[arabesq]

ARABESQ   ;   1.)   an   ornament   or   style   that   employs   flower   ,   foliage   ,   or   fruit   and   sometimes   animal   and   figural   outlines   to   produce   an   intricate   pattern   of   interlaced   lines   ;   2.)   a   posture   (   as   in   ballet   )   in   which   the   body   is   bent   forward   from   the   hip   on   one   leg   with   one   arm   extended   forward   and   the   other   arm   and   leg   backward   ;   3.)   an   elaborate   or   intricate   pattern   .

꒰ᐢ.   ̫   .ᐢ꒱   beatris   pavone   ⋆♱ ꒰ᐢ.   ̫   .ᐢ꒱   beau   spencer ⋆♱ ꒰ᐢ.   ̫   .ᐢ꒱   christine   coltrane ⋆♱ ꒰ᐢ.   ̫   .ᐢ꒱   cardinal   qillaq   ⋆♱ ꒰ᐢ.   ̫   .ᐢ꒱   davenia   heron ⋆♱ ꒰ᐢ.   ̫   .ᐢ꒱   declan   reilly   ⋆♱ ꒰ᐢ.   ̫   .ᐢ꒱   jessamine   santos   ⋆♱ ꒰ᐢ.   ̫   .ᐢ꒱   leona   hasan   ⋆♱ ꒰ᐢ.   ̫   .ᐢ꒱   malachi   fitzpatrick   ⋆♱ ꒰ᐢ.   ̫   .ᐢ꒱   nyoka   vaughn   ⋆♱ ꒰ᐢ.   ̫   .ᐢ꒱   olov   nilsson   ⋆♱ ꒰ᐢ.   ̫   .ᐢ꒱   orachon   wongsawat   ⋆♱ ꒰ᐢ.   ̫   .ᐢ꒱   sheridan   harlow   ⋆♱ ꒰ᐢ.   ̫   .ᐢ꒱   silas   whitman   ⋆♱ ꒰ᐢ.   ̫   .ᐢ꒱   sloane   heart   ⋆♱ ꒰ᐢ.   ̫   .ᐢ꒱   yasmin   isley   ⋆♱ ꒰ᐢ.   ̫   .ᐢ꒱   ziva   arya   ⋆♱

: ̗̀➛ 𝒸𝑜𝓃𝓃𝑒𝒸𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈 . : ̗̀➛   𝑔𝑜𝑜𝑔𝓁𝑒   𝒹𝑜𝒸𝓈   .

divider   -

icon   -   floral   frames   by   poohsources

pinned   -   ankles   by   jessource

docs   -   hazelnut   by   cavalierfou

other important credits & disclaimers !

[btwnthepines]

ginger didn't flinch as the naked brass cords began to unravel into the heavy air of the storefront. instead, she closed her eyes, letting her head drop back against the spine of her oversized jacket while the plastic scrap of the hair clip dragged across the wire strings. the sound was gorgeously unpolished, a weeping, silver veined melody that seemed to catch on the rising tendrils of amber smudge. to ginger, it was breathtaking; a fragile thread spinning out from davie’s fingers, looping around the glass jars of botanical herbs with an absolute, haunting beauty. the sudden cessation of the music left a ringing stillness in the room. ginger’s eyes snapped open, her gaze brimming with a soft wonder as she looked at her bandmate. she sat perfectly still on her stool, her usual restless fidgeting completely forgotten, replaced by an unblinking, total absorption in the fading echo.

"davie, that is...oh my god, it’s like watching winter frost freeze across a windowpane in triple time or some shit, fuck," ginger whispered, her voice stripped of its earlier velocity. she leaned forward, her silver bands catching the low glow as she hovered her hand just inches above the guitar's varnished body, feeling the residual vibration of the wood. "the way those notes hang in the air feels completely supernatural, like a phantom limb reaching out for something." she mimicked the ethereal reach with a subtle extension of her wrist, her untamed mullet shifting with a dazed sway of her head.

below them, banjo shifted with a soft grunt, his chin resting securely on ginger’s boot. ginger’s thumb found the silver hoop in her lip, tugging it downward as her mind raced, visualizing how to build upon the gorgeous foundation davie had just laid down. "what if, instead of trying to find a resolution right there, you just let that final chord bleed out into nothing?" she suggested softly, her fingers tracing a arc through the space between them. "don't chase the ending yet. let it stay wide open and hungry. when we get into practice later, i can drop some bass right under that empty space and catch the echo before it falls. play it again from the top, exactly like that," ginger shut her eyes again, hooking her left hand out and anchoring her fingers against her ribcage as if cradling an invisible neck of a bass.

