#also if you're someone who's less interested in the question 'what is poetry?' and more into questions like

[poetrysmackdown]

what makes a poem a poem? does it have to be written in a certain way? is this question a poem if i want it to be?

Fun question! This is just my personal sense as an avid reader and less-avid writer of poetry, but for me it’s useful to distinguish (roughly) between poetry as a genre and poetry as an attitude or philosophy through which language and the world can be understood. And of course these two go hand in hand. I see poetry the genre as essentially a type of literature where we as readers are signaled, somehow, to pay closer attention to language, to rhythm, to sound, to syntax, to images, and to meaning. That attentive posture is the “attitude” of broader poetic thinking, and while it’s most commonly applied to appreciate work that’s been written for that purpose, there’s nothing stopping us from applying that attentiveness elsewhere. Everywhere, even! That’s how you eventually end up writing poetry for yourself, after all. There’s a quote from Mary Ruefle floating around on here that a lot of folks have probably already seen, but it immediately comes to mind with this ask:

“And when you think about it, poets always want us to be moved by something, until in the end, you begin to suspect that a poet is someone who is moved by everything, who just stands in front of the world and weeps and laughs and laughs and weeps.”

Similarly, after adopting the attentive posture of poetics, there’s plenty of things that can feel or sound like a poem, even when they perhaps were not written with that purpose in mind. I’ve seen a couple of these “found poems” on here that are quite fun—this one, for example. The meaning and enjoyment you may derive from the language of a found poem isn’t any less real than that derived from a poem written for explicitly poetic purposes, so I don’t see why it shouldn’t be called poetry.

That said, I do think that if you’re going to go out and start looking for poetry everywhere, it’s still important to have a foundation in the actual language work of it all. Now, this doesn’t mean it has to be “written in a certain way” at all! But it does mean that in order to cultivate the attentiveness that’s vital to poetry, one needs to understand what makes language tick, down at its most basic levels. It will make you better at reading poetry, better at writing it, and better at spotting it out in the wild.

Mary Oliver’s A Poetry Handbook is an extraordinary resource to new writers and readers, and a great read for more experienced folks as well. Mary Oliver’s most popular poems are all to my knowledge in free verse, and yet you might be surprised to find her deep appreciation for metrical verse (patterns of stressed/unstressed syllables), as well as for the most minute devices of sound. In discussing the so-called poetry of the past, she writes,

“Acquaintance with the main body of English poetry is absolutely essential—it is the whole cake, while what has been written in the last hundred years or so, without meter, is no more than an icing. And, indeed, I do not really mean an acquaintanceship—I mean an engrossed and able affinity with metrical verse. To be without this felt sensitivity to a poem as a structure of lines and rhythmic energy and repetitive sound is to be forever less equipped, less deft than the poet who dreams of making a new thing can afford to be.”

In another section, after devoting lots of attention to the sounds at work in Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”, she writes,

“Everything transcends from the confines of its initial meaning; it is not only the transcendence in meaning but the sound of the transcendence that enables it to work. With the wrong sounds, it could not have happened.”

I hope all this helps to get across my opinion that what makes a poem a poem is not just about the author's intention, and not just about meaning (intended or attributed), but also about sound and rhythm and language and history, all coalescing into something that rises above the din of a language we would otherwise grow tired of while out in our day-to-day lives.

I'll always have more to say but I'm cutting myself off here! Thanks for the ask

[antianakin]

It's honestly really depressing as someone who likes Qui-Gon as a character to see fanon constantly reduce him to "enlightened maverick" or "arrogant asshole" and absolutely nothing in-between or combined. Qui-Gon can be SUCH an interesting character if people would just LET HIM be an interesting character.

Qui-Gon is also, in many ways, there to move the story forward and send us a few necessary messages and that's it. He's not the main character of anything, the story isn't ABOUT him at all. Qui-Gon is there to find Anakin and bring him together with Padme and Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon is there to foreshadow the destruction of the Jedi Order through his death at Maul's hands. Qui-Gon is there to parallel Obi-Wan's own death decades later, to pass the baton of the story on to the next generation. He shows us that the Jedi are not superhuman, they're not invincible, he's there to tell us about Anakin's prophecy and introduce the theme of choices.

If you're not looking at Qui-Gon as a character there to get across certain messages and as a catalyst for the rest of the story, you're probably missing the point of Qui-Gon and looking for things that quite simply aren't there to see. It's not that Lucas was such a terrible writer that Qui-Gon can only be distilled down to "enlightened maverick" or "arrogant asshole," it's that you're probably just missing what Qui-Gon's character is actually there to DO. Lucas allows Qui-Gon to be more stable as a character because he has to keep moving the story forward around all of the other characters who are growing and changing. Qui-Gon represents the Jedi as a whole throughout The Phantom Menace, he is our first true introduction to what the Jedi are like during this golden era when the Jedi are still doing fairly well. We know Obi-Wan and Yoda when they've both been in exile for ages and they're very old, and Obi-Wan in The Phantom Menace is still a student. So Qui-Gon is the first true Jedi Knight of the Republic in his prime that we ever get to see and know. He shows us their strength, their wisdom, their abilities, their compassion. And then he dies. Not because Qui-Gon did anything particularly wrong, but just because the Sith he was fighting managed to outmaneuver him.

So by looking at Qui-Gon as nothing more than an arrogant (sometimes abusive) monster or an enlightened maverick, you're sort-of just glancing over the whole point of Qui-Gon and reducing him to something less than what he's actually intended to be which is representative of the Jedi as a WHOLE. Lucas is all about poetry and rhyming, he likes creating parallels and patterns between his films. Qui-Gon dies as an homage and reference to Obi-Wan's own death because that's how the wise master archetype works in fantasy. Qui-Gon dies as a foreshadowing of the destruction of the Jedi that will occur in two more movies, a destruction we all know is coming because this is a prequel story. We're supposed to see what Obi-Wan will become in Qui-Gon and even what he will SURPASS in Qui-Gon, we're supposed to see the beginning of the end in his story. Qui-Gon, much like Palpatine in some ways, is a symbol more than he is a character.

What's funny is that NO ONE says the same about Obi-Wan in A New Hope, no one claims that Obi-Wan is so badly written because he fits into a very specific archetype that he is contradictory as a character. We all just recognize that Obi-Wan falls into that character trope and accept that for what it is. But people want to make Qui-Gon into something both more and less than the archetype he exists within, and it sort-of ruins him either way.

Qui-Gon isn't perfect, but he's also definitely right about a lot of things, he's wise and intuitive and compassionate, much like the Jedi are in general. Just because there are some things he does you could question a little, at least in his method if not his motivation, doesn't mean he's any less wise or compassionate as a person. And just because he IS right about a lot of things doesn't mean that he's meant to be right in CONTRADICTION to the rest of the Order or even just the Council itself.

People need to take a step back and look at the bigger picture with regards to Qui-Gon, look at the narrative role he actually plays and the parallels he presents with the rest of the films (the ones made by Lucas).

[jasper-pagan-witch]

As far as book recs, what books are the least "suspicious"-looking title-wise, like in a won't weird your family out too much way?

This is an interesting question because I'm objectively the least weird person in my immediate family as far as books go. But I'll give this a shot! I'm gonna avoid books with "witch" in the title, but honestly, I have no idea how wary your family may be of books.

The Farmer's Almanac of the year: Once you get past the advertisements, there's a lot of practical growing advice and a surprising amount of magic-related stuff. Well, astronomy/astrology-related stuff, but still. I started using these as of earlier this year and have both the 2022 and 2023 editions. Jasper Category: Regional/Personal Practices.

Roots, Branches & Spirits by H Byron Ballard: My first introduction to the concept of folk magic was this wonderful book on Appalachian folk magic. It inspired me to look a lot more local and eventually led to me finding the Ozark Magic series by Brandon Weston. I'm not sure if it's particularly telling to the casual observer, but it's a fascinating look at someone's personal journey into their local magical tradition. Jasper Category: Regional/Personal Practices.

Badass Ancestors by Patti Wigington: I've gone over this book before, but if you're trying to learn about ancestor work (or even just your ancestors), it has some valuable resources and ideas of where you can look. It's useful enough that it's made it into my reference stacks. Jasper Category: Miscellaneous.

Willow and Sage Homemade Bath and Body: More of a magazine than a book, my May/June/July 2022 edition is a very practical guide for making all kinds of products. I look forward to actually trying out the recipes. It's not magic by any means, but it's helpful. Jasper Category: Miscellaneous.

Pretty much any mythology or history book: We all have those periods of time that we go absolutely batshit over mythology and history, right? Right? Yeah. This is also where my copies of the Homeric Hymns, the King James Bible, and others are located. Jasper Category: History, Religion, and Mythology.

Do I Have To Wear Black? by Mortellus: Likewise, this is an in-depth look at the various religious funerary and mourning practices, especially in modern contexts, brought to us by someone who actually works in that field. Jasper Category: History, Religion, and Mythology.

Regional ghost stories: I happen to have several Missouri-based or Mississippi River-based books on ghosts. These help take a look at folklore, history, and how things evolve and change over time, as well as how they stay in the public consciousness. Jasper Category: History, Religion, and Mythology.

Regional farming/planting guides: Similarly, I'm in Missouri, so a good number of my gardening guides are either about planting indoors, planting edible plants, or planting things that work great here in Missouri. Jasper Category: Gardening and Plants.

Historically- or locally-significant books of folktales, poetry, and fiction: We've got Edgar Allen Poe's complete works, we've got the Brothers Grimm, we have five great Greek tragedies in one book, we've got Horrible Phobias Lovecraft's works (may he rest in the racist squallor box and may he spin in his grave over everyone wanting to kiss his monsters), we've got Dante, we've got the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, we have "Jasper ran out of money but keeps trying to wipe out the book store's shelves of any significantly-old book with a new or fancy cover EVEN IF THEY ALREADY OWN IT." We've got the range. These are great for summoning up specific feelings or memories, for coming up with chants, for pop culture magic, for everything! And if anyone asks, you're just a fan of the classics! Jasper Category: Old Shit.

Unfortunately, most of my beginner-focused books, my tarot books, my spellbooks, and my correspondence-based books are a lot less low-key.

I hope this gives you a few ideas! I'm sorry if this isn't particularly helpful, I'm just not in a place where I have to be worried about people seeing that I practice magic. I mean, I have 62 tarot and oracle decks lined up on my shelves, it would be foolish of my family to NOT notice.

~Jasper

[sleepless-crows]

Cactus. Orchid. Sage. Ivy. :)

This will be so confusing if you see this later

i love asks excuse me you are my top priority of course i will see this now

cactus- something you're currently learning (about)?

hmmmm. i sort of cannot focus on one thing at a time. if i tell you i'm learning piano now, i probably would drop it next week. so this has to be a very long-term thing for me. uhm i think mbti maybe? i do know it and i've been learning it for around 2 years now. and i've grown a lot but i still am learning. so if you see me post about mbti and you're an expert, just ignore me, i'm an impostor. and never ever trust my word, with anything really, ever. but if this question is about a life lesson, i think i'm learning how to focus less on others and more on working on myself as a person. i will not go deeper than that.

orchid- what's a song you consider to be perfect?

like as of now, what i am currently feeling. SNOW ON THE BEACH I LOVE IT SO MUCH

sage- what 'medium' of art (poetry, music, fiction, paintings, statues, etc.) is the most touching to you? why do you think that is?

poetry, i think. i love reading poetry and i *try* to write it too. emphasis on try. i think i really connect with words, i think its my forte over drawing, music, etc. plus i love the people who analyze paintings and statues and appreciate them but i can't do that. words feel much more easy to understand over colors and styles and i just love words so much. i think its incredible how we invented words and how complicated they are. i just love words, yeah.

ivy- what are your 'tells' for your emotions and moods? how can someone tell you're happy, annoyed, upset, or tired?

oh this is very interesting. i don't know how other people see me and no one's ever observed me enough and told me. but i feel like it would show on how much i talk. when i'm happy, i jump around and rant and rant and rant. even to people i don't usually talk to with those things, i'll talk to them when i'm happy because WHO CARES DID YOU KNOW THAT— when i'm sad, i'm probably very quiet OR if i'm trying to hide it, i'll act extra optimistic and fake. oh oh, also when i'm happy, sometimes i just feel my body heat grow higher. like my whole body is blushing from excitement. and when i'm sad, i'll usually feel very inspired and contemplate a lot (aside from crying?? which is a clear indicator)

[gxldencity]

1, 2 and 12 for the reading asks :D

1. What are 2-5 already published fiction books you think you want to read in 2023?

Omg I do have a backlog spanning till 2019. The years vary in terms of publishing but 2019 was the year I started reading lots again. So trying to fit this into 5 might be hard

1. Babel by R.F. Kuang - I had my eye on this the moment I saw it was gonna tackle the elitism, colonialism and racism in academia. Books under dark academia don't really explore this as much as they should which is what turned me off from reading them.

