#suntory time

[tsukiyamavalentine]

Also didn’t take any photos but the rose garden at Kew is unbelievable. I’m very much a casual rose enjoyer (mainly bc of Shuu) but holy cow they had the most beautiful colours.

#i think my favourite roses are pink ones and yellow ones #i like suntory roses bc they remind me of shuu #flower time

[tvwolfsnake]

thinking about it more I like sours (in the japanese chuhai-type sense, though the traditional kind is also good in a different way) because they answer my younger self's question of "outside of wine, which makes sense to me for some reason, why would I buy an alcoholic drink when it costs significantly more than my usual coke and usually tastes worse" by tasting fruity and fizzy and selling for about the same price as a soft drink. at that point if I'm with friends and already buying something that isn't water why not get a fun drink. responsibly

though funny enough I buy soda a lot less in restaurants here because 1. small cups 2. most places don't do free refills and 3. those that do have a drink bar setup, so it takes more effort to refill. so I'm pretty sure I do end up spending more on alcohol than soda after all

#my favorite sour though was actually the time I bought a lemon sour at an izakaya expecting the suntory metal cup #but because we'd ordered the huge size drinks out of curiosity I instead got a vodka soda. a halved lemon. and a juicer #was it better than the suntory? no. was it more fun? absolutely #also just a fresher taste than the hard lemonade vibe of the usual

[cominy-kiwami]

ah im dreaming about my first playthrough of yakuza 0 when i spent like 10 hours straight playing pool at the bar. im reminded of all the time i spent just loitering in the casinos in fallout new vegas. i love a loungey atmosphere i guess

#yakuza is probably giving me an unfair expectation of bars #whenever im in a yakuza phase i always wanna spend time in bars SO BAD #they make it seem like a den of opportunity #the thing where you take shots and play darts???? ughhhhhhhhhh #but then i look at all the product placement drinks they have AT the bars it makes me think its purposeful #like suntory and macallan probably really want this reputation #and besides im not the kind of guy who be magnanimous and talk to a stranger at a bar #meant to say 'can' in that previous tag

[zenigatacaps]

zenigata was in another suntory commercial, this time with fujiko!

#zenigata #fujiko #videos #misc #uploads #⭐️

[yamayuandadu]

thank you for the reply and the information! I was curious how the other fox would fit in with PCB Extra's metatextual mention of Three Lands, but I hadn't even considered it might be three worlds and not three countries. this is neat

(Original post for context)

I forgot I left the response to this in my drafts, sorry. Luckily, this means I could update it with recently acquired knowledge when I found it again. Truth to be told, my point is less that the other fox is a better match, and more that Ran being Tamamo no Mae is one of these things which make sense at first glance, but the deeper you look into it, the less coherent it becomes.

This got much longer than I planned, so for organizational purposes let's refer to this post as Revenge of the "graveyard god", or why I don't think Ran is Tamamo no Mae. More under the cut.

The early Tamamo no Mae

The main point of connection between Tamamo no Mae and Ran are the nine tails, but that’s not even really a consistent part of the former's background. The oldest version of the story - which is really fun, the seduction section is pages upon pages of Tamamo and emperor Toba discussing esoteric Buddhism -  states that she was “an 800-year-old two-tailed fox from the Nasuno Plain in Shimotsuke Province”. Early depictions of her true form follow this pretty closely:

Nezu Museum of Art, via Monsters, Animals, and Other Worlds. A Collection of Short Medieval Japanese Tales

Kyoto University Rare Materials Digital Library

Suntory Museum of Art

As far as I am aware, the two tails are actually unique to her. Other foxes of note have either one tail or nine. While it does seem the belief in the number of tails growing with age is genuine rather than a modern misconception, it’s hardly central to fox folklore (I’ve seen the portmoneu “foxlore” at least once btw, it’s very funny). And, as I will outline later, it doesn’t even seem to be behind the idea of nine-tailed foxes in the first place. Anyway, the oldest version does provide Tamamo with more backstory, but it’s closer to presenting Shuten Dōji as a manifestation of Mara than to a straightforward “Tamamo is x under a pseudonym” popular today. As we learn, the two-tailed fox is in fact a reincarnation of a “graveyard god” (塚の神, Tsuka no Kami) from India, described in the apocryphal Humane Kings Sutra (it gets namedropped directly), likely originally composed in China.

How come? It all started when Kalmashapada, a prince of Devala in India, wanted to offer 1000 skulls of virtuous rulers to this deity because a suspicious “heretical” preacher convinced him it’s a good idea. After defeating and imprisoning 999 such kings, he encountered Shrutasoma, one of the previous incarnations of the historical Buddha, who managed to show him the error of his ways. All of the kings were released, and Kalmashapada was redeemed. The “graveyard god” was less than thrilled, and swore to keep reincarnating as a fox in kingdoms where Buddhism flourished to destroy it. We are told that happened many times, but only one past identity, that of Bao Si (Hōji), comes up. Obviously, eighth century BCE China was not exactly an area famous for Buddhist devotion, but that’s irrelevant here. We are told the endgame is not just to overthrow a righteous ruler, but also to become his replacement. Alas, Tamamo no Mae obviously fails at both of these goals. Still, points for trying.

The story does not provide the deity with a specific identity. However, Nobumi Iyanaga notes that in the referenced sutra he’s Mahakala (the original Makakaraten version, not the joyful Daikokuten). In East Asian Buddhism he is described as dwelling in the graveyards due to acting as both the chief of dakinis and their subduer. At the same time, Iyanaga argues in the context of the Tamamo no Mae story it can be argued he is either implicitly replaced by the dakini par excellence, Dakiniten (closely associated with foxes), or that the deity has no identity other than the fox one.

Later Tamamo developments

Two elements which are mainstays of modern retellings are missing from the oldest version, as you might have noticed. It doesn’t feature the Sesshōseki, which was only added later, seemingly as a way to promote Zen Buddhism, since this extension of the story casts a member of this school as the new protagonist. In the early variants Tamamo’s corpse was brought to the imperial treasury, the same one which shows up in a similar context in the tale of Shuten Dōji, and there is no indication she came back as a vengeful ghost, let alone that she repented and accepted Buddhism, as she does in some of the Sesshōseki variants.

The other difference is, as I already pointed out, the tails. The oldest depiction of a nine-tailed Tamamo no Mae I am aware of is Sekien’s. Based on a few papers I read it would appear textual variants of the story giving her nine tails might have been in circulation earlier, but that’s not reflected in any of the illustrated scrolls shown above. 

