#Blue bottle fuchsia

[thebotanicalarcade]

n98_w1150 by Biodiversity Heritage Library Via Flickr: Floral gems /. Springfield, Ohio :McGregor Bros. Co.. biodiversitylibrary.org/page/46112937

[thewertsearch]

CG: I NEED YOU TO COME THROUGH FOR ME, BECAUSE WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF MANPOWER HERE. CT: D --> We are CG: YES DIDN'T I MENTION? FEFERI, KANAYA AND TAVROS ARE DEAD, SOLLUX IS UNCONSCIOUS, AND TEREZI IS MISSING.

It all fell apart so fast, didn't it?

One minute, he was sitting in the Veil’s rec room, bickering with Jade. The next, everything was blood and honking.

What the fuck happened to Kanaya.

You foolishly misplaced your glasses during your heroic revival attempt, leaving you with no way of communicating with the others to warn them.

Phew. You got me, Hussie.

But there is no one in here. Just someone taking a nap on the horn pile over there. And a big puddle of something next to the transportalizer.

We turned our back on Kanaya's body, and now it’s on the move.

Who’s the culprit, though? The only troll unstable enough to do this is probably Gamzee...

Are those.... fang marks?

KANAYA!!!

She's back!!

I mean, she's apparently a fucking vampire, but who gives a shit? We're back in business, baby!

Man, this is fucking random, isn't it? From where I'm sitting, it's come completely out of the blue. If it gets my girl back in the game, I'll take it, but how the hell does this even work?

I know Kanaya used to dream of being a vampire rainbow drinker, but dreams don't usually come true this easily. Alternia does have undead, so it's possible she was bitten before she Entered, but I would have expected her vampirism to have manifested much earlier in the session. She has always had pointed teeth, but I assumed it was just a natural trait in trolls.

Is it a Sylph thing, perhaps? The class is apparently 'more magical' than a Witch, so maybe Kanaya's latent magical abilities were triggered in death, restoring her to... undeath?

If that's true, though, then why a vampire? They don't have anything to do with Space, unless you count the fact that they're nocturnal, and thus active when the night sky is visible. I doubt that's even true for rainbow drinkers, who are probably diurnal.

Kanaya's thirst for fuchsia blood would suggest that her instincts have taken over for the time being. We won't really know how much self-control she has until she's face-to-face with a living troll, but I'm confident in her willpower.

That said... I'd absolutely love a villainous Kanaya. If she fully gave into her thirst, she'd be a bigger threat than all these idiots combined - especially if she has access to the traditional array of vampire powers.

Anyway, please excuse me as I pop the biggest bottles of champagne. Kanaya's back, baby!

[the-purpurhaj]

Round 1, Attempt 2

(seems to be the same seed, re-doing it anyway to be save)

(also 1 day per reblog from me as to limit post usage)

Orange: Names

Blue: injury scene / active fight

Red: Death scene

---

The Bloodbath

As the tributes stand on their podiums, the horn sounds.

svart breaks klappar's nose for a basket of bread.

turkos takes a handful of throwing knives.

rod grabs a shield leaning on the cornucopia.

lila, angla, divineguld, and torkadblodrod form a suicide pact, killing themselves.

sonicjah runs away from the Cornucopia.

448c stays at the cornucopia for resources.

liten scares ljus away from the cornucopia.

screenwriting retrieves a trident from inside the cornucopia.

blalila runs away from the Cornucopia.

dino grabs a backpack, not realizing it is empty.

svard runs away from the Cornucopia.

purpur retrieves a trident from inside the cornucopia.

ultraviolett grabs a shield leaning on the cornucopia.

gra runs away from the Cornucopia.

ogiltig and brun work together to drown sma.

attaarmad scares brun away from the cornucopia.

hajhaj finds a bow, some arrows, and a quiver.

spelutvecklare runs away from the Cornucopia.

purjolok runs away from the Cornucopia.

haj and gul fight for a bag. haj gives up and retreats.

odet finds a bag full of explosives.

infrarod runs away from the Cornucopia.

djavulsksilver finds a bow, some arrows, and a quiver.

bla finds a canteen full of water.

fuchsia runs away from the Cornucopia.

v1haj runs into the cornucopia and hides.

rodgul grabs a sword.

vit runs away from the Cornucopia.

magenta runs away from the Cornucopia.

cardboard grabs a jar of fishing bait while turkossma gets fishing gear.

demon retrieves a trident from inside the cornucopia.

rutig runs away from the Cornucopia.

regnbags runs away from the Cornucopia.

demon runs away from the Cornucopia.

gron snatches a bottle of alcohol and a rag.

swim rips a mace out of blavingad's hands.

tale grabs a backpack and retreats.

---

Day 1

dino is pricked by thorns while picking berries.

vit and attaarmad split up to search for resources.

infrarod begs for purjolok to kill him. He refuses, keeping infrarod alive.

demon, turkossma, svard, haj, and svart hunt for other tributes.

spelutvecklare practices his archery.

purpur diverts ultraviolett's attention and runs away.

gron defeats swim in a fight, but spares his life.

hajhaj practices his archery.

klappar, ogiltig, and rodgul hunt for other tributes.

demon travels to higher ground.

brun, brun, and 448c get into a fight. brun triumphantly kills them both.

blalila chases gul.

rutig receives an explosive from an unknown sponsor.

magenta chases screenwriting.

sonicjah thinks about home.

liten and odet fight regnbags and ljus. liten and odet survive.

blavingad tries to spear fish with a trident.

tale discovers a cave.

djavulsksilver tries to spear fish with a trident.

v1haj receives fresh food from an unknown sponsor.

bla sees smoke rising in the distance, but decides not to investigate.

cardboard sprains his ankle while running away from fuchsia.

gra injures himself.

turkos practices his archery.

rod goes hunting.

---

Fallen Tributes 1

9 cannon shots can be heard in the distance.

lila District 2

torkadblodrod District 2

divineguld District 5

sma District 5

regnbags District 6

brun District 7

angla District 9

448c District 9

ljus District 12

---

Night 1

magenta accidently steps on a landmine.

demon tends to his wounds.

screenwriting looks at the night sky.

vit, v1haj, liten, and svard tell each other ghost stories to lighten the mood.

infrarod begs for gron to kill him. He refuses, keeping infrarod alive.

svart tries to sing himself to sleep.

attaarmad climbs a tree to rest.

purjolok quietly hums.

gra, blalila, and tale discuss the games and what might happen in the morning.

odet passes out from exhaustion.

turkossma quietly hums.

rod receives clean water from an unknown sponsor.

sonicjah, dino, rutig, and brun sleep in shifts.

gul starts a fire.

turkos, ogiltig, and blavingad discuss the games and what might happen in the morning.

swim and hajhaj tell stories about themselves to each other.

ultraviolett and spelutvecklare tell stories about themselves to each other.

djavulsksilver, demon, and cardboard discuss the games and what might happen in the morning.

klappar and rodgul tell stories about themselves to each other.

fuchsia questions his sanity.

purpur defeats bla in a fight, but spares his life.

haj starts a fire.