The discourse—if you could even call it that bc it really is white people who made reading books and ~academia~ their personality complaining that the book calls them out—that surrounds it is so funny which makes me want to read it even more. The point really just flew over their heads despite having books as their personality.

2. Legendborn by Tracy Deonn - Funnily enough this is another academia book that calls out white academia. I did start on this a year or so ago but wasn't quite in the mood for it (it was YA and written in first person which could get jarring for me) but I do want to return to it. It has an exciting premise and the 2nd book came out a couple of months ago.

3. Gun Dealer's Daughter by Gina Apostol

As I mentioned in a few text posts, I wanna read more modern Filipino literary novels—at least the ones I could access outside of the Philippines lmao and I've seen this get recommended a lot. So I'm gonna read it (and also Apostol's other literary novels)

Gina Apostol also did the intro for the Penguin Classics collection of Nick Joaquin's short stories, The Woman With Two Navels which I also highly highly recommend. Beyond culture, I was drawn to it bc of the tropical gothic lmao.

4. Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

So another goal I have this year is to read more classic sci fi (or modern classic in this case but the term classic itself is really muddy). Parable of the Sower is something I've been kinda wanting to read for awhile now. The premise is surely interesting and something that is relevant for us right now with the changing climate.

5. A Restless Truth by Freya Marske

I thought A Marvellous Light was okay. Not a great read but not a bad one either. It was definitely one of those the author wanted to write romance novel with fantasy elements but the books need to be shelved in fantasy so they had to add more fantasy notes on it but still primarily a romance read. And that got so jarring in this book as it reads like it can't decide if it wants to lean fantasy or lean romance.

That being said I do wanna read the sequel featuring wlw lmao. I wanna read a fun sapphic light fantasy novel. Like sapphics do get the hard sf/f novel that's less romance focused which tbh I do like...I just want more variety (likewise I wish to see more hard sf/f mlm novels).

2. What are 2-5 already published nonfiction books you think you want to read in 2023?

Akkfksnfs I wanna read more non-fiction books this year too. I mean one of them is for work so I won't count that.

1. How to Stand Up to a Dictator by Maria Ressa I think everyone needs to read this book and also watch Maria Ressa's PBS documentary (available on Youtube), especially if you're wondering about the rise of authoritarian governments in the last few years (and how socmed plays a hand).

2. Ducks by Kate Beaton. A graphic novel I know but Kate Beaton is someone who I've been kinda following for awhile now. Her memoir of her years working at the Alberta oil sands would be interesting for sure considering how everyone treats Alberta as the province you go to make lots of money in despite of the environmental implications of the tar sands.

3. Travesty by Lillian-Yvonne Bertram - This is a poetry book. I know there is a poetry question in this ask meme. I don't care. Poetry is technically non fiction lmao so I'm counting it. The style of this book is based on programming which as a dev definitely piques my interest.

12. What's your 2023 stance on rating/reviewing books?

I think everyone should be more unhinged in terms of leaving ratings and reviews. Authors don't look at these reviews or at least they aren't supposed to (some do and they are annoying about it). Some books do deserve that 1 star. Sometimes a book doesn't deserve to be rounded up to 4 stars and thank GOD storygraph allows for not only half stars but for .25 and .75 stars as well. (Switch to storygraph im telling you. Don't use goodreads).

I mean I was pretty scathing in terms of the critiques I gave towards the books I read last year. My average rating in 2022 is 3.92. Like I paid for this with my time and money. My library had to order this book AND stock it. My taxes go to my library. I don't like giving pity stars for the sake of writing a book. Fanfic authors could write outstanding novels for FREE. If someone has to spend money on it, then the least you could do is write a good book.

[2023 Reading asks]

[dourpeep]

IT WAS 2AM WHEN I SENT THAT SO I HELD BACK MY SIMPING FOR COLLEGE ALBEDO A LITTLE. tried not to send all my brainrot so I didn't just send a wall of text into your inbox LOL. Some others I thought of were:

- Mona giving astrology forecasts and compatibility readings in this au and Albedo may have asked her about the two of you

- Going to botanical gardens or museums with Albedo but for some reason it feels like a date even when it didn't intent to be. You tug on his sleeve now and then when you see something he might be interested in or even when it's something that excites you, and Albedo can't help but have a soft look in his eyes that he can share this moment with you! Somehow it results in the two of you holding hands - just so neither of you stray from each other of course - and eventually, intertwined fingers. You hear someone say that the two of you seem like a cute couple and you know Albedo heard it too, but neither of you say anything. You feel his hand squeeze yours a little tighter and respond in kind. The two of you are too embarrassed to look at each other but can't help the smiles on your faces.

- Lending Albedo some of your favourite books for pleasure reading and you've left tiny tabs on lines that you like. Perhaps this is before Albedo realizes his feelings so when he reads particularly romantic lines, he wonders if this is how he feels about you. Or did you mark these pages because you feel this way about someone? His stomach is in knots to the thought that you may be intrested in someone that isn't him and he settles for it just being prose.

WHAT YOU WROTE WAS SO CUTE AAA. THANK YOU FOR SIMPING FOR COLLEGE BEDO WITH ME!!

Tugging his hand and not letting go omg . . . you tend to just intertwine pinkies or play with his fingers absent-mindedly that Albedo becomes so accustomed to it so he starts to offer you his hands without a second thought.

WAIT. I gasped at Albedo being a cuddler. He's a little delirious when he first wakes up but you're so comfy that he hugs you a little tighter, asking if you've slept well. You try to reply while worrying about whether or not he can feel your heart thrumming in your chest.

What if Klee is staying with Albedo one night and the three of you fall asleep cuddled up together. Alice comes back early in the morning before any of you are awake and takes a picture. She sends it to Albedo later and he sets it as his phone's wallpaper.

Albedo staring at your lips winded me, thank you.

YES TO THE SWEATERS. I bet Albedo would have the softest and coziest sweaters too! Imagine it being a little cold out and you see Albedo across campus so you bound over to him and give him a hug. You nuzzle into him and mumble out a little 'hello' and say he's warm. You feel his laugh rumble through his chest while he greets you back, wrapping his arms around you

And I LOVE ALL YOUR HEADCANONS! I believe I found your blog around the time you posted Albedo's snort headcanon and it was too much for my heart!! I held tight to that headcanon and never let go lol. I also thought the science + college headcanons you had of him were really nice despite not being necessarily romantic!

Side note: I looked up that lobster fact and that's so cool!!

The Lobster Fact(tm) is my go-to ice breaker and it always fails. I'd imagine it's normally the same w/ Bedo OTL so sad...not many wish to know about potential lobster immortality.

I'm glad that you love the headcanons though!! I enjoy writing for Albedo so so much as you can tell ehe

That being said--if it makes you more comfy to send stuff in a few bursts of asks, I don't mind :DD I'll answer them as usual nodnod

OKIE DOKIE

-

"...Mona, yes?"

"Ah, I was expecting you to come around sooner or later, Kreideprinz."

Really, Albedo didn't mean to stumble upon the Astronomy major, but for some reason the thought of you has been on his mind and the campus' observatory just so happened to be on the way. With the meager hope that...maybe he'd find some sort of answer (in what, he wasn't really sure himself), there she was.

Luckily, she knew just what he was there for.

The moment that she twirls her hand with a wave, telling him that there isn't anything to worry about, the apprehension creeping within his chest at the thought of seeing you next-

disappeared.

It's not often that he turns to less orthodox methods, but he wouldn't lie. Knowing that--at least in Mona's opinion (which tended to be correct, anyway)--the two of you were undoubtly compatible? Something about how your constellations were intertwined...

In fact, Albedo turns a little theory around in his mind. Though based in old folktales, the idea that you gravitate towards those who are made of the very same stardust as yourself, suddenly made sense.

Or, perhaps he was just being hopeful.

-

Little does he know that you most definitely asked Mona about the same thing earlier that day.

-

AHHHHH BUT OF COURSE-

Any of those kinds of places--Botanical Gardens, Art Museums, Aquariums, Zoos, Museums in general--Any place where you're able to utterly lose yourself in your surroundings and look around in awe, really, are your go-to date outing destination!

Usually, it's just the two of you, maybe with Sucrose or Timaeus if it's for a particular class, as well as the occasional Klee in tow whenever Alice is busy with work.

But in this case, fingers interlocked, it's just the two of you on a impromptu trip to the art museum downtown after seeing a promotional banner about a new exhibit. Once inside, you rush along, Albedo trailing close behind with a light squeeze of your hand. The large area used for temporary exhibits isn't far from the entrance, so it's not long until you skid to a stop.

All along the walls are incredibly detailed oil paintings, the thin layered strokes glistening in the light. Albedo takes a moment to whisper to you about how oil paint works.

Due to the thinness of the paint and it's transparency, light passes through every carefully placed stroke, allowing for a unique sort of depth that isn't achievable with other painting media. You smile, the artificial light of the art exhibit making your features glow and Albedo can't help but wonder if you are like those paintings.

So complex, so carefully created in an image perfected with time. Your eyes search his and you say his name and Albedo clears his throat when he realizes he's been staring.

"Do you like this one?"

Ah, you must've assumed he took a liking to this particular painting.

His eyes shift back to it, taking in the sight of the balance of color, the composition, then back to you. He only stares a second longer before nodding.

Whether or not you realize the view he likes is you is something that he dwells on as you both make your way to the next painting.

-

If you had a penny for every time that someone comments on the way you compliment each other, you'd probably be able to pay off your tuition for next semester.

Okay, perhaps not, but the idea still stands.

You're only just at the end of the art exhibit when the security guard wishes the two of you a lovely date. Something about how young love is something to be treasured, something about how the two of you already seem so natural and comfortable in each other's presence.

Before you can mumble out an explanation, Albedo just squeezes your hand, gentle as always, and smiles.

It's a compliment, right? For someone to see how close you are, even if you really are just friends, is a good thing.

Ignoring the warmth that spreads over your cheeks, you smile and turn your head away shyly. Squeezing his hand back, the thought of what it'd be like if you were together crosses your mind.

-

Just as you lend books to him, he lends books to you. Surprisingly, this time it just so happens to be a poetry book--something that you expressed interest in a week ago but ended up not getting.

Within, he's left colorful notes with his neat, slanted writing.

Short discussions (presumably questions to himself) of what the poet must've been thinking, different possible scenarios, are peppered throughout the book. But one just so happens to catch your eye. Rather than a question, it's a statement. Simple, short, and...sweet.

'You carry the aura of the stars.'

The little yellow sticky note pasted beneath a love poem to the night sky stands out. Suppressing a flutter in your chest, you continue reading through the poem book with a few giggles at Albedo's musings until you find a note with most of the words crossed out.

It's entirely unlike him, the way that the dark ink scribbled over the words, making them illegible.

But at the bottom was a continued attempt--one you presume he was satisfied with by the way it lay pristine on the colorful paper.

'You look. I fail to speak.

Your mind, so brilliant as it is I wish to see behind To further appreciate the one I love.

I can only hope one day you shall let me in, So for now I wait patiently by your side.'

Who could he have written this for? You can't help but stare at the poetic attempt, knowing full well that Albedo seldom does something without meaning.

The book closes and you tuck it back on the shelf to ask about later.

-

AAAAA YESYESYESYES I LOVE THAT CUDDLE PILE W/ ALBEDO AND KLEE

Even though Albedo's a grade A student and certified genius (he's adamant in his denial, shaking his head and mumbling about how he just studies hard), he's not entirely a stickler for rules.

Well, that is, Aunt Alice's suggestion that Klee goes to bed by 9.

Instead, the three of you settle in the common room of Albedo's place in a bundle of pillows and blankets at the demands of a pillow fort.

The tv blinks on accompanied by the near silent click of the remote.

"What should we watch?"