Sekien's nine-tailed Tamamo (wikimedia commons)

Sekien claims that Tamamo no Mae is one and the same as Daji (I’ll get back to her later), and specifies the latter was a nine-tailed fox. He cites Zhang Dingsi’s Langye Dai Zui Bian (浪挪代醉編, “Langye’s Substitute for Drunkenness: A Compilation”) as his source for this tidbit, but does not explain where does the conflation of the two foxes come from. In contrast with the elaborate reincarnation scheme from the older version, he states Daji simply flew across the sea to reach Japan, without reincarnating.

What is now essentially treated as the “definitive” version of the Tamamo no Mae story, and what cemented her image as a nine-tailed fox, only dates back to 1805. That’s when Ehon Sangoku Yōfuden (絵本三国妖婦伝; “Tales of Enchantresses in the Three Kingdoms”) finished publication. The author, Ranzan Takai (高井蘭山), was an enthusiast of neo-confucian thought, and he wanted to write a story highlighting the time honored confucian belief that dynasties are brought down by suspicious concubines. The real goal was somewhat broader, though -the story of Tamamo no Mae was essentially repurposed as a critique of the concept of women playing an important role in public life.

It needs to be noted here that it is not impossible that the original was already part of a political polemic. Arguments have been made that Tamamo is a fictional representation of Bifukomon-in, for instance. They are certainly linked to the same emperor, Toba.

Bifukomon-in (wikimedia commons)

However, while I would not rule this out altogether, it’s hard to deny the typical medieval penchant for reinterpreting Buddhist material feels more central to the story. It is ultimately a very elaborate twist on the Humane Kings Sutra first and foremost. It belongs to the same world as other fabulous tales about figures from distant Buddhist lands arriving in Japan, alongside the likes of the legend of emperor Suwa of Hadai or the medieval Amaterasu narrative involving Mara (stay tuned for my post about that one).

Ideological motivations aside, in Ranzan’s version an anonymous nine-tailed fox appears as Daji in China, Kayō in India (seemingly a leftover of the original “graveyard god” story; here the prince is convinced to carry out his evil plans by his concubine instead though), and finally Tamamo no Mae in Japan. He also gives a unique account of Tamamo’s arrival in Japan, as far as I am aware: in his novel, she was brought there by Kibi no Makibi, a famous historical envoy to China. This was not his first time as a literary character, a much earlier picture scroll about his adventures is pretty funny (I have Touhou ocs based on it), but I’ll save this discussion for another time.

Not quite Tamamo: the influence of Daji

Daji, as depicted by Hokusai (wikimedia commons)

Daji requires some further discussion. She was initially regarded simply as a non-supernatural wicked concubine, but came to be treated as a fox posing as a human by the Song period. According to Xiaofei Kang the oldest evidence for that comes from 1101, from a Japanese text presumably reflecting an already extant Chinese belief. By the Yuan period it became a commonly accepted view, with Quanxiang Pinghua (全相平話) specifically stating Daji had nine tails. Her fox-like image was finally cemented fully by popular novels in the Ming and Qing periods.

Since there was a preexisting tradition in which Daji was a human woman, a remedy was developed: the “real” Daji was possessed by a fox, who took her name and identity. Curiously, the fox component of her story is otherwise not very important, and some modern authors basically characterize it as “tacked on”: she is the quintessential evil concubine bringing kingdoms to ruin out of a sense of cruelty who just happens to be a fox, and her story doesn’t really depend on preexisting fox-related motifs. 

There are multiple accounts of Daji’s deeds, but the most famous one, and at the same time the most likely influence on Razan’s portrayal of her (and thus Tamamo), is Investiture of the Gods. However, he skips the origin attributed to her here: in the Chinese original, Daji is an agent of the goddess Nuwa, though she eventually overdoes it and is rebuked by her former boss for excessive cruelty. This doesn’t really fit well with Tamamo’s backstory, obviously; making her and Daji interchangeable was detrimental to both characters, I feel. A Chinese story dealing with Daji reincarnating does exist, but it’s not exactly similar. In the Ming novel Zhaoyang Qushi (昭陽趣事) she reincarnated as Zhao Hede, a concubine of emperor Cheng of Han. What happens next has been described as “pornographic entertainment enlivened by supernatural and historical costumes”. For more details, check out Rania Huntington’s book from the bibliography below.

Curiously, it is possible Daji was simultaneously an object of active cult, since there is a Song imperial edict outlawing the shrines dedicated to her, Wutong (a southern Chinese spirit who was believed to bring wealth and bewitch people, compared with foxes in the north) and “General Shi” (no clue who that might be, I’d hazard a guess one of the popular pacified vengeful spirit cults but don’t quote me on that). However, another contemporary source instead mentions the outlawing of temples of “fox kings”, so it might also mean that the name of Daji was applied by officials to an unrelated popular fox cult (“fox king” is a reasonably common appellation for supernatural foxes). Both regular and nine-tailed foxes are attested in such a context across history.

Early nine-tailed foxes

An early Chinese depiction of a nine-tailed fox (wikimedia commons)

The early portrayals of nine-tailed foxes are something I started looking into recently because of Ran’s freshly revealed connection to Yuuma: I figured it makes sense that she’d be in origin someone who belongs to the same world as the taotie.

Looking at the earliest Chinese sources, multiple nine-tailed foxes appear in legends about virtuous rulers like Tang, Wen or Yu the Great, essentially as generic good omens, without much fanfare. According to confucian commentaries from the Later Han period, the nine tails were understood as a sign a given emperor will have many descendants. The exception from this generally positive tendency is the Classic of Mountains and Seas, where the nine-tailed fox is described as “man-eating” (something very uncommon in Chinese fox literature). However, it also doesn’t exactly get more spotlight than the other creatures. It’s also treated as a separate animal from regular foxes, not as a particularly old fox. You could say it is to the fox what a bai ze is to an ox, I think. Visual arts add further specimens: the source of this discussion, the nine-tailed fox attendant of Xi Wangmu, later seemingly “decanonized”, and another belonging to the entourage of Zhong Kui. Both of these are hardly eminent and seem to fit the mold of auspicious omens. In Zhong Kui’s case the fox is in one case listed alongside the bai ze which only strengthens this impression. However, it also makes sense that its inclusion would reflect Zhong Kui’s role as a demon queller: he is often portrayed with conquered demons as servants, after all.

Conclusions

To sum up: ultimately it just doesn’t seem nine-tailed foxes are quite as big of a deal as popculture makes them seem, and nine tails are neither exclusive nor innate to Tamamo no Mae. Since that’s the only real point of connection between her and Ran save for a throwaway PCB line which leads to no further references, I maintain there’s no strong case for identifying them with each other, especially since there is no shortage of other candidates. 