[damiensbedtimestoriesau]

Girls Night #8

Weeks had passed. While things weren’t quite the same as before, the girls had started healing, there bond, though cooler, had grown strong once more. The warmth between them had returned, and their trust had begun to mend.

Steph was at Ivy and Harley’s apartment, wearing the pleated fuchsia skirt and deep violet cardigan she’d picked up on her trip with Lois and Selina, pieces that made her feel at home in her body again. She paired them with a tight black shirt blasted with an emo band logo, black thigh-highs, and pink sneakers to match. She felt like herself again.

Harley was busy doing Steph’s makeup, Ivy focused on her hair. Both wore teasing smiles as they waited to meet the girl Steph had told them about, the one who’d asked her to dinner. Steph was absolutely fabulous tonight, but her heart was racing. She was nervous. She was going on a date with her best friend.

And then—

Knock

Knock

Knock

Steph rushed over and opened the door.

Kara stood there, cheeks flushed, eyes wide.

“W~wow,” she stuttered. “Steph… y~ou look amazing.”

She was visibly stunned.

Kara wore a white dress fit for a runway,  sleek, structured, and unmistakably bold. The signature titty window was ever present but in more of an oblong diamond shape. She paired it with heeled white leather boots and gloves that reached past her elbows. It looked like she’d taken her super suit and tailored it into something worthy of a gala.

Back inside the apartment, Ivy and Harley exchanged a look.

Ivy leaned toward Harley and whispered, “Is she… is she dating”

They finished in unison.

“...Power Girl.”

The two stared, stunned, as the tall, impossibly muscular, and ridiculously well-endowed woman took a graceful knee and kissed Stephanie’s hand.

Both Steph and Kara turned the same bright shade of red, neither quite able to form a coherent sentence. Both taken aback by each others beauty. 

“So… so, PG,” Steph managed, “do you wanna get dinner? I heard Penguin’s Nest is popular. You don’t have to worry about paying for anything… I’ve got Bruce’s credit card.”

“I don’t care where we go or what we eat, Steph,” Kara replied, breathless. “I just beg of you to let me hold your hand.”

Steph stimmed a little, fingers fluttering at her sleeves, she then fell forward into Kara’s arms, slowly moving her hand to grip Kara’s tightly.

She turned to Ivy and Harley, cheeks still flushed. “This is Kara… the girl I told you about.”

They both waved awkwardly, still trying to wrap their heads around the fact that not only did Steph know Power Girl, she was dating her.

Soon enough, Kara and Steph were off to the Penguin’s Nest, ready to eat some of the finest seafood in Gotham. And if they had room, they’d try the restaurant’s banana cream pie since that’s what it was known for. Sure, it was technically owned by the mob, but so were all the best restaurants in Gotham. And as far as Cobblepot’s escapades went, this one wasn’t too shady. The place wasn’t a front for guns or drugs like most of his other businesses. It was just a gift to his nephew, who’d graduated from culinary school. Oswald funded it, sure, but he stayed out of the kitchen.

The two soon arrived at the bustling restaurant. Everyone inside was overdressed, even compared to the borderline runway model that was Kara. But all it took was Steph casually dropping her adoptive father’s last name, and suddenly they had the best table in the house.

Who knew it paid to be a Bat?

They were brought two glasses and a bottle of the finest wine, along with a basket of breadsticks so big it could fill a room.

“Where has this been my whole life?” Kara gasped, grabbing a breadstick. “I knew your family was loaded, but wow…”

She caught herself. “Not that it matters! We could eat at Bat Burger for all I care, as long as I get to stare into your gorgeous crystal-blue eyes.”

Steph blushed again, her smile widening.

“And that smile of yours? You make me wanna scream with glee, Girl Wonder.”

“Staaapppp,” Steph laughed, giving Kara’s shoulder a playful shove. “If you keep this up, I’m gonna get lightheaded, silly.”

She laid her hand, palm-up, on the table. Kara took it gently, squeezing it. Just like they had been all night, both of them were blushing uncontrollably.

“Any idea what you want yet, PG?” Steph asked.

“Your lips on mine.”

Steph’s face flushed bright red. The silence between them stretched, heavy, charged.

“I’m sorry… sorry! Was that too forward? I was just trying to be romantic…” Kara stumbled through the words, panicked.

Steph leaned over the table and kissed her softly.

“Yeah… that was a little fast,” she teased as she pulled back. “But if you play your cards right, Kara… after dinner and dessert, you’ll get a longer kiss. And if I’m a lucky girl…”

Her smile curled like mischief.

“We can cuddle under the stars.”

Kara was speechless.

The two studied their menus carefully. Everything was fancy, absurdly so. But price wasn’t a concern. Bruce could probably buy a small country if he wanted to, even after funding half of Gotham’s infrastructure, criminal reform programs, and around twelve youth outreach initiatives.

Neither of them really knew what they wanted, but eventually, Kara ordered the Butter-Poached Lobster Tail, served over squid ink risotto with thin lemon slices arranged like flower petals. Steph, feeling adventurous, went for the Wood-Fired Octopus, braised in white wine, charred over a wood fire, and plated atop perfectly diced, paprika-dusted potatoes.

It was delicious. Weird... but delicious. Every bite tasted like money and Michelin stars.

They exchanged a look, half-delighted, half-overwhelmed. It was possibly the best food they’d ever eaten. But in the same breath, both found themselves thinking about Bat Burger, or Superbabes Diner, where the fries were greasy, the service was too friendly, and nobody stared at you like you didn’t belong.

A place like that wouldn’t be as glamorous, or as high-quality, but it would’ve been more them.

Still, they were having an incredible time. The wine was bitter-sweet, the air was warm, and the way they kept catching each other’s eyes across the table made the whole room fade. For once, the world was quiet.

As they finished their plates and started discussing dessert, a hush fell over the restaurant. A figure in a flowing petticoat sat down at the grand piano, fingers brushing the keys with practiced elegance. An open floor stretched between the piano and the tables, lit in soft golden tones.

Kara turned to Steph and reached for her hand.

“May I have this dance?” she asked, with the gentlest of smiles.

The two locked hands and stepped onto the open floor as the soft, dreamy tune of “Am I Blue” floated from the piano. Slowly, they danced, the world around them melting into soft light and sound.

The floor beneath their feet may as well have disappeared. Kara could, in a literal sense, lift them into the sky and dance among the clouds, with owls and bats soaring beside them. But that wasn’t what was happening.

This moment… this bliss… made them feel like they were already floating.

Everything bad that had ever happened, and everything that might still come, seemed to pause, giving them this one perfect breath in time. Their steps were slow and certain, and in each other’s arms, it felt like the rest of the world had finally let go.

As the music swelled, Steph leaned in and kissed Kara again, longer this time, deeper. Their cheeks flushed scarlet.

It was love.

They ordered a banana cream pie to go, paid a bill that had nearly drifted into four-digit territory, and left the Penguin’s Nest hand-in-hand.

Outside, the city sparkled around them, yet even so they ran to where they wouldn’t be seen. 

There Kara lifted Steph gently into her arms and flew them to a quiet lookout perched high above the ocean cliffs. They curled up beneath the stars, the pie between them, arms wrapped around one another, they snuggled and ate dessert.

