#The Turquoise Captain

[everymariogalaxy]

midnight in the wandering woods

[staticonthestratosphere]

chat I’ve got issues

I finished a project so that means I get to cast on another and did this! it’s a vintage… something pattern (theoretically a bag of sorts, but the directions say to make it to the size of “the carton”?? but that has yet to be explained by either the pattern itself and/or uncle google)

and, also obviously, the first time I’ve ventured into color territory (as seen by the floaty guts (it took me a few rows to figure out how to anchor properly)) and I’m kinda,, goblin? holding?? my yarn?? which is okay but I’m not a fan of so I have one of those yarn rings on its way in the mail to hopefully let me knit the way I’d like

any tips/comments/resources be v helpful 🤗 I’ve been mostly using Nimble Needles on YouTube for help

[coconutgirl28]

The Man, The Myth, The Legend.

[samthecookielord]

He just like my ocs fr..,,,

[versadies]

MY LOVE, MINE, ALL MINE (various x gn!reader)

SALUTATIONS. my love, mine, all mine

ADDRESSED. neuvillette, alhaitham, capitano, diluc, itto, tartaglia, kaveh, kaeya (x gn!reader)

STAMPS. what body part they kiss the most (sfw)

CONTENT. ooc (?), fluff/no-angst, established relationships, possibly cheesy (not sorry), possible grammar errors, mentions of battle, mentions of blood (capitano, childe)

POST-SCRIPT. all these characters are nothing but pokemons to me, i see one, i'll collect one in game. part two will come soon (with zhongli, wriothesley, ayato, thoma, pierro, and pantalone!)

LINKS. masterlist / taglist / part two

HANDS – Neuvillette, Alhaitham, Capitano, Diluc

NEUVILLETTE kisses your knuckles the most. To him, he believes that kissing you on the lips is far too intimate to be seen in public, preferring to do it in closed doors where it’s just the two of you alone, and so he often kisses your knuckles whenever he can. 

Whenever he does, one of his glove-covered hands would reach towards yours before lifting it to his lips, kissing each knuckle with care as though your hand is a delicate treasure, as if every kiss is a promise that he’ll hold your heart with care and unwavering devotion. 

It doesn’t help that you often find your cheeks warming up when his intense violet-shaded eyes look at yours, and no words were enough for you to explain the connection that you both have from just a simple stare. 

By the time he pulls away from your hand, you let out a breath that you didn’t know you were holding. 

“Oh, do you have a fever, my dear?” He asks worriedly, removing one of his gloves to check on the temperature of your forehead after kissing your knuckles out of nowhere while the two of you were lounging on the couch in his office. “Fret not, I can make something that can ease your fever away.” He adds, before standing up and rushes away to make a drink that will help you ease yourself, unaware that he’s the reason for your flustered state.

Ah, the things you’d do for this sweet man of yours. 

The same goes for ALHAITHAM when it comes to kissing you in public. He believes that the two of you kissing on each other’s lips should be private with no one to ruin it or spoil the intimacy, and so you often find him kissing you in other parts instead – specifically, your hands or cheeks. 

It’s rare for him to kiss you in public since he’s not much of a PDA man, but when he does, it happens at a quiet or secluded moment when the world seems to be muted around you two. When Alhaitham finds himself staring at you for too long, he couldn’t help but smoothly put his hand on top of yours, and raises your hand towards his lips to kiss it. 

His turquoise-shaded eyes stay on yours when you look at him, never looking away as you feel his lips on your skin, bringing chills to your spine from the feeling. The way he stares at you is as if he knows your deepest secrets and desires, and knows what sets you off to make your knees become jelly-like.  

It doesn’t help that he’d casually act as if nothing happened after, as if it’s just a casual thing to do (it is, to him), leaving you staring at him with your mouth agape. 

“What? Cat got your tongue?” He asks, hiding a small smirk as he glances at you. 

He definitely knows what he’s doing. 

CAPITANO is a strong man with a physique that could make anyone intimidated – both vision-holders and non-vision holders alike. It’s no doubt that such a powerful man like him would most likely be found in numerous battlefields, bringing the Tsaritsa many victories that she deserves. 

So it’s a strange sight to see said strong man on one knee, holding your hand as he gives it an affectionate kiss. He does it in a way that’s as though you’re a deity worth worshiping. He’s a captain by others, but to you, he’s your knight in shining armor (that’s corrupted by bloodshed and death, but we don’t talk about that here). 

You cannot see the expression he makes, but the way he kisses your hand is enough for you to know how much this man, who had killed so many and left no mercy to his opponents, is soft and caring for you. He kisses with care, as if afraid that you’ll shatter if he doesn’t control his strength. 

It became a custom for him to be on one knee and kiss your hand whenever he comes home to you from another mission – which is perhaps more often than you both like to admit. Despite your insistence that he doesn’t have to do such things, he does it anyway. In a way, it’s his way of apologizing to you for the lost time, and will do anything to make it up to you.

And he always did, with gifts, comfort, and of course, love. 

“I’m home, my love.” He spoke, with a hint of affection in his gruff voice that usually holds so much authority, kissing your hand tenderly.

DILUC is a gentleman by heart, and although he’s seen as the epitome of perfection around Mondstadt, he is seen indoors as a vulnerable man who you dearly care for. For so long, the two of you have found comfort and love within one another in the dimly lit room that you both share in the manor. He’s your warmth, and you’re his pillar. 

In private, where no one could see underneath the aloof and courteous man but you, he’d tiredly wrap his arms around you as he sighed in contentment. It’s normal for a man such as him to be so tired from work, so tired from his duties, and so tired from everything outside of his manor, but he is never tired of you, his beloved spouse who he treasures. He’s a zealous soul who cares not for wealth and materialism, but for the people of Mondstadt and the ones he loves.  

Your hand is often intertwined with his, and he’d bring up your hand up to his lips in the quiet moments of your shared intimacy. To him, your hand is a canvas that he paints with his deep affection and adoration. 

You couldn’t help but soften up as a result, feeling cherished and loved by your beloved man who never fails to make you swoon. 

For Diluc, kissing your hand is more than some simple intimate gesture, but rather a way to honor your pure essence – to show you how grateful he is to have you who has captured his soul in a tight grip that he never wants to leave from. And so, he continues to kiss your hand more, each a testament with a silent vow to love you throughout your lives together. 

“A-Ah.. My bad,” He clears his throat, his ears turning almost as red as his hair, “It seems I almost got carried away.” 

LIPS – Itto, Tartaglia, Kaveh, Kaeya

ITTO is a kind soul at heart, with a fiery passion when it comes to his loved ones – specifically, and with no certain favoritism, you. The oni is not one to shy away from showing you how much he loves you with all of his huge heart, so expect lots of kisses from him! 

The most prominent part that he kisses is of course, your lips. 

For Itto, there is no greater joy than the taste of your lips, each kiss contains joy and love on his end. With his endless energy and passionate spirit, he approached each kiss and affection  with an infectious enthusiasm, eager to lose himself in the overwhelming warmth of your presence and affection. 

In the sweetness of your kiss, he finds it much better than the feeling of sweet victory from a beetle battle, and he couldn’t find himself to remove the pleased grin on his face whenever he gets a kiss from you. 

It’s as if your lips is a magnetic force to his, as he never hesitates to kiss you whenever he could – be it whenever he greets you, whenever he wins a battle, basically every moment with him (a bit of an exaggeration really, but you get what I mean!). 

“My boo boo bear!” He cheers when he sees you in his vision, running up towards you as he instantly gives you a bone-crushing hug, lifting you up with his immense strength regardless of your weight. “I missed you! How was your day?” He asks excitedly, giving you a big smooch! on your lips.

CHILDE is just as fun as Itto – if you excuse his battlelust, of course. Besides his need for an activity or someone to fight with, the prowess fighter is not shy when it comes to giving you what he believes you deserve, which is giving you his undying affection.

He’s an infectious man, who leeches off to your kisses and hugs. He’s a fighter by spirit, but a lover by heart. He’s attentive to your needs, very willing to give you tons of kisses if you ask for it. Of course, even if you didn’t, he’d snatch a kiss or two from you without you expecting it. 

His love is like an unforgiving ocean, often wild and untamed, yet it comes with a fierce and unrelenting passion. In moments between the two of you, he seeks to plant his lips on yours, as though your kiss is a battlefield conquered by him, a well-done victory even. 

With each kiss on your lips is a vow, a vow that he’ll see to it that he gets to see the light of day after every battle, to see you by the end of the tunnel and show you that you won’t lose him that easily. For in your presence, he found his salvation, the arm that reaches out to him to pull him out of the abyss he’s in, guiding him out of the unforgiving ocean that seems to drown him whole. 

And so, he’ll never stop kissing you, regardless of where you are and the circumstances. 

“Were you watching me?” He asks eagerly, running up to you before planting a kiss on your lips, his hands that are scarred from the numerous weapons he held and the battles he fought in find themselves cupping your cheeks. 

When he pulls away, he looks at your eyes with a cheeky grin. “I did great, didn’t I?”

Known for his works and talent, KAVEH is no doubt a respectable man around the land of wisdom and scholars. Many would sing praises to his masterpieces and his original ideas that bring potential to Sumeru. As what a certain scribe would describe him, he is the light of Kshahrewar and a master builder and craftsman. 

However, such a bright reputation hides a man whose heart is tender and emotionally fragile, with too much on his plate. Which is why he is ever so grateful to have you by his side through it all.

For every affection the two of you share, Kaveh feels like the luckiest man in all of Sumeru – no, in Teyvat even. He doesn’t feel like he deserves you, a person who loves him for all that he is. With you, he feels cherished and appreciated even, and you balance his emotional fragility with your presence that seems so encouraging and comforting.

He seeks refuge in your affection, often cupping your cheeks and giving you a kiss. His kisses are frequent, and his lips often find themselves on yours. Each of his kiss is full of love, and there’s no doubt that there seems a desperation laced in it, as if he’s scared that this kiss is his last, and you might be gone before he knew it – just like his loved ones. 

