#plum head parrot

[the-puffinry]

A Group of Six hand-coloured etchings, with engraving. 1776.

from Storia naturale degli uccelli, Saverio Manetti (1723 - 1785, Italian).

#found while procrastrinating on 1stdibs lol i love looking at random Objects #Saverio Manetti #Illustration #etching #animals in art #parrots #lemme see if i can recognise #sun conure #hawkheaded parrot #blue and gold macaw #plum head parrot #blue-fronted amazon

[mevvsan]

Of all the parrots I made only these three are left. I know plum-headed parakeets are not that common but I'm sure there is someone out there who'd love to have these. Same goes for the Timneh African grey. Uncommon parrot owners unite!

#crochet #craft #handmade #yarn #amigurumi #plushie #cute #kawaii #crochet pattern #mevvsan #bird #parrot #african grey #plum-headed parakeet #parakeet #birblr #crocheting #craftblr #plushies #stuffed animals #plushblr

[fromtraveldiaries]

Plum-headed parakeet (male), Dandeli, December, 2022

#plum headed parakeet #plum #parakeet #parrot #red #green #red head #birds #birds feeding #perches #trees #Indian birds #Dandeli #Karnataka #Western ghats

[parrotparadiseparty]

tumblr_5e11be6ebebeefdb27a69a6326549d83_89c91806_640

#parrots #feathered friends #parrot #parrot paradise party #exotic birds #psittaciformian enrichment #avian enrichment #birds #plum headed parakeet #parakeet #psittaciformes #psittaciformian friends

[herpsandbirds]

Love your blog (from a bird/biology lover)! May I ask what your favourite obscure/'weird' bird is, and what your favourite parrot/s is/are?

(And have you heard of the Malay lacewing? It looks really pretty!)

Thank you so much :3

It's always hard for me to answer these questions. I really love so many species so much that it's hard to narrow it down.

Obscure birds, off the top of my head: Schlegel’s Asity, Bornean Bristlehead, and the Rockfowl (Picathartes spp.).

Tinamous are also quite nice! The bf and I had a nice time watching them in Yasuni NP. (I still haven't gotten around to including them on the blog yet).

Parrots... Fan Parrot, Kakapo, and Plum-headed Parakeet.

Yes, I do know the asian lacewings (Cethosia spp.). So far, I have only posted the Tiger Lacewing, but for you I will also post the Malayan.

Cheers!

[sitting-on-me-bum]

Eleven native parakeet species flutter around in the skies, forests, cities and towns of India. These include the Rose-ringed parakeet, Plum-headed parakeet, Alexandrine parakeet, Malabar Parakeet, Nicobar Parakeet, Blossom-headed parakeet, Slaty-headed parakeet, Vernal hanging parrot or Indian Lorikeet, Grey-headed parakeet, Red-breasted parakeet and Long-tailed parakeet.

Photo by Nikhil Bisht.

#nikhil bisht #photographer #wildlife sos #parakeet #bird photography #nature #chick

[queer-whatchamacallit]

Here’s my observations of 1x03 - Brigade of my beloved, The Bear!!

When Carm’s at the beach, there’s a “let it rip, Buddy” which I’m pretty sure is our very first let it rip

Carm takes “the chemistry needs to change” and “just try to keep my side of the street clean” and absorbs it

I think I’ve counted 4 pepto and tums stashes? The office, the bathroom, the locker room, and his bedroom

I hate to be the one to tell you this, but Carm sleeps with socks on

In the Al-Anon pamphlet, under the DO (as opposed to DON’T) section was “take it easy— tension is harmful”

Manny, Angel, and Marcus are all definitely there before Carm. Marcus said Carmy was early, but he came in at the same time as Syd, so might be able to assume she comes in before him normally

We get to see a little bit of Carm’s purer passion for cooking. Him just deciding to teach Marcus about the plum thing because he has that knowledge to share. The Carm-Marcus mentor relationship is so superior

Also he says Har-EE-bo which threw me off. I always say HARE-ih-bo

Carm starts the French brigade to keep his side of the street clean and change what he can, but there’s also the layer where Carm likes consciously or subconsciously reliving his traumas, but in a situation he has more control over. Carmy is trying to remake New York here, except he’s the Executive Chef, but he’s not going to be overbearing like his Chef was

“Ebra: I was in a brigade once. Tina: What happened? Ebra: Many people died. Tina: See, Jeff? Carmy: It’s gonna be different” is such a good back and forth, Ebra is easily the funniest person here

Carmy parrots, “They keep their side of the street clean,” and you can almost tell he’s been rolling those words over and over in his head all day

We get Ebra’s first “I accept” !!!

After the call from Niko, it’s like Carm either doesn’t hear Richie the first time he asks, “What was that?” Or he just can’t get words to come out of his mouth. Carm’s voice goes kinda small and quiet. Richie asks if he blew a fuse, and I could imagine that’s exactly what it felt like

“I just felt like Michael was alive for a second.” Carm wasn’t there for the funeral, it’s hard to tell how it was long after Mikey died when he moved back from New York, he never grieved with anyone. He knows Michael’s dead, he can say it without a second thought, he jokes with the “I’ll ask him when he’s not dead” in 1x06, but the deepest proof he has is word of mouth. There’s bound to be some part of him that’s in denial about Mikey’s death

He hears, “I want to set this place on fuckin fire,” in his head, same as after the nightmare in 1x08, so did he know about the failing fire suppression stuff? Did Mikey say that to him at some point? Idk this is just a weird quote, some good s1 unreality tho

As Carm runs from wherever he was to out the door, you can hear shit being knocked over behind him, but he doesn’t look back. He’s pretty okay with telling people when something is wrong, but actually having them be there for him is a different story. The second he crosses the threshold into panic, he bolts, so no one can see it. When he gets off the call with Niko, he never turned around to face Richie and just waited until Richie walked out before he let himself press a hand into his chest and sit down

No matter how pissed Tina is with Syd, she’ll still ask, “What happened? Let me see” when she cuts her finger <3

Tina goes up to Sweeps and Marcus who both have the blue aprons and there’s such a good bit I forgot about, “Tina: You two look like you joined a dumbass cult. Sweeps and Marcus in unison: Thank you”

Another good Ebra bit: “Syd: Well, it’s not good, so Ebra: You betrayed me!”

When Syd goes out front looking for her onions, Richie is talking to Crooked John from 1x06 !!!

There’s a bench outside no one ever seems to use after this (that I’ve noticed), but I guess whenever we see someone go out back, they’re probably either nervously pacing (Carm) or too sad to feel like they deserve a bench (Marcus)

Even after the hellish half day she just had, it takes a little prompting from Carmy to open up about it, and when she does, it feels almost straightforward, I told you this would be bad, you didn’t listen to me, and that isn’t the job I came for, you suddenly gave me this responsibility then left, and it didn’t go well, etc. She also gains a little bit of revenge by fucking with Carmy and lightening the mood. She may not be super comfortable with explaining this stuff to others, but she seems to have a good bit of emotional intelligence (especially compared to Carm) to pinpoint everything that bothered her

Ah, the classic “fuck brunch” <33

And after all that, Carmy snuck out again at sunset to go to the beach and feel painful emotions about it being Mikey’s birthday

I think the first 2 eps introduced external and internal conflict respectively, so now, we could start getting into some recurring stuff. It starts planting the seeds for the season 2 Carmy ditching the restaurant for what he thinks will be healthier arc. And Syd gets her shit rocked, and that’s so rude because she deserves the world

Anyway! Ep 3 boom done!!

#my bear rewatch #the bear #the bear fx #the bear meta #meta analysis #panic attack #character analysis #character writing #fanfic prompt #headcanon #carmy berzatto #carmen berzatto #marcus brooks #marcus the bear #sydney adamu #ebra the bear #richie jerimovich #mikey berzatto #michael berzatto #sweeps the bear

[yuichi-ro]

𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘮𝘢 𝘹 𝘧𝘦𝘮!𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘹 𝘣𝘢𝘫𝘪

cw: fem!Reader, dom ish!Reader/Hanma, sub!Baji, drugs (weed), shotgunning, fingering (m!receiving), anal (mlm), handjob (m!receiving), f!masturbation, (consensual) intoxicated sex, nicknames (baby boy etc), unedited word count: 2.7k a/n: this....was not supposed to be this long

With a thick plum escaping his barely parted lips. Shuji followed it up with a deep cough that made his arm tightening around Keisuke’s waist until it passed. Content yet woozy grin settling on his face as he passed off the joint to the next taker. 

