Does Mum want to show off to Uncle Keith and his new wife? Have they forgotten how badly last Christmas went? Or is this just more cissexist assumption that Rowan will discard his masculinity when needed? If they behave as though Rowan should fit their expectations, will he—eventually—surrender to them?

I’m not being difficult because I want my masculinity and transness respected. I’m not...

Melanie leans over to poke Shelby’s shoulder, her bright red lips forming a ring.

Damien blinks, hesitating as if he doesn’t know how best to respond. “That ... sounds like my niece’s favourite birthday. Although she took the bag, put one of my sister’s dumbbells inside and swung it at the boy over the road who wouldn't stop calling her pretty. And then made an army of neighbourhood girls wielding heavy unicorn bags.” He shakes his head. “I mean that … you obviously aren’t a certain kind of eight-year-old or into glitter, so...”

If only Rowan had the nerve to do that to Aunt Laura! “I bet he never did that again.”

“No. I’ll make sure … that the person who has you gets you something appropriate.”

Inappropriately-feminine gifts aren’t his only difficulty. Rowan doesn’t how to voice something so complex (to cis, gender-conforming people) about gender and gift-giving without sounding like he’s complaining for the sake of complaining—the demanding, difficult trans man of his parents’ accusations. Most often he endures a cis female celebrity’s latest perfume, but well-intended “accepting” people give him an Old Spice gift set—acknowledging his masculinity at the cost of his personality. How do cis people not chafe at gift-giving traditions that assume people can be reduced down to one of two categories with narrow behaviours and interests ascribed to each?

It’s easier to draw the line at gifts that only avoid being the embodiment of the giver’s cissexism and donate everything else, as much as Rowan yearns for one year with a good present he doesn’t buy himself.

Will cis people ever understand that being trans means holding back on responding to cis nonsense?

“Thanks. Yeah, thanks.”

“Secret Santa slash December Holiday Gift Exchange rules!” Damien straightens, shaking the jar; paper rattles against glass. “Twenty-dollar limit, keep it fun, don’t give anything inappropriate for a professional environment. I want to be eating mince pies, not taking people into the meeting room for discussions on adulthood. We exchange on the last day, December 20.” He reaches into the jar, the neck a tight fit for his hands, and tweezers out a folded piece of paper before handing it to Rowan.

Damien shakes the jar again before offering another slip to Melanie and then Shelby.

Don’t people draw names themselves from the bowl or jar? Nobody else seems concerned by this lapse—Melanie starts laughing when she sees her name—so Rowan shrugs and opens his, deciding it must be normal enough.

The Aro Gods must be inclined to a little seasonal kindness, for he sees “Melanie” written in Damien’s handwriting.

No need to struggle through generic alternatives like food or wine; pride pins will make her happy enough. A pen? A mini aro flag? Choosing may be Rowan’s worst problem, but he can get her a few things and give her whatever’s over the limit after the exchange.

They’re aromantic. How isn’t he obligated to help decorate her desk in as many pride-related ways as possible?

“Rowan!” Melanie bustles over; he quickly slides his paper up his sleeve. She makes metallic jangling noises—words like “ringing” or “pealing” don’t apply—as she moves, thanks to a gold chain bracelet decorated with small bells at each link. Matching earrings dangle from her ears, clinking out of tune with the ones at her wrist. “Can I ask you something?”

He nods, hoping she’ll let pass unremarked his description of holiday cissexism.

“Where did you buy your flag patches? I want one. Well, maybe more than one, because there’s the aro flag, and the ace flag, and maybe one of the aro-ace flags, but I haven’t decided which one I like best since there’s several that are nice, and...”

Once-in-a-lifetime inspiration hits Rowan with finger-twitching force. “I don’t know,” he lies once Melanie runs out of steam. “Uh … a friend gave them to me and ... I don’t know where they bought them. Online, probably?” He swallows and tries for distraction, gambling his poor ability for falsehood against Melanie’s likely ignorance. “Maybe look on Etsy? I’d look on Etsy.”

“Etsy? What’s that?”

“Handcraft eBay,” he says in relief, thinking through his thread stash. “Where people sell handmade things. I don’t know when I’m seeing my friend next, but I can ask...?”

He’ll need purples, greens, greys, black, white—oh, and blues! A little orange, a little yellow. Has he enough fabric? What about time? Should he do the main ones first and then others as he can squeeze them in?

On the way home tonight, he’ll start by stopping at his local sewing store.

***

Rowan hits “send” on an email to Damien, ignoring Mum’s latest text, as Shelby bounds up to his desk. Like Melanie, she’s added Christmas T-shirts to her daily ensemble; unlike Melanie, Shelby’s T-shirts appear to come from a department store’s children’s section. Today’s shirt shows a cute-but-scientifically-inaccurate dinosaur in a Santa hat holding a red box. Also unlike Melanie, Shelby hasn’t added earrings, pins, necklaces, bangles or socks in honour of the season. “Yeah?”

Damien added “battery and USB-powered light-up objects” to the List after an office vote provoked by a flashing necklace that resembled miniature string lights.

Shelby whispers, meaning that she speaks in a raspier tone with volume enough that her standing on the other side of a crowded football oval needn’t impede one’s hearing. In fairness, Rowan has heard her speak over a hundred gossiping Year 7 students until they surrendered to the stubbornness of an older woman who doesn’t go to bed caring what they think of her. “Can you go through all the … the identities? Can you show them to me and tell me what colours go with them? Do they all have their own colours?”

Rowan can only sit and gape.

“Please? I need someone to go through them all.”

He lunges for his half-filled mug, hoping his perpetual need for coffee conceals his surprise. “You mean pride flags? Queer pride flags?”

“Please.” Shelby nods, grips his arm and gives a meant-as-comforting nutcracker-like squeeze before lowering her hand to fidget with her phone—a device likely dug up with the fossils from the dinosaur on her shirt. It doesn’t have a cover; he guesses she covered the back with multiple layers of washi tape coated in (yellowing) clear nail polish. He doesn’t ask why. “Maybe you can start with the ones you use, and that one Melanie has, and then tell me the other ones? There aren’t that many, are there?”

Rowan, lukewarm coffee in his mouth and heading down his gullet, chokes.

Several moments of spluttering and coughing, aided by Shelby’s enthusiastic back-pounding, pass before he can answer. “Uh … there’s lots, actually. Lots.” He considers explaining about Tumblr before deciding on the appropriate answer: a thousand kinds of nope. “Do you want gender ones, or sexuality ones, or aromantic ones, or...?”

Shelby’s blank, brow-creased expression shows that, if she read Rowan’s leaflet, his emails and the hand-outs provided by Damien’s trainers, the knowledge hasn’t stuck with her.

(They weren’t better than Rowan’s own and only mentioned aromanticism as a way of being asexual.)

“The ones you and Melanie use...?” She lowers her voice to a point where someone may, in theory, be unable to hear her from the other side of the room. “I want to get Melanie a little extra … something, this year. With a flag, maybe?” She jerks her elbow in the direction of Melanie’s mug, currently filled with something smelling of camomile and dish-water. “But I should know more about the other ones, too. Like yours. Can you show them all to me?”

There’s no way in this tinselled hell that Melanie can’t hear Shelby, yet Melanie appears engrossed in deleting emails.

Last week, Rowan said “aromantic” once to their newest volunteer in a conversation about the pride flags on their website. Seconds later, Melanie materialised from the hallway, passed over one of Rowan’s leaflets and introduced herself as aro-ace before giving a five-point rundown on ways to avoid casual amatonormativity—not that she’s yet comfortable saying the word—in the workplace. There’s no way she’s contemplating the mysteries of her trash folder while Rowan talks to Shelby about aromantic pride flags! Breathing “aro” aloud is now akin to summoning a demon—one revelling in the discovery of the identity that makes belated sense of her life.

“You want me to show you aromantic flags?” Rowan asks to clarify, baffled.

Shelby beams at him. “Yes, please.”

Melanie, frowning, deletes an email.

Did Damien have a word with her? Did the volunteer complain?

Rowan can’t say that he wants to play tour guide through the world of queer vexillology, but Shelby has gone five weeks without saying the phrase “you trans people” and two months without reassuring Rowan on the subject of pronoun-correction. He also knows Melanie and Shelby are friends outside of work, bonding over stage shows and music. If Shelby wants to support Melanie in her aromanticism, how can Rowan refuse?

While Rowan sat there planning the politest way to navigate the glaring error in the trainers’ leaflets, Melanie stood up, exclaimed that aromanticism isn’t the same thing as asexuality and demanded that they do some reading before engaging in “obvious aro denial”. He owes her. She scares him a little, but he owes her.

(Should Rowan master the ability to handle conversations and presentations, he may consider becoming a sensitivity trainer. That two-day workshop, while decent enough on gender and sexuality, left him again concluding that most queer alloros have no idea how to reference and include aromanticism in their conversations about queerness.)

Another Mum-authored text flashes up on his phone, displaying the words “Christmas”, “clothing” and “appropriately”.

No, no and hell no.

“Yeah, okay.” He bends down to grab his satchel, tucked against the left-hand side of his desk. A decent collection of patches and badges now covers the front flap, including his cursed-but-memorable “aro” patch. “That’s the trans pride flag, with the blue, pink and white, and beside it is the bisexual flag. The flag with the greens and black is the aromantic flag, and the allo-aro flag has the greens and gold. It’s pretty much the same as the aro flag, except with yellow and gold instead of grey and black.” He points at each patch as he moves through his explanation. “Allo—allosexual—aromantics are aros who experience sexual attraction.”

He’ll stick to simple definitions with Shelby, even if they lack ideal expansiveness.

Shelby nods, smiling.

“For me, it means I’m aromantic and bisexual. Aro-aces, like Melanie, are aromantic and asexual, meaning she doesn’t experience sexual attraction.” He almost asks her if she remembers what “aromanticism” means before realising that he’ll sound like a condescending primary-school teacher. “This flag with the blues, white and grey is the frayromantic flag, which designates the specific way I’m aro. The flag on Melanie’s mug—”

Shelby leans against his desk, her grey braid trailing over one arm. “So you have an aromantic flag and an allosexual aromantic flag? A special aromantic flag?”

Are they heading towards the sort of conversation that involves anger over “making up” identities outside the speaker’s reckoning of acceptable? Or does she mean “distinct”? “Ah … kind of? The green and black flag represents all aros—Melanie and me. The green and gold one’s just for me, and I don’t use her blue and orange one.”

For the first time in living memory, Melanie pays Rowan and Shelby no attention.

“I see! You want to reflect different types of aro.” Shelby almost says the word without unusual stress; Rowan considers applauding her but decides he won’t risk undermining his point on avoiding excessive overreaction to queer terminology. “Do you ever put the flags together? Like if you want to be both things at once?”

When isn’t he the state of multiple identities at once? Rowan decides she means “represent” instead of “be” and nods. “Yeah? Some people put a heart with the stripes of the aro flag in the middle of the trans or bi flags, but I don’t like that because using a heart to represent us all is a bit … eh. You know, heart, love, love hearts? Lots of people don’t care, though. I’ve also seen folks split them in an image, or have the stripes fade into each other. Like trans stripes fading into aro stripes.”

“And you like that better?” Shelby blinks, her blunt nails tracing the edge of the case. “Would Melanie like that? The aromantic flag fading into another one?”

There’s no way Melanie didn’t hear that—and no reason for her to say silent! Last month she told Rowan and Shelby to get mint chocolate cake for her birthday after walking in on them debating sponge versus cheesecake in the meeting room!

(Sponge, in Rowan’s opinion, is the classic cake format.)

“Yeah. It shows my identities together without using symbolism I find awkward.” Rowan lowers his voice, leaning closer to Shelby. “Melanie will probably go for the aromantic flag fading into or combined with the asexual flag, if you’re doing something with two flags. I don’t think she’d be into hearts, but a split image or fading? That’d work.”

Shelby straightens, beaming, and gives Rowan another firm arm-squeeze. “That’s great! Thank you so much for helping, Rowan!”

