#tales of caramel magic

[jays-world-of-wonder]

Prompts 42 - The Neverending Gobstopper of Chocolate: A Cautionary Tale (with Caramel)

Describe your dream chocolate bar. Ah, chocolate. The universal language of love, happiness, and bribing toddlers to leave you alone for five minutes. But what if your chocolate dreams went further? Like, infinitely further? Buckle up, chocoholics, because I’m about to introduce you to the bane of my dentist’s existence: The Neverending Caramel Cascade.Imagine this: a bar of creamy milk…

[spectorgram]

the letter

theodore nott x f! reader summary: you get a letter from a secret admirer who wants to confess. your best friend is none too pleased. notes: jealous! theodore nott >>> word count: 1.4k

You would think for a magical school, Hogwarts would have better heating or some heating spell, but the Slytherin dorms are frigid as usual as winter creeps up. You fasten your robe clasps and draw it tighter around you, simultaneously trying to tug your skirt down in a futile way to heat yourself up more. Your knee-high socks only do so much and you pretty much give up on the endeavor as you climb up the stairs and head for the Great Hall. 

You’re immediately greeted by the cozy warmth of the hall, spotting your friends, all swathed in green and silver robes and knits. Theo spots you first, sliding over and nearly knocking Blaise off the bench. “Blood hell, mate,” Blaise grumbles as you approach, kicking Theo’s leg lightly. 

You slip into the space created for you, right in between Theo and Enzo. You stifle a yawn and ask, “Can someone pass the eggs and bacon?”

As Enzo reaches for both platters, Theo’s eyes zero in on your legs. “How are you not cold?”

You frown. “I am,” you reply, piling your breakfast onto your plate, “but Pansy’s demon cat apparently thought my winter tights were toys and decided to scratch them all up.”

Pansy sighs, “I’ve ordered you new ones, calm down.” 

Theo drapes his robe over your legs and you smile gratefully at him. He smiles back and your heart flips. You don’t think you’ll ever get over how beautiful he is — all dark caramel curls and long lashes that frame those devastatingly blue eyes. He’s been your best friend since you started Hogwarts and you knew you loved him at first sight. The longer you’ve known him, the more you’ve fallen for him. 

It’s a tale as old as the world itself: you’re hopelessly in love with your best friend but you value your friendship far too much to do anything to jeopardize it.

“Mail’s here,” you hear someone say down the table. You look up to the ceiling, which has been enchanted to look like a sky that’s about to break open and drop snowflakes from its clouds. Owls soar in through the openings at the top of the walls, diving down towards their intended recipients. 

“Maybe your new tights are here,” Enzo says. 

Pansy adds, “I hope so. Then you’ll stop complaining about it.”

You snort, reaching up to grab a letter dropped by your family owl. You feed her a piece of scrambled egg as she takes off back towards the owlery. You tuck your parents’ letter into the inner pocket of your robe just as another owl swoops overhead, dropping a pale blue envelope on your lap. 

“Who’s that from?” asks Pansy. 

You shrug, using your butter knife to open it up. As you do, Draco grumbles at Mattheo: “For the love of Salazar, stop hogging the pastry basket.”

You skim over the letter addressed to you. You tilt your head in confusion and Blaise asks, “What’s it say?”

Enzo peeks over your shoulder and his face breaks into a smirk. “‘Meet me at the Astronomy Tower at midnight tonight. Signed, Your Secret Admirer.’” he reads.

“What?” Theo suddenly snatches the letter from your hand. You watch in confusion as his eyes dart back and forth. His shoulders tense and his mouth purses into a thin, hard line. 

“You doing okay there, Nott?” Matthew asks, shooting a simpering smile at his friend. Theo sends a glare back but doesn’t say anything, the letter’s paper crinkling under his grip. 

Pansy asks, “Are you going to go?”

You hesitate, surreptitiously glancing at Theo, startled to find that he’s gazing at you with an intensity you’ve never experienced. You pluck the letter from him and fold it neatly. “I think so,” you say. “I’m interested to see who it is.”

“Be sure to bring your wand,” Draco says. “Just in case.”

“Obviously,” you deadpan. The conversation shifts into whether anyone was prepared for midterms coming up. 

You fiddle with the letter in your lap. Theo’s silent for the whole conversation. 

You chew on your bottom lip as you reread the same sentence in your textbook for what feels like the hundredth time. The letter has stuck in your head the whole day. It crosses your mind that it could be a prank or a set-up — it’s not a secret that Slytherin isn’t the most popular House among your classmates — but you know you can handle yourself. You’re more worried about how Theo was acting at breakfast. He didn’t say a word the rest of the meal, not even when Enzo and Mattheo tried looping him into the conversation. He just sat there, sullen and gloomy, and his mood seemed to worsen more when you handed him his robe back and said you had to get to class.

You sigh heavily, trying to play out every possible scenario that could happen between you and the letter writer. You check the clock in the library: 11:45; you need to head over to the Astronomy Tower. 

You groan, gathering your things, sliding them into your bag, and making your way back to the Slytherin common room to drop off your things in your dorm. “Cacophony,” you supply to the portrait, which swings open to let you in.

The common room is blissfully silent when you enter, a welcome contrast to the mess of thoughts in your head. You’re about to head down the hall to your dorm when you collide against someone. You huff an apology but when you feel their hand on your shoulder, you look up to see Theo. He looks intense, eyes wide and glinting with sharp determination and his mouth still set in that frown from earlier. “Sorry, Theo,” you say. “Didn’t see you there. Where are you going at this hour?”

“I was going to find you,” he replies. 

“Oh,” you say. “Well, here I am. Sorry, I’ve got to drop this stuff off and then—”

“Head to the Astronomy Tower,” he finishes for you, “to meet your ‘secret admirer.’” 

You don’t like the way he sneers at the last part of his sentence or the way he uses air quotations. You’re about to respond when he says, “Don’t go.”

“What?”

“Don’t go,” he repeats.

“Why not?”

He pauses before saying, “What if it’s someone just having a laugh?”

You bristle, hurt, and you feel your temper flare. “Is it so damn hard to believe that someone might actually have a crush on me?”

Theo laughs, razor-sharp and incredulous, as if he can’t believe that you’re saying something so outrageous, “No, it’s not.”

“Then why shouldn’t I go?”

“Because I don’t want you to!”

“For Salazar’s sake, Theo, you can’t tell me what to do!”

“I know that!”

“Then are you trying to tell me not to go?”

“Because I bloody like you!”

Your heart stutters to a stop. You can only hear the sounds of both of your labored breathing and you suddenly can’t meet his eyes, trying your best to wrap your head around the fact that your feelings are reciprocated. “How long?’ you ask softly, holding your breath.

“Since first year.”

You blink. “Really?”

He rakes a hand through his hair and sighs heavily, “Mattheo’s right; you’re so oblivious.” There’s another beat of silence and he asks, a little shyly, “How do you feel?”

You can’t stop the smile that spreads across your face. “I like you too, Theo. I’ve liked you since first year as well.”

He echoes your “Really?” and it makes you giggle, “I guess we’re both oblivious.”

He joins your laughter and you let your forehead rest on his chest as your shoulders shake. When it dies down, Theo shifts you off him and lifts your chin with his forefinger, any semblance of coyness gone. You gaze into his ocean blue eyes. Salazar, you could drown in them. He offers a charming smile and he leans close, just a few centimeters away, and says, “Can I kiss you?”

Your eyelashes flutter and your voice comes out barely louder than a whisper, “I’d be disappointed if you didn’t.”

Your lips meet, fervent and desperate, years of yearning releasing like water through a broken dam. Theo hooks his arms around your waist, pulling you as close as possible. You wind your arms around his neck, fingers toying with the hair at his nape. He walks you backward, slipping his tongue into mouth as he crushes you up against the wall. He deepens the kiss and your knees go weak. 

