#I love roses and the blue really matches the wisterias that I have

[aubdrewanchel]

Nobody:

Me literally 2 minutes after the new episode of Apothecary diaries:

#I found a new thing to decorate my room with #I love roses and the blue really matches the wisterias that I have #Any other popular anime flowers I can make? 👀 #apothecary diaries #the apothecary diaries #kusuriya no hitorigoto #maomao #lakan

[mysterycharacterflowers]

Welcome, the tournament starts!

The polls will start being posted today, July 9, at 3 pm BRT, they will be posted every 15 minutes, they will finish being posted at July 10 at 6:45 am!

• All matches were randomized, this gave some interesting matches (insert the illusion of free choice meme here)

• All polls have the the tag #round 1

• I can't check if all things people said about all the 129 characters are true, so if someone lied on their submission that's on them

• If you see any mistakes (wrong pictures, misspelling, etc) please tell me ^-^

• I tried my best to short long descriptions, key word tried

• If you see sentences in first person in the posts, remember it's not me (the mod of this blog), it's the submitter talking!

• All submissions (except one) made it to the tournament, I didn't take a submission away if the content/media was problematic, I just put almost all the submissions in the tournament

• Some posts don't use the characters canonical pronouns, some of them use they/them for extra mystery

• You can guess who the characters are, but if you are 100% certain please don't tell. I wanna maintain the mystery ^-^;

• I won't reblog any propaganda (but like try to do propaganda only if you are really sure of the character, or you might give a wrong propaganda to a character ^-^;)

• The [...] means that this part of the description was shortened!

• Also there's OCs here!

• When a character loses, the reveal will be tagged as #reveals and there will be a #[insert media name here] spoilers

• If you want to talk more about the character after they lose, you can talk in the reblog of the reveal, and I will reblof it with the tag #flowers for the fallen (because I wanted to it be related to flowers but I didn't know how)

• If you want me to tag post as something, to like put a tw, please tell me ^-^

• I will reblog the polls 4 hours before they end!

• If a tie happens, a tie breaker polls will happen. If they also tie in the tie breaker, a polls with 3 characters (the 2 that are tied + the one the winner would fight) will happen

The matches are under the cut!

Side A

Gladiolus 3 VS Blue rose 3

Yellow Rose VS A bouquet of black-eyed susan, orange lily, amaryllis, canna, black petunia and purple hyacinth

Marigold VS Hibiscus

Rose 1 VS A bouquet of lily and sunflower

A bouquet of aloe, fern, blue iris and sage VS Blue Rose 2

Roses 4 VS Nasturtiums

Violet 1 VS Sunflower 4

Amorphophallus titanum VS Ceropegia Adrianae

Spider Lily VS Himalayan blue poppies

A bouquet of bittersweet and rhododendron VS Wisterias

Fire Poppy VS Butterfly weed

A bouquet of forget-me-nots, dill, purple hyacinth, hyssop, thyme, lotus flower and marjoram VS Lily of the valley

Sunflower 2 VS Lotus 1

Daffodil 1 VS White Lily

Baby's breath VS Clematis 2

Acanthum VS Red Geranium

Side B

Daffodil 2 VS Lavender VS A bouquet of coral bells, caladium and carnations

Bluebonnet VS A bouquet with love-lies-bleeding, forget-me-nots and sunflowers

Gum cistus VS A bouquet of white orchids and purple hyacinths

A bouquet of yellow foxglove and snapdragon VS A bouquet of gladiolus flowers and lilies, with spiky knautia, shield, dogwood, iris, lotus, lily of the valley, foxglove, rock rose, water lily, daffodil, green and black roses, sunflower, poppy, crystanthenum, wolfsbane, liatris, buttercup, and bleeding heart flowers. There's a sole kadupul flower in the middle of it.

Blue rose 1 VS Snapdragons 2

[A bouquet of azalea, red calla lily, thistle and amaranthus (love-lies-bleeding) VS Tartarian Aster](https://www.tumblr.com/mysterycharacterflowers/722410802542428160/a-bouquet-of-azalea-red-calla-lily-thistle-and?source=share(

A bouquet of coreopsis and columbine VS A bouquet of columbine and geranium

A pair of two desert petunias VS Black rose

Amaranth VS A bouquet of 3 lupins

A bouquet of red spider lillies, forget-me-nots, purple hyacinth, deadly nightshades and white lillies VS Ornithogalum

Clematis 3 VS Lilac

Orange blossom VS Red spider lilies

Forget-me-not 2 VS Black Dahlia

A bouquet of purple hyacinths, a oleander, a few rhododendron, some belladonna and a hollyhock VS Plastic/fake strawberry flowers

A bouquet of black dahlia and red spider lily VS Violet 2

Forget-me-nots 3 VS White Egret Orchid

Side C

A bouquet of yellow rose, plantain lily, amaranth, heather and sunflower VS Sunflower 3

Daisy 2 VS Red daylily

Yellow carnations VS Iris florentina

A bouquet of rue, tansy, monkhood, milkweed and dame's rocket VS A bouquet of blue roses, edelweisses and yellow azaleas

A bouquet of lotuses, dandelions, sunflower, gerberas, forget me nots, nemophilas, narcissus, lilies, purple and light blue hydrangeas, leaved corepsis, yellow cosmos, roses, peonies, periwinkles, bellflowers, white paper daisies, christmas rose, dahlias and carnations VS Buttercups

Thistle VS A bouquet of dandelions, buttercups, roses, both black and yellow and sunflowers

Gladiolus 2 VS Crimson rose

A bouquet of ginger torch lilies and blue carnations VS Vanilla Orchid

A bouquet of fern and forget me nots VS A bouquet of daffodil, yellow roses, sycamore, purple hyacinths, irises and poppy

A bouquet of sunflowers, dandelions, ferns, foxglove, hollyhock, lotus, balsamine, green carnation, fennel, black eyed susan and queen of night VS Forget-me-not 4

A bouquet of poppies and opium flowers VS Chrysanthemum

A bouquet with blue morning glories and saxifrage/rockfoils VS Gloriosa Genus

Rose 2 VS Love-lies-bleeding

Begonias VS A bouquet of red balsam, cockscomb amaranth, scarlet auricula, wheat stalks and dead leaves

A bouquet of star magnolia, lavender, dark crimson rose, white carnations, sweet pea and forget me nots VS Lotus 2

Snapdragon 1 VS A bouquet of belladonna, cyclamen and iris

Side D

Rose 3 VS Gladiolus 1

A bouquet of purple hyacinth, purple columbine and hellebore VS Bittersweet nightshade

Forget-me-not 1 VS A bouquet with begonia, carnations, anemones and snowdrops

Tamarisk VS White crocuses

Sunflower 1 VS Clematis 1

White Alyssum VS A bouquet of sunflowers, geraniums and hollyhock

Catnip VS Valerian

A bouquet of lavender, gardenias and limelight hydrangeas VS Sakura

A bouquet of purple hyacinth, hydrangea, acanthus and purple columbine VS Carnations

Blue roses 4 VS Sage

A bouquet of buttercups, yellow hyacinths and cyclamens VS A bouquet of cockscomb, white poppy, white acacia and pink chrysanthemum

Firecracker plant VS Red Rose

Oleander/Nerium/Dogsbane VS Geranium

Rainflower/Rain lily VS Mountain Laurel

Pistachio Flower VS Daisies 3

Cherry Blossom VS Daisy 1

#college made me busy but the tournament lives!!! #mod talks

[starswallowingsea]

just calling this one himeru comes up with a song theme. no i dont understand the lyrics in the sample i'm just trying to write because i need to stretch my muscles

word count: 950

HiMERU tapped his notebook with the tip of his pencil. Anzu had told him he needed to come up with some ideas for his solo song (and that he couldn’t use any of his old songs as a cheap cop-out) so here he was, in the garden with an empty cup of coffee and a blank notepad. A few pieces of paper were crumpled up on the table, some scribbles peaking through the wrinkles. Suddenly HiMERU understood why Leo had an endless trail of paper following him around all the time. 

This was more difficult than he had imagined it to be. Who was HiMERU? Who was he behind the mask he wore every day? Even when he was younger, what had his interests been? He checked his phone, which had been opened to his music player with another idol’s solo song playing from the speaker, and saw that his battery was almost dead. He still had to visit the hospital today and it was only four in the afternoon. He dug through his bag for a spare charger, but where would he plug it into? He was outside and didn’t particularly feel like going in quite yet, and he didn’t want to leave his phone unattended either. 

He could plug it in during rehearsal later, probably. Rinne typically used his own phone to sync with the bluetooth speaker, so it would be fine. Until then, he’d have to be careful to not let it die. 

HiMERU stood up and stretched. It wasn’t a good idea to just sit around either, and maybe taking a lap around the garden would help clear his mind. The flowers were just about to bloom, and maybe he’d get some inspiration from that. Couldn’t hurt anyway. 

He closed his eyes and let the wind clear his mind. When he opened them again it was like something had been lifted, though he still didn’t know what to write about. It didn’t have to be a full song, just some ideas for lyrics, maybe a verse or chorus, but nothing was clicking. Nobody wants to listen to a song about perfection, and that was what HiMERU as an idol really encapsulated. He tried to be kind and personable to fans, but that also wasn’t exactly a thrilling song theme either. 

Great songs needed a focus, and HiMERU was anything but today. Rehearsal was in less than an hour and he would be heading straight to the hospital before trying to do some semblance of a nightly routine before going to bed at 10 o’clock sharp like he did most days. 

He opened his eyes again and took a look around at the flowers. Some were still struggling to open but many were in full bloom in a rainbow of colors. Roses, tulips, plum and cherry blossoms, wisterias growing up the side of the greenhouse. He took a deep breath and let his mind calm down again. 

A small patch of blue flowers caught his eye tucked away near one of the plum blossom trees. He walked over and knelt down next to them, noting the small sign that denoted them as forget-me-nots. Flowers of love that matched his, well, Kaname’s color palette on stage. The soft blues would compliment him well in a photoshoot and it would be excellent fan service. 

But HiMERU, the man behind the mask, wanted to take one of the flowers and press it so he could give it to Kaname. It would last longer if it was pressed in the pages of one of his favorite books, and maybe he’d be able to connect with his younger half-brother with it when he woke up. He plucked the stem of a flower between his fingers and twirled it gently. 

Look at me, hold me tight, it seemed to say to him. Look at me and hold me tight, don’t let go no matter how hard the world tries to separate us. 

Typically the flower represented romantic love, and he had seen some of the other idols put it in their bouquets to their…friends (it was an open secret that many of the idols were dating each other, but nobody dared spoke of it to the media because it would only come back to bite them down the line). But when he pictured Kaname with the flowers, all he wanted to do was pull the other boy into a hug and never let him go, never let him fall into something so dangerous again. 

Maybe he was being a little overprotective thinking like that, but he had been in stable condition for over a year at this point with no signs of waking up any time soon. HiMERU was not a spiritual person, but he had spent countless nights praying to whatever god or spirit was out there that Kaname would wake up. 

He thought forget-me-nots encapsulated Kaname perfectly. 

He plucked a second flower, one for each of them, and went back to his notepad. He scribbled down some notes, a few lines that had come to mind, and then checked his phone again. Just enough time to make it to practice if he left now. 

He grabbed his bag and gently tucked the flowers in his jacket pocket. He’d find one of his detective novels and press the flowers in it later. 

He must have had a noticeable uptick in his mood, as all three of his other unit members had commented on his good mood while he plugged his phone into the wall. He told them it was nothing, but spared a soft smile as he fingered the flowers in his pocket before returning to the group and beginning their stretches. 

#shay speaks #shay writes #im not gonna main tag this one i feel my migraine coming back but eh #feel free to reblog it anyway #i might do a little series of these for alkakurei as we get teasers for their solos idk yet #would people be interested in that? i might make that a little collection on ao3 or smth #i'll probably touch this up before then obviously this isjust like. first draft wrote this in an hour

[sirthisisa-wendys]

Hi! First of all, congrats on 1k! I love your writings💖

Can I request Rindou, Priest, Sinful?

Used the Shinto version of a priest for this one, and it really ended working out well (phew). Thank you so much for your request; I enjoyed writing it a lot! ❤️✨❤️✨❤️✨

Divine Inspiration: Rindou Haitani x Fem!Reader

wc: 825

tw: NSFW

1K Follower Event Masterlist

song recommendation:

The incense around the shrine drifts into your nostrils, and instantly, you're transported back to your childhood - your first time running into Tenjin, the god of poetry.

He came to you on a warm, summer evening as you lay in the middle of a field. He smelled of oodh and rose petals, and granted you the gift of writing and a way with words you could only attribute to divine intervention.

You hadn't been to the kami's shrine in a long time because of your fame and travels, but upon your return to your home, it was on your list of places to visit.

"Welcome," the kannushi whispers as you enter, his blue and blonde hair pulled back behind his ears. He's lighting incense and walking around the shrine with his back to you, and you wander around the garden, observing the wisteria and plum trees lining the path. You can hear the priest following behind you, but you ignore him as you stare into the pools full of large tortoises and fish. You see the priest stop beside you, his purple eyes looking at your shared reflection.

"Have you come for something specific?"

"No," you murmur, watching a fish approach then swim away just as quickly.

"Something on your mind, perhaps?" You turn your head to the priest, looking up at his visage with a sideways glance.

"How did you know?" The man laughs, crossing his hands behind his back and walking around you.

"It's written on your face." You continue to walk beside the priest, fingering the tassels on your sleeves.

"I've been so successful with my poetry and traveled around the country experiencing many things, but... it all seems so hollow. I've hit a block, and every time I set my pen down to write something new, I cannot..."

Your admission of defeat is the first time you've said anything aloud about your struggles, and you expect to be rebuked by the priest, but he just nods and encourages you to go on with his silence.

"I need inspiration."

"You might find inspiration in the way the wind blows the wisteria trees, or how the tortoise walks upon the sands of the pond. Perhaps inspiration is just an illusion, though." At his words, you frown, unsure of what to say. "Perhaps the very idea of inspiration is a man-made concept to explain the movement between nature and the mind, and how we are all one."

You purse your lips and look away, wondering if the priest had one too many hits of opium before the day began.

"Or maybe I'm just full of shit." Your laughter peals out across the shrine, and you clutch at your stomach as you bend over in a fit of endless joy. The priest laughs along with you, then places a hand on your back. "Come, if you are willing. Read me some of your poetry and we will discuss your work."

_____________________________________________________________

On the fourth week of consulting with Rindou, the kannushi, you find yourself scratching new words on a fresh sheet of paper, his purple eyes following your hand, and the way you mouthed the words to the poems. He would read them, tell you what he thought, and you would revise accordingly. Before long, you have a pile of poems to be compiled for distribution and an even deeper relationship with the priest than you thought possible.

"Deeper," you whisper in the candlelit room. "Go deeper." Rindou obliges, his hands steadying themselves on your wrists stretched above your head. His lips descend and touch yours tenderly before he picks up his speed, caressing your walls with care.

The clothing you had on an hour before is strewn lazily about the room and is intermingled with his clothes. Rindou cradles the back of your neck in one of his hands, still holding your other wrist captive as he slides in and out of you.

"Divine inspiration rests between your thighs," he murmurs, moaning in your ear. "I swear it does." You shudder in response, letting him kiss down your neck and nip at your earlobe.

"Please," you mutter. "Please, don't stop." Rindou flashes his violet eyes at you and blinks slowly.

"Never. Tenjin would never let me stop. Not now." You clench your core around his length and stifle your cry, sucking him deeper into you as you cum. Rindou matches your fluttering with the twitching of his cock inside of you, his seed spilling and coating your insides liberally. When he comes down from his high, he rests his head on your shoulder, exhaling deeply and kissing down your chest.

"Amazing, as always," you murmur and he chuckles, pulling you against him in the darkness.

"We will write more tomorrow. For now, you should rest." When he pulls the sheets around you and holds you close, you silently thank the god of poetry for sending you a muse before drifting off to sleep.

#rindou haitani #rindou smut #tokyo revengers rindou #tokyo revengers smut #rindou x reader #tokyo revengers x reader #wendy's 1k event #otherworldly beings

[sunshinetoshi]

Which flower/plant do you associate your moots with?

okay this idea is so cute omg ty. honestly i don’t know much about flowers/plants besides saying ‘pretty!!’ every time i see one HAHA so i had to look up a bunch so now i’m very soft. ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING THESE MIGHT BE RANDOM BUT I STILL PUT THOUGHT INTO THEM AND IT MADE ME SOFT. i tried to include as many moots as possible (but there are still moots i missed bc i’m shy and we don’t interact as much or i feel like a bother asdajkf sorry lovelies ahh). 

this is me dropping the prettiest bouquets to you all each with a lil kith heheh. ily all 💐💐😙😙

@daichis-kitty - sunflowers (you’re my sunshine bubba heheh plus i know you love ‘em so automatic association). these make me so happy just like you dooooo. personally sunflowers are just so iconic and so are youuu

@tetsunormous - string-of-pearls. okay i LOVE these sm they might be my fave succulent. they make me giggle bc they look like green peas BAHAHA but i also think they’re soo pretty and they make me so happy. that giddiness i feel for them is similar to how i feel for you bestie oooo. okay but also lavender bc purple hearts for you forever

@luvbub - dandelions but before they’re fuzz-on-a-sticks (yellow fits the happy you make me plus the crafty flower crowns and you’re crafty aksdjfh). but even when they're fuzz you make me laugh and smile just like the fuzzies lol

@daichidaichidaichi - black velvet petunia. babe if you haven’t seen these look them up i am in love. petunias themselves and even the name are cute like you but the black captures your theme and i am obsessed.

@gg9183 - willow tree. very romantic vibes which i’ve always gotten from you bb. like imagine a date on a little lake in a row boat. ugh my heart. yeah those are the vibes. these are just so so pretty to me idk. for me your personality embodies an unmatched aesthetic. that doesnt even make sense but i hope it does pLS

@love-oikawa - feather grass but when lavenders grow between them?? very specific HAHA but i looove the look it makes me want to run through a meadow where your fingertips are brushing them and your giggling. idk something very cinematic and then add your s/o. yup. those are my hannah vibes.

