#the vibes are looking so joyful and colorful

[selene131]

Silence is better together - I

Summary: In the heart of Crescent Island, where the whispers of a terrible past linger among the ruins of a once-vibrant village, a solitary girl, abandoned by her gods, seeks solace within the rich mosaic of Ancient Greek deities, summoning them to illuminate her path to survival. What fate awaits her? Will the gods answer her plea? Will she always be alone?

Word count: 5,6k

Tags/ Warnings/Themes: AU! pirate hunter!Simon, fem!reader, artist!reader(?), Greek mythology inspired, mythological symbolism, slow burn, angst, hurt/comfort, grief and healing, emotional vulnerability, dark content, detailed mentions of violence/torture/blood/death, panic attacks, wound description, PTSD,  trauma, past abuse, action, religious undertones, light cursing, fluff, soft!Simon, protective! Simon, eventual romance, pet names, domestic vibes, it implied that the reader has long hair/braids

A/N: Hello everyone! This work is a mix of emotions, ranging from agony, angst, and hurt to hope, healing, and self-reflection. I began writing this story in August 2024 but stopped a while before gaining interest for it again this winter. This is my first long fanfiction, I hope the flow doesn’t feel too awkward or rushed. I apologize for any mistakes or awkward phrasing here and there. Also, I tried to make the reader's physical description as neutral as possible (only mentioning long hair/braids a couple of times). I apologize if some descriptions are not the best or if they accidentally suggest specific physical features. My intention is to let the reader imagine themselves in the story without any constraints. You’ll probably notice that I’m not that good at writing dialogue or action scenes, as I tend to focus more on details and descriptions - my guilty pleasure! I hope you will enjoy reading this story!

The golden light of the sunset gently begins to coat the water of the ocean. The sun’s rays look like bright little stars on the surface of the water, and with each wave they come closer and closer to the shore. The joyful song of the marine birds is slowly dying as the light is no longer covering the beach. The warm breeze of the day, that makes you wish to stop the time in that moment so you could enjoy the feeling of being embraced by the Zephyrus himself, is being replaced by the cold, strong wind of the night. And once again, Helios, the Sun, the god with a radiant aureola of light, grants his place in the sky to his sister Selene, the Moon, the goddess adorned with the noble glow of her crescent crown.

Before the moon appears in her rightful place high in the sky, offering the world below her beauty and shine, the darkness of the night envelops the earth. Only a small glimmer of a candle could be seen far away through the window of an isolated house on the hill. If you look through the old round window, you would see the simple, yet cozy interior of the house, which consists of an open space divided into specific areas. A small section is designed as the kitchen, where you can find plates, bowls, pots, and various ingredients, along with dried herbs and a tiny, burnt recipe book. There is also a wooden table and a single chair. The table is nicely decorated with a vase full of local wildflowers, all in multiple colors and shapes. Another area serves as the bathroom, where the pleasant scent of homemade soap and body oils fills the air. Furthermore, in the corner of the house, a set of stairs leads to a loft bed, while the space below serves as a storage area.

On the windowsill near the bed sits a chamber oil lamp, illuminating the worn-out pages of a Greek mythology book. With a gentle touch, a girl glides her finger on the page, following the lines of the ancient stories that she has read too many times. A profound flicker of passion shines in her eyes as they absorb every line and detail. She tries to imagine the world of the Greek gods living on the highest mountain in Greece, Mount Olympus. She had lost count of how many times she fantasized about this. She always imagined how that place would look; how the rich palaces of the deities were personalized by each god and goddess, reflecting their domains of patronage. The palaces would be adorned with precious materials and decorated with tapestries, statues, mosaics, and paintings. She tries to think about the scenery, surely it is dreamy, with fields of colorful flowers and an orchard full of heavy-laden trees, ripe fruits hanging from the branches. The rivers would flow with crystal-clear water, cold and refreshing to the touch. How she would love to walk along the riverbank, feel the gentle breeze of the nearby forest, and listen to the beautiful songs of the birds…

Abruptly, her thoughts are interrupted by the strong gust of the wind striking the window. She realizes that she has been so lost in her mind, absorbed in her fantasy world, that she detached from her actual reality - again. She looks at her reflection in the small mirror on the windowsill. The light from the lamp reveals her true self. She needs to understand that she is not her, the one that she envisions in her mind - simply, you are you. You close your book and set it on the improvised shelf next to the bed, alongside your other old books. You let out a deep sigh and go to prepare your dinner.

As you cut the vegetables that you hardly work to grow in this climate and without a proper soil, your mind drifts again at how you romanticize your life by making analogies between your real world and the one that you wish you lived in. Your current situation made you seek refuge in the imaginary realm presented in your books. Living in a place isolated from the rest of the world gives you the opportunities to build your own one. The graceful expression used to describe the scenery in your books helped you paint in your mind varied worlds, landscapes, buildings, wardrobes and so on. Each canvas contains a distinct version of yourself, where you play diverse characters in different narratives. But, in reality, you are a forgotten girl at the end of the world, trying to survive with the knowledge learned from your books and some preserved information passed down from your parents. But that was a long time ago - a time when everywhere you looked you could see a prosperous village, full of life and joy, where people worked in harmony with nature, the land and the ocean. Now, all remains are burnt ruins of what was once a vibrant village.

You place the freshly cut vegetables into the hot pot on the wood-burning stove. As you stir the contents, you add a pinch of salt and some dried herbs. Gazing at the basket of ingredients, you contemplate starting preparations for drying vegetables in anticipation of the approaching colder season. During this time, plants and herbs struggle to grow properly. You also make a mental note to collect some seeds for planting next year. The aroma of the cooking vegetables evokes a nostalgic scent - one that reminds you of the meals your mother used to prepare. A tear rolls down your cheek without you noticing. The memory of your mother always brings tears to your eyes and a sense of anguish to your soul.

After you ate your comfort food and did your dishes, you went to prepare for sleep. You clean yourself and change into an old nightgown. You get into bed and look through the window one last time before you let the windy night lull you to sleep. You see that the moon is gazing down at you, her silver light embracing you in a compassionate hug. With that, you put your head on the pillow, closing your eyes and hoping to dream - to dream of a world where someone shows you mercy and where your happiness is not taken away from you.

You wake up feeling more exhausted than you did before going to sleep. You have grown accustomed to it by now; it happened yesterday, the day before, and every morning for the past few years. Since that incident, you can no longer rest peacefully. The horrifying images flash before your eyes in your sleep: the fire, the screams, the smell, the last sound of your mother's voice, and her motionless eyes staring at you. You rub your hands harshly across your face in an attempt to regain yourself. There is nothing you can do in the present moment except live the rest of your days, refusing to give them the satisfaction of believing that they got rid of everyone.

You open the window to let the fresh air of the morning wash over your tense body. Your skin is covered in goosebumps, but you do not mind the cold. For a moment, you close your eyes and enjoy it. You let the soft, glowing light of Eos, the beautiful goddess of dawn, cleanse your body and mind. It seems that this morning, Eos is in a really good mood; she paints the sky in multiple tones of red, gold, blue, and pink. With the playful, moving clouds, the view becomes heavenly.

Shortly, you get ready for the day, make yourself a tea, and prepare something to eat. Afterward, you decide to clean the small space of your house and wash your clothes. While you wash your few pieces of clothing, you use some of the floral soap that you made. You carefully scrub the fabric in the wooden basin full of water, trying your best to prevent any damage or tearing in your old clothes. In this place, there are only a few options of plants, trees, and leaves that you could use to make any sort of fabric. This process takes time; you need to let the plants and leaves dry, and in this humid climate, it could take a few days or weeks if it’s raining. You rinse them, put them in a basket, and hang them to dry on the rope outside. Once you step out of the house, the hot afternoon sun hits you strongly. You think out loud, “This is the perfect moment for a swim in the ocean.” You take the basket inside and close your door, as if someone would try to rob you, though no one has set foot in this place for years.

You slowly descend the rocky path. Gradually, you make your way on the hot sand towards the salty water. You watch as the foamy waves hit the shore, and you can think of is Aphrodite - of how she was born from the sea foam and how she embodies beauty itself. As you get closer, you feel the cold water touch your feet. You undress and remain bare. Even if the water is cold, your body needs it, not just to cool you down, but it’s more an attempt to purify and distract your mind from those haunted memories. You immerse your whole body in the water, remaining there for a few seconds. While underwater, you scream and scream; the air bubbles are floating to the top of the surface. You always thought that the water would heal your suffering soul, but it never does, no matter how many times you try. You swim to reach the surface of the water, and you come out gasping for air. After you recover, you just stay afloat, admiring the blue sky and the way the birds are dancing and singing as they fly through the air. You feel jealous of the birds; they are free to fly wherever they want and you are trapped on this island. How you wished you could listen to and watch your father again as he made and navigated a boat, preparing to leave. But who are you fooling? You would be scared to do that on your own. You take one last look at the birds that seem to ridicule your fate. They are free; you are caged.

Eventually, you swim towards the rocks on the shore and climb onto one to sunbathe. The droplets of water covering your skin trickle down your body, while the sunlight makes your bare and wet skin glisten. Your hair cascades in a messy but beautiful way down your back. The way you position yourself mimics the graceful arch of a sea nymph - a nereid - relaxing in the serene marine landscape. The rhythmic sound of the calm waves hitting the shore creates a peaceful tune. You watch their constant movement as they come and go. You observe the way the water acts like a mirror, reflecting the clouds. “How poetic,” you think. The ocean and the sky become one; the heavenly world meets the earthly one.

With your skin now feeling dry, you've decided it's time to leave; you want to avoid getting any sun damage. You pick up your dress from the sand, put it on, and head back home. You reach the top of the hill and turn to face the horizon, admiring the view one more time. But to your astonishment, you notice a contour gliding across the surface of the water in the distance. You blink intensely and shake your head in disbelief. “This can't be happening!”, you exclaim in shock. You think you are hallucinating; for sure, all of these years spent alone have made you lose your sanity. You take another look; while the first contour is still visible, you also notice another smaller shape next to it. You inhale deeply and exhale a loud sigh, doing your best not to panic. It appears that the ships are not heading toward land. You wish for this to be true, pouring your heart into prayers to any gods who might hear you, hoping they won’t let you down this time. You remember vividly the last time ships, other than ones of the members of your village, anchored on the island shore. Those new people, if you could call them “people,” brought only suffering, destruction, and chaos. Those creatures demolished, in just a few days, an entire village that had taken decades to build - decades of harmony and peace. They finished with the eradication of your community - your neighbors, friends, relatives, and your father and mother.

You begin taking several trips along the same route, traveling from home to the cliff's edge and back again; you could not stay and wait under the heat of the sun for too long. Soon, the daylight decreases as the sun sinks on the horizon, and darkness envelops the surroundings. Haunting screams can be heard far away as fierce flames dance on the wooden surfaces of both ships. Their fervent dance rises to the sky, accompanied by a thick mantle of smoke. The strong flames burn the wood with such passion; they consume the entire structure of the ships - the deck, masts, and sails. The dynamic colors of the fire - red, yellow, and orange - reflect in the ocean water with such an eerie glow. You stare at the scene in horror as if it's your doing. You thought that the gods listened to your intense prayers to keep you safe from evil, but you never meant to hurt anyone.

Soon enough, the echoes of the screams begin to fade, along with the spark of the fire. All that is left is the ghostly smoke flying up in the night sky. Once again, you find yourself thinking about the fragility of life; how a soul that once was alive can evaporate in an instance. The line between life and death is so thin, nearly invisible. In this natural circle you celebrate life, also you are faced with the challenge to lose it. The balance between living and dying is strangely lovely. However, in the end, what remains is the interplay between life and decay.

Your mind is cloudy with so many questions about the situation that just unfolded. While you feel sorrow for the lives that were lost, you can't deny that relief is flowing through your veins; you don’t know what their intentions were. If they were evil enough to set fire to ships full of people and let them burn, you don't want to know what else they were capable of. You leave your spot on the edge of the hill and walk toward your house, guided by the light of the full moon.

That night, you are haunted by the flames and the screams of those people. Even in your sleep, you could feel the cruel touch of the fire and the smell of burning flesh; you know those sensations well. Some time ago, you were a witness of such a tragedy - a direct participant - but you didn't think you would experience something like this - again. The morning time comes slowly, and the outside world keeps on moving. You lift your weary body out of the bed, trying to put yourself together. As you prepare your cup of tea, you observe the golden hue of the dried leaves merging with the water. The pleasant aroma of tea is filling the air. You inhale it profoundly in an attempt to bring some comfort over your body and mind. You decide that you will not let this unfortunate event affect you that much. You just need to do something to keep your mind distracted.

As the morning sun shines more gently than in the afternoon, you decide to rush to the beach to collect seashells, sea glass, and pebbles for crafting some ornaments or jewelry. You haven't done this activity in a long time. It used to be one of your favorite ways to spend some time with your mother. You have so many lovely memories doing this with her. From a young age, she taught you how to make simple necklaces from a simple string and seashells. In time, she showed you a more complex way to craft different types of ornaments to decorate the interior of your house. A smile appeared on your face while thinking about these precious memories.

You take a little wooden container to put your finds in it. As you step out of your house, the chilly breeze of the morning hits you softly. The walk to the cliff’s edge is refreshing, and it helps soothe your tensed muscles. Once you reach the edge to go down the old path that leads to the beach, you notice a damaged boat on the shore. Your heart is beating rapidly. Your eyes are searching for any human presence. Yet you think: “No one could survive a great fire like that”. You try to find any reasons why this boat is here. You answer your question with an obvious reason: “The strong wind potentially directed the boat to the shore overnight.” You make yourself believe in this theory.

As you slowly make your way down the uneven path, you hear deep groans of pain, and with that, you know that your theory was not correct. You direct your gaze towards the source of the sound, and your eyes are met with a pair of brown eyes that belong to a man; a wounded man sitting with his back against the cliff’s wall. You freeze in place, staring at him for a moment. You take in every small detail about him. His body is covered in bruises, bleeding injuries, and burns. The clothes that he is wearing are burned and torn apart. The ripped sleeve of his left arm reveals a complex tattoo. The composition of his tattoo includes curved lines that mimic the dynamic movement of waves, some human skulls, a compass, an anchor, and some other little things that you could not see from that distance. You raise your gaze to catch another glimpse of his face. You trace with your eyes his facial features. His face is covered in scars and new open wounds. You can't help but feel a bit pathetic for staring at him for so long, but it's been ages since you've encountered another person. Then, your eyes meet his for a second time. You can’t read him; all he does is look at you blankly. But you know what you can recognize - the tension.

“You have a staring problem?”, he says bluntly, his hoarse voice cutting through the air.

In response, you raise an eyebrow and reply in a nonchalant tone, “You have the audacity to talk this way when you are more dead than alive.”

A half-smile appears on his lips as he answers, “You think you can act like this and still deserve better treatment? Is this how you treat your guests?”

In a grave tone, you respond, “You are no guest, you are just an intruder!”

He doesn't respond immediately. He breaks eye contact and turns his gaze toward the ocean. You carefully observe his expression and notice a slight change in it. His eyes express sadness. He let out a small sigh and said: “Trust me, love, if I had a choice, I would not be here.”

“What happened last night?”, you add as if you read his mind.

“I will tell you…if you help me out,” he says hesitantly. “As you can see, I am in a rough state.”

“To help you? You are a pirate - a sea thief - why help you?” you ask in fury.

“I am no pirate, dear. Don't associate me with Red Wave, with those nasty rats,” he says in a disgusted tone. “I am just a simple sailor.”

“A sailor with those tattoos?”

“Sailors always had tattoos. It's part of the experience,” he responds with a touch of humor in his voice.

“My father did not have any tattoos,” you say your thoughts out loud.

“I know, the men around those areas don't stain their skin with ink. ”

“You sure know a lot of things. What else do you know?”, you answer with venom in your voice.

He grunts in pain and says: “You certainly ask a lot of questions. I will answer them as long as I am still alive,” he points to the wounds that are bleeding through the improvised bandage, made from his clothes.

“What if he is telling the truth about being a simple sailor? What if this stranger was just a victim of last night's massacre? A victim just like you,” you think. You can’t bring yourself to let someone innocent die in front of your eyes while they are pleading for your help. You collect yourself, closing the gap between you two.

“Are you capable of going up this path?”

“Yes,” he says dryly.

He is struggling to get up from the ground. He tries to support his body onto the stone wall behind him. With every move he makes, he tries to suppress the grunts of pain escaping his lips. He doesn't ask for help this time, but you find the courage to extend your hand to help him. At first, he hesitates to take your hand, but he has no other choice. He grips your hand tightly, trying to gain his balance. His exhausted bones crack under his weight when he stands up. He attempts to walk, but his right leg is limping.

“I need to wrap my arm around your shoulder to walk.”

You nod affirmatively and let him do as he says. He gently draped his arm over your shoulder, and in return, you placed your hand on his back for more support. He carefully let his body weight on you, and you began to walk.

“Let me know if you need a break.”

You let out just a “mhhm” sound to let him know that you understood.

The walk to your house is mostly silent. The only sounds that you could hear are your heavy breaths and his grunts of pain. You try to avoid thinking about the way his body feels next to you. The warmth he emanates feels strangely against your body. It’s been ages since you sensed a warm body against you. You only remembered the cold and lifeless bodies scattered chaotically on the ground.

Once you arrive, you help him sit in your chair, which was much smaller for him, but he doesn't complain. You explain to him that you need to gather a few things for tending his wounds. You mumble to yourself what you need: water, clean rags, alcohol, soap, needle, and thread to stitch any possible deeper wounds, bandage. When you have everything you need, you put them on the table.

“Do you want some water?”, you ask him.

In return, he points to the alcohol bottle and says: “Pour me some of that.”

While pouring: “It's an old bottle, but I guess it will do its job.”

He drinks in an instance the bit of alcohol you served him. To your surprise, he extends his hand to add more onto the cup. You stop him, taking the bottle from his hand.

“You will need it more when I stitch that nasty wound. Now, I need you to be sober enough to cooperate with me.”

“Yes, darling.”

You sigh in annoyance and respond: “I have a name, stop calling me this way.”

“You never told me your name,” he said with a small smirk.

You tell him your name, expecting him to do the same: “Don’t you have any manners?”

“I apologize ma’am, you haven't asked for my name.”

“Then, what is your name?”, you ask as you roll your eyes.

“Gh - Simon, love,” he says with a sudden pause in his voice.

“Good, Simon. Now, let me start.”

He nods upwards as if to say “go on”, because his mouth could not form any clear words; his mind was consumed by the way his name sounded from your lips. It just cascaded like fresh, warm honey that was just harvested.

You begin by examining his poorly bandaged wounds. You carefully untie the bandages; one by one. You almost feel tears in your eyes as you look at his bad condition, but you refrain from doing it. You need to concentrate. Delicately, you clean each wound; from his arms to his legs. The top part of his body was more injured than his legs, except the limping one. Thankfully, he only has a deep wound that needs stitching. You can’t imagine the pain he will have to endure.

While you tend to his smaller wounds, you break the silence by asking him more questions about himself, trying to learn more about this stranger who has taken shelter in your home - the only place that offers you a sense of comfort. He replies by saying that he has been a sailor for a few years and that he inherited his love for the water from his mother. He continues by saying that his mother took him and his brother to the sea many times while they were growing up. He and his brother used to build little boats from pieces of wood they found on the beach. After building the boats, they would race them, and he always seemed to win. His brother, Tommy, used to get upset with him for being better at many things than him, and in revenge, he would scare him at night by dressing up as a ghost. Looking back at those memories, he laughs, but deep down, there is more that needs to be uncovered. You do not insist; you catch a glimpse of pain in his eyes, and it's not from the physical pain he endures now. It's from the ghosts of his past haunting him.

