#Duet: [Winter Moon]

[umbralsound-xiv]

Unpacking.

In the absence of her, i at least sought to do something useful. Even if that was simply relocating some of our things from our old room to our new home, here.

Sayuri exhales a drawn-out sigh as she reaches the quiet part of the Lavender Beds, hands raising up to lightly rub at her temples - grateful for the newfound silence. Her mismatched gaze fall onto the house the moment it comes into view, lips curling into a soft smile at the sight. It didn't take long for her to reach the door, or to make entry into the house itself - shutting the door behind her.

The house is spotless upon entry; the dishes cleaned and put away, all surfaces wiped clean, even the dishcloths were neatly folded beside the sink. The broom too, had been moved; now propped up at an angle against the wall after the floors were swept. Eir himself was absent, however; though the faint sound of shuffling sounded from the lower floor at the sound of the front door. A pause, before a, "Welcome home, my Moon!" Calls from downstairs.

The call prompts her ears to perk, her smile growing a little wider. Her steps lead to the stairs, which she begins to descend - gaze curiously wandering the area in search of the Viera the moment she is able to view it. "Thank you." She hums.

The lower floor of the house is… Decidedly not quite as tidy as one might be led to believe, considering. Boxes of things are set here and there; and Eir is perched in the middle of them, offering a grin as he lofted his gaze to her. "…I took the opportunity to bring some of our things over, since we have scarcely had chance to do so. Though i have not had proper time to unpack the contents into their new homes just yet…"

"I would've gladly helped to bring things if you waited." She smiles, slipping between the boxes to bring herself to his side - right hand extending out to gently drag the tips of her fingers through his hair. ".. So now I will happily help you find place for it all, instead."

"I know." Eir hums, head gravitating towards the icy affection. "There is plenty to bring, still. I just thought to make a start…" His silver gaze trails to meet her own, regarding her with a fond, warm smile. "All went well with Bexy, i hope?"

Her head sinks into a nod. "We checked a bit on Q'kura's progress with a cure for my aether. I had to give him some blood to test on." Her left hand raises into Eir's view, a bandage notably wrapped around it with a slight red stain in her palm. "Aside from that, we caught up.. and I got to speak with Vex a little before I left."

"Oh? And how are they both? They are well, i…" Eir's voice trails away as his attention settles on the bandaged hand, lips upturning into a small frown as he reaches for it. He doesn't say anything, any question futile, and knowing well it was all in aid of a cure. The smallest of sighs leaves him then, glancing up to her more properly. "…And how goes the… Progress?"

"They are." She confirms, head tilting a touch as he grasps her hand. She opts to sink down next to him, keeping a soft smile. "I'm fine, Eir. It's just a little cut." Head leaning forwards, she sough to gently nudge it against his shoulder. ".. No luck yet, all he had to start with was theories, but.. Both Bexy and Vex says that he's behaving, and doesn't seem to have an ulterior motive."

"…I trust them enough to know. Vex most of all, in that situation especially. She… She would know if he was up to something…" Slowly, Eir pushes his head lightly against her own, taking the wounded hand gently in both of his. "…Soon. At least things are in motion, now…"

Or at least... I hope she would. I do not trust that man, not after what he has done. But i trust Bexy, and Vex. ...Things are in motion. How long has it been since she was able to use her aether without such pain...?

"Having been among the slavers as long as she was.. I can imagine she knows several of them quite well, whether or not she wants to." She returns a gentle push of her own head against his, her undamaged hand raising to cup over his while he holds her other. ".. Granted they work. Alas, he is.. our best bet at figuring it out. The woman who did it to me certainly wouldn't help figure it out, even if she was placed in Q'kura's shoes."

"Do… You think he feels guilty?" Eir asks, gently tracing his thumb over the ring that adorned her hand, raising his head to peer between the lock of hair that divided them. "…Do you think that is why he is… Helping?"

".. No." Sayuri's ears pin back a touch, head shaking. "He's scared of both Bexy and I, and he knows he has little choice but to help."

"…So long as he does. That is all that matters to me." The hand is uncovered, and a kiss is planted on the bandage that wraps the wound. "And we will find another way if not. I will not stop until you are happy."

".. Either that or a guaranteed death." Sayuri half-grumbles, leaning her head over to rest against his shoulder. "Hopefully.. He is enough. I am.. very tired of this constant ache, however dull." A small sigh leaves her, lips tugging into a faint frown.

"I know." Eir hushes, turning his head to gently press his lips to her forehead. "You are allowed to be tired. On the suns you want to rest, i will be here to take care of you." A pause then, offering a faint smile. "…And even on the suns you do not want to rest. Perhaps, those even more so…"

She offers a small smile, ears wiggling in response to the kiss placed upon her forehead. "..I'd be tired even if I wasn't allowed. Breaking rules is something I excel at." She muses. ".. At least if I disagree with it." Her head nudges against him gently. ".. And I appreciate that."

Eir pulls in a little gasp as he pulls her into an embrace, half-laying her across his lap. "Rebel." He utters, stifling his amusement as his expression softens. "…Tired enough that you want to rest, or shall we tackle this feat of unpacking together?"

"I used to be." It leaves her with a laugh, arms coiling around him as he pulls her into his lap. A low hum leaves her in thought, head tilting. "..Maybe a small rest, then we could unpack? And.. maybe make some food after we made a decent dent in it..?"

I can somehow see her as a more rebellious younger woman. She certainly has the capacity, these suns. ...The whole thought brought some amusement to me.

"We can…" Eir murmurs, gently brushing the hair from her face, eyes gazing down to her… Which slowly widen, features brightening. "---We most certainly can! What would you like to eat, hm?" He curls an arm beneath her to lay down a little more comfortably. "…Do you want to rest here, or in the pillows?"

She beams a smile up at him, tilting her head into his palm. "Hmm.. I'll think about it." She nestles herself against him, pausing. ".. If we move to the pillows, we might not get up again."

"That is a fair observation…" Eir murmurs, lightly brushing a thumb over her cheek. "I brought the things we have most need of. Clothes more than anything. But our lantern from Kugane is here too, and a few other things besides. We will have to decide which drawers belong to who, hm?"

Sayuri briefly turns her head to press a soft kiss against his thumb, nuzzling her head into his palm shortly afterwards. "Mmhm." She hums, gazing up at him. "I don't know if you have a preference of which, but I'm fine with either the upper or lower ones."

"…Or we could divide them down the middle. Less chance of tripping each other up if we dress at the same time." A flicker of a smile graves his features as she pecks his thumb. "Even deciding little things like this… It is exciting."

She tilts her head in thought at the suggestion, eventually sinking it into a nod instead. "Fine by me." She snickers, smiling. "Does it feel very official now?"

"…It does. Though i still have to pinch myself in the morning…" Eir manages a half chuckle, gazing down with a smile. "Then… Would you like the left half of the dresser, or the right? I do not particularly mind…"

There is something... Heartwarming about deciding such pleasant little things. Things as simple as which drawers we will put our things in, to decorate our home together.

At that, Sayuri reaches for his arm - aiming to capture a tiny section of skin to give the briefest squeeze, ensuring that the pinch would be as light as possible, and claw-free. She flashes a grin his way, emitting a low hum. ".. I don't particularly mind either, but.. that's not a helpful answer, so.. The right half."

"Then i will take the left." Eir replies with a soft murmur, huffing quietly as she lightly pinches him. "…I am still not dreaming. I have a beautiful wife, and a beautiful home in which to live with her…" Twirling a lock of her hair around his fingertip, Eir slowly tilts his head. "…Sometimes such luck is difficult to believe."

She snickers quietly, letting her fingers gently trail along the area she just pinched. "Well, you better believe it. Because it's right here, and not going anywhere."

"Except on the occasional holiday." Eir replies, watching as her fingertip traces over his skin. Slowly, his fingertips seek to comb through her hair, gently scritching at her scalp. "I brought our pyjamas. I thought that might be a priority." He chuckles.

A small huff leaves her, head tilting into the scritches with eyes lidding, a content exhale leaving her. "Mmh.. Good idea.." She murmurs.

"Other clothes, too. More casual wear. Some of my dancing clothes. It is not too far a run between places, just a few minutes at most." Pausing, Eir quietly considers between the quiet affection he gives her. "Anything you would like me to bring on the next trip…?"

".. Me. So I can help." She snickers quietly. "Other than that.. I can't think of anything specific right now."

"You were out anyway…" Eir quietly protests. "I wanted to do something… Productive while you were away. This seemed like the most fitting thing, after i had cleaned and swept the kitchen. But we can go get other things soon, hm? Right after… We have sorted all of this…" Looking around, there is still a good handful of boxes to be organised…

".. I knoooow." She pouts, leaning herself further against him. ".. Mhm, best finish up these before we bring anything else, lest we end up living among boxes."

"…It could make a fun little pillow fort." His eyes trace over the open space they currently sat in. "We have so much room to make one, in here…"

A soft snicker leaves her, gaze shifting up to him. "After everything we want moved has been, I'd love to make one."

...That sounds like a great deal of fun. But only after we are complete with moving... ...Else, we might not leave for some time.

"Then, when we are finished, we shall. Perhaps we can have a little picnic beneath the blanket, hm?" Eir smiles warmly, though red crawls onto his cheeks. He doesn't say anything, simply settling a kiss on her forehead.

Sayuri lofts a brow, a small smirk creeping onto her lips. "That sounds lovely." She hums, oh-so innocently. Her ears wiggle as his lips press against her forehead, her head pushing against his a little further in response.

Slowly nuzzling his head against hers, Eir sighs quietly. "…It does." Eir replies, gaze lifting to her own. "…Are you rested enough to help? Or do you want to lay here a little longer, hm?"

"…Five more minutes." She murmurs, nudging her head against him a little further, not quite willing to get out of his arms yet.

"Five more minutes, then…" He scritches through her hair a little further, humming a small note of amusement, a curl of something at his lips. "…You are cute when you are sleepy…"

Another huff, Sayuri's lips pull into a disagreeing pout. "..'mnotcute.." She half grumbles.

"Oooh, yes you aaaare…" The hand retreats from her hair to her pouting lips, running an index up and down her lower lip. "My adorable wife."

Sayuri's lips part, immediately attempting to capture the offending finger.

The digit is caught, and wiggles between her lips. "…You know, my opinion is unchanged…"

Her eyes narrow faintly, gaze locked upon his. In true shithead fashion, her tongue slowly moves up to press against his finger.

"T-that---" Eir's words stammer in his mouth, lips briefly pursed before they curl into a smile. "Still cute. A-and other things. But cute."

A sharp exhale leaves her nose, slowly parting her lips to release the captive finger. "..Nnnno."

"A-dorable." Eir remarks, pressing the once-captive fingertip to her nose. "Yes you are. And, your five minutes are up."

A new pout is swift to take to her lips, ears drooping faintly. ".. Awh.."

"You can sleep as long as you want later… In the pillow pile, no less. But we should at least make a start before dinner, hm?" A fingertip raises to one of her ears, in an effort to keep it upright.

A quiet groan leaves her, only to be replaced with a soft laugh as his finger lifts her ear. "Mmh.. it's not sleep I want, but fiiiine." She drags herself up a touch straighter, seeking to press her lips against his cheek in the process.

"Then what is it you want, mm? To lay here in my lap, all cosy and comfortable for the rest of the sun, surrounded by disorganised clothes and boxes?" Eir's tone was teasing, expression lifted in glee as she rose, softening as her lips pressed to his cheek. "I could be convinced. But I doubt it would be very conducive to progress."

"… The first bit, yes." She huffs, poking her tongue out at him childishly. ".. But, you are right."

"We can be as lazy as we like, afterwards. For now…" Pecking her cheek, Eir reaches for the closest box, dragging it nearer to him while he still remained seated. "We should get started. It should not take so long, i think. And you can think about what you might want to eat while we tidy, hm?"

".. I am not -lazy-. I am -comfy-." She grumbles, leaning her head over to gently bump it against him after the kiss placed upon her cheek. ".. I will try to think of something."

We unpacked all kinds of things. Pyjamas, for one. Our lantern from the East. Dancing clothes, an orchestrion... But, mostly clothes. I had seen to prioritise them.

Though empty boxes still dotted the room, they were at least unpacked. "…Have you thought on what to eat? We can re-use these boxes for the next trip, at least…"

Sayuri tilts her head into his palm, gently nudging against it. "Mmmh.. Hard to decide.." She murmurs, lofting a brow and then pouting - seemingly at herself. ".. Onigiri?"