“Don’t you want to know more about aro-ace flags...?”

“No, that’s great!” Shelby, heading towards her own desk, no longer attempts to speak at anything not normal volume. “Aromantic into asexual! I’ll remember that!”

As Shelby turns, he catches a glimpse of the cracked screen on her phone—or, more specifically, the movement of her hand as she presses stop on her recording app.

Is that legal? It surely isn’t normal? Or is she an auditory learner, meaning she’ll learn best by playing the recording over … but in that case, why not say so? He could have directed her to YouTube videos and podcasts! Perhaps, though, she only shows her ignorance in digital etiquette, in the same way Rowan took Melanie aside to explain that the use of caps lock for the body of a promotional email violates good manners as much as—more than!—she thinks signing a form in red ballpoint? Should he complain about something suggestive of her willingness to understand him?

Rowan stares, shrugs and shakes his head as a third text pops up.

Sometimes it’s easier to just not ask.

Too bad that can’t apply as easily to family.

***

Rowan stands, yawns and stretches. His lunch half-hour beckons: sunshine spent with food, cross-stitch and a flock of pigeons tame enough to perch on the far end of his bench. Since today involved apologetic emails followed by a contrite phone call to his goddess amongst printers, time free of people feels like looming perfection. Just him, the pigeons, a sewing needle and the homemade pasty he hid from Matt inside a bag of frozen peas.

Any day in which he gets to enjoy his own cooking can’t be too terrible.

Perhaps he should do as his psychologist says: put a chest freezer in his bedroom and a lock on his door.

“Rowan!” Damien, his hair tousled enough to make Rowan think of a woolly mammoth in a sharp suit, carries a plate of something smelling like honey and chicken into the office. “While Melanie’s out, can you show me your mug shop? You said there’s a lot of aro-ace flags, right? Or would she want one like yours, the green one? I don’t get her something like your blue and green shield one, though?” He shrugs and sets the plate down on Rowan’s desk. “My wife’s friends with her sister and we got invited out, but there’s another swap. I don’t want to get her the wrong thing. Do you mind?”

At least Damien does the sensible thing of asking while Melanie’s out on lunch. Maybe this won’t take too long: Damien’s a terrible photographer with unreasonable expectations of Photoshop, but he does know how to buy things online.

“Yeah. Hold on.” Rowan opens up his browser just as his phone beeps. Nope, ignoring that. “I’ll show you what mugs I think she’d want.”

He hadn’t realised how many people here are friends with Melanie outside of work. It must be nice to have a regular social life that isn’t “being at work” and “sighing at housemates”, but there’s advantages in possessing the short holiday shopping list of family, a work gift exchange and a couple of friends. Besides, does anyone want one’s co-workers to know what happens at an outside party?

“Don’t ignore your phone because of me.”

“It’s Dad.” Since Rowan can’t find a pithy or amusing way to explain that Dad’s text message will be a guilt-trip ordering Rowan to come to Christmas for the sake of the family’s happiness followed by a second guilt-trip explaining how much his refusal to confirm has upset Mum, he just shakes his head.

You talked about this with the psychologist. Guilt. Trip.

He made an appointment for the second week of January; he should have made one in December as well.

“That bad?”

He can’t remember the specifics of his rant that day atop the desk, but he must have suggested at an interesting relationship with his parents. “Yeah.”

Did they forget telling Rowan that if he doesn’t like how they treat him, he can leave? They told Rowan that he isn’t welcome while he remains intolerant of them—while I expect them to treat me as I deserve. He left. Now they want him back to smile for the family photos?

What’s worse? Enduring a day of misgendering, deadnaming and cissexism, which shouldn’t result in unknown voyages of horror if he bites his tongue? Or avoiding short-term discomfort while gaining the long-term torment of the family’s schooling Rowan in appropriate Ross respect for blood and holidays? What chance is there of avoiding harassment if he doesn’t go?

Maybe he can leave off shaving for a week before Christmas and turn up with his new, albeit patchy, facial hair while wearing an op-shop debutante gown, so he “dresses appropriately” and “doesn’t confuse the relatives” as requested.

How many truckloads of Valium will he need for that?

“Rowan? Are you okay?” Damien, now sitting on an office chair, peers at him as though waiting for Rowan to do anything more than stare at the computer screen.

“Ugh. Sorry. Just thinking.” Rowan sighs and types in the shop’s name, bringing up their website, and then opens a second tab to another archiving different pride flags.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Damien asks in that gruffly-gentle voice, one that makes Rowan want to smash his fist through a window.

“Yeah, no.” Rowan draws a breath and points at the screen with a hand a too trembly for his liking. “So you’re going to want to know what flags represent what, because there’s a drop-down menu where you can choose from different flags...”

It’s easier to talk, easier to run through all the different flags in a depth of explanation Damien doesn’t request, easier to think about something that isn’t family—a subject with complexity enough to distract but without provocation enough to distress.

He doesn’t know if Damien asks questions from curiosity or kindness, but Rowan’s pasty becomes pastry crumbs scattered over his desk and keyboard; Damien’s chicken, half-eaten, sits cooling on its plate.

“So cupioromantic is the one where you want the relationship but you don’t feel romance?” Damien frowns and runs both oversized hands through his hair, now resembling a befuddled bear emerging after a long hibernation. “Why have a word for that? I mean, everyone feels like it isn’t one of those movies and dates anyway, so why specify that?”

“Where you don’t feel romantic attraction but desire a romantic relationship,” Rowan says, telling himself that Damien unknowingly regurgitates the tired “demiromanticism is normal” argument. Isn’t this better than looking at the fifth text message? “Some people need it to be a word. Movies aren’t that divorced from reality. They’re … too easy, too glossy, too perfect, too unrealistic, but...”

He sighs. Not dating brings many benefits, but Rowan has to admit that he misses the fun of falling in love, even if trouble always follows. Misses the fun of dreaming, hoping and fantasising; misses the bright, happy glow of being caught up in someone else. At risk of being considered a bad aro, he likes that glorious limerence pushing him to navigate people despite his gibbering anxiety! In some ways, knowing he’s capable of falling in love over and over feels heady and powerful; amatonormativity more than the nature of Rowan’s frayromanticism bestows difficulty on its aftermath.

I want to fall in love with you ... and after getting to know you, do it again with someone else, all the best bits of romance’s beginning on eternal repeat.

Instead, he avoids dating and the inevitable development of his partner’s hurt, surrendering to a world where his shape of attraction isn’t acceptable or reasonable. Albeit with a trace of bitterness that frayromanticism will be easier to navigate should Rowan not be an anxiety-plagued, bisexual trans man!

Of course, discarding romance makes pursuing his shape of sexual attraction unacceptable and unreasonable...

“How are they real? Nobody just sees someone and falls in love like that—”

“Dude, dude, I’ve fallen in love like that.” Rowan shakes his head and launches into the speech that’s the spiritual duty of any card-carrying aromantic: “Do you fall in love after you get to know someone? After they love you back? Do you know what ‘fall in love’ means to you? Because it’s easy to name all sorts of feelings ‘love’ and think they’re romantic when the world says you have to be alloromantic. It’s even easier to not be romantically attracted and not know! Have you thought about it?”

Damien, his eyes so wide that he reminds Rowan of a zebrafish with a brown wig, shakes his head.

“I swear, alloros like romance movies because while they’re a … a simplified, idealistic version of romance, they’re close enough to what people feel—or think they’re supposed to feel—that they … ring, resonate. They wouldn’t do that if it were complete invention. Just like science fiction isn’t real but talks enough about human experiences to have meaning to human audiences. Unreal, in so many ways, but just real enough. So—”

Damien holds up both hands, palms facing Rowan. “Stop. Stop.”

Now the anxious part of Rowan’s brain realises he’s lecturing at his supervisor in a way no need to avoid thinking of his family justifies; he gulps, fingers trembling. While the office code of conduct doesn’t specify things like unwanted speeches questioning another person’s belief in their romantic attraction, he doubts this acceptable behaviour. “I … shit. I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I just...”

Will he ever stop causing a mess at work?

“You’re talking so fast,” Damien says, slow and careful in the way of a man talking to a panicked horse, “that I can’t keep up.” He sighs and runs one hand through his hair. “This isn’t something I thought we’d be talking about! I just wanted to check that everything was right...” He shakes his head, but he doesn’t sound annoyed or outraged. Just bewildered. “Okay. Right. What about all those sorts of things that we think are love? What do you mean by that?”

At some point during the resulting afternoon, Rowan sends an email thanking his printer for her willingness to amend the job queue, ignores his brother’s entry in the competition to provoke the most seasonally-appropriate guilt, and scribbles a note to ask the higher-ups if they’ll spring for a basket of expensive coffee and chocolates sent to said printer.

Damien nods several times, takes dot points on a flyer print-out and the back of the report draft for last week’s holiday event, asks more questions and promises that he’ll remind the higher-ups of their involvement in submitting January’s flyers two weeks late. After eating the rest of his re-heated honey chicken at Rowan’s desk and narrating the story of how his future wife followed him from pub to pub during a crawl for his brother’s buck’s night, Damien concludes that he only experiences attraction for someone after they express attraction for him.

Melanie, having rested her arms on the back of Damien’s chair to overhear the last half of the conversation, gives him a smothering hug and welcomes him to “the quiver” before cackling at Damien’s blank look.

Find a recipro mug, Rowan later scribbles on the bottom of his to-do-list.

At least that job doesn’t involve relatives.

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nukagalreacts · 6 years ago

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For the Anonymous who requested companions reacting to a Sole who loves to collect flowers!!

(Had a lot of fun typing this up, sorry it’s a little late! Hope you enjoy and yes I purposely left Gage out of this one)

Hancock: Thinks it’s a cute and interesting quirk that Sole adores decorating the state house with flowers and wearing them in their hair all the time. Honestly it makes for a fun time to be high and look at all the bright colors swirling in and out around him. Sole even tells him stories about how they use to own a little flower shop that was once their pride and joy. He ask them about it all the time because he loves seeing them smile and enjoy the memories of happier times. His favorite part though was when they would both get really high and Sole would end up making tons of flower accessories from flower crowns, necklaces and even belts, which Hancock lost his mind at and gave Sole a big smooch.

Dogmeat: At first the sweet pooch doesn’t understand what Sole is doing when she starts picking flowers and he thinks the flowers are for him to eat. He playfully leaps around Sole barking and trying to bite the flowers while Sole just laughs holding the flowers out of reach gently telling Dogmeat these aren’t for him. Dogmeat whines a little and pouts while he spends the rest of the time watching his master collect the flowers. He gets excited again when a while later Sole walks towards him smiling and holding something in their hands, he wags his tail happily and sits up patiently waiting. Sole is saying something and then placing a flower crown around Dogmeats ears. Dogmeat has no idea what just happened but Sole is gushing over him and giving him lot’s of pets which makes him the happiest good boy ever!

Strong: Literally destroys all of the flowers and makes Sole pretty upset! Sole tries to calmly explain to Strong that this is a hobby of there’s and they would really appreciate it if Strong would stop smashing all of the flowers! The super mutant doesn’t understand why Sole enjoys something so weak that disintegrates so easily in his fist. Sole at one point attempts to put a flower crown on Strongs head but he refuses to wear it saying it makes him look puny and weak. Sole opts for keeping Strong as far away as possible from any of their flowers.

Codsworth: Was happy to assist his master in this hobby of theirs since he already helped them frequently all those years ago. The Mr.Handy even helped rebuild the greenhouse Sole had kept in the backyard so they could not only grow food but flowers as well. Codsworth would attend to the greenhouse regularly making sure all plants were properly watered and trimmed.The robot was always sure to bring in a fresh bouquet of flowers to add to the many vases Sole kept around the house. When Sole made him a flower crown he was over the moon and proudly wore his masters creation where ever he went!