After cleaning his wounds and bandaging some of the smaller ones, you decide to take care of the deeper wound. You inform him that you would go ahead and stitch his arm, and he acknowledges this with a nod. Again, he picks up the bottle of alcohol and drinks the burning liquid in large sips in an attempt to drown his pain. This time, you don't object. He needs it. With shaky hands, you approach the cut on his arm. The sterile, bent needle, which had been passed through fire, is poised above his skin, but you don't continue.

“Just do it, darling", he instructs you.

You shake your head and laugh a little. You look in his earth-tone eyes as if trying to apologize for the pain you will cause him. You penetrate the skin of his arm multiple times and leave behind little knots that gradually close his wound. He just lets out small grunts, but that is all you receive. You are about to finish. All that is left to do is bandage the wound to protect and keep the area clean and dry. You want to wrap the bandage around, but he lifts his arm closer to his face to see your work.

“You did a good job, darling,” he says in a drunk tone.

You roll your eyes in a playful manner and gently take his arm in your hands and begin to wrap the bandage. Your warm hands work their way up the arm while you are carefully dressing the stitched wound. You feel how his tensed muscles are relaxing under your touch, and he lets out a small sigh. After you are done, your gaze shifts to his tired face. His cheeks turned a bright shade of red that continued up to the tip of his ears. Surely, the alcohol had its effect on him. He tries to fight the sleep that slowly is enveloping his body. His eyes grew heavy from the lack of sleep mixed with the effect of the drink and stress. You observe how his body is leaning back on the chair, almost falling out of it. You decide to let him rest for a bit while you clean the mess made from his bloody wounds, and then you have to make him a makeshift bed.

You silently start to collect the dirty rags and other things from the floor. When you turn around to go, wanting to put the trash near the fireplace, you are startled by the feeling of a hand around your wrist. You look at him with confusion in your eyes, and he murmurs in a soft but hoarse voice a “thank you”. In response, you give him a genuine smile and tell him to rest for a bit. He just nods his head and closes his eyes once again.

While he rests, you finish cleaning the room, make his bed from some old blankets, and reheat some leftovers for him; there is no time to cook something fresh, for sure he's starving. You put the food in a bowl and pour some tea made from different kinds of leaves and dried flowers. Its taste is not so pleasant, but it has great properties for the health, immune system, and healing. Your mother used to make this tea when you were sick from playing outside with your friends in the rain. When you were little, you always caught a cold easily, but this hot drink made by your loving mother worked like magic.

You place the bowl and cup on the table next to him, and then you calmly try to wake him up. You call his name a few times, but with no results, he did not react at all. His body and mind are too tired, and you feel bad trying to wake him, but he needs to eat something and rest in a more comfortable place. You extend your hand and put it on his shoulder, gently shaking him. This time, he opens his eyes, blinking away the sleep, and he looks at you. You apologize for disturbing his sleep and explain your intention. He turns his body to face the table and is confused as to why there is only one bowl. You tell him that you ate, but that was a big lie. Before questioning you any further, he is interrupted the growl of his stomach. He starts to eat like there is no tomorrow. You just watch him from afar and try to suppress a smile caused by the face he made after drinking a sip of tea, you know well the horrible taste of that drink.

His eyes instantly turn in your direction and he says: “Two things: firstly, you do have a staring problem and secondly, this tastes like muddy water.”

“How do you know what muddy water tastes like?”, you joke.

“Piss off”, he says in a teasing tone.

“Stop complaining! This will make you feel better and heal faster.”

He takes the cup of tea and starts to observe the goldish brown liquid in the bright light of the afternoon sun coming through the window - turning and swirling the cup to have a better look at it.

“Hopefully your concoction won't kill me.”

You roll your eyes for the fourth or fifth time, you already lost count. For sure this will become a habit while he stays here.

After he eats, he rises with difficulty from his seat to place his dishes in the small wooden basin of water he saw you use earlier, but you don’t let him take another step. You simply take the bowl and cup from his hands and tell him to go rest in the bed. He gives you a look of disapproval, but your determined expression makes it clear you won’t take “no” for an answer.

“I guess I have to get used to being ordered around,” Simon says with a grin on his face.

“Go rest. I will wake you when dinner is ready.”

In a sincere tone and with such softness in his eyes, he utters: “I will have to repay you for your kindness.”

“No word about that, you were in need of help, and I would not take advantage of someone being in this rough condition. I did what I thought was best. I don't want anything in return,” you confess.

Simon’s gaze directs towards you as he contemplates responding with something smart, yet no words come to mind. He is left speechless once again, realizing he has never met someone as selfless as you - someone who just wants to help, someone who could give the world all their kindness and expect nothing in return. He knows the world has never shown you warmth and gentleness; he saw the ruins of the old village. With a sharp eye, he could tell that something terrible had happened here. The moment he stepped into what was once the entrance of the village, his stomach dropped, and an eerie feeling wrapped around him, choking him and nearly stealing his last breath. He saw numerous piles of earth that resembled graves, yet he remained silent. He had a feeling that he knew what happened here.

Simon’s answer to you was a simple nod. He showed you that he understood. Now he knows better than to argue with you; as 6 passes by, he will find little ways to help you around.

“Now, go rest, I don't want to waste my time anymore”.

“Yes, ma’am!”

You knew that was coming. You already saw the sparkle in his eyes that indicated he would try to tease you in a way or another. You simply gesture with your hand in a way that can be interpreted as 'go away.' He chuckles, and finally, he lets you be.

[gleamingyu]

OCTOBER 23 COMEBACKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK THANK YOU SEVENTEEN THANK YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

[basofy]

lisa the joyful is particularly pretty

[dark-moonlust]

Love in Full Bloom

Commission for anon on Patreon. Enjoy!

Pairing: fae male x female human reader

Summary: Spring brings new life to the botanical garden where you meet with Florian, your fae mate and Lord of Nature. Amidst growing flowers and dazzling fae magic, he makes you understand how much he loves you.

Warnings: sfw, spring vibes 🌸, fluffy cute feelings, emotional intimacy and steamy kisses, passion and tenderness, fae magic, smut implied briefly.

Spring had come.

The botanical garden was full of life and colors.

There was something mesmerizing about it: the trill of birdsong, the hum of bees and the scent of freshly awakened flowers.

You picked up your pace, weaving through the garden's paths and heading to the clearing where you were to meet your mate. The place around you was scattered with trees and flowers, leaves and petals swinging gently. It was one of the places Florian, your fae mate was responsible for.

Darn it... You were late. Nearly running, you darted through people, your fingers brushing across the pendant on your chest—a delicate silver leaf with a small bird beside it. It was Florian's present to you, a symbol of his protection, infused with his powers to keep you safe. You grinned, remembering the day he'd clasped it around your neck, saying: As long as you wear this, you will be safe. Always under my care.

Florian, your fae boyfriend waited for you by the north gate, in front of the secret entrance where the lines between the commonplace and magical blurred.

He was tall, towering over you with broad shoulders and a muscular body that made you hot all over. A sun-kissed face with sharp features, prominent cheekbones, a strong jawline, and pointed ears. His eyes were a deep forest green with gold flecks, and when he looked at you, it felt like he could reach right into your heart.

Long brown hair stained with gold and copper strands fell to his shoulders, and somehow, no matter what, tiny flowers and leaves found their way into it. And his wings, oh they were stunning. They were now tucked behind his back, but they were huge and clawed, with translucent membranes that shimmered in green, gold, and silver hues.

His lips softened into a smile when he saw you. He rushed to you, his steps fluid and graceful. Strong hands wrapped around your waist, enclosing you in his embrace. He smelt of musk and flowers, and you still couldn't believe he was yours.

Yes, Florian always made you feel that deep, wonderful flutter in your chest. He was the fae Lord ruling over nature, but he was also completely yours. A fae so strong, yet you were always struck by the contrast between his power and the gentleness of his touch.

"There you are, little wren," he murmured, his lips brushing against yours. Soft and wet. "I've been waiting for you."

You smiled against his mouth, loving the way he spoke your nickname. Florian affectionately called you his little Wren. He'd said you reminded him of the small, joyful birds that sing in the forest.

"I'm sorry. The bus arrived later than usual."

"I was beginning to think you'd gotten lost." He exhaled. "I still would have preferred to hold you in my arms and fly you here. It would have been quicker, safer, and I wouldn't have to spend any second apart from you."

"It's okay," you said softly. "Spring is here, and as Lord of nature, you have so much to do. Besides, flying is not so convenient if people see us."

"Alright then. Next time, I'll walk with you. I do not like leaving you alone."

You laughed and kissed him fondly. "Florian, it is the middle of the day, and I am wearing your protecting pendant. I am safe. Always."

He hummed, his thumb delicately stroking the delicate jewelry. "I know. But you are my little wren, and I would rather keep you close, where I can see you and protect you myself."

"How sweet and protective," you said as his hands stroked your spine. "But I am not made of glass. I can take care of myself."

Florian frowned. "That doesn't mean I'm not worried. It's in my nature to protect my mate."

"I know that," you grinned, cupping his face. "I'm so happy you're mine."

He smiled—a genuine, brilliant smile. "You always know what to say to ease my mind." He patted your ass playfully. "Come, let's walk. The garden is in full bloom and I want to show you something."

He grabbed your hand, his fingers intertwining with yours, as you followed him through the magic gate and deeper into the paths of the garden, away from prying eyes. At your feet, flowers sprang to life, their petals unfurling in a riot of color while the trees swung gently, their leaves whispering things only Florian could understand.

It seemed as if the earth itself was worshiping him and also accepting you, honoring your bond. It made you feel so happy and blessed.

As you walked, Florian unleashed his magic, tiny flecks of stardust floating through the air. The earth responded to his call. The flowers bloomed in sparkling blues, bright reds, and deep purples that appeared to glow from inside. They smelt delightfully sweet. Butterflies with wings like stained-glass flew about you while birds tittered from the treetops.

"Wow... Florian," you marveled, "it's so beautiful."

He grinned. "This is nothing yet. Look at that." Next, he took you along a meandering route dotted with cherry blossoms, their pink petals drifting lazily to the ground. With a flick of his wrist, his magic danced again, and the petals whirled around you, swirling in the air before settling on your head like a crown. You laughed, wiping one off your nose, while Florian gazed at you, his eyes glowing with tenderness.

"Are you happy, little wren?"

"Of course, I'm happy. So so happy! You're pretty amazing, you know that?" you said, your face beaming.

He cupped your face, his thumbs stroking your cheeks. "You're so beautiful. Your eyes, your smile... so much more beautiful than the first bloom of spring."

You flushed because surely he was teasing you. "Flatterer."

"I speak the truth. How can you be so perfect?"

You chuckled. "I'm far from perfect, but if you think so, I won't argue. Thank you. For sharing this with me. For taking me as your mate even if I'm only human —" "No," he cut you off. "Thank you for being mine. For accepting me, not just the fae, but… me." You smiled, your fingers framing his cheek. "How could I ever resist you, Florian?" He did not answer with words. Instead, he kissed you, his lips claiming yours, tenderly, possessively. It began softly, as it always did, but it quickly deepened, his hands sliding to your waist and pulling you closer. You melted into him, your fingers fisting the fabric of his shirt as you kissed him back, opening your mouth to him.

Growling, his tongue delved inside, mating with yours and you whimpered softly, the sound drowned out by his kiss. You tasted the slight sweetness of honey and wild berries, a flavor that was entirely Florian. One of his hands moved up your back, leaving a trail of heat, and the other cradled the back of your neck, his fingers cupping your nape.

When he finally drew back, you were both out of breath, your fingers buried in his silky hair. Every line of his body was hard against yours, his eyes half-lidded. You could feel the fire in him, the way his heart pounded in tandem with yours.

"Do you see now?" he muttered, his voice gruff and low. "How impossibly in love I am with you?"

"Florian…"

He silenced you with another kiss, this time deeper and more demanding. His hands moved across your body, tracing your waist, the dip of your spine and your smooth hips. When his lips left yours to trail down your jaw, you groaned, dropping your head to offer him full access. He went low, pausing just above your rapid heartbeat.

"Tell me you believe me," he said, his palm resting against your breast. "Accept how much you mean to me."

"I believe you," you muttered, trembling with emotion. "I believe you."

"Good," he replied, his voice a low growl. "Never doubt it. You are my everything. My little wren, my heart and soul. Without you, I would be lost. Lonely. Sad."

"You'll never be lonely," you said, tears gathering in your eyes. "Not as long as I'm here."

You didn't cry. Rather, you clasped his face in your hands and kissed him again, slowly and lovingly.

"And you're mine," you breathed against his lips. "My fae, my mate, my love and very breath."

Florian mumbled a husky 'I love you' as he nibbled your lip and poured all of his love and devotion into another kiss. It was a kiss unlike any other, tender and all-consuming, warming you from your head to your toes. Pulling back, he held you against him because you were still dizzy from the kiss and your mutual confession.

A swift peck on the tip of your nose and he raised a hand, his palm lighting up to reveal a gorgeous flower, its petals shifting from pink to gold as his magic touched it. He tucked it behind your ear, his fingertips brushing against your skin, lingering longer than usual. "There," he rasped, tilting his head to admire his work. "Perfect." "What kind of flower is it?" you asked, carefully touching the petals. "It's called everbloom. It is only open at sunrise and closed at sundown. But it will remain open for you. Forever." "Oh, you're spoiling me."

He grinned and whispered, "You deserve it. You deserve forever." As you paced the botanical garden, Florian took you to a secluded grove where a crystal-clear brook bubbled over smooth stones. He took you to a grassy area beneath a willow tree and kissed you again and again. Everything around you got covered by a surreal mist as he made love to you. He was wild and untamed, yet tender and steadfast, his love like a natural force. And as you clung to him, your bodies and souls merged as one, you marveled at how deep your love was.

THE END

[knight-dwx-09]

The Angel With Devil Wings

Oscar open the door with joyful expression.

Oscar: Hey guys! I am back from Vale!

However, instead of a happy greetings or group hugs, he was met with silence as team RWBY and (J)N(P)R sat on the bed with haunted look, as if they were about to go to war.

Oscar: uhh… guys? Is there something wrong? Did Salem announced that she will attack or is she coming to here at this moment?

Ruby: Jaune just message us just now…

Oscar: oh! What did he said? Did he want to watch a movie or play games together? It has been years since I last interact with him with how busy he is after he work with medical department. I really miss him

Ruby: He said that… that all of us should head to the combat arena in a hour…

Oscar: I… see?

Nora: *Clung desperately to Ren’s hand* Renny! I don’t want to train with scary fearless leader today!

Ren has a calm expression unlike anyone else, however, the young boy could see that his whole body was gray out completely. Even then, when Oscar focus just a bit more, the trembles in Ren’s hands was noticeable.

While Blake was the opposite, she was visibly scared while wrapping her hands around Yang’s waist and bury her head onto the shoulder, her cat ears were flat as she whispered something but he couldn’t made out what it was.

Yang had her eyes in two different color, one red and one purple. And only end of her hair was in ablaze. Oscar didn’t even know that was possible for her to do so but she give off a different vibes whenever she use her semblance. Instead of the fiery spirit, one that made her feel like undefeatable, she felt more like a small animal being backed into a conner and try its best to look big.

Weiss: *holding a small doll version of Jaune when he was still at Beacon with tiny version of Croceo Mors* I am sorry dad, I will be a nice girl for now on

Ruby hugs her legs and rocking back and forth.

Oscar: Come on guys, this is Jaune we are talking about. He is one of, if not, the nicest person we have ever met. What are you all so scared of?

Yang suddenly appeared in front of Oscar, scaring him a bit as he try to take a step back but was stopped when she grabbed him by the shoulder with a serious look. However, the slight tremble in her hands reveal her unease and fear.

Yang: Oscar, I know you haven’t see him for a while so I understand why you are confused, but believe me when I said this…

She leaned closer so they were inches away from each other as she whispered to his ear in a scared and timid voice.

Yang: He had change…

Last week

Yang: Tell me where did you hide the weapons?

Criminal: Up your ass!

Yang gritted her teeth at the another fail attempt of extracting information, he was very closed to give him a good knuckle sandwich between his eyes but that was stopped when a yellow haired man in a white coat, hands inside pocket, barged into the room.

Yang: *Scared* Oh, h-hey Jaune! I-it’s nice to see you here

Jaune: It’s nice to see you as well… But can you give us some alone time, firecracker?

Yang: Of course! I will be waiting outside whenever you need me *Hurriedly escaped*

Jaune: So you are one of the White Fang who stole the military’s weapons and mechs this morning?

Criminal: *smiled* So what? Are you gonna give me bitter medicine to ge-

Before he could finish, Jaune’s right leg struck him in the chest through the cuff, breaking it and sent him flying that cause him to bounce off the wall before landed on the ground on all four as the airs crawl out of his lungs.

Jaune: Well, I have been accumulating some stress lately and miss out on hours of my training thank to my dolts of a friend this morning, so…

He bring his hand and make a gesture that say bring it.

Jaune: Give your all and fight me. if you managed to shatter my aura or kill me, the polices will let you go and all of your criminal record get wipe clea-

But before he could even finished what he have to say, the man spring to action as he try to claw Jaune’s face. But it didn’t surprised the doctor as he nonchalantly dodged the strike, leaving a faint trails of energy in their wake, and before the criminal could react, Jaune’s hand were wrapped around his mouth as he were slam into the floor, causing all the air and spit wanting to escape but failed to as his mouth being blocked by a firm grip.

Jaune: You should at least let me finish before accepting my deal, oh well, your funeral, Russet

The criminal, named Russet, grab Jaune’s hand to hold him down while to twist his body enough to bring his leg for a kick that has a similar glow. However, Jaune counter by simply throwing him into the same wall he had kick him to a second ago, like what happened at that time, he bounces off and land on all four.

Jaune: I have read your documents and I know you have a semblance that allow you to produce claw made of Aura from your hands or foot that could cut through steels. Simple and pretty useful semblance that consume small amount of aura *Slowly walk closer, stretching his right arm for another strike* I guess that is fitting for you since you are a tiger Faunus

Russet: STOP! I’M IN RED! ONE HIT FROM YOU WILL SHATTER MY AURA AND SNAP MY HEAD OFF!

Jaune: *Frown* So that is your aura reserved? It’s not that large it seems *Raised his hand toward the man in front of him*

In instinct, he raise both hand to protect himself but his eyes widen from such power rushing through his vein, staring at his own hands glowing in green aura as the feeling of hundreds of drugs were just being injected into his body.

Russet: what the…

Jaune: There, I just recovered and amp your aura so you could continue to fight *Began to pop some bone in his neck*

Hearing this, Russet smiles sinisterly at the doctor as his semblance active, aura covering both hands and take shape of a sharp, long claws that accidentally sink into the ground with ease. Amazed by this turn of event and how powerful his power has become, he gazed at the doctor, thinking he was a fool and dead meat. In second, he leap forward with claw ready, aiming for the neck… Only to be stopped by using his left hand. No, Jaune did not grab his hand to stop the attack or strike him first… he simply bring the hand up and let it hit him as it stop dead in its track… it was as if it refused to slice or even dig into his flesh.

The smirk was instantly evaporated and was replaced with confusion.

But he froze immediately at the sight of Jaune, smiling and cracking the right hand.

Jaune: Now we can keep fighting until I feel satisfied

His whole body tense out of nowhere as his instincts told him to move his head at this instance and so he did. The moment he did so, Jaune’s right leg plummeted down and narrowly miss his head, letting out a gush of wind that come from his strike, that blown him away, and digs through the metal floor like it was butter.

The sense of dread suddenly invaded, a cold shiver run through his spines as sweat began form. In his mind, there were voices to tell him escape as he immediately face towards the door and run.

And Jaune, with a smirk, appeared in front of him with insane speed that was impossible for a huntsman and huntress to achieve without a speed related semblance. Then the blonde struck Russet at the stomach and cause him to spit saliva and get sent flying toward the wall, dented deeply into it.

