bakerstreet | the floriography meme

the floriography meme

the floriography meme

Flowers, in the Victorian Era (1837-1901), were often used as means of communication when people could not openly say things that we do these days. Think about someone who is naturally repressed; now imagine a whole society focusing on being repressed. You can see why lovers needed some sort of secret code. Poor things.

No longer used much, there are some remaining, well-known meanings—roses inspiring passion and love are a classic example. So, grab a bouquet and give it to someone special. Beware of what certain flowers could say, though. Not all flowers were used happily.

note: some prompts might cause triggers; be aware and specify in your comments

oo1. comment with your characters
make sure to put names, series, & preferences somewhere!
oo2. reply to others in character
oo3. go to RNG and roll 1-20
oo4. play out what happens! anything goes!
oo5. profit? profit!
oo6. originally from here

p r o m p t s

oo1. begonia ❀ beware

A hidden message is always appreciated. You need to keep an eye out, because your best friend might be banging your girl, or your girl is trying to off you!

oo2. chrysanthemum ❀ you’re a wonderful friend

Commonly used for funerals, this flower can also be used to send a gentle message. Someone is interested in you, but you only see them as a friend. Sorry.

oo3. clover ❀ promise

Promises, promises. Sometimes you mean them, sometimes you break them. Today, you promised your lover the best day ever. But does it work out?

oo4. daffodil ❀ unrequited love

There is an old tale of how a youth fell in love with his reflection and drowned. This is the ultimate rejection: no sparing of feelings, no kind words. Crush their souls.

oo5. forget-me-not ❀ memories, don’t forget me

This well-known flower is often given to loved ones as parting gifts. Who knows how long you’ll be gone? Maybe for only a day, or forever and a lifetime.

oo6. hazel ❀ reconciliation

You and a former love have parted ways for one reason or another. Time has cooled your head, but not your heart, so maybe it’s time to rekindle that fire.

oo7. hyacinth ❀ sorrow, forgive me

This holiday does not bring happiness to everyone. Yes, you’re sad and alone this year—but what are you going to do about it? Hopefully not mope with ice cream.

oo8. marigold ❀ cruelty

Love doesn’t mean a thing to you. The people around you are all puppets, and you love playing with them in the meanest way possible. Have fun, you psychopath.

oo9. mistletoe ❀ kiss me

Pure and simple: give someone a kiss! Your lover, your little sister, a stranger from across the room, or go wild and give the whole town some love!

o10. orange blossoms ❀ wedding, marriage bliss

Oh yes, you’re doing it: having a wedding on one of the cheesiest days of the year! Bring your rice and gifts, a priest is waiting to unite two people in love.

o11. plum blossom ❀ beauty, longevity

It’s a long shot, but you gotta try it. Flattery and buttering people up is one of the best ways to get what you want… romance, a date, money, sex…

o12. poppy ❀ oblivion

It is never good to be oblivious, and it’s awful to not see that someone is in love with you. But sadly, you are. Or is the other person the clueless one?

o13. primrose ❀ can’t live without you

You need them. More than lust or financial stability, you cannot imagine a world where you are not with this other person. Who said anything about a healthy relationship?

o14. rose (dark red) ❀ mourning

You never broke up with them, you never forgot about them. This is true love separated—they’re dead and gone. But have you moved on?

o15. rose (red) ❀ i love you, confession

Today is the day to express love, and nothing is better than expressing a love not expressed before! So go on, confess those beautiful feelings!

o16. rose (white) ❀ secrecy and silence

Sometimes you have to keep secrets. Sometimes that secret is someone else. So, enjoy a midnight rendezvous or run away for a passionate day somewhere.

o17. rose (yellow) ❀ infidelity

You couldn’t help it, this other person was just too… something to resist. That’s right! You’re cheating on your public lover today, but do you care or not?

o18. saffron ❀ abuse

Not all love is happy. Sometimes the problems are worse than money or cheating. It’s not limited to physical abuse either: there’s emotional, verbal, psychological…

o19. sweet pea ❀ good-bye

This day can really suck sometimes. Not as bad as being dumped on Christmas, but all the same. Your special someone obviously doesn’t feel the same anymore.

o20. violets ❀ let’s take a chance

Go for it! Love is exciting, and you don’t have to stay in a rut. Date someone new, elope, or do something creative. In the end, be different from the norm this year!

