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SEMANTIC TREE AND AI TECHNOLOGIES

Semantic Tree learning and AI technologies can be combined to solve problems by leveraging the power of natural language processing and machine learning.
Semantic trees are a knowledge representation technique that organizes information in a hierarchical, tree-like structure.
Each node in the tree represents a concept or entity, and the connections between nodes represent the relationships between those concepts.
This structure allows for the representation of complex, interconnected knowledge in a way that can be easily navigated and reasoned about.






CONCEPTS
Semantic Tree: A structured representation where nodes correspond to concepts and edges denote relationships (e.g., hyponyms, hyponyms, synonyms).
Meaning: Understanding the context, nuances, and associations related to words or concepts.
Natural Language Understanding (NLU): AI techniques for comprehending and interpreting human language.
First Principles: Fundamental building blocks or core concepts in a domain.
AI (Artificial Intelligence): AI refers to the development of computer systems that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. AI technologies include machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, and more. These technologies enable computers to understand reason, learn, and make decisions.
Natural Language Processing (NLP): NLP is a branch of AI that focuses on the interaction between computers and human language. It involves the analysis and understanding of natural language text or speech by computers. NLP techniques are used to process, interpret, and generate human languages.
Machine Learning (ML): Machine Learning is a subset of AI that enables computers to learn and improve from experience without being explicitly programmed. ML algorithms can analyze data, identify patterns, and make predictions or decisions based on the learned patterns.
Deep Learning: A subset of machine learning that uses neural networks with multiple layers to learn complex patterns.
EXAMPLES OF APPLYING SEMANTIC TREE LEARNING WITH AI.
1. Text Classification: Semantic Tree learning can be combined with AI to solve text classification problems. By training a machine learning model on labeled data, the model can learn to classify text into different categories or labels. For example, a customer support system can use semantic tree learning to automatically categorize customer queries into different topics, such as billing, technical issues, or product inquiries.
2. Sentiment Analysis: Semantic Tree learning can be used with AI to perform sentiment analysis on text data. Sentiment analysis aims to determine the sentiment or emotion expressed in a piece of text, such as positive, negative, or neutral. By analyzing the semantic structure of the text using Semantic Tree learning techniques, machine learning models can classify the sentiment of customer reviews, social media posts, or feedback.
3. Question Answering: Semantic Tree learning combined with AI can be used for question answering systems. By understanding the semantic structure of questions and the context of the information being asked, machine learning models can provide accurate and relevant answers. For example, a Chabot can use Semantic Tree learning to understand user queries and provide appropriate responses based on the analyzed semantic structure.
4. Information Extraction: Semantic Tree learning can be applied with AI to extract structured information from unstructured text data. By analyzing the semantic relationships between entities and concepts in the text, machine learning models can identify and extract specific information. For example, an AI system can extract key information like names, dates, locations, or events from news articles or research papers.
Python Snippet Codes for Semantic Tree Learning with AI
Here are four small Python code snippets that demonstrate how to apply Semantic Tree learning with AI using popular libraries:
1. Text Classification with scikit-learn:
```python
from sklearn.feature_extraction.text import TfidfVectorizer
from sklearn.linear_model import LogisticRegression
# Training data
texts = ['This is a positive review', 'This is a negative review', 'This is a neutral review']
labels = ['positive', 'negative', 'neutral']
# Vectorize the text data
vectorizer = TfidfVectorizer()
X = vectorizer.fit_transform(texts)
# Train a logistic regression classifier
classifier = LogisticRegression()
classifier.fit(X, labels)
# Predict the label for a new text
new_text = 'This is a positive sentiment'
new_text_vectorized = vectorizer.transform([new_text])
predicted_label = classifier.predict(new_text_vectorized)
print(predicted_label)
```
2. Sentiment Analysis with TextBlob:
```python
from textblob import TextBlob
# Analyze sentiment of a text
text = 'This is a positive sentence'
blob = TextBlob(text)
sentiment = blob.sentiment.polarity
# Classify sentiment based on polarity
if sentiment > 0:
sentiment_label = 'positive'
elif sentiment < 0:
sentiment_label = 'negative'
else:
sentiment_label = 'neutral'
print(sentiment_label)
```
3. Question Answering with Transformers:
```python
from transformers import pipeline
# Load the question answering model
qa_model = pipeline('question-answering')
# Provide context and ask a question
context = 'The Semantic Web is an extension of the World Wide Web.'
question = 'What is the Semantic Web?'
# Get the answer
answer = qa_model(question=question, context=context)
print(answer['answer'])
```
4. Information Extraction with spaCy:
```python
import spacy
# Load the English language model
nlp = spacy.load('en_core_web_sm')
# Process text and extract named entities
text = 'Apple Inc. is planning to open a new store in New York City.'
doc = nlp(text)
# Extract named entities
entities = [(ent.text, ent.label_) for ent in doc.ents]
print(entities)
```
APPLICATIONS OF SEMANTIC TREE LEARNING WITH AI
Semantic Tree learning combined with AI can be used in various domains and industries to solve problems. Here are some examples of where it can be applied:
1. Customer Support: Semantic Tree learning can be used to automatically categorize and route customer queries to the appropriate support teams, improving response times and customer satisfaction.
2. Social Media Analysis: Semantic Tree learning with AI can be applied to analyze social media posts, comments, and reviews to understand public sentiment, identify trends, and monitor brand reputation.
3. Information Retrieval: Semantic Tree learning can enhance search engines by understanding the meaning and context of user queries, providing more accurate and relevant search results.
4. Content Recommendation: By analyzing the semantic structure of user preferences and content metadata, Semantic Tree learning with AI can be used to personalize content recommendations in platforms like streaming services, news aggregators, or e-commerce websites.
Semantic Tree learning combined with AI technologies enables the understanding and analysis of text data, leading to improved problem-solving capabilities in various domains.
COMBINING SEMANTIC TREE AND AI FOR PROBLEM SOLVING
1. Semantic Reasoning: By integrating semantic trees with AI, systems can engage in more sophisticated reasoning and decision-making. The semantic tree provides a structured representation of knowledge, while AI techniques like natural language processing and knowledge representation can be used to navigate and reason about the information in the tree.
2. Explainable AI: Semantic trees can make AI systems more interpretable and explainable. The hierarchical structure of the tree can be used to trace the reasoning process and understand how the system arrived at a particular conclusion, which is important for building trust in AI-powered applications.
3. Knowledge Extraction and Representation: AI techniques like machine learning can be used to automatically construct semantic trees from unstructured data, such as text or images. This allows for the efficient extraction and representation of knowledge, which can then be used to power various problem-solving applications.
4. Hybrid Approaches: Combining semantic trees and AI can lead to hybrid approaches that leverage the strengths of both. For example, a system could use a semantic tree to represent domain knowledge and then apply AI techniques like reinforcement learning to optimize decision-making within that knowledge structure.
EXAMPLES OF APPLYING SEMANTIC TREE AND AI FOR PROBLEM SOLVING
1. Medical Diagnosis: A semantic tree could represent the relationships between symptoms, diseases, and treatments. AI techniques like natural language processing and machine learning could be used to analyze patient data, navigate the semantic tree, and provide personalized diagnosis and treatment recommendations.
2. Robotics and Autonomous Systems: Semantic trees could be used to represent the knowledge and decision-making processes of autonomous systems, such as self-driving cars or drones. AI techniques like computer vision and reinforcement learning could be used to navigate the semantic tree and make real-time decisions in dynamic environments.