Theo moves your bag off your shoulder and drops it on the floor. The letter that rested at the top of the pile of possessions falls out, laying forgotten on the ground.

[book--brackets]

Note: Good Omens is by both Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, it just doesn't fit in the character limit lol

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (2011)

The circus arrives without warning. No announcement precedes it, no paper notices plastered on lampposts and billboards. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not.

Within these nocturnal black-and-white-striped tents awaits an utterly unquie experience, a feast did the senses, where no one can be lost in a maze of clouds, meander through a lush garden muse of ice, stare in wonderment as the tattooed contortionist folds herself into a small glass box, and become deliciously tipsy from the scents of caramel and cinnamon that waft through the air.

Welcome to Le Cirque des Rêvez.

Beyond the smoke and mirrors, however, a fierce competition is under way—a contest between two young illusionists, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood to compete in a “game” to which they have been irrevocably bound by their mercurial masters. Unbeknownst to the players, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battles of imagination and will.

As the circus travels around the world, the feats of magic gain fantastical new heights with every stop. The game is well under way and the lives of all those involved—the eccentric circus owner, the elusive contortionist, the mystical fortune-teller, and a pair of red-haired twins born backstage among them—are swept up in a wake of spells and charms.

But when Celia discovers Marco is her adversary, they begin to think of the game not as a competition but as a wonderful collaboration. With no knowledge of how the game must end, they innocently tumble headfirst into love. A deep, passionate, and magical love that makes the light flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

Their masters still pull the strings, however, and this unforeseen occurrence forces them to intervene with dangerous consequences, leaving the lives of everyone from the performers to the patrons hanging in the balance.

The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss (2007-present)

My name is Kvothe.   I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep.   You may have heard of me.

So begins a tale unequaled in fantasy literature--the story of a hero told in his own voice. It is a tale of sorrow, a tale of survival, a tale of one man's search for meaning in his universe, and how that search, and the indomitable will that drove it, gave birth to a legend.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (2015-2016)

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone. . . .

A convict with a thirst for revenge A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager A runaway with a privileged past A spy known as the Wraith A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes

Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman (2001)

Days before his release from prison, Shadow's wife, Laura, dies in a mysterious car crash. Numbly, he makes his way back home. On the plane, he encounters the enigmatic Mr Wednesday, who claims to be a refugee from a distant war, a former god and the king of America.

Together they embark on a profoundly strange journey across the heart of the USA, whilst all around them a storm of preternatural and epic proportions threatens to break.

Scary, gripping and deeply unsettling, American Gods takes a long, hard look into the soul of America. You'll be surprised by what - and who - it finds there...

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer (2012-2015)

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl. . . . 

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future. 

The Princess Bride by William Goldman (1973)

Westley ... handsome farm boy who risks death and much, much worse for the woman he loves; Inigo ... the Spanish swordsman who lives only to avenge his father's death; Fezzik ... the Turk, the gentlest giant ever to have uprooted a tree with his bare hands; Vizzini ... the evil Sicilian, with a mind so keen he's foiled by his own perfect logic; Prince Humperdinck ... the eviler ruler of Guilder, who has an equally insatiable thirst for war and the beauteous Buttercup; Count Rugen ... the evilest man of all, who thrives on the excruciating pain of others; Miracle Max ... the King's ex-Miracle Man, who can raise the dead (kind of); The Dread Pirate Roberts ... supreme looter and plunderer of the high seas; and, of course, Buttercup ... the princess bride, the most perfect, beautiful woman in the history of the world.

S. Morgenstern's timeless tale--discovered and wonderfully abridged by William Goldman--pits country against country, good against evil, love against hate. From the Cliffs of Insanity through the Fire Swamp and down into the Zoo of Death, this incredible journey and brilliant tale is peppered with strange beasties both monstrous and gentle, and memorable surprises both terrible and sublime.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl (1964)

Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory is opening at last!

But only five lucky children will be allowed inside. And the winners are: Augustus Gloop, an enormously fat boy whose hobby is eating; Veruca Salt, a spoiled-rotten brat whose parents are wrapped around her little finger; Violet Beauregarde, a dim-witted gum-chewer with the fastest jaws around; Mike Teavee, a toy pistol-toting gangster-in-training who is obsessed with television; and Charlie Bucket, Our Hero, a boy who is honest and kind, brave and true, and good and ready for the wildest time of his life! 

The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare (2010-2013)

Magic is dangerous--but love is more dangerous still. 

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos. 

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own. 

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length . . . everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world. . . . and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman (1990)

The world is preparing to come to an end according to the Divine Plan recorded in the Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch (recorded 1655). Meanwhile, a fussy angel and a fast-living demon have grown fond of living among the earth's mortals for many millennia and are not looking forward to the apocalypse. If Crowley and Aziraphale are going to stop it from happening, they must find and kill the Antichrist.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman (2002)

In Coraline's family's new flat there's a locked door. On the other side is a brick wall—until Coraline unlocks the door . . . and finds a passage to another flat in another house just like her own. Only different.

The food is better there. Books have pictures that writhe and crawl and shimmer. And there's another mother and father there who want Coraline to be their little girl. They want to change her and keep her with them. . . . Forever.

[darlingchronicles]

H20, fish out of water (preview)

pairing: jj x fem!mermaid!reader

summary: in a turn of events, jj maybank almost drowned one summer, but thanks to a beautiful (and mystical) creature, he was saved. after obsessing over it for weeks, he returns during another storm in order to find her.

word count: 1.2K *headcanon preview for upcoming fic

warnings: mentions/description of drowning

loosely inspired by "the little mermaid"

enjoy ❤

jj doesn't really believe in the "fanatical" stuff

not really his fault because of his father's abuse and his mother's departure when he was kid

fairytales only disappointed him because he didn't have the kind parents that died or the ones that kept searching for their children even when they're supposed to be dead

heck even king triton loved ariel enough to keep her from what he deemed dangerous. what he would have given for his father to do the same, even if it hurt.

although his mom tried to keep the magic for him, by the time he was in the second or third grade, the tooth fairy, santa claus, the easter bunny, elves, tinkerbell and fairy godmother had been deemed childish and impossible to actually exist

how could it?

magic didn't exist

neither did these fanatical creatures

oh and mermaids as well

he scoffed at the thought

how could humans have evolved so much or even born with fins for feet? and breath underwater? or speak to sea creatures. he's seen the mermaid tale movie so he had a good idea of what people thought about mermaids

being from OBX and coming from a long line of fisherman, he's heard the stories

so many stories

they were beautiful

they were ugly

they tried to call them out to sea to wreck the ships

they were the most kind creatures to ever exist

they never wanted to be seen

they only greet the kindest of souls out to sea

so many stories

it almost made his head hurt

his grandfather, granddad maybank, when he was alive, once told five year old jj that he saw a mermaid once.

she was beautiful

long curly hair that was cherry red with streaks of caramel through them. her face was pointed, but with a rosy glow. she had pink lips and an incredible voice

he saw he only saw her because she tried stealing something off the boat - a wrench

he never got to speak with her or anything

he never even saw her again

but sometimes he said he heard her singing

jj, later on, decided that the old man had a screw loose and that he didn't see crap

so yeah jj's not much a believer in mythical things

so one day, jj decided to go surfing during a storm. because why the hell not?

