#Assorted Fruity Flavors

[skannar]

Margaret Okayo the Fastest Female Time in the Boston Marathon : Pure Tenacity

Name: Margaret Okayo Achievement: Fastest Female time in the Boston Marathon Boston Marathon winning year: 2002 Boston Marathon time: 2:20:43 In the annals of long-distance running, the name Margaret Okayo shines as a beacon of resilience, determination, and extraordinary talent. Hailing from the highlands of Kenya, Okayo’s story is one that exemplifies the triumph of the human spirit over…

[ariseur]

“are you wearing flavored chapstick?” with yuuji

✧˖° idk if i like this one, giving ooc vibes because i got major gojo energy from this idea.. i hope it’s still okay ☹️

“is that,” yuuji smacked his lips together as his eyes darted around his peripheral to try and decipher the foreign flavor. “.. flavored chapstick?”

“mhm!” you hummed, smiling as you watched his tongue dart out to further find the flavor. he thought for a moment before he looked back at you with a sheepish look. “strawberry?”

“yes—! i wanted to do a trend i saw online.”

he had cocked his head, “what’s the trend?”

so here you are; an assorted array of flavored chapstick tubes next to you as the salmon-haired boy covers his eyes, awaiting the next fruity flavor that’ll settle on his lips once yours meet his. then cues the five minutes afterward of him trying to guess, when really, he’s just trying to make you laugh.

(“uhm, grape?” he’d ask, full knowing that it was orange. to which you’d giggle, “yuuji, no—!” and correct him, leaving him with a triumphant smile as you showed him the tube, where he’d feign an oblivious, “ohhh!”)

you hum for a second before going for the mint one, eyes flitting to your boyfriend to ensure that he’s not cheating. his lips quirk into a grin as he hears you pop open the cap and twist the bottom to let the light green, almost transparent balm of the product peek out.

“okay, turn around,” you chime, and yuuji can already hear the smile in your voice.

once he turns around to face you, he spends no time before smushing your cheeks and pressing an exaggerated kiss to your lips, huffing in amusement through his nose as your delayed reaction.

you only break the kiss to laugh, allowing your hand to rest on the nape of his neck as he smiles at the sound of your giggles. a heavenly sound, yuuji could die happy knowing he had made you laugh.

“so eager, aren’t we?”

“‘s not my fault i have an awesome girlfriend,” he grins boyishly. he gets an eye roll and a forehead flick at the comment.

“you’re supposed to guess, yuuji!”

his lips part into a small ‘o’ shape as he taps his chin. you can tell he’s really thinking about it, maybe because he put in too much effort in that one kiss that he didn’t take the time to actually savor the flavor.

that’s it, he thought.

“i dunno,” he hums. “i think i might need another taste.” he drags the ‘a’ out mindlessly, watching as your brows quirk up at the idea. now you’re holding a hand to your chin, crossing your arm under the other to hold it up as you think.

“one more only, okay?”

he nods, placing his hands and fixing his posture eagerly. you chuckle as you lean in once more, memorizing yuuji’s big brown eyes — the way they flit around your face before fluttering closed. memorizing the way his lips manage to slot so perfectly into yours despite only being taught a few months ago. you had commit all of his habits to memory absentmindedly, oblivious to the fact that he always did the same.

he hums before you break away, evoking a soft pout from him as you quirk a brow as a silent question. “oh—!” he mutters before growing silent. he looks at the ground, then back at you, and repeats the same motions until finally,

“i think i need another one.”

“yuuji!”

𐙚 dottie’s 500 event - 🍡 ( dialogue ) prompts!!

𐙚 taglist ; @sad-darksoul @kasumitenbaz @2ukika

𐙚 non-500 requests are closed — august twenty-first, 2024

[serena-babes]

Hazbin hotel random headcanons

super unedited ⋆⭒˚.⋆

honestly wrote these off of the top of my head it's the most random assortment of people.

Lucifer, Charlie, Alastor, Vaggie, Angel, Husk, Sir pentcious, Adam

⋆ ๋𓂃✦༢⋆ ๋𓂃✦༢⋆ ๋𓂃✦༢⋆ ๋𓂃✦༢⋆ ๋𓂃✦༢⋆ ๋𓂃✦༢⋆ ๋𓂃✦༢⋆ ๋𓂃✦༢⋆ ๋𓂃✦༢⋆ ๋𓂃✦༢

Lucifer:

 He most definitely Drinks milk at dinner every night and I'm not talking a little glass I'm TALKING A GLASS a chalice even, filled TO THE BRIM, every night without fail.

(sorry to my milk drinkers) 

Either texts every two seconds or doesn't text at all there is zero in-between 

I dont know what it is but I feel like he doesn't season his food

An animal cracker is the most seasoned thing he has had in years I just know it 

Knows how to tap dance scarily good 

Screams like a girl

Puts hair in rollers nightly and has the most CRAZY ASS skin routine ever

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹

Charlie: 

Hasent spelled restaurant correctly in years but was a straight A student 

Chronic energy drink drinker 

Has one of those custom blankets but it's just her and vaggie on it 

All of her socks are mitch matched 

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹

Alastor:

Knows Morse code and can't swim

Plays slipping sound effects whenever someone trips around the hotel and then giggles to himself like a little schoolgirl

Has a diary

The type to say “Seems like we've gotten ourselves into a pickle” 

Cannot balance on one foot 

Probably heard dubstep one time and had a seizure 

Seasons his food CORRECTLY 

Either a “I shower once a week that's good enough” or a bubble bath with oils and rose petals everyday type of guy 

“Erm actually!”

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹

Angel:

Can't do math

Says womp womp in the most serious convos 

Bangs head on doors all the time due to height 

Phone addiction BAD 

Will only drink drinks if they are fruity He is the type to have to flavor their water 

Has the most IMMACULATE music taste

Chronic gossiper 

Uses :3 religiously 

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹

Husk:

Also says womp womp at the ABSOLUTE WORST TIMES

Got beat by Angel so hard during uno one time and still holds a grudge

Black coffee every morning 

Cannot cook I already know it 

STRONG cologne scent 

Thinks texting is the stupidest thing ever 

After a long hard day, he goes home to go watch old Western movies

Wears wife beater tank tops religiously 

Idk hes pretty chill not much to say about him 

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹

Vaggie: 

Goes to bed at 8:30pm SHARP

Needs glasses

Is REALLY good at cooking 

Secretly enjoys fighting with people online (stan wars on twitter) 

Washes face with some random soap and somehow its always perfect 

Drinks Gatorade chronically 

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹

Adam:

HEAVY BREATHER even when hes not doing anything IT IS CONSTANT 

Would call people slurs nonchalantly 

Really bad at reading 

ALSO cannot swim

ALSO has a diary and writes in it nightly

Elon musk supporter

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹

Sir Pentcious:

(is that how you spell his name..?”

