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dear-ao3 · 2 months

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hey since yall are cologne experts (or one of u is idk) what cologne do you recommend to confuse ppl abt my gender

I need a scent that is feminine AND masculine all at once

aright so i am not a cologne expert whatsoever (not sure where you got that one from honestly) but i do happen to have a friend who works at a perfume store and when i asked her to weigh in her opinion on this she was absolutely delighted and wrote you all a novel on how to choose the right fragrance

(very fair warning, this is quite long)

Lessons in Fragrance (by Roza, Saph’s friend)

Buckle up buttercups because I’m about to learn you a thing or two about scent! I used to work at one of the largest “niche” perfumeries in the New England area so I’m like kinda qualified to give advice on fragrance I guess lol

1.scents will smell different on skin than on tester papers due to the fragrance interacting with your body chemistry so something you like on paper you might not like on your skin and vice versa! It’s always important to test on your skin before you buy, most websites that sell fragrance will sell a sample size for a few bucks or even a sample set for $20-$60 depending on how many samples and how high end the brand is!

2. At the end of the day fragrance (how many times will I say this word probably at least 50) is gender neutral. Cologne versus perfume (or aux de parfum) just denotes how strong the scent will be and how long it will last. The order of weakest to strongest is: aux de toilette, room sprays, linen sprays Essential oil fragrances Cologne Perfume, aux de parfum

3. there are many types of fragrances some examples of overarching categories are: gourmand: smells like food in some way Fougére: “traditionally masculine” Floral: predominantly flower notes Green: outdoorsy but more grassy and earth based Woodsy: outdoorsy but more tree and wood based Aquatic: notes that create scents reminiscent of bodies of water, ambergris is a common note Oriental: earthy, musky, and warmer notes usually having some sort of amber note Spicy: having heavy spice notes wheather it be peppery or your traditional baking spices These are just some of the most common categories of fragrance.

4. additional to categories, fragrance is further broken down into different sizes and different note tiers with each having its own wear time: you have your top notes, heart notes, and base notes. True to name top notes are the notes of scent you first smell. As the fragrance starts to settle the heart notes will become more prominent as the top notes fade. The base notes have the most longevity and will usually be the hints that you can smell even several hours later.

Sizes: tester sizes tend to be 2-5mL of product. The 4 most common denominations that fragrance come in are a 10-15mL (travel size), 30-35mL (smaller side but still decent amount), 50-60mL (pretty standard size and good amount), 100mL (“full size” and will last a hot sec) Based on personal experience: I’ve had a 30mL fragrance that I wear daily last for about 2 months, I have an 88mL that I wear about once a week that has lasted a year and a half (with 3/4 of a bottle still left), I have 10mL travel sizes that last about 2-3 weeks with daily wear, I have a 50mL that I wear weekly and on occasion use as a room spray too that’s lasted about a year (still have 1/4 bottle left). When talking about wearing the fragrance is talking about one spray per wrist, then tapping them together (NOT rubbing) to help distribute the scent. Sometimes I add an additional spray on my neck. There is never a reason to spray fragrance on your full body b/c it can then become to overwhelming and you’ll be a walking hazard to society (think a 12 yo boy with axe body spray). On occasion if you know it will be a sexy night a spray of fragrance on the ankle can go a long way especially if your legs will be hooked around someone’s head.

5. now without further ado below are Roza’s recs for gender confusing fragrances. I will include the name of the fragrence and line/company, some of the notes, and price point! disclaimer: I am only really familiar with niche fragrances not mainstream or “drugstore”, “department store”, “your typical designer” fragrances

The Recommendations:

My recs: I can’t grantee the spelling on all of these but c’est la vive, the listings are as follows: name of fragrance, line (if applicable), company, maybe a fun fact about the company or scent, description of notes and/or story of how to describe the scent, price point with size of bottle

supernatural #6: by Caswell Massey the oldest American perfume company, was a fragrance worn by George Washington, it is a very clean herbaceous scent (yk to cover up the stench of the unbathed in colonial times since the scent was created in 1772), it has main notes of bergamot (that earl grey tea kind of floral scent) rosemary, neroli, rose, clove and amber, very musky, $40 for a 7.5mL travel size or $225 for a 100mL, also comes in soap form.

LX48: also Caswell Massey, smells like leather chairs and pipe tobacco with hints of florals reminiscent of an old school gentleman’s club, notes of violet, geranium, oakmoss (one of my fav notes across the board), tobacco, cedar wood, and vintage leather, same price points for 7.5mL and 100mL as Supernatural #6, comes in soap form as well.

Beaver: Beaver-Bee are all from the same Canadian line called zoologist which conceptualize their fragrances after the stunning cover art to encapsulate what each animal would wear as a fragrance taking inspiration from their habitats, smells like moist earth and a light breeze carrying greens and florals. Notes of outdoor air, linden blossom, wood shavings, wild vegetation, damp air, dry wood, water, light musk, heavy musk, dark woods, vanilla, amber, castoreum, and leather, pricing the same for Beaver, Snowy Owl, Sloth, and Squid tester for $8, 10mL for $48, and 60mL for $175

Snowy Owl: zoologist, smells like the transition from winter to spring as the snow melts and mud season begins as light florals start to fight their way to the surface, notes of snow accord, lily of the valley, mint, coconut, Turkish rose, frankincense, galbanum, ambrette, cedar, tonka, vanilla, oakmoss, civet, and musk

Squid: zoologist, smells like an inky Black Sea thrashing about in a storm until you reach the calm black depths, notes of pink peppercorn, solar salicylate, incense, black ink accord, opoponax, ambergris, and benzoin musk

Sloth: zoologist, smells like a Victorian apothecary with wooden shelves a plenty mayhaps even thatched awnings overhanging the front windows ripe with scents of various herbs, florals, tinctures, potions and oils a delicate and peculiar balance, notes of chamomile, açaí berry, lavender, violet leaf, marigold (also known as calendula), beeswax, anise, jatamansi, jasmine, cumin, hay, frankincense, myrrh, mushroom, oakmoss, vanilla, tonka

Bee: zoologist, fragrant blossoms that play beautifully with fruity undertones to create a rich and mead like scent, notes of orange, ginger syrup, royal jelly accord, broom, heliotrope, mimosa, orange flower, benzoin, labdanum, musks, sandalwood, tonka, vanilla, sample $8, 10mL travel size $59, 60mL $210

Blackbird: Olympic Orchids, this is my personal favorite scent to the point that I consider it my signature, to me it smells like an ancient forest witch coming out to dance amongst the moonlight a pungent earthy smell full of ripe blackberries, damp cedar and oakmoss to complete the alluring scent, notes of blackberry, dry grass, dry leaves, elemi, cedar wood, resin, woody amber according to, for balsam absolute, and musk, pricing is the same for blackbird the California chocolate and woodcut, sample $3, 5mL $18, 15mL $35, 30mL $65, 100mL $120

California chocolate: Olympic orchids, a fruity chocolate fragrance to encapsulate California, notes of wild orange, grapefruit, yuzu, white cognac, neroli, dark chocolate, patchouli, gourmand musk, bourbon vanilla

Woodcut: Olympic orchids, smells like walking into a scene shop with fresh cut wood or even a cedar closet, notes of fractional distillation of pine and cedar, oak wood, roll balsam, olibanum, caramel, burnt sugar, vanilla

902: bon perfumer, a French company that makes 3 note fragrances perfect for layering with each other a scent you already own or just a subtle fragrance that can stand alone, this one is described as what the peaky blinders would’ve worn, notes of white tobacco, cinnamon and brandy (armagnac), 30mL $60, 100mL $120, 100mL + 15mL set $140

Noir tropical, Maria candida Gentile, smells like an expensive drink at a beachside resort in Italy, notes of bergamot, almond accord, heliotrope, vanilla accord, bourbon, and rum, 7mL 20€ ($21.56), 15mL 37€ ($39.88), and 100mL 155€ ($167.08), also comes in liquid and bar soap form, and a set with the 15mL the candle and the soap

Finisterre, Maria candida gentile, it smells like a breeze on the ocean filled with ambient damp sand and slight citrusy notes caught on the wind from fellow beach goers snacking on fresh fruit, notes of marine accord, wet wood, helichrysum, pine, grey amber, sandalwood, same prices as noir tropical

Plum in cognac, scents of wood, the bottles (for the full size) look like anatomically correct hearts and the colors are customizable when you order, this smells sensual and proactive with its sweet and smoky depth with a realm of familiarity to bring comfort, notes of caramel, tobacco, cinnamon, nutmeg, juicy plum, vanilla, vetiver, aged in a cognac barrel (made with sugar cane alcohol so it absorbs some of the scent notes of the wooden barrel it’s aged in), 10mL $55, 75mL $240

Bulletproof, Margot Elena, TokyoMilk dark line, this reminds me of what a pirate could smell like, notes of smoked tea, coconut milk, crush cedar, and ebony woods, 45mL $52 one size only

Eclipse, Margot Elena, TokyoMilk dark line, smells like a unique mix of spices and florals as mysterious and ever changing as the solar and lunar cycles, notes if black anise, mint leaf, smoked amber, and gardenia, 45mL $52 one size only

Nocturnal, Margot Elena, TokyoMilk dark line, smells like a walk through the woods on a crisp early spring evening, notes of cypress, dark patchouli, vetiver, and night musk, 45mL $52 only one size

Wild whims, Margot Elena, TokyoMilk, smells like wanderlust and wild abandon frolicking through fields in the summer sun, bites of sweet grass, clary sage, verdant (very green smelling) florals, and citron, 30mL $48 one size only, this one layers especially well with green spell!! Most of TokyoMilk can be blended with other fragrances b/c they’re are 4 note fragrances similar to bon perfumer in that sense

Green spell, Eris Parfums, an alluring garden full of specimens for all over the world cultivated with care and just a touch of magic and whimsy, notes of Italian mandarin, French black currant bud absolute, Iranian galbanum, Egyptian violet leaf absolute, French narcissus absolute, tomato leaf accord, fig leaf accord, Haitian vetiver, Ambroxan, and musk, 50mL $165 one size only

Spezie De’ Medici, i profumi di firenze, spezierie palazzo vecchio, this is a very old fragrance line dating back to Italy even before the famed Catherine Di Medici there are whispers that she even wore a few of these fragrances, smells like a warm hug from loved ones in your life as you all bake spice cookies for the holidays, notes of orange, lemon, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger, pink pepper, black pepper, 50mL 46€ ($49.59)

L’uomo di pitti, i profumi di firenze, spezierie palazzo vecchio, an outdoor market in Florence Italy filled with the latest fashions from visitors and importers all of the world with deeply aquatic and herbaceous hints, notes of pink pepper, iris, amber furan, ambergris, labdanum, sage, and rhubarb, 50mL 48€ ($51.74)

Bulls blood, imaginary authors, they create stories of fragrance from books that don’t exist each package (full size) is made to look like said book that doesn’t exist, smells like the perfect balance of brutality and elegance a scent for the lovers and brawlers deeply bold, animalic, and sensuous, notes of geranium, Spanish rose, patchouli, black musk, tobacco, sandalwood, and bull’s blood, sample $6, 14mL travel $42, 50mL $105

Every storm a serenade, imaginary authors, smells like the eye of the storm a day full of moody and choppy waters finally sailing into a brief moment of stillness to absorb the environment, notes of danish spruce, eucalyptus, vetiver, calone, ambergris, and Baltic Sea mist, same pricing as bull’s blood

Musc, Molinard, a French perfume company founded in 1849 with many fragrances full of notes that end up encapsulating one feeling, note, or moment, smells warm, woody, amber heavy musk, notes of muscade nois, bergamot, juniper berries, incense, patchouli, teak wood, musk, amber, and labdanum, 7.5mL 11.67€ ($12.58), 75mL 57.50€ ($61.98)

The Original, Eight & Bob, this fragrance was worn by a young JFK who discovered it through a young man and his family he met while on vacation in the French Riviera, a very classic clean fragrance that can lean on the side of aftershave-esque, notes of cardamom, lemon, pink peppercorn, dried woods, violet leaves, labdanum, evergreen wood, amber, sandalwood, and vetiver, 30mL 80€ ($86.24), 50mL 120€ ($129.36), 100mL 190€ ($204.81), 150mL 210€ ($226.37)

Winter nights, Dasein, comes in a line that is meant to smell like the different stages of winter there is also one for greens and the daytime, smells like a fire pit with friends in late January as the snow has started to pile up but on a blissful day where it is warm enough to go outside a gathering occurs with the rich smell of pine all around, notes of coastal forest, driftwood bonfire, cardamom tea, lavender flowers, wild musk, and woodsmoke, 50mL $125

Almost single, Confessions of a rebel, this is a collection known for making provocative and sexy fragrances with cheeky names, a hazy spicy scent tempered by woody florals, notes of black pepper, cardamom, iris, rosemary, and sandalwood, 8mL $28, 100mL $125 Ray-flection, masque Milano, opera line, an avant garde what would a flower from an alien planet smell like, notes of mandarin essence, sparkling aldehydes, cardamom pure jungle essence, mimosa absolute France, violette leaves absolute, solar rays accord, beeswax absolute, cedar wood essence, and musk accord, tester 6€ ($6.47), 10mL 46€ ($49.59), 35mL 133€ ($143.37)

White whale, masque Milano, opera line, a nod to the novel Moby Dick an adventure for any sea fairer, notes of candles, olibanum, salty rope accordion, black pepper Madagascar, ambergris accord, osmanthus china, violet flower, orris concrete Italy, cedar wood Virginia, patchouli Indonesia, vetiver Haiti, cistus laudanum, tester 7€ ($7.55), 10mL 49€ ($52.82), 35mL 151€ ($162.77)

Lost Alice, masque Milano, opera line, the tales of Alice in wonderland captured via scent in different stages of tea with the mad hatter, notes of bergamot, ambrette seed, clary sage, “Too Much Black Pepper”, carrot heart, Oreos concrete, English tea, white roses (painted red), sandalwood India, broom absolute Italy, and Fleur de lait (steamed milk accord), same pricing as ray-flection although lost alive does have a 100mL option too for 379€ ($408.55)

Pale fire, apoteker tepe, smells like a rich and slightly drunken hot cocoa after coming in from taking the leaves on a blustery fall day, notes of amber, olibanum, palmers, whiskey, and cocoa, sample $8, 6mL $20, 35mL $130, 105mL $280

The holy mountain, apoteker tepe, this is what I imagine the misty mountains to smell like to the point of almost being able to hear singing around a hearth in the background, notes of pine smoke, incense, balsam fir, labdanum, and guaiacwood, same pricing as Pale Fire