Yet, in the softness of your lips, he found reassurance. He’s reminded that amidst the struggles of his life, your relationship remains timeless and true. Just like how he does with his work, he pours his heart and soul into your relationship together, cherishing the bond that you both have towards one another with  tenderness.

“Thank you.” He said, kissing you on your lips with a look that threatens to crumble. “I know I’ve said it too many times, but I can’t help myself. I really am grateful.” 

When you ask for what he’s thanking you for, he could only give you a smile, a sight that shines far brighter than the sun itself.

“Thank you for staying.”

You’d be lying if you said you’ve always thought you’d end up dating the notorious Cavalry Captain, who is more than often a flirtatious man whenever you’re around. KAEYA is not one who shies away from something, and if it means reminding you every now and then that he’s into you, then so be it!

Every waking moment with Kaeya is a thrilling challenge, and you two often find yourselves in a dance of wits and flirts, with a few glasses of wine and other drinks that the tavern sells. The two of you know how to push the other’s buttons, often playing banters and all. Even when you two are now dating, things are still the same – besides the fact that the two of you are free to kiss one another and often crash at each other’s places. 

Yet underneath such playful flirting and bantering, there’s a deep and abiding connection between the two of you that remains unspoken but welcomed.

Unsurprisingly, Kaeya finds home in your lips. To him, it just felt right. Sure, he likes to kiss your hands and cheeks, but it’s a different story when it comes to your lips. For him, stealing a kiss on your lips is not just an ordinary gesture of affection, but rather a declaration of his unwavering love for you. 

And so, more often than not, he prefers kissing you more on your lips.

With a teasing look and smirk on his face, he’d pull you close towards him without warning, his lips finding yours with an urgency that left you both breathless. There’s often laughter and desire lingering around the privacy of your bedroom, and it was a safe sanctuary that Kaeya finds comfort in. 

His laughter would fade into a whisper of “I love you”’s as he traces his cold fingertips on your face that he loves to see at every waking moment. He cherished these kinds of moments, and he’d be damned if he doesn’t spend each one as if it’s his last. And so, he continues to give you more kisses to drown your sweet laughter, for in your warmth and embrace, he could only find his great happiness and peace. 

“Come on, give me another one.” He chuckles, urging you to let him give you one more kiss before the two of you can sleep in each other’s arms. “Just one more kiss, I promise.”

PENPALS. @scaraslover @saving-for-xiao @dawgimsohot @ragnvdnr @chiruru @aqualesha @renamichii @mrkamisato @shenhesl0ver @serami00 @serenareiss @hiqhkey @emperatris-rinaka @bystander36 @irisxiel @ladycoleigh @034ven @dear-dairiess @owozi8 @hadesaedes @chiro-chiro-kun @hersscherofyatta @mariusvonhangme @yuzuricebun @nejibot @hoshikistarlette @solaaresque @crowbird @lordbugs @flowersforayato @headintheclouddd @estelwrld @giyusimpsassemble @irethepotatosblog @moonlightaangel @alice0blog @shotosbrainrot @sniffoat @chihawari @mxsomn @kuni-kuzushii @jiminscarmex @mitsukii14 @ylimeprive @sachispet @loreleis-world @sn-owo @starforecasts @someonetookmynamelmao @ceylestia @astrequa @ymikkos @reallysporadicarcade @melodyyamino @dudufodd @somberrock @yevenly @lemontum @nghing @shaiah @miss-lady-witch @yashe @imkaaayy @badlywrittens @0rah-s @totallynotaraidensimp @garlicforthewin

[mrpenguinpants]

Turning Red

— He's always so serious that they can't help but wonder what kind of emotions he's hiding underneath. Good thing you're around.

— Dan Heng, Gepard, Blade + Jing Yuan

Slight spoilers for Xianzhou and Kafka's companion quest.

[Masterlist]

I've fallen into the Honkai train, but here we are. Also, I know Jing Yuan doesn't fit this prompt but I like him so who cares.

Dan Heng

"Dan Heng! We need one more person to play Celestial Jade!" March hollars down the hallway only to receive no response. It makes her pout, biting the inside of her cheek as she taps her foot restless against the floor, "If you don't come soon then I'll be the one in trouble you know!"

Again no response...

She's checked his room and the archives, and yet no sign of the man. The Express is only so big so surely he didn't wander off somewhere outside right? Maybe you know where he is? Dan Heng seems to talk to you more than he does with her, so maybe he gave you a heads-up that he was going somewhere? It's not a solid plan, but it's a plan nonetheless so she marches her way to your room.

"Hey, have you seen Dan Heng anywh-" March starts as she opens your door only to stop mid-sentence since the eyes of the very man she was looking for are staring right back at her. "Ah. Oops."

Her eyes slowly trail down from his and ah- she understands why he was missing. You're curled up around him, arms haphazardly laid across his waist while your head is cushioned by his chest. Dan Heng doesn't seem to find your sleeping position bothersome, if anything it looks like he's trying to slowly nudge you closer without waking you up. One hand is on his phone, probably typing away on the databank, while the other is curled around your waist. His chin rests on top of yours contentedly as his white and turquoise coat is used as a mock blanket, leaving him in the black turtle neck.

Dan Heng looks like he's about to say something but you shift and mumble something in your sleep and they both go still. Scared that they may have accidentally woken you up and the Express doesn't have enough space for March to run and hide from Dan Heng but thankfully, you seem to settle down and return to your dreams. Thus, March and Dan Heng are locked in a staring contest before she slowly reaches into her back pocket without breaking eye contact.

"Don't you dare," Dan Heng whispers as loud as he dares, although his pink cheeks don't do anything to make him look intimidating.

"Oh, I think I dare," she grins too widely as she raises her camera, making sure it's on silent before she starts to bombard her gallery with a pink Dan Heng because he can't stop her unless he gets up. The most he can do is turn his face away but it shows the world his red ears. Once she's satisfied, she's sticking her tongue out and darts out of the room. She expects that two things will happen. Dan Heng will hunt her down and make her delete the pictures, but not before she sends them all to him. As soon as the door closes and March walks down at the end of the hallway she let her mini explosion commence because Geez! That was so cute! Who knew Dan Heng could be so adorable! Why can't she have that with someone special, this isn't fair!!

Gepard

Gepard Landau. The prestigious young captain of the Silvermane Guards who belongs to the noble Landau family. A personality of righteousness, a good family background, and on top of that he sure has a pretty face. The absolute perfect man.

What a boring guy.

That's the only thought that runs through Sampo's mind as he observes the blond hair man talking to his subordinate from a distance. The two of you are supposed to be on break - he knows this because it makes the other Silvermane Guards more relaxed so it's easier for him to run around - and yet Gepard has his back straight and looks as if he's never heard of what a day-off is. What a shame that those pretty blues only have eyes for reports.

"This part here has been causing some issues for our intelligence team," he hears the subordinate say and Sampo's eyes shift to you. He's heard of you before although not as much as Gepard. A simple errand girl who frequently moves between the Silvermane Guards and the Neverwinter Workshop to deliver messages and supplies. Nothing incredibly remarkable but you're a kind person who keeps to themselves. Sampo thinks you and him could get along if you didn't hang around Gepard so often.

"Let me see..." Gepard mumbles and leans down closer to read the fine print before you turn your head to the side and plant a small kiss on his cheek. Despite the cute gesture, Gepard doesn't change or make any expression. He simply steps back into a polite distance, a hand coming up to loosen his collar as he clears his throat, before reprimanding you on workplace-appropriate jokes. You don't seem to take offense to his lack of response, just adorably hiding your smile behind your paper before waving goodbye to the Captain. Meanwhile, Sampo is coughing violently behind his fist because what the hell was that? So much build-up only for a lackluster ending? As a man of the dramatics, it's too much for him.

"Seriously, there's nothing fun about this guy," Sampo sighs, shrugging his shoulders as if to console himself. He's about to turn and leave but the rushed clinking of armor has him looking back at the Captain.

"Seriously..." Gepard mutters before hiding his face behind his hand. Even from this distance, Sampo can see how red the Captain's ears have gotten just from a simple cheek kiss.

Blade

Kafka thinks you're cute. Really cute.

Everyone in the Stellaron Hunters hides their true emotions behind multiple masks and it's refreshing to meet someone who wears their heart on their sleeve. Although it could also be because you're incredibly bad at hiding your feelings. Even if Kafka wasn't as skilled as she is with reading people, you do a piss poor job. Still, it's fun for her and that's the important part.

"Oh? Back so soon?" Kafka greets you as you step out of the alleyway. Even if your face isn't plastered across the Xianzhou like Kafka's and Blades, it wouldn't look good to be seen conversing with them. Plus you rather like being able to walk in broad daylight without the fear of the Cloud Knights chasing you down to slap some cuffs on you.

"Yes ma'am. We can depart when you're ready," you salute and she can't help but laugh at your cute mannerism. It makes you falter the slightest bit but you hold your pose.

"Good. Good. It must have been hard to pilot a ship so close to the Xianzhou without being detected. Especially given," she makes a gesture at Blade, "recent events."

You only nod at her hidden meaning before she's suddenly stepping into your personal space. You can only make a small noise before her arm is wrapped around your waist pulling you closer to her, and you pointedly ignore how her chest is pressed against yours, and her other hand raises your chin until your lips brush against hers. With her so close, she can see the pink in your cheeks growing and how tense your body is against hers. Your eyes dart from her down to her lip before catching yourself and instead looking behind her. It's cute.

"Would you like a reward?" she whispers next to your ear.

"Don't tease so much."

"Oh," Kafka blinks twice, turning her head to her companion as she lets go of your chin so she can press her fingertips against her mouth like one of those posh ladies when they find out about the latest gossip, "how out of character Bladie."