[arabesq]

                    in   the   lingering   quiet   ,   davenia   was   unsure   if   ginger   liked   or   disliked   what   she   had   played   .   it   wouldn't   have   hurt   her   feelings   if   she   completely   hated   it   -   that   was   part   of   making   music   ,   being   musicians   .   sometimes   you   were   going   to   play   some   truly   awful   shit   ,   but   that   was   the   journey   one   had   to   take   on   the   way   to   greatness   .   not   every   melody   was   a   banger   from   the   jump   ,   and   she   knew   that   all   too   well   .

                    but   the   swell   of   pride   within   her   that   sprang   forth   at   the   praise   still   made   the   tension   inside   of   her   loosen   up   .   sometimes   ,   notes   came   to   her   without   her   having   to   even   think   about   it   .   knowing   how   to   begin   and   end   a   song   could   be   as   natural   as   breathing   ,   but   it   could   also   be   as   difficult   as   learning   how   to   walk   a   tightrope   .   this   song   ,   or   at   least   this   part   of   it   ,   was   somewhere   in   the   middle   of   those   two   outcomes   .

                    “   supernatural   is   a   surprisingly   good   word   for   it   .   it   has   eluded   me   like   a   ghost   for   this   long   ,   but   maybe   that's   just   because   it's   always   been   meant   for   you   to   pick   it   up   at   the   end   ,   hm   ?   ”   she   offered   .   difficult   didn't   necessarily   equate   to   bad   .   if   ginger   could   do   something   with   it   that   she   couldn't   ,   then   she   was   happy   to   pass   the   ending   over   to   her   .   “   your   wish   is   my   command   ,   so   long   as   you   promise   to   tell   me   what   you're   thinking   ,   afterwards   ,   ”   she   said   ,   beginning   to   play   the   chords   once   more   as   requested   .

[arabesq]

through   the   years   :   bea   &   cesca   &   their   italian   roots   εїз ft. @cryforlxve

[monochromctic]

Her steps kept up with both Day and the line. It was odd to be out with her sister. It had been almost ten years since they had spoke. How easy they fell back into their usual dynamic. Even after all of this time, Day was still the human embodiment of sunshine and Night, still, the darkness that followed her.

Night glanced over at her sister. Her mouth hung open. Her brow folded. Day was the kind of person to bend the stipulations if it meant that she could win through lawyering the rules. Or at least, Day was when the twins were just girls. And to say it as if Night didn't spend the better part of her life by Day's side. Night was simply astonished.

"Yeah, and I'm known for my sparkling personality," she countered. A small pout replaced the fake smile on her face.

She might not know the adult Day, but Night knew the child Day; and she knew well enough to make sure that she confirmed that there wasn't going to be any foolery in this game. Night removed her from being looped with Day's. It was childish to extend both of her pinkies out to make sure Day confirmed the double pinky promise, but they had already breeched the immaturity threshold by riding on a carnival attraction meant for kids.

"You swear?"

[arabesq]

                    she   feigned   shock   at   the   wild   mistrust   night   had   placed   in   her   .   “   i   can't   believe   you   don't   trust   me   ,   your   own   twin   sister   !   ”   she   announced   ,   but   she   knew   that   it   was   more   than   fair   .   as   a   child   ,   she   would   have   done   anything   to   win   .   if   that   meant   cheating   ,   or   bending   the   rules   ,   or   yanking   the   win   at   the   last   second   ,   day   probably   wouldn't   have   shied   away   from   a   bit   of   shadiness   .

                    still   ,   she   would   play   along   .   the   teacups   were   the   only   thing   she   wanted   to   be   childish   about   their   outing   together   .   well   .   .   .   that   and   the   pinky   promise   .   day   held   out   both   of   her   pinkies   ,   too   ,   interlocking   them   with   night's   and   donning   a   much   more   serious   expression   .   “   i   ,   day   wongsawat   ,   do   hereby   declare   that   i   will   be   perfectly   honest   with   the   results   after   you   guess   .   should   you   guess   correctly   ,   i   will   not   change   my   answer   henceforth   !   or   whatever   .   ”

                    while   her   childhood   self   might   have   been   willing   to   break   a   promise   in   the   spirit   of   winning   ,   her   adult   self   was   much   less   so   .   besides   ,   doing   that   may   have   ruined   the   time   they   were   having   together   ,   and   things   were   going   well   .   day   wanted   that   to   continue   .

