#National Cake Decorating Day

[murderousink23]

10/10/2023 is Day of Finnish Literature 📚🇫🇮, World Homeless Day 🌎, National Angel Food Cake Day 🎂🇺🇲, National Cake Decorating Day 🎂🇺🇲, National Handbag Day 👜🇺🇲, National Hug a Drummer Day 🥁🇺🇲, World Porridge Day 🇬🇧, World Mental Health Day 🇺🇳

[ami-ven]

Happy National Cake Decorating Day!

[nationaldaycalendar]

October 10, 2022 - WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY – NATIVE AMERICAN DAY – NATIONAL ONLINE BANK DAY - NATIONAL WALK TO A PARK DAY – NATIONAL KICK BUTT DAY – COLUMBUS DAY – NATIONAL CAKE DECORATING DAY – NATIONAL METRIC DAY – NATIONAL ANGEL FOOD CAKE DAY – NATIONAL HANDBAG DAY

October 10, 2022 – WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY – NATIVE AMERICAN DAY – NATIONAL ONLINE BANK DAY – NATIONAL WALK TO A PARK DAY – NATIONAL KICK BUTT DAY – COLUMBUS DAY – NATIONAL CAKE DECORATING DAY – NATIONAL METRIC DAY – NATIONAL ANGEL FOOD CAKE DAY – NATIONAL HANDBAG DAY

OCTOBER 10, 2022 | WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY | NATIVE AMERICAN DAY | NATIONAL ONLINE BANK DAY | NATIONAL WALK TO A PARK DAY | NATIONAL KICK BUTT DAY | COLUMBUS DAY | NATIONAL CAKE DECORATING DAY | NATIONAL METRIC DAY | NATIONAL ANGEL FOOD CAKE DAY | NATIONAL HANDBAG DAY WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY | OCTOBER 10 Annually, World Mental Health Day on October 10th raises awareness and mobilizes efforts to…

[rabbitcruiser]

National Cake Decorating Day

Try your hand at cake decorating. From sheet cake to cupcakes, complex frosting flowers to simple sprinkles, there’s something out there for everyone.

Every year, on October 10th, we celebrate a unique and delightful holiday that brings joy to both the eyes and the palate – National Cake Decorating Day. This day is dedicated to the artistry and creativity that goes into making cakes not just delicious, but also visually stunning. Whether you’re a professional pastry chef or a home baker, this day is a chance to showcase your skills, learn new techniques, and appreciate the beauty of decorated cakes.

History of National Cake Decorating Day

The art of cake decorating has a rich and fascinating history that dates back centuries. The earliest cakes, which were enjoyed thousands of years ago, were simple creations. One of the earliest known cakes was a flat cake known as plakous, made using flour mixed with milk, eggs, nuts, and honey. This was a far cry from the elaborately decorated cakes we are accustomed to today. The word we use today, “cake”, comes from the Old Norse word “kaka”, which was what Vikings called a dessert that was quite similar to modern cakes.

The trend of decorating cakes didn’t start until the 17th century in Europe. At that time, decorating a cake was a simple matter of adding flavor. However, as the centuries passed, the art of cake decoration evolved and was refined. Today, how a cake looks is just as important as how it tastes, pushing both amateur and professional cake decorators to take their skills to the next level. The evolution of cake decorating has been influenced by various factors, including cultural trends, technological advancements, and the creativity of individual decorators.

How to Celebrate National Cake Decorating Day

Celebrating National Cake Decorating Day is all about creativity, fun, and of course, cake! Here are some ways you can join in the festivities:

Decorate a Cake: This is the most obvious and fun way to celebrate the day. Bake your favorite cake and let your imagination run wild with the decorations. You could use frosting, sprinkles, edible glitter, fondant shapes, and more. The possibilities are endless, and the best part is that you get to eat your delicious creation when you’re done!

Learn New Techniques: Use this day as an opportunity to learn new cake decorating techniques. There are plenty of tutorials online that can teach you everything from basic frosting techniques to advanced fondant work. Learning a new skill can be incredibly rewarding, and who knows, you might discover a new passion!

Share Your Creations: Show off your cake-decorating skills by sharing pictures of your creations on social media. Use the hashtag #NationalCakeDecoratingDay to join the wider conversation and see what other cake enthusiasts are creating. This is a great way to get inspiration for your next cake-decorating project.

Appreciate the Art: Take some time to appreciate the work of professional cake decorators. You could visit a local bakery, attend a cake decorating demonstration, or simply browse decorated cakes online. The intricate designs and attention to detail that go into professionally decorated cakes are truly a sight to behold.

Host a Cake Decorating Party: Gather your friends and family for a cake decorating party. Provide plain cakes or cupcakes, a variety of frostings and decorations, and let everyone’s creativity shine. This can be a fun and delicious way to spend time together.

Remember, the goal of this day is to have fun and enjoy the process of decorating, no matter your skill level. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a complete beginner, this day is a chance to have fun, learn something new, and indulge in some delicious cake. So grab your frosting, sprinkles, and edible glitter, and get ready to celebrate National Cake Decorating Day in style!

Source

[tfblovesfood]

“Be sure… that there’s either a single decoration for the birthday person or enough decorations for every child at the party. A cake with one flower is OK. A cake with 20 flowers is OK. A cake with 3 flowers is verboten. If there aren’t enough for all the children, then there’s a danger of tears and real disappointment.”

- Jeremy Sage, The Birthday Party Book, 1987

[nishp]

🍰🎃 Happy National Cake Decorating Day! 🎃🍰

Today, we're getting our creative aprons on and diving into the delicious world of cake decorating. With holiday dessert buffets right around the corner and Halloween just a few weeks away, it's the perfect time to hone your cake decorating skills and create some spooktacular treats! 👻🕸️🍰

Whether you're a seasoned cake decorator or just starting, today is your day to let your imagination run wild. So, what kind of cake masterpiece will you create? Share your cake-decorating stories, tips, or your Halloween-themed cakes with us! 🍰🎨🎃

Let's make National Cake Decorating Day a celebration of sugar, spice, and everything nice. Happy decorating! 🧁✨

[inkblot-inc]

Jaws finding out there’s basically a ‘holiday’ for everything and looking up Big Sister Day. Once they find out that’s actually a thing they go all out for Wanda on that day. Cause Wanda deserves more than just one day a year being about her.

Of course of course 😊

you best believe Jaws has the first sunday of August written down-

Jaws puts in all the effort into preparing all of Wanda's favorite snacks and getting her favorite sitcom episodes queued up to play on the big screen in the common area for the entire day.

We've already established that jaws can't bake, so to save everyone time turning off the fire alarm and getting rid of the burnt smell, Jaws just buys a plain cake from Mille-Feuille and decorates it with their own frosting and stuff.

Overall It's pretty lowkey, but that's how Wanda likes things.

Anything for the Best Big Sister in The Multiverse 😌

Jaws finally got that mug commisioned too

[josiebelladonna]

today is national coming out day—still for a few hours out here on the pacific coast. it’s been a long road to hoe since summer 2019 but i think i finally am able to put it forth.

i was talking to teababe about this just yesterday: i identify as female with she/her pronouns but there is a great part of me that is very masculine. i see my a.f.a.b. body and i feel more relaxed in more sporty fashion rather than the traditional “girly” stuff i’ve been seeing in the world lately: it’s as if every woman is obsessed with being feminine and traditional (everyone wants to be parents and came inside for… some reason) and i just am not feeling it, bro. it’s a little hard to explain and put into concise words but whenever i see a woman lamenting about how she’s not feminine enough or not a real woman, that i relate to so hard—there was actually a brief time late last year where i was starting to go by they/them pronouns, followed by she/they. i thought, oh, geez, what if i’m non-binary?

whenever i think about greendruidess’ rhetoric about how real women don’t do this and don’t do that, it hit a nerve with me. i began to wonder if i really am true to my own womanhood because the apparent queen of how all women should act and interact™️ said so. i’ve been mistaken for a boy many a number of times in life, often to the point of bringing me to tears, plus femininity is held in such high regard now, and i feel like such an outsider whenever i think about it, like… what am i doing wrong?

needless to say, i pulled through it and i realized that i can’t help it.

though i found out that i’m not native american earlier this year, their lore believes that you have the truly feminine, the truly masculine, the neutral or genderless, and then what’s known as “two-spirit”, which is basically a broad way of saying androgynous. it’s far more complicated than that, but it’s what they were going for, though: the feminine and masculine both reside within and others tend to lean towards one or the other.