He doesn't dignify her with a response, just closes his eyes and goes back into his meditation. His face fell into that perfect stone that she could have imagined that he spoke. But those piercing eyes carving their way into her bones are unmistakable that even if they are closed, she still feels watched. But she relents and drops her arms around you before sending you off back to the ship. They'll join you soon.

"That's interesting," Kafka muses, she rolls her fingers as thin magenta strings appear before being flicked away with her wrist. Blade shouldn't be able to register anything but herself and yet, he seemed to notice you.

Jing Yuan

Yanqing has the sneaking suspicion that his General is sneaking off to slack off again. While he knows Jing Yuan is incredibly busy and he tends to do things discreetly, this getting far too strange. The General always has a complacent smile, but recently, it's been a tiny bit more genuine every time he waltzs in. For someone so tall, at least in Yanqing's opinion, he's able to slip past everyone and it's impossible to get in contact with him until he suddenly appears hours later. Yanqing would know, he's blasted the General's phone only to receive a cute emote and a "Surely my lieutenant is more than suitable for this, no?". Does it make Yanqing swell with so much pride that he forgets about Jing Yuan slacking off, maybe, but that's beside the point.

"General, what exactly are you doing in your... "off time"," Yanqing words slowly, unsure of what he was asking is considered a pry into Jing Yuan's personal life and if he will get upset with him.

"You're making it sound as if I'm doing something depraved during this "off time"," Jing Yuan chuckles at how fast Yanqing turns pink at his implications. Yanqing's hands quickly come up in a placating nature as he shakes his head so hard that his ponytail smacks against the wall.

"N-Not at all General! I was just curious- but you don't need to answer if it's something important!" Yanqing struggles through his words but luckily, Jing Yuan doesn't seem to take offense. If anything, he finds it amusing as he rubs Yanqing's head like an overactive puppy. It makes Yanqing huff and shoos away the offending hand before crossing his arms, expectantly waiting for an answer.

"It's not anything that needs to be kept as a secret. I'm simply taking a walk around Xianzhou to distress. You should take some time to do so as well, training every single day without a break will only lead to weary bones and stiff muscles," Jing Yuan advises which Yanqing nods carefully along to. Although Yanqing's eyes drift from the General's eyes to mouth, he seems more...softer around the edges? Even though he's the only one here, it looks like Jing Yuan is speaking to someone else through him.

"Are you sure you're not doing something indecent?" Yanqing deadpans to which the General laughs. He reaches over to ruffle his disciple's hair again before crossing them behind his back and walking ahead. Seriously, Yanqing thinks as he fixes his hair back into place, he can never get a good read on his General.

[mondaymelon]

— 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀. ♥

:feat~ albedo, kaeya, zhongli, childe, ayato, thoma, alhaitham, kaveh x gn!reader:

⤷ sometimes, warm moments like these is what truly makes their love apparent.

ᴛᴀɢʟɪꜱᴛ (open!) : @manager-of-the-pudding-bank, @iamdedinside, @ilyuu, @achlysis, @swivy123, @solxima, @poweredbyghostadventures, @haliyamori

"May I... sketch you?"

ALBEDO's request is quiet - well-mannered as he's caught gazing at you with those deep turquoise eyes of his, holding a pencil aloft in one gloved hand.

"Go ahead." You let a smile cross your expression briefly, glancing up at him and letting your eyes meet. His stare is warm, contrasting to his usual blank expression that he wears so frequently. Your cheeks warm as his lips curve upwards into a gentle smile, and the quietest laugh escapes from his lips.

"Hm, if you keep looking at me with those eyes, I'm not sure if I'll be able to focus at all." His voice is playful, almost, before he flips to a new page in his sketchbook, which is set against his usual easel, and begins to draw.

And although only silence surrounds the two of you, occasionally accompanied by the gentle scratching of Albedo's sketching pencil moving across the paper, everything feels perfectly familiar.

Sunlight filters through the large windows, bathing the entire room in a cordial glow. From where you silently sit, you can feel your heart quicken at the sight of Albedo quietly standing, occasionally glancing at you with a diligent gaze.

It's clear that no words need to be shared between the two of you. The soft smile set on the male's face unmistakably says enough.

It's an expression that reads, "I love you." ♥

"Here, shall I order you another drink?"

KAEYA's voice seems to waltz in the thick air. Amongst the mixed chatter and low tones of the bar, his smooth one is something that stands out. His eye twinkles as he glances at you, slowly swirling the contents of his own glass with a distant amusement. "The night's just begun, after all."

"Ah, no thanks... I have work tomorrow." You sheepishly decline his offer, not wanting to wake up to a vicious hangover the next morning... which had happened the last time the two of you went out for drinks. It seemed that that was Kaeya's idea of "entertainment".

"Mm, very well. It's a pity, but I suppose I can't ignore your reasoning." With a short sigh and a loose shrug of his shoulders, he lets out a small laugh. "Ah, but since you won't be drinking any more, perhaps I'll make up for it?"

You don't understand his words... not until he takes the wine bottle off the table and downs it all with startling quickness.

"Kaeya!?"

"Ahaha... oh, maybe that wasn't such a great idea..." His body tips, his head lolling onto your shoulder with a drunken stupor. Kaeya holds his drink well, so it's certainly not everyday where you'll see the cavalry captain in such an intoxicated state. You can sense that something has changed in his gaze, from the way his interested gaze flicks up to your face from where he leans against your shoulder.

"Hm..." He mumbles it to himself, mostly, and it's something you're sure you weren't meant to hear, but you do.

"Haha... How could I be so lucky as to have you as my lover...?" ♥

"Love, are you tired? Come here."

ZHONGLI's expression is gentle, amber eyes warm as he lightly gestures to the space beside him. The evening air is cool, so his touch is inviting more than anything.

His gaze seems to melt as you sit beside him, body leaning against his. He's quick to move his arms, wrapping one around you, pulling you into the frame while the other stays by his side.

If you had glanced up at him then, you would've seen the gentle smile that spread across his features. Yet you didn't, and instead leaned into his warmth with a smile of your own.

Perhaps you're imagining it, but in the quiet of the night, you can almost hear Zhongli's heart beating alongside yours. Steadfast, strong. An unbreakable will.

And while you held such admiration for the male, he, in return, held such affection for you. You, the beacon of his attention and you, who had captured his heart obliviously.

Every second he spends with you is bliss - moments he will never take for granted.

Above you, Zhongli lets out a satisfied breath, running his fingers through your hair with an unimaginable delicateness. He stays there for a moment, musing to himself with twinkling golden eyes as he plays with your locks absentmindedly... although anyone who knows Zhongli is well aware that he is not one to be absent minded in any matter.

Ah, is he saying something? His words are quiet, so much so you can't hear them, but his lips move accordingly with every word.

"The day will come where we are not together, but until then, please, let me hold you for as long as it may last." ♥

"You can open your eyes now!"

CHILDE's game had been rather suspicious from the start - yet, the first thing you notice when you open your eyes is the glimmering excitement that seems to dance across his features. And while his amusement always had been somewhat plastic, some part of you knew that this enthusiasm was genuine. He takes your hands, his touch warm, and spins you around in a half-hug that seems to make you fly.

"Hey, do you like it?" His voice is higher-pitched - airy and hopeful.

Huh? Oh... he means-

You had meant to look at his surprise, but found yourself gazing distractedly at him instead. In his arms, he holds a bouquet of your favorite flowers, each and every bud fully in bloom, every petal pristine. How he got them to be so perfect, you might never know, but you can already feel a smile forming on your face.

A laugh escapes your lips as you throw your arms around the male, pulling yourself into his embrace. There's a moment of shock before he returns it, and you can see the way his own lips curve upwards.

His eyes are the same deep azure, void of light... and it'd likely be too much to hope that any sort of brightness would return to such, yet sometimes, in the late hours where you would be cuddled up beside him, there was no mistaking how his expression seemed to lighten at the sight of you.

"I love it." The words come out almost like a whisper, but the male hears it.

"And I love you." ♥

"Oh, were you waiting for me?"

AYATO's violet eyes seem to sparkle as he rounds the corner and spots you leaning against the wall, heedlessly standing there with a tentative air. "If you wanted to see me, you could've told one of my retainers... or, perhaps the thought hadn't crossed your mind in such haste?" There's a smirk on his face as he chuckles lightly.

"I just thought waiting for you would be faster." You pout, cheeks slightly flushed at his jesting.

Ah, there it was. The expression that had made him fall for you. The male can only laugh further. "Very well, then I suppose I'll have to indulge you then, correct?" He begins to walk down the hallway and gestures for you to follow suit. At the end of the corridor stands two armored guards, attentively glancing across the courtyard with weapon in hand. As the two of you cross them, they respectfully bow their heads.

"Commissioner Kamisato and esteemed guest, we greet you."

"Thank you." Ayato smiles, but it's one without warmth. "You are dismissed."

"...Pardon?" The first one seems dumbfounded, but the second seems to get the hint and tugs on the other's shoulder, leading them out of the area.

"Hm... now there are no prying eyes, let's talk, shall we?" He sits and you mimic his actions, watching with a flitting gaze as the Ayato himself stares at you, seemingly transfixed. "How have you been, love?" There's already two cups of hot tea set at the table, but somehow, he pulls a cup of boba from his sleeve instead.

And while you're telling him all about the day's occurrences, waving your hands about as you elaborate, you pause as you hear a quiet laugh emit from the male.

"Oh sorry, go on."

"You just look so beautiful right now... that I couldn't help but laugh at my good fortune." ♥

"Here, I made you this!"

THOMA beams warmly as he sets something on your head, a something that smells rather fragrant, like fresh vanilla. The blonde's smile is contagious, lethally so... from the way his spring eyes are glimmering excitedly, to the manner on how his expression brightened as soon as he had spotted you - everything about it, about him seemed to make your heart feel warm.