3. Financial Analysis: Semantic trees could be used to model complex financial relationships and market dynamics. AI techniques like predictive analytics and natural language processing could be applied to the semantic tree to identify patterns, make forecasts, and support investment decisions.
4. Personalized Recommendation Systems: Semantic trees could be used to represent user preferences, interests, and behaviors. AI techniques like collaborative filtering and content-based recommendation could be used to navigate the semantic tree and provide personalized recommendations for products, content, or services.
PYTHON CODE SNIPPETS
1. Semantic Tree Construction using NetworkX:
```python
import networkx as nx
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
# Create a semantic tree
G = nx.DiGraph()
G.add_node("root", label="Root")
G.add_node("concept1", label="Concept 1")
G.add_node("concept2", label="Concept 2")
G.add_node("concept3", label="Concept 3")
G.add_edge("root", "concept1")
G.add_edge("root", "concept2")
G.add_edge("concept2", "concept3")
# Visualize the semantic tree
pos = nx.spring_layout(G)
nx.draw(G, pos, with_labels=True)
plt.show()
```
2. Semantic Reasoning using PyKEEN:
```python
from pykeen.models import TransE
from pykeen.triples import TriplesFactory
# Load a knowledge graph dataset
tf = TriplesFactory.from_path("./dataset/")
# Train a TransE model on the knowledge graph
model = TransE(triples_factory=tf)
model.fit(num_epochs=100)
# Perform semantic reasoning
head = "concept1"
relation = "isRelatedTo"
tail = "concept3"
score = model.score_hrt(head, relation, tail)
print(f"The score for the triple ({head}, {relation}, {tail}) is: {score}")
```
3. Knowledge Extraction using spaCy:
```python
import spacy
# Load the spaCy model
nlp = spacy.load("en_core_web_sm")
# Extract entities and relations from text
text = "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog."
doc = nlp(text)
# Visualize the extracted knowledge
from spacy import displacy
displacy.render(doc, style="ent")
```
4. Hybrid Approach using Ray:
```python
import ray
from ray.rllib.agents.ppo import PPOTrainer
from ray.rllib.env.multi_agent_env import MultiAgentEnv
from ray.rllib.models.tf.tf_modelv2 import TFModelV2
# Define a custom model that integrates a semantic tree
class SemanticTreeModel(TFModelV2):
def __init__(self, obs_space, action_space, num_outputs, model_config, name):
super().__init__(obs_space, action_space, num_outputs, model_config, name)
# Implement the integration of the semantic tree with the neural network
# Define a multi-agent environment that uses the semantic tree model
class SemanticTreeEnv(MultiAgentEnv):
def __init__(self):
self.semantic_tree = # Initialize the semantic tree
self.agents = # Define the agents
def step(self, actions):
# Implement the environment dynamics using the semantic tree
# Train the hybrid model using Ray
ray.init()
config = {
"env": SemanticTreeEnv,
"model": {
"custom_model": SemanticTreeModel,
},
}
trainer = PPOTrainer(config=config)
trainer.train()
```
APPLICATIONS
The combination of semantic trees and AI can be applied to a wide range of problem domains, including:
- Healthcare: Improving medical diagnosis, treatment planning, and drug discovery.
- Finance: Enhancing investment strategies, risk management, and fraud detection.
- Robotics and Autonomous Systems: Enabling more intelligent and adaptable decision-making in complex environments.
- Education: Personalizing learning experiences and providing intelligent tutoring systems.
- Smart Cities: Optimizing urban planning, transportation, and resource management.
- Environmental Conservation: Modeling and predicting environmental changes, and supporting sustainable decision-making.
- Chatbots and Virtual Assistants:
Use semantic trees to understand user queries and provide context-aware responses.
Apply NLU models to extract meaning from user input.
- Information Retrieval:
Build semantic search engines that understand user intent beyond keyword matching.
Combine semantic trees with vector embeddings (e.g., BERT) for better search results.
- Medical Diagnosis:
Create semantic trees for medical conditions, symptoms, and treatments.
Use AI to match patient symptoms to relevant diagnoses.
- Automated Content Generation:
Construct semantic trees for topics (e.g., climate change, finance).
Generate articles, summaries, or reports based on semantic understanding.
RDIDINI PROMPT ENGINEER
#semantic tree#ai solutions#ai-driven#ai trends#ai system#ai model#ai prompt#ml#ai predictions#llm#dl#nlp
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Part 2 of me totally not having a(nother) type
#love and deepspace zayne#dr zayne#zayne lads#zayne love and deepspace#love and deepspace#love and deepspace sylus#lads sylus#sylus#sanemi shinazugawa#demon slayer#dskny#kny#demon slayer kny#kimetsu no yaiba#om! lucifer#lucifer obey me#obey me lucifer#lucifer#obey me shall we date#genshin impact#wriothesley genshin#wriothesley gi#wriothesley#jang jaeyoung#semantic error#jaeyoung semantic error#riftan calypse#under the oak tree#life lessons with uramichi oniisan#uramichi omota
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the cursed amulet can be a state of mind
#tree talks#okay. so like#what this is actually about is me giving an oc The Cursed Amulet but unsure if i wanna actually do a necklace#if anyone wants context#but also this can be about mental health. we don’t have to have a physical amulet#to suffer its curse. adhd is like the cursed amulet#does this make sense#this isn’t about diagnosis this is about calling disorders stupid things#i call my adhd the curse and my anxiety the horrors#my best friend calls his the mold#cursed amulet#why is that a tag#but i’m getting sidetracked#the point is. i’m still calling it the cursed amulet even if it’s a ring#we don’t needa get into semantics#cursed ✅accessory of some sort ✅#then it’s a cursed amulet sorry not sorry#nobody is gonna know what i mean when i say the cursed bracelet. like#amuletposting
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Watched the Count of Monte Cristo. Had a thought during this scene. What if Edmond Dantes was a lady?? What then, hm?
#[ ooc ]#[ the steel hawk ]#[ for whom sunlight speaks ]#[ the hawk and the cypress tree ]#nothing else about the plot changes#i just wanted 'may i steal your wife' to be spoken by a lady about a lady you understand#all this because i wanted to draw from one of my favorite revenge stories for plot inspo......#no shhhh don't point out albert#semantics!!#the plot still works!!
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People really don’t talk enough about how Yoruichi’s family name means “House of Four Maples” and Urahara’s zanpakuto is literally named after a fucking maple tree.
Like think about it. Part of URAHARA’S VERY SOUL in at least NAME bears a strong connection to Yoruichi and her family. You can take that in any possible way you want, but there is no denying the significance of it. It makes me INSANE.
#I realize the maple tree is a scarlet princess not a crimson princess#but that’s bullshit semantics#like???#Kubo when I catch you I’m gonna make you tell me their backstory#bleach#yoruichi shihouin#kisuke urahara#yoruhara
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stories that I wish would turn into an anime
update 25/04/2025
Semantic Error
Sweat and Soap
What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim?