The hit had made his vision becomes blurry, star appearing in front of him as he didn’t register what had just happened nor the pain. And this time, he feel something began to rise from within his stomach, something that was burning and stinging his throat.

His body slowly loosen from the grip of the wall and fall towards the ground knees first, hand on his stomach and mouth.

He try to hold it in but failed as he release his stomach contents all over the ground and his hands. At the same time, lungs trying to refill all the air that had been stolen from him. But this only cause some of the vomit to crawl back into his throat, causing the acrid burn of vomit flooded their nose and throat as the pain finally spread out like a wild fire.

It felt like a giant Goliath had step on his stomach all of its weight and refused to take another step away. The pain was too much for him that his mind swirl in dizziness and pain, body tremble like a leaf as he vomit more.

He could only cough and hold his stomach to try to minimize the agony he was in, tears began to emerged and slide down his face and to the ground. All he could do was to look up the Angel/Devil slowly walking closer with vomit in hand and in tears.

Russet: P-please! I WILL FUCKING DIED IF YOU CONTINUE TO HIT ME!

Jaune: What are you talking about? Your aura is still full.

The man’s eyes widened, feeling that his Aura were indeed still full.

Russet: W-wh-what? JUST FUCKING HOW!

Jaune: You won’t have to worry about your aura shattering, I will recover and amp each time I hit you so you won’t died or go to a coma on me. And I basically have bottomless Aura, mean that we could keep go at it for a long time. It doesn’t matter if your bones fracture, muscles and flesh torn, organs disfigure. Cause your Aura will protect you from any of those injuries and heal back any damage that has been inflicted. But of course, that won’t save you from the pain you are about to go through now.

Russet: How could you do something like this? Don’t you have a shred of humanity in you!

Jaune: Bastard, I am a doctor, keeping humanity together is my job. *Slowly walk towards Russet* And you should think the of the child you almost killed while stealing the weapons first before asking about my humanity. Cause trust me, this pain isn’t something you will forgot any time soon.

The scream of a man could hear throughout the building for 15 minutes until it becomes dead silent.

And where was Yang this whole time? She was waiting outside the room, sweating bullet after she listened to the scream, whole body shake like a pudding, eyes dilated while focusing on the door, waiting, waiting for the angel from hell to come out.

Every minutes felt like a hour, It was as if time had slow down and being stretch out. She didn’t realize that she was holding in a breath when the door finally opened with Jaune calmly walking out.

Jaune: I will write the coordinate of their base where they keep all of the stolen weapons

Yang: Wow… that man really is tough if he can stay quiet for this long

Jaune: Nah, he already give me the place after 5 minutes in of our session but I still have some stress to steam off so he continue to desperately attack me until he fall unconscious from the blow on the liver. I already call the police to pick him up… I should have informed them to bring cleaning kit with them though

Yang open her mouth but it becomes too dry to even speak. Or that she didn’t dare to ask.

A call then rang out as Jaune grab his scroll and answered it.

Jaune: Hello? What?! Those two idiot are injured because of Dust explode in their face? Fine, I will go there right now

He put away the communication device, grumbling with a deep frown, and takes a few steps, which cause Yang to sigh relief, before stopping to turn towards her with a dagger look.

Jaune: Don’t think I have forgotten of our spar this month, meet me in the arena at 11 after I am done healing Crater Face and your Kitty Cat

Jaune walk away once again, grumbling as usual, leaving Yang as she falls to her knees thank to her legs become really weak. Eyes then wandered back to the room for a split second and that was almost enough to cause her to faint.

Back to the present

Yang: And you don’t want to see the state of that man in. But after that, he was perfectly fine, no injuries, no lastly damage, no anything… However… when he woke up… he was a broke man of who he was before… he would always flinch at the sight of any doctor with white coat, breath hitched, eyes dilated, hearth beat spike to a dangerous level, most time he would scream and try to run away. At night, he would wake up, screaming “I AM SORRY!” or “GET AWAY FROM ME!” with tears in his eyes

Oscar: wow… that… doesn’t sound like him… and this is why you are afraid of sparring with him?

Yang: N-no… Jaune would never cross the line for us… it just… *Look Away*

Ruby: Jaune’s training are simply too intense…

Oscar: What?

Nora: Scary fearless leader would make us to run…

Oscar: That doesn’t sound too bad

Nora: 75 laps around the whole academy

Oscar: Oh…

Blake: He then made all of us to do some weight training to build some muscle… by placing 800 Kg vest and 125 Kg weighted on each of our limbs while running… we won’t even make it to halfway before most of us fall. The worst of it, he will give us time to rest so we could finish the laps and give us that damn encouragement smiles

Weiss: And that is just one of the training he thought of. Sometimes, each one of us would do different exercise to make up our weakness. And they are as intense as the first one

Ren: However, there’s one training we all would always do at the end, we were told to fight him all at once… and that usually end with all of us vomit our meal at least once… but he doesn’t hurt us that much or simply wanting to beat us up, he does help us to get stronger with Qrow telling our mistake and what we need to train

After all of it been said, Oscar stay quiet to finally digest the thing his brother from another family apparently had done while he was away.

Out of nowhere, a familiar voice boomed through out the academy that send dread in everyone, except Oscar, stomachs,

Jaune: REN, NORA, AND TEAM RWBY! YOU ARE 10 MINUTES LATE! IF I WAIT FOR ANOTHER 5 MINUTES, ANOTHER 50 LAPS WILL BE ADDED!

And not even a second when their name called that their eyes widen and run out of the room, leaving the farmer boy in the room alone.

Oscar: Ozpin… is this a normal thing that happened to everyone?

Ozpin: While it’s not common to develop such habit, some people need some way to cope with the stressful situation they are in. Whether it was to drink, have intercourse with someone, write a book, draw an art, or something else

They gazes at a table which has a mountain of books about medicine, the anatomy and physiology of the body of Faunus and humans, brain, disease, genetic, etc.

Ozpin: In Mr. Arc’s case, he use extreme training and sparing to used up the stress he collected during his work life

Oscar: That does not sound very healthy for the body…

Ozpin: No, it’s not. However, it seems like while we were at Vale to help Glynda on rebuild the whole kingdom and Beacon. Mr. Arc has a better understanding about his semblance and his body. Remember what we have heard, there was a doctor in Vacuo who always use his semblance to help huntsmen and huntress recover, even the civilians. And it seems like that man was Mr. Arc

Oscar: Wait, how can his semblance help the civilians when they haven’t unlock their Aura? Doesn’t his semblance only allow him to boost other people’s Aura

Ozpin: As for that, I’m afraid even I don’t have the answer. But we could ask Mr. Arc for it. But allow me to continue with my theory

Oscar: Okay, go on

Ozpin: There’s also some rumor spreading out that there was a doctor with yellow hair, which we can concluded to be Mr. Arc, and massive shield that always stay in front lines of a battle. While he does fight, but that wasn’t his main objective. Some huntsmen and huntress has say that they see him, always running around the battlefield, Killing a few Grimms so they won’t be overwhelmed. However, most of the time, he could be seen carried injuries one back to the back line to be heal before going to the battle to do it all over again, not even taking a single second for a rest or breather, saving many lives while doing so. because of that, he was given many nickname by others. “The Unbroken Aiges”, “White Flame Saint”, and “The Angel From Underworld”

Oscar: You know, after hearing Yang’s stories. I am afraid to ask as to how Jaune got that last nickname *Shudder from the imagine he had just imagined*

Ozpin: I believe all of this healing other, all of the battle, all of the training, had develop his semblance to the point all the negative side effects of such physical labor become null to him. I’m even fear his body and soul had become accustomed to such taxing environmental, giving him one of, if not, the strongest body in Remnant… and we do not know what’s his semblance could do now… or what it could not…

Oscar: I am not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. *Stares out of the window towards the sky*

Ozpin: So do I

————————

AN: Hello there, it has been a while since I last posted. But I am just writing this for those who like the AU I have written so far. I will mainly focus on the Wrath Of A Healer AU (This one), Wanderer Knight AU, Developer AU, and maybe Cat Arc AU for longer post like this. But of course, I will still write more short funny post on other stuff.

And the reference where I got this idea is called “The Wrong Way To Use Healing Magic”. It’s a hilarious manga I read a while ago but I haven’t catch to the recent chapter so I don’t know where the stories goes or would I recommend it so I just say the title and leave it to you all if you want to read it.

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Lena Horne (Cabin in the Sky, Stormy Weather)— Incredibly talented biracial actress, singer, dancer, and activist (she did so much work towards integrating audiences). Because of the racism of the era, she rarely got to be the lead actress but filmmakers loved her so much that they would often create stand alone segments within a film to highlight her beautiful singing, knowing that these segments would ultimately be cut from the film by censors in areas that forbid films with Black performers. Also, she's just so wonderful in Cabin in the Sky as a gold-digger villain who is not the least bit subtle about her intentions. I would highly recommend checking out her work.

Jane Fonda (Barbarella, Sunday in New York, Barefoot in the Park)—Feminist icon, LGBTQ+ rights activist since the 70s, Civil Rights and Native American rights advocate, environmentalist… she really is THE woman ever

This is round 4 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Lena Horne:

Black American powerhouse singer and actor who faced all the usual bullshit that any BIPOC faced in vintage Hollywood and achieved legendary status anyway. Also a Civil Rights movement icon.

She was a gem

She was so beautiful and those dimples are amazing! Truly depressing how badly Hollywood treated her because she was black. I would love to have seen what she really could have been if they didn’t cast her in so many yikes roles. She’s got gorgeous eyes and that body! Her joyful smile makes happiness sexy!

Civil rights actress, singer, dancer, actress, she's got the whole package

Lena Horne was a wonderful singer and actress who largely starred in black cast musicals. While she had a lot of main stream success, she ultimately lost the lead role in showboat (a role she had played on the stage) to a white actress due to hollywood's prejudices. She was also blacklisted during the HUAC hearings, but she still managed to be hot be hot as fuck and have a career spanning decades, working with more well-known stars like Judy Garland in musicals, and working on stage and releasing albums when her hollywood career began to suffer.

Miss Horne became famous during a period of time when Hollywood had very few meaningful roles for people of color. Although she is more so known as a performer, she starred in two successful all black productions (Cabin in the Sky & Stormy Weather). If that wasn't enough, she also guest starred on the Muppets (Season 1, Episode 11)

Jane Fonda:

" I assume she's already been submitted but I gotta make sure. I think there's an element to movies like Barbarella or her segment of Spirit of the Dead of those having been directed by her husband, who famously made movies about her being hot, and the incredible costume design also helped, but good lord. Look at her"

"She was so pretty, dear lord! She was and still us stunning. She’s great at comedy and drama."

"Shes so hot im so gay for me i will let her hit me with hers car"

"Gorgeous and also still getting arrested at climate protests, which is sexy behavior"

"Watching her in Barefoot in the Park seriously made me, a straight woman, question things"

"PLEASE I LOVE HER SO MUCH"

"Her vibes in these movies are so interesting because she, the daughter of an Old Hollywood star, went on to make both poignant dramatic movies and the some of the silliest things you've ever seen but even in the silly space adventures and sexploitations there's always this undeniable gravitas to her. It's like she's able not to take herself very seriously but at the same time never stops having this grace and elegance and makes it all work together. And she's always been very politically active which is also sexy. Her famous mugshot is from 1970 so right at the cutoff mark but come on"

[forest-hashira]

'Til Death Do Us Part

hi everyone! this is my (first) entry for @kentopedia's "Love Through the Ages" collab/event! this is a retelling of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, but with Gojo/Reader. if you want to know the full vibes for this, i listened to Moon Song and I Know The End by Phoebe Bridgers on repeat while writing this.

read on ao3 here | wc: ~3.3k | cw: gn reader, satoru is a musician, major character death (reader), hurt no comfort, unhappy ending

Falling in love with you was easy. In fact, it was probably the easiest thing Satoru had ever done in his life; even easier than picking up the lyre as soon as he was strong enough to hold it; even easier than the singing lessons he’d outgrown the need for when he was still just a young boy; easier than charming every young woman he ever came across, leaving a long string of broken hearts in his wake.

But not you.

With you, he’d taken his time, had actually gotten to know you until it felt like he’d known you all his life; he knew your favorite season, what times you liked to take walks in the fields outside of town, even your favorite place to watch the sunset. He also knew that you were the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

Falling in love with you was easy, and even after you’d fallen in love with him, too, asking you to marry him felt terrifying. But you said yes, and all that terror had melted into elation. 

There was hardly any time at all between your engagement and your wedding, both of you eager to belong to each other forever, so in love it was almost painful. Though the wedding itself was small – and barely a month after Satoru proposed – it was the most joyful day in both of your lives. Being surrounded by the laughter of your loved ones, everyone dancing and enjoying good food and dancing had made you feel lighter than air, even long after the sun had set; for once, you weren’t even sad that you had missed watching it from your favorite spot.

Falling in love with you was easy. Loving you was easier. Losing you was the most painful thing Satoru had ever experienced.

It was only days after your wedding, after you had promised to be at one another’s side until the end, in the very field where you’d first told him you loved him, where you’d shared your first kiss. 

You had cried out from a sharp pain in your ankle, and when both of you looked to see what it was, you watched a large snake disappear into the flowers. In a panic, Satoru had ripped the fabric of his tunic, wrapping it tightly around the wound, silently, desperately praying that the poison would move slow enough for him to get you back to the town, where he could only hope someone would know how to cure snake bites. He couldn’t lose you, not like this, not so soon after he’d made you his.

When he’d gone to carry you – to pick you up and rush back to town with you in his arms – he had seen your skin was already an unnaturally pale, ashen color, a sheen of sweat over your whole body.

“No,” he’d whispered, shaking his head, as if that would magically give him more time to save you. “No, no no no.”

You’d only smiled at him, though your eyes were already starting to go a little unfocused. “It’s too late, my love.” Your hands had tangled in the front of his tunic, the soft blue fabric crumpling so easily between your fingers. “But this isn’t such a bad place to die, is it? I’m with you, and the flowers are blooming, and the sun is shining.” With every word, you’d had to lean more and more of your weight into him, your legs losing strength by the second.

“Let’s just sit together for a moment, my love, and enjoy the breeze. I don’t want to be scared when I go.”

The words had nearly shattered Satoru, but he had nodded, easing both of you down to lay amongst the flowers, cradling you close to himself the whole time. He’d stared down at you without blinking, unwilling to miss a single heartbeat of the time he had left with you; the fact that you had looked up at him, too, was both a blessing and a curse.

“Don’t go,” he’d pleaded, throat tight with the tears he was fighting back. “I don’t want you to go. I love you.”

“I know,” you’d whispered back. “I don’t want to go, either. I love you, Satoru, and I wish we had more time, but we don’t.”

“It’s not fair.”

“No,” you’d agreed, a bittersweet smile on your lips. “It’s not fair. But neither is life. And I’m happy to have spent as much of mine with you as I got to.”

Words had failed him then, and he’d leaned down to press one last kiss to your lips, knowing deep down that this would be his last chance. And he had been right; you’d managed to return his kiss for a moment, before going completely still in his arms.

Satoru had stayed in that field with you and wept for hours after the warmth left your body, only forcing himself to stand and take both of you back to town when it began to grow dark and a chill drifted in on the breeze you had been so eager to feel in your last moments.

And so, he had carried you home, his eyes red-rimmed and swollen from crying, but his face otherwise blank, too numb to feel even grief at that moment. No one that saw him had tried to stop him, the sight of the typically lively musician so hollow, so quiet, had left everyone shaken.

The days after your death all blurred together; the only one that stuck out significantly from the others was the day of your funeral, because it was the only time he’d cleaned himself up and left the house, and even that was because Satoru knew he was expected to be there, the grieving husband to round out the picture of a Perfect Funeral. It had made him sick, and he’d excused himself as quickly as possible. 

He spent much of his time crying, or staring at the wall, or ceiling, replaying that last afternoon with you, obsessing over how he could have done things differently, how he could have saved you, even if he knew logically it was pointless; what was done could not be undone, especially not death. 

…Could it?

Once Satoru had the thought, he could not bring himself to abandon it, so he began instead to meticulously detail his plan. 

The days were already growing colder, which meant that Lady Persephone had returned to her husband’s realm of the Underworld; perhaps he would be able to use that to his advantage. 

Satoru had a purpose again, something to get him out of bed and moving; he had a goal to achieve, and no earthly force would stop him. He spent days polishing and tuning his instruments, and days longer composing and perfecting a song to play for the King and Queen of the Underworld; if he was going to convince the keepers of the dead to release one of their charges, everything needed to be perfect.

He was vaguely aware that a couple people – Suguru and Shoko, perhaps? Anything outside of his task was fuzzy at best – came to check on him occasionally, just as they had before he had manically begun to prepare to do the impossible. If they tried to talk him out of it, he can’t remember; even if they had tried, it wouldn’t have worked. His sole focus was on getting you back, and nothing would stand in his way.

By the time Satoru felt he had done everything he could to prepare for his journey, almost two weeks had passed since you’d died in his arms.

Your husband dressed warmly, both because he was unsure what to expect in the Underworld and because having your scarf wrapped around his neck gave him confidence that his plan would work; how could it not, when wearing the scarf wreathed him in your scent, as if you were already back with him again?

The sun was barely up when Satoru left your home, his lyre wrapped carefully in muslin and tucked into his bag. He knew the entrance to the Underworld was close enough to walk, but he didn’t know how long it would take him to get there, and he didn’t want to waste any time at all. Though he had left so early in the morning, there were still a few townspeople that saw him, asked him where he was going, but he ignored them all; conversation would only delay his journey, and he wouldn’t have that.

The musician made good time, all things considered, reaching the entrance to the Underworld about an hour past midday. He paused for a moment, took a deep breath to steel himself, then stepped forwards into the darkness.

He had no torch to light his way, but the path beneath his feet seemed to glow on its own, as if guiding him along; as if the Lord and Lady were expecting and didn’t want to be kept waiting because the foolish mortal lost his way. So, seeing no other option, he followed the soft, almost foggy glow as it led him deeper and deeper into the earth and – hopefully – to the throne room of Hades and Persephone. 

Time didn’t quite feel the same below the surface – it felt thicker, somehow, and heavier, catching on his clothes and sticking to his skin like honey – which meant he had no idea how long he’d been walking. The only thing that kept him from panicking was the faintest scent of pomegranates, coming from the same direction the path seemed to lead.

Eventually, Satoru did reach the throne room, though he couldn’t have recalled what it looked like later if his life depended on it. For as much as he looked around, the whole room could have been made of diamonds and liquid gold could have rained from the ceiling; none of that mattered to him, because it had nothing to do with you. His gaze went straight to the couple in their thrones, and he fought to keep his nerves under control; now was not the moment to get stage fright for the first time in his life. 

“Your Highness,” he said, bowing so low he felt the way his hair shifted to cooperate with gravity, the dusty purple of his undercut no longer hidden beneath the pale strands of his frosty hair, so white it practically glowed in the dusk of the throne room. 

“What brings you to my realm, mortal?” Hades asked, his expression impassive, though his eyes simmered with something dangerous. 

“I have come to play you a song,” Satoru answered simply, standing from his bow and removing his lyre from his bag, unwrapping the fabric from around it with great care. He adjusted his hold on the instrument until it sat nestled in his arms in the best position for him to play, then lifted his gaze back to the gods. “If it pleases my Lord and her Ladyship, of course.”

This was the one catch in his plan: if he was denied permission to play, he had no chance of returning home with you at his side.

“Oh, please?” Persephone turned to face her husband, a pleading expression on her face. “Let him play, my love. We never have mortal visitors, much less artists, and I want to hear what he’s prepared for us!”

The King of the Dead hesitated for a few moments, staring at his wife, but Satoru caught the way his smoldering eyes softened, the way the hard lines of his mouth eased, and the musician knew he would be allowed to play.