After the flood, apoteker tepe, true to the name it smells like the damp earth that’s still waterlogged after immense amounts of rain, notes of violet leaf, water lily, mushroom, patchouli, and wet earth, same pricing as the other two apoteker tepe

Le castiglione, jovoy Paris, from Les cocottes de Paris, another one of my personal favorites that I wear quite often, has been described as smelling like Dracula’s mistress based on a rumor started in the early to mid 19th century surrounding a model who (was described as the world’s vainest woman) once she “got old” (all of 40) she would only leave her house at night and donning all black and the rumors flew leaving behind only whispers and whiffs of this scent as she would walk by, a fragrance that is both earthy and citrusy, with an almost apothecary feel to it that keeps you sniffing the sample trying to figure out what it reminds you of, notes of mugwort, citron, juniper, licorice, patchouli, grey amber, myrrh, and styrax, sample $3, 50mL 75€ ($80.85)

After hours, antica farmacista, smells like sipping on a berry filled night cap paired with a fresh crème brûlée to enjoy in your favorite leather chair by fireside in an old family library, notes if blackberry, cocoa, tobacco, davana, black rose, single malt bourbon, cognac, oud, leather, crème brûlée vanilla, and amber, 10mL travel $22, 50mL $86

Late harvest, fort manle, the packing is really cool and the scents come in bottle that look like vintage ink bottle topped with an ornate golden cap that would work as a wax seal in a pinch, smells how I imagine an older bilbo baggins to smell like while relaxing in the shire smoking his pipe, notes of cherry pipe tobacco, vanilla, cedar wood, rosewood, leather, and rose, sample $10, 50mL $250, it’s pricy but the wear time is insane (I’ve tested it before and had it still smell fairly strong the next day even after showering)

Bojnokopff, fort manle, the story behind this is the famed Russian magician Bojnokopff (idk if he’s actually real tho lol) performing in 1897 St. Petersburg the closing act of his final show before retirement and to amaze the masses he disappears into a cloud of purple haze leaving behind only whiffs of lavender, oud, and chocolate this is a very dark and punchy scent (I find that people either love it or hate it with no inbetween), notes of French lavender, vanilla, dark chocolate, oud, and cedar wood, sample $10, 50mL $250 there is also a discovery set of the entire fort manle line that is $70 for a sample size of 7/8 of their fragrances

Uomo, carthusia, smells like the hot Italian partner you can’t take home to your family who rides a motorcycle while wearing a tank top with a leather jacket while smoking, notes of lemon, bergamot, freesia, green leaves, lily of the valley, jasmine, geranium, cedar wood, patchouli, sandal, palmers, amber, white musk, 50mL 70€ ($75.46), 100mL 90€ ($97.02)

Terra Mia, carthusia, smells like a coffee shop right before open there are notes of citrus roasted nuts and coffee in the air along with the smell of light florals that grace each seating area, notes of bergamot, neroli, pink peppercorn, rose, jasmine, orange blossom, Arabic coffee, hazelnut cream, amber woods, vanilla, ambroxan, and white musk, same pricing as uomo

Mediterrano, carthusia, a bright and sunny fragrance with notes of green tea, notes of wild mint, lemon, eucalyptus, litsea cubeba, red thyme, bergamot, jasmine, cardamom, flowers of the fields, tangerine, green tea, and white musk, same pricing as terra Mia and uomo

Broken Theories, Kerosene, the packaging is cool seeing as it is a nod to the city the fragrance is created in (Detroit) each bottle is painted in motorcycle paint and the metal label is hand stamped, it smells like a fire pit while drinking a spiced mimosa, notes of blood orange, tobacco, spices, vanilla, sandalwood, our, and incense, it’s a heavy but not overwhelming scent that covers you like a blanket and can last several hours without needing to reapply, 100mL $152

Meltdown, elder & willow, these last two are roll on essential oil fragrances that are very budget friendly, this one is meant to calm anxiety and help with grounding, bites of lavender, lemon, ylang ylang, bergamot, rose geranium, vetiver, Roman chamomile, benzoin essential oils, and scent is all in a coconut oil as the carrier, $12 per 10mL roll on

Sweet dreams, elder & willow, meant to promote sleep, notes if lavender, vetiver, Roman chamomile, cedar wood, benzoin essential oils, scent is in coconut oil as the carrier, $12 per 10mL roll on, I love elder and willow they also have teas, bath soaks, and skincare products

And thus concludes fragrance lessons/recs with Roza! I hope this was more informative and less of a fever dream than perfume ads on screen that don’t actually tell you anything about the fucking fragrance and just go off of vibes and celebrity presence!!

#not a tag #from saph #perfume #fragrance #fragrance recs

309 notes · View notes

tiniedemon · 11 months

Text

. . .

reasons kenny mccormick has been banned from us mall retail stores

sephora

definitely takes off running with a makeup pallet for marjorine

trips and falls into a rare beauty display

sprays an entire tester bottle of cologne in the fragrance section

hot topic

connected to the speakers somehow and played material girl bass boosted for 45 minutes straight

customer couldn’t find a shirt so he went in the back to search for it

attempted to climb the wall to get a shirt and ripped four wall hooks out

played tag with the hot topic employees in a skirt he didn’t pay for

spencers

taste tested every bottle of flavored lube in the store

shattered three ash trays on the floor

opened a pack of incense and lit it for a smell test

tried to sell a vibrator he didn’t pay for for double the price

zumiez

assembled a skateboard in the corner of the store and then skated around the entire store

tried on every sock in a pack of socks and tried to return them (he didn’t pay for them)

tried a hat on without realizing he had lice

victoria secret

took lingerie off the display model, spit in the bra, and put it back on

drank a bottle of perfume for $5

asked every employee if they thought his dick could fit in a thong

stood on top of a display table and danced, broke the table

ross

tried to fit into a onesie and ripped it

ate an entire eyeshadow pallet

hid inside of a rug until after closing

put his fist through a painting

apple store

set a picture of the inside of his nostril as the phone background

played cotton eyed joe staggered on every display device full volume

tried to return his samsung.. to the apple store.. that he didn’t get it from

accidentally spilled half a bottle of water on a macbook

h&m

played the penis game with craig from across the store

rode a skateboard he was forced to buy from zumiez across the store

spilled an entire bottle of hand sanitizer on the floor and then ran through it and fell on his ass

bath & body works

stole two pockets full of hand sanitizer

lathered his body in lotion and told the employees he was having an allergic reaction

spit in a bottle of perfume and took it to the counter and tried to get it for free because it was contaminated

lit five candles, arranged them in a circle, and held a seance

sprayed 12 cologne testers on a test strip and ate it for $5

toys r us

had a nerf battle with craig in the middle of the store

took a doll out of the packaging and drew pentagrams and penises all over the face

arranged two barbies to look like they’re fucking

programmed every voice recording toy to say “eating ass is good for your mental health”

threw a bopit at craig and broke his nose

food court

food fight

#south park #kenny mccormick

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honoviadakai · 4 months

Text

What the Diaboys smell like: Sakamaki brother edition

(CW for Laito’s section, mentions of sex/sexual themes and blood for all the brothers)

Shu:

Top notes: clean linen, violin rosin, spruce wood

Bottom notes: blood, old books, cheap body spray

Shu always smells like clean, freshly pressed, linen sheets

Not because he does the laundry, that’s Reiji’s job

He sleeps in his bed for days or even weeks on end if he can get away with it

So he tends to smells a lot like his clean bed sheets because of how often he takes depression naps

While he’s the least active member of the Sakamaki family, he still has hobbies

His is music, specifically the violin 🎻

Now if you’re a musician then you’re familiar with the maintenance required for keeping your instruments in tip top playing shape

Violins need rosin in order to properly “grip” the strings and create the right amount of friction necessary to play music

And if you’ve never smelled rosin before, it’s usually a bit piny

It’s not really that strong of a smell, but given how old he is and that playing the violin is one of the few things he’s willing to do over an over again

The smell is now apart of him

Specifically his hands

Boy do his hands smell like a pine tree 🌲 💀

He also smells a bit like spruce wood

There’s 2 reasons for this

Reason 1 is because violins are typically made of spruce and therefore, smell as such

Now reason 2…

Shu met Edgar when he was just a child and one of the activities he did in his short time with the boy was to help him with his chores

Specifically, he helped Edgar cut fire wood

The area they lived in was very abundant in spruce trees so Shu grew to love this smell

However…after the fire…he began to hate that smell…

But he could never bring himself to purge himself of that smell

Instead, all of his violins from then on were specially crafted with the wood of spruce trees that grew in the area that Edgar and his family used to live in

He even chops the wood himself to give to the violin crafters

It’s his way of remembering his first friend…

On a far less somber note!

Let’s circle back to the fact that he’s a lazy ass!

His personal hygiene is not great

The only reason he does it at all is because Reiji will nag his ears off if he smells even a little bit funky

So he does buy perfume once every 6 months

…I say perfume because he goes to a store that sells both men and women’s fragrances…

This man is so lazy that the moment he sets foot in that store, he reaches for the first box that’s available for purchase…

He doesn’t even look at what he grabs!

He has bought women’s perfume for himself on multiple occasions and no, he’s not gonna return it!

It’s too much work for this mf!

So for the next 6 months he’s just gonna smell like Victor and Rolf Flowerbomb and we all just gotta accept it

He also just naturally smells like old books

Part of it is cuz his mom use to make him study till steam started coming out of his ears

Sometimes he’d even have to study so much that he’d actually just fall asleep at his desk, using the book he was reading as a pillow

For this reason he enjoys sleeping in libraries

They’re quiet and they smell nice

The smell also reminds him of his mother

They may not have always gotten along, but he did love her

So he sleeps in libraries so he can smell a scent that’s similar to his mother’s and have it permeate his being

It’s his way of remembering his mother

Now a smell that never leaves him is that of his victims blood

He’s been alive longer than he cares to remember, so he’s had more than his fair share of “meals”

And he’s not exactly a clean eater…

Sometimes the blood of a sacrificial bride will stain his expensive silk shirts

He doesn’t bother cleaning them right away, so the smell of their blood always lingers for weeks, even months sometimes

But unlike the triplets, he’s able to hide the smell and even has a good excuse as to why the smell is sometimes strong on him

He likes rare steak 🥩

Rare steak is a bit bloody

Literally every time he says that to a human they just laugh and tell him what a messy eater he is

If only they knew just how true that statement was…

Reiji:

Top notes: tea(depends on what he’s feeling that day), old books, expensive cologne

Bottom notes: detergent, mystery chemicals/poisons, blood

Reiji is pinnacle of refined gentleman should be…at least on the surface

All of his clothes are meticulously washed and pressed before the start of a new day(night?)

So he always has the light scent of whatever detergent he used on his clothes

He also buys the most expensive cologne in the human world that peeks his interest

Right now it’s Frederic Malle The Night Eau de Parfum (estimated at around $2,125.50 USD)

Honestly he doesn’t even buy it cuz it smells nice…he just likes flexing on Shu 💀

But it does smell nice and it adds to his “prim and proper gentleman” aesthetic

Something else that adds to this aesthetic is that his natural scent is that of tea and old books

Both stem from the fact that the few times he got his mother’s full, undivided attention…was when they had tea time together…and talked about the books they had read in the past month…

Yes, he was responsible for her death, but it’s something that he deeply regrets even if he won’t admit it to anyone…not even himself

Something else he won’t admit is that this is why he often reads and drinks tea at the same time

It reminds him of the few happy memories he has of his mother, so he unconsciously has his tea while reading to remember his mother and make himself happy

He also subconsciously picks out tea and books he thinks his mother would have enjoyed

The smells then linger on his body, so it’s almost as if his mother is with him as he goes about his day

Now he’s also a brilliant man

He dabbles in chemistry and specializes in creating poisons and drugs that could incapacitate even some of the mightiest of monsters he’s come across

The smell of those chemicals he works with tend to linger

It’s never to a noticeable degree…but humans who linger too close for too long tend to notice that he smells…odd…like chemicals…

It’s simple enough for him to dismiss

He’s part of the school’s chemistry team, obviously he’s gonna smell like chemicals 🙄

So humans tend to take that answer at face value and not give it a second thought

His brothers all know better though…he’s making a new neurotoxin…and they know better than to get close, least they end up his next Guinea pig…

And of course…he’s a vampire…the smell of blood sticks to him like glue…

Unlike his brothers though, the smell of blood is weak on him

He’s not a messy eater like his brothers are

And he also will clean his clothes much sooner than his brothers would

So while he will have the faintest smell of blood on him, he can hide it with a few good spritz of his expensive cologne

Laito:

Top notes: blood, sauvage mens fragrance, fish(in a bad way)

Bottom notes: the perfume of whatever woman he was with last, vanilla, Cordelia’s favorite perfume

Oh boy…this one…

Buckle up…this one’s a doozy…

So let’s start with the fact that he always has a fishy smell to him…

….

Listen, there’s no easy way to say this but this man answers booty calls like it’s his full time job

Did you really think he wasn’t gonna smell like a man whore? Cuz he does

It’s such a prominent smell that he literally can’t lie to anyone about it

If he answered a booty call 15 minutes ago and just quietly walked into a room, everyone knows

He’s not even gonna hide it

He’s proud of himself so he’s not gonna bother coming up with a lie or using fragrances to cover up the smell

But if he does use cologne…

His favorite is Dior Sauvage Parfum

He likes how it smells and he thinks Johnny Depp is a pretty good actor for a human

Also some girls and guys like it so it also helps him score

Why would he not stock up on this fragrance?

Especially when he needs something to help cover up the sex and blood smell

Like the other triplets, the smell of blood is STRONG on him

He’s the only one that gets away with it though

He claims he likes having periods sex with women and the smell just sticks with him

He’s not even lying, that is in fact a kink of his

….but he is lying…

Sorta

While it is possible he a bloody horizontal tango session with a human female earlier, it’s also possible he found time to drain a human of blood sometime before going back to class too

Hell, it might have actually been a female classmate that he banged and killed cuz he was too hungry to wait

But no one can prove it was him cuz he was smart enough to burn the body till not even her ashes remained…

And if he did get his clothes stained, he won’t even bother going back to interacting with humans

Humans shriek too much at the sight of blood and while he does find it entertaining sometimes, he doesn’t wanna deal with humans asking him a million questions over a meal he just had

So if he is clean of blood and he smells heavily of his favorite cologne….he probably just ate…

….for your safety, mind your business and do not ask him questions…

Also if he smells like Bethany’s favorite perfume, no he doesn’t

You can’t prove shit!

You didn’t hear this from me…but he does like nuzzling up to his lates plaything and smelling like them, he’ll even take a article of clothing of theirs sometimes

It’s his weird way of feeling love and giving love back to his prey

He smells like them, they smell like him, romantic right!?

….

