worldsalight

[worldsalight]

every once in a while,           maría felt the loss of her brother more acutely than usual. his void was omnipresent, for the one he had left was large and looming. and now, having moved to the other end of the country, hundreds and hundreds of miles away from anywhere she had ever lived with bernardo, she had begun to feel the fear of feeling disconnected from him. the universe had presented her with a rather cruel ultimatum: stay in new york with her community and lose tony possibly forever, or move out west with him and leave everything else behind. sometimes the newness of the west coast, its contrasting landscapes and quieter streets, felt preferable to the city sidewalks that would always be haunted by her brother. of course, distance could only do so much; the love she felt for tony existed in a strange dichotomy with the grief she held over the loss of bernardo even now, so far removed and, in a way, isolated. she felt the latter just as strongly as the former, too, though it often lay dormant beneath her surface, lingering in the back of her mind and springing a leak from her tear ducts at the oddest of moments, prompted by even the subtlest reminders - or by nothing at all.

today was his birthday, though,           and nothing about that was subtle. she had been dreading the day even since before she had turned the next month’s page on the calendar and had to face the date staring her in the face. maría had said nothing, not particularly liking to talk about it with him - or, rather, still not yet knowing how to. she more or less tiptoed around it with tony, preferring to call anita or sit outside under the night sky for a while and talk to the family members who now appeared to her in stars. but today it had become unavoidable; she had been stoic all day, had returned from work with red-rimmed eyes, and always looked a bit distant and distracted, perhaps even a bit dazed. she had insisted on making dinner that night by herself so she could properly meticulously prepare her brother’s favorite, an attempt to pay tribute to him and honor his memory that was at once so close to her heart but also felt so lame and deflating all things considered. there were many emotions within maría associated with her brother, though bubbling to the surface now were guilt and shame and deep sorrow. and the quiet, somber demeanor she had held all day was suddenly crumbling and she was crying in the kitchen, two slow-falling tears that she could no longer hold back despite her strongest efforts escaping and knocking open her floodgates with a force that even her inner fortitude could not withstand. caught, she inhaled and exhaled shaky breaths in an effort to gain her composure, quickly setting down her knife to wipe under her eyes. “necesito un momento,” she answered in a broken whisper, unwilling to face him despite the immediate urge to collapse into his arms and let him envelop her and engulf her small frame. “can you just watch this?” she glanced towards the pot simmering on the stove. “make sure it doesn’t boil over for a minute?”

          @kwisatzhadcrach sent: “  just tell me what you need.  let me give it to you?  ”     /     accepting!

[worldsalight]

ttrgrl   :

haley  still  couldn’t  shake  the  feeling  this  whole  night  had  been  a  dream  and  she’d  be  waking  up  in  her  bed  any  second  now:   first  the  pinkerton  game  turned  into  a  scott  brothers  wba  showdown  and  now  her  and  peyton  sawyer  were  bonding  over  her  ex  and  her  captain  cheerleader  best  friend,  no  less?   yeah,  someone  pinch  her,   maybe  the  pot  o’  gold’s  guardian  leprechaun  was  available.   a  huff  escapes  her  nose  as  she  basks  in  the  surrealism  of  the  moment,   before  allowing  herself  to  get  lost  in  it  again  and  forget  all  the  reasons  why  neither  of  them  would  walk  up  to  her  and  say  hi  in  the  school  hallway  tomorrow.    keeping  up  appearances,   sticking  to  the  status  quo,   the  whole  nine  yards.    ❛❛  yeah,  can’t  say  i  can  relate.  ❜❜    the  only  thing  haley  james  was  getting  high  on  these  days  were  her  tutorees’  faces  lighting  up  when  they  understood  something  for  the  first  time  or  successfully  throwing  milk  balloons  at  lucas  up  on  karen’s  cafe’s  roof.   ❛❛  i  don’t  know  her  nearly  as  well  as  i  should  to  be  able  to  judge  her,   so  taking  her  best  friend’s  word  for  it  sounds  good  to  me.  ❜❜    after  all,  if  anyone  came  to  her  with  second  thoughts  about  what  kind  of  person  lucas  was,   they’d  be  fools  not  to  listen  to  what  her  lifelong  best  friend  had  to  say  on  the  matter.   bright  red  tank  full  of  gasoline  swayed  in  her  slightly  faster-paced  steps,   and  there  was  a  quiet,  genuine  curiosity  in  haley’s  voice  as  she  took  the  chance  to  ask,   ❛❛  has  it  always  been  like  this  for  you  two?   y’know,  peyton  and  brooke  against  the  world?  ❜❜

"me neither,”           peyton echoed in a clipped mutter under her breath. she was not known for being the most upbeat girl in tree hill, to say the least, nor did she ever pretend to be anything remotely close. she and brooke, close as they were, were sort of like yin and yang, a stereotypical “opposites attract” kind of situation. where brooke’s optimism and energy could sometimes pull peyton out of her emotional doldrums, even if just a little bit, peyton’s grounded realism and straightforwardness could bring her best friend back to reality sometimes when she might need it. while it made brooke much more of the popular social butterfly within their circles and gave people a bit more caution when it came to peyton, it worked for the two of them. and peyton liked it all just fine that way. she had never really needed anyone but brooke, anyways, warming up to haley as she was. to answer the other’s question, it certainly felt just like it had always been the two of them versus the rest of the population, at least on her end. brooke seemed much more eager to enjoy their companies while peyton was much more prone to retreat. brooke davis had shown peyton kindness and compassion that was beyond anything anyone else had ever given her, and had guided her through her darkest days at a young age where friendships could be so superficial. she would be grateful to her for that time for the rest of her life, she was more than sure. “yeah, sorta,” peyton answered simply, shrugging her shoulders, silently debating just how much she actually might want to divulge to haley about the origins of their tight bond. “she’s stuck by me through a lot for a really long time,” she decided after a moment. the details could come later, if she decided she would share. “she’s a really good friend,” peyton added, with a pointedness that told haley she’d be making sure she treated her as such, though not enough to be threatening. “even at her bubbliest.”