Taken delicately from his boney fingers to your own. You didn’t break eye contact with Keisuke’s wonderfully wide brown eyes as you sealed your lips around the end Shuji had just had in his mouth. Your own grin tugging on your lips and you hadn’t even taken a drag yet.

A deep inhale moments after was met with the same floating euphoria Shuji got a head start on. Room spinning. Limbs heavy. Life good when your skin felt like it was crackling with life. You leaned forward and rubbed your hand up Keisuke’s leg, “Let me shotgun it baby.”

Eyes growing even wider he looked at your glass eyed gaze on him, then to the joint pinched between your fingers so eloquently. Familiar stank thick in the room even if you don’t blow out a plum like Shuji did. He’d smelt this one you two before. Now he was getting a front row seat on the process of it all. Keisuke could feel his heart beating in his chest with excitement that left him wanting more. Concerned he’d already slipping into a contact high sitting between you two like this. With nothing to base it off of Keisuke licked his lips looking at your own only a few inches from his, “I- I don’t know what that means....”

“It’s easy baby boy,” Shuji slurred his soft voice in Keisuke’s ear. Holding him tight from behind with arms long enough to never let him escape. Pressing his cheek flush to his own Shuji felt Baji shudder in his lap and it couldn’t be helped. Hand bring brought to his lips Shuji traced his digits over Keisuke’s bottom lip and giggled with a glossy glance your way, “She takes a hit....then you suck it from her lungs like you mean it.”

“Suck- From your lungs?” Keisuke parroted confused.

“Not from my lungs silly,” You leaned in. Compressing his body between yours and Shuji’s. Nothing but the bra and panties you’d stripped down to before starting. Keisuke’s tented boxers evidence enough to tell he was enjoying himself. You drew a low sigh and let your lips brush his only for a second, “I’ll blow it in your mouth...” Leaning away as he leaned in, you couldn’t help the dopey smile on your lips when the buzz of his own stuck with you, “Won’t be as harsh than a straight drag, promise.”

First timer more willing than anything. Keisuke hardly understood the mechanisms of it all but that didn’t stop him. He nodded furiously at the idea of your mouth on his again. Smiling you brought the joint back up to your lips. This time taking a deep inhale even to outshine Shuji’s beforehand. With lungs full and mouth sealed shut you handed the joint off to Shuji and fought off the grin that wanted to plant itself on your lips. Persisting right through it you grabbed each side of Keisuke’s face to smash your lips onto his. Wrapped up in the kiss it took him a moment to realize you were exhaling into his mouth. For what it was worth smelling the smoke just as a passerby did not compared to having it fed down your mouth like this. Keisuke couldn’t tell what was stronger. The weed’s fragrant smoke snaking it’s way into his lungs or the taste of your lips. Before he could decide which won everything in him dilated far quicker than he expected. 

Room floating and bubbly for him, Keisuke couldn’t stop grinning. A grin that would break the kiss. With only a few tendrils of smoke straying lips wisps away from your shared kiss. Toothy awkward kiss that ended with you sticking your tongue out to lick his teeth. Giggles growing between the two of you. Keisuke wasn’t sure what was happening. Suddenly everything felt slowed down but at the same time he had no idea how much time was passing. His cheeks hurt from smiling and he wanted to cough a little. But nothing compared to the tingle to his skin that skittered across his arms, down his spine and finally made him shift his hips in Shuji’s lap. Wiggling without even knowing it. Keisuke squeaked in surprised when a hand was felt on the crotch of his boxers.

“Shit man, you’re even harder now.” Shuji’s lips danced along Keisuke’s jawline. Hand moving down further  until his long fingers curled around the base of his clothed cock. Fabric separating his bare touch didn’t keep Keisuke from moaning like an utter whore right back into your mouth when you kissed him again. Shuji continued to kiss along his neck and shoulder with fingers wrapped around his cock. Mindlessly jerking him off through his boxers as his own cock strained against his underwear. Keisuke’s weight in his lap making it the perfect thing to rub against. Shuji’s moans finally joining the mix when he rutted himself up against Keisuke’s ass. Two pairs of boxers in the way but neither of them stopped their groping.

“He’s so sensitive Shuji, look at this big baby.” You discovered how well Keisuke groaned when your fingers ghosted over his nipples. Taking the time to twist them playfully in your thumb and forefinger after Shuji took the smoldering joint. He held it above everyone’s head as you continued to make out with Keisuke and Shuji held him down with one arm in his lap to give him something to rub his cock against.

“Fire-” Keisuke managed only after you stopped kissing him. Spit covered lips from the messy make out session. He looked up at you above him. Face in your hands and his body ripe with sensory overload. His brown eyes joined the gang as they grew glossy and content, “ ‘m on fire....it tingles.”

“Aww do you want to feel good baby boy?” You cooed in an utterly condescending tone to the man in your palms, “Should we make him feel good Shuji?”

“Fuck-” the taller man hissed with his lips against Keisuke’s ear and a death grip on his waist as he pinched out the smoldering end of the joint, “If he doesn’t, someone’s going to have to sit on my dick I’m dying here.”

Leaning down you shoved your tongue down Keisuke’s throat. Kissing him in the sloppiest manner. Drawing out a line of pathetic moans that were music to your ears. As only one hand dropped from his cheek. Dancing lightly over his bare chest just to replace Shuji’s fist around his cock. Keisuke desperate to suck on your tongue as you jerked him off. Shuji pushed his hips up a little only to drag his boxers down. Wasting no time as he stripped his own off then went to work positioning Keisuke above him. Toiling with his waistband only for a second before he needed to yank them down. Dexterous long fingers gripping his hips like his life depended on it as Shuji positioned Keisuke back over his lap in a much more convenient spot. Leaving his cock to rest up against Keisuke’s seam. Tip, leaking and red, rubbing against the silky skin of Keisuke’s sack as the black haired man didn’t stop when sat back down. Instead going straight to grinding his hips down on Shuji’s cock. His own member drooling beautiful beads of precum as you milked him and forced each one to dribble down his slit before stroking down his base.

“You wanna fuck Shuji?” You drag your tongue along Keisuke’s lips before he’s able to answer. Cheeks hurting from how hard you were grinning when he tried to follow your tongue just to catch it between his teeth, “Well-?”

“Yes-” Keisuke managed in a meager moan. Wiggling his hips and bucking them against the grip Shuji was holding on his thighs, “Please god yes I wanna fuck-”

“Well we gotta stretch you out silly boy...” You lean past his lips. Brining your own to the other side opposite of Shuji’s. The two of you utter menaces with kisses and bites being peppered on his neck from both sides. 

You didn’t let up on the way your fingers curled around his cock. This time without the friction of fabric between your touch and his aching cock. Keisuke’s stringy precum that you’d forced to bead up previously now the best lube as you stroked him in nice long steady motions. Squeezing the tip of his puffy slit to add to the mess. And loosening your grip as your fingers slid down his shaft. Pathetic bubbling noises coming from Keisuke on his knees now. After Shuji had ushered him up. Keisuke mostly leaning into you as you bite his shoulder and stroked him. While the other man fished through the bedside table only to end up sloppily pouring lube on his fingers. More than he needed but it was welcome the second he pressed just a single index finger to Keisuke’s entrance.

Something akin to an animal in heat when Shuji slipped down to the second knuckle in Keisuke. He’d been fingered by both of you before. Even jerked off at the same time. But you both were so right. Something about the weed made it so much more intense.

“F-Fuck- I’m- I’m going to pass out-” Keisuke panted in your ear as he engulfed your shoulders in his arms. Hugging you tight like he was the one slipping away. All in his head as he was safely tucked between your body and Shuji’s.

“Shh no you won’t.” Shuji encouraged as he swished his finger at all angles inside him. Making sure that copious amount of lube he’d poured out was being put to good use, “God you feel amazing.”

“Put it in.” Keisuke mewled.

“You heard the baby.” You looked over Keisuke’s shoulder at Shuji’s brows knitted in concentration as he fingered the man between the two of you, “Give it to him Shuji, he’s been such a good boy.”