i am female, i identify as she/her, but i am androgynous in mind and heart, though.

with this in mind, my writing should make a lot more sense: i like to tell a story through a girl’s eyes as much as i do a boy. this is where it gets complicated and borderline controversial, too: i want to empathize with both genders in an asexual manner (dressing like a boy while never neglecting my own womanhood for a second). i want to explore and feel close to the male gender as well as the female gender while still maintaining the fact that i identify as a woman.

as for sexuality? i’m probably pan. i’m also polyamorous, and my sex drive ebbs and flows like the ocean tides. i think of the episode of bob’s burgers where tina sneaks into the audition disguised as a boy and she gets caught, but she really just wanted to look at boys and linda tells her it’s actually a beautiful thing to be boy crazy because it means she has a big heart and big imagination. and the song at the end is “the right number of boys is always more”, and it spoke volumes to me because for me, it’s true. the right number of souls, especially the masculine ones, next to you is always more.

i hope all two-spirits, enbys, aces, she/hers, she/theys, pans, polys, and those of us still very confused had a good day today 💜

[p0mipaws]

Labru's wedding:

Marcille plans everything! (Yaad helps her with budgeting and making list of ppl to invite, tho)

When Laios and Kabru tells her about their secret engagement (everyone know after day 1), Marcille burst with excitement and start rambling about all the decorations and the cake for the wedding.

Kabru and Laios arent the type of person that have ✨️dream wedding✨️. Laios probably will choose to elope if its an option. Kabru loves social gathering, but isnt really big fan if its focused on him. He will still plan a wedding for political reason, but its probably will be no different from regular ball. Thats why Marcille is a blessing for them.

Marcille let Laios choose three (3) monster cuisines to serve at the wedding (with strict specifications). Senshi gladly help them gather the ingredients and prepare it (this is also Senshi's wedding gift for the couple).

I think Laios will choose cuisines from giant monsters so they can feed many ppl with just few a monsters so they dont distrub the ecosystem too much.

Its takes sometime, but they manage to track the merchant that took Laios in when he was teenager and invite him and his family. Kabru does NOT like him.

This is the first time Laios sees Falin crying with joy (Marcille is crying too but its more bc she is glad everything went smoothly).

Laios relucantly invite his parents after Falin pressures him. He just give his father a firm handshake and head nod during the reception. He doesnt even introduce Kabru to them.

Not only Flertom and Puckpatti failed to land a rich husband, they also need to drag Chilchuck and Meijack out of the party bc they get too drunk.

Marcille needs to put all the gifts from elven nations into isolated room to check if there any eavesdroppers on them, especially the one from Queen of the Elves (Not her first time).

Kabru and Laios are too exhausted after the party to consumated their marriage so they spend their first night sleeping until noon.

[catcze]

Hiii catte, just wanted to appreciate your work towards the whoreslay nation I EAT UP everything you put out.

Hmmmm as for wrio thoughts, maybe him making pink coloured tea after finding out it’s your favourite colour 😏 better yet, a pink themed tea party.

(yes I am encouraging you to write something self-indulgent because the yoinking accessories off your person fic has been rotting in my brain despite my irl aesthetic being like wrio. I just think it’s cute :])

Take care and have a lovely day/evening/night✨

anon i literally love youuu thank you for enabling me to be self indulgent tee hee ♡ take care too baby !!

Reblogs are greatly appreciated !!

It's something so offhanded— you hadn't expected him to give it much importance.

"Something wrong with the tea?" Wriothesley asks one afternoon, brows furrowing when he notices that you had yet to take a sip of your teacup. Instead, you had been staring at your drink for quite some time, lost in thought.

His question startles you out of whatever thoughts you were having, though. "What? Oh— no no, nothing like that. It's just... the color's really pretty," you tell him bashfully, a small smile on your face.

Wriothesley looks down at his own cup in thought. To him it's just... pink? It tasted good, don't get him wrong. Sweeter than some of the other teas he had served before, thanks to the dries strawberries and raspberries that had been infused into the tea. But he didn't realize that it was something you found particularly entrancing.

That one instance with the tea makes him notice something afterwards: you always had something pink on your person. Whether that be a charm, an accessory, a piece of clothing, or if your whole outfit was just the color pink. Even the color of some of the foods you eat— cakes with pink berry cream, milk colored pink with strawberries, you name it. If there's food with anything pink on it, chances are you're going to try it. Wriothesley honestly wonders how he doesn't realize it sooner.

When you walk up the stairs to Wriothesley's office, you're expecting it to be just any other afternoon tea session with him. Maybe, if he wants to spice things, he got his hands on a foreign blend that he wants you to taste. Maybe he brought some cakes and crepes from a new bakery in the city.

What you are not expecting, however, is for his dark and relatively industrial-looking office to be covered head to toe in pink.

All you can do is gape, mouth open as you try to take in the barrage of pastel pinks, creams, and whites that decorate the whole space. Even Wriothesley himself, who meets you at the landing of the staircase, has donned a little bit of pink against his otherwise black outfit— one of your pink neck ties replaces his usual red, and a heart shaped earring dangles from his ear, both obviously pilfered from your collection.

"What—" you can't help but giggle, giddy and overcome with wonder. "What is this?"

"Nothing special," your boyfriend says humbly, even though what he did means the world to you. "Just wanted to do something nice for you, is all. You really seem to like the color pink, so I thought to myself... giving you a pink tea party is definitely something I can do."

You can feel your heart swell, choking up because damn you love this man so much, and he loves you even more. You can't bring yourself to say anything, can't even will away the tears gathering in your eyes because you're so touched by this sweet, sweet man and all the love he's handed to you on a silver platter. You sniff, and you can already feel the waterworks coming.

Wriothesley panics when he sees the way your lip wobbles and the way your eyes shine with tears. He grimaces, hands immediately going to your arms to hold you and pull you close. And if anything, that just makes you cry even more.

"What's wrong, baby?" he murmurs into your hair, hand petting your back in an attempt to soothe you. You just hiccup, burying into his warm chest even further, neither of you caring about how you're getting tears on his shirt.

You cry for a bit more and Wriothesley lets you, cooing into your ear. He hugs you close, kisses your forehead, and runs his hands through the ends of your hair, carefully undoing any tangles. And when the tears die down, you pull away from his chest with a small sniff, just enough to be able to look at his face.

"All done?" He asks, and you nod, rubbing the tears from your eyes. No doubt you look like a mess— bitten lips, tear stains, swollen eyes and messy hair, but Wriothesley still looks at you like you're the only thing in this world worth looking at.

"Sorry," you begin, voice hoarse, "I- I just really love this—" you cast a glance around the room, eyes tearing up again, but you try your best not to cry this time. "And I just really love you. So, so, so much. You make me so happy," you tell him, leaning close and pressing a kiss to his cheek.

Wriothesley's heart races. His face flushes and his hands shake and gods he can feel an itch in his eyes that he does his best to tamp down, because no doubt if he started crying, so would you, and the tea he worked so hard to prepare would go cold, and he can't have that. So he inhales deeply, wipes away your tears with the pad of his thumb, and leads you by the hand to the pink table where your pink tea party awaits.

"I love you too, sweetheart," He murmurs, sitting across from you, still holding your hand over the table. "Forever and always."

[greenwitchcrafts]

February 2024 witch guide

Full moon: February 24th

New moon: February 9th

Sabbats: Imbolc-February 1st

February Snow Moon

Known as: Eagle Moon, Horning Moon, Solmonath Moon, Bear moon, Ice Moon, Wild Moon, Raccoon Moon, Big Winter Moon, Groundhog Moon, Quickening Moon, Storm Moon, Goose Moon, Hungry Moon & Red/Cleansing Moon

Element: Fire

Zodiac: Aquarius & Pisces

Nature spirits: House Faeries

Deities: Aphrodite, Brigid & Nut

Animals: Otter & Unicorn

Birds: Chickadee & Eagle

Trees: Cedar, laurel, myrtle & rowan

Herbs: Balm of Gilead, hyssop, myrrh, sage & spikenard

Flowers: Primrose

Scents: Heliotrope & wisteria

Stones: Amethyst, jasper, moonstone, obsidian, onyx , rose quartz, topaz & red zircon

Colors: Light blue & violet

Energy:  Astral travel, banishing, beginnings, breaking bad habits, creativity expressiveness, empowerment, energy working to the surface, fertility, forgiveness, freedom, friendships, future plans, growth, healing, problem solving, purification, responsibility & science

February’s full Moon is a “Micromoon” this year. Think of this term as the opposite of a “Supermoon.” It simply means that the full Moon is at its farthest point from Earth (not the nearest point).