Eats cup mac and cheese every day

Scared of balloons

Loves those baby sensory videos with the peas and fruits 

Basically an engineer 

SO GOOD at just dance 

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹

[neighbourscat]

౨౿ seventh-year gryffindor nicholas chavez who couldn’t stop staring across the aisle at you .. . and finally joins you — you sat alone in a compartment, peering eagerly out the window, drawing hearts and other shapes onto the foggy glass — with an assortment of snacks he’d snatched from the snack-trolley. as he settled down across from you, you took him in .. studying him; messy, fluffy chestnut hair, bright brown eyes that reflected the autumn scenery, gryffindor sweater, and burgundy-framed spectacles to match. the way he introduced himself; speaking in such a soft tone and allowing you to get comfortable with him, made him even handsomer. you shifted in your seat, straightening your posture.

౨౿ seventh-year gryffindor nicholas chavez who offers you a pumpkin pasty. the savory pastry was a staple in the hogwarts snack lineup. flaky golden crusts encased a warm, spiced pumpkin filling, mixed with hints of nutmeg and cinnamon. the aroma wafted through the compartment

౨౿ seventh-year gryffindor nicholas chavez who lets you choose between four packages. a favorite among students, chocolate frogs are not only delicious but also come with collectible cards featuring famous witches and wizards. each frog is made of rich, creamy chocolate, molded into a frog shape, and each one is enchanted to hop around briefly before settling down — nicholas quickly caught your chocolate frog before it could leap onto the floor.

you thanked him and took a bite out of your chocolate frog, watching him roll up the sleeves of his deep red and golden yellow sweater. “which witch or wizard did you get?” he asked gently, leaning over a tad.

british wizard, who in 1967 founded the nimbus racing broom company, considered to be the top of the field. “devlin whitelorn,” you said through heavy chocolate chews. “how ‘bout you?”

“bridget wenlock.” a famous thirteenth-century english witch and arithmancer, and the first to establish the magical properties of the number seven.

౨౿ seventh-year gryffindor nicholas chavez who shakes a box of bertie bott’s every flavor beans — these magical jelly beans are infamous for their unpredictability. with flavors ranging from the delightful — such as buttered popcorn, strawberry, and chocolate — to the downright disgusting — like liver, earwax, dirt, and vomit — bertie bott’s beans offer a risky yet exciting snack experience. the challenge of sampling the various flavors is a favorite pastime, with many daring their friends to try the more dubious flavors.

“you first.” nicholas presented the open-box of jelly beans and you shook your head — not daring to take a chance and upset your tastebuds.

౨౿ seventh-year gryffindor nicholas chavez who absolutely loved fizzing whizzbees — these candies are known for the fizzy, popping sensation as they dissolve in the mouth. they resemble small, colorful balls and give off a fruity flavor that explodes with each bite. “it-it’s .. l-like .. . f-fireworks,” nicholas muttered, struggling to get his words out from the rapid bursting buzz, “in your mouth.” precisely.

finishing your one, you reached in and grabbed a red-candy from his open palm — red had been his favorite flavor, but he didn’t mind you taking it for yourself.

[throughthetwistedmirror]

The Deal with Eels ~ *Jade & Floyd Leech*

Summary: You need money which you know you can get from the Leech brothers. However, you know it'll come with strings attached. Hopefully, they won't figure it out...

Pairing: N/A

Genre: Fluffy Drabble

Word Count: 844

Warning: N/A

Masterlist

"Well, well, well, if it isn't our little Shrimpy!" You cringed at the obnoxious voice shouting from behind you. 

It's not that you didn't love the Leech twins, it's just that someone let it slip to them that you were in need of money. And those two always tried to lend a helping hand for a modest fee. You really weren't about to sink to their level just so you could get a loan.

A heavy arm wrapped around your shoulder and Floyd's voice whispered in your ear. "Why are you running away so fast?"

"Don't you want to say hello to your dear friends?" Jade added from your other side.

You gave them both a small smile. "Hello. Can I please go now?"

"Nonsense!" Jade shook his head. "We want to treat you at the Mostro Lounge. Please, let us escort you there."

You tried to shake your head, dig in your heels, refuse in the nicest way possible. But the twins are strong and there are two of them and only one of you. You didn't stand a chance.

Before you knew it, you were sitting in a secluded booth in the Lounge. Some fruity little drink was before you and Jade assured you that an assortment of food was on the way. However you weren't hungry and you weren't thirsty either. You were anxious and it was tying your stomach in knots. You wished they would just get to the point already.

"Look, whatever you're going to propose, I have to politely decline. It's not that I don't want to do business with you, it's just-"

"Who says we're looking to do business with you?" Jade chuckled behind his hand.

Floyd wickedly grinned and it made your stomach flip. "This is a friendly little lunch. Between dear friends."

"Forgive me for being suspicious." You muttered.

Jade shook his head, his polite smile falling into a frown. "My, my. We offer to help a friend out and this is the thanks we get? I don't know Floyd, I don't think they're our friend after all."

His brother frowned as well. "No, not at all. That's such a shame. I really enjoyed hanging out with you, Shrimpy."

You sighed. You suppose it couldn't hurt to at least hear them out. "Alright, what is it you wanted to speak to me about?"

Jade smiled once more. "That's more like it."

"We've heard through the current that you're in need of some money." Floyd explained. "And we want to help! That's what friends are for, right?"

"I guess..."

"We'll lend you all the money you need for as long as you're a student at Night Raven College, in exchange for a couple of flavors." Jade added.

There it was. The sticking point. The fee that made you wish you never took the deal in the first place. But, what you hope they didn't anticipate was you could play the friend card as well.

"A couple favors? I thought we were friends, boys." You simpered, batting your eyelashes for extra effect.

Floyd laughed out loud. "You're going to have to try harder than that, Shrimpy!"

"But couldn't we do it one favor each?" You begged a little, pouting.

The twins glanced at each other, a look exchanged between them. They turned back to you with their own special kinds of smiles. Your stomach twisted tighter and you were thankful you didn't eat because you suddenly got nauseous.

"A favor each? That sounds doable." Jade nodded. "My favor will be you are now my partner to gather mushrooms for as long as you are an NRC student."

It didn't sound so bad when he said it like that, but you knew he would make you go every weekend at the crack of dawn. Still, it could be a lot worse.

"And you have to do my homework whenever I ask you to do it." Floyd added.

Again, when he said it like that, it didn't sound like the worst punishment ever. But combine the two favors together, it was going to make your stay at NRC feel even longer. You weren't entirely sure you could accept these favors.

But you really needed the money. Ramshackle dorm was falling apart, despite your best efforts to make it at least habitable. And Grim was desperate for fancy tuna to snack on. All of that cost money you didn't have. While you loved working at Mr. S's Shop, it still didn't pay the bills. Besides, you knew that the Leech twins had more than enough to go around. They could make all of your financial troubles go away at the snap of your fingers.

"Counter offer: I do all of that until I no longer need money. Then we part ways as unlikely friends."

Again, the twins glanced at each other before turning back to you and grinning. "Deal."

As you shook their hands, you knew in the back of your mind you just made a deal with a pair of devils. Still, you supposed it could be worse…

[ftm2bbw]

Part 4

Amari’s body was trembling from the relentless pleasure coursing through him, his swollen breasts heavy and aching under the suction of the pumps. His mind was a haze of desire, and just when he thought his overstimulated body couldn’t handle any more, his partner wheeled in a trolley laden with food. The assortment was rich and decadent—plates piled high with creamy pasta, thick slices of buttery bread, rich desserts topped with whipped cream, and bowls of fresh fruit glistening under the soft light.