Kara noticed Steph’s eyes fixated on the stars above them and the full moon.

“Do you want a closer look?” Kara asked softly.

Steph’s eyes lit up. Kara pulled out her phone and a pair of earbuds, slipping one into her own ear and the other into Steph’s.

Then, “Am I Blue” began playing between them again, and they flew.

They danced in the stratosphere, wrapped in wind and moonlight and music. Hearts soaring higher than even Kara could carry them.

The night was, impossibly, perfectly, theirs.

Love wins. Always.

[thus-spoke-lo]

Pain Management // Trafalgar Law x afab!reader // NSFW/18+

Previous Chapter // Next Chapter Series Masterlist // AO3 Link // Playlist

Chapter 10: Recovery (Epilogue)

Chapter Summary: The sun sets on the horizon, and you sit alone on the deck, absorbing the hues of the evening sky. Every decision comes with regrets, with thoughts that wander to what-ifs and what-could-have-beens, and as you bask in the orange glow of the setting sun, you ruminate on what was and what will be.

Chapter CW: afab!reader, no pronouns used; gendered pet names [ex. "good girl"]; angst; mention of surgical procedure performed on reader

WC: 2k

You sat alone on the deck and leaned back onto the heels of your palms, face tilted towards the sky, letting the dusky pinks and blues of the setting sun warp around you like a blanket as the breeze drifted across your skin. You missed this—you missed the immaculate oil paintings of evening, swaths of vibrant tangerines and fuchsias that slowly faded into watercolor lavenders and indigos under the pale light of the rising moon. You’d been spoiled by them so accustomed to them that you almost didn’t think about it until a feeling of loss, of emptiness, would wash over you some nights as you stared out the portholes into the murky abyss. Your hand settled on your lap, and you flinched when you noticed it again—there was no scar, no lasting pain, but there still persisted a dull ache from where Law had so carefully taken you apart and put you back together just a few days ago���something he was accustomed to doing already, in his way.

On that morning, hours before you were to be anesthetized (a measure Law insisted upon so you weren’t subjected to the horror of him passively taking apart your insides), he grabbed ahold of your hips and pulled you back into bed when you tried to leave; it was only for a shower, you assured him while you stroked the tops of his palms with your fingertips, only to ready yourself for what the day held for you.

“Don’t go yet,” he whined into your neck, his tickling your skin while he held you from behind, pulling you tightly to him. “Stay a little longer, okay?”

“Just for a minute,” you smiled softly, knowing a minute would turn into an hour, and drowsy embraces would turn into being pinned underneath him while he lazily thrust inside you, whispering praise against your kiss-bitten lips. You could never refuse him—not like this, not when his eyes were still barely open, his low voice husky with sleep, lean body heated like a furnace as he pressed against you, limbs wrapping around your body like vines.

After a while, his grip loosened and he sat up, pulling his knees to his chest. The question came suddenly, cutting through the quiet of his room, his voice hushed and uncertain: “You won’t leave, will you?”

“What do you mean?” You waited a moment before you moved to sit next to him, leaning your head on his arm.

“After. After the surgery.”

“Of course not. Why would I leave?”

“I don’t know.” He glanced down, gaze focused on anything but you. “Because you got what you wanted.”

“What I want is you,” you reassured him, reaching a hand up to stroke his hair, your fingers gently carding through soft, black strands. Maybe it was what you’d wanted all along, a need held somewhere deep inside you in a murky place you dared not go. Relief, though temporary, could be found in the bottom of a bottle of pills, but not this—this was something you’d longed for as soon as desire and yearning had taken root inside you from that first time you’d met him.

It was then, as you sat together in the near-dark of his quarters, that he told you he loved you—he placed a hand on your cheek, a subtle tremor in his fingers, and turned you towards him. Law held you there while he studied your face as he often did, steely eyes examining every feature despite the dim light, taking notes on you like a case study, committing the truths of your face to memory like something he’d be quizzed on later. He kissed you softly, like he’d break you if he pressed his lips to yours any harder. He inhaled sharply as he pulled away, uttering a hushed “I love you” while his lips still brushed yours, like he wanted to breathe it into you. It fell from your lips effortlessly when you said it back—like something that had always been twirling on your tongue, just waiting for the right moment to be set free.

As the sun continued to dip below the horizon, you sat on the deck and closed your eyes, filled your lungs with cool air, let the slight spray of the salt settle on your skin as the submarine bobbed up and down with the evening tide. Your thoughts drifted with the glittering waves, pushed and pulled along as you pictured them—your crew, your friends—in your mind’s eye. If only you could have hugged them one last time, wrapped your arms around them like you meant it, like you’d never, ever let them go. You had, before you left, but that was different—those were embraces of see you later, and I’ll be back soon, of unsaid reassurances that without fail, you’d return to drink tea together, and eat family meals, and bicker over who got the bath next or who’d left laundry in the hallway again, only for it to all fade away as you sipped sake and sang and danced together on the deck until the stars sat high in the darkened sky, twinkling with joy at your revelry.

Instead, you fought back sobs over a telephone wire when you heard their voices through crackles and hisses and pops. It was them—it was really them, and their voices sounded the same as when you’d left, and when the connection was good, it felt like they were right beside you, close enough to touch, close enough to hold so tightly and never let go. They were told only partial truths, rehearsed explanations of your decisions that you and Law had practiced together—mostly you, as you choked your way through it time and time again, until he placed a hand on either cheek and softly asked if you’d prefer that he handle it all, if you wanted him to shoulder the burden of telling your family that you were never coming home.

But you did it, refusing to let this news come from anyone except for you. You held Law’s hand in yours, and squeezed until your muscles shook, and you smiled and told the Strawhats that you missed them, always would, and you hoped you’d meet again someday, but sometimes things change, trajectories change, and you had new goals, new dreams that you needed to chase. And afterwards, you left the communications room, wandered the halls feeling at once incomplete and utterly fulfilled, and came to the deck in hopes that the evening sunset would soothe the raw feeling that burned inside as the disappointment in their voices resonated in your head.

“Not feeling like coming to dinner?”

The unmistakable rumble of Law’s voice vibrated deep in your bones and stirred you from your meandering thoughts. You opened your eyes and turned to see him sitting cross-legged beside you, one hand on the surface of the deck, precariously close to yours.

“I will,” you said, eyes flitting over him before your gaze returned to the horizon. “Just felt like staying here for a little while is all.”

He was quiet for a moment as you watched the skies together, and his hand crept over until it was sitting on yours, warm and comforting. It all felt so easy now—like it had always been meant to be this way, his hand always meant to cling to yours, lips always meant to meet in the dark of a hall as you passed, bodies always meant to tangle in the sheets, sweat-slicked with heaving chests, nerves on fire from satisfying that voracious hunger that drove you towards each other again and again.

“I’m sorry,” Law said after a while, just above a whisper, withdrawing his hand and placing it in his lap.

“For what?” you asked.

