#so all the muses i´ve ever picked; the most important thing when it comes to picking them is that fundamentally i like them;

[tanzoshi]

@corrchoigilt​​​ said ; 1 and 2? >>  /  𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐄.

1. What made you pick up this character?

Oh boiiiiii I’LL TRY TO MAKE THESE SHORT BC- now I have 7 swords in this blog 😳👉👈 (not counting tsuru who’s on his own blog) but if it ends up getting hella long then let’s just say that I think they are all cool and neat ✨

KASEN KANESADA: I’ll be honest here and say that initially, I picked him bc of his rather funny personality ARIOTUEORIT; If I had to describe his personality, (or at least how I perceive him); I would probably use the word ‘peacock-like’ behavior. Kasen is that kind of person that goes around self proclaiming himself to be this really cultured person and blabbering about elegance which aside from being funny, I find that its quite an interesting contrast when one takes in consideration his backstory; bc on one hand, you have the origin of his name that comes from the 36 Immortals of Poetry, (that were a group of 36 japanese poets selected as examples of the best of poets) yet on the other hand, ironically, Kasen’s former master also happened to kill 36 of his vassals; so the game alongside stage plays and the anime tend to play with this contrast between this elegance attributed from the meaning behind his name and this violent streak that he inherited from his previous master that we only really get to see him display on the battlefield . In a way these two traits kind of seem like oil and water, but somehow they happen very naturally to Kasen.

Aside this, he’s kind of a tsundere and implied to be kind of a ‘know-nothing know-it all’ kind of person which I love to see on characters tbh 

SHOKUDAIKIRI MITSUTADA: Visually speaking, it was kind of love at first sight when I saw him for the first time 😳😳😳 HE REALLY HIT ALL THE NAILS LIKE; all black clothes + hair covering one eye + eyepatch, + the black & golden color palette ??? His design really appeals a lot to me bc its stuff I think looks really cool on characters (you can notice this in some charas I wrote in the past like; robin, izou, dantes, ahem-) that aside; when it comes to his personality, I was pretty suprised when I first read about him bc in contrast to his cool looks, his personality is kind of like a puppy- he’s friendly and really nice! he may look kind of intimidating at first glance but in reality, it’s all part of his dream to look ‘cool’; he’s always very concerned about looking ‘cool’ (kind of like Charlemagne in fate!), perhaps as a means to hide the fact that his name comes from a time where he happened to cut through a bronze candlestick holder, which he thinks is not a really cool explanation;;

“ I'm Shokudaikiri Mitsutada. I'm a katana that was once used by Lord Date Masamune. I don't harbor any bad feelings towards Lord Masamune, but my name comes from a time when I killed someone and happened to cut a candlestick that was nearby at the same time... Although it really was a bronze candlestick holder, it would've been cooler if it had been something a bit more durable. “

That aside, the fact that he was a sword that belonged to Date Masamune is pretty interesting on its own, so when I found about this I knew that I had to read about him 😳 not to mention that besides usually liking bastards, I have a soft spot for genuinely friendly and kind characters, to which he certainly fits that category (besides being kind of a malewife)

HESHIKIRI HASEBE: THIS GUY- I explained more in depth on a previous ask about the reasons as of why I picked him, so i’ll just try to summarize it. Basically, I used to be kind of indifferent about him for the longest time until he began appearing more and more on my pinterest dash, and i kind of fell for his funny personality and how cool artist made him look! so naturally I had to read about him;;; I picked Heshi bc to me, his personality, story and the way his character was interpreted in the game are very interesting to me. Although when I picked him I didn’t see the anime, once I did, I was able to take a closer look at his personality and the reasoning behind his actions and it all sort of helped solidify my apreciation for him. I find that putting the memes aside, he’s a pretty complex character that once you get to understand; his actions and thoughts sort of click bc it all ties back to his past in a way that you can understand why it affects him the way it does in the present. I won’t blabber much about him bc otherwise this will get much longer than intended but the conclusion to all of this is that i love him yes-

ISHIKIRIMARU: I LOVE HIM- THAT’S IT- His character makes me feel all at peace bc of how naturally gentle he is and how kind his voice sounds !!😭😭😭 His story is also pretty interesting bc!! compared to the other swords that have ‘actual’ stories tied to them, on his case, there are no specific accounts of a particular sword named ‘Ishikirimaru’ ,in the sense that his character seems to be influenced by -various- accounts. As far as I remember, the majority of these swords he seems to have been based on have this common trait of being sort of sacred swords; The most obvious influence seems to be the case of this one sword that had a reputation for being used to heal swellings and tumours, tho there’s also another case of a sword that could cut through stone as well, and so on. Besides his looks and story, what got me to want to attempt to write him was to try to explore this sort of conflict he has about now being used not to heal, but to be used on the battlefield; to injure, to kill; which are things that are veryyyy different to what he’s used to doing; which was to stay at a shrine and help heal people. Swords that were like Ishikirimaru were usually kept at shrines and not actually meant to be used on the battlefield so now that he’s been materialized on this second life, he has to come to terms with this new task that pretty much is the contrary to what he was made for, and i dunno! I always find interesting when characters have these inner conflicts

