#sincere gestures

[aventurineswife]

Reader is the secret santa for Mortefi, Kaveh, Aventurine, Sunday, Ratio

-Smooch Anon 💋

Secret Gift for Special Someone!

Tags: Mortefi x Reader, Kaveh x Reader, Aventurine x Reader, Sunday x Reader, Ratio x Reader, Fluff, Reader is their Secret Santa, Gift-giving, Romance(?), Sincere gestures, Thoughtful gifts, Lighthearted moments.

As Mortefi’s secret Santa, you understand that he is a man of precision and order. He values elegance in everything, even the smallest gestures. Knowing that he has an obsession with cleanliness and fine detail, you decide to go for something both practical and refined—a handcrafted, perfectly polished leather journal, with fine gold detailing on the edges, and a beautiful pen set made of rare wood and precious metal.

You know that Mortefi can be irritable when it comes to anything imperfect, but you manage to wrap the gift with exceptional care—his eyes will undoubtedly appreciate the craftsmanship. You add a small, personal note tucked inside, a subtle reference to his fondness for classical music. The message reads: “May this journal help you capture the symphonies of your thoughts, every note as sharp as your mind.”

When Mortefi opens it, his brows furrow in silent approval. "Well... this is adequate." he says, not one for overt displays of gratitude. But you can see the spark of appreciation in his eyes, and for a brief moment, his usually tense demeanor softens.

Kaveh’s idealism runs deep, and finding a gift for him is an emotional yet rewarding task. You know that Kaveh values beauty that serves a greater purpose, so you opt for a custom-designed, miniature architectural model of a space that symbolizes hope and kindness—perhaps a small, elegant garden pavilion with elements from Sumeru’s cultural heritage.

The model has intricate details: miniature flowers, a peaceful water feature, and tiny benches where people can rest and reflect. It’s not just a model; it’s a vision of the world Kaveh is always striving to build.

When Kaveh opens the gift, his heart stirs. He pauses before speaking, eyes softening as he looks at the model. "You’ve captured it perfectly." he says quietly, voice thick with gratitude. He places it on his desk as a reminder that despite all the struggles, beauty can still be created in this world.

Aventurine, ever the risk-taker and man of sophistication, would appreciate something a little more personal, yet still tied to his flair for the dramatic. You think of something that embodies both elegance and a sense of mystery—a custom-made deck of playing cards, each card featuring intricate designs that reflect various aspects of his personality. The Joker cards, for example, are styled with roulette wheels and playing cards, while the aces have elements symbolizing different strategic moves or his affinity for risk.

When Aventurine unwraps the gift, a glimmer of recognition lights up his face. "So, this is what you think of me, hmm?" he muses, running his fingers over the smooth edges of the cards. He’s usually all about strategy, but in this moment, you can see the smile that tells you your gift has struck the perfect balance of fun and sophistication.

"Care for a game later?" he asks with a playful glint in his eye, as if he’s always one step ahead. The cards now sit beside his other mementos, each one a reminder of your thoughtful gesture.

Sunday is a man who values balance and harmony above all, so you choose a gift that is both beautiful and meaningful. You know that his ideals often clash with the harsh realities of life, so you decide on something that symbolizes peace and serenity—an exquisitely crafted snow globe featuring a miniature replica of Sweetdream Paradise.

When Sunday opens it, his expression remains composed, but there’s an undeniable softness in his eyes as he examines the globe. The swirling snow inside the globe seems to mirror the tranquil world he often envisions—a place where pain no longer exists, but with the delicate beauty of impermanence.

“Thank you,” he says, his voice steady but warm. “This… this is a reminder of the world I strive for.” He carefully places it on a shelf, and for a moment, you both share a quiet understanding of the kind of world he wishes to create—one that might never come to be, but is worth dreaming about.

Ratio’s brilliance can make him difficult to shop for. He isn’t one for sentimental gifts, but you also know that he values knowledge above all else. So, you decide to combine practicality with intellectual stimulation by gifting him a rare, ancient manuscript—one that he would never have thought to acquire himself. The book is a long-forgotten treatise on the application of logic in art, beautifully preserved in a leather-bound edition with intricate golden lettering.

When Ratio opens the gift, his eyes immediately lock onto the manuscript, and you can see his usual arrogance soften into genuine admiration. “This is… impressive. You actually paid attention,” he mutters, flicking through the pages with a hint of excitement. His usual dismissiveness fades as he delves into the contents. "This will be useful. Thank you."

While he may not express overwhelming emotion, the way he later references passages from the manuscript as if they are his own ideas shows just how much your gift means to him. The small smile he tries to suppress is enough of a thank you.