Cait: Doesn’t do soft or delicate things and isn’t sure what to make of Sole’s obsession with collecting flowers at first, except be confused. They would both be walking somewhere and Sole would get all excited running over to a patch of colorful flowers talking about how good they would look inside their house back in Sanctuary. Cait would just roll her eyes and tell Sole they didn’t have time for that kind of crap, which she quickly realized hurt Sole’s feelings. Cait felt really shitty after saying that so she apologized and asked Sole if she could make something for her, which Sole happily obliged. Now Cait proudly sports a fiery red flower crown every time she travels the Commonwealth with Sole.

Piper: Is super into watching Sole work with flowers, especially when Sole presses and preserves the flowers in pages of a notebook, each one with its name and a description of it. She even had Sole teach her how to do this so she could add to Sole’s collection and use her fancy penmanship! Piper even suggest they should make a business out of selling the flowers because she thinks Diamond city people could use some more pops of color in there lives and homes. Sole is hesitant at first but with encouragement from Piper they decided to give it a shot, and Piper lets them work out of her office. After a few weeks business is surprisingly good with flower crowns being a popular item among the residents.

Nick: Dwells on the old Nick’s memories of how he would bring flowers home to his wife all the time, and how much she loved them always earning him a kiss. The memories are bittersweet and make him a little sad, but with Sole’s love for flowers it makes for happier new memories. He doesn’t mind either when Sole insist on bringing some life into his office and Sole starts putting flowers on every available surface. One day while Sole is putting some flowers into a vase on Ellie’s desk they recall how much they loved it when their old spouse would surprise them with a bouquet of flowers after a day of work. The next evening Sole is surprised with a large bouquet with her name on it waiting on her desk in the detective agency. It earned Nick quit a kiss that he stored as a memory to revisit again and again whenever Sole was away.

Curie(Synth): Really only looks at plants from a medical usefulness perspective, because flowers where not something that was common in the vault. So she is curious and soaks up everything Sole teaches and shows her about flowers, constantly asking questions and wondering how flowers were before the fallout. Her and Sole even make a trip to Greentop Nursery to get tips and tricks on caring for different plants, it’s pretty adorable to see Curie actually take physical notes in a little notebook she carries around. Curie eventually learns that giving someone flowers can be used as a romantic gesture and goes out of her way to bring Sole flowers all the time, making Sole giddy as a school girl.

MacCready: He very much remembers the sentiment of giving flowers to a loved one, when he got the chance he would bring some home to lucy. He loved seeing little similarities between Sole and Lucy and was more than happy to play along with Soles interest in flowers. The only time it got a bit annoying was when he would find flowers wrapped around his sniper rifle before going out on a mission with Sole, later he would find it funny though. Sole even tucked a little flower on to his hat, and Mac would never admit it but he really loved having it and thinks it brings him good luck. What really made his day though was when you suggested sending flowers along with the cure for his son Duncan’s disease, it made him cry to be honest just how sweet Sole was.

Danse: Spent his whole life with the brotherhood it was all power armor, guns, blood, and sweat there was no time for things like flowers! The fact that Sole loved flowers so much but was this rough person who fit right in with the other soldiers baffled him to no end. They would both be in power armor stomping around the Commonwealth and Sole would suddenly bounce off in another direction yelling about needing the flowers they just spotted. Danse would have to remind them they were on a mission and didn’t have time for such nonsense, Sole would give him big puppy dog eyes saying it would only take a second. Danse couldn’t resist and would agree secretly enjoying how happy Sole would get. He even keeps a flower Sole gifted him secretly tucked away in his power armor as a way of always feeling close to Sole.

Deacon: Is with Sole 100% on loving flowers and thinks it’s super cute how Sole always tries to make people happy by giving them flowers all the time. He even helps them completely re-decorate the Railroad HQ with an overwhelming amount of flower prints and live plants and bright colors. It annoys the shit out of most of the other agents but Deacon defends both your actions by telling everyone the benefits of plants in the work environment. It delights Sole to no end that Deacon plays along with this and is even more happier when he agrees to wear matching flower crowns with them! At one point as a prank Deacon dresses up as a green shrub and manges to make half the agents piss themselves as he scares the daylights out of them when they return to HQ.

Preston: Finds your interest in flowers cute and refreshing from the usual stress and violence he has to face everyday along with Sole. He is also happy to see Sole having something that relaxes them from the constant burden of being General of the Minutemen. Whenever Sole isn’t helping the people of the Commonwealth achieve some impossible task they are in the private garden they set up behind the house them and Preston share. Preston even loves helping Sole out with the garden as a nice change of pace from having his laser musket in his hands all the time. His favorite part though is watching Sole give away the flowers they worked so hard to grow to the people who now call Sanctuary home without expecting anything in return except a warm smile.

X6-88: Accepts Sole’s love for flowers because he understands that having hobbies and interest is healthy for humans, and it's his job to make sure Sole is healthy and happy. He would never admit it but he likes following Sole down to the institutes greenhouse area and watching them work among the synths. Sole goes out of their way no matter how busy they are to pop into the greenhouse every day and constantly ask questions about the different plants that they have growing. Sometimes X6 has to come remind Sole that they need to sleep and eat because certain days Sole spends countless hours researching and working not even aware how much time goes by. X6 hates when Sole begs to go out into the Commonwealth to pick flowers themselves, and he reminds them that the Institute has whatever they need. Sole just argues that it’s not the same and keeps asking until he finally gives in and accompanies them on the ridiculous endeavor.

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zeearchitect · 2 years ago

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Best Interior Designing Company in Patna - Zee Architect

Zee Architect is one of the Best Interior Designing Company in Patna Bihar. Home interior designing is the process of making changes in the decor of a building, room, apartment, home or any space intended for habitation. Interior design includes arranging furnishings, fittings, fixtures, equipment, floor coverings, paint color, lighting, wallpaper patterns, etc.

The interior designer uses his/her creativity to create a harmonious balance between functional and aesthetic elements. There are many factors considered while designing an interior. These factors include material, colors, shape, height, area, furniture, accessories, décor items, lighting, and much more.

There are different types of interior designs. These include residential interior design, commercial interior design, retail interior design, restaurant interior design, hotel interiors, industrial interior design, office interior design and spa interior design.

Here we have shared some amazing tips for you regarding the above topic. Have a look at them and enjoy!

1 - How To Select Colors And Material?

• You should select the color scheme according to your house's theme. If your house is modern then go for pastel shades whereas if your house is traditional then go for darker tones.

• Use materials that won't reflect light. A good example would be using dark colored woods for floors and ceilings rather than lighter ones. Another thing that you can do is use textured wallpapers that give the perfect finishing touch.

• Don't use prints. They don't last longer and they tend to peel off the surface over time.

• Furniture should match the environment. If you have a bright kitchen then stick to white cabinets and countertops.

2 - Tips On Arranging Furniture

• Hang pictures on the wall.

• Place a mirror on your walls to improve your appearance.

• Consider placing flower pots on your table.

• Keep the seating arrangement towards the center of the room.

3. Paint

Paint adds vibrancy and personality to any room. Choose colours carefully, as certain shades can accentuate a room's design theme. For example, bright orange might work well in a child's playroom, while a dark blue would complement a cool kitchen perfectly. To find the right paint shade for your room, take a piece of paper and place it under your window, then try different tints until you find a combination of colour and light that works.

Zee Architect (Best Interior Designing Company in Patna) website address is https://zeearchitect.in/

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bestchristmastablecentrepie-blog · 6 years ago

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The Records Of Christmas Table Centrepieces

A centerpiece does not have to be a fussy (and costly) floral arrangement. This dollar tree diy christmas decor video will show you home decor ideas for the 2018 christmas season. We now have the top christmas flowers, poinsettias , amaryllis , white roses , crimson roses , white lilies , and christmas timber and wreaths , and so many extra christmas centerpieces to select from. Trump vowed to finish the ‘struggle on christmas.' here is how the white house is decorated this season Christmas Flowers Delivered Although originally they have been created by our native florists as particular winter flower deliveries, we've been surprised to see prospects order them for christmas themed birthday presents, and even surprisingly as christmas wedding flower decorations the mini penguin tree is a great modern floral christmas bouquet for children. Right here yow will discover lots of data on the christmas present baskets, meals gifts and final time items ideas. Care is taken to keep up the style, theme and colour scheme of the arrangement, utilizing flowers of equal value Christmas Table Centrepieces Final year i ordered a 'rose backyard bouquet' with a greeting card and a medium-sized stuffed teddy bear to my husband on our wedding ceremony anniversary day. However, in contrast to holly, the christian church didn't undertake it as a practice, but quite frowned on it. Despite being forbidden as a ornament at one point in time within the christian church, this vacation plant continues to be commonly seen.

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TAGS:Christmas Plant,Christmas Table Centerpieces,Christmas Floral Arrangements

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adsthumbsblog · 4 years ago

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Indian Fashion Industry

Colourful fashion trends of India

With the end of the 20th century came the end of all hype which has created a more practical and pragmatic environment and has given a more stable picture of the fashion business.

In the 50s, 60s and 70s, the Indian fashion scenario wasn't exactly colorless. It was exciting, stylish and very graceful. There were no designers, models, star or fashion design labels that the country could show off. The value of a garment was judged by its style and fabric and not by who made it.

It was regarded as ever so chic and fashionable to approach any unfamiliar tailor, who could make a garment for a few rupees, providing the perfect fit, finish and style. The high society lady, who wore it, was proud for getting a good bargain and for giving her name to the end result.

In 60s, tight 'kurtas', 'churidars' and high coiffures were a trend among ladies. It was an era full of naughtiness and celebration in arts and music and cinema, manifested by liberation from restriction and acceptance of new types of materials such as plastic film and coated polyester fabric.

The 70s witnessed an increase in the export of traditional materials outside the country as well as within. Hence, international fashion arrived in India much before the MTV culture with the bold colors, flower prints and bell-bottoms. Synthetics turned trendy and the disco culture affected the fashion scenario.

It was in the early 80s when the first fashion store 'Ravissant' opened in Mumbai. At that time garments were retailed for a four-figure price tag. The '80s was the era of self consciousness and American designers like Calvin Klein became popular. In India too, silhouettes became more masculine and the 'salwar kameez' was designed with shoulder pads.

With the evolution of designer stores in Mumbai, the elegant fashion design culture was a trend among Indians along with their heavy price tags. No doubt that a garment with a heavy price tag was at the bottom stage of fashion. But clients immediately transformed into the high fashion fold where they were convinced that that the word 'elegant fashion design culture' means, it had to have a higher price tag.

Garments were sold at unbelievable prices only because the designers had decided to get themselves noticed by making showy outfits and getting associated with the right shows, celebrities and events.

Later, fashion shows shifted to competitive events each attempting to out-do the other in theme, guest list and media coverage. For any newcomer, the fashion business was the number one professional art that time.

In the 90's, the last decade of the millennium, a move towards the drastic pairing down returned with ethnic wears (Today, ethnic wear market in India is accounted to Rs. 9000 crore). This led to the decline and the recession, the push to sell at any cost and keep staying in the limelight. With heavy cut throat competition and sound awareness of the client, the inevitable occurred. The price tags, which had once reached at a peak, began their downside journey.

At those times the downturn was not only being experienced in the price tags of the garments, but also in the business of fashion shows. More models, choreographers, make-up men, hairstylists and designers streamed down into their business.

The fun and party time in the Indian fashion scenario had not ended with this, but continued. It was a point, where it reached at a certain steady level and from there, in the beginning of the 21st centaury, with new designers and models and some sensible designing; the fashion hype accelerated its speed.

Indian fashion industry spreads its wings globally

India's strengths not only depend on its tradition, but also on its raw materials. World over, India is the third largest producer of cotton, the second largest producer of silk and the fifth largest producer of man-made fibres.

In the international market, the Indian garment and fabric industries have many fundamental aspects that are compliant, in terms of cost effectiveness to produce, raw material, quick adjustment for selling, and a wide ranges of preference in the designs in the garments like with sequin, beadwork, aari or chikkon embroidery etc, as well as cheaper skilled work force. India provides these fashion garments to the international fashion houses at competitive prices with shorter lead time and an effective monopoly in designs which covers elaborated hand embroidery - accepted world over.

