#someone described it as cinnamon but i think it was sweeter

[iloveaustriailoveaustriailoveaus]

Hello. Anon here. I'm in Denmark. Trotting. Hello Danish followers. You have a lovely home :) <3. Austriaposting will resume soon. For now I venture out to invade Sweden.

[ell-em]

As I sit here folding clothes, listening to old songs that take me back to another time in my life. Smelling the sweet fresh air mixed with cinnamon, chai, and allspice from a fiercely burning candle. I can’t help but think of ways I’ve been described.

Thinking of times whenever someone is getting to know you romantically, someone who’s known you most of your life. It’s fairly easy to describe what you love about someone, why you love them, what draws them to love you and their favorite qualities about you. Then, the second that something changes and it doesn’t work out how either party had planned, it’s knives out. It’s showing blade-like sharp teeth with a thirst for blood. A hunt to hurt someone like they hurt. A hunger that they will do anything to feed.

From hearing things like “you have the biggest heart of anyone I know” and “you care about making everyone happy and being nice to everyone” as some of your best qualities. Only to be told in the end, “you are so fucking selfish.” It’s whenever you finally decide to start being nice to yourself, finally start making yourself happy, that brings out the worst in someone. When you are found wounded, searching for a sanctuary, your safe place, somewhere to rest your weary head and lick your wounds.. that someone is willing to lend a hand and coddle you along the way. The minute that your wounds have turned to just scars, that the sun comes out after the horrific storm that you’ve whethered, and you’ve finally decided to start making yourself happy, that YOU are your safe place is the minute that someone shows you how they truly feel for you. How they truly care for you and what they want and expected from you.

I’m not saying there was never love there, I’m sure at points there were. Moments spent driving in the sun with wind blowing in your hair, looking over to smile back at that person and thinking that this is it. Life couldn’t get any sweeter than this. This right here is your foundation of your future, the love you feel in that moment. That’s not always the case though. Ultimately, it is temporary. It is but a mere stepping stone for your real future. It’s heartbreaking to look back at those moments- to hear a certain song, feel a certain way on a sunny or rainy day, or to even smell the aroma of a comfort you once knew. I remind myself quite frequently that there was love there, but at the end of the day I am the only one who helps myself up, who picks me up off the floor, who can comfort me in the ways I want to be comforted. I understand me better than anyone else does. That’s not necessarily their fault. It’s not their fault that there wasn’t compatibility once the healing journey started.

There will be people who understand you. People that want to help you grow, who will nourish the earth you walk on. There will also be people who will cut the water supply to the soil, who will cut down your beautiful trees providing your oxygen. Sometimes, it comes from the same person. You must always remember that there is a tribe of people who will rebuild with you. Those are the people who will give you shelter while you rebuild, who will shine a light while you work endlessly into the night to make sure your home is perfect. You mustn’t let the thoughts and views of someone who simply wants to hurt you, destroy you. Granted, that is easier said that done.

The hurtful words that have been said to me, described to me, I know aren’t true. Though, they do live in my head, I wear them as scars internally and externally. I look down at a constant reminder of the milestones that I can conquered. The kind, loving words overpower that negatively though. They are a whisper some days, which is probably why I need that reassurance from others. It’s a hell of a lot easier to believe it from someone else than from yourself. Most days, I have to shout out those whispers that are trying so hard to be heard.

But as they say- no rain, no flowers.

[lovee-infected]

Husband!Leona x Housewife!Reader: Birthday surprise

As you have your birthday today, Leona has a plan to prepare a party for his one and only beloved wife; however, uncle Ruggie and your babies almost burn the house down to ashes when you're out...

Happy birthday @jessamine-rose !♡ Now suffer-

Warning(s): None, just a review on Leona's chaotic father experiment trying to babysit his neko babies.

Note: This work is the continuation of a personal au I wrote for @jessamine-rose s/o and Leona have 3 adorable kittens (babies) in this au; The elder two are twins , a girl named Kaede and a son named Haruki while the baby gremlin is a sweet but chaotic cinnamon roll girl named Lucy (Lulu).

At last, it's here: The big day. Not only Leona seems have been expecting this day to arrive for months, or perhaps, he's been waiting ever since you had your previous birthday last year.

Not that you thought previous birthday celebrations with them lacked anything specific or was incomplete in a recognizable way; but it didn't change the fact that you didn't seem to have enjoyed them either.

Leona is the prince of the afterglow Savannah, after all. As her wife your birthday was nothing less than a national holdiday and he always tented to prepare royal celebrations ever since you married him.

But for some reason, that formal and majestic aura seemed to bother you in a way; perhaps because you preferred to be actually spending time with Leona and your family instead of having to stay in the same spot for hours with your back straightened as you greet thousands of strangers and the rest of the royal family.

Not that you ever spoke of how uncomfortabe and annoying all of those birthday ceremonies were, but you almost let out a relived sigh when Leona tells he isn't going to put out another of those extravagant celebrations.

The night before your birthday, Leona comes to you and mentions hoe it's been a while since the last time you had some time for your own, and he's right: From the day you gave birth to lulu you've been awfully busy with housework and caressing your babies; not that your life could be any sweeter than it is now but you had to admit- You somehow missed the old days when you had more time to spend on your own...

Leona recommends you take a day off, as a birthday treat! You're free to go shopping, take a short vacation to the beach or simply go to your favorite cafe and enjoy your favorite drinks and beverages in peace, meanwhile Leona would take care of the house and kittens so you can have today for your own and all~

Of course you accept his offer, you give him a small kiss on cheek and thank him, the two of you head to your bedroom and you are given the opportunity to sleep on Leona's warm chest for the rest of the night.

Thus you leave the house the next morning after, and now it's time for Leona's secret plan. He's already prepared anything, your favorite flowers, your favorite desserts and food, a very expensive perfume you had liked before, color-matching costumes for both him and the kittens, tiny cute accessories to decorate the house with and at last, tens of gifts from different things he sure knows that you'll love.

Ruggie is charge of cooking, so he gets to preparing muffins and cupcakes while Leona takes care of decorations: Designing the entire house with flower petals, baloons and colorful ribbons would've taken him hours if he were to do that by hand, but using his extraordinary magic skills, the whole house is perfectly decorated and prepared in a second *Chef's kiss.*

Just as Leona is about to let out a proud smirk and return to kitchen to see how Ruggie is doing with he cooking, he hears a sound. He turns his head to find no one but baby Lulu, chewing the decorations.

He runs to her and takes the ribbons out of her mouth, opening her mouth a second time and carefully look through it to see if she's eaten any of them or not. Oh God, he promised that he'd take care of everything when you're out, he just can't let you return home and find out that your baby has swallowed paper, what will you even think of him? Irresponsible partner? Unworthy father? No, he must make sure that baby lulu would be all same and sound until you return home.

He hugs Lulu and puts her on a corner with several baloons to play with, far from anything dangerous she could chew but then baby Lulu discovers a new hobby: popping balloons.

Her tiny fangs have just popped out and her gums often hurt, so she just wants to get her fangies on anything she could chew or bite and wow, this baby is not only totally unaffected by the loud sound of balloons popping right into her face but also finds it quite amusing. Baby begins to laugh loudly and chase after more balloons to chew as she has discovered a new hobby, and before Leona could've stopped her, she pops 5 more balloons with just one bite-

Leona picks her up immediately because if Lulu continued to chew balloons like this nothing of them would be left until you get home-

- But all of a sudden, he smells something rotten, followed by a trail of smoke coming from kitchen. He immediately puts Lulu down and runs back to the kitchen to see what in the great seven's name is happening there-

Leona jumps into the kitchen- just to find Kaede and Haruki screaming and crying as Ruggie's trying to take the black-rotten cupcakes out of the oven. Leona asks what the hell has happened and Ruggie explains he was too busy separating the twins because they couldn't stop arguing whether their mama would like caramel syrup as the topping or sprinkles, so Ruggie totally forgets about the overcooked muffins and cupcakes in the middle of their arguments.

Leona tells him to pull himself and start over- But Ruggie aruges that he won't be able to concentrate on both babysitting and cooking if that's how it's going to be. Leona growls and tell Ruggie to stop being such a wacky hyena and just get back to work without messing up again- And Ruggie explodes.

He starts shouting, Ruggie legit starts shouting in a rare, angry tune which terrified everyone even Leona. He roars that he won't be doing shit until Leona actually pays him for once, and the two start arguing. Just as the chaos is burning the kitchen down, Lulu decides uncle Ruggie's leg looks quite delicious to bite, and in a matter of second Ruggie is screaming as the baby lion's fangs literally pierced into his flesh.

The whole house is filled with smoke, Lulu has taken the entire decorations down and Leona's trying to seprate baby Lulu's fangs from Ruggie's leg. Twins are terrified, so the silently sneak out of the kitchen to call the right person to come for help...

It's past 10 pm when you're done with your day off. You've been giggling over how a day off was just what you needed after a long time, you had told Leona to call if anything went wrong, and thankfully, you didn't receive any calls from him while you were out. Leona really seems to have toughed it out as a father, huh?

You knock at the door, waiting for someone to open it. After a 3 minute delay you take a small look through the house and realize the lights are off. You just get in using your keys and suddenly, a loud "SURPRISE!" makes you jump back and the lights are back on, revealing Farena, Cheka, your kittens and very, very very tired-looking Leona and Ruggie standing in front of you. Leona gives you a weak smile as your confused gaze meets him, at last, they managed to clean the mess up before you got home.

Twins welcome you with a warm hug as they lock their tiny arms around your waist, digging their faces into soft fabrics of your clothes as if they hadn't met you in days, and of course, 12 hours of chaos without mama at home is enough to make them want to never be left alone in the house with uncle Ruggie and dad again-

Ruggie is trying his best not to be rude but he quickly approaches you, wishes you a very happy birthday and excuses himself saying he really needs to be home by this hour. You question the bandages wrapped around his leg, asking if he's alright? Ruggie just- Gulps nervously before turning his head back and stare at Leona who is holding Lulu... Ruggie nods quickly and leaves your house asap, poor boy... maybe you should call him sometime later and asking if he's doing fine?

Back to the party, Farena chuckles as he tells you how his younger brother has been DESPERATELY making plans for his beloved wife's birthday for nearly two months-! Farena explains that Leona even refused to accept Farena's help when he was firstly coming up with the plans, but Leona insisted that he wanted to manage everything on his own.

Aaaaaw Leona's face is a must-see now, his ears dropped down in mild embarrassment and frustration, feeling like a silly child in front of you. Damn- If it was on him he wouldn't have asked for Farena's help once in a thousand years even if if Ruggie and him had ended up burning the entire house; but he must admit, he's glad that twins asked for his help because- It would've been impossible to manange to do all the work on time without his help.

Aaah at least your birthday party didn't turn out to be a horrible mess, but at what cost? Great seven, he was supposed to be your one and only man tonight but right now he's nothing but a fuzzy cat wanting to pass put on his bed.

Yet he still manages to keep his eyes open, at least until you're done with the birthday party and Farena and Cheka are finally out; leaving him alone with you. Gosh, he looks so- you can't even find tje right adjective to describe this but all you can say for now is that you've never seen him this tired before.

You gently take Lulu, who has already fallen asleep in his arms and take her to her bed, asking Leona if babysitting her was difficult by any means. Leona tiredly shakes his head in a no, saying how much of a wonderful girl she was when you were away, and you can tell how much of an awful liar he is.

When the kids are asleep, you come to sit next to a lifeless Leona on couch, damn, just what happened to this household when you weren't around?

Leona's too tired to explain, he just sighs and apologizes for your birthday not being even *close to the best it could be, just to meet your laughter.