[worldsalight]

heygutlcss   :

He’s got all three of them accounted for and he’s thinking how quickly he can split and get them safely back to his apartment. He’d kept his family separate from all this, which was a feat in itself in this neighborhood. Being part of the Jets meant he didn’t have to worry about anyone coming for his family.

Riff never asked questions when it came to a fight. Especially when he was restless which was often the case.

He can’t say he isn’t startled when she spoke. her voice was lilting. He hadn’t even seen her or where she drifted off to before she appeared right next to him. he’s about to tell her that’s he’s fine and she should beat it, but that’s before he had to quickly catch one of the glass jars that had been pulled off the counter by one of his siblings. This jostle had woken Mirai who was no set to cry asking in Hindi for her mother.

He wished all those eyes from that sea of pink uniforms weren’t on him and he does the only thing he can in that instant: tell the truth.

“I don’t even know anymore.”

she could feel the eyes of the other girls on her even with her back to them.           their worried gazes were practically radioactive, burning into the back of her head and into her shoulder blades. she didn’t know this boy, of course, only that he was apparently affiliated with the rival gang of native new yorkers, but from the looks of him here in the shop, maría couldn’t imagine him causing much harm. he was surrounded by little children, for starters, but to boot, when she’d approached and spoken to him, he hadn’t looked at her the way most of those other boys typically looked at her and others like her. he seemed almost nervous, which in turn was almost startling in return; she might be able to ruffle some feathers at home with her defiance and headstrong nature, but rarely was she ever found intimidating in any way by anyone else. it almost made her a little uneasy, feeling like she might have some kind of upper hand here in terms of dynamic when it had always been completely the other way around. not that maría would ever act on that, though, and incite any kind of conflict, especially not with kids in the store. 

his response sort of struck her a bit, too,           honest to the point of showing a bit of vulnerability. she knew what it was like to be a family caretaker, albeit for someone older rather than younger, though the stresses of the responsibilities were certainly universally wearing. maría paused for a moment, trying to think of how best she might be able to intervene in the situation, looking from the counter and the contents on and behind it to the children. “maybe you can gather them all together while i take care of everything here at the register?” she offered, albeit a bit timidly, knowing that there may be an issue of pride here, as well. “i can imagine it would be hard to manage your change and your little friends here all at once.” 

[worldsalight]

stormlit   :

       ❝ of course. i wouldn’t let a victory go undeclared. ❞ eloise loves her family, she loves that they spend so much time together, but there’s so much about herself that she feels they do not know. her desires, the secret ones that sit locked away in her chest, her true thoughts on the endless circus of the ton, and how she wishes she could run from it all. perhaps she and benedict have never spoken it aloud, but there’s understanding between them, intangible and real all the same. it can be so isolating, to care nothing for seasons or men, to prefer the idea of being an old maid to that of marrying someone she could never love, and eloise doesn’t know how much of that benedict truly understands — if only because it is so much more acceptable for a man to remain unmarried his entire life — but there’s something, isn’t there? they’re alike. it is a relief to be around him once again.

        perhaps she has been waiting for her favourite brother.

        it’s easy to smile, now, to head into the house knowing that she was the one to greet benedict’s long-awaited return. as if hyacinth could ever have beaten her. ❝ oh, please tell me you don’t desire a report on the endless discussions about daphne’s season. i would much rather hear about university. any books i can borrow? ❞

“what, you mean to tell me that the most exciting thing i have missed is planning for daphne’s debut?”           benedict met her eyes with a gaze of both amusement and skepticism. one thing he had missed most while away at university, aside from the general lively and restless atmosphere of their family home, was the similar energy that he and eloise exchanged with one another, always colored with a bit more mischief and conspiracy owing to their closer relationship. all of the siblings loved one another, of course, but there was a mutual understanding between benedict and his most beloved younger sister that set them apart from the others as a pair. while limited in truly comprehending her situation by gender and social flexibility, the particular type of disdain they shared for the ton and its theatrics and expectations was one they alone shared within the family, and as they aged into adolescence and beyond, it had only deepened the already-close relationship they had forged.

“of course, as an older brother, i do wish to be informed of any major developments,”           he added casually, unable to ignore the protective elder sibling instincts that kicked in at the mention of it. “but i am more invested in the antics i have missed around here, and do not disappoint me by saying that you and hyacinth and the rest of our troublemakers have simply been sitting idly by in my absence.” benedict gave her a little grin as he stepped a foot onto the first step leading upstairs. “and perhaps as i am filled in you can have a look through my things to see if any literature catches your eye.”

[worldsalight]

heygutlcss   :

His little finger is still linked with her as he watched her expression shift as she listened and could not help but let a ghost of a smile cross his face as she said it back. He never understood why they said it felt like butterflies. he would have said bees. Butterflies wouldn’t have felt like anything- just the light flutter of wings in an empty stomach. It felt like a thousand tiny stings. Bees would fight to get out, would hum and throb against his chest. They would not sit so quietly in the dark cavity that held what he felt. They would burst, and that was exactly what he felt. “ that is polish,” he nodded.

His hand shifted beneath hers as she squeezed it, his palm now facing up to hold hers. This was the stages of holding her hand, the quiet subtle gestures of all the things he couldn’t put into words.

“Anything you would like to say.” he can’t help but grin at that, his face a little red.

it was hard to pick one thing for him to translate.           it had felt so personal and so touching the first time he had spoken, had given her such a bigger glimpse into him, that she felt compelled to ask for it all at once. it made her wish achieving fluency in a day, perhaps minutes, maybe even seconds, was possible. after all, he had already learned some spanish for her, both having prepared something in advance and having picked up on things that she had said and translated at his request. she wanted to be able to do the same for tony, to make him feel as personally connected to her as she felt to him when they were sharing her native language. their love was new, but already felt so deep; maría only wanted to make it more so. she knew so little about his world and where he had come from and how he had been raised, about all of the things that had made him who he was. adoring him as much as she did, she was eager to know everything, to know and understand and memorize him in any way she could. 

having to choose just one thing to hear from him,           maría took a few moments to think about it, placing her hand in his while she did and watching their fingers intertwine in reaction. “how do you say...” she looked back up to him, a ghost of a curious and loving smile lifting her expression. it brightened a bit when she settled on her request, choosing to start with something light and sweet. “ ... ‘you are handsome’?”