He got that idea from Cordelia….

Whenever she and Laito had…playtime…together 🤢 she’d always make sure she smelled like him and he smelled like her…

“That’s what lovers do after all”

Even though she’s dead, he still sprays her favorite perfume on himself….

It’s his way of showing his father, uncle and even his brothers that even if she’s gone…her love permeates his body and only his body…

He does this less and less once he gets a lover who truly loves him

The “Smelling like Cordelia” bit I mean

Cuz now he just wants to smell like his lover! 🥰

He also kinda smells like vanilla

He really like Macaroons

Like he’ll eat 5 boxes in one sitting if left to his own devices

Eating so many leaves him smelling like sweet vanilla

It’s kinda funny tbh

He’s a big scary vampire

But he’s got a bit of a sweet tooth

And it leaves him with the faintest sweetness in his natural scent

Even his own scent is proof that beneath the twistedness he exudes, he’s a bit of a sweetheart

Kanato:

Top notes: sugar, blood, wax polish

Bottom notes: strawberry pound cake body spray from bath & body works, lavender scented detergent, vanilla

So remember how I said Laito was a doozy…

Kanato is on a whole different level….

So of all the Sakamaki brothers

Not even just the triplets…

He violently smells like blood…

So much so that the brothers have to lie and say Kanato has a medical condition where he gets constant nosebleeds and that’s why he often smells like he just arrived from a crime scene

To be fair…

Look at him…

Just…look at him…

He looks anemic…and he’s abnormally small for someone who’s supposed to be 17 years older

So humans will 100% believe it when given that explanation

….UNTIL HE FUCKS UP AND DOES SOMETHING THAT NORMAL HUMANS CANT/WONT DO

For example!

For a guy who’s been labeled as “anemic” by his brothers…he sure does have quite a lot of energy…

He’s so energetic that he punched a classmate in the ribs for calling him a shrimp…

And said ribs broke…

And his hand is fine…and he tries to bite the already injured student….

On the neck….

…..this is why he’s the least “human passing” of his brothers…

That and he smells like a blood bank!

He’s the messiest eater of his brothers and he won’t wash his clothes!

Reiji has to play the waiting game, steal his clothes and then DEEP CLEAN all his clothes!!

You know what else he smells like? Sugar

Like, a metric fuck ton of sugar

I don’t think vampires can get diabetes, but Kanato is definitely limit testing his body

Like he smells so much like sugar it’s almost kinda gross

Especially when the bloody smell mixes with the sugar smell

It’s such a weird dichotomy of smells but that’s what Kanato smells like

Bloody sugar

And wax finish…

…did I mention taxidermy is a very bloody hobby and that he smells like blood yet…?

Cuz it’s true…

He spends hours making new “toys” and he doesn’t always clean himself, his tools or the room he was working in when he’s done…

He does like to wax his human “dolls” when he’s done and the wax smell juat kinda sticks to him but it doesn’t do much to cover up that he smells like the walking embodiment of death sometimes….

Weirdly enough, he does try to cover it up sometimes

Key word here being try…

Cuz he’s not good at it…

One of his favorite human stores is Bath & Body Works

I’m dead serious

Walk past one and you’ll immediately understand why it’s his favorite place to buy personal hygiene products from

His favorite product is their strawberry pound cake body spray

He LOVES how it smells and wants the entirety of his natural scent to just be that smell

Hasn’t worked yet but he’s trying

Reiji also washes Kanato’s clothes with Lavender scented detergent

He heard lavender has calming effects and wanted to use it on him to make him less chaotic

…..

It hasn’t worked yet…but Kanato likes it so he allows Reiji to continue using the lavender detergent

His sweat and saliva also naturally smells like vanilla….

Do with that information what you will 💅

Ayato:

Top notes: blood, sweat, axe body spray

Bottom notes: takoyaki, musky oak wood, bat musk

Ah yes

The youngest triplet

Let’s get this out the way

He smells like blood

MF eats like he doesn’t know what a napkin is 🤦🏻

He at least has the decency to give Reiji his bloody clothes as soon as he can

Ofc Reiji also has to clean his face cuz…ya know…he’s covered in blood…

The triplets are something else sometimes man…

He at least tries to cover up the smell…with Axe body spray…

And if I’m being honest, I think he uses it to cover up the smell of his sweat…not the fresh blood that was on him after drinking his fill…

His priorities are a little scud…don’t mind him…

But yeah, he’s a sweaty guy after playing several games of basketball and he masks it with Axe body spray 🤦🏻

What a dweeb(affectionate)

He also faintly smells of takoyaki 🐙

What can I say, it’s his favorite food

He eats it every time he has the opportunity to do so

So the smell is just apart of him now

Hope you like takoyaki 😌

He also smells a Leta’s like musky oak wood

I’ll get to the musky part in a bit, but there’s quite a bit of oak trees near the lake his mother nearly drowned him in

He hangs out there a lot tbh

He and his brothers use to play around there a lot

In a way he’s hoping the good memories of him and his brothers will overshadow his awful memories of his mother

Hasn’t worked yet but he’s hopeful

Now onto the muskiness

So Ayato has the muskiest/sweatiest smell out of all his brothers

Reiji hypothesizes it’s because he’s the most active out of the 6 of them

And that’s partially true

But it’s also cuz he’s the brother who interacts the most with their familiars

And most of their familiars are bats! 🦇

You ever smell a bat???

They’re musky af!

He mostly hangs around them cuz they’re good listeners

Sometimes he just needs somewhere to vent, ya know?

They’re also great spies

If he takes a great liking towards a sacrificial bride, he’ll send his familiars out and have them report back where they are and what they’re doing at all times

So if he smells an awful lot of bats lately…

It’s because he’s been spying his crush prey

You didn’t hear that from me though 😌

Subaru:

Top notes: roses, silver, Christa’s favorite perfume

Bottom notes: blood, silver polish, sandalwood

We’ve finally made it to the youngest Sakamaki son!

He’s got a surprisingly delicate natural scent

Which is so weird given how he is

He’s also the second most active brother out of the 6 of them

So you’d expect him to smell musky/sweaty right?

Well he doesn’t

Reiji theories that it’s cuz he’s the youngest and therefore has the most amount of stamina out of all of them

So he requires triple the amount of physical activity that Ayato normally does to even start breaking a sweat

And because of that, his natural scent is delicate and sweet

Yes, he smells of blood sometimes

Buts it’s only very prominent after he’s had his fill

The the third cleanest eater of his brothers and he tried to get clean as quickly as possible so the smell of blood doesn’t send him off the rails

The main thing he smells like is roses 🌹

Is that really a surprise to anyone?

Look at how many roses are around the compound

I’d be more surprised if he didn’t smell like roses

It’s so ingrained into his being that I’m positive that even if you were to bathe him in the harshest of chemicals, the rose smell would never leave

He also smells of Christa’s favorite perfume

He has a habit of spraying the key around his neck with her perfume when he’s feeling extra sad and lonely

The smell remains him of the good memories of his childhood…when Christa was able to hold herself together long enough to give Subaru a big hug and tell her she loved him like she meant it

He sometimes brings her new bottles of her favorite perfume when he visits her

She deserves a nice gift every now and then

He also smells of silver and silver polish

He tends to hold onto the knife his mother gave him so hard when he sleeps that the smell of silver is practically burned into his skin now

He also cleans and polishes the knife daily…

His mother gave him that knife in pristine condition..so he will maintain it in good condition…

It’s also hard to deal a killing blow with a dull knife…

So he takes care of it as best he can, just like he promised his mother he would…

He surprisingly smells of sandalwood

There’s quite a lot of sandalwood trees near the manor actually

Quick fun fact about sandalwood!

They not only smell really good, they’re very easy to carve

Subaru actually picked up wood carving at some point in his childhood

He doesn’t do it often but he is quite talented at it!

He tends to mostly carve little statues of animals

His favorite animals to carve are rabbits

He will never willingly say that out loud though

So you didn’t hear it from me 👀

Sometimes he gifts some of his carvings to his mother

Sometimes he leaves carvings in his brothers rooms as surprise gifts when they do something nice for him for once

And if he REALLY likes a sacrificial bride that’s staying with them, they get a wooden rabbit that looks extra cute

If he manages to establish a romantic relationship with them he might actually give them a new carving every month or so cuz cuz he loves them so much

Hopefully they don’t mind him smelling more and more like sandalwood when that becomes his full time hobby 😉

#diabolik lovers #sakamaki brothers #shu sakamaki #reiji sakamaki #laito sakamaki #kanato sakamaki #ayato sakamaki #subaru sakamaki

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dreaminginthedeepsouth · 1 year

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Elizabeth Taylor became the highest paid actor, male or female, when she demanded and received one million dollars plus 10% of the box office gross for CLEOPATRA (1963), helping to usher in an era of star power where the star called the shots, not the studio. Now forever free from the shackles of the studio system, Elizabeth, a working actor from the age of nine and working mother at 20, could ensure a paycheck commensurate with her value as an actress and celebrity. Her prowess as a businesswoman reached even greater heights with the launch Elizabeth Taylor's Passion in 1987, the first of 14 fragrances that would include White Diamonds, the top-selling celebrity fragrance of all time.

Perhaps no other photograph of Elizabeth Taylor captures the spirit of #InternationalWomensDay quite like this one. Shorn of her legendary locks and defiantly posing in profile to best display a scar running along the side of her head, it was taken by the great Herb Ritts after the successful removal of a benign brain tumor in 1997 at the age of 65. It was another of life's battles that Elizabeth faced with unshakable courage, fortitude and a sense of humour. "Damn right I survived," she once said. "I'm Mother Courage. I'll be dragging my sable coat behind me into old age."

[Elizabeth Taylor Archives]

#Elizabeth Taylor #people #Mother Courage #quotes

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pocket-luv101 · 3 months

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I found this dialogue and it made me think of a XingYun scenario. Xingqiu asks Chongyun to help him test the new fabric that the Guild made. He wears the new outfit and asks Chongyun if he can smell the silk flowers woven into his clothes. He's partially teasing him with the expectation that Chongyun will become shy and flustered being close enough to smell the flowers. However, Chongyun never hesitates to help Xingqiu. Chongyun holds him close and leans down enough for him to bury his face in Xingqiu's neck.

Xingqiu can feel his breath against his neck and his heart quicken. The slightest change catches Chongyun's attention. He takes the hem of his shirt collar between his fingers and tests the fabric's texture. "Your neck is red. Does the fabric feel uncomfortable on your skin. The Feiyun Commerce Guild sells top quality silk and this new fragrance dye is making the fabric rough." Xingqiu didn't respond to him immediately because he's so flustered. He doesn't know how Chongyun ended up turning the tables on him without even intending to xD

#genshin impact #xingyun #chongqiu #chongyun x xingqiu #genshin chongyun #genshin xingqiu

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lolitafushiguro · 1 year

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The Theory of Everything (Alhaitham x Reader)

Sumeru city is as bustling as the pitter-patters of rain in its forests. Scholars, merchants, adventurers, thespians, performers and even commonfolk are in harmony with each other ー whether they seek refuge, or a deadline to follow through, or they simply want to entertain themselves and the passersby ー there seems to be a place reserved just for anyone and everybody else. Perhaps that is why it is called the city of wisdom ー it gathers people from all walks of life together to share their knowledge, woes and experiences through their own poem and song.

And you found it perfect. Sumeru is your home, and for sure even wanderers feel their hearts fill with the warmth of belongingness once they step foot in the city.

So when the skies' hue meet the melodies of the Dusk Birds, you gleefully make your way to the Akademiya, where a certain stoic scribe awaits, albeit deniably, for your presence.

Alhaitham heaves a long sigh. Another long day, he thinks to himself. He had just finished signing documents submitted by the scholars of all Darshans that were filed 1-4 days prior. On top of that, he had to attend a meeting with Spantamad researchers in their planned expedition in the deserts of Sumeru.

So, to say that he wants to relax at his home and continue reading one of the science fiction books you gifted him (he loves it very much, thank you)… is an understatement.

Since his working hours are coming to a close, he decided that he'll take a minute or two to relax before heading home. Leaning back on his chair, he rubbed circles on his temples and closed his eyes.

For a while, he seemed like a content cat, enjoying his solitude.

So when he heard your loud voice greeting the scholars who are on their way home, as if he practiced this a thousand times (he didn't, he genuinely just doesn't want you seeing him slipping up), he immediately grabbed his pen and a few papers to pretend that he's doing something productive.

Which he does ー he always does, and you always tell him that he doesn't seem to notice it.

"Is he still here?" You ask, and a faint voice replies to you just outside his office.

"Good! Take care on the way home." You replied before opening the door to his office.

Alhaitham doesn't know how to respond, you always surprise him and it's always at times when he would much rather be alone.

But can he blame you? You always end up bringing much better company than his own solace offers.

Again, he's too aloof to admit it to you, but he enjoys being with you. He wishes you seek him like this forever.

"Knock, knock~" You smile, voice suddenly as gentle as the breeze. As if you knew how to read the room, you quietly walked towards the chair in front of his desk.

"Hello." Alhaitham fixed the papers and placed them back where they came from.

"You were pretending to sign them just now, weren't you?" You leaned your chin on top of your hands.

Alhaitham lets out a breathy laugh, as if he surrenders to your receptive eyes.

You laugh with him as well, getting up to walk behind his chair.

"Close your eyes." You say, and he does so. You fish your pocket for the ointment you bought from a travelling merchant from Liyue.

He wishes you don't see the smile plastered on his face, lest he'll wish for the ground to eat him alive.

"This one is made from the extract of Silk Flowers, Glaze Lilies and Lotuses. I hope you don't mind the fragrance. This was from a merchant from Liyue. He said it's good for headaches. Too bad you didn't get to visit his stall. It was amazing, really. He even sells this beautiful reddish silk robe. I didn't buy it of course, I've been saving up for the new novel series of this author I've been hearing about for a while. Though I really wanted it…" You rambled, and he finds your soft voice pleasant. It was as if he was listening to a songbird sing him to sleep.

You massaged his temples with the ointment, and a comfortable silence befalls between the two of you.

"You know you could be doing other important things right now." He finally says.

You flick his forehead.

"Are you implying that I'm wasting my time when I'm with you?" You bite back.

"You do nothing whenever you come here."

"Well, what do you do when you come over to my place? Nothing, so do not talk me out of visiting you in the Akademiya. Besidesー"

"I commend your promptness. You come here just right after I am through with my working hours." Alhaitham holds back a laugh.

A pause.

"Besides, I am well liked by the scholars and sages here ー is what I was about to say… Unlike you." You smile, awaiting his response.

"…Can I see the ointment?" Alhaitham changes the subject, a silent acceptance of defeat. You laugh and hand it over to him.