The explanation behind February’s full Moon name is a fairly straightforward one: it’s known as the Snow Moon due to the typically heavy snowfall that occurs in February. On average, February is the United States’ snowiest month, according to data from the National Weather Service. In the 1760s, Captain Jonathan Carver, who had visited with the Naudowessie(Dakota), wrote that the name used for this period was the Snow Moon, “because more snow commonly falls during this month than any other in the winter.” 

Imbolc

Known as: Feast of Torches, Feast of Waxing Light, Oimele & Brigid's Day

Season: Winter

Symbols: Besoms, Brighid's crosses, candles, candle wheels, fertility symbols, fire, ploughs, priapic wands & white flowers

Colors: Black, brown, Earth tones, lavender, light green, orange, pink, red, white & yellow

Oils/Incense: Apricot, basil, bay, carnation, chamomile, cinnamon, dragon's blood, frankincense, heather, jasmine, myrrh, neroli, red sandalwood, sage, vanilla, violet & wisteria

Animals: Badger, cow, deer,groudhog, robin, sheep, snake, & swan

Mythical: Dragon

Stones: Amethyst, bloodstone, citrine, clear quartz, garnet, green tourmaline, hematite, iron, lodestone, onyx, red zircon, rose quartz, ruby, turquoise, yellow tourmaline

Food: Breads, chives, curries, dairy products, grains, garlic, herbal teas, honey cakes, lamb, muffins, onions, peppers, poppy seed cakes, pork, poultry, pumpkin seeds, raisins, scones, spiced wines & sunflower seeeds

Herbs/Plants: Angelica, ashleaf, balsam, basil, bay laurel, benzoin, blackberry, clover, coltsfoot, coriander, dragon's blood, garlic, heather, lemon, myrrh, rosemary, sage, vervain, wheat & witch hazel

Flowers: Celandine, chamomile, iris, rose hips, snowdrop, sunflower, tansy, violets, white flowers & yellow flowers

Goddesses: Anu, Aradia, Arianrhod, Artio, Athena, Branwen, Brigid, Danu, Februa, Gaia, Inanna, Juno, Selene, Sirona & Vesta

Gods: Aegus Mac Og, Bragi, Cupid, Dian Cecht, Dumuzi, Eros, Februus & Pax

Issues, Intentions & Powers: Activation/awakening, animals, beginnings, fertility, healing, hope, illumination, inspiration, light, pregnancy/childbirth, prophecy, transformation, well-being & youth

Spellwork: Air magick, banishings, candle spells, divination, fertility spells, prosperity & purification

Activities:

• Make & light white candles

• Clean/decorate your altar & consecrate your  altar tools

• Go on a walk in nature & look for signs of spring

• Make a Brigid's Cross

• Have a feast with your family/friends

• Give thanks & leave offerings to the Earth

• Set intentions, reflect & look deeper into your goals for spring

• Start a bonfire

• Find Imboloc prayers & devotionals that bid farewell to the winter months, honor the goddess Brigid, as well as seasonal blessings for your meals, hearth, & home.

• Pepare plans for your upcoming garden

• Craft a priapic wand

• Spend time with children celebrating Imbolc by making crafts & or baking

• Practice divination & fire scrying

• Draw a cleansing ritual bath for yourself

• Meditate, reflect & say your farewells to winter

• Cleanse & clean your house to prepare for spring

• Create a Brídeóg: a doll of Brigid made of straw

• Make Bride's bouquet satchets & exchange as symbols of good luck and fertility

• Set aside food & or drinks as an offering to Brigid to invite her in your home

Imbolc is a Gaelic festival marking the beginning of spring. Most commonly it is held on January 31 – February 1, or halfway between the winter solstice & the spring equinox. The holiday is a festival of the hearth, home, a celebration of the lengthening days & the early signs of spring. 

The word "imbolc" means "in the belly" and refers to the pregnancy of ewes at this time of year. The term "oimelc" means ewe's milk. Around this time of year, many herd animals give birth to their first offspring of the year or are heavily pregnant & as a result, they are producing milk. This creation of life’s milk is a part of the symbolic hope for spring.

Imbolc is mentioned in some of the earliest Irish literature and it is associated with important events in Irish mythology. It has been suggested that it was originally a pagan festival associated with the goddess Brigid and that it was Christianized as a festival of Saint Brigid, who herself is thought to be a Christianization of the goddess.

Some use Imbolc to celebrate the longer days which herald the return of Spring & The Goddess's recovery from giving birth to The Sun (The God) at Yule. The God & The Goddess are children symbolizing new life, new beginnings & new resurrections.

Related festivals:

• Groundhog Day-  Is a tradition observed in the United States & Canada on February 2 of every year. It derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day & sees its shadow, it will retreat to its den & winter will go on for six more weeks; if it does not see its shadow, spring will arrive early.

While the tradition remains popular in the 21st century, studies have found no consistent association between a groundhog seeing its shadow & the subsequent arrival time of spring-like weather.

•St. Brigid's Day- 1 February. It was originally Imbolc, the first day of spring in Irish tradition. Because Saint Brigid has been theorised as linked to the goddess Brigid, some associate the festival of Imbolc with the goddess. St. Brigid is the patroness saint (or 'mother saint') of Ireland. She is patroness of many things, including poetry, learning, healing, protection, blacksmithing, livestock & dairy production. In her honour, a perpetual fire was kept burning at Kildare for centuries.

A recent campaign successfully established her feast day as a national holiday in 2023.

• Chinese New Year- (February 10th) the festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar. In Chinese, the festival is commonly referred to as the Spring Festival,- marking the end of winter and the beginning of the spring season. Observances traditionally take place from Chinese New Year's Eve, the evening preceding the first day of the year, to the Lantern Festival, held on the 15th day of the year. The first day of Chinese New Year begins on the new moon that appears between January 21st & February 20th.

The Chinese New Year is associated with several myths and customs. The festival was traditionally a time to honour deities as well as ancestors. Within China, regional customs and traditions concerning the celebration of the New Year vary widely & the evening preceding the New Year's Day is frequently regarded as an occasion for Chinese families to gather for the annual reunion dinner.

It is also a tradition for every family to thoroughly clean their house, in order to sweep away any ill fortune & to make way for incoming good luck. Another custom is the decoration of windows & doors with red paper-cuts and couplets. Popular themes among these paper-cuts and couplets include good fortune or happiness, wealth & longevity. Other activities include lighting firecrackers  & giving money in red envelopes.

•  Candlemas- is a Christian feast day on February 2nd commemorating the presentation of Jesus at the Temple. It is based upon the account of the presentation of Jesus in Luke 2:22-40. 

While it is customary for Christians in some countries to remove their Christmas decorations on Twelfth Night, those in other Christian countries historically remove them after Candlemas.On Candlemas, many Christians also take their candles to their local church, where they are blessed and then used for the rest of the year.

•Setsubun- (February 3rd) Is the day before the beginning of spring in the old calendar in Japan. The name literally means 'seasonal division', referring to the day just before the first day of spring.

Both Setsubun & Risshun are celebrated yearly as part of the Spring Festival (Haru matsuri ) in Japan. In its association with the Lunar New Year, Setsubun, though not the official New Year, was thought of as similar in its ritual & cultural associations of 'cleansing' the previous year as the beginning of the new season of spring. Setsubun was accompanied by a number of rituals & traditions held at various levels to drive away the previous year's bad fortunes & evil spirits for the year to come.

Other Celebrations:

• Lupercalia-

In ancient Rome, this festival was conducted annually on February 13th through 15th under the superintendence of a corporation of priests called Luperci. The origins of the festival are obscure, although the likely derivation of its name from lupus (Latin: “wolf”) has variously suggested connection with an ancient deity who protected herds from wolves and with the legendary she-wolf who nursed Romulus and Remus. As a fertility rite, the festival is also associated with the god Faunus.

to purify the city, promoting health & fertility.

