#Azurid Challenge 2024

[oya-oya-okay]

AzuRid CHALLENGE💗 Day 5: Childhood🥰

[amouress16]

Azurid Challenge Day 6: Ocean

This was supposed to be accompanied by a sketch comic of Riddle going into the sea as a mer, but this is already a day late because I was busy with life stuff yesterday, so take this for now.

[sakurapika]

Supermarket Bouquet

A short story for Azurido Week

Theme: Roses

Word Count: 971 words

Summary: A certain octopus, who is both a businessman and a helpless romantic, takes a quick trip to the supermarket.

Please enjoy :)

No unnecessary purchases.

This was the ground rule Azul had set when he and the twins had first stepped into the supermarket. They were only there to buy a few emergency ingredients for tonight’s dinner rush. It was supposed to be short: in and out. Still, although he emphasized their goal multiple times on the commute there, he couldn’t guarantee that the Leech brothers remembered the original objective. 

He steered his shopping cart towards the spice aisle, catching a glimpse of Floyd filling his own with sugar cookies and macarons. Azul stopped to give him a disapproving glare.

“I just wanted--”

“No.”

“But they’re on sale--”

“No!”

“Whatever, man! I’m gonna pay for this with my own money, and I’m not gonna share.”

Azul simply let him be, wondering if his stress was getting to his head. Under normal circumstances, Azul would’ve been ecstatic that tonight was Valentine’s Day. Students would come flocking to the Mostro Lounge, begging to be squeezed in for reservations. Even better, they brought their significant others--fewer solo diners meant more available tables, and twice the customers! But word had gotten out that the Mostro Lounge was fully booked for the 14th of February, and so people had started booking for the weekends surrounding the holiday. As a result, there was already a shortage of spices, fruits, and seafood--and not enough time to order more from their usual suppliers. 

Therefore, just a few hours before the dinner opening hour, the three of them had set out off campus to buy their last-minute necessities.

Azul approached the spices and herbs, quickly gathering the best-looking peppers, rosemary, and bay leaves he could find. Everything on his list was accounted for. Knowing that Floyd was a helpless case, he moved on to find Jade. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the bouquets. 

Growing up in the Coral Sea, Azul had read about the landfolks’ traditions, including giving flowers to your beloved. He didn’t understand the appeal back then. His own home was in a considerably deep part of the sea, where sunlight scarcely reached the floor. Sure, when he swam up to the reefs to go to school, he did see beautiful plants, coral and sponges around, but they were just there. They were unremarkable.

And when he came to the land, he certainly was caught off-guard by the plants that grew up on the surface. The grass was greener. There were massive trees taller than whales. There were blossoms in every season in colors that were so crisp, so striking, they should’ve been forbidden. No wonder the landfolk liked to give their loved ones flowers on Valentine’s day. It was a reminder of how beautiful it was to be part of this world.

Azul lingered in the floral aisle, the sweet fragrance overwhelming his senses. After his transition to life on land, he had gotten used to flowers--or so he thought. He had eventually convinced himself of the reality: people didn’t really buy flowers on any occasions aside from birthdays, graduations, recitals, and Valentine’s Day. Other than that, it was no big deal. But now was the season, and suddenly everyone was scrambling to buy them. Of course, the supermarket would make this common commodity cost three times as much as usual. It was how the basic principle of supply and demand worked.

But, how beautiful they are! Azul gushed to himself, admiring the petals of the tulips, brushed in a soft blush, as well as the rich, regal purple of the orchids. I can’t justify buying this for myself, though. If only there was someone who loved flowers as much as I do…

Then he realized that this supermarket sold roses.

And suddenly, Azul was grinning like a madman, even laughing to himself, as he lifted the bouquets one by one, checking to see which roses had the reddest petals. He couldn’t stop thinking about it: What is he going to think? He would never expect this. He'd be so happy if I bought these for him out of the blue. Oh, I’m so generous, I’m so benevolent. I’m going to cast a spell on these flowers so he can look at them forever--

“I’m done,” Jade said, appearing with his cart of seafood, fruits, and an inconspicuous bag of shiitake mushrooms (which, for the record, weren’t on the list).