Klee always ends up picking the movie. This time, she wants Alice in Wonderland, commenting on how the bunny is like her best friend Dodoco and the blonde girl on screen is named after mommy. Albedo doesn't bother correcting her, even though he knows quite well that dear, sweet Dodoco is a chinchilla.

Between sips of juice and a few mouthfuls of popcorn, the three of you fall asleep, Klee curled up besides you and Albedo's arm draped over you both.

Even when the sun is up in the sky, you sleep peacefully.

So, naturally, Aunt Alice has a spare key just in case something like this happens.

Immediately she's met with the sweetest view--her two kids (she's practically adopted Albedo as her own at this point) and--

Hiding a cheeky smile behind her hand, Alice can't help but sneak a little closer when she spies the way that you and Albedo somehow gravitated closer, his face buried in your hair and yours resting against his collar. Wedged between you with tousled hair, Klee snoozes peacefully.

She snaps a picture, followed by another, and another, and a fourth for good measures before meandering into the kitchen to prep something for breakfast.

Might as well let her three favorite people enjoy the comfort of sleep for a little longer...

You wake up the moment that Klee wiggles her way out of the blankets, nuzzling against the warmth radiating under your cheek.

Nice and cozy. Smells nice...wait.

Eyes fluttering open, you're met with a familiar birthmark and the nearly gone scent of Albedo's cologne.

You nearly pull away until the arm, now wrapped around your waist, pulls you closer accompanied by a satisfied sigh. Ah. You shut your eyes tight when you realize that Albedo's going to be asleep for at least another thirty minutes, resigning to your fate gladly.

Of course, Alice takes the opportunity to snap a few more pictures when you've finally fallen back asleep.

-

YES ALSO ALSO

Speaking of Albedo and sweaters and warm and also the just mentioned cologne. A little fun tidbit--not only are you familiar with the scent of his cologne because he wears it often, but it (in this au) is actually one that you picked out some time back. You probably were at the store together smelling some of the perfumes when you came across one that you were pleasantly surprised by.

Specifically, something that's lightly floral, a little warm but sweet with a hint of earthiness.

The pros? It fits Albedo perfectly! It also kinda sticks well and his place faintly smells of it.

The cons?? Well...you're embarrassed to say that hugging Albedo tends to drag on a little longer than anticipated because it's just such a comforting scent-

Not because you associate it with Albedo or anything-

Ehe

Man I really went to town again, didn't I?? Well, I'm glad that you enjoy my headcanons :DDD Albedo just seems like such a sweet person??? Like endearing in a way that just is...him. If that makes sense.

Brain go brrrrrr

I'll admit that my favorite headcanons for Bedo are mundane and domestic ones though! Like these! Just the little moments where there's nothing really going on except for him and you and ahhhh yesyesyes

Okay that's all-

[oveliagirlhaditright]

Que Será Será

https://archiveofourown.org/works/38180695

Summary: Buffy asks Angel if he has any classical literature suggestions, essentially, as she is trying to get into the stuff (but isn't really being successful there) as she's back in school and taking some English classes again. It's posed as a simple, innocent question, but Angel can tell that something is bothering her about having to ask it at all. Oneshot. Fluff. Future fic. Canon/AU.

Que Será Será

"Angel, do you have a certain book you think I might like? Uhh... let me clarify. Something that's maybe akin to classical, but also not that to get me started in somewhat liking the style?"

Angel looked up from the dish he was working on for the Scoobies' upcoming Thanksgiving dinner and regarded Buffy curiously.

Thankfully, the molé he'd made to go over the turkey was already done and placed in the fridge, and the turkey was ready to go in the oven now. And everything else was either being brought by others or could be made in the morning, if someone realized that they'd forgotten something at the last minute. So, Angel slid across sunflower shade of their kitchen counter and gave the love of his life his undivided attention now, smiling at the woman for a moment with the look he reserved only for her.

"Why the sudden interest in having to read a certain reading style at all, Buffy?" Angel asked, curious, peering down at Buffy to try and better see into her beautiful candy-colored eyes. "You should just read what interests you. What? Are English majors trying to say that anything not a classic isn't 'real literature' again?"

And that seemed to be the answer, as Buffy was suddenly swiftly walking away from Angel with her cheeks stained cherry.

For a second, Angel thought about not following after his fiancée. Even though Buffy had asked for his help here, it was still pretty clear that she was embarrassed that reading wasn't exactly her favorite pastime. And Angel knew that if he offered her quick reassurances, it might actually infuriate her more and then he'd have the Slayer on his hands… even as they talked about non-Slaying things.

But at the same time, Angel imagined that leaving things as they were would also make matters worse. And he never wanted Buffy thinking that she was less than she was.

So, his decision made, Angel jumped off the kitchen island and followed Buffy into their living room, that was very much inspired by the sea, and wrapped his arms around her shoulders from behind. And he definitely took it as a good sign that she leaned into his embrace, instead of getting into her crate of weapons underneath their favorite tan couch to find a stake and end him on the spot. "I don't know why you let what others think get to you, Buffy. They're just being snobs. Even I, someone who grew up during these 'classical' times, think there are much better stories out there than this classic literature now. But if you're still adamant that I help you find something kind of classical that you'll like, know that I will."

"I don't know, Angel!" Buffy sighed at once, pulling away from the vampire, after he'd worn his heart on his sleeve—and this did break Angel's heart some, he wouldn't lie, but he got the sense that Buffy had left his embrace moreso to sort out her own feelings, than because she was upset with him at all—as she set out to pace around the room. "I guess because I'm not getting any younger? And the Slaying has finally slowed down, which is what I've always wanted… But now I need to start thinking about my career. I'm back in school, and…

"I don't know! Maybe it's crazy… But I've actually thought about going into something English related, since even though I was never really great at it, I also wasn't really sucky girl when it came to it, either. And I always did like poetry, like with that beautiful book of poems that you got me for my birthday. But the more I hear people talk about me, I just- I don't know."

As Buffy talked about the insecurities she was now feeling over English Lit, because of people's words to her, Angel couldn't help feeling how he'd once come to be self-conscious of his drawings.

One of the reasons he'd never pursued that talent of his while he'd been human, was because Angel's father had always said that his art was good (one of the few compliments he'd ever afforded him), but not good enough, compared to some of the others in the land. The man had said that maybe if he worked at it every day, he'd eventually be able to do something with it. But until then, he would surely know a hard day's work and the feel of sweat on his back.

Angel had often wondered if it was that—as well as Darla driving the point home that he'd never have his father's approval, after the demon in him had killed his father—that had driven Angelus to become the most artistic vampire the world had ever known, but in such a sadistic way.

Not wanting Buffy to experience anything like that at all, Angel stopped her walking around the room now by gently catching her hand.

"Angel, what-" she started.

But he silenced her by putting a finger to her lips and winking. "There's always going to be someone out there who started earlier than you did… and because of that, has training, and knows the 'right' way to do things. But that doesn't mean they're better than you and that you should give up. Or that you'll never outshine them. I mean, it's never too late to start something, Buffy. Believe me. You should know that better than anyone. Weren't you the one who sponsored my redemption? I certainly started that late, but look at me now."

And at that, Buffy was grinning with a look that Angel thought that she used only for him—something he appreciated for sure—with her nose all bunched up, dimples at her lips, and her candy apple eyes sparkling. "You're right, Angel. Thanks for reminding me of that… around Thanksgiving, no less. I mean, I'm a Slayer who was found by the Watcher's Council late and did things in the most untraditional way… and the best way they could have been done that way, really. If anyone's going to rock out the next great American novel, it's going to be me."

Continue to slay vampires some… read whatever her heart desired… write the next best novel… and be a great mother, Angel knew, as Buffy pressed her lips to his now. He couldn't have agreed with her more.

Author's Note: Wow. This story kind of completely snowballed into something else entirely. Buffy and Angel were supposed to get into a conversation about "The Scorpio Races" by Maggie Stiefvater, but that didn't happen at all. Oh well.

Also, I don't actually think there's an accented "é" in the dish "mole" (though I spelled it "molé"), that I mentioned above. It's a Mexican dish and mole is, like, another word for sauce. And part of me wanted to write mole sauce or something, but then that would be redundant. And then I was tempted to just write mole, but then I was worried you guys would think Angel was cooking a mole or something. But whatever. I will gladly have spelled this wrong, I guess, just so you guys know Angel WASN'T cooking a mole.

Hope you guys liked this:)

[sigynpenniman]

Julian Bashir Playlist Time!!

Apple Music playlist (if you're a heathen and subscribe to apple music like me) here

I know that there's plenty of people making playlists, but I really feel like this is an under-utilized brand of fan content. Instead of attempting to create a list of songs that Julian would listen to, or a playlist of songs which were all lyrically directly applicable (though there certainly some of those in here) regardless of genre, I tried to create something which captured, above all, his vibes instead, by choosing songs that balance at least somewhat relevant lyrical content with the energy or feel that I associate with the character. What it means matters, but not as much as how it makes you feel. That said, I signed up for apple music and read a TON of those overwrought iTunes store album review descriptions while I was making this, so I have a whole lot to say about all my choices here. In depth explanation of my symbolism and methodology behind each song under the keep reading. (I love tumblr. I want to write 1,000 words of analysis about why I picked songs to represent Julian Bashir and some of you are gonna read it. This is where I get to pretend to be one of those iTunes music writers. I feel joy.)

Good Morning - Two Door Cinema Club TDCC's Gameshow is high on my favorite albums of all time list for nebulous reasons I myself don't really understand. It was this album, though not this song (but one that will pop up later) that actually inspired me to make this playlist to begin with, as for some reason, from the color scheme of the album cover, to the overall vibe, to the ever-present references to illness, injury, surgery and healers in the lyrics, the whole thing feels inescapably Julian to me. And with an opening like I'm a sinner/I'm the victim/I'm an alien when I'm myself/I'm a healer/I'm a fixer/I'm a present danger to my health/I'm so strong/Doing what I'm supposed to do/ There's something wrong/With somebody like me, it's hard NOT to think about Julian when you hear this song, and I can't think of a better way to start this off.

Sweater Weather - The Neighbourhood I think there's a joke somewhere about bisexual people all liking Sweater Weather, and yeah, I resemble that remark. Sweater Weather is just good. You'll notice there's a sort of chill-indie-alt-electronic thing going here, and that is very much the vibe I'm sticking with. Sweater Weather slots in beautifully, both sonically and thematically. As the singer looks to warm and protect the person he's with from the cold, you can't help but feel a loving coziness coming off of this one. It always makes me feel cozy, at least, so it's here.

Gooey - Glass Animals I have nothing to analyze here because the artists themselves have said that the lyrics of this song have no meaning, they're just meant to capture a vibe, and capture it they do. Close your eyes and ride the vibes of this one. The energy is right, I love it, it belongs here.

Blue - Mika I could probably write a couple hundred words on Blue alone, in any context. This might be my beloved Mika's magnum Opus. Opening the song with the inherently counterintuitive lyric Blue is a feminine color, Mika manages to pack it ALL into this 3 minute song: questions about gender; concepts of sadness, joy, and their intersections; of the perception of melancholy as a flaw and loving people despite, or maybe because of, those "flaws" and anything else about them; a powerful first person reassurance that made me start weeping in my car the first time I heard it; just the phrase "why are humans cruel to you." And oh boy, ARE there questions of gender. Why is blue NOT considered a feminine color? Is that a good thing, a bad thing? In 3 minutes of artful poetry, Mika manages to wrap up sadness, love, joy, pain, the feminine that exists within the masculine and the masculine that exists within the feminine, in the simple color of blue and then, in one lyric, validates it all. And on a much simpler and more obvious note, this is in fact all a philosophic musing on the symbolic meaning of the color we see Julian wearing almost all the time (when he's not in uniform, almost all his civvies are also shades of blue.) I feel like this is one of those songs that's hard to analyze because it does what music and poetry does best - communicate something that cannot be communicated any other way. With these broad themes of loving others around the things they can't love about themselves, you can decide for yourself if this one is coming FROM Julian or directed AT him, either works. I find myself struggling for exactly the words to explain this one, but listen to it; you'll understand.

Little Dark Age - MGMT Another choice with no obvious lyrical relevance, but the tonal fit was just too good to pass up. The vibes pass.