Each Lupercalia began with the sacrifice by the Luperci of goats and a dog, after which two of the Luperci were led to the altar, their foreheads were touched with a bloody knife & the blood was wiped off with wool dipped in milk; the ritual required that the two young men laugh. The sacrificial feast followed, after which the Luperci cut thongs from the skins of the sacrificial animals & ran in two bands around the Palatine hill, striking with the thongs at any woman who came near them. A blow from the thong was supposed to render a woman fertile.

In 494 CE the Christian church under Pope Gelasius I forbade participation in the festival. Tradition holds that he appropriated the form of the rite as the Feast of the Purification (Candlemas), celebrated on February 2, but it is likely that the Christian feast was established in the previous century. It has also been alternately suggested that Pope Gelasius I replaced Lupercalia with St. Valentine’s Day, celebrated on February 14th, but the origin of that holiday was likely much later.

Sources:

Farmersalmanac .com

Llewellyn's Complete Book of Correspondences by Sandra Kines

Wikipedia

A Witch's Book of Correspondences by Viktorija Briggs

Encyclopedia britannica

Llewellyn 2024 magical almanac Practical magic for everyday living

[tragedy-of-commons]

killjoy

childe x gn!reader | wc: ~1.6k

You catch your boyfriend setting up the cake.

tags/warnings: bday fun, modern & college au, based off of the American College Experience™ sorry, tooth-rotting fluff, teucer is a national treasure, comedy, possibly ooc, reader has hair

notes: for @staarri's 100 followers & bday event <3 trying to write childe was a nightmare but the wheel of doom has spoken. chosen prompt "cruel summer" :)

It has been one hell of a day.

Pop quizzes in two of your classes (that you are now tanking), getting heckled by that same group of protesters, slamming head-first into a glass panel like a pigeon, and then getting splashed by a puddle via a speeding car. 

To give credit where credit is due, you’ve suffered through every incident with class and poise. Despite how you drip with murky street water, the saving grace that is the promise of your warm bed keeps you from inventing new profanities and falling to your knees in the student parking lot.

It’s almost over with, it’s almost over with—

The splintered door of your dorm unit has never looked more welcoming. When your keycard is approved with a click, you heave the barrier between you and uninterrupted sleep wide open. However, what you don’t expect is the little spectacle unfolding in your kitchenette.

Who you belatedly realize is your lovely boyfriend is sticking candles into something - it being quickly shielded from your view as he reacts to your arrival.

“You just had to be early,” he grins, revealing those pearly whites, “Maybe I’ll start calling you ‘Killjoy’.”

“Ajax?” He’s here? Today? But he said— He must notice your sorry state, but he’s wise enough not to mention it. “You really think I’d miss celebrating your birthday in person? Seriously, what kind of partner would I be, just sending you a text? Babe, you gotta start setting some higher standards.”

“Rotten liar,” you mumble, growing smile threatening to split your face in two. 

A small flash of copper peeks around the bedroom-adjoining hallway, hyper. Teucer rushes up in front of his brother, the latter ruffling his hair. “Hey, you’re not supposed to be here yet!”

You snort, wondering if anyone else is planning to jump out of the shadows. “My sincerest apologies. I could always leave—”

“No need,” Ajax dismisses the notion with a cavalier wave. “I think we’re all ready, huh Teuce?”

He huffs in agreement, beaming up at you like you hung the moon. “One second!”

Teucer scampers off faster than you can blink, making you bellow a laugh. His energy knows no bounds, necessitating many hours of entertaining his whims. You wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Happy birthday,” Ajax says softly; wistfully.

You stalk over to him, embracing your boyfriend like he might disappear into thin air without a moment’s notice. “If you broke in, I will be calling campus security.” “You’d never turn me in! Also, we just so happen to still be on the guest card from last week.” You part from his warmth so you can kiss him. He tastes of sugar, the bastard.

“Buttercream?” you place, peering over his shoulder. The sight of a round cake on the counter confirms your suspicions, and your heart swells. He would’ve had to bake and decorate it somewhere else, given that ovens are a luxury you do not possess in college hell. You picture him in his too-nice apartment, piping frosting in the familiar loops of your name. “Yes!” Teucer rushes back in (you note that he’s hiding his hands behind his back), while Ajax pokes your nose. “Big brother spent soooo long on it!”

You snicker deviously. “Really?”

“No reason to lie,” your boyfriend pouts, “Though I’m a bit hurt that you’re both trying to embarrass me, after I went to all this trouble..”

Teucer sticks his tongue out in disgust whenever you console Ajax with another kiss, likely wanting you both to hurry up your gross couple stuff so he can show you his gift. It’s presented to you ceremoniously, and you honor the splendor by pretending not to know that it’s definitely one of his toys. 

Your acting is award-winning, perfectly ignoring the obvious ridges and appendages of a Transformer. After tearing open the paper, you’re told that his name is Mr. Cyclops and you have to take good care of him - your sworn oath.

(Of course, Mr. Cyclops will mysteriously end up back in Teucer’s bedroom if you can count on your partner in crime to help you out. You and Ajax share a Look that hints at conspiracy.)

Speaking of your boyfriend, you don’t think he is governed by even one modicum of shame. During the Happy Birthday song, he performs with his whole chest, much to your chagrin. You think that Ajax lives the most for other people; even if it shines brightest whenever he teases and flusters. His camaraderie is most genuine when he’s this comfortable - when he knows that the present moment is all he needs to focus on. 

When did he start letting his guard down? You find yourself unable to recall among past memories of trudging to the local diner at ungodly hours, cramming for finals at the library, and responsibly talking him down from any antics that would surely get him in trouble.

(Maybe it was when you first held an ice pack over his eye, swollen shut from a punch he shouldn’t have taken just for the thrill of it. Your admonishment must have been jarring, because without any teasing remarks whatsoever, he promised that he’d dial it down. You remember lacing your fingers with his - and promptly threatening to “embalm him with jet fuel” if he ever got hurt again.)

Now your relationship has progressed to the point where spending your first birthday together feels natural. It feels so natural that shitty paper plates stacked high with slices of cake is enough to make you forget that you look like that one damp owl picture. Ajax, as per his boyfriend duties, has to remind you, of course.

“Bad day, huh?” 

You rest your chin on your fist, elbow supported by the armrest of your (comically small) couch. In retrospect, the fleeting illusion of a living room probably wasn’t worth it. Squished into a corner by a dozing Teucer and an awake Ajax, you yawn. “The worst, actually.”

“Well, we can’t be having that,” he tips your chin up to meet azure hues, “Maybe my gift will make you feel better.”

You blink. “Gift? You don’t have to, you know. The little guy’s was plenty enough for me.” 

Ajax spares a fond glance at his little brother, whose head is resting in his lap, legs thrown over the opposite armrest. “Nonsense! If you’re worried about me having bought out a whole store—”

“Don’t tell me you—”

“—Then you have nothing to fret over, Killjoy,” he laughs. “It’s pretty small.”

You don’t suppress the smile that breaks out on your face. “Okay, I’ll bite.”

“Hopefully not too hard.” He’s so annoying. You want to kiss him stupid.

From what you assume is from his back pocket, he removes a black silk pouch before dropping it into your awaiting hand. He was right about it being small, that’s for sure. Toying with the material of it for a moment, you pull open the bag delicately. Ajax tenses. “So.. whaddya think?”

Inside is a brass key that fits into your palm nicely. Of course you’ll love anything he gives you, but you’re unsure of what this could mean. Is it symbolic? Literal? You thumb over the grooves, unsure of what they could possibly unlock. Your head swims with a fuzzy feeling that you don’t entirely hate.

“What’s it to?”

“Our place.”

It’s perfect. You turn the object this way and that way, swallowing. “Giving me my own copy? You realize that you’re gonna be stuck with me crashing at yours way more often, right?”

Your boyfriend wraps a sturdy arm around your shoulder. “It’s not there for you to crash, it’s there for you to stay. I want you to move in with me.”

The following awed silence from you is clearly taken as something else, because Ajax backpedals in that flippant way that belies the panic he’s actually feeling. You need to tell him that it’s okay; that it’s more than okay.

“Of course you can say no, but the rest of your birthday plans kinda hinge on the possibility that you’ll make me the happiest man in the world and say yes,” he amends.

You pay no heed to his theatrics, because all you really need is him. Gross. “Duh, idiot. As much as it kills me to say this, I’d want nothing more.” Ajax glows. “Because you’re head over heels in love with me?”

“No, because I won’t have to drag my ass to the laundromat anymore.”

