#I know I used the colours before buuuuut…. come on they look so pretty for sea themes

[the-one-teapot]

08.06 - “Smile”

[chaoticneutralwriter]

Deleted Scene; Off-Chance Meeting

What if Jimin met....Jimin?

guardian demon!Jimin x reader

genre: fluff, romance, angst, comedy, supernatural

word count: 4.2k

Related works: See masterlist under guardian demon!Jimin

A/n: So this was like....a half developed scene that I was going to put in for Interlude: Second Best buuuuut I didn’t want to make the chapter too long because the main focus was guardian demon!Jimin’s POV from the events in the previous chapter. However! It’s been mentioned as a ‘what-if’ so I completed it as a fun deleted scene. Hope you like it and hope yall are doing okay! take care, be safe and I’ll hopefully see you soon again for another update, this time with story progression LOL

BTW! Thanks for the 1,026 follows!! 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺💖💖💖💖💖💖

Tag List: @cherryjiminiee @kokobaekkie @breathebangtan @itsadoozie @thatshylatinagirl @chiminieboi @azulamakesmeblank @sectumsemptae @awkwardwookie @aduky @poisonseashell @shortannoyingginger @caramelmac-chiato @sana-b @jiminstinct

Jimin’s game plan to blend in is quite simple because it really only consists of one step; grab a staff member so that he can duplicate the lanyard ID they have. Even though he promised to not use his powers to you for the most part, it doesn’t mean he hasn’t found ways to work around it. He easily locks onto a target — a male staff exiting the artist room to step out into the hallway Jimin’s in, presumably on a short break as he strides down to stop by a vending machine. The male staff has his head down, eyes glued to his phone for a while until finally, he takes a quick glance up to view the selection of snacks before ducking his head again, clearly in no rush at all.

Jimin’s lips quirk and he makes quick work at slipping closer, steps light and so undetectable that he may as well be a ghost rather than a demon. At the last minute, Jimin cloaks himself, sneaking up on the unsuspecting male just as he reaches into his back pocket to grab some change. The demon’s touch feels nothing more than a draft, fingers barely caressing the back of the colourful lanyard hanging around his neck but it’s all he needs. The male staff carries on, punching in the numbers and watches as the bag of chips falls into the slot below. Taking it, he walks away, none the wiser.

Jimin pays no mind to him anymore, focused on slipping the thin silver chain necklace out from under his shirt and with a soft blow of his breath, the silver chain morphs into the lanyard, a perfect copy. Normally, he would do without a need for something tangible to cast the illusion but this way, he wouldn’t have to use too much magic to keep it up — a weight to the illusion is more believable than simply thin air.

Satisfied, he lets the cloaking spell disperse, rolling his neck a little at the relief that he can finally walk around more freely without the worry of hiding or arousing suspicions.

“Now… where to go?” He mumbles quietly to himself, eyes darting before deciding that he should scope out the way to the area under the stage. Just as he rounds the corner though—

“Woah!”

Jimin’s fast reflexes has him jerking back in time before he collides into the other body. With a step back, his eyes immediately catch sight of the sparkly jacket and they widen almost simultaneously in realization.

Face to face with him was none other than his own mirror, Park Jimin of BTS, only he has honey blond hair and a glowing complexion.

“Ah, I’m really sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.” His eyes are a little wide, stormy grey contacts shining as he apologizes.

For a moment, he’s frozen, stuck rigid in place with shock and split second panic before realizing that he has the safety of his mouth mask and drawn up hood to protect his identity of being the idol’s face stealer. Also the fact that the idol has yet to pass out from shock at seeing his own clone or give any sort of huge reaction was a good indicator.

“A-Ah….” The demon’s voice catches in his throat, and he awkwardly coughs, embarrassed as he ducks his head and mutters gruffly in Korean, “No, it’s my mistake.”

The singer smiles amicably, teeth showing and gaze so warm and so friendly that the demon almost has trouble meeting it.

“Hey now, don’t worry! It’s nothing serious.” There’s a pause, a slight tilt of his honey blond head before those artificial stormy grey irises blink, brows furrowing. The demon starts to actually sweat, eyes refusing to meet as he unconsciously begins to lean back to put space in between. But there’s no escaping the curious gaze of the twenty-four year old singer. “Ah, I— I don’t mean to sound rude or offensive but…. I don’t believe I’ve seen you before?”

Oh shit, shit, shit, shit…

He swears his plan would’ve been completely foolproof if he hadn’t ran into the very person he’s going around parading as. The chances of the demon running into said idol was 1 in 200 and yet it’s as if fate had cursed him with the unwanted luck a fan could only dream of having. But there’s no time to curse heaven and fuck all because his mind begins to race with possibilities of escaping this situation. Maybe he could get away with enthralling the idol for a quick second, trick him into thinking this is all some sort of hallucination from being overworked and then when he’s all good and spaced out, the demon can make his escape. His fingers just about twitches when the singer’s eyes widen and his mouth opens, face alight with an epiphany.

“Are you perhaps new?”

….What?

A beat unknowingly passes between them, with the demon blinking owlishly at the young man, completely gripped in disbelief and the singer staring back expectantly.


“Am I mistaken…?”

The hesitancy creeping into that question snaps the demon from his stupor and he finally blurts out, “No, I’m new.”

Relief washes over the idol’s handsome face (he’s never gonna get over how fucking trippy this is to watch), shoulders visibly losing some tension and the singer even places a hand over his chest.

“Ah, that would’ve been really bad — I usually am able to recognize everyone on the team.” His eyes creases again from the smile forming on his face. “Why haven’t we met yet, um….?”

“Ju—“ The demon stumbles on his words, thinking at the last second that your impromptu Korean name you had given him when he met Jaehee sounded too similar to the idol’s so his mind jumps to the next one he remembers off the top of his head. “— yeon….Kang Juyeon. This is my first day.”

Jimin the idol makes a noise of understanding, presumably taking his sloppy introduction as nerves in good strides. He inclines his head graciously in an almost small bow that catches the demon off-guard. “It’s nice to officially meet you Juyeon-ssi. I look forward to working with you.”

He bows robotically in return.

“Are you on break right now?” The young singer asks innocently.

“…Yes…” The answer comes out unsure, like he’s testing the waters and seeing where this could possibly lead — hopefully with the idol leaving him be and carrying on back to the artist room, surely much too busy to entertain a seemingly nervous new recruit. To his surprise though, the demon is proven wrong.

“Oh! I’m so sorry, I must be taking up your time. Have you gotten anything to drink or eat yet?”

“Well, no but—“

The idol’s mouth gapes open almost immediately, “Would you like to head over to the catering room now? We can grab something.”

The demon is baffled, to say the least; so taken aback by Jimin’s friendly disposition to someone who he only just met that even though he really shouldn’t be overstaying his welcome like this, a part of him would actually feel guilty for turning down the offer. He’s so glad he’s wearing a mask right now because then the idol wouldn’t have to see the borderline crazed smile slowly stretching over the demon’s lips, the disbelief too strong.

But looking at the original owner of the face he wore, seeing it completely reflect a drastically different personality than his own invokes something in him; a morbid curiosity taking hold and stoking the fire to a long buried question —

Who is Park Jimin?