MIKAZUKI MUNECHIKA: LE JIJI !! he was alongside Kashuu one of the first characters that drew my attention when I found out about touken ranbu; he’s kind of like the face of the game, kind of like how artoria is the face of f.ate g.rand o.rder in a way. Mikazuki fits the kind of characters I tend to like which are old spirits (example; casgil, zhongli, many fate servants, basically spiritually peepaws) tho mikazuki’s personality isn’t grumpy or tired; he’s more nonchalant and calm, a lil sneaky as well! I really like this old-man-like attitude he has and how despite being part of the Tenka Goken (a group of swords famous for their history and beauty), he’s very relaxed?? he doesn’t really go around flashing how cool he is; he just sits on a corner and drinks his tea with his lil old man laugh- One thing I find interesting about Mikazuki which also brought me to pick him (which is a thing Tsurumaru also shares) is just how truly old the sword actually is- like, historically speaking, Mikazuki comes from the Heain period which is suuuper old, and this of course carries a lot of history with it, which is reflected on his character and the way he acts, and I don’t mean just his old man kind of personality, I mean it in the way that it’s commonly thought that the reason why Mikazuki is rarely surprised or carries such a calm disposition comes in great part bc of his long history of existence, which of course carries with itself a lot of experience. Another thing I like about him is how due to his long history of existence, he kinds of becomes the sword that others come to in order to ask advice to, i like these kind of characters that are able to offer comfort and guidance in their own mysterious ways, they always know what to say and when to say the things other’s need to hear the most. So yeah! Aside his obviously wonderful design (which is fitting considering his position as part of the Tenka Goken) I love how much history can be traced and incorporated on his character as now a sentient individual.

NAGASONE KOTETSU: He fits the chill giant that looks kinda scary at first glance but is actually pretty kind and considerate trope and I love him for that OIUTROIUTYR but!! he’s not just that!! Nagasone has a story that is super interesting as well and that I think the game was able to translate into his character in a very neat way- Basically Nagasone’s source of conflict to say (or well, on his case, he manages to find even more strenght in his nature) is that he’s a counterfeit— and he’s very much well aware of this, yet this does little to stop him from always wanting to give his very best and to prove to himself that despite his nature, he can be just as good as the real thing, which hits when u take in consideration that he has to somewhat daily cope with Hachisuka’s distaste towards him for being a Kotetsu counterfeit. I always had a soft spot for characters that despite their nature still fight to be the best version of themselves they can be, and Nagasone is a really neat example of this.

Another thing that I found super interesting about him is how despite being the sword of Kondo Isami (the leader of the Shinsengumi) he’s able to keep a very objective view, and is able to keep his head cool in the sense that although he values Kondo a lot, he’s able to put his bias to the side and seems to not strictly adhere to the rules of the shinsengumi as how some other swords would when it comes to their respective previous masters and backgrounds. I read that in the musical when he ordered to retreat from a battle, upon being questioned about this decision, he said that the rules didn’t save the shinsengumi from their downfall ;; and this is something that really caught my attention because its common to see in touken ranbu characters, the swords being deeply tied to their past owners and background; example Yasusada with Okita Souji and so on. Also despite his rather chill attitude, he’s pretty mature (putting aside his bickering with Mutsunokami OIRUYRIOUY) I read that in one recollection he talks about this common thing swords experience which is facing their previous master in the past and having this need to want to save them from their ends and change the past (when the swords deep down know they shouldn’t); to which he views this whole matter as the kind of things more immature swords would lean to, and I found this interesting bc unlike swords like Heshikiri who feel bitter about their previous masters, Nagasone actually cherished Kondo, so for him to be able to understand quickly that this is not a choice they can decide on reflects his maturity when it comes down to serious matters. IN GENERAL I THINK HE’S REALLY COOL OKOK ✊😌