The City - The 1975 This song is one of several present because it leans on medical symbolism to get its point across, though I would be lying if I said I fully understood what that point was. But the entire second verse, apparently about the song's subject suffering from some kind of illness and reassuring him that the next one's the M.D./You'll be feeling just fine, seems somehow to transmit the discomfort of illness directly to the listener. I don't know how or why, but the effectiveness of the empathy the second half of this song elicits, in me at least, puts it squarely in the "odd medical vibes" category.

Surgery - Two Door Cinema Club THIS is the song that inspired this whole playlist, mostly because of its title and general vibe. Another example (of many) of medical/anatomical references in this album (another of the songs is called Fever, etc), this song just feels like Julian to me.

The Other Side Of Paradise - Glass Animals I really like Glass Animals. That is probably becoming obvious. Aside from its delightfully cohesive vibes, this song opens with what's simultaneously the slyest and most brazen gay lyric I have heard on the radio recently, as the male singer says When I was young and stupid my love left to be a rock and roll star/HE told me... The song seems to be about a man whose male lover left him in pursuit of fame and fortune, and eventually ends up with a woman, leaving the singer behind. It's got simultaneously subtle and obvious gay themes, it's got confused love affairs, it's got so much bisexual energy. I cannot think of anything that could be more Julian.

Sit Next To Me - Foster The People Kind of like Sweater Weather, this whole song is built around a rather cute and sweet "sit next to me," and you can't help but feel a bit warm and cozy when you listen to it. I think it pairs with sweater weather well, and slides in with the rest of the picks very nicely.

Nothing Better - The Postal Service (the original band of the lead singer of Death Cab For Cutie) Another example of heavy surgical symbolism, the very first lyric of this song is Will someone please call a surgeon. This is actually a duet, and the singers speak of their real hearts to represent their emotional ones. Something about Your heart won't heal right if you keep tearing out the sutures always gets me and always will. And it vibes good. It vibes so, so good.

&Run - Sir Sly Sir Sly's &Run is my favorite song for driving too fast. It does an amazing job of musical onomatopoeia, talking about running while making you want to run. It's a song about running out of plans and running as far as you can instead, which is all very "I'm illegal by definition so I went to the farthest possible reaches of space." And like everything else here, it just feels good. It's also one of the only highlights here that I can actually see Julian listening to.

Cosmic Love - Florence and the Machine It's no coincidence that it seems like most of us who are invested in Julian Bashir are some flavor of genderqueer, be it trans, nonbinary, questioning, or something else entirely - the man's got a Gender with a capital G, and there's a whole lot going on in there. Between the words that were written for him on the page, and the words that were actually spoken, and the way he carries himself, Julian always seems caught between the white, western, and frequently toxic masculinity that the writers often seemed to want to imbue him with, and the very different, racially and culturally distinct masculinity Sid actually brought. But there's an undeniable element of the feminine in Julian too, at least by a traditional definition. The presence of this part of him at all, much less the fact that, in-universe, it's the more traditionally "feminine" parts of himself - the caregiving and nurturing aspects - that Julian seems proudest of or to like most about himself, is a large part of what makes his character so interesting, at least to me. So there was no way I was getting out of this without acknowledging that somehow, and I can't think of a better way to acknowledge a complicated relationship with the feminine side of one's own gender than with this world's own Celtic divine feminine, Florence Welch. I can't think of any better artist, at least that I know of, to represent femininity as a nonspecific ethereal goddess-concept. I basically spun the wheel of Florence here, as anything would have worked, but Cosmic Love felt very appropriate for a character who does in fact live in space. There could even be some Garashir in here, I think.

Dream Sweet In Sea Major - ミラクルミュージカル, or Miracle Musical, a sister act made up of members of Tally Hall I also couldn't leave off without acknowledging Julian's affection for classic lounge music, especially since it's the only thing about his taste in music that we actually know. But instead of tacking on some rat pack, instead I'm polishing this off with the incredibly chaotic and somehow also perfectly cohesive and calm Dream Sweet in Sea Major. It's got all of the vibes of a lounge singer but gone completely off the rails, which just seems perfect somehow. And it's also a very nice feeling to be left with, so it seems only right to put it at the end.

and if you've read all of this, I love you. Y'all didn't know I was this into music did you. but I am. oh boy. I AM.

[frecklystars]

This might sound stupid but I want to book a cameo since you've inspired me but I'm kind of lost, can you give a process on what you do?

Not stupid at all broskii!! I'm happy to help. Go on this website, make an account (it's free!), type in the search bar the celeb/actor/whoever you want, hit "book for [insert amount of money listed]" on their page!

If you're asking for specific tips:

if you're booking for someone else, be sure to put in not just their pronouns but also YOUR pronouns so they know how to address you (if you're booking just for yourself then you won't have to do this)

the site/celebs will always strongly advise pronouns AND pronunciation for names

the request box has a 250 character limit. that's less than a tweet! you gotta make it count!!

if you're sending something to a voice actor and you want them to say something specific in a character voice, I cannot stress enough you gotta be so so SO clear that you want it in a character voice. for example you'd write it as "will you please say "[insert text here]" in [character voice]?" or else they might not fill your request the way you wanted.

if you're ordering for someone's birthday, or just ordering for someone in general, details always make it more personalized and fun to watch, and easier for the celeb to deliver. like "my best friend has a birthday coming up, she's 25, she loves [insert show], she writes poetry, she's creative, she's sweet, she's recently engaged" stuff like that! then the celeb is able to gather this information and spin it to really personalize it for you and the recipient, and also make it a little longer

WATCH THE CAMEOS ON THEIR PAGE BEFORE YOU ORDER. see how long their average cameo is, and if it's worth their price!! there's ppl who will list themselves as HUNDREDS of dollars and only give you like, 20 seconds of really rushed talking and it just doesn't feel personal/immersive enough, feels more like they're in it strictly for the fast money rather than giving someone an experience

a cameo can be as short as 10 seconds or as long as 10 minutes. my longest cameo i ever received was over 12 minutes long and my shortest was 30 seconds. again, watch the celeb’s cameo previews before you request, so you have a basic idea on the amount of time you might get depending on your actual request

i've asked the support team and YES you CAN send emojis through the request box, they WILL show up. but they will glitch if you try to send it via DMs... for some reason

the celebs/actors/whomstever might not always read the DMs but if they do, it'll have read receipts on. you won't get a notification unless if they respond to u tho!

you can send links through the request box but the actor might not click it, because... lots of fans send links as spam, so you'd probably have to really stress in your request "this is a link to [insert whatever], it's something i want you to see/perform/script etc etc"

there is a way to pay (without any interest fees) once a week for 4 weeks in a row, for big orders, so like... if you requested from someone and they were $80, you would only be paying $20 once a week for 4 weeks instead of paying the entire $80 at once. i've never actually tried this feature but that IS available and I think it'd be helpful for anyone who wanted to get a more expensive cameo

join the fan club! it's free and you get a few perks, like sometimes they'll upload photos/videos exclusive to the group, or even send a message. this also lets you know if they’re available for calls!

cameo calls!! i’ve had one before, basically how it works is you purchase a place in line (which is however much they list, for example mine was $30 for a 10 minute call with an actor), and you wait in a queue for the allotted amount of time. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE GOOD INTERNET CONNECTION. there’s an option where you can fill out the questions you want to ask, but that’s optional. the call is timed at the top of the screen, so you’ll know when it’s about to wrap up. it also takes a screenshot of you both at the end, and gives you an 8 second heads up.

your money is put on hold! if your request expires, you get your refund immediately. your money isn't taken from your account until the video response is literally sent to you, so there's no risk!

cameo charges a very small fee for each order. it's not a lot. like if i requested something that's $65, the fee is gonna be $3. very small. the price of a coffee.

if the celeb makes a mistake in your cameo and mispronounces your name or uses the wrong pronouns by accident or something, you can always request a new one free of charge by sending an email to the support team. one time i requested something from a voice actor and his microphone was Going Through It and it was so distorted it sounded like everything was underwater and crunchy at the same time like the gravel at the bottom of a fish tank. I just emailed the site and said "hi... the voice actor was perfect but the audio was a little hard to hear" and they were like "oh ok no worries" and they automatically re-sent the request free of charge with the text “redo: distorted audio” attached at the receipt, and then the voice actor answered a day later saying "hello!! thank you for reaching out, i will be happy to redo this cameo! here you go!!" and it's honestly one of my favorite ones i ever received because he took extra time to make it EXTRA special for me, and i'm so glad i requested a new one. i had so much anxiety doing it but he was more than happy to help and it was free!! so don't be afraid to reach out to the support team, they answer very quickly and they have answered a lot of my very, very stupid questions without any judgement. 

there's probably more i can say but this is all at the top of my head. i hope this helps!! :D

[2jaeh]

milky way | youngtaek

you find unexplainable comfort in the words of your favorite poet, but he has a deeper connection to you than you think.

genre: fluff, a little angst

word count: 1.4k

author lin

Your favorite part of the day was curling up on the couch with a hot beverage, scrolling through your phone and having the television on low, offering great background noise so the apartment felt less empty. When the clock struck 7pm you knew you would be receiving that notification from the one person on Instagram that you cared enough to keep up with.

They were a poet who went by the name April and they were quite popular on the social media platform, despite never revealing any information about themself save for what deep feelings were incorporated into their poems. You found a great sense of comfort in their work and you were always anticipating to read their poems.

That day, April had revealed a poem titled 'Milky Way'. The post contained a plain white canvas with the words scribbled in black ink on the left side and a relevant drawing on the right - the standard format for all of their works. For this particular poem, the drawing was of a shooting star with a tiny person looking up towards it.

The poem described a relationship between two people that was so dazzlingly perfect that everyone around them was envious of how perfectly they were made for each other. Alas life moved to a point where the narrator could barely contact their lover and they slowly drifted out of each other's lives. The narrator still had lingering feelings for that person and could never truly move on. The final words of the poem read, Nothing without you, nothing without you… 

April's poems always hit close to home and prompted you to think about your own life and experiences, but Milky Way in particular felt as though you yourself was the narrator in question. A few years ago you had also been in a relationship that was so full of bliss. The boy was named Youngtaek and you always joked about how he set a standard for any other guy you would ever meet, but it was true. 

He was an aspiring songwriter and rapper and often wrote songs about you. He was someone that you could tell anything to and he would never judge. He always showered you with compliments that helped you find confidence in yourself. He encouraged you to try new things and a lot of milestones in your life involved him. Your first kiss, your first time and even your first experience getting chased out of a movie theater because he screamed too loud at the horror movie onscreen.

People who claimed the honeymoon phase didn't last forever clearly did not see the three years the two of you spent together. However, all good things must come to an end. Youngtaek left for Japan to further his studies while you stayed behind. You stayed in good contact for a long time, until you both started to live your own lives with different friends, different timezones, different lifestyles. It was a mutual decision to just end the relationship and move on, but your feelings for him could never disappear that easily.

Since the poem had tapped into an integral part of your mind, you decided to leave a comment. You never did leave comments on April's work - it was quite pointless considering they were so popular and your comment would just disappear into the swarm of others - but you were running on sentimentality at that point. 

@______: Thank you for this, I wonder if the lover will ever know the impact they had on the narrator… 

You left your phone aside and turned the television volume up to watch whatever game show was going on. Despite your eyes being on the screen, your thoughts were still filled with Youngtaek and the poem. The only thing that was able to snap you out of your own world was a chime from your phone. You grabbed your phone and opened up the notification. 

@aprilpoetry: @______ I think they do now… 

Your eyes widened at the comment before contorting into a confused frown. First of all, April didn't reply to their fans often so the interaction did catch you by surprise. Second of all, what did they mean by that? The message was so short and vague, but you didn't want to read too much into it. April was notorious for trolling and pranking their followers so you shrugged it off.

Your notifications were flooded with people liking and leaving congratulatory words on your comment. It was so overwhelming that you almost missed a direct message notification you had received. You opened the message up and you couldn't hold back the gasp that escaped your lips upon seeing it was from April. 

@aprilpoetry: As you know, I will be releasing my first book this Friday. We'll be having a small party to celebrate and I'm looking to invite some interesting fans to join us. Would you be interested?

@______: Me? 

@aprilpoetry: Of course. Your comment piqued my interest. 

@______: My comment? 

April was typing for a long time and you didn't know why you were becoming nervous. You couldn't even believe this conversation was happening. Your phone pinged and you looked down to see details as to when and where the party was being held. 