[worldsalight]

meetaguy   :

Ever since Tony had gotten back from prison, it felt like he was being torn apart. On one hand, he wanted to be unlike who he was before—a new man, one that didn’t fight in rumbles or patrol territory, but one that worked an honest job. It was upon meeting María that he realized that who he wanted to be was someone that she deserved. And he knew, ultimately, that if he were to try to physically stop the fight that was to come that night himself, he never would be. He couldn’t be around the Jets anymore. He had been keeping his distance ever since he made parole, but Riff was trying to drag him back in. While he declined to participate in any of their rumbles so far, he knew that he had encouraged him by maintaining their friendship. He had wanted to still have him around, as he had been his best friend. But tonight, Tony had come to an epiphany—if Riff really cared about him, then he would have understood and stopped pressuring him to rejoin the gang.

That was why he didn’t feel guilt over what he had done. As far as he was concerned, he was doing them all a favor. Sooner or later, somebody was going to end up dead, and Tony wasn’t willing to have that on his conscience. He did hope that Bernardo had made it out before the police arrived. He was María’s brother, and what she had told him today cast him in a completely different light. Riff and the boys had been the aggressors. And as their former leader, Tony felt responsible in a way. When he had started the Jets, they had only gone after other gangs—the Emeralds, the Bishops, the Egyptian Kings. Sometime after he had been arrested, and Riff had assumed his role, the Jets had turned their attention to his friend’s personal vendetta.

He had stopped it, and that was all that mattered. They could sort out the future tomorrow, but tonight there was only María. He beamed as he saw her lean out of the window, and as she offered to take his bag, he unslung it from his shoulder, reaching out to hand it to her. Once he had, he hurriedly climbed up the rest of the way. As soon as he reached her, he drew her into his arms, greeting her with a kiss.  “I missed you.” he stated with a smile. “I hope you like Italian–it’s from this place called Giuseppe’s, a few blocks from the store. Best pasta in New York.”

maría felt immediately at ease upon seeing him.           surely things must be alright; here he was, beaming up at her with dinner slung over his shoulder, quickly scaling the fire escape with excitement at their reunion rather than worry or anxiety over a rumble gone wrong. her heart, once pounding in loud rhythmic thumps beneath her chest, started gently thrumming like the fluttering of a  butterfly’s delicate wings, overcome by a warm, lovesick sensation at the sound of his voice that only intensified at the sight of him. there was a safety in him, in his appearance at her window, one that brought the comfort of conflict avoided and perhaps the beginning of more peace between their two warring worlds. she would ask for the details later, of course, but for now just wanted to relish the glow of his presence and his success, one that she trusted him enough to believe in without even having to ask him yet. not only was he saving everyone from themselves - from undoubtedly inevitable bloodshed or worse, from constant conflict with one another, from exhausting themselves evading the police - but he was saving them. their love would never be able to flourish in that world, where their two slices of it treated each other with so much hatred and vitriol. perhaps tony’s efforts tonight could bring them some acceptance in time. regardless of what might happen, this was a needed first step that she was grateful they were able to take, all thanks to him.

“i missed you, too,”           she echoed, melting into his kiss and left with blushing pink cheeks when he’d pulled away. she had thought of little else but him during their hours of separation, only just barely managing to execute her duties on the job properly, her focus clouded by images of tony and sensations of his hand holding hers and swells of warmth remembering what it had been like to kiss him and how badly she wanted to do it again. maría set the bag of food down, leaning over it to inspect its contents and take in its smell. “i have not had much italian food,” she confessed with a bit of a sheepish smile. she rarely ate out, both busy with work at nights and needing to save the money for other things. once in a while, perhaps if bernardo won a match or if they were celebrating a birthday, they might go to a restaurant, but they had to keep their options limited to fit their budget - as well as locations where they could feel comfortable and welcomed. nice italian places typically didn’t meet the criteria. “but it smells good,” she finished, looking back up to him with a brighter, grateful smile. “i’ll get us some plates and a blanket for the floor.” already on her way to the kitchen, maría looked back at tony over her shoulder. “and when i come back, we can eat and you can tell me how it all went tonight.” it took her only a minute or two to retrieve everything needed for their makeshift picnic on her bedroom floor; just to be safe, she figured it best not to spread out at their kitchen table, where bernardo or anita could walk right in on them. before taking her seat, she looked to tony for approval: “this is okay?”

[worldsalight]

like for some memes!

[worldsalight]

meetaguy   :

Valentina had always been kind to him, even when he was a kid. Even after that innocence had vanished, replaced by an anger and then resignation, she had seen the best in him. It was more than Tony could say of himself. When he had gotten out on parole, he hadn’t known what he was going to do. It was critical that he found a job, but he doubted anyone would have wanted to hire him with his record. Had Valentina not offered him this job, he probably would have either joined the Army or found his way back to the Jets. This was better than both alternatives, and he could never thank her enough. For the first time in years, Tony felt that he really had a future, a chance to make something of himself. He had been proud to have gotten his GED while he was still in prison, but the possibility of going beyond that hadn’t been something within reach until he started working at the drugstore. He could become a pharmacist, as long as he kept at it. “Right.” he agreed, following her gaze to the window. It was doubtful that they would do anything before the snowfall stopped. “No, not at all.” he answered with a smile, and there was truth in it. “I was gonna make us some tea if they fixed the power.” he explained. After a moment, he added, “But I am worried about Riff. I’m just hoping he didn’t end up back at his uncle’s.”