There’s also the fact that, Daji aside, most other nine-tailed foxes are largely blank slates you can do anything with, while Tamamo has many fairly unique characteristics which would be wasted by randomly slapping her name on Ran, in my opinion. To be fair, ZUN does occasionally make similar mistakes - Yoshika is the main example (remember, the actual legend about Yoshika’s immortality claims he decided to pursue eternal life after having a thrilling affair and has him call himself “strongest madman under heaven”).

I would personally argue ZUN himself probably did not feel strongly about who Ran is supposed to actually be when he originally came up with her, though. None of her spellcards reference Tamamo no Mae. Or any other fox identified with her, for that matter. They do have a more or less consistent theme, but that theme is, broadly speaking, “magic arts”, from onmyodo (Shikigami "Banquet of the Twelve General Gods"), through shugendo (Illusion God "Descent of Izuna-Gongen", Shikigami "The Protection of Zenki and Goki", Superhuman "Soaring En no Ozunu") and esoteric Buddhism (Shikigami "Channeling Dakiniten", Esoteric Sign "Odaishi-sama's Secret Key"), to contemporary stage magic (Shiki Brilliance "Princess Tenko -Illusion-"). In other words, I do not think canon actually strongly supports any specific option. 

I will admit I’m biased but personally I think picking a different fox makes it much easier to accommodate Yuuma and their shared animal realm past, the most thrilling Ran development in ages. As for Tamamo, I do think she would be fun to see in Touhou, but preferably as her own character - with two tails, if possible.

Bibliography

Bernard Faure, The Power of Denial. Buddhism, Purity, and Gender

Rania Huntington, Alien Kind. Foxes and Late Imperial Chinese Narrative

Nobumi Iyanaga, Under the Shadow of the Great Śiva: Tantric Buddhism and its Influence on Japanese Mediaeval Culture

Idem, Dākinī in: Brill's Encyclopedia of Buddhism (vol. 2)

Xiaofei Kang, The Cult of the Fox: Power, Gender, and Popular Religion in Late Imperial and Modern China

Laura K. Nüffer, Lady Tamamo in: Keller Kimbrough and Haruo Shirane (eds.), Monsters, Animals, and Other Worlds. A Collection of Short Medieval Japanese Tales

Sumiko Sekiguchi, Gender in the Meiji Renovation: Confucian 'Lessons for Women' and the Making of Modern Japan

Chun-Yi Joyce Tsai, Imagining the Supernatural Grotesque: Paintings of Zhong Kui and Demons in the Late Southern Song (1127-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) Dynasties

#touhou #ran yakumo #tamamo no mae

[details2decern]

“I’m just dealing with what’s happening, with what is. Joy, happiness, good, bad, all those terms are meaningless to me.”

Harry Dean Stanton

Source: make-it-suntory-time

#harry dean stanton

[jmdbjk]

White Day, Pt. 1

 JK spent the evening of March 14 with us. As most of you know, White Day in South Korea is equivalent to Valentine’s Day in that the gift-giving and whatnot between lovers is switched and the giver becomes the receiver, etc. So at 8:11 (ahem) JK fires up Weverse Live and spends 49 minutes and 38 seconds with us and ends it right at 9:01 (ahem)...the giver that he is... We thank you Jungkookie.

He shares some TMI’s with us... never in a million years did I ever think I would be listening raptly as he tells about having a few zits extracted while at the skin clinic...

And how adorable while he was explaining the sous vide cooking technique. Sous vide is when you cook vacuumed sealed seasoned food, usually meat, in hot water of a certain temperature for several hours. Very time consuming but with delicious results.

I am surprised he had those bottles of whiskey right up in the camera. Weren’t we NOT supposed show or mention brand names during lives? Didn’t we get in trouble for that a while back and we were careful about avoiding that before? Hmmm?

Suntory is expensive Japanese whiskey. So was that Talisker whiskey. Johnnie Walker is the cheap stuff. 

And JK affirming that we do indeed only have one life and that life is short. According to Kookie, you must have fun and drink all the whiskey you want while you can...he spent quite a few minutes discussing alcohol because Armys in the comments were crossing that boundary big time when they really need to shut the fuck up and stop preaching and let the man live his life how he wants to. He can’t go out in public, he can’t have a relationship with someone else in public, and now y’all want to make him stop something he thoroughly enjoys while he’s doing it in his own home? Let the man indulge in the simple pleasure of having a drink for god’s sake. He’s going to enlist soon and he won’t even be able to do that when he wants to. 

He drifts through a playlist...more of a viber than a real listener. The two songs he did deliberately stop on were There for You by Troye Sivan and Mistletoe by Justin Beiber. He acknowledged that he associates There for You with he and Jimin’s trip to Tokyo. He also sang/hummed along to Mistletoe which is the song he and Jimin sang in Korean and posted it as Christmas Day only on Bangtan TV.

He obviously was trying to get a club vibe on and Armys were being so Mom about it. He was chit-chatting with us like we were all sitting around the table drinking and vibing at the club. I enjoyed our date. The fun police need to get lost.

According to him, it’s too late for him to learn English. I disagree. I am trying to teach myself Korean and I am a few years past the age of 25. It’s never too late. But I do agree that English is a hard language to learn. When you have words like clothes and close... their, they’re, there... you’re, your... see what I mean? But I think his attitude about learning English is just his personality dictating his thought process about it. 

He gave us an update on Bam, said he was doing better. He also reassured us that we’d see him and Bam together again later... very often... YAY! He said this after telling us the eye drops he just used on his own eyes were supposed to be for Bam...

JK is a true Belieber too. He admits it. 

And then he started being very charming at the end of White Day Live Part 1 when he was trying to speak English and switched to Korean and fumbled words and admitted he can’t speak any language very well...HAHAHAHA such a cutie. 

Honestly, he’s got a good start in English, he just needs to practice daily with fluent English speakers who can help him along. He admitted he needs someone who will crack the whip on him and make him study.

Same, same, Kookie. Y’all, that’s his personality through and through. He will live like a rock until he is made to get up off his butt. I love him so much. 

The way he speaks to us during these lives is the best thing ever. Like we are his best friends sitting around having a drink. 

So he tells us he will be back and leaves when he does because he was watching the clock and he signs off right at 9:01. He might not be a planner but he had a plan for White Day Live Pt. 1 and mission accomplished.

He then proceeded to change clothes and do another live. Then changed clothes again and did another live. Then did a last quick live. 4 parts in one night. And left telling us to look forward to midnight when something amazing would happen: Jimin’s MV teaser.

I will be back with my ramblings on Parts 2, 3 and 4 soon. 