His partner smiled down at him, an affectionate yet mischievous glint in their eye. “Time to feed my good dairy cow,” they teased, sitting beside the bed and picking up a forkful of pasta, its sauce dripping with cream and cheese. They brought it to Amari’s lips, coaxing him to open up. “You’ll eat for me, won’t you?”

Amari was too far gone to resist, his lips parting as they slipped the fork into his mouth. The rich, velvety taste of the food hit his tongue, filling his senses as his partner fed him bite after indulgent bite. The flavors were overwhelming—creamy, savory, and sweet all at once—and with each mouthful, Amari could feel his belly starting to bloat, the fullness pressing against the restraints that held him.

His partner continued to feed him, alternating between bites of food and sips of a thick, fruity drink that matched the serum he had already swallowed earlier. Every taste seemed to send another wave of pleasure down to his core, heightening his sensitivity. Soon, Amari’s belly was rounding out, visibly swollen from the sheer volume of food, his chubby stomach distending under the pressure.

“You’re such a good cow,” his partner cooed, rubbing slow circles over Amari’s belly, feeling the tautness as it expanded. “Look at how full you’re getting. So soft… so perfect.”

Amari’s breath hitched, his overstimulated body responding to every touch. The sensation of his partner’s hand moving over his bloated belly was almost too much to bear, adding to the fullness and the ache in his chest. His briefs were straining against the hardness that had been building, but the combination of the belly rubs, the weight in his chest, and the pumping on his nipples pushed him closer to the edge.

“You’re getting so big,” his partner murmured, voice low and sultry. They pinched his nipple through the pump for emphasis, causing Amari to moan loudly, his body arching off the bed as pleasure ripped through him. “Such a good dairy cow. I bet you love being this full, don’t you?”

Amari could barely form a coherent response, his mind too fogged with sensation, but his body reacted instinctively. The fullness in his belly, the warmth in his chest, and the constant teasing of his partner’s hands pushed him right to the brink. He writhed, overwhelmed, as his partner continued rubbing his swollen belly, fingers grazing his sensitive skin.

Without warning, the pleasure peaked, and Amari gasped, his body convulsing as he climaxed, hands-free, right there in his briefs. His belly was so full it ached, his chest swollen and heavy, his whole body shuddering with the intensity of the release. His partner only smiled, satisfied, as they watched him unravel beneath their touch.

“That’s my good dairy cow,” they whispered, their hand gently stroking his cheek as Amari lay panting, utterly spent. “You’ve done so well. So full and perfect, just like I wanted.”

Amari’s body was limp, his mind still swimming in the aftermath of the pleasure, and his partner leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. “Rest now,” they said, their voice gentle. “You’ve earned it.”

Part 3

Fat cows make the best milk, after all. And good cows get fatter.

And the best cows associate mind-melting pleasure with growing their tits and improving their milk and indulging themselves fatter 🐮

[ohdearlingwhathappened]

Our All Blue

Gn!reader x Sanji

Just a soft moment between you and the resident Strawhat cook

Cw: nothing that I can think of, but if you find anything please let me know!

       The sun was beating down on the Thousand Sunny harder than it had in a while, and the entire crew was feeling the effects. Even Luffy, who could normally be found giggling and running around the ship, was practically deflated on the bow of the ship. Some members of the ship were fairing somewhat better than others, whether it be by pushing through it and training, or just being used to the heat.

       “SANJIIII,” Luffy loudly whines out, trying to draw the cook’s attention away from the dinner he was currently working on. “Can’t you make something to cool down with?”

       The blonde man peeks his head out of the kitchen and yells out, “Sure! I’ll have some refreshments ready in just a moment!” And true to his word, he practically twirls out of the kitchen’s door with two trays of drinks, passing them out to each person he passes. With one drink left, Sanji goes searching for the one person he hasn’t been able to find. Finally, he’s able to track down (Y/n) sitting in the aquarium staring up at all the different kinds of fish.

       “A nice, cold drink for my favorite person. I was even able to sneak you some of the fruit from the kitchen without Luffy noticing.” Sanji places down a delightfully blue drink and a small bowl of assorted fruit next to one of the newest members of the crew, who smiles brightly back up at him.

       “Thanks, Sanji!” (Y/n) picks up their drink and take a sip. A calm smile overtakes their face as they taste the wonderful, fruity flavors with the subtle notes of mint which would help anyone be refreshed by a single sip. “Awesome, as per usual. This was really needed on a day like this.” They look back at the tank of colorful fish before them, and the blonde sits to the left of them, close enough to brush against their shoulder, and so their right arm still had access to the treat.

       “I know I’ve already sat down, but may I join you?” He sneaks a peak down at them, and they glance up at him with a smile and a barely visible warmth to (Y/n)’s face. They quickly nod and bring their attention back to the aquarium.

       After a few minutes had passed, (Y/n) jumps, having realized Sanji had probably paused making dinner to make the crew drinks and to spend time with them, “Oh, what about dinner?”

       A chuckle escapes him as he shakes his head, leaning against them a bit more fully, “Don’t worry about it. I was nearly done when our dear captain requested something to cool him off. All that needs to be done is for it to be seared and then served. Besides, I’d like to spend some time with you.”

       “Oh. Oh! Um.. ok!” (Y/n) relaxes against him, and Sanji simply wraps an arm around their waist. As the room is filled with nothing but the sound of the water filtration and the waves from the outside ship, any previous awkwardness quickly fades from the room.

       “You know… we may be far from finding the All Blue, but I think this may be a decent placeholder. Right, Sanji?” (Y/n) looks up at the man, who looks down at them as if the elusive ocean can be found in their eyes alone.

       “I think you’re right, amore. I think this is our own All Blue.”

[posttexasstressdisorder]

Gummy Vitamins Rule.

Turned on to the whole "gummy vit" thing by my groovy tumblr friend who sends surprise CARE Packages of thoughtfully-chosen items.

The things have actually made a huge difference in my energy levels since I started taking them. The first ones are the "Vitafusion Men's" multis...which were a hit with me from the git-go. Assorted fruity flavors.

And since I'd posted about my doc actually prescribing Vit D in massive doses, to be followed up by dailies, the Vit D3 gummies, in Orange, Lemon and Strawberry do the trick.

These made such a difference, I figured I'd try the ones for additional B-Complex w/C (strawberry), and the ones that are just a massive hit (3000mcg) of B12 alone, in a yummy not-at-all B-vitamin-tasting Raspberry.

They are all reasonably priced, as well, about $10/bottle, for enough for at least a month or more.

I will say this: The B12 super-shots are the closest thing to "legal speed" I've experienced in quite a while. Talk about energy boost, but at the same time a noticeable increase in ability to FOCUS on what I'm doing.

I can see why, toward the end of her life when the ravages of alcohol had taken their toll, legendary sparrow of Paris, Edith Piaf, would have her doctor shoot her up with a massive syringe of B12 backstage before she went onstage.

As an old fart who hasn't taken vitamins consciously in DECADES (and hated the pill-taking regimen they required), I now take them faithfully as a treat with my coffee in the morning.

Highly recommend. Massive "Bang-For-Buck" energy.

[tessathegamefreak]

Tessa? I've been wondering?