Azul scooped up the bouquet he was eyeing, the very best one. “Very well. Get your brother, and let’s get out of here.”

“Guys!” Floyd called from the checkout line, “I’m already here! Move it!”

They hurried to combine their groceries to be scanned, and Azul whipped out his credit card to pay for everything. 

Floyd pointed to the bouquet. “Um, that wasn’t on the list.”

“No. It wasn’t,” Azul remarked candidly, swiping his card.

Jade said, “Doesn’t that mean it’s an unnecessary purchase?”

“Oh, I assure you, everything I do is deliberate.”

He glanced at his watch--four o’clock already?! One more hour before the dinner time rush, and it took thirty minutes to get back on campus. The trio threw their groceries into their shopping bags, except for the roses, which Azul clutched to his chest to keep them from getting crushed. Even though they had to run to catch the bus, and there was so much to do before opening, he couldn’t stop thinking about Riddle. 

It didn’t matter that Riddle had grown up surrounded by roses--they grew around his childhood home, around his new school dorm, everywhere. He kept roses on his desk and pinned to his jacket. But he never failed to smile when he saw those bright petals or smelled its sweet fragrance. Riddle was in love with the ordinary, and Azul was in love with him. For Azul to see that everyday smile again, well, it was absolutely necessary. 

The End

[blackbutlerfandomnerddomain]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE AZULRID CHALLENGE OF 2024!

Your works were amazing and truly made me and everyone else so damn happy!

Hopefully we do this again next year, and don't worry for those who missed the days you can still post them with the hashtag and I'll add them in as fun extras in my folder!

[oya-oya-okay]

AzuRid CHALLENGE!!!💕 Day 1: Roses 💌

※ They started dating recently. The atmosphere turned out to be very gentle 👉👈 🐙🌹

[amouress16]

Azurido Challenge Day 5: Childhood (aka Visiting Your Home, part one)

As Azul walks down the hall, he notices the many photos hung on the wall, starkly contrasting with the almost shiny looking wallpaper. It was impossible not to notice them, massive things almost as tall as the boy leading him through the space. They're family photos, he can tell right off. Each appear to be taken about a year apart, by the look of the child who grows up little by little between each image. It's on the sixth one he notices a shift, tension and unhappy faces. And in the next picture, as well as all the subsequent ones after, the ginger haired man is missing. ...suddenly it makes sense why Riddle never speaks of his father. What a thing to have in common, he thinks.

[amouress16]

Happy Valentines day, and first day of the Azurido challenge <3

Challenge day 1: Roses

[amouress16]

"There, see? You already have the technique down. Just take a breath and try to relax. Your magic will respond to your emotions; if you feel calm and confident, your flight will reflect that. Then you'll be soaring across the field without issue."

Happy belated Birthday Azul! And final submission for the Azurid challenge. The broomquet outfit gave me a lot of trouble to draw even with some simplifications :') but after a few days hard work this piece is finally done!

[amouress16]

"The scent of lavender rises faintly from the sheets of the same color, tainted now with the mingling smells of a sea breeze and a nectar sweet rose. A safe and comfortable place for rest, where I find myself wishing the time for sleep would not be ending so soon. Allow me to be irresponsible, just this once, and sink further into this faux lavender flower bed with you a while longer." Azurido Challenge Day 2: Lavender

This piece was a quick experimental one, more meant to go with the writing than anything. Please enjoy :3

[blackbutlerfandomnerddomain]

@oya-oya-okay did this, as I learned from my Strawberry Pocky Challenge that I will fix for December, I decided to make one of a ship that I’m surprise DON’T have enough fics!

February 14 - 24 are the days for the challenge, # - AzuRid Challenge 2024 is the hashtag, stories, art, audio, etc are welcome!!