OOKURIKARA: FINALLY, THE LAST- Ookurikara fits the kind of characters i´ve always liked which are basically;; the rancid type; Ookurikara does not want to get along with anyone nor wants anyone to reach to him, and he is pretty dang direct about this as most of his dialogue lines make reference to how he does not seek to make friends or get along with anyone,,, not even with the master! he’s a solitary individual and the kind that doesn’t seem to find this as a suffering; from a quick glance one may think this solitary and very highly independent behavior seems kind of random, that is until you take in consideration that Ookurikara is a mumeitou, which means he’s a sword that lacks its sword smith’s signature. The signature on a blade is a symbol of the swordsmith’s pride on his work, usually swords become a mumeitou when they get shortened since the grip part where the signature usually would be is the part that gets cut, which is likely what happened with Ookurikara’s case; now fandom seems to interpret that all of this translates into his behavior in the fact that by not having his swordsmith’s signature on him, it basically means he’s free real state tm, which means that he’s free to do as he wishes bc if he doesn´t belong to anyone, then why should he follow orders? I like this explanation bc it makes a lot of sense when u think about it; and of course just like all swords, if you send him to kiwame he eventually undergoes through his own character development from which he comes to realize the importance of companionship and of allowing others to help him. What i like about him and one of the reasons as of why i picked him as a muse is because besides the rancidness and his ties to Fudo Myo-O, there is a lot of room for character growth through interactions; he’s the kind of character that does need an external force in order to come to terms with many things bc he is rather stubborn himself and tends to stay inside his own shell

2. How did you get into this franchise/fandom?

answered here !

[stillwatcr]

i’m a lazy bastard and didn’t want to make multiple posts, so you get this massive post. some important links: their long form bios (x), their connection page (x), and for funsies, the pinterest board i’ve made (x). all are wips and i’ll improve/change things as we go! buckle up, y’all are going on a feels ride with my boys. trigger warnings are contained at the beginning of each of their intros. if you make it to the end, i’ll give you a hug.

( oliver jackson-cohen, cis male, he/him, muse 39 ) i saw benjamin goldman at the docks doing sketches of the boats. it’s good to see them, i heard they’ve been living in redwater for his entire life making a living as a lumberyard worker. did you know their birthday just passed ? that makes them 33 years old and a pisces, which makes sense to me considering they’re shy and tolerant. i heard they’re thinking about becoming a full time artist. i hope it works out. 

tw: death

the youngest in a family of immigrants, benjamin was the only child born in the us. this sense of displacement has been in his bones since he was born, never quite comfortable wherever he is.

his family came to washington to work in the lumber industry. it was a hard adjustment but his father was enchanted with the lush forests he saw in a postcard when they landed in america. while the reality didn’t match the dream, the goldmans didn’t have the money to go anywhere else.

benjamin has never known anywhere else, growing up and living in the logging camps around petersen’s. while one might think he would be comfortable in the forest, benjamin had a terrifying experience with the forest when he was just a young boy.

benjamin wandered away from the camp while playing and became lost at age 8. he wandered through the forest; crying, running from any noise in fear of bears, and sleeping under fallen tree limbs. His ordeal lasted for 14 days. he was picked up on the other side of the island by a passing charcoal burner, and returned to overjoyed parents, but the damage was already done. he had a deep set fear of being lost in the forest, and never wanted to go into it alone again. 

while the incident made him fearful and withdrawn, it connected benjamin with his inner mind, and made him an astute observer of the world. in his recovery, one of the secretaries from the mill gifted him a pencil set and benjamin learned how to draw. it’s always been a secret love of his, but he hardly shows any of his sketches to anyone.

when war came calling, benjamin was called on, quite against his will. he would have been content to live and die in the woods of redwater, but uncle sam had other plans. benjamin was drafted into the us army and to his surprise, became quite versatile with a rifle, owing to him growing up hunting.  

while overseas, he ran into one of the most charismatic members of his platoon, jack adler. benjamin was surprised when one night, jack revealed he was from redwater, benjamin’s hometown. they struck up a conversation, and became fast friends. jack enjoyed his sketches and encouraged him to become an artist after the war, and benjamin let himself dream that it was possible.

of course, every soldier has a tragedy and jack adler became benjamin’s. jack was killed, and benjamin was the one to hold him through it. he was the one to remove jack’s identification tag and his family’s letter, the one to write peggy, the little sister jack talked about on the nights he missed home.

benjamin escaped the war unscathed (though is anyone ever really unscathed?) and came home to redwater, to resume his position as a lumberyard worker. now benjamin is helping the company define its border, and he’s trying to find his own again. benjamin is trying to come back to himself. 