@osamus-wife - pothos plant. okay these are the ones i see on ig/pinterest and they’re so aesthetic and i associate them with a person who has their stuff together (is a hard worker) and a person who has style and taste (like your taste in rb’s asdjf immaculate) and i see these things with youuu <33

@sunalma - wisteria. in the lakes by taylor swift there’s a line with wisterias and that whole song is the aura i get when i read your work. like the words just blow me away and i feel so lifted when i read it?? just beautiful bb. and your soul is beautiful too!! also purple for your theme heheh. also pretty flowers for pretty you angel

@xomiya - yerba mate bc i drink guayaki yerba mate when i need to stay up and given your body clock -> yerba mate <33 HAHA but you’re also so florally in my heart and head so also sweet peas my sweet pea soul sis

@catwithangerissues - bonsai tree. i know it’s random but i think it fits pLS. okay one reason is bc i think you’re fun (and slightly chaotic and i love it) and that’s the joy i get when i see those fisherman figurines in a bonsai tree planter thing (is this just me?? ahh) i also think you’re really cool and to me bonsais are so cool. like in general but also how old they can get it’s so cool what!! also your theme is green so my mind went green

@targaryens-blog - bat flower. these are strong and pretty looking flowers that i admire and those are things i think about you and your blog bb. the vibes of these are just amazing woahh. but your sweetness also gives me daisy vibes bc daisies make me so warm and happy so you get two flowers aksdjf

@cubbluv - spruce tree. are these christmas trees?? yes. but the warm fuzzy happy of christmas is like the feeling i have with you. and i will always associate green with you from your theme when we first became moots heheh. also?? i can’t remember but didn’t you saw you liked to pick up pine cones?? if not picking pine cones is cute so i still think it fits aksjdf ily melody heheh

@amjustagirl - southern magnolia tree. i’ve seen one of these trees a while back and they are just so memorable. they just have a unique feeling where you want to sit under the shade of them forever and take in the breeze. and that’s how i feel with your work <33

@kodzkn - marigolds. the slightly orange-y ones. they remind me of your theme and pfp heheh. also whenever i see these irl i go “marigolds!!” which is the energy i have when i see your user on my dash or notifs aksjdf

@notcurrentlyactive - chamomile. okay this one i can't explain but i love how cute the flowers are and i love the tea and you are just so kind and warm they radiate the same energy?? heheh <33

@iwaizumini - ranunculus/buttercup flowers. they’re just so bright and come in so many colors and are pretty just like you!! i love these sm and they make me so happy when i see them so i think they’re a great fit for you. heheh love you bb <33

@shoyotime - wishbone flower. bestie i’ll be honest. i looked up ‘clown flower’ out of curiosity AND THESE POPPED UP. but they’re so cute like you and the purple matches your theme so it actually works out BAHAHA. no but fr you make me so so happy and ilysm so also hydrangeas bc i think these are unmatched pretty flowers. there’s just something about them.

@tsukkisfatsimp - jade plant. okay hear me out bb. this explanation has ~layers~ okay first i love succulents and i love you. simple but effective (especially when i mean it with my whole chest). second the reddish tint on the ends reminds me of your red tsukki theme from back then. and third these grow HECKA fast just like you are on here and it makes me so happy and proud bb heheh

@hvnlydmn - calla lillies. okay i cant pick between the white ones or the black ones but for me they exude hot girl energy bb. either these are red roses. same reason HAHA

@u-make-my-heart-tsumtsum - camellias. pretty and pink and now match your theme heheh. BUT if i’m being honest it’s bc they appear in naruto a lot and when we became moots was when you first deep dived into naruto so that association will probs stay bb akjsdf

@floralkawa - baby’s breath. i think these are my favorite flowers. but just like you they give off the sweetest and softest vibes and they make me smile whenever i see them <33

@lovelytarou - canterbury bells. the blue-ish ones remind me of your theme HAHA. i’ve already told you how much i love your blog but you are also so sweet and funny (pls your tags give me life) and these flowers amuse me and make me smile bc they’re bell-shaped so i’m matching them to you. askdjf okay slightly a reach but bb look how pretty they are!!

@izhyperfixates - hollyhocks. they are just so soft and bright and lovely like you and your blog!! and i can totally see you and kita growing them in the garden you two have oooo

@marshieee - delphiniums. the blue of your theme is just so iconic i love it sm. also these are just so pretty!!

@pixelwisp - forget-me-nots. i know your theme is no longer blue but i still think of blue when i see you on the dash asjdf. also these have the cutest name and i think your user is so cute heheh

#this put my brain to WORK lol #i also got to look at so many pretty flowers ahshsjd #hope you like them!! #some explanations are better than others ahhh #amaya chitter chatters

[tteenagepetulance]

𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝓷𝓮𝔀𝓵𝔂 𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓪𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓬𝓼

𝓉𝓌𝑜 𝓋𝒾𝓃𝓎𝓁 𝑒𝒹𝒾𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈

wonderstruck & dancing all alone (left) every night with us is like a dream (right) + a collectable lithograph to match !

𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑒𝓇 𝓃𝑜𝓉𝑒𝓈

she breezed past the threshold of betty’s rose garden, turned left at the hedges, and went deep, deeper, deeply.... back into the folklorian woods, where a magnificent tree reached ancient branches up towards nearly perpetual lavender skies; some called it a wonder, some called it a miracle, others called it a warning. that didn’t stop her from reaching out two fingertips & opening up the tiny hidden door, painted in swirls of teals and bright pinks, beckoning her towards a pandora’s box named freedom... and with a tumble, she promptly fell right down the rabbit hole. 

she found wonderland & this time, she wasn’t getting lost in it.

welcome to fae land’s mistywood high, home of the bullfrogs! once dilapidated school buildings brought back to life by thickets and weeds, swathed in a new coat of pastel pollen paint; teeming with life through vines and ivy, wisteria and lavender and baby breath filling every crack along concrete hallways. plums of roots, shoots, and flowers blooming out of lockers as birds chitter and crickets sing, binders labeled in floral washitape: Large Wing Anatomy Vol.156, ALCHEMY OF RARE GEMSTONES, the encyclopedia of rules and ramifications of ingesting fae food. sneaking out into the mushroom fields and having your first kiss over bioluminescent fungi, all your love immersed in neon blue. a world of neverending youth, dizzy drunk with nectar juice and the splendor of puppy love, each one as intoxicating as the one before. the cafeteria is teeming with political warfare, lines drawn along cliques and conformity. the maddening spin of petals and popularity, crying tears of mascara in the bathrooms... oh honey, life is just a classroom.

how exciting it can be, to dream up new worlds & wonders as the taylor’s version remasters release, and sparse them across new chapter eps, to revel in the majesty and whimsy of our hopelessly romantic inner youth. i hand picked these songs because i think they embody the whirlwind rush of high school, exacerbated under the conditions of nearly endless youth for my fickle fairy friends. 

collaboration continues as my good friend, jack antonoff, returns to my side once again to help with production, this time with his iconic indie-pop sound from bleachers alongside him. every song is remastered under his touch, and you might hear the fluttering beat of fairy wings, the twinkle of their magic, the cry of the bullfrog, the chorus of the crickets, and the endless wistfulness i feel when i think back to this journey we started on. lover, state of grace, and daylight got special attention from the both of us, as i wanted to recreate vibes and aesthetics of mistywood to the deepest of my heart’s desires, and as always, jack thoroughly delivered. also joining me again is hozier, who took complete creative liberty with his remaster, which will bring you to your knees with wonderment and hope. maren morris also joins this chapter for a feature, lending her gentle vocals to create an echoing, beautiful rendition that’ll haunt as much as it hopes. when i started this project, i knew i needed troye sivan to join me on at least one track, and he helped spin a gossamer-light tale of sparkling first infatuation, and helped elevate the track with the original demo lyrics from my days at nineteen. brendon urie rejoined my side for a heart-stopping, strings & piano only rerecord of ME!, a titular pop track from the past two years that’s been passed over by many, so i decided to present it in an incandescent, softer light. lastly, the wonderful kacey musgraves lends her voice and songwriting talent to help combine two iconic songs to create a whole new story - you belong with // betty finally brings the james/august/betty love triangle to fruition, after inez accuses august of actually having feelings for betty, and the titular night of prom that changes everything.

this album is a love letter to love itself. // these songs are open letters. // no matter what love throws at you, you have to believe in it. you have to believe in love stories & prince charmings & happily every after. that’s why i write these songs. because i think love is fearless. // fearless is walking into your freshman year of high school almost immortally at fifteen. // an endless seventeen-year-old standing on a porch, learning to apologize. lovestruck kids wandering up and down the evergreen High Line. // the purple-pink skies of the soccer field on the walk home; the dazzle of opal necklaces i couldn’t afford gleaming from a department store jewelry case. // crowds of loving, vibrant people in the bleachers, watching acorn lacrosse. // daydreaming on parchment and mused about who might ask who to the dance or how nervous i was singing the anthem at the local fairyball game. //  // they are the moments you saw sparks that weren’t really there, felt stars aligning without having any proof, saw your future before it happened, and then saw it slip away without any warning. // a single thread that, for better or for worse, ties you to your fate. // wonderment. intrigue. romance. i noticed things and decided they were romantic, and so they were. // creaks in the floorboards and ultraviolet morning light. // we crave romance. we long for those rare, enchanting moments when things just fall into place. above all else, we really, really want our lives to be filled with love. // love, wonder, and whimsy they deserve //  being young and needing someone so badly, you jump in head first without looking. // real love shines golden like starlight, and doesn’t fade or spontaneously combust. // opening the curtains to see the clearest, brightest daylight after the darkest night. // their secret admirer looks at them and sees an elaborate sunset of brilliant color and dimension and spirit and pricelessness. // all the angles of the kaleidoscope that is you. // i don’t think you should wait. i think you should speak now.

𝓉𝓇𝒶𝒸𝓀𝓁𝒾𝓈𝓉

enchanted

ivy

i know places

wonderland

daylight - whimsical world version

out of the woods (hozier remaster)

invisible string

new romantics (bleachers remaster)

ours (remaster ft. maren morris)

state of grace - twinkling fireflies version

you need to calm down

we are never ever getting back together

shake it off

blank space

stay stay stay

the way i loved you

i wish you would

miss americana & the heartbreak prince

lover - midsommar night version

𝒷𝑜𝓃𝓊𝓈 𝓉𝓇𝒶𝒸𝓀𝓈

you belong with // betty (kacey musgraves remix)

ME! piano remix by kitty committee studio (ft. brendon urie)

sparks fly (original demo lyrics ft. troye sivan)

op notes: hello & welcome to mistywood! thank you so much for everybody’s interest in this!!!! in my mind, all of these “chapter eps” occur after the release of all of taylor’s versions. this was a very self indulgent project, as you can see, and i can guarantee the rest will be as well!! as you can probably tell, the first two portions of liner notes were written by yours truly, while the last paragraph is a scouring off all of taylor’s to thoroughly ~capture~ the prologues she always provides. please enjoy! i take zero criticism lmao too busy being absolutely unhinged!!! 

please remember that likes are appreciated, but reblogs beat the tumblr algorithm! support content creators!

keep an eye out for next week’s creation, forever & always are the sweetest con (chapter two) - just as a sneak peek, they’re gay, they’re cowboys, they’re werewolves, and i’m thrumming with excitement over getting started!! i’m aiming at having them posted by next weekend :) 

tag list: @tscreators, @networkthirteen, just ask to be added to the next one! credit: coloring (@maxiresources #1, @suunflowerx foodie, @bbyhyuck summer’98), vinyl mockup purchased

#tsedit #ts edit #taylurking #taylornation #networkthirteen #tscreators #taylor swift #taylor swift edit #taylorswiftedit #myedit #taylors version

[lovely-angst]

haori

Lol, its 4 am and im writing angst

Giyuu was known to be quiet, calm and reserved and as his wife, you could speak on it. There were very rare times that Giyuu would raise his voice or get mad.

But here you were, shaken up in front of your angry husband as you listened and watched him pace around frustrated. 

Your eyes were wide as you held your hands close to your chest. You’ve never seen Giyuu so upset before. “Giyuu, I’m sure we’ll find it! The wind must have blown it away into the forest behind our home!” You tried, taking a step closer to him.

“(Name), how can you be so careless as to lose my haori?” He asks, voice laced with annoyance as he turns to face you. “You understand how important it is to me, couldn’t you have kept a better eye on it?” 

His words slowly degraded you as you sunk into yourself—Giyuu never spoke to you this way.

“I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean for this to have happened...I just wanted to take care of it for you,” you reply gently but all Giyuu could do was muster a sigh. 

“It would have been better if I never had given it to you in the first place,” brushing past you, Giyuu walks into the bedroom as you stand frozen in your spot, shaken with tears.

Hearing him say those words to you hurt you a lot. He didn’t trust you anymore and to know that, it really hurt you.

Tears fell from your eyes as you silently sobbed into your hands. Why did you have to be so stupid sometimes? So careless that even Giyuu could get upset with you.

The next morning came by and you awoke to Giyuu getting ready to go to his pillar meeting. Gathering up the courage, you rose from the futon to find your husband only to find him by the door, getting ready to leave the residence. 

“Have a safe day, Giyuu,” you say warmly to him only to be met with silence and the sight of his back. You watched sadly as he ignored your words, sliding the shoji door open and closing it shut behind without even sparing you a glance.

Your gaze dropped as you frowned sadly at the ground. You knew how much the haori meant to him, but you didn’t expect him to act this way towards you, his wife. 

Shaking your head, you ran to the bedroom with a found sense of determination as you quickly changed out of your sleepwear into a wearable yukata. 

“Nothing will be solved if I don’t try to find that haori,” you say to yourself as you lightly pack for the journey. 

Imagining how thrilled Giyuu would be once you’ve found his haori was all you could hope for. But searching for the haori was no easy task. 

The forest seemed to go on for miles as you stared at the neverending lines of trees. Stepping foot into the dirt ground, you glanced around hoping that your eyes would catch the mix-matched haori. 

Yet, after hours and hours of searching, you stared down at your empty hands. Tears of frustration welled up in your eyes as you turned to stare at the setting sun. 

You didn’t want to go home empty-handed and a failure. You wanted to go home to Giyuu with his haori in your hands. For him to speak to you, to look at you again. 

Defeated, you decided it to be better for you to head home while the sun was still out. You didn’t want to run into trouble with any demons and you didn’t want to cause Giyuu any more trouble than you already had.

Just as you were about to turn back, your eye caught sight of a familiar looking pattern before you ran to get a closer look. 

Sure enough, it was Giyuu’s haori. 

Breaking out into a wide smile, you ran toward the large tree, setting your back down before carefully climbing to retrieve the precious clothing. Once your hand pressed against the soft silk material, you felt all the tension escape your body.

Giyuu would love you once more. 

Dropping down onto your feet, you inspected the haori thoroughly, relieved to find out that it was still in mint condition, just the way you last saw it. 

“I’m never letting you out of my sight,” folding the haori gently, you tuck it into the front of your yukata before gathering your items to return home. 

The sun was quickly setting leaving you with shadows upon shadows as you locked sight of the exit. 

With each step, you could already see how relieved Giyuu would be to see you back with his haori—you couldn’t wait to be back in his arms. 

A silent cry tore from your lips as you were tackled onto the ground by such a force that you dropped your bag from your arms, separating you from your wisteria flowers. 

Your eyes widened as you stared up at the demon above you as they held your shoulders down, eyes locked onto you with a devilish grin. “Why is such a precious little one wandering alone in the forest where demons lurk?” 

Words died on your lips as you stared into their own. You were so close to exiting, but now you had a demon on your hands. 

Was Giyuu close? You weren’t sure. 

Before they could say another word, you crashed your head forward at the demon before they let you go, wailing in pain as you made your escape toward the cliff of the mountain where the sun was still shining down. 

“If I have to go down, I’m taking you down with me,” the demon growls as they lunge at you, sending the two of you off the cliff before disintegrating in the sun.

Feeling your weightless body fly through the air, you reach toward the cliff in hopes that someone could be there to take your hand. 

But you were met with the empty air.

-

As Giyuu treaded home, he couldn’t help but think of you. Maybe he was a bit rough with you the other night. 

Yes, he was upset that you lost his haori. He knew that you understood how important it was to him and knew that you wouldn’t purposely lose it. 

The joy in your face the moment he handed you the haori always filled his heart with love and he would do it a million times over to see you so happy. 

His haori was a story in the past, maybe it was time to let them go. 

Sliding the door to his home open, Giyuu was surprised to see it dark and lifeless. Usually, you would be there to have dinner ready, but maybe you fell asleep again.

Walking up to the bedroom, he was surprised to see it empty. Where could you be at such a time? 

Giyuu didn’t want to assume the worst. Maybe you were still shopping in town, he knew how much you enjoyed being in the village. But the sun had long set and there was still no sign of you. 

His heart began to race as he thought of the multiple scenarios that ran across his head. Only once he smelled the familiar scent of the wisteria flowers did he come back to his senses. 

Glancing down at the kitchen table, he saw the bunches of wisteria flowers. Did you go out at a time like this?

Giyuu never moved so fast in his life before. You were probably out looking for his haori that he got upset over, he was such an idiot. 

Running toward the forest like you had suggested yesterday, Giyuu looked around for you, only to find no trace of you anywhere. His palms were sweaty as his stomach began to churn, the nervousness slowly taking over his body. 

Right then, he caught sight of the little bag you always carried with you. Running over towards the bag, his eyes widened once he confirmed it was yours, packed with wisteria flowers as just as he thought. 

Though your bag was here, there was no sight of you anywhere. 

Just as he was about to turn back into the forest, Giyuu noticed the rough footsteps leading towards the edge of the cliff. He felt sick just thinking of what could have happened, but he needed to make sure.

He had to see it for himself. 

The sun was long gone, but the moon that rose in the sky illuminated ground for him. Staring down at the bottom of the cliff, Giyuu noticed a dark silhouette beside the river. Could that be you? 

Rushing down, Giyuu’s heart raced with each step that brought him closer. And to his heart’s dismay, there you were. 

“(Name)!” Picking your wet, unconscious body up, Giyuu worriedly pushed your hair back only to reveal the blood painted along the side of your head as you head lolled backward. 

Pressing his head on your chest, Giyuu felt all the tension leave his body when he heard the soft flutter of your heartbeat. 

He still had a chance of saving you. 

Holding you close to his body, Giyuu ran towards the butterfly estate where he knew you could get the care you needed to come back to him. 

As soon as Shinobu saw you passed out in his arms, she immediately went to work to save you. Her orders were placed onto Aoi and the younger girls as she checked your state in a hurried matter. 

“I-Is she okay?” Giyuu asked only for Shinobu to turn around and usher him out of the room. “You stay out here, I’ll come get you when I’m done,” she states before shutting the door in his face.

Sighing, Giyuu could only stand beside the door in hopes that you’d be okay. 

What seemed like forever, Shinobu finally stepped outside your room before shutting the door shut, turning to glance at Giyuu who was waiting frantically for an answer on your condition.

“She barely has a heartbeat, but she’s there,” She informs as Giyuu lets out a sigh at her words, his fists clenched tight beside him. 

“She has a high fever on top of a possible concussion. She’s lucky to be alive at all after a fall from that height, likely that she fell into the river before making it to shore.” Shinobu informs, placing a hand on Giyuu’s shoulder.

Her purple eyes watch him before raising her hand to hold something out for him. “(Name) had this tucked in her yukata. I think it belongs to you,” 

Raising his head, Giyuu’s eyes lock onto the familiar haori before he shakily takes it into his hands. Unraveling the folded fabric, Giyuu took notice of the new stitches that were done so delicately by your gentle hands. 

“You can go and see her, just don’t try to wake her up, she needs all the rest she can get,” and with that, Shinobu walks away leaving Giyuu alone in the quiet hallway. 

Hesitating before the door, Giyuu finally slid the door open before walking towards the side of your bed where you rested. 

His blue eyes gazed over your weak body before he slipped his large hand into your smaller one, giving you a gentle squeeze. 

“Please wake up soon, (Name).” 

-

Though Giyuu wanted you to get all the rest you could, he wasn’t expecting you to be out for three whole days. 