@aprilpoetry: I hope to see you there

+++++

After days of deliberation, you finally settled on just going to the party. The interaction with April was quite strange and your curiosity really got the better of you. You arrived at the venue - a sleek dining hall decorated in black and white and adorned in pictures of the art that usually featured alongside April's poems.

You floated around the room, taking the drink that a server offered you and inspecting the snack table for anything you might like. Everyone else was already engrossed in their own conversations, presumably about April's poetry. You felt somebody stand next to you, but your eyes stayed fixated on the pink drink in your hands. 

"The mini pizzas are really good." The person next to you spoke and you almost shuddered at the familiarity of their voice. 

You looked up to see Youngtaek smiling down at you. He was wearing black turtleneck with a black blazer thrown over his shoulders. He looked older and much more mature than from when you last saw him. His hair was dyed bright red and his ears were adorned with pretty piercings. He still had the same sparkly eyes that you had adored so much.

"What are you doing here?" You asked in a small voice and he chuckled lightly. 

"It's been a while hasn't it?" Youngtaek ran his fingers through his hair with a sheepish grin on his face, "well actually, we've been closer than we think." 

"What do yo-" 

"I'm April, ______," he cut you off and your eyes widened comically, making him laugh, "when I saw you comment on my post I couldn't believe it was really you. 

"I actually refused to believe it was, so I invited you here to find out," he let out a nervous sigh, "I'm… I'm really glad you're here and you read that poem." 

"I've read all of your poems," you admitted and now it was his turn to look surprised, "I've always followed your account and I… really love your work… Milky Way just hit very close to home." 

"I missed you, every day," Youngtaek admitted, stepping closer to you, "every time I'd think I moved on from us but then you'd cloud my thoughts all the time, just like what I said in Milky Way." 

"I missed you too," you smiled at him when you saw his eyes light up, "I guess it's fate that we found each other again." 

Youngtaek grinned at your words before leaning closer and placing his lips on yours. It felt so familiar, the feeling of kissing him while soft music sounded from the speakers, yet butterflies still fluttered in your tummy. His hands came up to cup your face as you gently held onto his wrists. He pulled away just a few centimeters away to admire your flustered face as his cherry lips curled into a smile. 

"So are we doing this again?" You laughed lightly. 

"Only if you want to ______." Youngtaek grinned, softly running his hands down your arms. 

"Of course April Poetry." 

[luesilust]

What is something embarrassingly vanilla that each of the trash quartet are into? (The truest dirt is in the bland crap you're into when you're a trashy boi, am I right?) ☆

Hahaha what an interesting first ask from a “totally anonymous” anon… ✨ Anyway, I actually really liked this question, but holy hell did it fuck with my brain. I’m used to coming up with all the kinky and/or messed up scenarios and suddenly I’m supposed to do the opposite? My brain is confused. The second problem I encountered was: What is actually vanilla? My brain did not help me on this quest either, as every time I got close to thinking up something clever, my brain goes “SPIT IN THEIR MOUTH!” or something along those lines.

PARISTON

Among the trash quartet Pariston is the one I found the hardest to write this ask for. Mostly because Pariston is an enigma. First of all it’s impossible to know exactly what he does and doesn’t enjoy because everything he does is controlled and calculated. I can see him being into one thing with one partner and something completely different with another. His preferences always switch around.

Sometimes the sex can be very vanilla and tender, usually after he’s been partiularly cruel to you. It’s a way to get you to stay with him despite the abuse.

Pariston’s relation to pleasure is also an interesting aspect. I think that for Pariston sex isn’t the goal that drives his actions, but rather a means to get the reactions he wants from you. This means that if he thinks that a gentle “love making” session is what’s going to make his “game” with you more fun later on, you’re going to get the best vanilla sex in our whole life!

I did, however, think of a few of vanilla things Pariston would absolutely loathe in most circumstances! The number one thing being his partner whispering “I love you” lovingly into his ear, while he’s trying to make you hate him.

ILLUMI

First of all, I think very little will make Illumi embarrassed. That being said there are quite a few things he should be embarrassed about. He’s very motivated to continue the Zoldyck line, so sex would often be more focused on the result than what it feels like there and then. So unless he’s using sex as a way to manipulate or reward you, it would get quite mundane... And isn’t that like the most vanilla thing ever?

Another thing he should be embarrassed for is that he usually doesn’t make you cum very often. He almost never touches your clit, so in the beginning you wonder if he doesn’t know where it is, or that he’s one of those who think women's sexuality is a myth. That however, is not the case, because Illumi probably has extensive training on how to pleasure or sexually torture someone because of his assasin training. The reason for his behaviour is that he usually doesn’t prioritize using his precious time to give you pleasure. It doesn’t make it more likely that you’ll get pregnant, so why waste the time. Orgasms are a reward, not a necessity for his wife.  

If you want to break out of the mundane sex, try to gently kiss his neck. It’s a really sensitive area for him that he associates mainly with killing. Gentle touches are new to Illumi, since his skin is used to getting cut, beaten and abused. The first time you dared ttrying to kiss his neck his body froze in the middle of one of your sessions. The kiss had made his body tingle in a very unfamiliar way. As he didn’t stop you, you continued, and following that was the first time you experienced the more gentle side of your husband. His focus was no longer on just being efficient, but rather on experiencing more of that new tingling sensation of your soft lips against his neck. His hips slowed down into a calmer and more sensual pace than the way his dick had thrust into you in an almost methodical way. As a reward he even brought one of his adept hands down to your clit to make you cum at the same time he did.

I don’t think he’d be embarrassed about liking getting his neck kissed, but I think it will puzzle him at first how much he enjoys it. Not only neck kissing, but touching him softly and stroking his back during sex or foreplay will make it more likely that he’ll feel motived to make the sex into less of a chore.

Outside of sex I think he really likes to get his hair brushed and generally taken care of by his wife. Be careful to be gentle though, as he doesn’t like you pulling his hair, and even doing so by accident will lead to some kind of punishment

.   

HISOKA

Hisoka is another one of the trash men that doesn’t get embarrassed by anything. While Illumi can get puzzled by his enjoyment of some things, Hisoka is down right shameless. Nothing, and I repeat nothing, will make this man feel shameful.

Hisoka also has an unique talent of making any vanilla activity into something straight out of a porn movie. The reason being that his entire body is somewhat of an erogenous zone and that he’s, well, Hisoka, so the moaning will be extreme. Gently lick his neck and he’ll be like: *insert Hisoka’s crazy moaning here*

That being said, I can imagine him as being quite adaptive when it comes to his partner’s sexual preferences. If you’re kinky, he’s all for it, but I can see him enjoying vanilla sex as well from time to time, if that’s what you prefer. I feel like he’s more about his partner’s reactions, rather than exactly what is making those reactions happen. It would of course be situation based, as he sometimes would feel the need to be rough when he’s feeling pent up.

The most vanilla thing I can imagine, that even Hisoka can’t make kinky, is cuddling in bed while watching random reality TV. Hisoka actually enjoys cuddling a lot, so spending all day in bed lazily making out and occasionally having sex is something he’d enjoy. The sex would be soft, either missionary or some kind of spooning position combined with lots of kissing and groping. This could only take place after you’ve somehow managed to deplete his energy a bit, because if he’s feeling pent up or have some kind of project on his mind, he will not have time to spend all day in bed with you.  

Lastly, he’d also enjoy massages and he will, for sure, always expect a “happy finish”.

CHROLLO

Despite being someone who mostly keeps people at a distance, Chrollo sometimes really enjoys sex where he’s embracing you. His favourite position being spooning you from behind, but sometimes plain old missionary will be his pick.

You were quite surprised the first time it happened. Chrollo has such a domineering personality and he’d usually demand complete obedience from you both in and outside the bedroom. It does however happen that you see a different side of him. It would happen late at night after you’ve both gone to bed. I see Chrollo as being a very lightl sleeper because of his upbringing in Meteor City. Said childhood has led to him having trouble relaxing when trying to fall asleep, so maybe the sex makes it easier for him to calm down. He’d hold your sleepy form close to his chest as he finishes inside you, falling asleep with you in his arms (inconsiderate bastard doesn’t think about the fact that you’ll need to get out of bed and clean yourself up after, unless you want cum seeping out of you all night).

Even if he won’t admit to it, it's really obvious that he really enjoys having his ears kissed and caressed. Chrollo is a very perceptive individual so his ears are very sensitive to any type of foreign touch. It’s probably also nice to give his lobes to get a little break from all the abuse from those ginormous earrings he’s wearing...

Chrollo is a also a man of deception and if he needs to play the role of a loving boyfriend to someone other than you to get what he wants, he’ll have no problem doing so. He’ll kiss his target lovingly and have the softest of vanilla sex. He says to himself that it’s all an act, but sometimes I think he’d find himself really enjoying the closeness and intimacy, since he usually puts himself above you when engaging in sexual acts. He’ll tell himself that he’s only enjoying it because he’s too immersed in the scenario he’s playing out with his target. This man is in denial and he’ll keep his soft moments far, far away from the troupe.

TW: Crack

He also really loves to recite gothic love poems that he wrote himself to you during intercourse. He’d hold his poetry book in one hand while he thrusts slowly in and out of you tenderly. It all ends in a crescendo as he reads out the last line as he cums, a single manly tear running down his cheek. (Sorry, I had to join the Drag Chrollo Gang haha).

[enhaswifi]

its always been you.

pairings: kim sun woo x reader

, yang junwon x f / n

summary: you’ve always been in love with sunoo’s nice personality, everybody in your class knows you have feelings for him, you were apartment neighbors you were childhood friends with him but when his dad started a new life he would always be cold and desperate to meet his father again

EP. 1 : LOVE LETTERS

You were bringing some snacks for Sunoo after packing the snacks you we're on your way to go at the front of your apartment. You checked to see if Sunoo's bike was there but it wasn't. He would always still be outside as normally but he went early. You rushed to school to give the snacks to Sunoo as soon as you arrived you entered the school and went to go looking for Sunoo.

Suddenly you bumped into him. Your eyes was settled over his hazel eyes that was glancing at yours. You handed the snacks and you confessed to him sadly he didn't feel the same way. You told him you would try to find a way to make him feel the same way.

A day passed. You we're running late to class you and Jungwon ran together and you suddenly bumped into Sunoo again. He turned to look back at you. You were making eye contact which made you happy.

Another day passed. You saw Sunoo on his way to grab his bike. You asked him if it's okay to go to school together. He refused but you followed him anyway.

Flash to an embarrassing moment where you knocked over a cleaning bucket over him and he gets mad at you. You claim he never really gets mad at you. Ok back to the present, The only thing that is making it worst is that you have short legs that can't compete with his very long ones and that is making it more harder for you to follow him around.

Here comes your classmate Jungwon and he has been singing the same song over and over again as he believes practice makes perfect. You notice he's actually trying to get your attention but you just keep objecting and ignoring his talent for singing and by the looks of it he is hurt, instead you paste a sticky note on his mouth. What both of you didn't notice is that one of your other classmate F/N is watching him with a loving gaze.

You're classmate started collecting your math homeworks, you realized you haven't done it yet so you grab Jungwon's homework and start copying it. Your classmate was annoyed because you always forget. Sunoo walks into the classroom you pretended it was very easy since he was the top of your class. You went to the staff's room 'cause Mrs. Lee called you.

There were many questions you didn't bother answering. Mrs. Lee told you to try your best. At an unexpected moment Sunoo walks in. You stare at him and felt embarrased. You said sorry to your teacher and left the room.

You were staring at Sunoo at the classroom Jungwon kept touching your shoulder to get your attention and talk to him. He told you that you guys should cut school and go singing. You're other classmate asked if Sunoo was free right now. He asked why. His friends were teasing her if she was interested in Sunoo. You started to feel jealousy. She ignored his friends and asked if he could explain the math formula they learned today. As a nice person he is he agreed.

You started calling Jungwon you asked him if who has a smaller face you or her. He told you she had the smaller face you putted a sticker note with an x on his mouth. He told you it wasn't worth asking and he also told you her head-to-height ratio was one to nine. Jungwon told you that you don't stand a chance. You were annoyed and you putted a bunch of sticker notes on his face.

The next morning comes and as usual you wait for sunoo but as you wait you practice on how to present your homemade lunch to him, you voice out each of your conversation which you say that your less-than-small face is not really a deal breaker. As you kept waiting and waiting you eventually fall asleep and as you were sleeping sunoo comes out and sees you passed out on the bench but he just gets on his bike and goes to school like he saw nothing.