( tom payne, agender, he/him, muse 41 ) i saw peter lamb at roger’s diner getting a bite to eat. it’s good to see them, i heard they’ve been living in redwater for their entire life making a living as a manger at langberg’s. did you know their birthday just passed ? that makes them 37 years old and a virgo, which makes sense to me considering they’re critical and loyal. i heard they’re thinking about becoming a lawyer. i hope it works out.

tw: implied abuse, death mention. 

peter lamb was the only child of a happy couple of redwater. his father and mother had grown up in redwater and lived there their entire lives and as far as they were concerned, so would their son. they saw themselves as being on the brink of being legacies, and their son would be the start of it.

peter was raised like he was a king of his household. they spoiled him, and told him to reach for the stars. yet somehow, peter didn’t let it go to his head. peter would say it was because he saw how a doctor saved his mother’s life when she was in a car crash with him at age 10 (the event made him want to become a doctor), but he knew deep down it was because he was inescapably lonely.

peter had no siblings, no close friends, and he felt different. he didn’t see himself in the casual violence and anger expressed by his father, nor in the soft surrenders of his mother, he didn’t feel like either of them. and when he played with the children on his street, he thought each one of them felt like him, because how couldn’t they? if he was the only one to feel like this... peter couldn’t stand the thought of that, so he ignored it.  

when peter was 15, he got a part time job as a clerk in langberg’s, in the men’s department. it was there that peter fully realized he was different. other men didn’t look at each other like he looked at them, they were confident and knew their masculine side. peter didn’t feel like he had one, like he was entirely separate from gender. he wrote about it in a doeskin journal his mother got him, and hid it behind the baseboard, never to talk about what he felt. 

?????

he worked again in langberg’s, this time as the department manager. but it was the nuremberg trials, the proceedings that laid the blame somewhere, that gave peter the inspiration to follow again. peter knew he wanted to be a lawyer, to hold criminals to account and help victims seek justice. now the big question is just how to get there?  

( sebastian stan, cis male, he/him, muse 1 ) i saw abraham hartley at the uptown waterfront doing net repairs for his fishing boat. it’s good to see them, i heard they’ve been living in redwater for his entire life making a living as a fisherman. did you know their birthday just passed ? that makes them 37 years old and a cancer, which makes sense to me considering they’re insecure and sympathetic. i heard they’re thinking about starting a family. i hope it works out.

tw: alcoholism, child abuse, death, death during birth

abraham was born to a family already a memory. his father was half out the door always, his mother trying to disappear, the house almost slipping out of their grasp every week. abraham never knew plenty, only knew less.

and then, against the odds, a baby. but then elijah came screaming into the world and his mother did her great disappearing act for good. four year old abraham was left hollow eyed in the corner of the room, holding a bloodied infant, and his father gone to a bar to drink, his mother cooling on the table. that less had finally turned into loss.

his father turned his back on elijah and abraham had to beg from door to door to get milk, had to take his father’s boots off when he collapsed on the floor every night. abraham had always thought he had taken after his mother more, but as it turned out, he had to become her. he had to take care of her husband and her child, and became the heart of the hartleys. 

and yet when it counted the most, that heart failed him. a murmur, a murmuring heart, held him back from the jaws of war, and from following his brother to the great battlefield. but abraham had his own battlefield to contend with at home, taking care of his father, whose hard drinking had caught up with him. he had to take over their fishing boat, had to get up before the sun to set out on the water. 

and while abraham had his own fears and struggles to deal with at home, he worried about his brother, unable to protect him like he always had. he feared the war board coming to his door, being handed a folded flag. but it never came, and ve day did, and he could breathe a sigh of relief. 

and then scarce a week later, his father died. abraham had no money, not even for a potter’s grave, so he stole out of his house one night and wrapped his father in a length of canvas, rocks in the lining. his father slipped into the sound, and abraham felt a burden lift. he could move on now, no longer be that frightened little boy in the corner of the room.

and eventually, eli came back. he stole into their house like a stranger and when abraham looks at him, he can scarcely see the boy he raised. he’s not sure if they can ever get to be what they were but he’ll be here for whatever they are now.

[littlefaerose]

perfect is a rooftop with the stars and you

WHO: Marley Rose & Dani Harper

WHEN: Friday, April 20th, 2018

WHERE: Sciron rooftop

WHAT: Combining both of their dream date ideas, Dani and Marley decide to unofficially make things official.

WARNING: Insufferable cuteness? Maybe??

Dani couldn´t even describe how happy she was to be going on another date with Marley. Especially one that had to promise to be the best date she had ever been on. They hadn´t put a label on what they were, but after what had gone down last week and how Marley made her feel Dani, surprisingly, wouldn´t have had a problem with calling Marley her girlfriend. Maybe it was true what they said, wounds did heal, maybe slowly, but they did, especially if the right person came along. She had changed her hair to blonde with the tips dyed pink and gotten them a bottle of wine to go with the cinnamon roles Marley was going to bring. Once she had put on her favorite dress and grabbed a two blankets for them Dani headed towards the stairs to go up to the roof where she´d be meeting with Marley in a few.