Don’t worry about it too much, she’s just resting from her injuries,” was what Shinobu had explained to him when he asked why you still hadn’t woken up. And he had no choice but to trust her words. 

But when he walked into your room one day to see you awake and sitting up in your bed, he had never felt so relieved before. Running over to you, he stopped beside your bed before falling onto his knees from exhaustion. 

“Giyuu?” he heard your soft voice say before you ran your fingers through his hair. “Are you okay?”

“(Name), you’re awake..” Giyuu responded weakly before he snaked his arms around your waist. “I-I’m so happy.”

Lifting his head up to meet your eyes, all he wanted to do was hold you in his arms. But the sight of your pale and frail self was wrapped up in bandages, Giyuu held himself back for your sake. 

“Was I out long?” you asked, shocked to find out you were out for three days. “I’m sorry for worrying you,” you replied, reaching for his hand. 

“Don’t apologize to me. Not when you’re in this state because of me.” Giyuu’s gaze fell onto your lap as he clenched his teeth frustrated at himself. “I should have never treated you like I did.”

Seeing his haori peek out from his lap, you let out a sigh before bringing your hand toward his cheek, lifting his head up to look at you. “Giyuu, honey,” your voice is like honey to him as you lean down to press a kiss in the middle of his brows. “Don’t blame yourself.”

Gazing into his eyes, you give him a small smile before shifting to one side of the bed as best as you could before patting the empty side, “Come here,” you say, Giyuu’s cheeks turning a rosy color as he stared dumbfoundedly. 

“I-I don’t want to accidentally hurt you, (Name),” he confesses only for you to gently pull him up. “You wouldn’t hurt me, I always feel safe in your arms.” 

Thankfully, it was enough to get Giyuu to join you. He was still a little awkward and tense with you, but learned to loosen up when he felt you snuggling into his chest. 

With a sigh, you closed your eyes, resting a hand on Giyuu’s chest. “I love you, Giyuu,” 

Hearing those soft, innocent words leave your lips, Giyuu made a mental note to shower you in all the love and affection he could once you got out of bedrest. 

Pressing a kiss onto your forehead Giyuu rested his head on yours before shutting his eyes, enjoying the feeling of you in his arms once more.

You deserved everything in the world and more.

- e x t r a - 

“Tomioka-san? I’m here to check up on-” upon entering the room, Shinobu quickly cut her sentence short as she gazed at the loving couple who laid asleep on the small bed, cuddled close together like two perfect puzzle pieces. 

A smile rose onto her lips as she quietly turned back before shutting the door close, making sure that the two could get a good rest with no interruptions. 

Walking back toward her office, she couldn’t help but smile at the couple. She always enjoyed teasing Giyuu, but she was glad that he had found someone to love him as he loved them. 

#tomioka #tomioka giyuu #kny tomioka #tomioka giyuu x reader #giyuu tomioka #Tomioka Giyū #tomioka giyuu scenarios #giyuu #giyuu scenario #giyuu tomioka scenario #giyuu tomioka x reader #giyuu tomioka scenarios #giyuu x reader #kny #kny x reader #kimetsu no yaiba tomioka #Kimetsu no Yaiba #kimetsu no yaiba x reader #demon slayer #demon slayer x reader

[sk8rwillie]

Forever & Always

aka a juke wedding au

taglist: @reggieshamster @owenmercers @oldsmobile-hotdogs @iridescentkippen @screamin-amuseum (lmk if you want to be added to my permanent taglist)

Today was the most hectic and chaotic day of Julie’s whole life, at least that’s what she thought when Flynn dragged her out of bed to get ready at 5am this morning. For her wedding, she was actually getting married to Luke and it felt like a dream. She swore everytime she looked at any of her friends and family, they were wiping away tears. Everyone in the entire world knew that Julie and Luke were meant for each other and everyone wanted this day to be perfect.

It was now 3pm and everything was going smoothly, the flowers- dahlias and roses of course, had arrived and the venue and caterers were moving everything along. It was the same place where her parents got married, a beautiful botanical garden just along the coast. Flynn and Alex had been keeping her busy so she wouldn’t get so anxious over everything.

Flynn was doing her makeup, using small bursts of purple around the corners to match the color scheme chosen. Julie had obviously chosen purple, a light lilac, as to not seem so pretentious (which made Luke snort when she told him those exact words). Julie wanted this day to be as much his as it was here, but Luke wasn’t having it. He told her he would be happy marrying her behind the Taco Bell down the street from their apartment. As long as they were together, it didn’t matter.

Alex was now doing her hair, which was still a secret but she had faith in Alex’s abilities. He had fought hard to be one of Julie’s bridesmaids which made her and Willie giggle up a storm. She knew Reggie and Willie were with Luke, but she missed them. Especially Luke, she hasn’t seen since late last night because Flynn wanted them to stay apart for as long as possible before the wedding tonight. They had both agreed to her plan, but now regretted their decisions, since their phones were also hidden.

So as she sat as still as she possibly could for Alex, she drifted into a daydream. Well, a memory at least. It was the day Luke proposed to her, which made her giggle just at the thought of her fiancé- husband to be.

It was a quiet night for them, cuddling up on the couch and watching disney movies. He had mentioned he needed to get something, but Julie refused to move from his warm embrace. Tilting her head up to meet his gaze, she pouted. Luke grinned, pressing a kiss to her forehead which seemed to distract her enough for him to move.

As he stood, something fell out of his pocket, but he continued towards the bedroom. Glancing down, Julie’s breath hitched in her throat and tears pricked her eyes. It was an engagement ring, specifically the one she had pointed to in a jewelry shop months ago. She picked it up and admired it, a simple diamond in the middle with oval cut amethysts on either side of it. Everything was silent for a moment, as she looked back to find Luke standing where she found the ring, mouth agape and a creeping blush on his cheeks.

“This was going to be so much better- I had a plan, it wasn’t extravagant but it was definitely less idiotic than this.”

“Yes.” She knew it wouldn’t click for a few moments but she had to say it before her voice got too shaky, her tears already making her vision fuzzy.

“Julie, I love you. You are the best thing to happen to me and I don’t know what I would do- wait did you say yes?” He was so focused on telling her how much she meant to him and how much he loved her and now he was at a loss for words.

She only nodded, bringing her hands up to cup his face. He responded very quickly, wrapping his arms around her waist. It really wasn’t a question of whether she’d say yes or not, he’s known that answer since their 5 Grammy wins a few years ago. She reminded him everyday that she loved him and wanted to spend forever with him. It was the question that all of their friends had been asking since they first met, who will propose first?

Julie was surprised it took this long, in all honesty, knowing how anxious Luke had always been to show her that he only wanted her. They were still fairly young, Julie having only turned 24 two months ago. But it didn’t matter, as long as they were together..

“Jules? Julie?? Earth to Jules!!” Alex had tapped her on the nose and was now waving a hand in front of her face to get her attention.

“Yes, sorry. I’m here,” she smiled and Alex squeezed her shoulder. Handing her a mirror, she held it up to view the work Alex put into her hair and she gasped. It was a simple style, half up half down but Alex had put intricate and small braids into her bun and butterfly clips adorned her head. She hopped out of the chair and squeezed him tight, making Alex laugh and kiss her temple.

“Alex! It’s perfect!” She couldn’t help the tears in her eyes as she pulled away slightly from him. Which only made Alex sniffle,

“Oh come on, Jules. Now you’re making me cry! I guess I'll be crying later anyway. But i’m glad you like it, I’ve been counting down the days to get you all dolled up for your wedding!” Julie only rolled her eyes and lightly shoved Alex’s shoulder. He feigned hurt until she giggled, “You better not mess up your makeup or Flynn will kill me!!”

Now she was standing in front of her wedding dress, trying not to ruin the beautiful work Flynn had done her makeup earlier. A moment later, Flynn walks in, squeezing her best friend’s shoulders. Both staring up at the beautiful dress, “I can’t believe you’re getting married, Jules. I’m so happy for you!”

“Hey don’t forget you and Carrie are engaged now!! So next we’ll be planning your wedding!!” Both girls started giggling, Julie pulling them in for a hug. Until Flynn realized the time and rushed Julie to get into her dress.

There was no better way to describe the feeling when Julie put it on other than she felt like a princess. The intricate embroidered flowers and mesh that ran down her arms. The lace that decorated every inch of the dress. The sleeves comfortably sitting on the edges of her shoulders, allowing her mother’s dahlia necklace to shine against her delicate, copper skin.

Walking out of the dressing room, she is met with Alex and Flynn of course, at a loss for words. But also Willie who’s smiling so wide it looks like it hurts and Reggie who’s wiping tears cascading down his red cheeks. Julie only smiles bashfully,

“If you all start crying then I will too!!”

“You look stunning, Jules. If we’re all crying I can’t imagine Luke is gonna be able to hold it together!” Reggie snorted. Julie gasped quietly, she wanted to see Luke so badly it hurt. She knew she’d be seeing soon obviously but it didn’t mean she didn’t miss his cute laugh and pretty eyes and honest kindness…

Willie walks forward and wraps her in a tight hug, making her immediately melt into their embrace. Willie always gives good hugs and always seems to know when people need them most. As he pulled away, they cleared their throat,

“I know I’m not one of your bridesmaids,’ he giggled lightly as he looked back at Alex who huffed proudly in response. “But I wanted to give you this- something blue, something Luke. He doesn’t know but me, Reggie and Alex put our heads together.”

Looking down at Willie’s hands, she found a silver necklace with a cerulean blue guitar pendant. She can’t help the wide smile from appearing across her features. Willie takes this moment to clasp it around her neck, watching as it sits nicely above her dahlia.

Before the boys can get in another hug session with Julie, Flynn is rushing them out to get ready for the ceremony. Sitting Julie back down, she spruces up her makeup and helps with her shoes (beat up old vans because comfort over style Flynn, no one will see them anyway!). She notices how glossy Flynn’s eyes are and now it’s her turn to fix her makeup,

“I’m only crying because this is actually happening and I love you.”

“I love you too, Flynn. I couldn’t have done any of this without you and I don’t mean just the wedding plans,” Julie presses her forehead to Flynn’s, making them both smile. Flynn squeezes her hands before turning to head out into the venue, Julie’s father taking her place.

Ray can only stand and admire his daughter’s radiance and happiness. He presses a kiss to her forehead and locks their arms together, walking to the edge of the actual venue. No one can see her yet, but everyone is sitting and chatting amongst themselves. She sees Kayla and Nick laughing together, Carrie and Bobby making sure no one can see them cry while their father, Trevor, sniffles stoically.

Ray tugs on his daughter’s arm lightly and she glances back at him. They smile and laugh, “I’m so proud of you, mija. You deserve only happiness and I can see that everytime you look at each other. I only wish your mother was here to see this.”

“Thank you, papí. I couldn’t have done it without you, I love you. I know mom’s watching, I can feel it,” Julie glances up at the sky and smiles. Ray only watched and thanked the heavens for giving him such a wonderful daughter. Handing her the bouquet of lavender and wisteria, he nudges her again, “Ready, mija?”

He walks her out and she knows she can hear music playing because it’s a song that Luke wrote for her. But it’s like everything else disappeared and all she can focus on is Luke. Standing at the end of the aisle, fiddling with his hands, mouth curved into a wide smile. He tugs at the sleeves of his suit jacket, she giggles lightly- proud that he’s even wearing sleeves. His cheeks are flushed and dusted pink, gray eyes big and shiny as they watch her walk closer with pure adoration.

As she reaches him, Ray lets her go and smiles at the both of them. Julie hands her bouquet over to Flynn standing behind her, finally facing the love of her life. They both aren’t really paying attention to what’s being said, just focused on each other. Until it was time for their vows. Luke went first:

I’ll tell you now, I could spend a lifetime telling you how much you mean to me, Jules. I have loved you since the first time I saw when I was 16 in that boring math class. I found myself giddy and excited to get to school just to see you and hear your laughter. You’ve brought out the best in me and my songwriting. When I’m with you, I know I can do anything. I never believed in soulmates until I found you and it felt like coming home. Your warmth and kindness fuels me with the strength to live my dreams- our dreams. Being in a band with you has truly been the best experience of my life and I cannot wait to see what the future holds. I love you more than words could ever say.

Willie hands Luke a ring and he gently places it on her ring finger, sniffling and laughing. They’re both crying by this point, not worried about anything else going on. Julie quickly wipes some of her fallen tears away as she locks eyes with Luke again. Fiddling with the new wedding band around her finger she begins her vows:

When I first met you, I never thought I would play music again. Not after losing my mom, but you gave me a new passion- a new spark for music and I cannot thank you enough. Playing music together became a love language and it only made me realize how deep in love I was with you. You are my rock, you’re ambition and relentless passion in everything you do made me a better person. We compliment each other, two flames bound to one another. Loving you is like watching your favorite movie or reading your favorite book, it’s exhilarating. I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you when you let me play ‘Bright’ a song you had written and shown to no one else. You trusted me with something so close to your heart and I knew then that I wanted to memorize all of you. You are my favorite song and you are my person, I love you.

Now it’s Alex’s turn to hand over the ring, Julie slipping it onto Luke’s calluses finger. Now she’s sure there isn’t a dry eye in the room, not after they’d just shared snippets of the true love they had for each other. So when it was time to ‘kiss the bride,’ Julie didn’t hesitate. Wrapping her arms around Luke’s neck and pulling him down to brush their lips together and finally sealing them in a smile.

Pulling away, still smiling, they lock their fingers together and walk back down the aisle as husband and wife. Truly a power couple for the ages. And before rejoining their friends and family for the reception, Luke steals another kiss and another and another. Cupping her cheeks and bringing her as close to him as he possibly can. She snakes her hands back around his neck, digging her fingers lightly through his hair, earning her a small noise in response.

Pulling away, breathless this time and leaning their foreheads together. She presses a kiss to his nose, which he scrunches up when she moves away.

“I love you, Mrs Patterson,” Luke breathes out. Julie only smirks and playfully rolls her eyes.

“And I love you, Mr Molina,” she replies, trying to hide her love stricken smile. Luke only quirks an eyebrow,

“I kinda like the sound of that.”

She smacks his arm lightly to which he only shakes his head and pulls her in for another kiss. Yeah she could get used to this forever.

#juke wedding has occupied all my thoughts #also yes trevor is bobby’s father because him and carrie are twins #what about it #also flarrie rights #juke #juke supremacy #julie and the phantoms #jatp #luke patterson #julie molina #alex mercer #flynn flynnigan #flynn jatp #reggie peters #willie jatp #willie wilbur williamson #willex #yes i love them your honor #jatp fanfic #miranda writes #Spotify

[harlot-of-oblivion]

The Heart of the Camellia(Part 7)

The big days is getting closer and you are making good time with the flowers, all thanks to a very helpful devil known as Vergil Sparda. You decide to bring him a thank you gift, which results in a invitation to dinner with the rest of the crew.

And here it is! Sorry for the delay...this holiday season is kicking my butt.😤 I'll do my best to finish this part before the year is out, but it may not happen since I’m planning another fic to be a nice ‘n’ spicy holiday treat😏

Anyway! Without further ado, the first half of Part 7! And here’s the link to the list of all the flowers featured in this part. 🌸💖🌸

Chapter 1: Family of Flowers

For the past few weeks, you have been working nonstop, arranging all the final details and flowers for the Sparda wedding. You did not have the time to take a day off until now, and you are not enjoying it in the garden for once. Instead, you are bustling around your kitchen, preheating the oven before sprinkling flour all over the counter and turning out a ball of red velvet dough onto its surface. 

You always thought that if you were not a gardener and florist extraordinaire, you would probably be a pastry chef. There is just something about baking sweet treats that brings you the same exact joy as tending to the flowers in your garden. And sometimes, you can have the best of both professions: decorative treats depicting beautiful blooms or even having actual flowers in the treat itself! That is exactly what you plan to do to the dough you are currently rolling out, spreading a layer of cinnamon and brown sugar over it before rolling it up jelly-roll style.

It’s not blueberry or apple, but I hope he likes it all the same, you thought nervously as you grab a knife and begin slicing the log of dough. 

Vergil has visited your garden every single day since that demon attack near your home. You always welcome him with open arms and a warm smile despite being really busy, and he always adamantly offers his assistance with whatever you are working on that day. Those times you taught him a thing or two become your saving grace, lessening the burden and stress of getting this done on such short notice. It does make you feel a bit guilty though for needing help, and you have tried to let him know that he should not feel obligated to aid you. But he just gives you what you refer to as his “motivational smolder” and tells you that his assistance only seems fair since he is the one that suggested your shop.

The power of Sparda now includes the talent for arranging flowers! You giggle softly as you place the red velvet dough slices onto a greased pan, making sure they are not too close to each other before covering them with a kitchen towel. They need a little time to rise before baking, so you wash your hands and remove your apron before heading out into the garden. Might as well make a flower crown while I wait! You meander idly among the flowers, scanning the multitude of colorful blooms as you figure out which lucky flowers will be in your crown.

You take a quick look at the cluster of wisteria creeping through the quaint archway of your outdoor workshop. Its hanging blooms sway softly in the light wind of the afternoon as you think about its meaning: the welcoming flower of enduring love. The small blossoms would do well as the base of the flower crown. You reach for the traditional purple blooms, but your hand pauses when you spot a cluster of pink wisteria. A soft smile curls on your lips as you pick a couple of those vines instead since its meaning perfectly matches your own most recent feelings of blossoming love.

It only takes a few more steps through the garden until you find the other lucky flowers to grace your crown. A couple of butterflies are fluttering around your asters, the talisman of love and patience. While the butterflies enjoy their sweet nectar, you ponder which color would look best with pink wisteria. Let’s see: white, red, pink, purple, blue…aha! A group of lavender asters catch your eye and you enthusiastically pick a big bunch of the starry blooms.      

You make your way back to the house and head for your office, grabbing the necessary supplies needed before sitting down at your desk. Your mind begins to wander as you measure a couple of pieces of florist wire around your head, replaying all the moments Vergil made you laugh and blush while helping you. You remember the time he had to take off his signature coat, and he caught you staring at his impressive arms. That cocky smirk of his never fails to make your heart tremble. There was also the time he got his hair wet, his grumpy face reminding you a cat getting caught in a rainstorm. His silver blue eyes flashed in irritation and he scowled when you could not hold your laughter any longer.

Your trip down memory lane ends when you wrap the final piece of floral tape around an aster. There! You hold it out for inspection, making sure that all the blooms are in tip top shape before going to the mirror down the hall. Your hair is already styled into a loose fishtail braid, so all you need is a couple of bobby pins to keep it in place. Luckily, you always carry some in your dress pocket, and it only takes a few careful moments of pining before the flower crown adorns your head. You do a little spin in the mirror, making sure the pink floral pattern of your dress matches the crown as it softly flares out. 

You have never looked more ravishing than you do at this moment.

Vergil’s words come to the forefront of your mind, sending pleasant tingles all through your body. You bounce around like a bumblebee in front of the mirror while giggling and clapping your hands in excitement. As you head back to the kitchen, you recall how happy those words made you that day when they were uttered from your handsome devil. Honestly, you are still slightly shocked that he accepted your dandelions. And when he presented a cabbage rose and put it in your hair...your cheeks still turn pink just thinking about it!