"…I do not remember how to make it exactly, but it sounds pleasing. We have rice, and anything you might like for the filling. I did get a few things from the market this morning." A pause, as he gazes over her, noting the small pout. "…Do you know how to make them?"

She beams a smile, nodding - almost proudly. "My mother taught me, because sometimes that would be my main source of food in my youth.. and with me not always being hungry at.. opportune moments, she wanted me to be able to get it once hunger did strike. Even if it was in the middle of the night."

"Then perhaps, you can teach me, hm? Then i can make them for you whenever you please. Early morning or middle of the night." A hand extended, he intends to lead her to the kitchen with a warm smile.

"You spoil me." She snickers, reaching her hand to grasp his - quite happily following along in his guiding.

"You deserve to be spoiled. Besides! You do with me more than enough." Eir beams, ascending the stairs with Sayuri in tow, soon stepping into the kitchen; which is mercifully far more tidy than the room downstairs. "I wager we need a pan for the rice. Beyond that, i am not quite sure…"

"It depends a little on what kind you make. I personally enjoy stuffed ones. Rice, seaweed, salt.." She hums, pausing. "..Do we have salmon?"

"We do not have salmon, but we have raincaller? I have eaten it once before, and remember it tasting similar enough." A pan is plucked from a cupboard, the hefty sack of rice retrieved from nearby. "And got seaweed thinking it would be nice to have in."

"That should work, then." She hums. "The raincaller needs to be grilled and broken into flakes." Her head turns to regard Eir with a smile. "There are.. plenty of fillings to choose from, in the Far East.. Perhaps I should get a hold of them at some point so that you could try your way to one you like in particular?"

"I am likely to like most fillings, but the one I like most… Suppose we will find out?" Eir smiles brightly, pulling raincaller from the icebox. "I can prepare the fish? I at least know how to do that. And I suppose I know how to prepare rice, but wager there are other things I am unsure of that need to be added…"

A soft snicker leaves Sayuri, head shaking faintly. "No. Not with the method I was taught, anyway. I'm sure there is a more.. spiced up version, and we can always add them as we see fit if we wish." She stretches herself over to grasp onto a bowl, then taking a hold of the sack of rice. "But feel free to handle the fish." She beams.

Eir nods, orders received with a smile. He takes to the filleted fish, laying them evenly spaced on a grill tray. "Well, i would much prefer to know how you were taught. How else am i supposed to make you comfort food in your time of need?" He muses with a warm smile. "At least this is something we can cook once, and have plenty more for leftovers later."

".. Byyy… making me anything you wish, because knowing you made it for me makes it taste amazing no matter what?" Sayuri beamed an innocent smile, beginning to pour some of the rice into the bowl and carefully shutting it once more, the bowl finding a new place underneath the faucet - intent on rinsing it before anything else.

"That is very sweet. But i am sure you would prefer something you are familiar with if it is comfort food you want, hm? Everything i cook for you will be made with love anyway." Walking to the oven, he pecks Sayuri on the head before the fish are set inside to cook. "What is your favourite thing to eat? I know you have told me before, and recall it being something from Kugane. I will endeavor to learn to cook it."

"I will take anything you give me." She hums, ears wiggling happily at the peck. She briefly turns to face Eir, letting the rice soak in a fresh batch of water in the meantime. "Unadon." She replies, pausing. ".. I could probably get the recipe from my mother."

"Then, when you do, i will practise until it is perfect." Smiling, Eir leans against the counter, watching Sayuri as she worked. "Else… Is there anything you need me to do, in the meantime while the fish cooks?"

"It's.. a very simple recipe, other than the fish and rice, the only other thing to add is a bit of salt while putting it together. And put the dried seaweed around it." She carefully pours the water out of the bowl after having let the rice soak in it, proceeding to then turn the bowl upside down to empty the rice into a pan.

A simple but pleasing recipe. We had eaten it a time or two during our visit to Kugane, but i had not known for the tale of why she liked it.

"…Only a handful of ingredients, too. I suppose that would vary what we put in the middle, hm?" Fingertips lightly tapping, Eir cannot seem to settle while there is seemingly work to be done. "…Shall i get us something to drink? I purchased some different things to try that were at the market. Orange and peach, elderflower and grape, or rolanberry and lime…?"

Her head sinks into a nod. ".. My go-to was just to put some sort of fish in it, as apparently.. I quite enjoy fish, and we often bought some from Isari back in Othard. A bloody chore to get it accepted into Monzen, though." She pauses, tilting her head back to peer Eir's way. ".. I'd like to try rolanberry and lime."

Making his way to a shelf now laden with colourful bottles, Eir's head is tilted over his shoulder. "…Why so? Were they not so fond of fish, there?" Two glasses pulled from a tall cupboard, the cork is popped and the beverage poured.

".. Monzen was beyond the gates that held Garlean contraptions. Sometimes, getting them to accept that a shipment of fish was only that, and didn't have rebel weapons hidden underneath it, was a pain in the ass."

"That… Mm. I remember seeing. When we were in the East." The drink is nudged a little closer to Sayuri with a smile. "…It was no different anywhere else they conquered. Forever fearful of spies… Infiltration. That is why they took me."

She flashes a smile his way, reaching over to grasp onto the glass. "I mean, technically they weren't.. completely wrong. Kazan was.. very subtly supporting them. But we sure never smuggled weapons among fish." She shakes her head slightly, raising her glass to take a sip.

"I am glad in the efforts he took, he was never caught." Taking a sip of his own drink, he eventually sets the glass down to bring out the large, flat sheets of seaweed from a cupboard. "The only other Doman i have ever met would have done anything to pick apart the Empire. She would have found her moment eventually, i think…" A hand idly reaches to rub a scar on his arm; long faded with the many cycles since it's arrival.

Shio. I think, if she had not turned so bitter, she and Sayuri may have gotten along, once. I am glad that her adoptive father was never caught aiding them... ...I dread to think what would have happened. It had me thinking... During my conscription. Had i discovered rebels, or a plot... What would i have done? Would i have been brave enough to turn a blind eye...? I... Do not know. But perhaps now is not the time to think of such things.

".. For a long time, I wanted to do the same. Kazan.. never blamed the conscripts. He was always very understanding, and I certainly wish I shared more traits with him than I do X'aoki." She half-grumbles.

"You are plenty understanding. I am still here." Eir smiles, though it tapers a little at the edges, eyes flitting to the floor. "…I expected you to tell me to leave or… Worse, the sun i told you. Instead, you agreed to marry me."

".. I.. am kind of glad that you waited with telling me until after Bexy and I visited Garlemald. That's.. when I started rethinking my stance on it all. Besides.." She turns to face Eir, flashing a loving smile. "I very swiftly decided I loved you more than that fact made me upset."

A few slow steps see him close the gap between them, gently tilting her chin up to close his lips against her own. As Eir retreats, his gaze drifts away, still a little tinged with guilt. "We were not dating until long after your return. I… Suppose we never actively dated, come to think of it…"

Sayuri presses her lips back against his after the tilt, ears wiggling in response. Her head tilts a touch, brow lofting. "..I.. suppose we never did." She pauses. ".. You did kiss me though." She grins.

"I did." The smile is quick to return to him, then. "I do not regret doing it, only the location. I would have done it far earlier had i been a braver man."

"I'm quite happy for when and where." She beams. "Emotions were quite high, at the time."

"…I wish it would have been more… Romantic. On a walk, or somewhere nice. I had… Wanted to, for some time. Wanted to do so many things, but had not the courage to say…"

"It just means we can take many romantic outings to make up for it, hm?"

"We can." Eir beams, features warmed a little by the prospect. "Have you anywhere in mind? We could take a---" Halting, Eir glances to the picnic basket settled on the side table by the door. "…---Something to eat."

"Hmm.. nowhere specific currently, but I'm sure I can ask Bexy if she knows any spots. Which she does, knowing her." Sayuri grins, tugging the pan of rice aside from the stove, draining it from water and relocating the rice into a bowl.

At her movement, he retrieves the fish from the oven. Soon turning them over into another, far smaller bowl, he begins to flake the fish as per instruction. "Most likely. She is quite the romantic, you know? One of the books i am reading belongs to her…"

"Oh, I know." She snickers quietly, taking a moment to step over to Eir while the rice cools a little, her arms wrapping around his waist to let her embrace him without disrupting him. "And she finds joy in teasing me with extremely flowery words, especially when she was helping me figure out my vows."

A soft hum leaves him as Sayuri's arms curl around him, content in her embrace. "Your vows were lovely. But i know overly flowery things are not quite your style." A small tug of his lips, as he finishes his task of preparing the fish, turning to face her again. "Though i understand the joy in teasing you. My Moon." A pause, before he continues. "My beautiful moon. Light of my life. My smoochable snowflake."

".. Old habits die hard." She mumbles, gaze shifting up to him. Her lips draw into a pout at his words. "Snowflake.."

"Yes. A smoochable one." Eir demonstrates exactly that by planting a kiss to her own pouting lips, pulling away to grin at her shortly after. "I am not wrong."

Sayuri's tongue pokes out after the kiss, one hand extending up to press a finger against his nose. Gently.

"Snowflake." Eir whispers. He doesn't seem to have any intention of letting it go. "I could think of all kinds of fun things to call you if you simply let me."

"… I feel like I will regret asking if I do."

"Mm…" Eir considers, before smiling. "…Probably. Though for your sake, i will keep it to 'Moon' for now. I have grown quite fond of that affectionate little nickname for you. It would seem, so have you."

A soft snicker leaves her, head pressing against him. "I enjoy it. I do find some slight irony in being called Moon when I'm a Seeker of the -Sun-." She smirks.

Cooking was much more of the same sweetened bickering we had grown so accustomed to. Nicknames, and sweet little nothings while the rice simmered away. ...We could have gotten distracted with the kissing, though. But with food on the stove, that was less than wise.

"I suppose you are right…" Eir murmurs, finally and reluctantly pulling back from her to hover his hand over the rice. "…It is still hot, but cool enough to be handled." He opens his mouth to add a quip, opting to behave and just grin at her instead, adding nothing more.

"Good." She beams, only to tilt her head in response to his grin, lofting a brow. ".. I can't tell you how many times I've been fussed over for making this while things were still hot, because people just.. forgot that I don't really get affected by it."

"…Sometimes i forget you cannot feel temperature at all…" Eir trails, pulling the bowl a little closer to her. "…I cannot promise my onigiri will look as lovely as your own, but i will try my best."

".. Try not to panic if you ever see me putting my hand into an oven unprotected." She snickers quietly, leaning her head over to bump it against him gently. "And, well.. I have cycles of practice." She reaches for two smaller bowls, settling one in front of Eir and the other in front of herself - the ladle previously used being set in the larger bowl of rice as she grasps their container of salt, setting it between them. "Start with the rice, and put the flakes of the fish in the center." She shovels some rice into her bowl, shortly followed by bits of raincaller being placed in the middle of it, atop the rice.

"I will try my very best, though the concern on my face may say otherwise." Eir gives a small note of amusement, smiling faintly. Watching as the rice is dished out, and the fish he had prepared set within, he's quick to set his hands to work, attempting to form the fish and rice mixture into something vaguely resembling a triangle. The filling is contained, though the rice is somewhat lopsided. "…This is… A little more complicated than wrapping a samosa…"

A soft snicker leaves Sayuri, as she fishes the rice and raincaller bits out of her bowl and into her hands, gently forming the rice around the fish and shaping it into a neat triangle. A hand reaches for the seaweed strips, which she proceeds to gently wrap around the onigiri before settling it down. "The shape isn't important, as long as it tastes nice."

Pouting at his own creation, he turns to slowly remold his own, though it's clear a triangle isn't quite what he'd decided to aim for in the end. Though still vaguely resembling the shape, two of the points are rounded into bumps, folding the sheet of nori around the width. "…There." Eir's is set beside her own; a little uneven, but decidedly heart shaped. "Made with love."

She passes a glance over to the heartshaped onigiri, emitting a soft laugh at the sight. She spends a moment in thought as she loads more rice and fish into her bowl, laying the fish bits in a crescent shape before folding the rice around it, as she proceeds to spend a little longer in her attempt to make a crescent moon shaped onigiri, which she forces to hold its shape by coiling the nori around it in such a way she's certain it won't unravel, settling it down next to the heart-shaped one. Show-off.

Eir hums in amusement, seeing the decorative onigiri beside each other. "You have very talented hands, my Moon." Eir praises, gazing to her warmly. Though after a moment there's a hesitation as his gaze darts back to his bowl, more rice and fish added for another attempt.