Beyond the worldwide renown Korean idol and a pretty face with killer vocals and dancing, the demon knows very little about who this person is, this person whom you adore so much. What is it that drew you to him specifically amongst the other members. He highly doubts its looks alone (you’re definitely not the shallow type), or maybe even the amount of talent because from what he gathered, all the members were pretty much on par with each other in all departments.

So what made Jimin special?

He really shouldn’t follow this rabbit down the hole, but he’s a demon by nature and impulsivity is practically his middle name. Without another second thought, he agrees with a nod of his head, “Okay.”

Curiosity really should be a sin.

He gets a blinding smile in response, eyes disappearing and pearly teeth on display (he spies the slight crooked front tooth that somehow only seems to add to the singer’s charm rather than a flaw). They walk off towards the room that acts as a communal dining area for the staff and artists themselves, the large selection of hot foods lined up like a buffet self-serve while there are tables available for anyone who wants to sit down for their meal. There’s only a few staff members gathered there, each preoccupied with their phones or simply grabbing a quick bite to eat before rushing back to where they’re needed.

The singer walks in and of the few people that are hanging around, he inclines his head in greeting to them. The demon has no choice but to follow in order to not draw suspicions (even though he gets a few raised eyebrows from wearing a full hood and mask but is ultimately brushed off).

“There’s a lot of choices here so please help yourself. Don’t be shy.” Jimin gestures, grabbing a plate and going for one of the rolls of kimbap. Though the demon has no intention of eating anything — for obvious reasons, he still makes the effort to thoughtlessly pick out random food items to place on his plate for the sake of keeping up the facade. He gets as far as two scoops of sweet and sour pork before the young idol turns to him and his eyes dart to his modest portion.

“Is that all you’re going to eat?”

“Uh…Yes?”

That immediately draws out a noise of disapproval, handsome face pinching along to match the tone. “Ah, Juyeon-ssi; you need to eat to keep up your strength. You can’t hold back on something as important as that.” Before any words of protest can be formed, a kimbap roll is placed on the empty space of the demon’s plate.

And then another.

And then a spring roll.

And then a hefty scoop of black bean noodles and some rice.

It goes on until his plate is adequately full, the idol satisfied as they migrate over to an empty table. The demon takes a seat and he feels his lips quirk as he observes the fact that Jimin’s own plate only consisted of two kimbap rolls and a few pieces of fruit he’s currently nibbling on. The stark contrast and adamancy is already so telling of his character, sans personal dietary considerations.

“Has the job been hard so far?” The singer asks casually.

“Not particularly….”

“Ah, that’s good to hear. Have people been nice to you?”

“Uh…Yeah, I guess.”

He gets a nod of approval, and the demon vaguely likens the feeling of a mother asking their child if their first day of school went well (or if he’s being generous, an older brother). It’s strange experiencing something so familial yet coming from the idol, it all seems so natural as if they’ve known each other for years and not just in the span of less than an hour.

It’s quite the culture shock — something he admittedly doesn’t have a good grasp on and it’s that curiosity to know that has him daringly (or perhaps, no doubt to his colleagues, foolishly) diving deeper. The wooden chopsticks in his hand push around the food on his plate meaninglessly, a gesture meant to disguise the hidden agenda he has; dissecting the idol and seeing what makes him tick.

His lips instinctively quirk under his mask but he makes sure that it doesn’t translate in his gaze as his eyes focus on the idol.

“I’m sure your job is much more tiring.” He says, taking on a tentative tone, implicating for an open ended discussion.

The singer takes a pause, eyes wandering in thought before he sucks in a breath after some serious considerations, “I don’t really think my job is any harder than some of the other staff here…” He stops, as if collecting his thoughts again and then continues, “I think it’s thanks to everyone’s efforts that the members and I are able to do these show successfully and safely. If I were to really break things down…. I really only do a small part.”

“But there’s no point to a show if there’s no performers.”

There’s a hum in reply to his statement but after the idol swallows the strawberry he’s popped into his mouth, he says, “I can see how you would say that, but I think more importantly, there’s no point to a show without the fans.”

The demon doesn’t miss the gentle affection that slips through — that quiet, soft whisper that carries the words near the end, giving way to something much deeper. It’s something he’s seen before, reflected in himself, and it’s whenever his thoughts wander to you.

Fondness.

His chest gives a twinge at the memory, jaw clenching a little as if to physically repress the feelings that begin to stir.

“You don’t even know the fans….” It comes out more as a low murmur to himself, but the contempt underlying his tone seeps through all the same. It’s just…. How could the idol possibly share the same sentiment he has with you, someone who he’s actually spent time with and come to know all the little quirks to — what makes you happy, sad, laugh, the way you laugh, the little noises you make when you eat something you love, see you at your highest and lowest points, with a group of people (not even a single person) who he’s had less than ten seconds worth of interactions?

It’s far too superficial, too scripted and said too many times with no real meaning. He wants to scoff at how impractical it is.

“Maybe so, but it goes beyond that.” The familiar sound of the idol’s lilt halts the demon’s thoughts quite suddenly, still in that soft spoken way but there’s something else with it. A sureness — steady and unwavering, and just the barest hints of….passive-aggressiveness?

That gets a quirk in the eyebrow; so this kitten does have claws after all.

“There are times where I wonder why there are so many people who like us and support us the way they do.” The singer continues seriously, already getting lost in deep thought. “Probably because we work hard, but who doesn’t work hard? Others make good music and do their best too so why us? We try our best to communicate to our fans but everyone does too…..These sorts of things are something I often think about.”

A pause, as if to find the right words, “But whenever I read the fan’s letters or things they post on SNS to us, saying how much we’ve helped them with our songs when they’re going through a hard time, it makes me realize that we’re not so different. We all have flaws and maybe it’s because we’re not perfect that they like us. Starting off with nothing and then little by little, seeing more people coming to support us…. They’re the ones who put us on the stage, so I— We cherish them a lot. They give us energy and comfort us, and we do the same back, like a deep connection, an understanding.”

The young singer stops in pushing around the remaining strawberry on his plate, a ghost of a smile tugging on his lips, like he’s recalling a particularly pleasant memory. “So we want to give back by making good music and showing them our best. Ah, reminds of something really cool Namjoon-hyung said.” He takes the time to tilt his head, “He said how even if it’s just one person he could help, he’ll continue to keep trying. That really touched me, so even if we might not know them personally, they’re the ones who motivate us and makes all of this worth it.”

Once he finishes, the demon is left a little more than bewildered, overwhelmed in fact that all he could do was blink. Granted, it was a lot to take in, never having expected such an arduous confession but what’s even more baffling to him is the conviction the singer had saying all of it, so earnest in his words. Now, he’s no lie detector per se, but as a demon, he does have a more innate ability to pick up on cues and inflections that would give a person away, revealing their true nature. He’s used to it after all.

And then along comes Park Jimin.

This twenty-four some odd year old idol, thrusted into the cut-throat world that is the entertainment industry, young and bright-eyed, armed with nothing but potential, a good work ethic and a dream, yet comes out on the other side, a little bruised and scathed but otherwise, un-jaded; that young and bright-eyed innocence not diminished, instead it matured into something more resilient.