For the first time in a while, Marley didn’t consult with anyone before getting ready for a date. She simply went through her closet, found a blouse and pants to pair with a cute jacket she liked, did her own hair and make up, and called it good. It felt weird to do so without Olivia’s prior approval or opinions from another friend, but there was a satisfaction in doing something for herself, and keeping it to herself. In her own way she was trying to protect the fledgling thing that was her and Dani’s relationship. Happiness was a rare commodity at NYADA and she selfishly wanted to keep it under wraps until she was sure it couldn’t be so easily lost. Maybe it was an impossibility, but she could try, right? At least until she and Dani had a name for it, she was happy to keep it to the two of them. A few trips around campus later, she’d carried her load of goodies up to the roof of Sciron and started setting up. The cinnamon rolls were warm and fresh in their box as she arranged an assortment of small potted plants along the perimeter of the roof. The plants were tightly coiled shut, awaiting nightfall before they’d make their debut. “Wait ‘til I give you guys the word, okay?” she whispered, putting the final adjustments in place before stepping back to take it all in. She smiled warmly to herself and picked up the camera hanging from her neck to take a few pictures while the sun started to soften the sky with warmer shades of orange and pink.

Happiness really was something that was rare at NYADA, Dani had learned as much. But then again, she´d also met Marley here and while the circumstances, under which she had arrived here, had been more than awful she might have never met Marley. Dani had no idea how this would end, because during her first few months here there had already been people eating doors and some asshole who didn´t take gently to her kind, but a small part of her hoped that they´d make it out alive. And together. She smiled to herself as she finally pushed open the door that would lead her to the roof, glad that it was already open. She wouldn´t have minded picking the lock, really, but this was much easier. Dani´s smile only grew when she noticed Marley, who was already there, seemingly absorbed in picture taking. Dani quietly placed the bottle on the ground and got out her notepad and a pen to draw a quick sketch. It wasn´t anything fancy, but she wanted to keep that imagine pinned to paper. Once she was done she picked up the bottle and stepped onto the roof fully. "This place definitely got the potential for a dream date," She grinned.

The view from Sciron wasn't the most spectacular in the world, she was sure, but Marley loved it anyway. So long as she could see the sky and the stars that would be coming out of hiding later that evening, then she was in the right spot. She managed to take a few more scenic shots from the rooftop before a familiar voice pulled her away from the lens. She turned to see Dani standing there, all dressed up and holding a bottle of wine, and the soft corners of her mouth promptly turned up into a grin. "It really does, doesn't it?" she mused, looking back at their surroundings before moving to greet her with a kiss. "You look beautiful," she whispered, pulling back with her eyes crinkling at the corners. She reached up to touch a soft lock of hair, pink mingling with blonde. "I like when you put color in your hair. It just looks so cool." Okay, she needed to stop gushing. "Do you want help setting those up?" she asked, gesturing to the blankets Dani had brought with her.

Marley looked absolutely breathtaking, as always, and Dani briefly wondered what she had done to deserve this. Surely, neither of them were perfect, and she was sure that things weren´t always going to be easy, but she was happy and that was something she hadn´t thought she´d ever be again. The kiss made her smile and she let Marley play with her hair for a moment, just enjoying the intimacy between them. "Well. I´ll always wear a bit of color for you then," She grinned. "Can´t go on with you thinking that I don´t look cool." Dani teased as she held up the blanket. "Sure. I brought one to sit on and the other in case we get cold. And I brought some wine. Figured it would go well with the cinnamon roles." She placed the bottle, glasses and one of the blankets on the floor before holding the other one out to Marley. "Shall we?"

That got Marley to laugh as she followed after Dani, helping smooth out the blanket placed on the ground before taking the other one offered to her. "I think we shall," she beamed, taking a seat on the blanket beside her. Setting the extra blanket down, she grabbed the box of cinnamon rolls and popped the top open to dish out first one to Dani on a plate, then one for herself. "Is that a dessert wine?" she teased, leaning over to peer at the label on the bottle. "Sorry, that probably sounds silly. I heard it in an old movie once, Grease? One of the common girls was drinking wine while eating some kind of yellow cake called a 'twinkie'."

"You´re adorable, you know that?" Dani was aware that they´ve had this conversation before, but she didn´t mind. She´d rarely ever met anyone as adorable as Marley and just watching her ramble about random stuff made her feel all fuzzy and warm inside. "I´m not sure if it´s a dessert wine, but it tastes good." She then chuckled as she picked up the bottle and opened it, pouring some of the wine into the glasses she had brought before handing on to Marley. "I´m glad we´re doing this," She then smiled, holding up her glass. "To the stars who listen, and to the dreams that are answered." She laughed. "Totally stole that one from a book, now we´re even."