Akagami no Shirayukihime ( i know its got one and i love it but it been so long that im that I'm begging if know seson 3 i will stell for a rebot )
Murderous Lewellyn's Candlelit Dinner
Tiger’s Den
Paws & Claws
Tears on a Withered Flower
The Rogue Prince Is Secretly an Omega
Otaku Vampire's Love Bite
Father, I don't Want this Marriage
Flirting with the Villain's Dad
Our Sunny Days
Little Mushroom
Under the Oak Tree
I'm a Doll, but the Tyrant Is Obsessed With Me
golden terrace
the disability tyrant beloved pet fish
love 020
Stalker x Stalker
Winter Before Spring
A Spell for a Smith
Love Me to Death
Villain with a Crush
#Semantic Error#Sweat and Soap#What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim?#Akagami no Shirayukihime#Murderous Lewellyn's Candlelit Dinner#Tiger’s Den#Paws & Claws#Tears on a Withered Flower#The Rogue Prince Is Secretly an Omega#Otaku Vampire's Love Bite#Flirting with the Villain's Dad#Our Sunny Days#Under the Oak Tree#Little Mushroom#I'm a Doll#but the Tyrant Is Obsessed With Me#golden terrace#love 020#anime#bl books#romance#fantasy#Stalker x Stalker#Winter Before Spring#A Spell for a Smith#gl#love me to death#Villain with a Crush
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i'm seeing so much discourse on whether or not what israel is doing can be called a "genocide" and it's transporting me right back to my 11th grade history class. we learned about rwanda and read the un definition of genocide and discussed how reluctant the international community can be to call something a genocide while it's occurring and how the us refused to call the rwanda situation a genocide essentially until it was over and how the un was basically useless and the world did almost nothing to intervene. the situations are different but disturbingly similar and it just goes to show how useless the un and the un genocide convention are.
#i saw a guy on twitter say that calling this a genocide was 'lying' and 'libel' and i'm like. are you out of your fucking mind.#and apparently france and germany are saying they won't acknowledge this as a genocide if the icj says it is??#like. in getting so caught up in semantics and international law and the emotional weight that the term 'genocide' carries#i fear we're missing the forest through the trees#what's happening is fucking wrong and we need to intervene to stop it#sorry idk what came over me or what this is
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heartcanon for a media you like?
I admit I don’t remember I reblogged that so I read it as headcanon before thinking “what’s a heartcanon”
Definition of a heartcanon by @/prokopez: “I don’t have a particular rationale for why this ought to be the case, I just like to imagine it’s true because it gives me the warm fuzzies”
Or as I might explain it, “a belief about an aspect of a fictional story not of one’s own, typically about one or multiple characters in it, that one holds because they enjoy it, regardless of the amount of evidence or rationale that one would need to support their claim in an argument”
To my knowledge, in Genshin Impact, al-Haitham is a student of the Akademiya’s “Haravatat Darshan”, right…? According to the wiki, Haravatat specializes in semiotics (in real life it’s the study of signs and symbols and their interpretations, I believe) and includes both linguistics and ancient runes studies. Well, in real life, linguistics is the scientific study of language, and semiotics—which includes the study of ancient runes, I’d assume—is a sub-field of linguistics. So I wonder if it’s better to say, “Of the Six Darshans in the Sumeru Akademiya, Haravatat specializes in linguistics, specifically semiotics, and includes disciplines such as ancient runes studies.” Nope, never mind, semiotics is not a branch of linguistics since it includes non-linguistic signs too, which would make sense since Haravatat also does ancient runes. (I must’ve mixed up semiotics and semantics, the branch of linguistics and logic that studies meaning.)
With that being said—
Al-Haitham is jokingly referred to as a god of syntax by uhh Haravatat syntax students of the Sumeru Akademiya

based on the al-Haitham redesign by @/peonycats
#thank you for the ask ✨#“I don’t need to fight. I only need to think.#All I have to do is find the weakest link.”#me: ok tell me what’s wrong with my syntax tree#dusk answers#dusk fan art#by virtue of me giving background on Haravatat’s specialty field#and the definition of semiotics linguistics and semantics this might not be a full heartcanon#but I did not mention the definition of syntax even once#or why the nation of knowledge would think a human is a “god of syntax” even as a joke#so this technically fits the definition of heartcanon#genshin impact#lingusitics#genshin headcanons#al haitham#alhaitham#semiotics#sumeru#sumeru akademiya#morphology#al-Haitham#heartcanon
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I know this is a post about realistic geography, but I read "Mordor" and it activated the Silmarillion corner of my brain.
The Valar don't care about plate tectonics. Warfare go brrrrrrrr
reminder to worldbuilders: don't get caught up in things that aren't important to the story you're writing, like plot and characters! instead, try to focus on what readers actually care about: detailed plate tectonics
#iirc middle earth was a lot more ordered and symmetrical before melkor said 'f you in particular i do my own thing'#then he decided to run around killing trees and setting up strongholds and hiding in the walls (mountains but semantics)
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so the thing about english is that people think it's so divorced from other germanic languages based on like. words. I've even heard people try to insist that english is a romance language. because of that whole messy business in 1066 with out-of-wedlock willy and his band of naughty normans. and now a good chunk of the vocabulary is french or whatever and they're prestigious so not using them makes you sound like a rube and this and that and the other
and yes william the conqueror will never be safe from me. I will have my revenge on him. he fucked up a perfectly good germanic language is what he did. this will be me in hell

but the thing is that most words in, say, german do have a one to one english equivalent. not all hope is lost, for those who still dare to see it. it's just that you 1066pilled normancels aren't looking in the right place
dog (en) ≠ der Hund (de) but der Hund (de) -> hound (en)
look with your special eyes. that one was easier. not all of them are this intuitive because of semantic narrowing and broadening and waltzing and hokey-pokeying and whatever else. I'll give you a few more
animal (en) ≠ das Tier (de)
aha! you think. I've got him on the ropes now.
but then
das Tier (de) -> deer (en)
nooooo!! you whine and cry in gay baby jail. the consonants are different!!! listen to me. listen, I say, putting both my hands on your shoulder. /t/and /d/ are the same sound. you just put your voice behind one of them.
nooooooooo!! you wail. deer are animals but not all animals are deer!!! listen to me. LISTEN. they used to be. animals used to be deer. that's just what we called them. it was a long time ago. it was a weird time in all our lives. it's okay.
let's try for a verb this time
to die (en) ≠ sterben (de) but sterben (de) -> to starve
same principle with the consonants, we're just changing a stop (where we completely stop the airflow and then let it through) for a fricative (where we still let some air go through. idk where it's going. maybe to its job or something.)
to starve used to mean generally to die, not just to die of malnourishment. we do that a lot. we take one word for a lot of things and make it mean one thing. or take one word for one thing and make it mean a lot of things. this is common and normal.
"okay but roland," you say, suddenly coming up with an argument. "what about tree? trees are super common. I don't think we'd fuck around too much with that. the german word is baum! what about THAT?"
"when did you learn german?" I ask, but then decide it isn't relevant right at this very moment. but fine.
tree (en) ≠ der Baum (de) but der Baum (de) -> beam (en)
beam??? you ask incredulously. beam???? BEAM?????? you continue with the same tone and cadence of captain holt from brooklyn 99.
yes. beam. like the evil beams from my eye I'm going to hit you with if you don't stop shouting.
but the vowels!!! you howl.
listen. listen to me. the vowels mean nothing. absolutely nothing. they're fluid like water. it got raised in english.
"WHAT DOES RAISED MEAN"
it doesn't matter right now. they were raised better than you, at least. stop shouting. open your eyes and see what god has given you. they're the same word.
"they're NOT the same word. they mean different things!"
we've been over this. they didn't used to. a beam was (and is) a long solid piece of wood. much like the long solid piece of wood I showed your mother last night.
FAQ:
Q: could english be some kind of germanic-romance hybrid?
A: do you become a sexy thing from the black lagoon just because you dressed up as one for halloween? english may have gotten a lot of vocabulary from norman french, but its history and syntax are distinctly germanic. that's what we base these things on.