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[Another sigh and a shake of his head, and for a moment Rei considers just leaving it at that; it's true they were rivals in their chosen swimming specialty (and it's also true Rei had a lot of work ahead of him if he wanted to catch up to Rin's butterfly), but not everything has to be about rivalry, friendly though it may be now.]

Is it second nature to you to insult everyone who ever tries to help or are you just that humbled by my presence that it makes you forget all about basic common courtesy?

[He's trying to look annoyed through his small lecture, but his own smirk may be a tad too obvious for full effectiveness. It's not entirely a bad thing, though; as much as they enjoy giving each other a hard time, it's their own strange way to show there's no resentment between them. That they have accepted each other.]

Basic common courtesy goes to those that can actually manage a beautiful butterfly stroke, Rei. [It's honestly a lighthearted jab that Rin doesn't mean in any foul harm. For the short while he's known Rei, he thinks his butterfly really has improved and he's open to critique and advice from a more seasoned swimmer. Really, all it'll take is some more practice and Rin knows he'll be capable of the beautiful butterfly stroke Rei's after.]

But no, really. Why did you call me here? I don't the others are here, right? Just us. [He's sure he would have heard Nagisa by now because you didn't truly miss his presence.]

[He's going to let that one slide with a scoff, but only because 1. they would be at it forever otherwise and 2. Rei knows for a fact his butterfly stroke is already quite beautiful as it is, anyway.]

I did tell you, though, did I not? I'm here to help! [Hands on his hips and head raised high, he looks very much pleased with himself-- although he's still being terribly vague, so one more hint might be in order.] I do believe you have a certain score to settle in this very karaoke bar, isn't that right?

[Rin's gaze turns to the karaoke bar and another shiver goes down his spine. How did someone like him get 75%? How did Nitori beat him? The captain, sure. That wasn't surprising, but Nitori? It's not something he can easily accept, even days and days after it did happen, and he glances back to Rei.]

So how did you find out? [And he sounds so serious, as if they aren't talking about something as mundane as a score in a karaoke bar. Like there are not more important things to be caring about. No, he lost and that's all he can focus on and someone other than the Samekuza team knows about that particular embarrassment.]

[Wow, sometimes Rei forgets just how extremely competitive Rin is, but seeing him get so serious over karaoke scores was more than a reminder.]

Hmph! You will find your answer inside. [He taps at the side of his red frames, smug smile only growing wider by the second. But then, almost as though doing a 180° shift, he looks mildly annoyed again.] Besides, you were three minutes late for our meeting, and this whole conversation must have taken at least three more; we've wasted enough time as it is!

Did you count every second before and after I arrived? [Which he wouldn't be surprised if Rei did since something like that would just seem likely to be apart of the package that is Rei Ryugazaki.]

If you want to go then let's just go. [And without waiting for Rei, he just goes on ahead inside. See ya, slowpoke.]

[Wow, Rin, so rude!! Rei will follow closely behind while glaring daggers at the back of Rin's head and hoping to goodness he will... step on a lego!!! A very painful lego!!!]

You really have no manners at all, do you? [He starts again once they're inside, and this time he's not holding back.] And on top of how long you've kept me waiting, too-- no manners, none whatsoever! Rude though you may be, however, I thought I could at least count on you to be smart-- pray tell, how exactly are you planning to just go ahead when I'm the one with a key to the room?

[He pauses in his steps, sudden frown coming over him. He usually is smarter than that, but in his friendly bickering with Rei and wanting to come off as the cool one.