                    “   alright   ,   are   you   satisfied   now   ?   can   you   pick   a   teacup   without   stressing   ?   ”   she   asked   ,   but   her   tone   held   nothing   beyond   amusement   .

[oatfoams]

xochitl, over the years, was getting better at reading clients' body language. oftentimes people seemed either overly enthusiastic or underwhelmed at the idea of getting ink. they could sense a vague feeling of uncertainty coming off of beatris, an energy they were happy to help remedy.

xochi listened to her idea with an attentiveness, nodding slow whilst the mental picture pieced itself together in their thoughts. beatris' 'not the stinky kind' clarification did make xochi laugh quietly to themselves for a few seconds. they shook their head at her question, " no definitely not. I mean, people get their exes names tatted on them on the regular. " it was true, xochi had seen a myriad of unfortunate ink by this point, a cute cartoon skunk was the least of their worries. " but don't sweat it, we can always put the stencil on first to see if you like it. " they reassured, offering the woman the friendliest smile that they could muster. " if it helps, I think it'd look cute on you. maybe here. " they pointed to the space on the back of their bicep.

[arabesq]

                    bea   grimaced   .   she   couldn't   imagine   getting   a   tattoo   of   someone's   name   on   her   body   forever   ,   only   to   end   up   breaking   up   with   them   down   the   line   .   and   she   knew   good   and   well   that   tattoo   removals   were   a   thing   nowadays   ,   but   it   seemed   smarter   to   not   do   it   in   the   first   place   .   she   may   have   been   a   little   jaded   ,   though   ,   given   that   she   was   divorced   .

                    she   looked   down   at   her   arm   ,   trying   to   imagine   what   [   the   back   of   ]   it   would   look   like   with   a   small   raccoon   there   .   it   may   not   have   been   the   coolest   idea   in   the   world   ,   but   it   was   hers   .   ever   since   she'd   come   up   with   it   ,   it   had   steadily   grown   on   her   over   time   ,   and   it   was   a   lot   harder   to   back   out   of   now   that   she   was   sitting   in   the   chair   ,   though   .

                    “   okay   ,   okay   .   no   more   waffling   .   i've   decided   on   it   ,   and   you're   definitely   the   right   person   for   the   job   ,   ”   she   conceded   .   if   there   was   ever   a   time   to   do   it   ,   it   must   have   been   now   .   “   and   i'm   a   total   crybaby   about   pain   ,   so   .   you   have   me   whining   to   look   forward   to   !   ”

[joenateuser]

KIT CONNOR as Nick Nelson Heartstopper Forever (2026)

[oatfoams]

she gave a slow nod, like she'd just gotten pieces of a puzzle to fit together. darcy wondered when she'd run into more of the harlow siblings. for what she'd heard, there were quite a few of them. she wondered if it was nice, having that many siblings; her family had always been kept rather small, just her, declan & her mom for a long while.

" yeah! yeah — I do, a little bit. " darcy lifted her shoulders in a partial shrug. she raised her hand to temporarily shield her eyes from the sun that beamed down on the two, eventually holding that same hand outward as a friendly gesture. “ i’m darcy. just … darcy, mostly. “ as a kid, she’d wish from time to time that some nickname would stick, but it never really did. “ sheri ! a pretty name. well, i’m glad we’ve finally met. “ her eyes flickered from her new acquaintance’s visage, to the french bulldog that sat at her feet. “ y’know, maple could use more friends. truthfully, so could I — maybe we could walk around the park together sometime ? “ darcy extended the offer, strands of her hair falling over her face as her eyes averted to the forest floor. her talent for making new friends was very touch & go … but that didn’t keep her from trying.