"Fair enough," Marley chuckled, holding up her glass to clink to Dani's before taking a sip. "If it's any consolation, I think that quote is beautiful." She smiled warmly as she cut into her cinnamon bun. This was exactly what she needed tonight - a break from the drama, from her responsibilities both chosen and forced upon her, from the lack of control she seemed to have over everything around her. Tonight, she could just be the girl beside Dani, enjoying her company and that of the stars. "Okay, this is very important - what is your favorite constellation?" she asked, moving to face Dani better as she continued to pick away at her cinnamon roll. "Bonus points if you get to point it out in the sky!"

Dani let out a small chuckle. „It really is a beautiful quote,“ which was why she had remembered it and why it made her think of Marley. She took a sip of the wine and then picked up the cinnamon bun to take a bite. „Ok. These are heavenly,“ She then grinned before tilting her head up towards the sky. „Okay, this isn’t nearly as romantic, but I’ve always loved Orion, but my favorite thing to look for was Orion’s Belt,“ she chuckled. „We learned about it in school as a kid and it was something I could spot from the orphanages rooftop. How about you?“ Dani then added, glancing over at Marley.

"Orion's belt, classic." Marley chuckled, looking up toward the sky with her. With question turned back on her though, she looked thoughtful, biting her lip as she took in the pinprick lights above. "Andromeda," she finally decided. "Now mind you, her story is not the greatest. She's known best as the 'chained woman' in the sky. The mythos behind her is that her father Cepheus and mother Cassiopeia had her chained to the side of this rock on the coast as a sacrifice to appease the god Neptune. Andromeda's mother was really vain and made all of these snooty remarks about being better than Juno, queen of the gods, and... well, anyway, she's left there to atone for the sins of her mother, veritable bait for this sea monster that Neptune sets loose on them. She gets rescued later on by Perseus but honestly that's the least interesting thing about her story." She fell silent for a moment, her expression sobering a bit. "I just think it takes an awfully strong person to take on what others deserve, even when it means pain or worse for them," she murmured, then quickly shook her head. "That took a depressing turn, sorry." She chuckled again. "Maybe we should talk about something lighter."

Dani rested her head on her knees as she listened to Marley. She had heard the story before, but there was something different to it when Marley told it. And maybe it was more real that she had always thought. With magic being a thing, why shouldn’t all the stories from Greek mythology not be true. „No. you’re right. She sounds like a strong woman,“ Dani then smiled as she reached out with her free hand to grab Marley’s hand and intertwine their fingers. „You know. I’m glad we get to do this, go on an actual date,“ She then smiled, bringing Marley’s fingers up to her lips, kissing them. „And just so we can get this out of the way, and I don’t need to put a label on it or anything but...I like the sound of telling people you’re my girlfriend.“ she couldn’t quite hide the grin that spread over her face and damn, she really hadn’t felt this way in a long time. „Only if that’s cool with you,“

Dani's admission had Marley's heart swelling in her chest, but it was hard not to notice the apprehension that accompanied it. The last time someone had wanted to 'go public' about being with her... well, the whole situation had been a mess for a variety of reasons. Even now, no matter her circumstances, relationships seemed to be messy, romantic or not. It was unavoidable. And maybe that was all the more reason to be okay with it and just... be together. Dani wasn't those boys she'd dated before (she wasn't even a boy) and aside from that surprise kiss back at New Year's, she'd been nothing but kind and patient towards her. No pressure. 'Oh hell, you're already labeled a rebel by the rest of the fae and you've pissed off other people enough to not give a damn anymore. Just say yes!' she thought, her own smile warming. "I'd be okay with that," she agreed, heart hammering nervously in her chest. But really, with everything she'd seen and experienced in the last few years, was there really anything left to be scared of?

Dani‘s last relationship had failed spectacularly and really, she had never been good at staying in one place, but now that she was forced to stay at NYADA she had time to let this relationship with Marley develop. And the truth was: even if she didn’t have to stay she’d stay for Marley. Dani could feel herself blushing at that thought as she pulled the other woman in for a kiss, letting her eyes fall shut for a moment. „Good.“ She then replied. „Great even.“ Once she had pulled back her lips were still curved into a smile. „You taste like cinnamon,“ She then told Marley as she picked up her wine glass to take a sip. „You know...I came here swearing I wouldn’t let anyone close. And now look at me. I’ve got friends. And you just...slipped right past that wall I built up. Effortlessly. It’s like...“ Dani let out a laugh. „...it’s like magic.“

That got another laugh out of Marley. "Magic... that must be what it feels like for-" She stopped herself before saying the word 'humans'. Her relationship with them, with commons, seemed ever-changing, and rarely in a positive trend of a direction. She let that go in favor of focusing on Dani's sentiments instead. "I know what you mean though. I was so upset about coming here originally... I guess some days I still am a little upset, but for different reasons. Anyway, I was bound and determined that I would stick to myself, focus on my end goal of getting out of here. But people were so unexpectedly kind to me... some of them were cruel, mind you, but a lot of them were nice. I ended up making friends with people I never would've expected. Done things I never thought I'd do. Changed in ways I never thought possible." She smiled softly, reaching up to brush Dani's hair away from her face, letting her fingertips linger as they brushed through the tendrils. "My life never became any less complicated but I was a lot less alone."