Oh lord, he is being quite desperate at the moment ha? Leona was always the dominative and demanding one, to have him serve ypu on your birthday... Oh dear, isn't that already the best birthday gift possible?

You excitedly start to tell him how this birthday was just the best you could've ever asked for: Freedom, A golden time to be spent for your own desires and not anyone else, and aside all of these, you return home just to face a secret party waiting for you!

But most importantly: He had gone through all of these... for you, to make you happy.

You tightly hug him, wrapping your arms around his neck and bringing his face closer to yours. Aaaa he looks so cute like this, just like a tired pouty can wanting you to spoil him and to be honest, he's going to need you spoil him for a week at least for him to recovers from that 12 hours of chaos.

It's been a long day, for both you and him. So he just kisses your forehead and bridal carries you to your bedroom afterwards; wrapping his strong arms and thighs around you and jailing you in his embrace. You gasp at the warmth, truth be told having your face burried in Leona's firm chest like this was something you never got used to even after being married to him for years. Damn lion knew how to leave a flushed mess out of you, huh? You chuckle as you struggle to release yourself but hell, the jerk simply pretends that he's already fallen asleep.

Just as Leona's arms are jailing you into his embrace he wonders, today probably didn't turn out to be as good as he'd planmed but well... at least you're happy. That's what he wanted when he whet out of his way planning for today, after all. But he can tell the experiment made him come to appreciate you even more, thinking that you've been caressing all three of your babies for years all on your own while Leona wouldn't have even made it for half a day if Farena hadn't saved him...

[linhlotustories]

Oops

Marinette trudged up to her room. It had been a terrible day and all she wanted to do was snuggle with Chat and go to sleep. Unfortunately, or, as Chat would say, Un-fur-tunately, there was one major problem with that. She couldn’t speak around him. Or move. Not without tripping over nothing. It was worse than when she’d had a crush on Adrien. It wasn’t even in the same class. She still got a little flustered around Adrien occasionally, but it wasn’t as bad as before.

As she set her bag down, she heard a tap on the window. Oh, no. Another opportunity to embarrass herself. As she opened the window, she turned to hide her flushed face and walked back to her desk. “C-come in, Ch-chat.”

“Hey, Purrincess,” he greeted as he settled himself on the chaise.

“Why d-don’t you get a m-movie set up wh-while I get some snacks?” She got up and tried to walk to the trapdoor only to trip over her feet. She held out her arms to catch herself, as, in her peripheral vision, she saw Chat leap to catch her. With a loud thump, they ended up on the floor, her hovering over Chat on her hands and knees. Their faces inches apart.

She heard feet pounding up the stairs and her papa burst in. He stopped. “Uh, am I interrupting something?”

Marinette felt her face heat up. “N-no! I-it’s not l-like that!”

“Just make sure you use protection.” His eyes twinkled and he disappeared down the stairs, closing the trapdoor behind him.

Marinette turned her head to look at Chat who’s face probably looked as red as hers “I’m so sorry!” she yelped as she launched herself off him. “I didn’t mean to do that!” She squeezed her eyes closed and kept spewing out apologies until Chat set his hand on her shoulder.

“Marinette, It’s okay. It was an accident. You didn’t mean to. Look at me, Marinette.” She opened her eyes and saw that his cheeks were still tinged with pink. “It’s fine.”

“But-”

“No. No buts. You didn’t do anything wrong. Although, don’t think I haven’t noticed how weird you’ve been acting. Did I do something wrong?” He furrowed his brows.

“N-no.” She was a deer in the headlights, unable to move, but knowing that she was doomed.

“Then what is it? Did someone hurt you?” His face morphed from concern to anger. “Who was it? I’ll-” he growled.

“Chat, wait. No one hurt me.” She was flattered that he cared about her that much, but he jumped to conclusions really fast.

“Then what’s going on? What happened?”

“W-well, um.” She rubbed her arm and looked down. This was where she’d gone wrong with Adrien so many times. Would she be able to confess? Or would she chicken out? “I’m in love with you,” she whispered.

“What?”

She closed her eyes and practically screamed, “I’m in love with you, okay! I realized it a few weeks ago. I just haven’t been able to tell you.” Fat tears squeezed out of her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

She stood and walked to the window, being careful not to look Chat in the eye.

When she felt a hand on her shoulder, she jumped and flinched away. She hadn’t heard him come up behind her. He placed his hands back on her shoulders and gently turned her to face him. He cupped her face in his hands and wiped her tears. “I’m sorry I made you cry, Purrincess,” was the last thing he said before he pressed his lips against hers.

Electric.

If she could only use one word, that was how she would have described the kiss. Electricity crackled through her as their lips met and refused to fizzle out even after they had parted.

Beyond that, though, it was wet. Her tears had rolled onto the corners of her lips and that, coupled with the saliva from their mouths, made their lips slippery.

Her hands reached up and tangled themselves in his hair as he found her waist, pressing her body to his.

Chat was the first one to break away, gasping for air. Marinette was out of breath too, but she followed his lips, and he allowed her one more kiss before placing his finger on her lips.

“Wait,” he panted. “I need a moment.” He led her over to the chaise and they sat there, panting and clinging to each other.

After they had caught their breath, Chat turned to her, “I need to tell you something.” He sucked in a breath and started. “When you started getting nervous around me, I thought I did something wrong and you didn’t want to be around me anymore. And that made me realize that I can’t live without you. I need you, Marinette.

“I love you,” he whispered.

Those last three words stunned Marinette, but not as much as what he said next.

He folded his hands and looked down. “I understand if you don’t feel the same, but I had to tell you before it was too late.”

“Are you an idiot? I just confessed to you and made out with you! Of course I feel the same way! Wait, what do you mean ‘before it’s too late’?” She had a horrible thought. “Are you dying?”

“No! No! I just thought you and Luka . . .” He trailed off.

“What? No, there’s never been anything romantic between us.” She paused. “There was this other boy I liked, but he never returned my feelings so . . .” She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter anymore. No use in worrying about something that was never meant to be.”

“Wait. Who was this boy?”

“He’s one of my classmates. You probably wouldn’t know him.” She thought for a moment. His face was plastered on billboards all over Paris and he was the most popular bachelor in all of Europe. “Er, well, actually, you probably would.”

“Who? Nathaniel? Nino?” he growled.

“Nathaniel? Why would I like Nathaniel? I mean no offense to him, but he’s nowhere near my type. And Nino’s dating Alya.” She laughed.

“Then what is your type?”

“Blond-haired, green-eyed guys. Why? Don’t you know what you look like? Or were you referring to personality?”

“Both, I guess.”

“Well, you already know what looks I prefer, but I like guys who’re sweet, kind, have a healthy dose of humility.” She looked at him pointedly. “Um, helpful. I think those are the most important traits to me. Oh, and they can’t just be interested in me for my body or my connections.”

“Bold of you to assume that I can’t be humble, Purrincess. Now, I believe you were about to tell me who ‘Mystery Boy’ is.”

“No, I wasn’t.”

“Please, Purrincess?” He kissed the tip of her nose.

“Fine, but if I tell you, I get another kiss. And a real one, not just on the nose.” He nodded and she continued. “It was Adrien Agreste.”

“Wait the model?”

“Is there another one?”

He let out a peal of laughter.

“Hey, don’t laugh at me!” She crossed her arms and turned away.

“I’m such an idiot,” he laughed.

“What do you mean?” she grumbled. It still felt like he was making fun of her.

“I should have realized. It makes so much sense. The stuttering, the enhanced clumsiness. The constipation meds were an attempt to confess, wasn’t it? And what you said in the wax museum was true!” By the end of his epiphany, he was laughing gleefully.

“Wait.” Marinette narrowed her eyes. “How do you know about that?”

“Oops. I-I, um, he told me?”

Marinette jumped as she realized something, falling backward off the chaise. “Adrien!” she screeched.

He smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. “The one and only.”

“I just! You’re! What?”

She was hyperventilating.

She couldn’t believe she had just confessed to Chat and told him about her crush on Adrien only for him to be Adrien.

“Are you . . . okay?” Chat -Adrien? No, he was still Chat right now- asked as he knelt next to her. How had gotten there? Was she so stunned that she didn’t notice him crouching next to her? No, it actually made a lot of sense. She’d never seen Adrien and Chat at the same time. His absence when she’d fought Gorizilla suddenly made sense. Wait! She had seen them at the same time! “But you were both there when we defeated Gorizilla. If you’re Adrien, how did you pull that off? And why didn’t you transform when you were falling off the tower?”

“I had Wayhem pretend to be Adrien while I was Chat Noir and I knew Ladybu-” He gaped at her. “Did you say we?” He grinned. “Of course you would be Ladybug! I’m surprised I didn’t figure it out sooner.” He threw his head back and- laughed. Not just a self-deprecating chuckle or a chortle, but a real, hearty laugh. Now it was her turn to gape. He had such a wonderful laugh, low and gleeful. Like music.

“What?” He must have seen her staring.

“Oh, nothing,” She shook her head, trying to shake herself out of the muddle her mind had become. “I’ve just never heard you laugh.”

“Yeah, you have.” He looked at her quizzically.

“No, I mean really laugh. I can tell when you’re faking it. That includes smiling.”

“What do you mean.” There was another one of those smiles again.

“See! That’s what I mean! You’re smiling to cover up your true feelings. That’s not healthy.”

“How’d you know?”

“I notice things,” she answered with feigned superiority.

“About everyone or am I special?” She blushed and he smirked at her. How dare he assume such a thing? He was right, of course, but she wasn’t going to admit that. His ego was already big enough as it was.

When she didn’t answer, he said, “That’s what I thought.”

“You still owe me that kiss,’ she said with as much spite as she could muster, which wasn’t much considering who she was talking to.

“I’m all for that, but one thing first.”

“What?”

“I want you to admit you’re Ladybug.”

“Fine, since you already figured it out, I’m Ladybug. Now can I please have that kiss?” She was still trying to act indignant, but it was really hard when all she wanted to do was kiss him.

“Yes.” He leaned in through hooded eyes and pressed his lips to hers.

This time, it was softer, sweeter. Still electric, but less frantic. She noticed more.

He smelled faintly of peppermint and his lips tasted of cinnamon, which was an intoxicating mixture.

She swirled her fingers around in his silky golden hair before pulling him closer and letting his hands glide to her waist.

Chat pulled away and rested his forehead against hers. “I love you,” he panted.

“And I you,” she replied before pulling him in again.

Oh, how she loved kissing him. Almost as much as she loved him.

This is way longer than I intended but think of it as a peace offering for me not doing all the prompts. This was inspired by Lyradaisical's Deja vu so go check that out. Thank you to my wonderful beta Moonlight of the moon!

[linhlotus]

Oops

Marinette trudged up to her room. It had been a terrible day and all she wanted to do was snuggle with Chat and go to sleep. Unfortunately, or, as Chat would say, Un-fur-tunately, there was one major problem with that. She couldn’t speak around him. Or move. Not without tripping over nothing. It was worse than when she’d had a crush on Adrien. It wasn’t even in the same class. She still got a little flustered around Adrien occasionally, but it wasn’t as bad as before.

As she set her bag down, she heard a tap on the window. Oh, no. Another opportunity to embarrass herself. As she opened the window, she turned to hide her flushed face and walked back to her desk. “C-come in, Ch-chat.”

“Hey, Purrincess,” he greeted as he settled himself on the chaise.

“Why d-don’t you get a m-movie set up wh-while I get some snacks?” She got up and tried to walk to the trapdoor only to trip over her feet. She held out her arms to catch herself, as, in her peripheral vision, she saw Chat leap to catch her. With a loud thump, they ended up on the floor, her hovering over Chat on her hands and knees. Their faces inches apart.