Q: okay but what does it matter? this doesn't actually affect my day to day life
A: you come into my house? you come into my house, the house of an autistic man living in vienna austria and studying english linguistics and you ask me what does it matter? sit back down. I was going to let you go but now I have powerpoints to show you
Q: you're stupid and wrong and gay and a bad person
A: I know it's you, Willy
#I don't know what came over me#it was the devil#linguistics#english linguistics#etymology#shitpost nach sacher art#notification station
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۶ৎ i — Marry, Kiss or Kill me
tap here for chb masterlist ! part ii here
warnings: language, cursing, alcohol mention, idiot and horny teenagers, sexual tension, make out !
ㅤ୨ৎ —˳ luke castellan ! fem. reader
summary: part i. luke didn't plan that an "I'd fuck her" at a party in the woods would lead to being at night, in a cabin alone with... with her.

"𝗟𝗨𝗞𝗘, 𝗙𝗨𝗖𝗞, 𝗞𝗜𝗦𝗦, 𝗢𝗥 𝗞𝗜𝗟𝗟," Chris said, shooting him a shit-eating grin.
Yeah, this was a bit of a twisted version of the classic kiss, marry, or kill, but no one really gave a damn about semantics. Not right now, anyway.
Luke wasn’t exactly feeling it—the whole campfire hangout (or, let’s be real, after-party) in the woods. But it was Sunday, and his so-called friends had dragged him here.
The actual party had died down a while ago, leaving only a handful of them—the ones not completely wasted—still hanging around the fire.
The flames flickered under the moonlight, the trees rustling just enough to send a cool breeze through the small clearing they’d basically claimed as Camp Half-Blood’s official party zone.
"Between…?" Luke asked, taking a slow sip of his beer, already bracing for whatever bullshit Chris was about to throw at him.
"Kayle, Jenna, and…" Chris let the last name hang in the air, scanning the girls around the fire, looking for the perfect final option.
Then, his eyes landed on you.
Oh, he was going to be an asshole about this. His smirk said it all.
He said your name.
Luke didn’t even flinch. Not on the outside, at least. Inside? Different story. His heart pulled one of those stupid, traitorous stunts the second he heard it.
Because Chris knew.
Knew that Luke had called you the hottest girl in camp.
But what Chris didn’t know was that Luke hadn’t even scratched the surface of what he actually thought about you.
Across the fire, you smirked, leaning in to whisper something to your friend from Cabin 4, completely unaware of the storm you’d just walked into.
Luke exhaled slowly, masking it with a lazy smirk of his own as he leaned back against the tree, arms crossing over his chest like this was the easiest question in the world.
"Kill Kayle," he said first, earning an over-the-top gasp from her—not that she actually gave a shit, of course.
"Kiss Jenna," he continued, throwing the redhead a teasing wink.
Then, without hesitation, "And I'd fuck her," he finished, tilting his chin toward you with an infuriatingly smooth grin.
If only you knew how hard it was to keep his voice steady when he said it.
Cheers and whistles erupted through the otherwise quiet forest the second Luke gave his answer. Stifled giggles, teasing remarks, and more than a few suggestive comments filled the air.
And, just to make things worse, when the playful chatter finally died down, the only sound left was the crackling of the fire.
You glanced around.
Every pair of eyes was on you, waiting for your reaction.
Your gaze met Luke’s for just a second—just enough for a spark of heat to shoot down his spine.
You casually tossed your hair over your shoulder, silently thanking the gods that the firelight masked the faint blush creeping up your neck.
"Oh, yeah?" You leaned in slightly. "What an honor, Castellan."
The exaggerated flirt in your tone sent another round of laughter through the group, though it quickly faded as everyone turned to Luke, waiting for his response.
Luke smirked, though his jaw was clenched a little tighter than usual. His posture was relaxed, but if you really looked, there was something a little too controlled about it.
Before he could say anything, a guy from the Apollo cabin jumped in with a wicked grin.
"Luke, care to elaborate?" He nudged him playfully. "What exactly would you do with her?"
"Come on, Castellan, at least take her to dinner first. Three drachmas, and I’ll play background music." He joked. Luke rolled his eyes, shooting him a look that lacked any real bite. Chris, on the other hand, was thriving.
The others laughed and hollered.
You simply smiled—sweet and a little too charming—never once breaking eye contact with Luke.
Luke tilted his head slightly, the firelight reflecting in his blue eyes.
"That," he said smoothly, "is classified information."
Even Clarisse groaned in fake outrage.
"Oh, come on, you can’t just leave us hanging!"
A few beats of suspense passed. Then, finally,
That signature cocky smirk of his curled at his lips as he leaned forward like he was about to let them in on a secret. The others followed suit, huddling closer to listen.
"Well, if you really wanna know…" he started, voice dropping into a teasing whisper.
"Ask her later."
You?
He finished with an easy shrug, feigning innocence. The entire group groaned, clearly unimpressed with his little stunt.
Gods.
There was no way you weren’t blushing now.
And as the words left his lips, you couldn’t help but think that maybe—just maybe—you kind of wanted to find out.
The flickering orange glow of the fire danced across Luke’s face, making him look even more impossibly attractive. And for Luke, that was saying something.
Chris, grinning like the little chaos-bringer he was, let the game roll on after dropping his bombshell for Luke. The guy was going to have a field day tormenting some poor soul from the Hephaestus cabin.
With the attention finally off him, Luke let out a tired sigh. You leaned back, trying to unwind, but it didn’t take long before you noticed his gaze following you every time he thought you weren’t looking.
Honestly, you weren’t fooled. You knew he knew you knew. He never took his eyes off you. Not once. And you didn’t mind it. Not really.
Anyway, Luke wasn’t the type to dwell on things, so he just went with the flow, cracking jokes and making sure the victims of his pranks had a hell of a time.
But everytime he remembered the words, "I’d fuck her" slipping from his lips, his focus wavered. His eyes—those damn eyes—zeroed in on your lips every time you spoke. He couldn’t help it, even if he tried to play it off.
The night kept rolling forward, the fire crackling in the background, the air thick with laughter, alcohol, and the occasional whoop of drunken enthusiasm. And by alcohol, I mean the kind that was totally not allowed at camp.
You were enjoying yourself—honestly, you'd almost forgotten about Luke’s comment.
Almost.
"Come on, stop pretending," Lee chimed in. "Admit it. You’d totally fuck Luke if you had to choose."
The entire group burst out laughing. You couldn’t help but roll your eyes. Before you could throw some sarcastic retort his way, your friend leaned in, her voice heavy with mock annoyance.
"You know what?" she started, her tone dripping with mischief. "Great idea. Alright, darling," she said, turning to you, pulling all eyes on you. Just what you needed.
"Fuck, kiss, or kill," she continued, eyeing the guys. "Between Lee, Chris, and Luke."
A flash of heat ran up your neck. Damn it. You could feel all the eyes on you, some of them eager, some just waiting to see how you'd react.
You took a deep breath, took a long sip of your drink, and braced yourself.
"Kiss Lee. Kill Chris. And, I'd fuck Castellan."
The words spilled out like they were nothing. No hesitation. No second-guessing. And with that, you leaned back, a confident smirk tugging at your lips.
Silence.
Then, chaos.
The group exploded into laughter, hollers, and a few half-choked gasps. Someone actually dropped their drink. Chris clutched his chest like he’d been mortally wounded.
"Cold-blooded," he wheezed between laughs. "I’m actually offended."
"Yeah, yeah," you waved him off, taking another sip of your drink. "You’ll live."
Lee, meanwhile, was grinning like an idiot, throwing an exaggerated wink your way.
It wasn’t obvious—not to anyone else, at least. But you caught it. That tiny shift in his expression. That quick flash of something in his eyes, there and gone before anyone could clock it.