[lovings4turn]

જ⁀➴  𝐊𝐈𝐒𝐒 𝐌𝐄  . . .  (𝐋. 𝐍.)

— whilst you love the excitement that comes with dating a formula one driver, you cherish the quiet, private moments with lando far more

+ part of my 'be my valentine' mixtape series ! inspired by 'kiss me' by sixpence none the richer, which is one of my fav songs of all time <3

whenever you told someone that your boyfriend drove formula one cars for a living, their initial response was always to 'ooh' and 'ahh' over how luxurious that must be for you. you must be so well travelled, spoiled with tons of gifts, showered with champagne any time he did well on track.

and you would agree - it was true, after all - but those were never your favourite parts of dating lando norris.

what you loved most about lando was how himself he was, no matter how bright the spotlight that shone on him became. it was lando being so quintessentially, well, lando, that had led you to the dreamlike date you were currently on together.

no longer phased by late night texts requesting your company at any hour of the day, you'd wasted no time in getting yourself dressed up for a mystery date the moment lando had messaged you about it.

and now, sat beneath the stars on the hood of his car, you felt like the luckiest person to walk the earth. how lando had found such a pretty, secluded location, you'd never know. part of the beauty was not knowing.

bar the moon acting as your chaperone, it was just you and lando for as far as you were aware. for one night, you were granted your own part of the earth, a land that could be your own.

lando, cheesy as ever, had began to play some romantic old love song from his car speakers, a gesture that was only briefly delayed by the house song he'd accidentally queued up first.

once you'd controlled your giggles, lando had held out his hand, stooping down into a bow and playing the part of a gentleman.

"can i have this dance?" he asked, grin so wide his eyes began to crinkle up at the corners.

hesitant was a feeling you never experienced around lando. your hand was in his before you had time to think.

neither of you were particularly well versed in the art of dance, but you knew each other like the back of your own hands, and each step and movement was fluid, second nature after years together.

the silver moon cast a glittering glow over your intertwined frames, a spotlight for your personal duet that caught lando's face perfectly in it's light.

"you're staring," lando mused, eyes sparkling in amusement as he realised he'd caught you.

"you're making it hard not to," you admitted, eyes flitting down to the curve of his top lip briefly before you met his eyes once more.

"so i'm a distraction, am i?"

it was a joke, yet his fondness for you outweighed the humour in the tone of his voice.

"well, you said it not me."

lando laughed at this, a sound that never failed to make your heart skip a beat.

"i think i can be even more of a distraction," he hummed.

in one swift move, lando's lips were on yours as his hands gripped your waist firmly. the kiss was soft, yet passionate, the movements of his tongue somehow tracing everything he could never say to you into the cavern of your mouth.

being at the track with lando was fun, as was the winter trips to ski lodges and summer holidays in resorts. but without a doubt, your favourite place to be with lando was underneath the haze of the milky twilight, lips locked as his heart bore roots into your own chest.

[alexiethymia]

little things about hitsuhina and ginran I love (design-wise)

how kubo really designed them to be complementary

in the manga, rangiku’s hair is golden while gin’s hair is silver. even when they changed their hair color to strawberry blonde in the anime, they also changed her eyes from blue to silver-grey

even when gin defects, you have his white arrancar outfit with the aqua-blue sash, which complements rangiku’s black shihakusho and blush-pink scarf. it’s quite striking in the colored manga.  

the snake and virgin motif between the two of them, and even hades and persephone, I mean the both of them are also virgos (seriously the fact that they have the same birthday, and they count it on the day they met, they’re such soulmates)

the association of autumn and winter with the both of them (their favorite foods are dried persimmons, and rangiku most often remembers gin with snow)

you wouldn’t normally think that they have thematic links with their zanpakuto unlike say hitsugaya and hinamori with their ice and fire elements, but the fact that gin is also associated with foxes, and haineko’s hilt looks a bit like a fox is very cute to me (EDIT: Apparently, they do have a connection with their zanpakuto! Upon the reread, it seems that Shinsou’s bankai isn’t about how long or fast it contracts, rather it turns to dust for an instant, the moment it expands and contracts. Dust and Ash, wow. I don’t know if Kubo really planned all these out, but idc, I still love these bits and pieces.)

hitsugaya and hinamori are pretty obvious - smol to her tol, cold white snow to her earthy brown, ice and fire

despite hitsugaya’s element, I often associate them with spring and summer, especially since summer is when hinamori would visit home and they’d eat watermelon together

although both hitsugaya and rukia have ice as their element, their thematic connections with their respective childhood friends differ enough.

this is best reflected in hitsugaya’s and renji’s duet about their childhood friends. renji associates himself with dirt and being a stray, while he associates rukia with purity and the cleanness of snow. he’s a howling dog who longs for the moon, and one of rukia’s most famous attacks is tsukishiro or white moon. red and white are their colors.

hitsugaya meanwhile personifies the coldness of ice, while he considers hinamori’s smile and laughter to have been a “spring breeze” which warmed him

color-names and flower-names: there’s also slight symmetry as to their names. both gin’s and hitsugaya’s (or nick)names can refer to their hair colors (silver, white) while rangiku and momo’s names refer to flowers. rangiku or chrysanthemums are supposed to represent truth, and well we all know what gin is like. meanwhile, peach blossoms are spring flowers, while toshiro has the character for ‘winter’ in his first name. plum blossoms (or the ‘ume’ in tobiume), meanwhile, also bloom in late winter and early spring

[melpomene-writes]

can’t help falling in love with you

chou tzuyu x gn!reader /// fluff

summary: the two of you love each other, and that’s all that really matters.

wise men say, only fools rush in but i can’t help falling in love with you like a river flows, surely to the sea darling so it goes, some things are meant to be — can’t help falling in love, twenty one pilots (cover)

i.

the two of you meet when the sun touches the horizon and bleeds the world red. you’re lost and tzuyu’s confused but your fingers tangle together almost immediately, like two puzzle pieces of the universe finally coming together.

the two of you end up falling over, under, for each other as the constellations light up the sky. in this moment, the two of you are ethereal beings with stardust in your veins. in this moment, the world stretches as far as each other. in this moment, there’s only the two of you, but has there ever been anyone else?

and so you’re no longer lost and tzuyu’s no longer confused because it’s not difficult to smile when all you ever need is right there next to you.

ii.

tzuyu isn’t an artist but she paints a smile on your face every day. you’re not a fixer but she collects all the pieces of yourself that tzuyu throws away in her small hands and fits them back into their place. the two of you aren’t perfect but the two of you are perfect for each other.

sometimes it’s difficult to remember the strings that bind you both together, when shouting rattles the roof and both of you scream things that the two of you will later regret. gold and silver threads pull you both back from the cliff’s edge and the two of you hold each other like lifelines.

when the world is quiet, the two of you remember what love feels like, and then everything is okay again.

iii.

the two of you are painted in red, blue, white, backlit against the fireworks that bloom above you both. you’re silver and tzuyu’s gold and there’s so much pride in the sky that it’s almost tangible in the air but the two of you are only ever proud of each other.

lyrics spill from your fingertips as the two of you twirl into the night, laughter crystallising into the atmosphere. tonight, there’s nothing except for the feeling of warm hands wrapping around your heart and the slow pulsing beat of the earth as it spins to the rhythm of your feet.

the two of you don’t let go of each other until the moon fades away and even then it is only to fall into each other again as you both sleep.

iv.

there’s something wonderful about the permanence of ink. it breathes magic into all the pages of your lives. winter is followed by spring and the scrapbook that you both made together is slowly getting filled up. there are so many pictures stuck to the colourful pages that the polaroids almost drip off and float to the ground.

the two of you cannot help but smile constantly at the bright camera flashes, revelling in wanting to be captured in the spur of the moment, on the edge of feeling. you stick the images down and tzuyu captions them in black sharpie.

there’s an ‘i love you’ on every page.

v.

tzuyu used to be afraid of the things that went bump in the night. now she has you to hold her hand and every scary silhouette turns into a bunny or a unicorn or a fairy. she finds that nothing is scarier than you leaving her but you’re right here and so close that tzuyu can count your heartbeats so there’s nothing else to be afraid of.

when morning comes, the shadows are gone but you’re still here and tzuyu realizes that her heart only ever skips a beat now when you smile at her.

she is no longer afraid.

vi.

the bonfire spits into the sky as waves break on the shore. it’s hot and cold at the same time but the two of you have each other so nothing else really matters. the sweet smell of roasting marshmallows hang in the air as the two of you navigate the crowd, always touching in one way or another. it’s customary now, this is how the two of you harmonize. the two of you play a duet with your broken strings and weave stories into your song.

tzuyu’s fingers are cold and she’s shaking as she fumbles with the buttons on her coat. you laugh as you cover tzuyu’s hands with yours and the sky burns orange as you slide the last button into place. tzuyu grins at you and you feel as if the sun has suddenly risen again.

this is how the two of you are now, and this is how the two of you will be forever.

fluff, fluff, fluff…

[ventique-genshin]

Transcend (scara short story poem)

One of the pieces I'm working on for a Scara short story poem book

Synopsis:

To transcend beyond your current self is to accept your past and welcome the future you

I ascended once,

From a hollow shell veiled with the constellations of dead stars.

I stepped in a staircase made from the carcass

Of my loved ones and my enemies,

Painted in a single pigment of red,

Stirred from a shade of many,

Its steps glittering with radiant specks of dreams from the lives I've shattered.

I ascended.

Into a solitary moon, into a crowned god.

Yet at my throne atop a galaxy,

There was nothing but a realization of having nothing.

Nothing but skeletons gathered at my feet

Singing a symphony of both vengeance and reverence,

A duet with the solo concerto of the hollow eyes of a hollow man.

Drip, drop, drip, drop,

They sang.

Drip, drop, drip,

Drop, like I did, from a throne that was not mine,

Like an endless ticking of eternity's clock.

Tick-tock, tick-tock,

An eternity of falling,

Deeper, deeper,

And deeper

Into a bottomless pit of despair,

Not into the grave that others made for me,

But into the depths of the one I dug with my hands,

With my wooden fingers that had cracked and peeling paint,

Like how I wanted to peel off my name, my face, my limbs--

Until I am bare enough to become an unnamed star in a galaxy.

Ah.

Perhaps I ascended by descending.

Because once I stripped myself from the galaxy,

Blew off the remaining embers until my history ceased to exist like the last wisp of smoke,

A new star was born from my ashes.

You, who were sinless and spotless,

You, who were free from the crushing weight of five hundred autumns and winters' memories,

"May you find what it means to live."

We said in unison.

Surprise made me open the eyes I did not know were closed.

I spoke--no, we spoke.

Me and myself

Spoke with the same voice.

"For we have become one and the same."

…Yes.

As memories fell like the sand of an hourglass,

Like a rain that washed away the weariness of the earth,

We pulled each other's arms up,

Up, from the bottom of the ocean,

Up, from our own lonely little planet of regret,

To greet the sun and the endless blue sky,

Where birds sang a joyful ode to the day after an eternal storm.

I have transcended.

I once folded a thousand paper cranes to make a wish,

But it was not the wish from my lips that was granted but the one my soul uttered.

As I rose from the coffin where I laid in slumber,

Dusted off the petals of flowers that grew around my tomb,

And covered my bare body with the sky and clouds' cloak,

My eyes, no longer as hollow as the hollow man I once was,

No longer singing a song of spite to the galaxy for my existence,

Lifted their gaze, not to the cold and empty space,

But to the warm morning, where I was no longer alone.

Drip, drop, drip, drop,

My vibrant eyes sang sweetly.

I, who was abandoned,

I, who used and was used,

I, who died and was reborn,

I, who had nothing and still have nothing,

I, who rose from my own rotting corpse

And rode the wind with a new name,

Have transcended myself

And became my true self.

[twistedroseytoesy]

What if Yuu serenades Malleus with Love Like You from Steven Universe only for Malleus to start dieting with them?

I’m going to assume you mean duet. But heck ya! This is going to be so fluffy! The two are Dating, about 2 months into the relationship. just something fluffy and cute they will be doing every week or so.

Used this song cover by SamTGC on youtube as the way the song is sung in the story.

It was a bright night with a clear sky and a crescent moon smiling down from its place among the twinkling stars. Mc and Malleus walked along an old path behind ramshackle. A new faded and overgrown walkway seemed to lead the two deep into an overgrown part of the forest. Malleus had noticed how his child of man had been fairly quiet, but he did not mind the quiet he was used to it, he was just glad to spend time with them.