Retracting his touch. Much to Keisuke’s displeasure. That whine was only for a split second when Shuji positioned the tip of his cock at his entrance. Thumb rubbing the mixture of cum against his head and pressing ever so slightly until Keisuke’s body did what it was best at. Sinking down inside him until he sat back on Shuji’s base. Body immediately spasming so much that you had to hold him still just to keep jerking him off. Keisuke’s thighs clenched and his hips began bouncing with no direction. His beautiful brown eyes now nothing but fucked out shells of their normal selves as his hair fell away from his face and Keisuke instinctively began bouncing himself on Shuji’s cock.

“Shit-” You licked your lips at the sight of them both and you tightened your grip on Keisuke’s cock. Leading him to fuck your fist each time he lifted off of Shuji’s member. Fucking your fist as Shuji let him fuck himself on his cock. Looks be damn Keisuke was putting on a hell of a show like this, “Look at him go. Fucking himself on your cock Shuji. He’s such a good boy.”

Through clenched teeth Shuji let a groan leave him. Bringing his hands to Keisuke’s hips. Gripping them until the pale flesh dimpled under his touch and Shuji guided him to a steady pace of bouncing as he continued to ride him with minimal effort on his end, “Such a good fucking boy- Mmm fuck he’s tighter stoned.”

“You gonna blow your load that easy~?” You can help the lewd teases falling from your lips. Fingers wrapped around Keisuke’s cock as you pump him to a steady rhythm of Shuji’s thrusts. Making sure if he isn’t having his guts rearranged by Shuji’s cock, then he’s fucking your fist in the mean time. 

“Fuck you I won’t-” Shuji manages through clench teeth. His grip on Keisuke’s hips certain to leave bruises at this point. No way he’s stopping though with the way his ass keeps pushing back onto him like he’s going to die. Only leaving Shuji wanting to shove himself deeper in Keisuke’s guts.

No longer ignoring the burning ache between your own legs. Your hand leaves Keisuke’s cock only for a moment as you resituate. Spread legs and access to your soaked slit. One hand returns to his cock certainly. But the other finds it’s way between your legs. Slipping down your puffy wet cunt lips. For two fingers to find either side of your budding clit. Hard as Keisuke’s cock in your other hand. But much easier to rub as you begin playing with yourself just as your hand picks up sped stroking the poor cock of Keisuke’s.

“Fuck I wanna pump my load in you,” Shuji couldn’t keep his eyes off your show. Glistening fingers making him lick his lips. Cock twitching inside Keisuke as he pushed up inside him. Shuji knew where he wanted to dump his load this time. 

With the slap of skin on skin. Keisuke’s moans growing out of control. And your own building pressure leading up to the inevitable. It was a matter now of who would cum first. And unsurprisingly the new smoker who still had the buzz of your lips on his in his system. Keisuke without any warning came with a disgusting gush of cum up your forearm. 

Thick, sticky seed shooting half way up your forearm. Keisuke nearly choking on his cry when pleasure forced him to shudder on Shuji’s lap. His cock slammed up against his poor prostate. And your fingers curling tighter around him. The two of you milked Keisuke of his soul in that very moment. Until he left all his cum on your arm and a few flecks that landed on your thigh. His poor cock twitching even after you let go. And not a drop of cum was leaving him. Shuji grabbed his hips and forced Keisuke to keep the same pace just a little longer on him. Curses leaving his lips as he grew closer. Feverishly rubbing your clit to the motions of his thrusts you cooed and encouraged Shuji to cum just as you began to reach your own.

“Fuck-!” One motion he withdrew himself from Keisuke. Pushing him down to be caught by you. Fucked out expression on his pretty face. It wasn’t what Shuji was aiming for. His fist tight around his cock the man pumped himself a few more times before letting out a low guttural growl. Cum spilling out over your cunt and your fingers. Shuji admired his stomach flexing and his hips pushing out into his fist as his load landed on you. Cum dripping from your fingers. Smeared on your clit. Drooling down to your untouched hole. He licked his lips and didn’t even notice Keisuke staring at you as well. Both men enthralled when you rubbed Shuji’s cum into your clit and came on your own to fingers. 

Abused bud throbbing against your own touch. You bucked up and screamed both their names as if they weren’t already watching you in the throws of your orgasm. Cunt twitching with nothing inside it but the rippling affect of your orgasm stealing your sanity from you until you had to collapse like one big sigh. Fingers still tucked against your clit but no longer even rubbing. You let out a relaxing sigh before opening your eyes to see both men staring at you.

“What?” You asked with a grin as you slowly start to rub your juices into the already present mixture of Shuji’s cum on your cunt.

Keisuke licked his lips almost falling into you as he stared at your cum covered slit, “I...I wanna cum on you like that.”

Then you looked over to Shuji who was grinning as he sat back on his haunches, “What?....I wanna fuck his cum into you.”

Cheeks absolutely on fire from smiling. You lay back on the bed sprawled out and feeling your insides begging for them, “Well good, gimme another hit and lets see if you both fit in me.”

#tokyo revengers x reader #tokyo revengers smut #tokyo revengers baji #tokyo revengers hanma #tokyorev x reader #tokyorev smut #tokyorev hanma #tokyorev baji #tokyo rev smut #tokyo rev x reader #baji keisuke #baji keisuke smut #baji keisuke x reader #hanma #hanma shuji #hanma shuji smut #hanma shuji x reader #hanma x baji #shuji hanma #shuji hanma smut #shuji hanma x reader #keisuke baji #keisuke baji smut #keisuke baji x reader

[lovedrunkheadcanons]

Chapter Contents

(Arranged Marriage Fic) Read on AO3

Rated M

It was late May when Hannah received a letter inviting her for tea at Lady Inumaki’s home.

Like the Gojo estate, The Inumaki residence was built in the samurai style with shoji panels and tiered roofing, but more modern than its neighbors, and much smaller. While the house was within walking distance, Hannah was accompanied by Mr. Ijichi, who left her waiting outside the entrance at 3 o’clock. She used the brass ring to knock on the door.

Anxious, she smoothed the front of her blush pink kimono, hand painted with spring blooms and blades of silver mountain grass. A metallic obi with pastel pink, green, and blue flowers held the silk together. Makoto pinned two silver combs into her braided updo. The combination of pink and silver made her feel less intimidating. A safe choice. This visit was important.

After being received by a servant who guided her through the house, Hannah was led inside an ochre walled tearoom. Lady Tomoe Inumaki and her sister, Ms. Takara Shimoda, rose from the floor and bowed. They were both clad in elegant kimonos, hued blue and yellow, and their matching platinum blonde hair was styled in sleek, clean knots. A meal had been prepared on a table. The servant from earlier brought out a fresh pot of tea, but they could all relax. This was not a ceremony.

They kneeled down. Hannah read the calligraphy on a hanging scroll inside the tokonoma; “Five Friends Beneath The Setting Sun” it read. A tortoise and a crane, the symbols of longevity and power, were surrounded by groves of bamboo, yellow narcissus, and plum trees (the three friends of spring) beside a gentle flowing stream. Hovering in the sky above was a bright round sun the color of a grapefruit, all auspicious omens.

“Your husband has been good to my family, Gojo-san,” Tomoe began, bowing her head a second time. “For that you are always welcome in my house.”

“Thank you, I’ll be sure to tell him you said that,” Hannah said. “And please, there’s no need to be so formal. Hannah-san is fine.”

Takara seemed rather taken by this. “So, how are you liking our little country, Hannah?” she asked, forgoing honorifics. “It must be quite different from what you’re accustomed to.”

Hannah gave a timid laugh. “True, it is different, but in a good way. Satoru’s taking me to visit the Tama Botanical Park this weekend. I’m excited to see it.”

“Ah, the Asakawa Experiment Forest, yes, yes, how lovely.” Lady Tomoe lifted a beautiful Noritake teapot, filigreed in gold leaf and magnolias. There was a certain gleam in her maple brown eyes as she poured her guest’s cup. “Speaking of which, are the two of you, you know…getting along?”

Hannah’s smile waned as she brought the steaming cup on her lap. They were now talking about her relationship with her husband. She peered down. Her reflection blended with the freshly poured tea.