She heard feet pounding up the stairs and her papa burst in. He stopped. “Uh, am I interrupting something?”

Marinette felt her face heat up. “N-no! I-it’s not l-like that!”

“Just make sure you use protection.” His eyes twinkled and he disappeared down the stairs, closing the trapdoor behind him.

Marinette turned her head to look at Chat who’s face probably looked as red as hers “I’m so sorry!” she yelped as she launched herself off him. “I didn’t mean to do that!” She squeezed her eyes closed and kept spewing out apologies until Chat set his hand on her shoulder.

“Marinette, It’s okay. It was an accident. You didn’t mean to. Look at me, Marinette.” She opened her eyes and saw that his cheeks were still tinged with pink. “It’s fine.”

“But-”

“No. No buts. You didn’t do anything wrong. Although, don’t think I haven’t noticed how weird you’ve been acting. Did I do something wrong?” He furrowed his brows.

“N-no.” She was a deer in the headlights, unable to move, but knowing that she was doomed.

“Then what is it? Did someone hurt you?” His face morphed from concern to anger. “Who was it? I’ll-” he growled.

“Chat, wait. No one hurt me.” She was honored that he cared about her that much, but he jumped to conclusions really fast.

“Then what’s going on? What happened?”

“W-well, um.” She rubbed her arm and looked down. This was where she’d gone wrong with Adrien so many times. Would she be able to confess? Or would she chicken out? “I’m in love with you,” she whispered.

“What?”

She closed her eyes and practically screamed, “I’m in love with you, okay! I realized it a few weeks ago. I just haven’t been able to tell you.” Fat tears squeezed out of her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

She stood and walked to the window, being careful not to look Chat in the eye.

When she felt a hand on her shoulder, she jumped and flinched away. She hadn’t heard him come up behind her. He placed his hands back on her shoulders and gently turned her to face him. He cupped her face in his hands and wiped her tears. “I’m sorry I made you cry, Purrincess,” was the last thing he said before he pressed his lips against hers.

Electric.

If she could only use one word, that was how she would have described the kiss. Electricity crackled through her as their lips met and refused to fizzle out even after they had parted.

Beyond that, though, it was wet. Her tears had rolled onto the corners of her lips and that, coupled with the saliva from their mouths, made their lips slippery.

Her hands reached up and tangled themselves in her hair as he found her waist, pressing her body to his.

Chat was the first one to break away, gasping for air. Marinette was out of breath too, but she followed his lips, and he allowed her one more kiss before placing his finger on her lips.

“Wait,” he panted. “I need a moment.” He led her over to the chaise and they sat there, panting and clinging to each other.

After they had caught their breath, Chat turned to her, “I need to tell you something.” He sucked in a breath and started. “When you started getting nervous around me, I thought I did something wrong and you didn’t want to be around me anymore. And that made me realize that I can’t live without you. I need you, Marinette.

“I love you,” he whispered.

Those last three words stunned Marinette, but not as much as what he said next.

He folded his hands and looked down. “I understand if you don’t feel the same, but I had to tell you before it was too late.”

“Are you an idiot? I just confessed to you and made out with you! Of course I feel the same way! Wait, what do you mean ‘before it’s too late’?” She had a horrible thought. “Are you dying?”

“No! No! I just thought you and Luka . . .” He trailed off.

“What? No, there’s never been anything romantic between us.” She paused. “There was this other boy I liked, but he never returned my feelings so . . .” She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter anymore. No use in worrying about something that was never meant to be.”

“Wait. Who was this boy?”

“He’s one of my classmates. You probably wouldn’t know him.” She thought for a moment. His face was plastered on billboards all over Paris and he was the most popular bachelor in all of Europe. “Er, well, actually, you probably would.”

“Who? Nathaniel? Nino?” he growled.

“Nathaniel? Why would I like Nathaniel? I mean no offense to him, but he’s nowhere near my type. And Nino’s dating Alya.” She laughed.

“Then what is your type?”

“Blond-haired, green-eyed guys. Why? Don’t you know what you look like? Or were you referring to personality?”

“Both, I guess.”

“Well, you already know what looks I prefer, but I like guys who’re sweet, kind, have a healthy dose of humility.” She looked at him pointedly. “Um, helpful. I think those are the most important traits to me. Oh, and they can’t just be interested in me for my body or my connections.”

“Bold of you to assume that I can’t be humble, Purrincess. Now, I believe you were about to tell me who ‘Mystery Boy’ is.”

“No, I wasn’t.”

“Please, Purrincess?” He kissed the tip of her nose.

“Fine, but if I tell you, I get another kiss. And a real one, not just on the nose.” He nodded and she continued. “It was Adrien Agreste.”

“Wait the model?”

“Is there another one?”

He let out a peal of laughter.

“Hey, don’t laugh at me!” She crossed her arms and turned away.

“I’m such an idiot,” he laughed.

“What do you mean?” she grumbled. It still felt like he was making fun of her.

“I should have realized. It makes so much sense. The stuttering, the enhanced clumsiness. The constipation meds were an attempt to confess, wasn’t it? And what you said in the wax museum was true!” By the end of his epiphany, he was laughing gleefully.

“Wait.” Marinette narrowed her eyes. “How do you know about that?”

“Oops. I-I, um, he told me?”

Marinette jumped as she realized something, falling backward off the chaise. “Adrien!” she screeched.

He smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. “The one and only.”

“I just! You’re! What?”

She was hyperventilating.

She couldn’t believe she had just confessed to Chat and told him about her crush on Adrien only for him to be Adrien.

“Are you . . . okay?” Chat -Adrien? No, he was still Chat right now- asked as he knelt next to her. How had gotten there? Was she so stunned that she didn’t notice him crouching next to her? No, it actually made a lot of sense. She’d never seen Adrien and Chat at the same time. His absence when she’d fought Gorizilla suddenly made sense. Wait! She had seen them at the same time! “But you were both there when we defeated Gorizilla. If you’re Adrien, how did you pull that off? And why didn’t you transform when you were falling off the tower?”

“I had Wayhem pretend to be Adrien while I was Chat Noir and I knew Ladybu-” He gaped at her. “Did you say we?” He grinned. “Of course you would be Ladybug! I’m surprised I didn’t figure it out sooner.” He threw his head back and- laughed. Not just a self-deprecating chuckle or a chortle, but a real, hearty laugh. Now it was her turn to gape. He had such a wonderful laugh, low and gleeful. Like music.

“What?” He must have seen her staring.

“Oh, nothing,” She shook her head, trying to shake herself out of the muddle her mind had become. “I’ve just never heard you laugh.”

“Yeah, you have.” He looked at her quizically.

“No, I mean really laugh. I can tell when you’re faking it. That includes smiling.”

“What do you mean.” There was another one of those smiles again.

“See! That’s what I mean! You’re smiling to cover up your true feelings. That’s not healthy.”

“How’d you know?”

“I notice things,” she answered with feigned superiority.

“About everyone or am I special?” She blushed and he smirked at her. How dare he assume such a thing? He was right, of course, but she wasn’t going to admit that. His ego was already big enough as it was.

When she didn’t answer, he said, “That’s what I thought.”

“You still owe me that kiss,’ she said with as much spite as she could muster, which wasn’t much considering who she was talking to.

“I’m all for that, but one thing first.”

“What?”

“I want you to admit you’re Ladybug.”

“Fine, since you already figured it out, I’m Ladybug. Now can I have that kiss?” She was still trying to act indignant, but it was really hard when all she wanted to do was kiss him.

“Yes.” He leaned in through hooded eyes and pressed his lips to hers.

This time, it was softer, sweeter. Still electric, but less frantic. She noticed more.

He smelled faintly of peppermint and his lips tasted of cinnamon, which was an intoxicating mixture.

She swirled her fingers around in his silky golden hair before pulling him closer and letting his hands glide to her waist.

Chat pulled away and rested his forehead against hers. “I love you,” he panted.

“And I you,” she replied before pulling him in again.

Oh, how she loved kissing him. Almost as much as she loved him.

This is way longer than I intended but think of it as a peace offering for me not doing all the prompts. This was inspired by Lyradaisical's Deja vu so go give her some love! Thank you to my wonderful beta Moonlight of the moon!

[with-love-anu]

Tag your mutuals and share what you like about them.

This is so cruel because there are wayyyy too many people I would like to add here because of their sheer brilliance *pouts*. Okay, I’ll try and jot it it down to a few, even though I know I’ll forget someone!

@futurewriter2000: My very first internet bestie and she’s like the most bad-ass (Yup! I’ve used this so many times but this is exactly what describes her) and yet such a softie (I can feel you coming at moi Tijana) because she is just so easy to talk to and is ready to help anyone and everyone. She’s just so perceptive of everyone and she like, knows what you need! If I ever get the chance to meet her irl, the first thing I’ll do is engulf her in a hug.

@im-a-writer-right: Okay, first off phew! Because she is literally THE person I goof around with. She might be all jokes and memes but I think she cares far too deeply about her friends ;) and is like the person you just go and talk about your problems too. She has cheered me up more than a hundred times and I hope to keep hearing her late night rants because they are just too full of life and add color to her blog!

@marauderswhisperer: She has a like, cool elegant personality. She gives of ~queen~ vibes to me and I think there is whole lot more to her than she lets on here.

@approved-by-dentists: I have been talking to her every other day and let me tell you she’s an adorable goof ball and I’m so amazed by her work, because if you look closely, her deductions about love and philosophy shows exactly that she is one of the people who thinks too deeply, cares too much and is probably one of the people you shouldn’t give up the chance of befriending!

@mknight080904: She’s intelligent, witty and extremely perceptive and I think she doesn’t even know it! I always thought of her as a shy person and I’m so so happy that she’s becoming more confident each day!

@obsessedwithrandomthings: I went to her for some really big advise just the other day and let me tell you, she’s one of the people who make you feel at home and comfortable. She’s a very friendly and a lovable person.

@screennamealreadyused: Okay, I’ve followed her very recently and I might not know much about her, but she’s an amazing amazing person who went forward and made moodboards based on the personality of various bloggers around her and let me tell you, she’s great at it.

@thou-crusty-batch-of-nature: She’s an amazing writer and an even better person. I love talking to her because she is someone I can totally relate with. Moreover, she is one of the sweetest people around!

@angelinathebook: She is a complete and utter darling. She has a nice word for every person around here and I cannot appreciate her more, because words would always lack in expressing how cute she is!

@slytherinquill: She is totally laid back, chill person. She has a thing about her that would cheer you up by just talking to her!

@padfootagain: She is so so nice to talk to! She’s a complete and utter sweetheart and you would have to love her for the absolute cinnamon role she is!

@emcchi: She’s the beautiful flower girl! She never forgets to leave a comment and whatever interaction I’ve had with her, I know she’s absolutely lovable and deserves all the love in the world.

@wreckofawriter: She’s an amazingly talented person, and I could see why she would become a brilliant lawyer (If she decides to!) She’s opiniated (in a good way) and very convincing and you’ll find yourself agreeing with her more than anything!

@scaredofvscogirls: I still remember the cat gif she reblogged my Writer Appreciation with and that was my first interaction with her and I still associate her with an absolutely cute ball of fluff and she’s never failed to prove it otherwise.

@emmaloo21: She’s the pretty little sunshine of tumblr and you have appreciate her enthusiasm with which she does things! She’s a very sweet person to talk to and I’m happy to call her my friend.