And gods, it sent a spark down your spine.
But you did.
"Well, well," Chris recovered quickly, his shit-eating grin returning at full force. "Looks like our golden boy is getting some love tonight."
Luke finally leaned back against the tree, arms still crossed, expression unreadable. But his smirk? Oh, that damn smirk.
"Guess I should be honored," he mused, voice casual—too casual.
You shrugged, mirroring his expression. "Guess so."
A beat.
For a moment, it felt like it was just the two of you, the noise of the group fading into the background. The fire crackled between you, but neither of you looked away.
Then, someone—probably Chris again—broke the tension with another wild round of "fuck, kiss, or kill," dragging the attention elsewhere.
You exhaled, finally looking away.
But Luke?
Luke kept watching you.
He wasn’t sure if it was the firelight or the alcohol—or maybe it was just you—but he knew one thing for sure:
This night just got a whole lot more interesting.
A while later, when everyone was either drunk enough or just too tired to stick around, they decided to clean up any evidence of the party and head back to their cabins.
Summer had ended a few weeks ago, so there weren’t many campers who stayed year-round.
You and one of your sisters were among the few who did, which meant you basically had the whole cabin to yourselves.
The thing was, when she got drunk enough—giggling and stumbling into her boyfriend’s arms—he decided he’d be the one taking care of her for the night.
The last thing you saw of her were her clumsy steps leading toward his cabin.
You huffed. You hated sleeping alone.
As you made your way to your cabin, you waved goodbye to the others, watching as they disappeared behind their doors one by one.
Rubbing your arms in a weak attempt to keep warm, you muttered a curse in Ancient Greek, annoyed at the unbearable winter chill.
You were walking alone when, out of nowhere, something warm draped over your shoulders—along with a familiar presence right beside you.
"I’m not cold," Luke said, walking in step with you.
You blinked, glancing up at him with a hint of confusion. "Your cabin’s all the way on the other side, Luke."
"I know." He shrugged. "Saw your sister leave with her boyfriend."
Before you could say anything, he spoke again.
"Let me walk you back," he said, flashing a small smile. "I know you don’t need me to, but a little company never hurts."
You hesitated for a second before sighing. "Yeah, I guess a little company wouldn’t kill me. Even if it’s literally five steps to my cabin."
Luke let out a quiet huff, eyes flicking forward—where, yeah, your cabin was already right in front of you.
"Too late?" he asked.
"Nah, I’d say you’re just in time," you answered.
Five steps later, you were at your door. You pushed it open, then tipped your head toward the inside.
Luke’s heart kicked up, totally unprompted. Inside your cabin? Alone? At night?
"You coming in?" you asked. "Pretty sure you’ve never been inside."
Hell, yeah.
He tilted his head, smirking. "You’re right about that," he said, stepping in and shutting the door behind him.
The inside of your cabin looked exactly how he’d imagined it would.
He approached carefully, masking it behind a curious look.
You made your way to your bunk, sitting down to kick off your shoes before crawling fully onto the bed. The wall beside it was covered with little things that, without a doubt, reminded Luke of you.
"This place is ridiculously you," he teased, though you could tell it was more of a compliment. At least, you hoped it was.
Like he knew something you didn’t.
Settling into the bed, you crossed your legs, sinking into the pillows. Much to Luke’s frustration, your dress rode up slightly as you moved, revealing just enough soft, bare skin to have his brain short-circuiting for a second.
The air in your cabin felt warmer than it should. Maybe it was just the contrast to the cold outside. Maybe it was the aftershocks of alcohol buzzing in your veins. Or maybe—just maybe—it had everything to do with the way Luke was looking at you.
Like he had every intention of figuring out exactly how far he could push you tonight.
"You’re staring," you pointed out, sinking a little deeper into your pillows, like that would somehow make you less aware of him.
Luke, still leaning against the opposite bunk, arms crossed, smirked. "You noticed."
You rolled your eyes but didn’t look away. Couldn’t, really. He looked too damn good standing there, bathed in the soft golden light of your cabin, hair still slightly tousled from the wind outside. He’d ditched his jacket—the one he’d draped over your shoulders like some kind of quiet excuse to touch you—and now, in just his shirt and jeans, he somehow looked even more effortless.
Luke’s gaze flickered down, just barely. But you caught it.
It was quick—just a second. A glance at your legs, where your dress had ridden up just a little as you shifted.
Interesting.
You smirked, slow and knowing, tilting your head just slightly as you let your fingertips skim over the edge of your blanket, pretending to adjust it.
Luke exhaled, like he knew exactly what you were doing.
"Something on your mind, Castellan?"
He let out a short laugh, low and warm. "You keep saying my name like that, sweetheart," he murmured, voice dropping a little, "and you’re gonna find out."
Your stomach flipped.
He was closer than before. You didn’t remember him moving, but suddenly, his fingers brushed against the mattress, right near your knee.
His eyes were darker now—not just from the dim lighting, but something else. Something heavier.
Heat curled in your stomach.
Luke tilted his head slightly, watching you, waiting. Maybe for you to say something. Maybe for you to stop him.
You didn’t.
Instead, you lifted your hand, slow, reaching for the jacket he’d given you earlier. You let it slide off your shoulders, fabric pooling at your sides, before casually tossing it onto the bunk behind you.
Luke’s eyes followed the motion, his lips twitching, like he was biting back a comment.
"You’re taking up a lot of space," you mused, voice light, teasing.
Luke chuckled, low in his throat. "Funny," he murmured, stepping forward until his knees brushed the edge of your bed. "I was just about to say the same thing."
The tension between you tightened, electric.
His fingers curled just slightly around the edge of the mattress.
He leaned in—just enough. Not quite touching, but right there, enough that you could feel the warmth of him, the faint scent of pine and campfire still clinging to his shirt.
His breath ghosted against your cheek as he murmured, voice softer, slower—like a quiet dare:
"Move over, sweetheart."
You raised a brow, but you didn’t move. Not yet.
"Why?" you asked, voice smooth, steady—way steadier than you felt.
Luke’s lips quirked, but his eyes stayed locked on yours, searching. Reading. Like he was trying to figure out if you were just teasing or if you were actually going to make him work for it.
Finally, he hummed, low and thoughtful, tilting his head slightly. "Because I want to sit down," he said, voice lazy, like he had all the time in the world.
Luke just shrugged, playing it off like this wasn’t a game he was carefully balancing. "But, hey, if you wanna keep me standing here all night…" His voice dropped, just a little. "Be my guest."
You blinked. That was not the answer you expected.
You exhaled through your nose, shaking your head. "Fine."
And you moved. But only a little.
Luke huffed out a quiet chuckle, but he didn’t waste any time. He sank down onto the mattress, one arm bracing behind him, the other resting lazily against his knee.
For a moment, neither of you spoke.
The warmth of him was everywhere now—closer than before, the bed dipping just slightly under his weight. Your bare knee barely brushed against his thigh, and you swore you felt the way his fingers twitched in response.
The firelight flickered against the walls, casting soft shadows across his face, the sharp angles of his jaw, the way his lips parted just slightly when he exhaled.
And then his eyes—Gods, his eyes.
They flickered down, just for a second. Just enough.
And then back up.
When he finally met your gaze again, something shifted. Neither of you were smiling anymore.
Luke’s fingers lifted, slow, careful. Not touching yet—just hovering near the fabric of your dress, near your thigh, like he was waiting for something. For you.
The teasing, the casual back-and-forth—it was still there, under the surface, but now? Now, it was something else entirely.
Swallow.
Then, finally, you moved first.