#white day with jungkookie #it was sort of like hanging out with friends at the bar #8:11 if you know you know #it seemed to me that it was very pointedly dedicated to Jimin #but that's just me #jungkook #jimin #jikook

[d-criss-news]

[HQ] Darren Criss arrives at The House of Suntory 100 Year Anniversary Global Event and “Suntory Time” Tribute Premiere with Keanu Reeves and Sofia Coppola on May 23, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Sean Zanni, Nina Westervelt /Getty Images for House of Suntory)

#darren criss #100 year anniversary of the house of suntory #photos #may 2023

[datshitrandom]

Darren Criss arrives at The House of Suntory 100 Year Anniversary Global Event and “Suntory Time” Tribute Premiere with Keanu Reeves and Sofia Coppola | May 23, 2023 | 📸 by Andrew H. Walker

#darren criss #100 year anniversary of the house of suntory #house of suntory #pretty eyes #pretty curls #pretty lips #damn #pretty jaw line #pretty pretty pretty #darren x scotch & soda #menedit #mensource #dailymalecelebs #please do not repost

[freddieraimbow74]

March 1976, Freddie with Misa Watanabe (Japanese music publishing executive) during Queen’s reception for ‘A Night At The Opera’ Tour

Queen posed with Misa and their manager John Reid in the second picture

This was their second tour of Japan.

Misa accompanied the band every single time since their first visit in 1975 and onwards. She became close friends with Freddie.

“It was April 17th of 1975, when Queen first arrived at Tokyo-Haneda airport, they were greeted by thousands of fans. Incredible enthusiasm, and it was an exceptional VIP treatment.

And together with other collaborators Misa Watanabe accompanied the band on board the cars. “Everyone was innocently happy,” says Misa.

“The four came here with great confidence on their first visit to Japan, playing at the Nippon Budokan... and in the next year they presented their immortal masterpiece, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. A giant leap."

Mr. and Mrs. Watanabe invited the four band members to their home every time the band came to play in Japan, lining up the food ‘stalls’ in the garden. This kind of ‘hospitality’ was the same that Watanabe reserved for the stars of the musical world, but in particular with Freddie Mercury, Mrs. Watanabe was cordial and spent most of her time with him.

"One of Freddie’s favourite people was Misa Watanabe who was his personal guide in Japan. She and her husband owned huge chunks of the place, he was Mr. Suntory and Misa was in charge of music publishing amongst other things. It was great to walk around the department store after it was closed and all the people working there had to stay behind waiting at their counters for Freddie to go round making his choice of whatever he wanted, which was then duly packed up and sent to his hotel. Payment was sorted out with Misa at a later date. He was a frequent visitor at the Watanabes’ home. Freddie felt some sort of contentment in Japan he found nowhere else. Life could be so frantic and Tokyo was always so busy, but he continually found it a place to recharge his batteries." - Peter Freestone

Freddie even purchased an exquisite Lalique lead Crystal vase as a present for Misa Watanabe during his last visit, ever to his beloved Japan in 1986!

The pictures were taken by Koh Hasebe

The first couple of pics are from March 1976 and the other two are from 1986

#freddie mercury #queen band #brian may #roger taylor #jhon deacon #musique #music #queen #original character #j’adore

[peashooter85]

Suntory Toki --- Whisky Review Time

Founded in 1899, Suntory was originally a small store in Osaka which sold imported wines. Over the next century that small store grew into a powerful multi-national corporation. Suntory specializes primarily in alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine, and spirits as well as some soft drinks. Recognize these famous brands of liquor; Jim Beam, Makers Mark, Knob Creek, Courvoisier, Cruzan, Lamphroaig, Pinnacle, Old Crow, Canadian Club, Skinny Girl. Well, they are all owned by Suntory.

In 1923 Suntory opened it's first distillery and began making whisky. Japanese whisky grew in popularity as American GI's brought it back home with them after serving in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. By the 1970's Suntory was rapidly expanding and began heavily marketing overseas. They even hired Sammy Davis Jr. to do commercials.

Suntory Toki is their most common overseas product. A blended whisky created from malted barley, it is produced from the Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita distilleries, aged at lest three years in American oak barrels, and then blended into one product. I think I bought this for around $30, in Japan I bet it's much cheaper.

Drinking from a glencairn, the whisky gives off a sweet aroma. Very very light, to the point where it almost doesn't smell like whisky at all. It smells more like a dry white wine, like a pino blanc, chardonnay, or riesling. Is this really whisky? With it's very light color it almost looks like a white wine. After tasting I can confirm that it is indeed a whisky. It has tasting notes of honey, green apple, green grape, and a bit of vanilla. It finishes with a very dry oakiness, and leaves a dry taste in your mouth that quickly goes away, the aftertaste does not hang in the mouth long like other whiskies. The flavors of this whisky are very light and subtle, for me perhaps too subtle.

To me this is a good whisky, not great, just good. It could be better. If it had a little bit more body to it and a bit more flavor, I would rate this higher. As it stands I rate it 3.2 out of 5 stars. I might buy a bottle every once in a blue moon, particular if it is on sale. I will drink it if it is put in front of me. But I probably would rather drink something else. Now I must come forward and admit a big bias, I'm a bourbon and rye drinker, whiskies which tend to have much bolder and richer flavors. So perhaps this whisky doesn't fit my palate. I could see someone who enjoys dry white wines likewise enjoying this. Perhaps Scotch drinkers who enjoy the non-peated Scotches would like this. But it's just not for me.

#whisky #whiskey #suntory #suntory toki #Youtube

[catboybiologist]

whats your favorite gin drink

I try to drink gins flavorful enough that they're good just on the rocks, with a bit of time to let the ice dilute it a bit. Either that, or a simple gin and tonic, or with a splash of lemon to help it go down easier. I'll also just put it into any random soda or juice I happen to have, and it usually turns out well. Anything that doesn't drown out the flavor of the liquor itself, but instead balances out the high alcohol content to bring out the herbal taste itself.

Since gin is a flavorful liquor, your choice of gin matters a lot more than other liquors imo. Roku, from Suntory distillery, is one of my favorites, and I think has extremely broad appeal. Extremely floral and usually pretty easy to get in California, although the price varies wildly. In the Bay Area I've seen 750mL bottles in Safeway for $15, More California specific favorites are Grey Whale and St. George's Terroir are also fantastic. Botanivore, also from St. George's, is also good, but less intensely flavorful. All of those will probably run you $30-50 a bottle, though.

Beefeater is good if you want a gin that just tastes like gin. If you're drinking anything from Bombay, here's a money saving tip: piss in a bottle of Kirkland vodka and drink that instead.

[cinematicct]

Lost in Translation (2003)

🙎‍♂️🙍‍♀️🗾

Written and directed by Sofia Coppola, this comedy-drama film stars Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson as fading movie star Bob Harris and recent college graduate Charlotte, respectively, who meets and develop an unlikely friendship while crossing paths in Tokyo.