They were comfortable with each other, sure. Satoru made his usual rounds; asking her how she was; whether she slept well; what’s her favorite color? (golden poppy) This quickly morphed into a game, one which Hannah thoroughly enjoyed, parroting her own inquiries straight back; when was his next mission; did he have enough Bufferin tablets; what flavor licorice did he like best? (watermelon)

They ate their meals together. They went for morning jogs up the mountains till only the crowns of the pines could be seen and their lungs short of breath. Hannah noticed her biceps bore definition after completing push-ups and she could run for longer distances without getting tired. Satoru had begun instructing her how to kickbox; how to bend her knees and square her shoulders and punch a cushion on his right hand. In the afternoon, they watched movies together and sometimes Satoru would teach her how to play Go, moving black and white stones atop a grid board to try and capture the other’s pawn. But when Tomoe was asking whether she and Satoru were “getting along,” Hannah felt she was really implying something else and chose the less complicated reply.

“I’d say we’re in a better place than where we started.”

Tomoe exhaled at this with mixed relief. “I really worry for these newer couples,” she opined, taking a sip of her tea. “My husband and I grew up together. In the olden days that’s how it used to be. Now when there’s a marriage, the bride and groom are lucky if they get to meet an hour before the wedding.”

“Have any of the other families invited you for a visit, Hannah?” Takara asked, slightly veering off topic. “It’s traditional for the women of each house to welcome new wives into their homes as a sign of respect.”

Hannah’s expression dimmed. She set her teacup on the table. “No, Takara-san,” she said. “You two are the first.”

This came more of a shock to Tomoe than it should have, causing her to miss her mouth and spill tea over her front. She let out a tiny yelp as the hot liquid seeped through her kimono and burned her skin.

“But that can’t be,” she said, frantically dabbing her front with a cloth. “You’re Gojo Satoru’s wife, the lady of a great house. You must’ve received gobs of congratulatory letters following the wedding.”

Hannah bowed her head. “I received many such letters, Inumaki-san, but no invites.”

“Please, are you really that surprised, Tomoe?” Takara huffed, rolling her eyes at her sister.  “After what they did to Kumari last year?”

Hannah tilted her head. “Kumari?”

The younger sister handed Tomoe another napkin and refilled her tea cup. “Chauhan Kumari was one of the first international students ever admitted to Jujutsu High, and the first from India,” she explained. “The prodigy was sought after for her rare ability, a special sealing technique not seen in ages. She studies cursed objects for that very reason.”

Hannah nodded, but was still perplexed. “Then what was the problem, if her technique was so rare?”

“Well, as it so happens, she fell in love with her former classmate,” Tomoe added, no longer fussing with her kimono. “Tensions arose when they married last year.”

Ah, now Hannah better understood the issue and winced. “I'm guessing neither family took it well.”

“No, not quite.” Tomoe shook her head. “Kumari-san’s family welcomed Ichiro with open arms. It was his family, the Kamo’s, who weren’t keen on the idea and stripped him of everything he set to inherit. It didn’t matter that the Chuahan’s had money either. His parents couldn’t stomach the fact their son had married a …” she stopped herself short, appearing guilt stricken.

They waited.

“A foreigner?” Hannah finished for her.

Gaijin.

An outsider.

Both Tomoe and Takara averted their eyes. She had spoken the unvarnished truth so plainly.

“Yes,” Tomoe said, disheartened. “A foreigner.”

For most Japanese, the word “gaijin” was met with indifference. A foreigner was simply that; someone not from Japan. No big deal. But to the jujutsu aristocracy, where bloodlines and ancestral pedigree ruled the roost, it was almost always meant as a form of insult; something less than; a lower being.

It was the worst kept secret. Interview them off the record and you’d find roughly eighty percent of sorcerer families condemned bigotry towards foreigners. “Many of my best friends are foreigners,” they would tout, “I’m offended you’d have me think that.” Cram those same individuals in a room, however, and you’d garner a very different response. Satoru despised this two-facedness more than anything. “Cowards, all of them,” he would seethe, along with some other choice words. Him marrying a girl from England had probably unleashed a silent outcry not felt since his family gained the upper hand after he mastered Hollow Purple. They were outwardly showing their displeasure by pretending to be happy for them; attending the wedding; offering their congratulations with beaming fake smiles, then leaving Hannah out in the cold as they did Kumari the previous year.

For Hannah, this was nothing new. The West had their own biases against outsiders, ones she once believed to be fact; Jujutsu sorcerers were a barbaric lot, drunk on power, and not to be trusted. They were dangerous as they were backwards. Their esoteric religion spat in the face of God and infighting culminated between the families like wildfire. Whether the Western world saw the dueled irony in these accusations, Hannah wasn’t sure. Prejudice was bred from ignorance, not knowledge. When you point a finger, you point three fingers back at yourself. Her time with the Sisters of St. Horatia mellowed her viewpoint some.

“Ichiro took his wife’s last name after the fall out,” Takara spoke, trying not to sound so glum. “They recently moved to Minato City not long ago with their son.”

“I’ll be sure to invite them over for tea next time you visit,” Tomoe chimed. “Tell your husband he’s welcome too.”

Hannah's face brightened at the mention. “Thank you, Tomoe-san. You’re too kind.”

The three women were then interrupted by a short sneeze.

“Ah-cho.”

They twisted their heads to see.

Through a narrow slit in the door, Hannah saw a pair of curious brown eyes flickering back at her. She caught a swoosh of platinum blond, along with oddly painted lips and a small nose, before the door slid shut.

“Ah, that would be my son,” Tomoe chuckled, knowing exactly who it was. “Toge, quit snooping and come introduce yourself to our guest.”

But the door failed to open. A ha-chikui could be heard singing “pir-r-r-r” from a neighboring tree like a taunt. Toge did not make an appearance.

Tomoe and Takara shared dispirited looks. Bowing to Hannah would have been easy enough, but with his vocabulary diminishing more and more, Toge’s confidence was then at an all time low. Forcing him to talk was like pulling teeth. There were only a number of words he could say without setting off an explosion, though his mother feared that if he stopped talking, he would never speak again and so it was better to keep trying. “Hello” and “My. Name. Is. Toge” were still safe to use, if he said them carefully.

“Oh well,” Tomoe sighed, masking her worry with a well rehearsed smile. “Perhaps another day then.”

She took a sip of tea.

Hannah kept staring at the door, but said nothing. Tomoe’s clipped tone hinted the conversation was over. Yes, perhaps another day.

The ladies soon finished their meal and Hannah was taken for a stroll in the garden.

Pic by Damien Douxchamps

Like ducklings, Takara and Hannah followed Tomoe outside. They took turns leaning over the washbasin by the door, dipping the wooden ladle into the water and bringing it to their mouths, swishing it back and forth, then spitting it on the ground before washing their hands. This was a cleansing ritual, akin to visiting a Shinto shrine, or crossing oneself with holy water when entering a church. Gardens were sacred spaces.

The rules were easy: Stay on the path and don’t wander off. Focus your mind. Breathe. Reflect. You are a tiny speck floating aimlessly in this ever expanding universe. You are finite.

Hannah wiped her hands and took in the lush greenery.

Japan had over 200 registered public gardens, with three revered above all others: Kenroku-en (Garden of the Six Sublimities), Kairaku-en (Garden to be Enjoyed Together), and Kōraku-en (Garden for Taking Pleasure Later). Closed from the public, the Inumaki’s backyard was an intimate pond garden, inspired by the Buddhist temple, Renge-ji, dating back to the early Edo Period. A dirt path coiled its way around a modest pond, planted with fork moss, crepe myrtles, and azalea islands. Along this path were sweeping shrouds of black pines, their trunks hunched over as though blown by the wind. A thick fortress of bamboo kept intruders out. 

It had rained heavily that morning, growing hot and humid before the clock struck noon. Walking underneath the shady pines brought reprieve from the midday heat. Taking deliberate steps, the three women walked the route in silence. Breathing. Focusing. Reflecting. Hannah delighted in seeing a tree frog poke its head out of the pond, blink, then dive back down to escape potential danger. Birds chirped and warbled high in the trees: A nuthatch, a bamboo patridge, a brown-eared bulbul. The thick pine needles prevented her from viewing them, but she didn’t mind. She could hear every single one, the mountain wind whistling softly in her ears.

Mr. Ijichi was waiting outside the Inumaki house at 5 pm, as scheduled. Rejuvenated from the walk, Hannah bowed to her two hostesses, thanking them for their generous hospitality and made to leave, but Tomoe held her back.

“Hannah, before you go, there’s something I need to tell you.” She looked apprehensive as she said this. “It’s important.”

“Of course,” Hannah answered and turned to face the lady of the house.