That clearly didn't work. So he just silently stops and waits. He's not even going to give that a response, though there's a very irritable look on his face that Rei will notice once he's caught up to him.]

[And Rei has the smuggest smile plastered on his face once he does catch up, Rin's visible annoyance working as his crowning moment of glory.]

This one. [He points to the room one door ahead, key in hands to unlock the way in. Rin may or may not remember the place, but Rei made sure to get the exact same room where the Samezuka swimmers had performed a while ago-- it was the only way to show how he had learned of Rin's crushing defeat, after all.]

I suppose this should bring back some memories-- [He pauses, and his mischievous smirk only widens.] --RinRin?

[The room Rei points to makes Rin do a double-take. He's sure this is the same room he went to with his Samekuza teammates. Flashbacks of the humiliating defeat come back to him full-force and his face shows his horror once he steps inside...

...Which quickly turns to anger as he turns to Rei.] How did you find out?

[Shh, no getting angry, Rin-rin, it's not like Rei will spread the word or anything-- although you should probably watch out for Nagisa.]

For future reference, you might want to keep potential secrets away from the public eye. [This is said as he takes a seat and starts fumbling with the remote, until the previous scores show up on the screen-- and that means the Samezuka trio scores, along with a very obvious RINRIN as the bottom-tier.] Especially so when it's associated with such a shameful score. Honestly, Rin-san, losing to your underclassman? Where's your competitive spirit?

[This is just rubbing it in. Not that he can really blame Rei. It is right there for all the world can see. Not that he wanted to record those scores and keep them there. He'd practically been forced to. There was no convincing his captain otherwise and all he could remember was his grin and then Nitori trying to 'comfort' him.

The reminder of how that day went makes Rin scowl and he points to Rei.] Then I'll regain my pride and beat you! You're my underclassman in swimming. It'll do. [He grins and his eyes shine with the thrill of competition. There's no way Rei can beat him. Rin has learned from his mistakes.] You ready? You can pick a song first. [Rin. No.]

[Oh, now that's a change of plans. What Rei had been planning to do was to have them perhaps sing a duet together and kill two birds with one stone-- have his grand debut in the karaoke and avenge Rin for his crushing defeat. Seeing Rin get that fired up about a competition, though? Not a bad sight at all.]

Very well! [He folds his arms, suddenly gaining a different type of confidence.] In that case, I propose an addition to this challenge: we'll each choose what the other will sing!

[Because, you know, there was no way Rin could beat him at singing, either.]

I'll take that challenge! I can sing whatever song you give me! [He is seriously getting excited for this, the thrill shining in his eyes as he sits down, arms back against the seat with his toothy grin. With his shoulders squared and back straight, he motioned his head to the karaoke machine.]

Pick the song. I'm going first.

[That's why he sat down. He expected Rei to take forever to pick because it's Rei and that's what Rei does. Besides it gives him time to think over his choices and genres to give Rei. While he wants to win, he doesn't want to be entirely unfair. It wouldn't be a win worth much otherwise.]

[Rei spares him a quick glance from the corner of his eyes; he's amused for the most part, but there's a small side of him that is also prone to mischief, at least as far as Rin is concerned. If he wanted a challenge, then a challenge he would have.]

Don't get too comfortable in your seat, Rin-san; I know just what kind of song to pick for you! [Now it was only a matter of finding the perfect one out of the karaoke selection-- oh, just wait a minute.]

Oh. [He pushes up his glasses, the tiniest of smirks on his lips.] It would seem we have a winner.

[And if Rin cares to check, he'll see "Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On" highlighted on the screen.]

[Rin stands, eyes staring down at the title.] I already know this entire song by heart. You made an unwise choice. [Yet from the deadly serious look on his face? Maybe Rei made the best choice because while it's true that Rin knows this entire song by heart (he's mouthed 'I'll never let go, Jack' along with Rose enough to last him a lifetime), he cannot quite match Celine's singing. Who could?