Wrapping your hands around his nape, you rested your chin on his shoulder.

"Feel any better now?"

"I like its mild scent. Did you buy a perfume version of this?" He asked.

"I did. I'll wear it every time I come to Surasthana. I can finally smell like the flowers there." You chuckle, stroking his hair.

"We should go." Go home, is what he meant.

"Perfect! I was about to invite you to come to the Razan Garden." A misinterpretation, coming from your end.

"And stay there until you fall asleep on me? You seem to treat that place as your second bedroom." In truth, he really doesn't want to go. He is exhausted and he wants to finally be able to do nothing and fall asleep.

Yet here you are. The bluish glow of the flowers in bloom blend in with the color of the starry night sky.

"Ta-da! They're in full bloom. I tended to these flowers for months. What do you think?" You cheered.

"Impressive. Here, rub the ointment on your wrists. You told me you want to smell like flowers." Alhaitham returns the ointment to you and you smile.

You both take a seat on the bench to admire the city.

Alhaitham stares at your figure, engulfed by the tranquility of the sanctuary ー both the place and the being, which to him is you.

"Haitham, do you believe in gods?" You were staring at the stars.

"I do. I believe that gods and humans should be treated as equals. I do not see the point of bowing down to such deities… Offerings made for their honor… I believe it encourages pride and self-righteousness amongst the devotees themselves, whether they are aware of it or not." Alhaitham replies.

"What if they didn't exist?"

"Then we will inevitably create ones among us."

You pondered about his reply for a moment, and he admires the way you put your fingers on your chin. How adorable, he wishes to tell you.

"Why?" You face him and seated yourself in between his thighs, head resting on his chest.

"Humans are dogmatic creatures who seek order. Even if we evolve into a society who does not serve a ruler, we will still follow a set of laws, either implemented by us or the gods themselves." He replies, and when you fall deeper into your thoughts, he adds,

"We each define order in different ways, but in the end we will always seek the common ground. No matter how stubborn one is, they are bound to seek people who are similar to them, but of course this isn't always the case."

You gather your thoughts and Alhaitham kisses your cheek.

"I haven't thought of that before."

"I'm surprised. You've read too much philosophy and fiction. I thought you'd be into these things more than I am."

You brow twitches and you look up at him.

"Is that an insult?"

"I am only describing what I have observed."

You sigh at his reply, now it is your turn to accept defeat, and to that he chuckles.

"Do you know why I love to travel a lot?" Alhaitham hums in reply.

"I want to discover the edge of Teyvat. Even if in reality, it's the last place I'm going to step foot into. To know the stories and secrets of different nations… fuels a beautiful passion in my heart."

Alhaitham suddenly hugs you tight. Was it out of endearment? Fear of not seeing you again? Admiration? You didn't bother reading too much into it, for all you know it could be all those things all at once.

So you enjoyed his presence and held his arms in return.

"We are as old as the stars. The iron in our blood… the nitrogen in our DNA… do you find it bittersweet that what embodies our lives were once in the hearts of dying stars?"

Alhaitham ruffles your hair, satisfied with your rhetoric.

"And once we pass on for the next generation to take place, the cycle continues." He agrees.

The noise of the city echoes beneath you.

Beautiful. That is one word that Alhaitham would describe you and being around you.

You could talk and ponder about anything and you never get tired of asking him questions that even he doesn't have a definite answer to.

He enjoys it. He enjoys pondering about life with you.

"You sure love to think about the General Relativity and Quantum theory by relating the cosmos and human life." He describes.

"I don't think it's supposed to be that way. Quantum theory mostly deals with atoms and particles."

"I know. I was just trying to create metaphors."

"Well…aren't they scientific?" You attempted to pull a joke.

"That's very funny." He says sarcastically, and you laughed.

"Hey, Haitham."

"Yes?"

"If you believe in gods… do you believe in my beauty?" You sat on the railing and you wiggled your brows at him expectantly.

He sighs. He doesn't just believe in it, because it's the truth. And what else are you supposed to do with the truth?

Being with you feels like time speeds and slows down altogether. He always finds himself wishing for it to last, yet he also wants it to be over to save room for a new moment with you.

"Stop asking pointless questions." He reprimands.

"But, Haitham~ I want to know."

"You already know the answer to that."

"Eh, I want to hear it from you. I cannot have my own mind drown in my delusions."

Alhaitham laughs. "Well, that happens. You like to think about farfetched things."

"That's not funny!" You pout.

Alhaitham looks into your eyes and smiles at you.

"I believe in it."

Your eyes light up, gesturing for him to continue his answer.

"I believe in your beauty. The theory of everything is nothing compared to the moments I share with you." You may or may not sense it, but his heart was beating out of his chest. It's a wonder how he managed to say that without breaking character.

"Hehe, that's more like it." You smiled and peppered kisses on his face, to which he chuckled in reply.

He doesn't want to say it out loud, but you make him want to believe such a unification of the larger and the microscopic aspects of the world and the cosmos. You make him want to stop questioning everything.

He will give you the world and bend the laws of nature if you so wish. But you're too fickle-minded and frankly, he'd rather not do that too.

He loves you and himself enough to not do such ruthless things. He likes the comfort of his current life and where it's heading.

Especially because you're in it, so he'd prefer not to cause unnecessary disturbances to ruin your relationship.

The summer night's winds course through your bodies. You shiver slightly in his hold.

"We really need to go home now." He finally decides.

"Sure, I really just wanted you to see the flowers I worked so hard on maintaining." You say casually, yawning, as if you didn't have a deep conversation just a while ago.

Yes, you truly are fickle minded. Alhaitham smiles to himself.

ー Lolita

#lolita writes #finally wrote something to my muscle nerd fav #alhaitham x reader #alhaitham x you #alhaitham x y/n #alhaitham imagines #alhaitham fluff #alhaitham crack #alhaitham headcanons #alhaitham #alhaitham hcs #genshin impact #genshin impact imagines #genshin imagines #sumeru #sumeru city #ive written way too much fluff by now its sickeningly sweet #anyway i hope i made him in character #while also making him soft because why not ♡

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angelllcakes · 9 months

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hiiii~

i was wondering if you could write an angst imagine of jeonghan where he cheats on y/n, but in the end he begs for her back? some sad backstory maybe 🤭

i’m so sorry idk why stories like these are my favorite i just love being hurt i guess 😓😩 but take your time please and be safe!!

no worries at all! i can handle a little angst 😌

just need to tell myself that this ISNT self indulgent and i’m not trying to hurt my own heart by writing angst ab my ult hehe

numbful void, ft. jeonghan

pairings: idol!jeonghan x gn!reader

warnings: angst, suggestive content, lots of crying, mentions of cheating smooching 😱😱

word count: 1.2k

There’s a distance between the two of you lately.

Maybe not in the ways one would expect, for your boyfriend still greets you sweet good mornings’ and goodbyes’ each day. It’s the same as it’s always been, yet you sense a separation only felt behind the thoughts of curiosity and mistrust.

In the last few months you’ve seen less and less of jeonghan, naively trusting his claims that his comeback requires extensive preparations. It’s difficult to understand being in a position such as his, for a demanding, best-selling group of artists require more rehearsals and more attention in order to remain at the very top. You couldn’t imagine the stress he endured, so you never minded when he’d call you late at night, sleepily letting you know of his whereabouts with the other members. You’d always give in, letting him have his freedom if it meant seeing him smile. Though his honesty began to twist from that point on, for less than a month later his colleagues would kindly message you, about him.

Joshua Hong, 12:48am - Sry to bother you, just wanted to make sure Jeonghan got back home safe~

You, 12:50am - He isn’t with you?

Sooner or later, incoming calls from the others would appear, leaving you distraught at the hundreds of thoughts peddling through your mind about your boyfriend’s location.

“We finished rehearsing about an hour ago, like we have for the last five weeks. He told me he was going straight home to you?”

“He isn’t here, but thank you for being honest with me ‘Kwan.”

you bite your lip tensely, bouncing one leg up and down as you sit by your bedroom window. Just the idea of him being in an unsafe situation triggers your mind, though for some reason you can’t let yourself believe this has all been happening unintentionally.

You, 1:12am - Hannie?

You, Imy, are you almost home?

You, 1:15am - idc where you are just tell me you’re ok

By morning, your eyes blink open to whisps of hair tickling your shoulder, and an arm tightly clung to your waist. In the moment you want to shake him startled and interrogate him with questions that have kept you up all night. But you wouldn’t dare, instead nudging closer to him in the comfort of his warmth.

But this always happens, by the next morning he finds his way back to you, and you let him off without question. Sooner or later will he even return anymore?

He bids you a gentle farewell for another day of work as you twirl a strand from his perm back into place, softly pecking his cheek before returning to your office. When he shuts the door back into its position, you make a sharp turn for the bathroom, digging through the hamper for any evidence of his travels. Part of you is seeping with noisiness, begging to discover what kind of truths he’s been hiding. Another side of you can’t believe you’d let yourself lose this much trust in him, someone you’ve spent years of memories with.

You pull out his attire from last night, slightly damp from sweating through never-ending dance practices. As you shake off his sweat pants a natural, floral-scented fragrance fills your senses, which has never been your go-to aroma.

Pondering further on your thoughts you place his clothing back into the dirty pile feeling more distressed than before. A small, dark object slips out of his pocket, catching your eye by the sink, and only until after it’s swatted away in a scream do you realize it had only been a false eyelash. Your eyes widen, crouching over its place on the tile floor as your hand covers your gasping mouth.

Never in your life had you touched a pair of false lashes, and your just about positive his members haven’t either.

That evening you sit yourself comfortably at the kitchen table, only hiding your growing anxieties from the situation jeonghans brought to your attention.

He enters through the door, lazily kicking off his shoes before making his way over to the leftovers you’d left for him. Sometimes. when he found himself too exhausted, he’ll resist the urge to give you a sign of affection, not wanting to throw his hangriness onto you.

“Do we have any glue, hannie?” you mention.

His eyebrows furrow, doe eyes widening as he turns to you with a chuckle.

“And what would you need glue for sweetheart?”

“How else am I supposed to stick these falsies on?” You question half ignorantly, and watch as all the color drains from his face in an instant.

He rushes to your side, kneeling beside the chair you angrily perched on.

“S-Sweeheart you need to listen to me-“

“What is there to listen to Jeonghan!” You rise from the table, hands fisting around the now-dry pair of lashes before they’re throw towards his face.

In the time you’ve loved Jeonghan, you’ve never seen your boyfriend break down this quickly. He’s already tearing up, explaining in muffled sobs how apologetic he is, how big of a mistake he’s been making.

“This comebacks’ preparation has been so draining, baby. I needed a breath of fresh air from my life!” His eyes grow swollen at the sight of you, tearing up with nothing but a stone-cold gaze from above him.

He couldn’t force you into complying to his pleasures. The idea of using you for his own wishes made him sick. A few months ago he’d stumbled upon a lesser-known bar with his close friend, who encouraged him inside in order to free his mind.

“I only spent a few nights at that club, was only there because he thought it’d get rid of my stress. I wouldn’t have to think about my career, or be burdened by the responsibilities I have to maintain each day.”

“What, like your responsibilities of being a truthful boyfriend? Your clothes smell like another woman’s perfume Jeonghan.”

The possibilities of where his hands have been, whom his lips might have touched is something that would haunt you for who knows how long, but that sliver of hope in your heart couldn’t help but appreciate his care for you, refraining from using you in any immature way. He’s never thought of you lowly, and never will. It’s why arguments with him are so hard to communicate through. His reasons jumble inside your head until you can’t decide whether to ridicule him, or kiss him senseless. No matter what he’s done, he always manages to make it up to you. A part of you wants to believe that this time he’ll do it again too.

You reach out your hand to him, as he poorly attempts to wipe his tears.

“You’ve have no idea how grateful I am for you, love. Thank you, Thank you with every bone in my body for giving me your hand again.”

You chuckle, extending your fingers out further.

“No, no. Give me your pair of keys back.”

142 notes · View notes

cleolinda · 10 months

Text

This does not spark Joy (Dior, 2018 & 2019)

PREVIOUSLY ON: Jean Patou's Joy (1930) was voted the Scent of the Century, but for some mysterious reason, it's not manufactured anymore.

Dior fucking killed Joy.

I won't bury the lede here at all. It was Dior. And I love a good Dior, don't get me wrong. But in August 2018, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (which owns every damn thing, including Sephora and half the brands in it) bought the Jean Patou company (which had already changed hands twice). More importantly, they bought the name "Joy." And, somehow, their subsidiary Parfums Christian Dior had their own Joy, complete with Jennifer Lawrence ad campaign, ready to release two weeks later.

For a while, Designer Parfums was at least allowed to manufacture and sell Jean Patou's Joy in France. But now, according to the Patou website, the company's fragrances "are no longer in production." When "authorized outlets" run out, they're out. Because apparently, it was that important for Dior to keep anyone else from using the name "Joy."

So what did they replace the Scent of the Century with?

I had heard that Joy by Dior Intense was a huge improvement on the initial Joy by Dior (which infuriated fragrance aficionados itself by existing, clearly), and I'm glad I tried it first, because if I had started with the original ("original") Dior, I would have punched a wall. But let's start with that: I kept trying Dior Joy #1 over and over because I couldn't remember what it smelled like. It is literally, in the literal sense of literally, forgettable. I tried it one more time today in order to write this paragraph, and: it's soapy white musk. Which upset me initially, I remember now, because I'm just really not a fan of soapy/laundry white musk, but that's on me; I've seen user reviews that do really like Joy by Dior. On me, it's just bubblebath froth, eventually a sweet citrus that peeks up from under it, and a drydown that adds some vanilla to that. That's joyous, I guess?

What I will say is, unlike the other perfume that made me think of bubble baths, it didn't give me a panic attack, so it's got one up on Chanel. But it's just... was this necessary? Did we not have enough soapy white citrus-vanilla musks in the world? At the time, I was just asking myself this rhetorically, but then I kept reading up on the Dior Joy(s). As Victoria at Bois de Jasmin points out, the actual fragrance is a copy of yet another perfume:

The result is that Dior Joy is Allure Lite. The rose and jasmine are folded into a sandalwood accord reminiscent of Chanel’s fragrance. From the top notes to the drydown, Joy follows the course of Allure, but in a softer, more transparent interpretation. The mandarin peel dusted with sugar, the rose blended with the lemony jasmine, a touch of apricot and orange blossom that melt into the sandalwood and custard-like vanilla. Even the same contrast between the sweet citrus and creamy woods is maintained.

Mark Behnke at Colognoisseur:

[Dior perfumer François Demachy] chose to create a mash-up of two huge best-sellers. The citrus opening is straight out of Chanel Allure and the floral heart is Dior J'Adore. In other words, it is just a re-tread.