The supporting cast includes: Giovanni Ribisi (aka Frank Buffay Jr. on Friends) as Charlotte’s workaholic husband, a celebrity photographer, and Anna Faris as bubbly Hollywood actress Kelly.

Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson don’t just bring something extra special to the table, but they bring something very human as well. Bill Murray, apart from his wry comedic style, is able to take his character’s exasperated tone to a more tactful approach. Scarlett Johansson is both serenely mesmerizing and remarkably mature for her young age, rising instantly from teen actress to major film star.

The script (which won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay) is written in a way that finds the perfect balance between isolation and connection. In writer/director Sofia Coppola’s case, she has a way of taking two lost American souls and placing them in a foreign city through minimal dialogue and poignant cinematography. In other words, the film literally depicts the age-old existential questions of what we ought to be doing with our lives.

In terms of observing the key aspect of the film, the two main characters experience different crises in unfamiliar territory in which language barriers and cultural divides are evident (note: this film has been called out by some critics for its egregious stereotypes of Japanese people). Further complicating matters of communication is the story taking place at a time before Facebook or FaceTime existed. Bob Harris, whose marriage seems to have reached a dead end, is having a midlife crisis while promoting a whiskey commercial. Charlotte is struggling with an identity crisis as she deals with a mundane new marriage. Faced with insomnia (in part due to jet lag), Bob and Charlotte find solace in each other’s company. Together, they grab a few drinks at the hotel lounge, spend a rollicking night out in Tokyo and even sing in a karaoke bar (during which Charlotte dons a pink Louise Brooks wig). The only difference is Bob is completely lost in translation as the title suggests, whereas Charlotte is mostly lost in trying to find her true purpose.

This particular film is entirely focused on the kindred spirit of its central characters in contrast to the typical mainstream film that provides a structured plot. What’s more, the film distinguishes intimate friendship from sexual desire (in spite of the R-rated sexual content of the movie). For instance, we get an inside look at Bob and Charlotte through a different lens than what we’re used to seeing in a romantic comedy. Not only that, but they converse openly with each other about their thoughts and concerns in a casual atmosphere of low-key emotional tension.

The soundtrack contains a few tracks that mostly revolve around shoegaze and dream pop music. The track list includes: “City Girl” by Kevin Shields (vocalist of the Irish-English rock band My Bloody Valentine), “Too Young” by Phoenix, “Sometimes” by My Bloody Valentine and “Just Like Honey” by The Jesus and Mary Chain. Bill Murray even performs a rendition of the hit Roxy Music song “More Than This”.

Lastly, the message is the idea of discovering a whole new prospect in the face of complex emotional battles via a momentary but life-changing chance encounter. That said, I recommend this spontaneous, refreshingly simplistic portrait of love and connection to everyone.

“For relaxing times, make it Suntory time”

-Bob Harris

#Lost in Translation 2003 #focus features #comedy drama #Sofia Coppola #Bill Murray #Scarlett Johansson #Bob Harris and Charlotte #Tokyo trip #sleepless in Tokyo #older man younger woman relationship

[torotauri]

Restaurant Review | Momo Hirai [TWICE]

1139 Words

***

Working for a magazine company was never easy for you. Most of the time you need to stay in the office until very late at night to finish writing the final draft of whatever you were writing. And when you do get a chance to go outside, you are always taking photos of things that you are going to write your next article about or reviewing something for a new article. You never thought that being a journalist is going to take all your free time away. However, as much as you want to quit and get a second act, you don't know what else you could do for a career. The only thing that was keeping you in this job was your supervisor, Hirai Momo.

Hirai Momo, she was the editor and your supervisor. She has always been your supervisor ever since you joined the company after graduation. Much to your surprise, she was only a year older than you and very beautiful. You would be lying if you hadn't have a slight crush on her, but an office relationship is so wrong and you'd not dare to start a relationship with her.

Currently, you were sat on your desk typing away. Trying to finish up this article you were supposed to finish by tonight. However, your supervisor Momo had other ideas and plans for you as she walked up to your desk.

"Y/N, what are you doing?" she asked as you freaked out because you thought the deadline for your report has passed.

"I'm finishing off the article about the review of the new Suntory drink. It'll be on your desk by the end of the day" you tried to explain.

"Scrap that off, we've got bigger things to do. There's this new American restaurant opened downtown. The boss wants us to go and try out so we could write a review for the next edition of the magazine. People don't need to know about the Suntory drink that soon, let's go" she demanded.

Great more work for you you thought as you reluctantly got out of your desk and headed to the restaurant with your supervisor Momo.

Once you arrived at the restaurant, you were shocked. It was so fancy and so high class, this was different. Whilst you have done a few reviews of restaurants before, they were all just noodle stands or family restaurants. This wasn't a family restaurant, from what it looks like, it's a restaurant where couples hosts their dates.

The waiter soon sat you and Momo down and Momo ordered a bottle of wine to start off with. This wasn't something new to you as by company laws, this whole order from today's meal will be put onto expenses. Therefore, with that in mind, you looked at the menu and see what you wanted to eat. However, everything on the menu was so high class which was something that you weren't used to. You took a very long time to decide what you wanted to order and by the time the waiter comes back you still haven't decided what you wanted to have.

"So have you guys decided on what you want?" The waiter asked.

"Y/N, have you decided yet?" Momo asked you as you shook your head.

Suddenly the waited chipped in "may I suggest the couples special? Three courses and enough for a couple to share" and as you heard couples special you got a little bit embarrassed because you and Momo aren't a couple. However, Momo agreed to the waiter's suggestions which means you are stuck eating a couples meal with Momo in this fancy restaurant.

The whole meal was awkward for you, it felt like some sort of date for you but you can't think of it that way because you were in office hours. You tried to stop yourself from thinking about it as a date but the environment surroundings and atmosphere was making it hard for you. You looked at Momo, she was very comfortable with the food and doesn't sense anything.

Even when she's eating she's beautiful you thought to yourself as you tried your best to not stare.

Because you can't stop yourself from staring at Momo and was barely touching the food, Momo noticed it and looked up. You tried to look away but it was too late, Momo had caught you staring at her.

"Ya, Y/N why aren't you eating. How are you going to write the report without touching the food" Momo asked.

"It's ok, I'll write about the atmosphere. There's just something on my mind" you replied as you took a sip of the wine. After all alcohol seems to solve the problems.

"Come on, I'm your supervisor and if something's wrong you need to report to your supervisor. I could be more than a supervisor to you" she said.