India has always been considered as a default source in the embroidered garment segment, but the changes of rupee against dollar has further decreased the prices, thereby attracting buyers. So the international fashion houses walk away with customized stuff, and in the end crafted works are sold at very cheap rates.

As far as the market of fabrics is concerned, the ranges available in India can attract as well as confuse the buyer. A basic judgmental expectation in the choosing of fabrics is the present trend in the international market. Much of the production tasks take place in parts of the small town of Chapa in the Eastern state of Bihar, a name one would have never even heard of. Here fabric making is a family industry, the ranges and quality of raw silks churned out here belie the crude production methods and equipment used- tussars, matka silks, phaswas, you name it and they can design it. Surat in Gujarat, is the supplier of an amazing set of jacquards, moss crepes and georgette sheers - all fabrics utilized to make dazzling silhouettes demanded world over. Another Indian fabric design that has been specially designed for the fashion history is the "Madras check" originally utilized for the universal "Lungi" a simple lower body wrap worn in Southern India, this product has now traversed its way on to bandannas, blouses, home furnishings and almost any thing one can think of.

Recently many designers have started using traditional Indian fabrics, designs and cuts to enhance their fashion collections. Ethnic Indian designs with batik cravat, tie-and-dye or vegetable block print is 'in' not just in India but all across the world.

In India, folk embroidery is always associated with women. It is a way of their self expression, and they make designs that depict their native culture, their religion and their desires. Women embroider clothes for their personal use, and the people linked with the pastoral profession prepare embroidered animal decorations, decorative covers for horns and foreheads and the Rabaris of Kutch in Gujarat do some of the finest embroidery. Embroidered pieces are made during the festivals and marriages, which are appliqué work called 'Dharaniya'. One of the significant styles of Saurashtra is 'Heer' embroidery, which has bold geometric designs, woven on silks. The Mutwa women of the Banni area of Kutch have a fascinating embroidery where they make fine embroidery works with designed motifs and mirrors in the size of pinheads, the Gracia jats use geometric designs on the yoke of long dresses. Moreover, the finest of quilts with appliqué work are also made in Kutch.

Garments embellishment with bead work is another area where it in demand in the international market. Beads are used to prepare garlands and other accessory items like belts and bags and these patterns now available for haute couture evening wear too.

According to a survey, in recent times Indian women have given up their traditional sari for western wears like t-shirts and shorts, as they feel more comfortable in skirts and trousers instead of saris and salwar kameez. It's been noted that women spend just $165 million on trousers and skirts against 1.74 billion dollars spent by men on trousers. With more women coming out to work, the (combined) branded trouser and skirts market has been increasing at a whopping 27 per cent in sales terms. Women feel that Western clothing is more suitable, particularly when working or using public transportation. Many corporate offices are also in favor of their employees wearing Western wear.

In India, Western inspiration is increasing due to the influence of TV and films. Besides, shopping malls selling branded clothes have also mushroomed in India and are fascinating the youngsters. Recently, designer wear is being promoted through store chains such as Shopper's Stop, Pantaloons, Westside, etc. Companies such as Raymond and TCNS have also set up their exclusive stores for designer wear such as Be: and W.

The market of India fashion industry

Recently, a report stated that the Indian fashion industry can increase from its net worth of Rs 200 crore to Rs 1,000 crore in the next five to ten years. Currently, the worldwide designer wear market is amounted at $35 billion, with a 9 per cent growth rate, with the Indian fashion industry creating hardly 0.1 per cent of the international industry's net worth.

According to approximations, the total apparel market in India is calculated to be about Rs 20,000 crore. The branded apparel market's size is nearly one fourth of this or Rs 5,000 crore. Designer wear, in turn, covers nearly about 0.2 per cent of the branded apparel market.

At present, the largest sales turnover within the designer wear segment is about Rs25 crore, with other well-known names having less turnovers of Rs10-15 crore. In view of the prospects of the Indian fashion industry for growth, the figures are not very hopeful.

The figure of fashion industry

o The organized market for designer apparel is about Rs 250 crore

o Designer wear calculates to less than 1 per cent of the apparel market

o The global market for designer wear is 5 per cent of total apparel market

o The global market for designer wear industry is largely dependent on the small-scale sector

o Consumers for designer wear have a yearly household income of Rs 10 lakh-plus. There are 3 lakh such households developing at 40-45 per cent

o Designer wear industry is projected to increase to Rs 1,000 crore by 2015.

o More than 81 per cent of the population below 45 years of the age is fashion conscious.

Many fashion designers and management experts foresee an average growth of about 10-12 per cent for the Indian fashion industry in the coming years. Though, the growth rate could be more than 15 per cent, if infrastructural and other logistical bottlenecks and drawbacks are over come.

India needs more effort to overcome

However, despite the benefits available in India there are also some disadvantages. India is not a remarkable player in the global market with reference to brands because of its inability to add value to products. This is observed by the fact that nearly 50 per cent of its exports are apparel and made-ups where value addition is essential. Likewise, 75 per cent of domestic apparel market is commoditized and unbranded and very few Indian brands do survive in the foreign markets. Evidently, the Indian market has not made a strong stand and hence it is difficult to make Indian brands that can compete with global brands in India.

Though performing individual presentation is not an alternative choice for most of the young talent, because of the limitation of finance, a beginner designer's name fails to come to the forefront.

Another thing, with regards to the ramp, is what the designers offer is barely appropriate to be worn ordinarily. You'll see there's dissimilarity between what is there on the ramp and what the Page Three crowd wears. Some believe at present the fashion is in, but the tendency hasn't changed much as it is the old ones coming back. We have had short kurtas, long kurtas, flowing skirts, etc. coming back into fashion with only a new variety of designs.

It has been observed that the media-hype around the big designers and blatant commercialism has hindered business in the Indian fashion industry. No clear cut picture is provided about the feasibility of the products. Basically it is only the famous names that are being talked of. What they offer is not quite daily-wear. The entire focal point of the industry is on commercialism. The discussion is only regarding how much is sold and for what price and nothing about the designs or styles.

Efforts to develop global fashion brands

A serious reason for India not being successful has been its isolation in the fashion system. Each stakeholder including designers, exporters, textile players and retail chains need to come together along with the government to make sure that the position of Indian fashion is strong in the coming years.

There are various agencies and industry associations that can support in brand-building practice. Many of these agencies require attractive resources and making a global image of Indian fashion rather than independently trying to promote particular brands or textile segments.

Efforts to create strong global image

Large textiles players require more and more to target on the market facing activities while developing an association with small medium enterprise (SME) clusters. Such kind of networks would be a benefit to that which can focus on demand making and branding as well as for clusters that can focus on quality production.

Efforts to create value networks

After the entry of large retail chains like Wal-Mart, Gap etc in India, Small scale manufacturers in India will find it very difficult to satisfy the demands of these international buyers if they continue to promote their products individually. Therefore, it is very important that value networks are created between large textile and apparel companies in India and small scale manufacturers, so that the marketing muscle of the leading players can be utilized for receiving large orders while the bigger players then assign the orders to the small-medium enterprises according to their past record of quality and service. For this to be put into practice, it will be vital to well-organize the information on small-medium enterprise clusters in a perfect manner so that supplier selection decisions are made according to the information in the long run, only the more efficient small-medium enterprise players survive and develop.

Efforts to concentrate on designers and designs

Designers have a fundamental role to play in the future of Indian fashion scenario. There should hence be an effective process for preparing these designers. This can be done by sponsoring exchange programs with international schools, increasing participations in the fashion capitals of the world, motivating and offering business incubation to new designers and rewarding efforts through proper design awards.

Even in India, well-known designers are incapable to tap finances from well-organized resources, since a vital part of their assets are brands and design talent which are not measured in terms of money and hence it becomes difficult to judge the value. This has severely inhibited their development and capability to raise retail existence across the country and abroad. Likewise, there is no systematic approach of existence in the fashion capitals of the world like Paris, Milan and New York. Due to this, designers have to depend on their personal contacts and relationships for organizing fashion shows and making retail alliances. The French government as well as the British government helps designers of their particular countries appreciably in these areas as they understand that value creation through design is the only way to carry on in the competitive landscape of the global fashion industry. The Indian government and related agencies should also accept this aspect of textile, apparel and fashion industry sincerely if they need to see India on the global fashion map.

Work in collaboration: designers-corporate efforts

Designers and many organizations can work globally through various models and with many working relationships. The Indian fashion industry has many views but only one such model, wherein a designer creates a retail venture with his/her own brand through organized retail chains. There are many other models according to brand ownership and division of operational activities.

Globally, many models of collaboration between designers and corporates are available. For example Ralph Lauren has made an agreement with Jones Apparel for producing and retailing various Polo brands. Likewise, Armani had an agreement with Zegna for production, even while it was competing with them in the marketplace. There are many cases of designer brands being co-owned by the designers and corporates, Gucci-Alexander McQueen and Gucci-Stella McCartney being some of them.

In the end, many designer businesses have been obtained by corporates where designers play a major role in the design elements of the business, but the brand and the organization is owned completely by the corporate.

The current possession of Calvin Klein by Philips Van Heusen and earlier holdings of Hugo Boss and Valentino by Marzotto are some related examples in this segment. These examples strongly point out that not only designers find such relationships important for development, but also corporates find these attractive for rising their profitability and growth. Likewise deals in India could go a long way in developing the brand values of corporates and designers.

Developing clusters

Making common infrastructure for functioning such as design and sampling, affluent treatment, product testing, etc can help in increasing the capability of the clusters since noteworthy investments could be made by the cluster itself rather than any single player.

Well-managed databases can help in decreasing search costs and through data mining, rating of players can be done so as to make the procurement process easier for buyers. Cooperative marketing programs at different clusters can also support players to grow up in the value chain by mixing their strengths within the cluster.

Cluster based battle in the fashion industry is characterized by the Italian industry. The National Chamber for Italian Fashion for example, supports the development of the fashion clusters at Milan and Florence in a well organized manner. Indian industry can learn a lot from Italy because India has a similar cluster based scattered production base, but has been incapable to link it with design and branding capability.

If the above activities are successfully considered, India could have an extraordinary development in the fashion industry, which could increase from a negligible size to Rs 8,000 crore in the coming decade.

Conclusion

In the 50s, 60s and 70s, the Indian fashion scenario was colorful and stylish, in the end of 20th century it was quite subdued and with the beginning of the 21st century it has geared up and is still experiencing the growth with many spectrums of colours. Though this industry is growing at a very good pace, besides achieving a negligible share in the global market, still it needs to make severe efforts to stand amongst international fashion market in various aspects.

Fibre2fashion.com- Leading B2B Portal of Fashion, Textile and Apparel Industry offers Free Fashion Articles, Free Fashion Trends Articles, Free Industry Reports, Free Articles, Free Fashion Designers Articles, Women?s Fashion Tips, Fashion Tips Free Fashion Case Studies and Fashion Market Country Reports ? submit your reprinted articles, featured articles free and get advantage of largest community of textile apparel, fashion and retail industries.

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sosaidthedragon · 7 years ago

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Oshogastu

(In honor of it being the new year, have a sappy, somewhat New Year’s themed one shot. Oshogatsu, by the way, is the Japanese New Year holiday/festival.)

Guy X OC

Rated E

For three days, Konoha was home to one of the world’s largest New Year’s festivals. Tourists flocked to the village from all over not only the Land of Fire, but other neighboring countries, in order to enjoy the specialty foods and festivities the village had become famous for over the years. Genin decorated homes with beautiful ornaments and strung warm, decorative lights throughout the main thoroughfares, where merchants rented storefronts or opened stalls to ply their wares.

Mitsume hadn’t been able to attend the festival since her days in the Academy. It seemed fate always conspired to see to it she was away on a mission of one sort or another whenever the holiday came around, returning home in time to see the vendors packing up and genin cleaning trash off the streets. For once, however, she had managed to avoid being saddled with any such mission – largely because Tsunade hadn’t cleared her to return to active duty, but she was free, nonetheless.