DIOR! WHAT ARE YOU FUCKING DOING!

I won't say that Joy Intense (Dior #2) is more like Jean Patou's, but at least it has less of a soapy musk opening. Let's compare the notes:

Joy by Dior (2018): White musk, Grasse rose, Grasse jasmine, mandarin orange, patchouli, bergamot, cedar, sandalwood.

Joy by Dior Intense (2019): Neroli, bergamot, Grasse jasmine, Grasse rose, vanilla, patchouli, musk, sandalwood.

[Note: Grasse, "the perfume capital of the world," is a region in France famous for its role in the history of French perfume; it is especially known for jasmine and roses. "Grasse rose," "May rose," and "Rose de Mai" all refer to Rosa x centifolia. "Grasse jasmine" is Jasminum grandiflorum, as opposed to, say, the licorice-friendly jasmine sambac.]

Further info from dior.com:

Get the absolute fuck out of here with this BOTTLE and this LOGO, what are you even doing. I did not even know a perfume could eat crackers

Joy by Dior, per the official website:

JOY by Dior Eau de Parfum is a bright smile, and a pure concentration of joy in a bottle. A juicy, vibrant top note gives way to an enveloping white heart of flowers and musks, just like a soft caress.

Again, I hated Dior's first Joy when I first put it on, but that's my own bias. It was just sheer disappointment that they centered this on synthetic white musk—you vaulted the Scent of the Century for this?

The "Intense" version:

Oh well if there’s a star on the bottom I guess I’m not mad anymore??

JOY by Dior Eau de Parfum Intense is a new olfactory burst, a scent of joy wherein flowers celebrate and explode in all their faceted beauty. The dazzling light of the juicy Citrus blends with the colorful shine of Rose and Grasse Jasmine, and is heightened by an enveloping woody echo of Sandalwood tinged with Vanilla. The fragrance results in a floral firework.

Fuck the actual fuck outta here. "Firework" my ass. It's fine, I guess. It smells like vanilla lemonade and some jasmine on me, with a pleasant lingering drydown. Not just the smell of lemonade, but sort of the feeling of happiness you get when drinking a sugary glass of it on a hot summer day. Don't ever say I don't try to be fair. And it's 1000% better without the white musk. I honestly wouldn't mind wearing this under a different name, but it's just so adequate. I put on Jean Patou's Joy, even a diminished Joy, and it was a revelation. I put on the Dior, even the "good" version, and it smells like copying what the popular girls wear in hopes that they’ll like you. Thank God they didn't stuff some Ambroxan in there while they were at it. The only reason Dior didn't dupe some trendy note from Baccarat Rouge 540 is because Francis Kurkdjian didn't work for them yet. What the fuck are you people doing.

Back to Colognoisseur:

[It] is puzzling why Dior would make the decision to produce a new perfume with the same name of a masterpiece. The cynic in me says because they’ve unleashed their market research staff and found out most consumers have no idea there is a previous classic perfume called Joy. [...] Joy by Dior is a good perfume put together via the perfume assembly line of focus groups and market research; as cynical as it gets in other words.

This is absolutely my take as well. I wore Jean Patou on one hand and Dior's Joy Intense on the other and compared how they unfolded in real time, and what struck me most at that point was how gourmand-adjacent the Dior is. Not entirely so, but the vanilla lemonade I get is far more in line with the cupcake and burnt sugar notes (WHICH I LIKE!) that fragrance brands have put in everything since Mugler’s Angel, rather than just let a floral be good—superlative—at being a floral. But the marketing department says that the Costliest Perfume in the World isn’t on trend in the 21st century; we can charge plenty for something simpler, more predictable, more pandering.

My other take is that Dior's Joy perfumes are formulated to inevitably be cheaper than Jean Patou's Joy, even what Joy was at the end of the company's life. I have smelled at least a Platonic shadow of the Costliest Perfume in the World, and (I don't care how much Grasse jasmine Dior claims is in theirs) this ain't it. I don't blame François Demachy; he was given a brief and he did his job. The man made not one but two versions of Hypnotic Poison. He has done more interesting things than this. Dior’s Joy has "cash grab" written all over it and it's not even bad. It's just WHY. Why would you DO THIS. I am going to stay mad and die mad about this. Jesus Christ. You can't even, like, gently reformulate the Jean Patou, put out the Demachy versions as flanker fragrances, and market them all? You have four kinds of Poison RIGHT NOW and you can’t figure this out?

And I wore these three perfumes for three weeks, I want you to know that. I alternated them day by day, sometimes wearing two at a time to compare. I gave them all many, many chances. And besides the fact that I personally don't like white musk very much, the two Dior Joys are not bad. They're not! They're just accessories to a minor act of cultural vandalism, is all. Imagine taking Botticelli's The Birth of Venus and saying, we're going to throw this out so we can have a photographer recreate it with Jennifer Lawrence. Everyone's wearing Dior Spring/Summer 2023 designs (including Venus). It actually looks pretty cool, I guess. Great, so we don't need the Botticelli anymore? When does the trash get picked up, Tuesday?

Even Disney doesn't vault its animated movies anymore after it remakes them as live action. Maybe I can scrape up enough couch change to buy a bottle of Real Actual Joy and some DVDs before anyone else gets some big ideas.

Perfume discussion masterpost

#perfume #perfume discussion #long post #perfume: jean patou #perfume: dior #AND ANOTHER THING #note: rose #note: jasmine #note: white musk

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laxmiree · 4 months

Text

[CN] MLQC Season 2 Chapter 54 Translation (Lucien's Route - Part 1)

⚠️ SPOILER ALERT ⚠️

This post contains a VERY HEAVY SPOILER for the chapter that has not been released in EN yet! Feel free to notify me if there are any mistakes in the translation~

"Speaking of which, if there's a beautiful dream, would you like to stay in it with me?"

"A beautiful dream? Is it the kind where I don't have to go to work every day?"

"More beautiful than that—it's a dream where we can always be by each other's side."

Translation under the cut!

Previous Lucien’s chapter -> [Here]

[Background Info]

Please read Lucien's previous chapter first before this chapter jnsnjsdjd. Lucien might feel OOC if you don't.

Long story short, although the world already diverted from its original path of heading toward destruction caused by a comet, now the world is ascending to the fourth dimension and the rifts are the manifestation of it. The boys' each route is basically how they deal with it.

About me dividing it into parts- the S2 Chapter 54 is FULLY translated and released at once. Just for fun, I divided it like this so you can also choose and get bad endings just like in-game~

[Chapter 54-1]

In the office, I occasionally hear birds chirping outside as if they are singing in celebration of the arrival of a new day.

I type the last Enter key in the document, click the save button in the top left corner, and take a deep breath.

A client I've been pursuing for a long time finally showed interest in collaboration yesterday. However, they also presented additional requirements, requesting a draft proposal by noon today.

I'm working overtime with my colleagues, and we've finally put together a decent draft.

I asked Anna to send the document to the client's contact person and I massaged my sore shoulder.

Beside me, Kiki suddenly leans over and shakes her phone.

Kiki: Boss, I just discovered a hidden gem of a beverage shop! I heard their best-selling hot chocolate is especially delicious. Do you want to order takeout together?

MC: Sure, send me the link to check it out~

I open the store page, and the cover features promotional image of their best-selling drink. However, the packaging looks a bit familiar.

=Flashback Start=

Lucien: On the way to your company just now, I happened to come across a newly opened beverage shop.

Lucien: The staff recommended this "Orange Hot Chocolate", and I thought it might be to your liking. Do you want to give it a try?

He hands a steaming paper cup into my hand and passes on his warm scent with it.

MC: Wow- it's delicious! It has the refreshing fragrance of oranges and is quite sweet. But I can't keep something this good all to myself~

I raise the paper cup and bring it to him, Lucien bends his eyes to a smile and lowers his head. His hair gently falls amidst the dense steam and----

=Flashback Ends=

The sweet warmth from the memory gradually surfaces at the corner of my lips, and I shake my phone at Kiki.

MC: I'll pass for now; I suddenly remembered I have something to do and need to step out for a bit. Go ahead and order; it's on me!

As I speak, I walk towards the exit and pick up my phone to send a message to that person in my heart.

MC: "Professor Lucien, are you still in? I'll come over now to see you~"

Lucien quickly replied with two voice messages, accompanied by a sticker of a little fox looking dizzy while doing experiments.

Lucien: I just finished a task, now I'm pondering on how to capture a photo of the scenery outside the window that hints I miss you a bit.

Lucien: But I'm happy because you'll get to see it in person soon.

I reply to him with a smile while briskly walking in the direction of the beverage shop. I can't help but feel that this year's winter isn't as cold as it seems.

MC: Hello, give me two cups of "Orange Hot Chocolate," please.

Clerk: I'm sorry, but we just ran out of the ingredients for that beverage this morning. Can I offer you a different flavor instead?

MC: ...Oh, okay.

Feeling a bit disappointed, I point to the "Rich Winter Hot Chocolate" on the side of the menu.

MC: I'll go with this one.

The clerk starts preparing the drinks and hands me the two cups after a moment.

Clerk: Please be mindful of the cup's rim, it's hot.

MC: Okay, thank you.

I instinctively reach out, my gaze still fixed on the phone screen. With a muffled sound and liquid splashing in my peripheral vision, I abruptly snap back to reality.

MC: ...Oops!

I frantically try to catch the fallen cups, but it's too late.

The newly changed shirt takes the brunt of it, and the little mochi* beside me isn't spared either, now adorned with unsightly brown stains.

[T/N: The little mochi is a keychain that Lucien gave to MC in the last chapter]

MC: …..

Frustration and speechlessness well up within me. I impatiently grab tissues to wipe it, but the effect is minimal.

So, I quickly ran to the restroom, wetting the stained areas with water. Despite my persistent efforts, hot water successfully turned a few drops of chocolate stains into a large light brown patch.

Looking at my disheveled reflection in the mirror, I take a deep breath.

Forget it, who cares! Lucien won't mind anyway. Thinking so, I hastily walk out, only to be tripped suddenly—

I manage to grab onto the wall, preventing the third mishap of the day.

MC: ….

Why does it feel like I've been a bit unlucky since leaving the office...

Suppressing my dismay, I push open the shop door, and the cold wind hits me as the wet clothes turn stiff.

Without thinking, I quicken my pace. Let's just walk faster, get there a bit sooner, and see the person who can soothe all my irritations.

Fortunately, the way to the Bioscience Research Institute is smooth.

The elevator carries me up, and when the door opens, a somewhat familiar voice reaches my ears.

??: ...So, you want to activate it again.

It's Cyril's voice... How could he be here? I freeze when I see Lucien standing in the corridor not far away from Cyril.

Lucien: This is a necessary step to obtain the results.

Cyril: May we both achieve the worlds we each desire.

Cyril says this as he walks past Lucien towards the direction of the elevator. When our eyes meet, his cold gaze blinks, seemingly surprised.

Cyril: Didn't expect to see you here.

MC: ...Shouldn't I be saying that?

I can't help but make a sarcastic remark, but Cyril doesn't answer my question. Instead, he takes another step in my direction and speaks calmly.

Cyril: Have you made a decision about the matter I asked you last time?

Our conversation in the jewelry store flashes through my mind. I look into his clear eyes and shake my head.

MC: I still need time to consider.

MC: After all, the world in the dream is false. If there's another solution, I don't want to choose this method.

Cyril nods, his expression as calm as ever.

Cyril: I understand.

Cyril: But if you delay further, you might fall behind.

Fall behind... what does he mean?

I'm slightly taken aback. Before I can ask, Cyril has naturally walked past me.

His slender figure, accompanied by unhurried footsteps, quickly disappears into the elevator.

MC: Why does he never make things clear...

I glance back from Cyril's departing figure, and when I look up, I see Lucien walking towards me.

His gaze inevitably falls on the large stain on my clothes, then slowly moves to my face.

I thought he might ask what happened or say something comforting, but he just smiles lightly and speaks.

Lucien: I smell the scent of hot chocolate, but it's different from the previous one.

I blink in surprise. It’s as if the earlier worries have suddenly dissipated and I take a step closer to him.

MC: It's the Rich Winter Hot Chocolate~ from the same shop as the "Orange Hot Chocolate" you brought last time.

I open the bag, watching as Lucien takes out one cup and uses his other hand to push open the office door.

Meanwhile, a researcher comes out from behind the door. As they pass each other, Lucien's hand holding the cup inadvertently shakes a little.

The cup tilts ever so slightly, and a few drops of hot chocolate splash onto his cuff.

Lucien: Hmm... This is troublesome.

He walks into the office and fixes the glasses on the bridge of his nose in a slightly distressed manner.

Lucien: I'm not very good at dealing with these stains. Can you help me think of a solution?

He says it quite seriously as if facing a challenging problem. I can't help but laugh, feeling a softness in my heart.

The little thoughts I keep to myself never need to be explicitly stated; this person always understands them.

MC: Of course. But I just learned from personal experience that you shouldn't use hot water.

MC: Unexpectedly, both Professor Lucien and I are getting a bit of chocolate "favor" today.

Lucien: Hearing MC say that makes this small trouble seem kind of cute.

We exchange smiles, and he raises the cup, gently tapping it against the one in my hand.

Lucien: So, before dealing with it, let's toast to these cute little troubles today.

[Chapter 54-3]

Following Lucien's footsteps, we enter the laboratory deep in the corridor. Unlike the usual laboratories filled with the smell of disinfectant, the air here is surprisingly fresh.

Lucien skillfully takes several bottles of reagents from the shelf and places them on the table.

Lucien: If you want to deal with stubborn hot chocolate stains, there are actually many methods.

Lucien: The reagents in front of us can all address our current predicament at a molecular level.

MC: But using them to clean up little chocolate spills, wouldn't that be a bit wasteful?

Lucien: How about considering it as conducting a fun little chemistry experiment?

His words create a cascade of ripples in my heart, and I can't help but laugh, pretending to roll up my sleeves and stand up straight.

MC: Well then, Professor, please give me instructions~

The transparent bottles and jars in the laboratory reflect the cold light from the overhead lamp.

Under Lucien's guidance, I pour the reagents into the beaker, submerging the little mochi treated as the "experimental subject".

Its originally dull fluff becomes damp, and soon, a faint color begins to emerge.

MC: It works quickly!

Lucien: After all, it hasn't been stained for a long time. As long as we target the lipid-soluble pigments appropriately, solving it is not difficult.

After confirming the results, we also took care of the clothes stained with the hot chocolate spills.

I inadvertently turn my head and see a few scattered experiment documents on the nearby table.

MC: "The possibility of transferring perception through neural links"... Is this your recent research direction?