he'd been waiting since the beginning of a summer for a good storm

to face the dangerous of the soaring winds and waves, letting it splash on his face and cover his body enough that he'll shake from the cold when he gets out

he didn't even tell John B that he was going because he wanted to do it alone

if there was one thing that jj loved, daring danger by himself

(and with others, but hey sometimes he liked to rough it out alone)

he ran off the beach and into the waves, surfing like his life depended on it

the exhilaration

the freedom

the adrenaline

he wasn't anyone

he was just jj maybank

unfortunately, he got so lost in himself that he didn't notice the monster wave heading towards him. by the time he turned his head, it pushed him off his board and into the sea

he pushed himself up, trying to get above water, but with each effort, he is pushed down by the waves

his shortboard is gone, drifted and carried by the waves, never to be seen again

he has nothing to grab onto as he flails around

that's when water begins to fill his mouth

and his nose and his throat

in a last moment to save himself, he was able to capture one gasp of breath before going under the waves

compared to the surface, it was calm under the water, but pitch black. he tried to swim as hard as he could towards what he thought was land, but to avail.

water bubbles began to form as he let go of air, inch by inch before it began to fill his lungs with unimaginable pain

it was something similar to letting water go down the wrong pipe and feeling the burn of your lungs

except there was no relief

just his body beginning to shut down as his eyes began to close - his arms and legs gave out as he floated in the dead calmness of the depths of the sea

jj couldn't believe it. he thought he'd die in a shoot out with the police or by the hands of his own father or in some cool way that would give him a rep of a rebel for life -- forever eternalized in the OBX

but drowning?

now that's embarrassing

but he never got to say goodbye, not to pope, not to john b (heck even kiara who was in her "kook" year and he couldn't give a shit about her at the moment)

what if they never found his body? he just ran away? he'd never abandon them like that. no, jj had a loyalty that was rare to find

he thought of their faces as his eyes began to finally close

and he swore that he hallucinated at the last moment

because he saw something he never thought he would

there was body (a tail?) and hands, soft hands that held onto his face

it was blurred but there was a face in front of his - hair floating around it before it swam around him and pulled him upwards

by then, sleep took over his body and he slumped into the arms, waiting for his soul to leave him

if he had one anyways

next thing he knows, he's coughing

violently coughing

it burns, but as he finished and lets out a sigh of his first breath of air, he opens his eyes in time to see a shadow over him

it was a face

so beautiful it almost shocked him awake, but his body was too tired

wet hair covered her face and her eyes were wide and curious; it was all blurry, however

something alike to a hand went up to touch his cheek, dragging what he believed to be a finger to his jaw, his chin, dragging along his lips, to his nose, forehead and then tangling a strand of his hair around it

and then he heard it

her singing

as if lulling him to sleep

smooth and lovely

and then his eyes closed

and when he opened them, it wasn't a girl

he nearly kissed john b though

"woahhhh there buddy. i'm flattered but i don't think either of us play for both teams"

jj nearly gagged when he realized what he had done

"dude, i nearly called the cops," john b smacked the side of his head, "you've been gone for the entire night and i found you passed out here. how'd you even end up here?"

and jj had no choice but to tell him what he did

john b nearly killed him, but felt like maybe jj did that already because of how he began to talk

"dude there was girl! an actual girl. she saved me."

jj wasn't about to forget her, not at all

thedarlinglore: this is a preview for upcoming fic! should be coming up in the next few days! please do not steal, plagiarize, etc. and once again, thank you mr.maybank. love you my darlings ❤

[brighteststar707]

Heyy Faye congratulations on your new milestone! ✨️✨️ For the event, Caramel Chocolate - Saeyoung maybe? 👀💛

Thank you Medu 💕 And thank you for the request!

For context, I didn't write the MC as the one who went through the events of the game but as someone who was perhaps a friend of the RFA beforehand who stepped in as the party planner.

Warning, it's sort of angsty - leave it to me to turn a prompt about kisses into something sad. I have no excuses 😅

I hope you enjoy <3

One more slot open for the milestone event!

✧ Caramel Chocolate ~ Sharing kisses



It was the night of the party, and what a beautiful night it was. The party nights always held their own sort of magic that turned even the dullest of nights into special ones, but tonight was especially beautiful.

The sky was clear, dark enough to swallow you whole if you’d let it, dotted with stars bright enough to be seen even with the all the lights of the city trying to drown them out. It was cooler than it was during the day, a soft breeze carrying through the gardens and making all the leaves rustle. With the fairy lights they had decided to drape through the plants, it looked like something straight out of a fairy tale.

Maybe that's why it appealed to Seven so much as an escape from the party. There was always something about him that seemed to lean into the fantastical. Even at his quietest, he never quite fit into reality.

She wasn’t even sure how she knew that he’d be there. She had noticed his absence in the hall a little while ago and wanted to find him. The thought of him by himself, hiding away from the rest of them on a night like this made her chest ache. He didn’t have to come back inside, but he shouldn’t have to feel alone. She'd give him the chance to choose loneliness if it's what he wanted, but not without an opportunity for company first.

When she had asked the other members about his whereabouts, they had told her that disappearing at RFA parties was a habit of his. Together, they had tried to remember his movements through the hall.

He had started off the party buoyant and joyful, hopping from guest to guest, entertaining them with his stories. She had spotted him earlier, deep in conversation with some early adopters, fully engaged and attentive. He ate his fair share of food (Yoosung heard him say that it was his first warm meal of the week) and did the work that was required from him.

Then, when everyone else was occupied, he slipped away. Like clockwork.

He hadn’t counted on her not forgetting him. He hadn’t counted on her stubbornness. Or perhaps he did. Perhaps that’s why he was so easy to find.

A little while ago, the live demonstrations had begun, and everyone was encouraged to observe and participate as other guests showed off their wares and skills. That left the gardens mostly empty, with just one or two people still lingering amongst the flowers. Seven had found a bench out of view from the main party hall, sheltered by trees and bushes. His own private corner of this fairy tale garden.

He sat there, head in his hands, elbows resting on his knees, before he heard her enter the clearing. She made a soft noise clearing her throat to alert him to her presence (she had learned a long time ago not to sneak up on him). He slowly lifted his head from his hands and looked at her with a shy smile.

She stood still in front of him for a moment, mesmerised by the sight of him. Lit up by the soft warm glow of the fairy lights and dressed up for the party, he looked beautiful.

He was always attractive to her. So much so that she spent a lot of energy trying to not think about it, what it meant that he made her feel that way.

It was in the slant of his smile and the way his hair fell across his forehead (so that all she wanted to do was run her fingers through it). In his eyes, the perfect shade of amber caught in the light, so expressive even when he tried not to be.

Tonight, he had styled his hair so it was neatly parted (though it had long since rebelled and defaulted back to messy curls). He had swapped his usual striped glasses for ones with thin wire rims. His suit was black on black, with green accents that only served to compliment his hair.

With his lack of surprise, it was almost as if he was expecting her. She pushed that thought aside before it took hold and became a real feeling she had to manage later.

“Hey,” he said, looking her up and down. “What are you doing out here? The party is inside, you know?”

“They won’t miss me for a minute. Anyway, I came to ask you the same thing.”

He shrugged. “Thought I wouldn’t be missed for a minute.”

What a sad little echo of each other they were. Him using her words so he didn’t have to use his own and reveal anything real.

She plopped herself down on the bench next to him. “Well, you were wrong, genius. I missed you.”

On any other night, she wouldn’t have been able to tell him that so directly, even if she meant it. She’d have wrapped it in more words and masked what she really wanted to say under something that felt less meaningful. It was easier on both of them this way, this language of evasion they both spoke.

But party nights aren’t like any other night. Rules that hold true for any other day can be broken on party day. Maybe Jumin and Zen won’t squabble as much as they usually would. Maybe Jaehee will be liberated from work and be able to enjoy the things she likes. Maybe Yoosung will smile more than he has in months. Maybe she and Seven will tell the truth sometimes.

He chuckled, let her statement hang in the air for a moment. Since she had sat next to him, he had visibly relaxed a little. He was no longer leaning forward but had moved to rest his back against the bench.

She wasn’t ready to let him get out of an explanation, though. “So, why are you really out here?”

He hesitated, then said, “Oh, you know. I just wanted to clear my head. Didn’t want to be a downer for everyone inside.” A breath. Another. Then, “You know, they depend on me for the entertainment. The poor guests wouldn’t know what to do without me.”