“My wife wishes to hear you play,” the god said, turning back to the man before him. “I hope you don’t disappoint her with your skills.”

With another, smaller bow, Satoru began to play, and soon thereafter began to sing. He sang about you: all the ways you loved him, and all the ways he loved you in return. He sang of his life before he met you: how he had played around, led people along and broken their hearts with his carelessness, simply because he was bored. He sang of your lives after you’d met: how you had brightened his mornings and sweetened his days and warmed his nights; how you had planned a future together you had never gotten to see. The harmonies from his lyre blended with the melodies of his voice, painting the image of you so vividly Satoru swore he could see your shape in front of him again.

It wasn’t until he finished his song that he realized he could see you there in front of him, though your form wavered around the edges, like you were a little less than solid. But you were there, and you were smiling, and he felt like falling to his knees and crawling to you right then and there; the only thing that stopped him was realizing that both Hades and Persephone were openly weeping.

He, Gojo Satoru, had brought gods to tears with his music, and with his love for you.

Emboldened by seeing your face again, Satoru spoke. “Please,” he begged, his voice eggshell-thin, cracking under the stress of his request. “Please don’t make me return home without my love. I cannot bear to make the journey alone again.”

At first he received only silence in response, and though he was not a patient man by nature, he forced himself to wait until he was spoken to, not wanting to risk upsetting the gods before him.

“Once a soul has entered the Underworld, it cannot be allowed to leave again,” Hades responded once he had composed himself, which felt like years after Satoru had made his plea. “I am very sorry.”

The musician felt his heart sink at the denial, and he began to consider begging to be allowed to stay, instead, if he couldn’t bring you back with him.

“Oh, please, my love,” Persephone cried, messily wiping the tears from her eyes as she gazed at her husband. “You let me go home again when my mother begged for my return. Why can’t you grant him this same mercy?”

“Because order must be maintained,” the Lord of the Underworld answered. “Rules must be followed, you know this. Your own return home has its own rules, after all.”

“Then give me rules I must abide by. I swear I will follow them as faithfully as possible.” Though he knew interrupting a conversation between gods could be dangerous, Satoru simply could not stop the words from tumbling from his lips.

“Please.” The goddess’s voice was petal-soft, a warm, hopefully breeze cutting through the chill of the Underworld. 

The silence was heavy, crushing the air out of every part of the room, suffocating the musician where he stood. Despite the pain, Satoru only had eyes for you, your warm gaze giving him the strength to push through, to wait for Hades’s answer before completely giving up hope.

“If I let you both return to the surface world,” the god’s voice, though low and rough, rang out clear. “You must follow one rule.”

“Only one?” It seemed too good to be true.

“It is a difficult one.”

“Anything,” Satoru rushed out. “I’ll do anything.”

“You will lead the two of you out of the Underworld, but until you both are on the surface again, out of my domain, you are not to turn around. I promise you will not be alone, that you will return with your love, but you must not turn around before you leave this place. If you turn around, you will have to leave here alone, and you will never be allowed to return until your own death.”

“If I’m not allowed to turn around, are we at least allowed to speak to each other?”

“Yes, you can converse on the journey. Now, take your lover and go. Once you leave the throne room you must keep your back turned at all times until you reach the surface.”

Bowing deeply, Satoru thanked the god profusely for several moments, then straightened and stepped forward, reaching out and taking your hands, helping you from where you sat on the floor of the throne room.

“Let’s go home,” you said, smiling so sweetly at him it made his teeth ache. He nodded eagerly in agreement, taking just a moment longer to take in your features before guiding you to the entrance of the throne room.

“Are you ready?” he asks, turning to you one last time as the two of you stand in the threshold. “I’m not sure how long the journey back is, and if you grow tired we can’t stop.”

“I’m ready when you are,” was your answer, giving his hand a light squeeze to show you meant the words. 

Satoru nodded back, once again pausing to admire your face, your smile, everything about you, before turning away, still holding your hand as he stepped out of the throne room and began the trek back to the surface, back home.

He was silent for a bit at first, feeling your hand in his enough to assure him you were there, but eventually both his nerves and his natural chattiness got the better of him. He said almost every thought that came to his mind, though he tried to make sure to ask as many questions as possible, eager to hear your answers, your sweet voice a soothing balm to his raw and frayed nerves. 

The journey felt shorter this time around, though whether that was because he was retracing his footsteps, or some other strange property of time in the Underworld, Satoru couldn’t be sure. He wasn’t going to complain about it, either, because not turning to look at you was proving much more difficult than he had thought when he was first given the rule.

When he finally saw the entrance to the surface, sunlight still visible on the horizon, a beaming grin broke out across his face. “We’re nearly there,” he told you. “See? We’ve nearly made it.” Unable to help himself, he picked up his pace, still pulling you along behind him. 

He didn’t notice your hand slipping from his own as he closed the last few paces to the entrance.

His joy was palpable as he practically leapt through the gates, back onto the surface, into the grass that waited for him as the sun began to set behind him.

“We did it!” Satoru cheered, spinning around to look at you. “Oh, my love, it feels so good to have you—” The sight of your sad smile had his gaze dropping to your feet.

You hadn’t yet crossed over the threshold.

And he had turned around and looked at you.

“No,” he begged, racing towards you, desperate for at least one last kiss, one last embrace, even if he could not keep you with him. “Please, my love, I’m so sorry.”

Before he could reach out and touch you, though, your shape had already begun to waver, rippling like the surface of a pool disturbed by the wind. You only shook your head, your smile never leaving your lips. “It’s okay,” you assured him. “I love you. I’ll see you again someday. Live well for me, okay?”

“I-I’ll try,” he choked out, tears thick in his voice even before they spilled from his eyes, though there was no stopping them as your form wavered more, then faded fully from sight.

He fell to his knees and wept, loud, heaving sobs, gripping handfuls of grass as he pressed his forehead to the ground, forced to mourn you a second time.

ok so this was baby's first sad ending/hurt no comfort so pls don't come for me if it was bad i'm so sorry idk how to do this i don't like sad endings but this is my favorite myth i couldn't bring myself to change the ending

tagging: @kentopedia @kentohours @mitsuristoleme

[sillysturns]

⋆˚｡⋆୨✧୧˚ 𝑺𝒖𝒓𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒆, 𝑺𝒖𝒓𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒆 ˚୨✧୧⋆｡˚⋆

synopsis: surprising matt with concert tickets and a cats!!!

warnings: none just fluff

Your boyfriend, Matt, with a new pet and concert tickets. As you plan this surprise, you think about how your boyfriend loves animals, especially those with playful personalities and soft fur. You imagine his reaction when he sees a cute little cat, its fur a mix of grays and whites, eyes sparkling. This little creature named Maisie, with its whiskers twitching and tiny paws padding softly on the floor, fills the room with an immediate sense of warmth. You can picture your boyfriend's face lighting up as he arrives home from working on his personal project, his eyes widening as he realizes this companion is now a part of his life.

As you get closer to surprising him, you also hold a pair of concert tickets tightly in your hand. The thought of the upcoming concert makes your heart so happy. The artist he loves, Clairo, is playing, and you can just imagine his excitement when he learns he can see her live with you, (and his brothers), by his side. You smile inwardly at the thought of you being at the concert, the two of you dancing together in the crowd, vibing to your favorite songs. The anticipation builds as you picture how he's going to react when you reveal the tickets. This shared experience will strengthen your bond as you create unforgettable memories while enjoying music that you both like. The thrill of the concert combined with the joy of a new pet brings an energetic atmosphere that seems to fill your home.

You did get Chris and Nick tickets to the concert too, but the surprises are mostly for Matt, because he's been working on his 'personal project'. You, Nick, and Chris carefully set the stage for the big reveal, even decorating the living room with a few balloons that match the colors of the Clairo's album. You and Nick build the cat tree and hide it in Chris's room. Building the cat tree was Chris's job, while you and Nick made cookies, but Chris built it wrong twice so you and Nick also had to do that yourselves, and now Chris's job is to watch the cat until you tell him to bring her out. The air is filled with the scent of freshly baked cookies, which adds a sweet touch to this moment. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, a perfect backdrop for unveiling the surprises.

When the moment finally arrives, you can hardly contain your excitement. You listen as he gets home and walks up the stairs, you're a little nervous, but not too much because the cat is in the back, out of sight. It's a scene filled with giddiness, and you can already see curiosity on his face. When he smells the cookies, he gives you a skeptical look, like 'what the fuck is happening'. You smile at him, "Nick and I made you cookies," He smiles, "Thank you, sweetheart" he mumbles gratefully.

After he finishes eating, he talks to you and Nick for a minute, and while you're talking, Nick is discreetly bringing out the confetti cannon, and he pops it. Matt sits there for a second, stunned, before Chris runs into the room and puts the cat on the table in front Matt, who's eyes widen in disbelief, and there's a few beats of silence, followed by an eruption of joy and laughter. There’s something beautiful about watching someone you love react with pure happiness. His laughter fills the room as he reaches out to pet the cat, instantly forming a connection that brings a smile to your face. The sound of his joyful exclamations and the warm touch of the cat's fur creates a moment that you both will treasure forever.

Finally, you present the concert tickets, and his excitement reaches a new level. His grin broadens, and he jumps up in delight, wrapping you in a tight hug. The combination of a new furry friend and the promise of an exciting night out turns an ordinary day into something magical. As he holds the tickets, his mind races with thoughts of the music, the crowd, the new memories with you and his brothers, and the interactions with your new pet. You all laugh and talk excitedly about how it will feel to enjoy live music together, imagining the lights, the sounds, and the atmosphere surrounding you. This surprise not only brings joy to your boyfriend but also strengthens the bond you share, filled with love, laughter, and now a little companion to join the journey ahead.

authors note: this is ass!!! im gonna try to be more consistent and write more but I need requests GIVE ME IDEAS

also I fear matt might be kinda awkward at concerts gimme ur thoughts

divider credits all to my queen: @bernardsbendystraws

love ya, from maya [happy]

[twstfanblog]

!*~Valentine's Times~*! pt 3

A/N: Here's the last half of the dorms! More world-building! Hope you enjoy it! The final part will be uploaded later on tonight, Happy Valentine's Day! Word Count: 7.9 (The Brick) Warnings: She/They Pronouns OC, Gets mildly spicy, swearing (Ortho gets ONE SWEAR) Pairings: Established poly (Yuu/Azul/Jamil/Malleus), Alluded Rook/Vil, Fake past relationship Rook/Yuu, Alluded Cater/Idia L (NRC Staff ft OCs). O (Heartslabyul, Savanaclaw, Octavinelle). V (Here). E (Crack)

V is very, very extraordinary...

~SCARABIA~

The desert dorm was hot. But compared to the still nippy weather of the campus, Yuu welcomed the hot sun. Walking into the dorm's lounge area, Yuu looked at what could only be called ‘Craft Heaven’ or ‘Neat-Freak Hell’.

Construction paper, hot glue, and glitter were everywhere. No surface was seemingly uncovered by either paper scraps or stray blobs of paint. They just barely avoid stepping into the path of splattered yellow paint, eyes glaring at the half-apologetic student.

Things had nearly escalated before a pair of arms wrapped around their waist, picking them up and spinning them around as a joyful voice rang out.

“Yuu! I didn't know you were coming over!” Kalim laughs, taking care to place his friend in a cleaner area after taking note of their pretty white boots, “If I had known you were coming I'd have your Valentine ready to give to you! I just finished it so it's still wet…”

Yuu smiles, “Aw! You made me a Valentine? Kalim, you know I'm a taken harlot~.”

He laughs, hands proudly on his hips, “And you know I'm not looking! But! You are one of my dearest friends. It'd be wrong to not give you something on the day of love!”

Sniffling, Yuu wipes an imaginary tear from their cheek, “Kalim, you are my shining star.” 

Once the two had calmed their respective vibes, Yuu gestured around the dorm, “So, is this like a side hustle Scarabia has or is there a holiday tradition I'm missing?”

Kalim makes a questioning noise, then looks around the dorm before shaking his head and laughing, “OH! Naw. Lilia was pouting the other day about how he doesn't get ‘adorable’ homemade Valentine's Day cards anymore. So I had planned on gifting one to him and Cater at the exchange tonight. But then I wanted to make one for Jamil, then I couldn't leave you out of course, and then I had to make one for Azul, Malleus. The list just kinda grew!”

He gestures around to the other Scarabia members, only now did Yuu realize some weren't actually Scarabia students, “Everyone else saw me making them and wanted to join. So, we're having a last-minute craft party!” They both wince at seeing a spray of paint and glitter go flying through the air, “Yeah…Jamil’s in the kitchen making lunch for everyone. I'm in charge of cleaning this up before we leave for the exchange.”

“Well, Kalim I'm gonna make that harder for you, while also giving you a little treat.”

“Oh!?...” Kalim squints his eyes, brain catching the first part of Yuu's statement, “Wait, make this harder how? I'm happy for the treat but I don't want to make this even harder to clean up!”

“Gonna ignore the concern in your voice and give you the treat first. It's chocolate!”

Yuu pulls out a bag tied closed with white and burgundy ribbons. Inside were multiple colored gems, each glittering in the light through the plastic. He takes the bag, eyeing the gems with a focused stare. Only when he brought the bag closer did he fully see the ‘gems’ were simply chocolates luster-dusted in bright colors. He laughs, pulling a chocolate out to hold in the light.

“Ah! Clarity is bad, but the cut is very pleasing…”

“You are not evaluating my chocolate right now.”

“The colors are also pretty! Good saturation, a very pure hue…” Kalim brings the sweet to his mouth, eyes widening when he bites down to discover they were filled, “Oh! Coconut cream! Forget the grading, these are perfect!”

Yuu folded their arms, a smile winning the fight they put up to frown, “Okay, so with the grade they were bad, huh? You know what? Here.” They reach into their bag, pulling out a purple velvet bag with golden drawstrings, “That's for you.”

Kalim looked at the bag, opening it and raising an eyebrow as he stuck his hand inside, “What'd you get me-...” he pulled out his completely gold-coated hand, staring at it before he realized what he had in his possession,  “Yuu, did you give me a bag of gold dust?”

“Ye.”

“...” Kalim giggles, lightly bouncing on his heels as his eyes searched around the dorm, “Midas! Miiiiiiiidas~!” With his target seemingly found, Kalim raced off into the crowd of people, bag of luster dust and chocolates in firm hand.

Yuu wipes their hands of imaginary dust, turning on their heel and heading toward the kitchen. A part of them almost felt bad, the area near the kitchen was completely empty. Jamil must have been in Heaven, cooking in blissful solitude…

Jamil jumps hearing the doors of the kitchen swing open and slam against the wall, shoulders moving up to his ears only to feel every ounce of strength to tense leave his body at his date-mate's voice.

“Hi, Jamil~.”

They both stand in silence, Jamil still facing the stove before he sighed. Looking at them from the corner of his eye he mumbled out, untrusting that they appeared for a simple visit, “Hello.”

“Wow, Jamil. I can feel the love we share for one another pouring out of your fucking pores from here.”

Jamil sighs again, rolling his eyes so hard his head followed the movement, “Alright, let me try again…” He turns to Yuu fully, fluttering his eyelashes as he copied their earlier tone, “Hi, Yuu~.” he drops the flirty tone, raising an eyebrow, “Was that better?”

Yuu smiles, wrapping their arms around Jamil’s neck as they press against him, “Very.” A kiss, short and sweet as they let Jamil gently nudge them away from the stove.

Jamil subtly licked his lips, shoving Yuu lightly to one of the stools at the massive island, “Don't stand too close. You're in light colors and it'd do no good to get oil on yourself.” He goes back to tending the dish, flipping the meat by simply flicking his wrist, “If you came for lunch, it'll be at max an hour to wait.”

“What if I came to give you Valentine’s Day gifts instead?”

The look Jamil threw over his shoulder was disrespectful to the point Yuu hoped their future children would call Jamil out on it. They gasped, offended and miming they closed a coat around their body as they put on a thick accent, “Why I never! I came in here, alone, without a care in the world to give my loving boyfriend some chocolate I slaved over! And this is the thanks I get? Suspected of crimes that I would totally commit, but didn't?

“...” Jamil turned off the burner, grabbing a dishrag and cleaning off his hands in silence. He walks toward Yuu, hands quickly grabbing their hips when they try to step away from him. With a tired smile, he simply tilted his head to the side, “I love you. Have I ever told you that?”

“Don't sound so defeated when you say it. God, you make it sound like I wore you down!” They could barely contain their laughter, arms wrapping around his waist in a hug.

“That's because you did, you beat every ounce of fight out of me. Now, what did you bring me?”

Yuu had a hybrid of a pout and a smile on their face. Looking at Jamil’s tired expression before pulling out his bag of sweets, “I brought you chocolates. And they’re spicy, because I thought you would like that.”

Jamil holds the bag in his hand eyeing it passively. Tied off with burgundy and black ribbons, the chocolates inside were dark and shaped like gems. The edges of the chocolates painted with gold luster dust, burgundy and gold chocolate pearls scattered within the bag. The promised flavorings of dark chocolate and the Sriracha paste he had helped them make was a welcomed retreat he looked forward to.

He smiles, placing the chocolates on the counter and pulling Yuu fully into his embrace, “Thank you. Now sit down and do nothing.”

“I have another gift!”

The sigh Jamil let out was loud, giving his smiling date-mate a playful glare, “Yuu. My love. My hayati…I will not tolerate your bullshit today. If you cause trouble when my plate's full as it is, I will spank you.”

“Don't threaten me with a good time. But, no. You'll like this present, I swear.” They reach into their tote, pulling out what looked like a thick checkbook and holding it out to Jamil.

He raises an eyebrow, taking the booklet in hand and reading the dull red cover. “Jamil’s Cheat Checks” was on the front in gold script, flipping it open showed what seemed to be legitimate checks. The illusion was broken as the amount was pre-written as ‘Shut up and do as I say.’ He chuckles, checking each ticket to confirm they all said the same thing, “What is this?”

“Checks that when handed to me will make me stop all manner of shenanigans, hijinks, and/or funny hahas.”

“Wow. Even your funny hahas? The power you've bestowed upon me.” Jamil tucks the checkbook into the waist of his apron and presses another kiss to Yuu's lips, nodding his head toward the island before turning back to the stove, “Now sit. Food will be done in about 45 minutes and you can help me bring it out.”

“Yeah, yeah. I will do as asked and not spread my joyous presence to the masses.” Yuu sat on the other side of the island, resting their cheek on their hand as they smiled dreamily at Jamil, “I'll just sit here and daydream~.”

Jamil raises an eyebrow but goes back to prepping the food. But, the silence was short-lived, Yuu lasting at most a minute before they started to mimic the sound of a phone ringing. Jamil paid them no mind, focusing on getting another dish prepared for its final roast in one of the dorm's many ovens. He does look from the corner of his eyes as Yuu started to speak out loud,  just to see if they actually were on the phone.

Yuu's phone screen was black. Held in a way that it looked like they were talking, but made it easy to see the blank screen, “Yeah? No, I'm with Jamil. Yeah…I know.” They smiled at him, clearly catching him glancing at them, “He's so cute right?”

His eyes quickly turned back to the pan, a blush slowly growing worse and worse the longer Yuu ‘talked on the phone’

“I know right? Like, dude, how are you so handsome, talented, and intelligent? Can you be any more perfect?” Yuu internally cooed, watching Jamil’s shoulders raise higher and higher as the tips of his ears darkened with his blush.

“I can not wait to male wife him the fuck up.” The sound of Jamil’s accessories jingling as his head snapped around to glare at them was almost enough to make Yuu break, but they kept going. 

Jamil knew they were doing this because he was focused on cooking. He could see their phone, they weren't even holding it right. Yuu was simply waxing poetic behind his back because there was a whole island between them. His mind drifts to the tickets tucked against his hips and a part of him huffed in mild annoyance. They would make him use his present the second they gifted it to him.