[arabesq]

                    sheri   hadn't   always   been   good   at   making   friends   ,   but   it   was   simple   with   some   people   .   some   folks   had   personalities   that   meshed   better   than   others   ,   and   darcy   seemed   like   the   easygoing   type   .   that   was   good   for   sheridan   ,   having   people   like   that   around   .   she   had   become   sort   of   a   type   a   person   herself   ,   but   she   chalked   that   up   to   her   misaligned   childhood   .

                    “   i   think   that's   a   wonderful   idea   ,   ”   she   replied   with   a   smile   .   “   i   don't   have   any   exercise   partners   ,   but   i   think   it   would   be   fun   to   walk   around   the   park   together   .   it's   a   bigger   park   than   people   realize   !   ”   at   least   ,   that   had   been   her   thoughts   when   she   first   walked   through   it   almost   seven   years   ago   now   .   “   and   i   would   say   yes   ,   anyway   ,   because   i   would   be   silly   not   to   want   to   spend   more   time   with   miss   maple   .   i'm   sure   rusty   feels   the   same   way   ,   ”   she   added   ,   looking   down   at   her   pup   .   he   rewarded   her   with   some   rather   impressive   drooling   ,   which   she   took   to   mean   that   he   agreed   .   “   i   usually   take   him   on   a   walk   after   work   around   six   ,   if   that's   a   good   time   for   meeting   up   with   you   ?   ”

[moonhxven]

Sachin and Ziva had never been the typical pair of siblings. There were over 6 years between them, and they hadn't been raised in a typical atmosphere. If he were honest, when he spoke to other older brothers and they described how fiercely protective they were over their younger sibling... he didn't get it. Sachin loved his sister, he always had and he always would. But it had never been his job to protect her. In their world, there were very few things they needed protecting from. He'd done his best to look out for her while they were in school together, but other than that, they'd been apart for longer than they'd ever been together. He was glad to have her here, maybe as adults they could finally find a more 'normal' sibling relationship.

"I will foot the bill, Z," Sachin chuckled. They'd both have no problem doing so, but he wanted to treat her after all this time. "Mm, yes, we are a no breaks family, aren't we? I've walked by the studio, it is nice. I'm glad it is to your liking." He wondered if they'd put on a show locally or if they'd all pack up back to Zurich before their next performance. "I'd like to see you perform," Sachin mused. He'd only had the privilege of watching Ziva live a few times. "At least once before you head out, if it can be arranged."

[arabesq]

                    while   it   wasn't   up   to   ziva   to   decide   whether   or   not   the   company   performed   in   pinehaven   ,   she   was   certain   that   she   could   make   an   argument   for   giving   the   town   a   small   recital   of   sorts   .   something   that   might   take   all   of   their   minds   off   of   their   fallen   member   ,   and   it   would   also   make   sachin   happy   ,   to   boot   .   that   was   a   win   ,   if   nothing   else   .   “   i'll   see   what   i   can   arrange   ,   ”   she   promised   ,   making   a   mental   note   to   bring   it   up   to   the   leaders   later   that   afternoon   .   if   it   meant   extra   practice   for   them   ,   that   was   a   good   thing   in   her   book   .   more   time   spent   working   was   exactly   what   she   wanted   .

                    “   well   ,   i've   taken   up   too   much   of   your   time   as   it   is   ,   ”   she   said   ,   preparing   to   leave   .   they   would   have   plenty   of   time   to   do   fun   things   and   talk   when   her   brother   wasn't   working   .   “   i'll   see   you   when   i   see   you   ,   yeah   ?   ”   she   asked   ,   though   it   was   rhetorical   .   a   phrase   she   began   saying   when   she   realized   she   didn't   truly   know   when   she   would   see   most   people   next   ,   especially   her   family   .   she   reached   out   and   ,   although   it   felt   foreign   to   do   ,   pulled   her   brother   into   a   hug   .   recent   circumstances   had   helped   her   see   how   temporary   life   could   be   ,   so   she   didn't   want   to   waste   too   much   time   getting   closer   (   even   if   it   did   feel   strange   )   .   with   that   ,   she   gave   him   a   little   wave   and   left   the   shop   .