He can probably count on his finger how many people he can actually say that about. Hell, the only closest people that would qualify would be saints, and even that is debatable.

It’s....irritating because he’s faced with the fact that as much as he had wanted to dislike this person, he’s proven that he can’t.

A rush of air leaves his nose and he has to contain a rueful smile. “You’re a very admirable person Park Jimin-ssi. Not that many people keep to their beliefs so strongly like that.”

He gets a bashful giggle in return, light and melodic.

“Aish, what are you saying? I’m not all that impressive….I think I still have a lot to learn.” The singer almost whines from behind the back of his hand covering the open mouth smile he has. Once he calms, it softens. “All I really want is for the fans to remember BTS for our sincerity. I just hope that I’ve been able to help convey that so far.”

The demon lets out a breathy chuckle, finally getting up from his seat. He gazes down at this young man who’s face reflects his own yet wears it in such an entirely different way — glowing with a passion and radiance that is warm, sincere, kind, compassionate and loving.

Perhaps the way it’s meant to be worn.

And it’s with a bittersweet reluctance that the demon places a hand on the singer’s shoulder, giving it a gentle reassuring squeeze. “Keep doing what you’re doing and never lose sight of yourself. As long as you remember what you’re doing this for, the sincerity of your members and you will be conveyed.”

Stormy grey eyes widen a fraction, a little confused as they blink up at him, clearly not expecting such encouragements (honestly, he didn’t expect this either yet here he is).

“Wh— Um, I—…” The idol reaches a hand up to comb through his meticulously styled hair, tousling a few loose strands as slowly, the apples of his cheeks begin to dust in a pink hue and dark eyes can’t help but watch on in amusement. As if sensing the focus shifting to his quickly reddening face however, the young man lets out a sputter and lightly smacks the demon’s forearm, refusing to meet his gaze. “Ahh Juyeon-ssi! What’s with you saying that all of a sudden to me? You sound as if you’re way older than me when we’re probably friends in age!”

Friends…

“What makes you think that?”

“W-Well… I don’t know how to explain it but…. I feel a sense of familiarity with you when we met. Like, a vibe….” The sentence pewters out into a shy mumble, the tips of his ears matching his cheeks now before comically, grey orbs whip up, suddenly concerned. “Unless you’re not….?”

The snort that leaves the demon’s mouth is quickly covered by clearing his throat but he’s sure the restrained mirth still reaches his eyes as he assures, “No, we’re friends.”

He’s met with a brilliant grin, full of teeth and a twinkle in his gaze. “Oh thank goodness. I would’ve died on the spot out of embarrassment.”

He refrains from rolling his eyes if only to dismiss the overly-dramatic relief that overcame the poor young man. But regardless, it’s his cue to go — he's starting to feel a little too perturbed being near someone so good-natured. With a final pat to his shoulder, the demon begins to depart.

“It was nice talking to you Park Jimin-ssi but you’ll have to excuse me, I have to get going now.”

“O-Oh? Is it really that time? If that’s the case— Ya! Kang Juyeon-ssi! Did you even touch your food? You—!”

“Jimin-hyung!”

“Oh?” Jimin’s attention whips to the new voice that called him from the still full plate of food left on the table. His eyes immediately meet doe-eyed ones, usually dark as coal but are currently a more lighter coffee colour, bringing out more of the brown that’s hidden in its depths thanks to the contacts. The youngest member approaches him with long strides, the sequins on his own stage outfit glitter with each step.

“This is where you were? Should’ve told me you were hungry, we could’ve gone to snack together.”

“Ah, no I was just talking with Juyeon-ssi.”

“Juyeon? Who’s that?”

“Kang Juyeon; that person who was just leaving, you must’ve seen him on your way in.”

But that only gets a head tilt from Jungkook, who swivels his head back towards the entrance, “He doesn’t sound familiar and I didn’t see anyone leaving.”

“….Huh?” Equally confused, Jimin swerves around the tall form of Jungkook to get a look however, to his surprise, he doesn’t see anyone. Glancing around lets him know that at most, there was only three other people in the room, excluding him and Jungkook but they were all immersed on the couch in the far corner, away from the entryway. Does Juyeon walk that fast?  “Aye, quit messing with me. He had on a face mask, around my height? With his hoodie pulled up; probably the only one here who does too.”

Jungkook shakes his head, genuinely clueless on who Jimin could possibly be referring to. “No, I swear I haven’t seen anyone around like that.”

The furrow in Jimin’s brows deepen, mouth falling open in disbelief. The scrunched up, troubled expression the older member makes was too good to pass up on teasing so Jungkook can’t help but to lean close, voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

“What? Were you speaking to a ghost this entire time hyung?”

“Aish! Don’t say that! That actually gave me chills!” Jimin scowls, smacking the youngest repeatedly on the arm and causing Jungkook to cackle and skip away from the assault.

“Anyways, Namjoon-hyung wants to go over the script again so I went to go find you.”

“Oh, okay. Let’s go then.”

Brushing down his jacket, Jimin gets up, taking both plates with him, discarding his own empty one while Jungkook gleefully takes the one Juyeon hadn’t touched. The two head out and begin to make their way back to the artist dressing room, with Jungkook talking around mouthfuls of food about what Jimin had apparently missed while he was away but all Jimin could think about was his meeting with Juyeon.

There’s no way he could’ve imagined it all in his head — he’s too young to be going senile. Plus, it felt too real for it to be some overworked hallucination (besides, he doesn’t feel that jet lagged). So there’s a perfectly, logical explanation for it. Yeah, he just…walks really fast.

“Jimin-hyung is here!” Jungkook calls out to the rest of the members. He gets a myriad of boisterous responses and greetings. The sound makes him inadvertently grin.

“Yeah, yeah I’m coming. I didn’t think you would miss me that badly; I was gone for ten minutes.”

Thoughts of his mysterious friend are pushed away for some other time but the wise words he’s been given remain at the forefront of Jimin’s mind. Perhaps the next time he runs into Juyeon, he’ll treat him to a drink or two during the celebratory dinners — get to know him better.

He’s not sure what it is about Juyeon that makes him want to befriend him so intently, like there’s something about him….

Something that’s a little melancholy….and maybe, he dare say, a little lonely.

But to the singer’s dismay, he never really did see him again.

[randomoranges]

the other idea i had this past sunday. how is it that “simple” ideas turn into long things? also featuring the return of my fav format: text messages.

Picnic

Étienne had been working on a mural for the past month or so, and even though he was finished, he was nothing but a perfectionist when it came to his art and therefore, he had returned to the café where he was making his mural to put the finishing touches on his work. He’d left extremely early in the morning, since the owner of the café had given him the keys, and since he hadn’t been able to sleep much, he figured it would be best to put his time to good use, much to Edward’s chagrin, who had been looking forward to a quiet morning at home. But, Étienne figured that the sooner he started, the sooner he could finish and maybe, that way, once he was done, he could take advantage of his Saturday afternoon with his boyfriend.