Tomoe gestured for her sister to reconvene inside, which she did without argument, and once the two sorcerer wives were alone, Tomoe motherly clasped Hannah’s hand and said,

“I know it’s not my business to pry, so I won’t say much more, but if there’s one piece of advice I wish somebody had given me when I married Suga, it’s this,” she paused as looked at their clasped hands, “Whatever you and Satoru do, however your feelings are towards each other…don’t wait for children,” she squeezed a little tighter, “The sooner you have children, the less the wolves will have to sink their teeth into.

Hannah looked confused. “The wolves?”

Tomoe’s smile was contrite as it was foreboding.

“Please take what I’ve said to heart.”

Hannah was haunted by Tomoe’s words the rest of the way home, the implications hounding her like a starved predator. It was all she could think about. The wolves? Japan didn’t have wolves. Magical, maybe, but not real ones. They were hunted to extinction during the Meiji Restoration to protect against rabies and canine distemper; one of the many obscure facts she learned in the convents. Tomoe meant it as a metaphor.

“Did you have a nice visit, Hannah-chan?” Mr. Ijichi politely asked as they walked.

“Huh?” Hannah looked up, blinking. “Oh, yes, Ijichi-san, very nice.”

“Good. Lady Inumaki is known for her kindness.” He shows her a white paper bag. “Look, she even gave me anpan buns to take home. They’re still warm. Would you like one?”

Hannah shook her head. She wasn’t hungry.

The deputy director opened the bag and took out a sweet roll, steam fogging up his glasses. “You know, I was watching this documentary the other night,” he said, taking a bite. “About albatrosses.”

“Albatrosses?” Hannah said, feigning interest.

“Yeah, did you know they have the longest wingspan of any bird and can go whole years without landing?”

“No,” she replied. “I had no idea.”

“And also that some species can live past the age of fifty?”

“Fifty? My, that’s a long time.”

In one bite, Mr. Ijichi finished his pastry. “They mate for life too.” he added, licking his fingers. “Fifty years. Guess that makes albatross divorce rates pretty low.”

He laughed lightly at this joke, but Hannah didn't find it funny.

Wolves also mate for life, she thought. She had read so in a book. On average, a wolf’s brain is larger than a domesticated dog. They can perceive sounds up to 40 kilohertz away, twice the distance of a human. Their jaws are powerful enough to saw through bone. They take down bigger prey by hunting in packs and will kill intruders they see as a threat. When hunting, they begin by stalking the prey, separating it from the herd until it’s confused and disoriented, then unleash the finishing blow, carving a hole inside the vulnerable underbelly to devour the prey’s internal organs. Once disemboweled, the carcass is left for scavengers to peck and nibble at till nothing remains. And unlike most social hierarchies within the animal kingdom, it’s the alpha female who makes the decisions; where to go, what to hunt, when to mate.

Is that the threat Tomoe warned her against? The women? Were they the wolves?

“Think of all the chicks they hatch. That’s practically one chick every year.”

Ah, yes, that was the more pressing issue; Children. 

Two months in and Hannah was not pregnant. She and Satoru had not consummated their marriage. She was still a virgin, unsure how to proceed.

At the age when most kids were learning how to ride a bicycle, Hannah was learning how to replace the hydraulic filter on a tractor. When students were simulating volcano eruptions with paper mâché and vinegar, Hannah was studying the chemical processes used for brewing beer. Nuns and religious sisters tended to be tradesmiths and licensed professionals. They were farmers, ranch handlers, and brewmasters. Physicists, engineers, doctors, and social workers, each using their combined talents to help serve the local community.

So contrary to popular belief - Galileo notwithstanding - Hannah was well versed in the sciences. She knew how sex worked, what body part went in which orifice, how sperm met egg, etc. In fact, she knew that if you plopped a male and a female alone together on a deserted island, both with no sexual education whatsoever, they would eventually, given time, figure out how to reproduce. What Hannah did not know, however, were the social cues leading up to the act itself. How could you tell whether a man was interested? What were you supposed to say? What did you do? Hannah was still learning how to search the internet on her mobile phone. The novels she swiped off library shelves in the convents were of no help either, granting little more than a chase kiss on the cheek, or a soft caress. And the book's perspective was almost always taken from the woman, not the man.

“…and that’s when I said, ‘Masamichi-sama, you should try snail oil. It’ll clear those up in a jiffy...”

Mr. Ijichi ceased talking about albatrosses and was now divulging his opinions on skincare. Hannah wasn’t listening.

The real question was, did Satoru want to have sex with her? They were two months into their marriage, around the same time it took for a dating couple to decide whether they wanted to continue pursuing each other, and he had not offered to share his bed once. Neither had she, of course. Did that make it her fault somehow? Was she lacking in some area for him? Too foreign? Too short? Too boring?

No, you’re doing it again, Hannah, she mentally chastised. You’re overthinking things. Marriage isn’t based on attraction, it’s based on consent, yes, consent. He doesn’t have to find you attractive. You just have to do the deed and move on.

And while she thought this, her mind reeled back to the man she’d come to know the last two months; The way his tongue stuck out when he was strategizing how to beat her at Go, or laugh at a corny joke he thought was funny. How he would saunter back behind the kitchen and help Makoto clean the dishes after dinner. How every fleeting glance from his turquoise blue eyes; in the hallway; at the table; up in the mountains where only the tops of the pines could be seen, made her beating heart skip and her stomach do summersaults.

The band of gold on her finger tightened as did the ache in her chest, jealous and longing.

I want it to be me.

Hannah and Mr. Ijichi didn’t have much farther to walk. They reached the limestone gates in fifteen minutes. Hannah waved goodbye to the deputy director and scissored up the path towards the house alone, but rather than taking the shorter route, she made a left for the strolling gardens. More fresh air was what she needed.

Hannah looked out at the lake and watched a lone dragonfly land atop the water and kiss the surface for a quick drink, sunlight hitting its lustrous wings to generate the spectrum of a rainbow. It hummed as it flew off. Willow trees swayed in the eastern wind, their long, slender branches dipping into the waterfront like paper streamers. A bed of blue irises were budding close to the shore. She already missed the sakura blossoms. Cherries would replace them come summer.

Sister Edith often said that to walk in nature was to witness a thousand miracles. “We pass by them everyday, mon chérie,” she would sigh, shaking her head. “But we have grown blind. What will it take for the scales to fall from our eyes?” Hannah didn’t have an answer. She was feeling blind as of late. Blind to her husband’s intentions, blind from doubt. Where were they headed in this marriage?

She had just made it over the second bridge next to the teahouse, past a two-hundred year old maple tree, when suddenly she caught the sound of an animal in distress.

“Mmrooww,” it yowled, followed by the rattling of leaves and an angry hiss. “Mrrooow-row.”

Hannah knew what made that noise. Blimey, that was one unhappy cat.

But where was it?

“Meow.”

Hannah spun herself around, looking east to west, and quickly eyed a fluffy white tail poking out the side of a mulberry bush, making the plant look like a handle-less teapot. She soon discovered what had the kitty so upset.

Looking to rub its whiskers along something rough, the cat got its collar snagged on a prickly branch. It tried pulling away, but the branch wouldn’t relent, as though punishing the kitty for trespassing. Now the poor thing was stuck.

It yowled again.

“Hold on, I’ve got you.” Hannah began sifting through the branches to reach the feline. He was wedged fairly deep. She risked ruining the shrub.

Spooked by the stranger, the cat began thrashing and biting wildly, clawing Hannah’s arm by accident. “Ow — No, if you keep tugging on it like that, you’ll choke.” She managed to hook her finger underneath the collar and slide it off the branch. There.

Realizing he was free, the feline popped out the mulberry bush and shook the dirt and leaves from his long white fur, bell collar jingling. Though unlike normal felines, this kitty didn’t run away and hide, twisting his head around to lick the plant residue off his shoulder.

Hannah got on her knees and held out her hand, making “kissy” noises. The cat stopped licking, raised his bushy tail, and sauntered right up, rubbing his teeth and whiskers along her fingers and purring appreciatively. She laughed.

“You’re welcome.” Hannah began scratching him behind the ears. He had the darlingest blue eyes she’d ever seen on a cat. “Don’t worry about the knick you gave me. I know you didn’t mean it.”

The cat kept on purring, closing his eyes so it appeared he was grinning. Adorable.

As she continued scratching, Hannah gently pulled the inscribed tag on his collar, keeping it still for her to read:

幽霊

She smiled.