Yuu watches Jamil grow more and more fidgety, listing off all the things they ‘had planned’ for when they were bound in holy matrimony. Romantic dates, quiet nights at home in each other's embrace, moments of passion. It was hard keeping the laugh out of their voice watching Jamil’s steadily quickening movements to place the crafted dish into the oven.

“Yeah. I just can't wait to be barefoot and pregnant-” they hear the hasty sound of an oven door slamming shut and ripping paper, “Hold on. I think Jamil wants something.” They place their phone down, turning to smile at Jamil, “Yeah, babes?”

Jamil held out one of the checks, glaring across the island with his cheeks flared, “You say that shit behind closed bedroom doors, not in the kitchen where anyone can hear it!”

Yuu sat patiently, blinking once before they pointed to the ticket, “You know you have to hand that to me right?”

…

His eyes narrow, moving to walk around the island only to stop as he watches Yuu mirror his movements. Every step he took toward them, they would move away. Jamil glared over the counter, the two of them now on opposite sides from where they started, “Really?” He couldn't fight the smirk on his face.

“Yeah, you really have to hand me the ticket, Jamil.” Yuu wiggled their eyebrows, a challenge ringing clear that even with the tickets they would never go down without a struggle.

Jamil clicks his tongue, untying his apron and slapping it on the counter. They stood still, eyes locked in a stalemate before he quickly faked left and then darted to the right of the island.

Yuu barely kept themselves from falling as they fled, the distance between them kept steady as Yuu yelled out, “Jamil! You're in sandals, I'm in heels! This isn't good for either of our ankles!”

“Take the damn ticket!”

“You have to hand it to me!”

They made a few complete circles around the island before Jamil threw caution and ‘playing fair’ to the sands. He braced his hands onto the counter, jumping and quickly scrambling across the island and managing to grip a screaming Yuu by the back of their overalls. They both fall to the ground, the sounds of Yuu's panicked scream laughter bouncing off the walls. The sound of a heavy ‘SMACK’ turning their laughter soon into breathless moans and the sounds of heavy kissing.

The door clicks open. Kalim walked in, a handprint of gold smeared across his face and more dust coating his hair and clothing, “Hey, Yuu. Is this stuff edible? I think I-Ah! AAAAH!” He quickly turned back to the door, trying to flee after catching a glimpse of Yuu and Jamil lip locked and fully grinding against each other on the floor, “STOP DOING THIS IN THE KITCHEN!”

~POMEFIORE~

Vil looked at the mess before him, glaring with his eyeliner brush hanging almost limp in his hand. Yuu stood in his doorway, sheepishly tugging at their shirt edge to hide the various bite marks along their collar. He could tell their hair was curled, but the state it was in now left it nothing more than a fizzy manhandled mess. By the Seven, their makeup. Smeared and blotchy, nothing more than an utter sabotage of the beauty community. 

Sighing, Vil sat down his eyeliner brush. Motioning them into the room as he opened his drawer to gather makeup closer to Yuu’s skin tone, “You were either mauled or you went to one of your lovers before walking in here looking so unkempt. Which one was it?”

“Jamil…” Yuu drags the ottoman closer to his vanity, sitting down and placing their tote on the ground, “And all I can say is that he actually looks more fucked up than I do.”

The third year reaches out to hold a frizzled tassel of Yuu's hair with two of his fingers, face pinched, “I highly doubt that…though I will commend him for still leaving bites and hickeys with that choker you have on.”

“Can you fix it?”

“I shouldn’t, in the hope that this will teach you a lesson in restraint,” He grounds out, already pulling Yuu’s hair out of its half ponytail gently and taking a brush to it, “But, I’d feel worse letting you walk around like this. I have very little authority over you as your club leader but I expect all under my care to look their best at all times.”

Yuu smiles, letting Vil do his favorite activity of priming others, “Thank you, big brother.” They will agree the laugh they let out was ‘gremlin’ adjacent, closing their eyes on Vil’s command as he poured his mineral water onto a towel.

Vil grumbles but takes care to remove the smeared pigment from Yuu’s face, “Honestly. I don’t know what’s worse. You spreading rumors that we’re family or the fact my own father sent you a Valentine’s basket along with mine…”

“One of those is mine!?” Yuu looks away from Vil, eyes glittering to the two large red and pink-toned baskets sitting on Vil’s bed, “Aw~! That’s nice.”

Vil quickly moved Yuu’s face back to him, frowning at the fact he nearly poked the younger student in the eye when they moved. “Stop moving…” His glare intensifies, staring at reddish spots dotted along their cheeks, “Are you breaking out? Why are you breaking out? Honestly, I make you a personal blend of skincare and you don’t even use it.”

 Yuu waves his words off, rolling their eyes, “I’ve been stressed! I spent the last few weeks trying to perfect chocolate molds and fruit fillings. Also, pretty sure standing over a pot of boiling sugar wasn’t good for my skin…”

Vil snaps his fingers, pointing upward, “Look up.” He ignores Yuu groaning, applying a few drops of his handmade blemish eraser serum, “Honestly, why are you so stressed about it? I understand you have three lovers but that shouldn’t be too much for you to handle.”

“Oh. Naw, I made chocolate for all my favs, not just them.” They rubbed the serum into their cheeks, humming lightly at the scent of lavender.

“...” When Yuu doesn’t say anything more, he frowns. Turning to his gathered makeup he mumbles while applying their foundation, “Well, I see how it is…”

“I don’t wanna give you your chocolates now. You’re way more of a bitch to me when it’s just the two of us.”

“Oh, so you did make me chocolate? Color me surprised, I would think you’d leave me out from ‘sibling spite’...”

Yuu groans, reaching into their tote but not pulling the bag out, “You can’t be mean to me about these, okay? I worked really hard on them.”

Vil rolls his eyes, turning his full attention to them with a raised brow, “Fine. If they’re horrible I will simply remain silent.”

“...” Yuu pulls out a bag tied off with purple and gold ribbons, the bow multiple loops and grand. The chocolates inside were dark chocolate and shaped like crowns, half of them luster-dusted with gold and purple chocolate pearls scattered inside, “I filled them with raspberry. Like, the saddest raspberry filling. I didn’t add sugar past what was needed to help keep it edible after thickening it.”

Vil takes the bag, eyeing it silently before he places it on a free shelf of his vanity. He gives a brief yet fond look to the chocolates before making sure their foundation was properly blended, “They look very nice. Where did you learn to tie a knot that intricate?”

Yuu breathed a sigh of relief, “Tulip did the bows, mine weren’t good enough it seems…”  They already knew getting Vil chocolates would be a gamble. The star was hyper-aware of nearly every calorie he took in. They had honestly entertained the idea of getting him a celery bouquet instead, “I’m glad you like them though.”

“Ah…Tulip…” Vil did his best to not pull a face at the mention of the over zealous fairy. “The chocolates are cute. I’ll try them later tonight and give my full review.” He smiles, holding up two eye shadow palettes. One was centered around reds and darker tones, the other had more pink options and various glitters, “Now pick your eyeshadow.”

“Oo~! I want a glittery smokey eye.”

Vil worked fast, redoing Yuu’s makeup faster than they had done it themselves. Taking the time to paint small hearts along their cheeks, over where their tiny red spots would be. Saving their eyeliner for last, he hums at his project and gestures for them to look into the mirror, “There we go. Two fat little wings, just as you like.”

Yuu lets out an ‘Ooo’, fluttering their eyelashes and winking just to watch the glitter on their lids, “I love it! And don’t hate on my ‘fat wing’ liner style. I say nothing about you staining your skin with the darkest eyeshadow every day.”

“Get out of my room.”

“No, give me my gift basket.”

Vil turns back to the mirror, eyeliner brush back in hand as he applies his own wings to a ‘proper’ length, “No, it’s mine now since you want to be rude to me.”

Yuu frowns, crossing their arms and intentionally making their voice whiney, “But you said dad got it for meeeeeee.”

“We aren’t siblings-”

The door bursts open, making both of them jump at the loud cry of “BONJOUR~!”

“Hi, Rook~!”

“Mon vieille amor~!” The Florian quickly walks into the room, dropping to one knee in front of Yuu and presenting them with a small bouquet of roses, “For the brightest flame of my past! Roses as bloomed as your wedding bouquet, pink as the twilight from the night sky of our first dance.”

Yuu gasps, taking the gathering of pink flowers into their arms, “Oh, Rook! Just like our 20th anniversary~! I’m so glad you remembered!” they reach into their tote bag, pulling out a mason jar filled with pink and gold chocolate pearls. The bag was tied off with purple and black ribbons, plastic keeping the chocolate sculpted roses safe, “Chocolate roses, for the man who taught me how to love.”

Rook takes the jar gently, smiling as he opens it immediately. He takes a petal from one of the roses, placing it in his mouth, “They love me…” He takes another petal into his mouth, “They love me not~ Beauté! 1000 points for this gift of love, mon vieille amor!” with the jar in one hand, he wrapped the other around Yuu’s waist to pull them closer to place them in a faux dip. He makes loud, borderline obnoxious kissing sounds as he mimes pecking along a giggling Yuu’s face.

Vil glared at them, a jagged line of black from the corner of his eye and down his cheek. He turns back to the mirror, pouring more mineral water onto a towel, “Both of you get out of my room…”

“Vil, stop being so jealous. Me and Rook are so in the past, but we were married for 40 years. It’d feel weird to not get each other something for Valentine’s Day.”

“You two. Never dated…”

Rook stood, placing Yuu up right beside him with a hand over his heart, “Oh, mon roi. My and Yuu’s love was true and deep. 40 years of affection, a son, and a lifelong companionship to stand the test of time.”

“You’re both under 20, your ‘son’ is a bird, and you didn’t meet until this year. The joke is old.”

Yuu clicks their tongue, shaking their head before resting it on Rook’s chest, “You just don’t get it, Vil…”

“Oh, no. I get it. My boyfriend and my little sister are both infected with the same brain-eating virus-”

“HA!” Yuu pulls away from Rook, pointing at Vil’s frowning face, “You called me your sister! Sibling bond, you BITCH!”

“I WILL-”

“Why is everybody yellin’ in here?” Epel stood in the open doorway, looking at the scene in front of him. He raises an eyebrow at Vil’s appearance, the third-year with one side of his face completely bare, “You…you doing something new and stupid with your face?”

Vil scowls, “Epel, I will make you sit at my and Rook’s table the whole party.”

Epel looks to the side, beads of sweat forming on his temple as he internally panics, “Never mind. I love it.” He turns and waves, eyes pleading for Yuu to help take Vil’s glare off of him, “Hey, Yuu! What are you doing here? Let’s talk about it!”

“Actually, I’m leaving. But here you go!” They reach into their tote, pulling out a bag tied closed with purple and red ribbons. 

Throwing it to Epel, the other first-year had to rush forward to keep it from falling to the ground. He holds the bag to his face, tilting his head at the red luster-dusted and milk chocolates in the shape of apples. Green beads of chocolate scattered in the bag, “Oh! You even made them apple-shaped. Thanks, Yuu.”

“Thank you for the apple cider. I used it to make the caramel I filled your chocolates with.”

Epels eyes widened, quickly opening the bag to grab a chocolate to try, “Hot damn! That sounds fuckin’ sweet-”

Vil glares at Epel through the mirror, finally painting his second wing properly, “Epel…”

“Thank you, I’m very excited to try it…”

Yuu snickers, “Did you forget he was in the room? Anyway. Pomefiore boys, thank you for hosting me, but I still got a few stops to make before I gotta head back to Ramshackle and get ready for the party.”

“...” Vil sighs, pointing to the gift baskets on his bed, “The red one is yours. You can take one thing from it.”

The squeal Yuu lets out is giddy, bordering on ear-splitting. They rushed toward the bag and made sure to open it as carefully as possible. Opening the basket to see a plethora of nail polishes and beauty products, “Aw! Mr. Shoenhiet really doesn’t do anything in half does he?” Yuu pulls out a dark red lip gloss, opening it to apply to their lips.

Vil smirks, seeing Yuu had picked the lipgloss he had personally advised his father to get for them when the man had asked what Yuu would like in their basket, “Of course he doesn’t. He’s my father after all.”

~IGNIHYDE~

Ignihyde didn't even bother decorating, nothing past the holographic screens showing a loop of hearts. Even then, they were the basic dorm blue, nothing even red. Though Yuu did see the tables were adorned by fresh flowers and pomegranates. They looked around the empty lounge, walking closer to a table to pick a fruit for themselves. Only to jump at seeing multiple bright dots appear on their hand and a disembodied voice ring out.

“Prefect Yuu, do not take the fruit. I repeat. Do not take the fruit.”

“Ortho, what the fuck my guy?” They pull their hand away, both hands placed beside their head as they looked around the room in panic.

Ortho appeared from a hallway, at least looking mildly sheepish as he floated closer, “Sorry! I forget at times you're not from here and don't know traditions.”

“It's tradition to try to shoot a bitch getting some fruit?”

“...” Ortho looks to the side, “Well…the shooting is more so my choice. But still! Taking the fruit is bad!”

Yuu sighed, throwing their head back but waving a hand as if to say ‘Go on’.

“The fruit and flowers are offerings. Hades was one of the longer lived Great Seven, so there's a number of stories about him. One of which was about his wife.”

“Ah. Persephone right?”

“Yes!” Ortho closes his eyes to show he was smiling, “Hades loved his wife dearly even though they were separated multiple times in their marriage. The offerings started out in the warmer months when Persephone and Hades were separated. The flowers to keep Hades in good spirits and the pomegranates to remind Persephone of her husband. But once the Queen's Marriage Anniversary was adapted outside of the Queendom of Roses, it also became tradition to offer both! As a way of gifting the lovers on this day of love and appreciation.”

“Aw…that's actually really cute…”

“I agree.” Ortho narrows his eyes, wagging his finger at Yuu in mock scolding, “So no taking any fruit or flowers! It's very rude to steal from a God.”

Yuu giggles, nodding their head, “Noted. Also…” They take a step forward, wrapping their arms around Ortho's body and pressing a kiss right below his eye before pulling away, “Happy Valentine's Day!”

Ortho stood still for a moment before he rocketed back into Yuu's arms, nearly lifting them off their feet from the force of his hug, “Happy Valentine's Day, Prefect Yuu! Thank you for the kiss! I've now collected three kisses!”

“Three?”

“Yes! Nii-San, Cater Diamond, and now Prefect Yuu! I feel very loved!”

“Aw. Well you're gonna feel a lot more love, baby boy.” Yuu reaches into their tote bag, pulling out a heart printed wrapped gift tied with white and blue ribbons, “A gift for you. Since you can't eat…”

Ortho's eyes were so bright Yuu was afraid they'd burn a hole through the box. The android took the package with care, “Thank you so much! May I open it now?”

“Go ahead!”

With almost surgical precision, Ortho unwrapped the gift and gently placed the folded paper and ribbons to the side. His eyes scan the box; a children's ‘make your own candy’ science kit. He flips the box over, reading the list of ingredients included in the kit. Once he was done, he looked into Yuu's eyes, “Prefect Yuu, may I swear?”

Yuu chokes on their laugh, but smiles and nods, “Yeah…yeah let it rip, buddy…”

“Prefect Yuu, this kit is shit.”

“I know…I know…” Yuu laughs at the bewildered look Ortho gives them, his eyes going from reading over the kit to squinting at them, “Look. I got it because while the candy is…barely edible, the kits are fun! You've got access to actual chemicals and stuff that you could use to make them taste better anyway.”

Ortho looks at the kit, calculating the few things he'd need to gather to make the potential candies in a greater quality, “That's true.”

“Plus! You can make fun gummies for Idia to try and like…slip a multivitamin or something in them.”

“I love it, thank you so much.” Ortho hugs the box to his chest, already coming up with numerous candies his brother would like. He perks up, eyes glittering when he realized Yuu hadn’t left, “Do you…Did you bring chocolates for Nii-San?”

Yuu nodded, patting their tote, “I did.”

The halls passed by in a blur, Ortho had picked Yuu up and flown as fast as he safely could to the housewarden’s door. Yuu had barely realized where they were before Ortho was knocking on the door at a rapid pace, “Nii-san, may we come in!?”

A quiet voice calls out from inside the room, “We…?”

Yuu smiles, calling out so that Idia knew who was with Ortho, “Are you decent?”

The voice calls out again, louder and with an edge of panic, “YOU CAN’T COME IN!”

Yuu nods at Ortho, “I think he’s decent.” 

They reach and swing the door open, smiling at seeing Cater look up from Idia’s bed and remove one of his earphones, “Sup?”

“No…Ortho why do you do this to me…?” Idia curled into his gaming chair, pulling his hood over his head as though if he could hide from Yuu’s sight they would have forgotten he was even there, “It was a good day…I got a free day from classes…Cater brought me candy…I didn’t see that fucking thing…”

“This ‘fucking thing’ has ears and the power to beat your ass.” Yuu smiles, reaching into their tote, “But I’m gonna let you get back to your day and just give you your chocolates. Catch!” They threw the bag, purposefully making it land against Idia’s keyboard.

Idia looks at the baggie, bright blue and black ribbons tying it closed with milk and white chocolate skulls inside with multi-colored gummies that looked like the buttons of a game controller. He brings the bag closer, eyes roaming to see if he saw anything truly hazardous in the bag. Like…a carrot…or broken glass…or a scorpion. But seeing nothing, he brought the bag closer to his chest and looked over at Yuu.

“I don’t know if this item drop showing our friendship…makes me fear you less or more…”

“Pick whichever one makes you feel safest.”

“...” Idia opens the bag, digging through the bag for one of the bright blue buttons, “It makes me fear you more.”

“That was the right answer. Ok! I gotta GO! Love you guys, see you at the party. Bye~...” Their ‘bye’ was heard as they ran down the hall, only ending at the sound of the dorms front doors slamming shut.

Idia turned to Ortho, frowning mildly at his beaming brother, “Why do you keep letting her into my room…?”

“Well, Nii-san. You refuse to leave your room. So I have to bring people to your room.”

Cater speaks up from the bed, placing his ear phones back as he nodded, “You gotta get that enrichment babe…”

“...” Idia turned to his computer, typing into the search bar, ‘How to tell if you are being bullied’.

~DIASOMNIA~

“I'm sorry, run that by me one more time?”

The diasomnia student sneered down his nose at them, sword held out to clash with the other student guarding the rope bridge to the dorm, “You heard me you harlot. You are no longer welcome in the grand Noble dorm of Diasomnia. Take your swill and be off!”

“...” Yuu nods their head, raising their eyebrows and pursing their lips, “Okay.” They turn on their heel walking away from the stunned students.

As Yuu was a good distance away yet still in the dorm, the more spiteful student smiled at his fellow guard, “S-see!? I told you. There was never a need to fear that wench, she only got away with everything she did because Lord Malleus favored her. Now that he doesn’t, she’s powerless!”

He continued on, boasting about how their dorm leader had finally seen that a magicless human wasn’t worthy of his affections. But during his speech, the silent guard kept his eyes on Yuu. The Ramshackle prefect didn't even walk toward the mirror when they left, only a few paces off to the side of the path. He watched silently as they knelt down, pulling festive bags from their massive tote and even a bouquet of flowers.

Then he felt a shiver go down his spine as he watched them fill the now empty tote with rocks.

Silver looks up hearing the doors open, blinking in mild confusion at who walked through them, “Yuu?”

Yuu was smiling, pulling a sizable rock out of their tote bag and dropping it outside the door, “Hey Silver! Um. If you think you see two unconscious bodies over by the bridge, no you don't.”

“What?”

“Happy Valentine's day!” Yuu was quick to pull out a plastic bag tied close with silver and bright green ribbons.

He takes it slowly, eyeing the dark chocolate shapes of swords and Z's with green and light purple chocolate pearls scattered in the bag. Opening it, he was greeted with the strong scent of espresso, “Oh. Coffee flavored?”