You glance up. Wind... Windwheel Asters? Weren't those the flowers from Mondstadt? Low and behold, there they were, stems intricately intertwined together, occasional leaves flourishing outwards as the heads delicately spin in the gentle breeze.

"A... A merchant came by and was selling some flowers from my hometown, so I thought..." Thoma's voice trails off as his face slowly grows redder. In a way, he's slightly ashamed. Perhaps he shouldn't have indulged in such a childish hobby, gifting you a flower crown? With the way your eyes have widened... do you dislike it-?

All those thoughts cease instantaneously as he feels something warm - your lips, pressed against his cheek as you give him a quick kiss. When you pull away, your happy expression is something that makes his eyes widen in surprise as he feels his heart soar.

"Ah, but now I feel bad..." You put a finger to your chin, pondering a thought. "You've given me such a priceless gift, yet I don't have a thing in return..." Instantly, Thoma is all over your slumped figure.

"Nono, please don't say that! You being here is the best gift I could wish for." ♥

"Are you done with this page yet?"

ALHAITHAM glances down at you. Your back is pressed against his chest, sitting in between his splayed legs comfortably as the male holds out his book for the both of you to read. As he breathes steadily, his chest rises and falls in a constant rhythm.

When you nod your head in approval, he flips the page, revealing the next. He's a fast reader, that much is apparent. You can't keep up with him, but he waits for you at the end of each and every one... and if he gets bored, he'll rest his chin on your head - or maybe even play with your hair, the slightest bit.

Sometimes, a distant part of you thought he reminded you of a cat.

But that was besides the point. The book isn't anything special - just more ancient Sumeru history, but the way Al Haitham is staring at every page so diligently would make one think that he's reading something incredibly riveting. You've seen that look before, now that you think about it. It's the certain type of gaze that you've caught Al Haitham using out of the corner of your eye. The type of stare that just spells out his infatuation.

You haven't even noticed that your eyelids have begun to flutter shut until the male's deep voice emits once more: "Are you tired?"

There's a faint smile on his face, an expression that one could easily miss. In your drowsiness, however, you still manage to catch it. "Mhm."

Silently he sets down his book, before placing a hand behind your head and pushing you closer. He closes his eyes, his breathing composed.

"If you're drowsy, get some rest... But stay here, would you?" ♥

"Darling, what... what are you doing here?"

KAVEH stands in the doorway, ruby eyes wide. His stance is stiff as he somewhat comes to his senses, whipping his head about in an almost comical manner. "Why are you here? Is he home??"

He sounds so anxious it's hard not to laugh. "I just wanted to see you, so..." Your words come out as more sheepish as intended, and you can see his harried expression lighten.

"You didn't talk to Al Haitham, did you?" There's a new edge in his voice, although his jitteriness has significantly eased since the start of the conversation. "And he didn't say anything weird to you, did he??"

Oh. The realization finally hits you. He's jealous, isn't he?

"No, not at all. I haven't even seen him, actually." A giggle manages to escape your lips, and Kaveh visibly brightens at your mood.

"Good. Then, should we get out of here before he decides to show up?" Kaveh opts to place his work things aside, leaving Murak on the table to fend for himself as he quickly piles his blueprints onto the coffee table, emptying the bundles in his arms. He takes your hand as soon as possible, his grip tight but comfortable.

As he tugs you along and out the door into the warm evening air, glancing back at you, his crimson eyes seem to shimmer.

"You're mine, and I won't ever let you forget that." ♥

(a/n) oops this took me much longer than it shouldve

[noosayog]

[exactly where you wanted me] in which Oikawa asks you to be his fake girlfriend and isn't expecting to be swept off his feet

wc: 2.3k

warnings/content: she/her!reader, minimal angst, mostly fluff, love triangle-ish (as I had forewarned), pining

It’s a Friday morning, when Iwaizumi, accompanied by a very excited looking Oikawa, pulls you aside before homeroom starts. 

Suspicious, you think. But if Iwa-chan is on board, it can’t be too bad. 

After lots of flowery words and floundering from Oikawa, Iwaizumi explains that Oikawa wants you to pretend to date him to deter his fangirls from crowding practice afterschool in less than two sentences. He uses an additional sentence to say it’s stupid but probably effective. 

You’ve been friends with Iwa-chan since your first years in high school and you generally think Oikawa is amusing, so you agree.

--

There’s not much to fake dating that’s different from real dating. You spend time together and there’s no way Oikawa’s heart stood a chance against getting this much alone time with you. He’s enjoyed being able to hang out with both you and Iwa-chan together before, but now, as your fake boyfriend, he’s allowed to indulge in all of your attention. He likes that. 

So in the spirit of playing the role of a good fake boyfriend mixed with some selfish intentions, he asks - begs - you to come to cheer him on at a friendly practice match between Seijoh and Shiratorizawa, because that’s what people who are dating do. You agree. 

On the day of the match, there you are, dressed in his spare turquoise blue jersey. He doesn’t realize he’s grinning like a maniac until Iwa-chan smacks him upside the head to tell him to start warming up. 

He’s still having trouble focusing when he notices you making your way down to the court. Instead of going straight to him, though, he watches you make your way to the Shiratorizawa side of the court. He’s about to stop you, out of concern that straight-arrow Ushiwaka would reprimand you for interrupting warm-ups, but to his surprise (horror), Ushijima meets you in the middle and starts chatting with you. 

Okay, what’s going on here? Is Ushiwaka… trying to flirt with you? 

Rationally, he knows it’s unlikely. Chronically, Oikawa is an overreactor and overthinker. 

So he storms up to you and wraps his arms around your waist to pull you away from the enemy captain. He hides your entire frame behind his and puffs his chest up, arms crossed defensively. 

“Ushijima,” he greets with false bravado. “Do you need something with my girlfriend?” 

“Oikawa,” Ushijima says in his calm voice, and nothing else. 

Nothing else? Okay, he was used to carrying the conversation with this brick wall of a man anyway. “Ready to lose today?”

Ushijima’s head cocks to the side, “Who, me?” 

Oikawa’s eyes twitch. “Do you see anyone else here? There’s no way I’d lose with my girlfriend cheering me on.” 

Ushijima’s eyebrows raise. “Girlfriend?” he questions, looking at you. 

“Yes,” Oikawa asserts. He doesn’t like the look Ushijima is giving you. Like he knows something, knows you. 

“Wakatoshi,” you start. 

First name basis? 

Oikawa’s uncomprehending but there’s no time for explanations because Coach Washijo is calling Ushijima and Iwaizumi is calling him. You give both him and Ushijima a little wave and say nothing else as you return to the stands. 

Seijoh wins with Ushiwaka sitting out for 2 of the 3 sets played. You had cheered for him as promised. After the match, his teammates give him a hard smack in the back, Iwa-chan adding a glare and warning to stay focused regardless of official or practice match next time.

As you’ve been doing every evening since you started fake dating, you wait for Oikawa outside of the gym to walk home together. However, unlike any other day, Oikawa does not wound his arm around your shoulder nor does he clasp his hands in yours. He puts a respectable 2-feet distance between the two of you. Adrenaline from the game subsiding, thoughts of you and Ushijima surface again. 

“Oikawa?” you peer at him. “What’s wrong?” 

“What is your relationship with Ushiwaka?” he asks, trying to sound nonchalant. “You call him by his first name.” So much for that. 

“Wakatoshi is a friend I grew up with. My parents are friends with his.” You’re casual, as if there is nothing more to the story. 

“And he always lets you interrupt his warm ups to talk to him?” his voice heavy with implication. 

Your quick replies come to a halt. The pause is heavy and awkward, but this time, when you respond, you meet his eyes evenly. “What’s that supposed to mean?” 

Oikawa shrinks at your narrowed eyes. “Nothing,” he mumbles. He doesn’t know if he wants to hear the answer anyway. “Thanks for coming today,” he says quietly. “I’ll see you on Monday then.” 

You allow him to lean in and give you your usual peck that comes with any goodbye with Oikawa, today on the cheek. “Bye, Oikawa.” 

--

On Monday, he updates Iwaizumi with all the details. Predictably, Iwa-chan slaps the back of his head. 

“Oww! Why did you do that?” 

“Why does who she’s friends with matter to you?” Iwaizumi starts walking away but pauses to crane his head back to level Oikawa with a stare. “That wasn’t a rhetorical question. Figure it out yourself, idiot.” 

Oikawa’s left rubbing the back of his head.

--

Mattsun and Makki are next. 

“Well, just think about it,” Makki says. 

“Why does it bother you so much that Ushiwaka is involved with her?” Mattsun finishes. 

“Well, she’s my-”

“Fake girlfriend.” Mattsun interrupts. 

“Fake.” Makki echoes. 

“Fake.” Mattsun nods. 

--

Oikawa reminisces about the first time you called him Toru. It had been the first time the two of you had walked home together after you had started fake dating and Oikawa had thought that you would start calling him Toru all the time.

You didn’t. Even though you call Ushijima by his first name. 

Contrary to Iwa-chan’s constant labeling, Oikawa isn’t an idiot. He knows that this jealousy and greed for more of you – your time, your attention, your affection – all point to one thing. He is self-diagnosing lovesickness. He has a crush on you. 

Logical next steps would be for Oikawa to take full advantage of all the alone time he gets to spend with you as your fake boyfriend, sweep you off your feet, seduce you, the works. Not that he hasn’t already been doing that. 

Luckily, as your fake boyfriend, a big perk is that it’s literally in Oikawa’s job description to scare potential suitors away. Not that it was hard with how popular and good-looking he is, if he does say so himself. 

However, tricking your childhood friend proved more difficult than he had hoped. In fact, it seemed the two of you didn’t have to, because the next time he sees you and Ushijima, somehow your childhood friend seems to already know. 

It’s later that night when Oikawa decides he wants to go on a late night convenience store run for some ice cream with you. You had responded, jokingly, “Fake boyfriends don’t ask me out on dates.” 

“Who said it was a date?” 