“Ghost, is it?” she said. “Well, your owner has a sense of humor, I’ll give them that.”

Ghost’s whiskers twitched at the sound of his given name and yawned.

There was no phone or vaccination number on the collar from what Hannah could tell, though obviously the cat belonged to someone. It’s possible he had a microchip. Only one way to find out.

“You’re coming with me.”

Ghost gave no objection to being held by his rescuer and tucked his paws inwards so he could curl into a ball, purring, trilling, tail swishing. This human was nice and warm and gave good pets. He was scared, but not anymore. Time to take a nap.

The cat dozed contentedly in Hannah’s kimono wrapped arms the rest of the walk home, his fur so flocculent it looked as though she were cradling a big wad of cotton. Whoever owned the fella groomed him well. He was clearly loved. Hopefully, Makoto wouldn’t be mad at the pet dander accumulating on her kimono.

It wasn’t until Hannah slipped off her sandals and entered the main hallway when she heard they had visitors. Loud visitors.

“Idiot, how many times do I have to say it? It’s senpai. Utahime-senpai. Show your seniors some respect and say it properly.”

Satoru chuckled.

“Sorry. No can do, U-tah-i-me,” he said, articulating each syllable in her name. “My house, my rules.”

Utahime wasn’t taking it.

“My god, you’re such a piece of shit, Satoru. That innocent act isn’t fooling anyone. We know he’s here already, so hand him over and we’ll be on our way.”

Satoru was so confused by this, he broke into actual laughter. “First off, your interrogation skills need work. Second, why the hell would I steal a cat? I don’t even like cats.”

A third voice disrupted their arguing.

“Joking aside, we could really use your help, Satoru,” said the third. “Normally I wouldn’t bring him to the lab, but I hate leaving him alone in the apartment while I‘m gone,” a winded sigh, “Guess it’s my fault he escaped.”

Utahime offered her friend support. “No, it’s not your fault, Shoko. I’m sure he’ll turn up eventually. We just have to keep looking.”

Now awake from his nap, Ghost’s ears twitched upon hearing the third person, Shoko, speak and sniffed the air. Uh oh. A sick empty feeling brewed in the pit of Hannah’s stomach. If indeed Ghost was their missing feline, which it’d be safe to assume he was by that point, then wouldn’t they insinuate her as the thief? She had the kitty in her hands for Pete’s sake.

Her budding nerves threatened to capsize her.

The wall partition separating the reception room from the main hallway was latticed entirely in washi paper. Had it not been for the colorful folded screens, painted in gold and dazzling peacocks, her silhouette would’ve been visible from the other side, but that wasn't the problem. Designed to only go one way, the hall had no means of escape. Should she walk back, the bamboo matting would alert the others of her presence and she’d be ousted. It was thanks to Utahime’s shouting that Hannah managed to make it this far.

“Well, if you see him roaming around, give me a call, alright?”

Foot-falls shuffled in Hannah’s direction.

Wait, no, no, no, no, no, no.

However, Ghost was done messing around. These humans were noisy, and his rescuer was squeezing him too tight. He started to fidget, growing restless and more agitated the tighter she squeezed. “Mrroow,” he growled. Hannah held onto him as best she could, but when his hind claws began digging underneath the kimono silk and pulling on her obi cord, she knew she’d lost. Like a wet bar of soap, the cat slipped out of her hands and dashed for his owner.  

Her cover was blown.

“I KNEW IT!!!” shouted Utahime, watching the cat appear out of the corner and rub against Shoko’s legs. She turned sharply around to jeer at her prime suspect. “I knew you were lying, you slimy haired weasel. Thought you could pull a fast one on us, did ya? Did ya?”

Satoru rolled his eyes. “I’m telling you, it wasn’t me.”

Happy to be reunited, Shoko picked her cat off the floor and stroked his fur. “Well, if it wasn’t you, how did he get in here?”

“It was me.”

All three sorcerers affixed their eyes upon the hallway, where a flustered Gojo Hannah emerged out the corner, hair and kimono disheveled. “I found him while in the garden.”

“Hehe, see, told you,” Satoru snickered. He knew his wife was standing there the whole time, trying to wrangle the pesky feline. He’d been tempted to alert the others, but thought it better to let the chips fall where they may. What were the odds she’d actually find Shoko’s missing cat and bring the fleabag home? She was always full of surprises. It left him wondering when they would begin discussing the visions.

In the meantime, Hannah was fiddling with the decorative knot on her obijime, which was close to coming undone.

“Here, let me help with that.”

Now able to match a face to the voice, the third person, Shoko, plopped Ghost back on the floor and walked behind Hannah to fix the knot. While not attired in her usual lab coat and heels, she still looked professional in a turtleneck and jeans. Her long chocolate brown hair was swooped in a lazy twist, showing the beauty mark under her eye. Hannah recognized the woman immediately.

“I know you,” she gaped. “You’re the one who handed me the water bottle.”

“Ah, so you remember,” cheered Shoko. “Good to know I can leave a lasting impression.”

“Hold it, you two met already?” both Satoru and Utahime asked in unison. “Since when?”

“I wouldn’t say we met,” answered Shoko, giving Hannah a wink. “More like crossed paths.”

“Uh, yeah. Crossed paths. Sure.” Hannah wanted to hide herself. A lot more happened between them than “crossing paths.” She had almost been caught hurrying the growth of a rose shrub.

Shoko’s companion, Utahime, pivoted back to Satoru, dressed down in a pair of denim shorts and a graphic tee. Her violet hair stuck out at the end of her baseball cap in a high ponytail. She placed both hands on her hips expectantly.

“Well?”

Six Eyes narrowed. “Well, what?”

“Aren't you going to introduce us?”

“Why do I have to introduce you?” He pointed his thumb. “She’s standing right there.”

Utahime pinched the bridge of her nose and drew in a sharp breath. “Because, doofus, it’s the polite thing to do, and you’re her husband. Why do men lack common sense when it comes to this stuff?”

“Fine.” Satoru walked behind his two comrades. “Shoko, Utahime,” he said, presenting with both hands, “This is Hannah.”

Hannah bowed. “Hello,” she said shyly, flattening her hair. “Please to meet you.”

In three long steps, Satoru backpedaled behind his wife.

He rested both hands on her shoulders.

Hannah couldn’t think of anything. Half the oxygen instantly vanished from the room as her heart did a double take. She smelled coffee and incense. His sweet breath tickled her ears, mouth hovering just inches above her nape. If she turned her head, their lips would surely touch. She shuddered.

“Hannah, these two are my colleagues,” he said, voice so smooth it made her want to melt. “Shoko is the doctor and top researcher on campus. And Utahime is — ”

Utahime seized Hannah by the wrist and dragged her from her husband’s arms, seeking refuge in the corner.

“Hi,mynameisUtahime.IteachattheKyotoschool. Okay, so I have to know,” she whispered.

Lost in a daze, Hannah couldn’t tell whether this person had spoken in tongues or crafted her own language. Speed talkers were difficult to translate.

Um…about what?” she asked, unsure why they were whispering. Now that they were close, the young wife could see the prominent scar slashed across the woman’s cheek and nose.

“Who else?” Utahime said. “That mop-headed manchild you married. Now tell me, does he leave his dirty laundry piled everywhere? Eat like a slob? Talk you half to death? I bet he’s unbearable to live with. He never shuts up.”

“I can still hear, you know,” Satoru commented from the sidelines.  

“So, is he?” Utahime persisted, ignoring him. “I understand if you don’t wanna say it out loud. I can’t stand him either.”

“Actually,” Hannah parted from Utahime and turned around to face her spouse, “Satoru has made life relatively easy for me. He’s been very generous,” she showed him a gentle smile. “More than I deserve, really.”

The pause was deafening.

Nobody spoke.

Nobody moved.

Unprepared for having received such a glowing compliment, Satoru felt the tips of his ears burning. He looked to the floor. That smile wasn’t fake. She meant every word. It made him wish they were true. Hannah deserved a lot more than he could give. She deserved the world, no, the universe.

He just recently learned about her love for gardening, both from the memories and the morning jogs they embarked together. Practically every tree, wild-flower, weed, and leaf they ran past, she could name without fail, teaching him the binomial nomenclature of each while relaying their medicinal properties. He had comprised a mental list:

Isha-koroshi (Bugleweed) / Ajuga decumbens: Perennial herb. Grows close to the ground. Spatula shaped leaves with small dark purple flowers. Boiling leaves helps burns and cuts. Drinking  decoction of seeds relieves stomach aches and gastrointestinal issues. Sprouts April to June.