“Espresso cream filled. Thought you could put them in your coffee for an extra boost!” They look around the dorm lounge, eyes roaming, “While I adore you Silver, where is Malleus?”

Silver remained silent, putting a small sword into his mouth and chewing, “...It's good…”

“...Okay. You enjoy your chocolate, I'm gonna go hunt my boyfriend down.”

A nod was all Silver gave, stepping to the side to show he wasn't going to stop them, “Bye, Yuu.”

The dorm was filled with distrusting eyes, more so than normally. Yuu didn't bother asking any of them where Malleus was since they probably would have the same response as the guards. And sadly they don't have any more rocks in their bag. They sigh in a hallway, hands on their hips and looking around the room one last time.

“Beastie!”

Yuu felt a tap on their left shoulder, turning to the right as they knew Lilia's tricks. But, instead of seeing Lilia they see open air. They sigh, turning back around only to jump back as Lilia's face suddenly dropped into view, “AH! FUCK LILIA!” They braced themselves against the wall, catching their breath as Lilia giggled behind them, “Stop doing that…”

Lilia floats closer, smiling as he pats Yuu’s head, “Stop having such adorable reactions. What brings you to Diasomnia, dearie?”

“I’m passing out chocolates to my favorites and looking for Malleus.”

Lilia's eyes widen, humming loudly as he looks to the side, “Well, I can accept the chocolate and give you Malleus's location. But, you'll have to deal with him and Sebek alone…”

“Oh, Sebek is never an issue for me. While I have you, can you tell me what the fuck is wrong with Malleus?”

“...” Lilia smiles, tilting his head so far it made his whole body start to slowly spin in the air, “You said you brought chocolate?”

Yuu groans, but still reaches into their tote to pull out a baggie tied off with bright green and pink ribbons. Dark chocolate in the shape of bats and green chocolate pearls filling the bag.

Lilia squeals out in delight, taking the bag and opening it, “Oh, Beastie! I didn't think you'd actually bring little old me chocolate.” He coos lightly at the bat between his fingers, biting into it and nearly choking, “...Did you fill this with tomato paste?”

“More so a tomato jam…but basically…” they raise an eyebrow, “Are you going to tell me what's going on with Malleus?”

“Hmmm…” Lilia grabbed another chocolate, eating it whole and chewing, “Such an interesting flavor combination…I quite like it!”

“Okay, fuck you guys. But seriously. I've been so busy running around all day and I only, like…noticed that Malleus hasn't talked to me all day? Is he sick?”

“Hmmm. These chocolates are so good!”

Yuu frowns, reaching into their tote and pulling out another bag, “Just because I'm annoyed. Here.” They shove the bag into Lilia's chest, walking away as the older fae looks in confusion.

When he realizes what's in the bag, he frowns. Pastel colored shapes of a bat, a sword, a crocodile, and a dragon all cut out from marshmallow. He sticks his tongue out and turns around to yell after Yuu, “These are cute but you know I dislike marshmallows!”

Looking over their shoulder, Yuu yells back, “That's not my problem!” They continued walking, ignoring Lilia muttering under his breath if he'd be able to regift the marshmallows to Silver.

As expected, Sebek stood at attention in front of Malleus's door. They make eye contact, Sebek's eyes narrowing instantly upon seeing them.

“Yuu.”

“Sebek.” Yuu folded their arms, raising an eyebrow at the half-fae, “So…move.”

Sebek sniffs, turning his head to look away from them, “I don't take orders from you.”

“I know you don't. But, real quick, how are your kidneys doing? They doing ok?”

“If you're trying to start a fight-”

“I would bust your kidneys a second time. But, no, I'm not here for that. Lilia told me to come find you.”

“...” Sebek tilted his head, a sneer lifting one side of his lip, “Do you truly think I'm that stupid?”

“I do think you're dumb, but Lilia seriously asked me to come find you. He needs help finding his phone.”

Sebek simply sniffed again, turning his nose up at them. He even widened his stance and remained unmoved in front of Malleus's door.

“...” Yuu shrugs, turning around and walking away with a wave over their shoulder, “Fine. I'll just make sure Lilia knows you don't care about his problems.” They counted in their head, smirking when they heard Sebek groan.

“Fine! But, you’re coming with me-” The moment Sebek had walked beside Yuu, he choked, feeling them yank the back of his collar harshly. The kick to the back of his knee sent him down, aheap on the floor and then being blinded by being hit in the face with a plastic bag.

He only looked at the bag for a few moments, tied off with green and yellow ribbons. Milk chocolate lightning bolts, what looked to be gummy green crocodiles, and green chocolate pearls. That ingrate had assaulted him with festive chocolates. He tried to roll to his feet quickly, glaring up at the human running back down the hall toward Malleus’s room, “YUU!”

“Caught you lackin’!” Yuu had already reached Malleus’s door, smiling and holding up their fingers to form a heart, “Love you, bitch~.” They open the door, managing to slam and lock it just before Sebek had reached them. Smiling with a wicked glee seeing the door shake from the force of Sebek slamming against it.

The room was dim, but it normally was. Having night vision apparently made the goth aesthetic too easy to fall into. Lucky for Yuu, Malleus was always easy to find. The pair of glowing eyes in the corner at his desk giving away his location. 

“Hi Malleus. I haven't heard from you today, I was getting worried. You feeling okay?”

Strangely, Malleus doesn't respond. His only reply was to deepen his frown, eyes looking to the side in dismissal.

“...” Yuu blinked, placing their hands on their hips as they looked around the room in confusion, “Why…are you pouting? What happened?”

“...” Malleus sniffs, frown turning into a mild scowl as he fully turns his body away from them. Though Yuu was able to tell he was still watching them from the mirror with his eyes.

“...Are you ignoring me!?” Yuu couldn't stop the half-offended guffaw they let out that nearly caused them to choke. Malleus had responded by flipping a tassel of his hair over his shoulder. “The fuck did I do!?”

Was he pouting because they wouldn't let him come to Ramshackle the past week? Or maybe there was a certain fae etiquette that they hadn't done and now he was upset by it. They walked up to the pouting mage, trying to catch his eyes though he kept turning away from them. Soon they had straddled him in the chair, forcing eye contact.

“Ok. Talk to me. I can't make it up to you if I don't know what I did babes…”

He scoffs, “Oh, it's so trivial that you've forgotten what you did? Timothy surely hasn't…”

Yuu snorts, looking away when Malleus snaps his head to glare at them. It takes them a good few moments to compose themselves, but when they do they place their hands on Malleus’s cheeks. Squishing the cool flesh to make his pout even cuter, “You’re jealous…of Timothy?”

“You kissed him…” Malleus’s glare softened, turning his expression more into a kicked puppy than the annoyed dragon he was, “How could you bestow a kiss to him before me? It’s a grave error at worst and a slight at best…”

“...” Yuu’s hands left Malleus’s cheeks, not saying anything to his expression becoming even sadder. Instead they looked around their tote, pulling out a single item and placing it in Malleus’s hand.

Malleus looks into his palm, a drop wrapped in shiny aluminum with a paper tail sticking out of the top. He blinks, looking at Yuu in confusion as they leaned against his shoulder with a mischievous smile, “What is this?”

“A kiss.” Yuu’s smile widens as Malleus seemed to realize his mistake, turning away with a small blush rising to his cheeks. But they simply kissed along his neck, a hand moving up to scratch at the small patch of scales just behind his ear, “I gave each of the fairies a kiss as payment for helping me make chocolate for all my loved ones.”

“...I see…” The dragon would only be flustered for so long. He turned back to Yuu, a hand under their chin to hold them still as he gently kissed their lips. Pulling away, there was a mischievous glint in his eyes as he smiled, “Well, do you have an offering of love for me?”

Yuu smiled back, just as mischievous. They lean back, holding up the final bag of chocolate in their possession. Tied off with green and black ribbons, filled with dark chocolate shapes of ferocious faces and bright green chocolate pearls. They smile, gesturing to the bag with an excited look, “Open and try one!”

Malleus chuckles but does as asked. He pulls a single chocolate from the bag and looks at it with a keen eye. The shape confused him at first, not knowing why they’d make his chocolates in such a form until he realized he had seen it before. The smile on his face was what Lilia had once described as ‘Lovestruck’. Yuu had taken the time and effort to make his chocolates in the shape of gargoyle faces. Placing it in his mouth, he only bit down for a moment before a shock went through his body at the flash of cold.

The laugh Yuu let was high and almost mocking if he wasn’t so familiar with it, “I’m guessing it worked then?”

“Did you…how did you fill these with ice cream?” He took another chocolate from the bag happily eating it and purring at the feeling of chilled and unmelted ice cream mixing with the bitter chocolate.

“The fairies helped me. The frost fairies were super excited to make an ice cream that wouldn’t melt in the chocolate.”

“Well, I’m glad you succeeded in your culinary endeavors.” Malleus smiles, placing the chocolate on his desk to wrap his arms around them, placing his chin on their shoulder.

Yuu hums, snuggling into Malleus's warming body with a teasing smirk, “And that I didn’t kiss Timmy?”

“Don’t refer to him by a nickname…”

They snicker, knowing Malleus had regained his pouting expression, “Anyway.” Yuu leans back, squishing his cheeks in their hands again and smiling lovingly, “You wanna be my date tonight for the party?”

Malleus’s eyes glitter at the invite, only to dim a bit as he thought, “Would that be…fair to the others? We all are your lovers, isn’t it unfair to have only one of us as your date?”

“Jamil’s gift to Azul is to formally invite him as his date for tonight.” Yuu wished she would have been there to watch Azul try to keep his cool at Jamil’s invitation, “It's just an unspoken truth that you guys are all my dates anyway…”

“Ah, an unspoken truth, you say?” Malleus reaches up, holding Yuu's hands in his own before kissing their knuckles gently, “I shall accept your invitation, both spoken and unspoken.”

Yuu giggles, pulling their hands away to weave them through Malleus’s hair. Pressed against him as they lightly scratched at the base of his horns, feeling the purr he let out, “You charmer…Oh!” They could barely pull away from Malleus's embrace, ignoring the whiney growl that the dragon let out. 

They reach into the tote, pulling out a single slip of paper. Handing it to the confused dragon, they placed their head on his shoulder as he read it over. 

When he was done, Malleus's smile widens. He carefully tucks the ticket into his desk drawer, his free hand moving to trace along their collar bone, “May I leave a mark as well?”

“Not even gonna ask me about the ticket?” Yuu raises an eyebrow, eyeing the closed drawer with a mildly concerned eye. The ticket was labeled with ‘24 Hour Free Trial Breeding Pass’. A simple ‘Get out of contract consequences’ offering since Malleus seemed so keen on trying to change their agreement at every slight inconvenience. How getting pregnant will help them pass their algebra class, they weren’t sure…

“What is there to ask? I read it and know what it offers.” Malleus kissed along their jaw, chuckling under his breath  as he picked his spot to leave a mark, “I will collect my prize when I see fit.”

…

Well, that was only mildly concerning~♡

[lagoonalake]

P1HARMONY IDEAL TYPE

THEO

Personality: 3 of cups, 6 of cups, 5 of swords

He wants to be friends first with his partner, he might want to start the relationship platonically so he can bond on a deeper level with his partner, not just based on attraction, but true intimacy, understanding and friendship. He wants an emotional connection with his person, someone who has a lot of depth, caring and sensitive, someone who would keep his secrets. Someone connected to their inner child, who reminds him of home, of the past. He wants someone who he can be comfortable with, who can share activities with him, who has similar interests. He also wants an intellectual connection, someone who is interesting, intelligent, he wants to have heated debates with his partner. He wouldn’t mind if the person has different opinions from him, he enjoys the mental challenge. All water signs, especially cancer and pisces, aquarius, gemini

Appearance: 6 of swords, queen of swords, 10 of swords

More than looks, it’s the personality of the person that matters the most. He would like someone who seems intelligent, that he would be able to tell has a lot going on in their mind. He could like the intellectual style. Someone who looks like they have a high education. Could also like someone who looks like they went through a lot in life, who seems more mature or is a bit of an overthinker and it shows on their face. Someone who is well spoken, eloquent, charismatic and charming. Could like a foreigner or someone who speaks a lot of languages.  gemini, aquarius, virgo, mercury

Turn offs: 4 of wands, the empress, the hierophant

Someone too conventional, the idea of marriage itself, codependency, someone too traditional, passive, someone that everyone finds beautiful (he finds it a bit boring XD), someone trapped in the structure, in their environment, family, people who are too cuddly, touchy, PDAs (he is much more interested in the mental and emotional connection). taurus, libra, virgo

KEEHO

Personality: page of coins, 8 of cups, 7 of coins

He may prefer someone outside of the kpop industry. A simple type of person, humble, who he can have a rather simple life with. Someone who may have been in the industry before but stepped out of it (this is very similar vibe to Felix’s ideal type). Someone who was brave enough to step out of their comfort zone/the easy way in order to grow and find something healthier, better for themselves and that matches their beliefs more. Someone with emotional depth who has worked on themselves. Someone observant, patient, who could be interested in slow life, more alternative lifestyle. Someone interested in environmental issues. Someone close to nature and animals. A healthy, fresh, positive person. He wouldn’t mind if it’d take a while for this person to let him in as he values caution in relationships too. virgo, saturn, pisces, aquarius, scorpio

Appearance: knight of wands, judgement, 6 of cups

Someone who would make a strong impression on him. Big presence. Looks a bit wild, who enjoys the outdoors, athletic, strong, full of energy, short height, youthful round face, cute and fierce at the same time, the color red, orange, fiery looks, messy hair, grunge style or more simple outdoorsy practical style. Bigger striking features, full cheeks. Louder voice, big laugh, very straightforward, honest eyes. Joyful. sagittarius, mars, aries, cancer

Turn offs: the devil, king of swords, the magician

Manipulators, I feel like he may not like a lot of people in the industry (the people pleaser vibe is a big turn off for him), someone in power who he is obligated to please, this could be a specific energy, un anwanted attention in his life. Someone detached, calculating, pulling all the strings, someone who could be into business, who is very ambitious. Someone who is addicted to substances, someone trapped in their environment. air signs, especially gemini, capricorn, scorpio

JIUNG

Personality: 6 of swords, ace of cups, 2 of wands

Someone different, he wants to discover something new. He wants to connect on a raw emotional level. So he wants someone deep, spontaneous and adventurous, who has intense feelings. Someone he’ll have a strong chemistry with. Someone not necessarily too serious, he doesn’t want something long term for now. The kind of person that he can have a moment with and it’ll be intense and fun, passionate and unforgettable. Someone who lives in the present moment, wants to experience life at its fullest. Someone who is always in motion, stimulating, interesting, active, lively sort of energy. Someone who follows their heart. aries, sagittarius, pisces, aquarius, gemini

Appearance: queen of swords, temperance, knight of cups

Someone sophisticated, elegant, who could look a bit cold or unattainable at first sight, with balanced, well designed, refined, symmetrical features. Sculptural, slender, flexible body, could like a very artistic, ornated style, lots of accessories, elaborate make up and jewelry, someone into fashion. Someone who has a romantic, seductive look, intense eyes even though the rest of the demeanor is very calm, a siren sort of look. The color blue, turquoise, green. The color of the sea.  A clear voice.  libra, scorpio, pisces

Turn offs: queen of cups, 8 of cups, the star

Someone who gets attached, clingy, possessive, too lovey dovey, too much of a homebody, someone who wants to go too deep in the relationship, someone who invasive, who tries to understand him too deeply or asks him too many private questions when he doesn’t want something that deep, someone who acts like his therapist or his mom, someone oversensitive, dramatic, someone who is a bit delusional and thinks they have chance with him. He really doesn’t want anything too serious or long term, at least for now. cancer, pisces, scorpio, neptune, pluto

INTAK

Personality: 8 of pentacles, strength, temperance

Someone talented at what they do, very hard working and a perfectionist, he likes to see someone dedicated to their task and passion. Someone disciplined, who always delivers. Someone very patient, mature, meditative, relaxed even in stressful situation. Very level headed. Someone he would admire and respect. An artist, could be a dancer and someone crafty, creative, inspiring. Could be someone who is into sport too, like yoga, martial art, or ballet, something that requires a lot of dedication and patience. Someone who has an eye for detail. Someone who is quite dignified and proud.  virgo, leo, libra, capricorn, taurus

Appearance: the wheel of fortune, high priestess, 3 of wands

Someone who would make a strong impression on him, that the moment he’d see them, he’d know, someone who he’d stare at across the room and feel the fated connection, someone with a hypnotic presence, reserved, quiet but powerful energy. Eyes could be dark, shining brightly, would lure him in, seductive but not too revealing, leaving things to the imagination. Could like a strong, flexible body, could like a dancer. Artsy style, “exotic”, sleek, clean, sophisticated, long limbs. Dark blue, black, silver, diamonds. Deep low voice.  virgo, scorpio, pisces

Turn offs: the moon, the hermit, queen of swords

He is kind of turned off by what he is attracted to, which is pretty common, the dark side of his type. Someone who is too secretive, who lacks clarity, is too vague, who doesn’t want to put a label on the relationship, someone who makes him wait too long, is such a loner and has so many barriers that they are impossible to approach, someone who seems too distant, unattainable, lost in their own world, someone too shy, too remote, who never talks, uptight, who seems annoyed by his presence. Someone cold, detached, emotionally unavailable.  negative virgo, pisces, capricorn, saturn

SOUL

Personality: 3 of swords, judgement, 4 of pentacles

He tends to be attracted to or attract partners who are very possessive, people who are a bit insecure, have abandonment issues and become very jealous. The type that isn’t able to trust him and would check his phone to see if there is anything suspicious in it. People who could spy on him, or even if they wouldn’t go that far, people who just aren’t able to trust him. People who have a very intense energy and are all or nothing, who kinda imagine a new life with him, wants to change his life completely and may even become a bit bossy and controlling. There could be a reason he attracts people like this, maybe he makes false promises but in the end he may not seem too invested. scorpio, capricorn, cancer, pluto

Appearance: king of wands, knight of wands, 6 of wands

Very loud sort of appearance, someone who is very proud or their looks and not afraid to show off, revealing outfits, dramatic fashion, flashy bright colors, just very visible. Someone who has an expressive body language, could be an athlete or have an impressive physique, features that really stand out, bigger features, wider mouth/nose, fierce eyes, very good posture, prominent chest, tall, or even if not tall, really commanding presence. Speaks loudly, resonant voice. Charismatic. Popular. Visibly successful. leo, aries, sagittarius

Turn offs: 10 of pentacles, king of cups, 8 of swords

He’s not interested in something long term, so someone who is all about commitment, making plans for the future, settling down, someone a bit boring, who follows the same routine. Having to meet his partner’s family, becoming a constant in someone’s life and vice versa. Someone very intuitive and who sees through bs, someone who could read him, see the vulnerable side of him, someone very emotionally intelligent and mature. He also doesn’t want to have to deal with the insecurity of the people he deliberately picks, even though it’s something that he is (subconsciously?) drawn to.  scorpio, cancer, taurus, virgo

JONGSEOB

Personality: 2 of wands, 10 of cups, the tower

Someone quite explosive and passionate, but who is also very loyal and committed. He wants intimacy and passion in his relationships. He is the type who likes to do a lot of things with his partner, he wants the two of them to function as a team, to work together even. There could be a bit of idealism and codependency in his relationships. Could be someone who wants to move too fast (both his partner and him), but in reality they are not ready yet and everything fall apart. And he could be the type to be on and off with the same person, someone intense that he loves a lot, with very high highs and very low lows. Very transformative relationship and partner. Enterprising, artistic partner, could be a musician, a creator. Very passionate about their art, a bit obsessive. scorpio, pluto, aries, cancer, pisces

Appearance: page of cups, 2 of swords, 5 of cups

Darker colors, black hair, darker or tanned skin. Someone a bit melancholic, with soft, full features, full lips. Innocence but at the same time that touch of gothic. The color white and blue. He’s not that picky with looks, but he has a type. Dreamy artist. Wavy or curly hair. Round face.  cancer, scorpio, capricorn, pisces

Turn offs: 6 of wands, 5 of wands, 10 of wands

People who are too competitive, aggressive, fierce, attention seeker, someone who is never calm or quiet, always in movement, cannot sit still, always a bit angry or annoyed, hot headed, always trying to provoke or dominate others, to prove that they are the best, the number one, people who are full of themselves, people who are exhausting, loud and invasive. negative mars, all fire signs especially aries and leo 

[hypocriticaltypwriter]

White Wedding AU question: I know David's outfit is based of Billy Idol himself, but how did you come up with the designs for the other boys? Can we possibly get a more detailed look at them?