He nudged her with his elbow and flashed her a small smile, as if to say, come on, it's okay to laugh. She smiled back at him. Okay, I’ll bite.

“Right, they were already asking for you. ‘Where’s that funny redhead, the one with all the jokes?’ We were worrying about having to handle a riot.”

He snorted. “No wonder you came to find me so quickly.”

“Is there enough room here to hide a humble party planner if they decide to revolt?”

He made a show of pretending to consider her request, then nodded sagely. “We might have just enough space for you.”

She grinned. It was a relief to know that her company was wanted. Her question was only a half-joke. The party was wonderful, but hosting and managing a hall full of people could get tiring.

They fell silent and enjoyed the quiet sounds of the garden around them. The quiet rustling of the breeze through the trees, the music and sounds of people laughing drifting out from the hall. She rested her head against his shoulder and sighed softly. Automatically, he reached for her hand and held it in both of his.

This wasn’t uncommon for the two of them. Their relationship was one that the others had tried to name before, both to tease them and also to try and make sense of their relationship in their heads. On the other hand, she had learned to find comfort in the ambiguity he offered her.

They were a set. Their names were often said together, they were the two always in on a joke, one always looking for the other. They were too physically close to be called just friends yet too emotionally distant to be called partners. They fell somewhere inbetween, a space with blurry boundaries and no definitions.

Of course she wanted more. His laugh still gave her butterflies, and sometimes she wished that he’d be able to open up to her fully, so he wouldn’t have to struggle alone. She missed him when he wasn’t around and there were moments when she wanted to kiss him till he was breathless. But this was all he could give her. In fact, this not-relationship was already breaking enough rules as is.

He had once told her about some of the things his agency had put him through, some of the punishments the agency had inflicted upon agents who were less careful. Innocent people were held up as collateral to keep an agent in line. She hadn’t asked him any more questions after that, just to not have to make him relive it. She had decided long ago that was better to learn to live with what he could give her than to not know him at all.

That didn’t mean that he didn’t keep secrets from her. She thought about what he had said earlier. I don’t want to be a downer. His head in his hands, the distant look on his eyes a minute before he greeted her. She wondered what was on his mind, upsetting him on a day like this. If he wouldn’t open up to her, she would have to find another way to cheer him up.

The next song started playing inside. It was loud enough that they could still hear it in their little corner of the garden. Exactly what she wanted. Without warning, she stood up from the bench and turned back to him with a hand outstretched.

“Dance with me.”

He looked up at her with wide eyes, momentarily surprised by her outburst. Then, he smiled and took her hand. Perhaps a small indulgence, just for tonight (it was the party night, after all). To her surprise, he quickly pulled her into position, guiding her free hand to his shoulder before resting his own on her waist.  

They had never danced together before (not like this, anyway). Maybe that’s why she was surprised at how easily he fell into the steps. He led them in a slow circle around the clearing, like it was their very own private dance floor in the fantasy gardens.

“Since when can you slow dance?” She asked.

She had had the opportunity to dance with all of the other members at least once that night. Yoosung was giggly and Jaehee was hesitant. Jumin was elegant and Zen was vivacious. By comparison, Seven was measured, steady. It was somehow not what she expected from him.

He waggled his eyebrows at her. “There’s a lot about me that you don’t know.”

She rolled her eyes. It was his usual comeback, a common answer to most questions she asked him.

When she didn’t prompt him further, he continued, “You never know what’s going to be useful when you’re on the field. A lot of important people know how to ballroom dance. A lot of people also are talkative dancers – especially with a partner as handsome as me.”

“Does that mean you expect me to talk?”

“Perhaps. So, you really missed me?”

“Yes.”

“I wasn’t gone for long.”

“It was enough.”

“You’re the only person I know who would say that about me.”

“Then aren’t you lucky to know me?”

He suddenly pulled her into a twirl, catching her by surprise and making her squeal. When she turned back to him, his hand on her waist was a bit firmer than it was before, holding her closer than she had been a moment earlier. His smile was devilish.

He looked into her eyes and said, “Yes, I am. Very.”

She could feel it, and she was sure he could too. The change in the air around them, the ease at which they talked and touched each other. It was as if the garden was a world away from everything – everyone – else and all the strict rules they usually kept. There was a spark in the air, and for once, instead of trying to stifle it, they were daring each other to fan it further.

The song came to an end, the instruments belting out the final notes, and inside she could hear the applause from the guests. Seven, however, remained still. His hand still remained planted firmly on her waist, his eyes fixed on her face. He was looking at her with the kind of fondness that would usually have made her squirm, something so warm and affectionate that simultaneously drew her in but felt wholly unfamiliar. Especially coming from him. She had long since accepted that he wouldn’t look at her that way. Yet here he was.

Their eyes met, and time in their little clearing stood still. The next song was probably starting up, the leaves must have still been rustling, but all she could hear was the deafening beating of her heart in her ears.

She leaned in so her face was impossibly close to his, half-expecting him to jump back, but he didn’t. He never for a moment took his eyes off her, didn’t once flinch. Instead, he did the most unlikely thing. He leaned in even closer.

“Can I…” He whispered, breathless.

“Please.”

And so he did.  

He pressed his lips firmly to hers and let go of her hand to cup her cheek. He didn’t hesitate, his movements were confident, as if he had been imagining this moment for a while (and just maybe, he had, but she’d never let it go if she let herself indulge in that thought).

She kissed him back hard, remembering all the times she wished she had been able to kiss him but couldn't. She was standing on her tiptoes, trying to get as close to him as possible. Her free hand came to rest on his other shoulder and she dug her fingers into the thick fabric of his suit jacket. The warmth of his body radiating against her, the hungry way he kissed her, it was all overwhelming. She needed to hold on to him to keep herself grounded.

It felt right, the two of them like this. His hands moving up and down her sides memorising the shape of her, the taste of him on her lips.

The spark had caught, turned into a roaring fire, all the things that they were holding onto that they had never been allowed to say out loud only fuelling it further.

They pulled apart for a second to catch their breath, but before they could kiss again, he froze. She opened her mouth to ask him if he was alright, but his whole body stiffened. He inhaled sharply and took a big step backwards, looking at her with eyes that were both sad and scared. The realization that he had broken his own rules, the invisible enforcer that lived in his head and served only to punish him had awoken again.

He looked at her with eyes full of guilt. Their fire had been extinguished and the garden suddenly felt terribly cold to her.

“I’m sorry,” he said shakily. She didn’t have to ask what for.

Her hands hung loose at her sides, and it was all she could do to not reach out to him.

“I know.”

She knew, and yet it didn’t soothe the ache that had started to spread through her chest. The fairy tale garden had turned into the kind of forest that swallowed people whole. She felt the same dread looming as if she were a girl alone with no breadcrumb trail to follow home.

He looked stricken, but he still couldn’t take his eyes off her. Goosebumps spread over her arms. Some invisible line had been crossed, and they were in unknown territory. There was no way back to that easy friendship they shared before, no deniability in a kiss like that. They had fed the fire and it had left them burnt.

The fantasy was distorted, the fairy tale had taken a tragic twist. Even on the most magical night of the year, some rules weren't allowed to be broken. She could all but see the walls come up between them, ones they had torn down so long ago.

She had really lost him now.

[lulu-spooks]

what was your favorite book/book series as a kid?

how did you getting into knitting?

what was the last sweet treat you had?

I had a lot of favourite books as a kid and I honestly couldn’t pick one series. However under the age of 10 my favourite books were the Enid blyton adventure series, Malory towers, the magic treehouse series, warrior cats, the whizz pop chocolate shop books, Jaqueline Wilson books, the Ramona books, Julia Tomlinson’s animal tales and the Disney fairy stories. From the ages of 10-14 I was big into classics and read a lot of those but I also enjoyed anything by Eva Ibbotson, his dark materials, the hunger games and lots and lots more traumatising Jacqueline Wilson books. I read a lot as a kid. I still do but not nearly as much as when I was 11.