The two had to duck under a colappsed wooden archway and discovered an open area, with collapsed seats in rows and an old and strong stage. They noticed the ramshackle ghosts wandering about, keeping the stage clean and retuning the piano. collapsed

"Aaron, Berry, and Cyrus? what are you doing here?" Mc asked, now approaching the stage. Malleus walked behind them ready to defend themselves from these ghosts, he relaxed when he sensed that they knew each other.

"Oh! Mc, perfect timing. We wanted to do a little jazzy piano song and you would be the perfect singer we need!" Berry said floating over to them. Aaron noticed malleus and swooned a bit.

"you brought an audience, a prince no less!" He said before getting back to setting up the piano. Cyrus just waved at the two, jiggling his fat body a bit, as he finished moving the piano.

"I've got the lights," Cyrus said, floating just out of sight behind the drooping ragged curtains.

"I'm playing the piano tonight, do you have any requests to sing dear prefect," Aaron asked as he took his seat, thin fingers at the ready.

"We'll yes, actually." they said as they climbed onto the stage. "it's from a show Ace and Deuce introduced to me, I think I showed you a few of the episodes, Hornton," they explained. They whispered the song's name to Aaron and he nodded with a kind smile. He then started a soft melody among the ivory keys.

Malleus summoned his own chair and sat, rapt attention on his beloved child of man as they began to sing. A spot light shined on them, white light making then stand out against the darkness of the night. Their eyes sparkled with joy and kindness, it made Malleus's heart skip a beat.

"If I could begin to be Half of what you think of me I could do about anything I could even learn how to love"

Their soft voice flowed through the open area, bringing a gentle piece to the somewhat sorrowful song. Malleus knew this song, he had enjoyed listening to it when he watched a few of the episodes with Mc.

"When I see the way you act Wondering when I'm coming back I could do about anything I could even learn how to love like you"

They looked at malleus, their eyes meeting as they sang. He felt his heart lurch. Knowing that they were talking about how he missed them so over the winter break and during times they were away. He stood and teleported onto the stage gently singing before they could recover from the shock of him joining them.

"I always thought I might be bad Now I'm sure that it's true 'Cause I think you're so good And I'm nothing like you"

He sang, his base voice holding power and emotion deeper than anything Mc had ever heard. Their face heated before they touched his arm, so then they could sing the next part alone.

"Look at you go! I just adore you I wish that I knew What makes you think I'm so special

He turned as they sang, a light dusting of pink upon his pale cheeks as he gently grabbed their hand and intertwined their fingers. The two now singing in beautiful, perfect, harmony.

"If I could begin to do Something that does right by you I would do about anything I would even learn how to love"

green fireflies glowed around the two, some even flashing yellow and pink as they sang. Moving around each other in a small circle, keeping eye contact.

"When I see the way you look Shaken by how long it took I could do about anything I could even learn how to love like you"

The piano began to slow as the two gently sang. Then it circled back to the Chorus.

"Love like you"

"I always thought I might be bad Now I'm sure that it's true 'Cause I think you're so good And I'm nothing like you"

They began to float, the spot light staying on them as they walked in the air. Circling and holding onto each other.

"Look at you go! I just adore you I wish that I knew What makes you think I'm so special"

Mc jumped ahead and laughed at how they floated over the ground. Their smile was infectious as Malleus walked calmly over to them and grabbed their hands once more.

"If I could begin to be Half of what you think of me I could do about anything I could even learn how to love"

"When I see the way you act Wondering when I'm coming back I could do about anything I could even learn how to love like you"

They held the note together. Faces grew closer as they started to drift to the ground, brilliant pink petals now under their feet and floating around them.

"Love me like you"

They finished together. Closing the space between them in an instant. Malleus held them close as he kissed passionately and desperately. He chased after them when they pulled back after a few seconds. They leaned their head onto his chest, sighing happily.

"Thank you Malleus, that was wonderful. I didn't realize you knew that song." They sighed again as malleus allowed himself to indulge in the physical contact and run his fingers through their hair.

"I never forget the moments we share. Even if it was from a show, it was time I got to spend with you," he said quietly. "I''ll cherish these moments and memories forever." They cooed at him before giving him another peck.

"We should head back, I'm getting a bit chilly," they said with a yawn.

"As you wish my dear." And with that, the two disappeared in a flurry of green lights. Content to cuddle together on that beautiful night in his room. They chatted about doing this again happily before Mc eventually fell asleep. Malleus looked at them as he pulled the blanket over both of them. He smiled eyes full of love before he too fell into a peaceful slumber.

[tfc2211]

Play ▶ Retro Obscuro No. 139 - Christmas

The Belmonts - Wintertime The Surf Boys - Stuck In The Chimney Francis Smith - Solar System Simon, Santa's Supersonic Son Santo And Johnny - Twistin' Bells Sylvia Reid - Christmas Rock And Roll Babs Gonzales - Teenage Santa Claus Gisele Mackenzie - Too Fat For The Chimney Jim Easter And The Artistic's - White Christmas The Copycats Featuring Kimo & Sabbe - The Abominable Snow-Man Ed McCurdy And The Boomers With Joe Cribari - Red Hair And Green Eyes The Debonaires - Crazy Santa Claus Gary Ramey With Floyd And The Little Soul Sisters - Moon-Y Min-I Men Visit Santa Claus (Part 1) Walter Stone "The Cry Baby" And The Tradewinds - Christmas Time Again Judy And The Duets - Christmas With The Beatles Mie Nakao - Jingle Bells The Cavaliers - Santa's Soul Gus Colletti - Santa Is A Superman Doye O'Dell - I'm Pickin' Fights For Christmas Johnny Preston - (I Want A) Rock And Roll Guitar Fred Bergin And His Music - Deck The Halls Janette Eden - You Turn Me On (And I Light Up) The Wilder Brothers - I Wanna Goat For Christmas Jack Ware - What Did Santa Claus Used To Be? The Martels - Rockin' Santa Claus The Lollipops - Mister Santa Idle Few - A Letter To Santa Yasunori Nakajima And The Latin Rhythm Kings - Winter Wonderland Bobby The Poet - White Christmas (3 O'Clock Weather Report) Judy Jamison - The Santa Claus Twist Gus De Wert Trio And Jeannie Jay - Space Age Santa Claus Jeri Kelly - Poor Ole' Santa Claus The Splendors - Winter Time The Teardrops - Hey Gingerbread Little Rita Faye - I Fell Out Of A Christmas Tree Jim Backus - Why Don't You Go Home For Christmas Jimmy Allen, Tommy Bartella - When Santa Comes Over The Brooklyn Bridge Donna And The Dees - I Know There's A Santa Claus The Pixies Three - Cold Cold Winter Bet E. Martin - Mrs. Santa Claus The Surfers - Here Comes Santa Claus In A Red Canoe The Sherwoods - Cold And Frosty Morning The Qualities & Sun Ra - It's Christmas Time

[ofhaunts]

             welcome  to  antioch,  karo  saelim!  local  sources  report  that  you've  been  in  town  for  32  years  and  are  known  to  be  wise  yet  inhibited.  others  have  dredged  up  rumours  that  you're  involved  in  the  vampire  of  antioch  as  nora  winters'  roommate,  but  most  know  you  for  your  work  as  a  waitress  at  blue  moon  diner.  we'll  see  you  around  town  soon!   ›   pinterest.

𝐢.  𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬.

playlist.  tasks.  headcanons.  introspection.  visuals.  edits.  wanted.  memes.  honesty  hours.

𝐢𝐢. 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐥𝐬.

brooklyn,  blackwood  institute  trilogy  ( books ).  misaki,  maid  sama  ( anime/manga ).  scarlett,  the  blood  we  crave  duet  ( books ).  moonyoung,  it's  okay  not  to  be  okay  ( kdrama ).

𝐢𝐢𝐢.  𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥.

character  name:  karo  saelim.   nickname(s):  ro,  kar.   faceclaim:  davika  hoorne.   birthday:  20  october  1990.   age:  thirty3.   place  of  birth:  spokane,  washington  &  moved  to  antioch  when  she  was  one  after  her  dad  got  a  job  offer.   zodiac:  libra  ( western ),  metal  horse  ( chinese ).   mbti:  istj-t,  the  logistician.   moral  alignment:  true  neutral.   enneagram:  type  8,  the  challenger.   occupation:  waitress.   place  of  work:  blue  moon  diner.   subplot  affiliation:  the  vampire  of  antioch  as  nora  winters'  roommate.   three  positive  traits:  wise,  independent,  honourable.   three  negative  traits:  inhibited,  obsessive,  self-indulgent.   languages:  english,  thai,  french,  and  american  sign  language.   love  language:  acts  of  service  is  how  she  likes  showing  love,  physical  touch  is  how  she  likes  receiving  love.   sexuality:  pansexual  /  pan  +  demiromantic.   education:   bachelors  of  science  in  neuroscience.   piercings:  six  on  each  ear,  various  placements.   tattoos:  "amor"  on  outer  left  hand,  "soif  de  vivre"  ( french  for  thirst  for  life)  in  red  script  along  her  right  trap,  a  floral  +  bee  design  on  her  sternum,  single  line  brain  with  flowers  design  above  left  elbow  for  her  father,  a  wishbone  on  outer  right  wrist  that  she  got  with  nora.

𝐢𝐯.  𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲.

tw:  brief  mentions/hints  of  illness,  parental  death,  addiction,  abuse,  drunk  driving,  car  accident.

raised  by  a  single  dad  who  was  lost  to  an  illness  when  karo  was  eleven.  when  her  mother  was  informed  of  the  loss  ( and  the  life  insurance  payout ),  she  came  back  to  antioch  to  care  for  her  despite  the  pair  having  never  met  before. unfortunately  for  karo,  the  love  of  her  father's  life  wasn't  the  woman  he  thought  she  was.  she  had  a  temper,  sought  comfort  at  the  bottom  of  a  bottle,  and  gambled  money  as  if  it  grew  on  trees.  every  cent  lost  was  karo's  fault,  and  she  made  sure  her  daughter  knew  it,  leaving  behind  bruises  karo  explained  away  as  evidence  of  her  clumsiness.   after  a  particularly  strange  win---strange  because  it  was  something  her  mother  never  did---when  karo  was  in  her  junior  year  of  high  school,  she  decided  to  pick  her  daughter  up  from  her  study  group  to  "celebrate".  despite  the  alcohol  pervading  the  cab,  she  didn't  wish  to  anger  her  mother.  not  when  this  was  the  first  time  she'd  ever  smiled  at  her. their  trip  was  cut  short,  resulting  in  karo  outliving  both  of  her  parents,  though  she  didn't  walk  away  from  the  accident  unscathed.  partial  sensorineural  hearing  loss  in  her  right  ear,  the  doctor  said,  all  thanks  to  the  airbags. after  finally  given  the  okay  to  return  to  "normal"  life,  karo  was  taken  in  by  a  friend's  family  so  she  didn't  need  to  spend  the  remainder  of  her  high  school  career  trying  to  adjust  in  foster  care. eventually,  she  went  on  to  get  her  bachelors  degree  in  neuroscience  from  antioch  university.  despite  having  no  desire  to  excel  or  even  make  a  career  in  the  field,  karo's  decision  was  made  solely  in  an  attempt  to  feel  closer  to  her  father  who  was  a  neurologist  before  he  got  sick.  upon  graduating  with  her  degree  at  twenty2,  karo  went  back  to  her  old  job  at  the  diner  ( one  she  quit  after  the  accident )  this  time  as  a  full-time  employee  and  she's  been  there  ever  since.