(PS I love the comedy and tragedy masks for Dwayne and Paul) 💜

Hi Lav!!! I'm so happy you wanna ask about the AU I can finally ramble about it~!!!

While I don't exactly have any sketches of the boys in full detail [Yet... 👀] I do have reference photos!

You are correct that David's appearance is heavily based off of Billy Idols initial look in the White Wedding music video [Maybe a bit of the band Ghost 👀], nothing much different I'd say. I'm such a sucker for the fact that David's whole look was slightly based off the punk style Idol had in the first place- and I'm a RELIGIOUS believer in the headcanon that he's one of David's favorite singers. 😩🙏

For Pauly's overall look and style, I was really inspired by Mötley Crüe and KISS. The whole style and look of the guys is based heavily on a ton of reds and black- and good God tassels and spikes. He also has bandages all over his arms and feet [given he's always running off sneaking around the grounds of the Chapel covered in thorny rose vines, glass, rocks n rubble BAREFOOT] watching their Pretty and making sure she isn't causing any trouble he'd had to go and report to David.

Similiar to Paul, Dwayne’s style is a little stylized from KISS, but the initial vibes and look I want from his is a Phantom Of The Opera feel. Also! I'll admit his outfit is quite similar to David's, maybe with a few changes and the leopard fur [ref to his jacket 😏] but it's kinda suppose to show how he's sort of a second to David if they were ever in ranks- he's the opposite side of the same coin of sorts when it comes to him and David and taking action with plans.

Speaking of the same coin, the masks are suppose to reveal the same with with Pauly and Dwayne! [While rarely worn unless for like- effect in scaring or threatening someone] The masks show how they seem to work- Paul's mischevious, a trickster, joyful, and Dwayne is more tragic, lonely, and heart broken.

Marko’s look is very much the more... Flashy and expressive than the other boys- but that's just how he is! He likes showing off his colors like an avian. He's got himself a Cowboy/Casanova [CARRIE UNDERWOOOOD 😩] Look- which is mostly just inspired by his natural look with chaps and worn out cowboy boots. 🫠 It's also supposed to give off his artistic feel with all the canvases and sharps of stain glass and treasures he finds dangling from the walls and ceilings of where he resides in the Chapel.

[aclowntiny]

Sunflowers and Snapdragons- Woozi x Female!Florist!Reader

Word Count: 5700 | Flower Shop, Fluff, Some Quiet/Sunshine Vibes | Warnings: a lil language & a couple naughty jokes oopsie

This latest photoshoot required going to a flower shop. It was this one specific one in Seoul that had three walls of flowers that made perfect backdrops. A lot of people already went to it for instagram shots, so there was some work cut out for them to make it unique, but everyone was confident carats would like it.

Seungcheol was really excited to visit the shop, having seen a lot of posts about it, and Minghao was admiring blossoms the moment they walked in. No one was at the counter yet, so they had some time to roam. Jihoon wasn't frustrated, though- they'd arrived with the crew over fifteen minutes early to scope things out. He strolled through one of the color-coded aisles, fingers gently brushing a delicate white bloom as Mingyu passed him by with a massive rose in hand.

"Are you using that for the shoot?"

"I'm not sure," Mingyu shrugged and grinned, "but if I'm not, I kind of want to buy it anyway. This will make great photos, too!"

As Jihoon glanced around, he could see that several members were already taking their own selfies with the flowers. Seungkwan had chosen a sunflower, Joshua was posing with a rose in a way that (at least, to Jihoon's eyes) only made him look like James from Pokémon, and Soonyoung looked like he was about to eat a marigold. To each their own.

Maybe he would join them later, but for the time being Jihoon was content to wander over to the pre-arranged bouquets wrapped up near the front. One was a splash of fall colors, reds, oranges, and yellows bursting from it, while another was a passionate, romantic red. This is red, too jokes aside, it was amazingly crafted, asymmetrical with one side waiting while the other burst like a firework, the perfect representation of an anatomical heart newly beating for its object. Who had such eyes as to create a work like this, Jihoon wondered as he leaned a bit closer, scanning the flowers and catching the fragrance of one of the small, thin roses making up the still-subdued half.

Right then, a figure came bouncing out of the doorway behind the counter, spinning in a circle in the air and making several small leaps to the counter before executing a few more clumsy, uncoordinated, unadulterated joyful dance moves. Several grooves later, your eyes flew all the way open and you jumped, hastily pulling a pair of airpods from your ears and straightening your apron again.

Jihoon A. kind of wanted to know what you were listening to B. was surprised to see someone like you running this elegant floral shop. You were young, surely close in age to him, and if your clumsiness, huge smile, and eager wave told him anything, not the usual personality one saw in a florist. Not that he ever made a habit of going to flower shops. He barely went anywhere, frankly.

"You're here for the shoot, aren't you?" Your voice came out barely above a whisper, and Jihoon was surprised just how pleasant it sounded.

Giving a hum in response, he nodded. “Is this shop yours?”

“Yes, sir,” you replied with a salute, “I studied the language of flowers for years and now I translate it for everyone!”

A very unique way to look at that. “I see. Alright, then, er, what are these saying?”

“Oh, those?” Your eyes fell on the largely peach-toned bouquet he pointed to and widened. “Uh, you know what’s funnier than those? This bouquet over here is my gag gift.”

Jihoon cocked a brow. “Flowers this beautiful as a gag gift?”

“Yeah, so like the yellow carnations mean ‘you disappoint me’ and the orange lilies are for hatred, oh and geraniums mean stupidity, so this one is the ‘screw you’ bouquet. People either get it with the gag card or just don’t tell the person,” you reply with a grin, hand waving over both the autumnal bouquet and his question.

“Ok, that is funny,” he agreed with a chuckle, unable to resist imagining getting one for one of the members without them realizing.

Before you could say any more, though, one of the photographers approached you, causing you to turn his way.

“Hi,” you waved, bouncing on your heels, “you’re here for the shoot, right? Which wall were we setting up at again? I made sure they were all ready.”

“We were planning on starting with the pink one.”

“Oh, good!” You clapped. “I was hoping you were going to use the pink one! Let’s go get started. …see you in a bit!” You called to Jihoon as they took him back aside to prepare.

Wow. Lot of energy. As the stylist got ready to check him over, he ended up next to Minghao and Seokmin.

“You sure seemed to hit it off with the florist,” he commented matter-of-factly.

“She just seems…really chatty,” he replied with a sheepish smile, “not how you usually think of a florist being.”

“Maybe not, but it’s kind of nice. A florist with a flower-like personality!” Seokmin said with a smile. Leave it to him to find an angle like that- such was his charm.

“I think you two would get along really well,” Jihoon told him with a teasing eye roll.

~

For this shoot, Soonyoung went first; he was paired with white flowers, which really made the pink backdrop stand out. The other members watched, some cheering and some cringing, as he posed, the lovely style of the shoot surely something carats were going to enjoy. That was how Jihoon thought of it, otherwise it wasn’t exactly his style, but thinking of bringing smiles to everyone’s faces was worth almost any concept.

After Soonyoung was Mingyu, who had yellow. At the professionals' prompting, you handed him a big yellow hibiscus, which he accepted with a smile.

“Your skin is so pretty!” You gushed. “And your smile is very nice.”

Mingyu looked quite pleased with himself, pulling himself up to his quite full height. “Well. You aren’t so bad yourse-”

“You remind me of my brother!” You added with an innocent grin, adjusting your name tag, which Jihoon saw read (y/n).

“Ah, right, thank you,” the tall rapper accepted the compliment sheepishly. Everyone else snickered behind him as you bounded back off, completely naïve to it all.

“You’re not going to be in front of the pink wall,” came a sudden voice at Jihoon’s side, sending him jumping back a bit.

Turning to face the sound, he was faced with the sight of you at his side motioning to his outfit. “You’re wearing red. That wouldn’t look good with the pink wall. You’re going by the white or the red one, huh? Oh, uh, not that you don’t look good, just color theory and all. You look really nice in red. If you don't usually, then you should wear it more often.”

He found himself flushing into the whirlwind at the compliment. Why, he couldn’t say- it wasn’t the first he’d heard, but something about the words coming from a florist stuck with him. “Thank you,” he replied stiffly, unsure what else to say, “I am going to the red wall. A few of us are going monochrome.”

“It’ll look great!” You cheered him on, handing him a single red rose.

"Oh, you don't need to-" Jihoon held the flower back out, but before he could finish you were bouncing off again at the photographer’s behest.

You talked to the others, too, but didn’t seem to give out any more flowers, just danced around the makeshift studio suggesting flowers and making adjustments, flitting around like a dandelion seed on the wind. Curious.

~

When the formal photoshoot was over, Seventeen gathered in front of the white floral wall to take group pictures with you in thanks. You insisted on doing 'a silly one', prompting some of the members to get really wild with their poses and wow Jihoon had no idea you'd be able to stretch your leg as high as you did. He held out your flower like a magic wand, having kept it in his hands the entire rest of the shoot- it was such a perfect rose, they even let him use it as a prop for some of the pictures.

A part of him still wondered why you gave it to him. Another part of him wondered what song you had been listening to when he first saw you. A third and final part just wondered why he cared when he had everything else in his life to think about.

Two was bigger than one. The only way Jihoon would ever find time to go back to that shop would be necessity, like if he left something behind, forcing him to return. Glancing, he saw the original jacket he'd entered the florists' with hanging on a peg behind the counter. Then promptly set his gaze drifting far from that, perusing a row of chrysanthemums as he followed the sea of men that was his members out the door.

"Goodbye!" You waved to them, apron flapping back and forth with the motion. "You were great models! I'll buy your pictures!"

A few cheers rose from the guys, Seungcheol, Joshua, and all three members of Booseoksoon at least. A wave of pride crashed over Jihoon's chest, probably because you were so earnest. Not because of the way the color of your eyes was brought out by the stars in them.

"We'll keep buying your flowers!" Seokmin called, waving the little bundle of pink azaleas he'd bought at you.

The last of you Jihoon heard as he exited your viral shop was a bright, musical giggle that echoed in his mind several times over.

~

Hands in his pockets, Jihoon made his way to leave the dorm the next day and go collect his jacket.

"You're leaving?" Soonyoung. Unabashed shock colored his tone, his mouth wide open.

"You're doing it too," Jihoon teased in response, a smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah, but I'm me. I go shopping, I take walks, but you? You never leave. Where are you going?"

"I left my jacket at the flower shop yesterday, the long one I had on over the red? So I'm just going to see if they still have it."

"That's one of your favorite jackets," Soonyoung commented as he opened the door, ushering the both of them past the threshold.

"I know, so I hope they still have it."

"You never forget things like that," his bandmate pondered with a tilt of his head.

"They must have put it somewhere weird," Jihoon shrugged in response.

The jacket conversation died there, but Jihoon couldn't help hoping his tiger-loving friend didn't suspect anything as he strode along the sidewalk, hailing a taxi.

~

No longer reserved for a day's shoot, your shop had some business. A teenage couple was taking pictures in front of the pink wall in the chaste embrace of first love, a man alternately held up bundles of white and red roses, clearly trying to make a decision, and there you were behind the counter, shimmying with one airpod in as you secured some daffodils with twine for an older lady. It seemed like Jihoon was going to catch you dancing every time he saw you.

Glancing further behind your counter, he saw his jacket hanging on the peg where it was left the day before. Bingo. Striding forward, he got in line behind Daffodil Lady, who was just finishing up handing off some won to you before you gave her a receipt. When he stepped forward, your face lit up so bright it sent a whole swarm of butterflies fluttering inside him.

"Hi!" You waved, popping out your single airpod and placing it back in its case- interesting that you did that now and not when you were helping the old lady- before leaning forward on your wooden counter. "Woozi, isn't that right, sir?"

He chuckled. "Oh, just call me Jihoon. Sorry to bother you, but I think I left my jacket here?"

You waved a hand, still smiling brightly. "Oh, you're not bothering me. You could never bother me. Well, unless you were, like, burning my shop down or something- that would bother me. No arson on my florals, please!"

Jihoon just chuckled with a shake of his head as you bobbed over to the wall rack that housed his jacket, plucking it off the peg. "This one, right?"

"Yes," he nodded, "thank you."

"Of course, Jihoon," you replied, using his name, "anything else I can help you with?"

Maybe it was the way you said his name, the fact that just showing up, taking his jacket, and leaving seemed lame, but suddenly he felt a strange bit of conviction wash over him. Turning around, his eyes scanned the rows upon rows of blooms, taking in the fluttering rainbow of roses and carnations, sunflowers and snapdragons, tulips and hyacinths, before locking on a soft purple bundle. He walked over and took them gently in his hands, returning to your counter.

"These are really pretty," he comments as he hands them to you, "I'd like to get some of these for my studio."

"I'll put them in a vase then," you replied with a nod as you trimmed them and stood them up, "great choice! Lilacs are pretty, and they symbolize new love. Maybe they'll help you write a love song."

Your eyelashes fluttered a bit as you spoke, and when you said goodbye, you told him you hoped you'd see him again soon. He was almost tempted to forget something again.

~

"These are nice. When did you get these?" Seungcheol waved his hand over the vase of lilacs on Jihoon's desk, head tilted inquisitively.

"I bought them when I went back to that flower shop to get my jacket."

His leader smiled. "Oh, from the really friendly girl? You bought flowers?"

His face felt a bit warm. "I felt weird leaving without buying anything. Having something to decorate is kind of nice anyway," he answered with a shrug.

"Well, it's nice to bring a little outside in, especially since you never go out," Seungcheol teased, elbowing him lightly.

"I do, too...sometimes."

"Oh yeah? When was your next plan to leave here?"

Shit. "Er, ah..." Light bulb. "To get lunch!"

Seungcheol raised a brow. "You always get that delivered."

"Well, fine," Jihoon teasingly huffed, crossing his arms, "then we'll just have to make do bringing outside in, won't we?"

"Nothing wrong with that," the older man replied, leaning back into the lilacs and inhaling their scent lightly, eyes dropping closed a bit, "I wouldn't mind having a vase or two to brighten up my brother's place."

"I could get you some," Jihoon blurted out, cursing his own response's speed.

That smile of Seungcheol's was no good. "Oh yeah?"

Jihoon's face warmed, but he didn't back down, doing his best at a flippant wave of the hand. "Sure, I mean...you were the one who wanted me to get out more, weren't you?"

"Yeah," the rapper replied with a fond glance Jihoon had to roll his eyes at, "I suppose I was."

~

You were dancing again when he came in, this time with more of a formal choreography- Vixx’s G.R.8.U, if he wasn’t mistaken. The moment you saw him, though, you popped out your airpods again.

“Were the lilacs mean to you?”

“What?” Jihoon frowned slightly, eyes fixed on the way you fell into a forward lean over your counter, peering at him with your chin in your hand.

“I’m just messing with you. Wondering if you gave then the boot and are looking for a replacement or something. Maybe they talked back.”

“Oh, I forgot, you think flowers can talk.”

“Don’t make me sound crazy!” You protested, eyes widening in what Jihoon hoped was mock-offense, “I just mean flower language like from the Victorian days!”

“I know, that’s why you have ‘screw you’ bouquets and whatever the ones you wouldn’t…” Jihoon trailed off, hand waving over the infamous peach bouquets from visit number one, either new ones or somehow you were magically keeping them fresh for days on end, probably the latter. They were in a different position, individuals parted this time, revealing a card attached to the wood backing that revealed their price and identity. Those particular bundles, filled with coral roses, tiger lilies, and the occasional carnation and dotted with coriander flowers, were dubbed the “Let’s Get Down to Business” bouquet.

“Not red?” Jihoon mused quietly out loud.

Your gaze drifted diagonally downward; clearly you heard him, faint panic rising to your eyes as they fell upon the very-directly named arrangements you’d made.

"Those weren't my idea, just my translation! It was a popular request! Er, and no," you stammered, not meeting his eyes, “red’s more romantic than…uh, well, forward. Red is usually more for true love.”

You look really nice in red. If you don't usually, then you should wear it more often. “I see." His own stare trailed to the floor. "Well, are there any flowers just for friendship? I don't know if you remember S.Coups from the shoot-"

"One of the other red guys, right?"

He had been placed at the red wall. "Right."

"Medium tall? Black hair?"

Rather than point out that that description would match multiple members, Jihoon just nodded. "Yeah, the leader."

"Say the name guy," you agreed, mirroring his nod.

Say the name guy. He exhaled in amusement at that. Cute, but totally accurate. Jihoon was going to use that sometime. Seungheol would get a kick out of it too.

Fingers gently caressing a lily, he repeated what you said with a nod of his head and a twinkle in his eye.

“So S.Coups needs flowers now?”

“He said he wanted some after he saw the lilacs.”

You lit up. “Yellow roses are perfect to show friendship! How are these?” You asked as you pulled out a vase of yellow flowers.

“Perfect.”

“And I’ m really so honored you guys like my shop,” you added with a little bow as you started ringing up the vase.

“I’ll never go anywhere else for flowers,” Jihoon told you with a smile, “also, I have to ask- what music are you listening to?”

You glanced down at the counter again sheepishly, but a big smile spread across your face. Cute. You should tell her. No, shut up. That’s weird. “Well, I like upbeat stiff a lot. Right now I’m listening to-”

“Vixx-sunbaenim? G.R.8.U?”

Your eyes widened. “How do you- Oh, wait, I guess you would,” you chuckled nervously, “yes. That first day I was listening to MCND’S H.B.C. I guess I like acronyms!” At this, you gave a full-blown laugh, that sound better music than anything your airpods could have come up with.

“I guess so,” Jihoon said, and with that he left, wishing he knew what else he should have said.

"Oh, and here. Since those aren't for you, this one is," you stopped him before he left, leaning forward with a large camellia in hand.

As he waited for another cab, Jihoon snuck a glance into the wide windows of your shop and saw you, airpods back in, twirling around again behind your counter, heart constricting at the sight.

~

“Wow, that’s a really hype beat! I’m going to have to come up with a fast dace, aren’t I?” Soonyoung waltzed into Jihoon’s studio with a teasing groan.

Jihoon paused the instrumental immediately, eyebrows furrowing. “I don’t know, this is just something I’m working on. I felt like making something upbeat.”

“Well, I can see why,” his hyung commented with a nod further into the room, “I think you have a problem.”

Giving a quick dart of the eyes across the room, the composer took in the four vases of flowers placed on two empty chairs and the two empty desk spaces that had once remained. “What do you want me to do?” He replied quietly, curtly. What else could he do, for that matter? He was running out of excuses to go see you. “I can’t think of any other reason to go!”

Soonyoung’s brows furrowed, gaze alternately narrowing and widening. “Huh- oh. Oh!” He smiled, a sight that usually didn’t bother Jihoon, but this one was even more immature than Seuncheol’s. “You want to see that florist again, don’t you? I was just going to tell you you were getting addicted to flowers.”

“Addicted to flowers?” Jihoon chuckled into the words despite the slight glare on his face.

“Yeah, I mean, I’ve seen you do weirder things for inspiration,” Soonyoung replied with a shrug. “I saw her dancing, are you making a song for her?”