[slutforpringles]

Italian Motorsport journalist Stefano Nicoli reflecting on Daniel Ricciardo's career

For the "Kansas City" move on Vettel in Monza in 2014. For the memes about that unfortunate pit stop in Monaco in 2016. For the win in Malaysia against Verstappen in the same year. For the triple overtake in Baku in 2017. For the middle finger to your teammate in Hungary in 2017. For the horrifying Texan beard you sported in Austin. For the 'Belly Flop' after the win in Monaco in 2018. For the pole position snatched away from Verstappen in Mexico in 2018. For the "Do you understand Italian? No? Then f*ck off!" on live television. For the victory at Monza in 2021. For the shoeys you did and made others do, for riding into the paddock on a horse equipped with it's own pass, for disintegrating a camper van together with Verstappen, for hitting Verstappen in Baku, for all the nonsensical braking you did, for almost knocking Norris out with a space hopper, for the kindness that I saw you show even and above all when the cameras were off, for the interviews you did without shoes because damn you had used them to drink from, for the gestures you made while you spoke because Italian genes - even if very distant - always find a way to come out. Choose for yourself what you will remember Daniel Ricciardo's Formula 1 career for. It seems to me that this big Australian fella, after all, has given us more than one reason to do so.

[rawliverandcigarettes]

Thinking about Mass Effect, as you do, and how I'm kind of sad that the way it's been engraved in pop culture has more to do with the way internet reacted to it at the time than what the actual game is about. Yes sure, it's about romance (and not that much all things considered) and it's pulpy (but not solely because of hot lady aliens), but it's also intricate worldbuilding that touches on a lot of sharp ideas, and a complicated tug-of-war between a genuine and vulnerable belief in reconciliation and community VS post 9-11 US military propaganda and steadfast belief in heroic exceptionalism, and the melancholic yet energizing mood, and the daring narrative systems, and so so much more than the 'We'll Bang OKs" and the "There's No Shepard Without Vakarian" and the whole ME3 ending situation

It's all there, but I'm sad the impact of the series is often reduced to (what I think is) the least interesting parts of its sum

[epiphainie]

i think one of the reasons why i'm so giddy about how buck's infatuation with tommy has been played by the show is because i want buck to be stupid in love with someone again. like i'm not gonna pretend buck being bi and with a man now is not an allure in and of itself, this fandom has always been dominated by mlm shipping so idk why that's thrown people's way like an accusation, but personally i, the number one fan of how buck looks when he affectionately kisses someone and how he watches them when they're talking and how he strokes their hair just casually and how he goes out of his way to just adore them, want to see him be insanely in love again. it's been soooo long since abby and like i didn't even care about that relationship that much but i literally tear up thinking about how much he loved abby sometimes, man, like just the way he loves, you know? and i wanna see that again, fuck, because while it's controversially if bucktaylor doesn't have any fans i'm dead yadda yadda here on my part, we haven't seen buck be sooo infatuated and adoring with her like he was with abby and he couldn't have that with ali, natalia, or lucy either and goddamn i just want to see buck be in love again

[silverhalla]

Seleny Merlot, 8:92 Blessed

Teia had looked far too pleased when she asked him to dinner. That should have been the first clue.

Viago didn’t trust restaurants. In all honesty, he detested them. He could only test for so many poisons at once, and had only developed his immunity to a few dozen. A restaurant was danger. It was his life, in the hands of an unknown chef, in the hands of many unknown persons with many untold reasons to perhaps want him dead. As a rule, he avoided them, but Teia was... insistent. She owned the little bistro, though, and had personally vetted anyone with access to his food for the evening. It was a touching gesture, truly, to make him feel more comfortable in a place he felt deeply, uniquely exposed.

It should have been his second clue.

(also on [ao3]!!)

The establishment was irritatingly nice. Candles flickered on every table, although theirs was the only one taken. If he’d been on edge before, his concern was certainly peaking now.

"You're planning something," he groused after the waiter walked away, pulling out Teia's chair for her. She sat delicately, looking up at him through her lashes as he sat down across the table.

"I am not," she insisted, sounding far too smug.

Viago sighed. "It's bad, isn't it?"

"Oh, hush. Drink some wine." She reached for the menu, smiling at him in a way that reminded him far too much of a satisfied cat. "Try to enjoy yourself for once."

"I'm enjoying myself," he huffed, not enjoying himself at all. "Hand me the wine list."

“Of course,” she said, taking a quick glance at it before passing it over. "Seleny Merlot, 8:92 Blessed. Isn’t that Rook’s favorite?”

Viago squinted at her, unamused. “Why do you know that?”

“Oh, it just came to mind.” She waved a hand dismissively, returning to her study of the menu. “It came up recently in conversation.”

That was news. “You saw Rook?”