@pregnant-piggy: Okay, so I always see her Amy (The cute parts) and she’s a very intelligent person who gives off these artistic vibes and I see her as the person who’s calm and quiet, probably the person you’d love having tea with <3

@peachesandpinks: How do you describe a person who’s so cute and lovable that all you want to do is hug them so tight, squeezing the air out of them? I am so amazed by the excellent fiction she writes and she has lifted my spirits so many damn times!

@mysterioustruffle: I haven’t interacted with her much but she is an absolute darling who’s understanding and supportive!

@april-showers-and-flowers / @sweeter-than-strawberries: She is as much of a sweetheart as her url! She knows how to cheer people up, gives in an amazing response and I would love to get to know her more!

@bave-de-crapaud: She’s a brilliant brilliant author and an equally wonderful person and she’s brought a smile to my face so many times!

[paodequeijofeliz-blog]

Let me tell you a good story

Bloodbound Fanfiction (characters and main story belongs to Pixelberry Studios).

Pairing: Kamilah Sayeed and MC (Annie)

Information:  this takes place after Bloodbound 3, here I’m recreating how Kamilah and MC would meet if she had never gone to Raines Corporation right away.

Summary: Thirty years after meeting Annie for the first time, Kamilah is now a wife and a mother. During a regular family dinner, she decides to tell her daughter and their new son-in-law the story of how she fell in love with Annie after an unusual meeting through the hallways of NYU.

Warnings: none.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 7 (Finale)

Let me tell you a good story - Part 6

March 2nd, 2048

           “So… When and how did you find out, exactly?” Drake cupped his own chin, intrigued. “I mean, you DO know that the woman beside you is Kamilah Sayeed, Ms. K. Sayeed of Ahmanet Financial, right?”

           Anna’s snorted a laugh. “Yes, I actually DO know I married Ms. Kamilah Sayeed, although she isn’t a “Ms” anymore.”

           “Jump to the part you realized it. It was a painful and funny scene to watch, all at once. And it wasn’t long after you two started making out, right?” Adrian’s hands are always resting in his pockets when he feels safe and relaxed. Especially around family. Right now, they had been there ever since he entered the house. There was no safer place to be.

           “Four days after that. September 16th.” Kamilah gave a soft smile. She was damn good remembering dates. “Because on September 15th, I asked her to follow me to the Penthouse after work and share a drink. We had made great advancement on the research…”

           “…and on other things…” Anna cofed.

           “…that too…” The vampire relaxed back against the chair. “I think it’s your turn to talk. We’re all excited to hear this part from you, darling. Tell them how you found out the truth.”

           The historian sighed.

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

September 15th, 2018

           That place was nothing remotely close to what Annie had pictured in her head. She knew Kamilah was rich, of course, the woman wore only Armani and Louis Vitton for days, but not that rich. It was so big, she was afraid to wonder off and get lost in there. They would need to call the firefighters to find her back. Maybe even set up some search teams, hire a few detectives…

           “My goodness, you’re so dramatic. Stop stalling already.”

           “You hush, wife. You had your time telling, now it’s mine.”

           It was indeed a huge apartment. But it had nothing that could lead Anna into finding Kamilah’s last name. Not a document, a picture, a tag, anything. It was mostly fancy and elegant furniture carefully selected to match a refined set of Egyptian displayed objects. Everything there seemed to cost thirty times the historian’s pay check, so she kept her arms pretty tight to her body while walking slowly at a safe distance from anything that could be bumped into.

           “Are you feeling well?” Kamilah arched an eyebrow from the beverage side cart where she was choosing a drink.

           “Yes. I’m perfect.” Anna turned to walk in her direction but stopped after a few steps. There were too many fancy glasses and bottles on that cart.

           “What do you usually drink?”

           Her eyes scanned it from the distance. “Hm… Rum.”

           Kamilah lifted her gaze, impressed. Since Anna’s face looked confident, she didn’t argue, putting a generous dose on a short glass. “With…?”

           “Ice and peppermint.”

           “Who would’ve thought…” the Egyptian handed her the drink, choosing for herself a highly alcoholic liquor with scents of cocoa and cinnamon.

           “What?” Anna smiled, turning the glass and drinking half of it like it was some tasty light tea. “Were you expecting me to ask for something else? Something lighter or sweeter?”

           “Maybe. Although, you are a woman of good tastes for coffee. I should’ve expected you to own good tastes for alcohol either.”

           “Why, thank you. I also have a good taste for women.”

           Kamilah gave her a malicious smile, leaning in enough to brush the lips on Anna’s. The kiss she placed there was a light one, just enough to speed her heartbeat. After a couple seconds, the Egyptian gently took Annie’s hand and guided her to the balcony, so they could talk beneath the moonlight. Ever since the first kiss at the office, it had been impossible to keep their hands off each other. In the past few days, the historian was always finding an excuse to go see Kamilah unexpectedly. She had the permission to do so even before the kiss, and now it was using it on her advantage, showing up in different hours so the Egyptian would be caught off guarded. That morning, it was Kamilah who flipped the game.

           “Was I a good visitor today?” the CEO took their glasses once they were finished, leaving it on an iron table.

           Anna narrowed her eyes. “Yes. You could’ve announced your presence before pinning me on the wall, though. I almost had a heart attack.”

           Kamilah laughed, hugging her from behind and pressing Annie’s body against the balcony. They could see the entire city from there, but all the Egyptian’s eyes wanted was to admire the smooth curve of the neck where she started to kiss. “I like to keep you on the edge. You’ve been way naughty for my taste… I think I allowed you too much freedom around me.”

           “Is that so? Do you prefer me to give you space?”

           Kamilah’s grip around her waist tightened harshly, nails sinking. “No.” She turned the girl in a fast movement. Those brown eyes were glowing dangerously. “I do not wish any space to be put between us. What I want is for you to be a good girl and stop teasing me around.”

  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

           “Now I have to skip a few parts…” Annie smiled at them, biting her knuckles to muffle a spicy laugh. “For my daughter’s sake.”

           “Thank God.” Lysia agreed. 

           “My sake too, ma’am. No offense intended.” Drake lifted his hands, blushed.

           “Non taken… So… Hm… In the next morning…” Anna’s voice was starting to get slower, loosing track while her accent seemed to strengthen.

           Kamilah is a smart woman. And knows her wife too damn well. The vampire’s gaze was lingering at the ceiling, but her ears and perceptions were capturing every single movement Annie made while telling the story. The historian was already showing her regular signs of being too sleepy. Kamilah fought the idea of interrupting and taking her wife to bed. But then, her attention caught the adorable giggle Anna made while describing how beautiful Kamilah looked that morning years ago. She just couldn’t stop her wife’s fun. Ten more minutes wouldn’t hurt.

  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

September 16th, 2018

             “Good morning.” Kamilah woke her by gently stroking the woman’s hair, trying to uncover her sleepy face. She found out two dozy big black eyes opening to meet hers. “It’s almost ten, already. Did I tire you this much?”

           Annie denied it with a scoff, but her silly opened smile was there to unmask the truth. For a while, they just stayed there, breathing comfortably with their bodies still kind of tangled on each other. Kamilah kept caressing that wavy long hair, her face resting on the top of the historian’s head. She could smell vanilla on it, a sweet scent one day the Egyptian would know so well, it became part of her home. Mixed with it, there was Opium, Kamilah’s favourite parfum. Knowing she had touched Anna so much to the point of their scents getting mixed made the CEO smile. The idea of being all over the professor’s skin was too appealing.

           “I need coffee.” Annie finally said something, although her voice sounded half asleep. Slowly, she turned to kiss Kamilah between her breasts, tracing a path that finished under her earlobe. “Let me make you some. Ok?”

           The Egyptian loved the sweet way Anna would always ask “Ok?” after anything and everything, even though the answer for that question had only been “yes” so far. – “Of course. I’ll take a shower and meet you in the kitchen.”

           Fifteen minutes later, the doorbell rang. Annie hesitated, a pan with boiling water on her hands. “Kamilah? Someone’s at your door…”.

           No answer. Still uncertain, the girl went to look through the peephole, but there wasn’t anyone there. She slowly opened a crack to find two silver boxes wrapped with satin ribbon bows and a small note with “Ms. Sayeed” written on it.

           “What are you doing?” Kamilah’s hand took the hot pan in a flash. “Don’t walk around with boiling water in your hands, you could’ve gotten in an accident.” Which was an extremely probable outcome, since she saw the historian dropping too many books and pens while working, besides constantly tripping on her own toes.

           “Uh, sorry, I forgot I had it… The doorbell rang…” Anna’s eyes scanned the carpet, afraid she might have dripped the water somehow, but there was no stain.

           “Bring it in, it’s our outfits.” With that, Kamilah head back to the kitchen to finish the coffee. It took a moment for Annie to follow her, as the woman was walking with extreme caution, like the boxes were made of crystal. “Relax, darling. Nothing in there is breakable. Leave it on the bed, please.”

           “Why is there a note with Ms. Sayeed’s name? She gave you this?” her voice came from the distance, while Anna was taking the boxes to the bedroom.

           Kamilah bitted her lower lip, pondering about telling or not the truth already. “Yes”, she finally said, deciding to let Anna find it out on her own, “It’s for tonight’s gala. She desires us to look elegant.”

           “Hmmmm I love the smell of a fresh batch of morning coffee.” The historian was right back, jumping happily to sit at the table. The smell of coffee was killing her. “Why did she send both here? Wouldn’t it be easier to just mail Adrian’s to his house?”

           For a moment, the Egyptian leaned her head, confused. “Oh” - she finally realized it, stopping on her tracks with the pot still on her hands. Kamilah cleaned her throat, suddenly uncomfortable. “Anna. The second box it’s not Adrian’s. I was, in fact, hoping you would accompany me to the gala tonight. Therefore, we received two dresses. In case you do decide to accept my invitation.”

           She smiled. An adorable, sweet and still kind of sleepy smile. “Are you asking me to be your date tonight?”

           Kamilah didn’t blush but dropped her gaze to focus on putting them coffee. “I’m terribly sorry for giving you such short notice. I’ll understand if you can’t make it.”

           “I can. I want to.” She whispered, leaning in to steal a quick kiss from the Egyptian. Those brown eyes widened a little, a hint of surprise quickly supressed.

           “Good. Then I hope you like the dress that… Ms. Sayeed… Chose.”

  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

          “Come on!!!” Drake couldn’t take it any longer. “That’s not possible!”

           “We’re getting there, I promise!” Anna covered her face. “It was at the gala. Or course it had to be in front of everybody.”

           “You’ll love this part.” said the human girl, gently squeezing her fiancé’s hand.

           “It was a very, hm… Interesting… Revelation.” Adrian confirmed with a wink. “Go on, Annie. Rip the band-aid off. It’s time.”

[noisyquokka]

Dumb Traditions

pairing: Xiaojun x Reader 

genre: Fluff

length: 2.4k

warnings: Mentions of alcohol and this gif could kill you like LOOK AT HIM BEING ALL SOFT இ௰இ

@lluyangyang​​ requested 29: "Christmas is so close, I can almost smell the mistletoe I’m never going to get kissed under.“

This is so unbelievably late cause I had some personal stuff happen but I also had no idea where I wanted to go with this so I’m sorry, Em! You might’ve forgotten about this too oops 😂 either way, I hope you like it, child 👀🤙🏻

__________________________________________________________

You were not a party animal.