When you to get to the kitchen, you make sure that the red velvet slices have risen enough before sliding them into the preheated oven. While they bake to perfection you get started on another craft project: putting together a decorative pastry box. You reach into the cupboard where some are stored and take out a light pink one with an elegant white swirl pattern. A bright idea suddenly pops into your head as you put the box together and you quickly go back to your office for a felt tip pen. 

You meticulously write in perfect cursive Things that fall on the inside of the lid, making sure it is written in the perfect position so it can be read correctly when opened. Next, you write some things that fall inside the bottom of the box, purposefully putting the most important thing in the middle. Lastly, you measure out a square of translucent parchment paper and place it inside the box. 

The timer goes off on your stove and you promptly put on an ovenmitt before taking out the pan. Your keen eyes check to see if the red velvet cinnamon rolls are done before setting them to the side. While they cool off a bit, you swiftly whip up some white icing and drizzle it over the warm rolls. The sugary glaze melts beautifully and drips off the side of the rolls, making you lick your lips as you begin to crave the baked treat. 

No, no, no…these aren’t for me, you silently chide yourself as you open a nearby drawer to grab a spatula and diligently lift the rolls from the pan, placing them carefully into the prepared pastry box. You are just about to close the box when you think of a last-minute detail for the rolls, instantly rushing out your back door and straight to the rose section of your garden. While you are browsing and smelling the roses, you check on the special ones you are secretly growing for Vergil. Their blue buds have begun to bloom, but they are not quite ready for presenting yet. 

Your lips curve into a fond smile as you remember the day you first met your prickly devil, frantically planting blue roses in the rain as soon as you arrived home. You always pictured the rose among his briars to be blue, extraordinarily wonderful and unique as well as notoriously unattainable. But you meant what you said to Vergil in the book café…that despite impossible odds you will never back down as you gently pry apart the thorns in search of such splendor. 

Ah! This is no time to dilly-dally! You shake your head and redouble your efforts to concentrate on the task at hand. After a couple more minutes of browsing you pick a small bunch of sweetbriar roses and hurry back to the kitchen, grabbing a handful of forget-me-nots on the way for flower shower purposes. You rinse the sweetbriar roses in the sink, dry them with a paper towel, and garnish the rolls with their bright pink blooms. And when you are done decorating, your red velvet cinnamon rolls look more like a delicious bouquet of red roses.  

Perfect!

A rush of excitement bursts through your body as you close the pastry box and seal it shut with a floral sticker. You also grab a small box full of homemade strawberry donuts you made earlier and place it on top of the pastry box. They are for Dante since he occasionally came over to help as well, usually doing the regular deliveries around the city for you. It also ensures that he does not try to steal one of Vergil’s treats. There is one thing you have found out while hanging out with both Sons of Sparda: they bicker and fight constantly like normal siblings. Well, almost normal if you count summoning swords as an everyday occurrence during arguments.

You grab your purse, carry the boxes down the hall, and head out the front door. The weather is clear and sunny as you walk happily down the street towards Vergil’s home and place of employment. You are not sure if he will be there or if he will even be happy to see you after dropping by unannounced, but considering how many times he has startled you with his sudden presence in your garden…it only seems fair that you pop by and surprise him your sweet rosy treats.

Hopefully, he won’t be too annoyed with me once he sees these edible blooms! you thought with a giggle, already seeing the grumpy lines on Vergil’s face easing into softer expression. This is the only thing you could think of to properly thank him for all the help with the flowers…and for always being there to protect you. It did not escape your notice that he is always ever vigilant, his keen eyes watching for any sign of danger while he helped you with the flowers. And he would always urge you to go back inside your house as soon as night fell when he could not stay late, making you promise him that you would not do any late-night harvesting. And you always smile and oblige him because you know that is his own way of showing that he really cares for you too. 

It does not take long for you to walk the short distance from your house to the shop. You pause at the foot of the steps and look up the building, noting the stylish neon sign reading Devil May Cry above the double doors. Well, here goes nothing! You enthusiastically hop up the steps and knock on the door…but nobody answers. Hmm, they must not be home. Your cheerful demeanor deflates a little, but you are not willing to give up yet. You knock again and there is still no answer. You glance down at the handle and decide to turn it, even though you guess it is probably locked. 

But to your surprise, the handle turns without much effort and the door cracks open. You peek your head through the door and take a look inside the shop. The lights are on, but it is very quiet. Your eyes make out a couch, a desk, and a jukebox. “Hello?” you call out, hearing your voice echo throughout the room. “Is anyone here?” You wait a moment for a reply before opening the door wider and passing through the threshold of the shop. 

The door closes behind you and your eyes scan around what looks to be an office of sorts. You are now able to see a small bar in one corner of the room and a staircase to your left beside the desk. Your nose twitches as you detect the faint odor of something moldy underneath the musty smell of dust. This must be Dante’s space, you conclude, there is no way Vergil would be this messy! You walk over to the desk and put the pastry boxes down gently on it, pushing aside a couple of swimsuit magazines to make some room along with your purse. 

An ornate picture frame sitting in one corner of the desk catches your eye. You get curious about whose portrait is in the frame, so you go around the desk to get a better look. A beautiful woman with golden blond hair wrapped in a crimson red shawl stands alone in the picture, green eyes sparkling as a tender smile graces her lips. Oh wow…this must be their mother. You remember Vergil describing her to you once, emphasizing the way she gently nurtured him and his brother with kindness. Your heart breaks when you recall the sadness that is always in his eyes when he talks about her...both of her boys must miss her a lot.

You can sympathize with them a little, mourning the loss of your own mother...even though you are not certain if she is even passed away. Your head tilts as you remember the burgundy roses Dante always asks for when he visits. The last small bouquet must have wilted since they are nowhere to be seen on the desk. Why didn’t I think to bring more? you silently berate yourself, but quickly come up with an alternative. You reach into your dress pocket, take out a few forget-me-nots, and place them in front of the portrait of Eva Sparda. 

There. Gone but not forgotten. 

You call out a couple more times just to make sure that there really is no one home. When only silence answers, you decide to at least put your baked treats in their kitchen. “They must have one…right?” you mutter quietly to yourself as you look around. There is a beat-up fridge next to the jukebox, but you do spot a side room by the bar and go check to see if it leads to a real kitchen. 

And it turns out that it does…but this poor kitchen has seen better days. The trashcan is overflowing as well as surrounded by multiple bags of what is assuredly more trash. There are an assortment of dirty dishes, tools, and knick-knacks on the countertops and the sink is full of even more dishes…even though there is a dishwasher right next to it. Just the very sight of all this filth and clutter in the kitchen makes your skin crawl. You slowly back away like an animal sensing a nearby predator and take a deep breath.

Oh no no no…this will not do.

The sudden urge to clean overwhelms you as your fists clench tight and you stick your chin out in determination. You march back into the gross kitchen and start opening up cabinets, figuring out where they keep their cleaning supplies. Your very thorough search results in a roll of paper towels, cleaning spray, and a half empty box of trash bags. The dishwasher happens to be empty, so you load it up with the dirty dishes from the sink before moving onto the absolute mountain of trash. One by one you take each bag out to the outdoor trashcan next to the stoop of the shop until it is completely full, leaving only one bag left to sit beside the can. 

The next place you hit during your cleaning frenzy is the kitchen countertops. You put all the dirty dishes in the sink, collect the tools and knick-knacks into one pile, and throw away all trash into the now empty trashcan. There are a few stains on the counters, so you spritz the surface with the cleaning spray and wipe them down with paper towels. You swipe the light sweat you worked up off your brow, knocking your flower crown askew as you check your progress. 

The countertops are spotless, the dishwasher is almost done cleaning the first load of dishes, and the floor is completely clear of all trash. It can be cleaner…but this will have to do for now. You nod your head in approval while you cross your arms and smirk in victory. You go back to the desk, pick up the pastry boxes, and take them back to the now neat and tidy kitchen. As you place them on the clean counter you notice a stain you missed during your cleaning tirade. Your eyes squint in annoyance as you reach for the cleaning spray and wipe the pesky stain away before deeming this kitchen officially spick and span.

“Wow! I can’t believe Dante actually hired someone to clean his mess!”

A feminine voice knocks you out of your cleaning stupor and you turn towards the door. A woman with short dark hair is standing in the entrance as she stares at you curiously. You notice that one of her eyes is red while the other bluish green. Her attire confuses you slightly, a mix of casual and military with the silky white blouse and black leather leggings covering her legs.      

“Oh! Uh…I’m not…well, you see…”  

As you struggle a little to explain your spontaneous cleaning session, another woman steps up next to the dark-haired lady. Your eyes widen as you try to hold back a shocked gasp. Her face is the spitting image of Vergil’s mother, but instead of a red shawl she is wearing black leather pants and a revealing corset that shows off her midriff. She also does not exude the warmth of the woman in the portrait as she eyes you suspiciously. You clear your throat and try to explain yourself again when another woman in a white summer dress peeks through the other two, her auburn locks and sunny smile instantly recognizable as she waves at you.   

“Hey!” Kyrie beams as she gently pushes past the two women and pulls you into her welcoming embrace. “It’s great to see you again!” You return the hug with a grateful grin before she stands next to you and loops her hand around your arm. “Lady, Trish…this is Y/N!” she introduces you with a bright smile. “The florist who saved my big day!”

Both women glance at each other as their expressions lighten up with realization. “Oh! You’re the flower friend I keep hearing about!” The dark short haired woman, who you believe is Lady, leans casually against the doorframe. “Nice to meet you!” she exclaims with a playfully wave.

“Hey,” the other woman, who must be Trish, addresses you with a slight nod of her head.

Before you can even respond, Nero peeks over Lady’s shoulder. He scans the clean kitchen and blinks his eyes in disbelief. “Are we even in the right place?”

Nico pokes her head around Trish’s arm and takes a gander as well. “Yeah, where’d all the trash go?”

All their expectant eyes are suddenly upon you and you could not help to feel a little self-conscious as you shrug your shoulders. “I uh…can’t stand a messy kitchen?” you feebly explain with a toothy grin. 

“So, you broke into my shop just to clean my kitchen, huh?” 

A very amused Dante makes his way through the small crowd that has amassed around the doorway. “Aloe there!” he exclaims with a cheeky grin and a wink. You roll your eyes as he strokes his stubbly chin and walks into his now immaculate kitchen. His usual unkempt hair is pulled up into a ponytail and, for some reason, he is not wearing his very expensive red leather coat or his grubby gray shirt.  

“What’s up, succa?” you reply back with your own grin before playfully glaring at him, not even fazed by his shirtless appearance. Dante leans casually against the counter as you launch into a perfectly rational explanation of your actions. “Okay, first of all, I did not break in…the door was unlocked.”

“Really, Dante? How foolish.”

Your body shivers the moment you hear the familiar snarky voice of Vergil. He pushes past the crowd around the kitchen doorway and your eyes widen as you notice that he is not wearing his usual vest and coat. Whoa…the power of Sparda must include all the muscles. Kyrie gently squeeze your arm, which blessedly reminds you that this is not the time to be caught ogling his bare chest. You hope no one becomes aware of your flushed state, but a sharp glint in Vergil’s fierce gaze tells you that he definitely notices the all too familiar blush on your cheeks.   

Dante answers his brother criticism nonchalantly, either totally oblivious of your flustered state or showing mercy by pretending that nothing is amiss. “Huh, guess I forgot to lock the door…my bad!”

You try very hard not to stutter as you continue with your tangent. “Second of all, I can’t stand a messy kitchen. And third of all…I needed the room!”

Trish chuckles and nods. “She’s got ya there, Dante.”

“Yeah!” Lady agrees as she steps into the kitchen and pokes Dante’s accusingly on the arm. “Except it should be you cleaning your own damn mess!”

But Dante is too busy fixated on the last point you made. “Making room?” He quirks an eyebrow as his eyes light up in anticipation. “For what?” 

“I made you both some treats!” You give both the brothers a big grin as they both look down at the counter. Vergil furrows his brow as he eyes the pastry boxes with curious interest while Dante is already gunning for the biggest box. “Hey!” you snap as you lightly slap his hand away. “No! That one is Vergil’s.” You pick up and hold out the smaller box towards him. “This one is yours.”

A round of snickers resounds in the kitchen while Dante shakes his hand, even though you are pretty sure that he is exaggerating his injury. “Aww c’mon, Buttercup!” he pouts. “How come frowny flower over there gets the bigger box? I thought I was your favorite,” he claims in a hurt tone while clutching his chest. You catch Vergil rolling his eyes and shaking his head at his brother.  

“Don’t be ranunculus!” you laugh while waving the boxed treats in front of his face. “It’s what you’ve been hounding me to make every time you visit,” you gleefully entice him with an arched eyebrow.   

“Strawberry donuts?!” Dante gasps in surprise as he finally reaches the coveted prize he has been begging for ever since you first met him in your garden. 

Lady lunges for the pastry box and successfully grabs it before Dante. “I believe these will do nicely as compensation!” she explains hastily while running out of the kitchen. 

“Compensation?! For what?!” Dante yells as he pursues his donut thief.  

“You’re welcome!” you call out dryly before shaking your head at them. Trish shrugs as she follows behind Dante and Lady while Kyrie laughs quietly besides you. Vergil’s eyes flicker between the lone pastry box and you as he walks closer to the counter. Kyrie says that she is going to check and make sure they are not making even more of a mess of the shop before retreating from the kitchen…leaving you alone with a very bare-chested Vergil Sparda. 

You can feel heat emanating from his body as he steps up close to you and it takes all of your willpower to not openly gawk at his perfectly sculpted abdomen or his well-defined pecs. “You do know he’ll just beg you for more food now, right?” Vergil points out as he peers down at you. 

“Oh, it’s okay!” You smile up at him and laugh softly. “I thought it would be a nice thank you gift for him.” You slide his own thank you gift on the counter towards him. “And it did distract him from stealing your treats!”

Vergil hums as his lips lift into a soft smile. “Very clever,” he comments as he raises his hand and carefully adjusts the slightly crooked flower crown on your head. Your mind checks out for a moment as the scent of bergamot overpowers your senses. “How are you doing today, Y/N?” 

“I’m doing pretty boy…GOOD. Pretty good!” you stammer, quickly correcting your blundering words. But it is already too late since Vergil totally heard your blunt admiration. His soft smile turns into a smug grin as your cheeks turn absolutely red with embarrassment. “Yeah…I’m doing pretty good,” you mutter weakly as you avoid his amused gaze, taking a sudden interest in your shoes. 

“I’m glad that you’re doing…pretty good,” Vergil suddenly murmurs by your ear, causing you to squeal softly in surprise. You look back up at him and huff in annoyance at the sight of his very pleased expression as he opens the pastry box. “You made these for me?” He tilts his head a little as he leans in to get a better look at the decadent bouquet of red velvet roses and the phrase written on the inside of the lid. 

You nod your head demurely. “I wanted to thank you for helping me with the flowers. It’s one of my favorite recipes. Do you wanna try a bite?” you offer as you reach for the roll of paper towels still sitting on the counter. “If you don’t like it I could-”

“I’d enjoy anything made by you,” he gently interjects, silver blue eyes shifting over to meet your gaze. They bore into you with a soft intensity that only Vergil can pull off. You smile at his genuine compliment as you rip a square of paper towel and place it next to the box. “But if you insist,” he chuckles as you carefully take out one of the sweet rolls, revealing the word petals, rain, and stars beneath the translucent parchment paper. 

You place the red velvet treat on the paper towel and unravel a small piece of the roll, making sure that it has a healthy portion of icing on it before offering it to him. Vergil squints at the words you have written on the bottom of the box as he takes the piece of sweet roll, giving it a light sniff before taking a bite. Moments like this always makes you so happy as you watch him chew, seeing a spark of delight in his eyes as he tastes your homed baked treat. It also gives you a good excuse to subtly admire his well-defined jawline and velvety pink lips.      

“Good?” you ask as soon as he swallows the treat, not even trying to hide the excitement in your voice.

“It’s delicious,” he declares with a grateful smirk. 

You notice a small glob of icing stuck by one of his charming dimples. “You have a little…” you trail off as you gesture towards his cheek, trying to denote where he should wipe his face. He brushes that side of his face, but the glob of icing somehow survives the sweeping of his hand. “Here,” you sigh as you take a step closer to him. “I’ll just…” You reach up with your hand and swipe the icing off with your thumb. 

“There we go!” you remark as another one of your devious ploys pops into you head. Your lips curl into an impish grin as you bring your hand to your mouth and suck the icing off your thumb, making sure your eyes never stray from Vergil’s intense gaze as you do so. You see the pupils of his eyes dilate dramatically as they hone in on your mouth, watching attentively as your tongue peeks out a little to lick the icing. The barest hint of blush appears on his cheeks when you hum in pleasure. You let the provocative moment drag on for a bit before asking the usual question that always brings him back to reality.

“Flower for your thoughts?”

That stunning jawline you adore so much clenches tight as the sharp glint in Vergil’s eyes from earlier comes back in full force. The soft blue hue of his irises seems to ignite as your entire body is electrified by the low rumbling growl emitting from his throat. Your heart beats faster than the wings of a hummingbird as the gorgeous devil of your daydreams and fantasies leans in closer…

The sound of the kitchen door crashing unceremoniously against the wall makes you jump back in alarm. Both of your heads snap over and you sigh in relief when you see it is just Dante lying on the floor. He is clutching the now beat up pastry box close to his chest while vigorously chewing the strawberry donut sticking out of his mouth. You are a little annoyed with him since you will never find out what would have happened if he had not interrupted Vergil’s approach…but you know that it is not his fault, so you just let your agitation go with a sweet smile. 

Vergil snarls and stares down at his meddlesome brother menacingly, scolding him for frightening you with his ridiculous antics. Dante grins sheepishly as he stands up and apologizes for scaring you, but you just laugh since you have gotten used to his sudden bursts of chaotic energy. His mischievous eyes dart between you and Vergil before he informs his surly brother that they still need get ready before everyone leaves them behind. You furrow your eyebrows in confusion before they shoot up as you realize just how long you have been here. 

“Oh snapdragons! It’s almost dinner time!”

You let out a string of your own apologies for taking up their time with your surprise visit as you rush out of the kitchen. Nero, Kyrie, and Nico are sitting in the couch while Trish and Lady are standing by the bar in the corner of the office. They all look over in interest as you scurry over to the desk and sling your purse over your shoulder. You are about to say your farewells to everyone when a familiar hand brushes against your arm. 

Vergil gently coaxes you to turn around and face him. You notice that endearing crinkle between his brow is scrunched up in thought as he speaks. “Would you like to join us for dinner?”

“Would you like to join us forever?!” came Dante’s very boisterous addendum from the kitchen. This earns a very harsh glower directed at the kitchen door from Vergil while you giggle softly. Everyone else in the shop either laughs or just sighs and shakes their head at the door. 

You glance over at Vergil’s hand still holding onto your arm, considering his gracious invitation to dinner with the whole crew. You cannot even recall the last time you went out to eat in the city, much less spend time with anyone outside of your business. In fact, you have not been this sociable in a long time…seeing the whole crew laughing and joking together reminds you of the family you wished you had growing up. 