𝐯.  𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬.

regarding  her  languages,  english  and  thai  were  taught  to  her  throughout  childhood.  french  was  the  foreign  language  she  chose  to  learn  in  school.  asl  is  something  she  learned  after  the  accident. while  her  hearing  loss  is  partial,  it  usually  gives  her  the  most  trouble  when  there's  too  much  background  noise  or  if  the  voice/information  is  coming  through  a  speaker  ( e.g.,  a  mobile  device,  a  microphone,  etc. ).  this  is  why  she  does  her  best  to  avoid  crowds  and  prefers  that  you  text  her,  or  speak  to  her  in  person  if  necessary. has  never  had  a  single  drop  of  alcohol  and  refuses  to  ever  try  it.  she  doesn't  even  like  taking  simple  over  the  counter  pain  meds  for  headaches,  because  of  her  mother's  history. big  reader.  will  read  just  about  anything,  but  she's  a  lover  of  poetry,  the  classics,  and  anything  philosophical. one  of  her  special  interests  is  all  things  flowers.  she  knows  what  every  single  one  of  them  means,  how  to  care  for  them,  etc.  seriously,  she  will  completely  geek  out  if  you  let  her  so  pls  don't. i  imagine  her  signature  scent  to  be  a  lot  like  sandalsun  by  hermetica  paris  ( think  a  warm  woodsy  scent  with  hazelnut  and  vanilla ),  and  because  she  also  follows  a  lot  of  the  same  notes  with  her  body  care  products,  even  the  smell  of  the  diner  can't  win. she's  very  quiet,  the  way  she  walks,  talks,  lives,  etc.  would  be  exceptionally  skilled  at  sneaking  up  on  nearly  anyone  if  her  scent  didn't  give  her  away. has  a  brown  burmese  cat  named  sun  ( her  full  name  is  sunstra,  but  karo  only  calls  her  that  when  she's  in  trouble ).  at  first,  she  tried  living  alone  after  nora's  murder,  but  she  couldn't  stand  the  empty  place  anymore  and  getting  a  new  roomie  felt  as  if  she  were  replacing  nora,  so  she  compromised  and  got  a  kitten. has  a  very  strong  moral  compass  for  herself,  though  it  may  not  always  align  with  what  is  considered  socially  "normal".  she  doesn't  try  to  push  her  ideals  or  make  someone  feel  like  they're  wrong  for  any  belief  or  opinion  they  may  have  on  something,  though  she  won't  hesitate  to  share  her  own  stance. she  doesn't  lie.  like..  ever.  sure,  she  has  no  problem  telling  you  that  she  doesn't  want  to  share  something  with  you  or  that  it's  none  of  your  business,  she  may  evade  divulging  any  information  entirely,  but  she  doesn't  lie.  this  is  something  she  takes  very  seriously,  and  one  way  of  getting  on  her  bad  side  is  to  lie  to  her.  also,  she  can  hold  a  grudge  like  no  other  so  if  you  end  up  on  her  bad  side,  good  luck  ever  getting  off  of  it. hasn't  shed  a  single  tear  since  her  father's  death.  not  from  sadness,  not  from  anger,  not  from  pain,  not  from  happiness.  nothing.  not  to  say  she  doesn't  feel  those  emotions,  because  she  most  certainly  does,  she  just...  can't  seem  to  cry. lol  vulnerability  is  hard.  pls  don't  ask  her  to  do  it.  i  mean,  she's  great  at  making  you  feel  like  you're  close,  but  know  that  unless  you're  extra,  extra  special,  you're  really  just  out  of  arms  reach  emotionally  to  her. at  work,  she's  a  lot  like  bartenders  are,  like  in  terms  of  being  good  conversation  partners  /  advice  givers,  except  she  does  it  while  she  feeds  you  pancakes  instead  of  drinks. speaking  of  pancakes,  she's  a  phenomenal  cook.  this,  along  with  getting  you  flowers,  are  her  favourite  ways  to  show  her  affection.

𝐯𝐢. 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.

first  love  /  ex.  this  is  the  first  person  she  truly  let  in  and  by  golly  gosh  did  she  fall  hard.  all  details  can  be  discussed,  especially  considering  this  is  extremely  open.  all  i  can  promise  is  lots  of  angst.  open  to  anyone  30-38. childhood  bestie.  they  were  pratically  attached  at  the  hip  since  diaper  /  toddler  days,  but  when  karo's  father  died,  she  pulled  away  from  everyone  and  retreated  into  herself,  distracting  herself  with  school.  when  her  mother  was  finally  added  to  the  picture,  i  imagine  she  may  have  even  started  to  lash  out  a  bit  to  push  this  person  even  further  away.  she's  always  regretted  it,  but  given  how  much  time  has  passed,  she  doesn't  know  how  to  reconcile.  she's  also  really  embarrassed,  both  about  her  life  story  and  her  actions  towards  this  person,  so  she's  still...  not  that nice.  open  to  anyone  30-36,  raised  in  antioch. person  ( +  their  family )  who  who  took  her  in.  they  knew  each  other  from  school  and,  whether  it  was  through  the  grapevine  or  from  karo  herself,  they  heard  about  karo's  situation  and  convinced  their  adult(s)  to  let  her  stay  with  them  for  the  remainder  of  her  junior  year  +  her  senior  year  for  whatever  reason.  this  can  be  either  a  positive  or  negative  connection,  i  have  no  preference.  open  to  anyone  31-34,  raised  in  antioch.   parental  figures.  this  is  pretty  self  explanatory.  she's  missed  her  father  immensely  since  his  passing  and  she's  never  known  the  love  of  a  mother.  these  are  people  she  looks  to  for  parental  advice  /  comfort.  open  to  anyone  45+.

[naradivision]

Miraitabi Vibe Check!

Album 『SAIJIKI』 🦌🍁

Motivated by “Character Playlists/ Character Songs” starting by many divisions, duets idea from @kumamoto-division, and the songs that inspire me (most of them are sung by their headcanon voiceclaims).

Please note that these are not the actual titles to these songs, I just made them up to demonstrate their vibes as individuals and as a whole. This time it’s all according to their “seasonal” theme.

And again, all these songs obviously belong to their respective artists listed below each song. Anyway, hope y’all enjoy the ride!

『夏 ～ Summertime Wandering 🏮 』 

“I fell into a dream of a never-ending summer.” 

Real Title: 8.32  Covered by: あらき-ARAKI Original by: *Luna ft. flower

『春 ～ Marching Through Spring 🍡』

“Let’s usher in the end of spring, shall we?”

Real Title: 夜桜 (Yozakura) Original by: Kujira (WhaleDontSleep) ft. Meychan

『冬 ～ By the time I got on Winter Express 💠』

“The train will pass on stations without even stopping. Don’t go inside, if you know nothing about it.”

Real Title: Kisaragi Station (Album NEGATIVE)   Original by: nqrse

『 』

Dynamic Duets

【Spring x Summer】

春から夏へ 🍡🏮

“It is not a movie, who is the main character? Our summer has started! What about you in your end? Did you now have the courage to be honest with yourself?”

Real Title: 青と夏 (Ao to Natsu) Covered by: Nikuchomo (Gero, Meychan) Original by: Mrs. GREEN APPLE

【Summer x Winter】 Solstice Staccato 🏮💠

“Go on, doubt! This world is fiction. Everything is my fault. The end credits I encountered, not having said goodbye —are beautiful, but that doesn’t count for anything.”

Real Title: Recollection Endroll Covered by: Araki x nqrse Original by: Tsumiki ft. Hatsune Miku

【Spring x Winter】 Otsukimi Rendezvous 🍡💠

“The moon is so big! A red cup with a big sky. A stray cat is yelling this town is at night!”

Real Title: Night in Tokyo Covered by: Meychan x nqrse Original by: Hitaka Yoshihisa ft. Hatsune Miku, Gekiyaku & JOLNO

Division Theme Songs

You, me, and the seasons

Real Title: Shikioriori ni Tayutaite  Covered by: Araki x Piko Original by: After the Rain (soraru, mafumafu)

一期一会の花火

Real Title: Hanabi Zekkei Sung by: RainyBlueBell (Utenkekkou, AO, ill.bell)

Dear me in the future (Miraitabi Anthem)

Real Title: Night Sky Patrol of Tomorrow Covered by:  Aranarumey (Araki, nqrse, Meychan) Original by:  Orangestar ft. IA

“Let’s start facing towards tomorrow again, both you and me.”

“If you want it, then make it come true yourself.”

“Remember this day someday in the future,”

“—Whatever whoever we are then.”

Special notes:

The album name “Saijiki (歳時記)” means “year-time chronicle” is the collection of Japanese words and phrases that associated with a particular season (kigo) which also used in many traditional forms of Japanese poetry. 

If you recognize, both Yuuya and Saigo were born around the solstices, but with different seasons —Yuuya’s in summer (the day with the longest period of daylight) and Saigo’s in winter (the day with the longest period of nighttime), thus this becomes the idea of their duet’s name.

“Otsukimi” means “moon viewing” which refers to the Japanese tradition of holding parties to view the harvest moon in autumn. Actually, since Yuuya is still underage, those two adults are hanging out somewhere else with mochi and liquor.

Spot something that seems out of place? Hmm, that’s maybe not your imagination or is it~?

P.S. Because I neither have a Spotify account nor know many songs in particular, that’s why I decide to bring this idea to life for the time being.

Btw let’s looking forward to the Halloween?

[thesuitelife547]

B1A4, OMG, ONF Google Drive Folders Masterlist (Updated December 6, 2022)

So if any of you have been on my Twitter, you may know that I have (a lot of) Google Drive folders holding different performances that I’ve subbed for B1A4, OMG, and ONF and this here is the Masterlist for them having the links to the folders and describing what they all contain. 

If anyone has any questions, feel free to reach out because I know this is a lot of stuff and it may be hard to find things. The only folder that doesn’t specifically have what’s in it is the Special Folder. But the first section is all of the live performances and then the second consists of the subbed videos that I have and that are uploaded.

I’ll be updating this from time to time, too, so this isn’t the final list and I don’t think it ever will be.

But let me know if you have any questions. Thanks to everyone and enjoy!

- Marisa

MUSIC

B1A4 https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1cBfcm1GTR8RJAkG-CrxvMviAJLowLIbS Japanese albums (3, 4), Do You Remember, Follow Me, Listen to the B1A4, Japanese MV (Happy Days & You and I), Road Trip, Traffic Safety Song, Chu Chu Chu (Japanese), Immortal Songs 2 (It Will Pass, Like A Dandelion Spore, The Flight), The First Day She Cried, Smart Campaign Song, SBS Hope TV Logo Song, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/15bTrPL772g-VfFpS8G1jo7nYpWg4DVTp The Class, BABA B1A4, Amazing Store, JYP Party People, Japan Showcase Live 2011 https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1q5_AtPhJAOZM2nRvG3HZvi5JH35wDzRR Baby I’m Sorry, Beautiful Target, Duet Festival, OK, Rollin’, Sugar Man, Sweet Girl, What’s Going On https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1VIUtCPfey2EEr2nhnkn4h89jKy3758vh A Lie, Baby Goodnight, Mask King, Solo Day, Tried to Walk, 10 Years Later (Guerilla Concert), A Glass of water [Inkigayo & Music Bank], DMZ Special Stage, Lonely & Solo Day [MBC Gayo, Seoul Music Awards], FM Date, Solo Day & If Snow Comes [SBS Gayo], Together [Comeback Showcase], You Are A Girl I Am A Boy [Inkigayo, Music Core] https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bcZq2cD8mHdU_eazLp4Yc9iFzvLpflL0?usp=sharing Japanese Albums (1, 2, 5), 1000 Song Challenge (Bounce, By Chance, Confession, I Hate, I Must’ve Loved You, Love’s Battery, Lying on the Ocean, Night of the Moon, Only, Yellow Handkerchief, Young You), Immortal Songs 2 (Dance with DOC, Do You Know Rosie, Forgotten Season, In Case You Don’t Come, In Your Arms, Older Sister, One Love, One Ticket, Rain Falling in Myeongdong, Unconditionally, White Love), Japanese Singles B-Sides (BANA Day, Colorful, Drive, Fly Away, Glass of Water, If…, Ready To Go, Who Am I), Lonely, MV (Sunshine, White Miracle, With You, The Way To Find Love [Cinderella and the Four Knights], No Problem [Smart Prison Playbook], One More Step [Introverted Boss], Other World [Bad Guys], Tell Me [Manhole], The Day We Fall In Love), Only Learned Bad Things, Sandeul Solo Albums, ABC Song [Line Song], KBS Gayo Special Stages, Good Timing [Comeback Showcase, The Show], Here I Am [Lovely Horribly], In A Dream [Comeback Showcase, Kiss the Radio, Show Champion], Intuition [MCountdown], It’s Christmas [Haeyo TV], Lingering Inside of Me [The Tale of Noku], Love Then [Haeyo TV, Show Champion], Nothing Better [Sketchbook], Perhaps [Simsimtapa], Prince of the Sea [MBC Gayo], Road [Golden Disk Awards], Star [I Need Love], Stay As You Are [Haeyo TV], The Place Where You Should Be [Music Core], This Time is Over [Haeyo TV], Winter Story & White Christmas [Music Core], With You [Open Concert, Reply 1994 Music Special] https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/18ezSSQ96Mq9cgcJVE9U9Bg9OXFTQj48m?usp=sharing Origine, Origine Comeback Showcase, Adult Diary [Start Up], B1A4 2017 Japan Tour ‘Be The One’ (17.06.16), Timing [Music Bank], Timing MV, Pick Up, Blue Whale [Kiss Episode 3] (19.03.19), The Love of Fingertips MV, Oppa MV