Just enough to close that last bit of space.
Your fingers brushed against his wrist, featherlight, a barely-there touch that sent a quiet, sharp breath from his lips.
And that was it.
Luke didn’t hesitate this time.
His hand finally, finally found your waist, warm and firm as he pulled you just a fraction closer—just enough for his lips to brush against yours, teasing, barely there.
Your breath hitched.
For half a second, it was hesitation. Anticipation. The space of a heartbeat, hanging in the air between you.
And then?
Then, you kissed him.
Or maybe he kissed you.
You weren’t sure who moved first, but suddenly, none of that mattered.
Because the second his lips fully met yours, everything else faded—your teasing, your nerves, the fact that you probably weren’t thinking this through.
None of it mattered.
Because Luke Castellan was kissing you.
And gods, he was good at it.

ꪆৎ. Part ii. Taglist closed !
TAGS: @spider-ghoul @imafuckinstar @girl-detective16
#bvrnesher#pjo fandom#pjo hoo toa#riordanverse#riordanverse x reader#percy jackson and the olympians#pjo series#pjo x reader#luke castellan smut#luke castellan x reader#luke castellan#pjo smut
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merry christmas, mr. sylus

— summary: the one where you nearly tear your hair out, trying to find the perfect christmas gift for your office crush. — cw: fluff, romance, jealousy, feelings of inadequacy, reader is not mc, ceo au, modern au, aged-up characters, mutual pining — notes: part 2 here — now playing: merry christmas mr. lawrence - utada
What do you get a man who has everything? Who can buy anything at the drop of a hat?
Nothing. The answer is nothing. And the realization, as it slowly descends onto your shoulders, is really starting to piss you off.
You blow some hair from your face for the umpteenth time since you’ve started this little adventure. Throw yourself against the bench in the midst of the mall’s second floor, peering up at the ceiling as if it can solve all your problems.
Your wares, bags of varying colors, sizes, and materials, sit off to the side. It’s an impressive haul—gifts for coworkers, family, and friends. But nothing buried beneath the sparkly tissue paper of said bags is for him.
At least, not yet.
You lean back in a defeated slouch, arms crossed over your chest. Puffing your cheeks out, you exhale all slow and dramatic, watching the lights adorning the Christmas tree in the mall’s epicenter twinkle like bokeh. Your lips twist into a pout.
Mr. Sylus isn’t particularly picky, at least from what you’ve gleaned from working as his secretary the past year. You know how he likes his coffee: black. How he prefers your morning briefs: quick and concise. How he often falls asleep in his office, propped on an elbow on his desk, the usual furrow between his brows traded for something more serene as sunlight bleeds in, framing him like a halo–your cheeks warm at the memory.
You bow forward with a sigh, your head held in your hands.
You know enough about your boss to appease him. To level with him. You just wished you knew him a little…better. Enough to make this gift-buying venture you’ve been on since 8 AM worthwhile.
You tried asking Luke and Kieran, his financial and technology advisors, for pointers. They’d worked with him longer than anyone else at Starlight Enterprises. Naturally, they knew him like the backs of their hands. But they spoke in riddles when you asked. Confused the hell out of you, speaking of challenging his authority to get to his heart and things of that nature.
You didn’t know what the hell any of that meant. And even if you did, it’s not like you were out to steal his heart, though you someday hoped to.
As cordial as Mr. Sylus had been since you began working for him, you always felt like he kept you at arm’s length, even as the months under his tutelage eased by. He steeled himself against you, though your coworkers swore they’d never heard him so talkative.
Sure, he occasionally greeted you with rare smiles and snickered at your terrible, cringe-inducing jokes. Entertained you with sporadic coffee runs and maybe went out of his way to chat you up before disappearing behind the heavy, oakwood door to his office. But you didn’t expect a man like him to fully open his chest cavity to you, no matter how disarming you were.
You were so desperate for the perfect present that you even perused through his contacts and reached out to someone who’d frequented his office more times than you could count. Ms. Hunter. She had a name, but you’d grown accustomed to addressing her as such, adopting the moniker from your boss.
Sylus always smiled so youthfully when she swung around your desk and walked into his office. Her presence alone seemed to shave 10 years off his life in a way you were envious of. You didn’t know the semantics of their relationship. Could never make out what they were saying, their voices distorted murmurs behind a closed door. As far as you were concerned, they were good friends. Or your delusions had convinced you of such, and you still secretly hoped you stood a chance with him.
But you couldn’t help how your stomach gnarled, and words stalled in your throat when, after each time she left, Mr. Sylus was particularly cheerful. Or as spirited as a man like him could be, his eyes shining with residual fondness as he requested you reschedule his meetings before he shacked up in his office again.
You shake your head to dispel your thoughts. You’ve sunken into the abyss of self-deprecation again. Now’s not the time to pity yourself.
The bottom line was that Ms. Hunter wasn’t much help, either; she was cryptic on the phone as she threw out generic options, seemingly disinterested. But you wouldn’t give up despite how unhelpful everyone around you was. Mr. Sylus deserved something—anything to show how grateful you were to have been taken under his wing.
You sit up again, watching as families and couples mill about, swept up by the Christmas spirit. Briefly, you wonder if Mr. Sylus even celebrates Christmas. Your endeavor might've been for naught. He doesn’t strike you as the type to indulge in silly holiday traditions. He’s usually all business and stoned-faced when he isn’t entertaining your morbid jokes or his lady friend. But you’re persistent, having organized a holiday party on Christmas Eve at the office without his consent.
You told him after you already set your plans into motion. And he looked at you from the rim of his monitor with a quirked brow and a smirk canting one corner of his lips skyward. He sat back in an easy slouch, tapping the tips of his fingers together, seemingly mulling over your request.
“Do I even have a say in the matter?” he teased in that humored, attractive rasp.
You stood before him, determined, a hand on your hip whilst the other clutched a set of Manila folders to your chest. “Not at all.”
Mr. Sylus scoffed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He knew he was fighting a losing battle.
You could be terribly insistent when you wanted to be. Most of the time, it got you into trouble in your previous professions. However, as you grew more accustomed to your boss, you found he coddled your fighting spirit.
And with time, you also discovered it easier to manipulate him—at least to a certain degree. Your pout and guilt-tripping when he wouldn’t bend to your will, he could manage. But you barging into his office, insisting he eat, stretch, or simply take a load off? He could not contest that.
Or he at least chose not to.
He threw his hands up in mock surrender, the amusement never leaving his face. “You drive a hard bargain. I won’t interfere. But don’t expect me to help you orchestrate this little soiree.”
You smiled triumphantly, peering down at your boss from the tip of your nose. “I don’t. I just expect you to be there with your cutest Christmas sweater, smiling and ready to party.”
He gave you a look. One that read, ‘I don’t do cute.’ And you stifled a laugh, imagining your stoic and trendy boss donning something other than a suit. He must’ve caught wind of what was going on in your head, lifting a brow at your mischievous cackle.
He waved his hand dismissively. Cheek dimpled whilst he busied himself with some financial reports on his desk. You spun on your heel, skipping out of his office with all the eagerness of a child, set to finish your work for the evening.
The earlier you finished, the more time you had for gift shopping and preparing for your holiday shindig.
Funnily enough, though your boss insisted he wouldn’t entertain your holiday antics, extra funds mysteriously appeared on the company card.
Two days later, you find yourself a huffy, downtrodden mess, stewing in your inadequacy.
You’ve scoured the city for the perfect gift over the past few days. Woke up early to travel out of town even, hoping to find something. Anything to make your boss all misty-eyed and appreciative. You’ve come up short; nothing seems to fit his vibe.