she nodded in understanding when tony mentioned riff;           she should have known. as much as she thought that boy was bad news, and as much as she encouraged tony to keep his distance now that he seemed to be on a good path forward with his future, valentina knew how close a bond the two boys had always had. perhaps unfortunately, it was one that seemed to be unbreakable. her thoughts on riff aside, tony’s loyalty to him was objectively admirable, a good quality if perhaps sometimes a bit misplaced. the boys’ friendship was clearly strong, but she couldn’t help her misgivings about him being so unwilling to put necessary distance between them in order to really leave the jets behind and commit to this brighter future as he so wanted. that didn’t have to mean cutting riff off entirely, of course, but he would keep nudging tony towards returning if he didn’t do something to make it clear that all of that was behind him. words could ( clearly ) only do so much. however, now didn’t feel like the time to get into all of that with him, especially when he did seem so uneasy. “i hope so, too,” she agreed, almost solemnly. she was aware of the difficulties of riff’s life, and reasons as to why he had grown into such a troubled young man, and she could still be sympathetic while still remaining unwilling to excuse many of his actions. they were still kids, and part of her held hope that he and the others might still be able to learn. “but, you know, tony ... you can only save someone so much,” valentina continued after a moment. sure, he could invite him over to the basement, have him stay for a bit there ... but then what? if riff didn’t have the motivation to clean up his act on his own, to take that initiative upon himself, anything tony might do for him could only go so far. and in this pivotal point in his life, he needed to really prioritize where he was putting his energy, and valentina wouldn’t encourage him to do anything else with it but focus on bettering himself. then maybe he could be a little more productive in working on his friend. “i know you care a lot about him, and i don’t wish any harm on anyone, but you have to know that if you really wanna be turning things around for yourself, you have to start making some boundaries. you know what i mean?”

[worldsalight]

poetsung   :

        “yeah — yeah, of course we can.”  tessie would have   made the same suggestion herself had he not said it first.  she guides him to the stools by the counter wordlessly, allowing him a few more seconds of rest as she just gazed at him.  baby john looked like he was ready to collapse if he had to stand a moment longer; having to recount everything that happened earlier in the night probably wasn’t helping, but tessie had to know.  out of all the boys, aside from maybe tony, he was the only one she trusted to tell her the whole story without possibly being biased.  she doubts any of them could be bothered enough to twist the story if they wanted to, though.  two boys were dead either way and there was nothing anyone could do to bring them back.  there was blood on all their hands — maybe even on hers and velma’s and grazi’s, for letting the rumble continue when they all thought it was a stupid idea.

not much their previous sentiments could do now.  even telling that to the cops would just have them end up with some charge or other, but it wasn’t going to be quite as severe as what baby john and the rest of the boys could be facing.  “i don’t want you to go to jail, baby john.”  her voice is low and quiet, eyes cast down to the hands on her lap.  for the selfish reason that she didn’t want to lose a friend, as she was bound to lose many after that night, and simply because he didn’t deserve it.  unfortunately, that wasn’t for her to decide.  tessie had never been religious, but she was silently praying to all gods and saints now that worse wouldn’t come to worst, even if she felt like it would.  “if they take you in…”  when they take you in, she really means to say,  “what will you tell them?”  she’s looking at him now, eyes glossy with unshed tears.  tessie wished she could shake away the horrible feeling that this could be the last time she’d be seeing him freely.

he sank down onto the stool at her guidance,           needing it to get in motion once again; he was unable to completely shake the near catatonic state he’d been in before tessie had gotten there. while some of the boys were active in their grief or worry or fear ( or all of the above ), pacing the floors and running their mouths and trying to get to tony in the basement, baby john had done little else but stand there, half-listening to everyone around him, replaying what had happened over and over again and feeling it churn his stomach and chill his bones once again. he was feeling every emotion as intensely as everyone else, but he differed in the way it just paralyzed him. even now he was distracted by thoughts of riff and bernardo just lying there on the floor, of how he was going to be able to live with himself for just leaving them there, if he was ever going to be able to.

when she spoke again,           it snapped him out of it once again. distant eyes looked upwards again, blinking away the haunting images of the hours prior and focusing in on reality again. and what a bleak reality that was, as tessie pointed out. it wasn’t that he hadn’t considered the possibility that the cops would round them all up and bring them in, and he knew that was more than likely to happen, but hearing tessie say it really put the darkness of it all into perspective. he didn’t want to go to jail, either, and while he had been getting worked up about having to answer their questions and wait around again at the station, he hadn’t let himself think about the possibility of actually getting locked up. that was terrifying, and it would crossing a new threshold into life as a jet that he wasn’t sure he was ready for, or that he ever would be. some of the boys had accepted that that was a place they might end up at some point in their lives, but baby john had never been in that camp. he supposed he just had to start now. “i ... i’ll have to tell ‘em the truth,” he answered after a few moments, his voice quiet and shaky, still struggling to put sentences together at normal speed and fluency. “i don’t wanna get locked up...” he trailed off a moment, something flickering behind his eyes with sudden registration of just how intensely he feared such an outcome, making them widen and prickle with tears in unmitigated and intense fear. “ ... i gotta tell the truth, but ... i don’t wanna get locked up for it...”