When Étienne stepped out for a bit to take a much needed break and enjoy a cigarette, he was delighted to find a message from Edward on his phone.

I have a surprise for you when you get home <3 Message sent: Saturday 11:17am from Eddy

Ohhhh?????????? A surprise or a “surprise”? Message sent: Saturday 11:18am from Curly <3

Omg. Mind out of the gutter Bouclé. It’s a surprise. Buuuuut, if you play your cards right it can turn into a “surprise” ;) Message sent: Saturday 11:18am from Eddy

! <3 Message sent: Saturday 11:19am from Curly <3

Regardless of, a surprise! Message sent: Saturday 11:19am from Curly <3

Yes, come find me in the backyard when you get home. Message sent: Saturday 11:21am from Eddy

I am officially intrigued. Do I have time to shower or shall I join you ASAP? Message sent: Saturday 11:21am from Curly <3

Haha. You can shower. Do I want to know how much paint is covering you or not? Message sent: Saturday 11:22am from Eddy

Mmmaaaaybe. Message sent: Saturday 11:23am from Curly <3

Img_191919sdfrs uploaded successfully Message sent: Saturday 11:24am from Curly <3

Warn a man when you send him such photos. But also, how do you manage to get paint all over you every time? It’s a gift and a curse. Message sent: Saturday 11:24am from Eddy

Hahaha. Oh but that’s nothing ;) Message sent: Saturday 11:25am from Curly <3

Img_191920aeret uploaded successfully Message sent: Saturday 11:25am from Curly <3

I said w a r n a m a n . Message sent: Saturday 11:28am from Eddy

Those colours actually compliment your skin. Message sent: Saturday 11:28am from Eddy

Also, you’re hot <3 Message sent: Saturday 11:29am from Eddy

;) Message sent: Saturday 11:29am from Curly <3

Also, shouldn’t you be working instead of sending me scandalous pictures?? Message sent: Saturday 11:31am from Eddy

Finish up so you can come home and I can get my hands all over you Message sent: Saturday 11:31am from Eddy

: D Almost done! And I’m taking a break. I’m not hearing you complain. Message sent: Saturday 11:33am from Curly <3

Hmm, no, you won’t. Not when you look that good in those photos. Text me when you’re almost home so I know when to get this surprise ready. Message sent: Saturday 11:35am from Eddy

Sounds good! Later <3 Message sent: Saturday 11:35am from Curly <3

Happy painting <3 Message sent: Saturday 11:36am from Eddy

Étienne grinned as he pocketed his phone and then finished his cigarette, intrigued as to what this surprise could be, but he put it in the back of his mind so that he could focus on his work instead. It took him another two hours or so before he finished, packed up his gear and then he had to wait for the owner of the café to come by, check over his work and then pay him. The owner was incredibly pleased, paid Étienne in cash, and even threw in a tip for him. All in all, it hadn’t been such a terrible Saturday morning after all.

Guess who is now #loaded Message sent: Saturday 1:08pm from Curly <3

Img_191921gwedf uploaded successfully Message sent: Saturday 1:10pm from Curly <3

That’s a lot of red and brown! Message sent: Saturday 1:16pm from Eddy

You bet your pretty little derrière it is! Anyways, I’m going to the bank to drop this cash off and then I’ll be home headed. Should be there in... 30 minutes? Message sent: Saturday 1:18pm from Curly <3

Sounds good! I’ll be in the backyard – no peeking! Message sent: Saturday 1:21pm from Eddy

Edward Murphy, whatever are you up to? Message sent: Saturday 1:21pm from Curly <3

Y o u ‘ l l s e e 0:) Message sent: Saturday 1:23pm from Eddy

Can’t wait! Message sent: Saturday 1:24pm from Curly <3

--

With Étienne out of the house at the crack of dawn, (or what seemed like it anyways), Edward had not been able to really get any more sleep after he had left. Therefore, he had gotten out of bed and decided to start his day, which turned out to be the first nice day in a really long time. Edward had originally thought of making some chicken in the oven, for supper, since he hadn’t thought the weather forecast would hold on to its 21 degrees and sunshine, but when he saw that it was actually sunny and hot, he decided to change his plans for something a little more fun and different – a picnic in the backyard.

The really great thing about the backyard was that it was bathed in sunlight from early morning until late afternoon. It had been one of the reasons why Edward had looked into this place, knowing how much Étienne craved sunlight and the garden space, shed and pear tree turned into an added bonus. Now that they had an actual backyard with actual grass and actual space, Edward decided that it would be the best way to spend the afternoon together.

Winter had been long, never ending, and harsh, the start of spring had been non-existent, and Edward could tell that it all took a toll on Étienne’s spirit. Even though this wasn’t a cure for his blues, Edward knew that Étienne would appreciate the thought and so Edward fished out the picnic basket and checkered tablecloth they normally used for their picnics, cleaned out the cooler, and dug out the plastic utensils and dishes they used when they ate outside.

He had spent the better part of his morning assembling ingredients and recipes, going to the grocery store twice and then he had disappeared into the kitchen to start making lunch-supper for when Étienne would get home. The idea of keeping the picnic a surprise had come to him later on and he was absolutely pleased with himself that he had warned his fiancé before he returned home.

Edward knew how much Étienne loved surprises, knew how much Étienne liked being spoiled, even if he made a big deal about it every time, and Edward hoped he would appreciate this one.

--

Home! Going to take a shower, care to join??? Message sent: Saturday 1:58pm from Curly <3

As tempting as that is, I’ll take a rain check on that. Don’t wanna get carried away and let your surprise spoil. Message sent: Saturday 1:59pm from Eddy

Fair. But also, wow, this sounds like some surprise. Be out in a few <3 Message sent: Saturday 2:00pm from Curly <3

Étienne was very tempted to peek into the backyard when he got home, but not only did he not want to ruin Edward’s surprise, he also knew his fiancé would be absolutely livid and would not speak to him for a really long time if he purposely spoiled the surprise. Therefore, Étienne did his best not to look, did his best not to peek from their bedroom’s French doors as he gathered some clothes to change in, did his utmost best to resist temptation as he walked to the washroom and finally let out a sigh of relief once he was locked in one of the only rooms that did not have a window with a direct view to the backyard.

He would have opted for a nice relaxing bath; he would have splurged in warm water with bubble bath until his skin pruned, but Étienne was a curious monster and so he took a quick shower, scrubbed the sweat, grime, and paint off his body, before he towelled himself off and changed into his favourite pair of shorts and tank top.

Here I come! Message sent: Saturday 2:23pm from Curly <3

Finally. I thought you drowned in there. Message sent: Saturday 2:25pm from Eddy

Étienne pocketed his phone, tried very hard not to run to the backyard, and instead opted for a brisk walk. He opened the door, stepped outside and for a moment let his eyes adjust to the sunlight, before he spotted Edward, sitting in the middle of their backyard, on what seemed to be the checkered tablecloth they used for picnics, with what seemed to be like an actual picnic spread.

Étienne’s heart did many funny different things in that moment.

Notably, it skipped several beats, tripped over itself, sped up for a moment, and soared.

He loved this ridiculous man. He truly, really did and he was incredibly lucky to have him in his life.