Fast forward to class and you guys are discussing about poetry. The teacher states that a love letter can easily move someone's heart and that gives you ideas. It's currently lunch time and you try to write a love letter but Jungwon suggest he helps you because he's a "expertise". You thought he has received so many love letters because of this but he claims it's because he's good at writing.

Eventually you agree but in one condition, you have to deliver his love letters so that he can help you with your writing skills. He corrects all your mistakes or misspellings. You think it's maybe too much but you just shrug it off and you go and continue your writing.

Another day has come. You read your love letter and you didn't know you were loud so everybody could hear you. Once you were done you heard clapping you turned around and saw it was Sunghoon. He told you that you were scary. You told him to stop evesdropping and go away. He told you he would consider you as a brother. He told you everybody could hear you when you were reading it. You ran away from embarrasment.

F/N was reading a sentence. You were writing something during class as you started writing you blushed and got distracted. Your teacher called you to write on the board what f/n just read. Luckily your seatmate helped you. You started writing on the board. You didn't know how to spell 'balance' everybody started laughing you started to erase every vowel you wrote.

Sunghoon entered the room and he started to spell balance. You knew he was an Ice Skater student after he did the introduction. Mrs. Lee told you and Sunghoon to go back to your seats you went to your seats he started tapping your shoulder. He told you that you guys were classmates and you were saved by my t-shirt Jungwon asked if you guys knew each other. Sunoo was looking at you and started realizing if he had feelings for you.

After that class you soon receive a letter by Jungwon and was asked to deliver it too some girl, as you deliver the letter Jungwon watches somewhere around the corner. You finally found the girl and you were about to give the letter but a boy suddenly snatches it away from your hands. He suddenly reads it out loud and makes fun of it, then suddenly more boys came and they also started to make fun of it. You had enough so you tried to get the letter back but you realized you were too short so they started making fun of you as well, Jungwon comes out and suddenly pulls you aside.

Meanwhile, in your class a student comes in and announces that you and jungwon are fighting with some seniors. Your class and some other students who over heard the announcement came running to see what was happening. F/N was first on the scene and quickly defended her classmates. After all she is the responsible one.

One of the seniors try to hit f/n fortunately sunghoon was there too grab the boys hand and says "Is this necessary? Use your words"

Obviously the teachers saw what was happening. One teacher was about to come but then sunoo suddenly pulls you away, while f/n pulls jungwon's arm and signals too make a run for it.

In the library, You were make heart shape dots in the back of your test paper and the teacher saw what you were doing. What the others didn't know is that you were actually writing a love poem which your teacher is reading out loud, you start to panic as drips of sweat is running down your face. Sunoo was about to interfere but Sunghoon got there first. He was about to speak when the teacher suddenly tells him to go back to training. Sunghoon sits down as he could do nothing about it, all he could do is to listen to Mr. Choi.

Suddenly Sunoo stood up for you 'cause he saw you getting embarrased. He told them that Mr. Choi was violating human rights. It wasn't against the rule to write love letters in class. Mr. Choi got mad and told Sunoo he doesn't get a free pass just because he's the top of the class. He was told to go stand at the back Mr. Choi kept reading suddenly Heeseung realized it was a song so he sang.

Jungwon also sang and the whole class sang together you and f/n was smiling since it was kinda've funny. Mr. Choi kept saying to be quiet but they never listened to him and kept singing. Jungwon ran outside the room with Mr. Choi chasing him. You looked at Sunoo with a smile and he smiled back which gave you butterflies.

You were all writing apology letters and passing it. You looked at Sunoo's apology letter and you told him he looked like he wasn't being sincere. You offered to help him because that was your speciality. He declined your offer and took back his apology letter.

On the other hand Jungwon told f/n that she was amazing while handling the fight earlier. F/n told him the things he should've done before. You agreed while listening to their conversation. You got furious for making you write lyrics Jungwon said sorry and told you that karaoke's is on him. You all declined his offer and made excuses so that you wouldn't go with him.

You checked the time and assumed that Sunoo went to school already but he was getting his bike. He asked you if you were coming and you told him yes. He was gazing at your beaitiful face and asked why you kept smiling. You answered with a excited face and told him you are thrilled to go with him. He rode his bike and kept smiling. You were following him with a bright smile.

- EVEN THOUGH HE DIDN'T RECIEVE A LOVE LETTER FROM YOU. SUNOO FELT LIKE HE REALIZED YOUR FEELINGS.

[himbowelsh]

Hi! I wanted to ask if you could do the Valentine's A-Z thing for Smokey. If you're uninspired, it's totally fine if you don't, though!! :) in case you do, thank you very much!^^

valentines day alphabet  ( accepting! )

A   :   AFFECTION.   how does your muse show affection?

He’s a very demonstrative person who’s not shy about his physicality, and most at ease around people who are able to take it; sometimes Smokey can even be thoughtless with touch, because he doles it out so casually. he loves to be touched in return, relishing the reassurance it provides   ---   Smokey’s just not someone who enjoys being alone for too long, so brushing shoulders and wrapping arms around people chases those feelings of loneliness away.

B   :   BOUQUET.   does your muse like flowers? which ones are their favourite?

He’s actually very good at picking out just the right bouquet for the occasion! His twin sister has a passion for flowers, so Smokey had to learn, okay?Flowers really aren’t that confusing, once you know how to take care of them. He’s no gardener, but could definitely keep plants alive if he tried.

C   :   CHOCOLATE.   does your muse like chocolate? which one is their favourite?

He’s a casual fan. While he won’t buy it for himself, if someone gives it as a gift  ---  or a bribe  ---  he’ll gladly accept.

D   :   DATE.   what is your muse’s ideal date? where / who with / etc?

He wants to take something completely casual and turn it into something semi-illegal. Let’s go to the movies and try to break into the projector booth, just to see if it’s possible. Best seats in the house! Let’s see if we can “accidentally” get locked in a department store overnight, and run around bouncing on beds and doing weird things in the dressing rooms. Smokey can make most casual things a lot of fun, but he thrives in situations on just the right side of absurd. He’d love a partner who can liven up even the most mundane date! (And hopefully rein him in from doing anything too wild.) 

E   :   EMBRACE.   does your muse like hugs? what are their hugs like?

Again  ----  very driven by physical contact, very liberal giving it out. Smokey hugs like it’s going out of style. He rubs people’s backs, claps their shoulders a bit, sometimes blows in their ear to make them jump...  he’s got a different hug for every occasion.

F   :   FLIRT.   is your muse good at flirting? how do they flirt?

A very playful flirt, with a collection of pickup lines ranging from inspired to creatively-terrifying.

G   :   GIFT.   is your muse good at gift - giving or do they struggle to get it right?

He thinks he’s great at gift-giving. Plenty of people who’ve received gifts from him would beg to disagree. And beg to be able to return the thing. (“Why the hell do I need a Dick Tracy lunchbox, Smokey, I’m a grown-ass man  ---”)  Always gives his gifts with the utmost confidence, even if it’s not something any sane person would want.

H   :   HEART.   is your muse quick or slow to give their heart away?

He definitely needs the right incentive, with the right partner...  but that doesn’t take much. Truth is, Smokey falls in love fast. Once he’s in, he’s in, and it’s not easy to shatter his affections.

I    :   I LOVE YOU.   does your muse find ‘i love you’ easy or hard to say?

Gah, he loves saying it. If he’s in the right mood, he’ll say it twenty times in a day, just because he loves hearing it. When it comes to love, he’s very verbally demonstrative, as well as physically. Saying the Three Big Words isn’t a big deal to Smokey, because by the time he says them, he knows he means it   ----   not like there’s any point holding them back. He’ll be the first to say it in a relationship  (and might hold his breath until his partner says it back, but he’s willing to wait all year).

J   :   JEALOUSY.   does your muse get jealous in a relationship?

Nah, not really. He’s a confident guy, and that confidence extends to his partner   ---   he’s fully confident they’d never do anything to hurt him. And...  honestly, Smokey’s got a wide circle of friends who he’s very affectionate with, so seeing the same behavior from his partner wouldn’t raise any red flags for him at all.

K   :   KISS.   is your muse a good kisser? why / why not?

Smokey is the world’s biggest tease  ---   a very playful kisser, who enjoys stringing his partner along after him. He loves pulling someone close, his arm wrapping around their back completely, a hand cupping their head; he’ll angle them slightly backwards, leaning into the kiss as his mouth finds a rhythm against their own. Slight grazes of teeth and tongue, just enough to leave them tense in his grasp, eager for more...  and then he’ll pull away with a broad grin on his face, inviting them to come get it. Very into love nips, but will pull unexpectedly tender kisses seemingly out of nowhere.

L   :   LOVE.   who does your muse love?

He’s got a lot of love to give, and when it comes to the people he cares about, Smokey loves fiercely. Probably the most important person in his life is his twin sister, Cleta, who he adores; then his parents; then all his friends, who he’d hide a body for without question; and his family should he ever start one, would immediately move to the top of the list.

M   :   MOONLIGHT.   is morning or night a more romantic setting?

He tends to get in a weirdly touchy/romantic mood anywhere around 1 - 3am, aka the hours when any sane person just wants to sleep. He’s tired too, and he knows his partner is, but when the mood strikes...

N   :   NAUGHTY.   what is your muse like in bed?

Smokey is a very attentive lover. He does not work on instinct; it’s all observation, keeping track of what his partner responds to best. Do they shiver when he nips them here? Groan when his tongue does that right there? Very interesting. He files it all away for later, stocking up an arsenal of how best to drive his partner wild. And what a tease  ---   he’ll bring his partner to the brink, only to pull them right back, so many times that they can actually get angry at him. Fisting a hand in his curls and pulling is a guaranteed way to get him compliant; he’s very sensitive at his hips, and will turn to putty if his partner directs their attentions there. 

O   :   ODE.   does your muse have a way with words?

You know he does, baby, you know he does. One of his favorite hobbies is writing long-winded poems just to troll people, but Smokey has also tried his hand at writing short stories before. Love poetry is very different  ---  much more intimate  ---  but Smokey’s sharp enough to do anything if he puts his mind to it, so he’d give it a shot.

P   :   PARTNER.   what does your muse look for in a partner? looks / personality?

Smokey wants someone with a bright personality   ----   someone who lights up every room, with a quick wit and sharp mind. They don’t need to be a social butterfly, just to entertain him; he likes to be kept on his toes. Someone with a great sense of humor, and a great laugh. Someone who loves to read, because so does he, and they can talk about books for hours; someone who makes good coffee in the mornings, and that’s crucial. Smokey really just needs someone who can bounce off of him, take a joke, and make him smile even when it seems the hardest thing in the world. 

Q   :   QUESTION.   would your muse ask the big question or expect their partner to?

If you don’t think this man will plan an elaborate proposal   ---   he’d do the most elaborate thing. He’s probably brainstormed wild proposals long before he even met his partner, just because he figured he’d have to do it someday, and wanted to be ready. Smokey would find some insane way to propose, like on the top of a roller coaster or via skywriting airplane,just to see if he could pull it off. And if it doesn’t, he has no qualms with finding another way, and proposing all over again.

R   :   ROMANCE.   is your muse a romantic or a cynic?

He’s got a super romantic heart, and is 100% willing to laugh at his own optimism. That doesn’t make it any less genuine, or make him any less eager to find love.

S   :   SWEETHEART.   did your muse have a childhood sweetheart?

His sister went through a phase when she wanted to get married, and poor Smokey was the nearest boy she could rope into playing the Wedding game with her. She got her best dress out, a little bouquet of flowers, forced Smokey to make a ring out of an old bottle cap for her...  then, somehow, a bunch of other neighborhood girls got involved. Smokey ended up with six wives, including his sister. None of them wanted anything to do with him by next week. He’s 90% sure none of those marriages are valid today.

T   :   TRUE LOVE.   does your muse believe in true love?

Sure he does! When he meets the right person, Smokey’s determined  ---  that’s going to be it. He’ll be sold. He’ll know them, he’ll love them, and the rest of his life will just be getting to show them. He’s definitely idealized romance in his head, but that’s just because he really wants to fall deeply in love with someone.

U   :   UNREQUITED.   has your muse had their heart broken?

Smokey’s not the type to be completely shattered by a failed romance, even if it were one that meant a lot to him. Something like...  losing someone he loves without warning, or having them die too soon...  that’s the sort of thing capable of breaking his heart.