The offended sound he lets out is muffled with your mouth against his once more, and the tears that roll down your cheeks are obviously not because you’re ecstatic to be so involved in his life. What a preposterous idea.

His hands cradle your face, a little awkward because of the position, but he’s so warm. 

“Killjoy, I have something to confess,” he breathes, pulling back enough so you can see the faint constellation of freckles dotting his features. “You need to start packing immediately, or else the flowers will wilt before you’re able to see them.”

You sigh, happy-sniffling. “Flowers? Is a bouquet perhaps part of these ‘birthday plans’?”

Ajax dries one of his hands stained with your tears off onto his shirt before raking it through Teucer’s curls affectionately. He stirs but does not wake. “Try thirty!”

“Ajax..” The horror in your tone barely disguises the admiration.

“I love you too, Killjoy.”

That night, when you’re both alone in his apartment, tangled in each other’s arms, your overnight bag on the floor - you tell him the same. The few tears he sheds into your hair are also definitely not because you’re finally comfortable enough to say it back. Ridiculous.

taglist: @hanyi-writes, @karagatan02, @bfajax, @aphrodict, @nomazee

[k0yaz]

Hihihihi pookie

Could you write a neuvillette x reader where they go stargazing and they do awesome things

Sorry if its vague idk how to request

Anyways have a good day pookie wookie 🙏

diluvies.

Pairings: neuvillette x fem!reader

CW: sfw, female reader, can be read as platonic or romantic, written before I did neuvi’s story quest I’m way to lazy to do story quests in genshin rn, so neuvi might be ooc uhm, there is literally no warnings tf, fake constellation it’s not real idk man, HANDHOLDING OMG WHAT SHALL WE DO, not proofread.

A/N: omg hi my pookie wookie chocolate chip cake recipe btw yes you suck bootycheeks at requesting (jk ily)

Brisk sweeps of wind danced along your skin, hair flowing in a consistent direction along with the wind as strands of your hair brushed along your face slightly. The moonlit sky cast a soft glow onto both yours and Neuvillette’s face, illuminating the Iudex’s features almost perfectly. A sense of comfort washed over you as you heard nothing but the bellows of the wind, along with the soothing rush of water off in the distance.

When it came to Neuvillette, you had never thought that you’d end up enjoying his company as much as you do now. Back then, he seemed like the typical serious and dull type of person who you’d typically find working in the court. Slowly but surely, it didn’t take long for you to see the chief justice for who he really was. Honest, patient, and respectable—yet also capable of compassion towards his nation.

Gradually, you spent more and more time with him, leading you to unexpectedly enjoy spending time with the chief justice. He would stand at the edge of the stone railing circling the land portion of Fontaine, separating it from the streaming bodies of clear blue water surrounding various pieces of land across the nation. With a gentle smile overlaying his face, Neuvillette would reach out his gloved hand in a drawn in motion, beckoning you to come stand beside him.

Often times, you two wouldn’t talk much. In fact, it would only be a mellow silence hanging in the air which you both found an odd comfort in. Neuvillette would often find a sense of solace in your presence, his judgement no longer clouded nor unclear whenever he was around you.

Bright gleams of the infinite glowing masses scattered across the sky, decorating the blackened night skies with the endless array of stars seemingly going on forever. Glancing over, you heaved a small amused sigh as you noticed Neuvillette’s eyes tracing the stars so intently, as if he was completely lost in their beauty. White hair brushing along his face, Neuvillette leaned back with one arm resting on his knee and seated on the grass, laying on his back comfortably in.

Looking at him, you noticed his eyes seemingly focus on a particular pattern of stars, almost like he was infatuated with it. You switched your attention to Neuvillette, cocking an eyebrow out of curiosity upon seeing his newfound interest in the distinct shape of the stars.

“Something catch your eye, Neuvi?” You inquired, laying on your back as well and rolling closer to him. He let out an affirmative hum as your shoulder bumped his, hand reaching up to trace the shape of the stars again. He blinked for a moment, taking in a slow breath before speaking, as if he was trying to ground himself back to reality. Exhaling, Neuvillette finally spoke up.

“Just the arrangement of the stars is all. For some reason, it strikingly resembles something familiar.”

“A constellation maybe?”

Neuvillette gives an affirmative nod, his slit violet eyes having a soft glow in them from the bright stars.

“Diluvies.” He responded, a hand planted behind him against the flattened blades of grass. You followed the shape of the constellation, noticing the striking resembling to the position of a dragon craning its neck. “Does the constellation mean something to you?” You added, taking note of the way his eyes fluttered shut.

The upper half of Neuvillette’s face harbored a pale glow from the moonlight, especially making the blue accents of his eyeliner stand out from the corner of his eyes. The aching quiet atmosphere stretched along as his eyelids remained shut, pondering a viable response. In the end, Neuvillette simply shook his head, seemingly not being able to find a particular thing he was reminded of.

Reaching over, you took his hand in yours, lacing your fingers between his tenderly. The sweet gesture caused Neuvillette’s features to soften, his features resting upon feeling your hand brush up against his gloved hand. Neuvillette couldn’t help but let out a hushed sigh, leaning his head atop yours as he grasped your hand. You placed your freehand on the back of his head, threading your fingers through his smooth, pale hair.

Your hand brushed along the ocean streaks slightly distanced from the rest of his white hair, resembling his horns as the hydro dragon sovereign. The contact with his horns only earned another quiet hum vibrating from Neuvillette’s throat, his eyes heavy lidded, yet slightly opened now.

“Perhaps, the constellation does remind me of something.”

“Oh? And what’s that?”

“It’s connected trail representing a dragon craning its neck…makes the being seem as if it’s sheltering something.”

Neuvillette paused, his own hand playing with your hair subconsciously as his head remained tilted atop yours.

“It reminds me of myself. My own want to shelter and protect you, (Name).”

A/N: MY BRAIN IS SO COOKED HELP IM SORRY IF ITS BAD AND TOO SHORT IM SCREAMING ITS 12 AM also yes I named the fic after his story quest aren’t I so smart

[captainjacklyn]

@Silverbard22 Special Birthday Occasion !

A/N : Happy birthday my friend ! Congratulations on being today years old, as my (late late late late LATE! really sorry about that) gift for you I'll be writing this headcanon with every character from Mondstadt to Sumeru celebrating your birthday ! And fun fact, you were born on the same day as my old cat ! (his name was 'little steps' and he passed away four years ago because he was old but now I have two new troublemakers to destroy my sleep)

Warning(s) : some bombs from klee, a lot of cake but idk if that's even some kind of warning, mostly fluff, it's kind of Sagau if you squint a little.

MONDSTADT

The moment Jean was informed she got a multitude of knights just getting the entire city ready for a huge celebration, at this point, it's a national holiday. She patrols around to check if everything is in it's rightful place, if anyone dares to sabotage or disrupt such an occasion they will get beheaded. Amber and Eula follow after their senior, wishing you the best when they see you, since the beautiful Lawrence maiden understands how important this day is for you she'll perform a wonderful dance for you.

The church also prepared a wonderful original song for you, and it was all thanks to Barbara and Venti (who was also the one that announced your date of birth) even if it doesn't match their usual tunes they will gladly change their genre just for you to enjoy their singing. It's kind of hard to imagine priests singing black metal but they'll do their best in doing it for you.

Diluc pretended not to care but the Dawn Winery had also been cleaned and decorated to the brim. Everything on the menu is just foods you enjoy, all that you dislike is BANNED from this place, they take your approval seriously and I mean it. When you come in, he has everything ready and perhaps even a huge gift. Though much to his dismay, Kaeya will tease him for it (not like he didn't plan grandiose things just to see your smile). Speaking of teasing, he starts to poke a multitude of pickup lines at you.

There is music, there is presents and decoration..what else are we missing? Oh wait who's the clown for this party-

I'm kidding I'm kidding Lisa is the magician, I know that her stans are out there to get me rn. Besides, the lady has a friendly, albeit a little explosive, assistant named Klee...And Albedo because we need a sane being around these two chaos inducing people. And don't think I forgot about the gifts- those are everywhere, they offer you presents all the time but they've out done themselves just for your special day.

All thanks to Sucrose who was more than overjoyed to be the one to get the honor of creating your main bestowal. Let's not forget Benny's Adventure team who crashed in halfway to celebrate alongside you. Bennett, Razor and Fischl ran like tornadoes to offer their own blessings, Rosaria pretended that she wasn't looking forward to give her own birthday wishes. But we can all see how happy your smile makes her the moment you thank her for coming.