You laughed and agreed. 

So he meets you at your front door, dreaming of skipping to the store, swinging hands with you, and looking forward to an ice-cream induced sugar rush. Those dreams are quickly dashed when your front door swings open with a guilty looking you. 

“I’m sorry, Oikawa,” you start but before you can elaborate, your front door opens again to reveal Ushijima. You turn your head back and nod lightly in Ushijima’s direction, as if that explains the situation. 

“Oikawa,” Ushijima greets, his usual stoic mask unchanging. 

Oikawa turns his cheek at him and ignores the greeting. He leans in conspiratorially with a hand over his palm and whispers obnoxiously, “what’s he doing here?” 

You slap his hand away and turn to Ushijima. “Wakatoshi, I don’t need a chaperone. You can just go home.” 

“Your parents asked me to accompany you to the store if you wanted to go.” 

“Oikawa can take me.” 

“Your parents asked me,” he says simply.

You apologize to Oikawa for Ushijima’s bullheadedness, and he knows you intend to assuage him, but all he can think about is why on earth are you apologizing for Ushijima? But all he does is nod and make towards the convenience store. When you fall into step with him, he does not skip with you and swing your hands. He also doesn't think he's going to be feeling any sort of sugar rush anymore, mood soured. 

Oikawa can’t help but drop a comment as the three of you are walking home. “Kind of insensitive of you to be third-wheeling a date, don’t you think?” 

Ushijima’s eyes flip over to you. “I didn’t realize you needed to be on the job during the weekends too.” 

Oikawa’s smile drops. On the job? He turns around to face you, watching your face carefully as you flash Ushijima a sheepish smile, eyes flickering between the two captains. 

“Don’t call it a job, Wakatoshi.” 

Oikawa’s stomach twists when he hears you call him by his first name again. 

Ushijima ignores your comment and turns to Oikawa. “I’ll walk her home. You can go home.” 

You shake your head at him. “No, Wakatoshi. Oikawa will walk me home. I’ll see you later.” 

Surprisingly, Ushijima concedes and listens to you. “Bye, Wakatoshi,” you say. 

The two of you watch Ushijima’s back recede further and further and don’t say anything even when he’s long gone. You start walking in the direction of your home, but Oikawa takes hold of your wrist. 

“You told him?” 

“Who? Told what?” 

Oikawa levels you with a hard look that you’re not used to. 

“No!” you deny. You’re avoiding eye contact.

“Then how does he know?” He can’t help the accusatory tone slipping into his voice. He’s scared that if he isn’t on the offensive, he’ll let the hurt slip out. 

“Well, I… You know I’m a bad liar! He just… found out!” 

You wait, maybe for Oikawa to laugh it off and tell you it’s okay as he normally would, but he doesn’t. 

“It’ll be okay,” you explain. “Wakatoshi doesn’t go to our school and even if he does, he would never talk about other people's problems.” 

There’s a lot Oikawa wants to ask. Like why you’re vouching for him, why you call him Wakatoshi, when he’s just “Oikawa.” But instead, he just nods robotically and you seem relieved that he doesn’t seem mad. When you arrive at your front door, Oikawa stuffs his hands in his pockets and waits for you to go. You don’t, but he doesn’t know what to say. Maybe he’s the only one feeling this thick tension and awkwardness in the silence. He opts for a quick goodbye but before he can walk off, you grab his arm and yank him back. 

“Oikawa,” you say. 

“What? You might as well have pulled my whole arm off! I need my arms, you know,” he jokes.

“Toru.” Your eyes are steady looking at him. “What’s wrong?” 

Oikawa’s smile drops and he breaks eye contact first. He can only look at the floor while he thinks about what he can say. 

“You don’t have to tell me if you’re uncomfortable, but I’m your friend right? We may not be really dating, but I still want to be there for you if you’re having a hard time.” 

Silence. 

“Is it Wakatoshi? I know you don’t like him but-” 

“Do you?”

You blink. “Do I what?” 

“Do you like him?” 

“No!” you exclaim, taken aback. “Where did that come from?” 

“You call him by his first name.” 

“Well, yes. We’ve known each other since we were children, though! There’s no special meaning.” 

Deep breath. 

“So when you call me by my first name, is there special meaning? We’re not childhood friends.” 

Your eyes widen like saucers and you’re the first to break eye contact, face to the floor. 

There’s a long pause and he feels stupid for even asking, for hoping. Oikawa sighs and takes a gaping step back, away from you. “Forget I said anything.” 

“What if it did,” you whisper. So quietly, Oikawa almost missed it. And he would’ve, if he isn’t in a constant state of hanging onto every word you say, every sign you give. 

You meet his eyes, and repeat, “what if it does?” 

Oikawa isn’t processing this information quick enough, but he can already feel his hopes welling up to fill his chest. He’s so scared that he might be misreading the situation, fitting meaning into your words. “When I say special meaning, it means special.” He says dumbly. He emphasizes the word special, in hopes that you would understand the entire slew of suppressed feelings in that one word. 

“I do understand,” you say simply. 

It was a feeling akin to when it was simultaneously his service point and match point. The simplicity in which you delivered your meaning left no choice but to flood his chest with hope. He doesn’t even realize that he has a massive smile plastered on until you’re mirroring his expression. He waits no longer in stepping into your space, fingers intertwining with yours. He gives you your usual parting kiss, on the forehead, and lingers a few moments longer. 

“Good night, then, girlfriend.” Even if you can’t see his face because of how close he is to you, he makes sure you can feel the curve of his grin and every word whispered against your temple. 

He’s feeling good, satisfied, as he turns around to make his own way home (to squeal and roll around in glee in private), when you grab his arm once again. 

Shameless, he gloats, “still haven’t had enough? I’m happy to-” 

In true fashion, you humble him by pressing your lips against his, effectively shutting him up and wiping the smirk off his face. When you pull away, he chases your lips, eyes still closed. You giggle, give him one more gentle peck, and skip inside, leaving him there, red as a tomato.

[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

[brewed-pangolin]

Fine I'll send another. Captain MacTavish ON THE BEACH. 🥵

I love the beach. I live on it during the summer. It's my second home, I swear. And the way the sea salt air and warm waters can cure the soul is something I just can't ignore with this man. I love this ask so much!!!

18+ MDNI Sexual Themes

You sat alone, comfortably in your beach chair with a cold beer in hand under a magenta colored sky as the sun set beyond the horizon of a turquoise painted surf.

The rhythmic sound of the waves synchronizing with the beat of your heart as the scent of sea salt and sunscreen etched itself into your skin.

The air was still warm, yet it carried a cool breeze off the waters edge as the slow curtain of dusk crept over the white sanded landscape.

It was perfect. A picturesque conclusion to a hot summer's day.

And off in the distance, with a Yeti tumblr of whisky in one hand and a cigar permanently clutched in his mouth, Captain MacTavish cast out his last line into the crashing surf and placed the warn grip seamlessly into its plastic holder dug into the sand.

The beach had done wonders for him since his retirement only a few years ago.

Soothed his war torn psyche with the constant ebb and flow of the tide. Molded his scars beneath a layer of sun kissed skin that further accentuated the seascape blue of his eyes and made every woman swoon with just a mere glance and a smile.

Yet it was here, under the blanket of encroaching night that you saw the man he had truly become.

A man at peace with himself. Letting the setting sun and roll of the tide absolve him of his past and breathe fresh life into his lungs at dawn's first light.

You couldn't pull your eyes off him anymore, and you were no longer ashamed about how your stare lingered on him.

The loss of sunlight elongating the shadows within the curves of his musculature. Accented by the seafoam swim trunks that hung perfectly on his hips. Creating a more defined sculpture of his frame as he effortlessly strutted along the sand to take his place beside you.

"How long you gonna fish for tonight, John?" You asked quietly, rim of the beer can caressing your bottom lip.

"As long as you'll let me, m'lass."

You smiled, watching him raise his tumbler in cheers to take a healthy swig while gently tapping the ash of his cigar into an empty can.

"Guess we'll be here all night, then."

"Aye. Looks that way."

As he relaxed back in his Tommy Bahama chair, your hand reached out to instinctually cusp the back of his head. Thumb and index finger pressing into the back off his skull, pulling a slight groan from his chest as your touch soothed his sun drenched soul.

"Careful, lass. Y'know what that skillful touch a'yers does to me."

"Mhmm. It's a good thing we brought the boat."

Soap rolled his eyes, glancing between your smirking expression and the vessel anchored just beyond the last sandbar.

"Which one ya love more, hm? The boat, or me?"

You raised a brow at his testing inquiry, firmly pressing into the back curve of his jaw with your fingertips as a hushed murmur fell from your lips.

"Don't ask questions you know the answer to, John. Won't get you anywhere."

Soap growled in response. Placing his hand on your thigh and giving your flesh a firm yet playful grip.

"May have ta shorten th'fishing trip then. Looks like I gotta assert my claim over you again."

"Claim over me, John?"

"Aye. Ain't no way I'm losing you to a gas guzzling bàta."

-

You both lasted no more than another twenty minutes before loading everything into the skiff and jetting back to his prized vessel. Where Soap MacTavish made good to his word and staked his claim over you once again.

Spreading you over every flat surface beneath the bow and docking his thickened cock repeatedly into the deep cove of your cunt.

Master of the Swell Masterlist

This is but a taste of the new WIP I have in store for you, Soap Squad. Johnny's got the 4Runner, the Captain's got a yacht. And goddman, do I have plans to rock that boat.

Tagging those who showed interest. Let me know if you liked to be tagged for further posts. Much love 💛

@deadbranch @ohgeesoap @astraluminaaa @a-small-writer-in-a-big-world @d3athtr4psworld @ghosts-goldendoodle @homicidal-slvt @shotmrmiller @glitterypirateduck @macravishedbymactavish @sofasoap @tacticalanxiety @random-thot-generator @writeforfandoms

[kingofthe-egirls]

SKITTISH: LUFFY x Y/N

(cw: lots of food/eating, kissing sorta, luffy sees you and likes you, reader is a foxy pirate, asthmatic!reader, sorta spoilers for post wano, this is opla or anime whatever u choose!)