Dani nodded slightly. „I know exactly what you mean,“ She’d never let anyone close, had always worried and dealt with her problems alone, but now she wasn’t alone, and while there was still a lot that she kept to herself having the possibility to talk to someone seemed nice. When Marley touched her cheek Dani turned her head, pressing her lips to the other woman’s fingertips. „You know. Of all the magic I’ve ever seen or felt, this,“ she gestured between them. „Is my favorite kind,“Dani’s lips curved into a smile and she eventually leaned in, pressing her lips against Marleys. She tasted like cinnamon and wine and Dani couldn’t help but think that, if Amortentia existed, hers would smell like exactly that. Cinnamon and wine.May 24, 2018

Marley could've pointed out how cliche that phrase technically was but what was the point when she felt it too? So she just let her chuckle die at the back of her throat as Dani leaned back in to kiss her again. She wanted nothing more than to stow away everything about their moment there on the rooftop to the deep recesses of her mind, to call back to whenever things at NYADA went haywire or she felt discouraged or alone. There was just something incredibly uplifting about knowing that Dani was there on and by her side. She lost track of the kisses until realizing she hadn't even shown off her surprise yet. "Oh! You wanna see something cool?" she asked, a little short of breath as she pulled back.

There was something about Marley that made it all seem so easy. That made Dani forget about everything bad that had ever happened to her, even if it would only last for a moment. It almost felt like Marley was becoming her safe place and somewhere, deep down, she knew this was dangerous, to make someone, a person, her safe place, but it was like she had no choice in the matter whatsoever. And she didn´t mind as much as she should have. When they finally pulled apart she was grinning widely, nodding as Marley spoke. "Yeah, sure." She replied, a little out of breath.

Marley beamed and disentangled herself from Dani to cross the roof to the nearest potted plant. She bent down and whispered, "<<Give it a glow.>>" One by one, the tightly wound buds of each plant unfurled into white blooms which appeared luminescent under the light of the moon. They added to the ambiance in a way that felt uniquely like her. And while those flowers had once provoked a rise of shame and embarrassment in her, now they just made her smile. They had better memories attached to them nowadays. "Moon flowers," she explained as she came to sit back down with Dani, her eyes dancing with the light provided by their plant friends. "Normally they bloom under the light of the moon but I wanted to surprise you so I asked them nicely to wait."

Dani waited for Marley to get whatever she had planned going and when she finally saw what the other had planned she couldn´t hide the awe on her face. The plants that started to glow were absolutely beautiful and Dani couldn´t quite help the way she teared up at the gesture. It was probably the most romantic, and also the sweetest, thing anyone had ever done for her and she bit her lip as she reached out for Marley´s hand, tangling their fingers together. "They´re beautiful." She then whispered. "Wait...you asked them?" She then returned with a smile turning to look at the plants. "Well, tell them thank you. This is perfect,"

“Plant talker,” Marley confirmed with a small chuckle, leaning over to press a kiss to her temple as she squeezed her hand. It seemed so silly now that there could’ve ever been something negative attached to her memories of moon flowers when tonight was just so damn perfect and beautiful. Maybe the moon flowers weren’t cursed after all. Maybe she was finally getting something right. “I can tell them later. Right now, all I wanna talk to and think about is you... and these amazing cinnamon rolls.”

There was something about this that made Dani´s stomach flutter. She was learning more and more things about Marley and that made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside. They were getting closer and closer and she wasn´t even minding, in fact she was welcoming the growth in their relationship, something she hadn´t thought was possible with anyone when she had come to NYADA. Her lips curved into a smile and she picked up a cinnamon roll, holding it out for Marley to take a bite. "You know, that sounds like the best thing I´ve heard all week."

[blissfulalchemist]

hayat & angelica, chamomile, holly, pansy, southernwood 🤍

Hello Kate! Thank you for inquiring about my boy! You gave me some doozies that I hope make sense in how they are phrased. Under the cut for length.

angelica :   where does your muse draw inspiration in life ? what motivates them ?