I actually cant knit very well, however I can crochet like a beast. I was taught to knit by my very traditional brownie guide pack when I was 7, but I never got the hang of it and eventually they gave up trying. I have been crocheting for two years after teaching myself from YouTube and then receiving some materials for my birthday.

I have just woken up and had all manner of sweet treats yesterday not limited to scones with clotted cream and honey, half a litre of white chocolate and raspberry milkshake and a salted caramel ice cream. However my last sweet treat was a few strawberry cream bon bons I got from a sweet shop. I am on holiday. My sweet treats come as often as I please and I can worry about my blood sugar levels later :)

[unicornacopia]

Design assistance! (Wanna help?)

Hey. I was hoping someone might be able to help create a basic reference for my roleplay character? Even a messy sketch/doodle would be a great help and very appreciated. Here is some info about the character!

Character background: The Astral Sea never meant much to Pepper— what was the point of being thousands and thousands of years old if all those years were spent stuck with bitter, melancholic elves? Hard pass.

First name: Vyx Last name: Pepper Race: Astral Elf Class: Sorcerer/Rogue Occupation: Captain of the Vyxen; treasure/artifact hunter Character Description:  Looking into Pepper’s eyes is like staring into the vast cosmos itself, endless black and purple orbs swirling with silvery dust. In addition to her unique gaze, Pepper is easy to recognize due to the purple velvet coat always slung over her shoulders, the inside of which is lined with an eye-catching pink silk of fine quality. She is somewhere around 5’9” with caramel-colored skin and a curvy physique hidden beneath layers of high quality garb. To help keep a lifetime of uninterrupted growth under control, her brown hair is usually kept braided and wrapped around her head with a dark grey scarf, and a large bundle of smaller plaits sits against one shoulder with various patterned ribbons woven through it. A flintlock pistol sits in a holster inches below her navel. Just as eye-catching as the rest of the woman’s ensemble, Pepper is never seen without an oversized pair of earrings and a seamless ring through her septum, both made of shiny silver despite her constant exposure to the salty ocean. Character Abilities/Powers:  There are tales, fables that parents tell their children about a reclusive pirate captain who is never seen during the day, who may or may not be a vampire- or maybe even a witch- if only someone could ever get close enough to confirm.  All of this speculation is due to the fact that Captain Vyx Pepper is cursed; as a result of this unfortunate circumstance, her magical abilities fluctuate wildly and almost constantly under certain conditions, potentially posing a risk to herself and those around her.

[harmonyhealinghub]

Embracing the Enchantment of Halloween: Celebrating the Magic in All Hallows' Eve

Shaina Tranquilino

October 31, 2023

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

As autumn's crisp breeze fills the air, it brings with it a sense of anticipation and excitement for one of the most enchanting holidays of the year – Halloween. Steeped in centuries-old traditions, this magical celebration ignites our imagination and allows us to step into a world where reality and fantasy intertwine. Let us delve into the wonders of Halloween and discover ways to embrace its magic while creating unforgettable memories. 1. Unveiling Halloween's Origins: Halloween originated from ancient Celtic festivals like Samhain, marking the end of harvest season and welcoming the transition into winter. It was believed that on this night, spirits roamed freely among the living. Understanding these roots helps us appreciate the holiday's spiritual significance and adds an extra layer of mysticism to our celebrations. 2. Transform Yourself: Costumes & Disguises: One of Halloween's most cherished aspects is undoubtedly dressing up in elaborate costumes. Delve deep into your creative reservoirs and let your imagination run wild! Whether you choose to be a mythical creature, a historical figure, or a classic monster, donning a costume enables you to temporarily become someone else – embracing your alter ego and experiencing a touch of magic yourself! 3. Decorate with Spooky Elegance: Transforming your living space into an eerie yet inviting atmosphere is pivotal for fully immersing yourself in the Halloween spirit. From carved pumpkins glowing warmly on doorsteps to cobwebs draped across furniture, gothic candles casting flickering shadows, and strategically placed spooky decorations - create an ambiance that transports visitors to another realm. 4. Hauntingly Delicious Treats: Indulging in delicious treats is part and parcel of any celebration, but during Halloween, we can elevate this experience to bewitchingly delightful heights. Whip up some traditional treats like caramel apples, pumpkin pies, or revisit childhood favorites like candy corn. Organize a Halloween-themed potluck with friends and family to exchange spine-chilling recipes and create memories that will last a lifetime. 5. Embrace the Spirit of Giving: Halloween is not just about receiving treats; it also offers an opportunity to give back to our communities. Consider participating in local charity events or organizing neighborhood trick-or-treating activities that promote inclusivity. Encourage children and adults alike to donate canned goods for food drives or collect funds for charitable organizations while enjoying the festivities. 6. Summoning the Spirits: Storytelling & Traditions: Gather around a cozy fire pit or dimly lit room, where flickering candlelight adds an eerie ambiance, and share spooky tales steeped in folklore and mystery. From classic ghost stories to personal experiences, storytelling ignites imagination and brings us closer together as we revel in the ancient traditions of Halloween. Halloween is far more than just costumes and candies – it is a magical holiday that allows us to embrace our inner child and indulge in fantastical realms. By understanding its origins, creating enchanting atmospheres, sharing delicious treats, engaging in acts of kindness, and participating in age-old traditions, we can celebrate Halloween's magic to its fullest extent. So let your imagination soar this All Hallows' Eve, creating unforgettable moments filled with laughter, wonderment, and everlasting memories!

[yetanotherexhaustedalchemist]

June Wood

Class: 3A (seat no. 3)

Dominant Hand: Right

Club: None

Best Subject: Music

Hobbies: Exploring the woods

Pet Peeves: ???

Favorite Food: Caramel apples

Least Favorite Food: Black stew

Talent: Memorising songs quickly

Twisted from: The child (The Juniper Tree)

Signature Spell / Unique Magic: Judgement of the Songbird (Feathered Spirit of Betrayed Trust). Lets the user see into the hearts and feel the inner conflicts of those who hear her song. May dig up feelings of intense guilt if targets were repressing such emotions.

SS/UN Incantation: "My mother, she killed me; My father, he ate me; My little brother who loved me gathered my bones in a silken scarf and laid them beneath the juniper tree."

Special:

Love interest for a canon character / another OC? (Possibly)

Events they would appear in? | Playful Land (SSR), Halloween (SR), Applepom (SR)

MBTI / other mental conditions and the like? | ISFJ / not sure but she's not doing great

Nicknames: Mademoiselle Oiseau Chanteur (Rook) / Swimming Sea Cucumber [AKA Headless Chicken Fish] (Floyd)

Trivia: (TW: Child abuse, death, mild description of gore)

June is twisted from the child in one of the brothers Grimm's lesser known fairytales, The Juniper Tree. It shares a lot of similarities with Snow White and is very disturbing for a children's tale. (Be mindful if you want to look it up. It has themes of child abuse, child murder and cannibalising children.)

June is a corporeal ghost. She was murdered centuries ago, and has very few memories of her lifetime. Currently, no one knows how she came back or why.

She wears her scarf 24/7 to keep her head on. Underneath it is a black void in place of her neck with.

However eerie she is, June is kind and aspires to use her new opportunity to help others.

She doesn't remember her real name or birthday. The name and birthday were chosen from her memory of the juniper tree in her garden.