Étienne’s face split in a large grin and he laughed as he bounded towards the picnic setup, “Édouard! What is all of this?” Étienne practically let himself fall to the ground beside Edward so that he could properly tackle him into a tight hug and kiss the side of his face as many times as he wanted. Edward fell back and did his best not to fall on any of his carefully laid of dishes all the while brushing Étienne’s still wet hair out of his pretty green eyes.

“It’s a picnic, silly – I think they even pronounce it the same way in French,” He responded, trying to keep a straight face, but failed terribly and grinned, Étienne’s good humour contagious.

“Hon, this is amazing! Look at all of this!” Étienne took out his phone from his back pocket and took photo after photo of the set up – from the different salads, to the artfully arranged sandwich wedges (cut in tiny triangles, without any crusts), to what seemed to be at least two different types of scones (one savoury and one sweet, knowing Edward), to fruit and dessert. That went without mentioning the different types of drinks Edward had selected for their little picnic; homemade lemonade and iced tea, a cool pitcher of iced water and some of Étienne’s favourite craft beer. Edward had even gone so far as to get the cooler to keep everything perfectly chilled and had even made little levelling stands so that nothing would topple over. As Étienne got involved taking photos from close, then far, then of the details, Edward started striking silly poses, making Étienne laugh, and getting him to take photos of him as well.

Étienne loved all of this and told Edward as much, before pulling him back for another hug, “Surprise...” Edward said from the folds of Étienne’s arms, once Étienne had taken enough pictures to satisfy him for the moment. His fiancé beamed at him, before pulling him for a deep kiss, which left him completely breathless, “Wow, okay, remind me to organise backyard picnics more often,” He laughed, before he wiggled out of Étienne’s grasp to get the plastic dishes they used for when they ate outside out of the picnic basket – the ones with the colours stripes and the pink flamingos – the ones they had gotten when they were still living at the old apartment and Étienne had refused they get rid of for nostalgic reasons.

“This is absolutely amazing and everything looks absolutely great, but why did you go through all this trouble? It’s not a special occasion...” Étienne feared that with his crazy, hectic schedule of the past month he had completely forgotten about an anniversary, or something equally important, but try as he may, he wasn’t able to come up with anything and the last thing he wanted to do was let Edward down after he had gone out of this way to organise this little impromptu picnic.

“Did we ever need a special occasion to do something nice?” Edward asked him, gently teasing, as he handed him a dish and cutlery, “I wanted to do something special for you, Chéri. The weather finally turned for the best and I know you’ve been busy with work... thought it would be nice to spend the afternoon outside and do something different. I know winter and this rainy spring have been hard on you.” He said softly, combing his fingers through Étienne’s curls and he knew it was the right answer when Étienne tackled him in another hug and held him tightly. He knew it was the right answer when he saw Étienne’s beautiful green eyes sparkle with love and joy.

“You’re something else, you know that?” Étienne murmured to him, “My own personal ray of sunshine,” He added, making Edward’s cheeks pink ever so, “I know that whenever things get tough, I can always count on you to be there for me – to support me, thanks,” He placed the gentlest of kisses to Edward’s cheek and then let go of him to focus back on the food, giving Edward a much needed moment to recompose himself, “I guess we better dig in before any of this spoils – were you expecting more guests?” He joked as he started plating food on his plate.

“No, just me, you and your insatiable appetite,” Edward joked, recovering, poking Étienne’s sides.

“If it has anything to do with you, my appetite is always insatiable,” Étienne responded, sounding far too sincere, making Edward flustered all over again. He was going to be the end of him in the best possible way. Edward shoved his shoulder and then asked him to pass the quinoa salad.

--

The afternoon stretched out, the sun warming them as they chatted and caught up on the day. It felt nice, to be out in the yard, sitting on the checkered tablecloth with their shoes off, being able to brush their feet on the lush green grass, to feel the blades on the sole of their feet. Étienne complimented Edward on absolutely everything, saying that each new thing he tried was better than the last, as he stuffed his face with second helpings of almost everything. The picnic turned out to be delicious and they managed to put a fair dent in the food Edward had prepared. Étienne declared that the rest would serve as his lunches, or snacks, throughout the week and even though Edward knew that’s what was going to happen, he was still tickled pink to hear it.

Once they were satiated from the food, Étienne helped Edward bring everything back inside and put it away in the refrigerator, before he pulled his fiancé back outside, so that they could lie on the checkered tablecloth, under the gentle afternoon sun together, without a care in the world – taking a moment for themselves and enjoy the time they had. Étienne stretched luxuriously, curling himself around Edward and smiled brightly at him, feeling perfectly content in this little moment.

“This was by far the best picnic I’ve ever been on,” He said, voice soft, and Edward had to look away for a moment, as he chuckled, feeling oddly pleased with himself.

“Well, I’m glad you had a good time,” Edward said, reaching out for Étienne’s hand and giving it a squeeze.

“I always have a good time when I’m with you,” Étienne smiled at him, as white fluffy clouds streaked the sky. They stayed lying on their backs for some time, the notion of the passing minutes growing foreign, lost as they were immersed in their little bubble once more. After a moment or so, Étienne fished out his cell phone once more and looked through the photos he had taken earlier, Edward peering over his shoulder, and Étienne was dismayed when he noticed he didn’t have any of the two of them together, marking this monumental and extraordinary occasion.

Étienne sat up, Edward mimicking him, knowing that if he didn’t, Étienne would ask him to, and went along when Étienne turned the camera towards them both to take photo after photo, critically analysing each one, before declaring them perfect. Edward didn’t mind – loved looking back to the photos Étienne sent him when he had a free moment. He would always end up spending too much time looking at them, tracing over Étienne’s bright smile with his eyes, taking in how happy and still in love they looked. Sometimes, Edward would look through his photo archives, to the ones he had meticulously filed and sorted away by year, month, day, event name, to the ones of the “early days” and he would marvel at how much younger they looked; how much darker his hair had been, the different pair of glasses Étienne had worn in that year, the clothes Étienne had called fashionable then, and how good they looked together even then when they weren’t as surefooted around each other.

When Étienne was satisfied with the pictures, he lied back on the checkered tablecloth once more, and leaned on his side to be able to gaze fondly at Edward. Edward scooted just a little closer to his fiancé and silently thrilled when Étienne entwined their legs together. The late spring breeze caressed their skin and Edward chuckled when Étienne shivered lightly. Edward placed his hand on Étienne’s hip, on warm skin that felt familiar, on the exposed part of Étienne’s body, and he worked the skin with the pad of his thumb. He heard Étienne let out a small, content sigh, and watched as he closed his eyes, enjoying the moment and the attention.

Edward let his hand travel upwards, rucked up shirt following suite, until he could press his fingers into Étienne’s shoulder, warming up the knot that somehow felt like it was always there. Étienne pulled his lover closer, pulled Edward to him until their bodies were pressed flush together, trapped him in with arms and legs until Edward’s hand could dance on his back, on his shoulders, on the nape of his neck, and it was bliss. Étienne furrowed his face in the crook of Edward’s neck and melted into his embrace, relaxing under his touch.