What are the candy themes of some of the fusions we got so far? Like, since some of the fusions have a Sugar Rush character in it, what are their candy themes?

Kaneko (Kane Candy and Neko fusion)

Princess Nillacream (Princess Vanellope and Neko fusion)

Camillaron (Theresa and Coalette fusion)

Dalgona (Giul and Berre fusion)

Andres (Lucas and Nala fusion)

Idris (Steep and Nala fusion)

Stella (Steep and Clara fusion)

Good question, my Nintendo-fanatic Neko, hehe!

Kaneko: Assorted Candies, specifically the ones that are pink. Since Kane isn't originally from Sugar Rush, his assorted candy theme isn't authentic. Fusing with Neko only gave their theme a specific color

Princess Nillacream: Birthday Cake Pudding. Neko fusing with Princess Vanellope added a delicious cream element to the Princess' varied theme.

Camillaron: Chocolate Macarons. Theresa's theme is typically based off bite-sized chocolates, but Coalette's half-French origins causes her theme to focus more on the macaron element.

Dalgona: Strawberry Dalgona Coffee [Yes, the item they are based off of is their name]. Giul is based on coffee flavored gelatos. Fusing with Berre gave his theme a fruity twist, shifting his typically chilled theme to a frothy whipped drink.

Andrés: Green Apple flavored Salsaghetti and green chamoy. Lucas' theme is typically based on all tamarind candies, but fusing with Nala gave his theme a green color, for some reason...

Idris: Irish Tea. It should be noted that Steep wasn't actually made with a tea theme, he just adopted it. However, fusing with Nala makes his tempting inhibitions feel stronger. They both share the same bad habits, and thus they are twice as likely to endure them. Idris identifies with the Irish Tea theme because Irish Tea is known for its strong, robust flavor and high caffeination [some people even put alcohol in their Irish Tea]

Stella: Milk Oolong Tea. With the same case as Idris, Stella's theme is only assumed. Fusing with Clara has made Steep more alert, and metaphorically adds a sweet milky flavor to his theme.

Hope this all does well by you ;3

[koffing-time]

So… What would you say is your best espresso. I’ve been searching for alternatives after my favorite local spot closed.

(@numberonecameraman)

Hmmm, sorry for the late answer, i had to think about this a bit.

I can give you a few nods and infos, but it depends on your taste and preferences.

Well, let's start at the beginning. I'm not that much of an espresso kinda person, i'm more into standard coffee, but espresso is (genuinely) not much more than concentrated coffee. You have to be more careful when preparing it, but in the end, you have the same flavors, just more concentrated. (I promise, i can do that, i know how to make a banger espresso)

And, well, the flavors mostly depend on the coffee you're using. Obviously there are different grades of quality, but i'm assuming you want some high quality stuff, right? Now, i do have some standard beans for normal ass coffee, and you can do a lot of different things with that alone.

Depending on the place your beans come from, they'll have a slightly different taste, but i won't go into that rn because that would go WAYYYYY beyond the scale of this post lmao.

Something more managable is the color (or roast level). Rule of thumb: darker roasts give you more bitterness, a more full and earthy aroma and some chocolatey hints. More lighter roasts are sweeter, less bitter and the more nuanced aromas come out more.

Secondly, there are two different kinds of beans (for the most part. you can probably get some exotic shit as well, but i usually don't have that around). Arabica and Robusta. In general, Arabica is more popular bc it's more... light? i wanna say? It's gentler with its flavors, but the Robusta has more punch, more caffeine and will make overall stronger coffee (espresso). I don't actually have pure Robusta, because, if we're honest, pure robusta coffee (espresso) is REALLY bitter and kind of bland. Something more interesting is a blend between the two. Depending on the ratio, you can get a lot of different profiles. (there are pure arabica versions of course)

Third is the freshness. Of course, the fresher the beans, the better the coffee (espresso). Well... there are a few exception, but they always exist. That part is more important when you make it at home, check the roast date and go to a good shop to buy your coffee.

BUT something that is wayyyy more interesting imo than just... color and arabica/robusta ratio, that is... roast style. You can roast coffee beans in a variety of ways. You can just put them in the oven, you can put them on the grill and smoke them, you can deep fry them, there are tons of ways, and all influence the flavor of course.

One more thing i wanna mention is the fermentation: i love love love coffee that is fermented with the cherry. It makes the coffee (espresso) a lot lighter and actually gives it a fruity and fresh note. Those kind of beans are usually little bit more expensive, but trust me its worth it.

And, lastly, you can blend your coffee with a ton of other stuff to enhance your experience. Mix it with cinnamon, occa berry, cheri berry, chilli powder, i have so many blends here that are really really great. The italians hate me for it, but i again, i usually drink standard coffee, not espresso. That doesn't mean its bad in espresso though.

And to conclude, specifically for your question about our BEST espresso? Well, we do have an assortment of homemade coffee blends, and one is called the "Tix' Mix". It's got a little spice to it, but is mainly sweet and has a full flavor profile between chocolatey and herby. There's also "Olivia's Original" of course (and more varied ideas), but for integrity reasons i have to insist that my personal blend is better lol.

[skannar]

Geoffrey Mutai Fastest time in the Boston Marathon and Beyond

Name: Geoffrey Mutai Achievement: Fastest time in the Boston Marathon Boston Marathon winning year: 2011 Boston Marathon time: 2:03:02 Geoffrey Mutai, a name that resonates with unparalleled prowess and a testament to human determination, has etched his mark on the annals of long-distance running history. Born on October 7, 1981, in the rural highlands of Bomet County, Kenya, Mutai emerged…

[ghostthecryptid]

this has always been an interesting headcanon "genre" to me, but what types of candy do you think each tf2 merc would like? i think that pyro would like those Zotz candies that fizz and foam in your mouth!

Oooo! Thats a good one. Lets see...

Scout: Generally anything sour/bubble gum (Zots, Razzles, Gold mine gum, Nik L Nips)

Pyro: Loves fruity candy and any kind of candy that has a fun twist to them (Razzles, Zots, starburst, fruit tootsie rolls)

Sniper: Doesnt like sugar very much but has a few favorites that he likes to stash away and ones not even a candy technically? (strawberry filled hard candies, Tim Tam, Milky way, flavored licorice)

Soldier: Goes absolutely feral for the candy in MREs (Chuckles, Charms, m&ms, skittles)

Demo: Loves anything with toffee and caramel (Heath, 100 grand, Werthers, Almond Roca)

Engineer: Loves some hard candy or chocolate (Idaho spud, old fashioned hard candy, butterscotch, tootsie roll)

Heavy: Good old chocolate. Maybe something fruity if hes in the mood (cadbury, assorted hard fruit candy, 3 musketeers, jujyfruits)

Medic: What some people would call "old persons candy" (good and plenty, bit o honey, Necco wafers, Black licorice)

Spy: I dont really think of Spy as a candy person but he has the biggest sweet tooth for cookies (Chips ahoy, Oreo, Famous amos, keeblr) but he would absolutely love those candy ciggarettes not the sweetest candy but just sweet enough

Bonus-

Miss Pauling: Would kill someone for some lemon heads or gobstoppers

[thewatchfuleyebelow]

*sets down a bag of marshmallows. They appear to be assorted flavors. .. and mostly fruity flavors, like strawberry*

Oh - ! Marshmallows. . W seemed to be the one to pick this one up, holding it in their arms.