It was the truest statement about you, parties weren’t your thing and that was okay. But somehow, over the course of the week, your best friend had talked you into going to his holiday party. He knew you weren’t one for parties. You couldn’t stand the crowds and the number of people who would sit around making out, making bad decisions thanks to the alcohol that clouded their mind. To be frank, you didn’t care what those people would decide to do. It just wasn’t the highlight of your night. But here you were, wrapping your coat around yourself as you walked to his dorm. The thought had occurred to you that you could stop this pursuit at any time. You could stop walking, turn around and go home and you shouldn’t have to feel bad about that. But you we’re almost there and it wasn’t exactly warm outside. So you kept on your way, thinking about how you managed to get yourself into this situation.

~~~

"I’m going home for Christmas break.”

YangYang picked his head up in surprise, slowing his pace as you both strolled down the sidewalk. He had finished class for the day and was going shopping for his upcoming Christmas party, which you decided to tag along on. And tagging along just meant he pulled you away from your friends on his way out of the university. It had to be a surprise to hear of you going home though. After all, you had spent every Christmas with him and Xiaojun since you started college. You never had much desire to go home.

“So… What made you change your mind?” YangYang finally asked, dragging his feet against the salt-covered sidewalk. You shrugged, carding your fingers through your hair.

“It’s just– I don’t know. Xiaojun and I do the same thing every Christmas, you included when you’re not out partying. I feel like we could use a change.” It was true, you spent every Christmas the exact same way. Xiaojun would order takeout and you’d set up the tv to watch the same old Christmas movies, dozing off sometime before midnight. Every. Single. Year. You spent a lot more time with him because YangYang was always out with friends, normally spending the night elsewhere.

“Okay, now what’s the real reason you’re thinking about going home?” He cocked his head your way with a sly grin.

“What do you mean ‘real reason’? I just told you I-”

“No, no, no. It’s easy enough to change things up. Plus, you hesitated when you answered my question.”

“I did not.”

“You did.”

You exhaled through your nose, throwing your head back in defeat. As per usual, YangYang ate it up.

“Hey, if you don’t wanna answer, it’s fine. I was just wondering.” You emitted a mirthless laugh, shoving your hands in the warmth of your jacket pockets. It was just like YangYang to badger you and tease you about something and then act as if he didn’t want to pry. You pondered whether or not to say what was really on your mind before blurting it out.

“Christmas is so close, I can almost smell the mistletoe I’m never going to get kissed under.”

It took everything in YangYang not to burst into laughter but he failed miserably, leaving you to regret opening your mouth. Now that you’d said something, you felt dumb. Who cares about being single on Christmas? Or any other day? Nevermind that you’re a college student who should be focused on your future. You finally found the courage to smack the boy in the shoulder, a non-verbal warning.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” YangYang cackled, trying his best to control his breathing, “You’ve just never sounded so hopelessly single!”

“Gee, thanks. But don’t you ever have those days where you just crave a healthy relationship with someone? Being able to go out and have no worries because you’re with the one person who makes your day so much better?” You frowned at the chunk of ice sitting in the middle of the sidewalk, taking your frustration out on it with a kick. The brunette gave a half shrug, sweeping his hair from his line of vision. Sometimes you wished you could read this boy’s mind. YangYang was hard to read from the day you started hanging out with him, which was an odd day in and of itself, considering how much partying he did. Everyone expected the quiet one to be friends with anyone that wasn’t Liu YangYang and yet here you were, 5 years later. You wondered if anyone realized just how shy he could be until you got to know him.

“Is this about you catching feelings for Xiaojun?”

“No! Can’t I just be sick of being single?” You sputtered, running a hand through your hair. He bit his lip, a shitty attempt at hiding his smirk that only made you frown deeper.

“If you’re so sick of being single, you gotta put yourself out there, you know? Maybe meet some new people… at a holiday party, for example…”

“You just dodged my question with another question to shamelessly plug your holiday party that you know I’m not going to.” He chuckled, elbowing you in the side.

“I didn’t say my party! It’s been a while since you came to one of mine though.”

“Not this again.” You pinched the bridge of your nose. This was the twelfth time in the past two days that YangYang mentioned his holiday party. The second most popular to his New Year’s parties. You stopped at the crosswalk, pressing the button for the light to change.

“I’m just saying, the last time you came to one of my holiday parties was the last year of high school. Things aren’t as crazy as they used to be.”

“I have a pretty good idea of what your parties are like thanks to Xiaojun’s monthly recaps. Almost everyone attends, your dorm gets crowded… It’s amazing you haven’t had cops show up at your door yet.” You muttered. He gave a dismissive wave of his hand, knowing how Xiaojun described his parties.

“Fine, I could start the party earlier. By the time the evening comes, it won’t be as packed and you can come hang out and enjoy yourself a bit more. And Xiaojun will be there!” He wiggled his eyebrows in a playful manner.

“YangYang-”

“I’ll even buy your favorite drinks! Deal?” He didn’t give you another second to intervene, answering with a high pitched “Wow, YangYang, you’re such a cool and supportive best friend. It’s a deal!”

Your expression dulled, feeling his arm wrap around your shoulder as you walked across the street.

~~~

Thinking about it you never really gave him a yes or no answer at the end of the day. It didn’t matter now that you were standing right outside of the dorms. If you wanted to, you could still text Xiaojun and spend the night eating takeout and watching Christmas movies like normal. But knowing he was in there meant a call or text would most likely go ignored. Not because he was ignoring you, but because of the loud music and being a co-host for his roommate. With a deep breath, you walked up to the door and knocked. And there it was; that dreaded minute of waiting for the door to open. You weren’t able to feel this anxiety before, you would always be here before the party started when you used to attend. The longer it took for no one to answer the more you thought about walking away. Maybe it was better to walk away.

And then the door opened. You tensed as Xiaojun suddenly appeared, eyes lighting up at your presence.

“I was hoping you’d come,” He beamed, stepping outside beside you, “I ordered some lattes from the cafe. I need to go pick them up though.” He checked the time on his phone before slipping it in his back pocket.

“I’ll join you. If that’s okay of course.”

He nodded, descending the staircase to the dorms. You noticed his light humming of Christmas songs as you strolled down the sidewalk, sneakers scraping the snowy pavement. It was a lovely sound; Xiaojun’s soothing voice slowly emerging from those low hums. Maybe you weren’t big on Christmas but hearing him sing his own renditions made you feel some type of way. You definitely preferred him singing “Santa Tell Me” over the original as you walked into the village.

“Wow, I think you’re making me biased against Christmas songs!” You spoke up. Xiaojun scoffed but still sent you a smile.

“Is this the part where you ask me to make you a mixtape of me singing Christmas songs?”

“I would, but we spend so much time together. You’re like my own personal mp3."

"Mp3…” He scoffed again, shooting you a grin as he pulled the door to the cafe open. You chuckled and walked in, immediately being enveloped by the smell of coffee and fresh pastries. You walked up to the counter together, waiting on the order to be finished. The holiday vibes always seemed to be strongest in a coffee shop, you noticed. The smells always transitioned around November, stronger and sweeter than any other time of the year. A mixture of fresh coffee beans, cinnamon, and nutmeg blanketed the small business now, easing your mind from the anxiety that clouded it earlier.

“Here you are.” The barista smiled, sliding three drink trays and a bag across the counter. Xiaojun was quick to pay for the order, handing you the bag and one of the trays to carry.

“Is no one in the alcohol mood tonight?” You questioned, gesturing to the number of drinks he’d ordered. Xiaojun shrugged, holding the door for you once more.

“Nah, YangYang wasted money on the extra alcohol and everyone stayed pretty sober,” He replied, shaking his head in disbelief, “But there’s always New Years. Can’t expect college students to stay docile on New Years!” You nodded in agreement. Only YangYang has the craziest New Years parties around campus. It’s one of the top reasons it’s so popular.

“So did YangYang trick you into saying yes to this party or did you come by free will?” Xiaojun asked, sparing you a glance. You laughed at his choice of words.

“Hmm, let me think,” You drew your free hand near your face, tapping your finger on your chin in thought, “He might’ve cajoled me into coming.”

“Was it the favored drinks?”

“What can I say, he knows me too well!” You joked, catching a glimpse of a lopsided grin on your best friend’s face. And maybe you stared way too long, getting lucky enough that Xiaojun’s focus was on the pavement below.