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RmO0jkWzjf_83jiMr0tWn3BjDe8ahI4C?usp=share_link

Special Folder [Raw] https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1qVF0f3A15Zdts5lEEIOqUv-x20Yf11Pc?usp=sharing Special Folder OH MY GIRL https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1jQk4pYiSWp29PrSt4eb_mlgOk_pyh1Rq?usp=sharing Banana Allergy Monkey, Coloring Book, Oh My Girl, OST (Fluttering Footsteps, I Know, Sarr), Pink Ocean, Secret Garden, The Fifth Season, Echo [Remember Me Showcase], Eternally, Listen to My Word [MCountdown], Walking With (feat. Sandeul) [Girl Spirit] ONF https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Z40a0KYH-WhJwGjRxf7lY1OPeigTzGxx?usp=sharing ON/OFF, ON/OFF First Showcase, Complete, Complete Second Showcase, OST (Not A Sad Song, Your Day), ON/OFF Japanese Single, Complete Japanese Single https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LH_OtNhAP84ErXL0TI2cLygTPX24BQM2?usp=sharing We Must Love, Go Live, Go Live Showcase, New World [Road to Kingdom], Spin Off, ONF: My Name, ONF: My Name Showcase, MK’s Soundcloud (You’re My Muse)

SHOWS

B1A4

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/18RNNiAKZA_dzlXDD4Dz6_JvarndpSu4q?usp=share_link

BABA B1A4, Celebrity Bromance, Crime Scene, D+B1A4, I Need Romance, God of Music 2, Pikicast Episode 5 

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-7Dztpvuz27rwrBzmjTpc6uEzikOelZH?usp=share_link

MTV Diary, PC Room Attack, 3 Minute Boyfriend [SNL], Dingo Test, 10th Anniversary - Road, Tei’s Dreaming Radio Clip (16.12.06), Bingo Talk [The Show] (16.12.06), Secretly, Greatly (16.12.11), Section TV (16.12.04), Snack MBTI, B1A4 x Javisi, Music Bank Stardust (16.10.05), Sandeul 1st Mini Album Music Documentary, Show Champion (16.12.27), The Kolor (20.10.22), Today, Too, You’ve Worked Hard Episode 12

ONF

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1DehBbdwFwvXOgWqCujq1kDij4GkiUanU?usp=share_link

On The Run, Blind Date with ONF, The Kolor (20.12.03)

[umbralsound-xiv]

The First To Remember.

The night had been an uneasy one, Sayuri vaguely tossing and turning in her sleep as if she struggled to get comfortable without making too much of a fuss about it. A prolonged stillness lingered, the only movement she offered being an irregular twitch here and there - seemingly having finally found her peace nestled against Eir. Only that she hadn't.

Her breathing grew shallow, the sound of it almost sounding strangled - a choked whine leaving her as her features contorted in clear discomfort. With it came the usual stir of her aether, accompanied by the pain its activity yet caused. Sayuri's body tensed up to the point of trembling, the arm that laid across Eir's frame to curve around to his side tightening its embrace significantly while her other arm's hand let her clawed fingertips sink into the mattress.

Ice began to emerge upon the Seeker's frame, dotting up across various areas upon her body with the most notable patches being upon her arms and neck. The more the element began to show, the more the Seeker's pained sounds increased, both in volume and frequency.

Soft plump pillows and silken sheets had drifted Eir into an easy sleep, cradling his now wife in his arms. The first sound of discomfort was responded to with a small pull closer; still asleep, it was simply something he did reflexively, now. But as her distress grew, the gentle cold he'd found comfort in now became a biting signal; a warning - Not for any displeasure to her aether, but a herald to the unpleasantries that often visited her in the dark. Eir is wrested from his slumber, brow knitting at the sudden wakefulness only to furrow deeper at the sound of her distress, he holds her all the more close, cold be damned. "Shhh… Shh… I am here, i am here…" Quiet, uttered words of reassurance that often calmed her, though his sleepless silver eyes now moved for her own, worried.

Nightmares, again... I was not unused to them. They plagued both of us, and with all we had been through, that was hardly a surprise. I am only glad i can offer her comfort... That she need not endure them alone.

The otherwise pinned back ears offered the faintest twitch in response to his voice, even if she didn't fully seem to stir - not until a whimper turned into a faint cry and her mismatched eyes finally batted open as she drew a deep, struggling breath in response to the pang of agony that shot through her, arms withdrawing to instead wrap around herself as she curled up in some attempt to press against the areas that hurt even if she was unable to, due to the sheer amount of them. Tears welled up in her eyes, both from the pain and that which caused it, coaxing the faintest sob from her.

The suddenness of it all and subsequent tangle of limbs as she retreated and he reached for her still ends with him sitting, having pulled himself up and around her, over her; cradled in his embrace as she curled in on herself. Eir rocks her gently, a careful hand reaching for her tears. "You are safe…" He speaks, to remain present in her ears, as soft and gentle as his motions, "It was just a dream… Just a bad dream…" Eir visibly wilts at the sound of a sob, pulling her in a little further but not so far she couldn't see his face. Moonlight had poured into the room from a silk-veiled window, it had illuminated them enough to see, even if not by so much. "Shhh…."

Her eyes shut anew, pinching shut while he brushes aside the tears that are on the verge of turning into droplets of ice. Her body leans against him, ice-clad arms cramming in between her stomach and thighs in her curled up position. Each breath is inhaled shakily and exhaled heavily, body offering the occasional flinch as a particularly sharp stab of pain assaults her. Sayuri's head turns to press against Eir's frame, seeking out his offered comfort with slight desperation.

Head dropping to settle atop her own, he kisses her crown, one hand raising to slowly rub at the base of her ear, while the other that cradled her more closely seeks to brush where ice met skin at her shoulder. "Breathe, love… I know it hurts." Eir's very words were tinged with sadness; there was nothing he could do to take the pain away, and the best he could do was dampen it. "You are safe…"

Sayuri's ears twitch faintly, her head pressing up against his - taking solace in the closeness he gave her. She fought to correct her breathing, and despite her own distress.. she withdraws an arm from it's captured spot, raising a shaky hand up to him to gently curl it against his head at the sorrow in his tone. "..I--.. mh.. o-okay.." She mumbles, not sounding particularly convincing - considering her sentence barely left her.

Eir turns his head into the touch of her hand, smiling as much as he could muster. Skin prickled and the cold biting more than comfortable, if it hurt he never showed it. "You are…" He encourages, shifting her so she sat a little less horizontal. "…We are here. On our honeymoon… In Thavnair. Together, just you and me." Soft, warm whispers are replaced with a kiss to her fingers, though it's hard for him to hide the worry in his expression as he did. This was much worse than usual, and he clearly knew it.

Something felt... Wrong. Her nightmares are frequent enough that i am used to their severity, but i do not recall the last time they were so... Bad. Her aether cannot be helping matters. Her ice is always present in difficult moments, but when it pains her...? ...I wish there was more i could do than simply hold her and tell her it was going to be alright...

A nigh incomprehensible mumble left Sayuri, but it certainly sounded as if she echoed Eir's words. With twitchy fingers, she sought to cup his cheek and gently brush her thumb along it. A sharp flinch signals another, worse stab of pain, the ice upon her person becoming more jagged in response even if she did her utmost to calm her volatile aether, which seemed to have very little intent to listen to her commands.

"Hey---! Hey…" Eir sounds half panicked at the flinch, looking over her with worried eyes. "I have you, I---…" Eir swallows, briefly looking over the room for anything that might help. "…I am not going anywhere. I promise. I am here, always. No matter how bad it gets." His words were a whispered oath, as he set his head to her own. "Breathe, love. Talk if you need to. I am here, however i am needed…"

The panic in his voice, however slight, is definitely not lost on her. She forcefully pulls herself from the curled up position she had held, stretching out her legs and moving her arms to wrap them around him a touch awkwardly, refusing to settle her icy forearms anywhere near him and keeping them stretched out behind him. "..H-hurts.." The word is a whispered whine, her head pushing back against his. "..A-.. l-lot.."

"I know… I know. You have had a fright, love. But it is okay. It is okay…" He doesn't care that the ice is pointed, embracing her fully in hope that soothing her mental distress will help with her physical affliction. "I love you… I love you…" He swallows the waver that creeps up his throat, but something steels him. "…I will not let anything hurt you…" Slowly rubbing at her ear, he aims to soothe her, cradling her all the while.

I... ...I would try, at least. Were someone to come for her, i would fight until my last breath. I promised. I promise i will never leave.

She allows herself to sink against him in an attempt to relax, her breathing slowly but surely beginning to turn more normal, if not a touch heavier for the strain. Her eyes remain shut for the time being, head slightly canting into his palm in response to the ear rub. ".. I l-love you.." She echoes back, her elbows lightly squeezing around his sides in her awkward embrace.

Turning his head, he settles a gentle kiss to her forehead, not stopping the affectionate rub at her ear for a moment. "I love you… So much." The soft curl of his lips against her skin is felt, where a quiet, more relieved sigh lingers as she seems to steady. "My wife. My Moon…" He gazes to the window, watching her namesake in the sky, a little further beyond over her; beyond midnight. "…Happy Namesday."

...I had plans, this sun. Her namesday. The first she would remember proper, having had the date stolen away from her for so long. I wanted it to be... Special. ...I had intended to wait, but now just felt... Right.

The ice upon her person slowly begins to thaw in the heat, and with Sayuri's inability, or unwillingness, to attempt to control her aether to aid in it's dismissal, she is simply left to wait for it to disappear on it's own. With the jagged edges less sharp, she finally moves her arms to wrap them around him, albeit carefully. Her ears twitch faintly at his words, a slow exhale leaving her. ".. W-what a.. start.. t-to it.." She mumbles.

"…But it is just the start. Just the start." Embracing her, Eir shuffles on the bed to face the window, bathed fully in the moonlight. Though not wearing a thread, the silk sheets are still half covering him; he seeks to wrap the remainder around the both of them, comforted by the softness of the fabric. He takes a breath… And some waver steals his words, as though anxious, unsure. It takes only one look at Sayuri in her state; teary eyed and curled around him, laced with jagged frost… But he begins. It is soft, and barely more than a whisper, but Eir begins to sing; a lullaby-like melody in Thavnairian tongue. All the while, the hands settle at her shoulders, slowly brushing at the edges of the ice in a hope to aid in dismissing it. His eyes don't dare look to hers through fear he'd stop if he caught her gaze, fixated on the moon above.

Sayuri keeps herself clung to him as he shuffles about, the only movement she offers being to place herself a touch more comfortably and further nestle herself against him. Her eyes peel open as the foreign words in shape of song grace her ears, quietly listening to him as he peels away the ice upon her shoulder, the skin slightly reddened beneath where it had just clung to. She seems to have been taken a little off-guard at the signing, but swiftly sinks herself against him with a drawn-out exhale once the surprise settles.

A verse continues; it isn't called out loudly, a song for her ears only. Very gently aiding her with the ice, each removed lump is settled off and away, though he's careful not to force it. He pulls the sheets over her shoulders to embrace her, head nudging briefly to her own as he continues, a free hand seeking her own; to run a thumb over her knuckles and settle over the digit that held the ring.

Her own hand begins to peel at the ice clinging to her arms, much less gently than Eir did, certainly. It abandons the frost as his hand seeks it, gently seeking to coil her fingers around his while her other arm pulled her a little closer to him. Her ears flick faintly at the sound of his voice, even if she did not understand a single word that left his lips.

In that moment, he simply held her. Slowly swaying ever so slightly, each verse a memory. He'd practiced it silently, mouthing the words when she wasn't looking, but it had been some time since he'd sang it, however quietly. He fills his lungs…. And hesitates, as the song draws to a close… And finishes the last two lines in Eorzean. "…So look to the skies and the moon above; It reminds me of me and you, my love. As sure as day follows night, and night before day; I am here with you always, and always i will stay." As the song drifts, the silence lingers, and Eir is quick to divert his gaze from the window, from her; anywhere that sees him able to dismiss the red at his cheeks even in this low light.

It... Had been so long since i had sung for someone... I dare not even think the amount of cycles that had passed since. ...But i hope it helped, in some small way.

The lines in a tongue she definitely did understand made her ears twitch twice before tilting back. Had she been able to feel warmth, she certainly would have in this very moment, her arm tightening further around him to tug herself closer while her hand squeezed his. Her head shift enough for her lips to graze his chest, settling a soft, chilly peck upon his skin.