Edward chuckled when he felt Étienne press kisses to his neck, let out a breathy, airy, little laugh when he felt Étienne suck gently on his skin, levelled with him to be eye-to-eye and looked at his best friend. If anyone would have told him… if anyone would have told him when he’d accepted that Kijiji ad that he’d embark on this crazy adventure – that his roommate would turn into his best friend and partner, he would have never believed them. And yet, here he was. And yet, even after so many years together, even now that they were engaged (he was engaged! He was going to get married! Him, Edward Murphy! Engaged! To the love of his life! It still felt surreal – it still felt like a dream – and he hoped if it was that he would never wake from it), every day felt like a new blessing.

Étienne cupped Edward’s cheek with his hand, caressed his skin ever so gently, ever so tenderly, and Edward leaned into the contact, breathed into it and savoured it. Étienne brushed his thumb over Edward’s lips, tilted his chin up to look into those hazel eyes he loved so much, and smiled softly at him. He leaned closer to his partner, nuzzling their noses together, breathing in together, before he captured Edward’s lips in the gentlest of kisses. Edward clung to Étienne, dug his fingers into his skin, bridged whatever distance was left between them, until it felt as though they were only one person. He kissed Étienne back, kissed him softly and languidly, slowly and sweetly, until they were both left breathless and a little dazed, before they started all over again.

There was no urgency, no press for time, nowhere to go safe for this space they had carved out for themselves, this mess of entangled limbs and gentle caresses, lazy smiles and joy. Edward held Étienne close, sighed contently when Étienne nuzzled his neck once more and settled around him, rubbed his back absent-mindedly as he felt Étienne settle against him, his breathing slowly evening out. Edward watched, amused, as the clouds kept passing in the sky, casting patterns on the ground; he watched the light play on Étienne’s hair, casting golden highlights to it, watched his chest rise and then fall, before the cycle commenced once more; he watched long lashes flutter for a moment, before settling, he watched and kept watch, not wanting anything to interrupt Étienne’s rest. He looked tranquil and peaceful, the worry lines Edward sometimes saw around his eyes gone, and if all naps could have this power, he would never wake Étienne from them.

He raked his fingers through Étienne’s curls, gentle and careful, marvelling like always at how they bounced back into place. Étienne remained oblivious to the attention, perhaps enjoying it in his slumber, and Edward couldn’t help himself and think that he looked adorable, a little slack jawed, as he slept with pure abandon against him.

With Étienne’s weight engulfing him, it was easy for Edward to grow drowsy himself, warm, full and feeling safe. He didn’t bother fighting it off and instead welcomed this little rest in the sun after a hectic morning. He dozed off, Étienne snoring softly by his side, tucked into the warm spring afternoon.

--

Étienne was surprised to step outside into the backyard and see a picnic set up on the grass, away from the patio. Edward had set up the table and chairs, ever mindful of Étienne’s leg, unsure if sitting on the ground for such a long time would be comfortable for him or not, and Étienne was touched.

“What’s all this for?” He asked as he walked towards the spread.

“Figured we could do something different – it seemed like a nice day for a picnic”.

Étienne studied the food on the table and he found a familiar checkered tablecloth covering the table top, a picnic basket that could have been the same they had used so many years ago, and he couldn’t help but marvel at the spread Edward had prepared.

There seemed to be all his favourites, from the different salads, to the artfully arranged sandwich wedges (cut in tiny triangles, without any crusts), to what seemed to be at least two different types of scones (one savoury and one sweet, knowing Edward), to fruit and dessert. And that went without mentioning the different types of drinks Edward had selected for their little picnic; homemade lemonade and iced tea, a cool pitcher of iced water and what turned out to be some of Étienne’s favourite craft beer.

Étienne found himself reaching into his back pocket for his phone and took a moment to take a photo of the spread, Edward rolling his eyes, fond, “At the rate you take photos, we’ll never eat,” He teased.

Étienne ignored his remark and instead walked over to Edward’s side, pulling him close for a picture, “Hush and smile, Ed,” Edward laughed and placed an arm around Étienne’s waist, keeping him close, before Étienne snapped the photo.

[starchild--27]

85 questions

I was tagged by @kafkascupcake .  This will be fun, so thanks ^^

rules: answer 85 statements about yourself, then tag 20 people

last

1. drink – water with lemon flavour

2. phone call - my hair dresser (if i ignore the fact that i accidently called my dad a few momnets ago when i wanted to look up my last phone call - ofc this had to happen xD)

3. text message - i told some kid from my spanish class tht we didn’t have spanish class last week

4. song you listened to – Californiacation by Red Hot Chili Peppers

5. time you cried - three days ago i think, but i waas at the verge of crying yesterday evening  

6. dated someone twice? – nope. i never dated anyone 

7. kissed someone and regretted it – nope

8. been cheated on – no

9. lost someone special – i’m so grateful to say that i never lost anyone in my life and i am so afraid of the day this will happen to me

10. been depressed - kind of. i have my depressed moments but everyone has at some point

11. gotten drunk and thrown up – never, i’m not drinking much 

fave colours

12. navy blue

13. black

14. metallic shades of basically every colour

in the last year have you…

15. made new friends – i’m always careful with the word friend when it comes to my real life, but let’s say i got to know some people better that have been around for a longer time but i never really interacted with. on the internet things are a little different, so i can say i’ve interacted with a lot of people here and i can’t help but treat them as friends 

16. fallen out of love – not in the last year

17. laughed until you cried - multiple times xD

18. found out someone was talking about you – i really don’t know and i hate that i can’t say this wouldn’t bother me because i really want to know what people think of me - just to be able to understand why they treat me how they do. 

19. met someone who changed you - oh, i really don’t know. i think i didn’t change that much in the last 365 days

20. found out who your friends are – it was a little more than a year ago, but yes i did.

21. kissed someone on your Facebook friends list – i don’t even have facebook

general

22. how many of your facebook friends do you know irl – since i don’t have facebook i’ll do this for instagram and there it is probably a minority since i follow countless art pages, celebrities, fanpages, animal pages, political pages, people i don’t know in real life, …

23. do you have any pets - yes - a black cat with the name Black Pearl, which we gave him before i even knew about the song by EXO ^^ his name referred to the ship from Pirates of the Carribbean first xD

24. do you want to change your name – i did in the past, because my name is very rare where i live. but i started to like it after some time. the great thing is that it’s meaning differs since no one really knows it’s true origin. 

25. what did you do for your last birthday - i invited my two best friends but one happened to be sick at that day (ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ) so we were only two but it was great anyway. since i was born the day after walpurgis night we went to the bonfire and spent some time there

26. what time did you wake up today – 7 am but i slept in again and got at 11:20 

27. what were you doing at midnight last night – reading or sleeping, i don’t know for sure

28. what is something you can’t wait for – vacation with my family and the summer holidays in general (school was … much in the last weeks.)