There could have been a million sorries for a million reasons: one for every time he sullied you on the exam table, one for every night he let you into his office to pull you close and wring pleasure out of you, one for every time he made you fall in love with him a little more with sideways glances in clandestine meetings. He could have spent a lifetime wading through sorries for knowing your ruse practically from the start and never saying a damn thing, for letting his heart get in the way of his ethics, for letting you consume him as much as he did you. But it didn’t matter anymore—you’d both made your choices.

“I don’t know.” The sigh that preceded his declaration said that he did know, and that you did too.

You leaned over and rested your chin on his shoulder. “Then don’t be.”

“Do you have any regrets?” He leaned his head against yours, stretched his long legs out to dangle them through the bars of the railing. He sounded almost hesitant to ask, afraid of what your answer may be.

“I don’t think so.” You breathed deep, noticed the sweet smell of spice and musk—the cologne you learned he wore only for you. “I’m just lucky I came here when I did.”

“How so?” he asked, the sound of a smirk registering to your ears.

“Because you fixed me—I needed you, and you fixed me,” you murmured, knowing full well that you were more broken than you’d ever been before, but now you had him to patch you up, to tape together your splintered pieces even when he was the one that shattered you in the first place.

“You know I like it when you say you need me, sweetheart,” Law smirked as he began to cover your neck in kisses, scraping his teeth against your skin in that way he knew you liked, trying to distract you from your melancholy in the best way he knew how.

A sigh filtered into the air above you as your eyes closed, and your skin prickled with every touch. “I know you do.”

“So say it again, then.” Law’s hand settled on your thigh, squeezing it gently. “Say it for me.”

“I need you,” you moaned softly.

“Good girl,” he grinned as he kissed you again, his tongue quickly parting your lips, a low hum of pleasure rumbling inside him. It was impossible for him to chase away every bit of sadness that coursed through you, silently mourning the life that was and the life that could have been, but he could at least bring you respite, bring you the temporary relief he was so adept at giving you, until your mind was hazy with lust and you could forget, even if for a moment, your ache for what you left behind.

The welcome disruption from your ruminations was halted as an abrupt snickering and the sound of whispers came from behind you.

“Guys, come on,” Law grunted as he gruffly broke your kiss. “Act like adults.”

You heard Penguin and Shachi laughing to each other as their voices faded, accompanied by loud footfalls on metal stairs, and Law sighed and stood, leaning down to kiss the top of your head.

“I should go inside,” Law grumbled as he inhaled the scent of your shampoo, the one he would never tell you that he borrowed now and again, just to smell like you. “You sure you don’t want to come down for dinner?”

“I will, just give me a little bit longer, okay?”

“Sure.”

“Hey.” You reached up and grabbed his wrist as he tried to walk away, pulling him back to you, always pulling him back to you. “I love you.”

He closed his eyes and smiled in that way that was only meant for you, a secret you'd keep in your heart. “I love you too.”

You turned your head and listened, waited until you heard his footsteps vanishing down the stairs, back into the submarine, before you let yourself flop backwards onto the deck, folding your hands behind your head, staring into the indigo sky. The patch of seedlings that took root, that pushed forth from the soil with every lingering thought of him had not needed sun to thrive—it needed only the darkness of deep waters to finally take root and grow. And now you wandered through that blossoming field of wildflowers, without pain, if only to find him there and take his hand—to walk together amongst the blooms of a damaged and desperate love.

[project-sekai-facts]

any chance you happen to have a list of flowers in everyones 1st year birthday cards?

i just got these off the wiki so apologies if any of this is wrong

Virtual Singer

Miku: sunflowers, gentians, hibiscus, chinese milk-vetch (on her dress)

Rin & Len: pansies, lady slipper orchid (on blazer)

Luka: grape hyacinth, sagebrush buttercups, society garlic flowers

MEIKO: egyptian star cluster, moss roses

KAITO: hyacinths, snowflake flowers

Leo/need

Ichika: geraniums, creeping zinnias (also some small flowers I couldn't identify)

Saki: dogwood flowers, white clovers

Honami: gerberas, chocolate cosmos, multiflora rose

Shiho: magnolias, violets (on her accessories)

MORE MORE JUMP!

Minori: daisy fleabanes, scotch broom, blue milkweed

Haruka: yellow cosmos, spider flowers

Airi: star jasmines

Shizuku: strawberry begonias, blossoms (the wiki said this was firethorn but imo it looks closer to some sort of blossom. the leaves aren't the right shape)

Vivid BAD SQUAD

Kohane: persian buttercup/ranunculus, iceland poppies

An: larkspur, tickseed

Akito: elatior begonias, lemon flowers

Toya: persian buttercup/ranunculus, yuzu flower (on blazer), pansies, wisteria (in the background)

WonderlandsxShowtime

Tsukasa: yellow tulips, persian violets, peonies

Emu: sea asters, skunkvine, chrysanthemum (ogiku style)

Nene: bougainvilleas/paperflowers, sunflowers, prairie gentians

Rui: common vervains/verbena, astrantia/great masterwort, hypericum erectum (a type of St John's Wort native to Japan, China and Korea. It doesn't have a common name)

25-ji, Nightcord de.

Kanade: crocuses, winter daphne

Mafuyu: cape marguerite, japanese rowan flowers, and i believe plumeria rubra

Ena: mountain laurels, baby blue eyes

Mizuki: bottle gourd flower, st john's wort, garden balsams. i'm not sure what the flower in their hair is, possibly some sort of lily?

the flowers are mostly the same on the second set of cards, though some are changed (notably Len who now has different flowers to Rin), and a few others gain or lose a flower or two. Tsukasa has fuchsias, An has paperflowers, airi i think has blossom and ena i think has yellow lupins now and that's as far as my flower knowledge goes.

[allureasdiary]

My Aesthetic Color Palette

● The main Colors are black, pinks, red (dark reds) and Purples (deep lilac, bright lavender). Alot of it was inspired my the 2010s black barbie aesthetic, Victoria Secret bombshell photoshoot and perfume bottle and the purple comes from an outfit I saw on bratz and purple happens to be my fav color so why not? With the red I just wanted a dash of femme feel in there if anything I'd call it a sub color for me but I think it'd work really well for colder seasons alongside more vibrant pinks (ex: hot pink, Fuchsia)

● my neutrals consist of dark gold/silver, white, tan, browns, rose gold (which looks best on me), and muted greys (grey is still a growing color on me however I absolutely can't wear it without wearing a popping color also it just feels boring without it I like pairing it with vibrant pinks). I thought about adding navy to this for colder seasons so as a replacement denim blue will be added

(The 2 photos on the left are another example of my main colors)

● when it comes to details ruffles, pearls, frills and fur are my choice as well as diamonds, soft sparkles/glitter and bling. This is mostky inspired by the icy girl aesthetic, old hollywood glam with the fur and opulent jewelry and tons of blingy bedazzled items in the 2000s as well as the bratz forever diamonds looks and also hime gyaru influence for the ruffles and frills. It gives a little girliness and softness to the black and pink combo. Denim can also be added to details in a way (still deciding) .