Momi (Fir Tree) / Abies firma: Coniferous family. Oil can be extracted by grinding needles, wood, and bark. Used to treat symptoms relating to the common cold. Anti-inflammatory. (Same for pine, juniper, yew, and cypress).

Maruba-Utsugi (Deutzia) / Deutzia scabra: Deciduous shrub. Related to hydrangea family. White starlike blossoms. Bloom in May. Round leaves are edible when young. Eat as last resort.

The list went on.

He wished he had taken a snapshot of her face yesterday when he revealed they were adding an English garden on the estate; Pure. Gold. He might as well have sprouted angel wings and a halo. “You mean it?” she said in faint disbelief. “You’re giving me my own…?”

He nodded his head yes.

She wept like a baby, thanking him profusely over and over again. Almost June, they were too far in the spring to grow anything, so they planned to visit some local nurseries and gather ideas for October (the optimal planting time). Makoto thought it would be a good bonding experience.

“Hmmm.” Utahime cynically leaned over Hannah and arched her brow. “You sure he hasn’t misbehaved?”  

Hannah innocently raised her hands. “No, honest. Satoru’s been wonderful.”

Utahime held her chin, ruminating this quandary. “Generous” and “wonderful” weren’t words she would use to describe Satoru, more like “self-centered” and “egotistical,” but realizing Hannah wasn’t going to correct this mistake, she leaned away and sighed. “Well, alright. But if he starts any crap, you let me know, okay?”

“Hey, I’m not a delinquent,” Satoru whined, tired of her trash talking.

“But you act like one, so zip it,” Utahime spat and tapped Hannah’s arm. “Anyway, I’m serious. Let. Me. Know,” she handed her a piece of paper. “Here’s my number.”

“Okay,” Hannah said, taking the paper. “Thanks.”

Shoko bent down to retrieve her cat.

“On that cheery note, I think we’ll make like a banana and split. You ready, Utahime?”

Utahime checked her phone. “Oh, shoot. I didn’t realize it’s been that long.”

“Yeah, I think you’ve outstayed your welcome,” Satoru deadpanned. “Get lost.”

Utahime stuck her tongue at the Six Eyes wielder, who wiggled his own tongue right back. She was about to say more, but Shoko interrupted.

“Come along, Utahime. Let’s give the couple back their privacy.” She tugged on her friend’s collar, carrying Ghost under her arm. “See you around, Satoru. And it was nice officially meeting you, Hannah. Thanks for finding my cat.”

“Yeah, bye, Hannah,” Utahime added, waving goodbye. “We’ll go out for drinks sometime.”

“Wait, no goodbye hug for me, Hime-chan?” Satoru pouted, pretending to shed a tear. “I’m hurt.”

“I’d rather swallow iodine, you freak,” the Kyoto teacher snapped. “Call me that again and see what hap — ”

“Bye, bye, everyone,” Shoko finished, shoving her friend towards the door.

“Bye.” Hannah returned a friendly wave. “Janae.”

The doctor and teacher made their quick getaway, missing kitty in toe.

Hannah turned to her husband.

“Well, they seemed…nice.”

Satoru dropped the facade. “Not how I would put it.” Glad they were gone, he tucked his hands in his pockets and headed for the living room. “I’m bored, let’s go watch a movie. Mission Impossible 2 is next, I think.”

Hannah trotted softly beside him.  

“No, we’re on the third installment now, remember? Ethan managed to dodge Ambrose’s bullet and throw Luther the cure just in time so he could jab it into Nyah and prevent an outbreak.”

“Ah, that’s right, that’s right,” he chuckled, pointing a finger. “Keeping me on my toes, I see.”

“Of course,” Hannah giggled. “If I don’t, who will?”

Satoru nudged his wife with his elbow and blew her a raspberry. “If I don’t, who will?” he mocked.“My name’s Hannah and I own the place, rah, rah, rah.”

She choked on a giggle and tried shooing him away, which only prompted more ribbing.

Don’t ask her about tomorrow, the uncertainties, the what-ifs. Those she could fret about some other day. Right then, walking down that corridor, the world’s strongest sorcerer smiling at her with twinkling blue eyes, Hannah knew everything would be alright. She didn’t know how she knew this, but she did. Whatever the danger, they would rise up to meet it. Together.

Let the wolves come.

Chapter Contents

#satoru gojo #gojo satoru #gojo x oc #jjk #jjk fanfic #jjk x reader #gojo #jjk fluff #gojo x fem #Gojo Takes a Wife

[classicschronicles]

Hi lovelies,

Okay so my dad is going through a mid life crisis and has, I shit you not, brought a parrot. The parrots name is Juno, which is fitting because much like the goddess, it does not shut up. Anyways that being said I thought I would share a quick history of Parrots as pets, because, as so many things do, it finds it self rooted in the classical world.

Parrots were first domesticated by the ancient Romans and kept as pets as far back as up to 5000 years ago in Brazil, which we can gather from cave paintings of macaws. Interestingly enough, there are also ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics from 4000 years ago that depict what appear to be parrot pets. It is widely accepted that the parrots the ancient Egyptians kept were African Greys, which is what Juno is.

The first written reference to parrots was found in the ‘Ringveda’ (a piece of Indian literature) written more than 3000 years ago. By the 300 A.D., Chinese poetry described the idea of birds in cafes and birds housed in elaborate structured rimmed with jewels. Quick fun fact! The Kama Sutra (10th-13th century A.D.) states that one of the 64 requirements of a man was to teach a parrot to speak. Oh also another fun fact, but in ancient Indian civilisations, parrots were actually considered birds of love.

The first recorded presence of parrots in Europe was in 327 B.C. when Alexander the Great conquered India an took a rose-ringed parrot back to Greece. In true Alexandrian fashion he named the parrot and its family the Alexandrine Parrot (which we now class as a parakeet). In Ancient Greece, parrots soon became a symbol of wealth amongst the aristocracy. The philosopher Aristotle also had a parrot which he called Psittacae. This actually is the reason why the scientific name for the parrot family is Pscittacine. The earliest known reference to Parrots in European literature is also from around this time, where a description of a bird we now call a plum-headed parakeet is described as being able to ‘speak an Indian language’.

During the first millennium B.C. royalty and upper class families kept parrots in Asia and Africa. And as the Roman Empire came to prominence Psittacula parrots (talking parrots) became a huge deal amongst the upper classes, where professional parrot teachers were hired to teach the parrots latin. Which actually is quite impressive because genuinely you couldn’t teach me latin if you tried (again). But to be honest, the way they taught the poor parrots latin was brutal because Pliny the Elder says they used to hit the parrots on the head with iron bars.

Anyways, as the Roman Empire began to decline, so did peoples interests in parrots. The general curiosity surrounding them rise again in the Middle Ages when crusaders, merchants and explorers brought them across the seas. And once again, the were owned by the upper classes as a symbol of wealth.

Currently I am listening to my dad try to teach Juno Kutchi, which is actually quite entertaining. Anyways, parrots have always had a long and colourful (pun intended) history, and I think they’re another cool example of how almost everything finds it links back in the classical world.

~Z

#classical studies #dark acamedia #greek mythology #ancient rome #roman mythology #ancient greece #classics #ancient world #history #hellenic deities #parrots #Juno #hera goddess

[carlepalumbo]

DIY Red and Purple Bouquets: Tips and Tricks for Success

Crafting Stunning DIY Red & Purple Bouquets: Designs, Stems & Professional Tricks

Looking to brighten up your home or create one-of-a-kind gifts for loved ones with beautiful red and purple bouquets that won’t break budgets? With strategic planning and clever crafting skills, anyone can fashion professional-worthy arrangements rivaling florist quality.

Follow these handy DIY floral design tips and tricks for selecting, prepping and creatively combining crimson blossoms, violet blooms and complementary greenery into striking mixed media masterpieces even novice arrangers will adore.

Choosing Eye-Catching Focal Flowers

The possibilities for red and purple bouquets are nearly endless thanks to the rainbow of shades and flower types available from vivid fuchsia dahlias, wine-hued calla lilies and scarlet roses to muted burgundy mums, deep plum ranunculuses and vibrant violet orchids.