[vilandel]

Nanthild (Solid and Rosette's daughter)for 16, 8, 6 and 2 please❤

Oh, thank you Anon for asking this to Nanthilde, our most silver Silva 💖

Describe your perfect day. My perfect day is being in the Silva Flower Garden, either at the belvedere with the roses or at Grandmother's water lily pond. With bergamot tea and some salted caramel and a good bunch of books, as well as some riddles. The more difficult, the better. A picnic with the family is also nice, either just the four of us or the whole Silva clan. I also love to go shopping, either alone or with friends and family, like with Mom, my aunts and my cousins, as well as Iris.

What do you think had the biggest impact on you growing up? Mom. I always admired how observant and clever she is. No wonder Dad fell for her, even though their marriage was arranged. When I was little, I wanted to become exactly like her. Mom encouraged me to follow my interests, but also made sure that I know that I shouldn't be a copy of her, risking to be in her shadow, but more becoming my own person. I'm very glad she did. I don't think I would have liked to be a copy of her and be in her shadow on the long term. Uncle Asta and uncle Nozel also had a great impact on me. Uncle Asta with his optimism and never-give-up vibe, uncle Nozel with how to handle complicated things, to assume your mistakes and to always try to care and protect my loved ones.

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do? Accepting that it's okay to cry. As a child, I always had some difficulties to show that I'm sad. I definitely got Dads royal pride. My brother Eis fell sick, very sick, to a point that seven-year old me was worried he might die. That thought really made me sad, but I refused to show it, because I'm a Silva Princess. I must have seemed very distant during my brother's illness, but it was so painful to me to keep my worry and sadness for myself. It was only when Dad actually came to me and asked me what was wrong that I finally let go. I ugly cried, yelling that I didn't want my brother to die. I felt really ashamed about that, even more that I couldn't stop crying. Dad did his best to comfort me, telling me that Eis won't die, that he was just very sick. And that it's not a bad thing to cry, even for a royal. He is a bit awkward at comforting, but he tried his best. Well, Dad brought me to aunt Vanessa, but mostly that she could help to distract me from my worries. I still have some hard times to show my sadness, but not in front of my family.

Who is your best friend? Tell us about them! My best friend is Iris Vermillion, daughter of Mimosa and Langris Vermillion. She is very kind, but I admit that she is a Daddy's girl personality wise. When nobles are bothering, she is the one who is ready to portal them away and I'm the one who has to hold her back. Iris is even scarier than her father, because she actually got her mother's angry face when she is bothered by nobles. You know, the one with the kind smile and such. Otherwise, Iris loves fairy tales, she is a huge milk drinker – becoming lactose intolerant is her nightmare – and she has a sweet singing voice. Like a nightingale. And she is very close to her uncle Finral as well. Both Finral and Langris teach her spatial magic, since Iris is the first ever to use spatial magic both offensive wise and supporting wise. I know that her parental grandparents are enthusiastic about it, at least from what I heard. Iris, her siblings and also her cousins don't have any contact with them, except occasional gifts on their birthdays. She told me that it is for the best. And given what she told me about their grandparents, I give her right.

[bugg-indaug]

SUGAR - SWEET - TALE

MY FIRST EVER UNDERTALE AU, PLEASE DO HELP ME GROW IT!

HELLO!! I'M BUGGINDAUG! OR JUST BUGG IS OK!

I RECENTLY CAME UP WITH AN AU IDEA AFTER SEEING SWEETTALE, CANDYTALE AND SOME OTHERS, I'M ONLY USING GL2 RIGHT NOW TO DESIGN THE CHARACTERS AND I'D LOVE SOME HELP! I'VE ALREADY GOT SANS DONE (BELOW) AND I'M HAVING SOME TROUBLE TRYING TO DESIGN EVERYONE ELSE, I WAS THINKING OF SOMEONE AS ROCK CANDY BUT I'M UNSURE AS TO WHO!

I NEED YOUR HELP!!! UNDERTALE AU CREATORS I SUMMON YOU!!

SUGARSWEETTALE!SANS

WHAT ABOUT HIS APPEARANCE IS DIFFERENT?

WELL FOR STARTERS HE IS NOT MADE FROM BONE! HE'S ACTUALLY MADE FROM WHITE CHOCOLATE (AS SEEN BY THE EASY CRACKING.. PLUS 1HP) AND ALWAYS HAS A CAKE 'N' CANDY SMUSHED INTO HIS FACE... HE'S TOO LAZY TO REMOVE THEM... MAYBE ITS HIDING SOMETHING? WHO KNOWS! HONESTLY, IT IS A WONDER HE HASN'T LOST ANY VISION IN HIS EYE WITH HOW MUCH FROSTING IS BASICALLY INSIDE OF IT.

HE ALSO FOR SOME REASON HAS... CARAMEL AND STRAWBERRY MARKINGS... THE CARAMEL STRINGS ARE BASICALLY WHISKERS, NOT MARKINGS, THE STRAWBERRY SWIRLS ARE JUST A JAM.

AH HIS EYES! YOU MIGHT NOTICE THE DIFFERENT SHAPES FROM SOME OF THE OTHER AUS, THE RIGHT EYE IS COTTON CANDY AND THE LEFT IS A SPEARMINT LEAF GUMMY.

THE COLOR OF HIS MAGIC IS PATIENCE AND JUSTICE. (ON RARE OCCASIONS IT IS PERSEVERANCE AND DETERMINATION)

WHAT ABOUT CLOTHES?

EVERYTHING ABOUT SUGARSWEETTALE IS MADE FROM CANDY, CLOTHING HOWEVER IS A WRAPPING! DUH! ALL CANDY NEEDS A WRAPPING! KEEPS THEM SAFE. BUT SANS HERE HAS A COTTON CANDY FLUFF ON HIS JUMPER HOOD, POOFY, YUMMY, SOFT COTTON CANDY. HIS PANTS ARE JUST A SIMPLE WRAPPING MATERIAL TO KEEP HIM COOL (ALONG WITH HIS JACKET AND GLOVES)

THE LEG WARMERS AND SLIPPERS ARE CANDY THOUGH, THE LEG WARMERS BEING CANDY CORN AND THE SLIPPERS BEING STRAWBERRY CLOUD CANDY

ANY OTHER TYPE OF APPEARANCE CHANGE?

YES! HE HAS A TAIL NOW! MADE FROM THE SAME WHITE CHOCOLATE SPINE (BONE) AND COVERED WITH A THICK FLUFFY LAYER OF COTTON CANDY TO LOOK LIKE A PINK AND FREEN FLAME, SOME MONSTERS SAY THEY CAN SEE IT ANIMATE ITSELF AS IF IT WERE TRULY ABLAZE!

I'D LOVE TO RECEIVE FAN ART (NOT FORCED), DESIGN HELP, WORLD-BUILDING, POWER-BUILDING HELP, ETC! I'D LOVE TO INTERACT AND GROW MY COMMUNITY

[hosannan]

She had thanked him, once, and he'd not any idea of who she was. It had been strange, that dissonant sensation of meaning more to someone than they did to you, to exist peripherally as a character in a fairy tale, rather than the flesh and blood man.

But as she arrived into the hall, following her uncle, her mother, trailing along the rest of her family, Sigurd understood that that sensation was merely temporary – they were disconnected by time and circumstance, but they were family, all the same.

"Young Nanna! It is Nanna, is it not? Princess?" He winked at her, and stooped to pull her into a warm embrace. His eyes creased, glittering as he pulled back to look at her fully. "Please, be most welcome, you are kin – not just as Jugdrali, but of the heart. We will get to know one another in time. Here, first - !"

He scooped from a table containing goodie bags, and placed one into her hands. The bag is of a plush sapphire velvet with braided gold drawstrings. If she were tempted to peek inside, they would find the festive goodies of the typical Chalphy holiday season: roasted nuts coated in a caramelized warming spice mixture, a hand-pulled twisted peppermint stick, decadent candied orange peel, and a holiday cracker to be pulled later with little knick-knacks within.

"Enjoy the party. Please, come to me with anything you need."