“ ah. . thanks. ”

[abeinginsand]

terrow + fruit for the headcanon asks? 🥰

Thank you for the ask, Isadora!! :D ----- After officially going down the druid path, Sparrow quickly began to notice one of the classes most apparent quirks. They used to think their dad always had leaves in his hair due to tumbling around like both the twins did. But, staring into the mirror each day, to see small flowers and leaves growing in their hair, suddenly they had more interesting reason. The plant growths made them more inspired to learn more about their magic. Among all of their friends, TJ most shared that passion for exploring the depths of the groups new found abilities. They'd often wandered the scattered archives of the Forgotten Realms together, in search of more books and scrolls to study. This included reading books that Erin had in her home library. They tended to set up outside with a few of her books, the interior sometimes giving TJ an intensely eerie feeling.

One day, while in the backyard of TJ's home, the two read a dusty and gigantic book together. Sparrow's rested her head on her companion's shoulder and spoke every other page out loud. The teens are sitting on a few blankets, tucked to the side of the yard and under the cover of two trees. Midway through the book, Mrs. Stampler comes outside to the patio with snacks and water. Today's snacks are an assortment of cheese cubes, fruit slices, and crackers. The easier think to do would be to take a full-on snack break. Sparrow and TJ were too mesmerized by the book to commit to that though. Instead, they took turns feeding each other snack bites in between flipping pages. These reading sessions and snacking habits were something they first started doing when younger and continued into high school. After stumbling into a little high school romance, some of the snack sharing may have spiraled into a kiss or two. Tasting various fruity flavors on each others breath. At those times, the books and scrolls failed to more enchanting then they were to each other.

[bagog]

Whiskey Story

This story is a fic-exchange gift! Hope you enjoy!

Pairing: Mshenko Genre: Fluff Word count: 5100

Read it on AO3 if you wanna, it's probably a better way to read.

++

“Welcome to Huerta Memorial! Downloading information to your Citadel Personal Shopping VI… download complete! Welcome back, Commander Shepard! This is your fourth visit this month.”

As soon as the download was finished, the blank screen of the console pulled up the usual assortment from the hospital medical supply stores. It took him only a few moments to order nine crates of medi-gel to replenish the Normandy’s stores. Dr. Chakwas had caught him just before he had raced out the airlock to run to the hospital. He’d been tapping his foot impatiently through the whole docking procedure, in the transport to the Presidium, and through the Personal Shopping VI download. Seems like he hadn’t stopped tapping his foot since he read that Kaidan had woken from his coma.

“Thank you for your purchase! Your order will be delivered to DOCK D24, ALLIANCE STARSHIP SSV NORMANDY SR-2 by 15:00, station time. Return to recommended purchases?”

Shepard blinked, returned to the previous screen. The shopper VI had autopopulated the homepage of the kiosk with the sorts of things Shepard was used to ordering: medi-gel by the crate, VI trauma protocols, the like. But today, at the top of the list, was an item from the gift shop. A bottle of whiskey.

“Shopper,” Shepard said aloud, the computer chimed in answer. “Explain the bottle of whiskey?”

“A recommendation from the hospital gift shop. TM88 is a fine Peruvian whiskey.”

“Why’s it on my recommended tab?”

“Traffic observations have noted that you have visited the room of patient Kaidan Alenko on every visit in the last month. As your CPS VI, I have selected items from the gift shop which patient Kaidan Alenko has been expected to enjoy with a proposed 82% accuracy. Shall I add it to your cart?”

Shepard’s foot had stopped tapping impatiently. Kaidan probably would like a bottle of whiskey. Besides, now that he was awake, it would be rude to show up empty handed. But given how close they had been and how spectacularly they had fallen out, the gift had to be carefully considered. Alcohol was a safe gift, it didn’t say too much. It didn’t say ‘watching you almost killed on Mars was one of the most terrifying moments of my life’ or ‘seeing you again felt like settling into a more comfortable life.’ All it said was ‘I know how much you like whiskey, here’s a nice one.’

“And… it’s a good whiskey?” Shepard asked dumbly when the kiosk prompted him again with a chime.

“TM88 is a superb black corn Peruvian whiskey with a fruity accent and deep flavor.”

Shepard thought about it for another moment before adding it to his cart. Walking over to the delivery station, he concluded that an expensive bottle of spirits was hardly the present he wanted to give, but he was terrible at gifts. He decided to take it as a sign that his personal shopper VI had selected it.

A lot of feelings were hidden in that bottle, a secret piece of Shepard’s self he wasn’t aware he’d ever had, much less that it was missing. He felt that way, anyway. Maybe it was a piece of himself he owed Kaidan, for Horizon, for everything. He wished he knew what the piece was.

Bottle in hand, he made his way for Kaidan’s room.

++

Dressed back in his uniform, Kaidan thought about how he’d miss the view from his hospital window. He hadn’t been planet-side in months, and he hadn’t had a window to look out in as long. The presidium was laid out before him, bathed in artificial sunlight, life still moving apace despite the war.

“Kaidan,” came a voice from the door. Kaidan turned and waved Thane into his room. “Getting ready to leave, I see?” Kaidan nodded and focused back on stuffing a folded spare uniform into his pack.

“Don’t worry, was definitely going to come say goodbye before I took off. It’ll be another couple of hours before the doc gives me a clean-bill, anyway. I’m just feeling optimistic.”

“You’re in high spirits. That’s good.” There was a little gravel in Thane’s voice and he coughed softly into his fist. “It’s been enjoyable to have your company.”

“Likewise, Thane,” Kaidan smiled at him, set his open pack on the bed in the center of the room to shake Thane’s hand. “It’s made being here bearable, honestly, having some company while I’ve been in here.”

As Kaidan continued to pack, Thane walked to the window, picking up a bottle which sat on a small shelf beneath.

“I take it the whiskey is yours and not the hospital’s?” He asked wryly, holding out the bottle to Kaidan.

“Hm?” Kaidan looked up, breathed a laugh. “Oh. Yeah. Shepard brought that to me the last time he visited. Had almost forgotten about it.” He took the whiskey and ran his eyes over the label. “Woo, expensive stuff, too. Gonna feel guilty if I don’t drink this for some kind of special occasion.”

“It is unlikely Shepard’s intention was to make you feel guilty,” Thane said. His eyes were unreadable, but he had the faintest hint of a smirk on his lips.

“Nah, I know. Just a nice gesture.” Or a peace offering. “Guess he remembered how much I like whiskey.” Still, for some reason, he fell silent and stared at the thin metal bottle for a long moment. He carefully strapped the bottle to the outside of his pack.

++

“Hey.”

Shepard stood at the door of Kaidan’s room. Kaidan was lying in the bed, face still a mask of bruises, dark circles under his dark eyes. Still, when he looked up at Shepard he smiled, pushed himself to sit up in the bed a little more. The sheet slipped down his torso, the bare skin on his chest pebbling in the cool air.

“Shepard,” Kaidan replied levelly. The half-smile slid from his face and he soberly regarded Shepard. “I didn’t know if you’d come.”