You shook it off and told her it's nothing as you finally start eating your food. The food was actually very good, but it doesn't matter at this moment. The restaurant has done a brilliant job at setting the atmosphere to make customers think about the people they are with over the food they were eating. Once you started eating you couldn't stop and the meal flown by.

Both of you paid the bill and being the gentlemen, you opened the door for Momo as you both left the restaurant.

"It was nice to get out of the office for once" Momo said as she left the restaurant.

"Yeah it's nice" you managed to stumble.

"Seriously what is wrong with you. You seemed off during the whole meal even though the food was good and the atmosphere there was very nice for couples. It should be a good review this one" Momo asked.

No idea why, but at that moment you just wanted to kiss Momo. Something in your gut was telling you to do it and without thinking anything through you pulled in and gave Momo a kiss which freaked her out.

"Sorry, the atmosphere and the couples special made me feel like this was a date. I didn't mean to do that" you apologised as you pulled out of that kiss.

"It's ok, I guess we have to act like a couple because we should be undercover reviewing this restaurant anyways" Momo said as she quickly walked away and got onto a taxi without saying goodbye.

At that moment, you woke up. You and Momo weren't on a date, you supposed to be there on an undercover mission to gather information for an article about the new restaurant.

#twice #kpopfanfic #kpop fanfic #kpop #kpop imagines #twice momo #hirai momo #momo #kpop oneshots #oneshot #kpop fluff #fluff

[aspiring-writer-hidden-voice]

🔥 ☕️

Hey, loves! Suntory here! “Hot Cocoa Recipes” was the winner of the most recent poll! So, I have some one-shots for you all! We will start with the collection of MHA! Be sure to leave a bit of love to help keep me warm this winter season! Some of the recipes contain alcohol but I’m implying that everyone is aged up. Everything is implied as GN!Reader but if you’d like to see more of each one shot with specifics, leave a comment and let me know! As always, thanks for stopping by! Xooxoxoxo, Suntory Angel💙

Katsuki Bakugo

*my younger bother and grandpa are huge fans of spice so this part is just for them!*

Your eyes narrow while carefully measuring out the final secret ingredient before pouring it into the mug in front of you. This was serious business. Bending at the knee so your eye level was with the kitchen counter, closely examining as the precious liquid that was key to the recipe is stirred into the brown beverage within the mugs via your spoon. Various spices that you had painstakingly gathered over the last week were arranged in the order that you’d need them according to the recipe; cayenne, cacao, sugar, a teapot of warm milk, marshmallows, even some sticks of cinnamon were off to the side waiting patiently to be ground into a fine powder.

It had to be perfect this time.

Setting the spoon off to the side, you take a deep breath and raise the mug to your lips.

The moment it hits your tongue, down into the sink you spat it with a grimace of disgust and disappointment, curses spilling from between your lips as you dump yet another failure. Why was this so hard?! Your grandfather had made it seem so easy when he used to make it! How come you couldn’t?! A frustrated huff fills the air as you drag a hand down the central plane of your face while marching over to the refrigerator where you open it and take a quick swig from one of the bottles inside towards the back. Liquid heat and spice sting the back of your throat as you swallow the mouthful of Fireball and that’s when it hit you: you were making this too hard! It had never taken your grandfather this long to make his special hot cocoa!

“Oi, I’m home!” He calls from the entryway as he stomps inside, ridding him and his hero costume of the large clusters of snow clinging to his being. “Too damn cold even for the damn criminals to be out causing mayhem it was so annoying having to plow through those drifts!” Katsuki calls your name in that growly tone of his when you aren’t there to greet him, his brows furrowing when you still don’t appear even after he’s removed his winter gear and had even cleaned up the puddles of melted snow from the hardwood floor. Now he was starting to get a bit pissed.

He’d been stuck outside for hours on patrol, there had been no bad guys to apprehend today, and he was frozen down to his bones!

“Oi! Where the hell are you?!” Thundering footfalls stomp their way down the hall until they come to a halt within the kitchen doorway where he spots you fast asleep while sitting upon a barstool, your hands cupping a pair of mugs that hold brown liquid within them. Across your being are traces of cacao powder and other ingredients, telling the story of how you had been working hard to make him whatever was within the mug that had “World’s Number One” on it. He takes in how your hair has some cream sticking to a few tresses, a smudge of powdered sugar upon your cheek, there’s even a bit of what looked to be melted chocolate in the corner of your mouth. His footsteps are much quieter now as he crosses the kitchen until he comes up behind your slumbering form, arms on either side of yours, his muscular being lightly pressing against your arched back as his chin rests on your shoulder that allows his cheek to brush yours. “…dumbass, you can’t just go falling asleep in positions like this, you’ll only wreck your back…” he whispers softly so as not to wake you while his expression becomes tender.

Ruby red eyes that you’ve always admired drift from your being to the still somewhat steaming mugs that were before you. It’d be a shame to let your hard work get too cold and ruin whatever it was inside that mug. One of his hands slowly brings it closer. Looked harmless enough to the Pro Hero as he regards it with a slightly narrowed gaze. With a shrug, he raises it to his lips…

You wake just in time to see his eyes widen as the liquid touches his tongue and your jaw drops when he doesn’t hesitate to chug the rest down in a series of loud swallows, a faint blush appearing in your cheeks as you watch his Adam’s apple bob with each mouthful of the beverage slip down his throat.

A loud slam fills the kitchen when his hand brings the now empty mug down with a satisfied smirk raising his lips, a bright red flush across his cheeks. “Damn, that’s some good shit right there, firecracker!” He proclaims with a near whistle-like exhale coming from his pursed lips. Around your being wraps his muscular arms as he lifts you from the barstool to hug you tightly, his face burying into your shoulder. “Tell me there’s more! I gotta have more of that stuff!”

You don’t even protest when he swipes your own mug and downs it within a single gulp. “I take it you like it?”

“I fucking love this stuff!” His ruby eyes are practically as blazing as his now reddened face, the chill now long gone from his bones. “Show me how you made it?”

How could you say no?

Fumikage Tokoyami

Snow crunches beneath your boots as you walk along the sidewalk, gazing up at the glittering holiday lights that twinkle and shimmer brilliantly. The park was abuzz with people ice skating on the nearby ponds as vendors serving snacks or beverages ranging from popcorn to coffee to help keep everyone warm from the cold. A glance at your phone revealed that the time for your meet with him was at hand yet there was no sign of him anywhere.

“There you are!”

A surprised yelp rises up your throat when Dark Shadow suddenly sweep you up from behind and takes you into the air, suspending you a few inches from the ground as he nuzzles and coos softly into your being. “Not like I was hiding or anything!” You giggle, rubbing the top of the shadow creature’s head. “Am I late?”