You’ve looked at watches, ties, cologne, and luxurious sweaters. Checked stores with prices that made your paycheck shudder. Nothing seems to resonate with him. To capture the essence of Mr. Sylus.
A glance at your smartwatch reveals it’s mid-afternoon. You deflate. Here you are, cities away from the investment firm, and you’ve nothing to show for your efforts.
It’s Christmas Eve. Your day off. You should be using it to prepare for the party, but your coworkers assured you they’d handle the decorations while you ran your errands.
Still, you’re at least an hour away from your home. Traffic is a hellscape around this time of year. You need to get back quickly to wrap presents and gather yourself for the festivities.
Resigned, you peel yourself from the bench, your bags weighted in either of your hands. You trudge across the mall’s upper level in search of the escalator. Maybe Mr. Sylus will forgive you for not having gotten him a gift. Anything you could think of getting, he could buy himself. He’s the CEO of the most notable investment company in the city. Surely, he wouldn’t bat an eye if you showed up to the party empty-handed.
Your head slung low, you’re about to descend on the escalator. However, something catches your attention in your periphery. You curiously meander towards a display window adorned with gaudy Alternative Christmas decorations. Something inside captures your interest, and a smile slowly crawls onto your lips.
With a renewed tide of optimism washing over you, you wander into the store.
Maybe fate is on your side today.
—
Your holiday soirée is fairly low-key.
It’s littered with modest decorations. Christmas garlands adorn the walls and columns of the tenth floor, dripping from the ceiling. String lights twinkle overhead, tables donned with red and green tablecloths and poinsettia centerpieces.
The six-foot tall Christmas tree is the focal point, frocked with artificial snow and sparkling ethereally amid the dark grey walls of your office space. Sure, you had to strain on tippy-toe to put the star up. And maybe you still had a bit of the faux powder in your hair. But, with a glass of bubbly poised at your lips, you inwardly pat yourself on the back. You truly outdid yourself, breathing life into these otherwise drab walls.
A few of your coworkers along with some of the other department heads are in attendance, trading work talk and gossip. Even Ms. Hunter carved out some time—at your insistence—to come.
Over your time as his secretary, you’ve gathered that Mr. Sylus is a bit of an introvert. You didn’t want to overwhelm him with a crowd. He gets enough attention as it is, being amongst the country's youngest, most successful business moguls. He’s always under scrutiny, much to your dismay. He deserves to take a load off from time to time, which is why you were so adamant about throwing this party in the first place.
Speaking of the devil, you haven’t taken your eyes off him since he made his grand entrance. Always had him in sight, sneaking little glimpses of his figure as it cut a sharp, regal outline amid the humble decor.
He looks amazing. Then again, when hasn’t he? With his striking white hair and uncommon, scarlet eyes, he sifts through his guests as he entertains them with fruitless chatter.
Though he didn’t entirely humor you with an ugly Christmas getup, he still wore something festive. A burgundy sweater that doesn’t betray his usual style. Complimented it with a black button-up beneath, matching slacks, and onyx loafers. Still so inherently Mr. Sylus.
He routinely captures your gaze. Raises his champagne glass to you in greeting, a small, dimpled smirk lighting up his features. You hide your bashfulness behind your glass, turning away to chat up your coworkers beneath the ambient crooning of the jazz music spilling from the speakers.
The night eases by with a bit of champagne. With hors d'oeuvres, karaoke, silly party games, and raucous laughter coloring the atmosphere. Everyone appears to be in good spirits, a few of the party’s attendees stopping by to let you know what a great job you’ve done putting everything together.
You brush them off with a lopsided smile, the bubbly fizzling in your system. You gnaw on your bottom lip once left to your own devices. You grapple with the idea of giving your present to your boss now. It’s a quarter ‘till 10 PM, and you’re sure you won’t have a more opportune time to present it to him.
You spot your boss amid the partygoers, the world around him blurring and bending as you focus solely on him. He talks with his Chief Technology Officer, a hand stuffed in his pocket. His posture is relaxed, an occasional, rich laugh spilling from his throat. You decide you quite like this side of him. His defenses at half-mast, swept up in the holiday cheer.
Your face warms. You’re not sure if it’s from the alcohol or the magnetic pull you feel towards him. With a bit of liquid encouragement, you swallow your resolve and swipe your gift from beneath the Christmas tree, making a beeline towards the man of the hour after his conversation ends.
But fate has other plans for you tonight, no longer working in your favor.
You’re halfway across the room when she walks into frame—Ms. Hunter. The smile you once held dampens, and you clutch your gift to your chest, stock-still. You watch with bated breath as she produces a thin, rectangular box from behind her and presents it to your boss, the glossy wrapping paper catching in the incandescent light.
He accepts it with a rare smile. Sets his champagne flute on a high-top table and carefully unravels the gift. Once the box’s contents are revealed, your throat grows dry, your eyes prickling with something warm.
It’s a crudely knit, crimson scarf. It looks like it itches and is two sizes too big for just one person. But it’s clearly a labor of love, and Mr. Sylus bends to allow his lady friend to drape it around his neck. He exudes a quiet fondness as she grazes the tip of his nose with one of the scarf’s frayed ends. It’s simple, yet it speaks volumes of the affection blooming between them.
Without having spoken a word, you sense whatever relationship they share stretches beyond that of mere friendship. It’s something more. Something you could only hope to obtain, but you’re grossly outmatched. All those months you spent in denial, rose-tinted glasses perched on your nose. You never stood a chance, and the realization slams into you with the force of a tsunami.
With a bitter chuckle, you peer down at the intricately wrapped gift in your hands. You’d taped and retaped it several times, determined to get the lines and creasing just right. Took your time curling the ribbons with scissors and scrawling his name on the To line. You protected your gift with your life on your way to the party. Cradled it like a baby. But now, the sight of it makes your stomach churn, the taste of bile heavy on the back of your tongue.
Feeling incredibly foolish, you hide your present at the small of your back, quietly stepping away to nurse your wounded pride.