(a/n: this counts as journaling)

Songs: “Plans” by Maude Latour

words: 1.2k

****

You stand behind your cotton candy machine, sparkling your eyes behind your foxy pirate mask. The pirates have set up carnival stalls filled with meat and doughnuts and elephant ears. It smells like heaven.

Mugiwara no Luffy is staring at you.

He’s salivating, licking his lips as he reaches into the spinning candy machine to dip his hands straight into the sugar. “Hey!” You squeal, swatting him away. He hasn’t broken eye contact, even as he sucks the fairy floss straight off his fist.

“You’re pretty!” He says, smiling.

You flush all the way to the tips of your toes. A tingle runs down your spine, as you shift uncomfortably in place. No one’s called you pretty before. Silly and strange, maybe. But never pretty. That’s for Porche.

With her turquoise hair and slender waist, plus her charming personality…you’ve felt like a smaller, chubbier, easily forgotten younger sister that gets passed over more often than not. You’ve got asthma too, so you can’t even run for very long. Your Foxy Pirates job is to make the cotton candy. To tear down the stalls. To smile and laugh and help your fellow crew members cheat.

So it’s surprising—freezing—to have an Emperor of the Sea staring at you like you’re fried dough on a stick.

“Th-thanks,” you stutter, the whir of the cotton candy machine underlining your short-of-breath sounds. It’s bad enough your lungs are ass, now you’re flustered too.

“Welcome!” He says cheerfully, downing another gulp of pastel pink candy. It sticks to his chin in sparkling crystals. You want to wipe them off. “What games do you play?”

“This, mostly…,” you shrug. Your older, stronger crew mates are the ones who participate in the competitions. And though you’re thankful for the foxy pirates for taking you in, you do wish you were allowed to play more of the games. You like the boxing fights in particular.

“That’s stupid!” He says, smiling. “You should roller skate with me!” He challenges you like he’s inviting you to play. His brown eyes are so, so deep. Like dark coffee straight from the espresso machine. With the foam on top, all caramel in the sunlight. He swipes a stripe of candy from off his upper lip. His cupid’s bow is wide, and arched slightly.

He slaps your shoulder.

“See you in the rink!”

You scrabble for your inhaler as he walks away, all bouncy and rubbery with his head sticking out and down. His knees are slightly bowled, with his feet turned out like a ballet dancer as he walks. He’s strange.

He’s…

Sexy.

****

So now you’re standing shakily on skates, waiting at the start line of your roller skating rink.

Your knees are shivering, your pulse racing beneath your elbow pads and wrist guards. You’ve only ever roller skated for fun, let alone a competition. Your breath is shallow and raspy in your aching lungs. It’s humid: the worst kind of weather for you to try and breathe through. The air tastes like salt. You lick your lips: so do you.

Strawhat Luffy is standing on the starting line next to you, his own stance shaky and unstable. His knees knock together as he tries to remember how to stand on wheels.

You sigh.

Inhale…

Exhale.

You’ve got this.

****

The whistle blows, and you’re off.

You push against the ground, squeezing your core as much as you can to try and retain balance. You’re not the fastest, but you enjoy the speed of skating and how the wind rushes past your ears.

Your roller skates slide smoothly over the rink’s circular track, and you allow yourself a smile as you skate around the first corner. A slingshot limb shoots past your face, before you see a hand grab onto the rail in front of you. The captain of the Strawhats lets out an enthusiastic scream, before rocketing past you. His shoulder checks yours, so you’re sent flying. The air leaves your lungs in one short gasp, and you’re spinning out of control before you realize what’s happened.

“Shit!” You screech, tumbling into the grass at the center of the track. He stumbles after you, losing balance as he lands straight on top of you.

What little air you have left leaves you, as suddenly your senses are filled with him: all sweaty and musky and tanned and gorgeous and he’s he’s he’s—kissing your shoulder?

It’s so fast you almost miss it, but you’re sure you feel the hot press of his lips to your shoulder blade. He’s up now, reaching down to help you up, too. He’s smiling at you with sharper eyes than you remember.

He’s like a tiger.

“Sorry, foxy,” he snickers, helping you up and shaky skates. His hands sear fingerprints into your skin.

“S’okay…,” you mumble.

Something scared and wicked flares within your gut, so you push him over and start speeding back onto the track. He screams, surprised, but you’re already rushing away and over the finish line with stars in your brain and cotton candy in your stomach. It feels like butterflies. It feels like rain.

So you let your team win this round, and you skate away as fast as you can to go hide in a corner somewhere.

****

The rest of the games pass by in a blur, with your stomach churning and your lungs heaving in shallow, shaky breaths. You stand by the sidelines, surrounded by your crew mates as the prize selection starts. The Strawhats won the roller rink games, so it’s their pick of the lot.

Everyone’s nervous, the air going still as every single person holds their breath in suspense.

Strawhat Luffy stares at the crowd, scanning for someone with a squint. The setting sun shoots laser beams through his eyes. He’s chewing on his lower lip. You shuffle, listening to the murmurs of your fellow crew mates as they wonder who he’s gonna choose. You hope it’s you.

“Hmm…,” he says, tapping his sandal against the stage. His own crew is standing beside him, waiting for him to choose. They seem relaxed, since they haven’t lost anyone yet.

You shove a handful of cotton candy into your face, stress eating.

“That one!” Luffy shouts, confidently pointing straight at you.

You stop, mid-chew.

“Hah?” You ask, the air in your lungs squeezing out like a deflated balloon. Sticky sugar paints your chin, as you lick your lips. It’s sweet.

“Y/n?” Captain Foxy asks, as the crowd around you parts. You’re standing by yourself, suddenly. The comforting warmth of your crew mates disappears, as you stand holding fairy floss with one hand. You swallow, thickly.

“Seriously?”

Your voice sounds shy—squeaky.

Monkey D. Luffy grins, and crosses his arms in satisfaction. “Yep!” He says cheerfully, as people start to maneuver you up to the front of the stage. You stumble over yourself, nerves and limbs jelly. Someone has seen you…has chosen you.

Suddenly, you inhale.

“Sweet!” You say, breathy, as your new crew welcomes you with open arms. Someone slaps your back, another squeezes your hand.

Your new captain smiles at you, dazzlingly. Sugar is still melting on your chin. He leans forward, swiping it off with his tongue.

Fuck.

He snickers, before stepping away to smack his lips. “Make sure you bring the candy machine, too!”

So you do.

****

part 2 coming soon!

[layla4567]

Me gustas tú

Inspired by this song

Summary: The straw hats take a well-deserved day of rest. While they are on the ship, you and Luffy will go ashore and spend a day on the beach.

Word count: 1.476

Pairing: Luffy x GN!reader

Warnings: slightly canon divergence, sfw, Y/N use, Luffy confessing his feelings, beta read, If I forgot something, let me know.

The Going Merry disembarked and docked at a dock near a lonely beach on a desert island, ideal for a break from aimless sailing. The first to jump onto the sand was Luffy, running like a lynx and climbing like a monkey, he jumped from the deck and landed with a somersault, spreading the sand in the form of a cloud that made the others cough. The captain's shouts of joy were contagious and you suddenly found yourself laughing at his antics. Nami and you went down like civilized people admiring the saline and clear sea water of a turquoise color like quartz. Zoro and Ussop followed behind you while Sanji stayed in the kitchen for a while finishing washing the dishes.

Luffy ran and jumped waving his arms along the seashore smiling widely, he looked like a child who had just seen the beach for the first time. Nami next to you elbowed you laughing

"I can't imagine what he'll be like when he sees the tundra."

"Or the jungle"-You followed the joke

Then each one went to their own side to do different activities. Nami sat on the ground resting on a towel in the sun, Ussop stayed practicing with his slingshot near some palm trees and Zoro stayed with one shoulder leaning on the wood of the boat, in the shade. You took advantage of the fact that you had your swimsuit under your clothes and you took off your shirt and pants, revealing your navy blue swimsuit and you ran to jump in the waves.

Luffy, seeing you, ran towards you and copied your movements, going deeper into the sea and jumping high every time he saw a small wave coming, causing the foam to splash and hit you in the face.

"Luffy stop! You're soaking me!"-You said laughing as you put your hands forward to avoid the water.

He turned around smiling, lowering his hat until it fell on his back still held by the cord around his neck "But isn't that what the sea and the beach are for? Of course you will get wet!"

"But not like that Luff- Oh!"

Luffy hugged you around the waist and lifted you into the air to put you against his shoulder and go deeper into the water. You screamed in surprise while the other straw hats laughed at your situation. The captain was happy as a clam and ignored your fists against his bare back demanding that he put you down.

"MONKEY D. LUFFY PUT ME DOWN NOW!"

"Uhhh (y/n) said his full name, the boy is in trouble."-Zoro mocked from afar.

"Okay, okay, but don't be angry!"-Luffy said

Luffy laughingly let you go and you fell on your butt into the water just as a large wave crashed into your back and pushed you forward, getting your head wet. When you was able to regain your balance you was spitting out salt water in disgust. You gave a murderous look at Luffy who quickly dropped his usual wide and confident smile.

"And now is when he will start running, in 3..2…-" -Nami said

"LUFFY YOU ARE DEAD MAN!!!"

The brown boy ran like hell, stumbling on the sand in fear while you ran after him waving your fist in the air.

"SORRY, SORRY, SORRY, DON'T HIT ME!"

Ussop and Zoro had approached Nami and sat on the sand ready to watch the show.

“I bet (y/n) gets to him first.”-she said

"And I bet that Luffy is wins, he is more agile and faster"

Nami looked at him with a slightly offended raised eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Ok, what do we bet?"