● fabric textures like silks, sheer(LOVE THIS!!), cotton, denim, metallics and satin are also there. Lace hems as well I like when there is some form of elusiveness to it (ex: hoisery lace hem socks) where it's not too vulgar but leaves a bit to imagine. Honorable mention to velvety fabrics tho I'm still unsure if I'll add but I love the luxe feel that it adds to any outfit. I would probably use to for jackets or maybe a headband but it's honestly too hot to wear it rn😭

● my patterns consist of cheetah print and my new obsession which is leopard print (the snow leopard for sure too), plaid and finally stripes, specifically the Victoria secret style

[inkisionary]

@chaosmultiverse liked for a starter [Jhin]

Hwei seemed, rather uninterested. Or for better words, he was rather uninspired by the work in which his masters had asked of him. Their requests were rather unsavory, to keep himself under control. That his emotions were unstable with his work, but after days of what seemed to be monotony, Hwei was rather bored of it all. That was until the introduction of a new master, perhaps one that would understand him. He was a traveling artists of sorts, welcomed by the school in a celebratory manner. Hwei couldn’t have been bothered by such things. But he was more focused on the new arrival than parties and the fancy tours which they forced the man to partake. Stroking their egos in his eyes to squeeze some sort of praise from his lips. His hand quivered as he struggled to contain his excitement and nervousness. Gripping his brush as the paints and magic swirled around him. Threatening to burst with the bottled up emotions which his masters had so carefully urged him to keep in line. Inviting the other to view his work personally in his studio was rather bold of Hwei. But perhaps this man would’ve understood his plight? He seemed well versed in the craft.

There was a gentle knock on his door, Hwei stood upright from his slouched position, the nervousness swirling in his eyes. Hues of green, purple and blue. Mixing in a frenzy as he struggled calmed his nerves, eyes shifting back to a swirl of fuchsia and gold . Breathing to himself deeply he opened the door, smiling softly at the visitor as he stood in the frame. “Ah, master, I’m pleased you came. I was beginning to worry that perhaps I didn’t make it interesting enough. Please, come in.” He says stepping aside to allow him entry.

He had prepared some of his works for the other to view. Three canvases, all with varying imagery. Though their beauty was undeniable, they lacked something. A fourth canvas stood covered by fabric, ink dripping from the edge. A mess of swirling colors and from the spatter, less composed than the others. Hwei seemed to avoid it as he spoke, leading the man around.

“I am… for simplicities sake, struggling.” His eyes are tired, his seems stressed as he paces himself around his studio. “I feel as if my art is not what I want it to be, perhaps I am unfit for the title of artist? I cannot tell if it is a lack of skill or perhaps a lack of inspiration. I need…. I need help..” his hands wring together, clearly distraught. “My visions fail me, my masters say that these are perfection but they.. they lack something, these are not of my own.”

[deepautumncolors]

💅🏻 ~Manicure Monday~ 💅🏻

Hi everyone! As promised, today I will review another polish that I’ve never worn before. I borrowed this and two other bottles out of my sister’s room so I could write some more reviews. This polish is called Fuchsia Power by Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear. I got a pedicure on Saturday, and now all twenty of my nails are covered in this lovely color. My fingernails and toenails haven’t been the same color all year, so my hands and feet are finally in perfect harmony.

Sunlight:

Shade:

Most people probably like to wear pink in the spring, but sometimes I like to wear it at the end of summer as a transition shade towards autumn. It’s a pretty standard raspberry pink color that you see all the time. I think the color is just a tiny bit too blue-based to look good with my skin tone, but I like it anyway. It reminds me of a dark pink I wore and reviewed back in April, which you can see here. Actually, I think it looks like the same color as the pink heart emoji! 🩷

The texture was very smooth and creamy. If it wasn’t poisonous, I’d want to drink it. It has a rich pigmentation with a glossy look. The formula also had very good self-leveling. It was about 95% opaque with the first coat, but I added another one just for extra durability.

I will wear the other two colors in September, so make sure you check back to see what they are!

[casuallydyinginthecorner]

I made the Potats as picrews!

link to the picrew: https://toon-me-picrew.carrd.co

Aru: (the bird is Boo this is the closest thing the picrew had to a phoenix)

[Image ID: Aru Shah from the Pandava Quintet. She is sitting with her knees up in a park with a blue sky in a purple T-shirt, gray shorts and yellow sneakers. There is a gray watch on her left hand. A yellow bird sits on her knee and she holds up a peace sign. A light blue frame surrounds the picture. /.End ID]

Mini:

[Image ID: a picrew of Mini from the Pandava Quintet. She is sitting with her knees up in a yellow room with potted plants. She is wearing a fuchsia dress, black strapy sandals, gold hoop earrings, and a flower in her hair. There is a book to her left. /.End ID]

Brynne:

[Image ID: a picrew of Brynne from the Pandava Quintet. She is sitting with her knees up in a park at nighttime, with blue sparkles behind her and is winking at the viewer and is doing a “rock on” sign with her right hand. She is wearing a strapy black crop top, a necklace with a blue charm, dark blue jean shorts, black ankle Converse, gray stud earrings, and an orange and yellow flower crown. There is a slice of cake with a spoon to her left. /.End ID]

Nikita:

[Image ID: a picrew of Nikita from the Pandava Quintet. She is sitting with her knees up on a beach at sunrise, holding her left hand as though she’s about to snap. She is wearing a light blue ruffled top with white dots, a long white skirt, brown strappy sandals, silver heart earrings, and has silver heart glasses on her forehead. There is a pink drink to her left. /.End ID]

Sheela:

[Image ID: a picrew of Sheela from the Pandava Quintet. She is sitting with her knees up in blue, purple and pink ombré clouds with blue flowers behind her and is winking at the viewer. She is wearing a blue and pink zebra-striped shirt, light blue overalls, purple sandals, light pink fingerless gloves, and has silver star glasses on her forehead. There is a bottle of juice to her left. /.End ID]

Aiden:

[Image ID: a picrew of Aiden from the Pandava Quintet. He is sitting in a park in the daytime with his knees up, with white sparkles behind him and looking to his left. He is wearing a dark green button up shirt, black shorts, gray ankle converse, a black wristwatch on his left hand, and square silver sunglasses on his forehead. There is a bag of opened cookies to his left. /.End ID]

Rudy:

[Image ID: a picrew of Rudy from the Pandava Quintet. He is sitting with his knees up in a yellow room with potted plants, doing a peace sign with his right hand. He is wearing a blue button up shirt with pink flowers, gray shorts, light pink and white slides, a straw hat and round pink sunglasses on his forehead. He has a pink beverage to his left. /.End ID]

Hira: (picrew based off of @burntchickennugget2468 ‘s prom au drawing since k couldn’t find one on the wiki)

[Image ID: a picrew of Hira from the Pandava Quintet. She is in a park at nighttime with yellow sparkles behind her, sitting with her knees up and looking to her bottom left and doing a “rock on” sign with her right hand. She is wearing a light blue jumpsuit with dark blue stripes, white socks with light blue ankle Converse, silver bracelets, silver hoop earrings, and a yellow flower in her hair. There is a slice of cake with a spoon to her left. /.End ID]

[rj-drive-in]

Drunk Science, Holiday Edition, Department:

Happy Holidays, brethren. I hope the Santas are good to you.

Also of note: The Arkham Bazaar Lovecraftian Micro-Fiction edition for 2023, featuring my story "Ambergris Morning," is now available right here!