"Well, whether or not you genuinely wanted to come, I'm glad you decided to. These parties have always been a little bit better with you there." He confessed, looking up at you with a genuine smile. You didn't want to read too much into what those words meant so you just allowed yourself to internally freak out, your stomach doing flips the rest of the way back to the dorms.

~~~

"I was just about to call you, I thought you were bailing on me." YangYang pulled you towards the kitchen, grabbing the drinks from your hand to replace it with an alcoholic beverage.

"Dude, chill! You know how y/n feels about parties." Xiaojun reminded, handing out the large order from the cafe. It was safe to say YangYang was a tad drunk from the way he clung to your arm, like a toddler looking for attention. The dorm was pretty empty at this point. A complete 180 to the normal parties you'd been to in the past. The few people who still stuck around were either mingling or just waiting for their drink from Xiaojun so they could take their leave. You did your best to slip out of YangYang's death grip but he stuck to your side, whining every time you tried prying his arms away. 

“You should go to bed, party animal.” You teased, making your way towards the empty couch. He still clung to you for dear life, resting his head on your shoulder once you sat down. It didn’t take much longer for the straggling guests to leave, Xiaojun playing co-host for a very unconscious YangYang who you could finally push off of you. With the push of a button, the Christmas music cut out and the blond-haired boy sighed in relief.

“You hear that? Serenity...” Xiaojun breathed, leaning against the kitchen island. You chuckled, quietly getting up to join him. He slid your drink across the counter, luckily not spilling it.

“Thanks.” You sighed. “I don’t know how you manage to help host these parties so often. I wasn’t even here for most of it and I feel exhausted.” 

“I guess I have a knack for co-hosting. It’s not one of my weekly desires though.” He replied, taking a sip of his latte. You mirrored his actions, letting the liquid warm your tummy. 

“I’m pretty sure if I were in your shoes, I’d be YangYang right now.” You said, looking over your shoulder. He was still sprawled out on the couch, one arm hanging off the side of it.

Xiaojun smirked at your comment, taking another slug of his latte.

“Huh...” 

You turned back to him, noticing where his focus was; the ceiling. You looked up yourself, mentally cursing. The sprig of mistletoe hung above the two of you, a looming reminder to the comment you made to YangYang a few days ago. Either he forgot about that conversation or he planned for this to happen and right now you had a pretty good idea that it was the latter of the two. Does that mean Xiaojun knows? Your neck suddenly felt hot, the butterflies in your stomach fluttering about for the second time tonight. You cleared your throat, leaning against the counter.

“Hey, it’s just a dumb tradition thing, right?” You chuckled awkwardly, looking anywhere but at your best friend, “What’s the worst thing that would happen if we didn’t... you know...” 

Xiaojun watched you with amusement from his spot in the middle of the doorway. You were adorable, and not helping your case with your nervous blabbering. Without a word, he leaned in, pausing a moment before pressing his lips to yours in a gentle kiss.

“This dumb tradition just gave me the guts to do the one thing I’ve been wanting to do for years.”

[antoniastorm-blog]

repression | toni.

emotions are living things.

to hands between legs, to whatever it takes to drinks at the club, to the bar to the keys to your car to hotel stairs, to the emergency exit door

Thinking about their romp made her sick, but not in the way that you probably thought it might, not in a way that was particularly terrible; lovesickness was probably the most deadly. Meeting up with Will that couple of months ago was one of the best decisions she'd ever made, while also being one of the worst; was there a way to stop thinking about someone? Was there a way to surgically remove the bit of your brain that stored intrusive heartbreak? Antonia Rossall, bluster and blight and hurricane, esquire – wanted rid of it. There was a part of her that kept her feelings for William Ospreay, the very centre of her medium-rare heart that wouldn't stop bleeding; at this point it felt septic. Jealousy had infested her blood stream and waged a war with white cells, organs failing slowly via envy and a painful guilt that manifested itself in the form on weeping in her temporary bathroom. There wasn't a word to describe how much she wanted him, and how much she didn't want to want him.

She empties her stomach into the basin in front of her and rinses it away; rests her forehead in her hand. Bleary eyes focused on the obnoxious teal counter top of the sink, she attempts to steady her breathing, keep the room from spinning – she hadn't been drinking, chalked her nausea up to her bizarre ability to manifest her emotions, hated herself for the bile on her tongue and hated the person who caused it. She was literal wrestling royalty now, the worst Booker-T knockoff you could imagine, but did that stop her stomach from stirring because of a (now presumed) one-night stand?

Absolutely not.

to the love, I left my conscience pressed between the pages of a bible in the drawer "what did it ever do for me?" I say

She felt horribly for Ethan, the purest boy who had ever laid his lips on hers, felt even more nauseous at the thought of him tasting His cinnamon tongue on her own. There was a certain grief that came with loving two men, with splitting your heart between two lovers..especially when it wasn't entirely sure if one of them even loved her back to begin with. There was a certainly and a maybe, and the maybe had planted its flag in the battlefield of her body; every raise of purple on her skin screamed for him, every tender touch of her own hand begged for it to be his. She thinks of the boy with the broken bones and upturned nose, his sweet musk and sweeter words, wondering what she'd be thinking of if he'd been tucked safely into the bed beside her. Would her mind scream His name, would her brain pulse with unresolved emotion and something that felt like love? She sure fucking hoped not.

"i hoped you choked and crashed your car" hey tear catcher, that's all that you are ad ever were from the start i swear, I say

Wednesday, you in? It's a simple text, one that shouldn't bring hot tears to her eyes, but it does; having any kind of communication choked the unshakeable Toni Storm the fuck up. Awaiting a response that might never come was probably the worst feeling ever to be felt, and after a solid minute of staring down her iphone, snow blindness setting in, she tucks it under her pillow, muffling the perhaps-never answer in goose feathers. Maybe a part of her didn't even want to consider him saying yes. What if he did? What if it happened again? This wasn't the type of thing that a weak woman could handle, but then again,

she was no weak woman.

His “yeah” sounded like a bell, felt like a beacon.

@ospurreay

[isaiahrippinus]

Why You Will Never Taste Maker’s Mark’s Most Innovative Whiskey

BBQ potato chips were my first thought. A burning, mesquite note, like you smell in the air on a summer evening in the suburbs when everyone starts up their grills. It was earthy and little bit piney, but the flavor on the palate was sweet — caramel, toffee, and just a little burnt cinnamon. It was one of the most unique bourbons I had ever encountered.

Unfortunately, it will never be sold to the general public. RP5 #2, as it’s labeled internally, is merely a test batch for Maker’s Mark Private Select, a one-of-a-kind program hoping to uncover the future potential of wood in whiskey.

“When you’ve made one product for 65 years, it’s a new way of thinking about things,” says Jane Bowie, the distillery’s maturation specialist who spearheads the program.

As Bowie suggests, Maker’s Mark might not be the first distillery you think of when it comes to innovation. Most whiskey drinkers respect the company, which was founded in Kentucky in 1958 and is now owned by Beam Suntory; but its iconic, red wax-dipped, soft red winter wheat flagship bourbon was its only product for more than half a century.

In 2010, however, Maker’s Mark released Maker’s 46, a whiskey that longtime president Bill Samuels, Jr. hoped would cement his legacy as he approached retirement. Working alongside Maker’s Mark’s barrel maker, the Independent Stave Company, the distillers developed new techniques and technology.

They placed French oak staves in what Bowie describes as an industrial pizza oven, then slowly and lightly seared them using infrared heat. That process released a ton of caramel and vanilla notes in the wood, while eliminating many of the bitter tannins endemic to the wood species. Ten of those staves were placed on a hoop, plunged into a barrel of cask-strength Maker’s Mark, and then left to “finish” the whiskey for another couple of months. Richly flavored Maker’s 46 was both a commercial and critical success.

“That taught us that wood is such a powerful natural ingredient,” Bowie says. The team thought to itself, “‘Holy sh*t, there’s all this flavor in oak that is still untapped.’”

Bolstered by the success of Maker’s 46, the distillers began discussing plans for a larger wood-finishing program. Bowie and her small team started by asking themselves which wood flavors and sensations they wanted to amplify. Extracting vanilla seemed obvious. Was it possible to get more fruit notes? Producing a bigger mouthfeel and longer finish was also a top desire.

“Could you deconstruct Maker’s, could you create virgin oak staves that drive the Maker’s into these different flavor camps?” Bowie wondered. “Was this even possible?

It was, and, by 2014, Independent Stave had presented Maker’s Mark with a few dozen different stave “flavors.” The distillery whittled those down to eight favorites. With 10 total finishing staves needed per barrel, someone casually wondered how many different combinations would be possible. The answer was 19,448. Way too many.

The group spent another six months getting it down to four favorites to join the Maker’s 46 stave. That gave them 1,001 possible combinations. Bowie claims their six-person tasting panel has tasted every single one of those, just to make sure “you couldn’t f*ck it up.”

By “you” she means private barrel buyers, a target audience for the customized spirits. Single-barrel programs have become a key component of American whiskey culture in the last few years. Today, all the major Kentucky distilleries allow bars, restaurants, retailers, and even certain private groups or individuals to purchase an entire barrel of, say, Four Roses or Wild Turkey’s Russell’s Reserve. It’s a significant investment for any devotee: A 53-gallon barrel usually breaks down to about 150 to 225 bottles, depending on evaporation. Private barrels from Four Roses, Wild Turkey, and Maker’s Mark start at around $7,500 or so.

Maker’s Mark is currently the only company that allows consumers to purchase a product that otherwise doesn’t exist in its portfolio, one fine-tuned to that individual’s taste. (“Make your own Maker’s,” the distillery proclaims in its promotional materials.)

The first Private Select liquid was officially offered in November 2015 to select retailers in Kentucky and Illinois. That’s when I first heard about the program, too. I’ll be honest: I thought it sounded like a gimmick. And so I ignored quite a few emails from the distillery’s PR team over the ensuing year or so, writing it off as a marketing ploy.

When I finally did taste through the five bourbons produced by the different staves, in summer 2018, I was blown away by their diversity. By simply adding 10 different staves to barrels of Maker’s Mark Cask Strength for just nine additional weeks, the distillers created an incredible range of spirits. If Maker’s 46 was about creating a well-balanced finish in cask-strength bourbon, the other four staves were about exaggerating certain flavors and sensations.

The stave labeled “Baked American Pure 2” is vanilla amped up to 11. “Toasted French Spice” is baking spices incarnate. “Seared French Cuvée” could easily be confused for Cognac, dry and spicy with a huge mouthfeel, and rich though surprisingly not dark in color. “Roasted French Mocha” has a massive finish — the taste of chocolate, coffee, and almonds lingers in your throat for minutes after you sip it.

Ambitious bars and restaurants have begun using the program to customize the spirits in their signature cocktails. Avant-garde cocktail bar The Aviary, for instance, which has locations in NYC and Chicago, selected a stave combination that it thought induced prominent cinnamon and chocolate notes — perfect for the bar’s cinnamon- and mocha-chai-tea-heavy Cloche Encounters cocktail. In Nashville, Henley restaurant picked a sweeter stave combination specifically meant for their house Manhattan.

Other outlets are serving their specialized spirits neat. The Private Select bottle looks completely different from the standard, boxy Maker’s Mark bottle, and stands out on shelves and back bars in tony establishments like Dumbo House, a private club in Brooklyn.

“What we’ve learned in the last five years, holy cow, we’re going to open Pandora’s box and see where we go,” says Bowie. She’s tested over 500 different stave experiments since picking those initial five.

To create so many different options, Independent Stave has had to develop new wood techniques and test numerous cooking methods. Oak generates different flavors at different times and temperatures. One of the new techniques I’ve been able to learn about includes the specific shape of the Seared French Cuvée staves. They look like ruffled potato chips, giving them 22 times more surface area than a typical stave.

Many of the other techniques, however, remain a secret — even to Maker’s Mark. The company doesn’t know exactly how Independent Stave creates each stave, or which species of oak is specifically used. While Bowie won’t divulge the countless, sometimes proprietary ways Maker’s Mark and Independent Stave treat their wood, she does offer a helpful analogy.

“Think about how many different ways there are to cook a steak,” she says. “Convection, you can broil, or sear. Soft boil or sous-vide. Even, think about ceviche — think about how chefs use acid to break down and change the chemical makeup of fish. So how you’re treating the raw ingredient matters just as much as how you cook it.”

Of course, if some 500 new staves have been created already, some 495 or so have never been made available for public consumption. (Like that RP5 #2 I tasted in 2018.) Maker’s Mark has spent three years trying to develop a better Roasted French Mocha stave. I recently tasted two attempts. One of the resulting bourbons was redolent of a Christmas spiced whiskey — it would have worked perfectly in an egg nog. The other was so smoky I wouldn’t have been surprised if it was single malt. I enjoyed both, but Bowie and her panel didn’t. Neither stave will ever join the Private Select program or hit the market.