The longing for familial company bubbles in the pit of your stomach now. You have gotten used to being alone all the time, but maybe…you are like that one bud that blooms too soon in a bed of flowers: lonely for a time as its petals bask in the sunlight, but waiting patiently as it hopes for rain…so that the fellow buds may grow, bloom, and become a family of flowers. 

Perhaps the rain has finally come.

Perhaps you don’t have to be a lonely flower.

“Yes!” you blurt out as you run a finger up the inside of Vergil’s forearm, gazing up at him warmly as you subtly get his attention. A brilliant smile blooms on your face as you nod your head eagerly. “Yes…I’d love to join you all for dinner!” 

Vergil begins to smile back, but the crashing of the kitchen door again twists his lips into a grimace. Dante zooms by the desk, puts an arm around his brother’s shoulder, and practically pulls him up the stairs. Their brotherly squabbles echo through the office and, going by the harsh grunt, ends when Dante gets stabbed. 

Kyrie ushers you to sit on the couch while you wait, chatting about how you made the strawberry donuts and promising to swap recipes sometime. Nero and Nico soon join in and, as you laugh along with Kyrie at all their jokes and banter, you no longer feel like that one lone bud hoping for rain. 

You have finally found your family of flowers at Devil May Cry. 

Read Part 7 (Ch. 2) here

Read on Ao3

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#vergil x reader #vergil #devil may cry #dmc5 #romance #fluff #flowers #the language of flowers #gardener reader #writing #fanfiction #humor #meeting the family #hijinks and shenanigans #mutual pining #flirting #a rose among the briars #The Heart of the Camellia #home baked treats and spontaneous cleaning #she's a keeper vergil #uwu #the poem is by ivyandrose #and can you spot the two disney references? X3 #harlot writes

[wisteriamoons]

Pinky Promise AU

Summary: Kotoha Lives AU! This is called the Pinky Promise AU. In a oneshot I wrote called “Pinky Promise,” Kotoha managed to escape Douma’s cult and live in a Wisteria House with an older woman named Himari. Shinjuro and a group of demon slayers stay one night a month later and Kotoha is given a final push to become a demon slayer and, eventually, a Pillar. You can just refer to this summary or feel free to look up “pinky promise au” tag on my blog(Lowkey scared to link it as ya’know posts with links tend to not show up in tags) 

Also if you are not fully caught up on the manga DO NOT PRESS ON unless you don’t mind spoilers!!

-Kotoha spends five years training in an undetermined breath at first, however, she finds it hard and wants something to fit her own feelings, so she makes her own breath style; Bell Breathing

-Inspired by the one-hundred and eight rings of the nearby Buddist bell on New Years Eve, she decides to make the style. She wants to inspire people like bells do, with a balanced form set and sweet, comforting sounds 

-Kotoha took to the bell motif seriously, even making a bracelet of small suzu bells and wearing it around her dominant wrist. The balls inside that make the bells ring are removable, making stealth missions easier

-Kotoha’s Nichirin Blade is colored a sort of pastel shade of yellow, and has aesthetic-only empty bell shells tied with a red ribbon on the end of the hilt. The guard is bell-shaped, naturally. 

-Her blade forager was in fact Haganezuka, being one of the few people who stuck around even with his more rather… extreme personality. She’s one of his first clients, and they have a fairly close friendship-- she always has mitarashi dango for him when he visits or when she visits. She hasn’t broken her blade thus far

-Her uniform is the usual one but with a under-the-knee-length skirt like Kanao’s. She wears yellow tabi with zori underneath. She has a dark blue haori with yellow/white suzu bell designs all over it. She also wears her hair in a tight bun with a comb kinzashi with purple flowers and blue ribbon--she considers it a good luck charm. She also wears a bird masquerade mask and a cloth to wrap her hair in to cover her identity when on slaying missions, because,

-Kotoha is mainly into undercover and stealth missions due to her flexibility and natural beauty, making her fit in just about anywhere. She wears a kimono and more plain haori when out on such missions. No one suspects such a beautiful and gentle woman! 

-Inosuke loves the sound of bells while growing up ‘cause they remind him heavily of his mother. He starts collecting various bells at the age of seven, keeping them in his room in the Hashibira Estate. Tanjiro finds this sweet while Zenitsu laughs at him for being so rough yet has such a soft hobby. Inosuke might’ve whacked him a couple times because of this

-Kotoha is a mother first, demon slayer second. Never changes, even after she becomes a Pillar

-Speaking of which, it only takes her up to a year to become a Pillar. She kept on insisting to take jobs, so her demon count rose very quickly. She also mastered Total Concentration within weeks with Himari and her mentor’s help

-Her and Inosuke have a very very close familial bond. They tell each other almost everything with no hesitance and do many things together. They might have one argument every few months, but it’s usually over something silly and it’s resolved quickly

-Hell, Kotoha even offered to teach him Bell Breathing but he refused, having already started to develop his own technique (which would be obviously Beast Breathing)

-Kotoha is without a doubt one of if not the first Pillar to trust Nezuko. She trusts her son unwaveringly with every vein in her body, and if he trusts her, then she does too

-Because of her Pillar status, her Estate is close to the Butterfly Estate and she has a close relationship with the Kocho sisters. She cares a lot for them, and mothered them a lot, seeing them also as daughters she never had

-She also has a close relationship with the Rengoku family, Shinjuro being an older brother to her and Ruka like a sister, and Kyojuro and Senjuro being nephews. Though they also saw her a second mother on occasion. Shinjuro helps Kotoha get used to being a Pillar and gave her advice before his wife’s death and subsequent alcoholism. Their relationship becomes strained after this, for obvious reasons

-On a lighter note, this means Inosuke is much closer to Kyojuro and Senjuro, having grown up with them, he sees them as brothers--making Kyojuro’s death a little more harder :)

-Speaking upon Inosuke, Inosuke has his original personality and abilities intact, but with more… class?

-He still likes to be competitive and has a stupidly high temper, but he’s also not constantly headbutting people and has slight more consideration of others. Also doesn’t have his boar head, and wears the normal demon slaying uniform (though has a habit of discarding the upper layer, and usually doesn’t wear a haori unless it’s winter). Still dumb as rocks though

-He also still prefers his swords chipped, but his original swords being chipped was from training too much with normal swords and found that when they’re chipped they cut better to him (plus lets be real he likes how they look) When he deliberately chips his new ones Kotoha does scold him for it for disrespecting his sword and sword maker, though admittedly found it just a tiny bit amusing

-He also adored animals as a child, finding boars especially to be really cool and studied their movements a lot along with other animals, which influenced him in many, many ways

-Inosuke can’t help but perhaps sometimes feel a little inferior compared to his mother. Don’t get me wrong, he loves her with every goddamn breath and won’t hesitate to tell her, but sometimes he feels he can’t match her skill. Kotoha tries to treat him equally but sometimes her constant mothering and protectiveness can be grating

-Kotoha holds a heavy grudge against Douma for basically fucking with her, and it only grows deeper after Kanae’s death. She’s in on Shinobu’s poisoning plan, and while she’s against it she knows she can’t stop Shinobu. Makes Shinobu’s death hard on Kotoha because she knows she should’ve been more assertive, but also knows it was what Shinobu wanted

-Inosuke still has a tight platonic bond with Shinobu, though he sees her more of a sister than a mother for obvious reasons. He also has a soft spot for Kanao, and while she’s older than him he still treats her like a little sister anyway. He was probably the first person she met around her age after being adopted into the Kocho family. Inosuke wasn’t too close to Kanae, but was also saddened and angry after her passing by a demon’s hands

-Inosuke is also on pretty decent terms with the little sister trio (they like to play with his hair, he lets them while he eats usually), though has a sort of tough relationship with Aoi since they both tend to clash heads. A bit of a crumb for you AoIno(?) shippers, but the two are on decently friendly terms, finding each other tolerable enough, they’re just both stubborn

-Kotoha also never tells Inosuke, at least not at first, why they lived in a Wisteria House and why Himari wasn’t his real grandma despite thinking she was. She fears it might bring him trauma or nightmares, big plus she doesn’t want him going after Douma

-It was a slight bit of a hassle for Inosuke to make his mother agree to making him a demon slayer too; she was obviously worried for his safety, but eventually wore down, but made him promise he try to be as careful as possible. This is obviously not followed through for many reasons, but we already know them so I won’t go into too much detail

-Treats pretty much almost everyone younger than her like her children in some way, shape, or form. She’s a heavy mother figure to everyone and wears this with pride (even if she sometimes doesn’t realize it)

-In fact, Zenitsu, Kyojuro, and Mitsuri are big offenders on accidentally calling her mom. It’s less accidental for Kyojuro as he knows he sees her as a mother and has been doing it ever since they met (‘cause children do that, it’s just grown to be a habit at this point, and plus Ruka never minded so it doesn’t bother him) though he’s more likely to call her “Aunt Koto” around others by now

-She’s close to Mitsuri and they sometimes swap feminine advice and cook together, and Mitsuri isn’t as embarrassed by calling her mom now than she was the first time she did. They have a tight bond and Kotoha sees her as the daughter she never had, exchanging secrets as well

-Zenitsu has an unclear past, so I hc that his parents were probably neglectful or died by the time of his debt. So, Kotoha becomes the mother figure he hasn’t had/never had in a long time. He def didn’t realize it at first and became heavily flustered and mortified. Kotoha found it adorable. Inosuke isn’t a big fan of this btw aksjasj but he tolerates it a little more as time goes on

-Zenitsu has had such a big helping of respect women juice because of Kotoha that he is less flirtatious and weird about girls, though his love for Nezuko doesn’t waver in the slightest 

-Tanjiro also sees her as a mother, heavily reminding him of his own mother in fact. He respects her a lot, and even has platonic affection for her, especially after she so quickly accepts Nezuko despite her hate against demons

-She smells like freshly baked bread and flowers, and has a calming presence. She has a sweet sound to her, like suzu bells, as Zenitsu puts it

-Also she teaches Tanjiro how to properly take care of Nezuko’s hair and the like so Nezuko’s hair isn’t always a rat’s nest when they come back to the Estates

-Nezuko, speaking of, like Tamayo sees Kotoha as her own mother. Thus, Nezuko always feels calm around her and lets her wash her clothes and brush her hair

-Sanemi and Genya have subconscious drawings towards her, as the pattern keeps going, they see a lot of their own mom in her. While neither of them have called her mom ‘cause it’s painful to even think about, there’s no doubt they’ve had fleeting thoughts about her being a mom to them

-Muichiro also subconsciously sees her as a mother, with his memories gone he has no qualms about it but he doesn’t let it slip out loud. Likes it when she brushes his hair though. After his memories begin to return he doesn’t regret thinking of her as a mother

-Giyuu doesn’t have many maternal feelings, finding her protective nature to be a bit overwhelming, however he doesn’t hate her. In fact, Kotoha doesn’t hate him at all and loves him a lot. I think maybe he might see his sister in her a little actually

-Uzui has zero maternal feelings towards her as well, in fact he probably flirted with her a little. Nothing huge or meaningful, just harmless, it’s who he is. She never really realized it anyway, seeing him as just being nice, and cared enough but not enough to see him as a son. Saw her techniques as flamboyant, of course, and she was saddened by his departure from the Pillars

-Obanai feels a little… indifferent? Towards her? Like, he doesn’t hate her, but I don’t think he’d quite see her as a mother figure either. He does admire her drive though, and she cares about him enough to make them good partners in combat if need be

-Gyomei doesn’t have maternal feelings towards her either, since they’re extremely close in age, same for Kotoha. But he still does also admire her, tbh I can see them being more like just good friends and confidants. Being the two oldest Pillars they have much in common

-Kotoha and Ubuyashiki have a typical follower/leader relationship, considering he’s much younger than her she doesn’t see him as a father figure, but she does admire him a lot and is extremely loyal to him. She also finds his kids to be adorable and is friendly with his wife (Edit: I realize Kotoha most likely met him when he was 13-14, so yeah, def doesn’t see him as a father figure or anything. Probably thought he was adorable too aksjaksj)

-You want to face off both mother and son? Don’t.

-Seriously, don’t. 

-You’ll regret it.

-See, they’re both ferociously protective of each other, and bounce off each other so well it’s fuckin bonkers! They go hand-in-hand, easily matching their breaths and everything. They’re like a machine together in battle. When they’re on their own they do well but when they’re together they do exceptionally. It’s both amazing and downright terrifying

-Need advice? Need a shoulder to cry on? Kotoha has your back

-Also, at least once a month all Pillars and any visiting demon slayers are invited to a feast at Kotoha’s, cooked by the woman herself and occasionally with the help of Mitsuri and Shinobu. The Ubuyashiki’s are always invited, but they never really make it. It’s still one night without any worry, just bonding time and fun, and that’s what matters

-Mother and son constantly write each other letters when apart, no matter how many miles are in between them, and give them to their crow to deliver. If one party doesn’t reply after the given time, the other is instantly going to look for them no matter what

-Also, I hc that Inosuke has ADHD and social anxiety. Kotoha is very patient with him and helps him through the daily struggles they bring, and he’s so grateful for this. 

-While I don’t have any ships in mind for this au (except perhaps KanTan and ZenNezu, maybe AoIno if you squint), if anyone wants to take this au and mold it to their own ship (within reason--if I find you use this au to ship pedo/incest I will find you) I give you full permission. However, if you find yourself shipping Kotoha with anyone, I would like to note that she has a few walls put up due to the abuse she suffered, and it isn’t too easy for her to fall in love

Bell Breathing and it’s Techniques/Forms

-Bell Breathing involves a lot of speed, along with agility and grace. Kotoha became more flexible and obviously more quicker, along with some muscle. It involves many parries, quick strikes and counters.

-Kotoha developed this with her newly gained strength and her natural swiftness in mind, along with her warm personality

-There are currently six forms, three mainly defense and three offense. 

-First Form: Voided Ringing- The user steps out of range of an attack before replacing it with their sword, slashing in an upwards motion at whatever the enemy was about to attack with

-Second Form: Suzu Dance- The user advances on their opponent slashing their blade in swift, shallow motions, aiming mainly for the arms 

-Third Form: Crotal Advance- The user blocks their entire body with their blade, using all their strength, and then they twist the blade to slash whatever is attacking them

-Fourth Form: Chiming Deflection- The user deflects attacks in a circular motion with quick succession

-Fifth Form: Quiet Ringing in Winter- Much like Blessed Rain after the Drought, this move is used when an enemy surrenders, making it a swift and painless death, making a soft sound like jingle bells during Christmas--or, rather, like suzu bells during a Kagura dance

-Sixth Form: The Death Bell Tolls- The user goes as fast as possible, quite like they’re dancing around their opponent and then strike from the air, going straight for the neck in one swift round motion, making a sound like the ringing of a bell 

Extra: I made Bell Breathing without one breath in mind as I researched different sword techniques and looked at all the breathing styles, and while I’ve been leaning towards Wind, Thunder/Sound or Water, but if anyone has an idea I’m open to hearing it

#kny #kimetsu no yaiba #demon slayer #kotoha hashibira #inosuke hashibira #pinky promise au #kotoha lives au #gonna repeat myself i refuse to believe kotoha kept her husband's last name much less gave it to her son #so her last name is hashibira #kny spoilers #kotoha becomes a pillar weehee #i am no expert on making breathing styles which is why i studied each one + irl sword techniques closely before thinking on bell breathing #so sorry if there seems to be any weird overlapping #i had TOO much fun making this au i really want to write more for it actually #sorry it's super long too but i like. i just had to get EVERY thought out

[aures-rose]

Disclaimer: Very much and very little have happened since my last update. I broke my ankle last month and that’s kept me from really roleplaying and writing like I might normally in frequency, quality, and duration. Despite this, I have a lot to write since a lot of this happened before my incident. Anyways! To the entry!

Dear Diary,

So much has happened since my last entry! Where do I even start? I had my first practical potions lesson this year! Deputy Headmistress is teaching it, and she had a cauldron of a love potion called Amortentia. It smelled like firewood and the ocean and flowers, wisteria I think. Maybe lavender. Someone, I think it was Eve, said it smells like whatever you find the most attractive. So I guess I like campfires by the sea. Which makes sense actually, we always had that campfire under the pergola where Mother’s wisteria grew. Anyways, Eve and I brewed the Antidote to Common Poisons which seems like a useful thing to be able to brew. I didn’t even know I could brew, but I didn’t mess up!

After class, Eve and I went down to the campsite near Dumbledore’s grave and we hung out for a while. She told me how she and Marigold had talked about doing a group Halloween costume for the bash this year as plants that can be found in the forest. Eve really likes herbology you see and she got a book from her mum about different plants, I think she said they may have been Victorian plants, I can’t remember. She was talking about going as some kind of mushroom and I had the idea of being a rose, with a paper mache rose head on or something.

Later on I ran into Margo again. She was heading back to the common room and since I knew a shortcut through Lady Prudence, I showed it to Margo. I told her it really pays off to talk to the portraits in school and she said she’d have to talk to more of them. She invited me into the first year dorm where she was supposed to meet Venus- another first year. Venus was going to tell Margo a secret. Margo took me to their dorm and introduced me to Venus who seems really nice and likes plants. Her mum plays music too, piano I think she said. I promised to show her where the music room is sometime, a lot of first years seem to not know about it, I guess because we have no music professor this year. Venus and Margo both showed me their beds, Margo likes plants and Venus also likes stars! Then Venus told us she’d overheard a friend talking to a boy and she’d learned of a secret room through one of the portraits. She was supposed to show us the next day but I ended up being really busy. I’ll have to ask Margo to show me sometime. Also, I think I really like the name Venus. I know it’s a planet and a Roman Goddess, but I like it because how romantic it sounds.

Anyways, I had Herbology with Eve next. I really do hate Herbology. I mean, I like looking at flowers and plants but I just don’t get it. But in class we were collecting mushrooms from the edge of the forest. Venus asked me to partner with her but I’d already partnered with Eve so I had to tell her no. Eve and I talked about herbology for a while and mostly she picked all the mushrooms with these really nice scissors she had. After class, we sat in the courtyard and talked. We decided instead of going by the dock, we were going to sneak brooms and fly to a secret place on the castle which will become our secret place. We’ll bring supplies like blankets and stuff and we’ll hide out there for our sleepover.

We also talked about Ghoul Studies because it was going to be our next class. We talked about Professor Esper and how romantically he talks and also how he wears… a flower on his suit which Eve says represents mourning, or it did in Victorian times. I wonder if Professor Esper is mourning a long dead sweetheart from his days as a student. Wouldn’t that be romantic? In class the Head Boy, Elliott sat near us and we both told him we’d bet money on him with Nora for the TriWizard Cup. Professor Esper also had asked Eve to cast a spell and levitate all the homework to his desk but she couldn’t do it. She asked me for help and I was actually able to do it!