#sylus x reader#sylus x you#christmas fic#holiday fic#sylus#love and deepspace sylus#lads sylus#lnds sylus#l&ds sylus#sylus qin#modern au#ceo au
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more words for worldbuilding (pt. 2)
ANIMALS
Animal: adult, beast, buck, cat, chicken, cur, father, frog, goat, half-breed, horse, hybrid, litter, mongrel, monster, parasite, pig, stock, young
Bird: bird, chicken
Fish: aquarium, aquatic
Group of animals: drove, herd, insect, pack, stock, team
Insect: bee, grub, pest
Limb or appendage of: bill, coat, feather, fur, mop, pelt, scale, trunk, wing
Mammal: cat, dog, father, goat, hound, mother, pig
CLOTHING
Accessory: bag, belt, buckle, collar, pocketbook, purse, satchel
Clothing: apparel, array, bathing suit, cape, clothes/clothing, costume, dress, dungarees, falsies, frock, garment, girdle, gown, hat, jacket, negligee, nylons, pajamas, pants, quilt, scarf, skirt, suit, swimsuit, thing/things, trappings, underwear, veil, wash, wrap
Part: collar, crown, pocket, strand, tiara
State of dress: bareness, nudity, try on/try out, wear
FOOD & DRINK
Beverage: alcohol, coffee, drink, potable
Beverage, alcoholic: beer, liquor
Change in: curdle, turn
Food: appetizer, bite, brew, bun, casserole, condiment, cracker, diet, doughnut, feed, frosting, grub, helping, hors d’oeuvre, leftover, macaroni, meat, nosh, nurture, nutrition, pastry, produce, refreshment, seasoning, stew, subsistence, support, sweet, treat, vittles
Food part: morsel, nip, taste, tidbit
Meal: banquet, bite, buffet, diet, fare, picnic, repast, spread, table
Produced from animal: comfort food, feed, food, frosting, grub, hero, macaroni, sandwich, submarine, vittles
Produced from plant: condiment, doughnut, loaf, pastry, produce, sweet
Quality of: acerbity, baked, done, edible, mellow, nourishing, perishable, rare, ripe, salty, short, stale, strong, sweet, unappetizing, weak, wholesome
NATURAL RESOURCES
Electricity: beam, spark
Energy: electricity, fuel, nuclear energy, petroleum, power
Expression of energy: blast, bonfire, chill, concussion, discharge, fire, flash, noise, thunder
Natural event: eclipse, meteorology, weather
Resources: fuel, resource, rock, substance
PLANTS
Flower: bloom, bouquet, flower
Fruit: berry, produce
Growth or death of: bloom, bud, germinate, growth, wilt, wither
Part: bark, branch, cereal, flavoring, foliage, grain, juice, limb, nut, pod, scion, shell, stalk, trunk
Plant: algae, bramble, bush, crop, fossil, grass, harvest, hybrid, organism, produce, wreath
Tree: timber, wood/woods
Vegetable: produce
WEATHER
Object connected with: avalanche, breeze, climate, cold, dew, film, flurry, frost, gust, haze, hurricane, meteorology, moisture, puff, thunder, weather, wind
Quality of: breezy, clear, close, crisp, dismal, fair, fiercely, fine, furious, gloomy, hazy, humid, intimidating, misty, oppressive, raw, rugged, soft, stormy, sultry, temperate, thick, tranquil, turbulent, wild, wintry
Type of: blizzard, cloud, drizzle, fog, hail, mist, puff, rain, shower, tempest, torrent, tremor
NOTE
Excerpted from Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Updated and Expanded 3rd Edition, in Dictionary Form, edited by The Princeton Language Institute.
The above are concepts classified according to subject and usage. It not only helps writers and thinkers to organize their ideas but leads them from those very ideas to the words that can best express them.
It was, in part, created to turn an idea into a specific word. By linking together the main entries that share similar concepts, the index makes possible creative semantic connections between words in our language, stimulating thought and broadening vocabulary. Writing Resources PDFs
Source ⚜ Writing Basics & Refreshers ⚜ On Vocabulary
#worldbuilding#vocabulary#langblr#writeblr#writing reference#spilled ink#creative writing#dark academia#setting#writers on tumblr#poets on tumblr#poetry#literature#writing tips#writing prompt#writing#words#lit#studyblr#fiction#light academia#nature#food#writing resources
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Part 1 of my list of Chinese indie brands
It’s a lot to sort through and compile honestly so i wanted to start with a much smaller section that I think the people who interact with my account would find the most interest in:
Oldschool on taobao
Disclaimer: I’m not arguing semantics about a key word in a post made to highlight Chinese brands. Oldschool has always been used as short hand and as a key word to describe the aesthetics and style of pieces from a certain time and not just pieces actually from that time. If you’re actually confused: these are not authentically pre 2006 lolita shops: they’re simple shops that I think do a good job at emulating oldschool aesthetics, or have items that work well in oldschool coords. Disclaimer over now let’s get into the fun stuff
Shops with ❤️ next to their names are ones I’ve personally bought from and can discuss in more detail if wanted !


❤️Lace garden
vintage headbands shop
Mukumuro
❤️Totoro shop
❤️Flower bag shop
❤️summer clothing studio
❤️rococoheroine
sos meme club
sweetheart wonder house
rose and neverland
cyan cat
take shuya away
little bear lolita
❤️nobleman socks
big grocery store
a thousand trees
Antaina
Angelic imprint
With puji
Princess reserved
Youma princess mother and baby
Not everything from these shops works for oldschool and may not be everyone’s taste but I hope it helps!
I will be making follow up posts of specific oldschool items I’ve found that aren’t from shops that consistently sell oldschool. Thank you guys for being patient with me putting all this together.
#oldschool lolita#old school lolita#sweet lolita#lolita fashion#lolita advice#chinese lolita brand#chinese indie brand#chinese lolita#Fredericks taobao guide#lolita resources
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for your stocking stuffers, it wouldn’t be the holiday season without nico helping you put the star on the top of the tree 🌟

PLEASE NOT THE PHOTO😭thank you for requesting!🫶🏽
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“I can help you.”
“I don’t need help.”
“It looks like you need help.”
“It looks like you need to get your eyes checked.”
Nico didn’t even bother to hide his snort, which only pissed you off further as you turned your head to find him standing a few feet away. His hands were on his hips, his lips were pulled into a smile that looked far too smug for your liking and a stupidly endearing Christmas sweater that should look bad but doesn’t.
Because apparently nothing can look bad on your stupidly attractive boyfriend.
“Baby,” Nico sighed, his voice stupidly fond. ��Let me help.”
“I am perfectly capable of doing it myself,” you huffed, your lips pressed together as the chair beneath you started to precariously wobble.
“You’re being stubborn,” he said, though it once again sounded fond.
“No, you said I couldn’t put the star up myself and now I am proving you wrong,” you corrected, tightly gripping onto said tree topper in your hand.
Nico shook his head. “I said it wasn’t a one person job since the tree is so tall.”
“Semantics.”
Nico let out a huff of laughter.
“See,” you gave him a look before turning back to the tree that—now upon standing right next to it on a dodgy dining table chair—seemed a lot bigger than you remembered it being. “Barely any struggle to just lean over and—”
The chair wobbled the second you put too much weight on one side, the balance growing shaky enough for it to begin to tilt on two legs. You barely had a chance to scream, feeling gravity already pull you towards the floor. Or, at least, you expected it to.
But Nico was already there, his arms wound around your legs to hold you as the chair toppled over.
Your lips were parted in shock, your hands gripping his shoulders as best you could from the angle he caught you at.
“Still think it’s a one person job?”
You let out a huff, rolling your eyes even though your heart was pounding in your chest. “Dick.”
Nico only grinned wider, squeezing your thighs. “I got you, baby, way more stable than a chair.”
His hands stayed on you as he placed you back down on the ground after placing the star at the top of the tree, grinning as he squeezed your hips to hold you close.
“Don’t say it.”
“Wasn’t going to,” he beamed before leaning in to press a lingering kiss to the top of your head. “No shame in being a dream team, schatz.”
You grumbled but there was a small smile on your lips. “Thank you for helping, I guess.”
“Always, baby,” he hummed before turning his head to look at the tree. “Actually, I think it’s a little wonky—”
“Fuck off.”
“Kidding, babe. It’s perfect, you just look cute when you’re mad.”
.
#cece's stocking stuffers#nico hischier#nhl#new jersey devils#nico hischier x reader#nico hischier x you#nico hischier x y/n#nico hischier fic#nico hischier one shot#nhl x reader#nhl x you#nhl x y/n#nhl fic#nhl one shot
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Table with the partinioning of the TREE-WOOD-FOREST semantic domain.
Georgakopoulos, Thanasis & Stéphane Polis. 2018. The semantic map model: State of the art and future avenues for linguistic research. Language and Linguistics Compass 12(2). e12270. https://doi.org/10.1111/lnc3.12270.
#table#semantics#Thanasis Georgakopoulos#Stéphane Polis#2018#Language and Linguistics Compass#semantic maps#typology#lingblr#linguistics
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