30. what are you listening to right now – the sound of me slamming my fingers on my laptop’s keyboard while writing this lol

31. have you ever talked to a person named tom – i did, in fact to more than one

32. something that gets on your nerves – that i have to go to school for one more year (i hate this place wholeheartedly) but i don’t know what to do with my life after graduating 

33. most visited website - tumblr and youtube

34. hair color – my natural hair colour is brown but i dye it ginger red and i love it

35. long or short hair – pretty long actually, but i have curls so it’s pretty hard to notice how long 

36. do you have a crush on someone -  if we ignore my celebrity crushes then … i don’t know…probably no. i’m not sure about this one boy though but…yeah, i don’t really know him that well and i probably only like the idea i have of how he could be. (this is btw so typical for me xD)

37. what do you like about yourself – don’t get me wrong, i know it sounds tragical and sad, but i don’t have something i like 100% about myself. i am used to it though because i’ve been this way since forever, having high standards for me (and for others probably too, which is very unfair from me) but the closest to 100% is my talent for music.     

38. want any piercings? – only at my ears

39. blood type – A positive

40. nicknames – the most common nickname for my name is Selmi but hardly anyone except for my mom and my sister calls me like that anymore. other than that i have the feeling my friends and i don’t have nicknames but more like pet names for each other. like, i was called “Flauschebausch” (in english “Fluffpuff”) not that long ago (it referred to my hair). i would also count “squirrel”, “the stars” and all that stuff as nicknames but we don’t really call each other often like that in person xD     

41. relationship status - single 

42. zodiac - Taurus (but most of the stuff people say about tauruses are not 100% true for me)

43. pronouns - she/her

44. fave tv shows – lately i finished Game Of Thrones and i liked it so damn much, especially the ending (i really don’t get why it was so hated, but i’ll not explain further - i don’t want to write an essay here xD). i also enjoy watching Gilmore Girls from time to time, but hardly anyone in my generation knows it. and since i read it at @kafkascupcake ‘s post for this tag i just remembered how much i liked Memories of the Alhambra too (gosh, how i waited for every episode to air … i still remember this impatient feeling so well)

45. tattoos – i’m not allowed to have any yet but i’m thinking about getting smaller ones later since i think tattoos are pretty. buuuuut i’m also afraid because i can’t really imagine the pain

46. right or left handed - right

47. ever had surgery – yeah. unspectecular story tho.

48. piercings - only earrings but one of my friends and i plan on getting helix piercings soon (originally this was planned to be done before last christmas but we never found time)

49. sport – no no no no no. i hate it. i always did. i did some horse riding in my childhood but that’s it. i’m just not able to coordinate my body so a fail at basically every kind of sport. and i am easily frustrated when i fail at something so i never really tried to ace sports.  

50. vacation – my last vacation was when i visited Berlin with my two best friends and m next vacation will be in Denmark with my family

51. trainers – Converse Chucks, always and forever

more general

52. eating – i used to be a very picky eater but it gets better with every year. lately i really like spicy food. but i also have a terrible sweet tooth. i am surprised how i am still like super slim …

53. drinking – a trait i inherited from my dad: i love milk. but i also like juices, tea, coffee (with milk ofc xD) and plain water too

54. i’m about to watch – Avengers Endgame. like today. in 2 hrs.

55. waiting for – my train ride to the next bigger city for seeing endgame. and for me getting an idea what i want to do with my life

56. want – to travel and to make music. my two passions

57. get married – i don’t think it’s necessary for a happy relationship but it depends on the person. to be honest, i like the thought of getting married but i totally understand if someone doesn’t like it.

58. career – the biggest question mark in my life rn

which is better

59. hugs or kisses - hugs. i can’t even explain why. but hugs.

60. lips or eyes - i thinj i look at the eyes first. but i am damned if a person has beautiful lips too

61. shorter or taller – taller

62. older or younger - not important

63. nice arms or stomach – yeah ofc stomachs are great. but let’s be real here: i’m a swooning bitch for nice arms.

64. hookup or relationship – relationship. i am a hopeless romantic

65. troublemaker or hesitant - i am an overthinker, which makes me the epitome of hesitant.

have you ever

66. kissed a stranger – never kissed anyone lol

67. drank hard liquor – only mixed with juice

68. lost glasses - yeah. wasn’t cool.bc without glasses i am literally blind

69. turned someone down - kind of.

70. sex on first date - no

71. broken someone’s heart – i hope not.

72. had your heart broken – yip. my first heavy crush was not that happy. but i am over it since the guy was and still is a jerk and i don’t even know why i fell for him anymore

73. been arrested - no

74. cried when someone died - yes

75. fallen for a friend – never

do you believe in

76. yourself – depends on the situation.

77. miracles - there are moments in which i do

78. love at first sight - yes

79. santa claus -  no

80. kiss on a first date – yeah.. i think itmight happen xD

81. angels - who knows? it would be great though.

other

82. best friend’s name - deer of the sun @swiftfeatherscorner and cat of the moon @fille-de-janvier xD i don’t know if they’d like to have their real names published here but here you ahve their tumblrs

83. eye color - i looked it up someday and it’s called glasz - a strange mix between green, blue and grey with some golden dots and marks. depends on the lightning which colour is stronger.

84. fave movie – impossible to tell.

85. fave actor – also impossible to tell. there are so many good actors in this world

i’m not even sure if 20 people will read this so i’ll just tag everyone who has time to answer 85 questions xD

[supernovaecastaway]

Just Another Tag Meme

Tagged by @nasigorengart (Thanks girl 😘 I was looking for something to do instead of working lol)

1. What is the favourite item of clothing you own?

My denim/cloth hooded jacket probably. It’s my go to. Going on a plane? That jacket. Cold out? That jacket. Just wanna add a little something extra to an outfit? That jacket lol It has freakin inside pockets y’all, how could I not love it?

2. Tell me about the first time you watched your favourite movie?

I don’t have just one fave so this is difficult. But I guess Moulin Rouge back in like 6th grade on our stolen HBO with my mom and the both of us fell in love even though when we started it we were like wtf these aren’t original songs T.T

3. What was the last book you finished?

Circe by Madeline Miller like, last week! Definitely recommend, Circe was the baddest bitch on the block lol If you are a fan of greek mythology and wanna read a really fantastic retelling, this is for you! and also rec the song of achilles if you like greek mythology and havent read it yet. i liked just a tiny bit better than circe but i also knew about achilles before reading so i may be biased

4. What is the next book you want to read?

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee! And by want, I mean am lol I mentioned it a little earlier this week, but it follows the lives of a Korean family over four generations and has some pretty hefty recognition standing behind it so I’m super excited to read! also the forward or whatever mentioned something about one character being a romantic hero with a gangster twist which is just right up my alley. honestly my trip cant come soon enough so i can read :D

5. When is your birthday, and what do you want for it this year? (If your birthday has already happened this year, did you get what you had your heart set on?)

My birthday is September 20th and Dallas Pride almost always happens around that time, so I’m pretty sure I’m gonna go to that again like I did last year to party with the bestie. Unless I have a new job that won’t let me. But currently that’s the plan :3

6. If you were given one month and $10,000, where would you travel to?

I partially wanted to say $10k was a lot so you could go anywhere but if you’re talking international travel, not so much. BUUUUUT I would use it to go to Japan and see all there is to see out there. Check out the cities and the little towns and the shrines. I would really love to see where my grandma and her family are from, ya know? I think it would be awesome.