There was one recent success story from these ongoing trials, though. Bowie and her team used a stave called Seared Bu 1-3 in an attempt to make a “better” Seared French Cuvée, one with a huge mouthfeel and sweet notes of butterscotch and bread pudding. Though the stave technically “worked” and the resulting bourbon was incredible, they worried the spirit didn’t play well with others.

“You start blending it with other staves — oh, no! — it was awful, it was a bully, it suffocated the other staves,” Bowie says, meaning its flavor notes completely dominated. “Two wrongs make a right sometimes and two rights sometimes make a wrong. Everybody loved Bu, but it doesn’t work for this purpose, so it’s got to go.”

Still, since it was so good, Maker’s Mark didn’t want to keep it entirely off the market among the other hand-labeled bottles lining Bowie’s office. So the company released 1,400 375-milliliter bottles of it at its Loretto, Ky., gift shop in April 2019; it sold out in two days. This is a sales avenue for a singular stave that you might start seeing more of in the future.

Until then, Bowie and her team and Independent Stave will continue conducting wood experiments, trying to amplify flavors in bourbon. Staves will be re-worked, others will evolve, and new flavors will be pursued. And the program will continue to create plenty of other bourbons that taste like marshmallows or cotton candy or, yes, mesquite potato chips — and which most of us will probably never taste.

“By now we understand what natural flavors you can get out of wood,” Bowie says. “What we still don’t know is how far you can take it.”

The article Why You Will Never Taste Maker’s Mark’s Most Innovative Whiskey appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/makers-mark-wood-bourbon-aging/ source https://vinology1.tumblr.com/post/188677853384

[johnboothus]

Why You Will Never Taste Makers Marks Most Innovative Whiskey

BBQ potato chips were my first thought. A burning, mesquite note, like you smell in the air on a summer evening in the suburbs when everyone starts up their grills. It was earthy and little bit piney, but the flavor on the palate was sweet — caramel, toffee, and just a little burnt cinnamon. It was one of the most unique bourbons I had ever encountered.

Unfortunately, it will never be sold to the general public. RP5 #2, as it’s labeled internally, is merely a test batch for Maker’s Mark Private Select, a one-of-a-kind program hoping to uncover the future potential of wood in whiskey.

“When you’ve made one product for 65 years, it’s a new way of thinking about things,” says Jane Bowie, the distillery’s maturation specialist who spearheads the program.

As Bowie suggests, Maker’s Mark might not be the first distillery you think of when it comes to innovation. Most whiskey drinkers respect the company, which was founded in Kentucky in 1958 and is now owned by Beam Suntory; but its iconic, red wax-dipped, soft red winter wheat flagship bourbon was its only product for more than half a century.

In 2010, however, Maker’s Mark released Maker’s 46, a whiskey that longtime president Bill Samuels, Jr. hoped would cement his legacy as he approached retirement. Working alongside Maker’s Mark’s barrel maker, the Independent Stave Company, the distillers developed new techniques and technology.

They placed French oak staves in what Bowie describes as an industrial pizza oven, then slowly and lightly seared them using infrared heat. That process released a ton of caramel and vanilla notes in the wood, while eliminating many of the bitter tannins endemic to the wood species. Ten of those staves were placed on a hoop, plunged into a barrel of cask-strength Maker’s Mark, and then left to “finish” the whiskey for another couple of months. Richly flavored Maker’s 46 was both a commercial and critical success.

“That taught us that wood is such a powerful natural ingredient,” Bowie says. The team thought to itself, “‘Holy sh*t, there’s all this flavor in oak that is still untapped.’”

Bolstered by the success of Maker’s 46, the distillers began discussing plans for a larger wood-finishing program. Bowie and her small team started by asking themselves which wood flavors and sensations they wanted to amplify. Extracting vanilla seemed obvious. Was it possible to get more fruit notes? Producing a bigger mouthfeel and longer finish was also a top desire.

“Could you deconstruct Maker’s, could you create virgin oak staves that drive the Maker’s into these different flavor camps?” Bowie wondered. “Was this even possible?

It was, and, by 2014, Independent Stave had presented Maker’s Mark with a few dozen different stave “flavors.” The distillery whittled those down to eight favorites. With 10 total finishing staves needed per barrel, someone casually wondered how many different combinations would be possible. The answer was 19,448. Way too many.

The group spent another six months getting it down to four favorites to join the Maker’s 46 stave. That gave them 1,001 possible combinations. Bowie claims their six-person tasting panel has tasted every single one of those, just to make sure “you couldn’t f*ck it up.”

By “you” she means private barrel buyers, a target audience for the customized spirits. Single-barrel programs have become a key component of American whiskey culture in the last few years. Today, all the major Kentucky distilleries allow bars, restaurants, retailers, and even certain private groups or individuals to purchase an entire barrel of, say, Four Roses or Wild Turkey’s Russell’s Reserve. It’s a significant investment for any devotee: A 53-gallon barrel usually breaks down to about 150 to 225 bottles, depending on evaporation. Private barrels from Four Roses, Wild Turkey, and Maker’s Mark start at around $7,500 or so.

Maker’s Mark is currently the only company that allows consumers to purchase a product that otherwise doesn’t exist in its portfolio, one fine-tuned to that individual’s taste. (“Make your own Maker’s,” the distillery proclaims in its promotional materials.)

The first Private Select liquid was officially offered in November 2015 to select retailers in Kentucky and Illinois. That’s when I first heard about the program, too. I’ll be honest: I thought it sounded like a gimmick. And so I ignored quite a few emails from the distillery’s PR team over the ensuing year or so, writing it off as a marketing ploy.

When I finally did taste through the five bourbons produced by the different staves, in summer 2018, I was blown away by their diversity. By simply adding 10 different staves to barrels of Maker’s Mark Cask Strength for just nine additional weeks, the distillers created an incredible range of spirits. If Maker’s 46 was about creating a well-balanced finish in cask-strength bourbon, the other four staves were about exaggerating certain flavors and sensations.

The stave labeled “Baked American Pure 2” is vanilla amped up to 11. “Toasted French Spice” is baking spices incarnate. “Seared French Cuvée” could easily be confused for Cognac, dry and spicy with a huge mouthfeel, and rich though surprisingly not dark in color. “Roasted French Mocha” has a massive finish — the taste of chocolate, coffee, and almonds lingers in your throat for minutes after you sip it.

Ambitious bars and restaurants have begun using the program to customize the spirits in their signature cocktails. Avant-garde cocktail bar The Aviary, for instance, which has locations in NYC and Chicago, selected a stave combination that it thought induced prominent cinnamon and chocolate notes — perfect for the bar’s cinnamon- and mocha-chai-tea-heavy Cloche Encounters cocktail. In Nashville, Henley restaurant picked a sweeter stave combination specifically meant for their house Manhattan.

Other outlets are serving their specialized spirits neat. The Private Select bottle looks completely different from the standard, boxy Maker’s Mark bottle, and stands out on shelves and back bars in tony establishments like Dumbo House, a private club in Brooklyn.

“What we’ve learned in the last five years, holy cow, we’re going to open Pandora’s box and see where we go,” says Bowie. She’s tested over 500 different stave experiments since picking those initial five.

To create so many different options, Independent Stave has had to develop new wood techniques and test numerous cooking methods. Oak generates different flavors at different times and temperatures. One of the new techniques I’ve been able to learn about includes the specific shape of the Seared French Cuvée staves. They look like ruffled potato chips, giving them 22 times more surface area than a typical stave.

Many of the other techniques, however, remain a secret — even to Maker’s Mark. The company doesn’t know exactly how Independent Stave creates each stave, or which species of oak is specifically used. While Bowie won’t divulge the countless, sometimes proprietary ways Maker’s Mark and Independent Stave treat their wood, she does offer a helpful analogy.

“Think about how many different ways there are to cook a steak,” she says. “Convection, you can broil, or sear. Soft boil or sous-vide. Even, think about ceviche — think about how chefs use acid to break down and change the chemical makeup of fish. So how you’re treating the raw ingredient matters just as much as how you cook it.”

Of course, if some 500 new staves have been created already, some 495 or so have never been made available for public consumption. (Like that RP5 #2 I tasted in 2018.) Maker’s Mark has spent three years trying to develop a better Roasted French Mocha stave. I recently tasted two attempts. One of the resulting bourbons was redolent of a Christmas spiced whiskey — it would have worked perfectly in an egg nog. The other was so smoky I wouldn’t have been surprised if it was single malt. I enjoyed both, but Bowie and her panel didn’t. Neither stave will ever join the Private Select program or hit the market.

There was one recent success story from these ongoing trials, though. Bowie and her team used a stave called Seared Bu 1-3 in an attempt to make a “better” Seared French Cuvée, one with a huge mouthfeel and sweet notes of butterscotch and bread pudding. Though the stave technically “worked” and the resulting bourbon was incredible, they worried the spirit didn’t play well with others.

“You start blending it with other staves — oh, no! — it was awful, it was a bully, it suffocated the other staves,” Bowie says, meaning its flavor notes completely dominated. “Two wrongs make a right sometimes and two rights sometimes make a wrong. Everybody loved Bu, but it doesn’t work for this purpose, so it’s got to go.”

Still, since it was so good, Maker’s Mark didn’t want to keep it entirely off the market among the other hand-labeled bottles lining Bowie’s office. So the company released 1,400 375-milliliter bottles of it at its Loretto, Ky., gift shop in April 2019; it sold out in two days. This is a sales avenue for a singular stave that you might start seeing more of in the future.

Until then, Bowie and her team and Independent Stave will continue conducting wood experiments, trying to amplify flavors in bourbon. Staves will be re-worked, others will evolve, and new flavors will be pursued. And the program will continue to create plenty of other bourbons that taste like marshmallows or cotton candy or, yes, mesquite potato chips — and which most of us will probably never taste.

“By now we understand what natural flavors you can get out of wood,” Bowie says. “What we still don’t know is how far you can take it.”

The article Why You Will Never Taste Maker’s Mark’s Most Innovative Whiskey appeared first on VinePair.

Via https://vinepair.com/articles/makers-mark-wood-bourbon-aging/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/why-you-will-never-taste-makers-marks-most-innovative-whiskey

[the-grumpy-panda]

SNACK SACK!

That's right, folks! A sack! Of snacks! Snack sack! For all your snacky snacks! Put 'em in a sack! I can't recall how I first caught wind about this subscription box, but when I finally got around to looking into it, I was about one hour away from the ordering cut off for the month. (There's a handy count down on the home page.) I placed an order, and a scant two days later, the box was in my hands. Snack Sack is a bit different than other boxes I've tried. They veer more towards healthier options. I know, I know, my insides have already begun the revolt. Before diving in, I will take a quick moment to give a shout out to Jonathan D. I'm not sure what his exact job title is, but when I had a shipping question, he was the one who (very promptly) responded and then carried on a small and amusing conversation with me even after my question was answered. He seemed pleasant, and appreciated that I appreciated his use of a Parks and Rec gif in his initial reply. And just for clarification, that's the only interaction I've had with Snack Sack. I am in no way compensated for talking about them. Nor will I hold back any praise or criticism regarding any of the products within the box. Let's take a peek at what we get with a Snack Sack box, eh? First, there's a comfy layer of coupons! At first I grimaced. I come for the food, and a coupon assault seemed like intrusive advertising. But after setting them aside and then peeking at them a wee bit later, I came to accept the coupons as a good idea. Mainly because healthier, or organic, or whatever buzz word of the week is in play snacks can be a lot pricier than their corn syrup based counterparts. If I fall in love with a particular item here, the coupon will indeed come in handy. Under the coupons was a handy booklet that provides info about the products, namely whether they are gluten free, vegetarian, non-gmo and such things that concern people who aren't me. My main food requirement/restriction is "Is it edible?" That's it. Also listed is the website for the company manufacturing the treats should one choose to look into the product further . Under the booklet was a genuine, bonafide, systematic, hydromatic handled cloth sack! This was an unexpected treat, and I could use it. It's certainly big enough to hold all the snacks in the box, and would serve one well to hold a quick trip inside a market for a few medium sized necessities. Although... is Mandy Moore vegetarian? I'm going to now carry my Snack Sack sack around with a fake bouquet of asparagus sticking out just in case. That should get her attention my way. That and sucking in the gut, right? Not sure if every box every time contains a sack, or of it's just an introductory thanks tossed into your first box. Maybe I'll need to email Jonathan about this. And maybe he knows Mandy Moore. Don't let me down, Jonathan! Okay. NOW we can get to the treat bits. In this box are fourteen (no wonder we need a damn sack!) selections. I've already been long winded here, so I'll try to get to the point about each of these. Here we go, in no particular order... -Bobalu Out Of Shell Almonds, in peach, cherry and