“No.”

“Well, it’s not a bad idea.”

“Well, I’m not doing it.”

“What a couple, you too,” Soonyoung shook his head, “you’re like a sunflower and a snapdragon.”

Two impulses rose, one to correct his tiger-loving bandmate that he and you were not a couple at all and one to state that in fact, you’d displayed those very two next to each other down the aisle of wooden boxes with all the yellow-toned stock. They apparently went together to some people. Maybe that was just offering ammo, though.

“Do you just buy flowers and leave? She’ll never know you like her.”

“She’s not supposed to. I mean, I don’t. Not really. Just a little.”

Soonyoung gave Jihoon his hoshiest cat eyes, shuffling closer with his hands behind his back.

“Look, I don’t have time to date anyone anyway.”

One more shuffle across the hard floor. Every muscle in Jihoon’s body tensed slightly. “How much time out of the week do you spend on trips buying flowers? A dinner or two’s time, you suppose?”

“I’m…I’m not good at saying stuff like you are,” Jihoon finally sighed into the unrelenting cat eyes and lopsided grin. “I should just be happy to go in and get flowers.”

“You want me to do it for you?”

“No.”

“I can. I’ll go in and just tell her how much you-”

“Absolutely not. That would be worse.”

“Well then, if you want it done right, you’re right. The only way is to go do it yourself,” Soonyoung concluded with a nod.

The worst part is that it wasn’t a bad point, damn his Bugs Bunny method. Didn’t change anything though. Time was still short, he wasn’t totally sure you were interested, and the mental image of any discomfort crossing your face on his account was nearly enough to bring a slick of sweat to his tightening palms. Going to your shop was all he had.

“I’m not going to harass her,” he finally spoke again, imagination starting to fade back away into reality.

“Then don’t. Maybe you should try…” Soonyoung paused for dramatic effect, opening his palms in little stationary jazz hands. “Complimenting her.”

“Complimenting her?” Jihoon repeated dumbly, hands opening and sliding back toward his keyboard, yearning for comfortable, familiar territory.

“Sure. Say something nice, see how she reacts. Kindness without commitment.”

Not a bad idea. He didn’t have to say anything stupid, after all. Nothing too weird. Drumming his fingers on the solid edge of his keyboard, he wracked his brain for things to say. What he said would depend on the context of course, because he’d only say something nice in response when it came up, not just blurt it out, and it has to be normal, not something out of the lyrics he definitely hadn’t been toying with writing about you.

“You’re overthinking things now, aren’t you?”

Jihoon opened his mouth fecklessly, no sound coming out, but before he could chastise his friend the studio door swung open again.

“Jihoon, we need to talk about all the flowers all over the dorms, you’re killing the rest of the vocal unit’s allergies and Jun just complained that-”

Seungcheol, the one who opened the door, swung into the room and locked eyes with Soonyoung, who crossed his arms and smiled with a nod.

“I’m on it,” he said.

Jihoon’s head fell into his hand, beat all but forgotten as he cursed his own slip of the tongue. Should’ve had the flowers sent to his mom or something.

~

“I, uh, listened to the songs you mentioned.” Jihoon stood at your counter yet again, hands wringing a bit nervously. He waited a week this time, practically the longest he'd gone, and the sight of your smiling face was like a pitcher of water in the desert. He wished you knew that, but wasn't about to be the one to tell you right then.

"Oh, yeah?"

"I liked them."

"Oh, good! I know you literally make music for a living so it would be pretty embarrassing if I recommended you stuff and you thought it was terrible or poorly made or whatever you call it when they don't produce it right if there's a word for that and I did, well, whatever the opposite of impressing you is."

"You always impress me," Jihoon chuckled.

"Oh, with my flowers, right." With a small unreadable smile, you glanced down at a set of pink tulips you were wrapping up.

"Not just with your flowers."

~

"And then you just LEFT?" Soonyoung burst out indignantly, arms flung open wide.

"What else was I supposed to say? I didn't have some poem to read her, song to sing! That was hard enough," Jihoon shot back, once again sitting with crossed arms in his now even more flower-filled studio.

"Oh no no no," Soonyoung shook his head over and over again, "no no no, this won't do at all. You can't be cryptic like that and just-" He sighed. "You're going back there. Now."

Jihoon didn't even look up from his laptop this time. "And waste all my cab fares?"

"You don't think seeing her is a waste and you know it. Otherwise we wouldn't have these, remember?" Soonyoung loosened one tulip from the pink bundle, sliding it upward from the vase until Jihoon smacked his hand, finally looking up into his triumphantly smiling face. "See? And if you're so worried, I will personally drive you back to her shop."

For once, the impulse to shoot back against the gloating wasn't there. "Do- do you really want this for me that bad?" He asked in a quiet voice.

"Call me a fool for love," Soonyoung replied.

Jihoon gave a small smile. "That's if you're rushing into something for yourself."

"Well, call me a fool for other people's love, then," his hyung grinned.

"Well, if you support it so much, then do me a favor...don't be there watching over my shoulder. I'll go back. Alone." Sighing and grabbing his bag, Jihoon made his way out of the studio once more.

Soonyoung just shook his head, chuckling. "What a couple you two are," he echoed his own earlier words at the composer's back.

Jihoon hailed the second cab of the day with a flush of embarrassment, not that this completely different driver would know why, it just felt like he did. Felt like everyone did. As he sat down, giving the address of your shop, he felt his phone vibrate. Reaching back, he slid it out of his pocket just far enough to see the notification.

Kwon Soonyoung: You got this 👍🏼🐯

All he could do was sigh again, this time with a shaky smile.

~

“Forget something?” If you were bothered by Jihoon’s return, you hid it well as you stood there, hands around your lovely face in a flower pose. A florist with a flower-like personality, just as Seokmin said.

“No. Well, sort of. I just suddenly needed-”

“Flowers for a pretty girl you just saw? I tease but you wouldn't believe how many times that actually-"

His hands involuntarily flexed, eyes scanning row upon row of nature's resplendent bounty as if to find the flowers that would do his job for him. Make it easier. Say all the words that had been planted in his heart on the day he first saw you, even if he hadn't realized how deeply they'd take root.

Wait, flowers did speak. You'd taught him that- there were friendship flowers, true love ones, sex ones apparently...and blooms for budding feelings.

"Lilacs are pretty, and they symbolize new love," you'd told him. That had lived rent-free in his mind for a good few days, even inspiring a few lines of lyrics ever since your sweet voice had spoken the concept into existence in Jihoon's universe, one that seemed far expanded at every one of your floral revelations.

"Yes, that's exactly it. Shouldn't it be lilacs, then?"

For the first time Jihoon had seen since he met you, you stopped fidgeting, standing completely still, jaw parting silently. Your eyes had widened a bit, narrowed with the furrowing of your brow, then blinked once, twice.

“Yes, I guess it should. You- you could also do a camellia bunch if you’re trying really hard,” you offered, head tilting his way with an inquisitive look, "but that's more like you've realized that you are in love."

A camellia. One of those big, pink, beautiful but fragile flowers he enjoyed, but also found inconvenient. Messy. Except he hadn’t minded when you gave him one- oh.

Oh.

Maybe this would be easier than he thought. Maybe, as much as it pained Jihoon to admit it, Soonyoung was right. Maybe dinner was easier than refilling six vases of water every other day.

“Which do you prefer, (y/n)?” He asked with a smile, using your name, which he rarely did, and catching a faint, flickering smile.

“I like camellias myself. The shape is appealing and the meaning is stronger. Though if you’re giving them to a stranger, I mean sheesh, lilacs are probably more-”

“No, I want the camellias. They’re for a pretty girl, remember?”

“I remember.” You weren’t dancing then. Your voice was flatter than usual. Preparing the paper, you cut the nicest-looking pink blossoms that Jihoon could see in the bunch, glancing awkwardly at him a few times before you handed it to him. “Well, alright, she better appreciate these or else she isn’t worth your time. You’re doing something nice after all, and I’ve seen girls complain about flowers their husband got them just because they were from the store and that’s messed up, so don’t you dare let her- Let her…”

Your ramblings trailed off as Jihoon accepted the bouquet, then immediately handed it back. Those usually wide eyes of yours just trailed down to the flowers, brows furrowing once again, the color of them obscured faintly by the motion.

“Is something wrong with them? Or was that the wrong color? Usually pink is the best if you want the love thing to come across, yellow's a bit platonic, but I'm sure whoever she is will like them if she's such a-"

This time, Jihoon cut into your words verbally, even as his eyes faltered, falling to the floor then back up to you, daring to ever so slightly meet yours. "You're the only pretty girl I've seen."

Jaw dropping, you took the bundle of flowers as if you'd never seen anything like them before, pulling them into your chest gently enough not to squash them, but a few petals still drifted to the floor because, well, camellias.

"So you really do like me too?" That wide smile Jihoon had come to miss on off-days, practically having it painted as a mural inside his eyelids, returned in full force as you looked between the flowers and him, knocking down the barrier that kept your counter private and stepping around.

Jihoon's breath hitched, words failing him as he simply nodded.

"Well, you know what?" You asked.

"What?" His voice felt hoarse, stolen now by your proximity, your side brushing his.

"No one's ever gotten me flowers before," you tell him with a grin before the bouquet is against his back, your arms thrown around his neck as you pulled his lips into yours.

Your smile, the way the white lights and sun filtering into your bright shop reflected in your eyes before they drifted shut, the way he could even see the spokes and intricate patterns within them thanks to the illumination, the feeling of you against him, was practically too much for Jihoon, and he quickly felt his head empty of thoughts, giving in only to sensation. No one had kissed him like you were in a long time, maybe ever, and he barely knew what to do with himself as his hands slid down to hold your waist, lips surging forward again and again.

You giggled as you two finally parted, keeping your forehead against his. "I didn't expect you to be a biter!"

If he hadn't already been flushed at the joy in your eyes as they stared into his, he would have been beet red at your comment. "Ah, did I... (y/n), I- I'm sorry, I-"

"Don't be, it's ok," you reassured him, smile not fading a bit, "you're just a bit of a snapdragon."

"You know, that's not the first time I've heard that."

"Oh yeah?" You laughed at that, nose crinkling. "And what am I then?"

"I'd say a sunflower."

A mock-pout fell across your face. "A friendship flower? After all that?"

"Look, I don't do flowers," Jihoon muttered, "I do lyrics."

"Oh, that’s right," you told him, smile returning quickly, "duh. Then sing something."

You barely heard your shop bell ring beneath his voice as he began singing, shakily before his voice found gravity, the two of you shoving off each other at light speed, adjusting your hair and clothes as the next set of customers swung the door open with faint looks of surprise.

"Er, flowers so beautiful you'll sing," you tell them with an unsteady grin, a nervous giggle, and one final, fluttering glance at Jihoon that melted him, spreading your arms out wide, "what can I help you find?"

Jihoon drifted back into a corner, for once not feeling he needed an excuse to stay there even though he had one: he wasn't leaving until he'd actually gotten your phone number.

[anouchard]

hello,

how do you visualise Gwen? As ironic as it is, I am god awful at visualizing characters. I usually go based off of ‘vibe’, and pieces of character designs I enjoyed, so hearing any of your opinions on how they may look (if you have any) would be interesting.

on an unrelated note, do you draw parallels to yourself and Gwen at all? How do you feel reading scripts? Do you view it as yourself doing these actions as Gwen? Just curious.

one final question, do you like cats or dogs more (if other please specify.), what is your favorite breed/color/etc of said animal?

thank you, have a nice day.

To answer both part one and part two, I suppose:

I've never really envisioned Gwen as an entity (not a hint) outside of myself, which is lovely really (and quite rare, I think). It definitely helps when it comes to embodying her in recording sessions, as I don't have to reach for her in the same way as I've had to with other characters I've played. She was a character that I felt I instantly knew the essence of the moment I auditioned, even if I didn't know the details (and even if some of the details have ended up making her very different from myself).

Don't get me wrong, I still used to annotate scripts half to death and ask poor Alex half a dozen questions per session, but I've found I don't need to do that as much any more as I've got to know her better.

So I guess, like Jonny, I just see her as me, but that's only because I happen to be the one playing her! One of the most joyful things about working on an audio-only project is seeing the huge variety of creative interpretations of your character, and I can guarantee that if you've ever posted fanart of Gwen, there's a good 95% chance I've seen it (and been very, very impressed).

As for part three ... I'm just an animal person. I love 'em all. I saw a photo of a polar bear having a nap today and very nearly cried.

Thanks, you too!

[adobe-outdesign]

can you review acara? i JUST learned they’re supposed to be aquatic, i don’t see it at all

Maybe I'm biased because I have one, but I've always really enjoyed Acaras. They're a completely abstract creature, to the point where it's hard to pin down what they even resemble the most.

The head is the most distinctive feature, as they sport two doubled-up ears and a pair of fur-covered horns (which are actually flexible). They also have no tails, which is something you don't see a lot when it comes to fantasy quadrupeds. Both their furless paws and ears match in color, making them pop and balancing the palette. (Pink's not my favorite accent color, but it at least makes sense here given that it's their skin.) Finally, their underbellies further break up the design, making for a nice-looking Neopet all around.

And as for the aquatic thing: those split ears used to a pair of fins, back when the Acara was still called the Tigren:

Even though you can't tell they're aquatic just by looking at them nowdays, I'd argue that they do still give off a diving mammal vibe. I think it's the furless paws combined with the the short fur—they're like the otters of the Neopet world (except not literally, because the Lutari is the otter of the Neopet world, but you get the idea). I also seem to recall that they use their horns to help them steer when diving, furthering their swimming capabilities.

And as for customization, the Acara came out on top, basically remaining unaltered except for a raised paw and a slightly less joyful expression. A lot of things got cleaned up, such as the horn structure and the feet being less weirdly shiny. The only downside is that I swear the heads got bigger, but otherwise I feel like the converted version is slightly better.

Favorite Colours:

Grey: I already spotlighted this one in my grey color review so I won't get into too much detail here, but the grey Acara is super pretty. The converted version is pretty standard (though the tears and eyebags at least make it extra sad), but the UC/styled version is perfect. I love the horns being flopped forward and how it's looking up while leaning forward, giving it a particularly pitiful look. The shading is also pretty nice as well.

Chocolate: I think what makes this one work is the amount of detail. I love the little white chocolate drizzle that accents the head, collar, back, and paws, with whipped cream on top and extra chocolate fudge on the back. What really makes it though are the waffle paws/ears and the horns, which are white chocolate with milk chocolate striping. The mostly brown palette is also lovely and high-contrast.

Plushie: You know what, I just think I like Acaras with stripes on their horns. I've always liked plushie Acaras for reasons similar to chocolate; the ears/paws have a nice pattern to them, and the striped patterns really pop due the use of aquamarine and yellow against the duller blue base. Both versions are fine; the converted version looks a bit less creepy, but it looses major points for having normal eyes instead of button eyes (especially because the button eyes accented the orange patch on the foreleg) and also loosing the stitching on its chest. Still, it's a nice-looking color all around.

BONUS: I have to give the pastel Acara a shout-out because it's the color of my Acara. :) They're not particularly fancy compared to the above colors, but the light green and yellow palette combined with the subtle pinkish shading really makes this one nice to look at.

[ashipiko]

Hi Ashi! We haven't been mutuals for long but you always bring a very joyful & lively presence to my dash, I hope it's okay I doodled a little Ashi as a gift! 💛 (Ace is very lucky lol) - anbaisai

SYDER???? HELLOOOOO 😭😭😭😭😭!!!!!!! WHAT A BANGER SURPRISE WWWWWHHUUHH. IM SO HONRED SHE LOOKS SO CUTE IN YOUR STYLE…… you got her vibes so spot on!!!!! SHES SOOO. :3??????? ITS SO PERF. SO PERF????? NOT TO MENTION THE FLUFFY WAY YOU DRAW HER HAIR……. the slight color additions are so good too I’m SO….. www??? THANJ YOU SOMMUCH? you draw hands so well too HELLO. SHE LOOKS SO GOOOOOD THANKIES SO MUCH? 😭😭😭😭😭😭 wanna bonk her on her head….. her vibes are so true………

!! I CAN SAY THE SAME RIGHT BACK TO YOU thankies SO much??? your art adds an extra kick into my dash and I LOVEEE seeing it appear www. IM HAPPY I HAVE THAT EFFECT!!! AND OF COURSIES IM SO HONORED TO SEE HER IN YOUR STYLE 🫶🫶🫶 ace is lucky FRS……. it’s a miracle how he scored this HAHAHA

[autism-sprinkles]

[l/n - mmj! - vbs - wxs - n25]

it's been days since my last one. but go more more jump pokemon teams..

starting with minori!!

she'd absolutely have an orange flower floette :3 they just are the same to me

and a caramel swirl clover sweet alcremie!! the clovers match the theme they've got going and the caramel swirl matches Her Personally... in my heart mmj has matching alcremies but I need to limit myself to unique teams

she'd have an eevee!!! and I don't think it'd want to evolve.. they r just fine as is

sudowoodo!! they have the same girlfailure vibes to me. also idol sudowoodo just strikes me as particularly comical but joyful

i want to give her celebi or victini so bad but . that shit is not happening because that is a one of a kind mythical pokemon </3

spinda!!! once again just because they have the same vibes. and i love them for it

and finally lillipup!! i need to stop giving characters pokemon off of vibes alone but. they jsut are the same to me... it is a very brave pokemon. and I think minori is a very brave girl

shizuku time!!!!! (said in luigi voice)

ALTARIA!!!! because the shizu5 set is so purely altaria core. also they just. are the same to me

swanna!!! for the very same reason as altaria.. she gets the pretty bird pokemon because i love her

cinccino.. it can help clean up any drinks she may spill (i have like 3? seperate cards of hers where she's like about to spill something and airi is like 😨‼️‼️)

aurorus.. she's so ice-dragon trainer to me you have no idea. i don't care if it's a rare dinosaurguy i gave rui magearna (shizuku was also in the running for magearna)

frosmoth!!! they have the same eyes to me... big beautiful eyelashes

and finally dragonair... also because of shizu5 trained set. sorry guys I really like that set

i woudlve given her more silly pokemon but most silly pokemon don't fit her color palette

also important to note at Least 1 of her pokemon has a beauty mark that matches hers.. maybe more it's up to you the viewer ‼️

anyways... onto haruka!

piplup of course... because how could i Not.. piplup is her partner pokemon i think. but I don't know yet I haven't gotten the full team I literally skipped over every other potential pokemon while looking for a penguin pokemon

aron!! no particular reason why i just think she'd like him. stupid little guy

gardevoir.. this would've been really good for shizuku in hindsight but it's too late and shizuku already has a team and it also fits haruka

i'm considering blissey? it doesn't fit her color palette but neither does gardevoir and I added her.. we'll just have to see..

phanpy!! another pure vibes one I think she deserves a bunch of round little guys

mantyke.. you'll never fucking guess why guys haha..

update!! I've decided Against blissey in favor of leavanny.. becaus. idk I think leavanny would be more useful to her

and finally.. airi!!

i Had to give her skitty.. they are so the same to me you have no idea.. especially the emerald pokedex entry for it

tepig.. once again they are just. the same to me.. it evolves into pignite and then emboar later becaus. I say so

audino!! their hair is the same to me.. and audino just screams "idol pokemon" to me

furfrou.. because I had to give one of them furfrou and it definitely had to be airi becaus. they have the same shaggy hair

heliolisk!! I think if airi was a pokemon she'd be heliolisk because. the disk thang is her core to me

yamper!!! because she needed an electric type ouppy pokemon. she's so electric trainer to me

if i had to pick just a Type of trainer for each of them to be, minori would be a fairy-grass trainer, shizuku would be ice-dragon (as mentioned before), haruka would be water-flying, and airi would be electric-fairy methinks

but more more jump as a Group would be fairy-flying .. i just forgot to consider that when making them teams