LIYUE

Oh you are so spoiled for this one. Ningguang quite literally built a new jade chamber just for your birthday celebration and Ganyu worked faster than the speed of light just to get to spend some quality time with you, Keqing is no different with so much dedication nothing is stopping her now (her pen broke as she practically printed down files of tasks). No one has seen them more desperate than scaramouche wanting to become a god BUT that's just because she wants to spend as much time with you during these special hours, it's not everyday that your favorite person turns [age] years old !

Beidou doesn't seem like the type to throw a fuss during these occasions. And she isn't, you're absolutely correct, however she will bring you to any place around the ocean to go sight seeing and have her crew throw a party all evening. In addition to this wonderful proposal we got Hu Tao willing to unbury sixty dead people COUGH COUGH I MEANT INVITE I SWEAR GUYS DON'T ARREST ME-

Zhongli was also at the funeral parlor when his boss made preparations for your visit. He wanted to offer you a gift but with what money? so Childe had to take care of the presents instead. (Though he will go through the effort of offering you a dried glaze lily, accompanied with the marvelous yet oh so tragic meaning behind it, have fun falling asleep) Poof goes the northland bank money to the mountains of donations, his wallet is crying so many tears to the point where you'll need to name an entirely new river.

I swear if the river's name goes something like : 'spring valley view nice face' I say fuck that and call it 'broke stream' then we can get along. I just hope Xiao actually participates in your ceremony physically rather than alternatively placing a gift at your window and disappearing right after. It becomes a game for a while, just spend the whole day trying to find him to say thank you. He finds your tenacity so impressive but so confusing, why are you ripping both time and space HE'S HERE GOOD HEAVENS-

This goes for Shenhe too, be nice to her okay? it may not seem like it, but the young woman is trying very hard to please you, although it is evident that you truly enjoy her presence. Chongyun tagged along with his aunty, whilst Cloud Retainer would've been there, her bad habit of spilling the embarrassing memories of her beloved students made the graceful lady refuse the bird's company.

Have you ever seen Xiangling cook the worth of three buffets ? Well, now you have, she felt so ashamed for forgetting what you liked ! So she panicked and made every food known to their world, even those that didn't necessarily originate from Liyue.. I salute you, that much nutrition will probably be the end of it all. Xingqiu is no more after helping his good companion, winded and absolutely exhausted, I mean who cooks 149 recipes in FIVE HOURS?!

Honestly, I really jealous about the fact that YaoYao made you a custom plushy that resembled a mini you, she even added a small yellow bunny attached on the side as well as your birthday day sewed on it. Qiqi was the one with the responsibility to deliver it for her friend, of course Baizhu needed to remind her of doing so too. Speaking of that shady doctor, he hangs around you to make sure you stay healthy. Tho his coughing isn't really helping the process, he's trying to be of use. Let's not forget that Yelan most likely stole another fatui jacket just because she kinda...Forgot? I mean, she got the gift and she stylized it just to match your style...If only she knew it was Childe's present on its way to you.

INAZUMA

Boob sword, boob sword, boob sword- If that's what you want she'll whip out that weapon faster than lightning. get it? I'm such a loser. Ei turned your birthday into the new year festival, fireworks bigger than ever were organized thanks to Yoimiya. Look closely and you'll notice that the sparkling firecrackers spell out your name and create visuals of your favorite animal/food!

Itto is gonna bring you around town with his gang, if you want he can even carry you on his shoulders during the entire time he's showing you off with Shinobu by his side, his (unpaid) nanny who is continuously begging him to be careful. She smiles under her mask when she sees you laugh at their antics, but please don't encourage them too much, keeping them out of trouble is already hard enough.

Subsequently, you met up with Gorou and Kokomi who offered their heartfelt wishes, including an all out party with the army. Everyone was dancing, drinking and losing all of their remaining braincells..Thank goodness our gorgeous mermaid stopped you from consuming anything too strong..would've been as bad as taco bell- RING RING ! I have a delivery for the Birthday Star! Soft paws and double tails, it's none other than the speedy Nekomata, Kirara! Right on time as always for bringing a packet to the rightful owner.

The nice surprise ended up being a very cute gift box of many different delicacies along with...a birthday card from Yae Miko? Well, ain't that a new one. Seems like she gives you her sweet wishes and an opportunity to write a book with her. Gracious.

Smoke weed with the samurai Jk- Kazuha sends you a gush of wind with a bunch of leaves that end up spelling 'happy birthday' when they fall to the floor.

can he do that? It'd be fun if he could do that. He can do that.

Then you have the...Rich ones, I'll say it right off the bat, Ayaka and Ayato have prepared exactly everything from schedule to how many confetti will be thrown in your direction every minute of the day. Thomas is right behind them and he's cleaning up after said confetti, Poor guy. Someone help him...Yeah, definitely...Someone should.

... :)

Oh my archons is that? No way, La Signora's ashes flying all the way from Snezhnaya Kujou Sara what do we have here? A tiny figure of the raiden shogun, as a birthday gift? How adorable. Surely it'll be more eternal than a certain crimson witch HAHAHA- please don't kill me. This came from Sara's precious collectible collection so don't drop it. Ever.

SUMERU

Oh Nahida, she did say that your celebration shall be at least as grand as the Subzeruz Festival. So, don't be shy, let her pull you through and help you enjoy the sights! You wouldn't want to miss Nilou's pretty performance would you? Tighnari, Collei and most of the other forest rangers came along too! Now there's a table's worth of present for you, with very pretty mushrooms, some crafted trinkets, a flower bouquet that sprayed water in your face- CYNO! "What did one plate say to the other plate on their birthday?" "Cyno please-" "Lunch is on me."

"..."

"..."

"Good job, buddy. Good job."

If anyone makes me right down a joke like that again, I will kill myself. Luckily for you, Sethos swoops in to save you, maybe? All I know if that he's up for a new hairdo desert dweller style! But give him a second to catch his breath. He did drag hat guy all this way for a reason, surely it isn't because mister Wanderer thinks himself above wishing you a small happy birthday? No, he ain't that's why he's here, darling. Albeit a little against his will. His little auntie would've pushed him towards you anyways, he's a little shy, give him some time. *Cue the boss music.*

When Kaveh and Al Haitham finally arrive, they were willing to put their arguments to a pause and give you a well deserved happy birthday wish, including a long rant about how Al Haitham doesn't know shit about aesthetics and how Kaveh keeps losing his mother fucking keys- EHO WAIT A MINUTE! This isn't about you, *spray bottle* this is about [Name] so you better treat the birthday majesty, treat them well!

Oh! Dehya just arrived! Your very own bodyguard for the trip! She grants you protection as you make your way to Aaru village where Candace awaits. Birthday cake on a plate, and candles ready to place. You spend most of your time having fun with the people. And when the time for you to leave comes, Dehya thanks you as she brings you right back to Sumeru city. Where you encounter Dori at the entrance and she- Uh? Free gift? No there must be a catch, Dori doesn't give gifts! Ah right she wants to grant you a wish, which is technically a gift for as long as it isn't a lifetime of Mora...Cause that wouldn't work, no, no. Dori isn't a doner. "Happy birthday, [Name]-" "Could I have the Palace of Alcazarzaray?"

"...The what now?"

Well, guess that's everybody- Wait a damn minute where is Layla? Surely she isn't sleeping through your celebrations, the music is far too loud! Oh, never mind, there she is. Somehow awake and...She's with a gift, you now have your very own pocket astrolabe, I have no fucking clue how this thing works but you'll figure it out. I'm sure. And if not, well Miss faruzan is here to help, she'll also offer her own small toy for you. It's an assembly of a number of miniature puzzle mechanisms — you can find a button and lever here, as well as a roller to the side. I still have no clue on what and how, but it's the intention that counts.

Not me using her voice line to explain shit.

FLOWER CONFETTI ATTAAAACK-

FONTAINE

I do believe it was supposed to rain today, but monsieur Neuvillette did say that he would do something about it. Strange. Who could've thought he actually would- Wait no why is it starting, why do I feel sad, WHO DID THIS?!

It's okay now, Furina arrived just in time to distract him from the sadness. And! To remind him that a special someone was celebrating their special day today! Here's your ticket to 'Happy Day'! Don't make me spoil the surprise, there's a reason why it's called a surprise, don't you ask me what'll happen, don't you dare do it, don't-

She'll make sure you show up though since her dutiful Clorinde is never far away from you or Furina herself. She'll pop out of the blue, remind you of the time and disappear again, not before leaving a small birthday card at your feet. There is a letter along with...Mhm? Is that- a coupon for Furina's favorite bakery?!