lemon flavoring! What? I had to check the bag several times to make sure what I was reading was accurate. It is. Very nice smell upon opening the bag. If you've ever wondered what almonds soaked in Kool-Aid smelled like, grab a bag of these and take a whiff. They seem to be lightly coated in a mixture, however, not soaked. It's the coating that does a bit of a disservice. I enjoyed this product, truthfully, and never would have thought of such a thing on my own, but I never got a distinct sense of separate flavors. They all simply tasted tart and citric acid-y. -Cosmos Creations Sea Salt and Butter Premium Puffed Corn! There is definitely butter flavoring all over these. To me, it tastes of cheap movie theater butter, though. And an extra, extra serving of it at that. The salt is good, just the right amount, and the puffs are pleasantly crunchy. A little dialing back on the butter and I would rank these higher. As they are, they are serviceable, but I'll be pressed to finish even this snack size bag. Maybe movie theater butter fanatics would love these. I know they're out there. -Brothers Freeze Dried Sliced Peaches! These look and feel like a slightly stale and flattened cheese puff. I don't know the process of freeze drying. Maybe I'll look it up, because now I am curious how the process may or may not effect taste. There's only one ingredient to these... freeze dried peaches. The taste seems off, though. Like it's imitating a peach based on someone's vague memory of a peach. It's slight, and just seems off. Overall, there's nothing bad or gross about them, but I do think I'd need time to get used to freeze dried fruit. I also feel freeze dried fruit may work well in a smoothie or something, if that's your thing. Also, it's fun to say "freeze dried fruit." Try it! -Hippeas Sriracha Sunshine Chickpea Puffs! I'm very interested in these, but also a bit wary. I don't have much experience with sriracha, but the few times I've had it it just seemed to overpower the dish as a whole as opposed to help elevate the flavor profile. I've never had a chickpea puff, though, so it could be fun! The smell of these very much reminds me of a Korean barbecue sauce. They are very dry and very crunchy, but pleasantly so. When I first picked one up, it felt like it would be rock hard to chew, so I was pleased this wasn't the case. There is a very well balanced coupling of the sriracha and chickpea tastes. They blend very well, and each has a chance to exist with neither being the star, rather settling into a happy duo. The heat is present, but doesn't linger, which is perfect for me. These are a solid winner. I had to force myself not to eat the whole bag. I will definitely find out how to procure more though. -Nothing But The Fruit Strawberry Fruit Bites! Little squares of fruit bites that are fun to pop in the mouth. I'm in the middle on these, though. The first few bites were enjoyable, although I wouldn't have guessed strawberry as the flavor. Once the chewing continues, there's a sight medicinal aspect that comes out for some reason. It's possible my taste buds are just reacting to the absence of chemicals and corn syrup in my fruit snacks. I'll give these another go at a further date. They weren't off putting, but don't excite me either. -The same can be said for the NBTF Mixed Berry fruit bites. I did find the mixed berry aspect more appealing than the strawberry, however. -Bobalu In The Shell Almonds! You want me to work for my snacks? The reason we buy snacks is the ease and comfort of faceless companies doing the work for us! What is this blasphemy? I've never had a shelled almond, now that I think about it. I made the mistake of cracking the first one open with my teeth in my mouth. At first it was a pleasant, salty escapade, but then the shell turned into this dry husk thing that I'll call "wasp nest-esque" and I couldn't spit it out quick enough. Did I do something wrong? Are there almond purists who eat the shell? The next few I cracked open by hand and enjoyed... the almonds. Simple. But I will not ever buy shelled almonds. Which now strikes me as odd. I have no issue with shelled walnuts or pistachios. I must have repressed almond issues. Someone tell Mandy Moore I need a hug. -Beanitos Hint Of Lime White Bean Chips! Not bad, but a little too reliant on that powdery citric acid mixture making the rounds today. I think these need another element to truly make them pop. A spice, or scant trace of heat would be a great compliment, and even dipping in salsa would elevate these. -Primal Kitchen Chocolate Hazelnut Bar! For such a small bar, it's pretty dense and hefty. Upon opening the wrapper, I see why. This thing is absolutely loaded with nuts and coated in the glossiest, ready for a Food Network photo shoot chocolate I've ever seen. It's also very tasty and almost has a nougat texture to it. It's quite simple and direct with itself, and it works wonderfully in its favor. Another item I'm greatly enjoying and will definitely seek out more of. -The Gluten Free Bar, Oatmeal Raisin edition! Another dense little thing, akin to my eyes to a protein bar. The first thing I notice in my first bite is a spice/cinnamon component that gets very close to being too much, but stops at just the right point. It's moist in feel, but seems quite dry once chewing commences. I like it though, and think it tastes good, even though I get no oatmeal or raisin flavoring from it. If this is meant as a healthier protein bar, it's definitely one I would seek out were I more active. What are you trying to say GFB? -Earnest Eats Cran Lemon Zest food bar! This thing smells like freshly squeezed lemon juice, and lemon juice flavor is very prevalent. I specify "juice" as that's how it tastes to me, meaning it doesn't seem like artificial lemon was used. And no, I can't be bothered to read ingredient lists, because I would hate to find out it is fake lemon. I'm enjoying this. The cranberry is pretty faint, but once it comes out it mingles well, and I like the consistency and chewiness of the encompassing oats. Another delicious snack! -Homeplate Peanut Butter Spread with Honey! If I had the sense about me beforehand, I probably would have smeared this all over every other snack I've tried. Maybe in round two! This is very, very good peanut butter. Very smooth, very creamy, and a perfect note of honey to accompany the peanut taste. Well done, Homeplate. -We're winding down now, if anyone is still with me! Only two left to go, and I purposely made them last as they are pretty common snacks and ones I've had before. The first is Lotus Biscoff cookie. To me, these always seemed like a slightly sweeter ginger snap, with extra brown sugar, and without the ginger. So you see I can't be trusted to accurately describe things. But they are good, they are crunchy, and yes, they go well with coffee. -To finish us off we have a Wild Garden Snack Box To Go, with Roastd Garlic Hummus and Veggie Chips! If you like hummus, and if you like veggie chips, this is a handy little snack and tastes exactly as it should. The hummus has a nice and refreshing zest to it as well. Very tasty! So there you have it! Needless and unasked for ramblings about healthier snack options. I may even have been inspired to go for a walk! Eh. I think I see another person out there, and it most assuredly is not Mandy Moore. And I still have some Homeplate peanut butter. I think I'm good. Cheers!

[jbnatz]

Kuala Lumpur Night Food Adventure (part 1)

Food is the one thing that unites us all. We all have to eat, it's a basic necessity of life. Because of this, every culture has used food to express itself, and every culture, country and region has a dish that it's known for. If I say New Orleans, what's the first food that comes to your mind? Beignets? How about German food? Bratwurst & sauerkraut? Japan? Sushi? We can't help it. We are hard wired to think about food. And so, what better way to learn about a country and its culture than through food. 

If we are going on a food tour, it's got to be a good one. Criteria: 

1) Diverse offering of foods to try

2) Adventure aspect

3) Knowledgeable tour guide

4) Small group

5) Real local food, not tourist traps

We nailed it when we booked our 'Cooler Lumpur by Night Vespa Tour' through Vespalicious Tours. Yup, you guessed it, Dyann and I cruised through the busy night streets of Kuala Lumpur on the back of Vespas. And not just any Vespa, but classic fully restored Super Vespas. 

I wasn't sure what to expect when I booked the tour. For one, I wasn't sure if Dyann would be up for weaving through the busy streets and back alley ways of KL at night. As I started to book the tour, I tentatively asked Dyann if she would be up for it. What I got back was a resounding 'YES', and a 'why would you think that I wouldn't want to do that?' I had of course, once again, underestimated Dyann's adventurous side (I guess that means I can take it up another notch on the next trip). 

The tour description promised a night of culinary delight as we visit where 'the locals eat'. Kuala Lumpur is a food town. There are food stalls, carts, tents, garages, restaurants and sidewalk vendors everywhere. You can't turn a corner without being besieged by the smells of fresh food being cooked all around you. As a chef and devote foodie, it truly is paradise. One stop that I felt I had to see was Jalan Alor at night. Every blog I read said that this was one stop not to miss, especially at night. So I traded a couple of emails back and forth with our guide and he assured me that we would be able to go to Jalan Alor, but to my surprise it wasn't part of the original itinerary. It being such as 'must see' I couldn't quite understand why, but as faith wold have it, I would find out later.

 After several hours of traveling back from Tioman Island to KL, a quick walk about town, a glass of wine, or two later, Dyann and I were ready for our night adventure. Our guides, Kingston and Vincent,  came to the hotel to pick us up, right on time. These guys are awesome! They know their stuff and they did their homework. Kingston had found our blog and was all caught up on our travels to date. Fast friends were made. We get our safety briefing (have to wear helmets!), I get my bandana, so as to not get helmet head, we meet our two amazing Vespa drives, Shukri, or Sun, and Din. It is time to go!

We speed off into the night streets bobbing and weaving through traffic. It's awesome! Cars, horns, motorcycles, pedestrians, cats. It's craziness. And of course, the wafts of food being cooked everywhere. Pandemonium is the best way to describe it. Scooters and motorcycles own the streets of KL. It's the primary mode of transportation as it's the easiest way to get around. At times you could see any entire family of four on a scooter scurrying about town.  (Check out more pictures and videos of our adventures on Instagram)

Our first stop, Kampung Baru.  The last village settlement left within the city limits of KL, Kampung Baru is roughly 4 square kilometers of traditional stilt houses  and food markets in the heart of the city. Much like New York's Central Park, Baru is surrounded by skyscrapers and is some of the most valuable land in KL, but the village elders maintain that it is not for sale, wanting to preserve the ethnic Malay lifestyle.

We pull our Vespas over and stop at Kak Som, a traditional Kelantanese restaurant. Kelantanese food originates from the eastern province of Malaysia and is known for a sweeter style of cooking. Walking into the open air restaurant was like walking into another world. The bustle of people moving between the tables, the chatter of conversations in Malay and the clinking of plates and silverware was the harmony of pure joy. People eating and enjoying the warm humid night as they begin what is known in Malaysia, as supper (not to be confused with dinner, which is eaten earlier in the evening. Supper is like the 6th meal of the day, starting with breakfast, then morning snack, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, and finally supper). The perfect environment for someone like me who enjoys eating all day. 

As you walk into Kak Som, the first thing you see is a 10 foot long table filled with hotel pans of a rainbow of foods. 

  Not knowing what to try, and wanting to eat it all, Kingston sets us down at a table and does the ordering for us. As we start to talk about the Malaysian culture our food begins to arrive being dropped off by a young Malay boy who scurries from to table to table delivering food and drinks. First comes the Nasi Dagang, semi-glutinous rice indigenous to the Kelantanese region studded with spices and paired with a tuna curry. The Tongol Tuna is found off the eastern coast of Malaysia. This neurotic species of tuna favors near shore waters and is hand and line caught by small boats right off the shoreline. This species only does well with long, slow braising, such as this curry dish. 

  If you haven't figured it out, I love rice, and I love curry, and this dish did not disappoint. The rice's flavor was clean and fresh with the spices just adding a hint of additional flavor. The tuna curry was earthy and mildly spicy with the tuna fat rounding out the flavor. Just devine.

Our next dish was Nasi Kerabu, a traditional blue rice dish with with crisp pickled vegetables, fish cake cracker and braised mutton. The rice is blue because it is cooked with the butterfly pea flower, giving it the bold, cerillion blue color. The uncommon flavors to my western palette were a little difficult to describe at first, but after a few bites I was starting to get it. The rice was mildly sweet with every grain separate like small ball bearings. The fish cake cracker tasted of the salty sea and sweet baby fish, the pickled vegetables cool and crisp with a hint of acidic tang. And finally the braised mutton. A true dichotomy in and of itself. It was tough at first bite but quickly softened as chewed with a deep gamey flavor and back notes of cardamon and cinnamon. A truly unique and satisfying dish. 

  The food just kept coming... 

Noodles! Dyann's favorite. She was looking forward to all the noodle dishes we were going to get to try while on the trip, and tonight was not going to disappoint. 

Laksam. The traditional noodle dish of the Kelantan, this is a wide, flat rice noodle that is wrapped tight like a pig tail, simmered in a rich, full bodied fish and coconut broth, topped with crisp, quick pickled cabbage and bean sprouts. What a beautiful bowl of noodles. A sublime balance of simple rice noodles and bold, uncutuous fish broth with the crispy sweet cabbage. We could have eaten 3 more bowls, if it hadn't been that we knew we had hours more of eating to go. 

  OMG! Dessert. You have to be kidding. Will they ever stop bringing food. It's only 8:30 and we still have at least 3 more stops to go. And Kingston said something about beers? Oh geez. 

  As you can see, we didn't leave much behind. As we part company with Kak Som, we mount our trusty transportation and begin weaving through the even more busy streets on our way to the next stop, the Wet Market...