“Because of what I said on Mars?” Kaidan couldn’t look at him. He didn’t blame him, they’d had that fight on Mars. And besides, Shepard could barely look Kaidan in the eyes either: he had a tendency to stare at the bruises, rather than the eyes in the center of them. Not sure where to look, Shepard realized his gaze had fallen on to Kaidan’s softly rising and falling chest.

“Yeah,” Kaidan turned to him, his face softening. “Nevermind, I’m glad you’re here.” That made Shepard smile, and no matter how hard he tried to keep his face impassive, he was sure it showed. Shepard pulled a chair up to Kaidan’s bedside and sat down in it.

“What did Udina want? Still thinking about the Spectre position?”

“It’s a big honor… a huge responsibility. Just need to be sure.”

But Shepard didn’t want to talk about Udina, or Spectres, or the war, or anything. He wanted to talk to Kaidan. About anything. Anything else, that is. He had had time to rehearse what he wanted to say on the flight to the Citadel, but first things first:

“I got you this.” Shepard handed Kaidan the bottle of whiskey. He accepted it and his eyes scanned the label as if he wasn’t really seeing what was in front of him.

“Wow. Thanks Shepard. That’s really great,” Kaidan said, sounding largely impassive. Shepard silently cursed his shopper VI.

“Just a little pick-me-up,” Shepard supplied, quickly. The idea the bottle could be more than that had disappeared when Kaidan had accepted the bottle—well, almost disappeared.

“Maybe when I’m out, we can crack it open and celebrate? You can’t tell, but I’m tied to this bed by medical red tape.”

The idea of opening the bottle with Kaidan once he was out stopped Shepard’s racing mind for a second. Would Kaidan come back to the Normandy? How long until he was better?

For now, all Shepard knew was that there was a possibility that these wouldn’t be the last conversations he’d have with Kaidan.

++

“Hi, yes. Hello. I’m wondering if you can help me out. I was in one of your cabs about three hours ago and I left something in the cab.”

Kaidan stood at a public comms terminal near docking bay D24. After maybe six conversations with various put-upon and grumpy departments, he was beginning to lose his cool.

“Sir,” the salarian on the other side of the comms channel said, voice dripping with exhausted cynicism. “No, like, disrespect? But there are about 50 different cab companies servicing the station, are you sure it was one of ours?”

Kaidan frowned, checked over his shoulder, expecting Shepard to come walking out of a lift and head for the ship at any moment. “No, I’m sure. This is Hrethlep’s Transport Services?”

“Yes.” The salarian replied miserably.

“It was a Hrethlep cab. I left a bottle of whiskey in the back when I got out in a hurry and—”

“Sir, we don’t exactly have a lost and found. Thousands of people use our transports every cycle. If you left something in the cab, it’s probably been picked up by another passenger at this point.”

“Okay, well, can you please check anyway?” Kaidan crossed his arms over his chest, trying to keep a little tremor of frustration out of his voice.

“Perhaps you should prepare yourself for the possibility that you may need to buy yourself a new bottle of whiskey, sir.” The salarian leaned forward, looking bored, and pretended to be typing something. Kaidan grimaced.

“I can’t just buy a new—look, listen, it has… sentimental value, alright?”

“Oh clearly,” the salarian snarked. “That’s why you left it in a cab.”

“…alright, look. I’m going to give you the serial number of the cab, you pull up your info, and tell me if a bottle of whiskey got left in that cab, hm? Can you do that for me?” Kaidan tried to keep his demand friendly: this would go on another hour if he had to speak to someone else. Each person along the chain had known a little more and been a little ruder about it, he could only imagine what would happen if he got handed off to a supervisor or something. The salarian made a motion Kaidan took to be the equivalent of rolling his eyes.

“Do you record the serial number of every cab you take?”

“No,” Kaidan seethed. “I called up C-SEC, used my Spectre access to double check the flight records of all the cabs active in the presidium during the Cerberus invasion, found my flight path—Huerta Memorial to the Council Chambers—and have the serial number of the only car within the last seven hours to make that particular trip.”

“Spec—did you say Spectre access.”

“Look, I didn’t want to pull this card, but I’m kind of in a hurry,” he looked back up, checked the lobby for any sign of Shepard. “I took the cab to evac the Council during the invasion. Got out of the cab in a bit of a hurry, right? And left something important to me in there. Can you please just check for me? That’s all I want.”

“Umm, sure, Sir,” the title was spoken with a little more respect this time. The salarian needed a moment to cycle through a few screens. “Huh, what do you know? Someone reported a duffel bag and a bottle of fancy whiskey in that car.”

“Great.” Kaidan smiled resolutely, but kept the menace in his stance. “I can pay damn well if someone brings those both to docking bay D24 ASAP.”

“Uh, sure thing, Spectre sir. I’ll send someone out with it immediately. Should be just a few minutes.”

“Thank you.” Kaidan transferred his coordinates and closed the channel. It was a gamble, hanging out around the Normandy’s docking bay. After all, Shepard had mentioned Kaidan rejoining the Normandy, but Kaidan was on the fence about it before. And the commander hadn’t exactly offered yet. It was a bit of a risk just showing up at their front door with all his stuff, asking to be taken on. Hell, he hadn’t even shown up with his stuff: duty-first Kaidan Alenko, racing to try to save the council.

He wasn’t sure what Shepard would say, but how else were they supposed to open this whiskey?

++

Shepard had begun to walk away from Kaidan’s bedside once he’d given him the bottle, and had almost made it to the door. For some reason, he turned around as it opened, took one long look at Kaidan—himself staring out the window with a knitted brow. They’d ‘cleared the air’ about Horizon, about everything. Kaidan had said he wished he could come with Shepard. For the first time since Cerberus had brought him back, Shepard felt like he could really see his friend, again. Without any of the pain in the way.

Shepard stepped back into the room, pulled up his chair once again.

“Something else, Shepard?” Kaidan asked.

They talked like old friends. Shepard found out all about what Kaidan had been up to since they last parted ways: his promotion, his team, his dealings with Anderson. For the first time in a long time, Shepard felt like he was back with his team, like he was ready for the fight.

Kaidan’s eyes were a dark agate brown in the artificial lighting, and Shepard hung on his every word. He hadn’t noticed he’d inched closer, right to the edge of his chair, practically in Kaidan’s bubble. For a moment, Shepard almost suggested they open the whiskey while they talk, but figured a hospital wasn’t the best place to be opening expensive alcohol.

“You said your implant got rattled.” Shepard was smiling ear to ear. “Everything good?”

Kaidan shrugged. “The medical gibberish was a bit more impressive, but that’s what I took away from it—rattled.” Shepard’s eyes traced the shadowed bruises across Kaidan’s face as he spoke, the flecks of grey in his hair, the light playing on his chest. He forced himself to pay attention to what Kaidan was saying about his implant. “But my biotics are stronger than ever. Maybe some things get better with age!”

“Or maybe you have,” Shepard offered. Kaidan chuckled, tipped his head forward conspiratorially.

“Are you flirting with me, Commander?” He teased. Shepard’s jaw dropped, but Kaidan laughed. “Wait, wait! Don’t tell me. Let me live in the illusion.”

Shepard was quiet for a long moment, smiling through the confusion still written all over his face.