Hayat on a more unconscious level draws much of his inspiration from his culture and religion which are important to him. Now granted he takes some liberties with his faith as he has adapted it to his personal lifestyle. However he still holds to the pillars of Islam (Though he feels that getting to Mecca may be a long ways away) as best that works with his lifestyle, for example even while growing up he really tried to get all five prayers a day in but sometimes you’re in a rush because you have that test and you’re already behind because the group project took longer than you thought it was and then your grandmother calls and it takes you a good ten minutes to tell you have to go and that you’ll call her later only for your boyfriend to then call after and remind you that you have a social thing that really doesn’t matter in the long run but you still gotta go all while you’re trying to not eat shit on wet concrete as you dash across campus and so you end up missing one during the day as life just gets in the way (He does do at minimum two out of five if life is just being like that). Sometimes his prayers look like this just to help give a bit more visual.

I feel I’m getting off topic now so back to the question. His faith plays a role in how he lives his life. Many of the core teachings boil down to be a good person and don’t harm others. There is one Pillar of faith that also contributes heavily to a more giving and doing right in the world which is the pillar of charity. This involves giving back some of what you have to those that need it more than you. Hayat doesn’t really have financial means to do so but he still feels that you can give more than just monetary means, he also feels that ones skill can be used to give back. This was a basis for his first dream (that Bobby crushed for him) in gaining a skill set that was going to be used to help the world. Creating things new and old that will make life better for those that need it.

Now granted there are other things and people that motivate him but at the end of the day none of the giving back, caring, and kind nature wouldn’t be such a core trait of his had it not been for the way he was raised.

chamomile :   what is your muse likely to take away from a painful experience ? are they one to be haunted by adversity ,   or to use what they’ve gone through to become stronger ?

He both believes in the notion of pain makes you stronger and also against it as it’s okay to feel weak and vulnerable after something painful has happened. So what he ends up taking from painful experiences is that there is a lesson to be learned and its not always really clear as to what it is until much later. 

The only thing he doesn’t really take this kind of mentality with is the racism/biphobia he can, does, and has faced within his life. Sure he’s at a point that he can seem to take it in stride and let it slide but internally he does still get angry with it and even sad at times. It’s a complex issue that he feels the most haunted by at times, being back home in Wayhaven does help in alleviating it as these are all people that know him and accept him. 

Honestly, I wish I could have a more concise answer for this but the more I think about it the more complex something like this is to answer as he is someone that has and will face adversity his whole life. At this point in his life he has come to have a quiet resolve with this adversity where he more lets his actions speak for him rather than engage, which doesn’t mean that he’s stronger for it at the end of the day and this is also how he views this.

holly :   how strong is your muse’s sense of intuition ? are they aware of it ? do they ever fear that it is only paranoia ?

His intuition isn’t bad, he’s good at picking up on emotions and little nuances on people hiding things, holding back, or masking. Hell his intuition works really well for solving things on a more technical level to when I comes to creating and working with machinery. However the biggest downside is that he no longer listens to it as intently or just straight up ignores it as he feels it kind of screwed him over back in college. He wasn’t wrong with his intuition though, Bobby did love him and care about him that was all correct, where it gets him is that he trusted that part being true too much and it caused him to stay in that relationship for far longer than he should have. He still uses it and picks up more trust in it once getting more acclimated to Unit Bravo and the supernatural life as many times it comes in handy with these situations.

pansy :   does your muse often reflect on their own actions ? do they ever think a lot about the past ,   and what they could have done differently ?

He doesn’t think about the past too much anymore. He did a lot when his life fell apart and he left Bobby, but after some time he didn’t forgive but he just stopped dwelling on it as it had to have happened for a reason right? His own actions are a different story and he does reflect on those more now since joining Unit Bravo. To be fair to him, he’s entered into a whole new world where each day he’s meeting a new kind of culture and he doesn’t want these meetings to end badly and therefore he needs to reflect back on what went right, what went wrong, and how he can use this information in the future. 

southernwood :   how seriously does your muse take themself ? do they prefer a solemn   &   intellectual atmosphere or do they delight in jokes   &   banter ?

Hayat, ah my boy. He doesn’t take himself so seriously anymore, not that it was much to begin with. He’s just out there and was always surrounded by people to some extent, but post being stripped of his education he just feels lost. He truly has no idea what he’s doing half the time and is just kind of doing what feels right in the moment hoping that it won’t come back to bite him later. His go with the flow attitude is because he just doesn’t know what to do with his life anymore so he’s just trying things out and hoping something will stick. 

Overall Hayat prefers there to be life in a room. Even if there’s a silence and concentration there should be something that feels like there’s life happening. But he will take the banter and jokes any day. There’s a warmth to it all that just feels normal for him and just about the only thing that’s always stayed the same for him, life makes sense in those moments and that’s what he just wants to feel at this point in his life.