Lucien's gaze sweeps over the proposal, placing the stirring rod on the dark rubber tabletop.

Lucien: It's... a kind of unexpected gain.

Lucien: In a recent neuroscience experiment, we discovered a similar phenomenon, but it has been temporarily set aside for now.

My gaze lingers on the obscure experiment documents for a moment, then turns to Lucien's composed face.

Thinking about my recent overwhelming matters, I can't help but let out a "sob".

MC: Darn it, how come I don't have a brain that can multitask problems like yours...

I mutter wearily, and Lucien immediately strokes my head.

Lucien: (chuckle) It seems there is indeed a challenging problem troubling our Great Producer.

MC: Absolutely, a super-sized problem!

MC: I need to absorb some of Professor Lucien's intelligence energy to make my thoughts clearer too.

I rest my head on his shoulder, rubbing against it, and hear a soft laugh by my ear.

Lucien turns towards me, pulling me into his embrace.

Lucien: If that's the case, then you can absorb a bit more.

I "hmm" in agreement, and after a moment, I lift my head, looking at Lucien with a feigned look of grievance.

MC: Professor Lucien is so cooperative; he doesn't think I'm silly, does he?

Lucien is slightly surprised. He places a hand on his lips, his voice carrying a clear sense of amusement.

Lucien: Miss Producer, if you think like that, you're unfairly judging me.

Lucien: What I meant is, there's still a troublesome future waiting for us.

I lock eyes with Lucien for a moment, only then realizing he's referring to the troubles we faced in the rift before.

Being captured in the glass chamber in NW, the chaotic escape during the pursuit... scenes after scenes flash before my eyes.

After a moment of silence, I let out a deep sigh.

MC: Oh no, let's just not talk about this for now. Let me be an ostrich a little longer...

MC: Dealing with the troubles at hand is already more than enough for me to handle.

I suddenly pause in my words, realizing something.

MC: Lucien, what if there are other troubles in the world at that time point? Would NW not have the time to deal with me?

Lucien: For example?

MC: For example... I recently saw a terrifying vision.

MC: Our world will face countless disasters in the future, and everyone's lives will be in ruins.

Thinking about those devastating scenes, my voice unintentionally carries a hint of gravity.

Lucien: Is this what has been troubling you these days?

I nod with a hint of distress.

MC: I really want to find a solution, but I have no clue where to start.

MC: How could these disasters suddenly happen out of nowhere? I always feel like there's a missing key link in the middle.

The steady breath falls by my ears, Lucien seems to be thinking seriously, and after a moment, he speaks.

Lucien: Perhaps I can help you find that link.

I instinctively look up, inquiring with a hint of surprise.

MC: Do you already have an idea so quickly?

Lucien: Because the question you mentioned aligns perfectly with my previous hypothesis.

Lucien: Let's go, I'll take you to the laboratory.

The quiet corridor echoes with our footsteps. After turning several corners, we arrive at the entrance of a hidden laboratory.

Lucien raises his hand and enters something on the keyboard on the wall. Accompanied by a series of beeps, the massive door slowly opens before us.

After passing through several rows of intricate instruments, a wall of glass comes into view, enclosing a white, sealed space.

A rift silently stretches across a corner, its edges faintly shimmering. I observe for a moment, then hesitantly speak.

MC: Why do I feel like the shape of this rift is somewhat familiar?

Lucien: Because a few months ago*, we used it to enter NW.

[T/N: refer to what happened in the previous chapter]

MC: It's been so long, and it hasn't closed yet?

I murmur in surprise, but thinking about the recent influx of submissions regarding the prolonged duration of the rift, I decide not to inquire further.

Just out of curiosity, I turn my head and look at Lucien beside me.

MC: Is there a specific reason it was deliberately moved here?

Lucien: No, it just has an unusually long duration, no different from other regular rifts.

MC: So, do I need to do anything? Should I use CORE to close it like before?

With my previous experience, this doesn't seem like a challenging issue for me. However, Lucien shakes his head.

He then picks up a small glass orb-shaped device from the lab bench.

Lucien: This time, our goal is not elimination but addition.

MC: Addition? It can't be as simple as figuring out 1 + 1 equals 2 to find the crucial link, can it?

I blink with a bit of confusion, but Lucien doesn't seem inclined to provide further explanation, a mysterious smile playing on his lips.

Seeing him deliberately keeping me in suspense, I clear my throat and pout, then take the device from his palm.

MC: Alright, I'll listen to your explanation later~

I exhale deeply, invoking that familiar power within me once again.

The device in my hand trembles slightly. I lift my head seemingly in response. I look expectantly at the rift behind the glass.

The next moment, it suddenly enlarges before my eyes.

[Chapter 54-5]

The rift expands without any warning, like a wound suddenly torn open, stretching out before me and Lucien.

I pause for a moment, unable to help but softly exclaim, "Wow," swiftly turning my head to look at Lucien.

MC: Lucien, its area expanded so much in just an instant!

Lucien: Well, it seems our "addition" has worked.

Lucien: With this, perhaps the link you're looking for will soon appear.

As Lucien speaks, his inky eyes slightly narrow, there's a hint of cunning in his voice.

I lock eyes with him for a moment, unrelentingly leaning closer to him.

MC: No more teasing! What's the connection between this experiment and the "critical link"?

Lucien takes the instrument from my hand and places it back on the lab table, looking at me with an unhurried look.

Lucien: This experiment shows that the impact of CORE on the rift is actually bidirectional.

Lucien: Apart from closing, it can also trigger the expansion of the rift.

I contemplate his words for a moment, then ask with a hint of confusion.

MC: But what happens after the rift expands?

Lucien: The change in area is just the most apparent manifestation. In reality, the energy within the rift is also expanding.

Lucien: Once it surpasses a certain critical point, it spontaneously seeks a more suitable "outlet", no longer manifesting catastrophically.

Lucien: This way, the situation you're concerned about won't occur.

[T/N: Not gonna lie, I'm not sure how to explain this one except that it's similar to how the stars turn into a supergiant and then white dwarf once it runs out of fuel lol. Or once the rift is big enough it'll let go of the energy less chaotically. Anyway, it's just sci-fi don't think about it too deeply]

The question that had troubled me for a long time was resolved so casually. I blink my eyes, feeling a bit surreal.

MC: ...Is it really that simple?

Lucien: The essence of this issue is not as complicated as it may seem.

Lucien: But if the lady wishes for a more convoluted approach, I can certainly give it a try.

MC: No need! I trust Professor Lucien's discovery, of course~

The heavy gloom that shrouded my heart finally reveals a glimmer of hope. My tone lightens involuntarily, and with a touch of anticipation, I speak.

MC: What do we need to do next? I'll do everything I can to help~

Lucien's gaze shifts to the window, seemingly lost in thought for a moment. He changes out of his research attire and opens his mouth with a light smile.

Lucien: I do have an invitation.

Lucien: Next, let's go and see the snow.

After a simple drying process, I hold the small mochi keychain that has regained its fluffiness and whiteness. I follow Lucien down the stairs with light steps. As we step out of the Bioscience Research Institute, I blink in surprise.

Countless delicate snowflakes silently dance in the air—this year's first snow has arrived so quietly.

The snowflakes gently blanket everything around in pristine white.

I can't help but raise my hand, catching a few falling snowflakes. Lucien looks at me, and his eyes seem to soften a bit.

Lucien: You look particularly happy.

MC: Of course~ I've been looking forward to a scene like this for a very long time.

MC: This time last year, I was running around in a time loop, searching for dark matter...

MC: There was never enough time, and I never had the mood to stop and appreciate this scenery.

MC: Until spring arrived, we never had the chance to quietly watch the snow together.

He tightens his grip on my hand. Lucien seems to follow my lead, tilting his head upward, quietly gazing in the direction of the falling snow.

A few delicate snowflakes land on his eyelashes, softly melting away without a sound.

Through the warm night, I hear his gentle voice.

Lucien: (softly) Perhaps… this belated snowfall is a gift for us now.

The fine snowflakes soften the features of the person before my eyes.

As the snow gradually intensifies, pure white flakes float down from the distant sky, quietly tinting the boundless night in serenity.

Reluctant to part with such fervent snowfall, we return to the car.

Lucien casually turns on the radio, and light music immediately fills the car. Accompanied by the swirling snow outside, it feels like a scene from a crystal ball.

I rest my head on Lucien's shoulder, gently rubbing against it, unable to help but murmur with emotion.

MC: So beautiful... it's like a dream.

The sounds of the evening breeze wafting in through the window crack resembled a delicate and subtle white noise. The fatigue from staying up all night last night gradually surfaces.

The phone screen lights up for a moment, and the digital clock shows eight in the evening. I let out a gentle yawn.

MC: I can't believe I'm tired at this hour... blame it on the recent excessive overtime.

Lucien shifted, allowing me to lean more securely on him, and he spoke in a gentle tone.

Lucien: (in a very, very gentle tone) Have you been tired lately?

I nod and lazily begin counting with the fingers resting on my knee.

MC: I'm exhausted... there's a ton of tasks at work to push through, and I also need to figure out how to save the world.

MC: It either keeps me tossing and turning in insomnia or gives me a night full of nightmares.

Lucien: (gently) What kind of nightmares are you having?

I vaguely recall for a moment and make an exaggerated gesture.

MC: I've been snatched away by a dinosaur this big—

MC: And I've been flattened by this many project proposals—

MC: But you know~ After waking up, as long as I see the messages you send me, all those dinosaurs, all those project proposals, seems like nothing!

Lucien: (chuckle) Mm... I've had that kind of dream too. I wonder if the dinosaur that snatched us is the same one.

Lucien gently squeezes my hand, a hint of uncontrollable laughter in his voice.

I imagine the scene and can't help but burst into laughter as well.

Lucien: (laughs softly) Silly, next time, come knock on my door before you get snatched away by a dinosaur.

The snow outside falls gently, and Lucien speaks amidst the delicate melody.

Lucien: (murmur softly) Speaking of which, if there's a beautiful dream, would you like to stay in it with me?

MC: A beautiful dream? Is it the kind where I don't have to go to work every day?

Lucien: More beautiful than that—it's a dream where we can always be by each other's side.

MC: If there's such a thing I'm willing to dream it for eight lifetimes!

A low chuckle comes from above my head. His voice quietly melts into the night breeze, sounding like a casual sigh.

Lucien: What if I say, I hope never to wake up from this dream with you?

MC: That sounds good too. As long as I'm with you, anywhere is fine…

I blink my heavy eyelids and hear a soft laugh beside my ear. A warmth covers my eyes that I find a bit hard to open.

Lucien: (whispers gently) Get some sleep.

Lucien: I'll make sure to wake you up.

—--------------------------------------------------------

Winter seems to have truly arrived after that night's first snowfall.

With the dropping temperatures, a layer of frost forms on the branches along the river and roadsides. The news on the streets gradually shifts to reports about snow and cold prevention.

I pull my gaze away from the lengthy red light outside the car window and engage the handbrake.

The rift continues to quietly spread, casting shadows of various sizes throughout the city.

However, for some reason, the popularity of news related to the rift is steadily decreasing, and the submissions on this topic are dwindling.

Perhaps people have become completely accustomed to these rifts. Despite some lingering confusion, I do feel a sense of relief.

The green light in the middle of the road lights up, and I put away my phone. After turning a few corners, a spacious bridge suddenly appears before me.

...Strange, there were so many cars just a moment ago. How did it suddenly become so empty?

A hint of confusion creeps in as I carefully survey the surroundings, finding nothing unusual.

As I drive onto the bridge, I suddenly feel the wheels slipping. I instinctively hit the brakes, but the road in the rearview mirror shows no signs of anomalies.

Just as I fall into bewilderment, the throttle gauge on the dashboard spins violently.

The tires emit a harsh, squeaking sound as they uncontrollably move forward.

MC: What's happening...?

Before I can grasp the situation, there's a distinctly audible sound of shattering beneath the car. The next second, the car suddenly plummets.

MC: ....!

I struggle to push open the car door, but the resistance of the water turns my efforts into futility.

No matter how hard I pound and shove, the door remains steadfast. Only the icy water keeps pouring in through the window crack.

The air inside the car diminishes, and I strain to tilt my head upward, closing my eyes in a somewhat desperate attempt.

The world before me gradually fades into darkness.

Next Part-> [Here]

#mlqc lucien #mr love queen's choice #mlqc cn #mlqc spoiler #mlqc translation #mlqc #mr. love queen's choice #mr love lucien #mlqc xu mo #mlqc spoilers

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feytouched · 8 months

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scent of the day: lolitaland (lolita lempicka)

lolitaland is ultra-sweet, almost caramellized peach and mandarin, layered upon licorice and a warm vanilla musk base. i can detect white floral notes, but they're secondary to the strong, synthetic fruits that dominate the top and heart of this fragrance. the liquorice almost pulls this into a interesting anisic direction, but the other notes fail to follow through and the base is a little too stuffy for my liking. overall a rather simple fragrance, and i just don't think i can pull off something this sweet.

i'll be honest, i blind-bought this for the cute bottle (i adore the little fawn on the cap), but i definitely prefer lolita lempicka's namesake scent, which has equally gorgeous packaging. i wish i liked it enough to justify keeping it on display on my vanity, but i'll probably sell or pass this on to a friend at some point; i dislike having full bottles of stuff i'm not likely to wear.

• my ko-fi tip jar • previous scent of the day posts •

#scent of the day #lolita lempicka #ll: lolitaland #scents #perfume #fragrance

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eruden-writes · 1 year

Text

Scent Match - Part 5

lycan x human celebrity x non-celebrity contemporary fantasy

(Note: Started with an anon asking for the phrase prompt, “Oh. Oh.”)

Summary: When Amber Dyer decided to attend a Creator Con, she never expected to run into Of Wolf and Blood lycan hearthrob, Augustine Prime.

But, there he was, stooping over her table, asking to buy the unflattering drawing of his character. Valuing integrity over taking money from a celebrity and running (though she was sorely tempted,) Amber finishes the sketch and delivers it to Augustine.

However, he continues to doggedly pursue her and entwine their lives.

All because of her scent.

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Amber gaped up at the softly smiling Augustine, catching the slight wave of his tail in her peripheral vision. A long moment stretched between them before she gasped, "You're not serious,"

"I am. Your scent is…” He trailed off, his eyes fluttering closed before inhaling deeply. Explaining scents was always difficult, since there was a layer of description non-lycans just wouldn’t understand. Ambrosial and stimulating, her scent eased in through his nose and danced on the back of his tongue, before sifting through his whole body.

Amber watched as his impressive chest expanded. Embarrassment flittered inside her ribcage, skittish feelings racing along her limbs. It was hard for her to acknowledge how his expression melted even further, his tail wagging a little harder when he opened his eyes. “You have one of the best fragrances I've encountered in a long time. Maybe ever."