"Lord Sigurd! Yes, I--" Her gasp could have rattled half the porcelain bowls on the table, as she rose a dainty hand over her mouth. She was caught off guard with the address, wondering if he was teasing her. Giving her a moment to catch herself, Nanna gave a hearty laugh, like that of budding roses. "Young Nanna, Princess Nanna, or Just Nanna, at your service, my lord."

She fanned out her skirt in a curtsy, the laughter never leaving her eyes. "Truly? It's an honor to be in your company, let alone in your heart, sire. Hahaha!"

"Oh!" The velvet drawstring bag rested sweetly in her palms, running warmth up to her chest. Oh, how she loved this time of year. Her gaze softened, as she clasped it loosely against her heart. "Thank you..."

"And this is for you—" She felt a little shy, fingers gently clasping at a small, handwritten letter in her rucksack. She toyed with it for a moment, twiddling its corners to will herself to hand it to him. Had it been folded? Was her handwriting legible? Her wax seal marked the back with a gold 'N' inscribed in flowers. Paired with it was a sea blue package with a pocket watch inside, of the same rich color.

She beamed.

"May the holidays bring you only warmth and laughter, Lord Sigurd."

In lovely, blooming cursive was the following:

Happy Holidays, Lord Sigurd! The snow leads me down sunken roads, where many merchants in deep green smocks wrap their stalls in cured hide and glass baubles. The colored glass seems to frost over in the cold, and I think it's a sign for the year to meet its natural end. I think resting on the precipice between the end and the beginning is beautiful. It really calls to mind how far we've managed to come, and how far it takes for anyone to truly live their life to the fullest. I hope this letter doesn't take you aback; it's abrupt, yes, but I think there's something magical about writing that allows you to open a window into your heart. And once you look into that window, you'll realize that this is all entirely new to me. Lord Leif and I celebrated the holidays in Fiana, but living on humbler means meant a holiday of the same caliber. I've heard of stories from my father, of the grand holidays held in castles, and the long, sweeping tables filled with gifts and food galore. I've heard of the candles and ivy-lined walls, of the tinsel and velvet. And I've heard about you, of course. But there's nothing like experiencing it for yourself. I suppose it's nothing like living history. It's living life. And I've got you to thank for that. With great regard, Princess Nanna of Nordion

[ask-de-writer]

About WEREWOLVE'S WEDDING :

MLP Fan Fiction : Caramel Treat -

A Werewolf’s Saga

@nevermord​ READ, LIKED, REBLOGGED

and COMMENTED on

WEREWOLVE'S WEDDING

MLP Fan Fiction, CARAMEL TREAT - A Werewolf's Saga

About WEREWOLVE'S WEDDING he noted :

I really do love the way Shooting Star handled things in this tale. No violence at all until there was no choice left. Also, Heat Metal is a lovely spell!

Was this the moment that Grumpeter decided to start looking into the study of non-equestrian magic?

Yes, Shooting Star prefers non violence. The ward about the wedding shows that neatly. Don't mess with it, no problem. Hit it and what you do returns to you.

Basically, yes. Grumpy was aware that the police forensic magic ponys used non equine magic in handling evidence but, like almost all residents of Equestria, never really gave it a thought. Seeing the sheer power of Shooting Star's ward was an eye opener!

Later, after the mob destroyed his home, years of study, dreams of well paying work as a pony psychologist, and his feelings of personal safety, he turned to the one book that he saved from fire and the mob. The Necronomipony. The Grumpy that we know sprang from those events.

[weregoingtokillthequeen]

We just posted character profiles! Right now we only have images of two of our leads. Hopefully, we'll have the rest soon.

Lamia Ambler Age: 32 Race: Changling Pronouns: She/Her Gender: Female Height: 5'4" Occupation: Thief, Con Artist, and Escaped Convict Class: Rogue Voice Actor: Kat Walker Shea

Lamia doesn’t talk about her childhood. Her best friend, Allie, is the only person who knows what Lamia’s upbringing was like. She also doesn’t talk much about what crimes landed her in prison.

Lamia and Allie, the Dragonborn Barbarian, have recently escaped from prison. Lamia acts as the brains while Allie is the brawn. Lamia’s a con artist and thief, and she considers herself as more intelligent than most people. She’s smug and her ego is often her downfall. She likes to be perceived as tough as nails, but she’s a lot more sensitive than she lets on. It doesn’t take much to hurt her feelings.

Due to her ability to shape shift into any humanoid, Lamia is able to blend into any crowd. She has the skills and brains to take care of herself. It’s just that her bloated sense of self-importance always lands her in hot water.

While on the run from the law, Lamia and Allie accidentally get caught up in a rebel group looking to overthrow the corrupt monarchy.

Abilities Shapeshifting: Lamia can change her appearance and voice to any Medium sized, humanoid creature she has seen before. The biggest downside is that she will still need to find appropriate clothing and equipment if she plans to deceive others with her changed appearance.

As a rogue, she’s good at stealth and sneak attacks. She’s highly skilled at melee combat, but she often can slip right by people without being noticed.

Languages Spoken: Common, Draconic, and Thieves’ Cant

Weapons: Crossbow, Dagger, and Crescent Moon Knife

Favorite Foods: Apples, Cakes, Sweet Apple Tart with a Caramel Drizzle, and Beef Stew with Sourdough

Yngve Omdahl  Age: 134 Race: Half-Elf Pronouns: He/Him Gender: Male Height: 5'8" Occupation: Adventurer Class: Bard Voice Actor: Caleb Fietsam

Nobody knows Yngve’s real backstory because he tells everyone something different. He goes with the flow, or he’ll say whatever he needs to in order to get what he wants.

Yngve is a bullshitter. He often tells tall tales about himself at bars and rumors about him spread like wildfire. Whenever a story gets back to him, people have usually added more to it. If questioned about it, he just confirms the new additions are true. He will “yes, and…” anything you throw at him.

While he can hold his own in a fight, he’s not nearly as tough as he paints himself to be. He prefers to talk his way out of situations. His charisma allows him to get away with it… most of the time. He also likes to surround himself with people stronger than him for protection.

Yngve is blind in his right eye. This is due to optic nerve damage after an episode of optic neuritis. The eye functions, it just doesn’t relay information back to his brain. When asked, however, he always tells a different story as to how he lost his eyesight. It takes a long time before he trusts people with the truth about himself and, by then, it’s hard to convince people he is telling the truth.

Lamia and Allie meet him in a bar and he tells them about the underwater city, promising to guide them there for a fee.

He has a debilitating fear of bugs.

Abilities Darkvision: He can see in darkness for at least 60 feet.

Fey Ancestry: He’s less likely to be charmed, and magic can’t put him to sleep.

He is a musician and comedian. His instruments of choice are violin, harp, and lute. He also plays bagpipes and he’ll happily play them to torment people around him. He’s a big fan of terrible jokes, dad puns, and anti-humor.

Languages Spoken: Common, Elvish, and Abyssal

Weapons: Crossbow, Rapier, Shortsword

Favorite Foods: Cheese and Hot Beet Soup with Fresh Bread

Art by @countslimeula

[starkerhowlter]

Like a Fucking Fairytale

Rating: T Ship: Starker Words: 1318 Contains: Fairies, A/B/O, Stolen Moments, cuddle nesting, Parallel Play, cottagecore domesticity, slice of life but in a forest, Slice of Life, Gardening, Cuddling, Nesting Summary: "Tony's left the city for a fairy." "Sounds like something out of a fucking fairy tale."

Read it on ao3

Dedicated to: @cozysafechaotic Author's Note: So as some of you might know (If you have read any of my fics) that my squishbean beta's my fics. She's my favorite human, the other half of my soul and the literal split of my stardust. Eir the most incredible thing in my life and the best gift the universe has ever given me. I really hope she knows how much ey mean to me. I love you so much squishbean till the sky falls and forever after. Happy 27th birthday, I hope you love it!