“No,” Teia purred, batting her dark, pretty eyes at him. “I saw Lucanis.”

Viago’s voice went deadly serious. “Andarateia.”

“He was thinking of buying a bottle or two,” she hinted, “or so I heard.” She leaned forward, barely hiding a smirk, and he could feel a vein at his temple begin to throb.

"Why is a Dellamorte..." - he hissed the name through his teeth - "...buying expensive wine for my protege?"

Teia fluttered a hand, looking nonchalant. “Oh, I’m sure there was a reason. Perhaps her nameday?”

“Half a year ago,” he said, narrowing his eyes. “You planned her trip to the coast.”

“Did I? I must have forgotten.” Teia bridged her fingers and rested her chin upon them, blinking up at the man innocently. “Well, friends buy friends gifts. Like the dagger she got for him, or so the vendor mentioned.”

It was a trap, he knew, and he walked into it anyways. “When?”

“A few months, give or take.”

That was a horrifying concept – how long he’d gone without spotting it. "Months!?"

“Oh, don’t be so glum,” Teia teased, “I’m sure it's nothing. She would’ve said something. To one of us, at least.”

There was a beat, where Teia smiled serenely and his fury simmered.

"Did she say something to you?" he asked tersely, already regretting the question.

"Nothing comes to mind." She pretended to think about it carefully, her brow furrowed. "I suppose she hasn't had much time lately. The last time I saw her was..."

"When you were planning Caterina's funeral," Viago finished, wheels turning in his head. "...and he brought her with him."

"For moral support, wasn't it? He needed her close by, just in case." She paused, tilting her chin thoughtfully. "Now that I think about it, there was a comment..."

"Teia...," he groaned, his eyes pleading.

She waved a hand dismissively. "I had complimented her. And insulted you in the process, of course."

"Of course," he said, sarcastic as ever.

"And Lucanis got a little..." Teia paused, considering her words carefully. "...defensive."

Vi's eyes narrowed. "How so?"

"He told me not to flirt with her." That, at least, seemed like a decent idea.

"For once, something he and I agree on," he said, casting her a scathing look.

She ignored him, continuing. "And he looked absolutely pitiful about it," Teia added, "...and he called her his colleague."

There was another shoe that had to drop, surely, but he had to know. “Is that it?”

"Oh, but he almost didn't. 'Teia, don't flirt with my... colleague'!" she mimicked, affecting his slightly posher accent, "Like that."

"Like he wanted to call her something else." Viago frowned, brooding. "Did she seem surprised?"

Teia's grin only grew. "She blushed. To the tips of her ears."

Viago cursed, leaning back in his chair. It was a bigger problem than he'd thought. If Lucanis was smitten, he'd kill him. If Rook was smitten, he could give her a strong talking-to and make thinly-veiled threats. Of course the fool had to fall for a Dellamorte, of all people. It was irritating how easily she shaped up plans to ruin her own life. If it were a one-sided crush, yes, he could deal with that. Find a way to dissuade her, or to threaten him. But if that interest was mutual... Mierda.

“Maybe we’re reading too much into it,” he said hopelessly, desperate for another explanation. "Plenty of Crows send out gifts for well-struck contracts. Maybe a gift for a job well done?"

“Perhaps,” Teia conceded, going back to perusing the drink menu. Her eyes kept flickering back up to him, though, a mischievous look on her face, which he ignored for as long as he could manage.

Finally, after a minute of terse silence and furtive looks, he sighed. “What?”

“Nothing! I’m just thinking about that wine,” Teia hinted, “It must be good.”

He considered deeply whether he’d done something stupid recently. Stupid enough, at least, that she’d poison him for it. It wouldn’t be anything he hadn’t built up a tolerance for, but it would certainly make for an unpleasant evening.

The waiter, seeming to sense his acquiescence, materialized at the table. “Signora?”

“A glass of Antivan White,” Teia said sweetly, flashing the boy a dazzling smile that had him stammering as he turned to take the other assassin's order.

“And… and for you?”

“I’ll try the 8:92,” Viago sighed, annoyed that he had to take the bait, “…a glass, but only if you have a fresh bottle. We’ll uncork it here.” The odds of getting poisoned at one of the Cantori’s restaurants were low, but never zero. He untucked the tester kit from his sleeve regardless.

“Of course, signore. If you enjoy the vintage - well, it should be much easier to come by in these next few months.”

“Is that so?” Teia chimed, flashing the boy one of her dazzling smiles, one she'd used on Viago on plenty of occasions. It politely demanded conversation.

“Yes. The winery is under new ownership, you see. And under strict orders for restaurants to keep a reserve.” He returned the Seventh Talon’s smile, every bit as starstruck and moony-eyed as would’ve been expected, faced with Teia’s interest. The comment did not go unnoticed.