[arabesq]

through   the   years   :   night   &   day   &   the   teacup   ride   εїз ft. @monochromctic

[arabesq]

                    while   anthony   went   off   to   fetch   her   treats   ,   yasmin   took   her   moment   alone   to   look   around   .   take   in   the   sights   and   sounds   of   the   local   park   .   sashony   seemed   perfectly   at   peace   ,   enjoying   herself   with   her   new   brother   ,   but   she   was   sure   that   her   daughter   could   see   through   the   facade   of   a   play   .   sash   had   been   raised   on   broadway   classics   and   front   row   seats   ,   naturally   ,   so   she   knew   a   good   thing   from   the   bad   .

                    the   rest   of   the   crowd   seemed   to   be   enthralled   ,   however   .   poor   them   ;   they   didn't   know   actual   talent   from   a   hole   in   the   ground   .   true   to   her   word   ,   she   didn't   make   a   fuss   or   a   scene   .   not   even   when   one   of   the   wigs   slipped   off   the   head   of   an   actor   and   fell   past   the   stage   and   onto   the   grass   .   her   eyes   closed   ,   her   fingers   pinching   the   bridge   of   her   nose   .   ‘   keep   it   together   ,   you   can   leave   a   yelp   review   later   ,   remember   that   .   ’   her   inner   monologue   was   the   only   thing   keeping   her   sane   .

                    when   angel   returned   ,   she   visibly   relaxed   (   though   she   was   positive   her   blood   pressure   didn't   lower   any   )   .   the   fresh   funnel   cake   in   her   lap   made   all   the   difference   ,   and   was   the   sole   reason   she   didn't   start   blessing   him   out   for   asking   her   to   behave   .   she   was   behaving   just   fine   ,   thank   you   .   she   could   have   been   a   lot   worse   ,   and   he   knew   it   .

                    “   aren't   you   my   knight   in   powdered   sugar   armor   ?   ”   she   asked   rhetorically   ,   pulling   off   a   piece   of   the   funnel   cake   and   popping   it   into   her   mouth   .   the   flavors   were   overwhelming   in   the   best   way   .   buttery   and   full   of   cinnamon   ,   the   powdered   sugar   sweetened   the   slightly   savory   batter   .   she   didn't   know   quite   how   they   made   it   ,   but   it   was   incredible   how   something   so   simple   could   taste   so   delicious   .   she   washed   it   down   with   a   sip   of   tea   ,   audibly   humming   her   approval   at   the   flavor   .   “   listen   you   will   .   i   have   a   lot   to   say   .   but   i'll   start   with   thank   you   -   for   the   snack   .   it's   not   terrible   .   ”

[btwnthepines]

anthony dropped back into his seat, the plastic frame groaning a brief protest beneath his weight before settling. he settled his arms over his chest, but the lingering warmth where his torso had grazed her shoulder remained, tingling against his skin like a sunburn. her perfume still drifted thick across the small space separating their chairs, making it nearly impossible for him to focus on the stage where a frantic stagehand was currently hunting for a misplaced prop in the brush.

he caught the little puff of white dust that drifted onto her blouse as she tore off a piece of the golden pastry. a soft, rumbling vibration started in his throat at her sarcasm, a low sound of pure amusement that he masked by adjusting his posture. the way she carried herself, even while sitting on a cheap lawn chair eating fairground food, always demanded an audience. "high praise comin' from a critic like you," he replied, his words flowing out with the languid cadence of a bayou afternoon. his gaze wandered down to the front rows where sashony and zion were huddled together, laughing at something completely unrelated to the performance. the sight smoothed out the remaining knots in his chest, leaving a softness in its wake. "and you're welcome, yaz. i knew if i left you empty handed for another ten minutes, the lady playin' helena was gonna get an earful."

he leaned back, crossing one ankle over his knee, his eyes unable to help but linger on the way she savored the sweet, deep fried dough. it felt strange, almost dizzying, how easily they could slip into this effortless banter, bypassing the thick wall of bitterness that had built up over a decade. the anger was a heavy object he kept tucked away, but right now, beneath the canopy of oak trees, the edges of it felt blunted by the warmth of her presence. "just make sure you save some of that energy for the ride," he added, a lazy smile tugging at his lips as he glanced over at her profile, absorbing the brightness of her expression. "i'm fixin' to get a full education on theater production by the time we hit the driveway of that rental."

he paused, his smile fading into something much more guarded as his eyes drifted back toward the children. he swallowed hard, fingers tightening against his forearms as he waited out a beat of silence, ensuring sashony was still completely out of earshot. it was a question he'd been carrying around for days, heavy and unasked, waiting for the right opening. he cleared his throat, his posture tensing slightly as he leaned just an inch closer to her side. "yaz...you, uh...you have any sort of timeline on this trip? you got an idea how long you plan on keepin' her here in town?"