"Wait are you really going to bet on (y/n) and our captain?"-Ussop asked confused but amused.

"5,000 berries" -Zoro said ignoring the boy.

"Bet"

The two sealed the pact while Ussop shook his head laughing. After a while watching the two crew members run as if they were playing hide and seek, Nami, smiling proudly, saw how you knocked Luffy to the ground with a tackle.

"You owe me those berries…" -Nami smiled mischievously at an angry Zoro.

Later the only ones left on the beach were you and Luffy, the others decided that they had had enough of the sun and took refuge on the deck of the ship with their elbows resting on the railing looking at the two of you. You and your captain were sitting together, one on each side, on the white sand with your legs stretched out and your hands behind you, admiring how the burning sun fell on the horizon, turning the sky a bright red. You sighed, closing your eyes and reveling in the salty breeze and the song of the seagulls soaring through the clouds. Luffy next to you couldn't focus on anything but your beauty. He looked at your face instead of concentrating on the nature that surrounded him because being next to you, who cared about everything else? Even the most beautiful flower or the warmest sun did not compare to everything you were to him.

You threw your head back, smiling even with your eyes closed, and the captain came closer to your side, bumping his shoulder into yours. At that touch you opened your eyes in surprise and when you turned your head to see him you found his brown eyes staring into his and a sweet smile on his lips. Being close to him always meant that the environment would be charged with electricity and Luffy is a very hyperactive and energetic being like a puppy. It wasn't the same as sitting near Nami or Sanji whose energy was calmer, no. Luffy emanated sparks and joy throughout his body and even though he was sitting it was as if his anxious molecules could not be still, as if behind that mischievous smile and those mischievous eyes there were hidden intentions to keep moving and jump from here to there. Luffy was always on the move

"Is something the matter?"-You asked because of his insistent, somewhat goofy look.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I just got lost in your gaze."

You laughed shaking your shoulders and he laughed with you without stopping to look at you, and thinking that the flirt was Sanji. You slapped his arm with the back of your hand.

"Don't talk nonsense Luffy, the only one who can flirt here is the cook"

Suddenly, smiling, the boy in the straw hat stood in front of you, very close to your face, with his arms at your sides, caging your torso.

"Of! Luffy what are you-?"-you said startled

"Listen, I want to tell you something important."

Luffy swallowed and seemed more anxious than usual, besides he never spoke so seriously, you didn't know whether to worry or not.

"Ok yeah sure, I'm listening"

He sighed and his breath hit your face "I've been meaning to tell you this for a while… I like you."

"Aw Luffy I like you too"

He shook his head making his dark curls move. "No no, you misunderstood me. I really like you."

You went blank having understood what the pirate boy had meant. You moved your eyes from right to left, looking into his, feeling that your words were dying on your tongue, unable to pass through your lips.

"(y/n) I love you! Phew I finally said it.."

Luffy seemed happy and relieved to be able to let those three words come out of his mouth, regardless of your answer he already had a smile on his face. You let out a small airy laugh and swallowed hard.

"I think I like you too, I mean, I love you too."

The boy rested his cheek against your belly, tickling you and letting the air escape from your lungs. His grip was strong as if he wanted to squeeze a lemon. You fell back laughing as your hands rubbed his back. Now you understood why he always seemed so clingy to you, close to you like chewing gum. And all those jokes he played on you and the way he always seemed to tease you so you would get angry. Feeling playful, you wrapped your legs around his hips and forcefully turned him over so you could now be on top of him. Luffy fell heavily in the sand and you rested your chin near the junction of his collarbones.

Luffy stroked your damp hair "So you're not angry anymore for throwing you into the sea?"

You rolled your eyes with a lopsided smile. “Oh shut up and come here.”

With both of your hands you grabbed Luffy's chubby cheeks and planted a kiss on his lips. At first he opened his eyes in surprise but then he closed them smiling between your lips. From a distance on the ship you could hear the cheerful whistles and cheers of the crew.

[biteofcherry]

Wetnessday anon here 💦

Your story about how you met king Curtis is awesome! I'd love to meet him like this!

I'm curious how the story would have went if she ended up in king Ari's kingdom though.

(you don't have to write anything of course)

xoxo Wetnessday anon 💦

One of the crew members finds you hiding on the ship, but since they don't know who you really are and you try to sell your story of dream life on golden shores and fishing, they simply tell you that there's no free ride, so you have to do some work on the ship

You mend some clothes and sails, as well get roped into helping with cooking for the crew

Not once do you meet king Ari, you just briefly see him from afar

Once you reach his kingdom the sailor who discovered you, gives you directions to the small fishing village not far from the docks and tells you there are a few fishermen who may look to hire a help

You fall a little in love with the kingdom as you walk down the shore, feeling the warm, golden sand beneath your feet and watching the shades of blue and turquoise of the sea, and the greenery of forests on the other side of the beach

Some of the fishermen shoo you away, but there's one grumpy older man who judges you head to toe, commenting how you don't look much hardworking, but he still agrees to take you under his wing

Duncan lives alone in a house the farthest from any other, but his boat looks really well taken care of.

You're surprised to find out there's a small, lush garden next to his home; but he shrugs and says that his wife used to take care of it, he just lets it grow.

He often sighs and grumbles "What has possessed me to teach stubborn youth again in my old days", especially when you show impatience with some tasks.

What you don't know is that Duncan is a former navy captain who used to be young Prince Ari's teacher and guardian, who retired early to take care of his sick wife who unfortunately passed away a few years ago.

You're also unaware that fond of his old friend, King Ari often visits Duncan.

It's a complete surprise to you when one day you're sitting in front of the house with Duncan, both of you working on the mending the nets and him telling you hilarious story of how he met his wife (it involved being smacked over the head with a paddle), and King Ari arrives unannounced.

The problem is that Ari recognizes you.

He saw you at the feasts when he visited your kingdom, he was introduced to you. So the plainer dress and lack of shiny jewelry don't fool him.

When he reveals the truth to Duncan, the older man just snorts: "She did a better job blending in than you when you tried to join merchants at thirteen springs."

Ari takes you back to his castle and it's non-negotiable.

No matter how much sympathy he feels for you over your story, you are a crown Princess of another kingdom and you're in his lands. If something were to happen to you while here, his kingdom could face a war.

At least he doesn't immediately sail you back to your kingdom, claiming he has to think it all through.

You're given beautiful chambers, even more beautiful gowns and you share dinners with Ari every evening. He likes talking to you and you find him to be a charming, funny companion.

One morning you wake up much earlier than usual and you take the opportunity to roam the castle grounds and nooks while everything is still sleepy and quiet. You don't expect to stumble upon Ari and two of his men returning from who knows what activities - all laughing, shoving each other and being very much wet

You stare at Ari, your eyes unable to stay on his face while his torso is shiny with water.

When you drag your gaze up and meet his blue eyes, there's a hungry spark in them. Also amusement that curves his lips and makes you realize he caught you staring.

You flee with a squeak, running back to your chambers to hide in embarrassment. You almost refuse to meet Ari for dinner later that evening, still mortified.

But it's that very evening that Ari makes you a proposal - he can't keep you here as a guest forever, since at some point someone will report to your brother where you are and it might stir a lot of drama.

He could send you back home, or send an emissary with official request for your hand in marriage; which would also include a false story of how Ari found you were abducted and saved you (a lie to save your reputation as well).

"It may not be your dream life," Ari says when you nervously play with your cup of wine, "but as heirs and rulers we have to also take responsibility. Even if we'd very much prefer to be fishermen and merchants," he winks at you.

"We like each other's company and I'm quite certain the attraction is undeniable." He gives you that hungry look again and your thighs clench involuntarily.

He lists a few more compelling arguments. When you finally say yes, knowing that it's still the best of your options, considering the repercussions if you were to be brought to your brother, Ari stands up and rounds the table to where you're seated.

He kisses you for the first time that evening

his hand moving from sweet, respectful caress on your cheek to gripping the back of your head as he slips his tongue between your lips

you've never been kissed like that and when Ari pulls back you nearly chases his lips with a whine.

[houseoftulips]

San Paradise Port | E. Jaeger ~ the one where you fell in love with a pirate

─➭ pairing: pirate captain!eren jaeger x fem!reader

─➭ mentions of: pirate au, fluff. mommy issues(?), very little pirate language

●∘◦❀◦∘● ●∘◦❀◦∘● ●∘◦❀◦∘● ●∘◦❀◦∘●

San Paradis Island is filled with many type of people here especially with the greatly known fact that’s it’s a popular port for ships. Every night, murderers and despicable individuals would pour into your neighborhood, laughing and firing their weapons at anything that moved too quickly for their inebriated eyes to see. The saline air luckily masked the smell of the bile that collected in the streets, which were filled with spilt mead and shit.

You work in a pub not too far away from the docks so you’ve seen men and women come and go. Dead or alive. You’ve seen the Marley Empire docked here a few times but it’s pirates that come here the most.

You’ve met many pirates. Greedy ones. Drunk ones and deadly ones but every pirate is dangerous to be around. But one day, a crew of pirates came in the evening just as the sun was setting.

They were a lively bunch to say the least, some maybe already drunk as well. But there was a man. He stood tall, stoic, and well, handsome for a pirate. You’d mistaken him as a prince if it wasn’t for his pirate attire.

He had brunette hair that had been grown past his shoulders and his turquoise eyes that immediately caught your attention. He had two guns and a sword that he carried with him. He had silver rings on his fingers and silver piercings on his ears.

You stared, of course. Who wouldn’t? But you swore you felt you cheeks and neck start to warm up when you realized that he was staring right back at you.

The brunette sat down at the counter where you stood behind to make drinks for everyone. He smiles, a very charming smile too as he nodded at you in acknowledgment.

“Eren,” a woman with short black hair says in a soft tone as she looks at the brunette before nodding in the direction behind her, “We’ll be off.”