But as he hears the familiar music start up, he takes a deep breath and tries to match her tone as the song starts. It's a little awkward because he has a deep voice so his voice cracks and it causes him to stumble over words for a moment. Damn it! He's better than this! This is his jam! Maybe he's trying a little too hard and so he sings in his normal voice, getting to the more powerful parts and really belting them out. So much for trying not to be a tryhard. It doesn't sound powerful as it does frightening because he sounds like he's basically shouting. It's becoming fairly obvious why he lost, but this is all about passion! At least he knows all the lyrics.

On his behalf he does hold the last note of the song fairly well and when the song's over, he's breathing a little hard to see--a barely average score show up.] That's--! [He can't really deny that's a hard song and a song he can't quite match up to...

Scowling, he turns to Rei.] It's a difficult song. [He thinks he did well! Kind of.]

Edited 2014-05-08 00:34 (UTC)

[You see, Rei is not the type to mock anyone for their attempts; being polite is second nature to him, and even if he were any different, the sheer amount of patience he earned from the swim club members when he kept sinking would have taught him to be far more tolerant of people lacking talent. He may tease and even taunt, but it's usually a form of retaliation, never his own initiative.

But this? This was just hilarious-- as in, honest to goodness funny, and not in a "I'm so much better than you" way. Maybe a little endearing, too. Maybe.]

Of course... it is. [He's trying really hard to hold back his laugh, so badly that it's hard to speak.] It was... supposed to be a... challenge, wasn't it?

[Rin knows when someone is trying not to laugh and he gives the worst glare he can manage. Being a sore loser isn't becoming and especially not to an athlete, but damn it this isn't swimming! He's allowed to be a little miffed!

Going over to the song listing, he looks it over with an irritated huff. Murmuring things about how he'll show Rei and he actually takes a long moment to find the song, but once he does, his grin is wider than it has been for a while. He picks the song and holds out the microphone. Time to see how Rei can do at "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston.]

[Wow, Rin, that is a cheap shot if Rei has ever seen one. Whitney Houston levels were hard enough even for professional singers, there's no way an amateur could hit those high notes!

But Rei doesn't back down from a challenge, either, and he has the blind sort of confidence to back it up, so he shoots a single deadly glare at Rin and snatches the microphone from his hands, adjusting his glasses as a means to gain focus before the song starts. He doesn't fare that badly for the most part, at least as far as his singing goes-- his English could still use some work, and that might cost him a few points.

Eventually, he gets to the really tricky part. And then everything is a mess.]

And IiiiiiiIiiiIiIIIi will always love yooooooOOoOOOOOoouu...! ♫

[Rin wants to wince at the English. Rei isn't exactly awful, but his accent is off and it just bugs him. Though Rin thinks that Rei really isn't doing too awful at everything else. Damn it with this he could beat him and Rin's beginning to realize that maybe karaoke just isn't his thing.

That's his thoughts before Rei gets to the hard part and Rin's cursing, covering his ears. What in the hell is that?! Okay so maybe Rin hadn't done an amazing job with Celine, but he hadn't almost killed Rei's ears like Rei was doing with him at the moment. He glares as Rei sings, hands still planted firmly over his ears. Maybe giving Rei this song had been a mistake because if he doesn't have some kind of headache after this then it's a miracle.]

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the floriography meme

no stop WEEEEEHing that's not beautiful!

WEEEEEEHs louder!!!

SO NOT BEAUTIFUL!!!

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER OKOK

I'M A BEAUTY EXPERT OKOK

A BEAUTY FAIL....XPERT.........

... get out of my life

but i just got here :(

out of my life!!!

plants myself in your life tbh

sorry for the ultra late CLEARLY I WAS TESTING YOUR LOYALTY!!

i abandoned you.

how mean of you

this time i was testing your loyalty.

don't do that too often, I'm partial to betrayal

i'm partial to sending you google translated tags

those are allowed

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