Then came DADA. Not the good DADA though. No. DADA with stupid Professor Vikander. Can you believe he took TWENTY POINTS from Gryffindor just because some boy’s spell backfired? That made me so mad! My blood actually started to boil, I swear! Actually, my hands did get really hot and so did my face and the edges of my eyes got real blurry like… I couldn’t help it and I ended up yelling at Professor Vikander. I… said some not nice things about how he didn’t care about his students and I wished I was a Hufflepuff because Professor Priaulx is better and actually cares. I can’t believe he let me get away with everything I said, really. Tom and Eve were trying really hard to calm me down and I think that’s the only reason I really left the class. It’s so embarrassing getting angry like that. I need to remember to take my calming drought always. Anyways, we were making our way down the tower and there was a crowd at the bottom. And in that crowd was the boy who’d lost us all those points. I couldn’t help myself! I tried to petrify him… from there it all went crazy. Everything happened so fast but Eve tackled me and my spell hit Talula I think. Elliott came down and pulled Eve off me and she explained she wasn’t attacking me, she was trying to stop me and then everything got even crazier!! I don’t remember everything that happened because Eve surprised me so bad and I started to feel really embarrassed and ended up crying. Eventually Professor Vikander came down and everything was still crazy but Talula gave me a calming drought bc the one in my backpack got shattered. Then Professor Vikander sent Eve and I to the Hospital Wing. I apologised to her there and she told me I had nothing to be sorry for and…. That Lex… Lex Ashworth had said something very cruel. He’d been talking to Aloy but he called her a fire flinging freak and… I mean… sure, he was mad at Aloy but… if that’s what Lex thinks of her… what about Talula? Or me? My family? I come from a line of fire flinging freaks even if I’ve never managed it myself…

After that, I kind of laid low for a while, avoiding everyone. Especially since… after that, my eye got even worse. I don’t know why but instead of two pupils, now there’s three. Am I doomed to just keep getting more and more? Will my other eye become freaky next? I don’t know what to do about it but I can’t keep ignoring it so I’ve been trying to do research on curses and what kind might have caused this. I plan on speaking to Professor Macauley about it as soon as possible and if he doesn’t have answers I’ll go to Professor Blightly and then O'Keeffe if she doesn’t. I have to figure this out and how to go back to normal or at least how to stop it.

Then it was announced there was going to be a fashion show. I don’t know anything about fashion and I don’t really care but Gwyn, my mentor, was running the meeting so I decided to go to support her. Somehow I ended up being chosen to represent our house in the casual category. I ended up wearing my red jumper dress with a white t-shirt, a red flower crown of flowers I don’t know what they’re called but they remind me of the Christmas flowers, red flags, my red backpack, and of course, my violin case. I also put stars on my face, because I like decorating myself. The fashion show was really scary honestly but Talula put some lipgloss on me and everyone was really supportive. It was scary walking on stage on front of everyone and I was afraid I’d like or fall off stage but I did it! And I never want to do it again! I’d watch it again though!

Talula also ran a club called Spark Club this month. Spark Club is where you can meet new friends or dates. I only wanted friends so I put that when I signed up. Somehow Talula pairs you with three people, I don’t know how, and you spend a few minutes talking and getting to know each other with the talk starter Tal gives you. My first pair was Bailey but I think he was late getting there so Margo and her match, Dana, who is a first year in our house talked to me for a little bit. Margo said I could be a model because of how tall I am but I definitely don’t want that. Eventually Bailey showed up and we talked about getting into trouble a little bit. My next pair was named Gage but he never showed up so I sat around and watched everyone else for a bit. Lastly, I was paired with Eve! Talula said we were too cute not to pair up and I told Eve it was destiny! She was talking to an older student named Romi Clementine. Romi is a fourth year I think and she’s really pretty, like a doll. She was even dressed like a doll in this frilly red dress. She said she liked charms and Homemaking Magic and that the Spark Club was a little too noisy for her which I totally get.

Oh, Eve also gave me a book at Spark Club. It’s called Coraline and she said she wanted us to choose characters from the book for our Halloween costumes instead. I’m going to start reading it tonight, just as soon as I finish writing in you. She said it was one of her favourite books and I think it’s nice to see what your friends like if you want to get close to them. She also said she’d like it if we all started a book club. So I’m going to read some of this and then maybe we can sit around and have a talk about it!

Oh! The Triwizard Tournament is closing in, I don’t remember if I told you but Hogwarts is hosting it this year. Saturday the other schools arrived. It was amazing. The Beauxbatons students are so elegant and graceful! They arrived in a blue flying carriage pulled by winged horses that were all golden! When their Headmistress stepped out she looked like an ice princess with all these feathers on her dress. Then the students came out with all this beautiful water magic and there were golden sparks and it was all amazing. The Durmstrang students were intimidating! It’s crazy to me to think that if Grandmother Banon had remained in Bulgaria, I could have been a Durmstrang student too. I couldn’t imagine that! They’re so serious and like… They arrived in a ship that came out of the lake, bursting through the ice alongside all these patronuses! The students came marching off the ship with these torches held over their heads and then the flames leapt from their torches and made this arc and the Deputy Headmistress came marching off. I don’t think anyone’s seen the Headmaster yet, apparently he wasn’t feeling well. 

There was also a HUGE feast where Headmistress O’Keeffe explained all the rules of the tournament, apparently you can only participate if you’re 17. Then she revealed the Goblet of Fire! It’s got these blue flames and it was super cool to watch. There’s also these blue flames around the Goblet which apparently keeps anyone under 17 from trying to put their name in. I wonder who will be chosen from each school… I can’t imagine being chosen for Hogwarts… I hope though… I hope one day I can be in the Triwizard Tournament. Could you imagine? Aures Truegarden, Triwizard Tournament Champion. I’ve heard some students talk about trying to sneak their names into the Goblet but I’m not ready and I know that. I’m still just a kid. But one day!

That’s almost everything, I think. The only thing left is to tell you I’ve found a new project! I’m going to try to learn a musical piece called The Devil’s Trill. It’s by Tartini. I was reading a music book and I found a story about it and really wanted to learn it after that. This composer, Giuseppe Tartini was having a hard time making money as a violinist. He decided he wanted to die- that’s sad isn’t it?- but before he did, he wanted the chance to dream for one last night. That night he dreamed of the devil! Or is it, a devil? Anyways, he told his friend,some French astronomer that he dreamed the devil came and asked him to be his teacher. At the end of their lesson, Tartini gave the devil his violin and asked him to play, to see how good the Devil was. The devil played so amazingly that it took Tartini’s breath away. How I wish I could play that well. Anyways, Tartini woke up with a jolly and jumped out of bed, immediately writing down the sonata and trying to catch what he’d heard in his dream. The Sonata became super successful! Everyone said that you could hear bells and chimes during the performance and that it felt like the room was getting smaller and smaller but Tartini said it was nowhere near as perfect as what he heard in his dream. I want to learn to play The Devil’s Trill and make people feel something. Anyways, I should start this book but… goodnight diary! Thanks for always listening!</p>

#roleplay #harry potter roleplay #second life roleplay #veela #Gryffindor #mischief managed #second life

[mirai-eats]

Stray Spring:: Dance (Summer Romance)

Snufmin, 4,673 words, part 2/5

flower symbolism bc thats how i work i dont change, Fluff, Romance, so soft it hurts, Light Angst, Sickfic, Spring Deity Snufkin, little my is a demigod???

A deity borne of spring and summer can’t leave Moominvalley alone.

read on AO3

Moomin had a hard time getting himself out of bed today and that bothered him since today was an important day. Mamma didn’t scold him for stumbling down the stairs well into breakfast, but only wished him a good morning and gently told him to have those midnight adventures on days he doesn’t need to get up early.

Sniff was charged with distracting Little My and taking her up to a rural spot in Lonely Mountain where Snufkin had buried a box of rocks for her to find. Meanwhile, it was up to the Moomins and every spare hand to set up the extravagant party to celebrate the new season and Little My’s new age. Moomin didn’t know how old she was, and every time he asked something would always interrupt. He gave up asking and resorted to counting the candles on her cake.

The party was going to be lovely, Moomin thought. Long tables were set out with summer flowers and stakes with paper lanterns framed the perimeter they set up, strings of lights draped the trees and strung over their heads as an imitation of stars. Mamma was cooking with vigor in the kitchen, preparing enough food to keep the whole valley full through winter. In the meantime, Mamma had set out heaping plates of juicy, red watermelon and sweet berry juice for people setting up the party. Moomin took a few slices and ran down to Mr. Hemulen’s where Snufkin was helping him pick flowers to decorate.

“This is very delicious, thank you Moomintroll,” Snufkin said after chewing thoughtfully on the melon.

“You’re welcome, now let’s haul these over so we can get them on the tables and chairs. Little My is due back soon!”

It was no walk in the park bringing so many flowers in the wheelbarrows. It was a miracle they got them all placed in time right before they heard the large shouts of Little My coming from just beyond.

“Everyone get in place! She’s coming!” Pappa clapped his paws and on cue, everyone rushed to stand in attention, facing the hill Little My will climb to the top of and see the party waiting for her.

“Mymble isn’t here yet, what do we do?” Pappa fretted, his hat tilted askew in his frantic movement.

“She will come, it’ll be a grand surprise on top of this surprise when her mother comes,” Mamma soothed.

---

The party was going well, very well, but the Moomin’s were still eyeing the path from the beach waiting for The Mymble to arrive. She’ll come when she comes, Snufkin thought.

Snufkin didn’t want to admit it, but he was rather nervous himself. He kept to himself at the fringe of the party, in which most, if not all, of Moominvalley, showed up for. The record player Moominpappa had successfully fixed up was playing joyful tunes into the sweet, summer air as the day slowly cooled as the night struggled to blanket the horizons. This was the longest day of the year and sunset didn’t come until the party reached its peak, when the music grew the loudest and drinks splashed refill after refill into cups. Little My had stuck a little cosmo from the table display into her bun as if it were her crown and swung around in the middle of it all, her laughter loud and smile even louder.

It’s when the sun touched the tops of the forests and the sky was a rich gold with strands of rosy pink did a parade arrive. Thirty-four children with hair red like Little My’s and screams somehow louder than hers rushed from the beach trail and over to the party, in the midst of their chaos rose the imposing figure of their mother.

The Mymble was eccentric, a presence so loud and bright it’s hard to ignore, especially how she was taller than even the tallest hemulen. Her red hair was messy atop her head, where little baby’s breath flowers were scattered like sparse snow and her eyes glittered like sunshine on the greenest lake surface. The air felt sweeter in her presence, cooler like a gentle spring breeze dripping with honeysuckle petals. Little My leaped with a shout and ran into her mother’s embrace, her big arms holding her tightly to her chest. The party grew louder, more rambunctious, fit for a Little My with too much energy crammed in that very little body.

From the fringe of the party, Mymble’s eyes landed on Snufkin. This was the first time she’s seen him since he was placed in a basket and sent down the river. He tipped his hat and turned away.

---

He wasn’t mad at her. He couldn’t bring himself to be angry at her for letting him go when he was so young. He grew up fine, he never pined for the affections of a mother or the guidance of a father. He knew what his mother and father were, but when Moominpappa placed a name and face to their beings, shaped their characters through his stories, he ached something sharp like a cold pick of winter ice drilled into his heart.

It was a surprise when it wasn’t Moomintroll who found him first, but The Mymble. Overwhelmed with the party, he had dove into the forest and climbed up a maple tree thick with green leaves. The summer breeze hit him just right, and from here he can watch the sun tiptoe the horizon and paint the sea a brilliant, hazy orange that drove the warmth of the day away.

“Snufkin,” she said.

He nodded in acknowledgment and lit his pipe, letting the smoke waft into the air and fill the thick silence with its odor, the sweet smell of daisies and poppies on his hat was blanketed under a smokey curtain.

“You’ve become quite the deity, haven’t you,” she settled herself on the ground under his tree, her voice rising into the air as if caught by a breeze and sailed up to his perch.

“You couldn’t have done anything for me, could you?” It was a statement, not a question.

“No. I can’t raise a spirit. Those children are all demigods and I enjoy watching them grow, but you aren’t a demigod. You won’t grow like them.”

“Little My?”

“Is like them, and so is my eldest. You’re one of a kind, Snufkin.” A sigh left her lips and it was as if the whole forest took a breath of fresh air. The leaves seemed greener, the air fresher, and the gentle sweetness of the most fragrant flora, of soft sweet peas and mysterious wisteria, star-light jasmine and plump gardenias. It was as if spring came back once more for another round. Snufkin looked down from his perch and saw The Mymble as she truly is- a goddess of spring.

Flowers bloomed and died in her hair, petals dripped like soft snow onto her shoulders and the green grass that’s sprouted out around her. The collar of fur was replaced with a wreath of greenery and flowers oozing their sweet scent, her coat was now a shifting robe that seemed to have been woven from the silkiest petals. She looked up to where Snufkin lounged in the tree, her round face glowing with light only one not of this world can possess.

Snufkin lifted his robe of glamour, the scruffy Snufkin in a coat too old to count the years of and boots worn to the thinnest soles were replaced by his robes of shimmering green. His hat bloomed all sorts of flowers, from the smallest, palest buds to the brightest, largest petals. He descended from the tree with a graceful leap, draped in spring nature, falling far too high to be safe and landed gently on the freshly grown grass, his bare feet hitting the cool blades.

“What of The Joxter, my father?” Snufkin asked.

“A minor god, the personification of a lazy summer day,” she nodded. “It’s why you reign strongest in the spring and summer where the flowers bloom brightest and the sun is the warmest. You spend your days idly and freely, amongst the root of trees and grassy meadows and wherever you go, you bring spring with you.”

She looked up where he stood before him. Even sitting, he was only barely taller than her. “You need to leave earlier than that, my son. I heard from the Moomins you hang around here through the autumn. That can harm you, and it can harm the balance of nature.”

“I know.”

“Then leave as soon as the trees start to shudder and the flowers start to grow smaller. You need to bring your music to the south where the sun sits high in the sky.”

“I will.”

Her eyes narrowed, unbelieving of him. Towers of delphiniums started growing around her, pale blue and pink trumpets of flowers unraveling and reaching for their sun, their spring goddess. Pops of tiny daisies sprung at their feet and brushed up against Snufkin’s bare ankles. “You will. I don’t know if you know this, but if you linger too long in one place, you may perish.”

“I know.” He was starting to sound like a broken record, skipping over select words that would appease his mother. But he knew, he understood the risk of staying too close to winter in Moominvalley. He did it once before because Moomintroll asked him to stay until the winter solstice for their feast so he won’t miss him too terribly when he left. He was ill then, and could barely touch his food, and almost didn’t make it out of Moominvalley before the snow started to really come down. Moomintroll has tried since then to have him stay a little longer, sighing loudly, despondently, into the autumn air. He caved and stayed, and he almost died.

“Don’t do it again. For each time you do, you will grow weaker faster.”

A shout of his named echoed through the forest. A flock of birds rose from the trees and scattered into the orange horizon, the sun swallowed by the midnight blue.

Moomintroll rounded the corner and spotted Snufkin. “There you are! Are you alright? You disappeared during the party.”

“I’m okay, just a little overwhelmed with the number of people,” Snufkin said.

“Oh wow! These are gorgeous!”

The Mymble had disappeared, leaving the patch of jewel-green grass and the stocks of delphiniums at the base of the tree. Snufkin had dropped his glamour back on, his boots crushing the grass and the daisies on his hat matched the ones by Moomin’s feet. Moomintroll did not see a thing. “Aren’t they lovely? They’re called delphinium.”

“They are.” Moomin picked a couple of little daisies and stuck them in the wreath of flowers on Snufkin’s hat. “Do you want to be alone right now?”

Snufkin shook his head. “We can go to the beach and take a walk. I’m just tired of the party.”

Moomintroll’s eyes lit up, a mischevious sparkle that seemed a little too excited for a simple moonlit stroll on the beach.

“Can I show you something instead?”

---

They stole a lantern from the party when no one was looking and traipsed up the forest path. Snufkin realized it was the direction Moomintroll had been sneaking off too for months now.

“What do you want to show me?” Snufkin prodded.

“It’s a surprise.” Moomintroll was practically vibrating.

They reached a bend in the trail and Moomintroll went off the path, over a bushel of bright, yellow yarrow, and down a secret worn path that wound through the trees. He suddenly stopped at the base of a sturdy oak tree. He pushed aside some broken branches piled up at the bottom and revealed a rope ladder dangling down the side of the tree.

“What is this, Moomintroll?” Snufkin asked. He looked up and between the thick branches he could make out wooden boards.

“I built us a secret base,” Moomintroll said, his voice barely able to contain his excitement. “I read a book about spies having secret bases hidden in plain sight, where they can meet and plot their next missions. I thought it would be cool if we had a secret place, too.”

“Oh, Moomintroll, it’s fantastic.” Snufkin’s heart swelled with something warm. A moment of fear iced his veins, that this was Moomintroll asking him to stay forever, but this was a treehouse, a place for them alone and not an actual house. He needn’t read too deeply into the meaning of all this.

“Let’s go, let’s go! You haven’t even seen the best of it yet!” Moomintroll ushered him up the ladder. It took them through a square hole cut out of a wooden platform, buried in the oak branches and green leaves. There was no way someone could see this place from below, and with the thick tree coverage, it was hard to see it coming from the forest path unless someone was looking for it.

The house was a simple box that was morphed around a sturdy branch. The door was a little high off the ground, and there were curtains patterned with summer yellow sunflowers (definitely Moominmamma’s work). The cabin was small, a little rickety for comfort, but Snufkin adored it. The little chairs at the table, a basket of snacks, a worn map from Moominpappa, a bouquet of small sunflowers and pale purple cosmos sat in a vase Snufkin remembered Moomintroll made when he was briefly into pottery, the sides bumpy with paw marks and the smear of bright blues made it personal. Moomin lit the oil lamp on the table and filled the small space with a wonderful warm glow. The blue light left from the twilight was chased away with the golden candlelight.

“This is wonderfully cozy,” Snufkin said as he settled down into one of the chairs. He peaked out from behind the window curtain and could see the main forest path between the branches of their tree. “Perfect for spying, but I’m afraid at night someone will see our light.”

“Then we’ll have to be extra careful and only come when everyone’s asleep,” Moomintroll said. He took the seat across from Snufkin and pulled out a book from a box under the table. “Let me show you the book that inspired me to make this!”

---

Little My bobbed through the tall stocks of gladiolus, a bundle held in her small arms. With her size, it was as if she was carrying lumber, not pink and yellow flowers. She emerged from the stocks and ran full sprint toward Moominhouse, where Moominmamma was trimming the stems of gladiolus and placing them in long vases.

“Thank you, Little My, that will be plenty for now,” Moominmamma said kindly, taking the new bundle from Little My. “Can you deliver this vase to Mrs. Fillyjonk?” She handed Little My a vase almost as tall as her with a spry of artfully arranged flowers, a red bow tied around the slim neck of the bottle.

“Sure thing! Don’t get mad if I spill!” Little My leaped from the porch and teetered down the walkway toward Mrs. Fillyjonk’s house, the water sloshing dangerously in the vase and her arms burned but she refused to put it down.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a Moomintroll-white shape flitter in the corner of her eye. She quietly placed the vase down on the side of the road and scanned the treeline where she saw it.

There! Darting between the trees was Moomintroll, his own armload of gladiolus flowers clutched close to his chest, the red pedals bobbing with his steps. The flowers won’t die if they waited out in the sun for a bit, Little My thought to herself and ran after him.