7. Cake or pie?

Cake, I’m a slut for frosting.

8. Name 3 things you think you’re really good at.

Writing lol Which sounds big headed but like, it’s literally one of the only things I’ve consistently been complimented on in my life, so yeah. thanks @ every teacher ive ever had and my family and my friends and my readers that tell me nice things

 Listening. I’ll be just about anyone’s shoulder to cry on

Crisis management. That sounds really weird and out of place here but if I told you about the things I’ve had to deal with for my job, you’d get it lol

9. Name 3 things you’d like to be better at.

I’m stealing the first answer and saying art. I’m decent enough but basically only at drawing the same face or drawing with reference/redrawing. 

Time management. I’m getting there on this one though, that bullet journal is really helping me out.

Fitness. Why is it so hard 😭

10. Name 3 far-fetched dreams you’d like to do someday.

Publish a book

Have my own magazine focused on musicians on tour

Own a house

11. If you had to dye your hair, what colour would you dye it?

The real question at this point I think is what color have I not dyed it yet XD Haven’t tried out green yet, so I think that would be cool but I also worry about how green fades. Next color I’m goin is that white silver I’d had between my blonde and the grey. Would like to go back pink eventually though, that was one of my favorites

Tagging: Literally anyone who wants to, which I know is such a cop out but I always feel so bad when I forget folks, so consider this a blanket tagging :)

[fashiontrendin-blog]

We got to preview MDM Flow&#039;s new foundation and we were SO impressed

https://fashion-trendin.com/we-got-to-preview-mdm-flows-new-foundation-and-we-were-so-impressed/

We got to preview MDM Flow's new foundation and we were SO impressed

PRODUCT:

Flawless Base Foundation, £10 for 30mL, MDM Flow

THE HYPE:

Founder of MDM Flow, Florence Adepoju, started her beauty empire in her parent’s garden shed. Launching first with lipsticks specifically to suit women of colour, she’s now busy perfecting a foundation for all skin tones. We were so impressed by her story, it’s in the current issue of GLAMOUR magazine, and we quickly jumped at the chance to trial her beloved Flawless Base creation before it hits the shelves.

REVIEWERS:

Samantha McMeekin, Beauty Content Writer Hani Sidow, Beauty Columnist

SAMANTHA’S BEAUTY BIO:

Combination skin with an extremely oily forehead that refuses to behave. The rest of my face can be slightly on the dry side, but a decent A-grade student otherwise.

HANI’S BEAUTY BIO:

Combination skin that changes depending on the weather. Currently, I am dry as a desert but I use a lot of moisturising oils and serums to feed my skin. Despite all of this, my nose is unbelievably oily.

WHAT SAMANTHA USUALLY LOOKS FOR IN A FOUNDATION:

I say I like natural coverage, buuuuut what I mean is – I’ll have a green juice but then wash it down with pizza – kinda natural. I like my skin to feel good, but I also like to treat myself to some coverage, ya know? Let’s just meet in the middle and say ‘medium’ coverage. I think ‘satin’ is the finish I’m vibing most these days because I have to be on the fence about everything apparently.

WHAT HANI USUALLY LOOKS FOR IN A FOUNDATION:

I suffer from hyperpigmentation, especially around my mouth, which is very common in people with deeper skin complexions. This means I prefer a warmer-toned foundation with hints of yellow as it stops me from looking ashy around those melanin-rich areas. I love a dewy finish that looks like skin but still has a full coverage (is that asking for too much?).

SAMANTHA’S MDM FLOW FOUNDATION REVIEW:

I’d been avoiding trying a serum foundation for a while. Why? Because I am a notorious ‘spills makeup on everything’ clutz. And for those who, likewise, haven’t tried a serum foundation, they are RUN-NY. Creamy textures tend to be the safer option for my white tops.

BUT I love Florence’s story and the way she’s constantly connecting with her consumers to deliver on her products – so I did it for her. And, hot damn, I’m glad I did.

I am actually so annoyed that it took me so long to try a serum foundation now, because it’s perfect for me. SO comfortable and SO buildable. If I’m having a good skin day, a light layer will do. Family of unfortunate spots residing on my chin? Dab it on for days. But, either way, my skin feels nourished and can breeeathe. I applied it with a damp beauty blender and it was a match made in smooth heaven.

By the way, the MDM Flawless Base is so accurately named, I can’t even. My skin looked flaw-less. Just enough dew to look fresh, but not shiny. Just enough coverage to hide everything, but no cake. That runny formula is on to something. I don’t know what’s in it, but Florence does (because she made it) and she also made sure it was vegan and cruelty-free.

Each day I wore this foundation, I had compliments galore. I wore it for up to 12 hours at the most and it didn’t fail me. It’s very similar to The Ordinary’s serum foundation, but MDM Flow’s definitely lasted better on me, matched my skin tone that teeny bit better (p.s I wore the shade 495) and kept my oily forehead under control for longer. Touch-ups were still needed, so it wasn’t bullet-proof, but it was pretty decent considering how comfortable it felt.

I wish I could find a negative to make this review more ‘authentic’ but I actually can’t. It’s the perfect ‘middle’ foundation – in terms of coverage and finish.

My ONLY qualm is that you can’t go and buy it RIGHT NOW. It’s currently only available for pre-order, with a campaign running to help boost production. Get behind this amazing UK woman and her makeup creations – she’s going to be big.

HANI’S MDM FLOW FOUNDATION REVIEW:

This was a brand I had never come across before, so I was really excited to try it.

The first day I tried it, it was going to be a long day. I was a little scared as I didn’t know what to expect and how it would last for an extended period of time. I prepped my skin and then applied the foundation using my beauty blender, exactly as I usually would.

It was a super runny texture so I was a little relieved, as I am not a fan of thick foundations. I used the shade 307 first all over my face, since it was the closest match to my skin tone. The colour was a little more orange than I usually go for, so I brightened my under eye with the shade 802 which made literally the perfect highlighting colour for my skin. The texture of the foundation was so smooth to the point it didn’t even look like I had anything on, just flawless skin.

I then set my under eyes with powder and completed the rest of my makeup. When I went outside to take my daily selfie, I noticed how dewy my skin looked and I was living for it! I got into work waiting for someone to notice that I had changed foundations. What felt like years later, my colleague Chan asked me “what are you wearing today?” – FINALLY! She told me that I looked ‘so glowy’ all over – thanks, Chan!

When I got home later that day at around 9:30pm, my skin still looked flawless. It was a little oily on my nose but, honestly, I don’t think anything exists that can tame my oily nose. I noticed the colour I used all over my face oxidised a little; but it was still a pretty good effort for a very long day.

The following day I tried the foundation again, only this time I mixed a little of the 802 with the 307, and it definitely made a difference. I definitely loved them more together, as the colour blended perfectly into my skin and the tone of yellow and orange was just right.

SAMANTHA’S FINAL THOUGHTS:

I’m now a serum foundation convert and will be telling EVERYONE.

HANI’S FINAL THOUGHTS:

A little goes a long way with this foundation, so it would last you while. It’s pretty sheer but buildable.