His skin prickles; though the heat of Thavnair and the cold of Sayuri waged a war over the temperature, the small, soft affection is enough to send a little shudder dancing over his skin. Finally steadying himself enough to take a breath and break the silence, his eyes look for her own in the dark. "I… Planned to do so tonight, to sing for you. I… Did not know what to get you as a gift. You could buy anything you ever wanted. A meal would be perhaps… Too daunting. So i…" He looks away again, fleeing to a dark corner of the room. "…Wanted to give you a memory, instead. To keep with you, always."

She gazed up at him, one ear remaining tilted while the other straightened itself. While she had certainly calmed down, it was clear that she still held some discomfort, her breathing remaining on the heavier side for the time being. ".. I would.. treasure anything.. you gave me.." She murmurs, leaning her head down to nudge it against him faintly. ".. I will.. treasure this.. Thank you, my love."

His smile warms as her head brushes to his own, hands in hers. "…This is your sun. Yours. The first of many happy namesdays to come." He plants a kiss on her cheek, soft and sweet. "…We could do anything, or nothing. I care not so long as you smile."

A faint, weary hum leaves her, a small smile managing to take to her lips as he kisses her cheek. ".. When you.. are with me.. how can I not?" She murmurs, squeezing his hand.

His eyes find hers then, even in what little light shone, he could faintly see their hues. Slowly, softly, his lips brush against her own, reminiscent of the first kiss they shared, one hand in her own, the other slowly returning to her shoulder to remove the ice.

She stretches herself up with some strained effort to meet his lips with her own, the agony and terror which had previously been in her eyes forced down by affection for the Viera, even if the former two were not quite gone yet. Thavnair's heat serves well to aid Eir in his task, as the half-melted ice is peeled away with more ease now that she had mostly calmed down.

Eir works to remove all he could from her form with the same gentleness he'd kissed her with, more of an act of affection rather than the desperation he'd done it with previously. "…I am here, my love." Reaching to caress her cheek, he quietly asks. "…If there is anything i can do, you need only ask."

Sayuri's head tilts into his palm, a soft sigh leaving her as she nuzzles her head against it. ".. Mmh.. You.. already are.."

Slowly tracing his thumb over her cheek, he smiles, leaning to peck her on the lips again. "Which part? The ice? The singing? Having you close? Kissing you?" Eir beams, "Or all of the above?"

Her ears offer a faint but joyous wiggle in response to the peck, a small, weary smile resting on her lips. "All." She murmurs. ".. I didn't.. know you could sing.."

"…You have caught me only once, i think. I did not hear you return into the room. But suppose i was not singing for very long." Shyly holding her gaze, he admits, a little bashful. "…It is not my greatest talent, but i am glad it was enjoyed. My plan was to… Sing later. Perhaps after a sun full of lovely little things of your choosing, when we would return here for the night, but… I think that you, perhaps, needed it now. We need not go anywhere should you wish… This sun, it is entirely of your choosing. What would you like?"

".. O-oh.. I-.. mh.. Sorry.. my head feels.. a little off." She mumbles. "..I forgot." She huffs at her own forgetfulness, nudging her head into his hand anew. ".. I like it." Her smile grows a little wider, eyes lidding ever so slightly. "..I-.. I am not sure I.. can make that decision right now.." Her gaze lowers a touch, offering a somewhat accusing stare at a tiny fleck of ice clinging to her bicep.

"Then you need not make one." He follows her gaze, making an attempt to dismiss the small fleck with a brush of his hand. "…It is late, still. A rare time the city is so peaceful…" Eir slowly reclines to the side, slumping into the pillows; taking Sayuri with him in a gentle embrace. "And i am in no rush to get out of bed… Unsurprisingly. Even if we do not sleep. We will have plenty of time for rest, later."

Sayuri sinks into the pillows with him, dragging herself closer to him in the process. She simply lays there for a moment, ear slowly tilting back as her gaze wanders his frame. "..You.. did not get hurt, did you..?"

"No… No. You did not hurt me, love. You were cold, but it is nothing compared to how it would be not to hold you." His arms loosely wrap around her, allowing her to move if she needed, covers hitched to his chest. "Even if you did, you would not have meant to. Much as you would blame yourself…"

Her ears flatten a touch, opting to pull herself closer to him instead. ".. Just.. making sure.." She murmurs, settling her head against him. ".. And yes. I would."

"I know. That does not mean you should." Eir tucks her a little closer, head buried in the pillows. "…I cannot imagine you want to try sleeping again so soon, but i am here if you wish to. I… Do not know what manner of horrors visited you in your sleep. But i will always be here waiting, for when you wake."

She shook her head faintly. A small frown takes to her features, her arms tightening somewhat protectively around him as she keeps herself close. "..Compound.." A single word, something which explains so much and yet so little, considering the wide array of horrors that happened within those walls.

...Of all the horrors she has endured, this one i understand the most... To think such a horrible place exists. To think she... She came back for me there. Knowing how it haunts her. How it plagues her memories, i almost feel guilty, and yet... I know she would have never done anything different.

"Oh, love…" He embraces her tightly, arms wrapped around her, hand lacing through her hair to gently rub at her ear to offer some form of comfort; anything he could manage. "…Sometimes when i sleep. I find myself there, too. But not this sun…" Eir quietly fills his lungs, exhaling a waver of a sigh. "…You deserve a happy life, Sayuri. I will see that it happens. I promise."

She buries her head against him in response to the rub, exhaling a slow sigh while her arms squeeze around him. ".. I know you will." She murmurs. "..And I will do my best.. to return it."

"Then you must always be doing your best. I am always happy with you." Eir beams, leaning to kiss the crown of her head. "…I did have a few ideas this sun. We can do all, some, or none of them. I just…" He pauses, if only to give her a small squeeze. "…Want your first namesday in memory to be a nice one, no matter how it started. A poor night does not make for a poor sun."

Sayuri's ears wiggle softly, her head pushing up to meet the kiss gently. ".. Mmh? What did you have in mind..?" Her head tilts slightly, gaze lingering upon him. ".. It will be. You're here."

"…If we are not to sleep… We can watch the sun rise…" Through Eir's idle suggestions, he slowly combs his fingers through her hair, smiling faintly as his gaze met her own. "I could braid your hair with the flowers we picked yestersun. Then, if you feel like going out, we can go to the market. Perhaps a persimmon to share for breakfast?" Eir pauses then, thinking. "…Then, a walk. To the beach, maybe. We could dance, perhaps take a few things for a picnic?" A smile, then. "…I could carry you there. Later, we can watch a performance. Or visit a perfumery, or the markets again. And when we are home… Well. I was going to sing for you, and…" Eir trails off, leaving something unsaid. "…We can do as much or as little. I would be happy staying in bed, too!" Eir chuckles softly, humming.

Her head leans back slightly as his fingers comb through her hair, ears twisting and turning slightly as she listens to his suggestions - a soft smile settling on her lips in response. ".. It all sounds very lovely. I.. can't promise how much energy I will have, but.. I'd like to try it. All of it."

I promise you, Sayuri... I will make this sun a happy one. I will do all i can to ensure it is so... This sun, and every single one that follows.

[blysse-and-blunder]

in lieu of a moon cake

aug 29 - sept 11, 2022

where have the ilcb posts been the last four weeks, i hear you cry? well genuinely, the end of summer took me and i wandered out of time and thought. did watch the moon rise rich and golden last night, though, so--on balance--we're doing just fine.

reading finished my ancillary justice re-read this morning and i got so much more out of it the second time, newly attuned to the little differences between this and all the other space opera i've been enjoying. also finished obernewtyn (isobel carmodie), one of the growing list of YA sci/fantasy i'm catching up on using libby. spent a lot of last week reading or what you will, jo walton, which i think i will have more to say about when i finish it, and listening to ann leckie's the raven tower as an audiobook on various commutes-- perhaps not the best medium for it, but the reader's absolutely eating the accent work which does liven things up. i also acquired a romance novel from @dimir-charmer which is Certainly Something, not quite up to the level of some of the classics @pandolfo-malatesta would review but which has made me say out loud 'stop using that word, i do not think it means what you think it means!' every time this poor author tries to call someone 'contemporaries.'

listening so i know we all remember (for better or worse) passenger's 'let her go' from 2013 or whenever, but i have very specific tender feelings and memories attached to that whole album. a recent re-listen, followed by a tour through his recent, extensive new discography (like five albums since i last checked, holy shit), has shown me that i'm not even remotely capable of being objective, but i do think? that none of the new stuff has grabbed me? like it all sounds consistent, it all sounds, uh, the same, and the nuances and things i can pick out in the tracks from all the little lights (2012) or hell even whisper (2014) are just...not discernible (is this just a question of production)(possibly). to quote one of the new songs, uh, it leaves me cold? whereas 'feather on clyde' is still revealing and teaching me new things to get teary-eyed about (this time it was the line 'well god knows that i've failed, but he knows that i've tried'), and just...plus the string duet at the opening of 'things that stop you dreaming,' the way it builds up so, so sweetly, the lyrics taking you by surprise by leaving no breaks or breaths until the chorus, playing with pace and rhythm--still not tired of it.

watching i spent most of last week cycling between 'sandman', 'doulou continent', and 'oath of love', with a brief detour to the mdzs donghua with @hematiterings as per us-- sandman is good, though i haven't finished it. i got to the death episode and did briefly cry actual human tears about the old violinist and the young honeymooners, only to have the rest of the episode with its chronological humor (reminding me of ep 3 of 'good omens', what with the 'let's put our cast in several different centuries and enjoy what that does to their hair', thank you neilman) give me slight emotional whiplash. the problem with my cdrama habit is that, especially with duolou continent, i've had a hard time believing i've seen as many episodes as i actually have (also viki is...incapable of keeping my place) so i tend to back up to whichever episode number sort of feels right? which means i've seen episodes 11-15 like three times each. at least now i'm getting people's names.

playing finished up summer and fall of year two in stardew, won the grange fair and the ice fishing contest now that it's winter, and just bought a duck! (her name is fern)

making i think the garden is fading, we're still harvesting tomatoes but a lot of the leaves have turned yellow and crinkly, meanwhile the squash (?) vines have all withered except for one, perplexingly round little green squash (?) with a few nibbles out of it courtesy of the neighborhood fauna. when do i pluck it? is it still...getting anything out of being on its vine?

working on *cue panicked laughter* chapter 1! also that presentation / conference paper based on chapter-1-or-possibly-the-old-book-practicum! also that presentation based on chapter-2-or-possibly-chapters-1-and-2-OR-possibly-the-diss-proposal! with all the complaining i've done to various friends and colleagues, its no wonder there's not been any. further writing. distracting myself by insisting on doing things for the incoming students, which has been very fun and diverting since they are cute and much easier to help.

[kpoptimeout]

K-Pop Debuts and Comebacks for the 3rd Week of December 2022 (Dec 19-Dec 25 2022)

Dec 19

NewJeans - Ditto

Monster rookies NewJeans shares the trials and tribulations of being a K-Pop fan in the early 00s as a fan grows up with her idol "friends" through this 2-part MV journey! For Part 2 aka Side B MV, see here!

Dec 20

MIRAE - Snow Prince

DSP's rookie boy band returns with a Christmas song for fans!

YABBI - Body Cream

Former The UNIT and Unpretty Rapstar 2 contestant Kim Yesul debuts as YABBI in this sensual RnB track!

Dec 21

SOYOU - DOLLS

SISTAR's duet queen SOYOU is back with a heartwrenching remake of 9MUSES' underrated bop DOLLS.

Dec 22

Moon Byul - PRESENT

MAMAMOO's main rapper Moon Byul sings for fans in this holiday + birthday comeback! She also gifts fans with two more tracks, namely - "CHEMISTRY" and "A Miracle 3 Days Ago"!

Dec 23

VERNON - Black Eye

SEVENTEEN's Vernon brings back 00s punk rock in this rebellious track!

SelyN - Northern Star

Indie artist SelyN plays with punk rock and classical orchestral music in this experimental jam!

Dec 24

Do Haneul - Bring your soft scent

Rookie soloist Do Haneul returns with this OST-worthy winter ballad!

0WAVE - With Me

Hip-hop crew 0WAVE, which includes former YG Treasurebox trainee Ha Yoonbin, drops this vibey track!

Dec 25

Dukja - my heart...

Soloist Dukja releases a ballad for the winter season!

What is your favorite release of the week?