[worldsalight]

❥     𝐁𝐎𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒    [   𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙳 𝙿𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙿𝚃𝚂    ]   .

headcanon prompts with questions based on plants   &   what they represent in flower language .  happy roleplaying !!  ♡

abatina :   is there anything in life your muse has changed their mind about over time   (   due to becoming more educated on the topic ,   certain experiences  ,   etc .   ) ,    or that they   would   change their mind about under certain circumstances ?  

acanthus :   is your muse deceptive ,   or willing to lie or deceive to achieve certain means ?   why or why not ?   

aloe :   how does your muse handle grief ?

amaryllis :   what is something or someone that your muse takes pride in ?   how do they express that pride ?   

anemone :   how does your muse view the world ;   as a cruel   &   unforgiving place ,   a land full of wonders ,   or something in - between ?  where does that world view come from   (   what experiences ,   life lessons ,   etc .   ) ?  

angelica :   where does your muse draw inspiration in life ?   what motivates them ?

apple blossom :   how does your muse go about expressing or not expressing their sexuality ?  

bachelor’s button :   does your muse actively seek romantic companionship ,   or cherish the liberties of being single ? 

basil :   does your muse have a love - hate relationship with anyone or anything ?

bay tree :   does your muse seek glory   &   accolades ,   or do they favour a simpler ,   more personal life ?  

begonia :   how cautious is your muse ?   are they prone to noticing red flags ,   or paranoid to the point of untrusting most everyone ?   why or why not ?  

belladonna :   how does your muse respond to silence ?   do they take comfort in soundlessness ,   or seek to fill the void with noise ?   

bluebell :   does your muse learn from their past ,   or are they prone to repeating the same mistakes ?  

carnation :   what is your muse’s relationship with their gender ?   how do they express or not express this relationship ?  

chamomile :   what is your muse likely to take away from a painful experience ?   are they one to be haunted by adversity ,   or to use what they’ve gone through to become stronger ?  

chrysanthemum :   how does your muse express romantic love ?  how do they feel about love as a concept ?  

daffodil :   is your muse one to be loyal in relationships ,   or are they likely to quickly move from one bond to another ?

daisy :   did your muse ever feel as though their innocence had been lost ?   what moment in their life could be described as the end of their innocence ?  

edelweiss :   what was the bravest moment in your muse’s life ?  are they known to be courageous from then on ?  

fern :   does your muse believe in magic or cosmic forces ,   or are they more likely to think their life is ultimately a matter of their own control ?  

forget - me - not :   has your muse ever forgotten something that is or was important to them ?   are they afraid of forgetting things like that ?  

gardenia :   is your muse one to confess romantic feelings early on ,   or to conceal them for long periods of time ?  

gladiolus :   describe a moment from your muse’s life that they will never forget .

goldenrod :   does your muse believe in luck or fortune ?  why or why not ?   where do they believe these things come from ?  

heliotrope :   does your muse believe in soulmates ?

hibiscus :   how does your muse view the gentler ,   daintier things in life ?   as things worth preserving   &   caring for ,   or things only bound to wither   &   disappear ?  

holly :   how strong is your muse’s sense of intuition ?  are they aware of it ?   do they ever fear that it is only paranoia ?  

hollyhock :   how strong is your muse’s sense of ambition ?  what’s something they strive for in life ?  

hyacinth :   is your muse athletic ?   does it come naturally to them ,   or have they had to work for their physique and/or skill ?  

hydrangea :   how much does your muse value communication in their relationships with others ?  are they prone to being misunderstood ?

iris :   if your muse could convey one last message to someone they have lost or left behind ,   what would it be ?  

ivy :   what are your muse’s views on marriage ?   do they believe it is something strictly for love ,   or an institution rooted in business   &   social benefits ?   do they desire or have they desired to be married ?

lavender :   how easy is it to gain your muse’s trust ?  once their trust is broken ,   how might one go about mending it ?  

lilac :   what was your muse’s childhood like ?   how has their upbringing affected them as they’ve aged ? 

lily :   how does your muse view their mother ?  

lotus :   has your muse ever felt as though they’ve been reborn ?  have they ever desired the feeling of a fresh start ,   or a better understanding of themself and/or the world around them ?  

magnolia :   describe your muse’s relationship with nature   &   the natural world .  

marigold :   is your muse prone to jealousy ?  how might they handle envious feelings ?  

mint :   does your muse view themself as virtuous   &   moral ?  what do these words mean to them ?

nasturtium :   describe your muse’s relationship with their birthplace ,   or homeland .  

oak :   who would your muse consider the strongest person they know ?  

pansy :   does your muse often reflect on their own actions ?   do they ever think a lot about the past ,   and what they could have done differently ?

parsley :   describe a holiday your muse enjoys ,   and why they enjoy it .

peony :   what would a   ‘  happy life  ’   look like in your muse’s eyes ?

poppy :   what comforts your muse ?

rhododendron :   is your muse receptive to warnings   &   advice given by others ?

rose :   how much does your muse value other people ?   do they wish to have many friends ,   lovers ,   and/or associates ?   are they an easy person to love ?

sage :   what is your muse’s legacy ?   what do they want to be remembered for   &   what might they actually be remembered for ?  

salvia :   is your muse possessive over people or things that matter a lot to them ?  how do they express that possessiveness ,   or lack thereof ? 

snapdragon :   is your muse merciful ?  why or why not ?

southernwood :   how seriously does your muse take themself ?   do they prefer a solemn   &   intellectual atmosphere or do they delight in jokes   &   banter ?  

sunflower :   what brings your muse the most joy in life ?  

tulip :   how does your muse view people in general ?  

violet :   how does your muse respond to betrayal ?

willow :   how does your muse handle sadness   &   depression ?

zinnia :   how has the loss of fallen comrades and/or loved ones affected your muse ?   has it taught them anything or given them any new perspectives ?

[worldsalight]

laurie grinned at the gesture,           bright and immediate and still a bit boyish despite the maturity he had gained in europe. returning to their usual spot out in the grass, away from the rest of their lives and secluded with only each other and the animals rustling in the bushes, felt more like coming home than walking through his own front door. this was where he felt truly at ease, with ella and the fresh air around them. nothing compared to their time together, and he didn’t even have to try one to know that here and now, those chocolates would taste infinitely better than anything he might have had in france. none of them had been from her.

“nothing would make me happier,”           he affirmed wholeheartedly, his little grin and his gentle tone both warm with sincerity. “i will admit that the french have quite a way with chocolate,” laurie conceded, nudging the box open with his index finger, which he then used to scan over the candies inside to make his selection. “however,” he lifted one out, but kept it lifted before his still-grinning lips, waiting for her to pick one herself so they could enjoy them at the same time, “i enjoyed none of them with you, which makes these ones far superior already.”