The said man nodded at her and then you’re assuming his crew behind him who were waving goodbye. “Return to the ship by noon tomorrow,” he says in a deep and sultry tone.

“Aye, captain,” they say in unison before piling out of the pub at the same time.

The man named Eren turned his attention back at you to see that you busied yourself as he exchanged his goodbyes. He politely cleared his throat to get your attention and you immediately (embarrassingly) turned your gaze to him.

“Rum, please,” he smiles softly.

You nod in response and quickly pour the drink into cup. As you were doing so, his jewel like eyes were slowly scanning your body. You got that a lot and you weren’t surprised so you sigh softly with the polite smile as you hand him his drink.

“I’m not for sale,” you say as you lock eyes with him.

“Not at all I was thinkin’, lass. A man like me can’t admire a beauty like you?” he hums as he takes a sip of his drink.

“That’s all?” you ask with doubt behind your playful tone.

“Well, I wouldn’t mind sharing a drink with you,” he shrugs.

“You see me workin’,” you say as you try to hide your smile.

“Then let me keep you company,” he says right away, “I’ll keep those disgusting hog-monkeys over there away from you.”

He nods his head toward a bunch of no-good pirates who have been taking your clothes off with their eyes since noon. You sigh because it’s a good deal and he seems like he’s being genuine.

You agree and thus blossomed something in your chest and his. For the next seven days, he and his crew come in as the sun sets just as the first time they did. And Eren would stay behind and do as he did before, keep you company. He’d talk to you throughout your time working at the pub even if it was just a two word sentence. You appreciated him for staying until it was time for you to go home.

Then he would walk you home. He did that after when you happened to tell him that you live almost on the other side of the island. That’s when you would really talk to each other.

Under the dark sky with clouds blocking the clusters of stars is when you got to know him a bit more. You knew he was a pirate so he didn’t have to talk about the obvious but you had learned he named his ship after his deceased mother, Turquoise Carla.

God that shit almost made you cry.

He had learned that you came to San Paradis four years ago after running away from you drunk-ridden mother. Eren was off at sea looking for jewelry, stealing money from the Marley Empire, and all of the same that he said so nonchalantly.

All while learning thing about each other by the seventh day, you had realized you felt something for him. But Eren rest assured, felt something too but he wouldn’t dare to keep it to himself. The man is cocky and he knew you loved him too.

The night of the seventh day, he oh-so-boldly and proudly popped a question as you both stood in front of your tiny cottage.

“Marry me,” he said.

“What?” you baffle with wide eyes, “ Are you mad? Why would you ask something like that?”

“Are you always this cold to a warm man?” he laughs.

“Are you a warm man, Eren?” you sigh softly as you stare into his eyes, “You are still a stranger.”

“Am I now?” He holds his gaze on you as he lifts his hand towards your cheek. His palm is warm but his silver rings were cold to the touch. He presses his forehead against yours and whispers, “I try to be a warm man for the woman I’m falling in love with. So why can’t you marry me, lass?” Eren smiles softly.

“Because I only know your first name, not your last,” you joke with a smile breaking through your facade.

Eren smiles as gently picks your hand up and placed your palm against against his cheek. “Jeager… Our last name is Jeager, love.”

●∘◦❀◦∘● ●∘◦❀◦∘● ●∘◦❀◦∘● ●∘◦❀◦∘●

[alastor-simp]

Azul Ashengrotto🐙 with a reader who is like Uma from Descendants

- You had intrigued Azul the minute he saw you arrive to NRC. He wasn’t quite sure what it was, but your magical aura and beauty kept drawing him in

- Azul was a man of business, however, so he wasn’t going to let his fascination get in the way of that. As always he tried to introduce himself and offer you his services in the form of a contract, hoping you would accept it with ease, but you just gave him an sarcastic laugh and said “Dream on, Octo boy” and walked away , leaving him stunned

- Shocked, was the expression on Azul’s face as he realized you had a bit of a feisty attitude compared to the delicate flower he pictured you as. He ordered the twins to try and persuade you to reconsider, but you refused again and roughed up the twins a bit when they got too pushy. Let’s just say the Leech brothers know now, not to mess with you.

- After multiple refusals, Azul decided to call it quits, but you had other plans as you had your sights set on him and when you wanted something, you got it.

- He wasn’t expecting to have grown so close to you, but the more time he spent with you, the more he started to develop feelings. You can imagine his surprise when you told him that you ran a crew of pirates and are their captain.

- Besides being a captain, he asked what other talents/secrets you had, and instead of telling him you showed him. Jumping into the fish tank in Mostro lounge, you transformed into your cecaelia form in front of Azul. Let’s just say, you had this Octo cutie blushing up to his ears. Your tentacles were a charming aqua color, that matched perfectly with your turquoise hair.

- After that, you told Azul more about your world, your rival with the daughter of Maleficent and how Ursula was your mother.

- !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? COME AGAIN. YOUR MOTHER IS URSULA!?!?!?!! ONE OF THE GREAT SEVENS?!?!?!?!?!? ……… Marry Me.

- The two of you got together eventually, honestly you weren’t expecting it either, but you grown to love and care for Azul, but don’t tell anyone else that as you had a reputation to uphold and the last thing you needed is your crew/friends seeing you go all soft.

- “Good afternoon, sweetie,” Azul said as he greeted you upon your arrival to Mostro Lounge. Grabbing Azuls bow tie, you yanked him closer to your face as you don’t like being called adorable pet names “What’s my name, Azul? Azul, flustered, answered you back immediately: “Y-Y/N.”

- Smiling, you kissed Azul, on the lips before letting him go. “That’s right cutie. That’s my name.” You grabbed his hand and walked towards his office, with him following behind you with hearts in his eyes and two eel twins giggling from afar, as Floyd recorded the whole interaction and Jade asking his brother to send him the video.

( sorry about how bad this is, still having trouble writing x reader stories, but hope you guys enjoy it :) )

[chocolatepot]

THE Captain Bonnet suit is, of course, the light turquoise one from the first and ninth episodes, the one most fanart depicts him in.

This is wildly different from what he wore in his old life! The color is vivid - colorS, actually, because the waistcoat is slightly different in both iterations - and the coat and breeches are made of very shiny satin. The coat is also dripping with braid, and actually has shaping to accentuate his waist and flare out into skirts. Each end of his cravat has two lacy ruffles, and they are not hidden at all. He's still wearing the secondary tie, but it's much thinner than the others, hardly covering the main cravat. There are rosettes on his shoulders, like military epaulettes but more delicate. And the shoes, of course, have adorable white bows rather than buckles.

The other outfits Stede wears as a pirate have lots of similarities. Very bright colors, contrasting in the same outfit. The lacy cravats, frequently without a colored necktie on top (especially after he gives the black one to Ed). Closer fits. Velvets and satins. Embroidery. The all-white "man for sale" outfit!

It's tricky to situate these costumes with regard to normative English masculinity of the period. Duller colors go all the way up the social spectrum ca. 1717, but satins and velvets and embroidered waistcoats were very much a part of elite men's fashion; at the same time, the idea of the proper English gentleman went along with plainer things - see the example portraits from the last post. There were a number of effeminate male stereotypes in the 18th century, even before the macaronis of the 1770s, usually incorporating a supposed feminine interest in fashion and an affected way of speaking and acting not unlike more modern stereotypes; it wasn't unusual for them to be referred to as "neuter" and assumed to be either (what we would now call) asexual or homosexual. In that sense, the issue is less exactly what Stede would wear, and more that he clearly cares a lot about it, amassing a large wardrobe and being exacting in having it made up a certain way.

Within the context of the show and the way other gentlemen dress in it (not counting the party aristocrats because they're basically clowns, but Stede's father and the men in Bridgetown), Stede's pirate style is definitely not normative. It's queer. It's not just Stede bringing his aristocratic/gentry style to sea and reveling in his class privilege, it's him taking up a style that he is not allowed to wear as a supposedly heterosexual patriarch. It's even in his nightclothes - the nightshirts he wears on the Revenge have ruffles and lace, and the ones at home range from "basically just a shirt" (1x10) to "well, there's a tiny bit of embroidery" (1x04 flashbacks).

There is one outfit - well, technically three - that does something really subtle with this.

Stede apparently owns three fairly similar coats trimmed with gold braid and two matching waistcoats, one on sea and two on land. The one he wears in 1x05 is made of a damask (you can see the pattern woven into the fabric if you look at it full-size) and uses two different types of braid; he also wears it with a prominently knotted cravat that ends in a van dycked lace, which matches the lace on his cuffs. The 1x10 suits, on the other hand, are wool broadcloth (or something approximating it). The collarless one, which is bluer onscreen, has gold trim without as much of a pattern, and the trim on the one with a black collar is actually black with gold details.

Crucially, in 1x10, his cravat is tucked completely into his waistcoat to hide any potential lace on the ends, and his sleeves have plain or barely trimmed ruffles. He's squeezing himself back into the straight mold society requires, but at the same time ... this is a more exuberant look than his flashback outfits. The only teal he wore in them was in the family portrait, and that coat was totally unfitted and had no trim. He's fundamentally changed, both from getting to be himself on the Revenge and from the kiss on the beach - that's good and bad, encompassing both his realization of his own queerness and, you know, the whole "unhand me or bleed" thing. Instead of burying himself in books and quietly crying by himself, he's now doing things like getting drunk and confidently making scenes in public. "I don't fit here anymore, do I?" he asks Mary when they have that nighttime conversation.

I definitely get where people are coming from when they portray him as more rugged, and I'd be surprised if s2 had him acquire a full wardrobe again immediately, unless it picks up after some time's gone by. a) This show isn't overly concerned with realism, but I mean he did just arrive at the island in a dinghy with absolutely nothing and b) we do need the symbolism of him starting over. But be careful of interpreting his clothes as just a representation/extension of his class, as @appleteeth pointed out here. The way Stede dresses throughout most of s1 is very much part of his self-expression.

(Part I)