Viago recovered as best as he could, already on edge. “What do you mean?”

The boy launched into a long demonstration that he didn’t comment on simply because he was fuming, and feeling utterly foolish, and because language seemed to escape him. The Dellamortes hadn’t just bought the wine, the sommelier had explained cheerfully. They’d bought the whole vineyard.

Teia smirked, and Viago nursed a headache that began forming almost immediately. Somewhere, he was sure, he had a poison that could end this misery.

“On second thought,” he grumbled, “…I will take the whole bottle.”

[normal-enderman]

I, I get fish and chips now.... I Understand.

[girlsdads]

post bahrain gp

[talaofthevalley]

Thinking about how Revolver's only blushing sprite has his anti-glare shield activated.

Playmaker: ….Revolver why is your anti-glare shield activated? Revolver: ….Don't worry about it. Playmaker: I am. And why won't you face me. Revolver: It's your imagination. Playmaker: Look at me. Revolver: No. Playmaker: Look at me, let me see your face. Revolver: Have you not looked enough to be sated for a lifetime?! Playmaker: Don't be ridiculous! I will never have enough of looking at your face! Revolver: #$@&%

[ckret2]

The last like two sentences of your recent post about animals got me thinking. Would bill ever like. Pet someone’s head. What would the context even need to be for that to happen. Would he only do it if he knew it would annoy them.

Yes, yes he would pet someone's head.

[thatswhatsushesaid]

Okay, but what do ✨YOU✨ think JGY would think about LXC’s flute solo trait? 🤣

I'm experiencing deja vu, anon, because I feel like I have for sure answered an ask about this once before!! but I can't find it, woe etc.

anyway, jgy will patiently sit through as many flute solos as his er-ge feels compelled to perform, both because it is always a joy and a delight for him to listen to lxc play, and also because it's not like anyone else in lxc's life is granting him the space to express his feelings in whatever way makes him feel the most at ease!

like in all seriousness, lxc spends so much of his time and energy across all adaptations of the canon taking care of everyone else around him, and there is exactly one person in his life who makes space to provide him with support (emotional and material), both before and after he actually has the power to do so.

jgy's love language in the text consistently manifests through gift-giving (e.g., fairy for jin ling, all the presents he gives to huaisang which are tailored specifically to his interests) and acts of service (e.g., protecting and sheltering lan xichen during the war, using his newly acquired influence to secure the funds to rebuild the cloud recesses, as well as [iirc] preventing lwj from facing too much political blowback after wwx's death; literally dropping everything in the middle of hosting a banquet to help huaisang with yet another problem, etc).

so basically, imo, if what lxc needs every so often is to exorcise his own emotional demons through impromptu flute solos, there is no one in his life better equipped to understand why than jgy.

[iceicewifey]

idk who needs to hear this but your oc stand’s name doesn’t need to perfectly match their ability

[thevegetablewhichnoonedaresname]

today I accidentally managed to monologue about em dashes for a solid 40 minutes and I don't know whether "guy who's passionate about punctuation and document formatting" is a thing I'm thrilled to sincerely claim for myself or extremely sad about

[worstloki]

i actually love the idea that if Thor was raised with Loki then he grew up learning more and uses the charismatic himbo vibe as a front and if Thor was raised without Loki it's not a persona and he actually is just a charismatic himbo now

[swordmaid]

I really like the astarion flustered cough it is so 🤭 it makes me laugh hehe now I am imagining what shri’iia’s flustered reaction is but all I’m thinking is

shri’iia’s brain short circuiting for like 3 seconds and she’s like…..ANYWAY.

[yujeong]

I LOVE the poem you just shared 🥺 I definitely thought it was Pete's pov before I read your tags, and figured that Pete's death was when he nearly died in the safehouse. Maybe it's super cool that it can be read both ways or maybe I'm just delusional. Either way, thank you for sharing 💕

My sweet anon, I would have replied to your beautiful ask sooner, but unfortunately, it made me cry a little too hard for that to be possible. Thank you so, so much for sharing your thoughts about my poem with me. You're definitely not delusional; the beauty of poetry is that each reader can find their own meaning in it. I'm so glad I wrote this in a way that it might not make it clear who's talking: both Vegas and Pete are obsessed with each other, so it'd honestly fit Pete's POV as well. Thank you for opening my eyes to this, I had no idea before. I've been struggling with my writing a lot this year. It's been a struggle to even post those snippets for the 2 year kpts event I share, because my overthinking brain keeps finding flaws in everything I write. Even with my poor beta's help and encouragement it's been a pain, so just know, your message means the world to me. Thank you ❤️

[bledf1rst]

tim drake deserves the hair ruffle + " you did a good job " combo