++

Kaidan stepped into the crew quarters and waited at the threshold a moment to let his eyes adjust to the dim light. It was the night shift aboard the Normandy, but it had been sunny-bright in the Citadel presidium, and the shift from one to the other always made Kaidan’s head swim. But he endured it today with a smile on his face as he had crossed the Presidium, striding through the CIC still smiling, and into the lift, still looking starry-eyed.

He removed his boots to lie on top of his bunk, loosening his collar and a few uniform buttons and sighing into the darkness. When he closed his eyes, he saw Shepard’s face in his mind, and that made him smile more. The tension that had been building inside him for the past week had been erased the instant Shepard had said the words “Someone to live for, maybe love.”

It had been a good sanity check, Kaidan felt sane, albeit giddy. When he had met Shepard three years ago, he never would’ve imagined himself confessing feelings for his commander like that—especially not after Cerberus, after everything. And yet, here he was, lying in his bunk, replaying the conversation with Shepard, watching his lips as he spoke the words “Maybe love.” Had he changed from the man he had been three years ago? His brush with his own mortality on Mars had put a lot of things in focus, but at the same time, there was a voice in the back of his mind that had made peace with the fact that Kaidan wasn’t going to find a partner in this life.

It hadn’t made him bitter to realize, it just seemed like a distraction he couldn’t afford to have right now. Besides, Kaidan had been honest: he fell for a lover slowly. He took his time cherishing their interactions, learning the rough edges and the surprising corners of each other. That’s how it had been with Shepard, and Kaidan couldn’t really say when he had fallen in love.

Kaidan softly rolled to his side, reached into a dark corner next to the bunk, and pulled out the tall metal bottle of TM88 whiskey. It was one of the only personal possessions Kaidan had brought aboard—stripping his needs down to essentials was another resolution he’d made in his long convalescence—and it was the exception that proved the rule. The bottle wasn’t a basic or a necessity, shouldn’t have had a place in his footlocker. But Shepard was a necessity, so the bottle stayed.

For the first time, Kaidan considered why Shepard had bought this bottle for him. Yes, it could be a simple act of one friend trying to cheer another up. It was unreasonable to assume it had been, back then, an envoy of any kind. Especially with how Shepard reacted with surprise when Kaidan expressed his feelings. But it made Kaidan smile to think it might’ve been. His affinity for whiskey was known by most of the crew who had spent any shore leave with him, it was a thoughtful gift without being too intimate. Staring at the bottle in the dimness, Kaidan suddenly saw it as more significant. It wasn’t just a nice whiskey, it was beckoning them to spend some time together, off the clock. That wasn’t the sort of gift Shepard gave to everyone. Hell, Shepard wasn’t big on gifts—giving or receiving. Kaidan licked his lip, and almost sat up in bed.

Why shouldn’t he go up to Shepard’s quarters right now and share this bottle with him? Why not taste expensive Peruvian whiskey on Shepard’s lips when they leaned together for their first kiss?

He rolled his eyes at himself, but couldn’t stop smiling. The whiskey should definitely be used for a celebration, and he had reason to celebrate today. Instead, he held the bottle for another moment before returning it to the side of his bed. He just needed to keep it with him a little longer.

++

Shepard beamed down at the steak sandwich the waiter had left him. Apollo’s wasn’t busy, and if he ignored an asari student studying in the opposite corner, he could almost believe he and Kaidan were alone in the restaurant.

“You just gonna stare at it, or are you gonna eat it?” Kaidan teased, taking a bite of his sandwich. He took a swig of his beer.

“I’m glad you asked me here today, Kaidan.”

“For the steak sandwich?” Kaidan smirked.

“No, for…” Shepard shrugged. He just couldn’t slip the words out from behind his grin. What was he thanking Kaidan for, anyway? “For telling me how you feel. About us.”

Kaidan gave him a warm smile. “I’m grateful you listened. And I’m happy you feel the same way.” Shepard reached across the table and held one of Kaidan’s hands in his. This felt so right. Why had he been surprised when Kaidan professed his feelings? How could he miss the longing in Kaidan’s gaze, the heat? “What are you thinking about?” Kaidan asked after Shepard had stared a moment, lost in his thoughts. He squeezed Kaidan’s hand.

“Just… there are so many things I feel like I want to say, but all I can think about is just… you. You’re right here, and for so long I’ve…” Shepard shrugged, turned his face sheepishly away. He looked out over the Presidium, “For so long I’ve just… wished you were here. I missed you, and now you’re right here.”

“And I’m not going anywhere,” Kaidan said, voice sincere in that way only Kaidan’s could be. They sat in silence for another minute, watching the afternoon drift by in each other’s eyes.

“I guess I should eat this while its hot,” Shepard cleared his throat a moment later, letting go of Kaidan’s hand. He took a bite of his steak sandwich. He wanted to kick himself for stumbling so clumsily back into chit-chat. Truth was, he had so much he wanted to say, and nothing he knew how to say. Small talk felt like the only refuge for his racing thoughts.

“It’s pretty alright,” Kaidan chuckled, taking another swig of beer. “Beer’s awful though. Could go for something stronger, anyway.”

“They serve whiskey here,” Shepard offered. Kaidan waggled his eyebrows.

“Why should I buy my spirits when I’ve still got an expensive bottle on the ship?”

Shepard laughed around another mouthful of sandwich. “The TM88 I got you in the hospital? I was sure you’d drank that already.”

“Are you kidding? Bottle like that needs someone to share it with.”

“Well alright,” Shepard grinned. “We’ll do it together, sometime.”

Whenever Kaidan decided to open that bottle with him, then he would be ready. Then he would know what to say.

++

Kaidan leaned his head against the wall of the shower, just letting the hot water run down his back, soak his hair.

They had never cut it so close, except above Alchera.

Shepard had been mute and stern the whole shuttle race out of Thessia’s atmosphere, tailed by reapers. His eyes were wild, as if he were still replaying the fall of the asari homeworld on repeat in his mind. He hadn’t said anything to anybody when he got back aboard the Normandy. Leaving directly for his cabin without a glance and without removing his armor.

Shepard was in pain, and Kaidan knew him well enough to see it buried under all the fury. Just in the way his jaw set, Kaidan could tell exactly what was bothering him:

They could lose this war.

Maybe he recognized it in Shepard in part because it was something he himself had rolled around in his mind over and over while in the hospital. Something about almost dying made every endeavor seem fragile. Mortal. And here they had almost died again—not like the chance of catching a geth rocket or a merc bullet they always had—but much closer.

Kaidan needed a drink.

He raised his face to the shower head, hot water against his eyelids. His mind went straight to the bottle of whiskey in the crew quarters. No, he was pretty intent on sharing that with Shepard. But after today, he wasn’t imagining a celebration, whiskeyed words of love. They had survived today, and that felt like celebration enough. Soaping and rinsing himself under the shower spray, Kaidan had almost convinced himself to go visit Shepard in the Loft, bring him the bottle, share a drink. To be alive together.

But not tonight. Shepard wouldn’t see it that way, yet. He’d see it as Kaidan trying to cheer him up. Which wasn’t entirely untrue, but more like Kaidan trying to savor every moment with the man he had fallen in love with. So, no, not tonight.