          @shekindness sent: " i thought, perhaps, you would like to share them with me. " her smile is as warm as the sun hanging above them, legs sat off to the side as she took a seat beside laurie in the grass. ella had used what little money she earned from doing some gardening for a neighbor to buy the box of chocolates from a little shop in the village before she returned home. " surely, they are not much compared to all of the french chocolates you enjoyed while abroad, but they are quite good. "

[worldsalight]

𝐒𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐃𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐒.

basically i was looking over the protective prompts and the hero prompts and it hit me that like. the unbridled angst and vibes of the whole “post-battle” scene, or a scene set after an attack or a disaster or smth, needs to be ADDRESSED!!! and so y’all get the full weight of my angst today, sprinkled with a lot of teamwork and selfless and sacrificing vibes. i hope you enjoy! do NOT add further contributions to this list!!! i will curse your potato crops!!!

DIALOGUE PROMPTS.

“ can you hear me? hey… [NAME], can you hear my voice? “

“ come on… wake up. please… please wake up… “

“ oh! oh, thank god! i thought we lost you… “

“ hey, hey… look at me, okay? you gotta get up now. you think you might be able to walk? ‘cause they sent for back-up, and if they find us… we cannot let them find us. understand? “

“ go, go! save yourself! i’ll buy you some time! “

“ we both know i’m not walking out of this one. it’s okay, alright? it’s okay… just… do me a favor, will you? will you make them pay for this? i don’t care how. but… don’t let them get away with it. “

“ hey, how badly are you hurt? can you move? you think you can walk? “

“ if you can’t walk, i’m gonna have to carry you, alright? we can’t stay here. “

“ hey, look at me. i’m slowing you down, we both know it. it’s okay. i’ll hide and wait for back-up; you get yourself out of here. “

“ you’re gonna need to climb up on my back, you’re slowing us down with that injury. “

“ will you quit talking like that?! i’m not leaving you behind! “

“ what the hell are you doing here?! i told you to get out of here! “

“ you’re shivering… hey. hey, listen to me, okay? everything’s gonna be alright, i promise. here… take my jacket. don’t worry, i’m warm-blooded. “

“ i’ll get blood on your shirt… “

“ hey, don’t you dare close your eyes, you hear me? you die in my arms, and i’m gonna stick the dry-cleaning bill for this shirt in your coffin, that’s a promise! “

“ i know we almost died just now, but… am i the only one who’s hungry? “

“ we need to get you to a hospital… “

“ hey, come on now… you’re okay. you’re good, right? “

“ i must be hurt pretty bad if you’re being this nice to me. “

“ quit playing the martyr. we’re not leaving you behind. “

“ you know, i hate to be the negative voice, but… did… did we just lose? “

“ look at me… i’m not gonna make it. it’s okay, i’m fine with that. but… you can’t stay here. you’ve got a good long life ahead of you. and you’re smart, too; too smart to wait around here and waste that long life. so you get out of here, and you go live that life. live it for both of us. will you promise me you’ll do that? “

“ back-up isn’t coming. is it? we’re on our own, right? “

“ can’t sleep, huh? it’s okay. it’s probably all that adrenaline and shock; i can’t sleep, either. wanna keep each other company? “

“ i don’t give two shits about the back-up; i’m just happy you’re alive. “

ACTION PROMPTS.

as always, add a “+ REVERSE” to switch the roles!

[ CARRY ]:     having found the receiver in an injured/weak/unconscious state, the sender carries them in their arms to safety.

[ TILT ]:     the sender gently tilts the receiver’s chin up so that they can check to see if they’re okay.

[ PULL ]:     sender takes the fallen receiver’s hands and carefully pulls them up so that they’re standing once more.

[ WAIST ]:     sender, while physically supporting and steadying the receiver, loops an arm around their waist for extra support.

[ BACK ]:     sender crouches down slightly to let the wounded receiver climb on their back, giving them a piggy-back ride to safety afterwards.

[ HAIR ]:     while in the process of checking the receiver for injuries or other signs of harm, the sender gently brushes several strands of hair from their eyes.

[ TEND ]:     sender begins to care for the receiver’s injuries.

[ LEAN ]:     the wounded sender leans against the receiver for physical support.

[ SUPPORT ]:     the sender encourages the wounded receiver to lean against them for physical support.

[ PUSH ]:     the sender gently pushes the receiver back to lie down so they can check them properly for injuries.

[ COAT ]:     sender removes their jacket and drapes it around the shoulders of the trembling receiver.

[ BLANKET ]:     just as they’re all about to go to sleep, the sender covers the receiver with their own blanket.

[ AWAKE ]:     the sender, unable to sleep, gets up to go for a walk, and finds that the receiver is also unable to sleep.

[ TOGETHER ]:     when the receiver awakens, they discover that the sender has been sleeping next to them, arms wrapped around one another for warmth, comfort, protection ( or something more… )

[ BANDAGE ]:     the sender sits down across from the receiver and begins to bandage their wounds.

[ DRAG ]:     unable to leave them behind, the sender drags the wounded receiver out of danger and into a safe hiding place for both of them to wait until help arrives.

[ TOUCH ]:     the sender nudges or touches the receiver to check and see if they’re alright after the attack.

[ CLEAN ]:     the sender gently and carefully begins to bathe the blood/soot/ash/dirt from the receiver’s skin during a moment of calm.

[ PRIORITY ]:     when they arrive at a designated safe place, the sender refuses to be examined or cared for until the receiver is taken care of first.

[ PROMISE ]:     before leaving to get help/food/water/a rescue mission etc, the sender assures and promises the receiver that they’ll return safely, refusing to bring them along or to stay behind.

[ BROKEN ]:     after having promised the receiver that they’d return, it’s learned that the sender died during their mission. how does the receiver respond?

[ TRAPPED ]:     after having promised the receiver that they’d return from a mission, the receiver learns that the sender has been kidnapped or otherwise trapped, requiring a rescue mission to bring them home.