She stayed far enough away he wouldn’t be able to hear him, but close enough to keep him within sight. They wound through the trees, going off and on trails and pushing through bushes. He stopped suddenly at the bank of a river, a waterfall feeding into the quickly moving water. Snufkin sat at the shore, a bucket next to him and his fishing rod posed in his hand. Branches of green leaves and fern dripped from his hat, the single white dahlia poking from the side was like a beacon amongst the green. Moomintroll came up behind him and plucked a bud of red gladiolus and stuck it in his hat brim. The roar of the waterfall hid their words and Little My scooted closer to catch what they were talking about.

She heard “secret base” and lost face. She hopped from behind the bush and shouted, “And what are you two up to?!”

Moomintroll jumped in surprise and Snufkin turned and tipped his hat in greeting. “Little My, hello.”

“Hello to you, too. What are you talking about?” She asked again.

Moomintroll seemed to be sweating under all his fur, his eyes darting everywhere but Little My. “Nothing much, I wanted to show Snufkin the flowers you and Mamma picked.” Liar.

She tried again, badgering them for good answers, but she only got vague remarks. She got bored, as Moomintroll was giving Snufkin big cow eyes as he fished and Snufkin kept sneaking longing glances at Moomintroll when he wasn’t looking. It was sickening and she couldn’t take it. She left to go finish delivering the flowers

---

Moomin realized that he harbored warm feelings for Snufkin when the sun was at its hottest. Snufkin had stripped to his trousers and worn shirt, the white so faded it was threadbare at the hems and elbows. They splashed around a creek where a willow tree traced its surface, stocks of violet irises waved in the warm, summer breeze and spots of petunias reached for the water. It was a picturesque sight of them chasing frogs in the moving water, tripping over stray stones and tangled in weeds. The cool water felt great in Moomin’s heated skin, his fur thinned for the summer but it wasn’t enough to cool him from the hot sun. Snufkin had a peeling sunburn on his nose, new freckles sprang up across his cheeks and the back of his hands and for a second Moomin wanted to kiss them.

The shock of realization hit him as if Little My dumped ice-cold lemonade over his head. He froze in the creek, the water splashing at his waist as he stared wide-eyed at Snufkin floating on the surface, eyes closed and absorbing the sun peeking through the willow branches and warming the water. Moomin’s heart leaped in his throat and caught his tongue in a stranglehold. Never in his life had he wanted to hold someone’s paw so much.

---

The Moomins shielded themselves from the midsummer sun under their balcony, with Moominappa taking up residence in the hammock with a book over his face to muffle his snores. Snufkin sat on the railing cleaning his harmonica while Moomintroll sat next to him with a book of his own. From where they sat, a breeze hit them just right. Moominmamma was nearby repairing one of Little My’s dresses with a rather large hole in the hem. The little monster herself laid sprawled out on the porch, sweat dampening her hairline and shooting glances and Moomintroll and Snufkin.

Snufkin let his eyes follow her glances where Moomintroll was posed reading a book, one of pirates and seascape adventures. The sun hit his fur where the shade couldn’t shield him, haloing him in a white glow and Snufkin’s heart stuttered in his chest.

Moomintroll chose that moment to look and he smiled at Snufkin, his eyes glittered with mirth from what Snufkin suspects is from a silly part in his novel. He winked at Snufkin and went back to reading.

Little My snorted when Snufkin turned his back to the porch so no one could see his red cheeks.

---

Snufkin found himself napping amongst hydrangeas. They grew off the side of one spot on the road and their fragrant shade was ideal for a mid-afternoon nap. It was August, and the heat was reaching to the point of unbearable. The day before he and the Moomins wore themselves out on their own seascape adventure when they took the boat out. He could still smell the lingering salt and sand on his skin, a smell that won’t go away until summer is gone beyond the horizons.

He heard familiar footsteps coming down a road, a gait he had memorized by heart. Moomintroll caught sight of his boots sticking out of the flowers and crawled under the bush to join him.

“Hullo, Snufkin,” Moomintroll greeted. “Do you mind if I join you? The sun is very harsh right now and it smells wonderful in this shade.”

“Be my guest.” Snufkin patted the spot next to him. It was a tight fit within the sturdy branches and pom poms of pastel flowers, but Snufkin didn’t mind. He could never mind being so close to Moomintroll.

It was peaceful between them, or that’s what Snufkin wanted to say. He was enjoying the air between them, warm and fragrant. It was Moomintroll who seemed to not be able to settle down. He was tense, kept shifting in his spot.

Unable to take it, Snufkin pokes. “What’s the matter, Moomintroll?”

“I want this to last forever,” Moomintroll spoke in a rush, a crack in the dam.

“Well, summer can’t last forever. Soon it will be autumn and I’ll have to leave again, but don’t worry, I’ll always be back,” Snufkin soothed. “Then we can have a whole new spring together.”

“No, not that. It’s-“ Moomintroll gulped and sat up as far as he could with a wide branch of spade leaves in his way. He looked down over at Snufkin. “I don’t want us to change.”

“People are always changing, but we can change together.” Snufkin was admittedly a little confused where Moomintroll’s train of thought was going. He thought they’ve discussed this in-depth?

His heart lit up, fluttered in his chest in hope. He crushed it underfoot.

Moomintroll gulped. “I don’t mean it like that. I’m… I…”

Snufkin waited patiently. He sat up, too, and gripped the brim of his hat in his lap.

“I don’t know how to say this but I need to say this to you Snufkin, but I don’t want ya to change apart, can we still be friends?” Moomintroll looked anywhere but at Snufkin.

“Of course I’ll stay by your side,” Snufkin agreed easily. It was the easiest yet hardest thing he could do.

“Snufkin,” Moomintroll took a deep breath, steadying himself and pulled his gaze to meet Snufkin’s. “I love you so much, I want to stay with you, and you stay with me. I love you like Mamma and Pappa love each other, and if you don’t- don’t feel the same way, that’s okay! As long as we can be friends that’s more than enough for me.”

There was a stutter in Snufkin’s heartbeat at Moomintrolls confession.

“You don’t have to respond, we don’t have to change,” Moomintroll continued. “I needed you to know that before I exploded.”

“What if I want it to change?” Snufkin asked. His heart felt so light, pounding a rhythm into his chest. Before Moomintroll could respond, a look of pain crossing his face, Snufkin said, “What if I want us to be together, too… if you would have me?” He felt… he didn’t know how to voice his love for Moomintroll, he never thought he would ever. He wasn’t prepared.

Moomintroll’s eyes filled with starlight, a smile graced his face so wide and happy Snufkin silently filed away that memory forever. “I would love to,” Moomintroll said.

They held hands, something they’ve done countless times before, but this time it had a whole new meaning.

---

The summer heat got hotter and drier as the season progressed, the riverbed dried out and only the sturdiest flora could withstand the waves of heat. Grass shriveled to brown crisps and Moominmamma’s roses were nothing but bare stumps. In this, like everyone else in Moominvalley, Snufkin found himself dozing off more often than not. With a heat this intense, it left the air dizzy with sleep.

As Moomintroll and Snufkin would be considered officially together, they hardly strayed from each other’s sides. Their honeymoon phase, as Moominmamma called it. Despite how desperately Snufkin wanted to cuddle up to Moomintroll’s soft chest and sleep the day away under the bridge, the heat wouldn’t allow him to go closer than a few inches from Moomintroll. At night, when the air cooled to a more bearable warmth, not nearly cool enough to wear his jacket again but less like he needed to peel his skin off too, they would watch fireflies dance amongst the midnight blue or simply relax on the beach where the waves pounded their stories into the sand.

Snufkin tried not to think of the coming autumn, how the sunflowers were growing less frequently and the air lost the summer touch.

---

As if summoned, or perhaps sent by a certain spring goddess, Snufkin received a visitor on the last day of summer.

The summer left him weak and found that naps helped. Napping in flowers helped a lot. He laid in a grove of lavender brush, the first of the upcoming season and a final goodbye from summer. Their soothing smell lulled him into a deep sleep and he wondered if Moomintroll has seen this yet.

A crunch of footsteps through hard dirt and the sage leaves of the lavender brought Snufkin out of his stupor. Sleepily, he sat up and put his hat back on, the top adorned with more of the lavender stocks and sweet asters Moomintroll had found for him. A figure framed by the too-bright sun shaded his vision.

“Hello, may I help you with something?”

“I’m your dad and your mother sent me to make sure you’re getting ready to leave,” this person, The Joxter, said.

To see both his parents within the span of one season, how fortunate Snufkin must be. The Joxter was as Moominpappa described him to be, his eyes were a piercing blue and his olive coat had seen better days, the hat on his head was similar to Snufkin’s except red and looped through the cord around the brim were dandelions. From the pipe hanging from his lips and the calm disposition, Snufkin was a little unnerved by the similarities between them.

“It’s too early, tell her I’ll leave when it’s properly time,” Snufkin said.

The Joxter’s eyes narrowed. He took a deep breath of his pipe and puffed out a ring of smoke. “Okay.”

Snufkin was taken aback. “Okay?”

“Yeah.” He plopped down next to Snufkin and leaned back, his hat tilted down to shield his face. “I don’t care. You’re a grown man. She never took interest in you before now, so I don’t know what her concern is.”

The remark sort of hurt, but it was the hard truth. “Is she trying to change herself?”

“Not likely. I think she doesn’t want her only god kid to die out because he liked hanging out with the Moomins. Don’t worry, I do too. Your little boyfriend’s dad and I go way back.” His voice was muffled by his hat, the pipe lifted lazily in the air as he tapped out the ashes without care.

Snufkin stared down at him unsure of where to go from there. “They’re good, the Moomins.”

“Yeah, lay down kid, take a nap with me, then let’s go eat some of Moominmamma’s delicious food.” The Joxter patted Snufkin’s spot, the dent still in the grass where Snufkin had been laying.

He complied and found it odd to be having a cat nap with his dad out of the blue, a man he has never met before this moment. A god-like him who chose to spend his days idly, and suddenly he didn’t find it so weird so similar they were.

-----

AN: see Snufkin here!

#moom #moominvalley #the moomins #snufkin #snufmin #springdove #fic #hng

[playmakiing]

💍 + firestormshipping [ for the fluff xDD scxlbxrner ]

‘Til Death Does Us Part ( selectively accepting )

where they get married

I imagine that it’s a little pop-up ceremony on Stardust Road, in the evening hours.  That way the little reception party is at night, and hopefully the ocean is pretty ( which, luckily for Yusaku and Takeru, it’s a gorgeous scene ).

when they get married ( ie what time of day, what month and season etc. )

In the evening to night hours, sometime in the spring months.  Summer is way too hot to have an outdoor wedding, and winter is too cold.  

what traditions they include ( do they get married under a chuppah and crush a glass, garter toss, ‘something borrowed, something blue,’ etc. )

While neither of them bother much with tradition, there are two things that they do ( essentially one tradition suggested from each of them ).

For Yusaku, he asked that they partake in the San ka Kudo ritual, which is a sake sharing ritual.  However, since neither sets of parents are at the wedding, Shoichi fills in for Yusaku’s side, and Takeru has his grandparents.For Takeru, he wanted his parents at the wedding and to give them gifts, so he and Yusaku built a small alter for them, and they left flowers on the bench after the vows were exchanged.

More details about these traditons can be found here.

what their wedding cake looks like

This is a completely nontraditional cake!  Half of the cake is coffee flavored, and the other half is chocolate.  The only reason there are any decorations ( which are made with strawberries ) on it is because Kiku somehow managed to become their wedding planner?

….who smashes cake into whose face

With the straightest expression ever, Yusaku randomly decided to push Takeru’s face into his plate of cake.  There was retaliation, and laughter from both.

who proposed to who first

Almost no one, but Yusaku ended up deciding to take the first step.  He saved up money for months in order to buy the rings, which served as both the engagement rings and the official wedding rings.The proposal itself was simple, and he had read up on ways to do it–eventually choosing to do it an old fashion way.  There was a day-long date that ended with a reservation at a rather nice restaurant, a booth that was tucked away from the public eye because Yusaku didn’t want to make a scene.

Yet when it came time to propose…he ended up placing the ring box on the table without saying a word.  He had actually planned a small speech, but the words left him almost immediately, and he just sat there as Takeru opened the box, rather confused, but hopeful.  Eventually Yusaku mutters a “I want to be with you forever” line…and proceeds to hide his face in his arms out of utter embarrassment.

Thankfully, Takeru does accept because they were deeply in love, and they both know that words suck ass sometimes.

who walks down the aisle and who waits at the altar ( or neither )

While there isn’t really any “waiting”, Takeru is the first to walk down the aisle, followed by Yusaku.

what their wedding dresses / suits / other look like

Another tradition they both forsaken, neither of them decide to wear kimonos and both simply wear suits and a tie!  Yusaku were’s a dark grey suit with a navy tie, and Takeru wears a lighter grey with a maroon tie.

what their wedding color scheme is and what sort of decor they have

If it was up to them, there wouldn’t have been a color scheme.  But thanks to Kiku, there was an actual ceremony, and the color scheme was silver and blue.  Decor wise was mainly flowers in moderation, and simple frills.

what flowers are in the bouquet ( if applicable. bonus: what do the flowers mean? )

While neither of them actually carry a bouquet, all the tables have vases of the same flowers: wisteria, pink roses, and baby’s breath.

what their vows are ( eg poetry, traditional, improvised etc. )

While they technically wrote their own vows, at the official wedding they both recited the traditional default words.  It wasn’t until they were alone that they recited their very personal vows.

if anyone’s late to the wedding

Thankfully no one is late, but that wouldn’t have mattered to Yusaku and Takeru tbh?

who’s in the bridal parties / groomsmen / other

Seeing as how this would take place several years later, I headcanon that all the Lost Incident victims are on somewhat good terms with each ( I dunno about Spectre though, he’s a wild card ).  Jin, along with Shoichi ( and maybe Naoki, I dunno ) are the groomsmen, and Kiku, Aoi, and Miyu are the bridesmaids. 

what their bridal party / groomsmen / other are wearing

The aforementioned guys wear some casual fancy clothes, nice dress pants, button up shirts, maybe a blazer.  The girls do put extra effort into their dresses, but they aren’t matching.

who gives speeches at the reception ( bonus: what do they say? recount a sweet memory or two between them? tell an embarrassing story? )

Both Shoichi and Kiku are the ones to do this, and while both start out with sweet memories, they do pepper in some silly stuff to get everyone to laugh.  

Ai tries to speak, but as soon as he tries to tease Yusaku, he gets muted.  Poor Ai. 

who catches the bouquet( s )

While neither carried a bouquet, Yusaku did grab one out of a vase for this event, and it was Aoi who caught it.

what their wedding photos are like ( are they sweet, with the couple holding hands or kissing or ~gazing into each others eyes~? are they silly, with a snapshot of the ‘cake-smash’ moment? or are they artistic, with one of them facing the sunset or holding their bouquets? )

There was no real wedding photographer, but all the girls took pictures of just about everything.

Literally…everything that happened got caught on camera.  And later put into a scrapbook.

what sort of food they have at the reception

To no one’s surprise ever, it was Shoichi who called dibs on that ( Kiku tried for a real cater, but Shoichi fought her on that one ).  Yet the only hotdog like food was the pig-in-a-blanket that was one of the various snacking foods during the party.  While there wasn’t really any sit-down meal, Shoichi prepared stuff like the pigs-in-a-blanket, chicken wings, small sandwiches, you name it.

But this is why Kiku claimed the cake, because something had to look nice.

who cries first during the ceremony

Guest wise, probably Kiku and Takeru’s grandparents?  But between Yusaku and Takeru, it’s probably Takeru.  But they’re tears of happiness this time!

how wild their reception gets ( who dances the best, who gets drunk first, etc. )

It’s definitely not a fancy, serious reception, but while it doesn’t get out of hand, there are some tipsy people, and Naoki had to be told repeatedly to keep his shirt on.  Please.

Meanwhile Yusaku simply clung to Takeru’s arm when his mind got clouded, but that’s okay ^_^

what their rings are like

They’re simple silver bands, but Yusaku’s has some garnets on the edges while Takeru’s has some amethysts on his.

what sort of favors they have ( heart shaped sparklers, mini champagne bottles, personalized candy etc. )

The party favors are basic, just some candy and a support card for everyone’s decks.  Because why tf not.

where they go for their honeymoon

They find the most secluded beach around and stay there for a week.  Granted they do visit the nearby city and act like a couple of tourists, but that’s on their own terms.

something memorable that happens during the party / ceremony ( do they run out of ice and someone goes to get it in full formal wear on foot, does anyone fall asleep in the middle of the party, etc. )

Ryoken will never live this down, but Yusaku passed by him as he was eating some cake, and he had his face smushed into the cake.  Literally everyone laughed at him, and Aoi will never delete the picture off her phone, and Ai snagged a copy and placed an encryption on it so Ryoken can’t hack into anything and delete it.

It’s also in the scrapbook, and he can’t hack into that.

who officiates the ceremony

Technically Yusaku and Takeru get officially married at the courthouse, but the wedding ceremony was only for close friends and family, so it was Shoichi.

Well, it would have been, but Spectre actually stole that from him.  It was meant to be a joke, but Spectre surprisingly does the job as a wedding officiator very well?  He does have the flare for it.

what song their first dance is to

A piano version of this song right here.

who gives who away as they walk down the aisle

While neither have their parents around, Shoichi is the one to give away Yusaku, and Takeru’s grandfather does the same for him.

#;; shoutouts to the crowd | ask answered #❖ to keep me safe to keep me warm | scxlbxrner ❖ #;; save #anonymous #❖ you're never too lost to know where the road is | brainwashed soulburner verse ❖

[frankierising-blog]

Lair Review for Fanartsy Part 1

@fanartsy-fr Sorry this took me so dang long... and sorry it IS so dang long... and sorry that it’s only part 1! I got too sleepy halfway through!

First Impressions:

Ahhhh, the Clan Lore is so sweet! I love the way it addresses the reader as if they, themselves are a dragon (following rules, don’t work and whatnot) it’s very creative and immersive! J

I like that you’ve mentioned that some of the dragons aren’t as friendly; it’s definitely cool to have that little sinister element, so it’s not all love and sunshine! I AM VERY EXCITED!

Nyx

Okay, before I get into the dragon... Google asked me if I wanted to translate the page, so I said yes because the text in the bio clearly wasn’t Lorem Ipsum (the made up language people use as filler text). And... whoa boy. Have you ever read what the bio is translated into English as? Some notable excerpts:

“this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born”

“Download information as a vCard E, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it?”

It just repeats so I’m just assuming someone chose some random filler text. Unless this is your actual lore and it’s just been translated incorrectly? It just seemed a little darker than your Profile lore.

ANYWAY

HOLY KAU I have never seen anyone layer multiple Emblems together!? How freaking cool does that look, omg! And the accent looks SO dramatic against the Blacks & Blues!! And that bust is GORGEOUS! Did you do it??

I love the image you’ve chosen to show what the lair looks like, I already said this but your lore is super immersive! I can just picture wayward dragons stumbling across the lair, probably searching through the forest for days trying to find its location because it’s so well hidden!