[dailyflicks]

Ted Lasso (2020— ) 1.01: “Pilot”

[birdingbutch]

babygirl I'm avoiding things that I don't even know about

[tkkatherineblog]

[asystolle]

SEX AND THE CITY 5.06 | Critical Condition

[arabesq]

                    ziva   hummed   in   agreement   .   “   i   often   feel   the   same   way   .   everything   is   so   picture   perfect   and   just   .   .   .   nice   .   it   feels   like   this   place   shouldn't   even   exist   in   this   crazy   world   ,   and   yet   it   does   ,   ”   she   sighed   .   not   in   exasperation   ,   rather   in   reverence   .   this   town   was   the   one   outlier   against   everywhere   else   she'd   ever   been   .   she   had   been   on   some   vacations   more   volatile   than   pinehaven   had   treated   her   so   far   .   she   should   know   not   to   question   it   too   much   ,   for   it   might   disrupt   the   delicate   balance   nature   had   created   here   .

                    “   i   wouldn't   say   we're   terribly   close   ,   no   .   we   used   to   be   ,   growing   up   ,   but   we   also   lived   together   back   then   and   went   to   the   same   boarding   school   .   proximity   helps   when   you're   trying   to   maintain   relationships   ,   ”   she   said   ,   shrugging   a   bit   .   “   we   see   each   other   mostly   on   holidays   now   ,   and   we're   both   so   busy   and   so   far   apart   that   we   don't   often   manage   to   get   together   outside   of   that   .   perhaps   we   should   make   time   ,   i   guess   .   ”

[moonhxven]

"Seems like we're in a similar boat," Susie said, chuckling lightly. "Hopefully we can both spend our time here getting closer to our siblings." That's all she wanted to do. She just wanted to be a family again. Looking at her watch, Susie realized it was getting close to the time she agreed to pick up Gaia. "I've got to go get my kid," She told Ziva, turning towards the other woman and smiling. "It was really nice to meet you, hopefully we'll see more of each other around town." Considering the size of the town, that was entirely likely. Standing up, Susie shouldered her bag and offered a final wave to Ziva before heading towards where Gaia was having her playdate.

[arabesq]

                    declan   made   a   face   as   if   to   indicate   that   they   both   knew   what   he   was   talking   about   .   the   unspoken   uncertainty   between   himself   and   shreya   that   had   been   building   over   the   years   .   he   didn't   have   to   say   it   ,   mothers   just   knew   .   it   was   both   comforting   and   irritating   at   the   same   time   ,   the   way   his   mom   could   read   him   like   a   book   .   but   in   a   sense   ,   so   could   rey   .   did   she   know   ,   too   ?   did   she   know   and   simply   wasn't   saying   anything   for   .   .   .   whatever   reason   she   might   have   had   ?   oh   ,   he'd   spiral   if   he   thought   about   it   for   too   long   ,   so   he   forced   his   mind   to   return   to   the   present   moment   .

                    “   yeah   ,   yes   ,   dinner   is   fine   ,   ”   he   relented   .   at   least   he   knew   that   his   mom   liked   her   .   there   would   be   no   future   arguments   over   that   .   not   that   there   would   need   to   be   any   future   arguments   -   and   there   went   his   mind   again   .   reeling   over   circumstances   that   may   (   but   most   likely   wouldn't   )   come   to   pass   .   such   was   his   nature   .   “   don't   make   anything   weird   ,   either   .   make   something   good   .   i   think   all   your   cooking   is   good   but   not   everyone   likes   german   food   .   matter   of   fact   ,   not   everyone   likes   irish   food   ,   either   .   make   something   american   !   ”   like   what   ?   he   wasn't   sure   .   he   couldn't   even   cook   all   that   well   ,   himself   ,   so   maybe   he   should   keep   his   lips   zipped   .   “   ignore   me   .   ”

[moonhxven]