Unexpectedly, Guy was as well. He had actually been given a week long mission to the Land of Waves, however, Kakashi had kindly volunteered to take the escort mission instead, claiming he was going stir crazy after two weeks in the hospital himself. Even Tsunade had realized what he was doing, and once he and Guy – who was sobbing and thanking his rival for his sacrifice – had finally left her office, she had handed Mitsume a few ryo to buy Kakashi some sweets for his return, since he would have to leave before the festival actually started.

The hardest part about getting ready was prying Guy away from his rival, which took not only Mitsume but Lee, Neji, and Naruto - after Lee stopped crying about how beautiful it was for Kakashi to give Guy the opportunity to spend New Years with his loved ones, anyway. She still had the kimono her mother gave her a couple of years ago, the one made of dark purple silk, that she hadn’t yet had an occasion to wear, hanging in a clothing bag in her closet, beside the montsuki hakama Guy tended to forget he owned. She briefly thought about trying to get him to wear it, but it was a bit too formal for a festival, and it was generally not a good idea for Guy to not wear pants in public.

They had both learned that one the hard way – four years later and they still weren’t allowed back to that restaurant. Or that bath house.

It was really just better for everyone if he wore his jumpsuit.

After a fair bit of struggling to get everything to lay properly, she stepped out into the living room, where Guy was waiting. His hands were tucked behind his back, and his cheeks had a suspicious red tint to them – combined with the fact he was staring at his feet told her he was up to something. She would have thought that, after four years together and nearly ten more of him chasing her, he would have gotten over being shy about something as simple as giving her a gift, but he still acted exactly as he had that first time he asked her out in the school yard when they were kids.

He lifted his eyes briefly, looking her over from toe to head, his tan face growing even darker before his gaze traveled swiftly back to the floor, and his hands suddenly shot forward. Held tightly in one fist was a boquet of flowers, their stems half-crushed by the pressure – anemone, lavender, and forge-me-not blossoms were among the ones she recognized immediately, though there were several more she couldn’t immediately identify. In the other he held a piece of paper, folded into a lover’s knot, or what one looked like after a nervous Might Guy held onto it for too long.

“Arara,” She drawled in surprise, carefully tugging the items free. “What’s this now?”

Laying the flowers down on the table, she carefully unfolded the note, revealing the poem on the inside. It didn’t quite look like Guy’s handwriting, mostly because it was actually legible, and there was a wiggling in the lines that almost made it look like he’d been trembling when he wrote it.

Passionate heart

Soft touch of a flower

In its fullest bloom

For a moment, she wracked her brain to try and remember if she had ever heard that particular haiku before, but no author sprang to mind. Curious if he had put the author at the bottom, she unfolded the bottom seam, only for something to tumble out. She caught it without thinking, not quite recognizing the small, round item in her hand by sensation alone, but before she could figure it out, Guy stole all of her attention.

“I wrote that.”

Guy still had his head bowed down, fists clenched and trembling at his sides. He was clearly uncomfortable, eyes screwed up tightly so he wouldn’t accidentally look at her, something he only ever did when he was about to do or say something he was seriously worried someone wouldn’t approve of.

“Back in the academy,” He continued. “When Joben-sensei asked me to deliver some forms to Keitaro-sensei, I saw a girl, sitting in the front row of his class, and she was so beautiful I forgot what I was supposed to be doing. I didn’t know her name, but I knew the moment I saw her, she was the only one I would ever want to be with. So I promised myself, if I didn’t confess to her the next day, I would do three hundred laps around the school yard, and I wrote that poem intending to give it to her. But I lost my nerve, so while I was running those laps, I promised myself if I didn’t confess the next day, I would do three hundred and ten laps around the school yard.”

She could remember that day clearly, although she never much thought about it. Keitaro-sensei had been droning on, as he so often did, and she had begun to drift off, listing off everything she could be doing that was more worthwhile than listening to Keitaro-sensei’s endless monologue. She hadn’t even noticed an upperclassman had entered the room, until Keitaro-sensei started telling him off for getting distracted, and she only managed to briefly glimpse a boy in a bright green jumpsuit fleeing the room as fast as he could manage.

“Although I did find the strength to confess, I was never strong enough to give her that poem, not even after she returned my affection. I’ve carried that note in my pocket every day since then, for almost twenty years, trying to work up the nerve. This morning, I made myself a promise that today would be the day I would finally give her that poem.”

As he finished speaking, she turned her hand upward and looked at the item she had caught. It was a ring, with a band made of silver and gold that swirled together like the marks in a wooden board, with a single, almost flower shaped diamond. Just as she began to comprehend what she was seeing, Guy’s massive hands took hold of hers, and pulled them towards his chest as he dropped onto one knee. He had apparently lost his battle with his tears, because they streamed heavily down his face, though he had finally managed to open his eyes, staring at her with obvious determination.

“Kedamonoshu Mitsume, please, do me the great honor of saying you’ll marry me.”

After a little more than a week on the road, Kakashi was relieved to see the familiar skyline of Konoha appear at before him. Hands in his pockets, he slowly made his way towards his apartment, taking every back road he knew of to avoid his students so he could get some much needed rest. This route just so happened to take him past the training grounds his “eternal rival’s” girlfriend often used with her genin squad, and he stopped to watch for a few moments as she put the kids through their paces, much to their displeasure.

Judging by the sweat, scratches, and general wear and tear, they’d been running drills since early that morning. The fact none of them had collapsed into an exhausted heap begging for a merciful death, however, told him she was probably in a good mood, though her scowl would have made most people think otherwise. She spotted him across the field, and motioned him to come over, something he did with great reluctance and a heavy sigh – he could just keep going, but then she would probably just sick her genin on him, and he’d spend the next week dealing with the little demons annoying him in unfathomable ways.

Some of his underwear were still pink, and he had yet to find a certain novel from his collection – he suspected it wasn’t so much hidden as one of the boys on her team had taken it and wasn’t about to give it back, but he had yet to figure out which one.

“How was your mission?” She asked conversationally, never taking her eyes off her students.

“Ah, pretty quiet, actually. We saw a few bandits on the road, but that’s about it. Did you enjoy the festival?”

“Yeah, it was pretty nice. Guy won a goldfish – we let Lee pick the name.”

“What did he decide?”

“Hire, The Great Hot-Blooded Golden Fish of Konoha.”

He resisted the urge to make a sarcastic comment, and instead just rolled his lips between his teeth and gave a short series of affirmative grunts. She seemed to know exactly what was going through his mind, the corner of her lip twitching as she fought a smile, before she changed the subject, reaching into one of her inner vest pockets. She produced a large but thin boxes, which was wrapped in a bright blue piece of fabric, which was littered with an obnoxious number of cartoon cats. It was tied off with a bright yellow ribbon, and festooned with what he suspected was actually a hair tie, with a plastic white cat face attached to it.

“Here. Guy made sure we got all your favorites. We even got some specialty dog treats for Pakkun and the other ninken.”

Absolutely not to his surprise, the jubako itself was also primarily decorated with cats – even less surprising was the fact that nearly every cake and candy had been painstakingly carved or shaped into cat faces or paw prints. Silently contemplating his revenge, he snapped the lid back on the box, tied it back together, and stuck it into his pocket before accepting the three other smaller, plain packages.

As he did so, he caught a glimmer out of the corner of his eye. Although her focus was on her students, there was no question she had noticed his stare, as the smile she had been resisting finally broke through, tilting the corners of her mouth. Not unexpectedly, this mild display of emotion in front of her students immediately made her uncomfortable, and she slugged him in the arm as she walked towards the trio, who had apparently decided it was time to stand up to their sensei by sitting down.

“By the way, you might want to swing by the bookstore on your way home.”

“What did you do now?”

“I didn’t do anything. Guy, on the other hand, may have gotten wind that the ninja who so kindly gave up the opportunity to enjoy the New Year’s festival for his benefit has a little crush on a certain red-headed employee. He’s gotten it into his head that the best way to thank this kindly ninja for his help is to set the two of them up on a date.”

“You monster.”

“The new year is a time for change, Hatake. Besides – Guy and Lee worked really hard on that banner.”

#maito gai #maito guy #might guy #might gai #might guy x oc #your friendly neighborhood dragon #happy new year you beautiful bastards #Beasts of the leaf collection #Naruto one shot collection #Sensei collection #Leaf village collection

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arplis · 5 years ago

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agilenano · 5 years ago

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Agilenano - News: Contemporary Mickey Mouse Wall Decor

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sohayal · 5 years ago

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Indian Fashion Industry

Colorful fashion trends of India

With the end of the 20th century came the end of all hype which has created a more practical and pragmatic environment and has given a more stable picture of the fashion business. In the 50s, 60s, and 70s, the Indian fashion scenario wasn't exactly colorless. It was exciting, stylish and very graceful. There were no designers, models, star or fashion design labels that the country could show off. The value of a garment was judged by its style and fabric and not by who made it.

It was regarded as ever so chic and fashionable to approach any unfamiliar tailor, who could make a garment for a few rupees, providing the perfect fit, finish, and style. The high society lady, who wore it, was proud of getting a good bargain and for giving her name to the end result.

In the 60s, tight 'kurtas', 'churidars' and high coiffures were a trend among ladies. It was an era full of naughtiness and celebration in arts and music and cinema, manifested by liberation from restriction and acceptance of new types of materials such as plastic film and coated polyester fabric.

The 70s witnessed an increase in the export of traditional materials outside the country as well as within. Hence, international fashion arrived in India much before the MTV culture with bold colors, flower prints, and bell-bottoms. Synthetics turned trendy and the disco culture affected the fashion scenario.

It was in the early 80s when the first fashion store 'Ravissant' opened in Mumbai. At that time garments were retailed for a four-figure price tag. The '80s was the era of self-consciousness and American designers like Calvin Klein became popular. In India too, silhouettes became more masculine and the 'salwar kameez' was designed with shoulder pads.

Garments were sold at unbelievable prices only because the designers had decided to get themselves noticed by making showy outfits and getting associated with the right shows, celebrities, and events.

Later, fashion shows shifted to competitive events each attempting to out-do the other in theme, guest list, and media coverage. For any newcomer, the fashion business was the number one professional art at that time.

In the '90s, the last decade of the millennium, a move towards the drastic pairing down returned with ethnic wears (Today, ethnic wear market in India is accounted to Rs. 9000 crores). This led to the decline and the recession, the push to sell at any cost and keep staying in the limelight. With heavy cut-throat competition and a sound awareness of the client, the inevitable occurred. The price tags, which had once reached a peak, began their downside journey.

The fun and party time in the Indian fashion scenario had not ended with this but continued. It was a point, where it reached a certain steady level and from there, in the beginning of the 21st century, with new designers and models and some sensible designing; the fashion hype accelerated its speed.

Indian fashion industry spreads its wings globally

For the global fashion industry, India is a very big exporter of fabrics and accessories. All over the world, Indian ethnic designs and materials are considered as a significant facet for fashion houses and garment manufacturers. In fabrics, while sourcing for fashion wear, India also plays a vital role as one of the biggest players in the international fashion arena. India's strengths not only depend on its tradition, but also on its raw materials. World over, India is the third-largest producer of cotton, the second-largest producer of silk and the fifth largest producer of man-made fibers.

In the international market, the Indian garment and fabric industries have many fundamental aspects that are compliant, in terms of cost-effectiveness to produce, raw material, quick adjustment for selling, and a wide ranges of preference in the designs in the garments like with sequin, beadwork, aari or chicken embroidery, etc, as well as cheaper skilled workforce. India provides these fashion garments to the international fashion houses at competitive prices with shorter lead time and an effective monopoly in designs that covers elaborated hand embroidery - accepted world over.

India has always been considered as a default source in the embroidered garment segment, but the changes of rupee against dollar have further decreased the prices, thereby attracting buyers. So the international fashion houses walk away with customized stuff, and in the end crafted works are sold at very cheap rates.