“Nope! Right on time!” Dark Shadow grins as he gently places you back down on the ground. “Let’s go!”

“Where?”

The answer came in the form of you finding yourself seated on a sled with Dark Shadow pulling it like a happy little shadow-bird-creature who swiftly moves across the snow covered terrain. Over some drifts, through a garden, even over a bridge of the nearby creek he carried you. Only when a lit gazebo comes into view does he screech to a halt that allows the sled to drift to a stop in front of the stairs. There were curtained lights draped over the gazebo to give it a mystical feel of mystery as Dark Shadow vanishes.

Guess you were supposed to venture inside.

Crunching of snow gives way to the creak of wood as you stomp the snow from your boots and slip between the parts of the curtains.

Waiting for you is a warmer environment complete with plush pillows, a table surrounded by a blanket, and a patiently waiting Fumikage who smiles faintly when see you. “Welcome, angel, I hope Dark Shadow was gentle in his journey to bring you here.” Dressed in a red, slim fit sweater and black stained jeans that matches his bird-like features, he was truly a sight to behold. “Come. Sit, please.”

Shedding your boots and coat took less than a second and you were soon seated across from him with a blissful smile and sigh when finding the cushion super plush beneath you. “Fumikage, this is amazing! Did you set all this up?”

“Indeed.” He answers simply with a tilt of his head. “All for you, my angel.”

“This was super sweet of you. I feel a bit spoiled, if I’m to be honest.”

“As you should be considering the season.” A wrapped box appears from the side, wrapped neatly in black velvet and red satin ribbon. He slips it across the table with a serious expression. “For you.”

It was your turn to tilt your head as you brought the box closer. So perfectly wrapped, it would be a shame to ruin it by opening the parcel, yet he gave an encouraging nod when you hesitated. Whatever inside must be important. Your fingers remove the satin scarlet ribbon and carefully lift the lid. Upon a bed of black velvet are an assortments of what appeared to be… “Chocolates?”

“Not just any ordinary chocolates, angel, look closer.” He says softly.

They were unlike anything you’ve ever seen before; not Lindt based on the shapes, Ghirardelli were much smaller and flatter than these, Russel Stover had never smelled so nice. And the variety, decorations upon each were pristine, were unlike any you’ve seen in windows or displays. “Did you…make these?” Your jaw drops as he nods. “W-wow! These look good enough to sell in a store!”

A small smile lifts his beak. “I made sure to avoid all allergens, such as nuts and dairy, along with ensuring no cross contamination occurred as I prepared those for my family.”

“I didn’t know you were such a talented chocolatier.” An impressed smile raises your lips at his words.

“I wasn’t until you expressed how you had a difficulty in locating chocolates that would not affect your health.” Leaning over, he carefully selects one and lightly presses it to your lips.

Surprised by the bold move, you failed to offer any objection as he slips the decadent treat into your mouth and it practically melts across your tongue. Realization hits you at the taste. “A-are these all hot cocoa based chocolates?!”

“Indeed. You wore a fond expression when recalling the ones your mother used to make. I simply asked your family to help me recreate them and once the chocolates had passed their rigorous examinations, I have now presented them to you.” Fumikage’s carmine gaze was warm as they meet yours, the smile still raising his beak. “I deserve to be happy, my angel, and I hope I helped in some way.” A chuckle rises up his chest when you practically scramble over the table to tackle him in a tight embrace that makes the two of you fall backwards onto the pillows.

Shoto Todoroki

*there’s no officially written recipe that we follow but this is one of our favorites that we make every year!*

A thoughtful expression is on your face as you watch the blender turn on with the press of the button that makes the green liquid within churn. This was definitely unorthodox recipe to follow but, hey, you’ll try anything once. Hot cocoa mix, marshmallows, whipped cream, an empty tub of vanilla ice cream, some colorful straws, and a large dark brown bottle are strewn across the counter. Tradition didn’t call for a recipe card, nor did anyone in the family need it, the tongue was all that was necessary. Silence falls as the blender turn off with the press of your finger and take the chance to taste it via a spoon you kept nearby.

You turn with a smile when hearing his calm tone call your name, smacking your lips slightly when tasting the concoction. “Shoto! Welcome home! How’s the weather outside?”

Shoto Todoroki glances from you to the blender in curiosity, though his expression remained neutral. “It was fine. Patrol was uneventful.” His mismatched gaze meets yours. “I see you’ve been busy I see.”

“Mhm!” You nod eagerly while tossing the spoon into the sink where it clatters for a few seconds. “And its ready!”

With care, you tip the contents of the blender into two prepared steins lined with chocolate syrup until they are about two inches from being filled completely. That’s where the whipped cream and marshmallows come in! Around and around you moved the can of whipped topping until neat mountains of white top each stein that are soon joined by marshmallows and even a few sprinkles before slipping striped straws into both. “Voila! I present to you: Boozy Grinch’s Toboggan Cocoa Slush!”

His brows rise slightly. “Bless you?” The duo quirk user accepts the stein you hand him, regarding the strange titled green substance from every angle. It seemed harmless enough, even seemed a bit picturesque, tempting him to take a picture of it just for memory sake. That wasn’t necessary though. You could always make it again. “Do I drink it in one go or nurse it?”

“I’d be surprised if you could down it in a single gulp.” A laugh bubbles up your throat as you watch him. “It’s just ice cream, chocolate syrup, Irish Cream liquor, hot cocoa mix, milk, ice, and a few drops of green food coloring. We can always swap the vanilla ice cream for mint chocolate ice cream or add peanut butter, like my dad did, if you’d like that more for next time.” Picking up your own stein, you tap it against his with a smile. “Cheers!”

He followed your example and took a few sips from the straw. Those mismatched eyes widen beyond what you though possible as his lips part from the drinking utensil. Silence weighed heavily as you anxiously awaited for his verdict. For several moments you thought he was going to politely place it off to the side then say some words to either spare your feelings or shoot down your hopes of hearing if he liked it or not.

Your brows furrow when his lips wrap around the straw again.

Bit by bit, the beverage disappears up the straw and down his throat with bobs of his Adam’s Apple accompanied by audible swallows.

Then your brows rise when every last drop of the special drink, whipped cream included, vanished between his lips. “S-Shoto, did you just…”

“Is there more, love?”

A purse of your lips allows a “pffftt” to sound as you exhale. “You might want to slow down since the Irish Cream contains alcohol.”

All he does is hold out the stein again with hopeful eyes and a slight hiccup.