You get to buy your own birthday cake! That sounds so sad but so good at the same time. And surprise, surprise! There's a surprise! From Sigewinne, Navia, Chiori, Chevreuse, Freminet, Emilie and Charlotte too! Even the whole of spina de rosula came along to celebrate before your attendance to 'Happy Day'! You receive a gorgeous outfit from Chiori, she insists that it was just an excuse to better your wardrobe but we all know she's looked forward to sewing something up for you, for a long time. Chevreuse's gift is a pile of the best selling Fontaine books, many of which are her personal favorite, but perhaps you'll take a liking to them too!

Charlotte got everyone to fit into the group picture, and with a snap! Collects the memory. She also gifts you your very own Kamera! Now even you can match her as a frenzied journalist! Just make sure you show her your future pictures, she'd love to collaborate on her next journal page! ft. [Name]'s photography.

Freminet was a little shy at first, but after a little encouragement from his siblings to face you without his helmet, you just had to gush over the Pers he gave you. He's more than glad you like it, though the way you seem so happy gets him a little embarrassed- And the helmet goes back on! Uh...

There's something tapping your leg, wait! The Melusines are all here! And they have lots of nice stickers! One here, and there, and everywhere! Sigewinne wanted you to spend time with as many friends as possible, though she regrets to say that Wriothesley couldn't come along, but he took the time to gift you an assortment of luxurious tea as well as a...Pair of...Boxing gloves? Oh well, better get to some sporty activities then. Fortunately for you, Emilie just created a new perfume made of your favorite scents that gets rid of any foul odor, and it's a limited edition [Name]-reserved product too!

Cue Lyney and his little magic trick, watch as he gives you a feather, observe how it pops and turns out to be a party popper. He grabs one of the floating paper streamers, drops it in the hat, imagine your gift, reach down and- Tada! Your very own mini Lyney the cat! And- What is this? His assistant, Lynette, takes the lead! She hands you a blank card, on it, write your wish before she places it in her own hat, gesturing you to reach within and- Tada! You now have a mini kitty Lynette! Wooo! Keep smiling, they don't have to know you imagined as well as wrote a thousand mora.

❤️🧡💛Happy Birthday💚🩵💙

[universallydestinytaco]

“Pursuit of Happiness” (ONE SHOT)

🔥🔥🔥🔥🎉🎉🎉🎉 🤩🤩🤩🤩 WAKE UP BABE NEW AU DROPPED!!!

So basically what if it was Mr. President except in Jimble’s place it’s Charlie who is the much-maligned and unpopular US President in this show’s universe so when he calls Smiling Friends for a solution he meets his old College roomie Pim who actively tries to improve his reputation and after some wacky hijinks, Charlie gets hit with a realization or two.

Charlie thought of his life as a rags-to-riches story of sorts, it felt like yesterday he was in his crummy studio apartment on his gamer PC, next thing he knew he was elected President of the United States of America after a successful if not eccentric campaign promising a future in the hands of a less out of touch old rich man and instead on a young fresh face who really knew what the people wanted, even being nicknamed “King Dompler” amongst the 20-something voters he greatly appealed to….too bad there was just one teensy problem: Charlie never really studied in politics or law, so he never really had an experience in governing a population of people, but the people never thought much of it at first. “What could possibly go wrong?”, indeed!

While his Inauguration was initially a roaring success that felt more like a wild teen party than a formal event with guests chanting “King Dompler” in his honor, it seemed a bad omen reared its ugly held once the beloved former President was rushed to the hospital from food poisoning and passed away the next day. Charlie payed his respects where they were due, but didn’t think that one moment was a foreshadowing of the next four years, right?

During his first day in office he passed everyone of his voters a free vape kit as a “thank you”, only to be widely condemned by many anti-smoking campaigns and his less-than graceful and mature response by flipping them the bird on social media did nothing to quell it, then he’d realize too soon that his choice of letting his buddy Jombo be Vice President was a huge mistake because while he was away during Vacation not only did Jombo raise hell he straight up flew out of the state and pinned the whole thing on Charlie! Charlie tried to make it up to the people with his attempt at improving the economy with the proposal in the form of a rousing speech that ignited initial hype only for his deed to go down in flames alongside the stock market. As if that wasn’t enough bad press many where sorely disappointed he didn’t bother having the White House decorated for the annual Christmas Party where the press expected an orient display with a huge Christmas tree only to be met with just a single stubby branch with one ornament hanging from the top….but that was just the icing on the cake! Charlie’s slovenly, drunken display was seen as outrageously disrespectful to the rest of the world leaders he invited and the overall representation of his own country. Within an entire year Charlie went from being seen as the mascot of a perfect future for the US to a universally-loathed laughingstock and an embarrassment to the nation to the point where his girlfriend-turn-First Lady, Zoey, publicly broke up with him while furiously spitting out how she wound up saddled with an utterly inconsiderate and buffoonish prick in the first place, needless to say that event sure had the internet spamming emojis of laughing faces at the President’s expense. To add insult to injury, Dj Spitz who once endorsed President Charlie, dropped a topical diss-track titled “King Dork” as a mean-spirited play on his initial nickname.

One morning Charlie sighed, reminiscing his carefree 20s while signing papers as he heard a jeering crowd outside the Oval Office flinging compost at the windows and holding up signs that read: “King Dork” and “F**ck Dompler”, not even bothering to ask security to shoo them away, he just wanted to save face by telling everyone that this was all just an elaborate joke and go back to his normal life, but then his inner-Alpha Male chewed him out like a yelling drill sergeant nagging him in his mind to not give up like a coward and to prove himself as a worthy leader….but how? After he called a little company called “Smiling Friends”, a helicopter flew in to the court yard where out came a familiar face Charlie hadn’t seen in years: a little pink man in a sharp suit being escorted by security into the White House.

“Pim, is that you?!”

Pim immediately ran into Charlie with his arms wide for hugging, gushing about how proud he was his best friend was given the esteemed privilege of serving an entire nation (even if he was only serving mistake after mistake), Charlie didn’t feel like explaining how it went at the moment, he just wanted to take his mind off things. First he gave Pim a tour of the White House and all the splendor of the interior. Pim happily infodumped about his knowledge on US history and politics while naming who’s-who on the portraits of important figures on the wall and going into detail their roles in shaping America. Charlie even felt inspired by the stories of once unpopular presidents that restored their good image by the amazing deeds they performed….that was when Charlie remember the exact reason why he called Smiling Friends in the first place! He invited Pim to dinner to recap in-depth the whole of his disastrous first year in office, that was when Pim channeled his inner quirky cartoon character by snapping his fingers and proposing a couple solutions that could fix everything! Yaaay! :D

Charlie went with the first plan: hiring a team to transplant trees in places that needed some greenery, he picked out a breed that produced tasty-looking fruit that resembled apples, but it was discovered too late those weren’t apples but highly toxic, spore-bearing pods meant for weeding out other species. Okay that was a bust to say the least. The next suggestion involved pouring thousands of dollars to a promising charity helping the poor but right after the generous donation was dolled out the charity turned out to have been an elaborate scam by a dangerous criminal who used up the money for an entire supervillain lair full of weapons to terrorize the public with, happily announcing his ruse and thanking President Charlie Dompler for being oh-so naive enough to fall into his trap. The third suggestion? Well, Pim was still trying to think about it.

While the boys where back to the metaphorical drawing board, Pim was enjoying himself in the White House garden, Charlie couldn’t help but feel his heart melt feeling the presence of his cheerful, innocent friend gushing over the flowers and the bugs that populated the area, suddenly Charlie didn’t feel like he was in Washington anymore, but he was back in Pennsylvania at a park where he felt the energy to join Pim in basking in the springtime atmosphere, allergies be damned.

….

The next day, Pim and President Charlie flew out of Washington and back to Pennsylvania for a day away from the hustle-and-bustle of the capitol and even then Charlie still had to put up with the mockery and rude comments from the public, which he didn’t really care for at this point since he was already desensitized from the trolls who bullied him online 24/7. The boy payed a visit to Daveland and visited all the rides and attractions there, while sitting at a park bench enjoying the snacks they bought, Pim initiated had a fun conversation about all the times they spent together in College and the brief stint at their old jobs at, you guessed it, Salty’s! Charlie felt he was truly back at home, like he was lucky enough to get his hands on a time travel device and go back to a much happier time in his life with his incredibly sweet and supportive friend who stood by him every step of the way.