V   :   VALENTINE.   how does your muse feel about valentine’s day?

It’s a fun night, and he’ll spoil his partner any way they want, but he loves using it as an opportunity to come up with dates no one else would think of. Who else would spend Valentine’s Day renting horses to ride, or going to a haunted house?

W  :   WEDDING.   would your muse get married? why / why not?

Yes! Please marry him! He wants it bad! He’ll ask a dozen times  ---  once he loves someone, he wants nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with them. Marriage sounds like a dream.

X   :   XOXO.   does your muse use / like pet names?

Oh, absolutely! He’ll make lists, just brainstorming as many as he can think of, and leave them lying around the house for his partner to find; he’ll bounce a few off of them, just to see how they’ll work.   (“honeycakes, what are you  ---  no, that doesn’t work, does it?”  // “hey, sugarpuss--” “NOPE.”) Nicknames are a sport for Smokey, and he plays to win.

Y   :   YOURS.   does your muse get protective easily?

Smokey has a very short list of people he’d go ride-or-die for. It includes his sister, his mom, a few close friends, and his partner. Once they’re on that list, no one gets to hurt them, ever.

Z   :   ZZZ.   how many people has your muse slept with?

Honestly, it’s all about finding takers. Smokey’s not shy, but wasn’t exactly rolling in girlfriends back home. Overseas, it’s easier. If asked, he’d probably quote a number much higher than the actual amount.

[etlunainmorte]

A short instruction!

Please, watch the video to get a full grasp of what V would be doing later on in the story.

Thank you so much and enjoy the latest chapter!

***

❄❄❄

***

*Chinese Black Tea*

Directions

1. Preparation

Before making a cup of black tea, you're supposed to get a clean tea set ( such as a teapot, fair cup, and cups ), tea, and a kettle of boiling water prepared.

2. Measuring Out the Tea Into the Cup / Teapot

Measure out the desired amount of black tea leaves ( 3 to 5 grams for 150 to 250 ml of tea ) and put them in the cup or teapot.

3. Boiling Water and Pouring It Into the Cup / Teapot

Boil the water and pour it into the cup. If a teapot is used, you're advised to fill 80% of the teapot with water ( to avoid spillage when pouring ).

4. Observing the Color and Smelling the Fragrance

Steep the tea leaves for 2 to 3 minutes. Then you're highly advised to observe the red infusion and smell its fruity fragrance.

5. Enjoy It

As the tea cools down, you can fully enjoy its delicious taste.

*Chinese Walnut Cookies ( 核桃酥 )*

Prep Time - 55 minutes

Calories - 590

Servings - 4

Ingredients

120 grams unsalted butter ( 1 stick / 8 tablespoons, softened at room temperature )

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 large egg ( beaten )

1 1/2 cups all - purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 pinch salt

1/2 cup walnuts ( shelled, broken to small pieces )

Directions

Add butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar into a large bowl. Mix with a hand mixer on low until smooth.

Add 2 tablespoons of egg. Keep mixing until fully and combined.

Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until it just forms a dough. Do not over mix. It is okay if there is a bit of dry flour left in the bowl.

Change to a spatula. Add walnuts and add them into the dough.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C ( 350 F ).

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or prepare a nonstick cookie sheet. Scoop about 1 and 1/2 tablespoons cookie dough and transfer it to the cookie sheet, 1 scoop apart from each other. You can also use smaller cookies by using 1 tablespoon dough per cookie.

Once the dough is divided, flatten the dough into a round disk, about 6 - cm ( 1/3 - inch ) in thickness.

Mix the remaining egg with 1 teaspoon water to make the egg wash. Right before baking, brush a thin layer of egg wash on the top of each cookies.

Bake for 31 to 35 minutes, or until the cookies are cooked through.

Remove the cookies from the oven and place them onto a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Then transfer the cookies onto the rack until completed cooled down.

You can store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

***

"You said, please, say yes." You excitedly informed him. "And I said, yes! I'm going to the New Year's Ball with you, V!"

It took the poet a full minute before he finally realized what you were talking about. And when he finally realized what your words truly meant, his eyes slowly widened and his mouth fell open in shock. He grabbed his messy hair with both hands and spoke, "That - that's your answer, right? You'll go to the Ball with me?"

"Hahaha! Of course, you silly poet!" You laughed as you threw yourself at him, hugging him and placing a tender kiss on his cheek. Oh, how sweet you smelled. What a nice morning, indeed! "See ya!"

And before V could even reciprocate with a kiss of his own, you took your hands off him, waved, and went back to your house.

"Wow, I can't believe it! She said, yes!" Nico, who was standing for more than a few minutes just outside the house and witnessed everything, said. "Ya know what this means, V!"

"And what does that mean?" V, who was startled and embarrassed when he realized that Nico saw you kissing him, asked, his eyes landing dangerously on hers.

With a huge smile on her face, she went towards the poet, flailing her arms like crazy and sending most of her groceries flying in the chilly winter air just like that day when she found out that Avery commissioned him to drive the restless spirit out of her mansion. V took a few steps back but, he was not able to escape when he has come face to face with the crazed Artisan, herself.

"Dance!" Nico screeched, sending V's ears into oblivion. "Ya must learn how to dance! Just like,... "

And V, who knew exactly what she was talking about, gulped nervously and spoke, "Just like,... ?"

This made the woman's eyes glow with an unexplainable kind of energy. "Oh, ya know! ELVIS PRESLEY!"

***

❄ Three Wishes ❄

***

X

***

"So, what do ya think, man?" Nico asked V when the video ended. "Ye can handle it, right?"

"Can you do that, V?" Griffon, who was flying just above the poet's head, chimed in.

"Master, can you move like that?" Shadow, whose large paws were on top of the table where Nico's cellphone was, added.

And V, who just saw, in full, excruciating detail, how Elvis Presley moved and wooed the female audiences who went wild for him, drew back and placed a hand on his forehead. "I,... excuse me. Before I,... completely,... lose myself,... !"

"It's too much for Shakespeare!" Griffon, who helplessly watched as Shadow went after V towards the bathroom, exclaimed. "Why does he have to learn how to gyrate and grind like Elvis Presley, anyway?"

Nico hummed, drumming her chin with her fingertips. "I have caught some news that (Y/N)'s stupid ex is attending the Ball."

"Ah! The douchebag ex!" Griffon added, trying his very best to ignore the pitiful sounds of V throwing up in the bathroom.

"Yeah, him." Nico confirmed. "And I bet ya he'll do anythin' he can to shame V in front of many people after what happened in the shopping district, now that (Y/N) has agreed to be Poetry Boy's date."

"Ah! What do we do?! We can't let Shakespeare eat someone else's dust!"

"That's why I'm pushin' him to learn Elvis! I'm a hundred percent sure he'll be a hit with the ladies, and Fleminger, being a huge Elvis fanboy, will surely like him. But, now, that seems impossible." Nico cringed, her nose wrinkling at the disgusting sounds she's hearing from the bathroom. It sounded as if V was emptying his breakfast of eggs, ham, bacon, and fried rice from his stomach in multiple sessions of puke, and she’s starting to pity him. "I mean, how virgin is that man, anyway?"

"Virgin enough!" Griffon snapped to cover up the truth that V have zero experience when it came to relationships and intimacy. "Anyways, look for somethin' less sexual than Elvis! Anythin'!"

"Alright! How about,..."

About thirty minutes later, V came out from the bathroom looking more peaked and weaker than ever before, like he hasn't eaten for a whole day. Despite that, he seemed determined to finally learn the ways of the King Of Rock.

"I'm ready." His voice, despite sounding weak, was laced with utter determination. "If (Y/N) enjoys such move, then I would gladly learn Elvis Presley for her. Anything for my sweet, little - "

Ladies and gentlemen, we've got a special treat for tonight!

I'm gonna call my friend Olly up here to sing to you ladies!

Olly!

Yeah!

Let's go, man!

Okay!

"Hey, man! Ye're just in time. Come here!" Nico called from the living room as some lively kind of music begun blasting from the speakers. The woman was also able to connect her phone to the television via a strange device ( V has learned not to question her regarding things like this and just allowed her to do her stuff ), and a few moments later, he found himself staring at the two dancers in the screen, completely mesmerized of their swift and exact, yet fun and engaging, movements.

My name is Olly, nice to meet you can I tell you, baby.

Look around there's a whole lot of pretty ladies.

But not like you, you shine so bright, yeah!

I was wondering if you and me could spend a minute.

On the floor up and close getting lost in it.

I won't give up without a fight.

V's eyes widened. The couple looked like they were really enjoying the dance! The movements looked snappy and hip, and the fast routine engulfed him whole in an instant! He even felt his toes and his fingers drumming to the beat of the pleasant sound!

He was interested! And this made Nico and Griffon nod in approval. Finally! A dance that was best suited for V, the mysterious one!

I just wanna, oh baby!

I just want you to dance with me tonight!

So come on, oh baby!

I just want you to dance with me tonight!

"What is this wonderful dance?" V asked as the routine ended.

"It's called Jive, V." Nico answered. "So, what do ya say? Wanna learn it?"

"Yes, please!" V answered with glee as he faced the woman. "But, (Y/N). Does she know how to do this?"

"She does! Actually, I think I've seen her dance that with Roman during his wedding party. You know, the day you wore that little lace garter on her thigh?"

Of course! How could he forget? His fingers gliding against your smooth skin as he slipped the little garter to your foot and wore it up to your thigh. And your shy, little smile and blushing cheeks as you looked into his eyes.

That lovely woman he thought he'd never see again,...

How could he forget?

And now that you have agreed to be his date, he will do anything to make that evening special for the both of you.

He will see this night through, even if it meant he has to learn some moves that could be considered out of his comfort zone.

He will do it for his sweet, little, beloved lady. He will do it for you.

And so, for the rest of the whole afternoon, V did nothing but watch Jive tutorials on the internet to learn the dance. With Nico and his familiars' help, he was able to learn it in only three hours. At least the basic parts of the dance, that is. With a few more hours of learning and practice, V was confident that he could master it in time for the New Year's Ball. He knew he will succeed and his hard work would pay off.

"I,... never really expected that I could learn something like this." The poet confessed as they enjoyed the snacks that Nico prepared for them - some Chinese walnut cookies paired with black Chinese tea ( she said it's for V's vitality, or something ). "It's true what they say: when there's a will, there's a way."

"Exactly!" Nico answered as she relaxed on the sofa, her legs crossed, and her fingers idly playing with the remote as she held the teacup with her other hand. "And with a few more practices, I'm sure ye'll snag the title of King! And (Y/N) will be the Queen!"

"I never wanted to earn that title." V confessed, taking a sip of the oriental style beverage.

"Why not?" Nico, whose eyebrows furrowed at what V just said, asked.

"Her happiness is enough for me. And her smile," V said, his own smile never leaving his gentle features. " ... is more than enough. Her happiness,... means everything to me."

To this, Nico smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "Of course. And I'm sure if it's you, she will smile. She will be happy."

"Are you certain?"

"Yeah. Wanna bet on it?"

V chuckled. "There's,... no need for that."

"Well, that's - "

Nico was interrupted when a portal suddenly appeared right before them. It was like - !

"HOLY SHEEP! WHAT'S THAT?!" Nico yelled, frightening both Griffon and Shadow, who were minding their own business in one corner of the room.

V, on the other hand, was not surprised. With a knowing smile, he stood and made his way towards the portal, waiting for,... something,... to come out of it.

And when someone finally did come out, Nico, Griffon, and Shadow could not help but be frightened.

"Just in time," V greeted the man who came out of the portal with a slight tilt of his head and a smirk. " ... as always."

"I'm,.... never late." The man with white, spiky hair and cold eyes answered.

"Y - y - you're," Nico stuttered as she pointed at the visitor. She was still scrambling on the floor with V's poor familiars. " ... Dante's twin brother!"

The eyebrows of Dante's twin brother shot up to his hairline at the way Nico addressed him. He sheathed his sword and decided to just let this blunder of hers slip through.

"Vergil." V greeted as he offered his hand.

"You still go by that one letter name of yours?" Vergil, whose presence alone was too much compared to the powers of V and his familiars combined, asked as he shook V's hand.

"Yes, and I prefer it to remain that way." V answered as he went back to his chair and gestured for his brother to sit opposite him. "You being here, I assume you've brought it."