Eijiro Kirishima

“Just trust me! I’ve never steered you wrong before!” He assures while leading you by the large, calloused hand that dwarfed yours. It never ceased to amaze you of just how burly and much bigger he was than you. Never has it bothered you, in fact it was one of the things you’ve come to admire and love about him, that and his equally big heart. “Come on, you won’t regret this!” The Pro Hero with long, red hair laughs heartily as he uses his other hand to cover your eyes.

“Okay, okay! I’m coming! Just don’t lead me off the edge of a cliff or nothin’, ‘kay?” You chuckle lowly to yourself though it seemed a bit nervous.

“I’m not Bakugo or Kaminari, this is me we are talking about! You know me better than to think I’d ever do such a thing.” Comes his assurance in the form of a squeeze to his left hand that holds yours still.

Excitement bubbled within your veins as he places you upon the couch and then hear his footsteps hurry to stand opposite of the coffee table so you were across from him. “Okay! Open sesame!”

Your eyes blink for several seconds when they appear from behind your hand that he’d replaced with his own so he could move away.

Arranged upon the coffee table, atop of a mistletoe themed tablecloth, you have laid out several dishes of condiments; sprinkles, cans of whipped cream, candy canes, unwrapped bars of various flavored chocolates, different shaped or types of marshmallows, powdered sugar, silly straws, and even some drizzle syrups! A string of twinkling lights is woven among the dishes, casting the room and yourselves in their shifting sparkles. On the television is the crackling fireplace channel to help bring an extra level of coziness.

“Tada!” He says with flare, the bright grin that always threatened to rob the heart right out of your chest appearing upon his face. Upon his being is a reindeer fashioned onesie complete with a hood adorned with plush antlers and a pattern of silver bells around the wrists and ankles. It’s clearly too small for Eijiro Kirishima’s built and muscular being but odds were that was the only size the store had on hand. The sight of him wearing it though was almost for you to take!

And, boy, does your heart explode with affection, and laughter, for this man when he reveals that there is a butt flap with pride that has a fluffy little deer tail upon it!

“Eijiro, is this a Hot Cocoa Bar date?” You ask hoarsely from around the tangled ball of emotion in your throat.

“That’s right, pebble! I got all this just for you!” The couch creaks as he moves around then plops down upon the cushion, making you bounce, before his muscular arms wrap around you lovingly. “I’d never forget how much you love the holidays so of course I pulled out all the stops for our special date night!” One of his digits gently presses against your lips when they part. “I know it was your turn to plan it out, but I couldn’t resist! I had to do this for you, baby shark, so no ‘ifs’ ‘ands’ or ‘buts’ about it!”

Touched, you could only watch as he carefully, and precisely, prepares the first mug of cocoa just how you liked before placing it between your hands. The blanket that’s always been your favorite, not too fluffy but also not too light, is wrapped around your shoulders before he draws you close by the waist. You could smell your favorite cologne on him that he only saved for dates like tonight when he knew cuddles, or more, would occur, knowing full well that the scent would help you relax.

Keigo Takami

Just as you predicted, you found the Winged Hero upon the rooftop overlooking the twinkling city below. You could’ve tried to be silent but it wouldn’t have accomplished anything so you allowed the access door to close behind you with enough sound to announce your arrival. The chilly winter breeze makes your breaths come out in clouds as you approach him. “Hey.”

Amber eyes shift from the scene before him to the corner of his eyes as you come to a stop beside where he sat with wings outstretched so he could better feel the wind and vibrations. The crimson feathers were fully splayed so as to maximize their sensory range and sensitivity. They never ceased to amaze you in size or brilliance in color. “Hey, kid. What brings you up here of all places?” There was a tone of indifference in his voice, it honestly almost sounded bored, yet you’ve known him long enough than to believe that’s how he truly felt.

“Thought I would bring you a little something since you got the night patrol shift tonight.”

He blinks when you offer him a thermos. A chuckle sounds from Keigo Takami regards it with half-hopeful half-disappointed gaze. “Can’t tonight, kid, gotta stay sharp tonight.”

Rolling your eyes, a smile lifting your lips, you unscrew the lid and pour the steaming liquid before offering it to him. “It’s not alcohol, though I was tempted.”

His gloved hand carefully accepts it, regarding it with slightly widened eyes and an expression of interest as his senses are filled with the scent of melted chocolate. “What is it?”

“It’s not gonna dampen your senses, it’ll give you a bit of energy, and provide you something warm to drink while you’re on patrol.”

The explanation was simple, straightforward, practical, even a bit personal since he’d confessed to have never tried the classic cold season beverage. And that had blown your mind. Then again, considering his backstory, it shouldn’t have been a huge surprise.

“Just try it.” You gently encourage with a smile, trying not to laugh at the near childlike innocence he exhibited.

The eyes beneath the visor narrow then widen as he takes a hesitant sip then downs the whole cap in one fell gulp. His wings puff at the sudden flood of heat to his system, making them appear especially fluffy, as they shiver and tremble as he seems to greedily lick his lips for several seconds. “What is it?”

A giggle rises up your throat unable to resist the urge to made a bird pun. “That, Polly, is hot cocoa with a bit of coffee. Just don’t drink the whole thing in one go because then you’ll be up for the few days. Pace yourself, you hear me?” You playfully nudge him with your shoulder.

“This is some good stuff.” He practically coos, breaking into a smile. “What’s in it?”

“Bit of cream, melted chocolate, baking cocoa, some marshmallows… You can put anything in it from candy canes to cinnamon but I like a hint of RumChata.” You held up your hands when his head snaps in your direction. “Easy! The hot temperature pretty much cancels out the alcohol in it so all that’s left is the flavor. You’ll remain completely sober while you’re on duty.”

Its not for several seconds that his expression finally relaxes. “You made this just for me?”

A faint blush enters your cheeks when looking out at the city below, shivering as the cold wind blows by. “Couldn’t have you freezing your ass off in this cold.”

Up your throat rises a gasp when warmth surrounded you courtesy of a large, crimson wing that wraps around your form, shielding you from both the cold and icy wind. The feathers are soft and teasing as they brush your chilled cheeks and the tips of your ears but there is underlying care beneath their touches. Their warmth was infectious, easing the chill from your bones as you can’t resist the temptation to lean into him. Your being meets his side, the wing tucking you protectively against him when another breeze sweeps past.

“Thanks, baby bird…” His breath that lingers with the scent of the hot cocoa wafts your senses as his chin rests atop of your head.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS 🎁 MERRY CHRISTMAS 🎄 HAPPY CHRISTMAS 🪔 HAPPY HANUKKAH!!!!!

#MHA x reader #MHA Christmas 2023 #MHA Christmas #mha x gn!reader #GN!Reader #Katsuki Bakugo #Eijiro Kirishima #Shoto Todoroki #Keigo Takami #Fumikage Tokoyami #poll result