"Not marriage proposal good!" Her brain floundered, still trying to make sense of the situation. Augustine Prime had proposed to her. Over her smell. Who did that? She searched his face for some indication this was a joke or a weird attempt at teasing. He simply smiled down at her.

"Yes, marriage proposal good." Augustine almost took a step forward, before thinking better of it as Amber’s eyes widened a fraction of an inch. A thought suddenly tumbled through his head and he patted his pockets, until he withdrew an old receipt from his pants and a pen from his jacket’s breast pocket. Forgetting her wariness, he leaned over her with the pen and paper in hand.

“What do you think you’re doing,” she hissed, pressing tight up against the wall, but craning her neck to see what in blazes he was doing. She tried to ignore how his body heat and scent hugged around her. He had a piece of paper pressed flushed to the wall as he scratched what appeared to be a number and email address onto it.

Thankfully, Augustine was soon finished and stepped back. He held the paper out to her, pocketing his pen again. "This is my contact information - my personal contact information - so you can think it over and call me or message me. Hell, text me whenever."

Her hand moved without much thought. After accepting the receipt, she stared at it. She still couldn’t accept that this wasn’t a joke. This wasn’t his real private information. He wouldn’t be that lackadaisical, would he? She could sell this information to a fan or outlet. "How can you trust me with this?"

Augustine chuckled, giving a one-shouldered shrug. "If my trust is misplaced, I'll just get a new phone number and email address."

She squinted up at him, overwhelmed with a sense of working-class disgust. While changing contact information could range from an inconvenience to extremely dire, she couldn’t think of anyone who would take that risk for someone they just met.

The longer Amber stared up at him, albeit with a baffled and somewhat appalled expression, the more Augustine’s grin grew. It was the longest she’d looked at him without looking away. He wasn’t exactly sure if that was a good thing or not, given the less-than-positive expression, but he would take it.

“How can you be so flippant about this?” Her eyes wheeled between the paper and his face. On top of being freely given the information in hand, he wanted to marry her. That implied shared assets and, if he was being sincere about the prenup, she could set herself up for life. Hell, in theory, she could marry him then skip on over to divorce court. “I could ruin you! Marriage is a big deal!”

Augustine could only shrug to her exclamations. Yes, it was true she could ruin him. It was also true that marriage was a big deal, usually. He couldn’t argue those points. Looking down at Amber Dyer, though, he couldn’t help but feel this was right. Their interactions for the evening, though stilted, felt fine. She was pleasant and sweet, attentive to others and a little quiet. The itch to find out more about her, to take care of her, to have her scent around him forever, were all very hard to ignore.

The longer he stared down at her, that damned soft smile on his lips and an eager expression in his eyes, the more Amber’s heart thrummed. A sudden thought flickered through her head as she searched Augustine’s face. Once again, her hand moved before she thought too hard about it. She thrust her hand out, cell phone in her palm, and demanded,“Give me your manager’s number.”

“What?” A quizzical look flickered over Augustine’s face, but he was already reaching for his own cell phone. “Why?”

“Because someone needs to rein you in and isn’t it usually managers that do that?”

“I already told them what I was going to do.” He smiled as he tapped along his phone screen until the correct contact came up. He held his phone out to Amber, screen facing her.

"We'll see about that…" Amber’s lips pursed unhappily as she squinted from Augustine’s phone to her own. She tapped in the number and, once she pressed her phone to her ear, Augustine pocketed his own phone again.

With his hands on his hips, head tilted, he smiled down at the flustered woman.

The phone rang once, before someone picked up. “Go for Xomoa.”

The voice on the other end was husky, deep, somehow exuding a sense of heat. Amber swallowed the feeling of intimidation as she primly responded, “Hello, my name is Amber Dyer, she/they. Um, I’m here with Augustine Prime and he doesn’t seem too well-”

“Ah, Ms. Dyer,” Xomoa sighed, though whether the manager was relieved or not, Amber couldn’t tell. “Judging from your tone, I take it Auggie actually went through with it.”

“Excuse me?” Amber blinked, the minutely rehearsed momentum de-railed by the interruption.

“He proposed all because of your scent.”

Again, heat licked through Amber. Her shoulders hunched as she squeaked out, “Yes.”

There was a long pause of quiet, as if the person on the other end of the phone expected something. Eventually, Xomoa pressed, “And you said…?”

Amber was at a loss for what to say. This wasn’t how she pictured this conversation going. “And I said what?”

With unerring patience, Xomoa clarified, “What is your answer?”

It was such a simple question. One that Amber should have known the answer to, but her mind completely blanked.

“I… I…” With the metaphorical rug utterly decimated out from under Amber’s feet, her eyes wheeled from a vacant mid-distance to Augustine’s face. He had shifted into a crouch, elbow on his knee and hand cradling his chin as he stared up at Amber. His grin was the pinnacle of shit-eating as he carefully watched her expression. “You’re fine with this?!”

“Absolutely not, but Auggie does what he does.” The sigh Xomoa gave alluded to years, if not decades, of experience with ‘Auggie.’ “Would you like my input?”

“Sure.” Why not, Amber figured. It wasn’t as if any of this made sense to her. Maybe the steady, no-nonsense voice on the other end of this conversation had some ideas that would reboot Amber’s brain.

“Take some time to think it over. From a practical point-of-view, you don’t get proposed to by an A-list celebrity every day, but your privacy will be severely hampered. Fame is a double-edged sword.” Xomoa’s logical tone calmed the frantic flurry of Amber’s thoughts.

She had been so focused on Augustine pulling her leg or not being in a stable frame of mind, she didn’t even consider accepting. What would it look like to be involved with a celebrity? And was that something she could even stomach?

“Why are you okay with this? Are you sure he didn’t miss a medicine dose or something?” Amber pressed on, not totally capable of accepted that Augustine Prime wanted to marry her. Even if he had the money to break it off easily, it still seemed unlikely. Her attention flicked down to the actor, who pouted at her words in a painfully over-acted fashion. “This smells like a manic phase he’s going to regret later.”

“Don't make a mistake. I don’t trust you, but I trust Auggie to make appropriate decisions, even if he’s brash.” Amber felt pity for the manager having to wrangle in their client. The resigned edge to their words made it clear they had attempted to fend off Augustine’s whims before and lost. “If he feels this strongly, I’ll bow to his determination.”

“That doesn’t sound wise,” Amber muttered, lips pressing thin as Augustine continued to pout up at her, though his tail wagged genially. Then again, she didn’t know what he’d do if his requests were ignored or denied. Once more, the very fact she barely knew him reverberated through her head.

“Usually, it’s not, but you took the time to call me, worried over Auggie’s state of mind in this pursuit.” The acknowledgement in Xomoa’s voice was almost missed with their dry tone. But their next words made complicated sensations ping through Amber. “Consider it a small hurdle to gaining my trust.”

“I still have worries over his state of mind.” Amber pressed back against the wall again as Augustine got to her feet. The pout was gone from his lips and, in its place, that seemingly ever-present slight smile.

“As do most of us,” they mused, the wisp of a smile in their voice. “Is he there? Can you put him on the phone?”

Oh, he must have known his manager would want to talk to him. That was why he hovered around her. Wariness in Amber eased as she nodded, even though Xomoa couldn’t see the gesture. “Sure.”

With that, Amber handed Augustine her phone and edged a little further from him. She needed some space to think and the way his body heat took over a space wasn’t helping.

With a deep breath, she broke down the situation into small nuggets of fact. Augustine Prime had proposed to her, because he liked her scent. He was willing to sign a prenuptial that would give her half of his assets. There was no requirement of sex or intimacy. He just wanted her around so he could smell her.

Even with the facts, the whole situation felt surreal, but she trudged on.

Presumably, she wouldn’t have to work while they were married. His generational wealth and his value as an actor would see to that. If they divorced, and she took her fair share, working wouldn’t be necessary for survival either.

If they married, did he expect her to move to California? To Follywood? Amber’s stomach dropped at that thought as feeling overwhelmed coasted over her once more. The amount of people, the traffic, the expenses.

Again, he was footing the bill, though.

Beyond all that, being in Follywood might open doors for a creative writer or artist, wouldn’t it? Augustine might even have some connections. She bit down on her thumbnail at the thought, her brain wracking itself to understand the potential boost in her dream career.

“How are you feeling?” Augustine’s voice interrupted her intense introspection. She jumped, turning to face him again. That damn soft smile twitched with amusement at her reaction, but he held her phone out to her.

“I’m not going to lie. It’s tempting. As shallow as this sounds, you're obscenely rich and, depending on the prenup, I could be set for life.” Amber reached out and took her phone, doing her best to keep contact with the man minimal. Her gaze falling to the phone’s screen, seeing the call ended and nothing amiss. Her fingers slid over the edge of the case, feeling a little more stable as she considered the situation from a logically beneficial standpoint. “And you have connections in the entertainment industry that might help me.”

He bent down toward her, a goofy smile spread over his lips. “Also, I’m talented and not too hard on the eyes, right?”

Amber blinked up at him, staring at the way he posed. With his hand near his chin, his thumb and index finger extended, she almost waited for him to wink. It would complete the flirtatious character persona. When the wink didn’t happen, she remembered he’d asked a question. With a sigh and a shrug, Amber tried to pitch something relatively safe. “You’re a good actor, I suppose.”

Well, Augustine couldn’t say he expected that. Genuine surprise flickered over his features. “What? Don’t you find me attractive?”

She surprised him further by taking time to look at him. As if his visage wasn’t often plastered on magazines at check-out stands or slapped across websites. “Aesthetically, yes. You’re attractive. You have a nice smile, your eyes are expressive, and - I know this sounds silly - but your hands are nice.”

“But are you attracted to me?” His eyes narrowed as he assessed her body language, her expression. There was a tinge of a flush to her cheeks, but that was always there. Amber Dyer was a shy delight. He had a feeling any closeness between her and others - except maybe her friend Addie - would have resulted in pleasant little blushes.

“I don’t know you well enough to answer that,” she said immediately, leaning away from him. The heat on her cheeks worsened just trying to sus out her own feelings on the subject.

Augustine gave a thoughtful hum, his eyes still narrowed as if he were trying to spot something he just couldn’t see.

Whether he was annoyed or curious, Amber couldn’t determine. Actors were notoriously arrogant, weren’t they? Did he even want to marry her after hearing she possibly didn’t find him the most beautiful man to walk the earth? “Knowing that, do you still want to marry me?”

“Of course. That’s a pretty minor issue.” His curious expression melted into a smile at her question. Beyond Amber’s scent, Augustine had found her to be adorable, thoughtful, curious. None of it turned him off to having her around. If anything, the urge to keep her around worsened since now she was a curiosity on top of everything else. Marriage would hopefully give him a chance to understand her even better. Or at least try to.

To that, Amber actually laughed and shook her head. She didn’t quite believe he genuinely felt so lackadaisical about it, but she had no proof otherwise. Either he was truthful or his acting skills were phenomenal. It honestly could have gone either way.

“So, should we go back to the dance?” He asked, making a motion back the way they came.

“I was actually planning to leave.” She offered him an apologetic smile, before adding with a gesture to his frame, “After all this, I definitely need to think.”

Augustine bit back his disappointment, his expression faltering. He wasn’t ready to part from her, though. With a raise of one shoulder and a sheepish grin, he asked, “Can I walk you back to your room then?”

Uncertainty peppered Amber’s initial thoughts. Pressing her lips together, she glanced toward the exit. Common sense told her to deny the request. As much of a well-known celebrity as he was, he was still a stranger. Letting him walk her back meant giving away the location where she was staying.

That wasn’t to say she wasn’t tempted or that she wanted to outright deny him. Despite herself, Amber was finding Augustine’s presence interesting, if nothing else. When her eyes dragged back to his face, she only offered him an awkward smile. “I don’t want you getting mugged by fans or the paparazzi.”

“Eh, I can handle myself. Just flash them a smile and wink.” Augustine demonstrated his tactic with a liveliness that made it seem he had no problems being hounded. Indeed, there was a level of flattery to be had, having so many at his heels. With the knowledge he’d come onto Amber strong, Augustine reeled back his performative bravado. “But if you don’t want me to, I’ll back off.”

She watched him carefully. From his haughty bravado to the way he eased, body language softening with… well, she wouldn’t call it shyness or uncertainty, but a sort of delicacy. The realization struck Amber as strange. As an actor, the man was phenomenal, but from their time in person, she thought he had the tact of a bag of bricks.

Amber bit her bottom lip, wondering if she was wrong on some level. Regardless, under his hopeful gold gaze, her shoulders sagged and she relented. “Okay, you can walk with me.”

Immediately, Augustine’s demeanor changed again. Back to the puppy-dog grin and perked ears and wagging tail. He offered his arm to her, waggling his eyebrows.

Once again, Amber hesitated. She looked between his proffered arm to his face, imagining the sort of gleeful malice that would fill the Internet if a picture of them together circulated. While Amber wouldn’t call herself ugly, she was nowhere near the same level of beauty as celebrities. People would call her a thirsty fan or maybe even a stalker Augustine had to assuage.

Looking into his eager face, her resilient restraint faltered. This had to be part of the issue Xomoa spoke about earlier, when referring to Augustine being difficult to stop. He just evoked a sense of sureness that made Amber feel like everything would be fine. The status difference between them, the attractiveness, everything, didn’t matter.

“Don’t make me regret this,” she sighed, accepting his offered arm. Even as she looped her hand under his elbow, she was too afraid to let it settle heavily. It was the weight of Augustine’s hand, settling over hers, that forced Amber’s palm to press flush to him.Heat razed up her back as he leaned over her, making it all the harder to meet his gaze.

“No promises, Miss Dyer.” Augustine grinned down at her, catching the flush darkening her cheeks. He struggled to keep his tone light and playful, even as greater wants churned inside him. Something about the way her eyes focused on him, her fingers digging a little into his arm, did sinfully delightful things to his insides. Clearing his throat, trying to coax away the thoughts that would definitely get him into trouble, he asked, “So, where to?”

—

After another quick trip with the personal shuttle - more like chauffeurs, Amber learned - and a quiet walk through the hotel, the two were soon at her door. They had managed to continue idle conversation. From weather, to the final exhibitions tomorrow, to Amber even mentioning how she hoped to clear out her stock. She was surprised to find Augustine attentive, asking questions and input. Even when the talk had little to do with him.

Though, Augustine would argue anything to do with her had to do with him. The need to see her happy and safe had taken further root the longer she was in his presence. He had a feeling that would be the case. Even as Amber rifled through her bag and pulled out her hotel keycard, Augustine couldn’t keep the bummed out feeling from ballooning in his chest. Even now, after so much time together, he wanted more. It was too much, he knew, but he still wanted it.