[ RESCUE ]:     the sender and receiver reunite after the sender embarked upon an infamously perilous rescue mission to save the receiver.

[ FOUND ]:     after a massive rescue mission to try and find the missing receiver, the sender is the first to find them just as the efforts are about to be abandoned.

[ HOPE ]:     just as the receiver is about to lose hope in ever finding the sender again, a message or clue of some kind is discovered that essentially guarantees that the sender is still alive, restoring the receiver’s hope once more.

[ CLING ]:     having finally been reunited, the sender pulls the receiver into a tight, overwhelmingly relieved embrace, clinging to them and burying their face in their shoulder. the whole deal. make it EMOTIONAL–

[ TEARS ]:     having finally found the receiver, or having finally been found by the receiver, the sender breaks down in tears of relief, fear, and many other emotions as they officially reunite.

[ SACRIFICE ]:     knowing that the circumstances only allow one of them to survive, the sender sacrifices their life in order to guarantee the receiver’s survival and safety.

[worldsalight]

“because...”           peyton’s grin only grew, exuding the sort of mischief that would make brooke suspicious but more so just utmost excitement, unusual for someone who was stoic as she typically was. hands still behind her back, she sauntered the rest of the way over to brooke, biting down on her bottom lip gently to keep at least some of her energy contained. “finally something useful came out of all my hours filing things at the office and getting old white men their lattes.” she took her hands out from behind her back, two white tickets between her fingers held up to brooke’s face. “two tickets for you and me. maroon five.” she lowered the tickets again, giving her friend a full view of her beaming smile - perhaps tinged with a bit of hopefulness that her friend would share in the excitement. “tonight!”

          @irreparabiles sent: “  why are you smiling at me like that?  ”     /     accepting!

[worldsalight]

meetaguy   :

When María spoke, expressing her hopes that one day his mother would call him by his given name again, he smiled. It was a wonderful thought, however remote a possibility. Things would be different soon—that was what he always told himself, because it was the only way he could keep moving on. He had made a horrible decision, a decision he had paid for with years of his life. And he knew that his father would be ashamed, were he still living. He liked to think that he never would have been at that rumble, if his father were still around. And in all likelihood, he wouldn’t have. He probably would have never even started the Jets. Maybe he would have finished high school like he was supposed to, played football, gone to college. There were so many maybes, but Tony couldn’t dwell on them. “Maruca?” he repeated, his smile widening. “That’s adorable.” He hesitated, squeezing her hand back gently. “Are they…back in Puerto Rico?” he asked gingerly, realizing how little he knew about her and her family. At her question, he replied, “A few weeks ago, I wrote her a letter. Told her about how the job was going and how I was thinking about studying for my entrance exams—I wanna go to college and pharmacy school. The last time I saw her was actually a few days ago. I was making a delivery for the pharmacy and I saw her while I was walking. We didn’t talk or anything but I waved to her…she did wave back.” She had been in a hurry, probably on her way to work. But Tony did see it as a good sign that she acknowledged him at all, instead of shunning him like she had done in the past. “I felt like if I ever tried to go home, I’d be intruding—but I want to see her. I want to talk with her about everything that’s happened.” He missed her, and he knew that things would never be the way they had been, but he still wanted her to be in his life. He only had one mother, and she only had one son. “I just don’t know what she’d say.” he added, running his free hand through his hair.

maría knew what it was like to lose a parent     -     she knew the feeling twice over, to be exact. losing her mother had brought her unimaginable grief, perhaps only intensified by the young age at which it had happened. in her adolescence she had cared for her father in puerto rico, unable to join bernardo in america due to failing health and make the move a family affair, and maría only made the journey herself when papí had passed, not even three months after her eighteenth birthday. but there was something particularly painful about tony’s loss, knowing that his mother was still here but at the same not - at least, not for him. for her to be close enough that he could pass her on the street on happenstance and be able to walk to her front door but know that she wanted neither his company nor the contact with him ... that had to be a particularly agonizing twist of the knife. and maybe maría had some peace in knowing that she had no what ifs, that what had been with her parents was unchangeably what had been, and she was there through the end. “you should not let that stop you,” she encouraged gently, with the understanding that the unknown could be quite frightening but with simultaneous hope and optimism that reparation was still possible. “you say she waved back at you ... i’m sure that is a good sign.” she gave a small, albeit warm and compassionate, little smile to bolster the argument. “i lost both of my parents,” maría clarified after a moment, returning to his inquiries. with all of the talk she did of bernardo and his looming presence in his life, it was sometimes hard to speak of anything else in her family life. “mamí passed when i was younger, and then when papí became ill, bernardo came here to try and make more money for our family and support us. i was still a young teenager, so i stayed to take care of him.” it had been a bit of a lonely time in her life; while she had the company of her father, of course, he had not been the same vibrant presence maría had known and adored as a young girl, and she had spent much of her formative years watching it fade and shift, and bernardo’s absence did nothing but compound it all. she came to america under a shroud of grief, but at the same time, such circumstances were what made her so optimistic and hopeful for the life she might get to have here. her eyes fell to her lap in a moment of reflection, a tinge of sadness washing over her expression. “i miss them, but ... i am glad to still have happy memories.” maría looked back to tony, clearly trying to brighten up again - with some genuine success. “something i hope you still get to make more of.”

[worldsalight]

“i think i’ll live,”           peyton deadpanned in response, not even sparing a fleeting glance over her shoulder back towards the raucousness inside, its sounds muffled by the barrier of the sliding glass doors. she kept her gaze forward, looking out through the darkness at the faint glimmer of the moon on the ocean, tuning out the thumping music and raised voices behind her in favor of the sounds of waves crashing against the sand. she was silent a moment or two following, hoping she might hear the sound of the door opening and closing behind her once again and leaving her alone. when it became clear that lucas was going to stay, and that next time she’d have to do a better job at slipping out unnoticed when the antics inside became a bit too much for her, peyton finally turned, leaning her back against the porch railing and folding her arms across her chest, one hand carefully holding her red solo cup and keeping it from spilling. “and so are you,” she pointed out. “you should probably get back in there before someone notices we both happen to be gone and starts up a rumor that we snuck off to get handsy in my car.”