As far as the market of fabrics is concerned, the ranges available in India can attract as well as confuse the buyer. A basic judgmental expectation in the choosing of fabrics is the present trend in the international market. Much of the production tasks take place in parts of the small town of Chapa in the Eastern state of Bihar, a name one would have never even heard of. Here fabric making is a family industry, the ranges, and quality of raw silks churned out here belie the crude production methods and equipment used- hussars, matka silks, phases, you name it and they can design it. Surat in Gujarat is the supplier of an amazing set of jacquards, moss crepes and georgette sheers - all fabrics utilized to make dazzling silhouettes demanded world over. Another Indian fabric design that has been specially designed for the fashion history is the "Madras check" originally utilized for the universal "Lungi" a simple lower body wrap worn in Southern India, this product has now traversed its way on to bandannas, blouses, home furnishings and almost anything one can think of.

Recently many designers have started using traditional Indian fabrics, designs, and cuts to enhance their fashion collections. Ethnic Indian designs with batik cravat, tie-and-dye or vegetable block print are 'in' not just in India but all across the world.

In India, folk embroidery is always associated with women. It is a way of their self-expression, and they make designs that depict their native culture, their religion, and their desires. Women embroider clothes for their personal use, and the people linked with the pastoral profession prepare embroidered animal decorations, decorative covers for horns and foreheads and the Rabaris of Kutch in Gujarat do some of the finest embroideries. Embroidered pieces are made during festivals and marriages, which are appliqué work called 'Dharaniya'. One of the significant styles of Saurashtra is 'Heer' embroidery, which has bold geometric designs, woven on silks. The Mutwa women of the Banni area of Kutch have a fascinating embroidery where they make fine embroidery works with designed motifs and mirrors in the size of pinheads, the Gracia jats use geometric designs on the yoke of long dresses. Moreover, the finest of quilts with appliqué work are also made in Kutch.

Garments embellishment with beadwork is another area where it in demand in the international market. Beads are used to prepare garlands and other accessories items like belts and bags and these patterns now available for haute couture evening wear too. According to a survey, in recent times Indian women have given up their traditional sari for western wears like t-shirts and shorts, as they feel more comfortable in skirts and trousers instead of saris and salwar kameez. It's been noted that women spend just $165 million on trousers and skirts against 1.74 billion dollars spent by men on trousers. With more women coming out to work, the (combined) branded trouser and skirts market has been increasing at a whopping 27 percent in sales terms. Women feel that Western clothing is more suitable, particularly when working or using public transportation. Many corporate offices are also in favor of their employees wearing Western wear.

In India, Western inspiration is increasing due to the influence of TV and films. Besides, shopping malls selling branded clothes have also mushroomed in India and are fascinating youngsters. Recently, designer wear is being promoted through store chains such as Shopper's Stop, Pantaloons, Westside, etc. Companies such as Raymond and TCNS have also set up their exclusive stores for designer wear such as Be: and W. The market of India fashion industry

Recently, a report stated that the Indian fashion industry can increase from its net worth of Rs 200 crore to Rs 1,000 crore in the next five to ten years. Currently, the worldwide designer wear market is amounted to $35 billion, with a 9 percent growth rate, with the Indian fashion industry creating hardly 0.1 percent of the international industry's net worth.

According to approximations, the total apparel market in India is calculated to be about Rs 20,000 crore. The branded apparel market's size is nearly one-fourth of this or Rs 5,000 crore. Designer wear, in turn, covers nearly about 0.2 percent of the branded apparel market.

At present, the largest sales turnover within the designer wear segment is about Rs25 crore, with other well-known names having fewer turnovers of Rs10-15 crore. In view of the prospects of the Indian fashion industry for growth, the figures are not very hopeful.

The figure of the fashion industry

o The organized market for designer apparel is about Rs 250 crore

o Designer wear calculates to less than 1 percent of the apparel market

o The global market for designer wear is 5 percent of the total apparel market

o The global market for designer wear industry is largely dependent on the small-scale sector

o Consumers for designer wear have a yearly household income of Rs 10 lakh-plus. There are 3 lakh such households developing at 40-45 percent

o The designer wear industry is projected to increase to Rs 1,000 crore by 2015.

o More than 81 percent of the population below 45 years of age is fashion conscious.

Many fashion designers and management experts foresee an average growth of about 10-12 percent for the Indian fashion industry in the coming years. Though, the growth rate could be more than 15 percent, if infrastructural and other logistical bottlenecks and drawbacks are overcome.

India needs more effort to overcome

However, despite the benefits available in India, there are also some disadvantages. India is not a remarkable player in the global market with reference to brands because of its inability to add value to products. This is observed by the fact that nearly 50 percent of its exports are apparel and made-ups where value addition is essential. Likewise, 75 percent of the domestic apparel market is commoditized and unbranded and very few Indian brands do survive in the foreign markets. Evidently, the Indian market has not made a strong stand and hence it is difficult to make Indian brands that can compete with global brands in India.

Another reason for the fashion industry's inadequate growth is the limited experience of the designers and the platform they are offered. The insignificance stalks from the reality that most of the young talent is hired by the bigger names to work in their studios, thus imprinting their work with the label of the big designers. Though performing individual presentation is not an alternative choice for most of the young talent, because of the limitation of finance, a beginner designer's name fails to come to the forefront. Another thing, with regards to the ramp, is what the designers offer is barely appropriate to be worn ordinarily. You'll see there's the dissimilarity between what is there on the ramp and what the Page Three crowd wears. Some belief at present the fashion is in, but the tendency hasn't changed much as it is the old ones coming back. We have had short kurtas, long kurtas, flowing skirts, etc. coming back into fashion with only a new variety of designs.

Many management consultants and professionals believe that the Indian fashion industry will be boosted if the newcomers are paid proper attention. What they require is more support so that their work gets due recognition. According to the consultants and professionals, there should be a panel of people who choose designers for showcasing according to their work and not their name or who they've worked for earlier, and hence selection would be purely based on quality. Besides this, the panel of judges should comprise of people from fashion schools rather than designers. It has been observed that the media-hype around the big designers and blatant commercialism has hindered business in the Indian fashion industry. No clear cut picture is provided about the feasibility of the products. Basically, it is only the famous names that are being talked of. What they offer is not quite daily-wear. The entire focal point of the industry is commercialism. The discussion is only regarding how much is sold and for what price and nothing about the designs or styles.

Efforts to develop global fashion brands

It needs innovative designers, a seamless supply chain, control over retail and distribution and concentration of quality while dealing with some image. While a few have accomplished something in the west covering Tommy Hilfiger, Gucci, Zara, Armani, Versace, Ralph Lauren, etc, India has not been capable to track on. A serious reason for India not being successful has been its isolation in the fashion system. Each stakeholder including designers, exporters, textile players, and retail chains needs to come together along with the government to make sure that the position of Indian fashion is strong in the coming years.

Efforts to create a strong global image

Large textiles players require more and more to target the market facing activities while developing an association with small-medium enterprise (SME) clusters. Such kind of networks would be a benefit to that which can focus on demand making and branding as well as for clusters that can focus on quality production.

Efforts to create value networks

After the entry of large retail chains like Wal-Mart, Gap, etc in India, Small scale manufacturers in India will find it very difficult to satisfy the demands of these international buyers if they continue to promote their products individually. Therefore, it is very important that value networks are created between large textile and apparel companies in India and small scale manufacturers, so that the marketing muscle of the leading players can be utilized for receiving large orders while the bigger players then assign the orders to the small-medium enterprises according to their past record of quality and service. For this to be put into practice, it will be vital to well-organize the information on small-medium enterprise clusters in a perfect manner so that supplier selection decisions are made according to the information in the long run, only the more efficient small-medium enterprise players survive and develop. Efforts to concentrate on designers and designs

Designers have a fundamental role to play in the future of the Indian fashion scenario. There should hence be an effective process for preparing these designers. This can be done by sponsoring exchange programs with international schools, increasing participation in the fashion capitals of the world, motivating and offering business incubation to new designers and rewarding efforts through proper design awards. Even in India, well-known designers are incapable to tap finances from well-organized resources, since a vital part of their assets are brands and design talent which are not measured in terms of money and hence it becomes difficult to judge the value. This has severely inhibited their development and capability to raise retail existence across the country and abroad. Likewise, there is no systematic approach of existence in the fashion capitals of the world like Paris, Milan and New York. Due to this, designers have to depend on their personal contacts and relationships for organizing fashion shows and making retail alliances. The French government, as well as the British government, helps designers of their particular countries appreciably in these areas as they understand that value creation through design is the only way to carry on in the competitive landscape of the global fashion industry. The Indian government and related agencies should also accept this aspect of textile, apparel and fashion industry sincerely if they need to see India on the global fashion map. Work in collaboration: designers-corporate efforts

Globally, many models of collaboration between designers and corporates are available. For example, Ralph Lauren has made an agreement with Jones Apparel for producing and retailing various Polo brands. Likewise, Armani had an agreement with Zegna for production, even while it was competing with them in the marketplace. There are many cases of designer brands being co-owned by the designers and corporates, Gucci-Alexander McQueen and Gucci-Stella McCartney being some of them.

Developing clusters

Well-managed databases can help in decreasing search costs and through data mining, the rating of players can be done so as to make the procurement process easier for buyers. Cooperative marketing programs at different clusters can also support players to grow up in the value chain by mixing their strengths within the cluster.

Cluster-based battle in the fashion industry is characterized by the Italian industry. The National Chamber for Italian Fashion, for example, supports the development of the fashion clusters at Milan and Florence in a well-organized manner. Indian industry can learn a lot from Italy because India has a similar cluster based scattered production base, but has been incapable to link it with design and branding capability.

Conclusion

In the 50s, 60s, and 70s, the Indian fashion scenario was colorful and stylish, in the end of the 20th century, it was quite subdued and with the beginning of the 21st century, it has geared up and is still experiencing the growth with many spectrums of colors. Though this industry is growing at a very good pace, besides achieving a negligible share in the global market, still it needs to make severe efforts to stand amongst the international fashion market in various aspects.

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tsghamptonsnewyork · 5 years ago

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Scouted LOCAL Holiday Gifts

Grab your favorite warm bevvie, curl up in a comfy chair, and get ready to take down some notes, because we’ve scoured the Hamptons and have come up with 72 incredible local gifts, for all sorts of people, at all different price points. Many of these shops even sell online, so click right through and add-to-cart! We hope these gifts will inspire you to shop local this holiday season, at these stores and so many others, and maybe grab a little something for yourself while you’re at it...

STOCK UP FOR ALL YOUR HOLIDAY PARTIES!

1. The sisters that own THE HIDDEN GEM in Southampton, Temidra and Tanya Willock, are incredibly talented and actually design many of the beautiful items you’ll find there, like these lobster tea towels. From home decor, to accessories, ornaments and art, this shop really is a treasure to discover.

2. COMERFORD COLLECTION in Bridgehampton is incredibly sophisticated with a mid-century inspired, yet completely unique vibe all their own. These matchsticks have a wonderful back story, go in and ask them how the wood gets its incredible texture.

3. DESTINATION HAUS in Amagansett is like a beachy-modern art gallery come to life with decor and gift items galore. These statement candles will thrill any hostess with their unique simplicity.

4. SEA GREEN DESIGNS in Southampton is packed full of sustainably designed goodies for the home. Shannon, the owner, works from a place of true respect for our beach environment and an incredible eye for beach home style.

5. WÖLFFER ESTATE wines are always a hit during the holidays. This Merlot has intense, concentrated flavors, balanced with great elegance, finesse and depth, and incredible aging potential.

6. Coconut at Christmastime? You better believe it! You won’t believe how quickly these TATES Coconut Crisp Cookies will become ‘the best Christmas cookies you’ve ever had’. And with a gluten free option, every hostess can indulge a little.

7. Pick up a copy of renowned local architect firm Bates Masi’s book at SOUTHAMPTON | SAG HARBOR BOOKS and discover how they developed their signature style, not around an aesthetic, but around a method. The perfect Hamptons coffee table book.

8. If you bring a hostess flowers, do it right. Order a beautiful custom arrangement from SAG HARBOR FLORIST in a container, not wrapped in paper. This way you’re not giving your hostess extra work, and the statement will be very well received.