Kaidan turned off the shower, reached for his towel. There would be nights like tonight, many more, and maybe one of those nights Shepard would be ready.

++

Shepard dropped his data-pad onto his desktop with a clatter. He’d been reviewing tactical reports, plans. Casualty reports, such as they could be compiled. He sat back, closed his eyes, let the still hum of the ship underpin the sound of his own breaths.

Tomorrow, they would move on the Cerberus base, take the fight to the Illusive Man directly.

“And then what?” Shepard whispered into the quiet of his cabin. Then what? They take Cerberus out of the equation and they’re left with… still the Reapers. A galaxy unprepared to face them, and hundreds of good soldiers and good scientists who would rather die than use their abilities to take out the Reapers once and for all. It was a realization that hollowed him out inside. The data-pads on his desk called out to him, chastised him for resting his eyes or trying to quiet his thoughts. But when he looked back at the desk, it was still the casualty reports staring back at him.

The war had chipped away so much from the image of himself Shepard had been so certain of. It had taken so much of who he was, he wondered sometimes if there was anything else he could be than a sword against the Reapers. When he looked around the room, saw the fish in their aquarium, the little models he’d built over the last few years, the remains of a late-night drink in a glass on the table, it was like looking at somebody else’s possessions.

Everyone was depending on him—literally everyone. And who was he, at the end of the day? What was left? The shell of Commander Shepard, revenant cyborg, and his cozy little loft and all his little models. His face felt hot. He’d left the wake of a life behind him in his years—people he had saved, colonies he’d protected, heroes he had avenged—but what was there now? Wrath. Fear.

He stood up, began to pace the deck, chose a pad at random and started reviewing it. It was a power-fluctuation report from engineering, and Shepard thought it would keep him saner to hear it from someone directly. As the hatch to the loft opened for him, he almost ran into Kaidan, just reaching to sound the door chime.

They looked at each other a long moment, the hollowness in Shepard bitterly annoyed that Kaidan would see him like this.

“Can’t sleep either, huh?” Kaidan said softly.

“No.” He stepped to the side and allowed Kaidan to pass into his cabin. Only then did Shepard notice Kaidan was carrying two glasses in one hand, and a bottle of whiskey in the other.

++

The hair stood up on the back of Kaidan’s neck when he stepped into the loft. He shot past Shepard and made down the steps to the living area.

“Kaidan, I need to—” Shepard’s voice had an iron edge to it, but Kaidan turned around, looked him in the eye before he could finish.

“Shh. Just take five minutes. A quick drink, then I’ll go.” He thought he saw a spark of a smile in Shepard’s face, and the sight made his heart beat faster. He twisted open the bottle of whiskey and poured a glass for each of them. “Shepard, you know you’ve done everything you could, right?”

“I hope so. I keep running the numbers to see if I’ve missed something.” Kaidan could relate, he handed one glass to Shepard. It had been so long since they’d been truly alone together.

“You don’t have to take this on yourself. Look to your crew, to the talented people fighting by your side.” Shepard didn’t reply right away, but sighed and took the bottle from Kaidan’s hand, not so much as looking at it before setting it on the table. “What you’ve accomplished since the Reapers arrived… it’s just nothing short of amazing.” He watched as Shepard held the glass to lips, took a long slow sip of his whiskey.

Tonight was the night, Kaidan had felt it after the briefing. The last night they’d have to crack open this bottle. And he had no celebration to commemorate except tonight, except being alive and in love and with Shepard. He had thought about it so much, it almost surprised him when he set his glass down on the table without so much as a sip.

“It’s gonna be what it is,” he said softly. Shepard’s expression had softened, and Kaidan held his gaze.

“What are you thinking about right now?” Shepard said after a moment.

“About the good times,” Kaidan scoffed. “And the hard times. It’s been an unforgettable few years.” He took in Shepard in his uniform pants and N7 hoodie, looking as casual as he ever allowed himself. A view of himself only Kaidan was allowed to share in. “Yeah, especially the time we’ve spent together lately. It’s been so intense… it feels like a lifetime.”

Shepard set down his drink beside Kaidan’s. The change was enormous, Shepard looked like Shepard again, not ‘the commander’. Like there had been a piece of himself he had given over to Kaidan, maybe without even knowing it, and it was something Kaidan could give back. Something he’d cared for even without realizing.

“You’re exactly what I need right now, Kaidan.” Shepard leaned forward and Kaidan gently took the back of his head, pulled him in for a deep kiss.

“I lied,” he breathed when he pulled back. “I didn’t come here for a quick drink.” Shepard smirked conspiratorially before leaning in once again, pressing his lips to Kaidan’s. Kaidan’s fingers tangled into the fabric of Shepard’s hoodie, pulling him in and deepening the kiss. Shepard went willingly, swinging his leg to straddle Kaidan’s lap, hands gripping Kaidan’s shoulders as they kissed. There was the taste of whiskey on Shepard’s tongue, on his lips, even though he’d taken only the smallest sip. Kaidan let his hands run down the sides of Shepard’s body, caressing the small of his back before his grip settled under Shepard’s thighs. Barely breaking the kiss, he stood up, carrying Shepard with him, and the two swayed for a moment as Kaidan took the weight and met Shepard in a kiss once again.

Shepard was already unbuttoning his uniform shirt, kissing the line of his jaw and down his neck. On the table, two glasses of whiskey sat beside the opened TM88 bottle. Kaidan almost knocked them over whisking Shepard to the bed.

The whiskey was forgotten in moments as the men stripped down and Kaidan pushed Shepard onto the mattress.  Tomorrow would be too busy to finish the whiskey, and everyday after that was a prayer’s breadth away from oblivion. It had seemed so important to Kaidan as he carried the bottle to the loft, but now that he had his hands on Shepard’s body, his lips pressed to Shepard’s chest, it was like nothing mattered. Not Mars, or the Reapers, or the bottle of whiskey.

This is what mattered, what would never happen again, this moment. Kaidan swore to himself they’d make time to try the whiskey again. He swore they’d be together when the war was over.

[cynthiaandsamus]

Pancackes: which girls prefer salty toppings (cheese, ham, chicken slices and so on..) and which girl prefer the sweet ones (chocolate, syrup, honey, etc...)?

Cynthia has quite the sweet tooth but prefers fruity flavors to try and make things at least a bit more healthy. She has strawberries, cherries, whipped cream and various assorted berries between them.

Samus is simple, either just straight syrup or if she's feeling fancy some honey or nutella.

Aqua loves creating giant monstrosities, towers of whipped cream and meat and fruit and chasing it down with rum, guess her divine stomach can take it.

Nero creates beautifully intricate temples of pancakes that are like art pieces onto themselves... except then she finds it hard to eat her beautiful creations.

Lucoa likes making little sandwiches out of her pancakes with some eggs and bacon, cutting them up as normal but eating them like a sandwich.

Ishtar is delightfully sweet and gooey with her tastes, chocolate sauce, caramel and honey and even prefers her pancakes a little underdone to have a little batter goo towards the center.

Raikou loves making little hearts in chocolate syrup and drawing pictures of her beloved children while also having a good side of sausage and bacon.

Calli enjoys sausage and bacon with hers and maybe some chicken as well, living with Kiara and being raised in the south got her accustomed to the tradition of adding fried chicken to every meal.