Hephaestus

Oh my word, Hephaestus, you handsome mofo!! He’s so sophisticated!! OHHH AND THE RED TIGER WITH THE BLUE TINTS IN THE MIDNIGHT OVERCOAT MATCH NYX’S ACCENT AND PRIMARY! WAS THIS ON PURPOSE!? IF IT IS, IT’S GENIUS!!!

He seems really knowledgeable, his clothes are well matched and not too overdone... but that teensy cat and the rose make him seem like he’s also got a softer side? I picture him being smart, stern when he needs to be but otherwise gentle and somewhat romantic, maybe with a good sense of humour! This is just what I get from his customisation, am I way off track here?

Was Hephaestus your random progen!? If so, hot dayum, those are some lucky colours!!!

Rainbow

Ahhh Rainbow, rainbow is stunning!!! I love how well you’ve perfectly complimented Wisteria Iri with the purples while the silvers in the white silks tie it together with the blues! She’s so mystic!! I wonder what ways in which she advises Nyx? Is she like a seer or a mystic who helps Nyx find the answers she seeks?

The cards remind me of Tarot Cards so I get this image of her consulting the cards when Nyx needs guidance or something. I am just wildly speculating, of course, not trying to decide their personalities!!

She’s absolutely gorgeous, I love Circuit!!!

EDIT: I just freaking noticed there’s the word ‘’seer’’ I am a fool!

Jerretta 

Hnnnnng, HNNNNNNNG!!! Jerretta is so freaking gorgeous!!! The blues and purples are prominent in every dang section... even the companion, everything. I like that you’ve gone with the obvious Ice elements, but mixed them perfectly with the Shadow – wow, this is a very obvious lair review so far, I’m sorry!

AAAAHHH YOU’VE MATCHED THE FAMILIAR COLOURS SO PERFECTLY!!

A part of me is like “Witch trickster.... then where’s the witch’s hat, yo”. But I kind of like that you haven’t gone with the obvious choice and instead the magic and illusion is more prominent through the companion and the floating candles lol.

Bayou

Ah yes, Bayou. The Fisher, Waterbeast Keeper and, of course, perhaps the most important ROLE HERE.

And while I’m being a sarcastic pr**k, WOW, WHAT A BEAUTIFULLY COLOURED AND GENED COATL, WHAT A GORGEOUS ACCENT, WHAT A NICELY MATCHING OUTFIT... BETTER RUIN IT WITH A SWARM OF FREAKING FISH AND BUBBLES SO YOU CAN BARELY SEE ANYTHING!

But seriously.... no, seriously, FECK THOSE FISH!

Bayou is gorgeous though, a very fitting flight rep!

Chronos

WEIRD UNCLE! WEIRD UNCLE! WEIRD UNCLE! THAT IS THE BEST ROLE I’VE EVER SEEN!!!!

Shame it’s wasted on a massive ball of Purple and blue. It looks like two ghosts Sims got in a fistfight

But sass aside, he’s actually kind of gorgeous? I love the little cat that just sneaks in there under the distracting cards!

Holy crap “Time Traveller” DOES HE THINK HE TRAVELS THROUGH TIME BUT DOESN’T REALLY!? DOES HE JUST TELL TALL TALES!? I NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HIM IMMEDIATELY!

The more I think about it, the more this outfit is kind of perfect! It’s a kooky clusterfeck which kind of seems perfect for the weird uncle “time traveller” sort of thing!

He’s definitely my favourite so far!

Holy crap and the Nightfall imp sort of reminds me of an excited old man with a big bushy beard so it works sooo well IMO!

Ceto

Captain – Water Priest – Diva

This is so apt! That is essentially a sophisticated breakdown of my initial reaction to her! She’s so official looking but overly decorated, this is absolutely perfect! AND HOW GORGEOUS IS THAT ACCENT!? OMG! LOVE IT! – so far you use a lot of blues and purples for a Nature lair... I LOVE THAT! You’re not limiting yourself to the Nature aesthetic! Good! YAS!

Persephone

Okay, first off, for some reason I read the name phonetically at first. So Persephone will forever be Purse Phone to me, ahaha.

Purse Phone is soo beautiful!! You’ve matched all the greens & Blues SO perfectly and the white totally dominates as a focal piece... but those butterflies. Why this? WHY THIS!? I feel like now you’re just messing with me! The Spring’s Breath compliments the Aqua SO PERFECTLY ... but the butterflies make me sad inside. Admittedly it’s likely just because I hate the butterflies as much as I hate the fish, so it’s probably just me, ha-ha.

Good ol’ Purse Phone

Penthus 

This is so freaking clever! The tormenter in a creepy mask, skulls, with jingly bells for extra effect and spirals on their hands and feet. Everything is like it’s designed to be strange and kind of unnerving!!

It looks like they could torment just by approaching people in that gear! Is that pretty much what they do? Or is there more to it? Is it like, a prank/jokester sort of torment or are they a little more sinister in their actions and motivation??

This one has me the most intrigued!!

Peitho 

Aaaahhhh! Stunning, stunning, stunning!!!! This is perhaps the nicest Bog I’ve ever seen! The colours are amazing, and the accent compliments it so perfectly! I love how much her little kitty familiar stands out against her, like she’s just taken on a common house pet as her mystic partner! I was surprised to see she wasn’t linked to Iris in her bio, they seem like they’d have a lot in common!

Hades

Soooo perfect!! Look at how well the gold silks work with the Solar Flame gear and the Teardrop Pearls!? This is absolutely beautiful! Your customisations are so varied, but I REALLY love what you do with purples!!!

Boreas

Okay, Boreas is actually kind of unsettling? Like, on one hand she reminds me of a scene/emo kid with stripy socks and gloves who has just started to dabble in the gothic (the jewellery and flower crown) but there’s something about the way the accent looks around the eyes with the monocle that’s kind of creepy? I can’t quite put my finger on it! I really love her, I kind of hate that I love her, but she’s really, really pretty!! (and SUCH a nonconformist)

[Okay, so I know this is already super duper long but I feel like i haven’t gone deep enough into your lair so i’ll be posting a Part 2 over the next couple of days, sorry about the delay!!]

#flightrising lair reviews #flight rising lair reviews #fr lair reviews #Fanartsy-fr #Fanartsy #1306 words #gurl chill

[huhnerhexen]

All!

macaroni and cheese: what makes you think of your childhood?

- the Halston Z-14 cologne, the sound of lawn mowers, Sesame Street, salt and vinegar chips, bonfires

spring green: how do you relax when you're feeling stressed?

- I take a bath and watch Moominvalley, sometimes I'll smoke a joint before hand

asparagus: already answered!

bittersweet: already answered!

eggplant: explain your URL and avatar

- huhnerhexen is german for chicken witch, I used to dog sit for my roommate and her dog knew me as "the chicken lady" but I also practice witchcraft and speak a little german so here we are. My avatar is the cover of Frog And Toad Are Friends, I grew up on Frog and Toad and I love them very much.

outer space: do you ever feel like you're an outcast from others?

- frequently

cotton candy: what is your favourite dessert?

- sex in a pan

freckle: do you have marks on your skin? how do you feel about them?

- I have moles, scars, rosacea, and tattoos. I'm fine with all of them, they make me unique

shocking pink: is there a trait that you have that others don't expect from you?

- depending on how we meet, a lot of the holiday hires at work are surprised that I'm as goofy as I am bc I'm very much a "let's get down to business" kind of guy; new friends are sometimes surprised by the amount of passive aggression I can hold inside my tiny body

robin's egg blue: if you were an animal, which one do you think you would be?

- in an ideal world I'd be a housecat, but I think I'd be a dog because I'm so loyal

granny smith apple: what is something everyone else likes that you don't?

- cake

dandelion: already answered!

atomic tangerine: what gets you motivated to do a difficult task?

- a banging playlist and a cup of coffee

wisteria: what's your favourite thing about yourself?

- my style and my moral compass

candy apple: how do you think others view you?

- I honestly don't care how others view me, so I don't pay attention to it.

plum: already answered!

sky blue: already answered!

tickle me pink: how do you try to cheer up others when they're sad?

- I ask them what I can do to help, that way they get their needs met, guaranteed

wild strawberry: do you care what others think of you?

- not even a little bit (okay maybe a little bit)

glossy grape: recommend something to your followers

- Schitt's Creek, it's a Canadian sitcom surrounding the lives of a jewish family working to rebuild their lives. If you were ever a fan of Corner Gas, this has much the same vibe.

world wide web yellow: what's the last thing you looked up?

- rcmp headingley

shadow blue: do you have a darker side to you that most people are unaware of?

- maybe? I definitely have a darker side that I hide from people, but I don't know if people are unaware of it?

electric lime: what genre of music do you listen to?

- literally all except rap/hip hop and edm, I have a soft spot for 80s classic rock, and old school acoustic country

night owl: describe a very interesting dream you have had?

- all my dreams lately have been nightmares, forgive me but I don't feel like reopening that can of worms...

cornflower: what do you think about the most?

- my recovery process and snacks

grasshopper green: describe the area that you live in

- imagine a bunch of queer, millennial, hipsters could afford to buy a house and all congregated in the same neighborhood. It looks like that, except no one living in this area is a millennial or hipster... Lots of colourful houses, lots of flowers, lots of dogs!

misty moss: already answered!

tiny toad brown: do you find beauty in something other people consider to be ugly or undesirable?

- I hope to find beauty in everything, that said some things are just plain gross

sunnyside up: do you like waking up in the mornings or would you rather sleep in?

- I like the romanticism of having coffee and reading a book in the early morning while the sun is rising and getting a headstart on my day, but getting me out of bed to actually do that is a whole other thing

kitten gray: do you have any pets? if so, describe them.

- I have a cat named Mama Cat, she's 10 years old. I got her from my aunt who couldn't take care of her anymore. She's the smallest little lady! Her favourite things to do are sit in my lap while I do schoolwork, lay in front of the heat vent in our bathroom, and sit on the windowsill in the sunroom to watch the neighbor's dog, Phoebe, in the backyard.

I have a rat named Mr. Carlos, he'll be two in February! He's a zippy little guy who really likes baby food and napping. The man snores like a garbage truck and sleeps like the dead, if he's napping you literally cannot wake him up. He really likes head rubs and to play with people's hair.

I also have a snake named Slinky, she's 5 (so still a baby), and if she has a personality I have yet to see it. She sleeps and eats, and is generally grouchy.

rose dust: describe your aesthetic in 5 words or less

- classy, trinket-hoarding, grandma

timber wolf: do you give second chances when somebody has wronged you?

- I give second, third, fourth, fifth, etc. chances. I'm working on building healthy personal boundaries

freshly squeezed: what excites you?

- new music, family get togethers, cranberries

firefly red: what gives you purpose?

- my own personal growth, my studies, my work, my family

tiny teapot tan: do you consider yourself cute/attractive?

- I am THE cutest, idk why y'all can't see it...

raindrop blue: describe the weather outside.

- the sky is grey, the snow has covered the ground, except for the places its been shoveled, it's chilly but not cold. You could wear a big sweater outside and not need a jacket.

sweet pea green: do you have/want children?

- I think I'd like one kid, but I'm not having children until the climate crisis is resolved, I think it's irresponsible to bring a kid into the world that doesn't have a chance of living past 10

pussywillow: do you like being around others or do you like being alone?

- I prefer to be alone

jack 'o' lantern orange: what's your biggest fear and why?

- I'm dead afraid of spiders, something that bony, hairy, and with that many legs makes my skin crawl

baby bunny pink: do you look young for your age or do you look older than you are?

- I look like a 12 year old boy, but I'm actually 21...

mystic maroon: what confuses you and why?

- I don't understand millionaires or billionaires. If you have more money than you could ever spend in your lifetime, why are you hoarding it like a dragon instead of using to help people around you?

cosmic cobalt: what's your zodiac sign? do you think it's accurate?

- I'm a Gemini, Libra moon, Libra rising, and Gemini sun; it's 100% accurate

petal pink: describe your fashion sense as well as what you're wearing right now.

- my style goes from chaotic gay twink to little old man to punk rock teenager and everywhere in between, there is no sense to what I wear, really. I'm presently sporting mom jeans with a big belt, a low cut black button up short sleeve, and a knit sweater with a LOUD pattern.

mountain meadow: do you like taking care of others or do you prefer being cared for?

- I like to take care of others, helping people makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

fuzzy duckling yellow: is there something from childhood that you haven't outgrown?

- the muppets, they're a timeless treasure and I won't ever "grow out" of them

brussel sproutlet: do you have any unhealthy habits?

- several... I have a nasty nicotine addiction, I give too much of myself and have no personal boundaries, and I lose myself in other people. I'm working on it...

razzle dazzle rose: describe an ideal date

- if it's winter, going to a small coffee shop to drink and chat, or going to see the Christmas lights. If it's summer, going for a walk through a park or the forest, and holding hands the whole time!

periwinkle: what's something ordinary that has special meaning to you?

- I have a little brown teapot that is my prized possession; my grandpa gave it to me because he had a matching one, so that no matter who's house we were at we could have tea together after dinner. It's the teapot that started my collection.

mauvelous: do you think you deserve a better life than what you have right now?

- I have a really good life, I have dreams of what my future looks like, but I think it's important to do the work to build that future for myself. I don't think I deserve a better life, but that's not to say I don't deserve nice things, it's just that I already have nice things and people to share it with!

blueberry blue: do you get sad easily?

- I feed off of others' emotions very easily, so I do feel other people's sadness, but I'd say for the most part I'm usually quite happy.

purple mountains majesty: how does someone earn your respect?

- people have my respect right off the hop tbh, just because we're not pals doesn't mean you're undeserving of my respect. Earning my trust is a completely different thing, if you want that you've got to be honest and authentic with me, and respect me as well. A lot of give and take.

#answered

[laurelnchamoun]

New York Fashion Week kicked off Fashion Month in a beautiful way. Here are my 10 favorite shows :

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ADEAM

Maeda set the show in a Chinese restaurant. The collection was joyful with some strong points of view. Maeda was inspired by a recent trip she took to Hong Kong, specifically the Soho neighborhood there which is a mix of eastern and western culture. As Maeda noted backstage : “For me, being homogenous isn’t very exciting,” the designer explained. “I really liked how much people took liberties with the way that they dressed in that neighborhood. That’s what fashion is about: being different and expressing your individuality.” Maeda’s clothes definitely have that unique quality to them. Her use of pleating and paneling merited high marks this go-around, especially when it came to looks like the rose-quartz cropped safari shirt and matching mini wrap skirt. The China blue–color dresses were also sophisticated, as were her twisted pleat bustiers and the ruffled scarf skirts.

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Co

Co designers Stephanie Danan and Justin Kern make clothes that manage to combine elegance and ease in a way that recalls the Old Hollywood stars of yesteryear. In their hands, the classic black evening gown took on a grown-up sense of drama. Professional dancers took the place of models in the brand’s lookbook, including New York City Ballet ballerina Janie Taylor. There was a newfound lightness and movement to the clothes. Even the more rarefied fabrics, including one pretty plissé dévoré velvet dress, had a weightlessness about them.

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Cushnie  & Ochs

Frida Kahlo’s duality of strength and softness was the focal point for Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs’s latest collection. Cushnie and Ochs took a lighter—dare-we-say prettier—approach with their use of bright floral prints, ruffle accents, and airy silhouettes. The first look down the runway was a corseted little black dress worn with embellished thigh-high mesh boots from the designers’ new shoe collection. The slinky, barely-there slip dresses that followed also left little to the imagination. The same went for one of the closing pieces: an off-the-shoulder pastel yellow gown with puffed short sleeves and a not-too-tight fit. It had a dangerously high slit, too—just the right amount of risqué for a woman who knows exactly what she wants.

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Elizabeth Kennedy

Citing René Magritte as an influence, Elizabeth Kennedy used her Spring collection to subvert expectations. The cheekiness of her surrealist touches added mirth to each look; on its own a black cocktail dress with a full skirt is nice, but adding silk flowers so realistic they seem plucked from a garden removes all traces of seriousness. Likewise, a stately gown feels considerably less traditional when covered with inky patterns. Scrawled on tuxedo jackets, embroidered onto sheer overlays, and rendered in silver sequins, Bogojevic’s work was a striking addition to a lineup centered on art references. Kennedy provided plenty of options for her audience, working in a ruffled dress covered in the words “This Is Not a Dress”—a nod to Magritte—intricate pearl beading, and even a few tulle-laden ball gowns for the purists.

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Jenny Packham

Last time she came to New York, Packham picked up a vintage ’30s tunic at a shop uptown, delicately embroidered with white walking cranes and pagodas. It inspired this season’s exploration of traditional Asian gardens and the artists who have depicted them. The woodblock prints of Hokusai figured in: His iconic Great Wave was turned into an abstract print and laid out across wisteria-colored tulle as silver sequins. In more conceptual form, Packham created a fluid sequined dress in green and blue ombré to recall dripping water; the gradient came from a painting by Lee Ufan, a Korean minimalist based in Japan. There were many embellished evening gowns—tiered tulle with velvet-flocked polka dots, gold wisteria hand-embroidered on French lace. A long-sleeved minidress came covered in what appeared to be red and blue sequin stars. They were, in fact, asanoha—overlapping hemp leaves taken from an antique kimono.

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Josie Natori

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Marchesa

Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig continued to weave a Far East fairy tale at today’s Marchesa show. Aimée Crocker’s travels to Japan was the inspiration for this season. This show displayed built-in “jewelry” of another kind: strands of pearls, crystals, and organza corsages outlining the scooped neckline of a black gown or piled on top of a sheer tulle bodice, mimicking the effect of layering a tangle of necklaces over bare skin. Fluffy tulle gowns came covered in hand-dyed organza cherry blossoms and wisteria vines, and models had petals woven into their hair. A few dresses were cut with flattering, kimono-like sleeves, while others were cinched with obi-esque sashes. “We see Marchesa as this continuing fairy-tale story, not bookended so much by collections,” Chapman explained. “Each dress is unto its own. We want them to be keepsake pieces, not driven by trends—pieces you can pass on.”

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Narciso Rodriguez

Twenty years ago, Rodriguez introduced “the new suit” which replaced a standard jacket with a top that zipped up in the back. This season he  reinvented it in a smart way but not as strict as a blazer. He also displayed a pair of slinky knit dresses in black and white with openwork stitches that show flashes of skin and special sweaters to work back to the high-waisted, pleated woolen trousers that are the foundation of the collection. But the pieces that best show his workmanship are a harness-top sheath in a spicy red with a sliver cutout at the solar plexus and a bare T-back in black, and an attenuated jumpsuit with a deep U-front.

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Tadashi Shoji

Spring sees Shoji embracing the whims of young Hollywood. With Malibu on his mind, Shoji displayed a bohemian ambiance that contrasted with his usual red carpet looks. His vision had a lot of floral prints : dahlias on ruffled chiffon or roses on blouses and even some pieces overwhelmed by blooms.  The show took place at a tea party and key pieces like a canary yellow tea-length number detailed with playful tassels, or boudoir-worthy slip dresses with delicate pleats might have been overshadowed. Shoji’s WOW dresses appeared in the finale with a series of embroidered dresses covered in celestial designs to end on a high note.

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ZAC by Zac Posen

Love

Fashion Week Review : New York New York Fashion Week kicked off Fashion Month in a beautiful way. Here are my 10 favorite shows :