          @fiercebit sent: ‘ you’re missing the party. ’     /     accepting!

[worldsalight]

pam wasn't sure she wanted anything to do with any of michael's secrets.           he was pretty open with the rest of the office anyways, regardless of whether or not anyone expressed they were ever willing to accept any of his confidences and that they would keep them to themselves - if michael ever gave them a heads up in the first place. if some of the things she'd heard him announce from the doorway of his office or throw around in the conference room weren't even prefaced as secrets, she couldn't imagine what kind of thing he would actually want to keep between the two of them. but then on the other hand, it might be for the best that michael had a sort of sounding board to get the thought out to; if she said no, aside from the chance that he would pester her about it until she relented anyways, he might just go tell someone else who might less equipped to handle michael and whatever might come out of his mouth. plus, there was something to being able to whisper to jim about it in the break room, either as fodder for concern and setting a plan to bring him back down to earth or just as simple entertainment. so, though not without a certain degree of obvious reluctance, pam gave a nod. “yeah, i can keep a secret,” she confirmed, keeping her voice low even behind the closed door of his office. brows furrowed, she took a step closer to his desk, internally bracing herself for whatever this could be. “is everything okay?”

          @fiercebit sent: “you can keep a secret, can’t you?”     /     accepting!

[worldsalight]

ttrgrl  :

she  couldn’t  imagine  it,   rory  not  coming  in  every  morning  with  her  private  school  girl  uniform  with  a  skirt  slightly  too  long  than  what  it  would’ve  been  cool  to  wear  and  her  eye-rolls  at  her  mom’s  overly  dramatic  demands  for  coffee  in  an  iv.    well,   she  could,   it  was  just  wasn’t  a  scenario  she  felt  too  compelled  to  live  in  for  very  long,   if  at  all.    sun  wouldn’t  shine  as  bright,   luke  wouldn’t  smile  as  often,   and  she  wouldn’t  take  nearly  as  joyfully  intellectual  lunch  breaks  without  her  amateur  partaking  in  discussion  of  whatever  books  rory  was  digging  her  nose  and  relentlessly  curious  mind  into  that  week.   but  if  there  was  anyone  that  deserved  more  than  stars  hollow  could  offer,   it  was  rory  gilmore.   she  had  the  talent,   the  heart,   and  she’d  worked  her  ass  off  for  this  her  entire  life,   so  there’d  be  no  group  of  people  more  eager  to  see  her  success  than  those  she  left  behind  in  the  rearview  of  this  quirky  small  connecticut  town.   and  that  sure  included  haley,   who  a  thousand  billion  flashcards  and  a  lifetime  worth  of  late  night  studying  later,   could  only  gaze  warmly  at  her  friend  as  she  set  out  to  spread  her  wings  and  fly  into  the  land  of  wondorus  possibility.   the  land  of  dreams  finally  coming  true.

off  duty  waitress  is  reassured  by  rory’s  answer,   mindlesly  taking  yet  another  french  fry  to  her  mouth  and  rejoicing  in  all  its  deliciousness  in  the  spirit  of  worthy  celebration:   savoring  junk  food  together  on  luke’s  corner  table,  talking  about  everything  and  nothing,  just  like  they  used  to,   one  bittersweet  last  time.   for  a  while,   anyway.   and  it  was  okay.   but  it  also  felt  like  one  of  those  quiet  moments  before  everything  changed  she  could  easily  take  for  granted,   so  she  tried  to  stay  present,   available,   taking  in  all  the  glorious  melancholy  of  having  one  last  day  to  say  goodbye  to  someone  you  love  so  dearly  in  your  heart  it’s  hard  to  see  them  go,   ❛❛  and  those  people  will  still  be  here  when  it’s  time  to  come  back,   working  the  same  endless  shifts  and  coexisting  with  taylor’s  usual  nonsense.   just  don’t  become  a  stranger,   alright?   send  quirky  postcards,   and  bring  me  every  vintage  first  edition  you  find  yale’s  kids  throwing  out  of  their  rich  parents’  basement   —   or  steal  ‘em,   who  am  i  to  put  limits  to  the  legality  of  your  much-anticipated  college  experience.   ❜❜

rory was grateful yale was still so close to stars hollow;           while she wouldn’t have let herself become a stranger regardless of where she actually ended up, it was nice that the short distance made it nearly impossible for her to do so. she couldn’t imagine wanting to go too long without a stop home, anyways. weekends in stars hollow were practically sacred, between the long lazy mornings she could spend luxuriously enjoying a plate of pancakes at luke’s and the hours she had to lounge on the couch marathoning movies with her mother over boxes of takeout food. the world of academia was enticing and exciting and she was eager to achieve the ivy league dreams she had had since she was a little girl, but she liked that doing so didn’t have to come at a sacrifice. she could keep the best of both worlds, and drive on home whenever she well pleased. she anticipated a difficult adjustment, anyways, and expected that on at least one occasion a bout of homesickness would pull her back to her small town comforts at some point in her first semester. and of course, her friendship with haley was part of that equation. they were like-minded in a way that rory didn’t have with anyone else in stars hollow, sharing a dedication to their studies and an appreciation for good books and academic trivia. she was glad that she was someone rory could come back to, and was someone who would really understand everything she would want to come home and gush about after spending some time at yale. “of course,” she agreed with a dtuiful nod of her head. “i will definitely do all of the above and any other snooty ivy league thing to remind anyone and everyone that i go to yale,” she teased, cracking a little bit of a wider smile. “i’ll take a look through any and all garbage cans on campus. i’m sure there’s gonna be good stuff in there no matter what, especially if i can figure out where the trust fund kids live.”