[frzntrx]

(My attempt at a rewrite of the song desert moon from the aladdin remake… but it’s FrozenTricks… go easy on me… I was inspired by this girl on YouTube that rewrites Disney songs for other Disney princesses)

For context I kinda wanna write a FrozenTricks fic with a scene inspired by the deleted song from aladdin 2019 “desert moon” like obviously not that song but like an old folk song known by both families because obviously her being from Norway maybe she was taught by her mother and hers from her mother, etc learned from the original people who lived alongside the asgardians

She’s humming the song to herself while visiting the palace as she looks through his collection of books and he pauses… he hasn’t heard that song since he was a small child… when his mother was still alive…

“Where… did you hear that?”And she just explains it was an old folk song her mother taught her, that her mother taught her supposedly… that had been passed down as a lullaby generation to generation he kinda excuses himself to his room, and the door kinda slams shut behind him, Meanwhile Elsa thinks she’s done something wrong and she’s kinda sad, he’s got his back pressed to the door as his memories of his mother come flooding back and he’s kinda overwhelmed And the song starts and it’s a duet? Idk how id even do that in book/fiction form but here’s my attempt)

Elsa sighs, and looks out the window in the library, wishing her mother was here to tell her what to do…

Elsa: when the wind’s bitter cold…

And the sun is not gold…

And the sky has turned to grey…

When the past is lost…

And you think “at what cost…”

And you think that there’s no one coming…

Loki(back in his room looking out his bedroom window at the full moon remembering the song his mother used to sing to him as a small child): way up high in the sky…

The stars do not lie…

when you’re lost you can rely on them…

Elsa: on the darkest of nights… my darling hold on tight… there’s a shining light to find me…

Both: winter moon… light my way… scare the dark clouds away…

Like a lantern in the coldest storm… lead me through…

Winter moon… above the trees … don’t give up… stay with me.

Elsa: Shine on…

Loki: shine on…

Both: til my love is in view…

(Back to Loki, back against the door again, he sinks to the floor, mentally and emotionally exhausted, head tucked into his arms with a sigh.)

[falsebooles123]

Confessions of a Recovering Genrephobic 4/20/24

Live/Dead (1969) - Grateful Dead

Genre: Acid rock, Psychedelic rock, Jam rock Length: 75:07 (7 Tracks)

no you read that right. These tracks average out to being about 10 minutes per track.

Live/Dead is Aptly the first Live album of the Band the Grateful Dead. Known for being the fathers of Jam Bands, the Grateful Dead defined the 60s mostly by doing a lot of acid and jamming at live concerts in the bay area. It makes sense why this is one of the critic albums on my list because this is pretty intrigal not only to there discography but just music history in general.

and I don't know what much to tell you. This is Psychedelic Rock, a lot of it and your either into it or your not. It was nice but I don't think I have the right mindset, (blasted), to truly appreciate it.

Megalithic Symphony (2011) - Awolnation

Genre: Electronic Rock Length: 52:52 (14 Tracks)

Run (2015) - AWOLNATION

Genre: Electronic Rock Length: 55:23 (14 Songs)

Here Come the Runts (2018) -AWOLNATION

Genre: Alt Rock, Pop Rock Length: 45:43 (14 Tracks)

Turns out I had not one but three different Awolnation albums on my list. So if your wondering how that happens is that when I put together this list I picked albums from singles that I liked and it turns out I really fucking love Awolnation. Just for a Taste here is one banger from each album that I listened to this week.

Awolnation is purplexingly a rock band. I say purplexing because there sound is incredible synth-heavy to the point that I forget there is electric guitar and drums in the mix. Like Muse they have a heavy synthwave influence to there work and there rock backing adds a weight and energy to there soundscape.

God writing about music is so hard. I've been recently rereading my old blog posts and it turns out I had a similar ackward phase with my writing about movies and television. ultimately it comes down to not having the vocabulary to describe your thoughts. Both in the sense that you run out of ways to describe things and also the specific technical knowledge to way in on the conversation. I don't think I will keep up the blogging past the 100 album mark mostly because I haven't really had much enjoyment out of it.

anyway if your wondering about the albums, They ate, They Snapped, They Slayed and I love all of them in different ways.

Live from Crush Palace (2015) - Karen O

Genre: unlisted (I usually get my Genre listings from Spotify, Wikipedia, or Discogs. At the moment of writing I have not found any catergorization from any aggregate source. AKA this is probably like Indie pop? or something) Length: 52:57 (17 Tracks)

Stop the Presses! Karen O is the Singer from Yeah Yeah Yeahs'!'!

I'm not the biggest fan of Live albums. Don't get me wrong theres a lot of work that goes into making them sound good but I just like the nice warm hug that is a recording room warm tone.

This is best described as coffee shop ukelele music and if your into soft-spoken pop music then there you go. I'll make it simple do you want to listen to an hour of music like the moon song? If so well your in luck.

Against The Night (1999) - Jason Webley

Genre: Folk Length: 61:59 (17 Tracks)

I was planning on listening to both Jason Webley Albums that are on my list but then I realized that I was posting this post today so thats not going to happen.

Webley discribes this as "the soundtrack to a subtle apocalypse." and what a beautiful summery. ATN has a very meloncolic folk sound to it.

Dont have much to say except nice.

[khoaahish]

For Izlinda Hani Jamaluddin

They say that in the oldest of times, the moon was always full; and sometimes she walked the world, changing shape as she would, and taught some others to do so.

Movement the First: Transformed

[The Black Panther]:

    Out of my sisters I alone was born unspotted

    under my mother's golden pelt, night-bodied in her warmth.

    She nuzzled me away. Alone, I curdled on winter branches,

    wrapped myself in the hunt. Birthed silence with each breath.

    Day after day the mountain skewered the water

    falling earthways, and the snow like milk

    melted sharp under my tongue.

    I hunted the spotted doe of the moon,

    followed her on mothersoft paws.

    Unseen, even in dreams—

    only the moon saw me

    quick-quick as she darted through the raingrass away.

    I danced the sky on her smell-threads,

    trusting the trees to catch my fall.

[The Moon]:

    She leaps the cloudwood to me,

    pelt as softest dark between

    breath and another breath—

    she dreams she hunts me through that emptiness

    where young winds wrestle, where the grass grows tall

    above the mountain. I have seen a house

        under its sleeping shadow, where a mother

    weary from stillbirths, waits each night

    with love like milk.

    Listen, lithe child, little child,

    night-in-the-night-child—

    once a winter pine wept on my sleeves,

    once a black walnut wept on my shoulder.

    I'll dip these needles into ink:

    hush, lissome, I'll write you a skin-story,

    I'll teach you a girl-shape,

    tell you into a mother's orphaned house.

Movement the Second: Duet with Moon and Mountain

1.

[The Girl]:

    At the gate, lanterns moan

    under the limber fingers of the wind. Mother comes out quilt-warm

    with a pail of milk, and her eyes

    like the serving-women's, carefully averted.

    No, I will not go in, clothe

    in your padded garments, or veil

    this needle-traced skin. I care not that young men

    never ask for me, that pines tilt away,

    that even the wind shuns me—

    the spotted cat of the moon

    my sistersoft leopardess

    curls nightlong by my side, murmurs

    hunt stories.

    In this season of bleached bone

    we'll chase snowrat and cloudhare,

    claw the black mountain frost

    for the sleeping frogs of the stars.

[The Suitor]:

    Ah, this gate. The northeast wind has long peeled

    its bashful paint away, pressed

    caress after wild caress into the surrendering flesh of the wood.

    Some nights, the groaning

    shames the people in. Pretending decency,

    they splash boiling river into clay; heads tilted

    ever so politely to the east, they stir their tea

    and veil the windows with seed-embroidered cloth.

    Nothing like this ever lasts.

    But lately, a young woman

    comes out to the gate alone, undaunted

    by the wind's lovemaking.

    She lifts her storyspelled face, and her hair

    falls back like a moan of night.

    Listen, girl-woman,

    shining woman, still woman,

    skinwild woman, dreaming-fast woman—

    I will go in, where they keep fire captive

    in the deceitful embrace of glazed brick.

    I will gift

    garnet and oystershell to your kinswomen

    and ask for their unmarriageable daughter.

                            2.

                            [Girl:]

                            Sometimes at night, when every stone in slumber

                            and every tree is pacified in matted frost

                            breathed out by starlight, I am waking;

                            uncoiling self to spotted moon,

                                    I muscle in the beast inside;

                                between the clouds we curl together

                                    until she melts into the dawn

                                        and I, into this flesh

[Suitor:]

    Down by the mirrorlake they comb

    my wild-grass hair with pearl and abalone; on the slopes

    they gift me with garnet to flicker around my waist

        where tiger and mountain cat, deer and wild hare

            adorn my coat. And only in this town

    they had forgotten about me, for while I slept

        they thought themselves safe from obligation.

    Yet now that I wake, I do not rage

        at their foolish moth-fluttering lives,

            for she has snarled in my shadow.

    Oh, I've been waiting for long years, polished my sleeves against the night;

    Counting bloodbeats, shaman-hands against the earthskin of my ribs.

    Play me, flowering dark—I long to be released

    from your embrace,

    and flood the heart of my beloved.

Movement the Third: At the Fire Festival

On the evening the starcounters have predicted a lunar eclipse, people come together under the burgeoning moon; dressed in garments of burnt umber and roped with cinnabar, they carry tigerlily torches and revel to the sounds of iron drums as the drum of the sky is devoured by shadow. It is said that at the Fire Festival one meets one’s true love, or else is swept by the sleeve of death.

            [Mother]: dancers    arrogantly young

            in spring's best, and this my child sewed nothing

                    in my late sister's garment. Still, it becomes her—

                seed-embroidery over indigo

                    almost as dark as her eyes. Is it in my womb

            that she was decorated so? What invisible fire

            reached into me and danced over her features,

                leaving this bitter char in its wake?

                        Here, at the fire festival

                    torches bloom; girls, twirling like gadfly wings,

            sweep firecloth against the sweetness of pipe and percussion.

                        Every girl    how I wish I was young still

                followed by suitors springing everywhere like moths from larvae.

                            Is he coming for her    that worthless

                                belted in seed garnet    like he said

                    arrogant in grass-wool        his eyes like opals

                            and each sleeve    conceals a knife

                        and each sleeve sails over the air like stringed bow,

                            voice    treacherous

                                like the voice of the ironframe drum—

                            this one should be right for my daughter,

                                    I often wonder how she's mine.

                [Girl:] oh spotted maiden, mirrored in every river

                        beloved huntress, laughing over each glade—

                    come, pluck me from this pinwheel of suffocating light

                            from the whirligig of steps to the smell of reed and blood,

                        to where there is only silence.

                    And if you are gone,

            my heart will refuse its drumming.

                I will chase spirit-deer in the forests of regret,

                    I will leap over the antlers of ash-trees, follow the scent

                        of the bone-birch and the marrow-maple;

                            hunt—where there is no moon—

                        that shadow-hunter who pursues me.

                He comes from the mountain

            in the cold of the night, when I am alone; measures

                each of my breaths with his fireweed eyes.

                            Fire.

                    I look up and see

                        a roaring through the clotted veins of the sky

                            has swallowed the forests.

                Life-destroyer, in my veins

                    your blood is home,

                        your blood is like my own.

                            Your blood is me—and she is not with me,

                                if she is not with me, where shall I go?

                He comes, he comes in coal-embroidered red

                    roiling from the slopes in woven smoke and ash

                        to dance the firedance in this ghostbone town

                            to dance the firedance with me, or with no-one.

            No, mother. Flee if you want,

                    Flee if you want, but I will stay here.

Coda

They say that the moon descended to the burning town in the shape of a golden leopard, and where she stepped, the lava turned into cold black glass; and some say she came as a maiden, her amber face tattooed with moon-circles, her eyes as dark as winter blood. Dressed only in her starwoven hair she walked unafraid, looking for the one in whose voice the ghosts of reedpipes still whispered, whose heartbeat echoed in the melted iron of the drum—

    the black leopardess

    with pearls of black under her fur

No people remained there to witness, but when they returned with incense and woven offerings to rebuild the town again in winter-hardened stone, she came to them often in dreams

    as soft as breath—you see her curled against her lover's shining

        and growing fatter from the hunt each night

            above the mountain

Black against yellow they make the moon together, casting their long silences into the mirrorlake below like fishing lines after the fallen autumn leaves. And when the moon is new, the spotted maiden walks the world unseen to teach her word-music to those who can hear it;

    and where lake is pearl, and deer and mountain-cat

    are moonstone slivers in his wild-grass hair

        when moon is full,

    the black leopardess leaps down

        to prowl his slopes as night is long,

            to whisper to him as the night is long.

Between the Mountain and the Moon, Rose Lemberg