THE SANTA SYMMETRY © 2023 by Rick Hutchins

The train was just pulling into the Harvard Square station when my phone issued a burst of music to alert me to a text message. I had it set to Rudolph in the spirit of the season. I rummaged it out of my pocketbook as I walked the crowded ramp to the turnstyles and saw a single-word message from Aleska.

“Vavoom,” said the text.

I groaned a little. She was drunk again.

Obviously the message didn’t make much sense, unless she was trying to tell me that she got lucky, but that only happened once in a blue moon. My first thought was that she was trying to say “barroom,” asking me to meet her at Grendel’s, but she never called it a barroom. Then I remembered that her safe word was “vaccine,” so maybe she needed help.

“?” I texted back to her, getting no response. Then I texted“??,” followed by “???” Nothing. “What do u mean?” I texted, but still got no reply.

It was irritating, but I knew I had to check in on her. She had been hitting the bottle pretty heavily lately, ever since her professor recruited her to work on some super secret grant-funded math project that she couldn’t talk about. It had her pretty stressed out and she had a history of self medicating. So I abandoned my shopping plans and called an Uber to pick me up at the info center where Out Of Town News used to be, and took it to her studio over on Tremont.

When I got there, she didn’t answer the buzzer, of course, so I let myself in. Her unit was at the back of the first floor. The first thing I saw upon entering was the mess on the kitchen counter. As I turned the corner, I saw the rumpled sheets and blankets and topsy-turvy laptop on the Murphy bed.

Then I saw Aleska.

There was an extra-large punch bowl sitting on the bar cabinet against the far wall, half full of red liquid. Aleska was standing in front of it, arms by her side, bent over, face planted in the juice, her head fully submerged.

“Oh, crap,” I said.

Rushing over, I grabbed her by the back of the neck and heaved her out of the punch, her strawberry blonde hair spraying red dots all over the walls. I eased her back down onto the couch. She didn’t appear to be breathing, but as I leaned in to give her mouth to mouth she coughed and sputtered back to life. Thank God. Her breath could have stopped a Fed Ex van in its tracks.

“I thought you were dead for a second there,” I said.

“Babe doll,” she replied groggily.

“Huh?”

“Paper towels,” she enunciated more carefully, sniffing.

“Oh, right!”

I grabbed a roll of paper towels from the kitchen corner and handed them to her. She wiped off her face and blew her nose, tossing the balled-up towel on the coffee table, where it joined some Baby Ruth wrappers, a fuchsia Nike sports bra, a home COVID test, and an empty bottle of Zubrowka. This woman is going to live alone forever.

“So why did you text me?” I asked.

She sat back on the couch, her heavy-lidded eyes blinking slowly and suspiciously. “Did I text you?” she asked.

“Yes, you did.”

“What did I say?”

“Vavoom.”

She frowned boozily. “Maybe I was horny. You wanna get laid?”

“Not unless you take two showers and gargle about a gallon of Listerine.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Too much trouble.”

“Think, Aleska, think,” I said. “Why did you text me?”

“Hmm,” she mused. “Vavoom. Oh, I know! The vacuum. I have to tell you about the false vacuum.”

“Okay. What about it?”

She patted my knee clumsily. “This is top secretive stuff,” she said. “I signed a non-disclositive agreement to not tell anyone. So don’t tell anyone.”

“Maybe you just shouldn’t tell me.”

“But I have to!” she said. “It’s crazy! It all started with Dr Mirmeier. Have you heard of Mirmeier?”

“Of course. He’s the genius who discovered the second decimal point in Pi. I had him in my sophomore year.”

“You never took Advanced Quantum Chromodynamics.”

“When I say I had him….”

“Never mind!” she said. “My stomach is already queasy. Anyways, Mirmeier did a Rainmann analysis of the Nosferatu quatrains.”

“The what now?”

“No, wait,” said Aleska with a puzzled look. “Nostradamus! He did a Rainmann analysis of the Nostradamus quatrains.”

“Okay.”

“And he developed a formula that was able to generate brand new quatrains from the square roots of Fibonacci numbers.”

“Say what? That’s insane.”

“It gets more that than that,” she replied, waving her finger in the air. “When Mirmeier accidentally substituted imaginary numbers for the Fibonacci numbers, the formula started generating new verses to ‘Jingle Bells.’”

“What?! Now I know you’re pulling my leg.”

“I swear to gobs I’m not! And it’s going to get even crazier. When they got to the 137th verse, things started to get weird.”

“Weird how?”

Aleska sat forward on the couch, blinking hard, excited. “The verses started describing the fundamental nature of the universe!”

“I don’t even know what you mean by that.”

“The first verse described the Big Bang. Then there was a verse that described the Inflationary Period and another one that described anti-matter asymmetry. Then there were verses that described the phase transitions of the unified force into separate interactions. They don’t even know what all of the verses mean, but all the ones they do understand check out.”

At this point, I was just staring at her like a deer in the headlights. “Do you even hear yourself? Do you know how crazy this sounds?”

“Shirt… um… certainly I do,” she said, sitting up straight and trying to act sober, and failing miserably. “And it gets even crazier, because this is where I got involved.”

“And how did you get involved?”

“As soon as the governmental caught heard of this, they put a big lid on it. Then they called in Professor Drummer for his expertise. I presume you know Professor Drummer.”

“I’ve heard of him.”

“He’s a smart old guy. You seem to like smart old guys. I should introjuice you.”

“Just go on!”

“Well, they recruited Drummer and so then he recruited me, because I’m so awesome at complex multi-axis equations.”

So smug. “When you’re sober,” I said wryly.

“Whatever way I am or was, I was able to crank those puppies out twice as fast as the professor. And when I got to verse 18,769, they started to make predictions.”

That sent a little bit of a chill down my spine. “Predictions of what?”

She leaned toward me, favoring her right eye. Maybe it was easier for her to focus one eye than both. “Future developments in the evolution of space-time.”

That left me speechless for a good thirty seconds.

“Such as…?” I ventured slowly.

She paused, possibly for effect. “Vacuum decay,” she said.

Oh. That. My throat went dry.

“When?”

She shrugged. “Don’t know. Imminently. Sort of like Betelgeuse. Any second or any century now.”

“And then the universe just vanishes.”

“But no!” she exclaimed, raising an index finger and teetering to the left. “Not neshish… nesser… ugh, necessarily.”

“What do you mean?”

“False vacuum decay doesn’t have to mean the vacuum collapses. It all depends on whether it decays to a true vacuum or a lower-level false vacuum on the scalar field. A million things could happen. Maybe the Planck Length will shrink. Maybe monopoles will split. Maybe a new force will decouple from the unified field.”

“A fifth force?”

“Or sixth, if Dark Energy counts.”

“But the fine tuning….”

“Yeah, there’s more bad possibilities than good ones.”

“And this verse you generated doesn’t give any details or hints?”

She looked away to the left. “No.”

“And none of the subsequent verses elaborated?”

“She looked away to the right. “No.”

“Well,” I said. “Thanks for telling me. Now I get to live in constant terror for the rest of my life, however short that may be.”