“Well, thank you for walking me back, Mr. Prime.” Once her door unlocked, she pushed her way inside her room and threw her purse onto her bed. As expected, Addie hadn’t returned. Vaguely, she wondered if her friend would even be back that evening. She turned back to her companion, leaning in her room’s door jamb as she tilted her face toward him.

“Call me Augustine.” He planted one arm on the wall beside her door, leaning close to her proximity. Subtly, he inhaled deeply, trying to get a fill of her aroma for the evening. Even her body heat teased across the distance between them. He could still feel where she had touched his elbow earlier, the way her fingers had dug into him. Shamefully, he knew he wanted so much more.

“Hmn… I don’t think I will.” A pout threatened to crease Augustine’s features at her answer. Once more, Xomoa’s words echoed in Amber’s ears as she sighed, “Not yet, at least.”

Disappointed, Augustine sighed but accepted her answer. He couldn’t very well push it. Especially if he wanted her to accept his proposal. Besides, there’d be time. Even if Amber seemed unsure, she hadn’t ended their time together when she could have.

He let himself be buoyed by that thought as he tried to put as much charm into his smile as he could. “Fine, fine. Can I call you Amber?”

Amber still struggled over the strangeness of it all. A celebrity asking to call her by her first name. The thought sent strange feelings through her, as if a member of royalty were asking to call a peasant by something intimate. It was just strange.

“I suppose you can,” she replied with a shrug. Of the two of them, it was more acceptable for him to use her first name, she thought. Besides, it wasn’t abnormal for her.

“Well, goodnight then, Amber.” A million dollar smile crossed his lips, showing off his pointed pearly whites. She could have sworn the very air around him warmed and lightened at the very expression. Maybe it was the delight gleaming in his eyes that was just making her feel warmer, though.

“Goodnight.” She peered at Augustine from the crack of her door. Something fluttered in her chest, prompting her to add, “I will think about your offer.”

Her words seemed to make his features brighten further. A flash of a smile, of his sharp teeth, tilted at his lips before he turned to leave. Augustine didn’t get far before he stopped in his tracks and snapped his fingers.

Turning back to Amber, who still stood sentry behind her door watching him curiously, he said, “Before I forget. There’s a charity auction tomorrow. One of those ‘win a dinner date’ things.”

She stared up at him, trying to understand what it had to do with her. Did he want her to go with him? Or win him? Immediately, the thought the events of the day took a turn. Had he just wanted her attention so he’d have some schmuck to bid on him? His commission had been $200 so he knew she had that much at least.

“It’s a PR obligation. Raises money for a good cause, yadda yadda.” Unaware of the way Amber’s thoughts were painting him, Augustine turned back to her and approached her door. He leaned a shoulder against the wall nearby, an apologetic expression softening his features. There was a tiny swell of guilt sloshing around in him, but it couldn’t be helped. There were some contractual things he couldn’t wiggle out of. “I can’t really get out of it. I just wanted to let you know, since it might seem weird after everything.”

“Oh, well. Have fun?” A brief look of confusion crossed her features, before she realized he was waiting for something. It took her half-a-second to realize what he was looking for. “I won’t be getting jealous. Again, I barely know you.”

“Yeah, okay. Good to know.” Augustine pushed himself off the wall, rubbing the back of his neck. A sense of disappointment swelled in his chest, but he stowed that away. There wasn’t anything he should be disappointed with, he told himself. He’d already gotten more grace from Amber than anyone else said he would.

One last time, he softly smiled at Amber. “Well, uh, goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” she reciprocated, watching as he turned and walked away, dawdling a little, before she closed the door.

Once the door was closed, Amber pressed her back against it. She took a steadying breath, realizing how hard her heart beat and how warm her face felt, before reaching for her phone. Thumbing her way to an ongoing chat with Addie, her mind was a chaotic tumble of what to say. As she typed out her message - informing her friend of the newest turn of events - Amber gave pause. Would Addie - would anyone - believe her? Wouldn’t this sound like the delusional ravings of an obsessed fan?

Amber pressed her lips thin and gave her head a good shake, before finishing her text to her friend. What was she even thinking? She had precedent on her side. It wasn’t as if Augustine would deny he had proposed to her, either. For some reason, that was something Amber was certain of.

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#exo writing #exophilia #lycan #werewolf #lycan x human #werewolf x human #monster lover #monster fucker #monster romance #fictional celebrity #fictional celebrity x non-celebrity #scent match #augustine #amber #she's warming up to him very slowly #though the next part he has Celebrity Contractual Obligations so we'll see if he sticks with amber #:)

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rosesloveletters · 4 months

Note

some wonka questions for you… answer if you wish!

Would Willy ever let y/n wear his top hat?

What does he smell like? Does he have a favorite scent?

What kind of touch does he like?

Thank you so much!

Thank you for the questions, dear anon!

I wanted to ponder these for a day or so and give myself some time to form detailed responses to each question so that I am able to give you the best answers I can 😊

So, without further ado...

Would Willy ever let y/n wear his top hat?

In short, yes.

I think that, in a sweet gesture, Willy might remove his hat and place it on y/n's head or allow them to remove it themself and put it on their own head if they wanted to., but I don't think he'd let them get too far away from him with it in their possession.

In the film, we only see Wonka remove his hat in situations where he either has it in his hand, on his desk or directly in front of him where he can see that it is safe and can grab it and put it back on his head in an instant. When he does remove his hat, we can see that his hair is flattened from wearing it, so it's obvious that he wears it quite often. And, he chooses to keep it on in the television room, when he could have easily hung it up outside, he specifically put it back on his head.

Even inside his office, he puts it on the statue on his desk rather than on the rack with his coat. Based on this, I like to believe that there is some sort of sentimentality which garners such a strong attachment to his hat and would therefore feel uncomfortable to let y/n wear it out of his sight and cannot just grab it back.

What does he smell like? Does he have a favorite scent?

I think that Wonka would, obviously, smell like chocolate.

He works and lives inside of a chocolate factory and keeps sweets and chocolate bars inside his coat, so I think the smell would cling to his clothes and hair and linger on his skin and breath.

Adding onto that, I think there would be earthy undertones and a sense of overall cleanliness to his usual smell.

This next bit is extremely specific (I've put a lot of thought into describing his smell 😂)

There is a bath and body works scent (more specifically the foaming hand soap) that is how I imagine Willy would smell. (I don't use bath and body works anymore because I've learned it's bad for my skin but that's not important lmao)

It's called Sugared Maple Lane and the fragrance notes are: maple drizzle, warm citrus sunshine and brown sugar.

I don't believe this scent is available right now, as it is an autumn addition, but these fragrance notes coupled with perhaps a hint of dark chocolate is exactly how I think he would smell.

What kind of touch does he like?

Willy would be comfortable with physical touch, only after you had proven yourself to be trustworthy.

Trust is a very important aspect to any relationship, but to Willy, it is everything. He closed the doors to his factory because his employees were stealing his recipes and selling it to his competitors and therefore he learned very quickly that he could not blindly trust just anyone. He isolated himself and became jaded and cynical and mistrustful of others until they proved otherwise.

Willy only shows physical affection towards Charlie at the end of the film, after he tests Charlie to be certain that he can trust the child. Once he learns that Charlie is completely trustworthy, Willy scoops him into his arms and then, shortly after, gives him a big hug.

Not to compare a romantic relationship to how he interacts with a child, but Willy only really interacts with children in canon so I am using this as an example to show that he only is comfortable with physical touch after he knows he can trust the other person.

That being said, it will take time for y/n to gain his trust.

Once they have, he is open to most physical touches.

I think he would like softer touches.

He would be comfortable with cuddling, specifically when he's tired and just wants to feel close to his lover. Cuddling might help him sleep better.

I don't think he would like PDA. Not that there is anyone else inside the factory aside from y/n, the Oompa Loompas, Mr. Wilkinson and himself, but Willy does not strike me as the kind of man who would want anyone watching him sharing any intimate moments with his partner.

However, I believe that he is a gentleman and, though he might try to hide it, he is also a romantic.

He might put his arm around y/n or let them take his arm to guide them. If their hands were at their sides and he was standing close, his thumb might gently brush the back of their hand. Chaste kisses or quick hugs are also okay, but with others around, don't expect him to show much more affection than this.

But his eyes are so expressive and that more than makes up for it.

Y/n can practically feel his embraces and sweet, gentle kisses just by looking into his eyes. It is more than obvious how much y/n means to him.

Another random thought: I think he would like having his hair played with as long as they are gentle and would enjoy y/n rubbing his scalp with the pads of their fingers.

***

I hope that these answers satisfy your questions. I tried to respond to the best of my ability, with lots of examples and fun connections to canon.

I appreciate you asking me these; it was a delight to delve into Wonka's personality a bit beyond my fics that I've written so far.

If you have any other Willy Wonka questions, I am more than happy to answer them for you😊❤️

Thank you so much!

#mail :: 📬#anonymous :: 😶#willy wonka #willy wonka and the chocolate factory #gene wilder

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chucklechampion · 10 months

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Emergency Custom Fragrance Sale to Save My Best Friend’s Life

hey everyone, my name is ren and his is my special little buddy hocus pocus

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currently they are being bottled in 3ml vials but if you’d like more i can absolutely accommodate.

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if you’re interested but can’t afford the pricing, i’m perfectly willing to work with you!!

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if you’re interested, please dm me for more details!

#please share this if you feel able #i want this to reach as wide of an audience as i can #he’s my best friend and i dont want to watch him die slowly #i can make fragrance oils out of almost anything!! if you have an idea i will make it happen #please help me save him #fundrasier #medical debt #feline lukemia virus #feline anemia #fragrance oil #perfume #cologne #custom perfume #custom cologne

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ivorysyrniki · 9 months

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chapter three: small (venti)

pairing: venti/reader

title: Everything I Know About Love

summary: You finally find the place where they sell Dandelion Wine.

tags: fluff, friends to lovers, slow burn, eventual smut, love confessions

notes: biweekly updates. also posted on ao3. fridays.

parts: chapter three - chapter four

Mondstadt is beautiful. With the wind ever-present and the moon high up in the sky greeting its citizens. The people are all walking around, running errands, shouting from their stalls, even at this time of night. Bards play their lyres and sing their archon's name, who left just about a year ago, but still, the memory of him appears to be fresh in their minds. Children run around and play together, while some of them sell flowers to those that venture from other nations.

The winds carry the fragrances of cecilias and windwheel asters, dancing with bright green leaves.

Barbatos is hiding in your bag, but his tiny face emerges from a little hole to look around. He emits a sound akin to a whistle of the wind, exuding a bright tone almost as if he is telling you that he is content with what he is seeing. You have always found his techniques odd, for he does not govern his people directly. It is so starkly different from the other gods that you have met in the past, and those gods have already started their gentle yet firm reign on their nations as soon as they received the right to one of the divine seats. He did start his immediately, but left after he decided that his people could take on life in their own ways.

He does, in a way, remind you of a parent.

Before this little sightseeing, Barbatos had insisted you call him Venti, and had told you that he had left his nation yesteryear to avoid being a tyrannical leader. Having known him from the legends, you vehemently disagreed that he would make one given the stories passed down by word-of-mouth, but he only shook his head at you and said that by any means, he wouldn't take any chances. And so he transforms from the form of a young boy to a wisp and hides in the worn bag you drag around everywhere.

You had no right to complain. After all, this is his nation, you have to obey his rules. You begrudgingly headed to the City of Winds and Idylls, and marvelled at the scenery before you. Now, you are clueless about where to go. Where was the tavern that sells the marvellous Dandelion Wine?

You try to scan your surroundings, listening to the stall and shop owners.

"Meat is on sale!"

"Come and join our group!"

"There is definitely something that will catch your eye!"

Nothing seems to head in the direction of the finest wine. You are too occupied with looking for a way that you do not notice your bag buzzing like a bee. You open the bag discreetly after realizing it. Barbatos looks at you and flies in the right direction of the bag. You look at him and the direction he pointed to. And sure enough, it leads to an alleyway.

You close the bag and allow him to hide once more. You head to the alleyway he pointed at, walking faster and faster until you reach the tavern.

Angel's Share.

"May I help you?"

A man dressed to the nines approaches you. Red hair flaming down his shoulders, piercing red eyes staring at you as the question rolls softly off his tongue.

"I- uh…" you stammer, feeling the slight buzzing that nests in your bag. "I came here for Dandelion Wine."

"Ah, I see." he smiles, icy exterior melting away. He points to the door with an open palm. "Please come this way. We sell the finest."

You stare at him for a few seconds, before walking towards the door slowly. You press your hand and wrap your fingers at the doorknob. The doorknob turns under the weight of your hand.

The music from lyres, guitars, flutes, and even the ice from beers ring from the tavern in complete harmony. The chatter adds to it like a cherry on top of the cake. Aromas of wine, beer, and alcohol haze through the air in a hot mist that envelops you as you enter.

Another man greets you as you close the door behind you. He asks for your order, and you meekly say, "One cup of Dandelion Wine, please."

He laughs, "Ha! Once you have a taste, you won't stop!"

You simply stare at him as he pours a drink on a silver goblet. He states, "Now, let this sit for twelve minutes. That's what the folks in high-class society do."

"Thank you," you take the goblet from the counter and turn to the seating area. You decide not to fight the other customers with the seat at the back, walking upwards the stairs with the silver goblet at hand, carefully trying to steady it so as to not let the wine escape the goblet. It reeks of its alcoholic tones however it does smell delicious, that you would admit, but it does look pretty unassuming, not as good-looking as other wines.

When you find your seat, you sit for twelve minutes in total silence, with Barbatos—now out of his wisp form and back to the young boy—beside you, also admiring the silver goblet. His eyes blink as he smiles. He wipes his mouth from time to time as if trying to avoid himself from salivating.

You assume that Dandelion Wine is indeed his favourite.

Once twelve minutes pass, Barbatos gestures for you to taste it. The smile is still on his face. He does look like he is shining—features ethereal. If you were a human, you would be suspicious if he was truly one of your kind.

You move your arm and take the goblet, sniffing the aroma of the wine, before taking a sip. It took you a long, arduous time for this one sip and with the expectations rising in your heart, you close your eyes for the whole experience.

As soon as the famed wine hits your tongue, however, you say…

“It doesn’t taste so good…”

#eikal-venti #everythingiknowaboutloveventi #genshinimpact #genshin imagines #genshin venti #venti #genshin impact #fanfiction #genshin fanfiction #a03 #series #slowburn #eventual smut #venti x reader #reader #self insert #gender neutral #gender neutral mc #venti/reader

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