9. An elegant spin on a hostess favorite, these twig salad servers from HOMENATURE in Southampton make a beautiful statement that compliments any decor.

EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY!

1. L & W MARKET in Bridgehampton has so many house made local preserved goods in beautiful packaging perfect for gifting to your favorite local foods loyalist.

2. You can’t go wrong with these 14k gold leaf wine glasses from Amagansett treasure DESTINATION HAUS. Perfectly elegant and luxe.

3. Baked, packaged and sold by adults with special needs, SOUTH FORK BAKERY is a wonderful local non-profit organization, providing skills, employment and a supportive environment for its employees. Plus the baked goods are beyond incredible.

4. SEA GREEN DESIGNS features beach house decor with both traditional and modern appeal. Just imagine how charcuterie and fruits will pop against this sleek white board. Gorgeous.

5. When buying a gift for someone too sophisticted for words, hit up MONC XIII in Sag Harbor. From the outstanding facade, to the incredible treasures beyond, the most discerning recipient will be quite pleased. Serving a lobster bisque with fine sherry and truffles? This is the ladle for the job.

6. Simple, clean and utilitarian. GANSETT LANE HOME in Amagansett is full of gifts like this decanter, that can’t miss.

7. Launched this past summer, The Bridgehampton Inn Cookbook is already a treasured favorite everywhere. Did you catch Jimmy Fallon raving about the book and the Van Kempen family on the Tonight Show? And LOAVES AND FISHES is a must-go for any foodie on your list.

8. We bought these beautiful little utensils last summer and we use them all the time! THE WEATHERED BARN in Greenport is chock-full of unique artisan and in-house designed treasures for just about everyone on your list.

9. STICK + STONE in Amagansett shares the space in the back of the applied arts building with GRAIN SURFBOARDS. Aynsley and Brian are so talented and down to earth and the treasures you’ll find are true artisan quality. Whether you hit one of their holiday markets or just pop by, make this a must-go stop on your holiday list.

A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE LADIES

1. SATORI has been in Sag Harbor forever, and Lee Ann Bulgin has done such a wonderful job with the space. Open, clean and inviting, and full of finds like this soft-as-heaven purple hat.

2. HIDDEN GEM in Southampton isn’t just home decor and art, you’ll find some gorgeous little accessories there too!

3. NATUROPATHICA started in East Hampton about 20 years ago and is now a nationally renowned brand. The calendula cream is epically luxe and their gift sets are priced right. A perfect introduction to the brand for a beauty aficionado.

4. We’re so lucky to have DR. KEN MARK right here in Southampton. Nationally celebrated for his innovative skin cancer and cosmetic dermatology practice, he has also designed one of the most advanced and effective skin care lines available. Stop in his office to discover what all the local celebrities are raving about.

5. Local favorite clothing store GLORIA JEWEL was the dream of hard working womanpreneur Megan Chiarello. She makes you feel so welcome, and helps you find all the perfect gifts for your loved ones (and maybe a little something for yourself too)

6. We love WÖLFFER, everyone loves WÖLFFER. Have you tried this playful pink gin? Made with the skins of harvested grapes, without too much juniper, it has a delicate yet complex palate. Perfect for a dry Holiday martini, and that label though, divine. She will love it.

7. We just can’t handle the beauty of this purple pom throw by SHED TEXTILE. It’s just beyond words, and is destined to be a treasure for any lucky recipient.

8. Every girl deserves a little boho shimmer during the holidays. These knotted bags at JOEY WÖLFFER in Sag Harbor are selling out fast, so get over there now!

9. These INTO THE WOODS gems were the ‘it’ bags of the summer, but don’t write them off for winter! These deep jewel tones are stunning paired with cashmere and fur. And she can bring them along on her winter vacation too!

HORSES AND PUPPIES AND BIRDS, OH MY!

1. You never know what you’ll find at ENGLISH COUNTRY HOME in Bridgehampton, but what we do know is that you’ll find some of the most elegant, unusual and precious home decor, new and vintage, that you’ll ever see, like this butter dish.

2. Local artist JACKIE MALONEY is a nature lover and it shows. Her watercolor prints feature birds, fish, and all sorts of local wildlife, and they’re incredibly affordable so grab a few!

3. Feuds are ‘for the dogs’, but not when It’s Boston vs. NYC in the cutest way possible. ACK V HAMPS is notorious for their playful Nantucket vs. The Hamptons watercolor art, and this sweet print takes it next level. Woof!

4. The folks at SYLVESTER & CO in Sag Harbor definitely have a thing for dogs. If you love your furry friend, or you’re shopping for someone who does, get over there and check out their adorable wares like this set of mugs. Obsessed.

5. RUBY BEETS in Sag Harbor is full of breathtaking vintage finds and custom pieces. This Hobbyhorse would make a stunning addition for any home.

6. Newcomer BOWTIE PET CLUB has some truly adorable finds for your furry friends. Woof Cliquot anyone? Don’t mind if we do!

7. Know someone who has a resident dog, and an empty coffee table? I think you’ve found the perfect match. HOMENATURE in Southampton is full of nature inspired treasures and some cute canine finds too.

8. You don’t have to be an equestrian to appreciate the style of this chic wrap bracelet. THE TACK TRUNK in Amagansett has so many brands and items you won’t find anywhere else in the Hamptons, so get over there for your favorite horse lover quick!

9. Who doesn’t love MECOX GARDENS and their grand, garden-chic decor? Want to splurge on your favorite canine enthusiast? These greyhounds are royally elegant, yet simultaneously adorable.

THE KEY TO HER HEART...

1. Is there anything cooler than fossilized, prehistoric shark teeth covered in silver and gold? We think not. FIN Montauk has you covered.

2. JENNIFER MILLER opened her Southampton boutique in 2004 and since then has acquired a loyal celebrity following. Her upscale, yet super wearable and fun designs are always treasured.

3. LOVE ADORNED in Amagansett has the sweetest most delicate, hand crafted pieces at all different price points, like this ring. It’s the perfect stop for a little something special for that special someone.

4. GLENN BRADFORD in Southampton has very cool designer vintage pieces mixed with his own designs, with themes ranging from spiritual to tattoo like this key charm (each charm sold separately).

5. Local boho chic royalty, JOEY WÖLFFER, mixes a curated selection of awe inspiring pieces (like these earrings) with her own designs at her shop in Sag Harbor. Plus her authentic and cool vibe keeps her fanbase loyal.

6. Some pieces, like this LOVE necklace, are just so perfect and sweet you want to wear them every day. Megan Chiarello of GLORIA JEWEL is so good at finding the things that make you feel good inside and out.

7. Local artisan BLUE FEATHER WEATHER handcrafts classic sterling and turquoise jewelry by hand. These Pilot Mountain Turquoise rings are made with beautiful stones harvested in Arizona. Reach out through IG for purchase info.

8. Eleni Preston of MADE SAG HARBOR is a goldsmith with GIA accreditation who has been working with Biwa, Keshi and natural pearls since 1980. For her, making jewelry is a holistic way of producing from a pure material, precious and non-precious stones, in a circular, regenerative way.

9. From internationally renowned jewelry designer TAMARA COMOLLI, this Mikado Flamenco in the color story Sky consists of light blue Sky Topaz, electric Swiss Topaz and moody London Topaz. It perfectly captures the deep and endless feeling of blue skies.

PARENTS WILL APPRECIATE THESE GIFTS AS MUCH AS THE KIDS...

1. PETIT BLUE in East Hampton has a wonderfully curated selection of gifts for kids of all ages, We’re obsessed with the style of this ride on, it will instantly elevate any playroom, besides being a ton of fun.

2. Don’t forget to grab you some Freezy Freakies at FLYING POINT SURF! Just took you back to childhood for a minute there didn’t we?

3. ETHEL + ROW in Sag Harbor has a wonderful selection of gifts that will make mom and dad just as happy as the wee ones. Every playroom needs a teepee for hiding, reading and storytelling.

4. FLYING POINT SURF always has great stuff for the kids so we had to pick 2 loves in this category, this little hoodie is nothing short of adorable.

5. GOOD Westhampton has gifts for everyone on your list including the wee ones. What’s cuter than a tiny Hamptons onesie? Not much.

6. STEVENSONS in Southampton has an incredible selection of wooden toys, classic stuff, popular and unique toys, plush, ride ons, legos, puzzles, stocking stuffers and so much more. This house is destined to be a hit.

7. This critically acclaimed children’s book by Jimmy Kimmel will bring the silly out of any serious goose. BOOKHAMPTON has a gift for everyone on your list.

8. EGG New York in Southampton has some of the cutest baby duds around and this little love hat is no exception.

9. The 3 young opera singers who launched THE OPERA DOLLS this summer started it with the goal of making opera tangible, relevant, and accessible to young audiences and beyond. Follow their adventures in Kenya and Europe on social media.

STUMPED FOR WHAT TO GET HIM?

1. If your dude is a dad, aspires to dad fashion, or just really likes MONTAUK HARD LABEL WHISKEY, then this hat is the gift for him.

2. Is he feeling a little cranky and rough around the edges? Soften up your man with CBD salt scrub from local MMJ pioneers HEMP IN THE HAMPTONS (by Hampton Medi Spa)

3. Does your guy live in Quogue, live near Quogue, or just love Quogue? Then you need to swing into THE QUOGUE SHOP. They have all sorts of cute and preppy Q items, like this belt, for your favorite “west of the canal” dude.

4. Morris & Sons in Southampton has some seriously dapper duds. We’re obsessed with this hunter green tie.

5. WHITEWATER OUTFITTERS isn’t just for hard core fishermen (I mean, it’s for them too) but you can pick up all sorts of cool gear and accessories for your manly man there. We love this Grundens Cap and he will too.

6. Is your guy elegant and manly? Or does he aspire to be? This Yak Horn from DESTINATION HAUS is about to make his desk, or bookcase, or nightstand the coolest spot in the house.

7. Has he been good this year? I mean, really good? Let the friendly staff at LONDON JEWELERS help you pick out the perfect timepiece for your perfect gentleman, we happen to be fans of Panerai.

8. Is there anything tougher and cooler than a good Carhartt? He doesn’t need to be outdoorsy or mechanically inclined to enjoy the warmth and ruggedness of this classic jacket. Keep it local and pick one up for a good price at FISHER SIGNS AND SHIRTS in Southampton.

9. Again, for the win, SYLVESTER & CO in Sag Harbor has gifts for dogs and dudes too! This Man Can is perfect for when you’re feeling stumped.

10. We’re all stoked about the return of the Sag Harbor Cinema, and you can find branded goods throughout the village but even bigger names are getting in on the action. This cap from BONGIORNO supports the restoration project and flaunts your love of local.

FOR THE QUIRKY, WILD, AND YOUNG AT HEART...

1. A first edition JRR Tolkein? C’mon, you know there’s someone in your life that would give their first born for this one. Find it at SOUTHAMPTON BOOKS.

2. The Holidays are a great time to get a book that helps you recover from over indulging.

3. Morgan & Kydd makes the most beautiful handcrafted paper goods, this just might be our favorite card this season.

4. For a textile based company, St Frank definitely has a quirky affinity for the unusual. This one is for the sophisticated yet slightly dangerous crowd.

5. Wyeth has incredible style, and these bookends are no exception. An elegant statement for the bold aesthete.

6. RBG on the tree? Count us in.

7. Could anything be more seasonally appropriate and less cliché at the same time than Nordic Tales? This book is a stunner.

8. Subtle and earthy, this keychain from LOVE ADORNED pays homage to the 60′s and/or maybe your high school days. Yup those are magic mushrooms.

9. LEVAIN BAKERY in Wainscott has the biggest, softest gooiest cookies on the planet, and they ship!

10. The overlap area between entertainment and decor is a sweet spot for everyone. MECOX for the Domino game win.

So that’s it folks! One thoughtful gift is always better than a bunch of big box sale stuff. There are great gifts to be found all over the North and South Forks at all different price points. Buying locally is a more enjoyable experience than the big chains, you find better, more unique stuff, you get to meet interesting people, hear stories about what you buy, and you actually help your community. Keep the following “Pick 3 Spend 50″ rule in mind as you shop this month, and always...