President Charlie then had a strong, heavy-hearted epiphany: That he never wanted to actually be the President to begin with. As you see, he got super drunk at a New Years party, then he climbed up on top of the DJ’s turntable set and went on a boastful speech about how he was going to be the common everyday man who would run for President against all odds and serving his fellow common folk, and while the speech wasn’t the most coherent and the grammar was messy, the proposal was delivered so authentically that everyone thought he was serious about this goal and so the inspired crowd cheered him on the entire night, chanting: “King Dompler! King Dompler!”. Charlie sobered up the very next day and found his speech was uploaded online to a thunderous applause in the comments section, speculating all the potential of having a common man like Charlie govern over the US. Giving in to peer-pressure to fulfill the void in his self-esteem, Charlie decided he’d run with it and the rest was history for better or worse.

It wouldn’t take long for President Charlie to realize what he really wanted when he and Pim were walking back to the latter’s place since no hotels wanted to deal with a controversial figure like President Charlie. The Sun set a long time ago and stars were appearing in the darkening sky as the Moon began to radiate it’s beams onto the streets and the daytime warmth chilled out into a crisp cold atmosphere where the boys began to see their breaths in the moonlight. Pim looked a little cold just wearing his iconic white shirt and blue shorts so Charlie took his jacket off and gave it to the smaller of the two, to which Pim thanked him and put the article on himself, feeling warm and snug inside during the rest of the walk. When they arrived at Pim’s cozy little home he prepared a simple yet scrumptious homecooked Shrimp Alfredo (This fanfic is sponsored by Hello Fresh, today you can get 99% your first order by entering promo code LOLJK) and for dessert, they indulged in pints of ice cream. Pim picked out strawberry cheesecake and Charlie picked one of those experimental flavors. The two relaxed in the couch with their dessert while streaming Meepflix, and it seemed Charlie really was just one of the people again, snuggled up to the sweetest man the world’s ever known, who fell asleep cuddling the taller critter so he pulled up a blanket to cover them both up so they could doze off together without a care in the world. As Charlie was about to reunite with Pim on the Dreamland Express, he thought to himself: “Why can’t everyday be like this?”…

One week later, Pim spent his Friday morning making himself a batch of waffles as the coffee machine was ready to perk, preparing for his last day of work before planning out his weekend. Normally he’d hang out with Alan, Glep or his friend circle outside of work but everyone had plans, while Pim understood, he didn’t being by himself for long, he already felt lonely enough every morning and night being the only resident in the house. As Pim waited for his waffles in the iron to get ready, he scrolled through his social media feed and was hit with (not so) shocking news: President Charlie resigned! Complete with a heartfelt and apologetic speech where he held himself accountable for every screw up he made during his run and that he didn’t care about who replaced him as long as they had their shit together and didn’t make the same mistakes he did, after finishing his speech, he immediately bolted out of scene and hopped into a helicopter taking him back to only God knows where…just then Pim received a knock at the door, turning out to be You-Know-Who with a bouquet of flowers and the happiest look Pim ever saw on his face.

“Thank you, Pim, for making me see the light.” Charlie spat out while explaining: “I was miserable not just because I was literally winging it and had no idea what I was doing, there was something missing in my life I sorely needed…” Pim smiled and jokingly asked: “A hearty and balanced breakfast? I’m making waffles and I can’t exactly finish all of them myself.” After seconds of silenced passed, the two critters burst into laughter and embraced with a passionate hug.

….

Fast forward to some time in the future, Ex-President Charlie got a fresh start in the town he hailed from, the landlord of his old Apartment was kind enough to let him have his old complex back and he got a job working alongside Pim as a Smiling Friend, rekindling some positive relations after his disastrous stint, heck he even managed to reconcile with his ex-wife Zoey who felt she was too hard on him during the heat of the moment and was super supportive of whoever was lucky enough to be his new love interest. Charlie and Pim hung out after work like old times doing silly things, spent nights at each other’s homes for Breakfsst and Dinner, ect. so it didn’t take long for them to go from being “guys being pals” to officially dating within the span of the seventh year they’ve known each other (it was about time too), the third date they’d go on was at a gorgeous beach in Brazil, where Charlie found himself in a Hawaiian shirt and trunks watching the sunset on a beach towel, accompanied by Pim in the cutest sundress cozied up near his lovable doofus of a boyfriend. Charlie may have been the worst President in recent memory, but at least to Pim, he was the best boyfriend anybody could ever have.

“This is the life.”

[rukia-writes]

Aries nation rise up 🗣️ 🔥

Plot: Ares finds out about astrology and when his sign can propose the big question. 💍

Warnings: none.

Ares x (GN) reader

“So. Everyone is celebrating me?”

Ares.God of war. Sixth of the twelve Olympian gods.

Currently, having tea with his beloved (Name) who seemed rather happy about their new interest.

Astrology.

“Well, yes. And no. See, humans believe that the stars can have divine relegations and divine psychic powers that can help them in their every day lives. This season, is all about Ares the ram-“

“They are comparing me to a goat?”

“No, no and no. The ram represents the golden wooled, winged ram Chrysomallos-“

Ares was a bit lost on this astrology business, nonetheless he listened while drinking his tea. Listening to his beloved go on and on about astrology.

Something to do with fire signs. Leo and Sagittarius. Then something to do with Aries being one of the four modality cardinal of the zodiac.

It was all abit confusing to Ares, but he wasn’t going to let his beloved know that.

“What’s your sign? Are the stars saying we aren’t compatible?”

Leaning over (Name)’s shoulder he looked at the book his beloved was reading, in hopes the stars were happy their union. Taking the book, so Ares could get a closer look he saw all the compatible with.

But something else caught his eye.

“(Name), look at this. It says we should get married late-March to mid-April. A Tuesday or a Thursday.”

“Let me see that-“

Gently taking back her book (Name) saw what Ares was talking about as the book listed the months and days when each sign should marry.

Aries was, as Ares pointed out, late-March to mid-April.

“Spring weather huh? Okay, I can get that.”

“I would have preferred June, but getting married in the spring would be nice.”

“Yeah, it would.”

The two looked at each other with a loving expression with a bashful smile, the two being in their own world.

Love birds for sure.

“Theme colors of the wedding — red, orange, brown, and copper hues are recommended-These colors are so last year. You need white and gold for sure.”

Apollo had made his way into Ares home without him knowing, scaring both (Name) and Ares. Holding the book up Apollo mentioned how he would love to be the decorator, Ares objected but (Name) happily agreed.

“So, late March we should have the wedding. Everyone isn’t busy that time.”

“Hey.”

“You don’t think mid April would work, Apollo?”

“Hey.”

“No way, the sooner the better (Name).”

Apollo and (Name) were completely in their own little world, picking out colors for the wedding to how big the wedding cake should be, a small or big wedding as Ares tried to get a word in.

“Hey! Hey! I haven’t proposed yet!”

The two, Apollo and (Name), went quiet.

Until another voice chimed in.

“Well, go ahead and propose.”

Hermes came from seemingly out of nowhere with a smile, this time Apollo, Ares and (Name) were the ones surprised. Taking the book Hermes quickly read the book and nodded his head.

“Gemini wedding would be most fitting for late June and early July…I agree with these dates for my wedding. So, have your wedding before then.”

“You’re getting married?!”

Apollo, Ares, and (Name) spoke in unison.

“No, I’m simply saying I don’t want two wedding back to back. It would be too much.”

“Oh, that makes sense.”

The three spoke again in unison as well as nodding their heads in unison.

“So, go ahead and propose. Ares.”

“What?! So soon?! I will propose. Just not now!”

Ares face was hot and red, as he waved his arms side to side obviously flustered at being put on the spot about such a big decision. (Name) could tell and found Ares being flustered adorable of course. Holding Ares kindly large hands (Name) smiled at the tall, muscular, handsome, and flustered god.

“Propose to me when you are ready. But don’t keep me waiting forever.”

Apollo made a “aw” sound as he smiled at (Name) comforting words as Hermes watched how the scene would unfold. Ares cleared his throat and simple responded with four words.

“I won’t, my love.”

🎀Rukia-Writes🎀