In Hanne's perfect world, both her children would have no issues saying exactly how they felt to whoever they wanted. And their feelings would be reciprocated tenfold. They wouldn't have any anxious feelings over anything at all, and they would be the absolute happiest versions of themselves all the time. Unfortunately, they didn't live in a perfect world, and Hanne had no choice but to let Declan make his own decisions when it came to his feelings. As much as Hanne wanted him and Shreya to finally admit that they felt something more than friendship... she supposed she could respect the nerves that came with doing that. She wouldn't meddle, even if she wanted to. But she did want Declan to know one thing. "You can talk to me, you know," She said, lifting her hand from his shoulder to put against his cheek. "You can tell me whatever you want, and I'll listen."

Hanne scoffed, putting her hand back onto Declan's shoulder as they continued to sway. "Anything weird?" She repeated. "I will do no such thing." But she had to chuckle at the idea of German food being weird. She supposed she'd made a few peculiar dishes over the years when she was reminiscing on growing up in Germany. Hanne pursed her lips in though, "The weather is nice," She mused. "What if I fire up the grill? Maybe we can do burgers, or steaks if we want to be fancy. Or I'll ask Shrey what meat she fancies and go from there." That was the best option. Hanne wanted to cater to the guest of honor, after all.

[arabesq]

                    sloane   couldn't   help   the   way   her   eyebrow   quirked   up   .   “   you're   forgetting   something   very   important   :   trekking   through   a   cambodian   night   market   is   about   a   hundred   times   more   interesting   than   marching   through   the   town   square   in   ninety   degree   heat   ,   ”   she   pointed   out   .   not   that   the   kids   didn't   seem   to   love   it   ,   of   course   .   they   were   full   of   small   town   spirit   ,   despite   the   beads   of   sweat   that   trailed   down   their   young   faces   .   considering   that   all   of   the   town's   children   could   fit   into   one   school   ,   she   found   it   hard   to   believe   that   there   were   even   enough   of   them   to   form   a   marching   band   at   all   .   the   powers   that   be   sure   worked   in   mysterious   ways   ,   she   supposed   .

                 upon   arriving   at   their   culinary   destination   ,   her   attention   was   grasped   by   the   smells   of   delectable   goodies   just   waiting   to   be   purchased   .   “   oh   ,   this   is   truly   sinful   .   if   my   mum   could   see   us   now   ,   she'd   absolutely   die   at   the   fact   that   this   is   going   to   be   my   first   real   sustenance   of   the   day   .   she's   a   real   stickler   about   breakfast   and   vegetables   and   blah   ,   blah   ,   blah   ,   boring   mom   stuff   ,   ”   she   sighed   .   she   simply   wouldn't   tell   her   about   her   bacon   donut   slider   whatever   treat   .   some   things   were   better   left   unshared   in   the   family   group   chat   .

                    “   look   -   i'll   buy   the   food   if   you   buy   the   drinks   .   deal   ?   because   i   see   a   beer   with   my   name   on   it   and   just   know   that   it'll   perfectly   pair   with   these   sandwiches   !   ”

[btwnthepines]

genie let out a gasp of mock offense, her hand flying to her chest. "excuse you, main street possesses its own rare, exotic charm. though, i will concede that southeast asian markets don't usually feature a tuba section composed of what appears to be the exact same five local pre teens duplicated on a loop to create the illusion of a massive crowd. the local arithmetic truly defies physics."

she giggled, stepping up to the counter where the cloud of caramelized grease was practically a heavy, delicious blanket enveloping them. "and as for maternal judgment? what your mother doesn't know will keep her blood pressure perfectly stable. besides, technically speaking, the funnel cake base is made of flour, which is a grain, and the pork strips provide essential protein. it's basically a balanced continental breakfast if you squint and have incredibly loose nutritional standards."

when sloane pitched the financial division of labor, genie’s eyes sparkled with immediate, absolute glee. she clapped her hands together, a massive smile overtaking her face. "deal of the century. locked in. no take backs," genie declared, already pivoting on her heel toward the adjacent pop up tent where cold taps were sweating beautifully in the heavy afternoon air. "you secure the glorious, heart stopping culinary masterpiece, and i will hunt down those frosty elixirs. a crisp brew is exactly the palate cleanser this madness requires. see you at the picnic tables in two minutes flat!"