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blue--stockings · 7 years ago

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Thank you to the lovely @conan-doyles-carnations for tagging me! These were so fun to answer!

How to play the game: 

Answer the 11 questions from the person who tagged you

 Compose 11 questions of your own & tag others!

Here we go!

1. if you could only have one of your five senses, which one would you keep?

Sight. I could live without music (just about), and I could live without taste or smell, but I use my sight for so much. Reading, writing, studying. Plus at least one of my family members is fluent in BSL so I’m sure she’d help me learn.

2. Plays, musicals, or concerts?

Aaah this is hard. Plays, probably. I’m thinking of Shakespeare here; I adore seeing Shakespeare performed. That being said? Live music is one of life’s greatest joys.

3. What is at the top of your bucket list?

Get a book published!

4. If you could re-live one moment of your life, what would it be?

Probably reading the end of Raven King? I sobbed so much and it was really cleansing and I loved that book. Either that or I’d go back and change something that I still regret. Get rid of harsh words I said to someone ans still regret.

5. Describe yourself in three words. (I realise this is not technically a question, but I’m asking anyway!)

Hardworking

Empathetic

Creative

6. If you could go back in time, who would you want to meet and what’s the first question you would ask them?

I think a lot about this. There are loads of people I’d like to meet from the past, but in the end I’d probably meet Tolkien. I’d ask him about his fantasy languages, particularly Sindarin, and ask him to clear up the study of them! Theres so much confusion and debate about the exact grammar and conjugation of this stuff… and so many words missing that I’d love to know.

7. What is your idea of a “perfect” human being?

Wonder Woman.

Only joking. Philosophically speaking, I don’t think a perfect human can exist. Gaunilio’s Island, anyone? You will always be able to add something on to make them more perfect. And for each person, what the human should be like to be perfect will be different. And it might change.

For me, the perfect human is an imperfect one. I think flaws are beautiful.

8. Sun, moon, or stars?

Am I allowed to say all of them? I’m saying all of them. I’m a sun person, definitely. But I’m in love with the moon.

9. What would your ideal house look like?

A big, old house in the countryside. It has huge windows along the back looking out onto a garden, where I keep chickens, and bees, and an orchard. There’s a large patio with a fire pit and I can lounge outside with my friends in the evenings. There’s a slate-tiled kitchen, a music room with a glossy piano, and several cellos, and upstairs the rooms are mostly dedicated to books. I have an office, which is neatly arranged, and has Claude Monet prints on the walls. Everything is decorated with soft colours and lots of flowers. It is always peaceful.

10. What is the weirdest/best dream you’ve ever had (that you are willing to share 😉😂)?

I have weird dreams all the time. The most prominent one has to be the dream I had that a boy from my history class pinned me down, and told me the sharks were going to eat me- and then his friends all started biting me. I also had one about fighting mermaids with fire powers? And another where my family were cast as the crew in a Firefly reboot?

11. What is your most prized possession, and if you had to get rid of it who would you give it to?

Am I allowed to say something cheesy like my heart? No? no. In all actuality, I don’t have a most prized possession. I think I put a lot more value in people and friends than I do in objects. That being said, if I had something precious I needed to give away, I’d give it to my mum. She’s a very sensible lady and I trust her with a lot of things. I could be certain she’d take good care of it.

Okey dokey time for my questions;

1. If you could only read 5 more books ever, which 5 would you pick?

2. What would your ideal house look like?

3. What is at the top of your bucket list?

4. What’s your favourite album? Is it the same as your favourite musician? (If not, why?)

5. Oldest book you ever read?

6. What’s your favourite item of clothing? How often do you wear it?

7. Favourite place to kiss?

8. Cats, dogs, or a different animal?

9. What’s one thing that you find beautiful that others may not?

10. If you had to be handcuffed to a character for 24 hours, who would you pick?

11. What is your favourite part of yourself?

I’m tagging;

@fairytaletiger

@purple--bear

@dragonridingkitten

@gay-space-doggo

@william-sherlock-soft-holmes

And anyone who sees this and wants to have a go!

(Tag me in your posts so I can see your answers?)

#tag #text post #long post #questions #me

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storytimewithtara-blog · 7 years ago

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Redecorating

Kevin headed to the living room, desperate to catch the highlights from the games missed today. There were only so many days in a row he could stand being out of the loop with the guys at the office. He saw Marie shifting the TV farther to the left on the entertainment stand. She angled the TV to face the majority of the room, but this gave his leather recliner an awful position. There would be a horrible sun glare all day and Marie's mother's reading lamp would do the same all night.

“Babe, what are you doing?” he asked, hoping it was simply a bit of random cleaning.

“Just need a few more inches of space for the painting I bought today,” she said as she stepped back to get a full view of the TV's position. Marie seemed happy with it. She must have been ignoring the obvious cons this had for his chair and moved to line up the canvas to the wall.

“Does it have to go there?”

“Why not?

“Don't you think it throws off the room a bit?” He thought that was something he'd heard drifting out from the home renovation shows Sadie watched any time she was in the living room, which was most of the time.

Kevin had taken the opportunity of her taking a shower to claim the space, for awhile at least. Once she came down, Sadie would settle into her chair quietly and take up knitting while casually mentioning how sports moved too fast and made her dizzy. He'd be able to ignore the clipping sounds of needles and occasional sighs until the highlights were over. Then he would stand, smile, and ask what channel Sadie would like. She'd fuss and say he could watch whatever he wanted, but after one more insistence on his part a show would quickly come to mind. The phrase started with “Well, I suppose” and ended “if you really don't mind, Kevin”. Every time. He'd taken to mouthing the words as she spoke when he was turned away from her to change the channel.

Marie dropped the canvas back to the floor. “You don't like it. I thought you would like it.”

The painting was possibly a city sidewalk lined with streetlamps, New York City or such. Everything looked sort of melted, maybe it was raining. There had been rain on their trip to New York, they had huddling under an umbrella from the restaurant to the theater for their show. That's what the content side of him saw anyway. The grouchy side saw a night on fire, burning away the structure and beauty of the city life. Kevin didn't understand the painting either way, but that did not mean he hated it. This wasn't about the painting.

“Babe, it's great. I just don't think it fits there. Why mess up the TV? It would fit on the back wall.”

“I finally hung some of our pictures back there. Mom finally decided on a few that weren't too distracting.”

He could hear in her voice that he should have noticed the frames on the wall. Most of those had been on the bedroom floor. Kevin turned to the second recliner that was pulled back to sit more snugly in the corner of the room and saw their smiling faces from the Virgin Islands, Eiffel Tower, and a couple different European churches. If the chair were in its original space, there would have been room for pictures and painting alike, but Sadie like the view out the bay window back there. The reading lamp that would put a glare in the center of his TV was to the chair's right and a bag of yarn and a half finished hat were on its left.

“Why can't she do that upstairs?” he asked for what was the twentieth time since Sadie had arrived.

“She likes to knit while she watches TV.”

“There is a TV in her room.” He knew she used it, at night he could hear reruns of I Love Lucy coming from her room because Sadie turned the volume up for her hearing and then fall asleep with the TV on. Kevin was often pulled out of a light sleep by a particularly loud laugh track.

“I'm not just going to shut her into one room, Kevin. She wants to be around us,” Marie said.

“How about next to the corner stand,” he said flinging a hand out to the opposite back corner of the room.

“The painting doesn't fit with Mom's figures.”

Marie looked over the Precious Moments that lined the shelves. Dozens of doe eyed boys and girls frozen in romantic scenes or lifetime highlights. He spotted a couple kissing on a bench, a young girl holding a drawing, a newlywed couple that was stamped with their wedding date, and an angel boy stamped with the date of her father's passing. That one creeped him out the most. There seemed to be one for anything notable Marie had done in her life. Few of their own belongings remained on the shelves: a bottle of sand from Mexico, another with ash from Pompeii, and a new book on Spain that Marie had been talking about reading for weeks. There was no point in researching a trip they couldn't set a date for. Marie wouldn't leave Sadie alone and Sadie didn't find Spain all that appealing. Kevin almost laughed at the image of a frustrated Sadie arguing in slow English to a market salesman over what was a lemon and what was a lime. Was there a Precious Moment for culture shock?

“And why can't those go in her room?” Kevin asked.

“Spreading out her things makes this feel more like home for her, which it is. Keeping it all locked in a room would be mean.”

Marie was counting the figures with a subtle tap of her finger on her arm, to see if Sadie had added any more. They had started on just one shelf and slowly infected the rest of the stand.

Kevin thought of the bookcases shoved into their bedroom. Both had been crowded with books, but now held a cluster of decorative items that had lost their positions. One item was the Day of the Dead mask that once hung in the kitchen, after Sadie had been shocked into prayer three days in a row the mask was taken down and hidden away. Large prints of Bible verses replaced their photographs of Mardi Gras, those pictures now laid flat on top of books.

“How about our bedroom?” he asked.

“I want people to see it, Kevin. I can't just drag people into our room. Especially the way it looks now.”

The room Sadie claimed upstairs had been a sort of office/den space for them. Her arrival not only moved the bookshelves to their room, but the small desk they had shared. Laptops rested precariously on nightstands, waiting for the morning Kevin or Marie caught the corner as they rolled out of bed. The loveseat and chair were squished into what had been a small workout room downstairs, but now was the Sadie overflow room. This room now held boxes of home décor she hadn't yet been able to force on their walls, boxes of picture albums and scrapbooks, and Kevin had spied boxes of Marie's school papers as they'd moved it all in.

Kevin mentally ran through the house. He couldn't find a spot that wasn't Sadie filled, or filled to make room for Sadie, unless she wanted to just plaster the new painting to the front door. No, the echo of bells in his mind reminded him that a golden angel, that had been assumed a Christmas decoration but they were now in March, still hung from the knocker. As he gave his hair a toss, Kevin sank into his chair and watched the fading sunlight throw beams across his TV.

“She doesn't fit,” he said.

Marie tilted her head, but her eyes glanced to the figurines. “What are you talking about?”

“She doesn't fit in this house, Marie. There isn't enough room for your mother and us.”

“It is far too late to be having this conversation again.' “We never had this conversation in the first place.”

Marie's father died and she couldn't stand the thought of her mother living alone. As an only child, the only solution she'd found was for Sadie to move in with them. She'd been so upset about the passing, and so sure of the impending depression Sadie was bound for, Kevin only wanted to sooth her and never saw 'no' as an option. They'd had to struggle with Sadie on giving away her late husbands possessions, but a good amount that neither mother or daughter could part with were still stacked on top of his treadmill. Their arrangement was going on seven months and Sadie seemed to be adjusted just fine. The woman wasn't completely dependent on them, but seemed to enjoy having them at beck and call.

A flash of light cut across the room, Kevin hadn't thought about headlights also being a problem for his TV. He heard the shower turn off upstairs. There was no chance of watching his highlights now. Sadie would slip into a cheetah print pajama set and come down with towel dried hair in just a bit. Resigning to spending another night catching up on news from his twelve inch computer while his sixty-five inch TV was used for some HGTV show, Kevin pushed out of his chair. The guys at work would tell him anything he missed tomorrow.

“Put it on the wall, I don't care,” he said.

He heard the bathroom door open, a squeaky voice drifted down. Kevin couldn't make out the words, but he would put money on it being some country song about God, that was her favorite.

“Maybe, maybe it would fit by the corner stand,” Marie said.

Kevin looked between the two walls being discussed. “Might be a tight fit back there.”

Marie walked over to the stand and her fingers landed on top of a figurine, a mother and daughter picking flowers. She balanced the Precious Moment on the edge of the shelf. When Sadie's voice was cut off by the snap of her door, Marie let the figure fall. Bits of porcelain skidded across the wood floor to land at Kevin's feet.

“No,” she said, “there is much more room here now.”

#writing shortstory couple argument story fiction

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