“Sorry,” she said sheepishly. “I had to tell someone.”

“All right,” I sighed. Who knew if I wouldn’t have done the same thing?

End of the world or not, I had to finish my shopping and get everything in the mail in less than two days. I made Aleska a cup of coffee and left her on the couch wrapped in a blanket with her usual promises to ease up on the booze.

My family is all on the West Coast and I don’t make friends easily, so I had planned to spend Christmas Eve alone at home. I was on my way back to my apartment in the late afternoon of that day when things started to get weird.

On the Red Line, I overheard a bunch of girls talking about flocks of birds falling out of the sky or flying into skyscrapers en masse. Standing in line at Starbucks, a couple in ugly sweaters were talking about mass whale beachings in San Diego and Virginia. And McMurdo, of all places. The woman in the apartment next to me was going out as I was coming in and mentioned that her uncle’s bees had all flown straight up into the air and never come down. By this time, a strong feeling of dread was growing in me.

Inside, I quickly turned on CNN, but they weren’t reporting about strange animal behaviors. They were reporting on the Earth’s magnetic field. Something was happening to it. Something strange and terrifying.

The US Geological Survey was reporting that the North magnetic pole had split and the two new poles were drifting apart at about five miles an hour. This is what was messing with the animals. The CNN anchors had brought a large standing compass onto the set and it was swaying back and forth like a metronome. I didn’t have a compass of my own to check for myself, but there was no reason to doubt it.

Was this the beginning of the reversal of the planet’s poles that scientists had long been predicting? They didn’t know. But I knew. This was the fallout of the false vacuum decay. Aleska must have been right about the monopoles.

A sense of panic crept into the anchors’ voices as they reported on related stories from around the globe. A bright purple aurora borealis had appeared, visible as far South as Minneapolis. Internet blackouts were affecting large parts of Canada and most Scandinavian countries. UHF stations were off the air across the board. A ring of high-intensity lightning storms had formed around the equator. NASA had lost communication with several polar-orbiting weather satellites.

And NORAD was tracking two Santas!

[eilaa-boutique]

 Discover the Charm of the Sky Blue Saree – Elegance in Every Drape

A sky blue saree is a timeless piece that blends tradition with elegance. This subtle yet stunning colour adds freshness to your ethnic wardrobe. Whether you're attending a casual gathering or a grand celebration, a sky blue colour saree suits every mood and season.

When it comes to festive dressing, a sky blue saree party wear style with delicate embroidery or shimmer detailing is the perfect choice. To enhance your look, opt for a sky blue saree with contrast blouse—pairing it with vibrant hues like fuchsia, gold, or bottle green creates a striking contrast that elevates your ensemble.

Explore premium collections at Eilaa, where you'll find the perfect party wear sky blue saree that combines quality, comfort, and couture finesse. If simplicity is more your style, a plain sky blue saree in chiffon, georgette, or cotton offers an elegant yet minimalistic look. These sarees are ideal for office wear, casual outings, and even light festive gatherings.

For those who love heritage weaves, the sky blue Banarasi saree stands out with its intricate zari work and luxurious silk texture. It's a must-have for weddings and cultural events, adding a regal flair to your wardrobe. On the other hand, a sky blue net saree is perfect for modern occasions like cocktail parties and receptions, offering a glamorous and ethereal look.

Whether you're looking for a sky blue saree plain or an ornate festive piece, Eilaa offers a wide range of designs to suit your style. Add a touch of sophistication and charm to your ethnic collection with the ever-versatile sky blue saree.

[lids98]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Rothy's The Loafer Fuchsia Navy Snake Print Comfort Slip On Women's Flat….

[iron-hearts-ablaze]

The barbarian's smile expanded a little at the roll of his eye. It was rather easy to tease, but part of their connection was a fair cattiness. Banter that was mutual and never taken seriously. "Like I said, my Dad would say that it's only for people who we trust. Guess then it comes down to lovers, friends and family for the most part. So yeah, suppose it is similar to your ears." Her voice seemed smaller the longer she spoke. As if she realised what that might entail. "S-So, you don't have to if it's too much."

Karlach focused on the blood letting for a moment, scoffing a little at his comment. "Ah c'mon, does it really matter at this point? Look at me. I'm more scars then skin at this point." She chuckled, despite it not really being a humorous subject.

She shrugged with a single shoulder. "Well...you did do that once. I guess some aren't as quick to forgive compared to me." She half joked. Partly to try and cheer him up a little. "That was weeks ago, and you've kept your promise and never touched anyone. If that really is the reason, and they can't get past it? That's more on them then on you at this point." As he spoke about starving she went quiet once more, wondering whether to mention what she had in mind.

"I know how you feel though, in a way. In Avernus, food isn't worthy of the damn. Everything from Avernus tastes like shit. It's all rotten, ashy and foul. Your best bet is eating the meat of your enemies and even that is disgusting. For the last decade I've eaten nothing worth swallowing. But I had to. I would have easily slaughtered an entire squadron to eat a real meal. So yeah...these last few months, eating real food? It's been unbelievable..."

Karlach shrugged it off though, replacing the denial mask as she moved past the conversation. She was about to talk about something else when he offered the health potion once more. Karlach took the concoction with a thankful nod before gulping it down, the wound rather quickly fading away even with her skin melting together. She blinked when Astarion first leaned over. Feeling his cold lips upon her hot skin widened her eyes slightly, her brows stretching upward. Astarion may not be able to blush, but Karlach could. Her cheeks almost seemed flushed dark fuchsia as the flames of her engine seemed to turn blue for a moment. The blue heat in her cheeks coming across purple below her red skin. Her tail once again gave her away even more so - swaying a little faster.

"Huh...? Oh, right!" Karlach handed back the bottle and reached for a rag to keep Astarion's hands clear. She leaned back on her elbows, stretching her legs out so she was low, leaning her head back slightly to make it easier for him to reach. "Again, you don't have to if you don't want to." She smiled up at him, the blue flickering back into amber.

"Rude wasn't what I was going for. I suppose intimate would be a closer word. As in how intimate of a gesture is it? Is it something friends do for each other or is it something only lovers and family does for each other?" Astarion clarified with a roll of his eyes. "For example, Elves generally only let lovers and family touch their ears. Close friends will help with hair styling and care but the area around the ears would be left alone unless explicit permission was given."

He had been about to offer one of his knives when he saw her picking up a sword but instead reached into his pack for a Healing Potion. "If there's a next time, let me do it. There's... There's ways to cut that don't hurt and don't scar." He said softly as he came over to give her the potion and help hold her arm steady. He had trouble not watching the blood as it collected in the cup and he couldn't stop himself from licking his lips but he was trying to keep his focus on her rather than his hunger.

"That's not the reason they stay away. They worry about me losing control or worse deciding that going after one of them in their sleep would be worth it." He replied softly. "They don't understand what it is to starve and be so desperate you would do anything for the smallest drop of the most vile blood imaginable. Compared to that... I've never had it as good as I have these past months."

When the cup was full he once more offered her the potion before jerking his hands back so he wouldn't be hurt by her flames. He frowned when he saw the new scar and on impulse he leaned down to place the softest of kisses on the area before turning away bashfully. He didn't blush since he wasn't well fed enough for that but he also couldn't meet her eyes as he busied himself with setting the cup of blood where it could safely cool.