When designing DIY arrangements, limit your focal flower selection to 2-3 bloom varieties at varying heights and shapes for balanced interest. Classic rose and carnation mixes remain easy starters. For bolder palettes, contrast standards like red roses with unexpected picks like exotic purple clematis vines or velvety amaranthus.

Don’t overlook single stems like giant red amaryllis or regal, ruffled parrot tulips to anchor mixed bouquets with focal drama against mixed fillers. Play with different jug, cascade or hand-tied bouquet shapes for customized memorable gifts.

Selecting Complementary Greenery

The right foliage frames and highlights bouquet blooms rather than competing or blending into the backdrop. When matching greenery to red and purple focal flowers avoid pale variegated varieties that diminish vibrancy. Instead opt for deep emerald palm fronds, olive eucalyptus, peppers bush branches or jade ivy vines to intensify saturation.

For lighter accents, add fine-textured ferns like emerald ruscus or fluffy leatherleaf fern to add organic contrast against smooth flower petals and spiky stems. Ornamental grasses infuse modern sleekness and wheat-hued interest to round out arrangements.

Prep Your Stems & Foliage

Proper stem prep hydrates flowers, prevents wilting and sustains vase life for the best display. Recut all flower and foliage stems by removing 1-2 inches with floral shears at sharp 45-degree diagonal angles before submerging in tepid water overnight.

Trim thorns off rose stems to prevent tangled messes and painful pricks when arranging. Carefully strip away lower leaves from woody branches and thick herbage plants to expose more vascular tissues for maximum water uptake while avoiding damaging sap secretions from cuts.

Professional Tricks for Handling Delicate Blooms

Speedy but gentle handling preserves delicate petals looking lush for longer in completed bouquets. Pinch and anchor focal flower heads gently with one hand while snipping their stems with the other. Arrange groupings in shallow pans of water until assembly to avoid crushing delicate petals under pile-ups.

Lightly crush some juicy herb stems like parsley or basil into the water to organically fight bacteria growth and nourish thirsty picks like amaryllis or orchids during the design process.

Creatively Construct Balanced Bouquets

When assembling mixed red and purple arrangements, loosely follow classic bouquet formulas starting with primary focal flowers first. Group multiples of your spotlight blooms like roses or orchids through the center and top third of the bouquet base. Next intersperse complementary secondary blooms like spray roses, carnations or mums for support.

Then strategically tuck foliage, fillers and accents throughout for unite and added fullness. Finally, carefully secure with floral tape or wire just tight enough to stabilize without damaging delicate stems. Trim bottom ends evenly to complete professional plush domed or conical floral designs ready for gifting.

Find Suitable Vessels to Showcase Creations

With so much creativity invested selecting and arranging exquisite blooms, display finished bouquets in vessels that maintain their splendor instead of hiding unique designs. Clear glass vases keep arrangements visible while preventing snagged stems. Neutral metallic urns and decorative ceramic pitchers nicely complement rich red and purple hues without competing.

For casual affairs, try vibrant painted enamel or hammered metal buckets to play up bright, bold blooms with coordinating containers. Remember scale too—choose narrow openings and thinner vessels for hand-tied bouquets or wide-mouth larger containers suitable for luxurious garden-styled arrangements.

Ignite Artistry with Eye-Catching Red & Purple Bouquets

With a passion for flowers and a little basic guidance, fabulous DIY red and purple bouquets await inspired hobbyists and hopeful romantics alike this season.

Have fun selecting vibrant chromatic stems or experimenting with monochromatic purple palettes framed by festive silver and green accents. Whether gifting someone special or reenergizing home decor, embrace flowers’ transformative powers merging nature’s beauty and human expression uniquely each time.

[mevvsan]

Let me introduce you to the new bird squad. Behind the scenes I've been asked to make a lot of different custom birds based on my original budgie pattern and I finally decided to release a few more as patterns over on Etsy and Ravelry. We got the ever popular african grey, the charming indian ringneck, and the surprising favorite plum-headed parakeet.

Do you have a bird that you would like to see be made into a plush? Let me know in the comments. I love taking suggestions.

Also, to celebrate their release, all patterns over on my Etsy shop will be 20% off this weekend, including the pattern bundles. 😲

#mevvsan #crochet #amigurumi #crochet pattern #plushie #plushtoy #bird #parrot #parakeet #african grey #plum-headed parakeet #yarn #craft #handmade #cute #kawaii

[jak67vhug]

BUY PLUM HEADED PARAKEET -  Online Parrot Store

https://www.onlineparrotstore.com/product/buy-plum-headed-parakeet/

BUY PLUM HEADED PARAKEET ONLINE. Plum-headed Parakeet are third parakeets after Rose-ringed Parakeet (Indian Parrot) and Slaty-headed Parakeet (Himalayan Parrot) which I will impart to you. As of late, I found that a parrot was attempting to definitely stand out. From the get go look, I felt that it very well might be a slaty-headed parakeet; notwithstanding, after looking into it further, I saw that this parrot has a pinkish head.

On some hunt, I observe that it is a Plum-headed Parakeet which is for the most part found from the lower regions of Himalaya to Srilanka. In Plum-headed Parakeet, the male Parakeet has a pinkish head while female parakeet has a dim head.These Parakeets are generally excellent in flying and they can make fast exciting bends in the road. The male Plum-headed Parakeets are greater in size and are more beautiful than female Plum-headed parakeets.

Email : [email protected] Phone : [phone] - 3717

#buy a plum headed parakeet buy plum headed parakeet Buy Plum Headed Parakeet Online Buy Plum Headed Parakeet Online For Sale how much is a p

[soulandfuel]

Bird ID : Plum-Headed Parakeet 🌟📸 By @tee_kaey_wildstories 🌟 The plum-headed parakeet is a mainly green parrot, 33 cm long with a tail up to 22 cm. The male has a red head which shades to purple-blue on the back of the crown, nape and cheeks, while the female has a blueish-gray head. There is a narrow black neck collar with verdigris below on the nape and a black chin stripe that extends from the lower mandible. Follow and support the photographer. Selected by : @soulandfuel 🎆Congrats for the feature🎆 ▶️Follow & use #birdphotographyworld to get featured on our page◀️ Image is a copyright of the photographer (at India) https://www.instagram.com/p/CkF2qm_PtYL/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#birdphotographyworld

[kcgillies]

What's the most beautiful parrot you've ever seen in person? For me, it has to be this guy, the plum headed parakeet. I've never seen a photo or a painting (including this one) that does justice to the eye-catching coloring of these guys, they are really something else. That purple head is so vibrant 💜💚 Fun fact, when we got Cricket, I actually wanted a plum headed parakeet. But Cricket made up his mind that he was coming home with us, so who were we to say no? 😂

#plum headed parakeet #vintage scientific illustration #scientific illustration #birding #bird art #scientificillustration #animalcreatives #ringneck parakeet #Asiatic parakeet #bird lover #parrot #bird life #bird mom

[todaysbird]

bird of the day: the plum-headed parakeet

the plum-headed parakeet is a small to medium sized parrot endemic to the indian subcontinent of asia. frequently confused with both the blossom-headed parakeet and slaty-headed parakeet, and once believed to be the same species as the blossom-headed parakeet, the species is now recognized as an individual one.

plum-headed parakeets are sexually dimorphic, meaning the male and female can be differentiated by sight. males have the bright ‘plum’ and red head, whereas females have a greyish blue head. females also have yellow around the collar.

young plum-headed parakeets have a green head, rather than plum or blue.

the plum-headed parakeet is relatively common in aviculture, and is fairly easy to keep. they are known to be considerably less territorial than most other parrots, and are frequently kept in mixed-species aviaries, as they’re relatively low risk. while they aren’t silent, they are also considered quieter than most other parrots. plum-headed parakeets commonly live 15-20 years in captivity, though they have been known to exceed 30.

in the wild, plum-headed parakeets live in large flocks, and feed off of grain, fruits, and blossoms. males court females with beak rubbing and courtship feeding. due to releases of captive birds, the parakeets have established small populations in new york, florida, and the middle east.

plum-headed parakeets are threatened by habitat loss encroaching on their native range. luckily, their numbers are still high, and they are rated least concern by the iucn. let’s hope it stays this way!

image sources: (x)

#plum headed parakeet #parakeet #parrot #bird #birblr #bird of the day #bird info