Ever since Tony left Stark Industries for the forest he's felt better. It was an accident, really. He stumbled out into the woods one day looking for clarity from an argument with his ex-wife, and from the insanity that is the deal with his cohead. He'd risen from his desk and walked towards the door mumbling something about needing to get away, Pepper and Happy shouting behind him.

Meeting Peter was an accident. He'd tripped over a log on the forest floor, falling to hands and knees, slacks torn. He inhales through his teeth, rising to continue walking, dusting his hands off on his ruined pants. "Fuck, well... Guess I'm taking the rest of the day off" Tony mumbles to himself, continuing to walk down the hidden path. The ground shifts under his feet as he nears a brook, and Tony would swear the water almost glitters.

As he goes to step into the water, a voice whispers from beyond his view, "I wouldn't do that." He shrugs, walking into the cold water. Before he could take another step, however, his senses filled with pain, cold, and the smell of mud.

Then everything goes black.

"Stupid humans..." Peter mumbles, hopping down from his perch in the tree. Rolling his eyes, he approaches the strange man. Next to his head, he makes a soft clicking noise, expecting some form of a reply. Instead, the figure doesn't move. "Why couldn't you just listen to me?" Peter grabs his wrist, dragging the stranger to the bank on the other side, "You would be more useful to me if you were conscious y'know." Peter flips the man over and that's when he sees his face.

And holy fuck is he gorgeous.

When Tony finally comes to, he realizes he's lost. Instead of being in the creek, he's laying in a glade of wildflowers. The smell of mint and lavender fills his nose as a youngish boy comes into view holding a yellow cup. Tony closes his eyes back, pretending to still be knocked out.

Suddenly, the taste of flowers explodes in his mouth and it takes everything in him to not moan at the sweetness. His eyes flutter open just as the strange boy looks away and Tony finally sees him.

This young boy has pointed ears and branches tangled in his curly hair. He looks ethereal. He rolls the sleeves on his cream-coloured shirt up and inspects the damage on Tony's forehead. "Ah, you're awake... How are you feeling?" The boy meets Tony's eyes, caramel color catching the sun perfectly.

"Honestly? Like shit," Tony sits upright, hissing at the pain. "Who are you?"

"I'm a forest fairy. My name is Peter. And you are?"

"Fairy? Are you the kind that steals humans' names and keeps them?"

"By the moon..." Peter mumbles, "Humans still believe that? No. And we never did. It was a dumb fairytale our great great great grandfathers made up so humans would leave us alone. We also don't have wings. Don't ask."

"Sorry, my head hurts too much for this." Tony falls back onto his back, smiling when Peter leans down next to him. "Um... I'm Tony."

"It's going to get dark soon. I've been watching you for a while and it seems like you're trying desperately to get away from something. This part of the forest is protected by magic. Nothing is going to get to you here. I have a cottage just up the path if you would like to spend the night there?"

"I couldn't impose."

"It's just one night... you'll be alright." Peter reaches out to Tony, taking his hands in his own.

That was ten years ago.

_____________________________________

"I'm home! I got the seeds!" Tony opens the blue door to the flower-covered cottage and looks around for his lover. "Sweetheart? Where are you?" Tony raises his head, sniffing the air for the smell of Peter. He finally catches it, the light scent of honeysuckle and warmth emanating from the bedroom. He approaches the door, pushing it open to find a pile of his clothes in the center of the bed. All of his favorite well-worn band tees lay tangled with the duvet, hoodies, and every single towel Tony has ever looked at. "Aww, baby..." In the center of it all is one Peter Parker, curled up and sleeping cozily under a lavender-colored crocheted blanket. He drops the brown sack in the armchair, removing his cloak and shoes. "Sweetheart..." He purrs, climbing into the nest and wrapping his arms around the omega fairy. "What's all this?"

"Alpha..." Peter whispers sleepily, curling back into the man's chest, breathing evening out once again. Tony can't help but smile at Peter's messy hair, devoid of its usual branches.

"Just needin' cuddles, Peter?" In lieu of a reply, Peter nods gently and nuzzles closer. "Well, that I can do. I also have the bluebell seeds you requested for the tea garden. We can head outside so you can plant them after our nap if you'd like. I wouldn't mind catching up on some reading while you do." Peter nods again, eyes fluttering shut. "Alrighty, baby. Talk to you in an hour or two..." Tony smiles, curling around the boy and falling asleep.

_____________________________________

"Y'know you're no use on this, T," Peter laughs, glaring playfully at Tony from his place in the flowerbed. "I can't decide if the chrysanthemums and bluebells can be friends or if I need to put them near the lilies."

"Why don't you ask them? I mean, can't you read the forest, sweetheart?" Tony replies, looking up from his book, turning the yellowed page as he does. His sunglasses glint in the sunlight, and Peter's breath falters. He's never gotten tired of seeing the man in "layman" clothes. While he and the rest of the colony tend to stick to canvas pants and earth-toned shirts, Tony wears lavish suits, pressed jeans, and t-shirts with logos for brands Peter's never heard of. Today it's a tiny upside-down triangle right over Tony's left pec.

"They don't speak to me, I can just feel energies sometimes." Peter defends, placing the Bluebells equidistant between the two patches of white and yellow flowers. "Maybe I should just space them evenly and cut my losses."

"Good idea." Tony doesn't look up this time but instead places his book on the wooden table in front of him. He reaches over to the basket of blooms Peter had trimmed earlier that morning and begins weaving a small crown out of the wildflowers.

By the time they're done, Peter's got dirt caked under his nails and the tips of his fingers are stained with soil. He turns to the older man, finding him asleep with a flower crown in his lap. "Tony?" Peter whispers, nuzzling into his side. "Tony, honey? Ready to head inside? I know it's just the middle of fall, but it's gonna get cold soon and I don't want you to freeze. Besides, I have wedding soup I need to start making if you want dinner."

"I'm up!" He laughs, "I also made this for you." Tony smiles up at Peter, handing him the wildflowers. "I think it should fit?" Peter places it on his head, smiling at the older.

"It's perfect." Peter leans down, kissing Tony gently on the lips. "Now. Food."

"Aye Aye, lovely omega." Peter rolls his eyes at the title, knowing Tony only pulls rank when it benefits him. "I am always willing to let you cook while I read."

"Or you can cook and I will crochet a new blanket."

"Nope. No! You volunteered! I don't want to burn down half the forest because I didn't make the stew correctly."

"And we definitely don't want that..." Peter laughs, disappearing inside the cottage.

_____________________________________

It's been 11 years since Tony ran off into the forest to get away from his problems.

And he hasn't regretted it since.

Thanks for reading!! Likes, comments, and reblogs are MUCH appreciated! <3

[nejackdaw]

Lindor (Unusual OC Associations)

@argisthebulwark tagged me in a while ago but I wasn't sure who to use! Well, tale as old as time, I made a new Skyrim character...

Seasoning: ginger

Weather: cool and crisp; windy fall afternoons

Color: black (recent widower,) blue (favorite color)

Sky: grey/cloudy

Magic Power: benevolent animal taming. Predators will still attack him but prey animals won't run from him (especially deer)

House Plant: moth orchid (pretty...)

Weapon: swords, bows for hunting

Subject: art

Social Media: Twitter or Tumblr, mostly for art posts

Makeup: dark liner/eye shadow (lighter colors in better moods)

Candy: chocolates and caramels

Fear: losing his joy/ability to love (things that give life purpose)

Ice Cube Shape: the cylinder ones that are hollow in the middle

Method of Long Distance Travel: enjoys casual horse rides, or a carriage if it's very far

Art Style: poet and a painter

Celestial Body: comets

Mythological Creature: siren

Piece of Stationary: ornate notebook (blue and gold)

Picrew used and a no stress tag for @bread-fam 🌹 thanks for the tag, Syd!