"Shall we tend to your horns then?"

[penhero]

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[theloveoftoms]

sittin' on the dock of the bay - jake 'hangman' seresin x reader

Summary: a fun day at the beach with your boyfriend. suntanning, swimming, and shirtless hangman, what more is there to want? ;)

A/N: I had a dream about hangman about a month ago, and I finally found the time to finish editing this piece. I hope you enjoy :D (all of those steamy photos of hangman in my for you tab have been getting to me 😤🤤)

The warmth of the summer breeze rushed through a patch of long wispy grass in a way that was calming and familiar. The ocean, a colour composed of a variety of blues, was calmer than usual today, the waves rolling in like clouds in the night; quietly and gracefully.

Jake Seresin, the man you had been seeing for the past little while, invited you out for a day on the beach. Usually, the San Diego beach in the heat of August wasn't something you were fond of. It was nearly impossible to find a spot in the sand with any privacy on the beach where little children and seagulls alike weren't scavenging through your tote for juice boxes and cookies. However, dating a man in the navy had its perks; there was a private 'on base' beach that members and their families and friends could use, any time they wanted.

it was mid afternoon, about three or four, when you drove up to Hangman's uniformly neat base condo. The sun hung low in the sky and filled the air with its usual tone composed of pinks and blues and tangerine. San Diego sky's were your favourite. You parked your red Toyota in front of the lawn, and walked to the front door, tote bag in hand.

You rang the bell, and noticed your reflection in the glass of the screen door. The fuchsia bikini that you had on was one of your favourite swimsuits. The colour was flattering with both your complexion and your curves. It had a scoop neck with a small keyhole in the centre, revealing a hint of your chest. Atop of your swimsuit, you were wearing an airy white linen top - after all you were on a navy base and wanted to look somewhat presentable. And on your waist, over your matching pink bottoms was a pair of simple denim shorts. And by the time you finished admiring your outfit in the glass, there he was, hangman, grinning at you from the doorframe.

"Wow," he said, putting a hand around your waist, pulling you close, "I didn't know I loved the colour pink so much."

You rolled your eyes in a playful manner and planted a gentle kiss on your boyfriends cheek. "You all ready to go?"

Jake nodded, stepping out into the porch, putting on the pair of aviators that he so carelessly loved. Grabbing a small cooler - filled of beer and doritos no doubt- and closing the door behind him. And in a tone that was more hushed, Jake said, "might have to take that thing off of you later."

You gave your boyfriend a slap on the arm and smirked, "in your dreams hangman."

From Hangman's near seaside apartment, it only took about five minutes until the two of you were seated comfortably on the blanket that you had brought. The sun was brightly shining above and your toes were in the sand. There were a couple of other people on the beach; a family of four, a couple, and people by themselves, suntanning against the backdrop of the sand. Overall, it was pretty private. Not too loud, but not too quiet either. Perfect.

Seated on the blanket, your wavy hair blowing in the wind, Jake opened the cooler, revealing a six pack of vodka coolers and copper-toned beer bottles. "Want anything hon?"

"I'll take a beer," you said, slipping out of your denim shorts, and quickly covering your legs with them bottom hem of your linen shirt.

"Thats my girl," he said, handing you the bottle.

The two of you lay out in the sun, talking and laughing, and enjoying your drinks. This was relaxing and very unlike any date you had ever been on with Jake. Generally, your dates involved a loud bar or some sort of activity you usually wouldn't do, like karaoke singing or axe throwing. It was definitely a change of pace to have some leisure time with Hangman, but it was actually quite nice to simply just relax beneath the sun with him at your side.

However, after laying out for nearly thirty minutes, it began to feel a bit too hot for you. Your boyfriend, who was somehow asleep, didn't stir when you whispered his name, I guess it would be a solo swim. You took off the remainder of your accessories, like your sunglasses and woven bracelet, Birkenstocks, and white linen shirt and began a leisurely walk out to the ocean.

The bay was calm, the waves tricking in against your legs as you began to wade slowly into the water, kicking about the waves as they rolled in. The water was colder than you had thought, but it felt refreshing compared to how the sun was baking down onto your skin moments ago.

You swam around until you were cool enough, splashing in the waves, letting the salty water refresh you, until you were almost too cold.

The walk out of the ocean was never as glamorous as the walk in. Your hair, which had been perfectly blown out in a wavy pattern, was now darker and clung together in a way that was not luxurious. Your swimsuit didn't have the same pink shimmer to it as it did before, but soon enough the sun would dry you off and all would be as it was.

Back at the blanket, you had nearly dried off when Jake had finally woken up, grinning up at you. "How was the water?" he asked, shedding his sunglasses.

You folded up the magazine you had been reading, "it was great," you replied, "you looked so relaxed, I didn't want to wake you."

On your stomach, you took the liberty to lean atop of your boyfriend, planting a trail of kisses up the back of his palm, up his forearm, and up to his bicep. Jake's lips, taught in their usual smirk grinned through the process. "And to what do I owe this surprise?" he said as he propped himself up on his arms, his biceps firm, and the muscles of his chest flexing in the act.

You crawled forward, until you were laying nearly atop of your boyfriend. Looking down at him, you took a moment to admire really how gorgeous he was, with his long lashes, his oceanic green eyes, and his somehow perfectly angled jaw. Jake Seresin was here, in front of you, and very very hot. You smiled, and then kissed him gently on the bow of his lips.

The kiss tasted like summer air and a forbidden lust that seemed just out of reach. The kiss was gentle and slow, the kind that was suitable to a lazy day at the beach. But as soon as the waves broke upon the shore, Jake's tongue found its way into your mouth as his hand curled around your waist in a corresponding manner. The kiss got deeper as all you could hear was the sound of the ocean in your ears; the waves and the wind and the birds that flew above the nearby sea.

Noticing how unconfroable you back must feel from literally leaning over him, Jake did the singlee handledly hottest thing imaginable. He proped himself up on his right arm - just a bit more than before - and gently rolled you over onto you back, all while still immersed in the kiss.

Breaking the kiss, Jake, who was now on top, looked down at you, grinning, "god," he sighed, "your beautiful," right before he resumed the hot and gentle kissing pattern.

And beneath the kiss, while you smiled to yourself, Jake's hand found its way to your side, gently trailing itself up the side of your ribcage until the tips of his fingers brushed gently against the underside of your breast. "Is this okay?" he mumbled in-between kisses.

You nodded, "yes," and brought your hands around his torso and began to gently rub his muscular back.

Jake let the kiss linger into something slow and sweet as his hand trailed across your chest. Breaking the kiss, his mouth coming close to your ear, he whispered gently, "we better go back to mine before we get kicked off the beach."

You smirked, kissing him once before he rose to his feet, waisting no time in the act. "Lets see how long it takes us to get back there," you said, slipping on your sandals.

Jake grinned, "race you there."

And off in the heat of the mid-afternoon San Diego sun, you and Jake were running down the beach, back to his condo, the wind in your hair and the love in your hearts.