"I'm not Dante." Vergil snapped, his eyes landing on Nico and making her even more terrified. "I always fulfill my duties."

"W - w - what's he sayin', V?" Griffon whispered as he grasped his master's shoulders in fear of the man.

"Master, he might hurt you!" Shadow added as she huddled close to V in fright.

And Vergil heard this. "What hospitality you bestow upon your guests!"

"Forgive them. They are simply," V apologized, and with one swift move of his hand, the two familiars went back to him in an instant. " ... awed,... by your presence."

"Intimidated,... is what you wanted to say." Vergil retorted.

"You know me too well."

“That is a vast understatement."

There was a momentary silence between the men, and a few seconds later, Vergil finally showed V the thing he was holding onto. It was an old and extremely heavy - looking ornate box that seemed to contain something very important. The half Devil placed it on top of the table and effortlessly slid it towards V. The poet carefully opened it under the eyes of the curious Nico, who stood behind him, and soon, their eyes were met not with some kind of treasure but of something that seemed much more valuable.

"Father wore that when he confessed his feelings of love to mother." Vergil explained as V took the old outfit out of the box to examine it. "And that trinket," V noticed the necklace at the bottom of the box and picked it up. " ... was his wedding gift to her."

"Wow!" Nico gasped in awe as V allowed her to touch the golden necklace with the most beautiful sapphire gem on it. "This looks really expensive."

"It is not only expensive. It is more valuable than you think." Vergil answered as he leaned against the table with one elbow and propped his temple against his fist. "You could even say it is more valuable than any mortal's life."

"I did not ask for this." V spoke with utmost sincerity. He only asked for Vergil's help with the vintage outfit. He never expected his brother to do more than just that. He was practically giving away their mother's most prized possession!

"And I did not ask for anyone’s permission or opinion to bring that." Vergil answered truthfully. "You are going to that Ball with the person you loved. If you have no intention, whatsoever, of letting her go, then you better do everything you can in your power to make her yours. Do as father did, and make him proud." And with a slight glance at the plate of Chinese walnut cookies on the table next to him, he added, "And that girl (Y/N) deserved that trinket more than Dante. He will only sell it to pay his mountain of debt, if I may say so."

"How could I ever repay you for this?" V asked as he put the trinket and the outfit back to the ornate box. "I,... don't earn much. At least, not enough to pay for something like this."

"You don't have to." Vergil answered as he stood and made his way to the center of the living room where he first materialized. "I've made myself clear. Make that girl yours and carry on a proper Sparda bloodline. If anyone should do it, then it's you. I can't trust Dante with it, after all."

"What about you, Vergil?" Nico, whose fear of the tall man in blue finally dissipated, asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. "Aren't you going to the Ball? You received an invite, right?"

"How did you know about that?" Vergil unsheathed his sword and pointed it at the ground, his eyes narrowed at the woman.

"Dante is a chatterbox, ya know what I'm sayin'?"

Vergil's eyes narrowed even more. "What else did he tell you?"

"Yer date dumped ya."

"Well," Vergil turned away from them, raised his sword high up in the air that it almost reached the ceiling, and made a portal that was similar to the one he made earlier to get to V's house. " ... if he really is that interested in that Ball, then I should go directly to him right now and shove those invites down his throat. Maybe then, he would learn that it is foolish to dive his nose on other people's businesses."

"I'm grateful for your help, Vergil." V simply said. "I truly am."

"It was nothing." Vergil answered but, before he could step into the portal, he turned around once more and strode towards the table, making it there in only a few steps due to his long legs. "Can I, ah, have one of those?"

It took V a few seconds to realize that Vergil was actually asking for some cookies, and when he nodded, the intimidating Devil Hunter, who lived a far more decent life than his own twin by slaying Demons and earning more money than him, gingerly took one treat, a noticeable blush creeping up his pale face, and turned around unceremoniously.

And without another word, he stepped towards the portal he made and finally left. But, not before V and Nico hearing the audible crunch of the cookie that Vergil just ate away from their prying eyes first.

***

❄ @la-vita , @dreaming-gamer , @clevermentalitybeliever , @birdgirl69 , and @v-vic . ❄

***

"Ya sure ye wanna watch that Elvis vid?" Nico asked as she stepped out of V's house into the cold weather outside. "I thought ya don't want it."

"I'm pretty sure." V said with a grin. "One song there actually,... lured me in."

"Ah, that song!" Nico thoughtfully said. "Yeah, that was nice. Well, be seein' ya! And don't forget to call if ya need help!"

"I sure will."

"Bye!"

Not a moment has passed after V closed the door to his house when Nico noticed your former lover coming out of your house, looking down and rejected.

And he noticed her, as well.

"What are you looking at?!" Christopher growled at her, making her draw back cautiously. He seemed really mad, and with the bouquet and the box of chocolates in his hands, it only meant one thing: that he tried to win (Y/N) once more but she rejected him. And this made Nico smile from ear to ear.

"Whoa, I'm not even starin' at ya, no!" Nico's sarcastic answer only infuriated Christopher even more.

"You, STUPID BITCH - !"

"AH, AH, AH! Don't try it." Nico warned with a smile, then, she pointed at V's house behind her with her thumb. "Remember that Red Grave Muckspout? The fat bird that tried to kill ya? It lives there now! Ya don't want it to hear ya, or else,..."

"Or else, what?"

Nico placed her hand on her hip and playfully waved at Christopher with the other. "Or else it's bye bye eyeballs for ya!" And with it, she trotted away, humming her favorite song on the way to her ugly white van with a neon sign in it that says, Devil May Cry.

Nico's actions made Christopher look at the house, and there, on that window, he saw the man called V examining a set of vintage clothing that looked far more exquisite than his.

Wait, vintage clothing? 

"Hey, V!" Christopher heard a shrill male voice coming from the house. V was not alone. "Ya think (Y/N) would like that necklace?"

"One could only hope." V answered as he took out an extremely expensive - looking jewelry from an ornate box on the table where the vintage clothing also came from. "But, for now, I want to practice more,… dances,… for the Ball."

"Don't overwork yerself, Shakespeare!"

"So! You're the one who took my (Y/N) away from me!" His teeth gritting in suppressed anger, Christopher threw the bouquet and the box of chocolates away and took out his cellphone from his pocket. Dialing a particular number, he waited until someone answered his call. And with fury - filled eyes for the man who was the cause of his embarrassment in front of you and your grandmother, he spoke, "I have a job for you,..."

You will pay for this, you, bastard!

***

❄❄❄

***

[dilfslasher]

this is a little bit different but -

so if you take even a cautionary look at my blog you can tell that its mostly dedicated to poetry and writing with an emphasis on gay stuff as the subject of said writings, but ive felt inspired as of late to push this blog out of its comfort zone; thats were Alex from Tennessee comes in.

Alex has reached a level of infamy in the world wide web for being another trademark in the "OP never delivers," trope found in many online mystery forums and discussion, this trope is when the OP (original poster) generates discussion on some crazy mystery they've found and right when the story should reach its climax.... nothing, OP never delivers.

THE EVENTS -

the story itself is set mostly on the dreaded 4Chan forums but please don't let that dissuade from the intrigue, as it had when I first found out about Alex. it starts with a mysterious poster claiming that they had a prize hidden underneath a plastic bag at a location in which they had supplied coordinates earlier in the post, the previously mentioned coordinates led to a location in Tennessee -

over a period of 18 minutes after the original post there were threats of police being called and eventually the creepy OP had then posted more images in an attempt to draw greater attention to the location in an attempt to lure someone to "collect their prize"

examples of the further posting can be seen here (possible content warning) -

as seen from the images the OP had posted what seemed to be the decaying remains of a body, (now just wait until the end before you pass final judgement on if this is in fact a real body) the post had seemed to lost some of its traction until a anonymous user calling himself Alex had posted saying he was at the coordinates and was interested in collecting the "prize." Alex's trip to the location was eventful as he had posted multiple photos of what the derelict building looks like on the inside. examples of these and further discussion on the images found below (yet again another content warning)

the first two images are seen to be the fabled plastic prize the OP had advertised in the post, the images that followed are the contents of the prize

what looks like a dead animal - possible rat or mouse

a paper plate with a scrawled message and a hard drive taped to the back of it

the message on the plate reads - "plates a date a very important mate you shouldn't have come I lied"

it was after Alex found the prize that he reported hearing a car driving around on the gravel slowly.

Alex had probably outstayed his welcome and so naturally he decided to leave, first instinct he decided to find a backdoor, this ultimately was unsuccessful.

Alex's final words to that message board were -

THEORIES -

the two main theories in this case are;

- its real

- its fake

let's break down the main points of controversy on the validity of this case -

Alex's ability to post pictures and text to a message board at superhuman speed

the decision making that Alex takes while presumably being chased by the OP

and Alex himself is brought into question

ok so the biggest piece of evidence leading to the conclusion of the whole thing being fake is the speed at which Alex can upload a photo and text. Alex uploads three images all with accompanying text in less than 3 minutes, whilst also searching around the room and searching objects. not to mention when the OP returns Alex searches the entire building, takes an upward of 3 photos and posts them all with text within 10 minutes.

another key piece of evidence for it being fake is Alex himself, I searched on the missing persons register for someone named Alex (Male or female I just keep assuming it's a guy) who went missing on the 29th - 30th of April 2013. no results.

now not that anybody has asked for my opinion but I believe this entire ordeal is fake. some details just don't add up.

this isn't meant to be taken as gospel, I'm making these posts as an introduction to these subjects in which you can find more elaborate and detailed explanations from more professional and consistent creators, that being said if you're reading this and you got this far please leave your criticism or praise in the notes and please reblog if you enjoyed it helps a lot. if you have any suggestions for other topics to do then please ask,

I sincerely hope you have enjoyed reading

- apex twink

[catilinas]

HI, I'm a dumb young poet who wants to submit to Foyle contest thingy but as I said previously I'm very dumb and Bad at poetry, so could I have some *advice* from talented poet and classics person. Is there like a topic you're supposed to write about? How do you find inspiration? I have topics to write about sometimes but they hit too close to home and it's less like poetry and more like a rant about my life.

hi hello! im experiencing Big Doubt that you are dumb and/or bad at poetry but foyle advice is definitely something i can give:

there is no theme! you can submit as many poems as you like, about whatever you like. what Is Noticeable in previous winning poems is that they’re usually between half a page to two pages of a4 long. but then that’s true of most contemporary poems?

personally i get inspiration for poems from like. wikipedia. i saw a tweet the other day that said smth like poetry is about reading facts on the internet and then trying to make them into metaphors for sad things and.... that’s definitely a mood. usually when i write a poem i get a vague idea of a Thing i want it to be about (usually it’s a rock), then i start reading about the Thing and write down interesting phrases that i find or that come into my head. then i find a place where there’s uhhh tension? what if x was y. if x could talk what would it say. how can i project onto a rock this time? and finding what the twist in the poem will be helps me figure out what goes on either side of the twist. but there are other ways to find Stuff to write about!

like arvon is doing a 5 day writing challenge (and competition!) atm which could help you with prompts. you can also reuse prompts from national poetry writing month and probably from other places too. i have a small hoard of prompts from old english teachers.

poetry that is about personal things can be really hard, because there does have to be balance between it being a personal rant or it being about the issues in question but made impersonal and also it still feeling like poetry. imo personal poems are less interesting if you just..... make it all very obvious. if you say exactly what you feel and mean then there is no contrast between e.g. what you say and want to/can’t/won’t say. i like poems where the reader has to put in effort. so maybe you could make poems less rants about life by hiding the life in imagery or putting the rant in the mouth of someone/thing unexpected like a rock

the poemhack here is: project your issues onto weird facts and then write poems about it

oh another way of levelling up a rant into a poem is messing around with form. sometimes if you just decide oh, i’m going to write a villanelle, and then write what you were going to write but with that constraint, it goes in interesting directions. (that being said, traditional forms like sonnets do not need a “””traditional””” writing style, please do not pastiche the romantics or whoever. there is a reason nobody writes like that anymore!!!

edit your poems........ the idea that poems are spontaneous and finished perfectly once written down is a myth. get a trusted friend to read whatever you want to enter and highlight their favourite and least favourite parts. Listen To What They Say.

enter foyles even if you don’t think your poems are perfect. you have nothing to lose and books and opportunities to gain